Sunday Songs to Do Bong Rips

Since I've started listening to 324 I find myself always listening to the 3-Way Split they did with Discordance Axis and Corrupted or this album. "Boutokunotaiyo" is the full-length I would expect this band to evolve into from their 7" and split. It's the same fast, aggressive, heavy grind-crust from before, just amped way up. The energy and urgency went way up on this record. I wish I knew what they were upset about but but Masao just rages in Japanese the whole time, which makes it all the better. His vocal patterns are all over the place here with my favourites being where he just fucking yells at you non-stop the whole song. Check out "Swinging Skull" as a prime example. Short, fast, loud and fucking aggro at all times. Just the way I like it.

I have to admit that I only uploaded the first half of this album for brevity, but this is an intense 11 minutes. And "Broken Clock" is already on the 7", so you don't need that twice.

Nippon Grind-Crust

Sunday Song to Do Bong Rips

I think the best way to start a new year and it's correlating first post is with a rad cover. So I'm giving you guys the Insect Warfare version of "New Rotation". For me it's a fabulous song title to accompany the beginning of a new Gregorian calendar cycle. I have to say the best part of both version of this song are the blasts at the very beginning and end of the song. Short exhibitions of obscene speed when they are highlighted like this always have a place in my heart. This is the stuff that makes grind art. The bits that make you warm inside and light in the head.

"Gulf Coast/Nippon Invasion"

Pre-Grind, Proto If You Will

I keep seeing all these awesome posts about grindcore's fore-bearers; Napalm Death, Siege, Carcass, Deep Wound, Repulsion. These outline the bases of grind's lyrical outlook, vocal style, and guitar and drum patterns (the fucking blast beat for one, thank you Mitch Harris). And a band I think gets overlooked way too much is Cryptic Slaughter. I first heard "Convicted" a couple of years ago and I was mind fucked. It had all the rage and energy of hardcore with very political lyrics and it's played at hyperspeed, even for today's standards. These are some of the fastest 4/4 beats you'll ever hear, and then the blasting. Oh the blasting. It's the kind of 1/1, snare/high-hat blasts Dave "Grave" plays. I guess most people would say they're not real blasts, but it's still fast as shit drumming that's produced just the right way to get the most impact out of them. In fact the whole rhythm section is up front in the mix and I'm glad because these bass riffs are sick. Then it's all topped off with snarling, snotty punkish vocals and a sleek guitar sound make these songs true ragers, worthy of the one man circle pit.
The stand outs here to me are "M.A.D.", "Sudden Death", "Lowlife", and "Rage to Kill" with most having anthemic chants followed by frantic thrashing. The Slaughter also put out three more LP's, "Money Talks" being the only one I've heard. The Wiki says a lot of people like that record better, but fuck them. It's a somewhat slower more groove filled sound and I'm partial to the exuberant first LP.
It's rather interesting to think about crossover influencing grind as well as thrash. Or at least the Leeway/D.R.I. version of a mid-paced hardcore/metal hybrid with long songs and more personal social conscious lyrics. Municipal Waste and Crucial Unit are probably the best example of a contemporary Cryptic Slaughter influence but taking the thrash lyrics and ideology, as well as a healthy dose of AWK i.e. getting fucking wasted and other fun goofy shit like that. Being name checked (in covers) by Napalm Death and Spazz should help support that idea.

Random Slaughter Fact: Bass player Rob Nicholson played as Mr. Blasko for Rob Zombie and replaced Rob Trujillo for Ozzy Osbourne. Is it ironic one crossover legend replaced the other when he left to play for a band influenced by Cryptic Slaughter and the thrash scene they helped spawn?



"Children of today of the killers of tomorrow, nothing in the future except for pain and sorrow!"

Oh Shi....

I made a banner. What does everyone think?

Throatstab

This is the second EP Backstabbers Inc. put out. This came out on Trash Art! in 2000/20001 and is only available in CDEP form unfortunately. If anyone runs a label repressing good records on vinyl, this is one for you to convert to wax. This seven song EP is more mega-raging, pissed off hardcore that has a crusty feel and amazing vocals that are raw and full of energy. There are some moments of just ludicrous album filler on here that I admit to hating, and it's not really sludgy, heavy riffs. It's boring album filler. But beyond that each song still has parts that stand out to make them memorable, and when these guys get going they are indeed a force to be trifled with. This album is more upbeat hardcore with bouncing bass, lots of snappy snare and dissonant guitars with agonizingly honest, virulent and hateful lyrics. Once again these guys have moments of total aural cacophony when everyone is going full speed, but within the ugliness of being bludgeoned in the head with a block of concrete you find moments of clarity.
There's really nothing new or overtly innovative with this album, but it's worth a listen to get a feel for the BSI sound and what will become the Trap Them sound. Both "Kamikaze Missions" and the next EP they put out are fantastic albums and I still feel Backstabbers Inc. is a better band than Trap Them.

Spare me your 'drama' spare me your 'friendship' because both can be filed under fiction. You're still the same (a politician) every word you've said to me (filed under fiction)

From Soft to Hard

After hearing the xBrainiax/No Comply split I was interested in hearing more No Comply even after the aural destruction that xBrainiax cause. Lucky for me I found this 7" at a local record store and I like it even more than their side of the split. They have a real gnarly surf/skate punk vibe in the lyrics as well the music, which is some awesome Georgian hardcore to begin with. I'd liken them to faster version of Ceremony with less Motorhead and a more punky Discharge meets Blood for Blood feel.
The packaging for the vinyl itself is two colors(Orange and black) silk screened onto thin cardboard. I found that there are 75 that were printed on clear vinyl but mine is black and I have no info on pressing numbers for it. Inside the sleeve is a lyric sheet and a digital download coupon where you can download MP3s of your new 7". That's what I did and now I'm passing on the savings to you!


Grinding and grinding and grinding!
My fist into the earth!

A Hidden Hand...of Love

I just found this dude's Twitter and I'm so stoked. Andrew W.K. is by far THE greatest artist of any generation. Granted the only record he made that's any good is "I Get Wet", it's absolute gold. I saw the video for "Party Hard" when I was a freshman and immediately fell in love. Everything from the nuances of the video to his album packing when I bought it later that week. Especially the album cover! Just as brutal as Pantera's "Vulgar Display of Power" except AWK hit himself in the face with a brick until he bled instead of paying some dude to get jacked in the fact with a meaty fist. Then he started blowing up and his other videos got lots of air time. "She Is Beautiful" showed AWK playing all the instruments and running through a house just rocking out. And his best video, "We Want Fun", is all out mayhem with the Jackass cast and fucking Butterbean. There's a scene where AWK is walking around with Butterbean on his shoulders. Now that's fucking metal. This song and video are the epitome of his style and message. Yes he wants everyone to party 'til they puke, but he's about more than that. He also embodies the ideas of self-affirmation and unnerving positivity in the face of any and all adversity. Seeing him live was a great way to experience this. I've only seen him twice. Once in IN for free and at the final US Hellfest in New Jersey. The Hellfest performance was one of the best things I've ever seen. Three thousand hardcore kids going absolutely batshit. There were two circle pits going, one clockwise the other counter-clock wise and everyone had someone on their shoulders giving high fives. The stage was full of people the entire time dancing, stage diving, grabbing for the mic, taking pictures, throwing beach balls, and then there was the inflatable party dolphin of death. Fucking Boston Beatdown tough guys were grabbing it and crowd surfing or "riding the bull" around the floor where everyone was dancing, two-stepping, HB strutting, taking their pants off and just generally loving life. I've never seen so much enthusiasm from so many people all focused one thing until that night. And all 3,000 people were focused on one thing: having fun. When was the last time any of you saw that? I also have to mention that AWK headlined that day's performances and direct support on the bill for him was Mest. Those poor pop-punk poser pussies. I, as well as 20-30 other people were throwing water/soda bottles at them (some full, some empty) their whole set beckoning them to fucking go home so we could see AWK. If there were more than ten people (i.e. pubescent girls and their boyfriends) there actually enjoying the set I'd have felt bad, but of course no one felt any remorse.
What does this have to do with anything? Well it's getting to be the time of year for holidays and parties. And with AWK being a mainstay for Halloween costumes and New Year's soundtracks I'm posting his best work for everyone to really start their parties raging. I've uploaded 90 percent of "I Get Wet" (the two or three filler songs I don't like have been omitted), the original version of "We Want Fun" from the Girls Own Juice EP, the first two tracks off his second full-length "The Wolf" (Victory Strikes Again and Long Live the Party) which both sound like they belong more on his first album and finally his contribution to the Aqua Teen movie soundtrack "Party, Party, Party" which is also in a hilarious Aqua Teen episode with a montage and a raging animated Andrew himself.
I've also just found out he did an entire cover album of the original Gundam soundtrack for it's 30th year anniversary, which is fucking balls. The first few incarnations of the Gundam series are classic slices of no only anime but good t.v. in general. Speaking of which I'd love to point out his DVD "Who Knows" is fantastic. It covers his performances from like two years of him touring. He spliced together all kinds of fan recorded footage of his worldwide tours including right when "The Wolf" came out and he broke his foot on stage on night and then finished that tour cycle in a wheelchair! And it has some amazing footage of his Furnace Fest performance, which I imagine would have been amazing if I could have went. Fucking HUM reunion for christ's sake.

This is where the link usually goes but the internet connection I'm using right now is worse than a fermented offal discharge, so when everything finishes you'll be able to party hardy.

From Soft to Hard

I bought this slice of hardcore gold when I was a sophomore in high school from Used Kids and I downloaded it from here. And the first thing I have to say is everyone should go to the 7inchpunk link and read the story about how this was recorded, it's good shit. It also might be one of the most DIY things ever done outside of Black Flag pushing the school bus they took on tour. As for the music, you get two songs of 90's style youth crew hardcore. The band name is from a DYS song and there are a couple of dudes from Chain of Strength in this band so you know at least this isn't a mediocre band wasting wax. There are all kinds of little things I dig about these song, but they're all standard hardcore cliches, like the gnarly gang vocals for instance. But a lot of the things that make this music simple and standardized are the thing I enjoy the most about it. And in all honesty, a little energy can go a long way and these guys have that shit amped up to 11.


"I won't fucking turn away!"

From Soft to Hard

This is going to be a new regular "feature". When I buy an album on vinyl(maybe a CD (less likely) or a cassette) of something I already have digitally I will post it on here and take it off of my iPod. This is significant for me as I'll be able to fully enjoy those songs the way they are intended. I'm also going to post a bunch of stuff I have both vinyl and digital copies of just for fun.

I ordered the Krallice LP three weeks ago and was finally able to pay for and bring home today. If this was a CD I would have probably worn it out at work and in transit to and from. I've already posted a song by these guys and here's another one. It's a way faster song with all kinds of peaks throughout instead of a huge build up at the end like "Forgiveness In Rot". No matter what I'm doing, riding my bike, cleaning the house, or stabbing people in the chest this songs rising and falling crescendos never fails to pump me up. No fan of extreme metal will be able to resist head bobs and/or foot tapping. The vinyl copy of this sounds so raw which sort of clashes with the upbeat, shredding and severely epic songs on it. But this juxtaposition is very pleasing to me, the dichotomy of ugly and beautiful and there are so many happening in this track. The aggressive but melodic guitars; the smooth bass carving out grooves of bestial low end destruction.
On a related note I get to see Dysrhythmia Sunday night. I think I'm going to talk Colin Marston's head off about this band (maybe an interview?) and then I'll try to be that awesome guy to feed the band and let them stay at my house. Regardless, I'm stoked to see that dude doing what he loves with a rad band. I saw him in Behold...the Arctopus with Mouth of the Architect and Intronaut last year, and needless to say, that was sweet.

Krallice also has a new album coming out 11/10. I'm not going to do all the details, the internet press has them already. I'm sure it will be worth all the hype.

"Black as in evil and darkness."