USA NAILS ON TOUR.... IN THE USA!

This Spring London-based post-punk noise rockers USA Nails will be doing a tour of the Midwest out to the East Coast with Chicago group Stuck.
It's not a very long tour, but if you live in any of the places below best get yr butts to the show because it's not like these dudes are able to get over here very much.
And if you haven't yet picked up their incredible "Life Cinema" record from last year what the heck is wrong with you?

USA NAILS SPRING 2020 TOUR w/ Stuck

4/3- Chicago, IL @ The Hideout
4/4- Kalamazoo, MI @ Shakesperes
4/5- Cleveland, OH @ Happy Dog
4/6- Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups
4/7- Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Pizza
4/8- Washington, DC @ Comet ping Pong
4/9- Philadelphia, PA @ Cousin Dannys
4/10- New York, NY @ Alphaville
4/11- Boston, MA @ Greek American

HEY! CHECK OUT THESE REVIEWS

I have no witty title to add here.  It's been pretty busy, OK?  But here's an opportunity for me to shed some light on some late-comers from last year that I missed the boat on, as well as some stuff that's either just come out or arriving shortly.  So it evens out, right?

CHAT PILE, “Remove Your Skin Please” EP

Here’s one that slipped in at the end of last year and is now getting noiseniks all damp with excitement.  I mean, when you’re stuck in Oklahoma City you gotta make do with what you have and sometimes that yields some really fuckin’ bizarre music.  I’ll give Chat Pile this- they really don’t sound like anyone else.  Imagine, if you will, sludgy riffs similar to old Godstopper and Melvins, howled yet morose vocals, drumming recorded in such a way as to sound like a drum machine, and divergent post-punk riffs showing up here and there that shouldn’t work, but fit in just fine.  It’s utterly strange, exceptionally discomforting, and an awesome sound that is pretty one-of-a-kind (a tough feat to achieve these days).  I’d like to see these kids roll up to a venue with piles of amps and play as humanly loud as possible.  It’s really the only viable presentation for something this ugly, heavy, and weird. (self-released)

CHIEF TAIL, s/t

Get the Jesus Lizard at their most rowdy and unhinged and pair them up in a dive bar with the negative sluminess of Easy Action and you get an idea of what Chief Tail are going on about.  This is dirty, drunken, spiteful, and manic rock n’ roll that’s about as cheerful as finding out that you have a malignant brain tumor.  Most of this record whips right by, as over half the songs fly under two minutes.  But when your band titles a song “I Hate Your Face” it does not leave much witty lyrical exploration for meaning to be had.  They hate your face and they’re drunkenly shouting at you about it.  Whatever they hate I’m OK with it because Chief Tail is pretty awesome.  (Reptilian)

DENIAL OF LIFE demo

On the semi-local (regional, ok?) front Denial Of Life bring grimy thrash to your doorstep with some serious creeper vibes, likely making real estate developers think twice about further gentrifying Tacoma.  The band borrow more from older metal and crossover breakdowns than they do straight up thrash, but it doesn’t keep things from sounding any less antagonistic.  Four songs with titles like “Carnage” and “Escalation To Hell” (I really wish it were “Escalator To Hell” because that would just be funny) to let you know they mean business.  Their bullet belts are filled with live ammunition and their guitars are the guns by which to fire upon posers. (self-released)

EASY PREY, “Relentless Struggle” EP

I can’t think of this band without thinking of one of my all-time favorite Harkonen songs of the same name.  And while both bands share some similarities of being bombastic, riffy, heavy bands Easy Prey maintain definite elements that allow them to straddle the line between being a hardcore group and something altogether different.  They write punchy and energetic songs that go by pretty quick while inserting an overall texture that falls under that huge umbrella of ‘post-hardcore’ (as bland a description as that may imply).  The vocals tend to keep the band anchored in hardcore realm, as they are barked, growled, and direct.  A good deal of their music is somewhat reminiscent of what the post-Minor Times bands have done and are doing (Ladder Devils and Desperate Living most notably).  I bet these dudes are loud as fuck live and a song like “Steamrolled” implies just as much. (self-released)

 

EXMAID, “Sorcery”

The second full length from this group that appears to have moved on from being just a project to a pretty serious band.  Where their first record felt like friends just having some fun writing some rock songs, “Sorcery” finds the group adding more dynamics in their music, trying new ideas and sounds, and overall coming up with a substantially better-sounding, and more creatively diverse record while still maintaining a sort of garage rock-meets-Chapel Hill 90’s vibe.  Comprised of songwriter Miranda Taylor with the whole of Psychic Teens rounding out the group the only real traits one will find between Exmaid and PT is the simple, one-word (in this case, primarily four-letter) song titles and that both bands play rock music.  Although this is pretty far-removed from Psychic Teens brand of goth-y post-punk noise rock.  Exmaid at once sound fun, energetic, and daring to add some interesting sounds and parts that give them character.  It’s a solid follow up that deserves some attention.  (Bangs and Burns)

FAKING, “No Comfort”

I wasn’t quite certain if this Philly-area band was still in operation, but it appears that they made some changes (opting out of having a bassist in favor of synth/bass keys, which you can’t really tell the difference honestly) while moving forward.  Their music has always been moody, frequently taking cues from the precision noisemongering of bands like Young Widows, except Faking eschews some of the effects pedalboard wizardry of the former in order to lay down a simple and direct plodding of sound.  While their approach on this record is a little more simplistic it does show growth, which is displayed as really downer music.  There’s an overall feeling of sadness here, even though it remains riffy.  I feel like their substitution of synth for bass could be explored more and really add some texture, which is most on display in the closing, brutally cold “Not A God”.  For those familiar with the band “Hard Work” harkens back to their earlier material with a repetitive swing and a bit more upbeat.  Overall, Faking make good on this new EP by bringing you down, or as they say “hitting rock bottom feels like a sport”. (Slugthrower Records)

POSITIVE NO, “Kyanite”

Positive No has quietly built up a prolific catalog of music over the course of nearly a decade, self-releasing much of it, and acting as more of a studio project than touring live act.  This is due, in part, to the group of musicians comprising the band who have all done time in various indie touring bands and have likely settled into that time in life where the interest in playing a crappy venue in the middle of nowhere with one halfway-working mic, getting paid $25 after spending $60 in gas to get there, and then crashing out on some strangers potentially bedbug-infested couch sounds less like an adventure and more of a burden.  Oh, and this is apparently Positive No’s swansong recording, as they have decided to lay the project to rest.  That all being said, the music on “Kyanite”, the final offering from Positive No, sounds warm and welcoming, breezing through jangly rocking numbers with breezy and hushed vocals for the most part, giving everything an air of lightness.  It isn’t until “Non” is halfway through where the band picks up on a bit more of a post-punk vibe and adding a little more energy, a la Fugazi’s catchy riffing.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Positive No includes vocalist Tracy Wilson, who played in mid-90’s indie rock band Dahlia Seed, a band I thought was just wonderful and some of the music here reminds me of that group.  I’ve always admired the music Tracy has been a part of and her vocals are one-of-a kind.  So it’s a real treat to listen to them, and the joyous music that Positive No is giving us one last time.  This is a good record to go out on for sure.  (self-released)

PRIZE, “Beat In a Fair Contest”

There was a band from Albany, NY called Throat Culture at one point that I found to be pretty damn good.  They certainly didn’t sound like they were from Albany, and over the course of a couple years they developed their sound into a very solid gritty, grungy, post-hardcore unit before calling it quits.  Prize is at least one member from that band and regardless of who else is playing in the group they seem to pick up right where Throat Culture left off.  This EP is chock full of lumbering, sludgy post-hardcore dirges that seem to get more aggressive as the record goes on.  From the halfway point on it sounds as if Kiss It Goodbye got together with Glassjaw and decided to take downers together, which, come to think of it, would probably be a pretty cool combination.  Either way, if this is what feeling shitty in the Rust Belt sounds like in 2020 than I am A-OK with that.  (Fuzz Records)

GAYTHIST PREMIERE FIRST SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM+ PRE-ORDER!

Here it is, the first single and pre-order for the new Gaytheist album "How Long Have I Been On Fire?", streaming now at BrooklynVegan! Go check out "The Dark Deep" and then get yourself a record!
https://hexrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gaytheist-how-long-have-i-been-on-fire

Also, they got a bunch of shows coming up throughout the Spring, so take a look at those:
 

2/28- Chehalis, WA @McFliers

2/29- Bellingham, WA @ The Firefly

3/13- Portland, OR @ Kenton Club

4/10- Portland, OR @ High Water Mark (HLHIBOF record release show) w/ Pinko

4/11- Seattle, WA @ Substation w/ Post/Boredom, Pinko

4/16- Eugene, OR @ Old Nicks

7/17- Calgary, AB @ Palomino

02/28 Chehalis, WA @ McFiler’s w/ C-AVERAGE
02/29 Bellingham, WA @ The Firefly w/ PINK BOA, SMOOTH SAILING
03/13 Portland, OR @ Kenton Club w/ VIA VALE, INTERNET BEEF
04/10 Portland, OR @ High Water Mark w/PINKO, SEA MOSS, DUNZO
04/11 Seattle, WA @ Substation w/ PINKO, POST/BOREDOM
04/16 Eugene, OR @ Old Nick’s w/ HOLY GROVE, RED CLOUD
07/17 Calgary, AB @ The Palomino

Read More: Gaytheist releasing ‘How Long Have I Been On Fire​?’ (stream a track) | http://www.brooklynvegan.com/gaytheist-releasing-how-long-have-i-been-on-fire-stream-a-track/?fbclid=IwAR2dOH3Me9X9Yz6DYRB_H2u5SMYN4qRbHtEVMVPd_JaN5qRI9eo5wI2M524&trackback=tsmclip

 

02/28 Chehalis, WA @ McFiler’s w/ C-AVERAGE
02/29 Bellingham, WA @ The Firefly w/ PINK BOA, SMOOTH SAILING
03/13 Portland, OR @ Kenton Club w/ VIA VALE, INTERNET BEEF
04/10 Portland, OR @ High Water Mark w/PINKO, SEA MOSS, DUNZO
04/11 Seattle, WA @ Substation w/ PINKO, POST/BOREDOM
04/16 Eugene, OR @ Old Nick’s w/ HOLY GROVE, RED CLOUD
07/17 Calgary, AB @ The Palomino

Read More: Gaytheist releasing ‘How Long Have I Been On Fire​?’ (stream a track) | http://www.brooklynvegan.com/gaytheist-releasing-how-long-have-i-been-on-fire-stream-a-track/?fbclid=IwAR2dOH3Me9X9Yz6DYRB_H2u5SMYN4qRbHtEVMVPd_JaN5qRI9eo5wI2M524&trackback=tsmclip

02/28 Chehalis, WA @ McFiler’s w/ C-AVERAGE
02/29 Bellingham, WA @ The Firefly w/ PINK BOA, SMOOTH SAILING
03/13 Portland, OR @ Kenton Club w/ VIA VALE, INTERNET BEEF
04/10 Portland, OR @ High Water Mark w/PINKO, SEA MOSS, DUNZO
04/11 Seattle, WA @ Substation w/ PINKO, POST/BOREDOM
04/16 Eugene, OR @ Old Nick’s w/ HOLY GROVE, RED CLOUD
07/17 Calgary, AB @ The Palomino

Read More: Gaytheist releasing ‘How Long Have I Been On Fire​?’ (stream a track) | http://www.brooklynvegan.com/gaytheist-releasing-how-long-have-i-been-on-fire-stream-a-track/?fbclid=IwAR2dOH3Me9X9Yz6DYRB_H2u5SMYN4qRbHtEVMVPd_JaN5qRI9eo5wI2M524&trackback=tsmclip

NEW GAYTHEIST RECORD OUT ON HEX THIS SPRING!

Big news!  We are beyond stoked to be releasing the next record from Portland's own GAYTHEIST!  Their new record won't be out until April, but here's a teaser for now.  Check back later this week for a new song.

PINKO TO TOUR THE WEST THIS SPRING!

Ladies and germs, look to the future, as P I N K O will be touring the West in April in support of "You & You". Get in touch with them if you wanna lend a hand with a show in some of these places.
Here's the dates:
3/27- Austin, TX
3/28- San Antonio, TX
4/1- El Paso, TX
4/2- Mesa/Tucson, AZ
4/3- San Diego, CA
4/4- Los Angeles, CA
4/5- San Francisco, CA
4/6- Oakland, CA
4/7- Sacramento, CA
4/8- Reno, NV
4/9- Redding, CA
4/10- Portland, OR
4/11- Seattle, WA
4/12- Boise, ID
4/13- Salt Lake City, UT
4/14- Denver, CO
4/15- Lubbock, TX

NEW YEAR, NEW REVIEWS

I had so much stuff to wrap up at the end of 2019 I had to hold off on posting some reviews until now.  So while a few of these releases are certainly happening right now, a few others are lingering from the later portion of last year, and I'm just getting to them now.  But below you'll see a great variety of music represented and I think there's some cool stuff coming from all angles of the underground, especially as we dive right into 2020.  The majority of these releases reviewed are self-released efforts and sometimes that's where you find some of the best gems.  I'm excited to see what's in store for these groups going forward and encourage you to check them out for yourself!

APOCALYPSE TRIBE, “Ai Mageddon”

Here’s a thing you probably wouldn’t think could exist, but it does, and does so in a really awesome way.  A handful of musicians in Syracuse got together to do this project that, given Syracuse’s hardcore musical lineage, is so far left field of anything the town has produced, yet fits so firmly within the confines of hardcore-punk that if you do not find yourself circle pitting in your living room when listening to this you might also not have a pulse.  Karl from Earth Crisis does vocals, but does not sound like his usual self and really gets to unpack all his tinfoil hat conspiratorial paranoia upon the masses (song titles like “Big Brother Big Pharma”, “The Detention Camps” and “Fake as Fuck News” ought to give an indication), while drummer Corey Koniz (Slapshot) levels the kit as ridiculously fast as possible within the confines of 90 second tracks.  The bass playing is utterly ridiculous and is frequently the standout point of many of the songs.  In all of about 24 minutes you get 13 songs that lie somewhere between Sick Of It All and Rancid freaking out about the end times and mass hysteria.  It’s friggin’ wild.  (Indecision Records)

BRIEF LIVES, “Weird Energies”

I’m not sure what the current status of this band is.  I recall seeing them play a tiny hole-in-the-wall place at Gainesville Fest a few years back and was blown away by their extremely energetic performance and chunky post-hardcore sound.  They went silent for awhile and now, all of a sudden, they have released this record (online only).  Apparently, this was recorded a few years back and shelved until now and I’m not sure why.  Either way, Brief Lives represent Richmond and since the time I saw them I feel like their sound has been mainstreamed a bit.  It’s not quite as heavy as I recalled, but it still sits firmly in that post-hardcore/alternative rock realm, and is an enjoyable listen.  The clean and crisp recording of J. Robbins just pushes that sound further and the vocals, courtesy of local rock god Valiant Himself are…  well, it’s the only part of this I’m lukewarm to.  They have a bit of a mainstream, almost bro-y vibe to them that I suppose could go with the music.  However, I’ve always preferred a bit more of the slightly more aggressive approach to vocals with this style of music.  But that’s just me.  Stoked to hear a cover of Helmet’s “Milquetoast” at the close of the record.  Maybe they’ll play some shows?  Maybe not?  (self-released)

CHRMR, “Warbirds”

I had bagged a bit on this band in the past and it was purely because I had some other idea in my head of what I thought they would sound like versus what they actually did sound like.  Which is sort of stupid when you think about it, right?  So on their third outing the Rochester-based CHRMR go in a bit heavier, but continue to do their own thing.  Pretty much all of the vocals are clean and there’s plenty of times where it works fine, but some parts where a hearty bellow would suit the music a little better.  Things take a little while to get going as they move through their mish-mash of somewhat sludgy smart metal with dashes of proggy parts and wandering melodies.  The group hits their stride midway through the record though with the off-timed heft of massive rocker “Lends”, followed by the Queens Of the Stone Age-set-to-sludge slog of “Victoria”.  Near the records end we get the instrumental dirge of “Deep Fade Event” that drags the bass through Yob territory while atmospheric guitar brings the sound back from the deepest depths of the ocean.  An overall good effort with quite a bit of variety.  (self-released)

FACET, “Duck”

I went to go check this band out on a lark the other week and was highly impressed with what I encountered.  I mean, in terms of bringing it on the live front they still seemed a little green, but they are a new band and there’s always a little leeway to give when you’re just getting going.  But I couldn’t deny that wild bass tone and energy.  Plus, they are most definitely the only band I’ve ever heard cover an Unwound song (“Devoid”, for those wondering) and did it with aplomb.  So, based on that alone it was evident I was in good company.  And after catching them do that cover I went back to this 8 song demonstration and realized, ‘oh, these dudes really like Unwound’.  Imagine those knotty, thick bass lines wrapped around guitar riffs that meld melody and noise under a blanket of fuzz.  However, whereas Unwound deftly weaved between the overwhelming and the subdued Facet seems to add a healthy dose of post-hardcore heaviness to the majority of their music.  I’m not complaining.  It sounds great to me.  More please.  (self-released) 

NERVER, “Believers Hit”

Nerver are some new cats from out of the Midwest whose gnarly rock attack is already quite advanced for a band so new.  Taking some cues from local peers Bummer in the sledgehammer riffs department, as well as from contemporaries like Superthief in terms of  spazzy noise rock and a variety of musical curveballs at their disposal, Nerver has laid some solid groundwork for their debut. “Boilermaker, Please” may showcase the group at their heaviest and most bombastic, while later in the album “Congratulations” may be the most unnerving (no pun intended), and off-kilter.  Currently, this is only on cassette and digital so those who like small physical media will be satisfied as well as those who prefer non-existent physical media.  (Ghost Is Clear Records)

RULE THEM ALL, “Dreams About…” EP

It’s always interesting to see a band completely rooted in hardcore throw in some curveballs that take them to another level.  Rule Them All certainly have a sound that does not deviate terribly from traditional melodic hardcore.  However, what makes them interesting is their exceptionally talented songwriting is overtly on display, yet still feels sneaky- interesting time signatures, little melodic flourishes, and some quick tempo changes all show up but flow naturally. They somehow combine the more melodic heaviness of bands like Burn, mixed with a bit of SoCal style reminiscent of Ignite if both those bands came up in the Long Island scene.  The vocals are bold, gruff, but still carry a melody and well thought-out lyrics throughout the five songs on this EP.  Definitely one of the more interesting, and fairly new, hardcore bands going at it right now.  (Flatspot Records)

RYOKI CENTER, “Strychnine”

Somewhere between the bombastic, unhinged grunge-y weirdness of Harkonen or Tad and the sinew-y, calculated skronk of Shellac and Multicult lies Ryoki Center.  They meld an exceptionally awesome mix of both the big heavy and the subdued lurking, creating a moody vibe that doesn’t so much leave you down in the dumps as it does make you feel kind of energized about being bummed.  This is quite the stellar debut and a welcome listen that melds some dirty sounds, while being very smart and exacting about it.  “Rural Access Intercept” may be the best example of this on the record, combining an eclectic, wild opening before settling into a trance-like groove for the majority of the song.  Opener “New Leash” lets loose the heavier, wild side of the band and I really can’t imagine starting things off any differently as this is the most energetic track on the whole thing.  A great start from this very interesting band.  (self-released)

UNIFORM OPERATOR, “Kinds Of Light”

Matt LaQue has been in a zillion bands and all of them are quality.  He just has a knack for coming up with great riffs, wonderful melodies, and lots of songs.  Uniform Operator is another of his bands, hailing from Buffalo, NY.  If you were to take Superchunk at their most rag tag and noisy, along with Matt’s vocals, which are a dead ringer for Mac McCaughan, and then add a truckload of grimey bass guitar you get the basis for Uniform Operator.  It’s a wonderful formula, what with short songs with lots of singing, crazy catchy riffs, and a lot of energy.  Here and there their bassist (whom is only listed as ‘Sam’) takes over vocals and brings a more old-school/East Bay pop-punk kind of a feel to a few of the tracks.  The first half of these dozen songs totally slay.  And around the halfway point things lose a bit of steam, but pick back up with “The Red & the Black” (again, Superchunk vibes galore) and “What Action Does” (which, to me, sounds like Burning Airlines at their most aggressive), and closes out with the upbeat rocker “Is There Anyone?”  A definite good use of just over half an hour of your time.  (Peterwalkee Records)

XETAS, “The Cypher”

Listening to Xetas third record (which is my first listen to them at all) I’m reminded of the energetic cacophony produced by Milemarker way back to the early aughts, minus the synthesizers.  They have a way of creating the sort of thoughtful, yet raucous kind of punk bands like Majority Rule and Pg. 99 were capable of, but temper it all with a bit more restraint and a little more simplicity.  There’s a good amount of emphasis on the vocals to make them an instrument of the band, and not just a randomly yelling/screaming afterthought (a point of pride for 99% of punk bands) where there’s decent interplay between the members and some arranged vocal melodies.  This is most evident on “The Bystander” and “The Objector”.  They’re not the centerpiece of the music because it seems all the parts are working equally to create some cool music. So somewhere between uptempo post-punk (“The Teacher” could easily have been a lost track from Mission Of Burma’s “Forget” compilation), and savage screamo-what-have-you lies an exceptionally well-done album from Xetas.  (12XU Records)

HXR20YR RETROSPECTIVE: HXR044- THE GREAT SABATINI/GREAT FALLS split 12"

My lord, what a monumental pain in the ass this was to put together.  I mean, probably every conceivable thing that could have gone wrong with this release occurred.  However, none of it had to do with either Great Falls or The Great Sabatini.  They’re both wonderful.  In fact, everything about this release that the bands, and their members, directly did to create this release went smoothly.  It was all the parts not on their end which accelerated my hair loss.  But I’ll get to all that in a moment.  First, maybe a little background on how this all came to be.

I’d been friendly with the guys in Great Falls for years, going back to Demian and Shane’s previous band Playing Enemy, having released their final record over 10 years ago (of course, you know all that because you’ve been reading every one of these interview pieces right?).  I’ve stayed in touch with them since that time and upon moving up to the Northwest I have had the distinct pleasure of seeing them far more often than I had in the past.  It wasn’t long after I got here that I got word they were shopping around for a label to release their new full length and I immediately offered to take on the task.  But what I wasn’t aware of was that they were intending to make this record a double LP and I was a little uncertain if I was up to the large task of releasing a double LP in the way they wanted for a band that wouldn’t be able to tour heavily for it.  In retrospect I think I was just a little afraid.  It really wouldn’t have been such a big issue.  Either way, a good label picked it up and did a stellar job with it.  Still wanting to work with Great Falls in some capacity they mentioned that they had a few other songs recorded for a split they had planned with The Great Sabatini that had been sitting around for a couple years but nothing had come of it.  I thought this was a pretty good idea.

Enter The Great Sabatini.  I’d known of these gents for quite some time.  They were big fans of a number of bands I had released stuff for in the past, as well as pretty good friends with some of those people.  They had even approached me about releasing material for them in some fashion at least once.  There was a sort of extended-family quality to them in regards to their connection to other Hex-related bands and the off-kilter sound they had, which was certainly relatable to other stuff I’d put out.  But I’d always been hesitant because they were Canadian (thus making shipping records always a pain in the ass), and they also were a band that were unable to hit the road all that much.  It was sort of a tough spot.  However, when the idea of this split came up, and they also had already recorded material for it just sitting around, things seemed a lot easier, and I was on board for making it happen.

There was also a brief moment where this almost became a split between Great Falls and Post/Boredom, whom I ended up releasing a full length for in 2019. But at the time Post/Boredom was not quite ready to do a split so soon after just releasing an EP and wanted to just focus on writing their full length, which I had already agreed to putting out.  So instead of remaining strictly Northwest we went with the original idea of going dual-coast and international!

Now since both The Great Sabatini and Great Falls have band members who are very artistically inclined I thought this would be a great opportunity to do some really wild packaging stuff where the members could come up with some really cool ideas and just go nuts with it.  We decided on a few cool aspects to this record:  make it one-sided and have the B-side be an etching, have a letterpressed cover that was hand-screened, and add a really weird locked groove right in the middle of the friggin’ record.  It was pretty off-the-rails all the things we wanted to do to make this special and as awesome as all of those ideas were they were ridiculous to execute.

Now, for Sean from Great Sabatini’s part to create a design for the B-side etching was easy.  Within a week or two he came up with a beautiful design that worked wonderfully.  And with Demian, he created a letterpress design for the cover, which was made and screened right in his studio in Seattle.  So far, so good.  But then things got kind of fucked up.

 That crazy B-side etching, art by Sean Arsenian

I had begun to work with a new person to cut lacquers for me at this time and they had a person they worked with to do record etchings because it’s a separate process involving precision laser-cut designs onto a record lacquer.  Not many people do this.  But he had a person.  Well, right before the record was ready that person decided to quit the business and that me in a lurch.  Thankfully, soon after, the record pressing plant I use had a person who could do this and it was sent off to that new person who, despite some wait, was able to do the job very well.  So I thought, ‘one little hiccup, no big deal’.  From there it went to get plated.  A few more weeks go by and I finally get pictures of the plates and the B-side etching is definitely something else and not mine at all.  Apparently, the B-side plates were mixed up with an Iron Lung Records release and I have no idea how they could have been more different, or mixed up at all.  So a bit more waiting and things get righted.  From there I got test presses.  I always make special covers for the test presses and I wanted to do something ridiculous for those too.  So I got some glossy, reflective paper to print them on and let me hip you to something- if you ever want to destroy a copy machine just send reflective paper through the bypass tray.  It screws up the whole machine.  I couldn’t understand what was happening, but I probably went to three different Office Max stores to make a total of 10 covers and probably mind-wiped three different copy machines into a state of comatose oblivion with that paper.  So, it was a hassle, but kind of funny too.

 Officially the most ridiculous test press cover I have made

Finally, test presses approved, time to get the records pressed.  Well, the center labels for the A-side were never approved and they said I had to have B-side labels, even though it’s a one-sided record.  So now the labels needed to be re-sent and approved, which caused a few more weeks of waiting because the labels have to be printed before the records can be pressed.  And then the color of vinyl that all the records were being pressed onto was out of stock for several weeks so more waiting.

So after a few months of waiting around for everything, a record that was intended to be out in late 2018 was FINALLY out in the world by late-February 2019.  That is why I’m including it in the final installment of this retrospective series because it should have been out last year and not in 2019.

All that long story now leads me to catch up and chat with Sean Arsenian, guitarist and vocalist of Montreal’s reigning, and long-running, kings of weirdo noise rock-sludge-whatever heavy music, The Great Sabatini.

Sean from The Great Sabatini at Heavy Montreal earlier this year

How long has The Great Sabatini been around and how many records have you released in that time?

This past November was 12 years and we have done 4 full length albums and maybe 8 or 9 smaller EPs or splits. 

That’s a lot.  I feel, even though you’ve been at it for a long time, your band goes under the radar quite a bit.  Maybe it’s because I’m in the states and perhaps it’s different in Canada.

I feel like that too.  For awhile  we tried to go stateside as much as we could because we were paying for P2 visas.  So we thought we ought to go there as much as we can.  But as you know from being in bands and putting out records for so long, if you’re not on top of it constantly you get buried.

Sure.  Because it’s so expensive to come over here legally, and it’s such a hassle too.  I’m kind of surprised that you’ve come over as much as you did.

It’s something we definitely tried to do, but now it’s sort of an impractical thing.  Unless there were to be some sort of crazy offer, and that’s not going to happen, it’s not worth us dumping thousands of dollars into trying to get all the paperwork done.  Also, we would probably only be able to do weekends, or something like that.

I always remember Montreal for having a really metallic, kind of beatdown, hardcore scene.  Is that true and if so, how has TGS fit into that, or at all?

I don’t think we ever really have fit into a scene there.  We’ve always been that band that either no one has heard of, no one likes, or the very few people who are into us seem to be really into us.  All the people around Montreal were into us when we first started, and were really generous, cool people.  But they never seemed to understand why we weren’t bigger than we were in their view.  I don’t think we’ve ever neatly fit into anything.

Montreal is a town that has a very big hardcore scene happening, and a really big death-tech metal scene.  And I don’t feel like we fit into any of those places.

How did you get to be friends with the Great Falls guys?

I think it was basically this guy Dale.  He’s from Manitoba and he does merch for KEN Mode.  He’s a very good friend of ours and he’s a good friend of theirs as well.  He has been on the road with us when we did a small tour with KEN Mode in 2011.  That sort of established us as diehard buddies.  And I know he also spent some time on the road with Great Falls too.  So he was always randomly messaging me, and also messaging them, about doing some random project together.  And  I think I’d heard of them before Dale told me about them.  But I thought because of the geographical distance, and their pedigree- they were sort of a world apart from us- Dale was the sort of connective tissue.

Great Falls in Olympia, 2018

So have you actually ever met them?

No!  I’ve never met them!  It’s only through talking to them online.  I’ve been to Seattle probably four times, but never met them.

What was the original idea of this split, or how did it come about, and why did it take so long to come out?  What took so long for it to come out?

Initially Kenny from Corpse Flower Records had spoken to me about possibly working on the split we did with Godstopper that No List Records ended up putting out on cassette.  I think there were some crossed signals there because he said he was interested, but there was some caveat and for whatever reason it just didn’t happen.  But I’m a fan of his label, and he was a fan of the band, plus he knows those Great Falls guys.  So when we talked to Great Falls about actually making this a reality they mentioned they could talk to Kenny about releasing it.  I think they have a bit more credit with him than we do.  I don’t really know him that well, but he was down with the idea.  I know he had a bunch of other releases planned and we were sort of on the backup list.  But it wasn’t for lack of trying, but I tried to see what his release schedule was because we were working on getting out our full length “Goodbye Audio”, and Great Falls was working on getting their album out too.  So I didn’t want to step on his toes with releases, or vice versa, or cross-promoting things.  And there ended up being a bit of a communication breakdown, and it just sort of stalled.  And honestly, I sort of forgot about it because I was focused on just getting ”Goodbye Audio” out.  I just put my back into working on that and making it happen.

And then my understanding was the Great Falls guys asked Kenny if they could just take the project elsewhere, which is where you came in.

I know between you, myself, and Great Falls we came up with some really wild ideas for this record, but previous to my involvement did you have any prior idea for artwork, or direction, or format for this record?

Yeah, I think there was some ideas, like we wanted to make it a one-sided 12”, mainly because of time constraints.  The initial idea was a split 7” and I believe Great Falls had some of their material done and we did not.

So when the nascent idea of this record began I had a song that I wanted, but it wasn’t recorded yet.  I knew how long the song was, and I had the recording session scheduled.  One of the songs on the record was recorded during the “Goodbye Audio” sessions.  So I already had everything planned out.  But because Great Falls already had a couple songs, and it was a certain length of time a 7” wasn’t going to work.  And I had this other song- “Bleeder Of the Pack”- recorded, but it didn’t have a home.  It was just sort of in this digital compilation I had put up on bandcamp years ago.  But I really liked that song and thought it would work well paired with this other song, and then we would have something that could be one side of a 12” with Great Falls two songs.

So the songs weren’t exactly specific to this release.  They were more of odds and ends?

Well, “Bleeder Of the Pack” was sort of like that.  It was out there, but it was an obscure track for us.  Even people who really like our band may not have known about it.  The other song I wrote it knowing that it would be for this split specifically.

Great Falls in Seattle, 2019

Since this record was definitely a group effort between different bands, what’s your favorite part of it that you didn’t contribute to?

Wow.  It’s hard to nail down one aspect because there’s a lot of cool little things on this record that I had nothing to do with.  Like that noise track in-between the two bands is crazy.  I love it.  I love the cover art, and the fact that it was letterpressed.  I love that all the ideas that everyone threw up in the air landed on one thing.  I didn’t have anything to do with that little buffer track, but it’s so cool.  It ties everything together.  It’s not just someone in the middle organizing two bands to get together and do a split and then it just happens.  It was a much more collaborative thing.

Who is the Great Sabatini?

It’s a pretty moronic story.  I was in a band with Rob, who also plays in Sabatini.  We were in a band together prior to this one, and our singer Diego had a song he titled “The Great Sabatini”.  And we were like, ‘what the hell does that mean?’  And he said, ‘it’s a name for self-fellatio’.

We were around 22 at the time so we thought that was real funny.  It’s still pretty silly.  But when we were trying to come up with a name for this project I proposed that name as sort of a joke, but it was the only one that everyone was OK with.  I’m sure you know that naming a band is impossible.

So they agreed on the most ridiculous thing?

Yeah!  Really, it’s meaningless.  It’s not a person, or anything.  It’s just a handle that is sort of moronic.

So, in lieu of that, what’s the best and worst thing about your band?

(laughs)  I could probably give the same answer for both those things.  We all care about this a lot, and we tried to be professional about it for awhile with touring and getting visas, and investing the money we made back into the band.  But we never had any illusions that we would get huge or anything.  There’s that thing about investing your time, money, and energy into a thing with diminishing returns.  And I’m in my 40’s now, so it’s been a long time of doing that.  It’s kind of like a hobby at this point, even though we don’t approach it that way.  It’s extremely rewarding, just doing this and having crazy experiences around the world with these people who are my best friends.  But I’m also probably where I should be financially right now because I’ve spent so much of my time chasing this thing.  But I don’t equate my financial stability with my happiness.

What’s the best and worst thing about Great Falls?  I mean, they share the record with you.

(laughs) I think the worst thing is that I haven’t met them!  I wish I had them more on my radar when I was touring in the Northwest because we could have maybe done some shows with them back then.  So that’s a bummer.  I wish I had known those guys earlier.

But I think those guys just make the most cathartic, disturbing, heartfelt music, ya know? I don’t even know how we’re on this release with them.

There’s always the future.

And that's a wrap!  I hope you have enjoyed all these pieces looking back on the records that were an (mostly) enjoyable task putting out into the world.  For this week help yourself to getting this record for $8 (only $4 for the digital) through the webstore HERE