11.2
August 2004
11.2
August 2004
Review Team: (Ali) Ali, (CV) Chris, (DC) Dave, (EF) Ewan, (JW) Jamie, (JK) Jase, (JN) Jon Nash, (LC) Leanne, (LH) Leo, (MZ) Mez, (paco) Paco, (Russ) Russ, (Set) Set, (SC) Simon, (SN) Sneda, (SHY) Steve H, (SH) Stu, (WW) Will
I EXCUSE ... is dead CD
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I |
mpressed, very impressed. I saw this band in 2003 with MANIFESTO JUKEBOX and WASTED and to say they held their own against two of the finest bands in Europe is a very high compliment indeed. Anyway, the record. The songs are all there, the pace is fast at times, sometimes slowing a little. Its melodic punk, but it ain't over sweet. In fact it’s rough as Hell and chunkier than a really chunky thing. Imagine the guy from LIP CREAM singing along to a hybrid of CAUSTIC SODA and early SNUFF and LEATHERACE and fellow Japanese people SOON and your half way there. It's on Snuffy smile, which is another plus point. It's from Japan, which is another plus point as you should know by now that very few Japanese bands are putting a foot wrong nowadays. The lyrics are bitter and full on, which is reflected in some of the less musically upbeat moments. I really, really enjoyed this record. It burns with that intensity that too few European and American bands lack. Winner. (WW)
Snuffy Smile: 4-1-16-201 Daita, setagayu-ku, Tokyo 155-0033, Japan
ILLDAD Nemo Saltat Sobrius 7”
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es! Swedish crust at its best, raw-as-fuck, in-you-face, thrash madness, excellent! These guys are ex M.Pati and have a similar sound; other comparisons would be WOLFSBRIGADE or even SKITSYSTEM. Check it out. (SH)
Sounds of Betrayal
Box 7092 200 42 Malmo, Sweden.
INNER TERRESTRIALS X CD
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I |
couldn't believe it when this came through the door to be reviewed...maybe I need to get out more, but it made my bloomin' day! Quite simply all I really need to say is go and buy this.. but for those of you who wanna know more, the ITs are a London based ska/punk/dub/political band who've been around for almost 10 years. Their music is in the same vein as PAIN, RDF and AOS3 etc but they very much have their own style. The 3 piece features J (vocals & guitars), Fran (bass & vocals) and Conflict drummer Paco. Their debut CD 'IT!' came out in about 1997, with a live album released in 1998 and a couple of singles since. 'X' has been well worth waiting for and even features guest vocals from Fil (Back to the Planet)! The intro is a dub drenched affair, which erupts straight into the punky Anarchy which berates all those sad fuckers who think the true spirit of punk can be found in a glue-bag. Highlights from the rest of the CD (like...all of it) take you through dub, ska and hardcore punk with mandolin folk vibes thrown in for good measure- sometimes all in the space of one song. The CD ends with an acoustic number dedicated to Barry Horne (the hunger striker not the Welsh footballer who played for Birmingham and Everton...) and god forbid even the acoustic number is catchy. You need to buy this! (Ali)
Mortarhate Recordsc/o Jungle Records, Old Dairy Mews, 62 Chalk Farm Road, Camden, London, NW1 8AN
JED WHITEY this machine kills hippies EP 7”
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ise-ass rockin hardcore from Australia. They cover Black Flag’s “jealous again” and this fits as a good indicator of their sound – raw rock injected high tempo punk with added sleazy Aussie humour. You know, the sort of stuff that makes you shout yeaahh at the end of every song. With names likes Angelo Death & Butt Stunts you know it ain’t gonna be deadly serious and they made me laugh with the first line “fuck off – I eat meat!” – almost PC by Aussie standards. Yeaahh. (JK)
Busted Heads, Box 275, 901 06 Umea, Sweden
JINN / THE SUICIDE HANDBOOK Split LP
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inn from Newcastle feature members of defunct bands TSUA and Ebola, they crank out 7 tracks of dense, grind thrash. I can hear elements of both the aforementioned bands here. I know this lot are pretty damn good live but this is marred slightly by murky production (or maybe it’s my shitty record deck?!?). Lyrically this comes across as being a bit ‘holier than thou’ and utterly humourless, which for me is another minus. German band The Suicide Handbook play in a similar, but more technical style to Jinn, with what I think are female screamed vocals backed up by annoying cookiecuttergrind growls. They bang out 6 tracks interspersed with annoying noise samples. This is ruined by shit production – it sounds like it was recorded in a biscuit tin, no bottom end at all. Fans of ‘Grind’ stuff (of which I am not one) will love this – I’m not convinced. (Russ)
Totenscheiff records, Jorg Jacoby, Saarstrasse 33, 66386 St Ingbert, Germany
JOHN HOLMES everything went blacker CD
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en tracks of heavy rocking dark hardcore, with titles like 'Burn Baby, Burn' and 'Easyrider'. Live John Holmes have been a bit fucking special recently, so I'm glad to say this isn't a let down. The production is really smart, giving you one loud pounding slab of wax that fits somewhere between punk rock and stoner rock. Nothing more I can say really, this comes recommended definitely, sounds like Queens of the Stone Age getting bullied, cept these are too cool for that. (MZ)
Household Name Records
PO Box 12286, London SW96FE
www.householdnamerecords.co.uk
K LINE how you gonna scare us now? CD
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his is the debut album from K LINE, a band that have a recognised pedigree featuring ex members of DONE LYING DOWN, SINK, THE STUPIDS and the mighty BAD DRESS SENSE. As expected this takes a lot of it’s influence from the mid to late 80s DC era, however in the same way that bands like DEAD INSIDE have done, K LINE have integrated this sound well with a more contemporary sound, all be it in a mellower context than the later. In a way this sounds a bit like the kind of thing bands like SHUTDOWN (the UK one not the NYC macho-core one) or even UNDERSTAND were doing a while back. Nice cover of the CURE’s ‘Full Attention’ wraps it up. (SH)
Boss Tuneage,
PO Box 74, Sandy, Beds, SG19 2WB
www.bosetunage.com
K-LINE lessons learned 7”/CD
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irst off I’m gonna say that I don’t think they’d have to change their sound at all in order to be quite big in the current climate of MTV fake emo nonsense. Unfortunately that makes it sound as if I hate this, which is way off the mark. All I’m saying is they have a sound that could appeal to a wider audience (even if most of that audience listens to such unbelievable wank!!). Ed Shred (ex Stupids, Bad Dress Sense & Sink) plays guitar and the feel (sounding dated but in a good way) of the record is somewhere along the lines of the latter 2 bands – a definite mid to late eighties DC feel to the guitars. I’m guessing they’re already lumped in with all the modern emo crap but I’d say they deserve more of a chance than that, as this sounds sincere and certainly no attempt to jump on any bandwagon. If this was being reviewed in Kerrang! I’d give it KKK1/2. (JK)
Boss Tuneage, PO Box 74, Sandy, Beds, SG19 2WB, UK
KRANIUM skitsamhalle 7"
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his is a bit dull. There are places where it picks up but really the music is as dull as the band members are bored, judging by the pictures.Doesn't mean to say you won't like it obviously but I found the whole experience flat and mediocre. I have no idea how long these fellas have been playing or whatever but it really needs more effort, more zing if you like. Also, if I saw a punkrocker with KRANIUM written on the back of her leather I'd go and laugh in her face cuz it really is a rubbish name. Anyway, what do I know? I saw DISFEAR the other night and thought they were awful. So by all means read this as a review of me instead ofKRANIUM, ok?! (SC)
johan dahlburg,ostiby vagen 54, 975 92,
Lulea, Sweden
KUOLEMA Noise not Music LP/CD
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hen I read the title of
this old Finnish HC punk bands title, 'Noise not Music', my immediate thoughts
turned to 'L'A'RM' (Netherlands) and that whole early-to-mid 80s noise fest.
This indeed has similar qualities! A collection of earlier material ranging
from demo's through to studio tracks trough to 'live' recordings going back as
early to 1982 with covers of the U.K. SUBS 'Warhead' thrown in too! Raw, fast,
scandously so in places, it has a chaotic feel to it and given the times, that
probably was the deal. (SHY)
Alternative Action Records, PO
BOX 174, 1101 Riihimaki, Finland.
www.alternativeaction.fi
order@alternativeaqction.fi
KUOLEMA
and the
Noise Continues... CD
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nd they say old punks never die...! And so KUOLEMA release 15 'new' studio tracks recored in 2002 with 12 extra tracks of 'live' material from the early 1980s added on after. Musically this is a much improved sound quality yet still contains the rawness, speed and chaoticness of their earlier output. Short, sharp, 'tunes' of ferocious holocaustic thrash that at times is a blur with chaotic vocals. Raw and intense. Speed freaks and lovers of early Finnish HC take note!! PS: the 'live' tracks are awful sound quality and should never have been released. (SHY)
Alternative Action Records,
PO BOX 174, 11101 Riihimaki,Finland.
www.alternativeaction.fi
order@alternativeaction.fi
KUOLEMA noise from the sick city 7"
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ometimes I wonder why people
like me keep buying records knowing that you are gonna play them only once and I
thought this will be the perfect example but I was wrong since I ended up
playing this record countless times to annoy any visitor to the 'house of
demos'!What we have here is a '83 recording of the mighty KUOLEMA from Finland,
featuring Walde from TERVEET KADET on guitars just before he
died in '84. Musically it's a beautiful hyperspeed 9 tracks cacophony, a
masterpiece of noisecore with a guitarsound which makes you wonder if you
haven't placed a sheet of rough paper on the turntable ! Ubernoise shit for
people with bad good taste. (Paco)
LA MOTTA Love California MCD
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T |
o start off, this band is ex ASEXUALS, which can be good or bad pending on whether you like that type of pop rock thaaang. Well anyway, this carries on where the ASEXUALS left off. Not too far from later period WEEZER, decent power pop with the odd punky riff. The pace annoys me a little, just kind of drips along, in fairness it does quicken a little as the CD progresses. The artwork is nice enough, and the guest girl vocals on a couple of the songs are really cool, they remind me of Erin from ABE FROMAN. Anyway, this is an alright I suppose and the third song is a cracker. One song has Joey from the PIXIES playing guest guitar. The seven inch is apparently on chunky red and white (wish they'd sent me that). (WW)
Boss Tuneage, PO BOX 74, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2WB, UK www.bosstuneage.com
THE LAYBACKS beer 7”
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even songs of mid paced street punk with an under produced sound to it. The songs are fairly sing-a-long and at times I felt it needed a change of pace to give it more interest. The guitars are really heavy and it has a real DIY feel to it, which for street punk is unusual. Pretty good. (JK)
Roku Records, Poroelontie1a3, 96100 Rovaniemi, Finland
LEAD THE WAY Born to bear the Burden CD
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h, the year 2002, I was 14 years old and I remember putting on my first gig (not show, dickhead) at a wee pub in the sticks of Wakefield called 'the Nightingale'. Oh yes, Fig 4.0, andnoneofthemknewtheywereRobots and drag cars drive too fast. Only like 20 people came and the pub was/is shit, and it was someone's 40th birthday in the next room so we had to try and be quiet (tchhh right!) anyway we had fun. Point of the story - this band are from 1 minutes walk from that pub, and 10 minutes from my house. Wonder if they went? Probably not. I wonder why I’ve never heard of them? They’re website says they don't play gigs with bands I like (i.e. good bands) which is a shame. I'm sure the majority of snooty Leeds 6 kids would love this band, I know I do. Totally rocking melodic hardcore punk with a sound political edge. Really reminiscent of the less fast Propagandhi parts and parts of early GOOD RIDDANCE maybe? I think so anyway. Anyway, this band are great, and if it means you have to go out of your way to see them, then go out of your way to see them (even if it means venturing to Pontefract). (WW)
LEATHERFACE discography part 2: rare and unreleased LP
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S version of a compilation originally released on Dublin’s Rejected Records. Includes tracks from the first 7”, the split with Wat Tyler, the Eagle 7”, a free 7” with “Minx” plus live, unreleased versions and a Damned cover. It’s Leatherface, it’s great, they’re great, what else do you want me to say? My copy includes an extra 7” EP featuring live tracks from Oslo in 1992. (DC)
Deranged, PO Box 543 Stn. P, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2T1, Canada
THE LEGACY deadweight MCD
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ritain’s premier gorgonzola-core straight edge mob, THE LEGACY, blast out 6 solid, yet frighteningly predictable songs in a traditional style that would surely remind me of 1989, if I weren't busy running around in a ninja turtles costume and having adorable pictures of me falling asleep in bowls of spag bol being taken. I'd highly recommend this CD if you worship the Revelation 1-50 catalogue, or the copiers of that genre. Anyway, this has bags of enthusiasm and maximum finger pointing capacity, which I guess can cancel out the high cheese factor (and considering this band were formerly known as FIGHTINGxCHANCE that’s quite a lot of cheese!) Anyway, average review, average record, average band. Maybe later attempts will excite me more... (WW)
DEAD AND GONE records, 42 Glover road, Totley,
Sheffield, S17 4HN,
UK
www.deadandgone.co.uk
LIGHTYEAR Chris' Gentlemans hairdresser and railway bookshop CD
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'm really sorry to say that I really don't get this CD at all. From the title onwards this just smacks of in jokes that I don't understand. It was given a KKKK rating by Kerrang! which is perhaps why I don't get it, or am I showing my age? If you're familiar with Lightyear you'll know what to expect, and perhaps you'll even find it funny. There are 11 tracks, which is certainly value for money I guess. Songs never seem to really get going, before they change pace and there isn't really a traditional 'song' structure to any of them as far as I could tell- no sing-a-longa chorus type things either. Still, where the brass section do feature they do a mighty fine job. 2 tracks are perhaps the exception- Trumpet Trousers and Data's Double Chin (see what I mean about the titles???). But as far as I can make out (which isn't far- even with the lyrics book included) the lyrics never really delve deeper than touring, kebab shops, purple y-fronts and the 'drummer' from busted. Mind you Lightyear have enriched my life with the immortal lines "we've bombed ibiza, now we'll bomb ayia napa, we'll bomb george bush while he's sitting on the crapper" so perhaps it ain't all that bad....(Ali)
Household Name, PO Box 12286, London, SW9 6FE, UK
kafren@householdnamerecords.co.uk
LOMB/OLHO de GATO split 7" EP
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utch Thrash on the Rise!' - indeed! Strong split release from these two bands. LOMB thrash it out first with 7 tracks of short, aggressive, raw HC punk with lyrics about 'Empires', 'Consumption', 'DIY', 'Neo-liberalism', 'World Debts'. Good stuff. OLHO de GATO meanwhile rip it up with blistering fast drumbeats with rasping vocals and great guitars – 7 songs are destroyed in as many minutes!! Full blasts of rage and anger with tunes and riffs that make you want to shake that fist!! I can imagine this band being SO good 'live'. Recorded in DIY style at Masters of Kaos in Villa Friekens in the Netherlands; a squatted 'village' with loads of DIY facilities and activities going on. Pick this up!!! (SHY)
UPS c/o Mos, Vliytuiglaan 3, 3769 JM, Soesterberg,
The
Netherlands
r.ups@wanadoo.nl
www.go.to/upspunk
LYCANTHROPY / NESOUCAST STROJE split 7”
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ry saying those names in a hurry! Okay, we've got 13 tracks of grind here, that's probably made up most people's minds on this already. It's about what you'd expect from that, both bands on about a par, tho N.S. probably just edge it - a bit more in your face somehow. There’s over 10 labels putting this one out! (Set)
Insane Society Recs, PO Box 6, 501 01 Hradec Kralove 2, Czech Rep www.insanesociety.net