ENERGIES

 

Please.....just listen.

Gorgeous and etherial.

Beautiful.

Start to finish. 

ANNA LUISA.
EMMA CASTRO.
CHEETAH GIRL.
MICHAEL VIDAL.
CAT MAHATTA.
MONA DEMONE.
.....more.

ENERGIES

PRIMAL BRAIN

 

Not the first time I've shared music from Oklahoma's PRIMAL BRAIN and oh my stars I hope it won't be the last. This shit is ferocious and intense and......and godDAMN I swear the first 40 seconds of the opening track are '90s college/alt reimagined by modern punks. We're talking 1982 Touch & Go, 2012 S.H.I.T., 1986 Twin Cities and indescribably relevant USDIY punk...that's fukkn PRIMAL BRAIN and I don't jknow how to convey that they are better in 2025 than they ever were before and listen to (the aborted) "Northside Story" if you don't believe me. Sometimes (often) I am grateful that I will never land to Oklahoma....moments like this make me sad that I ever left. This 2025 cassette might be the toughest and most realized hardcore recording I've heard in 2026.

IS IT ALL A GAME?

=============================================

MAX ROACH

 

I remember several evenings in Scottzy's room, listening to and analyzing music. The first time I heard Roots was in his room. The first time I consciously heard SLIPKNOT was in his room. We listened to MOTÖRHEAD and NIRVANA, we analyzed MÖTLEY CRÜE and MOUNTAIN. These were special times, but Scottzy was a drummer and he was a student of the craft. Listen to "Survivors" and fukk the strings actually, the strings are incredible) because the shit Roach is doing defies description. On the flipside? Six drum-only compositions that defy description. Would give anything to be back in that place, in that time, sitting with that dude, dissecting these recordings. This motherfucker really could play the drums. 

SURVIVORS

  

CAMPAÑA DEL TERROR

 

More of the same, this time from Chile. Blistering fastcore/thrash from the Covid era - I clearly remember this shit getting dropped on the internet and I clearly remember getting my earholes blow out when this tape arrived in the mail. "Abuso Policial" is a perfect fastcore track, and Atropello is a perfect fastcore release. Rapid fire high energy DIY thrash......I fukkn love punk, and all hails to Max and Will for bringing the shit to the rest of us.

ATROPELLO

LAXX

 

Another shining example of the resilience and infinite international appeal of Y2K fastcore and DIY hyper thrash. You can drop LAXX in 2001 New Jersey or 2009 Belgium or 2003 Brasil or 2011 California or 2009 Japan....or 2023 Indonesia. Ripping TØRSÖ cover to seal the deal - DIY punk and hardcore rules.

OUT OF CAGE

HUMAN FAILURE

 

It's a one person project, and it projects the need that the very existence of a solo project implies. HUMAN FAILURE feels like it sounds....HUMAN FAILURE is desperate and yearning, something reaching for hope in the face of complete and obvious disappointment. Humanity. Sonically this is OSDM with gratuitous doses of noise and nihilism, emotionally this is literally everything. 

CROWN ON THE HEAD OF A KING OF MUD

HELTA SKELTA

 

Don't know why this band only popped onto my radar last week, but I am always happy for a new flash obsession. Classic Aussie garage punk in the THOUGHT CRIMINALS >>> EDDY CURRENT lineage with a notable dose of BUZZCOCKS snark. Brilliantly crafted tunes (only three of them) and a sharp, smart delivery that commands your attention even on the sultry stripped down opener "Nightclubbin'." Only three tracks, self released down under and packaged for the world by Deranged (I suspect this was released during the absolute bombardment of Deranged releases in the '10s, a steady assault that was impossible to keep up with even though the quality was consistent...and that's why I missed this one in real time). This Perth act dropped two full lengths and a slew of singles (and, thankfully, tapes) during their run, so you know how I'll be spending my day. Because three songs aren't enough.

NIGHTCLUBBIN'