Review: Agent Bulldogg

Agent Bulldogg - Vi är tillbaks... (7")
agentbulldogg1986@hotmail.com

One of the best Swedish punkband are back. This 7" was released in spring 2013. And I must say that some songs of this 4 tracks EP belongs to their best ever. Just listen to the structure in the vers before the chrous in "Vi är tillbaks..." it's amazing, and then comes the chrous and blow your brain out. The Perssons Pack cover "Det liv jag älskar" really fits to Agent Bulldogg and everything Oi! stands for. This is a DIY-release and that will always give some extra bonus points in my book. There is one thing that bother me, but it might be some wrong with my record player, it sounds like it spins too fast which disturbs the sound, in particular the vocals. But I hope it's just my player who spin too fast. My favorite track on this 7" is "Den jag är", which is an amazing punk/Oi! song, it's only Agent Bulddogg who manage to do this.

Reviews: Gråsuggorna

Gråsuggorna - Skyll inte på oss (CD)
www.facebook.com/Grasuggorna

This is my first proper acquaintance with Gråsuggorna from Rättvik. There is 9 tracks on this CD and it's all covers. A record filled with covers isn't always too fun. But that depends on which bands they want to cover. And to start with Abrasivev Wheels makes me interested. Exploited has never been a favorite band for me, so it's fun that Gråsuggorna make their song Class War, and in my ears is it better than the original, and I feel the same with Iggy and the classic song I wanna be your dog. Gråsuggorna make it better than the original. When it comes to GBH is it hard to match them. And both "Sick boy" and "Slit your own throat" are fantastic songs. Motorhead have some really good punksongs, like R.A.M.O.N.E.S, I think Gråsuggorna make it good, but Lemmys' voice are one of a kind. The last cover is by the Swedish band Perverts, and I guess you understand which song they do... yes that's right, Ronka. A classic song, but it's the cover they do worst. All in all is this a fun and interesting cover album.

Review: The Ødeleggers

The Ødeleggers - Kjemisk Avfall (7")
http://theodeleggers.bandcamp.com/
(Lukket Avdelning)

The Ødeleggers from Norway sounds like they hate everything in this society. The Norwegian language are pretty famous to sound like they're always happy. So it's fun with The Ødeleggers, because they redesign to language, all of a sudden is Norwegian more like Danish...angry and brutal. I like this release, because it's pure punk, sure it's a bit angry, but still just punk. I wish that more bands in this "pure punk-genre" could release 7"s, most of the bands nowadays are bands playing crust or hardcore, nothing wrong with that, but The Ødeleggers stand out in this case, they almost send me back to the 90's. 6 songs in 10 minutes and my favorites are: "Kjemisk Avfall" and "Bara en till". If I should find something to complain about would it be the vocals, it gets a little samey all the time.

Review: Irish Moutarde

Irish Moutarde - Raise 'em all (CD)
www.irishmoutarde.com

The Paddypunk scene just grows and grows, and I can understand when people say that if you've heard one band in this genre you've heard them all. However, I am very picky when it comes to this genre and my passion for Irish music is big. Many of the bands are actually very boring, and many are the fantastic Irish songs who've been totally destroyed. The prominent Paddyrock.com listed this album at the 19th place of the best Paddypunk album 2013. So our thoughts about Irish Moutard differs big time. I would place them at Top-5. Irish Moutarde comes from Canada, and it's the first Canadian band in this genre I've heard. The 6 members play their instruments very good, I don't use to like when punk is too well played, but this band really know how to play their instruments. All in all is it around 20 different instruments. And well, it's not pure punk, they also mix some different kind of hardrock most thru the guitar harmonies and the drum beats. They also mix male/female vocals. I think that Irish Moutarde are almost complete. 12 tracks which never get boring. Favorite tracks: The Black Mill, The Cabin and The Bear and the Maiden fair. If you are in to Celtic rock, give Irish Moutarde a try.

Review: Sörlings Svinstia (2xLP)

V/A Sörlings Svinstia (2xLP)
http://sirling.blogspot.se/
turistbloggen@gmail.com

Is it even possible for a new released album to be on of the most important album for Swedish punk through the years? Yes it is! This double LP is like a documentation of the Swedish punk in the 90's. Mikael Sörling wrote demo reviews in his column "Sörlings Svinstia" in the big rock magazine Close-up. The 44 tracks on this compilation belongs to the best from his reviews. I will not review each and every band, but I will write about a bunch of them. 

The opening band is Svintask with their song "Rage against new age", a song that sounds like the lovely Blitz song "Razors in the night", and that's a good reason to like Svintask. One of the best track all over this compilation must be Nervös Reaktion and their song "Discotönt", it's some kind of KBD-punk, it sounds so much like the first wave of punk. Victims is one the best bands in the hardcore genre and I like that their song "This fear" are so distinct.

Pass Out is my old band, and I feel honored to be on this fantastic compilation.  Wildcat Strike are probably the only real  streetpunk band, and I love their "Save the whiskey for the boot boys". Chaotic Disorder kängpunk are a bit mixed up with grind/one beat, and the song "Krossa staten" is short and soaked of the lovely 90's. Yes, it's fun that Heffa Klump participate on this compilation, if you didn't know is Heffa Klump the band we call Randy today. It's cool to hear them with Swedish lyrics. Total Assbreakers also have that classic 90's kängsound (not so strange since all the bands hails from the 90's) and I really like their song "Snutas".

Well, there is one more streetpunk band than Wildcat Strike, and that is The Mockingbirds, and "No one is innocent" is a good song to have in the background while you're drinking beer. Kontrovers is probably the best hardcore/crust band, really heavy and brutal. Moralens Väktare would probably give their left hand if they could be Räserbajs for one day but they are far from that class, but this is a typical song for the Swedish 90's punk, a genre we call Trallpunk. Absolute Bastards is the last band that make impression on me, really good crust/grind. GOOD WORK Sörling!

Review: Kronisk misantropi

Kronisk Misantropi (7")
(oppositionrecords.blogspot.com)

Kronisk Misantropi is a new Swedish d-beat band. This 7" contains 4 tracks and I like it a lot. It's very noisy and it feels like we're back in the 90s. Just classic käng without any unnecessary stuff. The distorted vocals fits perfectly to the raw hardcore. This 7" is the first release of Opposition Records who runs by one of the member - Joel, the other part of the band is Andreas who plays guitar in Passiv Dödshjälp. Kronisk Misantropi hit it straight on, this is the kind of käng/crust that I like most. It feels like a mix of Disclose and State of fear. Who needs innovatory shit when it's works perfect with käng like this? And who needs a fancy studio when music can sounds like this? I will recommend Kronisk Misantropi for everyone I know listen to kängpunk. And an interview in the future doesn't seems to be impossible.

Review: Lexington Field

Lexington Field - No man's war (CD)
www.lexingtonfield.com
(www.heptownrecords.com)

This american band already have their fans in USA. But they will probably get some new fans now when Heptown Records release their album "No man's war" in Europe. But will I be one of their new fans? Well, I like folk music and punk, but I don't always like folk punk. There is a big part of this band who irritate me and that is the vocals. I don't like this american accent in folk punk and that makes it hard for me to listen to this album and thats very pity because they have some other things that is really good. The melancholic sound for an example, and the fiddle is another good thing and the main thing for this Lexington Field. I wish that the banjo could be more prominent. Lexington Field have all the raw material to make it good, but I don't think they take advantage of that. They say that they mix rock, punk, country, bluegrass, americana and folk music. But in my ears is it just a bit boring punk with a fiddle, with vocals that more sounds like Blink 182. So, the answer is... no I am not a new fan of Lexington Field.

Review: split. Headliners / Protokids

Split. Headliners / Protokids (Digital)
www.uvpr.fr

The french bastards still have the best Oi! bands in the world. What I like is that they have a soft sound. It's more like Vanilla Muffins than any of the harder bands. UVPR are probably the strongest label in Europe when it comes to Oi!, I haven't heard one single bad record released by them. This split contains of 4 songs, 2 each, and Headliners is one of the best existing Oi! bands with their "Sugar Oi!". Protokids are almost in the same genre but have more rock n roll feelings. I don't have much more to say, this is a really good split. 

Review: Born Wrong - Holding Cell

Born Wrong - Holding Cell (Digital) http://bornw.blogspot.ca/
A new release by Born Wrong never make me sad, it rather make me pissed off in a fantastic way since they are so angry. These Canadians really know how to do it. 5 songs are over after almost 7 minutes, so they are pretty short but still very good. I reviewed Born Wrong in Schizo #9 which was the first time I heard them, and I liked it then and I like them now. They have a touch of both the early angry Propagandhi sound and the NYHC sound. It's perfect for you who think Propagandhi are wimps haha. It's might be more like Judge and the likes of those bands. Straight on your face Hardcore. If you like that kind of music will I really recommend Born Wrong.

Review: Hard Charger - Chrome Lord

Hard Charger - Chrome Lord
www.hardchargermusic.com

Yet another Canadian hardcore band. Well maybe I shouldn't compare Hard Charger with Born Wrong just because they're from Canada both of them. Their kind of hardcore are different. If I should bring two bands together just to come as close as possible to the Hard Charger sound would it be the hardcore vibes from Sick of it all, and the fantastic go you'll get from Zeke. But I have to say that Hard Charger don't reach their level. But I can't find any reason to complain, they do what they do, nothing more nothing less. I really like the guitar riffs on "Burn the rich" they are quite different from the 5 other tracks. The total playtime is almost 9 minutes and I must say that they really succeed to get their songs to sound like 6 different songs instead of just one boring long song. That is very positive.

Reviews

Here's the latest published reviews on Schizo Blog.
If you want me to review you release, get in touch.
schizodistro@gmail.com

Burnt Cross - Protest punk (7")
Djävulen möblerar om - Universum i en kub (7")
Per Capita / Freedom is a lie (split 12")
Georgia Barbershop - It's Alright, It's Okay, It Only Took Seven Years (CD)
Pastoratet - Sexpack (CD)
Vånna Inget - Ingen botten (Promo CD)

Review: Burnt Cross - Protest punk

Burnt Cross - Protest punk (7")
burntcross.co.uk
(Tadpole, Lukket avdelning, +9)

Yeah, one of my favorite band Burnt Cross are back with their 9th 7". 2 of  5 tracks are new and the 3 other has been recorded earlier in the past but was unreleased until now. Burnt Cross have a classic UK anarcho punk sound just like Conflict and Flux Of Pink Indians etc but in my opinion is Burnt Cross better than these bands. "We the people" is one of the 2 newly recorded and that is one of the best song on this 7". The best song is "Rise". Paul sounds so fucking angry and I love it when Maureen sings. She has a very interesting voice. This 7" is their first with a white cover and black print and it looks really good. What else can I say more than that they have succeeded again. And of course this is yet a multi label release, 11 labels stand behind this 7" Get in touch with Burnt Cross if you are into anarcho punk. You wont be disappointed.


Burnt Cross - Rise (From their 7" Protest Punk)

Review: Djävulen Möblerar Om - Universum i en kub

Djävulen möblerar om - Universum i en kub (7")
www.facebook.com/DjavulenMoblerarOm
(jerrykobramusik@gmail.com)

I had never heard of Djävulen Möblerar Om before I got this EP. And I guess it's a pretty new band since I can not find much info about them. And I'm not sure if it is a band, I think it's a solo project by Malte from Malte X which is another band that I know nothing about. Anyhow, there are two tracks on this 7" and none of them make me happy. The anti-religious song on the B-side "Årtusendets skämt" is a bit better than the title track on the A-side "Universum i en kub". I get some Coca Carola vibes, and i wouldn't be surprised if Beat Butchers Records will release a Djävulen Möblerar Om album in the future because this is Swedish punkrock just in that school. I will not give too much of bad criticism, because this is the first release and just two tracks, therefore is it not easy to get the right opinion. 


Djävulen Möblerar Om - Universum i en kub

Review: Per Capita / Freedom is a lie (split12")

Per Capita / Freedom is a lie (split 12")
http://percapita.blogsport.eu/
http://freedomisalie.bandcamp.com/

This is a split-12" and the bands Per Capita (Germany) and Freedom is a lie (Hungary)  complement each other. Per Capita has been one of my favorite bands for a couple years now. They mix perfect brutal crust, raw hardcore and grind. I came across Per Capita for some years when I listened to Ungovernable Resistance Radio and I became glad to find a new fantastic band (and yeah, that's a good reason to listen at U.R's webradio). Per Capita sounds a bit like a mix of Totalt Jävla Mörker and Skitsystem. I like they way they mix crust and grind, it makes them very dynamic and I just can't get enough of these 9 tracks. Freedom is a lie have lyrics in their native language - hungarian, and I can't understand a single word, but it really fits this genre. Just like Per Capita is it a mix of crust and grind, but F.I.A.L have a more trashy sound where Per Capita have the hardcore sound. So there is a difference between the bands even if their roots are the same. This is a split with 2 good bands, but Per Capita is a bit better if you ask me. 


Per Capita - Doomed

Review: Georgia Barbershop - It's Alright, It's Okay, It Only Took Seven Years

Georgia Barbershop - It's Alright, It's Okay, It Only Took Seven Years
http://georgiabarbershop.bandcamp.com/

At last I have got what I always are looking for. A dirty sound. But why do I want it this way? Well, I get the feeling that the band is playing live with a lot's of love and lot's of strong feelings. Georgia Barbershop from Sweden has a motley garage/punkrock sound that makes me happy. I wouldn't be surprised if the members in G.B listen much to bands like Buzzcocks and New York Dolls and even if G.B not might be the best band I've heard is the feeling so strong and rock n roll feelings are never wrong. The standard of the songs are approved but hey, some of the songs are really good so there is a few ups and downs but the wholeness is more than ok. I don't use to listen to this kind of post punk 'n roll very often, but I will for sure listen more to Georgia Barbershop in the future and especially to their best tracks "Wife problems", "Quality bird" and "Underneath my couch".

Review: Pastoratet - Sexpack (CD)

Pastoratet - Sexpack (CD)
www.pastoratet.se
(Idiot records)

Pastoratet from Sweden is a new acquaintance for me, and a really positive one. They sounds pretty much like Cosa Nostra which is a Swedish band some of the members from Asta Kask had in a period when Asta Kask wasn't active. There is 6 tracks on this CD and that's good, I have started to prefer when it's not too many tracks on a record. Pastoratets music style was very popular in Sweden in the 90's, and well, Pastoratet was formed back in 1992 and was called Väs at that time. And the music is well-played punkrock in a pretty fast tempo with lot's of meldies. I can't really explain why but I can also hear some very weak fragment of NOFX especially in one of my favorite tracks "Enligt säkra källor". There are many bands who've attempted to play this kind of punk through the years and without any doubts will I consider to place Pastoratet among the best band in this genre.


Pastoratet - Enligt säkra källor

Review: Vånna Inget - Ingen botten

Vånna Inget - Ingen botten 
(www.heptownrecords.com)
I had only heard a few songs with this wonderful band before, and I love their contribution on the compilation-LP Turist i tillvaron 3. Vånna Inget released their first full-length in 2011 and now they are back with this album. Their melancholic punkrock have a touch of the legendary Swedish pop band Broder Daniel, something that just are positive in my opinion. Karolina, the vocalist, have a perfect voice which fits perfectly to the music. And the music is filled with melancholic guitar lines while the organ create a really good ground. The lyrics are in Swedish, and they are very sensitive, sometimes almost emotional. I can not but pay tribute to Vånna Inget. I have a feeling that everyone who are just a bit open-minded are going to love this album. But it's not traditional punk, so don't expect anything you won't get. Even if I like all 11 tracks on this album is it something that doesn't satisfy me completely. I get bored after a while. 5-6 songs is okey but after that does it feels like it's just one long song. All in all is this album very good, and my favorite tracks is: "Vart tar du vägen", "Gamla" and "Kungar"

Review: V/A - Turist i tillvaron #6

V/A Turist i tillvaron #6 (LP)
turistbloggen@gmail.com
sirling.blogspot.com
Facebook: Turist i tillvaron
This compilation serie are amazing as usual. The standard of Swedish bands really makes me proud. The 16 bands creates a good mix of genres. One of the best band is Utanförskapet who sounds much like Uncurbed, I can really recommend to buy their LP from Rawby records or Fight back records. Dobermann Cult is a band that I've just heard of but never listen to, I wonder why because their hardcore is fucking excellent. If you are into Swedish punkrock this compilation will offer you a bunch of good bands like: Ligisterna, Knivderby and Psykbryt. One of the best band on the compilation is The Sweetshow who play some kind of punk/psychobilly with female vocals. Alison Blaire is another good band with female vocals as well, their Ramones influenced punkrock really appeal to me. I have to mention Planet Trash, a good old band that still knows how to make it. Well, the best bands in my opinion is: Utanförskapet, Kaos kris & Helvete and Lysande Utsikter which contribute with 2 tracks, I love the (female) vocals and the dirty punkrock. The worst band is Pusrad, just a pity that they contribute with 5 tracks, the good thing is that these tracks are very short. Söderberg makes a perfectly ok cover of the old Ebba Grön song "Vad ska du bli". All in all is it a good compilation, maybe not the best in the serie but in the other hand does some of the bands belong to the best bands in the serie.  

Review: Animal Train - Commercial Suicide

Animal Train - Commercial Suicide (Digital)
http://www.animaltrainatx.comWell, I try to be as honest I can when I write reviews. Therefore wasn't my earlier Animal Train reviews so fun to read for the band members. But that's history now. They've actually developed a lot since then, in a very positive way. This 5-tracks EP offers a really pleasant 3-chord punkrock. They have done a lot of gigs during 2011/2012 and it might be the reason to their development, they have been much better to handle their instruments. They mix their punkrock with some old school hc/punk influences like 7 Seconds and Circle Jerks. I still think A.T is a band that can be better and they have all possibilitys, they have a strong card in CJ, I really like her voice. 3 tracks from this CD-ep will also be featured on the upcomming 7", one of those songs is Sith Vicious which I think is their best song ever. I am glad that I gave A.T a new chance.

Review: Sir Reg - 21st century loser (CD)

Sir Reg - 21st century loser (CD)
http://www.sirreg.se/
(www.heptownrecords.com)

For two years in a row (2010-2011) Paddyrock.com appointed Sir Reg to the best band in the Celtic Punk genre. And I wouldn't be surprised if this album will place them in top-3 for 2013. Although Sir Reg had a professional sound from the beginning, you hear that they have developed and they get their own sound more and more. From being a band influenced by Flogging Molly and similar, they're now a band that will infuence other bands. I called for more roughness when I reviewed their last album "A sign of the times" but insted they took away the most prominent punk elements and replaced them with some kind of britpop and suddenly the crystal clear sound became 100% right. I would say it's more paddypop than paddypunk now. Sir Reg are fantastic musicians and Bren has a great voice. There is one thing that provoke me, I would like to have more Irish tunes in the songs. Since Karin is one of the best fiddle players I've ever heard could they have make use of her much more, like they do in "Walking into doors" which is a lovely ballad. One thing I like much is that Sir Reg has very good lyrics, it's not just ordinary drinking songs, their lyrics portray the society in a very mature way, and that's good. It's not an art to write about drinking whiskey and Guinness, their lyrics are more thoughtful. This album just get better and better for each time I listen, and I have no problems that they play more pop insted of punk now, but please, take back I hope you'll have more irish folk tunes next time, you have all the possibilities. All in all will you get 12 songs in 42 nice minutes.