Crude: Attitude 12" reissue review (versus mode)

Original Straight Up pressing on the left, Feral Ward reissue on the right.

Label: Feral Ward (USA) - YAN 056
Release date: April 2009
Quantity: 1000?

Track List:
•Stand And Fight Again
•Over The Wind
•The Scum Selled Oneself
•Never Give Up Willpower
•Positive Will
•Human Feelings
•True Bravery
•No Light Soul Of State

Finally, a real Crude album is released in North America. I no longer have to drop my head in dismay when people talk about how raging the "Immortality album" is, when in reality, it is just this weird compilation of Crude songs...and not really a Crude album at all. It's crazy to think that it has been 8 years since this band from Hakodate, Japan has released a proper album. Since the Attitude album originally came out, there has been the live tracks on the Wandering Folk split CD, the low-fi recording on the 3 way split CD/one sided-LP with Burial and Nightmare, and the recent H:G Fact 7" where they completed a proper recording of the songs from the 3 way split. Hopefully, their recent touring and releases lead up to a blistering new masterpiece. And also, hopefully Crude starts to get the attention that they deserve, in this part of the world.

The Attitude 12", in my view, is the 2000s answer to Death Side. The ripping leads are too many to count, and the furious hardcore punk onslaught is non-stop, from the infectiously catchy first track, "Stand And Fight Again" clear to the end, with only a few moments lull during the somewhat ballad-like track on side B, "True Bravery." The drums sound like they are ripping through your speakers as the cymbals max out the treble frequencies. This quality gives the band a bit of an updated feel (as far as Japanese HC Punk is concerned) and a new take on a classic sound that few have been able to capture successfully (Selfish from Finland, being another prime example of the exception).

Original Straight Up pressing


Feral Ward repress

As usual, Feral Ward did a nice job. A good choice for the band to do the repress with him. The repress is mastered at 45 RPMs instead of 33, like the Straight Up version that was released in 2000. I'm not really sure why a short 12" like this was done at 33 to begin with. The result is, we get to headbang and play air guitar to a slightly louder record. The mastering job sounds very similar, except slightly more powerful, possibly due to the RPM change and better vinyl quality? There are some slight packaging differences to note. The dusk-like sky has been replaced by a more ominous cloudy sky and the back has a similar situation going on, but the song titles have been placed in a way that is actually legible. Of course, the nice pocket sleeve with rounded edges was a great touch. One thing that slightly bothers me is that it looks like the ostriches were re-done using Live Trace in Adobe Illustrator...but obviously, that has no bearing on how raging this album is. However, one thing that does...is the change in label art! I can't imagine why Feral Ward changed it! I want to see a picture disc of this album with the original label art graphics on it.

Feral Ward classy label art:


Original label art made by ragers who don't give a fuck:

Ok, despite the cowardly disregard for psychadelic, bald-headed raging, here is the Bells Of Doom Toll verdict: DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE, GET THIS SHIT IMMEDIATELY.

P.S., please do a nice reissue of the 1999 12" as well, I like that one even better.
Love, B.O.D.T.

Discography (known to me):
•Crude s/t 12" (1996, Mad Preacher)
•Crude/Violence Moment split 7" (1996, Blood Sucker Record)
•Crude/Grass split 7"
•Crude 4 song CD (1997, Straight Up)
•Crude 2 song 12" (1997, Blood Sucker Record, 2 songs from the above CD)
•Crude 1999 12" (1999, Straight Up)
•Crude: Attitude 12" (2000, Straight Up / 2009, Feral Ward)
•Crude: Immortality compilation 12" (2003, Deranged)
•Crude/Burial/Nightmare: Axis Of Wolves 3 way split CD/LP (2007, H:G Fact / 2009, Hate)
•Crude/Wandering Folk split CD (2008, Straight Up)
•Crude: Just Go Ahead 7" (2008, H:G Fact)

For Real Fest '09 - Athens, Ohio

Saturday, April 25, 2009
$10 2pm
The Union
18 West Union Street
Athens, Ohio

Unfortunately, Ray is saying that this is the last year he is doing this fest. Hopefully he is wrong! I think I have played all of them except one...it has been a blast. Best of luck to you, Ray, in whatever the future holds.
Info: www.myspace.com/forrealfest

Also--
Pre-Fest Potluck Dinner/Show
Friday, April 24th, 2009
6:00pm at Brown Town
35 Brown Ave
Athens, Ohio 45701

Heath Deadger/Kurt Russell
Endless Mike and the Beagle Club
Mad Minds
Submarine Spaceship
Positive Noise

Hands Across Basements Fest '09 - Cincinnati Ohio

For more info:
www.myspace.com/handsacrossbasements
www.sacredplague.com
sacredplague(at)gmail(dot)com

Impact: Solo Odio 12" and Impact/Eu's Arse 7" reissues review

Impact/Eu's Arse split 7"
Label: ?
Release date: 2007
Quantity: 500?

Track List:
Impact-
•Polizia
•Governo
•Dolcisensazioni
•........
•La Lettera
•Giustizia
•Cadaveri

Eu's Arse-
•Cibernauti
•E Noi?
•Fino A Quando?
•Servitu Militari
•Corruzione Statale

Impact: Solo Odio 12"
Label: Gonna Puke (Italy)
Release date: 2009
Quantity: no idea

Track List:
•Non Puoi Giudicare
•Morte Chimica
•Processo Di Vita
•Ribellione
•Eroi
•Delitto Legale
•Solo Odio
•Sulla Loro Croce
•La Vostra Violenza
•L'uomo Procede

Impact is a generally unsung great of early 80s Italian hardcore. Pre-internet, most people in the United States' only exposure to this band was from the P.E.A.C.E. comp. Recently, we are graced by nice, legitimate reissues: the Eu's Arse split 7" in 2007, and the Solo Odio 12", this year. In a time of horribly done bootleg records using MP3s as the source material, this is a welcome treat.

For many years, the split E.P. was scarce and expensive. The Eu's Arse split E.P. was originally released in 1983 during the heyday of great, raw Italian hardcore punk. Impact's guitar tone sounds like they plugged the guitar straight into a 4 track from a DOD pedal. It's muddy, ugly, sounds like shit. Fucking great. They managed to cram 7 songs on their side, so it feels like a full 7". The Impact cover art is one of the coolest looking covers of the time, in my opinion, and for this reissue, someone cleaned it up, boosting the black and white contrast. It looks great. I think there were 500 of the reissues done, something like 300 on the purple vinyl that United Record Pressing was running a special on at the time, and I think 200 on clear. The Eu's Arse side is no joke either. More Discharge sounding and decidedly more rough. The vocals are constantly cracking, with more of an emphasis on the d-beat, it sounds like it could have been an early Swedish release. Oh, and their solos are some of the most horrendous solos you've ever heard. Great. As far as I know, this band only had a couple releases: this record and a 7", plus a few comp tracks.

The Solo Odio 12" (translates to 'Only Hatred') was originally released only a year later (1984), but it sounds worlds different. It sounds like they learned to play a little better and went into a real studio. Don't be fooled by that though, this is still rabid as hell...10 songs in 15 minutes! The guitars are heavy and the drummer is ripping. There's a little more melody on this, but the overall tone is fast and desperate. A fantastic reissue, I don't have the original to compare it to, but the sound is crisp and cover looks great. Check out the cover art on the back: the naked cop being shot up into the air and the other one being drug by the dog while the punks are laughing. This record is perfect, I can't find anything wrong with it.

THIN LIZZY-STILL DANGEROUS: Live at the Tower Theater Philadelphia 1977 LP review

So this is the legit Lp version the much booted THIN LIZZY live at the Tower Theater in Philly, 1977. This is Lizzy at their finest with the classic line up. So much has been said about THIN LIZZY, but i'll just say their influence in metal and hardcore punk is significant. These recordings are the raw alternative to the way-overdubbed classic "Live and Dangerous" double LP released back in 1978. "Still Dangerous" is only one LP, and it kicks off with "Soldier of Fortune" then along come all the hits LIZZY super fans groan over. I enjoyed listening but really theres only so many times you can hear the re-packaged "greatest hits" of any great classic rock outfit before you want to stick a screwdriver in your ear. Give the fans something substantially different from the original release! This package also includes a bonus "Bad Reputation/Emerald" 7" which is badass and should be sold on its own. It just makes me wonder why they didnt use rockers on the bootleg like "Johnny" "Warrior" or "Are You Ready"? Phil dedicates "Warrior" to the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team, very cool but not included on this LP. After buying this LP from the great Lost Weekend record store in Columbus i took it home and realized it was warped terribly, The 7" even sounded like shit and THIN LIZZY's duel guitar genius sounded awful for the first time in my life. Looks like VH1 classic records shrink wrapped the LP too tight and the semi-flimsy vinyl warped. Anyway, just a warning to any possible buyers. Lost Weekend replaced it with a flat one no problem. BELLS OF DOOM VERDICT: buy this one if you are a LIZZY maniac. Everyone else get the O.G. used vinyl for cheap.
Label: VH1 Classics Records
Track List:
Soldier Of Fortune
Jailbreak
Cowboy Song
Boys Are Back In Town
Dancing In The Moonlight
Massacre
Opium Trail
Don’t Believe A Word
Baby Drives Me Crazy
Me And The Boys
bonus 7":
Bad Reputation/Emerald

DISHAMMER:VINTAGE ADDICTION LP review

Label: Hells Headbangers
Track list:
Smoke of Death
Wish of Suffering
The End Here and Now
Exterminate the Parasite
Werewolves on Wheels
Pain in the Ass
Into the Bong
Asmodeus (By My Side)
Blessed with Catalepsy
Age of Disgrace
Bomb in the Womb
Vintage Addiction

Theres no way im passing up a band called DISHAMMER! I ordered it from Hells Headbangers on the Lake Erie shores of flame. Is this band from Spain?? I gotta testify: totally terrible cover all the way around. Lame black & white picture of a zombie w/ huge boobs on the front, Probably a still from some movie Lazer thinks i should like. (Also included is a huge poster of the album cover) Back cover is anal sex! Awful. Gatefold porn for $21.00?? Fukkin great! More pictures of dead people please. Ill take a stupid skull drawn by a comic nerd anytime. Im pleased to say the music fukkin destroys! Unrelenting d-beat with sikk vocals. DISHAMMER is not as Hellhammer or Discharge oriented as i expected. No 1/2 beats or that neeeeer sound that Tom G. does when leaves the last note of the riff hanging there. I really dont hear much of a Hellhammer influence at all. More of the vibe than straight up worship. DISHAMMER delivers a rock 'n' roll vibe similar to Darkthrone or G.A.T.E.S. but much more straightforward (less metal) than those bands. More along the lines of Skitsystem with a porn and ganja fetish. Hmmm, the last song on side 1 is suprisingly a bit metal. Random lyrics include "unholy semen of doom"and "come on motherfuckers", proving these are my type of face fukking heshbags. Also included is THE 13 COMMANDMENTS OF DISHAMMER which any real earthdog can get behind. To DISHAMMER we drink some distilled goat piss!!

Kontatto (Italy) and Midnight (Cleveland) shows in Cincinnati