LAST HOPE - Demo 1995

Here's the 1995 demo from probably the most influential and well-known hardcore band from Bulgaria, LAST HOPE. Once you get through the kind of monotonous but short into track, the demo shows a cool variety of sounds, most notably the urgent vocals and use of unconventional rhythms to spice up would otherwise come off as pretty generic hardcore. The closing track even ends in a melodic outro that brings to mind some sounds that came out of the UK early 80s anarcho scene! Their message seems to be generally challenging violence, drug use, intolerance, and hate. Here are some enthusiastic words about the band that I found on discogs; written by someone who seems to have a fair amount of experience and knowledge of LAST HOPE :

Since their formation in 1995, Last Hope established themselves as a major influence on not only the hardcore and punk scene in Bulgaria, but the whole underground community. Last Hope is the definition of hardcore – their remarkable style is an unique mixture of raw energy, intensity, heavy hard-hitting sound and unmistakable vocals. The true power of Last Hope has always been playing live, where they really blow things up. Those who hadn’t the chance to witness their live-show would never understand. Last Hope have played numerous gigs and festivals at home and all over Europe – they’ve toured and been to places that only few have been: taking off from their local dominant Balkan areas, through the regular Western Euro destinations, going as far as possible to countries like Turkey and Russia. No matter if it's a small underground club or a big open-air festival, Last Hope always deliver their hi-octane life-show and put the energy level to the maximum...

LAST HOPE

OSTROV P - Neverte EP

Great hardcore from this Slovakian band. Don't really know anything about em, but I bet my Slovakian buddy Miso over at Muzika Komunika could school us. Fast and pummeling hardcore punk with strongly hollered vocals and rapid bass picking.  "Beznadej" breaks up the flow with it's mid-tempo and jagged rhythms, making it the catchiest of the bunch. An EP that's likely considered classic in the region it came from, and deserves the attention of any hc punk fiend. First release on the long-running Czech label Insane Society Records. 

OSTROV P EP

MARICHUANA - 1993-1995 Cassette

I first learned of this incredible Lithuanian punk band from their EP released by Darbouka Records - the first release by the label. It has been my intention to post that 7" ever since I started this blog, but I recently got my hands on this cassette cheaply (thanks to the internet) since people apparently don't give a crap about seeking out amazing Lithuanian punk. This tape contains two demos from 1993 and 1995. Their sound can be characterized as raw but melodic punk, melancholic in tone and melody, but with a wild and expressive vocal style. His voice even sort of reminds me of Jello Biafra at times, but less grating. Even the music resembles DEAD KENNEDYS at times. There's even a track with an almost identical riff to "Too Drunk to Fuck!" But don't get me wrong here - DK's are the closest reference point in sound, but MARICHUANA is a strong band with their own sound. Most of the material straddles mid-tempo, but a few of the tracks are blazers. The second half of the tape has a few darker standout tracks with morose guitar lines, composed similarly to bands like THE WIPERS. My faves are "Tilto Kolapsas" and "Zingsnis Prazuti" - I've already added them to a mix tape. I don't have much knowledge about the Lithuanian punk scene from the early 90's (or any period for that matter), but most of the stuff I've heard varies in style; ie. there doesn't seem to be a common sound between the bands like there are with Polish or Japanese bands or something. This tape certainly does have me on the edge of my seat looking for more stuff like this from the region! Who's gonna help me out? Highest recommendation here, and make sure to sit down and really listen to this one.

MARICHUANA demos

SIDE BURNS - All Skinhead Cons

Here's a great random find plucked out of a daunting and unorganized bin of 7"s at Rockaway Records in LA back when I lived there. I mean, look at the cover...if you were digging through hundreds on non-punk records and came across this, you would pick it up for 99 cents just to see what it's like, right? You wouldn't? Okay, I don't blame you, but I had to leave the store with something, and as it turned out, this single is fucking great. Two strong, insanely catchy, gruff and melodic Japanese punk songs. I never would have even thought of any Oi/Skin connection based on the sound - but the art and photos say it all. "Mad Chess Play The Fasten Ghost" ??? Puzzling, but soooooo good

SIDE BURNS 

KOKOSHA GLAVA - Punk Anarchy Nihilism 89-95 Cassette

About this tape, taken from the Aon website:

"It was the Maria Luisa pub in Plovdiv, where i met Petko, the vocalist for Kokosha Glava and it took only 2-3 weeks to arrange releasing this tape, that is surely one of the Bulgarian punk rock cornerstones! Believe it or not, they started in 1988 in a small town near the Turkish border and they still play! The material inside is raw demo or live recordings off various concerts and there is even a rare studio session. Punk, punk and PUNK! and nothing else. They appeared on countless compilations worldwide and they are still eager to play live, if you invite them..."

This is rare, raw, often out of tune punk from a corner of Bulgaria near the Turkish border. It may sound inferior and inept in the context of the massive amount of punk music being released all over the world today. But in the context of a society transitioning from a Soviet-controlled communist state, and just on the cusp of Western influences creeping in, this is an important document in punk history. Seekers of easily digestible and familiar punk, you have been warned. Personally, I find this riveting... 

The first 3 live sets from '95, '89, and '91 are decent enough quality to introduce you to KOKOSHA GLAVA's primitive and tuneful UK inspired punk. The '93 demo is a much sharper sample, but employs clean guitars, giving it a unique quality. The two tracks from the '95 studio recording are really bizarre - not so much because of the drum machine, but the instrumentation, which is composed with keyboard guitar presets. Have you ever heard the "guitar" setting on those old Casio keyboards? Totally weird. The closing live set from '91 is certainly the noisest and hardest to listen to, though the amount of crowd enthusiasm makes it more fun, and you can still always hear all the instruments. For those who don't understand Bulgarian, I made any in-between song banter over 30 seconds it's own track. 

KOKOSHA GLAVA - tape

V/A - "Sons Of A Bitch 2" Cassette (Latvian punk)

Full-on assault of 21 of the earliest, most primitive hardcore punk bands from Latvia! Let me just come clean by saying I do not know the (probably fascinating) history of Latvian punk, and this tape was among many others like it in a box of tapes (that also rule, but I have little info about) I got from a dorky ex-tape trader. Some of the material on here is really fucking innovative and angry, and surely must be an authentic reaction to the then-recent independence from Soviet rule (1994 Russian troops withdrew, according to Wiki). If this was a Japanese comp, there would certainly be a much stronger hype for it, and more of you would download it....but all you should need to know is that this is raw and fierce as hell! All tracks are "taken from demos and live records 1993-1995," according to the liner notes. Some of my faves: SMOGS,  DILONIS, 33-X ΛETHИЙ ЛOДOHOK, ORGASM FAKERS, and THE ANGELS & LITTLE FROGS.

V/A - SONS OF A BITCH 2

As I listen to this while examining the J card layout, I fear that documents like this are nearly extinct and obsolete due to this very medium that I'm using to share this tape....let's hope we can continue to document things in their "pure" forms as well as on the internet, so all this important material doesn't get lost in a galaxy-sized sea of 0's and 1's.

Interested in more Latvian punk like I am? You should visit my buddy Miso's blog - here - as he seems to know a good deal of Latvian punk (and lots of other rare stuff from that part of the world), and this website also has lots of info on Latvian punk. Also, does anyone out there have "Sons Of A Bitch 1"?

NULA - Pobjedimo Laz Cassette

Here's a cool cassette from Croatia's NULA. There's a lot of material on this tape spanning from 1993-96. The sound is political hardcore punk with a touch of thrash here and there. Lots of variety, catchy vocal hooks, and furious execution. Maybe DEZERTER is a good reference point? I have a zine that accompanies this tape as well (all in Croatian). I don't really know much about the band, but bear in mind that this shit was recorded at the tail-end and just after the war in the Balkans that tore Yugoslavia apart. 

NULA - Pobjedimo Laz