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Hello and thanks for reading. I am trying to make a greater effort and get back into writing staff picks, but I am a bit rusty when it comes to writing after not doing it for so long. This week I am writing about the new ABSOLUT / DESTRUCT split 7”. I feel like there has been an increase in good splits in the last handful of years. There have always been splits in the punk world, but into the 90s I feel like they hit a dark time, haha. It’s like hell yeah this 90s goregrind band fucking sucks… but check out this other shitty pornogrind band while we are at it! But yeah, splits used to be a great way to make record pressing more affordable and help with the distribution of the record. The way things are done now with most stuff being released by pretty well-established labels rather than self-releasing, I don’t think that really factors into the equation so much anymore. It was also a really cool way to hear a band you had never heard before if you bought the record for one band in particular. I was not buying records in the 90s, but this has happened to me from time to time over the years, even though I often go into it thinking the other band is gunna suck. These days you can like damn near always check out a band online though.
When I think of splits from the 80s, shit comes to mind like: KAAOS / CADGERS, WRETCHED / INDIGESTI, DECLINO / NEGAZIONE, RIP / ESKORBUTO, IMPACT / EU’s ARSE, FAITH / VOID, CHAOS U.K. / ENT, STENGTE DØRER / PROCES, EXECUTE / INFERNO, KAFKA PROSESS / DISORDER, ACCUSED / REJECTORS, GENOCIDE / MIA, CCM / I REFUSE IT, ZYKLOME A / MORAL DEMOLITION, OI POLLOI / A.O.A., CRASS / POISON GIRLS, LÄRM / STANX, PYHÄKOULU / ABORTTI 13, ADS / CITY-X, and I guess the DOOM / NO SECURITY split was right there at the very end of the 80s. These are all great splits, to say the least. Maybe the last few I could tell you pretty easily which side I prefer – but overall those are straight up bangers on both sides. I was trying to think of the earliest split I knew, which is the KAAOS / CADGERS from 1981. I suspected it was punks who made the first proper split record, but you never know I guess. I figured there had to be a split that existed before 1981 and I just didn’t know the record. Well, the internet showed me this split from 1978 with two bands from Belgium, X-PULSION and STREETS. The X-PULSION side is pretty cool, especially for being from 1978.
So, going into the 90s there were a TON of splits. In the midst of all the butt-crust and shitty grind bands, there were still some absolutely killer splits. The CROCODILESKINK / NO SECURITY split is one of the first that comes to mind. I’m not sure I could ever pick my favorite NO SECURITY material, but I can tell you this is my favorite CROCODILESKINK stuff. Well, favorite stuff that I have by them. There is a discography CD with a bunch of material I am not super familiar with cos I don’t have it. Their sound on this record is so blown out, but like in a good way, it’s insane. It’s not blown out in that hi-range noisy way, but like heavy as hell. The vocal delivery is absolutely perfect. They go back and forth, often delivering long phrases over riffs that dissolve into throat-y sounds of disgust, like that of EXTREME NOISE TERROR. NO SECURITY needs no explanation from me. I think they are easily one of the greatest Swedish hardcore bands to ever exist. There are days I wonder if I like them more than TOTALITÄR (I know, I ponder such big, important things). I do think NO SECURITY are under-rated since all their releases but one are splits or tapes. If for some reason so you aren’t so familiar with them, check out this compilation now and get excited for the reissue that will hopefully happen one day soon. Oh man, I was just listening to that CROCODILESKINK compilation CD online and holy shit there is an unreleased NO SECURITY cover on it. That is so cool and unexpected to hear. Oh whoa, after that is a cover of Norway’s WITHIN RANGE. That’s even more unexpected to hear.
The WARCOLLAPSE / DISRUPT split is another one I can never get enough of. I don’t care for DISRUPT’s second track on that split to be honest, but the other track is so good, especially if you read the lyrics alongside listening. WARCOLLAPSE is like one of my favorite bands from the 90s. I do not like their font/logo much at all and I know they can be kinda mid at times on certain records. But when they hit it right, they really hit it damn good. I remember playing this split one night at my old place with Alex (love you) and he was like, “you don’t think this is kinda boring?” Haha, for me it’s perfect. I appreciate the simple, yet effective lyrics. That goes for the riffs, too. I know they aren’t doing anything that special, and I think other bands who emulate this style really suck, but there is something about WARCOLLAPSE that elevates them above others for me. I love the straight forward and low tuned guitars, yet the drums go ultra-fast at times. To me, they are very original for this “crust” sound. That break down at the end of “Skincolour Terror” is so mean. Then the simple-ass guitar lead comes in that is reminiscent of something CIMEX would do early on, but more evil... ugh. So sick. Sometimes they go a bit too slow for me, but they always come back around to the shit I came for, and it keeps me hooked. In the end, regardless of if I like the music or not, for this time period from the 80s into the late 90s (shit maybe even early 2000s), the split was always a cool idea, especially when it featured bands from two different countries. I interpret this as a great sign of trust and international solidarity, something that thrives within the underground and DIY. These underground connections were integral, especially when we didn’t have the internet and social media to connect us.
OK, I have written too much about nothing really again, so that’s enough about 90s splits. So quickly… into the 2000s, it’s about the same to me. Tons of shitty grind and powerviolence split records pressed on obscure sized discs, with some actual bangers sprinkled in the midst. In the more recent-ish 2000s, I try and think about what splits really got me excited. I remember being super stoked for the INFERNOH / NOMAD split at the time. ABSOLUT / PARANOID is another that comes to mind. But not a lot comes to me. In the last handful of years, the ELECTRIC CHAIR / PHYSIQUE, RAT CAGE / NERVOUS SS, SAVE OUR CHILDREN / STUNTED YOUTH, alongside the previous two DESTRUCT splits with LiFE and SVAVELDIOXID were all killer splits I could name off the top of my head. Like I said, I know there have always been splits, but I am happy to see more splits coming onto my radar that I really like. The PUBLIC ACID / INVERTEBRATES 12” split is like iconic, especially in the way of it being a symbol of their friendship. I think this DESTRUCT / ABSOLUT split falls right into that category as well.
This split has been a LONG time in the works, and has had many different changes in the process of it being released. But I have written so fucking much already I can’t get into the story of this record today. I am sorry for wasting your time as I have said virtually nothing about the record I came here to write about today until now, haha. But I should say some quick things before I go. DESTRUCT recorded all the way back in 2024 and ABSOLUT followed a little after in 2025. If I remember right, this is from the same recording session that DESTRUCT recorded their material from the SVAVELDIOXID split. Haha also if I remember right, ABSOLUT scrapped their entire first recording session and re-did it. The artwork was done by legendary Sugi, but there were two artists lined up before him. ACUTE NOISE MANUFACUTRE released this record on paper, but I think it’s actually band-funded. I could be wrong about that. But before ANM, there were two other labels who were planned to release this record. So, DESTRUCT delivers their hi-velocity d-beat raw punk with a super good sounding recording and master. There is not much more I can say about this band that I haven’t said already in previous reviews. ABSOLUT’s recording does not sound nearly as good. I mean DESTRUCT is so particular, that it would be hard to compete with their expectations when it comes to sound engineering. While you can compare the quality of the ABSOLUT recording with DESTRUCT’s and be like, “damn this kinda sucks,” their songs are fucking bonkers. They continue further along the road of insane metal tendencies. While I’d generally described them with having a heavy sound, they kinda have an ‘epic’ side that comes out with the guitar’s metallic tendencies. On this record (and previous tape), the metallic tendencies seem to be not really a tendency anymore and this shit is like full-blown metal guitar with a punk foundation, haha. They continue to add double-kick parts in songs, and contrary to how I feel like 95% of the time, I do love it here. They deliver an interlude bit that reminds me of Hell’s Highest Power, and a completely insane solo on their first track “Judas.” Joel is an absolute mad man, and approaches the guitar like no one I have ever seen in my life. Alright, that’s my quick summary. Buy this killer record. Maybe next week I will give you the part II on the making of the record, if anyone cares. Cheers and thanks for reading, and much love to my friends.