Reviews

Nikt Nic Nie Wie

Apatia Odejdź Lub Zostań LP

With this record, Nikt Nic Nie Wie continues to re-release the work of distinguished Polish HC/punk band APATIA. On their second LP, they sound better defined than before. Of course, it’s short, fast and (mostly) loud, but the band has always enriched or stretched the genre just a bit. There’s more lead guitar than you’d expect for hardcore, and the charging 4/4 rhythm is often altered in small, effective ways. I’m always a little nervous when punk bands instrumentalize too much. Luckily, on this record it felt of a piece rather than overshooting the mark. APATIA’s ambition (and maybe some good editing?) gives their hardcore a depth that other bands might not have.

Apatia Bóg, Honor, Ojczyzna Faszyzm LP

The music on APATIA’s 1992 debut varies a bit within its HC/punk framework. While the drums beat an even pace, the guitarist plays palm-muted riffs, conventional leads, or dissonant, almost math-rock scales along with the standard three distorted chords. They can also quiet down while the bass and drums lead. The band is innovative while remaining faithful to the genre. Unfortunately, the songs don’t always tie these different sounds together. They can sound like parts of altogether different songs spliced into one. But APATIA on record are an otherwise tight unit, even when their musical ambitions get ahead of them.

Śmierć Godzina Pusta 12″

This is a project created by Polish punks living in Sweden who wanted to pay tribute to the works of Polish poets and bands. While I’m not well-versed in most Polish arts (which is a shame), I can still find something to appreciate in the thoughtfulness given to presenting the lyrics and explaining a bit where they come from. While I don’t understand the lyrics, which are in Polish, the notes about their sources, such as the works of DEZERTER, HOMOMILITIA, and poet Adam Zagajewski, are in English. That being said, I feel less inspired by the band, with its pretty straightforward punk riffing and melodic vocals. The vocals by Ninka are often left to carry the melodic weight of the band, and they often do not feel like enough to help them stand out from the herd.

Baraka Face Junta Test Sytemu CD

The band was new to me, but the sounds resonated instantly. Stark anarcho/post-punk from Poland with ties to STRACONY, a nasty good saxophone (a recent addition, apparently), and male/female vocals that bark and chant and spit with a constant ferocity. The songs are advanced and addictive, they just sound important, like you’re supposed to be listening and listening closely—imagine a foundation somewhere between THATCHER ON ACID and WŁOCHATY, and then bring in a crew to build on that foundation unencumbered. Ten songs here, and my biggest takeaway is that I need to track down their first two records, because this one is incredible.

End Forest E.N.D. LP

I like a record that demands a dedicated listen, and E.N.D. does exactly that. A project featuring more than 20 artists, END FOREST creates crushing, sample-drenched soundscapes and patiently delivers meticulously crafted otherworldly hardcore. NEUROSIS and SWANS influences are evident (MORNE and THEMA ELEVEN, as well), but hear the horns on “Ulsce Dudh” and know you’re listening to something entirely different. As a project and a concept, END FOREST is commanding…but as an album? Fucking spiritual.

Fate Ananke 2xLP

The labels that are meticulously combing the early stages of Polish DIY punk and presenting the recordings to new ears are simply invaluable. I’m talking about Warsaw Pact, Pasażer, and specifically Nikt Nic Nie Wie, who are responsible for this beautiful reissue of FATE’s 1994 recording Ananke. Classic Polish punk mingling with folk, psychedelia, and reggae…it’s incredible to hear bands coming into and developing their own sounds on the same record. Fans of ARMIA, DEUTER, and BRYGADA KRYZYS will be lured in by tracks like “Do Mięsożerców,” while the quieter experimental tracks are the glue that will make it stick. Incredible and invaluable recording, presented by Nikt Nic Nie Wie with love and respect (as it should be). Highest recommendation.

Infekcja Singles 1997 LP

Ghastly screaming vocals combined with a guttural crust racket, bring a lashing of squat-punk fury from Poland. This is a combination of the band’s self-titled EP, Symbioza EP, and their tracks on the split with SO WAR. Dual vocals remind of some Japanese influences around that time, as well as European crust from SEDITION, SCATHA, FLEAS & LICE while sharing some of the optimistic chords of POST REGIMENT and the irreverence of DEZERTER. INFEKCJA plays it close to the vest—with some stressful blast beats, post-punk breakdowns, rotting metallic ride-out riffs. Throughout the play there are totally chaotic moments and artistically deliberate avant-garde moments. This is by no means generic crust-core forgotten from the ’90s. And if I just have not heard enough memorable hardcore punk from Poland to make further comparisons that is clearly my problem. It just gets better and better as it plays through. Glad to be introduced.

Inkwizycja Stare Fotografie LP

Here’s a reissue (first time on vinyl) of this long-running Polish band’s second album from 2002. Stylistically, it’s loose with discordant jamming elements countering some of the melodies, mostly slow to mid-paced, and a gruff vocal delivery. While I acknowledge the historical significance of the band in the Polish punk scene, this album doesn’t do much to keep my attention. Much of it just sounds like alt-rock.

Inkwizycja XXX 12″

One of Poland’s longest-running DIY hardcore bands, INKWIZYCJA has been active since the late 1980s and have only gotten heavier over time. The sound is decidedly commercial—sometimes resembling SYSTEM OF A DOWN (or HELMET?) more than anything from the North American “punk” scene/s, but the approach and delivery are nonetheless rooted in early Polish punk, and that influence is evident on tracks like “Pogrom” that closes the first side. Flip it over though, and “Wilk XXX” is a crushing modern hardcore number with a swarm of guitars that demands attention. Even though there are elements that I don’t necessarily dig, I appreciate the ability to veer in and out of easily definable genres, and the last song on the record could easily make me a commercial heavy/alt-rock apologist. Let there be no doubt that XXX is good—it’s very good—you just have to decide if your mind is open wide enough to let it all in.

IŁ-62 Opuszczamy Babilon LP

IŁ-62 is a Polish band that has been around for a couple decades now and specializes in creating brutal punk that treads a line between metal and hardcore. Opuszczamy Babilon is not for the faint of heart or the punk rock purists. World music influences combined with psychedelic and anarcho-punk form a sound that is unique. Surges of metallic hardcore rip in without warning, and noisy, experimental instrumentations find their way through the brawl. If I were to compare this album to something, it might be STRUGGLING HARSH IMMORTALS or something equally as heavy and chaotic. There are moments that are reminiscent of stenchcore, but also sounds that call to mind ’90s-era SEPULTURA or even contemporary SOULFLY. This is one of those albums that you can put on and immediately feel the jamming groove as it winds and meanders through hefty riffs and primal feelings, complete with enough sonic variations to keep you intrigued and wanting more.

Kara Kara CD

I love how the universal language of punk is anger. Like me, you may not know a word of Polish, but you understand the feeling behind each of these songs. You understand what the struggle to protect our territories from the dispossession of capital in any form is all about. And that goes the same from the Rio Grande to the Vistula. I love KARA’s debut because it sounds as if the Basque band DUT had been influenced by DISCHARGE instead of FUGAZI.  What I mean by that is that we are looking at an album full of sharp and punchy D-beat, extremely fast and precise in execution, almost unbridled but never losing technique. And it’s really fun too.  I hope with all my heart to hear more noise from this band from Warsaw. 

La Aferra Program 2xLP

Nikt Nic Nie Wie and DIY Koło put out a double LP from Polish green anarchist band LA AFERRA. Disc One is a partial rearrangement of songs from their 1996 cassette La Programo, and starts with a PA announcement and siren wail that set the motif of Eastern Bloc oppression.  “Kiedy Pozbędę Się Serca” follows with a mid-tempo hardcore rhythm and spat-up spoken word that rips into shouts at the end of the song that’s basically one long crescendo. This style remains throughout, speeding things up or down (mostly up), getting angry about the state of the environment through an ecological lens, based on notes from NNNW website. “Morderca” is a good taste from La Programo, with heavy riffing and lots of backing vocals from the band.  Disc Two is their 1994 debut cassette W Naszych Nagich Twarzach in its entirety. The songs here maybe hit a little harder and take less time for instrumental breaks or slowed-down bridges. The green anarchist anger is definitely present in this compilation, and makes a solid showcase of the band’s sound. If you’re looking to delve deeper, also check out Miłość (“Love”), their final album from 1999, that takes the band in a different, more somber direction with long, dark instrumentals, as if all their initial anger was swept over with a sadness inherited by not seeing the change they were after. Great to see bands like this, otherwise off the radar from 30 years ago, get some light of day.

Meinhof The Dying Light LP

Terrifying D-beat anarcho-crust with a formidable low end and a clear soft spot for thick hardcore. That they aren’t scared of an open E and a prolonged chug is not what makes MEINHOF so good; it’s that they avoid all of the trappings associated with heavy hardcore by making everything sound punk. The instrumental “The Anarchist” that opens the B-side is a perfect example—massive ringing stadium crust that sounds filthy and dark, and leads right into “No Hope No Change,” a relentless fist-in-the-air motorkÁ¥ng banger. Vocals are biting and desperate, with an urgency that defies the decade plus that MEINHOF have been in the game. Colossal production gives them an even bigger bootprint, and makes this a “stand up and pay attention” release from start to finish.

Mortar Fire & Steel LP

Noisy Polish D-beat crust punk of the metallic form, first started as a solo project by Jay Mortarand then re-recorded with a band, so you can still hear traces of the solo projection. Mid-paced with solid cadences, and you can see the influence of bands like late ’90s FILTH OF MANKIND (who share members with MORTAR). Polish-style metalpunk with their own blend of hardcore and D-beat that goes for somber tones, steady battle sing-alongs, and progressive riffage. You can even hear the ensemble between the first solo effort and then the whole band jumps into the first track, enhancing the project. Interesting work.

Quarantine Regressive Thoughts 2xLP

A worthwhile compendium of the complete recorded output of this mid-’90s Glasgow trio, including the Automatic Negative Thoughts LP, Junction 10 EP, and assorted compilation tracks, compiled by longtime stalwart label of the Polish scene Nikt Nic Nie Wie. The band’s music spanned from more direct, driving hardcore type songs, to more melodic, almost JAWBREAKER influenced sounds, but always with passionate, angry vocals, and lyrics that were both critical and hopeful at the same time. Much like ACTIVE MINDS, who I reviewed earlier this issue, the members of QUARANTINE are punk lifers who remain as dedicated to DIY punk and hardcore now as they were then. It’s great to revisit this material that may have been overlooked by some at the time.

Sanctus Iuda Disco 2xLP

A 30-song semi-discography of Poland’s SANCTUS IUDA’s (“Saint Jude,” the patron saint of lost causes) recordings from 1995—1998. Their sound is grounded in thick, mid-tempo Euro-squat crust like HIATUS or FLEAS AND LICE, with oversaturated guitar distortion capped with caustic, berating vocals. The tempo occasionally quickens to speedy hardcore bursts, while their later recordings slow to a crushing churn, but the remastering here hammers a nice consistency to the variance. Sides A and B chronologically present their split EPs with the SARCASM, SHARPEVILLE, REGENERACION, and DOG ON A ROPE, along with the otherwise-unreleased material (mostly live songs and covers) from their 1996 ABC cassette. Side C has darker, sludgy unreleased demos for an aborted second LP, that treads the slower AMEBIX / NEUROSIS / GODFLESH gloom, twisting around the thrash blasting. These four tracks are pretty hot, as they edge on that late ’90s pocket of experimental, heavy bleakness, with caustic vocals raking over the top of everything. Side D is an unreleased 1996 semi-techno remix of songs from their first LP (the only recording not included here), by a member of SARCASM, that weaves in samples and deconstructs everything to interesting but only questionably essential results. While you could pick up the band’s original records for equivalent cost, this collection is packaged in a nice gatefold with tons of grainy band photos, record covers, and an extensive booklet with a Polish-language history of the band—but is oddly deficit of lyrics or other artwork that really signify to people unfamiliar with the band, or the Polish language, what they’re singing about. Polish labels have been impressively and wonderfully attentive to documenting their scene history, but sometimes as they upgrade everything from old cassettes or make an efficient package of old vinyl, they forget that not everyone has always been around to follow along, or how leaving the lyrics and meaning by the wayside works on the assumption that everyone still understands the impact of those lyrics, and subscribes to those ideas meaning—and the state of the world in 2019 underlines that the ideas still need to be hammered home.

Śmierć Paranoja LP

Sweden’s ŚMIERĆ keeps getting better, and last year’s Paranoja, their second full-length, is an absolute stunner. Imagine the D-beat power of WOLFBRIGADE and TO WHAT END? driving an homage to Polish classics like DEUTER, POST REGIMENT, and ARMIA. Don’t dismiss the band as an homage to Polish HC/punk however, as their power transcends genre (and region), and their records are soaring examples of how fucking powerful punk can still be, even within its own confines. Highest endorsement.

Už Jsme Doma MEdley YOUdley — SEStrih BRAtrih LP

Long running Czech punk/prog band who started when their region was still under communist rule in the ’80s. This live LP is a celebration of their 30th anniversary, and spans much of their career, bringing back past members to play on stage with them. It sounds like a party, with so much instrumentation (the usual standbys as well as flute, piano and sax) and gang vocals. It took me a minute to get into this, but I like it. There are traces of early anarcho-punk (in the vein of DE KIFT and the EX), prog-rock, weirdo shit (like the RESIDENTS, BEEFHEART) and so much eastern European punk that I am not properly schooled on. The whole thing is played rapid-fire with no breaks between songs and no space to catch your breath. It’s entirely impressive for a bunch of old farts, and it sounds like such a fun show. Consider me impressed.

Wlochaty Zmowa 2xLP

This band has produced a ton of material to sink your teeth into in their 30+ years of existence, but today we’re focused on the reissue of their fifth album which originally came out twenty (!) years ago. Zmowa (“Collusion”) holds a massive amount of music and retains many of the qualities I recall from the couple records I’m most familiar with. Frequent intros and outros elongate many of the tracks, and the additional instrumental interludes stretch it out even further, hence the double-LP format. At the center of each song is usually hard-hitting, fast melodic punk, save for a squat-skankin’ ska breakdown here and there. Their style is very long-winded, passionate European anarcho-punk…I think of them as the CONFLICT (UK) of Poland. I can see that as a turn off for many punks these days, which I totally get. I have a deep appreciation for and connection to this style of contemplative and poetic socio-political punk, despite the fact that I typically crave something more direct. This is the first time Zmowa is on vinyl, with a gatefold jacket and insert slathered with photos and all of the anti-state, animal rights, anti-war lyrics in Polish and English. 

Wlochaty Wlochaty 2xLP

Poland’s WLOCHATY (“Hairy”) originally released this nineteen-song recording on cassette in 1994, sold an astounding 20,000 copies, and then re-released it on vinyl in 1995 as a condensed fifteen-song LP, with an added saxophone track (?) in the mixes of the songs. This deluxe, double-LP version presents the original recording—without sax—with strong remastering, deluxe presentation in a gatefold sleeve, and lyrics in English and Polish. As a debut record recorded 25 years ago, this long-standing veteran band was still defining their sound, but this classic is such a expansion on the genetic blueprints of the crucial elements of Polish hardcore: pogo-ready punk stormers, odd experimental avant-garde turns, unexpected reggae influences, melodic acoustic passages, brute cold wave harshness, and scathing hardcore as their vocalists ramble and shout poetic, thoughtful political lyrics. Tandem choruses by male and female backup screamers punctuate and stoke the chaos. Engaging, challenging, and ultimately rewarding—a fantastic re-release!