Masshysteri-S/T LP

Masshysteri are back and sounding better then ever this time they add a second guitar player and perfect their sound to a science. This their 2nd LP combines elements from their other records and extra moody overtones creating a sound that is not unlike the Dangerhouse releases but comes off with a lot more texture. At times you can hear faint echos of Joy Division, and something else that i cant quite put into words...it reminds me of the mid to late 80's when everybody was experimenting and a lot of "New Wave" bands were popping up and bands that had been around were adding these little twist to their music.

Masshysteri take their time with this album and work you into it song by song and before you know it you are completely drawn in and i personally found myself a drift in every layered track. They got tons going on here but it works out in a way thats not too overwhelming. I can see some people turning away from this since its not really an intense punk thing like The Vicious were and it is somewhat on the long side but i feel like those who are already invested in the group will be very pleased.

So i have come to love this group and cant stop playing this album. 10 tracks of phenomenal, well thought of and layered punk inspired pop. Masshysteri's S/T album was put out on Ny Vag and Feral Ward records and can be found in your favorite distros.

http://www.myspace.com/masshysteri
www.feralward.com

Total Abuse-Mutt LP

Taking things slowly off the deep end Total Abuse come back with another full length that may not be as surprising as the last but to me comes off just as good.

When this thing first hit there was a lot of talk of the band expanding far beyond anything they had done in the past and leaving their old sounds behind. All though the band does add some changes this time around its nothing major. For the most part I believe this album would please fans of the last LP, overall it continues where they left off and makes for a good sequel.

The recording strikes me as a little more on the lo-fi side and reminds me of the demo/sex pig recordings. The vocals are more gruff and the guitars and bass blend together a littler more which makes some songs have a "wall of sound" effect. The lyrics continue to be stripped and come off like chants more than anything.

"Mutt" may not be a hit after hit kind of record but its got some great jams on it that come off familiar but aren't exact replicas of past songs. I still think the Lp debut is more intense as I feel it almost tells a story all the way through, while this one kind of lacks that sense of direction.

So all in all id say "Mutt" is a good record without any major weak points and Total Abuse continue to focus on perfecting their sound. It may not hit quite as hard as the previous LP but it certainly has its moments and should have you coming back to enjoy your favorites.

Released on PPM with 100 on white wax and 900 on black. Comes with a booklet, download code and not so good artwork.
available from various distros and best buy(no joke).

http://www.myspace.com/totalabuse

Iron Lung-Exposed 7"

Iron Lung is probably one of the only bands that deserves all the hype that surrounds them. On this one sided 7" they burn through 3 songs like they were made of napalm with all the best starts, stops, breakdowns and noise you crave.

Two original songs with lyrics that are a true homage to the sadness, hate, fear, and rottenness that fills up in the world every single day. The other song is a Sex/Vid cover which could be a tribute to their friends or an attempt to put them to shame, either way its a success.

A band made up of two dudes never sounded so full. Got a chance to see them live two times this past month on their tour with Slices and i can say that they are probably one of the best bands I have seen so far this year. Speaking of live shows that is the only way to get this puppy i believe it is a "Gig Only" vinyl, now on its second(?) press on red wax.

http://lifeironlungdeath.blogspot.com/

Thieves-Positive Vibrations 7"

Thieves is a newer band playing out of Raleigh NC, where recently a lot of kids have been inspired by bands old and new and are creating bands of their own as well as running a terrific scene that hosts some great shows.

Thieves wear their inspirations and influences on their sleeve and i can sense that there is a lot that they want to cover, this can be good or bad. Positive Vibrations is all over the place and i found the a-side kind of hard to follow, the songs just don't seem to go anywhere. The b side however comes together quite well and its the stronger side by far. It just seems to fit the band and the sound of the record better.

The production on Positive vibrations is probably my favorite part it comes across loud and chalk full of power while staying clean enough to suit the bands more melodic moments, the overall sound reminded me of the better Youth Brigade songs. Id give the a side on this thing a 2/5 and the b side a 3.5/5. If your looking for something thats abrasive with a little bit of melody and some fast thrashy parts that comes off with a real in your face attitude then this might be your thing.

Despite some flaws I have faith that this band can go on to do great things and i look forward to their next effort. Positive Vibrations was released by To Live a Lie records and Suburbanite records, 500 copies were pressed.

http://www.myspace.com/suburbaniterecords
http://www.tolivealie.com/

DIVORCE MONEY-S/T 7"

Divorce Money drops their 7" debut upon us and it is quite the single. Both the A and B side supply mid tempo jams that will have you nodding your head to them in no time. "Names" and "Use your imagination" are mixed with both catchy and demented parts.The sound strikes me as a garage or basement style recording delivering the raw sound of the instruments creating a very live atmosphere. This group wields pounding drums, distortion, and dry howling vocals(with little or no effects added to them) quite well. A great minimalist style punk, showing us that you can still come off out of control, wild, and furious with just a couple of riffs.

This is the 3rd release from Video Disease records. I would probably mark this one their second best release so far.

http://videodisease.blogspot.com/

Innumerable Forms-Dark Worship 7"

Innumerable Forms strikes with straight forward death metal and these 3 songs are textbook and i mean that in a good way. Everything you would want out of a death metal 7". At times its slow and dragging and others its fast, steady and up front but it always retains the brutal sounds of old and nods to the classics. For fans of Convulse or anybody looking for something other then the next hardcore reissue. They dont try to dress this up or package it as something its not, just death metal because as the insert reads "only death is real". This was all done by one dude who happens to be a member of a band you probably give a crap about.


http://www.myspace.com/innumerableforms

Back in Action?

Been busy/lazy, I really havent been picking up too many records and its a damn shame. Maybe when I get a better job ill have more record flow and more inspiration to do the blog, in the meantime ill probably be only updating this thing once a month if i can remember. i really started this for myself more than anything.