One By One- 2012 demo tape review

One By One- 2012 demo tape review

A one-man project by Ghoul Gang proponent Nick Kucway (Face Reality, Retribution, Freedom, Left of the Dial, Deathskin Razors, etc.), this is classic youth crew incarnate.  Badass hand-drawn artwork, fast tunes, quick jams, and simple songs; not a bad mix, though the audio mix at times could be better (louder vocals would be A-OK).  Still, it’s a sample of the Ghoul Gang’s musical output that seems to be able to do no wrong.  The sound is modern, but unconsciously so- it’s familiar as can be, but it doesn’t sound like it’s trying to be something, it merely ‘is’.  Also, this project has a song coming out on a Lost Time Records compilation that will also feature Freedom, True Love, Retribution, and From Hell.  Though largely a project based on the Ghoul Gang and friends, the sound fits in nicely.  A good demo.

-Aunty Social

Ghoul Gang X-Mas show review- 12/18/12 at the Magic Stick

Ghoul Gang X-Mas show review- December 18^th, 2012 at the Magic Stick

Freedom, Retribution, Weed Nap, Heat Lightning, From Hell, Build & Destroy, Face Reality, Ghoul Gang, and Rzl Dzl

As a stacked local line-up, I just knew I had to be at this.  As such, I took the day off work and caught a ride down there.  As I arrived, sound check for Freedom was just starting.  Thankfully, I was right on time.

Freedom went on a couple of minutes later, the first to do so.  They blasted through a quick set of youth crew-influenced powerviolence, or vice versa, whatever is suited to the subjective definition of the band’s sound (in other words, whichever YOU like more).  Fast and very short, the songs hardly eclipse a minute, if that.  Some of the band’s newer song stretched on for a bit longer than that, but make no mistake- this is definitely hardcore that everyone has time for.  Singer Denny has a strong voice that manages to mix both the mile-a-minute powerviolence sound with the rough, tough, slower youth crew sound.  It’ll take one longer to fap than to listen to a set by these guys, so no doubt, do the latter before the former, if at all separately.

Next was Retribution, who have been playing out more as of late, following a mild hibernation that has clearly led to the band becoming far more energized.  The set they did this time around, though not as stellar as the ones they’ve done recently (opening for Expire, Trial, and Twitching Tongues, respectively), was still pretty solid.  The material on their “Consumed” 7” is always energetic live, and some of their newer stuff, particularly the one about gay marriage and the moral clusterfuck churches seem to be preoccupied with at the moment, are even harder-hitting.  After a few years of sporadic activity and only a demo released, it seems that Kenny Smith and Retribution are at long last moving forward and accumulating much-deserved fans of their 90s-style straight-edge hardcore.

Weed Nap followed after this, jamming out their brand of funky, janky party punk.  This was some weird music, yet it was some very interesting stuff.  Still in its early development stages, I anticipate a decent EP to come out soon.  Think garage, janky, funky, punky.  Close enough.

After them came Heat Lightning, a band play jam music in the punkiest way possible.  This is definitely not music to have to read the lyrics to or soak in all the vibes, art, and meaning of the band to, but it is absolutely high quality, fun music to listen to.  I was not disappointed with it, I’ll put it that way.  Some music is to be taken in with absolute seriousness and the vibe/aesthetic to be fully absorbed, and other music is meant to be taken lightly, to be enjoyed, and be played loudly at parties.  This is the latter, and I couldn’t be happier with it.  Jam these jams.

After Heat Lightning was From Hell, who radiated dark energy with their slower, demonic style of hardcore.  Their brand of punk rock, though different from the more positive and fun styles of their friends, was strangely fitting.  The rearing of a dark, ugly sound has been a staple for Detroit for quite some time, and the current harbinger of this sound is From Hell, who have been around since roughly 2010, sludging it up with a demo and currently working on a 7”.

Build and Destroy came on next, and seemed as though they had improved since I last took notice of them around two years ago (at the Refuge benefit show in November ’10).  Sporting a party-style 90s hardcore with a subtle hip-hop influence, the band was very crowd-friendly, two-steps and gang vocals all around- the locals definitely seemed to know the words to the songs.  This is fascinating, as the band (to my knowledge, at least) has only a demo a good circulation of fans who spread the word, from Detroiters to, uh… Philadelphians, I guess, would be the word.  These guys do live up to the hype, so long as you understand that the music isn’t excessively serious or unique- it’s just fun hardcore.

Next came Face Reality, who is one of the best bands to come out of Michigan punk-wise in a long time.  The band came out full-force, and save for a couple moments where singer James’ voice went out, the band was totally on point, largely opting to play the newer material, which is much heavier and “harder”, so to speak.  Crowd participation was pretty strong, and people were singing moving for the majority of the duration of the set (yours truly included)- the only time the band stopped was to thank a few folks for their contributions to the scene, and it was, all in all, a pretty energetic and united vibe in the room.  Truly a sign of good things to come, and some already here.

Ghoul Gang and Rzl Dzl closed out the show, but due to my ride situation, I was unable to catch these two sets (much thanks to Ryan Coleman of Heat Lightning for that ride!).  However, the Ghoul Gang is not that unlike in its punky jam band vibe, and Rzl Dzl is the more hardcore side of party punk music- fun and light-hearted, and including Haroun Khan as a member.

Ultimately, the show drew a lot of different faces (I am more of a “punker” than a hardcore kid, I suppose) and truly drew them all together under one roof, for one purpose.  All in all, a great example of a Detroit show done right- I haven’t experienced an all-local show this awesome in quite some time.  This is how it’s done.

-Aunty Social

Face Reality- Strong Survive EP review

Face Reality- Strong Survive EP review

This is my absolute favorite current band out of Michigan right now.  This EP only solidified it- though not a complicated sound, the simplistic intensity is absolute, and the lyrical thoughtfulness is there, yet it is coupled with forceful rage and anger.  The vocals take a while to get used to (they are a departure from James’ old style of singing), but it winds up being better, as it’s a mix of classic 80s hardcore and youth crew- no longer naïve and young, it is now an informed, wrathful, but still not disillusioned sound.  The guitar is not too heavy, but manages to be powerful in a way that modernizes the youth crew sound.  It’s modern, but it’s not far removed from the sentiment the earliest hardcore bands had, and all this does is amplify and modernize it.  The bass is distinct, punchy and bounces along with the song- it is an instrument unto itself.  The drums, again, mix the punishing fast beats of early hardcore and the thundering breakdowns of youth crew and contemporary hardcore.  This isn’t just a well-oiled machine- this is the machine upon which all other machines are based.  That is how fucking great this band is.

“Answer the Call” starts off with a back-and-forth drum intro and wastes no time before kicking into the traditional punk rock riffage Face Reality is known for.  Just as the first set of riffs ends, the song comes in crash-landing, as the vocals roll in and the speed kicks way up.  Some lyric play the singer “Hear the ring, answer the call” is what sticks in my mind as the anchor of the song, and then the tempo slows for a pointed breakdown with higher-pitched vocals coming from a third party.  “Confusion” is an almost powerviolence-esque song as it starts, even faster than someone like Straight Ahead.  The anger resonating from the singer is almost palpable, as it transitions to “No Justice” the two songs almost go together.  The whole song is invective, dripping and frothing with venom, and for youth crew-sounding hardcore, it’s surprisingly heavy and brutal.

“Strong Survive”, though it is undoubtedly about the more personal encounters within the band (or rather, outside of the band), could also be interpreted as a Darwinistic slogan- one that I do agree with to a great extent.  This is probably the most bass-heavy one on the record, and still rings out some rather heavy riffs and memorable lyrics (though I will say that after hearing this a few times, it’s rather easy to learn the words, especially given how well it flows).  “It’s Us” is a second short, serene blast of sub-powerviolence youth crew-inspired hardcore.  Simple, but not unpleasing.  The last song “Feel Free” is the best track on the record.
A quick side note:  Though it’s cliché and a bit strange to say, this song has, in more than one situation, gotten me through hard times- it’s a continuing reminder that so long as I remain free (free by my definition, not someone else’s), I can keep carrying on- fighting, breathing, and annoying the rest of the world.  Life’s a fight, and this is a morale-raising anthem.

Anyways, the song starts out with a thundering, punching drum beat, the riffs jam out right after, and the singer lets out the most crucial line on the record, “Feel free, to think and see, feel free to be you, and I’ll be me!”  A traditional hardcore/youth crew breakdown transition builds up to the song, which is heavier hardcore not unlike a less depressing early-era Black Flag.  The song concludes with a punishing breakdown that abruptly stops with everything save for the hi-hat, then the guitar wails out and the singer eviscerates the words to the title of the song “Feel free!”  Then, the riffs and drums continue to crank out sound as the volume on the song slowly fades out.

I wasn’t lying when I said this is youth crew better than even founding fathers Youth of Today, and I stand by it, and add that Face Reality just cranked it up another notch.  Phenomenal.

-Aunty Social