ABYECTA – Enemigos De La Razón EP
Utterly ferocious, metallic hardcore thrashing attack from Chile. It’s like ENGLISH DOGS as they are hedging into the metal years but still maining a heavy UK82 vibe while being fronted by a Spanish speaking Beki Bondage from VICE SQUAD. Total fucking rager.
ACADEMY ORDER – To Wilt Without Shame LP
Moody, synth driven death rock from Philadelphia – it’s been cool to see a lot of this sorta goth/dark wave with a clear connection to DIY punk spring up in the last few years and ACADEMY ORDER is a nice addition. Think THE CHURCH but with a more assertive edge – the cover of the PARTISANS “Killing Machine” here is pretty fucking great especially in just how ominous they make it.
THE ANNIHILATED – Submission To Annihilation LP
Thunderous, stomping and utterly brutal hardcore from London – in one moment it’s going down that sorta thudding repetitive UK attack of bands like RUDIMENTARY PENI and ICONS OF FILTH, then the next swerving into the velocity of early USHC. It really makes for an effective mix of ripping hardcore with a solid anarcho-punk backdrop. It’s chaotic, angry, frustrated paean against the bullshit of this world but not without a sense of hope. Brilliant.
BOMBARDEMENT – Le Futur Est Lá LP
A relentless, rampaging onslaught of some of the best d-beat hardcore punk on the planet – as you are probably well aware, BOMBARDEMENT have released a few records by this point but for me, this might be the best one yet. There is a general cohesiveness to the songs, the production is really top notch and the energy here is just through the roof. I mean it’s always through the roof but there is this consciousness of songwriting, and performance here that is just next level. Total fucking rager.
B.R.A.T. – A Promotion of Violence In Hopes of Freedom CS
Two originals, two covers from this Baltimore band – its thick slabs of vicious hardcore played in the quick paced pukka-pukka punk dumbest style. They cover SHITLICKERS and BLITZ which should give you a solid feel for what their originals sound like.
CHAINSAW – When Will We Die? EP
Rumbley-tumbley, thrashing Boston d-beat fueled hardcore attack – they cover ICONS OF FILTH and it blends in so seamlessly with their sound that you almost don’t realize its a cover at first.
Both bands have seen ample ink spilled both in the pages of this zine as well as many others about their quality – for me both bands write some of the best quality takes on that UK82 vibe some 40 years after the fact. For their portion, THE CHISEL contributes two tracks leaning heavy into Fatigue-era BLITZ while MESS goes for a bit more of a Voice Of A Generation feel. Top shelf platter.
CONSERVATIVE MILITARY IMAGE – Skinhead CS
Musically this reminds me of 86 Mentality a bit in how its has a bit more mid tempo, East Coast hardcore feel to it. There’s something I will always find off putting about a skinhead band putting a cross and an American flag on their cover – and to be honest given the sorta cliche lyrics I wonder if this is a parody band.
Raging, downtuned crust as fuck thrash from Mexico in vein of the earlier era of DOOM or DISGUST. Tasty little ripper.
CROW – 眼 CD
Rooted in the classic noisy DISCHARGE style here we find them further exploring elements of avant-garde noise rock and epic metal expanding the sound of CROW into this immersive cacophony that borders on sonic surrealism at times, then downshifting back in a go for the throat rampaging hardcore attack. A brilliant and brutal record.
Slashing garage punk attack with an assertive strut and lyrics in this snotty, snarly French style. Six tracks in total.
The members of TOTALITÄR make up this band and the cover looks an awful lot like the artwork for Sin Egen Motståndare (because the same person did it) sooooooo what do you think this sounds like? If you guessed that this is more that classic Swedish d-beat hardcore, you’d be right! For me this sounds more along the lines of the Multinationella Mördare-era of TOTALITÄR. Absolute ripper.
Newest release from this Finnish crossover thrash unit – nine rampaging tracks of relentless mayhem that has always felt like they were sitting around one night drinking homemade vodka, listening to AGNOSTIC FRONT’s “The Eliminator” over and over then deciding to take the ideas expressed in that song to their furthest extension. A ferocious live band, I can’t wait to see these tracks blasted out at maximum volume soon.
Noisey, primitive mid tempo punk from Poland – comes off a little inept (in a good way). There are moments where it sounds a little like those early BLACK FLAG recordings but with keyboards thrown in.
Dutch band which has a bit of a ‘77 pogo punk mixed in with some moderate early hardcore tendencies and 90s garage primal energy going on – I don’t know why keep going back the trashy thrashy sounds of TEENGENERATE or the first NEW BOMB TURKS while listening to this but thats the overall feel. I think people into the more amped up ripping attack of the first CHUBBY & THE GANG LP would be into this for sure.
Melodic yet melancholic punk rock from Bilbao – the name is a reference to an internment camp in France where Basque separatists as well as many anarchist prisoners were held during the Spanish Civil War, so you get a feel for where their hearts lie. This has the same sort of early 80s Orange County/SoCal beach punk vibe as exhibited by bands like THE OBSERVERS or NO HOPE FOR THE KIDS. Am super into this.
HÆVNER – Kaldet Fra Tomrummet LP
Dark and moody neo-goth punk from Copenhagen that sits on the punk side of the fence for sure in a sort of sped up early CHRISTIAN DEATH sort of way. It sizzles along while being soaked in an icy cold bath of moody synths brace by an assertive rhythmic onslaught. It’s an ominous aural onslaught that I’m totally here for.
I adore this band – played at a quick yet tuneful pace. There’s a lot here that reminds me of the more mid-paced JERRY’S KIDS moments but like many K-Town bands they manage to take that inspiration and make it their own. It’s got plenty of these wonderful twists and turns pointing towards a consciousness towards songwriting and melody rather than just going for a particular ‘sound’ or ‘feeling.’ A really great release!
INNOCENT – Architects of Despair LP
Treble soaked, distorted to all fuck raw punk from these Boston punks –
It’s been five years since their first demo, so it’s about time they cranked out an LP. It’s a delightfully noisy romp through eleven tracks of raging raw punk which swings heavy into the GAI/SWANKYS mindset but without going down the path of being a cacophony of white noise.
INTERCEPTÖRRRS – 7 En La Mira CS
Super raw punk from Mexico in a NWOBHM meets DISCHARGE sort of way. Sounds like it was recorded in a basement on a boombox – I’m really into how the super fuzzed out the guitars are in this almost 60s psych sorta way.
Sweden’s MANIC RIDE crank out ten tracks of pummeling jams with a heavy rock edge – kinda like how B’LAST or POISON IDEA injected big rock riffs and a strutting attitude into the basic punk feel, evolving the form without losing that sense of aggression and power. Killer stuff here.
Four tracks of blazing hardcore from Indonesia in a HERESY/RIPCHORD sort of style – just big early Boston through a UK and now Indonesian filter. This is something I could totally see 625 Records releasing at some point.
Primitive, pukka-pukka punk from Colombia which sounds like it could be one of the bands from the movie Rodrigo D: No Future, and like that movie they paint a lyrical portrait of a world of desperation and violence.
OLD is band made up of members of the classic Toronto band YOUTH YOUTH YOUTH – its a delightfully snotty, garagey thrashy hardcore band with clean guitars and vocals just dripping with snark. I love this.
Outstanding split form these two Canadian punk rock powerhouses.For their part PHANE contributed six blasts of shredding thrash with oodles of shredding leads and powerful riffs – in some ways it reminds me a bit of the sort vibe of the Burning Spirits bands in how they take bits and pieces of things like GBH or ENGLISH DOGS but just kick it up a notch. On the flip FRACTURED comes bursting off the vinyl in this more thrashing metal punk sort of way – it’s akin to PHANE but a bit more straightforward.
Seven blasts of raging thrash in a FARTZ/ACCUSED sorta style – I think the snarled vocal attack is what really drives it home for me. The unpredictable breaks and chaotic twists and turns really sorta separates this from a lot of tuneless thrash.
PLANET ON A CHAIN – Deprogram LP
It’s so great to see Revelation return to putting out straightforward hardcore records again – given POAC’s pedigree of being former members of LOOK BACK AND LAUGH, TALK IS POISON, and TEAR IT UP you can sorta figure out what this sounds like – aggressive, fast paced and stripped down hardcore punk with ample energy. Absolutely raging.
This is really cool – it’s a bit like early FLUX OF PINK INDIANS crammed through a dancey New Wave filter. Lots of cool keyboard effects, interesting riffing – at moments it kinda reminds me of the TYRADES. Really fun release.
PRISONNIER DU TEMPS – Comme Un Lion En Cage LP
Hold up, wait a minute – what the fuck is this? Where did this come from? More of that French good-good skinhead punk soaked in utterly contagious hooks and melodies with a bit of a hardcore edge. For me, this is the best take on the boot boy style since those CRIMINAL DAMAGE releases. On a bad day this style can be a thudding disaster of mediocrity – this is the opposite of that, especially given its affinity for delicious pop hooks and focus on song construction. Beyond infectious, it’s an essential listen.
RAT CAGE – In The Shadow Of The Bomb EP
Just two tracks but what monster tracks they are!! On one side we find the title track which just shreds in the melodic vein of classic Japanese Burning Spirits bands providing a punchy backdrop to lyrical exploration of the effects of nuclear weapons long term. On the flip we have a mid-paced stomper in the style of DISCHARGE’s “State Violence State Control” era.
Gruff vocals over mid-paced French Oi (Though I think this might actually be a Swiss band…). More aggro that melodic it still has plenty of “woahs” for the bootboys to sing along with – reminds me a little of that CRIMINAL demo from a few years back.
ROUGHED UP – King And Council EP
Incredibly tuneful UK punk that’s a bit of the old aggro mixed with the melodic sensibilities of the likes of ANGELIC UPSTARTS. The title track here is the winner.
I’ll take all the SIAL you got! More along the lines of their last release, we see this is Singapore powerhouse further exploring elements of rhythm and sheets of white noise, though never losing the feeling of aggression – at times it makes me think of noise-not-music take on the repetitive syncopated droning riffing of LUNGFISH while lyrically exploring notions of anxiety, violence and feeling of overarching insecurity.
Wow – this is really cool. Modern Norwegian band with a plenty of speed and aggression playing in such a classic, riff heavy style that I had to check that it wasn’t former members of SO MUCH HATE or SVART FRAMTID or something. Super compelling and powerful record.
A totally raw and viscous presentation of ripping hardcore from Bogota which has a heavy, early GBH feel – throbbing bass married to a barrage of drums and heavily fuzzed out guitars backing up an vocal attack pointed squarely at the violent and corrupt nature of the Colombian state.
TERMINAL FILTH – Death Driven LP
Crust as fuck, downtuned music performed by monsters made for monsters.Think ZYGOTE, think AXEGRINDER, think early HELLSHOCK – its this sludgey metallic onslaught of filth and fury that I find just plain delightful.
TRENCHKOAT – Pulling The Plug On Humanity LP
This is really cool – a little ominous and spooky in its delivery its almost like SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS played at a more hardcore velocity. Just this really cool snarly and spooky feel that I’m totally here for.
Mid-paced, overtly aggro street punk in the style of Boston’s LAST RITES or THE BRUISERS. In some moments it reminds me a great deal of Pittsburgh’s NO TIME, though without the same level of speed.
Dissonant French cold wave that leans heavy into the moodier WIPERS explorations – it’s a dour, moderately dancy exploration of minor chords, reverb, noodly guitars and the perfect soundtrack to a dark, rainy day.
VAROITUS / UTSATT – Split EP
VAROITUS play a primitive but absolutely ripping Swedish hardcore in the classic ANTI-CIMEX with ample guitar wankery. On the flip side we have UTSATT, which features former members of 3 WAY CUM and current EXPLOATÖR/WARCOLLAPSE. Their sound is akin to that of VAROITUS but with a slightly slower pace.
Raging, primal hardcore played at a vicious syncopated pace with occasional forays into artsy indulgence – reminds me a bit S.H.I.T. in how they combine elements of straight forward, noisy early Scandi hardcore (think HEADCLEANERS) but plug in these sorta CRASS-esque elements of weird. I’m down.
ZANJEER – Parcham Buland Ast EP
Christ on a fucking crutch, this is ferocious. Six searing blasts of face ripping, snarly hardcore sung in a mix of Urdu, Punjabi and Farsi – all indicative of the heritage of the various members of the band. It’s a thunderous, pummeling onslaught played at mid-pace velocity for maximum effect.
RAZORBLADES AND ASPIRIN 