No Problem “Living in the Void” ep

This is NO PROBLEM’s latest release, which makes four. This would be the third 7”. The first two were on Handsome Dan. The full length was on Deranged. If I was to draw a conclusion about this it looks to me that 7”s come out on Calgary labels. Debt Offensive has taken this on. But Todd won’t have any problems with a band made up of past members of WEDNESDAY NIGHT HEROES, LET’S DANCE, and THRASHTIC FIBROSIS.  These were great bands in their own right and everything that NO PROBLEM has written has been great. This new ep seems a bit more back to basics. In an Exclaim interview the band talked about going after an old L.A. sound, and after listening to this I would hazard to guess that they were talking about early YOUTH BRIGADE and CHANNEL 3. The songs are more mid paced in tempo, the songs are constantly building and there are great sung back up vocals a la early SNFU. If I didn’t know better I would think that Chi Pig had broken out a rendition of “Cannibal Cafe” for the back ups on “Happy Family”. I mean that as a compliment. Have you ever been to an SNFU gig when that song starts in and the crowd erupts into a chorus of “whoas”? There is no moment quite like it. The chorus in “Happy Family” invokes the greatness of NO PROBLEM. But the sentiments to “Living in the Void” are immediately relatable whether you are living in Edmonton or Toronto or Sydney. And that is a carry over from the LP. There is so much relatable material in a NO PROBLEM song. The flame still burns what sounds like an all start team of a band. Champion city lives on without the Oilers. (Debt Offensive – 205-25 Richard Place SW / Calgary, AB / T3E 7N1 / Canada / http://debtoffensiverecs.bigcartel.com/)

Hassler studio 3 session

We recorded this session on the second day that Hurricane Stacy had hit Toronto. There was lots of rain outside and the lights lit up the playing field on the bak of Hart House showing off the mud pit it had become. Large puddles on display with little grass to show for it.

I wasn't sure who was in the band other than Jon and as I started reading up on them before we met up it appeared there was some pretty serious punk time that had played a part in the members past. The band is made up of Jay on vocals who was the singer in Bad Skin. Jon is the guitarist and he has played in so many bands ranging from Chokehold and Hacksaw and more recently Brutal Knights, Rammer, Career Suicide, and the Suicide Dates. Erik was the bassist in the Reprobates and they keep coming up in reviews I read about this band. And then there is Al who played in loads of bands but most recently he was in Toxic Holocaust and Rammer. It is the Rammer connection that seems to be the basis for this band. John and Al wanted to start something new up and Hassler is that band.

It wasn't until they started playing that I had forgotten how explosive a singer Jay can be. His constant pacing reminded me of a more together Darby Crash. It makes it extermely frustrating for someone trying to take a picture of him because they minute you get him framed he is off somewhere else. This energy makes Jay and engaging singer. And as far as cerebral metter is concerned Jay downplays this in songs like "Amoral" or "Trainwreck" by uses of self-character assassination, however songs likje "Retaliation" and "Enlightened" demonstrate deeper meanings to their songs the same way Total Trash are deceptively philosophical in their approach to lyrics.

The music is a modern day mash up along the lines of what Double Negative are able to pull off. I had the same paradigm shift experience with Hassler's music which played out as an endless game of name that part from punk's rich past. I think Double Negative and Hassler share the same make up of scene veterans from different generations of punk that work together at making simple flowing hardcore that speaks to all of their collective experience. It can't help but be a wealth of ideas, hyperkinteic in structure, and fascinating to hear unravel as it is played. Given their humble nature the band downplays the significance as some organic method of song writing, but as I listen to it I find the songs complex and rivetting and representing something new in hardcore writing which is ultimately waht the band is trying to achieve. Breakdowns that magically appear out of some raw d-beat riff with blown out distortion. Invisible Guy describes the sound as "Raw-Fi" which captures this idea embodied in bands like Urban Blight and Violent Future, but through back to a style hammered out by Confuse and G.I.S.M. Hassler have an approach and a background for this that can't be replicated and will be looked back on as a new approach to hardcore writing.

This session was recorded and mixed by Jonathon Hawkes. The songs we recorded at studio 3 include the following:

1. Amoral
2. Trainwreck
3. Retaliation
4. Escape
5. Apathy
6. Creeper
7. Asphyxiate
8. What I See
9. Beatdown
10. Pig Pen
11. Enlightened

The session was videotaped by Aldo Edric for Punks n Rockers and a clip can be seen below.



The interview we did for this interview was transcribed and then we did a follow up interview. We editted the two interviews together and submitted it to MRR. They published the interview in the April 2013 (#359) issue. Martin Sorrondeguy took the photos used in their layout when he was down for the Varning and NDY fest shows. Here is a preview of the piece.

Radio - Sunday, October 28, 2012

This program started out with a set of Hallowe'en songs written or performed by Canadian hardcore bands. That was followed up by a set up power violence and noise rock inspired bands which included the new Column of Heaven LP and the Veuve SS 12". We followed that up with a set of bands featuring women in the line up and included Sick Fix from Baltimore, and Criaturas among others. The next set featured a rare Polish band called Abaddon and a request from last week for Personality Crisis. We did a Black Flag inspired set with the new School Jerks and new Off! because they were in town last week. We finished up with a get up and go set that featured this incredible Japanese hardcore band named Think Again, after the Minor Threat song. Tonight's demo feature was a new Toronto group called Spearhead which features members of Total Trash, Snakepit, and Foxmoulder. Here is the playlist and you can also download the show.

TEENAGE HEAD - Disgusteen (Attic)

SNFU - Cannibal Cafe (BYO)
STRETCH MNARKS - Bad Moon (Headbutt)
BLACK DONNELLYS - Freddie's Revenge (Audio Fellatio)
SONS OF ISHMAEL - Hallowe'en Party (Sell-Out Activities)
THE SWARM - November First (No Idea)

COLUMN OF HEAVEN - Buried Secrets / Barghest Jugend (SPHC)
EYEHATEGOD - New Orleans is the New Vietnam (A389)
BURNING LOVE - Tremors (Southern Lord)
DISABILITY - Tooth (Self-Released)
VEUVE SS - Discipline (Self-Released)
MAKABERT FYND - Ett Kok Stryk (Sorry State)

SICK FIX - The Toll (A389)
CRIATURAS - Los Elijidos (Lengua Armada)
RAD - Geekonomics/ So say we all
THE TANGLED LINES - Battle (Refuse)
THE WARD - the New Dykes (Self-Released)
UTAH JAZZ - Contact Low (Feral Kid)
RACKULA - G20 (Schizophrenic)

ABADDON - Rewolucja (Warsaw Pact)
PERSONALITY CRISIS - The Advocate (Workers Co-operative)
DOA - Bring out your dead (Sudden Death)
UNRULED - Screams of Fear (Schizophrenic)
BOOK OF BLACK EARTH - Road dogs from hell / See demons (Inimical)

GOVERNMENT FLU - Role Model (Refuse)
SCHOOL JERKS - Crux (Bad Vibrations / Grave Mistake)
BLACK FLAG - I've Heard it before (SST)
OFF! - I got news for you (Vice)
NOOSE - Lex Talionis (React)
THE FORUM - Mercy for Now (Harsh Pizza)

BRAIN KILLER - Re-educated / Trying to remember (Vinyl Rites)
JOINT DAMAGE - Poison II / Damp (Sorry State)
THINK AGAIN - My War (Even Worse / Way Back When)
CITIZENS PATROL - Sick (Way Back When / Too Circle / Spastic Fantastic)
UNHOLY THOUGHTS - Sleep (Way Back When)

Demo Feature
SPEARHEAD - Contra (Self-Released)
SPEARHEAD - More World Wars (Self-Released)
SPEARHEAD - Pet Shop (Self-Released)
SPEARHEAD - Sword and Sorcery (Self-Released)
SPEARHEAD - Gas the Dancefloors (Self-Released)
SPEARHEAD - A Raid (Self-Released)
IN SCHOOL - Acid Burn (Self-Released)
IN SCHOOL - Apocryphal Scum (Self-Released)
IN SCHOOL - Knocked Out (Self-Released)

Flyer - Saturday, October 27th, 2012

Flyer - Saturday, October 27th, 2012

SATURDAY OCTOBER 27th @ the Silver Dollar
MISFITS performed by HALLOWE'EN
GUNS AND ROSES performed by VAG HALEN
THE GERMS performed by THE SOUPCANS
THE DAMNED performed by ELL V GORE
THE MONKS performed by YOUNG MOTHER / BLONDE ELVIS
NIRVANA performed by RITUALS
LOU REED performed by CUT FLOWERS
THE CURE performed by MAUOLEUM
BAD BRAINS performed by S.H.I.T.
NINE INCH NAILS performed by HELLALUYA
ORANGE JUICE performed by GAY

Flyer - Saturday, October 27th, 2012

Flyer - Friday, October 26th, 2012

Flyer - Friday, October 26th, 2012

Radio - Sunday October 21st, 2012

This program was our part of CIUT's Fall 2012 fundraising drive. Thanks to everyone who donated their time, money and gift incentives to the show. We didn't meet our goal and we still do have a few things to giveaway like the Not Dead yet pass for a $100 donation. You can make the donation at www.ciut.fm. E-mail me once you have made the donation or before hand to find out about their availability. We also have a Studio 3 DVD put together by Aldo Erdic for $50 donations. Once again contact me. The e-mail address is equalizingxdistort@ciut.fm.

Ryan and Matt from Wrong Generation joined us to talk about the merits of the Studio 3 sessions. Greg Benedetto echoed those sentiments and gave us a brief rundown on the Not Dead Yet fest. Aldo spoke to us about the DVDs and the importance of recording these sessions on a video format. The Blue Demon spoke to us about the importance of the history of the scene. Dhaibid James announced that we would start broadcasting Maximumrocknroll radio starting next week on Monday mornings from 2:00am til 3:00am. We paid tribute to Sam's book with a set. We programmed some new material to demonstrate our commitment to new material. We also programmed some sets related to people involved in the show. Have a listen.



SCHOOL DAMAGE - Irresponsible (CIUT)

WRONG GENERATION - Wrong Generation (CIUT)
VIOLENT FUTURE - Government Takeover (CIUT)
PICK YOUR SIDE - More Cops, More Krime (CIUT)

STEP FORWARD - Can't get ahead / The Life that chose me (Painkiller)
INMATES - No Future (DNA)
IRON LUNG - Sexless / No Sex / Lost Appeal / Pressure (Prank)
HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS - I don't play games (Toxic State)
URBAN BLIGHT - Blight makes right (Slasher)

NATIONS ON FIRE - Dishonourable Discharge (Self-Released)
CONTRAST ATTITUDE - No hope in there (Black Seeds)
ZETU - Ninja Attack (Hardcore Survival)

DESCENDENTS - I Like Food (SST)

IRON REAGAN - Eat shit and live (Self-Released)
WATER TORTURE - Resistant (Grindcore Karaoke)
SEX BUNKER - Only Natural (Rainbo)
97'S - Sin Trampas (Enquire)
SEA OF SHIT - Worriess Srez (Grindcore Karaoke)
SNOB VALUE - Claptrap Spastuc fantastic)

TV FREAKS - Freelancer (CIUT)
BORN WRONG - No Etiquette (CIUT)
DEMOLITION - United we stand (CIUT)

QUARANTINE - Not of this earth (Unreleased)
THE 222'S - Hold Up (Sonik's Chicken Shrimp)
THE MODERN MINDS - Girl Crazy (Bumstead)
THE BUREAUCRATS - Bureaucracy (Self-Released)

FALLOUT - The Tin Canners (Red Menace)
THE ROTTEN - No good at all (Rebel Time)
THE NEW ENEMY - Intermittent Explosive Disorder (Self-Released)

KORO - Dear Sires (Sorry State)
THE STATISTICS - No Control (Rodent Popsicle)
CONTROLLED AGGRESSION - No title (Self-Released)
CHARGED - Negative Energy (Self-Released)

Radio - Sunday October 14th, 2012

Tonight's show started out with a Top 10 for underground releases for the month of September. A set of creepy garage like material followed with the Cramps making an appearance. An old school hardcore set followed with new songs by bands like DOA with Jello Biafra on vocals, singing about the occupy movement. That was followed by some first wave punk bands like Tyranna and Crash Kills Five. A straight edge set followed that with some Canadian east coast bands making it into the set like Envision and Risky Business. That was followed by a set of olod school inspired hardcore bands like Tzn-Xenna from Poland. And we finished up with a demo feature by a band called Koszmar who are from Vancouver but sing in Polish. They will be in Montreal in two weeks time so this is like an audio sneak preview. Their demo is on bandcamp.

DOUBLE NEGATIVE - Drone Virus (Sorry State)

NEGATIVE RAGE - I Don't Like You (Self-Released)
GAS CHAMBER - Modern Vision of the Erect Nightmare (Nerve Altar)
KRIGKONTRAST - Ideel Profit (Not Enough / Halvfabrikat)
MISAR - Inget Liv (Halvfabrikat)
RAKOSI - Vegrendelet / Bekapkodunk, Elkapkodunkz (Lengua Armada)
M:40 - Avfell (Halvfabrikat)
THE GUNS - I'm Not Right (Smog Veil)
ILEGAL - Callejon Sin Salida (Lengua Armada)
KREMLIN - Rot (Hardware)

COLISEUM - Bad Will (Scion)
TV FREAKS - The Pusher (Scion)
THE ANOMALYS - The World Ain't Round, It's Square (MV50)
THE POW WOWS - No. Thirteen (Get Hip)
THE CRAMPS - Garbageman (Illegal)

HERD OF WASTERS - Herd of Wasters (Self-Released)
DUMBS - Bad Weather (CD Track 2)
DOA - We Occupy (Sudden Death)
GUITAR GANGSTERS - Nowhere to Nowhere (Ril Rec)
MAYDAY - Si Seulement (Rebel Time)

WHITE WIRES - Pretty Girl (Trouble in Mind)
TYRANNA - Back Off baby (Boppa Do Down)
CRASH KILLS FIVE - What do you do at night? (Ugly Pop)
TEENGENERATE - Pushin Me (Rip Off)
MUD - Ice T (Fans of bad productions)

VACCINE - When will we learn? (Refuse)
ENVISION - Clear Your Head (No Comply Records)
COKE BUST - Pain and Suffering / Permanent Mission (Refuse)
THUG LIFE - Roots (Refuse)
RISKY BUSINESS - Risky Business (Good News)

STATE FUNERAL - The Old School Ties that Bind Us (Artcore)
TZN-XENNA - Wodzowie (Refuse)
NAPALM RAID - Misery (Rust and Machine)
IMPALERS - Wheel of Pain (Beach Impediment / No Way)
DESPERAT - VI Forstor var jord (Beach Impediment)

KOSZMAR - Na Co (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Zycie W Grobie (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Aniol Milsierdzia(Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Smierc Gwidze nad Tobq (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Koszmar (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - NIgdy! (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Zgnilizna I Rozpad (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Atomowa Groza (Self-Released)

ASILE - Soldat (Self-Released)

Flyer - Saturday, October 13th, 2012

Flyer - Friday October 12th - Saturday October 13th, 2012

Flyer - Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Flyer - Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Radio - Sunday, October 7th, 2012

Sam Sutherland is a writer for Exclaim Magazine that initially started writing a book on Canadian punk back in 2006 when he was studying journalism at Ryerson University. Since then he has travelled across the country tracing down the participants who were around back in the late 70's to talk to him about this cultural explosion known as punk that took place in every major city across Canada. Sam connects the dots between punk and loads of major cultural developments in this country. The radio interview is too long and cuts off but you can listen to it with all the background music. Or you can listen to parts 1 and parts 2 without the distractions.

 

POINTED STICKS - Perfect Youth
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE VILETONES - Screamin Fist (Vile)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE UGLY - Revenge (Other People's Music)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE BOOMTOWN RATS - I Don't Like Mondays (Polygram)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
YOUNG CANADIANS - I hate music (Sudden Death)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
ACTIVE DOG - Good Filthy Fun (Active Dog Productions)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
HOT NASTIES - The Secret of Immortality (Fog Eye Productions)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
ROCK AND ROLL BITCHES - Someone could lose an eye (Rich Young)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
MODERN MINDS - Go (Bumstead)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
TYRANNA - Unfaithful (Rave Up)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
POPULAR MECHANIX - Ice Box City
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
DIEFENBAKERS - Colour TV (Punk History Canada)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE CURSE - Something you can't Tell your Mother (Other People's Music)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
B-GIRLS - Who says Girls Can't Rock (Other People's Music)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE DISHES - Hot Property (The Dishes)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE GOVERNMENT - Greetings from the Gutter (Soundspondence)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE VILETONES - Rebel (Vile)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE MODS - Step Out Tonight (Other Peoples Music)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE DIODES - Red Rubber Ball (CBS)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE CHROMOSOMES - The Park (Punk History Canada)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE 222's - Hold Up (Sonik's Chicken Shrimp)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE 222's - La Poupeé qui fait non (Sonik's Chicken Shrimp)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE NORMALS - Nice Guy
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
LOWLIFE - White Lightening (Airout Music)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE NOSTRILS - I'm Vile (Punk History Canada)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
VICTORIAN PORK - Bad (Porcine Music)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
DOA - Let's Wreck the Party (Sudden Death)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE REACTION - Never Sold Out (Reaction)
SAM SUTHERLAND - Interview (CIUT)
THE SUBHUMANS - Big Picture (Friends)

For those wanting to get Sam's book you can go to ECW Press or the Perfect Youth booksite. There is loads of great photos and clips and background material on his book up at the Perfect Youth site.

Flyer - Saturday, October 6th, 2012

The return of Trapped Under Ice.

MRR Review - Pizzahifive / Powercup split 10"

Powercup are from Montreal and they did this split 10". The slit was reviewed in the October 2012 issue (#353) of MRR.

MRR Review - D.O.A. "We Come in Peace" CD

This review of the last DOA release appeared in the October 2012 issue (#353) of MRR.

Radio - Sunday September 30th, 2012

This is the September 30th broadcast for Equalizing-X-Distort. we started out tonight's show with an interview of Wrong Generation from Etobicoke. We recorded a studio 3 session with them on Tuesday and asked them to come back and tell us about their songs and the band. We also played lots of new music featuring for the first time Warthog, Koszmar, Musical Suicide, North Side Kings, Jermz, Sju Svara ar, Copy of a Copy, and so many others. Tonight's demo feature was of a fastcore power violence band from Uruguay named Beatriz Carnicero.

WRONG GENERATION - Born Dead (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Interview (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Wrong Generation (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Interview (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Your Kind (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Interview (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Cutting Ties (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Interview (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Kill Your Landlord (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Interview (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Street Cancer (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Interview (CIUT)
WRONG GENERATION - Life Lesson (CIUT)

GLOM DA - En Salig Rora (Sorry State)
URBAN WASTE - Public Opinion (Way Back When / Even Worse)
KREMLIN - Will you Feed Me? (Hardware)
WARTHOG - Top Shelf (Self-Released)
KOSZMAR - Smierc Gwidze nad Tobq (Self-Released)

MUSICAL SUICIDE - Too much money involved (Couch)
SUBHUMANS - Black and white (Fat Wreck)
SOCIAL UNREST - Stab me in the back (Infra)
NORTH SIDE KINGS - Down on the World (Thorp)
JERMZ - Power cut (One Way)
SJU SVARA AR - Stad sakeshst ger inte me tryyglut (Self-Released)
DEFAULT - Voices from the past (First Strike)
COPY OF A COPY - Horror Business (Flix)

F.L.Y. - No Money No Love (MCR Company)
WHATEVER BRAINS - I'm going Martin (Sorry State)
THE CAPITALIST KIDS - (Toxic Pop)
VEKTOR - Side B (MCR Company)
CAREERS IN SCIENCE - Pity the Artist (Self-Released)

DEATHRAID - All life eros (Ahipunx)
MALE NURSES - Pull the Trigger (Deranged)
QUATTRO SIAGIONI - Escape (625 Productions)
JUMP OFF A BUILDING - Left out
GET DESTROYED - Purge (625 Productions)
JEAN MILLS SOCIETY - Fight your own fire (Firestarter)
HANDS TIED - These hands (Live Wire)
HUMAN MESS - Its just a game (No Way)
GEORGE HARRISON - We love summer (Self-Released)
OUT COLD - Victim (Kangaroo)
TIME OF MY LIFE - U Nous dona (Urban Decay)

Demo Feature
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - The Haroldos (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - De Palabra (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Tia Mei (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Syndrome de Lalas (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - JC Bodoque (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Fractura Expliesta (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Macetazo en el Parietal (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Pensa, no reces (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Brennt Paris (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Vendehumo (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Dificul de cara (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Harpo (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Balasstro (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Abisal (Self-Released)
BEATRIZ CARNICERO - Actitud Steven Seagal (Self-Released)