KALASHNIKOV

S/T (7")

Adult Crash Records - 6 €

BACK IN STOCK!!! An official repress of one of my all time favorite Danish hc/punk E.P.s. The 1984 3 track E.P. by Kalashnikov from Albertslund! Carefully restored by Lasse @ Ballade Studios.

So recently I heard that this EP by one of the unsung rippers of Danish hardcore is finally getting a proper reissue by the great label Adult Crash. I first heard Kalashnikov on the PEACE/WAR comp when I was a teenager. The amount of killer bands on that double-LP compilation was overwhelming upon first listen, but Kalashnikov’s track “Schlueters Kabinet” appears pretty early on side A. After hearing familiar US hardcore like Articles of Faith and Neon Christ, I just remember thinking, “Who is this band? It RIPS.” For the longest time, after looking up who the band was in the booklet insert, my underdeveloped teenage brain assumed that Kalashnikov must be a punk band from Russia purely based on the name… even though it clearly says “Denmark” right next to the band name in the track listing. I’m such an idiot sometimes.
In the years following my digestion of this great punk comp and before great resources of information were so readily available online, I came to discover that Kalashnikov was from Albertslund in Denmark and that their track on the comp was taken from their eponymous 1984 3-track EP. As is the case with many great 80s punk/hardcore acts, Kalashnikov’s discography is pretty short: One 7” and one LP. It’s funny, because I remember Daniel bringing up that this reissue was happening at the store one day, and before realizing I was already familiar with the band, he said “Oh, Kalashnikov is total ‘Jeff-core’!” It’s really true. They play raging hardcore with melodic sensibility, but lurking beneath creeps a dark and ominous atmosphere. In particular, vocalist Charlotte delivers a more catchy vocal approach that to me is not too far off from their Danish contemporaries Electric Deads. But diving deeper into their catalog besides songs like “Schlueters Kabinet”, Kalashnikov dials back the tempo for these plodding, tribal rhythms that have noticeable leanings toward goth and post-punk influences – almost like Siouxsie and the Banshees. Especially on their LP Sub Version, some songs reach the 5-minute mark. For me though, the blending of these two vastly different sounds totally flows, gives the band more dimension, and warrants repeated listens.
I do feel like people’s awareness of this great band is a little bit underneath the radar. Especially considering that the cheapest copy of Kalashnikov’s debut EP currently for sale on discogs is $700 and some people are trying to get a GRAND for it, I feel like a proper reissue has been due for quite some time now. Sorry State should be getting distro copies soon. Personally, I can’t wait.