These Pure Monsters Follow The Dogs Out Of The Swamp

Back in 2010 the excellent and now sadly defunct Leeds label Brew release Call Me Dragon, the debut from freakoids These Monsters, and it was a diabolical mess of an album that absolutely killed me with its audacity, its dirge and its desire to go to the farther regions of sanity. The boys have only gotten looser (of mind and spirit at least - their musicianship continues to tighten the screws). It's been some time since I've heard the Yorkshire trio - they did release a new album, Heroic Dose, in May though which I somehow missed (*self-flagellate*) - and now Too Pure have sated the longing with a 7" of new recordings. The Swamp/The Dogs is a showcase of the band's burgeoning proclivity for stretching their maniacal, cartoonish dalliances with psychosis to breaking point, and beyond. It's like Pulled Apart By Horses got decidedly slower, weirder, and stoned-er. You can pick up the 7" (Thursday must be "Buy Red Vinyl" Day...) here...

Kong Lives!

I've mentioned on countless occasions that Manchester's rabid fucks Kong were one of the best bands I have ever experienced live. Abrasive, angry, drunk yet hilarious, the red-decked, plastic-faced devils knew how to put on a party, albeit the kind you were likely to wake up with your dignity and morality irrevocably shattered beyond repair. As far as I know they are no longer - yet in the past few months a few bootlegs of Kong's live shows have started appearing on their Bandcamp, without any fanfare. Listening to these really took me back; a slick oily sweat overcame me, and I started grinding my teeth and wanted to smash a case and lose my mind once more. ULU, Old Blue Last, St Moritz - the hedonism returns in earnest. Kong still have their hooks in me...

Nine Black Alps

Manchester's Nine Black Alps have been a little quiet of late, but all that is about to change with their fourth studio album Sirens set for release in October through Brew with the single for 'My One and Only' preceding the album on 23rd September. Its the best thing that these guys have ever laid claim to, really letting fly whilst also keeping things simple, justifying the years hiding under the covers. Loving their grunge overtones, it's what I love about Violent Soho too. They will be touring the UK shortly after its release too, so heady times ahead. Here's a couple of tasters anyway, let's get dumb, loud, and awesome.

Nine Black Alps - Living In A Dream
Nine Black Alps - Don't Forget To Breathe

Blacklisters Cross Swords

Brew Records is the premiere label from Leeds that dares to put out some of the most exciting abrasive noise rock in the UK. Following on from the split 10" with Blacklisters, Hawk Eyes/CastroValva put out for Record Store Day, Brew intends to have a few fuller-length releases up their sleeve, including one from the aforementioned Leeds noiseniks Blacklisters. The band won't wait til 2012 though, as they have a few compilations on STA Records in Ireland & one with Brew (of course!). And if you havent heard these guys before, one listen to 'Swords' will be enough. Im devoted to Manchester maniacs Kong, though, so fair warning...

Blacklisters - Swords

Brewing Some Kong

It is absolutely necessary for me to show you this. Kong are the most underrated band in the UK, possibly the world. They fucking kill. And any news surrounding them is good - so when I hear a new track, its played incessantly till Im foaming bile at the mouth. 'Ribbons' is their track donated to a 10" split with Castrovalva, That Fucking Tank! and Shield Your Eyes. This is an incredible release that Brew Records have put together. Limited to just 300 copies on luscious orange vinyl, this record is released on 18th July...


Fucking ages to wait, no? Well there are two things you can do. Pre-order this sucker here, then watch this song for the next month nonstop. Sure it will get in the way of work, children, friends, eating, sleeping or breathing, but who gives a fuck? In 1995 you were the king!

Best Things About 2010...by Kong

Manchester's Kong holds a special place in Sonic Masala's depraved heart. My first ever review (which was for Low Rise magazine) was at last year's A Fistful Of Fandango gigs. The main drawcard was to see Future Of The Left - who were fucking amazing, I must add - but the first act was Kong, and Paul and I were equally as impressed by their dissonant mess of Shellac-meets-Jesus Lizard sonic vomitings and drunken tirades - plus the red outfits and plastic masks were suitably kick arse. Since then Ive seen them 5 - yep, 5 - times, and regardless of how lucid or fucked up they are, they remain brilliant - one of the best live acts in the UK hands down. What follows is their views on what rocks their world. Not just for 2010, but for all eternity, not ever likely to be broken. May (insert higher being here) have mercy on your blackened souls...

Kong - Top ten of everything ever.

BURRITOS - This is just the perfect meal - meat , veg, rice , beans ,cheese and hot sauce all wrapped up and ready to gobble. No need for plates and forks and shit. They are like the predecessor to the protein pill.

JACK DANIELS & MILK - I like to smash a bottle every day on tour whether I need it or not but you gotta line your stomach with a pint of milk first or you will shit blood for a month.
I used to drink it with coke but the middle of my nose fell out.

BLOW JOBS - Bj's are cool cause they ain't considered cheating if you got a girlfriend and if you're drunk and close your eyes you can get your sweet little merch guy to do it for an extra fiver on his PD's.

DR MARTENS - This line of footwear is amazing, you can wear em to work at the office during the day then go out and kick the living shit outta someone in the evening, just remember to spit n rub the blood off in the morning , I got cherry reds cause Im dopey.

PADDED SOLE SOCKS - I got sent a box of these recently and they are the best things ever, they make your shitty plimsolls feel amazing and they absorb twice the amount of cum.

CHAT ROULETTE - Me and Lulu spent around 3 days straight on CR .... I think they should change the name of the site to cockcomparison.com ...it took the 3 days to see just 1 human taco!

ANALOGUE AFRICA - This is my new favourite record label , I love everything they are putting out ...I think their catalogue stops around the mid seventies but thats pretty much where my taste stops.

SCOUCE WOMEN - There is something about those girls from Liverpool ! I love going there, it's like going back to the 80's , side pony tails, global Hypercolour and Reebok Pump . They may spit Macdonald's milkshake all over you when they omit that white noise voice but I like women as rough as toast and reeking of vanilla Impulse.

DAVID LIEBE HART - This crazy mother fucker makes me shit my pants , he is pretty much the funniest man alive and I don't think he knows it .

VHS - Fuck Bluray! I dont care about counting the pubes hanging out of some porners riggot and I can pick up 200 videos for the price of Rambo on DVD. As a kid there was a video van that went round the streets pulling up and renting movies to lazy unemployed fat people - my car is pretty much that van now .

Kong will start 2011 with a bang, touring Japan with 65daysofstatic. If you dont catch them when they get back, you're dumb and we dont know you.

Kong - Leather Penny

Kong - Blood Of A Dove

Kong - Sport

Kong - Count To Nine (ft Matt Caughthran - The Bronx)

Chickenhawk

Leed's Chickenhawk did a great show a few months back when supporting Bo Ningen and Pulled Apart By Horses at the 100 Club. I must admit I was blown away by the bands that came after, but just a few tracks was enough to have me intrigued. Paul mentioned that their sound had matured somewhat - I just have to shrug my shoulders here as Ive only caught them the once. But they are worth keeping on the radar...

And this is going to be a little easier to do in the upcoming months as Brew Records push Chickenhawk's newie 'Scorpieau', their upcoming LP Modern Bodies due out November 1st, and their tour with Alexisonfire. Plus they are playing the Constellations Festival (as are SM favourites Liars), and doing a show with Torche and Part Chimp. Get set for Chickenhawk to swoop into all your houses, blister the paint of your walls and the skin off you bones, then pick at the entrails...

Kong & The Bronx Deliver Us To Nine

Manchester's Kong are one of Sonic Masala's absolute favourite live acts - not just in the UK, but the world. This three-piece are dark, stark, and raving mad, merging Fugazi and The Jesus Lizard in a Shellac sandwich that seems so hellishly perverse that your first instinct is to turn away - until you blink and find yourself in orgiastic hedonism...

The Bronx have been destroying speakers, stages and the sound barrier since their bone rattling self titled debut back in 2003 (and have since released 2 killer albums, both self-titled also). Ive loved these Los Angeles heathens since seeing Matt Caughthran down a bottle of red during a sweltering afternoon set in Brisbane, Australia back in 2007, whilst tearing the place apart with their hardcore rock alchemy.

So it is our absolute heaving pleasure to bring to you 'Count To Nine', a track that Kong recorded with Bronx lead Caughthran on guest vocals. This came about last year after the two bands played an unbelievably blistering set at ULU after Breeders ATP, and which was a B side on the now sold out Kong 7" of 'Leather Penny' from their evil debut LP Snake Magnet. Brew Records are putting it out for free on Kong's new Bandcamp site here. It is pure Kong, with some Caughthran bile-spitting vocal shredding. Brilliant.

Kong (feat Matt Caughthran of The Bronx) - Count To Nine

Also brilliant news is that Kong will be touring in November in support of 65daysofstatic. They'll be playing the CAMP Basement on 26th November. If you havent caught Kong yet, then do so here - they are electric. They will also be showcasing new material after preparing a 10" with That Fucking Tank!, Castrovalva and Shield Your Eyes, all courtesy of Brew Records. This sounds like an amazing release, one that SM will be snapping up for sure!

Kong - Sport