ANGRY SAMOANS.

No need for a punk history lesson here, instead we'll just get to the (leftover) meat of the matter as I finally get around to posting up again after the Turkey Day Madness (as it was around these parts anyways).

For your aural satiation today, I offer up a collection of the first four albums from one of L.A.'s earliest punk, er, "hardcore" bands. They remind me at times of a So-Cal version of the Dead Boys, but on different drugs, etc.

A classic bit of punk history here, grab it here... .

Angry Samoans - The Unboxed Set

Link in comments, (sorta).

DECRY.

In my mind, a classic Los Angeles hardcore record - one that does not get the love that, say, the Adolescents got...

Underrated as fuck, the twin-guitar attack here is ahead of its time, the bass player "laying right in the pocket" (the way bass should be played), etc. Now add some suburban angst (peer pressure, drugs, violence, depression, cops,) and it all adds up to the perfect formula for some classic 1980's first-generation American Hardcore (the good shit).
None of this needs to be said though, honestly - let the music do the talking…

Decry - Falling

Link in comments.

HOLY TERROR.

Some serious mind-blowing twin-guitar thrash action going on here!

Really hard to pin-point / peg their sound; the vocals on this thing are fucking over the top.
If there is any band I could compare them to, early Savatage mixed w/ some early Metal Church might be a close call.
Add some early Kirk Hammett solos and a young Slayer in there too, whydontcha?

You're either aware of this band or not, and you love them or hate them - it's your call - but if you ask me, this is one of the most underrated thrash bands that most people think they have heard of, yet actually never have heard them at all.
Their attack is relentless - the pace never slows - and while they put out two killer albums, no one gives / gave a fuck. Don't be "that guy"...

Holy Terror - Mind Wars

Link in comments.

FEAR.

It shouldn't take much for you to realize that Fear was arguably one of the greatest punk/hardcore bands that ever took the stage.

As players, they were highly underrated in the chops/skills department - these dudes could play - and their style was unique.
Excellent songwriting, with some serious acid-tongued socio-political / motherfucker lyrics to boot.

Lee Ving needs to write a book, or have someone write this man's life story, as he has (so far) lead a seriously charmed life.

No need for me to keep preaching to the choir, so go for it and grab this great-sounding recording of the boys tearing it up in Hollywood on Halloween Night way back in 1979 - were you even born yet?

(I was twelve, by the way)…



Fear - 10.31.1979 Hong Kong Cafe, Los Angeles, CA

Link in comments.

EXCRUCIATING TERROR.

The past month has been one filled w/ travel, beer, relaxation, BBQ, beer, good times & beer, so I thought I'd be a pal and punch you right in the dick via this unrelenting slab of violence & aural abuse courtesy of a few gnarly cholo-grinders from the Southland.

These guys came & went way too fast, but the good shit never lasts long, does it? If you're looking for a contemporary band flying this brand of freak-flag, search for BLOODY PHOENIX in the archives of this here blog (if you haven't got that already)...



Excruciating Terror - Divided We Fall

Link in comments.

ANGEL ROT.

So I've been meaning to post this a few days ago, but I've been sick.

It all started w/ an ingrown fingernail, and then I'm assuming that while bar tending the other night, I got some bar-rot in there, and before you know it, I woke up w/ one swollen, red, angry-looking dick-finger/digit! Anyways, I went to the Doctor & she started me on antibiotics. It took about 10 hours, but then my system crashed, and all I could do is lay in bed, surfing waves of nausea, or get up & go pee out my ass every 30 minutes - maybe even puke up some weird bright yellow liquid.

I'm glad I could share that with you…

Anyways, Angel Rot could very well be the soundtrack to your medication-induced delirium - it was for me - and honestly? This is some dirty, fucked up rock that most folks STILL ain't gonna like. What the fuck? What's NOT to like about Tom Five & his Iommi-meet-Ginn proto-stylings? This shit is still ahead of it's time.




Angel Rot - Unlistenable Hymns of Indulgent Damnage

Link in comments.

SEPSISM.

When I was a little shit of about 4 or 5 years old, I remember seeing an advertisement in a Thor comic book that featured a poster of a long-haired biker on a chopper wearing a denim vest with a skull and a rocker below it that said, "Pacoima".

I've never been there, but I do know that it's a tough little town on the edge of Los Angeles that claims some high poverty levels, mucho gang activity, etc. It's a very Latino community as well, claiming bad-ass actor Danny Trejo & "La Bamba" Ritchie Valens as residents.

That's your history lesson for today.

Sepsism also claim Pacoima as home, and are some bad-ass motherfuckers in their own right.
They put an unrelenting Southland twist to the vintage NY Death-Grind style; touches of Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, etc. yet they are no clone, mind you. Lots of nice chugging riffs, heavy breakdowns, hoarse gutturals, etc.
There is also plenty of blasting going back there on the drum riser, but they also have no problem slogging around in the viscera, ala' Devourment. You'll either love it or hate, you know how it goes around here…



Sepsism - To Prevail In Disgust

Link in comments.

KNIFE FIGHT.

So-Cal hardcore that "the kids" like to call "fastcore", but to be honest, that tag seems to weaken a powerful band in my opinion - no need to call them that as a true hardcore band is based on that element, correct?

(The kids aren't always aware of this though, I forget sometimes)…

Anyways, these guys were around for a few years in the early 2K's, and they proudly & shamelessly wore their first-generation (classic) American Hardcore band influences on their sleeves - yet they added a new-school element to the mix w/o the massive earlobes and girls jeans, per se'.

They may have not been the most original, but their prolific output is without a doubt powerful, and stands on it's own, for sure - much like the buzz from the beers I've been drinking since I got off work tonite…



Knife Fight - Out of Print: 2002-2004

Link in comments.

BLACK FLAG.

Well, if you've spent any amount of time around these parts, you have come to realize that I loves me some Black Flag - especially live recordings - and so tonite I offer up yet another gem.

This here show was from late-in-the-game, and it's in front of a pretty raucous bunch of Floridians.
The Hank banter is comedic/caustic, the band loose-yet-tight, and the recording is decent - considering the era, etc.

Sit back and "enjoy"...



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Black Flag - 01.24.1986 Cuban Club, Tampa, FL

DARK ANGEL.

This bad boy has been living in my car's CD player for the last week, doing a great job getting me tuned up for my daily dose of (slightly mundane) Pavlovian duty for 40 hrs. a week that results in (slight) monetary reward.

Surely I don't have to explain this band to you, kind Lo-Res Viscera reader, as I'm sure most of you already have this - it is, quite possibly - the "most perfect" Thrash album of all time...



Dark Angel - Darkness Descends

* Re-Upped:06.16.2010 *

Link in comments.


Now playing: Old Grandad - Relatively Far From The Equator
via FoxyTunes

FEAR.

Fear was definitely one of the very first punk bands to start crafting the sound that would eventually come to be known as hardcore (that stuff we all know and love).
While it wasn't quite the raucous musical masterpiece that "THE RECORD" was, "More Beer" still holds many a wry drunken anthem within its seething grooves.

Many have emulated Lee Ving, yet no one possesses the same charisma / humor / intimidation as the man himself. Why bother, ya know? Plus, he played a Gibson Sonex - (my guitar of choice)...



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Fear - More Beer

BLACK FLAG.

Here's an excellent-sounding live-in-the-studio/interview FM broadcast for your collection.
As usual, I made you some choice artwork, etc.
The band plays a tight set with Kira on bass - this was recorded shortly after MY WAR was released. Greg's tone is absolutely fucking amazing! The interview portion of the program is pretty entertaining as well as it seems as though the band was "behaving" or trying to be somewhat "professional".

Bill Stevenson is a MAJOR (t)ripper, dude.



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Black Flag - 07.11.1984 "Radio Tokyo" Studio, Los Angeles, CA

MENTORS.

Here's the first full-length from the Kings of Sleaze Rock / Rape Rock.

This band is still touring years after the death of El Duce'.
Who the fuck would want to see that I tell you...



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Mentors - You Axed for It!




Now playing: Garuda - Nature of the Beast
via FoxyTunes

BLACK FLAG.

Here's a decent-sounding board tape I got recently from a show I haven't seen around before, and best of all, it is from the strongest Black Flag lineup - that's right - Dez on vocals!

If anyone has any info on this recording/venue/band/songs, etc. feel free to chime in as comments - and my passion for doing this - have been waning as of late.



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Black Flag - 03.22.1981 Club Doobee, East Lansing, MI




Now playing: Black Kronstadt - Power Lies
via FoxyTunes

RED CROSS.

Um, this is before the lawsuit/name change.
Some trashy & raw punk-ass demo cuts from these L.A. legends.
You don't see this around much, so check it out.

Something a bit different from the L-R V for a change...



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Red Cross - Born Innocent Demo Tapes





Now playing: Protestant - Neglect
via FoxyTunes

400 BLOWS.

You always know what to expect when 400 Blows comes around.
Definitely one of the most minimalistic and sincere bands I have been witness to on many an occasion.

I recorded this off the 'webernet a few years ago at the time it aired, plus I made you some sweet-ass cover art too, so double score for you!

Truly a "party band" in every sense of the word...



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400 Blows - 05.18.2004 "Lock Up", BBC Radio




Now playing: Raw Radar War - Rupture
via FoxyTunes

BLACK FLAG.

The instrumental hell-record from the 'Flag from back in 1985 that has been a mainstay of many a late night for me since its release.

You either love it or hate it.
I kind of dig the fact that Hank only sings 2 or 3 lines on the whole thing and yeah, the band did weed out a lot of "fans" with this - as well as do the "(smoke) weed out" thing, ha ha!



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Black Flag - The Process of Weeding Out

*Sorry for the lack of updates recently.
Cranked out a powerful week of work & then did a solo hellride to Tahoe to chill with a good friend, drink too many beers, and work on my bike.
Oh yeah - got a root canal yesterday, and have been feeling like shit since then due to the antibiotics and pain killers.
Gonna try to get back on track with the blog (and reality), so please, bear with me.*




Now playing: Bl'ast! - The Future

CROM.

Thrashy, sludged-out stoner metal complete with a million "Conan the Barbarian" audio clips interspersed between twisting-of-the-radio-dial and coke snort samples.

A fun record that works best with headphones on as it is full of nuances left and right - this just came out, so don't be a ballbag -buy it!



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Crom - Hot Sumerian Nights




Now playing: Gorgoroth - Possessed (by Satan)

CIRCLE JERKS.

Rad reader Haizman_Brain sent me the cover scan for the Aspirin Feast - Police Beat record last night - AND - he also sent a fresh rip-from-vinyl of the Circle Jerks classic 'Wild in the Streets" LP - from the original mix.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, then read on...

From Wikipedia - In 1981, the group signed with IRS Records subsidiary Faulty Products and recorded their second release, Wild in the Streets, the title track of which is a cover version of a Garland Jeffries tune. Faulty Products ceased operations several months after the release of the album, forcing Circle Jerks to find their third record deal in as many years. While they regained the copyright to Wild In The Streets, the original stereo master tape was lost, forcing the band to do a remix from the multi-track tapes when they reissued the album, along with Group Sex, on CD in 1988.

D/L Circle Jerks - Wild In The Streets (original mix) right here.




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Now playing: Roky Erickson - Creature With The Atom Brain

STRIFE.

No big explanation or history lesson this time around, here's the second record from L.A.'s controversial hardcore / sXe legends, Strife. Heavy-meets-hard on this in a way that most current hardcore bands can't seem to get a grip on.

Word has it that they are playing a few shows again in the near future, and I am pretty sure this is one old-school reunion that WON'T suck...

D/L Strife - In This Defiance right here.




***If anyone downloaded Converge - Live at The Collective 2005 from me, could you PLEASE send me a .zip file of that show as I don't have it any more and I can't seem to track it down anywhere. I'd appreciate it!***