The Underground

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Live Review from Underground Heavy #3:

Setlist:

1. Every Day is the Same

2. Fashion Whores

3. No Gods

4. Defiance

5. Bombed

6. Tortured Logic

7. I Don’t Care (Antelope cover)

8. Pirates of Cheung Chau

9. DIY

10. Bullshit Tycoon

11. Lies

12. Punk Rock Rickshaw

13. [Untitled]

14. Someone’s Gonna Die (Blitz cover)

Moving on from a gender-bending, essentially unmusical act, Defiant Scum was a return to the hard-hitting, gritty streets of punk/hardcore that are so rare here in HK. They began with a new song, Every Day is the Same, heralded by crashing, machine-gunned drums and angry, yelled vocals. Their presence was as loud as the music, because they certainly couldn’t be ignored if you were anywhere in the vicinity of the stage. In the honoured tradition of punk music, the songs were really short, and if you weren’t paying attention, you’d probably miss huge chunks. They reminded me a lot of the Germs, with their mix of an irreverent attitude, the punky hooks, balanced out with the skilled, more metal-esque solos. The frontline of revellers was visually populated mostly by Wu So Lui, continuing with the ponytail-banging (only, off the stage, this time). Defiance marked by a very cool method of short yet noodling riffs, and a pogo-worthy rhythm. In what was to prove a continuing theme that night, one cymbal repeatedly fell off; but, they didn’t let it impinge on their show.

By the time I Don’t Care came around, further technical difficulties (this time supplied by the guitar) forced the guitarist to sit down, and play the rest of the set walking the fine line between nursing and bashing the strings (kudos to him for being able to do that). Pirates of Cheung Chau was “down to a bit of a jig”, and was terrific fun with its nursery-rhyme melody, and also had a really fun audience-singing-along bit. There was clever use of lyrics in Lies, using the word where “la-la”s would usually have been used, followed by the catchy Punk Rock Rickshaw, almost reminiscent of the Ramones’ best tunes. A tip of the hat was made to the grindcore genre, in the form of an untitled riffy-song thingy, followed by the cover of a closer, with an increase in speed towards the end (which I always love). Throughout, the audience was rocking right along to their awesome beats; however, at a few points the set seemed a bit laboured, which can easily be remedied by cutting out a couple songs. But, in all, a thoroughly enjoyable set, which was very useful in putting the night back on the right track again.
– Shashwati

Live Review from Underground 70:
It’s only the second opportunity I see Defiant Scum but they 100% certainly make a mark. Muzz the Maniac, DS’s singer, does not look a second less energetic than Moi of Oi Squad, as a singer to a defiant punk band. Both Defiant Scum and Oi Squad share the same guitarist Pierre the Frenchman, which probably solidly nail him as the most punk guitarist in Hong Kong. Between Oi Squad and Defiant Scum, DS is the angrier of the two, with clearly shorter songs. I have a feeling they went through more than 10 songs in a short half-hour span. And these are rock-solid old school street punk tunes begging for well-aimed spits. While DS gave us real slam-dance music, the crowd has somehow dissipated. They have seriously grown since I last saw them, but I just could not quite understand why a punk band would need 2 guitarists. Two songs stand out: “Punk Rock” really put them on the pedestal (for me), and “Plastic Passion” which is a funny view on life in Hong Kong. We all need a punk anthem like that.
Bun Ng

Live Review from Underground 40:

True to their name, they defy goodness and normalcy at every opportunity. rebellious punk that’s always one step away from moshing, and they defy even that line, causing outbreaks of it. you can normally only find stuff like this on college radio stations (such as www.kgrg.com), but here they are, live, blowing away everybody’s better sense. halfway between death metal and punk, they ooze attitude from every pore, and throw it in your face. it’s a good thing damaged tissue regenerates, or you’d be in a heap of trouble listening to them. they’re beyond definition, just think verbal pesticide and you’re close. as the set progressed, fans started hatching and moshing more, as they should. We at the Underground approve.
Amos