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Showing posts from August, 2023

Vicious Circle-Split This Open album review by Mark J.. FFO: Breathtaking Old School Hardcore with some new tricks up their sleeve.

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  Vicious Circle-Split This Open album review by Mark J. FFO: Breathtaking Old School Hardcore with some new tricks up their sleeve. These hardcore kings have been blazing a robust hardcore trail since 1983 and their influence on bands and punters has been massive. This writer personally was hooked the first time I heard this incredible band on 3PBSFM radio with the track Price of Progress. The progression, energy and solid lyrics were what always set them apart from their peers. They have toured heavily (USA, Europe and Asia) and have played with pretty much every classic hardcore band; just to name a few; MDC, Christ on Parade, Attitude Adjustment, Raw Power, Life Sentence, Descendents, Final Conflict, DRI, Agnostic Front and GBH, like wow!. Split This Open is their ferocious debut album for 1054 records and not only one of the year's best hardcore albums but one of the band's greatest-ever releases. Each album adds to the solid catalogue, but in the more modern era, the las...

Schkeuditzer Kreuz-No Life Left album review. FFO: Dystopian synth crust punk boogie.

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  Schkeuditzer Kreuz-No Life Left album review. FFO: Dystopian synth crust punk boogie. Kieren who is SK, drops some more gloomy hard beats in his glorious crust punk style. If you had any remote interest in his previous releases for SK, you aren't prepared for this banging release. Schkeuditzer Kreuz is very broadly a grim electronic/industrial project that has a solid punk influence and his brilliant use of beats/synth/samples is unparalleled. Ain't nothing similar to this project and this album is simply a brilliant classic. No Redemption gets the fire burning with a sensational sample then gets you in the dark hole with those distorted electropunk beats we love. The grim flow across the album is as solid as we expect and lyrically this release is even darker than the previous. Dead Alive really hits you between the eyes, I mean just check these acidic lyrics: Dead from the start  With a head full of lies  Tore out my heart  And ripped out my eyes  Chopped ...

Beat Panic-Welcome To The New You EP. FFO: Killer Post Punk/Dark Wave, quite simply an amazing band.

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  Beat Panic-Welcome To The New You EP. FFO: Killer Post Punk/Dark Wave, quite simply an amazing band. Beat Panic kills it every time live and now have released their second marvellous EP. Five strong tracks are as solid as the first release and even more delightful. The band is making waves(is that new or dark or no wave, lol) because they are a distinct separate style from tbh so many bland post-punk bands. (Seemingly even an indie band that has a slightly aggressive word in a song is seen as punk, very weird). But this band has it all going on, a blend of synthy goth, dark wave, and punk and you will worship this release accordingly. Asavar Kul ( yes it's a Warhammer thang) opens up this energetically gloomy masterpiece in a perfect and quirky as hell manner-cheesy synths that sound straight out of the 80's-fuck yes!. This less-than-a-minute intro works a treat and don't let Scott tell you for a second that he is just okay at the synth-he is a damn wizard at its magical ...

Ringworm-Seeing Through Fire album review and killer interview with James(Human Furnace).

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  Ringworm-Seeing Through Fire album review and killer interview with James(Human Furnace).  It is always a killer year when a new Ringworm album drops and these 11 tracks will absolutely rip you a new one as expected. Nil weird genre changes, but pleasantly a more forceful raw and intense, live-like production and honestly the best solos you have heard in extreme metal. The metallic hardcore thrash crossover is not diluted one fucking iota and we are glad for that. This is a hugely dynamic, in-your-face classic with all the Ringworm characteristics we love. Prepare to get your face ripped off on this banger of an album. The title track is mostly instrumental with duelling guitars seemingly in a war against each other and this is a cool preview of the sheer dominance of guitars on this release. Then the hellish screams kick in and you know this is the ill-tempered and glorious work of Ringworm. There are many things to love about this band; the sheer rage, the insane vocals, a...

Interview with Shane Embury (Napalm Death and many other great bands) pre-Australian tour-excellent long form chat about the band, Shane's book and much more.

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  Interview with Shane Embury (Napalm Death and many other great bands) pre-Australian tour-excellent long-form chat about the band, Shane's book and much more. Shane is a brilliant creator of music and his list of epic bands is overwhelming, like Napalm Death, Unseen Terror, Brujeria, Venomous Concept, Blood from the Soul, Meathook Seed, Tronos and Dark Sky Burial to name a few. He is a huge lover of music, and its creation and absolutely loves playing live. Most importantly he is a relaxed guy who loves a chat about all things Napalm Death and otherwise: -Working out how many times Napalm Death have been to Australia(we decided x5, we think) -Shane’s neverending amount of bands/projects -His creative processes for these bands, always reverting to the experimental and not overthinking it all or making it complicated - Life?...and Napalm Death his new book that drops in October and some of its very varied content, some more personal, some band history, stories including ho...

Werewolves-Australia's best extreme band-100%. Album review of My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me and interview with Sam.

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  Werewolves-Australia's best extreme band; Album review of My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me and interview with Sam Bean. By Mark J. I cannot recall such a productive band that continuously releases brutal albums that are not technical(thank fuck) and each album is different enough, that you go back and spin the previous three releases(plus a banging EP) and get blown away. This is pure caveman death metal free of bullshit, just vicious vocals, chunky riffs and masterful playing. The band is super down to earth and is the last to blow their own trumpets, but they are pure demigods of their craft. The savage end product (even live performances) is a result of having extensive experience playing extreme metal both at home and abroad, being brilliant songwriters and knowing what actually sounds killer. Werewolves are easily the current best extreme metal band at present. Here is a predictably positive album review(because it is deserved) and a top-notch deep dive with Sam from the b...