Often, when bands do a split release there is not a lot of collaboration between the bands. They just record their songs, have them put on one side of the record, and that’s about it.

But for this split, two of Portland,Oregon’s best underground rock bands, Gaytheist and Rabbits, decided to do something a little different. They not only recorded their own songs – they also recorded cover versions of one another’s songs. They had members of the other band contribute guest vocals on one of their own songs, and even wrote a song together, “Soap Scum,” and do two very distinct versions of it.

Gaytheist is up first with their song “Hope The Nihilist,” and it contains everything you would expect from the band. It’s a high-energy blast of noisy punk, complete with darkly humorous lyrics courtesy of lead singer/guitarist Jason Rivera and some blistering percussion from drummer Nick Parks. “Run Away To Home” follows in the same excellent way.

The two Rabbbits’ covers “We And Zoo” and “Fight Right” are given a slight Gaytheist makeover. The vocals are clearer and more upfront, while the band adds a little shot of sludge-pop giddiness to the tracks, while still packing a wallop. They take it into even sludgier territories with a version of their song “I Quit,” which features an angry and raspy vocal turn from Rabbits singer/guitarist Josh Hughes.

Their side finishes off with “Soap Scum,” which is the song both bands wrote together. Their version of the song is a bit more uptempo and melodic, while the Rabbits version, which follows on side B, is taken right to the sludge pit. In addition, when they get Rivera to do guest vocals on their song “Move Her Body,” they push him to give a more ferocious performance.

Rabbits actually speed up a bit with their versions of Gaytheist’s “I’m On Top” and “60 Easy Payments” while still retaining the gut-punch of their sound. There is a little more swing than lurch in these songs.

“The New Government You,” which is one of two new songs recorded for this split, is two-and-half-minutes of grimy and glorious sludge punk, while “Ready To Right” pushes the punishment over the five-minute mark, complete with a false ending. It’s a great way to cap a great release.

GAY*BITS is a mad experiment gone very right. Both bands bring their A-game to this disc and the results are one big glorious and exciting chunk of noisy punk from two of Portland’s best underground bands and released by one of Seattle’s best underground record labels.

(Good To Die Records, PO Box 70251, Seattle, WA 98127)