HAMMER A NAIL

Crown Court- Trouble From London Demo Tape (Quality Control)
UK Edition, 2014

I'm doubtful about just how accurately I could describe the sound that Crown Court create with this new demo of theirs. You could certainly class this as one of the latest of the current lineage of British punk taking influences from various early 80's USHC and blending it with a classic English approach. At this point, this is probably the furthest that any current English band have removed that Boston feel though in favour of a more genuine Oi assault. Members of a handful of other well known UK hardcore bands, so some of that sound does shine through here and there. I listen to just about zero of the bands that these guys would rate as main influence, but I can safely say that the three songs here are massively catchy and stompy, and this will probably go down as my favourite demo of this year.  As far as I know this is sold out now, but I've heard that an American edition will become available soon. No idea who's handling that though.

SHUT UP

Violent Reaction- Dead End 7" (Quality Control) 
First UK press, 2014 
Black Vinyl /500 

They've just signed to Revelation Records and they're due to release a new LP this year, but before that, Violent Reaction have managed to produce this excellent new EP, "Dead End". This version is the UK press committed by the mighty Quality Control Records on black vinyl. Perhaps foolishly, I opted to purchase this from Static Shock instead of directly from QC as SS also had copies of the Crown Court demo. As a result though, I missed out on the limited white press of 100 copies of this EP. Not to worry, PKR have just handled the US release with a limited variation that I think I was quick enough to land.
It's not credited on the record sleeve anywhere, but discogs dot com states that this thing was mastered by Will Kilingsworth, perhaps a reason for the loud result, that could arguably result in the bands strongest release to date. Where I felt the "City Streets" album suffered slightly in the less than loud recording, here they've more less combined all the best factors of their two previous releases. That top shelf sound captured on the first 7", and all the more UK Oi! influences they started playing with on the LP. Here they probably take that UK approach further too with the distorted guitars completely eliminated in favour of that clean guitar sound.

THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM

Stone Dagger- The Siege Of Jerusalem c/w Black Clad Rider 7" (Electric Assault)
First Press, 2014
Black Vinyl /500(?)

Following the initial tape release of this single from Stone Dagger at the end of 2013, finally the vinyl version has surfaced with thanks to Electric Assault Records. This first press sold out in a bit more than a day. A second press is due soon. The more I listen to these two songs, the fonder I grow of them. Very excellent record, and through the power of suggestion on the label's behalf, I suspect we shall hear more from this group in the future.

NO SUCH LUCK

Extortion- Degenerate LP (Blitz/Deep 6)
Third Press, 2014
White and Black Vinyl /??

Considering all the records that I own by this band, after some searching it looks like I've never made a dedicated post about what is arguably Extortion's best work, their first LP originally from 2006, "Degenerate", which I'm a little surprised by. This is another press -the third- handled by UK label Blitz Records with licence from Deep 6 on what the label describes as white and black, but seems more like a smudged grey. From the initial earlier presses, apart from the colour way, this thing varies in no way at all.
I'm confident in saying that this band isn't responsible for a single sub par release, though it all certainly exists along a scale of 'fucking excellent' down to 'not as excellent'. Sandwiched between the bands 1st and 2nd EP's, this record would definitely exist at the strong end of that scale and from many conversations I've had with people over the years, it seems it's all down to opinion on which of the first three of their records is their best work. I will admit that my opinion on the three tends to switch depending on my mood, but this album normally ends up being the one I spin first, mostly just because there's simply more music presented here and I don't need to be flipping between sides as often. I'd argue that the recording captured here is probably the best that the band achieved too- nice and loud and blown out without getting too 'studio'.
For the last couple of years the band have been completely inactive, though around the time of the release of their split with Cold World Rohan did make mention of a heap of material they had recorded for a handful of split releases with some very excellent bands. He did also talk about another full length. I haven't heard anything since then, but it would be good to see some new music from the band, considering just how prolific they were during the end of the noughties.

COME BACK

Rot In Hell- Ruined Empire LP (Organized Crime)
First Press, 2014
Grey Vinyl /??

Through all of the general pointlessness and unwarranted hype generated around Record Store Day every year, I normally tend to find at least one release that interests me enough to make me chase it down. Last year it was the Insect Warfare/Napalm Death split 7", this year it's this new collection LP from Rot In Hell, "Ruined Empire". This record serves as a sequel to the bands first collection LP, "Hallways Of The Always", and more or less works the exact same way; a collection of nearly all of the music that they have released on smaller formats since that last big record. What is different this time around though is that the band have opted not to record any new music specifically for this record; everything you get here has been released previously, admittedly though, some of it in extremely limited pressings.

THE LINE UP

Caged Grave- Gutless 7" (Self Released) 
First Pressing, 2014 
Black Vinyl with Large 45 Hole /12

A very limited version of the latest Caged Grave EP. 12 copies only with this 45 hole, distributed to friends of the band.

RACE THE REAPER

Disguise- System Shock 7" (Milk Run) 
First Pressing, 2014 
Yellow Vinyl /500

A central group of Irish musicians continues to produce quality loud music, the latest of the batch being this debut 7" from Dublin's Disguise, "System Shock". I had more or less forgone any real hope of hearing new riffs from these guys until Milk Run announced towards the end of last year that they would be pressing the bands inaugural vinyl outing. It took a little longer than what I assume the label had hoped, but finally the record has seen it's release.
The band haven't made a huge departure from what the demo originally hinted at- harsh Japanese inspired hardcore is largely the order of the day here, though the recording if anything is of notably lesser quality than that of the bands previous material. Across the board with this EP, the band also utilise more often a higher tempo, and the reverb effects on Andy's vocals aren't as pronounced, while all the delay is still there. All those factors lend to a different vibe than the previous stuff. It's probably not as hooky as the demo, but it's got energy in droves.

TEETH EATING

Internal Rot/Manhunt- Split 7" (Lethal Dose/625 Thrash/Psychocontrol)
First Pressing, 2014
Yellow Vinyl /50

In addition to their contribution to this split, Internal Rot have just returned from a short tour of the US and released a full length album, so they've been busy to an extent recently. Their four tracks here are exactly what you'd expect from the band; relentless Grindcore ala Excruciating Terror and related nastiness. Recorded back in March 2012, these songs, plus something like an additional 16 were originally intended for their debut LP, but were scrapped due to the guys not being entirely happy with the quality. Between that aborted session and the one for the eventually approved "Mental Hygiene" album, they wrote a load of new songs, so these four have only seen a release here. Pure Grind superiority in my opinion and certainly Australia's strongest example of the style currently.