By: Kory Kasler, Promotions Director
I don't use iTunes. I don't have a Spotify account. I've never used last.fm. I just spend way too much time on Bandcamp, and I thought I'd share some albums I've stumbled upon during that time.
1. "Sad Bastard EP" - Algebra
Algebra is a really solid alternative hip-hop act from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am a big fan of Cincinnati hip-hop artist Evolve, and this album immediately reminded me of that same style. I wish there were more of this in the world and less Wiz Khalifa or Lil Wayne.
2. "SON.R22" - Hexis
European black metal/grind artist Hexis is definitely one to check out if you are into black metal. It adds a ton of intensity with the ultra-fast grind element and forms a really solid album. Check it out for sure.
3. "Demo 2011" - Traitors
Traitors is a strange mix of hardcore, punk, thrash and sludge. They do a great job of switching between the styles and still making the demo sound like an album and not just a collection of songs. The first track comes in and is really sludge-heavy, and then they go into the second track that is faster and has more of a thrash element in it. It's really interesting, and is definitely one for a fan of hardcore.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
4. "DOMESPLITTER" - Direct Hit!
This is one of the best pop-punk albums I've stumbled across in a long time. It's got really catchy lines and a lot more energy than a lot of pop punk bands I've seen. The scratchy, screamed vocals really bring it all together to make it sound more intense than you'd expect from a pop punk band. Great album!
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5. "Follow Me" - Chalk Dinosaur
Chalk Dinosaur is a really eclectic project that encompasses some elements of surf rock, indie pop, funk, and all kinds of other odds and ends and really makes something unique. It's always good to see someone doing something new rather than copying what other people have done in the past. Definitely check it out. With that many different things mixed together, there's got to be something you like.
Showing posts with label punk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label punk. Show all posts
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Friday, May 13, 2011
Branka's Recs: A Quick Look at the Punk and Metal Scene of Former Yugoslavia
1. Slovenia -- Slovenija
'Ti (Dežuje 7" EP, 1986)' - Tožibabe
Yugoslavia, a long dismantled country spread across a region the size of the state of Oregon, was home to a broad spectrum of cultures and corresponding countercultures, including very active punk and metal scenes. Slovenia, the most western (both geographically and culturally) of all the former Yugoslav republics, was home to a burgeoning scene that benefited strongly from nearby influences.
Amongst the most striking of its bands was the all-female band Tožibabe who brought a strikingly dark and nearly goth rock atmosphere to their brand of hardcore. They were included on the essential compilation Hardcore Ljubljana which demonstrated a number of bands from the Slovenian capital.
2. Croatia -- Hrvatska
'Povedi me (Sudbina, 1987)' - Crna Udovica
There's no doubt the degree of influence seminal bands like Judas Priest had on metal in general and this influence is certainly heard in many heavy metal bands from former Yugoslavia, including the hard-rockin' Crna Udovica from the coastal Croatian city Dubrovnik.
I have always felt that the southern Slavic languages aren't very well suited to this style of metal singing, which involves sustained notes, but in this case the vocalist does an exemplary job of flawless metal yowling on top of headbang-inducing riffs.
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina -- Bosna i Hercegovina
'Speed metal manijak (Bez Milosti, 1991)' - Bombarder
Ja živim svoj život, za sve ostalo nije me briga
Ne vjerujem u Satanu, ne vjerujem u Boga
Moja ljubav je buka i brzina
U mojim venama teče krv metalna
U mom tjelu je snaga nebeska
JA POSTAJEM — SPIIIID METALLLL MANIJAAAAK!!!!
I live my life, I don't care for anything else
I don't believe in Satan, nor in God
My love is noise and speed
In my veins flows blood of metal
In my body is power from heaven
I am becoming -- SPEEEED METALLLL MANIAAAAC!!
In the late '80s and early '90s, the Motörhead-inspired thrashy speed metal scene had spread to former Yugoslavia and the Big Three of this style were indisputably Evil Blood (from Croatia), Heller (from Serbia), and Bombarder (from Bosnia). My personal favorite of the three are the Bosnian speed metal maniacs Bombarder from Sarajevo. Their crowning appeal, on top of metal-devoted lyrics, is for maintaining an enduring feeling of urgency and chaos in the riffs, making you expect everything to fly off the rails and collapse entirely at any moment.
4. Montenegro -- Crna Gora
'Rotten Town (Street, Rotten, Thrash Derby, 2008)' - KK Street Bangers
As it turns out, the '90s were a dark decade for the region as a whole and left the punk and metal scenes especially crippled, with many members either dying during the conflicts, getting caught up in extreme nationalism, or otherwise dropping off the radar.
Fortunately, thrash metal is still alive in the region, as evidenced by Montenegrin thrashers KK Street Bangers from Podgorica. Their style reminds me immediately of East Coast thrash legends Overkill and I’m very pleased to see a post-millenial band from the region largely side-stepping the current fad of retreading turf American Bay Area bands have long since ground into dust.
5. Serbia -- Srbija
'Terorizam protiv dosade (Došao je kraj 7”, 1984)' - 2 Minuta Mržnje
I have often lamented the fact that I experienced the gr-80s for only a few months of my life and have no remembrance of them. These lamentations have intensified over the years as research and investigation into punk from former Yugoslav helped me discover that there was a flourishing punk scene in my hometown Novi Sad that was the subject of a documentary called Bilo jednom and a book called Novosadska punk verzija (text available only in serbian). One of the more intriguing bands of the scene was the band 2 Minuta Mržnje, a Serbian band that took it’s name from George Orwell’s dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-Four and, very appropriately, recorded their demo in the year 1984.
6. Macedonia -- Makedonija
'Anarchy Loves to Sleep on the Floor of my Room' - FxPxOx
The Balkans, like much of the rest of eastern Europe, have long been afflicted with the nearly ubiquitous socially-acceptable vices of drinking and smoking--these activities are woven into the fabric of society and it’s almost impossible to imagine draconian Western measures against them being implemented in this region.
However, even in such a place, straightedge hardcore has made inroads and planted its pissed off XXX doctrine as best represented by the Skopje natives, Macedonian band FxPxOx--standing for ‘Forever Positively Obsessed’. Personal life choices aside, it’s gratifying to see a zest for ‘posi’ spirit in a former Yugoslav republic.
--Branka Šormaz, Web Director
'Ti (Dežuje 7" EP, 1986)' - Tožibabe
Yugoslavia, a long dismantled country spread across a region the size of the state of Oregon, was home to a broad spectrum of cultures and corresponding countercultures, including very active punk and metal scenes. Slovenia, the most western (both geographically and culturally) of all the former Yugoslav republics, was home to a burgeoning scene that benefited strongly from nearby influences.
Amongst the most striking of its bands was the all-female band Tožibabe who brought a strikingly dark and nearly goth rock atmosphere to their brand of hardcore. They were included on the essential compilation Hardcore Ljubljana which demonstrated a number of bands from the Slovenian capital.
2. Croatia -- Hrvatska
'Povedi me (Sudbina, 1987)' - Crna Udovica
There's no doubt the degree of influence seminal bands like Judas Priest had on metal in general and this influence is certainly heard in many heavy metal bands from former Yugoslavia, including the hard-rockin' Crna Udovica from the coastal Croatian city Dubrovnik.
I have always felt that the southern Slavic languages aren't very well suited to this style of metal singing, which involves sustained notes, but in this case the vocalist does an exemplary job of flawless metal yowling on top of headbang-inducing riffs.
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina -- Bosna i Hercegovina
'Speed metal manijak (Bez Milosti, 1991)' - Bombarder
Ja živim svoj život, za sve ostalo nije me briga
Ne vjerujem u Satanu, ne vjerujem u Boga
Moja ljubav je buka i brzina
U mojim venama teče krv metalna
U mom tjelu je snaga nebeska
JA POSTAJEM — SPIIIID METALLLL MANIJAAAAK!!!!
I live my life, I don't care for anything else
I don't believe in Satan, nor in God
My love is noise and speed
In my veins flows blood of metal
In my body is power from heaven
I am becoming -- SPEEEED METALLLL MANIAAAAC!!
In the late '80s and early '90s, the Motörhead-inspired thrashy speed metal scene had spread to former Yugoslavia and the Big Three of this style were indisputably Evil Blood (from Croatia), Heller (from Serbia), and Bombarder (from Bosnia). My personal favorite of the three are the Bosnian speed metal maniacs Bombarder from Sarajevo. Their crowning appeal, on top of metal-devoted lyrics, is for maintaining an enduring feeling of urgency and chaos in the riffs, making you expect everything to fly off the rails and collapse entirely at any moment.
4. Montenegro -- Crna Gora
'Rotten Town (Street, Rotten, Thrash Derby, 2008)' - KK Street Bangers
As it turns out, the '90s were a dark decade for the region as a whole and left the punk and metal scenes especially crippled, with many members either dying during the conflicts, getting caught up in extreme nationalism, or otherwise dropping off the radar.
Fortunately, thrash metal is still alive in the region, as evidenced by Montenegrin thrashers KK Street Bangers from Podgorica. Their style reminds me immediately of East Coast thrash legends Overkill and I’m very pleased to see a post-millenial band from the region largely side-stepping the current fad of retreading turf American Bay Area bands have long since ground into dust.
5. Serbia -- Srbija
'Terorizam protiv dosade (Došao je kraj 7”, 1984)' - 2 Minuta Mržnje
I have often lamented the fact that I experienced the gr-80s for only a few months of my life and have no remembrance of them. These lamentations have intensified over the years as research and investigation into punk from former Yugoslav helped me discover that there was a flourishing punk scene in my hometown Novi Sad that was the subject of a documentary called Bilo jednom and a book called Novosadska punk verzija (text available only in serbian). One of the more intriguing bands of the scene was the band 2 Minuta Mržnje, a Serbian band that took it’s name from George Orwell’s dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-Four and, very appropriately, recorded their demo in the year 1984.
6. Macedonia -- Makedonija
'Anarchy Loves to Sleep on the Floor of my Room' - FxPxOx
The Balkans, like much of the rest of eastern Europe, have long been afflicted with the nearly ubiquitous socially-acceptable vices of drinking and smoking--these activities are woven into the fabric of society and it’s almost impossible to imagine draconian Western measures against them being implemented in this region.
However, even in such a place, straightedge hardcore has made inroads and planted its pissed off XXX doctrine as best represented by the Skopje natives, Macedonian band FxPxOx--standing for ‘Forever Positively Obsessed’. Personal life choices aside, it’s gratifying to see a zest for ‘posi’ spirit in a former Yugoslav republic.
--Branka Šormaz, Web Director
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Rika's Recs: A Gang of Wolves to Dance Freebies to A Fest I wish I Could Afford Right Now
1. Odd Future’s television debut on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
For almost a year, my brother has indirectly suggested hip-hop acts I should check out by infiltrating my iTunes with mixtapes and singles. (He uses it to sync stuff onto his iPod). Among his collection were mixtapes by the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All collective – OFWGKTA, for short.
Not only am I drawn to the overall talent this Los Angeles-based group possesses, but I’m also in jitters over their encouragement of stage dives, mosh pits and sing-alongs at their live shows (which sell out fast), the occult-based aesthetics, heavy incorporation of skate culture, and their internet-driven climb to fame and success. Their recently-signed Tyler, The Creator has also expressed his love for Justin Bieber and R. Kelly. Basically, they’re up my alley and the Fallon performance of “Sandwitches” made me love them even more.
2. RCRDLBL.COM
I stumbled upon this website last summer, when for some reason I was under this spell of listening to nothing but dance music. RCRDLBL.com acts as a quick fix whenever I feel that my need for beats have run low, as well as a solution to discovering something new! Here I discovered gems like Dave Nada’s remix to Wacka Flocka’s “No Hands,” Deathface’s “Gift of Fury” single, and a very beautiful, ‘60s girl group-inspired “I Heard You Say” single by Vivian Girls. So on that note, the free music downloading site expands outside of dance. They just know what’s sweet.
3. Chaos in Tejas line-up announcement assault
Part of me wants to survive on Nature Valley granola bars and spend mad money on this 4-day fest I’d like to call heaven, but part of me knows I currently don’t have the funds to support a trip to Texas – let alone a predicted expensive ticket price. Lovers of hardcore, like myself, peed themselves five ways when Youth of Today were among the announced headliners. Japanophiles rejoiced when a smorgasboard of Japanese bands were added to the bill, which includes Kriegshög, who are playing their last show in Texas. This is just scratching the surface of the fest’s monstrosity.
4. Music tracks in skate videos
Seven years ago, I rolled my ankle skating and quit the following day. Three days ago, when it got really warm, I picked up my brother’s skateboard to turn in my retirement card and traversed the Athens bike path. I also went on Youtube to revisit all of the old skate videos I used to obsessively watch. Skate videos are great sources for broadening your music taste, especially if you like your music to be morose, fast, or just plain punk. I’ve gotten into bands like The Locust, The Cure, and The Buzzcocks thanks to videos like “Kids in Emerica” and Girl’s “Yeah Right!” They also make me want to shred and create art.
5. Screamo’s Face #1 Pg. 99 reunites for a summer show!
Robotic Empire records announced that Pg.99 has reunited to play one show at Virginia’s Best Friend's Day fest, and when that news permeated I swear I could hear the tears shed and some hairs parting asymmetrically. The band disbanded in 2003 and have chosen the Richmond, Va., fest – where the band is from – to play Pg. 99’s “Document #8” album in its entirety because, according to their guitarist, they feel it “would be fun to play those songs again.” Uh, of course, especially to an audience that will be insanely jubilant.
--Rika Nurrahmah, General Manager
For almost a year, my brother has indirectly suggested hip-hop acts I should check out by infiltrating my iTunes with mixtapes and singles. (He uses it to sync stuff onto his iPod). Among his collection were mixtapes by the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All collective – OFWGKTA, for short.
Not only am I drawn to the overall talent this Los Angeles-based group possesses, but I’m also in jitters over their encouragement of stage dives, mosh pits and sing-alongs at their live shows (which sell out fast), the occult-based aesthetics, heavy incorporation of skate culture, and their internet-driven climb to fame and success. Their recently-signed Tyler, The Creator has also expressed his love for Justin Bieber and R. Kelly. Basically, they’re up my alley and the Fallon performance of “Sandwitches” made me love them even more.
2. RCRDLBL.COM
I stumbled upon this website last summer, when for some reason I was under this spell of listening to nothing but dance music. RCRDLBL.com acts as a quick fix whenever I feel that my need for beats have run low, as well as a solution to discovering something new! Here I discovered gems like Dave Nada’s remix to Wacka Flocka’s “No Hands,” Deathface’s “Gift of Fury” single, and a very beautiful, ‘60s girl group-inspired “I Heard You Say” single by Vivian Girls. So on that note, the free music downloading site expands outside of dance. They just know what’s sweet.
3. Chaos in Tejas line-up announcement assaultPart of me wants to survive on Nature Valley granola bars and spend mad money on this 4-day fest I’d like to call heaven, but part of me knows I currently don’t have the funds to support a trip to Texas – let alone a predicted expensive ticket price. Lovers of hardcore, like myself, peed themselves five ways when Youth of Today were among the announced headliners. Japanophiles rejoiced when a smorgasboard of Japanese bands were added to the bill, which includes Kriegshög, who are playing their last show in Texas. This is just scratching the surface of the fest’s monstrosity.
4. Music tracks in skate videos
Seven years ago, I rolled my ankle skating and quit the following day. Three days ago, when it got really warm, I picked up my brother’s skateboard to turn in my retirement card and traversed the Athens bike path. I also went on Youtube to revisit all of the old skate videos I used to obsessively watch. Skate videos are great sources for broadening your music taste, especially if you like your music to be morose, fast, or just plain punk. I’ve gotten into bands like The Locust, The Cure, and The Buzzcocks thanks to videos like “Kids in Emerica” and Girl’s “Yeah Right!” They also make me want to shred and create art.
5. Screamo’s Face #1 Pg. 99 reunites for a summer show!
Robotic Empire records announced that Pg.99 has reunited to play one show at Virginia’s Best Friend's Day fest, and when that news permeated I swear I could hear the tears shed and some hairs parting asymmetrically. The band disbanded in 2003 and have chosen the Richmond, Va., fest – where the band is from – to play Pg. 99’s “Document #8” album in its entirety because, according to their guitarist, they feel it “would be fun to play those songs again.” Uh, of course, especially to an audience that will be insanely jubilant.
--Rika Nurrahmah, General Manager
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