Suburban Voice blog #80

I wanted to try to get another blog published by the end of the month and here it is. Realize that as I type this, my arm is in a sling and I'm on painkillers, due to shoulder surgery last week. That means you have to forgive any sort of incoherence, even though most of this was written over the course of the month!

Show-wise, kind of slow for yours truly. I made it to the Midway a couple of times, the first to see Sista Sekunden from Sweden and the second show featured Bring Down The Hammer, Chad from Brother Inferior's latest band. Photos and reviews of the shows can be seen at my Flickr page.

DAS REVIEWS:

LOGIC PROBLEM

ACEPHALIX-s/t (Prank, 7" EP)
A crushing amalgam of metal and crust with a riveting, thick sound and gut-punched vocalizing. In fact, the latter could be likened to Cronos of Venom being gut-punched. The opening song, "Nothing," is dirty, fast and nasty with some tasty wah-wah guitar punctuation and that continues with the careen of "Embodied In Skin." "Patricide" is in more of a pounding vein and things wrap up another speedy blast, "Confession." Thunderous. (PO Box 410892, SF, CA 94141, www.prankrecords.com)

ANS-Pressure Cracks (Tankcrimes, LP)
With "Pressure Cracks," ANS move even closer to the metallic realm. At the outset, there's a clip asking if they're going "a little slow heavy metal" and the reply is "a little bit zany, a little bit wastey." That could be name-checking a certain zany Waste-oid band from Richmond but this definitely isn't a carbon copy of 1987. They embrace a sprightly heaviness, if that's not a contradiction, while maintaining the Bl'ast-Flag inspirations, especially the first part of the hybrid. That applies to the words, taking a search inside and finding painful questions to deal with and express but also leaving time to "party with bros," as stated on ("If You Don't Get It Now) You Never Will." That's the only song that mentions their passion for skating, incidentally. Most of these songs here have a fired-up, rocking fervor reinforced with scorching guitar riffs and leads and wailing drumming. The last pair of songs take chances but aren't quite as successful. "Instru-Monu-Mental" uses the same modus operandi as "Walk Down My Way" from the last album, with spoken word over an instrumental vamp. It's kind of like combining the spoken word and instrumnetal sides of Black Flag's "The Process Of Weeding Out." "Bleeding Out" goes through an excruciating passage of purgatorial emanations (huh?) before finding a groove. Still, those songs aren't complete disasters, just a bit tough to get through. That's definitely not the case the rest of the time. (PO Box 3495, Oakland, CA 94609, www.tankcrimes.com)

ANTIBODIES-... Are Here (Patac, 7" EP)
The head honcho at Patac told me these are older guys who felt the urge to get together and start a punk rock band to work through the midlife crisis--well, I surmised the latter. And that they've done--started a punk rock band, that is. A drunken, loutish, obnoxious one. That description definitely applies to the vocalist. Meanwhile, his musical compatriots batter the snot out of their equally loutish and obnoxious compositions. Maybe they're trying a bit too hard but it takes something--though I'm not sure what that something is--to come up with a song as inspiringly stoopid as "Penis Intravenus." You wonder if their kids would tell THEM to turn down the racket. I say turn it up even louder. (www.patacrecords.com)

BUNNY SKULLS-18 Song EP (Punks Before Profits, 7" EP)
Formerly a duo, now a trio and I neglected to review their first 7". Distored, raw hardcore in short, sharp installments. I mean, you're not going to find any three minute epics here. It's not all blinding thrash either. "Daily War" actually has something of a melody. Pretty tongue-in-cheek and particularly contemptuous of crusties, suicide punx, youth crew-ers and people who wear Hooters shirts. What's funny is this sounds like it was recorded on a boombox or four-track but it was actually recorded by Steve Albini at his studio. And he does a great job of making it sound like a boombox recording. I just went back and listened to their first, one-sided EP and that was recorded on a four-track and is sonically similar. Maybe you can still score one. Go to www.myspace.com/bunnyskullsband. (PO Box 1148, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, www.punksbeforeprofits.org)

EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING-s/t (Goner, CD)
First US pressing for ECSR's 2006 debut and if you haven't heard these Aussies yet, what the heck are you waiting for. This is one of the cooler bands to come along in the past five or so years. The individual who introduced me to these guys (and it spurred me to lay out a pretty good amount of money for the import pressing of this album) said they sounded "old" as in having something of a vintage sound. They certainly use the Australian band X as a starting point, along with early Wire but this isn't a museum excursion. ECSR favor a gnashing, gnarled sound with jabbing guitars reinforced by in-the-pocket bass and drums. Vocalist Brendan Suppression has a knack for sounding both self-assured and nervous. Repitition is a not-so-secret weapon--a song like "Having A Hard Time" gradually builds to a manic crescendo. "Insufficient Funds" replaces the guitar with organ and has the same kind of mind-numbing effect and if the sharp, catchy "It's All Square" doesn't bring on some sort of blissful sensation then it might be good idea to get thyself a stethoscope and check ye pulse. That applies to this album taken as a whole and the follow-up, "Primary Colors," is nearly as great. (2152 Young Ave., Memphis, TN 38104, www.goner-records.com)

LEWD ACTS-Black Eye Blues (Deathwish, CD)
Hardcore of an eruptive and powerful nature. Bursts of blazing speed, pummeling crunch and a dramatic metallic coating. The latter element brings early Voivod to mind, believe it or not, at least in the jarring guitar lines. Things get plodding at times, particularly the laborious closer, "Nowhere To Go" and that makes "Black Eye Blues" frustrating at times but when they unleash the full-bore fusillade of sonic terror (a pretentious way of saying when they play it faster), watch the fuck out. (www.deathwishinc.com)

LIPKICK-s/t (Kink, 7" EP)
Bashing, thrashy punk by four German women. The musicianship is on the primitive side (the drumming isn't too sharp, to be honest) and sounds as though it's going to fall apart at times. Their anger and aggression gets them through to a point but there's definitely room for improvement. (www.myspace.com/kinkrecords)

LOGIC PROBLEM-s/t (Abuse, 12")
A pile-driving attack of hardcore punk, the best material yet from this NC band. Well, the discography isn't that extensive yet, just a previous 7" and demo but this is high quality rage. Speedy songs that do follow a slightly similar rhythmic pattern as early COC or Double Negative (yeah, inevitable touchpoints from my lazy keyboard) but this is more blown-out sounding, as the guitar blasts out a sound akin to a nettled hornets nest. Cameron's vocals, with a tinge of distortion, cut through the raw mayhem with raspy authority. And they turn Gang Of Four's "5.45" into the type of bloody violence that appears on the "18 inch screen" in the lyrics, falling apart into a sputtering mess and battered beyond recognition. I imagine there's no room in there for the melodica used on the original. Nothing held back here. (www.myspace.com/abuserecords).

NIGHT BIRDS-s/t (demo)
Psyched To Die drummer Brian Gorsegner is the vocalist for this NJ band. The four songs each have a distinct approach--an echo of the Descendents for "Send Me Home," a little bit of Buzzcocks crossed Agent Orange for "Paranoid Times," some garage on "Can't Get Clean." This is sharp, jumpy punk fusing melody with the instrumental jab. Not a bad debut. (6 Clydesdale Ct. Tinton Falls NJ 07701, www.myspace.com/nghtbrds)

PINHEAD GUNPOWDER-Kick Over The Tracks (Recess, CD)
There's someone named Billie in this band and I think he might be the singer for some huge band but that's not really relevant here. Well, it's relevant in the fact that this kind of tuneful punk wears a lot better. Enough sly joking--Pinhead Gunpowder was another musical vehicle for Aaron Cometbus, who played drums and penned the lyrics. Three new songs continuing in the same snappy and catchy vein and the balance of the material is a "greatest hits" compendium from a band that didn't have any hits so to speak. If there was ever a classic Lookout Records sound, these guys fit the bill. And Aaron's lyrics are sharply observational and self-referential. Perhaps a bit sugary at times, especially the acoustic "On The Ave.," one of the new songs--and I was a lot more into this kind of sound in the early 90s before catching the hardcore bug again--but some of the songs remain engaging. I'm just not sure that it's enough to come off the shelf all that often. (www.recessrecords.com)

PISSED JEANS-King of Jeans (Sub Pop, CD)
With Pissed Jeans, up to now, it's been more about the live show than the recordings. Each of their previous albums had their moments of sonic crush but this is their strongest effort to date or perhaps most consistent. For want of a better term, "King Of Jeans" has a bit more accessibility. Accessible in the sense that the songs seem to have a sharper focus--NOT accessible in the sense that they're writing catchy pop ditties. Not to put too fine a point or box things in but they conjure up Scratch Acid (Matt Korvette has more than a little David Yow in him), Laughing Hyenas and the Melvins mix-mastered together in different permutations. And speaking of the latter, look no further than "Spent," crushing away for over 7 minutes. This song provides a musical approximation of dragging your ass out of bed, sleeping for 8 hours but still waking up tired. Talking about how drinking water didn't satisfy. I imagine, though, that a caffeine jolt could have been an inspirational spark for the furious blast of "False Jesii Part 2" "She Is Science Fiction" and "Human Upskirt"--the latter is particularly explosive. Raucous and dangerous-sounding. (2013 4th Ave., 3rd Floor, Seattle, WA 98121, www.subpop.com)

THE POGO-Police War EP (Loud Punk, 7" EP)
The ranting vocals here might be coming from Jorge of the Casualties' cousin or clone or whatever. And while the two, speedy songs on the flip take on a few of that band's properties, there's something subtly different in interplay between the guitar and bass. It's almost like early 80s anarcho punk on speed along with the "punx" trappings. And the whole thing sounds sped up as it is--it plays on 33 but sounds like it's on 45. Effectively flailing. (PO Box 3067, Albany, NY 12203, www.loudpunk.com)

POINTBLANK-s/t (demo)
An Albany band with Joe (ex-Jury) on vocals and another demo I neglected for a bit, although it's had a good amount of airplay on the radio show. They were originally called Reagan's Still Dead and maybe they should have kept in since there have been a ton of bands called Pointblank over the years. No matter--this is full-bore hardcore punk that isn't the most original-sounding stuff but it more than gets the job done. Cranked up, fast and Joe's vocals bear a resemblance to Mr. Tony Erba from Gordon Solie Motherfuckers, Face Value et al. (www.myspace.com/bloodshotmind)

RAMMING SPEED

RAMMING SPEED-Always Disgusted, Never Surprised (Punks Before Profits, 7" EP)
Boston's metallic hellions Ramming Speed are back with four new tracks. The main muse is straight-up thrash metal with some blowtorch leads. That's particularly true for "Too Close To Almost," the best song here and almost close to catchy (sorry). Given to blasting on occasional and Jonah Livingston has the sticksmanship to pull it off but they're at their best when sticking to the traditional trappings. The lyrics deal with economic collapse and putting too much faith in political leaders i.e. the current occupant of the White House to make things better for the underclass ("No Hope"). Pretty good but you really need to see them in their live, hair-flying fury. (PO Box 1148, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, www.punksbeforeprofits.org)

RELIGIOUS SS DISORDER-Prey (Punks Before Profit, 7" EP)
Dark and churning punk with tribal-like rhythms, buzzing guitar and bass, plus vocals with a whole lotta reverb on them. The title track begins with collage of clips repeating the word "terrorism" ad infinitum leading into the musical fray. The more aggressive punk side comes up for "Critically Think" and "People Not Property," but there are other times where there's an anarcho punk vibe and that adds a distinctive flair. One of the better recent releases from this label and well-packaged with a hand screened cover and poster. (PO Box 1148, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, www.punksbeforeprofits.org)

REPORTS-Bill Wyman Metal Detector/Attleboro Trailers (Ride The Snake, 7")
Yet another record that came out awhile ago. Two engaging songs with a skewed, primitive and chaotic beauty. In other words, poppy without being obvious about it. "Bill Wyman..." pulls one hell of a vocal hook out of the chorus and it all builds to a fever pitch with a gnashing, feisty determination. "Attleboro Trailers" favors a garage-style bash with searing guitar leads. The recording is perfect--it'd probably lose something in the traslation with cleaner production although calling it lo-fi is something of a misnomer. (www.ridethesnakerecords.com)

REVILERS-Stand Or Fall (Patac, 7")
Another fine dose of hearty 'n tuneful punk rock. As with the first EP, they favor punchy arrangements and endearinly gruff vocals, a '77-era meets No Future Records sound. "Road Rage" aims for a Motorhead style and sounds more like Motorhead-lite but that's the only misstep here. They're not changing the world but it's still decent. (www.patacrecords.com)

SHITTY LIMITS-Beware The Limits (Sorry State, LP)
Beware, indeed. There's a newer crop of UK punk bands playing with a rough 'n jarring sound that incorporates post-punk and garage into the aural mixer. This year has brought stellar 7"s from Fashion and Hygiene and the Shitty Limits come from the same region (London and surrounding regions) and a similar muse, that being a penchant for shaking things up. After a slew of earlier 7"s, some of which have been re-released, "Beware The Limits" is their first bigger-sized release and it uncorks a delirious, jittery sound. "Transitions" has a Fall-like tinge to it and if their vocalist Louis doesn't parrot Mark E. Smith, he still has a sing/speak/shout cadence. He practically drove himself into convulsions when they performed here over the summer and I wondered if he was going to have an aneurysm from shaking his noggin too hard. The same thing might happen to you once the needle hits the vinyl. (1102 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro, NC 25710, www.sorrystaterecords.com)

STATE-Wuste dtld EP (Gossenwelt, 7")
The State's second German and English languages EP (the title means "Dregs 'o Detroit") with two songs apiece in each tongue and taken from recordings ca. late '07/early '08. "You Against The World" is a solid change of pace for these guys, taking a rockin' punk turn with some blowtorch guitar. The other three songs run the gamut from a mid-speed wind-up ("Emo-X") to hammering hardcore ("Wuste Deutschland") to the no bullshit rager "Pop Tart." Not the greatest record ever by these stalwarts but the "You Against The World" and "Pop Tart" are definite keepers. (www.myspace.com/statenoillusions)

TASTE THE FLOOR-s/t (Rising Riot, CD)
Cleanly-produced fast hardcore respecting the roots but having the modern twist. Maybe a little too clean for my liking since hardcore, at its best, needs some roughness but it's not a deal-breaker. The songs bristle with an urgency, both musically and in the vocals. These Italians eschew the chug and don't sweeten things up too much, either. Overall, nothing all that out of the ordinary--just songs that are well-played and energetic. (www.myspace.com/tastethefloor)

WHORES OF WAR-s/t (self-released, 7" EP)
Due to my now-standard tardiness, the Bay Area band Whores of War have broken up before this review gets published. Ranting, thrashy hardcore from these three ladies/one gentleman and they would have fit in well on the early 80s Northern Cal. comp "Not So Quiet On The Western Front." Kat's vocals are murderous and the songs equally-nettled sounding. Not anything real distinctive about this crew (i.e. a tad generic) but it sounds good coming out of the speakers. 300 copies. (1033 Rosewood Ave., San Carlos, CA 94070, www.myspace.com/whoresofwar)

Suburban Voice blog #79

RORSCHACH

Hi! Remember me? While Suburban Voice has been lagging in the print arena for, oh, six years, I've been trying to keep the blog running on a regular basis. And not successfully of late. I'm REALLY going to try to have another one of these posted in the next week or so since I have a backlog of record reviews. I do appreciate all the fine music sent my way and, even if I somehow fail to publish a review here, I try to get it on the radio show at least. So, with that in mind...

BRING ON THE WARHORSES
... the last three shows I went to, during the span of 17 days in September, featured what one would call "heritage" acts i.e. bands who have reunited or been around a wicked long time, as we say in MassLingo. One of 'em, Youth Brigade, were only broken up for a few years anyway. Their show and the one featuring Naked Raygun were both at the larger downstairs room of the Middle East and it was the first time I'd been there in a number of years. I was trying to remember when it was but it could have been 2002, when I saw the Rezillos. I did get to the upstairs room for the first time in perhaps five years in August to see another reunited band, Chronic Sick but that wasn't particularly good so I think I'll move on. The other show was at the ICC in Brighton with Rorschach, reunited for their first shows since '93.

People I talked to after the Naked Raygun show were telling me how they thought it was awesome, incredible etc. I wasn't nearly as overwhelmed. It was definitely great to hear the likes of "Treason," "Home of the Brave" (the opener), "I Don't Know" (yes, I was singing "what poor gods we do make" like everyone else) and especially the killer "Rat Patrol" and "Surf Combat." But it wasn't all that energetic. I know that Jeff Pezzati hasn't been in the best health but the playing was still on the tame side. I still don't think that Bill Stephens was ever an adequate replacement for John Haggerty. Incidentally, Haggerty's own "heritage" band, Pegboy opened for Face to Face at the House of Blues the following week but I refuse to patronize that corporate club with oppressive security unless it's the show of a lifetime or something. Getting back to this show, though perhaps it's something being lost in the large club environment. I've become accustomed to the intimacy of basements and smaller venues. Whatever the case, hardly a mindblowing performance.

That was pretty much the same case for Youth Brigade. They're out for a 25th anniversary tour, a couple of years late actually, to promote the "Let Them Know" project--a package with a book, DVD that tell the story of the band and BYO Records and either a double LP and CD or a smaller version with the CD. The musical portion features bands covering songs from the BYO catalog. I got the DVD and CD discs sans book and haven't had an opportunity to check out either one yet.

The Brigade did a career-spanning set and, truth be told, I haven't listened to much after "Sound and Fury" in recent years. It was fairly enjoyable and, yes, I sang along to "Sink With California" like everyone else! Just like with Raygun's songs. And like Raygun, the songs are strong on melody and this lineup has plenty of instrumental dexterity, particulary their newer bass-player Joey, who also contributes strong backing vocals.

Rorschach, on the other hand, did deliver the goods and then some. Hell, the usually-abysmal sound at the ICC was tolerable for once. Still plenty of echo due to the high ceilings but you were able to hear the vocals and that's a rare occurrence. I'm pretty sure the last time they were here was in '92 with Econochrist and Face Value at a church basement near Harvard Square. A heavy, lurching sound given to spasms of speed and Charles Maggio's throat-shredding timbre hasn't been dulled by the passage of time. This was also likely the first time I've ever heard both King Crimson ("21st Century Schizoid Man") and Black Flag ("My War") covered in the same set. Lots of old faces came out of the woodwork for this one and it was great to see one-time Suburban Voice photographer Justine DeMetrick for the first time in years.

REVIEWS OF RECORDS, TAPES, CDs (but no 8-tracks):

MURDER-SUICIDE PACT
(taken from their MySpace page/pic: Simon Faulkner)

BATTLE RUINS-s/t (Rock'n'Roll Disgrace, tape)
New Mass. band with Brendan Radigan (XFilesX, Mind Eraser) on vocals and the ubiquitous Justin DeTore on drums. A sturdy rock-core sound with lyrics about the ravages and glory of various battles, with "traitors stomped out," to quote one of the song titles. Imagine Criminal Damage without the blatant No Future Records-isms and you're on the right track. Brendan's vocals soar with authority and the volume-drenched sound wears well. (www.myspace.com/rocknrolldisgracerecords)

DAMAGE-Our World (self-released, 12")
There have been any number of bands called Damage over the years. These four lads are Swedish and have a decidedly old-school hardcore sound. Or, rather, taking those influences and playing them with the non-distorted guitar attack utilized by the likes of Smart Cops, Amdi Petersens Arme, et al. The drumming is a little bit one-dimensional but, otherwise, I have few complaints about their no-bullshit style. I got a nice note with the record talking about how it was co-released with a "DIY human resource bank called Eldsjal" (hope I spelled it correctly) that provides info on releasing records and printed matter, booking shows, etc. Anyway, this band has a winning scrappiness. (www.myspace.com/damagelkpg)

EQUALITIES-On The Street! (Loud Punk, LP)
The view on the back cover is facing the stage and you see people in leather jackets festooned with the logos of Abrasive Wheels, Special Duties and Adicts and hair spiked or mohawked (?) and getting ready to sing along with the Equalities. There are plenty of boisterous singalongs on thie LP from this Japanese band. Hearty UK-82 inspired punk that also dips into the '77 yearbook for the Pistols-ish "The Spring Of "Haruko," with the "Holidays In The Sun" guitar sweep. This sound kind of played itself out for me some years back but, every once in awhile, it's fun to hear this sort of "up the punx" fodder and the production is booming instead of slick. (PO Box 3067, Albany, NY 12202, www.loudpunk.com)

IN DEFENCE-Into The Sewer (Learning Curve, CD)
The Minneapolis band who have their name spelled wrong, claims to contrary on “In Defense Is Our Name Spelled Wrong” (maybe they think they’re from the UK), go over the metallic cliff here and welcome the collision I’d imagine. This is some fired up riffa-thrash-a-rama starting with the opening chords of “Lessons In Headbanging.” Crunchy bits of NYHC slip in there, as well. Ben Crew barks out the vocals with conviction as he emotes about such pressing issues as the lameness of pizza (“The Only Good Thing About Pizza Is The Crust”), a dearth of circle pits (“Don’t Call Me A Moshist”) and even throws in an anti-Reagan sentiment or two (“Total Filler No Killer”). Yeah, it’s kind of silly and one wonders how much of it is wise-assery and how much is serious. I used to wonder the same about Good Clean Fun but In Defence are WAY better than those guys and these songs throttle nicely. (PO Box 18378, Minneapolis, MN 55418, www.learningcurverecords.com)

MURDER-SUICIDE PACT-Summer 2009 demo (CD)
This Florida band, fronted by the one and only Bob Suren (of Sound Idea/Burrito Records fame), are back from the dead and come back with a vengeance. Fourteen songs of damage-core played in a deliberate and full-bore fashion. A Black Flag/Bl'ast inclination has always been part of the band's sound and they harness it in a somewhat similar fashion as a band like Annihilation Time but with only a smidgen of the metalisms of the former. While a good chunk is at a medium clip, they'll occasionally bring on the thrash, such as for "Get Bored And Die." For a "laptop" recording, the sound isn't bad at all--good and punchy, not overly slick. I also think they're better now than 'back in the day.' Dark aggression and that darkness extends to the lyrics. Well, sometimes there's a self-improvement, keep forging ahead theme, as with the fiery "Full Time." Bob has a sinister, close to murderous (sorry) timbre in his voice, matched very well by the music. Good to have them back. (PO Box 3204, Brandon, FL 33509, www.myspace.com/mspfl)

PAINTBOX-Trip, Trance & Travelling (HG Fact, CD)
As I wrote about the "Gemstone" EP earlier this year (I referred to it as "Raw Ore" but that was one of the songs), Paintbox follow a musical everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. In that particular song--re-recorded for this album--you've got 70s-style rock guitar, female harmony vocals and a thrash break with sax bleating. In one song. Quite a few of the 16 songs here are mini-epics and you hear everything from traditional Japanese hardcore to balladry to metal to a reggae take on a traditional Japanese dance. Some of the songs are re-recordings of earlier material accompanying the new compositions. At their crazed best, the riffs have a ferocious attack as the late great Chelsea juggles power-chords and soaring metallic leads. That's the attraction, along with Mune's inaniac vocals and the pummel often has an inherent hookiness. And weird references come to mind--the opening guitar line for "Cry Of The Sheeps" has me thinking of "Laughing" by the Guess Who, the horn charts echo Chicago, the harmonica on "Save The Ground" conjures Blues Traveler and THAT's not good but made up for by the rampage and Ziggy Stardust guitar strum. It's a lot to get through and pretty overwhelming in one sitting but it's also an album you're not likely to forget, be it good or bad and that's definitely the case here. For instance, I don't think I need to hear the jazzy ballad "A Field In The Moonlight," even with the heavier takeover in the midsection, again. But, man, I can't stop singing "Cry Of The Sheeps." If you're adventurous, this is one thrilling ride. It's something of a cliche but I can't think of another band that sound quite like this. I should mention that the packaging is stellar, with a colorful gatefold sleeve and lyric booklet. (www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

RAKKAUS-Jokainen Paiva On Taistelua (Tuska & Ahditus, LP)
A blending (sheesh, sounds like I'm talking about coffee) of different styles but this is a melodic sound with elements of Swedish and Japanese hardcore and the occasionally epic propensity. The guitars aren't tuned that low so things don't collapse under their own weight. When the compositions are kept brief and throttling, it's the best display of this Finnish band's power. Katri has a commanding vocal presence--sandpaper rough but not one dimensional. There's the occasional instance of dreaded snare slam taking a shortcut to speed things up but that hinders more than helps. Definitely not a light-hearted affair--the lyrical translations mention daily struggles, pain "within me that cuts deep," etc. "The sky is filled with dark clouds" from the song with the English title "Rain" kind of sums thing up. Nothing really bogs down to a crawl and the band's inherent power is effectively conveyed. Might be a little somber for fans of the raw/aggressive Scandi-core. (Kannaksenkatu 6 as.7, 33250 Tampere, FINLAND, www.elisanet.fi/tuskajaahdistus)

RF7-Hatred On The Rise (Just 4 Fun, CD)
Kind of a round-robin deal here or maybe showdown, if a band can have a showdown against itself. The deal is there are two lineups of RF7 on this disc--the original lineup from the 80s play on the odd-numbered songs and the newer lineup on the evens and they're all current recordings. Vocalist Felix Alanis and guitarist Nick Lamagna are the only performers in both of them. Differences? To these ears, the '00s version has a tad more sprightliness in the playing. In both cases, it's the same sort of straight-forward fast west coast punk they've always plied and Felix's vocals remain some of the gruffest in the business, without degenerating into indecipherable growls. Read closely and there's a religious element to a few songs, particularly "Witness," basically offering a warning of a "burning fire/gnashing teeth" fate for the non-believer. Hmmm... In any case, RF7 have always been a decent but not outstanding band, with the occasionally killer song and that's the case for this album. In other words, fairly average. (www.j4f.dk)

ROT IN HELL-Hallways Of The Always (Grot, CD)
Metal, hardcore and crust merging together. I’m tiring of having to compartmentalize everything but that’s the broad description. The riffing is hot and heavy and Rot In Hell utilize a few familiar riffs here and there, be it the Celtic Frost-isms of “Final Word” or the even-more-brazen appropriation of Slayer’s “Angel of Death” for their own “Black Omega." It does falter towards the end, with the lengthy “Psionic Annihilation” and “Now, Today, Tomorrow and Always,” more of an experimental piece with acoustic guitar fading into some sort of sonic collage with a religious sermon underneath it. I’m sure there’s some kind of grand statement being attempted but it’s not worth spending the 8 minutes to wade through it. Otherwise, a more than adequate amount of ragingness. (www.myspace.com/grotrecords)

SLAP THE CULTURE-s/t (Cock Suck, CD)
This came out awhile ago (as in last year) but just landed in my mailbox recently and it's been landing on my CD player quite frequently. It also made its way into my iPod, which doesn't happen that much for newer albums. This Japanese band have a snotty early 80s-inspired thrash sound along the lines of Street Trash or Total Fury and the vocal delivery is similar to those bands' vocalists Josh and Kenji . Brief catchy-but-flailing songs following each other in quick succession. The three bonus songs--adding up to a total of 16 in around 12 minutes--are rougher and a tad more chaotic, especially "I Wana (sic) Skate." Lyrics are in English and aren't exactly poetic but convey a middle-finger attitude quite effectively. Inspiring wrecklessness. (www.cocksuckrecords.com)

SPITS-The Spits (Recess, CD)
The Spits release their fourth self-titled album, their first for Recess. It's unofficially called "IV," much like Led Zeppelin's fourth album was called the same thing. And they get through about 7 of the 10 songs in the time it'd take you to listen to "Stairway To Heaven." The closest thing to an epic here is "Flags," timing out at 2 1/2 minutes. This is punk minimalism possessing a crude '77-era catchiness but they let wavier/nervier chunks in the mix--synth lines and washes and plenty of distortion effects on the instruments and vocals. "Flags," mentioned earlier, is the roughest song here, driven by muffled guitar and prominent bass and the chorus "wooah" perfectly played. You might be thinking of accusing them of "d-u-m-b" schtick but it's very clever, dark schtick that'll have 'ya pogoing around. And "School's Out," with the line "we're gonna burn the teacher's car tonight" is way cooler than "Rock 'n Roll High School." (www.recessrecords.com)

TIMEBOMBS-Belong In Hell (Cowabunga, LP)
Hell? Hellacious! A cataclysmic barrage of pure energy music from the feedback-laden intro to "Safe For The Whole Family" to the bombastic conclusion of the final pair of songs, "I Belong In Hell" and "Not Safe." That's for sure! The instruments sputter and squeal in an eruption of pure craziness while vocals fight to rise over the clatter. You won't be humming the songs but you'll certainly feel the impact. This is the same sort of heady noise that's been plied by Sex Vid the past few years and I could see this band being a violent force of nature in the live setting. It's a pretty formidable force right here in the listening room. (www.cowabungarecords.com)

WITCH HUNT-Burning Bridges To Nowhere (Alternative Tentacles, CD)
So I've been watching all this back and forth about the health care debate, how it fosters socialism, a takeover of the government and so on. It's time for a musical respite but that doesn't mean it's time to stop thinking about those issues and Witch Hunt's "Sick Industry" puts it into an angry lyrical focus. "Burning Bridges To Nowhere" continues the move to a more tuneful sound while maintaining the energetic hardcore emphasis. There are moments that bring late 80s DC 'core like Gray Matter to mind (as with the aforementioned "Sick Industry" and "Counting Down The Days") and the warm guitar textures channel a Leatherface influence. There's also a sense of dramatic intensity for "Void" and parts of "Counting Down The Days." One change is Rob Fitzpatrick handling an increasing amount of the vocals although Nicole and Janine are hardly silent here. The progression continues and nothing's diluted. (PO Box 419192, SF, CA 94141, www.alternativetentacles.com)

Suburban Voice blog #78

SAWDUST AND SHOPPING CARTS

I've been trying to come up with a way to describe the Evacuate warehouse space in scenic Roxbury, thinking about whether a term like "demimonde" or "darkside" would accurately state things. In any case, it's a spacious, dusty room with a high ceiling and wretched acoustics--at least that was the case for the Hatred Surge, Mammoth Grinder, Total Abuse and Mind Eraser show there on 7/15. Actually, the dust was sawdust and, as for the shopping cart, one of 'em made it into the pit at one point during the show.

My favorite band of the night was Total Abuse, from Austin (all three of the out-of-towners are from there). Rusty didn't have his pedals or electronics (said he's been too lazy to replace the batteries and such) but no trickery was necessary for their tandem of thrashy rage and damaged 'core. Mammoth Grinder mix up the metal and some lower-tuned Swede core into a pummeling combination and some hot guitar leads on their last song. Hatred Surge have the hammering metallisms along with crazed grind. Those may not be the most incisive, elaborate descriptions for these bands but they'll have to do.

SHITTY LIMITS

I made it to two other shows over the past month, both of 'em pretty memorable. Shitty Limits, from the UK and Logic Problem, from North Carolina, had a joint tour and hit PA's Lounge in Somerville on 7/28. have animated vocalists, as you can see in the photos. The Limits are refreshingly original, while drawing from a diverse array of influences including post-punk (a Fall bent on some songs), 60s garage and thrashed-out hardcore punk.

Logic Problem weren't quite up to that level. A thorny, aggressive sound. At one point, I heard a guitar line that sounded very familiar and it turned out they were doing a warp speed cover of Die Kreuzen's "In School." Cool... there's a band from the 'old days' who aren't covered all that much. Libyans played last and debuted some new songs, sputtering at the start but picking up momentum as the set progressed.

Finally, Perdition returned to town on 8/5 at a basement space in a pretty nice Brookline neighborhood. I'm amazed it was able to get almost all the way through (one local band, Isolation, didn't get to play). It was a good-sized room, too, and the acoustics were surprisingly good.

Perdition are from NYC and the last time they were here, they only got to play one song because some traveler fucks who had been thrown out of the show tossed a couple of bricks through the window of the Democracy Center. Completely wailing/raging distorted hardcore punk. Lotus Fucker, from DC, probably played around 10 minutes but it got the job done... an out-of-control vocalist, performing barefoot (as you can see) and the band's sound is a wild, crazed thrash onslaught puncutuated by his screech-your-lungs-out emanations. Finally, The Epidemic marked their return with an energetic array of UK-82 inspired punk.

And now to the music review segment of our program:

RESIST CONTROL

BEAR PROOF SUIT-A Suit To Alter Fate 2005-2008 (Urban Pirate)
A collection of this band's 2008 B.Y.O.B.O.C. LP, two earlier 7"s and a few unreleased songs. A potent hardcore punk band who evade any sort of easy compartmentalization. Jarring guitar lines and riffs--some real scorching stuff--wrapped around a tight bass/drums tandem and accompanied by primary vocalist Ryan Poortenga's throaty growl. In fact, the vocals from Jon Hanson are almost as gruff. There's a good amount of speedy savagery unleashed on most of these songs. Not thrash, so much, but it's a charge of full-bore adrenalin (how much hyperbole can I put in one sentence? Never mind.) "Fourth World" adds a little Bl'ast stop 'n start. And the choice of cover versions shows impeccable taste--the Wipers' "Up Front" (from one of the 7"s), Poison Idea's "Pure Hate" (previously unreleased) and Husker Du's "Real World," one of that band's best songs and handled very well here. They also sneak in a few tips of the hat, such as the opening guitar line for the heavy-sounding "Bear Proof Suit" that borrows, albeit briefly, from Black Sabbath's "Embryo" and "Sans Equity" does the same thing with Blue Oyster Cult's "Before The Kiss (A Redcap)." In an earlier review, I said they were on the right track but not "mind blowing yet." After hearing the songs from the LP and re-evaluating the EPs, I've changed my view on that a bit. Quite a bit, in fact. (1509 Bell Ave., Sheboygan, WI 53083, www.myspace.com/urbanpiraterecords)

CAUSTIC DEFIANCE/NEGATIVE ELEMENT-Split (Akashic, CD)
Straight outta the suburbs of Chicago came these two bad-ass hardcore punk bands ca. 1983. OK, they weren't exactly bad-asses but, instead, typified the fast, generic sound of the day. There are distinctions, though. Let's begin with Negative Element, since they were the first band and perhaps have a bit more notoriety since they got a 7" EP, Yes We Have No Bananas, released back in the day. I've always had a soft spot for this band's goofy approach... songs about Elmer Fudd and the Pillsbury dough boy, an anti-Pac Man song (that was the video craze at the time), as well as the de-rigeur plaints about the cops and religion. The mixes here are different than on the 7", although definitely not slick. There are also some very rough-sounding, unreleaed demos that probably could have stayed that way. So after Negative Element split, due to the Stepe brothers (Chopper and Barry) moving away, Caustic Defiance was born and the sound was much more aggressive. A nastier guitar tone leading to a buzzsaw ambiance. They played the same kind of thrash plenty of other bands did at the time but with enough youthful vigor to make it enjoyable. Just don't expect any sort of revelation. I should mention it's all previously unreleased. Nicely packaged with a booklet that has lyrics and reminiscences. (Mukasoi 1058, Wakayama 648-0025, JAPAN, http://www.myspace.com/akashicrecs)

INSUBORDINATES-1968/Rendezvous (Feral Kid/Crotch Rot, 7")
Two short songs with the a-side a slice of catchy 80s west coast punk and the b-side a garage/surfy instrumental, albeit without the reverb or twang. Definitely a subject for further research, to quote the insufferable rock crtitic Bob Christgau i.e. I'd like to hear more. "1968," in particular, is a real keeper. (379 Ontario St., Buffalo, NY 14207, www.myspace.com/feralkidrecords)

LIFE PARTNERS-AIDS of Spades/Teenager In Trouble (Ride The Snake, 7")
You might think a band with amplified trumpet, occasional organ, screamy and atonal vocals along with guitar and drums would sound like a trainwreck. That's true, but it's an intriguing (and highly abrasive) trainwreck. Yet the songs do follow verse/chorus structure--sort of, anyway. No Wave in the '00s? Something like that, at least on this pair of songs. I'm still not sure if I'd want to hear this more than a few more times but the songs are running through my brain at the moment. (www.ridethesnakerecords.com)

MAKABERT FYND-s/t (Flat Black, 7" EP)
A pack of Swedish rippers laying out the thrash brutality. Damn, how many cliches can I jam into one sentence? But you should still pay attention. Fast and aggressive songs at a mostly quick pace although "Var Fam Ar Er Respekt" has more of a measured velocity, while still stomping your senses. Not specifically following either the d-beat nor downtuned metallic style usually associated with this country's hardcore bands. All that matters is the band's power-filled attack. New album has just been released and it's definitely something I'm looking forward to hearing. (www.myspace.com/flatblackrecords)

NIGHT OWLS-s/t (Hex, CD)
Pretty tuneful rock 'n roll with a DC-ish touch--I thought a bit of the first Gray Matter album, although "Fake Blood" definitely has a Nirvana vibe to it and that inflects a couple of other songs as well. And there's a thrashier side for "Results Inconclusive." These guys show it's possible to play nervy rock music without any sort of cheesiness. There's an abundance of juicy/sharp riffage and it whets the appetite for more. The six studio songs are appended with a not-so-shabby live set. (201 Maple Ln, N. Syracuse, NY 13212, hanginghex.blogspot.com)

NUCLEAR FAMILY-s/t (Loud Punk, 7" EP)
Three engaging songs favoring a melodic and edgy sound. Jen's vocals swoop over, under and sideways around the arrangements--maybe a tad grating in spots but certainly distinct. "Doublespeak" is the best of the three, a straight-ahead song powered by Paul Henry's always-impressive sticksmanship and buzz-sting guitar. (PO Box 3067, Albany, NY 12206, loudpunk@gmail.com)

PSYCHED TO DIE-Year One (Dirtnap, CD)
A compilation CD (no duh) of this band's new EP, Scatter Brained, out on Dirtnap plus their earlier Sterile Walls EP and demo. Bright 'n punchy melodic hardcore created by a band that includes former Ergs, only with a harder edge than that band. An air of futility and anger permeates the lyrics--confusion about life's direction, jobs that grind people down and ultimately deciding that, no matter what, we may still be fucked. Despite the lyrical cynicism, they don't sound defeated and the music exudes a fighting spirit (if that's possible). Don't miss the hidden bonus track, a cover of Freestone's "Bummer Bitch," which wraps things up on a lighter note. (2615 SE Clinton St., Portland, OR 97202, www.dirtnaprecs.com)

RAW NERVES-Murderers Among Us (Poisoned Candy, 7" EP)
New-ish Portland, OR band with people from Squalora, Forced March and a few other combos. They had a CD demo earlier this year that I neglected to review (but have played on the radio show so maybe you heard 'em already) and four of the seven songs have been re-recorded for this EP. Raw hardcore featuring Matt Svendsen's rabid howlings and a feisty tumult that incorporates crusty thrash (or is it thrashy crust--no matter) and more ominous passages. Opening song "Hello To Oblivion" actually opts for the latter, with that kind of intro before settling into a bruising mid-speed assault. Not-so-cheery politically oriented lyrics fit the music's mood very well. To quote a pretty well-know band from their city, feel the darkness. (www.poisonedcandy.com)

RESIST CONTROL-s/t (Peterwalkee, CD demo)
Pummeling fodder toggling pretty seamlessly back and forth between DRI-ish double-speed thrash and circle-pit-inducing and hammering moments. The first thing you hear is an earth-moving bass-line and that really drives things throughout, complemented by raging guitar, drums and vocals. The playing is tight and executed in effective fashion. Twelve songs in twelve minutes. (408 Richmond Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222, www.peterwalkeerecords.com)

SPREAD 'EM-Pizza Crisis EP (Peterwalkee, 7" EP)
Hardcore/punk/rocknfuckinroll for a band that probably doesn't take itself all that seriously, as some of these ditties are titled "Too Many Zits" and "Jamie Lee Curtis Fingerbang." That song raises the question as to whether Jamie Lee is an "X or Y," if you catch their drift. Meanwhile, "Fuck Megatron" flashes some metallic trills 'n thrills. Fun and raucous. (408 Richmond Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222, www.peterwalkeerecords.com)

Suburban Voice blog #77

SMART COPS

I figured it was time to finally publish a new one despite the fact, as usual, I haven't reviewed everything I'd have liked to. So, in addition to sporadically writing this material and actually getting out of the house occasionally, I made the trip to Richmond, VA the weekend of June 19-21 for the third No Way Records fest. Three days of music and over 20 bands is a bit much, especially since I didn't get to do quite as much non-show stuff as I would have liked. I did have the pleasure of spending most of the Saturday afternoon with an old friend, Briant, who is from my hometown of Swampscott, MA and I hadn't seen in over 20 years. Had a nice lunch with him and his wife.

As for the fest itself, I performed the first No System set since 1986 with the superb assistance of Biff, Glenn and Brandon from Buffalo band Brown Sugar and that was a lot of fun. I managed to get through the set without blowing out my voice or needing oxygen. Big thanks to Brandon and Alex for letting us borrow their practice space for the one full band practice we had! The Zero Boys headlined the second and third nights and it was cool to finally get to see them play after nearly three decades of fandom. Among the other highlights were the scorching garage/punk/hardcore of Italy's Smart Cops and crazed performances from Government Warning, Wasted Time, Omegas, Direct Control and Chronic Seizure. And it was great getting to spend time with my pal Donna, whose sister and brother-in-law were gracious enough to provide a place to crash over the weekend. The central AC was especially appreciated with all the heat and humidity (98 on Saturday... gross...)

So let's move on the main part of our program... the music reviews!

BRAIN KILLER

BOMBER-Mourning (Cowabunga, 7" EP)
I got these songs on a CD demo awhile back but, as often happens, it got a bit lost in the shuffle. Now I get a second chance as it’s been pressed on vinyl by Cowabunga Records. Punk with a garage tinge and slobbering, ranting vocals. This is some quality noise that makes me feel badly about missing it before. Brief, tough-sounding songs—6 of ‘em in about 7 minutes—with the verbal sneering accompanied by barbed-wire guitar/bass/drums jolt. (1441 N. Mountain Ave., Claremont, CA 91711, www.cowabungarecords.com)

BRAIN KILLER-s/t (Deranged, 7" EP)
Brain Killer are one of the most exciting bands to emerge from these parts in awhile. Overdriven, chaotic scorch. Marcus’s vocals are gutteral as fuck and it’s not a stretch to say there’s a bit of a DISCLOSE influence here. Wild thrash with each song connected by a whizzle of feedback and the delivery is manic, to say the least. The connector from “Black Cloud” to “They Live//We Sleep” pushes it to an even more ominous level, as if the black cloud is about to burst, much like all this fucking rain around here lately. If you like it loud and raw, these four guys will make your day. (www.derangedrecords.com)

DARK AGES-Vicious Lie (Cowabunga, 7" EP)
Manic hardcore packed with a musical and vocal urgency, punctuated by creative guitar lines, some formidable bass runs and a good amount of instrumental intricacy. No musical masturbation from this Kansas City band, though, as the chops-flexing never becomes excessive. It makes me think of the period in the mid-80s where bands built on a thrashy base but also added different elements without crossing over in metal territory. (1441 N. Mountain Ave., Claremont, CA 91711, www.cowabungarecords.com)

DIRECT CONTROL-Farewell (Feral Ward, 12")
"Farewell" was originally released in a limted-to-100 copies pressing for No Way Fest 2 but now it's been given a wider release. I haven’t been completely blown away by much of this band’s output since "You’re Controlled" but this is a fairly good effort. Just don’t expect "You’re Controlled." Fast, throttling hardcore with rough production and Brandon’s vocals sound raspier than in the past. Definitely a fatalistic world view... society’s collapsing but all anyone cares about is what’s going on in Hollywood. Half of the second side is taken up by the title track, a four minute instrumental written by the late, great Mikey Offender but I’m afraid it goes on a bit too long. I do have to compliment Eric’s bass playing, though—it’d do Mikey (one of the best hardcore bassists ever) proud. (http://feralward.com)

GARBAGE STRIKE-United and Slam Against The System (demo)
A new Boston band with the legendary Dan Wars, late of Poison Control, on vocals. I'm not quite sure if I've got the title right but that's what it says on the cover of the booklet. In any case, the demo is nicely packaged with that booklet that includes lyrics, photos and a few collages, a pin and my copy came with a CD-R as well. Good ‘n snotty punk rock with a hardcore edge. Another cool thing is the use of samples from an early Boston rock ‘n roll DJ named Arnie “Woo-Woo” Ginsburg. I imagine one of ‘em must have had the knowledge handed down from a parental figure because I’m an old guy and only vaguely remember hearing him on my small red transistor radio when I was a youngster. The radio motif goes further for “Coast To Coast,” the overnight conspiracy-oriented radio show. They’re off to a hell of a good start, here. Stirring songs with plenty of punchiness. (GarbageStrike@gmail.com)

GENERAL INTEREST-Right By The Beach (Ride The Snake, 12")
General Interest's overdue vinyl debut (good rhymin' or what?) showcases a nimble, ultra-tight band dishing out some formidable post-punk, for want of a better term. The lazy critic will mention the Minutemen and Gang Of Four and yes, I’m lazy. Add some Nation of Ulysses to that, as well. Still, it’s just a starting point. Guitar, bass and drums play off each other, hooks occasionally emerge but the main attraction is the dynamism in these compositions. Meanwhile, Steve Shea’s lyrics could be “shit from a new notebook” to quote one of the above bands. There are political/sociological messages, though it’s combined with a smart-assed sarcasm. “Crusty Dog Show” aims a vicious barb at, well, crusties who, while being “freegan” and “going green” still bring dogs to shows. The ultimate hope is that “your dog eats you/when you OD.” “Capricious Youth” pokes fun at the type of people who can’t make up their minds about everything from education choices to relationships. My copy came inside a spray-painted cover that looks pretty damned cool. So are the aural contents. (www.ridethesnakerecords.com)

GOVERNMENT WARNING

GOVERNMENT WARNING-Paranoid Mess (Grave Mistake/No Way, LP); Executed (Grave Mistake/No Way, 7")
A new LP and a 7" with songs that aren't on the LP. Following me here? While you get a good share of pummeling thrash, Government Warning further embrace the west coast blueprint created by Agression, Adolescents, et al. That applies to “Urban Warfare,” “Stop Again,” Blurred Yellow Line” and a few others. Kenny rants like a post-adolescent (sorry) maniac, emitting words of confusion, anger and, as the LP title would indicate, paranoia. The cover drawing, by Scott Langlais, is reminiscent of the Cro-Mags’ “Age Of Quarrel” inner sleeve, a frightened-looking guy in the midst of mayhem that swirls around him. "No Martyr" remains this band’s recorded pinnacle but I’m definitely not damning with faint praise here. The praise is genuine and this is some razor-sharp hardcore punk on both the LP and 7.” The latter includes an unlisted cover of Battalion of Saints’ “Modern Day Hero.” (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com or 324 S. Pine St., Richmond, VA 23220, www.nowayrecords.com)

GROINOIDS-Radio Beat Sessions (Boston's Finest/Fatalist, 7" EP)
You might remember The Groinoids from the "Boston, Not LA" and "Unsafe At Any Speed" hardcore compilations from 1982 where they contributed a pair of songs, the speedy “Angel” and thumping “Empty Skull.” Those songs and three unreleased tracks show up on this 7". A scuzzier take on hardcore, with “Burn” being up to the standard of the previously-mentioned song and mocking for the brief and stoopid “Doy.” “4.6 Billion Vampires” is a slower, murkier track. The Groinoids had a kinship with other local bands like The Sickness and, later, Kil Slug (and shared some members)—hard-edged but also on the verge of collapse. This 7” sold out almost immediately but a repressing is being discussed. (www.i-dealrecords.com/fatalist)

KOROVA-Another Happy Customer (self-released, CD)
Korova's style of hardcore punk doesn’t follow any set blueprint. On this album, there’s an abundance of thorny anger. Howls from the gut and a dollop of Black Flag-ish damage on the slower songs and even the bluntness of The Nihilistics at times. They go between hammering ugliness and bursts of speed. It wraps up with the heavy ‘n epic crawl and bash of “Factor X.” I haven’t heard too many good bands from Alabama and these guys are an exception. I’m guessing there’s a lot of political retrogression in their state and if I lived there, I’d probably want to express myself the same way as these three guys. (i_hate_you_too@hotmail.com)

LIKE RATS-s/t (Like Rats)
Like Rats' vinyl debut is hit and miss. There’s a whiff of Poison Idea from time to time, especially with Pat’s gruff vocals, but also some melodic properties. “Receptor Potential” hits all the right buttons--a mid-to-fast tempo and solid riffing. When they try to speed things up, the results are less than stellar. Has its moments but I like ‘em better live, at this point. (610 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 02134, Likeratsboston@gmail.com)

LOGIC PROBLEM-No Center (Grave Mistake, 7" EP)
"No Center" picks up where Logic Problem's first EP let off—in fact, I’d argue they’ve gotten even better. It’s loud/fast hardcore but there are some knottier, dense elements lurking beneath the surface and it enhances the songs’ kinetic qualities. The words on the lyric sheet are laid out willy-nilly like puzzle pieces. Scattered thoughts but everything falls in place from a musical standpoint. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com

REVILERS-Isolation (Patrac, 7" EP)
A kick-ass debut for this Cape Cod band although I don't think they're all from that area. No matter. Four songs of sturdy, street-wise punk and rock ‘n roll is the name of the game, here. You can hear a little bit of Blitz at times, particularly for “Dead End,” but a song like “Next In Line” is fired up, rockin’ fodder. Beefy guitars and gruff, heartfelt vocals. The songs are melodic without being wimpy, exuding a defiant spirit and a pure punk heart. (www.patacrecords.com)

ROGUE NATIONS-Be Your Own Rogue Nation (Suicide Watch, LP/CD)
After a not-so-bad 7" comes the debut full-length from North Carolina band The Rogue Nations. This is sharp, catchy mid-tempo punk with strong burn ‘n hooks and vocal back-ups. The lyrical sensibility is also sharp—sure, there’s “political” content and it seems as though they spend quite a bit of time watching cable news and drawing out the day to day absurdities, tragedies and the like. The upbeat music almost seems as odds with the ideas expressed. I can hear a bit of Marked Men and Naked Raygun from time to time although vocalist/bassist Chris Peigler sings in a higher voice than Jeff Pezzati. Plenty of punk bash to go with the poppier inclinations. (PO Box 9599, Charlotte, NC 28299, www.suicidewatchrecords.com)

SACRED SHOCK-You're Not With Us (Residue, LP)
Following a couple of 7"s and a split with Deskoncidos, Sacred Shock have released their first full-length album--or, more accurately, Residue have released it. A rampaging, modern-day Swedish hardcore inspiration along with some later period Poison Idea-ish riffage. And Alex Hughes’s hoarse vocal style makes me want to loan him some lozenges. Not always blindingly fast but still a speedy rumble and it creates something powerful and driving. The lyric sheet—handwritten white lettering on a washed-out background--is tough to read, right down to the song titles but the expressed rage comes through loud and clear. Best stuff to date for these Texans. (www.residue-records.com)

SMART COPS-Cominciare A Vivere (Sorry State, 7" EP); Untitled "Cop Medley" one sided 7" (Hell Yeah!)
One of the best bands I saw at No Way Fest (and I’ve seen them one other time since then in Boston) was Smart Cops. They may wear silly costumes when playing live—black t-shirts with an “SC” logo and black running pants with a red stripe—but there’s nothing silly about this Italian band’s kick-ass punk sound. On "Cominciare A Vivere," they continue with the jabbing tandem of old-school punk, hardcore and garage—the latter most evident for “Gambe Levate.” I’m a sucker for this stripped-down, catchy approach. The other record doesn't have a title on it, just the band's logo screened on one side and the music on the other. Those contents are a medley of anti-cop songs. Favorites from The Boys, Doom, The Kids, Black Flag, The Dicks and and others, played seamlessly in their own sharp style. Hell Yeah! Records made only 300 of ‘em and it was for their tour. I’m not sure how easy it’ll be to get at this point but it’s definitely worth mentioning and seeking out. (1102 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro, NC 25710, www.sorrystaterecords.com).

WASTED TIME

WASTED TIME-Futility (Grave Mistake, LP)
Futility? Try hostility! This record just boils over with a ferocious aggressiveness and I’m not being hyperbolic. When I was in Richmond for the No Way Fest, someone said to me that there weren’t many other bands doing American-style hardcore this well and I’d say there might be a more than a few grains of truth there. Fast rippers, circle pit starters and if “Withdrawal” isn’t a fucking anthem, then I don’t know what is. A full-bore attack and Mark Shubert’s angry vocals are appropriately nettled-sounding. No sunshine and flowers in the lyrics, as you might imagine, and “For The Fatherland,” another stomper, is an effective critique of the military/industrial complex. It's been awhile since Wasted Time released anything and "Futility" was definitely worth the wait. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

Suburban Voice blog #76

BOSTON STRANGLER

Less of a delay this time. Maybe I'm finally getting my shit together. Maybe not. In the meantime, things are picking up show-wise and I've seen three--count 'em--three bands from Sweden in the past month or so. There was the old-school Swedish hardcore of Project Hopeless, who played the Guns of Brighton basement space. Then, at Great Scott, there was Victims, whose over-the-top assault just might be the best set I've seen so far this year. Their vocalist Johan has taken over bass duties but it doesn't mean any less presence. That ain't gonna happen when you have Jon on guitar and he has the fucking moves. Finally, Nitad were just in town this week at the Midway and come from more of a hardcore punk direction with catchy bits and their vocalist Modde has an in-your-face presence.

I should also mention Sex Vid's long overdue return to Boston, part of an intense bill at the Democracy Center/Papercut Zine Library that also included Mind Eraser, Failures, Confines and the debut of Boston Strangler, who damn near stole the show with their spot-on replication of early 80s Boston hardcore. The sound was pretty abysmal all night--the vocals were inaudible. Someone joked it was the best instrumental show he'd been to all year. Sex Vid have added a second guitarist and his axe-mangling makes 'em sound even crazier. I loved their cover of Bauhaus' "Dark Entries." The other cover version that blew me away was Confines' take on Born Against's "Well Fed Fuck," one of the best encapsulations of the soul-sucking nature of the work environment from both a musical and lyrical sense. And speaking of presence, any band with Andrew Jackmauh (ex-Cut The Shit) on vocals will likely grab your attention. Andrew was a busy man that night--he also plays bass in Boston Strangler and the crazed-sounding Failures. Good, hard-driving hardcore punk stuff. What an awesome way to spend part of my wedding anniversary although my lovely wife might have a different opinion. But I did take her out for a nice dinner beforehand and she was an incredibly good sport about indulging her husband's punk rock obsessions.

A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF FROM TRABUC RECORDS

I don't usually do label spotlights in this space but Eduard from Spanish label Trabac Records sent me a huge package a little while ago that included five LPs and a 7" (by the Lost Boys and that was already reviewed in Blog #66).

In a letter that came with the package, Eduard, who is the vocalist in Anti-Playax, mentioned that Derrota, Desguace and Anti-Playax have common members and they're at the core of "Orxata Negra" collective in Valencia. They also do DIY booking, zines and silk-screening. He writes that they're in the process of opening a social center/DIY venue there and they're also organizing their third "Orxata Fest" in a local squat. A social center/DIY venue... wouldn't that be something great for Boston? Or any other city for that matter? This city's come close a few times--I think of the original Regeneration warehouse space in Dorchester, which had a handful of shows and was also going to do silkscreening and have a zine library but it only lasted a month before getting shut down by the authorities since it wasn't up to code. There are non-club spaces for all-ages/DIY shows here but they're often fleeting or not always available on a consistent basis.

So let's get down to it, starting with Anti-Playax and their album "Valencia Marca Registrada." Released in April '08, these guys feature a rippin', stripped-down sound. The guitar has no distortion, as was the case with Amdi Petersens Arme, Anti You, etc. It's that kind of no bullshit punk approach. They concentrate on some local issues in the lyrics, such as for "Treball-Platja-Mort," which is about the contrast between asylum-seeking Africans attempting to enter Europe via boat in a way the bigots would call "illegal" and then coming in contact with whom they describe as "luckier" people lazing on the beach. Then there's the anti-tourist rant "Ole!" And big ups for "You Smoke, I Die" (sung in English) about tobacco smoke at shows. I can relate after attending a couple of recent shows in a sickeningly smoky basement.

Horror have a brutallizing sound with a Scandinavian bent that comes across as equal parts Finnish (in the vocal delivery, mainly) and Swedish, with the hot guitar and bass riffing and relentless drumming. Their 9 song 12" "Descontroladas" is a non-stop attack of hardcore mayhem. Sure, it's pretty much by the numbers but the band's rawness really grabs me.

Derrota also possess a similarly raw attack--speedy, crusty hardcore but, in this case it's thicker and heavier sounding. On the lengthy closing song "Abismo Interior," there's some Sabbathy heaviness wrapping things up but without any sort of stoner rock-ism although it drags on a tad long. This one has a full-sized 20 page booklet with the lyrics translated into a few different languages including English. Quite a bit of rage on this one along with the occasional hint of melody.

Melody is at the fore on Insomnio's second album "Happy Loneliness" (released in the US with a different cover by No Way Records). This ain't no pop record, though--it's just that the band have an accessible punk sound. There's an abundance of rock 'n roll burn and a decided west coast punk inspiration, much in the same way that No Hope For The Kids looked that way. That means beefy rhythm guitar overlayed with some tasty lead licks. Insomnio don't change tempo that much--it's a sturdy mid-tempo style that has a lot of presence. The production isn't as gritty as on their debut album "No Escape" but you won't hear any complaints, otherwise. And it REALLY sucks that this band has been denied entry to the US because of one of them having a criminal record. Fuck you, US Customs!

The final record in this package is "Yo Me Se Cuidar" by Desguace. Another band who rely on a more melodic approach (once again, think of the Danish bands) but there's also a nervy/edgy guitar sound to go with the punk and hardcore trappings. A rootsy rock undertow, at times, coming to the fore on "El Hombre Mas Fuerte De Cornella." Desguace will jab their way into (or through) your heart.

Here's the contact info: PO Box 160, Carcaixent (Valencia), SPAIN, www.nodo50.org/trabucrecords.

AND NOW THE REST:

THE HORROR (2007)

ABADDON-Life Out Of Balance (Sacred Plague, 12")
A crush of death metal 'core with wanton riffing and a tandem of blast, thrash and pummel and covered in crust. Inhumanly low vocals that growl out incomprehensibly and, with the band's attack, this has all the subtlety of a meat-cleaver to the head. "Peace Maker" is more of a piss-take with stop/start instrumentation and goofy vocals in all possible accents/accentuations that had me reaching for the tone-arm. Brutal? Sure... but that's not always enough and, with a lack of memorable songs (except for that infernal "Peace Maker"), there ain't much more here to recommend. (Kaleb Keefer, 7746 Whitehall Cir E, West Chester, OH 45069, www.sacredplague.com)

ACCIDENTAL GUN DEATH-Skies Are Blue (Blind Spot, 7" EP)
Absolutely raging hardcore punk as this three piece rip through 11 songs in a small space of time. A definite Minor Threat bent at times, only with much more rawness and a nastier tone in the vocals, except for "Forward," where there aren't any vocals and they get to show off their instrumental muscle a bit. The lyrics are filled with thoughts about battling against self-doubt and trying to overcome it. That might read as a tad corny but it isn't expressed that way and they've got the electrified rage to back it up. (PO Box 40064, Portland, OR 97240, www.accidentalgundeath.com)

CRAWLERS-Level The Forest (Blind Spot, LP)
After a mighty impressive 2007 12", The Crawlers return with another crackerjack punk rock attack. These guys have it nailed--aggressive without any bluster and a good mixture of thrashy hardcore and pounding mid-tempo fodder. If any of you remember a Chicago band called No Empathy, it's along those lines. If not, I hope the above description at least provides adequate information. And to use a trite expression, they have "something to say," as well, with songs about overdevelopment in their hometown of Portland, OR, football player Michael Vick, who was convicted of murdering dogs, "righteous" evangelists and a rather visceral rant at someone who done someone else wrong for the creatively-titled "Cold As A Veal Farmer." It's a bit early but I think this will definitely end up on my best-of 2009 list. Everything that's still good about hardcore in one head-grabbing package. (PO Box 40064, Portland, OR 97240, www.myspace.com/thecrawlers)

DEATHCAGE-Chaos Nightrider (Schizophrenic, 7" EP)
On the record label, it says "Distort Sydney" but this Aussie band's sound is more in league with some of the 'burning spirits' Japanese bands. That means a coupling of aggressive thrash and metallic guitar leads. Hardly groundbreaking but the band's overall roughness is definitely a plus. (17 W. 4th St., Hamilton, ON L9C 3M2, CANADA, www.schizophrenicrex.com)

DETONATE-s/t (Distort, LP)
If the drawing on the front cover of a peace sign with the barbed wire outer rim and the sign itself consisting of a dove impaled on a missile doesn't give you an indication of Detonate's approach, you're not really paying attention. Fast-paced thrash/crust with Yvette's piercing yelp trying to rise over the fray (Yvette's duties have since been taken over by someone else). Not much deviation from one song to another after the buildup on the opening track "Boys Don't Cry" (NOT a Cure cover). Fans of bands like Aus Rotten, Detestation et al will love Detonate. Nothing that really makes it stand out from the pack but they've got the sound down quite well. (PO Box 80338, Minneapolis, MN 55408, skell_@hotmail.com)

DISCO ASSAULT-Saturday Night Bleeder (Schizophrenic, 7" EP)
Cranked up and ready to kill, or at least assault. Sorry--rock writer lameness at work. But Disco Assault accomplish that, at least in a euphemistic sense. Loud 'n fast hardcore with throat-shredding vocals. There's the same no-bullshit mode as Out Cold, particularly for the opening song "My Fate" and the vocalist who calls himself The Mangler lets out some hellacious screams, especially on "Work To Survive." Covering semi-obscure Florida punk legends Roach Motel's "More Beer" shows an astute sense of history and they even offer a shout-out to that band's George Tabb, urging support (George has suffered from health issues since 9/11). Angry as fuck but I get the feeling they're having a blast making this noise and I'm having a blast listening to it. (17 W. 4th St., Hamilton, ON L9C 3M2, CANADA, www.schizophrenicrex.com)

GIANT HAYSTACKS/YOUNG OFFENDERS-Split (625, LP)
The tracks on this album were recorded in 2007. There’s a “sale” sticker printed on the upper-right corner of the cover and I suppose you could say this is Giant Haystacks' going-out-of-business sale since these are their last recordings. They’re probably sick of having the Minutemen and Gang Of Four reference points pinned on ‘em but they’re hard to avoid, especially with the spaciousness and tension for “We’re All In This Together.” Still, it’s more in the structure of the music as these gentlemen also add some strong hooks here and there. So it’s a starting point but not the totality of their sound. They might have been popular in their Bay Area home base but I still don’t think this band totally got their due. Meanwhile, Young Offenders have a sharp, brash sound with melodic properties underpinning their jabbing attack. Strong harmonizing and a solid mesh of instruments. I like the way the guitar and bass play off each other on the last track “Battleships.” A nice break from the hardcore. (www.625thrash.com)

THE HORROR-Spoils Of War (Grot, CD)
A party not heard from in awhile since it's been approximately three years since the last Horror album. For those who need a refresher course, they've been together since early in the decade and spun off from Voorhees, with four-fifths of that band's membership at the time adding a new vocalist, the hoarse-voiced Andy Bryant. Fast, brutallizing hardcore sticking to the UK tradition established by the likes of Ripcord, early ENT and some US bands--"The Menace," for instance, has a mid-period Poison Idea feel. In other words, loud and blazing throughout. Sure, they borrow on occasion, such as the intro to "Blame The Kids" coming from the Bad Brains' "Big Takeover." Once in awhile, the speed doubles but, for the most part, this is streamlined, ruthlessly efficient fodder. There's also a lyrical pragmatism. Sure, there's plenty of ranting against political atrocities but there are also barbs aimed at social climbing and affluenza. "Choose Your Fight," though, lays the claim that "For all our talk of repression, control and faux democracy; if there's one thing this country gives guys like you and me; this is the privilege of being angry; the gift of biting the hand that feeds." Stating that not all battles can be fought, not everything can be changed but then there are still doubts about that kind of compromise and acquiescence. In other words, significant change could be a load of bollocks. Some might view that as giving in too easily but I think it's a credible reality check. Or maybe I'm just cynical. Whatever the case, there's no missing the impact of these sounds. (www.myspace.com/grotrecords)

VARIOUS-Toronto's Burning (Schizophrenic, LP)/NO T.O. (Schizophrenic, 12")
A pair of comps from the ever-busy Schizophrenic Records, both of them featuring Toronto bands (in case you couldn't tell). "Toronto's Burning" is one of them thar scene comps and a pretty good one, overall. There's some stylistic diversity, from the rippin' hardcore of the Reprobates and School Jerks (I imagine there's some punnery at work since "High School" sounds more than a bit like the Circle Jerks' "Red Tape") and Black Spokes. Hazardous Waste favor the less-distorted hardcore punk attack. The thrashy UTI's vocalist Leah unleashes vocals that sound as though her vocal chords have had an acid rinse. They slow it down for "Schadenfreude," where she really gives those chords a workout. Rammer bring on the crossover metal for their sole track, "Leatherface." Living Darkness have a lower-tuned Swede-core assault. Black Spokes also incorporate a hint of crossover but it's clearly on more of the punk rock side of things. Madmen, a project for Jonah from Career Suicide and Fucked Up, provides some formidable, high-energy bash. Urban Blight have a raw, speedy tumult with a strong breakdown for "Waste." Only the power-poppy Dangerloves don't do all that much for me.

As for the other comp, it's actually a tribute to the "Yes L.A." Dangerhouse Records compilation--the original was a 6 song, one-sided picture disc and that's what you get here, with bands from T.O. covering those songs. The bands add their own touch to the songs and the results are very mixed. Stef and The Studs go through fairly standard renditions of the Bags' "We Don't Need The English" and the Alley Cats' "Too Much Junk." There's a snotty gnash to the sound although Stef's vocals chafe a bit. Instead of organ, Career Suicide use piano for their take on the Eyes' "Disneyland." It's a good song but I'm not particularly enamored with their treatment and it could be one of the weakest songs I've heard from the band. Actually, considering the fact that it's been bouncing around in my brain since hearing it, perhaps there's some sort of subliminal charm that's connecting. Perhaps. The Brown Knuckler's reading of Black Randy's "Down At The Laundrymat" doesn't deviate much from the original but manages to replicate the song's offbeat charm. Meanwhile, as much as I wasn't too into the Dangerloves on the "Omnibus" comp, they fare better with X's "Los Angeles" and the John 'n Exene vocal parts are well-done. Finally, metallions Legion 666 bash through a rockin' rendition of the Germs' "No God," complete with acquired-taste cookie monster vocals. I'm kind of looking at this as a novelty deal but if it piques your interest, there are only 300 of these suckers. (17 W. 4th St., Hamilton, ON L9C 3M2, CANADA, www.schizophrenicrex.com)