2013

Favourites of the last 12 months. Certainly a strong year for LP releases.

IF Photo- SIMH

LP's
Violent Reaction- "City Streets"
Iron Lung- "White Glove Test"
Magic Circle- s/t
Hatred Surge- "Human Overdose"
Mammoth Grinder- "Underworlds"
Bone Sickness- "Alone In The Grave"
Rival Mob- "Mob Justice"
Entrails- "Raging Death"
Machetazo- "Ruin"
Autopsy- "The Headless Ritual"
Agents Of Abhorrence- "Relief"
Powertrip- "Manifest Destination"
Disma- "Towards The Megalith"
Out Cold- "A Heated Display" (waiting on my copy in the mail)

EP's/Singles
Barge- "No Gain"
Vile Intent- "Skin In The Game"
The Flex- "Scum On The Run"
Death Camp- "Teenage Nightmare"
Perspex Flesh- "Ona"
ZOM- s/t
Shackles- "Disposed Of"
Violent Future- s/t
Strong Boys- s/t
Sick People- "Fakes Rule"
Obliteration- "War Is Our Destiny"
Rats Blood- "Punks Is Mutants"
No Warning- "Resurrection Of The Wolf" (waiting on my copy in the mail)
Peacebreakers- "Everyday Battle" (limited release at Not Dead Yet, wider press due soon)
Koward- s/t (waiting on my copy in the mail)
Wastoids- s/t

Splits/Comps/Reissues
Innumerable Forms/Blessed Offal- Split LP
Abused- "Loud And Clear" reissue on LP (waiting on my copy in the mail)
Mindsnare- "Hanged. Choked. Wrists Slit." LP reissue 
Vaccine/No Faith- split 7" (haven't ordered yet, postage sucks man)
No Warning- "Ill Blood" LP reissue
Slayer- "Seasons In The Abyss" LP Reissue
Slayer- "South Of Heaven" LP Reissue
Breakdown- "Runnin' Scared" Reissue (waiting on my copy in the mail)

Tapes/Demos
Vile Faith- Demo Tape
Coffin Birth- Demo (it never received a hard release, but the digital is local grind mayhem)
Social Damage- Demo II
Eternal Champion- "The Last King Of Pictdom" Demo (limited releases suck. getting a vinyl reissue next year)
Caged Grave- Demo
Genocide Pact- Demo (waiting on the vinyl reissue in the mail)
Ya Te Veo- Demo (no hard copy yet as far as I know)
Torture Chain- "Mutilating Astral Entities" (limited releases suck)
Chain Rank- Demo (waiting on my copy in the mail)
Battle Ruins- Promo Tape (limited releases suck)
Stone Dagger- "The Siege Of Jerusalem" Demo Tape (waiting on my copy in the mail)

New confirmed EP's and LP's to look forward to in 2014 from Shin To Shin, Internal Rot, Shackles, Oblivionation, Battle Ruins, Eternal Champion, Perspex Flesh, Boston Strangler, Bone Sickness, Disguise, Innumerable Forms and more I would assume.

LOG BASE

I know nothing about Rapeman other than the fact that the band was the work of Steve Albini before Shellac. I know even less about this EP. It's a live recording and I think it's a bootleg. It's interesting stuff, but the main reason I grabbed it was for the interesting artwork.

TOTAL CONTROL ZONE

This ripping new addition to the archives is the new EP from Boston's Green Beret, "The Cult Of State". Side Two Records, black vinyl. Those familiar with the bands previous efforts will not find themselves alienated here at all. Just more hasty, distorted, skandi influenced hardcore. A lightly cleaner recording than the last release, but hardly a large difference at all.

CURTAINS

I knew nothing about this new "Live on KXLU 1992" 7" release from No Comment until RevHQ put it up in their store. Admittedly it seems that Deep 6 (responsible party) emails have been going direct to my junk folder now for the better part of six months without my knowledge, and we all know that Bob and co don't really succumb to the arm pit that is social media, so that may have something to do with it.
I doubt that this thing would have much appeal to anyone outside of the fan base of the late 80's/early 90's Californian PV scene. Live recordings have never been a massive crutch of mine, and the thick layer of hiss that permeates the entirety of this recording here does nothing to alter that opinion. You can't ignore it. The fact that it's literally an exact live remake of the "Downsided" 7" may have something to do with it also. No real variance in energy, mania or aggression from that iconic 7", though I suspect this may entertain potential fans that for some far fetched reason haven't heard it. The sleeve doubles as a big fold out two sided poster though, featuring plenty of obligatory live shots and show fliers. For fan boys like me this is an essential addition, but I suspect that that's all it may be.

ON THE RUN

Rabid, crusty, hyper hardcore punk mixed with some sort of gruff Oi approach may be a way to describe Gas Rag and their 7", "Human Rights". Another product of the ever intimidating Beach Impediment Records and subject to their fair share of excitement amongst various circles at the moment, this is just well done, messy punk. All of the songs are of the faster variety, all based around simple chords and a d-beat.

COLD FACE

Another recent pick up from Life Lair Regret Records, this compilation cassette of all of the output from Melbourne powerhouse, Frozen Over. This tape consists of the bands original demo (with same artwork I think?) and their songs from their split tape with Search And Destroy. I posted about that split tape back in 2010, but I was never quick enough to grab a copy of the demo. Finely executed, hateful hardcore in the vein of Think I Care and similar acts. Very good stuff. I think the band are playing shows again, but I can't confirm.

LOUD AND CLEAR

One of the most desired records on my want list is, and has been for years now The Abused "Loud And Clear" EP. Obviously it's a similar story for many other collectors otherwise I probably would have been able to obtain it a long time ago. Radio Raheem Records, a collaborative effort between one half of Painkiller Records and Parts Unknown Records has gone about reissuing the massively influential EP in the form of this new gatefold collab LP. Also included is the bands earlier previously unreleased (but widely spread) demo recording, a live track, a 24 page glossy booklet with various fliers, photos and liner notes, and a sticker sheet. Very clean, very tidy, and at this point very sold out.

VECTOR OF DISEASE

Another excellent split 7" featuring Sewercide, this time their split with Philadelphia's Casket. Pressed by Holy Anarchy Records. Wider press of black wax. Again, Sewercide rip it up with their take on nasty Death Thrash, possibly their best song at this point. Riffs. They have a new split with Presumed Dead available for order now. Google will show you the way.
On the back of an EP and a demo, Casket play a similar style of Metal, utilising somewhat less Thrash riffs though in favour of some real rough late 80's Floridan style Death. Certainly a good intro to the band for me.

WAR ENSEMBLE

And the other Slayer LP I wanted, "Seasons In The Abyss". Again, random issuing of red and black vinyl. I scored another black record. American Recordings.

MANDATORY SUICIDE

American Recordings has just gone about reissuing some early Slayer stuff, including two of their albums that I had really been trying to get my hands on for a reasonable price. This is the repress of "South Of Heaven" on black vinyl. Apparently the pressing consists totally of randomly issued variants of red and black wax. Unsure of the numbers. Everything this band does is excellent (like that really needs a mention), this album is no different.

SAY GOODBYE TO TOMMY

Public Execution were a largely forgotten punk band that existed in Brisbane in the early 80's. They released a number of recordings in shorter formats over the period of around 2 years and then called it quits. Clint at Short Fuse Records decided to release a discography LP comprising all of the bands stuff, and this is it. Sound wise it's a little tricky to put a finger right on it, as is the story with the bulk of Australian hardcore punk that was recorded during his period. I've heard comparisons to Black Flag and early UK stuff and that's probably the closest you'd get, though I don't think that the band had any specific idea of what they wanted to sound like at the time. A little different to the music I normally find interest in, but this compilation is excellent.

SALT THE EARTH

Newish demo tape from this newish Melbourne hardcore band, Higher Power. Issued by Life Lair Regret Records. The singer from 50 Lions (and possibly other members of that band, and probably guys rom other established bands) playing some sort of metallic mosh hardcore stuff. It sounds to me like a mesh of All Out War and Most Precious Blood, and more riff heavy stuff like that with an updated and polished recording. Australian bands like this aren't normally my taste, but the songs here are pretty cool.

MUTATION SHUFFLE

I know relatively nothing about Deaf Mutations other than the fact that they play noisy, fanatic hardcore. I first heard this "Crash The Clubs" single of theirs probably around two years ago at a friends house. It was a record I wanted to get my hands on at the time, but somewhere along the line I kind of lost interest in the hard copy. Stumbled across it in the last month at a local store, so grabbing it was a a bit of a no brainer. Static Shock Records does it again.

LEFT TO ROT

Well Dustin just made an identical post, and I spoke about the original tape version of this EP a couple of months ago, but here's the vinyl 7" version of the Caged Grave demo. Break neck hardcore. Great music played by some solid guys. Self released by the band.