Schizophrenic Melodies

post #18

Loxiran EP – 199?

This EP really grabbed me.  This is some absolutely raging modern hardcore from Germany.  I can only describe this sound as modern, even though this record is pretty old now. This band was definitely way ahead of their time.  There is no date on this 7″, but I’m guessing that it was released in 1996, or ’97 at the latest (no website listed, all cut and paste, no pixelated images).

When I say that this band was ahead of their time, I mean that the music is, in certain aspects, very similar to the good parts from some of the modern metal-core stuff that is so popular with the kids these days.  Now hold on,  wait a second! Before you surf away in disgust, let me assure you that this is indeed 100% hardcore punk!  There are no confusing guitar solos, no nauseating melodic vocals, no salon-styled hairdos.  As I said before, just absolutely fucking raging hardcore. But it is played in a very unconventional way, and I’ve literally never heard this style done any earlier than this. Not that no one has, I’ve just never heard it.

The lyrics are certainly punk, too.  Although they are all in German, the graphics and key words make it pretty clear what these six songs are about: the environment, work, war, punk rock, vegetarianism, etc.  All pretty standard stuff, to be sure.  While I don’t fully understand what these guys are carrying on about, I can certainly tell that they are filled with anger and passion for what they are singing about.  So much so in fact, that I cannot resist hollering along with the chorus “Mord ist Mord und Leben ist Leben!”, the battlecry at the end of the song which is surely their anthem, ‘Wa(h)re Wessen’.

Oh yeah, did I mention that the music rips?  It’s hard for me to describe it, except to say that listening to it invariably induces in me fits of involuntary head banging, air drumming and other strange, spasmodic gestures.

I remember that one time I asked myself “why haven’t I heard many great punk bands from Germany?”  Well, if you have ever wondered that yourself, here is the remedy. So put on your Baseballcappies, lace up your Skateschuhen and pull on your Kapuzenpullies and listen to LOXIRAN, Assface!

And here’s a video I made that features the entire record illustrated with the images from the record sleeve: