Deadly Reign - Slave 7''

Deadly Reign have released the best album of 2001 under the name "No end in sight". Now, two years later they come in the same deadly style. Tight and furious hardcore punk. "Slave" released through Profane existence records and contains three scissor cutting tracks for all the fans of non-boring D-Beat madness. They have members of World burns to death, Scarred for life and Till death. I've said before that "who are we shooting at?" may be my favourite track from Deadly Reign but "Employment of slaves" is a big contender. An ace seveninch worth to checking out.

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RAPPA - the still grey sky

Oh God, why japan have to be so fucking brutal? I think Disturd is the best crust band out there right now - and they have a new two-track cassette released - but Rappa came as a hurricane in my face. Brutal and aggressive hardcore with lots of crust hints. Crazy speed drums, axe-giutars and lunatic vocals with all tracks nearly to 1 minutefrom ex-members of GOUKA. That's crazy stuff. If you think this blog is dead, well it is, but RAPPA deserve to be here.that's what bombing out my stereo alongside to Violent arrest and Chokehold, it worth your time.

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Born/Dead - Our darkest fears...

Back in 2007, a band from Canada called Ballast played in my city - a really crap band guys - but they had with them a huge distro where i picked up this tape without knowing shit about a band that really had a big impact on me. Born/Dead came from Bay Area, California and they were active from 2000 to 2008 if i'm not mistaken. This tape contains the "The darkest fears now haunt us" Lp and the "self titled" ep (also known as "24 hostages" ep) and was co-released from Prank records and Insane society records on cassette back in 2003 (almost 10 years ago). Their musical style could be described as a mix of of up-tempo hardcore punk with lots of elements from uk anarchopunk and early us crustcore. I remember when we wanted to describe fast political bands we were saying "they play like Aus-Rotten and Born/Dead". In this release the band has a more straight forward punk production (and playing) and not so crusty hardcore as their last lp "the final collapse". The first track "A look at the world" kicks in as a great intro for what is there to come, mid-paced and heavy just creates the atmosphere for two small dynamites "waiting" and "accuser", short sharp and blowing. "The last to starve" have all that you call great riffs and bridges while "indigent" is more likely my favorite Born/Dead song and the list can go on while the ep contains more ragers like "deadtime", "homeless" or "no one gets out alive". This shit is critical, dude

"Are you really satisfied to live with all these boundaries? Born, work, pay tax, at 65 get social security. Procreate at 30, create a modern family to complete the cycle of middle-class society"

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Haggatha & Hibernation @ Kalidromiou 94

14/09/2012

My dear diary,

I had the honour to be in kalidromiou 94 basement that silly and so prospective night of our beloved september. You know, i didn't had the chance to see Eternal Hated cause i told my self "what the fuck name is that? i don't like metalcore names". I met sarabante twins and we had some drinks, while Haggatha guys ruled the stage with their theatric, traumatic and heavily dizzed stoner/sludgecore the way we used to like it back in early 00's, with a mascot for a drummer that i cut off my hands he was playing on "life of Brian" by Monty Pythons.

And then, ohhh my beloved diary. Then came Hibernation. As we say hell on earth. They were crucial, like they enjoyed every fucking second of their set, with he crowd - packed as in a human furniture - going nuts, with endless singalongs and fists in the air and some pogo and more sing along and so much feeling, with the canadians sludgers to delivering the goods "best band we saw live". Hibernation alive and kicking. Big hugs to Worlds appreciatice kitsch and Nick "the huge" Pale for the great photos. That's all for tonight my beloved diary. I kiss you, goodnight.

Desperate Hours - The ironies of life continue 7''

Desperate hours hailing from Goleta, Ca and in their first 7'' released last year on Konton Crasher records they deliver four raging d-beat hardcore tracks. I buy this 7'' from the fellow skate punk bak mainly cause i liked so much the cover art. When i asked him what they are all about he told me that they sounding like DOOM. Hell yeah, Desperate Hours remind of Doom a lot but as you already note they are huge scandi freaks (don't forget to mention here that desperate hours is an Anti-Cimex song). These guys can easily described as an ass-kicking raw punk band not unlike those LA or NY bands whose fame come prior to their skills, bands like Cervix, Perdition, Mauser, Mata Mata, Kruel and the list can go on. A little bit of distortion, a little bit of raging d-beat, some scandi crust and some Doom and we have Desperate Hours. Buy this 7'', you won't be disappointed.

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Toxic Vomit

Κάθε φορά που έρχεται μία κυκλοφορία εδώ στα κεντρικά του φιφντινκάουντζοβάρσον στο Πικέρμι που ταράζει τα νερά, και κάνει τα μυαλά μας να πονάνε όπως όταν κατακτά, με την αξία του, ο Αστέρας Εξαρχείων την κούπα, ξεκινάω το ριβιού με την φράση ''Τί να πεί κανείς...'' και μετά λέω και άλλα πολλά πράγματα, συνήθως θετικά...

Έτσι και τώρα...

ΤΙ ΝΑ ΠΕΙ ΚΑΝΕΙΣ για αυτό το θερμοπυρηνικό ολοκαύτωμα που έκαψε τα προηγούμενα κεντρικά μας γραφεία στη Λούτσα και αναγκαστήκαμε να μετακομίσουμε στο Πικέρμι;!!;)  Η μπάντα τα παίζει όλα σε ένα δίσκο! Βασικά πάνκ παίζουν, αλλά οι μάγκες τα'παν όλα. Οι προτάσεις πλέον για contract στην Maverick της Μαντόνα τους έχει αναγκάσει να δουλέβουν παράλληλα 3 διαφορετικούς λογαριασμούς mail, και τα γκρούπ στο facebook δίνουν και παίρνουν... Όσο για τα likes στο youtube είναι τόσα πολλά που η πράσινη μπάρα κοντέβει να τετραγωνίσει όλο το βίντεο. Τόσο πράσινο ούτε σε αναδάσωση του Σκάι (του Αλαφούζου... που έχει την Πανάθα... που είναι και αυτή πράσινη... όλα συνδέονται...).

Στιχουργικά, γιατί μουσικά γαμάνε τα'παμε και πιό πριν, κινούνται στο ρεαλιστικό φουτουριστικό ρεύμα του Νίνο (..Και αν έρχεται το τέλος και η κα-τα-στροφή, το μόνο-που μετράει.. για μέ-ναεισαί σύ)... Καταστροφολογία, μαύρος ψόφος, κλάμα και οδυρμός, uber-ζόφος και μιζέρια... ότι πρέπει δηλαδή για να υποδεχτούμε την νέα σεζόν... 'Ντάξει τα παιδιά, τα κορίτσια δηλαδή γιατί στην μπάντα παίζουν η Κατερίνα κιθάρες, το Μαράκι τύμπανα και φωνές, η Κατερίνα που λέγαμε πιο πρίν επίσης φωνές, η Κατερίνα που έχει ξανααναφερθεί μπάσο και πλήκτρα, ενώ η Δούκισσα είναι επί του νομικού (τα πιάσατε το αστειάκι έτσι..) και επί του μάνατζμεντ. Τί λέγαμε; Τα κορίτσα λοιπόν έχουν και κοινωνικές ευαισθησίες και αναλύουν θέματα που μας αφορούν όλους και που κανείς δεν μπορεί να πεί ότι κλείνει τα αυτιά του, άλλος τα μάτια του και άλλος το στόμα του σαν εκείνο το σκίτσο με τις μαϊμούδες, ούτε όμως να μοιάζει με λάχανο όπως ο δίσκος των Discharge, που γενικά έχουν αρκετές επιρροές από Τοξικός Εμετός.

Τοξικός Εμετός λέγεται η μπάντα που παίζουν η προαναφερθείσα Κατερίνα, το Μαράκι και που δουλεύει η Δούκισσα επί του νομικού τομέα και του μάνατζμεντ.

Μιλάνε για τον ιπτάμενο τρόμο, τα νέα αυτά αστικά panzer, τους αρουραίους των αιθέρων, τα περιστέρια και τις 18ούρες (που κανείς δεν ξέρει να τα ξεχωρίζει γιατί καμουφλάρονται), που αυτά τα καρφιά που βάζουν κάποιοι στα μπαλκόνια και στα περβάζια τους δεν τα ενοχλούν πια, γιατί είναι μαζόχες και πουστοπερίστερα και απλά τα βάνουν στον κώλο τους και μετά απλά πετάνε παραπέρα. Επίσης τα χιώσματά τους, τα απεκρίμματα αλλιώς, φέρουν μολύνσεις και είναι πουτάνα φάση αν τα αφήσεις και ξεραθούν. Μιλάνε για τις βόμβες πλουτωνίου, κρυπτωνίου , ουρανίου και νετρωνίου, που καθημερινά σκοτώνουν τα τρισεκατομμύρια παιδάκια που προσπαθούν ακόμα να βγάλουν τα riff του Γάντζου, και είναι πολύ δύσκολα για αυτά, αλλά πολύ εύκολα για αυτόν, αλλά και πως να τα βγάλουν άμα δεν τους δίνει κανείς την ευκαιρία, και τα σκοτώνει με μπόμπες;

Επίσης λέει για παπάδες μπούστηδες, κάτι πρεζόνια από Βάθης (athens city hardcore ρε καργιόλια), και για τα ναρκωτικά, κάτι το οποίο συνάδει με το νέο ήθος του blog (το οποίο είναι φούλ τρέξιμο, σαλάτες και κοντά στο κίνημα ''Πανκ, βάρη και ξύλο στους φασίστες)..

Επίσης βρήκα άλλους 5 λόγους για να ακούει κανείς τον δίσκο:

1) Την ώρα του φαγητού
2) Ξύλο στους φασίστες
3) Αντί του κλίσματος, ή συνεπικουρούμενου με αυτό
4) Ξύλο στους φασίστες
5) Μαζί με ένα χαλαρωτικό μπάνιο σε μια μπανιέρα γεμάτη παγάκια με κλειστό το φως

Ο τρόπος που πεθαίνει ο τύπος στο τέλος του ''Τρίτος Παγκόσμιος Πόλεμος'' είναι φαντασμαγορικός, επιπέδου χόλυγουντ, ενώ έγκυρες πληροφορίες με πληροφορούν για επικείμενο εφτάρι το οποίο κράζει το Βέλγιο στην πρώτη πλευρά ενώ στην δεύτερη έχει διασκευή Μάβρα Ιδανικά από το λάιβ στα Μέγαρα στις 13/1/85.

Τέλος το έβαλα μετά από Out Cold,
και ενώ δεν παίζουν ίδια φάση,
κολλάνε οπότε κομπλέ...

5 νεκροί, 5 νεκροί...
χωρίς αιτία, καμία λύπη, βασανιζμένες ψυχές,
απόγνωση, απόγνωση, απόγνωσηηηη

-Μπιλάρας και ο πρώτος παιχταράς

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Disturd – Collapse

Going through my first week of vacations, I came across a band called Disturd from Japan. I was reading an article about them on how fresh and brilliant their first two 7'' were. I searched for their stuff and when I finally got'em I was impressed too, not for “freshness” and “brilliancy” but with their way on bringing excellent Crust back on map. Not crapy Tragedy / From ashes rise influenced bullshit. Sharp guitars with mainly mid-tempo drumming that turns out a bit faster with crazy guitar solos and a bit of thrashy sound. This 7'' (I think it’s their second release) called Collapse delivers two great songs (“Collapse the system” is a fucking 5 minute long anthem) in the vein “more Amebix than Amebix”, with epic bridges and harpist to ensure more dark atmoshpere. They remind me a little bit my favorites Hibernation and the way they construct songs with clean acoustic guitars and then speed up full of distorted energy. With the first listening I felt that I know this band cause the S.D.S, Acrostix and Effigy feeling is in and out, up and down on this 7'', so I asked my good – Japanese hardcore guru – friend milan if there are any members from the above mentioned bands. The answer was not EFFIGY but DEATH DUST EXTRACTOR.

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Hammers - 2012 - Vardogr

So, let's say what shit bothers us... Desolation, isolation, misery, stagnation, every-day life and mediocre living. So, guys chill-on : here we have the new Hammers album and this is the ALBUM of the year. I've tried to bring these dudes for some gigs in greece but we never did it and I have to claim responsibility for that. I'll try to convince them (with call-girls and hard drinks) to reconsider it. The new album kicks in with a truly majestic track. Here is the ultimate mixing of passion and delicant d-beat. Where the latest Tragedy lp failed here is where Hammers take advantage of. Short tracks, with viking riffs and titanic vocals. I loved the first 7'' and I pre-ordered the Orogeny lp to help the band, and fuck this album continues where the previous album stopped. Fast parts turns out to great mid-tempo parts that builds a catastrophic atmosphere and then back to raging d-beat with ugly leads and yells. It's good to know that a band you love came back from hiatus like a biting mummy to reincarnate and eat you alive. "A coffin in the shape of a chapel” seems to be the hit but I’ll think you push the play button four more times to understand what the hell hit you. Brad (from ashes rise) did the mix and Jack (World burns to death) did the mastering. Ian Kilmister : “And I'm here to stay, it's gonna be that way, / Don't try to run, don't try to scream, / Believe me, The Hammer's gonna smash your dream “. Yep, the HAMMERS gonna smash your dream. Album of the year. Crust.

i'm drunk. you should pay attention

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Tragedy - 2012 - Darker days ahead

The time you've been waiting has finally come. Tragedy just released their new full length lp and I think it's the right time for a review. So the new album kicks in with the song “No cemeteries here” that more or less is a let down. Every single tragedy record starts with a dynamite. The self titled had the “point of no return”, Vengeance had “conflicting ideas” and Nerve damage had “eyes of madness”. A mid-tempo (as the majority of the album tracks) song that bets more on the guitar's harpist than the urge and rage the tragedy's song occasionally offers. “close at hand” continues were “no cemeteries” just started. Mid-tempo and a bit boring without a glimpse of d-beat. “the grim infinite” it's the first powerful track that really can nail you alongside “Wail of sirens”, “Darker days ahead” and my favorite “Power fades” with the great double vocals that really try to sing instead of just yelling. Four good songs outta nine isn't the best score i guess. I have to say that I wasn't so fulfilled with what I listened here. Too much Amebix influences, maybe a lit bit Killing Joke and (as a Portland based bro told me) the todd's latest obsession with black metal and Pink Floyd. I think that the band lost their ability to create violent and menacing environments. This album unfortunately doesn't “bite”, it doesn't “catch you from the neck”. I like the progression and evolution and finally the new road the band chosen to walk and I wish for a more raging album in the next few years. Notice : I will definitely buy the album because I think Tragedy is more or less a classical band and their big plus is always the lyrics. Support the band, support the underground and as my friend asthma told me “I respect the bands that play what THEY want to play and not what their FANS want them to PLAY. I don’t get why so much criticism against TRAGEDY. They did enough good albums that will for ever stand the time. Get instruments and produce better music. Let the bands breath for once! Nobody has to like TRAGEDY FOR EVER”.

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Schifosi - Half hit wolrld 7''

Schifosi was one of my first posts, when i first started this blog and i barely remember why i was writing so short columns. Looking around for some modern heavy crust i saw marc's latest post in fugitive equilibrium  and remember that i have to post good crusty hardcore since ages. Trying to remember any good crust band my mind comes automatically to Melbourne's finest crust act : SCHIFOSI. With members of ABC WEAPONS, TERRA FIRMA and PISSCHRIST. They have released one lp, a 45 rpm 12'', two 7''s and a split 7'' but unfortunately they disbanded sometime in 2008. This 7'' from 2004 is my favorite release with the ultimate grim anthems "Law is freedom" and "Drowning in the aftermath". The guitars are dark and heavy while the d-beat drumming helps the tireless amazon voice of kate to release true anger and despair  through some social political lyrics taken from a personal angle and thrown into the industrial environment of big city's life and guees what, the musical similarity to Tragedy (especially the long heavy riffs and the backing vocals) and Asebia is more than obvious and that's good, plus this is my own cd-rip on 256 kbps. Spare 11 minutes of your life and smell some darkness. if we start drinking concrete, pay for the privilege of breathing, eat paper and talking with numbers, then Half Hit World is our name.

  "a currency of blood, shit, pain and despair

in this caged hell

no air that we might breathe

no light that we might see

darkness and concrete

we are the measure of freedom"

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Land of Martyrdom

''Ανακάλυψα'' τους Land of Martyrdom μια Δευτέρα πρωί....
Με διάθεση σκατά, από αυτές που σε κάνουν να καπνίζεις ενώ σιχαίνεσαι τη νικοτίνη και με το άγχος να δίνει το τελικό κροσέ κάνοντάς σε ''να ψάχνεις τα δόντια σου με σπασμένα δάχτυλα''.
Το πρώτο κομμάτι που άκουσα ήταν το ''ganges''. Και λέω δεν γίνεται να υπάρχει κάτι άλλο στον κόσμο αυτή τη στιγμή που να περιγράφει καλύτερα αυτό το συναίσθημα.
Δεν υπάρχει κάτι άλλο που παράλληλα να το προσπερνά. Σαν οδοστρωτήρας.
Τα φωνητικά στα κομμάτια είναι όσο απόκοσμα χρειάζεται για να θυμίζουν πώς θα έπρεπε να ψελλίζονται οι ''καλημέρες'', πώς να ξερνιούνται οι πληροφορίες στις συνεντεύξεις για δουλειά, πώς να στριγκλίζονται τα τελευταία αντίο.
Τα τύμπανα με ακρίβεια και ξεσπάσματα που σπάνε κόκαλα, ο ήχος συμπαγής σαν ''steel and stone'' (στο κεφάλι φασίστα) και η κιθάρα συντροφεύει/συνθέτει με τον καλύτερο τρόπο αυτήν την ατμόσφαιρα που κάνει τα βράδια στα μπαρ να φαντάζουν πιο βαρετά, την ημικρανία της διασκέδασης ακόμα πιο ξένη.
Σε αυτό το ''έδαφος'', το διάτρητο από μέταλ, χάρντκορ και άλλες (κοντινές /;/ ) διαδρομές, συναρμολογείται αυτό το ''μαρτύριο'' που στέλνει στα τσακίδια τις κατηγοριοποιήσεις.
Η μπάντα αποτελείται από δύο άτομα. Και οι δύο παίζουν κιθάρα και στους Hellstorm...
Συνιστάτε ανεπιφύλακτα και αφιερώνεται σε αυτές και αυτούς που τριγυρνάνε στα στενά των πόλεων ''άσκοπα'', ψάχνοντας χαραμάδα που να μην την έχει διαποτίσει το lifestyle, που να μην την έχει ισοπεδώσει το socializing.
Ψάχνοντας γωνιά που να μην την έχει ''καθαρίσει'' το γκλομπ του μπάτσου ή η τιμιότητα των ευυπόληπτων πολιτών.

-r φρομ ντα μπλοκ

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Conspiracy of Denial - demo 2012

My good friends Conspiracy of Denial starts tomorrow morning their mini tour alongside turbo-blast sacrilege Jagernaut. Their heading to the east, and to be specific to Instanbul and Ankara for two gigs. First, they'll unleash their inferno stings to Biologiko squat in Thessaloniki tomorrow night. Please support both bands, because they fucking deserve it. Conspiracy recorded the three tracks i have posted a while back again with their new drummer and he has been also the mind of the recording procession. Nice recording, this time with some blast-beats, the vocals sound better and the leads are killing me slowly (τις κοβω τις φλεβες, που λενε...). They have also a brand new bandcamp and you can download their demo. Great artwork from andreas.

"Conspiracy of Denial is a five piece war machine that will not ask your little sister a romantic date, NO. The only date you go with those nuts will be on amazon jungle with machetes and colt shotguns."

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Mouth Sewn Shut

Mouth sewn shut comes from Boston, Massachusetts and you may have heard of them because of their connection to the DIY pioneers Toxic Narcotic, indeed Bill Damon and Will Sullivan create this band after Narcotic's hiatus somewhere in 2005. They have released already two albums, 2006 Pandemic = Solution and 2007 Doomed future today (this one also through Profane Existence records). Bill also runs Rodent Popsicle records, the label that have released the legendary 175 grams 7''. This is their 2009 self titled release. MSS are metallic and brutal, mid-paced, with hell of a rhythm section, amazing barking vocals somewhere between Behind Enemy Lines and Cross Stitched Eyes. Punk as nails, crusty without being exactly crust, with some ska hints here and there (thank god, in this release is so well-hidden, you propably won't even "catch" it). This album also contains some tracks from their previous releases with better sound and played a bit faster, tracks like "Get the Gun" or "Pro nature - Anti human" will make your head bang hard. Strongly political lyrics about war, capitalism or even the work-ethic. check some here.

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In the Valley of Solitude

Speaking about good crust bands, i've totally forgotten this cd-r (2004 release) masterpiece. Hailing from Kastoria, greece this quartet visualizes how should TRAGEDY sound if they had moved somewhere in greek province instead of portland. The rest comes from salonika's black jaw, d. :

Οι Έρημος είναι, κατά τη γνώμη μου, μια από τις πολύ καλές ελληνικές μπάντες των τελευταίων χρόνων. Επηρεασμένοι κυρίως από την ελληνική σκηνή των αρχών τις δεκαετίας του '90, οι Έρημος (πολύ ταιριαστό όνομα) κατάφεραν να δημιουργήσουν έναν ήχο δικό τους και κάπως μοναδικό για τα ελληνικά δεδομένα. Η σκοτεινή τους ατμόσφαιρα γεμάτη με αίσθημα μελαγχολίας και απογοήτευσης είναι το κύριο χαρακτηριστικό της Κοιλάδας Της Μοναξιάς (ο τίτλος μιλάει από μόνος του). Όλο αυτό φαίνεται παντού μες στον δίσκο, από τη μουσική και τους στίχους ταυτόχρονα. Σκοτεινές μελωδίες, γρήγορο drumming, δυνατά διπλά φωνητικά και στίχοι πολύ προσωπικοί/κοινωνικοί,με τους οποίους μπορούν να ταυτιστούν λίγο-πολύ αρκετοί από εμάς. Κομμάτια που πραγματικά κόβουν σαν λεπίδια, σε γονατίζουν, αλλά την ίδια στιγμή σε καλούν στη μάχη ενάντια στη μιζέρια του σήμερα. Αυτή είναι η μοναδική τους κυκλοφορία (μαζί με το demo Γερασμένη Πόλη), ενώ αργότερα κάποια από τα μέλη τους δημιούργησαν τους Επιθανάτιος Ρόγχος και πήγαν όλον αυτόν τον ήχο ένα βήμα παραπέρα.

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Ramlord & Condensed Flesh - split tape

I just got this amazing split tape by mail. Colin from Stimulation addict records sent me the link from this beast and i was totally sick. Here we have two new amazing bands from New Hampshire that totally kick blackened asses.

Ramlord (that rips Battle of Disarm's logo - and you can't go wrong with that) offers a heavy blend of the usual old-school crust alongside sludgy parts that go away only for more brutal assaults. I really love the vocals, well done to the singer. Somewhere i read that they are like Artimus Pyle. I'll agree but they are more into slow-fast part changes.
On the other hand we have Condensed Flesh, a more bleak representation of sludgy crust, the one with the blackened garnish. Their side is one track and is a live recording, but it sounds good. They have also great screaming vocals (they eat nails for breakfast), the usual proto-blackmetal sounding and axes instead of guitars. This split shreds and you should give it a try and if you like it buy it through Colin (see link above). And as Ramlord says : "Smoke weed // Kill Cops".

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Avgrund Livet

Σίγουρα, δε θα μπορούσα να είμαι αντικειμενικός για ένα συγκρότημα του οποίου τα μέλη είναι όλοι φίλοι μου. Άνθρωποι για τους οποίους τρέφω απεριόριστο σεβασμό, με τους οποίους έχω οργανώσει συναυλίες και όχι μόνο, άρα η κριτική μου δεν μπορεί σε καμιά περίπτωση να ειδωθει ως αντικειμενική.

Οι Avgrund Livet (σημαίνει νομίζω “Χαμένοι στην Άβυσσο”) προέρχονται απτήν αθηνα και ήταν ενεργοί για αρκετά χρόνια, αν και, αν δεν κάνω λάθος δε πρέπει να έπαιξαν πάνω από 5-6 συναυλίες στα χρόνια που υπήρξαν ενεργοί. Αποτελούνταν από διάφορους γυρολόγους της ελληνικής “Καν'το μόνος σου” σκηνής. Ο Δ και ο Τ έπαιζαν στους Reality Bites και αργότερα στους Ατοπία, ο Β (ή αλλιώς D-Bill) στους Antimob και schwartz and anger, ο Χ στους Antimob και ο Μπ στους Kalazaar και Jagernaut μεταξύ άλλων.

Συγκρότημα δημιουργημένο κυρίως μέσω της παλιάς συναυλιακής της Villa Amalias Από άτομα που ασχολούνταν (άλλοι περισσότερο και άλλοι λιγότερο) με τα μουσικά δρώμενα της εποχής. Πρόβα με τη πρόβα στο ανήλιο μουχλιασμένο υπόγειο (ας το πούμε προβαδικο) δημιουργήθηκε αυτό το βαρύ και ασήκωτο γκριζωπό Caterpillar που λίγοι καταφέραμε να απολαύσουμε. Αλλά για να κατανοήσουμε το μέγεθος της σπουδαιότητας του εν λόγω συγκροτήματος πρέπει να κοιτάξουμε καλά το περιβάλλον στο οποίο ανδρώθηκε.

Είναι η εποχή που δεν έχει καταλαγιάσει ακόμα ο θόρυβος γύρω απτό επικό Vengeance των Tragedy, τα σημάδια είναι ακόμα νωπά απτά μεγαλειώδη live με crust μεγαθήρια που ήρθαν απτό εξωτερικό. Χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγμα ότι μετά τις συναυλίες των Jeniger και The Dagda μεγάλο κομμάτι των πανκς ήθελε να σχηματίσει συγκροτήματα τέτοιου ύφους. Προσθέτοντας και τους μεγαλειώδης δίσκους που κυκλοφορήσαν τότε οι Isis και Neurosis μπορούμε να καταλάβουμε τις καταβολές του group. Μεγαλειώδες σε στιγμές, βασανιστικό crust hardcore με μικρές post πινελιές. Μελωδικά riffs που συνθλίβονται από ασταμάτητα blast-beats και φωνές από τα τάρταρα. Κομμάτια γραμμένα για “όλες τις καμένες εκκλησιές” από φοιτητές της θεολογικής σχολής. Να προσθέσω πως οι Avgrund Livet ήταν ίσως η πιο δυνατή μπάντα που έχω δει εγώ μαζί με τους Schwartz and anger επί σκηνής. Χαρακτηριστική η “κόντρα” των δυο, όταν οι Schwartz διασκεύαζαν Πρωτοψάλτη και “πάμε χαβαυ” οι Avgrund παίζανε διασκευή Χάσμα 5 φόρες πιο γρήγορα με blast-beat και ουρλιαχτά. Ακόμα θυμάμαι το live με τους Ballast (Canada) και το πόσο εξουθενωμένος ένοιωθα με ένα συναίσθημα ασφυξίας να διαπερνά την σπονδυλική μου στήλη. Ballast who?

Δυστυχώς, δεν κατάφεραν να κυκλοφορήσουν τίποτα και αυτή η πρόβα απτό μακρινό 2006 είναι το μοναδικό πειστήριο μιας ακόμα καταπληκτικής μπάντας που κλειδώθηκε για πάντα στο χρονοντούλαπο της ιστορίας.

download

Against Empire - Thieves and Leeches

Some months ago, i've made a post about Dogsholylife and their forthcoming euro-tour. The band came through greece and was a blast. Very nice guys, open-minded and alcoholics as hell. Two members of dogs also plays for Against Empire, Matt and Dylan  delivering the goods for both bands and they truly do a great "job" and julien the drummer runs Threat to Existence records. This is their new lp on Profane Existence records (a very good release for the label after long time).

 

So, for those who are familiar with their heavy crust days of the "destructive system collapse" 7'' and the "one who bear the scars..." Lp i have to say that the band have made an impressive improvemnet on their sound. Their tracks are sharper and faster with double shouting vocals. I can say they made a step closer to anarcho-punk/crust not only by lyrics (they were a political aware band in the past also) but mainly by the tracks "construction", something like Born/Dead, Aus-Rotten or even the fast tracks of Dogsholylife and as jarred (dogs drummer) told me :"the more the guys play with dogs, the more influence gets to Against empire" and that's true. Seven amazing tracks for headbangers hard and die-hard pogo wolves plus a great CRUCIFIX cover. The rip is taken from Up the fuckin punx blog. Cheers.

download

Upcoming gigs / September : Dogsholylife (usa) & Crimen (mexico)

The theme for my new post is the upcoming hot september that we are gonna experience. Economical crisis is getting worse, we'll propably have not enough money to buy bread but we are too stubborn to bow down (Όπως λέει και το σύνθημα “Καταλήψεις – Απαλλοτροιώσεις – Οδοφράγματα! Η φτώχεια θέλει καλοπέραση!”), and we gonna rock it (literally and figuratively), right?

So, on 12 of september Dogsholylife will play on Strefi's hill with Conspiracy of Denial and Timetrap.I'm glad that i am among the guys that runs this gig, and you should come and support the venue 'coz every single cent that we make as profit will be given to the "solidarity fund for prisoners in struggle". 

Now, Dogsholylife comes from Los Angeles and delivers amazing short-fused crust with tones of great and catchy riffs, simple playing with exceptional drumming that builts up for their dual vocals. You can download their first album from their bandcamp page. It's called "44 weeks - 44 questions". At the bottom of the post i also have the link for their new Lp called "this is a test", so go on and shout : "destroy their fucking metal and bang your fuckin head".

Four days later (16 of september) again on Strefi's hill we'll have the chance to enjoy some of the catchiest punk/hardcore tunes from some crazy old-wolves from mexico. Crimen. Members of Crimen used to play in the following bands : US AGAINST THE WORLD, INSOLENTES, BIGSPIN, RUINA TÖTAL, ANTIMASTER, 301 IZQUIERD. In their bandcamp you can check their releases. This is the best hardcore punk i've recently listened to. Sing-alongs allowed! Dirty wombs from patra will deliver also their japcore fury (rummours : they play Death Side cover!!!!!)

download : dogsholylife - this is a test (removed by request of the band)

download - Crimen - Nada importa

Deaf Kids - 6 Heretic Anthems for the Deaf

Fuck yeahh, this is the first post for a brzilian (not thongue) band after two years of blogging existence. And we know brazil for the great coffee, the sloppy national football team, the beautiful women, the black metal bands that copy pastes Rotting Christ's greek accent or the finnish bands that want to play brazilian 80's thrash, but we surely don't know them for their killing d-beat hardcore / crust, or do we?

So, Douglas was kind enough to sent me his band's demo and ep and i'm glad to post it. Even if Deaf Kids is a totally gay (not with sexual meaning) name for a d-beat band (diskids would be more fun) this guys totally have the noise in their veins, so open up your ears, this worths it.

"Deaf Kids is a brazilian anarchist crust/d-beat punk band formed in 2010 in rio de janeiro. Is actually an one man band, one guy who writes and records everything, and in the gigs, counts with friends from some other great brazilian bands on the bass and drums. With influences from Discharge, Kuro and GISM to Catharsis and His Hero is Gone, a fast and hateful d-beat with a lot of reverb. We have released until now a Demo (2010) and an EP called '6 Heretic Anthems for the Deaf'."

download demo and ep

Police Bastard & War//Plague - split (2011)

Have you ever think why you like crust/punk and why you listened to this stuff as you growing older? Is just a kind of music that you like, is it the d-beat trend or just something else? As images of myself pumps up in my brains plasma i can say this. I love this style of music 'coz till this day it makes me wanna explode, my blood pressure goes up and my lungs feeling suffocation, i wanna scream and jump and punch things. Everytime i listen bands like Detestation, aus-rotten, Born/Dead or if we put it under a "genre" the so-called anarchist crust/punk still boils my blood. Here is the Police Bastard entrance.

Police Bastard is a hardcore/crust band from UK with some of the oldest guys in the hardcore scene of the island. They have been in bands such as Doom, English Dogs, Sore Throat, Contempt and Filthkick (to name a few) and have been one of the best bands in my "hardcore" eyes when i first listened to their exxcellent 7'' "Gulf war syndrome". A 7'' that was dirty, heavy, with great riffs, sick to death with great vocals and i only compared it to the two graet 7'' of the swed's Crossing Chaos. Now, the new release (outta Profane Existence "making bucks from punk again") is a little bit "clean". I don't know if that's a bad think, but i expected a fucking sludgy rubbish heap come out of my speakers and i got a very good played crust punk with political lyrics (a fucking plus as always) but not so "tight and strong".
On the other hand War//Plague comes from mineapolis with members from Provoked, Pontius Pilate, Flux of Disorder, Calloused and Path of Destruction to deliver great d-beat crust the old 90's way (the good profane existence..hahahah) with a huge Amebix influence. 8/10

"A day without crust is like a day without sunshine..."