The end of 2009 brings some really awesome news- first off... ACHILLES shows! Yes, it's rare, but fuck me sideways if it isn't always an amazing event when the dudes decide to (or I should say, have the time to) play a couple shows!
Second bit of awesome news- THE HELM are coming back to the East Coast for a post-X-Mas/ New Years run of East Coast dates. This will be a very special event for these guys as they will be flying out to play some shows and they'll be doing all of it with OAK & BONE. Most of the dates are firmed up (or close to) with just one TBA (so if you live in the Northeast fill it!)
So anyway, check out the shows:
TOUR DATES
OAK & BONE
Thurs., 11.19- Syracuse, NY @ Westcott CC w/ Prayers For Atheists, Counterpursuit
Fri., 11.20- Albany, NY @ Chapel House w/ Prayers For Atheists, Mistletoe
Sat., 11.21- Bethleham, PA @ Secret Show Space w/ Prayers For Atheists, Mistletoe
Sat., 12.12- Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon w/ Another Breath, Achilles, Engineer
* tour with THE HELM
Sun., 12.27- New York, NY @ 538 Johnson Ave.
Mon., 12.28- Providence, RI
Tues., 12.29- Boston, MA
Wed., 12.30- TBA
Thurs., 12.31- Rochester, NY
Fri., 1.1.10- Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon Annual New Years Day show w/ Black S.S., etc
Sat., 1.2.10- Philly, PA
Sun., 1.3.10- Baltimore, MD
ACHILLES
Sat., 12.12- Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon w/ Another Breath, Oak & Bone, Engineer, This Is Hell
Sun., 12.13- Rochester, NY @ Dubland Underground w/ Rosetta, The Body, Like Wolves
NIGHT OWLS
Fri., 11.20- Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon w/ Stay Six, The Hideout
THE HELM- Northeast tour with Oak & Bone
Sun., 12.27- New York, NY @ 538 Johnson Ave.
Mon., 12.28- Providence, RI
Tues., 12.29- Boston, MA
Wed., 12.30- TBA
Thurs., 12.31- Rochester, NY
Fri., 1.1.10- Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon Annual New Years Day show w/ Black S.S., etc
Sat., 1.2.10- Philly, PA
Sun., 1.3.10- Baltimore, MD
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
NOVEMBER REVIEWS....
Hey all... so in keeping with my word to get a bit ahead on all this stuff I have a fat stack of reviews here. Actually, it's not that many, just more than normal. So read on brave explorer.
ATOM AGE, “Epidemic” 3” CD
There are three songs on this mini-CD. The whole thing clocks in at just under three minutes and the first minute and a half of the last song is a mid-paced intro while the last 20 seconds of it is a grinding blast of fastcore. That leaves the other two songs at about 30 second each. That’s it. Infest worship that sounds like it was recorded in a garbage can, yet somehow gets a good bass sound with that ridiculously thick fart sound. I can get down with this, but moreso in the live setting. (http://www.myspace.com/atomrage)
“BETWEEN RESISTANCE AND COMMUNITY: A Documentary About Long Island DIY Punk”
Instantly upon watching this documentary something about it felt a bit dated, and once I actually read the linear notes I noticed it was made in 2002. I’m not sure why it’s just coming out now, but my guess is that it is being re-released for a larger, or different, audience. Nevertheless, it’s pretty difficult to encapsulate the entire Long Island punk-hardcore scene in 45 minutes, even if it is just focusing on one particular year. A number of (now defunct) bands are featured and their opinions on what it means to be involved in DIY punk as they go on their first tours, hang out in their hometowns, play house shows, and so on. Additionally, a handful of other contributors to the scene, most notably those who host shows in their homes, offer up their feelings and experiences. In one sense it’s your typical run through one summer full of shows, hanging out, going on tour, and getting an idea of what life is like in one small corner of the Long Island punk scene. In another sense, it’s a little strange to see people who are clearly a lot younger, and thus a bit more naive, speak about a particular local band signing to Revelation and how that somehow constitutes a complete change in ethics, ideals, and seems to be on par with committing war crimes. I also like how whoever made this made some completely false statements about that label and blew them up to be some massive faceless corporate entity. It’s almost laughable in a sense. Tired old debates aside, it’s a fun little romp that probably isn’t too much different than any DIY scene in the country and people’s experiences within it. If only this was a bit longer one would be able to (hopefully) see a lot more of the Long Island scene, which has always turned out a variety of different and awesome bands, and also had it’s fair share of cool venues (anyone remember Free Space?). Lots of live footage to boot. (Cantankerous Titles, www.cantankeroustitles.com)
CHOOSE DEATH #3
It’s great to know there is a semi-regular local zine that focuses on the local almost exclusively. I feel it’s necessary to promote one’s scene to the rest of the world (or at least anyone willing to listen) to show that there is a distinct flavor to our town. And anyone in any other town should feel the same way. There’s nothing more bland than cookie-cutter carbon copy scenes that seem to permeate the nation where no one and nothing is any different no matter where you go. Blech! So thank you Josh Smith for stepping up and showing others what’s going on in Syracuse. Here we have tour reports from a few Syracuse bands and the adventure’s the incurred on the road over the Summer. There are a few columns from some locals and a great interview with one of the most quality pop-culture sub-referencing men in town, Black S.S. guitarist and local tattoo artist Mike Tommyrot. Yeah, it’s a quick read for the whole zine, but one I enjoy each and every issue. (Barbarossa Records, www.barbarossarecords.com)
FIGHT AMP, “Manners and Praise”
I’m hoping these Philly-area dudes developed elephantitis of the groin-area because they’re going to need some pretty big stones to follow up the full-on face-rager that was “Hungry For Nothing”, their last full length. That record made a such full on attack against anything moving that I think it was brought up on crimes against humanity (in a good way though, like opening fire on a shopping mall the day after Thanksgiving) so here’s hoping “Manners and Praise” holds up just as well. In my assessment it comes kind of close, but not quite. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but maybe it doesn’t quite have the same killer opening salvo like the last record did? I think it might be more in the overall recording. While “Hungry..” didn’t exactly have the hottest recording, something about how filthy it was just made it that much better. This one sounds a bit more polished and clean, and that sort of thing doesn’t doesn’t resonate with me quite as well seeing as this band deals in grimey punk noise rock the way local mall developers deal in crooked deals with the city. Yes, I’m actually kind of vouching for a shitty recording here, I know. But believe me, it would kind of work in their favor. Fight Amp can write a riff that would drill it’s way into your skull and hammer it in with obscene amounts of volume in less than two minutes. That’s’ the mark of good band. So yes, good record. It just needs to be a little shittier ya know? (Translation Loss, www.translationloss.com)
HEART SOUNDS, “Until We Surrender”
So these two kids from a metal band got sick of doing that and decided to go write a pop-punk record together. It’s nice when people can drop what’s sort of expected of them and try something new and that’s what this dude and lady did. I don’t think it quite works as well as they wanted, but it’s OK. I’ve never actually heard this group, but this is what I think in my head Paramore probably sounds like. I could be totally wrong. But the basic idea is real melodic, pop rock played slightly faster with ultra polished production and female vocals. You can tell they want to escape their metal roots, but still can’t quite get away from it as some random over-the-top guitar flourishes come into play every now and again. And is it me, or do other people think that Horsebites Design stuff is overhyped. I mean honestly, some of their work is OK but a lot of it really isn’t all that great. (Creator Destructor Records, www.creator-destructor.com)
JELLO BIAFRA AND THE GUANTANAMO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, “The Audacity Of Hype”
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anything new that Jello Biafra has done. It’s not that the guy hasn’t been keeping busy, I just haven’t been keeping score. But if you have any mild inclination towards punk music you ought to at least be familiar with the man and his ultra-nasally, totally fucking weird voice that has been a staple of the scene for the last 25+ years. This new band, or project, or whatever (which also happens to be rounded out by former Faith No More bassist Billy Gould) kind of treads the same territory that Biafra has done in the past and as far as lyrical fare goes... well, again, cynical takes on current events with clever wit and vicious sarcasm on the evils of the world. Pot shots at the hype/’hope’ of a new administration, environmental wreckage, America in the shitter... you know the drill. I feel like I’d enjoy this more if it was just a 7” instead of a full length because let’s be perfectly honest- Jello Biafra’s voice gets on my fucking nerves after awhile. It’s certainly an asset for instantly grabbing you by the throat and forcing you to listen. But after 4 or 5 songs it just gets irritating, especially when the rest of the band refuses to let a song die before the four minute mark. The point is made after two minutes. Wrap it up. We get it. All that aside some of this is good stuff. It just needs to get done with faster. I feel like the most interesting thing here is the varied art (no credit given to anyone) adorning the layout, from a very Obey-inspired cover to the cartoon-ish poster inside. (Alternative Tentacles, www.alternativetentacles.com)
LORD BY FIRE 7”
This group falls into something that’s not quite full-on stoner rock, or heavy metal, or hardcore, but instead a little bit from each column for a pretty bitchin’ heavy mix. Maybe some Eyehategod minus a good deal of the feedback, perhaps some Kylesa without getting too far into left field. I definitely like it though. Unfortunately it’s only two songs though each is a decent length so it sorta makes it all work out. I’d definitely be stoked to hear a few more though. (Forcefield, www.forcefieldrecords.org)
MAYFLOWER, “Lighter Fluid” 7”
A couple years ago some Oswego-area kids started a band for fun to play gruff East Bay-style pop-punk and the result was sloppy, East Bay-style pop punk with lots of depressing lyrics and lightning quick three chord jams. It was alright. Since that time Mayflower has become a bit more serious, added and subtracted some members and is now full force, realizing what I think they were aiming for in the first place. Reminiscent of groups like Off With Their Heads in terms of gruff vocals and a highly cynical lyrical wit this self-released 7” showcases a couple of songs from an as-yet unreleased full length, as well as an additional song exclusive to the record. It’s good to hear a band that understands what pop punk ought to be and not the shitty mall version most people are familiar with. It’s not always pretty, it’s typically very rough around the edges, but it definitely gets a party started. I’ve seen these guys a lot and it’s always in a small place and for some reason the only place where I feel the perfect setting for them is in someone’s garage, playing on the fly before the cops show up to shut things down. One of the best parts of this record is the matrix scratching, which just furthers the dark humor present here: “Live simple, die complicated”. Right on. (vivaoswegas@gmail.com)
NEW NOISE zine #1
I’m really liking this re-emergence of locals creating print zines that are not only committed to documenting the scene, but quality as well. For a first issue this is very well done- very clean and simple layout, comprised entirely of interviews (Polar Bear Club, Unholy, Not Sorry, Foundation, etc) and reviews (think lengthy Skyscraper style). While that may sound average to most I feel like for a first outing it’s a great attempt. Plus, upon reading this one can see the desire to work towards making this as good as can be. This also comes with a comp CD of mostly local bands that’s pretty sweet. My suggestion for next issue though- break out the spellcheck brother because this is a grammatical nightmare at times. Otherwise, everything else is pretty top notch! (www.newnoisezine.wordpress.com)
OVERSTAND cd
This rather short-lived New Jersey band is pretty much what you’d get when you get a few guys who like Black Flag just as much as they like Rage Against the Machine and bob Marley. The band is composed of former members of Charge, and follow a similar path, albeit a little straight ahead punk sounding. This CD collects all their recorded output into a nifty limited screenprinted package. It’s pretty cool. Shawn makes for a pretty good vocalist, but on songs like “Brainwash Mind Games”, which have a far more laid-back Bad Brains style reggae feel the screaming just doesn’t really fit. Overall though, if you dig this sort of hardcore mish-mash of sounds Overstand is a pretty cool band to check into, even if they may not really be a band anymore? (Gaotu Records, www.myspace.com/overstandnj)
SICK: A COMPILATION ZINE ON PHYSICAL ILLNESS
This is a pretty cool idea- get a bunch of people together who have first hand experience with significant physical ailments to contribute pieces on their condition and how their life has been affected because of it. In one sense it’s very depressing, and quite frankly, filled me with a sense of dread about my own mortality for a few minutes each night I picked this up and read through a few more stories. On the other hand, it was exceptionally informative in certain respects as well. I’ve never personally had to deal with something temporary (yet long-lasting) like Lyme Disease, or 100% life changing like cancer so I learned about a bunch of new diseases/ genetic disorders that the contributors have faced, or are facing. Some people discuss how they discovered their illness and what they have done to make life easier on themselves because of it, some discuss the total fucking displeasure of dealing with doctors and insurance (something I think anyone can understand), or how frustrating it can be. Some offer up tips of how to deal with these issues as well. There is a lot of talk of how to comfort friends and loved ones who are dealing with major illness, and so on. There is one recurring issue within these pages that irks me though, and you can call me callous and shallow for it, but it doesn’t change my opinion. That would be this idea that the world needs to accommodate one person because it’s a some sort of radical punk thing to make ‘radical spaces to talk about illness’... listen, not everything has to be ‘radical’ OK? If you have some crazy immune issues and you CHOOSE to live with dirty crusty kids why do you think it’s their responsibility to not dumpster possibly bacteria-infested food just so you might not get sick? The smarter option would probably be to not live with filthy crust punks, right? It’s this, ‘the world revolves around me’ thing that drives me nuts and reading about it just makes me sympathize less for your situation. People who have serious health issues that choose to live in a way that is working against their health shouldn’t get a free pass on sympathy. That’s just my take. Other than the little annoyances this definitely is informative and gives a window into a subject I don’t typically explore too much. (Microcosm, www.microcosmpublishing.com)
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, “Serpents”
I know this band is still kind of new so I’m giving them a free pass on not quite knowing what they want to be just yet. Of everything they throw at you it’s all heavy and pretty bitchin’ overall, but I just can’t quite figure what they’re actually going for. At times there’s a strong From Ashes Rise style of crusty hardcore mixed with some more traditional metal. At other points they go for the Mastodon thing with plenty of riffy noodling. In fact, parts of the third track (“The Watchful Eye”) sounds so close to “Blood and Thunder” you’d think it was a cover, or that Neil Fallon was waiting in the background, ready to jump in and make a cameo. A number of other influences poke their head in and make themselves known. It’s a decent first effort, but it just needs some time to get a bead on what their aim is. (Translation Loss, www.translationloss.com)
TAILINGS CD
Here we have the last recording of this short-lived Syracuse band and it’s a full length of chill jams that continue what they were doing with their demo. Think clean and meandering guitar lines that have a sort of jazzy feel, mixed with maybe a bit of early Tortoise stuff, anchored by thick and simple bass parts and somewhat intricate drumming. The percussion is definitely keeping time in unique ways and full of flourishes so that some of these songs appear to build up to more monumental climaxes, yet it’s never overkill. So in that respect it achieves a pretty cool dynamic overall. Nice home recording and cool handmade packages round it out for a band that has a kind of Chicago- Steve Albini thing, but way more chill vibe. I imagine listening to this when sitting on a porch of a seaside cottage, thinking about Regulator Watts or something. Yup. (no contact)
TENEMENT/FRIENDLY FIRE split 7”
It may be ignorance on my part, but I really had no idea that there were two different bands on this record. They both sound the same. That’s not to say they’re bad because they both rock a very No Idea Records style of catchy and accessible punk with a hint of Superchunk going on. Cool stuff. They like cats a lot. Fine by me, I like cats too. (Forcefield Records, www.forcefieldrecords.org)
WHITE GUILT demo tape
I’m quite aware that whatever sort of criticism I may lob towards this local band regarding the almost unlistenable quality of this recording they clearly will not give a flying fuck and will continue bashing out crazy noise with little to no regard for others hearing. Most definitely taking cues from current hot shit bands like Drunkdriver and Cult Ritual, White Guilt goes for primal fast noise, near powerviolence levels of speed, and bizarre vocal reverb, and throws it all in your gapping maw like so much burning trash down your gullet. I can definitely get behind the extremely raw nature of this group’s intent. I’d just prefer to hear it in a bit more cohesive manner. Of course, I don’t think that will happen. (Barbarossa records, www.barbarossarecords.com)
There are three songs on this mini-CD. The whole thing clocks in at just under three minutes and the first minute and a half of the last song is a mid-paced intro while the last 20 seconds of it is a grinding blast of fastcore. That leaves the other two songs at about 30 second each. That’s it. Infest worship that sounds like it was recorded in a garbage can, yet somehow gets a good bass sound with that ridiculously thick fart sound. I can get down with this, but moreso in the live setting. (http://www.myspace.com/atomrage)
“BETWEEN RESISTANCE AND COMMUNITY: A Documentary About Long Island DIY Punk”
Instantly upon watching this documentary something about it felt a bit dated, and once I actually read the linear notes I noticed it was made in 2002. I’m not sure why it’s just coming out now, but my guess is that it is being re-released for a larger, or different, audience. Nevertheless, it’s pretty difficult to encapsulate the entire Long Island punk-hardcore scene in 45 minutes, even if it is just focusing on one particular year. A number of (now defunct) bands are featured and their opinions on what it means to be involved in DIY punk as they go on their first tours, hang out in their hometowns, play house shows, and so on. Additionally, a handful of other contributors to the scene, most notably those who host shows in their homes, offer up their feelings and experiences. In one sense it’s your typical run through one summer full of shows, hanging out, going on tour, and getting an idea of what life is like in one small corner of the Long Island punk scene. In another sense, it’s a little strange to see people who are clearly a lot younger, and thus a bit more naive, speak about a particular local band signing to Revelation and how that somehow constitutes a complete change in ethics, ideals, and seems to be on par with committing war crimes. I also like how whoever made this made some completely false statements about that label and blew them up to be some massive faceless corporate entity. It’s almost laughable in a sense. Tired old debates aside, it’s a fun little romp that probably isn’t too much different than any DIY scene in the country and people’s experiences within it. If only this was a bit longer one would be able to (hopefully) see a lot more of the Long Island scene, which has always turned out a variety of different and awesome bands, and also had it’s fair share of cool venues (anyone remember Free Space?). Lots of live footage to boot. (Cantankerous Titles, www.cantankeroustitles.com)
CHOOSE DEATH #3
It’s great to know there is a semi-regular local zine that focuses on the local almost exclusively. I feel it’s necessary to promote one’s scene to the rest of the world (or at least anyone willing to listen) to show that there is a distinct flavor to our town. And anyone in any other town should feel the same way. There’s nothing more bland than cookie-cutter carbon copy scenes that seem to permeate the nation where no one and nothing is any different no matter where you go. Blech! So thank you Josh Smith for stepping up and showing others what’s going on in Syracuse. Here we have tour reports from a few Syracuse bands and the adventure’s the incurred on the road over the Summer. There are a few columns from some locals and a great interview with one of the most quality pop-culture sub-referencing men in town, Black S.S. guitarist and local tattoo artist Mike Tommyrot. Yeah, it’s a quick read for the whole zine, but one I enjoy each and every issue. (Barbarossa Records, www.barbarossarecords.com)
FIGHT AMP, “Manners and Praise”
I’m hoping these Philly-area dudes developed elephantitis of the groin-area because they’re going to need some pretty big stones to follow up the full-on face-rager that was “Hungry For Nothing”, their last full length. That record made a such full on attack against anything moving that I think it was brought up on crimes against humanity (in a good way though, like opening fire on a shopping mall the day after Thanksgiving) so here’s hoping “Manners and Praise” holds up just as well. In my assessment it comes kind of close, but not quite. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but maybe it doesn’t quite have the same killer opening salvo like the last record did? I think it might be more in the overall recording. While “Hungry..” didn’t exactly have the hottest recording, something about how filthy it was just made it that much better. This one sounds a bit more polished and clean, and that sort of thing doesn’t doesn’t resonate with me quite as well seeing as this band deals in grimey punk noise rock the way local mall developers deal in crooked deals with the city. Yes, I’m actually kind of vouching for a shitty recording here, I know. But believe me, it would kind of work in their favor. Fight Amp can write a riff that would drill it’s way into your skull and hammer it in with obscene amounts of volume in less than two minutes. That’s’ the mark of good band. So yes, good record. It just needs to be a little shittier ya know? (Translation Loss, www.translationloss.com)
HEART SOUNDS, “Until We Surrender”
So these two kids from a metal band got sick of doing that and decided to go write a pop-punk record together. It’s nice when people can drop what’s sort of expected of them and try something new and that’s what this dude and lady did. I don’t think it quite works as well as they wanted, but it’s OK. I’ve never actually heard this group, but this is what I think in my head Paramore probably sounds like. I could be totally wrong. But the basic idea is real melodic, pop rock played slightly faster with ultra polished production and female vocals. You can tell they want to escape their metal roots, but still can’t quite get away from it as some random over-the-top guitar flourishes come into play every now and again. And is it me, or do other people think that Horsebites Design stuff is overhyped. I mean honestly, some of their work is OK but a lot of it really isn’t all that great. (Creator Destructor Records, www.creator-destructor.com)
JELLO BIAFRA AND THE GUANTANAMO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, “The Audacity Of Hype”
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anything new that Jello Biafra has done. It’s not that the guy hasn’t been keeping busy, I just haven’t been keeping score. But if you have any mild inclination towards punk music you ought to at least be familiar with the man and his ultra-nasally, totally fucking weird voice that has been a staple of the scene for the last 25+ years. This new band, or project, or whatever (which also happens to be rounded out by former Faith No More bassist Billy Gould) kind of treads the same territory that Biafra has done in the past and as far as lyrical fare goes... well, again, cynical takes on current events with clever wit and vicious sarcasm on the evils of the world. Pot shots at the hype/’hope’ of a new administration, environmental wreckage, America in the shitter... you know the drill. I feel like I’d enjoy this more if it was just a 7” instead of a full length because let’s be perfectly honest- Jello Biafra’s voice gets on my fucking nerves after awhile. It’s certainly an asset for instantly grabbing you by the throat and forcing you to listen. But after 4 or 5 songs it just gets irritating, especially when the rest of the band refuses to let a song die before the four minute mark. The point is made after two minutes. Wrap it up. We get it. All that aside some of this is good stuff. It just needs to get done with faster. I feel like the most interesting thing here is the varied art (no credit given to anyone) adorning the layout, from a very Obey-inspired cover to the cartoon-ish poster inside. (Alternative Tentacles, www.alternativetentacles.com)
LORD BY FIRE 7”
This group falls into something that’s not quite full-on stoner rock, or heavy metal, or hardcore, but instead a little bit from each column for a pretty bitchin’ heavy mix. Maybe some Eyehategod minus a good deal of the feedback, perhaps some Kylesa without getting too far into left field. I definitely like it though. Unfortunately it’s only two songs though each is a decent length so it sorta makes it all work out. I’d definitely be stoked to hear a few more though. (Forcefield, www.forcefieldrecords.org)
MAYFLOWER, “Lighter Fluid” 7”
A couple years ago some Oswego-area kids started a band for fun to play gruff East Bay-style pop-punk and the result was sloppy, East Bay-style pop punk with lots of depressing lyrics and lightning quick three chord jams. It was alright. Since that time Mayflower has become a bit more serious, added and subtracted some members and is now full force, realizing what I think they were aiming for in the first place. Reminiscent of groups like Off With Their Heads in terms of gruff vocals and a highly cynical lyrical wit this self-released 7” showcases a couple of songs from an as-yet unreleased full length, as well as an additional song exclusive to the record. It’s good to hear a band that understands what pop punk ought to be and not the shitty mall version most people are familiar with. It’s not always pretty, it’s typically very rough around the edges, but it definitely gets a party started. I’ve seen these guys a lot and it’s always in a small place and for some reason the only place where I feel the perfect setting for them is in someone’s garage, playing on the fly before the cops show up to shut things down. One of the best parts of this record is the matrix scratching, which just furthers the dark humor present here: “Live simple, die complicated”. Right on. (vivaoswegas@gmail.com)
NEW NOISE zine #1
I’m really liking this re-emergence of locals creating print zines that are not only committed to documenting the scene, but quality as well. For a first issue this is very well done- very clean and simple layout, comprised entirely of interviews (Polar Bear Club, Unholy, Not Sorry, Foundation, etc) and reviews (think lengthy Skyscraper style). While that may sound average to most I feel like for a first outing it’s a great attempt. Plus, upon reading this one can see the desire to work towards making this as good as can be. This also comes with a comp CD of mostly local bands that’s pretty sweet. My suggestion for next issue though- break out the spellcheck brother because this is a grammatical nightmare at times. Otherwise, everything else is pretty top notch! (www.newnoisezine.wordpress.com)
OVERSTAND cd
This rather short-lived New Jersey band is pretty much what you’d get when you get a few guys who like Black Flag just as much as they like Rage Against the Machine and bob Marley. The band is composed of former members of Charge, and follow a similar path, albeit a little straight ahead punk sounding. This CD collects all their recorded output into a nifty limited screenprinted package. It’s pretty cool. Shawn makes for a pretty good vocalist, but on songs like “Brainwash Mind Games”, which have a far more laid-back Bad Brains style reggae feel the screaming just doesn’t really fit. Overall though, if you dig this sort of hardcore mish-mash of sounds Overstand is a pretty cool band to check into, even if they may not really be a band anymore? (Gaotu Records, www.myspace.com/overstandnj)
SICK: A COMPILATION ZINE ON PHYSICAL ILLNESS
This is a pretty cool idea- get a bunch of people together who have first hand experience with significant physical ailments to contribute pieces on their condition and how their life has been affected because of it. In one sense it’s very depressing, and quite frankly, filled me with a sense of dread about my own mortality for a few minutes each night I picked this up and read through a few more stories. On the other hand, it was exceptionally informative in certain respects as well. I’ve never personally had to deal with something temporary (yet long-lasting) like Lyme Disease, or 100% life changing like cancer so I learned about a bunch of new diseases/ genetic disorders that the contributors have faced, or are facing. Some people discuss how they discovered their illness and what they have done to make life easier on themselves because of it, some discuss the total fucking displeasure of dealing with doctors and insurance (something I think anyone can understand), or how frustrating it can be. Some offer up tips of how to deal with these issues as well. There is a lot of talk of how to comfort friends and loved ones who are dealing with major illness, and so on. There is one recurring issue within these pages that irks me though, and you can call me callous and shallow for it, but it doesn’t change my opinion. That would be this idea that the world needs to accommodate one person because it’s a some sort of radical punk thing to make ‘radical spaces to talk about illness’... listen, not everything has to be ‘radical’ OK? If you have some crazy immune issues and you CHOOSE to live with dirty crusty kids why do you think it’s their responsibility to not dumpster possibly bacteria-infested food just so you might not get sick? The smarter option would probably be to not live with filthy crust punks, right? It’s this, ‘the world revolves around me’ thing that drives me nuts and reading about it just makes me sympathize less for your situation. People who have serious health issues that choose to live in a way that is working against their health shouldn’t get a free pass on sympathy. That’s just my take. Other than the little annoyances this definitely is informative and gives a window into a subject I don’t typically explore too much. (Microcosm, www.microcosmpublishing.com)
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, “Serpents”
I know this band is still kind of new so I’m giving them a free pass on not quite knowing what they want to be just yet. Of everything they throw at you it’s all heavy and pretty bitchin’ overall, but I just can’t quite figure what they’re actually going for. At times there’s a strong From Ashes Rise style of crusty hardcore mixed with some more traditional metal. At other points they go for the Mastodon thing with plenty of riffy noodling. In fact, parts of the third track (“The Watchful Eye”) sounds so close to “Blood and Thunder” you’d think it was a cover, or that Neil Fallon was waiting in the background, ready to jump in and make a cameo. A number of other influences poke their head in and make themselves known. It’s a decent first effort, but it just needs some time to get a bead on what their aim is. (Translation Loss, www.translationloss.com)
TAILINGS CD
Here we have the last recording of this short-lived Syracuse band and it’s a full length of chill jams that continue what they were doing with their demo. Think clean and meandering guitar lines that have a sort of jazzy feel, mixed with maybe a bit of early Tortoise stuff, anchored by thick and simple bass parts and somewhat intricate drumming. The percussion is definitely keeping time in unique ways and full of flourishes so that some of these songs appear to build up to more monumental climaxes, yet it’s never overkill. So in that respect it achieves a pretty cool dynamic overall. Nice home recording and cool handmade packages round it out for a band that has a kind of Chicago- Steve Albini thing, but way more chill vibe. I imagine listening to this when sitting on a porch of a seaside cottage, thinking about Regulator Watts or something. Yup. (no contact)
TENEMENT/FRIENDLY FIRE split 7”
It may be ignorance on my part, but I really had no idea that there were two different bands on this record. They both sound the same. That’s not to say they’re bad because they both rock a very No Idea Records style of catchy and accessible punk with a hint of Superchunk going on. Cool stuff. They like cats a lot. Fine by me, I like cats too. (Forcefield Records, www.forcefieldrecords.org)
WHITE GUILT demo tape
I’m quite aware that whatever sort of criticism I may lob towards this local band regarding the almost unlistenable quality of this recording they clearly will not give a flying fuck and will continue bashing out crazy noise with little to no regard for others hearing. Most definitely taking cues from current hot shit bands like Drunkdriver and Cult Ritual, White Guilt goes for primal fast noise, near powerviolence levels of speed, and bizarre vocal reverb, and throws it all in your gapping maw like so much burning trash down your gullet. I can definitely get behind the extremely raw nature of this group’s intent. I’d just prefer to hear it in a bit more cohesive manner. Of course, I don’t think that will happen. (Barbarossa records, www.barbarossarecords.com)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
WRAP-UP FROM HEX RECORDS 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW
So a couple weeks ago I threw a big show in recognition of running Hex Records for the last 10 years. So I assembled a pretty sweet lineup of bands on the label, or that I've at least done records for at one time or another. Everything went pretty freakin' awesome in my opinion.
Highlights included Ed Gein playing at the Westcott Community Center for the first time in about 3 or 4 years, Prize Country's first time in Syracuse (as well as additional free after show with Git Some) to very warm reception, the final No Idols show after a three year absence, and a swine flu-ridden Pat Kindlon from End Of a Year singing with a surgical mask.... yikes!
The first 25 people in the door got a free copies of a special numbered edition of the Hex Records 10 Year Anniversary compilation (of which there are just a few remaining before the real version comes out... there's actually not much difference at all), as well as a raffle for test pressings of some of the records that were released on Hex this year.
Check the photos below for some of the action. All black and white pics, plus the Night Owls pic were taken by Enrique Blanco. Go to his page for some additional photos from this show and the after show. The rest were taken by me.
Crowd at beginning of show
Hanging dudes
Night Owls
Oak and Bone
End Of a Year
Prize Country
No Idols
Ed Gein
Highlights included Ed Gein playing at the Westcott Community Center for the first time in about 3 or 4 years, Prize Country's first time in Syracuse (as well as additional free after show with Git Some) to very warm reception, the final No Idols show after a three year absence, and a swine flu-ridden Pat Kindlon from End Of a Year singing with a surgical mask.... yikes!
The first 25 people in the door got a free copies of a special numbered edition of the Hex Records 10 Year Anniversary compilation (of which there are just a few remaining before the real version comes out... there's actually not much difference at all), as well as a raffle for test pressings of some of the records that were released on Hex this year.
Check the photos below for some of the action. All black and white pics, plus the Night Owls pic were taken by Enrique Blanco. Go to his page for some additional photos from this show and the after show. The rest were taken by me.
Crowd at beginning of show
Hanging dudes
Night Owls
Oak and Bone
End Of a Year
Prize Country
No Idols
Ed Gein
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
HEX RECORDS BANDS AT THE FEST THIS WEEKEND!
OK, so I won't personally be there (which is unfortunate).
BUT you will be able to find my records there, as well as a couple bands on the label playing as well!
So, first off, Friday at registration in the Flea Market make sure to stop by the Generic Insight Radio table and Barrie will be happy to sell you some of my releases. Friday only!
Next, LEMURIA will be rocking the fucking house on Saturday at Common Grounds at 7PM. They will have the new 7" in tow... so get it!
Finally, the PRIZE COUNTRY dudes will be playing on Sunday at Rum Runners at 3:30. They will also have their new records with them so make sure to buy one. The boys had a rough week as their van broke down after Syracuse and it set them back a bit, so show up and give them some love!
Last but not least... let me know how the Fest is. I wish I could be there!
BUT you will be able to find my records there, as well as a couple bands on the label playing as well!
So, first off, Friday at registration in the Flea Market make sure to stop by the Generic Insight Radio table and Barrie will be happy to sell you some of my releases. Friday only!
Next, LEMURIA will be rocking the fucking house on Saturday at Common Grounds at 7PM. They will have the new 7" in tow... so get it!
Finally, the PRIZE COUNTRY dudes will be playing on Sunday at Rum Runners at 3:30. They will also have their new records with them so make sure to buy one. The boys had a rough week as their van broke down after Syracuse and it set them back a bit, so show up and give them some love!
Last but not least... let me know how the Fest is. I wish I could be there!
Friday, October 23, 2009
HEX RECORDS 10th ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE SHOW
So this weekend is a big deal. Ten years in the 'biz', haha. Weird.
If you're in the area come celebrate.
I'll be giving out free show-only editions of the 10 year comp., selling coffee mugs, selling all back catalog stuff on the cheap. Plus NO IDOLS is playing it's long-delayed final show. We're also getting rid of all our extra crap (shirts, LPs, CDs, etc.) on the cheap as well.
There's also a stellar FREE after show too (for those over 21) at Half Penny Pub with MISTLETOE, PRIZE COUNTRY (two sets in one day!), and GIT SOME.
And on Sunday is the annula Halloween Bash with ANOTHER BREATH, ARCHITECT, TORCHBEARER, and MAYFLOWER. Come and get silly.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
SO CHECK OUT WHAT SHOWED UP...
So a ton of records showed up today. Re-printed (i.e. 'correct') coffee mugs within the next couple days. Comp. discs pretty soon after that. Bad news: the End Of a Year 7" will be a few more weeks. So instead of keeping people waiting, those who ordered that plus other stuff I'm going to send the download card with your order and send the physical copy when I get it. If you just ordered the EOAY 7"... well, sorry, you'll just have to wait a little longer. It's pretty much a one man operation around here and I work as fast as I can.
Expect most orders to start shipping out by this weekend and the rest next week.
Word.
Expect most orders to start shipping out by this weekend and the rest next week.
Word.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
It's about time for some reviews!
It certainly has been awhile since you've seen some of these huh? Well, in case you haven't been keeping score it's been a little busy around here. I do what I can. But hey, thankfully a lot of the new stuff I've been jamming on has been pretty stellar. So let's get with it, shall we?
AT BOTH ENDS #9, 10
Well, someone certainly has set the bar higher. I guess if you’re going to go out do it in a way that’s going to make everyone else attempting to publish something in print basically give up. The last two issues of At Both Ends (combined as one gigantic 150+ page zine), a long-running zine based out of Vancouver, really went all out here. This thing looks great (and features the ever hairy Timm Trust of The Helm on the cover!) and features butt loads of content. The interviews are pretty good and drill Verse, Sick Of It All, Shook Ones, Wait In Vain, To Kill, Shai Hulud, Greg Bennick, Anchor, and Dave Larson, among others. To me, the strong suit for this zine has always been all the other content- an exhaustive tour diary of Bane in South America, a retrospective on Sparkmarker and Brand New Unit, a roundtable zine discussion, random tales from various punkers about their favorite places to travel, the process of vinyl mastering, Canadian geography, crypto zoology, science fiction, indie filmmaking, and the city of Tacoma. Pretty random, but completely entertaining. Weak spots are the reviews as they are mostly brief and kind of dated. Otherwise, Steve has laid down an excellent final issue. Oh, did I mention this comes with a double 7” featuring new stuff from Bane, Grade (yeah... Grade), Unrestrained, and Between Earth and Sky? Crazy! (At Both Ends, www.atbothendsmagazine.com)
BURNT BY THE SUN, “Heart Of Darkness”
Some people may have a problem with bands that remain the same. They want development, maturity, some ‘next level’ shit. I feel like Burnt By the Sun is a band that, despite the wide gap between this and their last record (5 years I believe) has changed very little. Aside from more gray hairs, possible status change from ‘renting’ to ‘owning’ a dwelling, kids, and possibly a larger waist size they essentially sound like the same band. This is hardly a knock against this band and their obvious talent as musicians. It’s more of a welcome continuation of a group that has consistently created some of the most abrasive, and at the same time, accessible heavy metal of our time. Somehow their wild riffs, weird breakdowns, and slightly off-time chugging flow seamlessly into well-oiled musical machines of mass destruction. It’s good stuff. My only gripe is that I think I am always wanting more out of Dave Witte. His drumming clearly fits the music- tons of double bass, solid rhythms, and so on... fitting somewhere between classic metalcore and death metal styles. But I know he can blast faster than just about anyone out there and for some reason I want to hear more of that. But that’s not necessarily this band and I am content with the final offering I am receiving with this very well-done record. If you gotta go out, go out the way you know best and give ‘em what they expect. This is definitely a kick-ass piece of work. (Relapse, www.relapse.com)
CICADA, s/t CDEP
While this is only 5 songs this could probably count as a full length for this Central New York metal machine that have been slugging it out for the last couple years here. On their first real deal release their blend of swampy metal, drony hardcore, and hot-shit leads may get a bit carried away in the length of their songs, but typically redeems itself by letting the riffs get stuck in your head. Bellowing vocals present a good deal of variety with a commanding, yet soaring presence. They have the type of leads/solos that when they’re done playing them it’s as if they take a step back and look to where they were just standing in awe, as if to say to themselves’ that’s right, I just played that part standing in that spot’. So again, while I think some of these songs could be trimmed down in length a little bit at certain points it works to their advantage, like the closing song and it’s incredibly catchy chugging, followed a closing part that recalls Hum, strangely enough. Fans of early mastodon would be wise to take note of this group. (self-released, http://www.myspace.com/cicadacny)
KOWLOON WALLED CITY, “Gambling On the Richter Scale”
Here we go. There are a lot of bands lately going for a stoner metal vibe, or the Mastodon thing. But few doing it in a way that is interesting. Kowloon Walled City combine subtle elements of both, but end up with their own unique thing. I’m loving this CD. So friggin’ heavy, yet so well-written and brooding at the same time. KWC drop huge, dirty riffs with slight progressive riffs every now and again, but appear to aim more towards the ‘crush, kill, destroy’ style of slow bulldozer death. Vocally this guy sounds almost identical to Chris Spencer from Unsane in the way that his voice is gritty, a bit distorted, and yelling like someone’s dragging a rake across his voicebox. The first track, “Annandale” and the title track are easily my favorites, but everything on here is a winner. This is probably going to be a sleeper jam for most as I don’t think this group gets out of the West Coast much. Take this write-up as a cue to stop nappin’ and start checking this band out. Really good stuff here for anyone into pure heaviness. (The Perpetual Motion Machine, www.the perpetualmotionmachine.com)
NO FRIENDS s/t
A rather weird mix-up of people from bands that don’t really sound too similar (New Mexican Disaster Squad and Municipal Waste) come together to lay down some music in the form of No Friends. There’s a generally good vibe here- tossing the catchy youth crew punk feel of some Gorilla Biscuits right alongside a heavy dose of older Avail style. The first half of this flies right by and keeps you at the edge of your seat, but the second half loses a bit of steam and doesn’t keep the attention as much. Overall it’s a solid release and everything about it looks pretty dope, down to the simple design of the layout. If anyone remembers that rather short-lived band Trial By Fire this sounds almost exactly like them. (No Idea, www.noidearecords.com)
PISSED JEANS, “King Of Jeans”
What the fuck. This band just pissed my jeans. Their last two records were high on the awesome scale, but this one really kicks it up a notch. For a band that plays so noisy and loose they sound more together than they ever have, if that makes any sense. The rocking punk songs are louder, feistier, and more rocking. The slow and sludgy tracks are more gruesome and mean. I’m having trouble deciding which I like the best, but I think I’m leaning on the crushing stomp of “Pleasure Race” and the deplorable ‘everyday mundane boredom as epic life failure’ of “Spent”. When you can make a climactic closing lyric out of “the weeks fly by and my only prize/ Is watching my waist increase in size” you’re either well past the point of caring about what, vocally, gets committed to tape permanently, or you have a nasty sense of humor seeing as the song could have easily been penned with some Satan-worship Black Sabbath love given the slow and evil thunderous mass of the music. Instead, we get a picture of one lonely mans day walking around in sweatpants with a semi-erection eating doughnuts. I don’t know, you tell me which is actually a scarier picture? And yet, sweat-oozing, balls-to-the-wall riffs get more than half the room on this record in catchy ragers like “Human Upskirt”, “False Jessei II”, and “She Is Science Fiction”. Easily one of my favorite records of the year. I dig the insert live picture of some random girl fan choking out the singer. (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com)
POLAR BEAR CLUB, “Chasing the Hamburgler”
I know that’s not really the title, but I thought it was more humorous that way. And given the very humble and lighthearted approach to which this band has taken their recent surge of popularity I think they would also happily consider this as an official alternate title to their new full length. So here’s what I think about the actual record, and not some lame joke about it that I just thought up. I’m not that into it. I know that’s blasphemy to the kids at large right now, but I’ve given it a few listens and it’s just not coming through. I’ve heard them play some of these songs live on a handful of occasions and they sound great, but on here it’s just not translating. Maybe I’m just a sucker for the chunky riffs and bouncy rhythms of their earlier material, which I thought was really great. Here they opt for, I guess you could say, more ‘mature’ songwriting maybe? Either way, it seems it’s the writing of a band that’s thinking about their next move, planning it out, making everything flow nicely together, and come up with a decent rock record. Perhaps the older material was a bit more off the cuff and somewhat spontaneous? I’m not sure. Whatever the case it’s a well-written record, just one that’s not doing a whole lot for me. But I’ll tell you this though- if this thing had come out in the Summer “Living Saints” would be my jam for the whole season. I’ll just have to keep jamming that one ‘til next year so I can make it my jam for summer 2010. (Bridge 9, www.bridge9.com)
TORCHBEARER, “The Worst Is Yet To Come” 7”
Torchbearer are from around New Brunswick and like many bands that have emerged out of that scene they continue to do something interesting. So many influential bands have come out of that little town, all of them have done their own unique spin on hardcore and punk, and it’s col to see that Torchbearer are doing their own cool thing. While in many ways their sound lends itself heavily to a variety of mid-to-late 90’s styles colliding into a frenzied blur, but it’s welcome and just a little scary at the same time. They fuck around with noisy guitar freakouts a la Die 116, and lurch with droning sonic mass like Kiss It Goodbye, and finally round things out by setting a solid foundation with a touch of mid-90s moshy hardcore. Kind of a weird mix huh? Yeah, I think so too. But I’m into it, and I think it works well for them. I have to say I’m a little partial to their previous EP, though mostly because the recording on this 3-song record sounds a little thin for what they’re doing, and that last record sounded heavy and meaty. But the last song here has a killer riff going for it, so it’s a close one. Definitely a band to check out on record because I don’t think they make it out too far from home for shows. (Soul Rebel Records, www.myspace.com/xsoulrebelrecordsx)
TOURNAMENT, “Years Old” LP
On their initial CDEP Brooklyn’s Tournament definitely seemed to pining for the lost years of KARP and the Jesus Lizard. It’s not like that bothered me at all as I love both of those bands and you could tell that Tournament liked them a lot too. So on this new full length I feel like they cast off that influence somewhat in favor of a lot more weird songs. There is a good deal of spazzy guitar effects, sort of like the corpse of Frodus getting dragged through the mud and then thrown into a ditch so passerbyers could break out a poking stick and, ya know, poke around. The band seems to piloting a ship to the sun, reveling in their space madness, and enjoying the deathride with a lot of cheap beer and equally as affordable hallucinogens. It’s pretty good overall. I just gotta ask this- what’s up with a) the mangina on the cover?, and b) why are the lyrics printed on the inside of the sleeve? Is it weird just to be weird or a misprint of some kind? (Forcefield, www.forcefieldrecords.org)
UNHOLY, “New Life Behind Closed Eyes”
A record like this needs to come out the gate totally tearing your face off. In 2009 being a metalcore band (in this case leaning farther on the metal side for sure) is a tough business and if you don’t have the stones to keep on top of the game you will most certainly fall into the never-ending pit seemingly overflowing with complete bullshit bands with terrible played out music. Thankfully Unholy have a long history of talented musicians within their ranks that have been at this for years and understand the pressure they are under to do something worthwhile in a genre that typically fails miserably. The first song on this immediately yanks your scrotum right out with a spastic riff that breaks into a nice and fast double bass part, followed by some end-of-the-world type leads and unrelenting metal. A good Meshuggah riff carries another song for a good percentage of the time, while some warped guitar riffs flow in and out, again inspiring bible-burning end times fuck-you-all paranoia. Lyrically the themes of humans as a cancer, macabre visions of the world coming to an end, and so on round this sucker out with some seriously disturbing artwork within (don’t be fooled by the somewhat fantasy-styled cover art, which is quite awesome in it’s own right). Unholy definitely bring about a style that may have some roots in late 90’s/early 2000s metalcore, but without a doubt can wipe their ass with most bands that consider themselves metal today. (Prosthetic, www.prostheticrecords.com)
Well, someone certainly has set the bar higher. I guess if you’re going to go out do it in a way that’s going to make everyone else attempting to publish something in print basically give up. The last two issues of At Both Ends (combined as one gigantic 150+ page zine), a long-running zine based out of Vancouver, really went all out here. This thing looks great (and features the ever hairy Timm Trust of The Helm on the cover!) and features butt loads of content. The interviews are pretty good and drill Verse, Sick Of It All, Shook Ones, Wait In Vain, To Kill, Shai Hulud, Greg Bennick, Anchor, and Dave Larson, among others. To me, the strong suit for this zine has always been all the other content- an exhaustive tour diary of Bane in South America, a retrospective on Sparkmarker and Brand New Unit, a roundtable zine discussion, random tales from various punkers about their favorite places to travel, the process of vinyl mastering, Canadian geography, crypto zoology, science fiction, indie filmmaking, and the city of Tacoma. Pretty random, but completely entertaining. Weak spots are the reviews as they are mostly brief and kind of dated. Otherwise, Steve has laid down an excellent final issue. Oh, did I mention this comes with a double 7” featuring new stuff from Bane, Grade (yeah... Grade), Unrestrained, and Between Earth and Sky? Crazy! (At Both Ends, www.atbothendsmagazine.com)
BURNT BY THE SUN, “Heart Of Darkness”
Some people may have a problem with bands that remain the same. They want development, maturity, some ‘next level’ shit. I feel like Burnt By the Sun is a band that, despite the wide gap between this and their last record (5 years I believe) has changed very little. Aside from more gray hairs, possible status change from ‘renting’ to ‘owning’ a dwelling, kids, and possibly a larger waist size they essentially sound like the same band. This is hardly a knock against this band and their obvious talent as musicians. It’s more of a welcome continuation of a group that has consistently created some of the most abrasive, and at the same time, accessible heavy metal of our time. Somehow their wild riffs, weird breakdowns, and slightly off-time chugging flow seamlessly into well-oiled musical machines of mass destruction. It’s good stuff. My only gripe is that I think I am always wanting more out of Dave Witte. His drumming clearly fits the music- tons of double bass, solid rhythms, and so on... fitting somewhere between classic metalcore and death metal styles. But I know he can blast faster than just about anyone out there and for some reason I want to hear more of that. But that’s not necessarily this band and I am content with the final offering I am receiving with this very well-done record. If you gotta go out, go out the way you know best and give ‘em what they expect. This is definitely a kick-ass piece of work. (Relapse, www.relapse.com)
CICADA, s/t CDEP
While this is only 5 songs this could probably count as a full length for this Central New York metal machine that have been slugging it out for the last couple years here. On their first real deal release their blend of swampy metal, drony hardcore, and hot-shit leads may get a bit carried away in the length of their songs, but typically redeems itself by letting the riffs get stuck in your head. Bellowing vocals present a good deal of variety with a commanding, yet soaring presence. They have the type of leads/solos that when they’re done playing them it’s as if they take a step back and look to where they were just standing in awe, as if to say to themselves’ that’s right, I just played that part standing in that spot’. So again, while I think some of these songs could be trimmed down in length a little bit at certain points it works to their advantage, like the closing song and it’s incredibly catchy chugging, followed a closing part that recalls Hum, strangely enough. Fans of early mastodon would be wise to take note of this group. (self-released, http://www.myspace.com/cicadacny)
KOWLOON WALLED CITY, “Gambling On the Richter Scale”
Here we go. There are a lot of bands lately going for a stoner metal vibe, or the Mastodon thing. But few doing it in a way that is interesting. Kowloon Walled City combine subtle elements of both, but end up with their own unique thing. I’m loving this CD. So friggin’ heavy, yet so well-written and brooding at the same time. KWC drop huge, dirty riffs with slight progressive riffs every now and again, but appear to aim more towards the ‘crush, kill, destroy’ style of slow bulldozer death. Vocally this guy sounds almost identical to Chris Spencer from Unsane in the way that his voice is gritty, a bit distorted, and yelling like someone’s dragging a rake across his voicebox. The first track, “Annandale” and the title track are easily my favorites, but everything on here is a winner. This is probably going to be a sleeper jam for most as I don’t think this group gets out of the West Coast much. Take this write-up as a cue to stop nappin’ and start checking this band out. Really good stuff here for anyone into pure heaviness. (The Perpetual Motion Machine, www.the perpetualmotionmachine.com)
NO FRIENDS s/t
A rather weird mix-up of people from bands that don’t really sound too similar (New Mexican Disaster Squad and Municipal Waste) come together to lay down some music in the form of No Friends. There’s a generally good vibe here- tossing the catchy youth crew punk feel of some Gorilla Biscuits right alongside a heavy dose of older Avail style. The first half of this flies right by and keeps you at the edge of your seat, but the second half loses a bit of steam and doesn’t keep the attention as much. Overall it’s a solid release and everything about it looks pretty dope, down to the simple design of the layout. If anyone remembers that rather short-lived band Trial By Fire this sounds almost exactly like them. (No Idea, www.noidearecords.com)
PISSED JEANS, “King Of Jeans”
What the fuck. This band just pissed my jeans. Their last two records were high on the awesome scale, but this one really kicks it up a notch. For a band that plays so noisy and loose they sound more together than they ever have, if that makes any sense. The rocking punk songs are louder, feistier, and more rocking. The slow and sludgy tracks are more gruesome and mean. I’m having trouble deciding which I like the best, but I think I’m leaning on the crushing stomp of “Pleasure Race” and the deplorable ‘everyday mundane boredom as epic life failure’ of “Spent”. When you can make a climactic closing lyric out of “the weeks fly by and my only prize/ Is watching my waist increase in size” you’re either well past the point of caring about what, vocally, gets committed to tape permanently, or you have a nasty sense of humor seeing as the song could have easily been penned with some Satan-worship Black Sabbath love given the slow and evil thunderous mass of the music. Instead, we get a picture of one lonely mans day walking around in sweatpants with a semi-erection eating doughnuts. I don’t know, you tell me which is actually a scarier picture? And yet, sweat-oozing, balls-to-the-wall riffs get more than half the room on this record in catchy ragers like “Human Upskirt”, “False Jessei II”, and “She Is Science Fiction”. Easily one of my favorite records of the year. I dig the insert live picture of some random girl fan choking out the singer. (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com)
POLAR BEAR CLUB, “Chasing the Hamburgler”
I know that’s not really the title, but I thought it was more humorous that way. And given the very humble and lighthearted approach to which this band has taken their recent surge of popularity I think they would also happily consider this as an official alternate title to their new full length. So here’s what I think about the actual record, and not some lame joke about it that I just thought up. I’m not that into it. I know that’s blasphemy to the kids at large right now, but I’ve given it a few listens and it’s just not coming through. I’ve heard them play some of these songs live on a handful of occasions and they sound great, but on here it’s just not translating. Maybe I’m just a sucker for the chunky riffs and bouncy rhythms of their earlier material, which I thought was really great. Here they opt for, I guess you could say, more ‘mature’ songwriting maybe? Either way, it seems it’s the writing of a band that’s thinking about their next move, planning it out, making everything flow nicely together, and come up with a decent rock record. Perhaps the older material was a bit more off the cuff and somewhat spontaneous? I’m not sure. Whatever the case it’s a well-written record, just one that’s not doing a whole lot for me. But I’ll tell you this though- if this thing had come out in the Summer “Living Saints” would be my jam for the whole season. I’ll just have to keep jamming that one ‘til next year so I can make it my jam for summer 2010. (Bridge 9, www.bridge9.com)
TORCHBEARER, “The Worst Is Yet To Come” 7”
Torchbearer are from around New Brunswick and like many bands that have emerged out of that scene they continue to do something interesting. So many influential bands have come out of that little town, all of them have done their own unique spin on hardcore and punk, and it’s col to see that Torchbearer are doing their own cool thing. While in many ways their sound lends itself heavily to a variety of mid-to-late 90’s styles colliding into a frenzied blur, but it’s welcome and just a little scary at the same time. They fuck around with noisy guitar freakouts a la Die 116, and lurch with droning sonic mass like Kiss It Goodbye, and finally round things out by setting a solid foundation with a touch of mid-90s moshy hardcore. Kind of a weird mix huh? Yeah, I think so too. But I’m into it, and I think it works well for them. I have to say I’m a little partial to their previous EP, though mostly because the recording on this 3-song record sounds a little thin for what they’re doing, and that last record sounded heavy and meaty. But the last song here has a killer riff going for it, so it’s a close one. Definitely a band to check out on record because I don’t think they make it out too far from home for shows. (Soul Rebel Records, www.myspace.com/xsoulrebelrecordsx)
TOURNAMENT, “Years Old” LP
On their initial CDEP Brooklyn’s Tournament definitely seemed to pining for the lost years of KARP and the Jesus Lizard. It’s not like that bothered me at all as I love both of those bands and you could tell that Tournament liked them a lot too. So on this new full length I feel like they cast off that influence somewhat in favor of a lot more weird songs. There is a good deal of spazzy guitar effects, sort of like the corpse of Frodus getting dragged through the mud and then thrown into a ditch so passerbyers could break out a poking stick and, ya know, poke around. The band seems to piloting a ship to the sun, reveling in their space madness, and enjoying the deathride with a lot of cheap beer and equally as affordable hallucinogens. It’s pretty good overall. I just gotta ask this- what’s up with a) the mangina on the cover?, and b) why are the lyrics printed on the inside of the sleeve? Is it weird just to be weird or a misprint of some kind? (Forcefield, www.forcefieldrecords.org)
UNHOLY, “New Life Behind Closed Eyes”
A record like this needs to come out the gate totally tearing your face off. In 2009 being a metalcore band (in this case leaning farther on the metal side for sure) is a tough business and if you don’t have the stones to keep on top of the game you will most certainly fall into the never-ending pit seemingly overflowing with complete bullshit bands with terrible played out music. Thankfully Unholy have a long history of talented musicians within their ranks that have been at this for years and understand the pressure they are under to do something worthwhile in a genre that typically fails miserably. The first song on this immediately yanks your scrotum right out with a spastic riff that breaks into a nice and fast double bass part, followed by some end-of-the-world type leads and unrelenting metal. A good Meshuggah riff carries another song for a good percentage of the time, while some warped guitar riffs flow in and out, again inspiring bible-burning end times fuck-you-all paranoia. Lyrically the themes of humans as a cancer, macabre visions of the world coming to an end, and so on round this sucker out with some seriously disturbing artwork within (don’t be fooled by the somewhat fantasy-styled cover art, which is quite awesome in it’s own right). Unholy definitely bring about a style that may have some roots in late 90’s/early 2000s metalcore, but without a doubt can wipe their ass with most bands that consider themselves metal today. (Prosthetic, www.prostheticrecords.com)
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