This one's been waiting to be posted for a good little while. Physical copies of this tape are no longer available, however you can purchase it for the price you see fit on the bandcamp page. First off, this thrasher has eighteen bands in less than half an hour. How can you ignore the opportunity to find a few new favorite bands in such a short period of time? I know I discovered a few new favorites of my own from this little gem. With a name like USA Powerviolence, these are obviously short, aggressive songs, but there's more variety within this genre than an outsider may imagine. From slow and chunky with hoarse yells to blastbeats and high pitched shrieks, this collection does a good job of showcasing the diverse and intense community of underground American powerviolence, grind, and hardcore bands.
While every single band on this cassette is ferocious and ready to tear the listener's head off, there were a few that definitely stood out for me. The violent 39 seconds of noise from Necklacing are worth serious mention. It's some of the most chaotic and memorable grind I've heard in quite a while. Everything about this song sounds absolutely desperate in the best way possible. Also, the group immediately after, Gorilla Pussy, were shockingly good. I was expecting to be disappointed by a band with such a name, but this is a perfect example of grind and punk done right. They keep things fresh by changing the pace and atmosphere frequently rather than locking into one groove and sticking with it. I also have to give a nod to a pre-existing favorite (and the reason I bought this cassette initially), False Light for being as impressive as always. If you aren't already familiar with them, get on it now. Finally, I couldn't help but make mention of PxBxS. These guys are a name I'd never even heard before but their contribution to this compilation blew me away. It opens with a chilling sample that gives way to some of the most peculiar and wonderful hardcore I've heard in quite a while. Rather than simply going for the throat with speed, the two tracks from PxBxS had me on my toes and paying full attention. I'm keeping an eye out for future releases from these guys without a doubt.
As always, give it a listen and do your part to support the artists that you feel deserve it. I've got a couple new packages here at home so expect more reviews of excellent new music soon.
