Belated obsessions: Dredg - Catch Without Arms (2005)

In no way do I stand here to speak as a Dredg fanboy or anyway someone who always followed them from the start, so they know and can pinpoint all small details this album carries and what they meant for the band and its history or whatever. I feel the need to write about this because it's one of those albums that, for some reason, stay with you for a whole lifetime; not always depending on its pure somehow "measureable" musical or historical value, but mainly for sentimental and/or conjuctural reasons.

2005 was a time that I had zero contact with anything post-punk. Not that Dredg were ever categorized as post-punk, but, according to today's musical standards, I think that Catch Without Arms would quite easily qualify for the term. Nu-metal was still around strong, and Dredg had a considerable deal to do with it, especially in their debut album Leimotif (as I retrospectively checked out), although they always had a more mellow and more "substantial" side. So, as I was mainly surrounded by garage punk noise on my speakers, Catch Without Arms stuck with me in an unexpected way. Back then, fans were accusing Dredg of imitating Radiohead or even somewhat going towards Coldplay, but, coming from a "virgin" musical environment in relation to the specific genre, I found a record that I could not stop listening to for months. Not complicated but direct warm melodies, supported by dynamic orchestration and Gavin Hayes' powerful vocals made for an album that can be with you everywhere; in friendly gatherings as much as in lonely cardrives. I couldn't exactly specify favourite tracks as I always devoured this album as a whole and it's full of beautiful ideas and memorable moments, but I guess I have to mention the incredible closer "Matroshka" or "Bug Eyes" with its amazing melody.

This is the only album I loved from Dredg, as I hadn't caught them before that and the next ones were kind of too "proggy" for me; but the musical timing on Catch Without Arms sounded just perfect. I have to say again that a Dredg fan would most probably have more to say about this album or its significance in the band's discography or why it is (not) their best one etc., but me, I found myself compelled to write a few words as to me this is a collection of tunes that has kept me company since their release and that it would surely be among my definite all-time favourite albums, had I ever been forced to make one. You would do very well to discover it, I think.

LINK

Devil Master - Satan Spits on Children of Light (2019)

I wouldn't call it anything else but pure coincidence that my next discovery powerfully nominating itself to be in this year's list is again from Philadelphia, PA, like last week's Low Dose. Of course, here we have something that couldn't be more different, as Devil Master are anything but grunge or noise rock. What they are is a unique mix that starts as kind of chaotic, but makes perfect sense as a whole, in an orgasmic way. Satan Spits on Children of Light initially introduces itself as blackish '80s heavy metal, but on the way you get goth guitar leads, old-school deathmetal riffs, punk attitude. I've talked about this record with about 6 or 7 people, and I've got 6 or 7 different impressions when it comes to influences, depending on each one's taste and musical background. For me, it carries a Cradle of Filth atmosphere, a Paradise Lost melodiousness, a Wipers roughness, a Death Breath morbidity; and that's not even the half of it. Devil Master, apart from the theatrical satanic image, bombard the listener with fantastic riffs one after the other, while the omnipresent lead guitar and the abysmal vocals infuse the final result with a trademarked eerieness, finally making them literally incomparable to anything else I've ever heard. And this is no small achievement, given that we're in fucking 2019. I will sound repetitive now, but for me this sounds like it's going to be almost impossible to be topped this year. Then again, we still have three quarters of the year to go...

Low Dose - s/t (2019)

Among the flood of new bands and releases in the music underground, and after you dust off all the inevitable crap and mediocre stuff, there are always diamonds to be found. Low Dose from Philadelphia, PA are normally anything other than my cup of tea genre-wise, but when the songs are good, well that's kind of universal. Low Dose are the new child that has apparently risen from the ashes of two other bands from the Philadelphia punk/ grunge/ noise scene, Fight Amp and Legendary Divorce (both of which I discovered lately and you should check out), the former having offered some top class noise/punk, while the latter having moved mainly within the post-grunge area. Low Dose's self-titled debut, which is due to be released on March 29, sounds like an ideal amalgam of all the aforementioned musical terminology, at least judging from the three preview tracks we can stream for now. I was never a fan of grunge (my favourite Seattle bands are Zeke and Mudhoney), but Low Dose make me discard that easily, listening to Itarya Rosenberg's melodic and powerful voice meddling perfectly with the heavy noisy grungy punk beneath. I have yet to listen to the whole record when it's out, but something tells me we have an explosive debut here, and a must to be considered for this year's list.

Zozobra - Savage Masters (2013)

Zozobra is Caleb Scoffield's (Cave In, Old Man Gloom) latest project. While I was nowhere near drawn to them judging by their weird-sounding name as well as by their first two releases (2007's Harmonic Tremors and 2008's Bird of Prey) which both moved in an area that I find boring to say the least, their latest release Savage Masters that came out just a couple of months ago forced me to give them my full attention.

6 songs, 15 minutes. While this fact alone doesn't say much, let's see what you'll say after listening to this unstoppable stream of crusty and sludgy post-hardcore. This is the first release of 2013 that has excited me so much and it will most likely stay among the first places of the relative list at the end of the year. Feel free to check this incredible EP out, and then grab a vinyl copy from Brutal Panda Records, while it is still in stock.

Oblivians - Desperation (2013)

Eric Friedl, Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber had called it quits 16 years ago to go into other projects (personal or not); including South Filthy, Jack Oblivian & the Cigarillos, Knaughty Knights, Tennessee Tearjerkers, Greg Oblivian & the Tip-Tops, Reigning Sound and Bad Times, among others. Scepticism is something given here, as in every case of a "lengendary" get-together after such a long time. And this happens because, in many cases, the only motive is none other than to recreate past glories and cash on them today as much as possible. Thankfully, this is not the case here. Apart from the occasional reunion shows the last years, Oblivians are back with a new record bearing the old familiar feeling, yet with a slightly new approach. The "dirt" has been somewhat tuned down (as opposed to epics like Soul Food and Popular Favorites, that is) but the Oblivians edge is still definitely present, now in a more mature and substantial form. Enjoyable foot-tapping garage rock drenched in bluesy and country humidity is what you get; and make no mistake about it. We're already almost in the middle of the year, so it's not too soon to talk about a possible best rock n'roll record of 2013. So be sure to check Desperation out sometime soon and, while you're at it, kill a punk for rock n'roll.

HOAX

I'm a faggot, you told me so.
I'm a faggot, you let me know.
And when I die, you'll know why.

Yes, I'm nothing. I'm dirt. I'm one with the bottom. But you are too. Our only difference is you fail to realize it. And your blind intolerance, your mindless fundamentalism, your political correctness do a shit job at replacing that realization.

Hoax emerged three years ago in Western Massachusetts and do they look destined for great things! After a demo tape in 2010, they have released three self-titled 7" vinyl EPs, all of which are compiled in one single 12" LP (s/t as well) which was just released. It's just amazing how a new band moving in the same old "hardcore punk" genre can give freshness and new edge to the sound. Hoax carry a heavy-as-fuck dirt in their sound while they have achieved a huge notoriety about their violently energetic live shows, where a mad microphone-bearing bald man keeps hitting his head with it until it bleeds while he grabs every chance of bringing it on with the audience. Definitely a fresh touch to the scene, seeing them live somehow is the next thing I want to do.