(Note: Here's the next one!!! I just hope that Blogger finally does again like I want it to be done by it, and how I command it to do. The problem is that Blogger swallows the pages with the direct precursor posts, from the third over the fourth to the fifth and with this also so the final chapters being already posted up here by me for you, and this sucks. After forcing me to cutting this primarly planned single post into pieces and make it with this a sort of five posts in total including little posting series and with its ongoing denial of saving the already written stuff in a proper way, this is the next Blogger bullshit being forced on me and my posting routine by it. Damn it!!! It sucks!!! So, okay, anyhow, after this there's just post no. # one of this unplanned posting series left and I will give it to you which means that I will finally post as soon as possible, so that finally in the maybe already very soon future new proper "real thru'n'thru" 2013 stuff can and will come up here, finally. This part deals with music and such stuff and is a very important part to and for me and it gives you also finally far more than just the well known top ten list. Check it out, especially but not only when musi(c)k is reason no. # one for you to check out this very blog here from time to time.).jpg)
Part II - 2012 from a whatever ''subcultural'' standpoint: The musick 'n all the stuff
Musicwise 2012 was in my opinion a very strong and interesting year. Also stronger than 2011, even I think that 2011 wasn't also anything but a bad year in music, even a lot of people see this maybe pretty different than I do see it. Anyway, perceptions and opinions do naturally differ, and this is always a good thing, otherwise life would become surely pretty boring pretty soon. And so I decided that I can't avoid to give you not just the known top ten of albums of this year but instead of this my personal top ten plus two, not a top twelve, but a top ten plus two, ten plus two absolutely top albums of 2012. But before we go ahead with this some words in general to how good, strong and interesting 2012 was, at least in my opinion, if we talk about music. And I'm not talking about the new music(k) of 2012, but also about music in general, because after all the crap that reached its peak in 2011 in 2012 my lust for life, for a active real life came back heavily, like written above, and with this also my deep passion and love for the music that gave me so much and still gives me exactly this, which means nearly everything. And so I also rediscovered a lot again and the pleasure at it as well in 2012. Looking back at the then new music(k) of the year of 2012 then I have to say that due to my financial situation I surely missed out on some good albums (as well as bad albums, of course, but for that I don't care so much after all, hehe...) but the basically only four ones that I really still need to have and hopefully as soon as possible will be finally able to make them finally my own are the new ones of the almighty giants of American Oi! Oi! Oi! music PATRIOT (damn it, they are really back!!!), the last year album by the mighty DISCHARGER (only solely "WE'RE COMING TO YOUR TOWN" rules and destroys everything already), the comeback album by the almighty STORMWATCH (yeahrrrr) as well as the 2012 full length album by WISDOM IN CHAINS. After I currently don't have that much money to spend, and after this won't change too soon, also like above written, I think this won't change, that I miss a few to a few more albums especially at first when they are released but I will try to add this ones as soon as possible to my collection and then also via a review on them adding them also up here on the blog. Anyway, several fantastic stuff, albums and bands, demos and new albums by old masters, newcomers and legends enriched 2012 in a musical way and from a musical standpoint to look at it, and so we now will spend them some more detailed attention and more room up here, step after step.
The Best of 2012: Top 10 plus 2 of the year
Let us start with the top ten or in this case the top ten plus two list of 2012. And like usual, more frequent and more regular readers know the deal, after I've done reviews of all the here mentioned and listed and, if you want so, honoured albums already before I will just give you a short few words appreciation and mentioning of the albums here. Okay, any questions left open? Not? Right! That's how I thought it to be. So here we go...:
Rank No. # 01:
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "WRECKING BALL"
"Sony Music" / CD
2012 was in every way and in every sense the year of "THE BOSS" himself, the year of no one else than the almighty BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN himself on my personal hitlist, not only - but surely first and foremost - due to his fantastic 2012 "WRECKING BALL" titled release, but also because several of his larger than life classics had been on heavy rotation as well this very year. But back to 2012: Released one hell of a outstanding new album, that is soon to be another one of his larger than life classics, a album that is lyrically and musically one of the best albums in as well as for years and that ran and still runs daily rounds on my stereo. So, no one else than "THE BOSS" with his "WRECKING BALL" deserves to be the clear and unrivaled nomber one of 2012, period. The best of the best, they still call him "THE BOSS" for more than just a few very good reasons. Here's the newest proof. Amazing!!! (For more deeper informations read the original article/review, the link you find a little bit above.)
Rank No. # 02:
MANOWAR - "THE LORD OF STEEL"
"Magic Circle Entertainment" / CD
I would never ever had believed to experience this only one more time again, but it's a good proof that things with that you never ever had reckoned anymore can still surely happen, and so the old Heavy Metal legends of MANOWAR really released an incredible outstanding and groundshaking new album titled "THE LORD OF STEEL" in 2012, musically and lyrically one of their very best works and surely lightyears ahead of all the bullshit farce that they'd done the last decade before this very one here. It's a very special and skilled and gifted album, heavy, dark and pretty brutal. One of my daily meals. I love it!!! (For more informations read the original review up here, the link you find above.)
Rank No. # 03:
THE HARRINGTON SAINTS - "PRIDE & TRADITION"
"Pirates Press Records" & "Contra Records" / CD
The first Oi! album in this year's list and of course an American Oi! or U.S. Oi! release, I mean, it couldn't be any other else, point and fact. This band stil is one of the new breed of American Oi! bands and one of the very best outta there with a very decent and self-contained sound, holding leftwing unionist positions as their own dear to the heart, and are anyway also some sort of a pretty controversial band these days, at least so it really seems to me, why ever... However, don't care for it, controversity or not, what counts is the quality of their amazing music and their lyrics, and in both they set up themselves far above most if not all of the rest of the global Oi! scenery these days. And also they managed to develop quite a bit, compared with their already damn great full length debut two years ago that was back then also already placed up in my yearly top ten list then but just at position eight (read here: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2011/01/that-was-year-of-2010-and-here-comes.html), and so they jumped the letter up five positions and this not because the competition was weaker than back then, hell not. Fanstastic album of a fantastic band, awesome!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! (For deeper informations click the above link and read there the original review that I've done of it the last year.)
Rank No. # 04:
STOMPER 98 - "...BIS HIERHER!"
"Sunny Bastards" / CD
Next up, Oi! Oi! Oi! from Germoney. Okay, more or less from here... and a little bit from the United States of America as well, because don't let us forget about no one else than Phil Templar of, righty right, the almighty TEMPLARS from the NYC that plays the drums in STOMPER 98 now for some years already. This is, in short, one of the very best German Oi! albums in many years and will continue to be exactly this also for many years. They simply have what it takes and a special note that gives them a unique character of their very own that positions them far ahead of most of the rest. Great, great shit, that I can only highly recommend to anyone outta there. Oi! rules okay!!! (For more detailed informations click the link above to read the original complete review I've done of it.)
Rank No. # 05:
V.A. /// NOi!SE & RAZORS IN THE NIGHT & THE BROADSIDERS & SYDNEY DUCKS - "A BETTER TOMORROW - THE NEXT GENERATION OF U.S. Oi!"
"Longshot Music" & "Contra Records" / 7''
Here's one hell of a mighty 7'' that was released already very early in 2012 and right from this early phase of the year on it was clear to me that this would and will be a release that will be to find definitely in my top ten list of 2012, and here it is. American Oi! or U.S. Oi!, the new generation of it, at its damn fucking very, very best, all played by still pretty young bands (at least with all the reunited old timers of the scene), and by bands that all have a very strong and great unique character of their very own and play on a damn high level of quality. Check them out, leaded by the phenomenal THE BROADSIDERS (Souther Rock'n'Oi! Oi! Oi!), the great and a lot promising NOi!SE (finest Streetpunk fueled Oi!) and RAZORS IN THE NIGHT (new breed of U.S. American Oi! Core music), and by the fantastic (and at least for me:) newcomers of the SYDNEY DUCKS (Modpunkrock'n'Oi!), four bands from we which all will hopefully hear a lot more. The best of the best. Oi! Oi! Oi! (If you are interested in more detailed informations on this one check the original review of it by clicking on the link above.)
Rank No. # 06:
WOLFBRIGADE - "DAMNED"
"Southern Lord Records" / CD
One of the greatest albums of 2012- okay, obvious, if not I wouldn't list it here- and one of the best Crust albums in years and for sure also for years, and this also in days like our current ones in which Crustcore is very strong and present back on the map, and not only on my personal one. And this outstanding album also marked my first contact again with the almighty WOLFBRIGADE (former WOLFPACK) and their fascinating and grapping very unique style and sound somewhere between brutal and desparate Crustcore/D-Beat and sinister and aggressive Sverige Death Metal, with the main focus still remaining on the Crust side of things. This is a gloomy sinister outshining diamond of really extreme and especially brutal and first and foremost damn intense musick, highly recommended by me, and one of the very best albums of the year of 2012. (For detailed informations read with attention through the original review I've done on it some months ago, click the link above and you will find it up here.
Rank No. # 07:
BIOHAZARD - "REBORN IN DEFIANCE"
"Nuclear Blast Records" / CD
Yes, they are damn fucking back, the gods of the NYC, the godfathers of the big apple. Brooklyn, in your face, mothaf***a!!! Personally it was a suprise that they are really back, totally haven't them got on my radar anymore. But as suprised as I was, as pleased and enthusiastic I was as well. And how they are finally back made me even more enthusiastic and pleased me every far more. A great comeback (let us call it so) by BIOHAZARD. Finest Hardcore from the New York City in that unique typical BIOHAZARD way with also a lot of fresh ideas in it. Recommended, highly, more than great stuff!!! (For more detailed informations read the original article via clicking on the link above.)
Rank No. # 08:
PRO-PAIN - "STRAIGHT TO THE DOME"
"Raw Head Inc." & "Sunny Bastards" /CD
And here the next Hardcore silverbacks from the NYC with their new 2012 album up in my top ten (plus two) list of 2012, and no one else than the legendary PRO-PAIN are up now. After some years and two albums that weren't of the dwelt and known typical high PRO-PAIN quality and moved by far too much in a strange and too uniform type of nu schoolish thrashy Metal music stuff they are finally back as strong as they had it been before. They are back, harder, meaner, more pissed off, more aggressive, and more brutal than before. You think up to dates self proclaimed tough guy Hardcore bands would be heavy? Forget it! Check the new PRO-PAIN album promptly. (Read for more detailed informations the original review on it, for this just click the link above.)
Rank No. # 09:
STRONG ISLAND BOOTBOYS - "PITBULL BREED"
"Under Watchful Eyes" / 7''
Like 2011's release of old and before never released songs of the mighty FRONTLINE SOLDIERS also 2012 saw the release of a long forgotten old and never before released material by a short lived but anyhow a underground cult status relishing American Oi! or U.S. Oi! band from the NYC, the STRONG ISLAND BOOTBOYS and their old demo "PITBULL BREED", released as a 7'' in 2012 by the to me beside this anyhow unknown label "UNDER WATCHFUL EYES". And it's a damn great thing that this little gem finally got released. Battle scarred, militant, gladiatorial, and patriotic-unbowed, hard, heavy, brutal, and aggressive roaring American/U.S. Oi! the East Coast Style in the NYC spirit that was born and bred by almighty legends like OXBLOOD and FIRST STRIKE, with a some sort of roaring old school NYC HC flavor in the vein of WARZONE and old and early YDL in it, all done very angry, pissed off, fresh, authentic and sympathic, and also done with a nice own characteristic spicy SIB flavor to it. Sounds good? It is good! More than that! Get it, highly recommended to all the Oi! Skinhead and Oi! inspired/influenced Hardcore Bootboys. But don't ask me, if there are still any copies of it floating somewhere around, and don't ask me how much and where the hell they may do so. Oi! Oi! Oi! (Read the original review on it by me by clicking on the link above, if you are interested in a more detailed view on this great little gem.)
Rank No. # 10
ONESTA - "THE AMERICAN DREAM"
"Core Tex" & "Mad Mob" / CD
Paris Hardcore by a gang of no prisoners taking and no compromises making HC roughnecks from the suburbs of the metropolis of hedonism, culture, and luxury, if you can believe the myth that encloses the city of Paris, hm, but I think the desolate and cold brutal picture that ONESTA draw is by far more near at how the reality really is procured for "us" ''normal'' folks over there. This is a great band with a great album that is highly recommended to you, the reader, especially if you like the good old NYHC and look for new stuff of that kind with a fresh own approach to it. Even more if you can also rely to some Rap/Hip Hop influences and by this kind of music inspired bass and rhythm work. Damn great album!!! (Read the original review, if you are interested in some more detailed informations on it, just click the link above to do so.)
Rank No. # 10 plus 1
RUNNING WILD - "SHADOWMAKER"
"SPV" & "Steamhammer" / CD
Here's the first of the both "Plus 2" albums that desperately needed to be listed here anyhow anyway, not as a somehow nomber eleven or then nomber twelve, but as a simply ''plus rate'' necessary addition to the usual Top Ten list of the year, in this case of the year 2012. And so here it is, and the rank is hold by no one else than the german Heavy Metal legends RUNNING WILD with their 2012 comeback album titled "SHADOWMAKER". A heavily discussed album, but- from my point of view- first and foremost a damn great album that prooves that it would be fucking good and cool shit if RUNNING WILD would come back as a proper full time band that releases regulary new albums again. Check it out, if you still didn't have so, and don't let yourself be too influenced by all the shittalkers outta there. (For a more detailed review on it click the link above and read it there.)
Rank No. # 11 plus 2
I AM REVENGE - "PIT JUSTICE"
"Swell Creek" / CD
The next of the both "Plus 2" or of the "Top 10 plus 2" albums of 2012, great Hardcore moshing down from the german city of Hamburg. Finest Beatdown Hardcore with a strong own very sinister approach that sets them apart from the by far too uniform rest of the up to date modern Beatdown Hardcore scenery around these days. A really great and outstanding album, that I can here and now again only highly recommend to all you roughnecked Hardcore silverbacks outta there reading this very blog. (For more detailed informations about this album read the original review article post on it that I've done some months ago the last year.)
That had been my "Top 10 plus 2" of the year of 2012. A pretty diverse list, I think so, but that's anyhow anyway not that important, at least not for me. From my point of view this personal list of me shows pretty good that 2012 was a very strong year and hopefully 2013 will be at least as good as 2012 was. Beside this here named albums that are to be found in this very list there had been of course even by far more great albums by great bands been released, by far more than I could name here. So open your eyes and ears for more outta there, read through the reviews on records of 2012 up here on this blog and on all the other blogs outta there, check other sites, zines, and mailorder lists to see and read and get an idea of what releases of 2012 you maybe could have missed out on so far. But wait, was this all what there is to tell about what was going on in the case named ''music'' in 2012? No, there's more, there's still more to say to and about it. Also especially the Underground of the D.I.Y. world brought a bunch of great new young strong and a lot promising new bands up to the light of the day, so let us have a look on some of them that I really need to mention here. So here we go one more time again...
Out of the Underground: "D.I.Y. or die!" - The new breed unleashed
Okay, so here and now we will have a closer look at some of the most mentionable Underground D.I.Y. bands outta there, at least in my book, that really impressed me heavily in 2012. I can and so I will just choose a few couple of bands and, of course, this very list is also just a through and through subjective list, because it's "my" list respectively a list done just by me. So, okay, that's it, enough of the introducing small talk, here are some bands that you should really have an eye and an ear on and this are bands that are from my point of view more than ready to take the next step and we will see what 2013 will bring for them. Band for band, one after another.
*** SUFFER THE PAIN - Blackened crusty Death Metal from the country of Sverige ***
The first band I want to give some room here is a band that I discovered by the beginning of 2012 and that totally tond blew me away right from the first listen I took to their songs. I am talking about the great SUFFER THE PAIN from Sweden. I discovered them with their first demo tape "THE DEATH" at the beginning of 2012, pretty much around the time when "THE DEATH" was released. I've done back then, of course, a review on it and if you are interested in it then follow this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/02/suffer-pain-death-swedish-diy-crustcore.html link and you will find what you are looking for. Some months later I did the first interview since more than a year or something like this and it was a interview that I cheerfully done with the sympathic and great guys of SUFFER THE PAIN. If you haven't read it so far check it out via clicking at this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/04/suffer-pain-blackened-metallic.html link and enjoy it. Then they released their second demo, titled "THE LAST MASSACRE", and you can read the original review on it by me under this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/11/suffer-pain-last-massacre-sverige-death.html link and you should know more about this great band. Beside the mentioned interview and reviews I've done also some or several more posts about SUFFER THE PAIN in 2012, mostly of or with a pure information character, you can all find them packed together under the label of *** SUFFER THE PAIN ***, just click here to find them all packed together http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/search/label/Suffer%20The%20Pain and with them all the informations to or about SUFFER THE PAIN that one can up here on this very blog you are currently reading at the moment. To the bands own homepage you come via this http://sufferthepain.blogspot.se/ link and on Facebook you can find them as well, so if you are registered at Facebook go there and search for them..jpg)
Like the headline says it, SUFFER THE PAIN are a band that plays a mixture out of brutal and straight ahead Crustcore and melodic yet damn aggressive Death Metal the Sverige Style in the Old School tradition of this very style. They started as a two man band and grew on over the year of 2012 to a proper (I think so) four piece band that started to play live gigs and they are working currently on a proper new own 7'' that shall be released in 2013 via "PHOBIA RECORDS", while the two demos came as pro tapes via the band's very own "KRIG TEJPS" label. Also there's a split 7'' with BOMBS OF HADES still in the pipeline and should soon be released in 2013 as well. (Or did I missed it and it is already released?) Btw, both were limited to just # 100 hand numbered copies and should both be pretty sure sold out already and if you should have missed them but are interested in them then have a look at their Soundcloud site (https://soundcloud.com/#suffer-the-pain-666) and/or at their Bandcamp site (http://sufferthepain.bandcamp.com/) where you can find both demos waiting for you as a free MP3 Download, uploaded by the band itself. Like I've already written, also in the headline to this section of this post, SUFFER THE PAIN play a mixture out of brutal and devastating Crustcore, desolate as well as spontaneous punky, and melodic yet very aggressive old schoolish Sverige style Death Metal with some healthy Black Metal marks in it, all done damn great and really stand alone which means that they already (keep in mind the young age of existence as a band) do it not only very strong and damn great but also already with a very own unique character. While "THE DEATH" was more Crustcore than Death Metal, "THE LAST MASSACRE" was more Death Metal than Crustcore, as well as also pretty much advanced in songwriting and skills. I wouldn't wonder if they move on in this direction, and as long as they do it that damn fucking good like they did it so far I wouldn't know what I could say against it. A band that fans of WOLFBRIGADE/WOLFPACK and TRAGEDY as well as of DISMEMBER and AT THE GATES should satisfy equally, without loosing any portion of authenticity. A stand alone great band that I can only again and again highly recommend, period. And also a very big THANKS to the band again, for sending me their both tapes, THANKS guys!!!.jpg)
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Ah, and as a, if you want so, as a little extra bonus they also released, even this is already a 2013 release but okay, just to make this here complete, a live recording of their gig at Bankiren. This recording features nine songs that one should know from their almighty two demo tapes "THE DEATH" and "THE LAST MASSACRE" as well as some new great tracks, and this all in a raw but damn strong live recording sound. And this recording really catches up the spirit of the musick of SUFFER THE PAIN and for all what I can say it also catches up the feeling of la ive gig of SUFFER THE PAIN, or, to say it so, at least I promise you that it will leave you hungry for more SUFFER THE PAIN and also to see them one day finally live up on stage, tearing it down into the ground. The live recording of the gig is up on the (slightly newly designed) Bandcamp site of SUFFER THE PAIN to listen to for free up there online. No download possibility, just that you know about it, but you can listen to it up there for free as often as you want to. Don't ask me if a proper physical release of this recording will come some day, but anyhow, check this recording out and enjoy it. Death/Black Metal fans as well as Crustcore/D-Beat fans, this is for you!!! A outstanding damn great band!!! Ah, my failure/fault because I nearly would have forgot this: If you want to listen to it, then check out this very http://sufferthepain.bandcamp.com/album/live-bankiren link and enjoy it there; and now with this last words it's complete. (Note: I will review the live recording in the future for sure.).jpg)
This was SUFFER THE PAIN, if you don't know them by now, then make sure to change this and check them out as soon as you can and best pretty promptly. Now to the next band, and a little bit around the globe, from Sverige to Brazil.
*** SHADE OF MANKIND - Grinding crusty metalic musical Apocalypse from Brazil ***
The next band is a very interesting band, musically, lyrically and also by looking at this band from the standpoint of art, and I am talking about SHADE OF MANKIND. Like in the case of SUFFER THE PAIN also SHADE OF MANKIND was or better is a band that I discovered very early in 2012. I listened to their "FALLOUT" titled first release and was totally blewed away by this brutal hammering and aggressive apocalyptic roaring grinding Crustcore tsunami from Brazil. Soon I did a review on their release which came solely as a MP3 Download and the review you can find via clicking on this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/02/shade-of-mankind-fallout-diy-crust-core.html link. Then I came in contact with Roderick, the brain behind SHADE OF MANKIND, back then mostly his complete solo or single project, I think the contact came via Facebook to happen, and soon it was clear to me, that I needed to do a interview with him, because this must be a interesting trip by any means, and so I did the interview, and a very long and detailed one, of course, and the interview really turned out to be a very interesting and grapping interview. You can read it here via clicking on this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/04/shade-of-mankind-brazilian-crustcore.html link. Later on SHADE OF MANKIND grew on to a real proper band and released a very cool and damn good tribute album, also solely as a MP3 Download release, that features cover tunes from INTEGRITY to IMPALED NAZARENE original songs. Of course I've done a review of it, and you can find it under this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/09/shade-of-mankind-songs-thou-shall.html address on this very blog here. Currently SHADE OF MANKIND are working on their first proper album (that should be released via a label if I understood it correct), working title "VVE ARE THE PLAGUE". As a foretaste SHADE OF MANKIND released the "FONOGRAMS OF TERROR AND VIOLENCE" online EP in the late autumn of 2012, like the two precursor releases also solely as a MP3 digital release but in contrast to the two precusor albums not as a download but just as online-to-listen-to-EP. The review on it, that I've done recently, you can find here via clicking on this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2013/02/shade-of-mankind-fonograms-of-terror.html link. And if you are on Facebook, then go and look out for them, because there you can find them as well.
It's damn fascinating to follow the development of SHADE OF MANKIND. From a chaotic apocalyptic musical outblast somewhere between Crustcore, Grindcore, Death Metal, Black Metal, Holy Terror Hardcore, and some Noize Core they grew on to a, stand today, somehow somewhat avantgarde like Death Metal fueled Grindcore band on a damn high level already, enriched with good healthy doses of Sludge Core, Hardcore, here and there some Crust and here and there some Black Metal ingredients, and apocalyptic they are without a single doubt today more than ever. I will keep eyes and ears open for more of them to come and I'm really looking forward. Fans of really extreme musick simply need to know SHADE OF MANKIND so go and check them out directly, and why not via their Bandcamp site at http://shadeofmankind.bandcamp.com/, I mean, it's a good and easy way, so go there. I think it will continue to be fascinating to follow the future development of SHADE OF MANKIND and so I will be aware for more to come by them..jpg)
Like I've written the first proper album by SHADE OF MANKIND, "titled for now so long "VVE ARE THE PLAGUE", is about to be released in 2013, and then that is it for here and now, all what there is to say at this place about SHADE OF MANKIND. Now the next band is coming in, and this, yes, right now.
*** WORLD WAR IV - Thrashing Old School Hardcore from the Boston, MA/U.S.A. area ***
The next band up is a band formed by sort of anyhow still active veterans that play for example also in bands like the Straight Edge Hardcore silverbacks xNO REMORSEx (I've done a review of their last release of which I know of that you can read here: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/03/no-tolerance-no-remorse-no-tolerance.html), and guys like this formed a new band, the band that's now on the program: WORLD WAR IV. They released a simply "DEMO 2012" titled first sign of life in 2012, and, yes, like the title says, it's a demo release. It was released as a tape as well as a MP3 download that was promoted via several blogs and sites on the web like for example the guys of the "HARDBOILED" webzine used to promote it and put it up, as well as the guys of the "AMERICAN AFTERMATH" did so. WORLD WAR IV made a really impressive statement with their "DEMO 2012" and got a lot of respect and cheer-up's for it, and this with all possible justification, and so they got from me with the review on it that I did some time last year and that you can read here http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/08/world-war-iv-demo-2012-old-school.html. They play a great style and sound of fresh and not retro Old School Hardcore with a nice Thrash Metal influence in it. A band that should be interesting for any fans of GANG GREEN, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER, S.O.D./M.O.D., old PRO-PAIN, D.R.I., as well as for any fans of ANTHRAX, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, TANKARD, and OVERKILL, or, to name a solely current band (for the uneducated young readers who don't know about the old ones), MUNICIPAL WASTE. I like this band truly very, very much and I'm curious what will come in the future more from them. If you don't know them by now but find your taste in music in the list of the by me named bands, then by any means check WORLD WAR IV out. A amazing band!!!
More I can't tell you here and now about WORLD WAR IV, for some more detailed informations read my review on their demo, the link to it you find above, and check the links I have given in this review for more informations in general. Hopefully more of them will come soon. Now to the next band that impressed me heavily in 2012.
*** BITTER THOUGHTS - Chicago Style Hardcore the brutal way ***
Next band up is the Chicago Hardcore outfit named BITTER THOUGHTS. Stumbled more or less accidentially upon this blog, hm, I think because of reading about them on a some other blog or site, maybe it had been a article on "AMERICAN AFTERMATH" or so I think. A very brutal sound they play that should please fans of FURY OF FIVE, BIOHAZARD, MADBALL, as well as TERROR. They play on a high level of skills in any necessary way and sense and with a nice own identity to it. They released so far, for all what I know, two demos that are up online for free downloading and of both I've done reviews last year, their first demo is from 2011 and titled "TAKERS - DEMO 2011" and I've reviewed it up here under http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/08/bitter-thoughts-takers-demo-2011.html, and their second self titled album, which already shown a good development from good to a fucking great band, was released in 2012 and you can find my review on it up here via clicking on this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/08/bitter-thoughts-bitter-thoughts-chicago.html link. One of the best young strong going Underground D.I.Y. Hardcore bands for which it's really about time to take the next step, so any good labels come on, show some guts and sign them, give them a good fair record deal. Great shit!!!
Hopefully more of BITTER THOUGHTS will come as soon as anyhow anyway possible. I will try to have an open eye and also an open ear on them, so when I notice something new then you will find it pretty sure promptly up here. Now to the next band.
*** CRUTCHES - Sverige Crustcore/D-Beat Tsunami from Malmö ***
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Up next are CRUTCHES, a great Crustcore/D-Beat band roaring out from the swedish city of Malmö, and a band that heavily convinced me right from the start when I listened for the first time to their first 2012 release "DEMO 2012", which was for all what I know also their first release ever. A truly damn good release that was released on Tape as well as via an offcial free MP3-Download up on the Bandcamp site of CRUTCHES. I've done a review on it months ago and you can go there by clicking on this very http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/04/crutches-demo-2012-crustcore-from-malmo.html link here and now, or later, after you've read here on. Any fans of bands like SKIT SYSTEM and DISFEAR as well as MOTÖRHEAD will be pleased pretty to very much by what CRUTCHES did and still do. They then also released their second release in 2012 as well as, titled "D-BEAT TSUNAMI" and this on 7'' vinyl as well as again as a official "name your price!" MP3-Download on the Bandcamp site of the band (http://crutches666.bandcamp.com/), and they became and got even better and developed quite a big bit, this little gem really lived up to the fullfillment of its title. (Don't know why I missed out on reviewing it so far, think I need to change this some day in the future or so.) If you are by any means a Crustcore and/or D-Beat fan of today than get your hands on it. CRUTCHES are also a very or strong political band with strong Anarchist and some other roots like this, just that you know about the political background of this band and not that you say you wouldn't had been warned by me, haha. Also the band became very active in 2012 and started to tour their ass off across Europe as well, and that's always a good move and a good thing. We should all keep an open eye and even more open ears on CRUTCHES, otherwise we could miss a lot. Should be very interesting for Crustcore and D-Beat fans, of course, but also at least a little bit open minded Metal fans that like their Metal brutal, aggressive, raw and harsh should really enjoy CRUTCHES.
This brings us on to the next band out of the D.I.Y. Underground sector that you shouldn't have missed out on in 2012, so here we go, who'll be next... let us have a good look on it.
*** HARBRINGER - Hardcore from West Palm Beach, Florida/U.S.A. ***
Next band up that really impressed me heavily this year had been the Hardcore outfit HARBRINGER from West Palm Beach in Florida, U.S.A. and their vicious Hardcore assaults. I came to known to this band in 2012 some time after they released their "OPINION NATION" titled 2012 three track demo, and also I came via this way in contact with their "SLUMGULLIAN" six songs demo that they released in 2010. They play a heavy and brutal, consequent self-contained Hardcore somewhere between WARZONE, MADBALL, SHEER TERROR, xSTRIFEx, NORTH SIDE KINGS, and BARCODE, also fans of Holy Terror Hardcore like IN COLD BLOOD and REBORN TO CONQUER should be pleased by HARBRINGER, especially by their 2012 demo "OPINION NATION". On their "SLUMGULLIAN" demo from 2010 a slightly Skinhead Hardcore background was to be noticed, at least from my point of view. They play it also, like already written, self-contained and offer so really a lot for the hungry Hardcore fans outta there who searchs for more than just the next uniform Beatdown Hardcore band around the corner. I've reviewed their both demos in one post up here in last years late sommer or early autumn, like you want it, with a little introduction of the HARBRINGER as well, if you haven't read it so far, then just check it out here http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/09/harbringer-slumgullian-opinion-nation.html and then get their demos which had been released also as a official free MP3 download by the band itself back then. A great band and I really hope to see and especially hear more from them as soon as anyhow anyway possible.
Okay, more isn't here and now to say about or to HARBRINGER, let us come to the next D.I.Y. Underground band that impressed me heavily and stayed or sticked in my head in 2012. Which is it? Let us see...
*** INSTINTO - Crustcore Apocalypse from Spain ***
Okay, not at all a D.I.Y. band anymore, their newest album they released also on 12'' vinyl via "SLOBODAN RECORDS", but also as a free official totally D.I.Y. proper MP3 Download for free and that's how I came known to them and that's why I list them here, even it's maybe not that 100% correct, but okay, take it like it is. They totally blewed me away, in my personal view their self titled album follows the awesome WOLFBRIGADE 2012 release "DAMNED" as the second best Crustcore release of 2012 and it is one hell of an outstanding release. They blend brutal Crustcore with harsh D-Beat and totally rampage going infernal Death Metal, and they do it very strong and good and also nicely self-contained. A brilliant album that I can only highly recommend to you, if you have this kind of musick on your favorite list, and if you want some more details then read my review on the album here http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/08/instinto-instinto-apocalyptic-crustcore.html and follow the path the there listed links show you. Fucking mighty band.
Okay, one more band I will name you, then I think I will cut it, not because there wouldn't be any other bands, no, hell not, the complete opposite, but because then I could go on and on and on and on forever. But okay, one last band is still up to come, so let us see who's up waiting in the pipeline.
*** MIND PLAGUE - Holy Terror Hardcore from Germany ***
Last band out of the D.I.Y. Underground that I want to present here is a german band, and this band is named MIND PLAGUE. Stumbled upon this band, I think so, due to a review of their current or better of their 2012 release titled "ANXIETY" and they released it also as a free MP3 Download on their Bandcamp site, as well as a CD version released the D.I.Y. way by the band itself, and the MP3 Download came (or still comes, don't know if it's still up there) with the complete (!!!) artwork of the CD what is a very cool thing, and that's also to say about the artwork. Every fan of Holy Terror Hardcore who searchs for a band who gives this style a very fresh breath really needs to know this band and maybe start here at this blog with my review on their "ANXIETY" album via clicking on this http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2012/08/mind-plague-anxiety-holy-terror-fueled.html link and then after reading it use the there given links to continue your search for the MIND PLAGUE, a search that will be worth every single minute of it.
That's it for here and now, not that there wouldn't be not still enough great bands out of the D.I.Y. Underground that I could mention (again) up here at this place now, but then this would never finish and could and would go on forever. Check the record reviews on this blog or on fellow sites and blogs to get ideas what else you could have missed out on so far. Okay, next stuff.
Top 10 of classic albums that brightened up 2012 for me
In 2012 it weren't of course only new releases and/or new bands that definitely and truly pleased my gusto and brightened up my way through 2012. Albums that gave me a lot, albums that used to bring me on through the past year. I've thought about doing so and doing this right from the beginning of 2012 when I was about doing the year review on 2011 which took a little bit longer, like you already all may know. So this year I was about doing this finally and so I do now, a list of top ten classics that really brightened up the days and weeks of 2012 for me. Of personal classics of me, myself and I, of course, so keep in mind, that this is again a through and through subjective list. Ah, and it's pretty surely for a lot of folks not that politically correct in some parts, but who cares, at least (again) not me. And I also don't care that it will probably for another big bunch of folks outta there too diverse in the range of music, but, hey, it's my taste in music and I love music and to listen to a lot of it and of different styles and various forms. So if you have problems with it, with being not kept true to any scene and the music of it you've didicated your whole being down here to then that's not my problem and not my fault. And, btw, classics mean that this are classics for me, so it doesn't matter for me and here and now what others think about it and it alo don't matters how old the records are, if five years, ten years, fifteen years, twenty years, what ever. I made a bunch of notices over the whole year to deliver here a proper list, and yes, I know, making notices about how often, how frequently and about in which situations and about the songs that cheered me up the most is at least a little bit nerdy, but okay, what shall I say, hm, better I just stand for this portion of nerdyness ;-) ... So here we go, here comes my top ten classics list of 2012, but don't wonder, I will keep this pretty short (or at least I will try to do so), even you won't find of any of the records here any reviews up here by me, but this is just meant as a extra bonus gimmick and so it will stay pretty short anyhow anyway.
Rank No. # 01
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "BORN IN THE U.S.A."
"Columbia" / "Sony Music"
CD & LP
1984
(U.S.A.)
Yeahr, 2012 was really the year of "THE BOSS" with his new album leading my this year's top ten (plus two) list clearly and unrivaled and with one of his biggest classics, if not his biggest classic at all, leading the classics top ten by me up here as well. I love this record, no matter if the CD version or the LP version I have, the last one is a original pressing from 1984, and no, with just had been three years old in 1984 I must be honest that I didn't buy it back then, but my mother did for her and she gave it to me some years back, THANKS mom!!! I love this album, it's so powerful, full of authentic and sympathic attitude, through and through Working Class, honest and true, critical but no whiny lefty crap bullshit by some Hippie Yuppie idiots dreaming about world peace and global unity. Honest and true Rock'n'Roll with a strong leftist as well as surely progressive patriotic Working Class background and with great lyrics, from critical to personal issue being dealt with it on a very high level, and that the music is incredible high skilled, fantastic diverse and just sheer amazing stuff I just say for the record. And it had been especially "I'M ON FIRE" (goosepimples erotic atmosphere at its best), "I'M GOING DOWN" (amazing Rock'n'Roll with great rhythm and groove and dirty attitude to it), "BORN IN THE U.S.A." (the rolemodel of a undyable classic, and brilliant lyrics), "GLORY DAYS" (pure lust for life) and the two personally for me groundbreakers "DANCING IN THE DARK" (the lyrics deliver strongly how I felt in certain parts in my life before I finally took the spark and enlightened the fire again in 2012, and the phenomenal music is just incredible and damn emotional, heartfelt), and "NO SURRENDER" (musicwise a very punky song where you can get that THE CLASH were everything but strangers to BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, and the lyrics exactly deliver my view on life straight from the heart, it's amazing). A phenomenal album, unrivaled as ever!!!
Rank No. # 02
DISCIPLINE - "SAINTS & SINNERS"
"I Scream Records"
CD
2002
(Netherlands)
One of the best Oi! bands ever to come, and this since somewhere around the mid to late 1990's. Don't know what was going through the head of Joost de Graaf some years ago... but no, this isn't the topic here. I think with this album DISCIPLINE really became pretty big, and this for very good reasons, all headlined by the infamous larger than life Hooligan anthem "EVERYWHERE WE GO", and also this for good reasons, and all of this damn justified. Also looking on this album from today one must say: "Awesome!!!" Since then not so much more stuff that would had been anyway better was released, and if so only by few bands. This album brings back a lot of very good memories of a amazing time to my mind, and this beside the still outstanding music and the great, strong, powerful, and gladiatorial battle scarred lyrics make a real classic out of this one for me and still today one of the very best albums ever. Love it, and it's damn important to me. Done also a review on it back then for the first print issue of the "MANSLAUGHTER FANZINE BAD HARZBURG" out of which years later this blog was brought to life, funny nostalgic thing, just to be written here by the way as a side-notice.
Rank No. # 03
ACROSS THE HUDSON - "OUR SIDE OF THE STORY"
"Pure Impact Records"
CD
2000
(U.S.A.)
First album because of which some guys will possibly start to overheat their P.C. mood... calm down you fucks and get a real life beside your T.V. screen, could help to cure your most worst pains... Great American Oi!/R.A.C. band with a very unique stand-alone style and sound and a great attitude and a strong and proud message. All very patriotic and anti-communist, conservative and anti-liberal, but no race-stuff, and all done a very high level of lyrical work, just damn great. Musicwise very self-contained, somewhere between American Oi!, rocking and rolling R.A.C. and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN written, arranged, and played by, if I am now not going totally wrong, former members of the legendary and controversial because patriotic New Jersey Hardcore band TEARS OF FRUSTRATION. Love this album now for more than a decade ago and its lost none of its importance to me, and even if some are now shocked and some would have never believed it, but with a lot of their lyrics they speak me straight out of the heart. They are telling their side of the story, and it sounds pretty equal to our or at least my part of the story...
Rank No. # 04
BULLDOG SPIRIT - "BULLDOG SPIRIT"
"Brutus Records" (a.k.a. "The Mafia of Oi!")
CD & LP
2003
(Australia)
A powerful swing of a crowbar straight in your face lashing out directly from the continent down under, BULLDOG SPIRIT, finest Australian Oi! Core at its very best that still today blews the very most of the rest, no matter from where on earth, easily from the battlefield in the blink of an eye. Keeping in mind that this band sings against worthless Junky scum, for capital punishment as the only justified treatment of child molesters and dares to do a cover of the lifechanging classic "DROP THE BOMB" by the almighty STARS & STRIPES and that this all would give them best chances to be diffamed as neo fascists over here in Germany where they easily would be labelled as being greyzone, and this shows how fucked up living in Germany in a subcultural sense is this days. I don't need to tell you about how ridiculous this is. And I can't tell you enough how much Germany with all its worthless coward scumbags sucks...!!! Beside this, one or two words more, about stuff being more important. This is one of the albums that I own as CD as well as LP and this is a album that I really love heavily, a perfect mixture out of brickwall Oi! the american as well as the english kind and of Old School Hardcore, especially the stuff to be located somewhere in New York as well as the stuff to be located somewhere in Boston, with a clear Skinhead background to it all. Mercyless, no prisoners taking, dirty and raw, rough and tough, heavy, brutal, aggressive, and forceful, yet catchy, melodic, and anthemic as fuck. For Hardcore silverbacks as well as Oi! roughnecks highly recommended. They released some years ago a follow up release, I think it was "AIN'T NO ANGEL" titled, but I still don't have it, simply because I couldn't find it anywhere over here, and today unfortunately BULLDOG SPIRIT seem to be not active or even not existing anymore. This sucks!!! Also brings this album great memories of great times back to my head, and primarly I've done a review on it in the second print issue of my "MANSLAUGHTER FANZINE BAD HARZBURG" out of which then many years later this very blog was created by me, just as a nostalgic trivia fact.
Rank No. # 05
BRUTAL ATTACK - "BATTLE ANTHEM"
"Svea Musik"
CD
1996
(England)
And now in some to many heads it will go like "Nazi! Nazi! Nazi!" but who cares, at least I really don't care. BRUTAL ATTACK had always been a favorite band of mine, their utter garbage NS/WP world view is bullshit for/to me as well as their Blood & Honour alliances, but that's nothing of my concern. Always BRUTAL ATTACK had been a mighty and great band and so they are still today and I like them even more and think that they are even better than their bigger brothers in SKREWDRIVER. SKREWDRIVER, anyhow a mighty band despite their bullshit political agenda. Anyhow, this is maybe not the most prominent album in the history of BRUTAL ATTACK, but it's pretty much one of my absolute favorites of them and also personally for me their most important album, not at least because it was back then pretty much exactly this very one here with which I started listening to them. Great rocking music here with a nice varying of pace and rhythms, aggressive and unbroken strong, unbowed attitude, lyrics that surely strengthen you up heavily, especially the larger than life "THE QUEST", and delivered in a first class way. If you like good old british WP/NS R.A.C. music than trust me and grab a copy of this one, you won't regret it. Fantastic album!!! (There had been two versions of this album, I have the one of "SVEA MUSIK" from Sweden, but also the german label "PRÜHSES LISTE" released a version of it, but don't ask me about any differences, which or what ever, because I have no idea about it.)
Rank No. # 06
GRAVE DIGGER - "MASTERPIECES"
"Gun Records"
CD
2002
(Germany)
Old School Teutonic Heavy Metal legends with a best of album from 2002 on their old label "GUN RECORDS" that is to be bought for a low price today and features a bunch of their classics from their albums from "HEAVY METAL BREAKDOWN" to "EXCALIBUR", and especially "HEAVY METAL BREAKDOWN", "SYMPHONY OF DEATH" (first and foremost this one, of course) and "HEART OF DARKNESS" are of groundbreaking importance for me. A very unique and characteristic style and sound, a great band, and a best of album that is for sure still too short but is more than justififed and highly recommended to everyone (still) fascinated by good old powerful Heavy Metal (from Germany), and a band that knows to brighten up my days for now two decades or something so like this. "HEAVY METAL BREAKDOWN", baby!!!
Rank No. # 07
THUNDERHEAD - "CLASSIC KILLERS LIVE!"
"Gun Records"
CD
1994
(Germany)
A classic and somehow pretty much forgotten band from Germany with, I think so, partially also roots in the United States of America. A band that was back then not the smallest one around and their "KILLING WITH STYLE" album is by any means truly a great classic, and so is this live albums of/by them. Somewhere between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, Old School and rough and tough as fuck, somewhere between MOTÖRHEAD and SKID ROW with some ARMORED SAINT to it all, maybe... Also delivering a pretty nice variety of different types of songs, from straight forward Heavy Metal headbangers over bluesy Hard Rock hymns to powerful emotional ballads they knew and gave it all to us. I really love this live album by the band and songs like "YOUNG & USELESS" (especially this one, hehe), "YOU DON'T KEEP ME SATISFIED", "HOUSE OF SWALLOW", "WHIPS & CHAINS", "MOVIN' ON", "OVERLOAD", "THE DARKER SIDE OF YESTERDAY", "TAKE IT TO THE HIGHWAY", and "FACE TO LACE" had been personal hymns of me for a long time, haha, oh yeahr, baby!!! Good old hard rockin' Heavy Metal or maybe heavy metallic Har Rock (who cares) that still today comes off as fresh, strong, and powerful as back then. Still cheers me up every time I take a listen to it, and this for good and justified reasons, because it's simply amazing and great, period.
Rank No. # 08
PANTERA - "VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER"
"ATCO Records" / "Atlantic Recording Corporation"
CD
1992
(U.S.A.)
No need to say much to or about it, the band, the album, should be known (and loved) by anyone who's around for a while now and loves to listen to heavy music since the 1990's now already, and also no need to say what this band in general and what this album in particular once meant and still means to me. By any means not only a but THE classic, point and fact!!! Back then latest with this album PANTERA created something really new and totally something of their very own. And still today it's so fresh and strong and beats the rest and everyone who dares to steps up, who dares to say he would be a rival, everyone who dares to announce he would be the one to carry on their legacy, simply everyone and everything, period. Never stopped listen to PANTERA by now, and I think I never will, the best of the best, still the real deal, the greatest of the greatest!!! And, after it lost nothing of its tragic character up to this present day: R.I.P. Dimebag!!!
Rank No. # 09
STUCK MOJO - "RISING"
"Century Media"
CD
1998
(U.S.A.)
Like PANTERA a for me totally important and outstanding great band, even not exactly on the same level as PANTERA but, face it, there only stand solely PANTERA and noone and nothing else. But personally for me STUCK MOJO aren't coming that far behind them. Back then the "RISING" album marked a huge step forward for STUCK MOJO, even "SNAPPIN' NECKS" and "PIGWALK" had been and still are fucking awesome, especially the lifechanging "PIGWALK" masterpiece, but "RISING" was in every context heavily advanced, adding, for example, Southern Rock and Country marks to the bastard STUCK MOJO style and sound out of Hardcore, Metal, Rap/Hip Hop, and outspoken, militant, battle-scarred, by any means not politically correct lyrics, as well as becoming more diverse and even more skilled than before as well. Phenomenal album!!! And that they got support by the WCW back then with this one makes it even more amazing as well as it's making it fucking cult in every positive sense of it. Still today STUCK MOJO are on heavy rotation with their classics, and in 2012 it was especially their "RISING" album here that lifted me up and helped me heavily over the pain when lifting up heavy weights in the gym. Still fucking awesome!!!
Rank No. # 10
WHITE ZOMBIE - "ASTRO CREEP 2000: SONGS OF LOVE, DESTRUCTION AND OTHER SYNTHETIC DELUSIONS OF THE ELECTRIC HEAD"
"Geffen Records Inc."
CD
1995
(U.S.A.)
Forget about ROB ZOMBIE and all his kiddy pleasing trendy Horror Goth pseudo-Industrial stuff of today, forget about it all at least for a while now, because here is where the greatness is to be found, in the almighty WHITE ZOMBIE and their second album "ASTRO CREEP 2000: ..." released in 1995 on a major label, with righteous justification, back then when the music business was still pretty fucking big, a sick yet totally entertaining fantastic masterpiece of an album, as distorting as well as joyful as ever. Industrial Metal/Rock full of twisted ideas and sick arrangements, yet damn catchy and hymnal, and so don't wonder that "SUPERCHARGER HEAVEN" was back then really chosen as the soundtrack of a commercial for Wrangler Jeans (or something like this). Truly something very special and a grapping, interesting, and still today fascinating complete package from the artwork, the music, the design, the lyrics, to whole the art and approach. Unique, charismatic, independent, skilled, thoughtful, heartfelt, honest, and still fucking awesome. It was this year finally again on heavy rotation on/in my stereo and I discovered finally again how great it was, is, and will remain to be. This is real, forget about the happy go lucky kiddy bullshit of today, this here is was and is the real deal, point and fact, and period.
So, now not much left of ''the musick 'n stuff'' of 2012 is to tell, just in short something to my personal best concert experiences in 2012 and then this chapter will now be pretty much done and will be about to be closed. (Yes, don't think that I wouldn't try to go to concerts that interest me as often as I somehow can, and most I don't just try to do so but do so. Don't get a wrong impression just because I haven't done a ''Gig Report(s)'' up here for a long, long while now. Just can't find the motivation to do one, that's it.)
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| Trust me, it's true what they say, it's only 30% workout and 70% nutrition, so don't forget your mealplan :D !!! |
My Top 5 concerts in 2012
I will definitely keep this short and ''notice-like'', to do this was more sort of a spontaneous decision and I'vd done no preparation of it before, and so I can't name the precise dates of all the concerts, so you have to stick with the informations I can and will give you here and now.
Rank No. # 01
DROPKICK MURPHYS
(+ ''special guest'' = the BOUNCING SOULS)
27. of January 2012, Hanover, "AWD-Hall"
It was a fantastic concert, made the ticket as one of the christmas gifts for Jane in 2011 and sort of a month later we jumped in my car and hitted the road to Hanover, and I can remember how cold it was, a damn cold Winter night by any means. And even the BOUNCING SOLUS really and truly had been a incredible let-down, then the DROKICK MURPHYS enetered the stage and they conquered and ruled supreme. A great diverse set, a fantastic enthusiastic and nicely mixed through audience, enthusiastic mood everywhere in the hall, great live sound quality, brilliant stage performance, and just a great fun time. Before we then drove back we ate some delicious vegan snacks and then onward we went back home with a big bunch of great memories in our heads. Fantastic, simply a fantastic concert and a fantastic evening and night!!! Can't wait for the next time: "Let's go Murphy's!!!"
Rank No. # 02
THE SKATOONS
(+ PLATZVERWEIS and another one band more)
March 2012, Goslar, "B6"
A great concert, for sure, a great band up on stage, SKA and SKA-Punk from out of the speakers and in the ears, very good people all around, and a wild dancing and skanking euphoric and enthusiastic crowd, all of this made out of this one hell of a night, just great. Also the sympathic PLATZVERWEIS, a really good Punk/Oi! band from my home area, played a great set this night. Also another band used to hit the stage, but don't ask me more, just remember that it was pretty much bullshit garbage so no more words about it. Anyhow, a really great concert night. And a concert night that once again made me think a little bit about why SKA still electrifies me like hell when it's played live at a concert, and why it now for many years absolutely don't happens anymore at home in my stereo for years, hm, I don't know it...
Rank No. # 03
LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR
(+ three other bands)
June 2012, Salzgitter, "Forellenstube"
I think this concert took place some day in the June of 2012, and we saw basically three good bands beside the great LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR, but unfortunately I have no clou about the other names of the other bands, sorry, I lost the flyer and haven't heard of the bands before, as well as I am, honestly, too lazy to search for possible informations online at Google. Anyhow, it was a great concert with a hell of a lot cool people attendend it, and Jane an I had with a bunch of good guys really a lot of fun and enjoyed this concert very much, also musicwise, and there especially the damn great LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR took us by storm. Really a very strong concert evening.
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Rank No. # 04
PLATZVERWEIS
(+ the LAZY BASTARDS, and IN FORM)
September 2012, Goslar, "B6"
This was the I think 9. anniversary jubilee concert of the local Punkrockers PLATZVERWEIS, and I think they also used it as the release gig for their then newest album. Anyhow, we saw a great gig by the PLATZVERWEIS guys, some nice but too stupid chavvy stage performance by the guys of IN FORM (this is Oi!/Punk, not a stupid Aprés Ski affair, you redundant dickheads), and an amazing gig by the LAZY BASTARDS, and the concert really was just a great party. I would have expected some more guys in the audience and in general a bigger audience, but that's the old problem if you don't play Metal here in Goslar...
Rank No. # 05
ILLDISPOSED
(+ SOULLINE, McGALLIGOG, EXCREMENT, NOSPHERATU)
11. of May 2012, Goslar, "B6"
...and this leads us to the ranked no. # fifth concert of 2012, the last years concert of ILLDISPOSED. Metal, especially Death Metal, of course, had been the order of the day this evening. And it was incredible crowded this night. Jane and I went there and met as we thought a lot of good guys and friends. We missed out on the first local support, EXCREMENT, think this wasn't really anyhow a missed out on affair at all. Hm, even I think it's a band of former pupils of me, but I don't know for sure. But what I know for sure, of course, I also don't care that much for it at all, haha. We came there when NOSPHERATU already played their show, and as usual we could have easily also missed out on them. McGALLIGO, I think, were next, interesting band, but couldn't name a good fitting description of their style and sound. But it's heavier Metal for sure. Of SOULLINE I have no memories, anyway, ILLDSIPOSED had been the reason to go there and they totally conquered supreme, great gig as usual by them, thumbs up guys. Even I think they emanated a even more intense and heavy antisocial Hooligan or maybe better Rowdy/Bully Boozer spirit than ever before, hehe. This was really a great concert, especially (if not solely) due to the performance of the mighty ILLDISPOSED, even Jane couldn't really rely to it all, hehe, and a lot of good guys that we met this evening, cool night. Great modern Death Metal from Denmark, check them out when they are somewhere near you.
Okay, so much to my personal top five concerts of 2012, now just some words to some ''subcultural trends'' that had been sluiced by what was going on in the year of 2012.
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| So true, better trust in what ''THE ROCK'' is saying, too many forget this easy lesson... |
Okay, now onwards directly to the mentioned positive and negative things that came to my attention in or maybe better during the last year known as 2012, so, okay, yes, so here we go.
Positive and negative trends in 2012 (at least some...)
So, now some words on some sort of trends that popped up or continued to refuse to go finally down again in 2012, some maybe already known, some may had been new 2012 childs, what-ever, now just some words on some of them, good and bad stuff. But just some short words here and there about around three or so in general positive and negative aspects of a what-so-ever subcultural life in 2012 somewhere between Hardcore, Oi!, Punkrock, and Metal and all the stuff in-between as well as beyond.
First of to the good things or positive trends that I got aware of in 2012. Even this is maybe a little bit hard, after I am really fed up with this whole scene or subculture posse stuff, and this also already for a long while now, but this is some sort of topic when the negative things or trends are on the screen, so now some words to the positive stuff. First of I think it is a nice move that a lot and also more and more of labels start to add some digital download code to their by them released vinyl albums what is, so I think really great shit, you have the gems on vinyl at home but can put them easily on your MP3-Player (I guess to use a thing like this is today already somehow Old School again, right, in a world of iPhones, smart phones, and all this technical jingle jangle stuff) or on a CD or just on your hard-disk, so that you can listen to it all the time at all the places you want to do so, and it at also means that your vinyl gems stay fit and healthy, no matter how often you listen to them, so that you can enjoy them for really a long, long, a damn long while and this is, at least in my book, really a great thing. The same is to say when labels and/or bands put the CD version of their albums as a addition to their LP releases, that's something that I cheer up to even by far more. Another very positive trend or how-ever you may like to call it is from my point of view without a doubt the tendency that many especially D.I.Y. Underground bands release their stuff on their Bandcamp sites or where-ever else to make sure, that as much as anyhow possible interested listeners can get their hands on it, even just in a digital form or version, but who and why should anyone bitch around because ofit. I think this is more than just good, period. And I can't understand anyone, who bitches around because of the opportunities and possibilities that the so called new medias offer especially for young D.I.Y. bands around. Even more I can't understand self-proclaimed underground elitists preaching such bullshit. I mean, did you really think that in the 1980's it was all better for the bands with spreading a bunch of tapes in their local scene and sending them overseas to a handfull of die hard fans and hoping the best that somehow due to what-ever and who-ever the word about them would be spreading out around the globe...?!? Do you really think so, I mean, come on... At least I really don't think so, point and fact. Also something that came up as a positive thing in my eyes clearly and without a doubt is a very strong diverse Newcomer D.I.Y. Underground from Crustcore to Metal and Grindcore, from Hardcore and Oi! to Punkrock and Streetpunk, and this with bands that came from like you may can say it all across and all around the globe. A short and surely uncomplete and also of course subjective list I already gave you above, so check the there mentioned and listened bands out, but make sure that this will just be the starting point for you, because there are much more bands outta there that popped up in 2012 that you surely should damn fucking know about it.
Okay, and now after something like around three positive aspects of or in 2012 we come to something like around three negative aspects of exactly that same year of 2012. And like in all things in life it's logical that positive and negative aspects, that light and shadow, day and night go hand in hand. First thing is like an ongoing story, hm, or maybe better to name as the never-ending story. From the right to the left, and from the left to the right everyone and especially everyone with a computer with an internet access and too much free time to spend and too many things and people he/she hates and dislikes is trying everything to bring "his"/"her" let us say ''chosen'' subculture under the hegemony of "his"/"her" political agenda and ideological Weltanschauung and what specific and particular political role in the context of this specific political agenda the talked about music, scene and subculture must act, etc. pp., and this no matter if you take Oi!, Hardcore, Punk, Metal, Rock & Roll, Psychobilly, Vikingrock or even more or less mainstream music like for example German Rock a.k.a. Deutsch Rock, and this is now going on for years and maybe also goes on for decades now already. Radical to extreme Right Wingers hide behind terms like Patriotism, heritage, and cultural identity, while preaching their old brown-shirted lies and dumb-ass propaganda to the old and new crowd. On the other side AFA activists and other nutjobs started and won't stop witchhunting everyone who is not exactly on the same page as them and their agenda and they start virtual online shitstorms non stopp and label everyone and anything they dislike or just don't understand as neo fascists, open or hidden, and their terrible and horrible stupid "Nazis! Nazis! Everywhere only Nazis anymore! Nazis!" screams yell everywhere back from cold empty hard walls with their lies and brainwashing diffamation being heard by too many oh so righteous folks outta there. This scum, on both sides of the political as well as subcultural spectrum makes me just damn sick and is a reason why I decided to cut a lot of my former subcultural alliances and just do totally my very own thing. Hate this scum, don't care about the very biggest parts of the what-so-ever scene anymore, just love the bands and the music, I think that's the best to do today and in general in days like this. Neo-Nazi bastards spread their terrible bullshit lies and horrible crappy propaganda (same old fascist and nationalist stuff as ever) and this all (badly) masked and (poorly) disguised as Patriots and such stuff (as if a Nazi fag would have ever been a Patriot, especially in a constitutional democracy) and all what they do and say is excused as being just politically incorrect and that this all would be just "telling it like it is" while it's all just open neo radical to extreme right wing stuff'n'shit, what a stupid bullshit farce, while brave and tough and righteous leftist AFA activists defame and ran their mouths with talking shit and spreading a huge bunch of lies in every direction that they don't like and place their blame on anyone and everyone who don't fit into their world view and act and behave and think like the Nazis and Fascists that they proclaim to fight where-ever and when-ever they only can, and that they act like über-clever totally arrogant assholes who know and solely know what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad, what's left and what's right, what's just and what's unjust and that they and again solely they know about truth and what's true isn't making anything better. This bastards really need a reality check, soon and prompt. And this whole new politically correct versus politically incorrect crap isn't making this old left versus right affair anyhow anyway better, easy and cheap justififcation(s) for the one side to spread their neo-fascist agenda and propaganda with a new old ''flavor'' to it, and easy and cheap justification(s) for the other side as well to do their witch-hunting on everyone who's not on the same page as them and is so a declared enemy of or for them and also of all of what's good, just, and fair and this all under the banner of purest and most good rectitude. Like I've said, all this nutjobs, no matter if left or right, really need a prompt reality check. And maybe they need to get a real life, so that they have to deal with real issues and problems in life and not just with this childish virtual crap. Better remember that there are only two kinds of Fascists outta there, the Fascists and the Anti-Fascist!!! (And this are already by far more tha n enough, personally I wouldn't the one nor the other, period.) And now that's pretty much all what I wanted to say about negative aspects of this ''subcultural-political'' kind in a somehow subcultural sense of 2012 here and now, now some other also negative points of 2012 that I want to mention here as well. And this is clearly the big blog die out in or over the first half of the year of 2012 with all the FBI Piracy Warning crap and this whole Megaupload posse. In the aftermath of this happenings many blogs simply disappeared, of course, mostly ''pure'' download blogs. But also beside this happenings many good bands saw their ends, like the almighty "AVERSIONLINE" blog or also the mighty "THANKS, IT CAME AS A SET" blog, and also the "AM I MEAN?" blog nearly ended its activities in 2012 and didn't really come back untill now. And the same is sadly to say about the almighty "COSMIC HEARSE" blog. Sad. Also mighty blogs like "COREGASM", "BRING HONOUR OR WALK AWAY", "BRAINWRECKED HARDCORE", and the likes of "I LIKED YOU BETTER DEAD" and "MADE IN MOSCOW" seemed to have pretty much called it a day finally sometime back in 2012. Sad. But this blog die-out also was to be noticed in the world of at least greman Oi!/Streetpunk/Hardcore fanzines with many fanzines disappered over the year, with the death of the almighty "Oi! THE PRINT" fanzine somewhere between the summer of 2011 (when the final issue came out) and the year of 2012, and that's really sad, and also so it seems that the mighty "DER ZWERGPIRAT" fanzine called it a day as well latest some time in 2012. Sad. Guys, what's going on with you?!? After already years ago the "VOICE OF THE STREETS" fanzine quitted its service basically all my favorite fnzines are now-a-days history. This sucks. And also a once very active fanzine like the "WORKING CLASS SKINS" fanzine remained in silence now already for a long while, and the "UNION JACK" fanzine then finally called it a day as well in 2012, and I think pretty much the same is to say about the "TEDDY NO-HEAD" fanzine. Not that much left. Hopefully this will change again in 2013, and maybe in 2013 we will see some comebacks happening, in the world of blogs as well as in the world of zines. For now that should be all about negative anyhow subcultural aspects of 2012. And with this said now finally onwards to the next chapter of this retrospection or review on 2012 up here on this very blog.
Now we come to some prominent subcultural scene news stuff that happened in 2012 and here comes now the presentation of the ''scene nutjob of the year of 2012'' up here on your very blog, your dear "MANSLAUGHTER THUG LIFE" named blog.
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| Lou ''Big Lou'' Ferrigno knows the deal!!! |
Scene Nutjob of the year of 2012
An the winner of this award is no one else than Harley Flanagan, former legendary CRO-MAGS founder and bass player in this Hardcore legends from the New York City. He ran knife stabbing and groin biting last summer at the 6. of July of 2012 in the backstage area of the "Webster Hall" in NYC and attacked some current band members of the CRO-MAGS. When he was arrested after or during this happenings he was stabbed in the leg and was putted down by the security at "Webster Hall". He was libeled since he was kicked out of the band over a decade ago in 2000 and after he was never invited to join the CRO-MAGS again he felt even more unjust treated. And so he went in his private little war. Damn it, man, Harley, get a life and get your life back on track again. Stop to get your only justification for existence out of old glory days and stop to act like a spoiled child that is pissed off because it's not invited to the party and that also can't think about the consequences of its actions, and better do something new, something productive. If I haven't missed out on anything pretty important his last musical sign of life was in 2003 his semi-good "CRO-MAG" titled album with HARLEY'S WAR. And maybe think about some drastic changes in your life, because looking at it from the outside it looks very desperate and ridiculous, like you do it by yourself these days with actions like this. Harley well deserved to get this award, surely. Now that's all what I had to say about 2012 from out of a subcultural perspective, or at least that's nearly all...
...because before we go on to the last chapter of this review on 2012 one last music and scene related stuff, and it's a bitter thing or affair or posse, but something that truly needed or needs to be mentioned here, at least I feel so, even it's some total fucked up mess, but anyhow, and so I'll do mention it now.
Scene-related scumbag(s) of the year 2012
Okay, here it is, the scumbag of the year 2012, from a anyhow let us say scene-related standpoint. This award goes out to the paedophile scumbag named Erick "Buddha" Medina, the former singer of BLOOD FOR BLOOD. Assaulted or better ''sexual assaulted'' (hope that's the correct saying/writing) a 13 years old girl and got arrested for it. Trying to cool it down with saying he just wanted to kiss her while he pushed her against the wall. This fat ugly disgusting perverted bastard, worthless scumbag that he is, shouldn't had been arrested but should had been given a justified mercyless boot party to let him eat the cold concrete of the streets as his last supper. Scumbag!!! Got kicked out of the band promptly after the band had been informed about what happened. How far you waste of DNA would have gone on in destroying a young life, you disgusting asshole?!? Hope you get what you deserve!!! (Here you can read a statement of the band http://gluehc.com/blood-for-blood-kick-out-frontman-erick-buddha-medina/ according to what happened and about the consequences they drew out of it for good reasons.).jpg)
Another damn bastard and scumbag like this is also to be meant here and now before he gets forgotten, I am talking about Klaus Michael Hicker, the former singer or better the singer when they were active as a band of the german ultra-left cult Hardcore Punk band of the name of VORKRIEGSJUGEND, or in short VKJ. A great band with some good and justified and some totally platitudinous and simply stark raving bonkers ultra-left anarchist humanistic and anti-patriotic lyrics that played a very hard and tough, great Hardcore Punk without any flirtings, musicwise, with or to Hippie Anarcho Punk bullshit like CRASS and that was a huge inspiration for countless bands, just to name the famous RAWSIDE as one example here and now. I would bet you know them, at least the tribute cover 7'' the already named RAWSIDE did (many) years ago. (If they now would still do this one...) Their singer was arrested at the very early beginnings of 2013 in Thailand, I think at the seventh of January 2013 or so, for molesting, raping and violating children, with two fifteen years old boys being with him. In the neighborhood where he used to live his perversion is very well known and it should have been really about time that this scumbag got finally arrested. Hope he gets what he deserves and isn't anymore for all too long breathing precious air from this by any means anyhow overcrowded and overpopulated planet named earth. Currently he shall be out on bail, and I ask myself why such a piece of shit in form of a human being is treated anyway that good like this, as would he deserve it... By the way, also the neighbors should get their punishment for not taking care of him when they knew it already for quite a long while, but, okay, I mean, see, what can you expect in a country where the perverts of the west and the east meet to live out all their degenerated subhuman perverted sexual cravings... (And I know, this is already a happening of 2013, but I felt like it should be named here anyhow anyway as well.) |
| The only just and humanly treatment for scum like this. |
That's it for now with chapter two, now to chapter three, and so what 2012 held otherwise all in store to make it at least from my point of view a good year, beside a personal development and a lot of damn great music. Let us see, here we go!!!
Like usual 2012 was not only a year consisting out of personal and msuical/scene-related/subculture-concentrated stuff, there had been even also far, far more. And this "far, far more stuff" will be in the center of interest and attention in the next chapter, the following Chapter III dealing with ''the best of the rest" of 2012 beside personal and musical stuff. Read the next entry a.k.a. post, then you will know what else was important and mentionable in 2012 from my point of view.
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