Fuck yes! ABYECTA from Chile rocks super hard. Part Japanese hardcore, part UK82, part thrash metal, all killer! Blazing, melodic, metallic. And all recorded and written by one woman—an immense display of talent and creativity. This 12” combines two previously released 7” EPs on one slab, both brooding with equal parts intensity and tunefulness. I love this one! Fans of the SEXUAL, the EXECUTE, and the SKEPTIX should get a lot out of this one.
“Enemigos! Enemigos! Enemigos!” So shouts ABYECTA’s singer as this four-track EP begins. A metallic punk onslaught of thrashy riffs and D-beats ensues. They owe as much to Japanese hardcore as they do to speed metal bands like RAZOR or EXCITER. This duo recently relocated to Chile and has been touring the US non-stop, and seems to be on the right track to making their name known. An excellent EP that will satisfy metalheads and punks alike!
ADRENOCHROME from Oakland just released their first full-length, and it’s a burning gothic pyre from the opening howl to the closing chord. Downtuned, darkened songs that draw the listener in with aggressive riffs and catchy lyrical delivery. The powerful punchiness of punk rock rhythm fused with flanging, cold guitar work creates a deathrock album that is sonically interesting. There’s quite a bit of pop sensibilities at work on this album as well: Gina Marie has a vocal delivery that utilizes a vast range without drifting into full-on screaming and shouting. This album seems to move from strength to strength as it progresses through each song, gaining momentum and indignation with each pass of the needle. The final song “Celebration” wraps the album up like a ritual.
American band consisting members of POLLEN, MAUSER, etc. with a demo tape beside this flexi, sounding like Raped Ass-era ANTI-CIMEX. It could be an educational example of how to play that sort of destructing and non-stop chased hardcore. Normally I find the idea of ANTI-CIMEX riffs cheesy but I do love it when played by its inventor and ARSEHOLES is able to pull out this Excalibur and swing it with confidence. Like scientists or instinctive craftsmen, they apply the rules of thumb for playing such simplified music, that are: it has to be tight, loud and super noisy. The main feature of this record is that it sounds as a huge collapsing building and everything crackles and clatters in a large space. They sacrifice solos at the altar of lo-fi, shit-sound that is always a nice gesture because it keeps treasure hunt for later replays and I am rather interested in the unique production sound than how well could random people play their guitar. By the mixing they have created enough space for the horrific sound that is rumbled all around, so riffs have more room to fall on your brain. Even if everything is familiar here, it’s a short flexi that solely has killer tracks, and due to the format of music the sound will significantly disintegrate by each play, making the record harsher and harsher.
I was really attracted to this LP because of the art, and I was right—hardcore punk with a really obscure feeling. I really enjoyed this record til the end, and the last song “Violence for Peace” was, for me, the perfect song to close, maybe my favourite track from this album. They totally remind me of a lot of things I like in anarcho-punk bands.
When I reviewed the BOMBARDEMENT EP last month, I never saw this monster follow-up LP coming. On Le Futur Est Là, the band simultaneously pays great honor to and transcends traditional DISCHARGE-worship with their sharp and calculated panache. The guitar on this record gets increasingly bonkers as it goes on, soloing us all straight to hell with smiles on our faces. Hailing from the beautiful, wine-drunk city of Bordeaux, BOMBARDEMENT picks up on elements of the sound that most other D-enizens have neglected, such as the pared-down primitive menace and background cacophony of “Poison” and the build-up of chaos on “Predateur.” On top of all this madness, you can hear the singer literally throwing her entire soul into every performance. The best part is, it kinda feels like they’re just getting started. I haven’t been able to stop listening to this. It’s A+ shit, kids. The future is here, indeed.
Delivering some faithful DISCHARGE-worship from France, this record showcases a new lineup for BOMBARDEMENT, in which singer Oriane provides some excellent Cal-inspired vocals that give this band their edge in my opinion. Four solid tracks.
Bordeaux’s finest purveyors of chaos BOMBARDEMENT drop a huge-ass atomic bomb in the form of this self-titled LP. This is pure D-beat in a DISCLOSE-meets-MEANWHILE fashion with the classic DIS- formula in place, with nods to The More I See-era in songs like “Warriors Of The Night.” The sound is not too clean, nor too ear-shattering, just the perfect balance of “noise not music.” Eight tracks of pummeling dis-beat with viciously angry vocals, a precise rhythm section, and anthemic guitar leads. Coming hot from above!
CAVE SEX is from Singapore and features members of some very well-respected bands like SIAL and PROSPEXX. This time, we are treated to some outstanding post-punk. The music can be dark yet sharp and hard-hitting. They seem to play with the urgency of a straight-up fast hardcore band, while sounding more like the first couple of KILLING JOKE albums than hardcore punk. My one and only complaint about this album is that I wish it was twice as long! Wow!
From beautiful and sunny Palma, in Mallorca, comes a record so dark that it eclipses the vibe of the place from which it comes. Five-piece DESENTERRADAS have been around for ten years and unburied their full-length Danzando en el Caos after the now-mythic tape Sangre Azul. Sung in Spanish for added drama and passion, these ten songs are crafted with highs and lows when it comes to emotional states. A post-punk-infused deathrock mash-up that is sometimes depressive, but there is always a light shining through. They share a bleak quality only found in the records of fellow Spanish post-punk legends DECIMA VICTIMA, but filtered with the energy and spirit of Eduardo Benavente and his phenomenal PARALISIS PERMANENTE. DESENTERRADAS are a great torch carrier for all the darker “Movida” bands. A record for the dark days ahead.
The Portland scene continues to churn out some of the best and most unique hardcore/D-beat. Case in point: DESTRIPADOS (“gutted”), a four-piece consisting of members from Peru and Columbia who have created a masterfully blistering, ear-bleeding record of hell on earth. A few of the songs are delivered in Spanish, and each one tears the world apart layer by layer. Throughout each track, the band’s delivery and sordid energy is punishing and does not leave a second to waste. Some CRUCIFIX and VARUKERS meets TOTALITÄR, with lots of songs ending with a persistent and desperate falling shriek. DESTRIPADOS do not slouch on a single track throughout the Lenguas Venenosas LP, with “Eat N Shut Up,” “Deadly Pathogen,” and the album’s title track being prime examples. I really, really dig this record. Please come and play in my hometown.
Two heavyweights from the South American punk underground still waving the black fly high. From Brazil, BESTHÖVEN is a one-man army of Dis-beat that has been around since 1990. Fofåo really nails the DISCLOSE-meets-SHITLICKERS formula and has done it on countless splits (including with DISCLOSE, FORÇA MACABRA, and WARVICTIMS, to name a few), and with this one is no different. Just pure D-beat worship done with such devotion that you will want to hear the full discography. On the other side, DHK or DESTRUYE HUYE KREA, from Peru, is another ferocious South American punk demonstration of anger and power. With a not as extensive a catalogue as BESTHÖVEN, they still show their full power on this one and hold up to the challenge of being along them. South American punk is alive and well, and as long as there is corruption, there will be the voice of punk shouting back.
After the excellent Culture LP also released on Symphony Of Destruction, EDUCATION is back with a new EP. Dark and primitive post-punk, almost like a gloomier version of DIÄT or a less crazy INSTITUTE. Parenting Style has four amazing tracks that will stick to you like glue. One of the best post-punk bands out there.
EDUCATION is an Italian band that incorporates elements of post-punk and goth into their hardcore. Culture is eight slabs of reverb-drenched raw vocals with heavy-flange bass and spacy guitar lines. Think maybe RUDIMENTARY PENI and GAG hanging out? The amount of echo on everything makes me think this was recorded in a dungeon or maybe a well. There was definitely a skeleton in the studio. There is a deathrock sound on “Walls” that fits in well with the mysterious vibes overall. All the songs are mid-tempo and tend to run together a bit, but this is worth checking out if you pair eyeliner with your studs.
There is so much to say about FAUCHEUSE that it’s challenging to find the right place to start. There’s just not another band on the planet that sounds anything like them. They synthesize a range of distinct influences and sculpt the raw material into a totally novel form. Scorching käng fretwork mayhem is injected with a tinge of classic rock sensibility, while Emilie’s searing and unexpectedly tuneful vocals catapult their sound into the goddamn stratosphere. Have you heard a D-beat band make use of an organ? On paper, this might not make much sense, but in practice, FAUCHEUSE absolutely shreds. Rêve Électrique pulls together five songs from their demo and an additional five brand new ragers to create an incredibly memorable album. If you listen to these ten cuts and aren’t immediately sold, it’s worth playing through a few more times to let the full scope of FAUCHEUSE’s brilliance come into clear relief. A top-tier release, one of my favorites of the year.
Been listening to lots of interesting and vicious D-beat and Oi! coming from France lately—something must be happening in the streets and local DIY/underground scenes in that European country, you can feel a very exciting effervescence incomparable to other places of the so-called First World. For yet another example, we have this brilliant demo cassette from FAUCHEUSE, an excellent hardcore band from Bordeaux, a city which has already become one of the world’s D-beat powerhouses. This band presents five absolutely thrillingly addictive tracks; please pay special attention to the tour de force that is “Ville Interdite.” It’s a brutal but deeply melodic D-beat sound with a pub-rock or generally dirty and fun rock’n’ roll vibe that I really dig, and that refreshes that ol’ D-beat sound that we love.
GENERACION SUICIDA is one of the best punk bands in California right now, and that’s saying something when you’re talking about such a fertile scene. After a four-year wait, the band released Regeneracion at the end of 2021. Ten tracks (in twenty-three minutes) of hardcore attack (the fast and brutal drum work is awesome), with piercing bass and guitars halfway between the CHAMELEONS and WIPERS. It’s really a very beautiful guitar tone. The lyrics are full of rage about life in the empire: violence, racism, abuse of authority. Musically, it all works to give depth to a very developed melodic sense. A great album that grows with each listen—listen to “Fuego” or “Identidad” and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Vol. II of Symphony of Destruction’s Flexickers series. GLAÜKOMA is from Belarus, an exotic place when it comes to playing raw hardcore punk. Listening to this record does not differ that much from the experience of attending a basement gig of a foreign band visiting from afar, with the main intention to consume a couple of this and that, then the band starts to play and by the second song all your preconception transforms into enthusiasm, so you leave with their tape and a great memory. The best feature of GLAÜKOMA is how sloppy they are, because these songs could not be better if played tighter, the air in between each one makes the band great and uncommon. It is a visceral attribute, whether luck or talent, it just works. The uncertainty why this is good, the constant chances of failure keep the flexi interesting. To not leave you in the dark, GLAÜKOMA plays threatening, raw but desperate hardcore, coated with the Eastern-European metaphysical sorrow. This is a short flexi with an OK band from an interesting place, I guess if you buy it, you will support Symphony of Destruction’s great mission to release more bands from lesser known places.
The importance of melody in punk music is often overlooked. However, it played a crucial role in shaping the sound and impact of punk songs. GRISAILLE, featuring members of SYNDROME 81, presents a debut EP that seamlessly blends addictive melodic punk influences with emotive storytelling. Drawing comparisons to GORILLA ANGREB, the VICIOUS, and early MASSHYSTERI, the band showcases a fresh take on the genre. With each track, they deliver a raw energy that resonates with lovers of the more melodic side of punk, while their poignant lyrics add depth to their music. GRISAILLE’s EP promises to be a standout release in the punk scene, capturing the essence of classic punk while infusing it with their own unique style.
GURS from the Basque region of Spain recently released this full-length that builds on their 2022 EP. Gerran Bizi Gara (or “We Live in War”) is full of anthemic punk that will have you singing along even if you don’t know the language. An edge of darkness pervades these songs and perfectly captures our contemporary moment. The eight songs on this album demand multiple listens, as they’re loaded with tight, intricate melodies and speedy shifts. Something about this album reminds me of Exit English-era STRIKE ANYWHERE, but faster, heavier, and in all areas better. “Eder Ta Hutsa” is a standout song for me, as it seems to showcase the band’s collective prowess, but “Derrota” is also easily a contender for best album track. Seriously check this out!
Tierra Quemada is the impeccable debut of this quartet from Euskal Herria, born from the politicized underground of Bilbao. Four songs of muscular post-punk, with well-sharpened guitars and a very rich melodic quality, delivered in a very energetic fashion. Lyrics are political but full of rapturous, poetic images. For fans of Spanish bands like LA TRINIDAD or BIZNAGA. “Cien Cuchillas” is a great gateway to this band with a very promising future.
This release came out over a year ago, and if you haven’t heard of HOPE? or witnessed them live yet (as they’ve toured quite extensively), then it’s time to stop sleeping on this Portland quartet. Grinding rhythm guitars, chugging bass, pummeling drums, earnest near-spasmodic vocals…HOPE? has everything you’re looking for when it comes to crusty, D-beat hardcore. Nine songs that give the feeling of standing next to a passing freight train at full speed— HOPE? has a powerful sound that is unique, articulate, and creative. Drawing their source sound from the very depths of the D-beat well, HOPE? plays more like ANTI CIMEX or RIISTETYT rather than later, more noise-oriented acts. Lead singer and band visual artist Manda uses this souped-up rock’n’roll hog to deliver harsh social criticisms that will make all the called-out bastards quake in fear. The song “End of Time” kicks in just past the midpoint of this cassette and is an absolute ripper, with moments of it sounding like AUS-ROTTEN or even BEHIND ENEMY LINES. Is it wrong to say I hope HOPE? releases more material? Even if they don’t, this cassette is an instant classic and holds an important position in the ongoing conversation that is hardcore anarcho-punk.
The hotly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s Dead and Gone cassette is finally here, and it fucking rips! Four tracks packed with even more crucial lyrics—Manda pushes the vocal limit beyond the brink, while the band plays an even tighter and heavier version of their D-beat-styled hardcore crust. Desperation and urgency are the strong emotional undercurrents that will pull you under immediately and get you slamming in short order. Opening with a brutal, beat-heavy treatise on gender politics, “The Patriarchy Must Be Destroyed” could be a standalone song, but there’s a lot more here. It’s followed by “Obey,” a warp-speed reminder of how fucked planet Earth really is. The B-side opens with “Take Back the Night,” a rocking tribute to punk life and a simultaneous decree of action. “Retrograde” closes out the disc with Kalvin throwing in just a pinch of psychedelic guitar that makes me want to listen all over again. If you liked the Dead and Gone cassette, then you’re going to love this 7”.
This is the type of music I’ve been seeking for years: a blend of raw punk and post-punk that is dark and hardcore. Noisy flanged guitars, powerful vocal delivery, driving bass lines that keep going, and smashing drums, all combining to form a threatening and ominous sonic environment. I mentioned this release to a trusted friend in Berlin who immediately said “HÆVNER is awesome live.” Being a reliable friend, I fucking believe it. I can only imagine how this must translate to a concert setting. While being raw, it’s also very danceable with big rhythm energy. I’ll definitely be dancing along for a while.
A hardcore band based in Bremen, Germany with international membership (even the recording, mixing, and mastering each happened on a different continent). This eleven-song LP contains the re-recorded tracks from their demo tape, blending finely with new ones. The record starts with distorted, chunky bass, followed by the eruption of the whole band’s energy, and even when they slow down later to mid-tempo—which happens occasionally—the tension is not lost for a second. The cover art refers to WRETCHED’s La Tua Morte Non Aspetta, though both their sound and songwriting differs from their Italian predecessors. The promo mentions crasher crust, but based on what that means to me, INFERNO PERSONALE also differs, since each and every riff is clearly distinguishable and the cymbals are not piercing into my ears like shards of a nailbomb. They never fall apart and still continue, scattered all over the place. Yet the record has a pumping power that is rare and precious, and could remind one of D-CLONE or GLOOM, but this atmosphere and energy covers more structured and less destructive songwriting. Urgency is replaced by restlessness; feedback and chaos are present on the record, but the latter is due to the well-balanced mixing and dense playing. Free from references, In Ira Veritas is a killer hardcore record that channels the devotion and fandom for the subculture, yet remains distinct from most of their contemporaries. It’s a thoughtful, well-built record, although it is not as savage as it might try to be. The band keeps everything under control the whole time. But when has being creative and talented become second to being primitive and chaotic? Still, this record can grab and shake you, and it gets better with each listen, especially when it sucks you into its whirlpool of crushing riffs. I prefer their fast songs, but their stompers surprise me with their power as well. Great record, highly recommended.
Lovely femme-led post-punk/coldwave album from Copenhagen’s KOLD FRONT. The duo presents six songs, only one of which is under four minutes (and just barely), giving plenty of meditative noise-space that turns into a snare-driven fantasy ride. The album’s ominous, reverb-chamber guitar and drum machine theme stands alone in “Interlude,” and despite the general allergic reaction to the instrumental, I think it works here. My favorite track is the closer, “Did You Wish to Die”—it’s dream pop vocals float over their signature, desperate sound, while being slow enough to contemplate the title, which comes as a statement, not a question. If you’re looking for something moody to chew on, look no further. Symphony of Destruction bags another keeper.
It took a few listens of this 7″ for me to find any substance. The title Lethal Dose Hardcore is ill fitting and presumptuous. The cover art seemed to suggest blandness, indifference, and a possible attempt at a formulaic and repetitive vision that the music doesn’t align with. The first two tracks remind me of ARTIFICIAL PEACE and the third, “Gaping Hole,” is their best with a simplicity that stands out. The B-side seems to be an attempt at raw, bashing, käng-style hardcore with the closer decelerating to a punchy pace that stands apart. It’s not awful but it ain’t loud enough and it ain’t raw enough. The band needs to focus and find their sound in the midst of their mixed inspirations. The plus side is that donations from the download of this 7″ on Symphony of Destruction Bandcamp go to international causes.
2018 EP is a vinyl version of their tape released on Brain Solvent Propaganda. Just by looking at their logo, it’s obvious that LIFELOCK from Singapore pays homage to late ’80s/early ’90s UKHC DISCHARGE worshippers DISASTER. Simply said, LIFELOCK does sound like DISASTER meets DISCLOSE. For the majority of the punks out there, it usually just starts and ends with “Oh, it sounds like DISCHARGE.” DISASTER indeed was an early-era DISCHARGE worshipping punk band (so was DISCLOSE). Yes, the beat, distortion, chords, song structure, and lyrics are all more or less the same as that one band we keep hearing about, but the specific atmosphere is executed quite well. LIFELOCK gets that very specific intense weight in the air that DISASTER had, but DISCLOSE or even DISCHARGE lacked. LIFELOCK continues to deliver their fear and anxiety driven anthem of the apocalypse. The final song is a DISASTER cover.
Super gritty four-banger split from some newish, downbeat French punks. ALARM has dueling guitars and a great drum and bass bridge; BARREN? sings a bleak poem entitled “Illusion” (“You can wave goodbye to your hopes and dreams”); DOUCHE FROIDE is bass-forward with angelic vocals; LITOVSK is big, glassy guitar riffs and a jangling bass. I like that all of these songs are in the four-to-five minute range, as it gives you more to chew over. Though not all on these labels, each band’s got a previous record or two worth checking out.
France’s LITOVSK has released a beautifully packaged slice of life on their new self-titled 12″. Playing crisp and clean melodic post-punk with shimmering guitars and nasally vocals, LITOVSK recalls bands like MISSION OF BURMA and the REPLACEMENTS, and would fit quite nicely on a bill with contemporaries MIDDLEMAN. Lyrics range from socio-political themes like nationalism and chauvinism to themes of heartache and longing, most notably on “Riverside,” a sparkling ode to childhood in a poor town where riding mopeds and attending soccer matches distracted from the mundanity of life. Heartfelt and sincere, LITOVSK delivers a satisfyingly introspective listen.
OBLAKA is from Yakoutsk, which is proclaimed to be the coldest city in the world. When I listen to a band coming from such an uncommon land I am most interested in how it is to live in such a place, and I look for the bands to tell me via their music, instead of wanting the music to be elevated by its location. OBLAKA sounds isolated, damaged, weird; all attributives based on the liberating hopelessness, which is: they can do whatever they want at the end of the world. They remind me of less experimental TORPUR from current times and occasionally a less-evil SEXDROME. Sound-wise it’s loose, rock and roll-ish primitive punk/ignorant black metal with a lot more punk, and drops of metal in the vocals and rudimentary tempo. The mania and beat also recalls KURO and the SEXUAL, especially the flow of the record. During research I have found their 2017 tape that contained a VILE GASH cover. When a band does such a thing, it means they are out of reach from some main world, so they have to recreate it for themselves. OBLAKA not only did that, but due to their energy, they have escaped from their shell and now the world knows about them. It is a good story because their music is great.
There is an underground scene in Mexico City focused on ’80s dance music (HI-NRG, synth-pop, Italo disco, rare disco). These dances are attended by the working class, elaborately dressed and totally DIY. Every weekend they challenge each other to dance-offs and have an amazing time. All this music is part of the DNA of the city—some hits can be heard every day on local radio stations, and it has become a great local tradition. It’s fun, sweaty, and democratic. PROSPEXX’s music reminds me of all this, “The Devil Has Won” would be a dancefloor classic in this scene. It’s timeless, romantic, fun, and seductive music. Think SYLVESTER or TRANS X. I would like to give a tip to PROSPEXX and invite them to visit Mexico City, they would have a brutal success down here.
Depro-punk foursome from Brest, France out with their five-track demo. Fitting nicely in Symphony of Destruction’s catalog, ROUGE SANG plays dark, melodic punk, keeping a simple lineup of bass, drums, guitar, and vocals. Bands like T.S.O.L. come to mind, mixed with a bit of whole-gang Oi! backing vocals, creating an interesting mix. Does their name come from the politically-minded French folk-rocker RENAUD’s 2006 album Rouge Sang? Unclear. Maybe “blood red” or “red blood” (however the translation goes) just makes for a good gothic-tinged band name. As with most Symphony of Destruction releases, I enjoy this; more in a head-nodding-along kind of manner, less in a “I’ve got to show this to people” kind of way. That said, I’ll be interested to see where this group goes and how they lean into their sound, should there be more coming our way.
SCAB EATER of Australia plays diminutive slam-pit hardcore that sounds like a more lo-fi garage-core version of MIND ERASER with the punk ugliness of SADIST, HOAX, and GAG. You know the drill. SCAB EATER, however, has a subtle, more dark tone to them such as DEATH CHURCH. Ultra Vires switches up the tempo several times while remaining a straightforward steam engine of hardcore. Songs clock in at under two minutes yet seem to be filled with deep composition. By the fourth track “It Gets Worse,” I am totally hooked and it gets better from there. Followed by “Flag Bearer” with grabbing double kick pedal, gritty, filthy bass, and a locomotive furnace for a mouthpiece. You will get into this immediately and wish you’d worn a helmet. A.C.A.B. S.C.A.B! EATER. FTW.
From the infamous hub of punk in Colombia known as Casa Rat Trap comes yet another great punk band, SYSTEMA. They live and breathe punk there, and it shows in the endless pit of talent they keep putting out on a consistent basis. SYSTEMA gathers members of AMENAZAS, MURO, DOOMSDAY, SINNACIÖN, and ALAMBRADA, all coming from Rat Trap. Ášltima Guerra sounds like a Colombian punk singing for a Finnish hardcore band from the ’80s. If you like your hardcore angry and raw,then go get this one!
Total powerhouse. The Colombian scene is on fire, and if releases like this keep coming, then that flame will not be short-lived. SYSTEMA already crawled up to the top league of current hardcore with their previous LP, and this 7” only solidifies their place. Through variously-paced songs, they can keep a huge intensity and confidently blend a modernist sound with a chaotic urgency—the whole single is just a tasteful summary of what is great in hardcore, including introducing a sort of originalty. Creating a dark and violent atmosphere that reflects the current state of the world, but unlike in reality, here punx do dominate the situation and dictate what is happening. Therefore, the record is both desperate and motivating, not only pumping energy into the listener but also setting a good example of how to create something great from a lot of terrible shit. This is raw and raging, get it!
TOXIC RITES have a sound based solidly in the anarcho-punk tradition with a similar delivery to CONFLICT or ACTIVE MINDS: straightforward punk rock with all the speed and aggression intact. Lyrically, TOXIC RITES uses logic-driven dialogues to progress ideas about social, economic, and environmental concerns. Check out the song “Modern Nightmare,” it rocks hard and is as honest a message as you’ll find these days.
It’s a shame that this is TUMBAS’ last album. The Bogotá, Colombia band embraces the gloom and doom of deathrock with the intensity of hardcore, and showers it with a sick guitar tone that paints a picture of a world in pain. TUMBAS make you think, make you scream, and most importantly, make you dance your misery away. There’s a sense of urgency in Marcelo and Fausto’s dark guitar riffs that works nicely with the driving pulse towards catharsis of Maria Paula’s bass and Ximena’s unrelenting drumming. On top of that, you have Luisa’s vocals, with the necessary anger and poise to expose the rotten corpse of Latin America’s social reality. These songs get better with each listen but if you make me pick one, “Destinados a Perder” has it all: it’s dark, it’s heavy, and the guitars sound like a swarm of furious bees. The album has a really cool cover and insert. It also includes four extra songs from their demo cassette.
Brain-burning, face-melting raw punk madness. From start to finish, TURQUOISE doesn’t let up even for a moment. The semi-clean guitar attack makes the bass and drums feel more pummeling, not unlike Canadian D-beaters BOOTLICKER. The vocals are deep and burly, never relenting or modulating, so they hit like a bomb blast. Following an equally killer debut, Sang, Larmes & Râles is unbridled käng perfection. There is even a hint of motörpunk on some of the tracks, which coupled with the rock’n’roll guitar licks calls to mind another Canadian band, INEPSY. But don’t let all this talk of Canucks confuse you, TURQUOISE are Scandi-core through and through—inspiration from HERÄTYS, INFERNÖH, and TOTALITÄR couldn’t be more clear. In fact, rumor has it that TURQUOISE had originally intended to sing in Swedish, but no one in the band knew the language well enough so they stuck with French, their mother tongue. In any case, this LP is absolutely savage. A+++.
Paris-based TURQUOISE takes on a challenge that many have tried before: total TOTALITÄR worship. But holy hell! This is Scandicore done right, maybe because they are experienced and it shows, with members and ex-members of BARREN?, RATS BLOOD, KRIGSKADE, and HIGH-VIS. Simple, fast, and loud! For kängpunks only!
Had the pleasure of booking a show for UTOPIE a while ago in this tiny vegan restaurant, and they completely tore the place apart. Such a powerful band that delivers both in a live setting and on wax. The best way to describe the sound that this French powerhouse makes is “cold punk.” The mix perfectly encapsulates what this band is capable of. A cold night walk home comes to mind when listening to these tracks, a mixture of post-punk, dark punk, and even a bit of Oi! Includes a great adaptation of “Ghost Town” by the SPECIALS, here renamed “Ville Fantôme.” A must for late-night trips.
UZU draws its members from our global community, but calls Canada their homebase. Darkened punk fuses with lyrics sung in Arabic to create a sound that has an ancientness to it predating recorded history, as if UZU has been watching from the shadows for eons and has chosen now to deliver their message. Occult imagery blurs with contemporary struggles as the descent into the abyss accelerates. If your soul contains a dark patch, then you should definitely give this album a try.
The third and (sadly) final installment to a series of international compilations whose proceeds support mutual aid efforts in Gaza. This is a great opportunity to contribute to an important cause and hear some exclusive/rare cuts by some of the most ripping bands on the planet. Featuring songs from all-time favorites like ZOUNDS, BURNING KITCHEN, and HELLSHOCK, to the cream of punk’s current crop such as GOLPE, CHAIN CULT, FAIRYTALE, and QUARANTINE, the tracklist reads like a hardcore who’s-who. All told, there are 23 selections and not a single dud in the bunch. Israel’s repugnant assault on Gaza is an insidious and growing stain on the decency of humankind. Here’s a chance to channel funds to where they are needed most, and add a badass tape to your collection at the same time. Collect all three! It should be mandatory!!
I hate that I have to review this release. Or rather, I hate that this release has to exist. In a non-broken world, the people who have the power to stop a genocide—in this case the US government—would. They’d see the thousands upon thousands of innocent Palestinians being slaughtered, or the umpteenth hospital being bombed to dust, and go, “OK, that’s way more than enough!” Of course, we don’t live in that world. The world we live in asks us which of the two US presidential candidates loudly pledging fealty to Israel we prefer: the one who thinks the other side of the mouth should be reserved for shouting “finish the job,” or the one who thinks it should be reserved for uttering passively phrased lip service to the victims of the bombings that are within their power to stop. Now it’s up to regular-ass people with minimal resources to step up and work extremely hard to do something, anything, to somewhat mitigate this disaster. In this instance, it’s punks behind the band the DISSIDENTS, and they’re assembling a cassette compilation—the second of three so far—to raise money to send to Gaza Soup Kitchen. It’s sixteen tracks in all, featuring contributions from a slew of the best bands going these days, including ALIEN NOSEJOB, COLLATE, PRISON AFFAIR, SOUP ACTIVISTS, TIIKERI, and new Philly band ERASER, who I think provide the highlight of the release. I’d probably tell you to buy this even if it sucked. It doesn’t, though—it’s great! I just wish it didn’t exist. Free Palestine!
The great tradition of solidarity through punk compilations is one of the most profoundly beautiful, selfless, and powerful actions this type of music is capable of. Not only do they constitute forceful allegations in songs about, almost always, the repeated use of violence in social conflicts, they also map routes of musical scenes, establish lists of ethical companions in this twisted planet, and generate snapshots of crucial moments of youth culture. La Masacre Continua (“The Massacre Continues” in English) follows this line. It’s a fabulous compilation of 21 bands, mostly from the vital Colombian scene, but also from France, Spain, and the United States, united by language, all singing in Spanish, and by the urgent need to denounce the terrible state violence unleashed against social movements in Colombia this year, which has caused dozens of deaths. The selection of bands is impeccable, and just as a sample we’ll mention titans such as MURO, SYSTEMA, PRIMER RÉGIMEN, PORVENIR OSCURO, and LUMPEN. As for the sound palette, we have street punk, noisy hardcore, DIY lo-fi greatness, D-beat fury, Japanese-style madness, cavernous violent screams, powerviolence, and much, much more. Buying the cassette or downloading the album means supporting Colombia’s worthy fight against the state. You can also make a donation if you like. Either way, it is important that the message is heard. From Colombia to the world.
After sharing (or destroying) a stage in Scandinavia back when gigs were allowed, these two pogo monsters consolidated their bond with a split. First off on the cassette is X2000 from Sweden, a creepy and eerie chorus-drenched beast of a band that hammers primitive hardcore like there is no tomorrow, complete with Spanish lyrics for that extra pinch of anger. Up next, DAUÐYFLIN from Iceland, who already have a name out there due to some releases through the excellent Iron Lung Records. This is dark hardcore full of pogo-inducing beats and an Icelandic coldness permeating the songs. If not for the lyrics, one might even think that these two bands were from Latin America. Overall a great split that shares a similar dark approach to hardcore. Will leave your “tupa-tupa” craving satiated.
Born out of frustration and the anger of being stomped by the system, ZANJEER was first conceptualized in 2020 in Bremen by members who come from all over (Colombia, Pakistan, England, and Germany), and who used to make noise in bands like MURO, AMENAZAS, and MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS, just to name a few. This provides a multicultural and multilingual output on life as someone that is against the established system. It means that their ferociousness is channeled through Urdu, Farsi, and Punjabi lyrics and vocals. ZANJEER raises the flag for the disenfranchised, the excluded, the victims of religious oppression and post-colonial nationalism. Sonically, it’s somewhere in between DISCHARGE, DISRUPT, and a darker CHAOS UK, with a vocal delivery that could be on a RATOS DE PORÃO record. To complete the full vision of the band, they recruited Nicky Rat to do a powerful cover that encapsulates what is inside the record.
Japanese band with a singer from America, not in the vein of JUNK SCHIZO, rather distortion equalized to maximum noise-core, with echoed-howling vocals and trash-can drumming. When a bunch of people from solid former bands play in a style that is so distorted, it basically could camouflage all individual handprints laid on the music, which circumstance can easily create an effortless chapter in the codex of random bands who sound OK. Maybe ZODIAK does not reinvent the wheel, but they are able to be more than just convincing. Treat it as an exaggeration but they sound as DISARRAY or ZOUO on a faster speed with CONFUSE guitars. ZODIAK is able to push themselves through all the covering accessories and be more interesting even over a timespan of flexi 7″. I would listen to more.
