Diploid - Human

'Human'
Diploid
2013

(Band Submission)

Genre/s: Grindcore, Screamo
For Fans Of: Discordance Axis, Combatwoundedveteran, Witch Hunt, Usurp Synapse, Neil Perry

Diploid are a three piece grindcore band from Melbourne, Australia who are heavily influenced by the sounds of 90s screamo/emoviolence. Utilizing high pitched screams coupled with dissonant chords and blast beats - with some surprising melodic passages (see the intro to 'On Going' - it almost sounds like an At The Drive In track), Diploid know how to balance their influences while proving they have the chops to play original and refreshing grindcore. Thematically the band tackle issues such as mental illness, feminism and anti-racism, and while these topics have been tackled in this kind of music before, Diploid's emotionally charged music just adds a whole new depth and sincerity to these issues. Human to me sounds like the aural equivalent of a panic attack - it's claustrophobic, cathartic and it'll leave you breathless - and honestly I couldn't ask for more out of a grind/screamo release.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Nothing Left
2. On Going
3. Back Alley Abortion
4. In The Toybox
5. Scratching At The Walls
6. Follow The Trails Of Tape Into The Forest

Bandcamp
Download

Kashyyyk - Purpose Escapes

'Purpose Escapes'
Kashyyyk
2014

(Band Submission)

Genre/s: Grindcore, Hardcore, Crust
For Fans Of: Dead In The Dirt, Torch Runner, His Hero Is Gone, Bone Dance

Kashyyyk pretty much had me from the get go - a band named after the Wookie homeworld, playing heavy, gnarly music with liberal 'Dune' references - what's not to like?? After listening to their EP, Purpose Escapes not only can I can confirm that the band live up to their expectations - but absolutely pummel it into tiny little bits. The four piece band blend sludge, hardcore, crust and grindcore into a caustic formula of guttural vocals and vicious breakdowns that goes straight for the jugular. I appreciate music that doesn't hold back, and Kashyyyk are doing just that - straightforward, brutal music with no messing about with silly samples or boring instrumentals. If you fancy yourself as a sci-fi nerd, and Rush just isn't doing it for you anymore, check these dudes out - heck, you'll probably like em even if you don't know what a Wookie is.

TRACKLISTING:
1. The All Seeing; Gouge Their Eyes
2. Mentat Projection
3. Arrakis Was Created To Train The Faithful
4. A Dull Yet Constant Pain

Bandcamp
Download

The Floor Above - Bishop

'Bishop'
The Floor Above
2013

Review by Jerry Kahale

Genre/s: Hardcore, Noise Punk
For Fans Of: Lotus Fucker, White Wards, Crazy Spirit, SQRM, Dawn Of Humans

This album was recommended to me by a bloke named Nic Warnock who works at Repressed Records in Newtown, Sydney and is of course more well known for running the RIP Society label who is home to bands like Royal Headache, Bed Wetting Bad Boys, Constant Mongrel and Red Red Krovvy to name a few. I usually make an effort to visit the store when I'm in the area since I live about an hour away and along with picking up the Soma Coma demo tape and Night Birds' The Other Side Of Darkness LP I asked him to recommend me some chaotic and noisy hardcore. Barely got to finish my sentence before he grabbed a copy of Bishop and whacked it on the record player. Needless to say I grabbed it (in exchange for cash money, believe it or not) and now I'm here to tell you about it.

First a fun fact: The Floor Above is an one man project. So I guess I could say this guy is the Burzum of hardcore and finish this review but it would also undermine this record because when it comes to noisy hardcore this could very well be one of the most bleakest, abrasive and brutal hardcore LPs to come out in a while. You'd think that from the screeching groans of an disharmonious choir of guitars leveled by the turbulent and furious rhythm with a lonely and disturbed soul howling through the carnage like that of the insane locked up in an empty but endless padded cell in a psychiatric hospital where the mind cracks and unravels madness beyond repair, all delivered in a muddled and harsh but still reasonably audible production that this could be mistaken for an obscure and old japanese hardcore band but fun fact #2: This guy resides in Nashville, Texas and it was released late last year.

This is truly a nihilistic and fucking awesome listening experience. If you are looking for something with a bit more structure and showmanship then just keep on walking but if you seek for onslaught after onslaught of devastating and manic hardcore then The Floor Above may very well be your new favorite band. Fun fact 3: The cover of the LP is just a blank black sleeve with a poorly printed cut out artwork glued on top. Nothing like taking D.I.Y to a new extreme.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Broken Jaw
2. Endless Plan
3. Bullshit March
4. Underbody
5. Tremor
6. New Colony
7. Parade
8. Overdose
9. Clone
10. Figment
11. Sunk
12. Imaginary Life
13. House Fire
14. Unconscious
15. Mind Experiment
16. Hillside Visions
17. Liquid Herring
18. Last Settlement
19. Tunnels
20. Cave Disease

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Kiddo - I Could Hear the Earth Turn/The Ground Would Shift and Shake/Oh How I Spent My Days/Happy to Be Anything

"I Could Hear the Earth Turn/The Ground Would Shift and Shake/Oh How I Spent My Days/Happy to Be Anything"
Kiddo 
2013

(Band submission)


Review by Jerry Kahale

Genre/s: Emo, Post Punk, Alternative, Garage Rock
For Fans Of: Touche Amore, Piano Becomes The Teeth, The Smith Street Band, Shellac, The Jesus Lizard

Kiddo, who hail from California, are an emo/post/alt/whathaveyou punk band that in an almost oxymoronic manner dishes out a half hour slab of playful and vibrant tunes full of youth and vigor that is certain to ignite a live setting and get a bunch of miserable punks yelping the words out loud. There is a good flow of emotions swinging from joyous to brooding and of course some angry there too for good measure. Kiddo seems to have also found an interesting foothold in between emo punk and alternative rock and gradually going from one end to the other as the album progresses. It may be alot more obvious if you were to play the first and last track together but listen to the whole album and the transition is quite discreet which shows a well written album.

Overall its a jubilant and well crafted release that I can imagine would come to life if you saw Kiddo at a gig after a few beers (or apple juice if you're edge). Head to their bandcamp and grab it for a price at your own discretion and start reciting their lyrics by heart.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Cancer Kids
2. It's Always Snowing In Philadelphia
3. Summertime
4. 1998
5. Sad Song
6. Kittylitter Catfight
7. Young Neil
8. Bill Fucking Murray
9. Suicide Bat
10. I Am All That Is Rat

Bandcamp

How To Dress For Burial - Mixtape

'Mixtape'
How To Dress For Burial
2013

Review by Rush Falknor

Genre/s: Lo-fi R&B, Ambient
For Fans Of: Slow gloomy love songs

 What seems to be just a "for fun" side project of Planning For Burial, How To Dress For Burial released it's first (hopefully with more to come) mixtape. Five songs of ambient, yet powerful, slowed down R&B. The entrancing synth lines drag on endlessly (in the best sort of way) like a drunken lonely night after a break up, and are accompanied by repetitive and simple drum machine beats like a slowly pounding heart beat, adding an intense emotion to the songs. The honest and straight-forward lyrics about past romances echoing out from the background are definitely something to lose yourself in while high in your bedroom crying about your ex. 

TRACKLISTING:
1. Untitled No.1 
2. Untitled No. 2
3. Untitled No. 3
4. Untitled No. 4
5. Untitled No. 5

FREE DOWNLOAD - Bandcamp

Oak & Bone - Self Titled

'Oak & Bone'
Oak & Bone
2011

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Stoner Metal, Hardcore, Sludge
For Fans Of: Baroness, Doomriders, Sleep, Kyuss, I Exist, Eyehategod

Gruff, groovy and gritty are all words that start with 'g'and aside from being a dodgy literary device, they're also somewhat indicative of Oak & Bone's sound. The New York band (that's Syracuse, not NYC) have taken the riffs from stoner metal, the blunt force aggression of hardcore and filtered it through psychedelia and a smidgen of post rock to achieve their dense, fuzzed out sound. With the bass guitar being the brunt of the bands sound (think Om, but muddier), and the guitar providing additional flourishes and ambience Oak & Bone' sound is thick, low end-heavy bliss. The throaty bellowed vocals sound like it could accompany some of the stuff that's been coming out of Savannah, Georgia the past few years, but music wise this is more to the point, and bludgeoning - mostly due to the hardcore influence. I"m not entirely sure if these dudes are still playing -  as they haven't released anything since this - but luckily for you this album is ready and waiting for you to give it a listen and groove the fuck out to it.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Oakener
2. Purge
3. Poison Snow
4. Acid Coffin
5. Breeders
6. Heavy Head
7. Stump
8. Pilgrimage
9. Acres
10. Untitled
11. Dust Cult

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ExVx - Contra Violence

'Contra Violence'
ExVx
2014

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Grindcore, Powerviolence
For Fans Of: Gets Worse, Afternoon Gentlemen, Spazz, Godstomper

ExVx (or Enraged Virgins, Extreme Violence, Erotic Vermin or Engorged Vaginas or whatever else you want to call them) are four piece outfit out of Contra Costa county, California.  ExVx play crusty grind mixed with powerviolence, with bass heavy grooves and a dual vocal attack. The band utilize samples very heavily (usually with humorous results) to break up their super concise blasts of grind. This is super tight, super brutal stuff that'll absolutely fucking pummel you - a great start to 2K14 and hopefully a sign of what's to come in terms of grind and pv. EvVx have this here EP, as well as few other releases for offer on their bandcamp so go give it a looksie.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Torch The Wood Pile
2. Ice Cycle
3. Parochial
4. Not Impressed
5. Alienated
6. Forgotten Faces
7. Dissimulation
8. Losing Seconds
9. Rolling Rock
10. Flounder
11. Filtered
12. Syndrome

Bandcamp

Twin Stumps - Self Titled

'Twin Stumps'
Twin Stumps
2009

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Hardcore, Noise Rock, Noise Punk
For Fans Of: Drunkdriver, SQRM, Rectal Hygienics, White Suns

Twin Stumps are a band that say 'bah humbug' to the concept of regular hardcore, and music in general, instead replacing it with their own creation of maladjusted noise and agression. Harnessing the almighty power of guitar feedback, layers of distortion and mental vocals, this EP sounds like it's crawling through it's own vomit and chewing broken glass as it goes along. There's not really anything in the way of choruses or verses or any 'normal' song structures, just pummeling noise molded into the occasional riff with vocals spat over the top of it. I can't think of a noisier punk band (except maybe Drunkdriver), but even then these guys do it dirtier, nastier and more atonal.

TRACKLISTING:
1.Siberia
2. Beyond The Door
3. Scar
4. Painted In Blood
5. Ejaculation Servant
6. Sell

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Merzbow and Consumer Electronics - Horn Of The Goat

'Horn Of The Goat'
Merzbow and Consumer Electronics
1995

Genre/s: Harsh Noise, Noise
For Fans Of: Merzbow, John Weise, Nurse With Wound, Bastard Noise, Fushitsusha

In 1995, Whitehouse alumni Consumer Electronics and Japanoise powerhouse Merzbow (aka Masami Akita) collaborated on this here record, Horn Of The Goat. Surprisingly it isn't the crazy-ass harsh Japanoise Merzbow was churning out in the mid 90s, nor was it the confronting power electronics Consumer Electronics was performing. Rather, Horn Of The Goat is heavily based off synthesis and loops, exploring spacier, robotic territory while not necessarily being an atmospheric album. With multiple synths layered on top of each other, along with loops and samples, it's an album that's juts jam packed with sound and tones - there's a lot to sink your teeth into, with multiple listens allowing you to pick everything apart. Additionally there's a few instrumental sections (guitar and drums) thrown in that give off some unsettling psychedelic vibes. As far as noise collaborations go, it's top notch stuff, made even more impressive by the fact that both contributors were doing something different to their main bodies of work (at that time anyway, Merzbow's toned himself down recently).

TRACKLISTING:
1. Horn Of The Goat
2. Dirty Jessie
3. Korean Comfort
4. History Of Child Porno in 70's Rock
5. Goodbye Lesley

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Deathcharge - Bad Dream Forever

'Bad Dream Forever'

Deathcharge

2013

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Post Punk, Gothic Rock, Punk

For Fans Of: Killing Joke, Rudimentary Peni, Bauhaus, Death Of Lovers

Deathcharge have something of a incongruous name given the nature of their moody, sanguine tunes. Surprisingly enough these guys started their life as a d-clone/Motorhead worship band, eventually dropping the dis and opting for Amebix style gloom on their last LP (2012's Love Was Born To An Early Death) before arriving in dangerously goth territories on this 12" EP. It's an interesting progression, but one that the band are making their own. With melodramatic vocals that have a bit of an edge to them (think Jaz Coleman crossed with Peter Murphy, and you're kinda there) along with melancholic, dissonant guitar lines that flirt with melody it's standard post-punk/gothic rock with traces of punk agression and a bit more menace than say, the Smiths or The Cure. So if you're expecting something akin to Deathcharge's previous output, you'll be a bit surprised, but for those of you looking for some neat modern post-punk you're in for a treat.

TRACKLISTING:

1. A Grey Day

2. Bad Dream Forever

3. Isolation

4. Limbless

5. To An Early Death

6. Buried Alive

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Gardens - Callows Isn't Comfort

'Callow Isn't Comfort'
Gardens
2013

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Hardcore
For Fans Of: Dangers, Fucking Invincible, Ghostlimb, NASA Space Universe

Extremely pissed and energetic modern hardcore - the way it should be. Gardens are five piece band from Salinas, California who are playing bold hardcore akin to a few other Californian groups (Dangers, Ghostlimb etc) with nods to the weirder side of  the punk/hardcore scene of the 1980s. Gardens' showcase plenty of  meaty riffs on their second EP, and certainly know how to play it hard and fast but are capable of throwing in an odd twist or turn here and there and complimenting it with lyrics that don't conform to the usual HxC drivel. Callow Isn't Comfort is a pretty good example of what a good modern hardcore release should sound like, it doesn't try to shamelessly ape older bands and it isn't boring old xHATEMOSHx bullshit either- go check it out.

TRACKLISTING:
1.Doom
2.Prowler
3.There are some good nights...
4. But mostly bad ones
5. Callow
6. Squirm of the Worms
7. To Name
8. Roach King

Bandcamp

Spanyurd - OOW

'OOW'
Spanyurd
2014

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Math Rock, Noise Rock, Mathcore
For Fans Of: Yowie, Coughs, Guerilla Toss, Arab On Radar, Boredoms

Spanyurd are a bunch of (very) noisy misfits who hail from Chicago. The four piece band play a manic concoction of noise rock and math rock with a smidgen of hardcore to top things off. Spanyurd fall onto the 'weird' end of the math spectrum (sorry to disappoint those twinkle daddies out there) with wonky, atonal guitars that don't actually sound like guitars pitted in deadly battle against the drums and bass. Lead singer, 'Alice MC "SadBird" Thug Lyfe' has a rather versatile voice, with her warbled barks, screams and strained singing voice a perfect companion for the cacophony of the band. OOW is a solid entry into the noise rock genre - heavy as balls and utterly bonkers with nary a conventional song structure in sight. Spanyurd's discography is available on their bandcamp, with OOW being a $3 download at the moment. Do yourself a favour and give them a listen.

TRACKLISTING:
1. ORENTHALjamesSIMPSON
2. GYLVEfenrisNAGELL
3. MARKdavidCHAPMAN
4. MARTINfitzgeraldLAWRENCE
5. GLENNallenANZALONE

Bandcamp

IRM - Order⁴

'Order⁴ '
IRM
2010

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Harsh Noise, Power Electronics, Industrial
For Fans OF: Skin Area, Martin Bladh, Pharmakon, Alberich

IRM are a industrial/power electronics group comprised of Erik Jarl, Martin Bladh and Mikael Oretoft. The Swedish group do a more modern, and dare I say 'cleaner' take on the industrial genre, with a greater emphasis on sharp metallic drones and dense soundscapes. IRM utilise bass guitar, synthesizers (and various other noise equipment) and effects laden vocals  and occasionally a detuned piano  to conjure massive walls of sound, as well as more subdued, atmospheric sections. Order⁴ is probably one of the more sophisticated noise releases you'll hear, partly because Martin Bladh's artistic background bleeds into their sound and partly because of the very composed and structured nature of the four tracks on the album. Exactly 15 minutes in length each with each blast of noise, sample (instrumental or otherwise) sounding very deliberate. For those of you looking to delve into IRM's discography, Order⁴ is ideal as it's the group's most focused effort as of yet.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Order¹
2. Order²
3. Order³
4. Order⁴

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Iabhorher - Crowskin/Splint

'Crowskin/Splint'
Iabhorher
1994

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Grindcore, Death Metal
For Fans Of: Apartment 213, Assuck, Impetigo, Human Remains, Coffins

UGHHH
That's the noise I make when a really fucking great band has a tiny discography. And when I say tiny, I mean that this 7" here is the only DAMN THING they put out. Thankfully Dave Witte who drummed for Iabhorher went on to be heaps of other awesome bands (Discordance Axis, Black Leather Army Jacket, Municipal Waste etc etc) and bassist Javier Villegas went on to be in Kylesa and Born Against (amongst others) so it's not all bad I guess. ANYWAY Iabhorher's only threetracks are doom-y, deathgrind bliss. Downtuned guitars, super guttural vocals and slamming guitar riffs. I'd wager that this was probably the heaviest thing Slap A Ham ever put out, and even though it's twenty years old, it certainly holds up today. Download it, give it a listen and get angry about their tiny discography too.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Crowskin
2. Splint
3. Processed Bliss

Download

Interview with IDYLLS

Interview by Brayden Bagnall

Since 2009, Brisbane band IDYLLS have been wreaking their particular brand of sonic havoc on unsuspecting ears, both in Australia and abroad (well south-east Asia at least). Constantly hopping between genres, their music is a potent combo of mathcore, grindcore, hardcore and noise rock, a mixture that the band have crafted into a sickly art to emerge as one of Australia's most unique and interesting acts. I recently interview the band to talk about their upcoming record, Prayer For Terrene.

FBN: First up, who are you and where are you from?

IDYLLS: I am Ben and within a human historical geographical framework I'm from Sydney, but that kind of thing can only be useful in certain circumstances so I'm not necessarily anyone from anywhere.

FBN:  Describe Idylls in three words (or less)

IDYLLS: Terms and conditions

FBN: What are some the band's influences. musical and otherwise?

IDYLLS: Musically I'm unsure, but hopefully that aspect is constantly evolving and mutating. Otherwise, reflecting on youthfully misguided flirtations with the void; a globalised interconnectivity radically separate to and beyond the limited and exploitative concepts of capital and privately owned social media; a good hat / pair of shorts.

FBN: As a band that transcends multiple genres, do you believe people place to much emphasis on genre/and classification nowadays? And do you believe it's counter-productive for the writing process for the band to stick to one genre?

IDYLLS: Yeah I guess a lot of people do put emphasis on genre, it's not exactly something we're completely sure of how to escape being naturally inclined towards categorisation and definition, it's probably a closure thing and makes it seem like we can find footing in a time a person could live their entire life without being able to depend on any lasting and invulnerable cultural or ideological traditions, things that used to last for generations. Is it counter-productive to stick to genres? I don't really know if it's possible today to really do adhere to notions of purity without a thousand other influences particular to your experience of the world, musically or other, bleeding in. I mean I could try really hard to replicate a particular kind of sound or genre specific to a place and time but it's likely I couldn't even replicate the conditions and technology and attitudes that created it anyway. Still, there's lots of boring and derivative bands out there and I think that's pretty unfortunate, which is probably more what you were asking.

FBN: How have the lineup changes in Idylls affected the band dynamic and creative process?

IDYLLS:  Being the latest personal manifestation I can't really speak for the progression of dynamics and relations. I feel everyone in the band at the moment is pretty in tune with one another personally and creatively though, it feels really good and I don't really think it's a situation where I'm trying to reproduce or replicate what previous people in the have done.

FBN: Speaking of the creative process, you've got a new album coming out soon. Can you talk a little about the writing and recording process for that?

IDYLLS: Lloyd sacrificed his childhood for the record, I tried my hand at saxophone and vocals, neither of which I'm at all qualified to do and it's success is yet uncertain, James was immersed in pagan blood rituals on the other side of the globe and had to learn & record the songs within a month of his return, for Chris I imagine it was just more of the same - eating out of bins, struggling to pay rent and trying to organise a posse of doofuses to get their shit together.

FBN: Idylls have been pretty quiet in regards to live shows and touring. Are there any plans for tours or shows to coincide with the new album?

IDYLLS: Yeah probably tour Aus later in the year, S.E Asia revisit is of vital importance.

FBN: Any thoughts on the Brisbane scene? Is there a certain niche in the scene that Idylls belongs to?

IDYLLS: Mammoth question, like any evolutionary social microcosm that one bears witness to there's probably a book's worth of thoughts that will never be written. In regards to punk and heavy music, it might not something that I'd ever truly been immersed in but over the past year I'd distanced myself from it for lots of reasons, some valid, some probably derived from self-righteous cynicism. I'd say playing in Idylls will bring me a lot closer to it once again. It doesn't need going in to, we're never going to back in the hallowed places and times where it all derived from and what a 'scene' means or achieves now is totally divorced from what it meant or achieved in earlier decades. At the moment there's probably lots of cool Brisbane bands playing that I don't know much about, but it would be even better if we finally started to marry the music and sense of community that a scene affords with the greater community within Brisbane'. If punk music is meant to be, or ever was, about establishing a resistance to the dismal socio-political 'mainstream', it's time to start acting instead of posturing. There are people out there completely alienated, ostracised, forgotten and discarded by the contemporary cultural / political mainstream and they don't know or care about cool crust bands, but their experiences and struggle is probably more authentic and vital than an entire generation of disaffected hardcore kids playing out grand and romantic struggles of a similar nature against the same very real forces in their minds. If there's any way to bring a sense of meaning and significance to musical movements anymore, particularly 'punk' / DIY music, uniting the musical community and ethos with marginalised groups within the same community to foster mutual support, growth and wellbeing is the way to do it.

FBN: Finally, What are some of the bands/artist you've been enjoying lately, both local and international?

IDYLLS: Local : Cured Pink, Frown, Last Chaos. International: Dead Rider (D. Rider)

Massive thanks to Ben from IDYLLS for doing the interview. Prayers For Terrene is out shortly, with Frail Abuse Records handling the release in the UK, Tapes Of A Neon God in the USA and the band handling it themselves over here. Meanwhile you can suss out two new tracks from the album below, as well as the band's other releases on bandcamp.

Gentlemen - Sex Tape

'Sex Tape'
Gentlemen
2013

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Punk, Noise Rock
For Fans Of: Stickmen With Ray Guns, Homostupids, Slices, Total Abuse, Cuntz

I stumbled across this band (and in turn the fucking awesome record label they're on, Homeless) yesterday, and suffice to say I was very impressed. Gentlemen are a band who know they're a bunch of weirdos, and absolutely revel in it. Taking the template set out but many-a noise rock tinged punk band before them, Gentlemen's lo-fi garage-y take on the genre centers on their sleazy and borderline menacing riffs sound like a pub rock band gone horribly, horribly wrong while some madman howls, screams and gurgles into a microphone. Sex Tape is an absolutely manic, caustic beast of a release, and I'm really glad to see the Australians are still playing some of the best noise rock on the planet. Listen to this and carve swastikas into your forehead or somethin'.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Live Action Jazz
2. Midnight Climax
3. Wild Pegasus
4. Military Style Massage
5. I Wanna Be A Closer
6. Chinese Cigarettes
7. Perry

Bandcamp

Occults - Self Titled

'Occults'
Occults
2013

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Post Punk, Death Rock, Goth
For Fans Of: Killing Joke, Rudimentary Peni, Joy Division, The Pixies, The Birthday Party

Occults are a three piece outfit who hail from my hometown of Brisbane, AUS, who're all about the doom and gloom. On their debut 7", the band fuses classic UK post punk with Australian swamp rock along with the dark vibes of death rock to create a menacing and brooding sound that's drenched in reverb. With both the bass player and guitarist sharing vocal duties, you get deadpan, almost mumble male vocals in contrast with the loftier female vocals intertwined with steady bass lines and screeching, dissonant guitar work reminiscent of Rowland S. Howard. I've been lucky enough to catch these guys live and thought they were pretty neat then, and I can safely say their stuff holds up recorded too. Give a listen, and if you like what you hear, drop em some dough via bandcamp.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Soiled Bibles
2. Sex After Death
3. I Was Wrong
4. Failures

Download
Bandcamp

The Chewers - Chuckle Change And Also

'Chuckle Change And Also'
The Chewers
2013

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Avant-Garde, Noise Rock, Blues, Experimental
For Fans Of: Keiji Haino, Captain Beefheart, Arab On Radar, The Residents, Tom Waits

The Chewers caught my attention immediately with their email, stating that they play 'deliberately off-kilter music' and throwing words like 'absurdist' and 'avant' around. Never one to turn down some oddball tunes, I gave them a listen and here's what I got.

Imagine two fellows from the strangest, most isolated backwoods in the world got together and somehow replaced all their body parts, limbs, organs and all, with machinery. Now imagine these two hillbilly robots picked up some instruments and decided to play music based off that one Tom Waits record they heard in their 'human days'. Their new robotic tendencies force them towards cold, clinical repetition, but there's this niggling human need to create something new, exciting and overwhelmingly odd. The robot/redeck hybrids record their magnum opus - it's angular and calculated - just like the machinery that drives them but beautifully flawed in the way that only a living, breathing human flesh bag could be. These robots look at their masterpiece with utter admiration - and by Jove they'd cry if their tear ducts hadn't rusted over.

...While that's pure conjecture, what I can tell you for certain is that The Chewers play some whacky, original avant-blues-noise-rock that is toe tapping-ly catchy and head scratching-ly abstract. The two piece's 'primitive' approach allows them to flesh out their wonky guitar lines with minimal messing about and explore their vivid, absurd and often humorous  lyrics in greater detail. Chuckle Change and Also divides it's time between instrumental jams, blues ditties, storytelling and distrubing sound collages = a mixed bag of genres and styles that keep things from stagnating.  There's a lot I could say about this release, but rather than dragging on I'll let you form your own opinions - that being said you're in for a very weird ride, and one that won't disappoint those of you with an open mind.

TRACKLISTING:
1. (NOW)
2. Can't Sleep
3. Burn it Down
4. Techno-Slaves
5. Filthy
6. Some Folks
7. A Part Machine
8. (LATER)
9. Inmate
10. Smiling Samuel
11. The Fat Man
12. Mutter
13. I'm Afraid
14. Down There
15. Teeth Lock
16. (PAST)
17. Box Head Space
18. Tornado of Stasis
19. Steam
20. Funnel Head
21. Blank Pavement
22. Went Away

Bandcamp

Scully - EPND // EP

'EPND // EP'
Scully
2014

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Powerviolence, Screamo
For Fans Of: Jerome's Dream, ORDSTRO, In/Humanity, Combatwoundedveteran

Uh oh, looks like I'm going to have to bust out the 'E' word.
emoviolence
Yeah, I said it. Anyways, Scully are purveyors of the aforementioned genre (though all you internet dorks will probably yell at me and tell me it's a joke genre), which for those of you not familiar with the term, it's essentially an amalgamation of screamo and powerviolence. On EPND // EP, Scully do indeed bring the chaos and agression of straight up PV and hardcore, but with the raw, shrill vocals and the intensity of a 90s screamo release. If it's a decent balance of brawn and emotional honesty you're looking for, look no further because you can snag this EP here (or at the band's bandcamp if that tickles your fancy).

TRACKLISTING:
1. There's Nothing // My Dad Watches Porn
2. Drown the Fixies
3. To Be Unemployed
4. Routine
5. Hiatus

Download
Bandcamp

Gaza - I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die

'I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die'
Gaza
2006

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Mathcore, Grindcore, Metalcore
For Fans Of: Trap Them, Ed Gein, Discordance Axis, Me And Him Call It Us, Car Bomb

Yeah, everyone probably knows this album by now, but I honestly don't care because it still stands up almost 8 years after it was released, and I also really miss this band. Gaza where an amalgamation of grindcore, mathcore and metalcore, and while their fellow genre hopping peers were all about the 'heavy', Gaza were all about the 'disturbing as fuck'. Not to discredit their 'heavy cred', because they were, but on this album especially, Gaza went above and beyond to deliver what sounds like a bunch of mental patients who've seen the devil himself playing some very scary music. Occasionally dipping into the sludgier end of the spectrum, the band pretty much spend the entirety of this album belting out crazy tempo changes, jarring guitar riffs and some very technically proficient drumming all while vocalist Jon Parkin screams, growls and screeches his way through some pretty scathing social commentary. Again, you've all probably heard of this band but I implore you to give this a listen if you haven't, it's one the of the most intense listens in recent metal(core) history, and I'm convinced the title track is one of the scariest songs ever created. Dig it below.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Calf
2. I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die
3. Hospital Fat Bags
4. Gristle
5. Sire
6. Slutmaker
7. Hell Crown
8. Moth
9. Cult
10. Pork Finder

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The Men - We Are The Men

'We Are The Men'
The Men
2009

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Noise Punk, Noise Rock, Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: (early) Fucked Up, Lower, Cult Ritual, Raw Nerve, Iceage

Brooklyn's The Men have been turning a few heads in the couple years they've been a band. Beginning as a rowdy, noisy hardcore group, they've found their way onto Sacred Bones records and have morphed from post-punk to country-fied indie rock in the space of three albums. While I can't say I enjoy their new direction, I think it's cool they've picked up some attention and with their sound constantly evolving, it'll be interesting to see if they throw in another curveball and go back to their raucous roots. ANYWAY, this here is The Men's first release from back in '09 and it's pretty much four tracks of scuzzy punk bliss. You've got your feedback, dirty guitars, frantic drumming and scuzzy vocals coming together to form something that sounds like it crawled out of a sewer. Manic, weird and a little scary, I'd rank this up there with 'Leave Home' (this isn't quite as scary as the track 'L.A.D.O.C.H', but it's getting there) as the best thing these guys have released. Check it out.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Hated
2. Ailment
3. The Man
4. Sketchy Pussy

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Sister Fucker - A Commitment To Excellence

'A Commitment To Excellence'
Sister Fucker
2012

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Noise Rock, No Wave
For Fans Of: Coughs, Arab On Radar, White Suns, Happy Flowers, AIDS Wolf

Noise rock is pretty much one of my favourite genres, and I am of the opinion it only gets better when it's as incoherent, dissonant and anti-music as possible. I'm talking guitars that sounds like rusty nails being scraped against rustier guitar strings, non-existent song structures and weird ass-vocals to boot. Anyway, I digress. Point is Sister Fucker is one such band that pisses all over musical convention, and instead presents their own warped take on this newfangled 'being a band' thing. The duo are as minimal as it gets, guitar and drum, yet they coax so much out of their respective instruments it doesn't matter. The warbled vocals and highly unconventional guitar style (think Lydia Lunch levels of six string abuse, and you're about 1/4 of the way there) only add to the glorious confusion. Put simply, A Commitment To Excellence is probably the best headache you'll ever have, and a shining example of how good noise rock can be when it loses the 'rock'.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Contention's Best
2. Mindbinding
3. Torres Gemelas
4. Casual Corner
5. A Dog's Life
6. Is That Your Face
7. Killer Incense
8. I Really Care (About You)
9. Because The Night
10. Wet With Hate
11. Women And Children

Download

1/4 Dead - Demo

'Demo'
1/4 Dead
2014

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: Pissed Jeans, Stretchheads, Homostupids, Slices

Punk is well and truly at its best when it's spewing out of the deepest, most fucked up crevasses of the human mind, and lo and behold 1/4 dead are here to spew that kind of fucked up all over you. The self described 'weirdo freak noise punk' band delivers just that, throwing chaotic guitar solos/spazz outs that would make Greg Ginn blush into the proverbial blender with utterly deranged, batshit insane vocals and sleazy, off kilter riffing. This is the four piece's first release, and they've already established a pretty nuanced sound, while paying tribute to some of their fellow noise rock/punk peers at the same time. A solid demo all in all, and one that's not afraid to bare it's ugly teeth and wear it as a badge of honour.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Printing Press
2. Firetruck
3. Puerile
4. Train / Story Of A Fuck
5. Humiliation

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Interview with New Cathedral

Interview by Brayden Bagnall

Tampa, Florida rockers, New Cathedral, will almost certainly deny their post hardcore/emo roots in favour of their self coined term 'rotrock', but the four piece do indeed play a polarizing blend of the aforementioned genres and alternative rock. I sat down with (well actually I sent emails back an forth) with the band to talk about their new album 'Ghosts' and sexual relations with punk singers.

FBN: Hello there! So first of all tell us who you are and where you're from

Chris: We are New Cathedral from Tampa, Florida

Ricky: That's it?

Ryan: What? Well... I'm Ryan and I'm from Tampa. There are Scott and Chris...

Scott: We're both from Tampa.

Ricky: Alright then, we are New Cathedral and we're from Tampa, Florida.

FBN: If you had three words to describe your band, what would they be?

Ryan: Angry, Bearded, Rot-rock

Everyone Else: "I'm actually okay with that".

(We're trying really hard to make rot-rock a genre, haha)

FBN: What are some of the band's influences, musical and otherwise?

Chris: Thrice. I don't really have any for "otherwise"...

Ryan: Philly cheese steaks

Scott: Satan, whiskey

Ryan: Vietnam war...  losing a leg in 'nam- that's what drove me to do what I do today.

Ricky: But wouldn't someone else have to drive you? With you losing that leg and all...

Ryan: Yeah, someone else drove me.

Ricky: Alright so on a serious note... Musically I think we are all really influenced by Thrice especially because of all the ways they changed over the years. I know that Scott and Chris are really influenced by U2 because they grew up on it- and that's probably why they play music today. Kersey and I have known one another since like middle school and I think we've always just had a passion for loud music... it's one of the reasons we became friends. 

FBN: What's the local scene like? Have you found it to be supportive?

Ricky: The Tampa scene is really hit or miss and it depends on what kind of music you play.

Chris: Just put "what Ricky said" for all of us.

You've just released your new album, Ghost. Can you tell us a little about the writing and recording process? 

Scott: 4 dudes in a cramped lanai putting their heart into..

Ryan: Wait is that a lanai? I thought a lanai was screened in. That's more of a sun room. You should tell them we were in a mud hut. 4 guys in a mud hut makin' rot-rock.

Scott: The writing process went like this: Ricky would play a riff and we would all jam on top of it and I would yell "wait wait wait! Do that again!"

Ricky: Yeah and we're all like "What, all 14 minutes of it?"

Scott: We write about a 15 minute song and try to condense it to 3 minutes. 

Ricky: We usually just bring a riff and build on top of it until we get a general skeleton. Then Scott and I demo it on my home studio to turn it into the skeleton of a real song and figure out how it should actually sound. We recorded with Dany Byers of Rock Garden Recording and we record all of our music live. We all set up our gear and play the songs at the same time and try to get the best take we can. All of our songs are a compilation of like two takes and then we throw vocals on top. We want to put out albums that actually sound like we would if you came to see us at a show. 

FBN: What are your plans for touring this album? What can we expect from New Cathedral in 2k14?

We are just now getting into booking more. We are playing a big show with He Is Legend on March 6th 2014 at Tampa's The Orpheum and we are releasing our album, physically, that night. Once that show is over we will focus more on getting out of Tampa for the summer.

We're writing a new album and are going to try to head back into the studio probably at the end of April or beginning of May to put out a new EP. We've decided that our next releases will just be a series of four song EP's because we're very DIY and it will take less time and money to get each release out that way.

FBN: Formalities out of the way - Henry Rollins, Glenn Danzig, Jello Biafra - Fuck, Marry, Kill. Go.

Scott: In that order!

Chris: I would kill...

Scott: Wait, wait! I'm going to change mine. I'd actually marry Rollins because he seems like he would be a good father figure.

Ricky: but you're two dudes... where are the babies going to come from? Adoption?

Chris: I'd support that- I'd probably marry Rollins too.

Scott: So Danzig, Rollins, Jello

Chris: I guess... I think I'm in the same boat with Scott.

Ryan: I would fuck Jello, marry Rollins, and kill Danzig. I think Danzig would appreciate getting killed more than the other two.

Ricky: I second what Kersey (Ryan) just said!

FBN: You're on a desert island and you have three albums with you. What are they?

Assuming we're all on the island together then we aren't going to let any albums overlap!

Scott: U2 Achtung Baby, He Is Legend It Hates You, Misfits Collection 2

Ryan: MeWithoutYou Brother:Sister, Thrice Artist In The Ambulance, Glassjaw Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Silence

Ricky: Further Seems Forever How To Start A Fire, Coheed & Cambria The Year Of The Black Rainbow, Beloved (US) Failure On

Chris: Thrice Anthology and I'll give you some more later? I'll take MeWithoutYou A:B Life if you guys want to listen to it... Oh! Brand New The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Of Me.

FBN: Finally, any shout outs, thank  (or fuck yous) or words of wisdom you want to share with the blog-o-sphere?

Hmm I guess a "thank you" is in order to Dan Byers of Rock Garden Recording for recording our album. He is going to do our next one too. Maybe to Jim Morris of Morrisound Studios as well because he mastered it. Thanks to Brian Morgante of Deadhorse and Flesh & Bone Design for our shirt/sticker/button designs.

New Cathedral currently giving their single "Stealing Mirrors" away for free on their Bandcamp page and the album itself is available for purchase. Check it out at http://newcathedral.bandcamp.com/track/stealing-mirrors

Last Exit - Köln

'Köln'
Last Exit
1986

Review By Jerry Kahale

Genre/s: Free Jazz, Experimental, Noise Music, Bebop

For Fans Of: Peter Brötzmann, Sonny Sharrock, Naked City, Albert Ayler, The Flying Luttenbachers

So my last review (not counting the band submissions) was a band called Final Exit, so i'm going to be a smartass and review Last Exit. Don't worry though its all still very noisy and destructive, and no its not the British power electronics project either (Cheers last.fm). Incase you aren't familiar already Last Exit is an experimental free jazz supergroup consisting of oddball jazz instrumentalists including saxophonist Peter Brötzmann (Machine Gun), the late drummer/vocalist Ronald Shannon Jackson (collabs with Cecil Taylor and Ornett Coleman), bass guitarist Bill Laswell (collabs with Herbie Hancock, Yoko Ono, Iggy Pop and heaps more) and the late guitarist Sonny Sharrock (collabs with Pharaoh Sanders before being his own artist and is most renowned for the Space Ghost Coast To Coast theme song). 

Do you like musical notes, well constructed harmonies and a rigid time signature? Tough titties, because even locking up wild wolves in a music store would not be anywhere near as violent and bewildering as these madmen. Last Exit is a civil war of  noisy jazz music titans to see who can fuck shit up the most. This is by no means an easy listen. There is nothing easy here, even trying to point out a particularly unique part here is an impossible task. All the musicians, even the odd bouts of vocals, are non-stop crashing into each other like a derby, only occasionally letting one person a chance to shine on its own. Its far from a wank however, even amongst this chaos it still has all the professional marksmanship of years and history of world class musicians that defied the common ground and travel on their own path in a truly honest and unique journey. It should be pointed out that they only ever did one studio album and the majority of their releases, including this one, are live albums and presumably improvised too. 

Its a shame that Last Exit is often overshadowed by the equally eccentric Naked City, who formed a little later after Last Exit and both bands were active around the late 80's/early 90's but where Naked City tends to straight up assault towards as many genres and styles as possible in a hyperactive stupor, Last Exit is drawn more to destroying all the relics of conventional musicianship in a ferocious and rebellious fury that has yet to be matched.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Hard School
2. Brain Damage
3. Taking A Beating
4. Last Call
5. Dark Heart

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Open Graves – All I’ve Learned Is Death And Anxiety

"All I’ve Learned Is Death And Anxiety"
Open Graves
2013

(Band Submission)

Review By Jerry Kahale

Genre/s: Hardcore, Crust, Death Punk

For Fans Of: Rise And Fall, Homewrecker, Cursed, Converge, Zao

Open Graves are a self proclaimed “death punk” band that hails from Fairmont, West Virginia, but Turbonegro they are not, rather they play messy and sludgey crust influenced hardcore that would make any A389/Deathwish buff happy. While this style of hardcore isn’t as groundbreaking as it used to be now that every jaded punk and his dog are starting these kinds of bands, I’m happy to say that Open Graves are very worthy to sit in your music player. All I’ve Learned…. is a relentless onslaught of dirty riffs and hyperactive drums pounding on while angsty men sing songs that is catered to punch a few bricks into rubble. There is probably not a single moment where it lets it guard down even amongst the quieter parts, well, only exception being the end of Blood Falls. My main gripe with these sorts of bands however (and lets face it most of the many varied styles of hardcore punk music) is that there aren’t many standout tracks and while this release does suffer a bit from that it is still collectively a solid slab of extreme hardcore.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Discomfort
2. Constant
3. Black Medicine
4. Abuse
5. The Living End
6. Blood Falls
7. Gypsy Eyes

Bandcamp

Looks Good - Demo

'Demo'
Looks Good
2013

(Band Submission)

Review by Jerry Kahale

Genre/s: Hardcore, Powerviolence, Grindcore

For Fans Of: Witch Cult, Magrudergrind, Total Abuse, Cheap Art, Dropdead

First off I’m just going to get this done and out of the way even if there is no nice way to say this. Charles Manson samples have been done to death. This applies to all musical projects, even Death Grips. There aren’t enough Space Ghost Coast To Coast samples though. More of those please. Anyway, lets not detract that from the actual music, because it is nothing short of excellent fuzzed out and manic hardcore/powerviolence. Looks Good have pretty much ticked all the right boxes here and I can’t choose what I love the most. The twin vocals attacks like madmen in a knife fight with sawtooth riffs and hammering beats. I think what I love most about this is that they tend to divert to different passages besides just sticking to the fast/slow/fast dynamic that a lot of bands, even great ones, fall prey to. Looks Good thinks outside the box song structure wise without being too out there to be considered experimental.  In short, Looks Good are looking good – comedic genius I know. 

TRACKLISTING:
1. 9-5
2. Customer Worship
3. Looks Good
4. Bed Of Nails
5. Prison Knife
6. Rock Yo Body
7. Ignorant/Wiser
8. Herd The Good Word
9. Get Awasted
10. Deal Breaker
11. Omitted

Bandcamp

The Ducks - Passing The Poison Back To The Spider

'Passing The Poison Back To The Spider'
The Ducks
2013

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Noisegrind, Grindcore, Harsh Noise, Industrial, Experimental
For Fans Of: Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Insect Warfare, Nihilist Commando, Final Exit, Sete Star Sept, Foetus, The Gerogerigegege

'The Ducks sound like great bears trying to emulate metal or punk but being unable to do it in a polished way'

...You could take the bandcamp bio's word for it, or you could jump right into the sonic miasma that is The Ducks and decide for yourself. The band - split between Brisbane and Canberra, Australia - are an intriguing mix of structured grindcore/punk thrown into a turbulent maelstrom of experimental electronics and full on harsh noise that will surely make your head implode (or at least scratch it). On 'Passing The Poison Back To The Spider' you'll be marched forcefully through the realms of noise, HP Lovecraft, soft jazz, synth and bastbeats and copious amounts of sampling- it's an incredibly large selection of genres. juxtaposed in increasingly creative and opposed ways. At times The Ducks sound like Foetus emulating grindcore by way of power electronics, and at other times it's a synthpunk band covering Naked City songs backwards but ultimately The Ducks are in a league of their own creating some challenging music that defies all structure and convention to blow your mind (and speakers). Go and visit The Duck's bandcamp where this release and heaps of others are available as free downloads.

TRACKLISTING:
1.Terrain Adaptive Surgeries
2. Gods Or Forces Unknown
3. The Unseen Guest
4. Impulse Control
5. Your Children's Sleep
6. Shackled, Awaiting Trial
7. North Central Positronics
8. I Told You Longer
9. Completely Without Warning
10. In The Mist
11. You Go In The Box
12. Perpetual Recurrance
13. The World Will End In 1983
14. Horror Hospital
15. This Is My Last Visit

Bandcamp

Deviänce Pörcine - Demo

'Demo'
Deviänce Pörcine
2013

(Band Submission)

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Crust Punk, Hardcore
For Fans Of: Discharge, Doom, Disrupt, Avskum

Filthy, filthy punk from France. Deviänce Pörcine are a five piece crusty hardcore band with not one, but two female vocalists delivering a raw, noisy assault via buzzsaw guitars and throat shredding screams. While Deviänce Pörcine's music is firmly brooted in the punk genre, their are some definite nods to metal - mostly doom and old school black metal - which adds some extra grunt to the gritty,  brawny sound of the demo. This one will appeal to almost anyone with an appreciation for the nastier side of punk and metal, so quit sewing those patches on to your manky jeans and check out Deviänce Pörcine's bandcamp where this demo is available as a pay-what-you want download. Gnarly.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Deviänce Pörcine
2. Need More Vacations
3. 4 Seconds
4. Time
5. Dinösaurs
6. Popöp The Lights
7. Gähmroömen
8. Prince Of Darkness

Bandcamp