TKO Records – 01 Feb 2024
One legendary hardcore band pays tribute to another.
Fans of Poison Idea and G.I.S.M. rejoice…mostly! Tribute To G.I.S.M. is largely previously available material, but puts it together in a really nice package. Poison Idea were among the first American supporters of the long running Japanese punk/meta/noise weirdos. When G.I.S.M. singer Sakevi Yokoyama died in 2023, the remnants of Poison Idea decided it was time for a proper homage.
A side “Endless Blockades for the Pussyfooter” originally appeared on the 1993 LP We Must Burn, though this is a different mix. This is Poison Idea at their thrashiest, for people who appreciate the more metallic corners of their catalog. It's metal riffs and punk attitude.
Side B starts out with a new song of sorts. It's a short noise piece co-written by Jerry A Lang. “Pig Scream” is certainly the most esoteric track in Poison Idea's large catalog, and is clearly a nod to G.I.S.M.S.' more experimental work. “Death, Agonies and Screams” has been bouncing around for a while. Appearing on a split 7-inch with Babes In Toyland and the Religion & Politics Part 1&2 EP. It's another full blown rager.
Tribute To G.I.S.M. is a brief but entirely enjoyable little record. It will remind you of how great Poison Idea was, and will probably make you want to dig deeper into the enigma that was G.I.S.M. too.
For vinyl fiends: Only 100 copies of this on orange, and 1200 on black. The artwork is a G.I.S.M tribute in its own right. (The stark black and white might also remind you of Crass.) The cover is printed on all sides, and there's a small insert in Japanese. The cherry on top might be the Japanese style obi strip.
Part-time punk writer, suburban dad and angry old man. Follow my adventures on the Punk Till I Die podcast!