EXIT STANCE

Three bands came to me on this board tape from a 1984 gig in Brighton...it seemed overkill to slap them all up here at once, since I like to you to be able to enjoy these tunes, not just amass a bunch of files you'll never listen to. I mean really, what's the fukkn sense in downloading 436 songs a day? You aren't gonna listen to them for weeks, and by then you'll have 624 other songs that you also haven't listened to. My point is simply that you'll get the other two sets from that night eventually, and for now you should just enjoy this classic and drunkenly presented live UK Punk set...I even included the strangely appealing 4 minute live intro that came through the PA, because I'm just that thoughtful and I like for you to feel like you were actually there. I suggest drinking cheap cider, inhaling a few Evo sticks, and a cold rainy night to complete the experience. 12 tunes in just over 30 minutes. 

EXIT STANCE

DEFORMITY

When I put up the killer third demo from New York rippers DEFORMITY back in August, Noise Punk Mondays were born. Shiva was kind enough to send me a copy of their long out of print second demo and I lagged severely in the 'returning the favor' department until last week (the tapes are in the mail Shiva - apologies for the delay) so now I don't feel guilty sharing this raging five tracks distort-o-rama. A few of these tunes appear in a more advanced form on the 3rd tape, but this shit from early 2010 is pure raw primitive high end noise punk at it's finest. It sounds like it looks - enjoy.

DEFORMITY

BOSTON STRANGLER

This might make me a bad and/or judgemental person, but when I hear bands bust out songs like "Never Get It Back" it just makes me wonder how old they are. If you're 45 and singing about all the chumps who dropped out of hardcore, then I get it...because you (as a 45 year old) are clearly a lifer. But if you're 22...then you should probably shut your fukkn mouth until you're old.  Age notwithstanding, BOSTON STRANGLER rip through 5 sick fukkn east coast hardcore burners that owe liberal doses of thanks and accolades to their predecessors (I mean '80s Boston hardcore bands). These crushing, mosh friendly jams will suck up 8 minutes of your life and leave you wanting to smash holes in every wall in your parents' bedroom while your friends crank the shit out of your big brother's record collection. And now that I think this through, I don't give two shits how old BOSTON STRANGLER are - this demo kills, makes me wanna smash the inferiors, and I hope that these dudes stay hardcore forever because clearly that was their goal when they made this shit happen. For what it's worth, as much as this shit rules, when you search "Boston" in my iTunes and blast these songs and then David Allen Coe's "Please Come To Boston" comes right out of BOSTON STRANGLER's "The Truth," the song that closes this killer demo...well I'm just saying that it rules even more.

OUTCAST

BLUE HUMMINGBIRD ON THE LEFT

A recent addition to the Black Twilight stable in Los Angeles, BLUE HUMMINGBIRD ON THE LEFT features AXEMAN, BONE AWL, ASHDOUTAS, and VOLAHN members and deliver the kind of sinister black metal folks have come to expect from this collective. BHOTL add flute into the mix (don't ask, just listen) and let it do battle with evil doing vokills and a primitive white-hot assault drenched in high end hiss and distortion. There are actual hooks buried in there somewhere...and the search for them is part of the point. Three songs, that's all you get.

BLOODFLOWER

MORNING PEASANTS

Do you really need another UK punk compilation? Maybe you do. Morning Peasants hits more of the later '80s crust shits, AXEGRINDER, GENERIC, SPERMBIRDS, RIPCORD and so on, while still covering classic UK ground with KARMA SUTRA, AVOID, JOYCE McKINNEY EXPERIENCE, DAN, CHUMBAWUMBA and others. The peak of this tape is the two tracks from OMNIA OPERA - don't know anything about this band but these songs are fukkn stellar!! This tape was sent in by a Terminal Escape follower, but I promptly misplaced the packaging. So with apologies, I say thank you and ask that you please drop me a line so I can send you something in return.

MORNING PEASANTS

ILLICIT

Ultra primitive UK rehearsal demo from a band I know nothing about. Some of the efforts here are rather laughable, but even in the midst of a bumbling and tuneless assault, brilliant songs creep out of the chaos. "Mindless Violance" (their spelling, not mine) is a perfect example; the song is hopelessly out of tune, delivered with the all the precision of a calligrapher writing in the dark, and a on target like a blind man at a shooting range...but somehow the song still rules. Recorded in the lowest of fidelities, this ILLICIT rehearsal tape captures a UK punk act at their most basic - do not bother if you are seeking slick and perfected anthems. Prepare your ears for a primeval battle of Tape Hiss vs. Unadulterated Ineptitude. 

This Is Just A Practice Tape

VIOLENT RAMP

This band is weird. This tape label is weird. VIOLENT RAMP are like stream of consciousness hardcore: no song titles and seemingly no direction other than creating live chaos. Forays into noise break the pattern periodically, as does the live ramblings of the singer between songs. This might be a rather trying listen for some, but I suggest you try and listen (that was a very pedestrian manipulation of words, in case you didn't notice). THE SPITS and LIGHTNING BOLT discussing art.

STRANGE NOTES

MASQUERADE

This is everything that yesterday's CERVIX post is not - ultra pro recorded melodic power metal from Japan circa 198something. These six tracks show MASQUERADE flying all over the fretboards, sneaking keyboards in at will and even plugging a guitar solo driven instrumental into the middle of the demo. The vocals are classic '80s power metal, though several endearing rungs below the Halfords and Dickinsons on the ever treacherous Ladder Of Falsetto Screams. I thought about scanning the lyrics to "Chance," and still might do so someday, but sharing these impossibly hopeful "you CAN break free from the control that your parents and society have over you - you CAN be your own person" lyrics written in such difficult English would have seemed like I was making fun...and since there's no way to convey through this horribly impersonal form of communication (ones, zeros, pictures, sounds - but no emotion, no sarcasm...just a cold offer of music and text in hopeful exchange for a warm word) that I was truly moved by the earnest nature of these lyrics, I will not share them so that my honest appreciation is not misconstrued. If you want a punk tape to crank you through your Tuesday, look elsewhere. But if you've been experiencing a serious Melodious Power Metal Band deficiency lately, then I'm here to help.

VISION YOUR MIND

CERVIX

A few folks have been howling for this obvious addition to the Noise Punk Monday stable, but no one howls louder than the vocalist for New York City's CERVIX. These vocals are somewhere between amazing and just plain weird, and I went from loving them to being annoyed and back at least twice during this tape. Total raw distort, as you've come to expect, but these kids give new meaning to raw with this recording. The whole thing sounds like it was dubbed in a toilet...while someone was using it...but the result is still sick as hell. 

CERVIX

This Noise Punk Monday comes to you from my grandmother's house in Houston. If there's anything I should do here tonight, someone needs to let me know...

BLACK UNIFORMS

I hope that no real introduction or explanation or even accolades are required here: BLACK UNIFORMS played ripping metallic Swedish hardcore. Sadly, keeping with yesterday's "fukkd up tape" theme, I have only three of the five songs from this demo...somewhere along the 23 year journey to my grubby little paws it appears that some fool erased the two songs on side 2.

HORROR HOLOCAUST...

INTENSE MOSH

Why fuck around with shitty band names that leave your potential fans wondering what your new group sounds like? Why not just put it all out there and cram a sock in the questions before some snot nosed thrasher even has a chance to open his mouth to ask? Why not just use the same words to name your band that people will use to describe your band? Argentina's INTENSE MOSH did exactly that.

DULCE Y CARIÑOCO

This tape was fukkn destroyed when I got it, and I was not able to salvage the B side, so the five songs from the first side is all you get. Seriously - look at these dudes and tell me they don't induce what their moniker promises:

THE CHOICE IS MINE

My personal highlight(s) on this tape is(are) the tracks from Nagoya's NAÜSEA, which feature one of the earliest recorded appearances from Naito, the legendary cartoon-like fastcore machine who has drummed for N.E.K. (currently), OUT OF TOUCH, FLASH GORDON, C.F.D.L. and countless others over the last 20+ years. Naito was the first Japanese drummer I watched on my first trip to Japan (he played three blistering sets back to back to back) and I've exchanged fewer than 25 words with the dude even though our bands have played together several times over the years. The five NAÜSEA tracks, it should go without saying, are fukkn stellar raw blazing HC influences by '80 UK noise punk and US hardcore. RAISE CAIN and FUCK GEEZ play the most traditional brand of Japancore found on this tape, while Sapporo's SPITFIRE deliver early DC meets 7 SECONDS in the most excellent way (I do not think these tracks made it to the SPITFIRE discography on 625, which is excellent and you should get it). SLAVER are nasty, rudimentary and ultra metallic and MAD CONFLAX (is this MAD CONFLUX with a self administered typo? I think it must be...) and SIC DEATH SLAUGHTER (killer crossover with burly vocals - rules) wrap this shit up. XPX gave this to me, and now I share - don't say I never gave you anything.

THE CHOICE IS MINE

COMPLETE DISORDER

The predecessor to the Through Our Eyes demo, this comes from just over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Rafael. A Cry For The World is textbook west coast hardcore with a steady 1-2-1-2 to keep the pit in motion (counter clockwise kids!). I'll keep the obviously 7 SECONDS influenced "Have Fun, Stay Young" on repeat in my brain today while I drag my ass to work - perhaps you should do the same.

A CRY FOR THE WORLD

BLACK OVER RED

If their name didn't give away the political bent of this mid '80s UK act, check out the unabashedly left leaning "Worker's History" and you'll have a pretty good idea. The shortest tune here still approaches three minutes, and BLACK OVER RED use that extra time to craft deep moody anarcho punk with generous tinges of goth (though those tinges are tempered with a slightly metallic edge...this was 1987 after all). "Decide For Yourself" is a little too long, and they really go the goth route, but "You'll Never Know" follows it up with disjointed ripping UK punk - sloppy in all the right ways. This tape originally had their second demo on the other side (or so says the cover), but my blank B side just leaves me wanting to hear more. Which I guess is a good way to dupe people into looking for your music.

STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE

KRÜEL

This might look a little familiar, and you might think you've seen this KRÜEL tape on Terminal Escape before, and you might be right...kinda. This is a pretty strange second demo - KRÜEL re-recorded almost all of their Terror Tape demo with Jon HELPLESS and then released it with the same cover art (but printed on a red paper instead of white). This recording captures their fury way better, and songs like "Anti-Systema" are total classics in the world of blown out raw DBeat. But don't take my word for it, those of you in the SF area should just come see them tonight at The Knockout.

TERROR TAPE (v.2)

KRÖMOSOM

Yeap from PISSCHRIST (and BLOODY HAMMER) mailed me this tape a few weeks back, and I was expected nothing short of amazing. I was not disappointed - noise punk perfection. It should have come as no surprise when dealing with a pedigree like theirs, but KRÖMOSOM fukkn nail noisy raw DBeat hardcore with absolute genius. Vocals are echoed to oblivion, the drums just pound away at your brain, and when they slow it down to a steady lurch for one song it gives the guitars the time the need to surround your whole worthless soul before the kick drum launches you into "Terror" and you just collapse. Wait - you didn't collapse? You must not have listened at the proper volume. You should try again. And the Noise Punk Monday reign continues...

KRÖMOSOM

RUBELLA BALLET

This live set came to me on the flipside of a GENERIC demo tape - great female fronted UK anarcho punk that was perhaps known more for their bright neon outfits than for these great songs. I never really caught the distinct SIOUXSIE vibe on the records, but it is unmistakable here. Six songs - no titles because I am lazy.

RUBELLA BALLET

Calling all LA punks: It's Sunday and you don't have fukkall else to do, so go see this shit. NO STATIK will have tapes and singles if you think you need some. Personally, I think you do.

ÆSAHAETTR

Æsahaettr is the black metal offshoot of Montreal's ENSORCELOR, and I think that these searing sounds might be even more to my liking than the blackened doom crust from their primary outfit. The vocals have an almost digital sneer that give them a sinister quality not far from the industrial bands that I listened to in my youth. There's a steady blasting pace through most of the tape's songs, but the beats are buried under a wash of guitar distortion. Black Metal ain't my jam usually, so if I tried to drop specific references I would likely be way off base, but the riffs are more emotive than evil but every other aural aspect of this recording is creepy as hell. They actually managed to sound like a dark forest. Cheers to Media Tree Recordings for sending this my way (feel free to snag your own as well), they seem to be taking the cassette label thing to a whole new level.

ÆSAHAETTR

DEFLAGRATION

For the last two weeks I've posted compilation tapes that were really more like Best Of collections. Last week's Bad Entrails was a comprehensive trip through '80s US hardcore, while the Us Against Them  comp concentrated on some of the best the UK had to offer.  But this Friday's compilation is full of deep cuts, and doesn't really flirt with anything more well known than DEZERTER or NEON CHRIST. The tape centers mostly on European hardcore, with the aforementioned Southerners and Canada's F.O.A.D. and UNNATURAL SILENCE as the only off continent contributions, and is full of lesser known killers like BLOEDBAD (Holland), UNDERAGE (Italy), CERESIT '81 (West Germany) and UNDERDOGS (Belgium) as well as French TE alumnus RAPT and KROMOSOM 4. Most of this shit is fast and raw hardcore, and some of the recordings leave a bit to be desired in the sound quality department (in the bands' defense, the tape was distributed on a sub-par Salvy brand cassette, which might have affected the distortion levels in an adverse manner...it just depends how much you care about such things and, in turn, how punk you are), but when you hear crucial blasts from Finland's PROTESTI or classic shit from Germans INFERNO and SCAPEGOATS or SQUIRT from Switzerland, do you really care about a little tape hiss?

DEFLAGRATION Vol. 3 Side A

DEFLAGRATION Vol. 3 Side B

D.O.N.D.O.N.

In the early 1990s, American and European punks seems to be trying to figure out what the fukk they were doing and flirting with grunge while still kinda being punks but yet opening up to funk and ska even after they figured out that opening up to cock rock and hair metal had been a shitty idea. Meanwhile, the Japanese has their shit fukkn dialed - as evidenced by todays tape from D.O.N.O.D.O.N. - and produced heaps of blistering fast hardcore punk with such a distinct attack that it was soon known as "Japcore" around the world. There's something about the style that is unmistakably Japanese, even though they clearly take influences from UK punk, MOTORHEAD, and US hardcore. The Winter demo might not be the best Japanese shit you've ever heard, but these four songs are a perfect introduction to the raging hardcore punk that the island has been pummeling us with for the last 20+ years.

WINTER

(DIRTY NOISY SOUL SIDE REAL H.C.)

SOCIALCIDE

Hardcore - Virginia - 2006.

Seven songs. under 8 minutes.

This rules.

SOCIALCIDE

STAGNANT ERA

STAGNANT ERA made it onto the Mortarhate We Won't Be Your Fucking Poor LP and released a demo in 1984, but other than that, this demo seems to be just about the only contribution that these North Yorkshire punks managed to crank out. Life in Thirsk circa 1984 must have been pretty dull (Thirsk lies roughly 1/4 of the way between Leeds and Glasgow, well off the main motorway, and sits in the middle of approximately fukkall) but at least they found each other. Musically, STAGNANT ERA play pretty straight forward '70s/'80s UK punk - three songs here recorded in a proper studio and 9 rougher jams from a rehearsal tape. 

STAGNANT ERA

PISSCHRIST

The term "Noise Punk" has lately been used to refer simply to noisy raw DBeat hardcore bands. While I don't necessarily endorse that classification and think that, in general terms, things called "noise punk" should lean more in the noise direction and push boundaries rather than adhering to any sort of formula. However, a subgenre is a subgenre, and I only comment on the rules - I don't make them. So since I've accepted that the moniker applies to formulaic bands who adhere to the raw DBeat program...why not celebrate Noise Punk Monday with a band who fly the flag higher than just about anyone? Australia's PISSCHRIST set the standard for this shit. If you want to start a band that worships at the altar of DIS, you might want to check this out first and see how it's done. Sure you've heard this shit before, but PISSCHRIST do it to perfection. Best live band, best dudes. Sorry they've called it quits but I look forward to their new projects.

PISSCHRIST

YOUTH AVOIDERS

I really should have slipped this into French Punk Week, but I got blinded by all that great '80s shit and YOUTH AVOIDERS totally slipped my mind. Better late than never - sink your ears into these adrenaline fueled garage punk rippers. There's enough hooks to last you another week, and the energy level is through the roof from start to finish. There's a laundry list of cool and/or hyped bands that play this style not even half as well, and if there is any justice in the world (there isn't, in case you were wondering...or just optimistic) the 'in' crowd will be murmuring about YOUTH AVOIDERS instead of just wailing about the latest boner jams they think will get them laid. In fact, if there is any justice in the world, then these songs will get you laid. Today. Just by listening to them. 

YOUTH AVOIDERS

DEAD ENDS

It is very possible that many of you will not bother listening to this tape because you are not already familiar with DEAD ENDS, or perhaps because they are from Philippines instead of some hotbed of punk brilliance like England or Sweden. Maybe this 1986 tape from a country ravaged for decades by war and imperialism (Western and Eastern) just doesn't interest you, and that's fine - but it makes you a jerk. I'm not one to point fingers or call people names, but every person who reads this and does not choose to listen to the music to which I am referring is a jerk. Not a douchebag or an asshole or a pig or even a bad person...just a bit of a jerk. At least for today, tomorrow you can be swell again. DEAD ENDS will likely never be emblazoned across the backs (or sleeves) of the cool kids leather jackets, but these songs are earnest punk at its finest. There is a distinct DEAD KENNEDYS vibe, especially with the vocals (despite the singer's plea: "I don't wanna sound like Jello Biafra" - I guess someone mentioned the similarity after the release of their first tape), the whole cassette pulls liberally from catchy '80s California shits and the result is top quality punk. Awesome stuff, and while it's possible you might not agree with me, it's also possible that you are jerk. If you aren't a jerk, then clearly I am referring to someone else.

SECOND COMING

BAD ENTRAILS 1

Back in July I posted BAD ENTRAILS 3 and extolled the virtues of what I then heralded as a near perfect compilation tape. The Germans at Psychic Brain Slash Tapes cranked out 90 minutes of top notch US hardcore and were kind enough to include the hits you want (FLAG, CRUCIFIX, DICKS, NAKED RAYGUN, SCREAM) as well as the deep cuts that you seek you broaden your horizons (HATE, ANGST, ILL WILL, DEMENTED, Southern California's favorite christian anarchists CIRCLE ONE, RF7). There are a couple of clunkers (covers of "War" and "Low Rider" by D.O.A. and J.F.A. are certainly the tape's low points), but this tape just fukkn rips - exactly what a hardcore comp tape should sound like. Who gives a fukk if you know half of this shit already...just listen on your way to work or school and than delete the files if you are too cool to keep the files around. And yeah, I know that D.O.A. and S.N.F.U. are Canadian.

BAD ENTRAILS 1 Side A

BAD ENTRAILS 1 Side B

VERDUN

The last installment from that French tape - I would apologize to those who aren't a fan of French punk, but then again I should also chastise you for not digging the diverse and amazing music that has graced The Escape this week. Perhaps you have terrible taste? Then again, I posted songs by bands like ASS and SHITDOGS OF WAR, so it's entirely possible that it is I who have terrible taste. VERDUN might just be my favorite '80s French band (though I am far from an expert - I need Luc to make me a mix tape of the classics), I first heard them when a long time MRR shitworker dropped a few crates of records by the magazine's HQ (nothing finer than a heavyweight dropping out of the record game), and after I snagged all the MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST I needed, Arwen came home and we started jockeying for the killer slabs. After several rock/paper/scissors contests and a bizarre tie breaker that involved a processed potato product and an impossible toss onto a precariously narrow ceiling beam, I left with a brilliant VERDUN LP, and I've been a fan ever since. These tracks are killer raw female fronted punk, totally simple but completely awesome. Government regulated baguette prices, health care for everyone (even the dipshits), great punk tapes, and retirement at age 60? Even if at least one of these is achieved only by strikes and riots, and even if it costs more in motorway tolls to drive across the country than I paid for my DIE KREUZEN record, if you can crank out tunes like "Tentative" and everyone is as nice as the French people that I've met...then your country is just fine with me.

VERDUN demo 1984

CHARNIER

Trading yesterday's chaos for catchy French punk. The 1984 Explosif demo from CHARNIER is full of melodic Oi hooks, and while I can easily imagine the sound being polished to a point that makes them rather uninteresting, these songs in their demo form are fukkn great. Great punk, nothing more to say except thanks again to Luc/Kängnäve for producing the track listing for me (and in turn, for you), and here's a shitty cover scan I nicked from Discogs in case you happen to come across this gem in the bin at your local charity shop:

Explosif

Also: I just returned from vacation last night and repaired the US AGAINST THEM post from last Friday. Apologies for my technological failings, but please enjoy this mix tape.

FINAL BLAST

As promised, here's the killer 1985 demo from FINAL BLAST...perfect guitar sound and just 100% punk. Cheers again to Luc for the track listing on this one. Did I mention that this shit is punk?

FINAL BLAST Demo 1985

RAPT

I got a tape a few years ago that was simply titled French Punk, with a list of four bands. With no song titles, I enlisted the help of Luc from Bordeaux to try to nail the origin of some of these ripping tunes - he did so several months back, and now I am just now getting around to sharing them with you. The first installment from that tape is from Vernon, France's RAPT, and is more than suitable for a Noise Punk Monday visit to France...totally manic and chaotic noise core with an emphasis on speed instead of technical precision. The complete lack of fidelity on this rehearsal tape is augmented by fierce determination and a need for speed, and this primitive attack will make your head spin with nonsensical blasting mayhem. RAPT only cranked out one vinyl release, a split with FINAL BLAST (whose demo is on this same cassette, and will appear here tomorrow), but here are 9 raw as fukk rehearsal tracks. Thanks to Luc for trying to track down song titles, but most of these tracks are unknown even to him:

The Rapt songs are a mystery to me. I've never heard that recording before. A lot of the songs didn't sound familiar, so much that I first thought it was a different band! That's until I heard track 6 ("Torture"), which is definitely a Rapt classic. One of my old bands used to cover this song. Haha. OK, hope it helped...

RAPT Rehearsal