Beast World

I think it was SPHC themselves that said something to the effect of; "if any band could bring world peace, it would be Sete Star Sept", and it's kind of hard to argue with such a wholesome claim. Whenever 7S7 comes into town there's a sort of kinetic excitement that fills the air. The unifying excitement that one of the grind worlds most beloved bands (and probably most popular noisecore band, period...ever) is about to unleash a whole new level of racket. And a chance to pick up numerous new splits and limited tapes from their merch table . I had the joy of seeing them for the second time this summer at the LA Onefest, and their performance was definitely worth the long, long wait (after numerous set-time changes and configurations). As usual, 7S7 have had an incredible amount of split releases come out this year (the split 12"s with Godstomper and 7 Minutes of Nausea are some highlights). However, SPHC has also released a new studio album! I'm pretty sure it's their first since "Visceral Taverns". "Beast World" was released in a first run of 500 copies, all black vinyl, 33 RPM.

The A-side of "Beast World" plays and sounds like the tried and true Sete Star Sept that I know and love. 23 songs in about half the minutes, recorded in Baltimore by an SPHC affiliate. Brutal, frantic free grindcore, and some of their best material to date. Kiyasu's and Kae are both on the top of their game here. Like "Visceral Tavern", they give us more of that we're familiar with, but everything here just sounds a bit stronger. There's quite a bit of spots on the A-side where you could swear that these individual song blasts were composed, which only makes their talents as improvisers really shine. The occasional "real riff" or build-up helps give this a more fluid motion instead of just being a cascade of impenetrable noise. It's an incredibly strong first half.
But man, oh man, does this shit really get taken to a new level on the B-side. This B-side may be my favorite thing that 7S7 has done ever. Kae and Kiyasu switch duties, and what explodes after an innocent little ring of chimes, is amazing. Shitcore, free drumming and shouted English profanity, it's just so incredibly fun and perfect. Some of my personal highlights on here, "Bitch Ass Motherfucker", "Fuck Face", "Shit Head", actually no, this whole side is a highlight. You really do have to buy this record to hear how incredible it is for yourself. When I got this, me and my band listened to the CD 3 times in a row when we were driving. I was lucky enough to see them perform with Kae on drums and Kiyasu on vocals at the LA Onefest too, and I felt incredibly fortunate to witness it.

Once again, Sete Star Sept do not disappoint with the album cover. They've always managed to have great artwork that perfectly represents their recordings. The cartoony, over the topness of "Beast World" is such a joy to look at. It has a weird "Adventure Time" look, which I also appreciate (I've been binging on it lately). SPHC packaged this record in an impressively strong jacket, with full-color, glossy artwork. They always give this band a great package. No lyric sheet, obviously, and no other information is given besides what's on the back. Edit: recently Dan/SPHC and I got in touch, and he sent me (among other things) the beautiful insert that was not ready at the time of SSS's 2016 West Coast USA tour. Here it is now!

I highly recommend picking this up, one of my favorite records of the year. Buy it HERE!

~VII

Fuck A Job

Another new split 7" self released by NY's Waves Crashing Piano Chords project. Joining up with the bad mushroom trip noisecore mess that is Michigan's Farting Corpse. Another pairing of bands that seems somewhat strange at first, but is another great showcase of friends supporting friends, and sharing a release based on equal appreciation of each others craft. WCPC, is an artist that is appreciated more in the Midwest more than probably anywhere else. Footage of the Harshfest sets are pretty big examples of this. WCPC's antics are seemingly celebrated down there. It's the only region I can see where getting punched in the head with a microphone or having a whole bottle of blue Faygo sprayed in your eyeballs is a highlight of a show. This split 7" was released in a run of 230 copies, black vinyl, 45 RPM.

Waves brings us a completely new song on their side, entitled "I Like You Better". Opening with subtle sounds of movement for a few seconds until the sharp squeal of the trademark microphone feedback clicks on. The track is typical WCPC, not a ton of new things to highlight here. The vocals are appropriately tough and antagonistic, and the sudden stops of silence between the words "I...Like...You...Better!" is a nice little bit of composition. The song ends with about a minute of manipulated mouth noises, which is a sound I think I would like to see Sean work with more, it works. Not the strongest track in the Waves catalog, but still solid and enjoyable.

I admittedly only own one other release from Farting Corpse (the possibly unofficial split with Penis Geyser), so I'm not entirely familiar with a lot of their recordings. The 25 tracks that they perform on their side is something I know I really enjoy though. This band is freak out, psychedelic, gutter noise sound vomit. Custom guitar/Kaossilator noise swirls and skrongs over warp speed hyper blasts and heavily manipulated vocals. Little bits of what sounds like cut-up edits pop up at the end of some of the tracks which give it even more of a frantic sound. This recording is that hypnotic, repetitive kind of brutality that you just get lost in and let it do whatever it wants to your eardrums. It's over in the blink of an eye though, they waster no time with the three and a half minutes they have. I've heard of this band performing for almost a couple hours before, I hope I get to see them live someday.

There is absolutely no info about any of the bands on this release. 

You can buy this split HERE!

~VII

Bliss Tech

Thanks too a few of my friends getting flexi discs released for their projects, I've grown to have a lot more appreciation for the format. I think it's because they perfectly suit my preferred amount of time for a release, one side of a 7" record. Plus they just look cool, and I'm always interested to see what people can do for their packaging. Limbs Bin was among the bunch to release a flexi this year, a strong little EP entitled "Bliss Tech". Released by Follow My Into The Laser Eye and Moon Mechination records, 33 RPM.

"Bliss Tech" is classic, brutal Limbs Bin as we know it, but at the same time this release highlights a more subdued and methodical approach in it's use of sound. The usually active and swirling modular tones are instead a slow, churning, bassy frequency that changes and moves gradually as songs begin and end. Similar to a lot of Limbs Bin's live shows. The trademark vocal and drum machine bursts sever the tension building tones in short but sweet, punk-minus-the-band style. I've always described Limbs Bin as a punk band in it's true nature. From the Infest style vocal patterns, to the introspective and personal lyrics that are pretty cryptic at times, but leave an impact. The shortest song on here, "Why Change?" is a good example of that. It's interesting reading the lyrics for "Bliss Tech" knowing the general inspiration for it. The story the lyrics paint leaves me with some open ended scenarios in my head. I really enjoy this EP, it's some of Josh's best stuff, I'm happy that other people seem to be digging it as well.

The packaging consists of one double-sided insert, one side being the art side, lyrics and info on the other. As usual, the art was all done by Limbs Bin's visual partner, Alex York. I really like the use of orange on this release, it stands out amongst the grim black and white only crowd. The flexi also managed to capture a ton of the low-end that this EP needed to have the best impact, very good production.

Copies of this can be purchased HERE!

~VII

15 Years Later

One of the must own/gotta have it noisecore recordings to come out on vinyl this year, is this here split between OPS-PSF and Snajper. Released by Rage For All Records, a label run by a man named Derek who is more dedicated to releasing freaky, esoteric noise garbage (all with very professional care and work put into them!!!) than almost any cult label I know. Every time we've ran into each other at a show he will bafflingly gift me a handful of free records he's released. Simply because I don't own them yet. Such appreciation for crazy noise has to be talked about, and if anyone was going to release a vinyl record of these amazing, seldomly brought up noisecore bands, it would be Rage For All. This release came out in a run of 300 copies, 200 on black and 100 on purple, 33 RPM.

OPS-PSF, masters of their craft in cut-up/sound collage noisecore, do what they do best on their side and of course it fucking rules. Flashes of garbage guitar, low-pitched growls, clean guitar, movie samples, cymbal hits and loose blast beats; edited and put together so fast that it seems to be designed for a listener with the shortest attention span possible. There's this one clean guitar chord that keeps popping up all over the recording that gives the piece some sort of repetition, but that's about it. Completely nuts and really damn good.

Snajper came into my mental encyclopedia thanks to this record, because literally no one I've ever known who's into noisecore talked about them. Like a long forgotten, deeply buried artifact, new knowledge of this little duo from Slovenia's existence came into the world. This is fucked up shit of the highest caliber, perplexing noise garbage that is done with literally the smallest of means. The very handy little essay on the band tells bits of the story of this group, who existed in the late nineties and released a hefty batch of split tapes. Basically, you got a cardboard box for percussion, a microphone, a shitty computer, aaaaaand you get Snajper. I'll say that out of all the stuff I've heard from them, this is the "best sounding" their recordings have been, but the aesthetics remain completely in tact. It's magical to say the least, I can't believe this got pressed to vinyl. This is some weird, gonzo, messed up noise, no bullshit at all.

Nice deadwax etching from OPS-PSF, I'm happy I could get it to show. I recommend this record a lot if you can't tell already.

~VII

Sedem Minut Samurai

The noisecore lordships themselves, my favorite band, Sedem Minut Strachu graced the USA this year on their first tour over the Pacific. Playing alongside fellow sound crushers like Final Exit, Six Brew Bantha, Space Grinder and Deche-Charge. Echoing their incredibly prolific year before this, 7MS have cemented their status as contemporary titans of noisecore. One of their strongest releases to date comes to us from American weirdo/punk label SPHC, which is a label I definitely trust when it comes to insanely bizarre noise and punk releases.  A full EP of new studio recordings, recorded on their Japan tour at Ryohei's (Final Exit) home studio. This is actually a test press version they sold on their portion of the American tour with Anal Butt. Limited to 45 copies, 33 RPM.

I'd say that this is one of 7MS's most punishing recordings to date. Ryohei did an excellent job of capturing and engineering their signature assault and boosting it tenfold. Both Rado and Richard are hard-panned into their respective channels, surrounding you in churning walls of bass distortion and free form, neanderthal vocals. Richard (right channel) seems to have a pitch shifter on his voice and his grunts never sounded more barbaric. Jan's drumming is one of the real highlights on this record. The snare is compressed perfectly and the hits are so bright and pangy, the kick drums sound monstrous, and the cymbals sound like a bunch of chains being wailed on. It's a challenging mix, but I can't get enough of it lately, it's been on repeat all week. The last 30 seconds or so actually feature Ryohei on drums, which is a fun little add on at the end. Seriously, "Sedem Minut Samurai" is a brutal, brutal EP. It's one of the best recordings I think 7MS has ever done.

The test press is packaged in a simple fold-over sleeve with no inner art. White labels, and a double sided insert with the Japan and American tour dates. According to the SPHC website, this test press was actually rejected. Hopefully the pressing plant will make this incredible EP a priority soon and it will be available to the masses.

I actually got to perform on the Rochester, NY date of the tour. One of the real highlights of the year for me.

Until this EP is released officially, you can listen to the recordings HERE.

~VII

A Stream Of Random Events

A new post; a new return; a new set of starkly designed sheets as a background. There have been so many releases I need to talk about that have come out this year, and trying to catch up and get to them all would be too much of an ambitious undertaking for me at this point. But I figure I should highlight some of the real standouts of 2016 as much as I can. It's always these odd-numbered years that generally have good music being pumped out in the truckloads. Ironically, these sad, confusing times have only gotten much worse as of late, and for me I'm taking more and more solace in my days of collected angry music.
One of the best tapes of the year came out this summer under the trustworthy production of the Smash Music and Follow Me Into The Laser Eye labels. The epic 4-way split with Limbs Pin, Penis Geyser, OPS-PSF and Parasite Social. Limited to 100 copies.

The A-side kicks off with the spastic majesty of OPS-PSF. A cult noisecore band from Japan that a lot more people should know about, especially since their recent resurgence of activity. Definitely a must listen band for anyone into unhinged/cut-up noisecore. "104 Storys of Fake Adventure" is a mind-shifting, relentless collage of sounds. Some sort of movie trailer sample introduces the track, with only a few seconds of jarring, guitar and drum stabs coming in from time to time. As the piece goes on into about the 2 minute mark, it's blast off time, and OPS-PSF create a beautiful, chaotic explosion. Muddy, distorted, z-tuned guitars, clean jazz chords, stick clicks, cymbal hits, a kick drum or two; scronks, squeals, screams, all going by at the speed of light. Magnificent!!!! Limbs Bin proceeds immediately after with one of the harshest recordings the project has ever done. The usual drum machine bursts are almost completely buried under searing distortion walls and some of the hottest microphone distortion I've heard of tape all year. Everything here from the vocals to the instrumentation is manipulated and drenched in so much sonic sewage. At the same time, the textural pops and crackles that spew from all the distortion and the mastering make this track as captivating to hear as it is painful on the ear drums. Wonderful!!

The B-side opens with Parasite Social, a new band to my ears, and honestly their contribution is the least exciting part of this tape for me. Pretty standard and by the books grind/noisecore, almost bordering on gorenoise from the gutteral vocals and bass heavy, riffless guitars. The short bursts of songs come and go in a pretty linear, suitable way. It's not terrible by any means, but it lacks the distinguishable characteristics that all of the other three bands possess. Which leads us right into Penis Geyser, truly one of the USA's strongest examples of genuine noisecore garbage. And I say that with all of the best intentions. It sounds like it was recorded on a broken cassette walkman in a basement with one hanging lightbulb dangling from the a mold covered ceiling, and I love it. The tension and unpredictability of a Penis Geyser performance shines through here. You're never really sure what kind of attack you're going to get, or how long until the drums finally decide to come back and lead the band into "go time", or for how long that will even last. But I desperatly wait in anticipation for the next blast. Free music of some of the highest caliber and dedication.

The stark collage work of Alex York that covers the Jcard is interesting. I feel like I have to look very deep into it to see the real picture. It's a very wonderful presentation, I love that trademark Smash Music spine design. The tape is also dubbed very very well, everything sounds as loud and intense as it should.

I say this is definitely one of the mandatory harsh noise/noisecore releases of the year. Spend your money wisely and buy this HERE and HERE!

~VII

DRNSMS

One of the more unusual releases in the Sedem Minút Strachu discography, and it's arguable if it's even considered a 7MS release. Though it seems that these two acts worked tightly with each other on this product. The Solvak harsh noise musician Drén remixed a chunk of 7MS recordings for a crushing seven minute harsh noise bombshell. Together going under the name Drén Recyklator Nepodarkov Sedem Minút Strachu. Limited to 100 numbered copies by the Analog Freaks label.

I've never cared for or had much interest in checking out any remixes, ever. They always seemed like after thoughts or just what people did to fill up a B-side every now and again. Drén is an artist however that has worked tightly with 7MS live on a number of occasions. And it certainly helps make this tape another worthy addition to their mandatory discography. This single piece entitled "Prvy nájeb", hastily starts up with a quick swell of industrial tones, until a raging wall of cold, searing distortion erupts, burying the recognizable racket made by Sedem Minút Strachu. Drén seems to be working with the 7MS recordings from the Camphora Monobromata split and the "You Pose, But Why?" compilation. Bellowing vocals and Jan's tight snare hits peak through the distortion and the two elements work off each other brilliantly. Quick transitional passages of static or scrambled oscillations move between passages of rhythmic bass pulses and feedback, crust beats and brutal drums. Lasting all in all about as long as a solid harsh noise or noisecore set should last. This tape leaves a crater when it's done.

The tape looks as impressive as it sounds. Analog Freaks spared no expense in making this release a quality one. A double-sided, silk screened J-card on textured paper, with a professionally dubbed cassette, and like three stickers. It's a very tight looking cassette package.

I actually didn't notice until I took these pictures that I was gifted with a #4 copy of this! Huge thank's to Richard of 7MS for giving me such a generously low numbered copy. Oh yeah, and the first 25 or so tapes came with a special folded package, containing a set of ear plugs. There's no special branding on the plugs themselves, but the little box it's in is certainly a piece of packaging.

Read more about this tape here. 7MS is the best band.

~VII

Mutilated Regurgitator

Anyone who collects grindcore should have at least 1-5 Agathocles records somewhere in their stacks. I myself have about 30, mainly sticking to their 7" split releases. Reviewing their records seems pretty superfluous in 2016 though doesn't it? Their best material has been re-re-re-recorded over countless releases and bootlegged records. Is Agathocles even a real band anymore? It's hard to tell how serious the members take the band now, at least in regards of writing new material. Regardless, their releases are usually always fun and I try to pick one up whenever I can. Agromosh Records recently repressed a great double 7" collection they released years ago entitled "Keep Mincing"! 2nd press on purple/dark blue vinyl 33 RPM.

These recordings were originally released on their first press of this record back in 2002. Half studio and half live recordings all done in 1988 (arguably around their best era). The A-side is all studio tracks recorded around the same time as classic recordings like "Cabbalic Gnosticism". It's a brutal recording, loud and violent. One of the best recordings I've heard from the mincecore legends. All the classics are here, like "Christianity Means Tyranny", "Lay Me Off", "Mutilated Regurgitator", and "Introtyle". The live recording has it's charm, but like too many Agathocles recordings, it's pretty painful to listen to. The (awesome) vocals bellow over everything else in the mix, the drummer can barely keep time, the riffs are buried in fuzz. I wouldn't be surprised if it was all recorded with one microphone 50 feet away from the stage. It has charm, of course, but I'll stick with record A more often then not.

Both records come packaged in a fold over, double-sided sleeve with all the info you would want to know about this record. Class.

You can probably find this in any good distro anywhere. FFO staying true to your roots.

~VII

Cyclical In Nature

I've missed out on almost every single tape that Sea of Shit have put out. Granted I have managed to get everything on vinyl. The collector in me does get irked every time I miss getting one of the limited cassette editions though. Sometimes it just hurts to not have things. The Chicago powerviolence scum lords are prepped to have 3 releases come out this year alone; A split 12" with fellow Illinoisians Sick/Tired, a split flexi with Su19b, and a stand alone 7" on Nerve Altar. The later had a limited cassette release on Legitimate Business tapes in a run of 50, and I luckily managed to score a leftover form the Diseased Audio store.

Sea Of Shit are usually always a band I can count on to give me some solid, enjoyable filthviolence. This new EP is thankfully no exception. Their 3rd "self titled" release stays true to their sound but comes off just a bit stronger, catchier and more well written. It reminds me a lot of their first 7" (not the demo) in a lot of ways. Since this is more or less just a promotional item, I am keeping my final thoughts on the EP until I hear the proper recording in full. This dubbing, while acceptable, is definitely not a final product and should not be critiqued as such. I will say that the boy's have given us another banger for sure. Probably one of my favorite recording's they've done. With a fresher, new line-up too! Grooves, and slow parts are used in spades, and they are powerful earworm material. The typical slow/repetitive song at the end wasn't a great way to end it, but I'm just sick of that cliche by now.

NYC grind label Nerve Altar Records will be handling the future vinyl release of this bad boy. They will obviously do a stellar job with that record. For you tape collectors out there, this is now OOP, so you better start your online digging for a copy.

~VII