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.
November 2011 Reviews
By admin on Nov. 25, 2011.
Sick Fucking O
Demo
Members of Voorhees are back with a new band that sounds like…Voorhees. Obviously, not as classic as Spilling Blood Without Reason, but good angry 82 era hardcore that will be enjoyed by fans of Voorhees for sure. Cool Devo cover at the end.
Defile
Demo 2010
Fast, angry, hardcore somewhere between midwestern style and power violence. I bet live you can hear a bit of Rorschach in their sound too. I’d like to hear more.
Slowburn
Demo
Members of a variety of NJHC bands including Spirit, Vision, and Floorpunch playing melodic, Turning Point, style hardcore. This isn’t too bad, but it’s not something I would listen to that often. The members of this band have done much better before.
Beware
Demo
Members of Stick Together and a few other PA bands doing pretty bland Chain of Strength style hardcore that has all of the flaws most 1980′s “melodic,” nearing emo, hardcore bands have. The generic 88 styling of Stick Together are way better. I’m shocked by how many people are so into this.
Bloody Hammer
Demo 2010
Moderately generic Oi! trying to sound like all of the classics. This isn’t a bad effort at sounding like Four Skins, one of my favorites, but isn’t something I will listen to much. I don’t dabble too deeply in this genre during modern times, but check this one out if you love this stuff.
Good Times
Demo
This was handed to me on the way out of a show. I’m not sure if this is supposed to be serious, but the music moves between 88 style hardcore to chugga chugga idiot metal. Add in some pretty misogynistic lyrics and this is pretty shitty.
Hatred Surge
Deconstruct LP
Rescued From Life Records
Taking cues from bands like His Hero Is Gone, Neurosis, and Mind Eraser come this LP by Hatred Surge. Brutal hardcore with alternating male/female vocals. This is one of my favorites of the past few years.
Rorschach
Remain Sedate Reissue LP
Gern Blandsten Records
While I like Protestant a lot more than this one, the first Rorschach LP is an essential part of the evolution of post youth crew hardcore in the nineties. The influence of late eighties bands like Breakdown can still be heard from their very early sound, but so can the incoming influence of bands like Bl’ast!, Voi-void, and Die Kreuzen as well. As with Protestant, the resisue is greatly aided by remastered sound.
Miles Davis
Bitches Brew Live CD
I highly doubt this is a legit release, but worth checking out. The liner notes are hilarious though: the writer acts like NO ONE has ever heard live material of Davis from this era. Tape traders have avidly passed around shows from his electronic years from a damn long time. Ignoring that is comical. There are better shows out there.
Young Republicans
Sabatoge Your Cookout 7″
More Than A Witness Records
One of the great holy grails of the tape trading circuit when I was a teenager was the Young Republicans demo. As you probably know, members of, and songs, from this tape moved to New York City and did a slightly more well known band called Youth Of Today. This demo is pretty generic early eighties hardcore that isn’t bad, but doesn’t really stand out. Worth noting is the songs that did move over to Youth of Today and eventually Project X as well, which is an interesting historical note. Just for that, I strongly suggest picking this up.
Waste Management
Get Your Mind Right 7″
Painkiller Records
Wow!!!! Serious SSD worship from this Massachusetts band. The music is more in the vein of early NYHC bands like The Abused or Agnostic Front, but the pleading, sick, Springa style vocals are unbelievable. I hear a little bit of Crucifix too (SSD meets Crucifix? Fuck.). This would have fit in nicely alongside records on XClaim! or Rat Cage. Nice cover of “Fight,” out of nowhere, in the middle of the record too.
New Lows
Self Titled 7″
Lockin Out Records
Somewhere amongst Word As Law era Neurosis and Humanity Is The Devil era Integrity comes The New Lows’ debut single on Lockin Out. this is a style can be fall apart quick because of too much chugga chugga or experimental bullshit, but The New Lows keep it together. My only complaint is a few too many kickbox style mosh parts. That shit is so corny; however, the band can’t be punished for the idiotic way a crowd way react to them.
DropDead/Converge
Split 7″
DropDead did a split with…Converge? Okay. The DropDead side of this split is pretty good, up to their usual good standards. Converge are just not a band who have ever interested me. Post hardcores love that shit.
Wasted Time
Futility 12″
Grave Mistake Records
Wasted Time come back with an excellent followup to their debut 7″, this time heavily soaked in Kings of Punk era Poison Idea and Oi! bands like Blitz and 4-Skins. Wasted Time is able to tread between an authentic old style and more modern production and stylistic values. This is one of the best records of the decade.
Innumerable Forms
Dark Worship 7″
Hell Massacre Records
Justin Detore’s death metal project is exactly as awesome as it sounds. Serious old school death metal which really stands out in a genre I don’t dive too deeply into outside of most of the classics. A lot of the newer Mind Eraser (Justin’s day job) material in somewhat in this vein, or at least heavily influenced by it. Excellent and worth tracking down.
Gasmask Terror
Black Sun Fake Gold LP
Solar Funeral Records
Gasmask Terror are an interesting band whose sound falls somewhere between UK82 and D-Beat styles. I think this LP drags a little bit, but I think I have a general distaste for longer records in this style from most bands outside of the heavyweights like Discharge. This is definitely worth checking out.
Waste Management
Power Abuse 7″
Painkiller Records
Yes!!! Brutal SSD style hardcore from members of Mind Eraser. This record takes the best of early Boston and New York with some seriously raging lyrics (especially “Too Much Unity”). A definite contender for record of the year.
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Reviews For The Week Of August 8th
By admin on Aug. 9, 2011.
I don’t need to explain this one.
Bad Brains
171A Sessions 7″
Has anyone else noticed that a lot of Bad Brains demos are popping up the past few years? These are three versions of songs you probably know, but heavier than say the Black Dots session. A live, horrible, reggae song ends the record. Not really that essential.
Waste Management
Tape
Members of Mind Eraser, etc doing really ILL Boston 82 hardcore ala SSD. The best part about this one is the pleading, furious, Springa style vocals. One of the best bands going today. There is a live set on here too with Abused and DYS covers. I’ve been waiting for someone to proclaim there is “too much unity!” for years.
Give
Heaven Is Waiting 7″
Deranged Records
This is my least favorite Give record so far. Heading away from Swiz and more towards something like Avail, this is a little too poppy for me. Still, their other records are so solid that a few misses here and there are acceptable.
Various Artists
Youth Crew 2009 7″
Upside Down Records
Youth crew? Most of these bands sound like Chain of Strength. The only really decent band here is Break Through. I found most of the bands to be rather uninteresting. This style is really in need of a hiatus.
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Reviews For The Week Of August 1st
By admin on Aug. 1, 2011.
Full Speed Ahead at their reunion show a few months ago. I didn’t even know this happened until I saw the video on YouTube…
Boston Strangler
Demo
Somewhere between Impact Unit and SSD (aka sounds like Fit For Abuse!) comes Boston Strangler. A quick five track demo of ugly 82 hardcore. More soon?
Gone But Not Forgotten
Seattle Crew Demo
Hey, this is pretty good! Somewhere near Confront and Floorpunch, this demo is good Straight Edge hardcore complete with hooded edgeman on the cover.
Negative Approach
Friends Of No One 7″
Taang Records
What is with the cover? A cartoonish drawing of what a hardcore show apparently looks like really takes away from the overall package here. I’m not surprised there is more unreleased Negative Approach (apparently there is even more), but I am surprised that the final lineup put these songs onto record. Recorded late in the band’s career, this record includes very raw recordings of some of the gnarly live songs they were playing near the end like Kiss Me Kill Me and Genocide. The versions on the Total Recall CD are some of the most incredible, ugly, music ever played (Dave Flynn: They sound like a hyena killing its prey) and these versions aren’t as harsh, but still worth checking out.
Force Fed
Self Titled 7″
Painkiller Records
Fast hardcore in the vein of Infest. I guess the term “power violence” applies here. Great stuff. Worth checking out.
Government Issue
Boycott Stabb Sessions CD
Dischord Records
Continuing Dischord’s series of reissues complete the complete sessions for GI’s Boycott Stabb record. I’ve never been a huge GI fan, alternating between finding them somewhat boring and pretty decent, but this session is good. I like some of the versions of older songs from their seven inches better on this version. This isn’t really essential, but worth picking up if you’re a fan.
Dusted Angel
Self Titled 7″
Corruption Records
Boring rock/stoner rock from former members of Bl’ast!. I need to listen to Power of Expression for the rest of the afternoon after this crap.
Our Gang
Uprising LP
Jack Roy Records
Collection of this late eighties NYHC band’s demos and other recordings. I love their tracks on the New Breed compilation, but a lot of their other material is lacking. The basic premise here is a mixture of Youth of Today and Breakdown, but some tracks work better than others. Their later, more rock/melodic songs are not interesting at all. Members of this band went on to be in Citizens Arrest and Born Against.
True Colors
Consider It Done 7″
Control Records
Not the New York band, but a band from Europe. Decent Gorilla Biscuits style hardcore that gets heavier on the melody as the record goes on. Not really my thing.
Career Suicide
Cherry Beach 7″
Sewercide Records
I have always liked Career Suicide a lot and this record is no exception. Snotty, early eighties style hardcore from Canada that never seems to bore me or let down. I think a few songs on here are covers.
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Pushead Top 100 Podcast Part One Version One
By admin on Jun. 6, 2011.
Here’s the idea: Instead of doing regular Signifying Nothing podcasts this summer, I thought a cool idea would be to do podcasts chronicling the famous Top 100 Records of the Eighties that Pushead did many years ago. If people like this, I’d love to try it with various specific record labels too.
The plan: I will publish two versions of each set. One will be a straight mix, like the ones we all discovered so much cool music from in days gone by. The local young rager in training could always use a few more. The second will be a normal podcast with my own commentary like a regular episode of Signifying Nothing.
Twenty songs for each. I think this will be cool.
- Discharge-War’s No Fairy Tale
- Society System DeControl-Get It Away
- Subhumans-Parasites
- Minor Threat-Bottled Violence
- Bad Brains-The Regulator
- True Sounds of Liberty-Abolish Government/Silent Majority
- Disorder-Violent Crime
- Rudimentary Peni-Black President
- Jerry’s Kids-Raise The Curtain
- Anti Sect-Channel Zero Reality
- Gism-Death, Agonies, & Screams
- Faith-You’re X’d
- DYS-More Than Fashion
- Cockney Rejects-Bad Man
- State of Alert-Disease
- Sick of it All-Pete’s Sake
- Necros-Youth Camp
- Adolescents-Democracy
- The FU’s-Peer Police
- Antidote-Zero Mentality
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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