Archives for the month of: June, 2013

a2634528824_10

Mastering Miscalculations‘ LP.

“Miscalculations were formed in a dark, asbestos-lined basement in Harlow and a towering loft overlooking the concrete, steel and flesh of North London. Absorbing their environment, watching analysing and calculating. Miscalculating.

Featuring members of The Gaggers, Ladykillers and Shanghai Wires, Miscalculations capture the cynicism, obscurity and perplexity of their surroundings and filter it down to the purest punk form. Agitated yet melodic, Miscalculations are sharp as a surgeon’s blade.
They take cues from early punk rock, electro punk and contemporary punk mixing the sounds of The Units, Screamers, Warsaw, The Vicious, Masshysteri, Tristess and Vicious Visions with the depth and abstruseness of a Francis Bacon painting. Accurately miscalculated.”

 

a2634528824_10

Mastering Miscalculations‘ LP.

“Miscalculations were formed in a dark, asbestos-lined basement in Harlow and a towering loft overlooking the concrete, steel and flesh of North London. Absorbing their environment, watching analysing and calculating. Miscalculating.

Featuring members of The Gaggers, Ladykillers and Shanghai Wires, Miscalculations capture the cynicism, obscurity and perplexity of their surroundings and filter it down to the purest punk form. Agitated yet melodic, Miscalculations are sharp as a surgeon’s blade.
They take cues from early punk rock, electro punk and contemporary punk mixing the sounds of The Units, Screamers, Warsaw, The Vicious, Masshysteri, Tristess and Vicious Visions with the depth and abstruseness of a Francis Bacon painting. Accurately miscalculated.”

 

Snob Value

 

Mastering Snob Value‘s forthcoming EP on Spastic Fantastic,  Matula, and  Access X Denied Records.

If you don’t know Snob Value, MRR’s review of their mini-LP  does a good job describing them, or you can listen to a track from the new 7″ below.

Record of the week:  Snob Value – Whiteout mini-LP

http://maximumrocknroll.com/

Let me start by saying that these boys have been busy busy busy, with their kicking-and-punching first tape, aptly named Keep It Short and Simple – K.I.S.S., in 2009, then another killer tape in 2010, which I also friggin’ loved, so I have anticipated this for quite a while! I can tell that they’ve definitely worked on this LP, and these tracks are doused in indignation, antisocial aggression and contempt for humanity. I can relate: “I don’t give a shit about what you did, when you were my age in 1986 … Sometimes I wish I were deaf, I would have peace at last.” Yes, antisocial hardcore for angry people, reminiscent of USHC classics like the CIRCLE JERKS, DEAD KENNEDYS, MINOR THREAT and more contemporary outfits such as the REGULATIONS and BRUTAL KNIGHTS. The compositions are still tight and catchy but the band has developed them more, with slower, groovier hooks, slower intros, meaner guitar interludes and solos, layers, and the ever-present spiteful vocals; the kind of spite discovered in late adulthood, when you realize adulthood sucks and your peers are a joke!

While SNOB VALUE‘s work has never lacked lyrical aggression or sonic force, these tracks have a more polished production, which makes conventional sense for a debut LP I suppose, though they don’t entirely lack that seedy, subversive sound. Also, the artwork is quite minimal (“contrast reduction, disappeared horizon”) and while it’s handmade and still looks good, it doesn’t compare to their previous punk-ass designs. “1986,” “Hammer & Öl,” and “Whiteout” are the standout tracks. “1986″ is dark, honest, ballsy and foaming at the mouth — theirpièce de résistance for this album, if you ask me; “Hammer & Öl” is sung in the band’s native German and, of course, sounds all the more menacing for it; and the title track is a SNOB VALUE essential: short and simple, fast, effective, mind-pounding. I’m already flipping this faster than I can keep track of. While I do appreciate the more serious take they seem to have taken on this release, I honestly hope they keep some distortion and dirt intact. It’s that blunt frustration that makes ‘em so great! Minor detail: I love it when bands have little messages scratched onto the wax; on ether side of this white 12″ was: “World peace can be fun—Anarchy’s a blast.” Fuck yes!

(Crapoulet Records / Prügelprinz / Spastic Fantastic)

September 18th, 2012 by Lydiya”

 

One Way Ticket

One Way Ticket Magazine (a DIY free zine about the underground music scene based in London) has been featuring a column every month of records mixed and mastered here at the North London Bomb Factory.

If you live in London, or can find it by mailorder, check it out for new music and hopefully a write up of your record.

Every month there is a release party with DJ’s and bands. Come down and say Hi.

 

Honkas

Remastering Honkas “Lied Für Fritz” on Static Age Records.

Originally on Pogar Records (who also released Ohlo Seco in Europe for you Brazilian Hardcore aficionados), this is a classic although very rare Deutschpunk record. The aim of the band and label is the make this record available at a non collector price.

“Honkas are a very raw punk band from Germany, and the production on this record only accentuates their primitivity. Some of the songs here almost degenerate into an undefined mass of guitar distortion, but others (like the title track) have more focus and drive. Pretty sharp.

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rock’n’Roll #5, March/April 1983)”

Honkas

 

Mastering Honkas Lied Für Fritz 7″ on Cut the Cord That….

Originally on Pogar Records (who also released Ohlo Seco in Europe for you Brazilian Hardcore aficionados), this is a classic although very rare Deutschpunk record. The aim of the band and label is the make this record available at a non collector price.

“Honkas are a very raw punk band from Germany, and the production on this record only accentuates their primitivity. Some of the songs here almost degenerate into an undefined mass of guitar distortion, but others (like the title track) have more focus and drive. Pretty sharp.

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rock’n’Roll #5, March/April 1983)”

 

Brächraits

Mastering Brächraits LP on Rawmantic Disasters.

Obscure to say the least, I don’t know much about this Deutschpunk band. If anybody out there knows anything fill me in.

For lovers of raw German Punk.