Horns up.
With the potential that the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ might actually be daylight instead of an oncoming train (unless you’re in the hospitality industry) and the summer not far away, let’s celebrate with some music.
Wasted Death – Ugly as Hell
Featuring members of USA Nails, Death Pedals, Big Lad, Petbrick and Beggar, Wasted Death are what you might call a d-beat UK supergroup with a rather amusing name. Throwing in plenty of Discharge, Black Breath, Zeke as well as the odd nod to the likes of Bauhaus, this is a chaotic, thrilling five song EP that does not fuck about, while the artwork is suitably crusty while also exuding a sense of fun normally missing in similar covers. Highlight is ‘Spat Out’, which slows the pace down and goes for a more tribal, repetitive feel which is bound to be punishing on the live front.
The EP can be streamed and purchased here.
Sadistic Force – Pain, Sex + Rapture b/w Black Moon Sadism
Hailing from Austin, Texas, this two piece deliver blackened thrash with the emphasis on ‘blackened’. First release of the year (Pain, Sex…) is a cleaner sounding affair, with the guitar being sacrificed in favour of the vocals in the mix, while the second (Black Moon…) has a better balance of the two, although that could be down to the mix being provided by Toxic Holocaust’s Joel Grind. Out of the two, Black Moon… is the more immediate and even throws in some death metal licks as well, while Pain, Sex… is more of a stepping stone to better things.
Both releases can be streamed and purchased here.
Wreaths – Golden Threads from Riven Rot
A one-man project, Wreaths (aka Michael R. Donaldson) have been producing records for over ten years now. This album was first released last year as digital only, but now sees a physical release thanks to Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings. Unlike most drone records, there is a great sense of hope and optimism that shines through the spookiness and etherealness. Possibly this is due to the folky elements that are littered throughout the recording, but also the genuinely haunting ambience throughout that makes the listener feel like they’re connecting with their ancestors.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
FRACK! – Accelerant
Describing themselves as ‘A loud lap-steel guitar wielding alt punk/sludge/rock trio from Sacramento…’, which is a pretty accurate description, Accelerant is a perfect blend of riffing influenced by Bl’ast, ZZ Top and the Jesus Lizard, all of which flies by in 20 odd minutes. No frills, no fucking around, FRACK! are the real deal. Originally released as a digital only release last year, Forbidden Place Records have issued it on CD and vinyl, with a cover of Black Flag’s seminal ‘Rise Above’ as a bonus track. What’s not to love?
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Devils Teeth – La leggenda di Chong Li
Milwaukee isn’t the first name that springs to mind when we think of great new music, but Devils Teeth are doing their utmost to put Milwaukee on the map. This, their follow up to 2018’s raw Suki Yaki Hot, is a different beast. While retaining the surf/garage rock as the basis of their sound, there are elements of exotica and even post-rock (‘Psychopath’ bears a heavy Swans influence) now in the mix. The end result is an album that may lack the grit of their previous album, but shows the band have the imagination and ability to transcend their roots into something else entirely.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Stella Research Committee - A Proposed Method For Determining Sanding Fitness
A cassette only release from Newcastle label Cruel Nature Records, this strange and testing recording is a shining example of what most post-punk bands should be aiming for: to test the limits of the casual listener and absorb those in the know. Songs like ‘Nails’ are chaotic frenzied attacks more akin to The Fall than This Heat, always riding the edge of collapse but somehow the band always manage to hold themselves together. Not a release for everyone but, as an antidote for what passes for ‘experimental’ in the underground, ‘A Proposed Method…’ will rejuvenate your faith.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles
Often regarded as The definitive grunge band by those in the know, Mudhoney just play garage influenced punk rock with plenty of noise and feedback for coating purposes. This comp sees their first EP, which is not a million miles removed from the Melvins in terms of slowness, tagged with monster tracks like ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ (the ultimate two-minute party tune), their cover of Sonic Youth’s ‘Halloween’ and, in possibly the most gleeful act of subversion, their sludgy, angst ridden rendition of Bette Midler’s maudlin number ‘The Rose’.
New Horizons
Wasted Death – Ugly as Hell
Featuring members of USA Nails, Death Pedals, Big Lad, Petbrick and Beggar, Wasted Death are what you might call a d-beat UK supergroup with a rather amusing name. Throwing in plenty of Discharge, Black Breath, Zeke as well as the odd nod to the likes of Bauhaus, this is a chaotic, thrilling five song EP that does not fuck about, while the artwork is suitably crusty while also exuding a sense of fun normally missing in similar covers. Highlight is ‘Spat Out’, which slows the pace down and goes for a more tribal, repetitive feel which is bound to be punishing on the live front.
The EP can be streamed and purchased here.
Sadistic Force – Pain, Sex + Rapture b/w Black Moon Sadism
Hailing from Austin, Texas, this two piece deliver blackened thrash with the emphasis on ‘blackened’. First release of the year (Pain, Sex…) is a cleaner sounding affair, with the guitar being sacrificed in favour of the vocals in the mix, while the second (Black Moon…) has a better balance of the two, although that could be down to the mix being provided by Toxic Holocaust’s Joel Grind. Out of the two, Black Moon… is the more immediate and even throws in some death metal licks as well, while Pain, Sex… is more of a stepping stone to better things.
Both releases can be streamed and purchased here.
Wreaths – Golden Threads from Riven Rot
A one-man project, Wreaths (aka Michael R. Donaldson) have been producing records for over ten years now. This album was first released last year as digital only, but now sees a physical release thanks to Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings. Unlike most drone records, there is a great sense of hope and optimism that shines through the spookiness and etherealness. Possibly this is due to the folky elements that are littered throughout the recording, but also the genuinely haunting ambience throughout that makes the listener feel like they’re connecting with their ancestors.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
FRACK! – Accelerant
Describing themselves as ‘A loud lap-steel guitar wielding alt punk/sludge/rock trio from Sacramento…’, which is a pretty accurate description, Accelerant is a perfect blend of riffing influenced by Bl’ast, ZZ Top and the Jesus Lizard, all of which flies by in 20 odd minutes. No frills, no fucking around, FRACK! are the real deal. Originally released as a digital only release last year, Forbidden Place Records have issued it on CD and vinyl, with a cover of Black Flag’s seminal ‘Rise Above’ as a bonus track. What’s not to love?
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Devils Teeth – La leggenda di Chong Li
Milwaukee isn’t the first name that springs to mind when we think of great new music, but Devils Teeth are doing their utmost to put Milwaukee on the map. This, their follow up to 2018’s raw Suki Yaki Hot, is a different beast. While retaining the surf/garage rock as the basis of their sound, there are elements of exotica and even post-rock (‘Psychopath’ bears a heavy Swans influence) now in the mix. The end result is an album that may lack the grit of their previous album, but shows the band have the imagination and ability to transcend their roots into something else entirely.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Stella Research Committee - A Proposed Method For Determining Sanding Fitness
A cassette only release from Newcastle label Cruel Nature Records, this strange and testing recording is a shining example of what most post-punk bands should be aiming for: to test the limits of the casual listener and absorb those in the know. Songs like ‘Nails’ are chaotic frenzied attacks more akin to The Fall than This Heat, always riding the edge of collapse but somehow the band always manage to hold themselves together. Not a release for everyone but, as an antidote for what passes for ‘experimental’ in the underground, ‘A Proposed Method…’ will rejuvenate your faith.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Golden Oldies
Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles
Often regarded as The definitive grunge band by those in the know, Mudhoney just play garage influenced punk rock with plenty of noise and feedback for coating purposes. This comp sees their first EP, which is not a million miles removed from the Melvins in terms of slowness, tagged with monster tracks like ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ (the ultimate two-minute party tune), their cover of Sonic Youth’s ‘Halloween’ and, in possibly the most gleeful act of subversion, their sludgy, angst ridden rendition of Bette Midler’s maudlin number ‘The Rose’.
For many, Earth Crisis were more influential than Minor Threat in terms of spreading the message of straight-edge and veganism. Their metallic take on hardcore, influenced by the likes of Prong and Cro-Mags as much as death metal acts like Bolt Thrower and Obituary, has also proved enduring on a generation of hardcore bands. With this, their debut record, it’s not hard to see why as the riffs are as heavy and groovy as what Pantera were coming out with at that time while Karl Buechner’s impassioned vocals remain as stirring and as abrasive as they were in 1995.
Monaco – Music for Pleasure
Possibly the best New Order album never made, ‘Music for Pleasure’ is filled with tunes that wouldn’t sound out of place on late period records from the Manchester legends. While Peter Hook clearly hedged his bets by having David Potts do his best Bernard Sumner impression, songs like ‘Blue’ and ‘Happy Jack’ are laden with the euphoric melancholia that New Order specialise in. And Peter Hook’s mighty bass riffs that can lift planets. Largely forgotten nowadays due to Hook touring the world as his own tribute act, Music for Pleasure deserves a reappraisal.
The Cramps – Songs the Lord Taught Us
The album that introduced one of the finest rock n roll bands to the rest of the world, it’s odd to go back to Songs the… today and notice just how spooky the album sounds. Largely down to Alex Chilton’s production, as well as the band’s emphasis on B movie horror (which would later shift in favour of sexual innuendo), it gives an air to songs like ‘TV Set’, ‘Garbageman’ and their version of ‘Fever’ that would be lost on subsequent records. It also helps that Lux and Ivy were obsessive fans of rock n roll and could make obscure numbers like ‘Rock on the Moon’ their own.
Wild Billy Childish and The MBE's – Thatcher's Children
Releasing countless albums since 1981, as well as endless amounts of poetry, film and art, Billy Childish is the embodiment of the “anyone can do it” ethos of punk. Not bad for someone who was on the dole for fifteen odd years and dated Tracey Emin. This album, from 2008, remains one of his most inspired due to the song writing (which borrows liberally from The Clash, The Ramones and Joan Jett), the lyrics (‘He’s Making a Tape’ deals with a hipster cheating on his equally hipsterishly girlfriend) and the general air of a band having the time of their lives.
Elliott Smith – s/t
Forever tainted by his suicide in 2003, and not helped by the enigmatic cover, this album from 1995 still has the power to reduce naysayers into submission. Opening with the stark, haunting ‘Needle in the Hay’, Smith’s voice (vulnerable, on pitch) still chills the listener while his way for a pensive melody (which would be better fleshed out in later recordings) holds the songs together. Other tracks like ‘Southern Belle’ and ‘Alphabet Town’ demonstrate his ability to delve into his influences and come up with something that could only come from him.
⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist.
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