Woodstock 99 Super Gremlin
- Format
12 Inch
Black
£19.00
Raging, atavistic hardcore from Cleveland that wreaks havoc the way only a Super Gremlin can.
Nihilism can come in many forms. It can manifest itself in a misanthropic relish at humanity’s complicity in its own demise. The likes of Gehanna and Shai Hulud have this pretty nailed down. Alternatively, you can be cognisant that the world is going to hell in a handcart and conclude that blazing, blues-infused guitar solos and a few beers is a more apt response. Both approaches have their merits, but I think it’s fair to say that Woodstock 99 very much fall into the latter category. Buckle up – this is a wild ride. Oh, and if you like gongs (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), this is definitely the album for you.
Everyone has to swallow the world’s shit, but Cleveland’s Woodstock 99 regurgitates it in technicolor. Their nihilistic and antagonistic take on hardcore punk can recall the Kings of Punk in their prime, but this band is too fucked up to focus on their rage… sometimes they’d rather wander away after a psychedelic riff or poke around in the trash for scraps of 90s pop culture. On Super Gremlin, Woodstock 99 examines the void from all angles, and while it might look frightening or intimidating from some vantage points, from other angles all you can do is laugh. One pill turns you into Jerry A (“La Casa De Fuck You”), and one pill lands you at the denouement of a French noir film (“Budget Inn”), and another one summons DJ Lethal to lay down some sick scratches (“Beatboxing in Viet… Nam!!”). Down them all, chase them with a couple shots of cheap whiskey, and follow Woodstock 99 down the rabbit hole.
—Sorry State Records
