Artist: Phosphore
Title: Phosphore
Release: Tape / Digital
Year: 2023
Label: Fight For Your Mind, Dirty Slap Records
French band Phosphore’s self-titled debut, released on those sick looking purple tapes in April 2023, is a definitive example of d-beat’s enduring appeal. Hailing from the now-famous Bordeaux scene, Phosphore features current and former members of Gasmask Terrör, Bombardement, Naatlo Sutila, Fosse Commune, and Faucheuse, among others. And much like the music of their other bands, this demo is a relentless assault on the senses, with blistering energy, raw aggression, and politically charged lyrics in French that draw from a rich countercultural history of punk and turbulent times of social unrest and police brutality in their own country.
From the opening track, “Le Sang N’Oublie Pas”, the record sets a furious pace, with fast and aggressive riffing accompanied by the signature d-beat drumming style that would become a cult following after Discharge. In the true tradition of DIY punk, the demo’s eight tracks, which barely break the two-minute mark, were recorded on both sides of the tape, so you can flip and repeat the bastard over and over again.
While newer Bordeaux bands like Faucheuse add a bit more rock’n’roll elements and different flavors to the genre, Phosphore offers a pretty straightforward, no-frills d-beat that draws from the likes of Avskum, Asocial, and the classic Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing era Discharge on tracks like “Marche Ou Crève”, “L’Ultimatum” and “La Prole”. Just eight tracks in twelve minutes of unyielding d-beat driven by pure rage and frustration. If you like bands like Bombardement, you’ll love this as well.
