TIRADE - ''DEMO 2011'' (D.I.Y. London Hardcore atomizing any resistance + Download Link)

TIRADE - "DEMO 2011"

("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):
Whooaaa, this is some great stuff I've stumbled upon when surfing through Facebook. I don't know if this stuff was ever released on any physical copy way even it would be more than worth it but this here is officially put up for free downloading affair by the band itself and as usual in cases like this I will give you the link to the download at the end of this very review here so calm down and do it then but make sure to do it anyway. So okay, back to the topic: TIRADE are from London and they are playing incredible strong and truly great Hardcore in the tradition of almighty London Hardcore like it was born and bred by the brilliant KNUCKLEDUST but they do it their very own way and know to work influences of New York Hardcore (AGNOSTIC FRONT, MADBALL, SICK OF IT ALL, BIOHAZARD) and Boston Hardcore (SLAPSHOT) into it as well as metallic Hardcore from xEARTH CRISISx and HATEBREED to xTYRANTx and DO OR DIE left it marks and somehow the almighty ST. HOOD also come to my mind, too. And TIRADE not only throw it all into the mix of things but they do it all also their already with this very demo here their very, very own style and way. All done very well-versed and damn multi-layered as fuck, with a lot of emotions and expressions as well as attitude and spirit in it, full of heart and passion, packed up full with massive, heavy, harsh and hard yet damn catchy and also damn diverse guitar work already with a very own tone that marks the music very strong, with really incredible damn hard yet very clean shouted throaty lead vocals and broad and fat and massive gang back up chants, as well as a very bulky and beefy pounding bass and devastating and smashing everything down into the ground drumming, marked by great grapping interesting and diverse multi-layered songwriting and really damn good and strong musicians are here at work anyhow. And like I've already said, they do it their very own way and style already, they already own this special something you can't really describe and instead of this we just name it the ''X-Factor'' here and now. This is some damn great stuff, and even more!!! The lyrics are damn strong stuff as well, the artwork got a great look and the production sound is a true bomb, period. Awesome shit, I need more, and hopefully a good and fair and hard working label will get this guys signed to a fair and proper deal very soon. Pure gold!!! HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! (10 of 10 Points)

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tirade/214433418644758)

(http://www.stereokiller.com/Tirade)

(http://www.mediafire.com/?fdawaf7xv4689ub)

NICKELBACK - "HERE AND NOW" (Heavy Rock on "ROADRUNNER RECORDS" released back then in 2011)

NICKELBACK - "HERE AND NOW"

("Roadrunner Records"; CD):
Chartstorming Megasellers are next up here to freshen it all up, all the angry and noisy Underground Hardcore noise and other stuff up here, haha;-). I always liked this band more or much pretty well and pretty much. So shut up if you now think "WTF?!?", yes, this is corporate rock music and I think it's pretty bizarre if I look back at times when "ROADRUNNER RECORDS" used to release classics of extreme musick like DEICIDE and OBITUARY and other legendary stuff like SEPULTURA and so on and now seeng them releasing ''soft'' Hard or Heavy Rock music the modern way like NICKELBACK but anyway who am I to judge anything or so on. I first listened to NICKELBACK at the end of the 1990's when they've released their back then album "THE STATE" (or something like this) and used to come off pretty big since then together with other bands more or less of this kind like PUDDLE OF MUDD and THREE DOORS DOWN and other bands like this, maybe to name STAIND and the from then on up to now more and more into Rock and Hard Rock tending FOO FIGHTERS as well. NICKELBACK are still around and used to become bigger and bigger since then as well as more and more heavy since then. So today their music is marked by dynamic and forceful, damn heavy and really pretty hard yet melodic and emotional guitars, all done truly well-versed and multi-layered as well for sure, and also marked and dominated by the damn charismatic and full of expressions and emotions being lead vocals, and the rhythm section is backing it all up the beefy way and the massive kind. Damn strong musicians are here anyhow at work and the songwriting is also pretty interesting and grapping the very most of the time. Combine METALLICA to the times of their legendary and still amazing self-titled and so called "BLACK ALBUM" with MEGADETH to their "YOUTHANASIA" period with modern Rock like today's FOO FIGHTERS and other stuff like this and this all done the very stand-alone way of NICKELBACK then you know what you get, from emotional (Power) Ballads to angry and smashing modern Heavy Metal songs we get a lot of different stuff up here. Also very diverse and strong lyrics, a great artwork and a outshining production sound on top of it as well. So if you want some corporate Rock music then make sure that it better is this album and not some other corporate Rock music album stuff, period. (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.nickelback.com/)

THE GHOUL GANG - "DEMO 2012" (D.I.Y. Hardcore from Detroit)

THE GHOUL GANG - "DEMO 2012"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

A young band from Detroit, U.S.A. playing some straight ahead and fast forward ''punky'' as well as ''groovy'' and ''moshy'' Old School Hardcore with plenty doses of speed and some good doses of melodies and rocking attitude as well in it, offering this two track D.I.Y. demo as a free MP3-Download on their bands own Bandcamp site (the link you find at the end of this review). What we get? Two songs in two minutes!!! Fast raging as well as pretty meldoic and strong rockin' guitars, had yet clean shouted charismatic vocals tight and fast rhythm section, all pretty hymnal and fist in the air compatible and to dance pretty fucking hard to it you can also all the time anyhow anyway if you like to. Maybe nothing special but anyway something good. Positive and ahead going hard and fast, yet melodic and rocking'n'grooving ''punky'' Old School Hardcore that will make your fist start to go up high and that will make you sing a long with the band. I would love to get more to listen to from them to find out if my impression that they promise us a lot of potential here is a correct one or not and so hopefully more than just two songs in two minutes will come pretty soon. Until then check them out, period. To the lyrics I can't say that much, an artwork isn't really given here and the production sound is pretty good. That's it, short demo, short review. Nice start anyhow. (7 of 10 points)

(http://theghoulgang.bandcamp.com/)

BERSERKER - "REINKARNATION" (German Metal/Rock from Berlin on "SUNNY BASTARDS RECORDS" to be released in 2012)

BERSERKER - "REINKARNATION"
("Sunny Bastards Records"; CD):

Here's the new album of BERSERKER from Berlin that will be released this spring of 2012 or so and this is a promo copy CD and so I don't have a clou if artwork (okay) and production sound (good, for sure) have any meaning for the proper release but however it may finally be. Today they release their albums via "SUNNY BASTARDS RECORDS" and not via "KB RECORDS" anymore but who cares. I have a old album of BERSERKER titled "KEIN BLICK ZURÜCK" or something like this released three or four albums before this one here (and back then still the D.I.Y. way, I guess) and compared with this album the new one here is a damn heavy and metallic one and the slogan of the band that goes "Stay Brutal!" they seem to want to backen up desperately. Anyway, BERSERKER were one of the uncountable bands that came up off ''big'' after the decline of the BÖHSE ONKELZ now already quite a few years ago trying to participate of and from the legacy of the B.O. and even they played it pretty heavy right and straight from the start they had always been a German Rock band in the tradition of the mid to (very) late B.O. and they are this also today. But this far more heavy and quite a big bit metallic so that they turn more and more from German Rock to a German Metal band or something like this. Metallic and heavy guitars, gruff and grim grunted vocals (that sing us pretty ''brutal staying'' tales of the typical German Rock style and stuff...), pounding bass and marching drums, good technical skills of the musicians without a doubt, songwriting also works more or less good without too much blank holes, and if you throw beside the B.O. also MOTÖRHEAD, SLAYER and some but onl very few very current PRO-PAIN impressions into the mix then you are pretty much there in the camp BERSERKER. What they do they do pretty good without a doubt and they work also pretty hard without a doubt but also it leaves me totally ''cold'' and ''non-grapped'' without a doubt, too. After the quality is okay to better and maybe nearly good it's maybe just and only a case of personal taste... Or they aren't simply that good and necessary anyway at the very end of the day... Who cares... Anyway... German Rock fans (that like also Metal music and especially the mentioned bands) will love and celebrate this album, Metalheads maybe should risk an ear as well because they could find something interesting for them, hm, and suburban village style ''rebel'' kids that want to act hard and tough from time to time trying to be somehow brutal and then also trying to somehow stay this should also give it a try but for me this is nothing or so, I mean that I simply can't find a way into this whole German Rock stuff what also means BERSERKER and so I'm out of it. Maybe they are a good band or they are not after all but it's simply not my cup of tea, point and fact. Average stuff or something like this, nothing more, and then that's it. I'm out of it folks... (5 of 10 points)

(http://www.berserker-berlin.de/)

DEVASTATED - "DEMO 2011" (D.I.Y. Crustcore from Slovenia brought to light in 2011 + Download Link)

DEVASTATED - "DEMO 2011"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Okay, here's another band I've stumbled upon lately due to sites like Bandcamp and stuff comparable to it and after by the end of the last year my interest in and love for Crustcore musick simply used to awake again it won't make you wonder that much that this here is finally some Crust stuff again. It's the current demo release by this long running band from Slovenia that is to get for free via an Download at their Bandcamp site (the link you will find closing this post) and was done and released back then in 2011 all the D.I.Y. way. And today you can also find it online and the damn good "CRUST DEMOS" blogspot site (http://crust-demos.blogspot.com/2012/02/devastated-demo-2011.html) also features it with a I think so by the band authorized download opportunity. And to get the download you should do promptly, not because it's for free, but because DEVASTATED totally rule, period. Hard raging, sharp hitting, (Har-) Core fueled, D-Beat bred and Metal inspired devastating Crustcore on a very high level of skills which means the technical aspects as well as the awesome songwriting and the production niveau, too. Great stuff!!! Somewhere between pretty much DISGUST (someone out there remembers their almighty "A WORLD OF NO BEAUTY" full length album... amazing) and some few EXTREME NOISE TERROR as well as DISCHARGE notes, but all enriched with a huge dose of their totally very own stuff like apocalyptic acoustic guitar intros and just pure great long running guitar solos that are truly just awesome done and no guitar wack off bullshit. Forceful and incredible heavy and harsh and sinister and intense double guitar work, aggressive and brutal harsh shouted vocals, and a rhythm section that's just an pure apocalyptic inferno of savagely raging D-Beat Crustcore violence the über-brutal way, and all nicely pretty unique and characteristic, roamed by a sinister and dark yet aggressive and offending intense atmosphere. It all comes in a great production sound, with great artwork and the lyrics aren't part of the download but you can get them while you are listening to the songs and they are also totally good stuff. Five songs in something nearly around fifteen minutes at all we get here by DEVASTATION, five songs with the titles of "VIEW YOUR MISERY", "UNHUMAN TORTURE", "NOTHING HERE REMAINS", "LONGING FOR LIFE" and "DEAD MAN WALKING". Anyway, don't think twice anymore, better just get it, period. Cheers!!! (9 of 10 points)

(http://devastated.bandcamp.com/album/demo)

"PARADISE COVE" Issue No. # 01

"PARADISE COVE"
(''Street R'n'r Zine'')
Issue No. # 01
(Price: 0,50 Euro)

Okay, here it is the first issue of the more or less new "BANDWORM RECORDS" own house zine named the "PARADISE COVE" after the CEO of this zine is named ''Paradise'' who is a well-known name from Germany in the national as well as the international Oi!, Streetpunk and Punkrock scenery and you maybe know him as a cover drawing artist and stuff like this and so on and on. This zine started as a free garnish on some few pages as a part of the regular "BANDWORM RECORDS" mailorder catalouge and then with the last year 2011 the first real issue as a zine saw the light of the day. It comes in the typical ''culty'' standard format of any zines and in a professional and full-coloured printed layout, written completely in german and in nice tongouing. Hm, after this is more or less the "BANDWORM RECORDS" own zine it should be pretty clear that this is also not at least but maybe even first and foremost some sort of a promotional affair for all the "BANDWORM RECORDS" bands out there and so in good and really nice to read but everything but anyway critical interviews and as well as via other sorts of introductions and so on here we do get stuff with the great PERKELE, the ''reanimated'' VOGELFREI, the pretty sympathic but totally everything but necessary ROTZ & WASSER, the totally retarded German Rock nutjobs of KÄRBHOLZ, the great RAZORBLADE (even their ''german album'' of the last year was and is and pretty much stays utter garbage), the highly overrated comedian ''Oi!'' band BERLINER WEISSE, as well as a very good Oi! in France special (titled "CHAOS EN FRANCE"), a GLEICHLAUFSCHWANKUNG special report, a nice but way too short American Oi! "WAX & VIOLENCE" special report, a Boni/BLUTIGER OSTEN column, some few record reviews, a DJ EMPEROR special record reviews corner, a promotional article for the "REBELLION FESTIVAL" in Blackpool, great Britain titled "THIS IS MY WORLD", some nice introduction words, a big bunch of News and a handful of record reviews, hm, and then that's it. All in all it's all damn pretty nice and anyway after this is some sort of a "BANDWORM RECORDS" promotional affair you all know what you get anyhow here. This is the first issue of this promo zine and anyway and knowing what you get this is a nice read anyhow, the second issue is since a short while also already released and I have it also so that a review of it will also come up here sooner or later and this means also that this zine here you can get today for free and so if you like to then order it and give it a try. Promo stuff? For sure. A good read anyway? Yes anyhow.

(http://www.oi-punk.com/cp/index.php)

HERE I VANISH - "HERE I VANISH" (Metalcore from out of the D.I.Y. dephts of the Harz Mountains in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany)

HERE I VANISH - "HERE I VANISH"
("D.I.Y."; CD):

A month ago or something nearly like this my grilfriend and I drove and went to a so called Hardcore show in the city of Wernigerode in Saxony-Anhalt something like twenty to thirty minutes or so away from where we live. All in all again a great concert and with at least some few good guys around. Even I have to say that I'm fed up of concerts with lousy ''groovy'' (Melodic) Death (Thrash) Metal bands consisting out of short haired and like Hip Hop guys dressed suburban over-privileged Metal guys singing about stupid and senseless and unaimed violence but never had been involved in it and playing cheap and over a thousand times (and pretty often of it better) heard Beatdowns and calling this whole crap Hardcore and not to mention the most of the nutjobs in their jogging pants infront of the stage that also dare to call themselves Hardcore. But okay, anyhow, who cares and now back to the topic that is HERE I VANISH, period. I was really quite a bit heavy excited to finally see and hear them live up on and down from the stage, not at least because I only heard good stuff about them and because Lars of THROAT-CUT also plays in HERE I VANISH the bass and so it was up to the band and they convinced me right from the start and so I bought a T-Shirt as well as this CD of them. Seven songs at all including one intro ("INTRO") and one intermezzo ("RADIOINACTIV") track HERE I VANISH give us here to listen to, also including a truly nearly brilliant cover version of the legendary 1980's Pop music hymn "HIGH AND LOW". They play some damn good Metalcore with a lot of mighty and powerful melodies in it, as well as forceful changes of the structure, pace and mood as well as clever arranged everything but not your ordinary Beatdown moments in it, great, thumbs up!!! All is marked and dominated by multi-layered, rich-on-variations and more than ''just'' well-versed diverse guitar work, no matter if you take the powerful and great varying guitar riffing or the somehow complex yet fucking catchy leads or the shining solos, it all sticks fucking out, as well as also the truly charismatic vocals that cover from screams to grunts over shouts to clean melodic vocal lines a grapping wide distance and all done very smart and damn good, and also the rhythm section knows to totally convince in all aspects and leaving not one single small blank space uncovered and all ''sound-/music-holes'' get filled promptly. The technical skills of the involved musicians are pretty impressive as well as their abilities to write songs are really damn good to truly great shit, grapping and interesting, thumbs up for that. And also they have alreay quite a nice own stamp on the music that they play which is namely Metalcore and even the described ingredients sound now maybe somehow usual they really have what it takes to make it their own and something fresh and alive-lively you might can call the ''X-Factor'' or something so like this. What's missing is maybe the last consequence in writing and playing their songs straight and concrete down to the point and not loosing focuss on the way maybe here and there just a few times, so that it all would leave truly no possible or just thinkable resistance at the gates, if you may now know what I want to say with these words. Then they would get an even better rating up here by me. Anyway, already a damn good if not maybe already a great release that comes with truly good lyrics (not printed but you get them while you listen to the songs), a very nice artwork and all songs coming clothed in a very good production sound. Check this guys out, go to a concert of them, dance hard and mosh harder, wear their shirts and first and foremost buy this CD (already recorded and released back then in 2010 but don't ask me why I just got it now in 2012) and support this still pretty young band that owns a huge potential and promises us a lot, they could really become something pretty ''big'' if they just work on as good and hard as they already do so and if they are also given the fair, honest and proper chance to do so. Thumbs up guys, I hope more by and of you will come soon. Cheers!!! (8,5 of 10 points)

(http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002094064125#!/hereivanish)

(http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002420448051&ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Here-I-Vanish/256154497782681)

CALVIN RUSSELL - "DAWG EAT DAWG" (Texas Rebel Roots Rock)

CALVIN RUSSELL – “DAWG EAT DAWG“
(“XIII BIS Records“/”98L Productions”/”Raweyed World Productions”/”SCPP”; CD):

This record that now gets reviewed up here is the current release of the living legend CALVIN RUSSELL. This album was released back then by the end of 2010 and I bought it with curious joy about it during january 2011 and always wanted to review it since then and now I’m pretty much clueless why the fuck I just get it now managed to do it so after nearly a year. I was this year a damn fucking lazy bastard up here on the blog due to fucked up certain circumstances, I guess. Okay, anyway and anyhow, and now finally back to the topic up here, the review of this very album, “DAWG EAT DAWG” by CALVIN RUSSELL. I first saw this veteran and listened to him and his music for the very first by the beginning of 2007 I guess and this with him live up on stage at the place where good music is always the best and can proof how great it really all is. After this it was clear that CALVIN RUSSELL found a new fan in me and I started to work myself into the musical and lyrical world and work of him with his back then current album and from that on I started moving backwards and it was also damn clear when I saw this album for the first time now nearly already a year ago that I needed to have it and so I went and bought it and what shall I say, there was not a single minute when and where this album disappointed me, nah, instead of this the album here convinced me more and more every time I listened to it. At first, to be honest, I needed some time to get really into it, because this album is ruled by a pretty sinister spirit and a dark, melancholic atmosphere but also a very critical and gladiatorial attitude, yes, and so maybe let us call it a political approach with a somehow cynical worldview lurking through behind it all, but trust me if you just give this album this time you will find a through and through true and real treasure. Now, after all this never ending words for the introduction talking, what we get here musically? One term: Rock & Roll!!! Mix good old Rock and Rock & Roll music with some heavy and huge doses of emtional and intense and pretty much fucked up through (what’s here and now meant totally positive, to set this straight) Blues as well as Country and old yet fresh classical Rhythm’n’Blues and a big dose of ‘’french cultural music’’ (don’t know how to say or describe it somehow better) and you’re pretty much there. The atmosphere is pretty sinister and dark, yet fucking rebellious and gladiatorial and anyhow through and through fucked up pretty to very much. The multi-layered songwriting is amazing and graps you in an iron hold without letting you loose again, and also the technical skills are phenomenal high, more than ''just'' well-versed. The lyrics are brilliant, as well as also the artwork and the production sound totally rules. If you like amazing Rock (& Roll) music don't think twice and damn fucking get this album. Texas Rebel Roots Rock rules totally okay!!! Outhining!!! Cheers!!! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.calvinrussell.net/)
Update: Now just you enjoy if you like to the folowing live clip of the almighty CALVIN RUSSELL playing and performing in a spontaneous arranged jam session with several other talented musicians the immortal JIMI HENDRIX classic "ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" and I could talk right now nuch if not far more about it but I will spare me every word more and just leave you with the comment:" Awesome and amazing!!!" and then now just enjoy it!!! Cheers!!!

CALVIN RUSSELL - "ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER"

IN FLAMES - "SOUNDS OF A PLAYGROUND FADING" (Modern Metal on "CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS" released in 2011)

IN FLAMES - "SOUNDS OF A PLAYGROUND FADING"

("Century Media Records"; CD):
Okay, anyone remembers the review that I've did of their ''for free'' and/or ''give away'' appetizer CD last summer? I've written back then that IN FLAMES would sound today like acts like KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and that it all would be some nice stuff but that you also shouldn't be expecting something all in all too ''special'' or something so like this and that I simply couldn't understand why everyone is making such a noise because of the ''new'' IN FLAMES... Okay, what should I say now, by the end of last year I finally decided to buy their current release anyhow and they turned totally my head around, what a brilliant album they've recoded and done here with this very one, period. It's Modern Metal, ya can't name it any different anyway and why should ya anyhow and fans of acts like KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will like if not love what IN FLAMES celebrate and give us here on this very one. But they do it very much with and in their very own way and style and attitude and aestehtics. Blending their deep rooted Melodic Death Metal the Sverige Way that they've established and then more and more cultivated and developed over the last two decades or so with up to date modern Mealcore and Modern Metal like KILLSWITCH ENGAGE as well as stuff like CALIBAN blend it with almighty stuff like STUCK MOJO (just listen to the groove and rhythm work that IN FLAMES are doing here, keeping on the legacy that the almighty STUCK MOJO  left behind and keeping it alive) and they cultivate it all with their very own identity and their very own unique character as well as a big bunch of suprises. Incredible high technical as well as also songwriting skills of the musicians, it's all and I mean really and truly all done incredible well-versed and multi-layered as or like not much else today out there and it's strongly and highly grapping and interesting and it will grab and keep your attention over the complete distance of the album. The incredible and phenomenal strong and rich on variations multi-layered guitar work is carrying each song to its heights as well as the brilliant done and very varying rhythm work and structure architecture and the outstanding charismatic vocals and don't forget about the atmospheric and ambient suprises and tracks we find here clever worked into the mix. A tight and strong and intense atmosphere is marking the complete album as well. Great diverse and demanding metaphorical lyrics, a truly just outstanding great artwork and a just perfect fat and broad and clean yet very, very heavy production sound we get as well. Anyway, this review is also already long enough now and I think you all reading this here and now should have already understood that this is a must have release that's just pure platinum and total amazing shit that you really should call your very own and so don't think twice and better just get this album if you still don't have it anyhow and especially if you are interested in outstanding strong and diverse and emotional atmospheric music that is really something ''special'' and ''gifted'' and don't give a shit about genre or musical borders. An awesome and amazing pure platinum album and one of the best 2011 releases. Highly recommend this to everyone out there interested in brilliant and ''special'' and ''gifted'' music!!! Cheers!!! (10 of 10 points)

( http://www.inflames.com/)

(http://www.myspace.com/inflames)

REALITY CHECK - "NO LOVE FOR THE UNDERDOGS" (Hardcore from Warsaw, Poland released the D.I.Y. way back then in 2011 + Download Link)

REALITY CHECK - "NO LOVE FOR THE UNDERDOGS"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Straight Edge Skinhead Hardcore (for all what I understood) from the city of Warsaw in Poland by this to me pretty new and also young (from my perception) band playing it the up to date way inbetween TERROR and HOODS and doing it with a pretty own identity and a lot of skills and class, thumbs up. For all what I understood this here is a ''only'' MP3-Download release by the band itself and so the link to download it will follow at the end of this review (download it at their Badcamp site). All in all six tracks in around ten minutes REALITY CHECK give us here, unleashing a firy and furious, harsh and heavy Hardcore inferno marked and driven forward by sharp and cutting, heavy and massive guitar playing, a really brutal and heavy and damn present bass (great!!!), hard stomping and heavy pounding drumming, fat crew back up shouts and pissed off some sort of spoken heavy and dry throaty shouted vocals, in mostly fast but also very ''moshy'' pace and great forceful rhythm structures of the songs, damn good songwriting and really good technical skills of the musicians we do get also ''for free''. They aren't changing the formula or something like this, but give us some good own new ideas as well as a high quality of the standard of the music so why should they change anything at the end of the day. Good battle-scarred and authentic underdog lyrics, a great artwork and a powerful production sound on top of it to make the package complete. If you ask me then you need to have to know them especially if you are into stuff like TERROR and HOODS, they show us a lot of potential here and they are promising us a lot for the future on here and so get it and check them out. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! (8 of 10 points)
(Bandcamp, Download - REALITY CHECK: http://realitycheck13.bandcamp.com/)

(Homepage - Warsaw HC: http://www.warsawhardcore.pl/)

(Facebook - Warsaw HC: http://www.facebook.com/warsaw.hardcore)

THE OPPRESSED - "ANTIFA HOOLIGANS" (S.H.A.R.P. Oi! on "MAD BUTCHER RECORDS" released in 2011)

THE OPPRESSED - "ANTIFA HOOLIGANS"

("Mad Butcher Records"; CD):
Let me start this review with the weak and negative sides of this release: (1.) It's again somehow sad to see how this whole AFA and anti-AFA lowlifechoose your side confrontation bullshit is crawling up when it's about legendary bands that seem to join the close minded ranks of this whole "With us or against us!" attitude crap of one of the two sides and the label, the title, the artwork all here showcases this in total and instead of AFA Oi! why not only name it what it is and this is Oi! or if you like to S.H.A.R.P. Oi! instead of making such a fuzz... maybe it's also just me who can't stand this whole anymore with becoming 31 years young this year and feeling uncomfortable which such stupid stuff, who knows...; (2.) The production sound is utter garbage and that it sounds like a cheap CPU Drumset is used here isn't making anything better here, and it's sad, this album would have deserved it by far so much better anyhow anyway...; (3.) No real new 'true' THE OPPRESSED songs  up here, sadly enough. And that's it!!! Despise this three points this album totally rulez right from the start to the finish of it!!! And this lyrically as well as musically!!! With me you won't discuss the enormous importance of THE OPPRESSED and also of S.H.A.R.P., it was damn important back then to make a stand and taking it back from the lowlife subhuman WP NS scum and to make a stand against Fascism, Racism, Anti-Semitism as well as first and foremost Nationalsocialism is always important. Does this mean to close your mind, to become a not on his own thinking politically correct nutjob, join unquestioned the ranks of idiots like the AFA and to judge people based on the fact if they share your ''wisdom'' or not, etc. pp.?!? NO!!! And did S.H.A.R.P. got violated by idiots back then as well as today? Yes! Of course! But is this changing anything at the end of the day?!? HELL NO!!! So here we do get three new cover versions of the LOS FASTIDIOS and their silly but funny and incredible sing a long friendly evergreen "ANTIFA HOOLIGANS" (I like it far more than the original one), of the THE MAYTALS classic "MONKEY MAN" (awesome) and (yes, yes, yes, you read it right and correct) of the HOT CHOCOLATE 'hymn' (...) "BROTHER LOUIE" (already legendary) and all songs are done in the typical THE OPPRESSED style, pushed forward by a hard stomping and rocking rhythm section (even the drumming here isn't anything hard...), heavy and dustdry guitar work, mighty back ups and this great harsh yet snotty and somehow still young sounding lead vocals. Then a big bunch of new recorded classics from "SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY" to "WORK TOGETHER" comes along the way, and even it might have been not so necessary at all and really new songs would have been far more interesting it still rocks and rules anyway. Old School S.H.A.R.P. Brickwall Oi! from Great Britain, angry and pissed off as fuck, great!!! Clear message carried by the politically left winged lyrics that are great done and about the aesthetics of the artwork as well as the terrible production sound I've already said at the beginning enough. A great release of this legendary band that would have become a even better rating if the three weak points mentioned at the beginning would not have been. Anyway, THE OPPRESSED and their style of Oi! are still about having a laugh AND having a say and that's damn good so and will hopefully never change!!! Great!!! Get it asap!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Oppressed-sharp-attitude/108930239188615)
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Oppressed/112674932078994)
(http://de-de.facebook.com/pages/The-Oppressed/112131575466115)

KRIGBLAST - "DEMO RECORDINGS 2012" (Metal Crust from Austin, Texas/U.S.A. + Download Link)

KRIGBLAST - "DEMO RECORDINGS 2012"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Downlad):

Here's something pretty cool that I found by accident while I was surfing through Facebook and Reverbnation the last days and this four piece band caught my attention because of their great bandname and the damn cool aesthethics and artworks they showcase. The band is hailing out of Austin in Texas, U.S.A: and is giving us forward storming and everything crushing and atomizing modern metallic Crustcore (or maybe better Metal Crust) in the tradition of a legendary and great band like WOLFPACK respectively WOLFBRIGADE which means: Charismatic mean aggressive throaty and 'growly' shouted and screamed grim lead vocals, forceful yet diverse and hard yet melodic as well as bonedry and über-brutal guitar work (mighty and brutal riffs, aggressive yet melancholic leads, clever solos, all well-versed and multi-layered, great), mighty and powerful sawing and shredding bass work and militaristic and hammering stomping and pounding drumming, all delivered in a great way and this non stopp. The technical skills of the musicians are way up high and the varying and grapping and interesting songwriting is pure gold. Also make no mistakes, this here is not a copy of any band, nah, they do it already their very own way. If you like WOLFPACK/WOLFBRIGADE, TRAGEDY and FROM ASHES RISE and mix it up with some MOTÖRHEAD and few DARK THRONE impressions then you know pretty good for the start what you get from them and then start to discover KRIGBLAST by your very own. We should all really keep an eye on KRIGBLAST, this three songs will just be the beginning, hm, and for all what I got they are also meant as an appetizer for a coming proper release or something so like this. Ah, also cool lyrics that underline the somehow depressive and melancholic yet aggresive and anyhow sinister atmosphere of the music perfectly, and the production sound fits supreme. Great stuff, I demand more. (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.reverbnation.com/krigblast)

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Krigblast/168766766565980?sk=info)

RISE AGAINST - "ENDGAME" (Modern American Punkrock on "DGC RECORDS" released in 2011)

RISE AGAINST - "ENDGAME"
("DGC Records"; CD):

One of the next reviews of 2011 releases I finally want to get worked through. RISE AGAINST... a Punkrock band from the U.S.A. that grew very big over the last years or the last decade or something like this. Never followed them really anyhow anyway. I just remember that a friend of mine once gave me their "SIREN SONG FOR THE COUNTER CULTURE" (or something like this) titled album, remembering it I know that I liked pretty well and that I somehow meant they would be to be located somewhere in between the middle of BAD RELIGION and SICK OF IT ALL, but don't nail me on that. Anyhow, don't know why I haven't followed RISE AGAINST since then, don't ask me about it. And also don't ask me why I then now finally decided from out of nowhere to finally buy this very album here by the end of 2011, I just don't know it as well. Anyway, RISE AGAINST are more than just well known I think so these days and even this stuff normally isn't all in all too high on my personal fave list I have to say that this album is really some damn good and also by far better stuff. Yes, it's totally political correct and over "critical" and "political" and "self-righteous left winged" lyric wise, and it's very melodic, über-catchy and damn "poppy" music wise, but it works all totally great togther and out in the end and so I don't care about this whole political correct mainstream attitude of RISE AGAINST and not at least because anyway they have some good lyrics settled together. Fast forward driven and driving modern melodic Punkrock with a slight mark of meldoic Hardcore in it as well as some few Emo/Screamo impressions, marked by the amazing and very charismatic lead vocals, great well-versed and strongly varying guitar work on all fronts (riffing, rhythm, leads, solos), as well as by the truly being damn strong and interesting and grapping and rich on changes and suprises as well as energy and dynamic and pulsating life songwriting and songarchitecture. Great!!! That the back up chants rock like hell and that the rhythm section is doing a brilliant job should be clear to everyone. A lot of political lyrics and stuff like this on top of it, but all done more or less pretty good and interesting and grapping (and to be honest and to say it precise and clear the lyrics are great, period), and then there's also a pretty good artwork and a full and "fat" production sond that totally benefits the music perfectly all on top of it. By far the very best song in the bunch is the almighty "SATELLITE" but also all the other tracks rock and rule like not much else. I think anyone interested in RISE AGAINST and stuff like this does already own this album but anyhow I really highly recommend this to you even stuff like this is normally not your top notch stuff. Really damn great stuff that you have to check out if you ask me, period. And if you ask me again maybe the best Punkrock album released back then in 2011 anyway anyhow despise all the hype and so, this is great and even better, period. Great band that I really should finally start to follow more intense. (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.riseagainst.com/)

Now comes a live video of RISE AGAINST playing their almighty anthem "SATELLITE" live on stage and they totally rock and rule, so just enjoy it and form your own opinion about them.

RISE AGAINST - "SATELLITE"

(Live @ "SUMMERFEST" in 2011)

SHADE OF MANKIND - "FALLOUT" (D.I.Y. Crust Core from Porto Allegre, Brazil - released in 2011 + Download Link)

SHADE OF MANKIND - "FALLOUT"
("D.I.Y."; Demo EP via MP3-Download):

Okay folks, next up is once again some pretty new and surely damn good (if not even more than this) Crust Core and this time the sinister and heavy music is detonating and falling out right from Porto Allegre in Brazil. This is a demo release by this for all what I know young one man band of the name of SHADE OF MANKIND that's the offspring of a guy named Roderick Hellion and don't ask me about any ties to Dwid Hellion of INTEGRITY anyhow. The demo is up for free to download on the ReverbNation site of this band (as usual in cases like this the link will follow at the end of this review) and I stumbled upon them while and when I was surfing through Facebook the last days. Interested in the stuff of SHADE OF MANKIND I managed to get the download done and what I listened to knocked me first out and then took me by storm. Seven songs in someting around 15 minutes or so of a total Crust Core inferno cultivated with some few metallic Hardcore notes, some Grindcore marks and some Death Metal impressions in it as well. Take DOOM and SKIT SYSTEM, throw some INTEGRITY and IN COLD BLOOD into the music, give some good healthy doses of EXTREME NOISE TERROR in good rounds to it, combine it with some few NAPALM DEATH marks and make it round with some old school british Death Metal like BENEDICTION and BOLT THROWER and you are right in camp of SHADE OF MANKIND. Evil and total heavy and destructive noisy and distorted shredding and sawing guitars, sinister and pissed off and mercyless buzzing and pounding bass, fast raging and brutal hammering drums and damn aggressiv and brutal, throaty as well as guttural grunted and shouted pure filth and evil vocals make the music and the atmosphere is damn dark,sinister, depressive and apocalyptic, not much light shines in it it's instead of this dark, sinister and gloomy, as well as it's all damn intense and grapping and heavily and distorted on all levels. The songwriting is tight, well-versed and fucking damn intense, and to play all the instruments really damn good Roderick Hellion knows also anyhow. The lyrics are also damn dark and sinister, heavy and harsh stuff, the raw (but not too raw) production sound is also just pure gold in this very case here and the artwork of this demo got a great look. SHADE OF MANKIND works currently on a new and proper full length album that will hopefully be out very soon and this on the level of high quality like this demo here offers to us, until then make sure to get this album. Thumbs up, want more!!! Great!!! (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.facebook.com/shadeofmankind?sk=info)

(http://www.reverbnation.com/shadeofmankind)

FREI.WILD - "GEGENGIFT - 10 JAHRE EDITION 2001 - 2011" (German Rock released on "ROOKIES & KINGS" in 2011, and here's the edition to celebrate ten years of German Rock by FREI.WILD)

FREI.WILD - "GEGENGIFT"
(''10 JAHRE GEGENGIFT 2001 - 2011'' // ''10 YEARS ANNIVERSARY EDITION 2001 - 2011'')
("Rookies & Kings" + "Soulfood Music Distribution"; Double CD + DVD):

Next up another record review of another 2011 release. This here is the current album of the German Rock stars of FREI.WILD. German Rock (= Deutsch Rock) was and still is a pretty big trend over here in not so good but surely old Germany that came up after the official end of the BÖHSE ONKELZ quite a few years ago. A big bunch of bands popped up and an hurricane of albums was and still is released by this armada of bands and like the BÖHSE ONKELZ themselves also more or less this whole German Rock scenery is defamed as being Nazi music or at least Nazi friendly music and a so styled scene. What a big bunch of ridiculous (but also sad) bullshit this is I don't have to tell you. Okay, the most part of this whole German Rock stuff isn't ''something for me'' anyhow and that it seems to me that huge parts of the German Oi! (and also Punk) stuff is seeming to jump up on the German Rock Trend-Train is total crap for me, but anyhow anyway, sometimes also German Rock bands know to convince me and FREI.WILD are absolutely one of this few bands and this latest since when some years ago back then their great "GEGEN ALLES, GEGEN NICHTS" (= "ANTI-EVERYTHING, ANTI-NOTHING") album was released they took me by storm. FREI.WILD are from South Tyrol and are maybe something like the (in-) official superstars of the whole German Rock scene and if you ask me they surely have the potential to survive this whole cheap trend crap because they are really this damn good at the end of the day. Some years ago FREI.WILD caused heavy (and still ongoing) rumours because of a so called dubious past of certain members of the band in and with the so called Right Wing Fascist Rock band KAISERJÄGER (never heard of them, don't know them, don't care about them), some strange activities in separatistic right wing party down there in South Tyrol, some patriotic lyrics and that's it, sadly enough even their back then label "BANDWORM RECORDS" from Germany fell to its knees to benefit the AFA PC crowd out there. Okay, it didn't hurt the ongoing uprising of FREI.WILD anyhow anyway (and that's good if you ask me) and if FREI.WILD would be (for a good example) a Palestinian band singing Arabian (or something like this) about separation and patriotic-nationalistic sovereignty from the oh so evil "Jew-State" known as Israel the whole german AFA PC nutjobs would salute them and join them at least or first and foremost virtually in their oh so just battle for separatistic freedom but sadly enough FREI.WILD sing in German sometimes more or less about something like nationalistic separation of South Tyrol from Italy and about protecting the traditions and existence of the German speaking minority down there and so FREI.WILD aren't freedom fighters to them but Fascists, Xenophobs, Racists, Nationalists, if not Nazis. Stupid fucking idiots with no real life and far too less intellect and by far too much ridiculous hobbies. Fuck them!!! Just read "OIRE SZENE" and bullshit blogs/sites like this and you know what bunch of shitfaced idiots I mean. So okay, finally enough of this here and now. Finally to the music and this album. We get hard and sometimes heavy Rock music in the tradition of the mid to late and especially last BÖHSE ONKELZ albums. (So no, nah, no Skinhead music or so anyhow, period.) Packed up full with heavy rockin' and hard rollin' yet melodic and catchy guitars, forward pushing hammering slightly metallic Hard Rock riffs and pretty nice and damn catchy leads, melodies and well-versed solos, heavy and throaty and slightly wasted on a drink (lead) vocals, a powerful and tight as well as precise in time pounding bass and stoic massive drum playing with a good vibe and pretty bulky power behind it. The songwriting is pretty to very good and nicely grapping, with some nice suprises as well as good doses of twists and turns, i mean, okay, they know the schedule and about the deal about German Rock and the music of the BÖHSE ONKELZ and they aren't changing the formula anyhow aynway but they make out of it pretty much their own thing and add some own stuff to it and make it with and through this procedure fresh and exciting and simply by far better than the rest of this whole German Rock stuff, music and scene, and anyhow, good rhythm architecture, work of and with the pace, not too much pathos, good emotions and expressions of them, and from metallic high energy Hard Rock songs to violative emotional (power) ballads they do truly offer us a lot to discover and enjoy here. Also lyrically we get from political and/or social-critical stuff to personal topics a lot of themes covered here by FREI.WILD and all done really pretty strong and good. Ah, and the production sound is a really powerful and so good one. So, okay, anyhow nothing new but some fresh air definitely and also truly a big and bright ray of light out and in an otherwise extreme crappy genre of music. This here is the 10th anniversary edition of their latest "GEGENGIFT" album and it comes with a damn cool and really pretty good bonus album on a second disc (great stuff) and an more or less interesting bonus DVD and this all in a fantastic artwork as well as it all comes up just for the price of a normal single CD, cool move by the guys. Check this CD out if you're more or less into German Rock and the music of the BÖHSE ONKELZ (in this case here this means especially their latest works), because then you will really find a lot of stuff to discover that you will enjoy. And check it also out if all the other German Rock crap bands out there are from your point ofview nothing but utter garbage (that's also my standpoint) because FREI.WILD truly hold much more in store. Check it out, enjoy it!!! (8 of 10 points)
(http://www.frei-wild.net/)