The latest from Topshelf Records is "Old Pride", the debut full-length from Baltimore, MD's Pianos Become the Teeth. I had never heard this band before, but was immediately won over by their fusion of tactful "post-rock" textures and absolutely stellar "screamo" (or whatever you want to call it). So expect just a little bit of the whole shimmery tremolo picking thing and lots of ripping screams and frantic, angular riffing held in place by emphatic melodies and stripped down clean passages. There's definitely a certain sense of rawness to it all, but these cats are far tighter than many bands of this nature. Even the often erratic bursts of percussion always feel very well controlled, so they're able to inject "chaotic" feelings into their compositions without relying on sloppy playing or overly jagged arrangements. There are all kinds of riffs happening, too – acerbic rhythms, little chunky bits, winding dissonant arpeggios, super thick pulses of bass, really spacious and somber clean breaks – not to mention the fact that a handful of the tracks start creeping up on six- to eight-minute lengths. So they may have a foundation based on certain staples of this particular style, but they're not limiting themselves by any means. Cool cover art, cool lyrics… this is just a great album all the way around. I'm glad to have been exposed to it, and wish I got the chance to stumble across more bands of this nature who really know how to do it right.

Pianos Become the Teeth "Pensive"

The first man saw his scope. Making lists, he asked will it look like this tomorrow? Excuse you, behoove you to live a spider's life and "clean up nice". Placate away, placate away and grow up tame. Tonight I saw what I'll never be, old men walking and the reveries badgering me. My longevity lays in my feet, I'm counting Fridays on calendars. I'm seeing signs in my yellow teeth. I do my best thinking while driving but now I have to wear glasses and they've been doing roadwork for years. It's funny how towns never lose their smells. It's funny how now I scythe and scowl about missing this house. You can learn to live without anyone, you just can't live with the re-runs. I'm ready to let my hair down, I'm ready to move to the woods until the floor boards get raspy, I'm ready, I'm ready. Sometimes I wish i could stop scratching at my wheals, scratching at the heels of my sneaks.

Purchase:

@ Topshelf Records (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

The vast majority of what I'd read/heard about Charred Walls of the Damned leading up to this album's release was simply hyping the band as the latest outing from former Death/Control Denied, etc. drummer Richard Christy. Now, that was enough to pique my interest, but I've been somewhat back and forth on Christy's drumming in the past, so combine that with a mediocre band name and pretty crappy cover art, and – being the picky asshole that I can be – I basically lost interest. Thankfully a friend of mine posted a blurb on Facebook (of all places) mentioning the full lineup of the band – Steve DiGiorgio on bass, Jason Suecof on guitars, and Tim "Ripper" Owens handling vocals. Shocked and impressed, I immediately went to check out their self-titled debut (released by Metal Blade Records).

All I can say is: I love it. My only complaint, which I'll get out of the way now, is that you can barely hear any bass in the mix throughout the entire album. Why this is so often the case when such a brilliant bassist as Steve DiGiorgio is involved I'll never understand, but… shit… it keeps happening!? Anyway, beyond that, everything about this album kicks ass. I find Christy's drumming to occasionally show a little more restraint than usual, the guitar work is loaded with a diverse range of killer riffs and excellently fluid lead playing, Ripper sounds better than ever, and the songwriting's fuckin' great. With nine tracks in about 35 minutes it's a short but sweet, energetic and memorable metal album that really hits the spot for me in a way that I never would've expected. I simply had no idea this band had such an impressive lineup, nor that the results would indeed be so killer. I seriously can't recommend this disc enough, and have been listening to it fairly often in the last few weeks. I believe the CD comes with a "making of" DVD, so I'll probably buy the physical CD even though I already have the mp3's. I dig it that much!

While I prefer to let the music do the talking these days, it seems like they're keeping a tight lid on songs from the album being available online, so I'm just gonna post a short clip to give you a taste of what's in store here:

Charred Walls of the Damned "Blood on Wood" (excerpt)

Apparently Charred Walls of the Damned even recorded a cover of Powermad's "Nice Dreams" for the Japanese version of the CD, and it's supposed to be available on iTunes, but I don't see it. I'll have to keep an eye out, though, 'cause that's my favorite Powermad song by far, so I've got to hear that shit!

Purchase:

@ Metal Blade Records (CD)
@ Amazon.com (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

Pretty much all credit for this post goes to Brainwrecked, a great blog that I discovered a little while ago. I woke up at 4:30am this morning for no apparent reason, started wasting time online, and outta nowhere noticed that this dude had somehow managed to get his hands on two demos from James Ismean's pre-Fury of Five band Locked Up in Life! – "Death Holds the Key" (1991) and "Incarcerated (1992). I've mentioned this band a few times here, and have been searching for any potential recordings for years, so I was completely psyched to stumble upon 'em this morning, and decided to pass the word along right away. I haven't even had time to listen to these demos in full yet, but they seem incredibly solid, and the material's rather comparable to the band's friends in Social Decay. (Edit: Holy shit. Despite the rough sound, these demos are fucking incredible. God damn I wish this band did some proper releases!) I spent an hour or so trying to clean up the files a little bit, but the "Death Holds the Key" tracks are still on the rough side. Certainly not unlistenable, though:

[DOWNLOAD] Locked Up in Life! demos (@ MediaFire)

Again, huge props to Josh from Brainwrecked for tracking these demos down and making them available to the world. Incredible! You can check out his original Locked Up in Life! post here.

Shortly before the end of 2009 I discovered Divebomb Records, a label run by Matt Rudzinski from Tribunal Records that is everything a label should be. The entire mission of Divebomb Records is to reissue out-of-print, overlooked, underrated material from bands of the 80's and 90's, and it's all about loving the music and getting it back out there at the best level of quality possible. How the existence of this label managed to elude me for some time is a mystery, but as soon as I learned of it I placed my first order, and this massive double-CD discography from Delaware thrash band Solitude was among my first picks.

"Poisoned Population: The Complete Collection (1987-1994)" compiles Solitude's entire discography (remastered, of course) in reverse chronological order – starting with their sole full-length, 1994's "From Within", followed by three demos: "Fall of Creation" (1990), "Sickness" (1988), and "Focus of Terror" (1987) – for damn near two hours of music. I'm not gonna sit here and pretend I've been a longtime fan of this band, as the reality is I'd never even heard of 'em prior to this, and that's why I appreciate reissues of this nature so much – 'cause this material totally kicks ass and I never would've had a clue about it were it not for someone that cares taking the time to put together such an incredibly thorough release. Expect meaty, largely midpaced, at times technical thrash accented by some classic heavy metal tendencies (which are certainly helped along by the excellently raspy singing). You'll get plenty of those awesome, chunky breakdowns more associated with the east coast style of thrash, some really cool little melodic riffs/solos, occasional clean passages, the works. While all of the material's very solid (and very well recorded, even despite a hint of muddiness on some of the demos), the "Fall of Creation" demo is definitely my favorite. Probably the band's most technical outing, it's at times a bit reminiscent of Forbidden (responsible for my favorite thrash album of all time, by the way) in its overall quality of riffs and songwriting, so… I'm hooked there. The four-year gap between the demos and "From Within" ultimately yielded a slightly more groove-oriented approach, which could only be expected, really, given the 1994 time period, but… it's still a really cool album that I quite enjoy.

To top everything off, the packaging features badass unused cover art from back in the day (with small images of each original demo/album cover inside), complete lyrics, liner notes, and even a new interview with the band – not to mention the fact that both discs contain CD-Rom video content!? Amazing. This really puts to shame a number of reissues that I've encountered from much larger labels over the years. I'm impressed, and certainly consider myself a Solitude fan now. Here's a smattering of tracks to check out:

Solitude "Shroud of Silence"
Solitude "You Die"
Solitude "Tipping the Balance"

I can't recommend this, and numerous other Divebomb releases, enough. This has pretty much instantly become my favorite currently active label, and I'm anxiously awaiting their future output. If you like what you hear, buy this shit now, explore the label's back catalog, and support Matt's absolutely outstanding efforts!

Purchase:

@ Divebomb Records

From Final Exit Records comes this 20-minute split between German acts Goldust and Evenworse. Goldust kicks things off with two tracks of their brand of dark, 90's-styled metallic hardcore, and much like the "Noir" 7", these songs are a little more energetic and in your face. While the band has been branching out a bit on recent outings, this material keeps things very straightforward and focused, and I've got no complaints there. Very solid. They close with a six-minute cover of Evenworse's "I Eat Your Fucking Face Off", which basically caves into about four minutes of noisy guitar leads and chaotic samples over a plodding, repetitious rhythm. Didn't see that coming at all! Evenworse, who I don't believe I'd heard prior to this, then follows with four originals driven by hammering basslines and moderately fast-paced hardcore that's kind of a mix of old school breaks with some powerviolence density/attitude. They similarly end with a cover of Goldust's "Speaking Tongues", which they morph into their own style quite well. I wasn't sure I was gonna care for this band since I'm not particularly fond of the more sarcastic tone of their lyrics, but this is a very solid split when all is said and done.

Goldust "Nachtmare"
Evenworse "Shitstorm"

I don't see this around in many distros yet, but you can pick it up from the label's online store, and I bet the bands have copies as well if you contact them via the above MySpace links…

Purchase:

@ Final Exit Records

As mentioned in my "25 of the best things I may never have heard…" retrospective a little while ago, Analena is responsible for what I feel may be the single best "screamo" release of all time (And primary vocalist Ana has one of the most shreddingly vicious yet heartfelt screams I've ever heard in my life!). I completely flipped out over this Croatian band when I first heard "Carbon Based" back in 2004, and five years later (towards the end of last year) they finally followed it up with the long awaited "Inconstantinopolis" (once more from the always intriguing Moonlee Records label). As opposed to the often immediate, aggressive urgency and emotion of the last album, the band has stripped things down a touch this time around, opting for a hint more restraint and a lot more breathing room – both in the songwriting and the recording – so it's a little easier to hear what's going on with all of the instruments and vocals piecing together to form the whole. Thick pulses of bass and straightforward percussion lay the foundation for winding melodies and explosive surges of angular riffing with loads of vocal layering – with an increased level of interplay between male/female vocals here as well – be it singing, shouting, shrieking, screaming, speaking, etc. I'll admit that I do miss some of the immediacy and over-the-top intensity of "Carbon Based" in this material, but I certainly appreciate the alterations they're going for as well, and "Inconstantinopolis" is nonetheless a great album from a band that I'll always have very kind words for. I sincerely hope I don't have to wait five more years to hear some new material from this outstanding (and sorely underrated) group!

Analena "Valley of Things"

They got lost in the valley of things forgot what they want conquered by the commerce kings who made their fortune selling manufactured anger and instant happiness magic drinks read between the lies of their perfect life maps take off the ready-mades and throw away the rings open your eyes and welcome to the desert of the real.

Purchase:

@ Moonlee Records (CD/LP)
@ Interpunk (CD/LP)

I've had "The Last Thing You Forget", the latest from Title Fight (released by Run for Cover Records), sitting here collecting dust for probably six months now. I have no idea why it took me so long to finally listen to it, I guess shit just happens sometimes, but I'm an idiot for not jumping on this one right away, 'cause this shit rules. In addition to the new songs from "The Last Thing You Forget", CD and mp3 versions of the release also contain the tracks from the band's split with The Erection Kids (Worst band name ever?) from 2006, as well as 2008's "Kingston" EP, so I guess that makes this somewhat of a discography-so-far release? Whatever the case, I absolutely love it, and am a total sucker for bands of this nature. Apparently they're often compared to Saves the Day (who I've never been a huge fan of to be honest), but they remind me of early Fairweather, The Distance, and especially The Movielife – not that any of this matters, but… sometimes general references can help. I guess you'd call this stuff pop-punk fused with melodic hardcore and a little bit of an emo/indie kind of thing, I don't know. Whatever you want to call it, whoever it may or may not remind you of, the songwriting is super fuckin' catchy and totally flawless in that regard. They've got everything I love about this style: A chunky guitar tone with loads of zippy picking patterns, emphatic melodies with a little bit of winding post-hardcore dissonance here and there, strong singing accented by a little bit of shouting… all gold. Every minute of it. I don't listen to albums repeatedly all that often, but I've listened to this thing like five times already this week. 12 songs in less than a half-hour… I need more immediately! Love it.

Title Fight "Symmetry"

Purchase:

@ Run for Cover Records (CD)
@ Run for Cover Records (mp3)
@ RevHQ (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

The most recent outing from Flingco Sound System is "They Don't Know Unless You Tell Them": A massive digital-only compilation featuring 15 exclusive tracks for an hour-and-a-half's worth of assorted experimental sounds. Aside from Cristal, Buer, and FSS artists like Wrnlrd and Grief No Absolution that I've written about here in the past, I honestly wasn't familiar with the other contributing artists (except my own, of course, as in the interest of full disclosure I do have a song here as Never Presence Forever), but was most impressed by Interbellum's surprisingly melodic, chilled out approach; and, towards the end, Leyland Kirby's similarly moving 13-minute "Black Holes are Not Completely Black" – where faintly distorted washes of melody sway to and fro in a hypnotically repetitious manner. Hells Hills (who feature former Rorschach guitarist Nick Forté) create this eerie type of vibe as well, though with a hint more of a throbbing drone element. Buer's "Dogwomb" is the first piece to really shake things up on the aggression front, with abstract bursts of early Godflesh-like texture broken up by loads of ear-splitting feedback that eventually cave in to more of an ambient hum. On the "black metal"-ish front you'll find the crude, super simplistic riffs and obscured vocals of Hamsoken (another Nick Forté project); Wrnlrd continuing to add clarity and detail to gnarled layers of discordant insanity with "Mephitic Celebrator"; and Caves' effective fusion of distant, reverberated tremolo picking riffs and dense ambient tones. Then there's No Anchor and Dead Meat, the two groups herein that sound like true "bands", smack in the middle of the collection with their own unique forms of "noise rock" (for lack of a better term). There's just a shitload of music to check out here, and unlike most compilations (especially those of the more experimental realms) I honestly find it all to be pretty damn solid. The whole thing's available as a free download, and includes a hefty .pdf booklet that was designed by Wrnlrd in cooperation with each contributing artist. Check it out and see what you discover… you can't lose when it's free!

[DOWNLOAD] v/a "They Don't Know Unless You Tell Them" compilation (@ Sendspace) (mp3)
[DOWNLOAD] v/a "They Don't Know Unless You Tell Them" compilation (@ MediaFire) (wav)

As I continue to catch up on releases that I didn't have time to cover towards the end of last year, the latest from the ever-curious Fysisk Format label is "Nekropsalms", the second album from Norwegian act Obliteration. Offering up just seven tracks that still top 40 minutes of Fenriz-endorsed death metal, this album is rightfully described by the label as "a cosmic blend of old school death metal mixed with the best elements from doom, punk, thrash and old school black metal". There are indeed quite a few instances where the band immediately switches up from dark, doomy midpaced runs to frantic tremolo picking riffs backed by more of a blasting hardcore/punk drum pattern. Adding to the variety, also beneficial is a solid recording that's super thick without lacking detail – the bass presence in the mix is a particular treat given the impressiveness of the performances throughout. While a casual listen might yield the more expected old school death metal type of approach – what with the prominent growls/snarls/etc. and thick, gnashing guitars – closer inspection reveals a much more intriguing listen that really does have a lot of unexpected twists: Weird, spacey effects and the occasional Sabbath-esque riff, winding dissonant runs with loads of pulsing basslines, sparse explosions of raw hardcore attack, and way more pulsing/chugging doom than you'd anticipate from a death metal band. There's certainly more going on, too, and perhaps referring to Obliteration as a "death metal band" is overly limiting, but… who really cares at this point!? It is what it is, and it's fuckin' cool. See what you think…

Obliteration "Nekropsalms Evoke the Frozen Age" (excerpt)

Purchase:

@ Fysisk Format (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ eMusic (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

Viva Clarity is yet another killer new hardcore band from Finland, and "Our Demons, Our Hell" is their debut (I believe self-released) six-song EP. As with a few other Finnish bands I've covered here, Viva Clarity has a slightly different sort of style from the bulk of the hardcore that I encounter from that area, perhaps loosely comparable to Lighthouse Project, but… that's just a general reference point, really. The material's heavy without relying on chugging rhythms or mosh breaks, and quite melodic without going too far. Darker, more atmospheric passages aid the overall sense of intensity and impact, and there are even some riffing elements, dare I say, reminiscent of black metal – which is really strange because the overall vibe here isn't one that screams "metal" to me. There's certainly nothing wrong with hardcore that can't be pigeonholed, especially in this day and age, so… once again I'll basically let the music speak for itself here!

Viva Clarity "Is There Anything Left?"

…sometimes I recall the days when my young mind was so naïve and pure. But now my eyes are opened and getting older, gloomier, colder. Which one is fucked up – this world or me? I’m asking myself am I sick and insane? Am I heartless and fucked up? But maybe I don’t even bother anymore?

Purchase:

@ Viva Clarity
@ Levykauppa Äx (in Finland)
@ Record Shop X (elsewhere)

How strange that the first CD I'm finally sitting down to write about in 2010 was actually released way back in 2008!? But I was so impressed by Reykjavík, Iceland's Celestine on their debut that it's better late than never for the band's sophomore full-length, "This Home Will be Our Grave" (released by Molestin Records), which their former drummer (who played on this album) was kind enough to send me a couple of months ago (His own personal copy, no less!? And check out his blog, Halifax Collect, too!). Thankfully this outing is a very suitable follow-up, offering eight tracks of crushing heaviness in a little over a half-hour. Expect loads of utterly pounding, churning rhythms and absolutely scathing vocals, this time accentuated by an increase in the warped, angular riffing that appears alongside the various forays into discordant twists and turns with little tinges of buried melody. And it's all wrapped up in a fuckin' killer recording that really lets all of the elements work together as a whole: Bashing percussion, an absolutely mammoth bass tone, dense yet aptly rugged guitars, and of course those throat-shredding vocal textures. These guys do it so, so right, and I'm always eagerly awaiting more from 'em – even if it does take an extra year or two sometimes!

Celestine "She is Queen"

It's a damn shame this one hasn't been released in the US yet, and this band still deserves a hell of a lot more attention across the globe. So fucking good…

Purchase:

@ Celestine

[DOWNLOAD] 25 of the best things I may never have heard… (@ MediaFire)

On January 1, 2010, I'll have been doing this website in one form or another for 10 years. One of the only (arbitrary) goals I set for myself when I launched the original site on January 1, 2000 was that I wanted to stick with it for "at least" a decade, so I guess I succeeded! Looking back, it's kind of crazy, especially considering the workload I maintained for the first four years of the site – writing up to 100 full-length reviews a month (covering every single item that showed up in the mail for at least two or three years) on top of various interviews, etc. I have no fucking clue how I was able to do that for so long, especially since I can barely pull together four or five write-ups a week these days. Life really can change quite a bit in a decade.

As such, Aversionline has stripped down and changed a hell of a lot over the years. I don't write about nearly as much as I used to, I've gotten bad at responding to emails (My apologies if you never heard back from me!), it can be tough to find the time to update the site regularly… but I still truly appreciate everyone that has ever taken the time to send me a CD, send me an email, post a comment, or simply check out the bands that I've been babbling about all this time. I can't imagine I'll be able to keep it up for another 10 years, but I love discovering new music and (hopefully) helping others do the same, so… we'll see!

To "celebrate" all this, I've looked back through my archives and tried to pick 25 of the best bands I've been exposed to as a direct result of doing Aversionline over the past decade. This is not a "Best Albums of the Decade" list. These are just 25 bands I've been introduced to in the last 10 years that I may never have had the chance to appreciate otherwise. Could I have selected more? Sure. Am I forgetting some mandatory selections that probably should've made the cut? More than likely (my memory's not so hot). But regardless, these 25 artists/songs have made enough of an impression on me to warrant more attention here, and I hope you'll enjoy 'em.

If you just want the tunes, the complete list of tracks and a single download link for the entire set is below. Under that I've provided links for the bands/labels/purchasing (where possible) and written quick little blurbs about each track if you want to explore further.

[DOWNLOAD] 25 of the best things I may never have heard… (@ MediaFire)

1. 357 Justice "Triumphant Pills"
2. Agalloch "As Embers Dress the Sky"
3. All Else Failed "In Our Defense"
4. Allegiance "Just Let Go"
5. Analena "In Theory and Practice"
6. As Friends Rust "Where the Wild Things Were"
7. By a Thread "Walkway"
8. Elements DEC "The Game Ain't the Same"
9. Dead City "Goddamned"
10. Disillusion "Fall"
11. Down My Throat "Burn"
12. Fall of the Leafe "A Waiting Room Snap"
13. Full Court Press "All That Remains"
14. Garrison "After the Fight"
15. Hiretsukan "Barrel Roll"
16. The Joy Formidable "The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade"
17. Koma "Like Coming Home"
18. Make Do and Mend "Insomniac Jams"
19. Maudlin of the Well "Undine and Underwater Flowers" (excerpt)
20. Misery Signals "Five Years"
21. The Movielife "Pinky Swear"
22. Parallax "Momentum"
23. Solid Ground "Get Used to It"
24. This et Al "Wardens"
25. Whiskey Rebels "Create or Die"

[DOWNLOAD] 25 of the best things I may never have heard… (@ MediaFire)

1. 357 Justice "Triumphant Pills"

   From the "s/t" CD (2001), released by Hater of God.
   Purchase: @ Interpunk

   I think this one was released before I was really familiar with the Hater of God label, but I saw it in a used bin after I had gotten a few packages from 'em and picked it up immediately, since I knew the Hater of God stamp was a mark of true quality. Sure enough, this disc is jam packed with super meaty rhythms, burly vocals, and sick dissonant riffs that make for a killer listen. Very underrated.

2. Agalloch "As Embers Dress the Sky"

   From the "Pale Folklore" CD (1999), released by The End Records.
   Purchase: @ CM Distro

   What I said about it then: "I am in a certain state of disbelief, as this is one of the most moving things I have ever heard…"

   This was actually one of the first CD's I ever received in the mail for review, and it made an enormous impact on me right away. That impact has remained firmly intact ever since, as "Pale Folklore" is still one of my favorite metal albums of all time. I've praised this record on numerous occasions here over the last decade, but I still encourage anyone unfamiliar with its greatness to seek it out immediately!

3. All Else Failed "In Our Defense"

   From the "This Never Happened" CD (2004), released by Abacus Recordings.
   Purchase: @ CM Distro

   I was familiar with All Else Failed from their earlier years, but wasn't an enormous fan of that work, so had this disc not showed up in the mail one day, it's unlikely that I would've checked it out on my own. What a shame that would've been, as the material herein was such a gigantic step forward for the band. More ferocious yet more melodic, and shockingly catchy at times, I listened to this thing almost nonstop for a bit there. Some of the lyrics really hit me at that point in my life as well. And I still love it, too. Such a great record…

4. Allegiance "Just Let Go"

   From the "Overlooked" CD (2005), released by Rivalry Records.
   Purchase: @ Rivalry Records

   Possibly the single best hardcore release of the decade. It's that good. I'm not a huge fan of the band's other work, but somehow the planets aligned for "Overlooked" and everything fell into place perfectly. This is the kind of shit that makes you get butterflies in your stomach with every listen. Excellent songwriting and completely raging energy that makes you want to knock motherfuckers' heads off. Perfect.

5. Analena "In Theory and Practice"

   From the "Carbon Based" CD (2004), released by Moonlee Records.
   Purchase: This one's harder to come by these days, so contact Moonlee Records for potential ordering information.

   And this one's possibly the single best screamo release ever! I don't know what it is, but something about this style makes it really hard to balance acerbity with a truly moving sense of feeling, but Analena totally nailed it here. Several of the songs on this album (especially this track) achieve that perfect mix of urgency and emotion. I was completely blown away by this album, and can't recommend it highly enough.

6. As Friends Rust "Where the Wild Things Were"

   From "A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times" CD (2002), released by Equal Vision Records.
   Purchase: @ Equal Vision Records

   What I said about it then: "This is awesome stuff. If their other records are this good then my dumb ass has been missing out…"

   My dumb ass was definitely missing out. This is still the best thing the band ever released, though. Creative lyrics, ridiculous catchiness… I'm all over it. Sure, the recording could've used a little help, but the best songs on this release are so god damn infectious! You can't argue with that level of songwriting quality. This is another one that didn't leave my rotation for a good bit.

7. By a Thread "Walkway"

   From "The Last of the Daydreams" CD (1999), released by Revelation Records.
   Purchase: @ RevHQ

   I think this was the first CD I ever received in the mail for review… and I never even reviewed it! A friend hooked me up during the three or four months of preparation before the site launched, but I just wasn't that into it at the time, and didn't revisit it until a few years later when the band blew me away on a compilation. I don't know what the hell my problem was in late-1999 when I first checked this shit out, but… this is one of the most underrated emo/indie bands ever. Period.

8. Elements DEC "The Game Ain't the Same"

   From the "Win or Lose" demo (1996), self-released.

   Best unsigned band ever? Very possible. As an enormous fan of Agents of Man, I was extremely curious to hear some of the members' prior band, Elements DEC. When the band's vocalist hooked me up with their two demos, my jaw was on the fucking floor. It still causes me physical pain to recognize the fact that such incredible music was never given the chance to be properly heard by as many listeners as I know would appreciate this shit. I must have listened to those demos hundreds of times in the years that followed.

9. Dead City "Goddamned"

   From the "Goddamn the 21st Century" CD (2009), released by Thrashed! Records.
   Purchase: @ Thrashed! Records

   This is one of the albums from this list that would absolutely be among my "Best Albums of the Decade". No doubt. Hopefully anyone taking the time to read this is already well aware of my love for Dead City, as I've raved about them a number of times in the last few years. Seriously, any fan of hardcore that can listen to a song this vicious and not be into it… I just can't hang with that at all. This is one of those elite tracks that makes me want to just put my fist through the wall and start wrecking everything in sight. Fucking masterpiece.

10. Disillusion "Fall"

    From the "Back to Times of Splendor" CD (2004), released by Metal Blade Records.
    Purchase: @ Metal Blade Records

    Another severely underrated one. Crazy album, too. Take a base of killer melodic Swedish death metal and toss in all kinds of crazy progressive influences and a little bit of unexpected weirdness and you've got yourself a monster. I had no reason to think I was gonna like this disc but I was completely floored. Too bad the band changed quite a bit afterwards. I tried repeatedly to get into the follow-up, "Gloria", but just couldn't do it. Oh well!

11. Down My Throat "Burn"

    From the "Real Heroes Die" CD (2001), released by Full House Records.
    Purchase: @ Interpunk

    I think this is the disc that kicked off my infatuation with the Finnish metallic hardcore scene. Powerful songwriting, great production, loads of chugging riffs, those ultra burly Euro-style vocals… how could any fan of this style not be all over this!?

12. Fall of the Leafe "A Waiting Room Snap"

    From the "Volvere" CD (2004), released by Rage of Achilles Records.
    Purchase: Amazon.com

    What I said about it then: "This record totally boils down to songwriting, though. Even the few lackluster moments are brought back to fine form by amazing choruses…"

    That's still true, and this song perfectly exemplifies such a statement. I'm not gonna lie, I have at least four other albums by these Finns, but this is the only one I ever listen to these days. That's not to say the other albums don't hold up, it's just that "Volvere" is hard to compete with since its best songs are so fucking good. Tell me this song isn't incredible. You can't!

13. Full Court Press "All That Remains"

    From the "Live Life Large" CD (2002), released by Gangstyle Records.
    Purchase: @ Goodlife Recordings

    Belgium's "European E.Town Concrete". Not a completely accurate representation of the band, but fair enough, and there's not a god damn thing wrong with that. Amongst a number of very solid releases from Gangstyle Records, this is probably the label's finest hour. I really wish these cats had stuck around for another full-length…

14. Garrison "After the Fight"

    From "A Mile in Cold Water" CD (2000), released by Revelation Records.
    Purchase: @ RevHQ

    What I said about it then: "My main gripe with this CD is that I often find myself waiting for the choruses to repeat again, but as Garrison continues to further their songwriting techniques I expect great things from them…"

    That was just me being a dumbass again. Another Revelation Records release that didn't hit me until a few years later. And then one day, it just clicked. For the longest time I thought there was only one killer song on this CD, and now I have over half the album rated four or five stars in iTunes. What the hell was wrong with me!?

15. Hiretsukan "Barrel Roll"

    From the "Invasive//Exotic" CD (2002), released by G7 Welcoming Committee Records.
    Purchase: @ G7 Welcoming Committee Records

    Like Analena above, this band hits that perfect balance of intense, caustic aggression and off the charts feeling and emotion. I don't even know what more to say. Amazing.

16. The Joy Formidable "The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade"

    From "A Balloon Called Moaning" CD (2009), self-released.
    Purchase: @ The Joy Formidable

    Another of the more recent bands to make the list, this style falls outside of my normal listening spectrum, but the band is so excellent that I was hooked instantly. They tend to give away their material for free quite a bit, and have yet to write a bad song. I was so excited to get exposed to this work, and am always looking forward to hearing more.

17. Koma "Like Coming Home"

    From the "Tsunami" CD (2004), released by Fullsteam Records.
    Purchase: @ It's a Trap!

    What I said about it then: "…I'm not kidding, it's a crime that I'm not hearing more about this band. What gives?"

    I was introduced to Koma (now Khoma) through a compilation and knew I had to hear more. Their sophomore full-length wasn't nearly as spectacular, but "Tsunami" is still a superb slab of moody, atmospheric "metal". This song in particular just crushes my life to bits…

18. Make Do and Mend "Insomniac Jams"

    From the "We're All Just Living" CD (2007), released by Restless Minds Records.
    Purchase: This one might be out of print, but if you contact the band on MySpace I'm pretty sure they'd be willing to work something out with you (downloads, etc.).

    Love. This. Band. I wasn't 100% sold at first, but, again, I was being an idiot. I now fully worship everything they've recorded to date, and can't wait to hear more. This is one of the greatest songs ever written in the history of all living things, and has already become the most played song in my iTunes library. So, so good.

19. Maudlin of the Well "Undine and Underwater Flowers" (excerpt)

    From the "My Fruit Psychobells… a Seed Combustible" CD (1999), released by Dark Symphonies.
    Purchase: @ CM Distro

    What I said about it then: "From total doom/death metal to convincing 70's prog rock and authentic jazz passages this band can and will pull off nearly anything they wish…"

    Another selection that has stuck with me from way back in the first year of the site. Admittedly I haven't listened to the band's other work very often since those days, but the core of this song is such a mesmerizing representation of the band at their peculiar finest that I had to include it. These five minutes are another rare passage that instantly hit me in that all-too-rare manner.

20. Misery Signals "Five Years"

    From the "Of Malice and the Magnum Heart" CD (2004), released by Ferret Music.
    Purchase: @ Ferret Music

    Easily one of the best "metalcore" releases of the decade, where crazy diversity and technicality are helped along by badass riffs and solid songwriting.

21. The Movielife "Pinky Swear"

    From the "This Time Next Year" CD (2000), released by Revelation Records.
    Purchase: @ RevHQ

    What I said about it then: "…I was singing along to some of these tracks before they ended on the first listen! Unheard of! It's just that catchy!"

    Pretty much everything this band released was great. If you dig absurdly catchy pop-punk type stuff and have never really checked this band out: Do it now!

22. Parallax "Momentum"

    From the "Mediums & Messages" CD (2006), released by Counterintelligence Recordings.
    Purchase: @ Interpunk

    Another band that I've continued to express amazing feelings for in recent years, and another album from this list that would undoubtedly make it to my "Best Albums of the Decade". If you've still never heard Parallax, absolutely check 'em out immediately, and buy the fuckin' CD while you still can.

23. Solid Ground "Get Used to It"

    From the "Get Used to It" CD (2005), released by Dead Serious Recordings.
    Purchase: @ Dead Serious Recordings

    Right up there with Allegiance as possibly the single best hardcore release of the decade, I don't care what anyone else says. This kind of no frills, in your face attack is what really hits home for me. I've raved about this band/release/song before, and I always will. How can you not love this? I'm seriously having to restrain myself from smashing my computer into a million pieces right now!

24. This et Al "Wardens"

    From the "Baby Machine" CD (2006), self-released.
    Purchase: @ Amazon.com

    Another completely out of nowhere submission that I didn't expect to like at all, and ended up fuckin' loving it. It's a cryin' shame that this band called it quits already, as just like their UK countrymates The Joy Formidable, they never wrote a bad song.

25. Whiskey Rebels "Create or Die"

    From the "Create or Die" CD (2004), released by GMM Records.
    Purchase: @ Whiskey Rebels

    One of the best songs I've heard in the last 10 years, from a highly underrated band that has sadly not released anything new since. At the end of the day, I don't give a shit what anyone else thinks is cool, what gets all the hype, etc. I only care about whether or not it's actually good music, and this track is such a fitting example of that. The chorus is so insanely heartfelt, and I just feel like everyone should be able to appreciate that type of thing!

[DOWNLOAD] 25 of the best things I may never have heard… (@ MediaFire)

1. This Yahoo! Media Player thing I installed… does it suck? It seems kinda useful, but if it's deemed to blow, let me know and I'll kill it.

2. I'll have a huge "25 of the best things I may never have heard…" 10-year retrospective post up sometime around January 1st, so keep your eyes peeled if you're interested…

Thanks!

In addition to it being around "the holidays" and the time crunch that coincides with that, I've been totally slammed at work, and have also been having some annoying tinnitus flare-ups that are making me want to try and cut back on the constant headphones/music listening as of late. So… I've been having a hell of a time getting three to four write-ups done every week. I'll also be M.I.A. from around the 23rd through January 4th for holiday vacation stuff, so… updates might be sparse for another few weeks, sadly. I'm trying to get together a big retrospective post for the start of the new year, but everything's taking longer than it should lately, so who knows!? Many thanks to all those who keep checking in every now and then…

Pennsylvania's Who Goes There? is made up of ex-members of Houston We Have a Problem and Outclassed, and their self-titled debut (for which I have no physical copy, and couldn't find a good image of the cover art, so that's why I used a band photo alongside this post) offers up seven tracks of high-quality "screamo" (for lack of a better term). Everyone in the band contributes vocals, so there are assorted shouts/screams fighting their way worth from the background of the raw, thick mix – where frantic percussion and caustic, fast-paced picking patterns give way to jangly clean guitars and winding melodies. For me, the two most essential components for this style of music to be successful are energy and feeling, and there's no shortage of either in Who Goes There?'s delivery, so they're not at all hindered by the fact that some of the performances get a little sloppy/out of tune, etc. But shit, that kind of rugged, no-frills delivery is sort of a trademark from certain corners of this "genre" anyway, so… it kinda goes with the territory. I'd be curious to see the lyrics, too. There's just no way in hell to even toss a guess at what might be going on behind goofy song titles like "Food Sex With Nicholas Cage" or "Rodeo Denim Revival" (to cite but a few), but seeing as these guys seem to be drawing inspiration from a more 90's, D.I.Y. type of scene, I'd lean towards the lyrics carrying a more serious tone. Who knows, though!? Either way, I like what I'm hearing here, and look forward to more. I don't get exposed to bands of this nature as often as I'd prefer, and never have the time to do too much digging on my own, so it's always nice to be introduced to acts of this nature that know how to do it right. Good stuff…

Who Goes There? "Admirable Snackbar"

The EP's limited to just 101 copies in hand-screened sleeves and is only $7 (including postage), so definitely pick one up if this is your thing…

Purchase:

@ Who Goes There?

"Live at Colonia Dignidad" (released by Cobra Records) is the monstrous 77-minute debut album from the unusually peculiar Finnish act Opium Warlords, whose lone member, as far as I can tell, is Sami Albert Hynninen (who's been in a shitload of other bands, though the only one I've ever heard of is Reverend Bizarre). Referring to the band as "a vessel of sonic occultism", Hynninen also seems to have some sense of humor buried amidst Opium Warlords' dark, somber aesthetic. For example, the first two influences listed on the MySpace page are Toto and Burzum, and the band is also self-described to "sound like" everything from "gothic vampire shit" to "a Bolivian doom metal band learning a riff". And the oddities don't end there! The compositions range from 17-minute epics of crawling, droning, stripped down doom with spacious, melodic pulses of bass and lightly fuzzed dual-guitar runs ("Feel the Funeral Breeze") to the grinding, five-second hardcore/punk blast of closer "Support the Satanic Youth"; while the vocals cover your expected range of pained snarls 'n' sneers, chant-like wails, and appropriate, quality singing in many instances. As opposed to simply sending me mp3's, the label insisted on sending me a CD all the way from Finland, and I'm glad they did, because the general weirdness that seems to follow this band around continues throughout the packaging – which, in addition to utilizing a good amount of not-very-"doomy" pink, contains everything from quotes regarding necrophilia to child-like drawings of bunnies. Very strange. You really have to see/hear this one for yourself to get a feel for all the wacky little idiosyncrasies of the band, the one sample below is far from a complete representation of the album as a whole. It's really quite interesting, and I'm truly enjoying it…

Opium Warlords "Overwhelm Me, Black Sorrow" (excerpt)

All the pain in life you feel. All the filth in the world you see. Meet me at the iron place and kneel. I will show you the way to be free…

Purchase:

@ Levykauppa Äx (in Finland)
@ Record Shop X (elsewhere)

"Soothsayer" is the absolutely badass debut EP from Auburn, NY's Born to Expire, and I have to assume they're named after the Leeway album, which is always a good sign – even if they don't sound like Leeway! Expect crushing metallic hardcore that spices up the traditional power chord rhythms and chugging midpaced breaks with some dense, sludge-laden grooves and cold, crawling dissonance. The recording on this thing is heavy as shit, too. I've never heard basslines this effectively loud before in my life! I swear the bass must be mixed dead even with the guitars, if not a touch louder. And I love it! I hope they maintain that balance on all of their future recordings, 'cause it makes the riffs – which are already super fuckin' meaty – hit even harder. The overall feel of this stuff kind of reminds me of the mighty Dead City, which is also always a good sign. According to the dude from the band who sent me the EP, their new material is hinting at a little more of a Crowbar influence, which could be really cool hearing how those types of runs already seep into these tracks. Hell, there are moments herein that damn near touch on doom metal vibes, so… who knows how far they'll take such elements down the road? Whatever the case, this is a killer start, and I'm really looking forward to hearing more.

Born to Expire "Sowing Poison Seeds"

This one's available as a free download (and as far as I can tell there's no artwork, hence the use of the band photo with this post), so make the grab while you wait for these cats to drop some new jams:

[DOWNLOAD] Born to Expire "Soothsayer" (@ MediaFire)

"Lust for Lie" is the latest from Helsinki, Finland's Lighthouse Project – a three-song, nine-minute 7" EP released by The Hood Took Us Under Records. This material sees the band continuing to progress and is easily their most powerful work to date, offering everything from throbbing midpaced rhythms and slick, pulsing bass runs to fuzzy melodic riffs, angular bends, and the darker, more dissonant fare of stunning closer "Choosing My Confessions" (which seems to contain some lyrical nods to R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion"). And then there are the energetic power chords and noisy, chaotic leads of "Musta Jumala" (a cover song by classic Finnish hardcore/punk act Terveet Kädet, though I'm honesty not that familiar with their work). All of this is delivered with a warm, natural sounding recording that has just the right amount of punchy heaviness balanced with raw bite, so everything falls into place nicely. It seems rare for bands to display continual growth from release to release these days, but Lighthouse Project never fails to catch my attention with their tweaks and improvements. "Lust for Lie" is a highly effective EP, and if they continue in this vein I'd like to see them start to turn a few more heads out there for sure. Good stuff…

Lighthouse Project "Choosing My Confessions" (excerpt)

Get in touch with the band and/or the label using the MySpace links above to inquire about ordering information, as I'm not seeing this one available at any distros just yet!

If anyone out there has contact information for any of the former members of the band Uncle Slam, shoot an email to Matt at Tribunal/Divebomb Records and lend him a hand. He's looking to get in touch with those guys and isn't having much luck. Members who played on their 1988 debut, "Say Uncle", would probably be best, but any information could help!

This massive collection from Smog Veil Records has been in the works for an eternity, finally seeing the light of day just last month. "Rode Hard, Put Away Wet: Clevo HC '89 – '93" is an almost complete discography for Face Value, which tends to be one of the lesser talked about of the significant Cleveland hardcore bands. Included are 1991's "The Price of Maturity" LP, the "Coming of Age" 7" (1990), four songs from their final full-length, "Kick it Over" (1993), and their first demo from 1989 (most of the songs from which went on to appear on various compilations). The only things missing are the "Loud" live 7" from 1991, and the other four songs from "Kick it Over", but that's fine with me because I've never been much of a fan of live recordings, and the longer songs/more rocked out direction of "Kick it Over" never really did much for me, to be honest.

If you've never heard Face Value, their style was not at all in the dark, metallic vein for which so many Cleveland bands are known. They basically cranked out angry, old school hardcore that was somehow able to avoid most of the generic "youth crew" trappings, not to mention the immediately recognizable vocals of frontman/legendary Cleveland icon Tony Erba. Even in their earliest days they had a good balance of tempos happening, so it's not just fast, monotonous power chords with no variation; and lots of slick basslines always tend to spice things up as well. Really, the more obvious shift they took on "Kick it Over" shouldn't have been an enormous surprise, as there are plenty of leads and blatant rock riffs scattered amidst the traditional hardcore and crunchy midpaced breaks of "The Price of Maturity" and (to a lesser degree) "Coming of Age".

In addition to the 31 career-spanning tracks of the CD, the DVD contains segments from a number of different live shows between 1990 – 1993, and there are actually a handful of unreleased songs included, which is a nice touch. Also cool are the galleries of photos, flyers, and other assorted artifacts included on the DVD as a bonus. The discs are housed in a six-panel digipack with a pretty old school looking layout. No lyrics are in the booklet, but there are a lot of liner notes from various individuals close to the band over the years – including members of Ringworm and Apartment 213, to name but a few. Here's a little taste of what the band had to offer:

Face Value "Men From the Boys"
Face Value "Nothing to Prove"

If for whatever reason you're not interested in the DVD, the entire audio portion of the release is available digitally for a very reasonable price, so… don't forget that's an option!

Purchase:

@ Smog Veil Records (CD/DVD)
@ Interpunk (CD/DVD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

"Vultures" is a one-sided 12" EP on white vinyl with a screenprinted B-side, and it's also my first exposure to Germany's Laura Mars (from Superfluous Records). Having been rightfully compared to Botch and Deadguy in the past, their overall sound does bear similarities to the form of "metalcore" more centered around discordant, angular chunks and lots of pull-off runs, though they don't really sound like either of those bands as a whole. There's definitely a hint more variety here in that there's also a really cool "screamo" angle happening, with lots of intense melodies scattered amidst raw, frenetic riffing – not to mention a multi-vocal attack that combines a few forms of shouting/screaming. The recording's crisp enough to be heavy but retains a good amount of acerbity for the looser riffs, and from what I can tell they've got a cool eye for D.I.Y. packaging as well. It seems these guys are admirably inspired by the 90's era of hardcore in general, as suggested by this statement regarding their lyrics posted on their MySpace page:

Yes, it is important to us that people read our lyrics and understand what they are about. What we have to offer lyric-wise is definitely far from enlightened and most probably of little relevance for you. And no, we are not one of these hippie-esque "I-want-to-share-my-feelings-with-you" bands… we are just five guys who are convinced that it still makes sense to address certain topics in song lyrics, although everybody in this modern hardcore crap tells you otherwise.

With just five songs in 14 minutes there's not a ton to go on, but you're left wanting more, and that's always a good sign. I like what I'm hearing/seeing/reading, and I'll be looking forward to more from Laura Mars for sure.

Laura Mars "Curtain Falls"

The 12" is limited to just 50 hand-numbered copies with a red screenprint and 450 with a blue screenprint, so get in touch with the label via the link below to see about getting your hands on one…

Purchase:

@ Superfluous Records
@ Denovali

I believe "Resin" was the debut release from unusual Turkish label Wounded Wolf, and that's about all the background information I have to go on here. I know nothing about Ashberry whatsoever, and looking around online produced no information of value. That being said, Ashberry seems to be – as far as I'm concerned – an experimental noise project that explores stripped down ambient textures in a manner that, while not as dark and somber as I tend to prefer, is rather effective in creating an interesting atmosphere. Here's a bit of what the label has to say about the release:

"Resin" investigates one's relationship with the landscape and creates a sonic architecture of space, landscape and the natural surroundings as if the musicians themselves were raised from the soil, where bowed strings were the winds and pianos were little glimmerings of life. Recordings were made quite silently to give space and sound to the surrounding which appears from place to place along with a little amount of found and recorded sounds of fields, especially the places inspired and embodied with the music.

That's a very accurate representation of what you'll hear in these three lengthy compositions (exceeding seven minutes apiece), as shimmering piano notes and resonantly plucked strings fall into place amidst soft hums and drones or subtly identifiable field recordings from various natural settings, while the abstracted bow work creates smatterings of tension scattered throughout. There's a soothing, relaxed feeling to a lot of the sounds, which I'm sure might sound cheesy to some, but it's much more genuine than any kind of generic "new age" bullshit or whatever. I don't know, it's a curious release from a curious label, and I find it all rather intriguing, so see what you think:

Ashberry "And They Came in the Form of Rain" (excerpt)

As is often the case in the experimental noise realm, this release is limited to a mere 25 copies that come in hand-made packages that are personalized for each recipient. So, if this is your thing, pick one up now before they're all gone for good!

Purchase:

@ Wounded Wolf

New Jersey's Overstand features former members of the promising act Charge, and this disc (released by GAOTU Records, which I assume may be the band's own label since I can't find any information about it anywhere) collects all of their recorded material to date (sans one song, I'm not sure why). About half of the tracks have been previously released on the "Kali Yuga" 7" and a split 7" with Sirens, but the remaining material is exclusive to this CD. The 10 tracks represent two different recording sessions that are both a little on the raw side, which does hold back the band's true potential just a touch, but your ears can adjust within a couple of minutes, and the explosive nature of the band's finest work certainly overcomes any hindrances the sound quality might present. Like Charge, Overstand seems to draw a lot of comparisons to Bad Brains and Absolution and whatnot, which I can hear to a degree, but especially with regard to the former I'd say that most of the comparisons are coming from the fact that there are a couple of reggae-ish breaks to be found, and I guess there's a "spiritual" sort of tone to some of the lyrical content as well. But while there is an Absolution/Burn kind of vibe to the vocals (which is always a good thing in my opinion), the music tends to be based around energetic hardcore/punk with roving basslines and lots of unexpectedly rocked out riffs that come from a totally different perspective. The older songs from 2008 feel a little more focused overall, filtering the band's diverse range of influences into a more cohesive whole that still pushes outside the boundaries from time to time, but there's a lot of interesting shit going on regardless.

Overstand "Brainwash Mind Games"

Strangely enough it seems that Overstand is already calling it quits, as according to their MySpace page they're recording one more four-song 7" and some of the members are already moving on to a new band called Magnitude. That being said, these limited edition Overstand CD's might be gone sooner than later, so don't sleep on picking one up if you're into what you hear…

Purchase:

@ Overstand

Released by Japanese label Juke Boxxx Record in honor of their three-date tour of Japan a little over three weeks ago, this split sees Creepout teaming up with the almighty Integrity for a handful of new tunes per band. Creepout kicks things off with three songs (one of which is a CD-only bonus track) of no frills metallic hardcore with a good balance of moderately fast power chords and crunchy midpaced breaks with gruff vocals. There's some slightly metal-based riffing thrown in here and there for good measure, but for the most part they keep things super stripped down and traditional, based around a NYHC style that has perhaps a little Clevo tinge throughout some of the slower rhythms. Integrity then follows with "Love is the Only Weapon… Let the Night Roar", which is basically two tracks in one, transitioning from a somber clean intro to plodding power chords layered with lots of chaotic lead bursts and divebombs. Then, after a brief interlude of pulsing dark ambient throbs, everything breaks open into a combination of pounding, "Systems Overload" styled runs and an almost black metal-esque riff that makes for a pretty interesting blend. The recording's a little rawer than anything I've heard from the band as of late, but that could be an intentional experiment given the rugged thickness of the mix and the way the percussion has a strangely crisp yet distant sheen happening. The two Septic Death "karaoke" covers from the split 7" with AVM are included as a bonus on the CD version, as is a lengthy unlisted experimental noise track. Killer lyrics and some badass inner sleeve artwork from Integrity as well!

Creepout "Cornered"
Integrity "Love is the Only Weapon… Let the Night Roar"*

*The Integrity link above is for a .zip archive of the entire track via holyterror.com, for a limited time only.

The 7" is limited to just 340 copies, with the CD coming in a little higher at 666 copies pressed, though both may be hard to come by. The link below is for the label's webstore, which will be fairly useless unless you can read Japanese. But it looks like Dwid has one copy of the CD and a few 7"s for sale on eBay, and should be adding more such auctions in the future…

Purchase:

@ Juke Boxxx Record (CD)

Another cool release from intriguing label Kid Sister Everything is the "Keys" EP, which offers up three songs in about 15 minutes from Chicago trio Staph. I guess you could call this "screamo", though it's certainly not the irritating kind. Jangly clean guitars and thick basslines mix with a little bit of raw distortion, and all three band members contribute vocally, so there's a mix of intense screaming and pained, distant singing. Of course there's a frantic sort of edge to some of the riffing and arrangements, but there are also a lot of drawn out instrumental passages that have a surprising midpaced throb happening, and such excursions really add a different sort of feeling to the emotional tone of their work as a whole. As usual I don't know what more to say, especially seeing as you can check out the entire EP below. Here's one song and a dash of (different) lyrics to give you an idea of what to expect:

Staph "Harvest"

It's raining gold downtown. Looked up to spot a rainbow in the sky. Had no umbrellas so a million people died. And if these streets could speak, we'd get eaten up in its concrete teeth. A million people. If these streets could speak, we'd get eaten up in its concrete teeth. The symphony marches in packs of cigarettes and six. Existence spends me every day like your accumulation of pennies. We broke the ground that we walk on. 'Cause we took too long to walk on.

Released earlier this year, "Keys" was limited to just 50 hand-painted discs in hand-sewn sleeves, and is also now sold out. So, the label has given me permission to post the entire thing for your listening enjoyment:

[DOWNLOAD] Staph "Keys" (@ Mediafire)

If you like what you hear, definitely check out the Kid Sister webstore and/or their full distro list to see what other releases are still available, as their general aesthetic seems to be pretty consistent across the board. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on what they release in the future…

Abraxis, Australia's one-man holy terror hardcore enthusiast, has finally released this impressive self-titled full-length debut (on Frequency Deleted Records), offering up a concise eight tracks/half-hour of extremely effective Integrity/Ringworm worship – right down to the dead-on cover of the former's classic "Abraxas Annihilation". If you missed out on the band's demo, expect loads of sneering, Human Furnace-like vocals over churning Clevo-styled power chords and fiery lead breaks. And he's still spicing things up with experimental noise/"apocalyptic folk" excursions as well, most notably in "I Hope to Die", where deep, restrained singing hovers amidst reverberated acoustic guitars and distant swells of feedback or crispy, distorted hums. Obvious advancements have been made in terms of the production values, and while a little room for improvement may remain, this material sounds very good, especially considering that most everything's handled by one dude (I believe a session drummer helped him out). Overall this is a killer album that has me really looking forward to hearing more from Abraxis. Sure, it's not the most original thing on the planet, but there are little bits and pieces that stray from the formula. And when a band's chief inspiration is one of the greatest hardcore bands of all time (Integrity), I can certainly live with strong similarities in approach – especially when it's executed at this level of quality. The hardcore oriented songs are powerful and to the point, the more experimental material is aptly chilling and possesses true feeling, etc. Great work. I'm all over this…

Abraxis "Destined to Fire"

Purchase:

@ Frequency Deleted Records (CD)
@ Interpunk (CD)
@ RevHQ (CD)
@ iTunes (mp3)

"Adharma" is the debut five-song EP from Dutch trio Fehler (released by Black Death Records), and I have to say, these guys are delivering one of the most literal and unique combinations of hardcore/punk and sludgy metal I've ever heard. Dark, discordant textures and winding basslines with a midpaced doom/sludge type of vibe are contrasted by frantic, chunky power chords and subtly rocked out riffing delivered in hammering, fast-paced bursts of hardcore/punk energy – while fronted by ultra gruff snarls that work well over any and all approaches alluded to by the instrumentation. On top of that you'll find bits and pieces of searing feedback, a well-integrated sample or two, creeping melodic attributes, the occasional spout of ringing post-hardcore dissonance, and even a few more chaotic riffs that almost have a weird black metal feel!? Seriously, there's a lot going on, but what's great is that the band pulls it off perfectly. The songs don't feel disjointed in any way, and the entire 17-minute listen is a shockingly cohesive experience given the breadth of influences they're drawing from. Awesome.

Fehler "Season of the Witch"

Purchase:

@ Fehler (CD)
@ Black Death Records (CD)
@ CD Baby (mp3)

Released earlier this year by Reaper Records, "No Remorse" is the debut 7" from Richmond, VA's Naysayer, offering up six tracks/13 minutes of pissed off, no bullshit metallic hardcore with loads of badass midpaced grooves and a really bitter sneer to the vocals that helps give the band a slightly different sound than a lot of what's out there right now. Musically they're not a cookie-cutter band, though. Sure, most acts of this nature tend to stick to a pretty consistent formula (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that), but Naysayer's got a good balance of faster, subtly thrashy runs and those tactful, chugging grooves, so their metal-tinged sound never loses its hardcore roots (i.e. don't expect intricate riffing and solos). A pretty dry, stripped down recording allows for a solid bass presence, so you can notice that the bass doesn't just mirror the guitars all the time, which is always a nice touch. I don't know what more to say. No song hits the three-minute mark, so this is a pretty straightforward dose of material that leaves you wanting more. Good stuff…

Naysayer "Soul Searching"

Purchase:

@ Reaper Records (clear/gray 7")
@ Reaper Records (multi-colored 7")
@ RevHQ (7")
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

"Scars" is the debut two-song EP from Canadian act Damages (on Clue #2 Records, and soon to be released by Deaf Cult in Europe), which the label accurately describes as "early Discord/Ebullition sounds mixed with Touch and Go style noise rock". And it rules. The compositions are driven by absolutely massive basslines and crisp drumming surrounded by jangly, angular guitar riffs that use very little distortion, while the vocals fall to the distance and jump from speaking to straight up shouting/yelling. The recording's stripped down and loaded with low-end, the songwriting's memorable and carries both energy and emotion, the lyrics are solid, etc. The whole EP is barely over seven minutes long and I'd fucking love to hear from this band immediately. I don't get exposed to this style very often, but I'd love to hear more bands nailing it as well as Damages. Great work. Awesome.

Damages "Gears" (excerpt)

…I grow further and faster away from something significant, and nothing scares me more. The choices I've made have turned into my regrets and I wish I had the strength to turn these gears to make this machine run.

As is (thankfully) becoming so common, the vinyl will contain a download code for mp3's of the release, so definitely pick one up if this is your thing…

Purchase:

@ Clue #2 Records
@ Deaf Cult (pre-order)

"Our Circle is Vicious" is the latest (and greatest) from Belgium's Rise and Fall (once more from the always top-notch Deathwish Inc.), offering up 10 tracks of the band's most focused material to date in a little under a half-hour. First and foremost, with the help of the mighty Kurt Ballou the band has finally nailed a recording that completely kicks ass and gives their material the extra punch it needed. They've thickened things up while retaining that veil of gritty texture, and the way the massive density of the bass fills in all the cracks so perfectly just blows my mind. Everything about this record sounds fuckin' incredible, and really draws you in right off the bat. But while I say this is the band's most focused album, it's also their most diverse. The overall base is still made up of scathing vocals over relatively straightforward metallic hardcore/punk rhythms with a little bit of a crusty edge, but while they'll often bust out that driving, unexpectedly rocked out sense of energy with their chord progressions, there are a hell of a lot more slow-paced tempos exploring darker, dissonant riffs and some restrained breathing room here. They can get a really throbbing heaviness goin' on, and seem to flirt with an almost hypnotic sense of repetition from time to time while experimenting with different dynamics and textures (rather than beating you over the head with a singular approach). So, basically what I'm trying to say is that while Rise and Fall's foundation may be stripped down metallic hardcore/punk, they're starting to bury those roots with much more adventurous and atmospheric fare, but they're doing so in a way that makes sense and is still tied to their past efforts. There's a lot going on, though, so as always you've really got to hear for yourself to make your own decisions…

Rise and Fall "Built on Graves"

Definitely make the grab if you like what you hear. The vinyl comes with a download code, and if money's tight or for some reason you don't care about the physical product, the label's now selling super cheap mp3 downloads as well. You can't lose…

Purchase:

@ Deathwish Inc. (CD)
@ Deathwish Inc. (LP)
@ Deathwish Inc. (mp3)

"Myrmidon" is the latest full-length effort from prolific, one-of-a-kind black metal outfit Wrnlrd (once more released by the ever-curious Flingco Sound System), and within seconds it becomes clear that the band's production values are continuing to improve, as this may well be the first time I've ever been able to clearly discern guitars, bass, drums, and vocals all working together at once in a Wrnlrd track. Their growth towards tangible riffs continues here as well, with some surprisingly fluid, somberly chilling clean passages and straightforward, chunky rhythms. Don't get the wrong idea, though, as the compositions are still loaded with cacophonous layers of additional texture/obfuscation, so while the improvisational nature of Wrnlrd's earlier work has decreased, such elements still play a significant role. A lot of this material seems to be driven by a pulsing rhythmic core that becomes surrounded by completely fucked up chord phrasings, all kinds of mangled leads, subtle samples, and a much wider range of vocals – where those obscured, gurgling grunts/growls are frequently joined by or give way to chant-like moans, haunting wails, and even some actual singing. Wrnlrd's music is so unique and bizarre that there's no possible way to effectively communicate what you're hearing with mere words – especially now that every element is audible and there's even more going on. So I'm gonna stop trying and let the excerpts below do the talking. This is absolutely the band's most ambitious work to date, and it's refreshing to see/hear such obvious progression with each subsequent release, as all too many artists are content to stagnate and repeat rather than challenging themselves (and the listener).

Wrnlrd "Diamond" (excerpt)
Wrnlrd "Girl" (excerpt)

Remembering your last expression my face to the street like an instrument of measuring pain long forgotten I feel you slipping naked through the faint and dying ring of some ancient combat whispering "now he's gone" in the echoes of the infinite black engines of hell…

Vinyl purchases come with a download code, and the album's available digitally for inexpensive prices if you can't afford the physical LP, so…

Purchase:

@ Flingco Sound System (LP/mp3)
@ The End Records (LP)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ eMusic (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

"Screaming for a Life Worth Living" is a four-song 7" that marks the first proper release from Portland, OR's Unrestrained (on Surprise Attack Records). For those unaware, the band's vocalist, Justin, is one of the guys behind the excellent Stuck in the Past blog, so it makes perfect sense that his band is heavily influenced/inspired by various facets of the 90's hardcore scene. Expect scathing screams over chunky, metallic rhythms with loads of killer bass breaks and a good balance between slightly harsher guitar textures as well as some surging post-hardcore dissonance and subtle melodic elements tucked away in the riffing. If I had to compare them to artists from that classic era of hardcore, I'd say they come across as an interesting mix of Harvest and Mouthpiece. I do wish the recording was just a touch more polished in order to give the material the oomph it deserves, but there's something about their present ruggedness that does make sense, and adds a little bit of an acerbic sheen to the vocals that's pretty cool (the bass tone kicks ass, too). The songwriting's absolutely on point, so I'll damn sure be looking forward to seeing where they head down the road. Look for a split with Germany's Laura Mars and two tracks on an At Both Ends zine compilation coming soon…

Unrestrained "Scrutiny"

Purchase:

@ Surprise Attack Records (red vinyl, alternate cover)
@ Surprise Attack Records (black vinyl, standard cover)
@ Surprise Attack Records (both versions)