Groundwork

Groundwork were a sXe hardcore band that formed in 1991 and broke up in 1994. They hailed from Tucson, AZ and left a pretty big impression on the scene in the 3 years that they were around. At the time that I started listening to them I was too was nailed to the X and even though I held no specific bias towards this band or that band based on them being a sXe band, I always could appreciate the fact that there too were people playing music in the scene who chose not to include alcohol and drugs in their daily lives. They were extremely emotional and heavy. With only 22 songs released in total compiled from various 7"s, a split with Unbroken and an LP, their final release was a discography CD on Bloodlink Records. When Groundwork finally called it quits their members didn't stop carrying the torch. Two bands sprung from the ashes and were just as pivotal in helping define the scene. Those bands were Absinthe and Four Hundred Years. Bands who I will be blogging about in the near future. For now, enjoy two songs from their LP "today we will not be invisible nor silent."

Question Me / Hungry

My Increment

My Increment were by far the most powerful, artistic, creative and unfortunately short lived band to come out of Bakersfield, CA in my opinion. At the beginning of their existence, Bakersfield's music scene was turning a new direction from punk to hardcore mainly based out of bands from Goleta, CA and Northern, CA. My Increment's new sound was so absent of the Bakersfield scene at the time of their inception and the crossing of genre's was something that nobody was prepared for, me included. I remember going to watch them practice at Joel's house throughout the beginning and being completely blown away. I also began noticing the change in timing and speed of their songs as the influences from outside bands kept pouring in. Bands like Channel and Groundwork were highly influential in the creation of My Increment and even though I never got to play guitar in this band (a story for another time), I am to this day amazed by how fresh their sound still is. There hasn't been a person that I've shown these recordings to that hasn't praised the originality and freshness of their song structure. Unfortunately they only released a split 12" with Sharon Tate out on Base Matter Records. Out of a total of 6 songs ever recorded, those 6 songs and My Increment will forever be in my influential top 10. Members went on to play in such bands as Shahrazad, the Sagittarians, Anodyne, ASRA, Defeatist and Curandera. Here's a link to 2 tracks off their 6 song discography that was never released.

Songs 5 & 6

Nitwits

I don't really know too much about these guys except that they were from San Jose, CA and weren't around too long. They recorded a demo, a split 7" with Mohinder and the "great Day" 7". Everything that I've heard from them is super catchy. It's hard not to like them. I remember that I wanted this 7" so bad that I traded my friend a Los Crudos patch for it. He said I was crazy to do that but I in no way regret owning this record. Thanks Joel! Dig this Catchy tune.

Catalyst

Mohinder

Mohinder were a four piece hardcore band from Cupertino, CA. As far as I'm concerned, they were the originators of the chaoticore spastic style. James Fuhring destroyed the drums everytime that he got behind them. He developed a style that many tried to mimic but only pale in comparison.They were only around for a very short while and released 3 7"s, a few comp tracks and a discography LP put out by GSL. Members went on to such bands as Jenny Piccolo, Indian Summer, the Anasazi, Calm, Duster, A-Set and Makara. Enjoy this mp3 from their 7" the Mission released on Gravity Records.

Expiration

ACME

ACME absolutely fucking crush! I love this band. They were from Bremen, Germany and were around in the mid nineties. From their sound, ACME were ahead of their time. Bands like GAZA wouldn't be around if it wasn't for these guys. They formed in 1991 and lasted till about 1995 with only releasing a demo, 7" and a few compilation tracks which were all compiled onto a 12" & a CD titled "...to reduce the choir to one soloist" released by Edison Recordings in 1996. I highly recommend checking them out. Below is a free mp3 from the aforementioned album.

BLIND

GHOST...the unholy EVIL

GHOST reign from Sweden and are about to take the metal underground by storm. I just bought their album "Opus Eponymous" out on Metal Blade and Rise Above Records last week and can't stop listening to it. It's nothing new musically but holy shit (pun intended) is it catchy! They no doubtfully preach about their love for Satan and I sometimes find their lyrics silly but hey. At least they're passionate.

Enveloped in a shroud of mystery and standing anonymous beneath the painted faces, hoods and robes which their sect demand, the six nameless ghouls of GHOST deliver litanies of pulsating heavy rock and stimulating lyrics which "glorify and glamorize the disgusting and sacrilegious". The music and philosophies of GHOST specifically target "individuals who have a void in their life perhaps caused by some form of emotional trauma or upset" (research suggests these are most likely adolescents); this dearth can then be alluringly filled by GHOST's music and philosophies, "so that in time the easily manipulated will come to share the views and goals of the Coven's ministry and can prepare their own plans for the downfall of humanity."

The previous paragraph was taken from their Metal Blade page and I think that it speaks for itself quite plainly. Before actually hearing GHOST's music I for some reason thought that they would sound dark and heavy in a Portal kind of way. But at first sound I was taken aback by how poppy they sounded. When you see a band that portrays an image of mystique, evil and darkness you hope for the latter when it comes to the sound of their music. Most bands that are shrouded in secrecy leave the listener to create their own fantasy. When I hear GHOST
I think of the KISS persona but obviously a lot less cheese-ball. For one, only your parents thought that KISS were satanic and the sheer contrast between GHOST and KISS is that GHOST aren't fucking around when it comes to their message. It's hard to pigeon-hole GHOST
into any particular genre and I'm not interested in any of that so I would just highly recommend that you check them out for yourself. in the meantime I'll leave you with a quote from the band.

"Our mission is not as much about conversion as it is about underlining which path you all have chosen to go, and where it will ultimately lead you," declared GHOST in a rare communiqué. "We are the file playing back in your digital earpiece while you are carelessly approaching the end."