On this split LA/OC kingpins, Phobia, scrap it out live with infamous Bay Area tokers, Plutocracy. Both bands have had a huge impact on the extreme music” emerging from California over the last decade and a half, and play/played their own brands of grindcore and/or powerviolence.
Phobia have been leveling cities for about 25 years now, and on this LP expel 4 blasts of “Harmony Corruption”-era Napalm Death-style grind. Considering that it was recorded on July 24, 1993 at The Butt-Cave in Santa Ana, California, the sound quality on their side definitely exceeded my expectations. A great early set, by a legendary band!
On the flip, Plutocracy put their out-of-control stylings on display by way of 8 bruising tracks. These guys created their own genre of grindcore that could never possibly be copied. The vocals are nutty and all over the place, giving the tracks a chaotic feel. But the band is in total control of its “art.” They play with precision and conviction, and conjure a well-balanced blend of politics, humor, and fury.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYEbILGoHhk&list=PL3B628C3C453986B7
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