Tragedy – Darker Days Ahead LP

Last month Tragedy went on tour and released their new album, Darker Days Ahead.  They brought with them about 300-500 copies of their new LP.  Tragedy did all of this with a minimum of advertising, as the band does not have an internet presence.  The LPs were available, but limited to only one per customer.  I don’t know how much the band was charging, but the LPs appeared almost instantly on Ebay.  The prices originally were pushing $80 each, but the last few copies I saw only fetched $40-$60.

In a message from Ebullition, who distributes their releases, the band was not happy with the mastering of the vinyl.  A properly mastered pressing of the LP should be available in June 2012.  Save your money until then.  Besides, you shouldn’t be giving your money to internet opportunists.  Give your money to the band.

Amebix – Redux CD

 

(2010, Profane Existence EXIST116CD)

It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 21 years since AMEBIX called it quits.  Their 1985 LP, Arise, is a classic of the crust genre and helped inspire my love of Apocalyptic Crust, with their bleak, heavy music and dark lyrics.  When they announced their reformation, I was not sure what to expect;  not all band resurrections produce anything worth listening to.  AMEBIX, down to brothers The Baron and Stig were joined by Roy Mayorga, the former drummer for NAUSEA, STONE SOUR, and SOULFLY.  Their first project was this EP, a re-recording of three classic tracks.

AMEBIX chose tracks from throughout their career:  Arise (from their first LP), Winter (from their second 7″), and Chain Reaction (from their final LP).  The first thing I noticed was the better production, especially on Winter.  The original version was a good song, but the production was a little muddy.  Now, the song sounds so much better, especially with the crisp bass line and the heavier guitars.  The vocals sit better in the mix.  Both Winter and Chain Reaction show how much of an influence KILLING JOKE had on the formation of AMEBIX’s sound.  Chain Reaction features a simple bass riff over a haunting, trebly guitar sound that could have been lifted off the first KILLING JOKE LP.  The first track, Arise, still sounds great, but has the added bonus of a synth used during the chorus.

Overall, this is proof of a band that is firing on all cylinders.  The songs are tight and heavy, and have an even stronger apocalyptic feel to them.  The band plans on having a new LP recorded this year (2011).  I anticipate great things to come.

New Direction Fest

19 and 20 August, 2011 – Olympia, WA

This weekend is the New Direction Fest in Olympia, WA.  It will be held at the Eagles on 4th Avenue.

Here is a day by day schedule of bands:

Friday (starts at 5 PM)
Soil
Quiver
Wolves
Carrion Spring
Outlook
Vic Bondi
Alpinist
Masakari

Saturday (breakfast and workshops start at 10 am; bands start at 4:30 pm)

Torero
Cynarae
Wretched of the Earth
Downsided
Dehumanized
Hysterics
Cowardice
Red and Black
Brigada Roja
RVIVR
Migraine
Hummingbird of Death
Jello Biafra
Resist and Exist

FINAL MASSAKRE – The Bells Of Hell Toll The Final Chime 7″

(1999 Tribal War Records)

The back of the sleeve proclaims this record to be ‘Full Metal Jacket D-Beat Raw Punk’.  That means this record must be from Portland, OR,  the land of D-Beat Raw Punk.  This short-lived group featured Frank (from ATROCIOUS MADNESS and LEBENDEN TOTEN) on vocals, Brian Hopper (from DETESTATION, HELLSHOCK, etc) on guitar, and Kelly (RESIST, DETESTATION, etc) on drums.  This EP features 6 tracks, all played at a furious pace – the longest track is 1:21.  What you get is a solid D-Beat, manic guitar riffs, and some gasoline-throated vocals.

My only criticism of the sound is that the drums and vocals dominate too much.  I like my crust to have a thicker bass guitar sound, but on here the bass only stands out during a break on Death From Below.  There are times when Brian Hopper plays some furious lead breaks, but they are barely heard in the mix.  Only the lead break on We Stand In Silence gets a solid volume boost.  Nonetheless, this is worthy of being in your collection.  FINAL MASSAKRE only issued a few releases and they’re all worth tracking down.

 

KYLESA 7″

(2002 Scorched Earth Policy S.E.P. 29)

This 7″ features one original and one cover.  The original track, Delusion On Fire, is a great introduction to those unfamiliar with KYLESA.  The dual vocals work well with KYLESA’s modern interpretation of the crust sound.  I’ve always loved the sound of male and female singers playing off each other.  It’s the right amount of soft and hard in the sound.  The rhythm section creates a solid, driving base for the thick guitar riffs to crash over.  The B-Side, a cover of NAUSEA’S Clutches, is the real gem here.  The song is just as apocalyptic as the original.  The recording quality is better than the original, with a solid, thick guitar tone.  This single is worth buying just for this track.

MISERY / EXTINCTION OF MANKIND – Apocalyptic Crust CD

(2001, Crimes Against Humanity CAH #02)

This CD is a solid pairing by two bands whose influence has been felt throughout the crust genre.  First up is MISERY, from Minneapolis, MN.  They had been together for almost ten years by the time this was recorded.  Their sound is confident and mature, but still retains that crusty AMEBIX edge to it.  Most of their songs here follow a verse/chorus/verse structure.  My favorite song of theirs on here, One More Day, is quite different.  The lyrics consist of one long verse.  The words are paired up with shifting musical phrases which add a lot of variety to the song.

The other band here, EXTINCTION OF MANKIND, hail from the UK.  They have been around almost as long as MISERY, and also possess a similar musical confidence.  Their sound is similar to MISERY, but their bass guitar is more prominent in the mix.  Their sound is also similar to DOOM, with heavy guitars and gruff vocals.  Most of their songs are mid-paced, but EOM add some thrash bits for flavor.

Overall, this is a mandatory purchase for anyone interested in the crust genre.  My only complaint has to do with the CD’s sequencing.  Instead of having all of MISERY’s tracks, then all of EXTINCTION OF MANKIND’s tracks like a typical split CD, this disc has each band’s tracks interspersed.  Near the end there’s a noticeable difference in recording quality between the two bands.

Introduction

I started this blog to provide reviews and information for some of the music that I enjoy the most.

If you’re in a band and are planning on playing some shows in the Pacific Northwest, contact me, and I’ll post your tour dates here.

If you have some crust for review feel free to send me a copy.  But only crust!