MURDER AND ARSON

Few tapes. First one, the demo tape from Blind Dead. Horrendously filthy, depraved death metal ala Autopsy from members of Dry Rot. Deer Healer Records. Rough recording, guttural groans, down tuned guitars. Good stuff.

The "Family Time" cassette from Perth's Grandmother. A cool, sturdy mix of rougher punk with some obvious doom elements. Slays For Days Records are the responsible party. Not sure if you'd class this as a demo or not, but it's the first time I've heard the band and I'm pretty into it.

The debut demo tape from Brisbane's Deathcrvsh. Don't let the name fool you, this hasn't got much to do with Norway, this is much more along the lines of various fastcore and PV styled bands past and present. They cover a classic Think I Care tune too if that's any help.

I don't know much at all about Legal Highs from Brighton, I just recently grabbed their demo off a friend on a whim. Energetic hardcore with crunchy guitars and a pretty loud vibe. I'd compare them mostly to some more positive edge bands from New York in the late 80's.

And the debut demo from Toronto's S.H.I.T. members of a handful of other local notables including Violent Future and Purity Control. Gruff, grim hardcore that takes as many influences from old Japanese hardcore as it does from the early 80's east coast greats. Distorted and demented.

NO STONE UNTURNED

Brisbane hometown metal bands aren't a bunch that I'm overly familiar with. To my knowledge there currently aren't really a heap with any kind of wider recognition apart from Mongrel's Cross. This is their 7" "Whoresanna" from last year released by none other than Hells Headbangers. Black wax with some nasty, 'blackened' death metal. A demo tape in 2009 preceded this, and they've just unleashed a split 7" with Innsmouth and their new LP for Hells Headbangers "The Sins Of Aquarius". Kind of embarrassed I've let these guys fly under the radar for as long as I have. Very good death metal.

nazi rules

Another new Painkiller release in this latest EP from Montreal's own Omegas, "NY Terminator". Black vinyl. Wider press. The sound on offer here reverts back their earlier stuff thankfully, I wasn't really that crazy about the recording on the last LP, as I think I mentioned on here at the time. Here though, they've nailed exactly everything I like about their earlier stuff. Rough and dodgy.

family at your throat

One of the newer Painkiller Records releases comes in the way of this return to form from the iconic Citizens Arrest. The "Soaked In Others Blood" EP comes with four new crushing tracks of harsh metallic hardcore. Red vinyl of the more limited press. This was originally released solely as a digital thing mid last year with no word of any kind of hard copy to follow and then Painkiller announced a few months ago that they'd put it to wax. Now obviously this is no "Colossus". It's definitely a solid effort with a noticeably updated sound compared to CA of old and there's certainly moments that want me to punch through brick walls, but obviously that old CA music can never be toped in terms of sheer brutality. Worth every penny though.

suffer no fool

Here's the new s/t 7" from Texas' Power Trip thanks to Lockin' Out Records. Fruity mixed vinyl. A few years back when I first took an interest in Austin's Mammoth Grinder I went on a bit of a hunt for other Texas bands that might pique my interest as much as that group. One of the bands that I stumbled across at the time was Power Trip from Houston. At that point all they had under their belts was a demo that didn't really get my blood pumping that much so I more or less pushed them to the side. Between that demo and this 7" they also released another EP which I haven't checked out yet but hope to get around to soon. This record though... crickey. Raging, massive New York crossover thrash hardcore that takes obvious cues from all of the big hitters of the mid to late 80's NYHC scene. I've read somewhere that they're putting an LP out on Southern Lord later this year too which I was a little surprised by but I'm certainly eager to hear now. Band is well worth the interest and hype they seem to be getting at the moment.

no regard

Fast hardcore is the order of the day with this debut s/t EP from Sectarian Violence. Recent release from Grave Mistake Records that was pressed on at least two colours, possibly more. Mine is part of the wider black pressing. From what I can tell this band is kind of a world affair featuring a member from one larger American group (Coke Bust I think?) and some dudes from Europe. This reminds me of a few popular current hardcore bands doing the rounds. Coke Bust and Nightstick Justice ring true immediately with that fast, relentless angsty hardcore with a very modern, clear recording. As with most of this kind of hardcore, it's devoid to an extent of many hooks, it's just non stop up tempo, so it can get a bit boring after a while. Of the other bands mentioned previously though these guys are probably my favourite. They mange to hold my interest at least anyway for the entire six tracks on offer.

fool for death

The only record I picked up on the actual RSD, the latest work from Resist Records I Exist. Two tracks of sludge influenced hardcore in this new 7" single entitled "Record/Resist" in what may be a slight tip of the cap to the Sepultura EP "Refuse/Resist" from 1994. One original track, "Fool For Death", that more or less treads a similar path to the bulk of the bands previous material; sludgy, rounded riffs with a slightly doomy guitar sound, amplified with a relatively modern hardcore recording. The song is catchy and Jake's vocals are certainly at their most menacing ever. The flip side is a Mevlins cover. Not being familiar really with that band or the original I can't make comparisons. It's an interesting listen though,

it could be better...

Subject to less hype than I thought it would actually get is this debut long player from Ontario's/Buffalo's Pick Your Side. "Let Me Show You How Democracy Works" is a new release on A389 Records and mine is on black. I think Dom did a pre-release type thing on a limited yellow vinyl too. Heavy heavy HEAVY hardcore with a great mix of groove, mosh bits and blast beats from members of the great Haymaker amongst others. Really good record. Will make the top ten.

day of judgement

Organised Crime Records recently reissued the All Out War debut LP "Truth In The Age Of Lies" and I grabbed a copy on white plastic from RevHQ. Unsure of the pressing details, though I know that the artwork is slightly different. The label has also put the bands demo to 10", though I doubt I'll grab it. Hoping for new music from these guys some time soon, I would hope that most would realise how much I loved their 2010 masterpiece "Into The Killing Fields". 15 years later and they're still killing it. Victory has just issued their "Assassins In The House Of God" album on vinyl, maybe I should grab it and complete my AOW LP collection.

our struggle

Here's the other record I was grabbing from the Lionheart Records store when I landed yesterday's post subject, the demo 7" from Atlanta's Out Crowd. Limited to 90 copies on this green wax with a regular press of black vinyl and a second forthcoming press on yellow. Bit of a mesh of something like late 80's youth crew with a pretty serious combination of early Boston and DC included. Fast catchy hardcore with posi lyrics. These guys have just been picked up by Reaper Records and a 7" is due so expect them to get pretty big I think. Probably the best thing from Reaper since the last Terror LP.

in the know

I thought the original 7", "Arctic Nights" from Sweden's Shipwrecked was more of a limited affair, but I managed to land this copy very easily recently in the Lionheart Records webstore while grabbing something else. I just happened to stumble across it. I have a sneaky suspicion that it's a repress. I should probably do my research. Anyway, black wax, Anger Management Records.

I think I prefer the music here to the stuff found on the new LP. Rougher. Tougher.

out for power

Beach Impediment records and No Way Records recently decided to press the Impalers demo to 7" and here it is. Red vinyl here of a more limited number and a larger press on black. Not sure how necessary I feel this 7" really is following the bands killer vinyl debut so closely, but I guess it's a welcome addition to the collection. Grubby d-beat hardcore from members of other popular Texan acts.