Featured Releases: August 18, 2022

Damaging Instinct #1 zine First issue of this new zine from Japan devoted to d-beat, mangel, crasher crust, and associated modes of noisy hardcore punk. Damaging Instinct is written entirely in Japanese (with small amounts of English scattered throughout), so don’t expect to read this like a normal punk zine. However, even though I can’t make sense of the text (at least without a lot of effort), I’m still very stoked to get my hands on this issue. Damaging Instinct has a documentary feel, capturing the personalities and fashions associated with this scene. Besides the usual cool live shots, there are also a series of photos of subjects taken with their back toward the camera showing off their punk vests (like the one of Jacky Crust War on the front cover), which might be boring or repetitive to some, but will be fascinating to those of us who own dozens, if not hundreds, of records that others dismiss as all sounding the same. There are features on Physique, D-Takt & Råpunk Records, EEL, Mueco, tons of photos from Manic Relapse 2019, along with general punk ephemera, cool-looking collages, and plenty more. Damaging Instinct is fucking HUGE, a full-size zine that weighs in at 3-4 times the length of an average issue of Razorblades & Aspirin, for instance. It’s quite expensive and most people will balk at the price, but for those of us into this sound and style, Damaging Instinct will be a treasured item we’ll keep on our shelves forever and flip through often.

Lassie: Temporary Cemetary 7” (Turbo Discos) Two-song single from this band out of Leipzig, Germany. You might be tempted to throw Lassie in the egg punk basket, and while that wouldn’t be inappropriate, I think this single rises above also-ran status. While there are a million bands out there with tinny guitar sounds, budget synths, and jittery rhythms, Lassie has the hooks so many groups lack. That’s particularly true on “Temporary Cemetary,” whose title references both Paul McCartney’s cult proto-synth-punk track “Temporary Secretary” and the Ramones’ “Pet Semetary,” exactly the kind of nerdery I can get behind. The song’s chorus hook is epic, the kind of thing the a-side of a punk single was made for. Round it out with a solid b-side and beautiful packaging (multi-color risograph sleeve and insert with a witty and fun concept) and you have a single worth adding to your collection.

Glaas: Qualm 12” (Static Shock Records) When I wrote about Glaas’s debut cassette earlier this year, I remember thinking that as much as I liked those three songs, Glaas’s music seemed better suited to a longer release where they could go deeper and further. Qualm confirms my suspicion. The maximalism I noted on the cassette is present in full force on Qualm, which on first listen can sound like an inchoate maelstrom, with drums, bass, guitars, synths, and vocals all pulling in different directions, a supernova of sound that is remarkable in its density, but unstable at the core and ready to explode. I’ve been playing Qualm a lot over the past few weeks, and I still hear new things on every pass… the record is so crammed with music that even an attentive listener will need dozens of plays to feel like they’ve made progress extracting its riches. Perhaps because that density can be exhausting, I’m particularly drawn to the moments on the record where Glaas lets their foot off the gas and allows the music to breathe, most memorably on the (unexpectedly) reggae-tinged “An Ode to Ravachol.” For fans of the members’ previous projects like Clock of Time and Nervous Eaters, Qualm is a must-hear, but Glaas will appeal to anyone who has an ear for challenging post-punk in the tradition of bands like Wire and the Pop Group.

Gripe: Como Acabar Contigo Mismo 12” (Neon Taste Records) Hailing from Santiago, Chile, Gripe seems like the band that once they’re discovered, they will quickly find themselves on many year-end “best of” lists of hardcore aficionados far and wide. While the band was active as far back as 2018, this new LP released on the excellent Neon Taste label contains Gripe’s new 9-song recording on the A-side, as well as their 2020 demo cassette on the B-side. Stacked against the label’s local Canadian groups like Chain Whip and Imploders, and more recently bands like White Stains, Gripe’s style of hardcore feels right at home on Neon Taste. Lean and mean blasts of chaotic, jangly, but not-too-distorted guitar reminds me of groups like Amdi Petersens Arme or Total Fury, but paired with that classic, anthemic delivery of 80s Southern California punk. But of course, led by a vicious and commanding vocalist who sings all in Spanish. Tracks like “Forzado” or “Sobrecarga” are quick whirlwinds of fury that sound like a powder keg about to burst. But then a song like “Posición Fatal” is a menacing, slow burn that functions almost like Gripe’s answer to “Welcome To Reality” or “Democracy” by the Adolescents. Each recording on either side of this LP has its charm, but with either side that you might prefer, it’s amazing how these intense, explosively energetic performances are captured on tape. As the sound oozes out of the speakers on your home stereo, it’s like a visceral experience. The amount of blood and sweat the band expels is palpable, almost as if while listening you can feel yourself stuffed like a sardine into a tiny, packed-to-the-gills hardcore show. Much like the label describes, Gripe seems like the perfect party-fueled backdrop for many late-night delinquent activities. Gripe is the band that you want to set up and play at the edge of pool during a skate sesh after you and your friends sneak into someone’s back yard. A perfect soundtrack for fun-fueled mayhem and destruction. Don’t sleep. Check out this LP.

Abuso de Poder: Vago Muerto 7” (Roach Leg Records) Debut 7” by this band from the punk hotbed of Santa Ana, California. Abuso de Poder’s sound toes the line between hardcore punk and oi!, reminding me of early 80s bands like the 4 Skins, Iron Cross, or Blitzkrieg. The gruff vocals and alternately stomping and charging rhythms keep things sounding very tough, but there’s a subtle tunefulness at the heart of Abuso de Poder’s sound. They may not be as catchy as Rixe, for instance, but these six songs are laced with the kinds of touches that keep you flipping the record over and over… 86 Mentality is another good point of reference, both in terms of Abuso de Poder’s sound and that flip-ability factor. I also love that this is a 33rpm 7” with 6 killer tracks… it reminds of old Dischord EPs, which are pretty much my favorite records in the world. Excellent stuff.

Sepsis: The Divide 7” (Hardcore Victim Records) Debut 4-songer from this band out Narm, Australia. The label’s description says it all here… metallic d-beat crust with influences from (early) Sacrilege, Hellbastard, and mid-period Cimex. While metal-infused d-beat like this can get too slick for my tastes, Sepsis keeps it raw and immediate with nasty production and plenty of straightforward, Discharge-style riffing to compliment the moments where they get a little more rock (like on the title track) or metal (“No Pride”). I can’t put my finger on it, but something about this EP comes off as honest, unpretentious, and sturdy, like a good hardcore punk band just doing their thing. If you’re allergic to flash and just want that hardcore punk shit, give Sepsis a try.