'The Shortest Distance: A South Florida Compilation' - Fiddler Records - 1998

'The Shortest Distance: A South Florida Compilation' - Fiddler Records - 1998

So here's a long story. In the early 00s, VICTORY RECORDS released a DVD called 'Release: A Punk / Hardcore Documentary', featuring interviews with lots of bands (including SICK OF IT ALL, FACE TO FACE, YUPPICIDE, IGNITE, WESTON, EARTH CRISIS, AGENT ORANGE, etc.) talking about punk scenes at that time. As well as being a generally cool little documentary, two things really stood out for me: the song over the end credits (which, after some research I discovered was the phenomenal 'Picks' by a band called QUIT), and an interview with a seventeen year old called Amy who briefly chronicled putting on a release show for the first 7-inch that she was releasing on her label.

For years after watching the doc., I listened to QUIT online, and 'Picks' has since become an all time favourite tune (I won't gush too much here, but just hearing the opening chords makes my eyes water), but it wasn't until last year that I decided to see if anything more came of Amy. A couple of Google searches later and I discovered that her label, FIDDLER RECORDS had gone on to put out tonnes of amazing stuff, and were pretty much the catalyst for the success of bands like NEW FOUND GLORY and THE BLED. She'd also recently written a novel called 'A Million Miles' about a girl who was running her own label and going on tour with a band who's record she was putting out.

Inevitably I got in touch with Amy pretty sharpish and ordered not only a compilation that she'd put out in the late 90s that exclusively featured 'Picks' by QUIT, but also her novel and a tee (and a very small hoody). Given that I'd pretty much ordered the comp for one song, I was curious but wouldn't mind if the rest of the tracks didn't hit me quite as much. Boy, was I in for a shock; it very quickly became a favourite compilation (and I've listened to a lot of comps). Just like 'Picks', every track on it pretty much gels perfectly with my music taste; fast, super melodic skatepunk / melodic punk-rock that has that pure energy and rawness that you just don't get with FAT WRECK and EPITAPH bands. There are early tunes from NEW FOUND GLORY, CHRIS CARRABBA (of DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL) and his early band VACANT ANDYS (who were the band on Amy's first 7-inch), some more perfect melodic punk tunes from MILKSHED, DAN'S ARMY, PIVOT, ANCHORMAN, GOING NOWHERE, and ONE + ONE (love that guys vocals), the odd harder tune from bands like LAST MINUTE, and even some ska from POOPY PANTS and KING 7 AND THE SOULSONICS.

I've only listed about half of the bands here, but if you're into real skatepunk, every second of this will be perfect for you; I couldn't recommend it enough. I think the artwork is done by that guy who did loads of stuff for HOT WATER MUSIC too. Sometimes it's hard to get into new stuff as you get older, but this comp from 1998 blew me away in 2016. You can grab it from FIDDLER RECORDS or listen to the whole thing on Youtube. I can also highly recommend Amy's novel 'A Million Miles'.

Amy, you are awesome.

https://www.facebook.com/FiddlerRecords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NDbb-KnFA8 - QUIT - 'Picks'

xox

'Hang In There: A DIY Covers Compilation' review

'Hang In There: A DIY Covers Compilation' review

"This is a compilation that was put together by FOR THE SAKE OF TAPES to raise money for the mental health charity 'Mind', and it's easily one of the best ideas for a comp I've ever seen; all of your fave DIY / lo-fi punk bands doing covers of pop tunes from the 80s to present day. As soon as the comp started with TWO WHITE CRANES' acoustic take on BLINK 182's 'Adam's Song', followed by a great version of CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS' 'Tilted' by SUGGESTED FRIENDS, and WOLF GIRL doing a dreamy cover of 'I'm Not Okay' by MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, I knew this was going to be a comp that I'd love. There are twenty-three tracks of similar brilliance here, with covers of HOLE, LE TIGRE, and BIKINI KILL by LITTLE FISTS, TOUGH TITS, and DREAM NAILS respectively, as well as pop bangers from KATY PERRY, SEAL, and THE BANGLES by FAGGOT, EMMA KUPA & ANKLES McGHEE and FIGHTMILK. The whole comp is bloody brilliant from start to finish to be honest, but my faves are CAT APOSTROPHE doing ROBYN's 'Dancing On My Own' (it probably helps that I love ROBYN, but this cover is darn good), JESUS AND HIS JUDGEMENTAL FATHER's cover of SHANIA TWAIN'S 'That Don't Impress Me Much', DANIEL VERSUS THE WORLD's absolutely stunning version of ERASURE's 'A Little Respect' (I literally couldn't believe how good this was), and THE POTENTIALS' cover of CHER's 'Believe', pretty much because they put some of that auto-tuning from the original on the vocals in the bridge / chorus and it made me cry with laughter. So yeah, an awesome comp for a great cause that you should check out now if not sooner."

https://forthesakeoftapes.bandcamp.com/album/hang-in-there-a-diy-covers-compilation

xox

AUSTEROS - 'I've Got This' review

AUSTEROS - 'I've Got This' review

Don't you just love that feeling when a part of a song just indescribably 'clicks' with you and gives you goosebumps? Well, the chorus to 'Dead Cells', the second track of this new EP by AUSTEROS, gave me exactly that feeling. If I were cool I'd probably say it gives me life, but I'll just say I had to replay it very quickly after first hearing it. This three-piece now located in Bristol play indie-punk in a relatively clean fashion with great, bright guitar melodies and catchy choruses with really cool vocal harmonies, all wrapped up in short, energetic pop punk tunes. I couldn't help but notice how much the vocalist sounds like Billie-Joe in old GREEN DAY, and actually musically it isn't far off (think everything before and including 'Warning'); chuck in some of THE ERGS, maybe MODERN BASEBALL if that's your thing, and NEIL YOUNG and you won't be far off I reckon. Best thing you could do would be to check this out for yourself though; every track is really strong, including a lovely, touching acoustic one half way through. Great stuff, and it also has awesome artwork!

https://www.facebook.com/austerosband/

https://austeros.bandcamp.com/

xox

NACHTHEXEN self-titled 7" review

NACHTHEXEN self-titled 7" review

NACHTHEXEN are bloody amazing. Their first release, a cassette called 'The Other' was one of my favourite releases of recent years, and this new EP is no less brilliant. Four tracks of angry, energetic, synth-fuelled punk-rock from four women from Sheffield, with some tight drum and bass work, and keyboard sounds that still remind me of old horror movie scores. Despite there being a kind of dark, gothy vibe to this, there are a lot of moments on it that will make you laugh, as well as loads of gang shouts, and some ace lyrics about anxiety, intoxicated males and the spaces they claim, diet culture, and there's also a re-recording of their classic 'Cheer Up Luv'. Definitely worth checking if you fancy some shouty-synthy-gothy punk-rock with politically strong lyrics. It also has cool artwork and comes on lovely piss-yellow wax. Ace!

*They also have a track on our latest comp cassette*

https://nachthexenpunx.bandcamp.com/album/nachthexen-7

https://www.facebook.com/nachthexenband/

xox

THE HUNX self-titled CD review

THE HUNX self-titled CD review

So I know Jay from THE HUNX because he used to put on ace gigs of skatepunk bands in Birmingham when he was at Uni down here (I discovered some great bands through shows he put on); it therefore makes sense that he would play in an ace skatepunk band himself, and here they are. THE HUNX have that sound that reminds me of stuff that used to come out on HOUSEHOLD NAME RECORDS like HOSTAGE LIFE, crossed with anything that comes out on FAT WRECK CHORDS, and UK skate punk bands like NO CONTEST and fellow Scousers DOWN AND OUTS. It's pretty much all played in double time so it has a load of energy, some wicked guitar work, ace sing-a-longs and choruses (as well as some funny bits of spoken word), and lyrics that range from the humorous 'Pizza Song', to the more politically driven 'House of Frauds'. If you're after fast, melodic skatepunk done right, you can't go wrong with this cracking five track EP, and Mark Bell illustrated the cover so it looks as ace as it sounds.

https://www.facebook.com/thehunx/

https://thehunxpunkrock.bandcamp.com/album/the-hunx

xox

THE POTENTIALS – 'We Are the Potentials' CD review

THE POTENTIALS – 'We Are the Potentials' CD review

THE POTENTIALS are class; they play 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' themed fuzzy pop-punk (yes, seriously) that's lo-fi, catchy, and full of energy, with some really funny lyrics and absolutely loads of three-part vocal harmonies. That's actually one of the best things about this EP; pretty much constant vocals of mostly singing but with a bit of shouting too. Lyrically and musically, it predictably (being themed on a show of that era) has a pretty 90s vibe, but generally reminds me of bands like FABULOUS DISASTER. My two fave tunes on here are the irresistibly catchy opener 'The Potentials Theme', which is a perfect introduction to the band (and I believe has a video now), and 'Hail Moloch' which is probs one of the most memorable and fun tunes on here, but this is an entirely enjoyable listen, whether you're into Buffy or not. It has awesome artwork by Jack Fallows too!

https://www.facebook.com/buffcore/

https://thepotentialsuk.bandcamp.com/

xox

ANDREW CREAM – 'Self Portrait' review

ANDREW CREAM – 'Self Portrait' review

I'd never heard of ANDREW CREAM before this, but his stuff is really pretty wonderful; kind of full band acoustic / folky pop-punk stuff that's really bright and energetic with really catchy vocal melodies and choruses. I had to check that this wasn't the vocalist from the amazing ABOVE THEM because his tone of voice is quite similar, and actually I guess it's not too far off musically either (apart from the acoustic-ness of course), which is never a bad thing. There are some really posi lyrics on here too about finding yourself, becoming who you want to be, and other lovely bits of personal politics, which makes it a really fun and uplifting listen. I've had this on in the car quite frequently for a while now, but I could pretty much listen to it at any time, whether I felt up or down, and that's a pretty rare thing. So yeah, really glad I got asked to review this, and you should totally check it out if you need a lift, or you just like some folky pop-punk!

https://www.facebook.com/andrewcreammusic/

xox

DOE – 'Some Things Last Longer Than You' review

DOE – 'Some Things Last Longer Than You' review

Before I saw them at Deadpunk in Bristol earlier this year, I liked DOE. After I saw them at Deadpunk in Bristol earlier this year, I Loved DOE. And not just because they did a truly spectacular cover of THE SPICE GIRLS' '2 Become 1' (although that definitely helped). They're a three-piece from London (dual guitar, no bass) who play really awesome garage pop-punk, with ace male-female dual vocal harmonising, plenty of angst, some chuckle-inducing lyrics, and some bloody huge choruses. There are also some great riffs on here ('Respite' has a notably good 'un), and there's a pretty strong 90s vibe coming through (think SONIC YOUTH, THE PIXIES and THE BREEDERS, and also the way TANCRED's stuff has been going lately). There are some great tunes on side A like the opener 'No. 1' and I like 'Monopoly', but I absolutely love side B, which is full of bangers: 'Anywhere' has the energy and intensity of CAVES, 'Last Ditch' gives us one of their most memorable choruses, 'Before Her' is magic from start to finish (those vocal harmonies in the chorus, oh my days!), and the intensity of 'Corin' is fantastic, reminding me of THE YEAH YEAH YEAHS' harder stuff: Nicola's shouting in it gives me goosebumps. A really incredible album by one of the best British bands around at the moment; pick it up now!

https://www.facebook.com/hellowearedoe/

http://www.doetheband.co.uk/

xox

FACE TO FACE - 'Protection' review

FACE TO FACE - 'Protection' review

When I got into melodic punk-rock as a teen, FACE TO FACE were one of the first bands that I properly got into, and, despite not loving stuff since the album 'How to Ruin Everything', they've remained one of my favourites. Subsequent to that album, they've released one that I didn't like at all, one that was a little better, and have arrived at this, which, thankfully, is probably the best thing they've done in about ten / fifteen years. For those that aren't familiar with FACE TO FACE, they play melodic punk rock that sits well alongside bands like BAD RELIGION, DESCENDENTS, and THE OFFSPRING's faster stuff, but still has it's own sound, especially in Trever's distinct vocal delivery and arrangements. If ever there was an album to show how crucial Scott is to this band too, then this is it; his basslines on here are absolutely sublime (and are given a lot of moments to shine in the more guitar-bare sections), and Danny's drumming is on point too, especially when they play at speed (they have this particular, awesome speed that they only use once or twice per album, and on here it's on 'I Won't Say I'm Sorry'). As usual, lyrically this is more personal than political, and there are some pretty memorable choruses on here. Even if this isn't quite what they used to be capable of, there are some good songs on here, stylistically falling somewhere between the classics of their self-titled album and 'Reactionary', and their album prior to this, 'Three Chords and a Half Truth', and it's definitely worth checking out if you like that 90s melodic punk sound. A decent effort; I'd recommend the songs 'Double Crossed', 'Say What You Want', and 'Fourteen Fifty-Nine' for something a bit different, but I'd also like to stress how great their previous albums 'Don't Turn Away', their self-titled one, 'Ignorance is Bliss' and 'Reactionary' are, so they're worth checking out too.

https://www.facebook.com/facetoface/

xox

BASEMENT - 'Promise Everything' review

BASEMENT - 'Promise Everything' review

So after a short hiatus, BASEMENT are back with another ten tracks of their heavily 90s-influenced grunge / emo sound, and to be fair, I'm pretty glad they reformed because this is as good as anything that I've heard them do before. It's thick on the guitars with some great, emotive chordwork (that's brighter than what I recall of 'Colour Me in Kindness'), straight and heavy on the bass and drums, and as well as having some really good vocal melodies, the vocalist still plays on that dynamic between his slow, soft, and droney voice, his bigger, fuller singing voice, and that almost-shouting that he does, which gives this a lot of depth and helps to pace the songs and create some pretty big moments. There's something really cool about the simplicity of BASEMENT's stuff; it eschews any technical flare in favour of quite basic playing styles and arrangements, so it's easy to get into and will stick to you really quickly. If you liked their previous stuff (I really liked 'Colour...', and this is a great, if a little brighter, follow up) then you should have no problem getting into this, but if you're not already a fan but you like MILK TEETH, TIGERS JAW, or grunge / emo from the 90s, then this is as good of a place to start as any. My favourite tunes on here are the opener 'Brother's Keeper', the catchiest number 'Aquasun', and the closer 'Halo' which is simple but wonderful, so they might be a good place to start.

https://www.facebook.com/Basementuk/

xox

ALMEIDA - 'Social Media Circus' CD review

ALMEIDA - 'Social Media Circus' CD review

Anyone that picked up these guys' debut 'Fantastic Massacre', or has seen them live or even heard them before will know that they're mental. Utter loonatics, no doubt about it. They play a highly technical and thrashy punk / metal amalgamation (that even breaks for a short reggae rhythm in the second song and has a circus-y bit of keys in the fourth) that is relentlessly lightning fast on the drums in blasts and skate punk rhythms, both riffy and mathcore-twiddly on the guitars, bass heavy, and vocalled with a combination of deep, demonic growls, and soaring, power-metal melodies that at times reach ridiculous heights. Comparisons will always be drawn to bands like PROTEST THE HERO, but ALMEIDA definitely have their own sound and style (it's more skatepunk than metal really; think a heavier PROPAGANDHI), and if you're not daunted by very technical and proggy song structures, they're an awesome listen, and somehow fantastically tight live. The whole thing is musically sublime as always, but credit to Tom because lyrically this is class (I don't know how on earth he writes to this stuff), and he has some real stand-out moments on here... but I'll let you find them for yourself. So yeah, an ace follow up to 'FM', and they've made a video to the shortest song on here, 'Payday', so that would be a great place to start if you like metal / thrash / prog / tech / skatepunk crossovers...

http://www.almeidaband.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/almeidaband/

xox

UNHINGED - 'Nostalgia' CD review

UNHINGED - 'Nostalgia' CD review

By the time this zine comes out, Stourbridge-based four piece UNHINGED will already have a second EP done, despite only having released this, their first EP back in December. 'Nostalgia' features four tracks of pacey, angry punk rock that has its hardcore influences firmly rooted in the old-school 80s and 90s, with elements of IGNITE and GORILLA BISCUITS coming through the more contemporary sound of bands like THE BRONX and CANCER BATS, and produced locally with a pretty DIY, lo-fi recording. Pacey drumwork, rock-infused hardcore riffs, and a combination of angry shouts and don't-give-a-shit attitude style singing that makes for some pretty catchy moments, all meld to make for an impressive debut EP. Check out 'Homesick' and its accompanying video for something to go on, and then go check out their new EP.

https://unhingeduk.bandcamp.com/

xox

SVALBARD - 'One Day All This Will End' cassette review

SVALBARD - 'One Day All This Will End' cassette review

Oh man, SVALBARD are good; another band I feel hugely lucky to have shared the stage (well, floor) with, they play an astounding and melodically unique style of post-hardcore that is all at once heavy and melodic, epic and emotional, and on here, from what I recall, I bit faster than their previous releases, utilising a bit more double time and blasting, giving it a bit more of a hardcore punk / black metal vibe. Fans of anything from LIGHT THIS CITY, to CIRCLE TAKES THE SQUARE, to old DARKEST HOUR should absolutely love this. The male / female dual vocal works as brilliantly as ever, the two different tones interspersing considerately and intelligently, and occasionally joining to epic effect; the beautiful single string lead guitar melodies pierce the shroud of thick bass and heavy guitars perfectly; and the aforementioned drumming is really something to behold, tearing technically through these eight stylistically varied and well structured tunes (as well as a cool cover of VICTIMS' 'This is the End'). A solid album, well worth a look if you like your stuff dark, heavy, fast and melodic. Also available on record I believe, but the cassette (with chrome shell) is a beaut.

https://svalbard.bandcamp.com/

xox

BRATAKUS - 'Gigantopithecus' CD review

BRATAKUS - 'Gigantopithecus' CD review

So yeah, BRATAKUS have finally dropped their debut EP / three-track demo, and, as expected, it's awesome. For those that missed our interview with them in the last issue, they're a two-piece of sisters from up in Scotland who play riot-grrrl punk with influences like BIKINI KILL and THE DISTILLERS, with even a bit of an old-school MINOR THREAT vibe in the vocals and lo-fi production. The lyrics are actually really cool for such a young band; they're pretty angsty, with vegan and feminist subject matter, and it's so fast vocally, I have no idea how Breagha fits some of these lines in! The vocal harmonies work well, the bass and guitar riffs and progressions are really catchy, the drum machine programming sounds cool, and the whole EP is fast (the first song lasts about 70 seconds), energetic, and a really fun listen. There are some SIMPSONS quotes (I think) between songs which made me chuckle, and the very DIY packaging / artwork is class, especially the collaging of random newspaper and magazine headlines. An awesome little release from a band that are doing punk-rock how it should be done, and that hints at ace things to come. Go and check out 'I Know Nothing' on Youtube for something to go on. Nice one!

https://www.facebook.com/Bratakus/

xox

NACHTHEXEN - 'The Other' cassette review

NACHTHEXEN - 'The Other' cassette review

This is awesome stuff. Punk rock without any guitar; just solid, riffy bass, tight, almost mechanical drumming, shouted female vocals, and a keyboard that sound somewhere between KRAFTWERK and low-budget 70s / 80s horror film soundtracks (think CREEPOZOIDS or anything directed by LUCIO FULCI i.e 'Zombie' or 'House by the Cemetery'). It's rare to find stuff these days that sounds genuinely different, but this really is; the synth sound is somewhat creepy and isn't something that I've heard much in this style, and the way it marries with the highly strung, desperate but angry vocals is something you need to hear to appreciate. Every song on this four track is really catchy, both vocally (with great lyrics) and musically, and has some great vocal hooks that, owing to being based around repetition, will inseminate your mind like few things can. This is especially so in the final two tracks 'Girls' and 'Cheer Up Luv', and the respective, unforgettable lines "it's not a competition; we're not the opposition" and "cheer up luv, it might never happen". Brilliant stuff with a unique quality, the greatness of which is tough to describe.

https://nachthexenpunx.bandcamp.com/album/the-other

xox

IDESTROY interview

 IDESTROY interview

We interviewed indie-rock / Riot-Grrrl punks IDestroy for issue nine of 'The Screever'; here's what they had to say to a few questions we threw at them towards the end of their 'Vanity Loves Me' EP tour.

Heya guys, please introduce yourself/ves, tell us what you play, and who makes up the rest of IDestroy.

IDestroy are Bec (guitar/vocals), Becky (bass/Bvox) and Jenn (Drums).

So you're currently on a UK tour; how has it been? Have there been any stand out shows?

Tour has been a lot of fun. One of our favourite shows was our recent return to London, playing at The Gunners pub. The quality of the venue really surprised us (knowing that its main focus is on football), the sound was great and there were a large number of people there to see us - we recognised a good number of the people there from our last London show, so we were very pleased that we have started gaining a following in another city!

How long have you been a band for now? How did you three meet?

We all met whilst studying in Bristol and became good friends before forming the band. We’ve been together around a year and a half now.

Your music seems to have a number of influences, including rock, punk, blues, and indie; who would you say are your biggest influences?

This is always a tough question as we enjoy so many different types of music. The band has definitely been influenced by riot grrrl bands such as Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney. We hope you will also hear the older punk influences such as Iggy Pop and The Runaways. 

So you released your first EP called 'Vanity Loves Me' this year; how has it been received? Are you all pleased with what you created?

We’ve had some really great reviews from the likes of Classic Rock, Punktastic and Fred Perry Subculture as well as being enjoyed by the independent bloggers on the DIY circuit. We are so happy that it has had this wide appeal to all rock n rollers, and we hope its reach will keep growing. We are proud of this release, but we are certain that the next one will only get better!

Did you enjoy making the video for the title-track from that CD? Where was it filmed?

It was good fun, although a long day and very hard work. Being a short song, you get to hear it a lot of times when filming for it over a 10 hour day! The silliness at the end of the video was a new experience for all of us. As perhaps you can tell, we’re not all that interested in make up and other ‘girly’ things, so it was cool to experiment and see what came out! We filmed it at Farm Studios in Bristol with Nick Pitt.

Can you give us a brief run-down of what the songs on the EP are about lyrically?

I try to avoid the “what is this song about” question, mainly because I’d rather the listener think for themselves. When I hear great lyrics, take Kurt Cobain for example, I personally don’t want to know what he was singing about. Why would I? When I can pretend he’s singing about everything I feel right in that moment.

Having said that, this EP is very much based on my observations of modern day life. I’d like to think it’s a pretty relatable listen.

What else do you guys do outside of IDestroy? Are any of you in any other bands or anything?

Bec plays guitar and song writes for art rockers ‘The Blue Aeroplanes’ and Becky plays bass in metal band Triaxis.

Ph: Jake Matthews

So what do you have planned for the rest of this year? Any more touring or recording in the pipeline?

We have a few more ‘Vanity Loves Me’ tour dates left (Southampton, Minehead, Stalybridge and Birmingham). After these shows we will spending some time songwriting and preparing to record the next release. We have a couple of festival appearances and other gigs this summer, but now the ‘Vanity Loves Me’ tour is over, our main focus is on the new material.

Cheers for answering these! Any last words, links, shout-outs, or anything?

No problem! 

You can stream our EP “Vanity Loves Me” for free here: https://soundcloud.com/idestroy/sets/idestroy-vanity-loves-me-ep

Or buy hardcopies on our merchandise store:

http://idestroy.bigcartel.com/

CADY - 'Zodiacal Dust' cassette review

CADY - 'Zodiacal Dust' cassette review

CADY (named after Lindsay Lohan's character in 'Mean Girls' of course) features former members of FOR THIS WORLD IS HOLLOW..., and follows on from the intensity of that band, playing awesome blast-beat infused proper-screamo with some really heavy bass, abrasive chordwork in the guitars, accompanied by some ace underlying melody and delay-effect leads, and some seriously chaotic drumming that's as tight as anything. There are parts that make me think of KAOSPILOT, others of TRISTAN TSARA, and others of SAETIA, so hopefully that gives you something to go on. The packaging on this is ace too, with hand constructed, monochromatic cardboard sleeves, and with a little, albeit tough to read, lyric sheet inside. Physical copies may have sold out by now, but go and check this out on their Bandcamp if you like your proper screamo, and listen to opener 'Goodnight Clark Adams' for something to go on. Great stuff.

http://cadyheron.bandcamp.com/releases

xox

LOVE CANS - s/t 7" review

LOVE CANS - s/t 7" review

This 7" contains two tracks of what I can best describe as psychedelic surf-rock that is a bit 70s and reminds me a bit of bands like FRET and YOUVES and maybe THE MURDER OF ROSA LUXEMBURG in places. Both songs have a really funky, catchy lead riff, on bass in 'Scary Eyes', and on guitar in 'Graveyard', helped along by some tight and pounding drums that marry rhythmically with said riffs. There are also some cool, heavily reverbed yet reserved (and suitably spooky with regards 'Graveyard') vocals on both tracks that compliment the music by way of adding extra texture to the rather awesome musicianship rather than being a focal point, which I really liked about it. A great little two-track record if you like garage-y surf rock with a psych vibe.

https://lovecans.bandcamp.com/

xox

Happy LAGWAGON day!

Happy May 16 / Lagwagon day folks! :D

xox

RASH DECISION - 'Headstrung' 12" review

RASH DECISION - 'Headstrung' 12" review

Bloody hell yes, this is pretty much exactly the kind of thing that I hope will drop into my inbox to review. Fast, no messin' about, thrashy hardcore with immense drumming that flicks between blasts, double time, and lightspeed fills, that complement the awesome, tight guitar and bass riffs perfectly, and multiple vocalists, all with very different but equally pissed-off sounding tones. Every song on here is brilliantly structured (that's what 9 years of experience will do for you), from the 66 seconds of 'Dogsbody' (one of my personal favourites, and featuring one of the best thrash-inspired riffs on here) to the slower but no less furious 'Cunt of the Litter', and the rather odd, somewhat amusing, yet still awesome 'Blinded by Leaves'. If you like your hardcore how it should be played i.e. fast, heavy, and abrasive, well-produced and with no nonsense, and that reminds you of stuff that used to come out on DEAD AND GONE RECORDS (FIFTY ON RED, BREAK IT UP, etc.), then this will please you a lot. This 12" also comes with their last album 'Seaside Resort to Violence' on the other side. Ace.

http://rashdecision.bandcamp.com/

xox