Friday 2 February 2018

Dokuga/Systemik Violence - Make Punk Raw Again Split 7"


Labels: Raw 'N' Roll Rex
Formats: Vinyl/Digital
Release Date: 15th Nov 2017

Tracklist:

1. Dokuga - Meio Morto
2. Dokuga - Refluxo Moral
3. Dokuga - Nothing Left To Feel
4. Systemik Violence - F For Fake
5. Systemik Violence - Dead Cop
6. Systemik Violence - Retarded Metalhead

The first edition of my new monthly newsletter went out on Wednesday evening. It featured some news that I haven't published anywhere else yet and I plan to release more news as things develop, so it'd be great to see more subscribers coming on board.  I also mentioned what was coming up review-wise (or at least part of what's coming) and it included this split 7" from two Portuguese raw crust punk bands. Released in November last year via Raw 'N' Roll Rex (also from Portugal), it features three songs from both Dokuga and Systemik Violence. Dokuga has been around since 2008 and has previously released a demo, another spit and a full-length, which was released in 2015. Systemik Violence themselves have released a 7", a split and a full-length, which came shortly after this split. I'm not too sure when they formed but it doesn't matter. Both bands play raw and intense crust-punk/dbeat with an emphasis on chaos and protest. 

There’s something about piercing feedback at the start of a record and it’s exactly what Dokuga starts with in split opener Meio Morto. What they follow with is driving, hardcore-fuelled crust punk with blistering intensity. Catchy as hell and musically tight. They actually blow away any notions of this being a lo-fi release thanks to volume and energy that they put into the music. Refluxo Moral is just a solid punk song with harsh vocals. No pretence or wizardry, just good old pure rock fury. Nothing Left To Feel is like old school youth crew and dbeat if both sub-genres got into a fight and ended up trying to outdo each other. 

Systemik Violence are not shy about their love of Japanese crust punk bands like GISM et al and F For Fake shows just how much they revere those bands. Their sound is raw and mayhemic, but with the same rock ’n’ roll vibes as Dokuga. Screeching solos, crashing cymbals and rabid vocals all around. Dead Cop is probably how Soulfully would sound if they ventured back into early Sepultura territory and just listened to Dead Kennedy’s. Their tongue-in-cheek closer Retarded Metalhead is probably the most metal song on their side of the split and it rounds things out in disgustingly great fashion. 

This split isn’t long and it doesn’t need to be, as both Dokuga and Systemik Violence go straight for the jugular and don’t miss. For a long time I thought that the only band Portugal was known for was Moonspell, but it seems I was wrong and their punk scene is well and truly thriving. This is great!

You can stream Dokuga's Meio Morto and Dead Cop by Systemik Violence below:-



It's also available to purchase above digitally and on 7". 

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