BAR SMASH

Kurb Stomp- Stomp The Druggies Tape (Self Released)
First Edition, 2012

I don't really remember how I got onto Kurb Stomp. I think this "Stomp The Druggies" demo tape of theirs may have been included in a Youth Attack update at some point in 2012 and I may have looked into the band from there, but I'm not sure. This would certainly be the kind of music you'd expect to see Youth Attack involved with these days; ignorant, scummy, stripped down hardcore. The four tracks here possess one of the most blown out, roughest recordings I've heard since the last Urban Blight EP and scrape in at around five minutes. I'd been chasing this tape for the better part of 12 months until one popped up on discogs from somewhere in Europe a few weeks ago. Lyrical content revolves mostly around ignorant, baiting straight edge lyrics, and though I'm not edge at all, I wish I was when listening to "SxE Streetfight". Good stuff.

THE DICKS HATE THE POLICE

The Dicks- Hate The Police 7" (1-2-3-4-Go! Records)
Reissue, 2012
Black Vinyl /200

It's only been very recently that I've taken interest in The Dicks. Having been involved with hardcore for a long enough period of time to have heard the bands name mentioned a few times over the years, it's almost embarrassing to say, but I just never bothered checking them out until this year. My interest was sparked when a friend of mine simply posted the youtube vid of this EP's title track "The Dicks Hate The Police" one afternoon on Facebook. Following that one preview I have been pretty hooked on this band and their brand of social outcast/weirdo/edgy hardcore punk.
Existing throughout the early 80's in Austin, Texas, this was the bands debut release, coming in before a live recorded split with The Big Boys and a couple of LP's. Indication of the bands prominence within the early Texan hardcore punk scene (and to a further extent, the 80's USHC scene in general) would be obvious when participating in a split with a band as influential as The Big Boys. Along with that band, The Dicks were/are the godfathers of punk in that region along with groups as well known as MDC and DRI. I almost feel that history hasn't been as kind to these guys as it has been to some of the other mentioned acts. This is a 2012 reissue of the "The Dicks Hate The Police" 7" pressed by 1-2-3-4-Go! Records, though it was originally pressed by the bands own imprint Radical Records. I'd go as far as saying that this is one of the best EP's to come out of the entire 80's American Hardcore scene just for the title track alone.

DRIFTING AWAY

I've been waiting for this record for the better part of four years now. An initial track, "Extinction"  from Shin To Shin first surfaced around that long ago on an A389 Records online sampler. Then later that year it ended up on the bands split 7" with Pulling Teeth. And now it sees another release on the bands debut s/t MLP pressed by A389. Since 2010, word would surface every 12 months or so of the impending release of this record and then nothing would happen. Well near the end of last year an official release was mentioned, and finally it has materialised in the last few weeks. It's been a topic on many blogs over the last few years, but for those who don't know, this is the sole work of Aaron Melnick, writing genius behind early Integrity, and far as I can tell he handles all duties except for drums, which are sorted by a guy named Bob. Fans of Melnick's previous efforts should find plenty of interest here. It's basically 90's style metallic hardcore with a slight Japanese feel, that can be attributed mostly to his uniquely burly vocal style and the reverb it's put under on a few of the tracks. Whether that was intentional or not may be debatable, but it's definitely something I hear. Every track is a lesson in well written, catchy stomping hardcore. I already knew this before I even heard any of the other tracks, but this will certainly be on of my absolute favourite records of 2014.