Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace were a staple in the South Florida punk scene, opening for every big national touring act that hit The Cameo Theater in Miami Beach in the mid '80s. I used to hate on these guys for being slick, macho and for blow drying their hair to poser perfection before a gig, but this record isn't too bad, really. It ain't terribly original, but it borrows from some cool sources, mainly Motorhead, Killing Joke, and The Cro Mags. I bet these guys pulled their share of punkette poon back in the day. Whatever.

Here

Later

Okay, so I'm going to be gone for two weeks on a brief tour of Europe with Agalloch. The Hearse will resume transmissions as soon as I return (April 1st.) In the mean time, peruse the archives, check out the links to other great blogs, and maybe take a class in Tex Mex cuisine. Take care.

Uneasy Listening

Heed my words, dear readers: This will either instantly become one of your favorite things or you will loathe it. It's that simple. Z-Trip and DJ P have created with Uneasy Listening Volume 1 a massive cauldron of cheap, archaic break beats and mash ups of pop music from the '80s, all cleverly done and pieced together flawlessly. Bits of Madonna, The Police, Midnight Oil, Metallica, Ratt, and a host of other 1980s MTV regulars are rearranged into a DaDaist stream of conscience salad sprinkled with shimmery cocaine badness. This came out in 2001. As far as I know, a volume 2 has yet to be unleashed. If you're out there Z-Trip and DJ P, hurry up and bring me more waffles!

Here

Trapped

Despite an obvious influence by INFEST, Lack of Interest is no copycat band. LOI spin the blunt force of INFEST's delivery into a choppy, angular conclusion. If INFEST were a volley of blows to the head, Lack of Interest are a whirlwind of precise karate chops delivered by a barking rottweiler ripped on cholo PCP and power violence.

Here

Vorväter

I just realized that I have yet to do a proper post on one of my favorite NSBM bands, Germany's Bilskirnir. So here I present Bilskirnir's limited fourth demo Vorväter. An unrepentant hardline white nationalist named Widar is Bilskirnir's sole member. But even more interesting than Widar's far right politics is his penchant for almost pop-punk hooks. They creep up often in Bilskirnir's sizable catalog. At times Bilskirnir reminds me of what could have been if the original Absurd line up took their primal Teutonic death punk to the next level of basement misanthropy, and kind of like Graveland if Darken listened to more Oi and Street Punk. Since this early demo, Bilskirnir has cranked out consistently choice releases that you might want to avoid if you are particularly sensitive to racism, nationalism, aryanism, pan-europeanism, heathenism, paganism, odinism or any other isms that don't agree with whatever isms you are wrapping yourself in these days.

Here

Kreamy 'Lectric Santa

Here's some wonderous high lowbrow art damage pop psych acid genius fuckery from my friends Kreamy 'Lectric Santa, and their debut CD Da Bronx Sity Chiken Machine. KLS (for short) are the life's work of Robert and Priya, the cutest couple on Earth and twisted, almost Blake-like visionaries. It's rare when a band can create their own aesthetic, their own universe and be unencumbered by any outside influence, and KLS do it effortlessly and with a fair amount of snarky humor and astute observation. Not to mention they write some of the most infectious songs you are likely to hear. The band formed way back in the early '90s in Miami. Some time ago Priya was left paralyzed after an accident but this only firmed their resolve. KLS now live in Oakland, California, where they continue to churn out deliciously outsider pop music in the form of numerous 7"s, and CDRs. The band has plans to release a new full-length CD very soon. Oh, and that is David Vincent (whom the album is dedicated to) on the collage above. KLS has some weird obsession with the Morbid Angel frontman. Okay.

Here

Ultra-Violence

Pubescent Pinoy bangers, downey moustached puffy white tennies and rat weed. The Ultra-Violence was the heaviest thing going in San Francisco in 1987 next to AIDS. Death Angel were the boy wonders of the burgeoning, bludgeoning Bay Area thrash scene and this album was their bold mission statement. Some might be turned off by Mark Osegueda's vocals, but this album packs enough chunky riffage and youthful exuberance to power the city by the bay. An ultra- classic.

Here

Alert!

Before the talk show, before the Apple and Gap ads, before The Chase, before the Dolphin shorts, before the poetry, before the weird Jim Morrison/Jim Dandy/Charles Manson persona, before Damaged there was S.O.A. and this angry little record just bursting at the seams with Henry Garfield hostility. It's pretty clear why Ginn wanted to give this kid a job.

Here

Black Power

The next Cosmic Hearse Zamrock offering, The Peace's one and only album Black Power is the rarest of African psych treasures next to Blackfoot's The Footsteps album. Like all things Zambian I've posted here, the recording is stark, honest, and totally mesmerizing. If anyone out there can satisfy my endless jones for obscure African psych I would greatly appreciate it.

.

Right On!

Servitude

The raw minimalist Montreal Black Metal band Akitsa's humble beginnings, a tape called Total Servitude, emerged in 1998. Even though Akitsa would grow into a more punk concern almost resembling G.I.S.M. at times, this demo shows a more Les Legions Noire sound and atmosphere, with a great deal of lo-fi experimentation and surface noise. Not one for the Black Metal dilattantes out there.

Here

New Blog Launched

So I had been neglecting Legacy Document (my other blog), and I felt it was kind of half-assed anyways so I have deleted it. However, I was fond of the Rorschach Tests so I have saved those to a new blog that will just be the Ink Blot test results of people I find to be interesting. The new blog is called Blot Und Eisen, and I urge you to check it out. Also if you know someone of note that you think might participate in this experiment please send them my way. Fuck, I still can't believe Fenriz did one, awesomeness.

Love

Some douchey critics and record store clerks will prattle on about what a masterpiece Love's Forever Changes is, and they would be correct. Some douchey critics and record store clerks will dismiss it as an overrated piece of hokey '60s schmaltz, and they would also be correct. From it's opener, the spaghetti western tinged "Alone Again Or..." to its closing number, "You Set The Scene," Forever Changes is a crystal clear photograph of 1967 psychedelic Los Angeles. The songs are individually wrapped baroque pop delicacies made sweeter by Love frontman, the eccentric Arthur Lee. So don't listen to the beleaguered ramblings of fuck sticks who think they know more about great art than you, just listen to this record if you haven't, and decide for yourself.

Here

Ambush

Here's a fantastic little record from another unknown early Swedish metal band called Ambush. Some very gracious reader helped me cross this off my wishlist, but because I am an ungrateful asswad I forgot who that was.

Tack Själv

Brotherhood

Obnoxious, self-righteous, lily-white, jocko dicktards littered the Boston Hardcore scene of the '80s, but sometimes they made really great punk records.

Bro

Ünnepnap

Back when The Hearse started and we didn't know each other all that well, I invited you to a balls out Hungarian coke party in the form of Skorpio's first album A Rohanas. But did you come? No, you didn't. The post got one lonely comment. Whatever, bro. The party went on without you. Hell, that just meant there was more disco biscuits, blow and 1970s Eastern European silver dollar nipples for the rest of us. You missed out is all I'm saying. Well lucky for you Skorpio had another kick ass Budapest fuckfest with their second LP Ünnepnap. The title means "Feast" and feast you will on their chunky riffs, catchy choruses, wailing organs, sideburns and male camel toe. Seriously, don't fucking drop the ball a second time.

Here

Corneus

Yet another really fucked up Saarland Black Metal cassette. Is their no end? Corneus' Teufelschmand might be my favorite of the bunch, perhaps only because one of these songs is sung by a dog who is credited on the tape cover as "Arko-Guest Growls." Beyond lo-fi, crazy effected vocals and overpowering cheap synths are the hallmark of this scene, and Corneus takes it a step further, ejaculating into brown acid swamps of sonic butt fudge. I want to smoke PCP and stay up all night talking about Josef Goebbels' sex life with Corneus. That's how fucked up this tape is.

Here

Latinamericarpet

Otro tesoro de Sublime Frequencies. Esta vez nos llevan a pasado festivo de Latin America. Todas las ilustraciones arbitrarias extrañas en el empaquetado felicitan la clase de sensación audio de la emisión de radio del collage de la grabación. Muy delicioso

Aquí, cuello del pavo