Gripe – S/T
The 80s won't die but you will!
This hardcore punk trio from Santiago, Chile, debuted last July with their self-titled EP, giving us a classic take on ’80s hardcore. Fast and furious, full of feedback-laden guitars, vibrating bass and thunderous drums… you get the idea!
Then, in October, Junko Records released it on cassette. Actually, I bought the tape recently from the owner of another label, Incendia Records, at a show where a band from Junko Records, La Casa de Emma, was playing.
Mixed and mastered by 333, from the band Deceso Por Causa Desconocida, the sound is both pristine and energetic, distorted and furious. Everything is frenetic and, as the name suggests (gripe is Spanish for flu), their lyrics talk a lot about being sick, ill and tired. It’s about suffering, thinking that your slowly decomposing body is about to burst. The constant screaming and yelling tells us that they’ve had enough. And if things don’t change, they will spit and vomit their way out.
It’s not the raw and dirty sound that a lot of bands from Santiago have cultivated in recent years. It’s more like the classic hardcore punk of the early 80s. They did a cover of Adolescents’ “Self Destruction”, an homage to the kind of sound they were going for as a band. They also have a lot of Circle Jerks on them (both bands happen to be from California).
The frenzy of this spazztic cover describes exactly what this album sounds like. If you want something direct and punky, without any unnecessary elements, this is for you. This band is not out to change music or the world. They just want an escape from it, something you might be looking for too.
You can find more information about them on the label’s Facebook page or write to: [email protected]
