The difference, by ear
D-beat is the sonic wing of the same politics, reduced to one rhythm and a handful of slogans.
Both are shouted, but d-beat is a little faster: 180 to 220 bpm against 150 to 200. To hear the difference, play Crass next to Discharge. They share a root in punk rock, and anarcho-punk came first, by three years. United Kingdom appears in the origins of both.
In figures
Anarcho-punk
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Anarcho-punk
In short
Total political punk: collectives, self-releasing and militant pacifism. It laid down the DIY ethic the underground still runs on.
How it sounds
- Raw production, often with noise, collage and radio recordings.
- Irregular, sometimes nearly improvised structures.
- Dense, pamphlet-like text printed in full on the gatefold sleeve.
Key acts
- Crass
- Conflict
- Subhumans
Start here
The pickCrass - The Feeding of the 5000. Not pleasant listening, and never meant to be.
Full page →D-beat
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Hardcore punk › D-beat
In short
Named after Discharge's drum pattern: galloping toms, motorcycle guitar and anti-war slogans shouted as choruses.
How it sounds
- The Discharge pattern: floor tom in eighths with the hi-hat open on the offbeat.
- Guitars with massive distortion playing two- or three-chord riffs.
- Short, sloganeering lyrics about nuclear war and authority.
Key acts
- Discharge
- Anti Cimex
- Disfear
Start here
The pickDischarge - Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing. Not one relaxed second on it.
Full page →