Savage Republic

Briefly mentioned this album in (I think) the roundup before the most recent one, but just to recap: Savage Republic's "Tragic Figures" is of my absolute favorite records of all time. Equal parts punk, post punk, industrial, and apocalyptic tribal drumming. Sorta like Joy Division meets Einsturzende Neubauten maybe? Something like that anyway.

I had been looking to replace my totally chewed up copy for years now, and having pretty much zero luck finding one for a price I was willing to pay until, lo and behold, it just finally got reissued with a whole second disc of mostly unreleased material.... I'm stoked.

"I stand beside myself. And still I'm next to nothing."

Fudge Tunnel

Any time I mention Fudge Tunnel the only response I ever seem to get out of my metalhead friends is a vague “Oh, haha, didn’t they sound like Nirvana or something?” and I mean I guess so… Sorta?

Nirvana’s first album was definitely pretty fucking sludgy, and both bands sound like they probably really dug the first handful of Melvins albums, and I guess the vocals are pretty similar if you completely ignore the fact that Alex Newport has a fairly pronounced British Accent? I’m just not sure Nirvana ever sounded quite as overtly doomy.

Whatever, all I know is that this song crushes and if you chose to not check it out because “something something grunge music” that’s on you for being a fucking moron.

Bring Her

Icy, sexy, yet strangely ominous and distorted goth/ post punk/ darkwave from Pittsburgh PA. Kinda reminds me of a meaner/ grimier, version of Kaelan Mikla? Something like that anyway. The other thing they remind me of is this short-lived Canadian band called Security, but that's a reference so completely fucking obscure that I apologize for even making it.

Either way, this rules.

Feedtime

Australian post-punk/ pre-alternative that sorta reminds me of an even mangier version of Nirvana or Mudhoney backed by the relentlessly "motorik" rhythm section of Can or Neu.

I was completely unaware of Feedtime before I picked up the "Aberrant Years" box-set on a whim back in 2012, but they definitely "clicked" and I've been a big fan ever since.

Side note: That bass tone would not sound at all out of place on one of the mid-era Godflesh records.