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)

Billy Bao - Communisation

'Communisation'
Billy Bao
2015

(Band Submission)

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Industrial, Power Electronics, Noise
For Fans Of: Cosmonauts Hail Satan, Premature Ejactulation, Twin Stumps, Skullflower

Everyone at FBN is a huge Billy Bao fan, I'm talking geek status; so when I saw Mattin sent us an email, giving us a heads up about the new 12" (which I actually knew about, as it was one of my most anticipated and favorite releases of 2015), I practically jumped out of my chair. I actually wanted to post this when it came out in December, but couldn't, because it wasn't up for free download -- but now we've gotten the green light, so here we go.

Those of you who know Billy Bao should have an idea of what to expect; on Communisation, they are doing what they do best. Those who don't, you're in for a ride. Billy Bao is notorious for their ability to create some of the most jarring and uncomfortable noise and noise rock, by not only combining the most abrasive elements of both instrumental and electronic noise; but also by turning those combinations into horrifying sound collages though the use of musique concrète techniques to play around with their mixes. Communisation sees them utilizing this style over the course of two tracks. The first is somewhat in the vein of their May 08 LP; it's 10 minutes of noise rock interspersed with power electronics and occasionally random instrumentation, field recordings, piercing tones, and sounds that make you think maybe something is wrong with your speakers (or headphones or whatever). The second reminds me of their Urban Disease LP; the track is a 20 minute sound collage which focuses on field recordings, tape loops, power electronics, and occasional instrumentation (mostly percussion). Trust me, it doesn't get boring at all, it's fucking terrifying and it's fucking awesome. This LP is a great addition to their already fantastic discography (which I obviously highly recommend).

Here's the short version: if you want noise -- and I mean more than just power electronics or monotonous repetition, I mean shit that is genuinely challenging and out there -- then Billy Bao should be your first stop. Smash that download button and get fucked up.

Tracklisting:
1. Debt: The Crisis To Come
2. Communisation: The Revolution Of Our Times

DOWNLOAD

On a related note, Mattin also sent the Lagos Sessions 2xLP which I'll be reviewing for Cvlt Nation since they don't want the recordings out just yet. So keep a lookout for that.

IT'S FINALLY HERE + I CAN FINALLY PUT THIS UP (DOUBLE POST): COLUMN OF HEAVEN / SUFFERING LUNA - SPLIT LP + COLUMN OF HEAVEN / WOLVES OF HEAVEN - PRECIPICE CS

'Column Of Heaven / Suffering Luna'
Column Of Heaven / Suffering Luna
2016

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Grindcore, Deathgrind, Blackened Death Metal, Sludge, Doom, Industrial Power Electronics, Death Industrial, Noise Rock, Noise
For Fans Of: Gasp, Knelt Rote, Dead Body Love, Man Is The Bastard/Noise

I have been waiting close to two years for this split to come out. While I wish it had come out earlier, it was so worth the wait. Holy fucking shit. I'd heard the demo version of Column Of Heaven's material on the Precipice tape (which I'm including in this post since Andrew Nolan said to hold off on putting it up here until the final split came out) and of course it was amazing on that version, and is still amazing in its revised form. Suffering Luna's material is all new to me, and I am so blown away by it, even more than I expected to be.

I don't want to just rehash my review of Precipice for Column Of Heaven's side, because it definitely is not the same. For example, the opening track, Nothing, has been changed from a 10 second burst of grind to a 35 second burst of pulsing power electronics that sounds like something you'd hear from Anenzaphalia. Another big difference is that the mix is much cleaner (not necessarily a bad thing, although it took a bit to adjust to, since I was used to the Precipice mix) and so everything that's going on is out in the open, actually giving this an ominous, overwhelming feeling equal to what they accomplished on the Mission From God LP (and really everything they've put out). And, since that LP, Column Of Heaven have been integrating black/death influences into their music; and its usage has gone from tinges to being the core of what they are doing here. The material on the Demonology tape (later on the split 7" with Radioactive Vomit) had heavy black/death leanings, but this material pushes it even further to the point that I'd risk saying they are primarily playing black/death. They are totally bestial here, and their bludgeoning assault isn't stopped by their integration of terrifying, intense power electronics tracks; it's made even more punishing. I'm so sad that this band is no more, they were truly one of the best and I seriously consider myself ridiculously lucky to have gotten to see them. I've heard that Andrew Nolan's new band is even filthier and possibly better than Column Of Heaven (how does he keep doing it?), but I have yet to hear it for myself. So here's to hoping a demo surfaces soon.

But don't forget this is a split LP. When I heard that there was going to be a split between Column Of Heaven and Suffering Luna, I was in disbelief. Two absolutely incredible, powerhouse, out-there as fuck bands on the same record? Sign me the fuck up. Suffering Luna's side holds its own against Column Of Heaven's, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with them. Their split with Dystopia is legendary, even though most people (wrongly) tend to only pay attention to Dystopia's side; their split with Gasp is truly deranged and weird in a way that hip glove wearing punks can only dream of touching (then again, I think listening to grind and noise isn't cool for them anymore). On this split, Suffering Luna goes all out (as they are wont to do), entwining filthy riffs with power electronics and samples, somewhat reminiscent of later era Man Is The Bastard (see: Thoughtless) but with less prog riffing and more jamming and their trademark heavy reliance on samples. Oh, and I guess I should mention that their side is only one track, and that the track is over 17 minutes long. Some people might be deterred by that, but trust me, this track is paced perfectly and when it's over you'll probably wish it wasn't (that's how I feel every time I hear it, anyway). This shit is totally fucked in the way that only a band like Suffering Luna could hope to achieve. Now hopefully they'll tour someday.

For those of you who saw this review and thought "tl;dr" here's a more concise version: fucking download this and listen to it because I can guarantee that it is without a doubt one of the best things 2016 has to offer. Official seal of approval from me, the internet's #1 punk bully and hater of fun. Also, I split the tracks since Nerve Altar's bandcamp has all of Column Of Heaven's side as a single track. Okay, I'm done, have at it.

Tracklisting:
1. Column Of Heaven - Nothing
2. Column Of Heaven - Hopeless
3. Column Of Heaven - Joyless
4. Column Of Heaven - Loveless
5. Column Of Heaven - Worthless
6. Column Of Heaven - Faithless
7. Column Of Heaven - Everything Is Fine
8. Suffering Luna - Near Death (Can't Put Down The Pipe)

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'Precipice'
Column Of Heaven / Wolves Of Heaven
2014

Review (mostly rehashed) by Joey

Genre/s: Grindcore, Deathgrind, Blackened Death Metal, Industrial, Power Electronics, Death Industrial
For Fans Of: Knelt Rote, Blood, Skin Crime, Skullflower

Andrew Nolan made me take this down (not really, he actually asked very nicely) until the final versions of these tracks were released on the split with Suffering Luna. So, since nobody has uploaded another rip anywhere (to my knowledge), I am again taking matters into my own hands. I managed to get a copy of this tape when I saw Column Of Heaven with Full Of Hell (fucking finally, I had wanted to see Column Of Heaven for quite some time and they did not disappoint; plus Full Of Hell are always great and it's nice to see them), but from what I've heard it sold out pretty quickly.  I assume one of the big reasons that there aren't any rips of this out there (besides the band not wanting it out) is because the tracks all bleed together, making it harder to split them (this does have split tracks, don't worry).

Precipice was meant to be a promo for Column Of Heaven's split with Suffering Luna, which (I think) was supposed to come out in June of 2014. And, after almost two years, it's out. However, this tape has a B-side with material which is exclusive; Column Of Heaven covers black/death band Ride For Revenge, and Wolves Of Heaven deliver two horrifying tracks, one of which is reminiscent of bands like Skullflower, who combine instrumentals with power electronics; and the other being horrifying ambient, similar to something you might hear from Cicciolina Holocaust. So what about the A-side? It's basically a rough demo of the material on the Suffering Luna split LP. There are a few differences, in both production and content, so you can decide for yourselves which version of the material you like more. I can assure you, however, that both are fantastic and worth listening to.

This tape -- like everything else the people behind this band have put out -- will knock you on your ass. You should have already expected that, though.

Tracklisting:
01. Column Of Heaven -- Nothing
02. Column Of Heaven -- Hopeless
03. Column Of Heaven -- Joyless
04. Column Of Heaven -- Loveless
05. Column Of Heaven -- Worthless
06. Column Of Heaven -- Faithless
07. Column Of Heaven -- Everything Is Fine
08. Column Of Heaven -- Eternal Woman (Hell Of Your Love) [Ride For Revenge]
09. Wolves Of Heaven -- Love Is A God From Hell
10. Wolves Of Heaven -- Hell Is A Love From God

DOWNLOAD

Dauðyflin - Demo

'Demo'
Dauðyflin
2016

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: Mocoso, Rudimentary Peni, Dregs, Qualm

It's been a little while, but I haven't gone anywhere. It's time to kick FBN 2016 off (a little late, oops). I saw this demo posted, noting that it was members of the icelandic deathrock band, Börn (who I'm a huge fan of), playing hardcore punk. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but figured it'd be worth a listen. It was. Well, more like four listens. In a row. It's really fucking good. I guess I should be clear that this is nothing like Börn, unless you count the overall ominous feel; no post-punk here, just nasty, dark, dirty,  hardcore punk.

I honestly had trouble coming up with comparisons for this band, because there's something really special about them that I can't quite put my finger on. My initial reaction was that they sound like an atonal Rudimentary Peni, but that doesn't quite cover everything that's going on here. There's much more of a contemporary dark hardcore punk feel to this, bringing to mind bands like Mocoso and Dregs; it's firmly rooted in hardcore punk, but has a lot of goth tinges to it (drawing especially from deathrock bands like Peni, Nerorgasmo, etc), combined with a very filthy, noisy presentation akin to raw black metal/punk bands (think Bone Awl, Sewer Drainer,etc). Note: definitely not saying this is black metal, because it's clearly not. The production isn't the only thing that's noisy on this, however. The guitar work is screechy and dissonant, while the bass is winding and melodic. I would compare the vast difference in bass and treble to Minutemen, but that is where the comparison between the two would end. The juxtaposing works incredibly well, highlighting each end of the spectrum while also allowing the low and high ends to compliment each other in a strange, sinister, cacophonous way.

Overall, this demo is fantastic and is one of a couple great things I've heard already this year. I would say I highly recommend it, but I feel I shouldn't have to since I just wrote a whole thing about why it's great and why I'm recommending it. So have at it.

Tracklisting:
1. Holræsi borgarinnar
2. Drepum allt
3. Mannvera
4. Túrblettir
5. Meðvirkni

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

FUCKED BY NOISE'S BEST OF 2015 - Brayden's Picks (LPs)

It's that time of year where I feel comfortable organising the music I enjoyed in the previous twelve months into some kind of list and share my opinions on them with the general public. What follows are ten LPs I found to be rather enjoyable, and while it was pretty gosh darn difficult sorting through the multitude of excellent releases from 2015, I think I've got a pretty solid selection.
Stay tuned for a second post of my favourite demos and EPs of the year, and make sure to check out the links I've included for each release.


'As A Four Piece Band' Cured Pink
Cured Pink are a wickedly inventive and odd hybrid of post-punk, industrial, no wave and noise channeled into a jarring and unique collage of sound. Tracks like 'I'm Swimming' will see you bopping around like an idiot with it's infectiously catchy groove; whereas tracks like 'Live in Sydney' or 'Rosetta' will have you scratching your head and going back to understand what exactly it was you just listened to. I'm always hesitant to have an actual AOTY, but 'As A For Piece Band' is more than deserving of this title. Please, oh please, check it out if you haven't already.

Choice track: 'I'm Swimming'


'I Am A Problem: Mind In Pieces' Wolf Eyes
October saw everyone's favourite 'trip metal' band, Wolf Eyes, unleash this particularly desolate and hallucinogenic collection of sounds onto the general populace. Drones, clicks, squelching synths, sputters, guitar freakouts and saxophone all make a very welcome appearance on these 6 tracks culminating in what sounds like the soundtrack to a dying man crawling across a desert in search of peyote. Hopelessly bleak but with Wolf Eye's trademark catchiness running beneath the doom and gloom.

Choice track: 'Catching The Rich Train'



'Force The Zone' Cuntz
Once the tinny, distorted guitar kicks in on opening track 'Cooked', 'Force The Zone' bludgeons its way through a wonderfully sardonic assortment of punk jammers. Existing as both an ode to middle class Australiana and an outright piss take, Cuntz take the pummeling repetition and grunt from the likes of Cosmic Psychos, and turn it into a much more apathetic and uglier monster with the addition of noisier and slower instrumentation and gruff, yelped vocals.

Choice Track: 'Tanning'

'Excluded' Total Abuse
One of my most anticipated releases of this year was Total Abuse's 'Excluded', and boy oh boy the wait was worth it. A veritable ode to all things transgressive, this album packs its scummy subject matter into dirty, frenzied bursts of hardcore and leaves you to mop up the suspicious stains it left on the floor. As always Total Abuse aren't afraid to show off their more noisy, free-form tendencies (see 'Watching The Paint Dry' for your delirious, noise rock fix) and when combined with the pure grunt of their faster tracks it makes for a excellent time indeed.

Choice Track: 'DNA Evidence'

'The Body & Thou' You Whom I've Always Hated
I'm not gonna lie, I slept on this for aaaaaaaaages and was only roused into listening it upon finding out about the Nine Inch Nails cover on it.
I learned that, a) Terrible Lie works excellently as a sludge metal song, and b) this was in fact an amazing collaboration between two of heavy music's best bands right now.Absolutely earth shaking and soul destroying music with a very healthy amount of experimentation, noise and distortion cranked into the mix. I will not complain at all if these two bands collab again.

Choice Track: 'Terrible Lie'

'Circular Time'Ramleh
A fairly late entry into this year's list, but after thrashing the preview track released earlier this year (album closer 'Never Returner') and hyping myself up for this release and had to include it. 'Circular Time' is Ramleh in extremely heavy psychedelic rock mode, with plenty of noise rock, drone, prog and krautrock influences. Running at roughly two hours this a gargantuan collection of crushingly nihilistic, yet soaring music. If you can set aside a sizeable block of your time to devour this in its entirety, you will not be let down.

Choice Track: 'Never Returner'

'Self Titled' No Form
Good news! If you ever wanted a hardcore band that sounded like an actual descent into madness and/or oblivion, No Form exist to fulfill this niche desire. Sounding like a collision between Siege and a noisy free jazz ensemble (some marvelously skronky trumpet playing makes a very welcome appearance on 'Side B'), No Form are a band that can pull off frenzied hyper-speed hardcore as well as sludgy, atonal goop. Catch me waiting feverishly for more music from these guys.

Choice Track: 'Side B'

'Negative Feedback Resistor' Destruction Unit
The musical equivalent of the sunglasses emoji, aka Destruction Unit, are frighteningly adept at molding walls of fuzzed out guitar and psychedelic noise into ridiculously catchy music, and 'Negative Feedback Resistor' is affirmation of this.  If you like your riffs smothered in at least three layers of delay pedals and your amp stacks blown to smithereens I'd wager that you'd probably enjoy this album. Hey, I know I did.

Choice Track: 'Chemical Reaction/Chemical Delight'

'High' Royal Headache
'High' is something of an anomaly on this list, in that I could use words like 'bright' and 'happy' to describe the music contained within. Uncharacteristically positive connotations aside, this album is absolutely brimming with energy and has excellently written garage rock tunes to boot. Tracks such as 'My Own Fantasy' and 'Another World' show of Royal Headache's punchy punk side perfectly, while 'Carolina' and 'Wouldn't You Know' slow things right down and provide some much welcome, soulful relief. Oh, and the organ. So good.

Choice Track: 'Another World'

'Behold. Total. Rejection' Revenge
I'll close this list on a much more nihilistic and brutal note with Revenge's latest LP. The Canadian band have never really been ones for subtlety or finesse, choosing the much more noble path of beating your ears senseless with their concoction of death metal, grindcore and black metal. 'Behold. Total. Rejection.' begins immediately with pummeling blast beats, inhuman grunts and growls and plenty of Kerry King-esque divebomb solos and does not let up. At all. I worry sometimes about the toll this kind of music must have on the musicians playing it - but at the same time I'm so glad there are people out their plumbing the depths of the musical abyss and producing this kind of filth.

Choice Track: 'Silent Enemy'


Honorable Mentions:
The Body & Krieg - Self Titled
Koufar - Lebanon For Lebanese
Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire
Ghastly Spats - Spinozism Excorcism
Helta Skelta - Beyond The Black Stump
Soma Coma - Dust
Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh
Follakzoid - III
Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden of Delete
Broken Prayer - Misanthropocentric AKA Droid's Blood
L.O.T.I.O.N -  Digital Control And Man's Obsolescence
Kitchen's Floor - Battle Of Brisbane
Prurient - Frozen Niagra Falls
Sunn - Kannon
Health - Death Magic
Battles - La Di Da Di
Thee Oh Sees - Mutilator Defeated At Last
White Walls - Afterthoughts In Limbo
Pissgrave - Suicide Euphoria
Special mention also goes to No Zodiac's 'Eternal Misery' for being the guiltiest pleasure of 2015.

Administrator - Admn2

'Admn2'
Administrator
2015

(Band Submission)

Genre/s: Synth Punk, Digital Hardcore, Experimental, Electro Pop
For Fans Of: Broken Prayer, Atari Teenage Riot, Adbaloons, Godflesh

Oneohtrix Point Never released an EP earlier this year, and the first track on it was essentially a Slayer track rendered entirely in MIDI instruments. I was hooked, needless to say - hearing one of my favourite electronic music producers channeling the Doom theme song scratched an itch I never knew I had. I mention this because this here release is most definitely in the same vein, and more - and I'm beyond stoked it exists.
Admn2 sounds like the your favourite electro pop band merging with thrash metal, industrial metal and synth-punk. The end result is vaguely dystopian and robotic, yet upbeat and infectiously catchy. Distorted electronic guitar riffs are played off against soaring synth lines and pop hooks, and by jove it works damn you! Special mention in particular goes to closing track Last-Screamed Thing, ending the album brilliantly with a bona-fide pop banger which recalls both HEALTH's more recent output AND Yellow Magic Orchestra - while remaining totally original in its own right.
MIDI-thrash-synth-pop may not sound like your cup of tea, but if you're interested in experiencing this somewhat niche (i.e non-existent) genre, this here is more than definitely the best place to start. What's more it's free on bandcamp, which is fucking excellent AND it also means you have absolutely no reason to not click that link below and get down to some A-Grade hacker music.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Never Wanna (Go There)
2. Blood Painting
3. New Floating Body
4. Bad People
5. I'll Fix it Later
6. I Have a Scream
7. New Ways of Killing
8. New Way of Dying
9. Last-Screamed Thing

Bandcamp

Current 93 with Thomas Ligotti - In A Foreign Town, In A Foreign Land

'In A Foreign Town, In A Foreign Land'
Current 93 with Thomas Ligotti
1997

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Dark Ambient, Industrial, Spoken Word
For Fans Of: Lustmord, Boyd Rice, David Lynch, Edgar Allen Poe, seething bouts of paranoia

Hey there folks, day going well so far? Currently free of any niggling doubts, lurking worries or creeping anxieties? Yeah? Then please, by all means, read on...
What we have here is a collab between Industrial/Neo-Folk artist Current 93 (you should know them by now gosh) and horror writer Thomas Ligotti (famous recently for allegedly being plagiarized by True Detective writer Nic Pizzolatto). On In A Foreign Town... Current 93 provides haunting soundscapes and intermittent narration of Ligotti's short story of the same name in easily one of the most sinister recordings I've ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Dense drones, eerie chimes and other miscellaneous samples and sound effects pulse and seether underneath David Tibet's ethereal narration, delivered of course in Tibet's singsong English accent.
The track's progress in a dreamlike fashion, albeit a slow burning, nightmarish dream that's goes from quietly terrifying to soul crushing abandon throughout its duration. This release belongs firmly in the Stalaggh/Penderecki/Mariah Carey category of sonically/emotionally disturbing.
I've probably talked up this release enough - so it goes without saying that I think you should click that there download button below and see what I'm gabbing about. This is seriously top tier dark ambient, and I'm just itching to ruin your good mood with it.

TRACKLISTING:
1. His Shadow Will Rise To A Higher Place
2. The Bells Shall Sound Forever
3. A Soft Voice Whispers Nothing
4. When You Hear The Singing, You Will Know it is Time

Download

and hey you know what, have a PDF of the short story too - be sure to read it while listening to the album in a dreary, candlelit hotel room.

Spooky times ahead friendo

The Drip

'Demo'
The Drip
2015

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: D.R.I., City Hunter, Deadline, YDI

I've been meaning to post my rip of this tape for months (it was in my mid-year round-up!) and for some reason I always get sidetracked or start on something else. No more, now is the time to give you some dirty punk that feels like the musical equivalent of a low budget 80s action flick in which everyone wears sunglasses and leather jackets; and it probably stars Kurt Russell.

At its surface, this demo could be mistaken for nothing more than badass punk with choppy, gnarly riffs, and which makes sure to bring both ragers and jammers to the table. However, there's actually much  more going; weirdly timed drum fills, progressions which seem to change mid riff, a Beach Boys song leading into the first track, and many other oddities all make for a tape that has a lot more to offer than your typical, gritty hardcore punk demo. The Drip's ability to sound strange in a way which doesn't feel forced is something a lot of bands should pay attention to. If something on this tape feels off, it was meant to be that way.

You want it, don't you?

Tracklisting:
1. The Drip
2. Blue Lights
3. Count Out Your Teeth
4. Copper Night
5. The Hit

DOWNLOAD

Smegma - Smell the Remains

'Smell the Remains'
Smegma
1988

Review by Xander Johnson

Genra/s: Experimental Rock, Free Rock, Noise
For Fans Of: The Mothers of Invention, Swans, Ween, Sonic Youth.

Smegma is an unpleasant human dairy product created by the churning of unwashed genitals. It's also the name of a fabulous 'Los Angles Free Music Society' group founded in 1973. Since then There have been over twenty members of Smegma most with names like 'Cheesebro' and 'White Mohammad' who's actually present on this recording. The First song on Smell the Remains, 'Potatoe war', sound like Sun Ra making meme music but it gets much better after that. For every faux apathetic band of carefully manicured tumblr kids like 'Teen Suicide' There's a member of Smegma with actual disinterest. Nothing on this album is musical. Smegma's main sound resembles Naked City 'Do Re Mi Fa'ing their instruments before a show but there's also some early 'noise' on the track Beauty School (quite possibly just a metal trashcan being abused) along with tribal drumming, Plunderphonics, some disembodied Ho-down style thumping which seems lost (it was probably meant to be ironic), and then there's the lyrics. Pigface Chant is the best example of the songwriting on this album. It's about a pig-humanoid creature whose kept in a zoo and refused toilet paper. At the end of the song he runs away from the zoo to get his pig dick sucked by cows. If that appeals to you at all then check this album out!

Tracklisting:
1. Potatoe War
2. Forest Fire In Your Left Elbow
3. One Moment
4. Credo Quia Absurdum Est
5. Pigface Chant
6. Roll Down Your Window
7. Beauty School
8. Can't Look Straight
9. Flashcard
10. Outro Is Intro
11. Grass Glob Ball War

Download

  

Sutcliffe Jugend - We Spit On Their Graves (remastered)

We Spit On Their Graves (remastered)
Sutcliffe Jugend
1982

Review by Xander Johnson

Genre/s: Power Electronics, Harsh Noise
For Fans Of: Whitehouse, SPK, City Of Worms, NON

Hi everyone I'm Xander and I'm going to write a few reviews for my favorite blog. Sutcliffe Jugend basically borrowed whitehouse's idea of dedicating songs and whole albums to serial killers and took it to a new extreme. Peter Sutcliffe "The Yorkshire Ripper" killed thirteen women and tortured seven. This tape's first twenty songs are 'dedicated' to the ripper's victims, with Kevin Tomkins (sometimes a member of whitehouse) giving Frankie Teardrop worthy screams over oppressive noise oscillations accompanied with sharpened piano keys, screeches and something like a barbed hissing kazoo.You get the impression that each track on this thing could have easily extended into an hour long piece of wall noise by someone less ambitious like 'music for apathetic people' or maybe 'NON'. I recommend you listen to it while looking at the cover art or just not listening to it at all.     

Tracklisting:
1. Ripper Victims I
2. Ripper Victims II
3. Ripper Victims III
4. Ripper Victims IV
5. Ripper Victims V
6. Ripper Victims VI
7. Ripper Victims VII
8. Ripper Victims VIII
9. Ripper Victims IX
10. Ripper Victims X
11. Ripper Victims XI
12. Ripper Victims XII
13. Ripper Victims XIII
14. Tortures I
15. Tortures II
16. Tortures III
17. Tortures IV
18. Tortures V
19. Tortures VI
20. Tortures VII
21. Necro-Sadism
22. Whores' Endlosung
23.  Menta
24. Human Disregard
25. Sex beast
26. Hammer Death [Ripper Attack]

Download

The Homopolice - Discography

DISCOGRAPHY (aka I can't wait for the spambots to find this post)
The Homopolice
2008 - 2010

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Hardcore
For Fans Of: Rusted Shut, Puffy Areolas, Brainbombs, (old)The Men


I vaguely recall someone requesting a Homopolice post in the comments somewhere, so in typical delayed fashion - here it is!
(If you've made it this far without becoming entranced by the artwork, good job)
Homopolice were a four piece band from Houston, Texas who played  pummeling Stooges-esque noise rock. Combined with what some may say is ''''''offensive''''' lyrical content and highly rhythmic, repetitive nature of their songs, The Homopolice are almost like a slightly less morally questionable Brainbombs, but with more harsh noise and hardcore influences seeping in (note the GISM cover). This is dirgey, nihilistic filth at it's best folks - leather clad walls of distortion and riffs lurching around and collapsing in on itself every couple of minutes or so.
Contained below are the three Homopolice releases I could track down - a demo (which contains the excellent 15 minute long 'I Hate Everybody'), a 7" and their split with fellow sweaty man enthusiasts Black Leather Jesus.  Smash that fucking download button and go huff some amyl.

WHAT LIES WITHIN:
Fuck Entertainment Demo (2008)
1. Sex Drugs Death
2. I Hate Everybody
3. Assfucker
4. Gism Lover

Ass Fucker 7" (2009)
1. Ass Fucker

Split w. Black Leather Jesus (2010)
1. Fisting
2. Endless Blockades (GISM cover)
3. Assfucker II

Download

Prurient - DOUBLE POST

'Unmasking The Insect/Cocaine Daughter'
Prurient
2015

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Harsh Noise, Industrial, Power Electronics
For Fans Of: Prurient doing minimal power electronics/Prurient doing straight up harsh noise

Prurient has given us three releases this year, and this post contains the two that aren't Frozen Niagra Falls. Both releases here show considerable departures from his current style, so if you've come here via FNF you may be in for a bit of a surprise.
Let's start with Unmasking The Insect. Probably the personal favourite of the two for me, these five tracks see Prurient dabbling in minimal, washed out power electronics and droning industrial soundscapes. It recalls some of the disturbing, clinical qualities of Atrax Morgue's output with the lo-fi textures and atmospheres that Posh Iso/Chondritic Sound have been peddling. Really great stuff, and always a pleasure to hear Prurient's more minimal and structured output.
Cocaine Daughter on the other hand is just one big ole slab of dense, metallic noise. Harsh walls of synth, feedback manipulations and swathes of white noise are the name of the game here. Cocaine Daughter isn't too far off from Exploring Jezebel levels of texture and grit, and is utterly uncompromising throughout its run time - which happens to be 80 minutes. Oooft.
Both releases, in nice separate download folders no less, are waiting for you to get yer grubby mitts all over them. I doth implore you to listen to both.

Unmasking The Insect
1. Prosecution Scepter
2. Medicine Crawl
3. Raped By The Dragon (Granite Columns)
4. Private Tombs (Estate Liquidation)
5. Like Reeds In The Wind (Corpus)
Download

Cocaine Daughter
1. BTK Machine Sugar
2. Dayglow Bandage
3. Nylon Fluorescent Insect Bound
5. World Nail
6. Quartz Blood Lens
7. Appearing Townsman
8. Transparent Child
9. White Phosphorus Baths
Download

Savage Blind God

'Demo'
Savage Blind God
2015

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Deathrock, Hardcore Punk, Goth
For Fans Of: Rudimentary Peni, Dry Insides, Raspberry Bulbs, Perspex Flesh

Okay, so this demo floored me. It's so evil and filthy, so twisted and disturbed. I went into it being told it was blackened punk, but honestly this is way more deathrock than blackened punk. The main influence is very obvious: Rudimentary Peni. However, what sets them apart from the endless seas of Peni wannabes is the fact that, not only do they have a hyper-aggressive edge, but that rather than trying to copy Farce and Death Church, Savage Blind God draws specifically from Rudimentary Peni's material released from 1997-2008, which I find is overlooked by a lot of people (obviously not trying to claim it's obscure by any means, rather that people usually talk about 1982 Peni rather than 2004 Peni).

All I really know about Savage Blind God is that they are from Providence, RI, a city which many people assume lives in Boston's shadow, but is actually home to some incredibly important bands (Dropdead, Lightning Bolt, Daughters, etc). Well, that and they really know how to make some macabre sounding tunes which simultaneously feel like death and being punched in the gut repeatedly. I wouldn't really consider this worship, since it has the ability to stand on its own, but there are some serious homages to Peni they throw in like the weird layered, spoken/echoed vocals. Plus, the lyrics feel as if they could have been taken from the pages of Lovecraft, and when bands can pull that off, they got me hooked.

I'm hoping this band can put out more material, because their demo really hit the spot for me. I'll hopefully be seeing them at Not Just A Boys Club, so I'm looking forward to that. But anyway, if you're fixing for some gnarly, lovecraftian riffage, give this a listen. You won't be disappointed (or maybe you will, I don't know you).

Tracklisting:
1. Omnipresent Wyrm
2. Hy(i)ste(o)rical Society
3. Bloodied Scripture
4. Sickening Sanity
5. Sedate And Infect
6. Where Spirits Get Eaten

DOWNLOAD (bandcamp)

Latishia's Skull Drawing (Finally!)

'Demo'
Latishia's Skull Drawing
2015

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: Society Nurse, Thug, Salvation, Gay Kiss

A few months back, a friend asked me if I'd heard the new band featuring members of Cult Ritual and Salvation. I had not, however I can definitely say my attention was grabbed. So, he sent me Latishia's Skull Drawing; I was fucking floored. This demo is better (and certainly more visceral) than everything else these guys have put out since the demises of their previously mentioned bands. I'm actually really surprised nobody else has uploaded this yet, considering the people involved, I would've expected this to be on the internet as soon as somebody got a copy. Sadly, that's not what happened.

Latishia's Skull Drawing has a lot going on. I don't want to compare it to the members' previous bands, but some of the sounds they played around with in those bands are here. The darkness and bleakness of Salvation is mixed with the chaotic, no-fucks-given, dirty feel of Cult Ritual, but that's not all. There is something much more sinister at work here. The riffs are dirty and dirging even when played at a fast tempo, and the tempos shift unpredictably  which make this thing feel like a total mess in the best way possible. Oh, and there's still plenty of the atonal Black Flag and Void style shredding that we all love. This demo is one of my favorite things I've heard this year, and I'm so happy I can not only finally listen to it in its entirety (thanks to my friend who ripped this and sent it to me, seriously you're a life saver), but I can also share it with you nerds.

Latishia's Skull Drawing should be releasing an LP on Iron Lung Records in the near future, and I can't wait for that thing to drop. Just another release to chalk up there with the incredible shit ILR has put out -- and has scheduled to put out. But I'm done rambling. Have at it.

Tracklisting:
1. Release
2. Bloody Trauma
3. Threshold Of Atrocity
4. The Nightmare Man
5. Vagrant's Prayer
6. The Last Laugh

DOWNLOAD

B R A I N B O M B S (updated, new links!)

(Almost Complete) Studio Discography
Brainbombs
1986-2013*

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Garage Rock, Psych, Industrial, Noise
For Fans Of: The Stooges, Drunks With Guns, Rusted Shut, Strangulated Beatoffs

So, Brayden already did a review for the previous Brainbombs discography post, but I'm going to do another one. Where do I even start with this band? They've been around since 1985 and have released a slow, but steady stream of music since then, along with continuing to play live. In that time, they've managed to be consistent, churning out incredible yet stupid riff after incredible yet stupid riff (but only one per song), and memorable, yet highly problematic lyrics -- the problematic element is definitely what makes them so memorable.

I'm not going to even try to justify their lyrics depicting all sorts of horrific acts, most of which deal with torture, rape, murder, and other terrible things. I could say that Brainbombs' music is intended to express desensitization and work as a commentary and expression of detachment through the use of monotonous, hypnotic repetition and lyrical obscenity; but at the end of the day, regardless of their intentions, you're listening to a band with sick riffs and a guy casually talking in a heavy Swedish accent about murdering someone after they've given him a blowjob. It absolutely contributes to a culture of violence against women by seemingly making light of it, so it's understandable that many people wouldn't want to listen to this.

But most of you don't care about that. What you do care about is stupid riffs played over and over for 6 minutes and going nowhere, sloppy songs that fall apart, apathetic and nihilistic vocals, and of course the fucking trumpet. Basically, if you ever wanted to hear a Swedish version of The Stooges who wanted to emulate Whitehouse, Brainbombs is the perfect band for you. Despite the fact that they've been a band for 30 years at this point, they have lost none of their edge (in both senses) and are still as filthy, disguising, and heavy as ever -- something which unfortunately can't be said for The Stooges.

Okay, so what do I mean by (almost complete) studio discography? It means that I'm not including live recordings, bootlegs, compilations they've been featured on, or collections; all of the EPs are here as they were originally released, except for the 1992 Burning Hell 7" which has an alternate mix of Burning Hell not featured on any other releases (not the live version that I've seen passed off as it). If anyone has that, please let me know, I'm dying to hear it and I'd love to add it to this post.

You probably just skipped all of that to get here, so here's what you get:

• Jack the Ripper Lover (1989)
• Anne Frank (1990)
• Burning Hell (1992)
• Genius And Brutality – Taste And Power (1994)
• Brainbombs / Anal Babes split (1995)
• Obey (1995)
• Macht (1998)
• Urge To Kill (1999)
• Cheap (2001)
• Stigma Of The Ripper (2003)
• The Grinder (2004)
• I Need Speed (2006)
• Stinking Memory (2007)
• Fucking Mess (2008)
• Disposal Of A Dead Body (2013)

It's all in two rar files, so download and have fun accidentally singing along in public.

FOR FIFTY BUCKS...

...YOUR RAR IS MINE

Acid Eater - Virulent Fuzz Punk A.C.I.D.

'Virulent Fuzz Punk A.C.I.D.'
Acid Eater
2007

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Garage Rock, Noise Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Punk, Noise
For Fans Of: Boris, The Sonics, The Mummies, Soupcans

You may recognize that spectacled figure on left as one Yamazaki Maso, aka Masonna, and yes indeed this is his psychedelic garage punk band, Acid Eater.
Acid Eater is the sound of delay pedals reaching event horizon, dangerous voltages surging through amplifiers and spitting forth walls of feedback and a deranged organ player hammering away at their keys in an orgiastic display of auditory vandalism. All the instruments on Virulent Fuzz Punk A.C.I.D.  have a gloriously warped and distorted quality to them, and the recording is just so ridiculously loud it conjures up images of smoldering amp stacks and speakers billowing smoke. It's as if every sound on this album has been pushed to its absolute limit.
Not unlike Masonna, Acid Eater is a sensory assault - albeit channeled into a much more linear and danceable format. An odd intersection of Japnoise, 60s garage rock/psych and frantic punk thrown into a go-go vortex that teeters on the brink of collapse but never fully succumbs.
I suggest you download this album, find yourself a cool pair of sunglasses and prepare to spend the entire duration of this album thrashing around like a loon. You're in for a treat.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Eye
2. Nothing Can Bring Me Down
3. A.C.I.D.
4. Question Of Temperature
5. Drive To C.P.
6. No Friend Of Mine
7. No! No! No!
8. LSD
9. Confessions Of A Psycho Cat
10. Never Alone
11. Top Of Spot
12. Free

Download

E.G.KAIDAN

'E.G.Kaidan'
Esplendor Geométrico + Hijokaidan
2015

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Industrial, Power Electronics, Noise
For Fans Of: SPK, Grim, Le Syndicat, The Haters

Okay, so this blog hasn't been living up to its name lately, and it's time to change that. What better way than with a collaboration between two of the most important noise bands of all time? You definitely read correctly, this recording features both Hijokaidan and Esplendor Geométrico; they're both doing what they do best, but at the same time complimenting each other's styles. This thing is going to wreck you.

For those of you who don't know, Hijokaidan (非常階段) is essential first wave noise from Japan. You've probably seen the pictures of them performing/destroying. Musically, Hijokaidan is incredibly abstract, unpredictable, and above all, harsh. They utilize a variety of ways to make their noise, ranging from traditional rock instruments to pedal based power electronics to bloodcurdling screams to random objects to breaking everything. And then we have Esplendor Geométrico. While lesser known than Hijokaidan, Esplendor Geométrico are probably just as important to industrial/noise music. They hail from Spain and create rhythmic, pulsing soundscapes, many times accompanied by samples, distorted vocals, and power electronics. Think SPK but more hypnotic. Honestly, Esplendor Geométrico are everything I love about first wave industrial/noise perfectly packaged together in one band.

With those things in mind, imagine mashing the two together. Structured rhythms collide with pure chaos, resulting in some truly horrifying and perfectly executed industrial.  Despite the fact that these bands have both been around for over 30 years, this material doesn't feel stale or dated; they've managed to keep things on the edge. You can clearly hear them playing with old sounds, but it doesn't feel as though they're just rehashing. Plus, this is a live recording, so both bands are at their most volatile, delivering totally caustic, hostile blasts of noise annihilation. Brace yourself.

Tracklisting:
1. E.G.Kaidan 01
2. E.G.Kaidan 02
3. E.G.Kaidan 03
4. E.G.Kaidan 04
5. E.G.Kaidan 05
6. E.G.Kaidan 06
7. E.G.Kaidan 07
8. E.G.Kaidan 08

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Lie Still

'Demo'
Lie Still
2011

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Powerviolence
For Fans Of: Crossed Out, Mindless, Despise You, Suffer

This band was one of the best modern powerviolence bands, and sadly -- in part due to their short lifespan -- they were also one of the most overlooked and underrated. I mentioned them in my review of the Triac / Sacridose split as being "west coast powerviolence saviors," and they really were. In the sea of cheap imitators and wannabes (or should I say the Sea Of Shit...), Lie Still managed to keep things fresh and dangerous. And I guess it certainly didn't hurt that members had previously played in the legendary bands Benümb and Lack Of Interest.

Lie Still's music wasn't a huge break from the classic powerviolence formula, but they still stood out among their primarily mediocre peers. Their success (musically) stems from their ability to channel uncontrollable intensity into a focused blast. Most contemporary powerviolence bands fall flat because they can't reproduce the pure aggression of the old WCPV bands (plus they steal Crossed Out riffs and have ill fitting production and do the goofy football coach vocals and can't seem to write compelling music). Lie Still had no problem with this (or any of those other things I mentioned in the previous parenthetical). Their riffs were in that sweet spot between powerviolence and grind, where it's got a heavy edge but is undeniably punk as fuck, the vocals unreasonably angry, the drumming tight and driving. Unfortunately, they burned out too soon and left us with only 11 songs in 7 minutes. I was lucky enough to catch them on what I believe was their only east coast tour; it was with Triac -- what a fucking combo.

If you want some of the most badass, truly fucked up powerviolence that's come out in recent years, this is a must. Listen and destroy.

Tracklisting:
1. Persuaded By Comfort
2. Aborted Resources
3. Manipulation Of Waring Factions
4. Path Of Conviction
5. Retention Of Molecular Balance
6. Interupting Simple Functions
7. Enslaved And Left To Die
8. Corrosive
9. Value Of Limitations
10. Desperation Of Approval
11. Compelled

DOWNLOAD

Niégalo Todo - Absurdo Escepticismo Superficial

'Absurdo Escepticismo Superficial'
Niégalo Todo
2015

Review by Joey

(Band Submission)

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: Dropdead (LP2 especially), Inservibles, Olho Seco, Wretched

This tape knocked me on my ass. The email intrigued me because, according to the band, their hometown of Chiapas, Mexico (yes, the same place as the Zapatista uprising) doesn't really have an established punk scene, so they're fairly isolated. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I pressed play, but it blew me away. It starts out slow, but the intensity builds and finally explodes into a perfectly executed, raging raw punk attack.

Niégalo Todo combines some of the fiercest elements of some of the most aggressive punk and channels it all into a unified, unstoppable assault. There's hints of 80s Brazilian punk like Ratos de Porão and Olho Seco, 90s political powerviolence like Dropdead and Capitalist Casualties (mostly their more hardcore leaning material, but don't worry, the tempo shifts and blasts are all there), and 80s Italian hardcore like Wretched and Negazione. All of these, each of which are absurd in their own right, are mixed together and then put through the lens of contemporary Mexican punk; the delayed, manic vocals, the perfect level of fuzz, the evil atmosphere, and the powerful urgency.

What does it all boil down to? If you like your hardcore punk with no frills, no bullshit, nothing but net, whatever; you are going to fucking love this. This thing is like a freight train, it hits you hard, and it's gone. Don't bother getting off the tracks.

Tracklisting:
1.Niégalo Todo
2.Todo Esto Es Nuestra Culpa
3.Vida Rota 
4. ¿De Qué Lado Estás? 
5. Fuera De Mi Alcance 
6. ¡Vámonos a la Verga!
7. Hace Falta Tinta Roja 
8. Naces y Mueres 
9. Cállate
10. Suicidio Colectivo 

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

Flushing Queens - The Drink

'The Drink'
Flushing Queens
2014

(Band Submission)

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: Qualm, РОВ, Sewer Drainer, Golden Path

Going through the submissions inbox is tough because there's a shitload of stuff in there. But, I finally sucked it up and opened a couple of the emails, one of which contained this nasty little number. This tape is caustic, it feels as if its dripping with what I would only assume is toxic waste and scum. If you want real mutant punk (and I don't mean boring 80s punk wannabes with leather gloves), you're going to want to check this out.

The first track opens with disgusting low end feedback and explodes into blown out, stomping filth accompanied by dissonant guitar work, buzzsaw riffs, and vocals that sound like what you'd expect from the sewer dwelling Morlocks. This thing does not let up either. Each second of this less-than-six-minutes tape is overflowing with vile energy and intensity. The way this whole thing comes together really makes it stand out from the overwhelming amount of bands trying to pass themselves off as "freaks" and "mutants" because it actually feels as if it was made by freaks and mutants (unlike most of these bands who heard Gag and Glue and decided to play caveman drums). Oh, and I should mention this is from the UK, and based on the UK stuff I've posted here recently, that should have you clicking download already. 

In the submission, they said they have an LP dropping in the next few months, so I'm really looking forward to hearing that. Expect to see it on here when it comes out and listen to this on repeat until it does. 

Tracklisting:

1. Put It In The Drink

2. Fur Queue

3. Cruisin' For An Oozin'

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

Speaking of freaky deaky punk, another submission was an email from Vacant Life (formerly Wet Brain, reviewed by Brayden earlier this year) asking if we'd heard about their new 7" on Iron Lung Records. Being the nerd I am who checks ILR's bandcamp at least once a week for updates, I did know about it. Unfortunately I can't do a formal post about it on here because it's not a free download, but I highly recommend you guys check it out anyway. Now I just need to hop forward in time a month so I can hear the Condition LP, and that Cadaver Em Transe EP. Also excited for the new Dreamdecay LP and that Behavior LP. I'm gonna stop before I start drooling.