The Misfits - Horror Business EP (1979)

 

The Misfits - Horror Business EP (1979)

So here we are. Final Halloween post. I was hoping to be a bit more prolific, but what the hell.

Horror Business is simply one the the greatest songs ever written. Any other opinion is bullshit and you should feel bad for not agreeing with me.

On this legendary EP The Misfits rip through three tracks of pure punk rock glory. If Horror Business and Teenagers From Mars don't convince you that The Misfits were one of THE best bands to ever exist, then i have no idea whats wrong with you.

I suppose the only issue with this record is that the former tunes make the final cut Children In Heat seem insignificant. However, don't get me wrong. Children In Heat is a rad tune, it's just up against some hard competition!

The line-up on this masterpiece is the same as Night Of The Living Dead: Danzig, Only, Steele, and Image 

As we all know, The Misfits rotated guitarists frequently in their initial short life span, creating even more punk rock classics with every record they put out. And then Danzig left...we wont get into that here.

A fucking gem. Happy Halloween, you fiends!

Teenagers from mars and we don't care!

The Misfits - Night Of The Living Dead (1979)

 

The Misfits - Night Of The Living Dead (1979)

What would Halloween be without The Misfits. Undoubtably one of the greatest bands ever. Night of the Living Dead is one of the prime Misfits recordings from the classic, or one of the classic, line-ups. On this record Bobby Steele rocks the guitar, while mainstays Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only do their thang. On drums is Joey Image, of whom i have no knowledge of. Apparently he donned the sticks for less than a year in The Misfits and became active in recording in the 00s...as well as having a Youtube Podcast channel. It's true, look it up!

This particular record is pretty interesting in terms of the song choices. Obviosly we have the Romero homage Night of the Living Dead, as well a favourite of mine, Where Eagles Dare. The last cut, Rat Fink, is actually a cover by Allan Sherman who was dead well before the Misfits were on the scene.
 

A true fucking classic.

I ain't no goddamn son of a bitch, you better think about it baby!

GBH - Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne (1981)

 

GBH - Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne (1981)

Probably not the first band that comes to your mind in regards to Halloween or horror themed punk, but GBH had a fair share of Hammer Horror-esque lyrics in their earlier work. Especially here the dark humour shines through in tracks such as Lycanthropy, State Executioner, and my personal favourite,
Necrophilia.

For me, this and the debut LP, City Baby Attacked By Rats, show GBH at their best. Undoubtedly one of the forerunners of UK punk rock during the early eighties, GBH bring the bass heavy power of Motorhead and the senseless aggression of the Sex Pistols to create a unique style that has been much copied...but hardly ever surpassed!

Their later material isn't as potent when compared to the vitriolic power of Leather... and City Baby..., but GBH definitely deserve respect for their contribution to, not only punk, but music in general. And let's not forget to mention their defiant attitude to recording and touring throughout the eras, regardless of how popular (or unpopular) punk is at those specific times. 

Your hair is tied in a spiders web, you're dead!

LDS - On The Cross EP (1985)

LDS - On The Cross (1985) 

A punk record that starts with Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Now what do we expect to follow?
LDS were a punk band that straddled the lines between 77 punk with creepy melodies and hardcore. These Utah miscreants put out this EP and an LP, Nightmare, in the space of two years (1985-1986). Like many, LDS never really developed a large following or cult status, and as such, have become long forgotten.

Maybe it's due to them being from the distant religious hub Utah, or maybe it's just that the songwriting wasn't the best, but LDS never caught on. Both of their records were given fairly negative reviews in Maximum Rock'n'Roll, essentially saying that they aren't anything special. To top it off, nothing much has sprung out of the band in terms of other projects. So LDS are a bit of a mystery band.

Although they were given a rough deal in their heyday, LDS were all very good at their instruments. The drummer in particular shines throughout this record. The vocals let them down slightly, they're not like Danzig, but they're also not nasty and virile like Fear Itself...they're just...standard hardcore yelling. With all this said, the guitars make up for it with some nice macabre melodies and relentless power-chords.

LDS aren't an essential band, but for connoisseurs of punk rock they are definitely worth looking up.

Breeders!

Fear Itself - Till Death Do Us Part (1987)

 

Fear Itself - Till Death Do Us Part 

Fear Itself are, yes, you guessed it...yet another horror themed punk band from the 80s. This time from the unlikely territory of South Carolina, USA. They put out a great demo in in 1986, featured on multiple comp tapes, and released this gem in 1987. Much like the other horror themed bands, Fear Itself were a bit too late to the punk rock picnic. However, their powerful, and sometimes frantic speeds akin to Septic Death, give them an edge over the crossover guck of the time. 

It's obvious that they were all pretty accomplished at their instruments. They swiftly change tempos with frantic grace, staying in time, and spicing up their guitar and drum parts. The guitars and drums are the definite highlights of this record. The drums absolutely blast like a mutha, while the guitars mix up between fastcore, heavy riffs, and slight metal damage! Respect has to be given to the vocal performance here as well. There's a nice snotty bite to the vocals, and some rad sneering, creepy lines to top it off!

This is some dead powerful stuff, and if that album art doesn't convince you to check this out, i don't know what will!

Pray For Death (link from the awesome Brave New World blog)

Tales of Terror LP (1984)

                                                                 Tales of Terror (1984)
One of the better known punk bands of the 80s to flirt with horror imagery was Sacramento's Tales of Terror. Much like 5051, Fear Itself, and the Skulldiggers, Tales stuck to playing punk fucking rock as opposed to crossover or Revolution Summer punk. Not so surprisingly, they were a big deal to the late 80s/early 90s Seattle punk scene. With Mark Arm and Kurt Cobian singing their praises, what more evidence could you want? Maybe the reason Tales resonated with Seattle was their fearless mixing of rockabilly, 70s rock, and macabre melodies into their punk rock frenzy. A sound the grunge bands exploited to much success.




If it wasn't for guitar maestro, Lyon Wong, being killed by a teenager, Tales could have made it big. Read more about that story as well as the history of the band HERE

In typical fashion, when the band split the members went on to other projects. None of which surpassed Tales of Terror in success or acclaim. Unfortunately the punk rock pension plan didn't work out for some of the members with Magner dying of a methadone overdose in 2004 and singer Rat's Ass suffering a series of debilitating strokes recently.

Where did you say you have an Elvis tattoo?

 Link from the great Dr. Drunk blog!

Skulldiggers - 1984 Promo/Demo

 

Skulldiggers - 1984 Promo/Demo 

Yet another horror influenced punk band of the 80s, the Skulldiggers were from Idaho, USA who were featured on the Hideous Headchop'n tape (1985) [Bodily Harm & Reality of a Nightmare] and the awesome War Between The States: North tape (1985) [Werewolf & Green Fleshed Zombies]

Apparently among their ranks were Paul and Onj from Septic Death, pretty nifty, huh?

Unfortunatly, they only released a single demo in 1984. The Skulldiggers have a unique sound. It's relentless punk rock, but it's not afraid to get weird, heavy, and chaotic. The obvious comparison is The Misfits, especially Earth A.D. on the heavier and thrashier moments. But the more abnormal cuts like Necromatia show a post-punk vibe with the effect-swishing guitars and tribal drums. Bodily Harm is probably the heaviest, and longest, track here.While Werewolf is a solid mix of weirdo-swishy guitars and punk rock thrashing.

Amongst the eclectic mix is a furious hardcore attack called Hungry, not dissimilar to The Misfits' Demonomania. Following in suit is Reality of a Nightmare which bridges the gap, going from fast-as-fuck hardcore to a slow, chilling dirge.

This is a definite highlight in 80s horror punk. Dig in!

I'm a werewolf on the prowl, all i wanna do is kill

Robbie The Werewolf - At The Waleback (1964)

 

Robbie The Werewolf - At The Waleback (1964)

In 1964, 'the year of The Beatles', Robbie "The Werewolf" Robison committed an act so preposterous that the recording of said act has gained somewhat of a cult following to this very day.

From the sounds of it, Robbie Robison was probably a comedian. He strings this live set fluidly, telling jokes and stories inbetween his comedy beatnik horror folk. There's some funny stuff here, all performed with a macabre wink. Some of the jokes don't translate too well, particularly the segue into Censored Man, in which the punchline is a guy slitting his wrists.... But on the other hand, most of the jokes work. Frankie-Stein being a particularly funny one

The first time I heard of this record was through an interview with Jello Biafra, and it's not too much of a stretch to believe that Jello may have been influenced by Robbie's twisted sense of humour and vocal manipulation.

Overall, Robbie created something really cool with this record. I can only guess that his show(s?) must have been a riot to go see. For fans of the dark, spooky, and retarded, this is a crucial record to listen to.

Too Much Horror Business:

https://mega.nz/#!VN5WWaQB!j5S8pHSNdyahTLNAxuEJRkHSaiM3xGW4e_p8Urhp_nU

Seditionaries - Wherewolf (1982)

 

Seditionaries - Wherewolf (1982) 

Much like 5150, not much is known about this horror fueled punk band. According to Discogs Shapes is a cover of the Yardbirds Shape of Things, not that i'd have any clue about that. From what i can tell the Seditionaries were from California, USA  and only released this sole record in 1982. They play a fairly typical Cali-punk style, some gang chants, melodic vocals, speedy riffs....you know the drill. I suppose the doo-wop-esque muted arpeggios during the bridge of Wherewolf are a unique touch.

Put out on Rabid records, which i assume is an independent made by the band, this is some cool horror punk. Not earthshattering, granted. But still a very cool document of macabre punk.

Too Much Horror Business!

https://mega.nz/#!hcx2ASwC!9uFncrTa0lkA8KbMWoJacu0bHosPTEEkIItwuRF3qkQ

5150 - Forever Night & Lil' Miss (80s Horror Punk)

 

5150 - Forever Night & Lil' Miss

5150 are a pretty obscure band from 1980s Las Vegas. According to Kill From The Heart they released their records Forever Night and Li'l Miss in 1986 and 1987 respectively. Both of which are on a label called Intoxicated Force Records.

The best way to describe them is like a hardcore Misfits...but not like The Misfits playing hardcore. Does that even make sense? It's not like Earth A.D., where the Misfits sacrificed a lot of their melody for sheer power and speed. 5150 merge the melody with the mach-speed punk rock assault. Reading this back, it sounds like I'm dissing Earth A.D. in a favour of 5150. This isn't really the case as Earth A.D. is a straight classic even if it isn't like the classic Misfits material. As for 5150, they're a really interesting band and it's a shame their not more well known.

However, if 5150 were active during the mid eighties, i can see how they were overlooked. In a time
where crossover and Rites Of Spring punk were becoming the in-things, the primal punk rock thrashings of 5150 were a bit too late for the party.

Which is a total shame as this is some quality horror punk. Definitely up there with The Misfits and Mourning Noise. 

Too Much Horror Business!

https://mega.nz/#!AQA3zYhJ!IwyEMVnRLX55fbe2VU_V9EwzHsDcu9xoqlILOujKPGA

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween

 

It's that time of year again. Supermarkets stock cheap plastic jack-o-lanterns, spooky decorations, and costumes, shitty horror films flood the market, the wind starts developing a chilly bite, and twatlords plan out their Halloween parties.

In essence, Halloween is fucking bollocks. Just another materialistic holocaust of people well-earned cash.
But the fact that Halloween flirts with the dark side conflict me. I want to like it, and i do like it in a weird way. So while i don't really do much for the holiday i always feel obliged to acknowledge it. This is usually done by listening to horror themed music and watching dodgy horror/sci-fi movies....not too far from my day-to-day life really!

Much like last year, up until Halloween I'll be posting various horror themed music and films. So bust out your Misfits records, get your Friday the 13th movies off the shelf, and slob out with junk food. It's about to get messy...

Blog Update: I'm being lazy and listening to hip-hop

 

 Blog Update: I'm being lazy and listening to hip-hop

As the title suggests, I've been really lazy these past few weeks. It's all dat' schoolin'. Going back to uni put a dampener on my creativity, man. But seriously, I've been super lazy and the move back to uni has drained a lot of my drive to do anything creative. However, with that said-I'm getting into the swing of being more productive. 

What's not helping is that I've noticed that many of my old links have been taken down. So it's up to ya'll to tell me what's down and shit because i don't get updates when something like that happens. Alternatively, you can just send me a personal message and we'll sort something out.

So for the foreseeable future i may have to put 'burner' links up. And by that i mean Zippyshare links. The way Zippyshare works is: if a link doesn't get downloaded in a months time, the link becomes inactive. This is opposed to MEGA where links are active unless taken down by a higher authority. So high-profile, or closely watched, artists are more prone to have copyright knobbers on the loose.

Also delaying my contributions here is my reoccurring interest in hip-hop. I've been casually listening to this stuff for 5 years or so now. But it's only been fairly recently that I've been seriously binging on it.

So to summarise:

1. I'll be putting up temporary links for certain artists 

2. If you want an album and it's link is broke-contact me!

3. Hip-Hop is the shizznit, niggaz!

The Exploited - Computers Don't Blunder (1982)

 

The Exploited - Computers Don't Blunder (1982)

Oh, how i wish computers didn't blunder. A couple weeks ago AVG fucked my laptop royally. So my final Japcore posts were cut short. Thankfully i got my laptop back today with all files in tact. It always sucks when computers...blunder.

So anyway, here's some brill UK82 punk. Do i need to say much about The Exploited? Call them third wave punk, UK82, hardcore, street punk, satanic goat fucking Scottish polka, it doesn't matter. The Exploited are as punk as you'll ever get. 

Download from the great Dr. Drunk blog:

http://www.4shared.com/rar/46Vu6Zqa/expltdcmptrsdntblndr7.html

Desperate Children - S/T [Chaos Fuck Day] (1986)

Desperate Children - S/T [AKA Chaos Fuck Day] (1986)

From the band name and song titles like Chaos, Fuck Day, and I Love Punk you'd expect noisecore madness, however, that's where you would be wrong, desperado! This is some great Brit punk inspired hardcore. Closer, I Love Punk is a total 77' style steamroller of a track. With melodic, bouncy bass lines, catchy chord progressions, simple drumming, and melodic vocals, this track stands out, as the other tracks Chaos and Fuck Day are raw and crazy. 

Apparently recorded on St. Valentines Day, this is anything but lovey dovey bullshit. The A side is mad, messy, flailing and vicious hardcore, while the B-side is a punk rock stomper.

Link, bitches:

https://mega.nz/#!cIA32JLB!7a6gxJZ6J2y9c5-3ccF1mERFvTYhzhdbHa0avcVmpRE

SS - The Original (1984)

SS - The Original (1984)

Noisy as fuck, this is a live recording by one of the first Japanese punk bands to get real.

Apparently the SS never recorded in their time, so this live set, clocking in around 13 minutes long, as well as another live record is all that's documented about them. Performed in 1979, and released in 1984, The SS are in the vein of Middle Class, (early) Black Flag, and the Bad Brains, in that they are very fast for their time. Due to the incredible speed and ferocity, The SS were able to shift a few records to American hardcore fans during the 80s.

Check out this review in Maximum Rock'n'Roll:

I've heard this is one of Japan's earliest thrash hands, and this posthumous release was recorded live in 1979 to prove the point. Results: totally ripping, ragged-ass, no-holds-barred thrash. Besides the clear vinyl, collectors will seek this for its small pressing (500 made), but anyone else will want it 'cause it shreds!

-Tim Yohannan (from Maximum Rocknroll #28, September 1985)

The guitars are like ambiance, they just provide a crazy whiring noise while the bassist brings the notes. The drums thrash like a muthalover, and the vocals are panicked bursts of energy. Making anything out is a challenge as this is a typical bootleg live recording of the time. Couple that with fast as fuck punk rock exuberance and you have a very messy record!

And if you need any more encouraging...they cover Blitzkrieg Bop!

You know what to do: (Link from the great kyoukinonihon blog)

http://www.mediafire.com/download/vz8tk2k4dofoxx0/SS+-+The+Original.zip

Ghoul - 1984-1989 (2004)

Ghoul - 1984-1989 (2004)

Collecting the entire works of Ghoul, 1984-1989 has all the tracks from Carry Out Fucking, Jerusalem, Oi Oi, as well as their compilation appearances on Game of Death, and Hold Up Omnibus. So it covers the classic line-up as well as Masami's Ghoul II as the Game of Death comp came out in 1989. The strange thing is, is that the Sqwad tracks aren't featured here.

Obviously Carry Out Fucking and Jerusalem are crucial listening for anyone into this style. And the same could be said for the compilation appearances. The Hold Up Omnibus tracks, Death City and Flash Back, are very heavy and crazy. Both are from 1984, the same year as Carry Out Fucking, however, they sound quite a bit like Jerusalem. As for the Game Of Death tracks, it shows Ghoul shifting style once more. This time to a thrash metal direction. The production on these tracks is rough, but along with Masami's vocals, i think this adds to the punky nature of Ghoul.

Overall this is a great compilation. It's missing a few things here and there, notably the Sqwad flexi,

but the main material is here in all its glory. Mandatory punk.

Get rekt:

https://mega.nz/#!cM5hUDQI!ieY2qQKtGffVdvVt4Yrwnv5QLaTaksWBp3xhckFQKhg

Sqwad - Set Free Me Out Rock You Out (1989)

Sqwad - Set Free Me Out Rock You Out (1989)

Back into action, Sqwad was, essentially, Masami's Ghoul 2.0. While his solo record veered off into different territories of the punkiverse, Sqwad's one and only record sees them re-creating the classic Ghoul sound. Heavy guitars, thumping bass, and monster drumming. When the original Ghoul split in 1985, Masami eventually put together a new Ghoul, known as Ghoul II (pretty sure there was a Ghoul III as well!). I suppose foreigners like us wont know how good this band was. But going by this record...ridiculously amazing!

The guitars here are very heavy, with layers of noise spatted about...however i think that may actually

be a distorted vocal mike feeding back! The bass plays a functional roll. It follows the guitars, ramming the repeating riffs into the listeners head. There seems to be a GISM influence going on...well, more than usual. Especially in Bulldoggin' Head Rock, where the track goes from galloping chugs into frenetic d-beating hardcore! Drum wise...do you even need me to tell you there are d-beats? Along with the mandatory d-beats are awesome fills, kick patterns that follow riffs, and good ol' bass-snare beating.

Released in the same year that Masami went into a coma that eventually took his life, this record is crucial. Very GISM styled punk rock madness. And to top it off, the record title, as well as the song titles, are pure Engarish. Fucking awesome! 

Yet again i'll provide kyoukinonihon file:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/hx8xah1bj0ej0du/Sqwad++Set+Free+Me+Out+Rock+You+Out+7%27%27.zip

Masami - Final Days (1986)

Masami - Final Days (1986)

Looks like we've got a theme within a theme going. Within this month dedicated to Japanese punk i've done multiple posts on Japcore legends Ghoul.

Next in the Ghoul firing line is Masami's self-titled solo project. He only put out this one record, Final Days, in 1986. Just a year after Ghoul imploded. Who plays on this record? I have no idea! Bloody typical.

I was surprised to find out that Masami's coma was three years long. Starting in 1989 during a gig

and ending in September, 1992, resulting in his untimely death. Sad stuff, indeed.

The first track, Random, opens with a questioning proposal...what's this bluesy shit? However, It doesn't take long for the track to bust into an English punk assault. Whoever played on this record definitely knew how to play...and obviously Masami wasn't ripping those smooth bass lines, pumping those heavy beats, or shredding those frets in his one-armed glory.

While the general theme is punk, this record defies sub-categorization. There's Oi chants, keyboards,

catchy chord progressions, bluesy solos, 60s rock riffs, English punk-isms, Big Country-esqu moments, Oi/street punk guitar rhythms, and gruff vocals. A very weird concoction. But hey, its what the Japs do best.

While not as angry, violent, or nasty as Ghoul. Masami obviously wanted to push the boundaries a bit more...and he certainly succeeded. Don't expect Motorpunk. This is very grand, epic, Big Country-like music mixed with Brit punk.

Here's a link from the great kyoukinonihon blog:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/clmwvblxtkfxxfz/Masami+-+Final+Days+7%27%27.zip

Ghoul - Oi Oi Oi (1985)

Ghoul - Oi Oi Oi (1985)

This final record by the original line-up sees Ghoul shifting style once more. This time, as the title suggests, in an Oi/Street punk direction. While not as potent as Carry Out Fucking or Jerusalem, Oi Oi Oi is a fitting, if a bit off the wall, end to Ghoul's initial life span. Why fitting if it's so different

from their other material? Well, for a band that shifted style on every record it just fits that their final record shows them doing what the fuck they want. True punk attitude if there ever was such a thing!

Obviously this is very English sounding. With the melodic guitar chord progressions, bouncy bass lines, gang chants, simple drumming, super melodic guitar solo, and catchy (well, would be if i knew Japanese) vocals. This is typical Oi/Street punk. However, the Japanese flair makes this stand out as a blinding Oi tune. Also of note is that album art. A punk-skeleton stabbing a Flying V guitar! maybe that's some sort of anti-metal message? or maybe it's just a fucking off the hook idea...

Download the track, yes, there is only one track on this flexi, over at the fantastic Mad Blasts of Chaos blog HERE

Ghoul - Jerusalem (1985)

Ghoul - Jerusalem (1985)

While 1984's Carry Out Fucking is a clucking masterpiece of punkrock brutality, Jerusalem brings the rock to the winning formula. Masami's vocals are still grumbly and gruff, the guitars rock the funk out with a Motorhead vibe, while the drummer pounds the living shit out of the skins. The wonderfully named Bear Bomb has been replaced by a mysterious fellow named Ghost, whom has a less melodic but just as powerful bass style, laying down an iron-coated bottom end for the raging guitars to battle you ear cavity with.

While Carry Out Fucking's recording quality was a perfect mix. It had a lo-fi tint, as well as a bass heavy sound. Jerusalem is much more meaty and filled out affair. First off the bass isn't as loud. Instead of sticking out with melodic parts, Ghost's playing is much more functional with straight-pounding rhythms. However, Be Alive or Dead shows that he is actually very capable, with silky smooth fills that beg the question: is he playing fingerstyle? The guitars are higher in the mix, with added lead dubs that create a great atmosphere. The focus on soloing is neat...not the most impressive with some out-of-tune bends, but who listens to this stuff for amazeballs musicianship? No-one i hope! The drums are more controlled on this record. Don't get me wrong, it's still d-beats and monster fills. But the fills aren't crammed into every void of space. And, as shown in the title track, there's some interesting, dare i say funky, hi-hat work. Although i'm guessing it was more of an Iron Maiden vibe he was going for.

According to the fantastic kyoukinonihon blog, where the link for this record comes from, the vocalist from Gas, Narumi, done the piano parts on the title track!

Link, you motherfuckers

Ghoul - Carry Out Fucking (1984)

Ghoul - Carry Out Fucking (1984)

Fronted by the one-armed bandit motherfucker, Masami, Ghoul are one of the seminal Japcore bands.

Along with GISM, Confuse, GAI, The Sexual, (as well as many others) Ghoul are in the 'Japanese punk bands you must hear' category. However, i'd have to say that they probably aren't as well known as the aftermentioned bands. This is surprising considering Masami's infamy. Apparently he was known for being an 'ard bastard, fighting, causing trouble, and being a general badass. He kept Ghoul going in various permutations after the original band split up in 1985, releasing records under the name Sqwad as well as his own name. Unfortunately he passed on in the early 90s due to the 'demon drink', puking blood on stage, and going into a coma afterwards. As for other members, information is low on the ground. Bassist, Hitoshi Ebihara, known as Bear Bomb has played in a few other bands such as Last Bomb who put out some great records in the 80s, Final Bombs, and Shadow of Fear (with the legendary Kawakami!). I have no idea who the guitarist or drummer are or what they went on to do. Totally weird considering the guitar-work here...is stuff of legend and awe. According to Discogs the guitarist is called Max, and has done sweet F.A. since Ghoul. And the drummer, Tetsu, was on the Virgin Rocks 7' Shut Up from 1986.

Carry Out Fucking is Ghoul's first record. Is it their best? That's a tough one...Ghoul only put out two

EPs in their original form as well as a few single tracks dotted about. What's really admirable is how they changed in direction multiple times, but somehow kept the same vibe. Carry Out Fucking is a veritable feast of punk. Sakevi-like creepy laughing, heavy riffing, fast-but not to fast-pace, prominent bass, d-beats, burly shouts, and menacing vibes all around. This record slays. Jerusalem, Ghoul's second record, is much more rocking.Very Motorhead influenced, but also having a definite metal influence in areas. Altogether a different beast.

The guitars here are a magnificent mix of fast punk, Motorhead'n'roll bendy leads, and frenetic bursts of speed. The bass has a surprisingly clean, clicky tone that punctures through the bands sound, while the drums d-beat to hell, ripping fills at any given chance. Altogether, Ghoul are a bit like GISM, minus the super crazy, delirious, and all around sick sound.

Link from the ridiculously awesome kyoukinonihon blog because MEGA is pissing me about: 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/bkp2x0sp2dddnau/Ghoul+-+Carry+Out+F*ck*ng.zip

G-Zet ADK 12''

G-Zet

G-Zet are a pretty powerful band. The influence of Motorhead is obvious with the double-kick drumming, mid-pace, bass heavy sound, and slow and meaty (when compared to their contemporaries) guitar rhythms. In fact, Dog Eat Dog reminds me of Iron Fist and G-Motor-Zet sounds conspicuously like Motorhead's eponymous track!

The guitars, courtesy of Tam from The Stalin, are powerful without being loud.And maybe it's just me. But I hear a lot of Black Sabbath sounding riffs dotted about. Especially in the opener ザ・クロウズ, which-according to Google translate, means The Crows) The bass, along with the drums, really drives home the Motorhead vibe. It bumbles and rumbles, overpowering the other instruments, while the drums thud mighty beats. There are plenty D-beats, Motorhead style double-kicks, bass/snare, and impressive fills. Overall making the drums a big part of G-Zet's mighty sound. Much like Motorhead, the drums and bass carry the fast tempo while the guitars sluggishly follow, thus giving a weird sensation of heaviousity and speed.

Surprisingly, a fair amount of Jap punk bands were reviewed in American punk-zine, Maximum Rock'n'Roll. I wouldn't be surprised if Pushead had some influence, as he is/was known for his fascination with Japanese punk.

Like GISM, G-Zet straddle the line between metal punk and speed metal, but definitely tend more toward the metal side. Moreover, their guitars aren't as piercing and their vocals aren't as demented, making this a less impressive effort all around. Headbangers should go for it; others won't be as enthused.

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rocknroll #16, August 1984)

Maniacal Japanese speedcore with a lot of bass, driving some outrageous power to the forefront with a mayhemic beat. Metallic guitar riffs, garroting drum pulsations, and that sonic bass blistering. Both songs are instrumentals and each has its own charisma, nothing lost without the vocals.

-Pushead (from Maximum Rocknroll #20, December 1984)

Linky Link:

Link coming soon...

Lance Lot - Eat The Dream (1986)

Lance Lot - Eat The Dream (1986)

Lance Lot are another obscure Japanese punk band. However, over at 7 Inch Punk blog a commenter, Yoshi Chiba, claiming to be the bass players brother left a couple messages in 2008:

"Hello, I’m a brother of the base player of Lance Lot. Lance Lat was playing around mid 80’s at Boredom Market in Sendai-city with Vomits and “Eat the dream” was recorded in/around 1986. All memners of Lance Lot were 16 years old when recording. Ha Ha Ha. They were just local punk kids in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan."

"Hello, I’m a brother of the base player of Lance Lot. Actually, they were playing as Lance Lot in/around 1984-1988, and “Eat the Dream” was recorded in 1986 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan, which is their home town. When “Eat the Dream” was recorded, they were just 16years old. Ha Ha Ha. On the other hand, they were mainly playing with Vomits at Boredom Market in Sendai-city. Do you have any question?"

The fact that these guys were 16 when they recorded this is impressive. I mean, it's easy to compare to today when you can see toddlers shred Yngwie Malmsteen tracks after '2 seconds of practice, lol'
But when you consider this is mid 80s, in a country where many punk bands were playing fast and unintelligible GAI worship, the record is an impressive feat in itself.

The vocals are a nice mix of burly shouts, snotty blurts, and chants. Not quite Sakevi, but still powerful and mean sounding.The drums are probably the most impressive, with a variety of beats, tempos, and fills. Along with the drums, the guitars are impressive. I'd assume there is a bit of a Motorhead influence here. Especially with all those bendy solos.The bass is nice and heavy. Laying down a wrought-iron base for the guitars to churn over. I know i keep saying that these instruments are impressive, but they are. It's a crying shame that Lance Lot only recorded this, as well as two tracks for Hardcore Showcase (1989), because this is some crucial ripping, meaty hardcore punk.

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!hQYBmKpJ!TzR0tXd_ybuaYm69yeEJTyD2xVtutzcIDGZB35Et35o

Lavatory - World War 3 (1989)

Lavatory - World War III

While the name would suggest a shitty (heh-heh) sound, Lavatory competently navigate through varied tempo shifts and riff styles throughout this record. There are slow moments, fast/blast moments, catchy chord progressions and cool lead guitar on all the tracks. Enough to keep Jap punk fanatics wet at the mouth for sure.

The guitar isn't the most thick sounding, but, when compared to their contemporaries, it's powerful in it's own way. Like a fair amount of Jap punk bands, there is a big focus on lead guitar. Here the lead tone is pretty good and the lines the guitar player rips out are impressive and tasteful. The vocals are snotty, so while they aren't vicious, they do retain melodic sensibility...well for shouting they do. And the gang vocals are a nice touch as well. The bass sounds like it's amp is turned up to 10. Nice and crunchy. While the drums use a varied mixture of beats; from bass/snare, d-beats, punctures, basic rock beats, and clever snare gallops.

In typical fashion, there is no info on Lavatory anywhere on the net. Which leads me to believe that

this was the only record they made. Major bummer, because this stuff is awesome.

Linky, Link:

https://mega.co.nz/#!dURhhRqI!pxpa0k8lt348bQOkgu1GPtAZimrUzJPSmzpcBN1wUsU

S.V.S. - Hell Near (1986)

S.V.S. - Hell Near (1986)

By the name, title, and country they come from. I was expecting more of a crazy GISM vibe. However, SVS are actually really melodic. There's plenty of guitar histrionics, speedy riffs, and pounding drums for hardcore enthusiasts to get their teeth into. But at the same time the vocals and chord progressions are very British punk. I'd guess there were multiple influences going on here.

Which isn't surprising considering the unashamed mish-mashing the Japanese are known for.

Apparently this was produced by Lip Cream's Naoki, who is thanked on the back of the record. Which is a neat bit of info! This is definitely one of the better recorded Jap punkcore groups.The drums are a particular highlight, with spazzy fills beated out over d-beats and bass-snare-age. The guitars are a mix of Brit punk rhythms, fast chuggy thrash, racing hardcore, and crazy lead work. The bass has a cool tone, not quite distorted but not clean either. The actual bass lines are mostly following the guitars, however, between the rad tone, racing pace, and occasional bass splurges, the bass playing is a highlight. The thick, slightly distorted bass tone gives the guitars the opportunity to get extravagant with lead-age. Which is very cool in a traditional punk style. Along with the guitars, the vocals are melodic and catchy...most of the time! 

Unlike some their contemporaries, the album art is intriguing....well, kind of. Sitting around a table is, what I assume could be, the band members wearing shirts that either have a world flag or a little emblem of a world flag. The weird thing is that the members also have masks of the, then present, leaders of the counties they are supporting on their shirts. Because the education system failed me, I am only familiar with Ronald Reagan (America) and Maggie Thatcher (Great Britain). I have no idea who the mask for Japan is, and I have no hope in hell figuring out who the guy for the other country, of which I have no idea, is! I'm guessing they are playing some sort of card game, maybe gambling with the world? And I assume that America is winning the game, which Japan is losing, with missiles being shot in Japan's direction much to America and Great Britain's amusement. So like I said....a pretty weird and wonderful record sleeve!

    Dude in the top left taking androgyny to the next level!

Unsurprisingly, there ins't any info about the actual band members on the net. It really does make you think what happened to a lot of these Jap punks. Did they just stop playing? or did they go on to play different music? Alas, I'll probably never know!

S.V.S. probably wont stick out to those seeking relentless and extreme noisecore that the Jap punk scene has become known for. Neither will they wow the metal-damage crowd. However, if you like original British punk. This could be down your alley.

Linky, Link:

https://mega.co.nz/#!IQhjEZ5Q!cyvVQcxx8cJkefDq-lwXbRolfdYSO89UBK4QJfm64GI

Dead Cops - Kill The Cops (1984)

Dead Cops - Kill The Cops (1984)

Kill The Cops is the only record by Dead Cops. However, there is a rad live bootleg over at Terminal Escape, Although Dead Cops were a Japanese band, the vocalist, Roger, is an American. I can only assume he moved to Japan for a while and then went back to the US to work as a stagehand/AV tech from the nineties-present.You can find his blog HERE, but his MP3's are long dead.

According to Roger, Dead Cops were around for a mere nine months around the 83/84 mark. However, nearly all the members went on to have much more success in the Jap punk underground. Obviously Tatsu lended his axe-mastery to Gastunk, Jha Jha went to do vocals in Lip Cream, and Roger played in SiC among other bands.

Obviously it's a bit strange with an American fronting a Jap band. You see this record listed as Jap hardcore, and you get someone who doesn't sound Japanese whatsoever as the focal point. This makes for the record being somewhat underwhelming. However, the track Kill The Cops is pretty meaty. Maybe Rog was trying to sound like Sakevi?

Jeff Bale reviewed this record in Maximum Rock'n'Roll, way back in 1984:
A Japanese band that seems to be heavily influenced by MDC in terms of both moniker and lyrical concerns, though they're far more superficial if not fatuous. Their sound, however, is a dense metallic buzz underlying raspy, zombie-like vocals (especially on the title song). I think the singer is American.
Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rocknroll #16, August 1984)

Like Jeff states. It's a bit like MDC lyrically as well as musically...only not as genuine. With that said, this is a pretty good flexi. Tatsu absolutely lets rip in title track, showing what he was capable of before his masterclass in shred with Gastunk! Rogers vocals are so-so. The bass is rough and ready, and the drums pound along dutifully. Pretty standard really. If all the tracks were like Kill The Cops, this would be a total winner.

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!lV5HnRLB!t4tn_FxCSmOvTvT4493gNZqNPedTgu5Qo3eDfVA38fc

State Children - Bomb Shelter For Moneymaking! (1984)

State Children - Bomb Shelter For Moneymaking! (1984)

I find it pretty funny when I hear some people comparing black metal guitar tones to terrestrial radios or beehives. Obviously these people have never delved into the insanity of Japanese punk! Whoever played guitar on this record is an absolute legend. The guitar is pretty much there for ambiance rather than laying down a rhythm or hook! Throughout these four tracks of malevolent noise, the bass plods along...y'know, playing notes and riffs. At some points you can hear the guitar roughly following the bass lines. But overall, it's just making fucked up noise! The vocals are vicious and biting, in that Japanese punk way. For some reason, when Japanese guys scream, it sounds like they're getting their intestines pulled out. Crazy stuff. Drum wise, it's pretty much bass-snare, punctures (accenting stop/start riffs), and d-beats.

State Children's demo Do You Support The Invasion of Grenada came out a year earlier than this 1984 flexi. Finding downloads of this demo is hard enough, finding actual copies is nigh on impossible. So a Youtube video shall have to do. The quality is pretty terrible as expected. It may be hard to comprehend, but the flexi has WAY better sound quality when compared to this!

State Children: Do You Support... Demo

Shit-Fi made a pretty cool post on this band HERE. Apparently State Children done an interview
in a Jap punkzine back in the day called 100 Club. At least according to Shit-Fi, they disclosed
that the original name tor Bomb Shelter... was Fighting for Power Politics and that in the year and a half they were together, they went through a few drummers.

So that's pretty nifty!

The band note the usual suspects of Discharge, Crass, and Disorder as their influences. Like
it takes much guessing, right!? What also doesn't take much guessing is that nothing is really known about them. What can be said with authority is that State Children put out a devastating flexi. One which is part of the small amount of pioneering noisepunk/noisecore/raw-punk/Japcore records ever made.

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!dZByBaRS!pAGfCikFJDw6H-oPNbZntqggHqkkvGENZ8bAZKkhsC8

Z - Violence Action (1988)

Z - Violence Action (1988)

Hey, wanna hear something that sounds like turd?
Violence Action is one of the two records by these mysterious marauders of music. Put out in 1988, Violence Action has become somewhat of a sought-after collectible. When compared to the other original Jap noisecore records, such as Damaging Noise, Nuclear Addicts, Zanin Seiji, etc, this is probably the least impressive. While the aforementioned records are powerful in their noisy extremity, Violence Action doesn't pack quite the same punch. But don't get me wrong. It's not horrible...well, it is really. But for noisy shit music, it's not THAT bad.

As you can see, the artwork is pretty...unique. A very crudely drawn (as if i could do better!) punk with a ridiculously large mohawk and pointy nose, walking past a broken brick wall which exposes, what seems to look like, a graveyard. And on the brick wall is an even cruder drawing of Mr. Punk (Who goes by the name Z Boy, apparently). Whats interesting is that in the right hand corner it says Z RECORD-002, which begs the question, what is Z RECORD-001?

Over at Shit-Fi, a guy called Zach Howard left this message:
The text to the left of Shingi on the line up photo says "Z Wa Urusai" or in English; "Z is noisy". To his right it says "Kane Ga Nai," which means something like "No money" ("Kane" means money, "Ga" is a particle and "Nai" is indicating the negative form).

The text on the back side of the sleeve is, I think, an ad for their 1st tape (I've put the literal Katakana pronunciation in brackets). It says something about 1st [Te-Pu] (tape in English) and sending 600 yen to an address. The Katakana in the last line says [Hebi Meta] Fuckoff,or when spelled in English; "Heavy Metal Fuckoff". Finally, it looks like the tape has 26 songs.

As for the band members themselves, they certainly look the part...sort of. I don't know what the spikey mouth covers are though!

This is some pretty neat raw-punk. Not essential when compared to the likes of Gai, Confuse, and Gudon, but neat nonetheless.

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!0RglzTJC!9LrcKYOZUI9sCUJ5MsVPr_OZwoQaIxg6mNnPFUygGhs

Sieg Heil - First Demo Tracks (1984)

Sieg Heil - First Demo Tracks (1984)

By the band name you can probably tell that this isn't going to be the most intelligent recording ever. Like many other Japanese punk bands. Sieg Heil were more anarchic than political. Favoring chaos over rules...not only in their world view, but musically as well. This is some prime anti-music.

Jiiku Hairu, known to us uncultured pigs as Sieg Heil, were a Jap punk band who were at the forefront of noisy raw-punk hardcore. If you go HERE you'll find two stories by two different Jap punk veterans-Sieg Heil bassist T.V, and Loods from GAI/The Swankys.

T.V. notes that, at the time, G.A.I and Sieg Heil were not as crazy sounding during their earlier incarnations. UK hardcore, as well as the blossoming Jap punk scene, fueled the band. However,
TV's revelation came when the guitarist from Confuse suggested he use an equalizer box:
"Hey why don't you guys use the equalizer box, ah, easy makin' the guitar sings wheeze-wheeze!"

Now, an equalizer is used to give definition to an instrument. Overall, giving your tone an added depth and sophistication. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Confuse weren't looking for depth in their guitar tone. They just wanted to make noise! So how would an equalizer, used to y'know, equalize a tone, help Confuse on their mission? Well, an equalizer usually has multiple faders, ranging from bass (low) to treble (high) frequencies. So when the bass frequencies are cut, and the treble frequencies are turned up....you get ungodly white noise! 'wheeze-wheeze' indeed. Not only doe's this induce feedback, it also achieves the very tinny 'chicken scratch' guitar tone.

A graphic equalizer makes guitar go wheeze-wheeze!

Anyway. Before acquiring this important information GAI and Sieg Heil's guitar sound was achieved by "distortion and overdrive at the same time and sometimes footing the delay box. (laughter) Oh, it was so silly as I recall." Distortion with overdrive is fairly typical for rock solos. It's never really used for rock rhythm guitar because the added overdrive can easily cause feedback. Thus making it impractical for clean chord changes. The addition of delay is also pretty common for solos. As the name delay suggests, when you play a note, that note repeats to whatever setting you have dialed in. Real cheap delays have pre-sets that can't be changed to specific BPM (Beats per minute) which is a pain in the butt. Unless your doing some math-rock thang, 80s heavy metal....or some boring psychedelic bollocks, delay wont sound too good on rhythm guitar. I mean really, using it for rippin' fast hardcore rhythms? No wonder it sounded silly!

Apparently the drummer went on to play in Gedon and Lydia Cats, the guitarist played in Spunky Boys and TV played bass in GAI for a little while.

As for this recording, Sieg Heil have a good balance between their instrument levels and rough production. Thus, making it one of the better sounding early raw-punk records. Savage vocals, noisy guitar, racing bass playing, and d-beating drums! Rad.

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!kRAiiLya!aogtGNgB7OCCETQHiI0d6hxVlohSDaCmpOj5gswKZs8

Japcore: Punk from the Land of the Rising Sun

Snow Delay At The Frankfurt School Presents: 

Japcore: Punk from the Land of the Rising Sun

It would be safe to say that the history of extreme music wouldn't be the same without Japanese punk. Japan offered up some of the nastiest, noisiest, and down right despicable music to infect this god forsaken world during the 80s. Considering that the likes of GISM, GAI, Confuse, Sieg Heil and a host of others spewed out their anarchic noise-mongering during this time, it's no surprise how bands like Napalm Death, Extreme Noise Terror, and Satanic Malfunctions got the inspiration to craft their noisy abandon.

Fucked By Noise made a good point on their post on early 80s Jap punk.
"I could attempt to give a history lesson or rave for hours about how Japanese punk is really awesome, but that's been done about a million times already so I don't see much of a point. Plus, I feel as if a lot of people who do that seem to fetishize Japan in the same way that weeaboos do."

It's hard to disagree that outsiders of Japan (read: scumbag Brits, Eurotrash and Septic Tanks)
fetishize Japan. If you think about it, there were plenty of obscure bands that operated in towns and cities close to where YOU live NOW. And that those bands, if they ever recorded, probably wont ever be unearthed or get the credit they are due. Why? Well it's just luck of the draw really, isn't it?
You don't need to be inventive, talented, proactive, or good to be historicised. Being the first surely helps, and being the coolest guys in a bustling scene assures a place in history. But if you fall out of these lines you may be damned to obscurity.

All these mega obscure Japanese bands were probably victims of this same fate.They either didn't push themselves, weren't too inventive, didn't want to be known, or were just unlucky. However, due to the fetishization of Japanese culture these 'gems' resurface. Why this happens is a question to itself. Maybe members of the bands recognize the interest and uncover their past works, maybe some the tape traders of the 80s were kind enough to share the music they loved back in the day (Cocobat covering Gastunk, Napalm Death covering SOB, anyone?) Or maybe the music was so isolated in Japan, that when transnational connections (i.e: the internet) made the distribution of music easier, these records could be available to share.

Behold! The infamous flexi disc. The format that most Japcore was printed on. What's the difference to vinyl? The fuck I know!

So is fetishization a bad thing? Personally, if these are the results, I'd say not really. And really, it's nice to have that mystery behind the music. While 70s rockstars like Kiss were mysterious in a pre-internet age. That can't be said for nowadays. Just look at Slipknot, it didn't take too long for their identities to be leaked. Japan is strange to us outsiders as it is. A particular collection of scenes in a particular time frame, in a language we can't understand, brings the mystery back to the music.

And let's not forget. The Japanese probably fetishized Britain of all places! You only need to look at Jap punk fashion to realize this.

Nice 'hawks, bruh!

Let's face it. There is nothing wrong with finding another culture facinating. Especially if that culture is so different to your own. Hell, Japan seems like the antithesis of the West. For starters, Japan, as well as many Asian countries, has that stereotype of being very committed and disciplined. How many anime's do you need to see the protagonist getting the living shit kicked out of them, only for this character to visualize their friends and family in trouble, ultimately sparking their motivation to reach their goal? or the constant repetition of working out/training to reach their desired goal? This discipline and commitment can be traced far back in Japanese cultural history.

Goku on the infernal 'Snake Way'. How many episodes did it take for him to complete this? But at least we all learnt that with patience and determination, anything is possible!....yeeesh

Aside from this. At least to this Brit, Japan seems fucking cool with it's rich cultural heritage; which includes Samurai, Imperial leaders, the coolest looking weapons, and brutal violence; one of the most well known mafia's out there (Yakuza), their technological excellence/creativity, and in recent times, eccentric imagery that pervades their popular culture.

But with all this said. There's plenty of weird stuff when it comes to Japan as well...of which i'd rather not think about, to be honest!

With that out the way, let's talk music...
Japanese punk, Japcore, Japanoise, Japafuckingwhatever, is typically known for being either; extreme and noisy, or eccentric with its extravagant guitar histrionics, weird punk-styles mish-mashing and
amazing chameleon abilities. Plenty of Noise music, as in the genre Noise, had developed from the punk scene. Notable performers being Hanatarash as early as 1986. And many crazy experimentation
that we see in newer Jap punk, metal, or just alternative music is derived from this music as well. Just listen to Gastunk!

Over the course of this month i'll be posting Japanese punk gems, mostly, from the 80s. There are plenty of other records, some i have, many i don't. That i'll leave for another month somewhere down the line.

Stockholm's Mangel (2000)

Stockholm's Mangel (2000)

Released in 2000, Stockholm's Mangel collects recordings by Swedecore legends Mob 47, Agoni, Crudity, Ptotes Bengt, Discard, and Rojers. Some of these bands are fairly well known, Mob 47 and Discard being the most popular by far. However, the lesser known bands such as Crudity and Protes Bengt offer just as potent raw punk.

The comp starts off with twelve songs by Mob 47. As far as i'm aware these tracks were not previously available before this comp came out...but the Mob 47 discography is bloody complicated. All you need to know is that the tracks here are raw, fast, and have d-beats! Mob 47 have a slightly 'cleaner' sound as opposed to the blown out style of their contemporaries. Don't let that fool you though, as Mob 47 are extreme in their own right. Influencing everyone. Even your nan. Why do you think she owns a leather jacket with 'No TV Sketch' painted on the back? Heh, okay. You get my point.

Agoni are next up with their early demo which i have already posted. Check out that post HERE. For the sake of this post i'll just say that the 7 songs here are brutal as fuck. Agoni really are an underappreciated Swedecore band. But then again, they did shoot themselves in the foot with their metal years.

Crudity are probably the biggest surprise here. Totally unknown band that rip like hell! They don't have the thick guitar sound of Agoni, but the chords, the speed, and the trebly tone make this band essential listening. Crudity are a bit lighter on the ears and could probably be appreciated by 77' punk fans with those melodic full chords they play. From what I can gather, this material was recorded in 1985!

Apparently this comp first came out in 1985! only with Mob 47, Crudity, and Agoni's tracks

Protes Bengt, featuring members of Filthy Christians, Rojers, and Mob 47, is a supergroup like Hell Yeah or something...only that they aren't fat, sellout, douche-bags who all previously played in shitty metal bands. This band is a bit notorious for their attempts to reach warp-speed...only to be thwarted by Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the same year of 1986! Protes Bengt flip-flop between Discharge pace to blast-beat insanity. If i had to compare them to other bands, I suppose they are a bit like early Asocial, SIEGE, Deep Wound in the speed department. However the vocals, by Per of Filthy Christians!, are much more gruff and Cal (Discharge) like. With that said, over the sixteen tracks they contribute, there are multiple approaches to vocals, guitar, and drumming. Impressive stuff, really. A totally unique band!

Next up is the great Discard. Many know of Discard due to them being, allegedly, the first band to be Discharge worship with Dis in their name, as well as being the first to copy the Discharge font.
The eleven tracks here are from their 1986 demo, which was released in 1990 as Death From Above This is some brutal stuff. Obviously it's Discharge worship but with a lo-fi edge. The vocals actually remind me of Anti-Cimex, especially some of the live material, with Jonsson's pain-filled bellows. The drums are d-beat crazy, while the guitars are adding a little bit of their own flavor to the Bones recipe.

Rojers end the comp with the least amount of tracks. Three in total. However, they offer an interesting sound. On their introductory song Soldiers From Hell, they start with a very Buzzcocks-like intro which then rips into fast as fuck hardcore. Run For Your Life is similarly crazy fast while Law Of Evil is Discharge paced.

This comp is fucking rad. Probably one of the best I've heard, and that's saying something.
The fact that this compiles some rare shit is absolute bliss. The only way to acquire this underground shit would have meant you were either there at the time or were a super keen tape-trader. If any of you like extreme music in any form, you should definitely check this out. Sweden has a great history of punk music. Especially with the raging crust that these groups spew out....but lets not forget the monster-riffage of 90s straight-edge hardcore as well!. Sorry. Couldn't help myself, crusties!

As Doom say: Hail To Sweden!

Linky, Link:

Direct: http://www.mediafire.com/?7r0s7o43jnd4wb7

Taken from the great Sentimientos Incendiarios blog: http://sentimientosincendiarios.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/va-stockholms-mangel.html

Agony (Agoni) - The First Defiance (1988)

Agony (Post-Agoni) - The First Defiance (1988)

The final recording by Agony, formerly Agoni, The First Defiance. If you've checkout out their earlier material you'll see how they have changed from brutal punk to 5th rate thrash metal.

What's immediately noticeable is how tight they've become. On the previous demos, while still pretty tight, it's here that they've mastered their craft of thrash. The riffs are more cleanly executed, the drumming is on point with many strategically placed fills, the bass...i suppose holds down the rhythm end, nothing too exciting as per with thrash metal, and the vocals have grown out of the Baloff worship (well, Madness Reigns is an exception) from the previous demo.

My issue with thrash, and metal in general, is the overuse of riffs and trying too hard to be progressive/epic all the goddamn time. There's lots of stop-starts, space for fills, and unfortunately solos...Actually let me clear this up. Solos can be great, amazing even. But leaving long spaces in songs for doodling is not cool. If you're a guitar player, or someone like me who dicks about with guitars with retard fingers, no doubt you've left spaces in songs you've written so you can practice your soling. Cool, backing tracks are a good way to practice. But dooood, don't treat an actual song like a backing track. Chances are your amazing improvisations sound like shit, or are just not as amazing as you think they are.

I'm not saying Agony fall prey to this to the point where it's a fault. They're just playing thraaaaashh, maaaan. Its just a flaw in a genre for me. You know what? I blame Metallica, fucking Master of Puppets. That record inspired way too many bands to start being progressive (read: repetitive) as opposed to the punky Slayer approach.

Sweet Mary mother of Christ, what happened?

All of this sounds like i'm slagging this band off. But i'm not, honest. Night of the Emperor has a cool change in dynamic half way through, which is good as the record starts to drag by this point. Mass Manipulation has a cool moment towards the end, with thumping quarter note bass notes, giving an almost circus-like atmosphere. Obviously Deadly Legacy, from the earlier demos, has a neat guitar hook, and becomes the highlight of the record. Pretty sad that one of, if not the, best songs was written before the newer material.

So there you have it. They never really got as original or powerful as they should have. This is decent, but it's not something i'll be attracted to listen to multiple times.

Linky, Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/zmjmzzmgnna/A-TFD88-BYTM.zip

Agony (Agoni) - Execution of Mankind (1986)

Agony (Post-Agoni) - Execution of Mankind Demo (1986)

Whenever the early demo tracks surfaced, which showed Agoni in full raging D-Beat mode and the transition into thrash merchants in 1985 with The Future is Ours, it took until 1986 for them to unleash this: Execution of Mankind

From the limited knowledge available, I assume this is the same line-up. Like I said on my previous posts, due to my bias, I think the early demo is the best thing Agoni ever released. However, their thrash work is still very good. The only problem is the lack of identity. Better than standard thrash, but it's obviously Exodus worship going on here; you can definitely tell that Bonded by Blood had crossed the water by this point (just listen to them fucking vocals). And that's the issue here. This is some cool thrash, but it doesn't blow me away. It doesn't set them apart from their puffy-sneakered constituents.While the early demo was, admittedly, generic for what it was. At least they were one in a few actually playing in that style at that time. As such, despite not being overly original, they leave a lasting impression.

That very criteria: Swedish, punk/d-beat, early 80s. Makes them so much more interesting. As opposed to: Swedish, thrash metal, mid-late 80s. I mean, how many thrash bands were there in the late 80s anyway? Answer: a lot, as record labels could capitalize on the success of the big four and the pretentious wankers who want something more underground, bruh!

Sure, they've gotten better at their instruments. There is more content here; longer songs, guitar harmonies, solos, progressive-tinted song structures, tempo shifts, et all. But It doesn't 'wow' me.

Two tracks here, Deady Legacy, and Execution of Mankind appear on their only LP The First Defiance and Bribed is a re-work from their previous demo The Future is Ours

Overall, a decent demo. But Agoni were forever cursed with being mediocre when they changed their style, and later name, to the metal side. Shame.

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!4AIVzbhb!mWspbQu3w_tzRXNR6h4S-qGd_NzmZIhgS7oKy5UmpQk

Agoni - The Future is Ours (1985)

Agoni - The Future is Ours Demo (1985)

So after the amazing d-beat mastery that appeared on Stockholm's Mangel, what does Agoni's next demo The Future is Ours sound like?

Like thrash metal. It's surprising that it's even the same band. I mean, when was that first demo recorded? It must have been pretty early since the musical growth is pretty big. However, i say that. Metal, although touted as technical, isn't THAT much harder to play than standard punk.

There really isn't much, if any, comparison to the d-beat Agoni. Obviously the drums are playing permutations of the d-beat fairly often. But guitar and vocal wise? Forget it. This is a different band altogether.

In terms of Agoni's 'metal years'. This is probably the best representation. Although I would say that because this demo doesn't outstay it's welcome. With three tracks, each being around the three minute mark, this isn't a long affair. Also, the fact that they were still searching for that sound makes this a bit more raw than the later material.

Check out this review of a show in Leeds, UK. Where Discharge headlined, in all their a-hem "glory", and Anti-Cimex + Agoni were on support.

So, not as powerful or as special as their first demo. As the live review states, this isn't anything special. But it's not bad, just not earth-shattering. Did Agoni ever get that bit more 'power and originality'?

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!wQwE2CZZ!UJkIr9cXPQnt0OX-Grm0bK_xQ8yLpjAoU0EQc28KW2U

Agoni (Early Demo)

Agoni - Early Demo (Stockholm's Mangel Tracks)

Agoni, later Agony, started out as a dyed-in-wool Swedish hardcore band. However, a few years down the line they started to crossover. Eventually becoming a full-fledged thrash metal band with 1988s The First Defiance

While the metal stuff is pretty decent, Agoni were an absolutely ripping Swedecore/Kang-punk/D-Beat band.

The seven tracks here eventually showed up on the great Stockholm's Mangel comp many years after they were recorded. This is some raw, mean sounding punk. The bass is filthy and distorted, the guitars rage in the typical Discharge worship of kang punk, the drums D-Beat their way to hell, and
the vocals are bellowed and powerful.

Apparently Agoni toured the UK in 1986 with Anti-Cimex. Although by 1986 they were a proper thrash metal band. Check out the poster at the top of the page. Anti-Cimex, Varukers, Agoni, Heresy, Napalm Death. Sounds like a hella gig, right? By that point in time, the only 'metal' band there would have been Agoni, who must have stood out like a sore thumb among the hardcore stalwarts.

There is even a review of a gig in Leeds, UK that calls Agoni 'average thrash metal' and 'nowt special'. I'll put it on the next Agoni post.

A neat bit of info: Brit crust legends Doom covered En Rost For Fred on their Hail to Sweden EP which also features songs by Discard, Anti-Cimex, Crudity, Rojers, and Mob 47!

Linky, Link:
Direct: http://www.mediafire.com/?drklurk8wpwfyjn
The awesome Under the Surface blog: http://utsurface.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/hail-to-sweden.html

Asocial - House of Gore (1992)

Asocial - House of Gore (1992)

Let's just take some time to appreciate the record title here.

House of Gore

Holy hell, that's a cool as fuck title!

This record came out in 1992. A time when the Swedish death metal scene was probably
thriving. Why mention that, you may ask. Well, because the first two tracks are pretty much...death metal. The third track, one of my personal favorite Discharge tunes Q. And Children A. And Children, is a decent cover. A bit of a strange choice considering their new musical direction, but a welcome one.

At times, this really does sound like a different band. However, how many death metal bands cover
Discharge? And with that said, there is still a respectable amount of D-Beat left. Heck, it's not until a minute into the title track when the death metal riffs are first introduced. So it's not a complete left turn. While House of Gore is a mix between D-Beat and death  metal, Act of Violence is pure death metal, and Q. And Children A. And Children is total D-Beat.

Lyrically, you can expect that this is more gore related than political. Maybe that's why they chose Q. And Children...! 'skin peeled hanging in strips' has always been stamped into my mind since I first heard it. The guitars are meaty and riff-laden, the bass rumbles in the low-frequencies, the vocals are...actually quite hardcore, but to be honest, most Swedish death metal is, and the drums are using a mix of different beats...not just D-Beats i'm afraid!

As a fan of death metal, I think this is a cool record. This is a rad mix of D-Beat and death metal, more bands should do it (or make it more obvious). It would certainly be interesting to know how this record was received though!

To sum this up: rad death metal/D-Beat crossover from Swedecore legends!

Linky, Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!kQwVkChT!GHqM2qAoxPTBzL_y0VKhS1tH4F0T9PX0xuBDoIec02s