NASA Space Universe - 70 AD (FUCKING FINALLY)

'70 AD'
NASA Space Universe
2016

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: Koro, Brain Tumors, Mecht Mensch, Die Kreuzen

Fucking R.I.P. to one of the best bands in contemporary hardcore punk. Sadly, this is NSU's final output, but luckily for us, they aren't walking away quietly; they're going out kicking and screaming and thrashing and smashing. This LP was only available at their final show until it was (finally) put up online yesterday for the rest of the world who wasn't at that show.

NSU is at their absolute fiercest and grittiest on 70 AD.  While their other releases have a somewhat cleaner production, on this LP they drop that and go for an all out, blown out assault on the senses. None of their off kilter riffing or irregular structuring is lost; in fact, I'd argue it sounds even more fucked up and deranged through a dirtier mix. But enough about production, blah blah, you want to know what's going on here musically, right? Probably not, I'm sure most of you skipped down to the download link already. But for all you true believers still reading, NSU are doing what they do best here, only they're doing it even better than before. With each release this band got better, and it seemed as if it'd be difficult to top the ICE and EGM EPs, but holy shit they did it. The guitar work is out of control, the bass is heavy and pummeling, the drumming is tight and relentless, the vocals are manic and maniacal; imagine their previous material only amped up in every way -- that's what this LP sounds like. The amount of shit going on here is amazing, and you're gonna want to listen to this a few times to let it all sink in, because it's definitely overwhelming.

I'm glad I got to see NSU once (at a midnight bridge show), although I would've loved to see them a million more times. Trust me when I say this is a shoe-in for top 10 punk 12"s of 2016. Well, you probably wouldn't be reading this if you didn't trust what I have to say (or maybe you would, I don't know). Regardless, listen to this fucker over and over and over because it's weirder than any midwest tryhard glove punk and more ferocious than whatever boring boston hxc rehashes that are getting hyped currently (sometimes you just can't resist making jabs at lame derivative/trendy shit). NSU was the real fucking deal, and this LP is the perfect way to end their run, and to give one last "fuck you" to everyone.

Tracklisting:
1. Flesh Multiplier
2. Meth Western / Salt Of Another Earth
3. 70 AD
4. Building
5. Deaf
6. Infernal Recurrence
7. Quantum Leper
8. Psuicibin
9. High Up

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)