REVIEW: Spider – Energy Gone Wrong

Spider – Energy Gone Wrong

7” 2019 CPYTR CNTRL RCRDS

Spider from Long Beach California (USA) is a punk rock band fronted by vocalist Hector Martinez (also active at Epitaph, …), guitarist Karl Izumi, bassist Jeff Abarta and drummer Alf Silva. The band started somewhere in the mid ninetines, broke up, regrouped, broke up again, … and came back in 2015. Last August they released a new 7” called ‘Energy Gone Wrong’ on CPYTR CNTRL RCRDS.

This 7” contains two original songs ‘Energy Gone Wrong’ and ‘The Reeperbahn’ and the Black Flag cover ‘Drepression’, taken from Black Flag’s 1981 debut album ‘Damaged’. After the intro of ‘Energy Gone Wrong’ I immediately get a US BOMBS feel. It is like Duane Peters is playing in an 80s hardcore punk band. Spider offers a mondern mix of energetic, raw and vicious 70s punk, US BOMBS alike punk rock and some early 80s ferocious hardcore punk inspired by Black Flag, Bad Brains, ….

Energy Gone Wrong certainly has a taste for more. 8.5/10

Tracklist:

1. Energy Gone Wrong
2. Drepression
3. The Reeperbahn

https://www.facebook.com/spiderofficial/

NEWS: some records that got released over the last couple of months (part 1).

Ink Bomb – Fiction

Last August, Dutch punk rock band Ink Bomb released its debut album Fiction. Fiction was recorded by Ink Bomb guitarist Quirijn Foeken, just like the two previous EPs ‘Invincible Summer’ (2016) and ‘Swim’ (2017). The mastering was again done by American engineer Bill Henderson of Azimuth Mastering. 

Fiction bulks with catchy and overall up-tempo melodic punk rock with a No Fun At All vibe.

www.inkbomb.nl / facebook.com/inkbombnl / instagram.com/inkbombing

 

Varjot – Liekki

Fans of raw, aggressive and dirty sounding (Finnish) hardcore should check Varjot. In 2018 they released a full-length called ‘Liekki’ and a new 7-inch is planned for somewhere around early 2020. ‘Liekki’ is a DIY (recording, mixing and mastering) release and digitally available for streaming and downloading (free of charge) in Bandcamp and on Spotify.

varjot.bandcamp.com / facebook.com/yhtyenimeltavarjot

 

Sniper 66 – Annihilator.Sniper 66 latest release is a 15 track album that serves as a concept to tell the story of the real-life Servant Girl Annihilator, who plagued Austin, Texas with fear in the late 1800’s. Four songs central to telling this are the opening track, ‘Annihilator’, as well as ‘Servant Girl’, ‘Psycho’, and ‘In His Grave’…which are all told through the different perspectives of the lives this killer touched, as well as the killer himself. The rest of the album is rounded out by songs touched by grief and dissatisfaction with government, as well as uplifting songs about taking charge of your life and the strength of family.

For the fans of hard hitting, rough around the edges street punk that combines old school punk with more modern punk rock.

www.sniper66.com / facebook.com/sniper66atx

 

Mental Distress – Pas beaucoup d’avenir

‘Pas beaucoup d’avenir’ is the latest release by French hardcore punk band Mental Distress. The album contains 17 fast, furious and roughly (un)polished punk tracks in just 23 minutes. The album is/will be available digitally, on vinyl and as a tape.

https://mentaldistress.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/stuckinmentaldistress

 

Pitchtorch

Pitchtorch is an alt-folk trio who released their self-titled debut album on September, 20th 2019. It is new project by three Italian musicians: guitarist, composer and session player Mario Evangelista (The Gutbuckets, as well as author of music fort short films and commercials), bassist and double bass player Danilo Gallo (Guano Padano) and drummer Marco Biagiotti (The Vickers).

They bring a blend of Americana, folk, psychedelia and improvisation inspired by artists as Bert Jansch, Nick Drake, Ry Cooder, The Allman Brothers Band, Calexico, Wilco, … Expect the unexpected with this atmospheric blues, folk, jazz, post rock, psychedelia, classical, pop, … inspired music.

https://www.facebook.com/pitchtorchmusic/

REVIEW: Allöchtöön – s/t debut EP

Allöchtöön – s/t debut EP
Cassette 2019 Nosebleed Records

Since January 2018 Ghent (Be) has a new band in town, a heavy four piece that goes by the name ‘Allöchtöön’. During the summer they finished the recordings of their first EP in the Hearse Studio in Heule (BE). Mix & mastering was done by Lander Cluyse (Risse & Fall / Hessian / Amen Ra /  Oathbreaker). The result will be released by the end of September on cassette through Nosebleed records. For the Vinyl fans: a one sided 12” EP is planned for the end of 2019 / the beginning of 2020.

Like I mentioned, Allöchtöön is a heavy band inspired by metal, punk, hardcore, Noise, … In a way their chaotic sound reminds me of OJAHPCP (Officer Jones And His Patrol Car Problems). OJAHPCP was a Belgium mathcore band with members also known from bands as Cast-Down, The Setup, Wiegedood, … who released a banger album back in 2005. But Allöchtöön has a noisier, a darker, a doomier, a blacker and more threatening sound.

When you mix hardcore, punk and some black metal together, add some psychedelic rock and speed metal, spice it up with some unusual breaks, twists and unexpected turns and let it all oak in a noisy barrel you get Allöchtöön. It is a very nice debut from a promising new band. 8,5/10

Tracklist:

1. Hasj
2. Heb Jij Gezegd Dat Ik Een Lul Was?
3. Kompass
4. Twin Teeth
5. British Knights

Allöchtöön  on facebook
Allöchtöön  on instagram

NEWS: Travølta is releasing its first full length LP/CD on the 7th of December 2019.

As we speak, TRAVØLTA‘s (Belgian hardcore punk/powerviolence/grind/crust) first full length ‘In Tinnitus we Crust’ is in production containing eighteen furious songs in twenty minutes! The LP/CD on the 7th of December 2019.

Travølta started early 2015 when some youngsters came together with the idea of  starting a fast, gnarly and straight in your face raw hardcore punkband. In March 2015 they played their first show as TRAVØLTA. Four split records were released throughout the years evolving from West Coast powerviolence mixed with d-beat towards a more metallic sounding powerhouse, without ever losing the punk attitude.

Fans of powerviolence, grind, crust, hardcore, punk, metal, … keep yours eyes and ears open for this one.

REVIEW: The Beatersband – Vol Uno

The Beatersband – Vol Uno
CD / digital 2019

If you are into them 50s and 60s american rock and roll songs, you should check out The Beatersband. These Italians rearrange early rock and roll songs in a punk rock vibe without losing the original sound. Listening to Vol Uno, “The Baseballs” come to mind but without the famous hits, it also reminds me to the punk Chartbusters compilations. I certainly love me some old 50s and 60s rock and toll tunes and I do love me some punk rock. So this should be a match made in heaven. Love the tracks, love the vintage vibe but I miss a little of extra punk to make it more punk rock and roll. Nevertheless nice tunes to get you going. 7.5/10

Tracklist:

1. C’mon Let’s Go
2. The Girl Of My Bestfriend
3. Donna
4. Then He Kissed Me
5. Baby I Love You
6. Diana
7. Do You Wanna Dance
8. Surfin’ bird

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thebeatersvintagepunkrocknroll/

 

REVIEW: Rich Widows – Love

Rich Widows – Love
10” 2019 Nosebleed Records / Tape 2019 Lost Youth Records

Earlier this Year Rich Widows released a new mini album/EP called “Love” as a limited edition 10” vinyl and tape. The album got recorded mostly live at the legendary Studio 195 in the Netherlands. It is the follow-up to the “Half-empty Glasses & Despair” EP that got released through Nosebleed Recs in 2018.

“Love” offers us 5 songs that show us the other side of the love/life medaillon. 5 desperate screams of rejection, inperfection, lonelyness, hopelessness and pain packed in a sustainable packaging of punk and rock with a dash of Jawbreaker, Hot Water Music, … 8.5/10

Tracklist:

1. A Good Day
2. Underachievers
3. Big City Dreams
4. The Sickness
5. All Hope Is Gone

FACEBOOK: https://nl-nl.facebook.com/richwidows/
BANDCAMP: https://richwidows.bandcamp.com/album/love

REVIEW: Hard Wax – This Is The Sound

Hard Wax – This Is The Sound
LP 2019 Rebellion Records / LSM Vinyl
Rebellion Records has two upcoming releases out. First there’s the new EP “Mad In England” from Crown Court, three years after their debut LP “Capital Offence” and following the path of their previous work such as “Trouble From London”, “The English Disease” and “Ruck And Roll”.

But I’m most excited about the new Hard wax LP “This Is The Sound”, straight outta Bovver Rock City. Since I got to know them through Rebellion Records I always love what they put out. Is it because 50s rock and roll was one of my first introductions to music. Is it the punk that got me through the nineties and still charges my batteries when they are down. Is it my interest in 80s Oi! or my love for Slade. I think it’s just all the above because Hard Wax can integrate the best of rock and roll, punk, Oi! and glam rock in their sound. They even get away with adding keys and horns. I love it! There’s no bad song on “This Is The Sound”. The album is loaded with razor sharp anthems for a good time. 9.5/10

Track list:

1. Welcome To Bovver Rock City
2. Living The Dream
3. This Is The Sound
4. Razor Part Rebels
5. Days Of Glory
6. Have A Good Time
7. Boys Of A Saturday Night
8. Not Just A Pin-Up Girl
9. Stomp All Over The World
10. In For A Penny

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HardWaxuk/