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Crust punk

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(Redirected fromCrustcore)
"Crusty" redirects here. For other uses, seeKrusty (disambiguation).

Crust punk
Crust punk bandAntisectperforming in 1985
Other names
  • Crust
  • stenchcore
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsEarly 1980s, England
Derivative formsGrindcore[5]
Subgenres
Crustcore
Fusion genres
Blackened crust,crack rock steady,Red and Anarchist black metal
Regional scenes
United Kingdom
Other topics

Crust punk(also known asstenchcoreor simplycrust)[6]is a subgenre ofpunk rockinfluenced by the English punk scene as well asextreme metal.[1]The style, which evolved in the early 1980s in England,[7]often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills. The term "crust" was coined byHellbastardon their 1986Ripper Crustdemo.[8]

Crust is partly defined by its "bassy"and"dirty"sound. It is often played at a fasttempowith occasional slow sections. Vocals are usually raspy screams, but can also be grunted/growled. Crust punk takes cues from theanarcho-punkofCrassandDischarge[1]and theheavy metalof bands likeVenom,Trouble,Hellhammer,Celtic Frost,Black SabbathandMotörhead.[1][9]While the term was first associated withHellbastard,Amebixhave been described as the originators of the style, along withDischargeandAntisect.[1]

Characteristics

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Instrumentation

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Crust punk is a derivative form ofanarcho-punk,mixed with metalriffs.[1]The tempos are often fast, but just short ofthrashcoreorgrindcore.However, many groups confine themselves to a crawling, sludgy pace. The overall musical sound has been described as being "stripped down".[10]Drumming is typically done at high speed, withD-beatssometimes being used.[2]InSober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, and Radical Politics,author Gabriel Kuhn referred to the genre as a "blend of 1977 British punk, roots culture andblack metal",with the genre often taking influence fromdeath metal,grindcoreandpowerviolence.[11]

Vocals and lyrics

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Vocals in crust punk are often shrieked or shouted, and may be shared between two or more vocalists. The lyrical content of crust punk tends to be bleak and nihilistic, yet politically engaged. Crust punk songs are often aboutnuclear war,militarism,animal rights,police, personal grievances, oppressive states andfascism.Amebix were also interested in various forms ofmysticismandGnosticism.[9]Malcolm "Scruff" Lewty, guitarist and vocalist of Hellbastard, describes the distinction between metal and crust punk lyrics "Metal lyrics were so dumb, so far removed from daily life. Venom were going on about Satan... and bikes... and Satan... and women... and Satan! You know what? I never got up in the morning and said, 'Fuck yeah! Satan! Let's go and meet my disciples from Hell!' I'd switch on the TV and know I was going to see hundreds of people dying because there'd been an earthquake in the third world... and all these people starving to death while military expenditure still increased... That was — and still is — the reality of it. The whole heavy metal thing is just an escape from reality, into this other world of... well, bullshit basically."[12]

History

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Precursors

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The initial inspiration for the crust punk scene came from theanarcho-punkofCrass[1]andD-beatofDischarge.[5]SwedishD-beatgroups such asCrude SS,Skitslickers/Anti CimexandMob 47and the FinnishRattuswere also early influences.[13]Amebix also brought in influences from variouspost-punkbands, includingPublic Image Ltd.,Bauhaus,Joy Division,and especiallyKilling Joke.[9]

1980s

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Pioneering English crust punk bandAntisectperforming in Finland in 2011

Crust was founded by the bandsAmebix[2][14]andAntisect.[1]The term "crust" was coined byHellbastardon their 1986Ripper Crustdemo.[1]In his bookTrapped in a Scene,punk historian Ian Glasper said "Rippercrustis widely regarded as the first time the word 'crust' was used in the punk context, and hence the specific starting point of the whole crust punk genre, although some would attribute that accolade to the likes ofDisorder,Chaos UK,and Amebix several years earlier.[8]In the same book, he quoted the group's vocalist and guitarist Malcolm "Scruff" Lewty "A lot of people say we started the crust punk genre, but whatever. If they wanna say that, I don't mind, but I'm certainly noMalcolm McLaren,saying I invented something I didn't. "[8]However, inSober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, and Radical Politics,author Gabriel Kuhn Punk stated that the name of the genre came from the "crusty" appearance of the genre's practitioning bands.[11]journalist Felix von Havoc contends thatDoom,Excrement of War,Electro HippiesandExtreme Noise Terrorwere among the first bands to have the traditional UK "crust" sound.[1]Additional subgenres of this style began to develop.Deviated Instinct,from Norwich, created "stenchcore", bringing "both the look and sound — dirty and metallic, respectively — to their natural conclusion".[15]Initially an anarcho-punk group, they began to take increasing influence from metal. As vocalist Julian "Leggo" Kilsby comments "We were very much a part of the anarcho scene, to start with, very politically motivated... all the way through the band's existence, really, although it got less obvious as time went by. But I never really liked the straightforward 'War is bad...' lyrics that were so prevalent at the time, so as my writing skills improved I wanted to add more depth to our lyrics and make them more metaphorical; I'd always been into horror films, so that started to manifest itself in the imagery I was using."[16]

Extreme Noise Terror is credited with developing this style intogrindcore.[5]However, Pete Hurley, the guitarist for the group, declared that he had no interest in being remembered as a pioneer of this style: "'grindcore' was a legendarily stupid term coined by a hyperactive kid from the West Midlands, and it had nothing to do with us whatsoever. ENT were, are, and — I suspect — always will be a hardcore punk band... not a grindcore band, a stenchcore band, a trampcore band, or any other sub-sub-sub-core genre-defining term you can come up with."[17]

American crust punk began in New York City, also in the mid-1980s, with the work ofNausea.The group emerged from theLower East Sidesquatscene andNew York hardcore,[18]living withRoger MiretofAgnostic Front.[19]The early work ofNeurosis,from San Francisco, also borrowed from Amebix, and inaugurated crust punk on the West Coast.[20][21]Disrupt(Boston),[22]Antischism(South Carolina), MISERY andDestroy(Minneapolis) were also significant U.S. crust groups.[1]

1990s

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An important American crust punk band wasAus Rotten[23]fromPittsburgh,Pennsylvania.Crust punk also flourished in Minneapolis, shepherded by theProfane Existencelabel.[13]In this period, the ethos of crust punk became particularly codified, withvegetarianism,feminism,and sometimesstraight edgebeing prescribed by many of the figures in the scene.[13]Thepowerviolencescene associated withSlap-a-Ham Recordswas in close proximity to crust punk, particularly in the case ofMan Is the BastardandDropdead.[24]Crust was also prominent in theAmerican South,wherePrank RecordsandCrimethInc.acted as focal points of the scene. The most well-known representative of Southern crust wasHis Hero Is Gone.[2][25]Prominent crust punk groups (Driller Killer,Totalitär,Skitsystem,Wolfbrigade,andDisfear) also emerged from Sweden, which had always had a strong D-beat scene. Many of these groups developed in parallel with the much more commercialScandinavian death metalscene.[26]

2000s

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Some notable crust bands in the 2000s include Iskra,[27]Behind Enemy Lines,[28]andTragedy.The Spanish cityA Coruñahas a crust scene which includes bands as Black Panda, Ekkaia and Madame Germen.[29]In 2017,Bandcamp Dailywrote thatFluff Fest,held in Czechia since 2000, has become a "summer ritual" for many European crust fans.[30]

Relations with other genres

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Vivian Slaughter of Gallhammer.

Black metal

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Crust punk groups, such asAntisect,SacrilegeandAnti Systemtook some influence fromearly black metalbands likeVenom,Hellhammer,andCeltic Frost,[1]whileAmebix's lead vocalist and guitarist sent his band's early demo tape toCronosof Venom, who replied by saying "We'll rip you off".[31]Similarly,Bathorywas initially inspired by crust punk as well as heavy metal.[32]

Blackened crust

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Crust punk was affected by a second wave of black metal in the 1990s, with some bands emphasising these black metal elements. Iskra are probably the most obvious example ofsecond wave black metal-influenced crust punk;[27]Iskra coined their own phrase "blackened crust" to describe their new style. TheJapanesegroupGallhammeralso fused crust punk with black metal[33]while the English band Fukpig has been said to have elements of crust punk, black metal, and grindcore.[34][35]Germany'sDownfall of Gaiahas been described as mixing crustgrind and black metal, along with elements ofsludge metal,doom metalandpost-metal.[36]North Carolina'sYoung and in the Wayhave been playing blackened crust since their formation in 2009.[37]In addition,NorwegianbandDarkthronehave incorporated crust punk traits in their mid-to-late 2000s material. As Daniel Ekeroth wrote in 2008,

In a very ironic paradox, black metal and crust punk have recently started to embrace one another. Members of Darkthrone and Satyricon have lately claimed that they love punk, while among crusties, black metal is the latest fashion. In fact, the latest album by crust punk bandSkitsystemsounds very black metal--while the latest black metal opus by Darkthrone sounds very punk! This would have been unimaginable in the early 90s.

— [38]

Red and anarchist black metal

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Red and anarchist black metal (also known as RABM or anarchist black metal)[39][40][41]is a subgenre that melds black metal with anarchist crust punk, promoting ideologies such asanarchism,environmentalism,orMarxism.[42][43][44][45]Artists labelled RABM include Iskra,Panopticon,Skagos,[45][46]Storm of Sedition,[39]Not A Cost,[39]Black Kronstadt,[39]and Vidargangr.[41]

Crack rock steady

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Crack rock steady is a punk rock fusion-genre, which combines elements of crust punk andska punk.[47]Lyrics often focus on themes such as drug-use, religion,[48]politics[49]and social issues.[47]Other genres sometimes incorporated in conjunction with the style includehardcore punk[48]andheavy metal.[50]Notable bands within the genre includeChoking Victim,Leftöver Crack,Morning GloryandStar Fucking Hipsters.[48]

Crustcore

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Crustcore (also known as crusty hardcore), is a sub-genre of crust punk that takes influence fromhardcore punkand sometimesthrashcore.Felix HavocdescribedExtreme Noise Terror's segment of the "Earslaughter" split album withChaos UKas the first album in the genre. Crustcore bands include Extreme Noise Terror,Doom,Disrupt,[1]Wolfbrigade,[51]Neurosis,[52]Baptists,[53]Discharge[54]andFilth.[55]

Grindcore

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Crust punk had a major impact ongrindcore's emergence. The first grindcore, practised by the British bands such asNapalm DeathandExtreme Noise Terroremerged from the crust punk scene.[1]This early style is sometimes dubbed "crustgrind".[5]

Neo crust

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Neo crust is a genre that merges crust punk with elements of various extreme music styles includingblack metal,screamo,post-rock,hardcore punk,[56]death metalanddoom metal.[57]Unlike most other punk–metal fusion genres, neo-crust's sound is neither distinctively rooted in punk or metal, instead frequently shifting between the two, disregarding genre boundaries.[57]It is often dark and heavy however also melodic.[57]Notable bands includeHis Hero is Gone,Tragedy,[58]Fall of Efrafa[57]andFrom Ashes Rise.[59]

Culture

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"Crusties" redirects here. For the similar subcultures sometimes also known as "crusties," seeNew Age travellersandgutter punk.For "eye crusties," seerheum.

Crust punks are associated with aDIY-oriented branch of punk garb. Similar to anarcho-punk, most clothing is black in colour. Denim jackets and hooded sweatshirts with sewn-on patches, or vests covered in studs, spikes and band patches are characteristic elements of the crust punk style of dress or pants covered in band patches.[60]Crust punks also sometimes wear dreadlocks and piercings.[11]Julian "Leggo" Kilsby of Deviated Instinct describes crust as "a punk-y biker look, more akin to Mad Max.Mad Max 2is the crustiest film ever made! "[61]

Members of the sub-culture are generally outspokenly political, possessinganarchistandanti-consumeristviews.[11]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijklmnVon Havoc, Felix (1 January 1984)."Rise of Crust".Profane Existence. Archived fromthe originalon 15 June 2008.Retrieved16 June2008.
  2. ^abcdPeter Jandreus,The Encyclopedia of Swedish Punk 1977-1987,Stockholm: Premium Publishing, 2008, p. 11.
  3. ^"A History Of Metal - Punk Special: Crust Punk".{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  4. ^Popoff, Martin(2017).Speed Metal.
  5. ^abcd"In Grind We Crust," p. 46.
  6. ^Cunha, Ricardo."Crust: the other side of the coin".Retrieved30 June2018.
  7. ^"In Crust We Trust".Retrieved19 July2018.
  8. ^abcGlasper 2009, 185
  9. ^abcGlasper 2006. "Amebix." p. 198-201.
  10. ^Loolwa Khazzoom, Special to The Chronicle (11 March 2005)."Livermore: All's well with the Bay Area punk scene say members of the Sick".Sfgate.com.Retrieved1 August2010.
  11. ^abcdKuhn, Gabriel (2010).Sober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, and Radical Politics.PM Press. p.16.ISBN9781604860511.
  12. ^Glasper 2009, 183. "
  13. ^abc"In Grind We Crust," p. 51.
  14. ^"The Gauntlet".The Gauntlet. 29 February 2008.Retrieved1 August2010.
  15. ^Glasper 2009, 284
  16. ^Glasper 2009, 286
  17. ^Glasper 2009, 279
  18. ^Init 5, 25 September 2007.[1]Access date: 18 June 2008.
  19. ^John John Jesse interview,Hoard Magazine,June 2005."John John Jesse interview - HOARD MAGAZINE".Archived fromthe originalon 21 September 2008.Retrieved12 October2009.Access date: 18 June 2008
  20. ^Adam Louie, Mastodon, Neurosis show review,Prefixmagazine, 29 January 2008[2]Access date: 18 June 2008
  21. ^Anthony Bartkewicz,Decibel MagazineNo. 31, May 2007.[3]Access date: 18 June 2008
  22. ^Nick Mangel, Disrupt LP review,Maximum Rock'n'Roll#301, June 2008, record reviews section.
  23. ^"Crust-punks Behind Enemy Lines release One Nation Under The Iron Fist of GodArchived2011-11-28 at theWayback Machine
  24. ^"Powerviolence: The Dysfunctional Family of Bllleeeeaaauuurrrgghhh!!."Terrorizerno. 172. July 2008. p. 36-37.
  25. ^Andrew Childers, "Kick in the South: A Look Back at Prank Records and the Southern Crust Scene." 5 April 2008.[4]Access date: 21 June 2008
  26. ^Ekeroth, p. 107, 266.
  27. ^abIskra InterviewsArchived15 June 2006 at theWayback Machine.
  28. ^Mervis, Scott (1 February 2007)."Pittsburgh Calling: A capsule look at Pittsburgh bands making news".Post-gazette.com.Retrieved1 August2010.
  29. ^es:Crust punk#D.C3.A9cada de los 90s.2F00s.28Portland.2C Suecia.2C Espa.C3.B1a.29
  30. ^Sanna, Jacopo (20 September 2017)."The Sincere and Vibrant World of the Czech DIY Scene".Bandcamp.Retrieved7 October2017.
  31. ^Dunlap, Xander."Directionless people are malleable—easily pointed in the wrong directions".Thrasher.Retrieved19 July2018.
  32. ^Ekeroth, p. 27.
  33. ^"Hard of Hearing",Terrorizerno. 171, June 2008, p. 56.
  34. ^"Fukpig".Supersonic Festival.22 October 2010.Retrieved24 March2019.
  35. ^"C: Do you think that FUKPIG has founded a style of his own? Misery: Nah its just d-beat crust, with added horror C: and then What difference to FUKPIG from the rest of the bands? Misery: We add more black metal / horror influences, but are still inspired by the same things C: Is Necro-Punk your style? Misery: Yeah, necro in the black metal style playing crust punk, so yeah Necro Punk."Interview: FukpigArchived10 November 2013 at theWayback Machine
  36. ^Weber, Austin (4 December 2014)."Downfall of Gaia:"Aeon Unveils the Thrones of Decay"".No Clean Singing.Retrieved20 October2016.
  37. ^Zorgdrager, Bradley."Young and in the Way When Life Comes to Death".Exclaim!.Retrieved19 July2018.
  38. ^Ekeroth, p. 258.
  39. ^abcd"Canadian Crust Punks Storm of Sedition Go Off the Grid on Their Furious New 'Decivilize' LP | NOISEY".NOISEY.April 2016.Retrieved10 May2016.
  40. ^"Skagos: Anarchic Album Review | Pitchfork".pitchfork.com.Retrieved10 May2016.
  41. ^abBerto."Review Vidargangr – A World That has To Be Opposed".Lords of Metal.Retrieved10 May2016.
  42. ^"De Zwaarste Metalgids: 66 metalgenres in één zin uitgelegd".Studio Brussel(in German).Retrieved20 February2021.
  43. ^Gevorgyan, Elen."Music, Ideology and How They Interact: A Journey from Sacred Music to Black Metal"(PDF).American University of Armenia.Retrieved20 February2021.
  44. ^Nonjon, Adrien (2019).Black Metal Theory Symposium Program.University of Ljubljana.Retrieved20 February2021.
  45. ^ab"If It Ain't Got No Blastbeat, It's Not My Revolution: Panopticon".PopMatters.19 July 2012.Retrieved10 May2016.
  46. ^"Skagos: Anarchic Album Review – Pitchfork".pitchfork.com.
  47. ^ab"14 Bush-era political artworks that stood the test of time".The A.V. Club.23 January 2017.Retrieved3 January2019.
  48. ^abcGENTILE, JOHN (12 September 2015)."Sonic Reducer: Crack Rock Steady".Retrieved3 January2019.
  49. ^MOSES, JEFF."Leftover Crack Doesn't Just Talk About Being Punk".Phoenix New Times.Retrieved3 January2019.
  50. ^VERDUCCI, RICHARD (8 October 2010)."Scott Sturgeon (Leftover Crack/Star F*cking Hipsters)".Retrieved3 January2019.
  51. ^LUEDTKE, CHRISTOPHER (15 May 2017)."Album Review: WOLFBRIGADE Run With The Hunted".Metal Injection.Retrieved2 January2019.
  52. ^Kelly, Kim (14 August 2015)."Thrash 'n burn: why 1985 was metal's defining year".TheGuardian.com.Retrieved2 January2019.
  53. ^Adams, Gregory."Ladyhawk Celebrate 10th Anniversary with" Decade of Passive Aggression "Canadian Tour, Outline New Album Possibilities".Exclaim!.Retrieved2 January2019.
  54. ^Adams, Gregory."Discharge Sign with Nuclear Blast for First Album in 8 Years".Exclaim!.Retrieved2 January2019.
  55. ^Breihan, Tom (30 October 2013)."White Fence –" Today's Lesson "(Filth Cover)".Retrieved2 January2019.
  56. ^Kelly, Kim (31 March 2016)."Ancst's Anti-Fascist Agenda Bleeds into the Urgent Black Metal Crust of Their New Album 'Moloch'".Vice Media.Retrieved16 February2022.
  57. ^abcdTiernan, Jake (20 November 2015)."Starter Kit: Neo Crust".Retrieved16 February2022.
  58. ^Silva, Thiago “Índio” (19 September 2018)."10 bandas de metal extremo pra você que é esquerdista".Vice Media.Retrieved16 February2022.
  59. ^"Neo-Crust".16 March 2021.Retrieved16 February2022.
  60. ^Kevin Stewart-Panko, "I Saw Disfear Three Times in Three Days",Decibel,no. 46, August 2008, p. 22.
  61. ^Glasper 2009, 287

Further reading

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  • Ekeroth, Daniel (2008).Swedish Death Metal.Bazillion Points Books.ISBN978-0-9796163-1-0
  • Glasper, Ian (2004).Burning Britain: The History of UK Punk 1980-1984.Cherry Red Books.ISBN1-901447-24-3
  • Glasper, Ian (2006).The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984.Cherry Red Books.ISBN1-901447-70-7
  • Glasper, Ian (2009).Trapped in a Scene: UK Hardcore 1985-1989.Cherry Red Books.ISBN978-1-901447-61-3
  • "In Grind We Crust,"Terrorizer#181, March 2009, p. 46, 51.
  • Mudian, Albert (2000).Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore.Feral House.ISBN1-932595-04-X
  • Profane Existence (1997).Making Punk a Threat Again: Profane Existence: Best Cuts 1989-1993.Loincloth. ASIN: B000J2M8GS
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