News

Hi and thanks for reading. It’s been a minute since we’ve had a newsletter, and we’ve had a ton of killer records come in and out of stock since. There are a number of records in stock currently that I’d like to write about, but I am going to keep this short and focus on this NUKIES 12”. I have been pretty sick the last week or so, and as a result I have not been listening to much of anything. My head is so congested I legit can’t hear properly. When I finally get my ears to pop, I’m like oh my god that’s what this is supposed to sound like… but unfortunately the relief is only for a few minutes and then my heads is back to the clouds.

I wrote about NUKIES previously when their debut came out. The songwriting is right up my alley, so when I saw they had a new record coming out I got mad excited. NUKIES take obvious influence from TOTALITÄR, but they also remind me of modern classics like HERÄTYS. It’s no easy task trying to emulate that sound, but NUKIES deliver it with authenticity. The songs on this record range from a faster tempo (but not like blazing fast, cos you gotta leave room for the killer riffs to breathe) to the more pulled-back, super in-the-pocket tempo that brings head banging to the max. Luckily, I think I counted only one breakdown on the entire record, hehe, so it really is up my alley. I really love how the A side ends with a full-on dirge. I feel like I never hear that on modern records, and they really pulled it off. On the B side they bust out this pogo one, “Paralysis,” and it really compliments their sound. Bouncing back and forth between pogo and d-beat can be a bit cheesy if you ask me, but again, NUKIES pull that shit off. The record was recorded by Kenko at Communichaos and it sounds killer. If you haven’t heard these guys yet, check ‘em out! I was going to suggest their first 12” as well, but it appears we’ve sold out as of last week. I did see that we have copies of this absolute Danish classic from KALASHNIKOV in stock! I’m sure we highlighted the hell outta this record when it was initially reissued a few years ago, but if you aren’t familiar, this record is essential to every collection as far as I’m concerned. Check it out! Anyway, that sums it up for me this week. We don’t have many copies of Paralysis of Fear from NUKIES, so don’t sleep! I hope everyone is taking care out there. Cheers and thanks for your support!

Hello and thanks for reading. At last, we have our copies of the brand-new DESTRUCT / LIFE split 12” on Desolate! Japan’s LIFE has been a band since the 90s and they have released stuff pretty consistently since. I find it super impressive that DESTRUCT did a split with them. DESTRUCT’s tracks are just getting more and more intense with each release if you ask me. While I find it impressive they have a split with LIFE, it is not shocking by any means. DESTRUCT is such a powerhouse, and has continued to turn heads for the last five years. They also seem like a super busy band, with releases following closely one after another. I just saw Noise Room shared a teaser of some new stuff that is being mastered there as well! So sick. OK, I have no time at all unfortunately, so this is it for today. Don’t sleep on this record. If you don’t like splits, wake up. Cheers and thanks to everyone for your support!

Hello and thanks for reading. I have not been home very much since the last newsletter, which also means I have not been playing many records at all. I do listen to music at work a lot, but it’s usually digital. I can’t even tell you what I was jamming this last week though. My brain is feeling pretty foggy. I unexpectedly woke up today feeling like shit, so I did not come into work. I was going to bail on the newsletter, but on second thought I decided to write about one of the records that was featured in this week’s Hardcore Knockouts. It’s kind of funny to me how bad DESTRUCKTIONS beat VARAUS. I think that DESTRUCKTIONS are really good, but I think that VARAUS’s songs are more memorable to me. Maybe DESTRUCKTIONS is more popular because they were active after the 80s? They’ve also had more reissues. There’s no particular reason why I paired them together for the match, except that I recently got the VARAUS record and was looking for another Finnish 12” to put them against. I’ve had the DESTRUCKTIONS LP for a long time and it really was not that hard to find when compared to other Finnish records. VARAUS seems to be extremely rare. I’ve only ever seen one in person, and that was literally in Finland when we went on tour earlier this year. It’s ironic this record is so rare because I too commonly hear the story of someone finding their copy for something like $15 or even $2, but of course this is a very long time ago, before the internet started dictated the going rate for records. Regardless, it’s crazy to think about something so rare going for so cheap.

I should’ve taken the time to do some proper nerding before writing, but I didn’t plan for this staff pick. I think the first pressing of the 12” had 200 copies and the repress in this poster sleeve had 150. I’m really not sure, but Finnish punk/hardcore bands often pressed stuff in small quantities back in the 80s. I think their 7” had 300 copies pressed. Anyway, I think I’m just explaining how rare it is in my head, since it was the most expensive record I have ever bought! Haha. TAMPERE SS would probably be around the same I paid on this one, but that was a not-so-straightforward deal with cash and trade. If I can remember right, Anarkist Attack was the most expensive record I ever bought for a really long time. I remember when the most I’d spend on a record was $50. That amount went up to around $100 fairly quickly, and I feel like it hovered there for years. It’s hard to remember, but I think the SVART FRAMTID or maybe BANNLYST 7” was the first record I ever spent more than $100 on. After that, it was all downhill. Or uphill? Haha.

I am no longer in denial of being a collector, but I like to think that I’m not as pretentious or snobby as many of those I encounter on the internet. I always pick up a good reissue, mail order from labels I wanna support, and of course I buy records from bands at gigs. The one thing about an 80s pressing of a record, though, is that like nine times out of ten it is gonna sound so damn good. I know this isn’t always the case, especially when the recording wasn’t the greatest. The interesting thing about tons of Finnish hardcore records is that they were recorded with professional engineers. If you didn’t know, tons of bands would be working with engineers who hated them and who obviously hated their music. Typically, bands could afford just enough time to record one take of each song. Regardless of the conflicts these bands would encounter during record sessions, the results were phenomenal. I remember reading about the original VARAUS 12” online, and how bad the sound was. Not that the band was recorded poorly necessarily, but that tape they used was shit or something. In the Svart reissue of the 000 7”, they explained a similar situation they had when they recorded. The engineer didn’t give a shit about them and recorded them on a heavily used tape. The volume is kinda all over the place, and even falls out at times on the original pressing of that record.

The VARAUS 12” material was reissued on a discography CD in the 90s and later on LP in the 2000s. I’m pretty sure the vinyl version was just made from the CD master, since it’s the same track list. The unfortunate thing about the reissues is that they are missing three songs from the original 12”. I had read that when they were mastering the audio for the reissue, they decided these tracks were no longer usable. Obviously, it couldn’t be that bad since the reissue sounds really good and I have heard the rip on YouTube, but I was really curious what to expect when it came to the real deal. It felt pretty crazy to open up the parcel. I actually felt pretty crazy for days after, knowing this record was now tucked away in my shelves. I don’t think that feeling has disappeared either, really. It was packed like mad, which I really appreciated of course. The dude said it was NM, and NM it was indeed. I laid the needle down and the speakers were overwhelmed with that fuzzy VARAUS guitar tone.

When it came to the sound stuff I read about, it was apparent once I was able to play the original. The recording is good, and the pressing sounds nice. It’s not like the 000 7”. It’s not apparent immediately, but on a few songs you can actually hear another band in the background! I think I heard harmonica? Not really sure, but there’s something going on there, haha. I can hear some Finnish folk-type singing here and there too. This stuff doesn’t just happen between songs, but even between some quiet parts. I’m probably making it sound a lot worse than it really is, cos the record does sound really good and you gotta be paying attention to catch this stuff, but it is certainly there. It’s silly to think about some Finnish folk stuff being recorded on this tape before some raw hardcore shit like VARAUS. It also makes me wonder what the sound source for the reissue was, cos maybe they didn’t even have the original tape anymore? I’m gunna have to get back on that one. Alright that’s it for the week. Thanks for reading. And thanks A TON to all of those who bought records off me last month so I could pay off this sucker!!

Hello and thanks for reading,

I haven’t been spending much time listening to records the last two weeks, unfortunately. I haven’t been home much, and at work I’ve mostly been listening to MISFITS in preparation for a Halloween cover show, and INDIGESTI. For some reason I can’t stop listening to INDIGESTI. I have picked up a handful of records here and there over the last few weeks. When I saw DESTRUCT up in Richmond a few weeks ago, I was very excited to grab their new 12” split with LIFE. Sorry State does not have our copies yet, but hopefully this time next week you will be reading me rave about it, haha. If you missed this one, you can check it out here and get excited for us to get copies in stock. I was wondering what I would write about this week, since I haven’t been playing much stuff at home. I realized this morning I was overlooking a record that I have been jamming the last few months that I can finally write about. And that is ZORN’s brand new 12” on Sorry State, Endless Funeral. No joke, my housemate just walked by room and said damn man you’ve been playing this shit a lot lately…haha.

While Sorry State has many parts of the operation that all of us significantly contribute to, Daniel is the one who decides what’s released on the label. It is his label in the end, of course. There is some stuff we release that I don’t like at all, and then there is some stuff that I think is absolutely killer. This new ZORN is some of that killer shit. I do kinda have a soft spot for these goofy maniacs, since we’ve known each other since like 2017 I think. I feel like I have seen them more times than I can count. If I remember right, SCARECROW’s first outta town show was with ZORN and DARK THOUGHTS in Philly. I remember our demo tape was not even out yet, haha. I feel like ZORN has come really far since their earlier stuff, and live… holy shit. They are so powerful and tight, with just a touch of violence, haha. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not a fan of metal. While ZORN leans so far into metal, it might be more metal than punk; their roots in hardcore are still present and bring driving force to their songs. They are a bit gimmick-y with the make-up, chains, and coffin; but don’t let that mislead you into thinking the band relies on gimmicks. They write excellent, dynamic songs. I’m not really sure what their influences are. I feel like music is the last thing we ever talk about when hanging out, haha. Surely the vocalist Eric loves MERCYFUL FATE, though, and I know he is a major songwriter in the band. The B side begins with a song entitled Endless Funeral, and it’s my favorite song on the record. The guitar is just so crazy, and it’s even more crazy they incorporate it into hardcore. It took me a minute to figure out what it reminded me of. Maybe I’m nuts, but it sounds like some shit you’d hear on a castle level on Super Mario. I love it.

They just kicked off their Euro tour today. If you live in Europe check out their tour flyer. If you live anywhere close to the cities they are playing, be sure to make the effort to see them cos you will not be disappointed. If you missed it, their debut 12” is now back in print! They will have copies of both 12”s on tour. Alright I think that’s all for this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your support.

Hello and thanks for reading.

Today I am writing about two records. I have been waiting for us to get the new SVAVELDIOXID for a minute, and YELLOWCAKE totally caught me by surprise last week. The homies at Not For The Weak delivered this ripper, alongside Total Peace. I think this record is insane. I am super selective these days about what 7"s I actually buy. Even records I enjoy I may not buy cos I know I probably will never play the actual 7". Usually it’s cos they are kind of short, and obviously cos 7"s aren’t cheap as fuck anymore. When I heard this YELLOWCAKE record, it was a no-brainer for me, though. Funny enough, the last 7" I bought as also a NFTW release. YELLOWCAKE has been on my radar since they played here a few years ago. They took me by surprise back then, and they have just delivered an amazing follow-up to their debut. It’s not that they are playing anything super original or special, but the execution is just nuts. Live they had such speed and power, and they deliver just that on this EP. The first EP was great, but the sound is a bit less developed compared to the new one. It seems like they really found their sound on this one. I don’t make this comparison like ever, but they really remind me of FRAMTID with their fierce, pummeling intensity. They also do some things I would not expect. I appreciate that they don’t box in their songwriting style, but make it all fit together just right. If you missed this one, check it out!

Sweden’s SVAVELDIOXID is back with another record! I guess the last one came out about this time last year? I think there was a holdup with the artwork on this one, which delayed them, cos they recorded it in March. It still feels like they are a busy band, and I find myself enjoying each record even more than the last. They re-visited Sunlight Studios for this one, with Tomas Skogsberg on recording and mixing duties. This record sounds even more death metal than the last. Surprise, haha. I love this touch, though. While they sound pretty damn heavy, it still reminds me of traditional hardcore punk like BOMBANFALL. I might be crazy, but I feel like they are getting faster with time as well. The drummer plays so locked in… his perfect groove really hits the spot. I think the artwork on this one is great, too. I feel like I see them less these days, but I think it’s funny they chose 10" format. Ironically, I just mentioned last week when I wrote about a different one; I am pretty sure all 10"s are just 12"s cut down these days. I’m more than happy to add another to my collection, though. Check this one out if you missed it. I think we were low on stock already, but hopefully we can restock if it’s sold out by the time you’re reading. Alright, I guess it’s a short one this week cos that’s all I’ve got. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Hello and thanks for reading.

I have not found myself in the mood for writing the last week, so I apologize for the state of my staff pick. It feels like it’s been a minute since we’ve had a consistent newsletter, but there’s a bunch of great records in stock and I wanted to mention a few. I also need to go back and talk about a previous staff pick cos I learned some integral information since then. But more importantly, I need to talk about hurricane Helene first. I think most readers know about this hurricane and the devastation it has caused in the southeastern United States. I’ve had some friends from overseas hit me up cos they hear North Carolina, but we are lucky enough to have been a few hours north of the floods. I don’t want to get into how the US can afford to send billions to Israel to fund a full-on ethnic cleansing, but can’t afford adequate relief efforts to these communities that are suffering complete and total loss right now. I wanted to drop this link to our friends at RUMAH. If you are able to send some funds to help with supplies and essential items, you can find a number of trustworthy places via that link. If you live in the triangle, it’s also got information on how you can help by volunteering. If you’re in Raleigh, be sure to come out to the Halloween cover show! All the money from the door will be used in relief efforts. There is also a benefit on the 14th at Kings and Neptunes. I’m sure there will be more benefits to follow. Let’s stand together and look out for each other. The systems in place fail us, but we are not powerless without them. They need us; we don’t need them.

Last week we traveled north to bear witness to the mighty MOB 47. These guys are old. I guess Christoffer, the bassist, ain’t quite as old since he is a newer member. I think Åke said he was 62, shit. I’m not tryna talk shit by talking about their age, but give praise that they are still full-on rocking at this point in their lives. So sick. Naturally, I am a huge fan of MOB 47. I was very excited to see them. But of course, I wondered how well they would actually perform at this age. I didn’t wanna get my hopes up, but man, they were so damn good. I really didn’t expect it. After the gig we hung late at Patrick’s house, where I proceeded to grill the fuck out of Åke about MOB 47 and of course, DISCARD. I don’t want to spend too much time writing about it, but I asked Åke about the two different DISCARD sessions and where the songs were used. And most importantly, I asked him about DISCARD’s logo that rips off DISCHARGE. I was talking to him and said I knew about the art in Really Fast Vol 3, but said from my understanding they didn’t have a DISCHARGE rip-off logo until the 1990 7”. Åke corrected me and explained how they did it—in the ‘80s. I wanted to explain this cos I was so wrong when I previously wrote about DISCARD. It’s probably cheesy and unimportant to most, but it’s super significant they had done something like this so early on. Thinking back now, I wish I had asked him and Chrille even more questions, haha.

There are some reissues we have in stock I wanted to mention, cos I consider them essential. SWANKYS Very Best Of Hero has just been released by General Speech in the USA! I don’t think this band needs an introduction, and this record has been dying for a reissue for decades now. General Speech has added an additional insert that includes the history of SWANKYS. While it is brief, it is awesome to read. I didn’t quite understand the history of GAI and SWANKYS, so I really appreciated it. If you didn’t know, SWANKYS and GAI were the same band, just under different names at different times. They were initially forced to change their name to GAI, as SWANKYS had been banned at clubs due to extreme performances. General Speech did an absolutely amazing job on the reissue, down to the actual sound of the record. The packaging is almost identical to the original. It’s super nice and slick—in a good way. There are just some subtle, and tasteful, changes to denote it is a reissue. I know General Speech has more reissues lined up after this and I really can’t wait. I think this record is essential for every collection, so grab one if you have not!

I also wanted to mention this reissue I have been playing the hell out of, We Can’t Help It If We’re From Florida. The artwork and title of this compilation is hilariously awesome. Especially cos the bands fucking rip. To me, this is a whole new world. I’ve heard of two of the bands before, but never heard any of these songs. It’s funny to me they chose 10" format for this reissue. I know the original was a 7", but this one has bonus tracks so obviously it could not fit on the original format. From my understanding, these days all 10"s are just 12"s cut down to size. 12"s sell better than 7"s, and I think 10"s sell the worst. To me, I don’t care about the size, as long as it’s good. Again, this record is all new to me. I think all the bands are super cool. Maybe MORBID OPERA is one I wouldn’t jam so much, haha. I know I heard ROACH MOTEL before cos we had some 7"s come through the shop, but hearing em again on this compilation really made em stick out to me. HATED YOUTH obviously rip so fucking hard, shit. I had no idea. I’ve seen the name around forever, but my ignorant ass never checked them out. Now I need to find one of those 7"s previously released on Burrito Records. I think these compilation tracks are a different session from what was released on that 7"? I actually picked one of these 10"s up from my buddy Chris a few weeks ago cos I wasn’t sure if we’d get distro copies. He told me to check it out, and I instantly grabbed one, haha. If you don’t know shit like me, check this compilation out and you’re gunna one grab one. If you already have the original, maybe you’ll be tempted to grab it for the bonus tracks, haha. Alright, I think that sums it up for me today. Free Palestine.

Hello and thanks for reading.

Surprise, I am writing about yet another Swedish band. There are still a few other recent releases from Sweden I have been jamming, but I am going to pace myself and just go one at a time. This week it’s PX-30 from Uppsala. I should have done some proper nerding before writing but unfortunately, I did not. I say that cos PX-30 has the same guitarist from HERÄTYS. That has significance to me cos I think HERÄTYS is one of the greatest contemporary bands ever to exist. I guess I should say that my definition of a contemporary band would be one who formed in 2000 or after. If you don’t know them, you can check out their 12” here. Or maybe I should call it an LP? I don’t know. It’s two different recording sessions, one on each side. My friends and I always debate which side is better, haha. My last conclusion was that the B side obviously had way better sound/production, while I still found the songs on the A side to be more memorable. Maybe that will change one day, though. Those B side riffs are really kicking around my head after this latest listen. They have a few other 7"s, and luckily for you these records are not hard to find if you’re just now hearing how excellent this band is.

Anyway, PX-30 has been on my radar since they dropped a digital version of this LP all the way back in May of last year. Insane it was that long between the recording and the record actually coming out. I think a big hold up was the artwork, but man if you ask me this super captivating, unique, thought-provoking and complex artwork they came through with in the end was definitely worth the wait! The sound of HERÄTYS can be found in PX-30 in a sense, but the bands don’t really sound the same. The riffs are unbelievably catchy and played locked-tight with the drums that are grooving hard as fuck. They have a tendency for songs to evolve into breakdowns or mid-tempo parts. Typically, this is a formula I really do not like, but every now and again there is a band like PX-30 who pulls me in deep enough for me to forget my standards on breakdowns.

The vocalist of PX-30 is named Martin, and we became friends when we played in Uppsala on our European tour in 2022. I remember when we met. He said something like, “Probably no one is going to come to the gig. I’m sorry. I will be sure you get 100 euros, though.” If I remember right, it was a bad time for a gig cos everyone was at a fest or on holiday or something. I guess we had planned that tour a little too late in the summer. I can’t remember when it was exactly, but in almost every city they told us to tour earlier in the summer next time cos so many people were away on holiday. There were a few gigs, like Uppsala, where we played totally alone. I didn’t give a fuck, though. I think I’ve mentioned before how I hold Uppsala in high regard. I guess it dates back to BOMBANFALL for me, but when I first became obsessed with Uppsala, I did not know who they were. My introduction was via Your Own Jailer, a killer label operated by Jan Jutila, who released and also played on some essential records throughout the 90s. I’ve gushed over this guy before, and I am way off topic.

So back to Uppsala, I think we played there cos we could not get a gig in Stockholm, but obviously I was very happy to visit this place that was so legendary in my mind. Yeah, we played alone, but holy shit there were like 80 people there or some shit by the time we played. After the gig, we drove to Stockholm to sleep with a mate, so we didn’t really spend much time with Martin. But I thought it was a pleasure to meet, and we kept in touch after. When I let him know of our plans for touring in Sweden again, he insisted we play Uppsala again, as it was not on the initial itinerary. Obviously, I wanted to do this, and I insisted the PX-30 play. I was so happy that in the end we played there with both GEFYR and PX-30. I can’t express how happy and grateful I am to have shared a stage with both of these bands.

This time after the gig, we hung out hard with Martin at his flat. We had a lot of good laughs, some drinks, and snacks. I learned that PX-30 is actually a paint marker that people use for graffiti. I’m sure that was obvious to others, especially with the band’s logo choice, haha. But my noob ass does not know shit. Martin gave us some PX-30 hand-dubbed promo cassettes before we parted ways at the end of tour. He also gave me a PX-30 marker that will remain un-opened, and I will cherish it until the day comes that I materialize our memories and bond of friendship in an act of vandalism. Fuck, I really have not talked about much of anything again and I need get to work. Buy this record; you won’t be disappointed. Cheers and thanks for reading. Thanks to everyone for your support. If you’re reading this Martin, Hi :)

Hello and thanks for reading.

Surprise, I am writing about yet another Swedish band. This week it’s MEANWHILE, from Eskilstuna. There is a ton of other killer shit out right now, namely a few other Swedish rippers that have my attention… but it’s too much for me to get into today. So, I will stick to MEANWHILE and I will keep it brief. MEANWHILE played Skullfest in Pittsburgh a few weekends ago. They were excellent. It was everything I could have hoped for really. We also played the fest, but we played the day before. It was crazy to see Kenko, the drummer of MEANWHILE, wearing one of our shirts on stage. It blew my mind, haha. It means he watched our set… I wonder if he bought it before or after we played? Cos I don’t think I played very well, even though I heard some encouraging feedback after our set. I guess he still decided to wear it after he saw us, which means he probably thought we were sick. Hell yeah. I had been seriously looking forward to seeing them, as I am a huge fan of MEANWHILE.

If I am going to talk about MEANWHILE, then I need to talk about DISCHANGE. Actually, I need to go a bit further back into Swedish hardcore history and mention NO SECURITY first. I was just gushing over Kenko, but in reality, it is Jallo Lehto who I have been a fanboy of since my teenage years. Jallo was the drummer of NO SECURITY. He also did Finn Records with another dude named Jari Juho. I don’t think that dude did bands, though. Jallo joined TOTALITÄR on drums after their first few EPs. This is where I first became aware of his existence. While he was not a founding member, I consider him just as original as the rest since he has played on like 85% of their releases, including every full-length LP. Finn Records did not have their first release until 1989, but I consider them pretty essential when it comes to Swedish hardcore. Aside from releasing a lot of TOTALITÄR, they released stuff from other notable bands like SVART PARAD, ASOCIAL, and DISFEAR. DISPENSE was another absolutely killer band they released. I think they are criminally underrated.

I think NO SECURITY is fairly underrated in the world in international hardcore. Most people have probably heard of them cos they did a split with DOOM in 1989. They formed in 1985, but their impact was really felt in the later 80s and into the 90s, where most notable Swedish bands existed in an earlier wave. They never had an LP, and they only released one proper 7" in 1988. The rest of their material was spread onto some cassettes and four different splits. I think this isn’t the greatest formula for releasing your stuff, but man, they are one of the greatest Swedish hardcore bands ever to exist if you ask me. Most of their stuff was released between 1987 and 1989, but they had a split 12" in 1990 and a split 7" in 1995.

Kenko joined the band in 1989 on guitar. I think he only appears on the ‘90s records, though. Before his time in NO SECURITY, he was playing in death metal bands. After he joined NO SECURITY, he and Jallo cooked up a new project: DISCHANGE. However, in this band, they switched instruments! DISCHANGE has such catchy and memorable riffs. I think this is an obvious symptom of the riffs being written by an insane drummer. Between 1989 and 1991, they weren’t really an active band, since it was just the two of them recording everything. It wasn’t until 1991 when they recruited a few more guys and started gigging live. They released a masterpiece entitled Seeing Feeling Bleeding in 1993. This full-length followed two split 7"s they had released the years prior. Oddly enough, on the center label of their 1991 split with E.O.W, they credit themselves as both DISCHANGE and “MEANWHILE.” This is the only place where I saw the name mentioned until they formally changed it in 1995, when they released their debut, Remaining Right: Silence, under the new name MEANWHILE. This LP is so damn good, just as good as the DISCHANGE LP in my mind.

Alongside their name change, there was an evolution in the sound of DISCHANGE/MEANWHILE. I associate DISCHANGE with a much heavier sound and meaner riffs. Although, that it is clearly still heard on MEANWHILE’s Remaining Right: Silence. I mean, it was at Sunlight Studios, haha. But on their following LP in 1996, The Road To Hell, you can hear them leaning super hard into the catchy side of things. I know they still have straight up DISCHARGE songs on each record; I just mean I can really hear this evolution in the guitar playing that makes the band shine even more. The way Kenko plays d-beat is so groovy, with Jallo’s super-catchy riffs, the combination is just too good. In 2000 Sound Pollution released their third LP, Same Shit, New Millennium. Their first two LPs were actually only available on CD originally. It wasn’t until 2008 that Feral Ward reissued both of those on vinyl, alongside their final LP, Reality or Nothing. Between 1995 and 2008, they released four LPs and four EPs. I think each of these records is legit excellent and worth listening to. While I favor their first LP a lot, their 2005 7" Ghostface Democracy is so unbelievably good. This one was interesting cos it really sounds like they turned the dial up to 11 on DISCHARGE, namely Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing. I’m sure anyone who has heard this record knows how damn good it is. But to be honest, I think the artwork is pretty bad and I understand if someone would pass it over based on the art, haha. While artwork may not be their strong suit, they certainly make up for it with what’s actually on the record.

Alright, well shit, it doesn’t seem like I talked about much of anything and I didn’t really talk about this reissue much either, haha. This reissue is brought to us by Fight For Your Mind Records, a killer label from France who first got on my radar with their TOTALITÄR release. While MEANWHILE records are not painfully hard to find if you look for them, I am happy this is back in print! For being such a big fan, I actually don’t have this record. This pressing of Same Shit, New Millennium has been remastered by Communichaos, which was something else that also got on my radar via TOTALITÄR. I remember seeing it often in the recording credits of their 2000s records. Communichaos is actually operated by Kenko, which is yet another reason I am such a fan of him and his bands. The original artwork for the LP wasn’t so bad, but it really took a turn for the worse with the reissue... haha. (I am sorry if the artist is reading this.) Don’t let the artwork fool you and check out the LP! These 19 raging, riff-heavy tracks will without a doubt have your fist pumping and head banging from start to finish. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Hello and thanks for reading. Today I will be briefly writing about AVKSUM, yet another band who was under the influence of DISCHARGE during the early 80s in Sweden. The EP I am writing about today, Crucified By The System, came out in 1984. However, they had already released a demo cassette in 1982, making a mark in their small city of Kristinehamnm. SKÄMS was probably the most notable band from their city at the time, with their EP coming out in 1979. Micke Blomqvist of ASTA KASK recorded the AVKSUM demo at his studio Kloakens Alternativa Antistudio. I’ve mentioned Micke before, as he deserves so much credit… at his studio legendary bands like Nyx Negative, Crude SS, Asocial, Svart Parad, Anti-Cimex, Avskum, and Rövsvett all recorded. This demo has previously been reissued on Prank actually, but it looks like it needs to be put back in print again!

Prank has also previously reissued Crucified By The System back in 2007. Before that, it had been bootlegged in the ‘90s. I am glad Prank put this back in print, cos I think this EP is absolutely essential when it comes to Swedish hardcore. AVSKUM brings a unique sound to hardcore early on, mixing super melodic and anthemic riffs with hardcore and d-beat drumming. It comes off as almost proto-stadium crust or something haha. Members had previously played in obscure punk bands DEAD CORRUPTION and ADRIAN CUBA. DEAD CORRUPTION had a very slight bit of a hardcore sound, somewhat reminiscent of super early ANTI-CIMEX or something, maybe more like DNA, actually. ADRIAN CUBA sounded much more like traditional ‘77 Svensk punk. Call me crazy, but I think this ‘77 style was super influential and apparent in the AVSKUM sound. This ADRIAN CUBA song was actually re-worked later as an AVSKUM song on their 1985 EP that never ended up coming out.

After AVSKUM released their debut 7", they hit the studio again in 1985 for another EP. They had written many notable labels to see if they’d be interested in the release, including Propaganda, MRR, and Clay Records. It was UK label Mortarhate Records who agreed to release the session as a 12" record. AVSKUM had sent them the tape and artwork, but in the end, nothing came of it and this material remained unreleased until a discography CD came out in the late ‘90s. I hate to sound so cliche, but this unreleased material is my favorite AVKSUM material. On this EP, they lean even more into their melodic tendencies, and I especially love that intro on “The End.” That is some weird shit to pull off. This discography compiled a ton of unreleased stuff that was recorded before that EP that also never came out. If you haven’t heard Crucified By The System (or their demo), you can find it on the discography of course.

AVSKUM remained a band until their breakup in 1988. It seems kinda crazy to have existed for all those years and just release on EP. I guess they got burned pretty bad by Mortarhate, so I can’t blame em. I read translations from the Crash-Mag zine where they explained trying to record once, and it resulted in the studio engineer getting into a huge argument with their producer, resulting in the producer leaving in anger, and everything falling to shit. I guess they didn’t have the best luck in the 80s. AVSKUM reformed again in the mid-90s and came back in full force. I think they had more or less the same line-up as before, but I didn’t look into that much. I think their later albums are excellent. It’s not like bands who reform and put out super boring or sterile D-beat records. AVSKUM’s later shit rips. I listen to it just as much as the 80s shit. Alright, I need to get back to work and I wrote all this shit super quick just a few hours before this newsletter is coming out. Thanks for reading me write not about much, but I hope it was an entertaining read on some level. Again, I think Crucified By The System is absolutely essential. If you don’t have a copy - grab one now!

Hello and thanks for reading.

I think Sweden took more influence from DISCHARGE than anywhere else in the world during the 1980s. Obviously, DISCHARGE was ground-breaking when it came to punk across the globe, but bands who took influence from them usually had their own twist on things. It seems the significance of DISCHARGE was even more evident in Sweden, with DISCHARGE-type hardcore bands forming as early as 1981. I have no idea who the first DISCHARGE worship band was in Sweden. SKITSLICKERS or ANTI-CIMEX, right? But I guess that also brings another silly, pointless, nerd question to the table; can one qualify as a DIS-band if there is no DIS in name? I think that question is up for debate.

DISTRUST is one of the earliest bands I can think of who might fit this category. However, I don’t think they really mastered the DISCHARGE sound. I am not super familiar with all their material though, so I won’t speculate too much. DISARM is a band that comes to mind quickly. Their first EP was released in 1984, followed by another in 1986. I think both of these records are exemplary when it comes Swedish hardcore in general, but they are great examples of a Swedish band taking such a massive influence from DISCHARGE. They also released material before they had the name DISARM, as TOTAL ARMSVETT. The style was significantly different, though. I’m sure they knew who DISCHARGE was in their early days, but I wonder what changed between the tapes and the first EP. I really love DISARM, but this is some of my absolute favorite Swedish shit, next to shit like TATUERADE SNUTKUKAR and NYX NEGATIV. None of these bands are really DISCHARGE worship by any means, though.

So then there is DISACCORD, a favorite of mine. DISACCORD, like many other amazing Swedish bands, never had a proper record. They released a tape in 1985 and appeared on a few compilations. I think this tape might be the first of its kind, in the sense of total DISCHARGE worship. I know SVART PARAD had already released a tape of pummeling DISCHARGE-type hardcore with gruff vocals, and shit I mean, CRUDE SS and AVSKUM were certainly already around before SVART PARAD; but to me DISACCORD pushed it to the next level. The music is a bit more brutal, the artwork is totally that of DISCHARGE, and of course their band name begins with DIS. The thing about “D-beat” and DIS-bands though, is this term is much more of a 90s phenomenon. I don’t think there were any bands in the ‘80s self-identifying as “D-beat.” I was trying to think of the first use of the word, and the earliest use I can think of is either from Jan Jutila or Kawakami. I’d love for someone to tell me their thoughts on this.

So, I am slowly getting to my staff pick here with DISCARD. DISCARD was yet another Swedish band who never had a proper record. In fact, they never even had a proper tape. They had two different recording sessions, and this stuff was only circulated amongst friends and fanatics. Most notably, in 1986, they had two songs appear on Really Fast Volume 3. It wasn’t until 1990 that DISCARD finally had a record released, which was a “reissue” of one of their 80s recording sessions. A small Swedish label called Jesus Kudd Records released this debut on 7" format and it was entitled Death From Above. Soon after, Finn Records repressed the record in Sweden. And then later, German label Rødel Records reissued it. It was put back in print most recently in 2015 by Czech label Insane Society Records. I am not sure if they just repressed it or if we got some dead stock, but we have some copies in stock now. The original pressings of this record were notably very nice, with cardstock textured sleeves. I think Insane Society did a great job on their packaging, with some nice screen printing in silver ink on black paper. As you can see in my picture up there, I have every version of this absolutely essential record. Although there is a rare version of the first pressing that I do not have, where it exists on green vinyl...

Now the thing is, DISCARD was never a real band in the first place. I read inside the Stockholm’s Mangel reissue that they played one gig, though. DISCARD was essentially just a recording project with members of MOB 47 and Per from AGONI on vocals. I have always associated DISCARD with AGONI and CRUDITY, but this is cos of the legendary Stockholm’s Mangel compilation. This compilation originally came out in 1986 on cassette format. But DISCARD was not actually on the tape. It was not until 2000 when the tape was reissued on LP and CD, and the track list was expanded to include some more projects from Stockholm who existed at the time, including DISCARD. I am pretty sure the recording session on Stockholm’s Mangel is the same session where the tracks on Death From Above came from, but the 7" is missing some tracks.

So, DISCARD first recorded six tracks in 1985. In 1986 they recorded those same six songs again, alongside five more new tracks. I think the only difference between the two sessions is who plays the guitar solos. The sound of them is very similar; sometimes it’s hard for me to tell them apart until it comes to the solo, haha. I could be totally wrong about which songs they recorded when, but I read Åke from MOB 47 recorded both sessions at his legendary Bowlingstudion. Regardless of just being a side project, these songs never get old to me. DISCARD seriously sticks out in the midst of literally every single DIS-band who has ever existed. There is no one who quite got the sound as brutal as this, while still maintaining such a stripped-down style. I think the vocals are arguably more powerful than Jonsson of ANTI-CIMEX. The lyrical content and artwork are all total DISCHARGE, and they even ripped off the DISCHARGE font for their own logo.

They might have been the first band to rip off DISCHARGE’s logo for a record. I am not really sure, but I can’t think of anyone who did it before. But like I said, their first record didn’t come out until 1990, and they did not have any artwork initially, so this complete DIS-phenomena did not happen in 1985 or 1986 when they were recording. If not for that initial pressing in 1990, who knows how the DIS-world would have formed differently. DISCARD had such a massive influence on bands like DISCLOSE and DOOM, who themselves have influenced an immeasurable number of bands. There is a certain rawness that comes with DISCARD’s stripped-down sound that is just absolutely perfect, like that of DISCHARGE. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who think this record is just as essential as I do, but I know there are tons of people out there who have seen the name DISCARD but just pass it over as just another shitty DIS-clone band. If you happen to be one of these people, I’d check them out cos it’ll likely blow your mind.

A note before I go: There were a lot of Swedish bands influenced by DISCHARGE and I only named a few. It would be silly to talk about Swedish DISCHARGE worship and not mention ABSURD, so I am doing it now. Their one and only EP was recorded in 1982 and released in 1983. The artwork is super iconic, and totally that of DISCHARGE. They took a great influence from DISCHARGE, and they especially loved SKITSLICKERS. They even recorded at the same studio where GBG 1982 was recorded. Their EP really is excellent, but it took some time to grow on me when I first heard it. I guess it just was not quite what I expected based on the context, and they maybe fall a bit short with intensity compared to other bands at the time. I think that probably has to do with what was going on in the studio, though. Before I start blabbing about some other shit, I wanted to also mention Lasse (vocalist of SKITSLICKERS) oddly enough said he never had a DISCHARGE record and was never really a big fan... haha. Alright that’s all. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support.

Hi and thanks for reading.

I’m leaving work early for the weekend, so this one is probably gonna be pretty short. Some of my friends convinced me to go up to NYC to catch the FEROCIOUS X gigs. I was on the fence cos going to New York is seemingly always a pain the ass, but at least I don’t have any gear to haul or a set to play. I’m sure it will be a good time, and this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity to catch this killer band from Osaka. Anyway, this week I have been heavily spinning the new MASSACRED 7” that was just released on Active-8 Records. In between their first 7" and this one they released a promo cassette that featured a few tracks from this EP, some live shit, plus four demo versions of songs that will be on a LP. I picked one of these up when we played Boston with VIDRO last year, and I have been really looking forward to hearing the real deal 7". I am a big fan of THE MASSACRED so I am always eager to hear what they release next. Their debut 7" was delayed like two years, and I think that has backed the band’s releases up. I say that cos this EP was recorded all the way back in June 2021. I also know they have the proper LP already recorded and coming at us sometime in the future. The demo versions of the LP songs on the cassette are sick. I really can’t wait for the proper release. They sample some songs with their usual straight-forward, catchy UK82 tracks. But they also dish out this song called “Extermination” that takes us deeper in the bowels of UK82, straying away from the traditional DISCHARGE formula. This track reminds of exactly something THE EXPLOITED would do on Horror Epics or Death Before Dishonour. I love the later ‘80s EXPLOITED shit, so this track really got me going. Anyway, I’ve seen THE MASSACRED live twice now and they do not disappoint. They are so tight; like a well-tuned, oiled up fucking machine. And on the records, you can really hear how tight they play together. The guitar picking is so involved and intentional, it seriously sticks out. Mark, the guitarist, has also recorded all THE MASSACRED material to date. The records especially sound so damn good. The drums sound perfect. I asked him how he recorded their stuff and he said he uses a 1/2" 8-track. No wonder it sounds so good... he’s taking the time and effort to record in the most classic of ways, straight to tape. The time they take with their band really shows I think, with their live performance, the recordings, and especially with their packaging. I love the 7" pocket sleeve with the tabs glued on the outside, classic. I also love that they take the time to stamp the inner sleeve not just once, but twice. I think this is a killer record from a contemporary band pulling off a classic style that is kind of hard to emulate without sounding cheesy. If you haven’t heard ‘em yet, check them out! I’m sure you will wanna grab a copy of the EP. Alright that’s all for today. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Hi and thanks for reading.

Today I will write briefly about the NEGAZIONE / DECLINO split, Mucchio Selvaggio. I don’t know a ton about Italian hardcore, but this record is absolutely essential if you ask me. It seems like 80s Italian hardcore was blessed when it came to releasing killer split records, more than any other country I can think of. I am really happy there is finally an official reissue of this iconic LP, or cassette more like. Mucchio Selvaggio was originally released on cassette in 1984 as a co-production between two labels: Disforia Tapes and Ossa Rotte Tapes. Disforia was operated by members of NEGAZIONE. Ossa Rotte Tapes was a label operated by Stiv Valli and Marco Medici, who was the vocalist of CRASH BOX. These guys were well known for a fanzine they started in the early ‘80s called Teste Vuote Ossa Rotte. A few years after they stared the zine, they also started releasing cassettes under Ossa Rotte Tapes. They only had a handful of releases with this label, including the CRASH BOX demo in 1983. The label kept evolving, and in 1985 they released their first record, INDIGESTI: Osservati Dall’Inganno, under the name TVOR On Vinyl. Mucchio Selvaggio surprisingly had three different printings on cassette, and in 1986 it was finally reissued onto vinyl by UK label C.O.R. Records. I actually always thought there were only two different versions of this tape, but inside this reissue there is a copy of an advert stating “third reprint.” Crazy.

This was the record that really put DECLINO on the map for me, cos I really had no idea who they were before I heard this split. I used to think this was my favorite DECLINO shit, but I don’t think I could choose now. Their 7" debut almost sounds almost like a different band. They play a bit slower and they sound a lot less chaotic. While it was not initially what I expected, the EP quickly grew on me. Call me crazy but I think it sounds like this record could have been released on Dischord, haha. The evolution from this record to Mucchio Selvaggio is pretty wild. Their sound on that record is really how I think of them, but the evolution continues on to their LP in 1985, Eresia. The quality of recording on this record is probably the best of all their records. I am disregarding the sound of the live tracks at the end, even though those tracks don’t sound bad at all for being live. I usually associate Italian hardcore with being fast and chaotic, but on the sloppier side. This record is absolutely fast and chaotic, but played so tight. It is absolutely killer. They can build such a great tension and then fucking explode. God, and the guitar is way too good. This used to be the material I listened to the least, but if you can’t tell, I have been playing the hell out of it lately, haha.

So, this reissue was done by a new Italian label called Rocka Tapes. I have no idea anything about them really, but this is their second release. The first release was a reissue of the CRASH BOX demo! I had never heard this demo, but it was a must if you ask me. I really appreciate how the label did a cassette version of the demo alongside a proper LP version. They’ve done the same thing with Mucchio Selvaggio. For any nerds who need the original cassette format, we’ve got you covered. I am one of those nerds and needed both versions. They’ve included nice scans of the complete j-card inside the LP reissue, so you don’t really need the cassette if that’s what you’re really looking for. The sound on the LP is also great. While the packaging may not be the coolest in my eyes, I think the reissue is really well done, and it’s essential in every collection. The original LP version is getting harder to find and more expensive, so I am happy this is available again. Alright that’s about it for today. I hope Rocka Tapes plans to hit us with some more essential Italian hardcore reissues! Cheers and thanks for reading everyone.