Reviews

Rejected Youth

D.F.C. Igreja Quadrangular Do Triangulo Redondo CD reissue

A reissue of a 25-year-old record that was reissued 5 years ago, this time with fewer tracks. Brazilian punx D.F.C (DISTRICT FEDERAL CHOAS) rip through over twenty tracks in less than twenty minutes! It’s as political as you can get, and there’s a really dated ’90s feel to most of the tunes. “Tambo Sou Positivo” is a perfect example—the riff is straight out of ’94, and the rap vocal delivery (entirely in Portuguese) and turntable scratches remind me of tons of bands I would hear on cassettes when I was coming up. It’s a cool listen and would be enjoyed by anyone seeking out politically heavy Latino punk that isn’t your typical thrash-and-bash hardcore.

Blanket of M / Dead Don’t Lie Mayhem & Madness split CD

Short, sharp punk bursts from BLANKET OF M, absolutely classic sounds that land somewhere between MISFITS, the SPITS, and rough ’90s punk with layers of hopelessly catchy vocals. DEAD DON’T DIE are less appealing to these ears, kinda like your awkward uncle’s horror punk band except this shit is sloppier and the attempt at vocal croons makes me cringe. I gave up after the line “Maybe I’ll get a sloppy blowjob” in the second track (“Serial Killer”), and I backed up to listen to BLANKET OF M again.

Mindrott Let It Rott CD

Hardcore punk driven by bitterness, decay, and controlled violence. MINDROTT blends classic hardcore aggression with metallic weight, keeping everything tight and hostile. Short, compact songs hit with blunt force, fueled by resentment rather than polish.

Hardcore punk impulsado por la bronca, la decadencia y la violencia controlada. MINDROTT combinan agresión hardcore clásica con peso metálico, manteniendo todo tenso y hostil. Canciones cortas y compactas que golpean sin sutilezas.

Grip Bite / Mindrott / Radical Fun Time / Self Abuse Four Way Split, Vol. 2 split CD

Fun little split between four bands that sound different enough to keep things interesting. I’m sure that what I’m about to say sounds like the “Country/Western” bit from Blues Brothers, but there’s something here for anyone who likes punk-adjacent music. GRIP BITE plays the classic “your favorite local band” brand of street punk, MINDROTT has a late-era PANTERA/HATEBREED vibe going on, RADICAL FUN TIME plays lo-fi crust, and SELF ABUSE rounds it out with their flavor of crossover thrash punk. Really solid disc here; I had it on while I was doing yard work and it helped me forget I’m an old man now. This is well worth a spin.

V/A No Coast: Punk Compilation CD

I’m not from the US, so a lot of your references are lost on me, one of which is “the Midwest.” It’s as vast and unknowable as the bottom of the ocean, or Narnia or Middle Earth or something to me, and so I can only assume that it causes the kind of psychic and cosmic damage that would result in some of the output on this record. Sixteen tracks of some of the most generic, garage band, milquetoast “street punk” going. It sounds like copyright-free library music. If this is the best the Midwest has to offer, then I’m joining the liberal coastal elite. Pass.

V/A Chaos for Christmas CD

This starts with a real heartbreaker of a seasonal song about not singing door-to-door because the singer is awfully sad about things and stuff (sad face emoji). I bet these songs were a real hoot to write (hoot emoji). The songs are mostly upbeat in sound but downbeat in jolliness, and are peppered with language that will get you on the “naughty list” for certain (uh-oh emoji). My friend Derek loves Christmas-themed punk stuff so he can sprinkle in a few tunes he enjoys between the MARIAH CAREY and BING CROSBY family favorites Xmas playlist (thumbs up emoji), so at least one of these is already in a stocking in Michigan (shrug emoji).

V/A Punx Against Ice CD

A commendable anti-ICE benefit comp with proceeds going to Border Kindness, “a charity that provides asylum-seekers, migrants, and refugees with things such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care and legal services.” The music here doesn’t really hit for me personally, ranging from street punk to crust to powerviolence and lots of other styles in between. Mileage will vary, and you should check it out for yourself, but regardless of your taste, this is for a worthy cause and what punk subculture is all about.

V/A Who Won? A Tribute to Urban Waste CD

OK, so, a tribute to the hardcore band URBAN WASTE. I would much rather this be a fresh comp with these bands doing originals. That being said, here you have fourteen tracks of some hardcore bands covering a hardcore band in their particular styles of hardcore, accentuating their personal interpretations of another hardcore band that these hardcore bands seem to like as a hardcore band that influenced them within the spectrum of hardcore. I don’t think my usual meter for judging a comp can apply here. Dig in, and maybe one of these bands will turn you on to a hardcore band.