Rising from the ashes of the defunct D.C. hardcore band Scream, Peter and Franz Stahl formed
Wool in the early '90s. Along with bassist
Al Bloch and former
Government Issue drummer
Peter Moffett, the brothers Stahl recorded the quickie EP
Budspawn in 1992 and released it on the independent External label. While
Wool's sound is much more accessible and arena-ready than most D.C. hardcore bands, that fact doesn't diminish
Budspawn's potency a bit. Unlike many punk bands,
Wool's strengths lie in crushing, mid-tempo rock grooves (driven by Moffett's impeccable rock drumming) like "Slightly Under" and "Medication," which pack a thunderously satisfying wallop. Peter Stahl leads the charge on each raucous anthem with a voice that sometimes recalls
the Cult's
Ian Astbury -- at its best, it sounds on the verge of giving out completely. And
Wool's interest in drugs (reflected in nearly each song on
Budspawn) further separates it from D.C.'s straight-edge scene. ~ Andy Hinds