Bandcamp of the Week - Slave

There's a Despise You cover... I really shouldn't have to say anything else, but I guess I could say that this is some fucking ugly, pissed off and rough power violence from Birmingham, Alabama that kicks dick.

Throw out that Baroness cd you just bought like a tool and start punching holes in your walls.

Sex Prisoner - Sex Prisoner

The name Sex Prisoner inspires a slew of images; none of which being the nice kind. Thankfully, like their abrasive name, Sex Prisoner sound anything but nice. At just about 12 minutes, Sex Prisoner compile a mosh anthology of pissed off power violence that relies on trudging sections to frenzied blasts with extremely vehement and strained vocals barking phrases like "I will break you" (the only other describable words through out the ep being "fuck" or "fucking").

Released through To Live A Lie,  the self titled ep sports an incredibly even and grimy production where the lashing guitars and gurgling bass do well sitting atop the drums, yet below the powerful vocals. Ramped up and anti-social  without any second thoughts, Sex Prisoner smash.

For fans of Infest, Despise You, Hatred Surge, Lack of Interest

Let me Count the Ways... A Grindcore Numbers Game

One album is the only full length release from Insect Warfare, arguably one of the best grindcore bands this century whose singer, Rahi, has joined up with Hatred Surge which is back to having Two vocalists, but dropped the male/female combo like stalwarts Despise You and crusties Nausea, meaning there have been Three different singers before their latest split with fellow Austin Four-piece Mammoth Grinder whose only been around for Five years and made a big splash with their second full-length, Extinction of Humanity in 2009, which featured artwork by Joe Petagno, notable for his work with Motorhead, except their Sixth album,

Ironfist which German thrashers Sodom covered the title track on their seminal album Persecution Mania that had a re-released including "Sodomy and Lust" which is covered by Tacheless on their 2009 album Freiheit but originally released on Sodom's 198Seven release Expurse of Sodomy which was the same year Napalm Death's all important Scum came out, who have had Eight guitarists in their 30 year career, only matched by Anthrax who've also had eight members for two positions (vocals and guitars), one of whom, Dan Lilker (credited as a guitarist before anything was recorded) formed grindcore legends Brutal Truth who formed Nine years after Anthrax did and released their second album Ten years before Insect Warfare formed in 2004.

Bam

.

Monday Night Violence: Backslider

Two man fastcore act Backslider hail from my most hated sports city in the world and were one of the high points of the Despise You show I caught last week. One part one part stop and one part go, Backslider prove to be as mosh oriented as they are confusing. Songs abruptly shift from slow jams to breakneck blasts to precision stops then a jumble of the previous formula.

Formed in 2009 and with only a handful of splits, demos, and eps under their belt, Backslider stay strong with the promise of three new eps from trusted labels Deep Six, To live a Lie (it's imperative you check their front page as it's one of the most glorious pieces of art I've ever seen), and Cowabunga Records.





As I mentioned earlier, more so than the Infest vocals, the riffs, or the drum work, it's the song structure and the band's tendency to play in salvos, correct themselves, rearm, and start it all over again. This lead to newcomers to the band, as well as regulars, awkwardly head banging or moshing to silence or a complete different tempo than they expected throughout the aforementioned show. 

Where the band rarely stays at one tempo or rhythm, the music isn't anything too jarring or annoying, instead it's an ammusing approach that not too many bands employ. "Amusing" might sound belittling, but it isn't meant to be. Rather, it's a way of making the music itself enjoyable and playful, something few (if any) hardcore bands do.

They're the kind of band that will be out of place with a full length, but right at home on any split possible. Definitely worth checking out, and more fun live as this band's built for the pit (if only their average song was longer than 30 seconds).

Show Saga Part I: 9/11 Despise You, Magrudergrind, Blackslider, The Communion, and Defeatist

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

The past week has been a blur for me. I haven't seen his many bands since I went to maryland Deathfest two years ago.We'll start with last Sunday as Despise You and company completely ripped Shea Stadium (what passes for a venue) apart.

Now with 30% more china cymbal

An homage to New York's favorite losers, Shea Stadium is situated in the unhip part of Williamsburg that's still just old warehouses. Up a narrow stair case and you're inside what looks like a squat, complete with old, torn furniture, crusties, and absolutely no ventilation. First I saw Defeatist who has a new album out soon that you can hear here. I've done the band a favor and renamed them "China Cymbal" as that's all that band seems to do. Their brand of technical stop n' go grindcore came through somewhat clearly as the crowd stood still through their china filled set.This is my third time seeing them and they still haven't clicked with me; oh well.

The Communion were a nice change of pace playing a style of sludge similar to Dystopia (while no where as good of course). Awkward 9/11 references and singer aside, the band poured themselves out to what seemed to be an indifferent crowd.

Philly's Backslider got people moving and did quite a lot for just two guys. Maybe the sleeper of the show, I really enjoyed this two man act's penchant for moshy hardcore-tinged grindcore that provided plenty of breaks to pick up change and hammer punch your way through the crowd.

Magrudergrind were themselves, I don't really know what to say after I've seen this band five times now.They play fast, they play loud, they've got more energy than half the bands out there and they're pros at what they do/ This wasn't there best, and from what I could tell there was a lack of older jams which means it was much more grindy: bring back the Spazz vocals and mosh parts!

Guess which dude is me. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

Despise You however, boy oh boy, this is what I was waiting for; everything their recorded material promised to be and more. Despise You had a few slip ups but proved to be one of the best bands I've ever seen. They played thrity two songs covering old classics like "No More...Feelings," "Bullshit Reflections," "I End Me" as well as newer tracks like "Roll Call," "Fear's Song," and "All the Regimes you Hold Most Dear" from their recent split with Agorphobic Nosebleed.

Wildly energetic, complete with mics to the crowd and what seemed like a genuinely fun time between the old band mates, Despise You were without fault and any signs of slowing down. Needless to say I was blown away, everything came together with their cover of D.R.I.'s "Couch Slouch" which had Magrudergrind drummer in the pit and the whole floor singing along.

Part II and III to come shortly, Thou, Wolves in The Throne Room, Ruin Lust, Urfaust, etc.

CONFORMCONFORMCONFORMCONFORM

Check out the Facebook page for quibbles and updates. Check the Last fm to see what I've been listening to (too bad I can't get it to record my tapes/records).

Plenty of reviews in the works. Interviews shortly.

Meanwhile. Huge update at Gilead, check that out.

Tours

Thou, some dates with Wolves in the Throne Room

Despise You w. Magrudergrind

Grave w. Blood Red Throne

Enslaved w. Ghost & Alcest

Converge

Victims

Swans 

Monday Night Violence: Despise You

Monday Night (Power) Violence will focus on one power violence band each week and highlight their releases, their career, and maybe something you didn't know. Fittingly, kicking off this tirade I'll start with Despise You, my favorite, all time, power violence band.

If we were interesting enough, or maybe just crazy enough, we'd have a dictionary that had sounds to explain definitions. If one were to look up the word "animosity" in such a dictionary I, without a doubt, believe they'd hear a track by West Coast stalwarts Despise You.


Truly embodying the hardcore ethos in their lyrics, vocals, performances and song structures, Despise You offer one of the heaviest, non-compromising sounds around. The metallic abuse and their affinity for metal act as a catalyst in providing one of the most brutal, angry, and simply voracious sounds around. Pair that up with two vocalists who are equally pissed and you have the foundations of  one of the best power violence acts around. Songs like "Career Overview" or "Culpa Mia" are so painfully honest sounding, making it impossible to look over Despise You's genuine nature and dismal outlook.





Having just released a split with techno-spazz grindcore fiends Agoraphobic Nosebleed, entitled And on and on... Despise You haven't let their 15 plus year career show through in a negative way. Couple that with an upcoming East Coast tour (something I'm more excited about then anything) and Despise You have themselves locked in as a consistent, blasting and buzzing reminder on how to get your anger out.


If there was ever a more perfect compilation than West Side Horizons, then my day to day listening would be dramatically skewed since I first found the release. Their tracks on the quintessential comp Possessed to Skate  offers some of their best work, including "Mental Winter" and  "Cry to the Bleeding Sky" (not to mention it's 'best of'' as it teams up giants like Spazz and Assholeparade with Despise You and other big acts such as Charles Bronson).

 

Going back to their recent split, it has one of my favorite Despise you tracks; "Roll Call" which features more "fuck yous" than anything I've heard since Toxic Narcotic. Along with "Roll Call" tracks like "I End Me," "No More...Feelings," "Bullshit Reflection," and "Hand me Down Existencia" are essential listening (among some other 80+ songs). Other bonuses are their covers, all of which are excellent. Their cover of Posssessed's "Burning in Hell" has to be my favorite. True to form, the songs covered spread a wide breadth also including Circle Jerks and D.R.I. 

Despise You's influence is unmistakable, from other girl/guy acts such as Hatred Surge to fellow west coasters In Disgust, the proof is in the pudding.

Do yourself a favor and at least get West Side Horizons, and check them out at the following dates with Magrudergrind.

Essential Listening

And on and on... (split with Agoraphobic Nosebleed)

West Side Horizons (collection of the unreleased split LP with Man is the Bastard, Stapled Shut 7"   split, Left Back/Let Down compilation double 7", PCP Scapegoat 7", Split 7" w. Suppression, Reality Part #1  compilation 7", Split 7" w Crom, and an Unreleased track).

Possessed to Skate split LP