Red Tape – “Division”
Red Tape is a song by The Circle Jerks but this is a band from Amherst, MA.who are too young to drink. Their ample amount of brain cells appears to help them play, create and otherwise, all around entertain.
I’ve battered my neurons into a bloody pulp but somehow some of their sounds still reverberate, still seep through my skull into my synapses. And from what I can make out it sounds really good.
These guys play really great and play tighter and better than their ages should allow. Tight as a nun’s vagina rhythm section; shouting, exhorting but melodic vocals and bashing, crashing sounds emitting from pieces of wood that have four or six strings on them.
These cats confuse me but that isn’t too hard. They’ve got a hardcore delivery, lotsa of almost progressive rhythm changes, a garage rock aggressiveness. Abrasive, invasive-punk, prog, hardcore, metal- the information overloads my brain and the few neurons left are left to scream in confusion, delusion and leap off the Golden Gate Bridge smashing their souls against the Empire State Building.
Uh, perhaps it’s time to check out the songs.
“Government Cheese” leads off the album with four quick drum rolls and then four chords smashing, slashing at the speakers around them; four dudes flailing passionately against the confines of the world with fury, intensity and aggression. It reminds me a bit of early Bad Religion with the clean, melodic vocals; ending with a breakdown with some metal minor key chords and sampled dialog it’s a great way to start it off.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/01 – Government Cheese.mp3|titles=Government Cheese]
Starting out with a ringing guitar chord, followed by a vocal line and repeated several times and I’m thinking of a fifties rock’n’roll song like Elvis Presley or Little Richard. But great as that would be I know we’re not going there. Where we are going, once we’re propelled ahead by a bouncing bass line and three snare hits to lead us in, is a charging, pure hardcore shout with responses that sound like a boxer following a jab with two knockout uppercuts. “Fight Back/ Fight Back/ Fight Back.” After a couple of hard hitting rounds we have a metalish breakdown with some Sabbath chords, the drum hitting off beats and a guitar lick to grant us some respite from the total all-out assault. Is this drummer amazing, or what?
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/02 – Fight Back.mp3|titles=Fight Back]
So “Destruction”starts in 5/4 time than goes to 4/4, back and forth; and then there’s a part that I think is 4/4 but odd things are going on inside there. Hey, this ain’t music class theory, Slimedog, get to the point! This is an original sounding, still kick ass hardcore song with some metal tagged in at the end and it will blow your ears off with repeated listenings and I suggest- repeat and rinse as needed.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/05 – Destructor.mp3|titles=Destructor]
“Pit Junkie”starts with a taped conversation between Slimedog and Andy Bang which, though we were unaware we were being taped, we feel honored to be included here. Once the music does kick in, after a false start, this is pure Circle Jerk/ Angry Samoans, a hundred mile per hour hardcore- perfect in execution and style, illuminating in display and presentation and totally satisfactory in taste and enjoyment.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/06 – Pit Junkies.mp3|titles=Pit Junkies]
Red Tape are cool cats or hot dawgs who are layin’ down the music that’s happenin’ on the truly happening scene today. And though that scene might seem to be dwindling, at times, it’s always been a fight against the apathy, idiocy and greed amongst us, and these guys are just new warriors in the fight for what’s right. And they’re doing a great job that would make the likes of someone like Lou Miami smile.
If you don’t know Lou, that’s okay because you actually do- because if you are reading this you do know the passion, truth and guts he believed in, that was there in his music.
And they don’t know and you don’t know but I know you need to know Red Tape, while your neurons are still breathing- it’s time for some believing, my neurons are a-healing!- check them out.
(Slimedog)
