Žarko Gladić is a Serbia based professional historian who was best known for his Metempsychosis zine in the past, before starting Uncut Reality fanzine in 2018. In both of these publications, Žarko covers a wide area of anti-music: noisecore, grindcore and goregrind bands from all over the world.
According to Žarko, this subculture represents a somewhat wild, but more natural and honest micro-world, free from all recognizable forms and standards. For some, the noisecore/grind scene is a hobby, and for many it is a way of life without profit, isolated from all other forms of mainstream culture.
“In the beginning, it was just a musical genre that developed a system of values based on pure energy, emotions, critical view of the world, uncompromising attitude, freedom of expression, encouragement and initiative. Sometimes it has strong political components, which have been used by some bands as a basis for their creative work. Musically, grindcore is a collective improvisation with elements of chance and arbitrariness, with the attempt to express thoughts and emotions as far as the equipment can take them. From a philosophical-ideological perspective, grindcore is something beyond the context of a standard tradition, something that has been developed, evolved and lived beyond all processes, be they social or artistic,” says Žarko.
In this article, he shares nine of his favorite noise-mongers that have been on rotation at home lately.
1 Ruidos Absurdos – Self-Titled EP (Brazil, 2018)
Labels: Lady Lasol Records, Demilitarised Subconscious Records
This is kind of a rare collection because it contains two different sessions. Side A is a rehearsal recording from 1983 with unknown song titles and side B are tracks recorded in 1984. This could be classified as ultra-obscure Brazilian hardcore, raw and explosive, bordering on noisecore, or as I personally like to call it, accidental noisecore (early raw chaotic Finnish bands could help as a reference). This was supposed to be released on the SPHC label, but during the communication on the phone between the label owner and the band members, everyone kinda stopped caring until Otto (Kuolema drummer) took the initiative to finally release it on vinyl. The whole 7″ EP is very well done, with a folded insert and double-sided posters. Almost all of these Brazilian hardcore / grindcore / noisecore bands feel, for lack of a better term, more alive and urgent than just about anything else out there. I can actually say that for the whole South American scene, especially from the 80s and early 90s. I like tons of other bands on the same level or higher, but their energy, rawness, chaos in general stands out, and Ruidos Absurdos is a good example. Labels, thanks and total respect for putting this totally obscure recording on a 7″ EP.
2 Raw Noise Apes – Damnatio Memoriae LP (Greece, 2019)
Labels: Autistic Society System Filth-Records & SAORS
This is a slightly different offering from Raw Noise Apes compared to their rawer sound on the previously released 7″ splits and their 10″. Also, the length of this LP is 38 minutes, a rather long LP for a grindcore band, but it is surprisingly great! The first two or three tracks work really well, the sound production is developed, the riffing is top notch. No bullshit until the end. Just straight to the point brutality with punishing heavy drums, vocals and shredding, well written riffs. It’s like diving into another dimension in these 38 minutes and that’s exactly what I needed and that’s why I mentioned at the beginning that this is a bit different from those Greek monkeys. The cover art and design is wonderful and I’m absolutely in love with this band. Great LP all around!
3Sissy Spacek – Ways of Confusion LP (United States, 2018)
Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions
Sissy Spacek has gone through a range of raw and aggressive styles in their 20+ years of existence, from chaotic noisecore/grindcore to the pure electronic and harsh noise of their later stuff. This LP is a full blast beat assault. 39 tracks of raw noisecore, blurring the lines between composition and free improvisation at a dizzying pace, and it’s over in about 15 minutes. There are no dynamics and no clear movements, but the whole LP is still incredibly satisfying.
4 Noma – Totally Destroy Music Industry and the Rest will Follow CS (Greece, 2019)
Label: SAORS
Noma started their blasting, gory grindcore in 2016, and this is their full tape album after a few split releases and a debut demo. Dual vocals, pitch shifters, growls, screams, in the vein of early Regurgitate, General Surgery, Agathocles. No surprises in the sound and song structures, they use the same effective formula and recipe, so the way the whole album is crafted makes it a great listen. I’ve had the opportunity to see them live, as well as drink and chill during their rehearsals. Definitely the best goregrind I’ve heard in a long time!
5 Duniya – Dentes Feitos De Migalhas CS (Brazil, 2019)
Label: Vlad Tapes
This is the debut tape of a Brazilian band called Duniya. Everything about this band is perfect for me. Aesthetics (visual identity) and of course the music. This is not your typical straightforward noisecore, nor endless industrial or harsh noise to sit down and blow your brains out. The core sound here is indeed noisecore, but perfectly mixed with industrial and harsh noise textures. Some of the sounds/parts here initially reminded me of certain works by early Swans in their sheer nihilism.
Duniya’s tape is unique for me as a whole, because it’s a great mixture of slow, sludgy, bone-crushing grooves, harsh noises and distortions everywhere, and then it suddenly hits you with full precision force at top speed and maniacal vocals. And this is not just trying to play as slow and heavy as possible or as fast and heavy as possible. Duniya is much more, these guys are beyond some recognizable sound forms. They use some sludgy riffs, then, hmmm, grindcore, hardcore breakdowns, and periods of feedback and harsh noise to get their point across. Great variety throughout. Can’t wait for more material from them.
6 Kali Yuga Noise / Massacre Anti Musica – Split LP (Finland, 2018)
Label: Bestial Burst
Two brutal noisecore bands from Finland with hundreds of “songs”. From full on noisecore, to riffy, fuming stompers. Definitely taking the offensive on all levels, not for the sensitive, weak or faint of heart. Both bands are on top of their noisecore shit and are not holding back at all and it really shows on these fucking recordings.
For those into early Anal Cunt, 7MON, Rapt, Brigada Do Ódio, Fear Of God and the likes.
7 Brigada Do Ódio – S/T Discography LP (Brazil, 2021)
Labels: F.O.A.D. & Insane Noise Distro
This band has been demanding reissues for almost 30 years! So the long awaited complete discography is finally here. For those who don’t know, Brigada Do Ódio were one of the pioneers of noisecore / grindcore. Trebly, totally lo-fi, full of reverb primitive crazy shit. Their cult split LP with Olho Seco from 1985 was way ahead of its time in terms of outrageous speed and ear-splitting distortion and insanity.
F.O.A.D. have done a great job as always, both visually and sonically. It includes everything that Brigada Do Ódio recorded, even pre-BDO sessions under the name Infratores. Comes with a very nice booklet with many rare photos, artwork and notes written by band members. I’m beyond excited and very grateful to finally own everything from Brigada Do Ódio.
I have been jamming Internal Rot’s latest LP a lot lately. No bullshit, fast and aggressive album from probably the most popular grindcore band right now. Great, catchy, angular riffs, actually the whole songwriting here makes the whole thing flow very well. This is just a complete, merciless, punch to the face, brutal grindcore LP and it was worth waiting six years for a new full-length.
9 Cyanamid – This is Hell – A NJ Hardcore anthology LP + CD (United States, 2019)
Label: F.O.A.D.
Probably most people from the hardcore scene are not familiar with this band, so I’ll start with some basic info: Cyanamid was a crazy, fucked up, weird and definitely unique band from the USA formed in 1981. In my humble opinion, they were the pioneers of “grindcore”, as Cyanamid basically played grindcore by today’s standards, but before it had a name. Way ahead of their time. They were faster than any other hardcore band at the time. I can’t think of anything that sounds remotely like their I Love NJ demo before 1983. Punk and hardcore riffs, Flipper-like dirges and bursts of psychotic and deranged noise. An obvious influence on many bands to come.
This F.O.A.D. anthology collects their complete discography from 1983 – 2014, including a total of 51 songs! It has everything, even the live tracks. And it looks great too, with a full color booklet featuring rare photos, flyers, artwork, zine excerpts, liner notes, etc. The sound quality is amazing as it’s been remastered. Highly recommended for all freaks who crave obscure gems!
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