Atolls and Serial Killers Part II

The time has come to rehash the surliest and burliest metallic hardcore of the nineties.  Two factors prompted this (yet another) Enewetak post: a request for a re-up, and a long ago kick-down of some rarities, compliments of a mysterious stranger.  The first link below includes re-rips of the band's "Easyrider Sessions Vol. 1" 7" and 8 previously unposted tracks including a Guns n' Roses cover and another recording of "Deadbird" among other raw and nasty numbers.  Dirty sludge twists around chunky mosh in this JG Ballard-like collision of tissue and metal that always sends me reeling.

Enewetak- "Easyrider Sessions Vol. 1" and rarities

It has come to my attention that the Enewetak/Unruh split 7" link died, so here is a refresher:

Here

We Do The Numbers...

Things are starting to get back to... equilibrium around here; sometime last week, the counter finally made it 100,000 visitors-- and just shy of three fucking years! That's what I get for posting shit nobody else likes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I also replaced my needle cartridge with a really nice one after breaking the last needle in a beer-buzz klutz-move, so ripping should resume soon. All this is restoring my lagging interest in blogging, as are a couple of e-mails I received recently.

The first was from Eddie (formerly of Tafkata) letting me know about his insanely good new band, Seven Sisters Of Sleep. I asked him the first obvious question you'll have too after hearing "Monastery" and Swamp": when will the first record come out?! Rest assured, the band is working all that out. If you're on this blog, there's already a 90% chance SSS will be the subject of the next shrine you build in your living room, and if utter despair set to music is your idea of a good time, the chances are even greater. The next, less obvious question was: "How's about that Tafkata demo I've heard about"? I'm a shameless moocher-- sorry Eddie. Turns out there were two, and he hooked them up for us. As a Tafkata fan-geek, I feel it's my duty to share everything I can with you, and these heavy and dirty cuts are more than worth repeated listens regardless of, or especially because of, the damage it will do to your head and the walls around you. Thanks a million Eddie!

Tafkata Demos (Some tracks are titled differently than the album versions)





Another generous e-mail was from Kevin from another favorite band, Icon Gallery. Kevin gave the permish to keep the demo tracks up, and even sent a five track version including the song, "Pain" (which is amazing!). He also included a rip of the band's 7" which long ago I prematurely had a lukewarm response to (probably because I was buzzing on the demo still). Giving it another spin led to giving it five more, and now I'm under its spell. This is such a talented and great band, I hope you crusties can put aside your prejudices and rock the fuck out. I'm going to include the 7" in the folder below under the condition that you will buy it or that you promise you don't have a turn table. Support this band and check with them in June to see if their LP is out yet (there's a new-ish track up at their MS page that sounds great!).


Icon Gallery EPs

The Trigger Isn't Hard To Pull

It had to happen. Pretty much every other Enewetak record has been posted here; it was just a matter of time before "And the Beat Goes On..." should make its appearance. I had some mediocre rips I had downloaded, and which seem to be consistently downloaded from me on soulseek. When I recently came across a mint copy of the wax, I knew I needed to step up. If I do say so myself, these rips came out pretty nice, and this record deserves the treatment. I think anyone into any kind of heavy music can get down with these nine crushing tracks of metalicious Rorschachery, and if you can't, well this is where we depart. As with the "Guns" LP, it just has to be heard, as descriptions will inevitably fall flaccid. And, as with all Enewetak LPs, it's my favorite until I throw on another one. But really I think this one might seriously be my favorite.

"And The Beat Goes On..." by Enewetak (Revolutionary Power Tools Records, 1996; ripped at 320 kbps).

Worker & Parasite

When All Out Ward suggested posting some Tafkata, I was a little hesitant; it seems like I just got my copy. After a bit of snooping, I'm a little less leery. The band's website and myspace page betray a bit of neglect, and the labels involved in releasing the "Worker & Parasite" LP reveal an equally veiled approach at musical proliferation. If any of the above entities have a problem with me posting these rips, just send the word. Meanwhile, Tafkata have been annihilating the rotation here at FE HQs with their thick and gutsy sludge-metal-hardcore. The label bills them as a union of Rorschach and Sabbath, and I think that's pretty fair. Some of the more bouncy tempos allude to a newer sludge master, Brainoil, and in a vague way, the drawn out vocals evoke a bit of Dystopia. Whatever the comparisons you choose, the above cast and the fact that Tafkata has former Enewetak folks in its line-up should help you decide if they might interest you. The bottom line is, if you like your metal fried Southern style and infused with a fair amount of hardcore grit, this album is calling your name.

"Worker & Parasite"

If you live in the UK, some distros might have this piece in stock.

dead.enewetak.bird

When I have the time, I don't have the motivation, and now that I have less time... The only way to solve this blogging dilemma is to unload a nice, quick EP on you. A good chunk of Enewetak's discography is all over this site, but what is this "Dead Bird" 7"? It's about what one might expect from this band as recorded by Matt Anderson in 1995, ie. it sounds a little more "Gravity" than "King Of The Monsters." The post-Rorschach menace is still worn sleeve-wise, though, and the band's chunky, metallic destiny is clearly visible on the horizon. The actual record's history is a little foggy-- we know that it was released on Revolutionary Powertools Records and came in a sealed envelop-sleeve, but just how many were pressed, I cannot say. Having almost never seen this thing around, I'd venture to say it falls into the rare as fuck category.

Here

Atolls And Serial Killers

Alright, broseph, here it is. The Southwest of the United States was a terrifying place in the mid 1990's, if you knew of the right bands. Two of these behemoths crossed streams circa 1996 to forge this little tainted eucharist of pure malevolence. Now you too can ingest the evil!

The Enewetak/Unruh split 7"

The King Packs Heat

This one goes out to Mike (the otherwise anonymous one) who besides being awesome about leaving comments, also has impeccable taste in music! He's been more than hinting at the need for more Enewetak on this site, and I couldn't agree more. "Guns. Elvis Loved Them." is Enewetak's second LP and puts in many bids among its 12 tracks to be my favorite of them all. No need to choose favorites, really, and no need to try to classify this band, or compare them to Rorschach or Unruh (although it has been done and it makes sense). Nothing can prepare you for the nihilism and torment this band trafficked, so just go ahead and listen.

Here.

"You can get out of here, if you haven't killed anybody..."

In case you don't have these six crushers, here's Enewetak's "Easy Rider Sessions Vol. 1" EP, revealing the band at its most "southern" (California?). Think Sleep's "Volume One"-era material, but more evil (ie. Eyehategod & Noothgrush!). The band's sound morphed at about three different points in its life, but the members seem very at home with these dirty sludge riffs. Lyrically, it's the usual topics: death, destruction, violence, and exploitation. One exception would be "It's A Small World After All," which, in no uncertain terms, bashes the idea of compensating descendants of slaves for the injustices against their ancestors. Oooo, controversy! I see their point, but I'm curious what spurred them to make a song about it. Anywho, this is a nice component to the sludge cannon, and for those who want more, check out Tafkata, another burly sludge beast formed by Enewetak personnel.

Here

"To the west... the orange glow"

In 1995, I talked myself out of going to a show alone after my friend cut out on me. The show's line-up: Crudos, Man Is The Bastard, Gehenna, and Enewetak. Man, I suck. It was one of those decisions for which the regret has never subsided...

Of all the bands at that show, Enewetak are the probably the least recognizable, making them a great choice for a post. Enewetak must have seeped out of the same Godless chasm from which arose Rorschach, Gehenna, and Unruh. Are they metal? Hardcore? Metalcore? Who gives a fuck!? They completely destroyed! On their last full length, "Onward To Valhalla," (Crawlspace Records, 1997), Enewetak's songwriting reflects their disinterest in settling into comfortable genre expectations. Alternating between intricate, chunky metal picking, gargantuan sludge riffage, and occasional fits of blast-beat grind, the band never lets the listener lock into any particular groove for too long. A true edge-of-your-seat experience here, from one of the only great things to come out of Orange County, California.

Members of Enewetak went on to be in/are still in The Accident, Tafkata, The Touching Game, and Run. Dash. Sprint. "Onward" seems to be out of print, so here it is ripped at 320...

Onward