Crude SS

Crude SS

Crude SS is a Swedish punk group from Norberg Municipality. The band forms in 1982 and is associated with raw Swedish hardcore punk and crust punk, with a sound that mixes slower, sludge-like passages with fast, aggressive playing and coarse vocals.

History

The group first appears in the summer of 1982 with a self-released demo. The name includes “SS” because the band feels “Crude” alone is empty; it later says the initials stand for “Society System”. Crude SS begins playing shows alongside other Swedish punk bands of the period and builds a reputation mainly within its own local scene before reaching a wider audience later in 1983.

Its best-known release is the EP Who'll Survive, issued on Uproar Records and never officially repressed. The band is active in the same Swedish hardcore circle as Anti Cimex, Mob 47, Crudity and Disarm, although its sound is described as more distinctive than those acts.

Style and legacy

Crude SS is known for an unrefined, raw approach rather than polished production. Its music shifts between heavy, slow sections and more driving hardcore speeds, with harsh vocals and a generally abrasive attack. The band becomes an important influence within international DIY hardcore punk and is widely bootlegged.

Line-up

The listed members are Sven on vocals, Ebbe on guitar, Hocke on drums and Dick on bass.

Later activity

The band’s final period is unclear, but it last appears on an official compilation in 1986, which suggests that as the approximate end of its activity.