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I thought 2021 was a great year for releases, the best year in a while in my opinion. Or maybe I am just paying more attention... 2020 had a lot of solid releases, but 2021 was like a relentless onslaught of hardcore. But maybe we just got pummeled with releases cos everything was held up in vinyl production in 2020. I mean it’s not like that situation has changed at all... everyone I know is waiting insane amounts of time for record pressing. My label with Jeff is waiting on two records whose test presses we approved in October, and there’s still no sign of the actual press date... Anyway, I think 2022 is off to a great start, and is already competing with 2021 in the name of excellent releases. Not to mention, the dank reissues are coming outta the woodwork too!!!
Anyway, AXE RASH. This name I’ve heard before… makes sense since it appears their first release was in 2015. And of course, they played K-Town festival this past year. But foolishly, the music I have never heard until this past week. Daniel was lucky to land an advance copy of this hot ass slab (!!!) from the label. So sick. I was working at the warehouse and heard this ripping shit from afar like last week. I immediately approached the turntable and inquired about who the fuck we were listening to. It ripped. What a nice pleasant surprise. NFTW Records is unleashing yet another hot ass slab onto our insatiable ears. While the last beast they put out was not necessarily “my bag” (but still sooOOOoOoo ripping), this AXE RASH 7" is right up my fucking alley. This EP is like the turkey of the alley, striking out every pathetic pin that thinks they can hang. This band has fucking riffs. It reminds me (very) slightly of SKITKIDS, but less “rocked” out. A more recent contemporary for comparison I think would be ARSLE or LARMA, but honestly LARMA is so good... too good. I don’t think any bands can really compare. Seriously. If you missed that one somehow, check it out immediately and buy yer ass a copy now! If you missed it, ARSLE was another great one on Adult Crash from some time ago, featuring members of other raging Swedish HC bands you probably already know and love.
You know it’s kind of funny. I am working my way into AXE RASH’s discography now, and the previous 2017 EP is not really like this most recent EP. I think the song writing is good, but it doesn’t catch my ear like ‘Contemporary Ass’ does. I think it compares to bands like Glue and maybe Strutter a bit more than how I compared them to those mängelin’ bands I mentioned above. But moving onto the 12" that came out 2019, I hear much, much more similarity to their latest EP. To me their style evolved a lot from the first EP to LP, in a good way. And then, from the LP to the new EP, they perfected this sound into one hot ass fucking slab. Very stoked this EP has a pressing in the States, so we can all get on our hands on a copy, and fast. I don’t have much else to say right now, but I would suggest you check this EP fosho and grab a copy if you enjoy it. I think deserves a place in every collection. Before I part, I’d like to leave you with this link. And I’d also like to let you know that the latest LETHAL MEANS 12" is back in print on clear vinyl! Thanks for reading, cheers!