The Misfits - Beware (1980)

 

The Misfits - Beware (1980) 

Now this is more like it! Classic Danzig era Misfits. As you may know, Danzig recently regrouped with The Misfits for a festival show in America. This, to me, was slightly disheartening. While it's cool and all, especially with Dave Lombardo destroying the drums beat by beat, it's just not the same. Some bands are just a moment in time. While I can't fault the guys wanting some cash for music they never got in their initial life span, there is something to say about legacy.

Obviously, Jerry Only has never been one to care about legacy. He recruited a new Misfits line-up in the 90s, put out some good material, lied dormant for a while, and then refused to let the gravy train disappear. As a result, he has fronted the band since the early 2000's. No doubt they put on a good show, but the recorded material from this era fucking sucks. According to recent news, Danzig has called off any other activities with The Misfits, Doyle has gone back to his solo material, and Jerry is, as expected, keeping the ailing cash-cow alive. So, while we all wait to ignore the next Misfits material that'll undoubtedly come out within the next few years, we can satisfy ourselves by digging up the classic Danzig era material...such as BEWARE!

Beware is a compilation that was released in 1980. It features all of the Bullet EP, the main cuts from the Horror Business EP, and (the then unreleased) Last Caress. Understandably, Beware is a crucial record. There's just something about Danzig's reign, the songs are perfectly written and played, and there is a warm quality to the music...like putting on your old favourite jumper. Maybe that's just nostalgia on my part as The Misfits are one of the bands that got me into punk rock, and thus music in general.

Enjoy, you fiends!

The Misfits - Monster Mashed

 

The Misfits - Monster Mashed

It's Halloween once again. A holiday of mass consumerism which could only have come from America-land. While you're gorging on cheap horror movies, soda, and chocolate, you may as well do something good for you're health...such as listening to the heavenly, or hellish may be more appropriate, sounds of The Misfits.

Well, i say that with slight sarcasm relating to this particular release. Monster Mash was the first time Jerry Only took lead vocals. And while he works well here, the full-length records he has done are horrendous, and not in a good way.

Anyway, I've put the 1997 single version as well as the superior Project 1950 cut and tagged them as Monster Mashed. Enjoy, you fiends.

NOFX - First Ditch Effort (2016) Review

 

NOFX - First Ditch Effort (2016) Review

 The new NOFX CD/record whatever the fuck you've bought it on, is the 13th release (so satanic) by these Southern Californian punk rock legends. And I for one, think it's fucking killer.

But then again, I am biased. NOFX were 'that' band for me. They opened up the door to punk rock and I never walked back out. For those who are oblivious to this band, NOFX started out as an endearingly cruddy Mystic Records style punk band, that then started to slightly crossover, but then (in an unexpected turn) became the household name for 90s melodic punk rock. Okay, maybe 'household' isn't the best term.....Green Day or The Offspring would be more accurate in that case. But still, NOFX were (and i'd argue, are) a defining 90s/00s punk band.

As a fan, the release of their book The Hepatitis Bathtub and other Stories got me absolutly stoked. Real good read by the way. But when this record was announced for a 7th October release, I was seriously. fucking. excited. The first teaser of the new material was Six Years On Dope, which was released as a lyric video. And i've got to admit...i wasn't too keen at first (Melvin's 'yeeeeah' seems real out of place). But after another few listens I couldn't get the song out of my head. In similar fashion, I Don't Like Me Anymore confused me on first listen. But after another listen, it was apparent this album
was going to be fucking awesome...if a bit of a grower. Finally, Oxy Moronic came out with a sparkly music video...and surprise, surprise, I didn't think much to it. It sounded a bit too new-wavey, a bit limp wristed. But, and I know you know where this is going, I ended up really liking it. Not as good as the previously released tracks, but still good ol' NOFX.

Now, I know this isn't very informative, so i'll just get into it. This record is a bit of a grower,
but that's because it's noticeably more diverse than previous efforts. California Drought, I'm A Transvest-Lite, Ditch Effort, It Ain't Lonely At The Bottom, are classic NOFX. Short, funny, catchy. If you're a fan, you'll love these tracks. The real difference comes with tracks like I Don't Like Me Anymore and I'm So Sorry, Tony. Straight off the bat, just the titles indicate a new lyrical (and musical) direction. Lyrically, Fat Mike has really opened up. I loved My Orphan Year from Coaster, and these tracks in particular show some bittersweet, sadly funny, and truly hard-hitting lyrics. In order to do the words justice, the music needs to take a more serious tone. In comes the pianos, and some chord progressions and melodies that you wouldn't initially connect with NOFX. 

I'm So Sorry, Tony is possibly the best representation of what im getting at:

"Sometimes on weekends, when our kids hang out together, Kiera tells Darla that her dad's songs are better. And I think she's sad, cause tomorrow she hopes her dad, will be coming home, cause he told her that 3 years ago on the phone"

"All the endless nights we had, the 20 years of laughs, I've looked, but I can't find any photographs
Of us, because it's weird to take photos with your best friends, Cause you don't think that you'll never see them again"

  

However, there are a couple tracks here that initially threw me off on first listen.

1: Happy Father's Day

The intro is sorta Texas Is The Reason-ish, not NOFX'y at all. But when the actual song hits, it's a hardcore fueled melodic punk track with venomous lyrics directed at Fat Mike's father. Now that i've listened to it a lot, I really like that intro.

"Fuck you Paul Burkett, I'm glad that you are dead. You weren't a father or a parent, more of an acquaintance than a friend"

2: Sid and Nancy

Very different to the 7" version (Same goes for Generation Z) This track is so classic NOFX...until

around a minute and a half in where some lame 'post-rock' style guitar begins. Personally, if you're not Godspeed You, Black Emperor, put away your fucking delay and reverb pedals. Seriously, Hefe could have ripped out some smooth jazzy licks...but we get this instead. Good job the song is so fucking catchy.

Like many of NOFX's post millennium albums, they ingeniously mix pop melodies, hardcore thrashing, snotty punk rock attitude, and fantastic song writing, all tied together with truly great musicianship. And yes, i did just say that.

I don't like rating records because it's always so subject to changing. But fuck it, 10/10. It's a grower. But it's well worth it for fans. If you never liked NOFX this record probably wont convert you. But if you want to take a punt on a beautifully open and heartfelt melodic punk record, get this.

Highlights:
It's Not Lonely At The Bottom, I Don't Like Me Anymore, I'm A Transvest-lite,
I'm So Sorry Tony, Six Years On Dope, Sid and Nancy, Happy Father's Day

Fuck it. They're all highlights. Get this fucking album, you rats.

Nora - Loser's Intuition (2001)

Nora - Loser's Intuition (2001)

I'm just gonna say it. Nora are fucking ace and you should feel bad for not knowing about them. So who the fuck are Nora and why do they have an old-ass womans name?

Well, little jimmy. According to Wikipedia "Nora is a metalcore band from Highland Park, New Jersey." Lovely, and very insightful. To give you a better idea, they were signed to Trustkill during the late 90s, that means Eighteen Visions, Bleeding Through, fuckin' THROWDOWN, Poison The Well, Shai Hulud, and Brothers Keeper were label mates.What you can take from this is that they're a legit hardcore band from a time where this type of music had a relative amount of success. In addition to this, vocalist, Carl Severson, owned and run the formidable Ferret Music. Which released records by the likes of skycamefalling, Disembodied, Stretch Arm Strong, Funeral For A Friend, Killswitch Engage, From Autumn To Ashes, among others, and released Converge's best record Petitioning The Empty Sky.

Why they chose their name on the other hand, beats me. Well, it did beat me until I searched the interwebs, apparently they're named after Nora Diniro,a character from the film Pump Up The Volume.

Now, I really like this band. And Loser's Intuition is a fucking ripper. It has a real sludgy, hard rocking edge
to some of the riffing. And while that may sound like a fucking horrible combo when paired with 90s hardcore, the result is monstrous (think Coalesce, DEP, and Hatebreed beating each other to death). The two guitar approach allows for some chunky riffing, harmonised weird ass riffs, and those cool diminished chords (dem parts that sound hella nasty). When compared to other hardcore bands on Trustkill and Ferret, Nora stick to the shouty approach, with the occasonal Rollins-esque spoken monologues. Weird to think, but in 2001, the whole 'i'm shouty one minute, and now i'm tender and emotional the next' deal wasn't the done deal in hardcore.

While Nora may not be so active these days, and Ferret Music has signed a huge amount of shite since Carl handed the company over, we can all rejoice at the awesomeness of the early Nora material.

I hate comedy dramas
http://www119.zippyshare.com/v/mJnyI0ne/file.html

Cocobat - Supercharged Chocolate Meltdown (2001)

Cocobat - Supercharged Chocolate Meltdown (2001)

Released on Toy's Factory in 2001, Cocobat hit us up with a live EP. Six originals from past records such as Return of Grasshopper, I Versus I, and Ghost Tree Giant, and one cover of Bark At The Moon, originally done by Rainbow.....nah, just fucking with you. I may as well say that Ozzy's solo material doesn't do much for me. So yeah, man.

Musically, you know what your getting if your familiar with the records these tracks are from. For the uninitiated, Cocobat play funky, groove-laden 90s hardcore. One thing I must say, is that the production is crystal clear. You can really hear the extended chords, the beefy kick drum patterns, and the crazy bass-skills of Take-Shit. Obviously there is some deviation from the studio recorded versions, but by and large, Cocobat stick to their guns. Impressive stuff.

In conclusion, this isn't essential. But it is a decent little stop-gap EP for the fans.

Get down with this funky shit
http://www41.zippyshare.com/v/gCWzeDFU/file.html

Cocobat - Tsukiookami (1998)

Cocobat - Tsukiookami (1998)

Boom. And we're back, baby.

1998, Cocobat release this monster EP. Yes for those who have seen the track listing, they do cover Gastunk. Killer, dude. They also get a guy by the name of Jacky Ohtaka to shred his balls off over those tracks. No joke, I think Jacky may have actually shredded his balls off. RIP Jacky Ohtaka's balls.

Now. as far as I can tell. This is the first (and only?) record to feature the guitar wizardry of Kazunori Mizoguchi. Who is he, you ask? He only played in a band called NUNCHAKU.
Fucking killer, dude.

Mizoguchi really brings a spice to Cocobats sound. I mean, yeah. It's still typical Cocobat. it sounds like Earth Crisis punching Metallica while Pantera watches in a video shop owned by the entire late 80s NYHC fraternity, in a shopping district co-ordinated by Sepultura. Did any of that make sense? Probably not. Do Cocobat sound like any of those bands? Not really.What was the point of writing it? I dunno, dude. I just dunno.

Anyway. Killer EP, Kazunori Mizoguchi we hardly knew yah. Check out his website here: http://kazunorimizoguchi.tumblr.com/

Get hell-bent (fo' leather)


http://www115.zippyshare.com/v/XfgZfsLC/file.html

Dank Update For Dank People

                                                                           

Am I a lazy bastard? Yes I am. It's been six months since I last posted, and I never got round to properly uploading the shit that was requested of me.

But in my god-darn defence, I finished uni. I'm now officially edjumacated, son. And I gotta full-time job...okay, so none of that classifies as a good excuse. But still, mang. I'm gonna sort shit out and start posting more often....I swear, I promise, I....I...i'm probably lying. No doubt life will get in the way again. But while the iron is hot, eh!

                                     Also Relevant: 

 

Anyway, guys. Just letting you know that i've got some dank posts coming up. Keep yo' eyes peeled, son.   

Cocobat - Return of Grasshopper (1996)

 

                                                  Cocobat - Return of Grasshopper (1996)
I'm not going to lie and say i have a comprehensive discography of this Jap hardcore powerhouse. However, i have a few CDs of theirs knocking about and I'm always searching for more.

For those not already acquainted, Cocobat are a Japanese hardcore band who have been going strong since the early 90s. Their debut, which is HERE, is a great groove-infected hardcore record. Yep, that's what i said. Groove-infected.

Usually when the words Japanese and hardcore are used to describe something, people either think of
A: Hardcore pornography (usually of a disturbing nature)
B: Noisy Discharge-punx with mohicans and studded jackets

Although i'd love to say that Cocobat incorporates both of these things, they simply don't. Instead of ripping fast GAI worship, Cocobat opt for a groovy, metallic edge that was oh-so-new at the time.

No studded jackets or mohicans, say whaaaaat? I thought this was Japanese Hardcore!

That image should speak volumes, Cocobat aren't your typical punk band. While the likes of Confuse are accused of being a prime example of fashion-punks, Cocobat just look like a bunch or norms....by 90s standards at least.

Since Cocobat weren't spending hours patching and studding their apparel they must have spent their time practising their instruments because they are all super competent and water tight.

From what i can gather, after the first record they booted former vocalist Ryuji (Disarray/Bitousha/Dessert), drummer Matsuzaki, and Shinichi Suzuki (Lawshed) and replaced them with Koji on guitar, Kame on drums and Hideki on vocals. Basically, this record features only one member from the original line-up that recorded the self-titled effort - the amazingly named, and skilled, Take-Shit.

You'd think their sound would have changed with this massive overhaul. And while they do sound different, it's still a big mish-mash of heavy chugs, slap-bass, and schizoid guitar parts.You can tell that Take-Shit runs the joint, slapping-popping-taking shits everywhere on this record. Man, he can play. Guitar-wise Koji brings more 90s hardcore conventions to the table: militant chugs, natural harmonics, discordant chords, groove-riffing - the whole shebang. On top of this there are plenty of inventive ideas floating around by all members.

Annotating each song would probably be a big snore for y'all, so i'll just say this: If you didn't like their debut, you probably won't like this.

Take-Shit taking shits for shit and giggles
http://www98.zippyshare.com/v/WTRIvJMo/file.html