Von Wolfe

Mitch Hedberg once said (or probably repeated the joke many times, actually), "Because of acid I now know that butter is way better than margarine.  I saw through the bullshit."  Now, I'm not suggesting the guys in Von Wolfe are on acid, but if they were it would make sense because they have drafted up a blueprint of bullshitless southern hardcore that is more honest, soulful, and heavier than the trendy song and dance acts of similar sounding bands.

When most think southern tinged metallic hardcore there's most likely going to be an echo of Every Time I Die riffs bouncing across ear drums.  That's definitely an accurate comparison as Von Wolfe is a very riff heavy band with a noticeable twang. The difference (other than actually being from the south) is Von Wolfe channels a more traditional hardcore influence rather than Lynyrd Skynyrd making out with Poison the Well in an I-10 rest stop stall.  There's not any singing or any attempt to water down the metallic riffs so that they'd feel comfortable floating down the Chattooga River like Maylene.  No, Von Wolfe's brand of hardcore is more along the lines of pissed off bands like Cursed, or some of the straightened out moments of Converge.  The vocals are also a bit on the Cursed side and have that overdriven coarse scream of fellow southerner Josh Scogin of The Chariot.

Their debut EP, Life's a Beach, is fast, heavy, relentless and very well recorded.  Sure there's some breakdowns and a couple of two-step moments, but nothing that feels trite or worn out.  There isn't much on the record that strays from their formula, but with only an EP's worth of material it doesn't get old and requires a few extra spins to indulge in the havoc (listen to it below).

www.facebook.com/vonwolfefl
vonwolfe.bandcamp.com/

Band of the Week - Pollution People

Let's crack open another can (make sure it's a can) of cheap beer and discuss the new band (or extension of?) from members of Duck Duck Goose.  Pollution People take their name from the last song on the last release by DDG.  If you're familiar with the Ducks, perfect, because Pollution People the band pick up right where "Pollution People" the song left off: dirty metalcore with signs of maturity.

If you weren't aware of the Ducks before they disbanded (went on hiatus?), I don't want the word "metalcore" to turn you off.  Sure they have some similarities to the genre staples; Norma Jean, or even early Cave In, type riffs recorded with the stripped down dregginess of The Chariot, a few southern fried chords ala Every Time I Die with ETID's crisp concise drumming.  Sometimes they sound like the link between Eighteen Visions' Until the Ink Runs Out and Vanity, you know, before 18V started embarrassing themselves by becoming a hair metal band masquerading as a grunge band.  What I mean is 18V still had that metal feel while beginning to experiment with a more traditional rock n' roll sound and James Hart started singing while turning his scream into a higher pitched yell.  That's what you can expect singer David Ribera to bring to the forefront of Pollution People.  If you saw a picture of David after listening to this band, you'd swear his entire torso must be made of lungs.  Sure, his smaller stature probably lends to the higher pitch, but the ferocity with which he screams and belts out the notes of his now refined singing voice is colossal.

And it's definitely the singing elements of their brand new EP Future Trash that stand out as the most memorable, though still not the main focus of their chaotic sound.  You might have heard flashes of it on DDG's Off Yourself, but as Pollution People, the band has found a way to write around and highlight these segments.  Mixed with the turmoil of their heavier moments the new EP does feel like a sort of metalcore At the Drive-In.  Now, don't expect anthems with high tenor rants, the record just has that ATDI impression of an inkling of sanity surrounded by unhinged energy.  Pollution People are a little rough and unfocused at times, but the EP (and name change) show a maturation process and that these guys are tapping into their own sound.  Hopefully they'll stick around for a while and build upon their new endeavor.

www.facebook.com/pages/Pollution-People

Where They Started: Obviously, as Duck Duck Goose

Where You Should Start: Pick up the DDG releases and then go get the Future Trash debut EP TOMORROW!

Essential Song:

going ghost by pollution people

Featured Band: The Franklin Cover Up

The Franklin Cover Up - Party Like It's 1989 by scrapescatter

The Franklin Cover Up - Boise, ID Sociopolitical punk/metal band taking their name from a non-fiction book of the same name divulging a child prostitution ring that is said to have involved many higher-ups in Washington.  Expect lyrics that cover that very subject, as well as topical lyrics about other issues plaguing our nation.  Expect the tunes to sound similar to Refused, Botch, and Every Time I Die.  The new EP was released today and is available for free at http://thefranklincoverup.bandcamp.com/
Members have gone on to be in other Boise heavyweights Bone Dance and BLACKCLOUD

www.facebook.com/thefranklincoverup

www.facebook.com/pages/Scrape-and-Scatter-Media

 

Band of the Week - Duck Duck Goose

All too often with the music I have come to adore (because I have the musical integrity of a high school brat) there is the unfortunate occurrence that I may introduce a band that has met an untimely demise before you get your waxy, grimy little ears on them.  More likely, I'll drop the ball and not accidentally stumble across a band like Barstow CA's Duck Duck Goose until it's too late to enjoy them while they're still producing music and silly antics.  Now, I'm sure I'm like you. I see a daffy name like Duck Duck Goose (get it?) and completely over look a band who toured with the likes of Poison the Well until the day it's played through the speakers without me being able to see the name first.  Then it becomes clear why they would brand themselves with such a moniker: it's just fun, frenetic, fast and once you get past a certain age you should feel ridiculous for still liking it, but you kind of don't care.

It's apparent that these kids have mastered describing themselves as simply as possible when they name their first EP Noise, Noise, and More Noise.  I refuse to be that guy who promotes a band for something as inane as breakdowns in this genre because that's not a "guy." That's a kid.  I think it's over done and, quite frankly, a cheap ploy to lure in simpletons.  Consider me baited.  With tons of overdrive effects, Duck Duck Goose race through their dissonant crashes that bring to mind March on Electric Children-era The Blood Brothers with Last Night in Town-era Every Time I Die (you know, before ETID got raped by Lynyrd Skynyrd and started producing southern fried hardcore), but more fun.

There's rarely a sign of any formulaic song structure, which, of course, is pretty common for chaotic metal/hardcore. Few discernible verses, no choruses, and lots of off time starts and stops mixed with goofy riffs. When DDG throw their hair back and assume the crab position to go for the half-time head nods that often plague this genre? Yeah, they don't reach for the chug-squeee pit fall. Nope, their breakdowns sound less like Opposite of December and more reminiscent of Me and Him Call It Us. You know, like they're raising every appliance in the kitchen above their heads and slamming it on to a concrete floor? The recording certainly captures this onslaught well. As soon as the shrapnel starts to spray, vocalist Davey Ribera screeches (not unlike an aforementioned Buckley/Whitney combo) "PANIC FUELS THE CROWD" and you can tell he really hopes so.  Of course, the staying power of a borderline joke band performing in a genre that's already kind of a borderline joke is very hindered, but Duck Duck Goose made it enjoyable.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Duck-Duck-Goose/133599036659691

Where they started: 2008's Noise, Noise, and More Noise EP


Where you should start: Sporting just an EP and one full length, might as well check out both.  Noise... is the more breakdown heavy of the 2 and has the better production value as well as being the chunkier release.  However, Off Yourself does show the band maturing a little (as mature as a band like this can be, anyway) and throws in some clean vocals which certainly adds another layer to the chaos.

Essential Song:



Essential Live Video:



Some other stuff: