Category: Buzz Chart

If you’ve yet to jump aboard the Waste train and join the party-thrash revolution, then here’s a chance to see what you’ve been missing. Municipal Waste are four beer swillin’ dudes that could easily pass for characters from the ‘Wayne’s World’ films (but actually hail from Richmond, VA), and ‘Hazardous Mutation‘ – their 2005 debut album – is a feast of two minute thrash-core odes to post-apocalyptic mutants and getting wasted. Well, mainly getting wasted. Anyone who hankers for the glory days of bands like D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies should check this out pronto.

The main appeal of this recent re-release is the inclusion of a bonus DVD, which features a recording of a hometown show interspersed with clips of a band interview conducted in guitarist Ryan Waste’s kitchen. You’ve probably gathered by now that this lot don’t take themselves too seriously; so the onstage presence of a ‘wizard’, the amusing tour stories and the sight of bassist Land Phil pouring beer on his breakfast cereal shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Laugh? You certainly will, and then some.

Check out ‘Unleash The Bastards’ on the link above.

Hardcore, Thrash Metal and Punk Rock once melted together can be hit or miss most times and the word crossover is rarely heard in this day and age so when a gem sticks up out of the coal you have to grab it and make it shine.

Liverpool based Short Sharp Shock (SSS) have captured the essence of all of these genres that made the 1980’s one of the best times for this music possible. Imagine all of the energy, filth and fury of bands such as S.O.D, Nuclear Assault, Poison Idea and Metallica all rolled into one LP with screaming guitars, in your face vocals, killer drumming and thumping bass lines.

This is the closest you will get to rediscovering the term ‘Skate Rock’ but instead of it being done by pro skaters who can’t play instruments; this is done by people who know how to play well leaving you with a feeling that you have one of the best records in your collection of 2007. Word on the street says they are supporting Gang Green in March this year, start yours with a bang – get this record or die fucking lonely.

Zac Slack

Mark Ronson is a well known DJ, born in London who was swiftly packed off to NYC by his mum where he learnt to play records and now enjoys his routine slot on the East Village Radio called Hello Echo.

Last year he hooked up with vocalist Alex Greenwald and unleashed such a brilliant cover of ‘Just’ from Radiiohead you will ever hear with its voluptuous horn section and rework that had people clucking for a copy all over the UK.

Ronson is back this month with a 10″only release of a cover of Britney Spears monstrous pop hit ‘Toxic‘ and if you think that no one could take a cheesy pop track and make it sound cool as f*** then think again because it’s done – he even threw Ol’ Dirty Bastard in there!

Mark will release an album titled ‘Versions‘ in April that includes a killer cover of ‘Stop Me’ by The Smiths, ‘Oh My God‘ by The Kaiser Chiefs with Lily Allen on vocals and a bunch more. It sounds cheesy but once you hear these tunes and realise they are infectious, you will be searching for his stuff for the rest of the year.

Check out this stream over at Radio 1 of Ronson in the mix, it says everything if you like to party. You can find it at the bottom column of the page under the Evening session – Mark Ronson Essential Mix.

Zac Slack

It was a long time in the making but long island emo-supremos Brand New are back in the ring with their eagerly anticipated new album ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me’, which takes its title from a conversation frontman Jesse Lacey had with a schizophrenic friend whilst making the album.

Never ones for resting on their laurels, Brand New’s 2003 album ‘ Deja-Entendu’ was the polar opposite to their debut ‘My Favourite Weapon’, and similarly, this new offering is another huge leap forward to a darker, more challenging sound. Lacey, a reluctant front man if ever there was one, has grown from a boy singing of love, to deeper, almost menacing topics – his lyrics now spin out stories of death, religion, executions and even drowning babies. So far, so bleak.

Tangled guitars rip into the listener in Sowing Season, ‘Degausser‘ brims with an eerie choir, whilst ‘Archers‘ stays with you. ‘The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me’ confirms Brand New’s reputation as a band constantly striving evolving into something bigger and better, growing with every new release. Brooding at times, furious and fighting in others – this is an album that’s sure to amaze, scare and delight with every twist. And does the Devil or God win the fight? I’m sure we’ll find out in their next album, I just hope they don’t keep us waiting another 3 years…

Catch Brand New on tour in the New Year!

Has the whole world gone fucking deaf? First, last years utterly brilliant ‘World’s Apart’ album was almost universally ignored when it should have been heralded an instant classic and made compulsory listening for the whole damn world. Now the follow up comes out and what happens? The press doesn’t give a shit; people have left his album on the shelf and should be shot for their ignorance.

Every review of this unbelievable record I’ve seen has been average beyond belief. People just don’t seem arsed by it. Maybe it’s me but I just don’t get why people don’t get the genius song-writing and epic sounds this band create on a whim. Bands like Trail of Dead do not come round that often but you know what? Fuck ’em all!

This album is yet another classic from the depths of Texan depravity. Fuck the lot of you.

Over the past year, Klaxons have proved time and time again that they are a mighty force to be reckoned with. Being able to fill dancefloors everywhere with their bizarre cocktail of throbbing bass alongside dizzy keyboard melodies and harmonies that dance with perfection is no mean feat. But to help spawn and pioneer a genre that has thrust itself onto the UK music scene with more of a thunk! than any earthquake in San Fran can claim spells out the work of a genius. Not too shabby for a years work.

The overhaul begins with the highly anticipated debut album ‘Myths Of The Near Future’, due 29th January next year. Spearheading this is gorgeous new single, Golden Skans. It pours out a blissful, mellow sound into the ears, which is a welcome change from the cosmic lads. The fantastic harmonies are there, and are as catchy as ever, setting the backdrop for another chorus shaped to blow your minds. Combined with lyrics that are capable to take you back in time, turn your world upside down and are so clever it hurts, Klaxons are one step closer to becoming unstoppable. When the music is this fucking good, I say we leave them to it. T-Trust!

Someone must be lacing the water in Toronto, Canada with extra-strong punk power powder because first Fucked Up come along and create the greatest combination of garage punk, oi!, old school hardcore and straight up rock action you’ve never heard and now along come Cancer Bats to make our ear drums rrrrrrrrrrrip!

Mixing thick slabs of dark Black Flag hardcore with the doomy sludge metal of Corrosion Of Conformity and Down, Cancer Bats debut album provides fourteen tracks of shit-kicking heavy-riffing hardcore punk mania that’s menacing enough to send fat old Santa scurrying back up the chimney this xmas.

Having just torn up the UK as support to Moneen, it’s fare to say that Cancer Bats are just as good live as they are on record. They’ll be back next year. Watch this space.

Gotta feel sorry for those bats though. The poor bastards got cancer.

When you release a CD so limited that you’re still pressing it up only hours before the biggest show of your career, you know it’s gonna be something a little bit special. Doomtree’s Cecil Otter managed to get his things together in time to have a limited run of his new record Rebel Yellow out at the Doomtree Blowout 2 recently and I’m damn glad he did.

The album takes both his production and rapping to another level, far higher than what was heard on his False Hopes CD and lyrically he is still as poetic and charming as he ever was. This track, the title track on the album, combines a spectacularly comforting guitar loop with some fresh drums and cradles you into submission after the introduction.

Cecil might say “they call me Rebel Yellow, but they don’t know me” but after hearing this, trust me, you’ll want to know him and every last second of this record. As if proof were needed that every member of the crew is absurdly talented, then this is it. Time to let it be known.

Following their hugely successful stint on this year’s Taste of Chaos tour, Flordia scream merchants Underoath release new single ‘In Regards To Myself’ on November 27th through Virgin Records.

Taken from their stellar ‘Define The Great Line’ opus the track showcases the band at their finest; mixing twisted riffs, epic chord progressions and a vocal performance that switches between clean and gruff without ever compromising its own passion and sincerity.

With Killswitch Engage scallywag Adam D handling guitar production duties it also represents one of the band’s heaviest moments to date, while the sextet’s ear for delicate harmonies and seductive melodies remains untouched by a new found epic scope.

Following in the footsteps of Pharrel and more recently Lupe Fiasco, The Pack are a sly hyphy crew that incorporate their passion for rollin’ on planks into their music. This single and surprise mainstream banger, ‘Vans’, see the Californian dudes in the hood spitting the praise of those, ever popular, waffle-soled shoes. Represent homeboy.

No tomfoolery here, the beat hits you straight up like a double shot of absinthe after brunch. A smooth, pulsing baseline that infiltrates those little muscles in the back of your neck, and like gentle peer pressure, makes it nod back and forth whether you like it or not. Lay that alongside solid rhymes with subtle, unique flow and you’ve got yourself a winner – luckily it’s released on download on December 4th.

It’s nice to see influence grabbed from the Beastie Boys present too, with what sounds like Stephen Hawking giving his best chipmunk impression in between each lyricist’s verse. Which, seriously, is catchier than a baseball glove. These dreds know what they’re doing and they do it hotter than the weather in CA.

Big heads up in Vans must be stoked on an advertisement like this, I may even go buy a fresh pair of old schools myself. ‘Vans’ is featured on The Pack’s upcoming EP “Skateboards 2 Scrapers“, which should be ready wrapped for crimbo time. Add it to your list kids!

The Pack have hooked up with Zoo York on this single. If you would like to win a package containing a deck, trousers and zipped jacket. Click here to enter.

Joe Moynihan