Unaltered Perspective #3
New music from Snuffed, Completed Exposistion, Maxxpower, Night Fever, Fixed View, The Chisel, and Split System.
As a music lover I want to put on for the music I really love and want others to hear. I hope you can find something to like in this weeks material. There is a lot of great music that came out in these last 2 weeks.
New Releases
Snuffed - Lobotomy Dream(EP)
This band fucking rules. If you like hardcore then you will like this band. You could like old school style, or more NYHC, or faster circle pit stuff. Whatever your preferred style of hardcore this band can play it and play it well. Every song on every release seems to broaden what this band is capable of and they all add more influences than the last. This band is still down the middle hardcore though. They don’t drift to much into trying to go outside of hardcore and I really like that. No attention paid to trends or what styles will get them success. They just play this shit that we love. The music that brought us here to begin with. Good old-fashioned HARD FUCKING CORE. With that being said I have only gave this EP a handful of listens so far and I love it. The LP that this band put out in 2022 was one of my favorite records of recent years. This band could be in contention for best active band in Chicago of any genre. This EP does not disappoint. There is many new elements that I have not heard them try before on previous songs, almost like they are upgrading their sound slowly overtime. Something all great bands do. I talked about the song “Lobotomy Dream” here on a previous edition. So I want to talk more about the other songs on this thing. First off the EP flows so well. The first song seems to glide right into the next one. “Two Daggers” the intro of this song comes right off the end of “Lobotomy Dream” with that slow heavy mosh part. Then about halfway through the song they switch it up seamlessly to this raging midtempo punk shit that just fucking rules. “Vicarious Embarassemnt” is the easiest to sing along to out of the songs on this EP. Maybe it was because I had listened to it many times before the EP dropped, because it came out as a single for it. Either way this is like maybe a perfect hardcore punk song. They lyrics are great. The tempos they go into are like hitting all the right chords with me and what I want to hear. The energy and the sing along and or stage dive vibes are defiantly on. The vocals on “Parasite” are so shredded. It is like the vocalist Karly really was going for something different than any other section of a song I can remember from this band. The part of this song where they yell/scream the words "brain, insides, escape, and hide." This is on the first slower part of the song. It just comes across like a fucking deranged rabid animal it fucking rules. All I got to say is put some respect on this band and go support them. The EP came out on Another City Records. So handle business and get this EP.
Completed Exposition/Maxxpower - Split(LP)
First off this split starts off with a sample in a foreign language and I am sitting waiting for what I am about to hear. As I have never heard Completed Exposition. Then when this song breaks in after the sample ends I immediately started to add it to this editions new music section. This is instantly loveable material on this Completed Exposition side of the split. I love this style of hardcore. It is so relentlessly fast and has no intent of including a hook or anything for you to like about it. Just pure rage and shouting about whatever pisses this band off. After the first few songs their side of the split does start to change up a little bit. They start having a few parts where they slow it down a little bit but they never let up on the intensity. Even when the song slows and the beats stop blasting you the music still makes you feel that same energy. Finally this side of the split closes out with the track “567-19” and on this one they completely threw me for a loop. They brought the same heat from the first half of these songs. But then halfway through the song they slow it down to a bass break part. I am sitting there listening very intrigued on what will come next. Then the guitar comes in with a straight up lead like it could be off an Oi song or some shit and I was floored. I have never heard a song like that. No fucking rules for this band and I am here for it. They absolutely killed their side of this split.
Maxxpower is no slouch on their side of the split either. This is defiantly a different style of band though. Maybe not by to much, but they have a more traditional hardcore punk style. Gang vocal sections and yells that are easier to hear and understand. Some of this stuff could off and early 80’s hardcore punk record. The vocals are much more tuneful and you can hear more words that are almost sang, even though it is technically still a yell. I have heard Maxxpower before and I think this is the best material I have heard from them. Most of this side of the split is very fast drumming parts and frantically moving guitar chords to keep up with the speed of the songs being played. Just like it was in the very early years of hardcore punk. However they do have 1 or 2 parts on this side that go slower. One of these songs is “Hair Club for Men(Jay Toupe)” which could be of a Rude Awakening record or something. I like that the whole side of this is not one style throughout it shows the band has depth and they choose not to use it and prefer to play fast as hell. Defiantly will not find me complaining about a band wanting to keep it fast.
You can get this split at Rotten to the Core Records in US, at Loner Cult Records in Belguim, and So2 Records in Canada. Maxxpower is from Montreal, Quebec. Completed Exposition is from Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Night Fever - Dead End(LP)
New full length coming from this Danish band Night Fever. This album came out on Svart Records. I talked about this band when they came out with a single for this record. The single “Amen” which I think is probably the best song on the album I talk more in depth here. The rest of the album is cool too. I think the title track “Dead End” and the song “The Killing Floor” are the other stand out songs. This band plays hardcore kind of. What I mean by that is that it sounds like hardcore musically but then the vocals they are going for almost a hair metal style vocal at times. Not quite to that extent but it is good singing, and they go for screams still but each one has some melody to it and they are using the vocals as an additional instrument to carry some of these songs. Very cool band and album.
Fixed View - Pride ft. Domain(single)
This Jacksonville hardcore band came across my radar last year when I heard their 2023 Promo and I liked it. This however is the bands best song to date. This song is off the bands upcoming debut LP called “Ours to Keep.” Full on fast to start it off. Then only after like 10 seconds or so they stop everything and go into a bounce part followed by a 2 step. The transitions here are seamless. Then some moshy guitar parts to close out. Lyrics about hardcore pride overtop of the whole thing. Gotta love it. “Ours to Keep” comes out march 22nd on Rest Assured Records.
The Chisel - What a Fucking Nightmare (LP)
This English band is so sick. They have the best style of oi, hardcore, and punk mixture. The lyrics are so much better than most other bands out right now. This record, which came out on Pure Noise Records, is also the best thing they have ever done. This album is so good because they keep it fresh on every song. The record has been sequenced in the best way possible. They have a very rough hard song with lots of anger and grit in it on a song like “No Gimmicks” but then it transitions into “Cry Your Eyes Out” which is much more melodic and sing along style. “What I See” sounds like it could be off of Cock Sparrer Shock Troops. For me I didn’t hear all the words the first listen around but the music sticks with you and you can remember how every song goes on a relisten. Then you start to pick up on the lyrics and the album has a whole other side to it that fucking rules just as hard. Amazing Record. The Chisel. Enough Said.
Split System - Vol.2 (LP)
Punk music rules if it is done well, and Vol.2 is the best new punk record I have heard in a long time. I first heard of Split System out of Melbourne Australia last year. They put out a single for this records called “Alone Again”. This song is probably an all time classic song. It is perfect and they do everything right in the song and I was hopeful the rest of this album would follow suit. The other songs on this record are maybe not at the same level as it. However, if “Alone Again” is a 10/10. Then most of the remaining songs on this record are at least 9/10. You can get this record at Legless Records. As soon as this album starts you instantly can feel where the album is taking you on a journey to. The first song “The Wheel” has such a cool guitar sound and style and riff to start off the song. This will be something they continue to do throughout the album. They know how to write a catchy guitar part and I am here for it and love every time I hear it. I already know most of the words only after a few listens. The music is catchy and the vocals are equally as catchy. They write good hooks on their songs even if sometimes the hook might be centered around a guitar lead. That seems to always work very well in their songs and I love every second of it. Most songs the hook is so good your first listen you will be singing it the second time the chorus comes through. I am guilty of this on the final song “Underground”. That song also has a really awesome bass break the first time around, and then a guitar break the second time around. Super well thought out songs. I really hope I can see this band some day.
News
Connecticut Powerviolence band Kidnapped just announced a new album coming out this spring. I love the 2 songs they put out last year so I cant wait to hear this. Hopefully I can go to their tour with Sinister Feeling this spring.
Planet on a Chain is back with a new LP announcement for a record called “Culture of Death.” This LP is set to come out on Revelation Records and the Pre-Orders are up now. Along with a new single up on streaming called “Cocalero.”
No Relief a hardcore band out of Brighton, United Kingdom has an upcoming 12 inch out on Rest Assured Records later this year. There are 5 new songs on the A side of the vinyl and on the B side it has the “Ritual Oppressor” EP. I have really enjoyed all the songs this band has put out up until this point so you know this shit is going to be sick.
New Simulakra single up on streaming now called “Heathen’s Prayer.” This drop comes with the announcement of a new EP “Reincarnation” set to come out on March 15th on Daze Records. I am stoked for this I don’t know why but I thought this band quit playing and that they were done. I am so glad to find out that I was wrong or misinformed. This band rules and I can’t wait to hear the EP.
The band Sweat from Los Angles just release a new single. This single dropped with an announcement for the upcoming release of the bands second full length. This LP entitled “Love Child” is set to come out on Vitriol Records on March 15th.
Local Shows
Some upcoming shows in the local area that have great bands playing.
Blind Eye
Releases from the years I have been involved in this music that I missed until now.
Velocity - Demo
I thought I heard almost all there was to hear in 2023 that was worth a fuck. Starting this zine has made me realize that was highly irrational thinking. This section of the zine has helped me discover some releases I think I will be listening to for many years that I could have missed. This is one of those release. Velocity is a brand new band out of Bloomington, Indiana. This Demo is so stripped down and just straight to the fucking point hardcore. I love a good intro especially if it rolls into a rager and they killed that on this demo with the intro into Velocity. The back up vocals on this song and the rest of the demo are so good. Just gives me perfect old school hardcore vibes. The song “STFU” is a great example of that. Just making a hardcore punk song yelling shut the fuck up a ton of times in a row is just so fucking cool. “Big Dumb Ego” has a part on it where I feel like I can hear the vocalist going for their version of a Ray Capo yell. The line where they say ‘Taaakes the Faaaaallll Yyyyeeeah’ I am going to run through a wall. So much intensity on this demo and the lyrics are great. Also they are from the Midwest so that fucking rules having more sick bands in the area. Hopefully I can see them this year.
Looking Back
Releases from before I ever got into this style of music that I just discovered and think are worth of some shine.
Madball - Droppin Many Suckers(EP)
I am not a big Madball fan. In fact I don’t care about most of the material. It just never connected until now. I think they have some tracks. But the full albums never stuck with me. Most people will tell me to start with Set It Off. Because of this I never went back to Droppin Many Suckers. Recently I heard it referenced as one of the best 7 inch’s of the 90’s and wanted to see how close it was to the other songs I have heard because there are some Madball songs I do like. Turns out I started in the wrong part of the catalog because this 7 inch fucking rules. Probably a perfect 7 inch. After having this in heavy rotation for several weeks now I can say maybe the other material from Madball needs a relisten. Every song is great on this thing. “Spit on your grave” is just straight up Victim In Pain style with different vocals. Then they give you a slower breakdown at the end that shows where they start to move away from the Agnostic Front sound. But then Each song seems to keep up that same energy where they come in with the fast style like AF. Then they finish it with a newer style breakdown section. Like on “Never Had It.” Then the end of “Across Your Face” is straight up Youth Crew Toms breakdown. I think the best part of this 7 inch to me is the songs “Step To You” for the gang vocals back and forth to the fast part, and the song “The Blame” with the guitar tone and riffs throughout the song. “The Blame” also has a sick back and forth of 2 vocalists in the verses. So fucking sick. Who the fuck does not love this 7 inch. This should be the Madball that people are talking about more often because this is miles better than anything else I have ever heard from this band. This 7 inch came out on Wreck-Age Records in 1992. Obviously you already know Madball is straight up NYHC shit. This 7 inch also has recently been re-released as a 1 sided 12 inch EP on Triple B Records. You can get a copy here of the re-release. I recommend you do because this is a must listen record if you like roots NYHC.
Underground music is the greatest thing ever.
Listen to Minus.
More reviews and new sections of the future zine editions will be coming soon. I want to improve this zine as I go so if you have tips or anything get in the comments. You can also message me directly at my email in the about tab. If you enjoy this zine tell a friend. Keep it real and I’ll catch you next edition.
Split System rules and Minus Compulsion is one of the most underrated HC records of the last 10 years.