THE ESTRANGED- THE SUBLIMINAL MAN

Always thought this band was pretty swell. Have a couple of their 7"s and their first LP and liked their take on the gloomy Portland sound of legends like The Wipers. This record sounds more involved, the instrumentation sees more intricate and though out. The contrast between this and their last LP is like Richard Gere falling for the whore in Pretty Woman; at first he wanted some company and some poon tang, but now he wants to treat her right and invest his patience and time. Although the music seems more intricate and darker, this album just didn't grab me like the first one did. No songs really stand out but I mean it's not bad, it just seems more like a record I would put on in the background while furiously searching for internet porn that does not contain anal. Good tunes, good production, just something missing, I think the first record did the gloomy punk thing well by also incorporating hooks. This record "The Subliminal Man" just ends up not being as entertaining as "Cinderella Man" or nearly as enjoyable as "Juwanna Man". I will say however that it's far better than "Family Man".

-Davey

3/5

Download: http://nooptionsrecords.blogspot.com/2010/08/estranged-subliminal-man-lp-new-dark.html

REISSUE ROUNDUP!!

First up is the non-reissue reissue of this unheard and unreleased LP from Belfast's Protex, recorded in 1979/1980. "Strange Obsessions" is brought to us by one of my favorite 77 punk/power pop reissue labels Sing Sing Records. Their first LP and boy can I say that 12" is just not enough! If you're into bands like The Boys or Rudi you will be all about this. Catchy melodic punk with great instrumentation and hooks that will stick in your head. Their single "Don't Ring Me Up" is rerecorded on this and after hearing it you will wish these boys were ringing up your telephone because this LP will slap the most youthful 12 inches of young teenage harmony upon your chest and onto your heart. On to the next reissue!

http://threechordcity.blogspot.com/2010/07/protex-dont-ring-me-up.html

Voice Of The Puppets ep also on Sing Sing Records who literally have never failed for me... Until now. I read that the guitar was Buzzcocks-esque but if that's so then I would deem this band Burntcocks because they are not very good. There is literally a two second window of time that the guitar borders on Buzzcocks guitar sound but otherwise this record is lathargic repetitive punk that sounds like a human soul pacing, waiting for death. Sorry Sing Sing but this time I am not Sing Singing your praises. But Protex is so great we are even ;).

1/5

http://45revolutions.blogspot.com/2008/10/voice-of-puppets-i-dont-want-to-know.html

Antidote- Thou Shalt Not Kill. You should all know it and if you don't then pick up this killer reissue from Bridge Nine Records. One of the best NYHC records ever and this time around you get it on red vinyl and without the $300 price tag. Hey kid with plugs, short shorts, and a Gorilla Biscuits tattoo! You wanna know where Youth Of Today got their sound from? Check dis out! The vocals are more biting and vicious and the music goes straight for the jugular

5/5

http://bloodjunkies.blogspot.com/2009/02/antidote-thou-shalt-not-kill.html

-Davey

AIRFIX KITS- FLEX TIME 7"

Another Deranged release to review, they have been cranking out tons of great stuff in the last few months and it seems that every time I turn around or read a review of a new hyped band, they are on Deranged. So Airfix Kits. Ex-members of Giant Haystacks, who never really made my ball hair stand on end but had some fans nonetheless. I read some Minutemen comparisons and name-drops when reading about this band. BOLD statement and not generally used seeing as they are the MC Hammer of punk rock (You Can't Touch This). Maybe that tainted my listening of this but this record did not make the panties drop. The guitar sound has maybe a slight Minutemen feel to it but there wasn't enough play between the bass and guitar to justify such a comparison. It's like saying that your band has Jesus Christ playing bass; not because Jesus doesn't exist but because if he did he'd be in the most raging metal band shredding the gnar on his golden ax adorned with diamond studded frets. Regardless of this, this band was set up for failure immediately for being compared to one of the best bands ever. The insruments are kinda cool but the vocals are super bland, no passion. Sounds like Captain Sensible or Paul Weller singing when they have a cold and just don't give a shit. First Deranged release in awhile that didn't make me have multiple orgasms. That and the Burning Love LP was just Ok.

2/5

Download: http://www.punksandskins.com/dl.php?go=http://kamikazetailspin.blogspot.com/2009/12/airfix-kits-flex-time-7.html

-Davey

RED DONS-FAKE MEET FAILURE

Ok people I've been gone for some time now but I now work at a record store and should have new records to review constantly. This hot little platter serves up some new fresh tunes from Red Dons who have been turning heads and stroking shafts with their catchy punk tunes with a slew of impressive releases. This record will please those fans of Red Dons but also throw them a few curve balls, like a beautiful intelligent woman who ends up being a transvestite; she's still hot, it's just different now.... Anyway! Red Dons play their rockin catchy tunes but throw in some new elements. At times it gets a little surfy and the song "Pariah" sounds like it could have been an Adolescents song, at least musically. The singer's voice continues to sound like a fine silk being slowly draped across a barely legal teenage girl's body, not relying on the "whoas" so much this time around. Bottom line if you dug their previous material this will titillate you with familiarity and keep you interested (like your cousin you accidentally hooked up before you realized who they were and you still think about them from time to time). If you haven't heard them, this is a great place to start.

-Davey

5/5

www.myspace.com/reddons

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS- FROM THE BOTTOM

This band has gotten tons of hype and has a slew of full lengths and Eps floating around out in the record world. They have an upcoming tour with The Queers and they played with Municipal Waste in good old Anaheim aka Anal Slime. They looked and sounded like a band that should be on Epitaph but I thought hey people were shaking their money makers maybe I'm not getting it or something. Downloaded "From The Bottom" and it made me want to join a fraternity and hang out at the local pub while I sing along to their anthem infused pop punk. This sounds like a dirtier Bouncing Souls or Dropkick Murphys which is like being the slightly more shit stained toilet scrubber. Not only does the music do nothing for me and is completely predictable but the lyrics are generic "I'm sick of the bullshit" and "I don't give a fuck anymore" type stuff, which I have had enough of for a lifetime. When I saw them live the singer sang some words alone on stage that stated "Don't believe what you read, don't believe what you see on TV" and at that time Bulimia seemed like a more enjoyable alternative to watching them play. Yeah, some of this stuff might get stuck in your head but that never made Cher's "Believe" a good song. Or did it?


-Davey

1.5/5


Download Here: http://watchthetapes.blogspot.com/2009/05/off-with-their-heads-from-bottom-2008.html

Cannomen Demo Tapes

These fine young gentlemen burst out of the lovely region known as the South in the sweltering state of Tennessee. Featuring members of Life Trap this band plays a brand of catchy yet snotty punk rock thats hard to compare to any one band. What I like about these two demo tapes so much is that after one listen the rhythms and words get caught in your head, not in the Ricky Martin "Livin La Vida Loca" sort of way where every electrical chord reminds you of how bad you'd like to strangulate yourself but in a way that makes this band stand out and gets you stoked to listen to it again. I like that I can't compare it to other bands easily but for you people who will not check out stuff unless I name drop then think early so cal punk rock, equal parts SST and Posh Boy but with more of an edge. A good modern reference would be Deep Sleep but Cannomen do it catchier and make me feel much more inclined to give it up on the first date. I also read elsewhere a reference to Texas bands when hearing this and yes a Really Red and Dicks vibe exists as well. Scorching instruments, refreshing unique vocals, and a lot of man sweat is what you can expect from these guys. Highly Recommended! Check out their myspace and order the demo tapes!

-Davey

5/5 Yeah another good review lick my taint recommend something terrible so I may tear it apart with a poignant and precise review.

http://www.myspace.com/477801103

RIPPING HEADACHE EP

K- TOWN strikes again! If you know anything about K-Town and all the great hardcore and punk that has come out of there then this ep should make your penis tip moist or your labia quiver with anticipation. The hardcore from this region of the world had slowed down for awhile to make room for great punk bands such as No Hope For The Kids but this record brings da hardcore boi! It sounds like Amdi Petersen's Arme but faster and uglier and with all the instruments "ripping" much like the name implies. Throw in some La Piovra and some early 80's USHC from the midwest and you get a smidgen of an idea of the magnitude of just how much ball hair this record can singe. Cool cover art, its angry, and the instruments are played extremely well without ever being predictable. Yeah I know that the last review was a good one too but this came out last year and more people need to pick this up. *Warning* If you live in California do not engage in the joyous fisting presented on this cover, as it is now illegal and considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Download Link: http://hardcorefuckingrules.blogspot.com/2009/06/ripping-headache-self-titled.html

5/5

-Davey

Wasted Time - Futility LP

I have been waiting for this record for quite some time now seeing as both their 7"s made me want to rape and pillage and burn down small villages fueled by adrenaline laced hardcore fury. My personal life aside, this record takes all the elements of Wasted Time you loved and cranks it up to 11 (you know like the amps Spinal Tap used). They play faster, tighter and more brutal than ever but still maintaining that Poison Idea and Boston hardcore vibe with that signature heavy guitar sound. Not only does the new found speed grab my attention but the varying tempos used on this record. One minute its blistering fast, then you got an intense mid tempo rager to beat your wife to. They also employ some other hardcore influences with the closing track "Withdrawal" sounding like an angrier So Cal tune from the 80's. Other songs include "Isolationist", "Burning Bridges To Keep Warm" and the title track "Futility" you get an idea where the lyrics are coming from... an agoraphobic who lives life as a recluse surrounded by way too many cats. No but seriously, this record is pure hardcore mayhem from start to finish. 2009 is only halfway over but this will be the best record of 2009, no contest. If you don't want to take my word for it, download below, listen to it and buy it!

5/5

http://jesuschristheadlock.blogspot.com/2009/06/wasted-time-futility-lp-2009.html

http://www.myspace.com/wastedtimesucks

-Davey

BLACK AMERICA

These youngsters from Northern Cali ( ya I said Cali, blow me) are here with their debut ep entitled "We're Like Trash Talk, But Good", which made me giggle because they are talking trash on a band named Trash Talk. This ep is unique to say the least, starting with a Spongebob style intro, you can tell these dudes are having a good time, probably writing tunes and playing grab ass simultaneously (Which is no easy feat). For the most part this is mid tempo punk with a nice crisp guitar sound but has some of that Minutemen style funky guitar here and there, some surfy stuff and at times playing some up strums, the guitar player rips and is as versatile as cheddar, which comes in so many forms; everything from spray cheddar to a wheel of cheese. The vocals remind me of the dude from Smut Peddlers or at times of Nikki Sicki so he sounds pretty peeved like perhaps his mom forgot to pack him a chocolate pudding in his lunch, but not the John Brannon I'm gonna destroy you with my seething anger type of way.  Most of the songs have silly names like "Cock Block" or "Girls Are Better Than Boys". If you want to be intellectually stimulated go read some T.S. Eliot but if you want to hear some pretty rockin tunes with some fun lyrics check this out. Out now on Secret Records/ F Label.

3/5

www.myspace.com/blackamericablack

-Davey

Hjertestop

So when I heard that Hjertestop was doing an LP on the illustrious No Way Records I was so excited since their first 7" was pretty rulin but before I got it I heard a few not so positive reviews of it. Unbeknownst to me these people were right, this LP was available to me for free and I still decided not to keep it. I mean it's not terrible, it's like when you order a burger that looks delicious in the picture and then you bite into it and it tastes like a burger but one that was smeared with a light shit flavored secret sauce. They are going for that whole so cal hardcore thing, you know bands like the Adolescents and Bad Religion who had some punches but melody as well. The melody falls short and the tunes just did not give me that firm tug on the scrotum I was expecting. Some of the riffs are pretty catchy but in that BYO records, I'm 45 and shop at hot topic and talk about the old days even though I wasn't there type of way. It's not the worst thing I have ever heard but not even interesting enough to keep around for a once a year spin on ye olde turntable. Download below for their first ep, which is definitely worth checking out and was just repressed in the U.S. by Fashionable Idiots so pick that up and avoid the LP like that clingy girl you accidentally let blow you at last weekend's kegger. 

Download:

http://amargadodelavida.blogspot.com/2008/09/hjertestop-aarh-fuck-der-er-hjertestop.html

www.myspace.com/hjertestop

2/5

-Davey

High Life

This record goes by so fast that I had to listen to it numerous times just to review it. These Texans blaze through 6 tracks of hardcore mayhem that is hard to compare to just one thing. The embracing of the party culture makes me think of local Texas hooligans ANS, also in the style somewhat but definitely have a lot of different elements that make them stand apart. This band would destroy your house with their blistering hardcore and then impregnate your budding teenage sister, you know the one all the guys want to "get with". This has that great sloppy element like Void with mind numbing fast parts and tempo changes that I could see fans of Warkrime being down with. The singer sounds like he ate a baby for breakfast and is now angry about the inevitable indigestion. Instruments are all around solid. This is some interesting hardcore that is worth checking out because it's too hard to fully describe. There is a link to all their recordings from 2008 somewhere but I can't find it, so do the work for me, trust me it will be worth it. That or turn a couple tricks, get some cash and buy their ep from Cowabunga Records. 

http://www.myspace.com/highlifetx

4/5

-Davey

LET DOWN

This band is so pissed! Probably one of the most pissed bands in hardcore today. If you have not heard Let Down they are a straight edge hardcore band from Pennsylvania. I can hear all you stoners sighing but you know what this band is not preachy and sings about plenty of everyday issues that even you alcoholics can relate to. They sound like SSD's "Get It Away" humping Chain Of Strength's "The One Thing That Still Holds True" into submission. You have the intense vocals that make Springa seem like the fat girl in your seventh grade PE class. The instrumentation embodies the best parts about hardcore and infuses it with breakdowns that can be likened to the late 80's youth crew bands. Breakdowns can go so horribly wrong but these breakdowns are as fresh as a 12 year old girl's panties. They never once take away from the rage and pure energy this band exudes. The tempo changes that this band does are incredible, switching in an instant and keeping you on your toes but at the same time being totally justifiable. This record is intense throughout and although the influences are evident, they pay homage to them in such a way that seems new and exciting, much like seeing your first boob.  Only one song barely breaking the two minute mark this is some great hardcore that I could not recommend highly enough. Once again download below but buy their records, support the band! 

5/5

Blogload: http://stupidwarezcom.blogspot.com/2008/04/let-down-were-in-this-alone-2008.html

Myspace: www.myspace.com/letxdown

-Davey

Bastard Sons Of Apocalypse

Bastard Sons Of Apocalypse - Strangled By The System LP

No charge d-beat rock and roll! These rowdy Texans blaze through ten tracks of intense d-beat hardcore that will make you want to burn down your local government official's place of employment and/or residence. It's always great when someone can get you pissed at the government all over again! I definitely hear a Discharge influence with the repetition in the choruses in songs like "25 Years" and "Wave Of Death". The vocals and their patterns though come from a more straight forward hardcore approach and give the d-beat a tinge of that 80's hardcore feel. Most of the great current d-beat hardcore bands have vocals that sound like Dr. Claw on meth but this release goes for more of that Totalitar approach. The instrumentation is well executed and not as heavy as some d-beat bands but hits you in the face like an unexpected money shot. Fast unrelenting d-beat hardcore with buzzsaw riffage and pummeling drums. The kind of tunes that when done correctly, make you consider hitting a complete stranger with your car or lighting a homeless man on fire. Great stuff from a promising band. Check out their eps as well. Link below to download but if you find this record buy it! Support the band, buy the vinyl.

4/5

http://www.myspace.com/bastardsonsofapocalypserocknroll

Blogload: http://crustcracker.blogspot.com/2008/08/bastard-sons-of-apocalypse-strangled-by.html

-Davey