Yakuzzi Tapes

Yakuzzi Tapes from Germany recently sent me a large box full of tapes of Hardcore / Grind / Garage Punk that has had my finger pointing on public transport, and picking up change in the office. To start with, all these tapes look super-amazing, with the types of card or paper used, the graphic design and the hand cut inserts that are in a few of the tapes (with lyrics or download codes), all lovingly put together. The tapes are all super clear and well mastered too, no need to pump up the stereo super loud for these guys, probably the opposite for some of the releases.
 Go check out the following releases from their shop which is rammed full with loads of great hardcore records. Some of these are also in the Suplex store which will be cheaper for UK orders.

Quattro Stagioni - Discography

Holy shit, 58 tracks of power-violence style grindcore from Germany. I remember these guys from their records on the legendary 625 Records and their split with Iron Lung, but hadn't actually got round to getting any of them yet, which is handy as i now have their full 10 year career on one little cassette.
The pace rarely lets up on this discography save for the odd breakdown, with all the tracks coming in at around 30-90 seconds long, and continually punishing and brutal drumming throughout. I think it is closer to the Slap a Ham power violence scene than other grind bands like Pig Destroyer who have a more metal slant to them. This is still really punk, just shorter, faster, louder.

Quattro Stagioni - 45 RPM by spasticfantasticrecords

Irritones - (We Are) Negative Dots

One of the lighter and more trad punk tapes on Yakuzzi, this '77 punk loving band could easily fit in with fans of The Briefs and The Cute Lepers, although it doesn't have as much of a power punk feel to it. The one song that really gets me going is 'Japanese Cars', with its car loving drop outs viewpoint. It is all super catchy stuff but leans closer to the USA than the UK, definitely more of The Ramones than The Clash on this pink tape.

Irritones - Negative Dots by spasticfantasticrecords

The Ropes - Demo Tape

The Repos are back, but with a new name and the vocals are even harsher than before! Some of these demo tracks have made their way onto their already sold out 7" on Youth Attack, which will probably tell if you dig this or not. Not as arty as a lot of the Hardcore that Youth Attack puts out, and the vocals are insane, still stand out a mile.

The Ropes - Forward Defeat by spasticfantasticrecords

Uzbecks - Snaps Tape


Isreali garage punk that nods towards some Angry Samoans style early 80's melodic hardcore. It is crazy catchy and a shame it is only 4 songs, and probably the first punk band from Isreal that I have heard, which is a shame if they have more tucked away like this.

Uzbeks - Black Magic by spasticfantasticrecords

Take It Back / Mother Speed - Split Cassette

Take It Back are Indonesian, and love to thrash it up! This is real skate style hardcore a la What Happens Next and Bones Brigade. Fast, Melodic and strangely all sung in English, with Skating being the theme of the day for these dudes. Mother Speed on the flip side are representing the American thrash heritage, with some awesome breakdowns, ripping solo's and some gnarly gang vocals, not unlike the early Municipal Waste records, clocking in at less than 5mins for these 5 tracks!

Mother Speed - BBQ Island by spasticfantasticrecords

Civil Victim - The Wasted Years (2007-2009)

Some great tough 80's style Hardcore, totally ripping and mid paced in most places. The German Negative Approach or Necros. The 29 tracks on here cover their whole 2007-2009 period which takes in a handful of 7"s and Comp appearances. The last track, apparently by their roadie, is the only track that sounds totally different band and sticks out a bit, must be a good roadie?

Civil Victim - Coptown by spasticfantasticrecords

Septic Dieter - Demo Tape

According to the Yakuzzi blog, Septic Dieter are 80's influenced Krautpunk. To me this is some fast hardcore with a punk edge, especially on the breakdowns. The vocals are super croaky and raspy with all the lyrics in their native German tongue which sounds great in this type of band.

Septic Dieter - Pressure Makes Pressfleisch by spasticfantasticrecords

Cyborg - Demo Tape

Brutal power violence hardcore for fans of Spazz, Infest and Crossed Out. These 10 songs fly by and are totally unrelenting, and 15 years ago would have been on Slap a Ham records. Love this tape!

Cyborg - Pointless Rant by spasticfantasticrecords

Steve Austin - Discography Tape

This hand spray painted discography for Germany's Steve Austin is 40 songs in 38 mins of ridiculously brutal grind / power violence that is closer to the metal of Pig Destroyer than some of more punk side of grind that the other tapes i have received from Yakuzzi contain. Massive riffs which change up the speeds and go from all out blasting to slow beatdowns within 30 secs. There are some tracks that sound like a layering of multiple songs randomly that descends into noise grind chaos. Not for the fainthearted.

Steve Austin - Weg da Greis by spasticfantasticrecords