AFTER THE BOMBS - Interview 2008

AFTER THE BOMBS were a female fronted heavy metallic crust band form Montreal, Canada. Formed in 2004 after HELLBOUND disbanded, AFTER THE BOMBS went on to release three EP’s and full length album called “Relentless Onslaught” on The Total End Records. The following interview was conducted with Janick (vocals) and Jason (guitar) via email in 2008 before the band embarked on their Eastern European tour. The interview was originally published in Agitate #9.

Can you give us some history to the band? When did AFTER THE BOMBS start? Who plays what? What happened to HELLBOUND?

Jason: AFTER THE BOMBS started January 2004, HELLBOUND had not practised in several months, a few of us wanted to move in a different direction. Stian joined and at that point it was: Janick – vocals, Jason – guitar, Stian – guitar, Josh – bass and Clint – drums. Stian left the band in 2006 after the west coast tour to go back to Norway so it’s now Matt Strong from ANOTHER OPPRESSIVE SYSTEM playing guitar.
Did you start AFTER THE BOMBS with the set idea of specifically wanting to play metallic crust? Apart from the obvious influences of AMEBIX, SACRILEGE, AXEGRINDER etc, what other bands influence AFTER THE BOMBS?

Jason: I think the idea when we started was to play something similar to S.D.S. Janick changed her vocal style a little. Stain added a lot of speed picking not just metal style but a lot of 80’s Norwegian hardcore like SO MUCH HATE, KAFKA PROCESS, BARN AV REGNBUEN who used really fast guitar style. We also owe much to SACRILEGE, ONSLAUGHT, DEATHSIDE and ANTISECT.
Who writes the lyrics? Are they written by one member or is it a collective effort
Janick: I write all the lyrics… as the others are illiterate ahhaa.
Both the “Spoils Of War” and “Bloody Aftermath” EP’s were released around the same time. Are the songs on both EP’s part of the same recording session? What about the “Relentless Onslaught” album?
Jason: We did two recording sessions around the same time, we did the 12” in a fancy studio two hours outside Montreal in March 2006 and we did a digital recording in a scummy basement for the two EP’s in April 2006. Both were fun for different reasons!!

Can you tell us about the new album “Relentless Onslaught”? Are you happy with how it turned out? What kind of response have you been getting?
Janick: Yes we are very pleased with it. We had so much troubles with the mix and releasing it due to some fucker that screwed us over… but at the end it all came out pretty good. The response is pretty amazing. I didn’t think it would sell out so fast…
Your records always come packaged with great looking artwork. How did you get involved with Rat Grinder who did the “Spoils Of War” and “Bloody Aftermath” EP’s and Marald who did the “Relentless Onslaught” LP? What is it that you like about Rat and Maralds artwork?
Jason: Rat Grinder got in touch with us, we checked out his artwork and were all blown away. Really old school Mid style, he draws with an 80’s mindset. Marald is a real pro we contacted him cause he did a lot of artwork for our friends (STATE OF FEAR, DEFORMED CONSCIENCE) and we really liked his work. I think the gatefold art is some of the best punk artwork I have ever seen!!!
You’ve all been involved in the DIY punk scene for sometime now playing in numerous bands over the years like HELLBOUND, FIERCE etc. What is it that keeps you interested in the punk scene and playing in a DIY punk band?
Janick: For me punk is my life, punk music saved me if I can say that without sounding too chessy.. haha! I was very isolated and antisocial when I was young and punk just brought me a different outlook on life and how I wanted to live my own. It also provided me with an awesome group of friends which I consider my family… maybe more than my actual family which I don’t really have any contact with since I’m 10. Punk is raw, fierce and true and that’s what I like about it. I can express myself without being judged every ten seconds and people understand my feelings and thoughts way more than the average blokes. It’s easier to be who you want to be in the punk scene cause most of the people have been through rough times and understand where you’re coming from.

Do you get to play many gigs? Have you played much outside of Montreal? Can you tell us about your forthcoming European tour 2008?

Janick: Well after Stian moved back to Norway we didn’t play a gig for one year… cause we had to find another guitar player. When we did we had to teach him all the old songs. Since then we have played a few gigs here in Montreal and in the US (east and west coast gigs).

The tour in Europe is booked by Koppa from Agipunk and will take place in May 2008 in Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and Austria. We are very excited about it! Thanx to Koppa and Agipunk for the great opportunity.

What’s the scene like in Montreal? Is there many divisions in the Montreal punk scene? What are some positive and negative aspects of the Montreal punk scene?

Janick: The scene in Montreal is good… I think but of course there’s ups and downs and divisions… cliques if I can say… like everywhere and sometimes I really despise it. But I can say that for the past two years punks have been more together… I mean we mix more styles together… like crust and 77’ punk rockers and oi! It’s cool and I think it’s way better that way, there’s more people at shows and everyone benefits from it. Let’s hope it stays that way…

Janick, you started the Katacombes venue in Montreal. Can you tell us more about the Katacombes? When and why you started the venue?

Janick: Well I started Katacombes with my friend Claudie after L’X our old venue was being kicked out of it’s local by the University of Quebec in Montreal in 2004, after seven years of operation. It took us two years and in November 2006, we finally opened the Katacombes. It’s an 18+ venue of 165 capacities. There are also workshops and jam spaces on the second floor. I started Katacombes cause I can’t do anything else in life than work in the punk scene and for the punk scene… ahhah! This is my life! I couldn’t picture myself working in a grocery store or in a restaurant after dedicating more than ten years of my life doing L’X. So I decided that the eviction of L’X was not going to stop me and I worked very hard with Claudie to open the Katacombes. It’s doing great. Bands that are planning on stopping in Montreal should definitely contact me. Email: coopkatacombes@hotmail.com or www.myspace.com/katacombes

On the subject of the Katacombes you recently organized the “A Varning From Montreal” DIY punk festival. How did it go? What bands played? Do you plan on organizing anymore “A Varning From Montreal” festivals?

Janick: The Varning fest was to celebrate the first anniversary of Katacombes and it was fucking awesome… It was the first time that Montreal had a festival like that. Here are the bands that played: MEANWHILE, WARCRY, INEPSY, WORLD BURNS TO DEATH, CAUSTIC CHRIST, BORN DEAD ICONS, COMPILCATIONS, us, BROKEN, CAREER SUICIDE, MAN THE CONVEYORS, AGHAST, BOMBED OUT and THE OMEGAS. I’m planning on organizing one every year… if our financial situation allows us to do so… we’ll see…

What bands are you currently listening to at the moment? What are some of your favourite eighties crust records?

Jason: A lot of Japanese hardcore, AGE, CROW, EFFIGY, WORLD BURNS TO DEATH, DARK THRONE. I like a lot of the newer metal bands like TOXIC HOLOCAUST and MIDNIGHT. As far as 80’s crust records, I think HELLBASTARD is a band that always gets overlooked but is awesome. The second SACRILEGE LP is a great record. DEVIATED INSTINCT later stuff is very good slow crust. Too many good records in the 80’s!!!

Janick: SACRILEGE demos, new AGE LP, CROW, WARCRY – Deprogram 2006 LP, CRIMINAL DAMAGE, WAR RIPPER, WORLD BURNS TO DEATH… my favourite 80’s crust records would be SACRILEGE demos and “Behind The Realms Of Madness” LP, ANTISECT – “Out From The Void” EP, ANTI SYSTEM – “Take A Look At Life” LP, DEVIATED INSTINCT, HELLBASTARD, HELLKRUSHER – “Buildings For The Rich” LP, MISERY – “Born, Fed, Slaughtered” EP and “Production Through Destruction” LP a classic not to be forgotten. BASTARD, NAUSEA… POISON IDEA (it’s not a crust band but it’s definitely one of the most brilliant band to ever existed!) There are many many more but I’ll stop right here…haha!

Anything else you want to say or feel needs to be addressed? What’s next for AFTER THE BOMBS?

Janick: Touring Japan hopefully soon!!! Anyone wants to invite us! Ahha!

Thanx for the interview Chris.

AFTER THE BOMBS, PO Box 80-Station C, Montreal, QC, HEL 4J7, Canada. www.myspace.com/afterthebombs 

  

BESTHÖVEN - Interview 2006

BESTHÖVEN are from Brazil and have been around since the end of 1990 playing total Discimex raw fucking D-beat punk. BESTHÖVEN is a one man drunken army with Fofäo Discrust behind the Dis-beat horrorcore. The following interview was conducted with Fofäo by letter in 2006 and was originally published in Agitate #8.

Can you give us some history to BESTHÖVEN? When did the band start?

BESTHÖVEN started to play in the end of 1990 between October to December… Formed by four friends that time was looking to do a new band and play some noise!!! Some changes in the line up in the start… but established til 94 with me Fofäo – Vox, Robson – Guitars, Repolho – Drums and Adriana – Bass… In this era we played many gigs and etc… Then in 1994 I got the band alone… I tried some new line ups too but today the band is just me playing and record alone… Sometimes I invited some friends like support member… Including Robson (who played drums in “Depois De Um Ataque Aereo” EP in 1999) and Adriana (who played bass in 15 years of birthday gigs…) Hope it be good for introduction… coz always is fucking boring to talk about it…

Why the name BESTHÖVEN? What does it mean?

It’s an invented name… Our first drummer creates… It’s a mix of two words: “Besta” that in Portuguese means “evil or beast” and the musician “Beethoven” it means something like “noise not music” or just “anti-music” or then another version of “classic music”… Here’s the “chaotic music”… The first drummer Repolho was a great guy (and still is) then I decided to keep the name and coz I enjoy the name a lot!... I love these mix of words like Alcoholocaust, for example…

How long has BESTHÖVEN been a solo project? Do you have any plans to expand the band or will BESTHÖVEN continue to be “A Drunk One Man Army”?

BESTHÖVEN is not a “project” coz project are short time life… BESTHÖVEN is a one man band since the end of 1994… but sometimes invite somebody to record or help in someway… No I don’t have plans to be a full band never again… The friends I used to play gigs last time all asked me to continues in the band then I say OK!!!... But all they have their own bands, I tried to practise with them and record new songs … but they not have time free to me… Then I say fuck off, I prefer to keep it alone… All them are fucking nice guys and friends a lot… but the drummer for example is playing in others four bands… Yeah!!! The drunk one man army continues!!!

Can you tell us about the “A Lei Du Mais Fraco” 12”? What kind of response have you been getting?

Any good response on it… Always peoples write me letters and sending zines saying lots of great words about BESTHÖVEN records… But now I’m not hearing or seeing anything about the 12”… Maybe no one in the world enjoyed the 12”… but fuck off!!! I enjoy it a lot!!!

What about the split EP’s with VIOLATION and TRIOXIN 245? How did you get involved with Final Attempt Records and Muerte Negra Records? VIOLATION and TRIOXIN 245 are amazing great bands and I’m keeping contacts with them and hearing their fucking good music!!! I’d like just to splits with them coz beyond the music they are friends a lot too!!! Mick from VIOLATION made the contacts with B.C. from Final Attempt to do it and he say ok!!! Muerte Negra asked me to release some BESTHÖVEN stuff, then I asked to be our split with TRIOXIN 245 then he said ok too!!! These two splits will be released many many soon and fastly!!!

Are you still planning on releasing a Swedish covers EP? Can you tell us more about this? What bands and songs will you be covering?

Yeah of course!!! I will do it!!! Maybe just in June this year, coz I’m with lot’s of fucking boring problems in my personal life and I wanna pass all this storm to can do it calm and without running… Meanwhile I will record just BESTHÖVEN songs… The EP will be named “The Vikings Are Back – A Hail To Sweden” and all art sleeve is based “A Hail To Japan” I recorded… The covers on it will be:

THE SHITLICKERS – The Night Of The Holocaust

FEAR OF WAR – Ingent Kwar

CRUDE SS – Capitalism Destroy

DISCARD – Death Race

MOB 47 – (I not choosed yet)

ANTI CIMEX – (I not choosed too! But one from “Raped Ass” and other from “Victims of…) My friend Rabbin Discrust from Dist And Confused more Discrust Records from Sweden wanna do it!!! But I asked he to wait a time and put some BESTHÖVEN new songs meanwhile…

What about BESTHÖVEN gigs? Do you get to play many gigs? Is it a problem with BESTHÖVEN been a solo band?

Well this “S.O.S.” line up” (like I call) I invited was just for one gig celebration of 15 years of BESTHÖVEN with FORCA MACABRA in their “Missao Metalic Tour 2005”. This gig was amazing!!! Then lots of invitations more… We play more four or five gigs then… but these gigs was not good for me… Bad equipment always… The same bands, the same faces… and a horrible gig in Gyn City in the badest equipment sound of the world and we was totally blind drunk!!! I falled over sound box!! He! He… Not many gigs and now stopped… I can do the line up in future again to some gig but just in special moments… When FORCA MACABRA returns is one!!!

How is the DIY punk scene in Brazil? Bands, zines, labels etc? Can you tell us about your zine?

Is not so different than other places I think… Lot’s of bands, zines, labels, etc… All years in DF state where I live exist a cool and strong DIY scene!! Really great, united and cooperative. Today you can see here punx, straight edgers, bangers, goths. In a same gig all are friends, bands of different styles playing in same day without any problems or fights! Peoples organizing gigs in cooperatives… Friends made stuffs for zines of others friends etc… Of course some bullshit fight for nothing you can see sometimes in a gig but not always… My zine??? My zine is fuckin shit!! He! He! He! I’m doing it since 1990 too… The name is “Vermynoze Putrida”, now he have ten pages A4 size in Xerox… I do interviews all bands that I love around the world, retakes from 80’s… labels… and some shits from my darkness mind… Available now: Number 29/30: Interviews with BLACK MARKET FETUS, plus DISCLOSE, MARERIDT, TRIOXIN 245, Strongly Opposed Records, victims of DISCHARGE (photo session of Brazilian bands and peoples using DISCHARGE items) and republish of CRUDE SS interview from 1986! Published originally just in Brazil!!! Portuguese and English edition. Number 31: Interviews with Jim (SQUANDERED, CRUELTY), HUMAN BASTARD, AUDIO KOLLAPS and BEYOND DESCRIPTION. Plus victims of DISCHARGE and Rodel Records. Total English edition! Someone interest just send $3 for help copies and postage well hidden to my address.

Can you talk about the current political climate in Brazil? What is the economic situation like in Brazil?

No I can’t… Sorry but I don’t give a fuck to it… I live totally off about it…. I just do things I enjoy… Drink is one good… I’m sorry…

Are Brazilian punks politically active? Are punks in Brazil involved in protesting, direct action, squatting etc?

Yeah, but exist different types of punx here… I know that exists lots of punx in anarchy movement, protests, etc… But I can’t talk coz I don’t have contacts with them… I’m not an anarchist… I don’t believe in anarchy or any solution for the human race…

What’s on your turntable at the moment? What bands are you currently listening to?

Lots! Lots!  MOBCHARGE, ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM, BETON, ANOTHER OPPRESSIVE SYSTEM, LEBENDEN TOTEN, DEATHCHARGE, KIROTTUS, MUSTA PARAATI, SKETETAL FAMILY, DEATH IN JUNE, DISASTER, TWO WITCHES, CTHUWULF, etc, etc…. I’m addicted to music!

What’s next for BESTHÖVEN? Are you working on any new material? When’s the split LP with SKELETON out?

Yeah! I’m in studio now!! Recording new songs for two split EP’s with MOBCHARGE and ALTERNATE SYSTEM!!! The split 12” with SKELETON is out!!! You can got copies at: The Total End Records, Matt Strong, 25 St Augustine Street, West Hartford, GT 06110, USA or ibrache@aol.com. Our first individual EP “Depois De Lim Ataque Aereo” from 1999 now available too new press at: Room 101 Records, c/o Mick, PO Box 37271, Philadelphia. PA 19148, USA or criesofpainrecs@hotmail.com

Anything else you want to say or feel needs to be addressed?

Thanx a lot my dear Chris for including BESTHÖVEN on the pages of your amazing zine!!! Thanx to all who read it and respect different thoughts! Thanx for all labels that help spread BESTHÖVEN noise!! And thanx to all peoples are asked me to BESTHÖVEN tour in USA and Europe (hope we can turn it in fact next year!!). A message: Don’t keep your eyes just in fucking computers!! Long live pen pals and real letters!! Long live to paper zines!!! Fofäo Discrust.

BESTHÖVEN c/o Fofäo Discrust, Caixa Postal 8120, Cep 72401-970, Gama-DF Brazil.

WARHEAD - The World Of Confusion / Acceleration 7"

WARHEAD - The World Of Confusion / Acceleration 7" After a break of seven years since their 2004 split EP with ORDER and an unbelievable twenty years since their classic "Cry Of Truth" debut EP Kyoto's WARHEAD are back with a new two song 7" of pure Japanese hardcore insanity co-released by La Vida Es Un Mus, Feral Ward and HG Fact. This release sees the Kyoto legends teaming up with Jacky from FRAMTID / GLOOM for two songs of blazing hardcore with manic screaming vocals, blown out distorted guitar riffs and frantic guitar solos. Both songs are equally as amazing as each other and I would struggle to pick a favourite. Totally fucking top notch hardcore up there with Japanese hardcore legends like BASTARD, GAUZE, DEATHSIDE etc. I can't recommend this enough. WARHEAD are one of best hardcore bands in Japan right now. (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos c/o http://www.lavidaesunmus.com/ Feral Ward c/o http://www.feralward.com/ HG Fact c/o www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact/).

GIFTGASATTACK - Interview 2009

GIFTGASATTACK hail from Sweden and play raw distorted chaotic punk heavily inspired by Japanese crasher crust bands like GLOOM, DISCLOSE, FRAMTID etc. The following interview was conducted with Per, Micke and Rabbin via email in 2009 and was originally published in Agitate #10.                                

Can you introduce the band? How did GIFTGASATTACK come about? I’m I right in thinking the band started out just for fun with some drunken sessions? When did the band start to become more serious?                

Per: Well first off we have drunk as fuck Rabbin on vocals. He has the most genuine collection of Japanese records I know about, in Sweden anyway. Granath plays drums and is a better drummer than you would expect at first sight, hehe. I play guitar and make fucked up solos. The newest member is Memphis who just got in on bass. We know him very well from other projects and he is an ace guitarist but now he must settle for this raw punk madness for a while. Hogge is the second singer, he is always out travelling Europe so we must always try and find him when we have gigs. GIFTGASATTACK started as a sick joke or something from Rabbin and Tallen (the former singer) where they tried to convince some stupids in Sweden they had done the “Våga Tanka Själv” EP from FEROCIOUS X… The band didn’t exist for real before I was asked to join in and I started making songs, however, we didn’t have any rehearsal room or anything so it all just laid to waste. Erick moved in at Rabbins and Tallens place and helped out getting a rehearsal space and he started to play bass and we asked Granath to join in on drums. Back then we had no sound or didn’t know what we should play but we had an idea of Japanese distortion. In time we have refined all the elements in our music (?) but it’s still very simple to the point crasher crust. Just the way we want it. Yes it’s still a drunken project ya know but yes we take it more seriously now. What happens happen you know. I want to play this sort of music and since not many people in Sweden do it maybe it can be interesting for them to hear it, I don’t know.

Micke: I really can’t remember, but yes it was a very drunken idea for all most a year before even starting to rehearse, but it got serious pretty fast I think.

GIFTGASATTACK is heavily influenced by Japanese crasher crust. What are some Japanese bands that have influenced the band the most? Do all members share the same love for Japanese crasher crust? 

Per: Oh yeah, that’s the whole idea of the band but we have no bounderies whatsoever so there is lots of influences from England and the States as well. Personally I listen a lot to DISCLOSE, ZYANOSE, CONFUSE, KROSSA, UNARM, GLOOM, STAGNATION and GAI for example. Rabbin is the Japan-freak in the band but he has got me into it and I love it too. When we first started I think FRAMTID was the number one influence together with TOTALITÄR and DISCLOSE.
Micke: I say DISCLOSE is a very heavy influence. I don’t have the same diehard love for it as Rabbin or Per, I listen very much to old school American punk, and old thrash metal and raw punk from all over.       

What about some of the American distort noise punk bands like LEBENDEN TOTEN, AGHAST, HELLKONTROLL etc. Are you fans of these bands?

Per: Yes of course. I love all of those bands and especially LEBENDEN TOTEN which I can’t stop listen to. I think this kind of thing is only happening in Japan and the US, the interest for this music or anti music whatever you like is not so big anywhere else but of course there are exceptions. DEAD NOISE is a good band. There are cool bands like BLINDED HUMANITY and PEACE OR ANIHILATION in Singapore which deserves to be mentioned.

MICKE: I don’t know.

How would you describe the progression of the bands sound from the “Distort Trash Destroy” demo to the split EP with DISLICKERS and the more recent split LP with MARDRÖM? I would say the split LP sounds much more controlled and less chaotic than the earlier releases. Would you agree?

Per: Yes it’s better songs now but we would like to keep the hysteria in the music which hasn’t worked out that well I’m afraid. I mean I like our recordings a lot and I think it’s good songs but it’s not as raw as we sound live and we must try and capture this for upcoming recordings. I think the split with DISLICKERS is the best we have done sound wise. It was a total drunken escapade, no one remembers anything, hehe. I think we will go for the cassette-portable sound again. We progressed too fast and got to technical to fast. We are not done with the raw shit.

Micke: Yeah I would agree, on the MARDRÖM split we recorded on better equipment than earlier, and we had rehearsed a lot more also.

How did the DISLICKERS and MARDÖM splits come about? What makes you decide which bands to do splits with? Is it the music, friendship etc? How did you get involved with D-takt & Råpunk Records?

Per: Well we know the people in this band and we wanted to do something together since we were the only raw bands we knew at the time. A friend of mine just started up this D-takt Och Råpunk label and thought it was a good idea. We are friends with the label that’s why we release there.  

Micke: Have no idea, it’s Per who is the brain and driving force when it comes to that.  

Who writes the lyrics? What are the lyrics to the song “Krigshög” about?

Per: We all help in the process of writing lyrics, sometimes it’s in a flink of a moment or somebody comes up with a good idea. As we have progressed musically we have done some shaping up with the lyrical content as well. “Krigshög” means High on war and it’s about how you as a soldier must drug yerself to be able to make these atrocities war is about. To be honest it’s a really shitty lyrical content to that song but it’s a good riff and we like to play it.   

Micke: Everybody writes lyrics in the band, I don’t know ask Rabin about Krigshög……

What about the song “House Of Joy”? I’m I right in thinking the song is about the Ungdomshuset eviction? I remember seeing MARTYRDÖD play K-Town in 2005. Did you play there much? How did you feel about the eviction?

Per: Yes you are right in yer experience of the song. We have dedicated this song to the house since we all hung out there from time to time and went to good shows. I have played there both with ACURSED and MARTYRDÖD and I think the history of the house from an activist point of view is important to remember and cherish. The Danish society declared war with us by doing this and the fight are long from over.

Micke: I have never played there but been there drinking and having fun, it sucks ass that bullshit eviction.

Some members of GIFTGASATTACK are also active in other bands like ACURSED, MARTYRDÖD, DÖDSDÖMD etc? How do you handle priority issues between the bands?
Per: Well, there are no complications about this since both ACURSED and DÖDSDÖMD are not active at this time. Now I only play in AGRIMONIA, MARTYRDÖD (which never rehearse) and GIFTGASATTACK so there is plenty of time for us… and I think we have to keep the fire burning as it is now and do as much shit as possible before it burns out. Micke plays in some bands.

Micke: I play drums in MOTORBREATH also, the priority has not been a problem at all actually.

Per, tell us about your new raw punk crasher noise band KIRAI? Sounds like there’s some serious fucking CONFUSE worship going on? What’s the line up? What plans do you have? Per: Haha, yeah… I had to get away from my shitty life in Gothenburg so I went to my old hometown just to relax a bit. Henka from DISCOVER lives there and we are good friends so we started talking about this since I had an idea of a band that would sound like this. He has a portable studio so we went in the rehearsal space and just did three songs and recorded them, no shit just doing it. It came out pretty good so we made a decision to make another recording the following week which we did. It came out even better this time and I’m satisfied with it. I have already spoken to D-takt Och Råpunk so maybe we release a 10 song cassette in the near future. We are only two persons so this will only be studio project.

What is it like living in Gothenburg as far as the scene is concerned? What do you like and dislike about the Gothenburg punk scene? Any cool bands, zines labels etc we should know about? Is there many DIY gig spaces for bands to play?

Per: It’s getting better and better but as a city it stills sux. Scene wise we have lots of bands right now but it’s the same people in all of them. SEITAN and BLOOD OF THE GODS are great bands when it comes to D-beat. I myself play in AGRIMONIA which I think is a fairly good band. Since the scene is so very small and there is so much drugs and alcohol involved it can get somewhat chaotic at times so that’s when I don’t like it so much. From what I know I don’t hang out so much anymore. Rabbin has his Warsong label but apart from this I don’t know. There is a good venue here with decent people arranging shows at Underjorden. It’s a small DIY collective that book punk bands from around the globe. There are also some attempts to politicize the scene which is really welcome… and some friends are trying to bring the squat movement alive again after 20 some years. We have to wait and see what the future brings but as it is now it can only get better.

Micke: I like a lot here in Gothenburg, lots of punks lots of gigs, Spatt and Punk Illegal are two organizations that arrange punk and crust gigs, very good. GOO, THE TOILET, TVÄRKÖRT, MOTORBREATH are good bands, look em up. I think its too much finger pointing in the scene not enough chaos and disorder.

Rabbin, tell us about your label and distribution Warsong? When did it start? What releases have you done? Any future releases in the works?

Rabbin: OK I don’t really know if there is much to say about it. I also run a Dist & Confused with a friend from Halmsted. I wanted to do something by my own. Something more personal, mainly focusing on rawpunk and other things that I find interesting. I think it started when I was asked to release BESTHÖVEN / ALTERNATE SYSTEM split 7”. After that GIFTGASATTACK / DISLICKERS split 7” and split 12” with MARDRÖM. Those are split releases with D-Takt & Råpunk. Now I’m waiting for the split 12” with BETON and CAD from Slovakia. I’ve been friends with the guys in BETON for some years so I was just glad to put some money in the release. Next release will be GIFTGASATTACK split 7” with BESTHOVEN I think. Rawpunk bands feel free to contact me for possible releases! www.warsong.nl is address to the poorly updated page. Hopefully I will get some motivation to take care of it better!

What’s next for GIFTGASATTACK? Are you still planning to do an EP for Noxious Noize?

Per: Yes we have recordings for a 7” and the split 7” with BESTHÖVEN so hopefully this will come about before the end of this year. We will continue to make noise and try and make it more harsh than before. The upcoming recordings will be less quality but greater in noise. I feel we have to play as much as possible before we make an LP since we make songs too fast and we can’t even play them, haha. Yeah, Noxious Noise are really cool and it’s cool that they find interest in us… We would like to come over to England and play and maybe our friends in THE WANKYS can arrange that. They come over in October for some shows with us in Norway and Sweden. Those who live will see.

Micke: Next up is a split EP with a band a can’t remember right now and an EP with only GIFTGASATTACK on.

Favourite DISCLOSE record?

Per: Oh this is too hard, hehe. I like the sound of “Nightmare Or Reality” LP… But all the seven inches are fukking great. I don’t know really.

Micke: Most of them.

Rabbin: Each record is a masterpiece.

DISORDER or CONFUSE?

Per: Oh, I’d say both but I go for CONFUSE since they refined the DISORDER sound and made it more chaotic and shortened the songs.

Micke: DISORDER deluxe.

Top five favourite Swedish bands?

Per: NÖDVÄRN, DISCO VOLANTE, SKITKIDS, MIASMAL, MISANTROPIC. Micke: UNCURBED, ANAL FURTILAISER, NÖDVÄRN, NO SECURITY, TOTALITÄR.

Anything else you want to say? Any last words or comments?

Per: Well, bring us to England!! Thanx mate for the opportunity to be seen in yer zine. I have always liked Agitate. Please everybody help make raw punk alive again!

Micke: Well thank you very much for the interview, check out MOTORBREATH and have a drink.
Rabbin: Thanks for showing interest! If anyone want our records or other shit check  www.warsong.nl or send an email to skitlivet@gmail.com. Thanks again.