Victims- Killer

The Swedes are coming, the Swede’s are coming! Goddamn right they are. Victims are Sweeden’s finest in crusty, sweaty, motherfucking punk rock mayhem. Their 4^th album, Killer, lives up to its name in every sense of the word. Try to make it out alive, you’ve got twenty three minutes to run like hell.

This is d-beat rock’n’roll that’s as tight as a virgin’s you know what. But get ready to get fucked. Hearkening back to classic bands like Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone, Victims don’t mess around. This is more melodic than some of their previous releases, but equally as punishing. Living proof that everyone’s favorite neutral country can be as pissed as the rest of the world.

Victims myspace

Beck- Modern Guilt

Beck is god. He can do no wrong. His fourth album in six years stands the test of his creativity by sounding completely different from anything he has put out. His first four albums were sub-par demos of goofy folk to say the least. Mellow Gold was slacker- friendly weirdness; while Odelay was a fucking brilliant display of songwriting/production (the Dust Brother’s at their best). Mutations was somber folk, country, and blues, while Midnight Vultures was tongue-in-cheek “Purple Rain”-esque, shake your ghetto ass sex dance. Beck went all emotional on us with his powerfully personal Sea Change; then went back to his roots with Guero, bringing back the Dust Brothers and his funky ass ways. The Information, recorded essentially at the same time as Guero (but came out a year later), was a brilliant oeuvre combining elements of everything he has ever done.

Two years later Beck is back, and does not disappoint. Teaming up with production extraordinaire Danger Mouse, Modern Guilt is a chilled-out album chock-full of folk, 1960s pop (the title track sounds like a modern day Turtles single), Nintendo beeps and boops, orchestral ambience, dirty bass lines, and airy guest vocals by Cat Power.

Danger Mouse shines, contributing a very vintage sound that doesn’t overpower Beck’s breathy voice. This is a very short album with no b-sides showing up at this time, leaving you wanting more of that Dangerbeck sound.

Beck myspace

One Day as a Lion- One Day as a Lion

This EP is long overdue. It’s been 8 years since Zach de la Rocha left Rage Against the Machine. Audioslave didn’t do it for me. Rumors of a de la Rocha solo album have been circulating for years. He scrapped a project with DJ Shadow, Company Flow, and ?uestlove to record an album with Trent Reznor that never saw the day of light (sans one track released on the internet in 2004). What the hell has this man been doing all these years? Well, finally the word is out, and this release has kind of been lurking in the shadows. There hasn’t been a lot of press preceding its release; it just kind of popped up one day. Regardless, it’s finally here.

One Day as a Lion (the name taken from a black and white graffiti photograph taken by Chicano photographer George Rodriguez in 1970) consists of de la Rocha rapping and playing keyboards, and none other than former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore on the skins. The results are a sound that combines the political spitting of Rage and the psychedelic leanings of the Mars Volta, with a bit of a rasta undertone. There are some really sick electronics here and de la Rocha flows like he was always born to do. Tight fucking drumming and great production here by the always fly Mario C. (of Beastie Boys fame). This is the dopest shit I’ve heard this year besides the new Immortal Technique joint.

A very pleasant surprise. But it just makes me long for a new Rage album that much more. Hey, anything’s possible.

One Day as a Lion myspace

Spitfire- Cult Fiction

There’s a lot of hype and controversy surrounding the release of Spitfire’s new album Cult Fiction, their second since reforming and resigning to Goodfellow in 2006. Take a look at the album cover and you might see why. The band has been lumped into the Christian metal category since they released The Dead Next Door on Christian imprint Solid State back in 1999, but the band has hinted that each member shares different views on life and does not necessarily claim to be a Christian band. But the internet kids will always over exaggerate. Who gives a shit about the album cover (which is pretty sweet by the way). Listen to the damn record.

Cult Fiction sees Norma Jean guitarist Scottie Henry parting ways, as well as bassist Ian Sabo (who is now in Solar Powered Sun Destoyer), leaving the band as ex-Scarlet members Jon Spencer and Dan Tulloh, vocalist and bassist respectively, and original members Matt Beck on guitar and Chris Raines (who is officially a member of Norma Jean) on drums. OK, that’s all for the history lesson.

Spitfire is not your typical metalcore band. Don’t expect breakdowns, clean vocals, or 80’s metal clichés. This record shares a similar chaotic formula (or lack thereof) with bands like Spencer and Tulloh’s old band Scarlet (this record shares an eerily similar name with Scarlet’s Cult Classic album) and label mates Cursed. Haunting and apocalyptic while at the same time surreal and cathartic, Cult Fiction is the dawning of a new wave of noisy nihilism. Themes of betrayal, abortion, and society’s downfall in general are delivered with raspy volition while the room spins around to the sound of frenzied wasps. Instrumental interludes provide a blanket of warmth and shelter while the world proceeds to collapse around you. This record is aurally equivalent to hearing a woman being murdered upstairs or watching an old man freeze to death in the streets.

This record is at times unnerving and creepy, but in a powerful, cohesive way.

Spitfire myspace

Gridlink- Amber Gray/Hayaino Daisuki- Headbanger's Karaoke Club Dangerous Fire

Holy fucking shit. You haven’t heard anything this mindblowingly sick since Discordance Axis was still around. Hmmm…I wonder why. Maybe because the voice behind grindcore’s most legendary legends John Chang is back. In hiding for nearly seven years, he’s back with not one, but two new projects. Gridlink features two-thirds of Hayaino Daisuki (the aforementioned second project).

Amber Gray is 11 songs in under 12 minutes. Lyrics screamed in Japanese so loud you’ll have suishi dripping out of your ears. Machine gun drums that would leave the Yakuza in seventeen billion pieces. Technical thrash that you just can’t find anymore. Listen to this too many times in a row and you might have a seizure Pokemon style.

Gridlink myspace

Hayaino Daisuki (roughly translated as “I Love Speed”) up the ante with longer songs, melodic thrash that would make Darkest Hour bow down, and a wicked sweet album cover that pays homage to the 80’s thrash movement in Japan. And did I mention they love speed (the measurement of travel, dummy). Taking speed on a bullet train in Osaka ain’t nearly as fast as this shit.

Hayaino Daisuki myspace

Heavy Heavy Low Low- Turtle Nipple and the Toxic Shock

Party grindcore anyone? That’s about the most accurate description I can conjure for the brand of tunes these crazy San Jose kids belt out. Heavy Heavy Low Low caught on in underground circles and word of mouth with their spastic brand of blast beats and nauseating guitar riffs and got a deal with Ferret in 2006 after several self-released EPs. Turtle Nipple and the Toxic Shock (based on several inside jokes the band enjoyed while touring) is their second full length on Ferret.

Upon first listen, HHLL seem to have abandoned the grindcore and thrash a bit in favor of more of a mathcore meets southern metal sound a la label mates Every Time I Die, but the comparison ends there. The car’s still all over the fucking road as humorous lyrics collide with spaced out experimentation, jazzy undertones, angry metal breakdowns, and a Black Flag cover.

Thank god for bands like this who insist on putting out pervertedly fucked up music.

Heavy Heavy Low Low myspace

Paint it Black- The New Lexicon

Hardcore has a saviour. Or maybe an anti-hero. Either way, Paint It Black don’t give a fuck. From the remains of Lifetime and Kid Dynamite, Dan Yemin has breathed new life into a dying genre seeming with fake bullshit. Three records in and the band has redefined hardcore punk and themselves seeing new ground charted in each release. Their debut CVA was a mindfuck of straight ahead hardcore in the vein of Black Flag, DOA, and any other hardcore band of the 80’s that mattered. Their sophomore release Paradise was more melodic but stilled dripping with pissed off mayhem. Their third release for Jade Tree sees the band teaming up with producer J. Robbins (of Government Issue and Jawbox fame) and Oktopus (Dälek’s mastermind producer) with something so dark and angry that you would think Steve Albini was at the reins. All hail the New Lexicon.

This record manages to take the mood of the first two releases and spit them out into an ugly, beautiful explosion. Full of poetic scathing and political aggression, the New Lexicon is apocalyptic. Ambient interludes weave in and out of a filthy sea of low end feedback like a venomous serpent ready to bite its prey. And when it does you’re fucked.

Look out for guest vocals from Naked Raygun legend Jeff Pezatti. Nihilism never felt so invigorating.

Paint It Black myspace