Every few months I take a trip up
to Austin to
visit friends and to hit record stores. This past weekend’s trip was a
successful one. End of an Ear Records was loaded with many items I wanted to
get. $200 could have easily been spent.
As seen in the photo, I got some
great books covering two of the most influential hardcore scenes, Why Be Something That You’re Not: Detroit
Hardcore 1979-1985 and Making a
Scene: New York Hardcore 1985-1988. I haven’t had to time to read them, but
just skimming through the pages was a great treat. Filled with lots of great
photos and commentary, I already know they will be winners.
Not pictured is Godflesh Streetcleaner. I owned this classic
industrial heaviness on a recorded cassette years ago but have procrastinated many, many
years in buying this on CD. Luckily I found a used copy for $5. Also a big plus is
that it’s a double disc version with live, demo and alternate mixes. The wait
was well worth it.
The other CD purchased was the
latest by Ceremony, The L-Shaped Man. That is a fantastic release! I had been a fan, but
since seeing them with the Cro-Mags a few years ago I was really won over. The
band does get some crap from long time listeners hating their style changes. However, I
like all their material, hardcore to post punk.
All that is great, but the
highlight purchase was The Class of Nukem
High soundtrack. For years I searched for those songs. I couldn’t even find
a bootleg of them. So finally, last year, The Ship to Shore Phonograph Company
and Troma gave it a proper vinyl release with download card. It features new artwork
that looks great; but I would have preferred the original movie poster art.
The download version also has some commentary tracks from Lloyd Kaufman. I
expected to hear some interesting details but to my disappointment it was just
babbling.
In 1986, I remember being an 11
year old renting Nukem High from the long dead Video Club. The punk rock look
of the film, high school partying and graphic violence went hand in hand. Although
the music is more straight 80s rock than punk, it still thrives in rebellious
leather. The most recognizable bands on the record are The Smithereens and Stratus
(featuring Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr, RIP).
Even listening to it now totally brings me back to the feeling of growing up in the 80s. With no exaggeration, the listening experience mentally threw me back to those school halls. It was a magical time discovering punk, hardcore and metal.
This genital chewing LP was
recently picked up at a Krvsher gig. “Six dudes from Texas playing evil shit” is the band’s self
described moniker. I have to say that is a pretty accurate tag. Every piece of
music always brings forth some sort of image when listening. For Krvsher, when
listening I imagine opening a door and finding people being slowly raped and
tortured with sharp objects.
In some ways the music is similar
to Eyehategod’s first record, but not totally. The album consists of 4 tracks
ranging from 4 to 10 minutes. The best description is that of a painful, mood
inducing, droning beat down. Not to rip off Phil Spector, but Krvsher truly is
a “Wall of Sound.” This record is equipped with all the brutality filled
characteristics: sludgy down-tuned guitars, thudding slow drums, shredding
noise samples and drunken, throat ripping yells.
“Hill People” is probably the most
upbeat cut of the record…and it is still moves at a pedestrian pace. From start
to finish, Church Burner creates a doomsday atmosphere and never lets up. I
really like this record a lot, but it does not replicate the sheer force and
power of seeing the band in a live environment. Live is the only way to
experience the Krvsher onslaught. Earplugs are needed!!
The band is consisted of veteran
musicians that have partaken in a variety of projects in the past. With
Krvster, all members continue their legacy. The album is available on vinyl (200
grain extra thick black vinyl) and limited edition cassette. Go check it out. www.facebook.com/feastforvulturestx
I am glad this was put to CD. It
would handsomely fit on a piece of vinyl. This collection was released a few
years back but listening to it the other day urged my realization that it
needed a plug. This totally brings me back to that time period of the early
90s. Back then, most of the HC gigs always included a combination of bands No
Solution, Tread and End Result. That was a magical time of venues such as The
Axiom and The Vatican. Shows were much more violent back then, but that is a
whole other story.
These NS tracks definitely sound
dated, and for that reason they sound even more special. The vocals have quite
a bit of reverb, which was somewhat common back then. The music most definitely
fits into the description of hardcore punk. There are no metal influences, just
pure hardcore with punk rock influences.
Also during these times, not many
bands had a quality recording. It was a big deal for a group to actually have a
studio produced demo. Recording technology was not readily available to the
average person.
This DIY release features new and
exclusive artwork. Also there is a nice array of throwback photos included.
Definitely a must have as a piece of Houston
history. I am not sure of its availability these days. However on a positive
note, I have been told that some modern NS recordings are in the works. So that
is definitely something to look forward to.
*Republished with permission. Interview was originally printed in Violence Now. Interview with drummer Donnie and bassist Mark.
A friend of mine referred your band to me and I was
impressed. I became an immediate fan of your old school hardcore influence. Do you draw from the classic
model for inspiration?
DONNIE: Yeah, I would say so. We definitely are inspired by the classics
from Joy Division to The CroMags. I like to think we incorporate our influences
into our music as well.
MARK: I think we all draw inspiration from different aspects
of our lives, but we were all influenced those old punk and hardcore classics.
For me personally, skateboarding was a big influence in my music growing
up, and I have been getting back to my roots.
Let’s start at the beginning since a lot of our readers might not know you
guys. How did the band come together?
DONNIE: I woke up one day and said to myself that I wanted
to start an old school NY style hardcore band but wasn't sure how to get the
ball rolling on that one since I live in Houston. Kind of unheard "round
these parts". I said, what the hell and posted on my FB page to my local
friends to see if anyone was interested and then J.R. messaged me and that was
the start of Khobretti.
MARK: It's funny how things come together. J.R. and I
had been talking about trying to get something going after a layoff from a
previous project. One day he told me he had an old friend (Donnie) that
had posted a message about wanting to start a band and that pretty much got
things going.
Your demo has an absolute vintage sound. It sounds like it
could be a 7” released in the 80s. Please elaborate more about the recording.
DONNIE: Right On. Yeah, well I don't think that is
what we were going for only because we wanted something as a reference to our
new songs. We recorded live in JR's studio and a lot of what you heard
was really only one take of each song too. It came out really well and we were
happy to have it as a demo and have it sound like those recordings we grew up
listening to.
MARK: It is interesting how well that demo came out.
As Donnie mentioned, the recording was really more for us to get
something down for our own reference. But everything really has clicked
since the beginning, and I think those recordings reflect that.
I see that you have an upcoming 7” release. Is it being done
through a label? Can you give more details of what to expect?
DONNIE: Yeah we have a split coming out with Hogs of War
very soon and are stoked to have them on it. We are releasing it
ourselves and trying to be as self sufficient as we can. The recording
process has been easy for us because we rehearse in a recording studio and that
makes things really easy and laid back for us.
MARK: Since we are able to take our time recording, we don't
have to settle for anything less than what we really want to put out there.
All the recordings came out really awesome, and I think people will
really like what they hear.
What future plans do you have? Are there any other releases
planned?
DONNIE: We have recorded a whole album worth of songs and
will be releasing more of those on splits with other bands and an EP. Not
sure about a full length. Full albums from HC bands tend to get redundant
after 4 or 5 songs in IMO, but whatever the band decides overall is what will
happen. So, who knows?
MARK: We are always talking about future recordings and what
we want to do. There will probably be a few surprises along the way.
There in Texas
how is the music scene? Are there lots of opportunities for gigs?
DONNIE: Yeah, the HC scene as of lately has had an awesome
resurgence. There are so many bands that we can play with and actually be
billed as a HC show. I have noticed a lot of young kids (I say that
because I am 41yrs. old) keeping the torch lit with HC and bringing out punk
and hc kids to the shows. It's great to feel young again playing along
side all of these great Houston HC bands. It's definitely a work out
too.
MARK: Things have definitely seemed to be picking up.
It seems that more and more opportunities are popping up to play with
different bands.
What kind of stuff did you grow up listening to?
DONNIE: I personally grew up listening to all types of
music. I have to say that The Smiths and Joy Division are probably the
two bands I listened to most growing up to this point. I still listen to
them once a day. I got into punk and HC in jr. high with Bad Brains and
Suicidal Tendencies and from there a flood gate of music poured in. JR and I
used to frequent punk shows when we were in our teens and saw some great shows
but nothing more memorable than GG Allin at the Axiom. That was punk at
its finest/worst. I think we both strive for that in our live show when
we perform. HaHa, J/K.
MARK: Skate punk and hardcore punk was really my core music
base growing up, but all sorts of fast heavy music made its way into the play
list at the old half-pipe during skate sessions. If you could skate to
it, it got played.
What was the first album you ever bought and the first
concert you ever saw?
DONNIE: I want to say it was Quiet Riot's Metal Health. The first concert I
saw was New Order in 88 and that was an amazing show.
MARK: That's a good question. I'm not sure about the
first album I bought. I do remember getting cassette tapes of the Clash
and the Police for Christmas one year from my parents. The first punk
album I ever heard was the Dead Milkmen Big
Lizard in My Backyard. A friend in Junior High brought it to school
one day and told be to go home and listen to it. After hearing that I
knew punk rock was for me. My first show was D.R.I. That had to
have been around 1988.
Anything you would like to add?
DONNIE: Yes thanks for the interview. Be on the lookout for
our upcoming 7” with Hogs of War. That should be out in the fall. Also we have
a planned split CD with Black Coffee in the works. I’ll finish with a plug for
some of the great bands around our area: Mind Kill, Shut Out, Sketch//Driven,
Blunt, God Fearing Fuck, Supremacy, Forced Fem, Action Frank…honestly there are
so many that I can’t remember them all. Go give us a "like" athttps://www.facebook.com/khobretti
Once again,
here is another release I have been trying to find time to review. This 3-song
scorcher is pretty intense. Upon hearing the recording and seeing them live, my
first impression was that of early 2000s hardcore. I found it extremely
reminiscent to the stuff Victory Records was releasing during that time. However,
the more I listen, the more I find other dimensions to their music. Sketch//Driven
have a “Victory” influence, but that sound does not dominate their songs.
Over
all, the release ranges from slower to mid tempos. There are no fast songs, but
I don’t think they need any. From beginning to end, all songs stand on their
own with pure aggression. The barked raspy vocals are smoothly intertwined with
the music.
The opener “Twisted” has a serious
Bloodlet somber tone. The track is only 48 seconds long, but the slow brooding
approach definitely works. “Corrupted Faith” beats down the door as track two.
Some serious metal riffs swim throughout this song. “Puppet” finishes things
off. It is the most upbeat song of the release. Parts of it have an SOD flavor.
Corruption
sits nicely with the band’s already released work. It was unleashed January of
2015, so it makes me wonder when a new output will hit the streets. In the
meantime, go check it out for yourself.
Your band is a lasting name not only in Houston but the world. Back in 2009 when the
band went on a hiatus it seemed like you had some great momentum going. What
was the cause of the lay off?
It was the classic case of doing something you love so much that you start to
dread it. We had gotten to a point where we actually toured so much that we
primarily got by on money from the band, as little money as it was. We had no
booking agent in America, and did everything ourselves, and at the time we were
committed to only doing things that way, but we seemed to have reached a
plateau as far as our audience goes and what our options to keep touring were
if we weren’t going to adopt a more “business-oriented” approach to everything.
Everything just started to feel stagnant. We had changed members so many times
I couldn't count, and then our bassist and guitarist at the time eventually
decided they need to go home and go back to school. I decided the time had come
to throw in the towel at that point and start talking exit strategy. I remember
on our final European tour, just a month before the band broke up, Die Young
was literally me, two guys filling in from California
on guitar and drums, and for half of the tour we had two separate friends from Austria
alternating as fill-ins on bass. When you have that many people coming in and
out of the mix, I feel it will usually compromise the quality of the
performance—even when the guys are perfectly capable musicians. There is a
magic that comes from the same musicians playing together for a long time that
you can’t get from musicians getting together for just a couple practices to
get things down “good enough” to go on tour. I remember in Berlin on that tour the crowd was chanting
for us to play one more song at the end of the set, but I was so furious about
the band’s poor performance, I couldn’t carry on—despite people being totally
okay with our performance--and I walked off stage. I felt like what we were
doing was a joke. Some people told me they thought I was a dickhead for doing
that, like I was being a rockstar or something, but I was really just trying to
maintain the band’s integrity. I realized I had probably compromised it too
much over the years with my ambition to tour in such circumstances. Looking
back, I blame myself for the situation we ended up in. All the member changes
had gotten out of hand. But at the same time, we achieved a lot in those years,
and perhaps we wouldn't have "a lasting name" as you say had the band
not done whatever it took to play those hundreds of shows that we did, so I
don’t necessarily regret the sacrifices that were made to make all that
happen.
Now the band is active again, what new goals are on the horizon?
When we got back together it was all about having fun and writing new music,
and it still is. As much as I would like to take our new songs to new crowds
all over the world sometimes, my life isn't set up to be on the
road all the time anymore. None of us have that sort of desperate,
nihilistic, young aimlessness that can be fulfilled by touring at this point.
Just about all of us have serious jobs, relationships, families (dogs, cats or
kids), and other adult-level commitments that keep us tethered to the domestic
life, which I have grown accustomed to and enjoy. Even when we go out on the
road for 3 or 4 days now, it drains me, and I feel like I have had my fill of
it for a couple months’ worth of time. So band goals now consist more of being
more selective about when and where we play, and we get to spend way more time
writing new material, which I think helps make it the best it can be. In years
prior, we’d be writing on the road and spend very little time practicing the
material before we went into the studio. We’d still be feeling the songs out in
the studio, and honestly, when I listen to most of our old records, I cringe
and think of how much I would do it better now, had I only had that objectivity
and ability to be critical of our own work back then. I know I am my own worst
critic in regards to that, but now we get to be more objective about what we’re
making, and I enjoy that a lot. We’re working on a new full-length to record
late this year and release in 2016. We’re about 10 songs in so far. There will
be some shows sprinkled in here or there between now and then too. Some east
coast stuff, west coast, and close to home, too. We still want to try to get
out when we can. It’s just much, much harder now.
I also see that you recently filmed a video with Dennis Polk. Judging from his
previous work, I would expect that he will be creating something great. How was
the shooting process? Are there any comical stories worth mentioning?
I just saw the finished video last night, and I am really happy with it. Dennis
is a great creative mind, and it was a lot of fun to work with him.
I didn't want to do a “live” or typical music video of a band
playing, so I came up with this idea for our song “Return to the Earth” to
find a good, swampy or wooded spot, roll around in the mud and yell the song
lyrics. I told Dennis some of my inspirations for the vision I had of the
video, and he got really amped up and excited to work on the project. He found
the perfect backdrop to record in, down in Angleton, Texas.
We have a mutual friend whose family has a house on a large plot of land
complete with mossy trees and lots of secluded space. So Dennis and I went out
there on a rainy day by ourselves. I rolled around in the mud, yelled and posed
for a while, and then our friend’s dad blasted me with their hose so I could
clean up enough to get back in my car. Dennis and I went out to BrazosBendState Park afterwards to
try and film wildlife for more material. We filmed several alligators while we
were there. That park is great. It’s crazy how close you can get to alligators
in some spots because they are so used to people walking on the trails there.
All in all, making the video was a fun adventure, and I am really grateful that
Dennis was so supportive and enthusiastic about the project. His hard work on
it helped to make it something I am really excited to share with everyone.
You have a lengthy discography with releases on many labels.
Looking back, which are your favorites? What fond memories do you have?
I always felt we progressed on each record, so each time we did a new record it
became my favorite. That’s how I feel about our latest record, Chosen Path, and I already know the new
one we are working on now is going to top Chosen
Path, too. I think we achieved some cool new twists on Loss, too, when we had our friend Steph contribute a more feminine
element to the record with her backing vocal harmonies, and also on the
instrumental track we did with her playing cello over a 12-string guitar. It
was only a 4 song EP, but when we finished it I felt we were going out on a
triumphant note as a band, being that Loss
was supposed to be the last record we would ever do. I think having those
elements on the record helped captured the dynamic power of the emotions that
went in to those making songs more potently than we had ever done before. It
was all as sad as it was angry, and I think conveying sadness has always been
an important part of Die Young, but we had never really been that dynamic in
our delivery of it before.
Die Young has had quite a touring career both in the states and abroad. Do you
have any upcoming road dates planned?
We are going to do a short east coast run with one of our all-time favorite
bands, Catharsis, in August. And we’re got some random southern/Dirty South
stuff lining up for the Fall. We'll hit the west coast as soon as we can, too,
but it may not be til early next year unfortunately.
The Houston
hardcore scene seemed to peak in the early 2000’s then lost some steam at the
end of the decade. Here the last few years there has been a resurgence of new
bands. What are your thoughts?
Then and now are definitely different times with different attitudes, sounds,
trends, and ethos. I remember when there were only a handful of Houston
hardcore bands, and Fallcore would be lucky to have 10 bands on it total, and
perhaps the only criteria to get on Fallcore was to be a hardcore band from
Texas. There was enough room for nearly every band back then. But now there are
literally dozens in each Texas city,
and it is hard to keep up with everyone, as it seems like everyone in a band
has at least one or two other sidebands going on too. Even the frequency of
shows now is so much greater than it used to be, and that is also hard to keep
up with. I am really glad, though, that there is a resurgence going on. I have
taken up the project of the Houston Hardcore Mixtape, which is a free download
“mixtape” on Bandcamp which showcases the variety of bands playing in the
Houston scene right now, and when you listen to it, you can’t deny that right
now Houston has a great mix of bands, young and older, playing styles all
across the spectrum of hardcore. Part of my motivation for doing the mixtape is
just to be able to get myself acquainted with as many current bands as
possible, because it's actually hard for me to keep up with everything and
everyone being that I'm just not available to play or go to as many shows as I
used to years ago. I think I want to do a throwback volume of the mixtape too,
maybe 1998-2004 or something like that. That was a really special time to be
involved in Houston
hardcore—for me personally, and for so many people I grew up with in this
scene.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
Thanks for the interview, thanks for reading, and check out our new video for Return to the Earth.
First off, I must say it is
refreshing that this band finally has quality recordings out. For the longest
time they only had live and rehearsal material available. Those recordings were
cool in a raw, old-school way but did not give the band a proper
representation. If you’ve seen this power trio live, you know the sheer wall of
heaviness they churn out.
Last year they finally released
their superb self titled debut. It was a great mixture of early retrograde
death metal that made me feel as if I was back in 1991 listening to it on a
cassette. Filled with plenty of moody Pestilence and early Vital Remains (Let Us Pray) riffing, the CD really
tickled my fancy. In a much more aggressive manner, it really reminded me of
one of my personal favorites, Baphomet’s The
Dead Shall Inherit.
Now that I have jumped off topic,
let me get back to the single. The track opens with a doomy, Cianide-like riff
that leads into a mid tempo medley that surrounds some sickening, deep death
metal growls. There are some blast beats intertwined, but for the most part the
cadence stays the same. The playing is extremely tight complemented with a
thick production that this music demands.
Also, I really like the art
included. It seems to be Photoshop composite work, but for me, it works
perfectly. As with the music, the cover has a very vintage feel. Although
totally different, it reminds me of the artwork for the Napalm Death Suffer the Children 12” single.
