Empathy Compilation

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     I don't have much info to give regarding the origins of this comp. or the label that put it out. The Bandcamp says the label is from New York, but that doesn't help much. With little to no info guiding me in the right direction, the one thing I know for sure is that the six bands featured on this thing are all super rad and feature a bunch of my friends and their stellar musical visions. This starts with a relatively quick blast from Wet Petals from New York, who turn out a song that wouldn't have been out of place on a Jihad record. The second song is from People's Temple Project who are also from New York. They turn out a 13 second ditty that is over as quick as it began. Song number 3 comes to us from Baton Rouge's own Secret Smoker. They don't disappoint with their always solid take on DC influenced emocore and the longest song on the record. Coma Regalia from Indiana grace the number 4 spot with their already legendary take on emoviolence. The always mysterious Oregon/Canada basketcases in мятеж blow up song #5 with their own unnerving noise/lo-fi/violence concoction. Finally, rounding out this thing is the always entertaining Waller from Maryland. They throw down a track that brings to mind equal parts Killdozer and Scratch Acid. Completely odd and strangely fitting after the emo onslaught that preceded it. All in all, this compilation offers up a few bands that some folks may not be familiar with, some they most certainly will be familiar with and a concept as strange and mysterious as the label that put it out.

Ask For Answers - Speak

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     I'm gonna keep this review short and sweet because I think the music here can just speak for itself. Ask For Answers are a "virtual skramzgaze" band that exists between two different points on the map. Amado lives in Texas and Filip lives in Serbia. Together, they create songs that borrow equally from screamo, noise-rock and shoegaze and they do it damn well. These songs are terse, sharp bursts of lo-fi violence that will have you pinned to the floor and begging for air in no time. Imagine Jeromes Dream, Deafheaven, Idiot Pilot and Durga spending the weekend together in some dirty motel room off I-80 and you will have a pretty good idea what this sounds like. 

Hurricäde - Anachronisms LP

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     My goodness. Today marks an end to one of my longest inactive streaks ever. I couldn't think of a better way to pick up where I left off than by talking a bit about one of the great heavy hitters of the Spanish post-hardcore scene. Hurricäde is a 3-piece band who hail from Girona, a city in the northeastern part of Catalonia. They formed in 2007 and this is their first LP and third release overall after two stellar 10" records prior. Though this record came out in 2014, it's never too late to heap praise on perfection in sound. 

     As most of you know, Spain has long been a fertile breeding ground for some of the harshest, most inventive screamo of the last 15 years. I don't know what combination of ingredients came together to make the area so perfect with regards to birthing such an amazing and vibrant community, nor do I really care to know. The point is, Spanish screamo bands such as Costacurta, Heads And Heads, Ulises Lima, Colchon, OSTENde, Arse Moreira, Under The Waves, Enoch Ardon, Standstill, Gone With The Pain, Viva Belgrado & Hurricäde have all had a hand in creating music that continues to inspire and invoke heartfelt rumination.

     Musically, these guys take the best parts of the bands that came before and blend them to create an interesting amalgam of intense, noisy and claustrophobic screamo/post-hardcore that has certainly been hard to describe. The vocals are appropriately screamed with the occasional off-key singing part or spoken word build-up that brings to mind luminaries such as I, Robot & Yaphet Kotto. The guitars twist and flail around in an almost math-rock fashion which makes me think of Botch at times and June of 44 at others. The rhythm section certainly keeps the backbone strong here, with a heavy low-end and a drummer that can turn on a dime. Sometimes, the band will drop the chaos and settle into a bass-heavy groove where I can also decipher some influence from bands like Slint, Drive Like Jehu & Polvo. Definitely not a bad batch. 

         Saltamarges Records is a label you should definitely give your undivided attention to if you find yourself enjoying the heavier, noisier, post-rockier side of things. I can't recommend them enough. This LP is a perfect place to start.

Cutters - We Are The Quarry

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     The last time I reviewed Cutters, I likened their lo-fi approach to bands such as Built To Spill, Cloud Nothings and Teenage Cool Kids. On this new record, I believe they certainly retain a lot of that sound & feel, while throwing in a lot more straight-ahead rock-n-roll along the way. The vocals are still strong and clear and sung with so much heart it's near impossible not to sing along. The lyrics are brimming with positive vibes and hopeful miseries and I am more than reminded of Piebald in the lyrical and vocal delivery. So, Cutters have blessed their first LP upon the world filled with a little pop, a lot of rock-n-roll, a liberal dose of ramshackle fuzz and a whole lot of gusto. This time around, I am reminded of Piebald, Oxford Collapse, Reigning Sound and the aforementioned bands from the last review. All in all, this record has all the bases covered for fans of the straight up, good ol' fashioned boogie.

Kurt - Schesaplana LP

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     Years ago, while working at Amoeba Music in Berkeley, I stumbled across all three LP's by this German band named Kurt. I was familiar with the label X-Mist based on a few other releases they had put out by bands I knew and loved. Because of the label and the cover art of those records, I figured it would behoove me to take a chance and grab them up. Hell, they had been floating around in the dollar bin for longer than I can remember anyway... What a revelation!!!
     Yes, Kurt were from Germany. Yes, there are many traces of that metallic crunch that so many German bands have perfected in the past. Though, they certainly don't rely solely on that sound. There are also plenty of groovy, Quicksand-esque Post-Hardcore moments and more than a few moments where they even sound like Policy of 3 or John Henry West or any number of late 80's/early 90's "Emo" bands. Throw in flashes of lurching, shrieking Am-Rep guitar squall and you have one hell of a potent concoction.
     I recommend this for fans of everything from Systral and Acme to Jawbox and Helmet to Navio Forge and Universal Order Of Armageddon.

Putiferio - LovLovLov LP

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I am not working with a ton of time here, so I am going to throw up a couple records that I think are absolutely worthy of your attention while I have the chance. Putiferio are from Italy and play a raw style of noisy, Post-Hardcore that should appeal to fans of Mclusky, The Jesus Lizard and Helmet.

The United Sons Of Toil - Forces Of Production

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The United Sons Of Toil (UST) are from my home state of Wisconsin. Madison to be exact. They have been a band for quite some time now and if you haven't heard them, you should really do yourself a favor and give their albums a listen. They play a vicious style of 90's worshipping Noise-Rock that hearkens back to the glory days of Amphetamine Reptile and Touch & Go. If you have ever enjoyed Helmet or Shellac or Killdozer or Scratch Acid... You will most certainly get off on these guys. Bottom heavy and driving and caustic and confrontational all rolled into one. This new collection of songs happens to be a remix album by a bunch of artists I have never heard of, and one I have. I don't normally find myself attracted to remix albums, like, ever. Usually, I feel like the remix does a lot more to take away from the original power of whatever song is being remixed. That is not the case with these songs however. For whatever reason, I feel the songs that UST create lend themselves quite well to the cut-and-paste treatment. I have especially been drawn to the Guerrilla Digital reinterpretations. Possibly because I have met Martin, the man behind Guerrilla Digital, a few times before, but, there is just something so harsh and otherworldly about his take on their compositions. This is a very interesting idea put together by an amazing band who should be way bigger than they are. I am recommending this for fans of Sludge, Harsh-Noise and/or Trip-Hop. There is a little something here for everyone.

Windrone - Scraps EP

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Sometimes, I get requests to review records that just leave me stumped and bewildered. Windrone are one of those bands. Coming from Italy, these madmen have concocted a volatile whirlwind of riff-heavy distortion and sonic cacophony that reminds me of godheadsilo, The Jesus Lizard, early Helmet and almost everything else that came and went on the revered Amphetamine Reptile label. The thing is, where a lot of Noisy Rock bands tend to rely on the lumbering molasses dirge, these guys keep their songs traveling at a quick enough current that it is completely impossible to get bored. Their songs are raucous, blown-out affairs that leave little breathing room. To my ears, the tracks here are definitely culling from more of a Rock influence than a straight Punk influence, but, that does little to dull the intensity of the EP. The band is tightly wound, the vocals are gruff and forceful, the lyrics are strong... Everything needed to keep my interest in the long run. This should appeal to fans of the aforementioned bands as well as any Noise-Rock bands that know how to keep it heavy, without sacrificing that forceful, forward gallop. Think Mclusky. Think Future Of The Left. Think Karp. Think with the volume turned up all the way and a joint dangling from your lips. Think I'm kidding?