Profane Existence #48 / $5 / 104M / http://www.profaneexistence.com /
Profane Existence brings forth another strong batch of interviews (this time, making sure a wide selection of global bands such as Migra Violenta and The Dagda are covered), but it is actually in their informational articles that the zine truly makes its worth known. Specifically, the exhaustive discussion of the current genocide in Sudan by Dave Trenga is of a depth and clarity that it would be a disservice is ey was never lauded on it. What Dave really does during this piece is to show both global and local participation (or the lack thereof) in this crisis, which is incredibly beneficial considering that much television media (the media most Americans tend to view) tends to gloss over the atrocity. J. Ramirez Hnat’s piece “Resistence†is as diametrically opposed in form from the Trenga piece, even though there are some similarities in message. What “Resistance†does is really move beyond specifics and facts into a post-modern type of personification that really shows motive more clearly than facts or real life situations would necessary do. The only thing that feels like a little bit of a tease is the back cover, which has a picture of the radical cheerleaders. Personally, I would like to get some information about how they were founded and the politics that hold their group together, but I understand that each issue of Profane Existence can’t be hundreds and hundreds of pages. As informative as Foreign Affairs without all the dry, boring academic stuff – and at a fraction of the price.
Rating: 8.2/10