Anti You - Eli's Mile High Club, Oakland, CA January 24th, 2014

Anti You (Italy), Zero Progress, DHC, Reckless, Volatile Substance

at Eli's Mile High Club, Oakland, CA

January 24th, 2014

21+

Coke Bust - Hazmat, Oakland, CA - October 8th 2011

Coke Bust, Permanent Ruin (ex-In Disgust), Migraine, Zero Progress

Hazmat, Oakland, CA

October 8th, 2011

All Ages

General Surgery - The Big Room, Olympia WA May 14th

General Surgery, Midnight, Engorged, Funerot

at The Big Room, Olympia, WA

All Ages

Oi Polloi - The Highline, Seattle WA April 17 2014

Oi Polloi, Wartorn, Deathraid, Vindictive

at The Highline, Seattle, WA

17 April 2014

21 +

Rand Paul And Chumbawamba

I originally heard this on The Daily Show.  The beginning of this clip is concrete proof of the ignorance that permeates political candidates.  Was Tubthumper chosen for it's chorus?  I doubt Mr Paul knows what the song is really about.  I also bet Mr Paul knows nothing about the band and their political views, nor how Chumbawamba expresses those views through their music.  I hope Chumbawamba got some money for the use of their song, and that they promptly gave that money to some worthwhile causes.

Armour - 2013 - Death Threat / No Heaven 7"

Every so often Nuclear War Now! surprises me with one of their releases.  In the midst of more vinyl reissues and slabs of black/death comes this new single from Finland's Armour.  This is pure heavy metal, but modernized with more speed and bigger metal balls.  Armour's sound fits somewhere amongst  Mötley Crüe, W.A.S.P., and Accept.  Armour takes those inspirations and deliver two tracks of fast, snarling heavy metal.  Both songs sound crisp and modern, but can still take me back to being a teenager and blasting the first W.A.S.P. album from my Honda Civic.  Even though Vince Venom is also known as Werwolf from Satanic Warmaster, their sound is light years apart.  In the world of retro-metal, these guys are the real deal.  I am eagerly awaiting a new LP.

Perisynti - 2007 - Turmeltuneen Ihmisen Luonto 7"

Extremely raw Finnish black metal.  As an instrument of war, the distorted guitar on this 7" cuts through my speakers and stabs into my brain.  The sound is full and uncompromising.  Thoughout both tracks, the rhythm section lays down a very solid foundation, enabling the guitar and vocals to persecute their blitzkreig assault.  Where Turmeltuneen Ihmisen Luonto is fast and, especially towards the end, repetitive, the b-side is noticeably slower and has a languid synth melody lurking behind the guitar and vocals.  At times the synth sounds like icy feedback.  The vocals are buried in the mix underneath the guitar, but that just adds to their mystery and vitriol.
I am really glad I picked this up.  If you like harsh black metal, this is a release you should track down.

Bloodsoaked - 1994 - The Omen 7"

Bloodsoaked were a death metal band from Mexico City.  This 7", from 1994, was their final release.  The music on this EP is contemporary with the era.  The guitar plays some mid-paced chords which are spiced up with some double-time chugging and some more atmospheric parts.  Some of the playing reminds me of a restrained OBITUARY without the temolo abuse.  The solos work well in the songs, but without a clear rhythm guitar part, all that's left to drive the song are the drums.  The bass is nearly non-existant - there is a short bass run in Buried Under My Skin, but it is difficult to hear in the mix.  The drums sound crisp, but the double bass is buried too low in the mix.  The drummer plays some nice fills in Rising.  The vocals are tortured moans cutting through the music.
Overall, this is a good release with enough variety between the songs to keep my attention.  The production is a little weak, but that might just be due to their geographical location.  I won't hold that against them.

Ghäst / Highgate - 2012 - Split 7"

If you looked at the cover of this 7" and thought 'black metal' you would only be partially correct.  Both bands peform blackened doom, but they approach that goal from totally different directions.  From Quebec comes Ghäst.  Their song starts with droning low-end chords, slow crashes on the cymbals and rising electronics.  Vocals are harsh and buried beneath the ambience.  Near the end of the track, the feedback grows and envelopes all of the sounds with a thick sense of self-destruction.  Highgate must have crawled out of the thickest swamps Kentucky has to offer.  They start out playing agonized sludge with harsh black metal vocals.  Halfway through the track, they speed things up a little bit, before they launch into a chaotic blackened assault.  Then it's back to the original tempo as the band lurks back into the swamp that spawned them. 
The packaging is beautiful to look it, as is the blood splattered vinyl.  There is a total pressing of 500 copies, so don't miss out on this agonizing slab of blackened doom.

Seven Sisters Of Sleep / Ilsa - 2013 - Split 7"

One of the recent special releases for Record Store Day 2013.  This slab of blood red wax features two rising bands tipping their hats to past masters in the field of Heavy.  First up is SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP with their cover of HELLHAMMER's Messiah.  Their take is dirtier and more tortured than the original.  Midway through the song, the SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP break the song down to a sludgey pace before shifting back into tempo.
The flipside sees Maryland's ILSA try their hand at BOLT THROWER's IVth Crusade.  How can a song that was so heavy be made even heavier?  ILSA has a guitar tone that sounds like a crusty nuclear bomb exploding, which is perfect for this song.  The caustic vocals slither through the mix and are buried just right.
The packaging is incredible.  The artwork, by Szymon Siech, draws on 70s horror films and is superbly executed.  This even comes with a massive 24"x36" movie poster that will look right at home next to your Witchfinder General poster.
Both bands deliver worthy recordings.  Only 666 copies, so pick yours up soon!

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.

Final Massakre - 1999 - The Bells Of Hell Toll The Final Chime 7″

The back of the sleeve proclaims this record to be ‘Full Metal Jacket D-Beat Raw Punk’.  That means this record must be from Portland, OR,  the land of D-Beat Raw Punk.  This short-lived group featured Frank (from ATROCIOUS MADNESS and LEBENDEN TOTEN) on vocals, Brian Hopper (from DETESTATION, HELLSHOCK, etc) on guitar, and Kelly (RESIST, DETESTATION, etc) on drums.  This EP, courtesy of Tribal War Records, features 6 tracks, all played at a furious pace – the longest track is 1:21.  What you get is a solid D-Beat, manic guitar riffs, and some gasoline-throated vocals.
My only criticism of the sound is that the drums and vocals dominate too much.  I like my crust to have a thicker bass guitar sound, but on here the bass only stands out during a break on Death From Below.  There are times when Brian Hopper plays some furious lead breaks, but they are barely heard in the mix.  Only the lead break on We Stand In Silence gets a solid volume boost.  Nonetheless, this is worthy of being in your collection.  FINAL MASSAKRE only issued a few releases and they’re all worth tracking down.

Kylesa - 2002 - 7"

This 7″, released on German label Scorched Earth Policy, features one original and one cover.  The original track, Delusion On Fire, is a great introduction to those unfamiliar with KYLESA.  The dual vocals work well with KYLESA’s modern interpretation of the crust sound.  I’ve always loved the sound of male and female singers playing off each other.  It’s the right amount of soft and hard in the sound.  The rhythm section creates a solid, driving base for the thick guitar riffs to crash over.  The B-Side, a cover of NAUSEA’S Clutches, is the real gem here.  The song is just as apocalyptic as the original.  The recording quality is better than the original, with a solid, thick guitar tone.  This single is worth buying just for this track.

Misery / Extinction Of Mankind - 2001 - Apocalyptic Crust CD

This CD, released by Crimes Against Humanity, is a solid pairing by two bands whose influence has been felt throughout the crust genre.  First up is MISERY, from Minneapolis, MN.  They had been together for almost ten years by the time this was recorded.  Their sound is confident and mature, but still retains that crusty AMEBIX edge to it.  Most of their songs here follow a verse/chorus/verse structure.  My favorite song of theirs on here, One More Day, is quite different.  The lyrics consist of one long verse.  The words are paired up with shifting musical phrases which add a lot of variety to the song.
The other band here, EXTINCTION OF MANKIND, hail from the UK.  They have been around almost as long as MISERY, and also possess a similar musical confidence.  Their sound is similar to MISERY, but their bass guitar is more prominent in the mix.  Their sound is also similar to DOOM, with heavy guitars and gruff vocals.  Most of their songs are mid-paced, but EOM add some thrash bits for flavor.
Overall, this is a mandatory purchase for anyone interested in the crust genre.  My only complaint has to do with the CD’s sequencing.  Instead of having all of MISERY’s tracks, then all of EXTINCTION OF MANKIND’s tracks like a typical split CD, this disc has each band’s tracks interspersed.  Near the end there’s a noticeable difference in recording quality between the two bands.

Implicate - 1999 - Implicate 7"

Implicate, from Middletown NY, only released this one EP.   Middletown is not too far from New York City; Implicate's sound is pure 90'sNYHC.  The guitar displays a nice distorted tone, especially on the chugga-chugga riffs.  The guitarist has no problem going from a cleaner hardcore tone to a faster thrash rhythm, and there's some nice bits of feedback in the songs to help create tension.  The singer has an almost negative, shredded-throat singing style, but the lyrics betray a tendency to be generic.  Lyrical topics include integrity, vegetarianism, trust, and a striving for something better.  I will give the lyricist credit, though, for using words that I don't ever see in hardcore songs, like recruiter or archaic.  There's a bass guitar in there somewhere, but it is rarely heard.  The drummer is a solid player,but tends to rely too much on his cymbals.  Overall, this is a decent release, especially if you like the 90s hardcore sound.  The vocals help push this above mediocrity.

Vivisuk - U.S. Disastwhore 7"

This is the only release by these punks from Lansing, MI.  The music on this record is simple hardcore, sometimes played at near-thrashing speeds.  It reminds me of AUS ROTTEN or some of the UK82 bands with a bit of BLATZ thrown in.  The recording sounds almost live here:  a single-tracked distorted guitar, Steph's caustic vocals, and an adequate rhythm section.  The shouted male vocals provide a good counterpoint to the angry female vocals.  Lyrically, they dislike the rich, cops, and Eugene anarchists in that order.  That last one really had me laughing.  I love punks with a sense of humor!


I might have some copies left in my distro.

Youth Enrage - 1999 - Youth Enrage

First CD by this fastcore band from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Youth Enrage plays fast and quirky, furious hard core. Most of the songs here are below the one minute mark, but filled with stop/starts, crazy tempo changes, odd time signatures and screamed-at-the-top-of-their-lungs vocals.
They took their name from a Life's Blood song.
Seems the band exists no more.  Too bad they were quite under-rated, because they did pull much more intensity and creativity than most of their "early 2000s fastcore" counterparts...

KAH-ROE-SHI - 2007 - Shi

KAH-ROE-SHI - Shi CD
2007 Bullwhip Records / Third Arm Records / Quiet Still Death Records / Pissed Off Records / Cactus Distro / Protocrust Records / Papakerma / Ricecooker Recordings / Pure Minds Records / Cellulite Records / Theatrical Records / Anock Mayrun Records / Kandar Mosh Distro

1. Submit to Grief
2. On Their Knees
3. Race Don't Exist
4. Deja Vu Beirut
5. Substance
6. Shi
7. Fraud

Includes short live video shot in Singapore, July 2007 at Theater Thrash.

CD -> EAC -> FLAC (With Log and Cue files)

KAH-ROE-SHI are a pummeling hardcore / crust band from Malaysia and have just released their first full length CD with the help of 13 local DIY labels. The name directly translated (from Japanese) means "Death from Overwork" and their lyrics (all in English) speak of breaking out of the shallow existence of modern life. Musically this is pure brutality and nestles somewhere between DYSTOPIA and HIS HERO IS GONE. This is a professionally pressed CD, comes with a nice-looking booklet of lyrics and other writing, and is packaged in a screen-printed CD-sized cloth sack. Very nice. The recently did a split EP with Singapore crust punks PAZAHORA who are another top notch and highly recommended band from SE Asia.


Kah-Roe-Shi 'Shi' CD review on Punk Ping Pong #2

Formally known as UNION OF SLAVES, KAH-ROE-SHI is another Malaysian band that is active nowadays. 7 tracks of heavy hardcore crust a la HIS HERO IS GONE, FROM ASHES RISE, KYLESA and the ilk. The sound production is very good. Not much band really care about their sound production. This kind of music must come with a very heavy and clean sound. I mean very detailed from their guttural vocals to the acoustic intro. I like this cd a lot. Oops..This cd also contains 13 minutes of live video from the band. It's good to use an extra space on cd rather than let it be blank.


KAH-ROE-SHI - "Shi" CD
I have heard these guys on a few of their previous releases and have been very impressed by their variety of darkened crust. This full length did not disappoint. It certainly threw me off with the packaging being a mini burlap sack with their name written in Kanji characters. Admittedly, it took me a couple minutes to figure out this was the killer band from Malaysia KAH-ROE-SHI! Dark, heavy and thick crust-core with clear nods to FROM ASHES RISE and HIS HERO IS GONE. The lyrics of this band are especially good with lots of information and details in the booklet. A 13-label Malaysian collaboration. Great! (NM) - Reviewed by Nick Mangel on Maximum Rock n Roll #306 / Nov '08. 


Kah-Roe-Shi played their first show in 2006 with the name Union Of Slaves. Kah = excess, Roe = labor, Shi = death, translated literally from the Japanese as death from overwork or occupational sudden death. The guilty comrades are Kid (vocals), Tiong (guitar, vocals), Fahmi (bass) and Zul (drums). Related bands: Mass Separation, Tools Of The Trade and Akta Angkasa. Previous release: Indonesian tour demo cd-r & split 7" with Pazahora. Previous tour: Singapore & Indonesia (July-August 2007). Amazing packaging - Hand made silk screened bag.

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