HYÖKKÄYS translates to “attack”. And attack they do! This is pure Suomi hardcore worship played by Basque punks. Little is known about this band, which keeps things interesting, and one can solely focus on the music…erm…noise they make. Antigobierno is made up of eleven tracks, two of them are covers of HHH and KAAOS, and this mixture pretty much sums up their sound. Raw, primitive, and to-the-point. Another great gem from the Spanish punk scene.
Blasting its way to the present from the past, this LP captures the output of ROTTEN HEADS, a ’90s political punk outfit from Spain (not to be confused with the Mexican death metal band from a decade later). This collection exhibits the band’s extremely tight overall sound, with bouncing rhythms, intricate guitar leads, and passionately shouted male/female vocals via a spitfire delivery. Historias Para No Dormir brings to mind a favorite from the same era, HOMOMILITIA. If you have a soft spot for ’90s crust, this will be one you won’t want to miss.
Hailing from the oppressed northwest of Spain, SACROSANTA DECADENCIA OCCIDENTAL channels their rage with society into epic, blackened stenchcore. If you like things like NUX VOMICA or AGE OF COLLAPSE, then prepare to get on board with Danzas No Solpor Do Mundo. This sixteen-song album is absolutely brutal in its delivery of punk fury, with Edu’s metallic riffs whipping by at double and triple speed and María’s vocals coming from deep within and shredding vocal cords upon delivery. BOLT THROWER rhythms get chopped and sped up, creating a battle metal vibe that highlights the lyrics about death, war, and the violence of life. Dispersed throughout the album are moments of ambient or classical instrumentation backing spoken word or melodic singing, with the closer “Tebras” offering a beautifully crafted return to nature.
In sci-fi movies, especially in the ’80s, time machines are always a big deal: incredible technological feats involving years of studies, vast amounts of unstable nuclear energy, and the possibility of changing the course of history. Listening to KIBERA is a much safer way to travel back in time, although it will not get you farther than the mid-’00s crust dimension. This Czech band plays raw, dark, and aggressive neocrust with harsh female vocals. I am definitely reminded of bands like AMBULANCE, EKKAIA, or even SCHIFOSI, back when the core of the subgenre still relied on the punkier, more direct side of the spectrum rather than the more emotional or polished “post-hardcore” one. The six songs on this LP are firmly rooted in primitive, angry hardcore, and the listening experience is therefore pleasant if you like depressive crust. KIBERA shares the split with SOLITÄR, a rather new Prague-based unit that delivers direct, fast, and furious crustcore. Of course with a name like this, it’s hard not to get the heavy nod: yes, these people are into TOTALITÄR. But, even though there is an influence (especially riff-wise), I would not place the band in the käng drawer overall, but clearly in the crust basement. There is a lot of energy on this recording, and it certainly more than makes up for some moments that don’t totally work for me. The relentless feel really works well here, and on that level I am reminded of bands like INFEKCJA, local classics like MASS GENOCIDE PROCESS or even MASSGRAVE, or some Brazilian thrashing hardcore at times (because of the fast-paced vocals, probably). On the whole, a solid split LP, and a relevant display of fast and aggressive punk music from Czechia.
