Madball Wisdom in Chains Family Biz review

Madball / Wisdom in Chains

Family Biz

FastBreak!

September 25^th

Two of the hardest working bands in hardcore are releasing a tantalizing split 7” just to let you know they are still coming hard. Honest. Sincere. Commited. Consistent. Madball and Wisdom in Chains are holding it down with a track each until Madball’s full length comes out on 2018.

Madball’s side comes packed with their revered energy. The track, For the Cause is also the name of their impending full length. This track continues with the firestorm they have been unleashing. The Mitts era is a gallery of classics; Legacy, Empire, Infiltrate the System, the three eps; and most recently Hardcore Lives. This feels right off of any recent. Only news I can find is that the full length will be on Nuclear Blast, no word on release date or producer. The tough, crisp track sounds like the prior ones – hopefully meaning Erik Rutan is behind the boards or even Zeuss. “For the Cause”, is vicious. Slamming track.

The flipside is blessed by the PAHC champs, Wisdom in Chains. As a bonus, Mad Joe shares the mic with Freddy Madball on “Someday”. Mad Joe’s gift to the hardcore community has always been raw, personal lyrics. We get emotionally open lyrics, contemplating what a man’s legacy will be, with solid melodic guitar lines over rough, beastly rhythms. WIC’s low chug is savage and will incite any crowd to point, swing, dive and stomp. It’s a fast, forward focused 4/4 beat with ripe time changes for cathartic pauses and two-steps.

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Vinyl Pressing Info:

15 - TEST PRESSINGS

100 - GOLD w/ HEAVY BLACK SPLATTER

100 - OPAQUE GREY w/ 14 CLOUDY CLEAR (color in color)

100 - OPAQUE GREY / BLACK (half & half )

100 - TRANS BLUE w/ ORANGE (a side / b side )

200 - GOLD (Coretex Records Exclusive )

200 - OPAQUE BLUE (Reality Records Exclusive )

700 - BLACK
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Ex Tenebris
Triple B


This is an explosive, dark hardcore record. The chaotic energy gathers influence from Fugazi's  feedback presence to Burn's bounce. But more correlative would be Outspoken, Mouthpiece, Battery, etc; a good mash of DC meets NYHC. "Equity Head" is the standout track for me, maybe even because it is the most straight ahead hardcore song. "Sisyphus" is the opener almost venturing into Cro-Mags territory - dark and menacing, fast and angry. "Out of Darkness" has a great bounce.

Being Pat Flynn, hell, 4/5 of Have Heart, there is certainly that vibe. But only the closer, "May I Be I", really capture that spread out sweeping vibe (which, to be honest i grew weary of). 3/4 of this EP move forward with urgency and spite. The vocals are furious and commanding without being self-righteous or pretentious. The mix is great, utitilizing the band's raw presence, nothing grandiose.Recommended.

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Public Trust The Leper EP Review

Public Trust

The Leper

Boston Strangler Records

by hutch 

Public Trust, as I’m told, is three members of Boston Strangler. The record site confirms BAN is the same vocalist. Excuse me, “The infamous and notorious BAN”. Which, upon listening to first pugnacious syllables spewed, is rather easy to discern. Which, means killer, angry vocals. Also, as I had heard a few people note, this is similar to BS but stripped down, more vile, more raw, more Neanderthal version of BS. This is meant as a selling point, like if ignorant could be used as a compliment. However you label it, it’s a ripper. Public Trust stay in their 80’s Boston HC worship mixed with dirty punk of the same era. The band gives us four tracks. The sound varies somewhat between them but all are deliver with resentment and fury. This was released late December 2016; but I just have to help spread the word. I picked it up late February 2017 and am writing about it now. It’s a damn fine record.

The first track boasts a great title and perfects Boston hardcore punk. “Everyone Smokes in East Boston” is an instant classic.  The riff is outstanding. The song contains venom. Hell of a way to open an EP. As much I tout that I will never play my How We Rock twelve inch, I love the slower rock swing of “The Leper”. I would equate it to an Easy Action, Stooges type feel. The recording of lo-fi and loose lends itself to the ugly words and the jam-feel of the song. This is live at practice; in a Black Flag, unhinged and sweaty repulsion manner.

“Trip to Germany” and “She’s A Psycho” cover the B Side. These joints thrash and move fast. Similar sounding, mid-tempo to fast hardcore. “Trip to Germany” rips hard employing fuzzed out guitars. The energy is boot stomping rage. The genius of the production – and the players – is that through the chaotic, distorted cloud of noise, you can pick out the bass line. It is glorious. Confrontational and obnoxious, this track is catchy and repulsive. “She’s A Psycho” is a charger of rudimentary punk and beautiful for it. It punches quickly and often as it drives a fast tempo forward with rigid drums.

FROM THE BAND:

FFO: scummy New England punk shit like The Freeze, Jabbers-era GG Allin, Unnatural Axe, FU's, early Out Cold, and only the finer moments in KBD/BLOODSTAINS history.

one-time pressing of 500... buy or cry.

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Xibalba Diablo Con Amor Adios Review

Xibalba
Diablo Con Amor Adios
Closed Casket Activities
Review by Hutch

Three songs fill up quick EP from the boys who devastated eardums and venue floors with Tierra Y Libertad in 2015. This EP dropped a month ago, so i am a touch late, but hey, it's killer. Xibalba played their tenth anniversary show on 2.26.17 and have no plans of slowing down. These SoCal titans match beatdown hardcore with death metal mastery perfectly. The slow churn of the riffs are amazing as they contort and twist the definition of a breakdown.

In one aspect, a review is a little silly, because these dudes have not changed their sound, per se. But they are taking that sound to the next level on Tierra Y Libertad and now, Diablo Con Amor Adios. Each release steps up their song writing since their multi-released debut. This EP, on Closed Casket, is available on a cool orange splatter vinyl 7" and other variations. The band knows precisely how to execute the hard ass sound they cherish.

The title comes from the culmination of the three song titles, "Diablo", "Con Amor", and "Adios". "Con Amor" blazes forward, fast hardcore or death metal, whatever you dub it, it slays. Gang vocals ensure maximum crowd participation. The chunky breakdown in the middle is barbaric. Thus track is 3 minutes; "Adios" is 5:23 and "Diablo" is shorter at 2:22. In this 11 minutes Xibalba fuck with time changes and delivery. There is enough variety to keep all parties interested. "Adios" has a cool swing in the mid-swing riff that adds soe flavor before it jumps into a gallop tempo. Never concerned with too much with tech (hence they hardcore feel over some DM band wanted to be worshiped for solos). Xibalba is all about heart, sweat, blood and spirit. This music is savage and should be bridging fans of all genres. Grimy and raw, evil and tough - this is a great release.

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White Jazz Lies Split Review

White Jazz/Lies (Deathwish Inc) new ep

White Jazz is a new band from three quarters of Rise and Fall, giving nods to Minor Threat with Greg Ginn type lead attacks. In “Bliss”, White Jazz are cultivating aggression into sweeping waves of exhaustion and release. With “Gutter Rainbows”, Noise and chaos copulate while filter through pedals of MC5 + Rollins Band + Dicks. There are many influences. But this erects itself to be adored by a vast spectrum of fans. The riff is the pith, but many other factors pack a pretty deep bite. The throat of the vocalist is as impactful as any snare or guitar string. These are not songs as much as they are four dudes beating their instruments to vent the frenetic swarm in their heads. Lo-fi, DIY recording adds to the dangerous aesthetic. Listening to this is like listening to the burning of an altar.

Boasting from members of Skin Like Iron and The Hope Conspiracy, LIES play the hardcore of Infest, Haymaker, and Extortion until it bursts into rocky noise. This is dirty and gritty. Lies exhibit a bitter restraint while fusing Motorhead and Negative approach. “Deny Me”, the second track is a blitzkrieg of off timing drums and furious barking, powerviolence or what have you. It is noisey hardcore that is vomited upon the two inch tape until we get that breakdown. It is catchy and will have VFW hall floors absorbing blood. Lies have recorded what the internal dialogue of a mapless Mid-Westener navigating Boston’s downtown. 

Throat Short Circuit Review

Throat

Short Circuit

Kaos Kontrol/Reptillian Records

listen and/or buy

Throat is a quartet from Turku, Finland. Their approach could be best described as noise rock. When I label a band “noise rock” the usual litany of AmRep and Touch & Go bands get listed. And while these influences are present, supplemented by a strong NYC post-hardcore vibe, there is songwriting here that uniquely stands. Throat cultivate tension and aggression, ebbing back at times to scrape the anxiety from their flesh.

The stripped production constructs a feeling of a menacing, large room. The instruments rain noise and tumult into your ears. The drums and vocals, echo from the far corner; chaotic strings of guitars pull you in varied directions. The production relishes the live feel of the band. Listeners get a calculated, thin feel of razors and wires instead of a big thick feel.

Time changes are Throat’s main weapons. Throat employ these sections of songs to stretch tethered emotions. Certainly at times, a rocking groove runs. Often though, Throat retreat into hollow vacuums of slow, purposeful whining and plucks of the guitar. The average song is about four minutes. This gives Throat enough time indulge but not overstay the listener’s welcomes.

The beauty of Throat is in the ugly discomfort their songs emit. The cover of Short Circuit, shows an illustration of a girl about tp compete a circuit between and outlet and herself with a bobby pin. She has a look of fear on her face, yet the impending motion will be completed. That cautious harbinger, founded in the certainty of the tragedy, reiterates the feel of this record. The listener knows from the first notes that this adventure will elicit sharp, slicing memories, but the listener will continue. Hell of a record.

RIYL: The Jesus Lizard, Godflesh, Helmet, Stillsuit, Shift, Quicksand, Cows, Melvins, Pissed Jeans, Drive Like Jehu

The Shame Foreign Legion Split Review

Foreign Legion/The Shame

Split EP

Aggrobeat Records/Rebel Sound Music

Foreign Legion:

Foreign Legion have been representing Welsh streetpunk/Oi! since 1984. After a few names changes, they finally settled and got to cranking out consistent records in 2001. That is when the Major Accident split LP was released. Then, they had a full length, again on DSS. 2007 saw the strong, Death Valley on Durty Mick. Other great splits with Red Alert, Suburban Lockdown, Riot Company, Paris Violence and Cervelli Stanki show their tenacity. Well, they throw a quick two songs here (after another solid LP, Light at the End of the Tunnel, KB records) for The Shame. 

Social and political concerns are the basis for these feisty, pissed songs. Foreign Legion are calling attention to the disarray and dysfunctional society that plagues all cities globally. A cry for people like us that see the issues, these tracks should incite disdain. The strong back beat harnesses the focus. This material boasts thicker guitars and more ferocity than Foreign Legion’s prior output. The intensity is stronger and enticing!

RIYL: One Way System, Menace, Major Accident, Brass Tacks 

The Shame:

Tough, gritty and angry Oi! here. The Shame come from Tulsa, OK. “Cross the Line” is gruff track, pledging allegiance to defiance. This track is fast. Tight guitar chords propel the beat forward. This will certainly get people singing along.  

“Faded Glory” is not just a drinking song, but a “let’s drink” rally cry to lament. The tone of the song, the guitar chords, and the pace bring a solemn feel that is in line with needing just one more shot of whiskey to go with the pint. The chorus is catchy and morose, in a nostalgic fashion. The feeling is perfect for an old skinhead who is reminiscing about the days that weren’t so caught up in daily grind and respnsibilty. Get a friend and hoist a pint.

RIYL: Wretched Ones, The Booked, Squiggy,  

Record label: Aggrobeat Records (Europe) / Rebel Sound (USA)

Pressing info: 500 copies: 250 cyan blue (Europe) / 250 solid red (USA)

Sonic Poison seven inch review

Sonic Poison

s/t

LifeLine Records

Release June 22^nd 2015

Review by hutch

Ron Grimaldi – vocals, Rick Lopez - guitar, Anthony Corallo - drums, Tom Clavin - bass.

The first time I heard the name Ron Grimaldi was on Kill Your Idols’ release, Fur is For Fucks.  He showed up again on “Miserable and Satisfied”, sealing my attention to this screaming bitter dude. When KYI disbanded, Paul Delaney and Gary Bennet formed Deathcycle appropriately with Grimaldi screaming. Deathcycle released two sinister full lengths and few splits. They broke up, and musically, Grimaldi had stayed quiet. Until Now. 

Enter current Sheer Terror drummer, Anthony Corallo and Rick Lopez of The Casualties to sling six strings and Tom Clavin on bass, the New York punk Rock/hardcore resume is stacked. Their first release here is four tracks of chaotic destruction.

Steeped in punk and DIY ethos, these four tracks hammer out rage and rebellion in the usual short fast loud fashion. It’s glorious. The synergy, from Tom and Anthony playing in Concrete Cross and Disnihil together, and everyone’s experience is a tight machine of anger. Production is on point, raw but focused. Each instrument is discernible, with low rumbles balanced with the galloping bass and clanging cymbals. Corallo produced this himself in the band’s space. 

Grimaldi’s honed spewing is aimed at social and political imbalance in a suffocating society in “Mass Surveillance”. Then with the opener, “Will It Ever End?” and the sequential “Another Day of Misery”, Grimaldi spits vocals of depression and jaded memories. KYI fans will rejoice in the malaise. The latter boasts a dope breakdown that will arms swinging and feet two-stepping to a hardcore beat meant to incite.

Round out this release with artwork from Chad Lawson (Rude Awakening, Expire, Backtrack, etc) and this EP is a must have. Influences are there, but Sonic Poison emulates no one directly. Similarities to Kill Your Idols are there, and will be noted. But that’s a huge bonus in my book. This EP is crushing. It rips out of the gate and is unrelenting to your speakers, ears, and guts. Inciting your emotions and sense of justice, this music will trigger all of punk’s attractive qualities.

RIYL: KYI, Discharge, Conflict, ENT, Negative Approach, Violent Arrest, Direct Control, Strung Up, Government Warning, Dead Stop, Tear It Up.

Nun Slaughter Review of New Split EPs

Nun-Slaughter Splits

Hells Headbangers

Perversor Split:

NunSlaughter return with incredible design and splatter vinyl and penetrating metal to match. “Impure Thoughts” open this seven inch, as NunSlaughter remind you why they are the kings of Devil Metal. Sleazy and sexual in a wretched manner, NunSlaughter unleash punishing raw death metal with a crust-thrash-blackened twist. The vocal are growled but audible. You can distinguish each smattering of delectable evil. Stellar production and a sinister energy level show this band at their peak with two exclusive tracks.

Perversor come with the same vibe. Lower vocals make it harder to understand than their split mates, but the demonic intent is what matters in delivery and Perversor crushes it. The songs are fast are Hell. This side adheres to more straight forward death metal from these South American purveyors of Satanic smut. And if you missed it, it is fast as Hell. Dirty riffs meander through an atomic cloud of malicious music. Both tracks are at 3:15 and feel elongated due to how fast they are. The drummer truly elevates the effort of these killer tracks.

Witchtrap Split:

Same great effort put into the layout and grey and black splatter wax here. The  vibrant red of the record sleeve is attention grabbing. NunSlaughter again return with ill tracks. They kick the speed up until the break into a swinging death-thrash riff that slays all suckers. As a tribute to their Colombian split mates, Witchtrap, NunSlaughter have titled the respective tracks “La Ofrenda” and “Altar De La Muerta”. 

While Witchtrap raised the ante with “Sex Commander” and “The Devil’s on the Loose”. These tracks are not as low tuned or dark as NunSlaughter. They are still metal as fuck, though. A tougher version of NWOBHM or Kreator, Destruction, Sodom would be appropriate. The chorus of “I’m a Sex Commander” certainly has me naked in my apartment with a towel for a cape. This is empowerment.

Afucking Plus for package and design. Support this and buy some vinyl

RIYL: Possessed, Nekrofilth, Necroholocaust, AntiCimex, Nuclear Assault, Toxic Holocaust

Snake Handler Enjoy The View Review

Snake Handler
Enjoy the View
Victimized Records

Jesus Almighty. This is heavy, fast, gnarly, ugly. In other words, this is perfect. Snake Handler released a demo cassette last year. It was damn good. Enjoy the View excels at their formula.

The anger oozes through the speakers. For being so raw and frantic, the production is well mixed. I always search for where the bass gets pushed to in a track; as it is usually my focus. From doom metal to hip hop to punk to oi etc, the bass is the foundation for me. This bass is utilized as a pile driver, pushing the songs forward. Rich's guitars are frenetic but are focused with intent of delivering fierce riffs. The drums are tight as penguin pussy. Ian's vocals are exactly what I want; raw and pushed but not filtered or cleaned in anyway; and not growled like a caricature to sound like a demonic cookie monster.

The other aspect of hardcore that I love, are time changes. Snake Handler knows how to drive fast then pull it back a hair for the two step or crushing breakdown. The intro to "Ghosts" is slow and evil and quickly rushes into an unparalleled fury.

Snake Handler never go d-beat or crust, but the frenzied disdain for humanity seems to channel that energy. But you can still dance to this if you want to destroy a VFW hall or dive bar. There is always a spark of - not catchy or grooved - some small swing to grasp. When "Saturday Night..." kicks into its bridge, those low toms pound rhythms of destruction. The song's swinging riff is so fucking incendiary. You will not sit still. I broke into unabashed mirror moshing in my basement.

I cannot find a flaw here. I seriously would not change a thing. I do not think a cleaner production would improve the delivery. It's not bad production, it is the style that fits this hardcore. It is never muddy - you are always able to discern each instrument and vocal. This is dark music. But this ain't no lingering sludge or mopey emo. Snake Handler has no time for that. While pummeling your senses, these tracks leave you no time to ponder or wander in the existential darkness. You can only hate and want to rage forward.

FFO: fucking hardcore. Think the energy and ethos of Black Flag and Poison Idea, but turning it darker and angrier. Bands like Violent Arrest, Punch, Boston Strangler, Tear It Up, Reproach, Wasted Time, Raw Nerves, Sick Fix, DFA, Set to Explode, 86 Mentality, Born Against, and, of course, Sheer Terror demos and Negative Approach.

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Dirty Nil Cinnamon Review

The Dirty Nil

Cinnamon b/w Guided By Vices

Fat Wreck Chords

Review by hutch

Admittedly, I had never heard of The Dirty Nil. That said, I am not a fan of the FWC ilk. The Dirty Nil however evade the poppiness or uber polished production of most of Fat releases. The Dirty Nil, and their damned handsome youth, has been a band since each members’ high school years. That was only in 2006. This is their fifth EP since 2011.

The Dirty Nil boast a captivating sound, while maintaining a raucous edge that conveys an authentic adoration of rock and roll. The first track, “Cinnamon” reminds me of what I thought Everclear should sound like (“Santa Monica” is a classic, but beyond the sentimentality of “Father of Mine”, I never liked any other song by them. Yet when reviewed, they got called “punk”.) “Cinnamon” probably extracts the aspect of Weezer that punk dudes like, but which I never got. It’s dirty and wrought with feedback, like a happy Nirvana. The catchy riff and vocals are undeniable even for a curmudgeon like me. The factor which impresses me is straight forward production. No one over thought this and it works perfectly.

“Guided by Vices” is relayed with a broader approach; a little grander in scope. And hey, this track sits at 2:30, as opposed to side A’s 2 minute trek. Again, solemn feel being exorcised through coarse, garage rock delivery melds well. The combination of attitude and execution won’t kill the party, but will prompt you to grab another drink. There are some swirling indie spasms of say an early Pissed Jeans; but they wander as light as a Jawbox or Jawbreaker. They stay steady in the rock and roll course.

Poking a short digital distance on Vimeo, The Dirty Nil performs a faster (1:39), blistering rager named after their hero, “Guy Piccioto”. As with this video, other videos (including “Cinnamon”) continually have the band live in a small room among three or four friends. Eschewing the pretension and garish arrogance which making a video could conjure, these young dudes earn respect points as well. A few listens, and I want to play it more. Volume, speed, and grit push this band. Now we need a full length.

The cover is cool, a minimalist’s Dead Kennedy scrapbook pop art feel; the American family superimposed over a spewing, erupting volcano. FWC delivers this catchy thing on colored vinyl. The pics of the band look like what I expect from California kids (who are from Hamilton, Ontario actually) who are happy and full of promise. It’s infuriating.

RIYL: Filthy Nights, The Sun, Born Liars, The Jons, The Lillingtons, Leatherface, Avail