Cover Of The Month 5/12: “Döda Mig” (Svart Snö), Ren, Säker och Billig!, 1989.

It was a no-brainer that we wanted to pay tribute to the early Swedish hardcore scene in one way or another this time around as well. But as you all know, there are lots of good and influential bands to choose from. Initially, SOD (Sound Of Disaster) was mentioned along with Crude SS and D.T.A.L. But finally we agreed on Svart Snö. A very underrated band that rarely gets the attention they deserve. It’s strange that there isn’t, or has been, more fuzz about them. Like, how come you never see punks around the world wearing bootleg printed Svart Snö merch or having their logo painted on the jacket? Think about it.

Some find it difficult to categorize them and that’s perhaps one of the reasons why people have such a hard time accepting the band. The fact that they don’t sound like many others makes them even more interesting and appealing. Picked up a copy of “Nemesis Divina” at the local record store in the mid-90s and been a fan ever since!

During their active years between 1987-1997 they managed to release three albums and a handful of EP’s. We narrowed down the selection of songs and ended up with three final candidates: “Klättra mot himmelen”, “Komfort” and ”Döda mig”. The first two actually represent the band’s unique sound and songwriting better, but instead we preferred a good old straight forward banger for this month.

Worth mentioning, and not to forget about, is that ”Ren, säker och billig!” is not only Svart Snö’s debut EP but also the legendary label Finn Records first release. An independent label that was also an important and very influential component of the Swedish punk and hardcore scene in the 90s.

Recorded by Jocke D-takt at Studio Mangel, April 2025. Mixed and mastered by Kenko at Communichaos, May 2025.

Note: the songs are only available via our YouTube channel.
Link: https://youtu.be/IvHKIEK1hCo

Cover Of The Month 4/12: “My Mind’s Diseased” (Battalion Of Saints), Second Coming, 1984.

Four down, eight to go. Things are moving swiftly. We felt like it was about time to delve into some good ol’ USHC territory for this month. Tough choice, like always, do you go New York, D.C., Boston, Midwest…? Opportunities for all the style-forming bands and all-time classics you’d like to pay tribute to are endless!

After some serious consideration we eventually settled for the west coast, and the weapon of choice became the opening track from the debut album by this badass San Diego-outfit. It just captures the spirit of the early/mid 80s in such a perfect way with its juvenile kind of snottiness, intensity and spontaneity. It simply contains everything you want from a hardcore tune.Well, the whole album is brilliant. Some even claim that you can hear clearer influences from the UK punk and heavy metal scene on “Second Coming” compared to other US hardcore bands. We leave that unsaid, but who knows, subconsciously maybe that’s why we also chose Battalion of Saints in the end.

It’s worth mentioning that we also tried out rehearsing “I don’t belong” by Jerry’s Kids and both “It’s an action” and “Rich get richer” by Poison Idea. But there was no end to the list of suggestions for songs/bands. You don’t want to take the most obvious ones and in our opinion, Battalion of Saints isn’t talked about to the same extent as other bands from the same era. Essentially we mainly felt it was a song that suited us.

Fun fact: I actually had “My mind’s diseased” on a mixtape that I got in the early 90’s from a buddy’s older brother. I thought the singer sounded crazy and reminded me of “En slemmig torsk” by KSMB and the Dead Kennedys. I also remember that the odd elements and stops in the music made an impression on me. Not to mention the scream he makes at the end of the first bridge. How is that even possible? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
I tell you this, references and availability of non mainstream punk/hardcore bands were very limited before the internet. At least if you lived in a small town and your social circle consisted of a handful of people who shared your taste in music. I was completely unaware (until many years later) of which bands and songs he had recorded for me, still it quickly became one of my favorite tapes. 24/7 rotation and the perfect soundtrack when you were out sk8-boarding late at night.
Fast forward to the present, our minds are still diseased but instead with daily life, it’s diseased with social media and disinformation. Wouldn’t you agree?

Recorded by Jocke D-takt at Studio Mangel, February-March 2025. Mixed and mastered by Kenko at Communichaos, April 2025.

Note: the songs are only available via our YouTube channel.
Link: https://youtu.be/952_NIgAb2k

Cover Of The Month 3/12: “I Am The Hunted” (Charged G.B.H), City Baby Attacked By Rats, 1982.

Just like back in 2015, we’re going UK for the March cover in this year’s series as well. We can’t deny how much of an impact and influence the UK punk/metal scene has had on us over the years. Not to mention all the classic hard rock bands from our childhood.
Anyway, that time it became a song by The Exploited that we chose, but before finally settling for them, another strong candidate we also considered back then as well was G.B.H. So this time around they felt quite given to be saluted with an interpretation by yours truly.

As one of the most iconic and classic punk bands of all time both music- and style-wise, we surely cannot be alone to have them as one of the first bands we got into when discovering this genre in the first place. There’s just no end to the insane amount of bangers they’ve produced, which is something that made the task of choosing just one song a bit complicated.

The songs from their early EPs and singles are perhaps the ones that most people strongly associate them with. We thought it felt a bit too obvious and after some serious consideration we eventually decided to go with a song from their first album. Which in retrospect feels like an excellent choice since it really suited us well as it has elements of punk rock, the rawness and a certain melody. We also gave “Slit Your Own Throat” a try, but it literally stumbled at the finish line.

By the way, is it just us or aren’t Eddie on the cover of Iron Maiden’s debut album and Colin Abraham from the same era strikingly similar? Anyone else ever thought about that?

Recorded by Jocke D-takt at Studio Mangel, February 2025. Mixed and mastered by Kenko at Communichaos, March 2025.

Note: the songs are only available via our YouTube channel.
Link: https://youtu.be/A1eG2NAzqCM

Cover Of The Month 2/12: “State Oppression” (Raw Power), Screams From The Gutter, 1985.

While discussing which songs to choose this time around, we early figured out that we really wanted to do something Italian. They have such a rich history and strong tradition of great bands, and their scene seems to stay ever so alive, active and vibrant. It can be hard to choose among all of our favorite bands, and at the same time be in agreement, but we tried to be spontaneous and go for what the gut feeling said at the moment. A band and a song that immediately felt right without analyzing and discussing it too much.

We decided to go for this all time raging opening track from a stone cold classic album. The way that they’re stylistically moving in the borderlands between punk, hardcore, crossover and thrash is something that we really feel that we can relate to. Bands with such versatility are always a huge inspiration.

With its mindless intensity and anthemic sing along chorus, this is simply the kind of song that you just can’t resist urging to play, and wish you were able to write yourself. The rest of the album is full of songs that ain’t too far behind either, and to wrap it all up it’s also graced with one of the sickest looking cover artworks you’ll ever lay your eyes upon. That twisted sewer-creature in those shrieky colors is just a perfect match with the craziness of the music itself.

Recorded by Jocke D-takt at Studio Mangel, December 2024. Mixed and mastered by Kenko at Communichaos, January 2025.

Note: the songs are only available via our YouTube channel.
Link: https://youtu.be/hl45Bqf1D7Y

Cover Of The Month 1/12, January: “Armageddon” (Bathory)

Time for another year with a monthly cover, to pay tribute to bands that have influenced us in one way or another. Overall, we will mainly make our own interpretations and versions of bangers that made us rockin’ air guitar, bang our heads and simply go wild over the years. The first time we did the ‘Cover Of The Month’ project was in 2015. Now, like then, it’s a study in other bands’ songwriting and deeper diving into the structures, arrangements and techniques behind the timeless classics that once caught our attention in the first place. Hopefully we’ll get some guests to join us this time around too.

First off is this gem from one of the most influential bands and albums of all time, Bathory shouldn’t need any further introduction.
“Armageddon” is just one pick from an abundance of immortal classics on this album, being released in a time when nothing was really labeled or carved out yet when it comes to the countless extreme metal subgenres that soon would follow. Just fast and loud unhinged madness.

Can’t ignore the total punk vibe of the whole thing either, having these guys clearly not being able to play (what most ignorant people would consider) very well, yet not giving a shit and just doing their thing anyway, and believing in it. Proving that with that attitude, you can accomplish the most sensational things and completely change what everyone thought they knew about music.

Tonight we raise our cups and toast in angels’ blood!

Recorded by Jocke D-takt at Studio Mangel, December 2024. Mixed and mastered by Kenko at Communichaos, January 2025.

We have also compiled all 12 covers as an album to those who missed out ‘COVER OF THE MONTH 2015’ or who wants to refresh their memory. Listen HERE!

Note: the songs are only available via our YouTube channel.
Link: https://youtu.be/_Lhx8wN7Wk0