Zyklome A - Made In Belgium

Artist: Zyklome A
Album: Made In Belgium
Release: 1984
Label: Punk Etc.

Tracklist:

1. Belgium

2. Change Your Life

3. I Hate This World, But I Love My Life

4. Last War

5. Atomic Powers

6. Sick Administration

7. People Die

8. De Bommen Vallen

9. Computerized World

10. Angry Faces

11. Abort All Wars

12. Te Laat...

13. Different Kind Of People

14. School

15. In The Night I Feel Free

16. The End

I'm by no means a Belgian punk scholar, but if I were to place a safe bet on what would constitute as the best punk record from a country known for its Ritter Sport chocolates [Note: This is apparently German, not Belgian,] its egg-heavy waffles, and its Spoiler, I would say it was the lone LP of Zyklome A. Following a split 7" with the band Moral Demolition, Made In Belgium is one fine slab of fast, crusty hardcore. It's so fine that I also count it as one of the few, thirty minute-long punk records that I can breeze through effortlessly. Despite each song being incredible intense, the record never actually gets stale or monotonous. Almost every song is an anthem in and of itself. Try not combination headbang and fist pump during "People Die." ¡Que clásico!

If this isn't the best punk rock record to come out of Belgium, then I don't know what is. Really. I don't, so please enlighten me!

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-Adam

The Aborted - Wolf Dog 7"

Artist: The Aborted
Album: Wolf Dog 7"
Release: 2001
Label: Puke 'N' Vomit

Tracklist:

1. Wolf Dog

2. I Need Pills

WOLF DOGGGGGG!!! WOLF DOGGGGGG!!! Hands down one of the best, if not THE best, HARDCORE single from Orange County in the confusing time period that was 2000-2009. To my knowledge this band STILL plays, and after this record they managed to put out a handful of mediocre to just plain BAD records. Still, this thing is a god damn classic.

I used to work for the guitar player of this band. When I first started working with him, he handed me a huge stack of records that he had released. I didn't like most of the stuff he gave me (I kept two or three records out of a stack of twenty something), but this record blew me away. The first thing I thought was "this sounds like a lost h100s/Clevo scumbag record," and I eagerly awaited putting on the next Aborted single, but was dissappointed to find that nothing was ever going to be as good as WOLF DOG. I asked him about the WOLF DOG 7" and asked him how they recorded it, and he told me that everything was recorded in one take to a 4-track in an open garage. 300 copies pressed, all on red vinyl, and as far as I know the label STILL has copies. There is a tour cover as well (limited to 14? or 24? I can't remember, it's in a box somewhere) and, of course, test presses.

If you are ever in Orange County, see if the Aborted is playing, as far as I know the singer is still shoving nightsticks up his ass while the band belts out such modern classics as "WOLF DOG" or "I NEED PILLS." AMAZING.

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-Branden

The Scrotum Poles - Revelation 7"

Artist: The Scrotum Poles

Album: Revelation 7"
Release: 1980
Label: One Tone

Tracklist:

1. Why Don't You Come Out Tonight?

2. Night Train

3. Pick The Cat's Eyes Out

4. Helicopter Honeymoon

5. Radio Tay

I first heard about the Scrotum Poles from a reader of our blog when he introduced me to the Auchmithie Forever LP from 2009, a collection of home and demo recordings from this obscure and almost-forgotten Scottish post-punk/indie pop band.

Before we go any further, though, let's get the obvious out of the way: this band has one of the worst names ever. I know it's mind-numbingly stupid, but I implore you to look past that shortcoming to realize that this 7" truly is a pop gem. The record is curiously paced, with each song being more intense and energetic than the one before it, from the lethargic "Why Don't You Come Out Tonight" to the catchy punk of "Radio Tay."

These songs are great (though, I still have no idea what a Radio Tay is), but it's what lies in between those bookends that make up the real meat of the record. These three songs are some of the catchiest songs to come out of Scotland. The real hit is "Pick The Cat's Eyes Out," which rivals the best from fellow countrymen Orange Juice and Josef K. Seriously, it's one of the best pop songs I've ever heard in my life. Expect it on any mix I make from 2010 and on.

If you wanted to own this, you no longer need to fork over hundreds of your hard earned/inherited dollars, as this 7" was FINALLY reissued by Dulc-I-Tone records. Surprising it took them so long, as their release of Auchmithie Forever was greeted primarily with the warcry of "but what about the Revelation???"

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-Adam

Lust For Youth - Solar Flare

Artist: Lust For Youth
Album: Solar Flare
Release: 2011
Label: Avant!

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Dreams

3. Ruins

4. Solar Flare

5. Sickness

6. Eternity Now

7. Far Away

8. Black Death

9. Strings

10. Falling

11. Taste Of Skin

12. Red Lights

Lust For Youth is a synth heavy/dark lo-fi two piece from Sweden. Their brooding debut LP Solar Flare is one of my most heavily-rotated records this summer. You’ll find yourself nodding along to the cadence and noise that you’ll carry for days. Some of the tracks feel like they could almost be danceable at time, with pop melodies making brief appearances throughout. The beats are buried below layers of fuzz, though, as are the vocals. Contrary to what the album title might convey, the atmosphere on Solar Flare feels cold and despondent; each track seamlessly flows into the next and I love it. For me, this is the perfect album for collapsing on relentlessly hot summer nights.

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-Clinfardo

Leather - Sterile 7"

Artist: Leather
Album: Sterile 7"
Release: 2011
Label: Jade Tree

Tracklist:

1. No Motivation

2. Zek

3. Relapse

4. Novitate

Philly's most hated (or ignored?) punk band returns with a new 7" on Jade Tree of all labels. After a kinda cool demo and a pretty good debut 7" (that song "Prince Of The Salon" still kills it), the band achieves something that the potential of earlier releases hinted at.

The first thing that makes this record better than past efforts is the recording. It sounds cleaner and fuller than that old stuff, which works to its advantage. It took me a second to realize this and I found myself mildly offended by the recording, at first. Ultimately, though, it really accentuates the vocals, which have been a huge point of contention with this band in the past. Either you love 'em or hate 'em...I happen to love 'em. This dude's weird caterwauling is so good that I'm actually convinced that this guy has had plenty of vocal training and is actually a good singer. The music is also getting better and better. The much-improved rerecording of the demo cut "No Motivation," while cool, pales in comparison to the three newer songs. That's definitely a testament to the improvement of their songwriting.

My pet peeve with this record is that it's two short songs on Side A and two long songs on Side B, making the record a 33rpm 7" instead of a 45rpm 7". FUCK YOU, LEATHER. Why???

Make sure to check this out. Philly is actually pumping out good music for the first time in forever! Well, just Leather and Sickoids. Sickoids is so fucking good.

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-Adam

Gatecrashers - Desillusioned 7"

Artist: Gatecrashers
Album: Desillusioned 7"
Year: 1980
Label: Irmgardz...

Tracklist:

1. Spectator
2. Desillusioned
3. Idols

Awesome single from Denmark's Gatecrashers. Unfortunately, I don't think this band ended up doing anything other than this 7". The A side was comped on Bloodstains Across Denmark, but for some reason the B side wasn't. It's a damn shame to because all the songs on this record are great. I swear if more sessions or unreleased material popped up from this band I am pretty sure I would cream my pants; this single is just too fucking good for there not to be more material out there. I LOVE the keyboard that this band uses and I usually HATE keyboards and "New Wave" in general, but the keyboards on this record are way to damn fast to be classified as "New Wave". Although it doesn't pop up for sale to often, this record doesn't command a high price so it shouldn't be to hard to get and it is definitely worth the price of admission.

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-Branden

Perdition - Self Titled 7" [Toxic State]

Artist: Perdition
Album: Self Titled 7" [Toxic State]
Release: 2011

Label: Toxic State

Tracklist:

1. Wrath

2. Corpse Of Life

3. Silence

4. Violent Peace

Finally, the new Perdition 7" has arrived! Coming hot off the heels of an excellent side of a split 7" with Nerveskade (wet dream for noise punk aficionados, myself not included in that camp, thank god), Perdition has released what is probably their finest material to date. If you've never heard one of NYC's greatest contemporary punk bands, the best way I can describe them to you is as a conglomeration of UK82, Japanese, and Scandinavian punk stylees. I'd say more heavily on the European side of things.

If you've followed Perdition in the past, the first thing you'll notice about this material is how much noisier it is than previous efforts, even that last split. It kind of caught me off-guard, though having witnessed their live show for awhile now, I shouldn't have actually been that surprised. Honestly, I wish the production fell somewhere in between the 2nd 7" on Distort Reality and this where this sound lies.

Still, I feel like with this EP, the band has probably accomplished what they set out to achieve in terms of sound, making this the quintessential Perdition release, as of now. The characteristic this band possesses over most contemporary acts of this style is pure songwriting skill. Yeah, you can rock that white noise guitar shit all you want, but if you don't have a good song under it, I don't care. Perdition manage to write incredible songs, ergo they are incredible. This batch of songs is amongst their best, with "Violent Peace" rivaling "Devour" for position of "Best Perdition Song" in my heart :).

You should not hesitate to download this. Perdition have put out what is definitely one of my favorite releases of the year, both in terms of musical product and packaging. This 7" looks reaaaal good, though don't all Toxic State releases as of late? There might be cheap imitators popping up (off their bikes) across the country, but know that Perdition are the real deal.

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To buy, email toxicstaterecords@gmail.com

-Adam

Crazy Spirit - I'm Dead 7"

Artist: Crazy Spirit
Album: I'm Dead 7"
Release: 2011
Label: Mata La Musica Discos

Tracklist:

1. I'm Dead
2. This World Is Not My Home

3. Knives

The Crazy Spirit I'm Dead 7" is the first release of new material by this gaggle of NYC local toughs since their much-heralded debut 7" of last year. Despite this being put out by the LA based Mata La Musica Discos, the physical record is similar in quality and style to Crazy Spirit's wonderful first 7" and keeps up the matted, inky Toxic State look.

The signature Crazy Spirit gallop blazes through these three songs in the fashion we all know (and love). "I'm Dead" is a hold-over from the band's demo but is recorded with new loudness and intensity that brings out the haunting, sustained guitar that makes this band a tasty oasis in the raw punk desert. "This World Is Not My Home" (my favorite track) is definitely the most sincere Crazy Spirit track to date. The lyrics, I've heard, are borrowed or altered from a Christian spiritual or folk song but when combined with this churning, longer jam make it classic. Really creepy though, as the vocals and lyrics ask you to join their singer in a voyage to an alternate plane. "Knives" blasts through in just over a minute with a mournful lead.

An excellent, very dark record.

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-Colman

Hank Wood & The Hammerheads - Self Titled 7"

Artist: Hank Wood & The Hammerheads
Album: Self Titled 7"
Release: 2011
Label: Toxic State

Tracklist:

1. Shoulda Listen (To Mommah)

2. Fever Breaks

3. I'm Hungry

Successfully following up the release of two of last year's hottest punk records (the Crazy Spirit and Dawn Of Humans 7"s) would seem like a daunting, if not impossible, task, but not for Toxic State, who has quickly ascended into the role of the best punk label in NYC. The Toxic State bois have just released three bangers: the newest Perdition 7", a tape version of the soon-to-be-SMRT-released Long Pigs 7", and this curious 7", the debut Hank Wood & the Hammerheads record.

This record is definitely the black sheep of this batch of records, as it doesn't fit comfortably in the punk/hardcore realm as well as the other releases do. Actually, this record has more in common with garage rock than it does hardcore. Still, it's actually, by far, the most infectious of these new records. These three songs are insanely catchy, keyboard-drenched, punk stompers fronted by a Sephardic miscreant known only by the mysterious handle of Hank Wood. This record possesses such snarky, yet dangerous attitude. While listening to this, I imagine some coked-up hooligan marching down the streets of the Lower East Side, cat-calling women and trying to pick fights with lowly nerds, such as myself. I hate it. These songs contain elements of danger and sketchiness that not many punk records actually possess these days.

Avoid introducing these boys to Mommah. Except the bassist, he seems completely friendly and, just maybe, husband material.

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To buy, email toxicstaterecords@gmail.com

NYC/Brooklyn: Three shows you should go to...

Hey everyone, we're gearing up for a blitzkrieg of new posts, including some from a new poster! Exciting! Until then, if you live in the NYC area, let us shamelessly promote two shows that are happening very soon that overlap. These shows are for Wiccans and Rational Animals, which are both a part of the Katorga Works roster, have released their debuts LPs, and who are both on big tours.

AND

July 14th

Wiccans
Fleshtemple
Shingles
DJ JK

@ Bruar Falls
245 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY

July 15th:

Rational Animals (LP Release/Tour Kickoff)
Wiccans
Hoax
CREEM
+ maybe Hank Wood & the Hammerheads (we shall see!)

@ Tommy's Tavern
1014 Manhattan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY

July 16th

Nomos
Leather
Rational Animals
Pygmy Shrews

@ Union Pool
484 Union Ave
Brooklyn, NY
21+

New Katorga Works Release: Rational Animals - Bock Rock Parade LP

Artist: Rational Animals
Album: Bock Rock Parade
Release: 2011

Label: Katorga Works

Tracklist:

1. Crumbling Buildings

2. Guess What? (Crunch)

3. Darker Shade Of Blue

4. Someone Like You

5. Thought Debris

6. My Treat

7. Toy Box

8. If Only You Could Hear Me Now

Colman and I have released yet another record! Here is the stock description of it:

"A true heavy metal band" from Rochester, NY, Rational Animals have exceeded even our overly-generous expectations with their debut LP, Bock Rock Parade. The band made a name for itself on its first two 7"s with its modern stylings on late-era Black Flag and general Greg Ginn-worship, but it's clear that the band has come a long way from that point. Incorporating a wide variety of newer influences into its already atypical hardcore blueprint, the band has developed and progressed its sound into something absolutely fresh and essential.

Despite the numerous delays, this record came out SO good. We're absolutely in love with it. Hopefully you will fall for it, as well.

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-Adam/Colman