OOPs: The Skull Defekts - DFX (Cut Hands, 2008)

The Skull Defekts - Untitled 1


The Skull Defekts are great because you never know what they're gonna do on their next release (except Drone Drug, the was kinda obvious). But seriously, they could do a noise album, some intense drone, or a straight up sexy rock record like The Temple. DFX falls into the noise/drone category.

2 long untitled tracks, pretty much all electronics. The first track starts out with some heaving thrum, gets performance anxiety and starts juicin, turning itself into an introverted industrial monster spawned from the gutters of scum who's hellbent on mayhem. In a kinda pretty way.

The second piece is a bit more in your face abrasive, multi-layered mumbling with thrashy static lazerz and lawn sprinklers spewing caustic green acid. It's totally fuckin crazy. Not in a pretty way.

It's a shame DFX is sold out because the packaging is killer. But I won't even bother describing it because it'd probably just make you jealous. Instead you can just...

MAKE IT DIGITALLY YOURS

The Idealist - I Am The Fire (Nosordo, 2006)

The Idealist - The Cranium


It sounds like capital punishment via an electric room, which would be similar to the electric chair except this room would be more like a Tesla laboratory and you'd die from lethal amounts static electricity.

Full review on diskant.

The Skull Defekts - The Temple (Important, 2009)

The Skull Defekts - Waving


When I saw The Skull Defekts play at PA's Lounge last year, they changed me. I didn't realize it at the time, of course. But as the days and weeks progressed, I knew there was something missing in my life. That was because most of the material they played live hadn't been released yet. But I needed to hear to this music again. There was a certain je ne sais quoi that could only be achieved when listening to "Waving" or "Six Sixes" or any other song off of The Temple.

The Skull Defekts have made a rock record unlike any other I've heard. It's sexmagic. It's powerthrill. It's everything a rock record should be. I had no idea what I was missing until I heard this. The percussion is so tribal and propulsive and the guitars are buzzing electric raw. This is the record you crank all the way up and fucking pound your chest to. The Temple is something that deserves it's own place on your shelf, perhaps even on a pedestal set atop your mantle.

Here is a video I shot of them playing "Six Sixes" last October. If and when they come back to the US, this is proof that you need to see them.

Video: The Skull Defekts at PA's Lounge

Here's a video I shot of The Skull Defekts when I saw them play PA's Lounge the other night. Forgive the poor camera work. I was more interested in dancing than shooting a good video.

The Skull Defekts at PA's Lounge

It seems like the only time I ever go to PA's Lounge is when everyone else doesn't. There was probably less than a dozen paying patrons at PA's last night and I'm pretty sure it's been that way every other time as well. Whatever. The music is just as good, if not better when there are less people around.


Sound checking took decades and eventually the first band, locals Magic People, went on. Decent enough music. Kinda like Neptune meets Throbbing Gristle. (Disclaimer: I have no idea what Throbbing Gristle sounds like.) They are a bass/synth duo. One guy plays bass guitar and a bass drum, the other dude plays a synth and occasionally throws in a low-fi Casio-type beat. They have a nice sense of humor. I'm pretty sure the bassist called out that "This next song is also about kittens" without ever saying that any of the previous songs were about kittens. Yeah, I loled. My only criticism is that they might need some more practice keeping time. Unless they were going for the "kick drum slightly out of sync with recorded beat" thing. They got that down pat.


Talk Normal was next. Another duo. This time two Brooklyn girls, one on guitar, the other on drums. They were so fucking cool. How cool? At one point , the guitarist slid a screwdriver under the strings on the neck of her guitar and started thrusting and jamming it like it was a fucking dildo. And they played with all the lights out, save for a lone red bulb. That's how cool. And the drummer ended up laying a guitar on her set and smacking it with her sticks for one song. I'm tellin' ya, these guys are goin' places.


And then SKULL motherfucking D. These Swedish dudes know how to rock. They bookended their set with complete darkness, while bright spotlights shown through the rest of it. One of the guys had a table set up with huge plastic jugs that had mics taped to the inside of them. He ran the mics through some sort of effects stuff so he could make them sound all weird. It was the fucking coolest. And the 4 of them wore all black. Classy.


I gotta admit, I wasn't expecting much from the last band, Centipede Eest. I was debating whether or not I should even stay for them. It was obvious they couldn't possibly be any better than The Skull Defekts. And they weren't. But they were still good. Kind of a psychedelic punk rock, with a dash of jazz thrown in for off-kilter measure. Even though most people had left the club already, the Centipedes still had plenty of energy and frankly didn't give a shit whether or not anyone was watching. They were dancing all over the place (mostly off the stage) and had no problem rocking and getting in people's face. It's good to see a band who still gives it there all no matter the size of the crowd. That's something I really appreciate. Definitely a good way to end the evening.