News

Usman's Staff Pick: March 25, 2024

Hello and thanks for reading. Last week we got some tapes from brand new label, Total Recall Recordings. The tapes are debuts for both HÄXORNA and JORO PATH. Each band features a few members from CONSEC, but their song writing approach is quite different. While HÄXORNA has somewhat of a USHC vibe, I hear Swedish inspiration when it comes to the riffs. The first track kind of reminds me of KOWARD, while the other two are a bit more on catchy side of things. I guess referring to KOWARD might be silly, since they are from USA. I used them as a reference cos they too had a bit of Swedish approach to things while still retaining a USHC sound. Anyway, I think this tape rips, and I hope they do more. Alongside HÄXORNA is JORO PATH, who pulls influence from the complete opposite side of the globe, where I hear an obvious Japanese influence. They remind me of GASMASK, especially with their pulled-back style. While JORO PATH pulls influence from mid-‘80s Japan, they are not afraid to wander outside this traditional formula and keep things fresh. Total Recall Recordings is operated by one (or two?) of the people from these projects. I think it’s sick they chose to kick off a new label with their new projects, check ‘em out.

I also wanted to mention that Jeff and I have been busy with our own label the last few months. We just got the first SCARECROW EP back in print, and you can grab copies now at Sorry State. We’ve debated putting this back in print pretty heavily for some time now. We could not use the original stampers, so it would not be nearly as cheap as a “repress” should be. And who knows if there is even that much demand for it? Haha. With another tour overseas coming up this year, we said fuck it and pulled the trigger. Maybe I am biased, but I think this is the best cut we’ve had of these songs. It’s loud and clear. Over the weekend SCARECROW finished off some recordings for a promo we will have available when it comes to tour time. We recorded three new songs and three covers, and I think we are all pretty excited for how it’s turning out. You can grab our first EP at Sorry State now like I mentioned, but we have some shirts available via mail order here if that is something you are into. Alright that’s it for this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for your support!

Usman's Staff Pick: March 18, 2024

https://flowernewyorkcity.bandcamp.com/album/heel-of-the-next-physical-god

Hello and thanks for reading. A friend of mine recently sent me a copy of the new FLOWER 7” and I’ve been listening to it a lot. This record only features one track on each side. Usually I would talk shit on a record with such few songs, but instead I am a huge fan of this release. Even though it’s only two songs, the duration of this 7" is still about eight and a half minutes. I think I would also usually find songs that are so long to be boring, but in this case I find the two tracks to be super captivating. I heard FLOWER with their debut release on Profane Existence. They played our house spot a while before that LP came out, but I was wasted, and their sound didn’t really stick in my head. On their LP, I heard an obvious nod to NAUSEA, amongst some anarcho-type riffs. The artwork had a total RUDIMENTARY PENI vibe, down to the foldout poster sleeve. I liked the LP, but I really like the EP. The recording sounds much more clear and powerful on the LP, but I find the song-writing itself to be more powerful on the 7". I feel like they really locked the sound in more on this release, and the packaging is simply amazing. I also want to mention how much I like the lyrics. They are political but worded in such a clever way. They are a serious highlight for me on the release. I love the back-and-forth bits on the vocals too. It makes the choruses even more memorable. With the packaging, it’s the same Crass Records foldout poster style as the LP. Even though they were working with less space this time with the 7" format, I feel like they really did more with it. It takes so much time and dedication to pull off this type of layout, and they executed it perfectly. Probably everyone sees FLOWER artwork and thinks Nick Blinko, right? Even though it’s so on the nose, I find there is originality to it. On the 7" especially, there are so many layers, dimensions, and messages. It is such an adventure to take it in. I really appreciate how the lyrics are incorporated into the art. You have to really engage with the record to fully take in. I know not every band has the ability to go all-out with art like this, but man I can say how much I appreciate it when they do. This record is a cooperative release between Fight For Your Mind (France) and a brand-new label called Peace Of Mind. I am pretty sure that label is operated by a member of FLOWER and a close friend of the band. I don’t think this record is actually available in the US yet, but I am sure we will get copies in due time. Alright I think that about sums it up for this week. Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone for your support!

Usman's Staff Pick: March 12, 2024

Hello and thanks for reading. This week I wanted to write about the recent DEEF reissues on General Speech. I think it's safe to say DEEF is obscure as fuck. While they are obscure in my mind, they were credited as "the first Sapporo hardcore band" by Doll Magazine in 1982. Regardless, I'm guessing outside of Japan that some cult tape traders would be the only ones to know the band, until maybe the G-GAS reissue that General Speech did in 2015 where DEEF was mentioned. G-GAS was from Sapporo, just like DEEF. While they existed at the same time and have some similarities in sound, DEEF existed before G-GAS did. I learned from the Nou reissue that DEEF had begun as early as 1979. However, they were just school kids and far from a punk band in these early days. On the Nou LP reissue we can find DEEF's 1982 debut also entitled Nou, which was originally released on cassette, and is in fact hardcore. The A side of the LP also features their tracks from a hyper rare cassette entitled Nouten Records, which compiled tracks from three early and obscure Sapporo hardcore bands including 2.26 and PROBLEMS. To finish off the A side, General Speech unleashed 3 completely unreleased studio songs recorded in 1982! While the B side of the LP is totally unreleased recording as well, I think those 1982 studio tracks really set this LP off for me.

I knew virtually nothing about DEEF before these reissues. The only stuff I knew from them came from a bootleg of Real Control on cassette I have. Real Control originally came out in 1983, and I think it absolutely rules. When I heard General Speech was reissuing it I got super excited. I was actually under the impression this tape came out in 1984 until this reissue, and that makes DEEF even more significant in my mind. The B side of the LP features another unreleased session from 1983! With all this unreleased material and killer packaging, it is like a record nerd's wet dream. I feel lucky to have a label like General Speech here in the USA. He's reissuing killer shit from overseas, and he does it with a serious passion and knowledge about what he's dealing with. Inside these reissues I discovered things about Japanese punk history that I had no idea about. I learned that punk was essentially banned in Sapporo by the mid-'80s. It looks like the gigs would start at 1PM in the afternoon. They would also be private, and sometimes people would be seated. That is nuts! Each of these DEEF LPs comes with a foldout insert completely loaded up with color photos, flyers, and scans of the original jcards. These LPs are super well-done, and I think they deserve a place in every collection. I understand it can be overwhelming to have two LPs of obscure shit drop on you and it's hard to know where to start or digest. I mean, that's exactly what's happened to me with the other two General Speech reissues he dropped at the same time! Haha. I better check those out before it's too late. Alright I think that's all for the week. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!

Usman's Staff Pick: March 4, 2024

Hi and thanks for reading. My boy Merm was the only person to reply to anything I said in the last newsletter. Which is sick cos I love Merm, but really? No one else had shit to say about who first wrote a song called "ACAB?” Also, I understand the MALINHEADS shit is a bit obscure, but I really was hoping to get something on it. Oh well. Maybe it's cos I came off like too much of a poser with my lack of knowledge on German hardcore. Or maybe everyone is preoccupied by the complete shit state of the world. I find it hard to clear my head in general these days, so trying to clear my head and write about a record doesn't come so easily. I never thought I would live through a global pandemic, followed by a literal, blatant genocide. I never imagined after WWII that something like this could happen. I don't mean the ill-intentions of the State of Israel, of course imperialist nations always have bad intentions. What I mean is how not one single country has stepped in to stop this. In reality, all the other countries will look to places like the USA and UK, and for good reason. Well not really a good reason, but because we have pummeled the living shit out of every place on Earth and that is why we are a "super power" country or whatever the fuck politicians like to call it. You would think we would use our super power to stop Israel, or even just cut the funding of U.S. tax dollars to Israel, but I guess I am naive to expect anything less from the U.S. government. I'm sure everyone reading this is on the same page with me, and I feel so helpless most of the time. I don't want to take the time here to remind you of the current state of world though, so I will move onto records.

I can't remember if we had the new PUBLIC ACID record in stock when I was writing my staff pick last week, but I wanted to mention it this week. To me, it's obvious that everyone and their mother should buy this LP—and I am sure you all have. This is an excellent follow-up to their Condemnation EP, and the packaging is absolutely beautiful (as always). What really makes this LP special is it's the first record that Jeff appears on since he joined the band! Although I think he played on the Beat Sessions cassette that came out last year. I've been seeing this band (or a version of it) for about a decade now, so it's kind of easy for me to take them for granted. The band has evolved a ton since they first started. I talked about their evolution a bit when their Condemnation EP was released. I think I fuck up some details but it's like 95% accurate. And like I mentioned, the band has evolved past this when adding Jeff to the equation. Proud feels like a weird word to use, but I think that is how I feel about this band. This crew of people has been tirelessly putting all their effort forth for years with a number of great bands, and it feels like they are finally getting the recognition they deserve. I also wanted to mention this debut cassette from BLISTERING NOISE. This band is from Tokyo, and I knew nothing other than that and this tape was recorded at Noise Room. Naturally, I want to check out anything recorded at Noise Room, so I did. I had to listen to this physical cassette, cos there was no streaming online I could find. So I wanted to let anyone know who was on the fence about the cassette, it rips.

I had briefly mentioned this record last week, but I've finally had a chance to spend a good amount of time with the new NIGHTFEEDER 7". I find NIGHTFEEDER to be a particularly interesting band cos they always do something that tests my taste on each release, but their foundation is so damn solid that I am always eager to hear what's next. To be honest, I don't like it when bands challenge me as a listener. I know that's boring. However, I seriously appreciate it when a band challenges my ears, and then it grows on me, resulting in me looking forward to these parts I once questioned. I love that. I'm sure there are people who specifically seek this when checking out bands, but I just don't look for this experience when listening to music. So NIGHTFEEDER begins this EP with a "longer" mid-tempo song. The song itself is entitled Disgustor, like the EP. Over half of the song is slow and has a kinda droney sound or something. The last minute of the song they pick up the pace (just a bit), with some pulled-back DISCHARGE drumming accompanied by another dissonant, but slightly catchy riff. On the B-side you can find two certified rippers in true NIGHTFEEDER fashion that you want to play on repeat. I guess the A side of the record took me some time to digest. The riffs are not particularly memorable, and it's the only track featured on the A side. After talking with Daniel about the track, he explained his interpretation of the song. He said he didn't think the song was really about the riffs at all, but about the overall energy or atmosphere the band establishes. He explained how it all seemed to build into the chorus, where the lyrics are the real focus; "I am disgustor, hear my name." I probably didn't explain that very well, but after letting this soak in it really started to grow on me. It felt like the band was going for a more classic approach or something; 7" cut at 45rpm featuring one slower song on the A side that focuses on the chorus, followed by two bangers on the B side. The formula reminds me that of like a PARTISANS or DEMOB 7". NIGHTFEEDER really lays into the "horror" aspects of the band with this EP. While I think elements of horror can come off so cheesy, I think they still pull it off. I really like the artwork and packaging on this EP especially. They made a limited screen-printed version, but the artwork for the regular version is just as sick!! The spots of color and layout is excellent. It looks so cool that I would consider buying it without knowing who the band was. I think there are bands who are not very good, and rely on a gimmick of sorts to attract listeners. While NIGHTFEEDER has some artistic elements with their presentation, I don't think they rely on this to attract listeners cos their music actually rips. Alright then, I think that about sums it up for this week. Thanks for reading. Thank you to everyone for your support!

Usman's Staff Pick: February 26, 2024

Hi and thanks for reading. It's been a minute since I wrote. I was out sick for a bit, and then Daniel got sick too. I'm not writing about any new releases this week unfortunately, cos I haven't spent much time with any of them yet. I have been really looking forward to the DEEF reissue on General Speech, and also the new NIGHTFEEDER 7" that we got in stock recently. I've only had time to spin those just once each, so today I am writing about MALIN HEADS. At the risk of sounding like a poser, I will be writing unashamedly. I don't really know much German hardcore/punk. I can name maybe like a dozen bands. I'm pretty sure MALIN HEADS was my introduction. I discovered them while on tour with my old band with Jeff. We were at Arrow's Aim in Gainesville, and that's where I picked up a copy of their first EP Probegepogt Aus Spandau. As I was flipping through a 7" bin, I passed over it cos I had no idea what it was. As I passed it, Jeff asked If knew it and also informed me it ripped. Obviously, I bought it. I will pick up almost anything a friend suggests to me in that context. I never really thought about it until now, but this type of thing happens often when I got to record shops with friends, where someone is flipping and another is kinda looking over their shoulder and there is conversation about what dank shit is floating around in the bins, know what I'm talking about? Haha. Anyway, from there I checked out the other bands on Pogar (the label who originally released that MALIN HEADS EP). Somewhere in there I heard more shit like VORKRIEGSPHASE, UPRIGHT CITIZENS, SLIME, and THE BUTTOCKS. I know SLIME and BUTTOCKS are pretty early bands. A close friend of mine living in Germany told me about SLIME after we toured Europe a few years ago. It's funny, I was just talking to some friends the other day about "ACAB." I know this acronym is wildly popular now… and it's possible some young punks don't know what band my friends and I associate this slogan with. I mean obviously ACAB was not invented by a band, but I always thought 4 SKINS was the first band to do a song called ACAB. I'm pretty sure that came out in 1982, right? Well fuckin' hell, SLIME released a track called ACAB in 1981! I had no idea. If someone knows anything earlier please let me know. Or maybe I am wildly mistaken, and 4 SKINS had been playing it live before SLIME.

Getting back to MALINHEADS, their first EP is such a banger. Their second EP entitled Medical Fame followed a few years later in 1986 and I think its also an excellent record. The sound is noticeably different though. They have another release the followed that, but to be honest I don't even remember what it sounds like. Their first EP was reissued, and I am not sure why Medical Fame was not. For many years that reissue I held me over until one day I was able to land an original copy of Probegepogt Aus Spandau. I guess when I say original, I mean an 80s pressing. The cover of the record I had gotten was not the first press according to Discogs. And as of late, some pretentious asshole added a new version that he has, and of course he states THIS is the first press, haha. I knew there was a different cover for the "first press," but I have always wondered if there was actually two different pressings or just some different versions of the cover. I was actually chatting with a German friend, and he sent me a photo of his copy that he got in the 80's. It's yet another different version than what is listed on Discogs.

There was a record shop called Vinyl Boogie in West Germany, and they seemed to have distributed all the Pogar stuff. I was actually just poking around Discogs, and it seems the owner of Vinyl Boogie was also the same person who operated Pogar Records. Interesting. I wish I knew more. I'm not sure how true this is, but one guy told me he was there at Vinyl Boogie when the MALINHEADS records arrived, and they quickly threw together the covers of the "first press" cos they didn't have anything prepared. I'm not sure if he meant only those very early copies (which seem to be few, and printed on colored paper,) or if he meant they made an entire run of covers with the same design printed on regular white paper. According to Discogs, the was a repress the same year as the original. On this sleeve, they took the back cover photo from the first press, and that became the front cover of the repress. I just wonder if there really were two pressings, and/or how many copies exist of each cover. That leads me to why I really decided to write about this today, haha. I've shared this cover from my staff photo on Instagram before, but I didn't get any info on it. I've searched the internet to the best of my ability, and never came up with shit. I did see an old Ebay listing where a copy sold with this same cover, but a part of me wonders if this was by chance the same copy that eventually ended up in my hands? I bought this copy just a few years ago from a German record shop. What this is, is the repress sleeve, but for some reason MALINHEADS is not printed across the front. What the fuck? I have endless questions, and I am out of time, haha. Sorry my write-up this week seems directionless and really in the end I am just hoping someone will reply and let me know some info on this record! Haha. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Usman's Staff Pick: February 5, 2024

Hi and thanks for reading. This week I am going to write about RATTUS: Rajoitettu Ydinsota EP. This EP was originally released on Poko Rekords in 1982, and it’s back in print in Finland for the first time since! I think it’s significant that this record came out in 1982, but I find it even more impressive that this was already the fourth record for RATTUS. I feel like this is the EP that everyone associates with RATTUS, but maybe I am wrong. I know the record that probably gets the nerds going is their first 7" cos it is hyper rare, haha. Their first two records are not really hardcore, but ‘77 punk. This early RATTUS punk sound fits in well with the Poko Rekords catalog. When thinking about Finnish hardcore, the first labels I think of are Propaganda and P. Tuotanto. Rock-O-Rama also comes to mind, but they were just a German label who was licensing releases from Propaganda. I know a handful of other smaller labels that released hardcore bands; otherwise most of the records I can think of were self-released. The earliest Finnish labels I can think of are Poko Rekords and Johanna. Both labels began in the late 70s and released some pretty essential stuff when it comes to Finnish punk and hardcore. Well, mostly punk really, and not so much hardcore.

Poko released a fair amount of good bands, including one of my all-time favorite ‘77 bands, KOLLAA KESTÄÄ. They also released a lot of weird shit, like rock-a-billy and electronic bands. I was just thinking about it, and I think RATTUS is probably the most hardcore shit they ever released, haha. KOHU-63 would be another banger on Poko that comes to mind, but again this stuff doesn’t hit quite like Rajoitettu Ydinsota. Don’t get me wrong, I really like KOHU-63 a lot and I consider them hardcore. I am just saying the sound isn’t like full-blown DISCHARGE-type hardcore. It’s like LAMA (who was on Johanna); they are definitely hardcore, but they formed early on and played through the evolution of punk into hardcore. TERVEET KÄDET I think is another example, with their evolution into hardcore being obvious on their third 7”, Ääretön Joulu, which was also released in 1982 on Poko Rekords. Damn, I never realized TK’s Ääretön Joulu was released so close to Rajoitettu Ydinsota EP. If anyone is counting, RATTUS had recorded for that EP in December ‘81, while TK didn’t record until spring of ‘82. Alright anyway, RATTUS released their previous record in 1981 on Poko Rekords as well, Rattus On Rautaa. While the band was already under the influence of DISHCARGE when Rattus On Rautaa was recorded, the sound did not translate so well. I think this is an excellent record, but if they were going for DISCHARGE, they still needed to go a bit further. I guess they really made sure to get the point across by putting a huge atomic cloud on the cover of Rajoitettu Ydinsota, and entitling it “Limited Nuclear War.” RATTUS kept it up into the later ‘80s releasing records on a handful of different labels, including two more 12"s on Poko Rekords. I have never actually heard their 1988 7", but I really enjoy every single release RATTUS from the ‘80s.

So, Poko Rekords was started by this guy Epe Helenius 1977. However, Epe had already owned a record store in Tampere since 1972 called Epe’s Music Shop. This shop expanded to a chain of stores over the years, and he also started a label for distributing bands from overseas called Poko International. He manufactured and/or distributed classics like DEAD KENNEDYS, PARTISANS, EXPLOITED, and BLITZ. He even handled distribution for a few METALLICA LPs, crazy. It’s a bit unclear to me how things worked, but things got rough and Epe had several different companies behind Poko to keep it afloat through the 90s. Poko Rekords was originally founded under Unitor Oy, but Unitor Oy went bankrupt in 1993. At the end of the 80s, he went into business with a friend, but that friend was bought out in 1991 by a company called PolyGram (who later becomes Universal). He did not want to go into business with PolyGram, so he bought back the shares his friend once had. In the end, it resulted in the bankruptcy of Unitor Oy. Luckily, he had already started a new company called Shoeling Oy in 1992, so he used this company to buy the old master catalogue to Unitor Oy that he lost in the bankruptcy. Then he changed the name of Shoeling Oy to Poko Rekords Oy. Haha, after wrapping my head around that, it is pretty genius... Eventually in 2001, Epe sold Poko Rekords Oy to EMI. I’m not sure how it worked, but Poko Rekords still functioned as a label regardless of what happened with EMI until 2009. And then finally in 2013, Universal bought EMI. What a story.

Thanks to Universal, there were licensing fees out the ass on this EP. They claim 50% goes to RATTUS, but that is bullshit of course. This RATTUS reissue was originally intended to be a co-release with my label Mäkitie 8, but due to the complicated licensing agreements it was best to keep it as a solo release from Finnish Hardcore. Regardless, I feel honored to play a role in the distribution of this legendary Finnish record over here in USA. Naturally, I wanted to make our copies special somehow, so each one comes with a bonus offset printed sleeve and proper screen-printed sticker. Sami from Finnish Hardcore included a brief history of the band, as well as a bunch of unreleased photos Vote Vasko took during the recording session!

Unfortunately, when I got the shipment I discovered a large percentage of the records were warped . Since the EPs cost so much money after licensing and shipping, I felt like I had to test each copy. I would be bummed if I paid $12 and got a wobbly ass 7" record from a label. So, my partner and I set up two turntables in the living room and tested all 300 copies on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, haha. It sucks so many were warped. It also almost sucks more cos they are warped but still totally playable—it’s just not pretty to look at. As a result, we’ve got some of these wobbly limited versions for sale via Sorry State. If that type of thing is too much, we’ve got the guaranteed-flat black vinyl version in stock as well, haha. I know this EP has been pressed a few times before, but I think it rips and deserves a place in every single record collection. Alright that’s all, I should go now. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!!

Usman's Staff Pick: January 29, 2024

Hello, and thanks for reading.

You would think since I write a staff pick like every week this wouldn’t be much of a challenge, but I still find it difficult to get my thoughts into writing. If I am prepared, I begin to write more than a few days in advance. I start by outlining the thoughts I want to cover and noting important bits I don’t want to forget. Even though I outline, I still find myself going on about random shit and I end up removing text I spent a lot of thought on. I use WordPad to create my document, and it doesn’t have spell check. So, I have to paste all the text somewhere else to make sure there are no mistakes. I have to look up words in the dictionary more than you’d expect. I search for synonyms sometimes cos I don’t quite know what word I am looking for, and I don’t think I really understand grammar. I’ve come to learn I love run-on sentences. Luckily Daniel is an English major, and he proofreads everything we write. While the newsletter usually comes out on Monday, our staff picks are supposed to have been submitted to Daniel by the Thursday before. Usually, I would delete something like this before I submit my staff pick to Daniel, but this week I am going to just leave it in. So anyway, I saw today we restocked that 100% ass beater SALVAJE PUNK 12". I assumed it was a repress, but Daniel explained Toxic State had just found another box. If you missed this LP the first time, I would suggest you don’t even think and buy this LP right now. Who knows if or when it will be available again. I wrote about this LP recently in my year end review, and I wrote about it before that in a staff pick so I‘m not gunna get into it again. I do wanna mention again, it comes with a fucking sick poster!!!

PHYSIQUE recently released a new 6 track EP, Overcome By Pain. It feels like it came super quick after their latest LP. I wonder how soon after the LP they recorded this material. There is no recording information on the new EP, but Iron Lung mentioned it was recorded on unceded Nisqually & Squaxin land by Captain Tripps at High Command and mastered by Shige at Noise Room. Inside the gatefold of Again, it has the same exact credits, but it also says it was recorded March 2022. Talking to Daniel, I began to wonder if the EP was from the same session as the LP and they were just waiting to release the EP after the LP finally came out. But after listening to Again again (haha), I don’t think it’s the same session. There are some similarities in sound, but this new EP sounds even better if you ask me. I think the best parts about their noise come through. The record sounds kinda heavy and thick, but there is still a certain clarity about it. It would be hilarious if I was wrong and these were from the same session. I mail-ordered this EP directly from Iron Lung when it came out. Often I wait until Sorry State gets copies of a release, but I did not want to wait for this record. I didn’t even bother streaming the EP digitally before buying it. After hearing Again, there was not a doubt in my mind that I needed this record. As time goes on, I find myself more and more impressed with PHYSIQUE. I think I saw them live the first time in 2018 and they blew the doors off that club. I am actually re-visiting this 12" from 2018, and it is a monster. While PHYSIQUE is obviously under the influence of DISCLOSE, there is a bit more going on here. Besides picking up the pace a bit and playing overall much faster than DISCLOSE, I think a major characteristic is how tight the instruments are through transitions. The drummer often does rolls into punches, or vice versa, but he always keeps it fresh. Honestly, the insanely tight and creative transitions this band pulls off in the midst of the speed is what I find so impressive about them. I can’t wait to hear what they do next, and I really look forward to catching them live again next month. I heard a rumor that PHYSIQUE and ELECTRIC CHAIR were going to do a split. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but whatever, I doubt many people are reading this. You know what fucked me up today? I discovered that Trae from Electric Chair played bass early on in PHYSIQUE, whoa haha. Check out their first tape if you want to hear it. OK, that is all for today. Free Palestine.

Usman's Staff Pick: January 22, 2024

Hello, and thanks for reading. I mentioned previously I would write about a killer reissue next time I wrote, but I spoke too soon. This week I am writing about THE COMES, specifically this recent live 12” Ballroom of the Living Dead. I assumed pretty much everyone reading this knows THE COMES. If you haven’t ever really listened to them, then you should stop reading this right now and listen to their 1983 debut No Side. This album is excellent. I don’t think excellent is a strong enough word, but I think it is safe to say a copy belongs in every single collection. If you like this record and don’t own it for some odd reason, you can pick up this nicely done reissue we have in stock. I think a big reason this LP stands out so much is cos it came out pretty early on for Japanese hardcore. Some of the most popular Japanese bands like THE STALIN, GAUZE, or GISM (whose debut was also on the same label as THE COMES) were also active 1982, but most of my favorites like ZOUO, CONFUSE, THE SEXUAL, HEADLESS, ANTI-SEPTIC, etc did not exist until the years that followed. Aside from existing early on the hardcore timeline of Japan, the vocalist of THE COMES was a woman. I guess a part of me feels silly to point this out, but I think it is significant for the time and place. I’m not super well read on Japanese hardcore, but I know a bit of this and that. When trying to think of 80s bands with women, almost none come to my mind. NURSE would be an obvious one. That band it was all women. Holy shit, we have this in stock too, very sick. NURSE’s debut was also in 1983, actually. It is definitely a cool release, but it certainly does not rip like No Side. GAS is another one that comes to mind. Their 1982 flexi No More Hiroshima is so good. Insanely good. Damn, I never really thought about how early this record it is, and how DISCHARGE the sound is. That’s probably why the flexi sells for like $2k, haha. Oh yeah, but important note; their first flexi doesn’t have the line-up with a woman in it; it is the following one where she takes over vocals. Oh yes, there is also OUTO SYOJODAN. This shit is pretty cool. It also seems pretty obscure. It’s later 80s and the band is all women. My boy Rich showed it to me. (What up Rich!!!) Too bad this rip kinda sounds like shit with a low rumble like the entire time. Maybe Rich could hook me up with a better one, hehe. Okay, I think that’s all that is really coming to mind right now for women in 80s Japanese bands. I’m probably forgetting one or possibly two I might know. Anyway, THE COMES’ sound is super original to me. The songs (on No Side) are a nice mix between hardcore rippers and very slightly pulled-back catchy ones. When I really think about what they sound like, it kind of reminds of THE STALIN around Stop Jap, but more hardcore sounding. I have never once thought this before, but I think I hear some elements of USHC in there too. Am I crazy? Maybe I am just high. I think what really elevates their sound is the vocalist. I’m not sure what she does, but it sounds so unique and pissed off at the same time, it’s too good. They follow No Side in 1986 with Power Never Die. I think this record is sick, but if you compare it to No Side, you are going to be disappointed. The vocal style and song writing are completely different, but it’s still a great record. On this LP, it is the original vocalist and drummer alongside a new bassist and guitarist. I wonder why it’s never been reissued. Does the band think it sucks? (Like that KALASHNIKOV 12" that will probably never be reissued, haha).

Alright, I need to start talking about the live LP. It’s sold out, that sucks. I still wanted to write about it, though. This thing was pretty expensive at $40. I mean a higher retail price is always to be expected when dealing with Japanese imports. However, often Japanese releases are some of the nicest ones. The first thing I noticed was the badass tip-on sleeve. Hell yes. Isn’t there like one place in the world that makes these still? Inside, the thick ass jacket is a very nice booklet that’s printed in full color. Oh man... I’m not sure where to start with this. They give you a timeline of every show THE COMES played in their existence. I had no idea they were playing so many gigs in 1982! But I guess duh that makes sense. Bands usually gig a fair amount before their first record comes out. It’s also pretty insane their first gig is with GISM, GAUZE, and EXECUTE! Wow. Honestly, tons of the bills you see on the flyers in the booklet are just nuts. Alongside the flyers and timeline, this thing is loaded up with photos. I read Tom from General Speech said that a lot of these photos are unreleased. There is a lengthy interview with the bassist and drummer included as well. The band started with childhood friends, and slowly they grew from playing rock like QUEEN or KISS to shit like DISORDER, DEAD KENNEDYS, and DISCHARGE. I could be mistaken but I think they said the vocalist was super into glam shit and SOUXIE AND THE BANSHEES, but they were all exposed to hardcore punk via one member traveling to London. I could have totally misread that though, but they definitely mentioned London and punk, haha. Maybe they just meant punk fashion? They talk about the history of the band more or less, but I’m not sure why they broke up. They may have covered it and I just missed it. I got all this info from using a shitty translator, haha, better than nothing though. Yeah, the interview is in Japanese only. Going back to Tom from General Speech, he did a great job describing what kind of live audio we get here. “Well done archival live audio document...A side captures the band early in 1982 with a 17 song live set with several rare and unreleased tracks from before the No Side era. The B Side captures the band a year later and a bit more mature, but still early era and sound. The audio on both sides is above average quality audience recordings, not soundboard quality, and for those keeping close tabs, these are different, and in my opinion better live sets than the ones documented on the reissue live CDs 10-15 years ago.” Given that this isn’t studio sound, if you aren’t that familiar with THE COMES then I would definitely suggest checking out No Side first. But if you think THE COMES rip, then you are gunna be stoked about these tracks! They aren’t soundboard, but man they hit the spot for me. Their live performance fuckin’ rips. It sounds like they don’t stop once the entire set. Damn. Three of these songs have actually already been released on the Outsider compilation, I think. I think the sound is maybe a bit better than what you hear on that compilation. Side 2 has a handful of the same songs as side 1, which I think all appear on No Side, but the band’s playing is noticeably different. They seem tighter yet groove more. It’s cool to hear the evolution in sound, and especially the unreleased tracks from side 1. Overall, I think this is a great release. I am really loving the booklets labels have been going all out with. Yeah, sucks if you missed out, I’m sorry. I have no idea if we will be able to get more. I hope they will repress it! Alright it’s getting late I should go. Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone for your support!

Usman's Staff Pick: January 15, 2024

Shit I am not ready for this week’s staff pick. There’s this new record out on Iron Lung that I am pretty into, but I will wait to bust that out until we have our copies in stock. There is also this killer reissue Mäkitie 8 is distributing in USA, but I will also wait to write about that til we have it in stock. We do have this pretty cool reissue from this ‘70s band named BLAST from Belgium in stock now. This has been reissued once before in 2015 and it was getting some high dollar amounts on Discogs in the recent years. I am not sure how I heard this record originally, but it was not from that reissue. I only heard the band recently, and it certainly stuck out in my head cos of what year it was. I don’t listen to like any 70s music. What I typically look for in music did not translate into what I like until the 80s. Haha. Don’t get me wrong, I am exaggerating, and I do listen to more than just hardcore. Here is a great example of some 70s music I really enjoy. The love of my life got me into this. Anyway, what makes this BLAST record special is that they are playing d-beat! Of course, it’s not like a straight up DISCHARGE song or these guys would have been legends, but the drummer is playing a proper d-beat. Everyone used to say BUZZCOCKS used it first in 1978; well we were wrong. I’m guessing everyone has heard this BLAST reissue by now, as I’ve seen it online a ton. If you haven’t though, you can hear their d-beat it here. I think this record is quite expensive for being a 7”, but I will say it has pretty nice packaging. I really like the silver and red center labels, and the full color booklet is nice. If it wasn’t for the A side with the DISCHARGE beat, I probably would not give a shit about this record. The B side sounds like some hippy shit.

Moving on but keeping the DISCHARGE beat, this week I am going to write about VERDICT. I’m writing about this record as I’m listening to it for the first time(s). I remember buying their first LP, or at least spinning it a few times. I also know it’s a member or two of bands I really enjoy, but I’m not gunna take the time to look that far into it as I just want to write a bit more candidly. I am not sure why I ended up listening to a copy of this LP, but I’m glad I did. I knew about it cos I saw the release details online, but I didn’t think much of it. I think the artwork and color scheme is not that great. The artwork has this cool cut-n-paste vibe, but it comes off as totally digital. I’m sorry for hurting anyone’s feelings, but that’s just my take and I am not an artist or graphic designer by any means. The album title is also kind of funny, it reminds me of that movie with Mr. Bean. But whatever, this is coming from a guy whose band is named after a John Mellencamp song. Anyway, I think this record rips! It has an excellent blend of fast and slower songs. I’m really enjoying the pulled back songs especially; the drummer has an excellent groove, and the riffs are especially catchy when they slow it down just a bit. I don’t remember liking the first LP as much as this one, but I am definitely gunna visit it again tonight. I just realized this LP is 14 tracks and it blew right by. That is pretty sick if you ask me. It’s hard to make an LP with a good number of tracks AND not get too boring. Or alternatively, bands these days make 12”s with eight to ten songs. I guess ten songs is fair, and they cut it at 45rpm, blah blah. My band had to talk me down from making like a twenty song LP. (I think we settled on fourteen.) To me, there is nothing like a fuckin hardcore record that just gooooes. Here are three excellent examples; one, two, and three.

Alright I should get going, Thanks to everyone for reading and thanks for your support! Oh yeah, you can check that banger VERDICT LP out here. See ya next week.

Usman's 2023 Year in Review

Hello, and thanks for reading. In this week’s newsletter, we are recapping 2023 with our “best of” lists. Unfortunately for me, I’m thinking about this for the first time as I am writing this. As a result, I’m sure I will miss a few records I enjoyed this year. It seems all the records from my “Top 10” are ass beaters, but that is no surprise, is it? Rather than going in order of which one I like the most or which is my favorite (cos I could not distinguish that), I am going to go in order of when it was released. I will also drop links to listen at the beginning of each release, in case you need or want to peep it. Before I write, I wanted to mention the SIRKKA Viivyttely 7". This record was not on my list this year, only because it was on my list last year. “Technically” it was released January 19th of 2023, but this came out at the end of 2022 if you ask me. I think this record is phenomenal and honestly, I think the sound of this band in the 2020s is profound. Sorry State repressed this record not too long ago, on clear vinyl. If you’re reading this and actually like hardcore but don’t own a copy, don’t think and just buy one now.

BLOODY FLAG: self-titled CS
https://bunkerpunks.bandcamp.com/album/bloody-flag
Actually, I do have a favorite release of the year, so I will write about that first. It doesn’t take much thought for me to know this is my favorite release of the year. It was a total honor that Jeff and I were able to release this debut on our label. The sound on this tape is just perfect. It really doesn’t get better than this. We wished it could have been a record, but the mastermind behind BLOODY FLAG is a bit too modest in my opinion, hehe. I’m not really gunna take the time to describe this shit. If you haven’t heard it, you can stream it from the link I dropped. I know there will be a follow up cassette at some point, and there has been talk of doing a small run of this self-titled cassette at that time as well. Alright, I will move onto my proper year end list now.

Πυρ Κατά Βούληση: Θύματα Ειρήνης 12"
https://pyrkatavoulisi.bandcamp.com/album/
God damn. This was released at the very beginning of 2023. It came out of nowhere for me, as this was the band’s debut and I have no idea what the members did previously. This record hits the spot for me. I guess all the records are going to have that effect on me, haha. While this band is from Greece, the sound is like a contemporary Swedish band like LARMA or NUKIES. I really like the vocals, and I especially like that the lyrics are in Greek rather than English. The guitar playing is just so damn good. The riffs are super catchy yet raging. The drumming is super locked in. The record sounds powerful; it’s nice and punchy. I also love that the jackets are screen printed. Damn, I thought this record was sold out, but it looks like we still have copies from when we restocked it. I remember the first time we had it, they sold out in like 15 minutes. If you missed it, you can grab a copy here. I think this record is excellent and I would love to see this band live.

DESTRUCT: Cries The Mocking Mother Nature 12"
https://gravemistakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/cries-the-mocking-mother-nature
Do I need to introduce or even describe this shit at all? If you haven’t heard them, don’t be misled by this cover that looks like it could be a 2000s CONTRAVENE record or something. I think DESTRUCT is one of the best bands active in USA right now, and their live performances are some of the best I have ever seen. I used to think they were the best band I have ever seen in my life, until this year when I saw another band (who I will mention later). Anyway, we don’t have this in stock anymore, but you can get a copy from Grave Mistake here. If you don’t own it, I wouldn’t sleep. None of their stuff seems to stay in print.

ELECTRIC CHAIR: Act of Aggression 12"
https://ironlungrecords.bandcamp.com/album/act-of-aggression-lungs-213-2
Technically, this was a 2022 release, cos it was a cassette first. The LP came out in early 2023, though. I’m sure you know Sorry State had our own exclusive color. Everyone and their mother knows this band. Everyone likes this band. I’ll tell you what though, it’s not just hype. This band is simply magical. I truly didn’t know until I organized/drove their tour with GOLPE earlier this year. I had seen ‘em live a fair amount of times, but it was always so crazy with people flying everywhere and shit. On this tour, I had a chance to witness them up close, and it was then I understood how good they are. They are also the silliest mofos ever, and it’s amazing how well they treat each other and how dedicated they are to their band. If you don’t own this for some odd reason, you can scoop it here.

SALVAJE PUNK: self-titled 12"
https://toxicstaterecords.bandcamp.com/album/salvaje-punk-lp-2023
This record is absolutely fucking nuts. It’s like LOBOTOMIA meets MOB 47 or NO SECURITY. I love the mix and master. I don’t make any adjustment on my stereo for this record. I always EQ shit a bit, namely scoop the bass out a bit and turn that treble up. This record is the definition of an ass-beater. No bullshit, just raw ass beating. I don’t think this record is for everyone. The speed and pummeling intensity is probably too much for the fainthearted. We don’t have copies in stock anymore, but it looks like Toxic State does. In Toxic State tradition, everything is screen printed in the packaging, including a sick ass foldout poster with art from guitarist, Mateo. I don’t personally own a lot of releases from Toxic State, but this is the first time I’ve got a record from them that wasn’t just standard black vinyl. I wonder if this was the first time they did that? Everything about this record is so sick.

PHYSIQUE: Again 12"
https://ironlungrecords.bandcamp.com/album/again-lungs-232
If I remember right, this came out as a cassette before it was an LP. PHYSIQUE was a band I slept on until I saw them live. I don’t think their previous records really did them justice. There was always something here and there I didn’t quite like, but I did overall enjoy the releases. This LP though, is the shit. Funny enough, I remember seeing the artwork around for a while online before I actually stopped to read what it said. I kept looking past it cos I took it for another rip-off band, with that DOOM-esque font that had been done many times before by other bands. They also start the LP off with a slower song and end it with a reprise of the same song. They aren’t doing anything new, but there is something that makes this band seriously stand out from the rest. I can’t wait to see them live again. If you missed this LP, we have it in stock.

FAIRYTALE: Shooting Star 12"
https://toxicstaterecords.bandcamp.com/album/fairytale-shooting-star-lp
I’m not really sure what this means, but I can’t remember the last Toxic State release I bought before this year. So, it’s insane to me that I have two of their releases in my list here. I think this label is sick, and I absolutely love the packaging of pretty much every release, but I typically don’t pick up the stuff. Oh, shit yeah this is on color vinyl too. Maybe cos it’s a cooperation with QCHC in UK? The record sounds really damn good too. Anyway, FAIRYTALE first came on my radar when they released the flexi. I remember something about the flexi didn’t hit me quite right, but holy fucking shit, live they absolutely blew me away. Sometime after that, they released their debut onto a proper 7", and I thought this was a top-notch follow up. If I remember right, Jeff and Daniel were super into it as well. Same with this LP. When these came in, we were super stoked. All the vinyl for USA actually came to Sorry State from the pressing plant overseas, since it was a cooperation with a label we already deal with heavily and this is a standard procedure for us. I remember unpacking these boxes to forward boxes of discs to Toxic State, and I saw the FAIRYTALE center label. I had no idea there was an upcoming release for them, but I knew only one band would have that name and that font, haha. Fuck it’s so good. I especially like that there are things I consider unorthodox about the record. The sound is not boxed in by any means. I mean yes, it does sound a lot like ANTI-CIMEX and DISCHARGE, but whatever. We don’t have this one in stock anymore, but you can pick up a copy direct from Toxic State here.

DELCO MOTHERFUCKERS - March of the MF’s 7"
https://delco-mfs.bandcamp.com/album/the-march-of-the-mfs

I wrote about DELCO MFs really briefly on two occasions, when they dropped each EP. I mentioned before this band started as Jim doing everything, but on this EP he had a proper line-up, and he just took care of vocal duties. I think this is an excellent follow up to their first EP. It is so pissed off and raging. It sounds like it was recorded on an old tape, and that really adds to what is happening. I appreciate that the label (aka Jim and the bassist Jakey), are sticking to small runs of these records. I know they could easily sell more, but fuck it. Static Shock in UK did a compilation of both EPs this year, and that shit sold out super quick too. Anyway, I think this EP was killer, and it really captured their live intensity. If you missed it, I am sorry cos you’re probably not going to find a copy.

G.U.N.: self-titled 12"
https://sorrystaterecords.bandcamp.com/album/g-u-n
There seem to be a lot of people talking about this record, and for good reason. I think this is a masterpiece. The full color artwork is ballsy, but they pull it off. The songwriting is so catchy; the songs will bounce around your head for days. Some of them I enjoy so much, it feels like it’s a cover song… I’m not sure if that will make sense. I didn’t know shit about this band. Usually, I make the test press covers for SSR releases, and I hadn’t heard these songs at all before the tests showed up. Naturally, I put on a copy as I whipped up the covers. Man, it hit me hard. I really like the vocals, too. I’ve legit spun this record so many times this year. This bad boy is sold out at the moment, but I’m sure it will be back in print in no time. Be ready if you missed it, it’s so good.

KINETIC ORBITAL STRIKE: The True Disaster 7"

https://kineticorbitalstrike.bandcamp.com/album/the-true-disaster
Alright, remember earlier when I mentioned there was a band who I saw this year who might be the best band I have ever seen? Well, it’s K.O.S. I saw them the first time in Richmond with ENZYME. I could not believe how good they were. They were locked tight, with explosive power that was carefully orchestrated into perfect song structures. Fuck. The second time I saw them was in Philly, and they played a cover set comprised of ANTI-CIMEX and SKITSLICKERS. They probably played those EPs better than either band ever did. They dropped a debut on cassette late last year that was re-done as 7" earlier this year. The songs from both records were actually done at the same time, and naturally I couldn’t tell you which record I prefer. I think they are both top-notch hardcore, and you can grab copies here if you’ve been sleeping.

There were A TON of 2023 releases I would call “honorable mentions,” but I don’t see the point in listing all those. How worthy is my honor, anyway? There were also a ton of killer reissues this year. I love it! Again, I don’t want to list all those, but I will just share this photo of all of them compiled together. And again, I could be missing some. I love the good old “replica” type reissue where it’s just a repro of the old shit on the same format. I also love when reissues go all out and compile as much as they can onto an LP. Unfortunately, in my opinion some of these bigger reissue labels don’t do the bands justice. They put out too much shit with the same basic formats. I know some of these labels will compromise the quality of the content, just to seemingly have the most deluxe shit out there too. Anyway, here are the reissues I was most stoked about this year. I know MISSBRUKARNA has been done by this same label before, but I like it so much I am including the 2023 reprint.

Besides a bunch of killer new releases and reissues, I certainly spent a good portion of my paychecks on ‘80s records from my want list. I crossed off some serious wants, one of which I never thought I would actually ever own. Sometimes I score a record in person at a shop, or through Sorry State, and that is the best feeling. But often I end up buying shit on the computer, and that just is what it is. I am happy that my major want came via a pen-pal reaching out to me, but of course the internet still played a role, haha. Anyway, instead of focusing on records I got this year from my want list, I am going to share the printed materials I got this year that I am really excited about. I have bought some flyers online before, but not much. A lot of my flyers are just recent photocopies that a friend has made, and that is pretty much just as cool as an original to me, plus it doesn’t cost me like $50+ or whatever insane amount someone is trying to charge. I have a good number of original flyers etc. that came from friends or pen-pals, and that is really special to me. Two of the things in this photo I bought online. One of them is the VARAUS poster sleeve. That record is so rare. Another top want I will more than likely never have, but I am absolutely thrilled to say I have the foldout sleeve at least and it is framed on my wall! If maybe someone reading this has a copy for sale (with or without sleeve), you know where to find me. The TOXIC REASONS poster was a birthday gift from my friend Eric (thanks dude, I love you.) The Swedish stuff (besides the BLACK UNIFORMS flyer) was a gift from my friend Anders. I’ve actually mentioned him before, and his photos from the Egg-Mangel gig. Hello Anders!!! And finally, the Finnish stuff was a gift from my friend Marko. If you’re reading this, hello my friend and I hope you are well :) This stuff I really hold close to my heart. The booklet from the first RIISTETYT LP is already rare enough, but in the photo is also a booklet which compiles lyrics from VAURIO’s LP and RIISTETYT’s Raiskattu Tulevaisuus LP. I didn’t even know this was a thing, and it blows my mind. What blows my mind even further is this TAMPERE SS fanzine. Alongside the fanzine, I also got an original cassette with their demo, and it includes a song that was never released. I’m sure you can understand how blown my mind is, and I feel honored to even have this stuff. I guess technically I paid Marko for that TAMPERE SS stuff, but whatever haha. OK I think that about sums up my year-end review. The years go by faster as I get older it seems. I am grateful to play a role here at Sorry State, and to be so tapped into something I am passionate about. I feel so lucky. Before I go, I want to say that I am grateful to be able to enjoy these records, posters, and all the other things and people I love in life. While this year has been good to me, the year has ended in unfathomable horror for others. I cannot sit here and write about records and not acknowledge the blatant U.S.-funded genocide that is taking place as this very moment in Palestine. It is a privilege that my life and loved ones are not suffocating slowly beneath the rubble of an airstrike in Gaza. If there is a God, I pray for the people of Palestine. Thank you for reading, and thanks to everyone for your support. Take care of each other.

Usman's Staff Pick: December 25, 2023

Hello and thanks for reading. Wow, it doesn’t feel like it’s been a week already since I was last writing, but here we are. This week I am going to be writing about DISFEAR’s Everyday Slaughter. I brushed off DISFEAR for a long time. My introduction to the band was a mid-2000’s split they did. That, alongside their name, pushed me away. I can’t remember how or when, but luckily one day I heard their 1992 self-titled 7”. I’m not sure if it’s cos I’m a D-beatoholic or what, but fucking hell it doesn’t get much better than this record for me. I really can’t emphasize how much I enjoy it. The sound is RAW, but the production is still nice and clear. The songwriting is super primitive, but the sound is meaner than ever. I think because of the straight-forward songwriting and Swedish lyrics, it made them sound more like an ‘80s band. I feel like a lot of ‘90s bands sounded rather tough or were too busying doing “experimental” type shit, so this really made the release stick out more to me. When I heard this EP, it was a turning point, and I immediately checked out everything that followed. While this 7” was never reissued as a proper 7” again, it is in print and can be found on the back side of A Brutal Sight of War. This was originally released on a CD in 1993 by Lost and Found Records. The CD also included the tracks from their debut 7”. When I first heard these four new tracks, I thought they were a bit boring. But that opinion is actually wrong, haha. The songwriting is just the same as their 7”, however the production is certainly different. The lyrics are sung in English instead of Swedish as well. I think those two factors made it seem much more different to me than it really was. Now, I think these four tracks are excellent, and a perfect bridge into their debut 1995 LP Soul Scars. This one was released on CD and LP by Distortion Records. It depends on what day you ask me, but this one is probably my favorite DISFEAR release. The sound changed a bit here; they get noticeably heavier and faster. There is a line-up change before this recording, and Jallo Lehto of TOTALITÄR joins DISFEAR on the drums. Maybe that’s a major factor in my favoritism of the release, haha. Following this, in 1997, they released Everyday Slaughter on Osmose Productions. This album is the definition of a complete monster. If you thought the sound was huge on Soul Scars, wait ‘til you hear this one. I think some might ignorantly associate this record with “stadium crust.” I foolishly thought the same and got my ass slapped into place when I finally heard this beast. While this band or album or whatever has some characteristics of stadium crust, what sets them apart is the fact that they’ve got riffs and certainly know how to play them. Here is a killer video of them crushing it the same year Everyday Slaughter was released. As we can see, there is absolutely no banana on the guitar. Ah yes, there was another lineup change before this album was recorded as well. Jallo was replaced by Robin Wiberg on the drums. (I mentioned him playing drums in DISFEAR when I wrote about his current band SVAVELDIOXID last week.) So, the Everyday Slaughter LP took me forever to track down. I’m not sure if it’s cos it appeals to metalheads too or what, but it didn’t make sense to me. Soul Scars was not nearly as hard, and their 7” was a bargain bin record forever. I think this reissue of Everyday Slaughter is excellent and has really done this beast the justice it deserves. The record sounds and looks great. With detailed, full color artwork like this a lot can go wrong, and I think the gatefold jacket came out beautiful.

After Everyday Slaughter, I stop listening to DISFEAR. I recently came back to the albums that came after and they are still not for me. There were more line-up changes and a bigger change in sound. I don’t want to talk any shit, but I want to share this cool DISFEAR video I just saw for the first time. They still have Robin on drums, but Jeppe has been replaced on vocals by Tomas Lindberg. I have never seen footage with Jallo on drums, but I would die to. Same with any footage of ANTI-BOFORS. Alright anyway, I should get going, but if you want to check out any of the releases I mentioned today, you can stream them from DISFEAR’s Bandcamp. Grab these LPs if you don’t have ‘em. They are essential if you ask me. Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for your support!

Usman's Staff Pick: December 18, 2023

Hello and thanks for reading. It’s been about a month since the last Sorry State newsletter. I’m sure Daniel explained a bit of the hell we have been dealing with here for the last month. Although there is still a lot to resolve and work through, it seems like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. While we have been dealing with hell here, there have been tons of great new releases in the last month, and I have been buying ‘em like crazy.

Before I get into the photo above, I wanted to mention some records we got in stock from Blown Out Media this week. I’ve been a fan of Sweden’s SVAVELDIOXID since their debut, which was nearly eight years ago now. If you’re not familiar with them, they play DISCHARGE type hardcore but with a super heavy, and somewhat polished, sound. While most bands who play “Swedish style” hardcore are usually influenced by TOTALITÄR with their catchy riffs and groovy breakdowns, there is absolutely nothing catchy about what SVAVELDIOXID has been doing the last eight years. The style they play developed in the early ‘90s I would say, and is not popular at all anymore. The most obvious and known comparison I would make would be to the pre-1997 DISFEAR. The drummer of SVAVELDIOXID, Robin, actually played drums on what I consider DISFEAR’s last good album, Everyday Slaughter. This album was finally reissued recently, and we have copies in stock now. That album is a 10/10 and has been dying for a reissue for years now. Anyway, I think the brand-new LP from SVAVELDIOXID, V​ä​rldsel​ä​nde, is one of their best yet. I specifically thought the production really stood out on this release. When I got the record, I discovered they recorded with Tomas Skogsberg at legendary Sunlight Studios. So sick!!! Check the LP out in the link I dropped above, and if you dig it, you can grab a copy here still.

Also, in stock from Blown Out Media is the debut LP from California’s ANGUISHED LIFE. Shroud of Death consists of ten perfectly formulated DISCHARGE-influenced tracks. The world is overly saturated in DISCHARGE clones, but every now and again I hear a band that hits the spot. While a novice can understand the DISCHARGE formula, it’s not so easy to truly master it. There are the obvious factors that lead to DISCHARGE type bands being boring; like the guitarist banana’s the entire time, the drummer doesn’t quite have D-beat mastered, or the vocalist doesn’t emulate the syncopated vocal patterns of Cal (which are key characteristics of DISCHARGE songs if you ask me.) But there are subtle things about the DISCHARGE formula that I think many overlook; like the way the bassist strums the riffs, and especially how they play fills. Do bassists call them fills on bass? I have no idea...Anyway, the bassist of ANGUISHED LIFE really masters the style, and I love the bass tone as well. You can check some songs from the LP out here.

Alongside those two new releases from Blown Out Media, we also grabbed this 2020 LP from New Jersey’s BURNING//WORLD. While this is predictably another DISCHARGE type band, they lean hard into DISCLOSE territory. The guitar tone is awesome, absolutely punishing. I really like the guitar leads as well. I think an unfortunate symptom of noisey bands is having a painfully digital guitar sound. Does that happen from using too many pedals? Or just a poor combination of pedals? I don’t know shit about pedals, but sometimes I can really get a laugh at the size of some people’s pedal boards. The idea of having enough pedals you need an entire board is also kind of funny to me. It’s like drummers who use a drum rack, or bands with three guitarists. It’s too excessive. (Ironically, there is this DISLCOSE video and the drummer totally has a drum rack, haha. Also, Kawakami has dreads in this video. If you didn’t know about that era of DISCLOSE then you need to check this video). Anyway, I had never heard of BURNING//WORLD, but the cover Peace Is No Reality instantly caught my eye and I’m glad I checked it out. You can check it out here.

Alright, let me get right into BASTARDS. I will try to keep this as brief and as organized as possible, but forgive me if my thoughts are a bit scattered. While my introduction to BASTARDS was when I picked up their EP reissue on Höhnie Records from a friend’s distro back in Indy upon their recommendation, I admittedly didn’t listen to them until years later. Even upon obsessing over the Killed By Finnish Hardcore boot, something about BASTARDS didn’t resonate with me. Maybe I was just being bombarded by too many bands on that compilation. Their first release I intentionally checked out was Siberian Hardcore (1984). This was their final release before reuniting in 2021 and releasing an EP in 2022. I didn’t really do much checking out when it came to Siberian Hardcore though, cos I thought the first track was sloppy as fuck and I moved onto something else. Haha. I’ve made this mistake often in the past, where I’m thinking the first song or two on a release kinda sucks and then I brush off the entire thing. These days I do my best to listen to the majority of a release (old or new) before I decide to quit. I can listen to music while I’m doing almost anything, so it seems silly to not take to the time to really check shit out. Anyway, I can’t remember who was going on about BASTARDS, but this time it was their first EP, Maailma Palaa Ja Kuolee (1982), the same EP I had picked up back in Indy. The tracks instantly grabbed my attention. As you can see from my photo, I lost it from there and I have their complete discography now. Having all those records already, I wasn’t even considering taking a box set home. Yeah, there is unreleased stuff of rehearsal recordings, but do I really need that? But of course, I am a Finnish hardcore fanatic...so the urge to bust open a copy grew quickly. I suspected Daniel would want to take one home, so I did what I do sometimes where I ask him if I can take his copy home before I decide if I want one for myself, haha. Daniel rules.

When I opened up the box set, I saw more shit I didn’t like. I say more shit cos I think the box set artwork is hilariously bad. The record covers themselves are actually just inner sleeves with the artwork printed on the front. Some of them were printed in color, but for some odd reason Siberian Hardcore is not. I hoped it would come with a booklet, in Svart tradition, and it certainly does! Alongside compiling the entire BASTARDS studio output, they also include a few discs of totally unreleased recordings. Naturally, this was the first stuff I checked out. It seemed cool, the sound isn’t the greatest as I suspected. I was at work when listening, so I didn’t have time to really check the booklet out at all, but that came later when I was home. After spending a few minutes reading, I slowly but surely went from thinking this release was whack, to having my mind blown left and right. It’s hard not to become disorganized when I talk about the release more, I think mainly because I find the booklet very exciting. There are also some very significant things when it comes to the records themselves, and it’s all explained in the booklet.

Inside the booklet you will find detailed information about each studio recording and where the tracks appeared. They also do a proper timeline of the BASTARDS, including their gigs, releases, line-up changes, and even formative gigs they went to that lead to the creation of the band. You’ll find tons of photos, complete lyrics, gig flyers, but most importantly there is a “history of the band.” I think this text was released before and is just now being translated for the first time to English, but it’s unclear to me exactly what has been translated. Regardless, this shit blew my fucking mind. Aside from reading some funny stories, I learned some information on their releases I had absolutely no idea about. It’s honestly too much to tell you about here, so I will just say two things that are the most significant to me.

I have the reissue of Harhaa on Assel records. It was originally released on cassette in 1983. Yeah, my record sounds like shit pretty much. It’s an old tape. Who knows what the source even was? It still sounded cool regardless, but at times the vocals do sound a bit “unnatural.” Haha… well inside the booklet they explain exactly why this is. At the studio session for this release, Masa, the drummer, had to use electronic drums. They explain he couldn’t play the drums quite fast enough on the electro-kit, so they sped up the tape after. Hilarious, haha. On the Harhaa tracks included in this box set, they actually restored them to their original speed. Man, they sound killer, way better quality than my previous reissue as well.

The second thing is in regard to the intro track to Siberian Hardcore. I took the time to explain myself brushing off the band cos of this track earlier, cos it was really funny to me when a Finnish friend told me the story of what happened during this recording session. I wasn’t sure if this was popular information or what, but it is now printed in this booklet. During the session, somehow the drum track was erased. Instead of allowing the band to re-record the track, the studio engineer re-recorded it instead. This is hilarious, and a great explanation as to why this intro song is significantly more sloppy than a typical BASTARDS song. I would be so pissed if someone tried to act like re-recording a drum track for me would be cool... I mean unless they crushed it, haha. Anyway, on the Siberian Hardcore LP included in this box set, they re-recorded the drum track to the intro song! What the fuck!!! It sounds so sick!! How the fuck did they do that?! Fuck.

Alright, I should wrap this up. Yes, I think by now all this stuff has been reissued (aside from the rehearsal stuff). I went into this thinking the box set would be pretty whack and had absolutely no intention of making it my staff pick, but my opinion was 100% changed after exploring it. I think the sound quality is great, and of course I love the booklet. The layout of the booklet is easy to follow, and the band’s discography is separated nicely across the six discs. It sucks that others can’t just check shit out like I can, so I wanted to give you my experience with it cos $99 is a lot of money. From another perspective, six LPs and a sick booklet is not bad at all for $99. If the LP packaging itself was more deluxe, then the price would have been certainly more. While the box set wasn’t exactly eye-catching, the amazing content definitely curbed my initial disappointment with the packaging. Don’t be fooled by the cover like I was, haha. Alright, thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for your support.