Ramlord/Cara Neir split EP (2012)

Continuing my celebration of all things Punk, and the break from garage/lofi blather, I bring thee a split EP featuring New Hampshire blackmetal/crust masters Ramlord and Dallas wizards Cara Neir.

Ramlord's epic 10-minute "Affliction of Clairvoyance" is an ugly, multi-sequence track that alternates between heavy sludge and thrashtastic speed bridges. One of my favorite LPs this year has been the new Anhedonist LP and, while it's not really the same sorta metal, fans of Anhedonist will prolly dig Ramlord.

That said, I'm not an expert on metal and can't really comment much on Cara Neir's side. This sounds like speed metal to me: blastbeats, epic (like, running around lookin' like a Viking killin' motherfuckers epic) riffs, gremlin vocals. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but I appreciate the contrast in styles on the split: I can't stand splits where the two bands sound the same. Smoke a blunt to this when you need a change from dub.

You can buy this over at Broken Limbs Recordings, or check it out before buying, here. Ramlord lives here,  Car Neir lives here.

Ramlord/Condensed Flesh split CS (2011)

I figured that it's ppropriate to start the new year on Drug Punk with a little heavy-hitting sludge from the bleak wastes of New Hampshire. Ramlord and Condensed Flesh turn in the sort of bludgeoning, melodic doom/crust that all the kiddies were trying to play back in the early '00s: Tragedy, call your office. Then the hipsters picked up on it, sometime 'round 2006, and everything went (even more so) to shit.

Most bands in this genre put me to sleep at an alarming clip, but I threw this on in the hopes of working through a nasty hangover and cold the other day, and, while it didn't dissipate said maladies, I'm still spinning it.

Ramlord and CF go straight for the throat with brooding, savage, heavy hardcore a la Artimus Pyle. Ramlord sounds more versatile than Condensed Flesh-the first track, "Restrained," is probably my fave: the fast-slow dynamic works well, and the ghoulish barking doesn't sound cheesy.

Condensed Flesh is harder to get a feel for, mostly 'cause their side is a live mix: the tape hiss is like a fourth instrument. From what I make out, they're doing the From Ashes Rise/Tragedy/et. al. thing: I'd like to catch 'em live.

You're next!

As far as I know, the tape is still available from Stimulation Addict Records, check it out! Ramlord lives here, Condensed Flesh here.