First looks at Travølta / Boom split 7"!!!

New shirts from Here And Now Records!

For more info visit oficial page of HereAndNowRecords in facebook

Mangle / Fetus Christ

And we are here again with another very British split. I really don't know why people from UK so love to create such violent music, that still a mystery for me. But, I won't lie - I really like that barbaric side of that country and its citizens. Split 7” Mangle / Fetus Christ will be topic of this day... These bands deserve to be in my “badass bands from the tea island” list. Both covers are unattractive but they hide some really dreadful violence inside… The beginners Mangle punch me right into the face with just a first and single tune. This shit is really harsh and full of aggressive energy. The structure of these songs is well known to me, slow/fast formula works flawlessly. Probably I can say same about everything else here, but that is not bad at all. Mangle managed to create something stupidly dangerous with just a basic and classical elements of powerviolence/grindcore. This is the noise that boiled my mind and this is the kind of music that I can listen all night long. The only one minus in this recording it it`s a total time… it`s too short to satisfy me, haha! Be honest Fetus Christ side got bad quality, the sound is messy and hollow… but the material itself is good. This hardcore/pv has more punky taste. Tupa-tupa drums and wild screams are hilarious. Unfortunately fast parts sound just like a noisecore, guitar sound is simply disappearing in blasting moments. But on the other hand it was fun to listen this short and loud blast. Rating: Mangle - 8.5/10 Fetus Christ - 7/10

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE! 

Debut demo from WOAT band is out!

You can listen and buy this tape at Lower Class Kids Records!

Split Sordo / Powerxchuck will be out in early 2019!

Double Me - Destroyed In A Second

We know Italy as an impulsive and emotional nation… But, the guys from Double Me showed a ton of dead patience. Destroyed In A Second is their first full length and they poured every bit of raw emotion into this slab of wax. This album was delayed many times, master lp was denied a few times and even the recording session was delayed. It seems that this album was cursed, haha. Even the parcel with this album was lost and came to me in damaged condition after two month of waiting. So I can't skip this album, there were so many struggles around this noise, the least I can do is write a few words about it.
This material was recorded without guitars, so we have here just pure Drum and Bass Violence. I must admit that it took me some time to dig this album. The noise is not exactly what I'm used to, so I tried to listen to it again and again, and that was worth of it. The tremoring sound of the bass guitar is not super heavy, it has no ultra low or ugly distorted effects, but it sounds very nice (this is one of the strongest points of this album). The drums are a bit sloppy, but I still like them… The whole material feels slow (if I`m able to call Powerviolence slow), but I believe that is the trick, because I hear that the riffs are fast and I feel/hear good fast blasting parts, but even after my 3rd time listening my brain refused to call this noise fast. That is very tricky stuff. Ah yes, the vocals. There are a few kinds presented here, classical yelling and growls, I must say that these guys overdid it with the growls and a lot of vocal parts sound boring. Visually this LP is really hard to define as a Powerviolence release. This gray painting looks unusual, it's confusing, I believe that upon first glance, people will be thinking this is Post Hardcore but, not Powerviolence. But on the other hand this breaks the rules, which is really cool. Rating: 7.5/10 Double Me fb Double Me bc

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE! 

Split Arnø X Duebel / The Seeker is out!

You can check this split HERE!

Lovely t-shirts from Double Me!

More info is at official Double Me page.

ACxDC / Goolagoon (Dead Heroes rec)

Make America violent again! I guess thats how we can refer to this split. US hardcore/violence guys from ACxDC and Goolagoon put their forces together to finish off our minds. Good violence should have nice a face... So besides the extreme content, this release has very interesting and lovely look. The vinyl has pleasant splatter structure with warm colors. Inside of sleeve (which depict two covers) you will find a poster with both bands, stickers and much more. With all of this, my tactile needs were satisfied. Now I hope to satisfy my ears with a good and loud portion of noise. Antichrist Demoncore starts this mosh pit. This is the very last material that was recorded. I know that there still a hype about this band, but I still don't get why this squad is so popular, haha! Generally this material is good, not so badass as the first releases, but cool, there a lot of loud riffs and groovy moments. Can`t say that I find this songs remarkable, they aren't much different from their previous works, but all songs are played with high skill. When I spin their side on my turntable I notice that this material has lack in upper and lower frequencies… it spoils the listening impression a bit. Goolagoon is a young band that mix hardcore punk with powerviolence. Their material is nice, I didn't find anything special, but I had fun during the listening. But there is one huge and negative minus; The sound killed everything, the vinyl sounds even worse than the mp3 on bandcamp. It is very quiet without juicy and necessary frequencies. What a pity… Rating: ACxDC - 7/10 Goolagoon - 6/10 Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE!

Marxbros / Travølta

What could hide under artwork like this? Anarchopostpunkreggae? Funny grind? Nope - guys we have here a strong hardcore/violence 12” with two young but not stupid bands. Of course the cover is mostly a joke and it could push you away from this release, but I assure you, this noise is worth of your time. No more words, I'm putting this pitch black vinyl on my turntable and pressing the button! Netherland guys with the strange name Marxbros are on side A; we'll start with them. After a few songs I realized that this noise reminds me of real hardcore, with all simplicity, anger, and fun. There is no hip-hop stuff like in famous hardcore bands and I really appreciate it. It's rare to find bands in this genre which are true to the old school. Punky drums, wild yelling, simple guitar tone, good and catchy riffs are the ingredients of real and honest noise. Dutch language especially good for music like this, it makes everything spicier. Can't say that these guys took my heart, but I honestly enjoyed their material. Last, but not least, is Travølta. I know these cock-sparrows from Heultje city for a long time. Behind the goofy name is a lot of hidden potential. Travølta starts with clanging bass intro that turns into a violence massacre. Each song is full of punk energy and violence. Every component of this recording session has a pretty modern sound (on my taste of course), but together drums, guitar, bass and vocal create a twisting mess that sounds pretty nice. This is not the heaviest music that you could hear, but I`m sure that powerviolence/fastcore fans will be satisfied. Rating: 7.5/10 Travolta bc MarxBros bc

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE!

Arnø x Duebel/Crystal Methodist (Knockentapes)

I have been rather excited to sit down and review this split since the day it arrived at my front door. Some of Germany’s meanest Powerviolence comes from the vicious Arnø x Duebel from Plauen. And meeting them in this clash of Noise we have New Hampshire’s own Crystal Methodist! From the outset, we are greeted with a cover depicting people who are clearly protesting some form of Human Indecency at the hands of a Police State. A classic Powerviolence cover art choice, it never seems to get old. Now, diving into the Noise of this tangy little slab of wax; Arnø x Duebel start things off with a heavy hitting Intro that is certainly going to get you pumped up. Every song on this side of the split is heavy in some unique way. Degenerated is a ripping fast song that is on the border of being Fastcore if I am being honest. The samples they use throughout this release fit so perfectly with each song, almost like a puzzle. Blame comes in swinging a 10 pound hammer right into your face with little remorse. Not a single song from this side of the split breaks the one minute mark and each one hits harder than the last. This band is so fierce and has such a bright future ahead of them; definitely do not sleep on them. And now we move onto Crystal Methodist, starting off slow and droning with Mass Manipulation. What a haunting intro piece to this side of the split, it’s so somber and bleak. Getting By immediately picks up the pace and puts everything into high gear, full of Hardcore Punk Energy and Big riffs it’s sure to please. Fraud kicks off without any remorse, but it’s so short and bittersweet. And closing out the split we have Dragged Down which once again dives right into that classic Hardcore feel, full of emotion and energy. All in all this was definitely a split I’m happy to have gotten a hold of. 2018 delivered a lot of gems and this certainly is hidden well among them all. Rating: 7/10 Arnø X Duebel fb Crystal Methodist fb

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels.

Fast weekend with Yacopsae!

First looks at new EP from Bandit!

Chest Pain - S/T

The new waves of (choose genre to your taste) music generate a lot of bands - many of them are just hipsters who want to be famous and be on the wave; these don't usually live for long. But, sometime there is a real stuff among that new rubbish. And today I will talk about one of that honest and real bands that was born from a wave of powerviolence. Chest Pain is a band from Austin (Texas) - they were started their way somewhere in 2010. This self-titled EP is their 3rd work, as far as I know it was warmly received by the hardcore/pv community. 6 years later Italian label Here And Now rec repressed this wad of painful sound. Few years later (too much “later” isn't it, haha?) I received a bunch of promos from Mirco (the boss of the label) where I found this lovely 7”.

I have the red version of this EP, and I must say that it sounds better than the digital release. It has a bit of a dirtier sound than the bandcamp version. Second, what I want to say about this noise is the fact that each of the guys are working together in harmony. Heavy clanking bass perfectly working in pair with loud drums, and yelling vocals sound great in combination with the buzzing guitar. Needless to say that this music has huge moshing power. Slow/fast, jumping, swinging structures will not leave you be bored. Maybe this music is not original, but it caught me, I listen this 7” six times in a row, haha!

Unfortunately, this band is not so active in past few year. But I'm honestly waiting for their new stuff, because these assholes have a huge potential!

Rating: 8.5/10 Chestpain bc

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE!

Durian - Brutalism (Psychocontrol Records)

Powerful punch! Bleeding eardrums! All out total destruction! All out total Grindviolence! This is what you are going to get when blasting the new Durian EP! Guys from New Jersey have no time for jokes, and this release is truly tight! I'm really happy that guys didn't drop the music after Chainsaw to the Face has split up. Durian is more angry than its predecessor, but it has similar roots. By the way - the cover art of Brutalism reminds me a bit “Plague Worship” of CTTF. In my opinion this 4 pieces band kicks asses and now I will explain why... Black vinyl, 9 songs and a fuckin' punchy opening; that's what you'll get if you put this 7” on your turntable. Bones’ flash and ferocious guitar is a true force of nature here, squeezing out notes at 100 miles an hour! Caveman style aggressive shouted vocal is truly savage, together with classical powerviolence screams they're creating a nice mess. Drum section is a bit raw but damn good and fast. This EP has quite clanking bass, you can perfectly hear it in the song “Erase”. It's hard to choose the best song/songs here, every shot is good and has biting anger! So grab a drink and blast this record until you’ve pissed off all of your neighbours. You won’t regret it. Rating: 8.5/10 Durian bc

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE!

Fissure / Shackles (Dead Heroes rec)

It's rare to see such lovely looking vinyl - a black base with white streaks/metastases... of course this is not a regular pressing, and I must admit that Dead Heroes has good taste. As for the bands and music, we have here two squads from different sides of the globe. Hardcore/pv boys Fissure are from the US and chaotic grinders Shackles are from Australia. Everything sounds familiar? Maybe, but let's put this 10” split on our turntable and check it one more time. I can call California's Fissure a good example of the modern hardcore/pv wave. Their sound is clear, has nice mastering and a drop of energy. The hardcore elements are prominent throughout the material. The band uses a terrific balance of whiplashing powerviolence alongside groovy hardcore rhythms and grind blasting here and there. That keeps this music interesting, even if the tracks are pretty much similar. There was a couple beatdowns in this material, but that didn't bother me (which is rare, haha!). Queensland town - Shackles. This bands stands out from the Australian grind scene, but not with material or speed; these guys have 2 drummers that are playing synchronously! It's freaking insane, haha! Two drum heroes definitely makes this music more decent. Besides chaotic structures, this noise has a crunchy guitar and crusty bass sound. It's interesting how simple riffs can be twisted into chaotic and blasting moments. I can't say that the hardcore vocals are unique, but it's good for this kind of music. At the end, these guys used some sort of industrial, I believe this is the best outro for this crazy split. Rating: Fissure - 7.5/10 Shackles - 8/10

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE!

Meth Leppard / Minimum Wage Assassins

Let’s get ready for a party! This time on the turntable we have an Aussie vs. U.S. showdown that is sure to please, when Meth Leppard and Minimum Wage Assassins collide! Starting off with the cover art as we always do, we are presented with an image of what appears to be a shattered bust of a human face breaking into pieces.

Diving into the musical side of things we are greeted with the Meth Leppard track Krokodil Dundee, and from its very opening it is clear these guys are not here to mess around. Each song is as much of a heavy hitter as its predecessor which is greatly appreciated. The third track on their side of the split pays homage to the great Tim Morse of Anal Cunt/Horrible Earth fame with the title Done Deal! Which I must admit is so perfect. There’s a very special treat on this split as we are presented with a savage cover of Vulgar Taste by Blood Duster and that definitely caught me off guard. Needless to say Meth Leppard brought some of their most hard hitting material to the table for this release and it shows greatly.

And now to wrap this package up nicely, we have Minimum Wage Assassins up to bat! Opening up their side we have the moderate paced, nasty riff fueled Flesh and Bone. Well I say moderate paced but in reality it randomly breaks out into a blast beat massacre full of all kinds of disgusting Pitch shifted vocals and chainsaw guitar riffs. Backwards Oppression immediately opens with hammering drums and more filthy inhuman vocals, just to snap back and change into a series groovy Goregrind style riffs it makes you wanna get up and start a pit! Last, but certainly not least we have the closing track Kill Pile. Once again we are met with a Tornado like fury from the drums, guitar and vocals that may leave the listener with a mild case of whiplash. It comes and goes so abruptly and leaves you questioning what just occurred.

All in all this split is definitely a gem among the flood of amazing releases to come out in 2018, and it definitely deserves a listen.

Rating: 8/10      Meth Leppard fb     Minimum Wage Assassins fb

Remember guys,keep the underground music scene strong by supporting the artist/band/labels. Get your physical copy HERE! 

review by Shawn Peck