LINGUA IGNOTA - caligula LP (Profound Lore)
Kristin Hayter (aka Lingua Ignota) has quickly become one of my most favorite artist of this decade. Her unique style combines clean liturgical singing approach fused with death industrial bursts of anger over classical piano, keyboards and electronic industrial. Lyrics mostly deal about domestic violence, sexual abuse, suicide, catharsis etc. and are a poetic yet direct punch into your throat. I was so lucky to witness her live performances twice (with different sets and shows) and she always made me goosebumps all over my body. Astonishing.
SAVAGE - no escape LP (SPHC)
Pure power violence savagery... Perfect power violence songwriting. Songs that immediately stick in your head... They definitely know how to write the perfect power violence song. Chef d'oeuvre...
AGNOSY - when daylight reveals the torture LP (Profane Existence / Scream)
Third album from London's premium stenchcore masters. Metallic crusty assaults for songs that are an unstoppable force with challenging and entertaining songwriting... Pure crust greatness.
BAD BREEDING - exiled LP (One Little Indian)
Fuck how much I love this album. It's raw and fierce hardcore punk fused with noise rock influences that will also make you dance and mosh like a maniac... Promise.
BOY HARSHER - careful LP (Nude Club)
I listened to this records a huge fuckin lot during this year.... I love their dark synth wave plus their deep and dark voice... Awesome deep dark songs that won't easily get out of your head. Totally immersive.
LIFES - treading water LP (Here And Now / Knochen Tapes / Middle-Man / Triple Eye Industries)
If you are a power violence fan, you'd probably be super excited when you've first heard that Lifes was going to release a full length this year. Through their precedent EPs, this band showed everybody they weren't just a blasting machine, and fuck if they are, but also a band that always knows how to look over the genre's standards to craft amazing, interesting and powerful tunes. And this album got all of this delivered with a top notch production too... Supreme.
YOUR SCHIZOPHRENIA + DENIS DIONIS LOBROTOROV - Меланхолия Пробуждения
I don't remember how I got to this record but I will be forever thankful to who made me discover this album. It's actually a collaboration between two Russian artists: the result balances itself between minimalistic piano compositions and spoken word to craft truly dark and sad atmospheres. Superb.
ENZYME - howling mind LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Holy cow! I didn't listen to such a great d-beat monster in such a long time! The sound absolutely rips and the songs are super great. In my opinion, one of the best and original d-beat releases of the year (if not only) without any fuckin' doubt.
PACT INFERNAL - The Gehenna Odissey 12" (Altar)
Dark, ritualistic, experimental, industrial ambient inferno. A sonic experience. Totally recommended.
CHOKE - s/t CS (xEnemyx / Goat Power Recreation)
Not to be confused with the hundreds of bands (and people of course) with the same name! Be sure to pick up the Oakland's one for a full dose of great and intelligent power violence tunes. "I want my scalps!"
GOLPE - subisci, conformati, rassegnati CS (Complotto Autoproduzioni)
This is a real monster of a pummeling stomping d-beat machine. And to me it's the best Italian release of the year... Reversed socio political anthems for fucked up kids... Tadzio (ex Holy, Komplott, Sempre Peggio, Death Before Work etc) is the deus ex machina of this project and recorded everything on this demo. But don't worry, he scouted some great fellas from the Milan DiY punk scene to unleash some powerful and unique gigs. So this band won't stop here I guess... And that's such a great news...
PAWNS - monuments of faith 7" / 12" (Inflammable Material / Near Dark)
Awesome deathrock mixed with anarcho punk hailing from NYC. Great!
SLON - tape ii CS
Angry, raw, challenging hardcore punk from Germany. Fuckin great release.
GULCH - promo CS (Creator Destructor)
Watch out for this band because Gulch are the real shit. Super abrasive vocals, pummeling drums and super metal guitars for this awesome metal punk act. They pick influences from here and there crafting their absolute unique and damn aggressive hardcore. That's a band that really forces you to non stop headbang against walls, wishing to destroy everything...
PROTOCOL - bloodsport 12" (11 PM / Dynastic Yellow Star)
Super massive aggressive distorted hardcore punk from fucken Tallahassee, Florida. Excellent.
PLEASURE LEFTISTS - the gate LP (Feel It)
Superb post punk songs blended with elements of dark, pop and rock topped with an incredibly beautiful female voice. I really enjoyed their previous album and this one seems to be even better...
HIDE - hell is here LP (Dais)
Sick industrial noise from Chicago. This aural destroyer is packed with such great amazing songs... Don't sleep on this....
WRECK AND REFERENCE - absolute still life LP (The Flenser)
Another gem from this Sacramento's dark depressive obscure experimental band. Immersive.
HANTE. - fierce LP (Synth Religion)
Gorgeous, epic synth darkness from Paris. Addictive.
STATE FUNERAL - built for destruction 7" (Static Shock)
Brighton's State Funeral rise high the flag of the new wave of British hardcore!
PROGNATHE - homo protognathus EP
Technincal death metal wasn't my cup of tea until I listened to Prognathe! Super challenging.
THE BODY + UNIFORM - everything that dies someday comes back LP (Sacred Bones)
It seems that The Body manages to be included in this list every fucken year! That's because they always find a way to refresh their sound and to rise above their standard from album to album. One of their many ways to achieve that is their collaboration albums, and Uniform is a perfect addiction to their roster of sublime cooperations: the two bands perfectly blend together and this second collaboration shines among both bands entire outputs. Sublime.
SECRET CUTTER - quantum eraser LP (Holy Roar / Deathwish)
Super heavy sludge grind with an incredible production. Heavyweight heaviness. Top notch.
GHOSTLAND - dances on walls LP (Manic Depression)
Amazing melancholic new wave post punk from Greece. Superb melodies and voice.
LARMA - s/t LP (Adult Crash / Beach Impediment)
This is Swedish d-beatesque hardcore punk done by the book! Beware: members of Skitkids, Heratys and Infernoh inside!
EX:RE - s/t LP (4AD)
It's not a secret I love the band Daughter from London. So I was pretty curious to hear their guitarist / singer Elena Tonra solo debut / side project. These songs blew my away in seconds... Intimate and reflective music that takes you hand in hand in a deep introspective trip.
GAG REFLEX - psychosis EP
Leeds, UK: capital of European power violence. Gag Reflex: new acclaimed ambassadors. Seriously, this band is utterly great!
ENDORPHINS LOST - seclusions LP (From The Head Of Zeus)
This band is a gigantic grinding power violence ripper. Awesome angry songwriting, serious stuff.
BOOTLICKER - nuclear family 7" (Neon Taste)
New EP from my favorite D-beat Oi! band! Nuff said.
ARSE - safe word 7" (Grupo / Erste Theke Tontraefer)
Schizoid noisy hardcore punk delirium from Sydney, Australia.
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS - ghosteen LP (Ghosteen Ltd)
This album is dedicated to the loss of Nick Cave's son Arthur. He died, aged 15, falling from a cliff back in 2015 and this album contains his father and mother journey and reflections about loosing a loved one and how to deal with sadness, pain and grief through hope and faith. With his always intelligent and mature poetry, his lyrics are profound and extremely touching. Bad Seeds' music lay down the perfect soundtrack with a more minimal approach than what we've heard in the past. This is an incredible touching and sad album and I simply agree with anybody claiming it to be one of the very best of their entire discography... It's just a masterpiece.
PRESSURE PACT - scared off the street LP (Wolves Of Hades)
Pissed off high octane stomping hardcore! Such a blast!
WOUND MAN / REGIONAL JUSTICE CENTER - split 7" (Atomic Action)
Wow! Both bands excels here and outdue their previous releases. Awesome and highly inspired (both musically and lyrically) political powerviolence anger.
BLEAKNESS - functionally extinct LP (Sabotage / Destructure)
Since their first releases I was totally into this dark punk from France: they got that sound... That particular sound that... I don't know... Just listen to yourself... And yes, gold ink on a black cover is always a winner...
BANDIT - warsaw 7" (Cricket Cemetery)
This EP is a fierce blast: grinding power violence at pure essence with blasting riffs, powerful breakneck rhythm and awesome songwriting!
SPETTRO FAMILY - needles park EP (Bandcamp)
I probably came to this EP thinking of some syntwave goth band. On the opposite this is a gorgeous and beautiful Seventies / Eighties inspired electro synth soundtrack which shines on every track... The opener "Il laghetto di Brignano" takes you hand in hand in a crepuscular sad lake in which a girl sighs "Non sarei mai stata felice nella vita" ("I would never have been happy in life"). I found it devastating. Then "Smile is gone" soften the tone with a melancholic synthwave tune. Followed by the incredible "Unemployment tremens" in which a psychiatry interviews a supposed patient about his discomfort with other people and why. It reminded me the atmosphere of Rachel's interview in Blade Runner or the THX 1138 confession booth scene. "The Orphans" is pure Seventies / Goblin / Dario Argento orgasm. The title track "Needle Park" closes this EP with some Seventies / Eighties electro soundtrack orgy with bits from Cronenberg to Italian police movies. Like I said: a gorgeous release...
SHE PAST AWAY - disko anksiyete LP (Fabrika / Metropolis)
Goth goth goth! How much I love this band: the heavily estranged downtuned tuned voice, the electro dark synth coldwave rhythms and the post punk guitar riffs all sounds obscure but also very danceable... I bet they're dominating all goths dance floors around the world. Furthermore this album is all packed with amazing songs!
BLEAKNESS - functionally extinct LP (Sabotage / Destructure)
Since their first releases I was totally into this dark punk from France: they got that sound... That particular sound that... I don't know... Just listen to yourself... And yes, gold ink on a black cover is always a winner...
BANDIT - warsaw 7" (Cricket Cemetery)
This EP is a fierce blast: grinding power violence at pure essence with blasting riffs, powerful breakneck rhythm and awesome songwriting!
SPETTRO FAMILY - needles park EP (Bandcamp)
I probably came to this EP thinking of some syntwave goth band. On the opposite this is a gorgeous and beautiful Seventies / Eighties inspired electro synth soundtrack which shines on every track... The opener "Il laghetto di Brignano" takes you hand in hand in a crepuscular sad lake in which a girl sighs "Non sarei mai stata felice nella vita" ("I would never have been happy in life"). I found it devastating. Then "Smile is gone" soften the tone with a melancholic synthwave tune. Followed by the incredible "Unemployment tremens" in which a psychiatry interviews a supposed patient about his discomfort with other people and why. It reminded me the atmosphere of Rachel's interview in Blade Runner or the THX 1138 confession booth scene. "The Orphans" is pure Seventies / Goblin / Dario Argento orgasm. The title track "Needle Park" closes this EP with some Seventies / Eighties electro soundtrack orgy with bits from Cronenberg to Italian police movies. Like I said: a gorgeous release...
SHE PAST AWAY - disko anksiyete LP (Fabrika / Metropolis)
Goth goth goth! How much I love this band: the heavily estranged downtuned tuned voice, the electro dark synth coldwave rhythms and the post punk guitar riffs all sounds obscure but also very danceable... I bet they're dominating all goths dance floors around the world. Furthermore this album is all packed with amazing songs!
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RADIO FANGO FM is a weekly radio show mainly focused on punk, hardcore, crust, grindcore, powerviolence, d-beat, post punk and other stuff we enjoy... Every week one hour of all new releases from the realms of the underground.
Streaming anytime on: mixcloud.com/RadioFangoFM/
On air FM in Italy every Thursday from 10pm to 11pm on: radiondadurto.org
Check out our mixcloud channel to listen all previous and current podcasts whenever you want!
RADIO FANGO FM is a weekly radio show mainly focused on punk, hardcore, crust, grindcore, powerviolence, d-beat, post punk and other stuff we enjoy... Every week one hour of all new releases from the realms of the underground.
Streaming anytime on: mixcloud.com/RadioFangoFM/
On air FM in Italy every Thursday from 10pm to 11pm on: radiondadurto.org
Check out our mixcloud channel to listen all previous and current podcasts whenever you want!
