Killing Innocence is a band from USA I first heard with this release, never listened to them before. This record contains 10 songs. It is interesting that I found this one when I researched horror punk but this is so much more. First, this is DIY recording, raw and unbridled without studio magic and it brings me to nostalgic days when we released tapes with rehearsal demos on it. Second, this is not horror punk. There are some horror punk and death rock influences in songs like ‘Evil Eddie’ or ‘Necrophiliac’ but there is also pure raw punk, with many Oi and street punk stuff in the song structures, but also Ramones are noticable in ‘The Wannabe Song’. This trio plays like punk is, anything goes, there are some mistakes or sloppy played parts, at least I heard it that way, but this is punk and that is why we love it isn’t it? If I must compare this band to some other bands, it would be Cancerslug, to which they reminded me in couple of songs a lot too.
Sprainer released their debut seven song EP and these guys are hailing from Peterborough, UK. This little EP and songs on it contain everything I love about this music. It contains tight musicianship and mixture of catchy pop punk with harshness of melodic hardcore influences and also skate punk in many song structures. Lyrics are smartly written and deal with every day themes like loneliness, searching and striving for more, ethics, morality and knowing when to depart if necessary. Music is faster and uplifting, like late nineties and early 2000s pop punk/melodic punk influenced bands with great vocals, voice that stays in your mind and ear long time after listening to this little record. My personal favorites are: ‘Cut Thumbs’, ‘Tentacles’ and ‘I Hate My Job’. Good melodic record by good band.
Ach, South America, land of vast underground scene and HCG are from Brazilian hardcore punk scene and I am really glad that I discovered this band. This came out a while ago, but it is good, and there is never too late for great music isn’t it? This one contains five songs of angry fast hardcore punk with blistering drumming, raw guitars and thundering angry vocals with lyrics in Portuguese language. The music of HCG reminded me a lot of old school California hardcore punk bands like Circle Jerks, early Suicidal Tendencies, TSOL, even Verbal Abuse or RKL. This is superb hardcore punk energy, the only thing is that it passes too soon and makes you wish for more. I love the use of samples in some songs, that is always great in my opinion. My personal favorite is ‘Inimigos Camuflados’, but all songs make you wanna spin the record one or couple of more times. Great!
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 