Oh Bondi!
....Up Yours!
You all know the classic from X-Ray Spex. Swap out “bondage” with “bondi” and let it earworm through your brain.
In A Perfect World A Forest of Stars, Ashenspire, All Men Unto Me would release new albums on alternating years. For me these three UK acts are the absolute apex. A glorious incorporation of anarcho punk and industrial ethos to grandiose, off kilter outsider black metal.
A new Stormo ep is soon to be unleashed. The frantic as fuck Italian whirlwind of hardcore, noise rock and metal shrapnel consisting of 6 tracks wrapped up under 18 minutes. Some of the smear of styles recalls their Italian counterparts Gerda, Contropotere to Dead Elephant, Negazione and CCM. As always, keeping the vocals in their native tongue lends a hectic, rabid delivery. There are some quiet moments of respite here, “Estuari,” for one, that weave post punk/goth flourishes for them to smash with wanton abandon. Bass tone on this recording is monstrous and provides a thick tether to follow across the gnarled terrain of twisting and turning arrangements. Very immersive recording with attention to depth and space to specific sections of songs as well as guitar tones and effects. “Costellazioni” is downright anthemic in a sullen, slow trod toward the industrial noise of “Isole.”
NY act Cross with their rendition of midwestern hardcore noise informed by Die Kreuzen, Mecht Mensch, Husker Du. Even nods to DC area outsiders United Mutation and Void. In any case a furious assault with a spiked baseball wrapped in razor wire upside the head.
Staying in NYC but slowing down things considerably and easing off the skronk. Bradford Reed and his Pencilina bring you to “The City on the Edge of Forever.” The liner notes for this youtube video reveal some interesting facts. We definitely crossed paths in our college days as there is mention of a certain Missing Foundation show at U of Arts. Small world shit for certain.
Appropriately titled ritual from Haedong Lee & Yidan Kim - Ecology of Death and Annihilation… Intriguing viewing and listen. Far more composed and reflective than much of the SSD “How Much Art Can You Take?” borderline nonsense that springs across my youtube and instagram feeds.
Watched Birdeater over the weekend on Shudder. While not quite “feral” as press junkets would leave one to believe, it has some skeevy, creepy reveals at a dinner scene that almost make this near two hour slog worth watching. Again: almost. Why do I even mention this flick? Well, I was watching this with subtitles and there were some gems for the music stingers: “ominous bass clarinet,” “jazzy accordion,” and “doom jazz crescendo” which leads me to this: New Age Doom.
Their mission statement is perfection: “The vision was to bring H.R. into a space he hasn’t visited in a long time, a sphere he helped create and pioneer. The album thrives at the intersection of chaotic hardcore and spacious dub. Though it was never planned as a dub record, that sound’s gravitational pull affected the music, shaping it naturally. We didn’t just want to revisit history, but to make a sound that doesn’t exist anywhere else. H.R.’s voice evokes survival, chaos, and hope all at once. This album is heavier, stranger, and more alive than anything we’ve done. We’re inspired and can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Keeping it (un)holy and cathartic… Dimscûa live at St. Mary Magdalene’s Church. For AmenRa acolytes and Cult of NeurIsis flock.
So, in parting, with apologies to Vic, you’ll always and forever be the better Bondi. Articles of Faith and Jones Very for victory.
for the full anthem: