Faux Départ - Ep (Mutant, Hidden Bay, Tranzophobia, AndaluciaÜber Alles, Tocsin, Rollmops)

This is the latest Ep by Faux Départ. I've known their drummer Vinnie for years. We used to exchange thoughts about doing a mailorder a lot when gmail chat was still a thing. I've met Vinnie a handful of times when he was on tour with either his band or one of the bands he's released on Mutant Records. He once lend me his Ultimo Resorte T-shirt at a Lebakko show in The Hague, because I was soaked after a long walk through the rain. The wheather was terrible and I'm pretty sure I had pissed on myself on the way there during an attempt to urinate into a canal. Unfortunately the wind had a different plan. So I spent the show covered in piss wearing a shirt that was too small for me. An old guy with a mohawk praised me for wearing the shirt that wasn't mine, bringing me in the awkward position to talk about Ultimo Resorte who I like, but know close to nothing about. I also remember there was an entertaining conversation about nudity amongst the Finns after the show. They were arguing it did not have a sexual connotation for them, because of the sauna culture in Finland. The Finns were trying to convince us that there was nothing sexual about nude men and women sitting in a hot room together. The prudish and therefor perverted Dutch of course would have nothing of it.  Oh, the memories... What I'm tyring to get across is that Faux Départ in my mind is connected to people, stories and experiences I've had. These kind of things make a culture an exciting thing. It makes you feel like you are part of something.

But the most important reason to give this record some special attention is that it is really good. Faux Départ has been around for a while now, but this is their first 7". I really like the look of this release. It makes me think of the artwork on the Collate 7"s. Simple yet classy. The record delivers four new songs by the band. The vibe is mostly playful and friendly, the songs are well written. I know these guys love to play themselves down, but there's no denying they can craft a song. The recording is clean and all the instruments have their own place in the mix. The organ in opening song Si tu disparais came as a surpise to me, but is a cool extra. There's something both melancholic and beautiful about the organ's interaction with the bass lines. The title translates to 'if you dispair' and I think it's about enjoying the simple things in life as the world seems to be falling apart around you. It's probably the best song on the Ep, definitely the sweetest. The other tracks have a bit more stomp. Drone has a cool build up. The lyrics have a cool take on things. In Drone Pascal argues that the's always being watched by a drone in his own mind, a feeling that rings close to home. In Toujours La he makes the observation that he's a 'quarantenaire punk', someone who lives mostly in isolation, perhaps mostly in his head? All songs are in French, which I love, because it means I can understand half of the lyrics and have to guess the rest. So maybe I'm missing certain points, but overall the subject of these songs seem very personal and honest, which I appreciate especially in a time where image seems to be more imporant than character. Those looking for posers, should check out the socials! I think they call them influencers. Anyway, Faux Départ are a simple band, not here to influence anybody. They just want to play their songs. There's zero pretense to what this band is doing, which eradicates the option to pitch this record as innovating or something you need. Thing is, that's part of what makes this record so goddamn cool. It's just about the songs and they are good, baby. 

 

So do yourself a favor and give them a hear: https://fauxdepart.bandcamp.com/album/ep.

 

 Protocol - Blood Sport 12" (11PM Records)

Debut one-sided 12'' of this Tallahassee, Florida hardcore outfit. There's nothing nice about Blood Sport. It is ugly, in your face and blunt. The recording is a bit muddy, which adds to the stomp of the 5 songs delivered here. I never understood what noise punk means nor what the appeal of Lebenden Toten is, but Protocol's style of hardcore sure is noisy. There is a lot of feedback. The opening chords of this record actually had me think of Drunkdriver. Sonically that's not a bad comparison. The instruments, microphones and amps all sound damaged beyond repair on Blood Sport. Everything is in the red and the distorted vocals nearly get drowned out by the violence produced by the musicians. Ahmad is struggling to make his low barking heard. Always a good thing. All of this is deliberate. These 5 songs have the rawness of a demo tape, a practice room recording. Everything is straight from the gut. Protocol sounds like a mess either because they want to sound like that or because they actually are a mess. Hey, they might be a mess and like it. Why not? These are desperate times indeed.

I've seen Protocol mentioned on quite a few thank you lists over the last couple of years so I guess they are making a positive contribution to US hardcore and are probably torch bearers and crowd pleasers in their local scene. If you've been enjoying Black Dog and similar bands Roachleg Records has released over the last couple of years, chances are you'll be into Protocol too. This is music to mosh to and get punched to. The artwork is rather non-descript with the skulls, torture devices and blood, the images a bit blurry, but all of that fits the overall aesthetic. The record comes with an insert with the lyrics to the songs, no needless luxury, because it's hard to make out what Ahmad is saying. The lyrics are mostly bleak and focus on violence although there is a Poison Idea-esque excursion embracing destruction as something to be celebrated at the end of Divinity: 'Beat my chest/ grab a gun/ hurt somebody just for fun/ smoke dope and kill some time/ all on Uncle Sammy's dime'. The first two songs equate modern life to blood sport. Best lines here to me are: 'Change at these speeds/ is life on my knees/ picking the scraps off the plates of elites/So why crave for peace/and live life unfed/when equality could be getting even instead.' No rewriting the books here, but plenty of urgency, violence and anger to make that completely irrelevant.

  You can hear Blood Sport here: https://protocolbrownbois.bandcamp.com/album/bloodsport 

Brandy - The Gift of Repetition Lp (Total Punk)

After a 12'' on the obscure and now demised Monofonus Press, New York's Brandy got on board with Total Punk Records doing a single back in 2019. Now Brandy returns with The Gift of Repetition, an 8-song 12" that's over all too soon. New York is a big city containing what seem to be many small punk scenes all covering their very own segment of the (hardcore) punk spectrum. The guys in Brandy have all been doing time in mulitple other bands you might know, Pampers probably being the most note worthy and close to what Brandy is about.

Richie, Total Punk's big cheese, compares Brandy to greats such as the A-Frames, Lamps and Mayyors. In respect to the sound those comparisons are not too far off. Some of the songs on The Gift of Repetition have a really dense sound. The bass sound is heavy and somewhat burly, the guitar has that static sound that creates a bleak futuristic atmosphere not unlike the bands refered to and the vocals are delivered without much melody and with a lot of reverb adding to the overall coldness of the music. There are short spacy interludes in between songs that make the record feel like more of an album than just a bunch of songs. What is worth mentioning furthermore is that all three musicians sing, which I think is cool. Both the bass player and guitar player also play keys here and there, adding a layer of melody that gives the songs a little extra. Ultimately I feel like Brandy is a punk band at heart though. There is a playfulness and bounce to most songs on The Gift of Repetition - B-side opener Christmas Colors being an exception - that the A-Frames, Mayyors and for example Pop.1280 in which Brandy's bass player Matthew Hord also plays, lack. I can imagine people shoving each other around in front of the stage when Brandy plays a set. These guys are as old if not older than your truly and alhough no Charlie Harpers, they are punk veterans in their own right. The Gift of Repetition sounds mature. However the song do not. This is a good thing, because ultimately maturity is no fun. Don't let the adds fool you, These songs on the other hand are. So despite the post-punk atmosphere to me Brandy is 'just' a punk band. That is lovely. Unlike some of my contemporaries I am not bend on hearing the genre expand in areas yet unexplored and uncovered. Don't fix what isn't broken as they say. The new is not always better. In fact, in general it is not.

The Gift of Repetition is a short record. I wouldn't have minded a couple of songs extra. At the same time it's pretty diverse. It has a consistent sound and aesthetic, but every song is an unit of its own. You can tell these guys have worked their craft of songwriting. One needs more than a single listen to have this record fully sink in, no small feat in a culture in which everything seems to have become disposable, including ourselves. All these songs are catchy and, like I said, fun. I really dig the artwork. The cover shows a collage of broken smartphones, which in combination with the title seems a critical note about mass consumption culture and technology, but maybe I'm trying to read to deep into things. Either way the Luddite and vandal in me loves staring at smashed screens as I love daydreaming about smashing some of my own. Regardless of the idea behind the artwork I like how this record looks. I like how this record sounds. I bet these guys are solid on stage. I doubt they'll ever make it to Europe, but I'd make sure to catch them live if they did. As for now I'll be playing their songs.

Hear The Gift of Repetition here: https://brandynewyorkcity.bandcamp.com/album/the-gift-of-repetition

Kobra – Confusione 12’’ (Iron Lung 2020)

Debut Lp by this four piece from Milan, Italy. I’ve been corresponding with Giacomo, who sings and plays guitar in this band, for a number of years, which might make this review somewhat biased. If that’s the case, please forgive your humble reviewer, but also know that objectivity is a positivist chimera.

This 12” is an interesting record. Kobra’s lyrics are all in Italian and the band is clearly influenced by classic Italian hardcore outfits most notable in the vocal department. ‘Confusione’ however is more than an hommage to former greats. The drumming is ferocious, the snare loud making the songs sharp-edged. Although the mix is a bit muddy, the shrill riffs and the vocals come through properly over the overbearing drums throughout the record. The vocals are far from sung. There’s no melody to them at all. Kobra’s singer reproachfully dishes out his lyrics in a way not unlike Shiva Adanki in Kaleidoscope be it with a little more detachment. All songs are jagged, but the band has no problems shifting pace in between tracks. Some of these tunes are fairly traditional hardcore compositions, others are slow brooding jams. A haunting and howling saxophone is heard on a couple of tracks. The title track brings to mind ‘Grim Reaper’ by Siege and might be a subtle nod to the Brainbombs as well. It’s a killer tune.

What the lyrics are about, what Kobra wants to get across is largely a mystery to me. Unfortunately I do not speak Italian beyond: ‘Prego’ and ‘uno espresso, per favore.’ However some song titles aren’t hard to translate and the internet is one’s friend when in need of help on this front. After thorough research I found out song titles include: ‘Confusion’, ‘No future’, ‘Sewer’ and ‘Combat’, fairly typical punk topics that can be addressed in many ways. The Iron Lung bandcamp mentions anarcho influences and the artwork gives off that vibe as well. The cover art is recognizable and timeless, which is cool. Free association leads me down corridors hung with anarchist linocuts picturing broken chains and cigar smoking fat business men. I’m also reminded of the Anarka and Poppy demo. As a proper punk with slight anarchist sympathies I’d loved to know what the words here express. This record is bound to be political. Unfortunately the lyrics are only included in Italian, which leaves non-Italians such as myself guessing. What can you do?

All-in all ‘Confusione’ is an interesting hardcore 12” that’s not afraid of taking chances and doesn’t shun experimentation. There’s no particular band Kobra brings to mind and that is exactly what they seem to have aimed for. This makes ‘Conusione’ a grower, a record that demands several listens to fully sink in. Even if that doesn’t make one a convert to these guys’ music, one would be hard pressed to deny Kobra is doing a thing of their own, which is far too rare in hardcore punk these days if you ask me. Word on the street is a second 12” will be released later in 2022.

Hear it here: https://kobrapunx.bandcamp.com/album/confusione

Sleeper & Snake - Fresco Shed (Upset the Rhythm Records)

Second album by this Melbourne duo. The first I heard too, but I don’t recall much of it. It ain’t easy keeping track of the family tree of Melbourne’s underground, but these cats can be found on many of its branches both as a couple and seperately. Snake is better known by the name of Al Montfort, Sleeper by the name of Amy Hill. The two of them form one half of Terry, a band with a similar pop sensibility. If you appreciate the experimental side of Terry, the Sleeper and Friends Lp on R.I.P. Society and/or loved the Eastlink records Al was involved with, you’re bound to find something to like on this album too.

Fresco Shed brings to mind the Velvet Underground for more than one reason. Like the Velvets, Sleeper and Snake are arty and don’t shy away from experimentation. Don’t expect wild improvisation and free jazz skronk though. The experimentation I’m talking about is of a more subtle nature. It’s expressed in the instrumentation – on the back of the sleeve we see Amy playing a cello and Al a soprano saxophone - and compositon of these ten songs. Furthermore the tunes are all well written minimalist pop songs that sorta meander and bring to mind those lazy laidback Sunday mornings Lou sang about a long time ago. Lastly there are beautiful vocal harmonies to be heard on this record, which should come as no surprise to those already familiar with Terry. Although this album is unconventional in many ways, at least to yours truly, the songs are ultimately pop tunes that are easy on the ear. Fresco Shed is an enjoyable listen from start to end, which should appeal to art school kids, who smoke without fully inhaling whilst wearing fashionable berets as well as cynical old punks that have been turning grey for years and think they’ve heard it all such as myself. That’s a pretty broad scope. Chances are you fit in somewhere in between so why not give this a hear?

Hear the thing here: https://lsdclub.bandcamp.com/album/fresco-shed.

Geld - Beyond the Floor (Static Shock Records)

This Melbourne hardcore band has been around for a while. Beyond the Floor is Geld’s second album and the first of their records I’ve given a proper listen. When I first heard this band superficially I lumped them in with the likes of Hoax, Gag and the Lowest Form, bands I was never a big fan of. Soundwise these are not bad points of reference. Like these groups Geld’s sound is noisy, dark and aggressive. The vocals remind me of Never Healed and black metal bands: gnarly, venomous and impossible to understand. Fortunately there’s a lyric sheet included. The lyrics are haiku-like, short and to the point. When riffing the guitar sounds more or less like an incessant hiss – sorry, my knowledge of pedals is absent, but short howling and ugly solos are thrown in here and there. Feedback is not shunned. The bass player does more than just support the guitar riffing. The bass lines walk the scales and when the four string gets a moment to itself, it claims your attention like a punch in the face.

The pace of these 10 songs is generally high and the vibe is very aggressive. Geld does slow down occasionally. Sometimes to lay down a moshable riff, other times to extend a track with either a mean outro like on ‘Prisoner and Guard’ or an almost pensive one like on ‘Gedankenfleisch’ and ‘Low A.G.’. The change of accentuates the record dynamic and interesting. I’d argue a contemporary hardcore band needs to switch things up like this to make an album worthwhile. Perhaps Beyond the Floor’s main appeal is how well the record is able to create this dark atmosphere. It pulls you into a world of negativity, ugliness, depression, anxiety, anger, bad trips on bad drugs. Who ever said these were happy times, indeed!? Of course these topics have been covered before, maybe you know them up close and personally. Geld however gives a take on it all that’s very much their own. That alone makes this a hardcore record worth your ear.

Hear the thing here: https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-floor.

Clock of Time - Pestilent Planet (Static Shock Records)

 

Pestilent Planet is Clock of Time’s first ever release. That’s right, baby, straight onto vinyl! I don’t know if Tom Ellis is a gambling man – his native country is clearly a gambling nation – but releasing this 12” was a save bet considering the line-up here. Clock of Time is an assemblage of expats residing in Berlin among which Corey former drummer of Vexx, Stiff Love and G.L.O.S.S., and Seth Sutton of the Useless Eaters, Life Trap, Couteau Latex, POW and many others. Furthermore I’m pretty sure Clock of Time’s singer used to hold the mic for Diät - How many Australians singing for post-punk bands can there possibly be in Berlin? What I’m trying to say is these kids are not new to song writing and it shows.

Clock of Time is fairly reminiscent of the singer’s former band. Stylistically Diät as well as Constant Mongrel, LowLife and Negative Gears are a fair frame of reference for this album. Its 7 songs all have a solid melodic foundation in the driving full bass lines over which the guitar displays it’s haunting magic. The singer has a deep hypnotizing voice. His lyrics are bleak and reproachful. At times they have a literary quality. A line like ‘the lack of conviction takes the crack out the whip’ is undeniably poetic as is the opening line of B-side opener ‘Pestilent Planet’; ‘The end of the decade marks the start of our death-procession, as we commemorate the days devoid of worrying about the weather.’ Merciless stabs are taken at contemporary society and its implications for mankind, but they’re delivered in a very detached way. The key emotion here is hopelessness. Don’t let the title ‘Something to look forward to’ mislead you. If we are to believe Clock of Time there is very little to look forward to. In their opionion this pestillent planet is beyond saving and humanity is fucked. In that sense this record has an almost Biblical apocalyptic tone, a tone Nicky Rat’s artwork matches well with. Pestilent Planet is a strong debut that demands your attention and invites multiple listens. I’d love to hear more by this outfit.

Hear the thing here: https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pestilent-planet.

July (almost) 2020 Mailorder update: 12"s

Brainbombs - Cold Case Lp (Skrammel) (15 euro) 

Notorious noise rock gods release their 9th album. These Swedes have been driving riffs into the ground since the late 1980's. Since Souvenirs Brainbombs traded their brutal riffing in for a less direct approach, causing the listener disorientation by making zealous use of the wah-wah-pedal. Another unsettling record. Nice and sober artwork and on red vinyl to boot.

Hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP0A_05ObdM.

Cold Meat - Hot and Flustered Lp (Static Shock) (12,50 euro) 

After an unsung Ep and split with fellow Aussies Ubik, Perth's Cold Meat return with their first album. I heard the band's previous material, but didn't take the time to let their music settle in until Hot and Flustered - it took me until the Next Phase 12" to really appreciate Ubik too. Hot and Flustered delivers 10 tracks of angular punk rock with strong vocals. The lyrics are really good. It's a thin line between being a judgemental cynic or someone with an eye for inconsistencies and hypocrisy in his/her surroundings. Ashley fits in the latter category partly because her criticism is not just aimed at the world around her, but also at herself. Noircir et se noircir, remember? I love the artwork on this one, the thing looks great. Amazing record.

Hear it here: https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hot-and-flustered.

The Comes - No Side 12" (La Vida Es Un Mus) (15 euro)

Official reissue of this Japanese classic that dates back to 1983. There was a bootleg of No Side floating around a couple of years ago, which is better than paying a fortune for the original. However a proper rerelease is of course preferred. I've never been much of an enthusiast of Japanese hardcore because of the heavy metal leanings, but this Lp hit me upon first hear. Desperate vocals, thin guitar and spot on snare sound. The artwork and original insert are all reproduced nicely for this reissue. A classic done justice.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/no-side.

Es - Less of Everything Lp (Upset the Rhythm) (12,50 euro) 

London's Es appeared on the scene with a 4 song 12" on La Vida Es Un Mus, an odd format for that, but why not? Although I enjoyed Object Relations, a reference to psychotherapist Ronald Fairnbairn, it was a rather brief listen. In retrospect one can think of it as an appetizer for Less of Everything, their new album. This is a great record. The aggressive bass playing works wonders with the wandering key melodies. There's a slightly psychotic quality to Es' sound, listening to this record feels like looking through the eyes of someone dissociating and I mean that in the best way.

Hear it here: https://esband.bandcamp.com/releases.

FOC - La Fera Ferotge Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro)

Debut by this hardcore band from Barcelona. The pace on this one is high. The drumming and guitar work are impressive. La Fera Ferotge delivers fast, disjointed and chaotic hardcore punk that's catchy, bringing to mind 1980's Italian greats and GBR. The latter is not a surpise now I think about it, because FOC has a link with Absurdo and that band was heavily influenced by GBR. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same guy on six string. Although not necessarily a fan of the satyr artwork, it has its charm.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/la-fera-ferotge.

Fried E/M - Modern World Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro)

Certain bands have me hooked in a matter of seconds. Fried E/M are such a band. Sloppy punk rock with snotty vocals. You can sing along before the song is over, because the lyrics are simple yet on point, kinda Ramonesy actually in the way that Cülo was Ramonesy. Blunt and loud drumming, catchy guitars, but to me the main appeal of Fried E/M is their vocalist and his words. It ain't easy to write something dumb, ya know. Several hits on this one, a real crowd pleaser.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/modern-world.

Handle - In Threes Lp (Upset the Rhythm) (12,50 euro)

New and exciting art-punk band from London. The opening track has a crazy off-kilter rhythm bringing to mind some of the later the Ex material I've been investigating recently. At the heart of every Handle song is an odd and shambolic rhythm over which a bouncy bass line is delivered, creating the main melody. The Ex is not a bad reference for Handle overall although Handle seems more of an art than an anarchist collective. On some songs Handle's sound is also vaguely reminiscent of Kitchen's Floor. Background music this is not, but In Threes is a captivating listen from start to finish.

Hear it here: https://maternalvoice.bandcamp.com/album/in-threes

Irreal - Fi Del Mon Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro)

More hardcore punk from Barcelona. Most songs on Fi Del Mon open with a nice amount of feedback after which songs consisting of burling bass lines, galloping drums and guitar riffs with reverb and hoarse, also reverbed, vocals make themselves heard. Not every track on this record is fast, which keeps it dynamic. This is the type of hardcore I primarily associate with La Vida Es Un Mus, a sound previously mined by bands such as Destino Final, Glam and Una Bestiá Incontrolable, some of which Irreal shares members with. Not my bag per se, but good for what it is.

  
 

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/fi-del-mon-mlp.

Isotope Soap - An Artifact of Insects Lp (Push my Buttons) (13 euro)

An Artifact of Insects is the first proper album by this Swedish outfit, but the band released a good number of records on a bunch of small labels already. Being named after a Geza X song might give you a clue of what you're in for. If not, let me fill you in. This is art-punk with synths or artful synthpunk done well, really well. The band has a futuristic vibe existing somewhere between being silly and dead serious, meaning you can do your robot dance to these tunes, but not without feeling a slight sense of discomfort. I like how Isotope Soap employs a consistent aesthetic. Performing in lab coats and wearing mouth caps on stage has a different connotation since the COVID-19 crisis and is further proof these guys are visionaries.

Hear it here: https://isotopesoap.bandcamp.com/album/an-artifact-of-insects-12.

Kaleidoscope - After the Futures Lp  (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro) 

Restocks of this 2019 full album by New York's Kaleidoscope, which has Shiva Adanki of Deformity, Ivy and JJ Doll on guitar and vocals. I keep track of what Shiva is doing, because it's often good and always original. Kaleidoscope have long been experimenting and looking for a style and sound that fit them. They hit upon something on their 2017 Ep on D4MT. On After the futures Kaleidoscope delve that nerve further, fully coming into their own and creating one of my favorite releases of last year. The story it tells is dystopian. Think Discharge seen through the eyes of Philip K. Dick. It's almost intimidating how rich with ideas this record is both musically and lyrically, something that also comes through in the artwork. A booklet with lyrics and art done by Shiva is included. You can tell a lot of work went into this Lp and I'm still far from processing it all. I restock few releases, but it'd have been a crime to not get more copies of this one. Grab one if you haven't yet.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/after-the-futures-lp.

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Kohti Tuhoa - Ihmisen Kasvot Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro) 

Raw and urgent hardcore from Finland. Apparently this is the band's third album. I had no idea. Here's the thing with Finnish hardcore; I often love the music. It's raw, so raw. However I dislike the way the bands present themselves. Too many skulls, bullet belts, nuclear explosions. Furthermore their names are fucking impossible to keep apart for me, because Finnish isn't relatable to Dutch in the least so I haven't got a clue what they mean. Yes, I am shallow. Ihmisen Kasvot is a total hardcore banger from start to finish though. It's got riffs for days, awesome drumming and a vocalist with heart and intensity. I'm gonna have to investigate their previous material now.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/ihmisen-kasvot.

Krig I Hudik - III Lp (Skrammel) (15 euro)

Krig I Hudik's 7" Ep's released in 2009 and 2010 caused quite a stir at the time. The group is named after a Missbrukarna song and has Rolf Revolt, former member of said group, on guitar and vocals next to Poffen of Totalitär, which already makes quite the lineup. Old guys playing classic hardcore punk that's raw and catchy. Don't mistake this for dad rock. These are guys who always stayed involved in underground music and are more punk than all the fashionable haircuts and studded leather jackets of you and your crew combined. Those into classic Swedish hardcore punk will not be disappointed by this one.
 

Hear one track here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q6U8vnfJQk.

And another here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUZtIGcGvyw. 

Muro/Orden Mundial - Sonido De La Negación Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro) 

This split 12" teams up Colombia's Muro with Mallorca's Orden Mundial, both excellent hardcore bands in their own right. There are a lot of similarities. Both bands are in your face, sing in Spanish, have a buzz saw guitar sound and desperate vocals. Muro's drummer is a monster playing drum rolls in abundance, which gives the music an almost militaristic quality in places. Muro's side of the split encapsules total chaos, uncontrolled and direct. Orden Mundial sounds bigger and grinds to a slower pace than Muro on two of the tracks on their side. Unlike Muro, Orden Mundial is not on the verge of collapse. They're aiming for a more calculated mode of destruction. It makes for an interesting contrast between the two sides. No reason to pick one over the other, both bands deliver. Sebastiano Rosillo's artwork is cool as always. The extensive booklet that's included with this release looks awesome. It's a shame I can't read a single word of it, because it's in Spanish.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/sonido-de-la-negaci-n.

Permission - Organised People Suffer Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro)

Organised People Suffer is Permission's third 12". The band came from the ashes of No and sounds similar. High density hardcore. The drumming is intense, the riffs jagged. The steady drums give the guitars carte blanche, which they gratefully use. The vocals are almost barked. Lyrically everything is rather abstract, but it's safe to say they're not coming from a happy place. In some ways these songs remind me of Gag and Hoax, but Permission seems to bring more to the table somehow. I can see their music appeal to those appreciating Perspex Flesh. Ten condensed hardcore ragers with an overall claustrophobic vibe. The artwork is great and brings Nick Blinko to mind a bit. The record comes with a poster in the same style.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/organised-people-suffer.

Primo! - Amici Lp (Upset the Rhythm) (12,50 euro)

Restocks of the debut record by this girl group from Melbourne. Primo! plays stripped down pop music combining simple but effective guitar chords with beautiful at times hypnotizing vocal harmonies and the occasional synthesizer. Comparison to bands like the Shop Assistants and Dolly Mixture would be both accurate as well as obvious and therefore cheap. These 10 tracks are all very laidback and sweet though not in a bubblegum or sugarcoated way. They have a dreamlike quality. I like how the songs sorta wander both musically and lyrically. Someone described Primo's music as 'gentle', which is well put.

Hear it here: https://primocassetto.bandcamp.com/album/primo-amici .

 

Primo! - Sogni Lp (Upset the Rhythm) (12,50 euro)

Second Lp by this Melbourne outfit, which through the addition of Amy Hill is now officially a four-piece, consisting of one half of Terry. Sogni opens with a rather static and dramatic track called 'Things to do'. The rest of the record is more in line with what was heard on Amici. Although Sogni is still a dreamy pop record, it is more composed, more focused than the band's debut, a sign of growth one could argue. At heart Primo! remains the same gentle band however. These 12 tracks will appeal to those who've already fallen in love with these ladies as well as those whose heart skips a beat when hearing a good pop tune but are yet unfamiliar with Primo!

Hear it here: https://primocassetto.bandcamp.com/album/sogni-2.

Rat Cage - Screams from the Cage Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro) 

One-man-project of guitar player James Fidler who's based in Sheffield, UK. Rat Cage plays traditional hardcore punk that's fast and derives most of its power from the riffing. The drumming is relentless and the riffs have got drive. There's room for some guitar solo action here and there without things getting wanky. The singer's voice is hoarse and strained, which fits the style, but falls a bit flat after a handful of songs. The delivery is too monotonous for my tastes. The lyrics however are sharp and come from a working class perspective favoring the poor over the rich. Anger and despair run as constant themes throughout these 12 songs. Some spot-on observations about today's society are made, such as the following about the current media: 'surrounded by opinions that aren't making sense/coming from the mouths of those sitting on the fence', a sentiment anybody still watching television should be familiar with. I like the sloppy yellow on black artwork. If this group ever makes it to your town, go see them and buy them a drink. The insert makes no secret of James and his crew enjoying their beer.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/screams-from-the-cage.

Skiftande Enheter - Snubblar Genom Drommär Lp (Appetite) (13 euro) 

Latest release by this Swedish garage rock outfit. What separates Skiftande Enheter from the multitudes of bands crowding the genre for one is they sing in their native tongue. The organ furthermore gives the songs an extra layer most garage bands miss. Snubblar Genom Drommär seems more reserved than the band's previous output. The songs are very relaxed, making this record a great soundtrack to your first cup of coffee in your boxer briefs. The vibe is pensive, introspective almost. There's a sense of melancholia. My knowledge of Swedish is limited to say the least, so maybe I'm way off the mark, but it's the impression I get. Gotta trust your instincts when you've got nothing else, no? The guitar work on the flip has me think of the Hunches in places. The collage artwork on this record  looks great. I wish there was more info about the band and the songs included, but I guess a certain sense of mystery keeps one involved.

Hear it here: https://skiftandeenheter.bandcamp.com/album/snubblar-genom-dr-mmar.

Slender - Time on Earth Lp (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro) 

Weirdo punk coming from the remains of the drug damaged brain of Keegan Dakkar. Slender's personnel played in some of my favorite hardcore bands about a decade ago, but this band is something completely different. The 9 tracks on this record are total downers. The songs have an amateur appeal like that of Kitchen's Floor and the most minimal and broken songs by Jim Shepard. They sound like home recordings done on a crappy boombox in a vermin infested New York apartment. The melodies are fragile and mainly come from an acoustic guitar. Although I wouldn't describe the songs as catchy, they're very captivating. Slender is comfortable with its own weirdness and doesn't mind wallowing in misery for the listener's enjoyment. Definitely a grower, but there's something going on here that's worth your time.

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Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/time-on-earth.

Soakie - 12" (La Vida Es Un Mus) (12,50 euro)

New hardcore outfit that's half from the land down under, half from New York. Soakie delivers 7 mid-paced stompers on their vinyl debut. This 12" sounds urgent most of all because of Summer's vocals. She moves from girly singing to odd squealing to gnarly screaming over the duration of single songs with what seems like no effort. It's common in hardcore to pick a vocal style and stick to it. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I really appreciate how Soakie has a different approach. The lyrics are hostile to square and straight society. The outsider is celebrated. Subject matters include hating the rich, the over representation of men in punk, gender politics, which are labeled as 'boring rationality' in 'What's your gender'. I especially like the line: 'I think I have every right to walk myself alone at night'. How could one disagree? Soakie's aim is confrontation and shaking the listener's ideas in a way not unlike Special Interest. The artwork illustrates this nicely with its references to bondage and (animal) roleplaying.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/soakie.

July (almost) 2020 Mailorder update: 7"s

Algara - Enamorados Del Control Total Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro) 

Post-punk made by two anonymous Spaniards, who both pose masked on the cover of this Ep. I love the picture. It creates a wide range of possibilities for the songs on the vinyl. Musically Crisis is a good point of reference although Algara uses a drum computer instead of a drummer of flesh and blood. The driving bass lines on these four tracks are solid. The vocals remind me of the Secret Prostitutes, quite a surprise, but it works really well. It does raise the question what Algara's about. Is this an anarchist duo trying to incite a worldwide revolution through music or two friends writing silly songs and goofing around? I don't speak Spanish so I can't say, but I do know the tunes are good.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/enamorados-del-control-total-ep.

 Hologram - Build yourself up only to be brought down again and again Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro)

Because of the nondescript band name Washington DC's Hologram went unnoticed by yours truly until I found out the band comes from the same deranged brain as Closet Christ. That brain belongs to Brendan Reichhardt, a force in DC hardcore since last decade. Build yourself up so many times only to be brought down again and again - although far from succinct, a great title - delivers four hardcore tracks mining the same kinda territory as Permission on the other end of the Atlantic. This is great misanthropic, ugly and gnarly hardcore. The weird atmospheric outros and intermissions are great, elevating this Ep to more than a couple of songs. My only complaint is there's no lyric sheet included. I'd be interested to read what Brendan has to say. Apart from that the artwork is cool. The back of the cover has me think of the first Scratch Acid Ep, a compliment.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/build-yourself-up-so-many-times-only-to-be-brought-down-again-and-again-ep.

Lux - New Day Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6)

This Barcelona band is new to me, but they already released a full-length in 2017. Somehow that didn't make it onto my radar. Lux plays bouncy and catchy punk rock with a steady simple drumbeat. A dbeat perhaps? I'm still too dumb to tell. The write-up on the La Vida Es Un Mus website pulls the UK82 card so if that floats your boat, there you go. There's a bit of a post-punk vibe coming from the bass because of the flanger effect used. These four songs are real crowd pleasers, all extremely pogo-friendly and enjoyable. This band should appeal to those into La Misma, although Lux are a bit more direct. The band is far from reinventing the wheel here, but I never understood what the point to that would be anyways. If it does the trick, why change it? The artwork is nice, although the coloring gives off a bit of a hippy vibe, which rubs the teenager in me the wrong way, but I've got a mortgage now.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/new-day.

Rata Negra - La Hija Del Sepulturero Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro)

Not the first record I hear by this Spanish trio, but the first I gave close listen. The two songs here have pop sensibilities and are catchier than... let's not go there... they're catchy. Subtle and well-crafted. Noteworthy is the surf guitar that has a slight goth tinge, a sound taken to another level by the haunting yet playful keys. The artwork has a gothic vibe too. No surprise, considering the title of this 7" translates to 'the gravedigger's daughter'. Musically Rata Negra can be listed next to recent Spanish punk rock favorites like Juanita Y Los Feos, which Violeta also sang for, and Los Coprolitos. The A-side is an old Spanish poem put to music and the flip a cover of a long lost synth pop song, making this release a single in the traditional sense. A very enjoyable listen that makes me want to return to their earlier stuff.

Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/la-hija-del-sepulturero-e-p.

July (almost) 2020 Mailorder update: Tapes

Men and health - Devil in a suitcase/ Jesus in a pocket Tape (Self released) (5 euro)

Catchy and playful punk rock from Copenhagen, Denmark. Men and Health consists of two guitar players, a bass player/singer and a drum computer. What makes this group is the care-free melodic guitar playing that brings to mind 1980's Californian favorites such as the Adolescents and Angry Somoans in combination with Peter's sarcastic vocals. Men and Health shows a lot of versatility on this cassette. Songs like 'Stay in drugs' and 'I can see my house from here' have a nervous caffeine induced vibe and are rather silly. Other tracks like 'Jesus in a Pocket' and 'Smoof Operator' are more relaxed and might be the sonic equivalent to being high on a warm summer day. The lyrics make no secret of these guys' love for drugs. 11 songs on this one so plenty of bang for your buck and an entertaining listen throughout.  

Hear the two tapes that are combined on this one here: 

https://menandhealth.bandcamp.com/album/devil-in-a-suitcase.

 https://menandhealth.bandcamp.com/album/jesus-in-a-pocket.

No Nose - Covid-19 Tour 2020 Tape (Self released) (5 euro) 

Copenhagen's No Nose describe themselves as a scifi punk rock trio. The 12 songs on this tape indeed have a futuristic vibe reminiscent of Tumor Warlord although I like No Nose better. In all tracks No Nose's rhythm section creates a driving foundation over which Josefine plays damaged synths and Peter - yes, the same guy as the one in Men and Health - screams and speaks  at times joined by Josefine. Although both the apocalypse and human extinction are topics covered here, it's all done in a fun-loving way. No Nose don't take themselves very seriously, but you already knew that. They're called No Nose after all. When No Nose slows down, the band creates dragging downer dirges not unlike some AmRep bands, but the sound is obviously different. I'd label these songs space jams, if that wouldn't bring up the association with the hit movie starring Michael Jordan, which I, by the way, loved as a kid. Definitely different and therefore worth a hear.

Hear one half of the tape here: https://nonose.bandcamp.com/album/no-nose.

And three more songs, also on the tape, and now released on 7":  https://nonose.bandcamp.com/album/ep.