Labels: GSL
Review by: Andy Malcolm
If you don’t want to read yet another eulogy to a deadgoneinsignificant band, where I rant and rave about the brilliance of yet more music that I never got to hear the first time round, where I look like some backward oaf who wishes that all music begins with ’92 and ends with ’96 (though of course that’s not true), then skip this review. This is going to be nothing but glowing.
Mohinder. 1994. West coast of America. And they put out 19 songs (one is missing here! this is NOT a discography! the haunting instrumental from the “We’ve Lost Beauty” comp doesn’t feature), and obliterated hardcore with some new ideas. Here were 3 (or 4 at time) guys playing hella fast, chaotic and screamy hardcore punk. A long with Assfactor4 they defined a style that initially sounds out of control and falling to pieces, but tune your ear in and you’ll be shocked at exactly how intricate things are.
Something that never fails to blow away here is the face pummelling drumming, which absolutely holds everything together (something else they share with Ass4) and controls things as they slide from the breakneck to a more restrained pace. The rhythm pounded out keeps you focused as the music explodes around you. The first 7 tracks were from their first 7″, and stand up as their best material. Slightly artier, the recording captures the band just going off totally. Check out “Inhuman Nature”, where the guitar just crunches, and the track immediately after that, “Numb”, probably the best song on here. Hardcore punk at it’s best, a huge belt to the head of power with just the right amount of melody, the riffage here and the breakdown blow me away everytime, and when the guy practically cries “NO! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL”, well, you now at least have a vague idea. The 3 tracks from the Nitwitz split (which I actually own, woo!) showcase a slightly more muffled sound, but the band got even more out of control here. Fast, spazzier, more hectic than ever. The flip side has 8 tracks from their other 7″. Again, I prefer the sound on the first 7″. Things sound slightly more claustrophobic, the bass tends to rumble a bit more. Though the rough production at times definitely gives things a more frenetic feel. It all kicks off with an off-kilter mess, before picking things up. By now the band were as tight as fuck, and were a 3 piece, but still totally on the edge and producing a blistering sound. Highlights, well, there’s many. The intro to “the Mission” is perfection, just before the song hurtles off at a 1000mph. Why on earth the drummer doesn’t expire is beyond my feeble comprehension. Then there is “Acceptance” which sounds a lot more like the traditional emo sound of the mid 90’s (e.g. Current) with it’s spoken word, except it’s about 1 minute long.
Goodness, I don’t know what else to say. They influenced a bunch of bands. Their members have been in a bunch of bands. But neither facts are important. And well, you don’t own this record properly unless you have it on vinyl (on which the layout is gorgeous by the way). A legacy of emo history.
OK, the review is over. I stopped kissing this records ass, it’s safe to come out now.