Sometimes I wonder how I will look back at the time I am living in. Like right now, as the world is opening up again, how will I think of this spring in 10 or 20 years’ time? I know right now I think it is one of the weirdest times in my life. Lockdown was really weird, but I would argue right now is even weirder. Hear me out. Offices are opening up again. Having worked from home for two years is changing to working from home part of the time. I realize I am very fortunate to have a home office, making working from home quite comfortable.
So, now I am back at the office a couple of days a week. Gone is the silence (when I say silence, I actually mean: the absence of office chatter) I have grown to love. Even after a couple of months I am really tired after a day in the office. I cannot remember getting home from work that tired before 2020 and I am left wondering how I coped with it then. I also find it is the same when it comes to concerts. Why are all those people standing so close to me? Apparently I have really grown accustomed to more personal space and am bothered with all those people in my aura. I really hope this is something I will grow used to soon, as I have a stash of tickets for postponed concerts that are bound to happen somewhere soonish.
Luckily for me there is still music to console me when I feel a bit overwhelmed, which at this point in time is twice a week after a visit to, you’ve guessed it, the office. It may sound a bit strange, but the more aggressive kind of stuff really helps me calm my nerves. So when I drive home I crank the volume up to a level that is almost ear damaging and play something focused on blunt aggression. Later on I’ll introduce different vibes and I’ll be able to focus on different emotions, even introducing sheer fun to the mix. We’ll get to that. Let’s discuss options for my playlist.
Death metal to chill to?
So, we start our journey home with something loud and blunt. Spasticus and Boia deliver something just like that. This is a split album that throws all subtlety overboard. Just look at the album title: Spasticating Execution. I don’t know what is going on in Italy’s sewers, but if this is the kind of filth those sewers spew out, I am ok with it. Somehow it reminds me of the Thrash Clash splits Stormspell Records released in the late noughties. The first two editions of that series blew me away (and the latter two were pretty good, but could not reach the same level). Although I do get that same vibe of upcoming and exciting bands that have something to prove to the world, this is less thrash and more death. Harking back to the ‘90s soundwise, but with hints of more modern metal. Add some slight grind influences and the recipe is complete. Both bands look to more or less the same sources, but both have distilled their own sound from it. Highly recommended stuff! I can say without exaggeration that I am looking forward to new material from both bands.
Another album I have listened to a lot lately when I needed to cool down is also looking back to the ‘90s for inspiration. Pharmacist is a Japanese band that is very prolific. Formed in 2020 they already have 13 releases to their name. Flourishing Extremities On Unspoiled Mental Grounds is their second full-length and it is a gem. The main influence on this album is Carcass (the album title gave that away, didn’t it?), Symphonies Of Sickness and Necrotism era Carcass to be precise. This album combines the nastiness of Symphonies with the precision of Necrotism. Like Spasticus and Boia, they proudly show their influences, but update that sound to something more modern. I’ve found this album to be equally addictive.
Black metal for fun?
Once I have calmed down a little bit I am ready for something a bit more fun. There should still be a gory edge to it and Devil Master can deliver just that. I learned about this band’s existence when Erste Theke Tonträger released their demo and first EP on vinyl. I own both EPs and enjoyed those releases a lot. Their first album, Satan Spits On Children Of Light, retained that same punky energy. The production was still very strange (so much echo for example) and the artwork very campy. This all added to the fun and tongue in cheek vibe they had from the start.
I was excited for their new album Ecstasies Of Never Ending Night. And then at first listen I was disappointed. The production of the album just didn’t click for me. It sounded too clean to my liking. Having listened to it a couple more times (I mean, I bought the album, I am going to see if I can get into the sound, right?) I am starting to appreciate it. For any other band I would say the production is a bit off, a wee bit wonky, but for Devil Master I still find it to be a bit cleanish. This does mean that the band had to up their writing skills though, as they had more production to hide behind. And this they did. There are crazy catchy tunes to be found here. And it is still campy as hell, which is big plus in my book. And most importantly it is still a lot of fun. In the long run I am curious which album I will like more, but after a couple of spins I can say: this is definitely not the disappointment I thought it was at first.
Talking about wonky production values, how about a little Polterwytch. This is some weird stuff! Incredibly lo-fi, incredibly messy, but also incredibly fun. It has some black metallish vibes, but also leans into the whole horrorpunk vibe of the Misfits. They call the end result rotten wytchpunk; so poetic! Oh, did I mention they use “funerary keys” or, in normal English, an organ, to spice up (or should I say: define?) their sound? Hence the EP title: 5 Curses Of The Polterorgel. These strange Germans get me in a good mood every time without fail.
Punk to the rescue?
Once my mood starts to improve I start to enjoy lighter stuff like some punk bands. There is space in my head for different vibes, a different kind of energy. French band Sordid Ship brings just that. Their 2019 album Vague Digitale got a physical release earlier this year. And rightfully so, this album rocks.
On earlier albums the band sang in English and had some cool tunes, although they didn’t really distinguish themselves from their peers. On their previous album they chose to change to French lyrics and introduced surf influences, creating a slightly different vibe. I am always in favor of bands that decide to sing in their mother tongue. It usually makes the vocals sound way more relaxed somehow. This is also the case with Sordid Ship. And the band must have loved how those surf influences worked out as they were pushed more to the front on Vague Digitale, making this a contender for the title of: Dennis’ summer record of the year. I am very happy to have happened upon this band recently and suggest you check them out (their releases are name your price on Bandcamp!).
Now, let’s talk about two bands that I hear no one talking about, but have become a staple on my playlists lately. I really can’t wrap my head around why it appears these bands get so little love. Both are so, so good.
The first band we need to discuss is The Real Energy (who started out as The Energy, but somewhere along the way had to change their name). I remembered I have their last album, Beyond Delay, and out of nowhere I craved to give it a spin. Lazily I checked if they were on Bandcamp and saw to my surprise (positive) that all three albums were name your price and (negative) that nobody had added them to their collection. And that is just sad, because you folks are missing out on three amazing albums. For some reason the drums especially stand out to me, although I admit I can’t explain why they appeal so much. The singer employs a kind of detached style, as if he doesn’t really care. The music is incredibly catchy and kind of playful. There’s tempo changes that flow so smoothly as if lubricated.
All three albums are equally cool. It is also very cool to hear a band developing and tweaking their hard to pin down sound over time. It becomes less in your face and more psychedelic, but this short description doesn’t do the band any justice. Anyway, I added them to my collection and they are now a fixture on my commute.
Another band I think deserves some spotlight (again?) is Union Town. This Dutch band released a very cool demo, a superb full-length, but their last release, the Blinding Lights EP, is their absolute best release. This EP starts out slow and brooding; the intro of the title track takes its sweet time to get the song going, building up the tension. Once it really starts it gives you everything this band has to offer. Three punky post-hardcore songs are bound to be engraved in your brain for the rest of your life. They are not catchy in the poppy kind of way, but they have something about them that captures your attention like no other. “Singing The World Into Existence” is especially memorable. This EP is ten years old this year, and still gets a lot of playtime here. Again an EP that is name your price. I would also like to point out the artwork (by Mara Piccione) of this EP is incredibly cool!
Something more rocky to celebrate spring?
You could say I am a bit nostalgic for those old records. And I think I would agree. I remember these records being released and I cannot believe it was already ten years ago when I heard these tunes for the first time. However, if I really want to be nostalgic there are different bands I look for. Bands that aim for a different mood. A mood I hope to have achieved by the time I am almost home. So yeah, we are nearing the end of my playlist here.
A prime example of a band that ends my driving-home playlists is Shanda And The Howlers. Their album It ain’t easy is pure nostalgia. Although clearly recorded very recently, these folks look to the ‘60s (Motown soul) and the ‘50s (rock), and even add some blues from way back when. The incredibly strong vocals by Shanda are the main attraction and also tie these songs together. It took them only half a song to convince me to buy this album. Which is kind of weird considering this style of music is more of a side hustle looking at my collection.
Let’s end our quarterly chat with an album I am looking forward to. The Shang Hi Los are scheduled to release their debut full-length album. The two EPs convinced me this new wavy, poppy rock band has something to offer, but their latest single “Billy” makes me look to the new album this summer. It could be one of those tracks Tarantino could use in his films, a western to be more precise. And I have to say: that man has serious good taste when it comes to the songs he has in his movies. I am curious how the whole album is gonna work out, as the single has a country vibe that was not very present on the EPs. I expect this album to become another staple on my playlist.
And having said that I leave you with hopefully some new inspiration in case you need a playlist to wind down a bit. I’ll see you again in a month or three!
