Sixteen Counts of Arson comp. arranged by Dbill

You may think that we turned this blog into a cassette mix-tape thing, and we are gonna post only self-made comps. Well, you're wrong. This shit has been scheduled and all the next posts are straight-forward proper releases. So, i'm leaving dbill to do the talking...

The art of making a mix tape, or a compilation of mp3’s in our case, is a gentle one that needs extra care and choises of great wisdom….this is not the situation here, fuck modest attitudes and shit like that. These are some of the best hardcore punk bands of today and past ages. Some have broken up, some are dead but their fucking legacy lives on and keep rocking my world. Hope it rocks yours also.

P.s. Naturally we play this compilation after listening with extra caution at His Hero Is Gone’s ‘’Monument to thieves’’ LP…the blogspot is named FifteenCountOfArson after all…

Let’s get started:

1. Straightjacket Nation: Cheap Kicks

Nothing starts off a good compilation better that a good kick in the ass, and this is what Straightjacket Nation serves in great quantities and qualities. Pissed off rocking hardcore punk by bitter young punx who are dedicated to ruining your life. Blown out production from their three song killer EP ‘’Cheap Kicks’’... It sure is a kick, and a cheap one…come one, come all!

2. Skitkids: Weekday Suger Rov

From ‘’Besoket Vid Krubban’’ 12’’. This record totally brings a huge smile on my face, whether i play it first thing in the morning or at pitch black night. It’s like total Totalitar fanatics beat up ACDC and took their place, stealing their equipment. A whirlwind of up tempo rocking hardcore that deals with really important issues (READ THE LYRICS SHEET!!!), but can’t seem to handle itself in a serious-esque manner. Really i can't really describe how rocking this record is, you need to find out yourselves (especially Peio, if you are reading this go get the fucking record!)….Ladies and dear scumbags…the Skitkids.

3. Death Token: 4 Track Attack

This is one of the best 7’’ I have…period. A reason by itself to play punk, and the greatest evidence that when you have the fucking urge and creativity (''meraki'') you can produce homemade masterpieces. Recorded entirely on a 4 track recorder (hence the title..duh!), this blown out monster is a sound engineers nightmare, so to say. Violent hardcore for losers, freaks, atrophic punx and all around life drop outs. From Even Worse records. Stephen is a wreck. (check death token here and here)

4. Totalitar: Vi Ar Eliten

I don’t think i have to write anything special for Totalitar. If you don’t have this you might as well end your life (cause it was probably not worth it)…no one will notice you anyways. Totalitar is punk itself. Their best LP so far (‘’Vi Ar Eliten’’ on Prank recs.).

5. Rajahtaa: Crucified Child part II

Runour has it that a casefull of evil Finlandia Vodka ended up in Kavala, in the northern part of greece, and the combination of the sweet poison and the cold woods led to the creation of this Fin bastard. From their demo CD-R. Hope they get back on track and play gigs again…enjoy.

6. Kyklooppien Sukupuutto: Alyn Jattilaiset

Speaking of the devil (finland), I present you one of the most fucked up hardcore punk bands of today…Kyklooppien Sukupuutto keep on putting one great record after the other. Many punks can’t follow their uncompromising sound. Total distressed, chaotic and anxious beats, led by a great personal political view of today. From ‘’Helvetin Elementit’’ ep. (check their split 7'' with death token here)

7. Kraut: Onward

It was about time to move backwards in time, so that we can go onward with our compilation.  From their ‘’An Adjustment to Society’’ LP 1982, these New Yorkers breath out true punk tunes. Exceptional riffs with hooks, and great anthems. Classic.

8. Zero Boys: Civilizations Dying

One of my personal favourite american hardcore punk bands, the Zero Boys put out records that where way ahead of their time, leaving punks now and then jawdropping and stunned. Meaningful songs, right fucking attitude towards the music industry, the Boys have left us a true diamond of a record to marvel at. It has been reissued, so don’t miss out on this one, trust me.

9. The Stress: Gennoktonia (Genocide)

One of greeces most loved punk bands of the 80’s, and totally worth it. It is said that when The Stress were to play outside of their hometown, athens(zofos), they had a crowd of 50 punx following them around. Trully the first punk band with deep routed anarchist/antiauthoritarian lyrics. I was a late comer to old greek punk, but only now can i really appreciate it’s worth. From their LP ''O ihos tis Anasfalias'' (The sound of Insecurity) out on Wipe Out records on 1985. Masterpiece.

10. Gorilla Angreb: Pa Patrulje

…so to smoothen things up a bit more, and add a touch of atmosphere. Gorilla Angreb are from the city of Kobenhavn (also city of Stephen the jerk!), and released a handful of ep’s and an 12'', "Bedre Tider" from which we get this song. Most of their tracks are more garage punky and straight forward, with a good mix of melodic leads and not so eerie as this track (which reminds me of a mix between the Wipers and Neil Young’s Dead Man OST as I have written before). Exceptional punk band.

11. Invasion: Destino Final

Keeping the atmosphere, adding huge amounts of angst and a heavy rocking claustrophobic feeling we have Invasion (now named Destino Final). Like a punk bastard of Japanese hardcore recorded by a lo-fi black metal fanatic, these spaniards really get me going with their amazing releases. Simple to the core music and graphics, these punks have kept things to its roots, while having an impressive attitude, showing solidarity to the anarchist movement, proving that they feel deep inside what they stand and sing for. This is the closing track of the ‘’La Casa’’ 12’’. Fucking good music.

12. Crude: No Light Soul of State

What can one write about this amazing Japanese hardcore outfit…? The guitar work is absolutely out of this world, the tracks make you pump your fist to the air in no time, and these Japs will have you singing along all their choruses all day long. Completely powerful burning spirits style, melodic and epic from their ‘’Attitude 2000’’ LP out on Yannick’s very own Feral Ward records. This record can redefine what you think hardcore punk is.

13. Burial: Eternal Excess

This wouldn’t be a compilation without the beloved german wolves ripping your heart out with this bomb of a song, Japanese style. Burial is undoubtably one of THE best hardcore punk bands of our time. One of the few bands that are even more ferocious live on stage serving you a hellish time that leads to many heart attacks amongst the punx. From their split with Crude and Nightmare, this track is another fatal shot, by a band that knows how to evolve their style record after record. Listen to this all day, and then to the rest of their records (but not at their split with Antimob cause that sucks monkey ass!).

14. Selfish: Burning Sensation

No other band captures the ‘’fuck you all, I will make it through’’ attitude more than Selfish. These Finns have invaded japan and stole most of its talent, serving it in heavy doses of rocking hardcore. Fuck boredom, Selfish are here like a spinning ball of pure adrenaline energy to get your ass either moved or fucked…your choice. The song says it all: Fucking boredom, Burning Sensation for Life. From their s/t LP (again on Yannick’s Feral Ward…geez the guy never stops putting out awesome records!). (check also selfish here and here)

15. Death Side: Fight Your Way

We can’t go without the true masters of the burning spirits sound. Death Side strikes with fire, torching everything to ashes with their destructive sound. Amazing releases (this one being from the ‘’Bet on the Possibility’’ LP) are their huge legacy to the punk world. Sadly the punk world lost this amazing guitarist, Chelsea (also of Paintbox fame) some time ago. So play this tune loud cause the leads are inspired from the heart. Death Side.

16. Mortuus: Supplification for the Demise of All

A closing special, this is nor hardcore punk, nor fast and furious. Just plain death worshiping nordic Black Metal by two swedes. Cathartic and atmospheric as it is, it serves as a good spiritual closing to this compilation, for the cold heart. As far as I have read there are no suspicious views from this band, and they seem to have a different perception of the world we live in, mostly concerning death. From their LP ‘’De Contemplanda Morte’’.

download (and leave twenty comments each...)

P.s.2 Naturally many great bands were not included, so a second strike of dbills hardcorepunk seminars should be awaited in tremble and fear. Now go make your own kick ass band you lazy bastards, and stop listening to other people’s music.