GRIM - PRIMARY PULSE

Primary Pulse
Grim
2018

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Industrial, Power Electronics, Death Industrial, Noise
For Fans Of:  Factrix, Gilles Des Rais, (early) Clair Obscur, Haus Arafna

This was (not surprisingly) my most anticipated release this year. And (also not surprisingly) it's fucking phenomenal. Konagaya Jun is truly an unstoppable force when it comes to well-crafted industrial, and even after over three decades, he has yet to put out a single dud under the Grim moniker, or with any other project (White Hospital, his solo work, etc).

What sets Primary Pulse apart from most of Grim's more recent releases is that it's somewhat of a return to form which calls back to the harsher synth/electronics driven material on the earlier releases such as Folk Music, Amaterasu, and Vital 1983-86. Sure, the project's core sound has stayed the same throughout the years, but with time there has been some movement away from the primarily harsh, primitive synth and electronics driven compositions which were prevalent throughout his 80s output. Each track on this tape is an overwhelming nightmare of bleak soundscapes, obscured samples, terrifying screams and howls, abrasive arcs of screeching noise, and pulsing repetition. And, of course, all of this is juxtaposed with uncomfortably serene melodies which are just as (if not arguably more) haunting than the crushing cacophonies which they sit in between. Like all of Grim's work, the uncomfortable silence following the final track hangs heavy in the air around the listener, and that moment is as beautiful as it is unnerving, which is the very essence of Grim.

Do not sleep on this, it is some of the most sublime and wretched noise you'll hear this year.
Trapdoor Tapes still has copies left, so get a copy while you still can!

Tracklist:
1. Hermit
2. Volcano Flower
3. Assassin's Room
4. Melting Man
5. G.T.R.

DOWNLOAD

BALCANES - DIRECTO #1

Directo #1
Balcanes
2018

Artist Submission

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Post-Punk, Industrial
For Fans Of: Skullflower, Will To Live, The Ex, Swans

I've been vocal about my love for Balcanes since their first 7" in 2014, and everything I love about them is amplified on their newest release which happens to be a live recording. In anything noise related, live documentations are crucial because of the unpredictable nature of performance, and a studio recording can never accurately capture the energy and intensity of an artist's performance.

Those who know Balcanes already are in for a treat (as are those who don't). They are a heavy and filthy band, and those aspects of their music is only highlighted by their performance on this tape. The whole thing just sounds like a dilapidated machine lurching forward through a post-industrial wasteland, struggling to keep itself together, fixing one piece at a time not able to keep up with its imminent collapse. This is accomplished with nasty and wretched tones, death howls, and a mastery of build and release. The bands mentioned up top should give you a pretty good idea, so if that's what you're about, you gotta get on this screaming metal death trap.

As far as the setlist, Balcanes plays through everything they've put out, which clocks in around 40mins (much longer than any of their studio releases). Get ready to get steamrolled.

Tracklist:

1. Pánico / Combustible / Rójo Máquina

2. Decrépita

3. Masada

4. Desorden

5. Decadencia / Plataforma / Autopista 2

LISTEN / DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

DATSUSTORA - OF FINAL

Of Final
Datsustora
1986

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Deathrock, Industrial, Post-Punk, Power Electronics, Death Industrial, Goth, Noise
For Fans Of: Mannequin Neurose, Grim, The Dead Relatives, Clair Obscur

Okay, so you're probably thinking "holy shit, that's a lot of genres, what could this even sound like?" so just sit tight and I'll do my best to explain. There are four tracks, two of them are industrial/noise tracks; and they are sandwiched in the middle of two deathrock tracks, which act as bookends of a sort. Each track is absolutely punishing, twisted, and truly dark in a different way, yet all four still form a whole.

Datsustora was the project of Elle (a.k.a. Achy) from LSD, the legendary Japanese hardcore punk band of ADK Records fame, and the less well known industrial project Criminal Party. This project, however, does not have nearly the level of notoriety of LSD, but I'd argue it's much better (and certainly much weirder and multifaceted). The rest of the lineup remains a mystery as far as I can tell -- aside from a brief run with Yoshimura Hideki, also of LSD fame, on guitar -- and was most likely a revolving door, quite possibly as multifarious as the music itself. Musically, this flexi is as I described (half deathrock, half industrial), but the varied nature of each track -- starting with bouncy dark punk, transitioning into two tracks of unsettling ambient, heavy electronics, and rhythmic industrial, and then closing with a track which feels like the joyful embracing of despondency through post-punk -- really adds to how strange this thing is. It's one of my favorites and there's a good reason for that.

This is a wild ride from start to finish, and I feel it should be essential listening for both industrial and post-punk fuckers. Highly, highly recommended.

Tracklisting:
1. Untitled (apparently there is a title, but it's in characters nobody can read)
2. Datsustora
3. Of Final
4. 幻夢円舞曲

DOWNLOAD

P.S. If anyone has a link to the split with Criminal Party and/or the Kyo-On compilation 7", please get in contact because I've been dying to hear those for a long time. And while I'm asking, if anyone has the Criminal Party split with Grim, please please get in contact with me.

MASTER/SLAVE RELATIONSHIP - BLUE FACED LUST

Blue Faced Lust
Master/Slave Relationship
1985

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Industrial, Power Electronics, Noise
For Fans Of: Negativland, Justine & Juliette, Nervous Gender, Hunting Lodge

I was asked for this specifically, but it's also something I've wanted to review for a while anyway. Master/Slave Relationship is one of my favorite industrial projects, and Blue Faced Lust in particular is my favorite thing put out under that moniker, as well as one of my favorite industrial releases in general. So here we go.

One thing you'll notice about M/SR is the heavy BDSM influence (shocker) which shows up in different ways, namely the heavy and imposing sexual motifs. Power electronics has always been about explorations of power, and M/SR does so through the lens of a domme (i.e. an inversion of the dynamic inherent in heteronormative sex*) to a great effect. The vocals mock you, taunt you, tease you, and hang over your head. The electronics work in tandem, presenting uncomfortable soundscapes which mirror the lyrics; M/SR beautifully -- and brutally -- juxtaposes soft and hard, ambient and harsh, rhythmic and chaotic, soothing and jarring sounds in a tumultuous fashion, which makes for a turbulent and frightening listen.

Go get'em, tiger.

Tracklist:
1. Nothing To Love
2. The Dream
3. Some Dry Hopeless Mess
4. People Where They Ought To Be
5. Wait
6. Avoidance
7. Take Over
8. Blue Faced Lust
9. Nothing Happens In This World
10. Inconclusive Thoughts

YOU WANT IT...HAVE IT

*Even in BDSM, role reversal does not completely erase the structural and institutional dynamics of power, blah blah there's way too much to get into that I don't have the time/energy for, and so much has been written on this topic that you can just look it up.

THE SHITS - DRINK YOUR BLOOD

Drink Your Blood
The Shits
2018

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Sludge, Post-Punk
For Fans Of: Thug, Drunk In Hell, Rectal Hygienics, Gentlemen

Welcome to the new year, fuckers. I hope you're ready because I'm gonna start it off right with some true scum produced by members of No Form and others who I'm not sure of. This bad boy is absolutely slamming. Hell, it's so good that it had me opening up a new post on blogger within 5 minutes (less, really).

I clicked play and was hit with a wall of feedback which gives way to a riff (still with feedback of course) after 30+ seconds, and you bet it started kicking my ass; and when the opening track on something like this is almost 7 minutes, you know you're in for some shit. The level of degeneracy and filth that The Shits wade through and pour over you with their debut tape is -- in the immortal words of Bill -- "most egregious." This shit (by The Shits) is as crushing as it is pugnacious as all hell. The sludge-leaning dirges go on and on and on and on, testing your endurance -- 3/4 tracks are around (and over) 6 minutes of the same pummeling riff -- undoubtedly weeding out the posers. Leeds, UK is really pumping out some fantastic degeneracy, it's amazing. Good to know that 2018 is off to a great fucking start.

Get in on this or don't (and miss out on all the fun sin).

Tracklist:
1. Whatever
2. I Know
3. Alone
4. It's All The Time

LISTEN / DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

I changed my mind, so here you go: THE 2017 FBN YEAR-END ROUNDUP MEGAPOST

I was going to do a handful of smaller posts, but I felt that would be tedious (and also, I've been super busy with a lot of shit), and I like the dramatic flair of putting up something like this on the actual end of the year (fuck the nerds who publish lists in November when there's a whole month left). I cut  back a little from last year so as to only include releases I revisited a lot (ie there's more I liked, but these were my absolute favorites) and because I don't want to overthink it. So, it'll be 15 total instead of 15 per category (also no categories because like no rules, dude); but the drill is the same as before --  all releases have download links and are in no particular order blah blah blah -- so let's skip all that needless exposition and get right the fuck to it. Off the top of my head, here's what I liked this year.

Brainbombs Inferno
Obviously this is at the top (even though in general, these are in no particular order). Instead of writing a whole new review, however, the link leads to the one I already wrote when it came out. Short version: Brainbombs are always at the top of the food chain, and in the tradition of each of their releases having a distinct flair, this one relies on buildups rather than the spontaneous combustion which people usually (wrongly) associate with them. Have fun with your paranoia.

FFO: The Stooges, Chrome

Grim Discharge Mountain
I also reviewed this previously, so the link will go to that; but short version: it's fucking perfect industrial. Grim always manages to bring so many layers together and blend them into the most frightening pieces. It's funny, my two most anticipated releases this year were both from old pros showing everyone how it's fucking done.

FFO: Nails Øv Christ, Test Dept.

No Faith Forced Subservience
So-called contemporary "power violence" is, for the most part, a boring cesspool of wannabes playing formulaic tough guy garbage through through HM-2 pedals. Enter No Faith: another perfect example of old pros showing us all how to do something right. All you really need to know is that Dave Witte of Discordance Axis, Black Army Jacket, Exit-13, Burnt By The Sun, Human Remains, etc drums on this, and he sounds like his old self. Add layers of power electronics, an element of true unpredictability, and some unrelenting rage, and you've got a winner.

FFO: Man Is The Bastard/Noise (yes, really), Crossed Out

Blank Spell Miasma
Look, Blank Spell is one of the best bands on the planet, period. Their manic, brooding approach which combines nods to frantic 80s italian hardcore punk with elements of deathrock (and a slew of other things) is unmatched -- they really are the perfect punk band. I wrote a whole thing about it on Cvlt Nation (which you can read here) so I won't go wild in this post, but I will say that if you sleep on this band, you're a total fool and a tasteless ass.

FFO: Bedboys, Declino

Devil Master Inhabit The Corpse
And while I'm on the subject of top tier dark punk bands (who use a lot of purple and also happen to share members), Devil Master's new tape also kicks ass which should come as no surprise. I reviewed this over at Cvlt Nation (here), but short version: if you like thrashing metalpunk influenced by some of the classics from Japan, and with a true devotion to the spooky, you're gonna eat this shit up.

FFO:  集団自殺 (Syudan Jisatsu), Sex Messiah

Gasp Ghost In Scow Out
Okay, but do you know how excited I was when I found out Gasp is back? In so many words, I flipped the fuck out. Gasp is one of those bands who I've always felt deserved so much more attention and credit for how genuinely weird and intense their music is, but people who are "so into powerviolence, bro" don't even know who they are. Well, this new material sounds like Gasp -- it's the trippy spaced out psych noise violence I've always loved, but the grindy elements take more of a backseat this time. I interviewed them this year which was an incredibly fun experience (read it here), and I'm so excited to see what they've got coming next.

FFO: Suffering Luna, Dome

Plastic Plastic
Not all of these are releases I previously reviewed, I promise, but I did definitely do this one when it came out, too. Short version: Plastic is such an incredible band, and play with synthpunk in a way nobody else really is -- the industrial influence certainly puts them above most, and the overall execution is genuinely unnerving in a way no "mutant freak weirdo" bullshit ever can. This tape is just a miserable, bleak trudge through a synthy wasteland, and it's fantastic.

FFO: Nervous Gender, Flipper

Drunk In Hell Drunk In Hell
I've been waiting for this one for a while, and sweet christ it does not disappoint. Drunk In Hell are a band who perfectly represent the smut, filth, and degeneracy we've all come to expect from this style of noise rock; and this LP is a disgusting and beautiful display of depravity. Fantastic riff after fantastic riff (but only one per song, obviously), the band drudges on through the musical mire they've dumped onto the world, leaving the listener to wade along in their nauseous wake. This LP doesn't get old, and I would say it should be considered a modern classic of the style.

FFO: Rusted Shut, Drunks With Guns

Roht Roht
I love when bands who I meet perfect bands through FBN. Roht submitted their demo in 2016 and I absolutely loved it (even if I forgot to post a review of it), and I was so excited to see that they were going to have a 7" on Iron Lung Records (aka the dream label). The 7" -- which was released last year digitally, but taken down shortly after it was put up because it was picked up by ILR -- slams harder than the already amazing demo. Roht's dark, winding riffs are blanketed in harsh electronics; the band stomps forward relentlessly like a tank rolling over a mountain of skulls.. And what part of that doesn't sound awesome?

FFO: Rudimentary Peni, Skullflower

Triumvir Foul Spiritual Bloodshed
There's been a lot of cavedweller death metal in the past few years, and I gotta say the field is getting pretty crowded. Not every band can be as good as Impetuous Ritual or Antediluvian (most aren't). Triumvir Foul (along with other Vrasubatlat projects) take a different approach to the style than most of their contemporaries -- an approach which involves the inclusion of power electronics as an additional element to the already crushing and tormented sounds which come along with the cavernous death metal package. And yes, there are sickass divebombs.

FFO: Dagger Lust, Order From Chaos

Bad Breeding Divide
The integration of industrial/electronics into just about everything has made a big surge (or resurgence, really) in the past couple years. The bands who do it well do it incredibly well (and those who don't are so bad that I wouldn't bother with them anyway), and Bad Breeding is among those who deliver the goods. Divide is an LP which had me hooked instantly and doesn't get dull for a single second; Bad Breeding wears their influences pretty clearly on their sleeves, but they combine those influences with a finesse and weirdness which makes them a truly exciting band. Words won't do it justice, so take a listen for yourself.

FFO: Icons Of Filth, SPK

Full Of Hell Trumpeting Ecstasy
This is probably on just about every year-end list (as it should be) so it's not too hard to find or whatever, but I still needed to include it because of how killer it is, and because of the way it feels like the LP Full Of Hell have always been moving towards -- something they brought up in the interview I did with them this year (here). Trumpeting Ecstasy is deliberate and unrelenting -- as punk/noise/metal should be. The attention to detail and thought put into crafting it really shows in the final product, and as always, Full Of Hell leaves me excited for material to come. Plus, that industrial track fucking slams.

FFO: Discordance Axis, Multiplex

Balcanes Decrépita / Decadencia
Well, this is another (and the last on this list) I reviewed already reviewed (here), but short version: Balcanes delivers two more tracks of steamrollingly heavy post-punk on this new 7" which pick up right where last year's Carne Nueva LP left off. Waves of feedback screech over lurching dirges which pound the listener over the head repeatedly as they swell until they fall apart and end. Another winner for contemporary noise rock.

FFO: Will To Live, The Ex

Disciples Of Christ Parched Dredge
One of the greatest contemporary grind bands returned with two releases this year: a split 7" with Gas Chamber, and this 7" on ILR; both are fantastic (obviously), but this was the stronger of the two for me. DOC's brand of noise damaged grind is instantly recognizable, and just gets more vicious with each new release they unleash upon us. Parched Dredge features tracks which were on the 2015 Demo tape (now with titles) along with some brand new ones which are just as relentless and disgusting as I've come to expect from this band. DOC's breakneck bursts of dilapidated thrashing destruction will never be not exciting.

FFO: Ulcerous Phlegm, Excruciating Terror

Bone Awl The Lowest Road
Fucking finally, the Bone Awl release we were promised by NWN a year or two ago is seeing the light of day. But, until that does finally happen. Bone Awl has given us a little preview of what's to come. And well...it's Bone Awl, alright. The repetitive and tortuous riffs played through a trashcan they're famous for are dished out one after another on this tape, and (as always), they're all rippers. Do I really need to say anything else about this?

FFO: Ildjarn, Seviss

Mutant Video Vanity Of Life
Unfortunately, the horror movie soundtrack via industrial outfit known as Mutant Video is done, but they did manage to release one final LP of their dying gasp. I looked forward to this all year, and when it dropped I was all over it. Vanity Of Life differs somewhat from their previous efforts, however -- the Cronenberg elements take more of a backseat to more of an old school death industrial and industrial punk sound --  it's heavier, harsher, and more overtly aggressive than what people have come to expect from Mutant Video; but don't worry, it's still rife with the paranoia inducing subtlety that they have excelled at in the past.

FFO: Minimal Man, IRM

Gowl On Our Feet Or On Our Knees
Promo copies of this were released in 2016, but nobody ripped it so it went mostly unheard until the band put it up on their bandcamp a month ago. Gowl is another one of the top tier contemporary grind bands (even if they don't receive the same notoriety as DOC, Full Of Hell, Triac, Sete Star Sept, et al), and this release is so ruthless and ferocious that I needed to listen to it a handful of times for it to really sink in -- it's a fucking monster. From the pounding industrial at the onset of this assault to the final cut out at its end, there is not a single moment of reprieve from the punishing intensity via a flurry of riffs, hyperspeed blasts, unpredictable changes, and raw, blown out fury. This was probably left off a lot of lists because of dipshits who publish year-end lists in fucking November (with a whole month left in the year), but if you sleep on this you're missing out big time.

FFO: Suppression, Warsore



As I said at the start, there was a lot more that I liked in 2017, but a certain brevity felt fitting for this. I've got some posts which I'm part way through writing, so I'll drop those soon. 2017 was definitely a rut kind of year for me -- even if I did drop two tapes (one was an overdue dub of Execution 2 the other was a new recording of a set I played this year in Richmond, VA released as Execution 3) and was contacted by a label to release an LP -- but 2018 looks promising and exciting (and not just because I have a 12" coming out). Anyway, sorry again about the absence.

All music is bad.

GRIM - DISCHARGE MOUNTAIN

Discharge Mountain
Grim
2017

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Industrial, Power Electronics, Death Industrial, Noise
For Fans Of: White Hospital, Nails Øv Christ, Current 93, Test Dept.

New release from Grim? You know I'm fucking there. When this was announced over the summer, it instantly took a place at the top of my most anticipated releases of the year (I'm talking spot #1 or #2 here). And of course, it didn't disappoint; it's easily one of my favorite things that's come out this year -- no surprise there.

For those who already know Grim's unique brand of industrial, this new material is exactly what you want to hear. And for those who don't, this release (and all of Grim's discography in general) is a thing of both beauty and horror at the same time. There's something truly disquieting about Jun Konagaya's ability to combine uncomfortably serene melodies and atmospheres with devastatingly crushing heavy, harsh electronics and industrial sounds which really puts him in his own league -- nothing and nobody can ever seem to touch him. On Discharge Mountain, Grim brings it all to the table: pulsating rhythms, traditional folk elements, drudging percussion, and veritable tempests of harsh electronics being hurled without mercy; and all of these sounds are held within perfectly crafted threnodies of ritualistic sonic torment.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: everything Grim has put out is incredible and should be held among the best and most essential industrial ever made. This release is just one more piece of evidence to add to the pile that is an already flawless discography.

Tracklist:
1. Discharge Mountain
2. Summons
3. Goddess Moth
4. Nine

DOWNLOAD

P.S. I'm still working on some stuff, so be ready.

UPDATE

I'm working on a bandcamp megapost and have to go through a lot of submissions, hence the time lapse. I may throw something else up in the meantime, however. But don't worry, when I said I'm back I meant it.

MINIMAL MAN - THE SHROUD OF

The Shroud Of
Minimal Man
1981

Review by Joey (back from the dead, maybe)

Genre/s: Industrial, Post-Punk, Power Electronics, Noise Rock, Art Punk, Noise
For Fans Of: Factrix, SPK, Flipper, Monte Cazazza

I was so happy when this finally got reissued last year with the original mix (as opposed to that tinny garbage on the 2004 "remastered" CD version) through Spain's BFE Records. The Shroud Of is Minimal Man's first LP, and also the weirdest  -- within the grooves of this 12" lies a lethal mixture of sounds which draw from across the post-punk and industrial spectrum; and somehow, it is all cohesive. It shouldn't be hard to see why this might be (read: is) one of my favorite LPs of all time. And if you aren't already in the know, soon you will be.

Minimal Man was masterminded by Patrick Miller; the project had a revolving door lineup, which often featured collaborators from other San Francisco weirdo art bands such as Factrix and Tuxedomoon. Much like their fellow (and more famous) San Franciscan peers in Flipper, Minimal Man did not make any attempt to portray disillusionment / despondency / detachment / etc as romanticized or quirky; and instead, they unleashed an honest sonic representation of what all of that turmoil really feels like, accompanied by what can be seen as a sardonic attack on those who do take the romanticized or quirky approach. However, while Flipper focused on a more brooding and antagonistic approach, Minimal Man's method was more somber and unnerving, relying more on subtle (and overt) ominous soundscapes.

From the opening sample of the emotionally vacant Ronald Reagan, all the way through the climactic ending and ensuing fade out, The Shroud Of takes the listener on a frightening journey through the dark recesses of a damaged mind. The cacophonous arrangements of synth, electronics, bass, and hollow vocals on this LP  are constantly at ends with -- yet complimentary of -- each other to a haunting effect; and each track is a an overwhelming push/pull of invasive thoughts, emotions, and urges which scramble the mind and plunge it deeper into nothingness. This is not fun music, even though at parts it may seem to be. The chilling moods created by Minimal Man do not disappear when the music ends, rather they saturate the air and stick to the listener's raised hairs like an elusive nervousness.

And now that you've gotten past the boring review part, here's what you came here for:

Tracklist
1. Loneliness
2. Two People
3. High Why
4. Hospital
5. Blue Step
6. Hatemonger
7. The Shroud
8. Now I Want It All
9. The Hex Of Sex
10. You Are
11. I Don't Resist
12. Jungle Song
13. She Was A Visitor

I HURT ALL OVER INSIDE...

P.S. I think I'm finally back and ready to bring the pain from my ears into yours (for real this time).

BRAINBOMBS - INFERNO

Inferno
Brainbombs
2017

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Psych, Post-Punk
For Fans Of: The Stooges, Chrome, Strangulated Beatoffs, Paul Chain

Well, they did it -- they released another album essentially titled "Burning Hell." Brainbombs are a band who can do no wrong; their uncanny ability to consistently churn out riff after riff of psych-driven noise rock perfection is unmatched, and this new LP is no exception.

The first thing I noticed about Inferno (aside from the fact that they've finally recorded a studio version of "Stormy Blast Of Hell") is that each song builds from an uneasy calm into a terrifying wall of aggression and intimidation. Brainbombs are generally thought of (by pedestrian fools) as a band who always explode right out of the gate, but on this LP they rely on uncomfortable slow burn buildups which are incredibly effective at evoking the level of dread inspired by their lyrics -- much like what they do on "Right Side Of Hell" and "Skinned Alive," which are two of their most powerful (and oddly underrated) tracks -- and the chilling album art represents this perfectly. Each song on here feels like being out in the country and looking back suspecting that you're being followed -- and then being right (coincidentally, that actually happened to me before listening to this for the first time, so I can confirm that this really nails it) -- but will you be able to escape?

Brainbombs are a truly interesting band, because they are one of the few whose lyrics focus on extreme violence and abuse while still acting as a commentary rather than being used simply as a means of being offensive -- something which has always been integral to noise, but tends to get lost when edgy dudebros don't get it. Don't get me wrong, it's still definitely problematic, but I would argue that the clear self-awareness of the presentation makes it far less dangerous than Black Flag casually (and sincerely) throwing in that they want to beat up their girlfriends.

Anyway, a huge thanks to my friend for ripping his copy (including the bonus single-sided 7") and sending it my way! Now I just have to wait for that new Rudimentary Peni EP to come out, and I'll have my two best releases of the year. But what are you dorks waiting for? Download this fucker, turn off the lights, and let your paranoia run wild.

Tracklist:
1. Inferno
2. They All Deserve To Die
3. Rock Your World
4. If You See My Face
5. An Eye For An Eye
6. Just An Ordinary Fuck
7. Malfunction
8. Wanted To Kill Your
9. Trust Me [bonus 7"]

INTO A PLACE I CAME

I'm going to try to post more frequently again now that I've finished school. Expect a submissions megapost and some other random goodies in the coming weeks. Fucked By Noise isn't dead (yet).

Not sure how I made it through this without making a "burn, baby burn" joke.

PLASTIC

Plastic
Plastic
2017

Review by Joey

(Band Submission)

Genre/s: Synthpunk, Industrial, Post-Punk, Power Electronics, Dark Ambient, Art Punk, Noise Rock
For Fans Of: Nervous Gender, Clair Obscur, Trop Tard, Flipper

Plastic's 2.0 tape was, in my opinion, one of the best synthpunk releases to come out since Nervous Gender's Music From Hell LP; and also one of the few which I feel actually can be compared to Nervous Gender, based on their use of synth-based electronic noise (not to mention a healthy dose of influence from The Residents). Hell, I'd go as far as to say that Plastic is one of the best synthpunk bands since Nervous Gender, period.

On this newest offering from Chicago's weirdest, their heavier use of industrial/electronics, paired with a descent into much darker post-punk territory, results in a level of bleakness which is as suffocating as the band's music is irresistible. While its predecessor is ostensibly more aggressive musically, the crushing dirges and almost stark soundscaping on Plastic effectively conveys despair and disillusionment so overwhelming that it becomes mesmerizing, and absolutely conducive to disassociation. These songs bear a striking resemblance to those performed by Flipper, not just in the crawling pace, the use of chilling, ironic laughter, and snide, painful delivery, but also in the way that they sound the way depression feels -- although obviously the addition of synth creates a good deal of dissimilarity. The ability to fully capture that state of being, in my experience, is elusive to say the least. If I had to make a visualization of the sounds contained on this release, it would closely resemble the ominous, harsh background of a Dali painting. Needless to say, this release floored me, and I'm hoping they tour around my way again this year; and if they come anywhere near you, I highly recommend going to see them.

Download this, turn your lights off, and get bummed the fuck out. Nothing here is real.

Tracklist:
1. At The Gates
2. A Good Laugh
3. Mannequins
4. Untitled (Mark II)
5. A Call For Help
6. 731
7. The Garden

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

ACRYLICS - DESPAIR

Despair
Acrylics
2017

Review by Joey

(Band Submission)

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk, Noise Rock
For Fans Of: Tar Babies, Mystery Product, Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, Stick Men With Ray Guns

Oh shit, January 2017 is gonna be over in a few hours and I still haven't posted anything -- so let's start the year out right (even if it is a month late). I'm sure many of you remember how much I loved Acrylics' s/t tape from last year, and I'm also sure that a good deal of you heard the news about them putting out a 7" on the almighty Iron Lung Records (a.k.a. the greatest label on earth); and if you didn't know those things, now you do. And guess what, sports fans: Despair is Acrylics' most volatile material to date.

Acrylics are a rare breed. They're the sort of band whose music can accurately impart the feeling of being thrown down six flights of stairs and into a pit of tar -- a very specific, yet relatable sensation. Their 2016 tape was a fantastic barrage of disquieting, aggressive punk, and Despair picks up right where that left off; however, these two tracks feel even more fully realized than those on the preceding release. The tracks on this 7" tap into some classic tendencies of noisy punk, but rather than sounding rehashed, they do so in a way that reminds me of what made me fall in love with bands like Tar Babies to begin with. In other words, they are successfully able to sound fresh, and escape the stale trappings many of their contemporaries fall into. The winding riff/stompy thing has gotten pretty played out (especially because a lot of bands can't pull it off), but thanks to their guitarist's amalgam of Greg Ginn's, East Bay Ray's, and Dome's unique styles, along with a stomp comparable to Stick Men With Ray Guns, and a truly unnerving presentation rife with anxiety and dread, Acrylics easily stand out far in front of most of their peers. Simply put, Acrylics exemplify everything I love about wonky, noisy hardcore punk; their brilliant subtlety and ability to overwhelm make them a force to be reckoned with -- a wording which may be cliche, but is accurate nevertheless.

So what are you nerds waiting for? Hurry up and download this slugger -- or if you're able to support, head over to the ILR bandcamp, and get your hands on a copy while you still can!

Tracklist:
1. Despair
2. Reassurance

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THE LONG LOST SPIKE IN VAIN TAPE

Jesus Was Born In A Mobile Home
Spike In Vain
1984-85 (?)

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Deathrock, Noise Rock, Post-Punk, Hardcore Punk
For Fans Of: No Trend, The Scam, Tar Babies, Saccharine Trust

Spike In Vain is easily one of the coolest, most underrated punk bands ever. Their iconic Disease Is Relative LP, sits in the nightmarish crossroads where Christian Death, No Trend, and Rudimentary Peni meet, feasting on corpses in rapturous, sardonic glee. Their second full length Jesus Was Born In A Mobile Home was released on cassette; and probably would've been lost to time...but thanks to the internet, knowledge of this elusive band and their material was exhumed, and given another life to wreak havoc once again.

Jesus Was Born In A Mobile Home picks up right where its predecessor left off, but has a somewhat different overall feel to it. The material is more cohesive, as though they took what they did on Disease Is Relative, and whittled it into a deadly point. Take that how you will, but I think this tape is just as good as the LP. Some of the tracks are live and demo recordings, however that doesn't take any of the bite out of this release. The music on here is truly deranged in a unique way, and it's honestly difficult to compare Spike In Vain to any other band(s)*, because none that I can think of -- before or since -- have matched their terrifying fusion of the caustic and macabre. In their own words: ugly and damaged.

Spike In Vain should be considered essential deathrock, up there with Part 1, Theatre Of Ice, Rudimentary Peni, etc.

Tracklist:
1. Little Voice That Betrays
2. Rejected By Number Twelve
3. Ugly And Damaged
4. Glass Doorknob
5. A Grave Left Behind
6. You're Gonna Watch Me
7. Real Cool Time
8. Seconds
9. Lullabye Nocturno
10. Helga At The Square Dance
11. Deathstyle
12. Love Isn't Hollow

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*aside from The Dark, which was essentially Spike In Vain with the members playing different instruments

I can't find credit for this rip anywhere, but to the hero who did this...fucking thank you.

UNBOUND

"Flesh Burns" Demo 2016  

Unbound
2016

Review By Jerry

Genre/s: Death Metal, Punk, 90's Metal
For Fans Of: Christbait, Beanflipper, Mangacide, Massappeal, Misery (Aus)

New bands revitalizing classic sounds and styles of a particular era of extreme music is nothing new but rarely does a band come along and have their influences sorted out with such an acute precision of a long gone and obscure style that chances are you may not even know any of the bands listed in the "For Fans Of" section (guilty of this myself).

Coming from a rich pedigree of old and new bands (Where's The Pope?, Ripped Off, The Submissivies, Pissed On, Sick People), Unbound are manic time travelers adventuring back into the long forgotten times of 90's punk-metal. Ripping into it from the get go they traverse back to a  realm of heavy music in an era that is seldom traveled. From the start they dive down into a time-frozen zone of death metal/thrash and return with specimens like "Morbid Freaks" before they go back again into an alt-metal dimension on "Births Eulogy" before finally their obsessive endeavors catch up to them causing a time rift with worlds colliding together in a spiraling frenzy of heavily effected madness which is documented in "Epitaphic Confines" and "Only Dead".  Sparing nothing from their methodical styles and grooves the same can be said for the tight and very un-demo like production. Slick and dense guitar and bass tones combating against rugged and plummeting drums whilst they all carry the vocalist around howling in the language of insanity into a flanged-out void.

Unbound has done a top notch job exhuming this peculiar style of 90's Australian punk-metal out from the ground. While at first this may sound like its an acquired taste it only seems that way because Unbound proudly wear their influences on their sleeves when no one else wanted them.


TRACKLISTING
1. Flesh Burns
2. Momentary
3. Morbid Freaks
4. Births Eulogy
5. Epitaphic Confines
6. Only Dead

BANDCAMP

BRAINBOMBS - SOUVENIRS

Souvenirs
Brainbombs
2016

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Post-Punk, Psych
For Fans Of: The Stooges, Blank Veins, Paul Chain, Drunks With Guns

Ummmmmm...so I'm sure many of you heard earlier this year about a new Brainbombs LP...and it's finally here! I'm kinda flipping out over it, because they somehow are still consistently churning out some of the most haunting, filthy, and memorable tracks of any noise rock band ever, despite having been a band for a little over 30 years at this point. Granted, it's generally one riff per song, but goddamn are they great. However, this LP sees Sweden's Meanest taking a direction they haven't played with this much since their Genius And Brutality...Taste And Power LP; that's right, they're pulling out the psych.

Those familiar with Brainbombs' output shouldn't be too surprised with what they're doing on Souvenirs. They've always had heavy psych leanings, but what sets the material on this LP apart from the rest of their work is that  a lot of the tracks are driven more by creating frightening moods and atmospheres rather than every riff being big and bad. That's not to say this LP doesn't have big, bad riffs, because it really does. But the feelings of emotional detachment and emptiness are more at the forefront of it all; and it feels unnerving in a way most of their output doesn't (aside from the Genius And Brutality...Taste And Power LP). It really is incredible that Brainbombs have found ways to keep their output from getting stale, while still maintaining their overall aesthetic. Plus, at least now I have this killer to listen to while I cry over not being able to see them in LA.

Blah, blah it's Brainbombs doing what they do best. You know what you're getting into.

Tracklist:
1. A Darker Shade Of Pain
2. In Danger
3. Beyond Darkness
4. Let Me Kill
5. Satisfied
6. Having Fun
7. Souvenirs
8. Darkness

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MOTH SLASHER

Moth Slasher
Moth Slasher
2016

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Post-Punk, Industrial
For Fans Of: Slices, Locust (before the The), Happy Flowers, Walls

Dude, I gotta say...I love when friends' bands are good. That seems like such an obvious statement, but one of the worst feelings in the world is when a friend sends you their band (or worse asks you in person how you felt after just watching a set) and you don't like it, and gotta figure out if you should dance around things or just flat out tell them the hard truth. Well, in the case of Moth Slasher, the hard truth is that they are fucking disgustingly great.

Moth Slasher is kinda hard to pigeonhole, which is something that's always refreshing. My first impression was that they reminded me of The Locust's earliest recordings (splits with Jenny Piccolo and Man Is The Bastard/Noise) sans blast beats, but keeping the industrial/electronics, mixed with Slices. So basically it's totally blown out, filthy, crushingly heavy, and unpredictable; but dirging and rhythmic. But wait, there's more. Moth Slasher manages to make nods to one of my all time favorites, Happy Flowers. There are parts which just completely fall apart -- seemingly forgoing all structure, and embracing pure musical decomposition -- while still relying on traditional punk instruments as the means for producing sonic mayhem. And what glorious mayhem it is.

So hold onto your hat and watch the valuables...it's going to be a bumpy ride.*

Tracklisting:
1. I Don't Know Him
2. Flowers Dead
3. Mecha Parasite Brain
4. Zero Return
5. Watch You Die
6. Free Wi-Fi

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*read in Mark Hamill's Joker voice

NO BALLS / BLANK VEINS

No Balls / Blank Veins
No Balls / Blank Veins
2016

(Band Submission)

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Psych, Post-Punk
For Fans Of: Brainbombs, DNA, Twin Stumps, No Form

If you're familiar with this blog, I'm sure you know how much we (I?) love both Blank Veins and No Balls. And really, what's not to love? Both bands have fantastic outputs and play with the repetitive noise rock formula in distinctive, instantly recognizable ways. I've known this split was in the works for a while from correspondence with Blank Veins, and I gotta say it's everything I hoped for.

I guess I should start with No Balls since they're the band on side A. No Balls is essentially half of Brainbombs, and while similarities can be drawn between the two, No Balls puts more emphasis on the hypnotic nature of their music, generally without as much focus on vocals, often ditching them in favor of instrumentals -- the latter of which is the case on this split. But don't worry sports fans, because the atonal trumpet we all know and love fills in the gaps. These guys have an uncanny ability to consistently churn out hit after hit, and I have no idea how they do it.

Fewer people know about Blank Veins (a shame considering how good they are), but hopefully this split gets them the attention they deserve. Hailing from Greece, Blank Veins have carved out a niche for themselves dishing out what can best be described as a terrifying mixture of Brainbombs and DNA. And they also use trumpet. Honestly, they're one of the coolest noise rock bands to come out in the past five years, and despite a relatively small output, have a total mastery of their craft. I know they have future releases planned (one being a split 7" that needs a label...wink, wink) and you should all keep an eye on them (not related to the "wink, wink" comment), because I can guarantee it's all gonna be great.

Short version for short people: big bad riffs and trumpets.
EDIT: Blank Veins use a sax. But it still works to a similar effect.

Tracklist:
1. No Balls - Bright Eyes
2. No Balls - Total Eclipse
3. No Balls - Back On The SNRI
4. Blank Veins - Till It Subsides
5. Blank Veins -  The Next Time
6. Blank Veins - Most Of The Fabric

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ANXIETY

Anxiety
Anxiety
2016

Review by Joey (is anyone else even doing this anymore or am I all alone in this cruel world?)

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk, Post-Punk, Art Punk, Industrial, Power Electronics, Noise
For Fans Of: Feederz, SPK, Minimal Man, GRRR

I don't even know where the fuck to start with this LP. It is, without a doubt, one of the coolest things to come out this year. Or really in recent memory, honestly. When I clicked play on LVEUM's bandcamp, I was not prepared at all, and I don't think anything I say in this review can fully prepare any of you. It's not only that it's really that out there, but it's also that fucking good.

Anxiety is a new band out of the UK -- no surprise based on how much truly interesting shit (No Form, Perspex Flesh, Frau, etc) has been coming out of there in recent years -- who feature members of The Lowest Form (another favorite) and others. But I'm not sure that really has any significance in terms of how this sounds. Anxiety sounds like...well...anxiety -- yea yea, I know it's corny. Their unique blend of all those various genres I listed above is an unstoppable force of nervous energy; like a sonic panic attack. Everything about what Anxiety does has a touch of madness; even the more straightforward (relatively speaking) hardcore punk leaning tracks reek of influence from oddball bands like Feederz and Saccharine Trust. Add in the early SPK and Monte Cazazza-style electronics, The Ex and GRRR-style art punk, dark and ominous textures, and confusing progressions...and you still probably can't imagine what this sounds like. The best way I can even semi-accurately describe Anxiety is that they sound like a hardcore punk Minimal Man. And how fucking sick is that?

I listened to this ten times in a row the day I heard it. And I'm still playing it over and over and over. If you don't download this immediately, that's a moral decision you'll have to live with for the rest of your life.

Tracklist:
1. Dark And Wet
2. Fool In The Shower
3. The Worst
4. Addicted To Punishment
5. Human Hell
6. Delayed
7. Trapped Shut
8. Sewer In My Mind
9. VMD

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EDIT: The parenthetical is a joke referring to how I'm the only one doing reviews on FBN anymore, not a cry of desperation.

The Elusive SKELETON Flexi

Skeleton Flexi
Skeleton
2016

Review by Joey

Genre/s: Hardcore Punk, Blackened Punk
For Fans Of: Chlorine, Desgraciados, Oaf, Sewer Drainer

I've been seeing good things about this flexi all over, but somehow there isn't a single rip of it out there. Well, I got my hands on one after going to see Skeleton with Blank Spell; unfortunately no one else (aside from a couple friends, one of whom had flown in for Philly Shreds) showed up. And after spinning this flexi, I'm even more let down that the gig fell through, because this material kills.

Skeleton plays some gnarly riff driven hardcore punk; a style which I love, but also a style which is becoming harder and harder to pull off due to the total oversaturation of bands who are trying to sound like Rudimentary Peni. Fortunately, bands like this one exist to get it right. The serpentine riffs feel as if they're too long as they wind their way through the mix, but instead of progressions which are seemingly all over the place, Skeleton strips things down; and it's this primal simplicity which puts them way ahead of many of their peers. Combine that with abrupt tempo shifts, crushingly brutal and heavy atmospheres and production, and snarled one-line lyrics -- and you've got yourself a winner of an EP.

They said they'd be coming back around later this year, so I'm really looking forward to actually getting to see them. But until then, I'll just be replaying these nasty numbers again and again.

Tracklist:
1. Locked Up
2. Change Me
3. Torture

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FBN 2016 MIDYEAR ROUNDUP MEGAPOST

I know, I know, there hasn't been much posting on FBN in 2016 thus far. So, to make up for it, here is a megapost comprised of 45 of my favorite releases from 2016 (15 LPs, 15 EPs, 15 demos), each with a short review and download link (the titles are the links). Oh and this is the only place you'll be able to find some of these with split tracks. Fucked By Noise doesn't fuck around. Don't say I never gave you anything.

Disclaimer: no download links were stolen from other blogs, because that's just tacky (you know who you are). If I found it on another blog, the original post is linked rather than a direct link to the download on a filesharing site, unless multiple blogs posted the exact same link and then I figured fuck it. Bandcamps with free downloads are also linked. For downloading from VK, I recommend getting the VK music downloader extension/add-on, although I'm sure there are other extensions/add-ons which will work just fine.

But enough small talk, let's get to it.

- LP -

Hez Hez
I've been sitting on this since last year, but I think it's safe to post it since it's officially out. Hez takes all of the best elements of hyper aggro hardcore punk and twisted dark punk, and smashes them together with a bestial ferocity. On top of it all, instead of typical guitar solos/breaks, they utilize rudimentary guitar-based pedal electronics which only adds an extra level of filth and menace.

FFO: No, Muerte

Behavior 375 Images Of Angels
Behavior made their debut a couple years back as a noisy hardcore punk powerhouse with subtle post-punk leanings, but on their LP they have shed away their hardcore shell and reemerged as a truly interesting post-punk/art punk outfit. While many contemporary post-punk groups try way too hard to sound like their 80s inspirations, Behavior stands out as a true spiritual successor to the original boundary pushing art punk bands. 

FFO: Wire, This Heat

Column Of Heaven / Suffering Luna split
This link leads to a review I previously published on FBN, but in summation: Column Of Heaven delivers a crushing black/death/grind and industrial/power electronics hybrid which sends them off with a bang. Suffering Luna is still Suffering Luna, so expect trippy, fucked up, sample-laden sludge. This has split tracks.

FFO: Knelt Rote, Gasp

Skáphe Skáphe²
Skáphe's demo was one of my favorite releases in 2014 and this LP picks up right where they left off. One of the tags on their bandcamp (the above link) is "asphyxiating," and honestly that describes their music perfectly; it's akin to what I'd imagine it would feel like to suffocate in the deep void of space. Skáphe's material is truly haunting.

FFO: Arizmenda, Lantern

Genocide Organ Obituary Of The Americas
If you know Genocide Organ, then you already have an idea of what this will sound like. If you don't, then brace yourself for waves of pulsing death industrial and heavy electronics, accompanied by military samples and distorted, threatening vocals. It's always nice to see older artists haven't lost their touch.

FFO: Brighter Death Now, Propergol

NASA Space Universe 70 A.D.
This link leads to a review I previously published on FBN, but in summation: NSU goes down kicking and screaming, dragging us into the void with them. This is by far their most aggressive and raw release, but maintains all of the weirdness that they've been well known and loved for. They've claimed their place among the stars. 

FFO: Die Kreuzen, Mecht Mensch

Billy Bao Lagos Sessions
I reviewed this for Cvlt Nation, but here's a summary: Billy Bao is back and pushing their sonic experiments ever further than ever on their newest and most audacious release. A jarring, yet unbelievably engaging hour long sound collage over four 15 minute tracks takes you on a journey through Lagos, giving you a taste of what the experience might be like. Buckle up.

FFO: Nurse With Wound, Cosmonauts Hail Satan

No Negative The Good Never Comes
So, I'm not sure if this was released early this year or very, very late last year, but as far as I can tell it wasn't officially released until January (I could be wrong, though). Whatever, anyway, this is total psych'd out noise rock that really is equal parts wigged out psych and scummy, repetative noise rock. It's a must-hear (then again, so is everything else here). 

FFO: Destruction Unit, Brainbombs

Vordr In The Shadow Of The Wolf
I honestly didn't even know Vordr was still active until I saw this LP in the related videos when I was looking for their 2009 s/t 12" to show someone. On their newest output, as with past material, Vordr leads the charge for a punky raw black metal assault. This one is a ripper fersure. 

FFO: Karmic Void, Arnaut Pavle

The Body & Full Of Hell One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache
The Body and Full Of Hell are bands who get shit for being popular from the ~2 tr00 4 u~ crowd, but these guys not only know their shit, they also know how to put it to use. The material on this collab draws from all types of electronic and noise music, including, but not limited to: noisecore/noisegrind, electro, black/industrial, dark ambient, and death industrial to produce something genuinely scary. I just wish their fans and so-called "contemporaries" would take note (playing recorded static or using an oscillator for 10 seconds doesn't count).

FFO: Gnaw Their Tongues, Gasp

Green Beret Standing At The Mouth Of Hell
There is an overwhelming amount of d-beat coming out of the US right now, and while much of it is just white, english speakers using random Swedish words or Japanese characters, and playing forgettable riffs, there are a handful totally raging bands. Green Beret is definitely one of the few who cut through the endless snoozefest and hit that sweet spot; and they hit it fucking hard. 

FFO: Totalitär, World Burns To Death

Puce Mary The Spiral
Oh man, this one is a doozy. Puce Mary, at least to me, stands out as one of the best current industrial/noise acts out there. Her ability to play off of classic death/industrial and make it sound fresh and terrifying is uncanny. This new LP is probably her best and most intense material to date, flowing from unsettling ambient to walls of heavy electronics and covering all territory in between.

FFO: SPK, Atrax Morgue

Qrixkuor Three Devils Dance
Qrixkuor put out a demo a couple years back that floored me, but of course when I lost 2/3 of my music last year, their demo went with it. And then my friend posted about this LP and I listened and was floored by them all over again. Qrixkuor slams you with an ominous atmosphere pierced by pummeling force and total shredding annihilation. And divebombs.

FFO: Impetuous Ritual, Grave Upheaval

Crvel Sombras
Crvel came out of nowhere, and when I heard this LP I think I listened to it six times in a row. Sombras is perfectly executed driving-yet-melancholy deathrock. Like other bands in the doing-deathrock-right camp, Crvel makes nods to a number of sources while still sounding fresh. This is also probably the best use of chorus, flangers, and phasers I've heard all year. 

FFO: Altar De Fey, Zotz

Sissy Spacek Disfathom
Sissy Spacek has been releasing so much in the past couple years it's gettnig hard to keep up; but what I have heard has been incredible, which should come as no surprise. Disfathom is like running headfirst into a tornado. In this case, the tornado happens to be made of turbospeed bass/drums grind and power electronics. Don't blink or you'll miss it.

FFO: Sete Star Sept, Euthanizer

-EP-

Magnum Force Hood Crimes
This is another release I don't have much info on, but I can tell you that it fucking rips. Instead of shoehorning breakdowns in and using obnoxious football coach vocals, Magnum Force lets it all flow naturally. And flowing naturally for them means erratic tempo shifts, killer riffs, and a perfect level of hyper-aggression; not macho brodown hyper-aggression mind you, just pure unbridled rage. This has split tracks.

FFO: Jenny Piccolo, California Love

Snake Charmer Drugs And The State

The review for this one could be almost identical to the one above, except Snake Charmer takes their rampage even further. This EP is a behemoth; it's a pure expression of hatred and pain via raw and crushing hardcore punk. I'd honestly go as far as to call this powerviolence, because Snake Charmer really carries the torch of total unpredictable, thrashing, overwhelming anger. Regardless, this is some of the best fastcore to come out in the past couple years. This has split tracks.

FFO: Threatener, Mindless

Golden Path / Genex split
Noisy stomping punk has become all but played out at this point, but both Golden Path and Genex have found a way to keep their stampedes from sounding stale. Each band finds their own way to play around the formula: Golden Path's approach owes more to noise rock and punk, while Genex goes the Discharge, metal-tinged route (without resorting to relying on d-beats). Both takes on the style are equally effective in evoking a desire to kill.

FFO: Sewer Drainer, Qualm

Ramleh Conquest Play / Clockwork
This 12" single is a return to form for Ramleh. Side A is straightforward power electronics, side B is a psych'd out post-punk/noise rock dirge. It's simple, it's effective, and it's fantastic. The guys over at Broken Flag are doing their thing, and they still got it.

FFO: Consumer Electronics, Strangulated Beatoffs

Witchface Alt Gaar I Svart
I was pretty hayppy to see there was a new Witchface EP this year. Just as on the previous releases, static and fuzz is layered over midtempo punk with winding, sinister riffs.  One cool thing about Witchface is that there is always a bounce to the material which isn't necessarily something you'd expect from the style. Definitely worth a listen.

FFO: Sump, Dry Insides

Triage Power Beat

Oooh boy, this is a ripper. Triage sounds like if Show No Mercy era Slayer was playing Hear Nothing... era Discharge influenced hardcore punk. Do I really need to say anything beyond that? You should be sold on this already. Power Beat has the riffs, the shred, and all the driving force you could want out of a thrashing hardcore release. Get ready to rage.

FFO: Slayer, Discharge

Rubber Mate Rub ‘Em All
According to the band, they started as a Brainbombs halloween cover band and then just kept playing together. I believe it. Cut the songs down to 2 minutes and throw a touch of Doc Dart and/or Bobby Soxx and/or Larry Lifeless in the mix, and you've got a pretty good idea of what this sounds like. Oh, and there's rudimentary contact mic electronics layered over the whole thing, adding another level of filth to this already gross display of degeneracy.

FFO: Stick Men With Ray Guns, Fang

Humiliation 4 Track EP
I saw this described somewhere (I think the Sorry State monthly update?) as being what it'd sound like if the Damaged Black Flag lineup kept playing together. I think there's a lot more to this than that, but I totally feel that; add some depraved, crushing twists to that and you'll get the idea. Humiliation sounds like desperation, like pain. This has split tracks.

FFO: Black Flag, Low Places

Framtid The Horrific Visions
Yup, it's a Framtid 7" alright. Thick, fuzzed out, and raging as all hell. And d-beats, don't forget d-beats. What can I really say about Framtid that hasn't been said a million times? They're great and they still wreck everyone else.

FFO: Hakuchi, 突撃戦車 (Totsugeki Sensya)

Barcelona Pueden Ser Ellos
Barcelona's debut 12" last year was total mayhem, and this 7" picks right up where that left off. Their signature no-snare sound is pummeling; the drumming bulldozes a choppy raw punk assault on the senses. The whole thing moves at an odd pace, sometimes even *gasp* diverging from the typical punk 4/4 time. This off kilter feel of Pueden Ser Ellos just makes it that much more volatile.

FFO: Atentado, Maquina Muerta

M. Del Rio Cleft Skull
Oh hey, it's the super secret Raspberry Bulbs flexi that's not actually Raspberry Bulbs but it totally is. I'm not sure if Del Rio is back to doing solo work on this or if it's the full band, but I assume it's the former. It's dark and dirty post-punk as you'd expect, but is somewhat of a callback to the older RB tapes (which is why I think it's solo stuff).

FFO: Raspberry Bulbs, Masturbation

Wojtek O Crooked Serpent, Receive My Spirit
Sometimes bands from delaware don't suck, and sometimes they're even really sick. And Wojtek is sick. They started out playing fairly straightforward raw black metal/punk, but have become more bestial with each release, and on their newest offering, they've assumed a form which is much closer to Conqueror than Ildjarn. Is raw death metal/punk a thing yet outside of Guillotine Terror?

FFO: Conqueror, Sesso Violento

Rakta Intenção

I wasn't totally sold the first time I heard Rakta, but then that collab with Cadaver Em Transe (RIP, I am so sad they broke up) happened and I decided to reevaluate my opinion. So I gave them another chance, and lemme tell you, this band is fantastic. Rakta's brand of deathrock comes complete with over chorused everything, jangly post-punk guitar, driving drums, spooky synth, and an overall creepy atmosphere. I'm definitely looking forward to the LP due out this year on Iron Lung Records.

FFO: Haldol, Mannequin Neurose

Diva Cup Overflow

Diva Cup is a punk band who truly don't give a fuck. They're dirty, sleazy, and downright fantastic. They were giving away fireworks to be used during their set if that's any indication. Of course, this translates over to their music; the material on Overflow is reckless, sloppy, and snotty as fuck. If you want smutty punk, this is probably exactly what you're looking for. Also, it's just bass/drums/vocals.

FFO: Confuse, Outo

Mollot US Winter Tour Tape
Some dork posted a review of this on youtube and fumbled around calling it "experimental hardcore" and remarking at how harsh and noisy it is (apparently people don't know noise rock is a thing in 2016). Well, he's right in that Mollot is harsh and nasty and unrelenting; this tape is total blown out, deranged noise rock perfection. Mollot plays all the wrong things in all the right ways. I'm just bummed their tour didn't make it anywhere near me.

FFO: Rusted Shut, Drunkdriver

- DEMO -

Siyahkal Sagzani Demo
I had an insider tip about this demo before it came out, and sweet fuck is it good. But I would expect nothing less from a band made up of members of Desgraciados, Naamahk, and Golden Path. That being said, Siyahkal sounds nothing like those bands at all. Intstead, Siyahkal plays off kilter, choppy hardcore punk with an occasional catchy hook. Oh, and all the lyrics are in farsi. This demo will wreck you. I'm already itching for more.

FFO: The Nurse (ナース), White Pigs

Decapitators Demo

Okay, I am so sick of instrumental intros on demos, this shit needs to end. However, Decapitators get a pass, because theirs is actually a perfect build up to the first track. The material on this demo is fairly straightforward scandi influenced raw punk, which can be total hit or miss, but Decapitators nailed it. Not much else to say, just hit play and rage away.

FFO: Rövsvett, Tampere SS

Dauðyflin Demo

This link leads to a review I previously published on FBN, but in summation: Members of Börn (a.k.a. one of the best deathrock bands on the planet) playing bouncy, stompy, dark hardcore punk. Dauðyflin is raw, aggressive, and just all around badass.

FFO: Dregs, Mocoso

Plastic Plastic 2.0
Plastic is, without a doubt, the best synthpunk band on the planet right now. When I first listened to this tape, I'm pretty sure I played it on repeat ten times or something. Instead of trying to rip off classic, innovative bands, Plastic puts their own deranged twist on the twisted synthpunk style. Plastic 2.0 is genuinely unnerving, and sits at a point between early industrial and proto-hardcore punk. Plastic is on their own level, and their Devo-copycating peers don't stand a chance.

FFO: Nervous Gender, The Residents

Malphas La Terre Disparue

Those Naamahk boys are at it again, but this time they're playing more straightforward raw black metal/punk. The riffs on this really stand out from those typical for the style; they're simultaneously melodic and dissonant, and take some pretty unexpected turns. The pacing is the same way, certain changes happen and I just think, "Oh, fuck yea." And that's the type of shit I live for.

FFO: Akitsa, Black Murder

Siege Column Nocturnal Attack Formation

Do you like thrashing black/death? Of course you do. Or maybe not. Whatever, assuming that you (yes you, the reader) like thrashing black/death, then you gotta check Siege Column out. This shit is ripping. It's got all the divebombs and sickass thrash riffage you want, and that war metal aesthetic (in a borad sense, not just visually) that we all love so well. As the kids these days say, infernal hails.

FFO: Slaughter Lord, Blasphemy

Pollen Demo

Damn, it feels as if Pollen's first show was a a couple weeks ago. They're definitely a band you have to experience live, but this demo does a solid job of capturing their energy. They play blown out [mangle]d-beat with a twist: there are only crash cymbals; no hi-hats or rides, just crashes. It actually really pushes their raw punk attack over the top. Added bonus, they don't do the racist/exotifying fake broken english and kanji thing that their peers often do. This has split tracks.

FFO: Death Dust Extractor, Gloom

Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope Steps Through The Looking Glass

Bummed Brown Sugar isn't a band anymore? Me too. But, you're in luck, because some of those dudes are doing a new band called Kaleidoscope. There's less subtlety, more tweaked out psych, and just as much wonky, off kilter, fuzzed out hardcore punk genius. Do drugs or whatever, I don't know. Not the classic mexican psych band of the same name. 

FFO: Brown Sugar, XM2

Acrylics Acrylics

This link leads to a review I previously published on FBN, but in summation: Acrylics succeed where many fail, they make shit for the weird by the weird. These guys know how to make genuinely fucked up punk, I get a lot of East Bay Ray and Greg Ginn vibes. You'll like it.

FFO: Mystery Product, Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers

S-21 Demo

Their first set upstaged the other two bands they played with (one of them Gag, which I guess isn't that tough). All I could think was, "Holy shit, it's like YDI playing Peni riffs." And that was with an incomplete lineup (I forget why), and with a full lineup, they're even bigger and badder. S-21 dishes out the pain; they have the darkness, heaviness, and raw power that makes for an ideal aggro hardcore punk band (emphasis on punk, I mean aggro as in Citizens Arrest, not Earth Crisis). Break shit.

FFO: YDI, Rudimentary Peni

Crumb Demo

If it wasn't for the lack of aussie accent, I would swear Crumb is from the land down under (hey Brayden and Jerry). They sound like a lot of the noise rock coming out of there in recent years. The guitar on this stands out particularly. The riffs have an almost surf punk and/or cowpunk feel, but are dark and dissonant in a deeply unnerving way (which is a good thing, obviously). This demo really surprised me and has me coming back over and over again.

FFO: Dribble, Cuntz

City Hunter Knife Protocol

Finally, the long awaited sequel is here! I've been listening to City Hunter's s/t CS on repeat for the past 3-4 years, and while that short burst (2:38 in total) is incredible, I have been dying for more. And after the wait, Knife Protocol does not disappoint. The tape is a live recording (and it really sounds like one) which clocks in at 7:08, but manages to successfully showcase City Hunter's brutal intensity and menacing presence. Like if YDI was really into slasher flicks (lots of YDI going around). So when is the LP dropping?

FFO: YDI, Sewer Drainer

Dagger Lust Dagger Lust

This label,Vrasubatlat, popped up out of fucking nowhere, and in a very short time, has cranked out some incredible black/death, but this might be their best yet. Dagger Lust is cavernous and unforgiving. Over the course of two tracks, they unleash some of the most foul, dismal, and downright malevolent black/death I've heard this year. And part of that is due to their use of power electronics to create a truly noxious atmomsphere. The other part is that this just fucking rips.

FFO: Teitanblood, Triumvir Foul

Intensive Care Pay Pig
This link leads to a review I previously published on FBN, but in summation: Andrew Nolan drives another one home, this time it's noise rock and power electronics. It's heavy, gritty, and all around amazing. Intensive Care will knock you down. A personal letter to Nolan: please play philly, thanks. 

FFO: Dissecting Table, Unsane

Zoloa Plato O Plomo

I honestly think Eduardo Ramirez (a.k.a. Volahn) can do no wrong. He's put out so much amazing black and death metal, and already demonstrated his punk chops in Mata Mata; but Zoloa is where it all comes together. Their previous two demos were solid, but Plato O Plomo is much more fully realized than its predecessors. It's as if they've taken the best elements of both japanese and swedish crust, and put them through a cavernous black/death lens. Absolutely punishing.

FFO: Disgust, Seitan









This was some shit. And you know what, fuck it. I'm plugging my own band too. I think I earned it.

Bloated Subhumans Execution I
Not gonna write a review because that would be corny as shit. Repetative noise rock with power electronics. I'm done. Hope you enjoyed this absurdly large megapost.

FFO: Brainbombs, Skullflower