Norwegian Hardcore 1980-1989

There´s a certain sound to classic norwegian hardcore. Sure, there´s a big dose of american hardcore in the mix. But there´s also a something else that makes it stand out and make that special sound that can only be derived from Norway in the eighties. The 1980´s was a hotbed for hardcore wherever you came from. Everything was new and you made it up as you went along and probably took influence from your peers or bands you played with. That is one of the things that made each country have sort of it´s own sound. Sure, there were bands influenced by Discharge even in Norway as shown by this compilations first track. But you can certainly hear when a band is from Norway just by the sound of the classic style.

Here´s thirty songs of hardcore from 1980´s Norway. There is some bands like Hærverk and Wannskrækk that might have been more on the punk rock side of things but the tracks I´ve included have a certain hardcore feel to them. You might call Hærverk Norwegian proto hardcore, but since that term makes me cringe I´ll leave it at that.

Enclosed are a file containing info of where the tracks are pulled from.

Hope you enjoy this little compilation I made and hopefully there´s something new for you to discover.

Download

1. Fader War - Religiøs Terror (1:49)
2. Bannlyst - 40000 Døde Barn (1:55)
3. Ø.B.K. - Nekrofil (1:29)
4. TMB - Visjon Eller Virkelighet (1:05)
5. Alternative Norge - Why Why Why (1:04)
6. Forbudt Ungdom - Tema (1:08)
7. Hærverk - Ingen Visjoner (1:59)
8. Kafka Prosess - Faller Du 1 (1:44)
9. Seppo Goes To Holocaust - Pizzafyll I Beirut (1:37)
10. Betong Hysteria - Snuten Kommer (1:51)
11. Angor Wat - Have A Nice Day (1:10)
12. Svart Framtid - Når Bomba Kommer (1:45)
13. Wannskrækk - Warsawa (2:53)
14. K-Anfall - Du Katastrofe (1:31)
15. Skjit-Lars - Arne Treholt (0:59)
16. Brent Jord - Ingen Utvei? (3:15)
17. Data Morgana - Bare En Jord (1:34)
18. Kongelige Ræver - Protester Og Overlev (0:42)
19. Within Range - Fuckin Scout (2:34)
20. Akutt Innleggelse - Tenk Nå (1:25)
21. Life... But How To Live It - Holes (1:53)
22. Overlagt Drap - Pain (2:01)
23. Stengte Dører - Pålen (1:22)
24. Blindt Hat - Isolat (1:42)
25. Paranoia - Tvilsom Frihet (1:54)
26. Barn Av Regnbuen - Dommedag (1:00)
27. Siste Dagers Helvete - Blomster Av Plastikk (1:54)
28. Psykisk Terror - TV Skrik (1:21)
29. So Much Hate - Tanker Fra Et Menneske (2:15)
30. Tvang - Snutedauen (0:53)

Demo reviews

Strul - Nu Blir Det Strul Demo MC

I got two demos sent to me by the always nice Mr. Hedberg a few months ago and in true Doomsday Mag fashion I haven´t reviewed them until now. I guess the "I´ll do it later" mentality has grown bigger in my life this year. Anyway, what we have here is eleven songs of full throttle hardcore influenced by Missbrukarna, Headcleaners and maybe a pinch of Totalitär. Or you can simply just call it råpunk if you like. Cathy riffs and a rabid Mr. Hedberg behind the mic who delivers clever lyrics that only can originate from a guy grown up in Kristinehamn that deals with idiots, russians, cops and more idiots.

Can´t say enough good things about this demo so I urge you to go and have a listen for yourselves. I´ve played this tape non stop since I got it and can easily say it´s one of this years best releases. That is if the upcoming EP won´t top it, if it even gets released in 2015.

This tape is now sold out, but the band have uploaded the whole thing to their bandcamp and you can also download the songs from there. Check it out and be sure to enjoy it as much as I do.



Strålskadad - Bli Aldrig Dom Demo MC

This is the second demo I got from Hedberg and here you find him behind the drums. I have to admit that for a guy who started playing drums a few years ago he manages to do what is expected in this type of band. Nothing to complain about in that department although it´s nothing spectacular. But I wouldn´t listen to this type of music if I were after some magic to happen behind the drum kit.

I haven´t listened to this tape as much as the Strul one cuz that took me completely by surprise, but listening to this now to freshen up my impressions I have to say that this is not bad at all. Pär the guitar player plays in both bands and you can tell by the catchy riffs going on through out both of these tapes. Five tracks of cool hardcore/råpunk is served and although this came in the same package as Strul I wouldn´t write this band off just yet. Don´t know how active they are at the moment but hopefully they haven´t broken up.

The whole demo is up at their Soundcloud page. Shoot them an email at straalskadad(a)gmail.com if you want to buy the tape.

Suffer The Pain - Midnight Sacrifice LP (Phobia Records)

Suffer The Pain - Midnight Sacrifice LP (Phobia Records)

Suffer The Pain´s first LP serves up fourteen songs of metal punk this time leaning a bit more to the metal side of things. Still you can´t mistake that it´s Suffer The Pain you´re listening to. There´s some slower numbers thrown in among the fast ones and I think that was necessary for this to not be so one dimensional. It´s still primitive as hell (pun intended) but to manage to make fourteen songs interesting there needs to be some variation and even though they´re not reinventing their sound, they´re not at all actually, the slower songs is there for a reason and it works really well. There´s some re-recorded songs on here and although I´m not really a fan of that move you can´t deny the sheer greatness of the songs chosen to be re-recorded.

All in all a really cool LP and if you´re into bands like Dishammer you should definately pick this up.

I reviewed a promo CD. The actual vinyl is set to be released in November the last I heard. Keep checking Phobia Records for more info. You can also listen to the whole thing over at the bands bandcamp site.

Kronofogden - Arbete Och/Eller Fritid LP (Blindead Productions)

I´ve been looking forward to this LP ever since Krogh announced he would release it and while I was sure it wouldn´t disappoint, I figured the production would go more in the direction of the previously released EP "Käftarna Maler". Kronofogden does the exact opposite though and goes for a much rawer production which suits them perfectly. I´ve always thought Kronofogden sounds like Missbrukarna and where that band had a fair amount of US hardcore/punk in their sound I have to say Kronofogden adds a whole lot more of that to their Angry Hudik hardcore punk. There´s even a song featuring Hasse and Rolf from said band making this LP kind of a full circle kind of thing. This is full of straight forward raw and direct songs filled with great riffs and smart and well written lyrics. I especially like the nod to Fy Fan! with the song title Dum I Huvve (Inte Arbetslös). I could chose some favorite songs but decided not to because I´d rather listen to the whole thing. Pick this up, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Besides the great music the packaging is really cool with a lyric insert and a 16 page comic book.

You can listen to and download the record here: Blindead bandcamp

You can buy the record here: Blindead mailorder

American Hardcore 1978-1987 CD6

Another compilation of eighties hardcore from North America? Yeah, I just couldn´t keep away from doing another since I found some cool bands and figured I could make a smaller volume. However, I didn´t really plan on it to be this extensive and along the years since the last one I did I must have forgotten how much work it is to do one of these. I must say it feels pretty good to have it done and I´m just as happy with this one as I´ve been with the other ones. If you look at the playlist you´ll see mostly obscurities of the (North) American hardcore scene of the eighties, but also some shit I forgot to add to the other volumes like Infest, Beastie Boys etc. Also some band I would call straight up punk rock bands like The Lewd and Fear but I included them since the songs I´ve chosen are obviously on the hardcore side of things. Some of these bands feature people whose "fame" comes from being in later bands. Tom Lyle of Government Issue played in Beaver, Dave Grohl played in Mission Impossible, some members from Infest played in Open Your Mind, Almost 21 became the rhythm section of D.I. on the Horse Bites, Dog Cries LP and so on.

Anyway, hope you´re just as curious as me about this shit. It seems like I´m not able to shake this curiosity about 80´s american hardcore off me but I hardly see that as something negative. I doubt I´ll make another one of these though, but I don´t dare to say anything definitive. You´ll find the download link below the tracklist at the bottom. Enjoy! And please, leave a comment.

Oh, I might as well explain that the Landlords song is written sarcastically about a case that freed the assailants in a rape charge, nothing else. The Genocide song however, is probably just what they sing about. Those teenagers and their urge to shock.

01. Infest - Sick-O
02. DXA - Interests
03. The Burnt - Action Action
04. Fear - Gimme Some Action
05. The Crewd - Every Mother´s Dream
06. Angry Thalomide Babies - Crib Death
07. Virus - Rhetoric
08. Lockjaw - Gang Violence
09. Sado-Nation - On The Wall
10. Almost 21 - Drowning In The Rug
11. Youthquake - We Don´t Need
12. Insanity Defense - Let Me Help
13. Neighborhood Watch - Acid Rain
14. Vicious Circle - Weird
15. Don´t No - Innocence Of Youth
16. Krieg Kopf - Immortal
17. Assault - Never Ending Greed
18. Mission Impossible - Into Your Shell
19. Red C - Pressure´s On
20. Power Of The Spoken Word - Decide Or Die
21. Front Line - Beach Impediment
22. Open Your Mind - Pseudo Skater
23. Stillborn Christians - Money/Kill
24. Beastie Boys - Transit Cop
25. Funeral - Waiting For The Bomb Blast
26. Braille Party - Let It Burn
27. The Landlords - No Good Woman
28. Desecration - Macho Man
29. Suburban Mutilation - Police State
30. Caustic Defiance - Educated Pain
31. Iconoclast - Battlefields (Nightmare)
32. Teenage Warning - No War
33. No Crisis - On Your Head
34. Genocide - Teenage Girls
35. Spastic Rats - Snap Judgement
36. Unruled - Lost Cause
37. Bad Influence - I Don´t Care
38. Homo Picnic - War Stories
39. Violent Tumor - Abortion
40. Beaver - Video Disease
41. God´s Will - Space Queers From Pluto
42. Scapegoats - Shitcan
43. Born Without A Face - The Lesser
44. Death Sentence - Real World
45. Satan´s Cheerleaders - Darwin Social Hour
46. Pig Children - Sick
47. Capitol Punishment - God Of Greed
48. Zero Mentality - Revenge Motive
49. Direct Action - Direct Action
50. Falling Idols - Hell No
51. Ribzy - Cyanide Pill
52. Subculture - Sadness
53. The Lewd - Beyond Moderation
54. Death Puppy - Star Spangled Sickness
55. Special Forces - Gung Ho

American Hardcore CD6

D-Takt & Råpunk needs help!

Disaster struck the D-Takt & Råpunk headquarters and a GoFundMe-account has been set up for his aid. What happened is one of my worst nightmares, so consider helping Jocke out. Any amount counts, big as small.

Help out here: GoFundMe

Below are Jockes own words about what happened.

" Records and merch, tour/band gifts and parts of my private collection is totally drenched, ruined and must be discarded at a value of around: 41.200€ / $54.900 / 35.200£ / 5.650.000YEN and my insurance covers only: 5100€ / $6800 / 4000£ / 700.000YEN because our stock is located in a storage room. I dont know/think I will survive this personal and economic crisis. And as it seems, this might be the end of D-takt & Råpunk Records. When a damage such as this strikes against a d.i.y punk label its hard to get back in the ring again. I could really need all your help and support right now. Feel free to get in touch if you think that you can help us out in any way. More information will follow as soon as i know more about this total mess. I really hate to beg and ask for favours and I would not do it if I absolutely not needed. I need some sleep, been working day and night for two days straight in a row now. I will try my best to keep the punk spirit up, but at the same time I must admit that it feels pretty fucking hopeless right now. The label, distro and everything around it will be closed indefinitely until I got a better overview of the whole situation. Thanks for all your support! "

Tristess Demos

People probably remember Tristess as a 77 punk band. They released a couple of records on Cage Match Federation, Kick N' Punch and Ny Våg. Before that, they released these two smoking hardcore demos entitled "Ge Fan I Mig!" and "Inget Liv" pulling more than one chord from the almighty Mob 47. They certainly don´t try to hide it either since they cover Mob 47´s classic "Jag Hatar Ert System" on the first demo. I don´t have the exact release years for these, but since the first LP were released in 2004 I would say these came out in 2002-2003. Members of this band on these demos were or would be in bands such as D.S.-13, E.T.A., Warchild, Regulations, The Vicious, UX Vileheads and so on. That generation of Umeå hardcore is what made the biggest mark for me personally. So many great bands came out after the first wave of Umeå Hardcore. The rips aren´t at the best bitrate and I know there´s better rips somewhere on some external HDD in my home but I don´t really feel the urge to go on a treasure hunt for them at the moment. Enjoy these demos, someone should release them as a LP or something.

Tristess Demos

Adult Crash

Adult Crash are going strong with a string of great releases this year. Already released are EP´s and 12"s by Agent Attitude, Damaged Head and Dogmatist. Coming up is the Damaged Head 12", Primitive Rites EP, Agent Attitude LP and last but not least the new Night Fever 12" which has been in the making for a long time. I´m sure none of these releases will disappoint and I´m also sure some of the will end up on my year end list of crucial releases to get from 2014. Adult Crash hhave always been a great label but I´m pretty sure 2014´s gonna be the high point this far for the label. But then again, 2015 is not that long away. Just hope the label keeps churning out those great releases.

Bombangrepp - Förrådd Av Samhället EP (Halvfabrikat/Skäven/Phobia)

I´d never heard Bombangrepp before the band sent me this EP and I must say that I´m positively surprised. Don´t get me wrong, there´s nothing new here at all. But they have the feeling that atleast I need to like a hardcore band in this day and age. There´s hordes of bands doing what other bands have already done a thousand times before and to get through to me you have to express that feeling with your music for me to be able to enjoy it. Bombangrepp manages to do that. There´s nine songs on this EP co-released by three labels and if you could´nt tell by the number of songs it´s going fast. While I listen to this EP I tend to think it sounds quite like a slower Krigshot on some of the songs while other songs tend to slow down the tempo a bit and reminds me of early and a less metallic Skitsystem. All with Bombangrepp´s own touch of course. A nice new acquintance and a band I wouldn´t mind seeing live.

But the EP from Halvfabrikat Phobia or Skaven

Listen to the EP at their Bandcamp

Distortion Faith #6 & Kissan Päivät #3

Doing a fanzine in this digital time and age is something that should be praised. People that use their creativity and spare time to sit and create a fanzine under a long period of time are few and far between these days. Most people , like me, take the easier way although even the blog count aren´t what it once was. Distortion Faith is here with it´s sixth issue in just a few years. And as always it´s a great read. Featured amongst the pages are Hellgasm, Nekromantiker, Ydinaseeton Pohjola and a newly conducted interview with Robert Williams about his old band Siege. Add to that a bunch of columns, photos, best of lists and so on. Distortion Faith is always a good read and if I´m not too far off the tracks I´m guessing Krogh and Jocke are already planning the next issue in some way. In english by the way. Get it from Blindead

Kissan Päivät on the other hand is all in swedish and focuses more on politics than music. Since I´m more into music than politics I tend to read the politics part with only one eye. But since the guy put down so much effort doing a fanzine I guess he cares alot about the issues he brings up. Almost exclusively about the north where he lives. Music wise there are interviews with The Skull Defects, Optic Nest, Padington DC, Crush and Creat Records/fanzine and a Kranium/Dispose tour diary. add a bunch of reviews and you´re home. Can´t find any adress but use the google machine and you may find it.

Damaged Head - Tunnel Vision LP

For me, Damaged Head was love at first listen. The unmistakable riffs from Linkan´s riff infested mind paired with Modde´s great pissed off vocals is such a great pairing thay you would be stupid not to be down on your knees worshipping the fuck out of this band. Having released their debut EP earlier this year they´re already back to unleash their first LP called Tunnel Vision. Luckily for impatient me Linkan is such a nice guy that he arranged for the record to be sent to me in digital format. If you´ve heard the EP, there´s no surprises on here. Just fast, pissed off traditional hardcore with the exception of the extremely catchy riffs and the overall feeling of the band. These guys get it. And that´s exactly what I need in this overflooded world of hardcore punk. Recently returned from a european tour, some of you might have this already since the band brought fifty test presses of the record with them on tour. I don´t own it yet so regard this text as a heads up from a guy that already heard the record and not a review since I like to see the full package before reviewing anything. Keep those eyes nailed on the Adult Crash website to see exactl when the record drops and check out Damaged Head´s bandcamp to listen to five songs from this amazing LP.

Ajax - Bleach For Breakfast Demo

I have been listening to this demo repeatedly for a few weeks now and it´s not more than fair to share it with you as it is amazing. This came out late december 2013 and I see it as my duty to pass this on to as many others as humanly possible. It´s that good! Full of great riffs and a pissed off vocal delivery. Members also reside in Creem, Warthog and Nuclear Spring. Don´t be to surprised if a EP pops up on Katorga Works later on.

Download the demo

Suffer The Pain - Face Of Doom MC (Krig Tejps)

Suffer The Pain unleashes their new tape (also out soon as a 7" on Phobia Records) of pure metal punk madness. Like a bastard child of Motörhead, Discharge and Entombed they rip through five songs of raw and brilliant metal punk including a great cover of the Motörhead classic "Killed By Death". Quite fitting cover if I may say so. There is however some new stuff added, like the intro which reminds me a whole lot of Tragedy. That just adds to the already overall great feeling about this band though. Suffer The Pain is not reinventing the wheel, but like any band playing in the hardcore realm of music you need to have that feeling to create great music. Suffer The Pain certainly have that feeling. Great stuff!

Buy the tape here: Suffer The Pain

Listen to STP here: Bandcamp

Lite grejer på Tradera

Slängde upp lite grejer på Tradera. In och kika om det är något ni finner intressant. Går ut den 25:e så det blir lagom till löning det. Funkar inte länken så sök på användarnamn nineshocksterror Tradera

Broken Cross - Secret Destruction EP (Apocalyptic Visions)

Imagine waking up in a pile of debris in a desolate and post apocalyptic world. Stumbling across piles of burning human cadavers desperately trying to find something with a beating pulse. The survival instincts kicked in as soon as you opened your eyes and the need for food and supplies is your main priority along with the basic instinct of survival. Going down the stairs to a seemingly abandoned bunker in your hunt for useful gear you come across Broken Cross playing their filthy and primitive music on their run down instruments. You try to engage a conversation but is only met by hopeless eyes and muttering voices.

This is the kind of the landscape my mind paints me while listening to the second Broken Cross EP. Total desolation and destruction. No hope, no future. Since the release of the demo/first EP, Niklas has made the music even more primitive and perhaps more minimalistic than before. This is ugly music, this is raw music and this is certainly not music for everyone. The G.I.S.M.-influenced leads are still there but otherwise I feel this is a pretty original crossover of the filthiest and rawest hardcore and metal bands there is. This music is ugly and degrading. And I mean that in the most positive way I can.

Buy the record here: Apocalyptic Visions

Listen to the record here: Bandcamp

Bombs of Hades - Recoil In Horror 7" (De:Nihil)

Bombs of Hades are a productive band to say the least. You know you´ll always get a few EP´s and splits inbetween albums and I like that. This is their latest one on swedish label De:Nihil and I would say that the a side track "Recoil In Horror" would fit nicely as an extra track on their debut EP "Carnivores". After a stomping intro/verse they up the speed for a while with a riff that really reeks of early Dismember/Nihilist before slowing it down with a groovy riff. This is the stuff that made me love BOH all those years ago and it´s great to see they´re not straying to far off that formula. Another thing I like about their EP´s and splits are the somewhat different choices of cover songs. One could go for obvious choices and do a Nihilist or Autopsy cover. But honestly, how exciting would that be? Here they cover the Black Sabbath song "Over and Over" from their 1981 album "Mob Rules" and they do a really good job at it. Not really familiar with the original, but listening to it now I must say BOH makes it heavier and somewhat doomier. All around this EP is a great effort although I don´t really see the point of only having two songs on a 7".

This review was kind of hard for me to write since the guys in Bombs of Hades are my friends. Honesty takes care of most things though.

Buy the 7" here: De:Nihil Records

Oblivionation

It´s great to see that members of one of the most overlooked hardcore bands of the last few decades decided to start a new band. Yeah, I´m talking about members from Out Cold. John Evicci were along with Mark Sheehan (R.I.P.) the only ones that stayed Out Cold true over the years and here´s Evicci again banging away at those drums like only he can do. Other members include John Kozik (Out Cold, A.C.), Quinn Dillon and the spiteful and bitter vocals of Mark Fields (Proclamation, You´re Fired). There is an EP coming out on Man In Decline soon and an LP is set to be released on Rock N Roll Disgrace. European version will be released on a new label called Antitodo. Check out the bands demo and some tracks from upcoming releases on their Bandcamp and keep an eye out on the bands Facebook page for updates.

Agent Attitude & Damaged Head EP´s out now!

Adult Crash have two new releases out now by two swedish bands. Agent Attitude follow up their great LP with an EP called Repulsive Action. They´re kind enough to offer the whole thing over at their Bandcamp site so head on over and have a listen, I assure you it´s great. This is a co-release with Monument Records so choose whatever suits you best if you want to order.

Damaged Head is a new band featuring people from Herätys, Institution, Nitad, Agent Attitude and Separation. That´s a good track record just looking at previous bands and since I´ve heard the recording I can only say this is a contender for EP of the year along with above mentioned Agent Attitude EP. It´s a bit hesitant to say that this early in the year but I´m pretty sure they´ll both be up there at the end of the year. DH is streaming two tracks over at their Bandcamp so check it out and make sure you order a copy. I guess Monument will get these for all you swedes as well.

37 records that made my 2013

Sometimes I see people saying that this and that year was a poor year for records/music. I´ve never understood those people. I believe that if you are active and willing to keep yourself updated with whatever music you´re into you will always find that year that just gone by as a good music year. This was no exception for me, it rarely is. Below you´ll find 37 records that stood out for me in 2013 with the usual exception of records I´ve yet to hear. No particular order though, I´m too lazy for that. Enjoy, and be sure to check out whatever record you´ve not heard so far.

Violent Arrest - Distorted View 12" (Boss Tuneage/Farewell)

It´s nice to see that a band like Violent Arrest can make their best effort this long into their existence. With almost all of Ripcord in the setting I´m not at all surprised though.

Obliteration - War Is Our Destiny EP (Beach Impediment)

Final EP from this project of Chris Corry and Jon Westbrook. Another excellent mix of Scandinavian and US hardcore.

Tribulation - The Formulas of Death LP (Invictus)

Probably my most anticipated release of the year. And while it´s different from The Horror and it might take a couple of more spins to grasp it´s an unbelivable LP. Mixing the ferociousness of said previous album with a little bit of psychadelia and swedish prog. That sentence should normally make me cringe but it works in an excellent way.

Krömosom - Nuclear Reich 12" (Distort Reality)

One of the few bands going for the whole distort the shit out of everything I really like. They even include a rager with a stompier kind of chorus. The production reminds me of the great Skitslickers.

Impalers - s/t LP (540/Todo Destruido)

I was anxious to hear this and when I did I was not disappointed. Mix Poison Idea, Venom, Discharge, Celtic Frost and swedish hardcore and you will have Impalers. Pounding, rocking, riff laden awesome hardcore punk.

Major Damage - Sheer Mayhem EP (Way Back When/Even Worse)

The second EP from mastermind Brandon Ferrell is just as good as the first. Paying homage to the old greats of the New York hardcore scene.

Acute - Murder Notice 12" (SMRT)

Straight forward japanese hardcore just the way I love it with some weird shit thrown in for good measure.

Final Conflict - Nineteen Eighty-Five LP (540)

Final Conflict´s demo finally gets the vinyl treatment after 28 years. Rawer than the Ashes To Ashes LP.

Night Birds - Born To Die In Suburbia LP (Grave Mistake/Taken By Surprise)

One of my favorite bands proved that they indeed could follow up their last one with an equally as strong LP.

Infest - Days Turn Black EP (Draw Blank)

Old turned down shit still makes this a mandatory Infest release. Made up of outtakes from the No Mans Slave LP, this still blows almost 90% of all newer bands out of the water.

Power Trip - Manifest Decimation LP (Southern Lord)

Just when I lost all hope to hearing a new great crossover records, Power Trip unleashes this master piece. Has helped me through alot of slow nights at work.

Violent End - s/t EP (Lengua Armada)

Stomping hardcore with gritty vocals. What else do you need?

Gas Rag - Human Rights EP (Even Worse)

Another band mixing European and US hardcore. Totalitär seems to be an obvious influence along with some of the older greats from the US.

Agent Attitude - Affliction Days LP (Adult Crash/Monument)

These guys gets better for each release and for every show as well. Can´t wait for the new EP.

Infernöh - 7 Spår EP 12" (Distort Reality/D-takt & Råpunk)

The most raging EP this year. Never thought they would top the previous LP but they did by a mile.

Selfish - Life Has No Vacant Time LP (Feral Ward)

The best burning spirits clone band that is not from Japan dropped this LP this year after a couple of years silence. A tad bit different but still as awesome as ever.

Hoax - s/t LP (Self Released)

I get a bleak and nihilistic feeling by listening to this LP. Dark, painful and pissed off.

Sickoids - No Home 12" (Grave Mistake/Sorry State)

A bit more straight forward than the LP but equally as great. Hopefully we´ll see a new LP not that far ahead.

No Warning - Resurrection of the Wolf 7" (Bad Actors)

All you really need is a new track and a cover song to make one of this years best 7"´s. Too bad they won´t come back full time.

Institution - Världens Ändstation EP (D-takt & Råpunk)

Masterful riffs by masterful dudes. Amazing shit that holds the loss of Herätys well at bay.

Abused - Loud And Clear LP (Radio Raheem)

A legit reissue at last. Amazing output regarding both the music and the packaging.

Necrocurse - Grip of the Dead LP (Blood Harvest)

Primitive death metal drawing inspiration from Sarcofago and other greats from the 80´s. Can´t go wrong with that.

Framtid - Defeat of Civilization LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)

I´m not a fan of all those hyped up distorted bands at all so It´s nice to see that Framtid doesn´t just go for the distortion. I would say this is a more heavy rather than noisy LP.

Mammoth Grinder - Underworlds LP (20 Buck Spin)

Kind of similar to Impalers but more leaning towards death metal. This is just as devastating though and their best work to date.

Dissekerad - s/t LP (Skrammel)

Great d-beat infused hardcore with amazing riffs done by veterans in the game.

The Rival Mob - Mob Justice LP (Revelation)

I was late to the game regarding this one but this record smokes. Amazing riffs and Radigan is a rageaholic behing the microphone.

Out Cold - A Heated Display LP (Painkiller)

Half of the songs from the last session with original singer Kevin on vocals. A fitting good bye and tribute to the late Mark Sheehan.

Stoic Violence - s/t LP (Katorga Works/Video Disease)

Nothing new at all. Just plain old pissed off hardcore done the exact right way.

Die - s/t EP (Sonic Terror)

Mixing UK and US hardcore and making it as sweet as it sounds.

Violent Reaction - City Streets LP (Painkiller)

Not at all impressed with this bands demo and EP but this LP really took them all the way. Boston influenced hardcore with a little bit of oi! thrown in for good measure.

Hårda Tider - Scandinavian Hardcore Insanity LP (La Familia/Hårda Skivor)

This is a total riff fest to say the least. They´ve surpassed themselves with this one.

Swordwielder - Grim Visions of Battle LP (Cubo De Sangre)

Can´t say I´m somewhat of a stench core enthusiast but this band from Gothenburg did an amazing LP that all should check out.

Handsome - s/t LP (6131)

I would say that this emocore classic is a guilty pleasure of mine. Finally out on vinyl for the first time ever.

Rough Kids - The State I´m In LP (Sorry State)

Power pop/punk perfection. Music to feel good to.

Iron Lung - White Glove Test LP (Iron Lung)

Probably one of only a handful bands that can pull off playing power violence in this day and age. And they do an amazing job with it as this LP shows.

Obliteration - Black Death Horizon LP (Relapse)

Rotten old school death metal with a strong Autopsy vibe from our oily neighbors in the west.

Mercy Killings - s/t EP (Beach Impediment)

Reminds me alot of Wasted Time and that´s never a bad thing. Members from Direct Control, Wasted Time, Stripmines etc. Raging slab of wax.

Årets tio bästa spelningar

Jag ska börja med att säga att det här med peppen på att dra land och rike runt för att åka på spelningar har avtagit år för år ju äldre jag blivit. Tråkigt att säga, men så är det och så kommer det säkerligen att förbli om inget oväntat händer. Med det sagt så har jag ju ändå sett så sjukt mycket bra spelningar i år. Mycket av dessa sågs på Chaos In Tejas som synes, men gamla Sverige kan leverera också. 2014 ser ut att bli väldigt bra spelningsmässigt det med så vi får väl om det där oväntade kanske händer nästa år. Nedan en kort redogörelse för de tio bästa spelningarna jag sett i år.

Infest @ Chaos In Tejas, Austin, TX

Jag trodde aldrig att jag skulle få se Infest om jag ska vara ärlig men någon ville annat. Inpackade i en gammal lagerlokal där svetten rann om när man stod stilla så framförde Infest ett jävligt intensivt trettiolåtarsset. Hade helst av allt velat se dem i en lite mindre lokal men det gör inte denna spelning till något mindre än årets bästa.

King Diamond @ Metallsvenskan, Örebro

Har dyrkat denne man sedan 1988, men aldrig lyckats bevittna en spelning. Det var precis som jag ville att det skulle vara. Kungen var i oväntad toppform efter hjärtproblemen, det var en flådig scenshow och de allra flesta klasikerna spelades.

Negative Approach @ Debaser Slussen, Stockholm

John Brannon ser ut att vara den hårdaste jäveln som finns. Hans röst låter ungefär likadant. Svinbra spelning om än på ett ställe jag inte har sådär mycket till övers för.

Impalers @ Chain Drive, Austin, TX

Hade egentligen inte brytt mig så mycket om Impalers innan men på en förfestspelning till Chaos In Tejas ändrades det radikalt. Liten lokal och ett jävla ös på sångaren Chris. Svetten rann om en men det sket man i för man såg nåt så fruktansvärt bra. Dives från baren, folk hängde i takbjälkarna och allmänt kaos.

Night Birds @ Chaos In Tejas, Austin, TX

Det blev så att vi såg dagspelningen istället för klubbspelningen på kvällen innan. Night Birds levererade dock precis som jag förväntat mig. Kanske skulle man varit på spelningen kvällen innan för att få hela upplevelsen men det var en del krockar där borta i Texas.

Framtid @ Chaos In Tejas, Austin, TX

Dåligt inlyssnad innan men det kändes som att man stod mitt i en orkan så fort de började spela. Totalt förödande spelning, i de allra mest positiva ordalag.

Institution @ The Liffey, Stockholm

Min besvikelse av att aldrig fått se Herätys dämpades här för några veckor sen. Institution levererade som väntat. Veteraner brukar kunna göra det.

Final Conflict @ Chaos In Tejas, Austin, TX

Kommer längre ner på listan eftersom jag såg halva klubbspelningen ena dagen och hela spelningen i hangaren dagen efter. Hade jag sett hela klubbspelningen hade denna post hamnat högre upp. Ashes To Ashes, denna magnifika skiva, spelades rakt igenom och ännu en återförening som funkar ypperligt kan läggas till handlingarna.

Hoax @ Chaos In Tejas, Austin, TX

Hade faktiskt inte hört något om vad jag kunde förvänta mig av Hoax live innan de skulle gå på. Vad jag fick se var en frontman som lätt skulle kunna tas som en mentalpatient med mikrofon uppbackad av fantastisk mörk och förbannad hardcore.

Power Trip @ Chaos In Tejas, Austin, TX

Ännu ett band jag inte var inlyssnad på speciellt mycket. Medans jag väntade på nåt annat band klev dessa Texas-herrar upp på scen och levererade bländande crossover utförd så tajt så man stod med hakan i backen halva spelningen.