Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing

HOLOKAUST-Into the Void of Oblivion (Despotic Records) After an excellent debut 7″ and several strong split releases, Southern California’s Holokaust offer one of the better ‘D-beat’ style records in recent memory. As can be expected, downbeat crustcore takes center stage here, but there is also a knack for abrasive melody this time around, incorporating elements of both early USHC and a UK82 ‘hard punk’ vibe into the band’s Discharge-inspired pummel. This results in a more diverse sound, one that noticeably strays from the standard ‘Dis’-band cookie-cutter schematic . The quality of the recording itself is quite good, enhancing the war-torn ranting and grim atmospherics throughout. Fans of the band’s past material, or of good DIY hardcore in general, will enjoy this.-M.R.

BORN/DEAD-Endless War….Repetition (Prank Records PO BOX 410892 San Francisco, CA 94141-0892) Oakland, California’s Born/Dead play Feral crust-tinged hardcore/punk. Those who haven’t had the opportunity to hear them are missing out, but this compilation from Prank Records will serve as a primer for the uninitiated. “Endless War…Repetition” chronicles the band’s recent output, a 12″ split with Seattle’s excellent but now defunct Consume, a limited tour-only 10″ release, and their more recent “Repetition” 7″.

While sharing a caustic drive and bleak socio-political outlook similar to that of a number of modern crust/hc outfits, Born/Dead add an atypically unadorned, burly American HC sound that to their scandi-punk style delivery, which, at its best, recalls the desparate cacophony of various latter day East Bay greats. There is little Dis-clone hammering or Tragedy-inspired melodrama to be found in this self-consciously rugged fracas, and it is this absence of lyrical hyperbole and layered intricacy that sets the band apart from a number of their peers.

Certain songs on this compilation represent a departure from the typical Born/Dead blitzkrieg (the single “Repetition” comes to mind, a mantra-style number which recalls a Mortarhate/mid-paced Conflict sound), but much of the release epitomizes the band’s East Bay meets scandi-punk vibe. Aspects of the ripping gloom championed by Econochrist comes to mind at times, but their no-frills assault owes just as much to bands like Deathreat and Talk Is Poison. Awesome guitar work, ravaged vocals, and occasional shards of melody strewn throughout. I like the material here even better than their debut full-length “Our Darkest Fears Now Haunt Us” which came out some years back. The horrors of war and modern society are tackled with grim efficacy. Awesome. -M.R.