Shellac

Here's the delayed post that was meant to close out 2023. This is one of one of the most consistent and influential acts in underground rock, with a legacy that often feels understated. Of course it's none other than the one and only Shellac. They came together in 1992, with members all already established in their native Chicago scene. This included vocalist/guitarist Steve Albini, who previously helmed the foundational post-hardcore/noise rock outfit Big Black. He's also widely known for his production work with the likes of Nirvana, The Pixies, PJ Harvey, The Jesus Lizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and so many more. Shellac also consists of bassist/vocalist Bob Weston, formerly of Volcano Suns and a noteworthy producer in his own right, working with the likes of June of 44, Sebadoh and Archers of Loaf. Finally, to complete the single unit known as Shellac is drummer/vocalist Todd Trainer, who was previously in Breaking Circus and Rifle Sport.

Moving on from their individual résumés, their collective body of work starts in 1993 with a series of 7"'s released in quick succession, which culminated in a fully-realized sound by the time their landmark debut LP dropped in late 1994. At Action Park is the perfect introduction to a sound that is distinctly theirs. They eschew any semblance of traditional song structure, opting to lock into these hypnotic and dissonant yet dynamic grooves, with metallic string clangs and pulsating rhythms. Through each subsequent release always displayed a gradual evolution, their M.O. has always been to turn traditional rock sounds on their heads. Their output has also been very consistent, with five studio releases under their belt over a 20-year period, all via Touch And Go Records. If you have yet to give them a proper listen, now is the time. Enjoy.

The Rude Gesture: A Pictorial History (1993)

1. The Guy Who Invented Fire

2. Rambler Song

3. Billiard Player Song

Uranus (1993)

1. Doris

2. Wingwalker

The Bird Is The Most Popular Finger (1994)

1. The Admiral

2. XVI

At Action Park (1994)

1. My Black Ass

2. Pull The Cup

3. The Admiral

4. Crow

5. Song Of The Minerals

6. A Minute

7. The Idea Of North

8. Dog And Pony Show

9. Boche's Dick

10. Il Porno Star

Live In Tokyo (1994)

1. The Guy Who Invented Fire

2. Ramvler Song

3. The Admiral

4. My Black Ass

5. Song Of The Minerals

6. Billiard Player Song

7. Dog And Pony Show

8. Il Porno Star

9. Doris

10. Wingwalker

11. Boche's Dick

12. Crow

Billardspielerlied / Mantel (1995)

1. Billardspielerlied

2. Mantel

Sides 1-4 (1995)

1. Shellac - '95 Jailbreak

2. Big'n - T.N.T.

3. Brise-Glace - Angus Dei Aus Licht

4. U.S. Maple - Sin City

Soul Sound (1995)

1. Shellac - The Rambler Song

2. Mule - Beauteous

The Futurist (1997)

1. Movement 1

2. Movement 2

3. Movement 3

4. Movement 4

5. Movement 5

6. Movement 6

Terraform (1998)

1. Didn't We Deserve A Look At You The Way You Really Are

2. This Is A Picture

3. Disgrace

4. Mouhtpiece

5. Canada

6. Rush Job

7. House Full Of Garbage

8. Copper

1000 Hurts (2000)

1. Prayer To God

2. Squirrel Song

3. Mama Gina

4. Qrj

5. Ghosts

6. Song Against Itself

7. Canaveral

8. New Number Order

9. Shoe Song

10. Watch Song

Agostino / The Safeword (2000)

1. Shellac - Agostino

2. Caesar - The Safeword

Excellent Italian Greyhound (2007)

1. The End Of Radio

2. Steady As She Goes

3. Be Prepared

4. Elephant

5. Genuine Lulabelle

6. Kittypants

7. Protocal

8. Paco

9. Spoke

Dude Incredible (2014)

1. Dude Incredible

2. Compliant

3. You Came In Me

4. Riding Bikes

5. All The Surveyors

6. The People's Microphone

7. Gary

8. Mayor/Surveyor

9. Surveyor

The End Of Radio (2019)

1. Spoke

2. Canada

3. Crow

4. Disgrace

5. Ghosts

6. The End Of Radio

7. Canda

8. Paco

9. Steady As She Goes

10. Billiard Player Song

11. Dog And Pony Show

12. Il Porno Star

Note: Contains two Peel sessions, tracks 1-4 recorded in 1994 and tracks 5-12 recorded in 2004

To All Trains (2024)

1. WSOD

2. Girl From Outside

3. Chick New Wave

4. Tattoos

5. Wednesday

6. Scrappers

7. Days Are Dogs

8. How I Wrote How I Wrote Elastic Man (cock & bull)

9. Scabby The Rat

10. I Don't Fear Hell

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Squid Pisser

Squid Pisser are a two-piece hardcore/noise rock band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2022. They dropped their debut LP via Three One G and Sweatband Records earlier this year. If you're familiar with the former's roster, this band is a welcome addition to its distinct catalogue. It's harsh, chaotic, and noisy hardcore delivered at breakneck tempos with unpredictable rhythms. The band's turbulent, alien sound is rounded out by a laundry list of excellent features and collabortors, including members from bands as disparate as Melt-Banana, Punch, Tera Melos, The Locust,and Starcrawler. My Tadpole Legion is a fresh take on slimy noise rock, and makes for one of the most face-melting 20 minutes you'll probably hear this year. Highly recommended, enjoy! 

My Tadpole Legion (2023)

1. Liquified Remains

2. Violence Forever

3. Marching For Trash

4. Everlasting Bloat

5. My Tadpole Legion

6. Both

7. Vibe Monster

8. Fuck Your Preacher

9. Lord Of The Frog

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Index For Potential Suicide

Index For Potential Suicide were a five-piece screamo/hardcore/grindcore/noise band from Charleston, South Carolina that formed in 1998 and broke up in 2000. They released an EP, a split, and one full-length, with their entire discography being compiled on a single release in 2005. This band was a total melting pot of extreme music, which confluenced into their unique abrasion. They pull from varied sources including Man Is The Bastard, The Locust, Rorschach, and In/Humanity, with an added element of experimental noise and electronics thrown in the mix, with interludes sounding industrial and cavernous. Highly recommended, enjoy.

Index For Potential Suicide (1998)

1. Adolfo De Jesus Constanzo's Cookbook

2. Four Fingers, To Hell With The Thumb

3. 81 Days Without Employee Accident

4. Twenty Pound Sledge

5. Filipino Cancer Eaters

6. This Week's Boycott

Index For Potential Suicide/Usurp Synapse (1999)

1. Index For Potential Suicide - A Bag Of Mustard And Water

2. Index For Potential Suicide - Number 4

3. Usurp Synapse - I'm A Fufucking Vavampire

4. Usurp Synapse - What Would I Say If I Say I Love You

5. Usurp Synapse - I Was Born With A Hard-On

6. Usurp Synapse - Upenya

The Newest Youth Rebellion (2000)

1. The Newest Youth Rebellion

2. Flavor Of The Month

3. Remote Controls And Mousepads

4. Eat Lightning Crap Thunder

5. Global Injustice

6. Rock Out With Your Cock Out

7. Arriving At Suicide

8. Escape Unsuccessful

9. Death Toll Confirmed

10. Electronics, Sabotage And Surveillance

11. Escape From Uncle Bill's Lap

12. The Nine Envelopes Content

13. How To Build A Silencer For A Semi Automatic Weapon

14. Monoroid Manipulation

15. Silencer, Completed

16. 212, Fuck You

"Sex, Violence, Whatever" The Complete Recordings (2005)

1. The Newest Youth Rebellion

2. Flavor Of The Month

3. Remote Controls And Mousepads

4. Eat Lightning Crap Thunder

5. Global Injustice

6. Rock Out With Your Cock Out

7. Arriving At Suicide

8. Escape Unsuccessful

9. Death Toll Confirmed

10. Electronics, Sabotage And Surveillance

11. Escape From Uncle Bill's Lap

12. The Nine Envelopes Content

13. How To Build A Silencer For A Semi Automatic Weapon

14. Monoroid Manipulation

15. Silencer, Completed

16. 212, Fuck You

17. Sex, Violence, Whatever

18. Number 4

19. A Bag Of Mustard And Water

20. No Practice?

21. Rev Frank Whiteside Vs. The Deep Blue Supercomputer

22. Somebody Loves You

23. 22 Disciples Of Hell

24. Adolfo De Jesus Constanzo's Cookbook

25. Four Fingers, To Hell With The Thumb

26. 81 Days Without Employee Accident

27. Twenty Pound Sledge

28. Filipino Cancer Eaters

29. This Week's Boycott

30. Rise Of Yen Lo Wang

31. Dancefloor Justice

32. The Dangers Of Rope

33. Filipino Cancer Eaters (Demo)

34. You'd Kill Us Too

35. This Week's Boycott (Floorpunch version)

36. One Day Marriage License

37. Beer And Women

38. To Cause The Destruction Of An Enemy

39. 26 Year Old Patient, IQ 45

The Crimson Curse

The Crimson Curse were a five-piece hardcore band from San Diego, California that were active from approximately 1997 to 1999. They consisted of members that were active in a number of other major projects, most notably Justin Pearson (The Locust, Swing Kids, Some Girls, Holy Molar, and many, many more) and Jimmy LaValle (The Album Leaf, Swing Kids, The Locust, Guyver-One). The band was created in an attempt to steer punk and hardcore back into a less-serious but still impactful and unpredictable direction, which is accomplished via minute-long bursts of neck-snapping rhythms and Pearson's distinct charismatic howl. Their output was very minimal, with only one LP and one split being put out, which were compiled in 2001 by Pearson's label Three One G. There's a great bio and review on their website, along with an interview  which you can read here and here. Enjoy.

Greatest Hits (2001)

1. Funeral Empire

2. Radiation Blue

3. Both Feet In The Grave

4. Sweet Baby Jesus

5. Blood Thirsty Lust

6. Velvet Flesh Design

7. Psycho 75

8. I Liner

9. Rat Romance

10. Black Dye #15

11. Goldfish

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The Locust

The Locust are a four-piece hardcore?/grindcore?/powerviolence?/noise rock? band from San Diego California, that began in 1994. Since then, they've become one of extreme music's most unique and reputable sources for off-the-wall, outside-the-box sonic bizareness, with theatric live performances and insane recordings. Following a few line-up changes in their earliest incarnation, the band's roster settled with some very familiar figures in the world of hardcore. This includes vocalist/bassist Justin Pearson (Swing Kids, Struggle, Some Girls, Holy Molar, Head Wound City, Retox, Dead Cross) and guitarist-turned-drummer Gabe Serbian (Cattle Decapitation, Holy Molar, Head Wound City), who unfortunately died earlier this year. The band was rounded out by guitarist/vocalist and founding member Bobby Bray, alongside keyboardist/vocalist Joey Karam.

To try and even describe The Locust is an insurmountable task, and one not even worth really attempting. Think minute-long bursts of unhinged chaos at breakneck speeds with disconerting rhythms, and even that doesn't do it justice. They evolved and changed quickly as a unit, pumping out three full-lengths and a whole wack of other material in just a few short years. For a quick guide, the majority of their discography can be found on the 2012 compilation Molecular Genetics From The Gold Standard Labs. Between that, Plague Soundscapes, New Erections, and their splits with Jenny Piccolo and Man Is The Bastard, you've covered most of your bases. If you're new to them, I'd suggest starting with Plague Soundscapes, and diving further into the rabbit hole from there. Enjoy.

Our Earth's Blood Pt. 2/Locust (1995)

1. Man Is The Bastard - Margin For Disintegration

2. Man Is The Bastard - War

3. Man Is The Bastard - Prayer From Another Land

4. Man Is The Bastard - Robotic Anenomi

5. Man Is The Bastard - Cave Water Rings

6. Man Is The Bastard - A Periscope's Demise By Torpedo

7. Man Is The Bastard - Rocket Brain Failure

8. Man Is The Bastard - Ward Of Knives

9. Man Is The Bastard - Lunatic Hunting People

10. Man Is The Bastard - Pluto's Winter

11. Man Is The Bastard - Jupiter's Autumn

12. Man Is The Bastard - Katlehong Journal (An Update)

13. The Locust - Ass Gravity

14. The Locust - Futile Agreement

15. The Locust - Sever The Toe

16. The Locust - Emaciation Fuckers

17. The Locust - Red

18. The Locust - Inbred America

19. The Locust - Hellos

20. The Locust - Personal History

21. The Locust - Keep Off The Tracks

The Locust/Jenny Piccolo (1996)

1. The Locust - Follow The Flock, Step In Shit

2. The Locust - Coffin Nails

3. Jenny Piccolo - Labor Day '92

4. Jenny Piccolo - Six

5. Jenny Piccolo - Hand That Feeds

6. Jenny Piccolo - One Year

The Locust (1997)

1. Halfway To A Worthless Ideal Arrangement (An Interlude To A Discontinued Sarcastic Harmony... Yea Whatever)

2. Prepare To Qualify

3. Kill Rodger Hedgecock

4. Pain Reliever

5. Off By A Long Shot

6. Cattle Mutilation

7. #99

8. Head Hits Concrete

9. Hairspray Supository

The Locust (1998)

1. Moth-Eaten Deer Head

2. Brand New Set Of Teeth

3. How To Build A Pessimistic Lie Detector

4. Nice Tranquil Thumb In Mouth

5. Dog Without A Collar (Run Over Red Rover)

6. The Perils Of Believing In Round Squares

7. Normal Run Of The Muck (Compensation For Conversation)

8. Stucco Obelisks Labeled As Trees

9. Straight From The Horses Mouth

10. An Extra Piece Of Dead Meat

11. Twenty-Three Full -Time Cowboys

12. Backbones Of Jack Asses

13. Fixed Companionship, Ghost Town Irrationality

14. Skin Graft At Seventy-Five Miles Per Hour

15. High-Maintenance Libido, Bring The Whole Family

16. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle

17. Halfway To A Worthless Ideal Arrangement (An Interlude To A Discontinued Sarcastic Harmony Yea Whatever)

18. Kill Roger Hedgecock

The Locust/Arab On Radar (2000)

1. The Locust - Get Off The Cross, The Wood Is Needed

2. The Locust - Wet Nurse Syndrome Hand-Me-Down Display Case

3. The Locust - This Is Radio Surgery

4. The Locust - Spitting In The Faces Of Fools As A Source Of Nutrition

5. The Locust - Sever The Toes

6. Arab On Radar - Three Meals Away From A Crack Whore

7. Arab On Radar - Piggin In The Pumpkin Patch

Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (2000)

1. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle

2. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (Bastard Noise Remix)

3. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (Wizards of War Remix)

4. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (Christoph De Babalon Remix)

5. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (Sinking Body Remix)

6. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (Kid606 Remix)

7. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle (I Am Spoonbender Remix)

Flight Of The Wounded Locust (2001)

1. Gluing Carpet To Your Genitals Does Not Make You A Cantaloupe

2. Turning Your Merchandise Into A Ripped Wall Of Mini-Abs

3. Bring Your 65 Italian Carbine

4. Alas Here Come The Hypochondriacs To Wait With You In The Lobby

5. Siphoning Projectiles During Selective Amnesia

6. Get Off The Cross, The Wood Is Needed

7. Wet Nurse Syndrome Hand-Me-Down Display Case

8. This Is Radio Surgery

9. Spitting In The Faces Of Fools As A Source Of Nutrition

10. Sever The Toes

11. Flight Of The Wounded Locust

The Locust/Melt Banana (2002)

1. The Locust - How to Become a Virgin

2. The Locust - Who Wants a Dose of the Clap?

3. The Locust - Twenty‐Three Lubed‐Up Schizophrenics With Delusions of Grandeur

4. The Locust - Priest With the Sexually‐Transmitted Diseases Get Out of My Bed

5. The Locust - The Half‐Eaten Sausage Would Like to See You in His Office

6. Melt-Banana - Too Rough to Scoop (Find a Grain of Greed)

7. Melt-Banana - Creeps in a White Cake

Plague Soundscapes (2003)

1. Recyclable Body Fluids In Human Form

2. Identity Exchange Program Rectum Return Policy

3. Solar Panel Asses

4. Live From The Russian Compound

5. Earwax Halo Manufactured For The Champion In All Of us

6. Wet Dream War Machine

7. Listen, The Mighty Ear Is Here

8. Who Wants A Dose Of The Clap?

9. Teenage Mustache

10. How To Become A Virgin

11. Anything Jesus Does I Can Do Better

12. Late For A Double Date With A Pile Of Atoms In The Water Closet

13. File Under 'Soft Core Seizures'

14. Practiced Hatred (Crossed Out cover)

15. Psst! Is That A Halfie In Your Pants?

16. The Half-Eaten Sausage Would Like To See You In His Office

17. Pulling The Christmas Pig By The Wrong Pairs Of Ears

18. Can We Please Get Another Nail in The Coffin Of Culture Theft?

19. Your Mantel Disguised As A Psychic Sasquatch

20. Twenty-Three Lubed Up Schizophrenics With Delusions Of Grandeur

21. Captain Gaydar It's Time To Wind Your Clock Again

22. Priest With The Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Get Out Of My Bed

23. Pickup Truck Full Of Forty Minutes

Follow The Flock, Step In Shit (2004)

1. Follow The Flock, Step In Shit

2. Coffin Nails

3. Red

Safety Second, Body Last (2005)

1. Armless And Overactive / Invented Organs

2. One Decent Leg / Immune System Overtime

New Erections (2007)

1. AOTKPTA

2. We Have Reached An Official Verdict: Nobody Gives A Shit

3. The Unwilling... Led By The Unqualified... Doing The Unnecessary... For The Ungrateful...

4. One Manometer Away From Mutually Assured Relocation

5. Full Frontal Obscurity

6. Scavenger, Invader

7. Hot Tubs Full Of Brand New Fuel

8. God Wants Us All To Work In Factories

9. Book Of Bot

10. Slum Service (Slyed On The Sly)

11. Tower Of Mammal

The Peel Sessions (2010)

1. How To Become A Virgin

2. The Half-Eaten Sausage Would Like To See You In His Office

3. Kill Roger Hedgecock

4. Straight From The Horse's Mouth

5. Moth-Eater Deer Head

6. Priests With The Sexually-Transmitted Diseases, Get Out Of My Bed

7. Cattle Mutilation

8. Perils Of Believing In Round Squares

9. Twenty-Three Lubed-Up Schizophrenics With Delusions Of Grandeur

10. Stucco Obelisks Labeled As Trees

11. Skin Graft At Seventy-Five Miles An Hour

12. Get Off The Cross, The Wood Is Needed

13. Who Wants A Donse Of The Clap

14. Wet Nurse Syndrome (Hand Me Down Display Case)

15. Gluing Carpet To Your Genitals Does Not Make You Cantaloupe

16. Twenty-Three Full-Time Cowboys

Molecular Genetics From The Gold Standards Labs (2012)

1. How To Become A Virgin

2. Who Wants A Dose Of The Clap?

3. Twenty-Three Lubed Up Schizophrenics With Delusions Of Granduer

4. Priests With The Sexually Transmitted Diseases Get Out Of My Bed

5. The Half-Eaten Sausage Would Like To See You In His Office

6. Perils Of Believing In Round Squares

7. Flash's Theme

8. Gluing Carpet To Your Genitals Does Not Make You Cantaloupe

9. Turning Your Merchandise Into A Ripped Wall Of Mini-Abs

10. Bring Your 6.5 Italian Carbine

11. Alas, Here Come The Hypochondriacs To Wait With You In The Lobby

12. Siphoning Projectiles During Selective Amnesia

13. Flight Of The Wounded Locust

14. Get Off The Cross, The Wood Is Needed

15. Wet Nurse Syndrome Hand-Me-Down Display Case

16. This Is Radio Surgery

17. Spitting In The Faces Of Fools As A Source Of Nutrition

18. Sever The Toes

19. Well I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle

20. Moth-Eaten Deer Head

21. Brand New Set Of Teeth

22. How To Build A Pessimistic Lie Detector

23. Nice Tranquil Thumb in Mouth

24. Dog Without A Collar (Run Over Red Rover)

25. Normal Run Of The Muck (Compensation For Conversation)

26. Stucco Obelisks Labeled As Trees

27. Straight From The Horse's Mouth

28. An Extra Piece Of Dead Meat

29. Twenty-Three Full-Time Cowboys

30. Backbones Of Jack Asses

31. Fixed Companionship, Ghost Town Irrationality

32. Skin Graft At Seventy-Five Miles Per Hour

33. High-Maintenance Libido, Bring The Whole Family

34. Halfway To A Worthless Ideal Arrangement (An Interlude To A Discontinued Sarcastic Harmony... Yea Whatever)

35. Kill Rodger Hedgecock

36. Hairspray Suppository

37. Cattle Mutilation

38. Prepare To Qualify

39. Pain Reliever

40. Off By A Long Shot

41. Head Hits Concrete

42. Ass Gravity

43. Keep Off The Tracks

44. #99

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