Well, it's been a month since adding a year end list so why not add reviews for a bunch of stuff that I clearly missed out on right as 2022 ended? Not to mention some other stuff that just came out (or isn't out yet!). As always, I look forward to what's in store for this year as far as new music goes. It's kind of a constant that I can rely on- new bands, exciting surprises, established groups putting forth new efforts. Forget all the misery that is sure to be down the road, or having to wake up early after a couple holiday days off just to start again down the same trodden path. No, it's the gift of song/record/band/whatever that makes looking forward to a New Year and is a reason to pull the sheets back from our faces and meet the day with a little less apathy. Or something to that effect.
DESPERATE LIVING, “Shame” EP
It’s been a few years since Desperate Living graced us with some new music. Thankfully the Philly group, who’ve all know each other for decades and played in various other bands together, were bound to make some new music at some point and here it is. “Shame” is 6 new tracks…. Well, more like 5 because the first tracks is like a 50 second intro, not sure if I’ll count it. But they do their thing admirably with well-worn loud, fast rocking…. I guess you could say hardcore. But really it’s loud and heavy rock from dudes who have been around the block more than a few times and have the chops to lay down whatever the fuck they feel like. Whether it’s the lumbering mammoth-heavy trudge of “If You”, where there is a track of squealing, hissing feedback going through the entire song that I just love; or the super upbeat, almost Pissed Jeans quality of “Commit To” with it’s awesome tricky end part that sounds sort of like it’s all falling apart until you realize these guys can throw down an awesome off-time part and make it rock the fuck out I highly enjoy this effort. This definitely sounds like friends having fun who also know how to play exactly what they want to, getting the exact sound they want as well. (Reptilian)
IN DER WELT, “In Der Welt”
Here’s a French band with a rather German sounding name. They do a take on the more space rock elements of Cave-In (and occasional metal-leaning moments), and couple it with their own grunge riffs. Each song has an atmospheric, space-y interlude often with some sample as well, to separate it from the next track and while that seems a bit redundant it’s not annoying in any way. Many of these songs move at a somewhat slower pace, but the third song, “Watchtower” is a bit more upbeat. It’s a solid listen throughout. The cover art is a highlight- while rather simplistic the drab colors depict what seems to be the profile of a head but with the face smeared and distorted like it’s sliding off, like the effect of dragging a picture across a photocopier as it copies an image. I dig stuff like that. (Self-released)
INNY, “Pippins”
I’ve seen this band a couple times now without hearing a lick of their recorded music and for whatever reason I thought they were kind of a funk-punk band and I couldn’t be further off the mark. Maybe I just wasn’t paying attention enough. Either way, now they have a second full length under their belts (their first one sort of went under the radar for me and was released right as the pandemic hit) so I can listen to how wrong I was. If anything this reminds me way more of J. Robbins kinds of bands like Burning Airlines, though a little less melodic in the vocals and minus a few of those golden hooks (but then again, there can only be one J. Robbins). Maybe the comparison is present in my mind in part due to the excellent recording on this and how every instrument stands out huge and clear while still remaining aggressive and not too polished. The bass just sounds amazing on this as well. Still, the more I listen to it the more I’m enjoying what this trio does and they show it through deft post-hardcore, leaning into creative hard rock through epic-sounding endeavors like A-side closer “The Soup and It’s Mass”, or the playful and plaintively emotive title track. They close out the album with a ripper that sounds more akin to Hot Snakes in it’s first half, while ending on a drawn out let-it-all-out cascade that wouldn’t be out of place on a Kerosene 454 or Giants Chair album. (Nadine)
RABBIT, “Halo Of Flies”
Sneaking in at the close of 2022 is the new EP from a band that is still new (and only had a demo to their name prior to this), but man alive does it crush. Rabbit takes sounds of crusty hardcore, bits of recorded-in-a-cave black metal, a dash of Obituary’s caveman death metal, maybe a hint of NYHC, and crams it all into six truly maniacal tracks. Most every song sounds like a war going on full of raging speed and fury before some of the most ignorant breakdowns in recent memory pop in like a downpour of cinder blocks. It’s kind of got it all in terms of variety of extremity. Geez, put these guys and Warthog on a bill and watch the venue self-destruct from the unmeasurable vitriol like the river of slime from “Ghostbusters 2”. Nothing but bad feelings. (Delayed Gratification Records)
READY FOR DEATH, s/t
The resumes’ for the members of this band are about as long as your arm, but the real crazy part is how incredibly varied it is and what comes out the other end. Guys who’ve served time in 90’s hardcore ragers Milhouse, post-rock riff stallions Pelican, metalcore shit stirrers Racetraitor, and post-punk minimalists Luggage joined together to make this whirlwind of thrash metal/hardcore called Ready For Death and it’s fucking wild. But they keep it simple- 10 songs, just over 20 minutes, and almost all of them fucking shred. Most of them go at a pretty fast clip and it isn’t until much later on the record (in fact, the two longest songs on here) when they slow down at all with “Wasteland Of Peace” and closer “Microchip Mutilation”. It’s those two where I see a little more of the Racetraitor songwriting style in that thrashy, double bass metalcore sound coming through. However, the majority of this awesome debut barrel right through your ears and I’m particularly fond of “Worldwide Blackout” (again, a track later on the record and I swear the first half of this album is pretty great too). The record looks awesome, sounds crazy heavy, and is worth a spin. (Translation Loss)
SALVATION, “Mock”
Three albums in and Chicago’s Salvation have hit their stride. This still has a good dose of their sleazy noise rock swagger though they do offer up a couple far different tracks to break it up (which wouldn’t be the first time doing something like this on their other output). The A-side closes with a piano-driven ballad “Drag the River”, while the B-side ends with the mournful acoustic track “Worn Out Party”. But sandwiched between all that is dirty, nasty rock that gets pretty upbeat and catchy (opener “Drag” and B-side harmony-meets-distortion “AM Radio”). “Voices In the House” is a 10-minute screed that goes by a lot faster than you’d imagine, which is a respectable feat keeping listeners attention through its crunchy slough. Personally, I’m partial to a couple earlier tracks on the album- the crushing feedback sludge of “Backwards Bunny” and the rhythmic back n’ forth stomp of “Up On the Wall”. If I’d never heard this and you told me it was released on Amphetamine Reptile back in 1993 I’d absolutely believe you. Fans of stuff like Guzzard, Chokebore, and Janitor Joe will fully appreciate/worship at the altar of Salvation. (Reptilian)
STRESS PALACE, s/t
It’s a little tough to get an accurate frame of reference for the Dallas-based Stress Palace as they’re quite a new band and there’s not a whole ton of info out there about them. I have no idea if they were in any bands previously, or what sort of band they consider themselves. But I’ll give a bit of perspective from my end (that’s what you’re reading this for right?). While I think of them having an overall heavier sound they can get dark and brooding, as well as strangely melodic too. They have a bit of modern sassiness/screamo style present in bands like New Primals but also hit some of the wild vocal style and noisy post-punk chaos the VSS did so well. There’s speedy punk energy present on tracks like “Waste Time” while “Confessor’s Blood” lays down a tight rhythm under a repetitive melody, subtle synth texture, and lots of shouting before it irrupts into a big and heavy take on the first half of the song. It’s probably the strongest cut here. Even so, for a debut (a full length right off the bat at that), this is a great collection from a band that already seems fully formed. (The Ghost Is Clear)
THOUSANDAIRE, “Ideal Conditions”
There’s so much fuzz on this thing you could receive a heart-stopping static electric shock just from hitting ‘play’. Dino Jr slowed way down, early Weezer if they didn’t suck and took downers, True Widow if they were in the suburbs as opposed to a desolate Texas back country, Cloakroom but on Earth instead of another dimension…. This is what I’m hearing with Thousandaire. It’s fucking wonderful. Big ‘ol fuzzed out slowcore style here and done in a way that’s familiar and close to home. I would say comparable to all those aforementioned bands minus ambition, but that would sound mean. It’s more like they feel comfortable and warm, like being at home, or being grounded in reality and dealing with everyday shit. It’s all very relatable. So even though it all moves pretty slow most of these songs stay under 4 minutes each, which is cool. This snuck in right at the end of December and I would have crammed it into my top 10 favorites of the year, but can I just carry that into a 2023 favorite (providing 10 other life-altering records don’t come out this year?). As far as favorite tracks go, “Your Gold Teeth III” could be a Tom Petty jam slowed down, while “On Earth” is the most riff-centric on the record, and “Weekend At Bernie’s Again” is the most upbeat track here and a joyous burst of feel-goodness. (Knife Hits)
WRONG MAN, “Who Are You?” EP
I know they’re mostly out of the public zeitgeist at this point so I guess it’s fair game to bring this influence back into the world, but I have never heard a band so closely get the vibe of Rollins Band and nail it perfectly. This fully captures an earlier Rollins Band sound (circa the shorter, more direct songs of “Lifetime” versus the longer, more involved stuff from “End Of Silence”) with bluesy hard rock meets mean-ass riffs and some punk action, though I’ll admit the closing track of this 4-song burner could pass for an Easy Action B-side. It just sounds more sleazy and that’s pretty cool. It’s a shame this is only four songs because I want plenty more. I am also curious if this is a project or a full-time thing from these former members of metallic German rippers Rise and Fall. (Atomic Action)
