10 Questions: Gay Panic Defence

This new interview series is slowly starting to gather a bit of momentum. This instalment features an interview Mathew Webster, vocalist from new Scottish fast band Gay Power Defence. Thanks go out to Mathew for taking the time to answer my questions. Hope you all enjoy reading his answers as much as I did.

Who is in the band and where are you from?

Freddy plays the drums, Mathew (me) plays the voice, Ben plays the guitar but is living in New Zealand for the next year or so, so we have our bestie Red playing the guitar when we play down south. Red lives near Nottingham and we are all from Kirkcaldy in Fife.

What is the history of Gay Panic Defence? When and how did you form?

Well in short, I got pissed off with shit that was happening in Kirkcaldy. So I wrote some poems/lyrics and thought they would make some good tunes. I wrote a bunch of riffs and recorded them onto a shitty 16 track recorder and asked Freddy to drum over them. Basically that's how we did the first two demos. When it came to playing shows we asked Ben to play guitar and he became a permanent babe in the band. We have released a split with Terco from Columbia, been on a 10 day UK tour, released a tape on Skin and Bones records, done a sweet wee tour with our besties Endless Swarm and Lugubrious Children, played a cool Pride Punx squat show in London and just played Dreadfest in Leeds and we aren't slowing down. 

Have any of you played in previous bands and are you any other bands currently?

Ben played in a band called Blackmirror who were fucking sick and a band called The Ghost Train who are a cool 80s band. Freddy plays drums in Pedigree and Chums who are silly good and he plays keyboard in a funk cover band called Spliff Richards. Freddy and I both played in a band called SKELPED who were just fast hardcore noisy shit. I play in a band called Woollen formerly known as God Never Did Anything For Us. I also played in Our Smallest Adventures, Ernest, WHIV and Couch. Red plays in Let It Die, Ithaca and Mori Lucrum.

Who write’s the lyrics/music? Is it collective? 

I write the lyrics and the riffs. Freddy writes all the drum bits. We round the tunes out together but we would love to be more collective in future writing.

What subjects do you cover in your lyrics?

Aw jings, from veganism to stupid macho pricks. Loads of things mean a lot to us so we have lots to shout about. The whole reason for the band starting was because I needed somewhere to vent my frustration at the homo/transphobic attitudes of some folk in Kirkcaldy that we call friends. So we cover homophobia, transphobia, animal rights, feminist view points, racism, religion, macho bullshit and Westminster.

Are there any bands that have influenced you?

Far too many bands to mention but I grew up listening to The Smiths, Nirvana, Bjork, Whitney Houston, Fall Out Boy so I would say those bands have. I can only speak for myself but folk influence me more. People standing up for shit they believe in makes me want to do more in this band to highlight things that need to be highlighted. 

What are your favourite albums/EPs at the moment?

I'm well into the last Basement album, the Lugubrious Children tape “Oblivion” is unreal, the last Car Bomb album is great and I have recently become obsessed with the second Brockhampton album. I’m really looking forward to the Ona Snop album, Groak album and the Endless Swarm album. 

What is your favourite gig/tour story?

When we were on tour last October we spent a day in Leeds with our pals Beige Palace and that was really fucking good. We also got really into watching traveller call out videos and listening to Darkthrone albums on that tour too. We really don't party or that so we just like to hangout and go eat somewhere awesome. If you are ever in Glasgow you have to go to In Bloom for a vegan snowball because they are shit hot. 

What is your local heavy/punk scene like and who should we check out (band-wise)?

There isn't really one in Fife but Scotland has a really awesome bunch of bands making unbelievable music. Bands to check out are Bratakus, Defacer, Insufferable, Boak, Endless Swarm, Stonethrower, Kaddish, Please Believe and loads more. 

What are your favourite tipples?

Barr's limeade is a classic and club mate is a rarity but also up there. I don't drink so I'm probably the worst person to ask haha. 

You can stream and purchase downloads of all of Gay Panic Defence's music via their bandcamp page, including their latest release "Snowflake Powerviolence Vol 1", which has been give a physical tape release by Skin & Bones Records:-

Gay Panic Defence - https://www.facebook.com/GayPanicDefence/

Skin & Bones Records Store - http://skinandbonesrecs.bigcartel.com
Skin & Bones Records - https://www.facebook.com/SkinAndBonesRecords/

Frequencies Deleted #3 - Monochrome Nausea - Monochrome Nausea

Label: Self-Released

Format: Digital

Release Date: 12 Oct 2017

Tracklist:

1. Someone Bent My Yucca

2. Disco Acrylics

3. Oh The Olsen Twins, They Play Power Violins

4. Don't Be Afraid To Bring Your Gazpacho To A Potluck

5. Pastels in a Passe Chevrolet

6. Pissing On Woods

When it comes to the noisy side of extreme music in Scandinavia, I always think of Sweden. Their feedback drenched crusty-hardcore was something that was exciting because it was so raw and in your face. When putting on Monochrome Nausea's S/T release, I was surprised to see they were from Oslo, Norway. They had that raw and in your face vibe. The guitar feedback which creates an anarchic environment and backed up with some killer tornado-like drumming.

Someone Bent My Yucca starts off like an air-raid, giving us a chance to take cover. We hear the bombs falling out of the sky. And once it hits the ground, a sonic blast of carnage starts laying waste. Oh The Olsen Twins, They Play Power Violins is a pretty sick down-tempo/sludgy track. For some reason I get the vibe of getting run over by a steam truck on a road made out of rubber. Don't Be Afraid To Bring Your Gazpacho To A Potluck is probably the most intense track on this album. Imagine a battle bot going ape shit at Burning Man. That's how much angst this track has. And to close the album, Pissing On Woods sludgy/noise is bliss. The guitar sound’s like its a knife fucking you in the ear very smoothly. And then starts getting very rough in the end, leaving a very sexy mess.

When bands have that freedom to be creative and not follow any standards, you tend to get something fresh. Or in most cases, something that's really out there. And it's the reason why I appreciate bands like Monochrome Nausea. It's the true definition of being nihilistic. There was definitely no FUCKS given while listening Monochrome Nausea. At times, the songs invoke a feeling of misanthropy and in others, it feels like good ol' anarchic fun. Monochrome Nausea are an awesome addition to the "noisecore" sound. I can only imagine them brewing something more monolithic in the near future.

You can stream and download "Monochrome Nausea" below:-

Monochrome Nausea - https://www.facebook.com/monochromenausea/

Thanks one again go to Mikey for writing this review. He's going to be contributing more metal reviews in near future, as well as some live reviews so keep an eye out for those.

Hammr - Unholy Destruction

Labels: Hells Headbangers

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 23 Feb 2018

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Satanic Raid

3. Under Black Command

4. Eternal Prey

5. Desecrator

6. Sadistic Poison

7. Death Reign

8. Unholy Destruction

9. Demonic Rites

10. Into The Pentagram

11. Final Sacrifice

Tonight is reserved for a journey into hell. The vessel of choice for that journey is the newest LP by Cleveland, Ohio's black/speed/punk entity Hammr. Having formed in 2013 under the name Schizoid Hammer, sole contributor J. Hammer altered the band's moniker and released a self-titled EP in 2015. A demo called "Into The Pentragram" swiftly followed a year later, before debut album "Unholy Destruction" was brought to unsuspecting ears by Hells Headbangers earlier this year. Hammr has connections to fellow Hells Headbangers band Demona and revels in all things occult and fast.

“Unholy Destruction” kicks off with an Intro that sounds absolutely perfect. The guitar riffs and the mixing/mastering of Commandor Vanik and Joel Grind respectively make the hairs stand on the back of your neck. The volume is high yet the pace gives no clue as to the madness to come. Satanic Raid is the first song proper and it rips with lashings of punk, thrash and black metal mayhem. The reverb on the vocals, which sit deep in the mix, fit the underground atmosphere of Hammr like a studded and spike-covered glove. On Under Black Command, J. Hammer channels the energy of classic Motorhead and label mates Nunslaughter into a galloping, headbanging rager. 

The speed metal of Hammr is obviously prominent throughout and Eternal Prey is a prime example. There’s absolutely no let up during this song, with the low-end rumbling away at a ridiculous pace while the screeching solo gives no rest. It’s one of only two songs that pass the three-minute mark, which should give you a clue as to the intentions of the band. At times Hammr sounds more akin to the early speed metal originators from Brazil and other parts of South America, especially during Desecrator. This record flies by and it’s the succinct manner in which J. Hammer delivers his songs that make it so listenable. Sadistic Poison is like a Wurlitzer to the face, that keeps on going even when there’s no face left to damage. 

Talking of damage…Death Reign inflicts it with one of the best old-school solo’s period. The drumming ain’t bad either. The title-track features a repetitive string of riffs that scream punk and cause involuntary whiplash. The whole album is really catchy, in a perverse sort of way, as illustrated by Demonic Rites. The record gets even more bonkers on penultimate track Into The Pentagram, the screaming lead guitar fading in and out as J. Hammer cycles through countless scales and finger picks to within an inch of his life. Album closer Final Sacrifice ends the madness the only way it can, with more! Hammr definitely produces speed metal that’s filled with variation and genuine grin-inducing musicality. As far as this sub-genre goes, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better record this year. 

You can stream "Unholy Destruction" and purchase it on all formats below:-

Hammr - https://www.facebook.com/Hammr666/

Hells Headbangers - https://www.facebook.com/hellsheadbangers/

Untold Want/Ostraca/Vril/Coma Regalia - Yarrow 4-Way Split

Labels: Zegema Beach Records/Middle-Man Records/I Corrupt Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 04 Sep 2017

Tracklist:

1. Untold Want - Nameless/Formless

2. Untold Want - Bright As Ash

3. Untold Want - Soft Veils

4. Untold Want - Second Child

5. Ostraca - Against Decency

6. Ostraca - So Do I

7. Vril - Sacrosanct

8. Vril - Vemodalen

9. Vril - Mirrorshield

10. Coma Regalia - Convince

11. Coma Regalia - Destroy

12. Coma Regalia - Release

Another day another screamo release. Not by design but because I found me some extra time and because I'm a sucker for it. This 4-way split was released in late 2017 (early 2018 if you're talking about the 10" vinyl pressing) and it features four US bands that all present a variation on a theme. The only band on here that I'm truly familiar with is Coma Regalia, but I'm eager to hear Untold Want, Ostraca and Vril as well. Untold Want is from Denver (Colorado), Ostraca is from Richmond (Virginia), Vril is from Los Angeles (California) and Coma Regalia is from Indiana. 

It’s so great to be able to listen to a record that features four like-minded bands, sharing the same passion for the music they play. That’s exactly what happens here on “Yarrow”. Untold Want is up first with four fairly short tracks. Their opener Nameless/Formless pretty much sets their stall out early with a chaotic, abrasive form of screamo and hardcore. They’re in the same vein as bands like SeeYouSpaceCowboy and oh yeah…Vein, but with less of a grinding mentality. That is until Bright As Ash comes along. It initially starts of at a mid-pace, before the band launches into something all the more destructive. Soft Veils follows suit with no real let up but with plenty of great riffs. Their final contribution Second Child features a whole heap of feedback and rabid screams. The rest of the instrumentation is just as chaotic as Untold Want leaves it’s mark planted straight in the middle of your forehead.

Ostraca is up next with two songs. Against Decency picks up where Untold Want left off in the abrasive department, with definitely more of an emo-violence feel. The underlying melody created by the guitars permeates through the noise though and makes for a captivating listen. Their expanded song-writing on second song So Do I is a welcome addition to the record and it suits their sound really well. Quite mesmeric at times. Vril are instantly more of a technical proposition. Their first song Sacrosanct is experimental and leans towards the metallic end of the screamo spectrum. It’s layered with cool guitar melodies and filled with atmosphere. Vemodalen is an interlude that breaks up Vril’s intensity and leads to Mirrorshield, which underlines the subtle old-school approach that they take. Vril is a great find, though as you read this they have changed their name (or are about to) to Nuvolascura.

This record ends with the always frenetic screamo of Coma Regalia. Convince is an angry song that’s full of impact. For such a productive band to write such consistently good songs is incredible. There’s a lesson in here for younger bands. Destroy is punchy and to-the-point, following on from where Convince left off. In fact all three songs sound as though they were conceived as one and then split up (if you know what I mean). Release certainly feels that way and brings this record to a highly charged conclusion.  I hate writing closing pieces for reviews like this, as I don’t want to sound pretentious. If you like (proper) screamo/violence and you want to take a chance, you could do far far worse than to pick this up. Every song is great and each band has their own personality. 

You can stream "Yarrow" below:-

Untold Want - https://www.facebook.com/untoldwant/

Ostraca - https://www.facebook.com/ostracava/

Vril - https://www.facebook.com/Nuvolascura/

Coma Regalia - https://www.facebook.com/comaregalia/

Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Zegema Beach Records (Can/Aus/NZ) - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/

Middle-Man Records (USA) - http://middlemanrecords.storenvy.com/collections

I.Corrupt Records (Eur) - http://icorruptrecords.com/products/icr-releases

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

Middle-Man Records - https://www.facebook.com/middlemanrecords/

I.Corrupt Records - https://www.facebook.com/icorruptrecs/

Congratulations/The Rabbit Theory - Split

Labels: Zegema Beach Records/Time As A Color

Formats: Vinyl

Release Date: 27 Dec 2017

Tracklist:

1. Congratulations - Shimmer

2. The Rabbit Theory - Looking For The Devil

Here's one final review to round out March. Time is flying and I've been neglecting things a little this month, so am feeling a little guilty. Anyway. this split was released in late December 2017 via Zegema Beach Records and Time As A Color. it features one song from Canadian band Congratulations and Swiss band The Rabbit Theory (whom I believe are no longer active). Congratulations has been active since 2013 and this split is their second ever release (I believe?). The Rabbit Theory formed in 2006 and went on to release a tape, a couple of 7"s and a split 12" while also appearing on some compilations. The song that features here is the band's last ever recording and follows the passing of their vocalist, so has extra poignancy. 

Shimmer by Congratulations is full of atmosphere and moodiness. It’s laid back and the clean singing only adds to that feel, alongside the restrained instrumentation. It reminds me of the gentler post-hardcore of the late 90s/early 00’s Drive-Thru era. Mid-way through the song, screams take over but the instrumentation doesn’t get any harsher. It forms a nice opposite.

The Rabbit Theory presents something a whole lot more mathy on Looking For The Devil. The time-signatures and rhythms are pacier and evidently angrier. Given the extra emotion that existed during the recording of this song, that should come as no surprise but it should be treated as a celebration and it’s to be enjoyed.

This split is a great short blast of post-hardcore/screamo from different angles. It harnesses lots of musical talent and genuine feeling, which is what music should do. Great stuff.

Stream the split here:-

Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below (depending on where you are in the world):-

Zegema Beach Records (North America/NZ) - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/congrats-rabbit

Time As A Color (Europe) - http://timeasacolor.com/shop/product/congratulations-the-rabbit-theory-split-7/

Neither band has any presence on the Internet (as far as I can tell). 

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

Time As A Color - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor/

10 Questions: Wowod

Recently, I wrestled with the idea of giving up on doing band interviews on This Noise Is Ours, because I never felt that I was that good at coming up with interesting questions and also because of the amount I've sent out to people that have never found their way back to me. Earlier this year I came with idea of doing standard interviews (using the same 10 questions, hence the name!) that will provide readers and music fans with introductions to new bands, while being able to reach more bands and give them more promotion. I've contacted a number of bands already in recent weeks and Wowod is the first band I'm featuring.

1. Who is in the band and where are you from?

Wowod is a quartet from a gloomy, cold but charming city of St. Petersburg (Russia) that cannot but inspire heavy gloomy music. Mikhail plays the drums, Konstantin plays the bass guitar, Gennady plays the guitar, and Anton sings.

2. What is the history of Wowod? When and how did you form?

Our final lineup was formed at the beginning of 2017. Gennady had played in the band until 2013, and when it broke up, he started to search of guys to play with. This search was a long one. It may sound funny, but all new band members wore Plebeian Grandstand T-shirts. It was a sign. Mikhail was the first who joined the band. Gennady found him on VK, and there was a picture of him wearing this T-shirt while playing drums. Konstantin had tried speak to with Gennady earlier, but these efforts were fruitless. However, they moved to a new location, and he was sitting there with his other band in these T-shirts, when Gennady offered him to play together again. Konstantin agreed at once. Then there was a complicated search for a singer when Anton turned up. He was performing in a Plebeian Grandstand T-shirt with his other band. And this is how Wowod was put together.

3. Have any of you played in previous bands and are you any other bands currently?

We all have played in two or three bands of different genres. We’d rather not speak about that. All of us, apart from Mikhail, currently have an additional project or band. Konstantin is playing in Antethic that winning hearts of post-rockers from all around the world, Anton is playing in a post-black band Pechora, and Gennady is working on his project Gena together with a drummer from Antethic.

4. Who write’s the lyrics/music? Is it collective? 

We make some final adjustments all together, but the major part of lyrics is brought to us by Anton, and the music is created by Gennady.

5. What subjects do you cover in your lyrics?

We touch upon various eerie supernatural images that can be easily projected to our world. We’ll try to explain what we mean, as it could be quite difficult for non-Russian speakers. For example, the song “V Nas Net Lvbvi” (There is No Love in Us) is a story where human-like half-souls lack such a basic feeling as love, which makes them suffer endlessly, buried in the ground, and they are burning there. The song “Slepaya Vera” (Blind Faith) is about fanaticism when the common sense is sleeping, like a fetus in the womb. It’s also about the moment of awakening when it is all too late to fix anything. 

“Chuzoe Nutro” (Stranger's Gut) is a song about something supernatural that appears in you, takes root and totally consumes you at some point, so you remain just an observer in your own body.

6. Are there any bands that have influenced you?

We like the French and Belgian scene very much. At some time, we were influenced by early Plebeian Grandstand and I Pilot Daemon. We were influenced by various bands at different times, but it all probably have started with these two.

7. What are your favourite albums/EPs at the moment?

Our new favourite albums are released by GoGo Penguin, Rolo Tomassi, Шишкин Лес (Cone Forest) and Carpenter Brut.

8. What is your favourite gig/tour story?

Let tour stories stay in tours. Hahaha. We'd share just this one about an angry Russian cop who claimed to have chased us for several kilometers with his beacon light flashing, while we were ignoring him. He then tried to break into our car without even suspecting that all outer door handles were broken apart, except the driver’s, and when he finally got in he said, “Well! А fun tour, we have arrived!” We almost laughed right out loud. After a bit of haggling on the roadside we gave him a little money and moved on.

9. What is your local heavy/punk scene like and who should we check out (band-wise)?

Oh, the St. Petersburg stage is fabulous. We are proud to say that you cannot imagine how many cool bands we have here. If to look at the heavier side, you should check out Euglena, Колчак (Kolchak), Mother, Vranac and Ypres. In Moscow there are Tsygun, Volan and Kulta. They are awesome guys. Believe us, it’s just a handful of bands from a long list.

10. What is your favourite beer (if you drink)?

WE LOVE BEER! Невское Классическое (Nevskoye Classic), it’s a Petersburg classic lager, still unchanged as the years go by, unlike other brands. We also like craft beer, for example, Мохнатый шмель (Mokhnaty Shmel/Shaggy Bumblebee) and Craft Brew Riots products.

Wowod sent across some more band shots, which I've shared below:-

Wowod describe their music as chaotic hardcore with post-metal and they certainly follow in the footsteps of bands like Plebeian Grandstand and the like. If you're a fan of Calligram from the UK, then you should give these guys a listen. 

They recently released their debut EP "Nutro" on bandcamp. You can stream and purchase it digitally below:-

Links to Wowod and their other projects are below:-

Wowod - https://www.facebook.com/wearewowod/

Antethic - https://www.facebook.com/Antethic/

Pechora - https://pechora.bandcamp.com 

Gena - https://www.facebook.com/wearegena/

Bunkur/Mordor - Split

Labels: Nuclear War Now! Productions

Formats: CD/Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 16 Nov 2017

1. Bunkur - The Subhuman (Carnivore Cover)

2. Mordor - In League With Wotan (Venom - In League With Satan Cover)

This is a strange split. It sees both Dutch doom band Bunkur and Swiss band Mordor re-imagine songs by classic metal bands. Bunkur chooses to cover Carnivore's The Subhuman while Mordor chooses In League Satan by Venom, but renames it In League With Wotan for the purposes of this split. Don't get me wrong, I understand why bands cover songs by other bands, but I don't understand why they decide to rename them (but that's just me I guess). A little bit of history about both bands; Bunkur is a drone/doom quartet from Tilburg (The Netherlands) and they've released several demos and split, as well as two full-lengths since their formation in 2001. Mordor is from Lausanne (Switzerland) and is more of a black metal/funeral doom type of band. They formed in 1987 at Arog before splitting up and reforming (sort of) as Mordor in 1990, going on to release a few demos, splits, a comp and an EP prior to this release.

I doubt this is going to be easy listening at all. Bunkur is first up with their re-imagining (urgh) of Carnivore’s The Subhuman. Their take on it is one filled with heavy and slow doom, with grisly vox. This song is 21 minutes long, so make of that what you will. As doom goes, it’s certainly at the extreme end of the spectrum and it’s certainly not bad by any means. Given the history of the band they’re covering and of Pete Steele’s (RIP) more melodic endeavours with Type O Negative later on, it’s hard to imagine a song more harrowing than this.

Next up is Mordor’s version of Venom’s In League With Satan, titled In League With Wotan. I don’t know the reason behind this re-branding, but it does irk me a little. That being said, the music that Mordor produces is equally as bleak yet also quite thoughtful. It features a lot of more sensitive instrumentation and a war metal slant, with vocals that consist of deep growls and the occasional use of grand clean singing. There’s a lot of groove that helps accentuate the higher tempo of the music as well.

This split is clearly the work of two bands that both have singular visions of how extreme music should be and for that reason, it is very engaging, though still a hard listen. Fans of the previous work of both Bunkur and Mordor, as well as that of Nuclear War Now! Productions will enjoy this for sure. Less adventurous metal fans might not. 

You can stream and purchase the split digitally below:-

Bunkur - https://www.facebook.com/Bunkur13/

Mordor - https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Mordor

CD and LP copies can be purchased here - https://shop.nwnprod.com/collections/nwn-releases

Nuclear War Now! Productions - https://www.facebook.com/nwnprod/