SPLITS:
-(16)- / Deadbird / Nightstick / Fistula (4 Way Split ) Cadaver Monuments Totem Cat
July 28 2023
Totem Cat (Church Of Misery, Black Pyramid, Sons Of Otis, etc) delivers again, for the 50th time, in fact. To truly celebrate their 50th release, Totem Cat gather four killer bands and unleash thirteen tracks spanning 55 minutes. -(16)-, Deadbird, Nightstick, and Fistula sling sludge-soaked doom. Cadaver Monuments kicks off with -(16)- doing what they do. Grimy, violent chugging tracks with the amusing title, “Trust Punk”. Gnarly breakdown erupts after showcasing a fast ripper of a song. Three songs is welcome after the band released a top three album of their career, Into Dust, in November of 2022. Their second song boasts a more rock feel as they indulge us with a stunner of a Black Flag cover, “Beat My Head Against the Wall”. Fitting.
Deadbird clocks in with a plodding, sporadic wrestling log of riffs and squeals. Deadbird indulge in a sprawling beckoning to the strewn riffs of Iommi an the the rest of the followers. The band is confident in their masterful handling of traditional doom riffs. Five tracks by Nightstick certainly consume the most aural real estate. The lead guitars are the center of attention. The production is stripped down. Stoner and doom all coalesce into an open armed embrace of head-nod repetition. Fistula executes their brand of hard-ass concrete misanthropy; mixing Bongzilla, Noothgrush, and Eyehategod. Fistula’s brilliant concoction of nihilistic vocals over dark riffs and acerbic excursions allow each track to revel in their vitriolic solitude.
• Totem Cat Edition / 200 hand-numbered copies, only sold here. 2xLP Clear Yellow w/ Neon Pink Splatter + Clear Purple w/ Neon Green Splatter. 60×60 poster of Brad Moore’s painting. 4 pages insert.
• Beer & Swamp Green 2xLP / 200 copies. First vinyl, beer color; second vinyl, swamp green. Four pages insert.
• Regular Black 2xLP.
• Test Pressing / 20 copies with alternative screen-printed cover.
Totem Cat instagram
S.O.H / Basuko Split 1753 Records
Out Now
1753 Punk Noise present a quick, chaotic split. Past gems from 1753 include Problem’s Anti-You, Pyrrhic’s At What Cost?, Arret’s Demo, Dead City’s Banned from LA, and Personal Damage’s Ambush, plus many more. 1753 are known for LA bands and limited cassettes. Now, S.O.H. – from Japan – spew rapid fire, menacing hardcore. The guitar lines slice like razors. Jack hammer drums pound for the meandering bass, which is mixed well for this lo-fi/raw production. Two songs rip with adoration for Swedish/Japanese hardcore, plus a pinch of black metal for atmosphere. Has a good rhythm. Speaking of rhythm, Basuko’s two tracks employ the same ferocity and velocity. And hell yeah it’s got some bounce to it. Again, intense and stunning. Production is lo-fi but all elements are allowed to breathe. Nothing muddy here. All four songs slay. Straight and to the point. Done in
Tape edition comes with cover art by WAZALOO and additional small print art by Aldubber.
REISSUE:
Cherubs Icing (30th Anniversary Remastered Edition) Heroin Man (reissue)Brutal Panda Records
August 4 2023
Cherubs have been forging their unique brand of noise rock for years. They raged from 1991 – 1994. For two decades, they took a hiatus. However the three reformed in 2014 subsequently releasing records on Brutal Panda and Relapse. This year sees us revisiting 1992 when Cherubs debuted their initial full-length, Icing. The Austin TX power trio triggers the expected comparisons; Unsane, early Helmet, Tar, Tad, The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, etc. What is less expected is the divisive reviews landing across this broad spectrum. Most administer the 3/5 and 3.5/5 (rate your music, 3.45; AllMusic, 7.6/10; )while pitchfork.com call it a “full-length bruiser” *(here) and some hand it a stellar 4/5 (albumoftheyear.org, 87/100; discogs, 4/5) and sputnik music retroactively rolled their eyes in 2015 with a sparse 2/5 (https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/67769/Cherubs-Icing/).
Icing is a dark record. As you listen, you delve into the dirge, sweltering. You can scour with steel brush, festering in a muddy, shameful quagmire. Butthole Surfers’ drummer, King Coffey’s, label Trance Syndicate released this. Originally recorded and produced by Mr. Colson (L7, Dwarves, Linkin Park), Icing has now been remastered and remixed by Eric Wofford (Explosions in the Sky, Young Widows, The Black Angels), complete with new album art by the band’s Kevin Whitley.
1st Press:
10 Test Presses (Black)
100 3 Color Twister (SOLD OUT)
150 Black, Gold + Blood Splatter (SOLD OUT)
200 Orange + White Merge (Brooklyn Vegan / Revolver Exclusive)
250 Transparent Orange
2nd Press:
200 Eco-Mix
300 Jawbreaker Splatter
HEROIN MAN
Heroin Man is not divisive. Universally agreed upon as a brilliant record, switching vocals and the sweat and spirit of the dudes truly aligned. Hailed as their “magnum opus” (pitchfork), one can hear the focus an saturation of guitar riffs an writhing rhythms. Thicker production certainly aided in this more brutal, honed execution of killer tunes. Heroin Main is still noise-rock and abrasive, just more explosive. And while not cheerful by any stretch, not as brooding or sinister, one could argue a pop sensibility. But still an ugly child. The record just more injects more Husker Du and Minutemen.
1st Brutal Panda Press:
10 Test Presses (Black)
100 Dark Green / Silver Spinner (SOLD OUT)
150 Black (SOLD OUT)
200 Ultra Clear w/ Black Marble + Neon Magenta Splatter (Brooklyn Vegan / Revolver Exclusive)
250 Hot Pink
2nd Brutal Panda Press:
200 Eco-Mix
300 Jawbreaker Splatter
Brutal Panda re: Heroin Man – “Due to high demand and the first press selling out a 2nd press is in the works and is estimated to ship in mid-October.”
buy resissues here.
