Running an Indpendent Record Label One Day at a Time
Just got in a big distro order with restocks on some highly desirable, mostly European punk gems. Here’s the full list… order away, folks!
Teargas: The Way of All Flesh 12″ (Hardcore Victim)
Abrasive Wheels: When the Punks Go Marching In 12″ (Re-Amp)
Condominium: Warm Home 12″ (Self-released)
Dezerter: Underground Out of Poland 12″ (Nikt Nic Nie Wie)
Firmeza 10: El Grito De La Tierra 12″ (Self-released)
Skitkids: Besoket Vid Krubban 12″ (Hate)
Sokea Piste: Ajatus Karkaa 12″ (Kämäset Levyt)
I’d been looking forward to Nazi Dust’s debut 12″ for quite some time, and I must say that it does not disappoint. Their earlier 7″ on Youth Attack was solid, but left me with the suspicion that the band was capable of even more. They finally deliver on that promise on their first large slab of vinyl (albeit a one-sided one).
I think the thing that jumped out at me first about this record was the guitar sound… while a lot of bands these days go for either a blown out raw punk guitar sound or a slick, metallic sound, the guitar sound here is totally dry, with an almost direct-to-soundboard quality. It feels both brittle and claustrophobic, which fits perfectly with the bleak atmosphere of Nazi Dust’s music and artwork.
The other strong suit here are the vocals, which have a ton of personality. There’s a lot more going on here than mere howling and screaming… there’s a snottiness to it that reminds me a lot of Void. While it’s not quite “get stuck in your head” catchy, it’s extremely memorable in terms of style and vibe, and that’s more than enough for me. This isn’t music to tap your toes to, it’s music to bash your face to.
Check out the first (and my personal favorite) track, “Suffering,” here:
I announced this on the email list earlier today, but I thought everyone else in internet-land would want to get in on the world premier of a track from the new Stripmines LP! The LP is called Crimes of Dispassion and should be out in late February or early March if all goes according to plan. This track, “Years of Dread,” should give you a pretty good indication of this LP’s absolutely pulverizing production values, but it’s only the slightest hint of everything that’s happening on this monster of an LP. Just wait… you will be crushed!
