Labels: Beach Impediment – Vox Populi
Review by: Alex Hannan
Eight years and two LPs since their demo, VAASKA are still bashing out quality D-beat. This is a punchy EP whose songs sit naturally around the one and a half minute mark, bookended by a meaty intro/outro riff which opens first song “Futuro Primitivo” and ties up the loose ends at the end of the flip.
A charismatic, fun live presence, they don’t convey the jittery thousand-yard-stare of IMPALERS, who they share members with. Rather, they’re in the room and in your face. A band who, at the same time as barking out anguished Spanish renditions of UK82 dystopian haiku, are plainly buzzing off the energy of playing fast and loud. “Anos y anos de vivir en este infierno / de una guerra interminable / de armas nucleares / Bombas nucleares queman la tierra / solo quedan cenizas de la humanidad” he yells, unable to quite keep the necessary frown. (Years and years of living in this hell / interminable war / nuclear weapons / Nuclear bombs burn the earth / only ashes of humanity remain.)
Victor Gutierrez’s guitar is a particular strength – snaky solos are dropped in here and there. Some riffs are utilitarian and could be catchier, but VAASKA keep you on your toes by switching up textures, and then a subtly nimble little idea like the one in Descontrol will catch the ear. If you have any affinity with D-beat, stick this on, close your eyes and get transported for 10 minutes to a sweaty basement for a beer-spilling virtual pit. You won’t feel the bruises till tomorrow.