1/17/18 UPDATE: New RED DEATH, TARANTULA, S-21, BIB, MACHINE GUN, and MUCH MORE!

 

Holy crap, this update is PACKED. I'll make this rundown as quick as possible (I say this every update, I know) ...  highly recommended 7"s from Machine Gun, Haircut, S-21, Rik and the Pigs, Tarantula, Bib, Faze, Game (flexi), and Sick Bags (to name a few - but there are many more); new LPs from Red Death, Primal Rite, Razorbumps, Bugg, Amos Pitsch, The Cowboys, Nasti, Left Cross, Asylum, BB Eye, Patsy, Unified Right, Obediencia, and the list goes on ...; new tapes and demos from Diztort, Fury, Surveillence, Belgrado, Erupt, Jackal, Mil-Spec, Vile Spirit, Imposter, and more ...

 

As always, a nice selection of reissues and cool fanclub releases like the Red C / Double O Demos LP, Antiseptic / The Clay LP, Gudon LP, Negazione 7", V/A “O Começo do fim do Mundo” Compilation 2xLP (which is done incredibly well and worth the price tag), LSD collection LP (back in stock after years) and repressings of both LPs from The Repos. Also restocked on the Neanderthal reissue, Killed By Death Vol. 1 Compilation LP, and a slew of essential punk and hardcore from Dischord Records and Revelation Records.

 

Also restocked some 2017/2018 necessities from the likes of Exit Order, Krimewatch, Limp Wrist, Impalers, Concealed Blade, Nosferatu, Eel, Glue, Liquids, and a ton more - peep the restock section if you missed something on the first go around.

 

Full list (with descriptions) is below ... if you made it this far, thanks for reading and for the support!!!!

 

 

RED DEATH "Formidable Darkness" LP (Triple B Records)
When a band forms, as Red Death did in late 2013, primarily out of reverence for Corrosion of Conformity — and especially when half the members hail from North Carolina — their second LP is bound to have a lot riding on it. Yet to say that Red Death have risen to the occasion is to say not nearly enough for Formi-dable Darkness, their new eight-song masterwork. It isn’t just their Animosity; it’s the best record to emerge from the hardcore scene’s hallowed metal/crossover wing since Iron Age’s The Sleeping Eye rewrote our DNA in 2009. Everything that made 2015’s Permanent Exile LP and 2016’s Deterrence EP modern classics has been amplified on the new album: the solos soar higher, the riffs penetrate deeper, the rhythm section pounds harder and with more precision, and the vocals are more unhinged. And it didn’t hurt that Arthur Rizk, by general consensus the best young producer in the game today, oversaw the recording. From their first practice in D.C. some four years ago, Red Death have been heirs to the proudest of traditions in the heavy-music underground, and with Formidable Darkness they’ve fulfilled their immense promise — just in time for the world’s ignominious end. As it was written, so it shall be.

PRIMAL RITE "Dirge Of Escapism" LP (Revelation Records)
Primal Rite is the shot in the arm the hardcore and metal scenes need. With 7"s already on Revelation Records, Grave Mistake Records, and Warthog Speak Records, plus a cassette on Pop Wig Records, the band is unleashing their debut full-length with Revelation this January. Guitars scream and solo, mixing the speed and chaos of Japanese hardcore, the crunch of Cleveland hardcore, the riffing and solos of thrash metal, and the pure, crushing power of the Floridian death-metal scene of the '90s. LP includes digital download.

MACHINE GUN "S/T" 7" (Double Man Records)
The title pretty much sums it up. Nothing fancy, no gimmicks, just no frills good ole' meat and potatoes HC from Philly like if you'd toss all the greats from yesteryear in a blender and add some lighter fluid.

TARANTULA "Weird Tales of Radiation and Hate" 7" (Deranged Records)
Second EP from Chicago’s Tarantula.  The band features former members of Culo with the additional layer of the always popular bass player.  Musically, Tarantula is just as catchy as Culo, a little less mid tempo, with a more obvious classic punk influence. Great jacket art from DrugFace as per usual. Mastered by Geza X. Killer 7”.

NEGAZIONE "Tutti Pazzi" 7" (No Plan Records)
What seemed like a rumor, at last came true: the first NEGAZIONE 7", one of the headstones of Italian hardcore, came out in its third edition, 30+ years after the first two pressings. Released in collaboration with Negazione drummer Michele and his Piatto Forte Records, it took a few years of talks to band members to come to this release. What you have here is raw, underproduced, primordial hardcore like very few scenes managed to produce. Italy and Finland became famous for such crude version of HC that conquered hearts during the 80s and is still very popular today. And Negazione were top of the game. Formed on the ashes of Turin HC bands like Quinto Braccio, Declino, Kollettivo,... Negazione worked hard, toured hard and played even harder. After their split tape with Declino (that later became an LP), it was the time for an own record. Subvert produzioni (Michele, the band's drummer), TVOR fanzine, Kina and Negazione themselves produced this 7" back in 1985. Sixfold poster cover with photos and lyrics and a black slab of vinyl with 5 songs was the deal, and Negazione started their 8 year long journey with it, touring all over Europe and releasing many great records after it.

BIB "Moshpit" 7" (Pop Wig Records)
For their first release on POP WIG Records, Omaha-based BIB continues their streak of making sketchy-as-hell punk rock for straight up weirdos.

S-21 "Operation Menu" 7" (World Gone Mad Records)
A 5-piece from Philadelphia, S-21’s music highlighted the experiences of historically marginalized voices— those of POC and first generation immigrants navigating the punk scene and society as a whole. Taking its name from the illegal bombings conducted by the US in Cambodia starting in 1969, “Operation Menu” continues the band’s message, addressing issues of intergenerational trauma and genocide, toxic masculinity, and loss of language and culture through assimilation. Following in the footsteps of their first EP “Year Zero”, expect even further refined pummeling, heavy, dirty and driven hardcore punk fueling the unrelenting vocals and lyrics. The total sales on 20% of the pressing will be donated to non-profits benefiting refugees, displaced people and immigrants.

HAIRCUT "Shutting Down" 7" (Feel It Records)
Five tracks of furious hardcore punk on the debut EP from Richmond's HAIRCUT. Originally formed in nearby Charlottesville, VA (and opening countless shows at the legendary Magnolia House), Haircut released a strong demo at the end of 2016 before landing just down I-64 in Richmond. The speed and precision displayed across "Shutting Down" is rarely captured so well on a band's first record, but the execution on these five tracks (all of which burn through in 60-90 seconds) is hard to match. Just as essential to this release are Juliana's tireless, outspoken lyrics (both in English + Spanish) and vocal delivery which echoes from a very candid perspective often missing in contemporary punk and hardcore. A standout EP devoid of any gimmickry or trend-worship. Simply pure, classic hardcore punk. Housed in a glue pocket sleeve featuring artwork from Shiva Addanki plus lyric insert.

RIK & THE PIGS "Blue Jean Queen" 7" (Feel It Records)
Rik and his Pigs return! Three tracks recorded this past summer in Portland at the tail end of the Pigs' West coast tour finds the current six piece lineup tight and ruling as ever. "Blue Jean Queen" kicks thing off in fine fashion with a rocking, Dictators-esque stomp brimming with snarled vocals and crunchy guitar hooks. The Pigs work up a new sax-washed version of "TV Bloopers" to finish off side A, which is backed with the brooding, bass-driven "Off/On". Yet another excellent batch of tracks from your favorite gang of Olympia punks, and a fine companion piece to the upcoming LP on Total Punk. 500 copies housed in a full color textured pocket sleeve with lyric insert.

V/A “O Começo do fim do Mundo” Compilation 2xLP (Nada Nada Discos)
O Começo do fim do Mundo (The Beginning of the End of the World) was a punk festival that took place at the SESC Fábrica da Pompéia, in São Paulo, Brazil on November 27th and 28th, 1982, which was captured live and raw to cassette for a compilation LP of the same name featuring most, if not all of the bigger names in ‘80s Brazilian punk — INOCENTES, CÓLERA, LIXOMANIA, OLHO SECO, and RATOS DE PORÃO — as well as tracks from 14 other lesser-known bands, many of whom never recorded or released another song. With copies of the original compilation LP commanding three-figure prices today (if you can even find one and especially for clean copies), this expanded 2LP reissue, timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary and reunion of the original festival was much needed. Included in this mammoth are the original 19-song LP, an additional 23-song LP of tracks taken from the festival including tunes from SKISITAS and [the great] ULSTER, two bands that were absent from the original, a 36-page booklet of photos of the event captured by Paul Constantinides, repros of the original program and 90cm x 60cm poster, and a write up by Antonio Bivar, one of organizers of the original O Começo do fim do Mundo festival.

AMOS PITSCH "Lake Effect" LP (Forward Records)
It's no surprise then, that Lake Effect, Amos Pitsch's debut solo album, was designed as a sort of conceptual seasonal album. Conceptual in that it deals with the cold facts of life in a similar manner to most of Pitsch's prior output, but especially that it deals with the feelings and the psyche of the victims of Midwestern American winter; the ups and downs- the nostalgia, the beauty, the depression, the bitter cold. Tracks like 'The Boot and The Hoof' and 'Three Plus Six' reveal the myth of Santa Claus crashing down in a child's mind. 'Where Are You Now', 'Lake of The Old Northeast', and the title track tell stories of seasonal depression, loneliness, isolation, and wistfulness. 'It's X-Mas (Today)' and 'Snow Day' paint scenes of beauty and nostalgia; Americana at its core you could say- like Norman Rockwell's great lost portrait of the frozen tundra. Pitsch knows the beauty and the isolation all too well- being a lifetime resident of the Fox River Valley- a geographical region vulnerable to brutal sub -zero winters, and rich with iconic rural midwestern imagery as well as small dusty towns acting as time pieces for decades gone by. The supper clubs, the patch-work farmland, the snow plows, ice shanties and road salt are in his blood.

OBEDIENCIA "Erosion" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Obediencia from Madrid release their debut album after two 7" singles on Solo Para Punks. Their Breakout LP is filled with melancholic damp, anthemic choruses, and powerful vocal melody all hanging amongst fast moving, machinistic drums, and buzzsaw guitar work. This brings to mind some Spanish punk of the golden era like demo era Ultimo Resorte, only having replaced the nods to rock n roll via the Pistols with a few guitar lessons from Greg Sage (Wipers). Enough guitar interplay to listen to on a cold rainy day, and enough power-chords to convince yourself you're listening to Madrid's answer to the Avengers. Standout track is the closer, "Sótano," which sees one of the few breaks in pace to bookend the uncompromising energy that came before it but overall all songs are fast paced, under three minutes with hooks galore. Fans of X, Pink Champagne, Penetration or The Observers will fall in love with this album on first listen.

PATSY "LA Women" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
After two singles on Total Punk in 2015 and 2016, Patsy return with a 7 Track Mini album on La Vida Es Un Mus. Patsy from New Orleans / Austin features members of Mystic Inane, but the connection ends there. This is straight ahead two chord rumbling punk rock with Candice's snotty and tuneful vocals. It's instant, catchy and has a real swagger. Patsy could have easily played at the Roxy and fitted in with the class of '77 or been part of the under appreciated Rip Off Records catalogue.

SIAL "S/T" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Hailing from South East Asia, Singapore, SIAL's blistering abrasive, loud and primitive sounding hardcore encompasses exactly what it is to be Sial! (DAMNED in English) A swear word in Bahasa Melayu (Malay), SIAL sings in the language of Singapore's indigenous minority, and challenge a culture and language generally said to be gentle and polite. Commonly described as an idle and passive people until the colonisation of Singapore by the British, SIAL takes back a power stripped away by centuries of imperialism and lies. Their hardcore takes props from the ferocity of early DISORDER output mixed with a singer who without doubt has had COMES debut album on repeat or even DIRT's early single on CRASS. Their rhythm section works relentlessly to create a mix of mid 90’s Japanese crasher crust and second wave UK punk creating one of the most powerful records we've heard in a long time.

BB EYE "Headcheese Heartthrob" LP (Lumpy Records)
The sound of ducks fucking ! The sound of Little apple cores hopping around atop some cute boutique bootleg Plastics and Ramones Tshirts ! New wave is rotting

PLASTIC "S/T" LP (Lumpy Records)
Nevermind the darkwave, the latest tape of CHI’s moodiest trio gets the treatment just in time for winter. This is a fine synth record that stands out amid all this horrid post-coneheads hogwash and dull goth/postpunk. They know how to space out maybe it’s the cynicism that keeps them from being a grateful dead tribute band. A recommended listen for solitude in the dark.

PSICO GALERA "Senza Via De Fuga" 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus)
The seemingly lone supernova of extreme hardcore punk in early and mid 80s Italy feels like a distant, but crystal clear memory. Italy seemed to have found itself entering an explosive world of new musical freedom and continued countercultural activism all the way from poetry to paisan, with renewed license to be inept and irrational as a matter of purpose and intent, now with all expectations of beauty out the window. PSICO GALERA are no Italian-by-numbers band, though. Instead they have found a parallel signal in the equally repressive and ordered culture of Japan and their musical blasts of eccentric ugly bliss. Channeling the attempts that bands like BITOUSHA and early KURO made at aping MOTORHEAD into their own vain image, PSICO GALERA add a twist, using the frenetic speed of the Italian language almost as an instrument, not entirely unlike the unintentionally Italian futurist tempos of WRETCHED. Here alongside hair-sprayed guitar solos, atonal polenta stains, and the rhythmic impatience of bobbing wrists shaking two pinched hands at you scornfully, PSICO GALERA present "Senza Via Di Fuga," their debut EP.

UNIFIED RIGHT "If I Can't Listen to Unified Right in Heaven..." LP (Triple B Records)
Following up their blazing 7" on Triple-B, Florida's Unified Right is back on the attack with ten songs of fast hardcore that stands up with their peers Fury and Freedom while nodding to the prime years of the Youngblood Records catalog.

SICK BAGS "Cigarette Spit" 7" (Colonel Records)
The debut 7" from Richmond's dirty darlings, Sick Bags.

BUGG "S/T" LP (Pop Wig Records)
Bugg is a band from Bloomington, Indiana. Their first release on POP WIG Records is their self-titled, debut album - a ten song rock record taking infuence from artists like Pavement, Veruca Salt and the Breeders.

RAZORBUMPS "Hellrazors" LP (Pop Wig Records)
Much like Minneapolis’ Uranium Club or Coneheads, Denton, Texas’s Razorbumps clearly wear their DEVO influence proudly, leaning on the speedy-side of that legendary band’s approach to angular post-punk. But besides the stutter-y staccato rhythms and the tongue-in-cheek robotic approach, Razorbumps exhibit that same sense of strong melodicism and a goofy fun that is clearly evident on “Go With the Flow,” their latest single from their forthcoming Pop Wig LP HELLRAZORS. It’s sunny, it’s smart and very repeatable. But more importantly waaaay more than just plain ‘ol “DEVO worship.” - Brooklyn Vegan

ASYLUM "Modern Hysteria" LP (Vinyl Conflict Label)
Following up a sold out 7” on the VC label, Asylum is back with an 11 song full length that highlights all the reasons you love crust. Recorded with Ricky Olson and Mastered by Brad Boatwright at Audio Siege. With a warm familiar feeling of bands like Nausea or Amebix, Modern Hysteria hits you with hardcore moments you’d expect to hear on an Anti Cimex or Crucifix album.

LEFT CROSS "Chaos Ascension" LP (Vinyl Conflict Label)
Chaos Ascension proves that Richmond’s Left Cross has no capacity for restraint. The Richmond Death Metal group returns after a sold out 7” for eight hymns to glory and conquest recklessly erode any hope of mercy, brutalizing with crushing precision and leaving the vanquished dead on the field.

KINDLING "Hush" LP (6131 Records)
Western Massachusetts isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of alternative music, but the sleepy area boasts a surprising musical lineage as the birthplace of indie rock icons like Dinosaur Jr, to more recent headliners like Speedy Ortiz and Potty Mouth. Easthampton’s Kindling are part of this insular environment that seems to breed a special kind of ambitious individualism: a drive to make bold music that is at once massively appealing and uncompromisingly distinct. Now, with their sophomore full length, Hush, Kindling are poised to continue this tradition and make a particularly loud impression of their own. Started in 2014, Kindling evolved through a full-length and a prolific series of EPs that would hone their dreamy lo-fi beginnings into a muscular wall of sound. While much of Kindling’s work could be given the shoegaze tag, the band always hinted at something broader and more immediate amongst the fuzz. Now with Hush the band has achieved a unique blend of crushing guitars and undeniable melodies that is sure to appeal to not just shoegaze fans, but to anyone who has a taste for towering alternative rock.  Hush offers plenty of guitar rock touchstones: pieces of Kindling’s Western MA musical roots, their surface ‘90s influences, and even much harder to spot references in their enormous sound. But in the end it’s Kindling's attention to true song-craft above all else that sets them apart, and whether set to a squall of distortion or a wave of atmospherics, Hush has this in spades.

ANTISEPTIC / THE CLAY Split LP (Fanclub Release)
Sick fanclub release for all of you 80's Japanese hardcore / punk fans. Side a features the Antiseptic = "First Last" 7" (1985) and two cuts from The Clay off of the "Great Punk Hits" LP comp. B-side features a live soundboard recording from 1983 (1st time on vinyl). Limited to 200 copies

GUDON "1984" LP (Fanclub Release)
Gudon were a Japanese hardcore / punk band who started of playing raw & noisey style before switching to a more traditional Japanese HC sound . This fanclub LP features tracks collected from their demo cassette & flexi, all recorded in 1984. Limited to 190 copies.

DOUBLE-O / RED C "Demos" LP (Fanclub Release)
24 cuts of 1981-1982 harD.C.ore! Collects the RED C "Pressure's On" Demo from 1981 and DOUBLE-O "Putting DC On The Map" Demo from 1982. Limited to 200 copies, import.

COWBOYS, THE "3rd" LP (HoZac Records)
Bloomington, Indiana has something to really be proud of in hometown heroes The Cowboys. One of the most exciting and indescribable bands of the last five years, this band manages to escape all of the pitfalls of modern DIY punk/garage and break out into a field of their own instantly. First off, nobody is supposed to have vocals this good, like almost bewildering talent-wise, but to actually be able to sing like this and be sweating it out in front of a packed room of rock’n roll revelers all night is almost charity work. The songs have this hard-to-pin Midwest je ne sais quoi and and the guitar and rhythm section are just off-the-charts in their ability to bridge themselves between the polarity of tightness and looseness. Coming off like summery sons of The Gizmos circa 1981 at one minute, and then diving head-first into their other-worldly piano-based tracks, which surprisingly simmer along perfectly next to their punkish rockers without any abject knee-jerk derailment. Just arty pallet-cleansers? I wish it was that simple, but The Cowboys have too many chops to minimize their effort, and this LP is nothing short of a riveting ride through a range of rock’n roll styles that should NOT work when liquified as such, yet with this band and it’s subversive magic, their songs come off as perfectly original, yet warmly familiar. Housed in silk-screened LP jackets, and equipped with a rock’n roll wanderlust that keeps them in perpetual touring formation, The Cowboys new LP wont last long, and once the irresistibility of their songs seeps into your pores, it’s going to be hard to pull back, and impossible to ignore. Definitely one of the Midwest’s finest musical operatives of the last 10 years, this band has really got it all, and we cannot wait for you to bathe in it’s pleasures. - VictimofTime.com

NASTI "Big Achievements" LP (Iron Lung Records)
It's hot as fuck in here. Big Achievements is churning mix-tempo hardcore punk with badboy breakdowns and subtly sophisticated change ups that will leave you scratching your sweat makers. If you can't skate and you can't slam then you can at least wiggle your nuggets to the ratchet beat. Get into it. Don't be shy. We love you. Shit yeah. We've been waiting for what seems like a century and the wait is well worth it. If this one doesn't make the year end lists then punk is broken. Housed in a heavy duty pasteboard jacket with lyric sheet and a poster. Art by Riley Kerr. Sounds by Ian Crist. All made in the Pacific Northwest. A pure record. Eat it.

REPOS, THE "S/T (Remastered)" LP (Youth Attack Records)
In the wake of the dismal millennium thrash revival, THE REPOS brought a fresh perspective to hardcore by blending nihilistic humor and dirtbag culture with a furious classic sound that created their own distinct style. Led by legendary frontman Aaron Aspinwall (CHARLES BRONSON, DAS OATH), THE REPOS initiated a legacy with this stunning debut, laying out a template of unhinged three-chord, barebones hardcore that countless bands later emulated. With their patented low regard for showmanship, this classic lets loose with a wallop of timeless Midwestern fury. Originally released in 2004 and out of print until now, this deluxe reissue features newly-remastered audio by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios. This LP comes housed in a spot gloss matte slipcase with a slightly-updated UV gloss-coated jacket design and euro sleeve displaying art sourced from original materials, including an unseen live photo of the band during their first-ever performance at Buffalo Bill's garage in the south Chicago suburbs in 2003.

REPOS, THE "Hearts and Heads Explode (Remastered)" LP (Youth Attack Records)
With a looser, more free-form indifference to their playing, their second full-length charges on with an even crazier fist-in-the-face Midwestern rage and transcends their influences with a faster and more monstrous delivery, exemplified in Aaron Aspinwall's insane vocals atop Joe Philips' guitar tornado. Despite the fact that the majority of this material was written and recorded on the spot in the studio, its schizo urgency has gone on to be regarded as one of the finest U.S. hardcore albums of the 2000s. Originally released in 2006 and out of print until now, this deluxe reissue features newly-remastered audio by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios. This LP comes housed in an embossed, spot-gloss slipcase with a slightly-updated UV gloss-coated jacket design and a euro sleeve displaying art sourced from original materials, including an unseen live photo of the band playing a Dekalb, Illinois basement show from this era.

REPOS, THE "Live Munitions" LP (Youth Attack Records)
One of the most prolific and influential hardcore bands of our generation is finally captured live with this fourteen song assault recorded in Chicago during a private performance on the west side. This LP contains all their best classics like “Attack From All Sides,” “Lowlife Legion,” and “Voice In My Head,” delivered in a non-stop, three-chord barrage under a tornado of growls by a lunatic frontman. Mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios for optimal ferocity, making it almost seem like you were there bashing in faces too.

GAME "Who Will Play?" 7" Flexi (Quality Control HQ)
Sour metallic riffs touching on NWOBHM and Japanese ADK/Dogma back catalogue lineage, rumbling bass lines, thundering drums and gruff vocals sung in English and Polish produce a pastiche of influences from early hardcore punk's flirtatious relationship with what would become an even more extreme music alongside it. The New Wave of British Hardcore is at its zenith, now producing a soundscape in the context of London's strong sense of diversity despite being the seat of Tory power and surrounded by a firmly pro-Brexit countryside. Game is a confluence of ideas of four different cultures forcing themselves through the same prism - noise and velocity. Such is the cut and paste nature punk that we know and love.

BIG CHEESE "Aggravated Mopery" 7" (Quality Control HQ)
Big Cheese fly the flag for the New Wave of British Hardcore and hail from various parts of ‘The North’ of the UK. Members are also currently in bands such as Higher Power, Blind Authority and Rapture, and have previously played in Violent Reaction and Shrapnel.

STAGES IN FAITH "Forgiving Man" 7" (Quality Control HQ)
“Stages in Faith live between the self disciplined genre expansion of mid to late 80s hardcore, and the surge of melody and reflection that evolved in the 90s, and manage to hold that small but crucial space beautifully and precariously. This is still HC but coming from a legitimate, and perhaps unintentional continuation of what bands like Leatherface, early Snuff, and the Jailcell Recipes were able to achieve in the UK as tides were turning, all while touching on stylised Americanisms not out of place on Government Issue's "Joy Ride" or American Standard's "Wonderland" LP. Powerfully sung vocals over high velocity and tuneful music that you can still slam and dive to.” - Jonah Falco, Fucked Up/Career Suicide

LSD "1983 to 1986" LP (Schizophrenic Records)
A complete discography from classic '80s Japanese hardcore trio L.S.D. (LUSTMORD, SNATCH and DEATH IN BODIE). Includes the music from the band's ultrarare flexi 7" from 1984, their last 7" from 1986 , their contributions to the 1983 "Great Punk Hits" compilation and some assorted studio, demo and live tracks from 1984.

FIREBURN "Don't Stop The Youth" 12" (Closed Casket Activities)
Don't Stop The Youth is the debut 12"ep from Southern California's own Fireburn. Featuring Israel Joseph I (formerly of Bad Brains), Nick Townsend (currently/formerly of Deadbeat, Knife Fight), Todd Jones (currently/formerly of Nails, Terror) and Todd Youth (currently/formerly of Bloodclot, Warzone, Danzig, Murphy's Law), this 12"ep displays five songs of punk-influenced hardcore recorded at NGR Studio in North Hollywood. This record features cover art by artist Tim Lehi and additional design by Jon Contino.

MISANTHROPIC CHARITY "S/T" 7" (No Plan Records)
3 songs from these fine Danish folks, ex members of Electric Deads and Enola Gay, amongst others. Melodic, powerful, intense Punk Rock with female vocals. Their best material ever. The LP was good, but these three songs are another league. Completely.

SHOCKIN' TV / TIRATURA LIMITATA "Milano 1983" 7" (No Plan Records)
One of the rarer 7"s of Italian HC/Punk of the 80s that you need up to 200 euros to purchase today. On one side you have Shockin' TV with their political HC/Punk - 9 short, raw and unpolished songs that clock in just over 9 minutes total. On the flipside Tiratura Limitata, more on the Punk side of things, offer very varied songs. They fuse Punk, Oi and Ska and within their 9 minutes of music fit "only" 3 songs. All in all, 12 songs, over 18 minutes of music on one 7"! Foldout poster cover with lyrics and photos.

COMBAT FORCE "Demo" 7" (Youth Attack Records)
Hailing from the agitated Denver, Colorado underground, COMBAT FORCE comes out swinging with this 4-song EP of feral hardcore. Drawing influences from the great classics, COMBAT FORCE stampedes forth in a timeless manner, taking no prisoners and delivering over-the-top vocals and insanely catchy riffs captured with perfect lo-fi production by Denver scene stalwart, James Trejo (CADAVER DOG, CIVILIZED, CULTURE SHOCK). Mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios and originally self-released on cassette, this EP features a stunning gatefold sleeve with all new artwork printed on uncoated stock with a black flood and houses an extra-thick 70gm 7". This incredible introduction to the band anticipates their forthcoming EP due out on YA in 2018.

FAZE "In Silence" 7" (Triple B Records)
Coming out of Florida, Faze presents their debut vinyl output out of two on cassette. Faze combines elements of modern hardcore a la Fury with some of the '90s powerhouses like Resurrection, No Escape, and later Turning Point.

HELTA SKELTA "Nightclubbin" 7" (Deranged Records)
There’s a weird one-off episode of Only Fools And Horses set in Florida, and a running side-joke is that Americans can’t tell the difference between a cockney and aussie accent, constantly confusing the two.  It always comes to mind when I think of Helta Skelta. Given that Jon’s accent floats somewhere between them like a trans-hemispheric version of the “mid-atlantic” twang, and that the tune itself plays out like a mix of Eddie Current and Blur’s “Parklife”, filled with Sleaford Mods (millennial John Cooper Clarke)- esque stream of consciousness wordplay and compounded colloquialisms from both sides of the equation, the comparison grows only more apt. Stylistically, the band has been leaning towards a sparser, more minimal post-punk vibe for a while, and this single is the clearest expression yet of this trajectory.  One play is not enough, expect to be returning the needle repeatedly.

NIGHT PEOPLE "S/T" 7" (Deranged Records)
Night People play driving, synth-touched punk rock and feature current and ex members of Pura Mania, Fashionism, Spectres and Haggatha. Using the same desperation found in bands like The Wipers and the melodic energy of bands like Masshysteri and the Observers, they began writing music in Vancouver, BC in 2016 and self recorded a demo in June of 2017. The lyrics are heavily influenced by childhood religious indoctrination and iconography and how they relate to love, death and the modern world.

HEAT "(2nd) S/T" 7" (Deranged Records)
Six primitive marching orders from San Diego's HEAT culling lean inspiration from the well of early 80's Boston dirge and late 80's NYHC beat down hardcore, with upfront drum beats busting forward to propel charging guitars that bouyance tough, throaty vocals. Curt and to the point, with quick turns and drops in short quick bursts. The brute edges cut with stark simplicity recall Encincatas CROSSED OUT's sparse meditation on IMPACT UNIT/ NEGATIVE FX style hardcore, though the burly vocals bark and bite between the curt  toughness of DEATHREAT and a more frightening spouts of vocal spillage. Recalls many influences, copies none as HEAT slows to mosh, sets to stun, energetic rumbling  that throttles in a broadly more expansive recording than hardcore originators, but shines in a stronger yet similarly manifest presentation.

CHEMOTHERAPY "S/T" 7" (Time Change Records)
Chemotherapy was comprised of four Carmel, Indiana high school students who released a lone 12 track 7” EP in 1983 in an edition of 300 copies.  One of Indiana’s earliest examples of true hardcore punk, Chemotherapy’s EP has been remarkably rare for decades—so much so that it was difficult to track down a copy to use for the reissue.  Recently the master tapes were located and Paul Mahern (Zero Boys) remastered for the reissue.  Band member Matt Cucco provides liner notes.

AMERICAN HATE "Our Love is Real" LP (Not Normal Tapes)
You get to know a person or a set of persons, or you get to thinking you know them pretty alright. So they tell you you're doing their next record, 'cause they get to thinkin' they know you pretty alright as well, and even if you do say “No!”, it's even money you're bluffing. You'll find the money. And you love the band, the people in it, sight unseen, this thing's gonna be good. The other stuff you did for 'em, the one with the zine and the weaponry that'll get you put on a watchlist, the 7” you almost flew to Canada and went full-Wick over 'cause they missed deadline after deadline and, eventually, the whole tour, those were good. By this time time, you figure you know American Hate well enough to figure “Our Love Is Real” for a pisstake. A smarmy southern jab at the sage-and-incensification of hardcore. Then comes the day all the pieces come together, the full fuckin' package we so frequently skip out on, and it is a pisstake, just not exactly the one you were expecting. They're taking the neo-hippies to task for not being full-throated in their daily affirmations and another me for forgetting how un-alone, how un-distant we all are. We were talking progression and this is it: taking the groundwork laid out by 30 years of HC and running with it, not away from it. Stretching it to it's outer limits, rubber-banding back, doing it all over again. This is an angry record, smart and unafraid to make some squirm, but just as likely to welcome the rest of us with open arms. Their love is real, here's all the proof you need.

ANDY HUMAN "Freeze" LP (Neck Chop Records)
Andy Human, solo project of Lenz lead-man Andy Jordan, feels as if it could be appropriate in a sequin covered leotard, a shiny onesie that prism-explodes laserbeams of light as the first spotlight hits it. Not to say that this is disco, or that is this late 70s dance music, oh no, this is punk rock (80s? late 70s) but dressed up with pulsing back beats and a touch of leg shaking. But don’t get Andy Human and company wrong, there’s punk rock that lives in the center of this Rolo, gritty, dirt-covered, leather jacket wearing punk rock that stabs its way out with sharp, short solos, and a heightened sense of distorted angst. Andy Human might choose to wear a glam suit with glowing piping and horn-rimmed, rhinestoned glasses (he doesn’t) but that’s just to get your ass shaking, your hands moving. The real center of this punk rock Tootsie Pop is rock ‘n’ roll in the most rotten way.

JACKSON POLITICK "Paste V.1" LP (Neck Chop Records)
When it comes to rock music worthy of the titular “outsider” label, being embellished in enough surprisingly-sensical idiosyncrasies to separate the sound from a more straightforward style, history has shown time and time again that you can’t go wrong with someone like Andy Jordan. Serving as a frontman to the ever-swoonworthy Andy Human and The Reptoids, as well as the semi-lucid guitarist to Oakland’s The World -- another post-punk n’ funk band that lies beyond the realm of normalcy --, there exists an Andy-bred solo project that toys with conventions similar to those explored in both these projects; and no, it isn’t “Andy Human”, which is his other solo project. Of course, the solo project at hand is none other than Jackson Politick. Save for the single name attached, the band is about as cryptic as any other self-released punk cassette. It’s driftless, sporadic, and oftentimes frenzied, coursing through an array of subgenres during its 27 minute runtime. Contained within this eclectic collection of punk-tinged chunes are lulling, generally low-energy jams spotted with light, fuzzy, sparkly melodies and charming instrumental arrangements, a lo-fi auditory soundscape sheathed in summery vibes, all ruptured by an occasional stint of fiery guitar licks and pulsing drumbeats more oriented towards punk territory. This sort of variability, this spirit, this free-formed attitude, all elevate this album into something that’s so helplessly charismatic. It’s much more than gimmicky stylizations made to pander to the lowest common denominators of rock and roll fiends, or overly-sugary ballads made to rot your ear canals with earworms as shallow as your average Hallmark card. It’s just... smart.

LIVING EYES "Modern Living" LP (Neck Chop Records)
As far as uncultured-dumbfuck America is concerned, bands like The Living Eyes are pretty much the only reason anyone outside of Australia can recognize “Geelong” as anything but the name of, say, a really obscure frozen yogurt flavor or a pompous rollerblade start-up company; rather, Geelong is a fairly bustling breeding ground responsible for an intoxicating slew of garage-bound rock and rollers, all of which too raw and repulsive to reasonably originate from a faraway port city as such. More often than not do these bands find sanctuary underneath the all-encompassing wing of Australia’s sleaziest, and arguably best punk label, Anti-Fade Records: a musical safe-haven for the strange, the sappy, and of course, the borderline schizos. And yet, even with the label’s tendency to incestuate musicians between some of their most prominent acts, including -- but not limited to -- The Ausmuteants, Orb, Hierophants, Wet Blankets, and Cereal Killer, both the label and city have quickly gar(d)nered the unconditional love and adoration from leather-toting geeks all around the globe, and with good reason: their music’s simply fuckin’ great. Ugly, sure, but great nonetheless.

KNOWSO "Look at the Chart" LP (Neck Chop Records)
With a vile propulsion of flared, twang-loaded riffs and borderline-asinine rhythms, Cleveland's KNOWSO couldn't have conjured a more churlish, crude, and otherwise unsavory opener to the group’s debut 12” LP. You sit for a moment, cocking your head at the baneful repetition of instrumental slurs, perhaps questioning if you’ve either unearthed an ungodly cacophony of punk rock absurdities or just another broken fuckin’ record, before the grossly-distorted vocals blows its way to the forefront of the album -- warped, corrupted, and somewhat villainous --, the sound of which resulting in your head sharply veering 90 degrees off the base of your neck. But considering these sounds are emanating from the same damp, utterly depraved fuckhole that spawned the likes of Cruelster and Pervert's Again -- a fuckhole more commonly referred to as “Cleveland” --, listeners should expect nothing more from these disturbed group of musicians, knowing that they will always, without fail, somehow come up with a project even more deranged and obnoxious than the last. By listening to this record, you’re subjecting yourself to a menacing groove, a neanderthalic bout of gnarled chants and circus-like melodies, a misaligned display of hardcore aggression bred with with experimental sensibilities. And all the while, you can’t help but think that, deep down, lost somewhere in the guttural vibrations only an album like this can produce, that you -- another disreputable shitstain of the Earth -- could possibly, potentially, in some way, love the classless, eerie shit these people are slinging. But with this band, you don't think so. You fucking KNOW so.

KEEPSIES "Dumb Fun" 7" (Neck Chop Records)
The Keepsies are a trio out of Brooklyn that can be considered somewhat of a supergroup. The band claims close ties to both FERGUS & GERONIMO and PARQUET COURTS, and channel that same kind of out of this world energy in their debut three song EP. Band members include JASON KELLY, AUSTIN BROWN and VINCE MCCLELLAND. Kelly was in the great psychedelic outfit Wax Museums and is responsible for making up one half of the super creative outfit Fergus & Geronimo, and Austin Brown records and tours with Fergus & Geronimo while also sharing the writing and vocal responsibilities with Andrew Savage (the other half of Fergus & Geronimo) for the insanely fun punk project Parquet Courts that is currently lighting up the internet and the stages with the release of their debut LP, Light Up Gold from Dull Tools. Yes, the whole scenario is slightly incestuous and moderately confusing, but the results are an abundance of fun, uplifting, retro style pop in its purest form. The three songs in the EP were recorded over a few days in the fall of 2011 on an eight track tape machine. The songs are ultimately seeing the light of day in vinyl form thanks to CWR Records.

GEE TEE "Death Race" 7" (Neck Chop Records)
Alright, it’s time for a pop quiz ya stinkin’ Melvin. You know what’s the square root of nine? Of course you do, you’re a stinkin’ Melvin. Okay, what about the square root of, I dunno, 27? Mm. Don’t even know if you actually got the right answer to that one since, y’know, not the stinkin’ Melvin here, but it doesn’t surprise me you got that one down to the decimal point. It also wouldn’t surprise me if you didn’t know the answer to THIS little question: what’s the square root of fuckin’ cool? GEE TEE, that’s what. Doubt you really know what a GT is to begin with, but trust that Gee Tee is completely faithful to its automotive counterpart -- well, sans all the raw horsepower, superb handling, high gas mileage and other car-specific characteristics, but at the very least, Gee Tee’s sure as hell’s got a similar sense of flamboyant, shameless style that positively oozes charisma. Originally conceived as a solo-project by Gold Coast’s Kel Mason (member of an equally-extraordinary rock band, Draggs), Gee Tee’s “Death Race” EP is the total antithesis of its title. For a “death race”, simple-minded listeners couldn’t feel more enlivened by Kel’s goofy, lighthearted brand of synth-infused, surfy garage rock lined with an ear-pleasing arrangement of mechanical whirls, buoyant keytones, alien-like vocal distortions, and of course, spindly, simplistic chords emanating from a guitar most assuredly decorated in all sorts of sweet flame decals. What derives from this unorthodox assemblage of instruments is something of an otherworldly-orchestra, a perky, lo-fi charade that’s more incapably delightful than it is confusing or overwhelming --  a near-perfect mix of ideas. Gee Tee’s “Death Race” does enough to stray from the band’s two original EPs, being a unique, spacey venture in the vein of the most infectious of garage rock bands, while remaining pleasantly digestible to satisfy even the least adventurous of listeners. Or, in other words, it’s the square root of fuckin’ cool.

WHIP "S/T" 7" (Neck Chop Records)
Like the resounding crack of a lashed lithe of leather, Winnepeg’s Whip careens out of their recording space with the group’s first-ever vinyl release. To say the band’s material was “worthy” of the ol’ Neckchop™ wax treatment would only be selling it short. Etched within these grooves are what some would consider to be the essence -- the absolute epitome -- of the punk rock spirit, something that is honest to its role as the idiot savant of rock subgenres. Something that exhibits both near-ineptitude and borderline-brilliance with simplistic, often-times repetitious riffs that have no business being as invigorating as they are, with a frail, limp power chords to contrast the vocalist’s genuine frustration with the world around them. Something that is direct, immediately absorbed, and promptly punishing to every fiber of your being, regardless of whether it was deliberate or not, all while pulsating with an attitude that regularly shifts between shades of “I-don’t-give-a-fuck” and “I-REALLY-don’t-give-a-fuck”. Just bratty, puerile, transparent musical expression: When it comes to Whip, you shouldn’t expect anything different. Guitar tones bruised and prone to bursts of jittery, bouncy riffage and pulpy basslines tailored to the toe-tapping rhythms, all of it perfectly complementary to the group’s bold female lead. Seeing that this EP not only makes roaring returns to songs previously featured in the band’s three preceding tapes, but also introduces a fresh dollop of raw, hook-laden laced with an ever-so danceable tempo, you truly cannot go wrong with these seven inches of Whip’s unfledged fury. Not unless you’ve got downstairs neighbors, that is; they tend not to be very fond of impromptu pogo sessions.

COLOR TV "Paroxateens" 7" (Neck Chop Records)
Following its inception in the early 1940s, color televisions steadily grew to overtake its black and white predecessor over the course of the next three decades. But, of course, not until a gradual shift in transmission and production techniques resulted in the public demand outweighing the product’s costly entry fee and noticeable scarcity towards the late sixties and early seventies. As of 1972, sales of color televisions finally surpassed that of its monochromatic brethren, officially rendering the former a staple of your average American household and the latter an outright inferior product; but as of 2015, a brand-new color television is now on the path to dominate the market once again, with that of course being Minnesota’s newest auditory romance, Color TV. If you ever felt that your life was dry, or just horribly devoid, of rock bands genuinely playing their fucking hearts out by way of utterly tantalizing spectacles of sugared, razor-sharp songwriting and endlessly captivating melodies, then you need not look further than Color TV’s freshest slice of power-pop rock and roll bliss. Being a 7” single truly compacted with enough cloyingly sweet, slick, and unequivocally aplomb swagger to wholly occupy any listener’s hearing receptors with its colorful, angular guitar harmonies and echoed croons from a set of vocalists who really know how to fuckin’ sing all demonstrated over the course of five minutes, it isn’t assumptive of you to consider Color TV to be one of the most enticing acts coming out of Minneapolis right now. Color televisions ain’t got SHIT on Color TV

C.H.E.W. / PENETRODE Split 7" (Neck Chop Records)
No storm is left unbeckoned by an unnerving sense of calmness, a foreboding feeling of dread and uncertainty; likewise, no criminally-underrated, limited-edition hardcore tape goes long without an eventual vinyl release to help supplement the unfortunate lack of posterity, and of course, to give those killer fuckin’ slobberknockers some well-deserved recognition. In this case, a split cassette between Chicago’s C.H.E.W (formerly “Chew”, currently a supernatural musical being of paralleled ferocity) and Philadelphia’s Penetrode (another hardcore act of comparable ferocity, and make no mistake, that in and of itself is a fuckin’ achievement) was prematurely released sometime in April of 2017 after complications with corporate’s “production timelines” resulted in hefty delays. But y’know the saying, that “the best things in life are worth waiting for”. So if you’ve got a penchant for pummeling the ever-living shit out of your eardrums with some unrelenting hardcore brutality, then this record is a thrill you surely need to chase. Behind every vocal wail -- be it the rabid, nigh-animalistic howls of C.H.E.W. or the dry, strained moans haunting Penetrode -- lies an intense wave of uncontrollable energy. Behind every diseased riff -- not limited to C.H.E.W.’s squeal-prone lead or Penetrode’s dense, darkened tone -- a full-bodied jab to the gut. Behind every destructive drumbeat -- with C.H.E.W. leaning towards rampant, neverending fits of aural violence and Penetrode towards grueling, mosh-friendly rhythms -- a brief moment of pure fucking catharsis. Returning listeners to either project should be more than pleased, or at the very least fucking stupefied, by the abominable beauty that is this eight-track split. Hell, it’s practically a few octaves shy of being downright lethal.

TALC "S/T" 7" (No Patience Records)
4 more tracks of complete punk annihilation from Adelaide, Australia. Bass driven and laden with distortion, the tracks here represent a continuation from the demo, appealing to fans of Japanese hardcore greats such as GISM, KURO, MOBS, GASMASK, and CONFUSE. Packaged with a printed inner sleeve and reverse board glue-pocket jacket in resealable polybag. Limited to 300 copies.

PTSD "If You See Something, Say Something" Tape (No Patience Records)
From Canberra by way of New York, this is the debut offering from PTSD. Formed while Lachlan and Carey (Danger Beach, TV Colours) were spending time in New York City in 2016 with the help of ex-Canberrian James Stuart (Haram). Presented here are 4 tracks of dark yet biting post punk for fans of later era BLITZ, UK SUBS, MAGAZINE, and TSOL. For a more local reference point I also hear a little INXS and HUNTERS AND COLLECTORS running throughout. It’s that 80s heavy 4x4 drum sound combined with more mature rock based song writing, but with enough of a punk edge to give it teeth. This is an incredibly strong demo with a great deal of subtle influences throughout. Some of which, such as the DEVO sound on the track ‘Line of Fire’ become more apparent on the B-side, which features the original demo remixed and reworked by CALIFORNIA GIRLS, MULTIPLE MAN, BAD ELECTRIC, and HORSE MACGYVER. Highly recommended! 8 track cassette limited to 200 copies, pro-dubbed with silver printed detailing on clear cassette shells.

SURFBORT "Bort to Death" 7" (HoZac Records)
Well look at this, a Brooklyn band that isn’t taking itself too seriously and is somehow actually dripping, and/or seething with raw punk ooze??? Look no further than Surfbort, a rock’n roll mutation with living, breathing, tentacles of terror, and even and traces of Texas punk royalty. Started a few years back and with only one EP under their belt, band leader Dani Miller is a one-of-a-kind force of nature both onstage and on record, as her presence just leaps right out of the grooves and clocks you in the face immediately. The music is stripped raw, painfully precious mid-tempo punk, all salty & agitated, not far off from the late 70s vibe of The Eyes, and if that wasn’t enough, they’ve got Sean Powell (The Chumps, FuckEmos) on drums and Dave Head (Motards, Headache City, White+Outs) on bass, to round out the ringers in the rhythm section. Dani’s vocals are right where they need to be, front and center and commanding from the get-go, the perfect snarl of 70s punk lingering on the edge of early hardcore, but holding onto that impeccable tension that’s usually sorely lacking in most cases. She’s got to be one of the best aggressive vocalists of recent note and the deranged delivery is a taste of pure punk honey that you won’t forget. There’s no compromise here, all four tracks complete a monolith of primitive modern anger and absolutely no restraint, yet somehow this band’s fanbase is growing, and we couldn’t be more excited than to get their new EP out into your ear holes before the blood inevitably comes gushing out. Surfbort is much more than a sex position in a bathtub, it’s a brutal slap in the face of humanity, and it’s a blistering rage of antagonism in a world we can’t escape. THIS IS PUNK THE PUNK YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. - VictimofTime.com

DEATH CHURCH "Black Books" LP (No Patience Records)
Compiling three much sought-after flexi releases and an impossibly limited lathe cut onto a single 12", this is the final offering from Sydney's DEATH CHURCH! A somber ode to CHRISTIAN DEATH and RUDIMENTARY PENI but with it's own brand of Sydney fueled nihilism as backing, the 8 tracks here represent a raw and aggressive approach to the violent goth sound. Stripped back and forceful with a decidedly anarcho approach. A headstone for an unmarked grave. Not to be forgotten. Packaged with a hand stamped dust sleeve, housed in a screen printed jacket with insert booklet designed by Aedan Lee. Remastered for vinyl by Trevor Vaughn (THE RIVAL MOB). Limited to 200 copies.

NEWTOWN NEUROTICS "Pissed as a Newt" LP (No Plan Records)
One of the best Punk Rock lyricists wrote some of his best songs in late 70s and early 80s. With 3 singles out, he put together the compilation of the early Newtown Neurotics live performances and released them as a tape back in 1982 on his own No Wonder records. These recordings dating 1978-1981 represent some of the best Newtown Neurotics material from that era. The tape is now released for the first time on vinyl, together with a double sided insert with lyrics and unpublished photos from that time.

SISTEMA EN DECADENCIA "Demo" Tape (No Patience Records)
Absolutely ferocious debut recording from Melbourne's SISTEMA EN DECADENCIA! 5 tracks of explosive and raw d-beat punk building on the foundation laid down by Sweden's SHITLICKERS, and expanded on by Japanese groups such as FRIGORA and FEROCIOUS X. Blistering drumming combined with a wall of noise guitar and frantic vocals (sung in spanish) deliver a pummeling assault on the senses. Complete sonic destruction. Highly recommended! Limited to 150 copies, pro-dubbed with silver printed detailing on clear cassette shells.

BELGRADO "Live in Australia" Tape (No Patience Records)
Brand new live cassette from Spanish post-punk geniuses BELGRADO. Captured live via soundboard recording during the final show of their Australian tour of 2016, we're treated to seven tracks here, many of which appear on the excellent Obraz LP. This recording is honestly so professional and vibrant, that it nearly matches the quality of some Belgrado studio records. A must-have for fans and newcomers alike!

DIZTORT Demo Tape (Advanced Perspective)
Of all the disaffected psychos in the arid state of California, of all the sludge-caked riffs and hostile utterances one might dare to imagine, the world must now reckon with these, the ungodly constituents of Diztort. What amounts to a shriek of pure abjection emanating from the San Joaquin Valley hinterland, Diztort's 2017 demo is certain to mortify anyone living a glibly comfortable existence in a coastal metropolis. This is the wretched sound of geographical and existential isolation. When you find yourself suddenly engulfed in the inferno, how will you react? Cover art by the incomparable Gil Sayfan.

ERUPT "Escape" Tape (Advanced Perspective)
Lately, Houston, TX has been a boiling cauldron of piercing and purposeful, new young bands. Erupt is a testament to that recognition. Here's the follow up to their demo, three originals and one cover. Recorded and mixed by JJ Foster.

MIL-SPEC "When the Fever Broke" Tape (Advanced Perspective)
Toronto's Mil-Spec return and paint the 'post-truth-world' we are now inhabiting, with three new tracks including a Moondog cover. New 7" out on Lockin' Out sometime in the foreseeable future.

RED DELICOUS "Bad Apple" Tape (Not Normal Tapes)
For the first time in a while, ya boy's back on bass on the Red Delicious CS. Described as everything from “UK pogo beat” to “disciplined in Portuguese” (whatever the great high hell that means), show promoters have clamored for the chance to misinterpret the D since we started some months ago. With respect to the former, we do get a little bouncy thanks to Anna's primal genius behind the kit, but between Hayley's knack for writing degenerate riffs thick & filthy with Clevo muck and Sarah, gruff and mean with the best of them, finding interesting ways to play off the music that lesser front-person would balk at, Red D really just boils down to some nasty ass punk. Me, I'm just along for the ride, and thankful for it!

HUMANOIDS 2017 Demo Tape (Demo)
New Californian punk act formed exclusively by members of Dogs In Ether, which, as I’m sure you could’ve assumed, is another one of those bands I love a lot more than I reasonably should. A mere role swap has lent this group an expedited pace, exchanging the brutish, churning rhythms for ones heartedly soaked in reverb and urgency. I would say that I enjoy this band more than I do Dogs In Ether, but considering my initial response to hearing “The Bubble” -- a halfway-cover of Ether’s “Street Tongues” – was “I should listen to Dogs In Ether again”, I’d say it’s clear who’s the favorite here. Great band regardless. - JIMMY

DIRK CLIFTON'S PENNY CREAM BAND "Hey, Nice Leather Jacket" Tape (Demo)
Blap brings us (what I believe is) the debut cassette from Dirk Clifton's Penny Cream Band. With a name like that you'd think these guys were a bunch of greasy 60s British mods, but, in fact, they're a current group from the fertile grounds of Olympia. The sound here is decidedly lo-fi and downright meandering, some real budget rock", if you will. I'm hearing bits of fringe-ier punk/rock stuff like Tropical Trash or some of the deep Mystic Inane cuts. Very trashy, and pretty far from a hardcore release. If you're digging the Gen Pop record, this is actually a pretty decent companion piece from the same locale." - feel it

ROLEX Demo Tape (Demo)
Six track debut from this new LA hardcore punk group. While I'm not exactly sold on the name, these tunes more than make up for that! The guitar playing has a very loose Meat Puppets feel, careening between a fast HC style and artier rock dirges ala Saccharine Trust. This is quite the impressive demo, garnering a very original sound straight out of the gate, trend-free, and perhaps one of the best SoCal exports this side of Dry Rot or NSU. - feel it

SUBUED "Torment & Torture" Demo Tape (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Storming debut by satanist, leatherist, body build-ist, Rat-ist, Subdued. Described aptly by a casual passerby as “North Shields War Metal” this London band brings us six tracks of powerful hardcore punk indebted to Amebix and the cold mud and unforgiving wind of the empty British landscape. Slyly tuneful guitar leads in the indentured service of plodding metallic riffing accompanied by dismembered bass, pummelling drums and a hateful full throated roar. All these aspects bringing to mind some imagined thin line walked by Icons of Filth inching toward early Venom. Noise contributions by Canadian upstart Liam McCarthy (Jockstrap, Mud,…), and original artwork by drummer Nicky Rat and vocalist Jack Sabbat.

SURVEILLANCE Demo Tape (Suburban Fight Records)
Killer garage punk from the West Coast!

FURY 2017 Promo Tape (Suburban Fight Records)
Orange County’s Fury continue their unique blend of hardcore song-writing on this first release since their massive genre-defining LP ‘Paramount’, with two new tracks for their upcoming follow up LP and a cover of the often overlooked band, Ability. Fans of ‘Paramount’ will be pleased to hear more of those beautifully crafted elements of Burn, Outburst, Beyond every so subtly entwined. Track ‘America’ showcases the band’s ferocious side, with a guitar hook that catches you immediately, and huge crew back up vocals. Meanwhile ‘Lost in the Funhouse’ is more reflective and melodic, with the inclusion of sung vocals in the background that pull you into an expansive dynamic soundscape that Fury are known for. With that in mind, the cover is given such love, respect and attention, in its diverse parts, that one can be forgiven for not realizing it was originally by a different band from LA in 2008, when a very different hardcore sound ruled the waves.

VILE SPIRIT Demo Tape (Quality Control HQ)
Brighton in the UK, spiritual home of the Mods in the 60s, has exploded with hardcore punk energy and talent in the past two years, as a new generation of punks have started a multitude of bands championing a wide diversity of sounds. Part of this new squad is Vile Spirit, an apt name for a band who’s vocalist Ben is known for temporary possession with wild and unpredictable performances and a truly terrifying voice. A hardcore punk scene is only as good as it’s drummers in our humble opinion, and Joe’s precise and powerful thumping forms the solid backbone for Tallulah’s innovative guitar work best seen in the song L.O.S. Meanwhile Luke’s dreamy bass tone adds an element of early UK goth punk whilst as a whole fans of United Mutation can rejoice!

IMPOSTER Demo Tape (Quality Control HQ)
Brighton, UK is producing some of the most exciting bands in Europe right now and Imposter put their stamp firmly on the map with a sound drenched in early 80s Boston Hardcore for some stomping good times on the dance floor. Think hooks for days, and beats that know how to get you moving. This being NWOBHC however, there is also a touch of Voorhees, Oi and UK82 punk in the mix, tied together with a proper snotty vocal and lyrics exploring the psychology of power and violence.

JACKAL Demo Tape (Demo)
Raw, gnarly hardcore from this band out of Florida.

MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #416 - Jan 2018 (MRR)
Another new year, another exciting issue of Maximum Rocknroll! MRR #416, our January 2018 issue, begins with a sad note as we say goodbye to DIY icon Fred Cole of DEAD MOON, the RATS, PIERCED ARROWS and more. But this issue isn’t all doom and gloom! We have comic artist Liz Prince who gushes all about her love of pop punk and her hopes of converting kids to punks. We also have a double blast of Scandinavian punk: ABORTTI 13 from Finland divulge their dreams of becoming legends, and DIAGNOSIS? BASTARD! have quite a bit to say about violence (or lack thereof) in their native Sweden. Cleveland’s PERVERTS AGAIN reveal their love for pop culture by discussing just how much they love “I Love College” by Asher Roth. Von Beat, the ex-drummer of the RALPHS, reminisces on the early Texas punk/new wave scene, including time spent with labelmate Bobby Soxx. Three different bands from around the globe — Australia’s BENT, Germany’s KENNY KENNY OH OH, and Oakland’s COMPOSITE — all spill about their complex feelings surrounding being femme and playing punk. OXIDANT from North Carolina wax poetic on powerviolence, anxiety, and social power, while Japan’s ZAY talks about defying expectations as a punk supergroup. Need more? Good! You can have all of these interviews plus all of the columnists and reviews that you love to hate to love. Maximum Rocknroll won’t read itself — pick it up and read it

MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #417 - Feb 2018 (MRR)
It’s that time you’ve all been waiting for: Maximum Rocknroll‘s Year-End Top Ten Issue! MRR #417, our February 2018 issue, brings you lists upon lists of our favorite punk records of the year. What were the best records of the year? Which record labels crushed it? You’ll have to pick up this issue to find out more. But that’s not all—we also have great photographs from Angela Owens and Farrah Skeiky, and interviews from bands from around the globe. Featured in this issue are London anarcho-femme punks CHARMPIT, Chicago hardcore freaks RASH, synthesizer lovers ISOTOPE SOAP from Sweden, party animals DFMK from Tijuana, and four-track fiend ERIK NERVOUS from Shipshewana, Indiana. Cover art by Nathan Ward!

 

BIKINI KILL "New Radio" 7"
BURN "S/T" 7"
EXIT ORDER "S/T" 7"
GORILLA BISCUITS "s/t" 7"
HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS "S/T" 7"
KRIMEWATCH "Machismo" 7" Flexi
KRIMEWATCH "S/T (UK Press)" 7"
LOS CRUDOS "Cobardes" 7"
MINOR THREAT "Salad Days" 7"
NOSFERATU "S/T" 7"
ULTRA-VIOLENT "Crime for Revenge" 7"
AGNOSTIC FRONT "Live At CBGB" LP (Bridge Nine Records)
ANGEL DU$T "Rock the Fuck on Forever" LP
BAD BRAINS "S/T (ROIR)" LP
CHAIN OF STRENGTH "The One Thing That Still Holds True" LP
COCK SPARRER "Shock Troops" LP
COCK SPARRER "Shock Troops" LP
COLD WORLD "How The Gods Chill" LP
CONCEALED BLADE "S/T" LP
DARK THOUGHTS "S/T" LP
DAYGLO ABORTIONS "Feed Us A Fetus" LP
DAYGLO ABORTIONS "Out of the Womb" LP
DEATH CHURCH "Black Books" LP
DISASTER "War Cry" LP w/ Flexi
DISCLOSE "Tragedy" LP
EEL "Night Parade of 100 Demons" LP
EMBRACE "S/T" LP
EXIT ORDER "Seeds of Hysteria" LP
FAITH / VOID Split LP
FREEZE "Land of the Lost" LP (Schizophrenic Records)
GLUE "S/T" LP
HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS "Go Home" LP
HARAM "When You Have Won, You Have Lost" LP
ILL REPUTE "1982 Demos" LP
INTEGRITY "Den Of Iniquity" 2xLP (Organized Crime Records)
JIETAI "Demo 1979-1980" LP
LACK OF INTEREST "Trapped Inside" LP
LIMP WRIST "Facades" LP
LIQUIDS "Hot Liqs (US Press)" LP
LUMPY AND THE DUMPERS "Huff My Sack" LP
NEANDERTHAL "A History of Violence" LP
ORDEN MUNDIAL "Obediencia Debida" LP
POWER TRIP "The Armageddon Blues Sessions" 12"
RATA NEGRA "Oido Absoluto" LP
SIDE BY SIDE "You're Only Young Once..." LP
UNA BESTIA INCONTROLABLE "Metamorfosi" LP
V/A "Bloodstains Across California" Compilation LP
V/A "Killed By Death Vol.1" Compilation LP
VOID "Sessions 1981-1983" LP
YOUTH OF TODAY "Can't Close My Eyes" LP