!FUCKED BY NOISE'S BEST OF 2014! - Joe's Picks (Part 3: LPs)

This list was even harder to narrow down than the others but I did my best.  So, without anymore delays or any further ado...

Part 3: LPs

'Molestador'
Sesso Violento

On this one-sided 12", Sesso Violento deliver 8 tracks of disgusting, mosh inducing raw black metal/punk with nods to industrial/noise and neofolk. If you like dirty, yet catchy riffs, sinister vocals, and layers of fuzz, then this bad boy is for you. If you don't like at least one of those things, then I'm not entirely sure why you're on this blog.





'Precipice'
Column Of Heaven

This band (and the people involved with it) is (are) always pushing boundaries in extreme music and this tape is no different. Column Of Heaven has moved away from powerviolence and into much stranger territory, combining grindcore, black/death, and industrial/noise to create something truly horrifying. Please stop making the lazy comparison to The Endless Blockade just because the bands share members, this is something entirely different.








'Cigarette Burns'
White Wards

I'd been waiting for this LP for quite some time since White Wards set a high bar with their 2011 7". Despite that, 'Cigarette Burns' still surpassed my expectations. White Wards is everything I want in a hardcore punk band; ripping fast parts, stompy parts, noisy and weird parts, it's all here. If you're looking for some freaky, fucked up, raging hardcore punk, you're in luck.

'Labyrinth Constellation'
Artificial Brain

I know I say "spaced out" a lot on here, but I don't think that describes anything better than this release.  Imagine if Demilich and Arizmenda joined forces to create some of the most ridiculous scifi inspired death metal you've ever heard. Well, you don't have to imagine anymore. To use a corny cliche, this album is out of this world (I'm so sorry).

'Norymberga'

Norymberga

This is some truly fucked up shit. Norymberga (which translates to "Nuremberg") dished out some absurdly disturbing and distorted noise rock filtered through a raw black metal/punk lens. I guess it could be compared to something like Sexdrome or Garrotte, but it feels far more menacing than those bands. Oh, and there's a seven minute track that's a field recording of zebras.  

'Death'

Teitanblood

Do you want raging black/death that never lets up? Here you go. Teitanblood are relentless and no amount of preparation will make you ready for this LP. This thing is flawless. 

'Simulacrum'

Xothist

Xothist's brand of spacey, ambient black metal really caught my attention with their 2011 demo (which I didn't hear until 2012) and when I found they'd dropped a new LP, I was pretty excited. This album makes their demo look weak. Its atmosphere is haunting and truly horrifying; lovecraftian might even work here. And that doesn't even cover the terrifying, dissonant riffs and tortured screams which tie everything together. 

'Mental Hygiene'

Internal Rot

This release is a little more straightforward than the others on this list, but it still packs quite a punch. I'd recommend this to anyone who is a fan of killer riffs, groovy grooves, and raging blast beats. Please keep your arms and legs inside at all times, because this album is going to take you on a wild ride. 

'Privacy'

Raspberry Bulbs

When this album dropped, I listened to it over and over for a couple days because of how much I loved it. It's Raspberry Bulbs' most fully realized release to date; it combines their trademark dark, noise rock and deathrock influenced, black metal tinged punk with industrial/noise interludes, resulting in something totally twisted. Imagine if Rudimentary Peni, Coil, and Drunks With Guns collaborated and you'd have a pretty good idea of how this album sounds. 

'Full Of Hell & Merzbow / Sister Fawn'

Full Of Hell & Merzbow

Okay, so this has been on just about every list this year and there's a good reason why: it's fucking amazing in the literal sense of the word. However, that being said, I don't think most people fully appreciate what this album is doing, nor do they understand just how important it is. I cannot remember a time I've seen a grindcore/noise album get this much attention from such a diverse group of people -- grind fans, noise nerds, hardcore jocks, twinkle emo kids, tumblr hypecore dorks -- everyone is all about this collaboration. It's weird because I doubt many of these people (tumblrcore, emo, and hxc crowds in particular) really get what's going on here and where this album sits in regards to grindcore and noise; it's kind of like people who listen to modern hardcore punk, but have little to no knowledge of the late 70s/early 80s bands who shaped the genre. This album hits me so hard because I recognize the artists who have influenced this material and hearing those artists put together in such a beautifully devastating way makes me feel excited beyond belief. I've watched Full Of Hell grow and change since I first saw them in the summer of 2011 in a tiny basement in Newark, DE, and I'm in awe at how they continually top themselves by building on their previous work and drawing from under-appreciated, yet seminal artists such as Gasp and countless others. On this release, Full Of Hell have honed their vicious sound even further than before, delivering some of the most destructive and well written grindcore I've heard in a while. The Merzbow dominated part of this collaboration is also fantastic in its own way, playing on haunting soundscapes which match the intensity of the Full Of Hell dominated part even though the two parts play on totally different types of intensity. This album is a grindcore/noise masterpiece and I could gush about it for days. 

Honorable Mentions:

-Thou 'Heathen' (sludge/doom)

-Impetuous Ritual 'Unholy Congregation Of Hypocritical Ambivalence' (atmospheric black/death)

-Dogmatist 'Worn Out Welcome' (raging, crust influenced hardcore punk)

-Volahn 'Aq'ab'al' (black metal)

-Arizmenda 'Stillbirth In The Temple Of Venus' (spacey atmospheric black metal)

-P.L.F. 'Ultimate Whirlwind Of Incineration' (grindcore)

-Zom 'Flesh Assimilation' (black/death)

-Idylls 'Prayer For Terrene' (noisy/mathy grindcore with a Venom P. Stinger cover)

-Perspex Flesh 'Perspex Flesh' (off kilter, weird hardcore punk)

-The Lowest Form (noisy, blown out chaotic hardcore punk)

Dishonorable Mentions:

-Young And In The Way

-those bands Whirr and Nothing (are they the same band I can't tell)

-Boston Strangler

-Water Torture

-OFF!

-Iceage

-Cult Leader

-ACxDC 

-Punch

-Code Orange [Kids]

!FUCKED BY NOISE'S BEST OF 2014! - Joe's Picks (Part 2: EPs)

I finally was able to narrow down my list of favorite EPs from this year, it's a Christmas miracle! As I said in part 1 of my favorite releases of 2014, this year has been way too good, thus making these lists so difficult. I'm not going to write a big preamble, so let's just get to it.

Part 2: EPs

'Ficcion Corporativa'

Rapturous Grief

This was probably my most listened to grind release this year and it's a total rager.  Rapturous Grief really seems to have come into their own here, plowing through 10 songs of relentless, stripped down grindcore in under 7 minutes.  This makes GridLink's final LP look like an overly polished corny power metal album (which it pretty much is) and the only 2014 grind release which I liked more than this one was the Full Of Hell & Merzbow collaboration.  

'Looking For Love'

Total Abuse 

Texas's kings of Whitehouse influenced hardcore punk have returned after a couple years of inactivity to bring us yet another adventure into the world of the perverse. While 2011's 'Prison Sweat' LP dealt with very personal issues, 'Looking For Love' brings the band back to songs about S&M and other related topics. The title track feels like something you'd hear on a Brainbombs release, but the other two display the dirty, gritty hardcore punk this band is famous for.

'Always Faithful' split

Jarhead Fertilizer/Purge

Jarhead Fertilizer (members of Full Of Hell, [this is not for you.]), start this split off with an absolutely gut-wrenching grindcore assault that doesn't let up until both their and Purge's songs are finished. The former feels like Discordance Axis if they were 10x heavier and the latter is just plain brutal.  8 songs, 6 minutes, no survivors.  

'Gentlemen'

Gentlemen  

Australia has been killing it lately and their noise rock game is no exception.  If you like nasty and disgusting repetitive noise rock, then Gentlemen's s/t EP is definitely for you. I liked this release much more than their 'Sex Tape' demo, which was still pretty amazing.  

'Decomposition Fantasy'

Disciples Of Christ 

After their split 12" with Triac, DoC left me craving more of their totally blown out, noise drenched, abrasive grindcore, and this one-sided 12" has only made my hunger grow even stronger (makes me sound like Galactus, hell yea). The first 5 songs clock in at just under 5 minutes, and the sixth song is a cover of Wire's 'Pink Flag' which is pulled off flawlessly. I need more.  

'EGM'

NASA Space Universe 

I was under the impression that this came out on a tape in 2013, but the 12" I got when I saw NSU said it came out this year, so I'm going to count it as a 2014 release. If you already know NSU, you know what to expect; although if you don't, get ready for a wild ride of weird, spacey hardcore punk with some of the fiercest vocals and ridiculous riffs around. This band gets better with every release. 

'Wait For The End'

Pleasure Cross 

I heard Pleasure Cross's ripping deathgrind massacre of a demo tape last year and loved it and was thrilled to find out they'd be putting out a 12" on Iron Lung Records this year. Well, this 12" is just as pummeling as the demo. Turns out, this band is the new project of August Alston of Walls, although you'd never know just by listening to it. Brace yourself. 

'Mise En Abyme'

Cottaging 

Blah blah members of Cult Ritual blah blah. This sounds nothing like Cult Ritual at all, instead of raw, horrifying hardcore punk, Cottaging has gone the route of spaced out noise rock. Of the two EPs they released this year, I liked this one more; the other felt as if the band had moved too far into post-punk revival territory, whereas this one rests at that perfect point between post-punk and noise rock. 

'Razorheads'

Razorheads

You want d-beat/raw punk? You got it. Razorheads features members of a bunch of other bands -- most notably Bible Thumper -- and dishes out four ripping tracks on this killer EP. It's got the fast parts and the stomp parts and the riffs and the delayed vocals and everything you want from a d-beat/raw punk release. 

'Plataforma/Autopsia'

Balcanes 

I really wish there were more than two tracks on this EP, but I'll just have to wait until Balcanes releases more material.  These two songs are heavy, dirging, and repetitive with delayed vocals and the overly simplistic instrumentation we've all come to expect from noise rock. While not pushing many boundaries, Balcanes really deliver with their take on the classic noise rock formula; the songs are perfectly executed.  

Honorable Mentions:

-Warthog “Prison” (stompy hardcore punk)

-The Coltranes “The Cat Of Nine Tails” (noise rock)
-UltraMantis Black “UltraMantis Black” (hardcore/fastcore, members of The Ultimate Warriors with a real wrestler)
-Blazing Eye “Blazing Eye” (hardcore punk)
-Iron Lung “Savagery” (powerviolence)
-Big Zit “Electric Zit Vol. 1” (freaky hardcore punk with vocals like H.R. from Bad Brains)
-Qualm “Passive” (blown out hardcore punk)
-Gnaw Their Tongues “Wir Essen Seelen In Dir Nacht” (death industrial/black metal)
-Gowl “Blurrr” (grindcore)
-Coffin Birth “Necrotic Liquefaction” (deathgrind)

Born Against - Battle Hymns Of The Race War

'Battle Hymns Of The Race War'
Born Against
1993

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk, Post-Hardcore
For Fans Of: Universal Order Of Armageddon, Assfactor 4, John Henry West, Ink And Dagger

Let me start out by saying that this is my favorite Born Against release. It's got everything I love about them both musically and politically, and is possibly the most caustic and concentrated attack they put out. On top of all of that, it's got goofy and iconic samples of children's cartoons, police raids, a talk show which singer Sam McPheeters called into, and even a threat left on one of the band member's (probably McPheeters again) answering machine, which was quite potentially an inspiration for Chris Bickel of In/Humanity using the sample of Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed threatening him.

Born Against is an incredibly important band in terms of helping to define early 90s hardcore punk. Musically, they had a lot in common with so-called emo and post-hardcore bands, but lyrically they were far more aggressive. That's not to say some of those bands were not political, but none of them were nearly as confrontational as Born Against, who took after bands such as The Crucifucks and Dead Kennedys in their respective unrelenting, uncompromising political assaults and sharp, biting satire. While their strange combination of instrumentation and lyrics helped to set the tone for punk and hardcore that would follow, I can't think of any bands who were able to fully pick up where Born Against left off.

So, why post a vinyl rip of the 10" when there are plenty of rips of the CD version which contains both of their LPs? Well, stupid audiophile shit aside, the vinyl version contains a track which never made it to the CD, and I want people to hear it. The track in question is a seven minute intermission which features a cartoonish old woman talking about the wrath of god, terrorist attacks, war, white supremacy, and a whole list of things while the tune of "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town" loops in the background. It's something that needs to be heard to be believed.

So what are you waiting for?

Tracklisting:
01. Murder The Sons Of Bitches
02. Mt. Dew
03. Footbound & Hobbled
04. This Trash Should've Been Free
05. Poland
06. Sendero
07. Set Your A.M. Dial For White Empowerment
08. Intermission
09. Born Against Are Fucking Dead
10. A Whopper Of A Tale

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!FUCKED BY NOISE'S BEST OF 2014! - Brayden's Picks (Part 2: LPs)

This is part two of my 2K14 round up and it's all about the LPs. Again I've just been flooded with awesome music, and I guarantee there's stuff I've missed. Otherwise the rest is here -with youtube/bandcamp links to help you catch up on what you've missed. Before I start though I'd like to mention a few albums that might've been on here:

Swans - To Be Kind: Yeah it was good. Yeah it was kinda AOTY. But everyone else has it on their list so shhhh
Endon - Mama: I'm absolutely sure this would've made top 10 - had I been able to find a copy and listen to it
Trap Them - Blissfucker: A very good chance this would've been on the list too - had it not been a huge fucking let down and arguably the most disappointing album of the year
Triac - Full Length: This would've had a guaranteed spot on the list - but it hasn't been released, and doesn't look like it will be for some time. Alas

All that out of the way, here's the stuff that did make the cut:

LPs:

'Prayer For Terrene'
Idylls

Idylls had been one of my favourite Australian bands ever since I first saw them live opening for Punch on their Australian tour. Their debut album, Farewell All Joy was math-y hardcore done right but FUCK after listening to this it can't even hold a candle to this. Prayers For Terrene saw Idylls pushing every element of their sound to the breaking point. The grindcore influence is much more prominent, but so is the noise rock elements. There's more nods to classic Australian punk (see the Venom P. Stinger cover), there's a saxophone and there's just layers upon layers of sound to wade through. Idylls were pretty hard to classify before, but now they've reached dizzying new heights of ambiguity and dissonance. All I can say is that Australia hasn't had a band this intense, loud or crazy before - and I doubt it ever will again. Actual AOTY for sure. Hands down. No competition. Nup. None whatsoever.

'Primitive And Deadly'
Earth

Considering it was an album I wasn't excited about at all, Earth's Primitive And Deadly was probably the most pleasant surprise of 2014. Having barely listened to their previous releases, I was still surprised by the inclusion of vocals and a much more psychedelic rock driven sound. That's not to say that Earth aren't as bone shatteringly loud or heavy as the days of yore - because there's plenty of that too.  Each of the five tracks on this are repetitive, trance inducing journeys into luscious guitar tones and spaced out riffs. In fact I can safely say that 'From The Zodiacal Light' was my favourite track of 2K14, and Rabia Shaheen Qazi's hazy, chilled out vocal delivery has been stuck in my head for a fair portion of this year. They've been around for years, but Primitive And Deadly proves that Earth are still one of stoner/drone metal's biggest players.

'Estuary English'
Consumer Electronics

Estuary English has the distinction of being the most venomous, vile collection of recordings I heard all year. Consumer Electronicss (Phillip Best especially) have only gotten angrier and more focused as they've aged, both musically (term used VERY loosely here) and lyrically. Phillip Best's vocals drip with malice, sarcasm and wit as he forces every last syllable out his foam covered mouth. He spits, sputters and screams every known expletive in the English language over broken synth pulses, drum machine beats and shrill blasts of feedback. All this ferocity is channeled into vulgar attacks at modern culture and politics. It's spoken word meets Throbbing Gristle on amphetamine - and it's super good.

'Celestite'
Wolves In The Throne Room

Go figure, it takes Wolves In The Throne Room to stop playing black metal for me too reeeeeally enjoy them. Like, don't get me wrong - their black metal stuff is great - but Celestite just takes their, uh, celestial soundscapes to brand new highs. How? Well by ditching the metal, the instruments (for the most part) and milking the nicest, spaciest sounds out of synths as possible. Celestite sits somewhere between Sunn's more quiet output and Tangerine Dream - transcendental ambient music that's as lush as it is melodramatic. If you ever wanted to hear a black metal band scoring a sci-fi film without any blast beats, screaming or tremolo riffs this would be your best bet.



'Privacy'
Raspberry Bulbs

 I slept on Raspberry Bulbs previous LP, Deformed Worship in 2013. It promptly became one of my most played albums in 2014.
Then this album was announced.
Unsurprisingly, RB have continued to flesh out their unique combination of post-punk, noise rock and blackened punk - with longer more complex songs and many more ideas present within this album. Privacy has the band moving further away from their 'blackened' influences, and instead sees a much more refined, thought out direction. The inclusion of eerie, weird industrial tracks between every other track on the album is a pleasant surprise too - showing that the band can not only write brilliant punk songs but showcase a diversity of musical styles and their influences.

'Bestial Burden'
Pharmakon

Abandon featured in last year's top 10 list, and unsurprisingly Pharmakons' 2014 LP, Bestial Burden, is in this one.
New York death industrial musician, Margaret Chardiet, used a near death experience and operation as the inspiration to create the six tracks on this album. Utilizing stark synthesizer textures, samples and apocalyptic percussion, Chardiet's lyrics tackle the fragility of the human body and her health issues - in the noisiest way possible. The meticulous structure and presentation of Pharmakon's previous work remains - more so than before - and incorporates a wider range of vocal styles, samples and sounds. Bestial Burden is a much more diverse collection of tracks than Abandon, but still retains the harsh, uncompromising ethos of the project.



'Full Of Hell And Merzbow'
Full Of Hell/Merzbow

Full Of Hell have come along way since the breakdowns and hardcore riffs on Roots Of Earth..., veering almost directly into grindcore territory. From the very start of their collaboration, the potent combination of Masami Akita's volatile harsh noise and Full Of Hell's salvo of blast beats, riffs and savage vocals grip you by the throat and do not let go. The second disc features Merzbow's contributions in much more detail, with Full Of Hell providing wonderfully unhinged instrumental support - akin to one of their live performances - making for one hell of an uncomfortable, yet hypnotising experience.  This is a band who've gone from wearing their influences very heavily on their sleaves to craving their own niche into the genre AND collaborating with arguably the most important contemporary harsh noise artist in the process.

'Mental Hygiene'
Internal Rot

Internal Rot are a three piece grindcore band from Melbourne Australia, consisting of members from Roskopp, Agents Of Abhorrence and Super Fun Happy Slide. Now if that pedigree hasn't got you salivating all over your keyboard, the music will. Imagine shameless Excruciating Terror worship, but played with the speed and intensity of Insect Warfare - but with more groove. It's primitive grind cobbled together with an unhealthy amount of catchy thrashy riffs, more mosh parts than you can shake a fist too and absolutely filthy, raw vocals. Mental Hygiene is the best grind release to come from Australia since Earth.Water.Sun by AoA. Easily.

'Negative Ecstasy'
The Lowest Form

I've sung praises for this band on two occasions on this blog, and I'll be damned if I don't make it three. Negative Ecstasy is rabid, aggressive hardcore taken to its most illogical extreme. This album's a deadly duel between guitar feedback and buzzsaw riffs, with a madman barking over the top and the drums demolishing anything that happens to be in the path. No did it well last year, but the award for UKHC's craziest, gnarliest release definitely goes to The Lowest Form this year.



'Totem'
White Suns

Since 2008, New York band White Suns have been one of the most obtuse hardcore bands - splitting their time between freeform noise rock, sludgy dirges and experimental, avant-garde tracks. On Totem, they seem to be channeling the frantic, desperate energy of Drive Like Jehu coupled with the intensity of Drunkdriver. Wailing guitars are broken up by crackling oscillators and droning feedback, with sporadic drumming and unpredictable twists and turns. It's the most straightforward and accomplished album the band has released thus far,  but it retains the same impact and brunt of previous releases.



Honorable Mentions:
Fejhed - Self Titled
Vomir​/​Poète Maudit - Split
Ben Frost - A U R O R A
Gridlink - Longhena
Six Brew Bantha - Intravenously Commodified 
Rort - Warpath
Perspex Flesh - Self Titled
Mob Rules - Nothing Left
Thou - Heathen
Indian - From All Purity
The Body - I Shall Die Here
Scott Walker + Sunn O))) - Soused
Conan - Blood Eagle
Sesso Violento - Molestador
Arizmenda - Stillborn In The Temple Of Venus
Shellac - Dude Incredible
Ted Danson With Wolves - WWTDWWD

Dishonorable Mentions
Code Orange - I Am Kids King
Code Orange - I Am Kids King

Code Orange - I Am Kids King

Code Orange - I Am Kids King

Code Orange - I Am Kids King

!FUCKEDBYNOISE'S BEST OF 2014! - Joe's Picks (Part 1: Demos)

Okay, so I'm caving and posting part of my list early. What that means is that this list is subject to change, although I'm sure the top 10 will remain the same. 2014 has been ridiculously good and I'm so happy with the amount of amazing releases that were put out this year.  Because of the sheer number of things I loved this year, there will be honorable mentions listed at the end because choosing just 10 is impossible. 

Part 1: Demos

Anti-Zen 'Anti-Zen'
This band bridges the gap between anarcho-punk, deathrock, and hardcore punk through utilizing sinister, hypnotic riffs and minimalist, yet powerful drumming. I have a rip of this that I've been meaning to post for a while, so I'll put that up soon.














Gath Šmânê 'Transmuted Marrow'
What we have here is some truly fucked up death metal with heavy influence from bands like Nirvana 2002 and Nihilist (so basically late 80s/early 90s Swedish death metal) but with subtle atmospheric and black metal leanings and plenty of pinch harmonics.

Blank Spell 'Demo'
Blank Spell has members of Cape Of Bats, Haldol, and other Philadelphia based dark punk bands; they play off kilter deathrock infused hardcore punk which is aggressive and chaotic without losing its bleak atmosphere. This is music for trespassing in cemeteries at night.

Slave House 'Demo'
I think I described this band to somebody as "the black metal Gag." Brace yourself for blown out, stomping madness with evil riffs galore. The only raw black metal/punk bands I can think of that surpasse this level of mosh potential are Sewer Drainer or maybe Sesso Violento.

Chlorine 'Demo 2014'
This demo is twisted in the best possible way. Everything about it makes me want to break shit. It's got riffs, it's got breaks, it's got mosh parts, it's got fast parts, it's got noisy parts, it's got weird parts. It came out late in the year, so I'm sure a lot of people will miss it, but this is a band I will be keping my eye on.

Skáphe 'Skáphe'
I'm not entirely sure how to describe this demo.  It's really spaced out, atmospheric black metal like Xothist except it's a little cleaner and possibly a little scarier and it has a subtle hint of death metal thrown in the mix. This is some true nightmare horror black metal madness.













Rash '2014 Demo'
This demo is pretty simple. It's stompy, hyper aggressive hardcore punk.  This is the demo to go to if you want killer punk riffs and way too much mosh. I don't have a lot more to say about this but it's good so listen to it.














Nerium Oleander 'Declination'
Here's another weird demo.  Nerium Oleander plays what can only be described as a mix of atmospheric raw black metal/punk and industrial/noise.  Listening to it kind of reminds me of watching a David Lynch film, or maybe even what it would feel like to be a character in one.













Q "DEMQ" 
This is another straightforward hardcore punk demo.  Every part of it is mosh inducing, from the stompy caveman parts to the stompy d-beat parts. If you like to break things and/or fight dads, this demo is definitely for you.

Naamahk 'Demo 2014'

Although last on this list, this might be my favorite demo to come out this year.  Naamahk combines raw black metal/punk with freaky noise rock to create one of the coolest, most refreshing sounds I heard this year. If SQRM played black metal (yes I already know about Vucub Cane which is just the singer), this is probably what it would sound like. 

Honorable Mentions:
-Haldol 'Demo 2014' (deathrock/hardcore punk)
-Ritual Chamber 'The Pits Of Tentacled Screams' (blackened death metal)
-Disinterest 'Demo' (late 90s/early 00s screamo influenced hardcore punk)
-Shitgrinder 'Life Is Corrupted' (grindcore)
-Choose Death 'Choose Death' (stompy hardcore punk)
-Dilate 'Dilate Demo 2014' (blown out d-beat/raw punk)

Anything you think I missed? Let's fight it out in the comments section.

The Coltranes - The Cat Of Nine Tails

'The Cat Of Nine Tails'
The Coltranes
2014

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Noise Punk
For Fans Of: Scratch Acid, Brainbombs, Slices, Pigeon Religion

This is another tape from this year which I had hoped would surface on the internet but never did. I picked it up when my band played with The Coltranes over the summer, but I held off on doing a rip because the tape doesn't have a tracklisting and there was none to be found online.  Well, now that the names of the tracks have been made public, I figured it was time to rip this bad boy and share it.

For those of you not already familiar with The Coltranes, they dish out some freaky noise rock in the vein of Scratch Acid and Brainbombs, but the singer croons a good deal of his vocals almost like Glenn Danzig, making for an in interesting juxtaposition. This tape is the band's 6th release, but only the 4th on a physical format.  The B-side was a live recording and the dubbing isn't that great on my copy, so I figured I'd just put up the A-side. For those interested in getting a physical copy of this EP since the tape is long sold out, it's being released as a 7" by SPHC, a label run by Kamikaze Dan from Lotus Fucker which has put out some fantastic stuff by bands such as Inservibles, Sete Star Sept, and Column Of Heaven.

If you like weird punk and noise rock don't sleep on this.

Tracklisting:
1. This Is A Whole New Look For Me
2. Distant
3. Seven Shades Of Shit
4. Parallels

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!FUCKEDBYNOISE'S BEST OF 2014! - Brayden's Picks (Part 1: Demos and EPs)

Welp, it's December meaning only one thing: you're going to be pelted with AOTY lists - much like the way I was pelted with awesome releases this year. Like last year's list, I'm opting for a top 10 system, but unlike last year I've realised I've got waaaay too many demos, EPs and singles to boil down to 10, so demos have their own list. As well as that, I've linked each entry up to a youtube video or bandcamp page in case you've got some catching up to do.

So without further ado here's part one of my Best of 2014 list!

DEMOS

R.I.P FUCKER - Bangers & Fuzz 

Simultaneously earning heaps of praise from me for their brilliant name AND their music, Melbourne band RIP Fucker's demo is all you could want from a D-Beat/Noise Punk band. Blown out walls of guitars, pummeling drums and weird, strained vocals with heeeeeaps of delay. One of many great Australian punk releases from this year. 

Unpeople - Demo

Dystopian rock and roll brought to you by Brisbane band Unpeople. Straightforward punk tunes played at dangerously loud levels with plenty of noise and dissonance injected into the fold to give it some extra grunt. If you're down with down picked power chords and feedback, you'll most likely dig this one.

Burlap - Demo

I told myself I wouldn't do definite favourites, but this here is definitely my favourite demo of 2014. Noise rock with a fair bit of drone and shoegaze influence, with a bit of post hardcore to top it off. I've reviewed them previously here, but I'm more than happy to keep showering them with praise. LISTEN TO THEM NOW

Shitgrinder - Demo

I really only have to say that this band features members of Idylls and Shackles to justify its place in this list, but I guess I'll expand on this by saying SWEET MOTHER OF GRIND. Three Brisbane dudes making super erratic, punk-y grindcore that does not let up. 15 tracks, 9 minutes and one very hard to explain erection.

Cum - Fuck Cops

I'm largely biased on this one thanks to the Beastie Boys cover on it, but Adelaide punks Cum really do pack on hell of a punch on this demo. Think a much more metallic, meaner Gag and you'll have a pretty good idea of what's in store. Keen to hear more from this band.

1/4 Dead - Demo

1/4 Dead play noisy hardcore that's comprised of wonky guitar riffs crazed vocals and plenty of negativity. Definitely one of my favourite demos from the states this year, and possibly my favouite hardcore demo. Also their singer Joe writes for this blog, so there's that too.

Oxygen Destroyer - 2014 Demo

Ferocious, blown out tunes that marries Japanese and US hardcore in the sloppiest, most deranged way possible. This demo's made even better by the goofy Godzilla samples in between songs, most likely as a tribute to their namesake. The band has zero internet presence but thankfully Terminal Escape has a rip and some information here

NAAMAHK - Demo

NAAMAHK are a Canadian blackened punk band who unleashed this killer demo earlier this year. They've combined the stompy, aggressive punk usually found within the genre with a much more weirder, angular noise rock approach. Off kilter, lo-fi and totally essential.

L.O.T.I.O.N - Second Audio Document

I recently reviewed L.O.T.I.O.N's first demo on this blog and I really can't get enough of them. It's old school industrial meets fucked up EBM, harsh noise and hardcore spawned from the same minds that gave you Dawn Of Humans, Survival and Nomad. Seriously killer stuff.

Gath Šmânê - Transmuted Marrow

So I'm not massively keen on death metal, but there's the ocassional band that makes me sit up and pay attention - Gath Šmânê being one of them. The three piece play absolutely massive sounding tunes of this two track demo that's dominated by gnarly tremolo riffs and disgusting guttural vocals.

EPs

Danny Whitten's Veins - Self Titled

This five track tape was most definitely the scuzziest thing to surface from the Australian punk scene this year, and boy am I happy it did. Danny Whitten's Vein's are a bunch of Adelaide misfits playing dirge-y noise punk in the vein of Flipper and Venom P. Stinger, but with a slightly more brutal and nosier slant to it. 

Multiple Man - Persuasion

Equal parts Gary Numan and Primitive Calculators, Brisbane synth-punks Multiple Man have been inching towards a decidedly more pop and dance oriented sound and hey, it still rules. Seriously, Persuasion has one of the coolest synth bass lines ever recorded - and the music video rules too.

Iron Lung - Savagery 

Like I have to fucking explain this one??

Cottaging - The Amyl Banshee EP

Featuring ex members of CULT RITUAL (!!), Cottaging actually put out two EPs this year, both as good as each other. Amyl Banshee in particular has an incredibly accurate title, given the psychadelic, drugged out noise rock emanating from within. Seriously good stuff. 

Qualm - Passive

As far as hardcore goes, it doesn't get much more primitive and ugly than Qualm. The Amsterdam band play mean, ugly tunes with deranged vocals and more stomp mosh parts than you can shake your fist and grunt at. UGH

DiE - Vexed

UKHC actually had a preeeetty good year - Perspex Flesh, The Lowest Form, Mob Rule and these guys, all releasing some killer stuff. DiE in particular play what's essentially super sped up, aggressive oi coupled with unhinged hardcore, but with less nationalism and lower middle class romanticism. For fans of speedy 1-2 beats and punching things 

UltraMantis Black - Self Titled

So members of Pissed Jeans teamed up with an actual pro-wrestler essentially forming a more genuine version of The Ultimate Warriors. Except this time it's gnarly, weird grindy-fastcore with lyrics about environmentalism and Native American rights. What's not to love really?

Dead Boomers - Privilege&Obscenity

Two members of True Radical Miracle doing a very nicely potent take on harsh noise, industrial and power electronics. The Melbourne duo incorporate percussion and structure into their music to recreate incredibly dense and enveloping dirges. Definitely Australia's best noise act. Apart from Justice Yeldham, of course.

Coffin Birth - Necrotic Liquefaction 

Insect Warfare lives on through a Brisbane three piece grindcore band. Seriously concise, walloping stuff with delicious guttural vocals and unrelenting riffs. Awesome on record and even better live.

Ornamental Headpiece - Mask Of Ash

Not gonna lie, CSR totally dropped the ball on the latest A Pregnant Light album - but, in its place here's a much more fierce and ugly EP. Ornamental Headpiece are a blackened hardcore band featuring members from various CSR projects. Moody black metal riffs, galloping drums with occasional forays into post punk. Not bad at all. 

Honorable Mentions (Of many, many others)
Funeral Parlor - Axis Flowers

Frame 313 - Split with Wrong

DeadShred - Thousand Yard Staring Competition
Warthog - Prison

Una Bestia Incontrolable - Nou Mon

Gentlemen - S/T EP

Gag - Locker Room

Pleasure Cross - Wait For The End

Puke - S/T EP

Volahn/Blue Hummingbird On The Left Split

Velvet Whip - Bronze Medallion

Cottaging - Mis En Abyme

Oily Boys - Majesty

Sperm - Yahweh Bring Us To This Hell