Brutality Will Prevail

'Forgotten soul' 12"

Dead End Records

'Alone again, cold and scared. Trapped in the dark, key thrown away. No one cares if you were to die. Forgotten life, forgotten soul. You're giving up again, it cannot be too late. Death will catch up with you in the end. I'll be there when you fail. Only dilussions in your eyes, to take you away. Your promises were never kept. Time to face what you set' (lyrics of 'Forgotten soul')

This is probably not a posi - hardcore record that you'll make you dance 2-step & sing-along while wearing your nike air max shoes and drinking proudly your -responsible for the death and exploitation of millions- coke.
Fuck it! This is depressive & dark hardcore music with melancholic yet melodic guitar melodies and lyrics to blacken your heart.
When I got the vinyls from my friend that owns Dead End Records, the first thought that occured my mind was that I was going to love that 12". Awesome, eye-catching cover and insert, plus a fucking amazing splattered colored vinyl (seafoam green with red swirl). I'm including the website of the guy that did that great illustration (Sin-Eater Illustration) in the links below.
So, that LP is fucking good. Fans of Integrity / Holy Terror movement, Rise & Fall and Trap Them will really love this. Tight production, great vocals, fantastic guitar riffs (that sometimes are post-hc-ish enough to make you reconsider the term 'post-hc') and strong rhythm section / double bass pedal.
Wait, wait... Believe me, this is a fucking cool record. Get it now, or on Friday night during the NTB show in Athens, I'll carry a bunch of copies in WAK distro.

P.S. I just decided to review only vinyls till the end of the year, with the exception of some amazing Deathwish and Refuse Records releases that are waiting for me patiently in the records' shelf. I figured out that there is a huge pile of 12"s and 7"s that wait to be reviewed since last year, so I have to concetrate on them. After all, CD is a fucking piece of plastic that sucks a lot.

http://www.myspace.com/brutalitywillprevail
http://brutalitywillprevail.blogspot.com
http://www.deadendrecords.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/mattyglover

Picture

Perfect

Smiles

Darkest thoughts wreck my brain
Constant struggle constant strain
What I hear are bullshit stories
of a world that's gone insane

In time we all will burn
For our actions it's our turn
We all know they won't back down
Retribution is their only crown

Over and over they try to fuck us over
Empty hearted with picture perfect smiles
Over and over they try to fuck us over

'Picture Perfect Smiles' by No Turning Back.

Tattoo photo taken from NTB myspace.
http://www.myspace.com/noturningbackhardcore

NO TURNING BACK

+ Eden Demise, Tardive Dyskinesia

20th November | AN Club, Athens

Για 2^η φορά μέσα σε ένα χρόνο η μεγαλύτερη και πιο ενεργή HARDCORE μπάντα της Ευρώπης επισκέπτεται την Αθήνα για ένα μοναδικό show.

Όσοι παρευρέθηκαν στο Positively Positive Hardcore Fest 2 στο AN Club στα τέλη του περασμένου Δεκέμβρη, ξέρουν ακριβώς περί τίνος πρόκειται. Οι υπόλοιποι καλά θα κάνουν να βρίσκονται στο AN Club – και πάλι – την Παρασκευή 20 Νοέμβρη για να μην χάσουν ένα από τα λίγα HARDCORE shows που λαμβάνουν χώρα τα τελευταία χρόνια στην Αθήνα.

Τα λόγια είναι περιττά…

NO TURNING BACK:

Ξεκινώντας, ως 16χρονοι, το 1997 από τα νότια της Ολλανδίας, κανείς τους δεν φανταζόταν ότι εν έτη 2009 οι No Turning Back θα θεωρούταν μία από τις καλύτερες hardcore μπάντες όχι μόνο της Ευρώπης αλλά και ολόκληρης της υφηλίου…

Πιστοί στον heavy hardcore ήχο, παίρνοντας στοιχεία τόσο από την σκηνή της Νέας Υόρκης όσο και από την Ευρωπαϊκή old school σχολή, έχουν καταφέρει να δημιουργήσουν ένα προσωπικό και αναγνωρίσιμο στυλ με το οποίο μπορεί κανείς εύκολα να ταυτιστεί ακούγοντας τις κυκλοφορίες τους. Κυκλοφορίες που συμπεριλαμβάνουν 4 full lengths, ένα best of 1997-2007, 3 splits με μπάντες όπως The Deal (νυν Rise & Fall), Internal Affairs, No Apologies και Strength For A Reason, καθώς και ένα αξιοσέβαστο αριθμών demos, MCDs και 7”s, από εταιρίες που ποικίλλουν από την Bridge Nine και την GSR Music (ex-Gangstyle Records) ως την Reflections και την δική τους Bust! Records, και από την Ιαπωνική Alliance Trax ως την Νοτιοαφρικανική Give & Take Records.

Και από συναυλίες δεν τα πάνε και άσχημα όμως… Έχοντας παίξει κυριολεκτικά εκατοντάδες shows σε όλο τον κόσμο και σε χώρες όπως Ιαπωνία, Κολομβία, Χιλή, Αργεντινή, Βραζιλία, Κίνα, Ισπανία και Ισραήλ, ενώ έχουν περιοδεύσει αμέτρητες φορές σε Ευρώπη και Αμερική (τόσο στην ανατολική όσο και στην δυτική ακτή), παίζοντας σχεδόν σε όλα τα μεγάλα hardcore festivals.

Για να μην κουράζουμε, μια βόλτα από το ΑΝ το βράδυ της 20^ης Νοέμβρη, αρκεί να σας πείσει για την αξία τους.

Url: www.myspace.com/noturningbackhardcore

EDEN DEMISE:

Οι Eden Demise είναι αναμφίβολα η καλύτερη brutal / heavy hardcore μπάντα της χώρας μας. Δημιουργήθηκαν στην Αθήνα το 2004 έχοντας αρχικά το όνομα Providence, ενώ το 2007 μετονομάστηκαν σε Eden Demise. Έκτοτε έχουν παίξει δεκάδες shows σε όλη την Ελλάδα, είτε ως headliners είτε ‘ανοίγοντας’ για συγκροτήματα όπως Sepultura, Born From Pain, Heaven Shall Burn, Caliban, Arch Enemy, The Secret, Pro-Pain, Stampin’ Ground και Settle The Score, ενώ έχουν παίξει 3 φορές στην Βουλγαρία και μια στην Αγγλία (μαζί με τους Knuckledust), αν και highlight της ως τώρα καριέρας τους ήταν η εμφάνιση στο περσινό Rockwave Festival, μαζί με τους Slipknot, Down, Mastodon και Kylesa.

Η ανάμειξη brutal hardcore με hip hop στοιχεία κάνει την μουσική τους ακόμα πιο ενδιαφέρουσα.

Το πρώτο τους full length με τίτλο ‘The Takeover’ κυκλοφόρησε από την On The Attack Records (με έδρα την Νέα Υόρκη).

Url: www.myspace.com/edendemise

TARDIVE DYSKINESIA:

Οι Tardive Dyskinesia από την Νέα Μάκρη της Αττικής θεωρούνται επάξια ως μία από τις καλύτερες μπάντες του ευρύτερου ‘ακραίου’ ήχου της χώρας μας. Ξεκίνησαν το 1996/97 με το όνομα Override και σε πιο nu – metal ρυθμούς, όμως τα τελευταία χρόνια, πειραματιζόμενοι σε mathcore / progressive death metal μονοπάτια, έχουν καταφέρει να εδραιώσουν το όνομα τους στην εγχώρια σκηνή, τόσο με την κυκλοφορία τους ‘Distorting point of view’ από την Venerate Industries το 2006, όσο και με τα support acts σε μπάντες όπως οι Darkest Hour, Intronaut, Cilice και Septic Flesh.

Πρόσφατα υπέγραψαν στην Ιταλική Coroner Records από την οποία πριν λίγες μέρες κυκλοφόρησε το νέο τους full length με τίτλο ‘The Sea of see through skins’ , από το οποίο θα μας παρουσιάσουν κομμάτια το βράδυ της 20^ης Νοέμβρη!

Url: www.myspace.com/tardivedyskinesia

Διοργάνωση:

WORLD’S APPRECIATED KITSCH

e-mail: hxf_prodaxionz@yahoo.com

blog: www.wakhc.blogspot.com

myspace: www.myspace.com/keepitrealhc

Οι πόρτες ανοίγουν στις 21.30 και το show αρχίζει στις 22.00.

Δεν θα υπάρξει προπώληση εισιτηρίων αλλά αν κάποιος ενδιαφέρεται να κάνει κράτηση μπορεί να απευθυνθεί στους παραπάνω διαδικτυακούς τόπους.

NTB picture by Anna Stern
ED picture by Nikki
TD picture by Petros Koublis
http://www.myspace.com/keepitrealhc

Save Remains

'Youth approach' MCD

Black Python | Pasidary Kpats | Fast 'n' Easy

Unfortunately, I cannot find nothing about Save Remains, except for the fact that they come from Kaliningrad, Russia and the play amazing youth crew hardcore!
There's neither a website nor a myspace address for them in the internet... Moreover there's no too much info about them in their labels' webpages (the ones that are not disfunct), so let's concetrate on this 6-song MCD.
First of all, the artwork rules, you are prepared of what you are about to listen, ha! Youthcrew-ish as it takes. Moreover, the artwork and insert are very professional, including translation of their lyrics (they sing in Russian) in English.
The style is, as I wrote above, late 80s / early 90s youth crew, bringing in mind bands like Ten Yard Fight, Youth Of Today and In My Eyes. The songs are very well-structured and there's that passion that drives the band to write heartfull songs singing about youth crew, the hardcore scene, society etc. Song no.4 is totally awesome, btw!
I don't even remember who sent me that CD, shit... Haha!
If you ever find it in any cool distro, grab it, it's worth your bucks.

http://www.myspace.com/fasteasy
http://www.myspace.com/pasidarykrats

Crucial zine!

issue IV

10 reasons to get Crucial zine issue no.4:
1) It's fucking crucial
2) It made it to issue 4 and still costs nothing to purchase it
3) You propably get a free badge and a free sticker along with the zine
4) There's a Do Something Now! photo somewhere inside the zine
5) There are 6 World's Appreciated Kitsch releases reviewed
6) There's an interview with Skoteini Plevra (a hip hop band in a hc zine, pretty openminded)
7) There's that goddamn 'Celebrating 26 years of NOFX' crossword
8) There's that fucking article about the failures of hardcore
9) The kids that do the zine believe that the 99% of metal music sucks
10) It's fucking crucial

http://www.myspace.com/crucialzine
http://www.crucialzineblogspot.com
http://issuu.com/crucialzine/docs/cz04

Golden Violence

'Hate has come' CD

Ugly & Proud | Troskot | Strong Heart | and more...

Golden Violence come from Roma, Italy, a city that is famous for its huge hardcore / punk scene, with bands like Payback, Taste The Floor, Coloss and The 4th Sin being active.
Golden Violence feature ex or current members of bands like In Cold Blood, Rise From The Agony and Take It Raw, if you give a shit.
'Hate has come' is their first CD released a year ago by the DIY conspiracy (that means a bunch of independent labels co-operating to put out a release) and includes 8 songs of -may i use the term?- italiancore. I mean, it's obvious that many Italian bands have a unique style of playing, that only Italian bands follow... I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, haha.
Anyway, for those who need other comparisons, I can assume you that Golden Violence play furious hardcore in the vein of Madball, Strife and Terror (as they claim). What I dislike is the production... It's too metallic (especially the vocals) for this kind of music, I'd prefer to listen to something more raw and 'filthy', to be honest.
The lyrics insert actually includes just 3 of the songs, so I cannot form an opinion about what they sing for, but nothing that you haven't heard before, as I figure out.
The artwork is cool, I really like that pirate style cover, even if it's too fashionable to worship pirates and sharks nowadays, haha!

http://www.myspace.com/menagainst
http://www.myspace.com/uglyandproudrecords
http://www.strongheartrecords.tk
http://www.myspace.com/moshpitcult
http://www.myspace.com/xrebirthrecordsx

Damn The Empire

'with trends like these...' CD

Pee Records

With only a year of existence, Damn The Empire managed to pack 16 songs in a 20-minute long CD and put it out to the world via our favorite Australian record label, Pee.
Featuring ex-members of other Melbourne based bands like Bad Day Down, Rags to Rags and Yidcore, the 4-person combo play fast punk rock / melodic hardcore music like there's no tomorrow.
So, if you like Paint It Black, Good Riddance and Kid Dynamite, check 'em out, I guess you'll dig them!
'with trends like these' was recorded in Australia, but the mastering took place in Colorado, USA, at The Blasting Room; a place that was built in 1994 by members of Descendents, ALL and Black Flag.
The lyrics are pretty socio-political, while the best song title ever is 'This free music download brought to you courtesy of metallica's lars ulrich', ha!
It seems that there's a huge punk rock scene in Australia, by the way, and that's way too crucial! Strength Approach from Italy are playing a bunch of shows there next week for example.
Anyway, Damn The Empire released a nice album and I'm looking forward to hearing from them again in the future.

http://www.damntheempire.com
http://www.myspace.com/damntheempire
http://www.thetoothhurts.com

Lewd Acts

'Black eye blues' CD

Deathwish Inc.

I'm in love with Deathwish.
Lewd Acts exist since 2005 and had already released a bunch of demos, 7"s and cassettes, plus a split 7" with Hour Of The Wolf when Deathwish picked them up for the release of their - actually - first full length album called 'Black eye blues'.
The album was recorded and engineered at Godcity Studios by Kurt Ballou (of Converge fame), while the packaging is sick as hell, illustrated by the band's talented vocalist (who also runs Tooth Hurts illustrations and works as a tattoo artist) and designed by Jacob Bannon (of Converge fame, as well).
That was 'the credits' section. But music is more important I guess.
So, Lewd Acts fit perfect in the Deathwish roster, drawing influences by late 80s punk / hardcore music, adding some haunting metallic structures and folding all this mixture with a fucking rock 'n' roll attitude and poetical, melancholic yet genious lyrics.
I believe that they love Deathwish bands, as well, especially Doomriders, Converge and Rise & Fall.
The album starts with the song titled 'Know where to go' and ends with 'Nowhere to go', (maybe the best song of the record, bringing in mind some post-hardcore bands, Isis and the likes) and that makes a concept album in my opinion.
Moreover, there's another pair of songs consisting of 'You Don't Need Me' and 'I Don't Need You'.
'Black eye blues' is not a positive album for sure, it may drown you in melancholy and depression, but you will rise again stronger afterwards, so don't worry...

http://www.getlewd.com
http://www.deathwishinc.com
http://www.thetoothhurts.com

Blank Stare

's/t' 12"

Refuse Records

Quote from mosheisley.blogspot.com (for the first Blank Stare 7"):
'If you like bands like Haymaker, Left For Dead or 97a there's a 99% that you'll dig Blank Stare. Fuck why do I have to introduce them anyway? If you love Have Heart this is anti YOU! Fuck you. What a great band!'
So, Blank Stare broke up in mid September and that's reaaallyy sad because it's fucking hard to find such a quality hardcore straight edge band nowadays...
Blank Stare come from Boston and they released 3 7"s and 1 LP since 2005. Labels like Third X Party (USA) and Refuse (Poland) helped them a lot during all those years.
The european release of their full length album includes 9 songs of non-stop Black Flag-ish hardcore/punk music plus a Last Rights cover (you know Last Rights? Choke from Negative FX and then Slapshot used to sing for them...).
A band that starts its record with a song called 'Fuck Your Life' is definitely not kidding...
Blank Stare featured ex or current members from Positive Reinforcement and Social Circkle, for those who care.
You can buy the record from Refuse Record, it's still available. Greek geeks get it from our distro. WOW addicts download it from the band's blog!
'The ideas are quite but the words are loud
The ideas are quite but the words are loud
The ideas are quite but the words are loud'

http://www.blankstarehc.blogspot.com
http://www.refuserecords.prv.pl

Green Goblins

'Youth corrupter' MCD

Swallow It All Records

I've seen Green Goblins a couple of times in the previous years (one show in Katerini with Vodka Juniors and one show in Street Attack, Thessaloniki, as far as I remember) but it wasn't since their latest appearance in Katarameno Sindromo in Athens, mid September, that this band grabbed my attention and still haven't returned it back to me.
Green Goblins is a trio from the small city called Katerini (near Thessaloniki) that exists since 2003 and have managed to release a couple of CDs since then under their local label called Swallow It All. Besides that, they have played a bunch of shows in north Greece and just returned from a tour with Voodoo Healers that brought them in Bulgaria and Turkey, as well.
'Youth Corrupter' was released the night before Christmas 2008, around a year ago, and includes 5 songs plus a cover of 'Chinese Rocks' by The Ramones (originally by The Heartbreakers).
Their styles is fast and furious rock 'n' roll that takes influences by '77-'82 era punk, early US hardcore and bands like Motorheard, Zeke, The Dwarves and Black Flag.
During their live set in Katarameno, I came to the conclusion that this band is maybe the one and only 80s hardcore influenced band in Greece and that is both awesome (for them) and shitty (for our scene).
The cover features the 'Youth Corrupter' himself, that I can assume that he's a friend of the band, while the insert includes a big -not so good- photo of the band; I'd prefer to get lyrics instead, to be honesst.
Anyway, music speaks louder than words, so go get their CD, it won't cost you more than a 330ml pint for sure.

http://www.myspace.com/thegreengoblins
http://www.myspace.com/swallowitallrecords