Kia ora, amigos. Welcome to In Crust We Trust. This column has been in cryogenic sleep mode for quite some time, so apologies if things feel a little rusty while I try to get ICWT’s engines running smoothly again.
To be honest, even on ICWT’s ‘best’ days, this round-up of noisy releases was always a turd in the paddling pool of trusted music journalism. Trust me, I’ve seen the stats –> this column is cult. And not the fkin cool kind of cult, either. Sadly, that’s not likely to change. Time off hasn’t encouraged this old dog to learn any new tricks. The same dad-punk bullshit endures, and I still have terrible taste in music.
The good news is that ICWT’s primary goal remains the same: to shout about recent punk, hardcore, and metalpunk releases. I tend to focus on harsher recordings, where raw is the operative word. I should also point out – lest some tight-ass fanboi writes in… again – that ICWT is a very broad church of noise. So don’t get too hung up on the ‘crust’ part of ICWT.
Feel free to reach out about releases you think I should know about. I’m not some all-knowing insider, just a bumbling enthusiast. I’m also not on social media. So hot tips about upcoming or recent releases are always welcome. If you do reach out, I’ll probably never respond. But don’t take it personally, my friend. I have crippling social anxiety (hooray!), so awkward silences are very much on-brand for yours truly.
I’m stoked to be kicking off this edition with a killer collection of releases from groups like Flower, Gel, Genogeist, Physique, Destruct, Anguished Life, and plenty more scorching bands. There’s a mountain of music below. But only because I’m playing catch-up. Future editions will contain fewer blurbs, and I’ll keep a closer eye on quality over quantity.
As always, cheers to the assorted reprobates at Last Rites for tolerating the namby-pamby musings of a tofu-munching, soy-milk-drinking, rainbow-hearted cuck like me. I am the (fucking) worst. Ja bless your patience and forbearance.
Lastly, a huge thanks to you – yeah, you. Life is hectic, and let’s be honest, there are infinitely cooler cats than me writing about similar underground music. Thus, I am eternally grateful to anyone who takes the time to read a single word I’ve typed. (And a hearty cyber-hug to those who messaged and encouraged me to reanimate ICWT’s corpse.)
Stay safe out there. Be well. And remember, go easy on yourself.
Enjoy the noise.
Before I dive into the releases below, I want to note the sad passing of Glen Lockett, aka Spot, the legendary in-house producer and engineer at SST Records. Spot helmed plenty of pivotal releases, including personal favs like Damaged, My War, What Makes a Man Start Fires?, Zen Arcade, Slip It In, New Day Rising, and many more formative jams. Spot’s handiwork remains a crucial sonic marker for untold punk bands, and his influence echoes well outside the borders of hardcore. RIPower, brother.
Genogeist – Technophobia
The 2018 demo from PDX metal-punks Genogeist promised great things. Thankfully, the band more than delivered on their self-titled 2019 LP, which featured intimidating levels of bulldozing crust. Genogeist’s latest world-eating release, their four-song Technophobia EP, plugs right into the band’s post-apocalyptic aesthetic. As per, tracks like “Desolate Realm”, “1000 Tears”, and the bass-rumbling “World Beyond” tip their hat to Japanese legends S.D.S, Effigy, and Total Steel-era Sacrifice. Sledgehammering stenchcore (think Sacrilege or Deviated Instinct at their absolute heaviest) slams into grimdark cyber-crust as distortion-smashed riffs and gravel-gargling vocals conjure cities crumbling into dust and decay. Authentic, authoritative, and highly recommended; Technophobia churns with pitch-perfect, end-times punk.
(Blackwater Records)
Flower – Hardly a Dream
New York City band Flower’s long-awaited Hardly a Dream LP is an instant classic. Check out that Rudimentary Peni-esque artwork, and tune into Flower’s powerful (Nausea via Sacrilege) sound. Hardly a Dream is bursting with fired-up anarcho-crust that’ll prove instantly addictive if you’re an admirer of Flower’s aforementioned influences or a devotee of Amebix and the almighty Antisect.
Hardly a Dream‘s expressive tracks cut through the vacuous distractions of modernity to unearth the festering sickness and lies that pollute our weary souls. Tracks like “Victims of Progress”, “American Alms”, and “Filth of their Confines” sculpt vivid dystopian hellscapes. But while Flower’s atmospheric tracks explore a world torn apart by shotgun capitalism’s insatiable greed, the band’s music remains as pulverizing as it is galvanizing. Flower’s definitive crust scours our rawest wounds while exposing society’s darkest ills. The tools of resistance are here, scattered in the ruins of our hypocrisy. Hardly a Dream is phenomenal.
(Profane Existence)
Physique – Again
Physique’s 2019 EP, The Rhythm of Brutality, was a veritable hit with crusty ne’er do wells. I think it’s safe to say the PNW d-beat cohort’s latest release, Again, will enjoy an equally frenzied reception. Physique stick to their dissonant MO on the 15-track full-length, with the influence of groups like Disclose, Framtid, and Kriegshög underpinning Physique’s abrasive guitars, bass, and nail-gun drums. The group’s points of interest remain the same (the horrors of war and myriad tortures/torments of late-stage capitalism) with tracks like “Modern Life’s Battlefield”, “Wheel of Fascism”, and “Alternate Future” brimming with hemorrhaging distortion, cavernous growls, and an abundance of foot-to-the-floor action.
Physique explore grim spheres. But the band never sound defeated by the darkness. The raucous tenor of Physique’s crasher crust and barreling raw punk sounds more than up for the fight. Again‘s harshness mirrors the brutal realities many are forced to endure. But the album is cathartic and replete with fist-in-the-air defiance. Maximum mayhem. Maximum ferocity. Another rip-roaring triumph from Physique.
(Iron Lung Records)
Destruct – Cries the Mocking Mother Nature
Destruct’s 2020 full-length debut, Echoes of Life, was an absolute jaw-breaker, and the Richmond band’s new LP, Cries the Mocking Mother Nature, is another knockout. Japanese heavy hitters like Framtid or Bastard are obvious comparisons, with Destruct’s furious alchemy sounding utterly massive yet blisteringly raw. Cries the Mocking Mother Nature‘s visceral bite is akin to a feeding frenzy; the album is, essentially, crammed with thunderbolt tracks. Songs like “Destabilize Control”, “71,000 Warheads”, and “Exhaustive Butchery” are overflowing with bloodthirsty vocals, decimating riffs, and pounding percussion. Once again, Destruct dial up their hot-blooded intensity while amplifying their cold-blooded ruthlessness. Cries the Mocking Mother Nature is a cranium-splitting tour de force.
(Grave Mistake Records)
Anguished Life – S/T
Svaveldioxid – Fred På Jorden
New Mexico label Blown Out Media is a reliable supplier of red-raw hardcore. Here are two recent releases plucked from Blown Out’s catalogue of negative noise.
The three-track flexi from the Californian crew Anguished Life serves as an entrée for the band’s 10-track LP due out later in the year. Anguished Life features members from several groups I’ve raved about in recent years – see first-rate ensembles like Tortür, End Result, and Dust Collector. Recorded at LA studio space 1753, Anguished Life’s flexi is certain to grab the attention of connoisseurs of rough-hewn hardcore. Bellowing vocals, a concussive rhythm section, and radioactive riffs galore carve a destructive path. There are no pointless embellishments or laboured fripperies here. Anguished Life’s flexi is simply ten tonnes of fuckin’ oomph. That aforementioned LP can’t arrive soon enough.
The latest release from Blown Out Media is a deafening compilation from Swedish mangel-merchants Svaveldioxid. The band’s Fred På Jorden‘s cassette features songs from previously released EPs, splits, and compilation appearances (from 2015 to 2022), plus a few unreleased rehearsal recordings. I’ve heard everything bar those rehearsal tracks before now, and I can confidently report that what you’ll encounter is gruesome-sounding (and old-school accented) kängpunk that’s driven hard by heavily distorted guitars, pounding percussion, and cut-throat vocals. Expect belligerent and barbaric Scandi punk, smashed to hell by cudgel-wielding crust. Fvk, yea.
(Blown Out Media)
Swankers – Live at Taguatinga, DF (June 14 1992)
Über-abrasive Italian label Sistema Mortal has dug into the fetishized world of hard-to-find obscurities, reissuing the sole demo from Brazillian crossover band Swankers. The Swankers existed for a few years in the early 90s, with the band’s repertoire consisting of their little-heard Live at Taguatinga, DF (June 14 1992) demo and a couple of compilation tracks. Live at Taguatinga is one of those long-lost releases that punk collectors get all fizzy in their pants about. Fidelity-wise, the demo is very much of its time and place, with Live at Taguatinga‘s lo-fi glitches compensated by high-energy performances and a sweaty crowd jacked up on cheap beer and bad coke. Live at Taguatinga‘s crudity is its strongest selling point and it reeks of authenticity. Expect barbwire thrash-punk bristling with grit and gristle. Another filthy gem unearthed.
(Sistema Mortal)
M.O.A.B. – Massive Ordnance Air Blast
Massive Ordnance Air Blast is the debut from Seattle, Washington duo M.O.A.B. (Spoiler alert: the 5-song release is K.I.L.L.E.R.) Available digitally via the band’s Bandcamp page – and set for physical release by Roachleg Records, dependable purveyors of rampaging noise – Massive Ordnance Air Blast features an aptly explosive mix of dirty bomb d-beat and pick-sliding hardcore. Feral tracks like “Born in Hell”, “Psychochemical Warfare” and “System is a Rotting Corpse” deliver precisely what you want from a maelstrom-like debut. All the amp-wrecking distortion and violence and vitriol hit like a runaway train. Everything about Massive Ordnance Air Blast ramps up the expectations of more furious noise to come. Your move, M.O.A.B.
(Roachleg Records)
G.I.S.M. – Military Affairs Neurotic
The influence of Japanese legends G.I.S.M.’s debut, Detestation, is all-pervasive. Detestation mixed extreme rawness with maxed-out distortion as G.I.S.M.’s misanthropic frontman Sakevi and guitarist Randy Uchida (and co) tore through psychotic songs. However, G.I.S.M.’s follow-up, 1987’s Military Affairs Neurotic, follows a different line of attack.
Recently reissued by Relapse Records, Military Affairs Neurotic is a scorching album. However, there’s no disguising it’s a schizophrenic LP too. Uchida’s energetic shredding plays a more prominent role, and all of his NWOBHM-worthy riffs and skyrocketing solos mean Military Affairs Neurotic is a lot more ‘metal’ than Detestation. Of course, those flashier acrobatics are injected with plenty of snarling hardcore, and a couple of proto-industrial soundscapes add to Military Affairs Neurotic‘s idiosyncratic tone. There is a dissonance between Sakevi’s ghoulish barks and Uchida’s melodic riffage, but honestly, that simply underscores Military Affairs Neurotic‘s uncompromising brilliance.
Sure, Military Affairs Neurotic isn’t as ‘off-the-chain’ as Detestation. But G.I.S.M. still exhibit an unyielding focus on truly eccentric creativity. Everything from Military Affairs Neurotic‘s uniquely brittle production to its provocative artwork and outré songcraft reinforces G.I.S.M.’s status as groundbreaking subversives.
(Relapse Records)
Dis-kkrimiination – Life or Conquest?
Californian band Dis-kkrimiination’s fourth release, Life or Conquest?, crams more unwashed, dog-on-a-string d-beat into your lughole. If the triple Ds of speaker-melting noise – Disaster, Disclose, Discharge – float your boat, you’ll be well-acquainted with Dis-kkrimiination’s grim Weltanschauung. Unsurprisingly, Life or Conquest?‘s six buzzsaw tracks favour abject filth and brain-battering abrasiveness over any subtlety or shading. Life or Conquest? hurtles along at top speed, picks at our worst scabs, and is gut-wound raw throughout. What’s not to love? Recommended for the shower-phobic and fans of shitty, homemade tatts. Great/grisly stuff!
(Self-released)
Eteraz – Destined to Kill
The rabid new Destined to Kill flexi from Pacific Northwest disbones crew Eteraz slays all-comers in record time. (Note: I’ve also seen the band’s music tagged as crasher crust, thrashing hardcore, and crossover punk. Take your pick, it really doesn’t matter. Eteraz’s blazing approach is a sub-genre melting pot.) Destined to Kill follows on from Eteraz’s 2022 full-length, Villian. That album’s Persian-sung lyrics added a compelling metre to Eteraz’s monster-sized missives, and Destined to Kill‘s two tracks feature the same gnarly cadence. Eteraz ramp up their Discharge via Gloom onslaught with more echo-tweaked vocals and more of a scorched metal (aka shred-heavy) aftertaste. Best of all, while Destined to Kill is resoundingly primitive, Eteraz’s songs are executed with impressive dexterity and precision. Two songs aren’t enough. Destined to Kill will leave you hungering for more ear-slaughtering noise. TBH, that’s no bad thing.
(Iron Lung Records)
Zorn – S/T
The best thing about Philadelphia band Zorn’s debut album isn’t all of the mind-mangling hardcore within. Don’t get me wrong, Zorn’s howling riffs and spitting vocals are a fuckin’ blast from go to whoa. But, to my ears, what makes Zorn’s first full-length is the way the band threads bone-chilling deathrock into songs like “The Spell of the Fairytree”, “To the Altar”, and “Wörm”. Zorn sound best when they’re simultaneously channelling Christian Death, peak-era Discharge, and some hitherto undiscovered thrash titan. It’s an inventive mix that sees Zorn carving out a distinctive voice; always a bonus in the crowded metalpunk league, which is crammed with indistinguishable bands. If you’re on the hunt for driving punk that features bitterly cold melodies but inferno-like instrumentation, Zorn’s self-titled debut comes highly recommended. All hail the Lords of Ice and Fire.
(Sorry State Records)
Varoitus – Ikuinen Sota
Visions of War/Simbiose – Split
Czech Republic label Phobia Records has an excellent strike rate. Sure, most of the label’s releases aren’t reinventing the wheel. But that’s clearly not an issue given our undying love of underground punk’s well-worn tropes. In any case, you add Varoitus’ Ikuinen Sota 12″ and Visions of War and Simbiose’s recent 7″ split to Phobia’s catalogue of success.
Varoitus’ Ikuinen Sota LP is the group’s third release, but it’s my first encounter with the Swedish band. Ikuinen Sota is constructed from “Helvetin Hardcore”, which, essentially, means a blackened blend of d-takt, råpunk, and kängpunk. The hook here is that Varoitus’ råpunk is razor-sharp, with ice-cold cutting riffs mixing with steamrolling bass and drums. Varoitus’ music has a migraine-inducing/anxiety-twisting tone that’ll gnaw at your nerves while worming its way under your skin. Venomous and insidious; a double dose of malicious punk.
Belgian crusties Visions of War have released plenty of unsanitary music over the years. (See the band’s ordure-dripping full-length Shit Parade or their equally pungent King of Swines LP.) Visions of War’s latest venture is a five-song split with Portuguese metal-crust band Simbiose. Visions of War’s three tracks are a lot grimmer and grubbier than Simbiose’s contributions, which isn’t a huge surprise given the steadfast filthiness and heaviness of Visions of War’s sonic arsenal. To be frank, I only hit play to check out Visions of War’s new songs – which were as rank and rotten as I’d hoped for – but Simbiose’s tracks will likely find favour with fans of thrashier/beefier hardcore.
(Varoitus – Phobia Records, Bye Bye Productions. VOW – Phobia Records, Loner Cult, Deviance, Scream Records, Up The Punx Records, Not Enough Records, Breeding for Extinction, Missing the point, Profane Existence.)
Electric Chair – Act of Aggression
There’s a palpable buzz around Olympia, Washington’s Electric Chair. Of course, hype is the mind-killer. But Electric Chair have the bones and the talent to overcome any obstacles in that regard. The band’s previous EPs built a real head of steam, which has reached boiling point on Electric Chair’s full-length debut, Act of Aggression. Electric Chair cram 11 tracks into 15 minutes, which should give you some idea of the band’s throat-gripping fervour. Volatile and violent are apt descriptors for much of Act of Aggression, but for all the album’s explosiveness, songs like “Fatal Disease Pt. II”, “Palm of My Hand”, and “Security Camera” also feature clever pivots, pull-backs, and shrewd six-string gymnastics. Act of Aggression‘s full-force momentum captures the raw intensity of a sweat-soaked basement show. However, remember this: Electric Chair are smarter than your average bear, and there are deeper rewards buried in Act of Aggression‘s cyclonic tracks.
(Iron Lung Records)
Warkrusher – Epitaph (bonus tracks)
Warkrusher’s Epitaph EP sat high on the list of my favourite 7″ releases from 2022. The only problem with the Montreal crust band’s EP was that it was far too short, which Warkrusher have *somewhat* remedied by adding three tracks to a limited edition cassette version of Epitaph. Two of those bonus tracks are covers, with “Grind the Enemy” (Axegrinder) and “Darkness on Streets” (Coitus) being aptly riotous interpretations. Warkrusher’s self-penned track, “Silence”, is another earth-quaking fusion of guttural crust and thickly armoured (and Ye Olde-inspired) stenchcore. Warkrusher are a formidable-sounding outfit whose anvil-heavy sound perfectly amplifies their brute-force strengths. A full-length album from the band can’t come soon enough.
(Audacious Madness Records)
Salvaje Punk – S/T
The self-titled debut LP from NYC’s Salvaje Punk has been described as “the missing link between No Security and Parabellum, with lyrics belted out in Spanish by a Colombian madman”. I don’t know about the veracity of those ‘madman’ claims, but Salvaje Punk’s vocalist Diego definitely sounds like he’s off his meds, and that’s an absolute bonus right here. There’s plenty of truth to those No Security and Parabellum references too. No Security’s maniacal approach rings loud, and in Parabellum’s case, Salvaje Punk clearly draw inspiration from the rawest/earliest years of extreme metal. There’s a lot of gut-driven rage here. A lot of heat. And a lot of passion. But what radiates most is the sheer uncompromising nature of Salvaje Punk’s ‘ultra-hardcore’. You don’t need to speak Spanish to appreciate the intensity of Salvaje Punk’s message. Genuine punk (like this) cuts straight to the heart.
(Toxic State Records, Burning Paradise Productions)
Gel – Only Constant
Gel’s much-anticipated (and instantly sold-out) Only Constant LP is a full-throated free-for-all. The band’s label, Convulse Records, said Gel’s latest release is comprised of “hardcore for the freaks by the freaks”, which feels (and sounds) wholly accurate. If you got a contact high off the recent LPs from Electric Chair, Illiterates, or Personal Damage, then Only Constant is going to bake your cookies too. It helps that Gel has two guitarists delivering a relentless deluge of hook-spiked riffs. But it’s the band’s singer, Samantha Kaiser, who seals the deal with her impassioned vocals. Fans who’ve waited patiently for Gel’s next move have been amply rewarded here. Energetic tracks like “Honed Blade”, “Worn Down”, and “Out of my Mind” are propelled by oodles of spite and insurgency. Only Constant is deranged, deafening, and definitely an untamed brawl. Time to get your freak on, and on, and on.
(Convulse Records)
Illiterates – No Experts
Pittsburgh band Illiterates describe themselves as the “dumbest band in hardcore.” Of course, that’s complete horseshit. Sure, Illiterates’ No Experts full-length is a straightforward slab of knuckle-dragging hardcore. (The kind of tough-nut noise that old dogs like me listened to in the 80s, while we sat around waiting for nuclear armageddon.) However it clearly takes a particular skillset to write and record zero-bullshit rockers like “24 Hours”, “Weather Capital”, and “Nice Things”. Illiterates’ rousing vocals and lean ‘n’ mean riffs are as catchy as BA.5, while the band’s fast, loud, and hulking velocity is exhilarating. Not everything has to be earnest. Not everything has to explore painful issues. Sometimes shit just rips, and No Experts is the perfect example of that.
(Sorry State Records)
Axxe Crazy – Black Winds Blowing, an Indifferent Sky
People’s Temple – I’m With the People’s Temple
3D & The Holograms – S/T
If you’re a fan of vitriolic punk, it always makes sense to keep a close eye on the roster of New York label Roachleg Records. Here are three recent Roachleg-birthed bangers that are well worth your time. Starting with the gutter-dwelling New Jersey posse Axxe Crazy.
Axxe Crazy’s recent über-guttural soirée, Black Winds Blowing, an Indifferent Sky, is the second release from the Asbury Park band (their first release, Pounding Noise, is also a skid-marked punxx’s dream come true). Crust, crust, crust + noise, noise, noise = Axxe Crazy’s creative equation. Unsurprisingly, Black Winds Blowing, an Indifferent Sky reeks to high heaven. Gunge-streaked riffs detonate amongst a piss-and-vinegar barrage of concussive metalpunk. Squealing solos tear through the blown-out battlefield haze as Neanderthal vocals grunt and growl. A-grade shitnoise that’s purpose-built to satisfy that twisted voice in all of us. De-fuxxing-licious!
People’s Temple’s recent 7″, I’m With the People’s Temple, has a different tone and timbre to much of Roachleg’s catalogue. Chiefly because the EP’s contents aren’t choked by withering distortion. People’s Temple have a spikier, more hook-driven 80s accent. (Roachleg describes it as ‘snotty hardcore from a band that claims to hate American hardcore’.) Of course, the line between love and hate is wafer-thin, and I’m With the People’s Temple‘s short, sharp, and stripped-back tracks are 100% snot-nosed hardcore.
3D & The Holograms are based in Sydney, Australia. The ocker rockers’ self-titled LP is freak punk fiesta that buzzes like shitty meth. With members drawn from acts like Research Reactor Corp and Tee Vee Repairman, 3D & The Holograms specialise in shuddering paroxysms of bad-trip hardcore where everything sounds wrong – like nails on a chalkboard wrong – but in the best possible way. Outsider punk for diehard nerds. Acid-spiked noise for the end of days. Tasty, mate.
The Passing – Eternal Void
Los Angeles four-piece The Passing’s recent Eternal Void EP strikes a balance between the hiss and static of their 2019 demo and the gloomier and burlier hardcore on their 2020 EP, which was released by Caligari Records. Eternal Void‘s tracks lean into the darkest corners of paint-stripping raw punk, with “Recurring”, “Scythe”, and “Ultimate Deception” replete with charging bass, barbwire riffs, and plenty of caveman coughs and ‘urghs’. The tone here is caustic, bleak, and squalid; fans of Extreme Noise Terror or Sore Throat’s rawest sonic shrapnel take note.
(Self-released)
Personal Damage – Atrophy & Entropy
Personal Damage’s Atrophy & Entropy LP is super-fast, super-mean, and wholly obnoxious. The hurtling hardcore within follows a lean-yet-muscular path cut by the likes of Jerry’s Kids, Adrenalin OD, and Circle Jerks. Tracks like “Head First”, “Death Cults Bliss”, and “Psychologic Crisis” (where echos of the Adolescents or Agent Orange appear) are studded with shout-along vocals and catchy melodies. (Meaning Atrophy & Entropy is big on energy, but even bigger on neck-yankin’ hooks.) The album’s propulsive songwriting and crisp/crunchy production might be inspired by the classics, but make no mistake, Atrophy & Entropy features abundant contemporary punch. Clearly, Personal Damage know their history. Atrophy & Entropy abounds with hardcore’s quintessential strengths.
(Test Subject Records)
Träumer – World Burn
If you’re a fan of Crow’s Bloody Tear LP, you’ll appreciate the pacing and the phrasing of Träumer’s recent World Burn cassette. The Californian band released a ferocious self-titled tape (via 1753) in early ’22. A year or so on, Träumer’s second release features equally aggressive tracks – including a couple of covers of RIP and Disclose – which hold fast to Träumer’s go-hard or go-home methodology. World Burn was originally released to accompany a brief tour with fellow noiseniks NÜTT, and the tape’s filled with wretched howls, grotty-ass riffs, and enough artillery-strength drumming to flatten a mall. World Burn is rock-solid, and if you haven’t already, you should make time to check out 1753’s Bandcamp page. The LA studio space/label has released a long line of raging recordings, including releases from Personal Damage, Future of Despair, Clone-z, and Tortür.
(Self-released)
Warcycle – Manifesting Barbarity
This blurb is another vain attempt by yours truly to extrapolate measure and meaning from 90 seconds of max-distorted hardcore. I don’t know why I do this. But I’m working with what I’ve been dealt. Some bands and labels like to hold their cards closer to their chest, and that’s their prerogative. One song streaming is better than none. In fact, one song streaming off of Warcycle’s new Manifesting Barbarity 7″ is more than enough to compel me to shout about the Western Australian band’s all-fire action.
Warcycle’s 2019 Legalised Onslaught EP, and the band’s 2020 split with Indonesian raw punks Zudas Krust, were both battering-ram releases. From the sounds of Manifesting Barbarity‘s eponymously titled track, Warcycle’s wall-of-noise assault is gaining strength as time goes on. “Manifesting Barbarity” is an absolute crusher, and hopefully, at some point, I’ll be able to nab a physical copy of Manifesting Barbarity and enjoy the rest of Warcycle’s hammering fare. For now, it’s safe to say if you’re a fan of Contrast Attitude, D-Clone, or Framtid, you’ll love Warcycle’s similarly crashing crust. (Note: that’s some aesthetically on-target artwork from Xavier Gillard too – things definitely sound dark, bloody, and beastly.)
(Televised Suicide Records, Desolate Records)
Public Acid – Beat Session Vol 10
Public Acid’s Easy Weapons (2018) and Condemnation (2020) EPs met with a wild reception. (Sold out in seconds, press after press). The North Carolina band’s music is a high-pressured mind-meld of Japanese hardcore’s blunt-force trauma and Italian punk’s primitive prowess. But those are just the base ingredients for Public Acid’s red-lining releases. The band often mangle their sound even further with waves of feedbacking noise, all of which you can sit back and enjoy on the tenth volume of Shout Recordings’ Beat Sessions.
Beat Session Vol 10 is unhinged, with Public Acid delivering another pipe-bomb of a release. Super-distorted guitars and throat-slit vocals boil in a mayhemic storm of brutal hardcore. Like Public Acid’s previous endeavours, Beat Session Vol 10 is both an uncontrollable firestorm and a precise surgical strike. Maniacal riffs and demented solos warp songs that sidestep melody in favour of embracing the wild heart of chaos. Beat Session Vol 10 is guaranteed to cure (or, more likely, to confirm) all of your ills.
(Shout Recordings)
I’m ending this edition of ICWT with a round-up of recent demos that have tickled my tinnitus. (Note: I’m going to be doing the same in future editions too.) I love the gut-driven gusto of demos, but I always have a million LPs and EPs to talk about. Here’s my solution: a six-pack of shorter/faster/one-pass blurbs – ka-boom.
Vida Muerta – Demo 1
More eviscerating noise from Italian label Sistema Mortal. German/Italian trio Vida Muerta features members from Nukelickers, Visions of Chaos, and Oväsen Frontera Kollaps, who’ve all released bloody-raw cassettes via Sistema Mortal. Vida Muerta’s Demo 1 features four ear-piercing (and decidedly metal-barbed) trawls through the bowels of d-beat, crust, and super-dark hardcore. Evil is as evil does.
(Sistema Mortal)
F.O.M.O. – Demo 2023
Portuguese band F.O.M.O.’s Demo 2023 is primitive af. The eight songs here are all shit-fi nightmares that’ll prod at every nerve fibre you’ve got. Of course, that’s no criticism. F.O.M.O.’s bare-boned and bass-rumbling racket is ‘fueled by hate’ and thus purposely obnoxious. No question, F.O.M.O. does a hell of a job of sounding ugly as sin.
(Anoise Records, Enfermo Distro)
Consumed – War Business
Consumed are a gruffer-than-gruff stenchcore trio from Monterrey, México. The band’s hope-smashing War Business demo is heavy as mortar barrage and features raucous instrumentation, rasping vocals, and the customary range of apocalyptic anxieties. (‘War is a business, and business never ends’ – you know the deal.) Don your flak vest, and strap on your bullet belt, the crust war never ends.
Ps: I loved this one. If you’re a stan of horrible stench-ridden noise you might swoon a little too.
(Self-released)
T.H.C. – Total Hardcore Demo
Colombian punks T.H.C.’s Total Hardcore Demo pays no heed to polite musicality or listener friendliness. What Total Hardcore Demo does do, however, is confirm that Colombia’s punk scene is still red-hot and soaked in sweat. The eight d-beaten songs here are as disgusting as dumpster slop. But if rotten raw punk is your tipple of choice, you’ll lap this sonic vomit up. Absolute badassery.
(Self-released)
Snarling Dogs – Demo
Snarling Dogs’ demo is fittingly growling and biting, but the Pittsburgh band also throw plenty of catchy melodies into the mix. There are downright rockin’ riffs scattered throughout Snarling Dogs’ demo, and some wouldn’t sound out of place on records from the likes of the Wipers, Hüsker Dü, or The Replacements (at their punkiest). Snarling Dogs find a solid balance between hard hooks and hardcore.
Turbo – Demo 2023
Turbo’s Demo 2023 kicks ass. The group is from the NWOBHC school of UK bands, and thus Turbo would feel right at home on Quality Control HQ’s roster. Chunky riffs, barking vocals, and pummeling percussion shape Turbo’s muscular sound. If acts like The Chisel, Arms Race, the Flex, and Violent Reaction have previously piqued your interest, Turbo’s full-force hardcore has a similarly strong flavour.
If you made it this far, top marks, kid. I owe you one. To be honest, this isn’t the first edition of ICWT I wrote in ’23. I sketched out a previous edition earlier in the year, but for some very unexciting reasons, I didn’t publish that column. I didn’t want (some of) the blurbs I wrote for that edition to go to waste, though, because there were some great releases mentioned, so I posted those blurbs on my dusty old blog a few weeks ago. If you’re interested in seeing if you’ve overlooked a few gems from earlier this year, you can find those blurbs right here… Tomorrow’s Ashes #4.
See you soon, mate(s).
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So happy to see this column back, and hope you’re doing well.
No need for new tricks, Craig – the old ones are great. That’s my reading and listening for this evening sorted out. The only bad news will be for the bank balance.
Thanks very much, Paul! I am doing well. It’s back to the usual crusty round-ups from here on in. I hope you find some awful noise to enjoy. All the best.
All hail ICWT!!! I had to stop 1/4 through this post (if that) because I had already used up my monthly allowance for Bandcamp. There are some absolute bangers on this list [I’m looking at you Genogeist]. Great stuff my man!
Cheers, man. Thanks for stopping by. Glad you found some new noise to enjoy. That list above is definitely front-loaded with bangers. Genogeist, Flower, Physique, Destruct… good times!