Whoa, I was stunned when this showed up, because I didn't even know these Dutch punks were still around!? Though I don't listen to them regularly, I own a bunch of Fleas and Lice's early vinyl releases and have been a fan of theirs for years, having coincidentally pulled out their split with Assrash for the first time in ages about two weeks before this early discography hit my mailbox. Included in (almost) chronological order are the "Parasites" 7", the split LP with Bleeding Rectum, the "Global Destruction" 12", and the split 7" with Assrash - all of which were originally released by Skuld Releases in 1993 - 1995. For those unaware, the band plays relatively traditional crusty punk with a quirky twist to give it their own sound, also using a dual male/female vocal attack pairing gruff shouts with higher, sneering yells. Their songs range in tempo from faster and more energetic hardcore bursts to midpaced power chords, and they definitely have a bit of a lighthearted sense of humor to their style despite serious messages behind the bitter sarcasm. They're not nearly as dark or heavy as most bands that get tagged with the "crust" label, but those types of sounds are interestingly intertwined with subtle melody and catchy punk rock attitude throughout the band's work. This CD actually outlines an interesting progression for the group as well. The "Parasites" EP is fairly raw in recording quality, for example, and the songs are a little slower and less interesting in retrospect. But more lightly metallic riffing started to creep into the tracks on the equally rugged split with Bleeding Rectum (check out the dissonant chugging in "Living for Pleasure, Not for Pain"), and the songwriting started to shift into a more vibrant blend of tempos and playing styles that stands the test of time much stronger. "Heroin Kills" is among the faster and more aggressive tracks in the band's repertoire, also throwing in some quick little metal influences. The "Global Destruction" period not only boasts a thicker and clearer recording (awesomely pumping up the bass volume to give the raging basslines a lot more prominence), but opens with the massive "Meat Factory": Over five minutes of the band's crustier work, complete with pulsing Amebix-esque basslines and even more thrashy picking patterns and metallic dissonance. "Suicide" is among their catchier tunes, while "The War Will Never End" is more melodically inclined with its midpaced power chords and surging tempo changes. In the end, the split EP with Assrash boasts the almighty "Up the Punks": A fucking brilliantly written song that's so fucking catchy it's almost unbelievable. Honestly, ever since I first heard this song it's been one of my favorite punk songs of all time. The vocal tradeoffs are great, the chorus is infectious, and the entire affair is just perfectly executed. And how about the 18-second grinding blast of "The Amerikkkan Dream"? I think these songs were recorded at the same time as "Global Destruction", but they actually seem a touch stronger in sound, adding a little more of a smooth clarity to the thicker and cleaner delivery. Great stuff! Despite the fact that much of the material is a little dirty in production values, it's easily listenable and tends to fit the aesthetic of this style of punk, especially considering the sessions are all at least 10 years old. Most of the mixes are fairly balanced, and even though the tones can be slightly thin nothing gets irritating or anything like that. The material's been remastered as well, which helps with the continuity. The disc is packaged with black and white artwork that includes the original album covers as well as additional illustrations befitting of the band's aesthetic. All of the lyrics are included across the center spread in clean typefaces, with basic recording information under the CD tray. The lyrics are a mix of socio-political commentary with a few songs more in the tradition of drinking and having fun, so one minute it's, "Woke up this morning, my head hurts and I stink, Drank too much beer and whiskey, threw up in the sink," and the next it's, "Governments commit crimes but they never get punished, They are responsible for destroying our Earth and no one seems to mind..." It's great to have all of these songs on one convenient CD, and the arrangement of the tracks also makes it really interesting to be able to easily trace the band's progress over the course of but two short years - though maybe "Up the Punks" should've been before "Global Destruction" if they were being ordered by date of release? And where's the split 7" with Battle of Disarm? Either way, punk fans who missed these records on vinyl should look into this, as should longtime listeners who'd rather take advantage of the ease of CD's. This definitely works for me!
[Rodent Popsicle]
Running time - 53:46, Tracks: 21
[Notable tracks: Sick of it All, Living for Pleasure, Not for Pain, Meat Factory, Suicide, The War Will Never End, Up the Punks]
Rodent Popsicle Records - http://www.rodentpopsicle.com
