CORE would proudly like to introduce one of the first Toronto bands to join the CORE collective: The Nightmares, an explosive, high energy 4-piece rock band formed during the early months of 2009. I would describe the band's style as hyper-melodic, hook-laden garage punk anthems on steroids/too much redbull. The band's sound is consistent with very distinct imagery and visuals that give off a 'classic horror film' vibe with an equal dose of comic book graphics and a whole lot of aggressive energy. Their most recent video for Static State directed by Peter J Arvidsson and the ELEKTRIK PLAYGROUND is a prime example of their sound and image. The video has the band performing in a forest, a mansion and a graveyard. All seeming to be hellish, demonic and haunted. The video itself follows in a style similar to Zack Snyder (300) or Spartacus Blood and Sand, mixing animation and live action with hyperreal violence and pacing. Recently, The Nightmares released their self-titled debut EP recorded at the Flat Soda Studio with Matt Pomade of the Creepshow and have released it independently through Black Coffin Records.
The EP - produced by Peter Arvidsson (Dumper, Robin Black) - hopes to garner the band some attention from both the local and global music community and set the band apart from others by establishing themselves as a talented and determined young band with the potential to do big things. The band is currently promoting their debut self-titled EP which has been released worldwide on iTunes.
The Nightmares will be performing live at the CORE Toronto Showcase this coming fall, check back for details!
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Often credited as the pioneers of hardcore punk Washington D.C.'s Bad Brains have a sound so manifold it would be unjust to bind them within the sole genre they established. Bad Brains began as a Jazz fusion band in the mid '70s in the same vein as fusion ensembles such as Chick Corea's Return to Forever and were well versed in the Hard Rock of the era ie. Black Sabbath. The introduction of punk and ska punk to the band began the formation of the diverse yet iconic sound attributed to Bad Brains. While the initial success of the band is sometimes credited to the novelty of seeing an entirely African American band play punk music, their contributions to a wide spectrum of music (hardcore, punk, metal, alternative, hip hop, ska, reggae...) stands testament by the large number of successful (culturally and commercially) bands that have directly drawn influence from the band. To name a few: Faith No More, In Living Color, Fishbone, Sublime, Black Flag, P.O.D., Deftones, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and many many more. Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins once noted that he was inspired by the pacing of Bad Brains' abrasive, hard, fast rhythyms juxtaposed to mellow, smooth reggae and it was this dichotomy that Corgan used to develop the Pumpkins' sound.
I have personally had the pleasure of seeing a Bad Brains performance live and it is unlike any punk concert I have seen before. Singer HR stands tall, stern and relatively unmoved raising two peace signs while creating a myriad of vocal textures and literally emitting multiple voices.
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Today's obscure track explores the theme of controversy in rock music. The track in focus is entitled 'Monobrow.' Lyrically the song could be considered tame in contrast to a vast majority of work spanning genres, while the song itself is a loud ebb with violent swells and vocal outburts, it still does not present anything too shocking to contemporary artists (though it is fairly progressive for '88). The major controversy deals with the name of the band. Rapeman. Formed by hardcore punk veteran Steve Albini of Big Black (also working with Nirvana, the Pixies and Cheap Trick among others), Rapeman was named in tribute of a bizarre Japanese comic book of the same name. Rapeman was often met with a barrage of protest on the basis of their band name alone, with allegedly supporting or glorifying rape and violence to women. While naming a band Rapeman may superficially seem to reinforce said allegations they could not be further from the truth (at least according to Albini), as feminist ideology has often been absorbed into the ethos of the punk movement, particularly hardcore (and the straight edge movement of the late 80's). Were the protesters wrong for misinterpreting tribute or satire? Was Rapeman in the wrong for exploiting a social taboo or were they in the right for doing so? Either way you look at it such controversy helps add to the appeal, allure and (even minor) publicity of a work... as well as providing the larger social function of discourse surrounding the issue itself (rape) and censorship and self expression.
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Following my last post regarding avante-guarde guitar composer (or asshole depending on your opinion), Glen Branca I have taken it upon myself to provide some insight on some more influential work that has ceased to break through to mainstream ears. Todays cut from the deepend is entitled "Ghost Rider" coming from the 1977 album "Suicide" from the band of the same name.
Listening to Suicide in 2011 there are numerous labels that one may feel compelled to use in playing the genre game (we are in fact creatures of taxonomy), thus tags such as electro, new wave, no wave, industrial, dancepunk, sythpunk and the like get tossed around though none of them really fit (comprehensively). And the truth is that while Suicide could arguably stand as a relevant example of these contemporary forms among others, at the time of this album's conception they were really operating in uncharted waters and there wasn't much that you could even call it. Suicide opted for "Punk."
In fact Suicide was the first band to use the label punk when describing their own sound, as can be seen in a November 1970 flyer using the phrase 'punk music.' Suicide took their name from an issue of the Marvel comic Ghost Rider entitled Satan Suicide (the comic also providing inspiration for today's track). Drawing inspirartion from Iggy and the Stooges, Initially performing in Greenwich Village's Mercer Arts Center (and later at CBGB) Suicide's live presence was highly confrontational... Best exemplified in "23 Minutes Over Brussels" a live recording of a Suicide show that turned into a full scale riot.
"Ghost Rider" itself clocks in at just over 2 and a half minutes and is characterized by the hypnotic repetitive bass sample and thick electronic drone of Martin Rev coupled with the eerie, distant quivering vocals of Alan Vega. The outcome is a trance enducing, comic-book theme -lose the camp and up the grit. Its sound is nervous, pulsing, both tribal and industrial and creepy as hell.
While Suicide may not have the most commercially successful catalogue and their image & sound isn't so easily postured for mass consumption, they have still retained a cult following and as testament to their musical clairvoyance there has been a reknewed interest in the band works.
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