Reviews

Phobia

3-Way Cum 1993–1998 2xLP

Punk has a long, complicated, not to mention fascinating, story with band names. Picking a proper moniker can be career-defining and allow you to sell a couple of shirts. On the other hand, a poor choice is unlikely to get you invited to the cool Insta-friendly hardcore festivals. 3-WAY CUM’s is head-scratching. I have always loved the band, in fact I consider them one of the best Swedish crust bands ever, but I still wonder why they went for this name, fitting for an obnoxious grindcore band but rather awkward for political crust. I am sure they are wondering, too. Does that keep me from wearing their shirt? Fuck no. The band started in 1993 with members of WARCOLLAPSE and SAUNA (who were stylistically very close) at a time when the D-beat and crust waves and the käng revival were seriously taking off in the country. In retrospect, it may seem difficult to find one’s way in this demented maze of DISCHARGE-loving gruff hardcore and locate the best bands of the era, the ones you would spontaneously recommend at your nan’s dinner party. 3-WAY CUM was one of those. The band managed to blend with ease the ’90s dual-vocal crustcore school of EXTREME NOISE TERROR or DISRUPT with the ’80s cavemen käng style of BOMBANFALL or SVART PARAD, and they significantly delivered great records during their five-year run, one LP and five EPs, among which were two splits with DEFORMED CONSCIENCE and ANOTHER OPPRESSIVE SYSTEM. They had that relentlessly savage, heavy, and dirty vibe, with vocalists reminiscent of bears fighting angrily over a pot of honey. A genuinely classic ’90s band, Scandicrust at its very best, and we should be grateful to Phobia for releasing the band’s full discography.

Absolut Hell’s Highest Power LP

The Canadian jawbreaker is back! Ten tracks of pure ANTI-CIMEX worship from their first recording session that was never released. All tracks were recorded with the original line-up in 2013 with Vassil Mester on drums (RIP). The tracks are pummeling and sure to crack your skull! ABSOLUT is an absolute warmachine!

Adrestia Requiem LP

This is one for the more metal-oriented punks—those who like people who can actually play their instruments or, to put it objectively, musicians who are actual musicians. ADRESTIA is, or rather was, from Sweden, since Requiem, the band’s seventh LP (including two splits) is their farewell record. I had never paid too much attention to ADRESTIA, and while I do think they are very good at what they do, what they do is not really my cup of tea. The music oscillates between heavy and dark metallic Swedish hardcore like MARTYRDOD or MISANTROPIC and old school death metal, and it all gets a little too technical and not wild enough for me at the end of the day, although it certainly sounds angry and the lyrics are clearly political. The very polished production highlights the band’s qualities and what they want to achieve, and I found myself quite liking the epic sludgy metal number “Where Gods Die” a lot, with very melodic guest vocals from one Linda Johansson. Interesting.

Ahna Crimson Dawn LP

I remember catching this band in 2016 in Croatia or, to be more accurate, I remember having a great time and being quite impressed by them, but actual details are largely lost—I think they played toward the end of the No Sanctuary fest, which was pretty much an obligatory summer migration for crusties in Europe. This album is the nastiest, meanest record I have heard this month. AHNA comes from Vancouver, has been going since 2008, and is the best example of a band successfully blending stenchcore and old-school death metal. They keep the best of both worlds in a seamless fashion. While the majority of bands conducting such a perilous experiment generally fail because they merely make either an angrier dis-oriented version of death metal or a more technical version of stenchcore music with too clean a production, AHNA’s sound is an actual brew which can appeal to both punks and metalheads. If it does sound like a herd of disgruntled, possessed hippos ravaging your hometown, the tastefulness and the mastery are obvious if you are a fan of crust. This is basically how a dark and desperate cocktail blending death metal and crust should be prepared. If BOLT THROWER, SACRILEGE, DISMEMBER, and AUTOPSY engaged in a brawl at the release party of a split between CRUZ and LIMB FROM LIMB, it would be pretty close to this. Crimson Dawn has a thick, dark, and macabre vibe, but still sounds like it could angrily bite you in half like your studded punk friend can tear through a vegan kebab at 2AM after downing eight pints of lager. I especially love the raging work of the two vocalists on this, and singer/drummer(!) Anju does a magnificent impersonation of Tam from SACRILEGE. The best I have heard, in fact. This album was originally released on CD and cassette in 2020, but the always reliable Phobia Records had the good idea to do a vinyl version.

Beton / Beyond Description split EP

The first side of this EP has Slovakia’s BETON blasting out some wild D-beat/death metal, sounding like it was recorded in a sewer tunnel. Although they have a wall-of-sound thing going on, the drums clacked away clearly. “Safari” was the most interesting musically, as it seemed to have something sounding like a banjo in the mix, and by the end of the song, the guitars sounded like a foghorn, but in a good way. On the flipside, Japan’s BEYOND DESCRIPTION serves up their brand of crusty hardcore. I don’t know what they were yelling about, but the unrelenting speed and aggression are legit. Very powerful.

Beton / Beyond Description split EP

Two bands that at first glance have nothing to do with each other, but does it even matter?  Slovakian deathbeat machine BETON opens this split with their terrifying brand of death metal punk assault—think DISMEMBER, but with a punkier edge. Crude and moldy, just like old-school Scandinavian death metal, and there is even a banjo solo on the second song (take that, TAAKE!). Japanese crusty legends BEYOND DESCRIPTION, who have been around since 1988, deliver two hardcore songs in the fashion of GAUZE. Fast and energetic, bringing to mind the good old crossover days. Splits don’t always have to make “sense,” as they offer new listeners a chance to discover or enjoy two bands at the same time.

Burning Flag Matador LP

On their third album, BURNING FLAG keeps on waving their determination for everyone to see. The Halifax group is equal parts political punk and metal; their formula is based around crushing Scandi-styled crust but sometimes they reach ENTOMBED-like heaviness and groove, with emphasis on the groove, and some dissonant, apocalyptic GODFLESH industrial bleakness thrown into the mix. The themes of Matador explore misogyny, toxic masculinity, and societal corruption, so it’s a record filled with politics just as it should be.

Cimiterium Verdict EP

Aussies delivering their debut 7” achieve a putrid blend of stenchcore and metal forms of punk. Mastering crossover stances with dungeon killer riffage, fast, caustic cadences, and low vocal mayhem on two tracks per side, it sure represents a great first EP effort. Gloomier headbangers, you have been notified.

Adrestia / Collapsed Antitheism split LP

Split release by two crusty death metal bands, ADRESTIA from Sweden and COLLAPSED from Canada. ADRESTIA’s side is Boss HM2 distortion pedal-infused, ENTOMBED-style old school death metal-influenced hardcore punk played by punks (less hardcore/modern production style). Despite many recent bands simply sounding either more death metal or like ANTI-CIMEX, their approach of doing something in between without being polished is unique. COLLAPSED from Montreal has a similar approach to the ’90s era of Swedish crusty death metal, but leaning more towards the guttural death metal side of things.

Collapsed Collapsed LP

COLLAPSED delivers an ugly, stenchy, distorted mass of old school death metal and dirty crust punk. Hailing from Canada, these crusties know how to deliver the goods and play off on the stenchcore tropes very well, without sounding like everyone else. Just the right amount of crust and just the right amount of death metal. After a mid-tempo intro paying homage to AMEBIX and AXEGRINDER, they erupt into sickening crust violence similar to DOOM or HELLSHOCK. The freezing cold solos they added bring a whole new blackened dimension to the savage battlefield landscape they created. A record that will please crusties and death metalheads alike.

Death Culture Deprivation Past EP

This six-song EP is a fucking ripper! Between the lightning-fast hardcore and femme vocals, it’s everything I want from a punk band. Most of the songs are just over the minute mark, so be prepared to play this on repeat. Somehow, DEATH CULT DEPRIVATION manages to fit tidy guitar solos and quick licks into these scorchers. The closing track “Fucktory” even has some sick breakdown action hidden amongst the melee. This limited 300-copy pressing is bound to go fast, so don’t sleep on it!

Deathfiend Beyond Life LP

Sizzling doom metal punk from Birmingham. This reminds me of when members of DOOM went in a more dismal SABBATH style in a doom project called GLOOMY SUNDAY. Speed-wolfing HIGH OF FIRE riff addiction with sinister, blackened vocal tones like SCOLEX. Tasty riffs without a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo, just all-around killer D-beaten crusty doom metal. Vocals at times recall BOLT THROWER, but are much more evil. Clearly pronounced and gnashing (ex-DOOM, POLICE BASTARD, SORE THROAT—ahem). Parts ENTOMBED, parts BRAINOIL, songs clock in at around three to four minutes, with an abbreviated intro track and an epic outro track. Paces are full of variety but groove throughout, never getting overly aggressive, mostly filled with despair and world-eating interstellar gloom. DEATH STRIKE also comes to mind. I am only halfway through and the production and sharp changes have me hooked. Definitely check this out if you enjoy grizzle-charred death punk metal played sturdily as the old oak tree. Tie a black ribbon for good ol’ DEATHFIEND, kudos on this LP.

Decade World Stops Turning LP

There are records you wish you could love and yet fail miserably at doing so—I wish I could enjoy DECADE’s World Stops Turning, because people who do seem to have a lot of fun doing it. And technically I should be able to. On paper, I am the prototype of someone who should be into this LP. I love DISCHARGE, I love DISCHARGE-worship and its science, its self-awareness. The thing that loses me on this record is that, although it aims at replicating the embarrassing parts of DISCHARGE’s career, it is still dead serious. Which beats me: the ridiculous-sounding vocals should be celebrated as such (that’s what THISCLOSE did very well, a respectful parody). Once upon time, DISCHARGE’s Brave New World was rightly seen as a shit record, one that was best forgotten about and even denied it existed at all, as it tarnished the legacy of arguably the most influential band in punk’s history. From 1984 on (and I am being kind, as on a bad day I would almost throw in 1983 as well), DISCHARGE had become a farce and, assuming they were to be remembered at all, the guilty records were stuff to have a laugh with (just try to karaoke “Ignorance” and you’ll understand). It was the ’80s after all, and many bands went shite. Still, DECADE is undoubtedly a talented band, and they nail the 1984–86 DISCHARGE songwriting to a tee. All the songs are mid-paced, thrashing heavy metal with the Cal-like odd prosody, accentuation, and scansion. If you are into “Born to Die in the Gutter” and “The More I See,” as well as the even less respectable follow-up, then you will adore this LP. It reminds me of FINAL BOMBS in terms of obsessiveness and source material. World Stops Turning was originally released on CD, and this vinyl version is adorned with an ace-looking cover by Sugi. But if you have never listened to DECADE, I suggest you land the split LP with FATUM, as it is a more diverse work that tells a proper story, and the aforementioned DISCHARGE parts actually fit well. I wish I could enjoy it, but I may just be a boring bastard after all.

Decade The Impossible Scale of Increasing Slaughter EP

Few D-beaters out there stand out as much as Ontario’s DECADE, and the band’s unique range of styles is on display on this EP. We’ve seen a few different shades of DECADE over the course of their handful of releases, and this four-song record seems to have a hot little mix of everything. The chugging charge and ethereal vocals of the opener give way to the spaced-out, confusion-packed banger “Indifference” on the A-side. The flip opens with the crusty pounding of “Existence is Ignored” before the bass-heavy rocking swagger of the closing track, and the whole thing is painted with killer metal guitar licks. Some of the band’s best looks are when they pick up on less popular sources of inspiration like later ’80s-’90s DISCHARGE and FINAL BOMBS, and overall they’ve got an uncanny ability for forcing strange innovations into the genre with great results. If you haven’t heard their 2018 World Stops Turning LP or split with FATUM, you gotta check those too. These guys are killers.

Chörnobyl / Deny split EP

A double-trouble split from two Swedish bands that immerse themselves in the Swedish hardcore sound. First up is the veterans DENY, whom you might recognize from their Dystopia LP, mangeling since 1995 and delivering three solid, classic Swedish hardcore tracks in the good tradition of WOLFPACK. Then the newcomers CHÖRNOBYL, who share members with MYTERI, bring three more songs to the table with a darker DISFEAR approach. At the end of the day we have two bands, old and new, that celebrate one of the most recognizable sounds in hardcore history and further the Swedish D-beat tradition.

Dissekerad Inre Strid LP

I had not realized that DISSEKERAD had already been going for ten years. On the surface, bands playing Swedish hardcore—or käng as it is known by nerds—are not unlike haikus: they are always doing the same thing over and over again, and yet some are clearly better than others. Alright, writing haikus usually does not involve playing as loud as possible in order to punish an audience that actually paid for that, but you get the gist. DISSEKERAD is made up of members of AVSKUM, MAKABERT FYND, and obviously TOTALITÄR, as singer Poffen, with his recognizable flow and vocal tone, is also the frontman of the aforementioned cult band, whose popularity has never seemed as important as it is today. Unsurprisingly, the band plays angry and pummeling käng hardcore with mean, hoarse, raspy vocals. The comparison with mid-’90s TOTALITÄR (even without taking the vocals into consideration) is not irrelevant, and I can also hear late ’90s UNCURBED and the ferocious NO SECURITY, too. The production is brilliant, heavy and thick but keeping that direct aggressive hardcore punk sound. Inre Strid does not disappoint and does not surprise. It is probably my favorite DISSEKERAD work and an objectively solid LP. It should be pointed out that the past two or three years have been quite generous in quality Swedish hardcore records, as Inre Strid can attest. As usual, this was released on Phobia Records, a label that could be compared to a delicatessen for käng music.

Earth Crust Displacement Under the Surface EP

Raw punk crasher crust for Berlin. EARTH CRUST DISPLACEMENT kicks plenty of ass—distorted to deafness, just to my liking. Pure FRAMTID/PHYSIQUE-style blasting D-beat while still having killer tunes to back it up. Very pleasantly surprised with how much this slays. Highly recommend to anyone into DISCLOSE-esque noise destruction.

End Result Hellfire EP

Within a miasma of metaphysical chaos, you can hear screams, a grotesque guitar tone, a dirty bass, and brutalist drums. All these elements come together to create nine songs that represent the best soundtrack for moments of extreme personal nihilism. The people responsible are END RESULT, they are from Los Angeles and call themselves “Crasher Crusters.” Frantic raw punk, brutal D-beat, take-no-prisoners crust, call it what you want, I loved it. 

Excrement of War The Waste, the Greed and the Bodybags LP

Right or wrong (likely both), I feel like EXCREMENT OF WAR forms a bridge between ’80s UK metallic crust (DEVIATED INSTINCT, ENT, SACRILEGE) and ’90s DIY crust (HIATUS, DISRUPT). They had direct connections to bands on both sides of that imaginary dividing line between “then” and “now” (DOOM, DEPTH CHARGE, FILTHKICK, VIOLENT ARREST, DIRT, ENT, and many more have had members in EXCREMENT OF WAR), but were more raw and a little (or a lot) looser than many of their counterparts. It’s crust punk—they made D-beat sound fukkn nasty instead of trying to juice it up. The twenty songs on this collection are from sessions spanning 1991—95 and have all been available previously, but if you haven’t heard their side of the DEFORMED CONSCIENCE split before, then…well, listen to “They Call This Progress” and then get back to me. Not all reissues are essential, but some are.

Excrement of War Cathode Ray Coma LP reissue

This was definitely an exciting 1994 reissue to be assigned. It starts off with a ripping, bombarding soloed instrumental, as most crust bands did in the ’90s. Fueled-up punk, raw and powerful, E.N.T./HELLCRUSHER-style intro, right into “Exist Enslaved” (which I believe I’ve heard covered several times before being introduced to this record). So if you like DOOM or STATE OF FEAR with a bit more range between vocalists, this reissue is for a lucky you. Mags has one of the most ferocious, vitriolic, raspiest vocal tones ever. Ripping. The EXCREMENT OF WAR split with DEFORMED CONSCIENCE might be my favorite of their material—this was earlier and looser—but to that point, it’s raw crust and punk as fuck. The UK/US match-up complements each other so well on the split, so if you can get a hand on this, or either for that matter, you will not be disappointed. Essential ’90s European crushing, ripping, hardcore crust. “Encased in their military cocoon; the outside appearances [are just] blips on [a] screen. Enemy tank. Enemy child. Enemy plane. Enemy tree…”

Exploatör Avgrundens Brant LP

I’m going to say a few things, outing my lameness, before I even get started on the listening. One, I have heard of this band, and I am familiar with their insane punk pedigree of band members (INSTITUTION, SLUTET, WARCOLLAPSE, KRIGSHOT, TOTALITÄR, NO SECURITY—yes, I’m still going—ÄÄRITILA, DISFEAR, MEANWHILE…etc.!), but I regret to say I don’t know that I’ve heard them yet since their 2017 debut. Sad face. Two, the umlaut and aforementioned resume lets me know I’ll probably be into this. So let’s see. Okay, I absolutely love the raspy vocals that gasp out to the very last breath. This is quite heavy metal-charged Scandi Dis-beat hardcore. There is a unique level of vibration to the classic riffs. That is to say, the traditional Swedish hardcore chords are almost sung from the guitars. Outstanding. Like literally, the guitars are a standout, fucking awesome. This must be Kenko, who I met at a wedding in NY once, and his unassuming kind poise brings total fire through his instrument. Simultaneously catchy and abrasive, this is certainly recommended. Some parts double-time D-beat käng (à la MOB 47), other moments knuckle-dragging stomping breaks, but never for too long. I was just listening to INSTITUTION yesterday and I believe they share the vocalist. Or perhaps the TOTALITÄR vocalist, actually. I could check but let’s leave it at that, the old-fashioned way. Just like EXPLOATÖR plays hardcore punk. I am not sure who’s doing what here, but I am sure I love this.

Exploatör Blind Elit LP

Comprised of ex-TOTALITÄR members (three out of five) and other high-ranking käng veterans, EXPLOATÖR are simply kings of the genre, sounding better than ever on their third release. The formula remains the same – heavy hardcore punk with a manic D-beat backbone and raw vocals, and here it’s executed flawlessly. The sound is full and scorching, with some direct DISCHARGE worship in tunes like the title track and “Skiter På Allt,” as well as songs like “Ingrid Framtid” and “Dags Att Dö” that echo the almost-jazzy energy of TOTALITÄR’s swan-song Vi Är Eliten LP. These guys somehow make that rough shit go down so smooth. Special props to Poffen for stubbornly refusing lozenges since the 1980s.

Fear of the Known The Last Songs LP

LP debut for this DIY crust punk supergroup, featuring members of CHAOS UK, DISORDER, WAR//PLAGUE, and others, holding an interesting ethos and way of recording (which was mostly virtual, with no direct physical interaction between band members in the making), and intended as a critique of the actual state of punk today and its links with protest and critical thinking and doing. Even recorded separately, the recording and mixing efforts make the fact that they are all separated while executing it almost untraceable. Coming from this selection of band members, you are getting a high-quality album with no less than fifteen tracks that never seem to stop giving riffage, and hardcore vocals that rise on the Lemmy side of punk from time to time. The crust punk influence is strong on this one. Suggested tracks: “Democracy Hammered” and “Divide & Rot.” Interesting, give it a spin.

Fear of the Known Cabal EP+flexi 7″

Legit supergroup here, with members of ROSE ROSE, DISORDER, WAR//PLAGUE, and CHAOS UK teaming up for a bulldozer of modern anarcho rage. A gnarly industrial tinge and searing guitars form the foundation for a band fronted by a gruff, clenched-fist vocal assault—an apocalyptic reinterpretation of a familiar sound. Bonus flexi with versions of DISORDER’s “Life” and CHAOS UK’s “The End is Nigh” completes the line(age), making it clear that Cabal is far more than a sum of its parts—both versions are far more powerful than the originals, which is saying something. I hope that this is more than a one-off project.

Fredag Den 13​:​e Mänskiga Gränstillstånd LP

Nearly two decades in, this Gothenburg D-beat crew delivers nothing less ferocious than anything in their discography. What I love about Swedish D-beat is the almost operatic melancholy at much of its core sound. This band doesn’t dilute any impact with sprawling melodic structure, all while driving everything home like a steam hammer with unrelenting rhythm (yes, often that sweet “doon-kah-doonka-dah” we never get sick of). The mournful lead guitar in tracks like “Våldsmonopol” lends much to the overall effect of cathartic hardcore, as only feels fit coming from the bleak heart of Scandinavia. Everything here is dialed-in, throat-in-tatters vocal delivery and black metal frostiness in tracks like “Tryst Vår,” and of course the drums at the forefront like artillery, all while never shying away from a full-on rock’n’roll heartbeat. If you’re into this rich regional wing of hardcore (and why the hell wouldn’t you be?), this record is a must.

Genöme Young, Beautiful & Free LP

Debut album from GENÖME of Malmö, Sweden. Great production D-beat/kängpunk with echoed vocals. Many bands in this style tend to take a low-fidelity DIY approach to recording but GENÖME does it in the modern, non-retro-sounding style of ’90s Japanese meets Swedish-style hardcore production. Reminds me of a bit of DETESTATION or some of the crustcore bands coming out of the Minneapolis area in the ’90s. Artwork by Petter from GLORIOUS?

Bastardestroyer / Gorc Crust 暴力 / Rychlý Pramen Z Pos​á​zaví split LP

Splits are always a fun showcase of like-minded bands sharing the medium of art to demonstrate their abilities. This is a split between raw punk aficionados BASTARDESTROYER from Indonesia and fastcore unit GORC from the Czech Republic. Expect violent tunes played at light speed and crusty boot stomps all over your eardrums. Also a gem for true Scandinavian hardcore maniacs in the form of a cover of “Criminal Trap” by the masters ANTI-CIMEX.

Alteri / Gr​ä​nslandet split LP

Issued in October 2022 by Phobia Records, a label based in the Czech Republic, this split presents bands from Germany and Sweden. ALTERI from Cologne, Germany offers a synthesis of blackened crust closer to death metal, with deep and low but also high gutturals, sludgy bass lines, and guitars that sometimes resemble math rock sounds, cutting with precision. The songs are filled with tempo changes and parts achieving complexity. Suggested track: “Verlorene Staedte.” On the Sweden side, we have GRÄNSLANDET from Kristinehamn, delivering their D-beat with deep, sludgy strings and fast cadences, good riffy guitar solos, and controlled yet strong screams plus great drums. Good work with the doom feel that gives a trance-like feeling at moments. Suggested track: “Historiens Mantra.” Appropriate selection for a split, with the bands having things in common. Recommended for blackened crust and metal enthusiasts.

Haveri The End LP

This is one for the Swedish hardcore diehards, for the true followers of the käng cult, for those who worship at the CIMEX altar. HAVERI is completely unknown to me, which is not so surprising, as they were a relatively obscure band from the late ’00s/early ’10s to start with, and their only album, Into the Crypts of…, was released on a Mexican extreme metal label, so the distribution would not have been great in Europe (unless everyone knows the band well but no one told me, and I am going look like an ignoramus, or, god forbid, a poseur writing this review). The studio material on this LP was recorded in 2009, and there are also live songs from 2010 that sound about as good as the studio ones, which does indicate a high level of brute hardcore rawness. Sonically HAVERI was old school and lovingly looked at their glorious elders like early ANTI-CIMEX, early AVSKUM, or DISARM, but with a more distorted sound. I like how spontaneous the whole thing sounds, you can tell the band wanted to go straight to the point without fancy effects. This is fairly well-executed but a little too fuzzy for my taste, as this makes the songs less urgent. The vocals are a genuine strong point, I love the singer’s vocal tone and flow as they have a distinct ’80s vibe. Käng up your life.

Illvilja Mörkret 10″

Since its beginnings, neocrust has always walked hand-in-hand with black metal. The sense of gloom approaching is prevalent in both genres, so it only makes sense that one should combine the two—HIS HERO IS GONE had one of the blackest riffs the crust world has ever heard in “Headless/Heartless.” It’s all about the atmosphere! ILLVILJA does exactly that, melancholic neocrust with a black-as-night atmosphere. And it makes even more sense since they are Swedish, they are born with melody in their veins.

Jonestown The Unbearable Lightness of Idiocy LP

First record I’ve heard that opened with a Trump sample (new century punks are clearly lagging), and it throws a dark shroud over the whole record before the first note—mission: accomplished. And when that first note hits, you barely have a minute to breathe until you flip sides, just jolt after jolt of maximum energy anthemic Euro D-beat. Best way to describe the overall recording is “punchy”—like it keeps punching you over and over and I swear they don’t slow down until the first side drifts away; Prague’s JONESTOWN might even be catchy if the vocals weren’t so damn threatening. This record might be a sleeper: you think you know what you’re getting into and you aren’t necessarily wrong…it’s just far better than you expected.

Kibera Nemáš Jméno EP

D-Beat from the Czech Republic with an epic touch, good structures, and an afterlife voice. The guitars are too grandiloquent and solemn for my taste, almost with a bit of metal, but they have everything you look for in the genre.

Kinetic Orbital Strike Rotten Lies EP

Fuck me, I have to admit that I really have been blessed this month with the recordings I have been assigned, as they are all right up my alley. I was right to sacrifice three cans of lager and an AMEBIX patch to the Gods of Crust, as my wishes were quickly granted—I hope my prayers for protection against ska and shoegaze also worked. The moniker KINETIC ORBITAL STRIKE apparently refers to a modern military technology, “the hypothetical act of attacking a planetary surface with an inert kinetic projectile from orbit,” and not a ninja move as I initially thought. I was relieved to find the actual definition as Google only pointed me toward World of Warcraft at first, which kinda filled me with a sense of gloom (and sadly not of GLOOM). The name might be a bit of a mouthful, especially around 2:00 am, but this Philadelphia band (with members of the mighty POLLEN or IMPALERS, among many other bands) unleashes that familiar brand of brutal, distorted, noisy discore that we have all grown to love (right?). They sound like the almighty FRAMTID teamed up with COLLAPSE SOCIETY and FEROCIOUS X in order to borrow DISCLOSE’s gears and flair in order to inject more DISCHARGE worship into their Japanese käng tornado, with a spoonful of HORRENDOUS, too. The drummer is on bloody fire on this recording, I have rarely heard such manic rolls and the insane level of intensity takes one’s breath away. They manage to keep that urgent, raw vibe and still sound punishingly heavy (my very angry neighbour banging on the door would not disagree). Angry hardcore at its best, and the self-released version (Phobia Records will take care of the European one) has an ANTISECT-inspired wheat logo on the back which checks yet another one of my romantic boxes. Top-notch hardcore.

Komplex Viny Suita Pro Nové Konce EP

KOMPLEX VINY is a band from the Czech Republic that plays some killer crust punk tunes. The powerful vocals are backed with furious but complex riffs and smashing drums. This is one of those 7″ records you can spend hours listening to over and over again. Each song is unique, so KOMPLEX VINY avoids the trap of writing songs that all sound somewhat similar, and the sound is something totally exclusive to these rockers. If I had to compare KOMPLEX VINY to other sounds, I’d hazard to say it’s all of the best global crust noises distilled into a palatable but commanding recording. There are familiar riffs and fills, but KOMPLEX VINY also manages to reshuffle certain elements to create a very refreshing presentation. The song “Dno za Dnem” even manages to fit a bit of Oi! into it without going full gang vocals. Overall, I highly recommend this one!

Komplex Viny Pohřeb Všedního Dne EP

Czech Republic’s KOMPLEX VINY often runs up to and hops over the line between crust and metal. You’ll hear buzzsaw chords one moment and a bit of guitar shredding the next. The gruff vocals arrive complete with a gurgle at the back of the throat. The delivery is excellent, but the pro production quality (a common feature in this genre) feels out of place. I prefer my crust a little crustier.

Crutches / Kontrasosial Chaos Riders Freedom Fighters split LP

CRUTCHES spit out nine tracks of clean-sounding Swedish D-beat in the vein of all your favourite umlaut-adorned and mispronounced backpatches, but with all the modern advancements of clean recording. It’s fine, I guess. Vocals could sound less shrieked, but I’m old now so what the fuck do I know; it’s just hard for me to get sucked into something so polished-sounding, especially when sonically, they just don’t manage to conjure that atmosphere of danger that I think is absolutely necessary in modern crust. I can hear all the shiny studs in this recording and none of the filth. KONTRASOSIAL gives this the kick that it needs with a slightly more metal approach and stomp that blows the other side outta the water, an unfair pairing really.

Last Agony Systematic Murder EP

Wow. The first vinyl offering from Toronto’s LAST AGONY drops like a thundercloud, three off-the-rails crash bombs on one side and a metal crust epic on the flip. A complete wall of sound, howling guitars and oppressive vocals masked by natural distortion delivered by intensity and not an EQ knob. This is what happens when D-beat is pushed to its absolute limit, and the result is incredible. Highest recommendation for fans of that great span between EXTREME NOISE TERROR and KREIGSHÖG.

Affect / Löckheed split EP

Two bands, one common goal: to make noise not music! AFFECT comes from Sweden, the land of kängpunk, but they could have easily come from Kōchi City. They deliver three songs of pure fuzzed-out, chaotic DISCLOSE worship with ripping shouted vocals that hit the sweet spot. LÖCKHEED comes from Portland, the land of neocrust, but they sure could have come from Sweden. Their three tracks are less chaotic but go straight to the jugular with their vicious kängpunk attack done in a perfect manner. Overall, a great split between two bands that complement each other really well. Do you wear ripped-up jeans with tons of patches? I guess you’d better get this one.

Illvilja / M:40 split EP

M:40 is presented first here, as a char-core discordant mosh cacophony. As far as newer crust goes, this registers on the blackened epic side. SLUTET comes to mind, but more abysmal and desperate, like ACCURSED or MARTYRDÖD in mood, but add some bone-grinding blastbeats and take away all glints of hope and light. M:40 is a lesson in Scandinavian blackened crust. ILLVILJA has an intro that creates a new dawn of sorts on this split, but equally reminiscent of ACCURSED. Epic chords and melancholy journeys across a desolate crust landscape. ILLVILJA plays remarkably more optimistically, if that means I’ve come to terms with the complete dread of the world. Not a feel-good split—here it is, drowning whirlpools of dark crust anguish for your embittered nihilistic enjoyment.

M:40 Arvsynd LP

I do not know if the band name M:40 is in reference to a weapon or what, but M:40 of Sweden is weaponized with dooming folksy acoustic landscapes that remind me of ACURSED, GUTS PIE EARSHOT, and some tinges of blackened metal. My favorite thing about Arvsynd is the way all the musical levels are blended together. There is not much breathing room here, but it is not overwhelmingly aggressive either. It’s like a dense Scandinavian fog of heavy turmoil. This is the kind of hardcore that can usually get exhausting to me, but M:40 breaks it up with casual D-beat such as UNCURBED, sinister metal riffs such as NIHILIST, and fuzzed-out duo vocals. Favorite track: “Viskningar I Mörkret.” Melodic crustcore with finesse.

Mongrel Life Unlived cassette

Trusted purveyors of formidable crust action Phobia Records introduce us to MONGREL, a noisy and rugged hardcore unit out of western Ireland. This tape (their sophomore release) contains five tracks driven by a simple, barbaric stomp and covered with chaotic, off-center vocals. While the songs seem to relish in their primitive composition and dystopian feel, they’re also a bit polished for what I feel best suits the style. I’d probably get more of a kick out of a muddier and more mangled MONGREL.

Guff / Mongrel Inner Self split EP

Three heavy hardcore hitters from Ireland’s MONGREL, with high(er), sinister vocals and a sound that feels like it’s always on the brink of coming unglued. Norway’s GUFF is actually unglued, with an interpretation of epic Euro crust that defies explanation. Maniacal vocals and a guitar that sounds like someone took away some black metal kid’s distortion pedal and gave him a wah-wah. It makes no sense, which is why it works so damn well. My first exposure to both bands, and they compliment each other perfectly—freak interpretations of classic sounds.

Mordloch Mordloch LP

Stench death metal from Velký Osek, Czech Republic, achieving infernal inferno guitars and sludge cadences with notable grindcore nods, and a sick, steady, deadly voice that gives ritualistic feels that sometimes double to deliver possessed, high-pitched screams filled with pain. Devilish death metal nature. Recommended tracks: “Vse Zive” and “Dorakví” for a slow, steady walk to the tomb, taking up speed for some parts in order to run from the demons. Get ready to mosh with skeletons.

Hoax / Motron split LP

Split effort coming from Italy with seven tracks per project, including a cover on each side, supported by multi-cooperative DIY labels. Motörcharged dis-punkers to the fullest, with superb cover art of a dystopian family couch for this album. MOTRON is more on the metal punk side of Lemmy’s moon, holding a grip of darker, gloomier tones in their charging, doom-thriving bass lines, mid-paced, rock-solid drums, and deep, angry, guttural vocals confronting almost mirrored guitar sections and minor riffage. Suggested track: “Lack of Shame.” HOAX goes for faster-paced cadences and sickened, steadier vocals, with a more distorted approach in the strings but keeping classical rhythms in their charged situation. Suggested track: “On Your Grave.”

Osmantikos Survival LP

Crusty hardcore from Malaysia, with furious vocals and clean production. Survival features a dozen grandiose compositions that bring to mind TRAGEDY, the HOLY MOUNTAIN, and COP ON FIRE, as tracks ooze toward a more stenchcore sound. Anthemic passages from dual vocals; all-in-all a full sound from this three piece. Side B opens with some surprisingly upbeat riffs amidst slow gloomy hardcore, similar to GUILLOTINE TERROR or MOONSCAPE. A moody intro-as-intermission midway through the LP, then some more Motörcharged rhythms. With several styles of extreme punk going on, OSMANTIKOS have a lot to offer.

Overcharge Metal Punx LP

On their third full-length, these Italian D-beaters do just enough to keep things fresh. While they’ve drilled down on the typical MOTÖRHEAD-worship style of many other bullet-belted punks—in case the -CHARGE suffix didn’t clue you in—they do it competently with a few tweaks to the formula to keep things interesting. This band doesn’t require close analysis, though. It is the kind of music you throw on your leather and swig several tall cans for. Turn off that thinky bit in your skull and just go all in, because it’s fun as hell even if it earns few points for originality. Tracks like “Lords of Hysteria” even resemble the later crusty period of DARKTHRONE, which is always a good thing. This trio is going to keep doing what they’re doing and you can bang thy head or not, but you’ll have a better party if thou doth.

Panikattack Ett Sista Farväl LP

By far this month’s most unsurprising record, but should you expect anything different from a Swedish hardcore band releasing an LP on the tireless Phobia Records, a label bent on känging up the world? Uppsala’s PANIKATTACK belongs in that category of bands that I know I am going to enjoy conservatively before even listening to them. To an extent, I don’t even have to listen to them to enjoy them. I just know. Ett Sista Farv​ä​l is the band’s last record, and it does not disappoint. With current and ex-members of ANGER BURNING, MAKABERT FYND, and DISCONTROL among others, the lineup is experienced and the band knows what they have to do and how to do it. Twenty minutes of classically executed, energetic, pummeling käng hardcore with angry vocals and an apt production keeping it raw and heavy. No messing around here as PANIKATTACK never slows down, and delivers what they are expected to. To be enjoyed in the same old school way as bands like DISSEKERAD or VERDICT, with a hint of mid-’90s DISFEAR. If you are not an unconditional käng lover, you may find the album a little long, if not upsettingly redundant, because, as objectively effective as it is given the template, it is pretty much a straight line.

Parasit En Falsk Utopi LP

An absolutely crushing entry to a discography replete with scorching råpunk. Sweden’s PARASIT have been cranking out killer records for over ten years, and En Falsk Utopi shows a level of refinement that comes from waging battle in the D-beat wars for a decade. The thick, burly production adds some extra gas to the flame, and this sucker is burning white-hot. Every track is bursting at the seams with pummeling guitar hooks and riffs stacked on top of riffs. The singer sounds remarkably similar to Thomas Lindberg. Surely any fan of SKITSYSTEM, DISFEAR, or even AT THE GATES will be salivating over this, as it straddles the line between blackened crust and metal. Brutal from beginning to end.

Fractured / Phane Phane vs. Fractured split LP

This split presents a battle between Canadian bands. Vancouver’s PHANE delivers six tracks of their own charged hardcore punk inspired and fueled by GBH and the like—punk militia drums, thrashy guitars with tasty riffs, and fast soloing. A deep, ranting voice leads with resemblances of UK82-style anthemic performance, but adding modern nods in the guttural delivery. A good discovery; well-executed, fast punk rock. Suggested tracks: “Musorá” and “No Need to Breathe” for classic street punk rhythm and solid bass lines. FRACTURED, a trio from Montreal, brings five tracks displaying a D-beat/UK82-infused sound heavily influenced by crusty hardcore punk. Good riffing fast guitars and thrashy ’80s metal female vocals mixed with classic hardcore punk drum cadences, reminding me in some songs of Canibalina’s screams in her band ABYECTA. Suggested track: “Full Speed Ahead.” PHANE would win this pairing.

Phane Maniac LP

PHANE is from Vancouver, BC, and they are bringing the G.B.H.-style hardcore punk to the turntable. They’ve got it down, too—the song structure and the great guitar riffs, shouted vocals and powerful drums. If you’re a fan of UK82-style hardcore punk with some modern updates, you should rush out and grab this now.

Phane Police System EP

Vancouver’s PHANE blasts through four cuts of straightforward, UK82-charged punk on their Police System EP, one of which is an UNRULED cover (and the strongest showing in my opinion). Sticking to themes of menial city living and the fookin’ cops, PHANE gleefully sticks up two fingers at the system. I have no complaints, and if you’re a fan of bands like the VARUKERS and G.B.H., you’ll have none either.

Plague Thirteen Healing Ground LP

Neocrust is the perfect soundtrack for a post-pandemic world in which darkness seems to engulf every aspect of our day-to-day lives—there is always a glimmer of hope in the lyrics and songwriting, with its heavy-to-melodic riffs. PLAGUE THIRTEEN plays heavy and sludgy crust that leans towards the more melancholic spectrum. Filling the void left by neocrust agitators LINK (their previous incarnation), they follow the steps of TRAGEDY to early NEUROSIS. Soundtrack for the days of no hope.

Plague Thirteen Plague Thirteen LP

It’s dark. It’s heavy. It’s oppressive. It induces moshing. It’s the debut album from PLAGUE THIRTEEN, a crust punk band from Czech Republic formed by ex-members of LINK and SORE in 2019. Inspired by last year’s COVID lockdown, the band presents six songs that achieve a really satisfying balance between expansive arrangements (like the brutal breakdowns of “Eyes Wide Open”), guitar epicness, D-beat fury, and full-on assaults and melodic richness.  If you wanna sample the intense power they can produce, I command you to listen to “Saturated Black,” which veers into extreme metal territory with some vicious riffing and death metal growls.

Massgrav / Proteststorm Alter Schwede! / Din Tid Kommer Inte split EP

Six more blasts from Swedish grind mangel legends MASSGRAV—20+ years in the game and no signs of slowing down. There’s something special about the low-end Swedish DM guitar attacking the breakdowns like a buzzsaw, and when they tease your ears with a straight D-beat for the start of “Á…rets Rövhal 2018″ and “Gasen i Botten” before exploding into machine gun blasts…just: ugh. On the flip, two-man recording project PROTESTSTORM features LIVET SOM INSATS and KRIGSHOT/NASUM members. Should come as no surprise when I say that the five songs on their side are a brutally stripped-down dose of unhinged Scandicrust. RAPED TEENAGERS cover to wrap up their portion of the assault—all of these dudes are just really good at this shit.

Scared Earth Death Comes Tumbling Down LP

Ready to have your speakers blown away by some raw, unfiltered Swedish D-beat music? SCARED EARTH’s second album is here to bring that gritty, high-energy sound straight to your ears! Drawing inspiration from legendary bands like ANTI-CIMEX and HEADCLEANERS, SCARED EARTH’s music is a powerful blend of old school Swedish hardcore vibes and modern intensity. They stay true to the roots of Swedish D-beat, delivering that signature sound with fierce passion. With members from DOM DÄR, SVART PARAD, MARTIAL MOSH, and DISSOBER, you know you’re in for a wild ride!

Scared Earth Poisoned World LP

What made DISCHARGE such a powerful band is that they were a reaction to the times. In the early 1980s, the world stood at the brink of any-moment potential nuclear annihilation between the two great superpowers, who played a continual chess game of proxy wars and military funding across the globe. The horror and senselessness of the Vietnam War was less than half a decade from the band’s inception. The power of their music spawned an entire genre, but its continued resonance also grinds in its meaning, what it represented and still represents: a stark rejection of how the powers that be run the world. Stockholm’s SCARED EARTH’s ten-song debut LP carries the torch of D-beat hardcore with members from SVART PARAD, DISSOBER, DOM DÄR. And honestly, despite the pedigree, I was pretty ready to dismiss this as “old guys checking off boxes,” but by side B, Poisoned World stops being perfunctory solid and strong D-beat hardcore, and gets more interpretive and interesting—which is what some of the best Swedish old-timers like AVSKUM and ASOCIAL have done in some of their more recent (and arguably best) records. Opening guitar leads and weird song patterns capture a lot of what was so special about the influence of DISCHARGE in Sweden: They ignited a nation of teenagers to try to figure out how to learn to play hardcore, and the happy, sometimes inept personal expression is a large part of what makes Svensk ’80s and ’90s D-beat records so engaging. This debut’s A-side seems stuck like a lot of senior class punk records: where the musical competency, access to a good solid recording, and desire to capture the spark of their original musical influences regulates some of that personal expression and distinctiveness. It’s more direct and straight-to-the-jugular-forward. But the B-side really does give hope that this band will continue to explore and expand the confines of the really simple formula. The lyrics, largely in English, are shouted in scouring, raw screams; echo and underline blanket rejection of war, and while stark and to the point, there’s not the same kind of defining mood to the early 21st century as the early 1980s. Sure, there are armed conflicts and tragedies happening right now, but the crisis of the time is more complex and basically a slow-motion destruction of the planet by kleptocrats and indifference, so I wish this took the spirit of DISCHARGE’s lyrical intent and, again, inventively applied it to current realities. But inarguably a mandatory purchase if I was at the gig, cranked up and played loud, all of this overthinking fades and this is a killer solid blast of just tried ’n’ true classic Swedish hardcore!!!!

Serotonin Zero Broken Worlds LP

Blackened hardcore from Poland, quite technical and gloomy, and on the metal side of the moon. Endless double kick on the drums and relentless doom vocals. Great chord sections delivering good riffs and intricate arpeggios. The songs take speed from time to time, but only to jump to melodic stances. It sounds well-executed, but stiff. Suggested track: “Point of No Return.”

Mace Head / Slavery split 7″

Fun split out of the Czech Republic. SLAVERY really teeters on the edge of classic power metal, but is brought back from the brink once the vocals kick in, sounding more like DOOM with throatier vocals. MACE HEAD’s side of the split is much more crusty and lo-fi. Very reminiscent of AUS-ROTTEN with a phaser pedal and a soft spot for industrial music. Vocals are intense as hell, and I’m curious as to how they recorded them. A tad sloppy at times, but I think that’s what makes this a great split. No ego. Raw power. Well worth a spin.

Cimiterium / Slavery split EP

This EP is a record that does not lie. We’ve all been disappointed with lying records, especially before you could stream everything beforehand. I remember getting a supposedly “crust-as-fuck” LP from an American band once, and it ended up being boring metallic hardcore. It looked crusty, the label said it sounded crusty, the distro said the same, and yet, it was not—the record did not do what it said it would and it was most upsetting. No such treacherous fannying around here: it looks like a stenchcore record, the bands proudly claim they do the stenchcore thing, and indeed, it sounds like stenchcore. Great customer service here. CIMITERIUM is a relatively young band from Melbourne I had the pleasure to see live last year, and they deliver what you’d expect from a band that uses a “battlecrust” logo. Perfectly executed ’00s-style stenchcore with an emphasis on the BOLT THROWER side of the spectrum. Heavy, super gruff, cavernous, downtuned filthy metal crust reminiscent of SANCTUM, CANCER SPREADING, or STAGNATION. Totally unsurprising. Of course I love it. On the other side your date will be with SLAVERY from Praga. They have been going for a while now, and their 2022 LP was a definite success in the always stable stenchcore category. They are thrashier than their Australian tag-team partners, and more epic I’d say, somewhere in the devastated neighbourhood of mid-’00s HELLSHOCK, early FATUM or early ’10s CANCER SPREADING (again). I particularly enjoy the moshing, mid-paced moments here, how aggressive the Czech vocals sound, and the fact that the song really keeps a punk production, warts and all. Another victory for soap-dodgers released on the always reliable Phobia Records.

Slutet Bortom Vansinnets Grepp LP

There’s some fucked up black metal project with the same name that I’ve low-key been meaning to check out, so it was a surprise when I got hit by some of the cleanest sounding Swedish D-beat I’ve heard (at least in recent years). SLUTET is members of WARCOLLAPSE and EXPLOATÖR doing the stadium crust thing. It’s fine; catchy, excruciatingly clean-sounding. Call me old fashioned here, but fuck me up good and proper and leave me miserable and filthy any day. I don’t think my TOTALITÄR records are going to go far from my turntable any time soon.

Antigen / Socialstyrelsen A Sense of Dread split LP

Phobia Records from the Czech Republic won’t stop delivering crust punk D-beat bands. On these eleven tracks in under 25 minutes, we encounter ANTIGEN and SOCIAL STYRELSEN. ANTIGEN offers four tracks led by a crust-cut female voice pitching high choruses, filled with desperate feeling along with a painful screaming. Solid crust punk with hardcore drums, pretty much all straightforward. SOCIALSTYRELSEN blasts crunchy D-beat crust punk with demonic high vocals, guitars like non-stop chainsaws, and ranting drums. A chaos sound from another era with modern nods. The Swedish language hits hard, with such suffering-infused voices fueled by violence. Suggested tracks: “Knivad” and “Hata Mig.”

Socialstyrelsen Med Rädsla För Livet 12″

Who doesn’t love a great Scandinavian punk band? It´s been a while since I’ve heard one like SOCIALSTYRELSEN, a band that is more on the melodic side of the crust spectrum. Med Rädsla För Livet is their debut album, and what an album it is! The darkness of neocrust melodies permeates the typical Scandinavian D-beat backbone, creating a gloomy atmosphere throughout. The vocals pierce angrily through the instruments and evoke the harshness of SKITSYSTEM or AMBULANCE. A band to keep an eye out for!

Svaveldioxid Fr​ä​mmande Samtid Str​ä​mmande Framtid 10″

Total kängpunk ear-annihilation from the absolute country of Sweden! No gimmicks, just plain DISCHARGE-styled hardcore the way that ANTI-CIMEX used to preach. These käng purists learned the lesson well and follow the school of Anarkist Attack (if the name of the band wasn’t already a clue). Recorded at the legendary Sunlight Studios, which helped to put the HM-2w pedal on the map and crafted the crunchiest guitar sound ever through bands like ENTOMBED and DISMEMBER—SVAVELDIOXID used and abused this pedal and unleashed a barrage of chainsaw guitar hardcore on this latest record. Playing this type of sound since 2015 really allowed them to perfect the formula. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!

Parasit / Svaveldioxid split EP

Powerhouse Swede D-beat split. SVAVELDIOXID and PARASIT both bring two insanely blistering tracks. PARASIT has a metal diet…if you need to know what XASTHUR on vocals fronting SKITSYSTEM is, this is a starting point. I will not bore you with any more inside analogies for SVAVELDIOXID, let’s say there is a lot to love. I think this is around the twelfth release that the band has produced, and each one is consistently solid in its ferocity.  Someone please buy the drummer a beer for me. 

Svaveldioxid Första Dagen Efter Sista Bomben LP

This was one of the best kängpunk D-beat records of last year, if not the best in that category. Wanna know how I know? Because I put it on my 2021 top ten. More to my own point, this was one of the best D-beat albums of last year that I did not hear a lot about. Perhaps because no one can spell it? It’s a mystery to me. Swedish vevarsle at its finest, in the realms of DISFEAR, ANTI CIMEX, BOMBANFALL, and SVART PARAD (the band’s namesake is the first track on ANTI CIMEX’s first EP Anarkist Attack, as you know). To be brief and specific, this album fucking rips. The drum fills are subtle and smooth, yet a gut-punch at just the right moment. And those moments are never overdone, appreciated like a cold slap of reality. That is, kängpunk as fuck. Authentic and not tryhard. And certainly not hype—more likely taken for granted. Is that a china cymbal? From SVAVELDIOXID, this is their most vicious, ambitious and grimacing offering. It is more pushed forward, less muffled, distorted and jangling at all the right levels. This is a clobbering, galloping D-beat record that if you missed out on, you should check out. A classic sound that is just the right amounts of fucked-up crazy adrenaline.

Skeleton / Svaveldioxid split EP

Oh, wow! I was very excited to be assigned this split as a fan of both bands, the genre in general, and holy fuck! SVAVELDIOXID rages forth with a railgun D-beat attack, the most grisly and monstrous vocal effect I’ve heard from the band yet, sizzling bass fills and scorching guitars. Seriously, this is one of the more ferocious raw käng recordings I’ve heard in a while, and I listen to a lot of them, but I keep coming back to this to hear the subtle levels that make it stand out. Compared to previous records, this side from Sweden’s contemporary hardcore kings sound more MOB 47/DISCARD in pace at first, then exceedingly drops tune and tone finishing up in the DISPENSE/BOMBANFALL zones…this is 100% bombarding “Vevarsle”! Love! SKELETON lowers the miserable vibes even further with echoing Dis-gruntled death-beat. This is burning more from the gut than the fists, if that makes sense. Thinking MARERIDT, INFERNÖH, BRAINCELL. Four tracks of gruesome paroxysm from Canada. Always with the most imaginative crusty-life existence drawings, Robin Wiberg (SVAVELDIOXID drums) graces the cover with his gnarly pen. In short, get this—both sides rule.

Unarmed World of Shit EP

It boggles my mind that this four-song 7” opus was originally recorded in 1998. For over twenty years, it was sitting on a shelf somewhere, aging, waiting to be unfurled. The instrumentation forms a Neolithic-styled D-beat assault, while the guttural vocal delivery blends and balances to form a brutal wall of blasting crust. UNARMED forms a sound that is so dense and heavy that it’s difficult to make a comparison, except maybe to say it’s monolithic. This edges heavily into the extreme category and occasionally crosses the metal border with indifference. “World of Shit” grinds along with a quick guitar sizzle towards the end, but is then followed with the very Motör-inspired “Your Dream.” UNARMED seems to focus more on heavy delivery than technique while occasionally allowing their refined technical skills rise to the surface. This is also one of those EPs that does the thing where the band buries their most skillful songwriting on the backside. Honestly, I could listen to this one on repeat a lot, and never find it tiring.

Ursut Dårarnas Paradis LP

Sweden is a hotbed of crust bands, it seems. For those who haven’t seen their logo sewn on thousands of crust pants, URSUT is a relentless D-beat band from Malmö that follows the Scandinavian tradition of SKITSYSTEM or WOLFPACK. With tight musicianship, a double vocal assault, and an infernal ambiance, URSUT crafts melancholic soundtracks for the downfall of mankind. Dårarnas Paradis is a repress of the band’s debut from back in 2011, now ready to be consumed by all the vinyl freaks out there. Their second album Köp Dig Lycklig is also a great addition to any crust collection. Crust as fuck!

Utrota 7 Track Demo / Radioaktiv Ödemark LP

Crispy and sizzling splashes of D-beat noize käng from Sweden. This is an LP comp of UTROTA’S two demos, limited to 300 copies on black or white vinyl. Overall, this is classic D- beat played in the raw and higher register such as DISCLOSE or GLORIOUS? Some aspects remind me of HORRENDOUS 3D. There is something seething and mechanical about it, though. This is a timeless entry in the slew of bands like this. UTROTA sounds like a demo that would cost you hundreds today had it been released in 1984. It’s sort of laid-back but equally pulverizing. Could it all use a bit more bass? Perhaps. The floor tom takes care of all that, anyway. The second demo is heavier, also. Think the build of STATE OF FEAR as this LP progresses into the late second half. They lay it all down sharp until it becomes a slow burn. A perpetual cycle in the demo zones; in its purest hardcore-mangel form. Vibing SVAVELDIOXID on the last couple tracks. So don’t miss out on this—I really wish they had sent me a copy, but I’m now about to take my own advice.

Fear of Extinction / Utsatt split LP

FEAR OF EXTINCTION is from Prague and plays some pretty epic crust, truly a wall of sound. They remind me of WOLFPACK and a few of the other bands that were on Distortion Records back in the ’90s, and they are a perfect pairing with UTSATT. UTSATT is from Sweden and features members of 3-WAY CUM, WARCOLLAPSE, VERDICT, EXPLOATÖR, MEANWHILE, and more. This sounds like classic Swedish hardcore, because it is. Top-notch stuff. Great album for fans of Swedish hardcore punk and crust alike.

V/A Demons Inside Us: 20 Years of Phobia Records LP

If you’re looking for a fantastic, frenzied collection of contemporary Scandinavian and Eastern European hardcore punk, here is your comp. Twenty-one tracks of blistering heavy käng-and-roll, classic crust, and D-beat, comprising various levels of speed and distortion, yet compiled thoughtfully in pace and tone. All your favorites are rumbling the pots off your speakers here: PARANOID, EARTH CRUST DISPLACEMENT(!!!), ABSOLUT, PARASIT, DISSEKERAD (you need Dis LP), UTSATT, WARCOLLAPSE, SVAVELDIOXID, VOIDFILLER, SLUTET (you need Dis LP), and much more. Several decades of Scandi-beat punk-tuated melody and passion come though over the course of this LP, covering a bit over two decades from the Czech Republic’s punkest label. An excellent sampler from Phobia Records. Sixteen-page zine and poster included. Only a few are left on gold vinyl. Comp is a ripper, zero slouch tracks, and I enjoyed it even more while revisiting it to write about it.

Utsatt / Varoitus split EP

Two Swedish bands face off on this split EP released by ByeBye Productions and the very prolific Phobia Records from Praha, a label equivalent to a sanctuary for käng hardcore bands. Unsurprisingly, VAROITUS and UTSATT play Scandinavian hardcore punk, a field of expertise I am no stranger to, and which I can be exposed to almost constantly without flinching. VAROITUS includes members of bands like WARCOLLAPSE, EXPLOATÖR, 3-WAY CUM, and even the legendary DISARM, and indulges in that brand of raw käng punk that we have all grown to love (or grow bored of, depending on your worldview). Their two songs sound rawer than I expected, which is not a bad thing as it gives them a welcome ’80s feel. Otherwise, I have to say that VAROITUS is predictably effective and proficient in that “TOTALITÄR meets DISFEAR in 1992” way, with some rocking moments for you to headbang a bit and raspy, aggressive vocals, in Swedish this time. It does the job. On the other side, UTSATT offers three songs, and this EP is their first recording (although I very much doubt it is the members’ first endeavor into hardcore music). They are a little less powerful and not as fast, more gruff and primitive—I am reminded of SVART PARAD and early WARVICTIMS, which is actually to my liking. Cave-käng. On the whole, I enjoy this record, but if there were a 2023 Scandicore Royal Rumble, it would probably not reach the final four, as there have been a lot of worthy contenders lately.

Verdict The Rat Race LP

There are bands that you feel you have known forever—recent ones, new ones even—because you are already so familiar with what you know they are going to offer, familiar with the anticipation and the need, with the pleasure you expect them to, quite rightfully, provide the masses (by which I mean people who have once considered calling their first-born Käng). VERDICT is such a band. It has members of MEANWHILE, NO SECURITY, WARCOLLAPSE, 3-WAY CUM, TOTALITÄR, and too many other bands, and even though I have never actually met any of them, I still have had more interactions with them through (over)playing and rocking to their records than I have had with some members of my family, which, to be honest, is definitely for the best. VERDICT is a rather new (but experienced in the things of the D) käng hardcore band, and they know exactly what they are doing and how to do it. Had they produced something different, that would have completely taken me aback—something horrendous like ska-punk would have made so little sense that I would have had to quit punk altogether. Alright, what about The Rat Race, then. This is the follow-up to last year’s Time to Resign, and this one has even more punch, fury, and pummeling power than its predecessor. Unoriginal, in a good way, and thoroughly checking all the correct boxes: the drumming is pure and relentless, the riffs’ efficiency is religiously executed in a “Scandicore 101” way, the vocals are angry, direct, and raspy. Think a joyous orgy between NO SECURITY, UNCURBED, and TOTALITÄR. This is the kind of record that makes the world a better place to rock. Thank you Phobia Records. Käng up your life.

Verdict Time to Resign LP

I am so happy to be assigned this scorching LP. VERDICT’s debut was on my year-end top ten for 2022—a raging attack of Swedish hardcore with the speed of TOTALITÄR and KRIGSHOT, plus a unique nod to American hardcore crust giants DISRUPT and FINAL CONFLICT, for example. Galloping D-beat throughout with clear accentuated vocals, this one is a non-stop hardcore pummel-fest that teeters on fastcore thrash while retaining classic ‘80s mangel and the original grinding ‘90s crust sound. So many subgenres mentioned here, and only a few bands, but some years from now, Time to Resign will still sound like quintessential hardcore punk fucking rock. Oh, this band is comprised of members from NO SECURITY, 3 WAY CUM, MEANWHILE, WARCOLLAPSE, IMPERIAL LEATHER, SLUTET, EXPLOATÖR…VERDICT is just what these guys do when they don’t want to relax.

Arrogänt / Visions of War split LP

Cool to see VISIONS OF WAR are still around—I was organizing my records this weekend and put on their split with OLHO DE GATO. I haven’t heard anything from them in a decade! Anyway, they retain a guttural crust vocal delivery with clean rhythmic D-beat hardcore à la later ANTI-CIMEX. Chords are bright and the tones are dense and dark, which creates balance and contrast that is aggressive and smoothly irreverent. Vevarsle at its finest; dirgelike, heavy, metallic, and crust as ever. This side totally rages. ARROGÄNT follows with an even heavier death-beat, with echoing vocals and an industrial punk pace. Percussion palpitates and bitterness seethes. Dual vocals complement one another, similar to FLEAS AND LICE meets MEATHOOK SEED. This looser and more raw and chaotic side suits the split so both sides are unique but equally sinister. I want it!

Simbiose / Visions of War split EP

I’ve said it in a previous recent review, and I’d say it again: VISIONS OF WAR keep getting better. From my perspective, the band was on hiatus for some years around 2013, but when I actually look into it, they seem to just put out a quality recording every few years. It is not oversaturated, but this is another split within a year or so, and again, I’m impressed! They just get heavier, tighter, and faster each time. Three tracks, and what can I say, this perfect Euro-crust like it was 25 years ago, yet polished in all directions. SIMBIOSE plays a more technical percussion angle while ripping through with metallic fury. There is a more hypnotic thrash attack going on here and the editing is tight. This is hardcore punk played with experienced skill. Neither side is all-out raw—the overall flavor of the split is brutal crust punk with some harmony but more grinding displeasure. Well-balanced, but clearly differentiated sides. I love this washy ink illustration on the cover. Yes, I believe they are skulls, but not entirely human. Come to think of it, both logos look really well-crafted here, too. Excellent stuff, I need to learn more about SIMBIOSE (Portugal), as VISIONS OF WAR has been my second favorite Belgian punk band for quite some time (see second sentence).

War//Plague Manifest Ruination LP

Minneapolis crust punk agents who have achieved fifteen years of intense DIY activity since 2008, with more than ten releases. Elaborated songs with great drums and solid riffs and socio-political content. A ten-track LP with sharp cutting cadences, blending metal punk, crust, and thrash in more than decent dosages, delivering a blunt sound and desolate tunes accompanied by a deep, screaming voice in trance. Suggested tracks: “Grief,” “Vacillation,” and “Disruption.” Punk is protest!

Warcollapse Bound to Die EP

Sweden’s masters of gruesome, Vevarsle-style dismal Scandi-beat return with four tracks of feverous hardcore punk. I’ve enjoyed the grim, depressive tones of WARCOLLAPSE for decades now and this EP matures with particularly punchier percussion, faster in a way, and more experimental in the riffs which can border on stoner metal at times, but always played at an accelerated kängpunk pace. The vocals are more twisted and coarser than ever. Passages and vocal deliveries are also extended longer than on previous recordings, almost sung. This is carefree and embittered crust punk with more tilt into grease-stenched, MOTÖR-charged crustn’roll. I have a few comparisons to Eastern European crust LPs from the last decade or so, but I compared said bands to WARCOLLAPSE at the time! They have always been very associated with writing the script for this style, with pace changes bordering on other aspects of metal but always remaining true to form. Totally killer return EP from these Swede crust-as-fuck existence vets, start to finish.

Parötid / Zudas Krust split EP

ZUDAS KRUST’s filth-kicking things off with the wrath and gnashing vocals of, well FILTHKICK, ABADDON, and lots of European crust of the early to mid ’90s. This is grotesque, noisy, and blistering muffled D-beat sung in the meter of classic crust hardcore of that era. No-fucks-given aggression, in three passionate tracks. Think ENYZME and FRAMTID contemporarily, with bestial wild force. PARÖTID plays more in the rhythm of DISASTER, with very buoyant loose disruptive bass. Lots of echoing reverb and strange speed changes, sort of weird, but totally intentional and impressive, where one might expect straightforward D-beat the entire way. I really like the way these two play off each other. They are distinctly different, in tone, polish, and speed, but compliment each other. “Humanism” is catchy as fuck! Getting lost in this one. Both bands are recommended, as is the split as a whole.