Skip to content
Furious militaristic hardcore that sounds like napalm falling on a bomb factory. “Defcon” twists the screws on a world where lasting peace is a fantasy and people are in constant battle with inner demons and external devils. At best we can hope for brief reprieves between clashes. Man will not survive this endeavor. In fact, neither did P.S.Y.W.A.R. as they are no longer an active entity. R.I.P.
Our take: Posthumous EP from this now-defunct hardcore band from Kansas City. I’m thankful Iron Lung Records still pressed up Defcon, as it’s a strong EP that deserves to be heard. P.S.Y.W.A.R. sound to me like the Cro-Mags meets G.I.S.M., the tinny, fried guitar sound, guttural vocals, and industrial overload production recalling contemporary G.I.S.M.-influenced hardcore like A.I.D.S. and Gizon Berria, while the galloping beats and reverb-drenched snare sound are definitely giving Age of Quarrel. It might sound like an odd mix, but it works really well… so many bands who come under G.I.S.M.’s spell put all their energy into sounding weird and fucked, but P.S.Y.W.A.R.’s strong, bottom-heavy groove keeps your fist pumping. Defcon is also well-sequenced, counting down from the first track, Defcon 5, to the last track, Defcon 1, the vibe growing bleaker and more jagged with each track. By the time they get to the last two tracks, squealing, feedback-drenched guitar leads and creepy samples have colonized P.S.Y.W.A.R.’s sound. Defcon offers exactly the well-choreographed bludgeoning we come to Iron Lung Records for.
Our take: Posthumous EP from this now-defunct hardcore band from Kansas City. I’m thankful Iron Lung Records still pressed up Defcon, as it’s a strong EP that deserves to be heard. P.S.Y.W.A.R. sound to me like the Cro-Mags meets G.I.S.M., the tinny, fried guitar sound, guttural vocals, and industrial overload production recalling contemporary G.I.S.M.-influenced hardcore like A.I.D.S. and Gizon Berria, while the galloping beats and reverb-drenched snare sound are definitely giving Age of Quarrel. It might sound like an odd mix, but it works really well… so many bands who come under G.I.S.M.’s spell put all their energy into sounding weird and fucked, but P.S.Y.W.A.R.’s strong, bottom-heavy groove keeps your fist pumping. Defcon is also well-sequenced, counting down from the first track, Defcon 5, to the last track, Defcon 1, the vibe growing bleaker and more jagged with each track. By the time they get to the last two tracks, squealing, feedback-drenched guitar leads and creepy samples have colonized P.S.Y.W.A.R.’s sound. Defcon offers exactly the well-choreographed bludgeoning we come to Iron Lung Records for.