Brace yourselves, crustcore fanatics! Victoria BC’s Raw War, a once dormant force in the realms of hardcore crust, has reignited the flames of anarchy and decimation with their latest auditory assault, “Tsar Bomba“, a cataclysmic revival of a band that embodied the raw, untamed spirit of the Pacific Northwest’s underground scene from 2009 to 2013.
Raw War, a name synonymous with lawlessness and an apocalyptic vibe, tore through stages with a nuclear-powered ferocity.
Influenced by the aggressive ethos of UK D-beat and anarcho-punk legends like Doom and Discharge, and channeling the primal energy of Scandinavian crust pioneers like Anti Cimex and Totalitär, Raw War’s sound was a brutal, ear-splitting barrage that left no eardrum unscathed.
Their journey was marked by chaos: relentless live shows, a notorious debut 7″ ‘Population Control‘, and opening slots for heavyweights like Oi Polloi and Doom.
But this path was also riddled with upheavals. Lineup changes, label hesitations, and the departure of bassist Justin led to the shelving of their unreleased full-length album and the “Raw Terror” EP. This turmoil ultimately culminated in their dissolution and reformation as Kaiten in Vancouver BC.
For a decade, the echoes of Raw War’s unrelenting fury lay dormant, unheard, and almost forgotten. That was until Sentient Ruin label resurrected their unreleased oeuvre as the “Total Raw War” 12″ – a homage to one of the most devastating hardcore crust entities to ever desecrate Northwestern soil.
“Tsar Bomba” is a raw, unforgiving sonic assault that captures the essence of their primeval, bulldozing onslaught. Prepare to have your senses obliterated.
