Annex: Melu 12” (Adelante Discos) Second 12” from this now-veteran Texas post-punk band. The band’s logo rips off Xmal Deutschland, and that nod indicates where Annex is coming from. The songs are dark and sparse in the manner of early goth, with lots of empty space in the production a la Cure records like Seventeen Seconds or Pornography. While Annex’s take on the style is straightforward, there are a couple of things I like about Melu. First, there’s a sense of expansiveness. Punk and hardcore songs tend to be densely packed with information, and particularly when you combine that songwriting style with a drummer who plays slightly ahead of the beat things can sound frantic and overwhelming. Annex take a very different approach, hanging on parts for a long time and spreading out across these songs like they’re a cozy living room. Some songs are instrumentals, though these songs don’t sound substantially different from the others; it’s like the singer just never bothers to start. The other thing I like about Melu is the guitarist’s strong melodic sensibility. The Chameleons are probably the most on-point comparison, but moments even approach Johnny Marr’s trademark melodicism.

Mere Mortal: Tartarus 12” (Quality Control) Debut 12” from this new UK metal band that draws their membership from the NWOBHC scene. While the band’s logo references Napalm Death, the sound is more thrash than grind (no blast beats), though it’s thrash of the heavier variety that edges toward early death metal. I’m reminded of Kreator’s heavier moments, but someone better versed in 80s metal could find more appropriate reference points. The vocals, however, aren't high-pitched wails, but instead are scary and demonic (but not guttural), giving Mere Mortal a cult metal vibe that keeps them well outside the zone of Power Trip’s more commercial thrash/hardcore hybrid. Speaking of hardcore, you can hear the members’ background in that genre in the huge, Cro-Mags-esque breakdowns that pepper these songs. “Scarecrow” in particular has a massive breakdown that will surely inspire spin kicks. Despite these nods, Tartarus feels like a pure metal record, and even if comparisons to records like Best Wishes or Humanity Is the Devil wouldn’t be out of place, this is still a step further toward metal than either of those. The riffs are there, though, the songwriting is great, and the production is gritty yet powerful. If you are interested in this style, I would highly recommended checking this out.

Natural Man & the Flamin’ Hot Band: S/T 7” (Neck Chop) Debut vinyl from this well-established project conducted by the Natural Man himself, Ian Teeple, whom you may know from his other gig playing guitar for Warm Bodies. While Warm Bodies displays Ian’s virtuosity, on this 7” at least Natural Man & the Flamin’ Hot Band feels like a party band. I’m not talking about a boneheaded frat party, but rather a hip party at an underground art gallery in a loft space on the Lower East Side in 1980. The music is energetic and celebratory, but an occasionally skronky saxophone or a choppy rhythm is always there as a sour accent to balance the sweet. While it’s similar to what the Contortions / James Chance were doing during the tail end of the No Wave era (or what the Cravats were doing in the UK around the same time), it feels like its own thing, like they arrived at this sound organically rather than by mining the past for influences. This won’t be for everyone, but I recommend it if you like your punk weird, quirky, and artsy. 

Baby’s Blood: S/T 7” (Neck Chop) Baby’s Blood are ostensibly from Finland, but Drew Owen’s hands are so all over this project it fits much more comfortably in the Sick Thoughts / DD Owen universe of projects than anything Finnish I’m aware of. If you’re a fan of Drew’s other work, this has everything you expect: nihilistic lyrics; big choruses that sound dumb at first, but after they’re repeated a few times seem strangely profound (see: “Everybody Looks Like a Fucking Idiot”); meaty, garage-punk-meets-HC riffs; and blistering fast tempos that never let up. This guy has this sound and style down to a science, so pick this up if you want to hear more of it… it’ll scratch your itch.

Decomp / Gaasp: Split 7” (Rust and Machine) Split 7” from these two Portland crust bands. Decomp has a sound that lives in the fuzzy area where hardcore punk meets crust and d-beat. With metallic, Japanese HC-inspired riffing and a noisy d-beat production style, they sound like a crustier version of what New York’s Headsplitters are doing. As for Gaasp, they also start with a d-beat foundation but spice their mix with some Motorcharged riffing and big build-ups a la D.S.B. I don’t think this will convert any d-beat haters, but it’s a solid fist-pounder for the crusties. 

Neo Neos: Kill Someone You Hate 12” (Neck Chop) Latest release, and the first on 12”, from this project. Neo Neos are punk maximalists with minimal production values, pounding out track after track of loose and cacophonous racket. Kill Someone You Hatefeatures a whopping 22 tracks, and it’s a total information overload in much the same way that the second Liquids LP (Hot Liqs Revenge, also on Neck Chop) was. As I’m listening, there’s plenty to get excited about in the gurgling cauldron of noise and feedback, but by the time I’ve played both sides of Kill Someone You Hate I feel like I’ve just binge-watched an entire season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia… my reference points are skewed and my world is no longer my own. I realize I haven’t given you any impression what this record sounds like, but it’s less about the sound and more about the experience, so if you aren’t willing to go on the whole epic journey with Neo Neos it’s probably best you stay home.

Suburban Homes: EP3 7” (Neck Chop) So, when you saw the title of this record you probably thought to yourself “wait, I’m sure I have more than two other Suburban Homes records in my collection.” You’re right. EP3 is Suburban Homes fifth release to hit the shelves. In the Red was supposed to release the EP, but several years of production delays and a switch to a new label put everything out of whack. The sound here is what we expect from Suburban Homes. They sound a lot like Desperate Bicycles with their deadpan vocals and gloomy, late-70s-Britain atmosphere, but their lyrics address the brutal mundanities of 2010s life. Their sound (like late 70s Britain) can be monochromatic, so my favorite moments in Suburban Homes songs come when you get a sudden burst of color, which comes in forms like a chiming, Billy Childish-style guitar solo (like in “Magazine Version” and “City Life”) or an unexpected overdub of noise guitar (“Corporate Hijack”). Suburban Homes’ flash factor hovers around zero, but I’ve always loved punk rock that has this unpretentious, workmanlike quality. Each new Suburban Homes record is a pleasure, and EP3 is no different.

Chronophage: demo cassette (self-released) This tape isn’t actually a demo, but rather a compilation of four different recordings: three small-run demo releases and a recording of a live show. Austin’s Chronophage sounds like a bedroom project in the best way possible, like a few weirdos with some hand-me-down musical equipment and obsolete recording gear muddling their way through making their own music. While Chronophage doesn’t sound like an homage at all, they remind me of Swell Maps and Cleaners from Venus in their rickety, homemade approach to making pop music. Like those bands, the Velvet Underground seems to be a key influence on Chronophage, particularly the way their sound slides between rock, pop, and out-there experimentation; there’s even an interesting cover of “I’ll Be Your Mirror” buried somewhere on this lengthy release. If you’re a fan of sprawling collections like the Swell Maps’ International Rescue or the compilations of Cabaret Voltaire’s early, home-recorded material I don’t know of a closer modern equivalent to those releases than this cassette. 

S.B.F.: Same Beat Forever 12” (Neck Chop) Debut full-length from this drum machine-backed punk duo from California and it’s a massive step up from their earlier material. The formula is largely the same—tough, catchy punk with a drum machine pumping away relentlessly behind it—but the significantly beefier sound and razor sharp songwriting make this the S.B.F. record to get. When you first listen to Same Beat Forever the first things to jump out are the massive choruses (see the kick-off track, “Tarantula Hawk”) and the street tough vibe. Seth remarked that this record reminds him of oi! music, not because S.B.F. have any of those stylistic traits, but rather because this sounds like simple and tough street rock a la Blitz. When you listen closely, though, you hear a lot of delicate detail. Every song is packed with catchy guitar hooks worthy of the Marked Men (though S.B.F. sound nothing like them), and despite the self-mocking title, S.B.F. use their drum machine more effectively than just about anyone since Big Black. With eight short tracks that range from Big Black-esque pounding (“Rock to the Head”) to Dead Kennedys-esque nightmare surf (“Devil’s Monocle”), this begs you to play it over and over.

ROHT: ðnsamfélagið Og Framtíð Þess 12” (Iron Lung) After a handful of earlier records, Iron Lung brings us the debut 12” from Iceland’s ROHT. ROHT have a grinding, grimy sound like a violent collision of the industrial and digital ages. The mechanical clap of the drum machines and the bass’s heavy thud sound like they were recorded on a mid-century factor floor, but the screeches and squelches occupying the higher frequencies seem to come from an army of malfunctioning modems. If you like the maximalist bleakness of L.O.T.I.O.N. you’ll love ROHT; in fact, from a musical standpoint, ROHT’s heavier production and sludgy yet catchy riffs (somewhere between Hoax and Bleach-era Nirvana) are even more powerful. This is ugly, difficult music, but it’s packed with power and brimming with subtle and hypnotic textures. In other words if you like the progressive hardcore that Iron Lung specializes in you shouldn’t let this one slip by.

Gaizin: S/T 7” (General Speech) Compilation of rare recordings by this band from 1980s Sapporo, Japan. Situated on the northern island of Hokkaido, Sapporo has produced great punk bands over the years (including G-Gas and Slang), but their scene gets less attention than what happens in the larger cities. However, as with American bands from off-the-beaten path cities, there’s often something special about the music from these places. Gaizin have plenty to offer the Japanese hardcore fanatic: gutteral vocals, metallic riffing, and raw, in your face production. But they also sound out of step. Like the label’s description mentions, the thrashy quality of the riffing and the blistering tempos remind me of Heresy, as do the short songs and dramatic stops and starts. I’m not sure if it’s coincidence or influence, but it makes for one of the more unique-sounding 80s Japanese records you’ll hear. Oh, and these sold out from the label, so if you want a copy you’d best jump on it before it disappears.

Boss: Steel Box 7” (Goner) Debut single from this new project. Boss includes Jonah from Fucked Up / Career Suicide / a million other things and Maxime from Rixe, and if I’m guessing correctly based on the first names on the back of the sleeve, the rest of the lineup is rounded out with a big chunk of Crown Court. That’s a lot of oi! connections, but Boss base their sound more in bootboy glam and pub rock… very early Cock Sparrer or Slaughter and the Dogs are reference points, but Slade and the Sweet seem like more pertinent influences. It’s tough to get away with a 2-track single in this day and age (especially when it retails for twelve bucks!), but both tracks are stone cold bangers. “Steel Box” is more melodic and glammy and “I’m the Dog (You’re the Ball)” is faster, edging into No Remorse-era Motorhead territory. I’m happy to have this scorcher of a single, but I’m even happier to see that Boss are playing a gig at Static Shock weekend in February, so hopefully that means these two tracks won’t be the last we hear of them.

Foward: Future Troops 12” (Todo Destruido) It surprised me to learn from the label’s description that Future Troops is only Forward’s 4th LP. I probably have a dozen Forward records in my collection, but I guess most of them are EPs rather than proper full-lengths. Their early discography is full of gems like Act Then Decide and While You Alive, but their past several records have been the real crushers. Future Troops continues that trend and it might be the best Forward record yet. If you saw Forward on this most recent tour, you know they’re a band at the top of their game. I’ve seen Forward eight or ten times in the past 15 years, and their set in North Carolina this November was the best of them all. They’ve always been great players, but nowadays they’re master craftsmen of hardcore punk. Watching them play or listening to Future Troops is like watching Michael Jordan play basketball in the early 90s or Picasso paint in the 30s. Not only is the skill level incomprehensibly high but also there’s the graceful confidence of someone who knows what they’re doing, how to do it, and why they’re doing it. Whether it’s ragers like “A.C.A.B.” and “Mother Fucker Japan,” the nimble rhythms of “In the Chaos,” the more melodic “True Freedom,” or the epic title track that closes the album, Forward execute every second of music on this LP perfectly. While everyone acknowledges that Forward is a great live band, their records often get short shrift. Don’t make that mistake because Future Troops is a bulldozer.

Lockjaw: Demos 1982-1983 12” (Antitodo) The Spanish label Antitodo continues to raid the vaults of 80s Portland hardcore band Lockjaw, this time unearthing 8 demo tracks for this one-sided 12”. The packaging is thin on information, but I’m guessing the first six tracks come from an earlier demo as they sound like they’re more influenced by 70s punk, though the band’s trademark nihilism is already there. “Back Door” and “Devil” have a rock-and-roll tinge a la Black Market Baby, while the more straightforward “Dead Friends” has a Teen Idles vibe. Things speed up for the last two tracks, by which time the band has arrived at the blazing hardcore you know from their two 7”s. While a few tracks from the 7”s appear in different versions, there’s enough new-to-us material that Lockjaw fans will want to scoop this up, particularly given the great sound and attractive packaging.

Lexicon: 5 Tracks Demo cassette (Iron Lung) Demo tape from this new band out of Seattle, and even though it’s billed as a demo this is already up to the high standard of quality we’ve come to expect from Iron Lung. I hear elements of d-beat, Blazing Eye-style fast pogo-punk, and more straightforward US hardcore (including some big mid-paced mosh parts), but Lexicon synthesize and streamline these influences into a cohesive and powerful sound. Highlights include the ripping, noisy guitar solo on “Rats,” the Minor Threat-ish “Nuclear Winter,” and the catchy chorus of the closing track “Isolation,” but there isn’t a wasted moment. A top-notch hardcore demo.

Dagger: Hexes cassette (Not Normal) After a standout previous 7” on Lengua Armada we get seven new tracks from this bruising hardcore band from Chicago. The sound is rawer than the 7”, but the songs are the same oi!-tinged hardcore concoction that caught everyone’s attention last year. Tracks like “Opportunity” get faster and more Negative FX-y, while “Dagger” has a Negative Approach stomp. Fans of Punch in the Face or Cardiac Arrest (and other bands whose vocalists sound like Choke) should also take note. Seven minutes of pure hardcore.

CT85: demo cassette (Not Normal) Nine-track demo from this new Chicago band, and they’re up there with Alienation and Suck Lords as one of the fastest pure hardcore bands around. While those bands are dark and gritty, CT85 is more punk. The Neos seem to be a big influence for CT85, particularly how they combine impossibly fast drumming with a punkier riffing style. CT85 also has an arty element unique among bands that play at tempos this fast. Ralph from Not Normal is in CT85, and like his previous group the Bug, the sound is loose, occasionally devolving into a wash of pure noise, like on the intro to “The One About Your Boss.” There’s also some dissonant, Die Kreuzen style riffing, most notably on “Punk Frat.” If you love the Neos, the first Meat Puppets 7”, or more recent stuff like the Bug and Das Drip you will know and like where CT85 is coming from.

Jeez Louise: Demonstration Recording cassette (Ketchup and Mustard Industries) Demo tape from this new Chicago band featuring Joe Sussman, whom you may remember from Nancy and Dangus Tarkus. We’re Sussman disciples here at Sorry State so I was excited to hear Jeez Louise, and this tape does not disappoint. If you like Sussman’s previous projects you’ll like Jeez Louise, but it is an evolution. There’s still plenty of the glam and Ramones-based power pop, but the Dickies, particularly Dawn of the Dickies, seems to be a big influence on this project (I swear “Motor Home Boys” even samples the car crash noise from “Manny, Moe, and Jack”). Dawn of the Dickies is one of my all-time favorite records, so I’m happy to hear Jeez Louise try their hand at that more ambitious songwriting style and hyper-fast tracks like “Motor Home Boys” and “Baby Mambo” that remind me of “I’m a Cholo” (these tracks also sound a lot like Bad Brains, who copped a lot of that song’s style on their seminal material). As with Nancy and Dangus Tarkus, you can hear some of the influences that shape Jeez Louise, but at the same it’s its own thing, and a weird and unique thing at that. Some people will find the high pitched vocals and goofy lyrics obnoxious, but I love this demo and will be playing it a lot.

Devil Master: Manifestations 12” (Relapse) Philadelphia’s Devil Master took the world by storm with a pair of highly collectible 7”s, and this 12” brings them together and puts them back in print. It’s easy to see why they’ve caught on, because Devil Master’s sound is a fresh and unique mixture of death rock (I hear a lot of Christian Death’s Only Theatre of Pain), black metal, and hardcore punk. Some people will respond to the spooky black metal vibe, some people will love the melodic lead guitar (the leads on the track “Devil Master” are so melodic they almost sound like a black metal-fied Screeching Weasel), while other people will love rampaging through the pit for pogo-punkers like “Failure to Die.” While the sound is gritty and gross (particularly the vocals, which are distorted and buried in the mix), the music has a pop structure that makes you want to listen to it over and over. Don’t be afraid, though, because they always bury the melodies under a ton of grime. Relapse says to expect a new album in early 2019, but in the meantime pick this up if you weren’t one of the lucky few to nab the 7”s.

Various: Raise Your Voice Joyce: Contemporary Shouts from Contemporary Voices 12” (Static Shock) I’ve gone on record that David’s Town, the “fake compilation” that Fucked Up released on Record Store Day 2011, is one of that band’s best records, so I was excited to hear Raise Your Voice Joyce, which seems to be a similar project. While the packaging doesn’t mention Fucked Up or anyone in it, the name Joyce refers to a character in Fucked Up’s fictional universe and the record’s insert fills out the character’s back story for anyone who might be following (if it’s even possible to follow). I’m too steeped in my little world of DIY punk and hardcore to understand how this relates to Fucked Up’s oeuvre, but each track features a singer who comes from my little world, namely from bands like BB & the Blips, Nekra, Game, and Terrible Feelings. The list of contributing vocalists and the strength of David’s Town piqued my interest, but Raise Your Voice Joyce far exceeds my expectations, and I’m sure I will be listening to this record a lot in the months to come. David’s Town felt like a sampler platter with each song in a different genre, but RYVJ feels more cohesive. There are elements of anarcho punk (the lead-off track featuring Bryony from BB & the Blips is virtually a Crass homage), goth, and the more experimental corners of post-punk (think Alternative TV), but those are only some of the elements at play. Everything is synthesized into a sound that is rich and singular. The highlights are too numerous to mention them all, but I’ll single out Bryony’s track as well as Ola from Game’s brooding “Defiance” and Kaila Stone’s darkly manic “Olive Calling” as some of my favorite moments. While Fucked Up’s name will attract some people’s attention it’ll make others skeptical. However, if you like the music that Sorry State carries (or that Static Shock puts out) I recommend checking this out. It’s brilliant.

Booji Boys: Unknown Pleathers 7” (Sewercide) The latest 7” from this Canadian band is a 5-songer that finds them expanding upon and refining their formula. As before, there are elements of hardcore and classic-sounding punk (and maybe even power-pop), but with total shit-fi production. The first track, “I Wanna Be So Good,” is one of their more hardcore moments with a sprightly tempo and chaotic playing. The next few songs are full of the great, classic-sounding punk riffs that Booji Boys are so great at, but the record’s climax is the closing title track. That song's foundation is a great 999 / Undertones style chord progression, and it builds toward a wild double guitar solo… not two guitars harmonizing with one another Iron Maiden-style, but two guitars soloing across and over top of one another, twisting together like a rat king of noise and distortion. Every time I hear a Booji Boys record I think to myself, “man, I wish I could hear the vocals,” but then after a few listens I realize the guitars are the star of the show and the wild and noisy production is the perfect choice for them.

Q: 2nd 7” (Lumpy) Second 7” from this St. Louis band. I remember liking their first one just fine, but this newest one is a real head-turner. A lot of the elements that Q uses sound familiar if you’re listening to the best new hardcore coming out—I hear S.H.I.T. / Blazing Eye-style pogo mosh, harsh d-beat, and more traditional US hardcore—but Q have two things going for them that lesser bands don’t. First, they’re great at putting together complex, Gauze-esque arrangements with instruments dropping in and cutting out amid dramatic shifts in tempo. Second, they accentuate this dynamism with a loose and chaotic playing style. This record sounds genuinely unhinged, like it was made by the kind of people who would light a boat on fire. If that sounds like the what you want to listen to you can’t go wrong picking this one up. 

Eke Buba: S/T 7” (Lumpy) Debut vinyl from this Croatian band. We carried a few of their tape releases a while back and I think they’ve found a fitting home on the same label as Nosferatu, Closet Christ, and Q. Like those bands, Eke Buba play fast, wild, and chaotic hardcore that reminds me of Koro, Deep Wound, and the Neos. The three tracks on the a-side will leave you breathless, the sound teetering toward Siege’s heaviness, but with wilder-sounding vocals a la Void. The two songs on the b-side back off the tempo just a hair and inject garage-punk flavor into the riffing, like you’re playing a Carbonas 45 at 78rpm. It’s over in what feels like about 30 seconds, but it’s a constant thrill ride.

B.E.T.O.E.: Totalitarismo del Sigle XXI 7" (Discos Enfermos) Latest 7” from this long-running Barcelona d-beat band. B.E.T.O.E. has a straightforward d-beat sound a la Criminal Trap-era Anti-Cimex or early Doom, with simple, Discharge-influenced riffing and the noisy, fuzz-drenched (but still thick-sounding) production of Japanese bands like Disclose or Contrast Attitude. Sometimes this style of straightforward d-beat can go in one ear and out the other, but I like how B.E.T.O.E. take a simple riff and ride on it for a while… it’s a lot more authentically like Discharge than bands with complex metallic riffs and dramatic arrangements. Not that the record is monotonous. The tremolo picking in “Despierta” reminds me of early Bathory, while “No Nos Representa” switches out the d-beat for a pogo beat, pulling the band’s sound more toward Confuse-style noise punk. This one might just be for the die-hard d-beaters, but those folks will really enjoy it.

Vanilla Poppers: I Like Your Band 12” (Feel It) Latest 7” from this band that started in Cleveland, but has since moved to Melbourne, Australia (you don’t hear that every day!). I liked the band’s last 12” on Lumpy, but their sound clicks much better on these four new tracks. It’s hard to identify what works so much better here. Like before, the guitarist has a Detroit / Radio Birdman-type riffing style, and while the tempos are still hardcore fast, the production is clearer and the band plays with more swing and swagger. Instead of buzzing on cheap speed, it sounds like Vanilla Poppers are whiskey drunk, cocky, and looking for a fight. With their great, classic-sounding punk riffs and nihilistic hardcore attitude, Vanilla Poppers sound like the rare band who might go over just as well at Goner Fest as Everything Is Not OK.

Tired of Everything: demo cassette (To Live a Lie) Demo cassette from this brand new Raleigh hardcore band; in fact, they played their first show the other day. Will from To Live a Lie Records is the vocalist, and while his previous band Oxidant had the power violence sound you would expect given his label’s history, Tired of Everything is pure hardcore. The riffs are meat and potatoes a la SOA or early Heresy and the drum sound is big and punchy. The vocals carry a touch of melody, but Will delivers them in a deadpan manner that reminds me of countless 80s hardcore bands. If you’re a person (i.e. me) who enjoys listening to old Mystic Records compilations you’ll eat it right up. If you like your USHC authentically 80s style this certainly warrants a listen.

Eyesøres: S/T cassette (self-released) 8-song cassette release from this Australian band, and I believe it’s intended as a full-length album rather than a demo release. With a bass-heavy sound, a chorus effect on guitar, and a vocalist who sounds vaguely like Ian Curtis it’s easy to pigeonhole this as post-punk, but Eyesøres have their own take on the sound. Like a lot of my favorite post-punk and goth bands, Eyesøres don’t overplay the whole “brooding darkness” thing. A lot of their songs have bright and melodic chord progressions, reminding me of how the Chameleons’ or Siouxsie’s best stuff sounded like a haunted version of pop music. Eyesøres also sequence the album well, with the climactic “Golden Soil” (a six-plus minute track that has some of Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s meandering brilliance) leading into three punchier, punkier tracks to close the album with a final adrenaline rush. If you’re a fan of Total Control’s first LP or Constant Mongrel, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this too.

Ond Tro: Støv 12” (Travesty Music) Debut 12” from this Danish band. They had an earlier 7” that we carried and the group features a former member of Under Al Kritik, whose EP Sorry State released way back in 2009. Støv is bleak, dark, and desperate, but it’s also intricate and eclectic. The heavy reverb on the vocals, occasional tremolo picking, and dissonant harmonies all seem to come from black metal and contribute to the record’s cold and distant vibe. However, Ond Tro is identifiably a hardcore punk band and not a metal band. Their loose, fast, and darkly melodic way of writing and playing songs reminds me of Everything Falls Apart-era Hüsker Dü or early Articles of Faith, while some songs dabble with bigger melodies that recall the Observers or No Hope for the Kids. However, through all of it the dark and desperate quality persists. I imagine that Støv is too introverted and intricate to catch the hype machine’s ear, but if you like Mülltüte or Kafka Prosess you’ll really enjoy it.

Closet Christ: You’re in My World Now 7” (Lumpy) Vinyl re-release for this DC project’s 2017 cassette. I'm pretty sure the same person who plays every instrument on this record also made the recent Hologram 7” on Hysteria / La Vida Es Un Mus, so it’s funny that it comes out a couple of months after the Hologram record. I also wonder why the project’s name changed, because the two records sound very similar. Certainly if you love one of them, you’ll at least really like the other. Both sound rooted in Koro’s manic, hyper-fast hardcore, but also inject elements of noise and power electronics. Here that’s restricted to the first track’s intro, but it’s quite a way to start a record. It’s kind of like crawling your way up the first big hill of a roller coaster, and when you crest the hill everything is a chaotic blur of unexpected twists and loops. As with Koro, it’s difficult to make sense of it at first, but with repeated listens you understand how intricate and nimble the music has to be in order to sustain that energy level. Some people will prefer Hologram’s burlier sound while others will like the rawness of Closet Christ, but in my book both are 100% essential.

Crisis Actors: demo cassette (self-released) Demo cassette from this new Boston band with members of Sleeper Cell, Terminal Youth, and Poison Control, among many others. I like bands that fall in that grey area between hardcore and catchier strands of punk, and Crisis Actors are right in that pocket. Their songs are fast, the recording is raw, and they even appropriate some Crass lyrics, but they aren’t afraid of a Night Birds-esque surf-punk riff or even a bigger, Observers-esque melody. If you’re a fan of Career Suicide or Social Circkle this will be in your sweet spot. Sometimes bands like this sound too slick or professional, but this demo is very raw. The recording itself is primitive, and the singer’s forceful sing-shout occasionally devolves into a more primal and wild-sounding scream that pushes way into the red. 8 tracks, and all of them rip.

U-Nix: Nuke Portland 12” (Feel It) With great new records from Closet Christ, Q, and Eke Buba all landing this week lovers of lightning-fast hardcore have a lot to keep them occupied, but this debut 12” from U-Nix doesn’t deserve to get lost in the shuffle. Along with Nosferatu, Suck Lords, and Alienation, U-Nix are one of the key bands that comes to mind when I think of this micro-scene that’s happening right now. These bands feature fast tempos a la Deep Wound or the Neos, intricate songwriting that reminds me of Koro, and a sense of menacing looseness rooted in Void’s branch of hardcore’s family tree. Of those bands, U-Nix’s unique trait is their sense of bad-trip psychedelia. “Society’s Victim” has the rhythm of a Bib-style noodle mosher, but it’s overlaid with a swirling metallic riff that stresses that rhythm’s seasick quality. Then there’s the loping, Fang-esque parts in “Liberal Hardcore,” which sounds like a bad comedown. These parts contrast starkly with the fast and intricate hardcore that makes up 3/4 of this record. But rather than detracting from the fast stuff, it makes it even more intense, giving Nuke Portland a whiplash effect that reminds me of Gauze or the first Die Kreuzen LP. Throw in a perfectly fuzzy and heavy recording and it’s hard to imagine how this could have been any better.

Civic: Those Who No 7” (Famous Class) New 4-song EP from this Australian band whom you may remember from their New Vietnam LP a few months ago. While a lot of Australian bands are moving toward a more accessible sound, these four tracks are heavy and hard-hitting, albeit with a slightly jangly and melodic lead guitar sound. I’m reminded of 70s UK punk bands like the Boys, the Rich Kids, or the Only Ones, bands who were a little more pop-rock than punk but were heavy and fast enough to be lumped in with the punk movement. That’s not to call Civic interlopers, but rather to say their songwriting is more refined and ambitious than your typical punk band. Three originals, a pretty straight cover of “Needle in the Camel’s Eye” by Brian Eno, and a healthy stack of lead guitar lines you’ll be humming for weeks to come.

Exotica: Musique Exotique #03 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) Latest 5-song EP from this New York punk band, and for my money it’s, by leaps and bounds, the best thing they’ve done so far. First, the recording is just perfect, raw and trebly, but very percussive and with a lot of dynamic impact. The songwriting is also ambitious, with numerous interesting twists and turns packed into these five concise tracks. There’s the wall of sound noise-punk style of “The Ties that Bind,” the harsh noise / experimental elements on “Desciendo,” and the melodic lead guitar on the closer, “Mundo Sin Fin.” Each track is a little different from the last, as the band is confident enough to expand on their formula without experimenting just for the sake of it. Musique Exotique #03 showcases a band at the top of their game, and the rush of listening to a record like this is exhilarating.

Subdued: 4 Track EP 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) After an excellent demo (which we still have in stock), here’s the vinyl debut from London’s Subdued. Subdued’s sound and image blend cult metal with classic anarcho punk, which results in something that reminds me of early Amebix (particularly the Winter EP), but richer in texture and atmosphere. After the first track, which is a spoken-word piece you’ll either love or hate depending on your predilection for anarcho poetry, comes the EP’s highlight, “Sedation.” With the slowest tempo on the record (an early Killing Joke-esque chug), the guitarist has ample nooks and crannies to fill with metallic and melodic flourishes. I could listen to this track all day as, despite its raw sound, it’s packed with interesting details, like a musical version of a Nick Blinko drawing. The two tracks on the b-side are faster and more hardcore/metal, and while they’re more straightforward, they’re still a cut above your typical rehash hardcore. I hope Subdued stay at it since their sound would work great on a full-length, but in the meantime there’s plenty to digest in these four tracks.

Patti: Bad Back 7” (Erste Theke Tonträger) Debut EP from this band out of Oakland, though I'd forgive you for thinking they’re from Minneapolis as they sound strikingly similar to Uranium Club. Rhythmically, Patti have more of a Minutemen / Suburban Lawns-type white funk swing to them, but the deadpan vocals and Krautrock-ish way of riding simple, repetitive riffs will do any Uranium Club fan right. The bass lines, guitar lines, and vocal patterns are uniformly interesting, but one place Patti excel is in writing cool bridge parts. Most of the songs on Bad Back have a middle section about 3/4 of the way through where the song goes to some strange, unexpected place. The transitions are fluid, so you find yourself thinking, “wait, is this the same song?” until they drop back into one of the familiar parts from earlier in the song. Having that sense of movement and development to the song takes what would have been an interesting collection of riffs and makes them into something more than that, a set of musical stories that unfold in front of you. This is top-notch egg punk, so even if you only mess with the hits like Uranium Club and Coneheads this is worth checking out.

Hate Preachers: 5 Track Demo cassette (Sucks Blood) Another 5-song demo from an LA-based band featuring members of Blazing Eye, but this time the culprits are Hate Preachers. This demo has the same perfect recording quality as Cruelty Bomb (it’s nearly as perfect as an old Inner Ear recording), but Hate Preachers have a UK82-influenced style rather than Cruelty Bomb’s straight d-beat. The vocals still have that raspy, Japanese-type sound a la Blazing Eye, so these straightforward, mid-paced riffs might remind you of G-Zet or mid-era Execute just as much as the Exploited or the Partisans. Like Cruelty Bomb, I can’t think of much else to say… whatever magical fairy dust they’re sprinkling on these recordings, I wish I could get some of it for my own bands.

Ultra: Alta Montaña 12” (La Vida Es Un Mus) After two earlier 7”s we get the debut 12” from Barcelona’s Ultra, and it’s a big step up from those earlier EPs. Like a lot of bands from Barcelona, Ultra have a progressive sound with lots of twists, turns, and intricacies in the songwriting. That’s not to say they don’t rage; like  Osservati Dall'Inganno-era Indigesti (or that record’s obvious inspiration, the Bad Brains), the intricacies increase the power rather than provide a break from it. If you like lightning-fast, stop on a dime hardcore you’ll love the tight playing and clear and powerful recording, but my favorite parts are when the band spreads out. The guitar solos are a treat, with the title track’s wild, whammy bar-heavy lead reminding me of a weird, progressive thrash band like Nocturnus. I also love the Sunn-esque droning intro to “Estado Vital,” and the two electronic pieces on the record are also a pleasant breather. If you’re into the noisy and progressive hardcore that’s been coming out of Barcelona for the past decade, it’s hard to imagine you wouldn’t love Alta Montaña.

Phone Jerks: S/T 12” (Alien Snatch) Debut 12” from this Canadian band playing raw, hyperactive garage-punk in the tradition of bands like the Rip Offs and Teengenerate. While that’s the core of their sound—and they execute it well—there’s a lot more than just a genre exercise happening on this LP. All the songs are fast, raw, and in the same style, but changes in tempo, switching off vocalists, and dropping the occasional ripping guitar lead keeps things fresh from track to track. The lead-off, “Bitchiker,” is my favorite, its high-pitched, comically snotty vocals reminding me of the Nubs or the band Speed from the first Destroy All Art compilation. Aside from maybe Midnite Snaxxx (who are much poppier), there aren’t a ton of North American bands doing this 90s style of garage-punk, so if you’re a fan of the style you know what to do.

Priors: S/T 12” (La Vida Es Un Mus) Debut from this Melbourne, Australia band featuring members of a bunch of other bands. With a wild and noisy sound, Priors are a great fit for La Vida Es Un Mus, and if you’re a fan of Pig DNA, Sial, or Hologram you’ll see where Priors is coming from. On their faster tracks they sound like futuristic noise-punk, like Confuse but faster, clearer, heavier, and more grating, i.e. capable of drowning out your 2018 reality. The real treat, though, is when Priors back off the tempo and let the catchiness shine through. Like a lot of noisier bands, the bass player does the heavy lifting, and tracks like “Liquidation” might even leave you with a tune stuck in your head. And then there’s “Nanoaggression,” for my money the record’s best track. With a mid-paced melodic riff, “Nanoaggression” is oi! music through the noise-punk filter, like Lebenden Toten deciding to rip through a Red Alert cover. I can’t think of anything else that sounds like it. If you follow La Vida Es Un Mus and similar labels like Iron Lung, you’ve probably already checked this out, but if not you there’s another item for your to-do list.

Cruelty Bomb: ’Atrocities’ demo cassette (Sucks Blood) Debut 5-track demo from this LA d-beat band featuring members of Blazing Eye. It can be hard to get excited about d-beat these days, but Cruelty Bomb will turn even the most jaded head. It’s tough to say what elevates the band… on the surface, these are just four super fast, Cimex / Shitlickers-style rippers with a mid-paced pit-clearer to close things out, but they’re so energetic and well-executed that you can’t deny their power. A lot of that, I’m sure, is down to the recording, which (like Blazing Eye’s recordings) finds the perfect balance of rawness, clarity, and aggression. The mix sounds like it’s pushed into the red, like your speakers are straining, but you can still hear every instrument, even every drum, playing its essential role on these tracks. Whatever undefinable quality it is that separates a face-melting hardcore recording from another run-of-the-bill good release, this thing has it. 

Neighborhood Brats: Claw Marks 12” (Dirt Cult) Latest full-length (their second, though they also have a ton of 7”s and a singles collection LP) from this California band. Having grown up on 90s melodic / pop-punk and gotten into 80s-style hardcore through that style and the ’77 classics, I’m always impressed with bands who can toe the line between those styles, and Neighborhood Brats are one of the best. While most of their songs feature catchy vocal parts, they never sound like a weak pop punk band. Their songs are uniformly upbeat and/or aggressive, and they never sound like a one-dimensional hardcore band. Further, while Neighborhood Brats are one of those bands whose sound you can recognize in seconds, the space between these different micro-genres proves fertile, allowing them room to write songs that sound remarkably different from one another. Tracks like “Night Shift” and “One Way Friends” edge toward the jittery, punked-up power pop of Midnite Snaxxx (one of my personal favorites), while “Misery Parade” and “Nina’s Ghost” sound like the more hardcore end of late 80s / early 90s skate punk (either would have been a solid track on a mid-period Bad Religion LP). Tracks like the big closer, “Touching the Void,” bring reverbed-out surf guitar into the mix a la Night Birds. Claw Marks is an ambitious album, but one that still gives you everything you expect from a DIY punk LP. If you’re a fan of Night Birds and No Love you should also add a big stack of Neighborhood Brats records to you “N” section.

Pig DNA: Strong Throat 7” (Square One Again) Final recordings from this Bay Area noise-punk band. We’ve followed them closely here at Sorry State, and I still think their Mob Shity 12” is one of the most underrated releases on the La Vida Es Un Mus label. This limited (200 copies!) final 7” finds the band going out on a high note, pushing their sound to its outer limits. The a-side track is a wash of bashing hi-hats, reverbed-to-hell vocals, and other, feedback-drenched noises I assume are coming from a guitar, but I can’t be sure. Like the best bands in this style, Pig DNA have a noise artist’s ear for dynamics, and what makes the song come alive is how instruments careen off and past one another, the different noise textures bouncing around like popcorn kernels dropped into hot oil. The b-side, though, is where things get really exciting. Structurally, it’s your typical noise punk song with a bass that carries the melody, squealing guitars that remind me of Confuse’s Indignation tape, and Disorder-type caustic vocals. The catch is there’s no drum track. Your ear keeps waiting for the drums to kick in, but they never do. It’s a simple move, but it gives the song a different character, making space for different noise frequencies and textures to take center stage. While the facts that the record is so short, more expensive than your typical 7”, and more progressive / avant garde than average will mean it’ll have a limited audience, that just makes it more enticing for those of you who love exploring the outer reaches of noise punk.

The Floor Above: Assault on Still Live cassette (Not Normal Records) Not Normal Records continues its long-running association with this obscure Nashville hardcore band on this latest cassette, containing 21 of the loosest, rawest slices of hardcore you’re likely to hear. The reference points are obvious—Void, Negazione, Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, newer bands like Mozart or Neon… that kind of thing—but if you like this style of music you don’t care about the reference points so much as the unhinged freedom that these bands evoke in the listener, and the Floor Above do it better than just about anyone. It seems like they spontaneously create riffs then forget them as they're recording these tracks. Guitars go way out of tune. There are plenty of short outbursts of pure hardcore thrash, but there’s a surprising amount of melody here too. “Roadside Abyss” is a highlight, sounding like it was spliced in from a drunken Plastic Surgery Disasters-era Dead Kennedys bootleg. “Diminished Players” has a comically dumb riff, but the way that riff phases in and out of existence due the looseness of the playing elevates it to the level of genius. Can you even call this “loose” anymore? It’s something else to me, the undiluted sound of “I don’t give a fuck.” My only gripe is with the vocals, which sit way back in the mix and serve as window dressing rather than an essential part of the sound. This is niche stuff, but it’s a niche I can’t get enough of when it’s done just right.

Ripcord: Harvest Hardcore 7” (YOFC) First official reissue of the first Ripcord 7” (The Damage Is Done was a flexi, ya dingus!) from 1988. Whenever you see the word “Ripcord” referring to the late 80s UK hardcore band you can bet that the word “Heresy” won't be more than 20 words away, and I’m here to maintain cosmic order. Truthfully, I was always more partial to Heresy. I’m a smidge too young to have gotten into these groups when they were around, and whether it was that Heresy’s material was more available or that they maintained their back catalog in a more attractive way (I suspect both), I’ve always reached for the H section rather than R when I’m looking for something faster than fast. Today, though, Harvest Hardcore is hitting me right. Ripcord really were a twin-headed beast with Heresy, with both bands sharing blistering fast, dunka-dunka hardcore beats, big breakdowns, and a curated list of cover tunes that still speaks to 21st century tastes (Siege and SS Decontrol on here). The production is solid and the playing tight and locked in, never degenerating into the semi-incoherent blur of, say, Napalm Death. It feels like this era / style of hardcore isn’t the most fashionable at the moment, but then again we sold quite a few copies of that recent reissue of Heresy’s Face Up To It, so maybe I’m wrong. What I can tell you is that Harvest Hardcore is one of the better records to emerge from that scene, particularly if your tastes lean toward straightforward hardcore rather than grind and power violence.

Uncontrollable Urge: S/T 12” (Schizophrenic) Debut LP from this Canadian band that plays dense, catchy, and occasionally swampy punk rock. While the label’s description mentions Liliput, Wire, and Gang of Four, for me those references don’t feel spot-on because those bands are, to some degree at least, minimalists, while Uncontrollable Urge’s sound is more maximalist. The recording is dense and lush, seeming to take up the entire sonic spectrum and leaving your ears to the weighty task of pulling individual elements from the din. Fortunately, there’s a lot to be interested in here. Tracks like the opener “Go Alone” and “Push Back” have a spunky, upbeat punk sound that reminds me of Bratmobile at their best, while “Your Way Out” and “Faked It” have a swampy, lurching sound like Flipper or even the Scientists. My favorite tracks on the record, though, are ones like “Dark Days” and “The Fear,” that have an imposing, apocalyptic quality to them. There’s something of the Birthday Party or Laughing Hyenas’ sense of grandiosity in these tracks, which makes “The Fear” an effective closer. As I said, these tracks are so dense with ideas it may take you a listen or two to make sense of it, but it’s worth the effort.

Natterers: Head in Threatening Attitude 12” (Boss Tuneage) After an excellent 7” last year, the UK’s Natterers lay their debut full length on us. I’m not sure why bands like this tend to have names that start with the letter “N,” but if you're a fan of Night Birds, No Love, or Neighborhood Brats, Natterers’ debut LP is one you need to hear. Like those bands’ records, Head in Threatening Attitude falls in that fertile space between the worlds of hardcore and more straightforward punk, combining the blistering tempos and dynamic, million-changes-a-minute songwriting style of dense, DIY hardcore with a more tuneful, song-oriented approach. Rather than watering each other down, these qualities reinforce one another, giving the LP a three-dimensionality that less ambitious bands don’t have. You’ve got tracks like the slow & brooding “Dead Men Can’t Catcall,” faster melodic hardcore tracks like “Defiant (Again),” punkier songs with more melodic vocals like “Not Long Left Now,” and herky-jerky, rhythmically complex songs like “Germs and Creeps” and “So Much More” that remind me of Group Sex era Circle Jerks or Plastic Surgery Disasters era Dead Kennedys. And there’s even an album-closing surf instrumental! Whether you’re coming at this album because you want a shot of pure punk adrenaline or you want to hear a shit-hot band light their fretboards, drum skins, and vocal chords on fire, Head in Threatening Attitude will do it for you. A real scorcher.

Diastereomer: Ignition Advancer 12” (Bitter Lake) Bitter Lake’s latest reissue from the 80s Japanese new wave scene is this compilation from Diastereomer. As I’ve mentioned before, the new / no wave scene that Bitter Lake has documented so far had more overlap with new age and ambient music than comparable US and UK scenes, and Diastereomer follow that pattern. While moments will scratch your itch for early Human League and “The Diastereomer” has an early industrial, proto-Wax Trax sound, Diastereomer are less rhythmic and more atmospheric. Most tracks are deliberate and meditative, unfolding over several minutes. My favorite track on the record, “Ignition,” features a spooky, John Carpenter-esque synth line and vocals that have the eerie quality of monks chanting in unison. If the other releases on Bitter Lake have interested you, this warrants a listen, but know going in that, sonically, it might be the least rock or punk-adjacent release on the label so far.

Plomo:  Sombras de Manana 7” (Verdugo Discos) After a popular demo, here’s the debut 7” from Chicago’s Plomo, which features ex-members of Gas Rag. While Plomo has a gritty vibe with their nasty, early Dischord-type guitar sound and a gravel-throated vocalist, a closer listen reveals a surprising range on these five tracks. There are catchy, Angry Samoans-type riffs on “Espejo,” while “Malas” is a take-no-prisoners hardcore ripper with catchy stops and starts on the chorus. “Al Día” finishes things off with a dark and melodic riff that reminds me of early Articles of Faith. While the songs and performances are great, my only gripe with the record is that it doesn’t sound as explosive as it should. The tones of the individual instruments sound great, but pushing the whole mix into the red might have given this a savage quality that would have served the band well. The record still smokes, but you might have to turn it up to ear-splitting volume to get the full impact. You would probably do that anyway, though, right? 

Mind Dweller: Kick Out the Amps Motherfucker cassette (self-released) Limited 3-song cassette pressed up for Mind Dweller’s recent mini-tour with Richmond’s Sinister Purpose. In case you don’t remember Mind Dweller’s earlier tape on Sorry State, the quick description is that they’re an Annihilation Time-style rocked-out punk band (or punked-out rock band), but there’s so much diversity in their sound I don’t think that does the band justice. That’s true even on this brief, 3-track cassette. The opener, “Dos Exx,” is as close to a prototypical Mind Dweller track as you’ll find with its big main riff and more agile, Thin Lizzy-style runs on the chorus. “Involuntary Trap” is a standout for being the rare pure hardcore track in Mind Dweller’s catalog. It reminds me of Government Warning, not just in its speed and precision, but also in how the band uses their songwriting and arranging chops to elevate what might otherwise be a straightforward track into something special. The third and final track, “Greed Mania,” gives us more blistering hardcore, but the song’s highlight is the early Iron Maiden-style twin lead guitar in the middle section. Let’s hope this tape is the precursor to more Mind Dweller material hitting the streets soon, because this one is straight fire.

Jellicoe & Woodbury: Doubt b/w Fear 7” (Quality Control HQ) A pretty dang killer Japanese hardcore homage here with the requisite Sugi artwork on the sleeve (and it’s one of the better pieces I’ve seen from him lately). Rather than going for the obvious and trying to grab that Death Side or G.I.S.M. fairy dust, Jellicoe & Woodbury remind me of Insane Youth, a less celebrated but underrated Japanese hardcore band that featured future Forward guitarist Soichi. While Burning Spirits-style hardcore is necessarily bombastic, Insane Youth were understated and unpretentious in their approach, and Jellicoe & Woodbury follow that path. These songs aren’t flashy or over the top, just exciting, well-executed hardcore songs with great drumming, meaty riffs, and top-notch production. I’ve listened to both half a dozen times and I still really like them. The other wrinkle to this single is that the band is comprised (at least partly, maybe wholly) of members of Fucked Up, and record serves as an oblique marketing tie-in to that band’s new LP. How does a limited-release 7” on a small UK label paying tribute to a genre that only a few thousand people in the world even know about (much less like) help to edge someone further toward the decision to pick up a copy of Dose Your Dreams? I don't know, but like Fucked Up’s “fake compilation” David’s Town, this warrants a place in your collection even if you have zero interest in Fucked Up’s higher-profile output.

Ultra Razzia: S/T 12” (Foreign Legion) Chicago’s Foreign Legion Records have become one of the world’s foremost purveyors of legit oi! over the past few years, with the Fuerza Bruta LP they released last year turning heads that had only recently returned to a resting position after being blown back by Rixe’s recorded output. If you’re into the sounds that Rixe and comparable, hardcore-affiliated bands like Crown Court are making, then you should know what Foreign Legion is up to. Their latest is the debut LP from Quebec’s Ultra Razzia, who play primarily mid-paced, stomping stuff that reminds me of early Blitz crossed with tougher-sounding old French oi!. With 13 tracks (most of them hovering in the 2 1/2 to 3 minute range), the LP seems like a lot to digest at first, but after a listen or two highlights emerge. I’m a big fan of the track “Razzia.” While it’s the longest track on the record, the extra space makes room for killer, Criminal Damage-esque melodic lead guitar. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also the first part of a one-two punch with “Dans La Guele Du Loup,” the record’s fastest track... its “Never Surrender,” if you will. No one would accuse Ultra Razzia of redefining the oi! template, but the songwriting, production, and performance here are all top notch. If you’re partial to Criminal Damage or Rixe, this LP would be a great soundtrack for a night in with a 6-pack and a few of your mates.