Blues Sessions

Recent repress of Power Trip's (in my opinion) best material - "The Armageddon Blues Sessions."  Originally pressed by Double Or Nothing Records as a 7", Triple B repressed this as a single sided 12" and it sounds a good bit better than the 7" version did.  This is the "drank purp/weed green" variant that's limited to 300 copies and has since sold out.

Take It Easy

Spine from the Midwest is one of my current favorite bands playing anything relating to punk/hardcore.  In anticipation of their LP that's due out some time this year on Youth Attack, the band released a promo tape.  Comprised of 4 new songs, a Cold As Life cover, and a Murphy's Law-esque reggae jam, this tape is essential.  This is a nice teaser for what will be one of the top LP's this year.  Can't wait for that to drop.

Angle Iron

Grabbed this Wound Man tape from the last Painkiller update.  This is a one man powerviolence project from Trevor of The Rival Mob, xfilesx, Breathing Fire, etc.  From what I can tell the 10 tracks on this tape were done in two separate sessions, at 5 tracks per session.  Musically this is most comparable to that of early Breathing Fire.  It almost sounds like lost recordings of that band.  Overall really good stuff here.  I hope we see more recordings from this project soon.

Worthless

While I didn't get a chance to post about it last year, Boston's Death Injection dropped one of my favorite demos of 2013.  Nothing too off the beaten path as far as my tastes go, this demo is just 6 songs of unapologetic Boston straight edge hardcore.  Not as moshy as contemporaries No Tolerance, Death Injection play a little closer to their influences (Negative FX, SSD, etc.) in terms of speed.

This demo was self released.  Failure Recordings just put up orders for the 7" pressing of this demo and I highly suggest picking one up HERE.  I did (of course).

Deluxe Overload

A389 Records put up a limited package deal a few weeks back that included a double LP pressing of Integrity's Systems Overload LP (which is actually an Organized Crime release, not A389) and the band's newest 7" EP - 7th Revelation: Beyond the Realm of the Witch, as well as a shirt.  The double LP pressing of Systems was released in conjunction with the band playing the A389 Bash with the lineup that was together when the LP was originally released back in 1995.  In addition to the re-re-reissue of this LP the '95 lineup recorded one new track, which was put to wax as the aforementioned 7".  Of course the double LP is awesome looking with the etched B-sides of both LP's being that of the Integrity skull, but what attracted me to this package most was the special, limited to this package, press of that 7".  The single track that is pressed onto this clear/glow in the dark/etched 7" boasts that classic Melnick feel.  Aside from Dwid's vocals (his vocals sound different in 2014 than they did back in 1995 - still great though) this track could have easily been on a release during A2's initial run with Integrity.  Complete with the invisible ink/gloss that is common with most Integrity releases nowadays, this is an all around solid package.

Read Between the Lies

Recent acquisition of my second favorite Slayer LP, "South of Heaven."  This is the first press on Def Jam/Geffen Records.  Still in the shrink, which means it still has the stickers on the cover.  Sweet.

Don't Judge A Book

Everyone knows the old saying, 'don't judge a book by its cover.'  That saying applies to the newest release from Shin to Shin.  This has to be some of the worst cover art I've seen in a long time.  Anyway, this is the band's first LP, and from what I can gather, only their second release overall (following a split with Pulling Teeth).  Since S2S is the latest project from Aaron Melnick (of Integrity, In Cold Blood, etc.) fame, you know to expect metallic hardcore here.  Behind the lame cover and questionable band name are riffs that could only have been created by the legendary A2.  After all, the music is what matters right?  Seriously though, this LP is full of classic Melnick era Integrity type riffs.  If you're a fan of the first few Integrity releases or any In Cold Blood material, you'll love this record.  It's been a long time coming (I think it was announced something like 4 years ago) and to finally hear it now is very satisfying.  Another solid release from A389 Records.

Green Till Death

CA's Chain of Strength were the west coast's answer to the east's Youth of Today in the late 80's.  Although a tad more melodic than YOT, Chain were a great contemporary to that band.  Not much needs to be said about this band musically, or their influence.  This is from the first pressing on Revelation Records on green vinyl (obviously).