Cadenaxo - Demo 2014 CS

When I flew Tercer Mundo to the states for the first time the drummer Roger was wearing a Cadenaxo T-shirt. It was a UC rip off and I asked him who Cadenaxo was. He gave me the eyebrow he always does and coyly said, "You've never heard them?" I replied that I had not and he said "Oh, you would like it man. Mean straight edge hardcore from Mexico City." At that time the band had just formed. The whole weekend Robert and I talked about Cadenaxo as if we knew what it was and finally realized we didn't even know what it meant. We asked Roger and he frankly replied that there was no direct english translation but it was somewhat akin to 'being bullwhipped with a chain'. Robert and I were even more sold at that point. Flash forward a few months and my friend Pablo from Mexico City was staying at my house in Olympia for a bit and we skated together and talked about music. Flash forward a few more months (close to about a year now from my first hearing about the band) Pablo informs me that he is in Cadenaxo and is touring to the US with Volver from Guatemala. He asked if I could help with the tour (because I book band's tours of course and helped out the Tercer Mundo boys and Big Zit and Ooze the first year) and I said "of fucking course play the fest!". So there I was one year later with this band playing the second round of OHC. Very stoked. Great band, great people. It was awesome to see them all in Mexico City this year for Odd Man Out. Brother bands for sure. Extremely bummed someone lifted my Cadenaxo Tee at the aftershow of the fest :'(



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Eightball - Demo CS

New hardcore punk from Olympia, WA full of some of my favorite people. I think they were tracks Joey recorded for fun then it became a real band or something of that sort. As Olympia always does they choose a specific subgenre of music and do it absolutely perfect and add their own unique flare. Eightball sounds very Japanese (not quite as chaotic musically but definitely the peg that fits vocally) especially the first and last track but gets very 'late era D-beat goes rock n roll' ala Anti Cimex in the second track. This demo is great and the band is even better live. They play shitloads of songs live so definitely expect more from these guys. I believe Wartogspeak out of SF is doing the 7". Eiiightbaaall.



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I.C.E. - 4 Songs Demo CS

I had heard a lot about I.C.E. from Robin and Ace when they started it but hadn't heard it yet (I like to see bands live first if I can). With no impression of what it was like I got the opportunity to see I.C.E. play two songs at America's Hardcore Fest and I was sold instantly. This is my fucking shit. See my history in Trainyard and loving wack thugcore from the late 80s and 90s/worshiping the New York's Hardest comp and secretly listening to Dmize and Bulldoze on the daily. Although the band is much more on the 2000s end of this subgenre I get down with it so hard. Great lyrics, great music, great fucking band. Personal favorite of 2015. I can't count how many times I've listened to it at this point, I fucking love it and it's full of some of my favorite people. Download this.





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Los Monjo - Cobardes b/w La Peor Pesadilla

The last two times I was in Mexico (Glue tour and Odd Man Out tour) I had one thing on my mind... pick up the Los Monjo singles. I have always loved this band and tried multiple times to get them to play OHC but they are difficult to contact. This time around we hit End of an Ear in Austin before we left and I didn't even search through the singles. We spent a week in Mexico and I didn't find a single one. Disappointed I returned to Austin and browsed the singles at End of an Ear. There they were, three bucks a piece, both Los Monjo singles I didn't have. The LP is incredible but there's something about the singles... probably just how much I've listened to them. I'm so glad the people at the record store had no idea what these were, their loss is my gain. I think this band is absolutely incredible. With a lot of foreign hardcore for a unilingual American audience, much can be lost when you don't feel as attached to the lyrics or a language barrier prevents you from understanding what the band is singing about. Fortunately, similar to Spaniards Eskorbuto, Los Monjo writes some of the most catchy and interesting punk the country has to offer. Cobardes (Cowards) stomps the single off with a bass line that will stick with you all day. The music almost feels like a military call to action, not surprising considering the subject matter. The b side La Peor Pesadilla (Worst Nightmare) is some real dynamic stuff. Reminds me of a lot of UK 70s singles with the real oddball b side track that does something unique musically. In this case the song breaks down twice, two tempo changes that will get your foot tapping. Los Monjo, please let me book you on OHC I love you. Viva Rock Basura!




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Broken Water - Normal Never Happend b/w Faux King Vogue

 Another incredible single from one of my favorite Olympia bands. This is an older one from 2010 but I realized I haven't put up any Broken Water and that is absolutely criminal. I decided to start with one of my current favorites. "Normal Never Happened" gives you that quintessential noisy fuzzed out intro transition to a beautiful hook that demonstrates their understanding of the concept of volume control so important to the dreampop genre. They then reinforce that they aren't defined by any specific genre by breaking back into their grunge feel. Flip the disc and this continues with a B-side akin to 'Sister' era Sonic Youth. Love it. Can't wait to jam a new project with Kanako when I get back to Olympia.

 

 

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V/A - Across the Pond UKHC CS

I had been waiting forever to post this comp but never had a track listing! Tom had no idea and Nick was temporarily out of sorts touring and whatnot so I was never able to get it. The cassette just lists the band names and leaves you guessing at the song titles. Nick has relocated to South America years later after he sent me this cassette in a care package but he assures me I will receive the track list! Until then please standby on titles, I have waited way too long to post this and now all these bands have records! Well not all of them but at the time the comp was a lot cooler because the bands weren't as notorious. Wish I could hear more Blind Authority, Bang Bros (what a name) and Strong Boys tracks. Some serious bangers on here don't miss out on UKHC at its best.

 

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The Flex - Don't Bother With the Outside World 7"

Repost of the Flex Lock release because I picked it up on 45. See the cassette post here where I have more kind words to say. This release absolutely rips and if you disagree I will never understand. Absolutely honored to have been able to book these boys first visit to the Northwest and tour with them shortly to provide their return to the Northwest. Come back soon we miss you. Flawless HC, beautiful lads. The last two tracks breaks are actually so good it hurts.







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