Shitstorm- Paranoid Existence CD review

Shitstorm- Paranoid Existence CD review

Fast, heavy, short, and brutal- what else could you want out of a grind band?  I am generally not a big fan of grindcore, but this has a very Lack Of Interest/Neanderthal/west coast powerviolence feel to it, and I like that a lot.  The downtuned guitars coupled with the blastbeats and misanthropic lyrics/vocals will tear you up- twenty-seven songs in sixteen minutes.  This should remind you of what the Circle Jerks were if they tuned down and (somehow) sped up.  Miami is known to have hurricanes from time to time, but this is a Shitstorm, and it leaves a trail of destruction just the same.

-Aunty Social

Hardware Youth- Miami Style EP review

Hardware Youth- Miami Style EP review

I’m somewhat surprised there hasn’t been a fest called Sausage Fest yet; at the very least, it would generate some discussion and therefore, some promotion.  Speaking of sausage fests, hardcore is a GIANT sausage fest, more so than punk, ska, hip-hop, or metal.  The women involved in hardcore are few and far between, and such gender isolation is a tragedy.  I won’t go into any lengthy discussion on how or why this is, and instead stick to supporting current and future female involvement in hardcore.
Side note:  Shout-outs to Anna Atanassova, Ramona Shureb, Stefania Ramirez, Michelle of H.LA.L. Booking, Jill Bishop, Alejandra from the Trumbullplex, Christine McCollum, Madison from Cloud Rat, and anyone else I forgot.

This is classic 2-step youth crew-style hardcore, save for one thing:  There’s a female singer, a rarity for this style of music.  However, singer Nicole does not lack in vocal power or emotion; the only noticeable difference is that her voice is a bit less deep than is usual for the genre, hardly a surprise or an issue to worry about.  These tunes are catchy as hell, especially the initial song “Word to the Wise”, managing to retain a level of speed satisfactory to punk and an amount of mosh brought satisfactory to hardcore brethren.  Also a first for a hardcore band, they have a song about surfing; fuckin’ cool!  Most bands sing about skateboarding or bike riding (Canadians even have snowboarding), so this is a first.  That being said, this is also the first Miami punk or hardcore band I’ve heard of (I’m certain there are more, but this is the first I’ve heard from Miami); most hardcore and punk from Florida is from the northern part of the state- Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Gainesville, etc.  There’s a bit of something new and something used here- regardless of any of this, a pretty damn good EP.  Also, this is a fucking awesome band name (our generation is getting dangerously plugged into this interconnected consumer information hardware system).  Check this shit, you won’t regret it.

-Aunty Social