ŚMIERĆ KLINICZNA - A.s.p. / Jestem Ziarnkiem Piasku

If you ever get the record-digging bug in Warsaw I highly recommend making your way over to a store called Hey Joe. Its a stuffy and cramped space the size of a long narrow window display, and is packed with vinyl. It's a bit pricey, but you an find tons of European punk from the last couple decades - especially Eastern European and Balkan. We all dropped a fat stack of zloty! I was able to cross a couple records off my Polish punk wants, one of which was this cool second single from ŚMIERĆ KLINICZNA. This single sees them frantic and snotty, staying away from any notions of reggae. Complex drum work and a sax on "A.s.p." adds a jazz element to the basic punk structure and attitude. The flip is mostly straight-forward punk, but not forgetting to include some twists to set them apart from the rest. 

ŚMIERĆ KLINICZNA

DOWN SYNDROME EP

"We are not called DOWN SYNDROME because of a man named Down who founded the genetic disorder, if that were the case, we would be called DOWN’S SYNDROME. Rather, the meaning of our name is derived from the direct definitions of the words in reference to humanity’s condition. DOWN – to lower or worsen condition. SYNDROME – a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality.”

This, along with lyrics, itemized pressing info and costs for the record, and a peaceful/insightful anecdote by each band member is printed on the inner sleeve of this Edmonton-based hardcore punk band’s only vinyl output. Although Canadian, DOWN SYNDROME fits right in with the sound of many Euro hardcore bands of the era, combining melody, punchy drums, and anarcho-inspired lyrics. The mid-tempo tracks on this EP are great, but the faster songs really showcase the band’s power. “Values” is an eternal mix tape-worthy scorcher! One of my faves – super underrated.

DOWN SYNDROME

V/A - Night Over Yugoslavia Cassette

Classic Yugoslavian hardcore comp, reissued by Bulgarian label AON Productions. Expect nothing but the most raw, primitive, ferocious hardcore punk to come from the Balkans. Highlights include classic tracks from UBR, NECROPHILIA, DVA MINUTA MRZNJE, SOLUNSKI FRONT, and DISTRESS, as well as plenty of new discoveries to chase down internet rabbit holes. Originally called "Noć Nad Jugoslavijom," this tape is a truly essential document of a small piece of international punk history. 

NIGHT OVER YUGOSLAVIA  1984

V/A Daffodils To The Daffodils, Here's The Daffodils LP

After an explanation for the odd title by John Peel, this comp doesn't let up for a second. Some classic material from bands like MAU MAUS, ONSLAUGHT, and one of Finland's best, DESTRUCKTIONS, as well as some less heard stuff from New York hardcore punk bands like UNJUST (before they went metal) and NO CONROL. If that wasn't enough, exclusive tunes from Sweden's NONCENS and the only other MORBID HUMOUR track I've ever seen aside from their split with ANTI-SYSTEM should get you downloading. As an added bonus, Pax decided to include the great first single by goth band LEITMOTIV to give this thing more variety. The critical analysis and introspective rant about punk politics written by Marcus Featherby of Pax Records on the back of the LP is worth reading for some context of the time and place. His perspective of running a punk label while trying to maintain ethical standards and how one can get treated/taken advantage of while trying to do so seems to be timeless scenario. All in all, a very interesting and awesome international comp covering a wide range of sounds. 

DAFFODILS...

VART FRIA LAND - HUVUDTVÄTT / KURT I KUVÖS LP

One of Sweden's greatest exports of all time - the mighty Vart Fria Land LP! I just saw one sell on Ebay for a stomach-twisting amount of dollars, so I felt an urge to share it here, free of charge. HUVUDTVÄTT was arguably Sweden's first hardcore band, and while a bit sloppy on this recording, it remains one of the most ferocious and unhinged offerings of hardcore I've ever heard. I believe I remember learning from an interview that they borrowed KURT I KUVÖS' drummer for this session, and I get the sense that maybe his unpreparedness contributes a lot to the overall feel. Nonetheless, I find it extremely compelling and it never fails to get me out of my seat! The guitar riffs are brilliant and the vocals are just maniacal, both lending much inspiration heard in legends-to-come TOTALITÄR and others. While HUVUDTVÄTT's attack remains steady and consistent on here, KURT I KUVÖS offers ten tracks of incredibly innovative and memorable tracks covering a wider spectrum of sounds. 2 Members of the band formed KIK at the young ages of 13 and 14, and also started a zine and the great Really Fast label, which went on to release many classic Swedish hardcore releases, including this one. Any international hc/punk archive is criminally incomplete without this one!

VART FRIA LAND

ANTI-HUND MINA / PÖBEL MÖBEL split 12"

I somehow managed to survive one more holiday in the Dallas suburbs, and I'm desperately grateful to be back in my radical/progressive Bay Area bubble! To celebrate, I bring you this Swedish punk gem from Pissed records, circa 1984. ANTI-HUND MINA takes the cake with some upbeat and gruff melodic punk - some for the best early Swedish stuff in my opinion! The PÖBEL MÖBEL side isn't quite as memorable, and the lyrics follow pretty silly cliche "evil" topics, but it's still a good listen. Good friends of mine could tell you that A-HM's "Hon Är Med Barn" has made it onto many mix tapes I've made in the past. Good splits don't always feature obvious or well-known bands!

AHM / PÖB MÖB

ZERSTÖRTE JUGEND - s/t LP

Possibly my last post starting with Z for a while because I'm finding myself wanting to post bands beginning with other letters of the alphabet. This is a stand-up German hardcore record from Berlin featuring folks from the almighty VORKRIEGSJUGEND. It's got that classic rigid and storming quality that many of the German hc/punk bands had in the 80's, with a touch of melody and awesome gruff vocals in German. The crudely drawn black and white cover art is alluring....until you realize that it's just a violent image of a punk cutting off a little girl's arm? Huh? Well, a very nice sounding record anyway. The fast songs are blazing and the slower ones are particularly remarkable. Perfect balance. 

Sorry about the glare on the photos. I'm not taking em again...

ZERSTÖRTE JUGEND

Noise of ZMIV - 1979-1984 LP

ZMIV hailed from the northern countryside of Holland and released on of the most raging and collectible euro hardcore EP's. The Banzai! EP features a strong ruckus of pogo blended with early thrash, but with gruffly-sung vocals and neat guitar lines. It's an 8-song banger without a single boring moment - a perfect hardcore EP. In addition to that EP this collection contains some live tracks, a rehearsal recording, and their awesome tracks from the Als Je Haar Goed Zit LP compilation. I find those 3 comp tracks equally as compelling as their Bonzai! EP, but in a much different way. They're much more MOTORHEAD/metal influenced in melody and in the riffing, but still fast, urgent, and with a unmistakably punk production. Such a great band! Shame about the terrible looking art/layout on this reissue though! No doubt it's deterred a few potential ZMIV followers from buying this release! Time to reconsider!  

ZMIV

ZOLGE - Crisis My Guest LP

Bought this very interesting LP on a whim in LA a few years ago based solely on the art and Dogma label. It's kinda hard to pin down what the hell ZOLGE was aiming for here - at times it's fast punk with good energy, and then they step on the breaks for some melodic and dark glam-ish moments. Gloom and spunk interact and collide throughout keeping this one of the coolest and most unpredictable Japanese punk records I've heard from the 80's. 

ZOLGE

V/A - GBG Hardcore - 81 Punk 85 CD

A phenomenal document of 14 hardcore/punk bands from the early 80's in Göteborg, Sweden. Apparently this came with a zine, which I unfortunately do not have but would love to see. Many of the recordings seem to be alternate demo or live versions, or simply from rare records such as the ABSURD EP. Styles range from the familiar classic Swedish d-beat hardcore masters ANTI CIMEX and DISARM, to the catchy and upbeat sing-along punk of BUMSEN MUSS MAN and GBG PUNX. Particularly compelling to me are: 

1. the seemingly live DISARM tracks (it takes a few seconds for the person at the mixing board to get the levels right, but once they do it's devastating! Those vocals!). 2. The single track by INJEKTION is insanely catchy, but I mostly love it for the maniacal laughter at the end. 3. Three perfect crude blasts from youngsters NISSES NOTTER, especially the burp that kicks off "Pissefjong." 4. The tuneful TROUBLMAKERS tracks with undeniable swagger and unforgettable choruses! 

An overall essential collection!

GBG HARDCORE

SVART FRAMTID - Blitz, Oslo 12/23/1984

My parents just came to visit me this past weekend for the first time since I moved out to the Bay Area. I moved out here during the summer of 2011 in my Chevy Cavalier (RIP) with all of the belongings I could fit! Everything else was living in my parent's house in Dallas for the past 2 years, and they just delivered it all this weekend! It's exciting - like getting a bunch of new stuff that you know you already like all at once. Among the loot was 2 boxes of LP's, a bag of punk shirts, my old bass guitar, a stack of screened posters, my drum-set, and some cd's. While flipping through a bunch of cdr's, I found a few that an old pal from Chicago had burned me after we discovered a mutual love for Norwegian hardcore. He had been writing with someone that was involved in the scene in Norway in the 80's (maybe someone from a band? can't remember), and had acquired some amazing and rare live sets from SVART FRAMTID and KAFKA PROSESS. This particular recording appears to have been released as a tape back in '84. Seventeen tracks - all the hits from their EP (one of the top 5 hc/punk EPs of all time y'all, seriously), some others heard from compilation tapes, and then some unheard anywhere else! Oh, and a sloppy cover of "Dicks Hate The Police!" 

SVART FRAMTID live at Blitz

V/A - PUNK TERRITORY VOL. 4: Italian Hardcore 1981-87

For you to obsess over throughout the course of your weekend: 33 tracks of full throttle hardcore from Italy! I love this CD because it offers some of the less celebrated names of the era, mostly from rare cassettes, and it still delivers the goods as much as a comp with WRETCHED, NEGAZIONE, CCM, and PEGGIO PUNX would. Here's the run down:

5 tracks by THE WOPS - USHC style reminding me of something like THE FIX // four tracks by WRONG BOYS - the first song is a dead rip-off of TSOL's "Superficial Love" in riffs and arrangement, while the other 3 are fast and punchy hc tunes // BLAXFEMA shreds through 3 thrashier hc tracks // 3 fast SoCal punk sounding tunes from CRAPPING DOGS, channeling DEAD KENNEDYS at times // One melodic upbeat oi/punk track from THE SKULLS // 6 catchy punk tracks by TRAUMATIC, taken from the Senza Tregua comp on BCT // 2 raw and hook-filled punk songs from WARHEAD // 3 punk tracks with a wild and expressive vocalist from DICTATRISTA // 2 rambunctious tracks from STAZIONE SUICIDA // finally, 5 more melodic and post-hardcore sounding songs from U.N.S - sort of a cross between HDQ and HEIMAT-LOS...or something...definitely the odd one of the bunch. 

PUNK TERRITORY VOL 4

SELF ABUSE - (I Didn't Wanna Be A) Soldier CD

Quick post tonight, cause I don't have many words....I just saw the best current bay area hardcore band and I'm exhausted. 

This Cd was released by Grand Theft Audio in 2006, and compiles SELF ABUSE's rare EP and 3 demos from 1982-1984. Super catchy and punchy UK punk with good melodies - sort of bridges the gap between the sounds of the anarcho bands and the typical UK punk sound. Thanks to my pal Mackey for lending me this.

SELF ABUSE CD Collection

V/A - GRAD IZOBILIJA - Yugoslavian Punk Sampler Cassette

Today I present you with a great tape-trader comp of early punk from Ex-Yugoslavia. Unappealing cover, I know, but the music is a great taste of the diverse punk/new wave movement in the 70's-80's in former Yugoslavia. Interestingly, the first thing I noticed is the absence of more well known bands like PARAF, PEKINSKA PATKA, and PANKRTI. This of course is exciting to someone like myself who wants to dig deeper and hear the lesser known stuff! Here's the rundown:

PRLJAVO KAZALISTE does 3 youthful 70's rock'n roll punk tunes // MRTVI KANAL play 3 incredible upbeat punk/postpunk jams with driving keyboard lines. Extremely dynamic! Easily the winner on this tape for me - "Oglasi" is an instant classic! // ZENEVSKI DEKRET does 3 solid mid tempo punk songs and a cover of "Chinese Rocks" // more mid-paced late 70's styled punk from ZONA RANE MASTURBACIJE // and one catchy and mysterious track from GOLA JAJA - you must check out their other astonishing demo material from the excellent Degenerik blog here! // a couple softer, but catchy and crafty punk tunes from ZABRANENO PUSENJE (NOTE: "Stanje Soka" has a painful stint of skipping halfway through the track, presumably because the material was dubbed from a heavily partied CD) // one cool post-punk track and one scorcher by PROBLEMI, the second track being one of the best on the tape // two interesting and weird post punk/wave tracks by BELINSKI ZID // GROUPA 92 do two great punk songs nuanced with flourishing keyboard lines, much like THE STRANGLERS! Another standout band on the comp. // SVE PO SPISKU does 2 catchy RAMONES-ey punk jams // N.B.G with 3 quick-paced punk ragers with memorable choruses, regardless of your grasp of the language // and last but not least, GOBLINI from Serbia plays 3 tracks of melodic and poppy punk with a great driving quality. They also sound like they maybe came a bit later, judging by the recording and style...but who knows. 

V/A - GAD IZOBILIJA

I should also note that I totally fucked up when I ripped  this cassette and accidentally started with side B, and am not knowledgeable enough with Audacity to fix this - so the files are sequenced as such. Doesn't really matter, right? 

INSTIGATORS ‎– The Blood Is On Your Hands EP

My pal over at TERMINAL ESCAPE made the comment in his INSTIGATORS post the other day that their "first EP and full length are mandatory listening." I agreed so much that it inspired me to rip "The Blood Is On Your Hands" onto the laptop so I could play it on my ipod while I'm at work (where I make very naughty things), and of course, so I could share it with all of you.

INSTIGATORS - The Blood Is On Your Hands EP

I've spent much of my music-nerding life on the old UK anarcho stuff, and I must declare this as some of the best material of that era. INSTIGATORS have the same aim and intention in melody and ideology as many of their contemporaries like SUBHUMANS, ZOUNDS, ICONS OF FILTH etc., but combine melody, driving rhythms, and sharp vocals that really stand out - sung up front in a high register with lots of conviction. The riffs and overall production are darker on this EP than their subsequent brilliant "Nobody Listens Anymore" LP. If you dig the early 80's UK anarcho stuff, this is a must. Released by Bluurg Records in 1984.