12" Reviews

Bäddat För Trubbel - Det Här ar inte New York Lp (Punks Only) (12,50 euro)

What's left to say about this band? Maximum Rock 'n Roll already wrote a praising review for this Lp in the June issue and launched it as 'the record of the week' on their website, whereas people on Terminal Boredom have been creaming over this thing for months straight so the band has had a fair share of attention already. Bäddat För Trubbel plays punk rock with a certain swagger that one doesn't come across in the genre too often. These four Swedes don't shy away from using a saxophone (a mortal sin in many punks' books) and they even serve the listener two ballads! That might sound horrible, but it's anything but. There are several very good songs on this Lp, but my favourite would probably be the title track. All fifteen songs on this Lp are sung in Swedish. Apparently the band uses a lot of slang and the lyrics are supposedly hilarious. Too bad I don't understand a word they're singing, but what can you do? The singer has a deep and strong voice, which had me labeling the record as 'slick' after a hear or two, but really this Lp is anything but slick. Typical that I need to declassify a record that way as soon as I hear someone who can  actually sing! Despite my first hand impressions (or narrow mindedness, you decide) I came to love this record. 'Det Här ar inte New York' is a refreshing and quite unique punk rock full length. I can see Bäddat För Trubbel playing in some Swedish bar before an intoxicated crowd that drunkenly sings along to all songs whilst spilling their overtaxed alcaholic beverages all over the floor, causing some of them to fall. Bruises, beer, blood, good times. Apart from this Lp the band did an Ep on Ken Rock that is easily as great. Pick it up if you haven't already.

Bill Bondsmen - ...--. .-.-.- ... .-.-.- / -.-----..- .----. .-. . / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- .-.. 12" (Burning Sensations) (8,- euro)

The story about this release is an obscure one. Some Dutch punk released two 12"s by Bill Bondsmen (of which this is the better) but somehow they ended up in his attic and most never got sold. To my knowledge the kid in question is still alive so why he never parted with these 12"s is a mystery to me. Perhaps they were of too much emotional value, perhaps he was told not to sell copies by voices in his head (it really was the band telling him not to (eds.)). Either way this 12" is some of the Bondsmen's best material and it's a shame that this release hasn't been available to the masses before. I don't feel like going into detail about this band's sound. They play intense hardcore. That's for sure. I've said it before, but I think Gaby's vocals are some of the best to be found in hardcore today. Most consider the "Swallowed by the World" Lp Bill Bondsmen's strongest release, but those who do obviously haven't heard this record. It's meaner, rawer and harsher. It has the sound the band had before the Lp came out and the songwriting qualities that the band got recognition for on their full length and succeeding single. This should be the Bondsmen record for those of you with a short attention span, because it delivers seven perfect hardcore tunes. Long live the 12" Ep! This might be the best Bondsmen record around. The artwork looks stupid, but rad.

P.s. Sailors, fill me in on what that morse code stands for. I wonder.

Burning Sensation - 12" (Vertex) (17,- euro)*
This three piece hail from the land down under. They're from Perth which I've seen being labeled as the most depressing town in all of Oz on several occassions. Although I've never visited the city myself, listening to the twelve tunes on this 12'' sure gives the impression that Perth is the breeding ground for depression, frustration and resent. Burning Sensation play melodic hardcore that gets compared to early Hüsker Dü a lot and although I try to keep my comparisons to classic bands on as low a level as possible the influence here is undeniable. The guitar sound is agressive and scathing and all these songs have the urgency of the Hüskers' 'Landspeed Record', which a friend of mine once labeled as the musical equivalent of one long line of speed. Quite a few songs on this record are fast as hell. Others are a bit slower and incorporate more melody. The vocals sound desperate and the lyrics sure aren't optimistic either. Topics such as angst, sexual frustration (gotta love song titles like 'I fear Erections' and 'I Chopped it off') and depression are covered without mincing matters.  The odd song out here is 'I Wonder' which I guess one could call Burning Sensation's radio friendly hit. At first I hated the song, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't that goddamn tune that's stuck in my head after spinning this record each and every time. This record is bound to be labeled as 'retro', but who gives a shit? These guys deliver the goods! From what I understand this is Burning Sensation's first and last record. That's good news for you purists out there, because it means the band won't be selling out or be signing to a lousy label or whatever it is you people care about.

*PLEASE READ: I sold the first batch of this record pretty fast and got another parcel filled with these things all the way from Australia this time around. I got the first copies send to me through a friend of the band who traveled to the UK. That's why I could offer them for cheap before. I'm sorry about the high price, but it's impossible to sell it for less. Vertex is already losing money on the deal as it is now. Furthermore I'd like to inform interested parties on the fact that the records got some wear from shipment. The vinyl is in perfect condition, but the sleeves are somewhat slit.

Brainbombs - Genius and Brutality Lp (Skrammel) (12,50 euro)
It feels redundant to write anything about the Brainbombs, because this band has been the topic of wide debate ever since their birth so you probably already know if you want to hear this record or not. During their existence Brainbombs got a lot of attention of which most wasn’t positive. This Swedish band started in the late 1980s and barely ever played live. They only released a few much sought after 7”s at first and after that a few full lengths followed. Braimbombs’ music often gets qualified as proto rock or proto punk. The band’s formula is simple. Pick a slow and heavy riff and play it for minutes straight. The music is slow and sludgy and it is all about the riffs. What the band got known for however is their lyrics. Inspired by Peter Sotos’ Pure zine the Brainbombs mostly covered topics such as rape and murder and they always showed a healthy interest (or is it awe…) for serial killers. Brainbombs’ lyrics are disgusting in one word and I can understand that they turn people off. It’s interesting how words can be so powerful. I always had mixed feelings about this band. On the one hand I feel like the lyrics are despicable and tasteless, but that is obviously intended. On the other hand I think the lyrics make this band work. Without them this music loses its grit which is shown by new material from No Balls, the band some of Brainbombs’ members created after the Brainbombs’ recent demise which is mostly instrumental. Brainbombs are a love or hate kinda band and I think they’re definitely aiming to fall in everybody’s hate category. It’s undeniable that this band left a mark and some of their songs are great. Skrammel Records from Sweden just rereleased most of the Brainbombs’ back catalogue so all their records are once again available for the masses. This was the band’s second full length originally released in 1994. ‘Who can You Trust’ of this record is among my favourite Brainbombs’ tunes. I like it most when the band includes their trumpet player, which unfortunately is only the case in a handful of songs on this Lp.

Butcher Cover - Lp (Rotted Tooth)
This is the first full length by Butcher Cover who hail from Oakland, California. The band started out as a two piece and released a demo and 7” in that setting. These two guys made (and still make) for an interesting combination. The drummer has had much love for the Electric Eels whereas the guitar/player singer was mostly obsessed with Whitehouse. The drummer supposedly taught the other guy how to play the guitar during the recording of the demo. I don’t know how much of this is true, but it makes for a lovely story. My guess is that these two men bonded over a mutual love for hardcore music (and bad drugs perhaps) as well as a shared contempt for mankind. Butcher Cover seems to deliver classic hardcore covers on pretty much every record. This time around they do a Shitlickers song. The band recently added a bass player to their line up. The bass sounds as if it is being played over a blown up amp. Despite the addition of the four string Butcher Cover’s approach remains unchanged on this record. I’ve seen this band being described as ‘fucked up noise’ once and that’s pretty accurate. This music sure is ugly, inept and violent. The guitar sounds shrill and there’s a lot of feedback throughout the record. The drums are loud and blown out and the vocals are seething with hatred. The lyrics are mostly indecipherable, but my guess is that the guy isn’t saying anything nice. Like on the demo there are nasty samples in between the songs of which some are tasteless jokes. The song titles aren’t going to fall well with sensitive punks either. What can I say? Butcher Cover aren’t about being nice. They’re out to offend. So Butcher Cover won’t be your new facebook friend, but that doesn’t make this record any less perfect a soundtrack to your after work daydreams of killing your boss and coworkers.

  

Canadian Rifle - Visibility Zero Lp (Residue, Squirrel Heart)

Year Zero is Canadian Rifle's first full-length. This Chicago three-piece plays music that could be labeled as melodic punk rock. The overall production of this record is quite raw. Adding to that are the vocals of both singers. They’re pretty harsh. The lyrics tend to focus on the bleaker side of life. "All good things leave and all bad things stay and multiply." There's not much cheer to be found on this piece of wax, but the songs aren't whiny and are delivered with conviction. Unlike their previous 7"s this Lp doesn't offer any hits, but that doesn't mean the songs aren't good. They are, but consistent full length is just a whole different bag than a good 7". I think Canadian Rifle delivered a strong melodic punk rock record with Visibility Zero. So if melodic punk rock is your kinda thing I'd recommend you to pick this one up. This record won't kick your teeth in, but is a nice listen just as well.

Cola Freaks - Lp (Hjernespind) (14,- euro)
After five 7" releases here it is; the first Cola Freaks full-length! The Cola Freaks have been carrying the torch of Danish punk rock ever since all the K-Town hardcore bands ceased to exist in the early 00's. Not that this band sounds anything like the bands that put Denmark on the punk map back then. The Cola Freaks are on the catchier side of things. At first these guys were labeled as a 'KBD style band', but over time they proved to be so much more than that. Through the years all kinds of influences came seeping into the Cola Freaks' sound. Post-punk, pop, goth, you name it. The addition of a synthesizer is a good illustration of their versatility. At times I wonder if one should still consider this band a punk band, because there's nothing inept about them. They are good musicians. Plus I've said it before, and I'll say it again; the Cola Freaks know how to write a tune. Goddamn! This Lp serves eleven songs and there aren't any misses among it. You might have noticed that I said little about the actual music on this piece of vinyl, but that's because this record is just about one thing; the SONGS! You need to hear those to know what this is about. So what the hell are you waiting for? The record has been out on CD for a while now, but it's finally available on vinyl as well and, let's face it, that's all you people care about. I'm sorry about the price, but the Danish Kroner isn't cheap. This record is definitely worth the money though.

Cola Freaks - Live on WMBR (Mastermind) (12,50 euro)
High quality live recording from this Danish super group played at Harvard University’s radio station WMBR in late 2008. There’s hardly any chatter in between songs. No stupid jokes. No Dj talking. It’s pretty much a tightly played live set of their early material. This session was recorded during their 2008 US tour during which they supported Jay Reatard. Apparently Mr. Reatard and the Cola Freaks got along well, because shortly after some of them would do time in Jay’s backing band only briefly before he left this world. They played on what turned out to be his final record. I’m not trying to sell this thing on the Reatard connection here, mind you, because the Cola Freaks are a band in their own right. It’s just nice to have some context and background, right? The nine songs on this Lp were all taken from the singles and split that preceded the band’s full length, but they sound the way the band would later sound on their Lp; huge and tense. In that sense this live recording bridges the gap between the 7”s and the 12” (and yet it’s no 5”, hoho). The synthesizer is already added to the line-up here and it gives the old songs a big and full sound quite unlike the original versions that can be found on the 7”s, which were way more stripped down. That’s what makes this set a nice document. It gives the listener a peek into the development of this punk rock band. So it all comes down to the question whether you give enough of a shit about the Cola Freaks to be interested in their development at all. Like most live recordings, this is not the best way to be introduced to this band (although I think this thing sounds good enough for a solid introduction so in that sense it’s as good a start as any). If you’re new to these guys, I think the Lp would make for a better start. Fans of the band will love this though. It sounds great. The songs are good. What more can you ask for? The artwork shown was limited so don’t worry about your friends thinking you love the Nazis. Your sleeve will have a more neutral look so you won’t have to hide the thing when your parents in law come over for dinner.

Condominium - Warm Home Lp (Sliding Hills) (12,50 euro)
Let’s start off with a retrospective on this great Minneapolis band. The first single was sold as a new project from the guitar player of Formaldehyde Junkies, a great band, but nothing like Condominium. On the first Ep the band was still developing its style. From the second Ep on Condominium got their sound down. Then ‘Barricade’ came out and mud started to be slung at the Minneapolis four. The whole ‘mysterious guy hardcore cult’ bullshit was its peak back then. Every hardcore nerd was creaming over Sex/Vid at the time as if it were Paris Hilton’s night vision sex tape. People were saying Condominium was trying to ride the wave ‘real’ bands like Sex/Vid and Total Abuse had created. Then came ‘Gag’, a total downer of a record, which could hardly be classified as hardcore altogether. Some loved the new direction the band took, while others, perhaps more mysterious in nature, were disappointed by the fourth 7”. With ‘Gag’ Condominium left people in confusion and everything went quiet for a while. One of the reasons for their sudden disappearance was probably that bass player Kim left the band. Singer Matt has picked up four string duties ever since. However I don’t think that the line up change is the only explanation for Condominium’s radio silence. The band was never prolific when it came to releasing records. They took four years for four 7”s totaling eleven songs. Maybe this low productivity is only due to circumstances, but I like to think that the main reason is that Condominium enforces serious quality control. This band has never been out to make a name for itself. Instead it focuses on writing good songs and releasing good records. Although ‘Warm Home’ has Condominium functioning as a three piece for the first time on record, there’s no noticeable difference between this record an the 7”. In fact I think this Lp could well be seen as a merging of the singles that preceded it. For this reason I think it’s a shame that the band didn’t continue the line of artwork (black and white pictures with ‘Condominium’ stamped in color paint) with this release, but really that’s nothing but a marginal note to this otherwise awesome record. Like before Condominium still plays hardcore with noise elements and Matt still sounds like someone trying to pronounce his spite against the world while being force fed dirt. The guitar playing is wild and just spot on moving between conveying agony and rage. One thing that really struck me on this record furthermore is the drumming especially in the first and last song. It demands the listener’s attention. Maybe the band has shifted its attention a bit back to hardcore in comparison to the last two 7”s. There’s more frenzy to this release, but to me that’s a good thing. I like that the band has found some of its anger back. However there are still downer jams to be found on this Lp too as well as an atmospheric ode to Negative Approach played on a hammer dulcimer, strings and bowls filled with water. The A-side delivers the more straight forward fast tracks and a crazy instrumental, while two longer more depressing songs can be found on the flip. All in all this record clocks in under twenty minutes, but this wouldn’t be Condominium if they wouldn’t have you craving for more when the needle leaves the plastic.

Cruddy - Negative World Lp (12XU) (12,50 euro)
Review up soon...

Druid Perfume - Tin Boat to Tuna Town Lp (Self Released) (12,50 euro)

This record caught me a bit off guard. Druid Perfume's previous outputs where intense, messy and chaotic if not downright crazy. The music on this record is not like that at all. Although Tin Boat to Tuna Town is calmer than Druid Perfume's former releases it still breathes the same celebration of the irrational and crazy. I'd describe the music as moody drugged punk with jolting horns. Some people have labeled the band as free-jazz, but apart from the final chord in the opening song, there's not much subtility to be found on this Lp. Whereas the bass seemed to be the only instrument keeping the music together on their former record, the band sounds more in balance on this release. The singer still steals the show. On Druid Perfume's Selftitled Lp I liked to think of him as a reverend Jim Jones kinda character strung out on psychedelic drugs announcing the apocalypse to his followers. Now imagine the following. Our anti-hero awakes in a stupor. He is surrounded  by burnt down houses, smoke still coming from smouldering fires. Corpses of his followers as well as total strangers are scattered among the ruins. Drunkenly beholding the product of his teaching the guy loses the last bit of sanity he had left. He picks up a female body lying next to him. He doesn't notice her shotgun wound nor the blood he's smearing all over himself as he starts dancing a tango with what's left of the lady. As the picture slowly fades we hear the man's manical laughter. THE END. Tin Boat to Tuna Town would be the perfect soundtrack to this somewhat disturbing scene.

Flying Trichecos - Onesided 12" (Mastermind) (12,50)

Is Clevo hardcore a genre these days? Some say so. Flying Trichecos hailed from Cleveland, Ohio and are now done for. This was their final release. Alessandro a.k.a. Anus the Asshole returned to his native country where the Romans held orgies two thousands years ago and contemporary politicians throw ‘bunga bunga parties’ today. Funny how little things change. The Trichecos’ love for snorting drugs sure hasn’t diminished one bit since their 7” either. Pretty much every song on this onesided 12” mentions the use of drugs except for the opening track ‘Mongo Punk Attack’. No surprises there. There’s even a song called ‘My Nose Had A Good Day’ on here for fuck’s sake and it’s actually quite a good tune too! The blown out bass sound this band uses rules and Alessandro’s vocals are great as always. The Trichecos are at their best when the singer spits his hatred against humanity, life, you, me and of course ‘faggots’ over the mongoloid music the band produces. Whether Alessandro’s broken English has its roots in his Italian background or is a result from years of drug abuse and brain damage is unknown to me, but it never fails to crack me up. Lines like ‘I have one reason to celebrate/ every single one of you has an expiration date’ from the song ‘Rock O Rama’ can do no wrong with me. This tune actually sums up what these guys are about well: ‘So snort the lines and raise the pints/ Let’s drink to everybody fucking dying’. One would say there are only so many songs a band can write about sniffing shit up your nose before it gets trite, but the Trichecos pull it off without it getting too much of a shtick. Main reason for this is that I actually believe these guys’ drug use lives up to the expectations they create for it in their songs. Not every song on here is as good as the next. There’s a fair dose of stupidity thrown in with each tune and it doesn’t always benefit the song, but overall this is a cool punk rock record. Some songs aren’t funny to me, especially ‘Nose Blocker’ comes to mind, but I’m sure they thought it was funny and could care less about what I think. This band never gave a shit about anyone’s opinion. The Trichecos were notorious for not finishing their sets, because the singer would get into fights with the crowd all the time. Go figure. The artwork shows the band posing at the statue of a Tricheco and is bound to make you jibe.

GG King - Esoteric Lore (Scavenger of Death, Rob's House)

After four singles Greg decided he and his partners in crime were ready for a GG King Lp and ‘Estoric Lore’ is the result. When I heard GG King had a Lp in the works I really wondered what the thing would be like. All their singles were pretty cool, but releasing a full length is a whole different story than doing a single, baby. Greg and the boys seem to have thought the same thing, because ‘Esoteric Lore’ isn’t exactly the picking-up-where-they-left-off-with-their-last-record-kinda-deal. ‘Esoteric Lore’ serves fifteen songs (not counting the didgeridoo intro and the outro). According to the labels’ descriptions there are all sorts of influences to be heard on this record and although I’ve never been great at labeling it’s obvious that this thing is pretty damn diverse. GG King isn’t going for one particular sound which gives the record a bit of a mix tape feel. When I first heard this Lp I expected people would hold this against the record. ‘The thing has no consistency…’ No sir, it does not and I fucking love it. There are so many good songs on this record, it’s ridiculous. ‘Walls Closing In’ is so simple and yet so incredibly catchy. ‘Reading Magazines’ is an infectious and somewhat slow song about shutting yourself off from the outside world and just reading a good old (maga)zine. The list goes on. Boredom (‘Bored of Breathing’) and feeling detached from your surroundings seem to be returning topics on this record and weren’t that the things punk was about in the first place? You know, before ebay and record collecting. I think I read it on the Terminal Boredom forum or something…  ‘Esoteric Lore’ is without a doubt one of the best punk rock records of this year and I’ll be spinning this thing until the grooves are gone. The vinyl comes in a printed insert with all lyrics and cool artwork. This Lp is nothing like I expected and yet it’s better than I could have hoped for.

Government Warning - Paranoid Mess Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Virginia’s Government Warning deliver their second Lp with Paranoid Mess. If you haven’t heard Government Warning by now you’ve either lived under a rock or you’re just deaf. I actually am close to deaf after seeing them in Amsterdam in May. Thanks guys! Government Warning is at the top of today’s 80s inspired hardcore bands. It’s true that that genre is far beyond satured by now, but Government Warning is definitely one of the better bands playing this style. By now it’s the cool thing to piss on retro hardcore apparently, but for those of you who don’t care about jumping bandwagons here’s a good Lp by a band that’s been playing this style from the start and will keep playing it despite it being out of vogue. No less than fifteen tracks on this Lp. Standouts to me were “Urban Warfield” and the title track. The drums on this release sound way heavier than on their past ones. It’s a bit too much for me sometimes, but overall this is a solid hardcore record. This is the European pressing on La Vida Es Un Mus.

HPP - 12" (Perennial) (12,50 euro)

Third release on Perennial Records from Olympia. Whereas the other two releases on said label seem to have had a fair share of attention it has been awfully quiet around HPP (short for Hipster Piss Party apparently. Not that great a name, but let's not judge a book by its cover) as far as I know. This 12" delivers the two demos the band produced so far and to say these sound promising would be an understatment. HPP plays stripped down hardcore. The strong basslines and drums drive the music while the guitar goes into some dissonant jugglery here and there. No, it does NOT remind me of Gregg Ginn! The guitar sound is thin, but I don't mind. HPP's singer is up front which makes the lyrics easy to discern. The guy's delivery is raw which fits the demo recordings. All song seem to be short. I don't think many cross the two minute mark. The A-side has a better recording than the B-side which is most noticeable in the vocals being deeper into the mix on the flip. Both sides of this record bring plenty of memorable tunes to the plate though. In fact the more I listen to this record, the more I feel like there isn't much filler to be found on here, but that might just be salesman talk. I don't want to get any ideas into you kids' heads, but don't you think that logo would just look super cool on your upper right arm? Carve first, tattoo later! Another HPP Ep is due in early 2011 on Perennial Records.

Manikin - Stop the Sirens Lp (Mastermind) (12,50 euro)
This Houston, TX, band has been going for quite a few years now and yet they seem to be relatively unknown and highly underappreciated. Their first piece of vinyl saw the light of day in 2004. Manikin has released four singles and three 12”s since of which most were only released overseas. ‘Stop the Sirens’, their third 12”, is the first record that got a pressing on our side of the pond. So this is the moment for Europeans to wake up and acknowledge this unique and amazing band. It blows my mind that so few people seem to care about them! Basically Manikin plays post punk, but that’s a genre that can go all ways, right? Manikin’s songs are build around simple plodding bass lines. The bass riffs are pretty much the melody of the songs. The guitar playing is minimal and subtle throughout the record. At times there’s no guitar at all. Some tunes include a trumpet player, which I really like. What do punks have against brass anyway? The horn cries create an ominous atmosphere. In some songs the trumpet wails and the guitar suddenly comes to the fore. Together they violently lash out for a few seconds giving the song a shambolic and chaotic vibe, but soon we’re back to the bass line that was at the sole of the song to begin with. There is something futuristic about Manikin’s music. It’s cold and impersonal. The vocals are desperate and distant. At times they’re delivered in a robotic way. The music creates an atmosphere that reminds me of old scifi movies. I can’t help but think of ‘Blade Runner’ each time I spin this record, but that might have something to do with the artwork as well. It brings me back to that scene where the robot midget leads Holden through a giant room filled with mannequins. The viewer knows Pris is among them pretending to be a puppet, hoping that Holden doesn’t notice her. There’s that tension in the music, that vibe of a world that isn’t ours, where everything is strange to us. A world we can not understand. It’s impressive how well this band transfers a mood of alienation. I’ve read people saying Manikin’s got some good songs, but that not all of it is worthwhile. That’s taking the wrong angle here in my opinion. This band isn’t about songs. Manikin tries to create a world that doesn’t exist and sucks you into it as you listen to their records. They do this amazingly well. I think this is their best record, but have to admit that this is also the record I know best. So there’s still a lot of discovering for me to do as well. I'd argue that there's no better point to start with than this record so what are you waiting for?

No Slogan - Aversion Therapy 12" (Residue)

At first No Slogan didn't do much for me. I heard one or two of their Ep's before and was not impressed. It took this 12" to turn my head. I dismissed these guys way too easily. No Slogan delivers a solid release with this 12". Their singer's gruff vocals add up well with the tough and raw sound of the music. Although a second guitarist often feels redundant to me No Slogan makes it work well. The lyrics are pretty bleak at times yet they are always delivered with both passion and conviction. It's hard to describe what makes this record so great, but it is. No Slogan just have the songwriting down. If you like classic hardcore punk (with an emphasis on the punk) I would recommend you to give this one a hear. You won't be disappointed. I can listen to the song "Death of Cool" all day.

Predator - Lp (Douchemaster)

This record has been in the making for quite some time. Why I do not know. When I ordered Predator’s debut single from Rob’s House I was already told that the band had the songs for a full-length ready, but it must have taken at least one and a half year before the record was actually released. Here it finally is though and to be frank, it’s really really good. There’s something about this record that gives it a different feel than the 7”, but what the difference exactly is, is hard to tell. The sound is pretty much the same. There’s still the blown out bass sound, which is totally awesome. The drumming is simple and tight with a hi-hat hit on practically every count. The vocals are still heavy on the reverb and their singer still has the snotty as fuck bored teenager style down. Predator delivers thirteen songs on this record of which only one was on their previous 7”. I think the band has really nailed their sound this time around. On this record Predator moves from slow weeded out songs such as the instrumental jam ‘March of the Confederates’ with its silly boogie-woogie bass line at the end, to tight frustrated punk rockers such as ‘Alright’ and ‘Choke’. There’s no bad song to be found on this piece of wax, but the absolute hit is the bouncy ‘You’. I’ve spun this record a shitload of times and I’m far from tired of it. Quite the opposite actually. With each spin I realize how great a record this is. This is one of the best releases this year brought so far and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if it would turn out to be the best punk rock record of 2011. To me this thing is flawless. It’s as great a soundtrack to a day of smoking weed with your friends in the attic at your parents place during the summer vacation as to yet another wasted day without a job, money or anything to do.

Sacred Shock - You're Not With Us 12" (Residue)

Sacred Shock’s selftitled debut on Schizophrenic Records blew me away last year so my expectations for this release were high. Does this record live up to those? Certainly! In fact it’s even better than their 7”. The drums sound a bit different on this record than on their previous release. It’s less heavy on the cymbals, which I personally had to get used to. What makes Sacred Shock a great band is their amazing guitar leads. They’re both catchy and heavy at the same time. Sacred Shock’s singer also adds to the band’s unique sound. His vocals are brutal yet melodic. An uncommon combination. Nine tracks on this 12” of which one is a cover of Headcleaners “Kill The Royalties”. They definitely have their own take on this song though. Sacred Shock is a contemporary hardcore band I am really excited about and they deliver a flawless hardcore record with You’re Not With Us. This is one of the records I listened to most in 2009.

Sack-O'-Woes - The Paranoids are coming Lp (Loop Rekords)

Apparently Sack-O'-Woes went through hell to get this release available. When the first run of this record arrived in their mail box, they found out that the plant had pressed the wrong mix onto the vinyl. It sounded like shit. Unfortunately for them the records were already paid for so they had to pay for another pressing with the right mix (the lesson here boys and girls: ALWAYS do a test pressing first). This one-sided silkscreened Lp is the final result and the music sure does not disappoint. Sack-O'-Woes play punk rock with garage leanings and they do it well. What else could you expect from three guys who have been kicking it since their teens and are over forty now? Sack-O'-Woes deliver seven infectious and rocking tunes on this Lp. The walking basslines push on some catchy guitar leads. Sack-O'-Woes' singer's vocals are raw as hell. I guess the music overall is. I simply can't believe that these guys are actually from the Netherlands. This is a great record. To save some money all the artwork is done by hand and it looks rad. I would like to take this opportunity to recommend the West Friesland authorities to send a copy of this record to all their teenagers. It might the get the kids dancing instead of killing themselves.

Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet - Det Personliga CV:T Lp (Skrammel) (12,50 euro)
Let me start off by saying that I know close to nothing about this band. I think Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet (possibly an even more ridiculous name than Lögnhalsmottagningen) are from Nyköping Sweden and 'Det Personliga CV:T' is their first record. After reading a review of their Lp I tried to get some info through the internet, but except for some funny youtube movies of live shows there was little to be found about these Swedes. Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet play simple and catchy punk rock. On vocals is a woman with a bratty girlish delivery. Her fellow band members do some back ups here and there as well. Although I don't understand a word of Swedish I have  a feeling the lyrical content here isn't too serious. The artwork and costumes the band wears during live performances confirm these suspicions. I guess one could label this Lp as 1977 style punk (there are several picures of the band members wearinig colourful plastic sunglasses to be found which makes it official), but unlike many bands that get that reference Sexpistolstanten och Mockfjärdsvapnet keep it unpolished. All songs on this Lp have a  minimal recording which benefits the tunes greatly.  The band delivers ten songs on this record and their quality ranges from good to awesome. My personal favourites are 'Kysst Av Dräparen', 'Jag Blir Förbannad' with its silly whistling (every single time I check who the hell is whistling to the tune... I'm stupid) and the hit 'Cigg Hail' which you can even sing along to without knowledge of the Swedish language. The record ends with some practice room recording of what sounds like their theme song. This is a strong punk rock Lp by a band that seems to have  a lot of fun and doesn't take themselves too seriously. Great.

Son Skull - Birth Scene Rewind 12" (Perennial) (12,50 euro)

Olympia seems to have quite a few new interesting bands formed by somewhat older punks these days. Son Skulls' members are probably in their late 20s or early 30s and I can't imagine this being their first band. The band plays hardcore punk with melodic sensibilities. Most songs are sang by a female with a strong (not tough but definitely intense) delivery, but there's also one song with male vocals. The bass sound is warm and clear, whereas the guitar is wild, crazy and damaged. Both 'Boston Girls' and 'Perennial Death' would have been perfect anthems if it hadn't been for the feedback throughout the choruses. Son Skull seems to deliberately wreck these songs, but they can't hide the catchiness of both tunes underneath the guitar squeals. Some say that there are 1990s influences to be heard in Son Skull's songs which makes sense, because these guys and girl probably came of age in that era. People have compared the band to Sonic Youth, but I don't really hear it. What I've heard from Sonic Youth was wimpy and Son Skull aren't wimpy at all. When the needle leaves this 12" Ep, I'm a bit sad that there aren't more tunes on the record. Fortunately you can always play it again, which I find myself doing a lot. To me this record is one of the best 12" releases all year. It's powerful, catchy, weird and damaged all at the same time. According to the Perennial Records website there's a new Ep in the works which obviously is great news.

Supersonic Piss - Umbillical Noose 12" (Rotted Tooth)

Iowa’s Supersonic Piss deliver a mix of no wave, noise and hardcore on their debut 12”. Although I’m not all that at home in the first two of those genres, their influences on Supersonic Piss’ sound are obvious. Most tracks on this record are carried by the solid drumming and simple pounding bass lines. Over those the guitar delivers its hissy, messy stripped down atonal riffs. The guitar playing is total-not-give-a-shitness, which makes the band punk despite their sound perhaps. The more popular noisy bands of today have a heavier and bigger guitar sound with lots of feedback, which isn’t bad either, but it’s cool to hear Supersonic Piss have a different approach to their music. Over the music screeching vocals are delivered by front-woman Page. Her lyrics are upfront and threatening, her delivery abrasive. By hardly serving anything that can be classified as a song on this piece of vinyl Supersonic Piss follow the path that Teenage Jesus and the Jerks walked in late 1970s New York and by doing two covers from mrs. Lunch and her boys (‘Baby Doll’ and ‘Less of Me’) the band doesn’t make a secret of its influences. ‘Go home dad, you’re drunk pt. II’ is probably the closest Supersonic Piss gets to an actual song and for that reason it sticks with you. It’s a slow and heavy tune that steams into some wild guitar soloing near the end. Somehow a girl singing ‘I might have been a little whore/ and I might have fucked your dad before/ and I might have fucked your mom for free/ and I might have taken a little bit of money’ is pretty confrontational. I actually think that word sums up this record well; confrontational. This 12” is definitely different from a lot of noise I’ve been spinning recently and I like it. Are you craving for a headache? Get this record!

Walls - The Future is Wide Open Lp (De Graan Republiek)

This is Walls’ second full length. This Seattle band came from the ashes of Cold Sweat which was one of the best hardcore bands on this side of the millennium. That should stand for something. Because Cold Sweat’s singer Shaun moved to Texas shortly after the release of their second Lp ‘Blinded’, the band saw itself without a singer. They soon found a replacement in Alston, but decided to give the band another name now that they had a new front man. Walls was born. The band soon turned out to be an entirely different creature than Cold Sweat had been. Whereas Cold Sweat was a hardcore band – and what a hardcore band it was -, Walls incorporated a wider diversity of styles into their sound. A continuity between the two bands is the overload of ugly dissonant guitar work and the incredible negativity of the music in general. There is nothing but hate going on with both bands, but where Shaun seemed to focus his anger on the outside, Alston also has a soft spot for self loathing, but after putting himself down he still has plenty of rage left for the rest of the world. His lyrics are harsh and bleak, his delivery violent and frightening. Walls’ sound is brooding and the music is downright scary at times. The band is still heavy as hell like Cold Sweat was, but there is more room for slower and sludgy parts. This band is able to drain you of your will to live like few bands can. I remember two reviews of the first Walls Lp that hit the nail on the head. One read that every time the reviewer span the record, he felt like there was a monster staring at him from the dark corner of his room waiting for the right moment to leap onto him and eat him alive. The other read that the record never failed to make the reviewer feel miserable. Those two references are accurate and should give you a pretty clear idea of what you’re in for here. ‘The Future is Wide Open’ is a very powerful record by an amazing band bringing thirteen new unsettling songs to the listener’s ear. In my opinion this is their best release yet and I liked everything the band did before. Be warned though. This music is not for everybody. It suits me fine however. I can already see myself trembling and twitching on the couch at 3 am, because I drank too much coffee again and now I can’t sleep or read, because my attention span has evaporated. All that’s left to do is play this record, stare at the wall and let the music consume me. I already feel a headache coming up. It sure is good to have things like these to look forward to.

White Boss - 12" (Perennial) (12,50 euro)

Yet another new Olympian hardcore band and it doesn't sound like any of the bands coming from the area. White Boss seem to be the most well known act from this vivid new scene that is bound to get called hyped by haters soon, but what isn't 'hyped' these days, right? There's a lot low end in the six songs on this 12" Ep although the bass lines are hard to make out. White Boss lay down multiple layers of steaming guitar riffage throughout the record. There are two guitar players in the band, but at times you can hear four layers of guitar in a song and there's a fair share of soloing. The songs are mostly slow and heavy as fuck and at times even atmospheric. All of this makes this 12" sound epic. White Boss' sound is huge, perhaps too big for my tastes.  Somehow the record comes across a bit clinical. The band obviously wasn't aiming for a nasty or ugly sound, but at times I wish they had been. White Boss' singer's voice is raspy and he sounds on the verge of collapse. His lyrics are abstract maybe even poetic? They don't do much for me. Same goes for the artwork which makes the record look like a new age recording that could be played at the next meditation session at your local community center. Maybe it will be? Basically the whole thing doesn't win me over, but many people seem to love White Boss and supposedly they're a beast live. The band sure has another take on hardcore than any band playing today and although I'm not into the layered guitar work, I know some people will lap that shit up like a dog drinking from the toilet. All in all this is an interesting intense record that could only have been heavier if it had been pressed on 180 grams vinyl.

Various Artists - Does It Hurt? Lp (Thought Crime)

Compilation records are often dismissed and not whithout reason. There are always bands on it that you really don't want to hear. Or the contributed songs are all shit, because the bands want to save their best tracks for their own releases. The list goes on, but none of these reasons apply here. Sotatila, Dumbstruck, Charlie, No Slogan, Ruidosa Inmundicia, Yellow Eyes and Narsaak all handed Berlin's Thought Crime Records a few unreleased tracks and the result is a pretty diverse hardcore compilation. There's literally something for everyone on this record. If you're into one or two of these bands, you should give "Does it Hurt?" a chance. Personally I really like the No Slogan and Sotatila songs. I had never heard Yellow Eyes before and they were a nice discovery.