Head Hits Concrete was formed in 1999 in the city of Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba, in the country of Canada - from the ashes of the band Swallowing Shit. As someone who lives in an area that is cold and bleak as fuck during the winter, I understand the deep psychological effects that these types of climates can have on a person. Knowing that on average it is 20 degrees colder in Winnipeg then in Wisconsin goes a long way to explain why these individuals made the music they did. I have never been to Winnipeg but rumor has it, it is indeed a dark and lonely place, and that the air itself teems with a contempt for humanity.

That being said, Head Hits Concrete make fucked up discordant grind with socio-political lyrics that seem tongue in cheek upon first glance, but are in fact as serious as this planets ever impending doom. This is not the stuff of modern hardcore. Song titles like -Execution, Police Style, Neo-Nazi Public Execution, and Colonial Syndrome - are juxtaposed with songs like - I Shit God, The Pastor's Cock In My Mouth (Hooray!), and (Your Name Here) Eats Fucking Lead (Columbine Remix). This is unrelenting in your face grind with lyrics that make me angry for all the right reasons. I had the pleasure of meeting the drummer Brad last summer while venturing to Maryland Death Fest. One of the most outstanding individuals I have met in recent times. His new band Wolbachia (formerly known as Kursk) is kick ass. I had the pleasure of seeing Kursk a few times and they do not disappoint. Other bands members are in are Big Trouble in Little China, Putrescence, Prague, and Archagathus. Rumor has it that HHC is back and will be playing some show in 2010 including the Manitoba Metalfest.

This is their discography CD entitled "Thy Kingdom Come Undone" put out by G7 Welcoming Committee. 57 tracks of menace! This aural bloodbath features the band's complete studio output along with material from splits with My Minds Mine and Bodies Lay Broken; live tracks; cover songs of Crossed Out and Heresy; as well as some new, previously-unreleased live material; and the impossible to find "Tour" EP.

Also as a bonus this is the swear word breakdown for the record -
Fuck: 43
Shit: 13
Goddamn: 5
Ass: 2
Cock: 2
bastard(s): 2
Asshole: 1
Ass: 1
TOTAL - 69 SWEARS
This makes me happy.

Myspace here
Download here

Contropotere

Contropotere were and Italian anarcho crust band formed in 1986 who brought something different and amazing to the international crust scene. By incorporating non-traditional instrumentation and a discordance not usually found in the genre, Contropotere created music that was both ghostly and primitive. Translated to mean Counterpower, this strange style of tribal hardcore was made by a bunch of squatters who all lived together in Naples Italy for a time between 1986 and 1994. They had a lineup made of some core members, and a revolving cast of friends who would contribute to their records. This particular 7 inch was "realized" by 15 people total. The lyrics (English translations included in the liner notes) touch on common anarchist themes, but tend to stay on the esoteric side of things, and the dual female vocals really make the entire musical package more angry. This baby just drips with passion and energy.

Information about the band is problematic if you don't speak or read Italian, but if you can translate then there is a wealth of information here. I do know that they were extremely active in their politics and were part of several labor and anarchist movements in Italy during the 90s including the Nepoli automomist movement. Plainly put, I don't know anyone who does not immediately fall in love with this little slab of wax upon first listening and people who are not fans of the aforementioned genres can usually hang with this.

The Solo Selvaggi (Only Wild) E.P. is the bands fourth recorded output, and was released in '92 by the almighty Skuld records. Their other records are great, especially Nessuna Speranza, Nessuna Paura (No Hope, No Fear), but i constantly come back to this E.P. and consider it their pinnacle. Eventually the band's sound meandered more toward noise and industrial music, and its live shows became very performance art based. This along with their later recorded output probably alienated many of their fans. The record is very out of print but you can still find a copy on ebay once and a while. The band recently reunited to play a few reunion shows in Naples in the summer and fall of 2008.

Here is a video of the band in Berlin in 1991 before they got all weird on us.



Their official myspace page is here, although once again all in Italian.



Download here.


















P.S. --------->Please if you can, donate to Haitian relief!! These people need our help! You can donate $10 on behalf of the American Red Cross by simply texting the word "haiti" to 90999. It's safe and secure and will show up on your next phone bill.

Party By The Slice!

We love pizza, we love thrash, we love you!

Party by the Slice is a hardcore thrash band from Milwaukee Wisconsin where pizza reigns mightily over all other post mosh pit food items. Far from being another bandwagon jumping party thrash band, Party by the Slice lives only for the basement show, and is D.I.Y. to the core.
One goes to see PBTS not only for their blistering live set, but also for the funniest between song banter you will ever see and hear. I have actually almost choked from laughing so hard.

Some lyrics - I love the drama / You love abuse / Party by the Slice / Drinks Gin and Juice / Veggie Sausage / And being nice / We love these things / were Party by the Slice / Here's to being old / Here's to being single / Here's to having fun / We fucking rule / Too old to be posi / Still young enough to smile.

Lyrically PBTS comes off as tongue in cheek, but you are missing the point if you just take them only at face value. Party by the Slice is a group of people trying to hold onto some youthful optimism, while aging in a world going to shit.

This is their first seven inch and is a split with New Zealanders Malparido. They also have a new split with Minneapolis's In Defence.


Check it here.
Buy it here.











Editor's note: This is the first post from brand-spankin'-new Contributing Writer DATHOR. In addition to being a High-Ranking Bro from Way Back, Dathor is a metal guru and talented guitarist who plays in the doom metal band Malachi (Myspace here) as well as the thrash troop Architects of the Aftermath. We here at IC welcome him aboard wholeheartedly and look forward to his future contributions. HAIL!