In the past few years, we’ve seen a resurgence loud, noisy and dirty rock in the underground. A whole slew of bands are peddling these aggressive and vital sounds. But more than just copying the past, they take certain forms of music and update them in their own twisted and mutant ways.

Rabbits, from Portland, Oregon, and Whores, from Atlanta, Georgia, are two of the more notable bands in this mini-noise rock explosion that is going on. Both work their own style and do it quite well.

This seven-inch is a split release between Eolian Empire, which is the label that is run by a few members of Rabbits, and Brutal Panda, which is the label that has put out both of Whores’ excellent EPs, including Clean. For this one, the bands have decided to give their skewed take a bunch of songs from mope rock royalty, The Cure. And it works quite well.

Whores take the jaunty, three-minute, cynical pop song, “Jumping Someone Else’s Train” and make it heavier and nastier, stretching out the song a bit. Guitarist/vocalist Christian Lembach takes the cynical tone of the lyrics to much angrier and dark places. The whole thing is covered is fuzz and feedback. They make it their own.

Rabbits takes the somber instrumental, “A Reflection,” and keep the general tone and guitar lines, but add an extra kick of heaviness underneath it. They make it more cavernous and doomed. “Give Me It” is made even more angry and noisy with Josh Hughes shouted vocals taking it to places Robert Smith wouldn’t dare venture.

This release works as a gloriously deranged take on a few songs from one of alt rock’s heavy hitters done by a couple of bands who are keeping it dirty and nasty in the underground. They make their selections their own. If you like what you hear on this record, then you should definitely check out the band’s original material which is readily available through the record labels mentioned above, and a few other choice purveyors of noise. You might have a couple of new favorite bands.

(Eolian Empire, PO Box 42073, Portland, OR 97242)