Ripcord - Poetic Justice LP

Ripcord was founded in Weston-super-mare in 1984, they had released some of the most ear breaking albums in their brief career. From their thrashy hardcore of "Defiance of Power" to the this-is-hardcore "Poetic Justice" lp of 1988 the band have redefined the terms of fast, catchy, breaking, awesome and in the end they made the term hardcore a synonym of their name. When i first bought their Discography part II from skuld releases i felt like a tornado was blasting my brain cells (not unlike to the death metal fans when they first listened to "altars of madness" from Morbid Angel). Fast, short songs with simple distorted riffs with fast drumming to ensure the noise and a guy in sideburns yelling with Siege, SSD or Deep Wound as influences. Simple as that and the masterpiece took form. Still i ask myself if poetic justice never saw the light of day, what would be the shape of today's hardcore punk. For me, this is probably the best hardcore album ever, and yes, i still prefer Ripcord to Heresy. If you like it, check also bands like Dumbstruck, Spite, Cracked cop skulls, Filthkick and Violent Arrest. All of them have Ripcord members. Simple, dark, old-school, uk-style hardcore punk. This is all there is...

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Icon Gallery - Self titled Lp

Lately nobody seems to give the less interest, rather our lives passes in front of our eyes, and we can not even touch em. We may are close to distance. Nobody seemed to care about the mundo muerto post, but I'll continue and today we will talk about an amazing band coming from Pittsburgh, the icon gallery.

One or two years ago, batguano have posted the demo and 7'' and wrote "What we do have is some kind of awesome post punk-rock-hardcore with a fair amount of complexity, melody, grit, and hooks; the kind of rock that needs to be heard and not analyzed". My love for the melodic female punchy vocals is beyond doubt with bands like Petrograd, Cojoba, or the Assassinators always been on my top-lists when i have to make a suggestion to some buddy that has some serious psy problems, and that's where Icon Gallery settles in. Powerful, passionate, with some high edged vocals with sincere depression that fluids outta the lyrics ("highway 44" is the proof). To say it in other words, music played be three hipsters and a girl in a Hellshock t-shirt. Or just the american answer to the TERRIBLE FEELINGS madness, or maybe even better. Listen and don't analyze.

"so i got to hold tight and pray, we'll never see the light of day"

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Mundo Muerto - Entre el Kaos

Mundo Muerto comes from California and delivers catchy, up-tempo hardcore punk. They have released a tape and two 7'' and this is their first lp with eleven dynamite punk hymns. Fast, tight, somewhere between the usual latino hardcore of the california scene and the spanish punk of the 80's, something like modern Eskorbuto, or something like Appendix flerting with Peligro social. Nice distorted guitars without being noisy, the vocals are great, just what you want to go on with your filthy life. Sounds like being recorded especially for gigs. I can imagine dozen of punks attack the singer only to shout some words on the mic. I can see "Ciegos al poder" or "Dias oskuros" be on your next car cd compilation. Ace...

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Land of Martyrdom

''Ανακάλυψα'' τους Land of Martyrdom μια Δευτέρα πρωί....
Με διάθεση σκατά, από αυτές που σε κάνουν να καπνίζεις ενώ σιχαίνεσαι τη νικοτίνη και με το άγχος να δίνει το τελικό κροσέ κάνοντάς σε ''να ψάχνεις τα δόντια σου με σπασμένα δάχτυλα''.
Το πρώτο κομμάτι που άκουσα ήταν το ''ganges''. Και λέω δεν γίνεται να υπάρχει κάτι άλλο στον κόσμο αυτή τη στιγμή που να περιγράφει καλύτερα αυτό το συναίσθημα.
Δεν υπάρχει κάτι άλλο που παράλληλα να το προσπερνά. Σαν οδοστρωτήρας.
Τα φωνητικά στα κομμάτια είναι όσο απόκοσμα χρειάζεται για να θυμίζουν πώς θα έπρεπε να ψελλίζονται οι ''καλημέρες'', πώς να ξερνιούνται οι πληροφορίες στις συνεντεύξεις για δουλειά, πώς να στριγκλίζονται τα τελευταία αντίο.
Τα τύμπανα με ακρίβεια και ξεσπάσματα που σπάνε κόκαλα, ο ήχος συμπαγής σαν ''steel and stone'' (στο κεφάλι φασίστα) και η κιθάρα συντροφεύει/συνθέτει με τον καλύτερο τρόπο αυτήν την ατμόσφαιρα που κάνει τα βράδια στα μπαρ να φαντάζουν πιο βαρετά, την ημικρανία της διασκέδασης ακόμα πιο ξένη.
Σε αυτό το ''έδαφος'', το διάτρητο από μέταλ, χάρντκορ και άλλες (κοντινές /;/ ) διαδρομές, συναρμολογείται αυτό το ''μαρτύριο'' που στέλνει στα τσακίδια τις κατηγοριοποιήσεις.
Η μπάντα αποτελείται από δύο άτομα. Και οι δύο παίζουν κιθάρα και στους Hellstorm...
Συνιστάτε ανεπιφύλακτα και αφιερώνεται σε αυτές και αυτούς που τριγυρνάνε στα στενά των πόλεων ''άσκοπα'', ψάχνοντας χαραμάδα που να μην την έχει διαποτίσει το lifestyle, που να μην την έχει ισοπεδώσει το socializing.
Ψάχνοντας γωνιά που να μην την έχει ''καθαρίσει'' το γκλομπ του μπάτσου ή η τιμιότητα των ευυπόληπτων πολιτών.

-r φρομ ντα μπλοκ

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Conspiracy of Denial - demo 2012

My good friends Conspiracy of Denial starts tomorrow morning their mini tour alongside turbo-blast sacrilege Jagernaut. Their heading to the east, and to be specific to Instanbul and Ankara for two gigs. First, they'll unleash their inferno stings to Biologiko squat in Thessaloniki tomorrow night. Please support both bands, because they fucking deserve it. Conspiracy recorded the three tracks i have posted a while back again with their new drummer and he has been also the mind of the recording procession. Nice recording, this time with some blast-beats, the vocals sound better and the leads are killing me slowly (τις κοβω τις φλεβες, που λενε...). They have also a brand new bandcamp and you can download their demo. Great artwork from andreas.

"Conspiracy of Denial is a five piece war machine that will not ask your little sister a romantic date, NO. The only date you go with those nuts will be on amazon jungle with machetes and colt shotguns."

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Cojoba - Vienen por Nosotros

Another high-school post.  I must have been 15 years old when my mutual tape-trading friend D. has sent me two Cojoba demos alongside the "booklets" photo-printed in a C-60 cassette. We'll focus on the second demo "Vienen por nosotros" (exp. They're coming for us) recorded back in 1998 in Puerto Rico, self-recorded, self produced and self released through band's label Anaconda records through the big diy worldwide network of the time. I used to know Cojoba through their participation to the New Days Rising compilation, and i have to say that i was so amazed with their up-tempo energy. Powerful female vocals (i always thought Taina is the sweeter Saira for some reason) who add great feeling to the simple three-cord punk assault. True latin melodic and political punk with drum machine instead of a human drummer. The booklet have all the lyrics with the translations, and i'll scan it tomorrow (hope...).

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Mouth Sewn Shut

Mouth sewn shut comes from Boston, Massachusetts and you may have heard of them because of their connection to the DIY pioneers Toxic Narcotic, indeed Bill Damon and Will Sullivan create this band after Narcotic's hiatus somewhere in 2005. They have released already two albums, 2006 Pandemic = Solution and 2007 Doomed future today (this one also through Profane Existence records). Bill also runs Rodent Popsicle records, the label that have released the legendary 175 grams 7''. This is their 2009 self titled release. MSS are metallic and brutal, mid-paced, with hell of a rhythm section, amazing barking vocals somewhere between Behind Enemy Lines and Cross Stitched Eyes. Punk as nails, crusty without being exactly crust, with some ska hints here and there (thank god, in this release is so well-hidden, you propably won't even "catch" it). This album also contains some tracks from their previous releases with better sound and played a bit faster, tracks like "Get the Gun" or "Pro nature - Anti human" will make your head bang hard. Strongly political lyrics about war, capitalism or even the work-ethic. check some here.

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"Hardcore Punk without content is totally useless, like beer without alcohol."

After long time here in fifteen-counts we are happy to post a new compilation of some rad and ass-kicking tracks from some bands that we (or I) have been listening-to recently. Some of them are obscure (but should not), some of them are for die-hard(s) and some of them are famous enough to make you puke. If you live in the center of athens, load this to your mp3player and have a walk among the remains.

First your buildings, then your Capitalist system

1. Rubbish heap - Slow defeat

I have posted Heap's lp and 7'' one year ago. Coming from Antwerp, Belgium and this track is on their 1996 demo. Pay attention to the intro : “they live only to face a new nightmare... a war against the machines” taken from Terminator 2. A god way to start though.

2. Artimus Pyle – Gray flannel suits

Artimus Pyle is fast, tight and bone-breaking. Robert aka The Wizard do the bass duties and this is how dystopia would sound if they-wanted-to play fast."Gray flannel suits replaced by designer labels but the meaning is still the same. Be good, don't make waves, shut up, have a drink and you'll go far". CRUST.

3. Jagernaut – Life means shit

“the aftermath of horror / crawling though the trenches / pitching into the pieces / of what life once was / life means shit”. Yep, this is a statement. Jagernaut is a new four-piece noisy, in your face crusty hardcore band from athens, greece. I really enjoy them everytime i see them on stage and they really captured all their energy in this recording. Their split tape with Hello Bastards is out...

4. Deathraid - All life ends

What to say for these dudes? Very nice guys that spent more than 20 years of their life in the diy punk movement. Members of State of Fear, Decrepit, Consume etc. Kneel.

5. Deadly Reign – Who are we shooting at?

Deadly reign and their latest release “no end in sight” is the best example of refreshing d-beat. When you think of boring discharge clones you have to give this record a listen. With members of World burns to death, Till Death and scarred for life. Make me think US soldiers and their war on terror. Who are you shooting at?

6. Active Minds – Junkies

I won't go far. Political, sharp to the bone and radical. Active minds is my personal favorite European hardcore punk band. They're active from 1986 and they still kicking, release of late 2011. “We are addicted to oooooiiiilllllll”.

7. Alt t.c – Χαιρε ω Χαίρε Λευτεριά

This is my favorite greek band by far. Their second demo (I’ll post it some day soon) from 1998 delivers the best mid-tempo anarchist-core tunes I have ever listened. The rip isn't great as the original recording is not too. A four track recorder in a small studio somewhere in greek province. Someone said “the greek Sin Dios, fast, melodic and political”.

8. Frustration – Sleepwalker

Well, inimical records tends to be one of the best US-based labels out there. After Sahn Maru and Raw Nerves, here comes Frustration. Heavy, energetic punk rock with gravy vocals. Seattle punk.

9. 1981 – Nightmare / Reality

“what happened to these Finnish? They sound like Englishmen to me”, my companion ask herself and she have totally right. 1981 comes from Finland, but they combine '80s UK anarcho-punk with some No hope for the kids sadness.

10. Rajat – Saroja kuoressa

My mind can't take it, no. Why so many brilliant bands comes from that cursed land of the north. Another excellent finnish band with the singer of Rakkaus. Melodic and catchy, they seem to remind me Post Regiment.

11. Backlash – Realities of life

Guess what? Finland again. I was talking with Seve the other day and he sent me this track, a new recording for their upcoming 12''. Japanese worshipers pay attention. Poser leads fanatics pay attention.

12. Ruleta Rusa – Ray nara

Ruleta Rusa comes from San Francisco and reminds me all those Latino hardcore legends. Mixing fast punk with rock'n'roll, hard hitting drums and nice guitar parts. If the vocals reminds you Peligro Social, you are right coz Jose do the singing.

13. N/N – Es anarquista

Best song of the maximum rock'n'roll LP “noise ordinance”. Fast and angry latino hardcore. The title speak for itself. Yeah, los crudos members. Suck on it.

14. Out Cold – You lie

Out Cold and You Lie track. Don't do sing along yelling : “Make.You.Pay”. The refrain say “Lie.To.Me'.

15. KingTerror – Voice your fucking opinion.

My friend Kim plays the guitar here, and he used to sing for Rubbish heap. They are not Grind, they are Grande! I'm copy-pasting their booklet : “While spending far too much money on their ridiculously expensive records, shirts and other merchandise crap, will you buy their coolness and their opinions as well? Think for yourself and voice your fucking opinion.”

16. Seein' Red – direct action

Taken from “direct action” 7'' from 1991. anti-fascist, anti-capitalist communist straight-edge. Direct, direct, direct action is what we need.

17. Dropdead – Do you choose life?

Will you choose life? Will you stand strong? Will you resist a system that is wrong?

(το τέλειο soundtrack για να τραγουδάς στο μπάνιο)

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Song of the week : Sick little game

Right now, I make decisions
I can't go through this again
Brains getting sicker, Brains getting sicker
You know I can't stop, so no...

I can't quit
My sick little game keeps you in line
You can't stay away
This sick little game one more time

Right then, with precision
Human beings get destroyed
Brains getting sicker, Brains getting sicker
I like the feeling of playing god, so no...

In the Valley of Solitude

Speaking about good crust bands, i've totally forgotten this cd-r (2004 release) masterpiece. Hailing from Kastoria, greece this quartet visualizes how should TRAGEDY sound if they had moved somewhere in greek province instead of portland. The rest comes from salonika's black jaw, d. :

Οι Έρημος είναι, κατά τη γνώμη μου, μια από τις πολύ καλές ελληνικές μπάντες των τελευταίων χρόνων. Επηρεασμένοι κυρίως από την ελληνική σκηνή των αρχών τις δεκαετίας του '90, οι Έρημος (πολύ ταιριαστό όνομα) κατάφεραν να δημιουργήσουν έναν ήχο δικό τους και κάπως μοναδικό για τα ελληνικά δεδομένα. Η σκοτεινή τους ατμόσφαιρα γεμάτη με αίσθημα μελαγχολίας και απογοήτευσης είναι το κύριο χαρακτηριστικό της Κοιλάδας Της Μοναξιάς (ο τίτλος μιλάει από μόνος του). Όλο αυτό φαίνεται παντού μες στον δίσκο, από τη μουσική και τους στίχους ταυτόχρονα. Σκοτεινές μελωδίες, γρήγορο drumming, δυνατά διπλά φωνητικά και στίχοι πολύ προσωπικοί/κοινωνικοί,με τους οποίους μπορούν να ταυτιστούν λίγο-πολύ αρκετοί από εμάς. Κομμάτια που πραγματικά κόβουν σαν λεπίδια, σε γονατίζουν, αλλά την ίδια στιγμή σε καλούν στη μάχη ενάντια στη μιζέρια του σήμερα. Αυτή είναι η μοναδική τους κυκλοφορία (μαζί με το demo Γερασμένη Πόλη), ενώ αργότερα κάποια από τα μέλη τους δημιούργησαν τους Επιθανάτιος Ρόγχος και πήγαν όλον αυτόν τον ήχο ένα βήμα παραπέρα.

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