Kimachi – “Nowhere To Run”
Kimchi- Definition: a spicy, pickled cabbage. The national dish of Korea.
Like their namesake, this band plays spicy hardcore that is perfect if you’re in a bind, say, out of money or out of “cabbage.” And their sound takes traditional Korean music and mixes those soothing tones with the very brash and unsettling noise frequently associated with hardcore.
Ah, sorry. Mr.Bang has just entered my office and informed me that the bands name is “Kimachi” and that I should rethink my initial analysis as it “makes no fucking sense” as he, so subtly put it.
Kimachi’s new CD is called “Nowhere To Run” which explains in detail the plight of the cross-country runner and how, now in this age of hoverboards and car pools, there’s simply isn’t much room for one to put one foot in front of the other and gather speed.
Ah, sorry. Mr. Bang has just impressed on me that the words I write have to have some semblance to the actual music and not some “imaginary Angel Dust induced psychotic ramblings” that he suggests the majority of my writing to be.
For this, I offer humble apologies and now, and in the future, I will try my utmost to be forthright, legible and respectable and refrain from any noxious outbursts.
Kimachi is a local hardcore band that plays frequently at The Democracy Center and Hardcore Stadium. Both are no alcohol, all-ages sites and along with the underground Boston Wreck Center, I believe, are hosting the most vital music of our community.
Let’s check them out:
“Nowhere To Run” starts out like a lumbering locomotive pushing ahead through jungle terrain. With the guitar feeding back and the drums beating a simple but effective back beat, this tune comes on like The Pixies on a serious bender. When the vocals come crashing in the heavy, intense vibe has already anchored the mood into the abyss. The drums check out as the chorus comes in, which builds a grinding suspense, but comes back in chopping and pounding away to the end, leaving no prisoners. There’s no need to run away and there’s no where to hide, no sanctuary from this powerfully, great song.
“Smolder” starts with a riff that wouldn’t be out of place on a Led Zep record but soon we’re lifted off our heels and thrust up into the stratosphere. Then the headbanging metal riff reappears while the vocals continue to emit venom. This leads to a rockin’ out part with a short but sweet solo and so many twists and turns it’ll spin your head off. But once it’s screwed back on straight you’ll realize you’ve just witnessed one great tune.
“Snakes” soon pokes its head out and sinks its fangs in with a hardcore rush as the instruments lay down a snarling, dissonant line and the vocals scream bile and disgust above it. The rhythm changes in this song but the intensity and power never lets up, never backs down. Even during a lengthy breakdown part that never returns to the hardcore but parades out in fiery, smoldering fashion.
Kimachi is a pretty intense, hard driving, hardcore band. Kind of what we call at TNB “heavy hardcore.” And along with that heavy sound, what that usually denotes to me is the influence of metal. And the playing here is so tight it causes me to think about steering them towards the metal camp.
But the vocals have so much vim and vigor, spit and spite, venom and viciousness that to not call them hardcore would be a crime, as that’s what they are in spirit and force.
Either way you dice or splice it, or serve it up with spicy cabbage or not- Kimachi is here to rip your ears a new one while pouring some words of wisdom in them at the same time.
If you’re looking for any words of wisdom from me- well, it looks like you’ve taken a wrong turn off the highway of knowledge. When you were supposed to take a right you took a left, when you supposed to go left you went right. When you were supposed to proceed straight ahead, well, that’s when you veered off the road and crashed into a cornfield.
But if I can steer you towards Kimachi, it should make up for any time you misspent. It would justify my life up until now. And, better yet, clear up any outstanding parking violations.
(Slimedog)
