"The boredom and the bullshit" compilation Ep, 1996

Although it is probably less true nowadays than it used to be, compilations are the most meaningful way to get to discover a scene. Of course, I am not talking here about benefit compilations that gather bands from all over for a specific cause, or label compilations that are meant to introduce innocent listeners to the tastes and circles of friends of a particular person. No, here we are dealing with local bands being released on a local label discussing the issues facing a local scene. Yes, "local" is the trope of the day.

Such compilations can be quite risky too as one is often tempted to include bands that, however local, friendly and active, can be quite terrible too. But then, I guess that's also what makes this sort of compilation memorable. After all, any given local scene at any given time has its own average band that you can't help liking because they're mates and a compilation without them would be less relevant, though maybe more bearable for those outside your locality. But awesome musicianship was never the primary aim of local compilations anyway since, as I mentioned, the point is to bring outsiders inside your own punk scene. From a diachronic perspective, it also offers a significant picture of what people were into at the time and how an area can shape a sound or, perhaps even truer, how a sound can shape an area.

Because I am an obsessional bastard, this compilation revolves around mid-90's bands mostly from the North of England. There well be familiar faces as well, as this Ep included the Nerves from Nottingham (I reviewed their glorious split with Substandard a couple of years ago), State of Filth (remember their split with Anarchy Spanky? No? Well, you should. Now, get out of here.) and some bands that also appeared on the 1in12 Club compilation "Decade of dissidence" like Stalingrad, Voorhees, Manfat and Headache.

First, and it has to be said with the utmost seriousness, this record looks fucking great. It comes in a brown paper cover, that has aged surprisingly well in the case of my copy, and includes a 16-page booklet with a word from the bloke behind it all and some artwork and lyrics from all the bands. Not only does it look brilliant but it is also an interesting, ultimately positive read. "The boredom and the bullshit". Now that may be the best name for a punk record ever. Has there ever been a punk kid that didn't feel bored to death and surrounded by bullshit? Of course not. Aren't boredom and bullshit the two main motivations behind forming up a band, or starting a zine, or just trying to meet up with like-minded people? What would punk-rock be without all the boredom and the bullshit? Well, I for one know where it would be: in an unmarked grave. Bored kids trying to resist the bullshit is what saves punk-rock (or hardcore or whatever) from oblivion. The opening text in the booklet "The boredom and the bullshit: two things that saturate our lives" is about fighting both and trying to liberate oneself from the social alienation that we have to live through and reclaim our lives (or parts of them, even small ones). It will be a losing fight but at least let's give it a good try and maybe some quality punk music will come out of it. Yes, it is a hopeful, positive message and I totally relate to it (even on tuesdays).

Music-wise, I am not going to lie, not all the bands are my cup of tea, which does not mean that they are bad at what they do. Kitchener, from Manchester play fast hardcore in the US fashion, not quite unlike Los Crudos but with slower parts that bring to mind Born Against or something. Pigpile also play US-inspired hardcore but are not as fast as they have more of an 80's feel. Marker manage to pull two songs in 50 seconds of intense and raw fast hardcore while hardcore heroes, the Voorhees, head-butt their way through with a 30 second scorcher of burning Negative Approach worship.

Now about the bands I enjoy the most. Let's start with One By One, one of the most crucial 90's English band. I am not going to rant over people's apparent lack of interest in 90's punk again (and yes, that's a preterition for you) but I find quite amazing that there is still no One By One reissue to this day. I understand that the former members may want to focus on new projects rather than old ones, but I really hope there will be a One By One discography at some point. With two former Generic members, there is undeniably a hardcore backbone to One By One's music. But where Generic favoured aggression, One By One used tunefulness and smart song-writing in order to be intense. It is a hard to find points of comparison because they were really a unique band, and Karin's vocals really took the band to a next level, but I guess a cross between energetic yet tuneful US hardcore and Potential Threat with a Chumbawamba feel for the articulate and passionate politics and some musical arrangements. Their song on the comp, a fast number called "Alternative to what?", is a slightly bitter take on the DIY punk scene and its monotony. Still crucial though.

On "The boredom and the bullshit" you will find Manfat, a band from Leeds I know little about, though I also own their Ep. Although I don't always need that kind of sound, sometimes it works perfectly. Heavy and dark music, a bit grungy with heavy riffs the sort of which create an oppressive atmosphere. It is not heaviness for heaviness' sake either as the production is rather thin, just down-tuned slow hardcore like it was done in the mid-90's. Headache is the weirdest band on the Ep and actually they may have also been the weirdest band around at the time along with Witchknot. Crazy hardcore punk with demented vocals and a lot of breaks, it sounds like Civil Disobedience on mushrooms or something. Fantastic artwork on their part as usual and a genuinely unique band with a lot of personality and probably a lot of personality disorder as well.

Stalingrad may very well take the cake on this Ep with one amazing song "Human byproduct". In 1995, the band was still in its infancy and played metallic hardcore not unlike Rorschach or 13. This is mean, angry, desperate music with teeth and an aesthetics that set them apart. I often see Stalingrad as a band that bridged the gap between US-style hardcore and the UK crust sound since, if you listen closely (and you will), you will sense a late Deviated Instinct feel and even some Hellbastard riffing to their early recordings although their vision was set to the other side of the pond.

State of Filth's number on this Ep will probably surprise those of you who enjoyed their split with Anarchy Spanky. This is a different line-up that didn't include Wayne yet and it is not the grinding crustcore tornado that it would become. It is, however, still very much worth your while: fast, raw, shambolic, political hardcore punk strongly reminiscent of Electro Hippies. What else does one really need? Finally the Nerves from Notts fly the "studs ans spikes" flag high and proud on this one with their usual fast, anthemic punk-rock that is really an updated version of the UK82 sound keeping the snottiness but hitting harder. There were a lot of bands at the time trying to do it but few pulled it as well as the Nerves.

"The boredom and the bullshit" is a sincere record with a top-notch message that reeks of DIY punk ethos and a relevant document of what the hardcore scene in Northern England looked like. It was released on Refusenik records, a sadly short-lived label that also did the Ep's of Underclass, Kitchener and Ebola. As usual you should be able to get a copy in a 1£ record bin. To be listened to while reading "Armed with anger".

The boredom and the bullshit    

Rabid "The bloody road to glory" Ep 1982

Back when we lived in an internet-free world, another epoch when the very notion of taking pictures of your lunch would have seemed utterly preposterous, I used to muse upon those bands I only knew the name of. I would make romantic assumptions about what they sounded like and, more often than not, I would imagine terrific songs that were sadly out of grasp (now that I can listen to anything I want, I have prematurely become a sad bastard, so there you go technology). For some reason, Rabid was one of those bands. In fact, in the record store I used to hang out at in my teenage years, there was an original copy of that Rabid Ep, along with Mayhem's "Gentle murder". I would touch the cover, sighing, my hands shaking with frustrated excitement because I couldn't afford it. Buying recent, decently priced records was still quite an adventure then and I would spend whole afternoons at the store listening to dozens of records before I could decide which one (since more than one of them was unreasonable) I would pick. Buying an album was a long and painful process as I could just buy the one and I didn't want to mess up. But there were these two vintage Ep's that I would always return to, thinking that one day, although immensely expensive (it was like 8 euros each or something, almost the price of new Ep's on some distros nowadays...) I would get the fuckers. And when I got my first paycheck, I bloody did. Call me a sentimental fool, but this record, as average as it might sound to many, is something of an amulet to me, protecting me - and there fore you as well - against shit music.

If I wanted to write a short review, I would say "this is your average UK82 band: they were British, it was recorded in 1982, they had charged hair, they sang about war and the police. Ain't life great?". But then, you know I won't.

This Rabid Ep is perfect in the sense that it is everything you are entitled to expect from a Leicester punk band from the early 80's. It won't surprise you, it won't change your world but that's not the point. Matters of originality and uniqueness are out of the picture here. If anything, Rabid is comforting, heart-warming because their record is predictable and does the job well. If you are looking for some lesser-known but still decent, snot-fueled, angry second-wave British punk-rock on a bleak tuesday night, then look no further. They were not the most talented nor the fastest, the noisiest band and the boys' musicianship is not of a flamboyant nature either, but they did pen some solid tunes as this first Ep attests. Basically they did their bit and I challenge you not to sing along to the chorus of "Police victim" (it is a brilliantly easy one that goes "You're... only a police... victim" and the punk magic makes it so bloody catchy).

Rabid was definitely a band of its time. "Police victim" is a catchy mid-tempo number reminiscent of early Chaos UK; "Jubilee" (a song about the chief parasite of the British realms) could have been lifted from a Destructors' Lp; while "Glory of war" and "Crisis 82" were sloppy and highly lovable attempt at doing the dischargy thing while still trying to keep some tunes (I'll leave it to your judgement if you think they succeeded). The lyrics are not included but song titles will give you a rather accurate idea of the topics and "Crisis 82" would make a great name for a band doing UK82 covers (who's into it? I can vaguely play the bass guitar and I know some Abrasive Wheels and Instant Agony). I like the fact that you can pretty much understand what they are on about as the vocals are quite clear, half-way between The Enemy and Patrol or something. The production is genuinely raw and utterly appropriate for the genre: yes, there is some distortion but the songs remain rather tuneful. I understand the songs were originally part of a demo from which the band selected the four best ones in order to release the Ep themselves, which they actually did in true DIY fashion. This version however is the Fallout Records reissue from the same year. Apparently, the band was not too happy with the label (some money issues probably) but I am sure that looking back they must be pretty proud to have a release on a label that also did Broken Bones, Action Pact and The Enemy. Besides, Fallout Records is a brilliant name for a punk label and I'd seriously consider it for a dog's name as well.

After that Ep and also in 1982 (an inspiring year if there ever were any), Rabid recorded a 12" for Fallout Records, again. Although it is a bit tighter with proper feedback on the vocals and a crunchy guitar sound, it sort of lacks the energy of this Ep. Apparently, Rabid reformed last year and have released a new album that I have not dared listen to yet. I am not the bravest of men when it comes to such matters.

You're only a police victim

Monuments To Ruins "Under the rise of progress... The rise of deceit" 12", 2005

As we saw with Slimy Venereal Diseases, picking a moniker that doesn't quite inspire the narrow-minded and always grumpy punk (and yes, I am talking about myself here) may very well mean that you will hopelessly sink into the dreaded but always pregnant realms of the "fuck-me-I-had-completely-forgotten-about-that-band". On the other hand, such ill-inspired bands may also end up on Terminal Sound Nuisance and that, since it became THE blog to follow among the coolest no-lifers, is no small achievement.

What's wrong with the name "Monuments To Ruins" I hear you ask? Well, in the second half of the 2000's, dark years also known as "the neocrust era", such a name had you pigeonholed straight away in the tragically named epicrust box. It was bad enough that dozens of bands all started to ape Tragedy, Ekkaia or From Ashes Rise (none of which actually claimed to play crust but myspace then begged to differ) and quite detrimental when bands with a different, more meaningful agenda also tapped into the horrendous melodic crust lexicon.

Basically, what I mean to express is that they should have picked a better name. I know, straight-forwardness is not a virtue I master.

I first heard of MTR through their interview in an issue of Attitude Problem from Leeds, possibly my favourite British zine of the 2000's. It was a time when the remnants of the lively 90's American anarchopunk scene could still be felt, though one may argue that this type of sound was by then on its last leg, only to be replaced with a new generation of more referential bands (there is good in both, though I certainly miss the punk spirit of earlier bands and tend to be annoyed with the self-consciousness of the latter, but then whining is the path I have chosen). Hailing from Tampa, Florida, MTR can be seen to have recorded a highly transitional work with this 2005 record (it was actually recorded in 2003). While their first Ep from 2000 was strongly rooted in the 90's in terms of sound and aesthetics, this geezer reflects, despite itself probably, the new sound that would prevail in years to come. The 2000 Ep, arguably their best work, is top-notch old-school crust with male/female vocals, armed with the earthy, greasy production you would expect (somewhere between Misery, Nausea and Naftia). Released on the glorious Tribal War Records, it had a proper anarcho fold-out poster sleeve and a massive booklet with lyrics, artwork and literature (I'll grant you that some drawings were so pixelated that you can tell the exact year of production just by looking at them). Basically it was your typical, 90's Tribal War/Profane Existence/Skuld Releases ecocrusty political punk records, and I say this with the highest regards for a genre I hold dear to my heart and that takes a significant amount of room in my flat.

It apparently took longer than planned for the 12'' to happen, but it was released on Arizona-based Catchphrase Records, a label also responsible for goodies such as Contravene and Axiom, two of the very best US bands of that period. The sound is more polished than on the Ep and you can hear a modern influence creeping in at times, especially in the guitar leads and in some slower, instrumental, moody parts. But it is still really solid, intense and passionate metallic crust punk that brings to mind aforementioned Misery, Nausea, but also Detestation (in the faster, hardcore-sounding moments), late Antiproduct and even Civilised Society? (I had to mention a British band at some point, didn't I?).

Or Morne (completely anachronistic but there you go, you'll hear it too). Why, you ask again, interrupting me for the second time already, completely ignoring the "three stroked and you're out mate" golden rule? Because MTR played synth-driven music. And nothing gets me quite as excited as synth-driven crust music. I personally would have added more of it, but each time the synth is used, be it for a good ole Amebix/Axegrinder atmosphere or just wind or rain effects, the songs really take off. Besides, it fits perfectly with the mood MTR managed to create here, something dark and desperate but still ready to bite.

Only four songs here, but they are well written and well worth your time. In a sea of often similar-sounding bands, MTR definitely had something more and in the end, that's how bands and records stand the test of time.

Monuments To Ruins

 

 

Hiatus / Fleas And Lice "Polish bastards" split Ep, 1993

A split record between Hiatus and Fleas And Lice. Yes indeed, this post will reek of classic eurocrust. You may be shrugging now, but wait until the eurocrust revival kicks in (my money is on 2018). Fancy punk scenes will start emulating the 90's greats and this kind of records get some appraisal again and Terminal Sound Nuisance will finally rule the internet world.

Cheesy prophecy apart, these two bands were trademarks of the specific sound and attitude that swept over Europe in that decade. Do the young punks of today still listen to those bands? Judging from the poor turnout at the last Fleas and Lice gigs in Paris a few years ago, I wouldn't think so. Musical considerations notwithstanding, both bands constant touring really helped build the DIY punk circuits that still exists today and establish long-lasting connections. Seeing this humble Ep as a relevant piece of punk history that future archaeologists will excavate in a few centuries, teary-eyed, overwhelmed with the greatness of their discovery, is not so far-fetched.

A simple answer to the boring question "what is crust anyway?" would be to play a vintage Hiatus song. A friend of mine once said, in a state of drunken stupor, although it doesn't make his comment any less true, "Hiatus is the best band ever". I didn't quite get what he meant then but I get it now. There is so much power in their music, so much intensity, so much crunch. They managed to write simple and yet really catchy crust punk songs that, at times, were superior to the band they were most influenced by, Doom. They formed in Liège, in 1989 and released two demos before doing proper records. Although the first one is a bit rough on the edges (by which I mean that it is a really tough listen), the second one, "In my mind" already displayed the quality the band would be renowned for: heavy and pummeling, slightly metallic filthy crust punk deeply in love with the sound of Doom and ENT. This excellent demo (that ought to be reissued at some point, it really deserves the record treatment), it has to be noted, also included a couple of all-out grindcore songs as well as some overt Antisect-worship anthems that would delight, and maybe astonish, any self-respecting old-school crust fanatics. By 1993, Hiatus had reached the peak of their power and it was to be their most prolific year with the release of their first Lp "From resignation to revolt" and of no less than three split Ep's with the almighty Doom, Subcaos and Fleas And Lice.

Like Hiatus, Fleas And Lice were part of the first generation of European crusties. Although the band itself only formed in 1993, which means that, at the time of this release, it was still in its infancy, it was founded by ex-members of the brilliant Mushroom Attack and Extreme Noise Error who were around in the late 80's (read the corresponding blog entry for more information). This bunch of merry people come from Groningen, Netherlands, a city notorious for its active bands and vibrant squat scene in the 90's (and beyond). Fleas And Lice (and Mushroom Attack for that matter) were significantly less on the bear growls side of the crust spectrum and had a strong hardcore backbone which, along with top-notch writing skills (just listen to the song structures and the riffs and you will know what I mean) and peculiar male/female vocals still make them stand out to this day. Fleas And Lice sound both familiar and yet quite unique. They sometimes remind me of a less-thrash Pink Turds In Space, for the scratchy vocals and the punk-smart and political tongue-in-cheek anthems they have penned throughout the years, but also of the UK crust feel akin to early ENT or Screamin Holocaust, or even of the Squat or Rot sound not unlike Jesus Chrust. But perhaps the closest point of comparison would be Naftia, from Greece, a band that also blended the silly boundaries between genres (as it didn't seem to matter much back then) between beefy hardcore punk, crust punk and groovy metal riffs. But really, when it comes down to it, Fleas And Lice are just Fleas And Lice and that's why they are so lovable.

"Crust on parade" yet another proof of fun

This Ep is made up of songs that were recorded in 1993 in Brno during the Hiatus/Fleas And Lice tour that saw both bands get drunk in Germany, Poland and Czech Republic. It actually was not the first time Hiatus toured with the Groningen crew as there had been a Hiatus/Mushroom Attack adventure earlier in 1991. During that 1993 tour some Polish nazi shitheads smashed a van and that Ep was done as a benefit record because of that. The name "Polish bastards" only illustrates the sense of humour that permeates the bands' works and that is so often absent today. Although recorded live in 1993, the sound on both sides is really good. Two songs for the Dutch, "Negative song", about the doom and gloom pervading most of the political punk production in the early 90's, and "Enough is enough" about American cultural imperialism. Expect a potent and raw cocktail of squat-fueled crusty hardcore for the punx, like a battle royal between Naftia, Punk Turds, Potential Threat and Concrete Sox. On the other side, you will be punished with four songs from Hiatus. Well, three and a half, since the joke song "Joshua's not dead", with Joshua from Fleas And Lice on vocals, is unfortunately scratched on my copy. Tough shit. But anyway, three songs are more than enough to convince you that Hiatus were an absolute powerhouse live, the likes of which the average smelly crusty has rarely seen. The sound is heavy and powerful, like an awesome gush of wind coming from the bogs of God that takes everything in its path. The fact Hiatus toured a lot really shows there, you can feel the incredible energy, and despite their probable state of drunkenness when they played, they manages to be really tight. This is a high-energy, ruthless attack that outcrusts Doom, ENT and Sore Throat with a smile and a Belgian accent. Two songs from their first Lp and one from the "Way of doom" Ep.

This Ep was released on Polish label Scream Records, that Pawel from Filth of Mankind has been running since 1992. The bloke has good tastes too with a discography that includes Resist, Homomilitia, Warcollapse, Misery, Sarcasm, Svart Aggression and more recently Panikos, Agnosy or Cancer Spreading. The Hiatus/Fleas And lice split was his second record and, considering it is a live Ep and the relative anonymity of eurocrust today, you should be able to find it for pretty cheap. And I know you will.

Fleas and crust

   

Pro Patria Mori "Where shadows lie" demo 1986 (updated version)

A few days ago, while I was roaming through older posts thinking about something smart to add, I bumped into the first one I ever wrote here for the second Pro Patria Mori demo. Here is the original text:

"Pro Patria Mori, meaning "to die for your country", formed in Wokingham, Southeast of England in 1984. Though they never released any proper records, they still recorded two demos of which "Where shadows lie" is the second and this is just unbelievably good. In fact, and I am not even exaggerating here, I had two reactions the first time I heard this tape: I couldn't believe how good it was and I was angry that no one had told me about this band before and how good it was.

Being a huge sucker for the British anarcho punk sound, I can say without hesitation that this demo is a jewel and would have deserved the record treatment. While the political lyrics (from what I can understand) and the overall atmosphere of the songs are distinctively rooted in the anarcho tradition (you'll find haunting spoken words and dual vocals), the atmosphere of the songs is much darker and gloomier than the first wave of anarcho bands, an impression reinforced by the cover depicting a part-wizzard, part-judge dodgy-looking geezer staring at skulls and screaming heads. This imagery is also paralled by a great, dirty metal influence typical of mid-late 80's UK bands. But if metal was indeed influential here, the anger and rage are firmly ensconsed in pissed-off punk tradition (you probably won't be disappointed to hear that Odin, the hammer of Thor or black magics aren't on the Pro Patria Mori programm). The guitar sound is aggressive and mean, the dual vocals reminds me of an angrier, harsher version of Anti-System or Antisect's. The pace is fast with heavy mid-tempo parts. Awesome stuff to be sure, strongly reminiscent of the mighty Antisect, Anti-System, AOA or mid-late 80's Oi Polloi, with a bit of Concrete Sox and Anihilated for the riffage. Yes, it really is that good.

It is a shame that these brilliant songs haven't made it to vinyl (yet? If one is to believe their interview in the excellent book "Trapped in a scene", in which Pro Patria Mori has a section, the demo might hopefully be reissued at some point)."

I got this recording through soulseek in 2009 from a user who, in retrospect, must have been an ex-member. To be honest when I downloaded the file, I initially thought that it was some old Italian hardcore demo (although quite close to intellectual perfection, I can't read Latin). So when I actually heard the demo, I almost fainted when I realized that, not only was it a mid-80's British anarchopunk band, my favourite field of studies, but also that it was really close to being one of the best bands of the period (and for once, I am saying this without hyperbolic pretense). At the time, there was very little information about Pro Patria Mori (not that the internet is overwhelmed with it now though) and for a few years, I thought of starting a blog, if only to post that demo and be done with it. Of course, when I finally took matters in my own hands and posted the demo, I realized that, hardly ten days before this crucial act, someone had just posted it, namely The Immortal Old Punk, who, being a bit older and everything, had not only seen Pro Patria Mori live in his youth (a fantastic experience apparently and I trust his judgement) but managed to get top-notch versions of the songs (I actually strongly suggest that you take a look at his post). So in less than two weeks, a demo that had been absent from the world wide web for years got posted twice. What were the odds?

As I already mentioned, this demo is stellar. Recorded in early 1986, the same year as Hellbastard's "Ripper crust" and Deviated Instinct's "Terminal filth stenchcore", it would not be reasonable to rate "Where shadows lie" at least as high as both. The recording is very powerful and accurate, astonishingly so even. Far superior in terms of sound quality to most other early crust demos of its time, it is drenched in rage and anger, absolutely furious. If Antisect had been bitten by a rabid Slayer fan, you would get something close. But what also makes it so bloody brilliant lies in the use of dark talk-over passages and ambient guitar sounds, which, along with the fast metallic parts, make Pro Patria Mori the embodiment of the shift from more punk-sounding anarcho bands to all-out crusty metal madness. Listening to that demo, one can get the sense that the band, through this musical syncretism, symbolized this junction of influences better than anyone in 1986.

There was a first demo, recorded in 1985, that I have never heard. And that makes me really sad indeed. From what I can gather, while "Where shadows lie" is a fast bastard on the whole, apart from the eerie intros and spoken parts, the first demo was very much an exercise in Amebix-worshiping. In fact, when Dig from Earache reviewed it for MRR, he called it "Brit plod", a term that the band would use as a label when they released their two subsequent demos. If Pro Patria Mori had got the attention they deserved, one may imagine that "Brit plod" could have been the term used to describe the metal/punk hybrid that we call "crust" or "stenchcore" today. To be honest, I think "Brit plod" sounds terrible and I am pretty happy everyone stuck with "crust" but it's still fun to think about alternate versions of history (in the same spirit, imagine a world where Antisect did not lose the tapes of their second Lp in a London cab?).

This is the only picture of the first demo that I have seen...

A third demo was recorded in 1987, "Lament of the damned", a track of which you can find in the Old Punk's post. A powerful song, decidedly on the English Dogs/Anihilated side of things, but somewhat hindered by a sound production that fails to reach the same level as "Where shadows lie"'s (it'd still be great if I could give it a listen). For all I know, there could also be some live tapes since the band seems to have played quite a few gigs in the UK and, like Antisect and Amebix, even toured in Italy.

Pro Patria Mori is the prime example of a terrific band that, in spite of all their qualities, because they never released anything on vinyl, sank into obscurity, only to be remembered by those who were lucky enough to see them in the first place. And that's unfair. Pro Patria Mori should be that brilliant band everybody whispers about at the end of a drunken night, that mysterious anarcho crusty band whose demo reissues the world is desperately waiting for... For those of you who enjoy punk trivia, Russ, the first singer later played in Stalingrad and bass-player Paul now drums for the Revolutionary Dub Warriors.

So now, who's got the first and third demos so I can listen to them?

Brit plod for ya

Gutrot "Filthy muck" 10'', 2008

I love it when, out of the blue, a record of an old British band that I have never heard of comes out. I usually get all excited and restless and generally a real pain in the arse. Things tend to go back to normal after I eventually get the record, listen to it and ponder over it in order to place it in the grand narrative of punk-rock. In 2008, when Wicked Witch released that geezer, I was taken by surprise when I first read the short description that you find on online distros: a new band was about to come, uninvited, into my life.

"What's it called? Gutrot? It sounds a bit grindy, doesn't it?... Old recordings from 1987... A good year this, Antisect were at the top of their crusty game, Deviated Instinct were recording the song "Stormcrow", Amebix released "Monolyth"... Live and rehearsal tapes. Must be rough. Wait! What? With members of AOA and Axegrinder!!! It cannot be! And no one thought of telling me before? For fuck's sake! I NEED to hear that." Well, you know the drill...

A careless listener might think a Gutrot reissue should not have been a top priority, and musically speaking I guess I can understand the argument. However, in the light of this record and of the chapter from the holy "Trapped in a scene", one can grasp the significance of a band such as Gutrot, not necessarily in terms of music but in terms of their involvement in a specific time and place, namely the North London squat scene of the mid-80's. Like Eat Shit and Sons of Bad Breath, their brothers in unrestrained noise-making with a dodgy hygiene, Gutrot played a central role in establishing and promoting a vibrant punk scene in their area and so were an important part of punk history, that is if you see punk as more than just the accumulation of records. Basically, this 10'' is as much a historical document as it is an unhealthy slice of noisy bollocks.

The story of Gutrot began in 1986 under a different - and ridiculous - name: Terry Wogan and the Hellbashers. Then, the band was far less serious and include Skinny from Coitus on bass guitar. The band then changed its name to Gutrot and recuited another bass player called Tim who formerly played in Obliteration (could this be the obscure thrash/death metal band?), alongside Steve who used to sing in AOA and had moved to North London from Scotland in order to be part of the thriving squat scene there, Dalby who now lays in Argy Bargy (an unlikely connection indeed!) and Darryn who would join Axegrinder after the demise of Gutrot. This bunch of merry and active drunken punks played a major role in setting up squatted venues in Hackney such as the Kardboard Box or the Ballet School. From what I can gather from "Trapped in a scene", not unlike the infamous Hackney Hell Crew, their way of life seems to have been fairly chaotic, extreme even, but I bet a Gutrot gig must have been a night to remember if you like Mad Max reconstitutions or the idea of hordes of filthy punks dancing to a Disorder cover band (I know I do). Bands like Gutrot certainly pioneered the crust punk lifestyle, if not the music. And, they had a beef with Conflict, but then, as I understand it, who didn't by 1986?

What? The music? What do you expect really? This is rough, shouted, angry, political, raw, distorted and filthy hardcore punk for the hardcore punks. This is probably much faster than you expect too. Chop one pound of Chaos UK and Disorder, add a glass of Plasmid or early Heresy and mix it with a Legion of Parasites-shaped spoon until you get a thick paste. Bake it for two hours in furious Italian hardcore à la Wretched/Impact/early Negazione and let it marinate for two weeks in the bogs of a punk squat. The first side is taken from a rehearsal while the second one, my favourite, is a live recording that manages to sound better. You can hear the vocals better on the live tracks, a good thing because you can really tell that the singer also did time in AOA (the early line-up) and he's got a cracking voice. Looking at the gig handouts you will realize that Gutrot shared the stage with some fantastic bands during their short existence, like Extreme Noise Terror, Atavistic, Deviated Instinct, Karma Sutra or Axegrinder.

As previously mentioned this was released on the ever reliable and tasteful Dutch label Wicked Witch that also did Lebenden Toten, Aftermath, Atrocious Madness, Effigy or Substandard. I am not a sucker for 10" but this one makes sense since you only have about 10 minutes of noise on each side. The artwork was done by Mid from Deviated Instinct and since no one seems to really give a damn aboyt Gutrot, I am pretty sure you will be able to find a copy for cheap on some distros.

Gutrot

Diatribe "Aftermath" Ep, 1991

Bloody hell... Has it really been more than three weeks since the last post?

In my defense, I have had to let go two of my staff in the past month. Whereas they had, until then, been quite faultless in their devotion to Terminal Sound Nuisance, I caught them in the naked act of listening to shoegaze. This really broke my heart but then, I should have seen it coming since one of them was starting to grow a beard while the other one, I discovered later, had set up a facebook page about thick-framed glasses. And that, my dedicated follower is utterly contrary to the TSN ethos. These are dark times indeed.

But whatever, my spirit has not been broken and I shall overcome, though it did take a whole week of uninterrupted Discharge listens for me to get back on tracks. Speaking of the devil, the record I'm going to rant about today is probably the most potent instance of US Discharge worshipping from the early 80's. I am aware that Diatribe have been talked about on other sites and blogs (I strongly recommend you read the the Shit Fi review of the demo by the way) but it is a brilliant record I have been meaning to bother you with for a long time now.

Diatribe's story is not unusual for an 80's punk band. They formed in 1984, released a demo in 1985, had the one odd track from that recording included on some compilation Lp, toured in their home country and split up in 1986. Not too spectacular, innit? That is, until you hear the demo. Because Diatribe's 1985 demo is nothing short of sheer brilliance.

Don't be misled by the title of the post, the 1991 Ep is actually a reissue of the 1985 demo (with one added track but I'll come to that in due time). An old friend of mine who was there "back in the day" (and had thus a spare copy) actually gave this record to me maybe 6 or 7 years ago. I had never really heard Diatribe before, although I did seem to remember that a band of the same name had a song on some Mortarhate sampler. But that was about it and I was completely unprepared when I put the record on my turntable. Not even a ridiculous amount of "OMG" could begin to describe what I felt then when I heard the chorus to the song "Aftermath" for the first time. Almost instantly, as if it had been my favourite song forever, I was tunelessly shouting "When the war is over" while tapping my feet to their awesome D-beat. That's epiphany for ya.

Diatribe were from San Diego and were part of the so-called peacepunk wave. As discussed in The Iconoclast post, the term "peacepunk" basically referred to those Californian bands (I would personally leave the New York anarcho bands out of the "peacepunk" tag) who were greatly influenced by the UK anarchopunk scene and re-adapted the sound, the attitude and the politics to their own context. It is therefore no coincidence if there are sonic similarities between Diatribe and bands like The Iconoclast and Body Count with whom they shared stage. The Crucifix influence is also pretty obvious, especially in the vocals at times and the overall intensity. However, where Crucifix guitar sound was thick and crunchy, Diatribes relies a bit more on distortion and fuzz. This demo also brings to mind Swedish bands like Anti-Cimex or Crude SS, and, of course, Discharge, early Antisect and even Death Sentence, albeit in a "thou shall beat the D" mood. What is most striking with this recording is how far ahead of their time Diatribe were. Listening to these songs in 2014, you can tell in a heartbeat that they are an 80's band who overplayed Crucifix at home, and yet there have been so many "D-beat raw punk" bands for the past 10 years who have been playing pretty much like Diatribe did (and most of them probably without even being aware of their existence): a pure, clear D-beat with the occasional breakdowns and some Chaos UK drum rolls, a distorted guitar, a buzzing bass sound, a snotty vocal delivery. I read that Diatribe had been a significant influence on Kawakami from Disclose and if you listen closely to the guitar sound and the songwriting, it makes a lot of sense. That the Diatribe logo is not painted on half the leather jacket of people supposedly into "raw punk" never fails to sadden me, but then I must be oversensitive.

Lyrically, Diatribe's songs don't necessarily stand out from the crowd of Discharge impersonators (anti-war, anti-army, anti-religion) but judging from old interviews, the band was clearly much more political and articulate than their words suggested. This would explain their connection with Conflict and why they appeared on a Mortarhate compilation and how they opened for the Londoners when they toured in the States. This Ep is some sort of bootleg, I believe, that was released on Revoltation record, an English label that basically only reissued classic 80's hardcore recordings without really asking for permission (though I could be wrong). It includes the 6 tracks from the "Aftermath" demo as well as another studio track, with a very "iconoclasty" sound, entitled "The day I was born"). Anyway, the geezer behind Revoltation also released some pretty sweet things in the early 90's like Confuse, Heresy or Mob 47. In 2007, the "Aftermath" demo was officially reissued by Get Revenge records and I am pretty sure you can still find it if you put some effort into it.

In 2006, Diatribe got back together with a different line-up and even released a split Ep with Death Crisis in 2011 that is worth your attention. I know that a full Lp was in progress at some point but I have no idea if it will eventually come out. I strongly recommend that you take a look at their website too where you will find old pictures, flyers and interviews (Diatribe's page).

The original orthodox US D-beat sound

  

Zero Tolerance "Home sweet Hackney" cd, 1999

The sun is shining today, a rare sight lately, and I am not at work, an even rarer occurrence. The perfect day to lock myself in inside my infamous Crustcave and reflect upon a forgotten record illustrating the "three chords=three songs" philosophy. It's been a while since I last posted some proper, old-school punk-rock that will undoubtedly launch a cider frenzy upon the unsuspecting public.

Words have always had unstable meanings.

I remember an issue of the Game of the Arseholes zine from the first half of the 2000's that was about UK punk. In this issue, Stuart Schrader (ultimate punk records nerd running the brilliant Shit-Fi website) aptly and solemnly declared that, at the time of writing (2004 or something), there was nothing quite as unpopular in the DIY political punk scene (for lack of a better term) as 80's British punk-rock, also known as UK82. And of course, he was right (to some extent at least) and therefore decided to write a GOTA "UK special" in order to rant over bands and records that deserved respect and love instead of indifference and scorn. I was obviously really happy with this issue (but then GOTA never failed to deliver) since I have always loved this brand of punk-rock that the Partisans, Abrasive Wheels or Uproar stood for. Although Schrader focused on UK82 in his zine, a very similar comment could have been made about British anarchopunk at the time. Only 10 years ago, Disorder and Chaos UK were largely deemed uncool by the cool punx. It took a new trend that saw dozens of bands trying to be from 80's Bristol (and let's face it, some of them were really good at that) to put the UK82 genre back on the DIY punk map. Discharge of course has always played in another category and has never been seen as a "UK82" band (according to Schrader, seeing Discharge in this light, as part of this specific wave, somehow reduced their attractivity, something I can grasp the meaning of but that I disagree with). Being a bit of a moaner, I was bitterly surprised to see people, all of a sudden, starting to claim their love for Blitz and Disorder. On the other hand, this UK82 trend (which has steadily faded since the start of the postpunk one...) may have prompted, through renewed interest, some reissues that I would not have imagined possible before (take the Ad'Nauseam and Impact Lp's for instance).

To a large extent, the comments above apply mostly to the North-American scenes and are irrelevant to other places. But since trends pretty much start over there and since a lot of new record-buying habits are created on that side of the other world ("Gods are born in the USA" right?), I would argue that it had some impact globally. It would be a mistake to think that the second wave of British punk-rock had sunk into obscurity until self-proclaimed "UK82 type bands" started playing in the late 00's/early 10's. Very far from it. It's just that, until then, the genre had been adopted by another punk crowd, the so-called "streetpunx", people heavily into the Casualties and sporting perfect colourful mohawks, bondage trousers, studs and posing hard before brick walls. This is the apolitical Punkcore crowd that is apart from the DIY punk scene. Interestingly - it's even fascinating when you think about it and what it implies in terms of the listening process - Punkcore type bands and DIY bands, though both influenced by similar early 80's UK bands, don't sound alike at all. In fact, even when they cover the same songs, they are extremely different. It's as if they didn't hear the same things when listening to the same band. On the one hand, streetpunk bands usually aim for a heavier, clearer sound, they intend to build on the formula in order to improve on it through the addition of harcore influences, the old English bands being used as the basis. And they don't use the term "UK82", to them, it's streetpunk. On the other hand, modern UK82 bands, coming from the DIY punk scene, want to maximise the formula and stay close to the vintage sound and songwriting, they usually put an emphasis on UK82's specific characters (the binar drum beat, the slighly reverbed vocals, the flow and so on) and are highly referential. They are accurate and effective tribute bands aiming at the recreation of the 80's sound (this can be applied to a variety of other subgenres).

What do the British punks think about all this? They mostly don't give a fuck I reckon. In fact, I would argue that there has never really been neither an actual "Punkcore type band" nor a "modern DIY UK82 band" over there. One could venture that they don't see their legacy quite in the same light. Of course, there are many British bands still very much influenced by the 80's greats but they sound nothing like either aforementioned categories. Zero Tolerance formed in 1997 at the start of the horrendous, terrible "US streetpunk fashion" and 10 years before Germ Attak rediscovered Riot City Records. Like most 90's bands, ZT are about as hip today as Boyzone. To be fair, the name "Zero Tolerance" brings to mind tough guy NYC hardcore more than it does North London punk squats, but you would be wrong to assume that Zero Tolerance were fond of karate dance style. Indeed, you will find no song about a legendary "pit of death", or "honour and respect" and there is no reference to moshing, only genuine punk-rock with street-smart politics.

As the title of the album already gives away, the band was from Hackney, a rather rough working-class neighbourhood in London famous, among other things, for its mental punk squats. Originally, ZT had another singer, Martin, who sadly died after the release of the first Ep, "Sick of you" (which was produced by Lippy from Antisect). After that sad event, guitarist Simon took over singing duties. At the start, Clara, who was previously in the glorious Pissed Mouthy Trollops, was playing the bass guitar but was replaced with Mik from the mighty Coitus and the Restarts, before Clara returned for the band's last Ep, "Drugs runner". Line-up unstability also affected the drumming stool, as Criss, from External Menace, PMT and later Demented Are Go, replaced the original drummer after the first Ep. The band's best works, this album and the great split Lp with the Restarts, were recorded as a three-piece of Simon, Mik and Criss.

Zero Tolerance had this distinct 90's feel to them. Unpretentious, straight-up punk-rock that sounds like a slightly enhanced version of the 80's bands (especially the drumming) but still manages to be relevant in its current context and deprived of any nostalgia. This is old-school punk-rock by the punks and for the punks, like their brilliant contemporary Red Flag 77 and Suicidal Supermarket Trolleys. It's not that easy to record a full album of simple and direct punk-rock without boring the listener after two songs. After all, Zero Tolerance played pretty basic three-chords punk music but they managed to keep things interesting through catchy hooks and singalong chorus that don't sound forceful or cheesy. This is punk from the streets but not streetpunk, if you know what I mean. Listen closely to the music, and behind the simple chords and the snotty vocals, you will discern the clear and yet warm and slightly distorted guitar sound, the catchy leads, a smart bass part or a tuneful chorus that perfectly do the trick of making the songs memorable, not that they are punk hits, but in the sense that you will be able to whistle to them and hum their tunes after two listens. My only complaint is the use of "oi! oi! oi!" during some backing vocal parts that is a little systematic (but then, as punx in their 30's, I am pretty sure it made them laugh) but then some of the songs have a nice, old-school oi feel too (like late Mania or something), so that's part of the deal I suppose.

Most of the songs are bouncy 1-2-1-2 punk numbers with raucous and snotty that rely on catchiness rather than speed, although there are also a couple of faster tracks that show that the music's pace was a matter of choice. As mentioned, Red Flag and SST come to mind, as well as 90's era External Menace and Chaos UK, and maybe Chaotic Youth and Mayhem from the early 80's. Lyrically, Zero Tolerance were rooted in a particular context and sang about it, from the rise of the CCTV in England, the omnipresence of the police on TV, the urban planning and gentrification at work in Hackney, the dole office spying on people in order to control them, to rampant homelessness. There are also a couple of songs about everyday life, betrayal and being on the boozer. I especially like "38 bus", a song about the perfect-looking punks posing for the tourists in the centre of London.

There are two covers on this album. The first one is the anthemic "Don't conform" originally written by External Menace. A timeless punk hit that sounds as good as the original (that's no mean feat, believe me). The second one is far more original and surprising since it is a cover of "Breathe" from... Prodigy! It works astonishingly well as a UK82 song but it is quite difficult to recognize the original song if you don't already know. A great cover choice that makes sense since Prodigy's guitar player, Graham Butt, originally played in the Destructors, English Dogs (at the apex of their metalpunk years, no less) and even did a stint in Policebastard. I seem to remember when I bought "Home sweet Hackney", that there was some sort of connection between Zero Tolerance and Butt, but that was a long time ago and the internet reveals nothing. Any truth to that?

The album was released on French label Combat Rock, a record label that never really shone for its great tastes in my opinion but nevertheless released a couple of good records from The Sect, Red London, The Outcasts or Heyoka.

Home sweet Hackney

PS: being rather untidy, I lost all my bloody zines a few years ago (well, they were thrown away) and I would really like to read that Game of the Arseholes issue I mentioned, so if anyone has got a pdf version of it or something, I would really grateful.

  

Glycine Max "Violent mind // Peaceful heart" Lp, 1996

Really, how can you go wrong with a band paying tribute to Antisect and Sore Throat in their logo? Exactly. You can't.

Glycine Max crossed my mind a few days ago while I was looking for obscure and yet quality punk covers for the legendary Détruire l'Ennui radio show. We do a "punk covers special" at least twice a year and I always try to pick songs that are both little-known and likely to kick some ass. That was also an opportunity to play the Lp at home and realize how bloody brilliant it still is and how tragically overlooked the band remains. And of course, I played their Body Count cover yesterday (funny to think that this very same song has also been covered by Armistice, a band that came from that Californian anarchocrusy scene as well).

It never ceases to amaze me, in a rather negative way, how the early Californian crust wave has not profited from the 2000's stenchcore revival. In fact, this scene has remained largely ignored by the punks who discovered (or re-discovered) all the fantastic UK crust bands through modern acts such as Hellshock or Stormcrow. While it is not a rare occurrence to spot crusty punx sporting Axegrinder, Sacrilege or Deviated Instinct paraphernalia at festivals, I very seldom, if ever, see anyone with Apocalypse, A//Solution or Glycine Max patches. There could be several logical reasons for this discrepancy. After all, the Californian crust scene has been less prolific than the British one and therefore has had less influence globally throughout the years. You could also argue that these US bands were, to some extent, only trying to recreate what their UK counterparts had been doing for a couple of years and one usually has a higher opinion toward the originators of a genre (although the birth of musical subgenres can never really be tied to the bands only as there is a whole specific cultural context that precisely makes the appearance of a new genre possible, but that's another debate entirely). Finally, one could venture that the Cali bands involved in the late 80's and early 90's have had little influence over the mid/late 90's American crust acts themselves that were less metal-sounding and faster (more Swedish, less British perhaps?). If Nausea, Disrupt, Misery or even Destroy! remained classics, and not only in the States, it seems the Californian wave hardly managed to get out of California.

I have already ranted over the Californian scene in previous posts when dealing with Mindrot, Resist and Exist, Iconoclast, Skaven and Dystopia so I will try to not repeat myself too much. In their lifetime, from 1986 to 1991, Glycine Max only released two demos with a rather crude sound that had more to do with fast and raw hardcore punk than with mid-tempo crust punk. The first four songs on the B side of this Lp are taken from their second demo (from 1989 I believe) and show the band in a "peacepunk" mood (let's stick with the local term!) akin to Iconoclast, Diatribe, Body Count of course, early Antisect or early Legion of Parasites. It is good political hardcore punk to be sure but the real nuggets are to be found on the A side of the Lp. These were recorded in late 1990, at the height of the band's power and are vintage, classic crust anthems. Apocalyptic, dark mid-tempo metallic punk with a lot of personality (the terrific voice of the singer really helps) that brings to mind Hellbastard, Amebix or Axegrinder and fellow Californian crust heroes Apocalypse and A//Solution. Top of the shelf stenchcore indeed. The last four songs on the B side were also recorded in late 1990 and see Glycine Max in the same top-notch crusty shape but in a live environment at Gilman Street this time. The icing on the cake is the final Hellbastard cover, "Nazis killed", which, despite it being a 24 year old live recording, is easily the best Hellbastard cover I have heard so far (I will grant you that there aren't too many competitors in this category). To top it off, Glycine Max wrote great lyrics. The words to the song "Violent mind, peaceful heart", about social alienation's paradoxical effects on our own feelings and psyche, go so well with the angst-ridden tunes that the song, to me, is a prime example of a meaningful merging of shape and content. In addition to songs about similarly dark topics (see "Falling apart"), you will also mind more traditional anti-state protest songs that will make you angry and, hopefully, happy as well.

I am pretty sure that the four songs on the A side were meant to appear on a proper Lp at the time but I guess the band split up before recording the other side. That or it took six years for the labels to actually release them but that sounds a bit unlikely. By the time the "Violent mind // Peaceful heart" Lp saw the light of day, Glycine Max was sadly no more, a fact that might also account for the band's current anonymity. A fucking shame that should have been alleviated five years ago when a cd compilation with tracks from the demos and from the Lp (minus the live songs for some reason) got released. As a self-appointed nerd, it should be pointed out that the Lp studio tracks appear in slightly different versions as the quotes used as intros to the songs are not the same (digression: have you ever noticed that Scatha used the same Exorcist quote on the first track of their second Lp?). But enough digression, the cd was released in order to support the family of Glycine Max's drummer Mark (he also played in Apocalypse and Scarred for Life) who had sadly just passed away. This is a great cd and it can still be found for cheap so if you have any faith in genuine CRUST music, then do yourself a favour. The Lp was originally released on Misanthropic records, a Dystopia-related label that I already mentioned in a former post entry, and on Voltic Records, a short-lived project that released only two records (the other one being... an A//Solution cd!).

After the demise of Glycine Max, the singer Raygunn along with drummer Mark formed the excellent and underrated Final-conflictesque Scarred For Life (he also played in Dogma Mundista), while bassist John eventually played with Beat To Death.      

Glycine Max