Zeke "Hellbender" LP

ZEKE

"Hellbender"

Relapse Records

Released: March 23rd 2018

Sometimes I don't think I need to tell people about things... assuming they already know.

You do have the Zeke LPs... right? I mean everyone has "Super Sound Racing", "Flat Tracker", "Kicked in the Teeth", "Dirty Sanchez", "Death Alley", "Til the Living End" etc... right?

So when you hear Zeke is releasing a new album after 14 years you just know to get it. Right? 

When I first heard Zeke (and also Nashville Pussy and REO Speedealer - later just "Speedealer" after the obvious lawsuit) I lost my mind. Zeke, Nashville Pussy and Speedealer were the trinity for quite a long time in my ears and on my turntable. 

Zeke goes from zero to 60 instantaneously. It is just... GO! 

There's no buildup, no let's work our way in to this thing, no dipping the toe in the water to see if the temperature is OK... Think vintage AC/DC and Motörhead played on 45 instead of 33 then add Blaine from The Accüsed / Fartz barking at you and you have Zeke. 

Zeke is... strip off your clothes and just cannonball into the deep end of the pool.

Zeke fills a need in my life and I thank them.

Give it a listen. I would say to strap in... but this ride is better without the seat-belt!

Cheers,

Frank FOE

https://www.facebook.com/ZekeBand

https://www.instagram.com/ZekeBand

https://www.twitter.com/ZekeBand

http://zekeband.bandcamp.com

http://www.relapse.com

http://www.relapserecords.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/RelapseRecords

http://www.twitter.com/RelapseRecords

https://www.instagram.com/relapserecords

Handsome Prick "Anonymityville"

Handsome Prick

"Anonymityville"

Horror Pain Gore Death

Released: December 22nd 2017

Great groove death metal and grind with an obvious attention to the ridiculous. But it isn't sloppy noise "ridiculous" (I don't waste my time writing about music I don't dig). This is brutal material. Think Blood Duster meets King Parrot. So musically, the ridiculous is in the craziness of the music, but also in that I enjoy the crazy ridiculous music. "Anonymityville", Handsome Prick's second album, is not ridiculous for ridiculous sake. The brutality and song writing make sure you know this is serious.

There is ridiculousness in the song titles too (as typical, I can't really make out much of the lyrics). Check the song titles, I mean who writes a grind song called "Alopecia Support Group". 

DEFINITION:

al·o·pe·ci·a

ˌaləˈpēSH(ē)ə/

noun

MEDICINE

1. the partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows; baldness.

"Return of the Barfly" is one of my favorite titles. "Seduce and Abandon" is one of my favorite tracks, though there isn't a clunker in the batch.

These Indiana monsters get mega points for covering the Meat Puppets "Melons Rising" (1982), a song which held the title of my favorite hardcore song for many years. That Handsome Prick knew enough to cover the song makes this mandatory in my books. That they destroyed it in a grindcore manner gets ridiculous bonus points. 

Additional points given as they also know enough to cover Quincy Punx "Young and Dumb". What the hell? Who is Handsome Prick? 

Handsome Prick does a song called "He's My Ex". If it were only an interpretation of All's "She's My Ex". Hell maybe it is, I can't understand the vocals (other than "we don't give a f*&k" - at least I think that's what they yell at the end of the song).

I did manage to understand the lyrics to "Pro Shot Couple Pictures" with the help of the lyric video posted below (hint, the lyrics are the song title):

Love the rock breakdown in "I Don't Like Anyone" 

I don't know much about the ridiculous, grind mayhem that is Handsome Prick, but I sure do love this album.

Cheers,

Frank FOE

Handsome Prick FB

HPGD Productions Page
HPGD Productions FB
Handsome Prick Big Cartel

16 Fistula Split 7"

-(16)-/ Fistula 

Split 7"

-(16)- – Complications (Killing Joke cover)

Fistula – Mongoloid (Devo cover)

Patac Records

Released: December 15, 2017

 

This split 7" (digital available as well) is one of the first of an ongoing Fistula split seven-inch series on PATAC Records. The other 7" in this first wave is a split with Come to Grief.

Two of the best sludge bands covering two of my favorite bands which also happen to be two of my favorite tracks by those favorite bands.

It is a win - win, win - win, win - win situation.
.

Killing Joke's self titled debut LP from 1980 was a life changer. To be 14 and be able to hear that album as it was released had a huge impact on me. No one sounded like that album before. No one has sounded like that album since. One of the true classic albums. Get it if you don't have it. If you have it and haven't listened to it in awhile, put "Listen to Killing Joke" on your to do list.

"Killing Joke" must have had an impact on the members of -16- as well. I love cover songs and love sludge. This is real dirty interpretation of the song that works extremely well. A definite win - win.

"Complications" - Killing Joke

See the sun turn green

From my penthouse window

It's different now

Because you got no shelter

Alienation

By experimentation

Enjoy yourself

This is the new age

Complication!

Ransom the birth

Of a new destruction

It's different now

It's what we always wanted

Alienation

Self-destruct

At the count of ten

Complication!

Fistula's version of the Devo classic "Mongoloid" is superb.

"Mongoloid" was on the 1978 "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" LP. Devo is my second favorite band of all time, but that's just because Slayer is my favorite. Devo saved my life in high school. Without Devo, my path in life certainly would have been a different one. So to say that a band legitimately changed your life path, certainly means I take any band covering their songs with great interest.

In Fistula's version, I love the distorted bass, love the pop of the snare and love the harsh vocals. I tend to sing every song in my head with a Fistula-like growl anyway, so this sounds familiar to me. The sludge factor is a thing of beauty, yet within the structure of the original song has a tremendous amount of unsuspected energy (sludge is usually kinda sludgy).

 "Mongoloid" - DEVO

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

Happier than you and me

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

And it determined what he could see

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

One chromosome too many

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

And it determined what he could see

And he wore a hat

And he had a job

And he brought home the bacon

So that no one knew

He was a mongoloid, mongoloid

His friends were unaware

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

Nobody even cared

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

One chromosome too many

Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid

And it determined what he could see

Cheers,

Frank FOE

http://www.fistula666.com
http://www.facebook.com/16Band
http://www.facebook.com/fistula666
http://www.patacrecords.com
http://www.facebook.com/patacrecords
Patac Records bandcamp

DDC (Drink & Destroy Crew) Unite & Conquer

DDC (Drink & Destroy Crew)

"Unite & Conquer" 

Rebellion Records 

Released: December 15, 2017

The origins of FOE include creating a hardcore punk zine using the technology of the day, a typewriter and a copier machine, to spread the word about the music I love. Being able to instantaneously share the music I am reviewing makes things unbelievably easy today. There also is an inherent no bullsh*t clause, as the reader can become a listener and fact check my words with their own ears. If what I say isn't on point, my integrity as a reviewer is on the line. Which is why I always provide youtube, bandcamp or other sources. I believe what I write. I ain't bullsh*ttin'. And if you know me, as I typed that sentence, you also know that 2 Live Crew immediately went through my mind... and so I had to divert myself for 4:28 to listen to that rap classic, "I Ain't Bullshittin". 

Alright, so back on track. Do me a favor. If you ever liked punk (by any of the definitions of "punk") please click and listen to, "Revolution", from Drink & Destroy Crew's album "Unite and Conquer": https://youtu.be/qABg8Sr_1L0

Bold, powerful, catchy, fierce with great hooks. 

Hailing from Atlanta, the first thing I think about is the band Anti-Heroes. What that means to me is that the Anti-Heroes automatically are the standard of measurement for any punk, hardcore, street or oi band that has its origins from the Atlanta Georgia area. If you haven't guessed, I love Anti-Heroes.

DDC can proudly stand right alongside the Anti-Heroes and are creating quite a standard of measurement of their own. I have loved all the DDC discography that I have managed to get my hands on.

Drink & Destroy Crew are a melting pot of many of my favorite punk and oi bands. The ten tracks on "Unite and Conquer" are riotous rockers. Blend in the drunken fist to the face straight forward Headache Records sound, a pinch of Dropkick Murphys hook-ability, a lot of street anthem unification style and you have Drink & Destroy Crew's monster of an album "Unite & Conquer".

Guest vocalist Ryan Cadaver was a nice treat on the track "We The People". I didn't know who Ryan was before hearing his guest appearance here (vocalist for Casket Creatures - a horror punk band that I have now been introduced to, check this video https://youtu.be/LIKBmxPhRzI ), but what a wise decision it was to bring his strong and distinctive voice in to the mix. One of the best tracks. 

TRACKLIST:

A1 Call To Arms

A2 Comply Or Die

A3 Feast For Vultures

A4 (We Are) United

A5 Stand & Fight

B1 Spirit Of ‘76

B2 Revolution

B3 Days Of Glory – Warriors (Razorblade)

B4 We The People (featuring Ryan Cadaver)

B5 (We Are) United (FC Version)

The vinyl pressing information is as follows:

200 x black vinyl

200 x red vinyl

100 x gold vinyl

12 x test press

I provide the vinyl information for you as you know my highest compliment for an album is if I would recommend acquiring the vinyl, rather than just a download or CD. So yeah, I think that if you dig what I am saying, dig the track "Revolution", you will want to get the vinyl.

Cheers,

Frank FOE

DDC FB

Rebellion Records WebStore

The Gotobeds "Definitely Not a Redd Kross EP"

The Gotobeds

"Definitely Not A Redd Kross EP"

Chunklet Industries

Released: November 1, 2017

In case you don't own Red Cross EP from 1980 on Posh Boy, you need to obtain. 

The six song EP must have effected the Pittsburgh band The Gotobeds as much as it did me.

At age 14, this record quite literally blew my mind. I have listened to that EP hundreds of times. Red Cross obviously had to change the name of their band after those early releases ("Born Innocent" is obviously also mandatory, as well as most records they released later in their career, but you know that already).

The tribute they pay to this punk rock classic is sweet. Pretty straightforward covers, so you know, I love covers and love the original so I say thank you for this. 

1980 was 37 years ago. 

Thank you Redd Kross. Thank you Gotobeds.

Even love the inner label Posh Boy design tribute!

Cheers,
Frank FOE

The Gotobeds FB
Chunklet Industries FB
Chunklet Industries
The Gotobeds bandcamp

LARS FREDERIKSEN & THE BASTARDS

LARS FREDERIKSEN & THE BASTARDS

"Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards"

"Viking"

"Live And Loud"

Pirates Press Records

Released: November 2017

I love Rancid. I also love all the side projects of the band members, such as Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards, Tim Timebomb and Friends, Transplants, Old Firm Casuals and it all of course started with Operation Ivy.

I already have the self titled, "Viking" and the "Switchblade" Ep on vinyl. In case you don't... you need to thank Pirates Press for reissuing these on vinyl. Now if they'd only reissue the Tim Timebomb and Friends 3xlp that I missed out on getting...

The "Live and Loud" is new and is a first-rate record. Taking the old punk rock "Live and Loud" series that Link records issued back in 1987-1992. They issued live LPs under the "Live and Loud" title with the same style cover artwork by bands like Sham 69, Cock Sparrer, Cockney Rejects, Adicts, Ruts, Exploited, the Gonads, Infa Riot, 4 Skins etc... You get the point. So for someone like me, the cover artwork and title tribute are completely brilliant. LOVE!

The recording of the "Live and Loud" does exactly what it is supposed to do... make you wish you were at this gig! Recorded in 2001, this is raucous, energetic and crisp.  Loving it. So fun.

Pirates Press is offering a sweet packaged bundle deal with all 4 of these records. If you haven't gotten these gems on vinyl yet, don't sleep on this.

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Pirates Press Records

Lars Frederiksen FB

Beach Slang We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags [Quiet Slang]

Beach Slang

"We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags [Quiet Slang]"

Polyvinyl

Released: October 20, 2017

Beach Slang is playing December 1, 2017 in Bethlehem, PA @ ArtsQuest - Blast Furnace Room.

I like Jimmy. I used to call him Smilin' Jim when he was in Weston, based in my home scene of the Lehigh Valley.

I like Beach Slang. A lot. 

I love it when bands remix, re-record, cover songs, try different takes on their own songs...

As evidence, my Depeche Mode vinyl collection includes 82 LPs and 12"s even though they only have 14 studio albums. Most of that is 12" eps with multiple versions and remixes of the songs I already love.

What Beach Slang has done here is work a perfect EP for me. 

James Alex occasionally performs Beach Slang's songs as intimate solo renditions, appropriately dubbed "Quiet Slang". This ep includes versions fleshed out in the studio to include piano and cello. The result is f*cking fantastic.

"Future Mixtape for the Art Kids" is a great song, originally from the LP "A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings", but damn if I don't even love it more this way. It has one of my favorite lyrics,

"We are not f*cked, we are f*cking alive, I hope I never die"

"Bad Art and Weirdo Ideas", originally on "The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us", is one of my favorite Beach Slang songs. The original has the simple haunting "ahhh ahh ahh" vocal in the background.  The piano and cello version on this EP is classic. Simply beautiful. The beauty also lies in the fact that I love listening to both versions. Check the video below:

The piano in the song "Androgynous" (Joan Jett) falls into my favorite categories of cover song and a version significantly different than the original.

"Androgynous"

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

Here comes Dick 

He's wearing a skirt 

Here comes Jane 

You know she's sporting a chain 

Same hair revolution 

Same build evolution 

Tomorrow who's going to fuss

And they love each other so 

Androgynous 

Closer than you know 

Love each other so 

Androgynous

Well don't get him wrong 

And don't get him mad 

He might be a father 

But he sure ain't a dad 

She don't need 

Advice that they send to her 

She's happy with the way she looks 

She's happy with her gender

And they love each other so 

Androgynous 

Closer than you know 

Love each other so 

Androgynous

Mirror image see no damage 

See no evil at all 

Cutie dolls and urine stalls 

Will be laughed at the way 

You're laughed at now

Now something meets boy 

And something meets girl 

They both are the same 

They're…

The EP winds up with a Big Star cover of "Thirteen". Self explanatory.

Enjoy.

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Polyvinyl Records

Beach Slang Bandcamp