Absurd Attitude - 2000 - North 7"

This was released by Fight Records, so I was expecting manic Finnish thrash.  I was surprised to find some crust similar to AMEBIX or ANTISECT.  ABSURD ATTITUDE were from Tampere, Finland, but the sound is very late-80's Britain.  The guitar has a nice watery sound, but is able to switch over to a more metallic riff when necessary.  The rhythm section lays down a very solid foundation with a tribal edge.  There are two singers that have a similar tone, instead of going for the EXTREME NOISE TERROR-style low grunts and high-pitched screams.  The recording sounds nice with the guitars and vocals dominating the mix.  The drums are still prominent, but the cymbals are a little muted, which makes for a better sound.  There is an unlisted track at the end of the B-side.  It's a mid-paced instrumental with the occasional reverbed scream.  This is definitely worth picking up if you can find it.  This was ABSURD ATTITUDE's final release.  I will definitely look for their earlier material.

NOTA / Brother Inferior - 1997 - Split 7"

This split was released by Havoc Records and features two bands from two different eras of Tulsa, Oklahoma's hardcore history.  NONE OF THE ABOVE, also known as N.O.T.A., formed circa 1979 and were one of the first, if not the first, hardcore bands from the state.  They were active in the early 80s and broke up in 1987, but have reformed and recorded sporadically since then.  Their two songs here remind me of MDC.  The music is early hardcore: mid-paced with sing-along choruses and the occasional lead.  The lyrics use humor to combat life's problems, like boredom and Nazi skinheads.

BROTHER INFERIOR formed in 1994 and toured and released the bulk of their material in 1997 when this EP was released.  They broke up a few years later.  This music is faster with a slight thrash edge, but that never detracts from the melodies in the songs.  It's refreshing to hear some clean hardcore without any metal influences.  The instruments are nicely separated, and all sound very clear in the mix.  I'll bet the choruses went over great live, as they are easy for a crowd of punks to sing along to.  BROTHER INFERIOR's lyrics are less humorous, but more political.  The only downside to their songs is the use of the Braveheart sample in Freedom's Sons.  Mel Gibson's Scottish accent sounds horrible.

Pontius Pilate - 2004 - Thy Kingdom.com 7"

PONTIUS PILATE hailed from the Pacific Northwest.  They existed for a few short years before breaking up.  One member moved east to Minneapolis and played in PROVOKED.  This was their final recording. 

Their sound is more Seattle than Portland.  There is none of the Motorhead worship so prevalent in the Portland bands.  Instead, PONTIUS PILATE has a lot of mid-range guitar and fast riffs.  The vocals are screamed and almost hysterical, but light years away from being considered emo.  When the vocals are at their fastest, I am reminded of ANTISCHISM.  Both short songs have some incredibly tight, vicious riffing driven by anger and frustration.  The last song includes a violin.  It weaves a melancholy counterpoint into the almost epic angry thrash.  In fact, one of PONTIUS PILATE's strong points is their ability to blend crusty speed with sparser, slower melodies.

The recording has all the instruments balanced, though there could be a bit more bass guitar.  The distorted crunch of the guitars never interferes with the drums or vocals.  Even the fastest track, File Error, never turns into a messy blur.

The lyrics deal with personal and cultural dehumanization.  Track 2, File Error, is particularly relevant today; it deals with people living their lives on the Internet to the exclusion of their human needs.

This is definitely worth tracking down.