DON'T LET THE YOUNG, SMILING FACES FOOL YOU -- CRUCIAL, DEVASTATING, RÅPUNK SOUNDS ARE INCOMING.
PIC INFO: Spotlight on Swedish hardcore punk/D-beat band ANTI CIMEX shortly after they formed in Kristinehamm, Sweden, c. 1982. 📸: Krister Nillson.
OVERVIEW: "Left to right is Charlie Claesson (drums), Freke Jonsson (vocals, who also went on to be bassist in THE SHITLICKERS a year later simultaneously), Joakim “Joker” Pettersson (guitarist) and Henke, the band’s friend from Mariestad. It would be this lineup that would record the "Anarkist Attack" EP, the "Raped Ass" EP and the "Victims of a Bomb Raid" EP, three of the greatest Swedish hardcore punk/D-beat records ever."
-- FORT BRAGG ZINE (NYC/UK-based hardcore punk webzine)
Just had to get a chuckle when this one came up on a Spotify playlist again.
Granted, it's hard to get much more classic than Ebba Grön when it comes to Swedish punk. But, the Household Swede does have a pretty good idea by now of what might be relevant to my interests, recommending them a few years back. 😁
. . .
[Translation.]
Between this and "Skjut en Snut" ["Shoot a Cop"], you can pick up some extremely useful* vocabulary!
_________
* Even now that my middle-aged ass does live in one of the sorts of "downscale" suburbs** they were talking about, 40+ years later? (Which Mr. C grew up in too around Stockholm where Ebba Grön were based at that time, btw. He heard a lot of them.) I am, indeed, about as likely to take the subject matter literally as these guys were back in the '70s. Which really shouldn't need to be clarified, but this site. Not to mention certain stereotypes around Americans.
** This is apparently not technically a suburb, but functionally? Yep. And it's usually discussed as such.
THE TWISTED FACE OF HARDCORE-HORROR BUTCHERY -- CLASS OF '86.
PIC INFO: Resolution at 1197x1439 -- Spotlight on a repurposed Leatherface used as a T-shirt design of the dreaded ANTI-CIMEX / AGONI "Chainsaw Tour" ‘86.
TEE OVERVIEW: "The legendary UK tour by these cream of the crop Swedish hardcore punk bands, reportedly blowing DISCHARGE off the stage during their ill-fated "Grave New World" era. This classic design has been referenced time and time again by bands like DISCLOSE, and other modern Discharge-style hardcore bands, but none surpass the original. Officially licensed from both Anti-Cimex and Agoni."
-- SORRY STATE RECORDS (Raleigh, North Carolina record/merch shop)
You come into this with a bloody scream
Then when you suffer…
Then when you suffer you know it´s for real
You're forced into this with a fucking scream
Now when you suffer the pain is for real
(Just when you thought it was safe)
My dad has some great recommendations since he was a punk in the 80s-90s. Did is one of my new favorite songs it has the lyrics of a file punk edk song but whit the punk sund.
I would translate but 80 is just saying I am mentally unstable
"SWEDISH THRASH... CRUDE, ABRASIVE, RAW GUITAR, AND VOCALS..."
PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on an original 7 inch vinyl pressing of the frantic and manic "Anarkist Attack" EP, the debut vinyl release by Swedish hardcore punk band ANTI-CIMEX, released on Bullshit Recordz (BR 001) in 1982.
MINI-REVIEW: "Swedish thrash—sounds like WAR ZONE to me. Crude, abrasive, raw guitar and vocals. Definitely US-influenced."
Almost all punk is anti-capitalist, and has somewhat of a "fuck the system" attitude. But while many of the punk communities around the world seem to be more hardcore anarchistic, here in Sweden, punk feels more associated with socialism and/or communism.
This is only my view though, and it could very well be completely wrong.