Tiger Uppercut! and something about a pokemon themed hardcore band

At the risk of sounding incredibly smug and hipster like, I'll say that I've listened to quite a lot of different music. I've listened to an accordion Phillip Glass cover artist, a Soviet Yiddish tribute album, authentic Steppe People's yodeling from Mongolia, and even an album just of a person taking a shit. But last night I heard something I never expected.

Graveler, the pokemon themed power violence band.

Yes you read that correctly.

Addiction growing
Gameboy glowing
Deep into the night
Insomnia settles in
Patience wearing thin
Just one more trainer fight
Fuck all the rest
I need to be the best
With my pokemon squad
On Victory Road I stand
Things got out of hand
I am the pokemon god
Crushing the elite four
Trailing paths of gore
Now it's more than just a game
Killing with a grin
No choice but to win
They will all know my name

Now anyone who listens to powerviolence or "thrashcore" knows that the genre is no stranger to gimmicks and themes. You have a whole crop of bands devoted solely to writing songs about wrestling, action movie stars, misogyny and political incorrectness. Hell, Anal Cunt built a career and a legacy out of being ridiculous. Even the mighty Charles Bronson is attributed with being the "best worst band." There are no boundaries in this genre.

While I'm talking about themed bands, why not discuss some Tiger Uppercut!


Tiger Uppercut! were a hardcore band with an awesome street fighter theme. The lyrics are goofy, but in a really awesome sort of way. But just because they're a "joke" band doesn't mean they can't play. Tiger Uppercut! serves up some mosh friendly hardcore that's just as good as any "serious" band. I prefer their demo to their Till My Last Fucking Quarter EP because I'm a big fan of that shoddy, garage production that fits a hardcore band like a glove. Plus the demo has my favorite song, I Could Never Pull Off The Piledriver

EDGE!
MOSHER!
Break on through to the other side

You think you're pretty tough, you think you're the shit
Too bad Zangief would destroy you in the pit
His piledriver devastates any of his foes
Windmills and spin kicks, you don't have any throws

EDGE!
MOSHER!
Break on through to the other side

You mosh and hit 'em in the face, they push you back
Then you fight 'em, cheap like kick to nut sack
You say it's the way it's always been
Well I say it's time for a fucking change

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Triple Hardcore Jet Stream Attack!

9 Shocks Terror- Zen and The Art of Beating Your Ass

Top notch hardcore. The best thing to come out of Cleveland besides The Drew Carey Show.

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Hatred Surge- Deconstruct

Features ex members of Insect Warfare. They also put in some mileage with Mammoth Grinder. This shit is just as intense as those aforementioned bands.

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Duke Nukem Forever- Demo

Bay area thrash-y hardcore. I believe they're broken up now which is a shame because this is a damn good demo. The only other material I'm aware of is a split.

ALWAYS BET ON DUKE

Career Suicide- Anthology of Releases: 2001-2003

Couldn't find a proper album cover picture.

With so many hardcore bands incorporating eclectic elements into their music in order differentiate themselves from both past and present, it is sometimes pleasing to the ear to listen to some straight up, no strings attached, good 'ol hardcore. Career Suicide is a Canadian hardcore band that harkens back to ye olden tymes of the early 80s spoken often in our ancient bardic lore. Simple catchy riffs, heavy on the speed and short on the length. Sloppy, loud, and abusive, as any great hardcore release should be.

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Mammoth Grinder- Extinction of Humanity

Look at this album. I mean, god damn, look at this fucking album. See that cover? Doesn't that just look sinister? It's like the time your mom gave you money for the record store and you dug through all those shitty pop radio albums until you found that Cannibal Corpse album with the zombies fist fucking the disemboweled pregnant woman. Mammoth Grinder features members of the hardcore band Hatred Surge, and going into this I was expecting more of that sound. What I got instead was an entirely new animal. Extinction of Humanity is a pounding death metal crusher that pummels from the very first second. But in a way this album occupies a strange place. It's too hardcore to be death metal and too death metal to be hardcore. Fans of their previous albums might not like this, as it strays farther from their earlier, more hardcore and sludge influenced work. But who cares about those faggots. This album kicks ass.

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