ENAM JAHANAM

It sounds like what it is - an epic crust/Oi! hybrid collaboration from the depths of Singapore. Galloping DBeats drive backing vocals straight off of a BISHOPS GREEN record while UK street punk seeps into tracks like "Hormat Menghomati" that are still delivered as fiery SE Asian hardcore. It really is a relatively simple formula, and it's almost shocking how well it works...I haven't seen or heard anything from ENAM JAHANAM since this 2014 demo, so I just keep listening to "Guilty By Ignorance" and "Violence Never In Our Minds" on fukkn repeat. 

 ENAM JAHANAM

CABEÇA

This ripping 23 song (live?) demo from Rio de Janeiro surely falls into a few of the 1990s crevices that make people without context cringe a bit, but this banger is full of high energy hardcore punk that also happens to be high energy melodic punk...it was 1995, and I can assure you that this combination was not even remotely unusual. Clearly the cassette's previous owner included her/his endorsement, he only question is whether or not you feel like taking a walk or not. 

DEMONSTRAÇÃO AO VIVO

THE RAGSTOCK

I don't know man, how much patience do you have today? Where is your bullshit tolerance threshold? Because this collection of guitar noise, nonsense and the unapologetic brutalization of americana standards will push you to your limit. A Jason Wade (RESIN, COCKESP, FAGGOT) affiliated project, THE RAGSTOCK land somewhere between experimental early SONIC YOUTH, MILK CULT and a twelve year old with a tape recorder, so you are welcome to do whatever you like with that information. 

THE RAGSTOCK

NAUGHTY GIRLS

Filthy rock 'n roll is almost never a bad thing, and that's certainly the case with this 2012 recording from Montreal's NAUGHTY GIRLS. Scumbag vibes throughout, with an early GG by way of Ben Weasel vibe in the vocals and a pace perfectly suited for stupid drunken outbursts. And that's what makes it all fukkn great, so much so that the little flourishes like the slight tempo ramp up in "City Councilors" and the brilliant four-on-the-floor simplicity of "Don't Wanna Die" are almost lost in the general blanket descriptors. But make no mistake - this one is worth a look into the shadows...there's serious quality lurking back there. 

NAUGHTY GIRLS - LP

BASTARD DECEIVER

There is nothing pretty about BASTARD DECEIVER, nothing subtle. Filthy, churning stench with relentless blasts and DBeat riffs strewn about like bodies in a mass grave. They seem impatient while they crush the nine tracks on this 2012 cassette, almost as if they are annoyed at having to play the songs at all...and they are taking out that frustration on the songs themselves. I never got to see these Floridians, but I can only imagine the combination of power and vitriol. 

BASTARD DECEIVER

SELF RELIANCE

Late '90s ripping (and melodic) hardcore that kinda reminds me of ROUSE and early '90s Oakland, if only because it's fast as shit and still catchy. They fall off the rails a bit from time to time and it sounds like the guitarist might be more of a metalhead than the rest of the band but that's part of the charm (especially the tone that makes me think they just plugged a cheap ass distortion pedal straight into the mixing board). 

SELF RELIANCE

FORCE SEVEN

I don't know J.J. or Por, but they had a post '80s Alameda County area code and they were funky as shit. And really, when you're scooping stuff up for a quarter in bargain bins, there's not much more you can ask for. I probably listened to this five times in a row the day I ripped it. 

FORCE SEVEN