SECRET KNOWLEDGE

I've been sitting on this new s/t LP from Hounds Of Hate for weeks now trying to figure out how I'd approach this post. My copy's on black vinyl, and it was pressed by Painkiller. This style of hardcore (the HARD, good stuff that takes stark influence late 80's NYHC, Breakdown, Warzone etc), is usually right up my alley. Old and new bands doing this style always tend to grab my interest. Seeing a release on what I regard as one of the best labels in modern hardcore too should also be a major selling point for me. But for whatever reason, the band in general just don't do it for me, they never have. Perhaps the fact that this came out at exactly the same time as the Violent Reaction LP, and most of my attention has been directed at that album has something to do with it. Don't trust my opinion though, the sound here is good; the recording is loud and thick and packs that thud that does this style of hardcore massive justice. The bulk of the songs are of the mid to high pace and the riffs are everywhere. The vocalist also has a very cool style that reminds me heaps of Jeff Perlin. Maybe I need to just give this thing more time? Probably. But for now it's just not doing it for me.

LIVE FOREVER

New Black Sabbath LP, "13". Double 12". Gatefold. Vertigo Records. I refuse to make an in depth post about this here. It's not terrible, but they'll never rewrite that early stuff. Like I really need to mention that though. Fans of the Ozzy era 'Sabbath should enjoy this, like I do, but yeah, modern Black Sabbath? It is what it is.

GOD COMPLEX

Death Metal comparisons have been circulating here and there over the last few weeks on various blogs and the like in regards to this new album, "Human Overdose" from Hatred Surge, pressed by Iron Lung Records. Though I can certainly hear some sort of that influence (what even remotely heavy form of punk or metal wouldn't claim some kind of lineage to bands like Autopsy, Entombed or Morbid Angel these days?), I wouldn't say that it's overly obvious or even intentional on the bands part. New(ish) guitarist and songwriter Chris Ulsh's penchant for more metal orientated writing would arguably be some sort of contributing factor, but really, now that the band are back to a three piece in the studio and live, and all vocal duties are again handled solely by Alex, this new album of theirs reminds me a lot more of the earlier stuff when it was all just Alex on his own. The recording quality harks back to that old stuff too, far removed from both the bands rougher, more crust orientated era and their later stuff with Rahi on vocals. If you ask me, that later stuff was far more Death Metal sounding than this new album.
A band of many many sounds over the years, they certainly do utilise less blasts beats here than they have previously, and big chunky riffs dominate the bulk of the songs, but it's almost like the band have come full circle with this album, albeit with an updated recording sound and more focused approach. To be honest, unlike albums from other bigger bands of this ilk, I wasn't at all anticipating the release of this LP, but it looks like that apart from the bands s/t 7" from 2005, I think this may be some of favourite HS stuff to date. Abhorrent hardcore.

I'M A PRICK

My fondness of Toronto's Wastoids was first and only once mentioned on this blog around nine months ago when I made a quick post about a similar incarnation of this new EP of theirs. Labelled something along the lines of "Three More Songs About Living In The Suburbs", back in September three songs were released in the digital format only by the band themselves. At the time I was perplexed as to why this thing wasn't seeing the light of day via the proper analogue treatment, as the three songs presented were just total bangers of the snotty, degenerate, no hoper kind. The kind of stuff that would totally be at home on a label like Deranged Records or No Way! Records three or four years ago. I'd read a few stories of how the dudes in the band were total fucking turds and impossible to deal with so I more or less assumed that either no labels wanted anything to do with them, or perhaps vice versa.
Well to my relief, Deranged have finally come to the table and given this EP a proper release, this time with an additional two songs recorded in a later session. They've also decided to re-don the slab with a s/t moniker. As mentioned, the band take a pretty sharp shot at the whole "TIBNLA" vibe. Jerry's Kids, FU's etc. No hoper, outsider, shitty outlook kind of hardcore punk. The three earlier songs are still my favourite with their blown out recordings. "I'm A Prick" would certainly please most potential fans with it's sharp, desperate vocals, fuzzed power chords and streamlined construction. Though, the other two originals, "My Toronto", and "Brown Sugar, Brown Liquor" are just as brilliant in their execution. To be honest, the last of those three has probably seen the most repeated plays in my itunes this year. The new tracks run an almost identical territory. More unashamedly self aware loser hardcore, though the recordings lend themselves to an arguably more stompy feel, and with the track listing of all five songs mixed up it kind of gives this EP as a whole a more varied feel. Those buying into this band with this record for the first time though probably won't get that vibe quite as much as it's all pretty similar stuff. Certainly not to be passed up if you're a fan of the quality punk and hardcore coming out of Toronto at the moment.

PUB BRAWL

Picked this up recently, the new split 7" between The Kill and Captain Cleanoff. Blue vinyl, pressed by Psychocontrol Records. Obtained via Discogs dot com. Considering that these bands would likely be considered two of Australia's premier current grindcore bands, I've never been able to generate any real interest in either of them. To be fair, what I really know about either band is minimal at best, but to me they've always seemed like the local grind bands that cater to the more lazy metal and punk guys who couldn't be arsed putting any effort into digging for good, genuine grind. Don't get me wrong here, both of these groups utilise some pretty fucking abrasive blasts, and far less palatable sounds in general, but production qualities for most of both bands recorded output have always pretty high end for this kind of music, and probably a little too up scale for my tastes. There's always been something about the vocal stylings for both bands that I could never get into either. Not brutal enough etc.
The Kill's contribution to this split has perhaps altered my opinion on the band a little. The recording is rough and blown out and loud. The songs are relentless and no frills. Perhaps the fact that the first spin I gave their side was at maximum volume when nobody was home had something to do with it too. Captain Cleanoff's work hasn't really done a huge amount to sway me either way on them though. The recording comes across (to me) as a little sterile and weak, but in the grand scheme of things the band is still obviously good at what they do. Just not my cup of tea I guess.

STOMPED OUT

Maybe I would have gone into much more depth about this new LP, "City Streets" from Liverpool's finest Violent Reaction, but it seems I'm just about the last guy blogging about this fantastic album. Only one thing to blame for that and it's the fact that Painkiller Records took four weeks to actually get around to shipping out my order after the original payment date, and then there was the three weeks in international transit. Black vinyl of the wider press here. Though I was really hoping for the limited red variation. Bummer. Incidentally, Quality Control Records has just handled the Euro press of this album, and I managed to score the limited variation of that edition. Will blog when it arrives.
Regular readers would assumedly be very aware of my penchant for this great band. A totally ripping demo from late 2011 followed by an even stompier s/t 7" from last year had me blabbing on about the group for months and months (so excited I got, with Tom's approval I even had a batch of VxR shirts printed up, of which stock still remains, hit me up if you want one cheap). This new material from Tom and co. takes on a noticeably more Oi! feel while also incorporating some very stark Boston hardcore traits previously unexplored on the demo or 7". These traits manifest themselves most obviously in the ultra fast 1-2-1-2 beats knotted into a handful of the songs, something the band hadn't tried out before this. Meanwhile the more rounded feel to the remainder of the music gives it a much more English sound. The recording claims a great deal of responsibility for this too, incorporating less of a typical American feel. Not quite as loud, not quite as razor sharp. The general imagery of the sleeve helps also in conveying the vibe the band are obviously interested in putting out there.
Highlights of the record would be "Own Worst Enemy" with it's bullshitless attitude. It lasts barely 45 seconds and doesn't once sways from the same three chords. "Use & Abuse" would be another one that employs a massively simple three chord approach for the bulk of it's length. Throw in a cool little solo near the end and you've got a banger. Brendan Radigan's guest vocal contribution to the track "Left For Dead" goes a long way to make that song interesting. His bit comes in at the end of the song when the mosh part happens and his rasp suits the 25 seconds of stomp very well. "VxR Stomp", "Judgement Day" (featuring guesties by DFJ recorded in a car) and "Vultures" are another three great songs.
Seems that a lot of people (pretty much anyone with an ounce of good taste) are wise to how good this band is now. Can't be blamed really, these guys certainly put to shame just about any other bands at the moment playing this style of hardcore. Has this been said? 'Album of the year?' My answer would most likely be 'yes'.

BLIND COMSUMPTION

I already posted about the Euro version of the following split in September last year, and though I love all of the recorded output of Vaccine, they aren't a band that I'm overly concerned with when it comes to collecting variations etc. There's only one band I bother with like that and they've been way too quiet lately. This American press Drugged Conscience Records variation of the Vaccine/Coke Bust split is anything but quiet though. Loud loud loud, hyperblast hardcore.
The main reason I grabbed this is for the differing artwork from the original. Much more in tune with the general feel that both bands tend to emit, I probably wouldn't even have grabbed it at all, if it wasn't though for the fact that one of the bands made a point about how they didn't like that artwork from the Euro press and how it ended up turning out much different to how they imagined it would. This version feels much more proper.

AN ENDLESS LANDSCAPE OF DEATH

Considering my strong interest in the Boston Hardcore scene, I am almost astounded at how long it took me to take an interest in one man Black Metal debauchery, Torture Chain. Friends of mine have blogged about this band before, people who's opinions in music I trust have raved about it, and yet it's taken me more than three years to realise just how good this band is. This is the 2010 demo tape "Across Great Landscapes To A Legacy Of Blood" pressed to vinyl last year by Yersinia Pestis Records. Unsure of the details, though I have a feeling my copy on white wax is of the more limited edition.
Brilliant, melodic, dark, oddly catchy Black Metal is what you get here. Nothing new, nothing ground breaking, just well written and executed blasphemy. Tremolo picking dominates the bulk of the songs, though they're well distributed with more traditional metal riffery, breaks and the odd lead. Raspy pitched vocals as per the quota for this style of music fill the gaps, accompanied with a fair share of grunts and groans, and mid to fast paced blasts and 1-2-1-2 beats.
A classic 80's USHC cover does well to break the Chain, and may offer some sort of suggestion as to who (or what) is composing this stuff. What I suspect is a strong contributing factor to the sudden development of my interest in the band is perhaps these suggestions. Though liner notes and virtually all internet searches turn up nothing more than the name of 'Torturer' as sole driving force (with some contributions made by 'Uksglass'), if one does their homework, it's pretty easy to figure out just who is committing this music to tape. Fuck, just being familiar with the vocal stylings of the singer of one of Boston's biggest current hardcore bands should make it almost a dead give away. Though, like I said, nothing exists anywhere to my knowledge to confirm these suspicions.
The bands brand new full length album has just reared it's ugly head via a sold out tape at Chaos In Tejas, though I'm crossing my fingers for a proper, possibly wider release for the world that accesses this stuff via the internet. If you search properly you'll find a mediafire link too.

NOT THIS TIME

Newest cassette release from the ever powerful Rain On The Parade Records out of Canberra. The 2005 rehearsal tape from the now defunct Hard Luck. Certainly one of the greatest hardcore bands to come out of Australia in the last ten years, this tape and their earlier stuff (their demo, the split with Faux Hawks and the 'What Went Wrong" EP) that followed this is simple, great hardcore. What you get here is definitely a rough cut of the band in their formative period. There's a couple covers from bands like DYS and Negative Approach amongst others and that's a good indication of the kind of angle Hard Luck played at. Most of the stuff here saw reincarnations in the aforementioned later releases, so I suspect that the only real reason you'd want this is of you were a proper Hard Luck fan. Worthy release for the proper collector maybe?

FUCK EVERYTHING

This is the split 7" between the American Roskopp and Needful Things from The Czech Republic. Pressed by Give Praise, To Live A Lie, Nuclear Ass and Psychocontrol on this shitty mixed vinyl. The latest offering from both bands, pressed later last year, I'd argue that this could be some of Roskopp's better stuff. It's got a heavy Insect Warfare lean in the guitar tone and general feel and none of the songs really drop in tempo what so ever. Not being overly familiar with the bulk of the Needful Things catalogue, I could say much the same for their contribution here. It's heavy and loud, though it reminds me heaps of Shit Storm and that bands contribution to a split with Magrudergrind from 2006. I think I get that vibe most from the guys vocal approach. Solid effort from both bands and an entertaining release from some of grind's most consistent labels.

HOLE IN THE SKY

And the last one for now, the bands sixth LP, originally released in '75, "Sabotage". Again, reissued by NEMS and pressed this time on blue vinyl. Possibly one of the hardest riffs ever written can be found on this album in the track "Symptom Of The Universe". Metal. Coincidentally it turns the bands new album "13" is out today or tomorrow? Or yesterday? Should I bother?

WHO ARE YOU?

The next one; the fifth Black Sabbath opus, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", repressed again by NEMS on red vinyl.

SWEET LEAF

The local big business, national chain electronics and entertainment store has recently started stocking vinyl LP's, and much to my surprise their collection isn't half bad. I would assume that this little venture of theirs would be based solely off the current popularity of record collecting amongst the trendier types, and though their range is mostly reissues and the like, they're actually stocking a good amount of stuff that caught my attention on a recent trip. Black Flag, Down, Pantera, Metallica, Saint Vitus, Bad Brains, Fu Manchu, Sleep, Misfits, Slayer amongst others. This past weekends browse turned up reissues of the last three Black Sabbath records that I wanted as part of my collection. Here's a recent repress of the bands brilliant third album "Master Of Reality" by NEMS on red wax.