Review: Personality Cult - Personality Cult

If I simply said that if you like the Buzzcocks you will like Personality Cult I could pretty much sum up the general idea of the band. However, then you might say, "Sloane, why don't I just listen to the Buzzcocks?" I'll tell you why! Bees might come out of your anus if you don't! Wait, no, because of the songs. Personality Cult might remind you of power pop records of yore but there is enough idiosyncratic writing here that will keep you from turning back to your old Briefs records.

The a-side kicks thing off with the one-two punch of "Burned" and "Hot Head", the later of which has a squealing intro and slinky lead that make the 60s sound like they didn't suck ass. "Functioning Fine" throws in some throbbing saxophone playing that accentuates the anxiety rock at play for a darker tinge than you might expect.



Towards the end of the album, Personality Cult start to edge out their comfort zone (I say this without knowing much about them as I have never heard any of their prior releases not do I know where to get them). "Doing Worse" glides along at the band's typical frantic pace but comes crashing to a minimalist half-minute noise wall before returning to the song's repeated refrain. That mix of bitter and sweet makes things all that more satisfying. This sets up the oscillating stop-start freakout of "Fashionably Late", which makes me feel as though I've already contradicted myself as the exceptions to straightforward power pop on Personality Cu;t prove to be the rule.

Unfortunately, the band allegedly has some tapes and a Euro compilation of some kind but I can't find any info or links on any of it. They also allegedly share members with Natural Causes from Carrboro, North Carolina but I can also not confirm any of this. The two bands don't really sound alike though so who gives a heck, anhwho? So, if you want catchy pogo-ready tunes to clean the gutter to clean you eavestrough this fall, this may be your only option that isn't Personality Cult - but why would you want that?

Review: Spiritual Cramp - Police State

This is one of my favourite records of the year so far. If punk is supposed to be for the freaks and weirdos, Spiritual Cramp's Police State is your soundtrack. Their eponymous track is all kindsa garage caterwauling with some backup vocals that are on some straight up Scooby Doo but that ain't doo doo, you feel me? The police violence tale of "850 Bryant" shuffles along with some dub reggae, which I'm usually highly skeptical of on a punk record but Spiritual Cramp manage to pull it off in a surprising way. The b-side of the record smartly transitions into a plodding rhythm that is reminiscent of "London Calling" on "I Feel Bad Bein' Me". Reggae and "London Calling"? I know what you're thinking, and no this isn't some flaccid '77 revival with wankers wanking it to Captain Oi! reissues. Police State is wholly a product of the thoroughly messed up world we live in today and wonderfully builds on what Spiritual Cramp started with last year's Mass Hysteria. I hope that the risks they take keep paying off.

Review: Piper Maru - Most Of My Friends Died In Space

Since I've followed it for the past 15 or so years, Toronto has had a particular D.I.Y. hardcore scene that produces exciting new bands all the time. It is in a constant state of rejuvenation and Piper Maru is serving up the latest batch of  rejuve-a-juice™. Most Of My Friends Died In Space serves four wonderful and weird bits of fast and catchy hardcore punk that seems both comfortably familiar and yet lacking immediate comparison. "De-Escalation Tactics" has a lengthy intro that would make a straight edge band proud but also contains rapid blast beats that weave in and out and ends in a catchy breakdown with jagged little bits of noise peppered liberally. This isn't the kind of song bands usually knock out on their first release but hey here we are. The repetition and frantic stop-start rhythms of "Control" is something I can only really describe as what sounds like a modern post-hardcore band writing an 80s hardcore jam. That might not sound appealing to you but it totally works, this is truly essential stuff.

Review: Eteraz - Evil Hardcore

Eteraz's (Eteraz'?) bandcamp reads:

With your borders, your walls and towers, your armies in every street, your methods of keeping us divided, broken, and imprisoned - we are the evil ones? We are condemned when we choose to fight back; when we reject gender, sexual, and social norms; when we have dark skin; when we reject your ideologies; when we subvert your systems of power and domination.

So we claim this mark you have put upon us, we claim EVIL as a symbol of power and defiance. You better believe we are your worst nightmare. We are coming for you, and will not stop until ALL has been avenged and reclaimed. We will show no mercy because none has ever been shown to us. Your fears of all you control and oppress coming to devour you are coming true. These cries of rage will be the last sound you hear, haunting you forever!

LONG LIVE EVIL, ANARCHY, CHAOS, AND VENGEANCE!

What you read is kinda what you get, Eteraz sound heckin' pissed off - and with good reason. Evil Hardcore is ten minutes of washed out (I mean that in a positive way), break-neck hardcore. However, it would be pretty off-base to say they are an entirely singular minded in their pace as there is an entirely sick breakdown in the second  track "جاهانام (کهظظنامظ معکهائ؟" that is worth mentioning.

Even though I don't have the lyrics in front of me, even if there was no manifesto, the energy pouring from my speakers says it all: "Fuck your bullshit". This certainly ain't no bullshit. Hit their bandcamp and pick up Evil Hardcore at a PWYC price:

Review: Deseos Primitivos - Demo Tape

Oakland's Deseos Primitivos play a style of mid-paced early hardcore punk with a definite debt to Posh Boy Records, as well as bands like the Rezillos. I gotta say that their three track, debut demo showcases these bi-continental influences with a confidence the belies a first offering.

The opening track "Boba" flirts with almost surf-like guitar parts that speak to early Agent Orange and a subtle sense of melody that recalls the Avengers or early Social Distortion. "Crecer" switches gears to equal success with a jangly guitar tone and style that is reminiscent of a harder edge version of something like the Close Lobsters. Deseos Primitivos return to a more aggressive style for the final cut of the demo, "Pueblo". "Pueblo" manages to even sneak in some proto-death rock moments which suits the reverb heavy style production of the demo immensely.

If you dig the style of early L.A. hardcore and punk I cannot recommend this demo enough. I will say it is a Spanish language release and as someone whose closest foray into speaking or understanding Spanish was taking high school Latin, I still find a lot to enjoy. I am excited to see what Deseos Primitivos is gonna do next. Check out their bandcamp to cop the demo and a live set for a PWYC price:

Buy A Physical Tape Here