GEHENNA - LAND OF SODOM II

Originally released by Hit The Deck, Lands Of Sodom never saw a level of proper distribution. Copies did make it around the world and the band released a couple variants, but many missed out, which is a shame because this is a great EP. A389 recently brought Lands Of Sodom back, making some adjustments along the way. This round, dubbed Land Of Sodom II, unleashes perhaps the most primal Gehenna material in their discography.

As soon as the EP starts, you're thrown into a violent world. The streets are littered with debris; dirt-caked people fight in dilapidated buildings, spilling blood on glass strewn floors. This is the soundtrack to violence. Land Of Sodom II is like the link between Gehenna and Sangraal, the black-metal/thrash band inside the Cult Of The Seven Crowns. The sound is punishing and relentless, attacking the listener with the band's signature malice and hatred.

“Tormentor” doesn't ease you in, it grabs you by the throat. The drums sound savage, leading into Mike Apocalypse's demonic vocals. Like any other Gehenna track, the riffs are well done and commanding. As soon as “Tormentor” finishes, it seamlessly transitions into “Possessed”, another under-two minute thrash attack. I enjoy this version better than the original; there seems to be more layers and the vocals have an interesting echo quality to them. That and the repetition at the end closes things out nicely.

That nice feeling disappears as “Caveman” begins. The same punk / thrash sound is there, but seems like the intensity is raised even more so – if that's even possible. The pace is breakneck and unfortunately over way too quick. I'd love to see more material like “Caveman” from the band.

“Land Of Sodom” closes the release with an instrumental piece. The repetition reminds me of Upon The Gravehill's closer; the pace is still as urgent as the faster tracks but there's a sense of a lurking monster, brooding. As the track moves along, that monster prepares to attack. And just when you think it's going to strike, it recoils back into the shadows, satisfied with your fear. A long track like “Land Of Sodom” could grow boring but there are enough layers to keep the listener so engaged that the time flies by.

For listeners of the first release, you will hear some differences. Nothing major but a little retooling and defining of the sound. Like I mentioned before, the repeating vocals at the end of “Possessed” really works. That and the vocals seemed a little more muted – Hit The Deck's version reminded me of Haymaker's Lost Tribe EP, where the vocals almost drowned out everything else. The overall changes makes Land Of Sodom II a better release and continues to show just how deadly Gehenna is.

A389 still has these in stock so hurry up and snag them. It should also be noted that this EP comes with a poster and a CD copy of Upon The Gravehill, which was a vinyl only release. The Cult Of The Seven Crowns is always active and Land Of Sodom II doesn't disappoint. It does however whet the appetite for more Gehenna so hopefully it won't be too long before we see the new full-length or the rumored splits. But, you can't rush perfection. 

PENETRATION PANTHERS - PERPETUAL 80's

My first exposure to Penetration Panthers was the unmixed version of “Lipstick And Leather”, courtesy of Apocalypse West Coast. It was a trippy punk rock number that made me want to roam the streets in an LSD induced mania. So I was more than happy to hear A389 would release the band's first EP. And it doesn't disappoint.

Taking elements of early 80's punk such as the Adolescents and early Black Flag – Panic era – and mixing it with deathrock, Penetration Panthers paint a landscape of neon lit streets, skateboarding, partying, and good times. At times it sounds like the unholy offspring of The Jabbers and Christian Death, which is very far from a bad thing. Yet influences aside, this is a new and interesting beast – and one of the many bands under the Cult Of The Seven Crowns (COT7C) banner.

The title track “Perpetual 80's” kicks things off, creating something that sounds right off the Killed By Death compilations. The production is great, giving the material a nice clean sound but keeping that raw punk feel.

“Lipstick On Leather” continues the EP, adding another catchy punk tune. That beat has been stuck in my head for the last five days. The thing that really stands out to me is the vocals; they sound absolutely savage as if his voice could blow out at any moment.

The final track “Wasted Mind” was featured in the A389 2011 sampler – and was one of my favorites. It makes me want to grab a board and skate all day. Again it's catchy and the guitar work starting at the 1:50 mark really makes this one stand out. The vocals this time around remind me of GG Allin circa Dirty Love Songs.

If you enjoyed the other punk bands in the COT7C (The Discreet Doll Band and Motherfucking Titty Suckers), this will be right up your alley. It shares that same style of snotty punk that makes the aforementioned groups so good.

The cover isn't much to look at it – just the band's name against a black background but I think it fits well. The simplicity doesn't take away from the actual music, which is nice.

As much as I love this EP, I really suggest checking out the unmixed version of “Lipstick And Leather” even for comparison sake. And if you enjoy that take, keep your eye on Idoneum Bello Records for a very special release in the next couple months.

A389 has a couple variants of this EP in stock and if digital files are your scene, they've got you covered; Penetration Panthers is on iTunes. I really enjoyed the EP and hope there is more PP material on the way. 

DEVIL - LIVE ENTRY

Last year Vedavu released DEVIL's “Live Entry” as a lathe cut 7” limited to a mere forty-one copies. As you'd expect, it sold out within days. Fast forward some months and rumors of a repress started filtering through the grapevine. Rumors turned into solid fact when a picture was posted showing a beautiful cassette tape complete with crisp 70's art that looked straight out of an Argento film. Like the first round, the tape was going to be a limited affair – this time it was a hundred thankfully. History repeated itself; the first press of tapes sold out in a week. Now, in case you were caught in a coma or just damn late, Vedavu just released the second press of tapes with alternate art and layout.

The story of “Live Entry” dates back to 2003; members of Gehenna, Penetration Panthers, and myriad other bands put down some of the gnarliest tracks I've heard (If you want the full story or are in the mood for a good read, head over to Apocalypse West Coast). It mixed together thrashy speed metal with a dirty, downright filthy production. G.I.S.M comparisons grow tiresome but this recording shares the ferociousness of “Detestation.” Yet there are moments where it sounds like a more aggressive Darkthrone – the early albums, not the more recent crusty rock n' roll ones - if it had been recorded live in a smokey basement during a satanic ritual.

“Demon Possessed” starts off the tape and sets the tone perfectly. A quick comparison would be to a more primitive Sangraal, but even the “Gemini Wars” tape can't top it. The lyrics are straight forward:

“Demon

Possessed

Violent Destructor

I am demon possessed”

But that level of no-bullshit goes very well with the style of music. It's thrashy fun, not “War And Peace.” “Hell Will Be My Coffin”follows the same format, focusing on themes like humanity's slaughter. It's punishing in all the right spots. The crown jewel for me is “Infinity Of Satan.” Originally, this track wasn't included on the lathe; Mike Apocalypse put it up for download on his blog before the first round of releases. The track was then put on the tape to finalize this three song assault.

Being a sucker for gnarly guitar playing, Bastard Demon doesn't disappoint; it sounds like a blood thirsty beast howling in drug-fueled psychedelic nightmare. The rawness is still evident but the scene clears up a bit to paint a picture of Satan's power and influence on mankind. DEVIL creates something new and dangerous even by Cult Of The Seven Crowns standards.

As with everything Vedavu releases, the packaging is stunning. The five panel, double sided J card displays just how much attention went into this tape. On top of all the other cool aspects, “Live Entry” even has an obi-strip. The thing that gets my attention is how the layout is so clean; messy collages or crappy artwork doesn't dominate. No, this is art.

Vedavu still has very limited supplies on the second run of tapes so if you dig raw Satanic metal, run to the site and order it. It should be noted that this release doesn't come with a download code. In an age of digital domination, it's refreshing that you have to actually listen to a tape rather than an mp3 file. The future looks good for DEVIL with a full-length hopefully seeing the light soon.

(The picture used is from the excellent Am I Mean? blog which you should absolutely check out)

Some Of Us Have Real Problems: The Love Below Interview

My first encounter with The Love Below came shortly before their debut EP "Reproductive Rights" came out. Dom, who runs A389, sent me the download code with one of my orders so I rushed over to my computer and listened right away. I was blown away. Since then I've been a bit of a nerd about the band and seen them both times they played Baltimore. Needless to say, they're one of my favorite bands and I really appreciate Anthony taking the time to do this.

TVV: The obligatory question: Introduce yourself and what's your role in The Love Below?

Anthony B. Tetrow: I'm Anthony B. Tetrow, I am the primary songwriter and bass player. Other members of the band include, Jerry Woolbright Jr., Greg Howell, Chris Arias and Rob Townsend. Eric Marshall and Stephanie Mushrush handle the artwork for the band.

TVV: How did The Love Below form?

Anthony B. Tetrow: Back in 2004, Carry The Casket and Mother Speed made a pact that if by 2008 their were any un-wed members of either band, they would form a new band together. We ended up with Jerry and Greg from Carry The Casket, and John and I from Mother Speed. We celebrated this union by (unsuccessfully) consuming a 28 inch pizza.

TVV: How did the A389 signing happen?

Anthony B. Tetrow: Contrary to what the hardcore layperson might believe that "working hard", being "good dudes, backed hard" is how bands get signed, this isn't always the case. Dom heard our demo on internet and liked it. I think at that point we had only played 2 shows and were a little shocked by it. Dom is a great dude, and we're really glad to have a label like A389 to release our music.

TVV: To my ears there's a progression in sound from straight forward hardcore to something slower, but still pissed off - especially in tracks like "Uncomfortable" and "Rotten Fruit From A Shitty Tree". Is this a conscious change or just a natural progression?

Anthony B. Tetrow: There is definitely a big progression. The majority of the demo was songs or riffs we came to our first practice with. John (who is no longer in the band) wrote about 60 percent of the demo. Since then, the majority of the song writing has been done by me. As much as we all enjoy those demo songs, I think our newer stuff (the split, and upcoming LP and EP) is a progression we had to make. I don't think any of us want to release the same records over and over again. Though, that doesn't mean we're tired of playing straight forward fast/pissed hardcore. I think we just try to inject some different influences here and there. As much as we love hardcore, we're not trying to write hardcore songs for hardcore kids to hardcore dance to. We make bad music for bad people.

TVV: The artwork itself is as gnarly as the music. In a time where most bands stick with safe themes and boring covers does The Love Below ever get flak for its designs?

Anthony B. Tetrow: There are some people who love it, but overall I think the aesthetic is not that of something the average 20 year old B9-bozo will enjoy. That definitely translates to how much merch will sell, which is very little. We do get kids who come up to the merch table and say they want to buy a shirt but their parents/grandparents would never let them wear that. Things like that just blow my mind, especially considering it's coming from someone who is involved in punk/hardcore. Personally, I cant stand all the "arial font" hardcore.

TVV: What does the future hold for The Love Below?

Anthony B. Tetrow: Well, our split with Homewrecker was just released on A389. We are putting the finishing touches on the recordings for our upcoming "Every Tongue Shall Caress" LP and an EP that will come out after it. We are doing a West Coast tour in the Fall. We don't have anything booked yet, but if someone would like to book a show please get in touch.

TVV:  I've heard some interesting stories about TLB shows; what's the wildest gig you remember?

Anthony B. Tetrow: The details will forever be shrouded in mystery.

TVV: Off topic, I saw that Motherspeed played a couple months ago for the first time in years. Was that just a one off performance or will we see some new material in the future?

Anthony B. Tetrow: Half the band lives 450 miles away from the other half. So it is a little tricky getting shows/practices together. Not many people know this, but when we started the band we made a pact to be a band for 50 years. That was 2003, we still have 42 more years to go. There will definitely be new material in the future, just how soon is the question.

TVV: Any closing words? 

Anthony B. Tetrow: Fuck off to anyone who still hasn't checked us out based on our name.

Check us out on the internet...

www.thelovebelow.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/The-Love-Below/124672930882545

skateintothefuture@yahoo.com