Kaiten - Unreleased Tracks 2001-2006

Label: Self Released
Year: 2014

More veiled threats, more harassment, and here we are again, sitting at the feet of Kaiten...the "greatest post hardcore band in all of Leon!". The band has reached out through the fetid waters of the internet to gently inform the management of this blog, that there has been a new (old) development in the Kaiten camp, the release of the previously unheard recordings presented thus.

Readers may recall that we found ourselves in a similar position some time back reviewing the Kaiten lp at the behest of (former?) frequent commenter, and muck-raker, the great Nacho. And here he go again.

First off, they should have released this batch of songs way back when, because they are superior (mostly) to what ended up on their self-titled album. This time around I'm hearing a scrappier version of the band, full of mid-Eighties SST Records influence; the deeper cuts of the SST catalog. There's still the Midwest noise rock sound throughout, the biting scrape of the Touch and Go touchstones that was evidenced on the previous release, but I prefer these more urgent recordings, the songs have more attack, more potency. And, for the record, I thought the full length they did was good, so this one being "better" means it's most certainly worth listening to. Maybe they really ARE (or were) the best post hardcore band in Leon.

Now, if only we could be treated to more of Nacho's tongue-lashings...THEN, this review would be complete.

DL