UMUR "Obscene Humanity" is an EP release by US, California based hardcore/grindcore act Nails. The EP was released through Six Feet Under Records/Streetcleaner Records in early 2009. The material was recorded during November and December 2008. The EP features 7 tracks and a full playing time of 10:56 minutes. The vinyl version features the same 7 tracks on both sides.

If you wonder what 7 tracks of hardcore/grindcore distributed over a 10 minutes long playing time sound like, I can tell you that it´s noisy, raw, distorted, and at times quite chaotic. There is a primal aggression to the material and especially the bestial delivery of said material is greatly charming. It´s definitely Nails biggest asset, although the tracks themselves are quite well composed too. Nails successfully combine blasting grindcore, with fast-paced hardcore, and ultra heavy sections, and they are actually relatively varied within their style. It´s not exactly an issue that the band are skilled musicians too, who deliver their music with great conviction and passion. Organic playing by a tight unit. The vocals are shouting distorted hardcore type vocals, which suit the instrumental part of the music perfectly. The sound production is loud, raw, and organic, and it´s the perfect sound for the equally mean music.

"Obscene Humanity" is the first release by Nails and considering that this is a debut release from the band, it´s a quality product. Not necessarily the most original sounding hardcore/grindcore release out there, but definitely a solid effort featuring some great moments here and there. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

siLLy puPPy NAILS is a hardcore punk band band from Oxnard, CA that has been gaining in popularity in the last decade due to its unrelenting mix of crust punk, D-beat and powerviolence with elements of grindcore and death metal. The band was founded in 2007 by Todd Jones (vocals, guitar), John GIanelli (bass) and Tom Hogan (drums) but since then has released three albums, two splits and this debut EP titled OBSCENE HUMANITY which is a mere 10:56 in length.

This EP was originally released as a seven song, one-sided vinyl EP but was re-released with three rerecorded songs bringing the playing time up to 21:42. All NAILS releases are succinct, explosively brutal and to the point with caustic guitar and drum orotundity and incessant percussive explosiveness. Todd Jones’ vocals are a tortured scream out from under the din sort of madness. Although the band has adopted the D-beat and hardcore punk approach in the compositions, the caustic nature of the music is more akin to grindcore with a few elements of death metal thrown in.

The band cites the Japanese hardcore scene as the primary influence but also includes the crust punk and death metal scenes. Despite a near 11 minute playing time this EP hosts 7 tracks with most lasting around the one minute mark. “Lies” is the oddball here extending well past the 3 minute mark. NAILS is the epitome of a powerviolence band which infuses hardcore punk with extreme metal (such as thrashcore) and engages in confrontational socio-politically charged themes that are iconoclastic.

NAILS can be considered some of the most extreme music out there however even OBSCENE HUMANITY isn’t as heavy and extreme as the band’s following classic “Silent Death” which is even more hardcore and engages in more experimentation. This debut is a little more by the books as far as powerviolence rage is concerned but still the band proved it had the chops to pull off the incessant rampaging prowess required to successful evoke the hardcore punk demons to do their bidding. Pretty good start.



Original Track listing

"Disorder" - 1:09 "Alienate You II" - 0:42 "Obscene Humanity" - 1:42 "White Walls" - 1:09 "Confront Them" - 1:21 "Lies" - 3:37 "Alienate You I" - 1:13

Obscene Humanity 7" Track list as above (on both sides) but includes re-recordings

"Obscene Humanity" – 1:43 "Confront Them" – 1:20 "Lies" – 3:34