The Daily Void – The Identification Code 5271- 4984953784-06564 (Dead Beat, 2007)
Dead Beat Records has relocated to good ole Cleveland, Ohio. And regardless of their office being in my hometown, they continue to release punk and garagey related ventures. Amidst some of the more standard music this imprint works with are a few idiosyncratic and unique acts.
The Daily Void have been culled from the disbanded Functional Blackouts, who over the relatively short while they were performing, created a dense aura around themselves: playing house shows throughout the Mid-West and the like.
With the demise of the FBs, Dr. Filth and cohorts sought to continue their legacy of disheveled punk with a slight evolution. The sound of DV is obviously in some way tied to the FBs, but not as fulfilling. It’s still punk and the music still attempts to relate a bleak future through each tune. There is a tangible difference. The same propulsion is present. The band is fast, sloppy and rugged but the sense of experimentation and lack of care is missing. Even their name points to a perception of life that may not result in maximum effort.
If you think shit doesn’t matter, why bother exerting yourself?
Where as each FBs’ release moved forward in some way, adding a new layer of post-punk nihilism and noise, this initial release from the Daily Void seems like a step back to a more basic and primordial time. The music is still balls out punk, but doesn’t maintain the urgency that the Functional Blackouts were able to bring to the fore.
“Tapewurm” does possess a great deal of noise atop of the steady punk beat and even a bit of rhythmic variety, but unfortunately, there really isn’t a succinct statement of their work. Instead, what becomes apparent is an obsession with insects. Comparisons and blatant statements like, “You’re not a man/You’re an insect”, do point to the prevalent perception of humanity as scum, but where in punk is that lacking?
The arduously screamed chorus of “Die Stiletto” works to cement the lack of concern for life, and it’s convincing. Considering the past association though, this delivery of not quite standard punk seems a bit centered. The future may not look upon this as kindly as previous FBs releases and E-bay certainly won’t find anyone to hock The Identification Code for holiday prices anytime soon.
