Down The Stairs

Here is the only recorded output (besides a demo) by Massachusetts straight edge band Drug Test.  Early 2000's style hardcore similar to Striking Distance, Right Brigade, etc.  First up is the band's 'Needle In Your Neck' EP released on Walk All Night Records.  This is the record release version, hand numbered out of 100 copies.  This is probably my single favorite EP from the early 2000's crop of bands playing this style of hardcore.  Down the Stairs is such a good fucking song.

Next up is the band's split with RNR.  Two songs from each band.  This is the last show press available at Drug Test's final show.  What's funny about this version of the split is there is no mention of RNR other than the back cover - no track list, no credits, nothing.  Weird, but that's okay since I'm not really into their side of the split.  This one is also hand numbered out of 100 copies.

Tied To The Stake

Here's an LP I've been waiting to drop for a while now.  The debut LP from WA's Bone Sickness, 'Alone In The Grave' put out by 20 Buck Spin.  The band's previous material was a mash up of old school thrash and death metal with a hint of punk for good measure.  This newest LP pretty much drops the punk influence, and for the better in my opinion.  What is left is straight up old school US death metal perfection.  To be honest I don't keep up with death metal much anymore, but this band fucking kills it with this LP.  Top shelf stuff.  Add in some KILLER artwork and you have one solid release.  New EP due on Iron Lung Records at some point this year.

There's No Doubt

As I said in my previous post, I didn't get a chance to go to any record stores this past Saturday, which is okay because there wasn't a lot of things I was super interested in.  I live within driving distance of Baltimore and this is the third year in a row that Celebrated Summer Records has done an exclusive release with a local React! Records band.  The first year was a Mindset 7" that had a Youth of Today rip as a cover, the second year was a special edition of the Peace 7", and this year they did a special cover for Mindset's debut LP, 'Leave No Doubt.'  I wasn't able to make it to the store last weekend, but luckily my buddy is one of the coolest and was able to snag a copy of the Mindset LP for me.  THANKS MAN.

Anyway, onto the record.  As you can see, the covers are screened on the front to show that this was a Celebrated Summer Records exclusive.  The dust sleeve is stamped, and the back cover has a version of the CSR cat drawn by Ev of Mindset.  There's also a note about the release on the back cover, and is hand numbered out of 100 copies.  All on purple marble vinyl.  I shouldn't have to say anything about the tunes on this record, it was one of my top for the year in 2012.  Overall this is an excellent version of this LP.

Three's A Crowd

This marks my third copy of the Coke Bust/Vaccine split.  This is a copy of the approved test press on Drugged Conscience Records.  There were major delays on the U.S. pressing of this record, and as you can see it took three different test pressings to get it right.  Not much else to say that I haven't said in my two previous posts about this record.  Solid split from two of my favorites.

Goin' Nowhere

Another Damage City pickup.  'Goin' Nowhere Fast' is an LP collecting all of 86 Mentality's material that was released on Grave Mistake Records.  If you're unaware, the band played a surprise reunion set at the fest and completely blew everyone away.  One of the best sets of the weekend for sure.  No real description is needed here: if you dig bands that put a dose of Oi! into their hardcore like Violent Reaction, Violent Future, etc. you should already know this band.  This screen printed edition is hand numbered out of 175 copies.  I believe Grave Mistake is going to put up the official release for this soon in the coming weeks.  Keep an eye out.

Where's The Violence

I know that today is Record Store Day and what I'm posting is not a RSD release.  I didn't get a chance to go out to any stores today, but was able to order a few things that I wanted from Deathwish.  I know that defeats the purpose of RSD in the first place, but I wasn't going to have another chance to pick those things up unless I wanted to pay double on eBay in a few days.  Since the stuff I ordered obviously isn't here yet I figured I'd post about a record I've been meaning to for a while.

This is the debut by Richmon's Barge on the newly formed Vinyl Conflict label.  Their new EP 'No Gain' is a continuation of their demo, but also a step up in song writing.  I loved their demo from last year and this EP is better in every way.  Better recordings, songwriting, and there are more songs.  I love how this band can switch between 80's hardcore and powerviolence on the fly, and make it sound good.  This EP brings to mind some of Mind Eraser's earlier material, which is a hell of a compliment in my book.

I believe red is limited to 100 copies and is still available at the Grave Mistake webstore.  Don't sleep on this band.

No Use

Another day, another post about an awesome score from Damaged City.  Here is the debut LP put out on Grave Mistake Records from transcontinental straight edge band Sectarian Violence - 'Upward Hostility.'  This band contains members of Coke Bust, Violent Reation, and Stay Hungry, as well as others.  What you get here is very politically charged 80's hardcore punk, very well done I may add.  I see this band citing everything from early SSD to The Abused as influences.  Yet ANOTHER record that will probably make my end of year list.

End Game

The second pick up from Damaged City I was really excited to get is the Hounds of Hate LP.  Put out on Painkiller Records, this is some old school NYHC influenced straight edge out of Braddock, PA.  Another release I've been looking forward to, this thing will also make my top of list for 2013 I'm sure.  This record did leak a few weeks back but that didn't make me any less excited to get a physical copy.  Everything really does sound better on vinyl.

As you can see, this copy is on black.  One of the band members said they're all on black but I don't know if he meant all the copies the band had were on black or the entire press is black.

Stomped Out

This weekend was the first (hopefully of many) Damaged City Fest, held in Washington D.C.  I wasn't able to make Friday night due to work but I was there all day yesterday, and was able to catch some of my favorite current hardcore bands.  There were a bunch of labels/distros there, and I was able to snag several of my most anticipated upcoming records - before they were available elsewhere.

The first one I'm going to post about is my most anticipated release for the year: the Violent Reaction LP - 'City Streets' put out on Painkiller Records.  The 7" from last year was my favorite release of 2012 and I am thinking this LP will be my favorite of this year.  The band played my favorite set of the weekend too.  I think at this point it's safe to say I'm a fanboy. The songs on the LP are a continuation of the 7"; 80's straight edge UKHC/USHC mixed with an Oi! influence.  This record is honestly perfect to me and will be extremely hard to top for the rest of this year.  I was stoked to see they were selling color copies too.

I also picked up yet another copy of the band's self titled EP at the fest.  This appears to be a test press for the U.S. release on 6131/Mind Rot Records, which were given special covers for the fest.  I couldn't pass up that SSD RIP.

Fake Attitudes

Here is the sole LP (well technically, it's an EP) from the late, great Urban Blight.  Meat and potatoes hardcore in the vein of 'Victim In Pain'.  You know it, you love it.  It's a MAJOR bummer that this band is no more, but members have gone on to other greats (like Violent Future) so it's not all bad news.  There was a second press of this with a different cover done on color for the band's Euro tour, but this is the first press on black.

Gone Dull

Here is the new 7" from El Monte's (in LA) own Disapproval, aptly titled 'El Monte Youth Authority.'  What you get here is a great take on the style of hardcore Think I Care was playing a decade ago.  I mean this really does sound like 'Mongrel' era TIC to me, therefore I love the shit out of it.  On top of that add a layer of straight edge and you have Disapproval.  This is a very good EP and will most likely make my best of list this year.  I can't say too much about this other than if you like TIC or bands like that, check this out.

Juggernaut Records handled the release in Europe, and Thickskin Records handled the domestic release.  There a lot of different color variants for the U.S. release, and I ended up with a mustard copy, limited to 23.  I'll take it.

Street Prowler

Coming off the heels of one of my favorite demos of last year, here is the new 7" by Canada's Violent Future.  Continuing their style of rough and tumble hardcore in the vein of Urban Blight, this is another killer release.  Four new tracks here that will easily get you stomping around your bedroom.  Released by Slasher Records, here is the common black version.

Father of Skin

Let me just start this off by saying it's really cool to see a band that you've helped out going somewhere.  I'm not trying to say that if I didn't put out Skinfather's demo it wouldn't have seen the light of day, or that no one could have done it as well as I did (because neither of those things are true), it's just a cool thing to see them going somewhere.  Anyway, back to the record at hand.  The band's previous material was a good mix of old school Swedish death metal and heavy metallic hardcore (think Dismember meets All Out War), which I really liked a lot.  With that being said, their new EP 'Succession/Possession' blows the demo out of the water.  Gone are most of the hardcore leanings and what is left is a very good homage to the originators of the classic Swedish sound.  Besides two new songs there is a cover of the almighty Unleashed.  The lyrics are also very un-Christian.  What's not to like about this band?

This was put out by Life and Death Records out of Germany and the green/black mix variant was limited to only 50.  I see big things for this band in the future.

Ball And Chain

A few months ago I posted about the Coke Bust / Vacccine split that was put out by Refuse Records out of Europe.  The U.S. press was scheduled to drop around the same time but ran into several snags, which delayed it until this past March.  This split finally sees a U.S. release on the Drugged Conscience label, and it was worth the wait.  Newly done art work (which is leagues better than the Euro press) and a different mastering job make this the better version.  Again, all songs on this split are some of each respected band's best efforts.  Unfortunately Vaccine played their last show a few weeks back, but Coke Bust has a new LP scheduled to drop this year on Grave Mistake.

Yellow vinyl, limited to 200 copies.