Scumraid – The End EP
Seoul's finest noise raiders return with a ferocious crasher release for the legendary Osaka label Crust War.
Crasher crust is one of those hyper-specific subgenres that originated from a particular time and place—Osaka, Japan, in the early/mid-’90s. What started as a noise-filled anti-music genre rooted in ear-splitting distortion and relentless Scandi-style d-beats with an emphasis on crash-ride cymbals, later developed an underground cult following. We’ve heard Lebenden Toten in the US, No Future in Australia, and Genöme in Sweden, among others. But what about crasher crust in other Asian countries?
The last time we heard from Seoul, South Korea’s premier crashers Scumraid was in 2018, when they dropped their monstrous Control LP via Iron Lung Records. Six years, a pandemic, and some serious global chaos and geopolitical shifts later, they’ve returned with The End, an absolutely devastating new 7-inch EP that stands as their best material to date. Released on vinyl in October 2024 to coincide with their Total Crusher Japan Tour alongside Olympia, WA’s finest, Physique, the record didn’t make it to streaming platforms and YouTube until February 2025. And since the record was intended for the band’s Japanese tour, I also love the cover art—a gig shot of the band in full attack mode that serves as a reminder that this kind of anti-music thrives in its live setting, where their unhinged energy and rage is fully realized.
Clocking in at just around eight minutes, The End is a full-throttle assault, sharpening Scumraid’s chaotic sound while keeping the spirit of legends like Gloom alive. Compared to the ultra-abrasive, lo-fi aesthetics of the past releases—and even most records in the genre’s history—the production is sharper, crisper and louder. If anything, the wall of high-frequency distortion and suffocating sonic intensity hits even harder, evoking the same overwhelming, tear-inducing catharsis that bands like D-Clone, Zyanose, and LIFE have elicited in me over the years. While I love many hardcore punk bands for their political message and attitude, this particular style is something else for me, it’s a full-force obliteration of the senses that leaves no room for overthinking. Just pure, all-consuming intensity.
And Scumraid absolutely deliver that. Guitarist Jihwan and bassist Dongwoo rip through short, violent bursts of noise, howling at full force with a good dose of “aaaaarrrrrrgh” and “bleaaaaarggggh” for good measure. But the real standout, as always, is drummer Juyoung. Her insane d-beat assault is the backbone of this record, proving why she’s one of the most ferocious drummers in today’s crust scene. Now based in Tokyo, she’s also playing in bands like crust heavyweights Asocial Terror Fabrication and the all-female garage punk powerhouse The Vertigos. And to top it all off, she even got married during Scumraid’s tour with Physique—a true crust romance moment!
While Scumraid have worked with top-tier labels like D-Takt & Råpunk and Iron Lung Records in the past, The End carries an extra layer of crust prestige, having been released by none other than the legendary Crust War (Osaka’s OG crust label and zine that helped establish the whole scene). This alone makes it a must-have alongside all the other classics from the label’s vault. But even beyond that, The End is an absolute masterclass in Japanese-style crust punk—one of the best in recent years and, honestly, a contender for one of my all-time favorites. Total noise devastation, pure and simple.
