Suburban Voice blog #39

… a nice long blog here, making up for the three week gap. Let’s get to it…

IN DEFENCE OF NUDITY: PHOBIA? HEAVEN OR HELL?

This is a not-so-clever way of tying together reviews of three recent shows I attended. Actually, there was full nudity at one and partial nudity at another. I remember years ago, when interviewing MDC, Dave Dictor referred to Woodstock and how it was about “everyone get their ya-yas out, taking their shirt off, let’s go ball in the woods.” There weren’t any woods, not any ballin’ but shirts came off at all three.

The show with In Defence happened in a basement in Allston and they played with Disaster Strikes and Rabia. There was one other band who opened up but I didn’t catch their name and their punk tunes were on the mediocre side. Rabia are a ferocious punk band from NYC who brought it with energy and aggression the whole set. In Defence were up next. They’re setting up their gear and I’m waiting for their vocalist Ben Crew to appear. Oh man did he appear. Ben wasn’t wearing one stitch of clothing. Completely nekkid. And he didn’t just stand around, either. He charged around the room like a maniac. Good ripping hardcore mainly at a fast clip although the mid-tempo “Boom Box Crew,” a newer song with thrashy bursts, got a nice circle pit going. Somewhere along the way, Ben cut his foot on some glass or a can and had to be fixed up by a nice woman who knew first aid. By then, he’d finally put something on. I can do all the describing I want but here’s a picture to show what you missed:

I hadn’t seen Disaster Strikes for a few years and they made a power-packed showing. I don’t think their recordings capture the live thing at all. Jeff’s also an in-your-face frontman but he did keep most of his clothes on. Actually, I think he shed his shirt by set's end.

Next, from the basement to the arena for Heaven and Hell, Megadeth and Machine Head at the Tsongas Arena up in Lowell. I don’t think I’ve been to a show of this sort since the Ozzfest in 1999 and that was with the Ozzy-fronted version of Sabbath. Heaven and Hell are the Ronnie James Dio version, with Dio joined by Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Vinny Appice. They have to use that name because Sharon Osbourne owns the rights to the Sabbath name.

In any case, I knew we were at the right place because of the sight of long-haired metal dudes, some young, a lot of ‘em old and let’s say quite a few of the guys were on the paunchy side and their vintage Sab shirts didn’t always fit them too well. Actually, it was a mixed audience that included plenty of old-timers. It didn’t seem particularly rowdy compared to the arena shows I used to attend in the 80s and 90s. The security check wasn’t quite as bad as at clubs like Axis, although people weren’t even allowed to bring in lighters. I mean, what about holding up lighters during the ballads? Isn’t there any respect for rock ‘n roll tradition anymore? Sure, you can hold up your cellphone but it’s just not the same. At least a few managed to get certain things past security and we’ll get to that.

Machine Head opened the show before a fairly small audience. The sound was absolutely abysmal—it did improve later in the show. Some of the guys have Bay Area thrash roots with the band Vio-lence and that shows up a little bit in their sound although it’s kind of subsumed by nu-metal and rhythmic impulses. The band have been around 15 years at this point, through various permutations and the musical hodgepodge is semi-successful, better when the older influences drive the songs. One interesting item of note is that Robb Flynn dedicated a song to Dimebag Darrell, stating that a right wing blog had called him talentless and his death was “good riddance.” I was expecting him to turn it around and criticize the recently-departed Jerry Falwell’s life as a hate-filled preacher being worthy of the same kind of scorn. I suppose I was asking for too much there.

Around this time, a very foul-smelling, rather large gentleman (probably in the neighborhood of 300 lbs), accompanied by his wife/girlfriend/significant other showed up and sat down a few seats away. It wasn’t far enough. Shortly after, he sparked up a joint and very generously offered us a hit, which I politely declined. Nice of him to offer, though. He and the lady kept getting up and coming back. Whatever they were doing, he must have been pretty stoned because. later in the evening, the guy had shed his shirt. Ellen tapped me on the shoulder and told me to look behind me and that’s an image I may not be able to shake off for awhile.

Megadeth were up next and rocked pretty well. They played the “hits” including “Hangar 18,” “Holy Wars," "Wake Up Dead” and, of course, “Peace Sells,” along with a lot of songs I wasn’t as familiar with, probably due to the fact my Megadeth collection ends with 1990’s “Rust In Peace.” I guess it’s an all-new lineup. In any case, hair was flying all over the place and Mustaine looked to be in good shape and their 40 minute set was entertaining. Total metal.

Then it was time for Sabbath, er Heaven, er... fuck it… Sabbath. Ronnie James Dio is 64 years old, may not be able to hit the high notes quite as much as he used to but there is little diminishment in his pipes or energy level. This was showmanship, complete with lighting effects, some explosions, the silly, obligatory drum solo and a too-long version of “Heaven and Hell.” Still, these guys have style. I’ve always like Tony Iommi’s stage presence. He doesn’t do the big rock showman moves—no windmills, no crashing down on the strings, just blasting out the powerchords and leads with class and panache. On the other hand, Dio does every clichéd rock move in the book—pointing the fingers, showing the devil sign, twirling the mike stand when he picks it up. And I’m a sucker for it. Naturally, the set came from their three albums together, plus a couple of new ones that lumbered along with crushing riffage. Not even the sight of the obese, shirtless guy could ruin the night. In fact, it probably made it more memorable, for better or worse.

Finally, a few nights later, it was back to the sweaty, stifling Cambridge Elks for a 7 band show—of which I caught four of ‘em. So hot that people were taking off their shirts here, as well. It's a trend! As for the bands, Strong Intention seem to have veered towards more of a straight-forward thrash style, albeit not completely abandoning the grind elements. Probably the best I’ve seen them play. Phobia were next and their drummer is unbelievable. One local drummer was looking on in complete awe by this guy’s lightning-quick technique and he made it look easy. Tight and grinding, with plenty of audience interaction. Speaking of interaction and craziness for that matter, it was non-stop for Toxic Narcotic’s first local show in over a year. From the moment they started playing, the audience went nuts and it didn’t let up for their whole set. It seems as though TN were the band most people were there to see, because the place cleared out significantly after they played.

EXTREME NOISE TERROR

As for ENT, their two vocalists weren’t able to get through immigration by the time the show happened, so it was just the four musicians and one of the guitarists doing the vocals. It was adequately raging but they only played 15-20 minutes and one could argue we were watching an ENT covers band. Oh well.

MUSIC REVIEWS

BLÜDWÜLF-Cryptic Revelations (Charged, CD)
Do I have the umlauts correctly positioned? That should indicate that you’re about to encounter something metallic and that’s the case with this Rochester, NY band on their first album. Lord Reverend Jimmi Sinn (or James, if you want to be less formal) has a lower-register snarl, along with the occasional demonic tonsil expulsion. There’s a pronounced NWOBHM influence and it’s often fused to speedier impulses and they also rock out on occasion (“Hell Razor”). The presentation is cartoonish over the top and probably more than slightly tongue in cheek. A whole lot of fun you can pump your fist to. (PO Box 3118, Jersey City, NJ 07303-3118, www.chargedrecords.com)

BURIAL-Hungry Wolves (HG Fact, CD)
Not a new Burial release but a CD anthology of their two 7”s, a comp track and a pair of unreleased songs recorded at the same time as their album “Never Give Up… Never Give In.” A German band but these guys have a punishing Japanese hardcore influence. Whatever you want to call it, Burial bring it with a non-stop charge of battering-ram drumming (including a tiny bit of cowbell on the title track), blazing guitars and harsh vocals. They do slow it down a tad for “The Incurable Fever” and it’s a first class fist-pumper. The rest will get the heart, legs and other body parts pumping, as well. (www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

CHARGE-Who’s In Control?! (Reaper, CD)
The first song is called “Souled Out Souls” and Charge, a four piece from New Jersey, play what I guess could be called soul core. That’s not really meant as a compliment. In the early 90s, they would have been playing on a show with 24-7 Spyz or whatever incarnation of the Bad Brains were around at the time—and if it was the Chuck Mosley lineup, you’re fortunate you didn’t see it. Hard rock with a groove/rhythmic element and played with precision. Just not that interesting. (PO Box 2935, Liverpool, NY 13089, www.reaperhardcore.com)

CLOROX GIRLS-J’aime Les Filles (BYO, CD)
The skinny ties have been broken out, the Clorox Girls are back. Well, one long-time Girl, that is. Guitarist/vocalist Justin Maurer is the sole original member but the emphasis remains power-pop/punk. While there are some good songs here, more than enough to get by, the burn and buzz from the first two albums is somewhat absent.. Make that largely absent. The songs are still sprightly and catchy but the guitars aren’t nearly as loud and that’s what’s needed. They’ve always been a better live band anyway, so perhaps these songs will translate better but this album is something of a letdown. (PO Box 67609, LA, CA 90067, www.byorecords.com)

CONQUEST FOR DEATH-Front Row Tickets To Armageddon (Wajlemac, CD)
CFD have added a second guitarist since their first EP and it beefs up their sound. Perhaps I missed it before, but I hear some Bay Area thrash crossover on occasion, especially for “Night Crew” and the tight track, complete with gang vocals. Various tempos, all of it executed with precision and power and each instrument stands out—rumbling bass-lines, searing, wank-free guitar leads and solid drumming holding it all together. There’s certainly a reverence for older hardcore but it’s just part of the equation, not the whole deal. I can even get past the semi-pretentiousness of some of the titles—I mean, “Within The Whitewashed Walls Of The Sepulchral City”? I suppose it spurns thought while the songs are bashing your brains in. Extra credit for the more straightforward sentiments “Circle Pits, Not Prayer Circles.” (PO Box 8039, Emeryville, CA 94662, www.wajlemac.com)

GERIATRIC UNIT-Nuclear Accidents EP (Plastic Bomb, 12”)
First, there’s the name of the band and, on the insert, it says “Old-Fast-Loud,” so I don’t have to make any jokes myself. They did the work for me. There are people from Heresy in this band and they’re doing what they know best—making a hard ‘n fast thrash ruckus. Vocalist Gords has the appropriate rage in his voice and “Waste-Line” is a declaration: “OK, we’re old but still here… we’re still angry like you/pissed forever, running through.” This speaks volumes to yours truly and it sure ain’t a pose. Trust me on that one. These guys have the aches ‘n pains, the insomnia, the depression and this is an explosive, effective way to express all of it. (www.plasticbombrecords.de)

MOUTH SEWN SHUT-Doomed Future Today (Rodent Popsicle, CD)
Another cheery missive from Mouth Sewn Shut who, in case you forgot, include Bill and Will from Toxic Narcotic. More reggae this time, albeit raw and rocked-up. Little dub, no horns, not even a cute little ska beat. Meanwhile, the faster, hardcore songs aren’t that different from TN and the album starts with the explosive “When Is It Going To End.” The commonality between both bands, of course, is the fatalistic world view. I hope that the powers-that-be don’t read the lyrics to “Ass Ass In 8” (say it fast) with its exhortation “Pull the trigger before it’s too late.” I like the sentiments of “We’re All Immigrants,” which states the truthful fact that the only ones who aren’t illegal immigrants are the Native Americans and takes a shot at the xenophobes who love to toss around terms like “illegal alien” and want to build electrified fences along the border, etc. I’ll admit I’m more enamored with the non-reggae songs but this is hard-hitter. (PO Box 1143, Allston, MA 02134, www.rodentpopsicle.com)

PURE COUNTRY GOLD-s/t (Empty, CD)
Not really country but these two guys do dish out some 50s inspired rootsy rock ‘n roll and, after all, rock ‘n roll was the bastard offspring of country and rhythm. Just guitar and drums and Patrick’s emotional vocals. Emotional in a bad-ass way, not some pimple-faced pining. There are some flat-out rockers here—“Sittin’ At Club 21” and “Don’t Blame Me,” with some nifty whistling but there’s murder on the mind—it’s the old you ain’t mine/you ain’t livin’ theme. This’ll get your rump shakin’ nicely. (PO Box 12301, Portland, OR 97212, www.emptyrecords.com)

RUIDO-s/t (Know, LP)
Ruido’s early material, from the late ‘90s. Raw thrash, with Gen’s low-register growls, joined by a second vocalist and they definitely drew on Extreme Noise Terror and the like. A bug up their ass about religion with “Church and State,” “Hate You God” and their cover of the Fartz’ “Bible Stories.” Their cover of 7 Seconds’ “Fuck Your America” is well executed, as well. There are a couple of noisy, annoying transitions and spotty sound at times but most of this is good ‘n throttling. (PO Box 90579, Long Beach, CA 90809, www.knowrecords.com)

SEVERED HEAD OF STATE-Power Hazard EP (Havoc, 12”)
An improvement over their last album, the uneven “Anathema Device.” This 8 song EP seems a little more focused and the production is punchier, for want of a better term. The opening drumbeat provides a brief thought that they’re going to break into a cover of Priest’s “Hell Bent For Leather,” but then the Scandi-core speedroar comes in. A familiar sound but they do it very well. The melodic intro for “A Sacrament Of The Sick” is a cool touch, as well. With the lyrics, along with the lamentations about the endless cycle of war’s destructiveness and the hopelessness of any resolution, there are also a couple of songs dealing with mortality. SHOS’ vocalist Jack Control was stabbed nearly to death in early ’06 and “Deaths Marionnette” and “Adversity” seem to be about that. “Deaths Marionette” states “Flirting with death... death laughs/Begging for death… death just laughs.” It sounds as though he’s laughing back at death with “Adversity” That song starts with the exhortation “They have already written my eulogy though I am still standing and I still breathe/No fear inside and no end in sight/ I am not even close to that endless night,” concluding “The shadow of death follows me and I don’t give a fuck.” The latter comes across as an exclamation of triumph. That’s enough analysis. A powerful musical and lyrical statement. (PO Box 8585, Minneapolis, MN 55408, www.havocrex.com)

Suburban Voice blog #38

THE STATE

FINALLY, THE STATE HIT BOSTON

The State, as in the Michigan hardcore wrecking machine. A quick schooling, if you don’t know who they are. The State’s history actually dates back to the 70s but their first 7” EP, “No Illusions,” came out in 1983 and is one of the more overlooked vinyl artifacts from that era and also one of my favorites. A raw, pissed-off hardcore sound that merged the brawn of the time with some innovative guitar scorch by Art Tendler. They stuck around until sometime in the late 80s. In ’03, three quarters of the “No Illusions” lineup reunited to play a benefit for an area record store, State Control Records, and have been back together ever since. 2006 saw their first new recordings in two decades, in the form of the “All Wrong” LP.

Time may have passed but the State sound just as pissed and agitated as ever. Vocalist Preston Woodward is all business, barking out the words and going onto the floor to get up in peoples’ faces and make sure they get the point. They began the set by playing the 7” in order, in its entirety and the balance consisted of songs from the LP, another 80s vintage song, “State,” one new song (they have 15 new songs recorded) and an encore of Discharge’s “State Violence State Control.” A friend of mine gets pissed when I bring up age, since she thinks it’s a state (no pun intended) of mind and she may have a point. Still, it’s pretty damned cool to see people in my age vicinity that are still committed to making a loud statement and don’t look ridiculous doing so. Hell, they could teach some bands half their age about the fine art of raging.

I didn’t get to see much of the other bands—I did see Mind Eraser’s intense, punishing set of speed and heavy crawl and a few songs from Scapegoat, who operate in a similar vein. Standing next to the PA during those bands is akin to having bricks clapped hard onto the sides of your head. I missed Psycho since I was interviewing the State at that point.

THE RETURN OF TOTAL FURY

Not to stereotype but it seems as though, no matter the style, most Japanese bands I’ve seen over the years know how to put on one hell of a show. This goes for garage punk bands like Teengenerate and Guitar Wolf, street punk like Tom and Boot Boys and such hardcore purveyors as DSB, Forward, Warhead and these guys. Total Fury were in the States in ’01 and ’02 and their pure rush of energy quickly won people over. Drawing heavily on early 80s hardcore, particularly of the Dischord variety but not restricted to that. In any case, it’s 2007 and they’re back and ready to raise havoc once again. No disappointment. Sure, it was chaotic, sometimes threatening to fly apart but the floor exploded when they opened their set with SSD’s “Glue.” Kenji held up a Red Sox logo as a tribute, although he did admit to me he’s a Yankees fan. That’s OK—I’ll give him a pass. Actually, except for the covers, there weren’t always a ton of people dancing. There was a sideshow that had started earlier in the evening with two guys doing low-budget pro wrestling moves. I was amazed they didn’t kill themselves while partaking in the elbow drops. The “TO-TAL FU-RY” chant was resurrected from ’01—think about the “Let’s Go Red Sox” and the rhythmic clapping that follows. That’s what the chant is based on. At the end, everyone’s sweaty and there’s a satisfying feeling. Hmm… that could be taken a few ways but I’m talking about the music’s effect. I counted 24 songs on their set list and it didn’t take them long to rip through all of ‘em. Their cover of Scream’s “New Song” was a pleasant surprise—very few bands cover Scream. One of those sets where it’s tough to fight off the urge to go in the pit and raise hell.

Total Fury were on tour with Reagan SS, who were on the east coast for the first time, and Albany band The Jury. Reagan SS have a whirlwind sound that was bookended by a heavy-as-fuck intro and outro. Matching Flying V’s for the guitarist and bass-player and that four-string plucker, Andy, was the weapon here. Wanton finger-picking and making the floor rumble in a Mikey Donaldson (Offenders/MDC) kind of way. Matt and The Jury’s vocalist Mike have something in common. Both scream until their voices are raw and their faces turn purplish-red in the process. The Jury are pared down to a four piece these days but the sound remains razor-sharp and aggressive.

REAGAN SS

There were three local openers and they all put in solid performances. This was my first time seeing Step Forward and I liked their brief, catchy hardcore blasts. Close Call have recently re-formed and they have a good blend of speed and heavier elements. Waste Management have a tough, muscular 80s-inspired sound. A great night all around.

MUSIC REVIEWS

BLACK SS/HOW WE ARE-split (Stop Whining, Start Winning/Specimen 32, 7” EP)
Black SS return with three more hearty, bruising hardcore punk songs. “Subhuman” is on a level with their album, the other tracks slightly less so. How We Are, meanwhile, merge hardcore and some melodic elements. Heavy and driving, but Black SS are the attraction here, by far. (SWSW: 58 Belaire Dr., Horseheads, NY 14845, swx2records@gmail.com)

BORN BAD-s/t (Fashionable Idiots, 7” EP)
Sheesh—this is bad-ASS. Raw hardcore punk in a stripped-down format. Three fast ones on the A-side but, on the flip, they slow it down a tad and get a little more rockin’ for “Walls” and “Dead Or Alive.” The lyrics fall into the rantology realm—“I don’t need your bullshit, I don’t need your fuckin’ rules” is the opening salutation for “Authority Bullshit.” Rantology coupled with bruiseology—you get the idea. (PO Box 580131, Minneapolis, MN 55458, www.fashionableidiots.com)

HOMBRINUS DUDES-Politi-Kill (I Deal, LP)
Ear canal-a-kill. A grinding/thrashing two piece that bash out some nasty sounds—subterranean growls and high-pitched shrieks and the lyric sheet is a necessity. It also helped me in figuring out the name of the band, which is pretty damned close to illegible on the cover. The duo’s lyrics about a world in decay are on the money. I just wish their brand of early Napalm Death-inspired brutality was more listenable. Nice “Supernaut” lick at the end of their cover of Sepultura’s “Anti-Cop.” (19 Goldsmith St., Littleton, MA 01460, www.i-dealrecords.com)

ICU-17 Minutes (Put-On, 7” EP)
All that noise is coming from just guitar and drums? There’s enough fuzz that the bass isn’t missed on this three song EP. Attitudinal punk rock/garage bashing from guitarist/vocalist Peewee and her drummer accomplice Memphis Mike for both “17 Minutes” and “AP,” while the flip is their volume-drenched take on Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play.” Nice ‘n loud. (131 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211, www.passoutrecordshop.com)

KVOTERINGEN-Bister Prognos (Terötten, LP)
I’d probably mangle this Swedish band’s name if I tried to pronounce it—I’ll bet I did when I played songs off this LP on the radio show. The band’s guitarist, Jallo, has logged time in Totalitär, Meanwhile, Krigshot and other prime units of raucous shredabililty. One side features new, unreleased material and the flip has tracks taken from two EPs and a split with Pisschrist, all recorded over the past few years. To say that Discharge is an inspiration on some of these songs would be an understatement—“Om 40 År” is a melding of “Death Dealers” and “Free Speech For The Dumb.” “Det Var Då Väl Det Va!?” is a take on “Protest and Survive.” That doesn’t go for every song but the pillaging and decibel level never wanes. What makes this album so goddamned good is the rawness and wanton way in which they smash out these songs. When this style is played too cleanly, it can detract a bit. No problem here. (distr. in US by Havoc, PO Box 8585, Minneapolis, MN 55048, www.havocrex.com)

SEX/VID-Tania EP (Dom America, 7” EP)
This band have an assaultive way of doing things. Over-the-top aggression fueled by shit-hot guitar/bass that creates unholy havoc. I’ve hyperbolized enough. Sex/Vid just bring it in no quarter hardcore punk fashion. Incidentally, the mid-tempo, bashing title track refers to Patty Hearst’s guerilla name after she was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army and developed a case of Stockholm Syndrome. Killer… now, anyone want to hook me up with their first record? You can probably find this record through various distributors. The record only has a band contact—PO Box 2066, Olympia, WA 98507)

STATE-Nixed Life (Grand Theft Audio, CD)
It’s tough to beat an anthology that leads off with one of the best US hardcore 7”s of the early 80s. I’ve sung the praises of this band’s “No Illusion” EP since I got it ca. 1983. Even with the remixed version, it’s still a killer. Pissed-off sentiments and a sound that had the thrash elements, accompanied by some noise-damaged guitar ear-singe. That’s followed by a boatload of unreleased material—their ’83 demo, which showed the State playing up the bootboy angle a bit, while maintaining the razor-sharp hardcore. This is a raw as fuck recording and, even through the hiss, the power emerges. Then there are a few so-so rehearsal demos, rebounding for a smokin’ live radio set from 1983. The recordings reach as far back as 1980-81, when there was a different lineup, with guitarist Art Tendler on vocals, and the songs take more of a garage/rock ‘n roll turn, particularly for “I’m On The Outside,” which has Stooge Ron Asheton’s guitar playing all over it. Except for the political nature of some of the lyrics, there’s definitely a stylistic difference from what would follow later on. There are extensive liner notes that tell a very interesting story about this band’s evolution. Also, you should be grateful that they left off the not-so-hot 1986 LP, “False Power.” (501 W. Glenoaks, PMB 313, Glendale, CA 91202, www.myspace.com/grandtheftaudiorecords)

UV RAYS-Night Of The Living Dudes (Garagepop, CD)
I suppose you could spell it “rawk” for these upstate Noo Yawk rawkers. I’m sorry for the previous sentence but it’s accurate. In any case, this is fired-up fodder with loud guitars and a hint of sleaze, with the partyin’ lyrics but it’s a dark party. “Kick The Corpse” takes more of a political turn, for instance—visions of dead politicians and I imagine there will be one hell of a party after that happens. Of course, it’s not likely but it’s still a nice sentiment. The vocalist, who goes by the name of Ultra-What?, has a nasally-yet-confident cadence, like a more pissed-off Axl Rose at times. Furiousness on display. One minor quibble—the world doesn’t need yet another cover of Gang Green’s “Alcohol.” (PO Box 88003, Rochester, NY 14618, www.garagepoprecords.com)

VARIOUS-Brandon Hardcore: Music For The Kids (Burn Brandon, 7” EP)
A free compilation 7” (if you’re not a local, just send postage money to cover the shipping cost) that includes some kickass hardcore from the area. Brandon is just outside of Tampa and the scene centers around the Sound Idea store. I’ve been there a few times and it was refreshing to see such an enthusiastic hardcore gathering point in the midst of depressing urban/suburban sprawl. The bands are a mixed lot—I’m not too enamored of the grindier Small Talk Death, for instance, but Machete Attack and Bad Eating Habits rage with authority. Reckless Deerhunters’ sole song is a fairly rockin’ punk tune and Gross National Product’s straight-ahead hardcore has come quite a way since their demo. Control De Estado mangle the Pink Lincolns’ “I’ve Got My Tie On” beyond recognition. Hey, can’t beat the price. (sndidea@ix.netcom.com)