S.M.I.L.E.

 

Can I tell you what I hear here? Well, of course I can because that's literally why I'm here...to tell you what I hear, so it's this: What if a band went straight from STOOGES and MC5 to squirmy modern hardcore punk? What if....what if there were no in between and a band skipped DAMNED and MINOR THREAT and THE STALIN and just drew a line from "1979" to S.H.I.T.'s What Do You Stand For? and didn't make any detours? You might get S.M.I.L.E., who are one of the most honest sounding hardcore bands to pollute my earholes in recent memory. And I really do like honest hardcore; shit just feels real. 

S.M.I.L.E. SOME MORE

SHOXX

 

Someone wanna tell me why a band this good with a pedigree this ridiculous only drops one fukkn tape? Some fierce ass modern day chaos-core circa early 2010s, there's a moment or three when I think about S.H.I.T. but when I listen to "Down The Toilet" I just think about balls out no filter hardcore and....can we talk about the pedigree? BASEBALL FURIES, NÖ PÖWER, BATTLETORN, MERCHANDISE, WORSE, MISSIONARY, POLLUTION and several more. Can we talk about the tape? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUKK?! How can eight minutes make such a lasting impact? Well....it's the riffs. It's the "practice room but it sounds like fire" recording. It's definitely the riffs. it's the vocals. Again - how on the godforsaken earth was SHOXX allowed to release just one cassette with four songs on it? Shit is fukkd up. Listen to "Down The Toilet" my friends....you will not be the same.

SHOXX

17 February 1987

 These tapes just keep on giving. Listen to Ruben Blades start this 90+ minute broadcast from 1987 and wait for Pat and friends do a deep dive into Fela Kuti, dub, blues and a killer '80s industrial set. There is something so indescribably comforting about listing to Pat's artifacts - not because they are his (or from him) necessarily, but just hearing realized communications from another reality makes it feel like there's hope for making it through this one. You know? Because I'm sure everything felt really hopeless then...at least someone who fely hopeless managed to make it through. SO yeah, there's hope. and maybe...just maybe....THE BAR-KAYS into CAR SKID AND CRASH into BE BOP DELUXE as broadcast in 1987 is exactly the hope that we need in 2025.

KALX - 17 FEBRUARY !987

LUNAR MIASMA

 

One half hour of meticulously crafted psychedelic space sounds from LUNAR MIASMA in the form of Heavy Mist. It's just before six in the morning as I write, and this is making me dream of dreaming in the bed that is still warm....these are night sounds. Ominous, foreboding, beautiful night sounds. 

HEAVY MIST

CIVIL DISORDER

 

I'm not sure if you're prepared for this. You should listen anyway, but I strongly suggest strapping in before the opening title track on Berontak Dan Nalar kicks in because....it's a lot. Absolutely raging Indonesian crossover thrash of the highest order with speed picking guitars that'll make you think you're listening to MORBID ANGEL if you close your eyes tight enough. For context, this came out a year before Waste 'em All and I would argue CIVIL DISORDER match that record blow for blow from start to finish while taking a liberal nod in the direction of metallic Japanese hardcore/thrash. Sandpaper vocals, wildly erratic leads, EXODUS and Four Of A Kind-caliber high intensity moshes - listen to "Pembunuh Berdarah Dingin" and you will never be the same.

BERONTAK DAN NALAR

FLUFFERS

 

I like when you can hear a little bit of a band's history inside a band's sounds. Gloomy German punk vibes (GRAUZONE, EA80) ooze out of a snarky garage punk banger and the result is the sole release from FLUFFERS. Again, it's hard to imagine a band releasing something this solid and then going silent, but I guess 2013 was the year for these kids. Wish I had been there for it. FFO: NEON PISS,  early '90s college/alt, SKATE KORPSE, REATARD-related projects. 

FLUFFERS

BACKYARD

 

I swear upon the moon and stars that an angel dropped this into my life. I don't deserve these sounds, not in 2025 I don't...and yet here these sounds are, lacerating my eardrums and filling my soul with hope. Viennese West Bay obsessed grinders BACKYARD deliver eight doses of brutally lo-fi rehearsal pain on Questionable Practices, a five minute master class in PV/Grind Mastery that kneels at the altars of gods. Logo ripped from IMMORTAL FATE, font meticulously adapted from Mr. Ripple's countless visual credits, and a sound that would not raise an eyebrow if BACKYARD were played alongside PLUTO, UTTER BASTARD, DBE....you get the fukkn drill. My jaw fell open and my heart swelled when I played Questionable Practices for the first time, and there have been so many more times since that moment. This is beautiful, life is beautiful. 

QUESTIONABLE PRACTICES