NEW RELEASE - FUNERAL
Plus loadsa new bits in the distro
Hello all. Back again and this time with my final release of the year. It’s the demo of Plymouth melodic hardcore young bucks FUNERAL. Preorders are up now and all being well vinyl and shirts will be shipping before the end of the year.
Funerals self titled EP covers the angst and anguish that comes with change, both lyrically and sonically, with their high energy release layers fast & fuzzy melodic riffs against reflective lyricism. From the saturated lonely guitar intro, to the B sides punchy 2 step rythms, the EP paints a cohesive image in the listeners mind of looking back into the sun and burning your eyes. The naturally flowing recording pulls no punches amongst it’s crashing symbols and crunchy howling riffs, with only it’s breif moments of hollowed out half time melodic breakdowns within tracks as respite to catch your breath. Beginning with ‘the wait’ FUNERAL ease the listener in with just a taste of the fuzzy tone to follow, Before the release of ‘Black’s explosive sounds and speed. This track is the canvas where vocalist James chooses to lay out some of the records most honest and sincere moments, with depictions of heartache echoed in the lyrics vulnerable calls of desperation. Trailing into the B side, where a lighter welcome is briefly set out, before dropping the facade and delving straight into Funerals more abrasive driving sound, while harkening back to the sounds of bands like Title Fight, a clear inspiration to the band. The last track ‘Nothing’ offers a spiky close to the release with sharp distortion offering more space for pensive introspection. The EP’s work is a product of its environment and a reflection of being a young person in a small town, where sometimes forging a path (and a sound) of your own is your only option. It acts as an account of life’s trials and the change that comes along with these often unpredictable times. Presented as a promising and cohesive 4 track debut, it leaves listeners hungry with anticipation for the band’s future records to follow. - Tom Small
Plus butt loadsa new stuff in the distro
Chueko - Tools of oppression 7”
In the past few years Portland has produced some top-notch hardcore,
most notably in the family of bands such as ALIENATOR, REEK
MINDS, etc. The latest installment of this cluster of weirdos is CHUEKO,
Fierce fast, hard punk. There are many nods to HC bands past,
specifically 80’s USHC, but there is also a nice UK82 overtone, giving
the songs a nice swagger, often bringing to mind GBH. No cheezy breakdowns or macho posturing, just steady driving slamming shit which will demand multiple
flips of the record
Cold Summer - Altlasten EP 7”
Pretty new Band from Leipzig/Germany with some well-known faces from
various other diy punk/hardcore bands. After releasing a nice tape about
2 years ago, here is their first vinyl-release with 4 new songs full of
fast and gloomy punk-rock with post punk influences.
Bias - Demo 7”
Introducing Bias, a new hardcore punk band from Massachusetts. Six songs, six minutes; recorded in the band’s practice space by drummer Josh Trombley, mastered by Will Kill at Dead Air. Members of Sink, Last Lights, Mountain Man, etc. If any of that means anything to you then it will probably sound how you figure it’s gonna sound. If not, think a cross between Youth Attack, Iron Lung, and early 00’s Boston. In other words, fuckin’ scorching.
Drag Pattern - Demo 7”
Introducing Florida’s newest export...Drag Pattern. 3 songs of sludgy, noisy hardcore that completely crush everything in their path. Current and ex-members of Colonial Wound, PeZ, Axis, Yashira, Gouge Away, Frameworks, etc.
AUSGEBOMBT - Bomberliebe 7”
Third 7” from Tübingen-based AUSGEBOMBT. Like their previous two 7”s,
“Bomberliebe” features a total of four songs, two in German and the
other two in English. Musically, the band remains true to its style:
energetic mid-tempo hardcore punk with a heavy OI and metal influence
– beautiful metal riffs meet catchy hooks.
AUSGEBOMBT / NAKAM - Split 7”
Three more AUSGEBOMBT songs from the “Bomberliebe” recording session.
In addition to a rather unusual AUSGEBOMBT song, “Landsmannfrage”
there’s also a newly recorded version of “White Line Fever” and a
COCK SPARRER cover. The split partners are NAKAM, who recorded two
songs before their breakup a few years ago, and they’re far too good
to remain unreleased. Does anyone remember NAKAM? NAKAM came from
Tübingen, and since Jo from AUSGEBOMBT also sang with NAKAM, there’s
nothing more fitting than releasing the last two songs as a beautiful
split 7” with AUSGEBOMBT. 2x steamroller hardcore punk somewhere
between BOMBENALARM and POISON IDEA!
Cut Piece - s/t 7”
4 tracks of aggy punk out of Portland from members of Macho Boys. Mid paced snarling but melodic punk rock. There’s loads of comparisons you could make from RUDIMENTARY PENI, EXIT-STANCE to WIPERS and more recently NEIGHBORHOOD BRATS and TEEN MORTGAGE but you should listen to it and make up yer own mind.
Estranged, The / Public Eye - Split 7”
Two bands from Portlands post-punk scene come together on one piece of
wax with 1 song a piece. Moody post-punk on both sides. Public Eye
(Autistic Youth) Redacted Memories is the follow up to their debut LP. a
sort of lo-fi electronic rhythm travelling through layers of fuzzed out
and synthed up guitars. the dystopian sounding recording is reminiscent
of an 80’s sci-fi soundtrack with the driving beat of early post-punk
songs. The estranged side features the final song from their recording
session of their self titled 3rd lp. The songwriting continuing to build
into more of the 60’s garage element while still retaining that early
post-punk sound.
Estranged, The - Frozen fingers 7”
Newest release by Portland, OR post punk 3 piece The Estranged. The first
song, “Frozen Fingers” is a textured post-punk track with a constant ebb
and flow like an upbeat version of something off a Nick Cave and the bad
seeds or Echo and the Bunnymen album. With the climax coming via a
farfisa lead that brings to mind some of the classic 60’s garage bands.
The heavy 60’s rock influence continuing on the flip side with their
cover of “World of Birds” by Dutch legends Q65. Their own take on this
somber and depressing classic coming with some added distortion among
other things that is guaranteed to give you chills.
STILL HOT:
PLASTICS - FLESH CIRCUIT LP
PLASTICS are back with a full length LP baby! Five years after their last EP, these freakish mf’ers have returned from whatever dank Brighton basement they’ve been lurking in with 12 dystopian hardcore bangers in 23 minutes. They strap two meaty thighs across the hog of UK hardcore and take it for a burnout in an abandoned English carpark. You may think you recognise influences on Flesh Circus - a bit of X Ray Spex-style punk, some Nuclear Assault thrash chops, some aggro youth crew stomp, and a bit of modulated punk like RUT or BiB but the truth of it is… any influences you think you recognise in PLASTICS have gone and been mutilated, disfigured, pixelated, and dissolved into a vat of radioactive waste. What remains has been dumped out on the floor and is now crawling hideously toward you.
SNEER - SNEEP LP
Stomping a boot heel straight through your busted radar, it’s Plymouth’s Sneer with their debut 12” vinyl. It’s an intense, chorus soaked slam ride, comparable to USHC bands Creem, Exit Order or Glue, but with added snarling, Wattie esque vocals that hammer home the filthy UK Punk influence this record carries. There are electronic interludes peppered throughout the LP that will confuse the hell out of the listener, while simultaneously succeeding in making the blasting tracks that surround them hit even harder. Sneer’s debut is a one sided attack on the ignorant, narcissistic, war fuelled world we are currently enduring… and it sure will make for great company during the apocalypse.
