Published Reviews (Page 2)

SSR-14: Logic Problem: Self-titled EP

The debut EP from North Carolina's own LOGIC PROBLEM, adn this totally blows their demo out of the water. The A-side features two raw rippers, very much like their live set. The B-side is more like the CROSS LAWS records, but way more refined and intense. The big difference from the demo is that you can actually hear the rhythm section (dig the heavy bass intro to "Double Crossed!"). A good comparison would be like a more punk version of THE OFFENDERS. Pick it up and decide for yourself.
Got Myself #1

After a pretty good demo, NC's Logic Problem drop their debut E.P. It's a lot faster than their demo, and I get a heavy Necros vibe here. With a former member of Cross Laws, they follow suit in their early 80's mid-west hardcore influences. Solid 4 song debut EP.
Bleeding Edges blog

Blown-out, pissed off, burly hardcore from North Carolina. Epic Warfare from Double Negative manned the knobs for the A-side, and these songs have an urgent, raw and ominous feel, which makes 'em shine as some of the better tunes from the '80s-styled crop of bands. All of the instruments blend together to make one mean mess of a sound with a healthy dose of feedback holding everything together. The B-side has a brighter, cleaner sound, which is less effective for this style. The songs are still good, but they are more in line with Government Warning and that ilk and the sound is a bit tame compared to the A-side. The guitar tone on the whole thing is spot-on, with lots of gnarly sounds coming through the mix. Bleak hardcore is the best hardcore and there is not much of a glimmer of hope on this EP. Logic Problem, along with Double Negative, has raised the bar for the No Way / Grave Mistake / Sorry State cartel, and I'm curious to see what's gonna come next.
Maximumrocknroll #305

Raleigh definitely has a sound of its own right now and it is killer. This debut 7" is chaotic awesomeness that puts the demo to shames. It is a little reminiscent of Double Negative but not in a bad way. The songs on this record all rip and the song "Double Crossed" is hard as shit.
Who Yep #1

Tenacious, meaty, potatoey, tomatoey, whatevery hardcore that flies kites of the classic NYHC stalwarts into a later period of the same locale’s thunderstorm, electrocuted with god’s thunderous groin, frying general motor skills and ability to provide a legible lyric sheet in the process. Buncha’ crossed out prose and the farting out of a yawnish, closed-eyes Special Ed. vocal delivery atop bare bones ‘80s Bostonian-inclined tardcore is what results. Great garbage plate of golden age hawdcoar’s essential vitamins, including archetypal amelodic chord progressions, frill-less (nearly fill-less) straightforward drumming, and the aforementioned helmet-clad drool-spewing caveman roars. Side A’s pair of tracks were mastered by a member of North Carolinian compatriots Double Negative, and the interjection of a strange whirlwind of overpowering, magnetic feedback that bleeds up the walls and lays like a blanket over all musical happenings transpiring in the studio, it would seem, is the result. Side B’s tunes lean more in the direction of trite paths beaten by most contemporary ‘80s rehash (Danny Glovernment Warning, Direct Pest Control, Wasted Tyme), with full treble domination of the mix, drowning all the sonic nuances that are generally key to exalting this type of stuff from mediocre fanfare to a finely studied but equally well-pursued rendition of the only eon of da ‘core that matters. So Side A’s alternately mixed cuts win by a nose hair if only for being a refreshing knifing of the revival trend’s inner tube (Drown muthafucker, drown…). (BG)
Termianl Boredom zine

Two different recording sessions that show a difference in the band’s style. The first side is mid-tempo hardcore, while the second side is more on the raw and thrashy side. I prefer side two. The songs have more energy and are all around more interesting. Don’t get me wrong, “Double Crossed” on the first side, with its rumbling bass lines, is a cool song. But the two on the b-side—“Common Characteristics” and “MK Ultra”—rage and have more of a lasting impact.
Razorcake zine

Some slammin’ hardcore, with four songs culled from two different sessions and there’s definitely a noticeable difference. The “-“ (or negative) side has a rough, demo-like quality with a thorny, gnarled guitar sound leading the way through the slammin’ tunes. Things don’t get much prettier on the other side, since it remains a wailin’ attack but the production has a tad more punchiness but the rawness remains a part of it. Those songs do have more presence, though.
Suburban Voice Blog #67

Man, this band is noisy as shit! There's been an influx of "anger juice" let loose in the North Carolina watershed, apparently, as this band rip through 4 short, fine barrages of hardcore punk. I love when the guitars blur into noise at times, sounds massively chaotic. No slow shit here. I'm digging this a lot and have only minor complaints: the artwork is kind of, well, arty. Ugh. The lyric sheet is "redacted" extensively, to teh point of annoyance. Overall, I'd have to say this kills.
Short, Fast, and Loud #20

SSR-14.5: Video Disease: Demo Cassette

Fucking evil California hardcore that may be responsible for some of the recent wildfire outbreaks. Four rippers that are over before you can unfold the nice little clear sleeve encasing the tape. Raw sounds, all four cuts trying to break land speed records but still staying on the track somehow. Recording is fittingly messy, I imagine the room was filled with smoke and blood after recording. Gibbering and violent vocals that don't grate, nice guitar tone, a drummer that doesn't suck, a winning combo. Mean shit, this is what I expect when I purchase a hardcore release and the sort of band that sounds made to be seen in a dingy basement that smells like mold and body odor. Blood, guts and no pussies.
Terminal Boredom

SSR-15: Devour: Self-titled LP

HOL-E-SHIT! Going straight to LP without a demo is risky maneuver, but I'll be damned if Devour don't prove that theory wrong. This really reminds me of Animosity era Corrosion of conformity mixed with some Totalitar styled D-beat, and some Japanese hardcore rage. After listening to this it inspired me to listen to Judgement if that gives you any indication of where they're coming from. The packaging is also top notch, BIG fold out poster insert, and you get a CD of the whole LP (plus a 46 minute bonus track). GET THIS!
Bleeding Edges Blog

Evidently Sorry State Records is another quality punk label looking to take record collecting to the next level. There is so much bang for your buck in the jacket of this 12", you'll have trouble stuffing the poster, insert, sticker, cd copy, and thick slaberoo back into the sleeve.
Musically speaking, this Raleigh, NC band delivers 7 tracks of tight, crashing aggro-hardcore with horsepower to spare and more than a few nods to the old school. The vocals seem to represent the X factor, a foul streak of 80s-crossover gargles and barks (think ACCUSED, COC, and FANG) that mesh alongside the sprinting basslines (check out "Crawling Out", for example) to keep the intensity level buried in the red at all times. Some d-beat yes, but it's not all speed for speed's sake, evidenced by the amp / spaceship noises of "Useless Ruin" and the murky sludge intro of "It Smells Like Piss In Here". Lyrically, the tracks are dominated by lines like "People mean to be cruel / Sometimes it's like living in some huge high school" and "The time I spend trying to forget / is more than the time spent living" (Boy, ain't that the truth!). Packaging-wise and tune-wise, DEVOUR is the closest you'll get to shopping for metal and punk vinyl in your favorite store back in '87, right down to the $10 price tag. (album of the month)
Peacedogman.com

2008 debut full length from North Carolina's DEVOUR (with former members of CROSS LAWS). Powerful, grinding metallic HC ala CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, DISCHARGE, FINAL CONFLICT, DBC, etc. Total rager. Most of you are probably bogged down with the whole 80s sound... this is the break you need. Unable to ignore this one due to the sheer immediacy of DEVOUR. Comes with a fold-out poster & cd that contains the entire record. On SORRY STATE records and... H I G H L Y R E C O M M E N D E D !!!
From Reckless Records web site

Devour announce their arrival with a twisted hardcore blitz. There are definitely elements that attack in a similar vein as their North Carolina brethren Double Negative, with the early COC-ish touches rammed home with wanton axe insanity, roiling bass and drums. Their vocalist Cody is credited with "demon howls" and, while his emanations aren't really demonic, he certainly has a nasty, raspy set of pipes. Jugular-grabbing sounds, taking an ambient turn for the intro to the jarring, final track "Useless Ruin"--shades of Celtic Frost going from "Danse Macabre" into "Nocturnal Fear" on "Morbid Tales," although not as unsettling ("DM" sounds like it was inspired by "The Exorcist"). Add this one to my "best of '08' list--I accidentally omitted it on the list published in the last blog.
From Suburban Voice Blog

Remember the awesome Cross Laws form NC? Well this is Cross Laws, but as a 5-piece band now and my god is it fucking good! These heavy ass riffs stick in my head all fucking day, it drives me insane, but in a good way. Early C.O.C. and some other d-beat influences can be heard. Do your self a favor and buy this! The best part is that if you don’t have a record player for some stupid reason, the LP also includes a bonus CD!
From Filth N Fury blog

SSR-15.5: Under Al Kritik: Insomnia EP

Debut EP by this Denmark band, previously available in Europe on Mastermind Records, currently available in the US o Sorry State. I accidentally played this on 33 instead of 45 and got half way through the a side thinking, “This shit is too heavy.” Playing speed corrected, I still think it's heavy, but in a much better way. It's tougher than most of the stuff that's come out of Denmark in recent years, and as much as I love all of that, the change is refreshing. Some of the songs show some metal influence that I don't care for, but overall it's decent modern hardcore, and the title song is a real hit.

The great artwork by Patrick Ringsborg is worth noting. He also did the cover for the Cola Freaks Dødt Batteri 7" and does a lot of flyers for shows in Denmark, really cool stuff.
From Blast Punk Zine

Also I picked up a copy of Sorry State's new release Under Al Kritik and it is almost as ripping of a record (trust me that's an awesome complement). Definitely has a feel of some of the other Danish records with some of the weirdness of Dead Kennedys and some of the harshness of Articles of Faith. The b-side opens with a metal ripper. This record is awesome and I'm definitely in love with it and highly suggest you get one since Sorry State was nice enough to make it available in the states for a decent price.
From Outta Style blog

SSR-20: Bukkake Boys: 2nd EP

I have to say that despite the name, this band is downright fuggin' amazing! The seven-track Elite EP is unrelenting hardcore noise that more or less combines raw Japanese thrash and straight-up USHC into an aural wallop that will separate the tourists from the diehards. And if you thought the first EP was boss, you will be pleased to know that this follow-up is even better! Each hate-fueled track flows into the next, and outside of a couple of lyrics that might offend the most sensitive of punks, these BUKKAKE BOYS can't go wrong. What the fuck is going on down there in Georgia? With bands like this and AMERICAN CHEESEBURGER, is it possible that the South will truly rise again? Holy shit.
From Maximumrocknroll #324

SSR-21: Thurneman: Tegelsten for Tegelsten EP

On this, their third EP to date, THURNEMAN further refines their hardcore style, which still seems very influenced by early ARTICLES OF FAITH. The best material is tense and tight (like "Din Tystnad Som Svar"); it serves up a grating, trebly guitar attack without a breath of dead air. I can see the comparisons some make with '82 vintage HUSKER DU, especially when they're playing their occasional mid-speed material. Nevertheless, this EP is consistently compelling. Recommended.
From Maximumrocknroll #324

SSR-22: UX Vileheads: Catch 22 EP

It was not that long ago that I reviewed UX Vileheads-debut with the rather obvious title first EP, and now it's already time for the sequel, Catch 22 to also be filtered through my ear canals. The title track kick starts right away with a thundering rhythm section and then explodes in an instrument- and microphone orgasm that sounds like it's been taken out of a rehearsal room in Washington DC during hardcore's happy and dirty 80's. Fucking perfect!

If I'd say say that both Black Flag and JFA are squeezed in here, or that you should imagine a wicked mix of ETA and Teen Idles, I think everyone understands what UX Vileheads is about and that this hardly is a low-water mark. I also like that it never goes in sign of the squeezed gas pedal, but this is more like a punch in the face where the perpetrator does not run away, but waits to beat you down again as soon as you have come back on your feet. I think that Catch 22 is slightly cleaner than the first EP, but you get used to this very quickly as it's just as difficult this time to defend yourself from the high quality hardcore punk that just pours out of the speakers. U.X. Vileheads still haven't that much to tell purely textually, but talks about the everyday politics of their lives in a gloomy manner and then drowns it in an alcohol-reeking, I-do-not-care-so-fuck-off mentality, which fits the dirty the arrangement quite excellent. This is best displayed in the frustration filled title track Catch 22 and in the religion pessimistic No Salvation. All that really remains now is to ask the question: When will the full-length album be out?"
From www.lukinzine.se

SSR-23: Wormeaters: Wardeath EP

Third EP from a band with much potential, New Jersey's fantastic Wormeaters. Released by Sorry State Records, one of the preeminent forces in modern hardcore punk, this EP features six songs, and not one of them lack in composition, performance, or energy. Faint echoes of mid-period Poison Idea can be heard throughout, which only enhances this EP's sublimity. With a more than competent new vocalist in the fold, this band should be making proper waves in the months to come. Great packaging but limited to 600 copies, so act fast.
From Switchboarde zine