Bad Memories

Shame on me for not doing a proper post about this amazing EP before! Add it to my 4 mile long "better late then never" list. I don't think I need to introduce the mighty Sex Prisoner to any of the readers of this site. After a brilliant two-hit roundhouse kick of a comeback in 2013, and a semi-recent signing to über hardcore label, A389 Records, these guys seem unstoppable. Sex Prisoner's sophomore EP, "State Property", came out mid-2013 I believe, and completely blew me away on the first listen, and pretty much every listen since. 33 RPM, Black Vinyl.

Doing this post, I'm reminded of the brutal face-palm I gave myself when I just straight up forgot to pre-order this record. I made note of it, sectioned off the Bad Teeth Recordings store just so I could get quick n' easy access, the whole shabang. And I just sorta..let it..escape my mind. Of course the pre-order sold out in like, a few hours. So, I missed out on the beautiful white vinyl but as we all know, the music is what matters at the end of the day. And "State Property" is some seriously tough and incredible music. In my opinion, Sex Prisoner improved in every way from their debut 7". The band sounds absolutely massive and punishing, thanks largely to the perfect drum sound. The kick drum is like a cannon shot and those snare hits sound like spine's snapping. The HM-2 abuse guitar tone was a bit of a risky step (at least for my tastes), but it actually seems to work here. There's a full spectrum of tone's for maximum punishment. Not to mention the song writing got a bit better, the breakdown's are more to the point and impossibly heavy. Fuck I love this record. Sex Prisoner are the reigning champions of ignantly tough powerviolence, complete masters of their craft.

Bad Teeth Recordings really treated the boys well. This is a fantastic package all around. A sturdy, glued matte sleeve, and a 2-page mini poster/lyric sheet. No expenses were spared obviously. 

Pretty sure that there was a 2nd pressing done at the tail-end of last year. If you haven't picked this record up yet, you're doing a huge disservice to your eardrums. I hear tale that a full-length will finally be released by A389 sometime this year too! I'm very eager to see what they do with the LP format. 

~VII

Grown To Sicken

Honestly, the only reason I haven't posted about this record is because I thought that I already did. A quick look back through the BtB catalog exposed this tragic mistake. I did a more proper review of this record over at Operation Grindcore, so if you wanna know more of the nitty gritty details, head on over there. This'll just serve more as a spectacle for some pretty looking vinyl. Here's the fantastic Bastard Noise/Lack Of Interest split 12", white vinyl, I believe it's limited to 100.

Bastard Noise are all musical on there half (play at 33 RPM). A side of them that seems to have taken a step back in a slew of limited vinyl and CD releases of pure noise (not complaining). They've become incredibly hard to keep up with, and I honestly haven't heard many of Mr. Wood & Co. recent output. The four tracks here are all new and are yet another excellent chunk of their trademark progressive/hardcore/sludge/jazz/whatever they decide to do style. Rich Hoak from Brutal Truth lends his drumming skills to the band here (hence the title, "The Hoak Sessions") and he definitely fits in well. Things don't get as crazy or spastic as I would have liked with his input though. But that said, this is some of BN's most brightest sounding and most visceral "musical" works to date.

Lack Of Interest's side (play at 45 RPM) is just fucking awesome. These guys have never let me down, and are still stomping out breakneck, über-negative hardcore like it was 1999. There ain't a dull moment on their whole side, it's yet another perfect batch of songs from a perfect band.

Comes with a nice double-sided insert, with all the lyrics and credits. And a rather unusual jacket. I'm not sure if it was a printing error or what, but my copy opens from the top. Meaning the artwork has to be turned at a 45º angle to present the spine when it's filed. I was very happy to score the white vinyl copy too. The black streaks mean that this specific record was pressed shortly after the black variants were. They call it a "mud pressing" in the vinyl biz. There might only be several white copy's with those black streaks. 

Bastard Noise seem to be working on a new record every week, I don't see them stopping anytime soon.  No word on any upcoming Lack Of Interest records. If we got another full length from them this world would be a better place.

~VII

Ludicrous Speed

Upstate New York, my home turf, has been a dry and sad place for intense music for the majority of my life time. I could probably count the number of bands I regularly listen too from here on one hand. Which is why when a record like this comes out, I just get a big 'ol smile on my face. "Ludicrous Speed" is the debut 7" from Dialysis, a ripping guitar/drums/vocals trio out of Syracuse. It came out on veteran Syracuse hardcore label Hex Records. Which is actually owned and operated by frontman Ryan Canavan. No idea how many are on pink vinyl, 45 RPM.

Dialysis are an unusual hybrid of sorts, one that I haven't heard many other bands too. Imagine if a youth-crew band started listening to a lot Exodus and Assück. The songs here transition through major-chord hardcore riffs to 100% thrashy grindcore and tremolo chugs seamlessly. The mid-range, shouted vocals being the only consistent "hawdcore" element. Jessika from Inerds even makes a brief vocal cameo on the third track! It's really fun stuff, and I'll be a monkey's uncle if I'm not sold by a "Spaceballs" reference. 

This whole package came out really well. I'm glad that these guys were able to put out a record that looks this good. I've seen this whole thing played live a few times, and they translate great, if not better on on wax. Pretty sure I recognize a few of the shows that some of the inner photo's were taken at too.

Pick up a copy at Hex Records: HERE

~VII

Fuck These Lungs

I've been going through my cassettes a lot these days. Re-listening to tons of old favorites, catching up on some I haven't listened to yet (it happens). There have always been a large handful of tapes that I consider to be treasures. Not only because of the quality music, but with the sentimental value behind them as well. This baby right here checks off in both of those categories. This is the "Fuck The Lungs" compilation/4-way split between Pizza Hi Five, Godeater, Sloven and Nothing Is Over. Hand numbered out of 200 copies, released on Feelgoodgrind Tapes.

 Back several years ago, I was in contact with this guy Bryan, the guitar player and vocalist for Hooker Spit Windex. An Ohio unit who were actually my first true favorite "underground grindcore" band. I bought plenty of HSW tapes from him, and he was always cool enough to throw in a few choice freebies. For a small dork child like me, I always thought that was always the coolest thing.
One of these freebies was this gnarly looking tape, displaying what at first glance I thought were sackless testicles. And it had bands called Pizza Hi Five and Godeater on it. It was nuts, and strange, and didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. My knoweldge of grind at this time went as far as Napalm Death's - "Scum" record, and whatever Relapse was putting out. My brain was fried when I played it the first few times. This kind of grind was completely new and foreign. It was raw, visceral, nasty, unpolished. Complete blown out insanity and noise was is the name of the game here. Which of course is something we're all used to now, but for me back then it was unlike anything else.

I can probably just say that this is an all mid-west bands split, and a portion of readers will be instantly pumped. We all recognize Pizza Hi Five, and even back then there tracks stuck out to me as being the strongest of the bunch. This band has done no wrong in my book, I think they're fantastic. Godeater was a good pairing on their side. Their side is so blown out and out of control, complete powerviolence mayhem. Nothing is Over is some pretty alright hardcore with blastbeats. They did a split with Apt. 213 a few years ago that I need to re-listen too. Sloven is actually a pretty kick ass fastcore band in the same vein of Lack Of Interest. I don't know if they did anything else after this, I certainly hope so.

No expense was spared on the presentation here! The J-card is full color and printed on quality paper, and it comes with a double sided, fold-out insert. Tons of info and weird pictures. I loved looking at all this again.

Back then I wouldn't have ever guessed that people would be geeking out over bands like Pizza Hi Five years from now. I think that's pretty great, and shows that good quality music will eventually reach the audience it deserves. As for finding this, good luck. This copy's with me forever.

~VII

Radiation Pulse

As sprawling and active as the west coast scene is, I haven't come across many bands playing he kind of grindcore Syntax dish out. I believe this is their first physical release, the "Corridos Grind" EP. Released on Nice Dreams Records a while ago.

Steering away from straight blasting powerviolence or deathy grind as is the norm over there, Syntax dwell on the discordant side. i.e, blatant and unapologetic "Jouhou"-era Discordance Axis worship. A style that I am obviously all for, and these guys nail all the great characteristics. No bass player, obligatory, tons of mid-heavy, melodic, dissonant riffs, and the vocalist even keeps up the "nuts-in-a-vice" Chang scream through out the entire EP. All that said, this really is a solid tape. One that I find myself playing often these days. The guys lay down some ridiculous wanky riffage on here, and they're a nice bit of diversity from the WCGC crew.

Mr. Nice Dreams Records hooked me up with this copy last year, which was a very nice and thoughtful gesture. Nice looking, detailed 3x-fold cover sleeve, with an almost matte finish. Very fun to look at. Printed on both sides. The tape is a simple stamped white shell-cassette. Sounds wonderful! I'm unsure how many of these were made. Couldn't be more then 100.

Syntax also have another split tape with Murder out now. I think it's a compilation of some demo's, but it sounds great! I believe a split 7"is also in the works! Can't wait to hear the new material!

http://nicedreamsrecords.storenvy.com/

~VII

Milk Was A Bad Choice

This tape came out either a few months before or after TLAL released the 7" version. I'm a bit hazy on the specifics, obviously, but twas way before ACxDC skyrocketed into almost-mainstream media. Whether we like to admit it or not, they are one of the prominent bands in bringing "powerviolence" into more of a wider audience, shall we say. Simultaneously attracting in as many fans, and "haters" rapidly. I've always tried to avoid any of the drama that seems to surround the band and focus on their music first and foremost (while still managing to not pick up 1 of the 3,046 shirt's they've made). And to me, I think they're a pretty solid band and they've made a ton of great music. Their 3-way split with Sex Prisoner and Magnum Force being my personal favorite of their material. Here's the official tape version of their 2nd EP, "The Second Coming".

This was made by a UK label called Spider Baby Records, the first in their catalog actually. A quick search on the interwebs leads me to believe the label is now inactive, shame. They did a good with this tape. Simple cassette art, a professionally done, glossy J-card, and hand numbered out of 100. A cover art variation is always appreciated too with cross-country pressings, well done. I'll give this tape some credit over the 7" too, in that it has all the material on one side. In my opinion, this is a much stronger release when it can be played in full without the break to flip the record. Next to the 3-way split, this is my favorite material from the band. Heavy, shimmery shiney powerviolence that hits all the nails of satisfaction right on the head for me.

One day I'm going to tally up how many powerviolence bands have a song called "Leech".

They got a new full length on the way. I'll probably pick it up. 

~VII

Leech

I don't know why it is exactly, but I've just never really been able to completely get into Vile Intent. Every one of their records has fallen into the, "it's-good-but-I'll-rarely-listen-to-it-again" hole. It's something that's honestly seems pretty crass to me, given that the band has everything I look for in powerviolence; Lo-fi recordings, quick tempo shifts, tough breakdowns. But consistently their records have just gone in one ear and out the other. That being said, I've always given them a chance. So when a cassette copy of their new, then-unreleased 7", "Skin In The Game" started floating around last year, I quickly snatched a copy.

Out of all of Vile Intent's records, "Skin In The Game" would actually have to be my favorite. The rough Crossed Out worship is still overflowing ("God King" could practically be a cover of a lost CO song), but they made their songs just a little bit more captivating and hit just a little harder on this one. I'm really finding it difficult to describe my thoughts on it anymore, it's just a basic powerviolence record. It's good, definitely, but I still wouldn't call it a great record. They seem getting better, though I might be the only person who thinks this.

Very nice pro-cassette job here. They wisely decided to put the whole EP on one side, leaving the B-side of the tape silent and un-printed (something I haven't seen before or since actually).  I believe they had this made for a festival they were playing. Not sure of the numbers, but it's probably limited to 100.

I haven't checked the status of these guys in a while, I'm pretty sure they're still together. Here's hoping the next record is a real winner!

~VII