2014

Year end list. No particular order here, though I'd say that the Battle Ruins LP would certainly be the best thing that happened in 2014. I realise that maybe I need to be a little more picky as this is a big list, but relative to the amount of horse shit that came out this year I'd say this is pretty fair. There's a handful of records here that I haven't yet actually acquired, a lot of these are currently in the mail and I'll post about them in the coming weeks. Some I just haven't got the money to blow on the stupid postage rates attached, but I hope to acquire eventually. Some of them just haven't seen their respective vinyl releases yet (or have no planned vinyl release), and well, I don't buy CD's.

Shackles Photo- Sarah Foollent

LP's

Shin To Shin- s/t

Battle Ruins- s/t

Perspex Flesh- s/t

Shackles- "Forced To Regress"

Black Jesus- "Everything Black Everything Dead" CD **

Internal Rot- "Mental Hygiene"

Gravehill- "Death Curse" CD

Mob Rules- "Nothing Left"

The Combat Zone- s/t
Not Afraid- "Locked Out" ^^

Rats Blood- "Low Life" ^^

Midnight- "No Mercy For Mayhem"

ZOM- "Flesh Assimilation" CD **

Boston Strangler- "Fire"

Impalers- "Psychedelic Snutskallar" 12"

EP's/Singles

Violent Reaction- "Dead End"

Stone Dagger- "The Siege Of Jerusalem"

Eternal Champion- "The Last King Of Pictdom b/w War At The Edge Of The End"

Caged Grave- "Gutless"

Coffin Birth- "Necrotic Liquefaction" **

Shrapnel- "Frenzied State" ^^

Koward- "Desperate"

Disguise- "System Shock"

The Sentenced- "Out For Blood"

Mind Trap- "Life Among Liars And Thieves"

Genocide Pact- "Desecration"

Die- "Vexed"
Hard Stripes- Untitled 7"

Sick People- "In My Nightmare"

Iron Lung- "Savagery"

Violent Outburst- "Survival Signs"

Magic Circle- "Scream Evil b/w Lighting Her Fire"
Survival- "Forged In Iron" 7" ^^

Splits/Comps/Reissues

In Disgust/SFN- Split 7"

Rot In Hell- "Ruined Empire" Compilation LP

At The Gates- "Slaughter Of The Soul" LP Reissue

Extortion- "Degenerate" LP Reissue

Social Damage- "Both Demos" 7"

Tapes/Demos

Shitgrinder- "Life Is Corrupted" Demo Tape

Vile Intent- LP Promo Tape

Crown Court- "Trouble From London" Demo Tape
GATH ŠMÂNÊ- "Transmuted Marrow" Demo Tape

Migraine- Demo Tape
Mammoth Grinder- "Cosmic Crypt" Tape
Severe- "Distorted Views" Promo Tape ^^

Rumours or confirmations of new records from All Out War, Violent Reaction, Strong Boys, Crown Court, Genocide Pact, Vile Intent, Chain Rank, and Severe will surely mean a good start to 2015.

**  vinyl release due in 2015
^^  in the mail

COMMENTATORS

City And Colour- "The Hurry And The Harm" 2xLP (Dine Alone)
First Press, 2013
Black 180g Vinyl /4020

Perhaps strange subject matter when considering the majority of the things covered on this blog, but this is the latest album from Dallas Green under his City And Colour recording alias, "The Hurry And The Harm". Apart from two or three songs, I was never a fan of the band that arguably shot him to fame, Alexisonfire, and it wasn't really until this year that I took an interest in any of his other work. This album is excellent folk rock though, and I'd argue that it's one of my most listened to records of 2014. This guy can really sing. I think I am mellowing out as I grow older.

WHAT YOU GET

Boston Strangler- "Fire" LP (Fun With Smack)
First Press, 2014
Black Vinyl /??

Haha Dustin just posted about this new Boston Strangler album, so just read about it here. I will add though, that I think I might like this record a bit more than the previous one, just because of the slightly more gritty recording. Mostly new tracks, though there's a couple included here that were originally released on the bands demo in 2010, along with versions of three songs originally heard on the bands "Joke's On You" promo tape from last year.

PROWLING LEATHER

Midnight- "No Mercy For Mayhem" LP (Hells Headbangers)
First Press, 2014
Ox Blood /??

I've been aware of Cleveland's Midnight and actively listened to digital versions of their stuff for a few years now. None of it ever really made me want to grab a hard copy until this new LP surfaced this year though. One man Motorhead/Venom inspired Heavy Metal. Powerful, loud, dingy, scuzzy and raw, there's a handful of current bands doing this style at the moment, but I'd argue that Midnight would be leading the pack and largely responsible for the popularity it's experienced over the last few years. This Ox Blood colour way is apparently one of the limited pressings, but I have no idea of the pressing info. Comes with a big poster.

READY TO ROT

DiE- "Vexed" 7" (Sonic Terror Discs)
First Press, 2014
Black Vinyl /1000

Unhinged, macho hardcore from the UK is running rampant at the moment, and while most of the bands from the country tend to specialise is the variety with a massively stompy feel, DiE dabble in a style that resides in a much more outsider, brooding kind of vibe. This is their second EP, following a simply perfect debut (that I'm still desperate to get my hands on), and while this is still top tier punk, it doesn't quite hold up to that earlier material. Vocals would be the stand out here, there's nobody around at the moment that quite possesses the power that this guy does, and the off kilter guitar work and frantic drumming all work perfectly together. Though I don't enjoy this as much as the first record, this band is still easily a top 5 UK group.

UNWELCOME MAT

Social Damage- "Both Demos" 7" (Straight And Alert)
First Press, 2014
Black Vinyl /326

Vinyl pressing of the two demos (I / II) that Social Damage (previously Blind Justice) released in 2013. I was massively fond of both of these tapes when they originally surfaced, but to be honest I didn't really think it was that necessary to press them like this. Regardless, I had to buy myself a copy. The band have just released their debut EP which I shall post about soon.

ALLEY CAT

Migraine- Demo Tape
Band Edition, 2014

Been sitting on this demo from Byron Bay's Migraine for a few months now. This is the band released version, Around the same time, Asbestos Death Records released a differing version also. Outsider vibed, hardcore punk that I suppose would claim lineage to bands like Bl'ast!, Black Flag and the like. They're currently in the middle of a tour of the southern states and they have a new 7" coming out soon on Asbestos Death.