I love the bands I love with a goddamn passion.
And though on this blog, I often gush about these groups in a collective sense
within specific context, occasionally I want to take time to zero-in on just
one. For a variety of reasons, the band I’m going to ramble about today
is significant to me, in addition to just being great. That’s why I want
to lift them up and let all you America-based readers know that they’ll be here
soon and that you should get ready to mosh.
Guys, Government Flu is coming to America. This is the
first Polish band in years to make the journey. If you take your hardcore
fast, abrupt, and sans bullshit, you would be wise to pay attention to
this. For two weeks, these Poles are going to spit 80s US Hardcore back
into the face of the eastern seaboard and the midwest. Whether you catch
them in the packed line-up of Damaged City Fest, in a club or a dirty-ass
basement, you will not regret putting on your shoes and leaving the house that
night.
Government Flu has, thus far made their home largely on
Refuse Records. Hailing from that same European battlefield as the band,
the label’s impresario-in-chief is a good, good friend of the author’s.
He first brought them to my attention in 2010 in the wilds of Finland’s lake
country with a couple of 7”s he expertly churned out in the label’s prolific
fashion. This was the vinyl pressing of the excellent demo (a
surprisingly promising first effort) and the curiously-titled Fuck Poetics ep.
“Time is precious cause it flies / we are useless cause
we die”
-Fuck Poetics
The demo rips into it, where only 2 of 9 tracks top a
minute, delivering with a punch not seen since another civic-minded band,
Government Warning exploded out of Richmond VA. The ep continues with a
likewise impressive blast of old school speed, mid-tempo moshes and a few good
old-fashioned sing-alongs. Can it be considered stylistic progression because
now more songs are over 60 seconds than under? There’s even a few
Ginn-esque guitar squeals. The anthemic “I Can’t Be Positive” lays it
down bare. The posi-core-minded chief of Refuse Records clutches the
sides of his furrowed forehead.
Twenty-ten’s Are You Sorry Now? marks the band’s first lp. Another solid
Polish label, Nikt Nic Nie Wie pressed this 14-song rager. At this point
Government Flu have clearly staked out their space. In other words, the
formula has been set…mostly. The lp’s out-of-step closer “Sleep” is 2 and
a half mins of the closest this band will ever come to a dirge. It’s not
really a sign of things to come – but it’s a nice-studio experiment with a
tempo shift that makes me want to bang my fuckin’ head. Aside from that,
one can expect the pep of the previous output. Ralf’s vocals match
the spastic drumming beat for beat like some kind of sick parlor trick. Mosh
parts permeate, but songs are not built around them as if requisite of how
hardcore goes. But they don’t shy away from a powerful mosh. Believe you
me. It’s goddamn great.
“It’s getting dark! Close your eyes! Clench your fists!
Fight the night!”
-Till The Dawn
The follow up, the Like Letters ep is more of the same, stated in the best terms
possible. 5 thrashers on side A / 4 USHC covers on the flip. I
would find it easy to criticize a full ep side of covers if they weren’t so
well executed. How could I turn my nose up at songs I love being played
with perfect precision? Gang Green, Antidote, Necros, Void. Side A’s
opener is a diatribe against 7:00 am. I love it! I can relate because I
generally hate 7:00 am as well. 6:00 am also sucks hard.
“It’s so dreadful that rays of sunlight can’t put the
nightmares out of my sight.”
-7 A.M
Refuse and Nikt Nic Nie Wie bundled all of the
aforementioned eps into an lp-sized singles going steady. If you don’t
want to hunt the individuals, grab this and thank me later. The cover art
for this release is so good, they made accompanying t-shirts out of it.
Clearly not resting on their laurels, last year saw a
split and a single. The split with Chicago’s Poison Planet. Each
respective issuance offers no hint of the band slowing down. They just keep
getting better. I’m serious. The Government Poison split is probably their best release to
date. I’m not sure how they did it, but even while keeping with the same
stripped down HC for years, they’ve still managed to continue improving upon
the model.
“I’ve got so many friends these days / I respect each
of them…If they were real / If I was sane”
-All For One
If I could contribute one solitary criticism, it’s that
their songs are so fucking great that I often wish they weren’t so goddamn
short. Well, on the Holes ep, they
stretch out and explore their musical space a little; meaning each number
cracks a minute and the guitars feel a bit heavier in the mix. Some
kinda’ Hardcore pursits might scoffs at these details, like they’ve suddenly
entered Captain Beefheart prog-rock territory. What bullshit. The two
originals and Polish punk cover are just as fresh and powerful as the opening
notes of that 2008 demo.
That brings us full circle to my original point:
Government Flu is playing a town near you. Go mosh. It’s up to you
of course, but don’t you have enough regret in your life already? Trust me on
this one.
“Playing fast, playing loud / saying what we’re not
allowed / Being true to oneself / Playing gigs in every place”
-Manifesto
DC/Philly/NYC/New
Brunz/Boston/Burlington/Rochester/Buffalo/Pittsburgh/Motor
City/Chicago/Indy/Nashville/Raleigh/Richmond
