Record reviews (winter 2010)

Happy 2010 everyone, obviously it's too early in the year to have any new releases, so these were all stragglers from 2009. A chunk of these come courtesy of Nick @ Cowabunga Records (thanks dude!), who does a great label with lots of quality releases. I also want to point out that the 3 demos I'm reviewing here are incredible, and give me hope for some great releases in 2010.

7"s:

Bad Brains- 171A Sessions
A new Bad Brains bootleg has surfaced recently, and it's awesome that these haven't been released after all of these years. Legend has it that these were recorded for a compilation that was never released. The A side (Black Dots/ Send You No Flowers/ Redbone In The City)all appeared on the Black Dots LP, but these versions are much better. The B side is a reggae jam, which I could do without. The songs still lack the ferocity of the ROIR sessions, but this definitely fills a hole in your BB record collection. Track it down now, or cry later; bootlegs these days are pretty scarce.


Needles- Desastre
I LOVED Needles' first 7", which seemed to sell out and go out of print immediately, so I made sure to buy this online as soon as I heard it was released. I hate to say that I was a little bit disappointed. It's not a bad record by any means, but I think it lacks the raw intensity of their first record. It's a bit less distorted/ blown out than the first 7", but flows well and it's still a ripper. Maybe I'm judging it a bit harshly because that first 7" was so good, definitely don't pass up this record.


Right Idea- demo
I was recently turned on to this Cleveland sXe band. They musically similar to Straight Ahead (they're named after one of their songs after all) and No For an Answer, but the vocals have a slight Uniform Choice vibe. The lyrics are pretty posi, but the music is enough for the hardcore crowd to be into as well. The flow of the record kinda slows down in the middle, but I'm sure "Right Idea" and "On Edge" are awesome to see live. This is their demo pressed to vinyl, so if you're like me, this is a good place to start.


Not Sorry- Moving On
Not Sorry is a new sXe band from Seattle (by way of upstate NY). This 7" is their demo plus 2 newer songs. I had downloaded their demo online a while back and liked it, so I made sure to get this. The songs are influenced by the older youth crew era of HC, with a heavy Chain of Strength influence. I also get a more modern vibe, w/ some parts reminding me of early Bane releases. I could see this appealing to a broad range of HC fans, but I prefer my HC more straight forward. Definitely looking forward to their next 7" on React!


High Life- Drink Yourself to Freedom
I think these guys like to drink beer... based on the album title, band name and insert illustration. I like this band more than I like drinking beer (which is not at all). I was half expecting another dumb party band, but instead I got some raw and angry 80's influenced hardcore. I almost get a Cleveland vibe, like the 9 Shocks Terror associated bands. This was definitely the surprise of the bunch, definitely give this a chance.


The Ladies- Trashed
I had seen the Ladies at No Way Fest 2, but this is my first Ladies record. This thing's great! Reminds me of the Shemps, but more raw. They do the mixing of punk and garage rock way better than most other bands these days attempting that style. There's only 3 songs on here but they're all hits. I need to track down their other releases now.


Video Disease- Make Me Pure
I liked Video Disease's first 7" and demo, so i was psyched to get my hand son this. The sound is a bit more polished, but still raw (the other recording were raw as shit though). I think you can hear all of the instruments a lot better than their previous releases, but I could see someone saying it lacked the same intensity. Unfortunately the band is now broken up, so their LP that they were working on will never be released. Either way, this is a real good 7" in its own right. I will also note that the cover art looks almost exactly like the cover of a 7" by a band called Blackbirds, which was released maybe 3 years ago.


Funeral Shock- Paint Thinner EP
I recall getting Funeral Shock's first 7" years back because they boasted an ex-Spazz member. It was ok, but this is way better. There's a heavy Black Flag influence, maybe B'Last (through weren't they just a later era Flag rip off anyway). Seems like a good balance of slower and faster parts.


Stressed Out/ Rip It Up
This is a split between 2 NJ bands who have toured together in the past. Stressed Out kick things off playing thrashy hardcore similar to Cut The Shit or Bones Brigade. I seem to remember their demo having a little bit more metal/crossover influence. Aside from one (poorly) overdubbed solo in "Deer Blood," it's pretty much a straight thrasher. The lyrics are more socially conscious than the average party thrash band, which is really nice to see. On the flip side Rip It up kick things off with a really moshy intro. I kind of wish their songs were more along the lines of this intro, as the rest of their songs are more fast. I think musically, this reminds me a lot of the first Suicidal Tendencies LP. Overall, the songs could be a little tighter, but I think if they have some potential. A solid split by 2 newer local bands.

12"s:

Direct Control- Farewell
Possibly the last DC album, or just a tribute to Mikey Offender. This LP was recorded a while back, but finally came out recently. The music is as fast as previous recordings, but the guitar parts seem a little bit more complex. They re-record "Public Safety" from the MRR comp, but I prefer the original. They close out the LP with an instrumental, which was written by Mikey Offender (who sadly passed away, and filled in on bass for DC's Euro tour in 2005). I think overall, it doesn't compare to Direct Control's early releases, but continues what you'd expect after the Strung Up split LP. Hopefully this isn't their last recording.


Total Fury- Ears Go Deaf
This was a super limited release (500), that was only available on their west coast tour last year. I finally got a copy off eBay recently and figured I would review it. Over all it doesn't live up to the high standard they made for them self with 13 Songs and Committed to the Core. I like this better than some of their other recent split 7"s though. It's good, but I wouldn't go crazy to find it.

demos:
Manipulation (pro-tape)
Damn, even though it just turned 2010, I think this demo will be hard to top. A new Chicago band with members of Pedestrians, Cardiac Arrest, Chronic Seizure and more... Musically it reminds me of the early Discharge singles, which were a bit more rock influenced, but still rage hard. A great demo, that's long enough to have been an EP.

Troops of Tomorrow (pro-tape)
Wow, this demo is fucking great, I must've listened to it 4 times in a row the first day I got it. Troops of Tomorrow is a new band from DC, who plays a Oi influenced hardcore. Modern comparisons to 86 Mentality and Set To Explode seem obvious, but fitting. There's a heavy early 80's Boston style here, maybe Slapshot and DYS (who they cover on here) mixed with somethign like Blitz. The vocals are very rough, and the lyrics are negative- just how I like it. This is a band to watch in 2010 for sure.

Injustice System (cassette)
INJ/SYS is a new band from FL. Musically they're heavily influenced by the good NYHC bands. I get a heavy early Cause For Alarm and early Sick Of It All influence, mixed with the early 80's NY bands like the Abused or the Mob. This type of stuff is right up my alley, and make for a killer demo. Real good, real fast, real stripped down HC- perfect. I recently got mp3s of their new 7", and I assure you that it will be a ripper as well.

Record Reviews (summer edition)

It's summer, which means there's a lot more bands touring. That also means there's a lot of records you should be buying to support these bands. Go see: Coke Bust/ Sick Fix, Shitty Limits/ Logic Problem, I Hate This/ Backslider, Zhenia Golov/ Plague Bearers, Rip It Up/ Stressed Out, Punch, and Guilty Faces who are all still on tour through August.

7"s:

Waste Management- Get Your Mind Right E.P.
This came out a while back, but I wish someone had clued me in on this band earlier, holy shit. The vocals are almost a dead ringer for Springa (SSD), and the music has a real early 80's Boston feel to it. This has a perfect balance of raging fast parts, and slow mosh parts. Some of the lyrics seem to be straight edge oriented, but the band isn't very up front about it. Great 7", hopefully they have more in the works.


Boiling Over- Trash City
I had only known Boiling Over from the Punx Don't Drink comp, but much like Cold Shoulder their own EP is way better. "Humanity is Fucked" kicks off this beast, and sets the tone of a bleak world view for the rest of the record. My favorite song is "These Colors Don't Crust" which has a pretty memorable chorus of "We have been wronged, we have been lied to." I love bands like this that are sXe, but don't use it as a marketing ploy from some watered down cartoon version of hardcore. This straight up, no BS early 80's inspired HC. The record also comes w/ an mp3 download, which is always convenient.


I Hate This- s/t
Released just in time for their US tour, IHT drops their first solo 7". After a lineup change (one of those changes happened to be the primary song writer), they don't let up on the fastcore fury. The music is more in a Charles Bronson direction, taking old style HC structure and speeding them up. Pick a copy up from the band as it hasn't made its way into distros yet.


The Shitty Limits- Here Are the Limits
The Shitty Limits are a band from the UK, who are currently on tour in the US. Their sound is some sort of mix of garage rock and late 70's punk. I could see them fitting in well on a show with Jay Reatard or one with Regulations. "Here Are The Limits" opens up the record with a bullhorn scream, which is a pretty good introduction to the record and the band itself. The songs on here are a real bouncy mid pace. The guitar tone is undistorted, and matches perfectly with their style.


The Shitty Limits- Espionage
This is basically a single for the song "Espionage," backed with 2 faster songs. The music is almost 60's British rock influenced, which I guess makes some sense since they're from the UK. The B side offers 2 more tracks with a slightly different sound, "We Had a Gang" is probably the better of the 2. This record is ok, but I prefer the "Here Are the Limits" E.P.


No Man's Slave- Siege Mentality
I saw these guys in NJ, and picked up this there. For a band named after an Infest LP, I thought I knew what to expect. I got a real Ruination feel from them, which was confirmed by the Left For Dead cover at the end of the record. They somehow cram 14 songs on this record without feeling like they just threw a bunch of crap together. The music is fast as hell, but with a moshy heaviness to it.


Nitad- Ge Oss Mer
This is a reissue of the band's 2nd 7", which I believe was limited originally. Honestly the artwork was what really attracted me to this record, it's like 60's poster art. The music is early 80's upbeat punk sounding, but sung is Swedish. Sounds pretty similar to fellow Swedes Masshysteri or Regulations, but with a lot more punch to it.


Nitad- s/t
Despite the cover art on my version looking like a Bathory 7" (I have the tour pressing, so the cover may be different when it's released for real), this is a definite punk record. This record doesn't deviate too far from the sound on their previous efforts. It does seem a lot tighter and angrier (the lyrics are still in Swedish, so i have no idea). Definitely pick this up once it's properly released.


Drag the River- ...Has A Way With Women
I got this because I heard it was Chad Price's (of ALL fame) new band. The songs seem to have been recorded a while back, and are more demo quality. I would say there's a real country vibe to these. It's pretty cool, but I doubt I'll play this more than a few times.


Zhenia Golov/ Botox Party
NJ's Zhenia Golov bring us 2 new songs of politically influenced crusty thrash. Botox Party play more folky pop-punk, that almost Propaghandi sounding. It's a pretty strange balance for the 2 band to do a split, but somehow it works as both bands have played together often before. I should note that there is a Botox Party song at the end of the ZG side. I'm not sure why they did this (as well as having blank labels), but I know I'm guilty of only listening to one particular side of a split record.


Mirrors and Wires- Colorized Audio Transmission
This is not surf punk, but it is punks playing surf (mixed with a little bit of psychedelic rock). M&W are an all instrumental group w/ members of some local HC/Punk bands. The A side offers 3 short musical bursts, while the B side has one long more psychedelic song. I definitely enjoyed the A side way more personally. It's definitely something different, and makes for some feel good background music.


Ugly Law- s/t
I love the recent rise of old dudes playing in hardcore bands, and one of these dudes was in Unseen Force. My band did a weekend tour w/ this dudes back in May, and I got this then. They play a mid/late 80's crossover hardcore sound. Kinda reminds me of Animosity era COC at times. They seem to take similar influences to COC, blending southern rock with faster hardcore sounds. This was self-released, and apparently they have another record recorded.

12"s:

Coke Bust- Lines in the Sand
After an good demo and a really good 7", Coke Bust come out with this amazing LP. I seriously think this blows everything they did previously out of the water. "Countdown to Death" is my favorite song (also their longest), and has a great slow mosh which reminds me of SSD. "Leave Me Behind" also has a great 2 second hard mosh at the end of it. I think if you wrote off Coke Bust in the past, this will change your mind. The song writing and lyrics have matured into on amazing HC record. Also, GO SEE COKE BUST ON TOUR!


Punch- s/t
I had heard great things about Punch since their last tour, so I decided to check em out at their Philly show. Boy was I impressed. The music is somewhere along the lines of Scholastic Death type thrash, mixed with some youth crew influenced mosh breakdowns. The mosh buildup in "Ol' Factory" rules. They manage to pack 16 songs into 20 minutes of hardcore fury. Not to make it a selling point, but Punch are a female fronted hardcore band. That doesn't let up any of the fury here, as she can belt it out with the best of em. Definitely try to catch them on tour!


Bad Antics- Tour LP
I wasn't a huge fan of Bad Antics' last record, but picked this up after seeing them in NJ. It's more a step back to the California punk influence that the first 7" had. The songs are kind of mid paced and slower (and therefore longer) than their older stuff. It kinda reminds me of those later Adolescents and DI albums that nobody really listens to. Honestly I'm more impressed with the cover art, which is stenciled and spray painted, so each one is different.

CDs:

Just Die!- Garages and Basements
Musically NC's Just Die! seem to take the Kid Dynamite approach, but faster... and I mean WAY faster. The music has some melodic parts, but the vocals are harsh and screamed. Saw this band on a whim in NJ a few weeks ago and was very impressed, they were super nice dudes too. This is the CD version of a 7" that wasn't ready in time for tour.

demos:
Sick Fix- Nothing Else Mattered No one Else Mattered (tape or CDr)
Sick Fix decided to record a new demo before their tour w/ Coke Bust this summer, and it's about damn time. I thought their 7" was good, but didn't really do any justice to how they sound live. Michelle's vocals have gotten a lot more brutal sounding since then as well. Here you get 4 new song and a re-recording of "One Third" (from the 7"/demo) with a way slower breakdown (in a good way). "Liberty Lost" has the new intro, which they've been playing live for the past year, and boy is it heavy. My favorite song on here is "Boudica." Hopefully this is a demo for a new record in the works, whether it be an EP or LP I'm sure it will be a monster.

Backslider (tape)
The idea of a 2 person fastcore band sounds about as appealing to me as a turd sandwich, however somehow this defies my expectations. There's a good balance of grindy parts, power violence style breakdowns, and of course short songs. The way the songs are mixed, it's almost like one giant song with stops. I feel like for a 2 person band things should be a lot tighter, but it's just a demo so I'll cut em some slack. The new stuff on their website has a more Lack of Interest sound, and blows this stuff away. This band also comprises 1/2 of I Hate This, and are on tour w/ them now.

Outlast (tape)
Outlast are a new youth crew sXe hardcore band from NJ. If you read this blog, you know I have a real soft spot for this type of stuff. It reminds me of the late 90's sXe revival bands like In My Eyes and Better Than A Thousand (there's even some Cappo style growls). The recording quality is really clean for a demo, and apparently it will be re-pressed on vinyl soon. Bands like this were a dime a dozen like 10 years ago, but now I miss this type of stuff. The lyrics cover your typical posi topics such as change, unity, helping each other out, and of course being straight edge. Awesome!

Teenage Whore-Moans- Moan All Nite Long (pro-tape)
Teenage Whore Moans play some low-fi garage influenced pop-punk. The low quality of the recording kind of ruins it for me, and maybe a better studio recording would have been a little easier on the ears. I guess with "garage" styled stuff you can get away with that. Otherwise it's some poppy songs about girls ...not my thing.

Best Records of 2008

"It's the end of a fucked up year," so here's some records that I really enjoyed that were released over the past 12 months. Obviously these are just my personal opinions, so most people would probably disagree. Like they say, opinions are like assholes...

Best 7"s of 2008

1. Reprobates- Stress
2. Inmates- Now We Talkin Hardcore
3. Needles- s/t
4. Sacred Shock- s/t
5. Violent Arrest- Criminal Record

It was a tough one. Inmates release their first new record in like 9 years, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. However, Reprobates debut release (and only release, since they're done now) is a fucking scorcher. Needles is another one that came out of nowhere and is amazing. It seemed to go out of print immediately, so hopefully it'll be re-pressed or you luck out and find one. Sacred Shock made good on the potential that their demo showed, and put out a damn good 7". Violent Arrest released an LP's worth of material on a 2x7" set that shows that the old dudes still know how to rock.

Best 12"s of 2008

1. Devour- s/t
2. Gauze -Binbou Yusuri No Rizumu Ni Notte
3. Blank Stare- s/t
4. Chronic Seizure- Ancient World
5. Straight Jacket Nation- Cheap Kicks

Devour is better than Gauze? Let me explain, you know Gauze's LP is gonna be good... IT'S FUCKING GAUZE! Devour on the other hand is a band nobody's heard of that went straight to LP. The surprise factor alone is why it's my #1. Blank Stare's LP squeaked in at the end of 08, despite being out in Europe since this summer. I'll have a more thorough review next time, but it's good, pretty much what you'd expect from Blank Stare. Chronic Seizure put out 2 pretty good 7"s, then really came into their own on this LP. I had the pleasure of seeing Straight Jacket Nation a few times on their US tour this summer, and they scorched each time. Total 9 Shocks worship from Australia of all places.

Honorable Mentions
Poison Planet- Normally I do a top 5 demos section, but there weren't too many that really grabbed me this year. Poison Planet's demo on the other hand is fucking fantastic; the 7" should be dropping in early 09, and it's good.
Libyans- they released 2 great records this year, and "Welcome to the Neighborhood" is probably one of the best songs this year. It was definitely stuck in my head for weeks.
Reissues: Systematic Death, Paintbox, Die Kreuzen, Mob 47, Unseen Force
Repercussions- their 7" that came out was a top contender for the 5, but I went w/ the new blood. Consider it 5.5 due to the fact that i knew it was gonna rule, and it did.
the Repos- broke up this year, but released an album where they cover Youth of Today's "We're Not In This Alone" LP. It's played much more raw than the original, but was limited to 300 and sold out at their last shows. I'd like to own a real copy, but I'm not paying eBay prices.

Q: Reviews? A: Reviews!

Some really great releases this time around. The Devour LP is a top contender for LP of the year for sure. There's some great reissues from Mob 47, Paintbox and Die Kreuzen, and a bunch of new demos. Thanks to Josh from Barbarossa Records for hooking me up with the Culture Shock and Daggers Rule records. The next reviews post will most likely be the Best of 2008 post... get psyched!

7"s:

Violent Arrest- Criminal Record
A double 7" release from these old dudes. At first I wondered why they didn't just make another LP, but the 7"s flow real well as 2 separate records. If you've been sleeping on VA as just another "old dudes trying to relive their glory days" band, you're an asshole because this record is fucking awesome. I like this way more than the LP they did. It's like buying an LP, but it's cheaper and you have to flip it more.


Mob 47- s/t
What can really be said about this classic record other than Havoc rules for reissuing it, and making it much more widely available. Seriously, anyone into raw full speed d-beat thrash needs this. Now you have no excuse.


Retainers- Lose It
In the realm of current bands doing garage punk, the Retainers are one of the best in my opinion. There's the right balance of rock and roll guitar, punk and shitty recording quality. I'm eagerly waiting for their LP to come out.


Libyans- Welcome to the Neighborhood
I guess I'll start off by saying "Welcome to the Neighborhood" is one damn catchy song that definitely got stuck in my head for a few days. This record is sorta like a single for that one song, which I'm totally fine with. It reminds me of Tilt, if Tilt was a halfway decent band. The B-side is 2 much faster songs that are also really good, but very different from the mid-paced punk of the A-side. Also you can apparently play "Welcome to the Neighborhood" in Rock Band 2, but I don't play video games.


Born Bad- s/t
I thought the second Born Bad EP was ok, so I picked up the first. I'd say the second is a bit better, but that makes sense. Still the same fast/pissed hardcore, kinda like a more stripped down Under Pressure. It's ok.


Middle America- s/t
After a solid demo, I was excited to finally get an EP from these boys. It's definitely a lot more raw (in a good way) and has some weird parts. Reminds me of Die Kreuzen a bit, though not nearly as tight. Pretty good debut EP.


No Peace?- Zombie Brains
I was expecting something a little more crazy seeing as it's coming from Cleveland. This sounds a lot like Disclose though, which is pretty cool at any rate. Ugly maniacal d-beat.


Sinks- Beat Out My Brains
Some more low-fi garage rock w/ members of the Retainers. Only 3 songs on this one, but a little better recording quality than their first 7". "Beat out my Brains" is pretty catchy. There's also 3 different covers for this, but I got mine from the label and got all 3 on 1 record.


Homostupids- the Edge
If you read this blog, I've reviewed all the other Homostupids records before, so you should know what you're getting into. Sounds like their other EPs: loud, poorly recorded, and awesome. You're not getting anything different with this one.


Black Mark- Wrecked
Solid debut 1 sided 7". They play some 80's style hardcore punk with a more brutal/ tough sound, similar to Life's Blood or Violent Minds. It's loud and angry, the way hardcore should be played. Hardware Records does it again...


Civil Victim- Mehr Krieg!
First of all the only place that says "Civil Victim" is the A-side label, which is kinda a dumb idea. Anyway, this record is pretty cool, reminds me of D.S.-13 a little. Real fast full speed thrashy hardcore.


Culture Shock-s/t
Don't know too much about Culture Shock other than they 're from upstate NY. There seems to be a heavy Infest/ Lack of Interest influence, but this definitely stays more on the hardcore side of things. I'm even hearing some early Born Against influence in there too. Pretty cool thrash with heavy parts that straddles the line between more traditional HC/punk, crust and powerviolence.


Daggers Rule- Gleaming the 'Cuse
Well they sold me with the name, since it's a reference to the best movie ever- THRASHIN'. What it looks like is that you get 2 recording sessions (1 on each side) by an now defunct band from Syracuse. The music reminds me of the earlier eras of Bones Brigade and Municipal Waste before they turned into shitty metal bands. The vocals however are a lot more brutal and NYHC influenced.


The No Jons
Found this in a used bin, and I had read that it was like Descendents/ Screeching Weasel styled pop-punk. I was real into that stuff in high school, so I figured I would give it a chance. It's more like Crimpshrine, but I'm not really into it. Maybe I've just gotten too old and grumpy to listen to pop-punk anymore... or maybe this just stinks.


Violent Arrest- s/t
Finally picked this up right before posting this (that's why it's so far down). Fucking great EP from these old dudes. Awesome Fix cover as well. Definitely get this one too.


For The Worse/ Kids of Carnage
For the Worse is back again with 2 new songs. The first one is standard FTW fare or Boston style hardcore with high pitched vocals. The second track however is almost Bouncing Souls sounding. Kinda weird, but cool. Kids of Carnage play a more riff heavy style of hardcore, that's I guess more NYHC influenced.
Fun Fact: I did the cover design/layout on this one!

12"s:

Devour- s/t
HOL-E-SHIT! Going straight to LP without a demo is risky maneuver, but I'll be damned if Devour don't prove that theory wrong. This really reminds me of Animosity era Corrosion of conformity mixed with some Totalitar styled D-beat, and some Japanese hardcore rage. After listening to this it inspired me to listen to Judgement if that gives you any indication of where they're coming from. The packaging is also top notch, BIG fold out poster insert, and you get a CD of the whole LP (plus a 46 minute bonus track). GET THIS!


Libyans- s/t
The Libyans LP picks up where Side 2 of their 7" left off- fast early 80's style punk. I would imagine that a lot of people compare them to The Avengers. "Empty Mornings" is the only real mid paced song on here, but the rest of the record speeds by. The cover art is interesting, the sleeve is just a brick wall, and there's a piece of acetate w/ the artwork spray painted on it. Plus it comes with a wooden airplane!


Die Kreuzen- s/t
Another hardcore classic reissued. I don't think this record gets the respect it deserves. It's just as good as Cows and Beer, and there's even a few songs from that record re-recorded here. Touch and Go even gives you a coupon to download mp3s of the record when you buy it. This is a classic hardcore LP which I highly recommend.


Nightstick Justice- s/t
After 3 raging 7"s (one of them being their demo though), it's about time NJ released their 7". When playing fast early 80's styled hardcore punk, it's sometimes hard to make the leap from 7" to LP. Nightstick Justice pull it off, and I think the recording quality is a bit more raw than their last 7", Claustrophobic. That's a good thing. If it matters, I'm reviewing the European pressing. I hear the US pressing will be re-mixed/mastered or something.


Loser Life- I Have Ghosts and I Have Ghosts
A pretty interesting record here. I hadn't heard any other Loser Life releases before this one, and was pleasantly surprised. There's elements of Husker Du styled punk, or maybe you'd call that melodic hardcore. I even get a slight emo vibe, kinda like Boy Sets Fire's earlier material. It's way too fast to be considered emo, and it's too dirty to be pop-punk. I'm gonna stick with the Husker Du comparison, fast tempos with occasional screamed vocals.


Paintbox- Earth Ball Sports Tournament
The fine folks at Prank have reissued this spectacular LP by one of Japan's greats. I've had this in mp3 form for years, but it's great to see it get an awesome vinyl treatment. Gatefold cover, colored vinyl and English translated lyrics make this a great package. I had no Idea that the cover art even wrapped around. This LP is great because it combines the Burning Spirits Japanese styled hardcore with rock and roll elements. There's trumpets, recorders, harmonica and some other non-conventional punk instruments. Normally I'd think that would be a bad idea, but damnit if Paintbox don't make it work. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! (RIP Chelsea)

demos:
Poison Planet (tape)
Maybe I'm just biased, but any non-jock meathead straight edge band always gets high marks in my book. Poison Planet definitely fits in with modern sXe bands such as Blank Stare and Coke Bust. Their sound is more influenced by Negative Approach, but with some slight youth crew influence. I even get a little bit of fellow Chicago dwellers, the Repos. The lyrics cover more interesting topics. Easily the best demo of 2008, even my non-edge friends like it.
Fun Fact: I play bass on their upcoming 7" and comp releases.

Video Disease (tape)
A pretty good demo, though real short it packs a punch. You get 3 songs and a sloppy DYS cover (if they're actually a straight edge band I'd be psyched). Really raw chaotic early 80s styled hardcore similar to Koro. I really hope they named their band after the Beaver song.

Black Kites- Advancement to Ruins (3 song sampler) (CDr)
Normally this isn't my bag, but I'm friends w/ some of these guys so I snagged their demo/sampler. This reminds me of some of the metal-core I heard in the late 90's, kinda like Converge and Cave In. The music doesn't have the things I hate about metal hardcore though- double bass drums and cookie monster vocals, so that's good. These 3 songs will be on their upcoming LP, which should be out in January I think.

Transitions (CDr)
While I normally hate CDs, this has a real interesting package of the lyric sheet folded to surround the CD with the band's name stamped on the outside. Transitions plays what I guess people would call "modern hardcore," similar to bands like MLIW and Ruiner or B9 bands. For that style, it's pretty good, though usually not my thing. The recording quality is really good for a demo too.

No Illusions (CDr)
Being named after a State song is a good way to get my attention. Musically I get a vibe similar to Career Suicide (but without the annoying vocals) and Government Warning mixed with the classic Boston HC style. Real solid demo, I'd like to hear more from these guys.

Bad Habit (CDr)
We played with these guys on tour. They sound like a more ballsy Kid Dynamite, but a lot faster. I don't know what any of the songs are called since this was just a CDr that said "Bad Habit" in a clear sleeve. One of the songs fades out though, which is a no-no. They have a split 7" coming out soon.

Four Fingers- 69 Dudes (tape)
It's kinda hard to pinpoint the sound on this one, it's like a mix between pop-punk and alternative I guess. Seems kinda like everyone's into something different in the band, so the sound's being thrown in all different directions. The best song on here is probably "Monster Headache," but they get bonus points for doing a cassette.

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Also since I'm talkin music, my band WORMEATERS just released our second E.P. entitled Cattle Cannot Choose. You can get it from us or American Waste Records.
SPG is about 75% done recording our first 7", it's gonna be GOOD.
Video Nasty has been playing some shows lately. Hopefully recording a demo in early December.
I Hate This has been busy writing a new EP, and will be touring down to FL for TIFY fest at the end of the year.
I'm starting 2 more bands, but nothing solid to report yet. No job or girlfriend leaves me plenty of time for hardcore.