Reviews

The Good, The Bad, The Reviews...


Here are some reviews of records we have put out, if you know of any others or want tell us what you think about our releases fill free to hit us up.


GAS#008 Custody Battle "s/t"
Razorcake website
Raw, snotty, unpredictable and nearly schizophrenic punk. Dance with Me's macabre undertones spliced into a Germs-like frenzy of snarled vocals, lurching bass lines, and the same sort of guitar tone that made me fall in love with Amdi Petersens Armé. Potential greatness looms so don't sleep on this one. (Juan Espinosa)

GAS#006.5 The Terrordactyls "Unknown Terror"
Criminal Behavior blog
Being a kid from the digital age, I find it tremendously odd when a metal album comes out on vinyl at all (metal-heads are usually a bit less idealistic than the punks, not that there’s anything wrong with that), and to see it on a 7” record is even weirder, given the average length of metal songs.  Regardless, as soon as I heard this band had members of In Defence and played straight-up thrash, I knew that it didn’t matter one bit what format the record came out on.  It was set to be pretty good.  Did it live up to the hype that I had preconceptually given it?  After a spin or two, I would have my answer. The first song “Straight Edge Kids at the Liquor Store” takes up a whole side of the EP, and it’s well worth an entire side of a record. The song is one of the best, most refined, most captivating I have heard come from a metal band in a very long time.  I’m talking levels of attention-grabbing near “Painkiller”, “Iron Maiden”, and “Angel of Death”.  That’s how good this song is.  It’s got the thrashing speed, both on drums and the guitars, and the vocals are straight youth crew style singing, and surprisingly, it works here, better than it would any other thrash band.  However, add in the gang vocals for the chorus, and you can see the members are very influenced by these youth crew bands.  Shit, sounds good to me!  Next was “Dude-geoisie, Oppressors of the Bro-letariat”, and while this one was shorter, it still packed the same punch-y vibe the previous song brought; though this song wasn’t quite as good as the first, it’s still pretty fucking good- I prefer to think of it as the epilogue to the last song, at least a bit.  Concluding this metallic EP was “Chemical Toilet”, which, while fast, seemed a bit more mid-tempo than the other two gems. Too, it accompanied more gang vocals this time around, though I could not complain.  It was still a gnarly song, but I wasn’t as wowed as I was with the first two.  Regardless, this one still trumps “Between the Hammer and the Anvil”.  That’s something! Thrash-tards, crossover cretins, and putrid punks alike ought to love this EP.  Speed, hilarity, gang vocals, low cost… what the fuck else do you want!?  It’s all here- buy or die. (Aunty Social)

Razorcake website 
Ten seconds in: this could go either way; starts with a pretty cool, driving riff that could either build into some great post punk ala Drunkdriver or go into thrash metal territory. Annnnnnnnd it’s thrash metal. Don’t get me wrong, I own some Nuclear Assault and Mortal Sin LPs, but I just can’t get behind the thrash revival. Municipal Waste was fun for a little while, but I rarely feel the urge to pull out Waste Em All, and whenever they come on shuffle on my MP3 player, nine times out of ten, I hit next. This just all sounds the same to me. I can’t relate. Given their lyrical content, I’m pretty sure these dudes don’t take themselves too seriously and are just having a good time. More power to them. I’d probably party with them; might even watch (and enjoy) their band. I just don’t wanna listen to it at home. –Chris Mason (World Won’t Listen / Goin' Ape Shit / Suicidal Logic)


GAS#005.5 Busted Bearings / Bully
Razorcake website
Busted Bearings sound like they really like Infest. A lot of people do. And if you can’t have enough Infest-inspired bands in your life, then add another one to the library. Bully go down a different path: fast hardcore with a vocalist who shouts at the top of his lungs. Very loud, very abrasive. Makes me wonder how he does it in the studio. Even in the faster parts he keeps it going without cracking. I’m impressed. Interested to hear what Bully does in the future. (Matt Average)


Maximum RockNRoll #338
On the A-side of this split, BUSTED BEARINGS, a newer band from Arizona, give us 7 tracks of fastcore with some skate thrash influence. Think COKE BUST meets BONES BRIGADE. Blastbeats and mosh parts galore, and on top of the music, some well-penned lyrics that tackle subjects such as biking, panhandling and scene superstars in new and interesting ways. BULLY hail from Washington and have a more sludgy, powerviolence-influenced sound than their counterparts on this record. They cover a NEANDERTHAL song, which should give you some idea of what they're going for. Both sides of this record are solid, but nothing earth shattering. This feels like an EP that will end up in dollar bins in a few months, at which point it's probably worth picking up.(Kevin Manion)


Stereo Killer website
Busted Bearings side is seven tracks of minute or less songs. They start with a slower song with a very catchy guitar riff and then blast through the next six. Their new vocalist has a deeper voice more like Spazz than their older singer who had a higher pitched voice. Also the music on this is much more mature and a definite step in the right direction for this band. They aren't breaking any new ground here an almost by the book power violence but not every record needs to reinvent the wheel. They play what they play well. This is a solid if not really great effort from this band. Bully's side is a bit different. They play 4 slightly longer songs. They play a bit slower and more hardcore than Busted Bearings with breakdowns and mid tempo songs. Their vocalist screams his vocals quite well. They are enjoyable a fit the band perfectly.Again nothing new here just well done music. The songs sound good and based on this I would definitely check out more music from this band. Overall this is a great release with both sides equally good. Well worth checking out. Great music and a couple of great bands. (Travis Assault)


GAS#005 TaserBreath "TaserBreath"
Maximum RockNRoll #338
Whoa, these guys are like the lost tribe of the West Bay cartel! Genre-hopping grind/PV/pop punk/math rock (?) multi-vocal-ed sample-heavy weirdness abounds on this too-short platter. The massively down tuned bass dominates the heavy parts gives this a very AGENTS OF SATAN feel, though the all-over-the-place songwriting is more in the NO LESS vein. That being said, this is not at all terribly derivative of either band at all. In fact, I have no fucking clue what this band is doing, but it's definitely their own thing and unlike a lot of bands the eclecticism doesn't seem forced at all. Like SOCKEYE, this straddles the line between awful and great so skillfully it's going to demand repeated listens before I can form any real opinion at all about it besides one: it's obviously compelling. Plus, for what it's worth the package is amazing. You definitely get your money's worth. (Andrew Underwood)


Razorcake website
Whoa!—this is chaotic and a lot for the ears to digest, even in the span of one song—but I like it. There’s a strange containment to it all after the first several passes. Grindcore. Someone-..lived-..in-..Tucson-..at-one-time weirdness. Dirge. Amphetamine Reptile-style spent fuel and diesel exhaust rock. Samples. It’s like listening to The Locust, where twice as many notes are shoved into a limited space that it’s a bit much to cram in all at once. But once the ear holes get dilated, and you know that the roller coaster isn’t completely coming off the tracks—that it just hasn’t followed a regular maintenance schedule—a nice, punchy, jarring ride with moments of pure fright that you’re gonna die followed by snatches of pure freefall and pleasant instrumentals spins off the 7”. For the four of you this’ll make sense to, invert the awesome quirkiness of the Cuntifiers into a dark and bad-drug filled place. Rub some Anal Cunt into that… then that’s what Taser Breath starts to sound like.
(Todd Taylor)


GAS#004 Conflict Resolution "American Internment"
Maximum RockNRoll #323
Four tracks of riveting political hardcore, this Phoenix band's second single is driven completely by excellent NO COMMENT-ish vocals that spit words in quick lacerations against Disney and America's dystopian future--a kind of immediate, direct response to "world events" lyrics that, when combined with powerful, direct thrashing makes for an intense EP. There are back-up choruses, but they are weaker than the magnetic draw of the lead singer by himself; plus or minus a solid cover of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' "Memories of Tomorrow" (great, but I could almost stand to just hear more this band's own songs!) still leaves enough reason to get running for this limited to 500 EP. Boss. (Ken Sanderson)


Razorcake website
Speedy, pissed hardcore from Mesa, Arizona here. Lyrical subject matter is primarily focused on the current state of the United States, with a particularly angry missive directed at the House of Mouse’s apparent decision to close one of their stores particularly standing out. Closes out with a balls-on cover of Suicidal Tendencies’ “Memories of Tomorrow.”
(Jimmy Alvarado)


GAS#003 Sabertooth Snatch "Project Sherm"
Razorcake website
A five song, lowish-fi, jazz-core mini-opera that the producers claim to be about some wacky space adventure of some sort, but sounds to me like it is actually about the life and times of Stephen Egerton. Come with fold out poster sleeve, a CD-R, and a libretto ((well, a piece of paper detailing the story)) ((which in and of itself is quiet amusing and well done)). I hope Project Sherm means alot to some people. I may not be included in that particular subset of humanity. BEST SONG: "Space Niggas" BEST SONG TITLE: "Red Light Planet" FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIAL FACT: Shermy, along with Patty and Charlie Brown, were the three charcters featured in the first-ever Peanuts strip in 1950.
(Rev. Norb)


Maximum RockNRoll #323
When I say this six-track EP is has low production values and the music is kinda sloppy, I mean it more as a descriptor rather than a criticism. Project Sherm is the product of a weird mix of nerdy sci-fi and burnout drug cultures. The music has elements of punk, metal, prog and more, while the lyrics and art tell the twisted tale of a spaceship that runs on PCP and the misadventures of its debaucherous crew. Not really what I'm looking for in a record, but maybe you'll love it? Limited to 500 copies on frosty-nugz colored vinyl. (Chris Hubbard)


GAS#002.5 Important Documents / XWalrusX
Razorcake website
Ten inches, thirty songs. That's one and a half song per inch of vinyl. There are soundbites on the record. One of the band members is wearing a luchador mask. Is power violence back? xWalrusx play blazing fast hardcore with scene-centric lyrics that balance hilarity and anger. Their side of the insert has photos of the cast of "Law and Order SVU" and a list of vegan eateries in Tucson. Important Documents mixed there side so all you can hear are cymbals and vocals. (CT Terry)


Maximum RockNRoll #317
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS from California plays the fastcore / thrash / powerviolence thing in wonderful irreverence, fucking shit up. Their tracks are raw, sloppy, and chaotic. XWALRUSX plays even faster grindcore and powerviolence. Multiple vocalists, big low-end with lots of bass, a sense of humor, and a little weed. I love this. Vegan powerviolence from Tucson, AZ. Think SPAZZ. I really like their tracks and am bummed they are already broken up. There are somewhere around 30 tracks on this 10". (Mike Howes)


Sabertooth Snatch - Paper Bag CDr
From Big Whoop #4
First off, I must say the packaging on this is great. A screenprinted brown lunch sack with a sick print of a sabertooth cat with a human hand raised up and the band logo in the palm. There's another sweet print on the backside too. As for the music, it changes up a bit but can go from post-whatever indie type stuff to an art-damaged kinda punk type songs. Even throwin' in a metal riff once in a while. The song that wins best title would have to be "Hi, My Name is Seth and I'm Metal as Fuck". Pretty good shit overall, I'd like to hear more though and see how they've progressed since this was recorded in spring 08. (Joe the Stache)


GAS#002 Fake Out / Female Snake
Maximum RockNRoll #308
From the silk-screen manila sleeve, the last thing I expected from this record was fast hardcore, but that's exactly what you get, and not some '90s-wannabe-EVERGREEN record or something. FAKE OUT, from Tucson, drops five tracks of fairly by-the-books fast thrashin' hardcore with crucial breakdown parts. This band woulda fit just fine on bills with TEAR IT UP, NO JUSTICE, SCHOLASTIC DETH, and other bands of that ilk/time in history. On the other side of this platter, FEMALE SNAKE, also hailing from Tucson, is more on the blast-beat to dirge-y hardcore tip. A nice window into a local scene that dosen't get too much coverage, from a label that is doing just that - showcasing their scene. (Justin Briggs)


Big Whoop #4
Fake Out is fuckin' angry. Really fuckin' angry. And that anger makes them play fast. Not super-fast, but pretty fast. Lyrics stay pretty much within personal and social topics they are angry about. The vocals are kinda snarled and throaty and pissed off. Did I mention anger? Female Snake are also angry, but not as angry as Fake Out. Since Female Snake aren't as angry, they can concentrate, and play much faster, belting out some heavy, blitzkrieg powerviolence. And when i say blitzkrieg, I mean, wow. These dudes can fuckin' mince. The sleeve is a big yellow envelope screened and folded, I had to cut along the top to open it. Grey marble vinyl along with a lyrical insert was inside. Limited to 304, so you should prolly get after this one if you like good fucking hardcore. (Joe the Stache)


GAS#001 Eat Shit: An Arizona Underground Compilation
Maximum RockNRoll #293
Aside from CANCER BRIDES' incessant, driving POISON IDEA-worship with Abel "Jerry-A" on vokills and his other capable revivalist cohorts, this is pretty much a comp of sub-prime awkwardness, but there are a few moments... LINE OF FIRE launch a time capsule of lost '90s punk tense breakdowns and quick time-changes, with a lot street punk cleches coming at you "fuck you." Shit's just crazy. Nope. SMELLS LIKE DRUNK rocks some compelling tunes about party injuries, holding your nuts; there's some interesting creative riffery and some crust waltzs. The CONFLICT RESOLUTION tracks, despite their standout production quality, tightness, and speed, kept hitting with rhymin' vocal delivery and that hippit-hoppity drum break down stuff; they have a "fuck you" song too. STRIPPER KILLERS play more rock-rooted pop-punk-sounding tunes, lyrics turn to contemporary hot button issues like getting stabbed in the back and breaking up. GENERAL WARNING reveal that cartoonish later MDC worship is somehow still alive and well; "Bomb the KKK" will definitely meet compromised expectations and "Let's Get Drunk" pretty much sets the tone for some crazy partying.(Brian Stern)