Songs About Hunting

Here's a record I thought I'd just have a shot at basically. Vaccuum from San Fransisco play noisy, fuzzy, shit drenched hardcore. Their demo from last year was a stern nod to everything from mid west 80's USHC to later burning sprits hardcore and the like. It was rough in all the right places. This new 7" travels a similar path, though the production is even more shitty, with alot more reverb laid on. This is on black wax of 500 copies. Lengua Armada Records.
I think I preferred the demo, this gets a little too muddy at times and the reverb on the singers pipes gets so deep sometimes that you almost lose him. Now I'm certainly no enemy of thick reverb but this gets a little too much for me.

Single folded transparency paper insert with various liner notes, lyrics etc.

Never Enough

In November of 2009 I posted about the Minus demo. After that I kind of stopped paying attention to them or what they were doing. That was until a few weeks ago when I heard that Triple B Records had pressed their debut 7", "Hard Feelings". For those unfamiliar, these guys make an interpretation of hard New York bands like Breakdown and Killing Time. Guys in this band also play in Violation and Downpresser, two other bands from SoCal that rip hard on a similar New York sound. Black vinyl of 600. Tacky cover of 1000.
This is good, thick, heavy hardcore. It's well thought out, written and recorded. I won't lie though, I liked the demo better. Maybe I just need to spin this a little more, but yeah, at this stage I prefer the stuff on the demo.

Numbers

The last time I posted about Vicious Cycle was nearly two years ago to the week. That last post was about the third in a series of 7"s they had released over an 18 month period or so. It was fast, gruff Boston styled stuff. After that 7" they put out an LP on Deranged Records of more contemporary kind of punk, akin I guess to bands like Fucked Up and the like. I never bought the record as I wasn't too keen on it. Maybe one day I'll get around to giving it another go, but I'm in no rush. Anyway, fast forward another year or so and this is their new single, the "Numbers b/w Over The Edge" 7" thanks to Paper + Plastick Records. Pale blue vinyl.
One original in 'Numbers' and a Wipers cover, 'Over The Edge'. In the context of one song on it's own, this is a fucking good track. Back to earlier stylings with a grubby, angry hardcore song. Yes it is a little more refined, but it's still raging. Stack it up amongst another group of songs on an LP or something again, and who knows, maybe it wouldn't be as much of stand-out/interesting piece. Time will tell with more music from these guys.
Not being familiar with or fond of The Wipers at all really, I can't really tell you how this cover compares to the original. I know I like this version though. Again just gruff, shitty hardcore. Good stuff.
Very happy to have this single in my possession. I was kind of disappointed with the last LP after such a strong run with those first three 7"s. Let's hope they keep this ball rolling.

Kamikazee

Picked this up a couple of weeks ago, one of the tour covers of the new I Exist/Phantoms split that the bands had out on the road with them. The only reason I bought this was for this particular cover, an excellent rip of Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. This is just one variation of something absolutely ridiculous like six different covers that they decided to do. For something like six shows I might add. Ouch. Not a fan of when bands do this, but like I said, I couldn't resist this one. Black vinyl, Common Bond Records.

Hand numbered obviously.

The regular sleeve underneath too.

Know It All

Here's the Deranged Records reissue of the Violent Minds s/t 7" on black vinyl. This was originally pressed by My War Records (of which I have a copy) before that label disappeared. I also read somewhere that this was also put out by a label called Violent Music. Not sure what the deal is there, but I'm assuming it's probably connected to the band. Someone help me out.

Manson/Neg FX rip off cover. Hand numbered 22/100.

Secured this for a small amount along with the subject of yesterday's post, the Justice demo 7". To be honest I probably wouldn't have bothered otherwise, but I thought I'd give it a go. Paid less than I thought I would so I'm happy.

Certainly one of my top five bands of the noughties.

Give It Up

As far as demos go, this would have to be one of my favourites of all time; the "Breakout" demo by Belgium's own Justice. This is the recent vinyl pressing of the 2003 demo, limited to something like 325 copies all on black vinyl. Dead And Gone Records pressed this at the end of 2010. Iconic Spoiler artwork as you'd expect. He kept it simple as you can see. It doesn't get much more suiting than this.
Originally I ordered this through the RevHQ store when it first came out, but I never actually received it. When my order arrived this had been stricken off the invoice and I hadn't been charged for it. Their portion of the records sold out quickly. That doesn't normally happen with Rev. I was a little pissed but I didn't really bother chasing it up. That was until about a month ago when I stumbled across is on eBay. Something like $20 secured this.
I doubt that I really need to go into massive depth about this band and this recording in particular. A+ New York inspired hardcore from Europe. The best thing that continent has ever produced by a LONG SHOT. This demo and the bands following debut 7" "Look Alive" would have to be two of my favourite releases ever. Bouncy, tough, bulky sounding recordings with a great old feeling. No band has done this style better since.
The band did go on the manipulate their sound in a more Supertouch direction as most would know, and the impression I get is that more people like that later stuff, but to me these early recordings were definitely the band in their prime. You can't fuck with this demo.

AARRGGHH BREAKOUT!

Survival Of The Streets

"The Age Of Quarrel" reissue on Mightier Than Sword Records. Not sure what the deal is with this reissue and this label in general. Never heard of the label until now and they've worked with bands like Blink 182. I think they have some big time label connection or something. Someone help me out. This is on red and black swirl of 400.
Gatefold sleeve with this inner. I probably would have left it like the original, but you get what you get I suppose. It's still quite nice/tidy etc.

No inner sleeve with censored or uncensored artwork. Bummer.

Matte sleeve as opposed to the original which was a glossy job. It's okay in real life but it makes for a somewhat tricky photo. Hard to make it look good anyway.

New one and the OG. Front.

Back.

No Chance

This is the first 5" I've bought in a while, the new Vaccine EP "Crimes In Blood". Painkiller Records has pressed this on black wax. A limited amount (I suspect 100?) on colour was also pressed. I wasn't lucky enough for that, so this will have to do.
More of the same from this band, though I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. Break neck speed violence. This is better than the last 7" in terms of production value; it's louder and angrier sounding, not quite as rough. If only it was in the 7" format and had maybe four or five more songs, then I'd be stoked.
Horrid artwork that I've heard alot of people complain about. Reminiscent of alot of those 90's militant edge bands. I'd write it off, but I kind of suspect that the band kind of made a conscious decision to do this. It wouldn't surprise me if that were the fact anyway.

Bring on more violence.

Curious to see what the band could possibly do next.

Honest Living

Where the fuck do I start with the s/t LP by Crowd Control? Well, I haven't chased a record this hard in years, that might do? Modern Bullshit Records, black vinyl of who knows how many.
So I have spoken fondly about this band on this blog before, but I have no real idea of how much you people think I like them. This album is my pick of 2011, this won't be topped, I'm quite confident of that. With that said though, technically this came out last year. The records were pressed in 2010, and the band had a record release show in something like October too. But since then the majority of them have apparently been sitting in one of the members house, not doing anything but collecting dust. There is nowhere online to buy them, and the only digital that exists is an average quality stream from the labels Sound Cloud that I actually linked on here previously. I ripped that stream and have been jamming it every day for the last three months.
I talked with the bands bassist Eddie over facebook around five weeks ago about getting my own LP. He wasn't at all rude, but he didn't seem too eager to help me out in my quest either. Just seemed rather a bit busy/preoccupied. He told me that copies would be available online in the coming weeks, but as of yet that still hasn't happened. So with the direction of an English ex-pat mate I signed up to the Collective Zine board, a UK forum, and started scouring on there. With some persistence I managed to get into contact with Jamie from Suburban Mayhem Records (a dude I have dealt with before) and persuaded him to trade me his personal copy. Thanks Jamie. Enjoy that Suffer LP.
About the music; thick, heavy, sludgy, 90's death metal influenced hardcore. This is like the filthy love child from when Neanderthal was about 6 inches up in Autopsy. I can't rave on enough about this album. One of the heaviest things I have ever spun. Reverb left, right and center, mountains of feedback, and the scummiest bass tone I have ever heard. Forget about the lyrics, the dark mood of this record is purveyed perfectly within the song writing, constructions and execution.
Minimalistic layout, contributing I guess to the somewhat mysterious vibe that the band have developed over time. It's running along the same theme of their 7" too if you haven't noticed.
I heard whispers about them breaking up. I wouldn't be too surprised if this were true, I probably wouldn't mind too much either, they'll never be able to create something of this quality again. I heavily doubt it anyway. I just hope that they are around in June when I'm over there, I'd love to see them live.

When/if the album does become more widely available, I'll be sure to get my hands on a big bunch of em to sell to my Australian mates. Keep your eyes peeled if you're interested.