sore

Quick post before bed, this time tomorrow I'll be on the other side of the world. Here's the demo tape from Byron Bay's Shackles. Gruff, distorted powerviolence is what you get here. Self released by the band.
This demo has existed in one way or another for at least 18 months now, maybe more. I've owned a CD-R version since the first time Cruel Hand toured here and Shackles supported them at the Byron youth hall thing. They played well then, but I was turned off when they covered Ceremony. Not to say thatI don't like that band, but I dunno, you don't cover a band like that. I saw them for the first time since then a few weeks ago at the Mixed Bill show that we launched the Sick People demo at. They played great so I grabbed this tape version. Upon giving these guys more of a listen and some proper attention, I have to say that I'm pretty into this tape. It's got it's flaws, namely the shoddy mix, and the loud drums but Mark's got a cool, gruff vocal tone and the songs are well written. If they write some more music, I'll be first in line to give it a go.

Hand painted cassette.

Numbered, of only 5(?). I'm kind of hoping they did more, but I guess this is it. Need more.

Certainly a cool tape. I hope they do more. So many bands like this tend to pump out a demo and then disappear.

cream queen

This is the new demo from Chicago's Cyborg. Essentially this is just the guys from Weekend Nachos playing a more basic, messier version of what that band originally set out to do. Powerviolence. A nice, tidy arrangement by Yakuzzi Tapes.
This demo is not totally dissimilar from the early WN stuff, though it doesn't possess that low end that their material has always utilised. The singers crazy vocals from those early WN days are prevalent here, alot more noticeable than current WN stuff anyway, though not as full on as the "Torture" 7" for example. There's also a dual vocal approach with this band. The job isn't totally handled by just the regular WN guy.

And this is the 7" version of the demo, pressed by Deep 6 Records on black vinyl.

Somewhat of a boring layout, but it's just a demo 7", so I can deal.

None of this is groundbreaking whatsoever. The band would attest to that I suppose as well. I've never been a massive fan of Weekend Nachos either, so I'm not getting overly excited about this demo, though it is listenable, and entertaining enough for the eight minutes it goes for. It even warrants a few repeat listens, but nothing more really. With the popularity that WN seem to be achieving at the moment, it's hard to say wether Cyborg will see any regular attention, but I'd be interested to hear some more stuff.

i can't see

New stuff from Melbourne's heavy PV group Rort, in the form of their debut s/t 7". Black vinyl, Cucificados Records. Artwork by Rohan Harrison.
Alot of people have been comparing these guys to Mind Eraser, and to an extent I guess I can see the similarities. Heavy guitar tone, simple structures built around a mosh bit, blast beats etc etc. It's got a clear production not dissimilar to "Glacial Reign" but I'm not sure if the band themselves would agree with the pigeon holing. I think normally I'd be pretty into this, like if it were some American band, but I don't know, I just don't find it that interesting at all. Chris Cory has a knack for writing really catchy riffs and breaks, and all of his Mind Eraser structures are relatively simple, but extremely effective. These guys don't really possess such a talent. I think I need to give it some more time though, I hope it grows on me.

genetic death

'Another fucking tape' you ask? Apologies. It just seems that I've amassed quite a few over the last few weeks. There's still about five or six to talk about too, along with a small handful of records. I'll get there eventually. I'm heading to the UK for three weeks this tuesday and I don't know if I'll have many opportunities to post very often while there, so I'm trying to bang out most of the current lot before I leave. This is the new demo from Florida's God Harvest. Self released by the band, there are 100 of these getting around, all on a red cassettes. At this point, this one stands as my favourite demo of 2011 and I doubt that fact will change.
What you get here is at it's most basic; loud grindcore with a somewhat clean sounding recording. I've heard them compared to Magrudergrind and Insect Warfare of all bands, but I can't think of a comparison that's further off the mark. Intentional or not, this has a much more Euro sound akin to bands like later era Rotten Sound and Nasum, pinpointed specifically by said cleanish recording and the guitar tone. There's a stark metal sound in the music here that's juxtaposed by a relatively 'hardcore' sounding vocalist. That description sounds a little cheesy, but trust me, what they're doing here really works.
Really tidy package for a self released demo too. Pro dubbed and screened tape coupled with a firm j-card insert and a clean fold out note sleeve/insert.
Apparently this is actually their second demo, following a recording they made a couple years back that never saw the light of day before they went on some sort of hiatus. They're back writing music now obviously. I'd like to hear this first demo.
I can't imagine these guys not getting pretty popular if they keep doing shit like this. This here release ticks virtually all boxes for me in terms of what I'm looking for in a demo. It could be a little rougher, but regardless, I can't get enough of it the way it is. I have a small handful of these for distro, Brisbane dudes, I strongly advise that you pick this up. Not be fucked with. Hopefully I'll have a chance to interview them for my zine in the coming months.

nothing can stop us

Here's the tape version of the Eye Gouge "Feel The Rage" EP that I posted about a few days ago. 50 copies of this exist thanks to the bands singer Thomo and his label Rain On The Parade. This is the guy that put out an Australian edition of the Tremors demo. He'll also be handling the next Sick People material.
Thomo states that this was produced as a back up, just in case the flexi's weren't ready for the release show a few weeks back. Very tidy work.
And the new Iron Mind cassingle, "Guilt". 100 copies of this are floating around with two alternate covers. This serves as the precursor to the bands upcoming LP on Dead Souls Records. DS is also responsible for this tape.
Very very neat little package in terms of layout etc. The music isn't too bad either. Reasonably run of the mill NYHC, the type that alot of Aussie bands seem to be aping at the moment. Hard edged stuff that I can enjoy but I don't think I'd be able to handle an entire LP from end to end.

pay the cost

Sometimes I wish I was straight edge, and that I had the chance to see this band live, just so I could sing along to 'Sentenced'. I speak of the demo, "Boston Straight Edge" by No Tolerance. This came out a few years ago, at the time I had the chance to buy it in the Painkiller webstore, but like the Bad Choice demo, for some unknown reason I passed it up. It was virtually an immediate regret, and I've since spent the past couple of years keeping an eye out for this cassette. It was subsequently issued last year as a 7", a record that I managed to get my hands on, but this tape has stood strong as a definite want on my trade list. My number came up a few weeks ago in the way of en eBay auction.
So if you don't know already, this is essentially just CC and DFJ from Mind Eraser playing tried and true early 80's Boston hardcore. All the trademarks of the style; short, fast bursts, 1-2-1-2 tempos, snappy little snare fills, hooky mosh bits, arrogant lyrics etc etc. These guys, along with Waste Management are just about the two best bands playing this style in modern hardcore. Nothing else in the USA comes anywhere near this, a handful of groups out of Canada get very close.
A few weeks ago Youngblood Records dropped news of an approaching 7" of new music from these guys, which the label will be releasing. They haven't published it anywhere on their site, but that's what was said on the Youngblood facebook of all places. It's due mid July or something. It better be just like this demo, but longer. Talk of new No Tolerance has been in the pipeline for a good 18 months now thanks to a random post on the Mind Eraser blog a while back.

locals only

Here marks my first procurement of the fabled flexi disc in the form of the latest effort from the capital city's, Eye Gouge! "Feel The Rage". Coffin Cut Records, clear flexi.

I got the show release cover, hand numbered 16/35.

Seems that there is certainly a growing number of bands doing flexi's at the moment. I read somewhere that Pirates Press is now producing them, so I'd say that's got alot to do with it. There's currently about five or six bands that I take interest in to some extent that are producing some kind of flexi release currently.
I like this EP better than the bands previous material. It's much along the same lines in terms of direction, a stark Australian sound along the lines of A.V.O. etc, but the recording's better, the songs are more interesting, and Thomo's lyrics have improved heaps.

There's a tape version too, which I'll post about soon.

decompose

RSR just pressed this limited (of 300) Extortion 5", "Get Fucked". This is two songs left over from the "Sick" sessions, these track are nearing four years old.

Not to be repressed, this ones numbered.

And here's the limited cover that was sold at Chaos In Tejas this year. Most moved at the festival, but the label had a few left over. I was lucky enough to get one.

Again, numbered.

I bought two (one with the Tejas cover, one without). You know me, bit of a nerd.