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Sunday, February 26, 2017

The ABC's of Noisecore

If I ever posted an official "best of 2016" list on any blog platform last year, you were bound to see this record placed firmly near the top spot. A brilliant noisecore split released by the always reliable SPHC, one that is a sure fire way to make most newcomers take a moment of pause. Two bands, Anal Butt and Cunts, both with monikers that are bound to spark reflex chuckling, or disgust. The latter only used drums and vocals. Sounds like something that only a basement dweller would vibe to. Me personally, I'm in love with it. One of the best slabs of wax I've heard in a few years. The newly released official pressing (I'll get to that later) is pressed in a run of 250, all black vinyl. 33 RPM.

Anal Butt not only have one of the best bad band names ever, but they're also a band that pulls of brutal, knuckle dragging noisecore with a tweaked sound perfectly. Spearheaded by SPHC label owner Dan McGregor and Co., I've heard him say that this is the best thing he's done. And while I haven't heard the bulk of his discography, I'd have to say this would be hard to beat. The sonic assault that Anal Butt bring on their side is crushing, warp speed, kaleidoscopic, and embraces the best of the genre's unapologetic stupid qualities. Standard instruments are used; drums, bass, guitar and vocals, and the general sound is nothing that groundbreaking. However, the editing and attention to detail in the recording, dare I say the arrangements of it, are just excellent! The session starts with a good chunk of short, crudely edited song bursts that begin with stick clicks. Eventually everything gets noisier and noisier, growing and getting more claustrophobic. Vocals are doubled on top of each other and the bass sounds like it's literally frying from the distortion. Simply brilliant editing and cutting out certain instruments at certain times, or letting everything die out for a split second to just explode again with more blasts and noise! Next thing you know there's a generic hardcore breakdown riff with Patrick the Starfish vocal grunts. It's such a joy to listen to every time, I always notice something different.

Cunts is a noisecore duo from Japan that have been around for over a decade, and have been a band that have been a treasure to fans of the underground. Their releases are sought after, and I'm fortunate enough to own only a couple items. The drill here is only vocals choking with high gain feedback, and drums. Bada bing. Cunts is a band that takes noisecore to almost it's most bare bones and neanderthal. Their recordings however always showcase the sheer brutality a duo like this can bring, and their half of this record is no exception. It's mastered so fucking loud, the feedback almost makes you feel like your ear drums are getting stabbed. The drums supply all the punch and force they need, they're performed absolutely perfectly. Blasting, grooving, polka beating and stopping all at just the right times. Ucchys non-stop screams and yells are so relentless they almost have a hypnotic quality. I'd say they're the best band doing this style of noisecore since World, easily. Definitely not as heady or conceptual as World, but they certainly are no chumps. It's so damn good, I cannot recommend it enough.


The record is packaged in a single-sided fold-over sleeve with this small insert inside. All of the regular press have large hole in the center.


Now back in the summer of 2016, I got to perform with Anal Butt and Sedem Minut Strachu, and I was able to pick up what was unbeknownst to me at the time, a test press! A run of 50 TP's were made for the tour, and I feel very lucky to own it. The test press version is virtually identical except it has a small center hole and no insert.

You can pickup this record at SPHC, what are you waiting for?

~VII

Friday, February 10, 2017

Live After Fuck Off!

Not satisfied with simply releasing a split 7" together, the two noisecore legends of new and old paired up yet again last year for a split tape of new "studio" material. Seven Minutes Of Nausea and Sedem Minut Strachu. The latter band owing 7MON almost everything, from their name, to the logo they use. All touchy, rockstar attitudes about a bands own sacred aesthetic are kicked beyond the curb here. This is noisecore, we're all dorks in this side of the musical spectrum. Fuck music, rockstar is a fuck. They say imitation is a form of flattery, but both these bands are definitely friends beyond the rackets they make and decide to release together. It's a tape of beauty. This cassette is probably limited to like 100 copies. Released on K.A.Z., a label run by Rado of 7MS.

 Seven Minutes of Nausea have really been kicking ass lately on their new recordings. I thought the split with Sete Star Sept was fantastic, and the brilliance continues on this tape. 7MON sludge through 193 tracks of pure, old school noisecore mastery. No frills, nothing cutting edge, just frantic desperate music with great lyrics and chaotic blasting. Mick Hollows vocals sound like the wonderful, classic Mick we all know and love. Introducing almost every track with the title, and gargling every word that he decides to put to paper. The guitars are basically a feed back mess. There's a big use of deep, powerviolence style grunts that I really liked a lot too. All around wonderful stuff, loved it.


Sedem Minut Strachu's side is another satisfyingly lo-fi, old school sounding chunk of noise. A band that people who read this blog know I hold near and dear. Fuck structure, fuck riffs, 7MS slay on their half in their characteristic manner. A consistently gross bass rumble permeates all 56 tracks, it sounds like the microphone is dying trying to pick up all the sounds being made. The session is very similar to the split 7" these guys did together earlier actually. 7MS seem to really want to play as many short tracks as they can when they pair up. I can see why, given the legendary influence 7MON made with their insanely choppy songs. Another great solid recording from my favorite band.

The packaging is what really seals the deal on this one. It's a classic, fold out cover with all the lyrics to 7MON's songs. Reading their lyrics is always a great touch. I don't know if many people know that they actually do write these out.

Expertly painted tape.

Noisecore lives!!!

~VII

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Hypnic Meat

There's tons of really quality, filty noise coming out of the midwest. Old news to anyone with an eye on the underground. The noisecore genre has grown massively in the past several years, and this tape is a great pairing of some really good projects that have come up. Hypnic Jerk from Michigan, and Horse Meat from Texas. Released in an unknown amount of Strangle and Amuse Tapes.

Hypnic Jerk never skimp out on sheer, unfliching brutality. The recording is a blown out bombshell recording, the fidelity is less than zero. It would almost be considered a straight up harsh noise recording if there weren't splash moments of cymbal crashes and strained vocals. Pretty sure during this recording Hypnic Jerk was just a drums and noise equipment due. A different sort of line-up then the usual noisecore affair, and they pummel you with it. Thirteen fast moving, chaotic noise tracks. Insanely harsh stuff for noise creeps.


Horse Meat is a solo noisecore project that uses a drum machine, and give another winning recording session on their side. Instantly winning me over with an excruciatingly long, overblown sample from one of my favorite movies, "Basket Case". After about a minute and a half of that, the blasting begins and I loved all seven tracks of it. Kinda reminiscent of 7MON when they used a drum machine, but Horse Meat actually has some parts that do resemble riffs (as free as they are), and don't play microsongs. The vocals are also diverse and fun, going from caveman "ooouurgh's", to cracked screams and some pitch shifted gutterals. Awesome project!!

The tapes sound great, and the layout and graphics are perfect. Strangle and Amuse definitely sticks to a solid look with their releases. The painted tapes do in fact play great, and they look dank as well.

Find this in a distro some where, I believe the label is sold out now. You snooze you lose.

~VII