GORE MACHINE - Congealed and Foaming review

 

GORE MACHINE - Congealed and Foaming

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Here's the second full length by this one man Brutal Death Metal / Goregrind act hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Yeah that place is also known as the city of brotherly love. Your opinion will change once you give this one a listen. Then you'll know why I call Philly "Hostile City, USA." The one man involved here is named Druesome and is responsible for the usual aka: all instruments, vocals, and sampling duties.

On the band's debut, Macerated & Liquified from 2024, Druesome pretty much created a concept album dedicated to The Darwin Awards. Basically it was all about individuals who did totally fucked up things which not only defy common sense. But end up having the people either dying or totally fucking themselves up. 

This new one follows the same vein to a point. The Ten songs on here are all dedicated to people fucking them selves up. I'll give Druesome some credit because he does do research into all of these grizzly tragedies. That's better than your generic wannabe goregrind BDM act these days. 

Of course the one problem I have with this album as well as the debut is the production. I can only imagine what this would sound like if everything was amped up a touch. So for me I can just blast this in the music room till the windows shake. Hopefully the neighbors don't call the cops on me, again. 

Yeah this is another winner from Druesome. I like his altered vocal intros to each song. The hellish screams, pig squeals and grunting which pass for vocals are cool. The guitar riffs have that sick tone. The drums sound like someone beating on a plastic pickle bucket. I mean this is the real deal.   

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/congealed-and-foaming

PERCUSSOR - Remnants Of Horror The Final Cut Reissue

 

PERCUSSOR - Remnants Of Horror The Final Cut Reissue

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

PERCUSSOR have been the premier Death Metal band out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a decade now. Their first two full lengths; Proclamation of Hate from 2015 and Disturbing Reality from 2016 both came out on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Their sound is pure hate filled Old School sounding Death Metal. It's the stuff you love if you're into the old ways.

In 2017 the band released their third full length, Remnants of Horror, on another label. Why, I don't know but in 2019 they would reissue it. Then in 2022 the band returned to Horror Pain Gore Death Productions and released Ravenous Despondency which is a damm good album to say the least. 

Which brings us to 2025 and PERCUSSOR's third full length is reissued on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Where it should've been in the first place if you ask me. Be that as it may Remnants Of Horror is a damm good piece of work if you crave the old ways of the genre. What was always cool about PERCUSSOR's sound was that it came across more as pre-1990's DM but not Thrash oriented too much. 

When I listen to this album I can't help but think of em playing this stuff live to a packed club in South Philly. And of course I can envision the slam pit mayhem. As always Jack Carmichael's vocals are way up front in the mix. Which of course reminds ya of Don of the Dead from NUNSLAUGHTER. The riffs are low-fi and diabolical. The rhythm section works it all out perfectly. 

In the end this is an essential release if you're a fan of this Hostile City Death Metal band. Nuff Said.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE: 

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/remnants-of-horror-the-final-cut

BEHOLDER - In the Temple of the Tyrant review

 

BEHOLDER - In the Temple of the Tyrant

Black Lion Records

So here I am the Extreme Metal dude who's motto is "Hate is the Handshake I Give to the World". And yet, thanks to PR people, I discover a lot of cool sounding Power Metal or epic sounding Metal. In this band's case both terms apply. Also something else cool is that this release comes out on the Swedish label Black Lion Records. Years ago I'd get a lot of releases to check out from them. But in recent times it's been nothing so was it something I said? 

Anyways here we have the debut full length by BEHOLDER a five piece act from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Yeah I know they're not the only Epic Doom / Power Metal from Hostile City, USA but I digress. The first thing that stood out for me about BEHOLDER is their vocalist John Yelland. This guy's singing reminds me a lot of Robert Lowe of SOLITUDE AETURNUS and CANDLEMASS. Add to that these songs, eight of em, seem to fit the inbetween of those two bands with a few Power Metal cliche touches. 

Overall BEHOLDER has produced a winner of a debut album. Sure their songs are in the whole fantasy lyrical style. There's some chanted vocals as if we had a Gregorion singalong by monks. But the musicianship is cool and soundwise melodic most of the time. Then again there are times when the song structures get totally violent. 

All in all In the Temple of the Tyrant is a great debut by a band which should be checked out. I'm not just saying by Doom or Power Metal fans either. BEHOLDER are the great new Metal band of 2025. Now sure some people will say "there he goes again with his hyperbole announcements". OK sure but I'm only wrong if you refuse to check it for yourselves which when you do you'll see I'm right. BEHOLDER rules, Nuff Said.  

https://blacklion.nu/

LISTEN HERE:

https://beholderblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-temple-of-the-tyrant

CRYPT SERMON - The Stygian Rose review

 

CRYPT SERMON - The Stygian Rose

Dark Descent Records

So for those of you who follow this blog (and frankly who doesn't) then you know I've sang the praises of CRYPT SERMON before. I mean the first two albums by this Philadelphia, PA doom act are incredible as far as epic doom goes. Basically they've pushed the style which SOLITUDE AETERNUS was doing a step further. Oddly enough SOLITUDE AETERNUS pushed ahead of what CANDLEMASS was doing. 

So here we have their third full length and yeah this one is fuckin amazing for a number of reasons. First off and again the guitar soloing on here is just amazing. Add to that the song structures push epic doom into a more atmospheric realm than what you're use to from the classic acts. The vocals are killer as fuck. I mean from start to finish this is a listening experience that'll take over your world for forty five minutes if not your mind forever. 

https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-stygian-rose

AROMA - Adenocarcinoma EP review

 

AROMA - Adenocarcinoma EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So do you have ten minutes to kill? Now I don't mean that literally just in case you're a knife wielding maniac reading this and thinking "well as a matter of fact I do." I'm talking time-wise since this EP is six songs under ten minutes. 

The tagline here is goregrind and yeah OK but I bet these guys love some Chris Barnes era CANNIBAL CORPSE. And frankly who doesn't? But anyways AROMA are a four piece band who are from Philadelphia, PA. That's a place which for decades now I've lovingly referred to as Filthadelphia or Hostile City, USA. 

As for this their debut release well, like I mentioned earlier it's six songs, and full on putrid filth and brutality. Musically it emanates from the primitive bowels of brutal death metal and grind. There are times when I believe the drummer is hitting an empty beer can instead of a snare drum. Yeah they're from Philly.

All in all the music does gets better from song one "Aromatic Scent of Instant Death" to the sixth cut "Reluctant Inhalation of Rancid Aerosolized Piss". That's called progression people. Now that's not saying much but with this style of extreme music you've gotta be a dedicated fan. 

I mean brutal DM / goregrind is the basement of the underground. Hell maybe below that which would mean the sewers. Be that as it may I always get a kick out of this style of extreme music. And with that said I've learned which bands are dedicated scumbags and which ones are just genre jumping posers. 

AROMA are scumbags and I mean that in the best way. And if you like this one, which ya should, then they also have an independent split release out with a similar style band called TORTURE PIG from Michigan. Hopefully HPGD can release that one as well.  

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/adenocarcinoma

THE CRIPPLER - I'm Just Gonna Let Myself In review

 

THE CRIPPLER - I'm Just Gonna Let Myself In

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

OK this one wins hands down as the most hate filled album of the year. I'll get to that point later. But hey not surprising enough this is a side project from the members of Philadelphia, PA's EAT THE TURNBUCKLE. Although EAT THE TURNBUCKLE channel their violence via professional wrestling fandom and grindcore. THE CRIPPLER are more about slashers. 

Musically this is a cross between some groove laden death metal, old school grind and plenty of thrash rhythms. For me that's what I call the full fuckin package. The vocals are a mix of full on deep throat-ed aggression with harsh back ground screams. Add that to the riff package you get some cool cuts.

All in all this band puts out everything said earlier as well as some jazz touches, tech death mentions but a whole lot of in your face filth. Great stuff but I wonder how great their next album would be. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/im-just-gonna-let-myself-in

FRIGHT - Self Titled EP review

 

FRIGHT - Self Titled EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So this release came under the genre moniker of Hardcore. Now as someone who knows what hardcore was in the original 80's era I cringe these days whenever I see a band is supposed to be it. 99.9% of the time they're metalcore or a mixed soup of genres with grindcore being the strongest ingredient. Then this one comes down the pike and I'm like, hmmmm?

What we have here is the debut EP by a Philadelphia/New Jersey outfit which is kinda a seminal supergroup of sorts with experience from the past. The band's drummer was once in CITIZENS ARREST. They were an ABC-No Rio hardcore band from late 80's/early 90's. I've still got a 7"er comp which they're on. This band's singer was in the thrash act A.S.D. Plus the guitarist here was once in the hardcore band DEVOID OF FAITH back in the 90's. Their bass player is the only band member without any baggage.

So what you got here are six tracks of actual hardcore with a late 80's influence. Add to that there's a touch of thrash. The vocals by Ian Thompsen are sung clean yet emotionally caustic and are down right cool. The drum work by Derik Moore is fuckin amazing. You really can't hear the bass player, wow how metal is that. 

Then there's the guitar work that really pushes this release to the hilt. Nate Wilson can play some wild and vicious riffs. You pack in the talent by these individuals and you've got a damm great release. This reminds me of the past in a good way but with better production and song writing chops. This is probably the best Punk/HC EP you'll hear this year and you should get it. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/fright

SEEDS OF PERDITION - Suffering Of The Dead review

 

SEEDS OF PERDITION - Suffering Of The Dead

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Just for the record the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is home to a vibrant and historical musical heritage which goes back centuries. I mean we're talking about a city that's given America some amazing music as far as classical music and opera, also R&B, jazz, soul and of course rock n roll. I mean hey Philly is the city where Dick Clark started American Bandstand. 

But fuck all of that shit because since the late 80's I've been lucky enough to write about the city's underbelly of extreme music. That's why I call it Hostile City and here's another act from Philly which pushes the extreme. SEEDS OF PERDITION are a newer act out of the city who are more about carrying on tradition than pushing limits. The genre tagline on them is death thrash but they've got more to offer than that.

This is the second full length by SEEDS OF PERDITION. Prior to this their debut came out in 2017 and before that they had some short form releases. As far as this album goes it reminds me of something from twenty years ago and hey that's a good thing. Sound-wise this gives off an aura that's like old leather with blood on it.

Some of the highlights on this release are the vocals by Chris Natalini. The man has that in-between DM vocal style where it's not bestial or caustic. Basically somewhere in-between and could be a touch on the hardcore side. Add to that the cool range in sound which this band covers is beyond the whole death thrash pedigree. Sure you've got the heavy and fast paced cuts but the band does delve into some doom like moments that lend depth in punishing ways. Decent stuff.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/suffering-of-the-dead

 

COVERED IN SORES - Civilian Casualties Compilation review

 

COVERED IN SORES - Civilian Casualties Compilation

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

COVERED IN SORES is a four piece death grind act from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So did I ever mention the time I was in Philly long ago and watched two guys beat the living shit out of each other outside of a club over who made the best cheese steaks in South Philly? This was around Dec. 1989 but could've been Jan. 1990. I'm old and I forget sometimes. Strangely enough one of the guy's fighting was the drummer of a band I was there to see. 

Which is why since then I called Philadelphia "Filthadelphia", later changed years later by the great RANCID VAT to "Hostile City, USA". And that's also why I can see a band like COVERED IN SORES coming from there. By the way are there any clubs or bars which allow a band like this to play? I mean this sounds like the musical equivalent to a riot. No not a mostly peaceful protest like some cable news reporter would've said about the crap going on last summer. This is a fuckin riot.

A riot in a good way that is. COVERED IN SORES started out a few years back. They put out three demos and have an EP this year. This release here features the band's demo material which is pretty damm cool. Sure the death / grind tagline is there on much of their songs. But they do have a foot firmly placed in the days when the whole grind genre came out of the late 80's hardcore scene. 

I don't know if these guys are well read street hooligans or post grads from Temple University. Either way these demo cuts are well produced and could be a great album for 2021. I find this fuckin amazing. No I'm in my late fifties and I still find music like this EXCITING. This is the kind of band I'm still go see in a club.

Although I learned my lesson decades ago. You don't stand in front of the stage when a crazed grind band is performing. Because they'll hit ya with something be it a microphone, the mic stand, drum sticks a flying, a guitar to the face or the singer will kick ya. Yeah good times!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/civilian-casualties

WOLVES ATTACK!! - Rest In Piss EP review

 

WOLVES ATTACK!! - Rest In Piss EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Philadelphians into hardcore, drinking and violence. That's what WOLVES ATTACK!! are all about. And you wonder why people call their home Hostile City, USA. Here's the follow-up to the band's Piss on Everything full length from a few years ago. 

Rest in Piss is a six song EP containing five originals and a cover of the MISFITS' "We Bite". The band's version of the cover is pretty straight forward. As far as their originals go it's punch drunk hardcore. It's loud, angry and enjoyable in a humorous way.  

http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/rest-in-piss

IN THE FIRE - The Living Horror Show review

IN THE FIRE - The Living Horror Show

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION, saw them over a decade ago here in NC. Got a t-shirt and their Zen and the Art of Total Fucking Destruction CD. Great show, they played with my friends SLUGNUT. RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER, never saw em but have their CD, Living for Death, Destroying the Rest, from 2009. Trust me it's a great fuckin album.


So with that said what does it all mean to you keen observers of SFM666? Well it shows that I really am one sick individual when it comes to extreme music. But also there's two musicians from those acts in this band right fuckin here. Hailing from Hostile City, USA which most of you know as Philadelphia, PA we have a newer three piece act known as IN THE FIRE.


Actually they're not so new. This is their second full length. The previous bands I mentioned were serious grind fuckin core. This is not grind at all. Sorry but it touches on that genre a bit. Mostly what we have here is death thrash done with amazing old school leads which, production wise, come down from above.


The vocals on here come across as harsh filth which works well considering the style which is being thrust into the listener's heads. Right now as I'm writing this the murderous sounds of this release are pouring out of the speakers. They should come out of your's as well.


http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/the-living-horror-show

https://www.facebook.com/inthefireofficial/

THE END A.D. - Badlands review

THE END A.D. - Badlands

Fastball Music




THE END A.D. are a killer semi new band coming out of Hostile City, USA (aka: Philadelphia, PA). So from a place that has given me plenty of metal related stuff to write about over the years. There's also an extreme underbelly of punk /hardcore/ metal sounding stuff that in the past I also use to write about as well. The city of not so brotherly love has graced me and fans all over with some long time favorite bands like the MORE FIENDS, RANCID VAT, THE 440's, DEADSPOT and THORAZINE to name a few. THE END A.D. are just the latest from Hostile City.



THE END A.D. are a four piece female fronted punk/metal act who've been around since 2014. But their present singer, Ami Friend, joined em in 2017. Since that line-up; which also consists of Lorin Savadove on drums, Paul Juestrich on guitars and Steve Rodgers on bass, they've released an EP and a few singles. Now with this debut full length the band gets some room to spread it's filth, aggression and a goddamn legacy.


With this style of extreme music and type of vocalist I'm sure comparisons will be made to some more notable names of the past. But after giving this a few listens I was left thinking this comes across more like a mix of THORAZINE (another Philly band from the 1990's, who are old friends and still around after all of these years) and TEXAS TERRI & THE STIFF ONES from 90's era California Honestly on a few of these cuts Ami Friend sounds exactly like THORAZINE's Jo-Ann Rogan. I'm talking about powerful vocals with added snarls and hellish screams. But then other times she's Texas Terri Bomb all the way.


Another important note, guitarist Paul Juestrich use to be in an old Philly band from the early 90's. That being DEADSPOT, a crossover thrash act who I saw back in the day and still have an EP and full length of there's. Hearing the riffs and heavy rhythms, the punch in the face style drumming on here definitely has a touch of the past greatness. So this release carries that punk/metal aesthetic to the hilt without sounding forced or generic.


The album starts off with it's two catchiest and fast numbers, "Addiction" and "Why Won't You Die". The latter came out as a single back in June. What follows are just a bunch of cool tunes that either burn slowly like "Junkie Logic" or the trudging "Bitch Magnet". And strangely enough the goddamn epic, as in six plus minutes, ending opus of "I Wanna Be Alone". All in all returning to my Scumfeast print days ideal, Badlands is easily one of the best albums of 2019. Play Raleigh, NC please! 






http://www.fastball-music.de/

https://theendad.bandcamp.com/album/badlands

https://www.facebook.com/The-End-AD-1523510874587806/

BOTIS - Grand Abominations review

BOTIS - Grand Abominations

Self Released




Over the past couple of years I've seen the whole blackened thrash genre become very generic. Yeah I know that's a given in some circles but I've always been a huge fan of the genre and to see it become cookie cutter bullshit is fuckin sad. Certainly there are many good acts putting out that style of extreme. But there's also plenty of bullshit out there. Fortunately BOTIS is not one of them.


This four piece act from Philadelphia, PA (aka: Hostile City, USA) takes a different take on the sub genre by adding some eclectic progressive elements to the template. It's all something which will make you go "what the fuck" a lot. My problem with supposed modern "prog metal" is the lack of song writing chops. This band actually knows how to create a song structure as well as differentiate from it to a opposite point and then fall back well. But still leaving you in that "What the fuck was that"status.


With their song writing craft in tact we need to talk about the basics which are impressive. As far as the vocals go the singer here sounds like a harsh raptor. The drum work is fuckin dynamic and fun to follow. The guitar work is key whether it's on par with your basic thrash riffs or the progressive tangents which remind me of some classics of the past. Why hasn't this band been signed?



https://botisevil.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/botisthrashes/

CRYPT SERMON - The Ruins of Fading Light review

CRYPT SERMON - The Ruins of Fading Light 

Dark Descent Records



When it comes to epic doom Sweden's CANDLEMASS will always be the standard bearer. As far as US bands go over the decades there's been a few who have captured the Swede's essence. But none have really pushed the peg a notch forward until now that is.


Enter CRYPT SERMON, a five piece act from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (of all places wow Hostile City does Doom) who have done so. The band gained notice in 2015 with their debut full length, Out of the Garden also out on Dark Descent Records. I remember listening to it and was like ok it's cool. But here we have their second release and it's the rubber hitting the road as far as bursting out.


Starting off with the vocals which are impassioned and amazing in an epic sense. Follow that up with the music which comes across like taking the platform of CANDLEMASS'S Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and SOLITUDE AETERNUS' Beyond the Crimson Horizon. Then retro-fitting it to modern times and audiences. Look anyone can be a copycat but it takes a bit of balls to push the genre style forward without losing one bit of it's significance. CRYPT SERMON has done that and that's why this is one of my favorite doom releases of 2019.

http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-ruins-of-fading-light

https://www.facebook.com/CryptSermon

CRACK HOUSE - Smoke Crack In Hell 7" review

CRACK HOUSE - Smoke Crack In Hell 7"

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




Some bands are hard to forget obviously for their names. CRACK HOUSE is one of them. I had written about their debut Still Alive back in 2017 which also came out on HPGD Productions. CRACK HOUSE are a four piece act from Philadelphia, PA. I've been calling the place Hostile City, USA for years. Seeing that their first homicide of 2019 took place just 12 minutes after the clock struck midnight on New Years as well as a guy getting impaled on a deer stature probably will not change my mind any time soon.


Which is why I think only in Philly could a band like CRACK HOUSE exist without people batting an eye of offensiveness. The band mix old hardcore with grind and some thrash into what they call Crack Rock n Roll. Basically it's metallic punk fuckin rock with duel vocals, one growler and one screechier. It's far better than their last one. At least they're taking themselves serious on these four tracks.


http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CRACKHOUSEROCK/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/smoke-crack-in-hell

SHARKBULLET - Rampage EP review

SHARKBULLET - Rampage EP

Self Released




Lately some friends and acquiescences of mine on Facecrack have been tagging me in videos and photographs from the past. Why, I have no fuckin idea. I have nothing against nostalgia as long as people don't dwell on it to the point of hating present reality. And unfortunately I know some people who are like that.


Strangely enough when I hit play for this latest release I was transported back to 1988/89. An interesting time for extreme music back then. Aside from the goings on in more popular music circles, the underground extreme music scene (what we called it at least) was going through a merging. You had bands riding a wake of metalish hardcore. No not crossover. These bands mixed their love of thrash, angry aggressive hardcore and strangely enough had a touch of the early beginnings of death metal. 

I use to see bands like this every weekend at shows. Afterwards you would either get drunk, get laid or get into a fight and sometimes all three. Strange how that turned into a GG ALLIN song theme but I digress. Here we have the debut release by SHARKBULLET a three piece act outta Philadelphia, Pennsylvania otherwise known as Hostile City USA. Yes a place where you can still get into a fist fight over who makes the best cheese steaks. And the first NFL franchise stadium to have a magistrate's office down below to deal with angry fan antics. Oh yeah and they're proud of it.


SHARKBULLET are definitely a step out of the past and it's a good one. Their five cuts on this EP are good ol' metalish hardcore with some cool soloing. There's gruff angry real guy vocals which go on par with the music style. The songs carry violent tendencies as far as the memes. There's some good pit worthy rhythms going on here. I'm surprised Philly's own Horror Pain Gore Death Productions hasn't signed this band. Maybe they should.


https://sharkbullet.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/sharkbullet

BLASPHEMOUS - Emerging Through Fire review

BLASPHEMOUS - Emerging Through Fire

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




This is why Philadelphia, PA is called Hostile City, USA. BLASPHEMOUS is a blackened death metal act from Philly who originally started out back in the mid-2000s. They released a couple of full lengths (Incineration of the Cult in 2008 and Bearer of the Darkest Plagues in 2010). For some reason in 2013 the band went away. Fast forward to the now and the band, whose lone original member is their vocalist Ron Kaiser, are back for another attack.


Now that last point was the nice way of putting out the story. In reality it looks like veteran Kaiser has surrounded himself with some new musicians ( all of whom joined up in 2016) in order to revive the past or his past. If that's the case, the results ain't too bad. BLASPHEMOUS is textbook blackened death that's more Americana in style than Scandinavian. There's just this overwhelmingly ferocious execution about the music. Toss in some thrash and you've got it down pat.


Emerging Through Fire is an appropriate title since this band is fighting their way through relevance in a genre that's way overblown. And they do a fantastic job with it. They've got the chops as far as riffs that actually excite. The songwriting is far from generic. Kaiser has the perfect vocal style for this music. The soloing is on fire as well as beautiful. All in all this is a perfect release pioneered by a man (Kaiser) who is ready and willing to fight onward.



http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/indexmain.html

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/emerging-through-fire

https://www.facebook.com/blasphemousmetal

THE BAD LARRY'S - Hodads review

THE BAD LARRY'S - Hodads 

Self-Released



So file this one under "It's Not Metal But I Like It and I Know Much About It". THE BAD LARRY'S are a garage punk act, a five piece band but then most of em are, hailing from Hostile City, USA which is Philadelphia PA. I'm guessing these guys were weaned on old (aka: used LP copies of) CYNICS, SATAN'S SURFERS, if they're cool then I'd include THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS, THE VIPERS or even MAN OR ASTROMAN, THE MAKERS or THE CRAWDADDYS.

Ah yeah I do know my Garage Punk/Surf stuff. I grew up listening to Nuggets' bands and garnered a record collection with stuff from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. I stopped around the end of the nineties because hiptards got into that scene and ruined it. Be that as it may I like this band as far as Garage Punk goes. They're not copying anyone which is funny since being a cool Garage Punk band means to sound like some band from the past and doing a cover or two. As far as I can tell all of the songs on this, the band's debut, are originals.

There's some cool surf/blues cuts as well as Garage Punk ragers going on here. Although there's one cut which reminds me of Reverend Horton Heat who I hate because hipsters used him to get in and ruin a cool scene. Be that as it may THE BAD LARRY'S do a good job. 

https://thebadlarrys.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BadLarrys/

ON TOP - Top Dollar review

ON TOP - Top Dollar 

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




Somewhere between early JEFF DAHL, MOTLEY CRUE, GANGREEN and a ninties punk rock and roll act that I'll remember later, this Hostile City (that's Philadelphia, PA) trio fits in. This is a four song EP by ON TOP who have been rocking Philly for a decade now. They've a batch of previous releases to boot, mostly small format stuff but also a full length from 2011.

The common theme on this four song release is rock n roll people. This is the kinda stuff we use to cover a lot of during the Scumfeast Fanzine days back in the late nineties. Yeah back when these guys were kids. Musically you've got 80's metal guitar, a vocalist who could sing punk or thrash and solid drumming that could benefit metal or punk fuckin rock n roll. All in all it's decent headbanging stuff. 

http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/top-dollar

https://www.facebook.com/ONTOPOFFICIAL

GOD ROOT - Salt and Rot review

GOD ROOT - Salt and Rot

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




So I'm home from work, it's 1 am and I put on something new from Horror Pain Gore Death Productions which came in for review. Now knowing what this great label puts out I'm thinking OK this will rip the work scum right off of me. But ah no since this release right here is like Pink Sludge Floyd. It gets better since they hail from Hostile City, USA. Now for you others not in the know that's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Now since I use to live up that way a while back I can tell you this. I've heard a lot of extreme music acts outta Philly but never something like GOD ROOT. Oh yeah that's a good thing.

So I'm thinking these five Philadelphians, who play sludge metal by trade, went down to South Street one night to get inspired and scored some liquid acid. Back at the recording studio they put out their hands and each got puddled (aka: a big drop of liquid acid in the palm). Just for truth's sake I was a double dipper. But anyways ya lick up the liquid and then rub your hands over your face. So twenty or so minutes later these guys are like "Dude I'm inspired! Let's fuckin record!" And here's what we got.

OK I'm probably wrong but just being nostalgic made me feel good. Any way GOD ROOT have been around since 2015 and this is their second EP. Their first, a self titled four song outing, came out in 2016. This latest is also four cuts that indulge in a lot of psych, tribal drumming, plus some ghostly sludge sounds that are more hypnotic then over the top. I like this a lot especially after playing it for three hours straight.  The sun is gonna be up soon but GOD ROOT keep this trip going. 

http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/indexmain.html

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/salt-and-rot

https://www.facebook.com/godrootband