12" Reviews

Bäddat För Trubbel -Värdighet (Punks Only) (12,50 euro)
‘Värdighet’ is the second Lp by these Swedish song smiths. Bäddat För Trubbel’s music can be best described as punk rock in the sense the term was intended way before punk rock was considered a genre on its own. ‘Punk’ being the adjective to describe the sort of rock we’re dealing with here. No safety pins or studded leather jackets for these guys, but somehow I do feel like they’re all weirdoes in their own little ways. This platter isn’t all that different from their previous full length by which I mean it’s yet again very good. Bäddat För Trubbel delivers fifteen new songs full of cheerful drunken swagger here. Although the band’s songs are mostly upbeat, I feel like there’s always some sadness to them as well. When listening to this record I think of friends hanging out at the bar late at night talking about their failures and misery with a huge smile on their face, laughing at the absurdity of this thing called life. Somehow I find this record a perfect soundtrack to waking up on Monday morning with a cup of coffee in hand. Only after writing this I saw that the first song of the record is actually called ‘Mändag morgon elles Söndag Nart’. A weird coincidence? There’s more saxophone on this record than on their previous Lp and I really like that. Whereas the instrument seemed a one off addition on the first, it looks like it has become more of an essential part to the band’s sound on this release. Another difference between this Lp and their last one is that there’s more vocal trading going on. The main singer has a great deep voice, but it’s cool to hear the other guys, who sound snappier, next to him. It keeps things diverse. Other than that ‘Värdighet’ is exactly what you’d expect of this band after hearing their earlier output and although it can be disappointing to get what you asked for, I can’t say I mind in this case. Main reason for this is that the songs are all solid. From the sad organ lead balad ‘Fakta och Nostalgi’to the messy and manic ‘BFT’ back to the the punk rocking ‘Bäddat För’ the band delivers. I can’t really think of any band that’s like this four piece and that is quite a quality.

Bill Bondsmen - ...--. .-.-.- ... .-.-.- / -.-----..- .----. .-. . / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- .-.. 12" (Burning Sensations) (8 euro)

The story about this release is an obscure one. Some Dutch punk released two 12"s by Bill Bondsmen (of which this is the better) but somehow they ended up in his attic and most never got sold. To my knowledge the kid in question is still alive so why he never parted with these 12"s is a mystery to me. Perhaps they were of too much emotional value, perhaps he was told not to sell copies by voices in his head (it really was the band telling him not to (eds.)). Either way this 12" is some of the Bondsmen's best material and it's a shame that this release hasn't been available to the masses before. I don't feel like going into detail about this band's sound. They play intense hardcore. That's for sure. I've said it before, but I think Gaby's vocals are some of the best to be found in hardcore today. Most consider the "Swallowed by the World" Lp Bill Bondsmen's strongest release, but those who do obviously haven't heard this record. It's meaner, rawer and harsher. It has the sound the band had before the Lp came out and the songwriting qualities that the band got recognition for on their full length and succeeding single. This should be the Bondsmen record for those of you with a short attention span, because it delivers seven perfect hardcore tunes. Long live the 12" Ep! This might be the best Bondsmen record around. The artwork looks stupid, but rad.

P.s. Sailors, fill me in on what that morse code stands for. I wonder.

Bits of Shit - Cut Sleeves Lp (Homeless) (12,50 euro)
Bits of Shit hail from Melbourne, Australia. The band just returned from a fierce week of touring the US and I heard they were blast live through one of my many trustworthy confidants. Yes, I have ears all over the punk rock world. The band released its first record, a 7” , back in 2010, but supposedly they’ve been playing for many years. Their debut Ep went by largely unnoticed outside of Australia as far as I can tell. By the time I came to appreciate the record it was already long gone. Now there’s ‘Cut Sleeves’ to give all of you fellow sleepers a chance to get hip to the sounds of Bits of Shit after all. That these boys are from the land down under is undeniable from the moment their singer Danny opens his throat. His snot drenched vocals in thick Australian accent are great and might just be what I like about the band most. Danny sounds juvenile and spiteful and I bet he’s showering kids in the front row at shows with his spittle. Good for them. It’s hard to believe it’s actually a guy over thirty you’re hearing through your speakers. I’ve got a feeling we’re dealing with one sassy bloke here. The vocals – howls would be more accurate in places - have the same appeal to me as those of Mike Hudson, but I’m also reminded of Ron House perhaps because of a shared sense of wit. Google those names and you’ll scold me for being a follower of the Distort cult, but I honestly didn’t even know Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments came from the Ohio city thousands of hardcore boys fantasize about thanks to a certain fellow countryman of this band. Musically Bits of shit play scummy punk rock with a classic feel. Their songs move from fast to slow in a very undisruptive manner. The fast songs are straight forward punk rockers while the slower ones have more dirge to them. It’s in those songs that the guitar playing gets more upfront. Andy really flails away on the strings when he gets a chance to. The guitar subtly demands attention by doing minor variations on the main riff in instrumental opener ‘F’, a jam I can see Bits of Shit open their set with. Things get even wilder and dissonant on ‘Traps’ and ‘Reign’, the second and last instrumental of the record. Most of the songs on this record are built around fairly simple riffs - some counting a mere two notes – carried mainly by the bass playing. The bass sound is forceful and it really drives the songs, which I love. The guitar sound is buzzy and sharp. At times the guitar player does simple riffing, but I like it most when he moves away from a song’s foundation and gets wild and crazy. He is also the one who should be credited for the beautiful xylophone sounds that can be heard on ‘Red Blade’, which probably is the calmest song on this record. ‘Cut Sleeves’ gets wrapped up by a song called ‘Intro’ which is a bit backwards, but you can’t really blame the band. They’re from Australia after all. I could have said an intro at the end of the record is like the world upside down which although funny, would have been a lot less offensive. This is a perfect punk rock record that doesn’t get boring or tedious at any point which is quite an accomplishment with thirteen songs of which a few get close to the five minute mark. I’d call this Lp flawless if it wouldn’t make me feel like a shady salesman. The only thing bad about his record is the artwork, but I read on the band’s website that they were really excited about it. It’s their record so who am I to disagree? Get hip to these Australians already. You know you want to.

Broken Prayer - Lp (Sorry State) (12,50 euro)
Review up soon...

Bukkake Boys - Lp (Sorry State)
Bukkake Boys… what a name! I myself used to think it was a horrible name until I noticed that every single time I read or heard people discussing the band, that was the very first thing they said: ‘Horrible name!’ So inadvertently Bukkake Boys showed me how people are shallow and mimic eachother in a rather brainless way. Or maybe punks just share a sense of ‘good taste’. Haha, yeah right! This is Bukkake Boys’ first full length and it also happens to be their last. The band will soon throw in the towel. By the time you read this they probably already let out their last breath, for their final show is scheduled this Saturday. A shame perhaps, but all good things come to an end and it’s more fitting for a hardcore band to hit the breaks on full speed than make your foot leave the gas pedal to come to a slow halt. This Lp is definitely a good way to go out. It’s without a doubt the band’s best release. Bukkake Boys plays fast and noisy hardcore. I was told the band’s main reference has always been Japanese hardcore – apparently that explains the name too – but I’ve always been a stranger to that style so I can’t comment if it makes for a good reference here. Whenever I hear a Bukkake Boys’ record the word ‘harsh’ comes to mind. The music is harsh. The singer sounds harsh. It’s a harsh band! The drumming is solid and the singer sounds pissed as ever. I love his barking dog style delivery. There’s wailing feedback all over the place, which is the only break you’ll be getting from the rough riffs which are delivered at breakneck pace. The twelve songs on this record will crush you and are over all too soon. The entire record lasts about fifteen minutes. That’s also where the strength of this release lies though. It’s direct, it’s angry, it’s relentless. It’s just a solid hardcore record all around. End of story. The artwork is cool and made by someone famous.

  

Canadian Rifle - Visibility Zero Lp (Residue, Squirrel Heart)

Year Zero is Canadian Rifle's first full-length. This Chicago three-piece plays music that could be labeled as melodic punk rock. The overall production of this record is quite raw. Adding to that are the vocals of both singers. They’re pretty harsh. The lyrics tend to focus on the bleaker side of life. "All good things leave and all bad things stay and multiply." There's not much cheer to be found on this piece of wax, but the songs aren't whiny and are delivered with conviction. Unlike their previous 7"s this Lp doesn't offer any hits, but that doesn't mean the songs aren't good. They are, but consistent full length is just a whole different bag than a good 7". I think Canadian Rifle delivered a strong melodic punk rock record with Visibility Zero. So if melodic punk rock is your kinda thing I'd recommend you to pick this one up. This record won't kick your teeth in, but is a nice listen just as well.

Cola Freaks - Lp (Hjernespind) (14 euro)
After five 7" releases here it is; the first Cola Freaks full-length! The Cola Freaks have been carrying the torch of Danish punk rock ever since all the K-Town hardcore bands ceased to exist in the early 00's. Not that this band sounds anything like the bands that put Denmark on the punk map back then. The Cola Freaks are on the catchier side of things. At first these guys were labeled as a 'KBD style band', but over time they proved to be so much more than that. Through the years all kinds of influences came seeping into the Cola Freaks' sound. Post-punk, pop, goth, you name it. The addition of a synthesizer is a good illustration of their versatility. At times I wonder if one should still consider this band a punk band, because there's nothing inept about them. They are good musicians. Plus I've said it before, and I'll say it again; the Cola Freaks know how to write a tune. Goddamn! This Lp serves eleven songs and there aren't any misses among it. You might have noticed that I said little about the actual music on this piece of vinyl, but that's because this record is just about one thing; the SONGS! You need to hear those to know what this is about. So what the hell are you waiting for? The record has been out on CD for a while now, but it's finally available on vinyl as well and, let's face it, that's all you people care about. I'm sorry about the price, but the Danish Kroner isn't cheap. This record is definitely worth the money though.

Cop City Chill Pillars - Hosed Lp (Florida's Dying) (12,50 euro)
This is Cop City Chill Pillars second album. As soon as the needle hits the plastic it's obvious the band has reached a next level of mutation since their previous record. Cop City Chill Pillars immediately takes the weird up a couple of notches in jolting opening song 'Cleaning the Rool' which includes horns. Although the use of brass is a one off, the insanity doesn't diminish. A synthesizer is added in several songs which makes them even more haunting. It made me think it woulnd't be a bad idea if the band would include the instrument to their line-up permanently. It fits their weirdo style like a six-fingered glove.

'Hosed' is one strange listen throughout. The science-fiction theme present on their previous record seems to be out of the window, but since that wasn't layed on too thick to begin with chances are slim you're going to miss it. This record is a lot weirder than 'Held Hostage on Planet Chill' and that was no predictable listen already. The recording is less bare this time around, but the vibe of the songs is still alienating and cold. There are no hooks, but there's a lot of pulsing repetitive guitar work that you could akwardly dance to if that's your kind of thing. What's strange about these songs, is that I would never describe them as catchy, but they will be stuck in your head after listening to this Lp.

Likewise the totally lackluster vocal delivery will numb your soul to its very core, but you will be singing non-sensical lyrics like: “Another carpet-flavoured lollypop/ From the second hand candy shop.”, thoughtlessly in the streets hours after turning your record player off. The vocals aren't drowned by the music like before. They are actually pretty prominent and easy to make out. The singer sounds beyond absentminded. Think a depressed stand up comic telling a joke he's made a million times before without wanting to. The vocals make you wonder if the singer still has the ability to care at all or if maybe he had that part of his brain removed for psychiatric reasons. In a church choir for the clinically depressed this guy would still stand out as the blandest of them all.

The total absence of emotion and common sense in Cop City Chill Pillars tunes is unsettling. The band's disdain for song writing has me thinking of the no-wave movement, but that label gives the wrong impression. No-wave bands intented to destroy music by their total lack of knowledge and ability, which they carried with pride. Cop City Chill Pillars, on the other hand, can obviously play and they could write 'normal songs' if they tried or wanted to. The fact they don't is kind of mind boggling. It being a deliberate choice to produce this kind of music makes these sounds all the more powerful and evil. I wonder what else these weirdos have in store for us squares.

Crosta - Nus A La Gola Lp (Self Released)
Review up soon...

Druid Perfume - Tin Boat to Tuna Town Lp (Self Released) (12,50 euro)

This record caught me a bit off guard. Druid Perfume's previous outputs where intense, messy and chaotic if not downright crazy. The music on this record is not like that at all. Although Tin Boat to Tuna Town is calmer than Druid Perfume's former releases it still breathes the same celebration of the irrational and crazy. I'd describe the music as moody drugged punk with jolting horns. Some people have labeled the band as free-jazz, but apart from the final chord in the opening song, there's not much subtility to be found on this Lp. Whereas the bass seemed to be the only instrument keeping the music together on their former record, the band sounds more in balance on this release. The singer still steals the show. On Druid Perfume's Selftitled Lp I liked to think of him as a reverend Jim Jones kinda character strung out on psychedelic drugs announcing the apocalypse to his followers. Now imagine the following. Our anti-hero awakes in a stupor. He is surrounded  by burnt down houses, smoke still coming from smouldering fires. Corpses of his followers as well as total strangers are scattered among the ruins. Drunkenly beholding the product of his teaching the guy loses the last bit of sanity he had left. He picks up a female body lying next to him. He doesn't notice her shotgun wound nor the blood he's smearing all over himself as he starts dancing a tango with what's left of the lady. As the picture slowly fades we hear the man's manical laughter. THE END. Tin Boat to Tuna Town would be the perfect soundtrack to this somewhat disturbing scene.

Druid Perfume - II Lp (Urinal Cake) (15 euro)
Third Lp by this crazy Detroit outfit and in all probability their last, because the bass player moved to LA. Druid Perfume played some of the weirdest rock music I ever heard and I fucking love them for it. While their previous release was somewhat calmer than the rest of their output, this second Selftitled album gets pretty manic again. When I listen to this record I think of a circus in which the singer of the band functions as announcer. The band backs up the acts with music. Jimbo introduces every act with a drugged out slur while barely being able to stay up on his feet. It should go without saying that his circus ain’t your ordinary circus and this is more than apparent as the opening act makes its entrance. The clowns are clearly strung out on hallucinogens as they climb the stage drooling, howling and hitting themselves in their faces. One is having a bad trip and curls up on the floor in the fetal position whilst screaming he’s dying. After a while he starts crying and calls for his mother in a childlike voice. In the meantime a fellow funny man has started undressing himself. He invites the audience to do the same while manically shouting: ‘Free yourselves! Throw of your chains!’ In the background another clown gets liquid, which later turns out to be battery acid, coming from a flower pinned to a colleague’s chest straight into his eye. He runs around the arena blind. Next up are the lion and his tamer. The king of all animals is in no mood to jump through any burning hoops no matter how loud his master shouts at him and hits him with his whip. After a while the creature loses its patience and tears off the tamer’s leg. In the meantime a drunk cord dancer has entered the stadium and is climbing one of the poles that’s keeping the canvas elevated. Her first step from the plateau is about a foot removed from the cord she’s trying to walk, which makes her fall all the way down to the ground. Fortunately her fall is broken by some stuffed animals with stains in their fur where hairs are stuck together by questionable substances. Things are about to get wrapped up with the human canon ball act. It turns out way too much gun powder has been stuffed down the barrel, causing a giant explosion in which the human canon ball burns alive. As the tent catches fire, the audience tries to escape the flames, that are reaching out for everything that isn’t ablaze yet. Parents flee in blind panic leaving their kids behind to function as fuel for the fire. Children’s screams of agony and cries for help fill the night sky as the band keeps playing. The announcer keeps shouting one incoherent sentence after another over this grand finale. What a perfect ending for a perfect band.

De Hoje Haele - Kold Traet & Bange 12" (Hjernespind)
It's been a while since we heard from De Hoje Haele, which is Danish for 'the High Heels' if I'm not mistaken. Their last record was the 7” on Burka for Everybody which was a bit of a letdown to me. Two of the three songs on that record I already knew from their tapes and although the new one was nice, I think the recording wasn't too great. Both the band's debut Ep and first Lp however were really good records. 'Skal Vi Aldrig Videre' was without a doubt my favourite album of 2010. These three Danes are amazing songwriters. They have an extremely minimalist approach to their music. Both the bass and the guitar are straight plugged into the amps. No pedals, no effects, no distortion. The drummer plays a simple drumkit. And yet, despite all of this, De Hoje Haele are able to create a sound of their own, which I would describe as fun and laid back. This is perfect music to do nothing to. Music for stoners? Perhaps, but I don't smoke and love this band just as well. Music for slackers would be more apt, I guess. I can identify with that. De Hoje Haele write short and catchy songs that show a lot of creativity. The guitar playing is super playful. Magnus can play that six string. I love the little leads he does in each and every song. Myre's bass playing is the driving force of the band. The bass guitar sounds warm and full and matches Magnus' shrill guitar playing perfectly. This one sided 12” serves the listener four new tunes. The last one, 'Der Er Ingen Som Forstär Hvad Der Foregär Inden Under Mit Hår' – don't ask me what it means – is the hit to me. Perhaps it's because the 'Ja, ja, ja, ja' bit is the only part of this record I can sing along to. The main bass line in this song is really cool too. They made a clip (with their new drummer) for the second track 'Der Er Mange, Der Siger Miget' you can check on youtube. Fun shit. It's good to have these guys back with a new record. Although it only contains four songs it's worth picking up, because they're four good songs. I do wonder what made them release these tunes on a one sided 12” though. Why not release a 7” Ep with two songs on each side? It would have made more sense to me. Plus it'd have been cheaper to ship. But then again that's probably not a thing these guys break their heads over. They just want to hang and play and that has its charm. I finally got to see the band live at an independent music festival last year and they were great. If you get the chance to see them, make sure you get your slacker ass of the couch. I'm sure they'll be touring again soon enough.

HPP - Lp (Perennial) (12,50 euro)
Third release on Perennial Records from Olympia, Washington. Whereas the other two releases on said label seem to have had a fair share of attention it has been awfully quiet around HPP (short for Hipster Piss Party apparently. Not that great a name, but let's not judge a book by its cover) as far as I know. This 12" delivers the two demos the band produced so far and to say these sound promising would be an understatment. HPP plays stripped down hardcore. The strong basslines and drums drive the music while the guitar goes into some dissonant jugglery. No, it does NOT remind me of Gregg Ginn! The guitar sound is thin, but I don't mind. HPP's singer is up front which makes the lyrics easy to discern. The guy's delivery is raw which fits the demo recordings. All song seem to be short. I don't think many cross the two minute mark. The A-side has a better recording than the B-side which is most noticeable in the vocals being deeper into the mix on the flip. Both sides of this record bring plenty of memorable tunes to the plate though. In fact the more I listen to this record, the more I feel like there isn't much filler to be found on here, but that might just be salesman talk. I don't want to get any ideas into you kids' heads, but don't you think that logo would just look super cool on your upper right arm? Carve first, tattoo later!

Lebakko - Popkorni Auppa 12" (Mutant)

Review up soon...

Manikin - Stop the Sirens Lp (Mastermind) (12,50 euro)
This Houston, TX, band has been going for quite a few years now and yet they seem to be relatively unknown and highly underappreciated. Their first piece of vinyl saw the light of day in 2004. Manikin has released four singles and three albums since of which most were only released overseas. ‘Stop the Sirens’, their third 12”, is the first record that got a pressing on our side of the pond. So this is the moment for Europeans to wake up and acknowledge this unique and amazing band. It blows my mind that so few people seem to care about them! Basically Manikin plays post punk, but that’s a genre that can go all ways, right? Manikin’s songs are build around simple plodding bass lines. The bass riffs are pretty much the melody of the songs. The guitar playing is minimal and subtle throughout the record. At times there’s no guitar at all. Some tunes include a trumpet player, which I really like. What do punks have against brass anyway? The horn cries create an ominous atmosphere. In some songs the trumpet wails and the guitar suddenly comes to the fore. Together they violently lash out for a few seconds giving the song a shambolic and chaotic vibe, but soon we’re back to the bass line that was at the sole of the song to begin with. There is something futuristic about Manikin’s music. It’s cold and impersonal. The vocals are desperate and distant. At times they’re delivered in a robotic way. The music creates an atmosphere that reminds me of old scifi movies. I can’t help but think of ‘Blade Runner’ each time I spin this record, but that might have something to do with the artwork as well. It brings me back to that scene where the robot midget leads Holden through a giant room filled with mannequins. The viewer knows Pris is among them pretending to be a puppet, hoping that Holden doesn’t notice her. There’s that tension in the music, that vibe of a world that isn’t ours, where everything is strange to us. A world we can not understand. It’s impressive how well this band transfers a mood of alienation. I’ve read people saying Manikin’s got some good songs, but that not all of it is worthwhile. That’s taking the wrong angle here in my opinion. This band isn’t about songs. Manikin tries to create a world that doesn’t exist and sucks you into it as you listen to their records. They do this amazingly well. I think this is their best record, but have to admit that this is also the record I know best. So there’s still a lot of discovering for me to do as well. I'd argue that there's no better point to start with than this record so what are you waiting for?

Missbrukarna - Zooma In En Zombie Lp (Skrammel) (15 euro)
This is a strange review to write, because I feel like either you already know Missbrukarna in which case you also know you need this record (or have already bought a copy,) or you don’t know this band in which case there’s no way I’ll be able to do this release justice in the following sentences. Let’s start with a short history lesson. Missbrukarna was one of the first hardcore punk bands to be formed in Sweden. During their existence they only played fifteen shows tops and released one split single with fellow countrymen Panik. Apart from this 7” the band contributed songs to several compilation records and released a much sought after cassette titled ‘Krigets Gentleman’ in 1983. Despite their limited number of releases and few live performances Missbrukarna became a favourite in punk rock circles over the years due to the sheer quality of their tunes. The band’s main songwriter Rolf ‘Revolt’ Bäcklund’ would later do time in a ton of other Swedish bands and is active in bands to this day. He’s probably known most among hardcore kids for writing tunes for everybody’s favourite Swedish hardcore band Totalitär, who I personally dislike, but I’ve never had taste. Andreas L of Totalitär fame wrote a personal history about the band and Rolf on the insert which is a cool read. To label Missbrukarna as a ‘punk band’ would have sufficed in 1980, but I feel like that description would sell the band short in our day. Because Missbrukarna wrote songs with different line-ups over the course of eight years, there’s a lot of things happening on this record. Although each and every song is driven by simple three chord guitar riffs and stomping drums, not a single one sounds like the next. Simple mid paced catchy punk rock songs are followed by fast and messy hardcore tracks. I think I like the sloppy ones most, but if the entire record was fast and chaotic it wouldn’t have had the appeal it has now. Although I don’t understand Swedish I feel like the band is joking around a lot. You can hear it musically in songs like ‘SFF’. The recording quality of the songs on ‘Zooma in en Zombie’ varies, but the worst recordings are raw and not unlistenable; nothing a punk should bother. The quality is a lot better than all those Missbrukarna bootlegs floating around. There are 33 tracks on this Lp and I think some were previously unreleased. This is as complete as your Missbrukarna collection is gonna get unless you’re willing to pay fortunes on the bay or end up marrying a Swede with a long forgotten treasure box inherited from his/her alcoholic uncle who died of an OD in the late 1980s in some long forgotten Swedish squat. The record comes in a beautiful gatefold sleeve with lots of live photos of the band as well as set lists and news articles about the group. Skrammel worked hard to make this release possible and it’s a gift to punks all over the world that this discography is finally officially out. It doesn’t get a lot more essential than this, boys and girls.

NO - 12" (12,50 euro) (Static Shock)
No came from the ashes of several London punk and hardcore, but they don’t sound like any of those former projects so let’s just keep it at that. The band released two demo tapes last year, which both got some attention because of the former-members-of-thing, but neither grabbed my attention. The demos got compared to die Kreuzen – what band doesn’t these days - and some classic Italian hardcore bands, probably because of the manic quality of their music. There was a lot of rage contained in the songs on the tapes. Perhaps the references weren’t far off sound wise, although I’m hearing more USHC in their sound than any Italian influences, but the band was definitely lacking the song writing skills of the hardcore greats they got compared to at the time. Huge was my surprise when I heard this 12”, because it’s a solid hardcore release. The eight songs on this record are all short and very dense. The entire record clocks in around ten minutes which is a good thing. There’s no reason to make a hardcore record last any longer than strictly necessary. The drumming on here is some relentless pounding which gives the music an aggressive and violent vibe. Furthermore there are some really strong riffs to be found in these tunes. The guitar especially kills on ‘Big Black Wings’, which isn’t as fast as most tracks here yet probably the best song on the record. It’s cool the band changes pace throughout the tunes without losing their momentum at any point. No’s singer has a recognizable and cool voice. Very hoarse and very angry. The difference between this recording and the demo tapes is really astonishing. It makes me wonder whether I gave the cassettes enough of a change. According to the Static Shock website the band waited with releasing any vinyl until they had good enough songs down. This turns out to have been a very wise decision. This record is easily one of the best hardcore releases this year. It’s going to impress listeners whether they’ve heard the band’s earlier material or not. I like the artwork too. Now let’s hope these guys will cross the channel to play some shows on the continent sometime soon.

No Slogan - Aversion Therapy 12" (Residue)

At first No Slogan didn't do much for me. I heard one or two of their Ep's before and was not impressed. It took this 12" to turn my head. I dismissed these guys way too easily. No Slogan delivers a solid release with this 12". Their singer's gruff vocals add up well with the tough and raw sound of the music. Although a second guitarist often feels redundant to me No Slogan makes it work well. The lyrics are pretty bleak at times yet they are always delivered with both passion and conviction. It's hard to describe what makes this record so great, but it is. No Slogan just have the songwriting down. If you like classic hardcore punk (with an emphasis on the punk) I would recommend you to give this one a hear. You won't be disappointed. I can listen to the song "Death of Cool" all day.

Red Red Red - New Action Lp (Big Neck) (14 euro)
When the Piranhas called it quits in the early 2000s, their drummer Ryan started a new band called Red Red Red in which he took up vocal and guitar duties. I discovered this band’s first record, ‘Mind Destroyer’, rather late – after reading a review of this Lp actually – and it really impressed me. ‘New Action’ is quite a different record and I had to get used to that. This Lp is all over the place which might have something to do with the addition of a second guitar player. The band is constantly shifting gears, jumping from one idea to the next and all of this is happening in the span of one mere song. ‘New Action’ is definitely not a record that lets itself be labeled easily and I had to listen to it quite a bit before I felt like could say anything at all about it. One thing this record definitely isn’t is predictable or stale. Red Red Red is primarily a guitar band. There are many guitar solos and the band uses a wide range of effects throughout the eleven songs on this record. At times Red Red Red get close to being a bit wanky, but the band doesn’t lose its immediacy at any point so I guess they get away with it. At no point does the band lose itself in ego stroking guitar magic though. There’s simply no time for that. Red Red Red is changing pace all the time and they keep things moving in all directions simultaneously. I guess these songs would be best described as wild and chaotic. Apart from the constant guitar mayhem something that really stands out are Ryan’s distorted vocals which are aggressive and in your face. Like on ‘Mind Destroyer’ Ryan also plays saxophone on some of the tracks here. I know some of you punks hate the instrument, but I think it works well for this kind of music. It makes the whole thing even more of a mess. My favourite songs are the last ones on the B-side, because they seem more focused somehow. Ryan’s former band mate Bumbo jumps in on bass on two of these. The four string takes a prominent place on these tracks so of course they grabbed my attention – being a bass player and all. I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a ‘Detroit sound’, but it doesn’t come as a surprise to me that Red Red Red shares their habitat with Human Eye. Obviously they don’t sound the same, but there are definitely similarities. If you like to keep things clear and simple, this Lp is not for you. With that said this is a pretty cool record by a band that isn’t afraid to try things, which is something that should be applauded in the clone filled wasteland that is rock and roll these days.

Sacred Shock - You're Not With Us 12" (Residue)

Sacred Shock’s selftitled debut on Schizophrenic Records blew me away last year so my expectations for this release were high. Does this record live up to those? Certainly! In fact it’s even better than their 7”. The drums sound a bit different on this record than on their previous release. It’s less heavy on the cymbals, which I personally had to get used to. What makes Sacred Shock a great band is their amazing guitar leads. They’re both catchy and heavy at the same time. Sacred Shock’s singer also adds to the band’s unique sound. His vocals are brutal yet melodic. An uncommon combination. Nine tracks on this 12” of which one is a cover of Headcleaners “Kill The Royalties”. They definitely have their own take on this song though. Sacred Shock is a contemporary hardcore band I am really excited about and they deliver a flawless hardcore record with You’re Not With Us. This is one of the records I listened to most in 2009.

Sack-O'-Woes - The Paranoids are coming Lp (Loop Rekords)

Apparently Sack-O'-Woes went through hell to get this release available. When the first run of this record arrived in their mail box, they found out that the plant had pressed the wrong mix onto the vinyl. It sounded like shit. Unfortunately for them the records were already paid for so they had to pay for another pressing with the right mix (the lesson here boys and girls: ALWAYS do a test pressing first). This one-sided silkscreened Lp is the final result and the music sure does not disappoint. Sack-O'-Woes play punk rock with garage leanings and they do it well. What else could you expect from three guys who have been kicking it since their teens and are over forty now? Sack-O'-Woes deliver seven infectious and rocking tunes on this Lp. The walking basslines push on some catchy guitar leads. Sack-O'-Woes' singer's vocals are raw as hell. I guess the music overall is. I simply can't believe that these guys are actually from the Netherlands. This is a great record. To save some money all the artwork is done by hand and it looks rad. I would like to take this opportunity to recommend the West Friesland authorities to send a copy of this record to all their teenagers. It might the get the kids dancing instead of killing themselves.

Sauna Youth - Dreamlands 12" (Faux Discx, Gringo) (12,50 euro)
Review up soon...

Secret Prostitutes/ Cola Freaks - Split Lp (Bad Hair Life, Bat Shit, Death Exclamations) (12,50 euro)
Review up soon...

Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet - Det Personliga CV:T Lp (Skrammel) (12,50 euro)
Let me start off by saying that I know close to nothing about this band. I think Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet (possibly an even more ridiculous name than Lögnhalsmottagningen) are from Nyköping Sweden and 'Det Personliga CV:T' is their first record. After reading a review of their Lp I tried to get some info through the internet, but except for some funny youtube movies of live shows there was little to be found about these Swedes. Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet play simple and catchy punk rock. On vocals is a woman with a bratty girlish delivery. Her fellow band members do some back ups here and there as well. Although I don't understand a word of Swedish I have  a feeling the lyrical content here isn't too serious. The artwork and costumes the band wears during live performances confirm these suspicions. I guess one could label this Lp as 1977 style punk (there are several picures of the band members wearinig colourful plastic sunglasses to be found which makes it official), but unlike many bands that get that reference Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet keep it unpolished. All songs on this Lp have a  minimal recording which benefits the tunes greatly.  The band delivers ten songs on this record and their quality ranges from good to awesome. My personal favourites are 'Kysst Av Dräparen', 'Jag Blir Förbannad' with its silly whistling (every single time I check who the hell is whistling to the tune... I'm stupid) and the hit 'Cigg Hail' which you can even sing along to without knowledge of the Swedish language. The record ends with some practice room recording of what sounds like their theme song. This is a strong punk rock Lp by a band that seems to have  a lot of fun and doesn't take themselves too seriously. Great.

Snakerun - Onesided 12" (Bedside) (12,50 euro)
This band is not to be confused with the Australian hardcore band that used to go by the same name. I never liked that band. This Snake Run came from the Northwest of the States. This 12” is basically their demo tape from 2004 pressed to vinyl plus one extra song that was contributed to some compilation. Pressing demos to vinyl is an omnipresent phenomena in hardcore I've criticized before so I'll spare you my bitching this time. This record is an exception to the rule however. Why? Because as far as I know the tape wasn't distributed all over the place so many might never have heard these songs. They've been available on the net forever, but I had never heard of Snake Run before this record came out last year. So I'm glad Bedside made these song available on vinyl if only for that egoistic reason.

These seven hardcore tracks are rock solid and put many records that have been released after 2004 to shame. Although less complex than contemporaries such as Cold Sweat and Sex/Vid, I have no problem with placing Snake Run next to them. Time-wise this demo fits in exactly between the demise of Cold Sweat and the rise of Sex/Vid. Of course this band only released a demo tape during their short existence so they can't claim a legacy like the bands mentioned above, but they share their time and place. Is it a coincidence all three came from the Northwest? Perhaps... Another thing these three bands have in common is their blind hate and deep self loathing. The songs are rough and the lyrics harsh, bleak and nihilistic. I believed Sex/Vid and Cold Sweat each time I heard them and I believe Snake Run's singer when he screams he's had all that he can take. It's a mentality that can't be faked even though many have tried and a quality I miss in a lot of hardcore bands as of late.

Bedside Records plugs this record as Damaged-era flag with Choke on vocals, which is a bit misleading in my opinion. Terry does have that Boston bark, but there's no Ginn on guitar here. The guitar does run wild on the final track 'Get Away', but apart from that song there's not much dissonance going on. These guys can play though. Especially the bass playing is very inventive. Terry's vocals and lyrics are really what makes this band for me though. If you put this record on without expecting a second Flag, you'll find yourself listening to an impressive hardcore band that would almost have been forgotten. This a really good hardcore record that should appeal to those who like their hardcore mean and negative. Is it just me or are bands like these rare these days? Forget about fucking Hoax. This is the real deal, kids.

Son Skull - Birth Scene Rewind 12" (Perennial) (12,50 euro)

Olympia seems to have quite a few new interesting bands formed by somewhat older punks these days. Son Skulls' members are probably in their late 20s or early 30s and I can't imagine this being their first band. The band plays hardcore punk with melodic sensibilities. Most songs are sang by a female with a strong (not tough but definitely intense) delivery, but there's also one song with male vocals. The bass sound is warm and clear, whereas the guitar is wild, crazy and damaged. Both 'Boston Girls' and 'Perennial Death' would have been perfect anthems if it hadn't been for the feedback throughout the choruses. Son Skull seems to deliberately wreck these songs, but they can't hide the catchiness of both tunes underneath the guitar squeals. Some say that there are 1990s influences to be heard in Son Skull's songs which makes sense, because these guys and girl probably came of age in that era. People have compared the band to Sonic Youth, but I don't really hear it. What I've heard from Sonic Youth was wimpy and Son Skull aren't wimpy at all. When the needle leaves this 12" Ep, I'm a bit sad that there aren't more tunes on the record. Fortunately you can always play it again, which I find myself doing a lot. To me this record is one of the best 12" releases all year. It's powerful, catchy, weird and damaged all at the same time. According to the Perennial Records website there's a new Ep in the works which obviously is great news.

Son Skull - Wiped Clean 12" (Perennial) (12,50 euro) 
‘Wiped Clean’ is the second 12” by this Olympian hardcore band. Their first record, ‘Birth Scene Rewinded’ swept me of my feet and to say I’ve been looking forward to the release of this follow up would be quite the understatement. Son Skull plays hardcore with stowing guitar riffs and intense female vocals. Mary’s singing and Hayes’ guitar work make this band for me. Mary’s voice is so powerful! The guitar delivers steaming after steaming riff and pulls of some nice dissonant soloing here and there. Very good. This band gets compared to Sonic Youth a lot. I never got Sonic Youth, but I’m guessing the comparison is based on the guitar work. Whatever. There’s way more frustration and anger to Son Skull and that’s probably why I like them and don’t like that band that recently did a set on ‘Gossip Girl’. ‘Wiped Clean’ isn’t that far removed from the band’s last record, but I do feel like there are slight changes. Perhaps there’s more emphasis on the song writing this time around. Of course Mary still sings on most of the tracks - ‘Weeping Hole’ is the exception, but I’ll get to that. The difference is that the band takes more time to build their songs, which makes for longer and heavier tracks. Although this results in less anthemic songs I think it works well and it makes this record a captivating progression from their last. 'Wiped Clean' is more of an Ep than an album. There are only six songs on here, yet they’re all awesome although I don’t really know what to make of ‘Weeping Hole’. It’s basically a guy talking/singing and playing guitar backed by singing bowls. The song is a bit of an odd ball and at first I didn’t like that, but it sticks and I think it’s cool when a band isn’t afraid to do something ‘different’. It keeps things interesting. Hardcore is already predictable and bland enough as it is, don’t you think? Son Skull is the kind of band that keeps me pumped on hardcore music though. This is an awesome record as was their previous one. Now stop whining about ‘Olympian hype’ and buy these records already, you fuckers.

Soviet Valves - Death Trumps Romance 12" (Vertex) (15 euro)
Review up soon...

The Stabs - Dead Wood Lp (Homeless) (14 euro)
Review up soon...

The Stabs - Dirt Lp (Homeless) (14 euro)
Review up soon...

Supersonic Piss - Umbillical Noose 12" (Rotted Tooth)

Iowa’s Supersonic Piss deliver a mix of no wave, noise and hardcore on their debut 12”. Although I’m not all that at home in the first two of those genres, their influences on Supersonic Piss’ sound are obvious. Most tracks on this record are carried by the solid drumming and simple pounding bass lines. Over those the guitar delivers its hissy, messy stripped down atonal riffs. The guitar playing is total-not-give-a-shitness, which makes the band punk despite their sound perhaps. The more popular noisy bands of today have a heavier and bigger guitar sound with lots of feedback, which isn’t bad either, but it’s cool to hear Supersonic Piss have a different approach to their music. Over the music screeching vocals are delivered by front-woman Page. Her lyrics are upfront and threatening, her delivery abrasive. By hardly serving anything that can be classified as a song on this piece of vinyl Supersonic Piss follow the path that Teenage Jesus and the Jerks walked in late 1970s New York and by doing two covers from mrs. Lunch and her boys (‘Baby Doll’ and ‘Less of Me’) the band doesn’t make a secret of its influences. ‘Go home dad, you’re drunk pt. II’ is probably the closest Supersonic Piss gets to an actual song and for that reason it sticks with you. It’s a slow and heavy tune that steams into some wild guitar soloing near the end. Somehow a girl singing ‘I might have been a little whore/ and I might have fucked your dad before/ and I might have fucked your mom for free/ and I might have taken a little bit of money’ is pretty confrontational. I actually think that word sums up this record well; confrontational. This 12” is definitely different from a lot of noise I’ve been spinning recently and I like it. Are you craving for a headache? Get this record!

Sunflare - Ghetto Blast 12" (Bat Shit) (15 euro)
Review up soon...

Unholy Thoughts - The Attic Lp (Even Worse)
The hardcore scene in Richmond, Virginia had the world in its firm grip medio last decade. No Way and Grave Mistake Records were labels on everybody's lips. They were releasing hardcore record after hardcore record. Youngsters all over the world were going ape shit over this new wave of bands. I was one of them. This scene made boys and girls start their own hardcore bands all over the western world. Although cool at first, it came to the point that every mediocre hardcore band from Shitville, got presented as the next coming of the Fix. So of course there was a backlash and people started hating. Wasted Time and Government Warning, the area's two most prolific bands, threw in the towel around that time and No Way Records fell into a deep, deep sleep. Everything went quiet on the Southern front.

That was until recently, because with Unholy Thoughts Richmond seems to be back on the hardcore map. This five piece shares members with some of the bands referred to above, but I'd rather not list them. Unholy Thoughts are not like any of them really. Although the band is definitely playing hardcore music and there's no denying they're taking cues from some of the 1980's greats, Unholy Thoughts is tougher and more rocking than your average No Way or Grave Mistake band. The bass playing in particular is pretty fucking heavy.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that this Lp is released on Even Worse Records, who have already served the world some rockin' 80's-inspired hardcore with both Funeral Shock and the Runnamucks. However, I personally prefer Unholy Thoughts – although in all fairness I never really gave Runnamucks a shot. To be frank I don't like 'rock'. I like my guitar solos filthy and short instead of wanky and long. What keeps Unholy Thoughts from falling flat is that the songs are still basic hardcore tunes at their core, built around simple straight forward riffs. There are parts where the guitar starts soloing, and those of you that get boners over guitar magic might get that tingly feeling in their pants during such little excursions. Myself, I like this record despite its rock leanings. The vocals and topics adressed are nothing out of the ordinary, but all the negativity contained in these thirteen songs seems sincere. Ricky's raspy voice sounds desperate as hell, and some of the one-liners that stick out on this record are pretty damn bleak. A band with lines like 'jaded by human contact/ nothing really to say' can't do wrong in my book. Thumbs up for coming up with a cool recognizable logo for your band that doesn't fall back on anything already around. 

Walls - The Future is Wide Open Lp (De Graan Republiek)

This is Walls’ second full length. This Seattle band came from the ashes of Cold Sweat which was one of the best hardcore bands on this side of the millennium. That should stand for something. Because Cold Sweat’s singer Shaun moved to Texas shortly after the release of their second Lp ‘Blinded’, the band saw itself without a singer. They soon found a replacement in Alston, but decided to give the band another name now that they had a new front man. Walls was born. The band soon turned out to be an entirely different creature than Cold Sweat had been. Whereas Cold Sweat was a hardcore band – and what a hardcore band it was -, Walls incorporated a wider diversity of styles into their sound. A continuity between the two bands is the overload of ugly dissonant guitar work and the incredible negativity of the music in general. There is nothing but hate going on with both bands, but where Shaun seemed to focus his anger on the outside, Alston also has a soft spot for self loathing, but after putting himself down he still has plenty of rage left for the rest of the world. His lyrics are harsh and bleak, his delivery violent and frightening. Walls’ sound is brooding and the music is downright scary at times. The band is still heavy as hell like Cold Sweat was, but there is more room for slower and sludgy parts. This band is able to drain you of your will to live like few bands can. I remember two reviews of the first Walls Lp that hit the nail on the head. One read that every time the reviewer span the record, he felt like there was a monster staring at him from the dark corner of his room waiting for the right moment to leap onto him and eat him alive. The other read that the record never failed to make the reviewer feel miserable. Those two references are accurate and should give you a pretty clear idea of what you’re in for here. ‘The Future is Wide Open’ is a very powerful record by an amazing band bringing thirteen new unsettling songs to the listener’s ear. In my opinion this is their best release yet and I liked everything the band did before. Be warned though. This music is not for everybody. It suits me fine however. I can already see myself trembling and twitching on the couch at 3 am, because I drank too much coffee again and now I can’t sleep or read, because my attention span has evaporated. All that’s left to do is play this record, stare at the wall and let the music consume me. I already feel a headache coming up. It sure is good to have things like these to look forward to.

XYX - Teatro Negro Lp (Monofonus Press) (15 euro)
Review up soon...










Various Artists - Does It Hurt? Lp (Thought Crime)

Compilation records are often dismissed and not whithout reason. There are always bands on it that you really don't want to hear. Or the contributed songs are all shit, because the bands want to save their best tracks for their own releases. The list goes on, but none of these reasons apply here. Sotatila, Dumbstruck, Charlie, No Slogan, Ruidosa Inmundicia, Yellow Eyes and Narsaak all handed Berlin's Thought Crime Records a few unreleased tracks and the result is a pretty diverse hardcore compilation. There's literally something for everyone on this record. If you're into one or two of these bands, you should give "Does it Hurt?" a chance. Personally I really like the No Slogan and Sotatila songs. I had never heard Yellow Eyes before and they were a nice discovery.

Various Artists - Land of Nod: Atlanta Punk & Hardcore Omnibus Lp (Scavenger of Death) (12,50 euro)
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7" Reviews

Absurdo - Tots Sants Ep (Discos Absurds) (5 euro)
After a solid demo tape I totally slept on until I read about it in Distort's last installment, Barcelona's Absurdo returns with a self released six song Ep. It's all new material. I feel like a chump for ignoring the band back when their demo came out, because it was a really good release. At the time I figured Absurdo were just another Spanish band doing dbeat or raw punk or whatever you want to call it. Not the case. Absurdo plays pretty clean yet very fast hardcore punk with an obvious nod to the early 1980's without coming of as a retro act. Supposedly they pay homage to GBR, but I can't say I would have heard it had I not been told.
What immediately struck me when I first played this record was how Absurdo's singer reminds me of Martin Crudos in his younger years. His vocals are manic and energetic and you can hear he's tearing his chords. It's got that rasp, you know. Manic and energetic would also be fitting adjectives for the music contained on this piece of vinyl. But perhaps even more important is that Absurdo plays fast. They don't resort to blastbeats or other modern tendencies. Instead the band makes use of a traditional hardcore template which in this case consists of frantic trebly guitar playing without much distortion, a nice not so clean but full bass sound, hard lightning fast drumming – the snare hits will make your brain shake inside of your skull - and the aforementioned manic on the mic. I like it best when the singer is quiet for a few seconds and the instrumentation runs a little wild with a song. I'm not arguing the band is better off without their vocalist. I just think it's in those parts Absurdo shines. Those moments give the band a quality that most hardcore bands lack. The guitar player throws in short catchy solo's in a lot of songs, which I found really enjoyable. None of these tunes make it to the 1:30 minute mark, but that shouldn't be a surprise or a problem to any of you kids.
This Ep comes in a nice sleeve with what looks like a manifesto on the back. A beautiful booklet is to be found inside. It includes the lyrics – all in Spanish of course – and shows a collage with imagery of urban landscapes and traffic jams. Absurdo seems to be a political band criticizing the modern capitalist world. I'm pretty sure they're anarchists, but I can't be sure due to my lack of knowledge of the Spanish language. Which brings me to a point of debate. On the one hand I think it's great that Spanish bands prefer their native tongue over fake American accents – just a little stab at my local scene right there. Yet on the other hand I can't help but feel a bit left out here. I'm interested in what these guys have to say, but as a non Spanish speaker I am not invited to their revolution! Then again I know I hardly ever read translated lyrics when they are included so perhaps I'm full of shit. I'd like to think I would have read them if Absurdo had included them, but I guess we'll never know.

Astral Travel - Bodymelt 7" (Vertex) (6 euro)
This single is the second record by this all girl four piece from Australia's most desolate town better known as Perth. This makes it probable that you have no idea whatsoever what kind of sounds can be found on this 7”. Or maybe you think you do, because all those girl bands sound alike to you? Whatever you think, bands consisting of ladies only tend to get thrown in together, which is sexist, but at the same time understandable. I could liken Astral Travel to some women only bands you might know too, but I don't think it would be appropriate. These girls have something else going. The two songs on this single are both dreamy pop tunes with sweet melodies, very impressive vocals and awesome driving basslines. The latter is what I personally like most about Astral Travel, but the vocals are what sets Astral Travel apart from their peers most. This dame can sing. While the music has this sweet amateur charm, the vocals border on the professional and yet it doesn't annoy me. There's something hypnotizing to the singing and the basslines add to that atmosphere.

Supposedly Astral Travel are labeled indie rock by some and although I get where that's coming from it's not the way I'd describe the band. These songs are more reminiscent of late 1970s DIY music from the UK. I imagine four childhood friends hanging out every night, bonding over a mutual love for music, art and everything they consider beautiful. They start a band, play music in the shed in their parent's backyard and record the songs to tape so they can listen to them at home alone. The quality of the recordings isn't low by any means, but the music is bare and minimal, stripped of everything unnecessary. The songs radiate a shared sense of loneliness. They are dreamy and breath a certain absence of mind. Punk this is not. There's no grit and there's nothing vile about Astral Travel, but I like the band regardless. It all comes down to the songs and both of those are good. The B-side is the better track in my opinion. The bass playing is almost too good to be true. Accept that your body is melting away and take the lyrics to heart by just relaxing. Let the bass line carry you all the way to the end of the song. There are a few bridges along the road, but you'll enjoy your trip despite them. This record kind of exists in between worlds and I hope that will result in people from different musical backgrounds listening to it. It's good and should appeal to many.

It turns out the drummer is actually a guy. In my defence, he does have long hair and you know what the Dogs sang about that. It's confusing.

Anti-Earth Motherfuckers/ Schnell - Split Ep (Ken Rock) (5 euro)
If these band names and the juvenile artwork didn't give away what you're in for here, the first two seconds of 'music' on this record definitely will regardless of which side you're gonna listen to. Beautiful shit-fi music for those who lost most of their hearing faculties and prefer their trash without the extra 'h'. Anti-Earth Motherfuckers open this record with six fast tuneless hardcore tracks if you can call them that. There's no way distinguishing one 'musical piece' from the next really. It's as if you're listening to random home recordings from someone into hardcore without the attempt to actually craft a song. To call this side of the record fragmentary would be an understatement. That the creative mastermind behind Anti-Earth Motherfuckers also plays guitar in White Load, shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody familiar with that band.

On the flip we have Schnell, which is German for 'fast' for those less gifted on the Germanic language front. There's more structure to their three songs in comparison to the Anti-Earth Motherfuckers. That's hardly an achievement though. Still Schnell's three tracks are tuneless as well. There are a few riffs buried in these minutes of noise, but they are very hard to make out, because the drums are so goddamn loud. The drumming mainly consists of non stop kick, snare and cymbal bashing on the beat. Primitive and unskilled; no chops nor technique and obviously not ashamed of the lack of both. Over this 'musical' mess Martin of Lögnhalsmottagningen fame delivers his recognizable vocals. Just like in his other group, Martin's vocals sound like a guy speed reading random sentences from some Swedish book. I have no idea what he's saying so for all I know he is speed reading random sentences from some Swedish book! Martin's delivery is even faster here than his vocals in Lögnhalsmottagningen. There's barely any rhythm changes throughout his lines and there's very little melody. It's as if he takes one deep breath before a song kicks off and then tries to read his lyrics in record time, a fairly uncommon yet all the more interesting approach to vocals.

To me this record is perfect for what it is, but I am fully aware of the fact that most of you will consider this a waste of vinyl and a piece of shit at best. If you're like me however, you'll be glad that these kind of records exist. They're spit in the faces of the punk rock elite and the omnipresent critics. This is music by people not giving a shit for those who don't (want to) give a shit either. As you might have noticed 'shit' is the red thread in this review, the key word if you will. So if you don't mind shit or better yet are into shit, pick this record up and enjoy its awe-inspiring shittiness.

Astryd Lindgren's Great 5 - Ep (Ken Rock) (5 euro)
This is a new lo-fi garage punk band from Sweden with former members of the Ydils. I never heard or even heard of that band, but looking at the artwork these guys have been kicking around for a while. They sure ain’t youngsters anymore and there’s nothing wrong with that. But let’s talk about the music. Astryd Lindgren’s Great 5 deliver, you guessed it, five, supposedly great songs on this Ep - not counting the opening instrumental that is. Like I said the music is garage punk rock. I’m guessing these guys were pretty into whatever was on the Rip Off roster in the first half of the 1990s. The songs are all straight forward with simple two to three chord guitar riffs and dumb bashing drums. After the instrumental the band delivers a cover of Freestone’s ‘Bummer Bitch’ kicks in, a classic if there ever was one. The band gets away with it surprisingly well. The final song on the A-side is the anthem here. The chorus to ‘Retard Rock’ states that ‘There’s a retard in the band!’Although I can't say I disagree, the number might actually be on the low side. There are three loonies here at the very least. The recording quality of this Ep is intentionally shitty, but not to the point you can’t make out there are songs in the mix somewhere. Although this won’t be the most memorable record you’ll lay on your record player, it’s not a bad record either and there are some good songs here. If catchy garage punk still floats your boat, and I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t, you’ll like this. The artwork is atrocious, but I think the Ken Man has a soft spot for ugliness of this sort - check out the artwork on that Rivercity Tanlines Ep he did and you’ll know what I mean. Also 7”s with different rpm each side should be forbidden. That shit is annoying. That aside, not a bad record.

Ausmuteants - Ep (Heinous Anus) (6 euro)
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Bäddat För Trubbel - ISO 9004 Ep (Sweken) (5 euro)
Bäddat För Trubbel has been taking the world by from their very first release. This Ep came out shortly after their debut Lp on Punks Only, which was a great record. ‘ISO 9004’ brings five new alcohol drenched tunes sung in Swedish to the listener’s ear. It’s impressive how all the songs are fairly simple yet they don’t sound interchangeable at all. Each track is a song in its own right. Bäddat För Trubbel have had their own style and sound down from the get go, which is quite a quality and one you don’t come across too often at that. A returning topic when discussing this band remains it’s a shame I don’t have the slightest idea what they’re singing about and somehow I feel like I’m missing half the fun because of it, but I should either start taking that ‘Learn Swedish at Home’ course or drop the issue already. The recording on this 7” is a bit rougher than the sound of the Lp. The bass is more upfront, but not to the point that the other instruments get drowned. Another difference would be that all the songs here rock, whereas the band slows things down on both their full lengths sailing into ballad land every now and then. The opening song of this 7” is a nice bar rocker with some wild piano playing at the end. The absolute hit of the record however is ‘Snälla, Snälla’ on side B. It’s a great anthem. That song alone would be reason enough to pick this record up, but the other tunes are no letdown either. If you haven't heard Bäddat För Trubbel yet this Ep is as good a starting point as any. Then again their Lp's have more songs and everybody know more is better. In my opinion you’re missing out by skipping any record by these guys really so you basically need this record as much as their others. Grab for your wallet already.

Bad Taste/ Brain Car - Split 7" (Reel Time) (5 euro)

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Bill Bondsmen - Disaster Prone 7" (Local Cross)
Wow! This is Bill Bondsmen's seventh release already! Although I thought the first releases by this Detroit hardcore band were somewhat forgettable, I always liked Gabby's vocals. They have a familiar sound to them yet he doesn't seem to be ripping anyone off. The band really got their sound down on their first full length "Swallowed by the World". The style on this single is pretty much the same. This record could have been an appetizer for the Lp, but instead it's its ugly afterbirth.  Both songs on this platter exceed three minutes. Few hardcore bands are able to cross the two minute line without me zoning out (who is still listening to Fucked Up?) yet Bill Bondsmen pull it of. The first song is build around a tightly  played two chord riff that keeps returning throughout the song. It's the most straightforward of the two. The song on the flip starts off dark and desperate. It's moody. The band builts up some serious tension. Only halfway through the song Bill Bondsmen deliver what they're known for; some hateful hardcore. Fucking great. Can't wait to hear this band's next release.

Bill Bondsmen - Overcrowded Control 7" (Self Released) (5 euro)
It's been a while since we heard from Bill Bondsmen. If I'm not mistaken the last record these boys released was the Local Cross single, which according to discogs dates back to 2010 already. Time sure flies. The Bondsmen were already getting a bit more experimental on their last release and they continue to walk that path on 'Overcrowded Control'. It's hard to put the finger on what makes these new songs different from their earlier material. They're not blending new styles into their sound nor do the song structures get more complex, which I thought was the case at first. No, there's nothing too crazy happening on that front. “What's the difference then?” I hear you think. Well, the songs have gotten less straightforward for lack of a better word. You can hear the band worked these songs hard. Perhaps that explains the two year gap between this release and their previous one . However Bill Bondsmen has not mellowed out one bit. Their music is still ferocious and the vocals are as in your face as ever. Tony's delivery guarantuees no listener will mistake Bill Bondsmen for anything other than a hardcore band. Both him and the rest of the band still sound pissed. Although I have no degree in psychoanalysis I've got a feeling the day these guys stop being angry will be the day they die. What probably makes these new songs a bit different as well is the band just got better at playing their instruments over time. This makes perfect sense when you consider that the Bondsmen have been kicking it for about a decade now. By now they outlasted the bands that probably made them pick up their instruments. They are lifers in a genre where most classic bands didn't last more than a few years or in some cases months. With this in mind it makes sense the band is moving away from hardcore's most elementary basics. My favourite track on this single is 'Overcrowded Control'. The walking bass lines in the chorus of said song are awesome. The four string is stealing the show on this one. The song gets wrapped up by Tony letting out one final scream shortly after his last verse: “Welcome home/ It's like you never left/ And this time... you won't.” Nice. 'Untitled' on the flip has a long intro in which the bass player plays one note over a simple drum beat while the guitar feedbacks. During the song one guitar player plays a simple two note line while the other runs wild with some spacey effects. The drums demand more attention in this song than on the opener. Also a good tune. The band released this record themselves and the sleeves are all silkscreened making this a nifty little hardcore single you shouldn't miss out on.  

Bill Bondsmen - Nineteen 7" (Self Released) (5 euro)

Here's the second self-released single by the hardcore band everybody loves to ignore, the Bill Bondsmen from Detroit! It has gotten to the point that it feels sad to say this band doesn't get the credit they deserve. I mean, how many times can you repeat such a statement without it getting pathetic? It's like how everybody says that Out Cold never got their dues. That band kept playing regardless. They didn't give a fuck and neither do the Bondsmen. More power to them.

So I'll quit the fucking whining. Instead I'll say this is a good single by an interesting hardcore band you should check out if you generally like hardcore punk. With the number of years these guys have got under their respective belts it shouldn't be a surprise that their musicianship – yes, I said it – is a cut above that of most groups. The guitar playing in particular is captivating, but the bass player also has some tricks up his sleeve that show he's been around the block and likes to do a bit more than your average man on four string.

Furthermore, and this is even more important, unlike most bands today the Bondsmen are not trying to imitate the sound of any particular band from any particular town in any particular year, a quality that seems to get more sparse by the day. Instead the Bondsmen seem are on a path of their own, developing a style of their own. By now they just sound like Bill Bondsmen really and that's a point most bands never even get close to. Unfortunately it's also an achievement most hardcore kids don't care about.

Although still a hardcore band, you hear more stylistic influences seep into the Bondsmen's sound on this single without taking away any of the band's urgency or anger. There's still plenty of hate in these songs . How could there not be with Tony on vocals. I'll keep repeating that his voice is fucking great. Both songs on this single have a solid riff at their core, but that's not all there is to them. The Bondsmen's development on the song writing front has been impressive and if you're gonna give this single a decent listen, you'll realize that the band put a lot of thought into crafting these two tracks.

So get off your high horse already and stop consuming all those bands that desperately try to sound like whichever Boston band from the early 1980s. Play this instead and realize that not everything has been done before and that bands today can be interesting if you're only willing to give them a shot. As if you're gonna try, you dismissive pricks!

Brain Car - Rock 'n Roll Bologna Ep (Reel Time) (5 euro)
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Brain Tumors - Fuck You Forever Ep (Deranged)
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Brulbajz - Dödens Apostlar 7" (Reken) (6 euro)
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Bukkake Boys - Second Ep (Sorry State)

Here is Bukkake Boys' second titleless Ep. These guys are from Atlanta, "City of Pop", famous for Goner Records and its catchy punk bands. Bukkake Boys don't fit in with that crowd at all for they play hardcore punk. I picked these guys' debut  up last year and although I remember liking it, I didn't listen to it a whole lot. It didn't really grab me. With that in mind I'm blown away by how good this follow-up is. Bukkake Boys aren't rewriting the books here, but they sure deliver a strong harcore release with this record. What strikes me is the relentless drumming and the pissed as hell vocals. This Ep delivers seven short, fast and angry hardcore tunes. This band is harsh as hell! There are/were so many bands going for this style and few pull it of as well as these boys. If I haven't convinced you yet,  you'll just have to take my word for it. This record is a keeper. 'Female Dog' is my favorite song on here, but all tracks are solid. Time to dig up their first Ep again to give it another shot.

The Bums - Do it all Night 7" (Big Nose)
Debut record by this band from Atlanta and although the artwork is highly reminiscent of the Carbonas, the Bums don’t sound anything like them. The three tunes on this single are classic rock ‘n roll songs with simple but catchy guitar riffs. There’s not much dirge to them, but the band makes up for that with a lot of swing and swagger. Every song includes the instrument each punk rock loves to hate, the saxophone. I’d like to remind said haters that the Stooges weren’t averse of including some horns on their records so stop whining already. Bums singer’s vocals are raw and though and get scarily close to cock rock city at times, but fortunately don’t quite get there. In a way his vocal delivery fits the music, but I still find it hard to stand sometimes. The lyrics are repetitive and stick as do the songs in general. Both the title track and the B-side are cool tunes. I especially like the singer’s manic laughter in ‘Man of this Town’. The weak link on this record is the second song on side A. Although ‘Lost in the City’ is not a bad song, I think the record would have been better without it. This would have been a nice classic little two-track single that way. Maybe that’s just me being a purist, but I can’t help but think it would have made more sense.

Canadian Rifle - Cinder Block 7" (Criminal IQ)
Second release by this Chicago punk rock trio and in my opinion their best so far. Altough the Visibility Zero Lp was a good record, it didn't have hits on it like this 7" has. Canadian Rifle play songs with a lot of melodic guitar riffs. The vocals are pretty rough for the style which is nice. "Cinder Block" is an incredibly catchy song. I love the bridge in  the second song "Creep". I can go on and describe what makes the two songs on the flip great, but I might as well say that all four songs on this record are keepers. If you like melodic punkrock I'm sure you'll find yourself spinning this piece of vinyl over and over. The only thing that I'm not too stoked on is the artwork, but what can you do. There'll be a new Ep by these fellows on Residue and Taken by Surprise records soon so keep an eye out for that.

Cannomen - Science Studies the Black Hole Ep (Flat Black)
So Nashville isn't exactly on the map when it comes to punk rock as far as I know, but the Cannomen might just change that. The band released a demo about two years ago that got much praise, but everything went quiet after that. Somehow this Ep didn't get a whole lot of attention. It might be the label? Fat Black mostly releases 1980s styled hardcore if I'm not mistaken. The Cannomen don't really fall under that category. They play punk rock with maybe a slight hardcore influence. The vocals have a malicious cling to them. The singer sounds depressed and mean. I'm really into the lyrics. There's some cool bass lines as well as some nice simple guitar leads in these songs. Three of the tunes on this record were previously released on their demo and are all great. The new song on the A-side is cool as well. The whistling in that tune still cracks me up. These kids are mining the same ground as some of my favourite classic bands did and they do it well. I'm not gonna drop names since they're not going for a particular band's sound (thank god). Just listen to it and you'll know what I mean.

Cannomen - Sex on the Bleach 7" (Fat Sandwich)
Second Ep by this Nashville four-piece. The record kicks off with a somewhat surfy three minute jam called 'Tidal Waves'. The song is build around a driving bass line. The guitar stays pretty much in the background. The chorus has whoooooahooooaa's and hand claps. I wasn't a fan of that at first, but grew to like the song anyway. 'Tidal Waves' is definitely different from their earlier material, but I like it when bands try something else as long as it doesn't suck and this song sure does not. On the flip there are two punk rockers more in the vain of the Cannomen's previous 7". The songs are faster and shorter than the A-side. 'No Sex' is a good song. I think the vocalist totally fits this song ('Hey little miss perfect/ I'm mister worthless'). The bridge in the song is a cool addition and is hella catchy. 'I Drank the Bleach' is the shortest song on here and it's probably my favourite. I like the fast three chord hardcore riff and the angry back ups. Another cool record by this overlooked band. I think these cats have a lot of potential which I'm sure will flourish even more with a next release. The band has been meaning to release a Lp forever, but somehow it hasn't happened yet. Let's hope that record will come to be someday.

Cheap Time - Other Stories 7" (Sweet Rot) (6 euro)
This is Cheap Time's fifth single as the attentive reader might already have noticed after a quick glance at the sleeve. It's cool to see Cheap Time return to Vancouver's Sweet Rot Records for another single. The very same label released their second 7” way back when few people were paying attention to this band. Since then Cheap Time has turned plenty of heads. In the meantime they've already got three full-lengths under their belt. The line-up has changed throughout the years with Jeffrey Novak being the only constant member. On this 7” we see a new guy jump in on bass. The band started out with a girl on four string who later got replaced by a guy who dressed as a girl and now there's a new guy. I'm not not in the know about his fashion preferences, but I'm sure he's a sharp dresser. But enough about clothes already! Let's get to the music. This single brings two new songs to the plate. For a moment I thought it was an appetizer for the 'Wallpaper Music' Lp, but neither of these tunes is included on that longplayer. Novak, the man with the stoned look and disinterested stare, has proven himself a great songwriter throughout the years in various projects, but Cheap Time has been his main focus for quite a while now. I was a bit disappointed by the band's second Lp, but 'Wallpaper Music' restored my faith in this Memphis group. It might just be the best thing they did so far. Opening song 'Other Stories' on this single would have fitted in on the full lenght perfectly. It's bouncy and catchy as hell. The addition of key chords in the chorus gives the song some extra swing. The drummer lays down some nice drum rolls in the verse and Novak's vocals in this song are really cool. The little bridge where he just speaks over the guitar playing is a nice touch. The song gets wrapped up with a simple but effective guitar solo. Good song. On the flip we find 'In this World'. This is typical B-sider. It's rougher, has more stomp and rocks more than 'Other Stories'. It's basically a sequence of several two chord riffs with Novak singing over it. The drummer is having a blast with those drum rolls again and a short guitar solo is included here as well. I might make the songs come across as alike, but they're not although this is obviously the same band. I don't really know what else to say about this one. If you like Cheap Time you should pick this up and if you don't there's in all probability something wrong with you.

Condenada - Mother Tongue Ep (Thought Crime)

Third record by this all-women feminist hardcore band from Chicago and it's without a doubt their best so far. Condenada's songwriting is damn good. The music is inventive and dynamic. Overall this band has a mighty fresh sound. I really like some of the bass work on this record. Something that I don't really enjoy about this band however is the singing. The vocals are passionate and at times very tough. It gets a bit too much for me here and there, but perhaps I'm just a bit intimidated... Apparently the lyrics cover feminist topics, but unfortunately for me two out of the four songs delivered here are in Spanish so I do not know what they're about. The other two songs are about depression, subjection and gender issues. I'm inclined to say this is hardcore music for the femmes and I mean that in a good way. Definitely a hardcore release worth picking up. Great artwork too.

Criminal Code - Hollowed 7" (Deranged)
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Los Culitos - Un Ano Sin Verte Ep (Self Released)
Second Ep by this Finnish by way of Spain punk rock band. Los Culitos started out as a three piece, but recently added a bass player to their line-up. This record serves the listener two new songs and two covers. The new songs are good and in the line of their previous record: simple stomping punk rock songs with sharply sung snappy female vocals. Basically this is all that’s important. The two originals are cool, but obviously I have to say something about the covers too. So here we go. Like I said there are two: ‘Don’t Talk to Me’ by GG Allin and ‘In League with Satan’ by Venom. Both songs are translated to Spanish which is a nice touch. I’m no fan of covers on record, but Los Culitos isn’t merely copying the two songs. They do something with them and make them their own to some degree so it isn’t all that bad. Honestly I wouldn’t even have known the Venom song was a cover if it wasn’t mentioned on the sleeve. I checked out the original and it was laughable to me. Then again I could never take metal seriously so it should go without saying that I prefer Los Culitos’ version. Perhaps I’m being sacrilegious here, but wasn’t metal all about sacrilege? The GG cover is alright. It stays closer to the original, but Yvonne’s vocals give the song a different sound and I like the band’s take on the bridge. After listening to the song I don’t think: ‘Damn, the original is so much better’, which is often the case with covers so I’d argue Los Culitos get away with the covering. Still I would have preferred new originals, but I’m sure those will pop up soon enough. If you’re new to this band I’d recommend you to pick up their previous Ep first, but if you’re already a fan you can’t go wrong with this 7”.

Dark Times - Ep (Sheep Chase)

Dark Times are a pretty new band hailing from the cold plains of Norway, a country that isn’t exactly known for their amazing music scene unless you’re into church burning metal acts. The band released a solid demo tape about a year ago. When I first heard the demo it was described to me as ‘death rock’. I wasn’t feeling the songs back then. Hell, I don’t even know what ‘death rock’ means. I feel swamped by all these genres at times, but let’s not digress. A few months ago I gave the tape another shot and I have been in love with it ever since. I tried to get copies of the thing, but it was already sold out. The band had just released their first Ep so I decided to get copies of that instead. So this is Dark Times’ vinyl debut. I find this band’s style hard to describe. There’s some hardcore and noise to it, but I’m pretty sure there’s a thick 1990s influence to their music as well. Since I wasn’t around at the time I can’t really tell where I get the idea from, but somehow I’m pretty sure these kids all have Sonic Youth as well as a handful of Amphetamine Reptile releases in their record collection. I like how Dark Times’ songs move between heavy and slow dirges to faster angry parts. The second song ‘Fakes’ is a perfect example of this. The music is bass heavy, but not in a way that it removes your attention from the other instruments. Ann´s vocals are characteristic. Her somewhat monotonous almost spoken squeals convey despair, bitterness but also anger. There are moments where she actually sings, in ’Wipe the Slate’ for example, but they are scarce. That’s alright though, because her delivery fits well with the angsty vibe of the music. This record is bound to depress you so if that’s what you like in music - you know I do - then look no further. There are two things I don’t like about this release that should be addressed though. First of all I don’t like the artwork. Considering that I’m much ridiculed for my love of skull imagery that should say something. Furthermore I’m a bit worried where these kids will head. They can definitely play and somehow I feel like tapping into the ‘hipster world’ is an option for them. Hopefully they won’t. Please don’t get involved with Vice magazine. You can do without! All in all a strong record. If anyone can hook me up with a copy of the demo I would be ever thankful. Personally I think this Ep isn’t as great as the tape, but it’s still good.

Dawn of Humans - Blursts of the Birdfish Ep (5 euro)
Third release by these New York miscreants that share members with several other bands of which some are more famous than these cats while others are not. I was very impressed by this band's debut Ep and the follow up was no letdown either. 'Blurst of the Birdfish' is a different beast altogether, but before I get to that it should be said that the nonsensical title of this record really pulls me in. What it refers to I do not know, but I'm intrigued. Okay, let's move on to the music.

Whereas the first two 7”s by Dawn of Humans still had structured songs with a shitload of low end in the mix, the tracks on this Ep are pure chaos and mania. Although the noise not music slogan always appealed to me, the bands applying said philosophy never grabbed me. Dawn of Humans sound the way I'd want a 'noise not music band' to sound. They destroy the concept of song and leave the listener with no certainties to hold on to on their manic and deranged ride.

Eugene's vocals are indecipherable and for a lot of the time the sounds coming from his mouth would be best described as squeals or other animal sounds. There's even some evil hyena-like laughter. The guitar on this recording sounds fucked. At times I'm not sure whether it is the six string carrying the songs or a heavily distorted bass guitar. If you listen close however there's some weak plodding audible in the background, so it is in fact the guitar that's delivering the riffs. The drums sound trebly. Each cymbal and snare hit resonates for seconds giving this record a very raw quality. Raw punk if you like, but Dawn of Humans bring far more to the plate than bands wearing that patch with misplaced pride.

I never understood what the dbeat was, but I was pretty sure that was the beat the opening song was played to. A connoisseur told me I was wrong though so apparently I still don't know shit. Either way, what I'm trying to say is although there are elements in here that could be labeled, this record doesn't sounds contrived in any way. Instead Dawn of Humans created an original and daring hardcore record with 'Blurst of the Birdfish'. Twisted music for twisted minds. 

Deaf Mutations - Crash the Clubs 7" (Static Shock)
Static Shock announced a release by Deaf Mutations years ago. At first it would be a single with new material, then it was just going to be a vinyl release of the demo, then it was back to new single and now the thing turns out to be the demo after all. That’s not a bad thing though, because Deaf Mutations’ demo was great and apparently none of the 130 copies of the tape ever made it outside of Canada. So yeah, this record came a long way and it’s not accidental that Ellis from Static Shock gets thanked on the sleeve of this 7” as ‘one patient fucker’. Deaf Mutations get plugged by listing members’ other projects, but I don’t play that game. This band doesn’t need it. It stands on its own and this record is an absolute shredder. These three songs were recorded during practice and they sure sound like it. The songs are raw and low on production, but everything comes through nicely. Nice full blown bass sound, good guitar riffs and bashing drums. What more do you need? Dave’s voice sounds hoarse and his anger sounds real. If you like early 1980s USHC you need this 7”. It’s as simple as that. A total no brainer. I know the 1980s hardcore revival got some of you burned, but these three songs are anything but mediocre. Pinky swear! I hope Deaf Mutations is still together and will do new songs sometime, but I’m afraid chances for that are slim. This is a cool record, but I have one complaint. The artwork looks like shit and there’s no insert. This record has been so long in the making and yet the packaging is totally disposable. A damn shame in my opinion, but I guess it’s the music that counts.

Disparo/ Demenzia Kolectiva - Split Ep (Trabuc) (5 euro)
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Disparo - Ep (Trabuc) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

Druid Perfume - Don't Eat Them, They're Poison 7" (X!)
After two 7"s and an awesome Lp Detroit's Druid Perfume are back to unleash their madness once again. This single was released around the same time as the Weird Worlds single on Italy and M'Lady which by now is long gone. Fortunately for you X! Records did a less limited pressing of this here record. If you've heard Druid Perfume before you should know what to expect by now. Describing this band is not an easy mission whatsoever for Druid Perfume are one of a kind. This band plays some pretty rocking punk with an organ, a saxophone and (I think) some other horns thrown into the mix. Don't expect any catchiness on their part though. They're only there to make the band's music more of a mess than it already is. At times the sounds on this 7" can barely be called music and if it wasn't for the heavy bass keeping the music together it would be easy to classify this record as pure chaos. Add a singer who sounds like a drunken preacher strung out on pills announcing the apocalypse over the top of his lungs and you should have an idea of what you're in for. The A-side of this record opens with a women's choir singing "Don't put 'm in your mouth/ don't put 'm in your teeth/ they're poison" in acapella after which the dirgy title-track of this single kicks in. The flip is more of a song than the A-side, but it's still out of this world. This is not a 7" you'll find yourself spinning over and over unless you've got some serious issues, but hell I sure love these two songs every single time I play them.

Dry Heaves - Loose Tongues Ep (Common Thread)
This is Sheffield's Dry Heaves' first five song counting Ep. The UK seems to be on fire at the moment. Quite a few new hardcore punk bands popped up there lately, Dry Heaves being one of them. I found out about this punk rock group through a review of their second Ep in the pages of MRR a few months ago and was convinced it was a record I needed to hear. Since the band still had some copies of their debut record left, I picked up a few of these as well.

The band hails from England and plays punk rock so of course the Shitty Limits will be used for comparison. I, however, don't think the Limits are all that much alike. No Wire influences are to be heard on this record and there's no flirt with post-punk either. Dry Heaves are more on a late 1970's to early 1980's LA beach punk rock tip. The Angry Samoans would be a better point of reference in my opinion. Like the Samoans', Dry Heaves' lyrics are witty. Their singer seems to be a smartass. He's like Cliff Hanger minus the biting sarcasm and self-loathing. So not as great as Mr. Hanger, but still pretty good. It does the trick. Topics discussed are dumb people talking about nothing, people not taking chances, depression and paranoia. Nothing new perhaps, but things I can relate to one way or the other and I like that in punk rock.

The irony here is that what the band criticizes in the song 'Play it Save', is the one thing that bugs me about this record. It's a nice release, but I think it could have been even better if the band had branched it out a bit more. Admittedly I don't know shit about recording, but I think it would have helped if the guitar sound had been more abrasive. The six strings sounded a lot rougher on the band's demo and I liked it better that way. Maybe the vocals should have had some more sneer to them as well. I wish the singer sounded meaner. It would also have been nice if they played the songs a bit faster. The tunes get a bit lackluster in places now.

I don't mean to be a prick and know everyone's a critic. This is not my band and these kids should do whatever they see fit. I just think this record could have been great if only the songs had been more in your face. I wonder why they're not, because listening to the lyrics, the attitude is definitely there. The songs are good though and I'm sure these guys kill it live. Definitely not a bad start, but there's room for improvement – isn't there always? So I hope Dry Heaves stick around and I'd love to see them live sometime.

Dry Heaves - Medicated Youth Ep (Common Thread, Zandor)
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Flip Shit - Outgoing Rockers Ep (Reel Time) (5 euro)
This right here is the vinyl debut by this Rochester punk rock outfit. I like the band name! Kinda stupid yet it has a cool cling to it. I read about Flip Shit somewhere and the only material by them I could find at the time was their demo tape. That recording left me unimpressed to say the least. There was way too much guitar wankery on there. I'm talking constant heavy metal guitar solos. The band even played a Poison Idea cover of Feel the Darkness, which I think no band should ever do.

So I did not like the band's demo and yet I picked this Ep up for the mailorder. Don't ask me why. Maybe I only heard the demo after I actually made the order? It's really not all that relevant. The bottom line is that a bunch of copies of this record ended up on my record shelves. And great was my relief when I first played this Ep, because it's a whole lot better than the demo material. Out are the heavy metal tendencies. Thank goodness! The guitar player hasn't mellowed out. He's still doing solo's all the time and even his sound is still pretty heavy on the side of 'rock'. However this time around his playing serves the songs instead of the other way around which takes down the wank factor some much needed notches. On this record Flip Shit basically sounds like a punk band with a guitar player that rather listens to rock music than the Killed By Death compilations, which isn't a bad thing really. We all have our vices, right?

Flip Shit doesn't sound 'schooled in punk rock' overall. They seem to be a young bunch that just started a band for the hell of it and this is what it ended up sounding like. The didn't try to kinda sound like the Lewd, which oddly enough is refreshing. The band seems to have the right attitude down. The singer's vocals are bit muffled and obnoxious – in the good way that is. His lyrics are clever, which is always a plus. The drums and bass lay down basic song structures, fairly traditional punk stuff really except for 'End it all' where they get a bit funky. Over this the guitar player can wank away. The bass sounds pretty blown out and clatters which is good, because the guitar sound is definitely on the shrill side. The six songs on this record all have got a nice pace. Things only get slown down during the intro of 'Shit out of Luck' really.

To wrap things up, the artwork is really nice as well. The sleeve is made out of thick carton. I like that the band made the insert look like a torn page from a high school notebook. There's hearts, tokens of love and doodles scribbled in the margin. They even perforated the thing! That must have been a blast, perforating 500 inserts - I know you can do multiple at a time, but like the image of these kids doing them one by one. Don't spoil it! I really like this record and definitely didn't see that coming. I wouldn't mind another Ep.  

Fontana - Not A Leg To Stand On 7" (Milk 'N Herpes)

Fontana did their first release on Detroit’s X! Records when they were barely housebroken. Their introduction to the world of vinyl, the I Feel Like A Jerk Ep on the very same label, did not get them much attention despite some good reviews. Hopefully this 7” and their Lp on X! will change that. The A-side of the single starts out with vocal melodies that are obviously stolen from Black Flag’s “Six Pack”. Then it stumbles into some subtle guitar work with the singer whinging how nobody understands him after which the song takes a more manic turn before it reaches its end. Yes, this song is all over the place, but Fontana gets away with it. The B-side is more of a straight forward punk anthem although the band shifts from fast to slow in this track as well. There’s a cool guitar solo at the end of the song. Soloing bores my pants off 90% of the time, but this is good stuff. Fontana plays blown out punk rock with mean sounding off key vocals. This band has edge. If you like your punk rock raw (and you should), you’ll love Fontana.

Foreign Objects - Mammonism 7" (Cut the Cord)

Another single by Boston’s Foreign Objects. The band recently did a small Euro tour that went by totally unnoticed by me, because they didn’t come through the Netherlands. Quite a shame, because I would have loved to see Foreign Objects perform live. Despite a lot of praise for the band’s demo and debut single I didn’t care for them until I heard their full length on Vinyl Rites. ‘No Sensation’ was a solid release. Note to self: I still need to get a copy of said record. I’ve noticed that the post punk card is drawn a lot when describing the sounds of Foreign Objects and reviewers also keep bringing up Dangerhouse Records. I never got around to investigating that label much outside of Black Randy and the Metrosquad, so whether that remark is off or on, I do not know. The post punk reference on the other hand makes sense to me. There’s definitely a post punk quality to Foreign Objects’ songwriting. When I say post punk, I mean as in fun like Wire and not depressing like Bauhaus or Joy Division. Moody introspective music seems to be getting more popular in hardcore circles by the day and I don’t like it at all. So instead of labeling Foreign Objects a post punk band, I’d rather call them punk which they basically are. The songs are a bit more complex than your average punk rocker, but that’s pretty much it. Both songs on this single are upbeat and well written. You can tell these kids have some years of playing in different bands under their belt. The musicianship is definitely way above average. Although the lyrical content is very serious – what the songs are about goes mostly over my head to be honest - the songs are catchy and danceable. Terry’s vocals are great and remind me a bit of the singer of Nuclear Family minus the theatrics. On the A-side we find ‘Mammonism’. The song has a cool driving bass line. The chorus, ‘Domination is the game/ But penetration ain’t the same’, sticks with you. I like the discordant bridge at the end of the track. On the flip we find ‘Fable’ which is more of a bouncy tune. The part where the whole band sings is a cool addition. This is a nice 7” by a band that knows its way around a song. Come back to Europe and play Amsterdam, please.

Golden Pelicans - Hard Head 7" (Total Punk) (5 euro)

There's not an awful lot I can tell about the Golden Pelicans. I know they're a four piece from Florida and I know this is their first single. That's pretty much where it ends. There are two songs on this platter and both are really catchy, fun, and yes, memorable even. Although nothing too mind blowing is going on here, you can tell these guys know their way around a song and they can play. The bass walks in 'Hard Head' kick ass.

After hearing Golden Pelicans' live cassette, things started falling into place for me. Hearing the live recording made me more excited about the band. Damn, they must be a blast live. For a moment I actually thought they opened their set with a cover; the song was so catchy and familiar, but I couldn't figure out who did the original. Turns out it's 'Hard Head'! You decide whether that says something about the the quality of this song or my weak memory. Obviously I want you to go for option one. The bands sound a lot grittier and upfront on this recording. I like it a lot. It seems the Golden Pelicans had enough songs to release an Ep with several songs, but decided to release the two songs they liked best as a single instead. That's quality control, boys and girls. I wish more bands would do that!

When I'm trying to review a record I often feel like it all just boils down to the question whether the songs are good or not. If they are you should check the record out. If not, you shouldn't. This Golden Pelicans single definitely falls under the former category, but since none of you cynical fucks ever take my word for anything I'll add that Terminal Boredom described this record as 'one of the first legit garage punk record in a long while'. To me this is just a punk band doing a cool single, but what the hell do I know? If you don't like this record, I hope you take the lyrics of the chorus on the flip to heart and drown. Supposedly another 7” will be out soon. No objections on my part!

Goosebumps - I Hate My Body Ep (Burn Books, SMRT) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

Ghastly Spats - Ep (Heinous Anus) (6 euro)
Review up soon...

Herds - Selfitled Ep (Fashionable Idiots)

After a demo and a two song 7” on Deer Healer records Milwaukee’s Herds return with this Ep on Fashionable Idiots. Herds deliver five dark and intense hardcore songs on this record. Pounding drums, a heavy bass sound, great riffage and brutal vocals give this band a distinguished sound which makes them stand out in a sea of mediocrity. At times Herds is like a bulldozer waltzing over you. Sometimes they shift to a lower pace but only to come back full speed and crush you. The artwork of this record is top-notch. This 7” proves Herds a band to be reckoned with.

Herds - Michigan Ep (Residue)
What's left to say about this hardcore band from Milwaukee that hasn't been said before? I ordered both their Ep and Lp from Fashionable Idiots and still think both are great records, but somehow they haven't been selling all that well. I don't see what the problem is. Herds is one of the most crushing hardcore bands playing today. They are heavy as fuck. I'm a total sucker for their bass lines. The band exclusively sang about nature on their previous releases. They still do on the 'Michigan' Ep, but I'd say there's a slight difference. Three songs on this record cover stories of human casualties from the brute forces of nature. The last song is about us people wrecking nature and as you might have guessed, all events occur in the state of Michigan. My favourite track on here is 'Iron Mountain' which is about a mining accident that killed several workers. There are agonizing guitar cries in the tune that evoke the wails of death from the depths of the mines. Great stuff. This band destroys evertyhing in their wake and won't restrain from trampling you.

Hungry Gayze - Roadkill 7" (Florida's Dying) (5 euro)
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Hygiene - Christmas Do 7" (Static Shock) (6 euro)
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Hysterics - 6 Songs Ep (M'Lady)
This right here is the Hysterics debut Ep. This all female hardcore band from Olympia, Washington plays pretty straight forward hardcore. At first I actually felt like this Ep was a bit generic and that the only reason people were going crazy over this band was that all members were of the (in my case) opposite sex. Call me a sexist pig if you want. Oh, and the fact that they were from Olympia probably didn't hurt either. Either way, I came around. The joke is on me. This is a solid hardcore release. The music is definitely heavily influenced by early 1980s USHC, but as bland as that may sound, the band is anything but. Although taking cues from the past the Hysterics don’t sound retro. I know that shit sounds trite and I’m sure you’ve read it about a zillion bands before, but that doesn’t make it any less true in this case. All six songs on this Ep are tough and energetic. Songs move from high tempo into slower and more brooding and intense parts flawlessly. The band succeeds in keeping the tunes interesting this way. Although the guitar player isn’t doing anything too crazy, she crawls away from the riffs in just the right places giving the songs the ugliness I came to love in hardcore. The singer sounds really angry and although her delivery is somewhat monotonous when she’s not destroying her throat, her vocals are always conveying a certain threat. The music overall has a threatening vibe like something bad is about to happen. The Hysterics really run wild with the final track on this Ep. ‘Hanging out at the 512’ is a jam with lots of guitar wailing. It’s ugly. It’s brooding. It’s great. The only complaints I have about this release are that there are only two new songs on it, but then again I’m sure many people missed out on the band’s demo so these songs will be all new to most of you. Furthermore I think sleeve was printed on shitty (probably cheap) paper. Did I really say that? Haha! Shit like that hardly matters, but it annoyed me. Overall the package is cool though. There’s an insert with all the lyrics, the record is on clear yellow vinyl and the artwork looks cool. You gotta give the band credit for their tampon take on the Black Flag logo. It still cracks me up. I hope these girls will do another Ep soon.

Ilegal - La Vida Es El Producto de Nuestra Esperanza Y Las Visiones Irreales Ep (Todo Destruido) (5 euro)
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Inmates - Now We Talkin' Hardcore Ep (Even Worse)
This record has been out for quite a few years, but I decided to stock it anyway. Cleveland has been talk of the town of hardcore for years now and this band has been much praised in several channels, especially Distort and Counterfeit Garbage come to mind, over and over and over. The Inmates are able to blend violence, stupidity, malice and humour into a perfect hardcore cocktail, petrol drenched piece of cloth hanging from the bottle and all. Not every Inmates' song is as good as the next. I don't think many listeners get excited about 'Ode to Henk and Noel' except for Henk and Noel themselves for example. Nor is every song as funny as the next. 'Ode to Henk and Noel' could make one smile had he/she ever met these men, but 'Rub & Tug' is nothing but dumb to me. 'Fainting Goat Never Die' isn't a funny song either yet when my mood is right, it makes me laugh regardless. 'Now We Talkin' Hardcore' isn't even the best record by these guys by far – for those not yet in the know I highly recommend checking out 'Assholes Unanimous Presents the Inmates'. Despite all these demerits however, this Ep is still worth picking up if only for 'On the Dots' which still makes me lose my shit even though I've heard it many many times. The lyrics are so vicious and yet so good. I wish more bands had the balls to come up with lines like “Do the world a favour/ Kill yourself today!” and “Everytime I go outside/ All I see is fucking slime/ Everytime I go outside/ I just want them all to diiiiiiiiiie!” And what better way to wrap a song up than manically screaming “Slit your wrists!” over and over again? 'Jogging in Place' is also a good song. To me those two tracks make this record. The rest is filler in my opinion, but perhaps you'll laugh your ass off at 'Rub & Tug' so by all means don't make my feigned sense of good taste keep you from enjoying the rest of this record.

Los Inservibles - Uno Vida de Tristeza Ep (Shogun, La Vida Es Un Mus) (5 euro)
First time we hear from these Mexican crazies again since their European tour last year. They didn't play the Netherlands back then and I still cry myself to sleep about it on a weekly basis.

There are five new songs here and they're all good. If you heard the band before and did not like them, chances are slim you're gonna change your mind after hearing 'Un Vida de Tristeza'. The band's approach to writing songs hasn't changed one bit. It should go without saying that I don't mind for I was already hooked on the chaos this bunch calls music.

Los Inservibles play some of the vilest and filthiest punk around. You could label this band a hardcore outfit, because of the song structures, but that'd sell these guys short. The band is far beyond categorization and that's what makes them so great. Their songs are a total mess and seem to be recorded in as crappy a way as possible. There's quite a bit of feedback throughout the record and once every band member is playing and Yecal, the singer with the lovely sideburns, opens his mouth, it's hard to make out what the hell is going on. The whole record sounds trebly and hissy as fuck because of the way the cymbals were recorded, but also because of Yecal's venomous vocals.
Like earlier recordings 'Uno Vida de Tristeza' is not for the nice. This band sounds mean and ugly. Evil even! Think rusty screwdriver stabbings in dirty alleys over unpaid drug money and you're close. Los Inservibles are the undisputed kings of dirt. Their music is violent and destructive, but it can bring sweet satisfaction to those who let the madness in. Do it now and get all their other records, because this stuff is sick. Yecal's linocut artwork really seals the deal.

Insomnio - Walking on the String Ep (No Way)

Insomnio from Zaragoza, Spain are a bit of an ugly duckling in the No Way catalogue. Unlike most No Way bands they don’t trace their roots back to a random early 80s hardcore band. Unlike most of their label mates Insomnio doesn’t go for fast. Instead they play some mid paced melodic punk rock with a lot of guitar soloing. The songs on this Ep were taken from the same recording session as the No Escape Lp that preceded this 7” so if you liked that record you’re bound to enjoy this as well. Insomnio’s not reinventing the wheel with Walking On The String. They do however play some catchy simple punk rock you’ll catch yourself singing along to despite their awful English. What more could one ask for?

Krunchies - Ugly Inside 7" (Southkore)

Third 7" by this Chicago three-piece and in my opinion by far their best release so far. The speed at which the Krunchies play would make me call them a hardcore band, but apart from their pace this band is pure punk rock with emphasis on the jangly guitar riffs and screamed boy and girl vocals. The Krunchies' lyrics are fun and witty. Song titles like "You put the 'U' in Useless" and "Ugly Inside" should give you an impression of what these cats are about. There are four frantically fast punk rock songs on this record and there isn't one among them that makes you lose your attention. Then again, you'd have a damn short attention span to lose your attention during songs clocking in barely past one minute. The rad artwork delivers the finishing touch to this record. I'm sure many people will pass on this one for snobbish reasons, but that's their loss. This is a little punk rock gem in my opinion.

Lamps - All Seeing Eye 7" (Sweet Rot) (6 euro)
Review up soon...

Lipkick - Selftitled Ep (Kink, Monkey Sounds,Sengaja, Spastic Fantastic)

This is Lipkick from Gemany’s first proper release. These four girls play some straight ahead here and there thrashy hardcore. The guitars are loud. Their two singers both sound angry. I love how their German accent comes through in the English. I can’t help but think it’s kinda cute which obviously isn’t intended. There are some German spoken samples in between songs that I can’t really comprehend. This is a nice debut, although nothing groundbreaking, but if you're looking for groundbreaking, you might as well drop out of punk and start listening to electro. What's really cool about Lipkick is that all these kids are just in their late teens! I'm guessing this is their first band ever. With that in mind I’m sure Lipkick can develop a sound of their own over time. I love the zombie artwork. The record is on pink for those who care.

Logic Problem - No Center Ep (Grave Mistake)
This North Carolinan band called it quits a year or two ago or maybe they just decided to take a break. Either way they're not playing anymore which is a shame. Logic Problem somehow seems to have fallen through the cracks despite good reviews and some big tours. To me Logic Problem always seemed 'that band that everyone kinda liked but no one really seemed to care about'. They started playing when the 1980s retro hardcore thing was at its peak and the band didn't really fit in. Logic Problem's sounds are bigger, heavier and darker. The band's rythm section was  powerful. The drumming on this Ep is wild whithout skipping a beat. The drummer lays down cool accents to keep your attention. The bass is very dominant and drives the songs. To top it all was the singer's raspy vocal delivery. Around the time that this Ep saw the light of day they released an excellent Lp on a Belgian label that never got that great a distribution as far as I know. All of that's too bad, because Logic Problem were an excellent band and you could do far worse than spending some euros on this piece of vinyl.

LiveFastDie - Practicing for the Gangbang 7" (Total Punk) (5 euro)

Review up soon...

Long Pigs - Ep (SMRT) (6 euro)
Another record from the much praised New York hardcore scene that brought you all Dawn of Humans, Hank Wood and the Hammerheads and the possibly even more lauded Crazy Spirit. Supposedly Long Pigs even share members with some of these bands, but I don’t exactly know the ins and outs there. The guys in this band also do Toxic State Records. Wow, that was a lot of name dropping, right? If I had a real webshop half of you readers would already have clicked on the ‘Buy-Now-button’ by now. You know it’s true. Don’t you deny it! I haven’t even mentioned a thing about the music yet. Think about that for a second, punk rock consumer. I’ll end my criticism here and will just do what a review is supposed to do i.g. say something about what’s to be heard on this Ep. The Long Pigs play noisy hardcore. I remember liking their demo, but apart from that my mind is a blank. The bass is blown out and the guitar is squealing throughout the entire record. Yes, there’s a lot of feedback to be heard, but it’s not in that contrived way that a lot of modern hardcore bands seem to go for. The drums are pretty loud too, but it’s hard to hear what the drummer is exactly doing underneath the guitar wailing. All six songs on this Ep are very chaotic. They’d have been falling apart if it wasn’t for the bass keeping the riffs going over the drum beat. I like what these guys are going for, but I have one complaint about this style. The songs don’t really stick. I like spinning this record. It has a nice messy, angry vibe, but I hardly remember what I’ve heard after the needle leaves the vinyl. Maybe it just takes more listens before this stuff sinks in entirely. Time will tell. I know there are plenty of people who don’t care about songs. So if what you’re looking for is some pissed off hardcore with lots of noise, you can hardly go wrong with this Ep. The artwork - screen printed cardboard sleeve and insert - matches the music well and like the Toxic State releases this Ep looks beautiful. You gotta give these kids credit for putting so much effort in their artwork. By now it doesn’t even come as a surprise anymore, but don’t you dare take it for granted!

The Love Triangle - Boomerang Girl 7" (5 euro) (Dire)
This is the second single by London’s Love Triangle. The band plays catchy blown out punk rock with soul. Boy, do I love the bass sound. I remember I enjoyed this band's first 7” quite a bit. Especially the first song was really good. What I didn’t like about the Love Triangle’s debut however was that Louis’ vocals immediately made me think of the Shitty Limits. Obviously that ain’t much of a reproach for Louis was Shitty Limits’ vocalist for years and they were a good band. Yet I still thought it was a bit of a shame that the Limits connection was the first thing that came to mind when spinning this band's first 7”. Good news is that this ‘problem’ has disappeared with this single. The Love Triangle  has turned into more of a band of its own instead of a group consisting of former members of other bands, a stage many groups never seem to pass. So that’s already an achievement. ‘But what about the songs?’, I hear you ask. Both are good, but the A-side is easily the winner here. ‘Boomerang Girl’ has a stupid yet very infectious chorus that even your retarded nephew can sing along to. The flip brings a slower tune to the plate that took some time to sink in with me, but I really like it now. Apparently it's a cover of a song by Slaughter and the Dogs. The Love Triangle’s take on the song is definitely a nice twist and they give the song more of a garage punk feel. Now get stupid, dance across your living room and stomp yourself in the face whilst singing  'Booma! Booma! Booma! Booma! Rang! Rang! Rang! Rang!' and make sure you don't miss a beat. Good times guaranteed.

Male Nurses - Wanna Play Doctor? 7" (Cowabunga)
Review up soon...

Manic - Ep (Scavenger of Death)

This Atlanta hardcore outfit did a tape a year or two ago, but I didn’t listen to it that much so all the songs on this record are new to me. It might be worth mentioning to those who did hear the band’s demo however, half of the songs on this Ep were on the cassette. All have of course been rerecorded for this release. Manic plays fast harsh hardcore with a lot of teenage angst and frustration. The drumming is ferocious and the bass sounds burly and sloppy as fuck, which is best heard in the lovely solos in ‘Land of Nod’ and ‘Number’. The more I listen to this record, the more I like the bass sound. The guitar is mainly laying down the riffs. That’ll do though and it’s nice to hear a modern hardcore record that isn’t soaked in feedback for a change. There are some heavy break downs I can see the kids get wild to in ‘Old and Wretched’ and ‘Adversary’, but don’t expect any bro-ish hardcore from these guys. They’re soon back to fast and mean. Manic’s singer shines on this recording. He spits, almost vomits, his anxiety and anger over the six tracks delivered. The guy must have one soar throat after a set. His lyrics are very hostile. The front man makes this band for me. I bet he’s up in your face on stage. The record is off for a strong start with ‘Land of Nod’ which is a solid pace shifting hardcore tune. Record ender ‘Leeches’ is also a contender. Its main riff is good and makes the song memorable. The packaging this record comes in is very minimal, but I like it. You can’t go wrong with black, white and a little red. The artwork seems to be a reference to the chorus of ‘Old and Wretched’: ‘I’d rather watch while your insides are peeling/I’d rather watch while I hang from the ceiling.’ Nice!

Marvelous Darlings - Sleeping Like A Dead Man 7" (Bachelor)

There was not much to be heard about the Marvelous Darlings for a few years. Front-man Ben Cook stepped in as Fucked Up’s third guitar player back then, but apparently he has been spending quite some time on his own projects as well. Not only did he release three 7” of which Sleeping Like A Dead Man is one, in a short amount of time. There have also been three releases by his solo project, Young Governor, this year. Ben seems to be a busy bee. Also the guy can sing! If you haven’t heard the Darlings before let me tell you that this is some slick power pop. Boy, are these songs catchy. The a-track is a power pop gem that you’d expect from the Marvelous Darlings. The flip delivers a more lofi song that includes acoustic guitar and a harmonica. Sweet. This band is too slick for me to like and yet I love this shit. A guilty pleasure, I guess. Shame on me!.

Moralens Väktare - Konsumera! Ep (Sweken) (5 euro)
This is the second Ep by this young punk rock band from Sweden. No they’re not from Umea! Moralens Väktare delivers four short songs on this record. All of them clock in under two minutes except for the last which just crosses that mark. There are no stinkers on here, but the title track is probably the best song if only because one can sing along to the chorus without any knowledge of the Swedish language whatsoever. I can only guess that ‘Konsumera!’ means something along the lines of ‘Consume!’. This might have you think that there’s a political message in the song, but this band doesn’t strike me as the type that’s trying to get a message out there. Perhaps they are. The language barrier keeps me from saying anything decisive about this matter. Fortunately music knows no language. One thing is clear from the moment the needle hits the plastic; Moralens Väktare can craft a punk rock tune. All these songs are filled with hooks. The guitars are jangly and the songs are catchier than the flu. This record is bound to get people dancing and I imagine the band is an absolute blast live. Looking at the pictures on the sleeve these kids are still young which makes this Ep all the more impressive. Basically these four tunes are a ton of fun and if you like punk rock in a foreign tongue, you really can’t go wrong with this Ep at all. Same goes for their first 7", but I think that's sold out. Ask the Ken Man. There also is a split 7” out there, but I've heard mixed stories about that one. The band just released a full length on Dead Beat Records which you should definitely pick up. I'm sure it's killer. If only I had the money to pick me up a copy.

Moralens Väktare/ Röda Sten - Split Ep (Self Released) (5 euro)
This is Moralens Väktare’s third 7” output if I’m not mistaken. I’ve been into this band’s previous stuff and their side of this split is no letdown either. The band plays punk rock with a bit of rock ‘n roll thrown in. Their songs are catchy. Of the two songs the band delivers on this Ep the first is definitely best. You gotta love the dual guitar one note solo in that one. It made me chuckle. Punks need to wake up and embrace this young Swedish band. Whenever I read about them people seem a bit lackluster, which doesn’t make any sense. People lose their shit over so much mediocre shit from Sweden and a good band like this remains in the margins. Punks can be a tasteless bunch… On the flip we find Röda Stens who I had never heard of before. From the first few chords it’s clear that this band is more in the rock ‘n roll camp than Moralens Väktare. They’ve got that Motörhead vibe going. You know the deal. Steaming riffs backed by a pummeling bass and a lot of guitar solos. I never liked Motörhead – call me a Luddite. All of their songs remind me of ‘Ace of Spades’, but perhaps that’s the attraction? - and I don’t like Röda Sten’s song either. I was ready to write Röda Sten off, but then the second track kicked in and it’s way different. This could have been a different band, but it is not. This song is more of a bar rocker with a shitload of swagger and driving piano chords. It’s nice. Very catchy. Why isn’t the other song like this? I’d have preferred that. So the Röda Sten side of this Ep is a mixed bag, but the opening song of the Moralens Väktare side should be reason enough to get this record. Make sure you pick up their Lp on Dead Beat. Maybe I’ll stock that one at some point myself. Who knows?

Mr. California/ Flyin' Trichecos - Split Ep (Non Commercial) (6 euro)
Let me start off by saying that I got this record for the Trichecos side. I've never been a fan of Mr. California even though his guitar playing in Folded Shirt makes me roll on the floor with laughter and his butterfly-shaped guitar makes me giggle like a little girl. So let's play the the Trichecos side first. The band delivers its two last songs of mongoloid punk here and neither is about snorting coke. What the fuck? I thought that was what this band was all about! The first track 'Tick Tock' is the kind of song you expect from this band. I love that you hear someone scream 'Faggot!' somewhere in the back before the song kicks off. It makes me think of that Louis CK joke, but I digress. The second track is called 'Barack' and is about, you guessed it, the president of the United States. If the title had you think the Trichecos traded their cokey message in for serious politics, you probably never heard this band before. The song is about Barack Obama mowing the singer's lawn. Yup, you read that right. The song is a Mr. California cover. It is totally stupid, but the line 'Barack Obama mowes my lawn' will be stuck in your head guarantueed.

On to the Mr. California side of the split. Terry's music is hard to describe. Mr. California uses simple drum computers and programmed bass lines for his songs. Over this he sings and plays guitar although on these two songs there's no six string to be heard. Maybe he left his butterfly at home? His songs have a childish naivety to them. By childish I don't mean juvenile in this case. The lyrics however are juvenile and stupid as well. They're offensive to some, but some people just listen to music to whine about it in a column or something. It's somewhat ironical that the Trichecos' songs on this record are not about drugs, while both Terry's songs are. The first track is called 'Smoking Crack'. It's sung by Terry, Larry and Anus of Folded Shirt fame. The second song is a cover of the Trichecos' 'It fell up my nose' with Alessandro doing back up vocals. All in all this record is more of a last coming together of this Cleveland crowd, celebrating the good times and brain cell destruction they shared. I'm sure they all had a blast recordings these song, but this record is probably not for anyone who wasn't already crazy about the Trichecos or Mr. California. I guess that's fine. I like the stupid artwork.

Mundo Muerto - Rompe El Silencio 7" (Mata La Musica)
This is a repress of LA’s Mundo Muerto’s debut single that was released a few years ago on Que Punk? Records. It has been out of print for a while. The band has released a strong 12” Ep and even better full length since this 7” and with that came some more attention. Now that people know about Mundo Muerto they’re interested in hearing the first single, I assume, so Guss, the band’s singer decided to repress the thing on his own label Mata La Musica to make it available to all the sleepers after all. Reviewing this 7” is a bit of a call on my conscience, dear reader. I’ll be honest. When I first heard this single I wasn’t at all convinced. In fact when I tried to find my original copy to review this record I discovered I had filed the thing away in a purge not too long ago. I remember I was really pissed at the time that I had paid four bucks for only two songs, haha. Quite a thing to be angry about. Punks… I didn’t really appreciate a ‘song’ back then. After digging this single up and giving it some spins, I must admit that my judgement at the time was definitely harsh. This is a nice single with two cool anthemic hardcore punk songs sung in Spanish. The guitar riffs are simple, but catchy. Guss’ vocals are passionate. His voice is good, but all the ‘whoooaas’ on the A-side are a bit too much for me. Still that’s not that hard a thing to forgive. I could label this ‘raw ponk’ or ‘Latino punk’ for those of you who fall for fashionable terms like that, but to me this is just a hardcore punk band playing catchy hardcore songs. When I say catchy I don’t mean there’s no anger to these tunes, because there is. Still at the same time I think you can hear this band is having fun while playing. I can’t make out the words, but the B-side cut is called ‘Politicos Falsos’ so it looks like they’re political. The artwork looks like an old anarchist lino propagating the freedom of speech, which I like. If you want to hear this band at the top of their game get the ‘Entre El Kaos’ Lp, but if you’re already a fan or don't have the attention span to listen to a full length, adding this Ep to your record collection won't be a decision you regret.

The Narcs - I want Dope, I want Pussy, I want all that Shit Ep (Reel Time) (5 euro)
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Negative Lifestyle - Panic Ep (Deranged) (5 euro)
Negative Lifestyle’s first Ep was on Bat Shit Records. The thing was fairly limited. This might explain why the band hasn’t had much attention so far – not to my knowledge anyway. This seven song Ep on Deranged Records should change that. This Swedish hardcore band plays some nice stripped down 1980s hardcore punk sung in English. Obviously this has been done a million times before. In all probability more 1980’s USHC records have been released in the last couple of years than in the early 80s, haha. My point being that this genre has been saturated for quite a while now. That said I love classic sounding hardcore punk and I’m guessing you do as well - otherwise I don’t see any reason for you to read this really. So instead of dismissing this kind of music entirely, which seems to be the thing to do these days, it makes a lot more sense to separate the good from the bad, because there’s still plenty of gold buried in the piles of shit that is retro hardcore anno 2012. This is where Negative Lifestyle comes in, because this band is definitely worth your ears or what’s left of ‘m. What immediately strikes me about Negative Lifestyle is their minimalistic approach. The band is a three-piece; guitar, bass, drums and of course vocals. The guitar sound is very clean. I’d almost say wimpy, but that sound like such a bad thing while it isn’t in this case. In fact I really like the guitar sound. Anders’ vocals are urgent and the thick Swedish accent in his English makes me smile. ‘So far so good, but nothing special…’, I hear you think. WRONG! This band is able to create interesting and catchy hardcore songs with very little. The song ‘Trying to fit in’ is a perfect example. Forget about ‘retro-hardcore’. That sounds generic. This shit is timeless. ‘Panic’ is a cool record that should be a reminder there will always be good hardcore as long as you’re willing to give it a shot.

Negative Lifestyle - End Up Like Them Flexi (Signaler Fran Ovan) (5 euro)
This is Negative Lifestyle’s third vinyl output. ‘End Up Like Them’ serves the listener four new hardcore songs clocking in under six minutes. The first three songs are good mid paced hardcore punk songs. It’s obvious that these three guys have been listening to a lot of early 1980s USHC. Can you blame them? Opener ‘End Up Like Them’ is yet another anthem to alienation, which seems to be a returning subject in Anders’ lyrics. The topics Negative Lifestyle addresses are not new and fairly typical for the genre, but somehow they don’t feel played out when Anders sings about them. It all feels sincere. That all boils down to gut, I guess. Some bands are believable. Others aren’t. I don’t know why. It might be a very personal thing. ‘In My Head’ has a catchy and simple chorus that sticks with you. ‘Borderline/ I think I’m stuck/ Borderline/ It’s in my head’. This is probably the catchiest song of the four. The last track ‘Never Silence’ isn’t really a song. It’s a bass riff repeated for two minutes. The guitar player hits a chord every now and then and in the background we hear some indecipherable whispering. Scary! This Flexi was released around the same time as the ‘Panic’ Ep on Deranged and I remember the two records got reviewed by the same reviewer in one issue of MRR. He said this flexi was way better than the Ep. Perhaps ‘End Up Like Them’ is a bit more direct than the Deranged Ep, but overall there’s not much of a quality difference between the two releases in my opinion. Isn’t it typical that whenever there’s two things, one always has to be the better? But let’s not get too philosophical. I’d argue you should pick both the ‘Panic’ Ep and this Flexi up if you’re still among the people who like classic sounding hardcore with its roots in the early 1980s. Negative Lifestyle are really good at what they do. I think it’s time this band does a 12” Ep.

Las Otras - Ep (Discos Sense Nom) (5 euro)

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Pedestrians - Killing Season Ep (Residue)

Killing Season is Chicago’s Pedestrians’ fourth and (to my knowledge) final release. This band played a style of punk that wasn’t covered much back then and in fact still isn’t. Jordan’s vocals give the Pedestrians a distinguished sound. I really like the way he sings. The four songs on this 7” are in the same vain as their previous outputs and they are all good. Although the Ideal Divide 12” remains my favourite Pedestrians release, this Ep is up the same alley. If you liked Pedestrian’s previous releases, you’re bound to enjoy this Ep as well. For those of you who’ve been sleeping on this band this release gives a final opportunity to get your hands on some of their vinyl. I’m pretty sure that their other stuff has been out of press for quite a while. The Pedestrians definitely had a fresh sound to them and they will be missed. I’m sure we’ll soon hear from new projects by their former members though.

Pink Nightmare - Ep (Compact Chaos)
This is the debut Ep from Boston's Pink Nightmare, an all female band that shares members with several Boston acts you might have heard before. If you wanna know who and what just google that shit. This Ep delivers four hardcore punk tunes with some bleak topics such as war, alienation and misogyny. I'm really into this record, but find it hard to put into words what makes it good. All the instruments come through well in the tunes and especially the vocals sound really cool. The singer sounds angry in a bratty way. The drumming is some super stripped down bashing at times which is awesome. The guitar playing is simple, but there are plenty of memorable hooks throughout the four songs. This record is excellent proof of the fact you don't need to be the next Hendrix to write some cool tunes. 'Misogynist' is the standout track to me. Pink Nightmare deliver a good debut here. Why? I guess the songs are just there. Too bad the artwork on both the sleeve and labels looks  pixilated. I don't know if there's anything on the agenda for this band, but I'd love to hear more, because this Ep is promising.

Pizza OD - Ep (Self Released)
This is Pizza OD’s debut record. The three-piece hails from Lyon, France, a city that seems to have a pretty vivid punk scene lately. There are five punk rock song on this Ep. Most striking about Pizza OD are Alex’s vocals which are pretty upfront in the mix. I like his voice a lot. He sounds juvenile and obnoxious. All songs are sung in French which is a plus to me. I like it when bands sing in their own language. It just makes more sense.  Unfortunately I can’t make out much of the lyrics apart from the ‘une, deux, trois, quatre’s. The lyric sheet could help, but I’m afraid my French sucks too bad for it. My only complaint would be that the guitar sound is too wimpy. Turn that thing up! My favourite songs on here are ‘Cigarettes’ and ‘Meme pas Mal’, which means something along the lines of 'not bad at all' if I’m not mistaken. The bridge in that song is catchy as fuck. The song ‘Au Fond du Ravin’ is the odd song out. It’s a bit slower and emotional, I guess. I wish I could get the lyrics here. I think the title means ‘on the edge of the canyon’. I saw this record described as pop punk in the pages of MRR and although I can get that I wouldn’t have labeled this band pop myself. If I had to apply a genre to this I’d go for inept punk rock. These kids are no musicians. The songs are simple, but fun. I’m sure they make the French pogo in their squats. The packaging on this record is really topnotch. The artwork looks great, there’s an insert with all the lyrics and the protection sleeves of the vinyl have spray painted stencils. The band released the record themselves to boot. Punk!

Pizza OD - Second Ep (Self Released)
What I like about Pizza OD is that they are inept ‘musicians’ playing simple but catchy punk rock in their native tongue. A fun fact is that they started out with the intention to play wild raw punk in the vein of Firmeza 10, but fate had other plans with them. Some call this pop punk, but that term rubs me the wrong way. I’d rather call it punk rock. There are four new songs on this self released Ep and they’re all fun. Alex’s vocals are snotty and obnoxious. The songs on this Ep sound better than the ones on their previous record. It seems they turned that guitar up after all. Good! Somehow this band always leads me to the whole punk rock relevance debate. Let me try to explain. I ‘know’ two of the three people in this band and have been corresponding with them and they come across as good guys with the heart in the right place. Don’t you hate how that sounds dismissive? Anyway these guys being nice and all makes me want to like their band. So basically I’m biased. I like Pizza OD, but whenever I listen to them I wonder what makes them good, what makes them a band you should check out. That’s a hard question to answer, because honestly I don’t think I would ever have listened to Pizza OD had I not met Alex and Vinnie. Wouldn’t that mean that it’d  be full of shit if I were to tell you that you need this record? You don’t need this record. Let’s face it, despite that compulsive urge to get yourself a fix of vinyl constantly, you don’t need any records. Why are people going crazy for certain releases? It’s tempting to say it’s because the music they contain is worthwhile, relevant. Tempting, but I personally don’t buy it. There’s no such thing as quality, no such thing as relevance. It’s all make-believe. Punk rock is not relevant in 2012 and Pizza OD are not a band worth your time, but you can bet your ass they’ll be playing their irrelevant and disposable tunes all the same in front of disinterested wasted youth in squats all over France regardless and that, my friend, is pretty damn punk.

P-Nissarna - Ep (Reken) (6 euro)
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Pregnancy Scares - Ep (Deranged)
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Primates - Control Salvaje Ep (Thought Crime)

The Primates hail from Spain which seems to be the new breeding ground of punk rock. Eat your heart out Denmark! According to the Thought Crime site this band would’ve been gods in the US if they’d  have sported some Mohawks. I don’t know if that’s true, but this is definitely a good record. Control Salvaje is Primates’ second Ep and in my opinion it’s a lot better than their first which wasn’t bad at all. Primates’ drummer is fast and their guitar player has to keep up with that frantic pace yet is able to lay down some nice riffs. The music is very energetic and catchy. All the lyrics are of course sung in Spanish so I’m clueless as to what they’re singing about. Looking at the artwork of this Ep I’m guessing they do not like the big brother society we seem to be heading for. This is a solid release and it’s only their second output so far. It’s nice to hear a good new band from the continent. More please!

Pukeoid - Ep (Not Normal)
Pukeoid who hail from Chicago, released a demo tape about a year or two ago. That thing stank and I can’t say the artwork, which showed a lady shoving her head up another lady’s crotch, helped grabbing my interest. I tried to get into the tunes, but it was just too much of a mess for me. The recording was really poor. I think it was the singer of Fucked Up who once said that a lot of hardcore bands forget that hardcore is supposed to sound ugly, but with that said their own demo was definitely a piece of shit. Well, Pukeoid’s sure as hell didn’t forget that hardcore is supposed to sound ugly, but that didn’t make them any good either. But enough about the demo already! This Ep is definitely a step up from the tape. Pukeoid plays fast, sloppy and chaotic hardcore that will probably make many people pull out the Void-card, but I’ll just stick to saying that this is nasty and messy hardcore. The mid paced intro serves the listener some sweet guitar squeals and after that the band is set to go. Pretty much every song is a scorcher and all these tracks are fast. The drumming on this record is relentless. The drummer’s non-stop bashing creates a constant wall of noise underneath the pummeling bass and wild guitar playing. The bass comes through well and carries the riffs mostly, but the guitar adds some extra wildness to the music by wailing, squealing and lashing out at the listener. I guess it’s fair to say that the style this band goes for is fashionable, but Pukeoid pulls it off well. I can’t help but be reminded of the Repos, who these guys have certainly witnessed live whether in the Ropes incarnation or not. The vocals obviously aren’t as over the top as Aaron’s, but Pukeoid has that same kind of take-no-prisoners-approach. Some of the lyrics on this record rule. Especially the bleakness of ‘Today, Tomorrow’ and the black humor of ‘Front Page’ are noteworthy. The packaging of this Ep is great. The artwork looks cool and the record is on pink vinyl, which is so unfitting that it kinda makes sense.

Pusrad - Smartramz Ep (Just 4 Fun) (5 euro)
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Pusrad - Akta Dig Ep (Sweken) (5 euro)
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Rákosi - Second Ep (Lengua Armada) (5 euro)
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Ras - Ep (Memoire Neuve) (6 euro)
Another (re?)release on France’s very own Memoire Neuve. This time around we get served some French punk rock that goes back all the way to the late 1970s. Ras, not to be confused with the contemporary Swedish band, was a band consisting of some French teenagers. They started out in 1977 and practiced in one of the band members’ room without drums so the rhythm section was played on pots, pans and Tupperware with wooden spoons from their momma’s kitchen at the time. Shit, that story makes me all warm inside even though I heard it before about other bands. When hearing the three songs on this record I feel like Ras’ main influences were probably their parents’ record collections. It’s nothing like say the Pistols or the Clash. If I understand the insert correctly – it’s in French yet again – the Beatles were a shared love at first. Later they found out about punk rock through magazines and turned punk without having an idea what the music actually sounded like. So they created something that they thought was punk. I love how this seems to be a common thing in the late 1970s. The first two songs were recorded during practice in 1978. The recording is anything but perfect. The drums, which apparently had been purchased in the meantime, sound pretty shitty and the singer’s voice is a bit too low in the mix, but that’s all part of the charm. The clean sounding guitars sound pretty damn sweet though. Both A-side songs are upbeat. The bouncy lead and solos in ‘Illusions calculées’ are really cool. It’s a great song. On the flip – don’t forget to change the rpm - we have ‘Tueurs de stars’ which is apparently a live recording from a radio session. This song is quite lengthy and way moodier than the two on the A-side. The song is build around a simple guitar line that will stick with you after listening to it. The accompanying bass line is simple, but it drives the song. The chorus has cool back up vocals. They’re actually singing. Nice. The B- side might just be the best song on the 7”, but I have to say ‘Illussions calculées’ grew on me as well. All in all this is a rad record. The pictures on the sleeve and insert are cool as shit and give you a nice look into the past. That kid smoking a cig on the left on the front cover looks so badass! Same goes for that guy pulling up his pants. Was I born too late to a world that doesn’t care? Ha!

Ratas Del Vaticano - Rafagueados 2x7'' (Bat Shit) (12 euro)

Let's kick off with a short introduction to this band for those yet to be initiated. These four Mexicans have been kicking it for a few years now. They got much love from the MRR crowd back when they released their full-length 'Mocosos Pateticos' and toured the States. Their interview in the pages of said rag was one of the better band interviews I read over the years. It was entertaining and gave insight into the people forming this band... obviously, but more so than in other instances. A long conversation was dedicated to masturbation, which I found very entertaining and ballsy – get it? Anyway that interview really made me want to hear this band's music. They seemed like cool cats with an idea of their own behind what they were doing.

The tunes these rodents produce turned out to be something different indeed. Always a plus in my book. Forget about raw punk! In most, almost all cases bands sailing under that flag are boring and predictable, nothing but uninspired wannabe – that's right, like the Spice Girls song – punk bands that rather stick to a formula than take any chances. Compared to the Ratas Del Vaticano they're nothing but a bunch of spineless wimps. Ratas del Vaticano play punk rock and you bet your ass it's raw! However they're not riding the current wave of Discharge inspired hardcore at all. Their music is actually hard to categorize, but if I had to I'd fall back on classic Killed By Death singles as a reference. The recordings are fucked up and all the songs are kinda dumb but fun. I wonder what they sing about? I'm sure it's witty. The songs are mostly on the slower side of the punk spectrum which gives them that bored punk vibe. The band picks up the pace on some tracks though so it's not all slow. Plus I'd argue that the vocals add some liveliness to most tracks so although they might sound bored, they are not boring. There's a difference there boys and girls.

The title track opens with an ugly simple guitar riff that actually has me thinking of the Nervous Breakdown 7”, but once the other instruments and the vocals kick in it's one big mess again, which is great, just great. I think three out of the four members of the band do vocals and they all have a recognizable voice – I just checked and they all sing so I guess two of them don't have such recognizable voices after all or my mathematical skills are letting me down again. Anyway, I think it's cool these guys and girl all sing. You don't see that a lot and it makes the whole thing more of a group effort. I hope they all write their own lyrics. That would be great. There are eight new songs on this double 7” so that's two per side. See my math ain't that bad! Every tune on these two records is a beautiful mess. 

For a while I thought this band was done for. Dave started several new bands; Tercer Mundo and there was his one-man-project of which the recordings were just released by Bat Shit as well. Although Bat Shit announced this release years ago I had my doubts whether it would actually be released. For a moment I was afraid Benedictus got rid of that vermin that has been harrassing his residence, but as it turns out rats are hard to get rif off. Thank the Lord for that, Benedictus! It's good to see this band still around. The packaging of this 2x7” is great as one has come to expect from Bat Shit Records. It's a gatefold sleeve with cool artwork of which some is done by Yecal of Los Inservibles', their brother band, fame. Pick this one up if you like your music raw and stupid.

Real Numbers - Tear it in Two 7" (Florida's Dying) (5 euro)
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Recide - Statues Ep (Even Worse)
After a well received demo tape on Not Normal, their second, Austin, Texas' Recide return with their vinyl debut. 'Statues' contains eight songs of which six were on the second demo as well. So if you already heard the band's tape, you might be disappointed by this Ep because there's barely any new material here. This record is for those who did not hear the demo or played the demo cassette so much that it has by now worn out and a vinyl copy is much needed.

This eight song Ep was released by Even Worse Records, which should give you an idea of what to expect; no bullshit, just solid straight forward hardcore. Recide plays fast hardcore punk with an obvious nod to the early 1980s and traces of the days mysterious guy hardcore was considered a genre – it is not. The band has been compared to many classics, but I'll abstain. You come up with your own comparisons! Saves us the disagreement. Nasty riffs, a fair share of feedback and fast drumming characterize these songs. The recording is rough. I like how the snare and toms sound muffled as fuck while the cymbals sound shrill and sharp. The music overwhelms the vocals, but the singer gives it his all to make himself heard. His delivery has that falling apart at the seams quality. Always a good thing. The more I listen to this record the more I hear cool twists in the songs. It's sad that people don't seem to give these kind of bands a shot anymore. Perhaps that's just my cynical take on today's hardcore scene though. Feel free to prove me wrong. The artwork reminds me of 'Landspeed Record', but that might be unintentional.

R.O.B.O. - Ep (Solo Para Punks) (5 euro)
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Sänkt - Kaos I Skallen Flexi (Signaler Fran Ovan) (5 euro)
Another flexi from this newish Swedish label that seems to be releasing nothing but these thin little pieces of plastic. Supposedly flexis are not made to last, but then again what is? You yourself won’t be here in another seventy years, my friend. ‘Memento mori’ and all that. Think whatever you want about the format, but it’s cool that Signaler Fran Ovan is releasing records by young Swedish bands that nobody has heard of yet. I know very little about Sänkt. It seems to be a rather young Swedish hardcore band influenced by the American greats of the early 1980s. Looking at the insert they appear to be yet another band from Umeå. It reads ‘UMEÅ HARDCORE!’ anyways. The four songs on this record are all fast to mid paced hardcore tunes built around simple beefy guitar riffs. It should be mentioned that the guitar player pulls of some short solo’s on the opening track though. The lyrics are in Swedish and I like the singer’s voice which is a bit hoarse. The drumming is pretty straightforward and I guess that can be said for the music overall. Problem with this kind of music is that it has been done to death and especially Sweden contributed to this genre in a major way over the passed decade or so. Because of the amount of bands doing this kinda thing it's hard to set yourself apart from the pack. I can’t say that Sänkt sounds all that different than other bands doing this, which doesn’t necessarily mean this is a bad record. The bridge near the end of ‘Döt Liv’ makes for a nice change in the song, but I find the vocals a bit lackluster on that track. The best tune on here is ‘Sänkt’. It’s a mid paced punk rocker with a catchy guitar lead as its main theme. It’s good. I can’t say the other three songs grabbed me though. All in all this is a decent release and if you’re into hardcore with its roots in the early 1980s you’ll like this. For me, however, there is just a bit too little to hold on to here. Then again that song ‘Sänkt’ grew on me. I’m sure this band is fun live and maybe I’d pick up this record after their set if I’d have money and was in a good mood. That doesn’t happen too often, but that probably tells you more about myself than about this release.

Satellites of Love - Ep (5 euro) (Milk)
This is the vinyl debut by Satellites of Love from London. A quick google search just taught me the band’s name is coming from a Lou Reed song. Really? Maybe all the good books have been written and all good names have been made up leaving bands today with no option left but naming their band after a well known song. But enough stabs already! After all, a name is just a name and one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Sattelites of Love have a really heavy Revolution Summer vibe going. Their music immediately has me thinking of early to mid 1980s DC, when bands started popping up that were coming from a hardcore background, but wanted to lift the music to the next level. The songs got more melodic and complex. Satellites of Love’s singer actually reminds me of Guy Piciotto, but maybe I’m way off there. I never liked Rites of Spring all that much. This music is what people used to call emotional hardcore before emo turned into a foul word associated with kids wearing eyeliner and caps with energy drink logos on it. It's not a style you hear a lot these days and these cats are really good at it. It’s obvious the band members know their way around a song and all of them can play their instrument. Each of the four songs on this record is intense. Although I can’t make out the lyrics well and there’s no lyric sheet included I’m pretty sure the texts are introspective, abstract and personal perhaps bordering on the intellectual. I think Sattelites of Love should be able to do an interesting full length, but I'm not sure if I personally would be able to sit through it. This brings me to my criticism, if not of the band per se but more of the style they’re playing. What the Revolution Summer bands gained on the depth and musicianship front, they lost in directness, which is something I personally always had mixed feelings about. Another complaint would be that this record grasps a period in time so perfectly that it gets awfully close to formulaic. Yes, I’m kind of saying it’s too good to be true. That’s me: always something to whine about. Basically this band is really good at what they do. I just don’t know if it’s for me, but as much as I’d like to deny it, there’s a right time and place for this kind of music even for a cynic such as myself.

Sauna Youth - False Jesii II 7" (Static Shock) (5 euro)
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Secret Police - They're Everywhere Ep (Caproulet)
Vinyl debut Ep by this American hardcore band from New Jersey. I wonder if they took their name from the No Hope For the Kids song? I hope not. There are six songs on this Ep of which five were on the demo tape they did a few years back. I’ve said this a million times before, but I always feel a bit disappointed when a new record barely delivers new songs. Yet whenever I hear a cassette that rules a little voice in my head says: ‘these songs deserve vinyl!’ so maybe I’m just full of shit. Whatever the case, Secret Police delivers the goods when it comes to hardcore music. Both the guitar and bass sound pretty clean, by which I mean both instruments are probably directly plugged into the amp. There’s not a lot of distortion or other crazy effects. I like that. It makes the bass come through well. The man on the four string actually pulls of some pretty fast bass walks. Nice! The drumming is fast and the snare is very loud which adds to the violence contained in these songs. Although the instrumentation is on the cleaner side of things, this band is anything but crisp. This can mainly be attributed to their pissed off singer whose voice is very guttural. His delivery is throaty which could have turned a bit tedious after a few songs, but fortunately he changes things up here and there, at times talking to the listener, so it doesn’t get too samey. It’s probably better for his vocal chords as well. The lyrical content is typical hardcore shit; ‘I hate this world and hate myself. Fuck you all!’ That whole thing. I like that they’re taking a piss at ‘photographers’ at shows – those kids with there camera phones up front, ya know. This band plays the way I like my hardcore. It’s angry, mean, bleak and desperate, but it seems like these things no longer cut it for your average punk. Their loss. The artwork looks cool and thumbs up for the Michael Jackson sample. This is a nice record all around.

The Secret Prostitutes - The Ken Rock 7 Inch Ep (Ken Rock) (5 euro)
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Las Senoras - Selftitled Ep (Sola Para Punks)

Four song debut Ep by this new five piece from Spain. When I hear this band I think of the following scene. Five friends are hanging out in their shitty town on a Sunday afternoon. They're bored senseless. Then one of 'm says all out of the blue: "Hey, why don't we start a band?" A hunt for instruments follows and our five heroines reassemble in some garage an hour later where they write these four songs. I guess I should say that the band plays synth punk since the music is punk and there is a synthesizer among the instruments (I'm sure they found one in some attic dating back from their teenage years), but I don't think that label is apt. I don't know much about synth punk to begin with. Maximum Rock 'n Roll described this band as the Circle Jerks trying to cover a Lost Sounds' song which is a pretty cool description. Yes, there's a synth here, but it's not dominant in the sound. Las Senoras play simple punk rock with a synthesizer which makes for silly, bouncy and catchy songs you can spin all day. This is a fun record (yes, I said it!). For those of you who were into that Matado por la Muerte compilation a few years back, Las Senoras would have fitted right in on that record. So if you liked that Lp make sure you give this record a hear.

Sex Bunker - Elephant Skull Ep (Self Released) (5 euro)
Debut Ep of this new Chicago band. They did two tapes before this record and both were nice. The first was pretty straight forward hardcore that reminded me of Bill Bondsmen a bit. On the second tape they sailed into noisier territory. Things got weirder and horns were included on some tunes. One song was called ‘And Now You’re Gonna Die, Wearing That Stupid Little Hat’. I have no idea what the band was referring to there, but the song title made me laugh and stuck with me. On ‘Elephant Skull’ Sex Bunker takes one step further away from hardcore. The influence is still there, probably most of all in Mez’s vocals, but several other influences are seeping in. I don’t want to turn this review into a labeling fest so I’ll keep it at that. The five songs on this 7” are all twitchy. The song structures are angular and often go against your gut. This record makes me think of drinking too much coffee. You can’t concentrate and get paranoid. Those of you with a caffeine addiction know what I’m talking about. Sex Bunker shifts from one rhythm to another, one riff to the next in mere seconds which makes the listener feel confused and disoriented. The song structures are a mess, but the songs aren’t. Some might hate this, but I love it. Why else would I drink as much coffee? The guitar sounds thinner on this record than on their demos and is doing a lot of dissonant soloing. Sex Bunker is real about what they’re doing without taking themselves overtly serious. It doesn’t get much more diy than this band. The band members wear their politics on their sleeves, which seems to be a rarity these days and is, if not for that reason only, something that should be applauded. It also makes the idea that these cats grew up on independent music from the 1990s more plausible. Opening song ‘I’d Buy that for a Dollar’ takes a stab at consumer culture which unfortunately infiltrated the punk scene in a major way. My favourite song on this Ep however is probably ‘Sir, we are they/ Where I am from’ if only because of the line ‘I don’t trust anyone who thinks they’ve got it all figured out.’ It rings close to home. The artwork of this Ep rules and seems home made. There’s an insert and a sticker included which makes for a top notch packaging. This is a cool release that unfortunately seems to have a hard time finding its audience.

Sex Drive - Urban Predator Ep (Snack Boy) (5 euro) 
Sex Drive is a newish hardcore band from the beautiful Netherlands, the country I call home. I saw the band live with Crazy Spirit and Vaccine in July and was quite captivated by their set. Whereas the supporting band is often a part of the night you have to stand or sit through and forget about all together shortly after their set is done, Sex Drive made a lasting impression. Especially their balding barking singer demanded attention. He was strutting over the stage like a wild man. I was glad to see a Dutch hardcore band do a strong hardcore set. I’d argue they were second best next to Crazy Spirit that night. Stoked because of faux nationalist sentiments one gets fed in primary school and is never able to shake entirely, I felt a compulsive urge to stock Sex Drive’s debut Ep. Support the locals! Be the good guy! Everyone wants to be a hero. I’m no different. So I bought some copies. Here it is. This Ep delivers five tunes on 45 rpm. The songs are short. All clock in bare seconds over a minute. Sex Drive plays hardcore music and that’s perhaps all you need to know. The band mostly plays fast, but there are parts where they slow down and the guitar player lets the feedback wail. The music is not necessarily rooted in the 1980’s nor does it sound overtly modern. Someone said this band was tapping into what Youth Attack has been known for in the past years, but it isn’t that noisy really. Actually I don’t think the band is tapping into anything except their rage and urge to play. Wasn’t that where hardcore was coming from to begin with? These songs are about the riffs and the ferocious drumming. I have to admit I was more impressed by these guys when they were playing right in front of me, but overall this is a strong debut. One minor complaint however would be that the insert’s layout is a bit shitty and I think the artwork, although not terrible, could have been more fitting. Those are just asides though, because this is a good hardcore Ep by a band that shows promise. Let’s hope these guys stick around. I’d love to hear more.

Sick Mormons - Why does shit keep falling from the Sky? Ep (Gummo Punx)

In case you didn't notice yet, I'm not all that much a fan of the Dutch punk scene. Everybody knows that the best bands are from someplace else, right? Well, Sick Mormons were from my beloved country and they weren't all that bad! Still my feelings about this band are mixed. They were going for that  late 1970s LA sound ala TSOL which you can hear best in their guitar and warm bass sound.  However the Sick Mormons always had less of an artistic vibe to me yet they do go for some epic synthy part on the second song of this record. The guitar sounds cool and the bass pulls off some nice lines in these four songs. Some of these tunes will stick with you partly because of the simple lyrics. Vork's vocals are perfect snot in dumbed down English at times, but at other times I find them lame and downright annoying. The fact that the band repeats verses in every song on this makes this complaint more agonizing than necessary. I think the songs would have been better had they been shorter. I could also do without the wimpy backups. My biggest critique, however, would be that their liveshows were always a snoozefest, but guess what? You can't hear that on vinyl! So if you're into surfy melodic punk this could well be your bag. The artwork is funny, but giving your songs Japanese titles isn't.

Silla Eléctrica - No Controlo Ep (Solo Para Punks)

If you haven’t heard about Silla Eléctrica by now you must have been living under a rock. Somehow this band seems to get more attention in the States than on my beloved continent, but that goes for practically every decent Euro band. The boys and girls at MRR headquarters have been in love with this Spanish three piece since day one. Haters say there’s nothing special about this band and that there’s no reason Silla Eléctrica is getting the amount of attention they got over the past years. If I had to pick sides I’d be in the MRR camp, because I enjoy this band’s music. Silla Eléctrica plays simple yet catchy three chord punk with a garage production. Not garage as in the style of music, but garage as in these tunes might actually be recorded in someone’s garage. They don’t sound like shit, but they sound minimal which is fitting. This is the band’s fourth Ep and it delivers four new songs of which one is also on their full length that was released around the same time as this record. It’s kind of like an appetizer being served at the same time as the main course, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it’s hardly a problem either. It’s just a bit weird. If you’ve heard Silla Eléctrica before, you know what to expect and this record will not be a surprise in any way. However, like on their previous releases, this band can craft a tune and these four songs are all good. There’s nothing new to be heard on this Ep and if you didn’t like Silla Eléctrica before, ‘No Controlo’ will not make you a convert. On the other hand, if you loved this band’s previous 7”s, you will like this one too and you probably won’t give a shit that the band sounds practically the same as before. I hate it when people say shit like ‘don’t change a working formula’, but in Silla Eléctrica’s case it’s more than apt. I liked this band before. I still like them. I like this record. Give it a hear. I love the artwork and the insert. The whole package looks great.

Skäms - Konfirmation Ep (Reken) (6 euro)
Review up soon...

Slugz - Suit and Tie Ep (Feel It)
Debut Ep by this young band from Virginia, an area that got known for producing some solid 1980s throwback hardcore over the past years. Slugz don’t really fit that mould, but I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if you can find these boys going through record bins at Vinyl Conflict in Richmond on a regular basis and perhaps some of Brandon’s bands convinced ‘m that they too could pick up instruments to start a band of their own. Slugz’s music can best be described as filthy rock ‘n roll with a major hardcore punk influence. It’s basically hardcore kids playing rock ‘n roll. The three songs on this Ep are played with conviction. There’s no holding back and you can tell they put thought in their tunes. Furthermore these dudes can all play their instruments well which makes for songs that are more interesting than your average hardcore tune. The opening track sounds pissed as hell and is kind of their anthem. Sure the lyrics are nothing you haven’t heard before, but that doesn’t make them any less true or relevant. Is anything in punk still considered relevant today apart from obtaining the right records? Furthermore I feel like these kids are sincere which seems to be a rare thing. The drumming is heavy as hell and pretty dominant. The guitar does cool memorable leads and some not annoying solos. Even the bass is lent some moment to show his chops which, being a bass player, always makes me feel warm inside. The most striking about Slugz however is the singer who has  a raspy and filthy vocal delivery. The guy is not sparing his throat one bit on this record. If you like your hardcore with some swagger this might well be your favourite new band. I’m not in the know about any future plans for the Slugz, but I’m guessing it won’t take long before we hear from them again.

Slugz - Empty Space Ep (Cowabunga)
Another record by these four punks from Richmond, Virginia. They're a young bunch. It's nice to see new bands come from Richmond. The city had such a prolific hardcore punk scene a few years ago, but things seem to have turned awfully quiet recently. I'm sure Slugz made it their mission to stir things up again and I can imagine them trash basements all over the East Coast. 'Empty Space' is the band's second record. If you heard Slugz first Ep,you should know what you're in for. Although the band isn't doing anything new – bands playing rock ('n roll) has been going on for decades now – I wouldn't be able to come up with another group that blends rock 'n roll, hardcore and punk rock in the way these cats do. Later Poison Idea comes to mind although no human band will ever get close to the magnitude of those 'Gods among men'. That said, the Slugz do share Poison Idea's nihilism and urge for destruction. They sum their mentality up best themselves in the title track: 'There's something tearing up my brain/ but I wouldn't say that I'm insane/ and I know I've got nothing to gain/ but living fast eases the pain.' Although I'm not living fast by any standards – time seems soooooo sloooooow – I've always had a soft spot for lyrics like these. These kind of sentiments used to be at the heart of hardcore, but it seems like bands have been more occupied with 'rape as a concept' and other such nonsense lately. Slugz music isn't by far as heavy as late Poison Idea, but they do have a thing for guitar solos. Fortunately the guitar player has the chops for it so it goes down smoothly. These kids seem to be playing loud rock 'n roll for the heck of it. I wanted to say 'for the fun of it', but looking at the picture of the band on the insert I feel like 'fun' might just be a word they aren't too familiar with. The music is tough and the singer sounds even tougher. His vocals are Slugz trademark. A reviewer in MRR bet you could get this record from the band at their shows in exchange for drugs and I dare anyone to take that on. There's not a doubt in my mind they'd would be happy to trade vinyl for speed. I wouldn't be surprised to read one of them OD'd, but let's hope that doesn't occur. Too few bands are as PUNK as these guys and it's a damn shame. That's right, capitals right there. No new grounds here, but good for some head banging and pushing people around wasted in the pit. If you liked their first record, you'll like this. If you didn't you won't and I don't want to know you.

Smärtstillande - Flexi (Signaler Fran Ovan) (5 euro)
It took me forever to review this record and it probably has a lot to do with the fact that no mp3 rip has shown up. Confrontational! I’ll shamefully admit that I based my reviews of the other flexis on Signaler Fran Ovan on the digital format out of fear of wearing the things out. Before I could play this record I had to cut it out of the square piece of red plastic it was in and even after doing that the thing doesn’t play properly. The needle keeps leaving the plastic without playing the last two songs, which is frustrating. Maybe my record player is to blame though. Anyway I don’t want to turn this review into an essay about the pros - are there any apart from them being light which makes 'm cheap to ship? - and cons of the flexi even though that issue is in the back of my mind when spinning this record. Smärtstillande hail from Sweden and plays simple and straight forward hardcore punk not unlike the other stuff on Signaler Fran Ovan and the recent Lars Adaktusson Ep on Den Magiska Cirkeln. The band takes cues from the old American greats without particularly sounding like one in particular. The eight songs on his record are all short. I’m pretty sure they all clock in under a minute except for the fifth track wich lasts about twice as long because it has an intro, haha. The guitar player brings some cool leads to the plate which elevates this record above your average hardcore release. The songs are good and have character by which I mean the record doesn’t end up sounding like one undefined grey mess. A lot of hardcore records pass without leaving much of an impression on me. Little sticks, but maybe I’m just not paying attention well enough. Either way I like this record even though I can’t play the last two songs. It might be the best release the label did so far. After repeated listens the music on this thin piece of plastic still sounds fine to my impaired hearing so maybe the whole flexi debate is a load of shit. And let’s face it, you’re probably not listening to records anymore anyway. Upload those mp3’s on your Ipunk instead. No more flipping! Saves you time to do… what again? It’d be cool if Smärtstillande would do another Ep sometime soon. More people would be talking about this band if it had been released on a ‘more respected format’, which makes you wonder.

Surgeons - Whip Them Lord 7" (Total Punk) (5 euro)

Review up soon...

Svart Städhjälp - Under All Kritik Ep (Halvfigur) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

Street Legal/ Frozen Teens - Split Ep (Shut Up!)
I picked up this Split Ep for the Street Legal side so let’s start off with that one. Kansas’ Street Legal did a mighty fine demo last year. It took a while before any vinyl saw the light of day, but here it finally is. Street Legal plays punk rock with a bit of hardcore blend in. Lauren’s vocals are great. She has a strong voice and she means what she sings. I like her lyrics. They cover how life sucks and yet always have a positive message to them. I don’t mean that in some bullshit youth crew kinda way, OKAY! Most striking about the band to me is the lightning fast bass playing. The guitar plays surfy lines over the bass attack. This combination gives the band a distinguished sound. It’s a bit of a shame that the two songs on this 7” were both on the demo as well, but the recording is a lot better this time around. Especially the bass sounds clearer and less fuzzy than before. Hopefully Street Legal will do another Ep soon, because I know they’ve got some great songs on the shelves. On the flip we find Frozen Teens who hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their songs are on the poppier side of things. Pop punk? I don’t know… I think there’s a huge scene for this kind of music in the States; the Fest, Pabst beer, beards, all that. Although I’m no connoisseur when it comes to this kinda music, the two Frozen Teen songs sound alright to me. The music is somewhat sugary with a warm bass sound under jangly melodic guitar lines. ‘New Year’ is a cool song with bleak lyrics. The words make the tune for me. Their other song leaves me cold. ‘Support’ is just another love song I could do without. It’s too sappy. This is a cool split Ep by two bands that are friends with each other, released by one of their friends. The packaging is nice. I’ll take a release like this over some of the semi-professional ‘must-haves’ of this day and age any day.

Sucked Dry - Falling Apart at the Seams Ep (Less Slow, More Go)

Sucked Dry from Missouri deliver their first vinyl output with this here 7". As soon as the needle hits the vinyl we get to hear a pretty rocking mid-pace intro, but don't be fooled. It's just a matter of seconds before the drummer hits his hi-hat four times and the band is of to go. Sucked Dry deliver some heavy, raw and fast hardcore on this Ep. These guys sure didn't try to make themselves sound better through some studiowork. What's striking about this record is the loud one-two-three-four snare hits. It's like getting your face kicked in. Sucked Dry's guitar sound is low and harsh. The same can be said about the vocals which somehow bring to mind the first Direct Control Ep although that's probably more in the direct delivery than in the guy's voice which is way more guttural. Unfortunately there are no lyrics included, but the song titles gives a pretty bleak impression; "Give Up", "Ready to Die" and "Living in my own Filth". The artwork doesn't look too optimistic either. Sucked Dry shreds through seven song on this platter and the only time they'll leave you to catch some breath is when it's time to flip this thing over. I'm sure plenty of people will dismiss Sucked Dry as being "just another retro band", but let's just leave them to their new challenging mysterious hardcore. I'm sure these guys could care less for they're just playing the music they love for the sake of it. So if you're looking for a band that plays some harsh hardcore without any bullshit or pretention, make sure you pick this one up.

Thieves - Positive Vibrations Ep (Suburbanite, To Live A Lie)

North Carolina served us some good bands over the past years. Double Negative and Logic Problem come to mind, but apparently there's a fair share of new young hardcore bands coming from this area as of late. Thieves is one of those and "Positive Vibrations" is their first vinyl output so far. These guys deliver no less than eight songs on this Ep and you better believe me when I say there aren't too many positive vibes to be heard on this platter. The tunes are more complex than your average hardcore track without the band trying too hard. Thieves change pace a lot which makes for interesting songs. Throughout the record every band member shows his skill at some point. The guitar does some nice leads, but it's the rythm section that's stealing the show here. Fierce drumming and great clearly audible bass riffing, which is always a plus in my book, make this record standout. Thieves' singer sounds a little more monotonous on this Ep than I remember him sounding on the demo. His vocals are pretty hoarse and intense which adds to rawness of the music, but some more dynamic to his vocal delivery would benefit the band's sound, I think. The lyrics are hateful and cover both their local scene and everyday life. This is a good hardcore release from a relatively unknown scene we'll hopefully hear more from soon. In the meantime I'll give this Ep another spin.

Thurneman - Tegelsten För Tegelsten Ep (Sorry State)

When I heard Thurneman's first record I wasn't all that amazed and forgot about the band all together. It turns out I've been missing out, because, man, did they improve. These Swedes deliver no less than eight perfect hardcore punk songs on this Ep. Thurneman gets compared to Hüsker Dü (one of my all time favourites) a lot and that comparison actually makes sense in this case. Like the Hüskers these guys sure know how to write a good song! But let's not get into comparisons here, because that wouldn't do Thurneman any justice. What can I say other than that I love this band? I'm a total sucker for this stuff and I can't think of a single band that has come close to nailing this style as well as these boys. Thurneman's songs are inventive, the bass sounds awesome, the vocal melodies get stuck in your head. You'll be flipping this thing over and over and over. I know what you're thinking: "It can't be that good." But you're wrong. I can't recommend this Ep enough. Their second release is definitely worth picking up as well. I've heard talk of a new Ep on Puke 'n Vomit. Last thing I heard was that these kids were working on a 12" and were looking for shows in Europe. So what are you waiting for? Book them already!

Total Trash - Ep (Deranged)
Review up soon...

Tumor Warlord - Subway Gas Attack Ep (Ken Rock) (5 euro)

This is the second Ep by this Danish synth punk band. Their first was on Jeth Row Records which should give the initiated a bit of an idea of what they’re in for. Tumor Warlord – what a name – sounds mean and ugly. Most striking is their singer’s voice which you either love or hate. I find myself going back and forth on the matter. Which side you’re on will probably be decisive as to whether you’ll enjoy this record or not. ‘Subway Gas Attack’, a reference to the gas attacks by members of the Aum Shinirkyo cult on the Tokyo subway system in 1995, delivers four new songs. The title track is the slow opener of this record. The song had me wondering if I was playing the record on the wrong speed. Sure, the label says it should be spun on 33 rpm, but it wouldn’t be the first time the Ken Man fooled me there. In this case the label is right though. I understand the band is trying to sound creepy by playing slow, but I can’t help but wish the song would speed up. Unfortunately my wish remains unfulfilled. This gets accentuated by the slow repetitive guitar riff and the singer’s delivery. It gives the song a nagging vibe. We’re not off for a good start here, but fortunately things get better. The other three tracks are more enjoyable. They don’t drag like ‘Subway Gas Attack’. The simple guitar line in ‘Crimson Clone’ works and makes the song memorable. The chorus in ‘Flesh is Weak’ on the flip has a cool guitar line as well. ‘Womb Stalker’ wraps the record up and is the best song here. The band picks up the pace a bit and it looks really good on them. The music drives the singer’s voice a bit to the background which isn’t a bad thing either. I don’t mean to beat on the guy. It’s just that his voice is really dominant and it’s cool to hear the band demand some more attention. This record is a mixed bag for me. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. I wonder what’ll be next for these guys?  A full length would be interesting.

Urban Blight - Total War Ep (Static Shock) (5 euro)
Let's start out with the obvious. Urban Blight plays simple and agressive Boston styled hardcore. This Canadian hardcore band has been around for some years now and recently did a European tour. This five song Ep was released around the same time. I don't really know all that much about Urban Blight's early years. I think the song(s?) they did on the second 'Generation' cassette released by Fucked Up got people talking.  The Ep on Deranged was loved by some, but a letdown to others. I enter the story here. The first thing I heard by Urban Blight was their 'More Reality' 12" on Slasher which is one hell of a hardcore record. The recording is dirty and raw as fuck which makes the band sound primitive and angry as hell. This Ep takes things a step further or perhaps I should say back, because these recordings are even more minimal than those of the 12". There's a lot of hiss. The guitars sounds fuzzy and there's quite some feedback throughout the songs. The drums and bass are blown out and loud. All of this gives 'Total War' a damaged feel. The vocals are somewhat buried in the music, but still sound pissed. The title track is a keeper. Although I like this Ep I think the sound they went for on their 12'' was more fitting. The record comes in a huge foldout poster.

Utah Jazz - Ep (Feral Kid, Media Schlitz) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

Violent Reaction - Ep (Static Shock) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

Wallrides - Bomb the Hills Ep (Sweken) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

White Load - Pig Eyes 7" (Ken Rock) (5 euro)
Yet another 7” from this Providence three piece. This is their fourth single and like their first it’s one sided. I wonder what made this band fall in love with the format. There are two new songs here so they might as well have made it a two sided single. Their decision to release the record as a one sided 7” instead, reeks of a certain nihilism that’s fitting when you hear the band’s music. It also saves your lazy ass the effort to flip the thing over. The theme on this record seems to be pigs. Why? I don’t know. Are we talking cops here? The sleeve shows us a pig with a nosering, sunglasses and cum all over his chest. A punk pig? I’d like to think there’s a hidden message in the image, but chances are there isn’t. These guys wouldn’t admit there is either way. The opening track ‘Pig Eyes’ is White Load as we’ve come to know them. I guess one could label this band as hardcore, but there isn’t any Black Flag or Die Kreuzen worship going on here. I know the band has token cues from certain old bands, but I think instead of going for a certain sound they created their own which would be best described as loud, pounding and vicious. It’s nothing new, but they do it with a lot more vigor than most. This shit is primitive and stupid in the best way. The guitar and drums sound louder than ever on this 7”. I don’t know if they did something else recording-wise, but the band sounds more powerful than before. Bigger perhaps. It’s lovely that two guys can create this much noise. The vocalis are one of the things that make this band awesome to me. The singer sounds totally insane and so angry. The lyrics are near impossible to make out although the lyrics to the second song seem to be: “Little Black Pig! You make me sick!” Poetic! The last song was originally released by Black Traitor, which was basically a White Load alias. The track is different than most White Load stuff. It’s them playing one riff into the ground Brainbombs style. Although it’s the same formula (can you really call it that?) it doesn’t sound anything like those rape and murder loving Swedes. I love this band. This shit is probably more punk than ¾ of your record collection. They just did a full-length on Load. I’m actually going to leave the house for that to buy it in a record store. Man, that hasn’t happened in ages!

Wooden Kimono - Ep (Perennial) (5 euro)
I should have written this review ages ago, but I couldn’t get myself to. This is without a doubt my toughest write up so far, because Wooden Kimono is not a band I would have listened to had I not picked up this 7” presuming it was a hardcore record. Wooden Kimono is not a hardcore band. I don’t think the word band is appropriate here either. The four songs on this record seem to be a one-lady effort. The constant throughout the tracks is the female vocalist. On several tunes there’s also a guitar included. The guitar sounds dreamy and hypnotizes you. At times it feels as if Wooden Kimono tries to connect to your subconsciousness through the music. The most impressive song on the record does not include any instruments at all. It’s just vocals delivered over a tapping foot. It’s as if you hear someone on heels walking down an empty hallway of an abandoned psychiatry ward. It gives the song a sense of deep sorrow and isolation. There’s a distance between the recording and the listener that feels unbridgeable. There’s something introspective about the music on this 7”. The record comes in a fold out sleeve which looks like someone’s notebook. There are sketches for drawings and lots of handwritten text of which none seems to be lyrics. The random sentences come across as ideas to be worked out later or perhaps mere thoughts. The abstract and artistic artwork fits the music on the record. In fact I’d argue that they are intertwined, two parts of one whole. This Ep raises so many questions and after listening to it many times I’m still not able to answer any of them. Maybe that’s the beauty of this release.

Wymyn's Prysyn - Ep (Scavenger of Death)
This three piece did a very impressive demo a year or two ago. The tape contained twelve songs so there was plenty of material to fill a 7” if not a 12”. Instead of mastering (some of) those tunes to release them on vinyl however, this young band from Atlanta decided to do an Ep with three new songs instead. An admirable thing. The two songs on the A-side of this record have a lot of energy to them. The music is loud. The recording is pretty muddy. It’s hard to discern what is going on exactly. The bass sounds fuzzy and at times it’s not entirely clear what the guitar is doing. The two just kind of blend together, which makes for a messy sound. Surprisingly this doesn’t detract from the quality of the songs. ‘Payday’ has a catchy chorus with a strong riff which turns the song into a bit of an anthem. If I understand correctly  it’s about owing money to Mr. King for certain substances illegal in the US, the land of liberty. The second song is called ‘Cat Pills’. It’s about scoring pills and being bummed about their effects. They had such high hopes... So basically both songs are about bummer times (money worries and disappointment) and drugs (weed and pills), topics every punk can relate to one way or another, right. Come to think of it, I personally can’t but I don’t do drugs and am no fun. The B-side delivers only one song called ‘John Titor’s Blues’. The Darvocets previously celebrated this supposed to be time traveler on their 12” Ep, but Wymyn’s Prysyn’s oath to our modern day Nostradamus with accuracy problems is of a different nature. It’s an instrumental jam with a simple bass line and some reverb heavy guitar playing. I like the track. It’s a nice addition to the two more song like tunes on the flip. The artwork on this record is really nice and reminiscent of the packaging the cassette came in. It’s arty without pretension. Sweet. All in all this is a nifty little 7” that keeps the listeners attention from start to end and has me wishing for new material. Some thing I found on the www counts six songs of which only two are on here so perhaps there’ll be another four song Ep soon? That would be cool.

Wymyns Prysyn - Time Ep (No Breaks) (5 euro)

Review up soon...

Wymyns Prysyn - Waste Yr Life 7" (Pygmy) (5 euro)
Review up soon...

Year of the Rat/ Clocked In - Split Ep (Bird Law) (6 euro)
The two Canadian hardcore bands teaming up on this split Ep have one thing in common; a love for Black Flag. Now I can’t imagine a punk that does not love that band in one form or another, but supposedly such specimen exist. Let’s start off with Year of the Rat’s side, because that is the one I picked this record up for. The band did an excellent cassette last year and their four songs on this record are in the same vein as their other material. This is a hardcore band with a very thick bass sound and heavy riffing. There’s dissonant guitar work which brings in the Flag reference, but instead of trying to be Black Flag, which some hardcore bands of the last years blatantly did, they’re just drinking from the same cup. The band’s singer sounds angry as hell. Every now and then one of the musicians jumps in on vocals too. The songs are dark and the lyrics are bleak covering fairly typical hardcore topics such as suicide and angst. Although the band isn’t breaking new ground lyrically the quality of the tunes more than make up for it. It’s clear from the recording that we’re dealing with a contemporary band here and that’s fine. Year of the Rat’s four songs clock in around four minutes, but somehow it doesn’t come across as particularly short. The band reminds me of Rational Animals a bit, but there’s less dirge and desperacy and more anger to their songs. On the flip Clocked In delivers one song only. It’s slower and heavier than Year of the Rat’s stuff. The theme throughout the track is a Ginn like guitar lick that will nest inside your skull whether you like it or not. The vocalist gets buried by the music a bit, but that’s alright, because this song is about the riff and not the singing. The bass on this side of the record is heavy as well. A bit burly actually. There’s a lots of low end on this 7”, but you don’t hear me complaining. The guitar runs wild at the end of the track which is pretty cool. When I started writing this review I was planning to say the Year of the Rat side is the better one, but the Clocked In song shreds as well. So why pick a side? This is a really nice hardcore record for them long haired punks who like to bang their head to some rocking hardcore. Year of the Rat could pull off a strong full length and Clocked In should do a droney 12” or something. It’d work.

Yperite - Ep (Close Up) (5,50 euro)
I had never heard of Ypérite until picking up copies of the Peripherique Est Ep from Close Up Records. The garcon running said label turned me onto them. Apparently this Ep is Ypérite’s first vinyl release. After some research I discovered that the band does already have two cd releases under its belt, but since you’re probably as much of an elitist prick as yours truly, i.e. you only care about vinyl, I’m guessing I’m not the only one who hadn’t heard of these guys before. Ypérite delivers four polished punk rock songs with French vocals on this 7”. I imagine these guys being in their thirties. They’ve probably been in a handful of bands before which means they can all play their instruments. Especially the guitar player has some cool tricks up his sleeve. Furthermore Ypérite’s singer has a good voice and if my French wasn’t très mauvais, I’m sure I could have made out the lyrics sans problème. All the songs on this Ep are catchy. The band employs some ska elements in the opening track without it being irritating, which is quite a feat. The standout track to me is ‘Les Temps Sont Dur’. It’s urgent and the guitar playing is very subtle apart from the solo in the middle. I don’t have much of a clue what these songs are about, although I’m pretty sure the last track is about a certain bunny rabbit. Said song is mostly instrumental and I have mixed feelings about it. On some days I find it hilarious while on others I find it annoying. It definitely has a caffeinated vibe to it, which is cool. Overall this is a nice punk rock record with good songs. Can’t really go wrong with that, can you?