Poison Arts: Flexi + Comps 12″

Description

Released on DTKPoisonArtsRecords Fan Club from Brazil. Limited to 180 copies. This LP compiles Hi-Energy 7″ flexi as well as Poison Arts’ appearances on Attack of 4 Tribes compilation 12″,Nobody’s Fault Sulais Omnibus compilation 12″, and Game of Death compilation 12″.

Our take: Fan Club LP that compiles Poison Arts Hi-Energy 7″ flexi as well as their appearances on the Attack of 4 Tribes compilation 12″, Nobody’s Fault Sulais Omnibus compilation 12″, and Game of Death compilation 12″. Poison Arts can be an intimidating to get into because they have a slew of releases, but this compilation gathersup several odds and ends from the bands discography into a digestible chunk. The tracks from the flexi and Attack of the 4 Tribes compilation are from 1988, and while Japanese hardcore deep heads will love them, the band feels a little less focused at this earlier stage, combining elements of thrash, rock-and-roll, hair metal, and punk in a way that has plenty of charm, but doesnt hang together into a consistent sound and vision. However, the b-side compilation tracks from only a year later are a major upgrade. While not as anthemic as Death Side (with whom Poison Arts shared their guitarist Chelsea), everything seems to click together on these 1989 tracks, showcasing a band that is locked in, channeling their undeniable musical virtuosity into a sound whose intensity matches its complexity. As with a lot of these recent Japanese fan club releases, the packaging is meager but the sound reproduction is very strong.