Hello
everybody! Some really killer new distro stuff in this week's update,
which I'll get to shortly. First off, some label news.
The Tenement Bruised Music, Volume Two LP is officially out and in circulation now! All preorders have been shipped, and the release should hopefully be popping up in stores and other various distros over the course of the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone who has picked up or checked out the release so far! We do have plans for a cassette version from the fine folks at Dead Broke Records (who did a tape for Vol. 1), and you can also expect a CD version compiling both volumes out this fall as well (more details on that later).
The collection has been getting some great reviews, check out what the folks at Nerdist, Heartbreaking Bravery and Punknews had to say about the release.
The Tenement Bruised Music, Volume Two LP is officially out and in circulation now! All preorders have been shipped, and the release should hopefully be popping up in stores and other various distros over the course of the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone who has picked up or checked out the release so far! We do have plans for a cassette version from the fine folks at Dead Broke Records (who did a tape for Vol. 1), and you can also expect a CD version compiling both volumes out this fall as well (more details on that later).
The collection has been getting some great reviews, check out what the folks at Nerdist, Heartbreaking Bravery and Punknews had to say about the release.
The Angel Du$t Upside Down 7", which we released last month as a single for their upcoming LP, Rock the Fuck on Forever,
is almost sold out! We do have a handful of copies left in the
webstore, so grab one while you can. The single was a limited one time
pressing and when it's gone, it's gone for good. The 7" features the
title track, which will appear on their upcoming LP, as well as an
exclusive non-LP B-side.
We also currently have a Preorder up for Angel Du$t's new LP! The folks at Pop Wig Records were nice enough to let GM grab a handful of the White Vinyl version (out of 500) of RTFOF,
so if you wanted to add one to your next webstore order they will be
shipping in a few weeks. You can also preorder the LP direct from Pop Wig (along with some other hip A.D. goods), and the band will of course have copies on their upcoming West Coast shows and the Life and Death Tour
(with Terror, Power Trip, Fury, and Red Death). Angel Du$t also just
released the third single from the LP, coinciding with a pretty
interesting animated video for it, so give that a look!
Speaking of Red Death, the DC boys will be doing a bit of touring this summer starting with a full European Tour
with Protester at the end of May, then will head out on the Life and
Death tour (mentioned above) in July. Red Death released their debut LP,
Permanent Exile, last
year on Grave Mistake, and have a new single coming up on Lockin' Out
Records later this year! We also have the last remaining copies of the Demo 7" we pressed up last year, and once that sells out it won't be repressed.
It's been a couple of years since the last Vinyl Conflict Label
release, however we've got another one in the works for this summer!
VC-007 will be the debut EP from Richmond, VA's Mad Existence.
They put out a rad demo last year, and their upcoming EP rips even
harder - the band put up a bit of a teaser for the EP on their Bandcamp
last week, so give it a listen! If all goes as planned, VC will be
dropping a few more EPs from some other fine Richmond acts before the
year is up, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Finally, the long overdue debut LP from Chicago's Earth Girls, Wanderlust, will
be seeing an official release early this summer! This release has been
held up at the pressing plant for the better part of a year, however the
timing has worked out as the band had been laying low for a while, and
is now gearing up to start playing again. You can expect some upcoming
midwest gigs this summer, as well as a little touring if all goes as
planned. Earth Girls released their debut 7", Wrong Side of History,
on Grave Mistake in 2014, then a follow up 7" on Dirt Cult Records last
year - so we are very excited to be bringing you a full LP's worth of
Earth Girls hits. More news on that in the coming month, but get
excited!
That's all for now, so if I still have your attention, check out what's new in the distro ...
For quick browsing of recent additions to the store, you can check out all of these titles mentioned below in the New Arrivals and Recent Restocks sections!
I've talked too much in this email already, but this update is
packed with some of my favorite releases so far this year - new Green
Beret LP, Triage 7", JJ Doll Demo, Beta Boys 7", and Firing Squad Demo
7" are all highly recommended; Blackball 7" and Rough Kids LP are killer
as well, and Mosher's Delight just dropped a stack of new tapes from
the likes of Firewalker, Discrepancy, Faze, and Corrective Measure, all
of which you should check out! Not to mention some new reissues from
Ugly Pop Records, the Lock 7", Stand Off 7", new La Urss LP, VCR Lp, the
latest issue of Tightrope fanzine (we've got copies of the first issue
as well), and a bunch more!
A ton of restocks from Dischord and Ugly Pop, plus The Brass 7" is back in stock along with the Angel Du$t "A.D." LP.
Full list is below, thanks for reading!
- Alex / Grave Mistake
New Webstore Titles for April 29, 2016:
ANGEL DU$T "Rock the Fuck on Forever" LP (Pop Wig Records)
ANGEL DU$T "Rock the Fuck on Forever" LP (Pop Wig Records)
*PREORDER / Ships mid-May
ANGEL DU$T has been a band for like 3 or 5 years or something.
Hailing from the city of Baltimore, these guys don’t fuck around when it
comes to making rock music. You like the Lemonheads and the Bad Brains
at the same time? Of course you do. This is kind of like that, but less
heroin involved. Rock The Fuck On Forever isn’t just the name of their
new LP, it’s a fucking command. If you want nothing more in life than to
rock your stupid ass off, then do yourself a favor and pick this shit
up straight from POP WIG records. The band also has some other records
but this one is way better than that old bull- shit. This record was
recorded and produced by Will Yip, who did Title Fight, Citizen, and
Circa Survive. I bet he sang on it too or something. He also did the
Turnover record that I know you all fuck with. This shit rocks hard as
fuck. If you’re still a virgin this record will make you not one.
GREEN BERET "Standing at the Mouth of Hell" LP (Side Two Records)
Two years since their "The Cult Of State" EP, Green Beret return with another dose of timeless hardcore. "Standing At The Mouth Of Hell" treads the same UK-by-way-of-Sweden ground as past releases, adding a bit of a straight-forward US influence resulting in their strongest work yet. Their influences may be obvious, but this ain't no feeble genre exercise. Green Beret stands as proof that trends come and go but hardcore punk can still be urgent, catchy and relevant in 2016.
TRIAGE "Power Beat" 7" (Barf Bag Records)
POWER BEAT is TRIAGE’s first commission to wax. It is without a doubt that this recording captures the true POWER that TRIAGE has on offer. Crusty & crunchy rhythm with soaring vocals and leads to match, backed by a lock-tight rhythm section. TRIAGE are one of those bands that are greatly in debt to punk’s past but with their eyes set on writing it’s future.
VCR "R.I.P. Sportsboy" LP (Barf Bag Records)
Finally, VCR is celebrating the release of “R.I.P. SPORTSBOY”! Is this VCR’s swan song? I don’t know. It is easily the band’s most ambitious work to date. Do they pants the Prime Minister? Do they kill a cop? Do they get abducted by aliens? Would you expect anything less from these punks? This is louder, brattier and more obnoxious than anything the band has ever done before. Toronto’s most important current punk act has finally given us their opus.
FIRING SQUAD "Four Track Demo" 7" (Agitate Records)
Once again, F.S.'s first recording is available for mass consumption, however now as a loud as hell 7" with new art and layout. For those that didn't hear it the first time, four urgent bursts of abrasive USHC done in a tasteful manner without gimmicks or mindful of trends.
LOCK "The Cycle" 7" (Iron Lung Records)
America's favorite new sensation, LOCK, hailing from Los Angeles, CA plays a muscular style of hardcore with ferocious intensity. If you heard the demo from last year and dug it, this ep will surely blow your head all the way off your body. Members of Cønditiøn, Doses and Fury. For fans of American punk music.
STAND OFF "S/T" 7" (Youngblood Records)
Limited advance copies of this DC band's demo put to 7". Stand Off is a young hardcore band featuring members of a lot of great bands from the booming and prolific Washington, DC scene.
PRIVATE ROOM "Life Com" 7" (Iron Lung Records)
The first release for PRIVATE ROOM. It's the new WALLS band. Better songs, worse attitude. Strong. A 2 song single to hold you until the LP drops later this year. The second 7" in the new series strictly limited to 300 copies ever. Black vinyl, stamped sleeve and labels.
BETA BOYS "Real Rockers" 7" (Eat the Life Records)
These Kansas City 'hardcore punks gone spooky' are here with new songs that capture their true sound. While their demo tape was really damn good, it was only a glimpse of their potential. Listen to this record and experience what it means to be a real rocker. Spotted Race and Eat The Life, mama.
LA URSS "Maravillas del Mundo" LP (Discos MMM)
Third LP of La URSS, a spanish 80’s style punk from Andalusia. Influenced by all bands of that time, from Eskorbuto until Familia Real, Larsen, Último Resorte or KGB. With those influences they’ve created their own style, sound and imagery. The songs on Maravillas Del Mundo (some of them even inspired in flamenco’s gipsy music) and the art and lyrics, wich talk about the daily absurds and social miserys, were inspired by the local social enviroment and the current social political situation. Mid Tempo, 0% Hardcore. Dark and melodic, but not post-punk. Latin but not danceable. Dramatic but not overacted. I think you must buy it.
BLACKBALL "S/T" 7" (Sorry State Records)
Debut EP from Raleigh/Richmond’s Blackball. Blackball features current and former members of Pure Scum, Skemäta, Crooked Teeth, Future Binds, Abuse., Stripmines, Vacant Planet and more. Of those bands Skemäta is probably the closest reference point and if you like Jeff’s guitar work in Stripmines and Skemäta you'll definitely be into Blackball, but this project is a little different. More along the lines of something like DiE or Glue, Blackball relies on riffs that are a hair simpler and more direct than Skemäta, creating a more straightforward US-hardcore inspired sound that is just as interesting as the aforementioned bands but even catchier. Blackball are total go for the throat music, and the super raw recording here only accentuates their viciousness.
ROUGH KIDS "S/T" LP (Sorry State Records)
Rough Kids’ second LP for Sorry State is precisely what you want from a follow-up record. Delivering the same infectious combination of hooks and energy that you loved on the first LP, it nevertheless comes off as more intense and more streamlined than their debut. The songs tend to be shorter and faster (well, except for the anthem “Television,” whose bold pop hooks are an album highlight), but Rough Kids manage to cram even more ideas and more overlapping vocal and guitar hooks into those tighter spaces. This new record reminds me of classics like the Damned’s Machine Gun Etiquette or the Dickies’ Dawn of the Dickies in the way that it holds onto the classic pop songwriting and sonic nuance of ’77 punk, but ratchets up the density, speed, and urgency to the point where they can complete with the ferocity of the best hardcore bands in the world. Vinyl contains an exclusive bonus track not available on the digital version.
CORRECTIVE MEASURE "EP Promo" Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
2 brand new tracks from Maine's latest contribution to the current hardcore scene. Full of speed and fury, you won't find any frills here - just bad ass trimmed down, straight-to-the-point hardcore in the style of late 80s NYHC with a sprinkling of early 80s Boston. These songs will be featured on their upcoming 7" EP on Atomic Action Records. Also included is a sick cover and re-recorded demo song.
DISCREPANCY "Mosher's Delight Live Series" Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
DISCREPANCY - LIVE AT LOS GLOBOS - LOS ANGELES, CA - 09/06/2015 Interview on B-Side
FAZE Demo 2016 Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
New, youthful hardcore from Florida taking influence from the NYHC greats such as Burn and Absolution.
FIREWALKER "Mosher's Delight Live Series" Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
FIREWALKER - LIVE AT HARDCORE STADIUM - CAMBRIDGE, MA - 11/14/2015 Interview on B-Side
JJ DOLL Demo Tape (Demo)
"Demo cassette from this new NYC band which is basically a reshuffled version of Ivy, with their guitarist Sara moving over to handle the vocal duties. I have to say, this is brilliant. I liked Ivy a lot, but it seems to me like JJ Doll take the most interesting parts of that band and amplify them. Those include Shiva's psych-informed guitar-playing (which is much easier to hear despite the rawness of this recording) and those fast, chunky, and memorable rhythms. I also think that the vocals work really well... they have that high-pitched, yelpy kind of sound that always makes me think of the Comes, and again they manage to be catchier than a lot of Ivy's vocal/lyric lines despite a super raw recording." - Sorry State Records
S.H.I.T. 2016 Promo Tape (Demo)
New tracks from Toronto's S.H.I.T. - a preview of their upcoming 7" on La Vida Es Un Mus.
TIGHTROPE Zine Issue #2 (Zine)
Newst issue! Features interviews with Firewalker, I.C.E., Profile, Leather Daddy, and More!
CROW "Last Chaos" LP (Fanclub)
Classic Japanese Hardcore LP gets a reboot, this time with a bonus poster that never came with the original, plus all the inserts and a patch that DID come with the original. If you've never heard CROW before then where have you been for 20 years? This is one of my favourite ever bands and this LP is a must have. Limited to 333 copies worldwide and sure to go fast.
ZOOM "Sweet Desperation" LP (Ugly Pop Records)
Bored of cover bands and Toronto's stagnant bar scene, Chris Haight and John Hamilton formed ZOOM in 1976, inspired by such pre-punk touchstones as the Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, Bowie and Sparks. The band quickly set to gigging locally, but were soon caught up in the punk scene that exploded to life around them. An obscure but seminal 1976 45 -- arguably Toronto's first punk record-- was their sole release before the band dissolved as Haight joined the Viletones and Hamilton began drumming for the Diodes. Despite their duties in two of Canada's leading punk bands, however, the pair didn't want great songs like "Schoolgirl Hitch Hiker", "My Baby's Got No Brains" and "They Only Come Out At Night" to go undocumented, so they entered the studio to get this stuff on tape. Produced by Bob Segarini and BB Gabor, and with musical contributions from members of The Ugly, The B-Girls and The Curse, the session captured a pretty special time in Toronto music history. It seems especially poignant that it would then remain unheard for decades. In 2014, Hamilton, who had gone on to an illustrious career of his own but had never entirely forgotten Zoom, located the tapes and had them professionally baked and restored. A trove of photographs, flyers and graphics was similarly uncovered, and now Ugly Pop is very pleased to announce a 13-track LP due for release in early 2016. Superb pressing with full insert featuring extensive new liner notes and unseen pictures, and this one won't be staying in print.
UGLY, THE "Off the Hook" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
This storied first-wave Toronto punk outfit have been sadly under-represented on vinyl. Apart from a couple of live comp tracks, their sole '70s waxing was a misguided attempt at a power pop hit single-- not a completely miserable 45, but hardly suggesting the raw power they were capable of. A '90s CD collected their incendiary studio recordings, proving true their live reputation as a rough, hard-edged punk outfit, but that material is tied up by bad contracts and will probably never see legit vinyl release. Now The Ugly are back; while legendary local hooligan and original frontman Mike Nightmare passed away in the '90s, new vocalist Greg Dick (of contemporaries The Dream Dates) is about as capable and credible as they come, and the veteran Ugly trio of drummer Tony Torcher, bassist Screamin' Sam Ferrara (both of The Viletones) and guitarist Steve Koch (also of the Demics) are determined to set the record straight. This isn't the usual castrated reunion schtick, either-- the new 45 is as tough as they ever been, swaggering through the topside's punkified early Stones in classic fashion but turning up the aggression on the 1978-vintage flipside, a raw, mean and quick-paced hard punk blast with a grinding guitar recalling early Black Flag or Subhumans. One time pressing of 500 only in swank pocket sleeve with insert, produced by Don Pyle (Crash Kills Five) and cut loud by Peter Moore for maximum impact. No colour vinyl or gimmick versions.
ZERO "S/T" LP (Desolate Records)
Another band from the Norther region that is Minneapolis. Hot on the heels of last year's twin 7" releases ZERO brings it with an LP of tracks spanning melodic stompers to tough ragers. Lots of comparisons have been made to traditional Japanese punk sounds, but this LP shows that ZERO isn't only aping one style but is their own band. Screen printed covers drawn by the legendary Japanese artist Sugi. Co released with Farewell Records (DE) and Anomie Reocords (DE
DIRTY WOMBS "Wrecked Youth" 7" (Desolate Records)
3 new tracks from this band from Patras, Greece that blends the aggression of classic Greek crust with the urgency and energy of Japanese/Burning Spirits hardcore. General concusses is that this is far and away the band's best work to date. Full color pocket sleeves. Co release with Imminent Destruction (UK).
YOUTH DRAFT Demo Tape (Demo)
SoCal punks, YOUTH DRAFT, play hardcore in the vein of Negative Approach/Poison Idea.
GENEX "Human Rites" Demo Tape (Demo)
Second Demo from these Canadian raw punx.
INDIGNARI Demo Tape (Demo)
Raw Punk outta Winnipeg
NERVOUS TALK "S/T" LP (Ugly Pop Records)
Oh wonderful Canaduh, how do you spoil our punk hearts with a never ending flow of good bands. Vancouver based supergroup NERVOUS TALK features Joel Butler from MOBY DICKS / MYELIN SHEATHS and members of TIMECOPS, SHITTY NEIGHBOURS and THE BALLANTYNES. These punks really are on a mission to deliver the most Punk sounding album you heard in a long time and their songs evoke the ghost of TEENAGE HEAD and POINTED STICKS. But NERVOUS TALK has a much wider range of all the good Punk we love. The 10 songs on this album bring rocking and dry ‘77 Punk (‘Something wrong’, ‘Sasha’, ‘Close to Death’), hectic and snotty Punk Rock (‘No invitations’), super catchy Power-Pop Punk with killer guitar lines, handclaps and everything you wish for (‘Different person’, ‘Introductions’), as well as some glammy Punk Rock with a killer 70s guitar sound (‘Nothing to say’), as well as the faster and melodic ‘Already gone’ and ‘Flush my phone’ that remind of STEVE ADAMY BAND and MARKED MEN and the slower, LOVER!- like reverberating and echo-driven ‘Way to go’ at the end of the record. If you have a craving for good ole Punk Rock in the vein of BUZZCOCKS, MANIKINS or POINTED STICKS, go and get your fix!
NERVOUS TALK "Introductions" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
This debut features three tracks of top-notch punk rock in the vein of the Marked Men, early Rip Off Records or the tougher '70s melodic bands-- can definitely see this appealing to people who dig The Boys, early Undertones or Protex. Mammoth Cave really hits it out of the park with this debut, and the first press is a measly 300 copies!
NEWTOWN NEUROTICS "Kick Out The Tories" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
The third and possibly best known single for UK punk heroes. Released back in 1981and finally seeing the light of day again after over 30 years of being virtually impossible to find. Urgent, political, thoughtful punk rock that sprung during Thatcherism and is still as relevant today as ever!
REMEDIALS, THE "Four Song EP" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
Holly mullet! Look at these dudes! First and only release by this Montréal pub rock infused punk quintet. Out in 1981 on the independent Basic record label, this four songs 7" E.P. Is a real treat for anyone who enjoy their rock with a slight of punk thrown in. "That look" and "Lifetime" are both cool rocker borrowing the Real Kids charms vibes here and there while "teaser" bring the pub rocking stuff mixed with stonesque vocal moves. To close up, “You make it hard” nails it down and get the band on top of the punk which later got them a spot on famous chuck Warner’s Hype To Death compilation. Fully liscensed from the band, comes with brand new insert and original poster repro (300 black). Originaly released in 1981 on Basic Records
REPROBETTES, THE "Danger" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
Straight outta Melbourne, Australia's all-girl garage babes The Reprobettes are on the loose and out to get every thrill they can beg, buy or steal. Delinquent jailbreakers! Divine but deadly! Beehives that don't behave! This limited 45 pairs a dangerous original topside with their high-octane cover of 'Leave My Kitten Alone', in sweet picture sleeve and swank purple vinyl.
STONEAGE HEARTS, THE "Sky High Heels" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
Newest single from Melbourne veterans the STONE AGE HEARTS! The A-side's a gutsy but melodic power-pop number in the classic '80s Australian tradition, while the flip's a revved-up rendition of the Plimsouls' classic 'Millions Miles Away', pressed on high quality wax in a killer sleeve.
TORSO "Sono Pronta a Morire" LP (Sorry State Records)
Tørsö caught our attention with their debut 7”, Community Psychosis, but when we heard Sono Pronta A Morire we really flipped out. Originally a project band started by a group of worldwide hardcore all-stars, Tørsö adopts the best parts of members’ previous projects--the energy of Neo-Cons, the precision of Punch, the heaviness of Holy and the ferocity of Ritual Control—while simultaneously breaking new ground. Easily one of the tightest and most explosive bands in hardcore today, on their debut LP Tørsö combine the catchy, crusty riffs and rhythms of Swedish hardcore like Totalitär and Herätys with pit-clearing mid-paced parts, wrapping it up in a bruisingly thick recording that doesn’t skimp on the bottom end. While they’re very much fast, loud, and hard, Tørsö are a comfortable fit with Sorry State’s pattern of releasing thoughtful, well-developed, and well-written hardcore.
MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #396 - May 2016 (MRR)
SPECIAL ISSUE ALERT: Maximum Rocknroll #396 is here, the May 2016 issue, the zines special edition! We’ve got over a dozen features on zines from all over planet Earth, each of them revealing a living print culture that is truly killer, absolutely vital and undeniably punk. Emmy Ramone talks about their zines Cretins of Distortion and the Mental Whiff, digging at the roots of human expression through punk in the Midwest and beyond; Alex Ratcharge conducts an interview with NUTS! fanzine: learn all about the long journey from Olympia to New York City and all the ink stains in between; Golnar Nikpour interviews the world’s number one fan of noisy and psychotic hardcore, Tom Mayhugh of General Speech. Getting personal: Fluke fanzine celebrates its 25th anniversary and Burn Collector’s Al Burian talks about his music and his move from New York to Berlin. From the Bay Area we have As You Were, a comic zine anthology based out of San Francisco from label/publisher Silver Sprocket; Not Shit, a skate fanzine dedicated to the punk/DIY approach, and the Enthusiast, a brilliant and ASCII art-laden email newsletter. The folks behind No Shame, a distro that highlights work by people of color, write about eight of their favorite zines. Across the water there’s Another Subculture, an annual audio mag released on cassette in the UK: editor Ben Perkins expounds on the nature of capturing the moment and keeping the thrill of zinemaking alive in audio. Down in Barcelona, Mierda editor Dani Frutos goes head to head with interviewer Paco Mus on everything from Barcelona punk’s tenuous relationship with Europe and the world to anarchism and Catalonian independence. There’s also an interview highlighting the Finnish Fanzine Archive, a project digitizing over 300 Finnish fanzines dating from 1977 to 1982. Rounding it out is a feature collecting almost half a dozen current video zines, your favorite columnists, all the reviews you can possibly bear to read, and a photo spread from Everything Is Not OK Vol. 2. Don’t miss it.
Restocks for April 29, 2016:
ANGEL DU$T "A.D." LP
ARTIFICIAL PEACE "Complete Session Nov. 1981" LP
BIKINI KILL "Revolution Girl Style Now" LP
BRASS, THE "Desperation" 7"
CONDITION "Actual Hell" LP
DAG NASTY "WIG OUT AT DENKOS" LP
DAG NASTY "DAG WITH SHAWN" LP
DISCHORD RECORDS "Four Old 7"s on a 12"" Comp. LP
EGG HUNT "Me and You" 7"
FAITH / VOID Split LP
GRAY MATTER "Food for Thought" LP
MARGINAL MAN "Identity" LP
MINOR THREAT - "FIRST DEMO TAPE" 7"
MODERNS, THE "Year of Today" 7"
P.I.G.Z. "Bloody Belgium" EP
PACK "S/T" LP
PF COMMANDO "Manipulerade Mongon" LP
PF COMMANDO "Rough Sound" 7"
REAL KIDS "Shake … Outta Control" LP
SOA "First Demo 12/29/80" 7"
SOUL SIDE "Trigger" LP
YOUTH BRIGADE "Complete First Demo" 7"
GREEN BERET "Standing at the Mouth of Hell" LP (Side Two Records)
Two years since their "The Cult Of State" EP, Green Beret return with another dose of timeless hardcore. "Standing At The Mouth Of Hell" treads the same UK-by-way-of-Sweden ground as past releases, adding a bit of a straight-forward US influence resulting in their strongest work yet. Their influences may be obvious, but this ain't no feeble genre exercise. Green Beret stands as proof that trends come and go but hardcore punk can still be urgent, catchy and relevant in 2016.
TRIAGE "Power Beat" 7" (Barf Bag Records)
POWER BEAT is TRIAGE’s first commission to wax. It is without a doubt that this recording captures the true POWER that TRIAGE has on offer. Crusty & crunchy rhythm with soaring vocals and leads to match, backed by a lock-tight rhythm section. TRIAGE are one of those bands that are greatly in debt to punk’s past but with their eyes set on writing it’s future.
VCR "R.I.P. Sportsboy" LP (Barf Bag Records)
Finally, VCR is celebrating the release of “R.I.P. SPORTSBOY”! Is this VCR’s swan song? I don’t know. It is easily the band’s most ambitious work to date. Do they pants the Prime Minister? Do they kill a cop? Do they get abducted by aliens? Would you expect anything less from these punks? This is louder, brattier and more obnoxious than anything the band has ever done before. Toronto’s most important current punk act has finally given us their opus.
FIRING SQUAD "Four Track Demo" 7" (Agitate Records)
Once again, F.S.'s first recording is available for mass consumption, however now as a loud as hell 7" with new art and layout. For those that didn't hear it the first time, four urgent bursts of abrasive USHC done in a tasteful manner without gimmicks or mindful of trends.
LOCK "The Cycle" 7" (Iron Lung Records)
America's favorite new sensation, LOCK, hailing from Los Angeles, CA plays a muscular style of hardcore with ferocious intensity. If you heard the demo from last year and dug it, this ep will surely blow your head all the way off your body. Members of Cønditiøn, Doses and Fury. For fans of American punk music.
STAND OFF "S/T" 7" (Youngblood Records)
Limited advance copies of this DC band's demo put to 7". Stand Off is a young hardcore band featuring members of a lot of great bands from the booming and prolific Washington, DC scene.
PRIVATE ROOM "Life Com" 7" (Iron Lung Records)
The first release for PRIVATE ROOM. It's the new WALLS band. Better songs, worse attitude. Strong. A 2 song single to hold you until the LP drops later this year. The second 7" in the new series strictly limited to 300 copies ever. Black vinyl, stamped sleeve and labels.
BETA BOYS "Real Rockers" 7" (Eat the Life Records)
These Kansas City 'hardcore punks gone spooky' are here with new songs that capture their true sound. While their demo tape was really damn good, it was only a glimpse of their potential. Listen to this record and experience what it means to be a real rocker. Spotted Race and Eat The Life, mama.
LA URSS "Maravillas del Mundo" LP (Discos MMM)
Third LP of La URSS, a spanish 80’s style punk from Andalusia. Influenced by all bands of that time, from Eskorbuto until Familia Real, Larsen, Último Resorte or KGB. With those influences they’ve created their own style, sound and imagery. The songs on Maravillas Del Mundo (some of them even inspired in flamenco’s gipsy music) and the art and lyrics, wich talk about the daily absurds and social miserys, were inspired by the local social enviroment and the current social political situation. Mid Tempo, 0% Hardcore. Dark and melodic, but not post-punk. Latin but not danceable. Dramatic but not overacted. I think you must buy it.
BLACKBALL "S/T" 7" (Sorry State Records)
Debut EP from Raleigh/Richmond’s Blackball. Blackball features current and former members of Pure Scum, Skemäta, Crooked Teeth, Future Binds, Abuse., Stripmines, Vacant Planet and more. Of those bands Skemäta is probably the closest reference point and if you like Jeff’s guitar work in Stripmines and Skemäta you'll definitely be into Blackball, but this project is a little different. More along the lines of something like DiE or Glue, Blackball relies on riffs that are a hair simpler and more direct than Skemäta, creating a more straightforward US-hardcore inspired sound that is just as interesting as the aforementioned bands but even catchier. Blackball are total go for the throat music, and the super raw recording here only accentuates their viciousness.
ROUGH KIDS "S/T" LP (Sorry State Records)
Rough Kids’ second LP for Sorry State is precisely what you want from a follow-up record. Delivering the same infectious combination of hooks and energy that you loved on the first LP, it nevertheless comes off as more intense and more streamlined than their debut. The songs tend to be shorter and faster (well, except for the anthem “Television,” whose bold pop hooks are an album highlight), but Rough Kids manage to cram even more ideas and more overlapping vocal and guitar hooks into those tighter spaces. This new record reminds me of classics like the Damned’s Machine Gun Etiquette or the Dickies’ Dawn of the Dickies in the way that it holds onto the classic pop songwriting and sonic nuance of ’77 punk, but ratchets up the density, speed, and urgency to the point where they can complete with the ferocity of the best hardcore bands in the world. Vinyl contains an exclusive bonus track not available on the digital version.
CORRECTIVE MEASURE "EP Promo" Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
2 brand new tracks from Maine's latest contribution to the current hardcore scene. Full of speed and fury, you won't find any frills here - just bad ass trimmed down, straight-to-the-point hardcore in the style of late 80s NYHC with a sprinkling of early 80s Boston. These songs will be featured on their upcoming 7" EP on Atomic Action Records. Also included is a sick cover and re-recorded demo song.
DISCREPANCY "Mosher's Delight Live Series" Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
DISCREPANCY - LIVE AT LOS GLOBOS - LOS ANGELES, CA - 09/06/2015 Interview on B-Side
FAZE Demo 2016 Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
New, youthful hardcore from Florida taking influence from the NYHC greats such as Burn and Absolution.
FIREWALKER "Mosher's Delight Live Series" Tape (Mosher's Delight Records)
FIREWALKER - LIVE AT HARDCORE STADIUM - CAMBRIDGE, MA - 11/14/2015 Interview on B-Side
JJ DOLL Demo Tape (Demo)
"Demo cassette from this new NYC band which is basically a reshuffled version of Ivy, with their guitarist Sara moving over to handle the vocal duties. I have to say, this is brilliant. I liked Ivy a lot, but it seems to me like JJ Doll take the most interesting parts of that band and amplify them. Those include Shiva's psych-informed guitar-playing (which is much easier to hear despite the rawness of this recording) and those fast, chunky, and memorable rhythms. I also think that the vocals work really well... they have that high-pitched, yelpy kind of sound that always makes me think of the Comes, and again they manage to be catchier than a lot of Ivy's vocal/lyric lines despite a super raw recording." - Sorry State Records
S.H.I.T. 2016 Promo Tape (Demo)
New tracks from Toronto's S.H.I.T. - a preview of their upcoming 7" on La Vida Es Un Mus.
TIGHTROPE Zine Issue #2 (Zine)
Newst issue! Features interviews with Firewalker, I.C.E., Profile, Leather Daddy, and More!
CROW "Last Chaos" LP (Fanclub)
Classic Japanese Hardcore LP gets a reboot, this time with a bonus poster that never came with the original, plus all the inserts and a patch that DID come with the original. If you've never heard CROW before then where have you been for 20 years? This is one of my favourite ever bands and this LP is a must have. Limited to 333 copies worldwide and sure to go fast.
ZOOM "Sweet Desperation" LP (Ugly Pop Records)
Bored of cover bands and Toronto's stagnant bar scene, Chris Haight and John Hamilton formed ZOOM in 1976, inspired by such pre-punk touchstones as the Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, Bowie and Sparks. The band quickly set to gigging locally, but were soon caught up in the punk scene that exploded to life around them. An obscure but seminal 1976 45 -- arguably Toronto's first punk record-- was their sole release before the band dissolved as Haight joined the Viletones and Hamilton began drumming for the Diodes. Despite their duties in two of Canada's leading punk bands, however, the pair didn't want great songs like "Schoolgirl Hitch Hiker", "My Baby's Got No Brains" and "They Only Come Out At Night" to go undocumented, so they entered the studio to get this stuff on tape. Produced by Bob Segarini and BB Gabor, and with musical contributions from members of The Ugly, The B-Girls and The Curse, the session captured a pretty special time in Toronto music history. It seems especially poignant that it would then remain unheard for decades. In 2014, Hamilton, who had gone on to an illustrious career of his own but had never entirely forgotten Zoom, located the tapes and had them professionally baked and restored. A trove of photographs, flyers and graphics was similarly uncovered, and now Ugly Pop is very pleased to announce a 13-track LP due for release in early 2016. Superb pressing with full insert featuring extensive new liner notes and unseen pictures, and this one won't be staying in print.
UGLY, THE "Off the Hook" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
This storied first-wave Toronto punk outfit have been sadly under-represented on vinyl. Apart from a couple of live comp tracks, their sole '70s waxing was a misguided attempt at a power pop hit single-- not a completely miserable 45, but hardly suggesting the raw power they were capable of. A '90s CD collected their incendiary studio recordings, proving true their live reputation as a rough, hard-edged punk outfit, but that material is tied up by bad contracts and will probably never see legit vinyl release. Now The Ugly are back; while legendary local hooligan and original frontman Mike Nightmare passed away in the '90s, new vocalist Greg Dick (of contemporaries The Dream Dates) is about as capable and credible as they come, and the veteran Ugly trio of drummer Tony Torcher, bassist Screamin' Sam Ferrara (both of The Viletones) and guitarist Steve Koch (also of the Demics) are determined to set the record straight. This isn't the usual castrated reunion schtick, either-- the new 45 is as tough as they ever been, swaggering through the topside's punkified early Stones in classic fashion but turning up the aggression on the 1978-vintage flipside, a raw, mean and quick-paced hard punk blast with a grinding guitar recalling early Black Flag or Subhumans. One time pressing of 500 only in swank pocket sleeve with insert, produced by Don Pyle (Crash Kills Five) and cut loud by Peter Moore for maximum impact. No colour vinyl or gimmick versions.
ZERO "S/T" LP (Desolate Records)
Another band from the Norther region that is Minneapolis. Hot on the heels of last year's twin 7" releases ZERO brings it with an LP of tracks spanning melodic stompers to tough ragers. Lots of comparisons have been made to traditional Japanese punk sounds, but this LP shows that ZERO isn't only aping one style but is their own band. Screen printed covers drawn by the legendary Japanese artist Sugi. Co released with Farewell Records (DE) and Anomie Reocords (DE
DIRTY WOMBS "Wrecked Youth" 7" (Desolate Records)
3 new tracks from this band from Patras, Greece that blends the aggression of classic Greek crust with the urgency and energy of Japanese/Burning Spirits hardcore. General concusses is that this is far and away the band's best work to date. Full color pocket sleeves. Co release with Imminent Destruction (UK).
YOUTH DRAFT Demo Tape (Demo)
SoCal punks, YOUTH DRAFT, play hardcore in the vein of Negative Approach/Poison Idea.
GENEX "Human Rites" Demo Tape (Demo)
Second Demo from these Canadian raw punx.
INDIGNARI Demo Tape (Demo)
Raw Punk outta Winnipeg
NERVOUS TALK "S/T" LP (Ugly Pop Records)
Oh wonderful Canaduh, how do you spoil our punk hearts with a never ending flow of good bands. Vancouver based supergroup NERVOUS TALK features Joel Butler from MOBY DICKS / MYELIN SHEATHS and members of TIMECOPS, SHITTY NEIGHBOURS and THE BALLANTYNES. These punks really are on a mission to deliver the most Punk sounding album you heard in a long time and their songs evoke the ghost of TEENAGE HEAD and POINTED STICKS. But NERVOUS TALK has a much wider range of all the good Punk we love. The 10 songs on this album bring rocking and dry ‘77 Punk (‘Something wrong’, ‘Sasha’, ‘Close to Death’), hectic and snotty Punk Rock (‘No invitations’), super catchy Power-Pop Punk with killer guitar lines, handclaps and everything you wish for (‘Different person’, ‘Introductions’), as well as some glammy Punk Rock with a killer 70s guitar sound (‘Nothing to say’), as well as the faster and melodic ‘Already gone’ and ‘Flush my phone’ that remind of STEVE ADAMY BAND and MARKED MEN and the slower, LOVER!- like reverberating and echo-driven ‘Way to go’ at the end of the record. If you have a craving for good ole Punk Rock in the vein of BUZZCOCKS, MANIKINS or POINTED STICKS, go and get your fix!
NERVOUS TALK "Introductions" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
This debut features three tracks of top-notch punk rock in the vein of the Marked Men, early Rip Off Records or the tougher '70s melodic bands-- can definitely see this appealing to people who dig The Boys, early Undertones or Protex. Mammoth Cave really hits it out of the park with this debut, and the first press is a measly 300 copies!
NEWTOWN NEUROTICS "Kick Out The Tories" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
The third and possibly best known single for UK punk heroes. Released back in 1981and finally seeing the light of day again after over 30 years of being virtually impossible to find. Urgent, political, thoughtful punk rock that sprung during Thatcherism and is still as relevant today as ever!
REMEDIALS, THE "Four Song EP" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
Holly mullet! Look at these dudes! First and only release by this Montréal pub rock infused punk quintet. Out in 1981 on the independent Basic record label, this four songs 7" E.P. Is a real treat for anyone who enjoy their rock with a slight of punk thrown in. "That look" and "Lifetime" are both cool rocker borrowing the Real Kids charms vibes here and there while "teaser" bring the pub rocking stuff mixed with stonesque vocal moves. To close up, “You make it hard” nails it down and get the band on top of the punk which later got them a spot on famous chuck Warner’s Hype To Death compilation. Fully liscensed from the band, comes with brand new insert and original poster repro (300 black). Originaly released in 1981 on Basic Records
REPROBETTES, THE "Danger" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
Straight outta Melbourne, Australia's all-girl garage babes The Reprobettes are on the loose and out to get every thrill they can beg, buy or steal. Delinquent jailbreakers! Divine but deadly! Beehives that don't behave! This limited 45 pairs a dangerous original topside with their high-octane cover of 'Leave My Kitten Alone', in sweet picture sleeve and swank purple vinyl.
STONEAGE HEARTS, THE "Sky High Heels" 7" (Ugly Pop Records)
Newest single from Melbourne veterans the STONE AGE HEARTS! The A-side's a gutsy but melodic power-pop number in the classic '80s Australian tradition, while the flip's a revved-up rendition of the Plimsouls' classic 'Millions Miles Away', pressed on high quality wax in a killer sleeve.
TORSO "Sono Pronta a Morire" LP (Sorry State Records)
Tørsö caught our attention with their debut 7”, Community Psychosis, but when we heard Sono Pronta A Morire we really flipped out. Originally a project band started by a group of worldwide hardcore all-stars, Tørsö adopts the best parts of members’ previous projects--the energy of Neo-Cons, the precision of Punch, the heaviness of Holy and the ferocity of Ritual Control—while simultaneously breaking new ground. Easily one of the tightest and most explosive bands in hardcore today, on their debut LP Tørsö combine the catchy, crusty riffs and rhythms of Swedish hardcore like Totalitär and Herätys with pit-clearing mid-paced parts, wrapping it up in a bruisingly thick recording that doesn’t skimp on the bottom end. While they’re very much fast, loud, and hard, Tørsö are a comfortable fit with Sorry State’s pattern of releasing thoughtful, well-developed, and well-written hardcore.
MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #396 - May 2016 (MRR)
SPECIAL ISSUE ALERT: Maximum Rocknroll #396 is here, the May 2016 issue, the zines special edition! We’ve got over a dozen features on zines from all over planet Earth, each of them revealing a living print culture that is truly killer, absolutely vital and undeniably punk. Emmy Ramone talks about their zines Cretins of Distortion and the Mental Whiff, digging at the roots of human expression through punk in the Midwest and beyond; Alex Ratcharge conducts an interview with NUTS! fanzine: learn all about the long journey from Olympia to New York City and all the ink stains in between; Golnar Nikpour interviews the world’s number one fan of noisy and psychotic hardcore, Tom Mayhugh of General Speech. Getting personal: Fluke fanzine celebrates its 25th anniversary and Burn Collector’s Al Burian talks about his music and his move from New York to Berlin. From the Bay Area we have As You Were, a comic zine anthology based out of San Francisco from label/publisher Silver Sprocket; Not Shit, a skate fanzine dedicated to the punk/DIY approach, and the Enthusiast, a brilliant and ASCII art-laden email newsletter. The folks behind No Shame, a distro that highlights work by people of color, write about eight of their favorite zines. Across the water there’s Another Subculture, an annual audio mag released on cassette in the UK: editor Ben Perkins expounds on the nature of capturing the moment and keeping the thrill of zinemaking alive in audio. Down in Barcelona, Mierda editor Dani Frutos goes head to head with interviewer Paco Mus on everything from Barcelona punk’s tenuous relationship with Europe and the world to anarchism and Catalonian independence. There’s also an interview highlighting the Finnish Fanzine Archive, a project digitizing over 300 Finnish fanzines dating from 1977 to 1982. Rounding it out is a feature collecting almost half a dozen current video zines, your favorite columnists, all the reviews you can possibly bear to read, and a photo spread from Everything Is Not OK Vol. 2. Don’t miss it.
Restocks for April 29, 2016:
ANGEL DU$T "A.D." LP
ARTIFICIAL PEACE "Complete Session Nov. 1981" LP
BIKINI KILL "Revolution Girl Style Now" LP
BRASS, THE "Desperation" 7"
CONDITION "Actual Hell" LP
DAG NASTY "WIG OUT AT DENKOS" LP
DAG NASTY "DAG WITH SHAWN" LP
DISCHORD RECORDS "Four Old 7"s on a 12"" Comp. LP
EGG HUNT "Me and You" 7"
FAITH / VOID Split LP
GRAY MATTER "Food for Thought" LP
MARGINAL MAN "Identity" LP
MINOR THREAT - "FIRST DEMO TAPE" 7"
MODERNS, THE "Year of Today" 7"
P.I.G.Z. "Bloody Belgium" EP
PACK "S/T" LP
PF COMMANDO "Manipulerade Mongon" LP
PF COMMANDO "Rough Sound" 7"
REAL KIDS "Shake … Outta Control" LP
SOA "First Demo 12/29/80" 7"
SOUL SIDE "Trigger" LP
YOUTH BRIGADE "Complete First Demo" 7"
