various artists - Voices N°2 - Auchardcore Punk Compilation

I have no clue how I got hold of this. I've never been much of a crust collector, and Auch is such a tiny commune in southwestern France. It'd be like someone not only pulled together a comp of ska bands from Mount Vernon, WA. And yet...

This is the second of three "Voices" compilations springing from the Gers Valley, a rural area known as the largest producer of foie gras in France. Is that the reason Auch was able to turn out Auchardcore? What sounds small-town kids create in their local bubbles will never not be interesting to me, even if it's taking place in a language foreign to me.

A note: this is missing the last track on the comp, Death Buring's "The Gates of Kthulu". Despite it appearing on both the track listing and the Discogs page, my copy, factory pressed and otherwise pristine, was missing this cut. A shame; I'll always geek out to a Lovecraftian crust jam.

Discogs 

Click here to download

various artists - All Power To The People, Not The State

I'm pretty certain I flipped past this CD a half dozen times in various distros back at the turn of the millennium. So how did I end up with a copy in 2024, and why?

The how is simple: I paid less than a buck for it from an eBay seller I frequent. See, when the auction is over, you just click a button and BAM! a week later, a padded mailer or box arrives in my mailbox with this CD in it.

The why is less simple, but still simple. It has a bunch of bands on it that I like: Submission Hold, Gasp, Good Riddance, I Spy, Citizen Fish. It was released in an edition of 1,000 CDs, benefiting a pair of anarchist collectives. I think it was probably released by the fella $eth, whose record is the only other release on Black Star Recordings. It has a pretty amateurish illustration of a cop in riot gear on the cover; it's the kind of spare graphic design that really stopped flying around that time. Yesterday was Mumia Abu-Jamal's 70th birthday. And since a portion of the proceeds from this release ostensibly went towards his legal defense, I figured now was as good a time as any to share.

Discogs

Click here to download.

various artists - Disturbing The Peace: An Ear2theground Punx Compilation

Just a killer 20-year-old compilation of Bay Area hardcore/crust/power violence/grindcore. Simple as.

Listening to this for the first time in a long time, it makes me wish someone would put out a Funeral Shock discography. And I see that the Scurvy Dogs full length is a whopping $3 on CD.

It's a good one to walk your dog to...preferably on a rope leash.

Discogs

Click here to download.

various artists - Farm Sanctuary Benefit Compilation

Clearly, it bothers me that this record is old enough to drink legally. Although, it won't, what with the sXe representation present herein.

Anyhow, it's a nice slice of East Coast DIY, circa 2001, courtesy of the Mountain Collective, home to the bleeding edge of hardcore, screamo, crust, and other far-out version of punk as diametrically opposite from the contemporary Warped Tour paradigm as the Guardian is from the New York Post. How's that for an evocative sentence.

Here's to taking bands like Frail seriously, to coming up with ways to help an urban garden thrive, to scratching a handgrip into that hundred-foot wall you've been screaming at for years, hoping it'd fall. If demolition doesn't work, erosion will.

Discogs

Click here to download.

Fighting Dogs - s/t

I wrote about Fighting Dogs all the way back in 2009, and have been sitting on this, their first and only full length, for about five years. So, in the spirit of clearing the decks, here you go: a quite good hardcore-bordering-on-crust record out of Philadelphia, circa 2004. Two thirds of this lineup played in R.A.M.B.O., as well as Virginia Black Lung, which is how I came to check out Fighting Dogs in the first place.

Discogs

Click here to download.

various artists - Invasion Of The Indie Snatchers

OK, I start a new gig the day after Memorial Day, so I'm trying to load a few posts into the queue in between chores from Mrs. Ape and sleep so's I can make a good impression this first week. Adulting; what is it?

I've written about a couple of the 100 releases on the defunct S.F. label Allied Recordings before, but not really ever commented on how underappreciated I think Allied is today. It probably has a lot to do with the limited lifespan of the label (10 years, 100 recordings), as well the staunch indie stance Mr. Yates took during its tenure. Being exposed to Allied midway through its life not only helped shape my tastes; it encouraged them to stay broad, to listen to Buzzoven next to J Church next to the Ex and for it all to make sense.

Allied was always good for a great comp, and "Invasion" captures a super interesting snapshot of the great punk underground right after the 1994 major label wave crested and dissipated. The standouts are early recordings from Dillinger Four and Hot Water Music, as well as a J Church song that I ended up playing a lot on my radio show in 1996 because it was just over a minute long and slotted perfectly into those little gaps at the top of the hour. But the cool part of this one, like all the other Yates-curated comps, is many gems appear here. There are bands like Philly's Franklin and Atlanta's Car vs. Driver, who toured and put out lots of great records. There's Peaceful Meadows, V.Card, and Strawman, a trio of Allied standard bearers whose CDs still show up in dollar bins all around. And there are songs from bands like Trench, Water Monitor, and Pound, whose recorded output consisted of this appearance and a demo tape. All in all, it's a pretty cool document, which is what comps are good for.

Discogs

Click here to download.

Żegota - Movement In The Music

When people in 2021 say, "Gee whiz, where was the punk resistance during the Trump adminstration?", like a goddamned DIY band is going to organize people like Pete Seeger did, they're probably looking for something like Fat's "Rock Against Bush" compilations. Which, you know, fine, gotta give the kids at the Hot Topic something to listen to. It's better than nothing, right? But, to tell the truth, I prefer my aural resistance a lot crustier, more abrasive. Something like Greensboro's Żegota.

This was John Ericsson's new band after he left Catharsis, another outstanding political HC band from the late 90s. Named after the Polish Żegota Council to Aid Jews, there's no confusion where they were coming from politically. The final track on this, their first record for noted hard left label CrimethInc., is titled "Open Disobedience; Bold Resistance". They were pro-bikes, anti-cop, pro-organization, anti-melody, pro-hollerin'. It's a perfectly good soundtrack to Food Not Bombs, Black Bloc, and chaining oneself to the doors of an international bank.

I'm not certain why I never owned a copy of this up until last year, but when I came across a copy in a Half Price Books "fill a shopping bag for $20" sale, I couldn't pass it up. Its digipak is printed on recycled material, doncha know? It's weird and jammy and dirty and smells funky and it makes me want to run thru a brick wall to punch a Proud Boy. Viva la resistance!

Discogs

Click here to download.

Crisis Of Faith - Land Of The Free

"Never be afraid to take a wag," is my mantra. Rarely does my instinct not pay off with something worth listening to.

I'd had the "Short, Fast and Loud Vol. 1" comp on my wantlist for a while, and I recently saw one for a fair price. I was almost ready to pull the trigger. Now, I've learned that I feel a lot better splitting the cost of shipping across multiple items; it's a lot less weird picking up German grind CDs when you're not adding the full price of bringing it in from Japan. Better to just throw in that Painkiller record, or a couple of quasi-bootleg cassettes, so one can justify the cost of postage. Anyway...

I come across "Land of the Free" in the seller's list. That it's on Lost & Found jumps out at me first. There's a lot of hidden gold in their archives, some of which still hasn't been reissued. I inspect further, noting they were on a split with Chokehold. Things are looking better. And the price is right: $6, and its all mine. Who am I to say no? I smash that "add to cart", and within days, it's in my hand. Thanks, knotmusic, for scratching my itch.

Six bucks got me some rather competent Canadian political hardcore from the early 90s. This is a prime, fourth band on a five-band bill at ABC Rio, bang-yr-head hardcore band, a far cry from more moshy contemporaries. The songs here hail from their aforementioned split with Chokehold, a self-released (?) 7" from the same year, and a song from a very random comp, where they were joined by Moss Icon, Culture Shock, and TVTV$. The 90s, man. Guitarist Adam Payne looks to be the only member of this trio to still be making music. It looks like he relocated to Vancouver at the turn of the millenium, and has put in time with the likes of the Bonitos and Bishops Green.

Discogs

Click here to download.

Post #200: Tragedy - No End In Sight

Tragedy at Thee Parkside, SF, CA, 2008 (photo by Brian Dooley)

When I restarted Primitive Offerings a few months back, it was, in part, because the 20th anniversary occasions had really started piling up for me. 2000 was a really good year, no? It was the first year I ever really lived on my own; the Baltimore Chop and I lived in a cruddy two-bedroom apartment out in Baltimore County after I got kicked out of college. We went to shows all the time, especially since they didn't drink at the time, so I could have a few and not stress driving drunk. There were countless great records that came out that year. And the movies...oh, the movies from 2000! "O Brother...", "Pitch Black", "Almost Famous", "Ghost Dog", "High Fidelity": when I wasn't at a show, at work, or back at school, I was probably in the theatre, turning a single feature in a double. So, yeah, for me, other than going all year without a date, it was a really good year.

2000 was the year the first Tragedy LP came out. I didn't know much about them. I knew this was the new His Hero Is Gone/Deathreat band, the fourth member was the guy who ran the Great American Steak Religion label, and they were out of Portland instead of Memphis. I had really mixed feelings about crust at the time. I loved the music and the politics; I hated the scene, so I figured, much like HHIG, I'd never see these guys, because I didn't want to be the only person there looking like a skinhead. What can I say; I was super-insecure about myself in 2000.

Flash forward a couple years to 2002. The Art Space and the Bloodshed open within months of each other, each one offering slightly different yet complimentary takes on DIY punk and hardcore. It was easier navigating city shows; I lived a block from Reptilian, worked at the record store when I wasn't at school, helped remodel and run CCAS. Tragedy's second LP, "Vengeance", comes out, and it carpet bombs everything. I couldn't help but pay attention. They go on tour, and I get to see them! The gang in Kerum had this verbal meme at the time, based on a review they received from a German zine. When something was awesome, they'd yell "HAMMER!" I spent most of Tragedy's set at the Bloodshed yelling "HAMMER!" and head banging.

Time goes on. Tragedy does a split with Sweden's Totalitär in 2003, tours Europe and releases a pair of re-recorded "Vengeance" tracks, then releases "Nerve Damage" in 2006. I was in a different headspace by then; I still loved the music, but I stopped going to shows, a newlywed trying to live a straight life for my spouse. Tragedy played the Ottobar behind "Nerve Damage". I didn't attend. I still rocked the CD I'd picked up from Reptilian's new store.

Five years pass. My wife and I split up. I move back to Baltimore. Tragedy plays the first day of Maryland Deathfest, on a bill with Cathedral, Buzzov•en, Lack of Interest, and Noisear. A buddy offers to sneak me into the show, but I bail to hang out with my girlfriend, who proceeds to berate me for not going to the show. But what can I say? I had work in the morning, and standing around during a bunch of bands I didn't love for one that I did didn't seem appealing. The next year, Tragedy releases "Darker Days Ahead", their fourth (and to date final) LP. It's much closer to the metal side of crust than the punk; I'm not in love with it. For me, the best part of the record is David D'Andrea's cover art.

Time keeps on ticking by. It's 2018. I live north of Seattle, having gone from Baltimore to Atlanta to the Pacific Northwest in the course of three years. I've been laid off from my job for close to a year. I've had a breakdown which led to hospitalization. I'm living off the kindness of family, food banks, and selling off records. Things are not great. I guess at some point I'd added myself to Ebullition's e-mail list, which announces a new Tragedy 12". I debate spending the little money I have on a record, then go with downloading the EP from Tragedy's new Bandcamp page. As indifferent as I was to "Darker Days Ahead", I am that thrilled by "Fury". It was a return to the form I expected.

So it's been almost two years to the day that "Fury" was released, and 20 years since the self-titled LP came out. To celebrate, I've put together the below comp for your listening pleasure. You get my three favorite songs from each 12", along with one song each from their three single releases. Everything is ordered chronologically, past to present. This is not at all complete; I invite you to track down all of their releases. Tragedy remains a powerful force in DIY music. I hope this helps explain why.

Click here to download.

various artists - No Sleep For Hardcore

Mike from Kill the Man Who Questions, circa 2001
(photo from @suburban_voice)

I had shared "Dangerously Unstable", the second of four Suburban Voice comps, a couple weeks ago. So it made since to whip this one out to share. This came with issue #45. If memory serves, Tear It Up was on the cover, Al did a really long interview with Brian from Grand Theft Audio, and the whole endeavor was reflective of the thrash revival of 2000-01. It was the penultimate issue, the final musical release, and both were pretty good ones.

So, if you're feeling froggy, what will your $1.99 (plus shipping) on Discogs get you? The lead song is from Limp Wrist, whose demo I hadn't heard at the time and whose first 7" hadn't come out yet. "Does Your Daddy Know?" still fucking slaps. It was a perfect teaser for the 7" and 12" that'd come out later in 2001. The covers on "No Sleep" are super solid: D4 covers DYS, F-Minus does a Middle Class song that appeared on "Tooth and Nail", and Word Salad does a perfectly cromulent version of "Angel of Death" by Slayer. Cover boys Tear It Up, a dramatically underrated band if there ever was one, contribute an unreleased cut, and XFilesX share a track from their demo, which hadn't really appeared outside of Massachusetts at that point. I'm pretty certain this was my first exposure to Vitamin X and Hates and Straight to Hell and Four Letter Word. I find it very easy to miss releases like this, just like I miss that you could browse a magazine rack's worth of new music zines every month.

No sense in bemoaning what's been lost; let's only look forward to what can be. Re-listening to this makes me want to put out my own comps, to document what's happening here and now. And I guess that's the highest praise one can offer; that a piece of work inspires someone else to create their own version.

Discogs

Click here to download.

Crow - Who Killed Dove?

Note: A special shout out to April and Negative Insight for their awesome article on Grave New World. There's no way I would have gone down this road without their well-researched, well-written history of the band.

Last week's preorder announcement by Bitter Lake Recordings that they'd be reissuing the 1991 Grave New World album "The Last Sanctuary" wasn't just an exciting way to get a classic crust record. It also reminded me how much I love vocalist Crow's previous, eponymous project. So what better time than now to share the debut 7" by Osaka's Crow. It rips.

A lot of Crow's later releases were put out here in the States by Prank, starting with the 2003 reissue of the Artimus Pyle/Crow split 7". But the mid 80s material, prior to Crow joining Grave New World, remains unreleased in the States. There's a great, self-released CD from 1997 that compiles this, the "Last Chaos" LP, and their comp appearance on "Eyes of the Thrash Guerrilla". I wish you luck finding one for less than $50 here in the U.S.

So, enjoy "Who Killed Dove?" If you have no frame of reference, expect metallic hardcore; not so much Earth Crisis, or late 80s Discharge, but something on the continuum between Motörhead and Napalm Death, but with more NWOBHM influence. Does that make sense? I'd rage out to this if I saw it live. So circle pit it up in your living room, or in the park, or wherever the mood strikes you.

Discogs

Click here to download.

Bastard - Wind Of Pain

The cool/weird part about shopping for records in Japan is the things you'll find that you've never seen elsewhere. Case in point: Bastard's "Wind Of Pain". Either I learned about this late 80s/early 90s Japanese hardcore band when they reunited for Chaos in Tejas in 2010, or via late night text conversations with Sean from Fan Death Records. Regardless of where I heard about them, my last trip (to date) to Tokyo coincided with the 2013 reissue of "Wind Of Pain" by Feral Ward. I walked into Disk Union my last day and saw a small stack on the counter. Fuck it, I'll drop 2,000¥ on a rumor. I haven't regretted it since.

If you ever wanted to learn more about Japanese hardcore, specifically the "Burning Spirits" style, this is a good place to start. How would I describe this? Think posi D-beat. Drummer Koba would continue, post-Bastard, to playing drums in Systematic Death, as well as running Fade In Records and doing some really cool record covers for bands like Rocky & the Sweden. So your chances are greater than nil of ever seeing/meeting one of these guys. Would it be nice if records like this were a little easier to track down? Sure...I guess. But the chase, especially when you have to go halfway around the world to hear a copy, is part of the fun.

Discogs

Click here to download.

The KLF vs. Extreme Noise Terror ‎– 3 A.M. Eternal (live at the Brits 1992)

Of all the music industry stories I've read, my favorite ones are always about the KLF. They represent the self-aware, self-critical artist better than just about any other musician. Here are a pair of musicians, in Bill Drummond and James Cauty, who decided to make a hip-hop record, stealing from the whole of pop music, and ended up creating stadium house. The KLF immediately rose to the top of the UK pop charts, all the while finding ways to subvert the machinery of the music industry. By 1991, just five years after beginning, the KLF had become the biggest-selling singles act in the world. And then they blew it all up.

The KLF had been working on their follow-up to 1991's "The White Room" for almost two years when they were invited to open The Brit Awards in February 1992. "The Black Room" was already shaping up to be the diametric opposite to "The White Room". Where the previous record was influenced by and reflected the growing rave culture in the UK, "The Black Room" was planned to be abrasive, embracing musical movements like EBM, grindcore, and crust punk. Ipswitch's Extreme Noise Terror had been collaborating on the album; now they'd join the KLF onstage at the Hammersmith Odeon.

The scene opens with ENT kicking off a thrashy live version of "3 A.M. Eternal". Dean Jones and Phil Vane trade off vocals, while Bill Drummond stood center stage, leaning on a crutch and smoking a cigar. He introduces new lyrics to the former #1 hit, making reference to the destruction of the music industry and award show. At some point, he escapes off-stage, returning with an AR-15 in his hand. As the song comes to a close, Drummond raises the rifle and opens fire. He's shooting blanks, but the symbolism is apparent: the KLF are here to assassinate the music industry. As the bands leave the stage, an announcement is heard: "The KLF have left the music industry."

Of course, I was 14 and lived on a farm in southwestern Virginia when all this took place. I had no sense of the context of the performance, the politics of immolating one's band. All I knew is that there was a fast metal version of the club song I'd gotten into the previous summer, and I had to hear it. One of my skateboarding friends got a video from a tape trader of the performance; we watched the hell out of it all summer long.

While I don't own it anymore, here's the preview version, taken from the Christmas 1991 episode of "Top of the Pops". I must have ended up with one of the Vinyl Japan 12"s; I definitely didn't have any of the KLF Communications 7"s, and I only learned now that Relapse had done an unofficial release for the US. Do yourself a big ol' favor and cue this up as your alarm clock next week. You'll definitely wake up. And if you want to learn more about the KLF, consult your nearest library!

Discogs

Click here to download.

A smorgasbord of Bandcamp buys (national jams)

Judy and the Jerks (from Goner Records Facebook)

Yesterday, I wrote (at great length) about the Baltimore bands whose music I picked up on Bandcamp. Now, let's talk (also at great length) about the various national bands I downloaded.

A note before I start: the day before the 1 May fee waive was announced, I ordered the new Coriky & Hammered Hulls from Dischord, and a pair of C.H.E.W. records from down the road at Iron Lung. I'm omitting them here, because I'll end up saying something about each of them in the coming days.

Gouge Away - "Consider" b/w "Wave of Mutilation" / "Stray"

Hey, new music from Gouge Away! I was really blown away by their last full length, "Burnt Sugar", after years of people telling me to check them out. Their new single popped up on my feed a few weeks ago, so I made a mental note to snag it when the opportunity arose. "Consider" sees Gouge Away moving farther away from hardcore into post-hardcore, but also remaining super political in this observation of white supremacy. I like this for the same reasons I like a band like Modern Life Is War; there's an obvious groove present in the song that not every hardcore band embraces. The B-side is a Pixies cover; they play it pretty straight, although there's a lot more guitar hijinx present here than on the original. There's a 7" release of these two songs through Deathwish, if you're looking for a physical release. As an added bonus, I grabbed the digital-only release of "Stray", which appeared in an shorter form on "Burnt Sugar". I like this expanded version; again, there's a Fugazi-like groove present that really grabs my attention.
American Nightmare - "Life Support"

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I found out that American Nightmare was putting out new music in 2020. I was aware they were still playing out, but here's their first recording in two years and it is...unexpected. The band first blew me away in 2000 has matured a lot, showing influence from both deathrock and Swedish power pop on this 7". The songs are still short, fast, and loud, but there are real tunes here. I think this is what I hope for when a hardcore band's sound evolves; their songwriting and performance progresses, while remaining true to the spirit that brought them to life. And, hey, there's a Lemonheads cover on the B-side!
Self Defense Family - "Leeds"
I really enjoy the sheer volume of music that SDF releases on an annual basis, and their willingness to experiment. SDF has been, in their words, "cleaning out our hard drives for your quarantine entertainment" for the past few weeks, as well as putting together some limited edition t-shirts inspired by the songs. There's no dating for these recordings; I'd guess they might have been recorded in the past couple years, since both evoke the songwriting on "Have You Considered Punk Music". I know most folks have a fairly binary opinion on Self Defense Family; you either loathe them, or you love them. I'm firmly in the second group.

Time Crisis - "Demo 2020"

I like taking wags on Bandcamp releases: I put in whatever (sub-)genre I'm feeling, look for something interesting, plunk down my $1-$5, and typically enjoy. That's how I found Denton, TX's Time Crisis. I've been listening to a lot of D-beat and crust during quarantine, so this is right in my wheelhouse. If you like Doom and Inepsy, you'll more than likely like this. I will say this is more blue jean crust than it is ropeleash crust, if that makes any sense at all. A track like "World Crumbles" takes on new relevance now. And how can you not love a pair of lines like "Everyone/Is so uptight/Everyone/Going to die"?

Judy and the Jerks - "Bone Spur"

I got put onto Hattiesburg, MS's Judy and the Jerks via 2018's "Dog City, USA" comp, provided by Robert at Terminal Escape. I hear good things about what's happening right now in Hattiesburg; I'm always interested in what's happening in smaller cities down South, considering that's where I grew up. And holy moly, I AM INTO THIS! If I had one adjective to describe these songs, it'd be "brash". If I could add another one, it'd be "snotty". These cats have a ton of attitude, but instead of it coming across jerky, it just sounds fun! JatJ cut these new tracks last September in preparation for their East Coast tour. $4 gets you four new JatJ songs, as well as an Urban Blight cover. I hope they're spending their quarantine writing new music, because I think I just got hooked on their junk.


And that's it. Just a metric fuckton of music. It should keep me occupied for at least a few weeks. Here's where I remind you that Bandcamp is doing this again on June 5 and July 3 (the first Friday of each month), and if supporting active artists and labels is important to you, it's a good chance to provide that support.

Fighting Dogs - 2005 summer tour pre-release CD

(photo courtesy of the Fighting Dogs Myspace page, no credit available)

I'm rather disgusted with myself, having traded in a copy of "The Office" UK Complete Series (amongst other, lesser things) towards a copy of Transformers (amongst other, lesser things). So enjoy some late-night Philly crust, courtesy of Fighting Dogs. The crustier things in life are generally slept on here in the Mummy house. Could it be that I spent the first two years of my Baltimore punk rock being lorded over by worthless crust punx (coughCrassholecough)? No wonder I turned out a money grubbing sellout!

That said, I like this record. It's a little more Motorhead and a little less (insert generic D-beat band). I also like this because:

1. It came with a sticker.
2. It came in an envelope.
3. The songs here have mad swagger. Not like cock diesel false bravado...more like "Man With No Name"/light a match on your cheek confidence.
   
4. It was sealed with wax, a most excellent old-timey method of afixation.
5. It cost me $2 when I bought it in the fall of 2005. Hooray thriftiness! You've never let me down!
   

Fighting Dogs - 2005 summer tour pre-release CD
(click the record to DL)

RIYL: when I make Clint Eastwood references

Flowers In The Attic - s/t

I cannot stress highly enough what a special place to live and go to shows Baltimore was at the early part of this decade. At a time where we were known more for Homicide, instead of The Wire, and long before a bunch of kids moved down from upstate New York to kick off Wham City!, a group of youngbloods came together in the city, just as they had since time immemorial, to play punk rock and all of its bastard offspring. Between legit venues like the Ottobar & the Talking Head and DIY spots like Charm City Art Space & the Bloodshed, a music fan had more places to watch independent music in Baltimore than at any other point in its history. Additionally, a number of bands starting playing shows, pulling from any number of disparate influences and creating some really distinctive music.

One of the bands that made the scene what it was Flowers In The Attic. Female-fronted and influenced by the late 80's ABC No Rio/Gilman hardcore & crust scenes, as well as a healthy dose of circa '85 SST releases, FITA dropped two EPs and a split 7" during their brief existence. Watching them live was a cathartic experience. I never knew whether to bottle up or explode.

Judge for yourself on this, the 1st of two EPs released on Reptilian Records. Members have moved on to work with a variety of projects, my favorite of which is Hollywood. They rule pretty hard.










Flowers in The Attic - s/t
(click the record to DL)

RIYL: side 2 of "My War", "Document #8", chest tapping, stage dives