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Hello and thanks for reading. Today I will be briefly writing about AVKSUM, yet another band who was under the influence of DISCHARGE during the early 80s in Sweden. The EP I am writing about today, Crucified By The System, came out in 1984. However, they had already released a demo cassette in 1982, making a mark in their small city of Kristinehamnm. SKÄMS was probably the most notable band from their city at the time, with their EP coming out in 1979. Micke Blomqvist of ASTA KASK recorded the AVKSUM demo at his studio Kloakens Alternativa Antistudio. I’ve mentioned Micke before, as he deserves so much credit… at his studio legendary bands like Nyx Negative, Crude SS, Asocial, Svart Parad, Anti-Cimex, Avskum, and Rövsvett all recorded. This demo has previously been reissued on Prank actually, but it looks like it needs to be put back in print again!

Prank has also previously reissued Crucified By The System back in 2007. Before that, it had been bootlegged in the ‘90s. I am glad Prank put this back in print, cos I think this EP is absolutely essential when it comes to Swedish hardcore. AVSKUM brings a unique sound to hardcore early on, mixing super melodic and anthemic riffs with hardcore and d-beat drumming. It comes off as almost proto-stadium crust or something haha. Members had previously played in obscure punk bands DEAD CORRUPTION and ADRIAN CUBA. DEAD CORRUPTION had a very slight bit of a hardcore sound, somewhat reminiscent of super early ANTI-CIMEX or something, maybe more like DNA, actually. ADRIAN CUBA sounded much more like traditional ‘77 Svensk punk. Call me crazy, but I think this ‘77 style was super influential and apparent in the AVSKUM sound. This ADRIAN CUBA song was actually re-worked later as an AVSKUM song on their 1985 EP that never ended up coming out.

After AVSKUM released their debut 7", they hit the studio again in 1985 for another EP. They had written many notable labels to see if they’d be interested in the release, including Propaganda, MRR, and Clay Records. It was UK label Mortarhate Records who agreed to release the session as a 12" record. AVSKUM had sent them the tape and artwork, but in the end, nothing came of it and this material remained unreleased until a discography CD came out in the late ‘90s. I hate to sound so cliche, but this unreleased material is my favorite AVKSUM material. On this EP, they lean even more into their melodic tendencies, and I especially love that intro on “The End.” That is some weird shit to pull off. This discography compiled a ton of unreleased stuff that was recorded before that EP that also never came out. If you haven’t heard Crucified By The System (or their demo), you can find it on the discography of course.

AVSKUM remained a band until their breakup in 1988. It seems kinda crazy to have existed for all those years and just release on EP. I guess they got burned pretty bad by Mortarhate, so I can’t blame em. I read translations from the Crash-Mag zine where they explained trying to record once, and it resulted in the studio engineer getting into a huge argument with their producer, resulting in the producer leaving in anger, and everything falling to shit. I guess they didn’t have the best luck in the 80s. AVSKUM reformed again in the mid-90s and came back in full force. I think they had more or less the same line-up as before, but I didn’t look into that much. I think their later albums are excellent. It’s not like bands who reform and put out super boring or sterile D-beat records. AVSKUM’s later shit rips. I listen to it just as much as the 80s shit. Alright, I need to get back to work and I wrote all this shit super quick just a few hours before this newsletter is coming out. Thanks for reading me write not about much, but I hope it was an entertaining read on some level. Again, I think Crucified By The System is absolutely essential. If you don’t have a copy - grab one now!

Hello and thanks for reading.

I think Sweden took more influence from DISCHARGE than anywhere else in the world during the 1980s. Obviously, DISCHARGE was ground-breaking when it came to punk across the globe, but bands who took influence from them usually had their own twist on things. It seems the significance of DISCHARGE was even more evident in Sweden, with DISCHARGE-type hardcore bands forming as early as 1981. I have no idea who the first DISCHARGE worship band was in Sweden. SKITSLICKERS or ANTI-CIMEX, right? But I guess that also brings another silly, pointless, nerd question to the table; can one qualify as a DIS-band if there is no DIS in name? I think that question is up for debate.

DISTRUST is one of the earliest bands I can think of who might fit this category. However, I don’t think they really mastered the DISCHARGE sound. I am not super familiar with all their material though, so I won’t speculate too much. DISARM is a band that comes to mind quickly. Their first EP was released in 1984, followed by another in 1986. I think both of these records are exemplary when it comes Swedish hardcore in general, but they are great examples of a Swedish band taking such a massive influence from DISCHARGE. They also released material before they had the name DISARM, as TOTAL ARMSVETT. The style was significantly different, though. I’m sure they knew who DISCHARGE was in their early days, but I wonder what changed between the tapes and the first EP. I really love DISARM, but this is some of my absolute favorite Swedish shit, next to shit like TATUERADE SNUTKUKAR and NYX NEGATIV. None of these bands are really DISCHARGE worship by any means, though.

So then there is DISACCORD, a favorite of mine. DISACCORD, like many other amazing Swedish bands, never had a proper record. They released a tape in 1985 and appeared on a few compilations. I think this tape might be the first of its kind, in the sense of total DISCHARGE worship. I know SVART PARAD had already released a tape of pummeling DISCHARGE-type hardcore with gruff vocals, and shit I mean, CRUDE SS and AVSKUM were certainly already around before SVART PARAD; but to me DISACCORD pushed it to the next level. The music is a bit more brutal, the artwork is totally that of DISCHARGE, and of course their band name begins with DIS. The thing about “D-beat” and DIS-bands though, is this term is much more of a 90s phenomenon. I don’t think there were any bands in the ‘80s self-identifying as “D-beat.” I was trying to think of the first use of the word, and the earliest use I can think of is either from Jan Jutila or Kawakami. I’d love for someone to tell me their thoughts on this.

So, I am slowly getting to my staff pick here with DISCARD. DISCARD was yet another Swedish band who never had a proper record. In fact, they never even had a proper tape. They had two different recording sessions, and this stuff was only circulated amongst friends and fanatics. Most notably, in 1986, they had two songs appear on Really Fast Volume 3. It wasn’t until 1990 that DISCARD finally had a record released, which was a “reissue” of one of their 80s recording sessions. A small Swedish label called Jesus Kudd Records released this debut on 7" format and it was entitled Death From Above. Soon after, Finn Records repressed the record in Sweden. And then later, German label Rødel Records reissued it. It was put back in print most recently in 2015 by Czech label Insane Society Records. I am not sure if they just repressed it or if we got some dead stock, but we have some copies in stock now. The original pressings of this record were notably very nice, with cardstock textured sleeves. I think Insane Society did a great job on their packaging, with some nice screen printing in silver ink on black paper. As you can see in my picture up there, I have every version of this absolutely essential record. Although there is a rare version of the first pressing that I do not have, where it exists on green vinyl...

Now the thing is, DISCARD was never a real band in the first place. I read inside the Stockholm’s Mangel reissue that they played one gig, though. DISCARD was essentially just a recording project with members of MOB 47 and Per from AGONI on vocals. I have always associated DISCARD with AGONI and CRUDITY, but this is cos of the legendary Stockholm’s Mangel compilation. This compilation originally came out in 1986 on cassette format. But DISCARD was not actually on the tape. It was not until 2000 when the tape was reissued on LP and CD, and the track list was expanded to include some more projects from Stockholm who existed at the time, including DISCARD. I am pretty sure the recording session on Stockholm’s Mangel is the same session where the tracks on Death From Above came from, but the 7" is missing some tracks.

So, DISCARD first recorded six tracks in 1985. In 1986 they recorded those same six songs again, alongside five more new tracks. I think the only difference between the two sessions is who plays the guitar solos. The sound of them is very similar; sometimes it’s hard for me to tell them apart until it comes to the solo, haha. I could be totally wrong about which songs they recorded when, but I read Åke from MOB 47 recorded both sessions at his legendary Bowlingstudion. Regardless of just being a side project, these songs never get old to me. DISCARD seriously sticks out in the midst of literally every single DIS-band who has ever existed. There is no one who quite got the sound as brutal as this, while still maintaining such a stripped-down style. I think the vocals are arguably more powerful than Jonsson of ANTI-CIMEX. The lyrical content and artwork are all total DISCHARGE, and they even ripped off the DISCHARGE font for their own logo.

They might have been the first band to rip off DISCHARGE’s logo for a record. I am not really sure, but I can’t think of anyone who did it before. But like I said, their first record didn’t come out until 1990, and they did not have any artwork initially, so this complete DIS-phenomena did not happen in 1985 or 1986 when they were recording. If not for that initial pressing in 1990, who knows how the DIS-world would have formed differently. DISCARD had such a massive influence on bands like DISCLOSE and DOOM, who themselves have influenced an immeasurable number of bands. There is a certain rawness that comes with DISCARD’s stripped-down sound that is just absolutely perfect, like that of DISCHARGE. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who think this record is just as essential as I do, but I know there are tons of people out there who have seen the name DISCARD but just pass it over as just another shitty DIS-clone band. If you happen to be one of these people, I’d check them out cos it’ll likely blow your mind.

A note before I go: There were a lot of Swedish bands influenced by DISCHARGE and I only named a few. It would be silly to talk about Swedish DISCHARGE worship and not mention ABSURD, so I am doing it now. Their one and only EP was recorded in 1982 and released in 1983. The artwork is super iconic, and totally that of DISCHARGE. They took a great influence from DISCHARGE, and they especially loved SKITSLICKERS. They even recorded at the same studio where GBG 1982 was recorded. Their EP really is excellent, but it took some time to grow on me when I first heard it. I guess it just was not quite what I expected based on the context, and they maybe fall a bit short with intensity compared to other bands at the time. I think that probably has to do with what was going on in the studio, though. Before I start blabbing about some other shit, I wanted to also mention Lasse (vocalist of SKITSLICKERS) oddly enough said he never had a DISCHARGE record and was never really a big fan... haha. Alright that’s all. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support.

Hi and thanks for reading.

I’m leaving work early for the weekend, so this one is probably gonna be pretty short. Some of my friends convinced me to go up to NYC to catch the FEROCIOUS X gigs. I was on the fence cos going to New York is seemingly always a pain the ass, but at least I don’t have any gear to haul or a set to play. I’m sure it will be a good time, and this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity to catch this killer band from Osaka. Anyway, this week I have been heavily spinning the new MASSACRED 7” that was just released on Active-8 Records. In between their first 7" and this one they released a promo cassette that featured a few tracks from this EP, some live shit, plus four demo versions of songs that will be on a LP. I picked one of these up when we played Boston with VIDRO last year, and I have been really looking forward to hearing the real deal 7". I am a big fan of THE MASSACRED so I am always eager to hear what they release next. Their debut 7" was delayed like two years, and I think that has backed the band’s releases up. I say that cos this EP was recorded all the way back in June 2021. I also know they have the proper LP already recorded and coming at us sometime in the future. The demo versions of the LP songs on the cassette are sick. I really can’t wait for the proper release. They sample some songs with their usual straight-forward, catchy UK82 tracks. But they also dish out this song called “Extermination” that takes us deeper in the bowels of UK82, straying away from the traditional DISCHARGE formula. This track reminds of exactly something THE EXPLOITED would do on Horror Epics or Death Before Dishonour. I love the later ‘80s EXPLOITED shit, so this track really got me going. Anyway, I’ve seen THE MASSACRED live twice now and they do not disappoint. They are so tight; like a well-tuned, oiled up fucking machine. And on the records, you can really hear how tight they play together. The guitar picking is so involved and intentional, it seriously sticks out. Mark, the guitarist, has also recorded all THE MASSACRED material to date. The records especially sound so damn good. The drums sound perfect. I asked him how he recorded their stuff and he said he uses a 1/2" 8-track. No wonder it sounds so good... he’s taking the time and effort to record in the most classic of ways, straight to tape. The time they take with their band really shows I think, with their live performance, the recordings, and especially with their packaging. I love the 7" pocket sleeve with the tabs glued on the outside, classic. I also love that they take the time to stamp the inner sleeve not just once, but twice. I think this is a killer record from a contemporary band pulling off a classic style that is kind of hard to emulate without sounding cheesy. If you haven’t heard ‘em yet, check them out! I’m sure you will wanna grab a copy of the EP. Alright that’s all for today. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Hi and thanks for reading.

Today I will write briefly about the NEGAZIONE / DECLINO split, Mucchio Selvaggio. I don’t know a ton about Italian hardcore, but this record is absolutely essential if you ask me. It seems like 80s Italian hardcore was blessed when it came to releasing killer split records, more than any other country I can think of. I am really happy there is finally an official reissue of this iconic LP, or cassette more like. Mucchio Selvaggio was originally released on cassette in 1984 as a co-production between two labels: Disforia Tapes and Ossa Rotte Tapes. Disforia was operated by members of NEGAZIONE. Ossa Rotte Tapes was a label operated by Stiv Valli and Marco Medici, who was the vocalist of CRASH BOX. These guys were well known for a fanzine they started in the early ‘80s called Teste Vuote Ossa Rotte. A few years after they stared the zine, they also started releasing cassettes under Ossa Rotte Tapes. They only had a handful of releases with this label, including the CRASH BOX demo in 1983. The label kept evolving, and in 1985 they released their first record, INDIGESTI: Osservati Dall’Inganno, under the name TVOR On Vinyl. Mucchio Selvaggio surprisingly had three different printings on cassette, and in 1986 it was finally reissued onto vinyl by UK label C.O.R. Records. I actually always thought there were only two different versions of this tape, but inside this reissue there is a copy of an advert stating “third reprint.” Crazy.

This was the record that really put DECLINO on the map for me, cos I really had no idea who they were before I heard this split. I used to think this was my favorite DECLINO shit, but I don’t think I could choose now. Their 7" debut almost sounds almost like a different band. They play a bit slower and they sound a lot less chaotic. While it was not initially what I expected, the EP quickly grew on me. Call me crazy but I think it sounds like this record could have been released on Dischord, haha. The evolution from this record to Mucchio Selvaggio is pretty wild. Their sound on that record is really how I think of them, but the evolution continues on to their LP in 1985, Eresia. The quality of recording on this record is probably the best of all their records. I am disregarding the sound of the live tracks at the end, even though those tracks don’t sound bad at all for being live. I usually associate Italian hardcore with being fast and chaotic, but on the sloppier side. This record is absolutely fast and chaotic, but played so tight. It is absolutely killer. They can build such a great tension and then fucking explode. God, and the guitar is way too good. This used to be the material I listened to the least, but if you can’t tell, I have been playing the hell out of it lately, haha.

So, this reissue was done by a new Italian label called Rocka Tapes. I have no idea anything about them really, but this is their second release. The first release was a reissue of the CRASH BOX demo! I had never heard this demo, but it was a must if you ask me. I really appreciate how the label did a cassette version of the demo alongside a proper LP version. They’ve done the same thing with Mucchio Selvaggio. For any nerds who need the original cassette format, we’ve got you covered. I am one of those nerds and needed both versions. They’ve included nice scans of the complete j-card inside the LP reissue, so you don’t really need the cassette if that’s what you’re really looking for. The sound on the LP is also great. While the packaging may not be the coolest in my eyes, I think the reissue is really well done, and it’s essential in every collection. The original LP version is getting harder to find and more expensive, so I am happy this is available again. Alright that’s about it for today. I hope Rocka Tapes plans to hit us with some more essential Italian hardcore reissues! Cheers and thanks for reading everyone.

Hi and thanks for reading.

It’s been a minute since we’ve had a newsletter cos we were on tour, and I am sure I will be rusty when it comes to writing out my thoughts. I can’t really begin my staff pick until I talk briefly about tour. It was so, so fun. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to tour Sweden and Finland, and also play K-town. I feel so lucky. We made some truly amazing new friends on this tour that I already miss. I was really looking forward to seeing some friends again that we made on our first European tour in 2022, and I also met some people for the first time that I have been chatting with online for a while. It felt really good to be welcomed by so many people overseas. And then there is VIDRO, our soulmates. I seriously cannot thank them enough for everything they’ve done for us, especially Lucas, who arranged the tour. It really sucks to part ways, cos we live so far from each other. We formed such a deep connection when we toured together last year, and this tour really strengthened this bond. We have loose plans to tour again together in 2024. Let’s see how many times we can tour together before it gets weird, haha.

There is so much shit to mention from tour, and I am sure I will mention stuff here and there over the next like year. But I won’t take up too much more space with that today. Before I get into my staff pick, I still have one more thing to mention. When we got back from tour, Jeff and I released a new record on BPDT! I had mentioned this release, alongside a SCARECROW tape, before we left for tour. Instead of raving about our release again, you can just listen to it here. For anyone that is really paying attention, I must correct a mistake I made when I previously mentioned this split. I had said that GEFYR was from Hudiksvall, the same city where TOTALITÄR and NO SECURITY were from. That is wrong! NO SECURITY was from Eskilstuna… I don’t know what I was thinking. For the SCARECROW tour tape I mentioned, we have the leftovers available for mailorder now, but unfortunately, they are only available direct through BPDT. If you need one, you can grab one here while they last.

In 2022 when we played Olso, we played at this place called Club 37. Of course, I really wanted to play Blitz, cos it is a historical site as far as I am concerned, haha. But Club 37 was a fucking blast, and we made some friends who we hung out pretty late with. Well, this time around we got to play Blitz! The show was pretty fun, and a few friends we made last time came out to the gig again. Bård was one of these guys. Last time we met I was excited to learn he operated the label Cradle To Grave Records. He only did three releases; two of which I am here to write about today. If I remember right, he was surprised I knew about his label when we first met. Naturally, I knew of them already cos he had reissued some essential Norwegian hardcore records! Before we met this time, we arranged to bring back some copies of the reissues he still had. We only got fifteen of each one, so if you don’t have either one yet, don’t sleep! I am pretty sure these things are not so easy to find now.

Since I already had the BARN AV REGNBUEN LP, I will start with this one. Because they never had an LP, I knew this reissue would be a compilation of their stuff. The unfortunate side to this reissue is that it doesn’t actually explain where the tracks are pulled from, haha. But on the contrary; I think it is nicely done overall, with great liner notes including a history of the band and English translations to all the songs. I originally got this LP before I landed an OG of their EP. Aside from wanting those songs bad, I was also trying to jam their flexi on a more permanent format. Their EP rules, but man the flexi is my shiiit. Like other Norwegian bands, BARN AV REGNBUEN has the ability to get melodic yet still pummel the shit out of you at the same time. They get much more weird than other Norwegian hardcore bands I know, and they might be the nosiest one I know as well. I didn’t look into this that much, but I think the LP has the flexi and various tracks from compilations on the A side. I’m guessing it’s tracks from compilations, or maybe it’s just unreleased recordings of songs they had? I will have to ask Bård about them, haha. The B side has their EP as well as their tracks from the Tsjernobilly Boogie LP. If you don’t know this LP, check it out. It’s such an amazing, underrated compilation. Even if you have all these BARN AV REGNBUEN records, I think this reissue is essential. The sound is great, and there is plenty of bonus shit you basically can’t hear anywhere else.

Moving onto the other reissue we grabbed, SISTE DAGERS HELVETE. I did not have this one already, cos I foolishly suspected it was simply a reissue of the LP. I actually still thought it was a reissue of the LP until I took a copy for myself and listened to it. When we were hanging out, Bård explained to me the sound was not what the band intended on the original release, and this reissue was done the way the band initially wanted. I have the original LP already, but I decided I would take a copy for myself when we got back for sure after he said that. I remembered when I got my copy, I thought the OG was super compressed and lacks low end, haha. I was happy to hear the sound on the reissue. It’s got the low end intact, and the full sound gives the songs much more attack. Anyway, I am not that familiar with SISTE DAGERS HELVETE, but luckily this one has a breakdown of where each track comes from. They also gave us a history of the band and proper English translations to their songs. I found the liner notes particularly interesting on this reissue. I learned the original vocalist was a Finnish guy who was living in Norway at the time. He recorded the LP with them and moved back to Finland. For some reason, this was super interesting to discover, alongside that they were inspired mostly by USHC bands. After reading that and listening to the LP again, it seems pretty obvious, haha. After he left the band, they recorded four more tracks with the guitarist taking on vocal duties. These songs are included on the reissue as well. One of these I have heard before, on the Nå Eller Aldri 7" compilation. The other three appear on some international sampler tape with like a million bands that is probably rare as fuck. It seems like most of the tracks are not exclusive to the tape, but as far as I can see this is the only place these three SISTE DAGERS HELVETE tracks appear. Their song on Nå Eller Aldri is cool, but man, the other three are REALLY fucking good. I have no idea, but I don’t think it sounds like their track from Nå Eller Aldri was recorded at the same time as these. I’m not sure what it is about it, but it just seems like there is such a perfect chemistry happening with just the three of them. The style is noticeably different from the LP, like they weren’t going for the USHC style anymore and just playing whatever came out.

I always found it interesting that this Norwegian band’s LP was originally released on Rock-O-Rama, especially cos I don’t know any other bands from Norway on their label. In the reissue, they explain how they had a record deal with Propaganda Records in Finland, but it was released by ROR instead without their knowledge. I know Propaganda would license certain records to ROR and they would both release them, but it’s interesting that Propaganda didn’t even release it. Thinking about it again, the VAURIO LP was licensed to ROR from Propaganda but there was never a Propaganda pressing. DESTRUCKTIONS as well, but the band had broken up before this LP was released, so maybe that’s why Propaganda didn’t bother releasing it? Who knows. There was also some sketchy shit with the release of HIC SYSTEEMI LP on a ROR sub-label as well, but I will save that for another time, haha. Anyway, learning about the connection to Propaganda through their Finnish vocalist explained that one a bit, but it sucks the band got fucked over in the end. They also explain ROR gave poor English translations for their song titles, and the album name was even changed. I’m sure the band was pissed as fuck to see their record being released without their knowledge, and on top of that ROR changed the title and fucked up the sound!

Before I go; I read in an interview with Frank, the guitarist of VORKRIEGSPHASE, and he explained how they dealt with something similar when releasing a record on ROR. They had permission to release their record, but the label did not use the master tape approved by the band. Frank explained they added a ton of overdrive, distorting his guitar way too much and it took away from the impact of the drums. It’s kind of ironic they didn’t want it that distorted, cos I think their fans of today really love them for the insane guitar tone. Alright, that sums it up for me this week. I think both of these reissues are killer and they are essential for every collection. I already knew what was up on the BARN AV REGNBUEN, and I am happy to have their discography in stock at Sorry State. But, I had no idea the SISTE DAGERS HELVETE discography would rock me so hard, and I am super glad I checked it out. It feels so cool that we played in Oslo and brought thee back with us to help distro in the US. Punk!!! Alright, cheers and thanks for reading, and thanks so much for everyone’s support.

Hi and thanks for reading! Last week I totally forgot that we'd be squeezing in one more newsletter before leave for tour and I am not ready at all, whoops. While I am writing this on Friday, you will likely be reading this while we are flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Or maybe we will be in Stockholm already? Who knows. Hopefully all goes smooth, I have so much anxiety when it comes to flying. My friend Michael did give me some sound advice in the event of a plane crash. He informed me that sharks only attack white people, so I should go against my instincts and swim away from my friends if the plane were to go down. I didn't realize sharks only attack white people, but it makes perfect sense. I remember learning that sharks like light, reflective surfaces—like that of pasty white ass passengers heading to Sweden—that I will now be swimming away from. Thanks Michael.

Since I am ill-prepared, I am going to take this time and space to promote some of my own shit. In preparation for tour, SCARECROW recorded a handful of new songs and put them on a tape. This tape isn't available via mailorder yet, but you can listen to most of it here. I say most of it cos the B side is all cover songs, and you can't stream those online. I am super happy to say we bust out a fuckin HERATŸS cover. Jeff and I have obsessed over this band just as hard as TOTALITÄR. Red translated the verses to English but left the chorus and breakdown in Finnish. We also recorded a BROKEN BONES and an AGENT ORANGE cover—which the jcard obviously directly ripped off. On the A side are three totally new songs that have been written alongside like ten others. We need to write a few more and then the plan is to record for an LP. We recorded all this stuff pretty quickly in our rehearsal space. We typically record in our rehearsal space, but with much more proper equipment. This recording was done with one of those Zoom recorders. There was one mic on each cab, one mic on the kick, and only one overhead mic above the drums. Oh yes, and of course the handheld device has two mics built into it to pick up the sound of the room. Given how little Jeff had to work with on the inputs, man he really killed it with the mix. I'm really happy with the sound, it sounds good enough for a record to me, haha. Jeff rules.

When we get back from tour, we are gunna have those tapes available for mailorder alongside a brand-new release on BPDT from GEFYR and RAT CAGE! There will a Swedish pressing available at the same time from Flyktsoda. They also released the Swedish pressing of the SLAN 7" that Jeff and I previously released on BPDT. Just like SLAN, GEFYR is also from Sweden and absolutely fucking rips. Maybe they are not on anyone's radar really? But we did stock their debut LP not too long ago. It actually looks like we have a few in stock right now. This record is way too fucking good. My homie Alex Reed showed it to me, and it blew me away right out the gate. I wrote about the LP previously, but you can jam it here if you aren't familiar. These guys are from the same town where NO SECURITY was from, which is the same place where TOTALITÄR originated as well. GEFYR's origin is evident as soon as you crank this bad boy, cos all I hear is pure NO SECURITY. There is more at play of course, but they have such a thrashy, pummeling sound. I really can't get enough of GEFYR, and this LP has stayed close to my turntable since it was released. And of course, Bry of RAT CAGE was already tuned right into GEFYR, and this beautiful split is happening as a result. I don't think RAT CAGE needs an any introduction whatsoever. After countless bangers, I think RAT CAGE is known a bit across all continents. I unfortunately have yet to catch them live, but I have consistently heard they are unbelievably amazing. I am happy to say that we will have a chance to catch both GEFYR and SLAN on tour! Alright, thanks all for this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for everyone's support!

Hello and thanks for reading. There are a ton of great records in stock at Sorry State this week and it’s hard to keep up! We’ve restocked that masterpiece debut LP from KRIEGSHOG, and we’ve actually got a small amount of limited color available as well!! Recently we stocked this Svart reissue of NAUSEA’s 1991 and 1992 7”s. I didn’t realize these records were getting hard to find, but I think NAUSEA deserves the Svart treatment regardless. While I strongly prefer the band’s earlier material, I still enjoy the line-up and material that most know NAUSEA for. I haven’t had any time to check one of these out yet, but I plan to. Knowing Svart, they have done these NYC crust legends justice with a deluxe booklet with trivia, photos, and flyers; but I did just check, and the shrink-wrapped jacket doesn’t feel so bulky. I will report back once I’ve cracked one open. I also wanted to mention Mono Records has just reissued this amazing 12" from L.A.’s LEGAL WEAPON. I learned about LEGAL WEAPON sometime after the pandemic, and I think No Sorrow specifically is just too damn good. This reissue is really well done. The jackets are printed really nice. They kinda have the feel of an older record, but they’ve added some subtle changes to the layout. Shit, the center labels even look super classic with their paper choice, haha. They’ve also added in a booklet with tons of photos and flyers. They also added on two unreleased tracks that were recorded live. This record has never been reissued, and I think these well sell super fast - don’t sleep!

This week the almighty Beach Impediment just dropped three new releases! One of them is a 7" from Stockholm’s VIDRO. There was a European press that was released a short while ago, and I have been jamming this EP since. The sound leans way more into their groovy side. There are four tracks, and I think they do a great job at capturing what VIDRO is like live. They groove super hard, like they truly make you want to dance. VIDRO also has this almost like trancey or hypnotic aspect. The drums will groove endlessly while the guitar riffs, but there are subtle changes in the riffs that introduce another element of percussion. Sometimes Vendela really lays into a phrase, and she repeats it a lot. This also adds another layer of percussion to their sound. I think the combination of all of this is why it’s easy to get lost and just groove with VIDRO. I love it. These four dynamic songs are over before I know it. We will tour around Ktown with VIDRO soon and I look forward to it. They are a lot of fun to hang out with and I think they are absolutely excellent live.

Another band who is also playing Ktown who has also just dropped a record on Beach Impediment is Richmond’s INVERTEBRATES. It’s hard to know where to start with this record, cos I have a lot to say about it. I think this 12" is a chart-topper. It’s just so damn good. It seems to be on a ton of people’s radar cos we’ve been selling a ton of copies at Sorry State, and I’ve seen a lot of good things about it online. I thought it was funny INVERTEBRATES was announced for Ktown, cos at that time they only had a demo cassette released, haha. Well actually they had an additional promo cassette as well... Anyway, I know some of the Ktown crew had caught INVERTEBRATES live before, so they knew INVERTEBRATES are certified rippers. Aside from their debut record being all killer riffs and absolutely no filler, I think the packaging is so damn sick. The vocalist, Max, did all the artwork. There is a touch of red on the jacket and the center labels, and it really sets it off. Besides an insert, there is also a huge newsprint poster. The layout is so sick for both the jacket and poster. It appears the layout of the jacket is paying a heavy homage to BROKEN BONES with their Trader In Death 12". That record fucking rules. If you didn’t know, it originally had two different types of jackets: a standard one, and one of those pocket-sleeve jackets without a spine. The ones that are essentially an over-sized 7" sleeve, haha. I’m not sure what those are actually called? Funny enough, INVERTEBRATES also did a limited version of the pressing in these same spine-less jackets. There’s a lot of layers going on here, seeing that invertebrates don’t have spines either...

INVERTEBRATES originally started as a Covid project, with bassist Merm and drummer Chubb (PUBLIC ACID). Merm wrote some songs, but Chubb wrote the majority. Marty (PUBLIC ACID) recorded their demo cassette, with Chubb doing guitar and drums. (Fun fact, Marty also recorded SCARECROW’s demo.) Like I said, this was like a Covid project, so at one point Merm started to write lyrics with the intention of laying down some vocals. But sometime after, Will was recruited on guitar. Will is also in PUBLIC ACID, but on bass. I think Will laid down his guitar track next to Chubbs, and then Max joined after. Maybe I’m wrong about the exact timing, but I know Max joined after Will, and then the band was fuckin’ set. They released that demo at the very end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022. It ended up coming out before their first gig, cos the gig they were supposed to play in conjunction with their demo release was cancelled. In summer 2022, they released another cassette recorded by Marty. This one was a promo for their debut LP, Sick To Survive. By this point in the band, I think Will was contributing pretty heavily to the songwriting, cos he wrote a good number on the 12". I can’t find my copy of the promo tape, but if I remember right one side had a handful of new songs, and the backside had their demo tracks again. (All the songs newer songs plus one demo song were recorded again for this LP.) I think soon after that tape came out, Kai joined the band on guitar. She was a monstrous addition to the mix, and yet another member of PUBLIC ACID to join, haha. Originally, she actually was just intended to tour with the band to Skullfest on second guitar, but in time she evolved into a permanent member.

Alright, that history of the band was probably totally unnecessary, but I find things like this super interesting, especially when it’s my friends’ bands. Maybe you appreciated the bit of history… if not I am sorry for wasting your time, haha. Like, maybe some people would be interested to know that we literally tried out several vocalists for SCARECROW before we were lucky enough to land on Red? We jammed for like two years before we became a real band or released anything. We actually have an unreleased version of the demo somewhere as well. It’s an earlier recording than the one we released, and it’s got Jeff on vocals!(!!!) Anyway, thanks for reading everyone. I think when I write again, we will have just gotten back from our Swedish/Finnish tour. I am so excited. Cheers.

Hello and thanks for reading. I think the week before last I mentioned a handful of bootlegs we had just got in stock. It appears the 7"s are sold out now, but we still have a few copies of the East Punks compilation. It seems like the same person had made all three boots, but I don’t really know that for sure and I probably shouldn’t try too hard to figure it out, haha. I haven’t written about a boot in a while, and I don’t buy them often. Usually, I don’t think much of them cos more times than not an official reissue follows. I think the last boot I wrote about was the BLACK UNIFORMS Faces of Death 12". It was nicely done. It seemed just like the original. But if it’s unofficial and looks seemingly identical to the OG, I think that is a bit whack. I felt super inclined to pick up a copy of each of these Japanese boots cos I had never heard of a single band except GASMASK. This 7" split with GASMASK and BARRICADE seems like total fan club shit, haha. The idea of creating your own split for a bootleg, I mean. I will talk more about that split in a minute, as it is my actual staff pick this week. But first, the PISS 7" I know nothing about. At first, I wondered if it was this same PISS from this compilation. I had never heard of this compilation either, but it’s pretty sick. It’s also sick that all the bands are comprised of only women! Luckily, a friend informed me the PISS on the boot are from Kyushu, the same city as CONFUSE, and this recording is somewhere between 1982 and 1985. Cos of the GASMASK split 7", I thought the East Punks 12" was also a fanclub kinda layout cos I could find nothing about an original release online. I managed to find a demo of one of these bands on YouTube, ZAMZA, and it fuckin rips. But luckily again, the same friend informed me that this compilation was originally released on cassette, and it features bands from Shizuoka. The sound quality ain’t amazing, but I think it still sounds good for what it is. Who knows how good it even sounded originally. And obviously whoever made the boot sourced it from their original mega-hyper-rare cassette. The A side starts off strong as hell with this raw ass-beater shit called WILD BONVERS. The sound quality is probably best for them and ZAMZA. Regardless of the sound kinda being all over the place, it’s safe to say each band fucking rips.

Getting into the GASMASK split with BARRICADE, the GASMASK tracks were unreleased until now—what the fuck?! How did they do that? Fuck. Maybe these recordings have been passed around in some tight Japanese nerd circles, and some are not impressed. But for someone like me, I find this incredible! Haha oh shit, but now I am thinking about how Crust War previously reissued GASMASK, so maybe permission could have been granted. I think this is where I say something like ‘but I digress.’ The GASMASK tracks on this split are so damn good. I’ve just been listening on repeat. It sounds pretty much nothing like their one and only EP. Ah shit that’s a lie. On that GASMASK/COWARD split reissue Crust War did, they featured a good amount of bonus songs. One of them is an unreleased GASMASK track from 1987. That must be from the same session as the tracks on this boot 7". The sound and the style are the same. They play much faster on the material after their EP. They still have their noisy characteristics, but it comes out in a different, more chaotic fashion. Their catchy aspects evolved more into a metallic, anthemic sound. I absolutely love the evolution. I don’t think there is any relation to BARRICADE with GASMASK. I don’t think they share members, and I am pretty positive they weren’t from the same city. The BARRICADE stuff on this split is from 1983 as well. See what I mean when I said this is some total fanclub shit? Haha. Two bands from different cities, and a handful of years apart. Maybe I am just not knowledgeable enough to recognize the relation. I learned the BARRICADE stuff had been previously released on a super obscure compilation called Rock’n Roll Boogie ‘83 Now Hits. It seems they stand out unbelievably by being the only band on the LP playing hardcore punk. It’s interesting they are the only band who’s got more than one song on there too. If you hadn’t heard this shit like me, you can check a song here. Alright, I should get going actually. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support. Cheers!

Hello and thanks for reading. I haven’t been listening to a ton of records lately, just a few here and there. I have found myself playing my partner’s Nintendo Switch basically any time I have free time. This is like a handheld video game for those who don’t know, like a Gameboy but way more advanced. I have even been making time between work and rehearsal to squeeze in some video games, haha. We will see how long this lasts though, as I am not a big fan of video games or television. Usually, I would rather spend my time with something on the turntable rather than something on the television. So let us get to the records then, and I wanted to start with Hardcore Knockouts.

To be honest, the results shocked me, cos in my mind BLACK UNIFORMS is a much ‘cooler’ band. (For the record, I voted for ASTA KASK.) These two bands are extremely different and a bit strange to match up, but maybe a lot of people got my joke. This is a ‘special edition’ of Hardcore Knockouts, cos it’s about beef. I’m not really sure if ASTA KASK really had any direct beef with BLACK UNIFORMS, but BLACK UNIFORMS certainly had something to say about ASTA KASK in their song F.O.A.D. I was a huge ASTA KASK fan for many years before BLACK UNIFORMS, so when I heard this song that started with an ASTA KASK intro, I lost my mind laughing. ASTA KASK is like basically pop-punk by today’s standards (and I hate pop-punk), but the way it’s executed is absolutely perfect if you ask me. They sound a bit meaner and rougher than a pop-punk band would, but they are certainly melodic as fuck. I love how catchy the choruses are, and the gang vocals really hit the spot for me. I wrote about ASTA KASK a handful of years ago when their EPs were reissued on cassette. Going back just now to read, it was actually pretty informative. My memory sucks… But I went back there cos I wanted to point out that while ASTA KASK was on the poppy side of things, they played an important role in hardcore punk from Sweden at the time. The band was started by Micke Blomqvist, who operated his own recording studio through the 80s called Kloakens Alternativa Antistudio. At his studio, legendary bands like ANTI CIMEX, AVSKUM, ASOCIAL, SVART PARAD, CRUDE SS, NYX NEGATIVE, and RÖVSVETT all recorded. You can read a bit more in the link I dropped above, and I am pretty sure I have copies of the tape I mentioned still. If you need one, you know where to find me.

Moving on, one of the best records of 2023 is now back in print on Sorry State, and that is the G.U.N. LP. I remember the first time I heard this. It was when I was listening to a test press while making covers for them. I didn’t know what to expect at all and I could not believe how good it was. I mean obviously right, or I would have been playing the masters like mad before we even got the tests, haha. I think everyone I know thinks this the LP is killer, hence it selling out pretty fast and us being asked about it repeatedly since. Well, it’s back in print now with a pretty small pressing of 300 copies. They are all on yellow vinyl and they all come with a cool color poster. Alongside this LP, Sorry State is also dropping a ‘new’ PERSONAL DAMAGE 7" and I think it is absolutely amazing!! One thing that really gets me with this band is how damn good the recordings sound. At times, it legit sounds like you’re listening to an 80s record. They don’t hide behind some lo-fi aspects with a blown-out recording or something to emulate an old recording. The recording is pretty clean, and the drums sound especially good. Oh, I said new in quotations, cos this 7" was actually a tape not too long ago if you missed that one. Well, it’s excellent, so good thing Daniel decided to put it out on a more permanent format. Dropping these two hot ass slabs together is quite a release day if you ask me. I can listen to both of these records non-stop, and they never get old. Both records end with such catchy songs that stay stuck in my head for hours or even days after listening.

So it’s been a while since I last wrote, and last time I did I mentioned KRIEGSHÖG. We had just stocked the fresh repress of their debut (and masterpiece) LP. Well, that shit sold out fast as hell, but I am sure we will restock it. Since then, we have gotten in copies of their brand-new LP entitled Love & Revenge. I’ve listened to this LP pretty heavily. I was lucky enough to land a test press, and that got some serious rotation on my turntable. I was not sure what to expect with such a large gap between releases, and yet another line-up change. I think it’s safe to say this LP is a certified banger. The sound is extremely different from that of their debut, so don’t go into it ready to compare or you’re going to be let down. I will probably write more on this LP later, as I have a lot of thoughts on it. I also want to do some nerding out on the line-up changes over the years.

Alright, now it’s time for my actual staff pick. My pick this week doesn’t have anything to do with a new release, and it really has (almost) nothing to do with hardcore. I don’t know if I have ever mentioned THE SPECIALS here before, but this stuff is integral listening if you ask me. When I got into punk as a teenager, I also learned about ska and reggae around the same time. It’s always interesting when I meet punks who don’t fuck with ska. I understand third-wave ska and beyond was really bad, but that’s not the shit I am talking about. Traditional ska and rocksteady from Jamaica are what I mean. If you don’t know the history of ska and skinhead, then maybe you don’t quite understand what I mean when I say I find it interesting when punks don’t fuck with ska. Just like punk and hardcore, I find ska and punk inseparable. I don’t know enough about the history of ska to confidently explain the evolution and relationship of ska, skinhead, and punk, but I know Dominic can school us all on this stuff. If I remember right, Dominic attended some of those 2 Tone gigs that originally happened back in England. I was introduced to 2 Tone via THE SPECIALS, a handful of years after my introduction to ska. THE SPECIALS actually were the band to coin this term ‘2 Tone’ and they (namely Jerry Dammers) also started the label called 2 Tone Records. If I remember right, it is named as such to reference the unity of whites and blacks in their subculture, as well as the fusion of punk and ska in their music. It was an important movement, as racial tensions in England were getting out of hand, including at these gigs. While I find the ska-punk of today to be pretty hilariously bad, THE SPECIALS were the first band that I know about who incorporated elements of ska and punk together. If you ask me, it’s a beautiful fusion. I can never get enough SPECIALS. It is 100% feel-good music that makes me want to dance no matter what.

After many years as a SPECIALS fanatic, one day I came across this bootleg LP at a record shop. I didn’t know what it was exactly, but it said “THE SPECIALS” across the front so I bought it without question. I went home and discovered it is a very early version of THE SPECIALS. At this point, they were not known as THE SPECIALS, but THE AUTOMATICS. I am 99% certain this stuff was recorded for John Peel (no surprise there). The sound is not quite the 2 tone style I knew them for, as it seems that evolution hadn’t quite hit yet. It seems the line-up is almost identical to THE SPECIALS, however legend John Bradbury (R.I.P.) had not joined the band on drums yet. I think his drumming seriously elevated THE SPECIALS, but man, hearing these significantly different versions of songs I knew like the back of my hand was SO COOL. I can’t stress that enough. I have a lot of friends who get down with THE SPECIALS, and not one has ever known about this stuff before I played it for them. Well, surprise, Dominic was the exception to that, haha. I wanted to mention this here today, cos maybe there are some friends of mine who are reading, or SPECIALS fanatics, who haven’t yet heard this stuff! They recorded almost all the songs again on their debut LP, but there are a few that never appear again. And one of them is one of my all-time favorite SPECIALS tracks, Look But Don’t Touch. While I said earlier that THE SPECIALS are 100% feel-good, this song is an exception for me. Look But Don’t Touch hits me layers deep and brings out a bit of sadness. It’s good to feel sad at times. I haven’t given THE SPECIALS a real listen since Terry Hall passed away. Earlier this week I found myself listening to a later SPECIALS song after talking to a friend... This later era of the band did not have Terry Hall, as he had formed Fun Boy Three alongside another former SPECIALS member, Neville Staple. After watching this music video, I went onto the music video of their first hit track Ghost Town. And down the pipeline I went. You can hear the full LP I’m holding in my hand here. Also, nice timing, my partner coincidentally just sent me this YouTube video. It focuses on Ghost Town in a way, but it also gives a brief breakdown of the culture and influences at that time.

OK, I’ve said quite a bit about not a whole lot that’s relevant to Sorry State, so I should stop now. We recently got these bootlegs of some Japanese shit in stock. Two of these releases I have absolutely no idea about, but I think the GASMASK is unreleased material! I am out of town so I haven’t checked them out yet, but you can expect a review from me sooner than later! Alright everyone, thanks for reading and thanks for your support. Cheers!

Hello and thanks for reading. This week I will write about the recent LEGION OF PARASITES reissue on General Speech. This record was released forty years ago, and this is the first time it has ever been reissued! It was originally released by Fight Back in 1984. If you don’t know, Fight Back was a side label of Mortarhate Records. I’m not sure what the intention behind the sub-label was, but I know Mortarhate was operated by members of CONFLICT. Somewhere along the way, Cherry Red picked up the rights to this record, cos I can see this pressing is licensed from them. I think the actual record sounds excellent, and the packaging is nice and proper. The photos were printed perfectly on the back, and often photos print fucked up unless the person doing the formatting/layout knows exactly what they are doing. This pressing was slightly enhanced by including an insert, as the original did not come with on (...at least that is what I thought until I just checked Discogs, fuck.) Someone recently uploaded a picture of an insert and they said you could get it by writing the band. I have never seen a copy with one, damn. While the insert inside this reissue is a bit different than the one I saw in Discogs, it does still include lyrics. When listening to political bands I think it’s especially important to get a lyrics insert. I feel a bit silly saying political bands, but you know what I mean? I mean those bands who really take the time to write thought provoking lyrics and use their music as a weapon. Not like those bands whose lyrics are about petty things like social ridicule. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for criticizing your peers, but more often than not, I don’t find those lyrics very entertaining. (The perfect exception to what I’ve just said is SHAVED APE.)

Anyway, LEGION OF PARASITES certainly has elements of that early anarcho sound, but there is a bit more to it than the traditional Crass Records formula. On this EP specifically, they kind of remind me of SUBHUMANS actually, but overall they have more of an aggressive sound. They really lean into that on their LP that followed the year after. Overall, they really remind of ANTI-SYSTEM (one of my favorite English bands.) Funny enough, ANTI-SYSTEM also started out with more of a traditional anarcho sound and evolved into a pummeling monster on their LP.

Alongside General Speech’s recent reissues, we also got some other releases he is handling distribution for in the US. I didn’t know this band existed until I saw these LPs. DEAD ENDS was from the Philippines, and it’s safe to say this is the first band I have ever heard from there. They pumped out three cassettes from 1985 to 1987 and this is the first time they have ever been reissued. Naturally, this really increased my interest, and after checking them each out just once, I grabbed a copy of them all for myself. I haven’t spent much time at all with them outside of work, so I have only been able to take the music in. After a brief look at them, the packaging seems nice. Each includes a sticker and double-sided insert filled with text. I will have to spend some time outside work to really explore the releases, but I think I already favor their third LP the most, Damned Nation. Coming from an uncultured noob, I am guessing the opinion is probably not common, haha. That one stuck out to me the most though, but probably cos it sounds the most hardcore.

I can’t leave without mentioning that the KRIEGSHOG LP is back in print! I realize that there are probably a whole crop of younger kids who may not be familiar with the band since they disappeared for a long time. I know they had peppered out those EPs way after the first few 7"s and LP, and I remember one being a posthumous release? Maybe I am totally mistaken. LVEUM has put the LP back in print, and it’s coming alongside a brand new LP I have a lot of anticipation for. If you haven’t heard them before, immediately check out their debut LP that is now back in print. I think it is safe to say this is a modern masterpiece, and a copy belongs in every single record collection. Alright that’s all I got for today. Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone for your support.

Hello and thanks for reading.

Remember last week when I mentioned the PayPal debacle in association with ABSOLUT? I explained that I had asked Daniel to try and buy a copy of the tape after I changed the product title on my website and had still no luck. Well, now PayPal has "limited" Sorry State's account, which has resulted in transactions being rejected since Saturday. Since Sorry State is such an in-depth operation, this is a million levels more of frustration than what it was like for me to personally deal with. I know there are a ton of people who use PayPal to pay for Sorry State orders, especially international customers. I'm sorry to anyone who has not been able to order as a result, and I hope PayPal can resolve this issue ASAP so we can get on with things as usual.

This week I will be writing about this killer reissue of the 1977 hit single Mucky Pup. General Speech has brought us this reissue alongside LEGION OF PARASITES. While I am equally (if not more) excited about the LEGION OF PARASITES reissue, I haven't checked it out yet, so I will focus on PUNCTURE this week. PUNCTURE technically first came onto my radar in my early teens via THE EXPLOITED. On their 1981 debut LP Punk's Not Dead, they cover Mucky Pup. The cover is actually the second track on the record. I used the word "technically" a moment ago cos while I knew THE EXPLOITED so well for so many years, I had absolutely no idea this was a cover song! I think it especially threw me off cos the track appears at the beginning of the record, rather than where I would expect a cover to be at the end of a record. It was only just a few years ago that I discovered the song I loved and knew by THE EXPLOITED was in fact originally done by PUNCTURE. We were up in Philly for Something To Talk About and ICD10 busted out a cover of Mucky Pup. I was so stoked and rocking out to what I thought was EXPLOITED, to only (somewhat) embarrassingly discover I didn't even know who the song was by, haha. When I learned the song was originally by PUNCTURE, I checked it out first thing upon my arrival home.

While I loved EXPLOITED's take on it, man nothing beats the original recording by PUNCTURE. It's like kinda janky and sort of jangling sounding. It reminds me of anarcho a bit, actually. The B side track is quite a bit different, sounding much more like a '77 band. This single was the only release from PUNCTURE, and it was also the debut release for Small Wonder Records. There is a lot of great stuff on Small Wonder, but the two bands that stick out most to me in their catalogue are CRASS and ANTHRAX. I feel like most records on this label are not super expensive or hard to come by, but I have not managed to secure myself a copy of Mucky Pup. It was reissued once before actually in 2011, by a US label. Obviously, I didn't know who PUNCTURE was in 2011, and by the time I did learn, those reissues were all bought up and pretty much non-existent on the second hand market. When I saw General Speech had this one in the pipeline, I got very excited to finally land a copy of this classic! Sorry State just got our copies in, and as I write this we are working to get them available on our site. If you check back soon we will have 'em ready for ya. I think that about sums it up for me this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for your support!

Hello and thanks for reading. This week I will write briefly about this new ABSOLUT cassette that was released to coincide with their upcoming tour dates in USA. It’s kinda crazy to think this band has been around for over a decade now. They really caught my attention with their demo, and I have been a huge ABSOLUT fan ever since. Their 2013 debut certainly had a heavy metal edge to it. And while there are serious metal influences on ABSOLUT, their sound has always come off to me as firmly rooted in hardcore punk. Their recordings typically sound raw as fuck, and the artwork more or less stays in line with what you’d expect to see on a punk record. Yeah, they definitely lean towards the Scandinavian Jawbreaker side of things when it comes to art, but never some insanely epic metal looking shit. While they kept the cover punk as fuck on this new cassette with an homage to MODERAT LIKVIDATION, it’s hard to say the music easily fits into this aesthetic. Yes, they cover GANG GREEN on the B side of the tape, but holy fucking shit this tape is metal as fuck. Their last proper release in 2019 certainly had a new vibe with double-kicking parts, but it was not like THIS. Anyone that knows me knows that I am truly not a fan of metal, but man I can’t get enough of this new ABSOLUT käng munk! It just sounds so extreme. Joel delivers absolute fucking madness on guitar.

When I dissect this release, I really treat the A side as the focus here. I know there are more songs on the B side, but those tracks were just thrown onto the tape for the hell of it, since they were never properly released. The A side also has like ten minutes of blank tape after the music ends, haha, so that really takes attention away from the B side. While I enjoy the B side, I find the master is much better on side A. On the A side, there are three totally new songs recorded last year as a promo for an LP coming later down the line. On the B side, there are two other new songs, two old songs, and a cover that were all recorded April 2022. While some people may not like the mashing up of different sessions on one release, I love when bands do this. It just comes off as so punk and DIY. I really love the packaging on the tape. It is also super punk, in the way that the tape case can barely close cos there are so many folds! While they credited me for the art/layout, I really did not do that much. I just suggested doing a huge double-side jcard that folds out from eight panels. I guess I did the mock-up for each panel, but I didn’t make the actual design. To finish off the release, an absolutely hilarious (and offensive) “homage” to Eric Clapton is featured on the back side. I think tape packaging is typically pretty fucking boring, so spicing this shit up with more folds than one can handle seemed like a good idea (...until it came time to actually folding every single one). I actually released this cassette, so all the folding was done by yours truly.

I bought Victims of a Bombraid and Absolut Country of Sweden from a guy on the internet years ago. I felt bad that he was only selling em due to pressure from his wife and care expenses, but man I was unbelievably excited to cross those two bangers off the list at the same time. To pay him, I sent PayPal over and wrote the record names in the notes. After I sent it over, the payment was flagged and it said it was under review by PayPal. Of course, the guy was nervous cos he had already sent the records, and we were both really confused as to what was going on. I had never experienced this before, but his PayPal account was new, so I assumed that’s all it was. After some time, PayPal asked me to fill out a form explaining what exactly I was purchasing. And then after I got the stuff, they wanted me to confirm all was good before they would let the money clear into the dude’s account. That sucked, especially for the dude. When this was happening, my friend Chris (what up mofo!) explained that he has often has problems with ANTI-CIMEX stuff sold through PayPal. He told me he’s not sure why the stuff is flagged, but to avoid the trouble he changes the title slightly, so it doesn’t straight up say ANTI-CIMEX. I take the time to explain this, cos when I first launched ABSOLUT: Käng Munk 2024, every single order on the BPDT site that contained this cassette was flagged and then denied. That was brutal. I called PayPal and they just explained it was a security issue and it was automatically denied, but the person on the phone could not tell me why exactly. Instantly I remembered buying Absolut Country of Sweden, and the difficulties that came with it. I wondered if that previous issue was with “ABSOLUT” cos of the liquor brand, and not actually “ANTI-CIMEX.” So, I changed the name of the tape and asked Daniel to buy a copy online. Still no luck. At this point, I gave up and decided people would have to wait for SSR and a few other distros to get copies. But, a few days later, PayPal emailed Daniel an explanation and asked him to answer one question to resolve the issue. They asked him to provide a date of birth for Käng Munk. I can’t tell you how funny I think that is. Since I finally understood why PayPal was flagging them, I removed the title from the cassette, and all that followed was business as usual.

My staff pick is stretching away from brief now, but before I go, I want to break down “käng” and “munk” cos I’ve seen a lot of comments and questions, haha. I’ll start with the simple one. Munk is simply a combination of metal and punk, but from my understanding the band must actually be good otherwise it’s not considered munk and probably just butt-metal. To be honest, I first heard this term from CLT of ABSOLUT, so I take this as some up north Canadian slang that doesn’t exist far from there. Now, käng is a lot harder to describe, but it’s actually a word in Swedish. When we toured Europe a few years ago, I learned I was pronouncing käng wrong this entire time. The letter k is not pronounced like we would in English, but the word begins with a “sh” sound. Käng is pronounced shhang, essentially. As I was breaking this down, I suddenly realized the symbol commonly used to represent kängpunk is a fist, but käng actually translates to the word boot. I know of another word “kängnäve” that people have used to describe kängpunk bands, but I did not really understand how it translated. Well, I had to get to the bottom of this, so I asked my good friend Anders to help me understand. I asked him why a fist is used to symbolize kängpunk, when the word käng translates to boot. Instead of paraphrasing his reply, I am going to leave you with quotes. If you’re reading Anders, thank you as always for taking the time to share stuff with me!! And thanks to everyone else for your support, of course.

“Käng is boot so that’s correct and kängnäve is the way your fist goes up in the air when listening to a proper käng band. The way ‘Kängpunk’ came to be was that in the mid 80’s American bands wearing flannel and converse shoes were ‘taking over’ even in Sweden and the old proper leather jacket and army boots punk was not very popular. Jimmy (bass player in 16 Blåsare Utan Hjärna, Horse Laugh etc etc) was not very fond of the transition and wanted bands to wear boots. Boot wearing bands = kängpunk. Simple as that. The term spread and the rest you know…Kängnäve probably got its name from people wearing boots going to gigs and just acting out their frustrations about society and war and bands wearing converse shoes.”