Monday, January 28, 2013

The Resistance "Rise From Treason" EP Review


THE RESISTANCE
“Rise from Treason” EP
Armoury Records
Released: January 29, 2013


I fondly reminisce about mail ordering 7”s by Asocial, Crude SS, Anti Cimex, Mob 47 etc... back in the 1980s. Sometimes I sent directly to the bands and labels in Sweden (my mother loved the stamps from all the countries I was receiving records from). 


More often, I was getting records from a US based hardcore mail order that used to print up a giant fold out newsprint catalog of all the records being distributed… I used to order just about every 7” from that company (someone please know what I am talking about and refresh my memory - was it Disorder or something like that... damn...). I wish I still had those catalogs/posters.


Later in life I discovered Sweden's Entombed. That guitar sound makes me insane! THE RESISTANCE includes In Flames’ founder Jesper Strömblad on guitar alongside second guitarist Glenn Ljungström (ex-In Flames), vocalist Marco Aro (ex-The Haunted, Facedown) and drummer Chris Barkensjö (ex-Kaamos, ex-Repugnant) and has that powerful Swedish sound.

The artistry that In Flames incorporates is pushed aside with The Resistance. There is nothing poetic about The Resistance although there is that orchestral and melodic In Flames guitar sound briefly in "Face To Face".


"Rise From Treason" has that brutal Swedish guitar sound that is combined with a vengeful East Coast US hardcore attitude, full of spit and ready to back it up. Sh#t is going down.

Of course this is available as a 7”.

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Kromosom "Live Forever" CD Review


KROMOSOM
“Live Forever”
Southern Lord
Released: January 22, 2013


“Live Forever” is KROMOSOM’s discography thus far, previously available on vinyl only, on one CD.


  •           self-titled 12”
  •           tracks from the Hardcore Pollution split 7” with Isterismo
  •           “Paranoid” 7"

 
A typical Kromosom song goes like this… feedback, riff, ridiculous drums, tidal wave of puke unleashed with no production values.


Mind you, I enjoy that. This comes as close to the feeling I got when I discovered bands like Chaos UK and Disorder so many decades ago...


The guitars are absurdly distorted. The drums are a complete exorcism of energy. The bass is the only thing that makes this coherent… the only thing that keeps this from being complete f%#*in din. That low end is why I like this more than say Disclose, which is just a blender of noise.

To say I am anticipating May 21st at theBarbary in Philly (with Rotten Sound) is an understatement. I cannot wait to see this chaos live!

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Baptists "Bushcraft" Southern Lord, Review


Baptists
“Bushcraft”
Southern Lord
Release Date: 2/19/2013


I didn't hear anyone say “eh” (not really expected) or detect any hockey references (disappointed) on this Vancouver band’s debut full length (impressed). What you will hear is a dark assault of hardcore, b-deat and metal that moves at a punishing speed (except for "Soiled Roots" - which switches things up with genuine and powerful results). “Bushcraft” is unyielding, get out of the way or get swallowed up by the disorder. Kurt Ballou (Coverge) captured this unruly beast of a band and made the chaos enticing. “Bushcraft” is dense with technically brutal percussion, abrasive vocals and guitars that are as crisp and in-your-face as Black Breath or Disfear or any of the Swedish death metal that I love so much, with a hint of the old Am Rep callous guitar work (with appropriate use of feedback). 


Here is a ferocious non-LP track called "Tourettes", which was originally recorded by Nirvana.






Cheers,
Frank FOE

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

F.O.D. 30 Year Anniversary Show 1/12/13


The 30 Year Anniversary Flag of Democracy show was one I was not going to miss. Plenty of Lehigh Valley hardcore luminaries also made the trek to O'Reillys (it is a bar, but the bar was shut down and the bands just played in a back room). The vibe at the show was perfect. Plenty of old school hardcore punks hanging out in the parking lot, drinking brews, talking about the first time they saw F.O.D., the first time they saw a punk or hardcore show, what impact it had on their lives...


It was great to see old friends and talk to some Philly people I don't always get to see; Chuck Meehan (ex-YDI bassist, Philly show promoter extraordinaire), Joel from Plow United and Ex-Friends and the original F.O.D. drummer, Mike Giannone who is now a Thereminist in the Divine Hand Ensemble.



Up first were the Mainline C#%k$ucker$. I had never heard of this Philly band but was blown away with their direct, abusive, lo-fi hardcore punk energy. I hope to see more of this band. The drummer rocks!


Check out The Mainline C#ck$ucker$ demo here.





The Heels fit in on this legendary bill. Classic 80s hardcore punk with a Youth Brigade feel.



The Heels began in 2006, but they are ex-Pagan Babies (among others) and old school in their own right. Vocalist Mike McManus reminisced between songs about seeing the Minutemen in Philly as his first show and how F.O.D. and hardcore influenced his life.



This was my first time seeing the Heels. Their version of Minor Threat's "Betray" was so good, I closed my eyes and felt like I was seeing Minor Threat in 1980-whatever. Spot on. It was that good. Also "that good" was the Heels version of Pagan Babies "In A Lifetime". I had forgotten how much I loved that song. 


The Heels also get mega points for Mike's PJ Stock Phantoms jersey. Hell of a scrapper that Stock character!



YDI was my first hardcore show. It went down at G's Beef & Brew in Allentown way back when... Yeah, I was excited to see YDI again after all these years. 


YDI are legendary. Their "A Place in the Sun" is one of those ten hardcore 7"s every hardcore fan wants/needs. 



Seeing YDI play "Out For Blood", "I Killed My Family", "Not Sh#t", "Mad At The World" and "Why Die?" was simply heaven for me. 46 felt like 16 for 30 minutes.


One of the best things about early hardcore for me, was the chaotic feel that things could just fall apart or blow up at any second, yet somehow, it all stays together, pushing on. A symbolic statement for that early hardcore sound and representative of our lives. 


YDI still has this chaos that I love so much!


I never actually got to see YDI with Chuck on bass, but now I have seen YDI with Chuck in the audience! Thank you to YDI for beginning my love of going to hardcore shows. Cheers!

Vintage YDI photo with Chuck

I have attempted to see Iron Cross three or four times in my life. Fittingly, tonight was the night I finally got to see the DC skinhead/hardcore legends. No riot, nor booking problems this time around! 


Getting to see Iron Cross perform "You're A Rebel", "Fight 'Em All" and "Crucified" after listening to their music for the last 30 years was something I will remember for the next 30 years. 


Pretty sure the current Iron Cross bassist wasn't born when some of these songs were written! 
But I think he gets it!


I believe Sab Grey (vocals) is the only original member remaining. Thanks for putting this lineup together. 


One of the first shows I was involved in helping set up was F.O.D, Youthful Agression (just realized that Rich YA was at this show too), Constraint and the Russian Meatsquats on December 23, 1984 @ West Catty Playground Building. The flyer for the show is on the back cover of my zine F.O.E. #2. 

F.O.D. has held an important part of my life for three decades. I can still remember seeing them at Abe's in Philly tearing things up like I had never seen before.

Bob FOD (looking like Brad Pitt) says "Hello to Steph with a PH"

Cheers!


I consider myself lucky to have seen F.O.D. close to a hundred times. Well, let's see, thirty years, some of those years I saw them ten times, some only once. So yeah. I also consider myself lucky to share a friendship with Bob, Dave and Jim. Those familiar with Up To No Good Radio know that Bob FOD is a frequent on air guest of ours.


F.O.D. are part of a Philadelphia scene that was one of the most original during the days of 80s hardcore. The bands all had a unique sound while other scenes seemed to want to cultivated a similar sound. No one sounds like F.O.D. There is not another band on the planet that can do what these three gentlemen can do.


The melodic undertones of their songs counter the dissonant hardcore sound and manic, hyper and utterly unrealistic tempos create a distinctive and thoroughly enjoyable sound. Thirty years and no sell out. Thirty years and the only thing they gained was some weight. Thirty years and they didn't change their sound and have not lost one bit of their authenticity or drive.


2012/13 has been exciting for F.O.D. fans. The "Chinese Food" cassette was found and released. The "Shatter Your Day" LP was reissued with a treasure trove of extra tracks. 


That F.O.D. can still annihilate live is a testament to their magnitude and importance. They hammered out a set of hits that would sit well on any greatest songs of hardcore compilation.

The always present between song chatter and laughter.
 

Thank you Dave, Jim and Bob.

I love F.O.D. Here's to another thirty years!

RUIN Tribute Planned on Black Hole Records!


Big announcement. 

Black Hole Records is seeking bands for a 2014 release which will be a tribute to RUIN



Black Hole is in the early planning stages yet, hope to include some "suprises" with this. 



Thanks to Joey Jap for dropping the idea on us! 



Contact Black Hole through the Black Hole Records Face book page, we would like to coordinate it so everyone is not doing Proof!