Tag: thrash punk

New Video: Introducing the Mysterious Detroit-based Act VAZUM and their Scuzzy Power Chord-driven Sound

With the release of two albums their self-titled debut and Void last year, the Detroit, MI-based dark rock band VAZUM quickly drew comparisons to Monster-era R.E.M., Sisters of Mercy and Placebo as their sound manages to pair an uncanny melodicism with scuzzy power chords. While the band is working on their third album, they released a video for the 90s alt-rock/120 Minutes-era MTV-inspired “Leech” off Void, a track centered by scuzzy and enormous power chords, a rousing, mosh pit friendly hook and an urgent, swooning romanticism. 

As for the video, its concept is simple — footage of the band performing the song in a murky black and white, which gives the visual a you-were-there immediacy. 

 

Late last year, I wrote about the Boston-based alt rock quintet Aneurysm, and as you may recall, the band formed back in 2014 and since then, they’ve developed a reputation for relentless touring and realizing a handful of 7 inch vinyl releases. Their long-awaited full-length debut Awareness is slated for a February 1, 2019 release through Tor Johnson Records, and the album, as the band’s Dan Bahto explains in an interview with No Echo, the material on the album is sort off a collection of things they had been working on since they started.

Awareness‘ first single was the pummeling, mosh pit friendly “St. E.” Centered round enormous power chords, thunderous drumming and howled vocals, the track brought Nirvana, METZ and others to mind. The album’s second and latest single “Newport” continues on a similar vein as its predecessor while rooted in a melodicism that brings Social Distortion to mind; in fact, the song is centered around world-weary and hard-fought reflections on sex, drugs, cops, death and rock ‘n’ roll.  The song kicks ass but as I turn 40 in a couple of months, it has a sobering air: it’s full of the recognition of that you’re getting older; that the scene is slowly phasing you out; that with each passing day you’re looking at your mortality in the mirror.

 

Late last year, I wrote about the Southern California-based trio Warish, and as you may recall the trio which features founding members Riley Hawk (guitar, vocals) and Bruce McDonnell (drums) formed earlier this year, when its founding duo wanted to try their hand at something a bit more distinct than they’d previously done. “We wanted to do simpler riffs and a fun live show,” Hawk explains in press notes. “A little more punk, a little bit of grunge… a little evil-ish.” Their sound reportedly draws from a variety of things — early Butthole Surfers, Scratch AcidIncesticide-era NirvanaStatic Age-era Misfits — and with “Fight,” the first single off their self-titled debut EP, the trio quickly make their presence known as the song is centered around Hawk’s effects-laden vocals, enormous grunge rock meet thrash punk power chords, pummeling drumming, mosh pit friendly hooks and an aggressively sleazy, Troma Films-like vibe.

Warish’s self-titled debut EP is slated for a February 19, 2019 release through RidingEasy Records, and the EP’s latest single “Human Being” is a mosh pit friendly ripper centered around explosive power chords, thundering drums and howled vocals. Sonically speaking, the track recalls The Colour and the Shape and One by One-era Foo Fighters — but with a raw, gritty feel.

 

New Audio: JOVM Mainstay Jon Spencer Releases Kaleidoscopic Visuals for Bruising New Ripper “Beetle Boots”

Best known as a founding member of renowned local alt rock acts The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Boss Hog, Heavy Trash and Pussy Galore, Jon Spencer released his long-awaited solo debut Spencer Sings the Hits last November, and as you may recall, the Bill Skibbe-produced album, finds the renowned guitarist and frontman embracing a DIY approach while collaborating with Quasi‘s and Heatmiser’s Sam Coombes and M. Sord. So far I’ve written about two album singles — the blistering and abrasive ripper “Do The Trash Can,” a track centered around a snarling, garage punk attitude, abrasive and enormous power chords and an oddly danceable groove and “I Got The Hits,” an equally explosive ripper, featuring abrasive power chords, a shit ton of double entendres and a propulsive, junkyard groove that’s danceable yet mosh pit friendly. 

Spencer Sings the Hits’ latest single “Beetle Boots” is a straightforward garage rock ripper, featuring around a downright nasty, snarling, power chord-based guitar riff, a propulsive groove and shouted call and response lyrics centered around picking up a guitar, joining a band and trying to kick ass and take over the world — but with the reminder that being in a band ain’t easy; that if you come in faking the funk, the game will chew you up and spit you out. 

Directed and edited by Andrew Hooper, featuring photos from Jon Spencer, Michael Lavine, Ebru Yildiz, Patrick Houdek, Myranda Baert, and Bob Coscarelli, art by Katie Skelly Visual and visual elements by The Verite Messengers, the recently released video is a trippy and kaleidoscopic treatment that draws from found footage of 60s psych pop concert films, young bands jamming, photos of Spencer and his bandmates — and all of it serves as a powerful reminder: that being in a rock ‘n’ roll band is fucking awesome. 

Aneurysm is a Boston-based alt rock quintet that formed back in 2014 and since their formation they’ve developed a reputation for relentless touring and releasing a handful of 7 inch vinyl releases along the way. Their long-awaited full-length debut Awareness is slated for a February 1, 2019 release through Tor Johnson Records, and the album, as the band’s Dan Bahto explains in an interview with No Echo, the material on the album is sort off a collection of things they had been working on since they started. Interestingly, the album’s first single is the pummeling, mosh pit worthy “St. E’s,” Centered around enormous power chords, thunderous drumming and howled vocals, the track will bring Nirvana, METZ and others to mind; but as the band’s lead singer Mike tells No Echo, “”I was writing from another viewpoint than my own, basically from a hateful, impatient, self-centered adult-child being forced to wait in line behind people whom they feel superior,” Mike says about his lyrics. “I kinda love watching adults lose their cool over minor inconveniences in public.”

 

New Audio: Tony Hawk’s Son Fronts a Sludge Punk Band Warish, Check Out Their Awesome First Single

Featuring founding members Riley Hawk (guitar, vocals) and Bruce McDonnell (drums), the Southern California-Based trio Warish formed earlier this year, when its founding members wanted to try their hand at something a bit more distinct than they’d previous done. “We wanted to do simpler riffs and a fun live show,” Hawk explains in press notes. “A little more punk, a little bit of grunge… a little evil-ish.” Sonically, their sound reportedly draws from a variety of things — early Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, Incesticide-era Nirvana, Static Age-era Misfits. With “Fight,” the first single off their self-titled debut EP, slated for a February 19, 2019 release through RidingEasy Records, the trio quickly make their presence known as the song is centered around Hawk’s effects-laden vocals, enormous grunge rock meet thrash punk power chords, pummeling drumming, mosh pit friendly hooks and an aggressively sleazy, Troma Films-like vibe — and it’s fucking awesome.

New Video: The Wildly Psychedelic Visuals for Jon Spencer’s “Do The Trash Can”

Best known as a founding member of New York-based alt rock acts, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Boss Hog, Heavy Trash and Pussy Galore, Jon Spencer’s solo debut album Spencer Sings the Hits is slated for a November 9, 2018 through In The Red Records. And as you may recall, the Bill Skibbe-produced album, fiQnds the renowned guitarist and frontman embracing a DIY approach while collaborating with Quasi‘s and Heatmiser’s Sam Coombes and M. Sord.

“Do The Trash Can,” the album’s propulsive and blistering first single will further cement Spencer’s long-held reputation for a scuzzy and abrasive sound that draws from the blues, industrial rock and metal centered around a snarling, garage punk attitude, caustic power chords and an oddly danceable yet mosh pit friendly groove — while kicking ass and taking names. Interestingly, the recently released video continues Spencer’s ongoing collaboration with director Alex Italics and it’s a wild, psychedelic nightmare that subtly comments on American consumerism and our predilection for fast food-like products. 

New Video: Plague Vendor’s Frenetic New Single “Locomotive”

Over the years, I’ve written a bit about the Whittier, CA-based punk rock quartet Plague Vendor, and as you may recall the act which is comprised of Brandon Blaine (vocals), Luke Perine (drums), Michael Perez (bass) and Jay Rogers (guitar) formed back in 2009 — and in a short period of time, the members of Plague Vendor developed a reputation for frenetic and raucous live sets. Naturally, as a result of their reputation they played an increasing number of shows, and along with that they had begun to write an increasing batch of material. Those early live shows lead to 2014’s debut album debut Free to Eat, an album that has been described as terse, dark and thrashing post-punk.

2016’s Stuart Sikes-produced sophomore effort Bloodsweat landed at number 2 on this site’s Best of List, and from album singles “ISUA (I Stay Up Anyway)“, “Jezebel” and “No Bounty,” the album was full of frenetic, furious and anthemic punk performed with a blistering and undeniable swagger. Up until recently, two years had passed without any original material from the members of Plague Vendor; but before joining renowned producer John Congleton to begin work on their untitled third album, the members of Plague Vendor, along with Brett Gurewitz and engineer Morgan Stratton entered Sunset Sound Studio 2, where they spent a furious two days writing, completing and recording two songs in two days — the first single was the anxious, raw and stomping “I Only Speak in Fiction.” As the band’s Luke Perine explained in press notes at the time, the writing and recording of “I Only Speak in Fiction” helped revitalize the band and restore their focus. “As a band, we grow anxious—often depressed to some degree—during our downtime,” Perine said in press notes. “Having these two days to get in the studio ahead of working on the next album released a lot of that tension. It became a more productive two days than we expected, as we were only planning on recording one song. I think we are reaching a higher level of focus together as we go into this next album.”

The breakneck “Locomotive,” Plague Vendor’s latest single was recorded during the “I Only Speak in Friction” sessions, and track is centered by rapid fire four-on-the-floor drumming, brooding guitar chords, a chugging bass line, a mosh pit friendly hook and Blaine’s vocals, which shift from crooning to manic howling — and while the song possesses a primal and furious energy at its core, the new single reveals a band that has grown increasingly confident in their songwriting and approach, decidedly expanding upon the sound that has won them attention. 

The accompanying video captures the band at their best — live, frenetic, furious and downright rousing. 

Earlier this year, I wrote a bit about the Austin, TX-based trio Exhalants, and as you may recall, the band which features Steve (guitar, vocals), Bill (bass) and Body Pressure’s Tommy (drums), can trace its origins to the breakup of Steve’s and Bill’s previous band  Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes. As the story goes, with the inevitably downtime that’s a result of a band’s breakup, Steve wound up spending his free time further honing his guitar playing before he recruited his former CSSS bandmate and Tommy to complete the project’s lineup.

Released earlier this year, the band’s self-titled full-length debt was recorded and mixed by Ghetto Ghouls‘ Ian Rundell and mastered by Yeesh’s Greg Obis, and the albums largely inspired by  ShellacUnwound and Cherubs, while nodding at the work of contemporaries like MelkbellyKal Marks and A Deer A Horse  — or in other words, much like those bands, the album finds the band balancing pummeling and bruising heaviness with an underlining melodic sensibility. Interestingly, album single “Punishers” is an aptly titled, furious, abrasive and — well, punishing ripper centered by enormous power chords, wild peals of feedback and pummeling drumming. Sonically speaking, the song is a mosh pit-friendly anthemic that should be played way too loudly in a dark, sweaty room.

Unsurprisingly, the recently released video for “Punishers” will bring 120 Minutes-era MTV to mind, as its an equally pushing visual, consisting of warped, distorted VHS footage — and while old-timey, it manages to evoke the terror and fury of our time.

Now, as you recall, earlier this month I wrote about  Lifestyles‘ breakneck, pummeling and grungy “Wail,” which is one-half of a split 7 inch that Chicago-based label No Trend Records! will be releasing later the month. The second half of that split 7 inch features another Chicago punk rock act, Meat Wave. Interestingly, the act which features Chris Sutter, Joe Gac and Ryan Wizniak has developed a reputation for crafting brooding and bruising punk; however, their contribution to the split 7 inch “That’s Alright” is the only song in their growing catalog that has any semblance of positivity or light, as it’s an ode to love within the frequently evil, near apocalyptic world we currently inhabit.

Centered around pummeling and forcefully urgent groove and layers of distorted guitars, the track will further cement the trio’s reputation for bruising punk and while being mosh pit friendly, the song features a rousingly anthemic hook. Certainly, the song is a brief reminder that there are brief and sometimes fleeting moments of light in our dark and fucked up world, and that we need to hold on to them desperately — with every fiber of our beings.

The members of Meat Wave are currently on tour, opening for Cursive through mid-November and it includes a November 7, 2018 stop at Irving Plaza. Check out the tour dates below.

Tour Dates:
10/25 – Ybor City, FL – Pre-Fest
10/27 – Gainesville, FL – The Fest 17
10/28 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits*
10/30 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade*
10/31 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground*
11/01 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle*
11/02 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club*
11/03 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer*
11/04 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony*
11/06 –  Long Island, NY – Amityville Music Hall*
11/07 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza *
11/08 – Boston, MA – Paradise*
11/09 – Hamden, CT –  Space Ballroom*
11/10 – Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall*
11/11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater*
11/12 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups*
11/13 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop*
11/14 – Detroit, MI – El Club*
11/15 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall*
11/16 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon*
11/17 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club*
11/18 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room*
* w/ Cursive & Campdogzz

New Video: JOVM Mainstays Bambara Release Darkly Surreal Visuals for “Monument”

Now throughout the eight-plus year history of this site, I’ve written a lot about the JOVM mainstays Bambara, and as you may recall, the trio, comprised of twin brothers Reid and Blaze Bateh and their childhood friend William Brookshire released their Andy Chugg-produced third, full-length album Shadow on Everything through Wharf Cat Records earlier this year, and the album is a decisive new, sonic direction for the Brooklyn-based band as they moved away from the noisy punk and post-punk of their previous two albums 2013’s DREAMVIOLENCE and last year’s Swarm to incorporate a Western Gothic-inspired take on punk rock. And while the music center remains the trio’s tight and forceful rhythm section featuring Blaze Bateh’s frenzied yet incredibly metronomic drumming and Brookshire’s propulsive bass lines, unlike their previously recorded output, Shadow on Everything finds the band placing Reid Bateh’s vocals at the forefront, symbolically placing the damaged characters and seedy locales of his lyrics at center stage, and in some way it captures something wholly and uniquely — well, American.

With album single  “Jose Tries to Leave,” the members of Bambara managed to retain the forceful yet nightmarish dynamism, while focusing on the lives and thoughts of desperate, fucked up, seedy sorts — with a humanistic and novelistic attention to psychological detail and empathy.  “Doe-Eyed Girl,” continued in a similar vein but was imbued with a sweaty and furious urgency, fueled by a seemingly manic, desperate obsession.  “Sunbleached Skulls” may arguably be among the murkiest and bleakest songs of the Brooklyn band’s growing catalog  as Reid Bateh’s dark imagery centers around buzzing flies around sun-bleached bones, rotting flesh, dirt and grime paired with Brookshire’s propulsive bass, Blaze Bateh’s mathematically precise, metronomic drumming and shimmering bursts of Western guitar figures, and while the song evokes writhing about in dirt, grit and grime, underneath the bleak air and foul stenches, there’s a strange sort of peace  — the sort that comes when strangers have found brief moments of companionship, tenderness and comfort in someone else, even when fleeting.

“Monument,” Shadows on Everything’s latest single is a forceful, unrelenting and malevolent thrasher of a track, that’s centered around pent up and unfulfilled tension, obsession and questionable intent. Of course, much like album’s preceding singles Reid Bateh’s Georgia drawl sings stream of consciousness-like lyrics that at points possess a surreal and nightmarish beauty.  Directed by the members of the band and filmed by Tim Ciavara, the recently released video is shot in a lush and cinematic black and white that brings Anton Corbijn to mind while emphasizing the song’s malevolent, fucked up air.

 

Earlier this month, I wrote about the Austin, TX-based trio Exhalants, and as you may recall the band which features Steve (guitar, vocals), Bill (bass) and Tommy (drums), a member of Body Pressure, the band can trace its origins to the break of Steve and Bill’s previous band  Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes. With the inevitable downtime that happens when a band breaks up, Steve spent his free time further honing his guitar playing before recruiting his former CSSS bandmate and Tommy to complete the project’s lineup.

Recorded and mixed by Ghetto Ghouls‘ Ian Rundell and mastered by Yeesh’s Greg Obis, Exhalants’ forthcoming self-titled debut is largely inspired by the likes of ShellacUnwound and Cherubs, while nodding at the work of contemporaries like MelkbellyKal Marks and A Dear A Horse — or in other words, the album’s material finds the band balancing pummeling heaviness; in fact, album single “Latex” was an an anthemic ripper with enormous “raise your beer in the air and shout along” hooks, arena rock-like power chords and deep low end. And while being deceptively simple, the song upon repeated listens reveals rapid tonal and tempo shifts that are barely held together by the explosiveness of the band’s playing. “Punishers,” Exhalants’ latest single is a furious and aptly punishing ripper, complete with angular guitar power chords, wild peals of feedback and forceful drumming. It may arguably be the most punk rock and mosh-pit friendly songs off the album so far — but they do so while nodding at 90s alt rock.

 

Deriving their name from a British English word that means to be an avant-gardist — one who emphasizes, practices and celebrates experimental and unorthodox methods and techniques and incorporates them into a craft, Avantist is a South Side, Chicago-based post-punk act, comprised of the Arias Brothers, Luis (drums), David (guitar), Erick (bass) and Fernando (vocals). And over the past decade, the sibling band has dedicated their live stop making avant-garde music, centered around their shared personal philosophy that art is, should and must be progressive, dynamic and unconventional, and that creativity is something to incorporate in every single aspect of one’s life. \
Now, over the past few weeks I’ve written quite a bit about the Chicago-based sibling band, and as you may recall the band’s recently released EP Terasaoma finds the band stepping out of their comfort zone as they forced themselves to write, record, mix and master the EP’s material within a month, rather than the two years it took for their debut. And while further cementing the Arias Brothers reputation locally and regionally for crafting raucous and infectious post-punk, the band also manages to push their sound and songwriting in new and wildly different directions; in fact, the EP’s material runs the gamut from angular and furious post-punk to soulful R&B. EP single “this_could_be_it” was a thrashing and angular post-punk ripper that featured Fernando Arias singing alternating lyrics in Spanish and English. Interestingly, the EP’s latest single is the furious, screamo, thrash punk of “UVB_76,” a track that sonically reminds me a bit of Thrice and The Blood Brothers, thanks in part to its pummeling intensity.
The Arias Brothers are currently on the road to support the EP. Check out the remaining tour dates below.
Tour Dates
6/25 – Austin, TX – Beerland (w/ The Boleys, Desilu, Black Basements)
6/26 – Spring, TX – The Blue Giraffe (w/ Brainstorm fir Tuesday, Kaleidescope Project, and Zzyzx)
6/28 – Birmingham, AL – Firehouse (w/ False Jasmine, Bible Belt, Mike Hombre)
6/29 – Nashville, TN – Betty’s Grill
6/30 – Louisville, KY – Lydia House (w/ Wax Astro, Legs Akimbo)
7/01 – Champaign, IL – Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (w/ Arboris, Parachute Day)

Currently comprised of founding members and siblings Victor Ziolkowski (drums, vocals) and David Ziolkowski (guitar) and newest member Alex Recide (bass), the Austin-based thrash punks Skeleton features members of several applauded Austin-based punk bands including Nosferatu, Residual Kid, Recide, Enemy One, Plax and Witewash. Since their formation back in 2014, the band has gone through several lineup changes — and initially, the band was deeply influenced by the local punk scene of the last decade paired with industrial and noise rock. Although they’ve generally been much darker than most of their peers, the band’s recent sound has been decided riff-heavy, as it’s been influenced by Kyuss, Dystopia, Bolt Thrower and 90s black metal.

The band has released two flexi disc EPs — I Hate I Skate and Breathing Problem Productions through Super Secret Records; however, their soon-to-be EP, which was recorded by OBN IIIs’, A Giant Dog’s and Bad Sports‘ Orville Neely III and mastered by Seth Gibbs will be their first proper 7 inch release, and reportedly, the EP solidifies a punk leaning sound as they move forward metal on their full-length effort. “War,” the EP’s latest single is a bruising and pummeling punk assault reminiscent of JOVM mainstays Ex-Cult and old school NYC hardcore, but with a furious, booze-fueled misanthropy at its core. And holy shit, does it kick ass, take names and pisses all over everything.

The members of Skelton will be touring throughout July and August with Skourge. Check out the tour dates below.

Tour Dates
07/25 – Houston, TX @ TBA

07/26 – Austin, TX @ The Electric Church +

07/27 – Dallas, TX @ TBA +

07/28 – OKC, OK @ 89th Street Collective +

07/29 – Springfield, MO @ TBA +

07/30 – Denver, CO @ 7th Circle +

07/31 – Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA +

08/01 – Bosie, ID @ TBA +

08/02 – Portland, OR @ TBA +

08/03 – Seattle, WA @ TBA +

08/04 – 05 – Olympia, WA @ Olympia Hardcore Fest +

08/07 – Santa Rosa, CA @ TBA

08/09 – San Jose, CA @ TBA

08/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ TBA

08/11 – Fullerton, CA @ TBA

08/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ TBA
08/13 – El Paso, TX @ TBA
+ with Skourge

 

Austin, TX trio  Skeleton share the first track from their forthcoming EP today via Revolver Magazine. Hear and share “War” HERE. (Direct Soundcloud.)
Skeleton features members of other celebrated Austin punk bands Nosferatu, Residual KidThe Real Cost, Recide, Enemy One, Plax, and Witewash.
The band hits to road this summer for several dates, including a spot on the Olympia Hardcore Fest. Please see current dates below.
 
Skeleton was formed in 2014 by Victor Ziolkowski and David Ziolkowski in Austin, TX. Having had evolved from many different line ups and variations of the band, it’s now performing with Victor on drums and vocals, David on guitar, and Alex Recide on bass.
The band was originally influenced by the punk scene in Austin of the last 8 years, bands like Recide, Iron Youth, and Total Abuse also paired with industrial/noise vibes of Throbbing Gristle. They have always stayed on the more evil or dark end of the spectrum and incorporate dramatic live performances and stage set designs. The band’s more recent sound derives from riff-heavy bands like Kyuss, Dystopia, and Bolt Thrower with the atmosphere of early 90’s black metal.
Skeleton has released 2 previous flexi disc EPs on labels Super Secret Records, I Hate I Skate, and Breathing Problem Productions. This is the band’s first 7 inch release, and solidifies the punk sound of the group as they move toward the upcoming LP, which will be fully metal. The 7 inch was all written and performed by Victor Ziolkowski (on drums, bass, guitar and vocals) and David Ziolkowski (on lead guitar, and bass) Recorded in Austin by Orville Neeley (OBN III’s, A Giant Dog, Bad Sports) and Mastered by Seth Gibbs.
The 4-song EP will be available on 7″ and download on June 30, 2018 out via Super Secret Records. Available for pre-order HERE.
SKELETON TOUR 2018:
07/25 – Houston, TX @ TBA

07/26 – Austin, TX @ The Electric Church +

07/27 – Dallas, TX @ TBA +

07/28 – OKC, OK @ 89th Street Collective +

07/29 – Springfield, MO @ TBA +

07/30 – Denver, CO @ 7th Circle +

07/31 – Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA +

08/01 – Bosie, ID @ TBA +

08/02 – Portland, OR @ TBA +

08/03 – Seattle, WA @ TBA +

08/04 – 05 – Olympia, WA @ Olympia Hardcore Fest +

08/07 – Santa Rosa, CA @ TBA

08/09 – San Jose, CA @ TBA

08/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ TBA

08/11 – Fullerton, CA @ TBA

08/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ TBA
08/13 – El Paso, TX @ TBA
+ with Skourge