Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Surf Nazis on Ecstasy are a thrash-punk trio who, despite their name, are neither beach bums nor fascists. And they definitely don't do raves. By their own word: "We're not artsy. We're not Nazis. We only play all-ages shows." It's an operational ethic that regularly brings them to crusty punk squats, suburban basements, and burned-out warehouses. This Saturday, the crew lands at Miami's d.i.y., all-ages venue Goo for an on-the-books show, with backup from local punks Eztorbo and Hellmass.via myspace.com/surfnazisonecstasy
Already through the first half of an East Coast run hyping the imminent release of its new self-released EP, the Surf Nazis have mastered a sound that's the musical equivalent of madness, death, and disaster. Yet even so, these three dudes remain immune to the sort of stylistic limitations that knee-jerk critics often pin on thrash acts. Thanks to recently added strains of Sabbath, the Melvins, and Sunn O))), the trademark Surf Nazi style has become an uncanny and forever-mutating thing. It shifts on a razor's edge from no wave to sludge rock to hardcore, without ever sacrificing an ounce of aggression.
Surf Nazis on Ecstasy, with Eztorbo, Hellmass, Mehkago NT, and the Panix. Saturday, May 30. Goo, 150 NW 54th St., Miami. Show starts at 8 p.m., admission is $5. Myspace.com/goomiami
MP3: Surf Nazis on Ecstasy - "Boy Meets World of Warcraft"
-- S. Pajot