SO BORN TO DIE

New band from Melbourne, Chain Gun featuring members from other various popular Melbourne bands, most notably I suppose Matt from Mindsnare. This is their first release in their s/t LP pressed by Midnight Funeral Records. Only four songs, as I think this was originally intended as a demo recording but Craig was interested enough to commit the music to wax. Black wax of 200 copies. Vastly different to that of Matt's other endeavour, the stuff here is of Kyuss styled stoner jams; rounded riffs, big recording.

KILL THE PEACE

Another one from the vaults, the infamous s/t 7" from Infest, more widely known as the "Mankind" EP. A record that this blog owes a lot to, and a record that I doubt I need really try and describe. Probably my favourite stuff of the bands, the original press of this thing first came about in 1991 on various colourways and sleeves. This version with the orange sleeve is a later subsequent pressing that floated around 1995 or so.

GIRLFRIEND GRIND

New tape release, "Under The Mushroom" from Melbourne degenerates Headless Death. Developing further with the sound they hinted at with their original demo tape, and underpinned by the ultra blastability of Christoph Winkler, the band continue with an obvious mixed bag of style and influences. Where they covered Swedish Death metal greats Grave on the demo, here they make a successful attempt at an (American) Gehenna classic. Obviously they're taking influences from both of those bands, along with groups like Terrorizer and Repulsion. Fiends for speed apply here.

STONE AND DIRT

Against are one of the Brisbane bands that introduced me to local hardcore on a live basis in the early noughties. They always seemed to be pretty popular within the local South East Queensland scene, achieving a kind of luke-warm/moderate reception on a national basis though, due mostly I suspect to a constantly revolving line up, slow release rate and transient touring schedule. Apart from the odd hint at brilliance here and there (thanks mostly to a former mid term member that went on to form Abraxis), I could never generate a huge amount of personal interest, and I almost suspect that the bulk of their local popularity could be mostly attributed to the very fact that they were one of the only bands at the time to have achieved recordings with vaguely high end studio sounding qualities. They've always played a pretty solid (and arguably now dated) style of metallic mosh hardcore that takes heavy cues from bands of the day like Buried Alive, Despair, Until The End and Cast Aside. Maybe it's my ignorance, but I can't think of a single other band playing this style of hardcore right now, except maybe for Terror.
This is the bands fourth album, "Bring The End", and their first foray into vinyl thanks to my mate Craigos at Midnight Funeral Recordings out of Melbourne. 100 copies on this 'random' coloured wax, another 300 on black. Predictably, and regardless of another new line up compiled by only remaining original member and vocalist Greg, they take another stab at the exact same style of mosh that the band has always played. The most obvious differences would be the fact that this is probably the most 'studio' they have ever sounded (without sounding overdone I'll add), and the stark, and perhaps welcome progressions in Greg's vocal snarl. Those familiar with the band will likely understand what I mean when I say that his style in the past has always been of the unique and identifiable. His higher pitched approach has all but vanished at this point, replaced completely by a more suiting and tolerable low hardcore growl akin to Scott Vogel and his contemporaries. To be honest, I didn't expect to love this album, and I don't, and I don't think I ever will, but it definitely sounds great through my headphones right now. Certainly the most solid and concise release the band have constructed at this point, and a good example of heavy, semi polished metallic hardcore. I rarely attend shows in Brisbane anymore, and I never hit the places this band plays, but I can imagine a lot of local guys getting pretty rowdy to this.

ELECTROKUTION

I think you could attribute a lot of the sound, attitude and aesthetics of the current Australian underground metal scene to Sydney extreme Death Metal group Sadistik Exekution and this album of theirs, "We Are Death Fukk You". Brisbane in particular seems to be undergoing some kind dark, edgy, quazi mysterious, deliberately politically incorrect fad of late. No doubt Sadistik Exekution were expert proponents of such ideals, and the Blackened Death sound that they had a big hand in creating in the early 90's has arguably peaked at it's full potential on an international scale over the last few years. My real knowledge of the band is minimal at best, when these guys were hitting their full stride I was just a young boy and their patent on brutal, extreme, barbaric metal scared the shit out of me to be honest. Research suggests though that this album was originally meant to be self titled, but for one reason or another the label pressing it, Osmose Records out of France, misconstrued a message sent along with the master and ended up pressing it with that name. This is a reissue from Osmose from last year, black wax and gatefold sleeve.
As stated, real knowledge about the activities of this band over the course of it's life escapes me, and a grand understanding of their wider history and sound is something that I am without, but I can say that this is some pretty brutal, heavy and demonic Death Metal. History has more or less painted these guys as a through and though black metal band, a fact which could possibly be attributed a little to their long standing ties with various members of prominent bands of the 80's and early 90's metal scenes in Norway and Sweden. There's a stark blackened feel to the bulk of the music here too, most notable in the rough nature of the recording, the ratio of driving blast beats and tremolo picking to anything else, and the image the guys in the band portrayed in photos and the like. Examined closely, and for long enough though and it's obvious what kind of sound these guys were really going for. Heavy tuned guitars, some monster riffs and much more low end vocals are utilised throughout the music, all stand points of proper metal of Death. The very fact that members of the band have always maintained it's Death Metal status should be enough of a pointer too.

THIN LINE

I'm a little surprised that Social Damage (formerly Blind X Justice) out of Indianapolis have released a new demo full of fresh songs. Readers may remember me posting about this bands first demo earlier in the year and how much I liked it. Initially that demo was released under their old name, and then a smaller second run was committed with the new one. Based on how good that tape was I really expected that some label out there would take up the slack and help the band press something like an EP. Alas, Demo II is here, released by Criminal Rights Records. Maybe the band wanted to release some new music under their new solid name, I hope so anyway, because that first demo was really good and could have been released as a 7" in it's own right.
Three new songs here, along more or less the exact same lines as the older tracks, though with a rougher recorded nature. Straight Ahead and other NYHC contemporaries ring the most true, the fornt man's vocals standing out to me as the highlight. Simplistic songs, short and sweet also. Nothing more to say really, just very catchy and well written hardcore, played by guys that obviously know what they're doing.

TOASTED

Another new record from one of Australia's hardest working hardcore bands, Byron Bay's Shackles. The "Disposed Of" 7" comes about courtesy of Urban Rage Records out of Sydney. Continuing on much where the last single sided 12" and split with Worn Out left off, this new EP finds the band delving harder into metallic fastcore territory. Correct me if I'm mistaken but I'm sure that this is the first time the band have recorded with Chris Brownbill, and his more organic style certainly suits the band to a tee. Marks vocals continue to develop further; his low end easily at it's most dissonant yet. I'd argue that this EP would be the best example so far of the sound the band are going for. They've got a new LP due before the end of the year that I'm betting will be great.

ONE WARNING

Vigilante from Sydney play a pretty accurate Australian take on mind 80's NYHC ala Krakdown, Outburst, Cro Mags, Warzone etc. Members of a handful of previous and well received Sydney bands including Last Nerve and Bad Blood make up part of the group. They did a demo tape that didn't grab my interest a huge amount last year (or maybe the year before?), and now they've released this LP, "Quality Of Life" through Resist Records (AU) and Six Feet Under Records (US). Musically speaking they share a great deal of similarities in sound with Last Nerve for various reasons, most notably because both bands share the same singer. Well recorded, centred mostly around crunchy riffs and chords, mid tempos, the odd lead and dive bomb, and stomp bits, to me this is more or less A-typical Sydney hardcore, and the best of it's kind in years. Not that there's a huge amount that's been comparable in that time, but yeah, good stuff.

FAUCES

Machetazo continue to develop their doom influences with this new album of theirs, "Ruin". Released by Doomentia, this is still a through and through Death Grind record but as with most of their preceding releases, the general recording qualities sink further into a big doom pit, most evident in the guitar tone and mix. Thirteen tracks in around forty minutes should be enough of an indication that this thing isn't pure grind. Most of the songs revolve around a proper developed structure and the average playing time is something like 2:30. One thing that gets me is how different Dopi's vocals sound to his work with Dishammer, I think that can be put down mostly to the more doomy mix I speak of. This would now have to be my favourite release from the band, and with it's minor differences and developments I doubt it will turn off any existing fans.

SEISMIC ANNIHILATION

Sewercide from Melbourne play great thrash/death metal and this is their tape, "Severe Trauma". I'm not sure though if this thing should be classed as a demo tape or as a solid release on it's own. They've got a handful of other releases under their belts or on the way and they're about to head out on tour with Brisbane Hardmen Sick People. The announcement of that tour was the first time I had heard of them, and glazing over the details of said run of shows I somehow came under the impression that they were from the USA. Dabbling in a few of their tracks on their bandcamp did nothing to turn those impressions either. The two tracks on this tape (and all the other tracks spread across other releases too) are amazingly written, executed and recorded Death Thrash that could easily contend with big bands like Toxic Holocaust and Municipal Waste. Riffs riffs riffs. There's nothing more I can say about it. It's just excellent metal. When I found out that these guys were in fact Australian I was even more excited. I was lucky enough to catch them live on my trip to Melbourne a few weeks back and they were brutal live too. Four long haired dudes with a more regular hardcore guy frontman. One of the guitarists was perfect. Waste long hair with a sleeveless white shirt, tight acid washed jeans and white Nike high tops. These guys know what they're on about.

CHAOS IN TAPES

It seems every year I don't make it to Chaos In Tejas and in turn miss out on a handful of cassette tapes that get released there in limited numbers, and under some vale of secrecy. For fuck's sake, someone who knows my taste, please help me out next year. What I missed from this year's festival that I would really like to get my hands on for reasonable prices:

Battle Ruins - Promo cassette. I couldn't enjoy this bands previous 7" one little bit. Something about Radigan's vocal approach that just didn't sit well with me, and still doesn't. Please don't get me wrong, I ride pretty much every one of his other endeavours (as documented here, often), but his singing on that EP just doesn't work. Thankfully (and maybe it's down to the mix or mastering), the two new offerings on the bands new promo cassette showcase a man with a relatively differing approach, and both of the songs are just catching, hooky, OI! masterpieces. I know it's a preview of the bands upcoming LP due in the next couple months on Rock 'n' Roll Disgrace, but the total collector fuckwit in me wants this tape to add to the Boston vaults.

Eternal Champion - Demo tape. Apparently this is what's labelled as Epic Heavy Metal (yes, really), and research over the last few days shows me that there's an entire and intricate scene built around this style of power riffed, mystic, NWOBHM influenced stuff. I've never enjoyed anything like this, and I doubt I'll ever take an overly consuming interest beyond this demo, but I must say that I can't get enough of the two songs I've found on the groups bandcamp page. Of course my interest was sparked initially (and perhaps remains) solely because this is the work of Jason Tarpey, former throat-man for the hugely popular and now defunct Iron Age, along with one of the dudes from Power Trip and two other guys. Apart from the odd hardcore fellow here and there, I really can't see Eternal Champion appealing to fans of the blend of crossover thrash that Iron Age were most well known for, on a lasting basis anyway. Where Tarpey was vocally with those final IA recordings may hint ever so slightly at what to expect here, but if you're not familiar with this style of music, like I'm not, I think you'll be surprised. There's no yelling or shouting here, only mellow, almost falsetto singing. Trippy, mid paced power chords, riffs, leads and melody fill it all out. Like I said, not my bag usually, normally I'd laugh at this stuff to be honest (it's cheesy as hell), and maybe it's the novelty that's holding my interest at the moment, but I really can't get enough of these two songs. Fun, catchy Heavy Metal. Apparently it's seeing a vinyl release in the coming months, but like the Battle Ruins tape, I want this to add to the (Texas) vaults. On a related note, Jason's also involved with another band that plays the exact same style of music, Graven Rite, also responsible for a demo that I wouldn't mind getting my hands on.

Torture Chain - "Mutilating Astral Entities" tape. I've blogged once about this band, and I really wish I had the opportunity to do so more, but it seems that (along with quite a few of these really lo-fi geared, underground American Black Metal bands), getting any of their stuff is nigh on impossible, thanks in part at least to a rabid and savvy fan base. Originally released in limited numbers at Chaos this year, and then subsequently put up for sale in the Yersinia Pestis webstore, only to sell out in about 10 minutes. A tape, but to be considered the bands full length, MP3's tell me that's it's around an hour of dissonance, drear and desperation.            's shriek is in full force here and certainly at it's most Black, and it still astounds me the range and variance he packs through all of the bands that he's involved with. Again, one for the Boston vaults.

CADAVER BLOOD

As I mentioned in my recents Coffins "The Fleshland" post, 20 Buck Spin out of Washington State has recently taken on the task of reissuing the Japanese bands 2008 onslaught, "Buried Death". Unsure of how it compares to the original, but my copy has arrived with a gatefold sleeve and on this hazy sky blue vinyl. Of all of the bands full lengths, until now this one had been the hardest to obtain for new comers to the band like myself. It just so happened that it's the only album of theirs that I really wanted to get my hands on too, mostly because it was the first stuff of theirs that I ever heard, but secondly because of the MEAN breakdown in the albums third track, "Cadaver Blood". Musically speaking, this thing is just about exactly the same as pretty much all of the bands other material; rough, doomy, dirty Death Metal.

NEW ORLEANS IS THE NEW VIETNAM

As I was writing this post about the latest Eyehategod single from last year "New Orleans Is The New Vietnam" I learned of the death of the bands drummer and founding member Joey LaCaze. I can't say that hearing this news has effected me emotionally in the same way as the passing of say someone like Jeff Hanneman, the band have just never been a big enough part of my life as one like Slayer, but it's certainly sad enough to here of such events. Considering Eyeyhategod's wide influence over the stoner and NOLA metal scene as a whole, and thinking about how his drumming has probably influenced many bands of the same ilk over the last 20 years, it is a sobering, and assumedly unexpected tragedy for some people.
Out with a bang then I guess, as the one song on this 7", the records namesake, is a pretty ripping one. Exactly what you'd expect from the band, it's a slow to mid paced jam centred around Mike's grimy vocals, and resting on a pretty reliable and catchy guitar riff. Running into the four minute territory, for an Eyehategood song, the recording is relatively slick, put down somewhat to the mixing job by the man himself, and godfather of the New Orleans metal scene, Phil Anselmo. I suppose access to modern day equipment likely has something to do with that also, this is after all the first new recording from the group in around 6-7 years.
Pressed and distributed by hardcore label A389 Recordings, the release of this single, and perhaps anything to do with such a band in the first place is a prime example of the ever expanding and developing taste of Domenic Romeo, label owner and guitarist of (now defunct?) Pulling Teeth. I for one was quite surprised when the label first announced the upcoming release of this record. There's been a few more examples like this from Dom over the last 18 months, but this one would have to be the one that has stuck in my mind the most, along possibly with the recent Ilsa records. Split black and orange vinyl of a supposedly limited press, though I managed to casually stumble across this in the regular metal section at Heartland Records in Melbourne for stock price, so who knows how limited it actually is. Discogs doesn't disclose such figures, but when pressed, something like five or six other colour-ways were also committed. The single track on the A side leaves room on the B for some etching of the logo that the band has used loosely over the years.

A HISTORY OF SHAME

This new EP from London's Stab kind of came out of nowhere for me. Followng their first 7" from 2011 I must admit that I kind of just forgot about this band. I like everything they've committed to tape so far, but the brand of hyper speed hardcore that they play can wear a little thin in larger chunks. In my mind I compare them to Vaccine in this respect, but without as much regard. This record is called "Blindness And Lies", it was pressed by the ever impressive Quality Control Records, and I landed the limited press on red wax.
The band certainly haven't strayed far at all from their already tried and tested path of early 80's UKHC worship. As has been said by many people in many places, these guys clearly hold quite the penchant for a handful of those early greats. Ripcord rings the truest obviously, but just about that entire early scene would be rated by the band as influence I am sure. The biggest difference with these new songs is their ultra blown out recording. Loud and abrasive and fast. Seven songs in around seven minutes, they don't fuck around. Cool cross sleeve design ala the second and subsequent pressings of the Violent Reaction EP, of which QC was also responsible for.

CROSSBREAKER

I wouldn't say that I've ever been a huge fan of Power Trip. Their 7" from a couple years back was certainly entertaining, but generally these thrash crossover acts struggle to get my attention usually. Realising that Chris Ulsh of Mammoth Grinder is actually the drummer for this band certainly helped grab my interest a little more. Artwork by the ever impressive Paolo Girardi helps too, but I've preferred other works of his. This is the bands new LP, "Manifest Decimation" pressed by Southern Lord. As stated, this is some pretty straight up thrash hardcore crossover stuff. Razor riffage with mega up tempo skin bashing. Lightly reverbed snare head and delayed vocals. My reference point for this stuff doesn't really extend beyond the second Cro Mags LP,  Leeway and early Iron Age so I have no real idea how I'd compare this to anything in the grand thrash spectrum, all I know is that it's pretty great, better than I expected it to be, and probably the best thing Southern Lord have done since the Nihilist reissue.