Thursday, February 21, 2013

Bandcamp [Mini] Picks: Pretty Mouth, Homolka, Human Cull, Total Combined Weight

...a special mini-edition of Bandcamp Picks, where I talk about some shorter releases that stood out to me, but didn't fit in with the regular column for one reason or another.

First up, Apotheosis, the new single from my Canadian BFFs Pretty Mouth, features two new songs ("Apotheosis" and "The Joke") as well as live versions of those same songs. Since this is Pretty Mouth, you can expect some angry, discordant hardcore that's busting at the seams with noise and vitriol, and not be disappointed. The live versions feel a little tacked on, but are a nice indication of what you're in for should you find yourself in front of these guys. Another great release from what's quickly becoming my favourite hardcore band. The four track EP is available as a "name your price" download.



Similarly, Toronto's Homolka (containing members of DoC faves eyeswithoutaface) channel their rage into noise and vice versa. Their latest release is a split cassette, and a good introduction to their political, in-joke heavy, power violence/grind. Between Pretty Mouth, eyeswithoutaface, Homolka and the Blind Surgeons Operation, it would appear the Kids in the Hall have misled me about Canadians.



On the other side of the cassette, the UK's Human Cull contribute one long song titled "Cities Become Graves." Despite their stated interest in "Blastbeats & Blastbeats & Blastbeats & Blastbeats," the majority of the 13 minute track is spent punishing the listener with the same three chords in an extended doom section. And let's face it, in the world of grind, there isn't a better pairing with the extremely fast than the extremely slow. The split isn't available as a stand-alone download purchase, but a digital download is included when you purchase the cassette, which is available through Goatprayer records for ₤3 plus shipping (or $4.58 plus shipping, according to Paypal). It's extremely limited (25 copies according to Bandcamp), so if you're interested you better dive on it now.



I've mentioned The Co-Main Event podcast before on this blog, mostly to make up for how much I rip off CME's Ben Fowlkes. But as much as I enjoy the podcast, it never really made any sense to keep plugging it on this blog, since it's about mixed martial arts and only of tangential interest to heavy music fans. So imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that Fowlkes' co-host, MMA writer Chad Dundas, is in a hardcore band called Total Combined Weight. There's only one track on their Bandcamp page, and it's not for download or purchase; but it is pretty fucking sweet. Gargantuan, even. You can tell these guys grew up loving Ian Mackaye; this easily could have been on a Dischord compilation back in the day (maybe it's not surprising that Total Combined Weight do lots of Minor Threat covers). No idea what form this release is going to take or how to purchase it; their Bandcamp page is pretty barebones, and their Facebook page isn't much better. But if Total Combined Weight put out a full release, rest assured DoC will be all over it.


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