Album Review: Broken Bottles, Broken Bones by The Ratz

By Jeff McCarthy The album Broken Bottles, Broken Bones is completely raw jams, with definitive tones of the presumed-dead punk rock of the early 80s. In these uninhibited short anthems, I can taste a little Bad Brains, a touch of Ramones and a slathering Sex Pistols. Fuck you Johnny London, Donald Trump sucks!! The Ratz… Continue reading Album Review: Broken Bottles, Broken Bones by The Ratz

Band Interview: Chris Bull of Tides of Sulfur

By Jeff McCarthy I had a chance to catch up with bassist and vocalist Chris Bull from Welsh sludge band Tides of Sulfur about the progression of the band and their upcoming releases.  Here is what he had to say: Spewed from the emptiness of a black hole in late 2011, Tides Of Sulfur began writing songs… Continue reading Band Interview: Chris Bull of Tides of Sulfur

Whatchu Know ‘Bout Piss-Yellow Cassette Tapes? An Interview with Jeff McCarthy of Against All Odds Productions

Jeff McCarthy of Against All Odds Productions has been writing a bit for us over the past year.  This week, he and I “sat down” via email to talk about some of the bands he’s working with and their releases.  Here is what he had to say about Know Nothing, Fistula, and Meth Drinker among… Continue reading Whatchu Know ‘Bout Piss-Yellow Cassette Tapes? An Interview with Jeff McCarthy of Against All Odds Productions

No Need to Worry: A Review of Grizzlor and Barren Womb’s Split EP (Riotous Outburst Records)

We might as well toot our own horns over here at Alternative Control because we were one of the first blogs in the United States to give Norwegian noise punk duo Barren Womb press for their excellent debut album, The Sun’s Not Yellow, It’s Chicken (Spartan Records, 2014). They returned the favor by appearing on… Continue reading No Need to Worry: A Review of Grizzlor and Barren Womb’s Split EP (Riotous Outburst Records)

EP Review: Fistula’s Destitute 2015 Demo Sessions

By Jeffery McCarthy Against All Odds Productions For a release that was recorded live with vocals recorded separately, the entire five song onslaught comes off as a companion to Vermin Prolifocus (released in 2014 on Patac Records). Fistula is a band that hails from Ohio; their veracity is a driving force throughout each song and… Continue reading EP Review: Fistula’s Destitute 2015 Demo Sessions

Track Review: Fulgora’s “Splinter” and “Crutch”

By Jeffery McCarthy Against All Odds Productions This is the second single from the St. Louis/Baltimore-based thrash/grindcore project, with more forthcoming from the album Stratagem (coming out March 24, 2015 on Housecore Records). “Splinter” opens up and I swear I’m balls deep in a Soundgarden track from the early nineties, which of course is not… Continue reading Track Review: Fulgora’s “Splinter” and “Crutch”