Agonista - Grey And Dry

There is something to be said about a hardcore LP that's so concisely written that you accidentally listen to it twice. Such is the magic of Agonista's debut full length Grey And Dry. This is a record of crusty hardcore featuring current and ex-members of Bumbklaat, DFMK, Run For Your Fucking Life, Spanakorzo, Sweep the Leg Johnny, Swing Kids, and many others. The record is entirely unsurprising if you know the discographies of those bands, but that really just means that Grey And Dry fucking rules and is way too much fun to listen too. 

From blazing speed breaks to the two step part on "Wrecked Inside" Grey And Dry is the sound of a band who have a deep passion for the music and who inherently understand its true nature. Agonista lean hard into the magic of the genre, touching on everything from the challenging intellectualisms of Neurosis by way of the crusty ministrations of Amebix and the danceable joy of Social Distortion. There is a lot to sink your teeth into here and Agonista nicely highlight a broad range of flavors in a way that sets them distinctly apart from the pack. Grey And Dry is the sound of hardcore done right, with a broad vision but a clear one. 

Grey And Dry is a truly potent record. With its bilingual lyrics, range of influences and the tightness of the songwriting it's a record that I think devotees are going to find themselves coming back too time and time again. With only one of its 11 songs spilling over the three minute mark it's also an album that is going to capture your attention and keep it. Agonista get in, smash you over the head and then get back out on Grey And Dry. It makes for compelling and exciting listening that demands multiple listens just to fully appreciate. 

Pre-order the album!

http://armageddonlabel.bandcamp.com/album/grey-and-dry

Stress Positions - Harsh Reality

When the PR blast references the artist as "My new favorite band" you kind of HAVE to check it out right? That's what got me to listen to Stress Positions, whose new album Harsh Reality has left me extremely impressed. This is thoughtful, dance-able and political hardcore driven by high energy vocals and tight guitar performances. This is an intense listen and one that I think fans from all sides of the underground are going to find themselves enamored with. It's intense and awe inspiring listening like few others have crafted. 

Harsh Reality is perhaps most defined by the high pitched femme screams of their frontperson. Yet this band is interesting because they aren't afraid to break out of the traditional hardcore mold. While there are certainly fast and fun hardcore songs all throughout this record, Stress Positions also impress with the brooding and off kilter bridges of a track like "Ode To Aphrodite". While they can riff with the best of them, Stress Positions also find ways to enhance the sound and bring in more elements than just ferocious screaming for twenty five minutes. It makes for a very different, compelling and exciting release, sure to keep listeners coming back. 

Stress Positions are a one of a kind force in the underground, even after hearing only a few tracks that much was clear to me. They are a distinctive and inspiring band, a project who have a clear vision and who seem capable of doing so much more than the vast majority of their peers. Harsh Reality is an addictive, enduring listen and one that I know for a fact I will be returning too. As for now I'm deeply curious to see these cats live. I'm sure there vibrant diversity is going to make for compelling stuff!

Pre-order the album! 

https://threeoneg.com/archive/vinyl/harsh-reality-lp

Mugshot - Cold Will

 

Mugshot have been making some waves in the hardcore scene in the last few years and their latest offering, Cold Will is coming out beginning of November and I can assure you this EP is a monster. The frenetic playing, two stepping riffs and impressive mix come together for a sound that is inspiring to say the least. It's hard not to be thrilled with the high level destruction that Mugshot bring to the table on Cold Will. This is modern hardcore done right, with clear ambition and a deep understanding of what this genre was supposed to be about in the first place. 

Cold Will very much sees Mugshot leaning into more modern hardcore tropes reminiscent of 156/Silence and Knocked Loose. That being said the band has retained a classic feel with a clear emphasis on two stepping. There is a marked increase in the quality of songwriting throughout Cold Will. The months of relentless touring have helped to put Mugshot on a higher level and it seems like there's no turning back now for these modern day masters of the genre. Pre-order a copy of this one, Mugshot are going places, you don't want to miss out. 

Pre-order the album!

https://purenoise.bandcamp.com/album/cold-will

Negative Blast - Echo Planet

 

Now this one is a rager. Negative Blast are a San Diego hardcore band with an impressive pedigree including members of Earthless, OFF!, Lewd Acts, [CON•TACT] and Hour of the Wolf. The cumulative result of their collective effort is a wonderfully pissed off hardcore record that is going to keep fans thrilled with the blasting magic of a sound that just won't quit. This is hardcore done right, doomed to destroy and destined to die. It will throw you into the pit and leave you thrilled for what more is to come from these titans. 

Echo Planet impresses not just because of its bubbling intensity but also the bleak vision that the band brings to the table. There is a tormented assault that they unleash time and time again on listeners here and the chaotic magic of tracks like "Bad Trip" is undeniable. One gets the sense that Negative Blast could fall apart at any moment - but it's their ability to hold it all together regardless that helps to make them so remarkable and fun to listen too. It's a testament to their work and impressive capabilities as composers who seem eager to delve ever deeper into the underground as they seek to leave fans in awe of what more has been created here. 

Negative Blast writhe in the murk and spew venom out of their sunny southern California hardcore scene. It's hard not to be impressed with the bleak sounds and high powered assault that they consistently unveil as they mosh through the eight tracks presented here. They show a healthy respect for their elders, but are clearly ready to throw down with their peers. Not a lot of bands can strike this balance but to Negative Blast it seems natural.  

Pre-order the album!

https://deathwishinc.com/collections/quiet-panic/products/negative-blast-echo-planet

Filth Is Eternal - Love Is A Lie, FIlth Is Eternal

 

Filth Is Eternal is the renaming, the re-incarnation if you will of Fucked And Bound, the classic west coast hardcore band who melted so many faces in the last decade. Filth Is Eternal seem determined to take on the same level of insanity with intense riffs, fierce vocal performances and a sound that simply goes for the throat time and time again. Love Is A Lie, Filth Is Eternal is a vicious offering and one that will leave you in awe of the crushing power of Filth Is Eternal. This is hardcore done right, boldly showcasing other influences and hinting at much more to come. 

Love Is A Lie, Filth Is Eternal retains all the writhing, basement dwelling charisma of the Fucked And Bound catalog but it brings on so much more. There are elements that were only hinted at before that have now come into full force. The sludgy grooves behind the eponymous track, "Filth Is Eternal" for instance really hint at how much more the band has to offer. The songs here are creative and powerful. They speak to larger unrealities and hint at a band who has the potential to be cranking out fierce and heavy music for years to come. Fucked And Bound were staples in the scene for a reason. Watching that evolve is only going to add more to it. 

This is a rager of a record and one that I think any modern day hardcore fans are going to fall in love with. Love Is A Lie, Filth Is Eternal speaks to the mastery of this group of musicians but also hints at what more is to come. Filth Is Eternal are a one of a kind force and it's a delight to really immerse yourself in the rotting misery of this band. They understand the crushing power behind the music and to experience their home brewed hate is a delight. Get ready to have your face ripped off, Filth Is Eternal are coming!

Pre-order the album!

https://filthiseternal.bandcamp.com/album/love-is-a-lie-filth-is-eternal

Dead End America - Crush The Machine

Hardcore can be many things to many people. Dead End America is a thriller because of both its political message, but also the way that it allows a group of old friends to get over the loss of a brother. I'm talking of course about our friend, Steve Hanford, the Slayer Hippy. He fortunately was able to get drums down for this masterful record before he passed. In addition to Steve Hanford, Crush The Machine features Tony Avila (World Of Lies, Why Won't You Die, Aborted Cop, Here's Your Warning) joined by lead guitarist Ian Watts (Ape Machine, Minmae) and bassist/vocalist Nick "Rex Everything" Oliveri (Mondo Generator, The Dwarves, ex-Kyuss, ex-Queens Of The Stone Age), with additional lyrics and vocals from Mike IX Williams (EyeHateGod, Corrections House, Arson Anthem, Outlaw Order) and Blaine Cook (The Accüsed A.D., The Fartz, Toe Tag). Quite the lineup! 

What this record comes across as though is just a group of friends having fun as they protest a stupid and oppressive administration. In an era where we fear that our president won't cede power and every day somehow becomes more stressful than the last, Dead End America are flipping the bird to the world and reminding us of the raw power of punk rock. I think many of us are having a hard time with the ongoing COVID crisis, and this album is an incredibly cathartic listen. It's raw anger and energy incarnate. It's an honor to get to sink your teeth into the raw power and demented beauty of what they continue to bring to the fore here. 

Crush The Machine is a veritable tour de force. It showcases so many crucial aspects of these musicians work and sees them all come together in the name of some good old fashioned hardcore. New ground isn't broken here, but this is a helluva fun record. The raw chaos and energy that the band push here is eager and exciting. Few acts can continually hit the nail on the head, even if it's on a short EP. As a general rule though, this record is a banger that will have you moshing around your room, wondering when you might be able to properly mosh again. 

Pre-order the record: 

https://deadendamericasl.bandcamp.com/album/crush-the-machine

Dropdead - S/T

Y'know what's cool? Checking your email and finding the first new Dropdead full length in 22 years in your inbox. The punk legends have been through some turmoil lately, with Bobs bike accident and the bands van getting stolen. It's good to hear them back and just as fast as ever on this stunning new third self titled record. It's hard not to be enamored with the crazed magic of this band and the over the top assault that they bring to the table. Time and time again this album has me scraping my jaw off the floor.

As you fling yourself into the frenetic playing of a track like 'Warfare State' it becomes increasingly clear that Dropdead are angrier than they ever have been here. This is a record that captures a group of dudes who are pissed off about the way things are going and want you to know it .The relentless assault and the crazed playing may feel like drinking from the firehose for some, but for those of us who grew up on this stuff... it only makes sense. Dropdead are here to rip out throats on this self titled record and they are not going to let you forget the madness of our modern age wit ha series of blasts that rarely ever venture over the two minute mark.

And just like that... it's over. Twenty three songs goes by fast when the average length is under a minute for each. You find yourself thrown into the pit, given no reprieve and then spit back out. There's something strangely refreshing to hear a band who has been doing this for thirty years who so eagerly stay true to the same formula that has worked for them for so many years. It's go for the throat and relentless. It will leave you gasping for air and remembering for the umpteenth time why these guys are in the punk pantheon.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Dropdead-253671617997061

Boris - No

It's quarantine, existence is pain and Boris have a new album out that they are self releasing appropriately titled No. The band goes far beyond their roots on this one with a punk rock driven assault on the senses. With big choruses and driving rhythm sections, this is a record that stands apart in the bands discography. While we certainly can still find their trademark waves of crushing heaviness and the bitter pills that came to previously define the band, this is a much more balls to the wall assault.
 
This is easily the punkiest of any Boris offering to date, the songs here, from the cover of Gudon's classic 'Fatal Error' to the inclusion of the legendary Katsumi of Outo and City Indian fame, No stands in fitting rebellion with a clear desire to spit in the face of the opposition no matter what the consequences. Albums like this one are a fitting reminder as to why Boris's genre on Metal Archives is listed as 'Various'. This record is a shot to the jaw coming straight out of left field. It is exciting, ambitious and definitely not what I think what anyone was really expecting to hear from these guys in 2020.

No is a crushing offering. It's exciting and over the top. It's full of passion and it's the perfect album for this time and place. Boris are truly one of a kind in their ability to craft magic and mastery out of any music, and this is simply the next step in that stunning legacy. This is a devastating record that shows that Boris can play punk just as well as they do sludge and eagerly showcases both. There are few albums that leave you scraping your jaw off the floor like this and I can't help but to be utterly mesmerized.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/borisheavyrocks/

Entry - Detriment

It's always fascinating to hear what hardcore that Greg Anderson thinks is worth putting out on Southern Lord. The man was in False Liberty after all. The latest offering from Entry, Detriment is absolutely masterful. There is a sense of torment and evil here that makes for some compelling hardcore. The destructive intensity of what they have crafted is exciting and is a sort of fusion of the magic of hardcores first wave with the intensity of later iterations on the genre. It makes for an interesting listen.

I've always been a fan of hardcore LP's that managed to stay under twenty minutes long like this one does. While it still very much feels like an album, the short run time ensures that listeners aren't going to get bored and can keep coming back to find interesting new sonic blasphemies time after time. There is an intensity here that simply can't be denied, the sort of all or nothing vibe that helps to make hardcore compelling to so many generations of fans. Entry have found a way, in their barking choruses and chainsaw riffs to keep listeners entranced with a sound that is aggressive, over the top and mesmerizing.

This distillation of hardcore magic into a few minutes of wax is thrilling. Few bands have historically been able to conjure up this same level of madness in such a short period of time. The glimpses of powerviolence that dot tracks like 'Vulnerable' counterbalance other moments of punk and more conventional hardcore. It makes for an interesting amalgamation that is clearly inspired by the punk scene and perfect for the punk scene. What more could someone want out of this twisted burning madness?

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Entryband

Kruelty - Immortal Nightmare

Kruelty are a Japanese act who answer the question, 'What if Asphyx was a hardcore band?' Yeah - this shit is good. With beatdown hardcore riffs and vocals that are wonderfully reminiscent of Asphyx vocalist Martin Van Drunen Immortal Nightmare is an absolutely stunning record. There is a sort of demented fun behind what they have done here. They've fused several core elements that help to make this sort of underground music so special and executed it with a unique sort of bloodthirst that can't help but to fascinate.

Immortal Nightmare may only clock in at just over fifteen minutes, but the band is able to go above and beyond in their attack here. The terrifying march and crushing assault of a track like 'Narcolepsy' is a ton of fun to sink your teeth into and continually reminds us just how good Kruelty were in the first place. There is a sort of bestial triumph to what the band has done here that seems to only get better with each passing spin. The go for the throat brutality of the band shines throughout this record and the more time I spend with their crippling guitar tone the more that it seems ready to just devastate all who stumble into its path.

This is a crusher. A bruiser. A record that gives no fucks and which will continue to give no fucks until all of its enemies are dead. Kruelty have proven here that they are a cut above the rest and their ability to smash skulls in should not be underestimated. This is ignorant and terrifying beatdown hardcore executed at the highest level. Creator Destructor Records has found a winner with these guys. I'm curious to see what twisted new paths the band is going to take next as they rise out of Japan and into triumph.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/KRUELTY.DEATHRASH/

Kings Never Die - Raise A Glass

The beauty of the hardcore scene is in how tight knit it is. What this means is that Raise A Glass is a potent collaboration between members of Murphy's Law, Sub Zero, Stigma, Son Of Sam and Mucky Pup. On top of that - the title track features Vinny Stigma and Mike Gallo of Agnostic Front! Suffice it to say - Raise A Glass is a helluva lot of fun from DI hardcore lifers who not only have a deep passion for the genre but who are trying to raise hell for the umpteenth time, and this hard hitting EP certainly does that.

A record that plays on traditional hardcore tropes with much more of a punk edge the band is not afraid to wink at Oi influences. This is a much more hard rocking offering than many of the members prior bands might have you believing. Yet there are still tracks you can shout along too and hints at what the future musical direction of the band can be. Traditional hardcore tropes reign here, but there is definitely a bit more of a focus on punk and metal than one might expect. The lead work in particular is a lot of fun. The solo on 'The Juice' for instance really sets the tone for just how good these guys are.

Kings Never Die are much more than just another group of old fogeys trying to relive their glory days. Raise A Glass is a statement of intent from a band who want to keep pushing the magic of DIY music and remind us that they all have plenty left in the tank with a new project that will smash teeth. It's hard not to get lost in the infectious grooves presented here and the bands deep understanding of the genre shines through. This is a fine opening salvo and leaves me curious for what will come next from this NYHC crew.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/KingsNeverDieBand/

Leeched - To Dull The Blades Of Your Abuse

Hardcore has been taken in some new and weird directions in recent years. There are so many nifty new takes on the genre and such a clear path forward for this music. The industrial leaning stylings of Leeched are another addition to this canon. With their second album, To Dull The Blades Of Your Abuse, the band showcase an enhanced sound that pulls on their visionary approach and delves deep into trauma, the struggle of the modern day and the suffering that comes as a result of it all. It's an intense listen.

To Dull The Blades Of Your Abuse is a record that can sound downright scary. When you take a look at the bands face tattooed drummer things start to fall into place. This is an incredibly personal record. The raging fires presented here are the result of years of abuse and mental punishment. It's hard to hear this record and not feel the pain the band is trying to depict. They counterbalance this with some of their own dark reflections on the modern day. The sound laid out on this record is downright massive. The guitar tone is simply epic in scope and some of the bleak noise interjections on tracks like 'Black Sun Ceremony' are truly intimidating.

This is a crushing album that plumbs the depths of human emotions. It's a dark listen and an album that won't quit. Instead it continually ups the ante and forces us all to reflect on our own inner demons. It's a great Christmas day listen for me as this time of year always invokes bleak thoughts. To Dull The Blades Of Your Abuse is an exploration in sonic torment, expressing a fucked up life in the only way these guys know how. It might rip your heart in half, but it also may be the therapy you need in 2020.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Leechedmhc/

Cro-Mags - From The Grave

It's really weird to think that in 2019 the Harley Flanagan led Cro-Mags are regularly releasing new material - but here we are with the bands second three song EP of the year. From The Grave drops today and is a fitting reminder that Cro-Mags are now and forever legends. With a level of raw intensity clearly intent on stirring up the pit, the raw sonic fury unveiled on From The Grave makes for a fun listening. This is a record that initially delivers back to the basics crossover - there's nothing shocking here - it just rips. Then they dive into an instrumental... but more on that later.

The punishing drum assault of a track like PTSD is a perfect metaphor for what this record is about. It's straightforward and aggressive, the kind of stuff that many of the bands peers lost the ability to make years ago. Cro-Mags don't seek to reinvent the wheel with the first two tracks here instead they just remind us why they were among the best to ever do it. There is a certain manic poetry to the bands delivery, the sort of living proof that we need to remember that New York Hardcore will ever die. Still - the surprisingly somber instrumental, 'Between The Wars' reminds us that the band still has creative directions to explore. After all - who would ever have expected to hear a cello on a Cro-Mags record? Here we are.

While the instrumental offering is a bit plodding, it's interesting to see the band trying to break out of the cage that they wrote themselves into. That being said - when they execute within those confines they are truly excellent. When they try to break out of it - I don't know if that's really something the fans will dig. Still it's an interesting look into a different side of the Cro-Mags approach and it certainly has me digging in deeper and trying to find out more about what the band are trying to accomplish in this next phase of their careers.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/realcromags/

Sect - Blood Of The Beasts

Man - I love it when hardcore scene elders come out and are able to actually kick ass in their supergroups. Blood Of The Beasts sees members of bands ranging from Earth Crisis to Catharsis coming together to unleash some wonderfully vicious metallic hardcore. This is one of the most straight up vicious hardcore records that I have heard in a good while. Sect deliver unrepentant hatred on this record and with every passing spin I become ever more enamored with their sense of raw vitriol. 

This record clocks in around 18 minutes, but this only enhances the replayability. Blood Of The Beasts seems to revel in its own depravity. The sickening crunch of these songs counterbalanced with blasting drums and vicious guirar tones makes for a delectable listen. Sect continually impress with massive hooks and crushing riffs that force your body into some cruel imitation of dance. The relentless grooves of a track like Wait speak to what Sect have been able to achieve on a purely musical level. Masterful is an understatement, this is a tour de force from a group of legends who know how to deliver with swagger. 

Sect are far too much fun to listen too, even if you don't like hardcore, but simply enjoy extreme music. The band blast forward unrelentingly and seem to revel in the most depraved moments of the record. Blood Of The Beasts is a rewarding listen. It's a record that seems to repeatedly suggest that there is more to unpack from the band and it basically forces the listener to go back in the discography to unearth forgotten gems. It's rare that you find a modern hardcore band delivering at this level - but here we are! 

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/SectXVX/

Hive - Most Vicious Animal

When two of my favorite labels in the underground collaborate on a record I usually stand up and take notice Such is the case with the latest offering from Crown and Throne Ltd and Seeing red Records. The d beat driven hardcore of Hive on their new record, Most Vicious Animal is truly impressive. While it reeks of Swedish hardcore with touches of the PNW influence of bands like Poison Idea the end product is distinctly one of their home city of Minneapolis. Most Vicious Animal is a brash and domineering record - one that will never surrender to the madness.

The raw energy cast out of your speaker cones with this record is truly exciting. This is a band where you can feel the pure hatred shining out. The metallic hardcore assault of these tracks is addictive too. Since the record barely clocks in over thirty minutes it's hard not to be impressed with the unending sonic torment that they deliver with aplomb. Most Vicious Animal continually raises Hive to new heights and seems to be having fun with its sense of almost primitive bombast. The end result is one of the best composed and altogether flowing hardcore records that I have heard in a long while. The approach here is delectable.

Most Vicious Animal is a forward thinking record that clearly understands its place in the punk canon. Hive continually push themselves to new heights with their downtrodden lyrics and overarching sense of despair. A truly hard hitting and frequently thrilling listen, Hive revel in the inherent madness of their sound. Across twelve tracks, Most Vicious Animal remains high energy and consistent, repeatedly proving that they are among the best and brightest coming out of the ever fertile Midwest.

Find them on Bandcamp!
https://crownandthroneltd.bandcamp.com/album/most-vicious-animal

Victims - The Horse And Sparrow Theory

Records like this remind me just how much I love Swedish d-beat. Though Victims do not hail from the legendary Malmo hardcore scene, these guys have been at it for quite a while, and this latest offering is one of their most potent to date There is a sense of transcendence to Victims' take on d-beat, that potent grooves and beautiful production on tracks like Revenge Of Our Fathers perfectly represents. Clocking in at just 28 minutes this is an intense listen that will drag you across a warehouse floor and beat you to a pulp.

With a clear political message driven by fears of climate change and our fucked up global political system, The Horse And Sparrow Theory is a thrilling listen. These are songs that capture the sheer rage of countless people across Western Europe and the USA right now and it continually gets me delving ever deeper into what has made this band so special over the years. Victims offer up something here that shows just how much work they have put into this project over the years and it's hard not to be entranced with just how polished this record is. In some ways they use The Horse And Sparrow Theory to elevate the dialog around d-beat as a whole.

Victims is a record driven by an ongoing sense of forward momentum. It's a record whose unforgiving rhythms are only counterbalanced by the looming sense of dread that defines their work .The squealing lead lines on the opening track, The Horse And Sparrow Theory, serves as a sort of hint at what the band is going to get at her.e It's rare to find a d-beat record that is this straight up fun to listen too, but the more time that I spend with The Horse And Sparrow Theory the more I love it and its fusion of mosh worthy riffs and key political statements.

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/victimsinblood/

Horndal - Remains

Horndal is a helluva band, their distinctly Swedish take on hardcore is thrilling and weird, with touches of sludge and Swedish death metal coming into the pummeling assault. A whole bunch of raw nerves and caroming sonic blasphemy this is a band who continually impress, who jump from peak to peak and prove time and time again that they are among the visionary elite in their genre. While there is nothing here that will immediately flatten you, it's the overwhelming surge of this record that keeps you fascinated.

In a lot of extreme metal these days we don't see a lot of dynamics. Things kind of flow forward fairly evenly. They feel monochromatic and ineffective. What differentiates Horndal is that they are able to write songs that, while clearly hardcore, or at least hardcore derived, have no problem borrowing from a bevy of other sources and routinely prove that these guys are among the best of the best, unique visionaries with a clear idea of where there sound is going and a deep knowledge of exactly how to take it there. This is a record that encourages you to get lost in its voluminous folds and seems to only expand from there.

This is a fun record, you can feel it shake, rattle and rolling you on a journey of pure sonic triumph. Horndal eschew a lot of common genre tropes and narratives and instead push their own thing on Remains but it remains sufficiently within extreme music tropes that instead of feeling alienating it seems like an obvious next step. Full to the brim with nervous energy, it's hard not to fall in love with the infectious grooves of the band. They are breathing new life into hardcore and speak of the shape of punk to come.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pg/horndalmusic

Pre-order the record!
http://smarturl.it/Horndal

Dead Friends 46 - Hardcore

I don't always get a ton of records like this in my inbox so its nice to get to really sink my teeth into some old school hardcore when I get the chance. A group who owe farm ore to the Oi movement than they do to a band like Snapcase, Dead Friends 46 are a very fun and emotionally powerful hardcore band from Southern California who play into traditional hardcore tropes to make something that is larger than a life and helluva lot of fun to sink your teeth into and fall in love with for spin after spin - it's a magical hardcore experience for all ages.

The chaotic sonic assault of these tracks is delicious, reminiscent of the early stuff - this record would not be out of pace next to your Germs or Minor Threat albums. Through it all though the band clearly has a sense of humor, wrapping up the record with a tip of the hat to Sesame Street and eagerly blaring their influences. This is a record that is just a little bit over the top, but that's sort of what is so addictive about it, that it's an album that is so clearly hardcore and bears the name. This isn't world breaking stuff, but it's done really well, it's done with race and taste and makes for something you aren't going to easily forget.

Sure, some of the tropes showcased here are a little bit silly and the band definitely has a penchant for all that is over the top but that's kid of the point - at least it is in my estimation. I didn't put on a record fucking called Hardcore for mt world to be shattered, I put it on because I knew that it was going to be a fun blast of noisy and aggressive music that made me want to move. There's no pretentions about this record, no attempts to hide what it's about, just in your face aural assault from one pit to another.

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/DEADFRIENDS46/

Isdal - Demo

I really love these bands that counterbalance fast and slow. It's the sort of thing that feels like an extension on Led Zeppelins idea of balancing dark and light. Such is the case with Isdal, a band named after an unsolved death of a woman in Norway and a sound that reflects that. This is an enormously powerful two track demo with the first song coming searing out of the gate with grind insanity and the second track laying back into some doom metal magic. It reflects a band with a deep understanding of both genres and a desire to fuse them. 

The sheer mastery of both sides of the coin is what fascinates me here. Seattle has a long history of doom metal bands with strong punk and grunge aesthetics. It's a place where grind bands flourish but aren't afraid to toss in elements of slower music. Simultaneously they have a certain artsy aesthetic that makes the focus track here, Weight In My Spine all the more special. This demo represent barely six minutes of music but it suggests a unique songwriting aesthetic that merges a variety of genres into a surprisingly coherent musical sentiment. Watching this band gradually get their shit together and get a more precise sound is going to be interesting. 

At once ADD but also punishing nihilistic and realistic Isdal have caught lightning in a bottle here. I feel like the first melodic line on Weight In My Spine in particular has almost Yob like potential. There are a lot of unique ideas here, the touches of hardcore serve as a thrilling monument to where the band has come from and the forward thinking moments of audacity push towards a sort of poetry that only the greatest doom bands achieve. Isdal could be on the verge of something great, or they could fade into obscurity. Isn't that what we love about this in the first place? 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/Isdalband/

Vitamin X - Age Of Paranoia

It's not every day that you get a new Vitamin X record, and the latest offering from Vitamin X, Age Of Paranoia isn't just a potent musical statement but also a record that straight up guts the listener with hardcore magic. Of course this album sees the band moving quite a bit further than before, and though they have always embraced diversity the crazed solos, borderline bluesy riffing and thrash metal inspired vocal assault makes Age Of Paranoia a delicious step in the musical journey of these Amsterdam hardcore maniacs. 

There is a sense of fun throughout Age Of Paranoia that makes it incredibly easy to get lost in. It's the kind of record that you want to dance along too, just because the touches of old school punk inspired magic sink their claws into you and refuseto let go. Thebands top notch production and deep understanding of tone can't help but to impress and the mix is glorious and wonderfully clear. Toss in a few guest solos from J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr and Bubba Dupree of Soundgarden and you find yourself with a record that isn't just full of huge names, but also incredibly well put together and tastefully executed. 

It's hard not to have a good time as you bop along to Age Of Paranoia. Songs like No One have the sort of blasting, almost NOFX-esque magic that gets so many people into punk in the first place. This is of course counterbalanced by punishing hardcore attacks and a sense that the entire thing could explode at any given moment. This is fun, over the top and borderline dangerous music that inspires us to keep on driving as we strive to understand what it's all about. Crazed and delicious, Vitamin X remain as potent as ever. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/vitaminxhc/