Buzzbox

During “El Presidente,” the opening track on the demo Beat Down, Urban Disorder vocalist Syko rails against former president Bill Clinton, jabbing at his infidelity, draft-dodging and inability to admit his marijuana intake. Against a trudging backdrop broken up periodically by a frenzied chorus, Urban Disorder theorizes that the nation needs a real man/with a head on his shoulders. It’s not yet known whether George W. Bush meets the group’s criteria, but Urban Disorder seems satisfied with its own leadership change — according to the band’s Web site (www.geocities.com/urbandisorder2001), Syko “kicks our old lead singer’s ass.” This site illustrates how the group can move from macabre to playful, as surfers can drag a skeleton across their monitors on one screen, then click on links to such innocuous games as Tic Tac Toe and Love Compatibility on the next. Musically, Urban Disorder balances its sound between chugging riffs and spacy Sabbath-style psychedelic metal. And in its latest contrast, at Niener’s Second Memorial Fundraiser show, Urban Disorder combines malevolence with philanthropy, playing misanthropic tough-guy tunes such as “Piece of Me” to help fans pay for a loved one’s funeral