I've got ALOT of random thoughts and ideas about this band these days. Alot about them has changed in the last six years or so. On the level, this LP is the fucking shit. Easily the best thing they've done since Jane Doe, and it even somewhat contests that albums spot on the top of the mantle.Concerning these random thoughts that I speak of though, the "DIY" persona that these guys seem to have developed over their career rubs me up the wrong way somewhat. I love Converge, don't get me wrong, and I can admit that they do have a very DIY grounded back catalogue (especially with the 90's stuff), I can't fault a single note that Kurt Ballou has ever written, even the early early records gimme a boner, it's just that obviously these days, Converge are a big name hardcore/metal/punk band, and with such a reputation comes alot less time to perhaps pay attention to every detail and aspect that a real DIY band would be able to. Alot of hype was generated about this album online prior to it's release. I mean ALOT. Alot by Epitaph, and alot by Deathwish. I remember six weeks ago it was everywhere. Also my Facebook is constantly inundated with Converge updates about their current tour, Axe To Fall reviews, and random crap, at least two every hour. I find it very hard to believe that the band members are doing this themselves. How would they find time on tour? I know for a fact that they spam the shit out Twitter and Myspace too. To me spamming is not the most DIY approach.
Another thing that I normally have a problem with any band doing, is pressing a million different variants of one record. What does it achieve? It's lucky I'm not a bat-shit crazy Converge collector like I am with Extortion, as I'd be fucking dead broke if I was. Believe it though, when I say that there are kids out there that sink every single one of their hard earned dollars into collecting Converge records. Here's the pressing info with this record, it's pretty ridiculous:
First Press
100 - Clear w/ colored shards
300 - Solid Blue and Beer split with yellow splatter
400 - Beer w/ blue white and yellow splatter
500 - Cream (Epitaph mail-order exclusive)
800 - Beer, Coke Bottle Blue and black tricolor
1000 - Beer (European exclusive)
2000 - Coke Bottle Blue
2000 - Solid Light Blue
Now tell me that you don't think that's a little retarded. Of course it is. But it makes money right? Judging by how much older Converge stuff has been going on eBay for over the last five years, I know that that press of 100 clear with coloured shards is going to fetch some big dollars over the next twelve months. It's capitalism.
Anyway, I'll get off my high horse, this record is still a ball tearer.
Kinda pissed, I got in early (well I thought I did?) and all I got was this Beer, Coke Bottle Blue and black tricolor press of 800. It's great looking but I really wanted one of those clear with shard presses, they look amazing. I'll settle with this though.
Two inner dust sleeves. I'm kind of confused as to why or how this happened. The wax came in a standard white dust sleeve, but the second sleeve is this glossy insert here with all of the album credits on it.
Gatefold LP as standard with modern Converge. Boring artwork. I'll admit that Bannon has talent, but every album since 2000 has had a very similar/formulaic aesthetic. I did like You Fail Me quite a bit though, but this looks like an exact splice of Jane Doe and No Heroes.
I don't like bagging this band at all. I like to believe that they are the sole reason that I listen to alot of what I do these days, so I won't continue with my tirade, all I'll say is this record is definitely worth getting your hands on, it's certainly a strong contestant for my long player of the year.
The Bridge Nine official re-issue of the Victim In Pain LP. Boring gatefold cover, I'd have preferred some skins in boots moshing the shit out of everything. Black wax.
The new Outbreak album. Gatefold. Green with black smudge of 700. I haven't listened to this enough yet to make make a proper opinion, but so far, it aint that great. How much did this bands hype die off? Crazy huh?
It's a Trustkill/Think Fast split release. I am really curious how that happened. I know that this new Saw movie soundtrack has been officially released by Trustkill, and that Outbreak have a track on it. I wonder if they're making the mad cheese.
And the new Every Time I Die LP. Another gatefold. Pink wax of 400. These guys are my guilty pleasure. I love a few of their earlier albums so much, but I haven't been able to get into this new album that much.
So Resist Records now has pre orders up for the new Extortion 10", "Loose Screws", due out in January. I thought that Deep Six were gonna be doing the wax version of this release, but maybe I'm wrong, or maybe they still will be. Apparently this Resist press is 'limited', so I suppose that leaves room for an American Deep Six version. You all know me though, I'll be getting it all.
I just discovered this new blog published by the singer of Living Hell. Full of quite alot of random stuff, one of his earlier posts is this mix tape that he's put together. Now I originally discovered this blog after I googled 'New Lows Paincave Sessions tape'. You see I was looking for a DL of said tape as original copies were sold at Sound And Fury earlier in the year, and I was hoping that someone would had to have uploaded it somewhere by now. Well now it turns out that Painkiller finally have copies for sale in their web store, though it seems that they've kept in on the stealth (no mention anywhere on the site). I bought one, and a copy of the new Force Fed 7". Couldn't help myself.
They cover "I Don't Like You" by Battalion Of Saints on here, they should have done "My Mind's Diseased" though.
Apparently the band has an LP due out on Deranged next year, along with a split 5" with my favourite UK sonic assailants, Rot In Hell. Good stuff.
Earlier this year a friend of mine interviewed this troupe of noise terrorists in his zine, and in doing so inspired me to check them out. To describe them would be a tricky task at best, but I suppose you could say that they play an interpretation of bass driven hardcore like Neanderthal and mix it up with something like the electronic tendencies Godflesh used in the mid/late 90's. Noisy, droned out dirge-core. There's even a track on here called 'Dirge'.
Like it really matters, but the tape credits read like a who's who of Boston hardcore. Jason Clegg (Think I Care, though, thanks to the crazy reverb on his pipes, you'd never know it was him) on vox, DFJ (Mind Eraser, No Tolerance plus a shit tonne more) on geeetar, vox and programming, with Chris Cory helping out with some additional sounds as well. It's a shame they never made anything more of this band. I heard a 7" was due at some point, but I also heard more recently that they broke up. Anyone out there who knows anything contrary hit me up. An ep from this unit would surely mean the end of civilisation as we all know it. The soundtrack to our oblivion.
The sleeve is a standard that Slasher Records is using for all of the stuff they plan to release apparently. Hence a whole pile of different bands on it. They just had the Urban Blight stickers printed for this MLP, the same I assume they'll do for each subsequent band they release. It's obviously a deliberate rip on a hip hop 12" single too. It works.
There's three songs in particular on here that blow my head off every time. 'Cut Back', 'Fake Attitudes', and 'Blight Makes Right'. Easily the three best songs of this style this year.
Issues #23 and #24 come as standard print matter. Interviews with Watery Love, Wasted Time, and Waste Management, along with a SE Asia, Straight Jacket Nation tour diary in #23. #24 Consists mostly of just random printed stuff, dragged out from DX's private collection of stuff that he has apparently hoarded over the years.
Issue #25 is the Extortion/Jed Whitey split 7". I already have a regular copy of this 7", of which I posted about a month ago or so, but this copy has the limited (of 150) subscribers cover.
As you can see, it's just a black and white news print version of the standard sleeve. But on the backside it's got the routine inner notes that come with every issue of Distort print zine.
So as you can see I've got a few copies of this to give away. One here is mine, and another is spoken for, but if you want one of the remaining three, hit me up via the comments, and I'll send you a copy for free.
