Episode 210

Walp - we made it to Episode 210. Wooo!

So here we are. The big 2-1-0. Cutting through Pasadena on the way back to Nard cuz traffic on the 5 and the 405 was fucked.

I know some of you all wanted me to figure out how to do video, but I hate that shit, so here’s an attempt at text. Remember, there’s a playlist for every episode. Go to the playlists link at 185milessouth.com to check them out. That’s one companion, and maybe this thing will be another. Or maybe it will be random musings. Or maybe I’ll quit after this one.

Anyway, shout out to Joe Hardcore & the This is Hardcore podcast for talking about the Anti Matter substack, and also the Scheme Records crew for the shout in their substack. I guess those two things combined motivated me to do this - just like the Vice News weed guy not responding to my email prompted me to do a podcast.

Regardless, for this week, I wanted to write a bit. Let’s dig into the episode:

We had Josef from Sunami on the pod this week. Following an Australian run, their Self Titled LP came out digitally in June and they’ve been on a tear since - doing a handful of CA dates, then continuing to establish their Euro dominance. This pod loves Sunami. Why? Cuz we’re not a bitch, of course. But for real, they’re a really interesting band when you dig into it.

First, their story is a true sign of the times. It started as a Twitter handle. They put out a demo, but were still a mystery at that point. They played their first show on 10/26/2019 in San Jose and it’s as ignorant as you think it would be. It goes viral.

Next, their brother band Hands of God play LDB Fest on 2/8/2020 and do a Sunami cover that had an entire room in Kentucky proclaim “there’s 2 types of people in this world - you’re either from the Bay or you’re a bitch.” DA FUQ? That went viral too. Fest culture and video culture combined to pop a band. Somewhere in there was also a fake feud with brother band Gulch and they sold a lot of shirts. They were a certified internet phenomenon.

The whole world shut down shortly after that Hands of God LDB set due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A whole new generation of kids discovered hardcore during this era. Shut in and bored - some with expendable income, most with expendable time - they flocked to the internet to watch videos. Thanks to videographers like 197 Media and Hate 5 Six, there was an abundance of content to dig into. I can understand why HC videos were so appealing in a time when we were told to stay six feet apart from each other.

Sunami put out a 7” in 2020 and a 12” which had the 7” and the demo on it. First presses sold out immediately. The 12” has currently been pressed five times. The hype seemed real.

Everyone probably remembers the first big shows back after the pandemic. There was Madball playing Tompkins Square Park in NYC on 4/24/21. There was Dead City/Section H8 on 5/8/21 in Los Angeles under a freeway overpass. Then there was the Real Bay Shit gig in San Jose on 6/19/21. Sunami played with Drain, Gulch, and others drawing over 2,000 kids to a show put on fully DIY. The hype wasn’t just on the internet. It was for real and had transferred to kids actually getting off their ass and going to a show, not just passively watching online.

It’s two years later and the hype hasn’t died. This year they did a full US tour, booked fully DIY and sold out every show. They took different bands on different legs and actually paid them in something other than exposure.

Basically here’s what it comes down to: a band who hit the hardcore popularity lottery, and has had every opportunity to be lame, has done the righteous thing at every fork in the road that they’ve come to. Even dudes with scabies sporting Aus Rotten assflaps have to tip their Fidel cap, kiss the ring, and acknowledge that Sunami is the biggest DIY hardcore band on the planet.

Goddamn, these questions are getting harder and harder to write. We’ve now done trivia 28 times. I put them all up on Youtube if you want to check ‘em again. I’ll keep attempting to crank them out if you still dig them. The 25 ta Life lines came from this ripper of a track:

Really, the whole Keepin it Real album rips. Along with Strength Through Unity, these are the two essential 25 ta Life records.

We talked lots of new music this week. First up, was Violencia. Their LP just came out on To Live a Lie records. Get it here. I think they’re at they’re best when they’re mixing that dark gothy shit with the super fast scissor beat stuff. This was an interesting one cuz we all liked different pieces of it the most - Dan liking the mid-tempo stuff, and Chris digging the almost stoner-y slow stuff. Regardless of what nook draws you in, it’s an AOTY contender.

The World I Hate Years of Lead LP just came out on War Records. This was a Chris pick. It’s a mean sounding record that falls somewhere between powerviolence and modern hardcore. People are going to say it sounds like Infest because the singer sounds like Joe Infest and there are scissor beats, but I think it’s really doing them a disservice putting them into that bucket. Two things about this record that I think make it stand out: the recording and the sequencing. The recording is big, bright, and is really a mission statement against so much of modern hardcore that hides behind studio bullshit to make bands sound extreme. The song sequence has a great flow and takes you on a path that helps these monotone songs not come off too same’y.

I learned about the Motorbike LP from the Sorry State newsletter, so you should probably buy it through them. This is a great summertime record for cruising around Torrance Beach with your homie, a half a joint of rag weed, and the Schnapster…or just a nice palate cleanser between listening to Violencia and Wold I Hate. Part Melbourne jangle, part Ohio garage sleaze - this LP rips and has no skippers.

Look dude, we’ve done 210 episodes. You know I like the Hard Style. I’ve also been listening to hardcore for over 25 years and know this is a style where there are more dogshit bands than great ones. Well Soul Blame outta Belgium does it well. This style is all about seamless transitions between parts, opposed to riff salad. These dudes say no to salad. Check ‘em out on the playlist.

The Outta Pocket LP came out digitally on July 7th and is up for preorder now. This is another of my favorite records of the year. They have a unique take on the Hard Style - especially on this LP. They don’t bury the guitars in distortion and the snare tone is super reminiscent of the E-Town Concrete classic Time 2 Shine. They lean in hard to bounce and the guitarists are palm muting madmen. With the tone being what it is, the album sounds so rhythmic and fresh, instead of just being a tired moshfest. Love this thing.

Finally, we talked the Bloodstains Anti-Social 7”. Holy shit, this might be my favorite 7” of the last 5 years. Actually, it’s probably going to have to duel with that Street Sweeper 7” for that honor. Regardless, this thing is pretty perfect 1981 style OC hardcore punk. Their version of Anti-Social is even better than the one done by Dan’s favorite UK punk band of all time. I need this, so someone hook it up. I’ll hook you up with a high five.

Rounding out the episode, we talked the tragic story of Rock Bottom & the Spys and talked about who we’d replace Jules with on the Alone in a Crowd 7” if he got abducted by a UFO.

Hope you dug this. Let me know: 185milessouth@gmail.com

Hardcore rules. Peace!

- Zack

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