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Raleigh, NC's own, Paranoid Maniac, deliver a pummeling four track cassette EP of HC Punk. Limited to 50 copies.
Our take: In terms of its lineup, Raleigh’s Paranoid Maniac is basically a new incarnation of Sorry State’s Das Drip, taking that band’s final lineup, swapping out the vocalist and adding a second guitarist. While the ultra-fast tempos carry over from Das Drip, the music’s tone has changed, growing darker and more sinister. I know that, as the band was getting started, Paranoid Maniac guitarist Rich was fascinated with 80s Japanese punk like Kuro, the Execute, and Sodom, and while I’m not sure a total outsider would pick up on those influences, when you compare Paranoid Maniac to Das Drip you can hear how they have shaped the sound. Besides those creepy vibes, the new guitarist Alex also puts his stamp on Paranoid Maniac’s sound. Das Drip featured a lot of crazy guitar/bass interplay, and Alex jumps right into the melee, the string section reminding me of a group of multi-headed hydras locked in battle. The result is arty and intense, like an early Saccharine Trust record spinning at 78rpm and blaring at a painful volume. It’s not for the faint of heart, but I think it’s brilliant, and one of the most intense and original-sounding recordings I’ve heard for some time.
Our take: In terms of its lineup, Raleigh’s Paranoid Maniac is basically a new incarnation of Sorry State’s Das Drip, taking that band’s final lineup, swapping out the vocalist and adding a second guitarist. While the ultra-fast tempos carry over from Das Drip, the music’s tone has changed, growing darker and more sinister. I know that, as the band was getting started, Paranoid Maniac guitarist Rich was fascinated with 80s Japanese punk like Kuro, the Execute, and Sodom, and while I’m not sure a total outsider would pick up on those influences, when you compare Paranoid Maniac to Das Drip you can hear how they have shaped the sound. Besides those creepy vibes, the new guitarist Alex also puts his stamp on Paranoid Maniac’s sound. Das Drip featured a lot of crazy guitar/bass interplay, and Alex jumps right into the melee, the string section reminding me of a group of multi-headed hydras locked in battle. The result is arty and intense, like an early Saccharine Trust record spinning at 78rpm and blaring at a painful volume. It’s not for the faint of heart, but I think it’s brilliant, and one of the most intense and original-sounding recordings I’ve heard for some time.