Band : Nothing But Enemies
Album title : Creepy Crawl
Label : Welfare Records
Distributor : Distort Promotion Office – Sonic Rendezvous
Release date : 11/01/2011
Release : CD

Failing to find enough info on this Hardcore Punk act to make for a decent history-of-the-band, I thought I'd start this review by saying something about its hometown Boston. Capitol and largest town of the State Massachusetts, is is also seen as the officious capitol of the New England area (furthest NE corner of the USA, comprising, besides Massachusetts, the states of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). Boston is one of the oldest and richest towns of the USA, with its industry based on financial services, insurances, education, high tech products and medical research and care (Boston's specialised hospitals have a worldwide renown). No surprise then, that Boston also has a strong tradition of Street Punk and Hardcore Punk music. Boston is also thé town in the USA, where the unaware visitor might think himself to be in England, as the Bostonians have a long tradition of talking with an English accent.

Right, getting back to NBE (not to be confused by the Niedersachsen based German “A capella / Hardcore / Metal outfit, who now apparently don't exist anymore), whose frontman Olie has apparently been active in the Punk/ Hardcore scene since the '80s. Perhaps that was more as an activist rather than as musician, because the only band I happen to know for sure he was a part of, was Worse Than Useless (admittedly, I didn't find any further info on that band). From the scarce info I found, I gather that somewhere in 2005 the band Slimy Cunt And The Fist Fucks was founded, a Street Punk/ Hardcore band which to date only released the 2008 7-inch EP Bastards through the 2008 founded Patac Records label. My guess is, that was the band's swan song, and it changed its name to its current one after a song title from that EP. I could be wrong though. At any rate, NBE already released its debut album Mental Damage on a 1,000 copy rotation through Welfare Recordsin March 2008...so this is actually their sophomore album.

Stylistically, NBE (current line-up consisting of Opie on vocals, Pickle Buckets on guitar, Lord Cuntington on bass, and Fester Walnuts on drums) harkens back to early '80s Hardcore with tight drumming and driving bass lines providing the basis for the early Black Flag-ish guitar tones and crazed vocal stylings (which in the info sheet is compared to “...a rabid Stiv Bators with a heavy fucking Boston accent...”). Lyrics about madness, non-conformity, and hatred of society make the picture complete. To get acquainted with the band's music, you need but listen to the tracks (3 off the new album, 2 off the debut, all 4 off the SCFF EP) posted at (www.) myspace.com/nothingbutenemiesscff. Regretfully, what's not posted is the somewhat lengthier (almost 6 minutes long, compared to an average track length under 2 minutes for the rest of the album) album closing “Ironic Evolution” with its great repetitive and albeit Progressive overall feel...and that closing Ambient-like touch...simply chilling!!! There's moments like that in some of the other songs as well, but evidently less spun-out. Funny is the sampled opening of “Dead Meat” (taken from the movie Mad Max Thunderdome). Great stuff, and although it clocks in at less than 25 minutes for 12 songs, I dare add Creepy Crawl to my “Best Hardcore/ Punk Albums Of 2011”-lists without thinking twice!

98/100

Tony.