Battalion of Saints, Phobia, Nomads

BATTALION OF SAINTS was a major catalyst in accelerating the transition from the already upbeat, adrenaline-charged punk of the early 1980s in to feral, snarling hardcore punk of the highest quality and intensity. Pounding distorted pace, live shows dripping with sweat and threat, and a gnarly attitude - BATTALION OF SAINTS stands tall among bands from the era including the Dead Kennedys, Crucifix, Minor Threat, Discharge as well as Southern Lord's Poison Idea, The Offenders and Excel, remaining a crucial part of an immortal and ongoing legacy.


PHOBIA a monolithic grindcore pioneer, has been a band for as long as Melotov Records (current label) self-proclaimed "head bitch", Melanie, has been alive. Originally hailing from Orange County, California--a less-than-favorable locale for punks as Orange County is often stigmatized by white supremacists and affluent teenagers (as portrayed by the popular television drama "The OC")--PHOBIA now spreads its grindy, crusty, anti-establishment self across the United States from Phoenix, AZ to Austin, TX.


Violent and deafening.
NOMADS are a "punk band" in the same way that an intercontinental ballistic missile is a "bomb." Mix the confrontational aggression of Black Flag with the stripped-down simplicity of English act Discharge with the glorious cacophony of Sweden's more recent crop of d-beat noisemeisters such as Disfear and Martyrdöd, and you've got Nomads, who might just be L.A.'s next big thing. Listening to one of their records is akin to having your eardrums punctured with an anvil. Hearing them live is even more intense. Things get rowdy real fast. Their frontman, who just goes by Michael, sings like a man who fully believes each breath might be his last. Their sets frequently clock in at less than 10 minutes. Consider bringing a helmet.