KISS ASS TO YOUR PEER GROUP is a fairly recent tape label set up by a nice chap in South London called Ben. Although totally unassuming through no urge to be popular, or have its releases be ‘successful’, to any degree, it definitely deserves everyone’s attention, and subsequent support, as one of the most exciting musical projects happening in London.
This ‘promotional video’ is of his new project called SHRUNKEN HEAD, which is an all-out aural nightmare. Sounds like huge Japan hardcore/noise punk influence, but doesn’t opt for completely smothering the sound in a blanket of blown-out hiss, instead playing through a totally demented twangy guitar sound. It’s nice and simply formed from the rudimentary pieces of hardcore punk and could possibly sound naive if it wasn’t so perfectly fitted together. Just plain beastly.
There is something really over the top and quite scary about it. Definitely suits the video’s images of disaster.
Ben also plays in another recent favourite of mine, HUNGER. Stomping raw punk duo who, unfortunately for the rest of the world, have only played in London so far. Sloppy and pained sounding. Reference points definitely lie between Sump and Raspberry Bulbs, however there’s none of those nice poppy hooks you sometimes find in those bands. Nothing is happy about this, but definitely is conducive to a lot of headbanging and fistpumping. So good to hear a band in the South doing this sort of stuff, and doing it brilliantly.
A last mention goes to KATYPG’s first release, which was a demo by WARM WAYS. I never heard anyone go crazy about this band outside some friends who knew what was up. Really unjustly so, as they ripped hard. So hard to pin down and compare to much else. My friend dropped Three Studies For A Crucifixion on a flyer, and this seems the most accurate. Really interesting hardcore punk that perfectly nailed transitioning between sounding wildly unhinged and locking into badass grooves. Don’t want to go on further, just get the tape.
All tapes and proper info available outside of stupid dumblr hyperbole and on the websites below. Ben also films loads of good bands playing shows and uploads them to his blog. Lots of essential stuff currently happening in the UK and elsewhere. Really awesome.
It’s so brilliant to come across ‘oddities’ that can even be considered as such within whatever genres of music they fall into. I find it hard to believe that throughout all of the 625 discography, Max Ward’s obvious penchant for Brazilian (in particular Sao Paolo) thrash, you never ever hear anyone talk about INFECT.
These dudes played high energy thrashcore (equal emphasis on the thrash and the core) which sounds in equal parts like their Sao Paolo Bros Discarga and I Shot Cyrus - though, in my opinion, leagues above -, but also including Scholastic Deth-esque breakdowns, making moshing in your bedroom irresistible.
This track is the first one of their LP, which is the last thing they did. Everything by them is ace, but they seemed to really nail it on this one.
7 months ago
The ‘Silver Year’ LP by SHOPPERS is seriously amazing. Seriously. Eagerly driving riffs that are so catchily paired up with non-stop yelling, dancing between discordance and melody at all times - this aspect and something about SHOPPERS in general reminds me of the SON SKULL 12” from last year, just the punchy hardcore punk vibe being replaced with an aurally all-encompassing wave of noise. Could equally nod in reference to Noise Punk and Pop respectively, but would be selling it short in both respects. This record never stops pounding away, relentlessly drenched in hiss and feedback, it is so anthemic at points but so unapproachably overwhelming in others. Just a stone-cold brain melter of a record.
The demo tapes before it were insanely good in terms of initial output for a band, but this totally excels in style and production whilst sticking with the same formula. Some material is recognisable from the previous tapes on ‘Silver Year’, but completely unnoticeably in terms of its place in the record, only highlighting that they translate better onto wax.
Apparently touring the U.K. next year. Get excited.
Put out by two of the best US labels of recent years, DRUGGED CONSCIENCE and FEEBLE MINDS (run by Josh from SHOPPERS/WHITE GUILT). Pick up their stuff from those places, or listen and download their stuff at shoppers.bandcamp.com
My friend and I saw a live performance by British film artist, Guy Sherwin, and his partner Lynn Loo, at the Siobhan Davies Studios, last week. Three short pieces of ‘expanded cinema’ - a term I know almost nothing about, but I think it’s to do with filmic performance, with focus on the materials used to create and exhibit it (Jules is the one to ask) - ending with a performance of his renowned ‘Man With Mirror’ performance.
‘Man With Mirror’ is a piece Sherwin has been constantly updating for almost 40 years, performing at different stages in his life since 1976 - always with the same video of him from that first year. I have a soft spot for anything uncanny in terms of time and space, and this piece especially appealed to the stoned part of my brain that loves being wowed by it. The multitude of temporalities being created by a combination of two clearly visible disciplines, somehow gave a real physicality to the illusions it was creating, whilst absolutely recognising them as such. I’m sure exploring it through the ideas of ‘expanded cinema’ yields much more significance in relation to its medium and illusory techniques, but I definitely didn’t feel I needed any knowledge on film to wholly appreciate it as an experience.
Basically, if you ever see that this performance is happening anywhere, ever, GO AND SEE IT - this actually goes for anything Sherwin related. The video doesn’t quite translate the integral aspects of witnessing it as a performance, nor experientially and spatially viewing it as a piece of site-specific art, but gives you an idea of what I was on about before.
GOMEK were just one of ‘those’ Florida bands. Y’know, the type that just sound refreshingly unique and totally out of this world good. They only did one 7” and it’s one of the best hardcore records ever. Just stumbled across this video of them playing a house show in 2008. The songs they play from the 7” don’t seem fully formed by this point, but oh my dude do they fucking rip. Hissing and breaking up quality of the video suits them perfectly. This is definitely evidence that vocalist Keri’s screams are forged from 100% pure despair.
The Catalonia parliament in Barcelona has voted to ban bullfighting, a move that rejects a hallmark of traditional Spain in a region with its own language and culture.
The ban approved in the local legislature vote means the wealthy north-east coastal region becomes the first in…
I remember a time when my friend Charlie and I, would repeatedly watch the part where Fenriz, looking blazed in the northern sky, air-shreds to Adrenalin O.D. (around the 8 minute mark). What more could theeeee Metal Inquisitor want from an interview with the hiking, snusing, Subbutio-loving Goblin??? Looks like the ideal way to spend an evening!
This is fucking disgusting. In the unlikely chance of ever seeing Church Whip, I want it to be in a dark, dingey warehouse with plenty of cackling and reverb. Total Flying-V sonic torture. WILD.
Do yourself a favor and go download (http://www.mediafire.com/?nk97k9bnwkzkv2x) or buy the demo tape from somewhere. Sold out at its almighty source (http://corpsewithoutsoul.blogspot.com/), although everything they’ve released so far has. On that note, Corpse Without Soul releasing a 7” and rehearsal tape from the awesome Horrid Cross is in the pipeline. Will be beast.
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