An adventure in split Ep's! I have no gun but I can split: SOCIAL GENOCIDE / AGATHOCLES "Systemphobic" split Ep, 1995

Alright then, let's finally get back to work. I wish I could tell you that Terminal Sound Nuisance was dormant because I was busy pursuing my dream of becoming a referee in professional wrestling but the reality is, as it always is, much more prosaic and unexceptional. Our luxurious 22m2 mansion was broken into and my computer (with all the blog's files stored on it for extra pain) got nicked. It could have been worse as none of the records has been stolen, as far as I can see. I can't help but imagine the face of the burglars when they entered our tiny two room flat and witnessed the ridiculous quantity of dodgy-looking vinyls not to mention the massive Antisect flag hanging above our bed. If they were young lads, which is likely, there is a chance they had never even seen an actual record before. They must have thought that some olympic level losers live here. Thank fuck they did not find my shark costume. In any case, to their credit, they did not wreck up the place at all and just grabbed the two computers. And my electric razor for some reason. That actually really pissed me off. And how disgusting, for all they know I could use it to shave my arse with it. Not to mention that they did not even take the charger. 

But enough whining, there are worse things in life like surviving in a war-torn country, crying your eyes out because you can't feed your kid or losing a mint copy of Deviated Instinct's Welcome to the Orgy. As I pointed out in a previous post, the focus of this next series will be more around medium and less around content. For that reason a split Ep's special felt like the perfect choice. I have often ranted about how great and specifically DIY punk this format has been but I have never actually taken the thing to the next level, embrace the concept and embark in an epic split Ep series. Not only is the witty choice convenient, comfortable even, since I have a lot of them, but it also felt relevant because this traditional medium doesn't seem to be as popular nowadays than it once was. So buckle up, or don't if you are not a proper punk and a mere shoegaze poser.

To open such a series, I just had to pick an Agathocles record. It would have been deeply insulting not to as the Belgians have released an insane amount of splits with bands from all around the world since 1988. They epitomise, excessively perhaps, the essence of the DIY punk split Ep based around cooperation, togetherness and mutual support. It is also much cheaper to do as costs are, well, split. Because of this overproduction Agathocles have become a legendary gimmick band, one that is known as much if not more for their music, the content, as for the form, the record-as-medium. I mean, even my aunt Sylvie did a split Ep with them for all I know. Although I understand people who are, I am myself not a massive fan of Agathocles. The Lp records I own are great because a mate who's also a grindcore freak (and not illogically an eternal bachelor) recommended them, like the split Lp with Unholy Grave or Razor Sharp Daggers. The rest of the Agathocles records in my collection, I bought for the other side, for the band they shared the split with. Like Drudge, Depressor or indeed Social Genocide. And let's start with this cruelly underrated Austrian crust band.

First, I must get on my knees and apologize to all of you. As I endlessly exhibit my knowledge and love for 90's crust, a genre that, inexplicably according to my jazz-loving twat of a shrink, I adore, I completely forgot, to my greatest shame, to include Social Genocide on my Crustmas compilation a few years back. The band just slipped my mind and there is really no excuse for that. Criminal. Truth be told, they do have a pretty shit name that sadly prevents me to ever wear a Social Genocide shirt (Genital Deformities' at least is merely gross) and hasn't aged too well, especially since the Covid pandemics which saw the emergence of legions of idiotic conspiracy "theorists" who thought that the virus and/or the vaccine were an attempt from "the rich elite" to exterminate "the poor", which is extremely stupid and shows how little-educated people are when it comes to basic knowledge of class antagonism. The capitalist class needs the working class to work for them in order to extract value and benefits and they need unemployement to impose low wages and blackmail workers to accept shite jobs in order to raise even larger profits. If you eradicate large segments of the lower classes, who's going to do the dirty work? Exactly, not millionaires' children. They need us so the idea that they would think to wipe us out on a grand scale is idiotic (at best). Digression over. Let's go back to Social Genocide.

I don't know much about the Austrian punk scene beside the fine 80's hardcore band Extrem, a couple of '77 style acts and more recent bands like Ruidosa Inmundicia (cracking band). Was the scene big in the 90's? Europe then was overrun with hardcore, grindcore and crust bands, the latter trying hard to sound like Doom, but as far as I can tell - which might not be that far at all and I am hoping to corrected - Austria was not exactly a hotspot for smelly crusty punks. And yet. And yet Social Genocide is the epitome, the best example I can think of of traditional 90's eurocrust, and my failing to include them on the aforementioned compilation hurts even more. Really. Conceptually, as masters and pioneers of the eurocrust style and wave, both in terms of quality and quantity, Hiatus occupied the unique spot of being the first quintessential eurocrust band, the epicentre of the crust pandemics, THE first band one will mention in the discussion. And yet, if you take eurocrust as style and wave, it necessarily implies that, while Hiatus were inspired and prompted into existence by Doom and more generally UK crust, Social Genocide and the likes were primarily influenced by Hiatus themselves. Therefore, what I mean with the term eurocrust in the frame of this review are the typical and characteristic post-Hiatus bands, those that Hiatus inspired (in addition to Doom or Extreme Noise Terror). 

Thus, in that light, along with Subcaos, Social Genocide are basically the most relevant example of a perfectly executed, generic and typical - in the positive sense of term - referential eurocrust band. They were around at the apex of the wave, between 1994 and 1996, not just in Europe but also in the States and Japan, and absolutely delivered. Hailing from Götzis, close to Switzerland, Social Genocide's two songs on this Ep stand as delightful, delicious slices of a cavemen eurocrust cake found in a bin. With the raw and aggressive primal and punchy production, Hiatus heavily come to mind, pleonastic of me to point it out, but there are also large spoonful of genuine early Doom and I sense a distinct Japanese crust influence, which was certainly unusual in European crust at the time, as Battle of Disarm - if not Abraham Cross - are points of reference as well. Paradoxically maybe, Social Genocide managed to be a eurocrust paragon and yet included a Doom-loving Japanese crust touch in their sound (on their Ep's especially, the Lp had more of Private Jesus Detector/Masskontroll feel to my ears). It is subtle but present, if heavy, primal, filthy bear-like pummeling cavecrust can be called "subtle". This tendency is confirmed visually with their side's cover depicting a representation of the band drawn with that sort of naive post Disorder/Chaos UK style that Japanese crusties used - and still use - heavily. Beside, if you look closely, on this crustier-than-though piece exhibiting elite cartoon crust pants, the guitar player has GISM and Swankys stickers on the instrument. And of course the band's On the Brink of Destruction Ep was released on the Japanese label Peace Punk Records so there might have been some trades going on. Clues? 

While we are still on the subject of referentiality, the first song opens with a sample that Anti-System also used on the No Laughing Matter Lp so that the learned listener immediately knows that Social Genocide also know. Wink wink. Utterly brilliant gruff crust songs and band. In our day and age that often celebrate minute worship and copies when it comes to crust or d-beat, the fantastic unoriginality of Social Genocide deserve to be acknowledged. On a side-note the drummer, before hitting things in Social Genocide, played in an obscure band called Dreaded Instinct, the name of which greatly excites my curiosity, further exacerbated by the Sore Throat-ian cover of the tape. Send it to me please. I'm begging ya.

On the other side, well, Agathocles and I have to say that I really like what they are doing here. They are not so much getting high on their traditional blasting 4-track sandpaper mincecore in this case, which I am able to enjoy from time to time, and more on a furious crusty cavegrind mood which appears to be the most relevant path they could have picked on such a split. The first song starts of with a spoken part that remind me heavily of the Belgian anarchopunk band Dona Nobis Pacem (probably the closest Antisect-worshipping band in Europe in the 90's) so that it might be a tribute of some sort, I hope. The vocals are guttural and the production is primitive and there are enough variations to appeal to the grindcore freaks but not so many as to repel the basic Doom-loving crust nuts. As the latter, I am reminded of a crude version of Terrorizer with some Embittered and Disrupt but I am sure grindcore experts would say otherwise. And at the end of the day, as undisputed pioneers Agathocles just sounded like themselves by 1995 but I am not an expect agathoclian so it would be impossible for me to really put this Ep in perspective with the rest of their immense discography. Social Genocide were close to the grindcore scene anyway since they also did a split with Cripple Bastards in 1994.

Unfortunately the insert of this split Ep is missing. Did I lose it or was it never there, I don't remember. It is on discogs if you care.

Eurocrust is dead, long live eurocrust.  

  

Eurocrust heaven    

Still Believing in ANOK: Counter-Attack "Laments and Skulls" Lp, 1999

Counter-Attack were amazing, extraordinary, phenomenal, unique. And Belgian. To quote the mighty Brob Tilt Tapes blog (read it here), a genuine goldmine of rare DIY punk recordings and a formidable effort at documenting and preserving our common history and stories, C-A played Crass-inspired anarchopunk "in a time when everyone was into crust". And don't get me wrong, I personally loved it when everyone was into crust and Terminal Sound Nuisance is a pathetic attempt at reconverting punks to crustianity and the utter annihilation of shoegaze. Although I tragically only caught the tail end of the 90's wave, to be understood here more as a wave than mere chronological markers, in the early 00's, people still liked crust, even in such a crust-reluctant town like Paris (a bit of a paradox when you consider how bloody filthy it is), or at least liked it enough to support the touring crust bands and not give me too much shit for having far too many patches on my black jacket (most of them progressively disappeared, not unlike my hair sadly). But in this general context, taking into consideration the overall production of the global DIY punk scene in Europe, C-A can be said to stand out, not like a sore thumb (although the personal hygiene of the participants is unclear), but rather as a band that at that point in time were quite original and worked on a sound that had almost completely vanished. 

In retrospect, this disappearance can seem very odd since crust and a certain brand of DIY political hardcore punk owed a lot to 80's anarchopunk and people love the old-school anarcho bands or claimed to, and yet very few bands tried to build on that sound. It may have to do to some extent with the idea that the early 80's sound was behind us and the drive, the craving for new things in the 90's and 00's implied that the Crass-ish sonic take (like UK82's) just did not fit in with the following decades. I have always been a massive fan of the old anarchopunk sound but, despite some significant exceptions (A//Political, Stracony, Cress, Life's a Riot! for instance), contemporary bands just did not want to play that style. Beside, the whole trend of reforming had not really kicked in yet, and apart from a couple of bands like Icons of Filth or Lost Cherrees, the dinosaurs were clearly extinct and had not come back from the grave (for the better and the worse). As a result, one really had the impression that the traditional anarchopunk completely belonged in the past. The unstoppable wave of nostalgia, fueled by social media, technology and a new relation to music, had not hit us and the thought of an Alternative-worshiping band was as incongruous as wearing sandals at a Sick of it All gig or asking a Frenchman not to smoke in a closed venue. 

With my groupe of friends in the early 00's, we definitely listened to a lot of crust, of the neo and stench varieties since those were hot at the time, and we did not mind playing screamocrust bands with singers sounding like they just fell into an industrial press at 2am. I remember getting a copy of the Masters and Jesters and it deservedly got a lot of airplay. We were young, inexperienced, some of us still spotty, and we couldn't help but think that a band doing that Conflict style of punk in 2000 was a little odd (and we loved Conflict). We all agreed that C-A were the dog's bollocks and whenever I play this album, memories of us dissecting the music while drinking the cheapest lager from the off-licence instantly rush back. We did not own that many records at the time so we often ended up playing the same ones again and again. Needless to say I know Masters and Jesters by heart.

Before Laments and Skulls C-A had released a demo tape called Demonstrate or Demolition in 1996, a recording that meaningfully hinted at what they would become. While rawer, this demo is a jewel of energetic and intense snotty anarchopunk with male and female vocals (the band's original configuration) reminiscent of DIRT and especially bands such as Symbol of Freedom or Crude & Snyde (and Toxic Waste of course from whom they liberally borrow some lyrics). Top drawer, close your eyes and you're back to Thatcher's Britain. Laments and Skulls was recorded in late 1998 and it was a monumental first effort. The work keeps that punky, dynamic and urgent production while also highlighting the many details and hooks that makes the album so compelling and memorable. This was an ambitious undertaking as C-A went for a 43 minute long Lp which by today's standards is like a rock opera (for comparison purposes Bad Breeding's Exiled Lp is 32 minute long, Dogma's Lp is 28 and Subdued's only 24). However, Laments and Skulls never sounds like the band just stuffed as many songs as possible on the record, on the contrary, you can tell that a lot of thought was given to the selection, the order, the transitions, the flow and, above all, the plot. 

The is a proper ALBUM in the sense that it sounds like a cohesive narrative whole, it tells a specific story and literally makes sense. To be honest, without this storytelling quality, it would be near impossible to pull out a 43 minute modern anarchopunk album and not lose the listener's attention (there were no smart phones to doomscroll on in 1999 though). Here is the vegan menu: delicious guitar hooks, memorable tunes, dynamic bass lines, always smart and spicy change of paces - from the fast 1-2-1-2 UK82 beat to the Crass-like tribal one -, epic Conflict-like introductions and intense spoken words, wisely used samples and psychedelic transitions, a climactic sense of songwriting, some of the snottiest punky trade-off dual vocals you will ever hear (with such brilliant British accents that you'd think you are in Hackney) and a seriousness and an honesty that go with the style and lyrical content (this is punk for the anarchist revolution, brothers and sisters). There is even an enjoyable - and fortunately short - ska part. 

What a band, what an album. Conflict is the most pregnant influence here of course. There are more than a few nods to classic Conflict and the vocal flow and tone are close to Colin's but what Laments and Skulls do with perfection is the meaning-creating synthesis of 80's anarchopunk. I can distinctly hear Flux of Pink Indians, Crass, Alternative, Stalag 17, Anthrax, Chumbawamba, some UK82 too as C-A were a rather fast band on the whole but they used mid-paced songs, dissonant moments, samples, moody or psychedelic introductions to make the speed angry. I wouldn't change anything on this album and any self-respecting anarchopunk fan should know and revere this band. 

Members of C-A also got to play in Visions of War and Katastrophobia as well as a band called Kiss the Anus of a Black Cat and I can't help thinking what my mother would say, apart from "for fuck sake", if I came to my nephew's birthday wearing a shirt of that band. As I mentioned the band went on to record the equally good Masters and Jesters released in 2000 on Nabate Records and there was a final recording entitled Culex Pipiens (I believe) with three songs displaying a mode modern heavier production. I cannot find information about this session so perhaps the band did not do anything with it. That'd be a story for another time. Don't be a dreary arseholes and get into Counter-Attack.    

This review is respectfully dedicated to drummer Ivan, who went missing in 2016. 

Laments and skulls

Ace Compilations for Less than a Fiver on Bloody Discogs (part 2): "Walk Across America - for Mother Earth" compilation Ep, 1992

Walk across America for Mother Earth. 

Walk across America for Mother Earth?

Walk across America for Mother Earth...

Almost 30 years after its release, the title of this compilation Ep - Walk Across America - for Mother Earth in case you are a bit slow - remains one of the hippiest of the whole punk history. Despite its unquestionably good intentions, if the Ep is unbeknown to the punk on the street, the title will conjure up horrifying images, visions that few men and women can claim to have survived without going insane. Many could never get over the blinding nightmarishness of the patchoulied worldview. Some became like possessed, converted, swallowed whole into the hippie ideology, never to return. Fucking sandals. Fucking magic crystals. Fucking white middle-class people reconnecting to "Nature" through dancing, playing fucking bongos and doing loads of drugs. Dodgy, fake fucking shamans blagging their way into a cult leadership, leaving you bollock-naked in a field making out with a bong. Ten-minute long fucking solos, Doors' cover and Manu Chao cosplay. I could go on. Abominations that are generally admitted to be the curse of the human race. These are the kind of thoughts that the title of the Ep would evoke out of context. A quick look at the cover of the Ep may also send shivers down the barmy army's spine. Some misdirected souls claimed that on full moons, one could sometimes hear cheesy folk music coming out of the record and that if it did happen, it was strongly recommend to immediately store the Ep next to Sore Throat or Gloom records, reputable talismans against the hippie eye. Of course, the quick-witted punk would not fall so quickly into the abyss, ignore the flying feather and actually read what accompanies the Walk Across America - for Mother Earth title: a well class lineup made up of Hiatus, Political Asylum, Mushroom Attack, Indian Dream, Silent Water and the rather enigmatic Teenage Kicks. And I personally have nothing against hippies, I mean I had a hippie friend back in the day and my cousin even dated one. I am not prejudiced.   

Before dealing with the cracking lineup of this compilation, let me reiterate that the idea behind it was very honourable indeed since, all joking and hippie-basing aside and in spite of confirmed sightings of crystal-worship during the walk, For Mother Earth was an organization responsible for the Walk Across America 1992 initiative in solidarity with the struggles of Native American people across the Americas. All the profits went to the organization and although they cannot have been incredible - it's a DIY punk compilation, not a U2 benefit gig - it is always encouraging to see punks actually giving a fuck. There were a lot of protest, notably from Indian activist groups in 1992 because many American states celebrated the 500th anniversary of the "discovery" of the continent by Columbus. Celebrating the start of an ongoing genocide against Native populations is about the most outrageously insulting they could have thought of, even for soulless politicians. The genocidal policies against Native Americans certainly kept going throughout the twentieth century and still do. A basic summary of the many facets of the oppression and genocide faced by Natives is included on the back of the foldout cover. It is, because of issues of space and clarity, short but it was meant to lead people to get interested and involved in the struggles and dig deeper into those issues. The same year, Profane Existence released the In Spirit of Total Resistance double Ep compilation coinciding with 500th anniversary and the Mohawk uprising in Oka. There were of course more compilations and cooperations between bands to protest against the disgusting, shamelessly revolting celebration, notably from Latino punx. Let's mention the Medellin Contra el Quinto Centenario 1991 tape (with Imagen and GP among others) and the Rock Subterraneo Contra el V° Centenario international tape (with Los Violadores, IRA or Atoxxxico). More recently, in 2005, the 512 Años Despues el Saqueo Continua digital compilation is equally worth investigating with a solid lineup including Doña Maldad, Dios Hastio, Apatia-No or Los Dolares. 

After a whole paragraph of talking about serious stuff, let's solemnly shift focus on the six bands invited to support the worthy cause. First are the mighty Hiatus from Liège. I once professed with authority that Hiatus were probably the best band to have ever walked the Earth and that was not an empty, alcohol-induced claim. There are days when I have the conviction that Hiatus were the missing link between the Neanderthals and modern human beings. Think about it. The Belgian heroes have been regularly included on Terminal Sound Nuisance so this one will be a sitter. The song "Confusion inside my head" was recorded in August, 1990, during the same recording session as the first Ep I don't Scare Easily But... and the split Ep with Reach a Mental Road. At that time Hiatus still had Raf on vocals while Wills was playing the bass (he famously went on to crust things up behind the mike after Raf's departure). This was Hiatus at their most primitive before they became the hugely influential eurocrust powerhouse they are known for. In 1990, Hiatus were rawer, simpler and not quite as impactful as they would become from 1992 on though they still packed a serious punch. Still, the band can be said to have been, maybe not the first - Extreme Noise Error were actually first with their 1988 demo - but certainly the most significant late 80's Doom/ENT/Sore Throat filthy cavemen crust worshipers on the continent so that we should be eternally grateful for that. Absolutely classic crust.

Next up are another former Terminal Sound Nuisance candidate with Indian Dream, whose first 1987 Ep Well Are you Happy Now? was reviewed here almost four years ago (gasp). Again, I am not going to throw myself into an elaborate speech about the merits of Indian Dream and rather, for laziness is also a virtue, encourage you to take a look at the aforementioned older review. With a name like Indian Dream, the inclusion of the late 80's Scarborough lot on benefit compilation in solidarity with Native Americans feels almost too obvious. It is widely known that British anarchopunks in the 80's were fascinated with American Indian cultures and the harmonious lifestyle they stood for in the psyche of young, idealist, pacifist punks. It does sound quite cheesy from the all-knowing arrogance of our 2020's selves and you would probably have punks accusing Indian Dream of naive cultural appropriation, and I suppose it is not an unintelligible argument, but at least the band gave an actual shit about the oppression of Native people and their lyrics reflected their outrage and their support to the struggle. I am not sure when "Discarded" was recorded, possibly during the same session as the second Ep, but it is probably my favourite song from them. Melancholy, moody but uplifting anarchopunk with superb poignant female vocals, this song has everything, from the disarming catchiness of classic anarchopunk to the charmingly cheesy 80's-inspired "tribal" chants that could be awkward but kinda work well with the pagan atmosphere, lyrics and imagery of the band (I may not be impartial here, truth be told). If you enjoy Lost Cherrees, Rubella Ballet or A-Heads, Indian Dream might become your favourite band soon. The two Ep's are brilliant examples of third wave UK anarchopunk and the Orca Lp is a genuine classic with a cover that is the visual equivalent of Oi Polloi's "Whale song". You were warned.

Next up are not Teenage Kicks at all but Pink Turds In Space covering "Teenage kicks" from The Undertones, one of the most famous punk songs ever written and certainly the catchiest chorus of rock'n'roll history - right next to The Exploited's "Alternative" and Doom's "Police bastard" - which the band took a manifest pleasure destroying. This cover actually already appeared on the Wild and Crazy Noise Merchants double Lp compilation (reviewed here) so I will not stun you with endless ravings this time round. PTIS were one of the best bands of the late 80's/early 90's Belfast scene with their fast, mean, magnetic thrashing hardcore punk with some of the raspiest female vocals I have ever heard. Everything they did was top but the split Lp with Sedition was particularly ferocious. Antisociety reissued the full discography of the band on vinyl so don't be a poser and support the scene.

On the B side, guests are welcome with the Scottish anarcho-progpunk champions Political Asylum which, once again, already made a memorable appearance on the blog with their Winter Ep. "Symptom" was taken from their Someday Lp from 1987 and at that point the band was becoming more and more proficient musically, more technical, with more rock and less punk, so to speak, but still deep into anarchism. I like the album and its energy and the tuneful distinctive vocals, almost folkish here, work well but I somehow miss the brooding melancholy of the 1985 Ep and the demos a little - but then "I prefer the early demo to their late material" as the famous ancient punk saying goes. This said, "Symptom" is a solid tuneful song with neat arrangements and a prime example of Political Asylum at the peak of their prowess. Still to be consumed with some moderation because of the unreasonable amount of solos. One is never too careful when punks actually learn how to play their instruments.

The next stop sees us stepping into a much dirtier territory, a dangerous place where toxic armpits rule and toothbrushes are banned: Mushroom Attack's squatters kingdom. This Groningen classic band briefly popped up on the blog through the benefit compilation Ep They ain't Seen Nothing Yet (here) that included a song of theirs. MA are often considered as a pre-Fleas & Lice band and the comparison is not irrelevant although they had no inclination toward crust music. Expect fast and raw anarcho-thrash with dual male/female vocals. I did not remember them to be that fast but the song "Squat and live" certainly delivers with a sound that epitomizes the essence of the typical sound of many European DIY political hardcore punk bands. Dynamic early 90's squat punk at its best that I often to associate with cities like Groningen or Liège that still cradle that sort of noise unit to this day. Early Disaffect definitely comes to mind (not by design but because the musical context led to the formation of bands with a sound like theirs) and other Flat Earth Records bands like Sedition, One By One or Health Hazard and even Jesus Chrust and (German) Enola Gay. You know the deal. "Squat or die" is a song about squatting and fighting gentrification, a battle that was sadly but logically lost. The two classic split Lp's with Ξεχασμένη Προφητεία and Disorder (the brilliantly named Masters of the Glueniverse) have a better, more powerful sound and also comes highly recommended if you are into raw dual vocal hardcore punk with honest political lyrics and into records worth a fiver since their 2001 cd discography pretty much goes for that little. Not the most crucial band of the decade but still thoroughly enjoyable for old-school types. 

The last song is "Your shark" by Silent Water, a band I did not know at all before grabbing the Ep. They were from Belgium, were active from the late 80's to the early 90's and released two tapes and a full album in 1991 with the rather depressing title A Joyride on Waves of Solitude. Hand me the fucking rope. Judging from the titles of the songs, Silent Water had strong anarchist leanings and them participating in compilations alongside Jesus Chrust and Earth Citizens beside the spiky lineup making up Walk Across America. I have no idea what the band sounded like in general - it is actually a one-man man so I probably should have used "he" instead of "they" - but "Your shark" is an acoustic folk song. Not bad at all and it reminds me of Chumbawamba but that is certainly due to the fact that I don't listen to folk music at all, unless I am forced to like that time I had to witness an Against Me gig. Long story. The one SW song I could find had a punky noise-rock touch but I am clueless if it is representative of the style either.

The compilation Ep was released on Be Yourself Records and Bonds of Friendship, the latter being run by the bloke responsible for Conspiracy Records. The Ep has some noticeable surface noise but since we are all half-deaf punks here, I doubt you will be too bothered. Let's call it additional vintageness. I paid about €5 for my copy and if you negotiate cleverly, beg pathetically or blackmail wickedly, you should able to too. 

               

Walk Across America - for Mother Earth 

The Beat to End All Beats: Mania for Discharge (1991-2006)

Today is bloody Christmas and here I am, trying to come up with the most relevant way to introduce this ace d-beat compilation, retrace its genesis and highlight its cohesion. 

Of course, as you well know because you must be one of my millions of faithful readers and therefore do not really need an explanation that I am still going to provide for the sake of it, The Beats to End All Beats must be seen as some sort of summarizing conclusion to the two series about Discharge-loving hardcore punk that I did for Terminal Sound Nuisance, namely The Chronicles of Dis and Sonatas in D Major. Although the present compilation can be enjoyed greatly in itself, my previous writings about the things of the D reflect its deeper meaning and its cohesiveness. 

As a teenager, the 1995 tape compilation Does Dis System Work? proved to be a major eye-opener, not just about overt Discharge fanaticism but also, love it or hate it, about d-beat as an actual, legitimate punk subgenre. Discharge relentless repetitiveness was duplicated and repeated again and again and again, just like the horrors depicted in the lyrics still repeat themselves. This tape was as much about the great Dis music than it was about the d-beat phenomenon, about the mandatory and yet creative over-referentiality. Does Dis System Work?, in addition to covers of Discharge and top shelf Discharge mimicry, also included actual Discharge songs. About 25 years after its making, I chose to focus on a specific timeframe, from 1991 (the release year of War Cry and the first Dischange Ep) to 2006 (arguably the last year before social media and streaming service took over and radically changed the ways we listen and relate to music, but the choice is subjective). As a nod to Does Dis System Work?, I chose to include some Discharge covers that were also on the tape (Final Conflict, Asocial and Perukers for instance), however instead of the actual Discharge songs (in the "played-by-Discharge" meaning of the term) I focused as much as possible on "just like Discharge" d-beat songs, either on bands that tried very hard to sound like Discharge and embrace the Discharge aesthetics or on bands that delivered quality covers of Discharge. Hopefully, my compilation will illustrate meaningfully both the d-beat genre as a coherent style and the unquenchable referential passion that necessarily generates it.

The selection ranges from classic d-beat heavyweights (Meanwhile, Disclose, Disfear) to super raw and rather anecdotal recordings (Realities of War, Hell On Earth), one of which I am not even sure of the identity (Discontrol). Some bands with wicked names like Warcry or Final Warning rubb shoulders with others going by such monikers as Disjah or Disfornicate, but such is life. There are 52 songs from 52 bands in about 84 minutes. Play loud, enjoy and comment. And play proper d-beat for fuck's sake!

01. Discard "Four minutes past midnight" from the Four Minutes Past Midnight Lp, 1994 (Sweden)

02. Warcry "Mania for war" from the Harvest of Death Ep, 2003 (U$A)

03. The Perukers "Protest & survive (Discharge cover)" from the GBG 1992 Ep, 1993 (Sweden)

04. Cluster Bomb Unit "Without a warning" from the Endless Struggle compilation 2xLp, 1995 (Germany)

05. Realities of War "Untitled?" from the S/t Ep, 2013 (recorded in 1992) (Japan)

06. Slander "Politicians cause it..." from the Politicians cause it... demo tape, 1992 (England)

07. Destrucción "Sus hijos se mueren" from the S/t split Ep with Sida, 2002 (Spain)

08. Disjah "Why (Discharge cover)" from the In Defence of Our Future... A Tribute to Discharge Lp, 2001 (Sweden/Japan)

09. Distress "Я Вам Не Верю" from the Еби Систему Пропаганда cdr, 2004 (Russia)

10. Dischange "On knees" from the S/t split Ep with Excrement of War, 1991 (Sweden)

11. Funeral "Religions victim" from the Cry of State Desperation Ep, 2003 (U$A)

12. Squandered "Enemy within" from the Chaos of Destruction vol.2 compilation 2xLp, 2000 (England)

13. Deadlock "What is war for?" from the Fear will Continue Ep, 1994 (Japan)

14. Disgust "Anguished cry" from the Brutality of War Lp, 1993 (England)

15. Disprove "Devastated hope" from the S/t split Ep with Avgrund, 1997 (Japan)

16. Asocial "Q: And children? A: And children (Discharge cover)" from the House of Gore Ep, 1992 (Sweden)

17. Warcollapse "The blood runs red (Discharge cover)" from the Crap, Scrap and Unforgivable Slaughter Ep, 2003 (recorded in 1994) (Sweden)

18. Final Warning "Faith" from the Eyes of a Child Ep, 1994 (U$A)

19. Decontrol "Victims of conquest" from the In Trenches... Lp, 2000 (Canada)

20. Deathcharge "See through their lies" from the Plastic Smiles Ep, 2001 (U$A)

21. Disclose "The nuclear victims" from the Chaos of Destruction vol.2 compilation 2xLp, 2000 (Japan)

22. Disfornicate "Who loves the poor" from the Left with Fear / ...and the Darkman Smiles... split Ep with Disregard, 1995 (Sweden)

23. Hell On Earth "Progress" from the Chaos of Destruction vol.2 compilation 2xLp, 2000 (Slovakia)

24. Concrete Sox "Death dealers (Discharge cover)" from the Discharged compilation cd, 1992 (England)

25. Extinction of Mankind "Ain't no feeble bastard (Discharge cover)" from the Ale to England Ep, 2002 (England)

26. Aus-Rotten "No change, no future, we're lost" from the Anti-Imperialist Ep, 1993 (U$A)

27. Driller Killer "Bombs away" from the Brutalize cd, 1994 (Sweden)

28. Cracked Cop Skulls "Bloodstock" from the Why Pussyfoot when you can Kill? Ep, 1998 (recorded in 1995) (England)

29. Discontrol (?) "Finally" from an unknown recording, probably the mid-90's (probably from Sweden but they are not the same Swedish Discontrol that did the split with Demisor... So the name could be wrong but the beat doesn't lie)

30. Mobcharge "Antichrist" from the S/t demo tape, 1997 (Spain)

31. Besthöven "More victims of war" from the More Victims of War Ep, 2003 (Brazil)

32. Abraham Cross "Why (Discharge cover)" from the Peace can't Combine 12'' Ep, 2002 (Japan)

33. Four Monstrous Nuclear Stockpiles "Napalm'n death" from the Give Peace a Chance cd, 2000 (France)

34. Avskum "The bomb is our future" from the In the Spirit of Mass Destruction cd, 1999 (Sweden)

35. Disaster "Devastation" from the War Cry mini Lp, 1991 (England)

36. Disfear "No hope of survival" from the A Brutal Sight of War cd, 1993 (Sweden)

37. The Dischargers "But after the gig (Discharge cover)" from the There's no Place like Hell cd, 2006 (England/Belgium)

38. Nausea "Hear nothing, see nothing, say nothing (Discharge cover)" from the Discharged compilation cd, 1992 (U$A)

39. Hellkrusher "Dying for who" from the Dying for who Ep, 1992 (England)

40. Meanwhile "All for a fistful of dollars" from the The Show must go on Ep, 2002 (Sweden)

41. Recharge "Politics, lies and deception" from the Chaos of Destruction vol.2 compilation 2xLp, 2000 (Germany)

42. Final Massakre "Probability of deaths construction" from the The Bells of Hell Toll the Final Chime Ep, 1999 (U$A)

43. Doom "The possibility of life's destruction (Discharge cover)" from the Why can't we hate more compilation cd, 1998 (England)

44. Uncurbed "Hell on Earth (Discharge cover)" from the In Defence of Our Future... A Tribute to Discharge Lp, 2001 (Sweden)

45. The Varukers "Bomb blast" from the Still Bollox but still here cd, 1995 (England)

46. Excrement of War "Toxic gas" from the Dogtags and Bodybags split Lp with Deformed Conscience, 1998 (recorded in 1995) (England)

47. Final Conflict "A look at tomorrow (Discharge cover)" from the Discharged - From Home Front to War front Ep, 1991 (U$A)

48. Holokaust "Behind the barbed wire" from the S/t Ep, 2002 (U$A)

49. Ruin "Distort/Confuse" from the Distort/Confuse Ep, 2006 (Scotland)

50. Dispense "The end of the world" from the In the Cold Night cd, 1994 (Sweden)

51. Final Blood Bath "System of Hell" from the Dear or Alive Ep, 2002 (Japan)

52. SDS "Why (Discharge cover)" from the Discharged compilation cd, 1992 (Japan)

The link to end all links

The Filth and the Crusty: an overview of 90's metallic crust (part 1)

After the resounding success of Terminal Sound Nuisance's cavemen crust compilation that focused on brutal and fast gruff crust music produced in the 90's, it was high time I got off my arse and dealt with the other, darker side of crust, the genre's guilty pleasure: metal. 

Sometimes, lines are thin, boundaries are fluid to the point of irrelevance and attempts at grasping the essence of metallic crust can prove to be futile, if not sisyphean. Like for its fast and furious brother, mood, vibe and tension are defining factors, and the mere addition of strict musical elements is not enough to characterize crust. It is not all subjective however, and of course, there are compulsory aspects for a song to be called a metallic crust one. Heavy, groovy apocalyptic riffs, an epic sense of atmosphere, gruff vocals, a thundering bass sound, without mentioning the crucial punk energy and aggression. 

It could be argued that metallic crust has become very redundant and predictable since the 00's (with some exceptions, fortunately). This tendency is paradoxical since, contrary to cavemen crust, which offers limited possibilities for innovations and creativity, the infusion of metal should be door-opening rather than formulaic. But more often than not, when I hear about a contemporary metal crust band, it often sounds like Bolt Thrower with a d-beat, which, I suppose, has a lot to do with the so-called stenchcore revival of the 00's. So while all the songs compiled here have meaningful similarities (especially in terms of vibe I think), I tried to highlight the variety in the contributions to the genre that 90's bands made. There are influences from doom metal, death metal, industrial metal, heavy metal, but it still organically refers to the original wave, and hence fall under the crust umbrella (maybe unwillingly!).

The choice to work from a chronological perspective is probably problematic. If all the songs included here were recorded between 1990 and 2000, some bands were not necessarily "90's bands" like Nausea or Prophecy of Doom. Similarly, some bands make much more sense on an area-based compilation rather than a time-based one. I am aware of these discrepancies but I wanted to do a global overview based on musical similarities and shared attributes. Of course, a Japanese or Californian crust comp would offer a deeper, more significant perspective (like I did for the Greek scene for instance). Maybe on another occasion.

Most of the 25 songs were ripped from my collection and, as usual, for the lazies, I uploaded the thing onto youtube. The second part will be posted shortly.

Enjoy this unhealthy slice of CRUST. 

01. Filth of Mankind "Zwiastun" from their Czas Końca Wieku Ep, 1999 (Gdansk, Poland)

02. Prophecy of Doom "Onward ever backward" from the second BBC Peel Session, 1991 (Tewkesbury, England)

03. Ανθρωπινος Ληθαργος "Μονος Μπροστα Στο Θανατο" from their s/t demo tape, 1992 (Athens, Greece)

04. Hiatus "Equality, conception of life" from their In my Mind demo tape, 1990 (Liège, Belgium)

05. Warcollapse "It's time to..." from their Crust as Fuck Existence mini Lp, 1995 (Värnamo, Sweden)

06. Stagnation "Songs of praise" from their Answer to Time cd, 1998 (Dublin, Ireland)

07. Cirrhosis "?" from a practice session, early/mid 90's (Minneapolis, U$A)

08. Depressor "Mammoth" from their Grace demo tape, 1997 (San Francisco, U$A)

09. AGE "Inside darkness" from their Inside Darkness Ep, 1997 (Niigata, Japan)

10. Ανάσα Στάχτη "Καταδίκη" from their their s/t Lp, 1994 (Athens, Greece)

11. Coitus "Arbeit macht frei" from the Submission/Domination tape, 1992 (London, England)

12. Nausea "Cybergod" from their Cybergod Ep, 1991 (New York, U$A)

13. Carcinogen "Civilized" from their Kure demo tape, 1992 (Orange County, U$A)

14. Defiance "Intro + Future is darkness" from the Meaningful Consolidation 2xEp compilation, 1994 (Osaka, Japan)

15. Policebastard "Major label control" from their Traumatized Lp, 1995 (Birmingham, England)

16. Scatha "I am one" from their Respect, Protect, Reconnect Lp, 1996 (Glasgow, Scotland)

17. SDS "Apocalypse now" from their In to the Void unreleased Lp, 1992 (Gifu, Japan)

18. Misery "Children of war" from their Who's the Fool... Lp, 1994 (Minneapolis, U$A)

19. Σαρκασμός "Απόγονος Ανθρώπινου Μυαλού" from their Ο Ζωγράφος Της Παρακμής demo tape, 1995 (Greece)

20. Lardarse "Slave" from their Armchair Apathy Ep, 1997 (Nottingham, England)

21. Mindrot "Blink of an eye" from their s/t demo tape, 1990 (Huntington Beach, U$A)

22. Extinction of Mankind "Puppets of power" from their Scars of Mankind still Weep Ep, 1998 (Manchester, England)

23. Confrontation "Contortion" from their Dead Against the War Ep, 1991 (Huntington Beach, U$A)

24. Insurgence "Hawk and the dove" from the Squat or Rot 2 compilation Ep, 1990 (New York, U$A)

25. Χαοτικό Τέλος "Τίποτα Αληθινό" from their Μπροστά Στην Παράνοια Lp, 1993 (Athens, Greece)

The filth and the crusty!

Kids of the 90's (part 10): Okotta / Visions of War "恐った / Untitled" split Ep 2000

Could there be a better choice than a Visions of War record to close the Kids of the 90's series with splendour? I think not. I am pretty sure everyone reading this will already be familiar with the mighty VOW. They have been going through thick and thin for twenty years, have toured extensively and released records at a steady pace, so unless you have been hiding under a crust-proof rock for years, you must have heard about them (which is not synonymous with actually hearing them, I'll give you that). Although it is true that the majority of their materials was released from the early 00's on, I personally see VOW as a quintessentially 90's band and not just because of the age of the participants. They stand for a specific genre - in terms of vibe and sound but also of casually genuine DIY attitude - let's call it eurocrust for the sake of clarity, that reached its peak during the mid-90's and almost completely vanished during the last decade (there have been a couple of sporadic instances to be sure but while everyone's talking about a so-called 90's revival, I am still not seeing much of a difference in my punk niche). But, not unlike bands such as Hellkrusher or Extinction of Mankind, they are still standing, undisturbed and unperturbed by the endless flow of newish punk trends and if that's not true dedication and crust heroism (albeit a quixotic one perhaps), then I don't know what is and I should probably open an organic, gluten-free, gender-neutral, streetfood stand selling kale cupcakes and lattes instead of raving like a cyber lunatic.

You can notice that the release date of this split Ep is actually 2000 (hence not the 90's, thanks for pointing it out Captain Obvious) but since the VOW songs were recorded in December, 1998, and mixed in January, 1999 (and since this blog is a domain I rule with an iron fist), I decided to select it as a logical conclusion. Let's start with Okotta, on side A. I must admit that I wasn't really familiar with this lot and therefore had to ask some knowledgable old-timer (merci Lolo!) for details about them. They were a short-lived band from the Antwerp area in Belgium, active in the late 90's (they had split up when the Ep came out). Okotta was made up of Tim and Kurt who had previously played together in Noise Reduction (who did a split Ep with Disaster-fanatics Deadlock from Japan), in Karma and in Orchestrange. Tim was also running Filth-Ear Distributions, a noisy label responsible for some solid records from the likes of Active Minds, Social Chaos and even Jobbykrust (the first Filth-Ear release in fact). With such a pedigree, I guess you can already imagine what Okotta may sound like, right? Noisy hardcore indeed.

The six songs on Okotta's side are raw and to the point, gruff and angry bursts of fast hardcore thrash with hoarse vocals and tightness as an option. If a bunch of grizzly bears tried to cover Hellnation, they would come close to this. There is an undeniable sense of fury and urgency conveyed by the rough sound of the recording and I would venture that the simplicity of the songwriting is also intentional and is meant to reinforce that vibe. But simple is difficult and although I think the songs work as part of the split Ep, I am not sure I could go through a full album. The lyrics are pretty dark, direct and aggressive which of course works well with the genre. There is no recording date but I suppose the songs were done in 1999. Another Okotta release does exist as Filth-Ear put out a cdr album entitled 恐った, same as their side of the Ep, in 1999 (apparently it means something like "I was scared" but I am pretty clueless when it comes to Japanese). 

On side B are the always valiant VOW, also from Hellgium, with their second vinyl appearance. The first one was on the Ups The Record compilation Ep from 1998 (which also included Sin Dios, PCP, Boycot, Dekadent, Shears and Point of Few) but the least you could say about VOW's contribution is that it was a bit of a miss since the song "D-Cay" was at the wrong speed and sounded much slower than it was supposed to (I also love the 90's for stories like these). This track was actually part of the band's first demo, recorded in April, 1998 (VOW formed during the autumn of '96), an ultimate collection of eight songs epitomizing rough and ready dual-vocals cavemen crust that makes Accion Mutante and Warcollapse sound almost soft in comparison. The three songs included on this split Ep were taken from the second demo recorded in January, '99 (the full demo can be found on the cd version of the split with Mass Genocide Process from Czech).

Because the 2002 split Lp with Olho De Gato was released on Maloka Records, it was very easy to find copies of it in Paris in the early 00's and a mate of mine taped the Lp for me at a time when I was slowly but surely getting heavily into crust. But in these days of intense crust exploration, I suppose it kinda got lost in the midst of so many other bands, so I did not pay that much attention to it at first (though I did mentally classify VOW in the ENT/Disrupt drawer). Then in early 2004, at an afterparty in Leeds, someone (I cannot remember who exactly but I do recall that, among the guests, he was reputed to play only "super gruff crust and grind" which, reflecting on it now, I am not sure was exactly a compliment) played VOW's side and, amidst the cider fumes, I was struck by how bloody great it sounded. Fast-forward to spring and to the 2004 K-Town festival, back when it was still an anarcho/crust event relatively hipster-free, where some good mates of mine went (I could not for some stupid reason I forgot) and saw VOW play. According to several trustworthy reports (with the usual hyperbolic storytelling of course), the band pretty much outcrusted everyone on stage: they were savagely intense and the equivalent of time-traveling to see ENT in 1988. At that time, to be convicted of outcrusting at K-Town was not something many could claim to have achieved so I was, once again, really quite impressed and thus the aforementioned record (which I had bought in the meantime) got played even more often at home. 

These are all silly stories of course, but, being sentimental, I suppose the band means a lot to me. VOW is a bit like that old friend you can always rely on. Sure some years were better than others in your relationship, but he's one of the proverbial boys. I am not sure whether or not the band still played the songs from this second demo when they hit the K-Town stage, but it can still give you a significant idea about where the allegation of outcrusting comes from. 

Prior to VOW, vocalist Stiv (who is gossiped to have started as the "high-pitched" screamer in the band) had been singing in Insane Youth, a crusty and noisy hardcore punk band who did a split Ep with Boycot, second vocalist Steffen was part of Deconsume and guitar-hero Stef played in Corpus Christi, a Mob-47-meets-Zyklome-A-at-a-crust-conference kind of band who did a split Ep with Força Macabra, and in the late Insane Youth Lineup. As for the very original moniker, the rumour has it that it was the result of a dare with the guys from Hellkrusher who challenged Stef to form a crust band with a clichéd Discharge-inspired name. I doubt anyone involved expected said band to last twenty years but here it is. 

And the three songs on this particular Filth-Ear split Ep I hear you ask? Well, they are top-shelf pummeling gruff crust with dual vocals and a crunchy, powerful and heavy raw sound, up there with the finest of the 90's. Vintage Hiatus, Amen, Warcollapse, Amnesty, MVD, all the best come to mind and the VOW side can be seen as a "90's crust for dummies" guideline, or, perhaps more accurately, as the perfect eurocrust synthesis of the decade. Absolutely ace stuff done with taste and knowhow. In 2000, Lolo from Primitiv Bunko and Arnaud from Detritus joined the band and contributed to the making of the furious split Lp with Olho de Gato. More records followed but that's a story for another time. 

Get some fucking 90's crust in your life, yeah?            

Les visions de la guerre

"Endless Struggle: the worst of the 1in12 Club vol 12/13" compilation 2xLp, 1995

This is the last one of the double Lp compilation with yet another 1in12 record. "Endless Struggle" was released in 1995 and was the last vinyl compilation on the label (the very last 1in12 sampler, "Decade of Dissidence" was released on cd in 1999). Few records offer a better, more relevant snapshot of the British hardcore punk scene of the early 90's than "Endless Struggle", despite its slight Northern bias which has more to do with the location of the 1in12 Club I presume.

From a 2016 perspective, the line-up is fairly impressive and firmly rooted in the early 90's, both in terms of genre and political content. "Endless Struggle" is a highly contextualized record from its inception that reflects a time as much as a place, and that's why it is also a significant one. As it says on the backcover, the compilations are meant to "chronicle the musical history of the club". While "Wild & Crazy Noise Merchants" still offered a wide range of musical styles, "Endless Struggle" however was an all-out punk compilation, granted it was a rather diverse one, but gone were the indie rockers and the folk singers (and strangely enough, I kinda miss them to be honest). Looking at the flyers of the 90's gigs that were put on there, it did not imply that the 1in12 Club had turned completely into a punk venue but I am under the impression that the punk tendency noticeably increased at that time. In any case, "Endless Struggle" is undeniably a punk-rock compilation, musically and visually and one could see the record as perhaps the most relevant embodiment of the importance of punk in the making of the 1in12's identity.

The cover was drawn by Simon, from Bath, who used to do the brilliant "Arnie" fanzine and is now a pretty famous comics artist (I am proud to say that I have an Arnie poster on my door saying: "Subvertman: he's been on the cider and he's fucking angry". Priceless). "Endless Struggle" was a benefit record for the Anarchist Black Cross and the Zapatistas. A text entitled "Support class struggle prisoners" opens the thick booklet and states the principles of the ABC and stresses the importance to support and show solidarity toward those on the inside. Although it was released in 1995, the Poll Tax Riots, which were all about class inequalities and class anger, were still fresh in people's minds and the text is strongly reminiscent of these events. Good one.

All the bands included on "Endless Struggle" (with a few exceptions) played the 1in12 between July, 1990 and July, 1992.  

- Terminus: and what could be a better opener than Terminus' "Dark carnival" for a class war-themed compilation? I already wrote about Terminus, from Scunthorpe, in the article about 88/92 anarchopunk but I don't mind repeating myself when writing about such a fine band. Although Terminus formed in 1983, they were never a hasty bunch and their most potent recordings were released in the early 90's. I think "Dark carnival" rates as one of their very best songs. Terminus played powerful and inspired anarchopunk that, although not earth-shatteringly original on the surface, strangely remains difficult to describe and inventive. They played a brand of heavy, dark and moody punk-rock that was passionate and, dare I say it, emotional with Mark's vocals ably conveying a whole range of feelings. They've been compared to virtually every band on the planet, Bad religion, Anti-Nowhere League, Leatherface, The Mob, Amebix, The Dark, The Damned... If you blended them all together, you might get close to Terminus to some extent, but I do feel that the band had a really unique twist. "Dark carnival", recorded in 1994, is a song about class unity and solidarity. Fitting.

- Disaffect: everyone's favourite thrashy anarchopunk band with male/female vocals. And for good reason. Smart, triumphant and catchy riffing on this one with a dirty, crunchy guitar sound and Lynne's vocals still rate among the best in the genre: raucous and yet tuneful and powerful. Definitely looking forward to the 90's anarchopunk revival that, according to my calculations, should start in 2018. Brace yourselves.

- Sedition: I know I am being redundant but how intense can you really get? I have always loved Sedition but I don't play them that often. But whenever I do, the level of ferocity and aggression of their music fills me with awe. They just sound unstoppable and the vocals sound so angry. What did they have for breakfast? The two songs, "Disgrace" and "Abuse", are early Sedition songs of absolutely raging, rabid hardcore punk.  

- One By One: another fantastic band with members located in Leeds, Newcastle and Bradford (at the time) that is seldom mentioned in everyday conversations (how odd, right?). One By One were undoubtedly one of the most crucial English anarchopunk band of the early 90's but didn't really sound like anyone else. Although you can definitely spot a whole range of different influences in their music, when assembled, they produce something quite unique that could be best qualified as "anarchopunks having a go at playing intricate hardcore music". OBO played hardcore punk that was both heavy (but never metal) and tuneful (but never poppy) with great vocals from Karin and Micky which were cleverly arranged. The band also wrote smart political songs that were radical but from the heart and never pretentious. "Prisoners of conscience" is a late song, written when the band was at its peak, about resignation and the need to keep fighting and dedicated to "those who've not given up the fight. All those buried alive in prisons for daring to fight back". Winner. After One By One split up, Sned and Alec kept playing with Health Hazard while Micky and Karin formed Ebola.

- Cluster Bomb Unit: this punishing song from CBU makes me think that, perhaps, this band is unfairly forgotten when discussing post-80's käng-inspired hardcore. Despite a longevity of more than 15 years (or perhaps because of it since we often overvalue the transient), CBU's worth as a solid purveyor of intense and abrasive scandicore. "Without a warning" is an absolute scorcher recorded in 1990, which, in the history of referential shitlicking music, is pretty fucking early. Top-shelf.

- Blizkrieg: a well-recorded live version of the classic "Lest we forget". By that time, Blitzkrieg sounded heavier than in their 80's days, as if they had added some Motörhead and Venom to their anthemic punk-rock recipe. And it worked. Beefy and snotty old-school UK punk-rock.  

- Sarcasm: the great Sarcasm already made an appearance on Terminal Sound Nuisance a few years ago so you know what to expect from this Leicester lot who were one of the finest crust bands of the 90's: raw and gruff quality crust punk with a love for distorted Japanese punk. "Mist of confusion" is an ideal meeting ground between the early Doom/ENT/Sore Throat's cavemen sound, the Bristol chaos tradition and a distinctively British love for the Kyushu noise of Confuse and Gai. To some extent, you could see Sarcasm as being the English Gloom, not that they sound alike - they do not - but in terms of intent. This song was recorded in 1994 and also appeared on the "Mist of confusion" demo tape.

- Wat Tyler: I think it is WT's first appearance on TSN so it is cause for celebration. I will be honest. A lot of their material is rather forgettable musically (though "Hops and barley" is a genuine hit and "The fat of the band" is actually a pretty good album) but I must admit that their lyrics always made me laugh. For instance, Sean wrote down his favourite places to eat in South London on the band's insert. And to give you an idea, here is what he has to say about a pizza place called One Plus One: "Not the greatest pizza. In fact me and my mate Stuart had a fucking right dodgy pizza a few months ago. Almost inedible, and I'm telling you, that is serious for me. The best thing about one plus one is you buy one pizza, you get another free. Annoying if your by yourself, but I very rarely do it by myself. The drink and extras are pretty slack". As for the song, "James Whale", introduced by a few jokes in bad German, it is basically a cover of Stevie Wonder's "I just called to say I love you" with blast beats but with "James Whale, you're a fuckin' cunt" instead of "I love you". And, if you need to know, James Whale was an English radio host famous for being quite rude. Oh well...

- Sore Throat: well, what should you expect? I am not quite sure who actually plays on this ST recording from 1994 (Sore Throat had been dead and buried for a few years by that time) but my best bet is that it is Cracked Cop Skulls (Rat, Nick and Jim) with Rich Militia on vocals. Not an entirely wild guess since there is a cover of CCS' "Retribute". "Hurry up Garry '94", introduced by a short spoken-word by Danbert Nobacon from Chumbawamba, is a distorted and gruff oi-inspired song against Garry Bushell that surprisingly works and reminds me of 90's-era Disorder and Destroy!'s mid-paced moments.

- Oi Polloi: a classically anthemic Oi Polloi song and certainly one of their most iconic. "Guilty" is a song about fighting back and supporting political prisoners. Musically, the early 90's were a good time for Oi Polloi as well, they still had that heavy crusty sound that blended very well with their 90's hardcore punk sound.

- Voorhees: mean and aggressive hardcore heavily influenced by the US school. Voorhees are pretty famous and they were really good at what they did. Although it is not really my cup of tea, there is no denying the intensity that permeated their music. And of course, there is a Negative Approach cover.

- Ironside: funnily enough, I actually like Ironside. All the straightedge visual and lyrical folklore notwithstanding (truth be told, the band didn't use it that often, the song on this comp being an exception), I think they were really good and the "Fragments of the last judgement" Ep is great. To be completely honest, I am not sure I understand properly what Ironside were trying to do. The vocabulary used in "Armed With Anger" is unknown to me. I have no idea what "Holy Terror" is, I don't any hardcore band from Cleveland, and I have never listened to Sheer Terror, Breakdown, Integrity or Ringworm. However, if it were not for the very guitar-driven production, a song like "Suffocation" (about smoking obviously) is really not that unlike late-Antisect and Deviated Instinct or Prophecy of Doom although I know that was not intentional (at all!). It is groovy, raw, dark, with a filthy metal sound and gruff vocals. Well it sounds an awful lot like old-school crust to me. Winner.

- Nailbomb: a band with Rich Militia that I don't really relate to... I probably don't know enough about US metallic hardcore to get it properly I suppose. I like some moments in the song (the last minute is quite good, between doom-metal and heavy hardcore, though I don't really like that kind of drumming) but I am not sure I could listen to a whole album of Nailbomb. Apparently, this brand of metallic hardcore was all the rage in the North at the time.

- Wordbug: a band from Exeter that I do not really know that much although the name is definitely familiar. Wordbug is a bit like that bloke you have been seeing for 10 years at punk gigs, that you casually say hello to but never really had a proper conversation with because he appears to be far too much into Dag Nasty for his (and your) own good. Wordbug was made up of members from Hate That Smile and Mad at the Sun and played melodic, American-flavoured hardcore with catchy guitar leads. Not my thing but it is well done.

- Decadence Within: while I really like DW's early recordings, I never really enjoyed their hardcore/crossover period, although I admire their resilience, longevity and honesty. "A stitch in time" was recorded in 1993 and is actually pretty good. I don't like some of the arrangements (they would have benefited from simplifying the song I suppose) but the tunes are good and the chrous is pretty catchy.

- Contropotere: I already raved at great length about the mighty Contropotere in my infamous "Prog-crust series" so I will try to be brief. Here is a live version of "Attacco al visus", a song that also appears on their "Cyborg 100%" album (that I am not familiar enough with to say anything relevant about). I love the song of "Endless Struggle", heavy industrial post-crust with the usual anguished, ominous atmosphere that the band could create. It is not that far from a more progressive "Life cycle"-era Nausea or some Saw Throat songs. Good shit.

- Doom: a Motörhead cover with different lyrics recorded in 1993. At that time the line-up comprised two members of Excrement of War (Mall on bass and Tom on vocals) as well as Scoot (later in Extinction of Mankind and Hellkrusher) on second guitar. I don't think the song is that good to be honest, especially when you consider the fury they were able to unleash in the studio at that time, but then, I am not a Motörhead fan (I said it. Shoot me). What interests me the most about "(We hate) the brew crew" is the topic: jitters. A jitter is, according to the band's description and Simon Arnie's drawing: "a traveling youth of untidy appearance, usually found in gangs outside gigs begging, while having enough money to buy drinks all night. Enjoy being the centre of attention by being as offensive as possible. No respect for others (...). usually end a perfect night by fighting or ripping people off". Now, all punk scenes throughout the world have their own brand of "jitters" but judging from the 2000 DS patch on the drawing, I suspect these were somehow connected with the growing rave culture of the time that attracted and colluded with a large section of the punk scene (arguably, the one that was the most into drugs and living rough). Or am I mistaken?

- Concrete Sox: a regular host on Terminal Sound Nuisance. This is the early 90's incarnation of Concrete Sox and, indeed, a good one. Ripping and pummeling metallic hardcore punk with that specific UK vibe I am such a sucker for. No recording info here but I suspect "Speak Japanese or die" (another version of "Speak Siberian or die") was a tribute to the recent Concrete Sox' Japanese tour. The guitar sound is perfect, thrashy but dirty, and the raspy, snotty vocals are always a pleasure. I think this version was recorded live and as such, is a testimony to the band's power at the time (a 1993 studio version can be found on "Crust and Anguished Life").

- Scraps: in the 80's, good French hardcore bands were few and far between. Scraps are from Lille and have been active since at least 1985. The band started out as a noisy hardcore punk outfit, not unlike Lärm or early Heresy, and I suppose that is what they are best remembered for. "Familiar patterns" however was recorded at a time when Scraps had changed a lot and no longer played short, fast and loud hardcore. I suppose it could be described as modern and intense hardcore, heavy and mid-paced with political/personal lyrics, not unlike a disencrusted Unhinged or something Nabate could have released. Pretty good. The song also appeared on the "Dismantle the machine one cog at a time" Lp.  

- Virtual Reality: VR was the follow-up of The Next World, a lovable anarchopunk band with a drum-machine and a unique postpunk feel that was reviewed twice on Terminal Sound Nuisance. As much as I like The Next World, I cannot say I am into Virtual Reality. The duo went for a rockier, grungier sound that lacks the necessary heaviness due to the absence of a proper drummer. Good lyrics as usual from this lot though, about the class war and not taking it any longer.

- Hiatus: another regular customer at TSN. Hiatus were a crust powerhouse with terrific riffs, smart breaks and an intensity that few can reproduce. This is a live version of "They really got me" which corresponds to the "From resignation...to revolt"-era of the band. Top notch as usual.

- Protest:  well... Protest, the Swiss distorted anarcho-hardcore band, were meant to be included on "Endless Struggle" but, due to a human error, weren't and their song was replaced with one from Momido 7, from Germany. Apparently, Protest sent a tape to the label but someone picked the side B instead of A and ended up including Momido 7 instead of Protest... DIY or Die. So you do have the nice visual provided by Protest (a band with members of Earth Citizens) but the songs are from Momido 7, a sideproject with people from Die Schwarzen Schafe (Armin also ran Campary Records). And actually, Momido 7 are pretty good. Noisy, raw, distorted and chaotic fast punk music with male/female vocals with some synth, cold-wave moments and long ominous spoken parts in German that give the song a disturbed, deranged vibe. Experimental noisepunk with a cold-wave touch? The recording is rough but I do want more of it. Sorry Protest.

- Beer Beast: I know absolutely nothing about the unfortunately-named Beer Beast. I am guessing they were from the Bradford area as their address is the same as the 1in12 Club's. Apparently, they recorded two demos "Homebrew session" in 1990 and "Abuse of technology" in 2000. Chances are there are some familiar faces in this fun-oriented project. Beer Beast played sloppy and fast crusty punk with a strong death-metal feel on "Govern-mental system". "Ilkley Moor" is a joke song, probably a cover I cannot identify, that sounds like your usual spoof punk-rock song. I am sure they must have been fun to watch live and have a pint with: "If anyone wants to complain about our use of the word 'twat' then complain to Beer Beast, not the 1in12. Or Gary. Or your mum".

- Immortal Dead: be prepared for an incredible revelation here and I am not kidding, although I almost wish I were. Brace yourselves as I never thought I would write the following association of words in my entire life and I am almost struggling to do it right now... Immortal Dead were... a Christian anarchopunk band from Bradford. Yes, I know. WTF. And it is not a fake, I checked. If you need some proof of this atrocity, you can read these links omg and please kill me. In an interview, the singer declared: "There's different sorts of anarchy, there's a really loving, peaceful kind of anarchy - we'd like to have Christianity at the forefront of that movement". I honestly couldn't believe what I was reading. According to that bloke, the other anarcho bands welcomed Immortal Dead well enough although I doubt everyone knew about their religious stance and their playing in Christian music festivals. ID are a complete mystery to me, an oddity and I wish I knew more about them.
The worst thing is that it all started so well. When I played "Endless Struggle" again for this review, I immediately thought that Immortal Dead were amazing. That is the good thing with such massive compilations, you always find bands you had previously ignored or overlooked at first and Immortal Dead were definitely compilation's winners. Old-school anarchopunk with tunes and energy, great male/female vocals, this is EXACTLY the sound that I crave for and can't get enough of. Immortal Dead reminded me in the best way possible of Toxic Waste, DIRT, Dominant Patri or Tears of Destruction and the prospect to look for other recordings from them was enthralling. Unfortunately, the disappointment was inversely proportional... I usually never have to worry about a band being devout Christians, because my two main passions - crust and anarchopunk - are free from this kind of problems. To me, Christian punk-rock was like MTV punk-rock. I know it exists but it is so far from what I am into that I have no time to waste on it, or so I thought. Besides, while I can comprehend that one member of an anarcho or crust band is religious, it does look paradoxical but I won't judge, it is a whole different thing to claim to be a Christian anarchopunk band ready to convert the scene to the love of Jesus Christ... This is frustrating, because the music is really good. There are a few scratches on the ID song, probably because the former owner realized the real nature of the band and, in a fit of rage, damaged their track. Please, someone tell me that it is a joke band like Hard Skin. For fuck's sake, a Christian anarchopunk band... I need a drink.

- Phobia: this is a really weird one and the last song of "Endless Struggle" which is not even listed on the backcover. Apparently, this is a live song from 1976 from a band called Phobia (formally "The Underdogs" whatever that means, as it is not the same band that did the Ep on Riot City). This is a rough song of proto-punk/garage that is pretty uninteresting in my opinion and I am clueless as to its inclusion on the compilation. Odd.
 

Endless Struggle