Forged in the year 2006, Soul Control has emerged as a constantly shifting force in the realm of hardcore. This album finds the band embracing more of the loose hardcore styles of the mid ‘00s – heavy on the distortion and crunch with a big noisy yet driving tempo. But at the same time, “Cycles” maintains that bridge to the earlier ‘90’s mid-tempo hardcore styles that they have past exploited on singles and 7”’s. Think Sick of It All and then imagine something new and creative. Fantastic guys!
No it’s not the Hanson Brothers as you adoringly know them. Or hopefully woefully scorn. This is the punk version. Canadian brand punk/hardcore rock that exists well outside of even the mainstream underground scene. It’s a shame that it totally blows ass chunks and is not worth even a drunken listen let alone a sober one. Yawn city.
Good grief this thrashy hardcore outfit known as Destruct-a-Thon is totally killer. “Aloha Jihad” is a quick EP featuring two brand-new tracks, a cover, and a couple of bonus tracks. The title track is a big ‘fuck you’ to the Bush administration performed against the backdrop of fast hardcore punk with a firm nod to power violence. Covering Bravado’s “Heart Attack” shows how fucking badass this group truly is. And how can you go wrong with the 17-second voice mail blister “Jet Metal Voice Text”? The ‘radio edit’ of the title track is just as boisterous as the original. This is thrashtastic!
Yes there is still a punk scene emanating out of England. Yes Rudimentary Peni is one such band. And while some miscreants were declaring the group dead since ‘04’s “Archaic” EP, they weren’t. In fact, “No More Pain” shows just how alive and kicking the group is. With simple-line drawing artwork that is so much more than that at closer glance designed by Nick Blinco (cult punk hero), Rudimentary Peni gouges out eyeballs straight from their sockets only to skull fuck the remains with their unique brand of late ‘70s punk-metal. No one will ever accuse these punk heroes of being anything more than latch-key urban punks who want a little anarchy for brunch to alleviate the hangover blues.
Having been lauded by Alternative Press as one of the “100 Bands You Need to Know in 2008”, Ceremony is one of the most critically applauded fast-paced aggressive acts out there. Loud and abrasive un-melodic hooks engage the listener with fierce punk attitude ladled into a blazing fire pit of hardcore and adrenaline. Formed in 2005, Ceremony worked their tails off in the Bay Area punk scene finally reaching some notoriety with their bastion of a CD EP entitled “Violence Violence” which was dubbed an instant hardcore classic. Named in honor of Ian Curtis, Ceremony is a band you can’t miss out on if you consider yourself a true fan of anything hardcore or punk.
August 2008 sees the 25 year anniversary of Adrenalin O.D.’s debut LP now out for the first time on CD on Chunksaah Records. The pride of Jersey speed-punk originally formed in 1981 and their first vinyl release was recorded on their label aptly called Buy Our Records with a mere 15 minutes of studio time. All of the songs were done in one take with no overdubs and their label eventually grew into one of Jersey’s most respected indie punk labels. This album was dripping wet with sarcasm and the hardcore punk comedy act was always known for their on stage banter and quickly became cited as an influence for better known bands such as Screeching Weasel, NOFX, Bouncing Souls, Anthrax, Stormtroopers of Death, and Lifetime. The first disc on this anniversary edition features the remastered version of the 15 track original while the second disc complements the first with thirty-three tracks including their aforementioned debut EP “Let’s Barbeque” as well as their first live session on WFMU’s Pat Duncan show, live tracks from City Gardens, and several b-sides. Toss in a nice 12-page booklet and you’ve got a fine collection of energetic hardcore punk.
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