Crass Dismissed: January 1998
Archived
A new column focusing on the best (worst?) of all those really dangerous genres of music your mommy warned you about.
Spazz / Lack Of Interest
Double Whammy Split EP
CD (or 7″)
Two of California’s most intense bands team up for a totally raging split! If you get the 7″ version you will be treated to six blazing tracks from each band. Spazz burst from the speakers with their nut-numbing hardcore angst that may be some of the heaviest music ever created. L.O.I. are more of a straight in your face and shove it down your throat thrash, hardcore band. They always just play it simple and rip you apart in the process. The CD version features over 20 minutes of live material from Spazz and 7 minutes from L.O.I. I was actually at one of the shows the L.O.I. material is cultivated from. Cool, eh? Anyway, if you get the disc, this is actually more like a full length release, and you certainly can’t sneeze at all that amazing live stuff. Both bands are amazing live and are actually more intense in a live setting, if you can imagine it.
Brutal Truth / Rupture
Split 7” (Picture disc)
I knew I would love this before I even heard it. Basically, I love everything that Brutal Truth does. And I like most things that Rupture does. And a 7″ picture disc is just a cool collectible for a geek like me. The B.T. side has one studio track called “Vision” and two tracks recorded live in Tokyo, one of which features a guest vocalist to be Kevin‘s foil. B.T. are, quite frankly, the ultimate grind band. The one by which all others are measured. On the flip is Australia’s most un-P.C. hypercore band. Not the most consistent band on the planet, they none-the-less are mind numbing when they are on, and baby, they are on. Six blasts of total hatred put to music. These boys have made being offensive an artform. They can piss off practically everyone with little or no effort. Hardcore for first amendment proponent
3D House of Beef
s/t CD
Oooooooh yeah! Absolutely warped sound. This is molten, pulsing, quivering, undulating sludgecore. Pure musical excess, pure sickness. I absolutely love it when a band can take an established sound and infuse it with their own personalities and interpretations thus rendering it completely unique. From the opening crush of “Heard You Were Dead” to the timely examination of the reintroduction of “Thalidomide” to the horrid stench of “White Hog Slaughter” you get a band completely submerged in noise, heaviness and distortion. Looking for the most warped, demented and punishing song of the year? Look no further than the seventeen and a half minute opus “Society of Old Crows.” This song is merciless, bouncing back and forth between sludgecore and total noise. The CD booklet art is a bit brutal for my tastes, but I am the first to admit that the gruesome artwork is an accurate reflection of the deranged, musical output. This album is destined to be a classic.
Spazz
Tastin’ Spoon
5″ (Picture Disc Vinyl)
I was finally able to spoon up this tasty little morsel. Three cheers for independent distros who have quick mail orders and aren’t afraid to deal with cash! Anyway, this is one of the coolest collector geek records ever and even better than that is the fact that it is from the almighty Spazz! On only five inches of vinyl, Spazz crammed in nine songs and a tenth cut of Timojhen‘s answering machine message (He runs Vacuum Records distro). It never fails to stun me how much more intense Spazz is becoming. You would think that they would have peaked in their intensity by now, but NOOOOOOOOO …. They keep turning up the heat! This record was written and recorded in an hour, but it nonetheless captures the band at their raging best. As the band continue to incorporate metal into their insanity, they just keep getting heavier and heavier, while getting more complex, and still getting even faster! You just gotta love ‘em boys and girls! No, I mean that… You gotta… ‘Cause I know where you live… Besides, who could pass on a 5” picture disc? This is just too cool.
Hellnation
At War With Emo
5″ (swirled yellow /black vinyl)
Hellnation is one of the most recognized names in thrash core. Their longevity and impressive recorded output has elevated them to the top of their genre. It is great to see them team up with Slap-A-Ham! Especially considering this dinky disc is by far the best release from the band ever! All their trademark speed and frenzy is intact but they really flesh it all out with a rawer, heavier sound that gives Hellnation an edge that they heretofore lacked. Hellnation takes the hardcore hotrod and floors the sucker, running over everything and everyone in their path! —Jeb Branin
Read more from the SLUG archives:
Foo Fighters
The Kurt Bestor Interview
Enjoying the archives? Consider joining our community of donors!
