Crumb Cult - Demo 2011

Hailing from Los Angeles, California (and many points nearby), Crumb Cult were brought to my attention by their bassist, Eric, who had seen an Ad for his previous band, Rule of Nines, when I posted an old Phyte Records Catalog on the blog.

Crumb Cult play a fast and driving style of hardcore that has just a touch of noisy moments and a few well placed tempo changes where they do one of my favorite things in hardcore- screaming over just bass and drums.

You can hear a gritty and not-so-clean sound coming out of this demo, and it suits the vocals quite well. Slower tempo'd track "Siren" gives the demo a feel of being a little longer (in a good way) than the 4 1/2 minutes that this four song demo delivers. The demo closes out with dual 1 minute blasts with the fast to choppy "Three can keep a secret if two are dead" and the stop/start pounding of "Golden Harvest." All in all, a band that I'm very excited to hear more from, and very interested in seeing live.

Currently, the band is working on songs for a planned 10-song full length and as of about two weeks ago, was still without a label- so any of you label types out there, take notice. Not that it needs to be mentioned, but these guys have been in plenty of bands, bands you've heard of and bands you haven't. It's not that something like should matter so much as, you can expect that these guys are up to good things and know what they're doing. Give it a spin- its new and its good.

You can get a hold of the band HERE

DOWNLOAD: Crumb Cult - "Demo"

Botch interview Summer 2000

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Botch probably need no introduction, but just in case you are unaware... well, if you're unaware just track down a copy of "We Are the Romans" or the DVD of their last show, and hear/see for yourself. No description will really suffice adequately- heavy, precision, challenging, technical, screaming, destructive- all are spot on elements of this Northwest unit that often gets called Mathcore. And if truly they are, then next to no other band I've ever heard called Mathcore could actually be mathcore because there isn't any way those other bands can hold the match to light the candle one would hold to them in that old analogy.

I digress, here's an interview from Status Magazine #12, summer of 2000.

If any of you out there have old zines you would either like to get rid of or share for scanning purposes (and then I would mail back to you) get in touch with me via email: it.follows.blog@gmail.com and we can talk about that some more.

DOWNLOAD: Botch - Interview Summer 2000

Backside - 3 Song 7inch

Another great record from one of my favorite local punk bands (Corona, California). Backside played what I guess would be best described as New School Skate Punk; somewhere between earlier Millencollin & Nofx, but with a much more consistently speedy pace that showed some of the old school hardcore roots they drew from.

This record was released before the release of their second LP "Disconnected, Misdirected" which was posted on the blog earlier HERE. It features 3 songs that would later appear, re-recorded, on the full length. 3 songs of speedy punk that is ever-so-slightly tinged by old school hardcore and has just a little melody thrown in with vocals that are almost spoken or shouted in a slightly snotty tone than they are screamed.

Backside cannot be mentioned without mentioning the legendary Showcase Theatre also located in Corona, Ca. Not only did Backside play there monthly for many years, but this 7 inch was acquired for free at a record release there, and I just have to say, a great fucking time was had & a Minor Threat cover was simply icing on the cake.

The show where said 7 inch was acquired. 

DOWNLOAD: Backside - 3 Song 7inch

A Thin Line Fading - "Discography"

A Thin Line Fading were, as you can see, a sXe hardcore band from New Jersey in the 90's. They played a style of old school hardcore at a time when the mid/late 90's revival was really in full swing again. Building intro type music on a song like "Neville Chamberlin Was A Chump" (aka Fuck You) that shows just a hint of melody, to shorter blasts like "Better Than Her" which also breaks from standard lyrical fare and deals with domestic violence.

I could certainly see ATLF playing a show somewhere between In My Eyes & Fastbreak (pre-Rev lp) as there are songs that have some vocals that drift somewhat away from out & out screaming and add some singing as the music changes pace for a brief moment.

I came across this band just by chance on the good old interwebs when they were still active, sometime in the mid/late 90's. I think it was via Laces Out and around the time In My Eyes came out for the Rev Tour. I distinctly remember one of the guys from Laces Out, who I had been talking with at the time had shared that In My Eyes was opening their sets on the tour with the Minor Threat cover songs. I digress. I heard the band on their website and wrote the band about getting a hold of their stuff. I had also been trying to put together a compilation record at the time and the band had been gracious enough to send me a CD with the demo, split with Gatecrashers, and 3 unreleased songs. In fact, the CD case which is packed away somewhere actually has a nifty sticker on it with a picture of the band. Good Times.

Members went on to, among other things, Anything Goes (whose 7inch is posted HERE) and Down In Flames.

*Demo cover boworrowed from HC/Punk Demo Tape Archives, a fine blog, so check it out.

DOWNLOAD: A Thin Line Fading - "Discography"

Six Feet Deep - "Struggle" + Comp Song

Rolling with the Ohio trend started with Gordon Solie comes Six Feet Deep. Existing in the 90's, and yes, they were a Christian band, however, they came from a time and a place where many bands could co-exist. For example, the extra track here is an earlier version of the album's lead track "Angry Son", which is from Dwid's "Dark Empire" compilation.

Six Feet Deep played a heavy and grooving hardcore that not only shows the time they existed in, but that they hailed from the midwest. Shouted vocals that almost snarl at times and at other times shows some early more rap style vocal patterns. All in all, a good dose of 90's hardcore, heavy on the groove, but not super heavy on the religion. A good CD, but to be honest, their real good stuff was the album that followed this, "Road Less Traveled", which showcased the band expanding their sound some and introducing some instrumental parts, thicker textured guitars, and even some singing. Unfortunately, that record came out as the band disintegrated and gave way to the band Brandston. That one will get posted at some point too. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Six Feet Deep - "Struggle" + 1

Horizon Records Comp: Ressurection, Flagman, Lifetime, & Encounter

What a great comp. I've come to realize that I am more fond of 7inch records, especially when it comes to comps. Just something about 4-6 songs/4-6 bands that appeals more to me. I'm sure years of punk/hardcore music has taken an irreparable toll on my attention span, either way, here's a great comp from the first half of the 90's.

Each track is a winner and offers some variety in sound; though each is threaded together with a touch of older/more straight forward style of hardcore. Ressurection offers up the to be expected cathartic and screaming 90's hardcore that would elevate them to their deserved status of being one of the better bands in the 90's Flagman & Encounter both play a style that definitely shows the influence of 90's emo and the burgeoning screamo sound. Pauses, melodic guitar parts, and the occasional quiver in the voice; both bands do it well, but the Encounter track is noticeably better (both bands released good 7inches as well). Lastly, Lifetime offers up a track from early on in their existence and shows a much more hardcore rooted sound than the melodic/poppy hardcore that they would become so famous for. In fact, both the Lifetime & Ressurection tracks come from the time frame of when both bands were very intertwined with members (Ari playing drums in Ressurection & singing in Lifetime, Dan Yemin playing bass & guitar respectively).

A newer addition to my personal collection, and for cheap I might add (at least in my opinion)- and one I'm all to glad to share. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Horizon Records Hardcore Compilation 7 inch

Indecision Records Catalog '97-'98

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Here's your Wednesday fun, a nice little Catalog from Indecision Records circa Winter 97-98. In my opinion, this is right when Indecision was really hitting that big stride they would carry on for the next 7-8 years with Adamantium, Death By Stereo, Count Me Out, Faded Grey, Ensign, Stay Gold, Time Flies, etc. Notice the mention of a upcoming Fastbreak LP. Im guessing from the time frame, it would have been the "Fast Cars, Fast Women" lp that ended up coming out on Big Wheel Recreation.

DOWNLOAD: Indecision Records Catalog 97-98

Gordon Solie Motherfuckers! - Power Bomb Anthems Volume 1 10inch

Hailing from Ohio and playing blistering hardcore with a punk slant and all the attitude that their wrestling inspired name indicates (Gordon Solie was a legendary Wrestling announcer), Gordon Solie Motherfuckers cut a path of destruction in their brief existence.

This mini-lp follows their debut 7inch ("Chairshot Politics") and takes it up a notch with Tony Erba's distinct vocals leading the charge with sometimes political, sometimes smart ass, and almost always in your face lyrics. GSMF were notorious being so rowdy live that they were banned from many clubs, especially in Ohio. The insert is scanned and included with the download, see for yourself the pictures of their shows and the chaos that seems to be going on.

I'm unsure what the final toll on the band was, perhaps they succumbed to being a side band for 9 Shocks Terror, the insert would indicate that one of the guitarists moved to the East Bay; whatever it was it was a shame the band only existed '98 - '01 and just left behind two releases. But at least one of them is this 12 track blast, which includes a great cover of the Johnny Moped song "No One". The Warzone nod on "Ghost Cry of Betray" is hillarious (Gordon girls? there's no fuckin gordon girls). Give it a listen, hardcore that falls somewhere between the classic Boston sound and some fusion of early West Coast Hardcore and Japanese Hardcore. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Gordon Solie Motherfuckers - "Power Bomb Anthems Vol. 1"

Not Dead, I Promise!

After working last weekend, I spent this weekend catching up on some things, including ripping & scanning some new vinyl. Also, took in our first Angels game of the year on Friday as well as some good vegan eats pretty close to the stadium.

A lot of behind the scene stuff got done and there will be plenty of posts this week and next weekend, so hang in there with me. A few things planned- Gordon Solie Motherfuckers 10inch, No Justice 7inch, Fields of Fire 7inch, Sake 10inch, and maybe a Rancor 7inch, live Champion set, & the Horizons Records comp.

In the meantime, thanks for all the visits, link sharing, and comments- it's all very appreciated.

So Cal Thrash Demolition (Vol. 5)

Volume 5 in 625 Thrash's 'Barbaric Thrash' series. 8 bands, 11 songs, 7 1/2 minutes- really, what more could you say about something like that?

A great addition to the series, though it seems like it gets a bit overlooked in comparison to some of the earlier releases which had bands like What Happens Next, Lifes Halt, Lie, & Crucial Section. All of these So Cal bands offer up good tracks, with the stand outs being Find Him and Kill Him (offering two songs), Out of Vogue (who also have a 7inch, split, and demo tape that will probably find their way on the blog at some point), & Youth Riot. I also have to confess that Apathetic Youth's 3 tracks have a charm to them that I didn't initially feel so strong about- they also do a Despise You cover.

All in all, a really good record with some drive fast, skate hard music.

DOWNLOAD: So Cal Thrash Demolition (Barbaric Thrash #5)

Carry Nation - Face the Nation

Sorry, No Monday post. Bit of a crazy weekend- worked Saturday, found out we're having a boy, just a little bit going on- heh.


Carry Nation were a long running, little output Hardcore band from Southern California. Featuring members of TONS of hardcore bands at the time (and since); inc. running concurrently with No For An Answer & Insted, with whom they shared members. While surely fitting in with those bands, they took a bigger sound and bigger voice and put a twist on the standard late 80's sound.  Drums near the front of the mix, building bass lines, and a mid pace to some songs that wasn't yet quite so prevalent for bands that weren't heavier. Carry Nation also took on some larger subjects than the average hardcore band; but to expect less from a band fronted by Dan O. would be foolish.

Aside from this little 4 song 7inch they had two live tracks on Nemesis Record comps, a live version of "Protect & Serve" and the otherwise unrecorded "Temple Walls." It's too bad more wasn't recorded, Temple Walls shows a growing sound and members have said in interviews many years later, that the direction Carry Nation was headed was exciting.

DOWNLOAD: Carry Nation - "Face the Nation"

H20 Interview (Extent Zine) | BWR Ad '97

First page of the 4 page of Interview from Extent Fanzine (circa 1997).

The whole interview is HERE for download in a zip file, enjoy!

BWR ad from 97 w/454 lp, Mass. comp , TYF/Fastbreak split & 454 7inch.

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Candle - "Self-Titled" 7inch

A nice way to start your Sunday...

Candle were an emo band from Southern California in the early 90's. To be fairly honest, I don't know a TON about them and there isn't a ton about them on the internet. They were a part of the San Diego scene at the time and did a split with Antioch Arrow (which I have not heard). Members went on to Antioch Arrow, clikatat ikatowi, Spanakorzo, & Second Story Window.

This two song record is their first release; released on Wrenched Records (who also released the Evergreen "Trudy Pushpin" 7inch posted HERE earlier). The music is pretty straight forward (kinda punky) as far as moving along at a pretty steady pace most of the time with some pauses at times and guitars that will drop out while the bass and drums go on. the vocals have a youthful screech to them; all in and all, a record that definitely says "90's emo record", but not one that just falls into a list of emo by numbers and then forgotten as good, but typical.

DOWNLOAD: Candle "Self Titled" 7inch 

State - No Illusions E.P.

I discovered this piece of 80's hardcore fury when I picked up a bootleg comp. 12 inch that compiled this 7inch as well as records from Battalion of Saints, White Cross, Beastie Boys, & Deep Wound. Good quality boot with covers and insert info.

State "No Illusions" flat out rips. 7 songs in just over 8 1/2 minutes. Midwest hardcore in top form, this Michigan unit plows forward song after song hanging ever so close to the edge of free falling into noise. But they hold the course and stay above the noise and instead deliver a sonic dose that could put them on a bill with the Necros around the time of their IQ 32 record (which is their best stuff in my humble opinion).

A classic record that isn't necessarily the most well known, but probably should be. The band apparently did an lp and has done some other stuff, continuing into at least 2010 with sporadic shows and recordings.

DOWNLOAD: State " No Illusions e.p."

PS- it was not discovered until I had posted and uploaded the record, but track 3 & 4 are both listed 'Hardline', however, track 3 is in fact the song 'Attention.'

Glory Kid Ltd. - Label Sampler Fall/Winter

CONTINUING WITH THE RECORD STORE DAY BLOWOUT OF POSTS it only seems appropriate to have a great record label sampler:

Southern California's best little Hardcore label just relocated to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle to be exact). Before making the move, label czar, Andrew, put out this nice little sampler with 9 tracks from the most recent 8 releases.

A little of everything is offered here: Outrage & Convulsions exist at one end with some of the more interesting sounding songs- heavy music with vocals that go from screaming to haunting and musical changes. Outrage is working on their upcoming Glory Kid release while the Convulsions track is from their GKL debut 7inch. Agosto Espias play a style of emo/punk that draws back to a sound from the mid-90's. Maladie & Drowning with Our Anchors tracks come from their split 10inch, a co-release with Vitriol Records. The Separation track, deceptively short, is from their stellar LP (and sadly, final release) 'No Exit'- heavy & politically charged hardcore from Northern California. Run With the Hunted appear courtesy of their GKL ep "Destroy All Calendars"- fast hardcore with a political slant and the ability to break a song down and get you bouncing side to side. Time for Change's contribution comes courtesy of their final release, a 4 song ep split with label Death of A Modernist, and shows the band plowing forward from their lp and taking the band's sound to an even higher level of emotionally charged hardcore that still balances within their "old school meets 90's" hardcore sound. Lastly, Burn Your Life Down- the newest band (existence wise) offers up a members list of many recently departed So. Cal Hardcore bands playing a heavy and fast style of hardcore. While I wouldn't say "sounds like", you can say "reminiscent of" the Separation, Deadguy, and other such bands that were heavy, fast, and vicious in their sonic expressions. Enjoy & as always, check out Glory Kid Limited. Their stuff is always quality in sound & package.

Glory Kid Limited

DOWNLOAD: GKL Sampler Fall/Winter

Sign Language 3x 7inch Compilation

Happy Record Store Day- go out to your local shops and check out the sales, appreciate the mom & pops, and of course, get the Record Day record pressings! Then you can come back here and download, this stuff will still be here.

So, this gem was one of those 'Hey, check out what just came in' items when I walked in to Dr. Strange Records about a year ago. I had NO clue that it existed and among the many reasons to own such a treat, it has a 411 song that appears no where else. Funny as it is (and it always seems to be this way when I'm on a mission at Doc) I was actually there to pick up a copy of the Suburban Voice comp. that had another exclusive 411 song on it.
411 aside, this Allied Records comp. includes a bunch of early/mid-90's hardcore/punk bands that got quite a bit of recognition- Jawbox, Econochrist, Seein' Red, Christ On A Crutch, & Sawhorse are among the 12 tracks found here (four per 7inch). You could easily think this came out on Ebullition.

On top of all the good bands & tracks is the packaging- a box taped together on one side so that it flips open.  Inside, three separate records each with a tweaked Stop sign to read: STOP WAR, STOP SEXISM, STOP RACISM. The songs along with other pictures reflect each record's themes, while the booklet inside has one of my favorite things about comp. 7inches- Band pages. Each band has one done differently by each respective band. Spread throughout are also writings and explanations about the records and their assembly. Lastly, the comp comes with postcards of each record, and theyre not just some photocopied nonsense, rather, they have the covers on one side and info. on the back including Allied Records info.

Great comp, Great packaging, and I picked it up for under $15. Win, Win, Win.


DOWNLOAD: V/A - Sign Language Compilation

HAPPY RECORD STORE DAY!!!

Ignite - Sea Shepard Conservation Society EP (Live)

4 tracks recorded live in 1997 (San Francisco), & 1998 (Goleta) with all four tracks coming from the Call on My Brothers full length. The quality here isn't bad, but it is live and does not sound like it had any touching up, just raw live recording.

This record was released by the italian label Vacation House on both 7incn & 10-inch Picture Disc. Over the years, being the nerd that I am and someone who is a VERY big fan of Ignite circa about 2003 and before, I have both. So, this is recorded from the 10inch, but the scans are of the 7inch.

For any not in the know, this is the Ignite most of the world knows (as opposed to the earlier 7 inch posted HERE last week), fast and powerful with Zoli's trademark vocals and world conscious lyrics. Music that certainly revisits Southern California bands of the past, but looks forward at the same time. I can honestly say that I just about wore out the copy of "Call On My Brothers" that I first bought on tape when in high school. Their live shows around that time were quite an experience as well. Ignite from about 1995-2000 was really one of my favorite bands and always a show that I looked forward to. I digress, enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Ignite - "Sea Shepard Conservation Society EP"

Various Artists - Empty Skulls Vol. Two 12 inch

This comp. is a little redirection from the recent run of 90's era Hardcore Compilations and takes us all the way back to some of the formative years of Hardcore and even crossover. Released in 1986 on Pomona, Ca. label Fartblossom Records (who also co-released yesterday's Justice League post), the comp. is a bit of a hodgepodge with more than a few notable bands, some that I am completely unaware of, and overall a very wide selection of bands from around the world (though the US is still the most represented).

Corrosion of Conformity, Crude SS, Justice League, & Pillsbury Hardcore make up some of the better know bands, while E.A.T.E.R., Legion of Parasites, & Colera make up some of the lesser known groups.

Stand out/favorite tracks include Pillsbury Hardcore (with 3), Justice League, Corrosion of Conformity (3), Stranglehold (who have a snotty, punkier Dead Milkmen feel), & Legion of Parasites (2). Nearly every one of the 21 songs is great, though there is one or two that stray far from the general fast & loud of these songs and another song or two that unfortunately suffer from inadequate recording quality. All in all, a very solid and diverse comp from the mid-80's punk/hardcore scenes of the world. Very worth the $1.99 I paid for it (especially considering the few copies I've seen since go much closer to the $30 range, not that I'm looking to sell it).

DOWNLOAD: "Empty Skulls Vol. Two: The Wound Deepens" 

FRIENDLY REMINDER- Record Store Day is this Saturday. Go to you local shop, then check the blog- there will be some extra posts this weekend to celebrate.

Classic Record: Justice League - Think or Sink 7inch

I know the Stuck In the Past guys do something similar; this isn't meant to be a bite of that, rather, a nod to both Record Store day and to a record I was already planning to post.

Justice League hailed from Southern California (particularly what is known as the Pomona Valley). Technically a Los Angeles (county) band, growing up they were always referenced as the first and foremost hardcore band from the Inland Empire. While PVHC might be a stretch for be associated with the Inland Empire, to be fair, members of this band would go on to be in one of the larger recognized IE bands (Chain of Strength). To truth to it all is, Pomona, Ontario, Chino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, and so on all kind of ran together as the parts that didn't quite fit LA and weren't San Diego. It's still largely this way today in the respective areas/scene.

Justice League carry the distinction of being one of the very first Straight Edge bands on the West Coast. Fast hardcore with a large nod to punk, Justice League put an emphasis on thought among the punk/hc scene and a Pro-Youth outlook both from themselves and the world around them. Think or Sink stands not so much as a genre defining record, but rather a very large marker on the path Hardcore was taking. A record that after its release; bands, labels, & fans could look at and say "Yeah, that's the look, that's the sound... that's the aesthetic." Not to sound corny, cheesy, or to imply that a singular look was what was acceptable. Rather, I look at a record like Think or Sink and it stands as a prototypical record- the cover drawing, the back live photo, the record labels, the lyric sheet folded and stuffed inside the jacket; everything about this record says 80's hardcore, southern california, and even straight edge. I get the same feeling holding RKL's "It's A Beautiful Feeling"or The Middle Class' "Out of Vogue."

Justice League would go on to record a full length with new singer Casey Jones, and eventually an EP with guitarist Ryan Hoffman handling a lot of the vocals. The band's sound progressed along the way, moving to a fuller hardcore and almost melodic punk sound; in my opinion by the end they had taken a direction similar to 7 Seconds with their "New Wind" record. Different members came and went from the band, many going on to other notable hardcore & punk bands (Chain of Strength-named for a Justice League song, No For An Answer, Eyelid, Ignite, Inside Out, & Drive Like Jehu) with the band running it's course in 1988. A discography was released a few years ago, but is currently out of print and unavailable. Perhaps it will turn up here at some point.

DOWNLOAD: Justice League - "Think or Sink"

RECORD STORE DAY IS THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 16th- go to your local shop, preferably a Mom & Pop and check out their regular stuff and the exclusives just for Record Store Day.

Area 51 - Discography 12 inch

Another repost from the old What We Want Blog... Great Monday Morning music, kinda sums up how I feel going back to work after having 9 days off (sorta)....

Before the Murder City Devils & Pretty Girls Make Graves there was Death Wish Kids and before Death Wish Kids there was Area 51. Hardcore punk with tons of attitude and feedback to spare. Fronted by Murder City Devils singer Spencer Moody & DWK/PGMG vocalist Andrea Zollo, the dueling vocals were fueled by pure screaming rage and backed by the hardcore punk attack of fellow murder city members Dan Galluci & Derek Fudesco and rounded out with Sterling Callier & Andy Sells. 

This sounds nothing like the later bands they became better known for, but it does sound like completely pissed off, rip your head off hardcore punk. There is an obsession with the movie "Over The Edge" as well. 
When Spencer Moody decided to leave the band they turned into the Death Wish Kids.

"if you fuck with me you better run while you can, because i'll be right behind you with a brick in my hand"



Area 51 on Myspace

DOWNLOAD: Area 51 - "Discography"

Coalesce | The Get Up Kids - "Split"

A fun split from these two diversely different bands. Each band takes a song from the other and essentially re-imagine it, adapting it to their style. Coalesce with "I'm Giving Up On This One" (originally "Second Place"), the Get Up Kids "Burned Bridges" (originally "Harvester of Maturity").

In case you've lived in a cave (and under a rock in that cave), the Get Up Kids play a catchy blend of emo with a poppy punk slant that still pays credit to hardcore. Fun music.
Coalesce play odd hardcore that draws on a lot of influences from metal and odd time signatures. With a vocalist who sounds very different from almost anyone, they can plow right through you only to stop suddenly and lurch forward before just completely destroying your whole existence. A bit dramatic? Perhaps. But Coalesce is very, very different. They would share a member with the Get Up Kids for a long time (as well as all of the Casket Lottery, two of which still play in the band).

DOWNLOAD: Coalesce / The Get Up Kids "Split"

Extent Fanzine Pictures: Hot Water Music, One King Down, Weston, Ten Yard Fight, Mouthpiece

Another page of pictures from an issue of Extent. I only have the last two issues, if anyone has older issues, I'd love to see em. I'd be willing to scan them and send them back. Enjoy.

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Pushed Aside, Against the Wall, Drift Again, Ignite: Randy Johnson

What we have here is a nice, big Saturday post of 4 different 7" EP's. They're all easily able to stand alone as their own posts, however, a few weeks ago I obtained my own copy of the Drift Again 7inch (I had ripped and scanned a copy belonging to a friend about a year ago) & as I was enjoying looking the record over and absorbing it a little (yeah, I'm a geek like that- as if this blog doesn't indicate that), when I was reminded that Randy Johnson had played guitar in this band.

No, not the baseball player, the OC Hardcore Randy Johnson.

Starting with Pushed Aside in 1989, whom he sang for; then Against the Wall where he played bass; followed by Drift Again where he featured on guitar; rounded out by Ignite where he was their second singer. It should be noted, Mike Hartsfield makes two appearances as well, playing guitar & bass respectively in Against the Wall & Drift Again (and guitar in yesterday's post of the Amendment 18 7 inch).

Pushed Aside is pretty straight forward, pissed off hardcore from Southern California. The vocals are kind of snarled at times, while the music is almost like a buzz-saw of guitars set to steady & precise drums. This is their demo from '89 that was later released by Indecision Records in the mid-2000's.

Against the Wall play a style of late 80's/early 90's hardcore that was starting to reflect more of the emotional outbursts bands were putting forward in their lyrics while playing a slightly heavier style of traditional hardcore. Songs that plow right into you only to pause briefly before building back up into a full sonic assault. The vocals, to me, almost have an east coast feel to them (like an accent)- either way, they are a big part of what appeals to me about this record; heavier hardcore with clear/screamed vocals.

Drift Again was a band I had heard about for a LONG time, the band that preceded Outspoken for Hartsfield, and had apparently played this mesmerizing hardcore. Indeed, I can see how that could be said. Drift Again brings forward a lot of what had always been 90's hardcore to me; songs that had a heavier sound to them, but not tuned down so far that it just chugged along, clear and almost singing vocals at times, a very noticeable bass guitar in the mix along with songs that start and stop on a dime within themselves. Factor in the emotionally driven and sometimes almost distraught sounding lyrics and then add in the little guitar squeals and it screams Southern California 90's hardcore to me.

Ignite, just about everyone has had some exposure to Ignite by this time. To most, Ignite is forever tied to third singer (and longest running), Zoli. But before Zoli & after first singer Joe Nelson, was Randy Johnson. If memory serves, this comes after the 5-song demo (and some other assorted songs) with Joe & just before Zoli joined. What's very interesting to me is that the songs sound very little like Ignite before or after this recording. Automatic & Where They Talk have a much more drawn out sound that compliment Randy's higher pitched sound (I know, sounds weird to say "high pitched" when Zoli is part of the discussion), & the song Turn is much more Ignite's sound as it is a song from the original demo and also later appeared on the "Call on My Brothers" full length. It's a good little 3 song offering, recorded right here in this blog's hometown of Riverside, Ca with Bob Moon (who it seemed, recorded a bunch of bands in the early-mid 90's).

To the best of my knowledge, the only things missing are the Pushed Aside & Against the Wall tracks from "A Generation of Hope" comp (which I do not own), the Solitude demo (pre-Against the Wall), Drift Again's track from the "Words to Live By" comp (which will be posted in the future), & the Ignite "Scarred For Life" CD which features two more Randy Johnson tracks on it (which may be posted in the future).

Enjoy this & enjoy your Saturday. Record Store Day is a week away!

DOWNLOAD: Pushed Aside - "self-titled (demo)"
                         Against the Wall - "Identify Me"
                         Drift Again - "Self-Titled"
                         Ignite - "Where They Talk"

Strife Poster & Flier 4.11.1997 @ Showcase Theatre

This was the first time that I saw Strife live. If memory serves, they had just come back from tour. i remember that Rick looked pretty scruffy and his voice was starting to give out (which he acknowledged). This was one of the few shows I had managed to drag some of my diehard punk friends who hadn't made any transition to hardcore (beyond Minor Threat or Black Flag)to. Surprisingly, they enjoyed it. I remember one of them, who to this day is one of those washed up diehard "punks" (oi! oi! up the punx), was very impressed by Strife & Rick's sincerity and his staying to talk to and shake hands with anyone who wanted to talk.

I also believe this was the only time I ever saw Rule of Nines, I might have seen Insurgence a few other times. I know it was the only time I saw Sparkmarker & Circle Storm. I remember Sparkmarker getting mad & telling the crowd not to mosh/hardcore dance. Circle Storm, holy shit. I believe this was one of only 3-4 shows they ever played. I had the ep/7inch and dug it, and of course loved Chain. I remember Curt remarking something to the effect "there's more chain shirts than Circle Storm shirts in the crowd, what's up with that?" Haha. They also closed with playing 'True Til Death'. Hmmm.
Strife was great and set a definite bar to live up to. Rick's vocals were going out, but the crowd and the energy definitely picked up the slack. 14 years ago this Monday, that's wild.


Circle Storm's set from that show:

Amendment 18 - "Defining the Color: Conviction" 7 inch

Happy Friday Afternoon everyone, hope you gave the article below a good read, it's worth a look. As for this post, we have the second 7 inch from southern california hardcore band, Amendment 18. Released on Organized Crime Records out of Illinois, this shows some of their first changes from a very standard sounding old school hardcore sound to a fuller sound that had small touches of more modern/new school touches.

Make no mistakes, old school hardcore here with some new songs (Dig, In Droves, & Bitter Pill), an older song (Where I Left Off) , & a cover (Real Deal) that helps this 7 inch bridge the gap from the first lp/7inch to the lp that followed this.

Included in the download is a few different scans because this copy came with three covers (that doesn't include the other cover for the pre-press with the razor blade), including some pictures by yours truly. This record also lists different people based on who was in the band at the time, but I believe the line-up was Isaac, Hartsfield, Chris Smith (also on the previous 7 inch), & Steve Insted. Enjoy and check back tomorrow, should be a good size dose of some early 90's hardcore.

DOWNLOAD: Amendment 18 - Defining the Color 'Conviction'

"Damaged: The Sweaty Story of Hardcore" Article from Guitar World/Alternative Guitar Magazine 1994

Here's a little Friday reading for everyone. This is an article from back in '94. I don't have any of the rest of this Guitar Magazine and I'm inclined to believe this article was the main reason I picked up the magazine in the first place. I did take some stabs at learning basic guitar around this time, but seeing as it was juno email/Bulletin Board System kind of days before much proper internet, I probably picked it up solely for this article. This is the first two pages put together in one image file, the download below includes this as well as the other two parts of the article. Friday music download coming up this afternoon, enjoy!

(Click to Enlarge... or download the file)

DOWNLOAD: "Damaged" Full Article

VA - "Coastal Flooding: West Coast" (w/ Champion, Find Him & Kill Him, Where Eagles Dare, & More)

This Thursday brings us a very good comp. from the more recent past. Coastal Flooding: The West Coast features some of the best of Hardcore bands from the early/mid-2000's from up & down the West Coast of the US.

From the more revival/youth crew influenced sound of Champion or Blue Monday to the thrashy sound of Find Him and Kill Him, there is a little bit of everything here. Rounding things out, Alliegence offers a style similar to Champion, but distinctly heavier while the Miracle Mile offers a more melodic hardcore sound that got very big at the time. Where Eagles Dare end the record with their Shutdown meets Stretch Arm Strong sound/vocals with a different recording of a track from their first EP.

Like I said, a little bit of everything here for everyone. Not a bad track in the bunch, but if I had to pick, Find Him And Kill Him's two tracks are probably my favorite. Enjoy & get ready for the weekend, some good stuff is planned.


FIXED DOWNLOAD LINK: Coastal Flooding: West Coast Comp. (w/ FHAKH tracks)

Rain On The Parade/Contention Records Ad

The Cable Car Theory - "The Deconstruction"

I have to confess, from time to time there are albums I almost get excited to find out are out of print because I can (in good conscience & good faith) share them on the blog. Of course, I'd love for everything to be accessible at a reasonable price for anyone interested to own, but that's a whole other discussion...

The Cable Car Theory sound almost like a hyper version of bands like Hot Water Music and Avail. They draw on all the great aspects of 90's Emo/Hardcore with thick guitars, vocals that go from pissed off to exasperated and back again, drums that are so precise the drummer could very easily be playing in a much more metallic band.

The Cable Car Theory's strongest asset may be that they can musically turn on a dime- plowing through a song like Analysis, while taking a more mid-tempo pace with opener Nakama, only to slow things down with Spit Happens. A real testament is a song like Caffeine Battle Cry which employs a little of both. The lyrics again evoke feelings of the aforementioned bands and sounds, with subjects like friendships, child birth, child abuse, emotions & feelings, etc. The album ends pretty emphaticallywith the foreboding sounding Tears For Broken Toys which starts pretty heavy for their sound as members of the Assistant help out with vocals.

Hailing from New Jersey in the late 90's- early 00's, they released a few different records (a previous ep/lp, some 7inches, & comp tracks) in their time and apparently did a fair amount of playing at least on the east coast and even Europe. This record stands as a very good and under-appreciated piece of hardcore/punk from the early part of this century (sounds weird to say that, hah). Dig in and enjoy, 13 songs in just over 30 minutes.

DOWNLOAD: The Cable Car Theory - "The Deconstruction" 

Somebody's Got A Case of the Mondays...... Phyte Records Catalog 1998

So, my apologies for not having a planned Monday post up. The rest of the week is planned, but I had changed my mind about my planned Monday. I'm on a much needed Vacation (the stay at home kind) and of course, that means Monday is the "Honey-Do-List" Day. Being an expectant father only made it that much more of a necessity.

However, after the wife's car got an oil change and learning how to make vegan "hot pockets", I set to clearing some boxes from what will be the nursery. That meant getting to some pictures and old flyers, etc. that I had been meaning to dig out. So, it all works out for the blog in the end.

For your Monday viewing pleasure, Food, an old label Catalog, and my new pick-ups from a trip to Dr. Strange Records

(click to see bigger image)

Tuesday, Music, Promise!

Under Your Influence Comp. DOWNLOAD Link fixed

Under Your Influence Comp w/ Kill Your Idols, Time Flies, Ten Yard Fight, & More

That's twice the download link was messed up in the last two weeks. Apologies. Enjoy!

Bankrobber - 3 song Live Tape

Coming from Colorado, Bankrobber play what can only be described as a sound with as much in common with Strife's "Truth Through Defiance" as Agnostic Front's "Victim In Pain."

What I'm trying to say is, the songs are heavy & with plenty of riffs and breaks to make you stomp and thrash around, but with a speed and fury that owes to old school hardcore & punk. To give you a proper idea of what I'm getting at, their debut 7inch "Vultures" (pick up a copy here) tears through 6 songs in 10 1/2 minutes. All the the way through there are plenty of parts to get a huge circle pit going as well as bringing it down a step or two so everyone can floorpunch and go nuts. The vocals make me think much more hoarse and kind of a punkier cross of Overcome's "When Beauty Dies" and Coalesce.

The live tape (which pre-dates the 7inch) doesn't disappoint any either. I was skeptical after hearing the 7 inch first when a friend's band had played with the band while on tour (because, after all, it was live). But, the tape offers up the same brand of fast and wreckless sonic abuse. Taking the best elements of heavy 90's hardcore and pushing it into a faster, tighter framework.

The band offered this up for download on their facebook and still sell copies of the tape at their shows, they will be playing down my way in California later this month as well as planning to record an lp late spring/early summer. Look out for that when it sees light. For more info: Bankrobber (facebook)

DOWNLOAD: Bankrobber - Live 3 Song Tape

The Troubled Coast - "Letters"

I received this in a download from the band (thanks Corey). This is their newest effort (following a 10 inch the year before, and EP before that).

The Troubled Coast play a sound that, to be honest, is kind of hard to pin down- yeah, it's hardcore & punk, but the sound jumps about, with what I could best describe as more modern emo/melodic hardcore as it's most consistent base. The band lists bands ranging from Verse to Brand New as influences. While I am not terribly familiar with Brand New, a few friends are rather big fans, I can definitely hear it; thick and textured guitars and screamed vocals that can give way to spoken/singing and more melodic/mid-paced parts. They have moments where the vocal/lyrical pacing makes me think of older 90's emo bands rattling off lyrics that almost sound like a conversation rather than lyrics, making me think of similar things Stay Gold would do on their full length lp, and at other times almost like a flow of thought style similar to the band who is currently doing it so well, La Dispute.

The first listen I jumped around a lot, but repeated listens on the work drive and some love in the headphones (headphones are always the real test for me) have grown on me tremendously. The record hits its stride by the second/third song in and keeps a pretty consistent pace of melodic hardcore. I can see these guys from Nor. Cal getting bigger & doing a killer tour with a band like Defeater. The sound is there and they do it very well.

Stand Out tracks: Feigned Belief, Drug Halo, XX/XY, Absent Father Holy Ghost, & It's Not Good For You

Definitely a nice surprise- I'm planning to track down their older releases and see how it all holds up live.

Support the current, touring, & available bands:
the Troubled Coast (Facebook) | Bandcamp Page | BUY Their Music

The Troubled Coast - "Letters"

SOS Booking: Southern California Punk, Hardcore, & Metal (and the SOS Project)

SOS Booking is a great booking group headed up by Nate (singer of Xibalba). He's been doing it for quite awhile now and is damn good at it. If you're looking for shows in Southern California, especially in and around the Inland Empire, get a hold of him/them:

 SOS Booking (Facebook Page). 

He's done big shows, fests, small shows, local shows, and just about anything you can think of over the last 5+ years at a ton of venues



SOS Booking takes its roots in a short lived venue from 2006-07, the SOS Project. It's something extremely important for me as I see it as one of the few tangible ways I have been able to give back in even the smallest way to something that has been so important to my life (punk/HC music).

Nathan & myself were able to put the SOS Project together through the local YMCA we both worked for (and met at) and for the most part, run it pretty freely as we liked. The flier you see is from the first show we held there. Plenty of local shows went down, and plenty of other bands made their way through in our short time- the First Step, Verse, Sinking Ships, Shook Ones, Knife Fight, My Revenge, Seven Generations, Dangers, Final Fight, Set It Straight, Life Long Tragedy, & more. The SOS Project can't be mentioned without saying how helpful Sami Begloo was in getting us bigger shows, especially early on. A defining moment for me came when Joe, who had booked and done security at Showcase Theatre called me about shows we were booking because he was trying to book shows on tours and trying to make sure that we weren't ending up booking shows on the same tours back to back (since we were in Riverside & they were in Corona)- that was a bit of a "holy shit" moment for me. Without the Showcase & Joe, there wouldn't have been any SOS.

In the end, all good things come to an end. The space we were using for the venue was a rental space for the Childcare Program I worked for. When we got a new facility for our older kids, we no longer needed the rental space. In the summer of 2007, the venue ceased. I cannot say enough of the hard work that went into it on so many people's parts, especially Nate's. I met or became better friends with so many people that I now count as some of my absolute best friends. Nate went on to book shows at Parkview in Riverside for a while, also singing in the band Out of Heart. About the same time that venue & band ran their respective courses, Andy from Time For Change/Glory Kid came into an opportunity through local legend Tina Bold, who put him in touch with Joe McNally (formerly of Voodoo Glow Skulls) who was trying to put together a music venue/community project. While that never bore fruit, Joe introduced the booking group, now comprised of Andy, Nate, and myself, to the guys at the Pharaoh's Den. By that time Nate was in Xibalba and SOS Booking was born. That's a whole other story, but SOS Booking continues on with Nate and friends hard work to bring shows to Southern California.

PS- Padded Gymnastics flooring for a show, still one of the best. Made for great wrestling match surface and some intense dodgeball games...

Stanford Prison Experiment - The Gato Hunch / Wrecreation

Stanford Prison Experiment were a Los Angeles Post-Hardcore/Rock/Whatever-Cliche-Sub-Genre-You-Want-To-Call-It band.

Very influenced by Hardcore, Punk, & their respective "Post-" genres, SEP existed in the early 90's- early 00's, releasing 3 lp's and a handful of Ep's & singles. I caught this band in 1995 when they headlined a show at local legend Showcase Theatre that a friends band happened to have earned an opening slot on. They impressed live, reminding me of what I had genuinely loved about grunge music just 2-3 years before & having an energy and sound that still played to my newfound love of punk & hardcore music. Their second lp "The Gato Hunch" had just came out, so like any punk in high school in the mid-90's, I bought it on tape. I wore that tape out. It showed very hardcore guitar riffs, but still very distinctly drawing on a more decidedly post-hardcore sound. Crunchy & grooving guitars, distorted bass, shouted vocals that can calm into a spoken/singing, & drums that help to carry the whole thing along, SEP would pave the way for me personally to get into bands like Quicksand while still tying back to older grunge bands like the Melvins, that I had missed getting properly into at the time.

Wrecreation was their third & final lp, also their major-label debut for Island (after moving from World Domination for their self-titled & Gato Hunch lp's). Wrecreation is where the post-hardcore & Quicksand love comes to it's fullest. The crunchy guitars still appear, but have smoothed into more of a fluid sound. There's more of a stop/start to the sound of these songs, more of the spoken/singing style vocals, but still plenty of power. The album isn't entirely different from the previous record, but just a bit of a more mellow companion.  In fact, the songs here tend to run shorter than the previous, delivering a punk energy to the progressive sound. The band plays a bit more with songs that start off with a catchy hook and build the song into an explosion about mid-way through. I very honestly alternate between listening to Gato Hunch first, followed by Wrecreation as a kind of counterbalance between the two and a playlist that still operates on the same idea, but just with the songs inter-mixed. Make no mistake, Wrecreation will still hit you, it'll just politely say "hello" before doing so.

The band would play with Quicksand (whom they became good friends with, releasing a split single at one point), Rage Against the Machine, and plenty of other bands from those bigger on the indie scene to bands like the Jesus Lizard.

Stand out tracks: (the Gato Hunch) You're the Vulgarian, So Far So Good, The Accomplice, Hardcore Idiot. Worst Case Scenario makes that list too, but it's quite a bit different, possibly showing the direction the band could have gone if they had gotten harder/more distorted as they went along.
(Wrecreation) Contusion, I'm A War, Machaca, & Hightower.

*I've also included their self-titled, first LP. It is my least favorite of theirs, but it isn't unlistenable. Like many bands, its some of their earliest stuff and it shows when compared to the growth the band made on later releases. It features a track (Written Apology) that would resurface on Wrecreation.

A band who certainly flew under a lot of radars, enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Stanford Prison Experiment - the Gato Hunch
                         Stanford Prison Experiment - Wrecreation
                         Stanford Prison Experiment - Self-Titled

SEP Facebook (fan run) | Old SEP web page | Myspace Page
*PS- any of out there who might have their Cansado EP (or anything else) get in touch. I only have these albums. I'm very curious to hear their Gang of Four cover.

Murder City Devils DOWNLOAD LINK FIXED

The Murder City Devils live radio set from 1998 posted HERE has a fixed link. Not sure how I screwed that one up.

Extent Fanzine Pictures: 108, By the Grace of God, & Ignite

In the mid/late 90's John LaCroix (Ten yard Fight) ran a great zine from Boston named Extent. I've only seen the last two copies, having picked one up at Dr. Strange Records when it had come out & then having been quite fortunate enough to have a copy sent to me by John when writing him about back issues. Both issues came with great interviews, lots of pictures, good articles, & 2 very diverse sampler cd's.

The Redemption 87 post found HERE also includes scans of their interview from the same issue of Extent that these pictures came from. 

It goes without saying that I love 108, By the Grace of God still remain as one of my absolute favorite bands, ever, period; and Ignite were one of my favorite bands to see live circa Call On My Brothers/Past Our Means.

(Click the picture to see it larger)

Samiam / Jawbreaker - No Idea Fanzine Split 7inch

We'll just call Split Seven Inch Saturday today. The second round brings some good 90's punk with this little two song gem. This was released along with a copy of No Idea Fanzine (as in, No Idea Records) and picked up by yours truly for .99 cents at a local shop because it was "missing the cover". There was no cover. It was missing the accompanying zine, and I'd love to get a copy some time, but I feel I got the most important part, no?

Both bands offer up songs that at the time were exclusive to this record. Released in 1992, both bands are still solidifying the sounds that they would become known for- Jawbreak and their brand of punk that would go on to influence a vast majority of 90's emo/punk acts, while Samiam show early flashes of their pop/melodic punk brilliance, pulling off a track that could have just as easily gone on a Seaweed record.

Jawbreaker's track has some interesting/odd spoken parts that I'll let you hear for yourself. . I wouldn't say that they distract the song, but when listening to it, it can almost seem like two different songs. Recorded in early '89, it shows the band still developing.

The Samiam song really is my favorite. This one was recorded in '91, dating it back to around the time of some of the bands earliest works (such as the 'I Am' ep, which will turn up here later), but showing a slightly more melodic and softer side than the speedy pop-punk of their earliest material.

Enjoy!


DOWNLOAD: Samiam / Jawbreaker - No Idea Fanzine Split 7inch

Blackspot | Triceratops - "Banana Splits" 7inch

The Blackspot tracks here come after the "Check Out the Helmet" 7inch previously posted on the blog and feature the band expanded to a five-piece. The first song, Drop, starting with a muffled/distorted intro that sounds like its being recorded from a room away, when it finally kicks in shows that band moving forward from their 7inch. The vocals have a bit of a higher tone and less of the booming voice as heard before. The songs here have a bit more crunch to them, but still that grooving sound that makes them stick with you. Their second song, Rogaine, has a more stop/start kind of feel to it as the song powers forward through it's three minutes.

Triceratops are on the flip side of this Southern California split. They play a heavy, but strongly old school influenced sound with climbing guitars, shouted more than screamed vocals, a bouncing bass, and driving drums, and some pretty awesome back up vocals (specifically on the second song). Members of Triceratops would go onto the Third Degree, Speak 714, Give Until Gone, Adamantium, & Innaway. Triceratops also had a "self-titled" record that I have so far been unable to track down a copy of.


DOWNLOAD: Blackspot / Triceratops - "Banana Split" 7inch

Time For Change - Live on KSPC 88.7

Time for Change were a hardcore band from the Inland Empire, Ca. area from 2003-2009. They played a 90's influenced style that also drew on old school influences. Pissed off hardcore that could throw in a well placed breakdown with lyrics that drew on personal struggles and experiences, and the occasional straight edge song.

In their time they recorded a demo, 2 ep's, 2 7inches, an lp, and a handful of comp. tracks; ending with this live set shortly before their break-up. This 12 song set was recorded at the long running KSPC station here in Southern California which is operated by the 5 prestigious colleges that make up the "Claremont Colleges" in Claremont, California. At the the time of the recording the band was Andrew: vocals, Matt: guitar, Jordan: guitar, Brian: drums, and Fick: bass (who is not on this recording).

Members went on to Agosto Espias, Xibalba, Wunami, Burn Your Life Down, Darassum, & more- not to mention that the band featured members of many other bands of the same time. Singer Andrew also runs the recently relocated record label Glory Kid Limited (Convulsions, Restrained, TFC, Maladie, Separation, Outrage, & more). He's also a good artist who's done work for quite a few bands.

DOWNLOAD: Time For Change - Live on KSPC