Signifying Nothing

Winter 2012 Reviews

By admin on Jan. 20, 2012.

Nomos
Demo

Great 82 style hardcore from this New York band. There are a lot of modern influences on this band’s demo including Cold Sweat, The Snobs, and other, hey, early 00 bands. I would like to hear more.

Our Side
Demo

Really raw, late eighties, influenced hardcore in the vein of Release, Youth Of Today, and Four Walls Falling. With a better recording, I sense this band could be pretty good. I want to hear more.

Pigsticker
Demo

I really like this demo. Pigsticker reminds me a cross between Circle Jerks and Necros with sloppy, raw, production values that sounds pretty authentic to the early eighties aesthetic. I’d really like to hear more from this band.

Critical Point
Demo

Wow, this band really wants to sound like the “88 in 96″ era Crucial Response bands. I am reminded here of Mainstrike and especially Eyeball. Heavy, straight forward, Straight Edge hardcore. This is pretty good.

The Icemen
The Iceman 7″

The fucking Icemen! One of the best of the second tier, second wave of NYHC bands has been active online in recent years. Double Cross interviewed a member, and their one, and one time Underdog, vocalist Carl has been around as well. These early demos see their sound beginning to come into place. I think their eps are the best document of the sound they were trying for, but this is a good start. Perhaps a nice discography could put together all of the pieces. The Icemen have a ton of songs that were only played live.

Gasmask Terror
Like Daggers 7″
Flower of Carnage Records

Burly Discharge style hardcore from this French band. It’s really that simple; this is just really good. A candidate for record of the year. They also have a new CD discography of their previous work out, but this is a great introduction to the band.

Iron Age
Saga Demos 7″
Cyclopean Records

I’m glad Iron Age are done, because at this point they have totally lost me. This is soulless heavy metal with lots of cheesy melodic parts. A formerly excellent band that has really fallen off on their last few releases.

Low Profile Threat
Product #2 LP
Deep Six Records

After years of scattered rumors and two compilation tracks that barely reach 45 seconds in length between them, Low Profile Threat have put together an LP that is pretty disappointing. The pedigree is extremely strong here with members of Infest, No Comment, and Lack of Interest. The music isn’t super far off from these bands, but while Infest and No Comment thrived in the briefness of their discography, Low Profile Threat’s songs tend to drag on for too long. The 15-30 second early compilation songs were so strong because they got straight to the point. While most of the songs on this album are good, they tend to go on for a chorus or two too many. It’s not that it is bad, it’s that I would rather put on Hacked To Chunks or Judge Me instead.

Stick Together
No More Games 7″
Back To Back Records

Not surprisingly since they have some ripoff shirts of these bands, but the next generation of Wilkes-Barre Straight Edge bands sees Stick Together heavily influenced by late eighties bands like Release, Four Walls Falling, and Turning Point. This band said some questionable shit on stage when I saw them, but this record is pretty good. I am looking forward to hearing more. Members of this band are in some big pop punk band too. Whatever.

Double Negative
Raw Energy 7″
Sorry State Records

Three more excellent songs of early Corrosion of Conformity meets early Corrosion of Conformity filtered through some noisy, almost “indie,” filters. I’ve always been surprised they dsidn’ty take off with the post hardcores and Serious Adults. Great stuff.

Negative Approach
7″ Reissue
Touch & Go Records

Best record ever.

Hoax
Self Titled 7″
Deranged Records

This heavily hyped band reminds me a bit of a mix between Impact Unit and maybe Die Kreuzen. Cold Sweat might be the most modern comparison, but not quite as unhinged as that band. This is good, but not as incredible as others say. Worth checking out, but I’m still bummed they don’t sound like Beyond.

No Tolerance
No Remorse, No Tolerance 7″
Youngblood Records

The best Straight Edge release in years by far. Combine the best of Confront, SSD, and Brotherhood for some monstrous hardcore with hard mosh parts. This genre is absolutely horrible these days, filled with either corny “hawd” bands or cheeseball positive bands. No Tolerance is pissed off and play great hardcore. Members of this band are also in Mind Eraser, The Rival Mob, Waste Management, and others.

Bastard
Controlled In The Frame 7″ Reissue
540 Records

In time for their reunion show last year comes this reissue of the first Bastard ep. I first heard Bastard when Devoid of Faith covered a song on this record circa 1999ish. Conveniently, there was a CD bootleg of their releases (including the massively mandatory Wind of Pain LP). I like Wind of Pain more, but this ep is great. For newcomers, think, seriously this time, Age of Quarrel era Cro-Mags. Seriously. Raging, slightly metallic, hardcore with thick, loud, production.

Void
Sessions 1981-1983 LP
Dischord Records

There have been some pretty stupid reviews of this online, so let me be brief. Void is one of the most unhinged, ugly, hardcore bands ever. This CD collections their demo recordings (which I greatly prefer to the split recording) from the Condensed Flesh demo, the Flex Your Head compilation, and other misc recordings. There is also a few live tracks. This is an essential reissue. I can’t believe I even have to say this or justify it. 2012 sucks. I hope their first demo and the unreleased LP eventually get proper reissues as well.

Omegas
Psycho Dives On Slam Skank Anthems Tape
Powered Records

This Canadian band reminds me of early Die Kreuzen or Necros with some NYHC mosh parts. I was really late to hearing this one, but it is great.

Technocracy
Diary of a Terrorist 12″
Guerrilla Records

Raging hardcore from Japan in the “early COC meets early COC” vein. Only two songs here, but they are long ones with lots of different parts that remain interesting despite their length. Definitly making the top records of the year list.

Give
I Am Love 7″
Triple B Records

Seriously ILL hardcore from DC in the vein of Swiz. I really like this, but it is kind of a bummer how they are doing so many seven inches instead of just one full length. That’s a lot of $5 records that could be a $12 LP.

Outlaw Order
Dragging Down The Enforcer LP
Seasons of Mist Records

Members of the mighty Eyehategod doing a side project…that sounds exactly like Eyehategod. This is really good and holds up next to EHG’s work.

Omegas
Blasts of Lunacy LP
Parts Unknown Records

If Die Kreuzen were from New York City, they would sound like this Canadian band. Ugly, brooding, NYHC that reminds me of Krakdown at some points, but also with darker hinges of Die Kreuzen and Bl’ast! as well. Easily one of the best records of the year.

Give
Boots of Faith 7″
Deranged Records

On this seven inch, Give are reaching some middle point between Rites of Spring and Swiz. Both songs are melodic like the Revolution Summer era bands, but heavy and fast like later eighties bands like Swiz and Ignition. Great stuff.

Reviews For The Week of August 22nd

By admin on Aug. 22, 2011.

If you haven’t check out the interview Double Cross did with Jules from Side By Side, the final part of the interview has been posted online. Depending on the interviewee, DCXXX can be pretty hit or miss, but this one is really good.

Supertouch
Lost My Way 7″
Reaper Records

Sounding, and looking, like something out of the stuff that post hardcores put out in the late 1990′s, you know, when they “grew up” and discovered beer and Oasis, this is not surprising, but still pretty disappointing. I wish bands that only had half their members and a new sound would just start a new band. I’ll still bust for Struggling to Communicate though.

Talk Is Poison
Rage To Infinity 7″

This is a bit of a disappointment as well. Talk Is Poison were one of my favorite bands of the 1990s. However, while not terrible by any means, this record lacks the ferocity of their early material. Not horrible, but not as good as their early work. Worth checking out.

Battletorn/Double Negative
Split 7″
Volcom Entertainment

Double Negative continue to be one of my favorite bands of the last five years with three raw “early COC meets early COC” style ragers. I wish this band would come to New Jersey! Battletorn are a band I’m not super familiar with, but they sound okay. Three real quick thrashers with a little crust influence. Get this one for Double Negative.

Dusted Angel
Self Titled 7″
Corruption Recordings

See my review of their LP. Members of Bl’ast! doing boring stoner rock. This style is really played out.

Rorschach
Protestant LP Reissue
Gern Blandsten Records

When I began to slowly drift away from the hardcore scene around 1999ish, there were two records that I spun on a consistent basis. Black Flag’s My War album was the soundtrack to almost every morning. Rorschach’s Protestant album became what I listened to at work, at home, and in the car. An incredible mix of Die Kreuzen, Black Flag, King Crimson, and others. Around this time, as women actually started to date me for some reason, I used to play Protestant in the car on dates as a “rorschach test” to see if they could hang. Most couldn’t; seriously, why would I bother dating someone who couldn’t handle this record?

Signifying Nothing Episode 04×03

By admin on Aug. 5, 2011.

Talk Is Poison-Right To Die (Self Titled)
Youth Brigade-Snow Job (Demo)
Voorhees-A Cure For The New Disease (Spilling Blood Without Reason)

Necros-Youth Camp (IQ32)
Mind Eraser-Manhood (Glacial Reign)
Sacrilege-A Violation of Something Sacred (Beyond The Realm of Madness)

Rorschach-Hemlock (Protestant)
Corrosion of Conformity-Holier (Animosity)
Blessed Offal-Bottomless Grave (Demo)

Misery-Class Warfare (Who’s The Fool)
Neurosis-The Choice (The Word As Law)
Slang-World of Lunacy (Life Made Me Hardcore)

Indian Dream-Silent Screams (Orca)
Mauser-New Threat (End of the Line)
Black Flag-Best One Yet (Loose Nut)

Whirl-Blue (Distressor)

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Signifying Nothing Episode 04×02

By admin on Mar. 15, 2011.

Taste of Fear-Pro Life=No Mind (Split With Disrupt)
Madball-We Should Care (Ball of Destruction)
Agnostic Front-Crucial Changes (United Blood)

Obliteration-Fascist System (Self Titled)
Capital Scum-Final Nail In My Coffin (Clutch The Flag)
Cop Out-Burned Down (Self Titled)

Mind Eraser-Withdrawal Symptoms (The Prodigal Son Brings Death)
His Hero Is Gone-Leash (Fifteen Counts of Arson)
The Proletariat-Bread & Circus (Soma Holiday)

Government Warning-Arrested (Arrested)
Trauma-Policy of War (Demo)
Political Asylum-Flight of Fancy (Solitary)

Fear of God-Two Sides of the Coin (As Statues Fall)
War Cry-The New Age (Not So Distant Future)
Messiah Force-Silent Tyrant (Female Fronted Heavy Metal 1976-1989 Disc Two)

Off!-I Don’t Belong
Dag Nasty-Circles (With Shawn)
Mauser-Social Lobotomy (Summer Tour Record)

Corrosion of Conformity-Prayer (Animosity)

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Signifying Nothing Episode Twenty Six

By admin on Apr. 19, 2010.

Signifying Nothing Episode Twenty Six

Download

Playlist
Crucifix-Three Miles To Oblivion
Corrosion of Conformity-Happily Ever After

AsbestosDeath-Scourge
Running For Cover-Hive
Morpheme-Hakai Shodo

Rest in Pieces-Not Worth Shit
Team Dresch-Hate The Christian Right

Annihilation Time-Channel 14
Bad Brains-Don’t Need It

Saint Vitus-Look Behind You
Black Flag-I’ve Had It

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