When The Mad Capsule Markets moved to temporary quitsville, a town that currently houses Reuben, System of a Down and Fugazi the annoyance level was palpable. The chilling words: “we can’t decide when we can re-start again as the band, at this point” had a nail-in-the-coffin-vibe of  “MCM are dead.” There’s no denying that their heavily synthesised/techno-punk, nu-metal-gabba freakout was perhaps an acquired taste. Several acquaintances have turned their noses up at hearing ‘Tribe’ and ‘Pulse’ mistaking the heady rush of sound as Slipknot being fed backwards into a gameboy. Unfortunately, my experience and knowledge of The Mad Capsule Markets extends only as far as the last 3 albums; 1999’s ‘OSC-DIS’, 2001’s ‘010’ and 2004’s ‘CiSTm K0nFLiqt’ so I have very little knowledge of their previous 8 efforts, all of which were exclusive only to Japan. However, with the band currently residing in Hiatus Heights, this wasn’t the end…

Hiroshi Kyono, The Mad Capsule Markets’ gruff-sounding vocalist had been working on a solo project. Stemming from his DJ sets in Japan, to a range of clothing he’d created, called Wag Dug, as well as contributing music to the Death Note soundtrack, Kyono had been at work on his new venture…Wagdug Futuristic Unity. This solo experiment, which features a plethora of guest musicians (Justice, Chino Moreno, DJ Sid, Shitdisco, DJ Starscream to name a few) led to Kyono releasing a mini album named ‘Nu Riot’ in 2007. The full length, ‘Hakai’ in July 2008, then followed this.

Wagdug Futuristic Unity is a project that walks on a very thin tightrope. It totters and teeters with uncertainty, yet always manages to find its balance and escape the tortuous drop into the bottomless pit of ‘unlistenable chaos’. Kyono’s liberal use of blasting synthesised noise saturates the Wagdug sound. It’s drenched in colossal thumping drumbeats, held together by the kind of grimy bass work last heard in the breakcore work of Dev/Null, Drumcorps and other assorted Cock Rock Disco acts. Some moments appear to be the noises made by an X-Wing as their engines power down, mixed with a cacophony of ear-raping grime that is reminiscent of a factory of gameboys being set on fire. Kyono’s vocals are similar to his MCM-days in places, but tip to the scale of ‘almost incomprehensible’ – it’s as if he was taught English in a wind tunnel by Danny Dyer shouting through a toilet roll. Of course, a lot of what is being screamed could very well (and most likely is) in Japanese!

It’s not all terrifying, eardrum destroying punk-rock breakcore though. ‘X-Stereo’ is a reworking on ‘Waters of Nazareth’ by French electro-oddballs Justice. Whilst it may at first just appear to be the original song with Kyono’s distorted, garbled rap placed over the top (hang on…it is just that!) there’s an element of a warped, feedback-drenched layer of fuzz created specially to contort the track through Wagdug’s disturbing musical psyche.

‘Weapons of Wag Distortion’ comes across as a Prodigy meets *insert name of popular rap-metal band from the 1990s* in some nightmarish, Soulfly-gone-techno mash up of clattering steel drums, deep synthesised rumblings and a swirling aura of reverberating dread.

Obviously The Mad Capsule Markets influence is going to force it’s way through like the alien bursting out of Kane’s stomach. It does so to great effect on ‘Mad Saturator’, sounding similar to ‘Mob Track’ from the band’s ‘OSC-DIS’ release. The synthesised rise-and-fall swirls the track like a cement mixer constantly changing speed, whilst the clattering percussion and Kyono’s rapid fire delivery give the track a much needed metallic bite. ‘Got Life’ also takes the MCM template a royally fucks it through a chaos dimension of spiralling noise-drenched mayhem – Atari Teenage Riot would have been proud; fuck, if they were still going (properly) they’d probably demand Wagdug joins them on their next tour or at least organise some kind of collaboration that would no doubt destroy the fabric of reality.

‘WALL’ featuring Chino ‘BACK TO SKOOOOOOOOOL’ Moreno of Deftones is an unrelenting attack on the senses. Moreno and Kyono’s vocals meld into a deformation of unholy terror that would leave Mike Patton to remark: “that isn’t right you guys.” Whilst this howling bloodlust takes place, the music delves into the realms of darkness, taking on an unsettling and sinister tone, encompassing droning synthesised washes that are bludgeoned to a gruesome pulp by the erratically destructive drum machine. The closest Wagdug gets to pure white noise.

Ever wondered what the sound of someone fucking a synthesiser would sound like? ‘Why?’ just about does that. The strange barking background sounds, which give the impression that this track was recorded inside a kennel, Amen-drum break splatters, alongside the abnormal and persistent pounding beat and pogo keyboard smashes are reminiscent of some sadistic rave that would cause a ‘clawing at the walls’-style mental breakdown.

‘Chaostic Radio’ is the closest Wagdug gets to creating a song with a trace of a ‘pop’ element. The rolling keyboard lines are soon obliterated by the wave of pulsating crashes and snarling cymbal crashes. There’s a nod towards ‘All The Time On Sunny Beach’ in the way the chorus progresses, with it’s jaunty, summer-tinged rise and fall.

This is probably the kind of music that induces seizures in lesser people. The intensity of Wagdug’s sound is that of 100 of those coma-inducing, colour saturated techno-robot shows. Heck, I’ll wager that Kyono has lent his musical talents to soundtracking these kind of shows – and why not; his sound would fit them perfectly. In fact, ‘Systematic People’ is the soundtrack to an anime show called ‘Kurozuka’, a series based on Japanese swordsman Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

A pounding, crunching, barbaric disco-destroying, techno-mash of furious breakbeats and obnoxious rap-metal posturing – an absolute winner in my book and fills that empty Mad Capsule Markets hole in my heart perfectly. All hail Wagdug Futuristic Unity: the underground Japanese digital hardcore king!

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Links

Wagdug Myspace
Wagdug Official Site
Mad Capsule Markets

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By Ross Macdonald

Are these getting boring yet? (Cretins are welcome to post ‘yes’ in the coments box).

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The Gaslight Anthem – Great Expectations

I kind of made a mistake the last time I listened to The Gaslight Anthem by dismissing them as ‘Deep Elm Fodder.’ In the words of Social D, I was wrong. They’re tagged with the Springsteen bullet – both in vocal delivery and their unrelenting swagger. There’s also a strong, not really Irish-punk jaunt, but in that vicinity. Like Small Arms Dealer, if they were more optimistic.

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Maylene and the Sons of Disaster – Just A Shock

Really not sure about this. I really like that whole ‘southern RAWK’ thing that bands like He Is Legend/Every Time I Die seem to be doing and Maylene seem to fit that category, but the vocals seem a bit off. Whilst they sound as if the deadly toll of cigarettes has left him with this husky drawl, it’s more a breathless throaty struggle that would probably end in a Bob Fleming coughing fit. The chorus is however, top notch.

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Enter Shikari – Zzzonked

I’m surprised – Enter Shikari actually sound okay on this. Goodbye to the ‘sub-par metalcore band who’ve left a ministry of sound compilation on whilst in the recording studio.’ Hello to the ‘reasonable sounding metalcore band, with a vocalist doing a feeble Mike Skinner impression, whilst headbutting a kaos pad and humping a microkorg.’ The last 30 seconds are the best part of this.

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Alexisonfire – No Rest

I reckon the tracklisting must be wrong – this does not sound like Alexisonfire. If it is them, then vocalist George Pettit has been drinking whisky everyday and punching cats in the face. Some nice backing vocals, but not enough Dallas Green. What happened to the atmospheric guitar swirling, bendy noises? Apart from that, it’s a great, fast-paced hardcore track, but seems to be a step backward really.

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Poison The Well – Exist Underground

\m/ Yessssssssssss. It seems those problems they had with half the band leaving have been solved then. Some excellent vocals from Jeff Moreira, who changes from a soothing wash, to bile-spitting rage and murderous growling. Credit to Ryan Primack’s guitar-playing, which twists with their trademark, heavy-hardcore edge, whilst Chris Hornbrook’s drumming treads familiar ground with that of  the heavier side of stoner rock – ace.

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People In Planes – Mayday (M’aidez)

Choppy – very choppy. The drumming sounds incredibly deep and foreboding, whilst the squealing electronic elements come into their own just before the chorus kicks in, steering the track away from the typical Errors-style electro-rock and more into a atmospheric shriek like that of Peace Burial At Sea-sort of. Singer’s voice cuts through the mix cleanly, which is surprising considering the layer of sound. Would listen again.

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Future of the Left – Arming Eritrea

(See album review) “COME ON RICK, I’M NOT A PRIZE, I’M NOT CYNICAL ONE OF THOSE GUYS!” If this opening froth of welsh bile doesn’t erode your face off, then the grinding bass-heavy fuzz should burrow a guitar-shaped rut through your chest and burst out your spine.

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The Butterfly Effect – Window And The Watcher

Nothing to do with Ashton Kutcher, thank fuck. Sounds a bit like P.O.D and Opus Dai to be honest; although there is a really fucking awesome breakdown about 2 minutes in. Vocalist Clint Boge (yes really), has a decent set of lungs on him, which seem slightly wasted on this rather plodding, standard hard-rock effort.

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We Were Promised Jetpacks – Ships With Holes Will Sink

At last, a band that ACTUALLY sounds like where they come from! The Scottish accent cuts through this track like a hot knife through haggis – vocalist Adam Thomson’s disgruntled shout is reminiscent of an old soak hitting the right notes at the right time. The noisy, jangled-indie rock fits perfectly, with the drums and heavy bass-work the most prominent aspects aside from Thomson’s whisky bark.

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Fact – Reborn

They wear masks! Wacky! No. It’s been done, sorry. Hang on…moment of genius coming….THAT guitar bit near the end is 100% excellence. The rest is too fucking standard emo/heavy rock to be honest. They’re Japanese, which means it scores a point for not being totally derivative, but to be honest, if you swapped the singer for some mincing, floppy haired American it would sound like anything from the good ol’ US of A. Poor form.

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Suicide Silence – Smoke

Well, the drums sound better than last time – i.e. the up-turned biscuit tins have been replaced by an actual kit with skins and proper cymbals! Unfortunately, it’s still complete and utter gunt, despite it being as tight as a gnats chuff. Also, he could be singing about literally ANYTHING or repeating the lines “hahahahaha you’re all utter retards for buying this shit.” I blame Bring Me The Horizon and every metal band ever. And you. And your mum.

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Hacride – To Walk Among Them

Man, I love me some French heavy metal – can’t get enough of it! Actually, the only French bands I’m familiar with are Gojira (\m/) and….er….Hacride! I like this, some killer breakdowns, crushing riffs and generous amount of slovenly drumming and some nice epic passages of slow grind. Chalk it up as a good ‘un.

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Goes Cube – Grinding The Knife Blade

BACKING VOCALS TRIUMPH! Absolutely love the transition from the guy who can sing, to the shouty-rant of someone who sounds like they recorded their vocal contribution inside a really echoy church. Honourable mentions to meaty post-hardcore torrent that encompasses this all – two thumbs up.

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Alabaster Suns – Royal 6 In Hand

Absolute bag of old pig cock.

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Clutch – Abraham Lincoln

Clutch soundtrack the march to war. Clutch soundtrack some reckless hoodlum doing 90 in a 30mph zone. Clutch soundtrack the sight of a 25 year old man air-drumming and headbanging in his house with a big stupid grin on his face. This is my first time listening to Clutch – it won’t be the last.

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Links

“Watched a film by Michael Bay, I brush my teeth everyday.”

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By Ross Macdonald

What we need is some really fucking harsh noise, right? Also, lyrics? Who needs them? All you really need is some maniac who wears a mutilated ski-mask with a telephone-microphone jammed inside his gob, bashing the shit out of a drum kit and a bass player, who’s tuned his instrument to that of a giant bow-stringed instrument and a truck-load of effects pedals.

Thank god then that Lightning Bolt have released a new track. Music-website-in-the-know aka, Pitchfork, premiered the track on Monday and it’s available for free download! The track, ‘Colossus’ is from their new album, ‘Earthly Delights’, which will be released (or no doubt file-shared long before) on the 13th October via Load Records. The artwork (see Pitchfork site) is predictably insane, coming across as a load of multi-coloured vomit covering a Jackson Pollock, with some flowers stamped over it for good measure. Excellent work! Tracklist (taken from their myspace blog):

1. Sound Guardians
2. Nation of Boar
3. Colossus
4. The Sublime Freak
5. Flooded Chamber
6. Funny Farm
7. Rain on Lake I’m Swimming in
8. S.O.S
9. Transmissionary

Shit, I can’t tell you how much I want to hear ‘Sound Guardians’; that’s easily the best name for a track in the history of ever.

Does ‘Colossus’ sound different from their previous work? Well, it’s certainly much more sinister. It would appear the two Brian’s have been indulging in Kyuss and Fu Manchu albums, as the vibe is one of stoner-noise rock, that stamps and staggers with all the grace and dexterity of a wounded mammoth. Chippendale’s voice is lost in the haze of droning bass and pounding drums, breaking through every so often in the form of an unhinged Gregorian chant that echoes with churning dread. At about 5 minutes in, ‘Colossus’ starts to feel really chewy and thick, the bass is distorted to that of almost inaudible mush, hanging between the boundaries of ‘someone’s left the washing machine on’ to ‘hey, you’re bass sounds a tad clunky mate.’ The driving build at the end, which fails to explode, is reminiscent of the sudden cut-off as seen on ‘No Rest For The Obsessed’ from 2005’s ‘Hypermagic Mountain’.

Stream/download/go out of your gourd to ‘Colossus’ here.

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Links

Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt Myspace
Load Records

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By Ross Macdonald

Band – Scream! Shout! Say Nothing
EP – Well I Never, You Always
Release date – 17th August (digital download)
Label – Scylla Records

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It’s a bold step forward for Scream! Shout! Say Nothing. From the success of September’s superb ‘The Animals Still Run This City’ debut, which focussed more on a jarring, metal-tinged heavy rock sphere, this 2 tracker dips its progressive toe into the waves of structured, post-hardcore rhythms with a greater emphasis on the vocals and dare I say harmonies! Note; this doesn’t mean the Hertfordshire 5 piece have mellowed – there’s still that same rage, that same passion, but their sound is tighter – focussed and slams home with the force of a Statham roundhouse kick to the ribcage.

There’s a bit in ‘Well I Never, You Always’ at the 1.15 mark, where the vocals slide behind the steady drum rolls as if they were recorded with singer Ben Davies shouting into a storm. As the crescendo of beats slowly builds and builds and the muted guitars gently swarm forward, Davies’s harsh bark breaks through under the volley of crushing riffs and sporadic drum hits. This furious beatdown continues, with the precision and accuracy that was last heard on a Yourcodenameis:milo record; but y’know, heavier, with that dangerously infectious melodic edge that glistens with razor sharp charm. The gang vocals at the end, along with the chant at the 2.40 mark (“and it feels like we’re riding, riding the waves of infinity”) come in at just the right time and burst forth with Dananananaykroyd-style euphoria and air-punch fury. A scary, but fascinating amount of determination that bleeds through on every shout and every scream.

The second track, entitled ‘But Sir I’m The King’ favours a calmer start, with the same looped guitar part and overlapping vocals, which feature some amusing word play (the first stanza being “Do I think you’d agree at the barrel of a gun? If I did, I’d be armed to the teeth”). It sees a departure from the more Refused-hardcore elements that were present on their debut and instead focuses more cleaner vocal lines, ambient passages and even post-rock tendencies. However, there is a nod towards Alexisonfire’s Pulmonary Archery, which keen-eared listeners will pick out with ease. As the track builds to a thunderous conclusion; the almost wall of sound that beats like a fucked clock suddenly cuts to a dramatic yet soothing coda of dark, mood-filled strumming. Here it is easy to see the Explosions In The Sky influence in its full glory and some elements of  Irish ‘we’re not instrumental, we just don’t have a vocalist’ war-bringers, And  So I Watch You From Afar.

I wouldn’t have thought it possible for Scream! Shout! Say Nothing to get any more zealous. I was wrong – these two tracks latch on to you like a set of claws; fervently gripping you in their layers of sprawling sound and spaced-out grandeur.

‘Well I Never, You Always’ can be pre-ordered here for just 99p!

Links

Scream! Shout! Say Nothing
Scream! Shout! Myspace
Scylla Records

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By Ross Macdonald

Multiple Choice Question: Is this the greatest live TV performance ever?

Circle One Answer:

a) Yes.
b) Fuck Yes.
c) Sorry, I was too busy trashing the shit out of my house after seeing Mr Spencer fuck up that studio.

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Links

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Jon Spencer Myspace Explosion

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(Note, I’ll have something proper to put up in the next few days. Currently struggling with crippling writer’s block.)

Band – NOFX
Album – Coaster
Release date – 27th April
Label – Fat Wreck Chords
Sounds like – nevermind that, it’s great for standing my beer on!

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If you’re not a punk fan (get out now) you’ve got to admire NOFX. They’ve been going for just over 25 years now, with no signs of stopping (despite all 4 band members being in their early 40s) and on their 11th full-length release ‘Coaster’ they still sound as determined and snotty as ever. After finally seeing George Dubya Bush topple as their President, I was concerned as to what Fat Mike, Smelly, El Hefe and Eric would write about now their number one song-protagonist had left the limelight. But it seems that without the man who brought us the immortal words: “I believe human beings and fish can co-exist peacefully” in charge of the most powerful country in the world, NOFX can go back to writing songs about floor covering, defenceless shellfish, lesbians and drinking heavily. Thank the lord I say. Not that I minded the Bush train of negativity, but it was the kind of bandwagon that so many acts jumped on, that it diluted the real message that those before had already made. It was like a new beer company appearing and everyone loving, only for smaller, inferior breweries to pop up with weaker imitations that tried to do it justice, but never sat right in the owners’ glass or indeed as they were pouring it down their gullet.

Time has been good to NOFX. Now in their more adult years, they still haven’t matured, but their playing ability has increased tenfold. I mean, their sound has always been characterised by other-the-top guitar solos, Fat Mike’s grimey, out-of-tune bass rumbling and their frantic drum patterns but on ‘Coaster‘ they’ve *insert poor analogy referring to an outstanding achievement.* Put it this way, you know how Less Than Jake released ‘GNV FLA‘ last year and I said it was their best work to date? That’s how I feel about ‘Coaster.’

Alec Baldwin assures us how weak we are (it’s not the “fuckin’ leads“) at the start of ‘We Call It America’; in a quote from real estate ultra-swear-o-thon, Glengarry Glen Ross, which appears, alongside the songs lyrical output, a direct representation of the current financial climate in the United States. America, it seems…is ‘weak’ – as regards funds and the lines “national bankruptcy, circumcised society…poor is the new rich” seems to state that the populous that was once minted, is now scrabbling for wealth. Despite this somewhat, negative outlook (or you could say current awareness), ‘We Call It America’ is a progressively upbeat track, featuring the trademark ‘woaaahhhooohhs’ and the solid punk rock stability that we’ve come to associate with the San Francisco fatsters.

For me, the two best tracks sit next to each other slap bang in the middle of this convenient drink stand shaped like a music disc. ‘Creeping Out Sara’ tells a supposed fictional account of Fat Mike meeting Sara Quin of the Canadian band, Tegan and Sara at a NOFX show. Set to mid-paced, synthesised pop-rock, the lyrics mostly consist of Mike basically freaking Sara out with enquiring questions about KD Lang, scoring drugs, lesbianism with her sister (“where they both gang up on one girl”) and the movie Bound (“did they like Jennifer Tilly?”) It’s really a PG-13 rating song as opposed to ‘Louise’ from ‘Pump Up The Valuum’, which is the kind of song you rush nervously to skip every time a member of the family walks into the room. It’s made all the more entertaining by Mike’s bemused questioning and confusion over the issue of scaring Sara (“or maybe it was Tegan?”) as if he can’t believe it’s him causing such problems.

Still keeping with the theme of same-sex couplings, ‘Eddie, Bruce and Paul’ tells the story of Iron Maiden as a gay-love triangle in just under four minutes. It’s basically about how original Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno was booted out the band (“Eddie had it good, but Paul loved his cocaine, and Eddie hated punks – so, after a couple years, Eddie broke it off with Paul, to look for a new man“) in favour of Bruce Dickinson (“searching for a beau, who sings in falsetto“). This is where the NOFX sound jumps from pretty great to “oh my sweet Jesus get my air guitar down from the rack I have some serious playing to do.” Guitarists El Hefe and Eric Melvin rip into the most extravagantly exaggerated guitar solos, each trying to out do the other with the ridiculousness of their playing ability.  You can see why El Hefe is named ‘The Boss’ and why Melvin has been with the band since its inception in 1984. Phenomenal playing ability from 2 extremely talented individuals on a song that has more in common with hair metal, cock-rock swaggery than NOFX’s belligerent skate punk.

The smooth-lounge jazz opening of ‘I Am An Alcoholic’ flows like a fine malt whisky into a crystal glass, with El Hefe’s trumpet skills gliding effortlessly over an intro that could be mistaken for a Richard Cheese number. Fat Mike’s scratchy, yet trying-to-be-dulcet tone carries the track nicely, before the drums kick in, transforming the song into the traditional punk rock bounce, before diving head first back into the realms of dark rooms, improvisation and men who wear sunglasses inside. I’m unsure as to whether the line “I can’t because I’m a drug abusing alcoholic”, is tongue in cheek or not, as I was under the impression Fat Mike had kicked the marching powder into touch, but still enjoyed the odd brewski. It does seem to come from the perspective of someone starting later in life than they feel they perhaps should have (“I didn’t try pot until I was 21…”) and spiralling into a steady decline of getting completely wasted, but with that nagging feeling of remorse every time the chorus kicks back in. They know they shouldn’t be getting intoxicated all the time, but it seems the best time to do it, so why not go for broke? ‘The Quitter’ is a somewhat mocking and barbed sounding piece, criticising someone for kicking alcohol and to a lesser extent, narcotics. Even the guitars sound contemptuous and echo this spiteful, shrill tone giving the track a dark, sinister edge.

In contrast to these tales of heavy drinking and wild hedonism, ‘My Orphan Year’ is a touching, melodic piece of punk rock that details Fat Mike losing both his parents in 2006; his dad to dementia and his mum to cancer. Whilst the vocal delivery is unusually brash for a track that touches on such poignant memories, the lyrical content is particularly delicate (“so he died without a son”; “the night she left me I drank scotch all night and thanked her for everything she’d done”) and is probably the best song NOFX have ever written. Whether I’m imagining it or not, but I swear on the first time round when Mike sings “2006, goodbye parents”, you can hear the big guy choking back a tear; the slight quiver in his vocals are a partial gateway into how much this song means to him.

If the opening riff to ‘Blasphemy (The Victimless Crime)’, which is ripped directly from The Bangles’ ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ doesn’t’ make you smile, then the un-PC lines that encourage having sex with nuns should do the trick. The inclusion of the rapid piano tapping to this religion bashing piece is something that I would have liked more of on ‘Coaster’ but moderation is something we all have to live with I guess. The tantalising bass line on ‘Suits and Ladders’ leads to a vocal-back-and-forth between Mike and Melvin regarding the downfall of yuppie wankers, spiralling into alcoholism and pissing themselves. The lyrics ‘you are a superfluous man’ point towards the subject becoming essentially redundant and unwanted. On ‘The Agony of Victory’ (which is a cover song and destined to appear on a forthcoming soundtrack…) those downtrodden minions of society are encouraged to “dance like a retard” and that “life is an endless party, not a punch card” giving the impression that this is possibly a lost Andrew W.K. song? But seriously, whoever this song originally belonged to, NOFX have injected their usual brand of offbeat, cheeky humour into a vibrant and exhilarating track.

I could go on, but there’s a limit to how much twaddle I should write here. However, my final words; ‘Coaster’ is NOFX’s finest collection of songs to date and is possibly my punk rock record of the year – stunning both lyrically and musically, it doesn’t get much better than this, essential listening to those who appreciate three chords, songs about drinking and retard dancing.
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Links

NOFX
NOFX Myspace
Fat Wreck Chords
Epitaph Page

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By Ross Macdonald