Featured Releases: December 18, 2023

Abism: S/T 12” (Toxic State Records) Much like the Fairytale album Toxic State released earlier this year, a hater could give this debut from New York’s Abism a cursory listen and dismiss it as just another d-beat record. Those of us who really love this stuff, though, will hear Abism’s originally and appreciate that they’ve made a singular record. I saw Abism play last summer, before they’d released any recordings, and at that gig I was struck by how original they sounded, how they sidestepped the hardcore arms race toward ever-greater density and ever-faster tempos without losing any of their power. The rhythm section is never in a hurry to get anywhere… listen to how “No Veo El Sol” rumbles along, resisting the urge to fill its space with more beats and notes. The space is even more striking on “Lonquén,” which exchanges the d-beat for an even more wide-open, almost drunken-sounding pogo. By leaving this space open, the rhythm section creates room for the riffs to shine, which they definitely do. Eugene from Crazy Spirit plays guitar for Abism, and his knack for writing straightforward but very catchy riffs is not diminished in the least. With the instruments lying back and the riffs relatively sparse in terms of movement, the vocalist is the source of much of Abism’s intensity, their raspy snarl reminding me of Eddie from Vaaska. It’s amazing to me that, working with essentially the same sonic palette as other, broadly similar bands, Abism has arrived at something so cool and original. Another jewel in Toxic State’s heavy crown.

Citric Dummies: Zen and the Arcade of Beating Your Ass 12” (Feel It Records) Minneapolis’s Citric Dummies returns with a new album, their fourth, on a new record label, also their fourth, Feel It Records. Despite hopping between labels, Citric Dummies has remained sonically consistent across their discography. They live in that Dillinger Four-esque space between melodic punk and hardcore, their music fast, hard, and loud, but with hooks and pop song structures lurking beneath the mayhem. For me, though, the main attraction with Citric Dummies has always been the lyrics. The album title—Zen and the Arcade of Beating Your Ass—gives you an indication of where they come from lyrically… it’s like they’ve binged on punk and pop culture for years only to barf it up and dance around in the slop. Choice song titles include “I’m Gonna Punch Larry Bird” and “Doing Dope at Chucky Cheese,” but it’s not just silliness… “Tubing Down a River of Anxiety” and “My True Love Is Depression” hint at deeper themes, albeit viewed through the same wise-ass lens. Citric Dummies’s unique sound makes easy comparisons impossible (they have a song on one of their previous albums called “We Don’t Care Who We Sound Like”), but anyone with an ear for music that’s dense, catchy, powerful, and whip-smart should give ‘em a try.

Alien Nosejob: The Derivative Sounds of... or... A Dog Always Returns To Its Vomit 12” (Goner Records) It’s wise to drop the needle on any new Alien Nosejob record with zero expectations, as mastermind Jake Robertson has a habit of reworking the project’s sound for every record. Here at Sorry State, we’re partial to the two hardcore records ANJ released on Iron Lung Records, but I’ve enjoyed every Alien Nosejob record I’ve heard. Robertson seems like one of those consummate musician types for whom songwriting is second nature, and even if he’s experimenting with his music’s window dressing, the core of it will always be well-written and interesting. This new LP was inspired by a reformation of Jake’s old 60s garage-style band the Frowning Clouds, with many of these songs, riffs, and ideas upcycled from that bands’ 2006-2012 run. While these songs reflect Robertson’s ever-sharpening songwriting chops, he hews closely to the 60s garage / psych template, though the production and the punkiness of the performances reminds me more of the 80s Paisley Underground bands than the 60s originals. One thing I really like about this style is that songs tend to feature both strong instrumental hooks and strong vocal / lyrical hooks… often a song will start with a big instrumental hook, then build tension through one or more verses and release it in the chorus and/or the middle eight. When it works well, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts, and that’s the case with many of these tracks.

Flash: Eztek Ber Besteik cassette (La Vida Es Un Mus) La Vida Es Un Mus released Flash’s debut LP last year, and they follow it up with this new 3-song promo cassette released in conjunction with their recent west coast US tour. I liked Flash’s debut LP, but it felt schizophrenic to me, with elements of 80s-influenced hardcore mixed with melodic punk and jittery rhythms that gave me an egg punk vibe… when I wrote about that record I said they sounded like “Negazione mashed up with the Coneheads.” While Eztek Ber Besteik keeps both the hardcore intensity and strong melodies, it sounds more coherent to me. With the brisk tempos and melodic songwriting, Flash reminds me of 80s bands who straddled the line between punk and hardcore… I’m thinking of a band like Toxic Reasons who took the big hooks of ’77 UK punk and made it intense enough for the hardcore crowd. The big choruses also remind me of 80s Spanish punk, particularly Eskorbuto, and that influence combined with the lead guitar acrobatics brings to mind Peligro Social and Ruleta Rusa. Even better, it’s all wrapped up in gritty, vintage-sounding production that has that essential petina of 80s cool.

Problem: Anti-You 7” (Under the Gun Records) This LA-era band delivers a rock-solid 7-song wallop for their debut EP. While Problem plays straightforward hardcore punk, I love that they aren’t too on the nose stylistically. The singer’s gruff style is definitely rooted in oi! (there are even a few shouts of “oi! oi!” here), but there’s plenty of USHC in the mix too, particularly bands like Fang, the Fuck-Ups, and Sick Pleasure, whose nihilistic and ugly bent is reflected here. Flashes of catchy lead guitar show the band’s SoCal roots and further flesh out the sound. While it’s undeniably meat-and-potatoes, those subtle touches keep it sounding fresh while still channeling the classics. And I love that they crammed 7 tracks on here, as it feels like a full helping rather than just a taste. The European pressing of Anti-You is on Mendeku Diskak (Sorry State has the US pressing on Under the Gun Records), and while Anti-You will appeal to people who follow that label, I think plenty of people whose tastes skew more toward 80s US punk will love it too.

The Serfs: Half Eaten by Dogs 12” (Trouble In Mind Records) Half Eaten by Dogs is the third full-length from this Cincinnati, Ohio group, and their first for the indie label Trouble In Mind Records. Cincinnati seems like a hotbed of creativity at the moment, with the Drin, Corker, Crime of Passing, and the Serfs all making music that draws on post-punk and DIY traditions, but with an eye toward creating something new and contemporary rather than rehashing the past. The way the Serfs use noisy, minimalistic electronics brings to mind early Caberet Voltaire (particularly their Rough Trade singles), but I also hear the steady rhythms of dance music, the clatter of industrial, and the challenging textures of noise music feeding into their sound. And while there’s always a lot going on sonically, Half Eaten by Dogs also sounds wide open, invoking the big vistas of dub and ambient too. I feel like I’m reaching all over the place for references, but that’s not because the Serfs sound like an incoherent mish-mash; rather, it’s because they sound so original, weaving these references into a sound all their own. And while it’s distinctive, it’s also eclectic. Each of Half Eaten by Dogs’ ten tracks sounds different from the rest, and when you listen to it in full there’s a sense of development, rather than simply iterations of the same core idea. To put it succinctly, Half Eaten by Dogs is an excellent album from an excellent band from an exciting, noteworthy scene.