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What’s up Sorry Staters?
Another end of the week comes around, and I’m feelin’ like a zombie like usual. But for good reason this time! Last night, the members of Scarecrow took a little field trip up to Richmond. Not to play a gig, mind you… just to go to see one. What a concept, right? Quite a stacked lineup with Indre Krig, Krigshoder and Last Affront. It was awesome to reunite with our friends in Indre Krig after meeting them last year on our Euro tour. Had a blast hangin’ with them. I gotta say, Krigshoder really stole the show. Those punks brought it. Even with their Norwegian singer, now that I’ve finally gotten to see them live, I can totally hear a bit of that Personal Damage flavor mixed in with the sound. We unfortunately weren’t able to hang with everyone after the gig because we all knew there was work to be done the following day for all you Sorry Staters out there. While Usman and Red were passed out the back seat, Daniel and I were laughing our asses off bullshitting on the drive back. It was a good night.
So what am I even gonna talk about this week? I don’t have an Iliad-length writeup about a sleeper new wave hit planned for this week, so I’m graspin’ at straws. Here’s an idea: Maybe I’ll talk about hardcore for the first time in a while…
Last time we got a bunch of reissues from our UK distributor, a lot of those reissues sold out pretty much instantly. And I get it, people love Sacrilege. But for whatever reason, people don’t seem nearly as excited as I am that Kill By Remote Control by Toxic Reasons is back in print! At first, I was like... Man, it’s weird that we have to get reissues of this US hardcore classic from overseas. But then again, if there was any 80s hardcore band that flew the flag for the US, Canada, AND the UK, then it’s Toxic Reasons haha. I mean shit, the alternate artwork on the UK Alternative Tentacles pressing depicts Reagan and Thatcher hangin’ out together.
The band is from Dayton, Ohio, but I’m pretty sure the tri-national flag represents the dudes in the band’s origins from several different places. I would like to think that when I listen to this record that no one’s faking a British accent, but the jury’s out on that one. Even so, the band’s sound is unique and decidedly not midwestern. They definitely don’t sound like Negative Approach or Necros. The UK influence is in there for sure. One of their early singles even has that reggae feel to it. It’s funny, Dom and I were listening to this Secret Records singles compilation right after listening to Toxic Reasons, and I swear Toxic Reasons sounds so much like Infa-Riot.
People talk about the Toxic Reasons’ first record, Independence, a lot. And I love that record too. It’s maybe even more decidedly UK-influenced. But I gotta say that this 2nd LP is where it’s at for me. Kill By Remote Control is delivered with a slightly harder edge than their first record. Toxic Reasons’ songwriting can have a more melodic, tuneful slant, like the opening track “Stuck In A Rut.” But once we kick into “Destroyer,” the gloves are off and your fist is flying in the air. You can hear a little GBH, maybe a little Motorhead, but then with power and snarl of US hardcore. Then a song like “Revolution?” is almost like a drunken shanty or something. “Jrs. Friends” and “Powercrazed” are total rippers. The first track on side B, “No Pity,” starts with this slow creepy dirge and then kicks in with this killer groovy single note riff. The total gymnastically frantic, intense drumming is so ripping. Then the big gang vocals and anthemic, shout-along choruses. This record just has well-written songs. Tuneful song structures, and especially on the slower songs, Toxic Reasons is masterful at building tension. I feel the hair on my neck stand up and goosebumps bubbling to the surface. Not to mention the earnest, but dead serious, political lyrics.
Anyway, if this is an 80s hardcore record you’ve had your reservations about, I suggest you put those feelings to bed. This record is killer and one of my favorites, and I think it deserves more people giving it some attention.
That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.
‘Til next week,
-Jeff