My Favorites of 2018

Another year has come to an end. As with the years previous, the world continues to literally fall apart, and the only thing that didn't let my spirit down is good, quality music. Plus the many people that create it, and mutual thrive in it. A lot of things happened personally in 2018, many experiences that shaped me to be who I am today. Some great things happened; tours, new friends, recordings some killer tunes, seeing lots of cool bands, seeing my family more, etc. These 20-some releases were also crucial to helping make every day awesome and most excellent. There were a ton of great releases this year, twas a very strong one for music. The new golden age of noisecore that we are currently in produced an insane amount of good releases, grindcore around the world was really on it's shit. Plus pretty much all of my favorite labels were consistently putting out great tapes, records and CD's. There were many things I did not get the chance to have a proper sit-down with. That being said, narrowing it down was still tough. It usually always is. But naturally, I had to go with the releases that I continuously returned to, and meant the most to me.  Here were my favorites, in no order except for the top 5. 

Traci Lords Loves Noise - The Ultimate Fantasy CS
It's a joyous occasion to get a new TLLN tape, and it does not disappoint. Comprised of previously unreleased recordings from back in the day, this is Traci Lords Loves Noise exactly how you would want it. Angry, lo-fi, sample heavy and tongue in cheek (especially the B-side). An example of how to do proper noisecore from a cult legend. 

Parlamentarisk Sodomi - Krieg Mot Norge 7"
After claiming the top spot on my last year end list, the Norwegian grind God PS is back with a full 7" EP of new material (with a new vocalist too). One half is thrashing, crusty grind songs, the other half superb, hyper-speed, stop-start noisecore tracks. I kinda wish it was all the noisecore tracks, but everything Steiner does is great. So there. 

World - World Discography CD
At long last we have the full discography from one of the best bands ever, the Japanese noisecore legends World. Packed together in a beautiful pro CD, and all the material sounding better than ever. This is an absolutely crucial collection from one of the most incredible bands.

Bruised Ego - Roman Numeral One LP
I may have a slight bias here since I helped pay for the vinyl release, but this debut full length from Baltimore's best fastcore band truly slays. You get incredibly tight drumming, riffs that thrash, stomp, and flail with a beefy and thick recording, and tons of just fun-ass songs in general. A well earned and finely tuned LP from some good old boys. 

Deterioration - Lupara Bianca CS
This EP just slaps, no if's and's OR but's about it. Deterioration unleashed a doozie of a release with this mafia / gang inspired release, and it quickly became my favorite recording by the band to date. No bullshit fast music from arguably the most beloved grindcore band going right now, and with releases like Lupara Bianca, it's not hard to figure out why.

John Coltrane - Both Directions At Once 2LP
My expectations for this record were immeasurably surpassed: an LP's worth of unreleased studio sessions from the classic quartet, which for me sits very snuggly within the rest of Coltrane's 60's output. Masterful work, performed with passion and grace. I still hum the riff to "Untitled Original 11383" to this day.

Cuck Dirt - Dopesmoker Is A Fucking Terrible Album CS
This whole tape is just one minute long diss track at one of the most revered stoner metal albums ever, and it's just a pure blast for the entire 60 seconds. Cuck Dirt are amazing and this tape immediately landed a spot in my year end list when it arrived in my mailbox. Snotty, humorous, nothing but a good time.  

Cannibalism / Sulfuric Cautery / Endotoxaemia / Lectularius - Guro Grind Guignol split CS
Of all the 4-way splits I've heard this year, this particular one slapped the hardest, and not just because of the Sulfuric Cautery contributions (best band in America right now). Every band here has submitted some crushing material. From the lo-fi, riffy sewage of Cannibalism, to the low-end heavy pummeling of Lectularius, this is a proper collection of gory grindcore. 

Incinerated / Sulfuric Cautery - Split 7"
Sulfuric Cautery put out so much material this year, I can't narrow it all down and feature one single release. So much brutality and hyper speed blasting on both sides, it's ridiculous. This team-up also introduced me to the incredible Aussie grindozer that is Incinerated, further cementing the fact that Australian bands can not suck. 

Oozing Meat - Contaminated CS
Oozing Meat's particular harsh noise and effect-smothered noisecore really came through the loudest and most impactful on their 20-minute cassette, Contaminated. It's as abrasive as it is entrancing, switching from pure noisecore and micro track blasts, to weird drum grooves, samples, heavy passages of feedback and disgusting vocals over the course of 766 tracks. 

God's America - The Undeserving CS
While I'm not all that focused on powerviolence at this stage in my life, God's America are to me the embodiment of what the genre should naturally progress to. God's America sound only like God's America, and their singular brand of lo-fi recording and unique songwriting and riffs make them stand heads above the rest. Totally in their own league. The Undeserving is one of their finest moments to date.

Heinous / Haggus - Split 7"
Most of the time with a Haggus split, I tend to usually listen to the side that isn't them more often. Such is the case with their split 7" with AZ goregrind band Heinous. Heinous' side starts with pretty much a perfect opening track, and the savage, meat shredding grind does not let up at all. Groovy, powerful and gore soaked. It's just wonderful.

Kjostad - Frost Cracking Trees CS
Giving some love to a local artist Kjostad. No release floored me or stuck with me as much as what is stored in the gorgeous looking and sounding cassette, Frost Cracking Trees. The beautifully recorded soundscapes of nature are perfectly manipulated and transformed into something uplifting and claustrophobic. It's a truly impressive piece of sound manipulation and to me, sits as Kjostad's finest work to date. 

Sidetracked - Perpetual Dissent CS
My favorite Sidetracked release of 2018 is this short and sweet EP. The recording is absolutely ruthless, some of the heaviest sounding material that the band has done. While the lack of variation in the songwriting may be cumbersome to me, I personally love how the band focuses in on a specific mode for each release, and Perpetual Dissent rocks this in spades. Every time I show this tape to people, they're hooked. Totally unique and a band that stands on their own in the fastcore / noisecore style. 

Nickelus F - "Stuck" 
CD/CS/LPIf there was one release that just barely made it into the top 5 it would be this. It's such a damn good record. I haven't been this excited about a hip-hop release since Danny Browns -"XXX". Something about this record just hits's that good spot in my brain, it just makes me feel better. The beats are this brilliant combo off jazz rap, trap, soulful samples, conscious shit, and the album flows like butter from track to track. Great hooks with a perfectly laid back but soulful delivery, until Petey start's spitting fast bars. It's lyrically a strong record too, there are many moments of introspection, and observation. The lyrical theme of being "stuck" returns throughout many tracks, with many contexts attached which I adore. It add's to the experience of it being a proper album, you dig? It's something that is hard to skip tracks through. Super high recommendation from me, I really love this record.

TOP 5 NEW RELEASES
5: Sissy Spacek - Thrash Staging & Ways Of Confusion LP's
Sissy Spacek turned the ripe ol' age of 20 this year, and to commemorate such a feat they seemingly decided to try and release as much music as they could (I count 8 all together). They’ve highlighted all of their styles, from noisy grindcore, to live ensemble records, to the purely electronic. Released on the local New Forces label, the Trash Staging LP is an exceptional document of both the grind and the noise together, split between both sides. The A-side is some of the harshest and uncompromising grind the band has done yet, while the B-side is some of the best harsh noise I've heard all year; crushing and cold with big inspiration from Japanese noise artists like Incapacitates. Ways Of Confusion on the other hand is all blast. 39 tracks of raw noisecore, blurring the lines between composition and free improvisation at a dizzying pace and over in about 15 minutes. Sissy Spacek continue to be one of the tightest and best bands in America, period. 

4: Suppression - Placebo Reality LP
Since 2015, Suppression's output has moved away from their powerviolence and noise rock phases from the 90's and 2000's and into a whole new beast. I’m resistant to call it noisecore, even though the short songs and raw fidelity definitely make them comfortably sit under that brand. What Suppression has done here is truly exceptional, laying down 73 songs (yes, actual songs with riffs, composition and diversity throughout) on this LP. For a band to put out an LP with this many tracks, and not go the easy way out of just having every one be random gargles of instrumentation and screaming, is something that is both inspirational and commendable. This LP has it all and it’s a defining moment for an amazing band, 20+ years into their existence. 

3: Binker & Moses - Alive in The East LP
No contemporary jazz unit has wow'd me more than the duo of drummer Moses Boyd and tenor saxophonist Binker Golding. This new live recording (featuring Evan Parker, trumpeter Byron Wallen, harpist Tori Handsley and extra drummer Yussef Dayes), is a dazzling, uplifting, urgent, soulful, and strangely danceable record. From the opening, blood pumping drum duet, into the sputtering and chaotic intro of the two horns, the notes scurrying around the open air like a swarm of bees. The performances here are elegant and calculated and at no point does it feel or sound like there is any competition between the musicians. Just a symbiotic conglomerate of beautiful music. 

2: Cystgurgle / Vomitoma - split CS
During a night in Chicago while I was on tour, my friend and tour mate Ben put on a cassette that he was releasing though his label. Through the haze of inebriation that I was in at the time, I heard a sound that hit me like an avalanche. One of the loudest snare drums I had heard in a minute exploded into the room, so unbelievably fast and tight I asked if it was a drum machine. It had to be. It wasn't. This was the Cystgurgle side of their split tape with long-going USA gorenoise act Vomitoma. It was love at first listen and I snagged one off of Ben right away. Throughout all these past 365 days, I have not heard a goregrind / noise release this powerful. Specifically where the drums, for the most part, are the central focus. On top of that are the wettest, bowel-churning vocals and distorted bass imaginable. Vomitoma's vocals literally sound like piss. This is also one of the first Vomitoma releases (to my knowledge) to feature a live drummer (courtesy of Adrian from Putrefuck). This release is everything I love about goregrind, and it would have been my #1 pick of the year, if it was not for one release...

1: Needle Exchange - Kill Em All With Fentanyl CS
I have heard a lot of noisecore releases this year, more than I can count. It's a genre of music that is very near and dear to my heart and to be personally connected to this 3rd-wave golden age of the genre is truly wonderful. Sometimes I hear a band push the genre into a next level territory of extremity, something that I sometimes doubt is even possible. This newest effort from Needle Exchange has created a sound so absurdly intense, so far into the red that the meter has exploded and covered those who listen with a coagulated, smelly, crimson gunk. The A-side is a 666 track hurricane of some of the most rapidly cut-up and stitched together blasts of noise I've ever heard. Like 7MON's "Thrashbora" flexi, but fucked up x 10. This tape is genuinely demented, everything about it so extreme and over the top. From the completely distortion-covered bass, to the stop on a dime cuts, to the vocals which screech, gargle and bellow like they are done by a true psycho. Side-B continues the onslaught with a scant 245 tracks, but without losing even a molecule of brutality. The aesthetic of this band might make some people turn their heads, it's some intense and uncompromising shit, but nothing about it feels phoned-in. This swallows you into its own world. Either choose to except it or beg for mercy. Best thing I've listened to this year.

~VII

No Bounds

Here's another piece of the huge stack of releases that Sidetracked has gotten released this year. A tidy and short cassette EP called "Perpetual Dissent", released by Alternatives Label. Probably in a run of 100 or so on pro-tapes.

This is definitely one of the strongest releases that Sidetracked has done this year, and will most likely be on my favorites of 2018 list.First off, the recording is fantastic, the guitars and bass sound heavy and hard as fuck! Great, catchy, warpy, angular riffs too, some of the best I've heard from them in a while. It's also a very focused EP, the songwriting in particular makes the whole thing flow very well. Repetitive yet always hard hitting. To me another example of the band's fantastic blending of noisecore and blasting hardcore genres. 

Every song starts with Jay saying the title of the track (referencing Seven Minutes of Nausea no doubt), then going in to super aggressive and powerful riffs, blasting, and vocals. For real, the recording/production and sound of the band is so on point on here. Every song also features a break of live recorded bass and drums, with a much more lo-fi recording fidelity. Every track is punctuated by a returning blast of riffs with the title screamed out again, drenched in echo and eventually dissolving into pure noise. Every song is written this way; which does get a little monotonous at just a few points. Some songs like "Never Change" would probably be even more insane is if was just blasting all the way through. But I appreciate the direct decision to sequence the EP this way. Besides, it rips so hard it could go on twice as long for me anyway.  

The tape looks and sounds great. It's loud and crisp and has a very nice layout. Brutally short as always. Probably just shy of 3 minutes, in and out. Fucking brilliant. 

This is the release that has been my go-to when I'm showing people Sidetracked for the first time these days. And pretty consistently they've all been impressed. Buy this!!!

~VII

Interview with Tommy (Tomb Warden, Brainpan, etc)

I was able to chat with my good friend Tommy from Tomb Warden and Brainpan. It was awesome to talk in depth about playing music and the DMV area scene. 

Tyler: Okay so my first question is: How many current projects do you have going now and what do you play in them?  

Tommy: I start projects all the time, some would say too often. Currently I have 5 that are practicing to play out/have played out already. The two I play guitar in are Tomb Warden and my newest project Acquisition (name might change). I play bass in Brainpan, Execution Hour, and Secular Media. I've written songs and riffs for 4 other projects that haven't come to pass yet.

Tyler: Did you originally play guitar first or bass?

Tommy: I started on bass when I was 11. I actually have a degree in jazz bass performance

Tyler: oh wow. Didnt know that.

Tommy: Haha Yup. That's what happens when you tell a 17 year old metalhead they need to go to college or they'll never be shit.

Tyler: Has your education been helpful in writing for the bands you are in?

Tommy: Absolutely. I write by myself for the most part and bring ideas in for other people in the band to mess with, so to be able to write down an idea note for note at like 4 AM 5 months ago and pick it up tomorrow and know exactly how to read it is incredibly helpful. Even just learning how to read rhythms helps save a million sick riffs you'd otherwise be too tired/wasted/busy to remember under normal circumstances

Tyler: Do you find writing on bass or guitar easier?

Tommy: Way easier on bass for me. The top two strings on a guitar are totally unnecessary

Tyler: That's interesting. Who was an inspiration for playing bass?
Tommy: Like personal or professional?

Tyler: Both

Tommy: My uncle Toño in Peru got me started playing bass when I was a kid. He was a drummer, but probably the most influential musician in my life. My mom's family is from Lima and we used to always stay with him and his family. He got this pirated, no name bass in the 70s and must've kept the same strings on it since then. He was huge into prog and made up his own way of notating Rush songs on drums. He also built his own double bass pedal out of a belt and some springs along with other parts of his kit. He was true DIY haha. He passed away while I was in school unfortunately. In terms of "famous" bassists who got me started, I worshipped Steve DiGiorgio from 8th grade until like last year haha. He's still my favorite bassist, but his tone grates on me these days. Other huge influences were Ron Royce from Coroner, Frank Bello from Anthrax, Danny Lilker from Nuclear Assault, Harley Flanagan from the Cro Mags, Darryl Jennifer from Bad Brains, and whoever did bass on the Embrace album. Embarrassed to say even though it's a top 5 album for me I don't know the names of anyone in the band besides Ian Mackaye. Also embarrassed to say that the first bassist I ever noticed when I was 9 or so was Fieldy from KoRn so I guess you can say he's my first influence

Tyler: Sorry to hear about your uncle, that is awesome you had someone in your family to influence you and help you play music I just got made fun of.

Tommy: Thanks man. I don't think I was playing too much grind when he was still around haha. He dug the death metal and thrash I would show him though, soho knows what he would've thought about blastbeats. He probably would've dug them I think

Tyler: If he dug death metal I'd like to believe he would enjoy the stuff you are doing.
Tomb Warden has a pretty strong death metal sound to it, is that something you've always wanted or just how you guys have progressed?

Tommy: That just kind of happened. I originally wanted to have a gulf coast grind style rip off band. I always used to tell people Tomb Warden is my failed attempt at writing PLF songs. I worship the Insect Warfare/Bolt Stein split and have always loved Bolt Thrower since I was a kid collecting Warhammer. Hearing Bolt Stein play Bolt Thrower riffs but still be undeniably grindcore made me want to do it too. I went a step further and found out Bolt Thrower tuned to A standard on Realm of Chaos so naturally I had to also. Also being based around DC with guitar gear experts like Genocide Pact and Ilsa, you can't slack on that. Then after some trial and error plus falling down more than a few gear nerd rabbit holes, people started saying my guitar tone was "amazing" (their words not mine) so I'd write the occasional slower jam to kinda showcase it. Surprise surprise if you slow down metally grindcore it just sounds like death metal. I do kinda have a hard time calling it deathgrind though. Most bands that I associate with that term are too polished and I really don't like the quality. Someone called us "death metal/grindcore, but not deathgrind!" On a flyer once and I dig that

.

Tyler: I would say death metal/grindcore is vastly different than deathgrind. Or at least I wouldn't assume they are the same thing.

Tommy: I would normally but I've seen enough deathgrind bands call themselves that I don't know who to believe anymore

Tyler: I'd say deathgrind means less than what powerviolence means.
Speaking of powerviolence, do you do a lot of writing with brainpan?

Tommy: I'd say I used to do a little more than 50% when we were still feeling out what our sound was. Now I probably do a little less than half. Rob's been on a roll lately and I think we've hit our stride stylistically. The album is almost 50/50 I think

It shows. It sounds great and some diversity to the songwriting. Is there something you bring to the band that Rob doesnt and vice versa?

Tommy: Appreciate it man! Glad someone with sick taste digs it haha. Rob has said in the past I write confusing riffs but all the weird feeling, ugly ones are his haha. He's rubbed off on me a bit so my newer stuff is getting gross. I'm excited for the new stuff already. Rob feels stuff in a way I just don't know how to. Downside of getting an education in this kinda thing. My mind has to analyze shit and I need to be able to "make sense" of it. He just goes for it and that's really where our sound comes from I think. His little twists on my riffs make us sound like a unit.

Tyler: You work well together cause there is plenty of variety in the songwriting and riffs.
Do you write everything for Tomb Warden?

Tommy: I do yeah. Occasionally Paul has different beats in mind for certain parts and these days they complement the riffs pretty well. I've written 148 songs for Tomb Warden so far, but we've only learned a fraction. Still need to write a ton of lyrics also.

Tyler: 148? god daaaamm

Tommy: Haha Yup. I used to get bored alot and I would write whatever style I would be obsessing about. Brainpan also has like 40 songs we haven't visited yet, but those are far more likely to be fucked with since our style is more defined now
All that being said, I can't say there are 148 bangers. I can confirm at least 10 are garbage

Tyler: At least you can admit it.

Tommy: Oh I've written well over 100 bad songs across all my bands. Unfortunately some were recorded

Tyler: I have a few more questions for the interview. Are there any local bands or people that motivate you to push yourself musically?

Tommy: Totally. In terms of active bands, Ilsa and Genocide Pact are two huge influences, both sonically and musically. Foehammer as well were huge specifically for Tomb Warden trying to get as heavy as I could while still being coherent. DMV grindcore in general has been incredibly welcoming and inspiring. Mind As Prison especially was the band that got me playing grind again and pushed me to start Tomb Warden. In terms of people, my roommate Demir Soyer has been one of my best friends and writing partner since we were 18. He just joined Genocide Pact as their 2nd guitarist. He's also lead guitarist in my band Execution Hour and plays in the ridiculous death metal band Perpetuated along with John and Paul from Tomb Warden. Rob from Brainpan is also a huge inspiration. He's probably sick of hearing it, but his work in Salome was huge for a local kid like me. It's nuts I get to make music with him. Of course there's also Chris Moore. Man's a grindcore superhero

Tyler: You got some heavy hitters in your area for sure. Compared to other areas in the country what do you think the DMV area offers to grind/hardcore/pv/etc that you dont see in other areas?

Tommy: I can't speak too comparatively to other areas, but from what I've experienced, the scene is way more welcoming and kid friendly. All Ages is practically a necessity and we're lucky enough to have the majority of our venues go the extra mile to ensure kids are welcome, even to shows at breweries. There used to be a whole wave of kids starting hardcore bands like every month in DC but that's died down a bit. Luckily we still got some kids starting bands and this time not just in hardcore. Needle is great example. Their drummer just turned 18 while on tour with Tomb Warden and I think you'll agree he kills it live.

Tyler: Needle was a pleasant surprise and their drummer crushes. Its cool that there is a scene that does have a youth focus cause it seems the opposite in most places. Okay so last question: anyone you wanna shout out?

Tommy: Shout out to my parents who've been putting up with my bands (good and bad) practicing in their basement since I was in 7th grade. Props for not backing down when I bought real amps haha. Also shout out to anyone who supports good, local bands. Emphasis on good haha

Tyler: Thank you very much for answering my questions, this came out great.

Tommy: Thanks for the interview man it was fun! Hope I don't sound like an asshole at any point haha, Or at least the wrong kind of asshole

Tomb Warden and Brainpan both put out releases very recently that are killer. Check them out below!

Tomb Warden
Brainpan

~Tyler Hammer

Catalyst

Washington State based fastcore/noisecore mashup titans Sidetracked have had nothing short of an incredibly prolific couple of years. Releasing at least 12 individual pro-CDr EP's on Jay's own label, Problems They Persist, on top of many other split 7" records, tapes, and so on. I recently was able to snag the latest 6 (!) CD's, plus this super quick 10 track cassette EP released on Practiced Hatred called "Exile". Not sure how many this was limited to, but the red artwork variant has the lyrics included. Naturally, I had to snag that version. 

Wooo boy is this fassst. Pretty much by the time you pop in in the player and go and sit down, one side is over. Hardcore dudes will have the hardest time moshing to this. Heavy duty, super raw and incredibly stop/starty micro-jams. Long time admirers of Sidetracked will probably find a lot of similar qualities to the "Hustle" cassette, another 2 minute or so tape release if I remember correctly. Working with a heavy inspiration from early super aggressive hardcore bands in terms of riffs. Breaking them down and boiling song structure down to the shortest of track lengths. I've always thought Sidetracked was a genius band, and seeing them embrace rawer recording choices and taking on almost pure noisecore styles from time to time has been a very fascinating and wonderful thing to see.

I'm curious why the lyrics were only given to people who bought this red cover version. To me the lyrics in a Sidetracked song serve as strong a purpose as the music does. That aside, this tape looks sick. I really like the design, it's straight and to the point, and diverts from the usual look that Sidetracked releases have.

"Exile" has already sold out from the label, but I think Sidetracked still have some for sale on their bandcamp page.

~VII

Roses Are Red, Grinders Are Cool

Bruised Ego are a band that are very near and dear to my heart. One of my favorite bands to come out in the past few years for sure, and some of the raddest dudes. Their first demo tape really knocked me out when I first heard it a couple years ago, and their very active progression has been insane. This, their first full length LP "Roman Numeral One", was recently released on a variety of labels. I was lucky enough to be able to pay for a handful of copies before it went to press, and Brad was generous enough to put my lil' ol labels logo on the back. So yes this review is pretty biased, but fuck it cause y'all really need to check out Bruised Ego (and buy this LP from the band and other labels please).

Bruised Ego are a fastcore band through and through, exemplifying all the traits I love about the genre and its over the top sonic nature. Passionate, opinionated, the right amount of tongue in cheek, plus they can push the tempo's to mach 5. "Roman Numeral One" is the product of many hours spent refining their craft and they gave it the treatment it so deserves. I was so stoked when I heard that super metal producer/engineer Colin Marston was going to be recording the LP, and he definitely put a large roomy, thick sound to everything. A very raw, aggressive and energetic sound and performance comes through. It's warp speed shit, I gotta catch my breath a lot when I listen to this, and I've heard it quite a lot at this point.

Every song from the first demo is re-recorded here, but the remaining 15 tracks are all new and in your face. Bruised Ego always been really terrific song writers. Brad is a riff machine, incorporating a ton of influence from different styles of heavy music besides the tried and true fastcore bands. Adam's drumming is perfectly able to add the right amount of accents and tricks to make the riffing come alive in a new way. One of the craziest drummers to watch live. The track "Dundalk" for instance, has so many sharp stops and changes, it sounds like a track from No Comment's "Downsided", but on fast forward. Or the strange and staggering snare hit break in "Old Guy In The Pit". "Human Garbage" has a fantastically structured intro that weaves and morphs so tastily, then explodes into full on war mode. Mike is also sounding as aggressive as ever. Insane praise for being able to keep up vocals towards this music.

The packaging and layout of this record is total eye candy to me. It came out so good! The absolutely amazing cover art (done by Lobo Ramirez) is full of wonderful little easter eggs that were a lot of fun to pick out.

You can pick this LP up from the Bruised Ego link up above. Also from To Live A Lie and Craniophagus Parasiticus Records (can). Tru Freak doesn't seem to have a webstore. Fastcore is alive and well in 2018!

~VII

Content

Y'all know I'm pretty generous with the amount of love I spread on here. I use this blog as a way to spread a positive word about things I think should be heard. Writing about something that isn't my taste, or something I genuinely just don't agree with isn't really, and has never been my goal on here. Especially since I choose almost everything I write about, I naturally just gravitate towards the tapes and records I listen to a lot. This post today is a big one, I might get a little sappy but I'm not going to worry about it. This is a release that means a lot to me, and hit me like a ton of bricks when I first heard it. Beggin' For Oxys debut vinyl release, their very elusive 7" EP, "Just Another Tired Ass Powerviolence Record", self released by the band sometime last year in a run of 100 copies.

Before continuing, here's a little personal rewind. Last year, my friend Matt who does an excellent noise project called Machine Moon, and I, started to arrange a week long tour for 2018. Fortunately and amazingly enough, Beggin' For Oxys were able to join the caravan. The tour inevitably happened and ended a few weeks ago, and was without a doubt the best tour I've ever been on. It was a real privilege for me to be able to spend time with and see BFO perform for a week straight. Watching their various types of performances was incredible. It didn't matter if Mark's guitar wasn't working that night, and could only do vocals, if they played their planned set or everyone was too drunk to care. They brought the house down every night. When they did perform their songs, it was some of the tightest and hardest shit I'd ever seen. The way they gradually just let the set collapse down into sheer noisecore chaos was executed flawlessly. One of the most exciting and fun bands going right now in my opinion. Mark knows how to write a twisted ass riff, and Aaron is an absolute beast on the drums.

Getting on to the actual record however, this is Beggin' For Oxys when the chaos is much more controlled. Actual riffs and songs as opposed to their noisecore side. The funny as hell title is more or less a good indication of the more focused structure of the songs. Beefy, loud, out of tune guitar riffs and rapidly quick and changing drums. This is like powerviolence performed at it's most cynical, but you're still able to take it seriously. I'm honestly fascinated at how they write their songs; it's a very seamless blend of improvisation and legit composition. The wonkiness of it leads to so many memorable moments. Starting right from the Melvins-esque intro riff to the opener, "Content". Or the nu-metal guitar scronks and grooves on "Overpowered/Underwhelmed" and "Underpowered/Overwhelmed". Like a weird mix of Charles Bronson and Final Exit. Not to mention that this whole record sounds like it wants to literally dig your ribcage out of your body and throw it against a graffiti covered concrete wall. It's a rock solid, pleasurable punch to the face front to back.

Everything about the packaging was done by the band, and they went and got the record pressed themselves which I really admire. Every cover is unique and hand drawn. They usually seem to stick with the small lettering spread out over the front on this record. However I was lucky enough to grab the cock cover copy that's pictured above. As soon as Mark drew it I needed it  ( edit: cover art by Ben Durham). And yes there are lyrics, you can't stop the sneak dissing.

True as fuck dead wax etching too. 

Now in addition to the 7", down here in the USA, Uninvited Records did a slappin' cassette reissue that's also just excellent. As usual, Joe has treated this product with the utmost care. Everything looks and sounds clean, crispy, and is wonderfully assembled. This was released in a run of 40.

So yeah, I own three copies of this excellent record. I'm not ashamed of this at all.

~VII

Human Garbage Disposal

I was after the Sulfuric Cautery/Suppression split for longer than I wanted to be. Every day that I didn't have this tape in my hands I died a little more inside. It's hard for an east coast boy like me to find releases from bands like this in the wild. I haven't been able to find any of the recordings on the internet too which made my interest in it all the more extreme. Now I finally have it, I was able to pick it up when I saw Suppression in Detroit, and it's a thing of beauty. 

Sulfuric Cautery are probably underground grindcore's most beloved band right now, and for good reason. They really do take speed and brutality to a whole other level. Some of the craziest shit I've heard in years. I think their side is one of the first that had Trashy from Pizza Hi Five in the line-up. It's fucking great, obviously; noisy, brutal, the perfect fix for a blast beat junkie. Trashy and Ryan spew their respective vocals constantly in a wash of chaotic roars. Issac does what Issac does, the most insane blasting you've ever heard. It's a total slaughter fest from the beginning, to the ending batch of noisecore songs. Sulfuric's mix of complete chaos and precise song structure is in a league of it's own, and this side is a great example of all their strengths. 

Suppression are the supreme lords of their craft right now, a fucked up and lo-fi noisecore/powerviolence/noise rock hybrid. I have no idea how they are able to write this many songs at such a rapid pace, but they do, and here we get 16 total bangers. Legitimate, composed songs with lyrics, each one distinguishable from the last. From full on noisecore, to riffy, fuming stompers. What other band can put pitch-shifted vocals over a twisted Minutemen/Lightning bolt style bass riff and a blast beat and have it be amazing? Another real stand-out is the track "Art in Death"; I adore how the drum rhythm matches up with the delayed and looped bass hits. Seeing how perfectly they pulled the track off live only cements their perfection. It also ends with a wonderful 2 second track, a wonderful final hit.

I love the cover art on this. A wonderful Pettibon style/"The Burning" mash-up. This tape was a joint release by Chaotic Noise Productions, Feel Good Grind, Blast Addict, and Grindfather for the overseas crowd. I suspect Jason from CNP/Suppression had the biggest part in assembling them, as the general layout and packaging is pretty familiar. I also love the groovy, textured boarder on the cassette itself. Little details like that help make releases stand out to me.

In closing, you should already know.

~VII

Fortress of Solid 'Tude

Two American fastcore bands unleashed full lengths on to the world last year. Both of them have an output that I consider to be something special. One more modern (I'll get to them in April), and the other a band of veterans. The Almighty Hummingbird of Death gave us their 3rd full length LP, "Forbidden Techniques", released by To Live A Lie records in a run of 500 copies. 100 on this orange vinyl color.

The 'Bird was actually the first band I've ever made a conscious effort to collect all their records. I fell off over the past couple years since my online buying days are past me, but getting this record was essential. HoD are always a band that push themselves and seems to strive to make every record they do stand apart from each other. Every one maintaining the signature style and grace of the band: from the 5" EP classic, "Goatmeal", to the 13+ minute long track on the Downsided split. "Forbidden Techniques" is the band at their peak right now, they've made what I consider to be their best record so far.

Everything about this record is just the best; it's the best recording the band has ever had. The drums sound full and punchy, same with the guitar and bass tones. The performances, the compositions, pshtt forgetaboutit. Not a dud in the whole line-up here, everything sounds so inspired and finely tuned. But not in a proggy, annoying way, they've just crafted amazing songs. Tons of fun little moments, like the solid decreasing tempo on the outro to the first song, "Fresh Hell". Which goes immediately into one of the most hard hitting tracks on the album, "Thicken". I can't not help but trash a few fists in the air every time that song kicks in. Or the fantastic gang shouts on "Fuck An Apology", one of my favorite tracks on the album and surely a future anthem for the band.

Always a band to have topical lyrics, "Forbidden Techniques" is not without it's fair share of social commentary. From our obsession with technology, the current political climate, to social media, the 'Bird have a lot on their minds. But still keeping a general fun attitude, more like poking and prodding instead of just preaching.

And the ARTWORK! Man, this is some of the coolest artwork I've seen on a grindy/fastcore album in a while. I love everything about this, the colors, the detail, it's glorious. Huge shout out to Lucan Korte for this masterpiece.

This release is still available, you absolutely need this in your life. Now a surprise kitty photobomb!

~VII

Neither Powerful Nor Violent

Here's another great split that was recently released by Chaotic Noise Productions, and another spotlight on an excellent up and coming grindcore band from the Midwest; the mighty Landfill. A band with a promising reign of noise ahead of them, I'm very happy that they were able to do a split with the classic Suppression. It's well deserved and it's a savage pairing. Not sure how limited this is.

Landfill started as a solo project by Will Olter (ex-Faction Disaster, Methlab Explosion), and has since then evolved into a sort of band with a revolving cast. This particular session has Will on all instruments, and Andy from Captain Three Leg on vocals. Nine tracks of totally legit, brutal grindcore. Ruthless blasting, cued in with those wonderful count-in snare hits. I really like the drum sound on this recording. The guitars and bass are a pleasantly disgusting wash of frantic riffs, don't expect any slow parts, you karate moshing neanderthals. The inclusion of Andy worked perfectly, and gave this recording a little more of a personality than the typical gutteral grind vocals would do. The rapid pace of the lyrics and gruffness of them give the songs a little Shitstorm/Despise You flavor, which I definitely appreciate. This is serious grindcore, be on the look out for this bands stuff in the future. 

Suppression have really been blowing me away over the past few years, and have had an interesting progression over their existence. Starting with a raw, sort of unhinged powerviolence sound, turning into an experimental/noise rock band. Now they have come to form as one of the most exciting and impressive noisecore bands currently active! They really go all over the place over the ten tracks they've put here. There's a few more lengthy (as in 30 seconds to a minute), riff centric tracks, with splashes of noisecore microsongs interluding between them. Heavy amounts of bloopy noises and lots of vocal effects. The amount of diversity keeps the whole side sounding exciting, there's always a knew sonic idea popping up. Masters of their craft and amazingly loyal to the underground, an amazing band. 

Another wonderful layout and presentation from CNP, with all the info you would want to know about the release. Another perfectly dubbed tape as well.

Listen to the split here, a link to buy it is above. 

~VII