THE EX - LIVE AT CLUB MANUFAKTUR (SCHORNDORF)

LAST SATURDAY I HAD THE PRIVELEGE OF SEEING THE EX PERFORM IN SCHORNDORF NEAR STUTTGART (THIS IS ACTUALLY WHERE THEIR DRUMMER KATHERINA IS FROM). I HAVEN'T BEFORE SEEN LIVE ROCK MUSIC THAT BREATHES IN THE WAY THEIR MUSIC DOES, CONTAINING A SATISFYING INNER TENSIONING OF THE ORGANIC AND MECHANICAL. AT ONE POINT THE BARITONE GUITARIST TERRY GAVE ME A PROD IN THE STOMACH WITH THE HEADSTOCK OF HIS GUITAR. HERE ARE SOME CAMCORDER CLIPS FROM THE SHOW, FEATURING SONGS FROM THEIR MOST RECENT ALBUM "IF YOUR MIRROR BREAKS":

OUT NOW: THE SHEEN - PSYCHIC BOG

LISTEN TO THE LATEST OFFERING FROM BELLINGHAM'S STRANGEST ROCK TRIO HERE, AND BE SURE TO ATTEND THEIR ALBUM RELEASE SHOW AT THE SHAKEDOWN ON THURSDAY (9/26) NIGHT:

BANDCAMP

CYCLOSARIN

ON A RECENT STOP IN FRESNO WITH UNSHEATHER, I PICKED UP THIS TAPE FROM MIKEY (OF POWER GLOVE DUBS AND THE BAND HUMAN). FROM WHAT I COULD FIND, THIS RAW POGO TRIO EXISTED IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA BETWEEN 2015 AND 2016. THIS CASSETTE INCLUDES THE FIRST FOUR TRACKS OF THE 2015 DEMO, THREE OF WHICH CAN BE LISTENED TO AT THE YOUTUBE LINK BELOW. THE FOURTH TRACK 'THE WEAK' HAS A PROMO VIDEO HERE.

CYCLOSARIN FOOTAGE PLAYLIST

TOMBER

TOMBER IS A HARDCORE PUNK QUARTET FROM SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. THEIR SOUND CHANNELS THE DARK ENERGIES OF 80S JAPANESE PUNK BANDS SUCH AS GUDON, ZOUO, DEEF, AND GAGIZE. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO PLAY ON BILLS WITH THEM TWICE THIS YEAR ALREADY. I HAVE UPLOADED A RIP OF THEIR PROMO CD HERE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL ALBUM RELEASE LATER THIS YEAR (?).

'MALIGNANT' PROMO CD RIP

TOMBER FOOTAGE PLAYLIST

OUT NOW: SLAG HIVE - ENCROACHING BODY OF MANGLED EARTH

THE FIRST FULL-LENGTH OFFERING ENCROACHING BODY OF MANGLED EARTH FROM BELLINGHAM PROGRESSIVE DEATH-METAL TRIO SLAG HIVE IS UNLEASHED UPON THE WORLD. KYLE (ALSO FROM DEEP RECESS AND CAPILLARY) DOES VOCALS, GUITAR, AND LYRICS. 

KALEIDOSCOPE / D4MT LABEL

ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS OF THE 2010S IS NYC'S PSYCHEDELIC HARDCORE MUTANTS KALEIDOSCOPE. THIS BAND GREW OUT OF THE REMNANTS OF THE BAND DEFORMITY, WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST SHIVA ADDANKI ALSO INVOLVED IN BLACK BOOT AND IVY. SCRAPPY EXPERIMENTAL EARLY TAPES ULTIMATELY LED TO THE FORMATION OF A FORMIDABLE LIVE FORCE IN POWER-TRIO CONFIGURATION THAT TOURED PRIMARILY 2017-2019.  AT LEAST SINCE LATE 2020 AND THE RELEASE OF THE 'DECOLONIZATION' 7", IT SEEMS THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN AT A RELATIVE STANDSTILL FOR THIS BAND, WITH ALL THREE MEMBERS HIGHLY ACTIVE IN TOWER 7 UNTIL ITS RECENT RETIREMENT.

KALEIDOSCOPE IS CLOSELY LINKED WITH THE D4MT LABEL WHICH THE MEMBERS RUN. VISUAL PRESENTATION OF EACH D4MT RELEASE IS CONSISTENTLY COHESIVE AND DISTINCTIVE.

KALEIDOSCOPE

FOOTAGE

PLAYLIST

RELEASES

VOLUME 1 CS (2015)

STEPS THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS CS (2015)

VOLUME 2 NO 1 7" (2016)

VOLUME 2 NO 2 CS (2016)

VOLUME 3 7" (2017)

2017 7" (2018)

AFTER THE FUTURES... LP (2019)

DECOLONIZATION 7" (2020)

D4MT LABS

BANDCAMP

YOUTUBE

CONDOMINIUM

CONDOMINIUM IS A LONG-RUNNING HARDCORE PUNK TRIO FROM MINNEAPOLIS. THEIR SOUND IS PEPPERED WITH AWKWARD TEMPOS, RHYTHMIC CHANGES, AND WEIRD CHORDS THAT HAVE MADE THEM A CHALLENGE FOR THE MOSH-MINDED, BUT THAT GENERATE A SATISFYING MAELSTROM OF DISSONANT RAW ENERGY.

 [ PLAYLIST ]

ALSO CHECK OUT THE DRUMMER JOE B-B'S WORK IN QUESTION, COGNITIVE DISSONANCE, ZERO, SUBVERSIVE RITE, FAIRYTALE, 100% BLOOD, HUMANT BLOD, AND SALVAJE PUNK. 

VERMIN

THIS SHIT GETS ME RILED! VERMIN WAS A GREAT BAND FROM GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, THAT EXISTED BETWEEN 2013 AND 2015. THEY DELIVERED A STREAMLINED MID-TEMPO ATTACK THAT DRAWS HEAVILY FROM U.K. ANARCHO AND PEACE-PUNK TRADITIONS. VERMIN THEY PLAYED MANY SHOWS WITH A TOP-TIER ROSTER OF SCENE CONTEMPORARIES SUCH AS PROCESS, ECTOPLASM, ALLERGY, EXIT DUST, SODA, AND SUCKLE. SOME OF THESE BANDS SPAWNED OUT OF THE REMNANTS OF THE MIGHTY MAUSER THAT ENDED AROUND 2012.

IT SEEMS LIKE VERMIN EVEN MADE IT TO THE WEST COAST, BASED ON THE FOOTAGE OF THEM PLAYING LOS ANGELES AND PORTLAND THAT I FOUND. FOR GREAT DOCUMENTATION OF THE GAINESVILLE PUNK AND EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC SCENE, THE ANDREW CHADWICK ARCHIVE IS A GREAT RESOURCE. HERE'S A YOUTUBE PLAYLIST I MADE FOR THIS BAND:

VERMIN PLAYLIST

 

I REFUSE IT!

I REFUSE IT! WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL HARDCORE PUNK BAND FROM FIRENZE (FLORENCE), ITALIA, ACTIVE 1982 TO 1987. SUPPLEMENTAL PERCUSSION, BIZARRE VOCAL AND STUDIO EFFECTS, VARIETY IN TEMPO AND TIME SIGNATURE, OCCASIONAL HARMONICA OR SAXOPHONE BLASTS, AND TAPE MANIPULATION IMBUE THEIR RECORDINGS WITH A QUIRKY CHAOTIC INTENSITY NOT SO REMOVED FROM THE OFF-KILTER STYLINGS OF AMERICAN PUNK BANDS LIKE FLIPPER AND SACCHARINE TRUST. DIG IT!

SFREGIO PERMANENTE (SPLIT LP WITH CCM) (1983)
SOGNI A DOPPIE VIE 7" EP (1984)
M 12" EP (1986)

BRENDAN REICHHARDT / DREAM HOME

ANYONE WHO'S EVER TALKED TO ME FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME ABOUT HARDCORE PUNK HAS MOST LIKELY HEARD ME BRING UP HOLOGRAM. PECULIAR EXPERIMENTAL ELEMENTS SEEP INTO THE SEAMS OF THEIR CHURNING AND BRISTLY OFF-KITLER SONIC ATTACK. THE SPECIFICITY OF VISION AND PRECISION OF EXECUTION MAKES IT UNSURPRISING TO FIND THAT THE 'BAND' IS IN FACT THE BRAINCHILD OF A SINGLE PERSON: ONE BRENDAN REICHHARDT, CURRENTLY OF RICHMOND, VA (PREVIOUSLY OF WASHINGTON D.C. AS WELL AS AUSTIN, TX).

THE LIST OF TOP-TIER PUNK AND HARDCORE PROJECTS WITH BRENDAN'S INVOLVEMENT IS NOTHING SHORT OF INCREDIBLE- FROM THE FEROCIOUS AND PSYCHEDELIC NASTINESS OF KOMBAT TO THE VAN VLIET-ESQUE DIVORCE HORSE AND CHOIR CHERRY, FROM THE BREAKNECK FASTPUNK OF CLOSET CHRIST, CRYIN' HAND, SQK FROMME, CICADA, HAUNTED MANSION AND DAUNTING NIGHTMARE, TO THE ABSTRACT ELECTRONIC EXPERIMENT LANGUAGE AND THE NO-WAVE OF THE ORIGINAL DREAM HOME CS. AND THAT IS JUST TO NAME SOME OF THE MORE RECENT PROJECTS ASIDE FROM HOLOGRAM WHICH HAVE POPPED ONTO MY RADAR. MANY OF THESE BANDS AND PROJECTS ARE REPRESENTED IN THE EVER-EXPANDING CATALOG OF BRENDAN'S DREAM HOME LABEL.

I FIRST WITNESSED HOLOGRAM PERFORM AT THE SMELL IN LOS ANGELES ON THEIR FIRST WEST COAST TOUR IN 2019. THAT SET IS DOCUMENTED HERE. THE MOST RECENT TIME I HAVE SEEN THEM WAS AT THE VERA PROJECT IN SEATTLE IN 2022. I HOPE TO CATCH THEM OR ANOTHER BRENDAN BAND LIVE AGAIN IN 2024! EXPLORE BRENDAN'S MUSIC BELOW WITH SOME COMPILATIONS OF FOOTAGE AND DIGITIZED CASSETTES:

HOLOGRAM (2018-)
DAUNTING NIGHTMARE (2022-)
SQK FROMME (2021-)
CHOIR CHERRY (2017-18)
CLOSET CHRIST (2016-17)
KOMBAT (2015-17)

KREMLIN / HARHAA

KREMLIN (TORONTO, ON, CAN) IS ONE OF THOSE RARE BANDS THAT TAKES EVERYTHING I FIND GREAT IN HARDCORE PUNK AND FUNNELS IT INTO A SUPREME SYNTHESIS- POWER TRIO, NODS TO D-BEAT, TAPED TO 4-TRACK, BAND ARTWORK DONE BY A 2 OR 3-YEAR-OLD, THE RIFFS!THE RIFFS!THE RIFFS! A NATURAL CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE BROTHERS BURGESS ON STRINGS AND THE RELENTLESS FURY OF IVAN ROBERTS-DAVIES'S DRUMMING CONSPIRE TO GENERATE A SONIC ONSLAUGHT THAT BALANCES THE RAUCOUS WITH THE PRECISE, GERMINATING SOMETHING ULTIMATELY APPROACHABLE WITHOUT COMPROMISING INTENSITY. EXPLORE THE KREMLIN DISCOGRAPHY BELOW (CLICK THE PICS):

[ PLAYLIST OF LIVE FOOTAGE ]

KREMLIN'S SECRET SIBLING, BASSIST HARRY'S SIDE PROJECT HARHAA WAS A DELIGHTFUL RECENT DISCOVERY FOR ME. A COUPLE HOME-TAPED CASSETTES FROM 2012ISH IS ALL WE CAN REASONABLY EVER EXPECT TO SEE FROM THIS PROJECT. LISTEN TO DEMO 2 HERE. I'M CURRENTLY ON THE HUNT FOR THE OTHER TAPE, ENTITLED FUTURE DISORDER.

DRUMMER IVAN HAS BEEN MANY PUNK GROUPS CENTRAL TO THE TORONTO SCENE OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, AMONG THEM: TERMINAL STATE, SCHOOL JERKS, S.H.I.T., AND FARANG.

KRAXXA - DEMO (2014)

UP NOW ON MY YT MUSIC VARIETY CHANNEL DORMAIS VU: THE KRAXXA DEMO FROM 2014! KRAXXA WAS A BAND FROM VICTORIA, BC (I ALWAYS FORGET HOW CLOSE IT IS TO BELLINGHAM - 44 MILES AS THE CROW FLIES) ACTIVE FROM 2014-2019(?), THAT HONED THEIR OWN STYLE OF MID-TEMPO NASTINESS. THE CHARMING STRAIGHT-FORWARDNESS AND THOUGHTFUL SONG STRUCTURES PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR GIVE-NO-FUCKS RIFFAGE AND NIHILISTIC VOCALS SPAT IN CLASSIC ANARCHO FASHION. FAVORITE TRACKS ON HERE ARE 'FORFEIT' AND 'CAGED LIVING'.

KRAXXA LIVE SETS:

N.A.S.T.Y. HOUSE VICTORIA 2016

N.A.S.T.Y. HOUSE VICTORIA 2017

BLANK SPELL

WITH ALL THE DUE FERVOR AROUND PHILLY METAL-PUNK BEHEMOTHS DEVIL MASTER AND ZORN AT THIS MOMENT, NEGLECT NOT THE WICKED OFF-KILTER SONIC STABBINGS OF THEIR NOW-DEFUNCT HARDCORE/DEATHROCK COUNTERPART BLANK SPELL

DEMO (2014)

S/T EP (2015)

4-TRACK DEMO (2016)

MIASMA LP (2017)

[ LIVE FOOTAGE PLAYLIST ]

FYI A NOT-INSUBSTANTIAL CHUNK OF THE BLANK SPELL DISCOGRAPHY IS ON SPOTIFY NOW. ALSO FFO OF DEVIL MASTER/ZORN: CHECK OUT CASSIDY'S PREVIOUS BAND CAPE OF BATS. THE NEW HAUNTER EP IS KILLER AS WELL. HAUNTER IS TOURING WITH ZORN IN CALIFORNIA IN MID-NOVEMBER. CASSIDY ALSO DOES DRUMS/VOX IN THE TWO-PIECE DESTRUCTOS.