Just a couple of weeks ago, I called out Olympia punk band Vexx in a 12 O’Clock Track, citing the track “Clairvoyant” and the corresponding self-titled LP as a reason for Washington state’s capital to rejoice. And there’s much more to the burgeoning underground scene in Olympia. Today’s proof is Strange Wilds, a harsh hardcore-punk band that doesn’t just casually play with noise and feedback but rather lets it mutate into its own instrument. Taken from the band’s recent Wet EP on Inimical Records, “Slime” is as objectionable a track as its title. Opening with a seething, bass-heavy rhythm, the vibe is repeatedly stabbed by feedback before exploding into a rage, with the formerly dark, plotting vocals turning frighteningly maniacal. It’s 80s-era in spirit, no doubt, but when has that ever been a bad thing? Definitely not with Pissed Jeans, who now share a label with Strange Wilds following the Olympia band’s recent signing with Sub Pop.
