Debtors’ Prison EP

Smeat was a Chico band that created a sometimes amazing, most of the time horrid collaboration between no-wave and drunk punk. The Makai is one of the most highly regarded metal bands to ever come out of Chico. After the breakup of Smeat, but before the fruition of The Makai, a short-lived band called Enjyokousai, composed of members of both Chico groups (Steve Worthless from Smeat, and Jeff Worrel and Ian Makau from The Makai), came together. They played no shows and recorded one four-song EP the day before bassist/vocalist Worthless moved to Japan. That was in 2003. More recently, Worthless moved back the States, to Modesto, and has gone to the trouble of releasing the old recording. The EP sounds like an explosion. It’s a perfectly constructed barrage of unapologetic noise, with a lyrical assault that smashes through the hegemony of capitalism like an AK-47 shooting through a wet paper bag. From “Debtors’ Prison”: “Buy. Spend. Watch the banks continue to lend. We’re not happy but we can pretend.” The whole thing is over in less than seven minutes, but such extreme and authentic music doesn’t require any more time to unleash its destructive power. Download for free at enjyokousai.bandcamp.com, or pick up a copy when Worthless’ other band, Clobatron, visits Monstros on Friday, May 27, 9 p.m.