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Saturday, April 25, 2015

Weezer Nachos

Yet another record Store Day came and went last week. The 6th one I believe, and the biggest yet in terms of releases. As usual, most of the roster was chalk full of over priced, major label reissue garbage. Who wants to pay 30 bucks for another reissue of "Born To Run"? Apparently a lot of people do, which continues to feed the fat beast and push out the smaller independent releases due to "priorities", I suppose. Not to say that there weren't plenty of cool, smaller releases put out. Honestly I did buy a lot more RSD releases this year then I have any year prior. The Swans EP reissue was mandatory, as were the new Electric Wizard album and any of the two Sun Ra albums. One of the real curious records was the announcement of a Weekend Nachos 7" put out by Run For Cover Records. Originally I thought it would be a reissue of their first 7", since it was advertised as a self-titled thing. I figured hey, why not snag it since my OG copy is pretty worn.  I come home to find that not only is this not a reissue of the first 7", it's a 2 song single of Weezer covers. My jaw dropped.

 As exciting as that concept is, especially how much a floor-punching cover of "In The Garage" should be, the end result came of as pretty underwhelming to me. The boys just play the songs straight arrow the whole way through. No twists, turns, or interpretations here. Andy from WN does vocals on here and goddamn if he doesn't have a PERFECT Rivers Cuomo impression. It sounds like someone's own remix they did in their bedroom where they swapped Weezer guitars for metal guitars. Honestly it kinda reminds me of one of those gimmicky, comical records that Slap-A-Ham would put out. Like that Benumb/Dukes of Hazard split. 


The record come packaged in a nice glued sleeve, and comes on some very lovely thick, white vinyl. 



I would seriously love to see these guys play one of these covers live, the pit would be a bloodbath. 

~VII

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Noisecore Alive

Brazil, actually most of South America in general, is a land rich and full of some of the harshest, rawest, most primitive and intense interpretations of the genres we know and love. Through most of my experience looking in as a young metal head, most of what I saw exported from Brazil was bestial black and death metal. Where ever my tastes lied back then, I just didn't pay much attention to a lot of those bands. And I certainly wasn't aware of any grind bands there. My tastes being what they are now, when I first heard Industrial Holocaust I was instantly hooked. Eager to pick up any recordings I could from this Brazilian trio. As luck would have it, I managed to pick-up one of their recent 7"s from the owner and operator of Rage For All Records at a show in Syracuse. This is "The Holocaust Continues" EP, 45 RPM.

IH have been at it sine the late 90's, releasing only a handful of records (that I know about) over the years. Mostly with other South American and Brazilian groups like Noise. This EP was recorded in 2012, but goddamn if it doesn't sound straight out of '87. Industrial Holocaust's style is still very spontaneous and unhinged, as you would expect from noisecore. Lots of microsongs and all-or-nothing blast beat tempos. All while maintaining an astoundingly sincere and genuine inspiration from oldschool grind like Sore Throat, Electro Hippies, and early Napalm Death. The blending is balanced and seamless, it's masterfully done. This is exactly the kind of noisey grind 7" I look for.


Industrial Holocausts message is loud and clear; fuck the capitalist system. And stand against all the other atrocities and life's unfairness that every crust punk has been complaining about for years. Their message comes off as especially passionate being from Brazil, a country plagued with incredibly polarizing rich and poor status levels.
I first heard about these guys from Josh Landes of Limbs Bin actually. Explaining further that you can literally not buy these records. You have to write to the band (or label) and trade for them. And both parties are very strict about this. I got this record for free, this was a gift of music. Even after I crassly attempted to pay. I'm hoping I can help spread some word about this band a little as payment.


Loving this old-school cut and paste layout. And I didn't know there was a noisecore label in New York doing vinyl either. This is a fantastic revelation. 


Of course you can still buy some IH records on Discogs, but what's there is limited. I'm hoping to get whatever IH records I can asap.

~VII

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Concept, Causes Et Effets De I' Inflation

I freaking, flipping love Sedem Minut Strachu. I discovered them this year, but very quickly the Slavic trio has become not only one of my favorite noisecore bands, but one of my favorite bands period. I've been dying to pick up any tape, lathe, or record from them for months now. And as luck would have it, I manage to pick up their split 7" with Adolf Shitter for free(!!!) when I saw Sete Star Sept. This split is limited to 200 copies, 33 RPM.

Sedem Minut Strachu play brutish, blast worshipping noisegrind, using a combination of duo bass and vocalists and the ex-Idiots Parade drummer. They perform spastic, improvised grind, but manage to have a very solid sense of structure and arch with their recordings. Jan seriously keeps everything together with his incredible drumming, and give each section of their side a real "song" feel. Though from the fidelity of this recording, you can only really make out the bright snare and cymbal hits under all the low end. Both bass's really overtake this recording, supplying a constant rumble of distortion while the drums supply some sort of motion to latch on to. Admittedly not one of their better records, but anything SMS put out is a mandatory purchase for me.

Adolf Shitter are a band I've only known from this split. And judging from their name I assumed I was in for some real no-fi shitcore. What a shock, I was right! Adolf Shitter's side is serious unassuming noisecore. Like, the  one microphone for the entire practice room/just go for it kind. They perform a sloppy "untitled" freakout of sporadic blasts, yelling, and janky guitar abuse. All in a very Gorgonized Dorks/Deche-Charge style. The guitars are definitely one of the most interesting parts of this piece. They are heavily effected, and almost sound like brass instruments at times. The synthesizer was also a very nice touch.

Full color, photo-copied cover sleeve from Underground Pollution Records and No Fucking labels. Too pig for the plastic outer sleeve though, I have to put the fucker in sideways!


Here's hoping I get more SMS releases real soon.

~VII

Smoldering Wreckage

I've known about Condition for a couple years now. I've seen the über grim n' gory album art of their debut EP pop up every once and a while. However my listening to them has been with a lot of apathy, mostly due to where my tastes were at the time. But seeing this record in the flesh at a recent show, that weird personal-contact-with-record feeling told me that I had to get it. Who knows when I'd ever see this again, I thought, since I'm pretty much completely dry from online buying. And I'm very happy I did because to VII's ear in 2015, "Deteriorating" seriously rips shit up.  This is the 2012 7" reissue of the original tape on the Swedish De:Nihil records, limited to 350 copies, 45 RPM

Right from the first monster snare hit, guitar chords and little bit of noise of the opening track "Smoldering Wreckage", this EP kicks every ass in the room. "Deteriorating" captures a mammoth, gargantuanly loud and attention grabbing recording. Everything is bold and upfront, but still very raw. All the instruments are in the red here. It's definitely something worth hearing on a good set of speakers.
Condition play a very honest and basic style of crusty hardcore. Very obvious influences from bands like Aus-Rotten, Discharge, and Anti-Cimex shine through. They perform a lot of the same riffs we've heard before, but again with that huge recording and intensity to their advantage. Not to mention that they know how to right a catchy song. To be honest this was actually a lot more stripped down and less "mysterious guy" then I remember it being. There is definitely plenty of bedroom moshing to be had when this record gets spun.



Super grim "war horror" cover art. Equally matched by the A-side center label. Good stuff, and the aesthetic definitely matches the brutality of the music. Packaged in a study glued sleeve with a stiff insert.




Condition released a new 7" in 2013 called "Bombed Out", which I really hope to get sooner then later.

~VII

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Filled With Purple

Sete Star Sept have had a long and very wonderful relationship with SPHC records. A label out of Baltimore that you should certainly trust if you want to hear some of the best in weirdo hardcore and noisy grindcore. This is another split I was very happy to finally snatch because of it's concept. Reportedly birthed into creation after both bands saw a Gag show. SSS attempt to try their hands at making noisy hardcore, and Lotus Fucker do noisecore. To make it even better, this record is only available at shows and will have no distribution. Limited to 500 copies, 33 RPM.

Sete Star Sept's interpretation of hardcore is definitely not far from what we are comfortable and familiar with from the band. This recording is loud and mean as fuck. Crushing drums, crunchy bass and throaty vocals. SSS do get into more D-beat charges and even more traditional grindcore structures, and jam on them for longer periods of time. But it's definitely not something I would call "traditional" noisy hardcore, it's undeniably Sete Star Sept. Imagine if Insect Warfare, Godstomper and Eel for together and played an improvised show, it's a little like that. The traditional blasting freak-outs are still very present, but a focus to a sound is as well.


Lotus Fucker, oh Lotus Fucker. I have a little bit of beef with Lotus Fucker. Never really dug their music all that much, a little too slopfest for me. And their guitar player Zach left one of my favorite fastcore bands, xBrainiax, simultaneously breaking them up, to join LF. I'm bitter, so what, shit happens. While I have not dug any of their output, I gotta admit that they do make some pretty on point, entertaining noisecore. Keeping in the genre's tradition, we get a healthy dose with 70 tracks. In total making a six and a half minute blast of spastic lo-fi grind, noise, slop, collage and guitar wankery. I like this side for a couple reasons. 1: they actually broke up this recording into individual tracks, instead of going for the Anal Cunt/Deche-Charge blast mess and calling it 1,006,345 songs. 2: there is a healthy amount of different sounds throughout this whole piece. Micro song grindcore, harsh noise, junk abuse, hardcore riffs, vocal effects, these all show up. It's a very Sissy Spacek kind of collage piece. I dug the hell out of it.


Pick your favorite song title. 


As usual SPCH did a fantastic packaging job for SSS. We once again have a glued, matte sleeve made from thick cardstock. With a double sided insert and some very tidy and clean printing. Just lovely.


Despite the snobbish distribution catch, I have seen this pop up in some distro's online. But you should still buy this from SPHC, SSS and Lotus Fucker is you ever catch the last two live. 

~VII

Piss Smell

I recently filled a vacant gap in my "bucket list of bands to see", when I bared witness to the noisegrind lordship of Sete Star Sept in Syracuse last Wednesday. No introduction needed regarding this duo, I'm sure you all know the drill by now. And have probably confirmed your opinion of either "loving" or "hating" their particular brand of musical mayhem. Me personally, I think they're one of the coolest bands going right now. An exceptionally influential group, one I give credit for rejuvenating noisier grindcore and noisecore to what it is today. Completely passionate and loyal to recording and touring whenever possible, embracing low to no-fi recordings and DIY. Besides all that, for a slimy, vinyl addicted dweeb like myself, Sete Star Sept are a godsend band. I've only very recently been able to acquire a handful of their 7" splits (mostly due to online sale finances). And grabbed a chunk at the recent show too of course. One very fresh split I was happy to land was the split 7" with Cock E.S.P. Released on Underground Pollution Records, limited to 200. SSS plays at 33, CckESP plays at 45.

For this split, the name of the game is very largely the same. Brutal, unhinged grind and harsh noise, done the same tried and true ways from both bands. They've performed it countless times and every time is a joy. Their talent and skills for playing with as much intensity as possible shines through, especially on SSS's side. This is an early 2014 recording, really crunchy and metallic bass riffs and tones. A lot like "Visceral Tavern" or "Sacrifice". Kiyasu's drums are recorded particularly well, the bass drum and snare are thunderous! It's some seriously tough and angry sounding stuff, urgent and unrelenting. The last track "Masturbator Lover" is a highlight, Kae and Kiyasu's improvisational skills have them expertly stop and start with each other, breaking for some pretty gross, throaty vocals.

Cock E.S.P, the harsh noise freakshow from Minneapolis, offer up a very, very brief live recording from 2013. I don't doubt for a second that this whole 2 odd minute mess was the whole show. Their side is a 9 part collage of spastic, harsh bursts of static distortion and vocals. All-out, visceral, and dangerous. The polite clapping after every tracks are a hilarious addition. Sometimes it sounds like their's 40 people in the crowd, sometimes 3. Probably depending on what fucked up mess they saw on stage. Totally brilliant.

We have a very crude, printer parer cover that's juuuuuust a little too big for the plastic sleeve. A very limited run of 200 records that will probably not get repressed, all on black vinyl with a large center hole.


Listen to Sete Star Sept. Worship noise.

~VII