Why Didn't KISS Have a Video Game?

Seriously, KISS whored out their name to anything, why not a video game? I decided to make the universe right again by making a KISS video game cartridge. I illustrated an Atari looking KISS logo and portrait of Gene Simmons, then glued it to the cartridge. I also thought if KISS did have a game, it may as well be silver (kinda like Legend of Zelda was gold). The screen image was re-drawn based on the Journey game (which for some reason exists).
This was supposed to be for the Game Core Con- Art on Atari Cartridges show, but my work schedule did not allow me to get it done in time. =(

UPDATE: This piece was also featured on ALBOTAS.

Turning Japanese art show

Here is my piece for the Autumn Society's Turning Japanese art show. My piece is entitled BP Hedorah, and is based on a Godzilla villain. The Godzilla movies, aside from being goofy, usually had some sort of political statement. Since Hedorah was a living pollution monster, I decided to dedicate this one to BP. Thanks for ruining the Gulf, jerks!
This was done with spray paint, using stencils and masks to give it a kaiju toy style look.
More info on FACEBOOK

Record Reviews (late spring/early summer 2010)

This reviews post was another one months in the waiting. Busy with some art shows, as you can see from my blog. I also started a label, and have subsequently started a distro. That means large amounts of records coming to my doorstep. Like delivering drugs to an addict I say... Also, I apologize for the large amount of Extortion and Pollution reviews. Both bands rule, fuck you.
There's also a large chunk of Rochester, NY bands reviewed here. My band, Wormeaters, recently went up there for a weekend tour, and that places rules. It's like someone transported the early 80's California scene to upstate NY in 2010. Lots of young kids circle pitting, and some real good bands.

7":

Extortion- s/t
I had heard good things about Extortion for a while, but hadn't checked em out until now. Now I feel stupid, because this rules. This is a re-press of their first record, and what you get is traditional power violence hardcore. Their sound is like No Comment meets Lack of Interest, and doesn't fall into the grindcore or metal trappings that most bands playing this revival fall into. I literally went to Deep Six's webstore and ordered everything I could by this band recently, it's that good.


INJ/SYS [Injustice System]- Spoken Word
I loved Injustice System's demo, and this 7" picks up right where it left off. Their music is heavily influenced by the early 80's NYHC bands, they even cover Antidote and The Abused on this. The song are fast and to the point, with a cool screen printed cover with Pettibon inspired artwork. Great debut 7"! Look for a split 7" w/ my band Bloodtype to be out very soon.


Born Bad- Tie One On
Born Bad is one of those bands I thought was good, but kind of fell short on their recordings. This record is the vinyl pressing of their demo, and it's killer. I think the raw recording really highlights their sound. I like this way more than their other 2 7"s, so hopefully their new material is recorded like this.


Low Threat Profile- s/t
The word supergroup doesn't get thrown around in hardcore a lot, but what else would you call a band comprised of members of Infest, No Comment and Lack of Interest? It's really the best sum of all parts, just fast fucking hardcore. This was recorded before 9/11, and for reason went unreleased for almost 10 years. I honestly couldn't recommend this high enough, if this had come out on time it'd already be a classic.


Devour- Insect Circuitry
I've been a big fan of Devour from the first second I heard their LP, and after going on tour w/ them I'm an even bigger fan now. Devour play a somewhat D-beat/ crust/ Japanese-influenced hardcore, but don't tread into the crappy stereotypes that genre produces. These new songs I feel like have a sort of Swedish/UK crust influence, or some early 80's metal influenced HC. Either way it fucking rules. The A side has 2 kinda slower tracks, where Side B is a full scale HC assault. "Laugh Track" is such a good song, that I usually listen to the B side first.


Manipulation- s/t
Their demo was a killer, so buying this 7" was a no brainer. The sound is even more raw and distorted on this, which I was pleasantly surprised. Their sound has a Japanese quality to its delivery, but the songs give me an early Dicharge vibe. They re-record "secrets" and "choking man" from the demo, but with more ferocity. It even looks cool, with a white ink on black paper silkscreen. Don't be stupid, get this!


Talk is Poison- Rage to Infinity
Talk is Poison is one of my favorite late 90's hardcore bands, and I heard they played some shows recently. It wasn't until after Chaos in Tejas Fest that I found out that they recorded and released a new 7", so i scrambled to find a copy. The music unfortunately doesn't live up to the high standard that TIP set for themselves. I think it's maybe not fast enough. It's still good, but doesn't really live up to the name. Maybe I'm being unfair, but if this was some new band I'd probably be into it, it just doesn't sound like the same old Talk Is Poison. The overall package is cool with a silk screened cover on a brown board.


Pollution- n.s. Drugs
Pollution return with a new 7", which picks up where their LP left off. The sound quality is very similar, and these songs are just as good. It's really hard for me to describe this band, it's got elements of hardcore, metal, alternative and god knows what else. The result is this heavy loud wall of sound. I would recommend this if you're new to the band, as an LP may be a bit much on first listen, and this will give you an idea of what you're in for. There's a cover of "Downer" by Lush if that means anything to you, I've never heard of em...


Insubordinates- 1968 b/w Rendezvous
The Insubordinates is a never band from Rochester, who play very Adolescents influenced punk. "1968" is real good, as is "Rendezvous" which is an instrumental. I don't know if it's a good idea to have your first release be a 2 song 7" w/ 1 of those songs being instrumental, but what do I know. Very cool vintage 45 single looking layout too. They have an LP that should be out any day now that's killer, definitely check that out as well as this.


Bad Taste- I Was a Teenage Jack the Ripper
I saw Bad Taste almost 2 years ago, and they were a scrappy young early 80's influenced HC/Punk band. They've since matured a bit, and are a little less raw, but still real good. Treading into a weird place, it's got a KBD HC sound. They also cover the old song "Summertime Blues," which is actually pretty cool. I saw them recently, and their new material is more like early Pissed Jeans. Make of that what you like.


Rational Animals- Distorted Temptation
Rational Animals play a style of HC similar to a lot of bands who worship later era Black Flag. If this was on Youth Attack, people would be going crazy for it, but it's way better than most of those bands. They really have their own sound, which is really cool. Just as good as their first 7", if not better. Awesome silkscreened covers with some great art by Scott Bentz.


Cannomen- Science Studies the Black Hole
This band features 3/4 ex-Life Trap members, but sounds nothing like that band. These guys are more melodic/ garagey punk. Similar in style to bands like Deep Sleep, it borders on pop-punk, but stays in a more 80's California sound. Not bad, cool layout- I like the triangle insert.


UX Vileheads- Catch 22
This is a new band with members of a lot of the cooler recent Swedish bands, but I'd say stand son its own. It's probably way faster than those other bands that the Umea scene is known for too. There's a melody hidden under some fast raw hardcore punk music, and some of these songs will get caught in your head. The guitar tone is also spot on, with a few well placed leads. Definitely worth checking out.


Extortion/ Septic Surge
My recent obsession w/ Extortion brought me to this split. The Extortion side opens up like a punch in the face. The first song is so ridiculously good, it barely even has a chorus and rages like hell for under a minute. Usually split bands use for throw away songs, this is certainly not the case. A side note, I threw this on at 33rpm at first, and it sounded hard as hell, like good era Integrity. Septic Surge sounds like Man Is The Bastard/ Bastard Noise, which isn't really my thing. Great artwork on both sides.


Capitalist Casualties/ Lack Of Interest
What year is it? Seriously, who'd have thought in 2010 we'd get new songs by both of these bands. Capitalist Casualties have always been a band I liked and owned many records of, but really kinda never stood out for some reason. These songs are good, but I was more interested in the LOI side. Lack Of Interest is kind of inconsistent, due to having different singers on their releases. This vocalist sounds like the same from their last LP, which is ok but not my favorite. The stuff on here is real good, but not "Trapped Inside" good. Both bands really do sound good, and for $8ppd you get this split 7" and Short Fast and Loud zine. Most 7"s with shipping will cost you close to $8 anyway, might as well get a cool zine with it.

LP:

Anti You- Two-Bit Schemes and Cold War Dreams
I liked Anti-You's previous releases, and even did a show for them on their US tour. If you didn't know any better, you'd think Anti You was from America, as their sound is heavily influences by early 80's US HC. This LP I like more than their last 7", and they really stepped it up a notch on this. They play super fast, but there's a hint of melody like early Circle Jerks. The LP art is done by the same artist who did their previous records, and I like the overall look of their records.


No Friends- Traditional Failures
This is No Friends' second record, but my first of theirs. If you don't know, they feature Tony of Municipal Waste on vocals. If you're a devout Waste fan, you'd probably not be into this though... unless you like pop-punk. No Friends play a style of melodic hardcore, very similar to Kid Dynamite. I could see this band going over big with the Gainesville Fest crowd, but feels kind of thin to me. Pretty solid for a side project though, and the layout is real cool.


Extortion- Loose Screws
This is Extortion's most recent release, which is obviously great. The recording quality is not as raw as their previous record, but somehow they make up for it by playing faster and tighter. They make the start and stop song structure seem easy, I don't know how they pull it off. This is basically an LP, it just happens to be a 10".


Pollution- ® SMUT
Pollution come back with a vengeance on this new LP. Their other 2 records were recorded a while back, and were originally just cassette tapes. It may seem like Pollution has been cranking out records lately, but it's just because people are starting to realize how good they are. This LP really showcases where the band's at now. Still fast, still raw, still noisy as hell. I get a slight Sonic Youth vibe in its overall noisiness, but mixed with a heavy dose of later era Black Flag still in the mix. You should probably get this too...

CD:

Hummingbird of Death- Show Us The Meaning OF Haste
The only other HOD record I had was their split w/ I Accuse, which I think may have been their first release. They've definitely come a long way since then, because this LP is really good. A lot of bands that play fastcore can't pull off a good LP, because their songs are so short. Hummingbird of Death proves me wrong with a mix of short blasts, and longer mid-paced dirges. Who would have thought this kind of music would come from Idaho? Cool tattoo flash looking cover art, but the rest of the layout is fairly standard.


HookHands- The Dead Hate The Living
Hookhands sent me this CD a while back, but I jsut got to it now (sorry dudes). The cover art looks like a kind of nu-metal band, but actually the music is a lot more like good 80's crossover thrash. You like Slayer and Exodus? Of course you do, then you should check this out. There's a lot of bands that play this style and make it a joke, but their lyrics are pretty cool. A lot of horror/gore influenced lyrics, which I'll take over pizza party BS any day. Some of the solos could be tighter on the metal side, but there's also a definite HC influence (as shown by the CroMags cover). I was definitely surprised by this.


Extortion- Degenerate
I never buy CDs, I like Extortion so much that I bought this. This was their first LP, and has a more raw quality. I like this a lot, and sounds very similar to approach on their first record. Have I mentioned how I love the art on all of their albums, it's violent and dark. There's bonus tracks on here, one being a song called "Forced Down Your Throat," which I was extremely bummed to find wasn't an SSD cover.

DEMO/TAPES:
The Rival Mob- Hardcore For Hardcore (tape)
This is basically a teaser for their new 7" "Hardcore For Hardcore," since both of their records are out of print. The title track is really good, typical RM style, which raises my hopes for their new 7". Next is a cover of "Positive Scene" by Crippled Youth. I've seen them do this live, and it's killer and way faster than the original. Next is kinda weird, a remix of "Mind Closed For Life" from the demo. It's the same recording, but with piano and horns overlayed in the mix. Cool, but strange. Finally a live cover of "Better Man" by Pearl Jam. What the fuck right? They nail it like any bar band would, playing it faithful to the original... go figure. There's also some funny samples between songs, which kinda showcases the band's sense of humor (if you've ever seen them live, you know what I mean).

Mob Mentality (pro-tape)
The cover has a skinhead looking dude stomping through a city with an American flag shirt, I'm sold already. Mob Mentality is from the DC area and plays a style of HC which is similar to early AF/WarZone, but with a bit of Side By Side. An overall good demo, though could be a little bit better. I heard they got a new singer and second guitarist recently, so maybe that will give it that extra punch.

Narcs (CDr)
The Narcs are another new Rochester band, who have an 80's punk influenced sound. Definitely have a snotty skate punk sound to them, but with more of an obscure Killed By Death band sound. The vocals are very distorted, but there's definitely some cool guitar and bass playing here. A record by these guys will no doubt be real good.

Pollution- 120608 (pro-tape)
The first side of this tape is from a live set in Brooklyn, which is a sampling of songs from their 1st LP and 7". The other side has a covers of Black Flag and Honor Role, both good. The live set is a decent recording, though a bit drum and bass heavy. Pollution super fans need this. The overall look of the tape is cool. It's a photocopied cover on this crazy shiny gold paper.

Omegas- Joyboymix (tape)
I ordered this from the band recently. It's got a few Omegas outtakes and a live set, and some other bands they're friends with or used to be in. There's 2 of their former bands' songs that later became Omegas songs, which is really cool. Another highlight are the songs by "Boner Hogan," which are songs that were used in porno movies apparently. Pretty ridiculous is an understatement. The inclusion of the "Hoagieman" song is even more ridiculous, and I'm sure anyone not from the PA/NJ area will have no clue what's going on. There's some cool songs on here, and some throwaways. The live set is real good- it opens up w/ an Offspring cover (seriously), and ends with an SSD cover and "Gimme Oblivion." I like that this tape is actually long, and while some songs I'd wanna skip it's overall real cool.

All Hands on Deck

Here is my piece for the All Hands on Deck art show in Philadelphia. The show is sea themed, so I chose to do a shark stencil painting. It's 5 layers done with spray paint, which I named after the Shark Attack EP- "Blood in the Water." It will be displayed in a wooden frame, which I splattered with a little red paint.

In July 2010, in America's birthplace of Philadelphia, 30 emerging young artist of diverse skill sets have enlisted their services in riding the waves of discovery in effort to provide new additions of pictures to provide visual dialogs of mankind's fascination with the sea.
Opening reception:
Friday July 9th 2010 7:00 PM - 10:PM
Chapterhouse Cafe and Art Gallery
620 South 9th Street (between south and Bainbridge)
Phialdelphia, PA

http://www.myspace.com/chapterhouse
event on Facebook

80's Toys Art Show

Here are my 2 pieces for the Autumn Society 80's Toys Art Show. The art show will go from July 2- Aug 4 @ Brave New Worlds in Philly. More info can be found on Facebook.

This painting is based off of the original crappily sculpted Stormtrooper action figure from the Star Wars line. I know the toy initially came out in 1977, but they re-packaged these through the 80's. Ever since I was 3, I was hooked on Star Wars, and after getting the Super Shogun Stormtooper recently, the old toys have been dancing though my head. It's a 2 color stencil, with the background made up of various colors of the black layer.

This second piece was kind of last minute. I had this weird long canvas, and had the idea to do a toy based off M.U.S.C.L.E., which were these crazy pink Japanese wrestling characters. This guy is Terry Bull, who if I recall was the leader of the bad guys. This was also done with spray paint and stencils.

FinnMunny for Munny Munth

In honor of Munny Munth over at KidRobot, I decided to do a custom on their Trikky Mini-Munny platform. The design is based on Finn, the main character from Adventure Time. I sculpted the backpack out of a new sculpting compound called Zubber, which didn't work as good as I would have hoped. Still it was a fun little piece, and adds to my 2 other Adventure Time tributes HERE and HERE.
Vote for my Munny custom here! I'm not gonna win, but it literally takes 2 seconds to click "Like."

Zine Reviews!?

When Duress came through town, I had a conversation with their singer Matt about zines. I had made a post and flyer saying that zines suck, and I think the zine scene has suffered greatly over the past 10 years. I still occasionally check out new ones, but was never compelled to review them. Here's a handful of zines I picked up so far this year.

Mindless Mutant: #5
Over the past few years, for my money, Mindless Mutant was the best fanzine. I believe this is the final issue, and it's just as good as the rest. Inside you get tour diaries from Born Bad and Harms Way as well as a farewell interview with Punch In The Face. There's also an in depth review of the last Repos show, as well as other show reviews. No record reviews this time, leave your house for a change. Great pictures, and great cut and paste layout.

Distort / Counterfeit Garbage
I've gotten split fanzines before, but this reads like a collaboration. The issue focuses on the best of the decade, which makes me think maybe the 00's weren't so bad after all (way better than the 90's). They cover shows, demos, EPs, LPs and some other odds and ends. This is real cool, and something for old farts like me to look back on a decade of HC. It also works for the young kids just getting into it, to use this as your bible and get hunting on some records you missed out on. I can't say I agree w/ everything, but I all all of these guys' taste in music.

Counterfeit Garbage: #3
If Counterfeit Garbage was a band, it'd say "ex-Mindless Mutant" on their flyers. But they're not, so it doesn't. The zine starts off with a story about a flyer w/ Hitler on it that got a lot of people's panties in a bunch. I agree w/ the writers that punk bands have always appropriated nazi and other political images for their powerful aesthetic. The main feature is an Inmates interview that was rejected by Maximum Rock n Roll. I guess MRR's editor objected to them making fun of her name, it's a dumb name... get over it. There's also an interview with Canada's Omegas, and an in depth review of a CroMags show in Chicago. It ends with some music and zine reviews. Clean cut and paste layout, I'll be looking forward to more issues.

Screaming At A Wall: Issue 3
I had gotten SAAW #2 last winter, so I was glad to see it come back w/ issue #3. Interviews with The Rival Mob, Waste Management, Alert, No Minion and Troops of Tomorrow. Some of those are kinda newer up and coming bands, but worth your time. The Rival Mob interview really shows a lighter/humorous side that you get from their live shows, but not on record. I like that he also asks questions about the members' personal lives, as well as has a column about comic books. There's some pictures throughout, and some reviews at the end. The layout is a little sloppy cut and paste, but easy to read. I hope there's less than a year break before the next issue.

Effort Fanzines: #2
I got this zine through React! Records, so I figured it focused on the more youth crew side of HC. While I like some of that, a lot of it doesn't hold my interest. The layout is extremely well done, and professional looking computer graphic design. Very well written interviews with the First Step and Justice which look back on the history of both bands. There's also an interview w/ Anthony Pappalardo about his Radio Silence book (which I still need to check out), and his time in In My Eyes. Also a cool interview w/ Mindset. Really cool zine from Sweden, even if you're not into the style they do, it's very well done.

Thinking Cap: #1
I was given this at the Mindset record release show. The zine is only a single folded tabloid sheet of paper, and only features an interview with the singer of the band Praise. On the cover it states that the purpose is to "spread the word about Praise." However I think the interview is written as if you already know about them, and as far as I can tell they only have a 7" that just came out last month. I would have liked to have learned more background on the band rather than about their lyrics, since when I got it, the record wasn't even out yet. Good effort, solid design, but didn't really serve its purpose.

Severed Ties: #1
This zine is from Europe, and has interviews with Blank Stare and Coke Bust. It's pretty short, but they cram in 2 interviews and some reviews, along with some photos. In the BS interview, it states that they're going to release a new 7". If only that were true... The Coke Bust interview is worth it for Jubert's answers alone. The layout was done on a computer, but still retains a punk look. Good first zine, I wish it were longer.

Noise Reduction: #2
I got this zine from Paul (Give Praise Records), and from what I can tell it's a collaboration between him, Will (To Live A Lie Records) and Nick (Cowabunga Records). All of those labels specialize in some fast hardcore, so that's what I'd expect covered here. Interviews with Coke Bust, Bruce X Campbell, The Revilers, Bloody Phoenix and contains the standard reviews and articles. There's part 1 of a California scene report that's very long, which makes sense since it's a huge state. I would have liked to see more reviews, and I'm not familiar w/ most of the bands being interviewed. Nice computer layout, but still looks pretty punk.

Circus Punk for Clowntastrophe

I painted this Circus Punk for the Clowntastrophe Art Show in Philadelphia. The show will feature artwork of Paul Palcko, as well as 30 artists' paintings on these Punks. For mine I decided to go kind of simple, I wasn't sure how the Punk would take spray paint, since it was basically stuffed canvas. I sketched out the design on tracing paper (not a computer!), and then cut out some tape masks to spray paint.
The show is Sat. June 26th, 2010; 6-9pm. At Delicious Boutique Sideshow, The Piazza at Schmidt's, 2nd and Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19123.

It Smells Like Fish In Here

Here is my painting for the Autumn Society 90's show. It's a scene from the movie Dirty Work, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. In the scene, they're playing a prank on some mobsters by putting dead fish all over their house, but are interrupted when they arrive home early. As always, the painting was done with stencils and spray paint.
Here's the original sketch I made in Illustrator before cutting the stencils:

BLOODTYPE- Bringin' More Stuff Down tape out now! (BE-01)

So in a futile effort to promote my own band's releases/tour, I decided to start a record label. This is my first official release, though I've had experience releasing/ distribution demos and records before. Maybe this will be the first of many, maybe just a flash in the pan, either way, here it is BE-01!
Bloodtype is a Straight Edge hardcore punk band from NJ. Influenced by 80's HC bands like the Abused, Straight Ahead, SSD, and early AF/WarZone. They play fast, pissed off, no BS hardcore. This tape contains 2 songs from their upcoming 7" (Cowabunga), a song from their split with INJ/SYS (No Reprieve), and a Black Flag cover exclusive to this release.
Professionally duplicated red cassette tapes, limited to 100. $4.50ppd (in the USA)

http://bleedingedges.bigcartel.com
http://myspace.com/bloodtypexxx

Summer tour w/ Injustice System:
July 29- Raleigh, NC
July 30- Richmond, VA*
July 31- Washington, DC
Aug 1- Brooklyn, NY*
*=not confirmed
http://www.myspace.com/injusticesystemhc

*Labels/distros-get in touch about trades/wholesale rates*

EDIT- I'm all sold out, but check out: Cowabunga, Sorry State, Punks Before Profits, To Live A Lie, Give Praise, Grave Mistake and No Way Records. The band also has copies left.

Qeeology 2.5 show

Recently I was asked to be a part of Toy2R's Qeeology 2.5 art show. They sent me a blank 2.5" Qee to customize any way I wanted for the show. I tried something a little different, but overall like the finished product. Notice the 7 Seconds logo on the chest, and various X's and No symbols. I decided to name him "Drug Control" after the 7 Seconds song.
Pictures and a recap of the show can be found HERE. I'm glad to have been a part of it.

Finn the Human

So about a month or so ago I did a stencil painting of the Ice King from Adventure Time. The shows creator liked it, and suggested I do similar paintings w/ the other characters. Who am I to argue, so I made a stencil of Finn. Maybe someday I will do one of Jake the Dog.

Record Reviews (late winter/early spring 2010)

Man, I've been buying a lot of records lately. After being unemployed for the better half of 2009, I did some catching up recently and made some distro orders. I've also had the chance to see a lot of bands over the past month since it was spring break recently. I'd also like to comment on how cool it is that bands have finally caught onto cassette demos again, it makes me real glad to have gotten so many tapes recently. I also decided to make note when a record includes a digital download. While I think HC purists may find it dumb, I usually end up looking for a download after I get a record anyway. This way its more convenient and I'll get the mp3s without having to search. It took me a long time to write all of this, but hopefully you find it a good read.

7"s:


School Jerks- s/t #1 & s/t #2
It seems like almost every band tries to say they sound like Black Flag or the Germs, but few actually sound like them. School Jerks on the other hand nail that sound perfectly. Combining the First Four Years of Black Flag with the sloppiness of the Germs (the singer sounds very similar to Darby), and a pinch of garage rock. Half of School Jerks played in Terminal State, and while there's some similarities, this is more early 80's sounding. The first record has 3 songs, and is more raw; while the second has 4 songs and is slightly better recorded. Both records are killer though, and you need both. Unfortunately when they were supposed to play my area, we got hit with like a foot+ of snow. I made up for it by ordering these 2 from the band, and am glad I did.


The Ladies- s/t
After checking out the Ladies EP on Cowabunga, I really wanted to hear their first record. Luckily Grave Mistake repressed it last year. This record is a bit more raw, but I really like it. Their sound is definitely more on the punk side of garage rock. The songs have this snotty attitude. When I saw them a few years ago, the singer threw a beer in the air during the first song. It hit someone, then the guy next to him picked it up and drank from it. He then threw it, and another guy picked it up and drank from it. I feel like that story pretty much sums up this record.


Logic Problem- No Center
Unfortunately Logic problem broke up after their summer tour (which I wasn't able to see them on), but luckily they released a few records before calling it a day. No Center has 4 songs that are pretty different. There's still the foundation of early 80's mid-west influenced hardcore, but there's a layer of complexity to it. It stays fast, but has a little something extra to keep it unique but doesn't cross into the Youth Attack genre. Good band, RIP.


Mind Eraser- The Prodigal Son Brings Death
I liked Mind Eraser's first LP a lot, but wasn't as into "Glacial Reign." Their next record was a 2 song, which I wanted nothing to do with. When I saw that their new 7" had 10 songs on it, I figured it would be worth checking out. It's definitely much faster, along the lines of the first LP. I think it's good, but nothing is really reaching out and grabbing me. The lyric sheet was all hand written, but I'll be damned if I can read any of it...


Mindset- Time and Pressure
I had seen Mindset a few times and enjoyed them, but thought their 1st EP didn't capture that intensity. This new record however sure does! After a lineup change, and some touring under their belt, Mindset will be the force to be reckoned with in the straight edge scene in 2010. The opening riff reminds me of "Time We'll Remember" by Youth of Today, and they nail the '88 era HC sound. Everything is perfect on here- Great lyrics, solid breakdowns, good recording. If my prediction for a youth crew revival come true, these guys will be leading the charge. Includes a digital download.


Crow- Flock of Beast
First of all, I don't think it even says Crow anywhere on this 7", luckily I recognized the cover photo. Crow are Japanese HC old timers, whose sound reminds me of Judgement. There's no insert, and the lyrics aren't translated. Both songs have the same title, but are different. The A-side is a heavy thrash metal sounding song, with a weird bass groove breakdown. The B-side is similar, and reminds me of some 80's thrash metal like Megadeath or some shit. Pretty cool, but I'd prefer a new LP.


V/A- No Bullshit vol. 4
The No Bullshit comps are usually pretty solid representations of good current bands doing the early 80's sound. The stand out on here is Violent Arrest doing a Ripcord cover, which is cool since 3/4 of the band was in Ripcord. The Born Bad song is good as well, If their new stuff is this good, I'm sure it will be a rager. The songs by Citizens Patrol, Anti You and Insomnio are pretty forgettable though. I would say this is the weakest of the series, but still pretty solid.


Bukkake Boys- 2nd EP
I don't really know much about the Bukkake Boys, so their 2nd record is my first encounter. They play early 80's influenced HC, similar to something that No Way Records would release. They remind me of Citizens Patrol a bit. It's pretty fast, and raw sounding recording, but nothing's really reaching out and grabbing me.


Syndrome- s/t
This is Brandon from No Way/GW/DC/MW/etc.. new D-Beat band. Their sound is similar to a more 80's Scandinavian sound. It's pretty punk, but I feel like the crusties will love it. The guitar tone is a bit thin, but it kind of grows on me as the record goes on. Pretty good, but I think I would like this more live.


Burial/ Antimob
I love Burial, but their side only has one track, which was probably a throw away track from the Speed at Night LP (reviewed below). I'd never heard of Antimob before, but after this I don't plan to in the future. Both bands are from Europe, and are trying to emulate the Japanese style. Real weird crappy anime looking cover art too, definitely skip this one.


Thieves- Positive Vibrations
The record kicks off with some weird lazer beam noises, but then charges into some Bad Brains sounding HC. I would say post "Rock For Light" era BB, since it's kind of mid paced with a little bit of groove. Sort of like if Burn or Underdog were more punk sounding. The ad inside the record says Poison Idea, but I don't get that at all. The vocals have a lot of reverb, and aren't as present in the mix. The guitar I also feel got lost as well, but overall it's a big progression from the demo. I think with a bigger production, and maybe a second guitarist they could be onto something.


Duress- Indifference
FUCK, there's really no reason to buy any other record this year, because it won't be better than this! I loved Duress' demo last year, but this 7" blows it out of the water. Duress plays fast as hell HC, which reminds me of the greats like Seige and Deep Wound. Idiots will say it's power-violence, but it's just really fast early 80's influenced HC with short songs. The lyrics are pissed off, and hateful. I know that only 300 were pressed, and I'm sure these are almost gone. Maybe a 2nd press will happen, but I got mine, so it's your problem now.


Fired Up- Doomed To Repeat
Fired Up's first 7" and demo were such a guilty pleasure of mine. It's real by the numbers youth crew, but the songs have these real good hooks and catchy choruses. This was a posthumous release, which is a bummer because this 7" is just as good as their other stuff. The singer looks like a total frat boy on the cover with his baseball hat on, but fuck it this record's good. I feel like I shouldn't like this, but I really do.


Cursed- The Last Session
Cursed was one of those bands that I was aware of, but just never got around to checking out. I was a fan of a lot of the other Chris Colohan bands, so I figured I'd get this. It was recorded live on their last tour, so I figured it'd be kind of a greatest hits with songs from all of their records. The recording is really good, since I guess it was recorded in a radio studio. There's no insert in my copy, and there's no info on the cover, so I really am not sure. Musically it seems more similar to the Swarm, but has it's own sound. Not sure if I'll back track and get their other LPs, but I like this.


Omegas- Sonic Order
I loved the Omegas demo, so I was real excited for this to come out. Their sound is somewhere between the sleazy early 80's sounds of Urban Waste and Chronic Sick, with heavy influence from other NY/NJ bands. The first track "Street Meat" is by far the best. The demo had a lot of standouts, and I feel like this record didn't have that same spark. I think the main problem I have with this is that the bass is way too high in the mix, and covers up the guitar (which I think had a pretty unique sound on the demo). Still a good record that's worth your time. Includes a digital download.


GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten)- Seattle Crew
I know nothing about this band, but I threw it in my cart when i ordered the new Mindset from React! From what I can tell, this is their demo pressed to a 7". Their sound seems influenced by harder edged late 80's NYHC, and maybe a Brotherhood influence by location. I like that the recording is a lot more raw than most stuff on React, and there's 8 songs on here, so you get your money's worth. Will be looking for a proper release from these guys. Includes a digital download.


Harms Way- No Gods No Masters
It's been some time since I listened to Harms Way. I remembered their sound being influenced by bands like Carcass and Repulsion, but with a more tough guy NY hardcore style. This record has a thinned out lineup, and a more Integrity influenced sound. There's a lot of heavy guitars and double bass drums, so this isn't really my style. The cover art is awesome though. Includes a digital download.


Bankrobber- Vultures
My band played w/ these guys in NJ, and they have a heavy 90's influenced HC sound. The lyrics are socially conscious, and I could easily see these guys on a label like Deathwish after some more touring. It's not really my style, but they do it well.Includes a digital download.


Southside Stranglers- Too Much TV
The Southside Stranglers boast 3 members of Government Warning, but don't sound like them really. There's a lot more rock influence in here, mixed with some late 70's punk like the Damned. I kinda feel like this is more suited for like a bar rock/punk band, or something on a Punk-O-Rama comp. Not really into it. Includes a digital download.


the Ergs!- Thrash Compacter
This release was years in the making. I remember hearing these songs years ago, but knew that The Ergs had wanted to record more songs for a second side, but didn't and broke up. The majority of these songs were recorded in 2003, and 1 in 2007. The fabled "Trash Compacter" EP was a bunch of short fast song that the Ergs did to sound more like early 80's hardcore. There's a heavy Adrenalin OD sound in here, but is definitely mandatory if you're a fan of the Ergs' early (faster) material. The original session had 2 songs which were omitted due to their cheeziness, but I kinda wish they were included for posterity's sake. I'm sure you can find them online like everything else in this world. I also wish they used older photos of the band from around the time this was recorded, but what can you do? The layout is all high contrast photos, like an 80's hc/punk record. Great record, now someone needs to release the "Digital Endpoints" demo on a one sided LP. Includes a digital download.

12"s:

Paintbox- Relicts [singles collection]
This collects Paintbox's 7"s and comp tracks onto a convenient LP. If your only experience w/ Paintbox is their most recent LP, this is a whole lot less weird and a way better starting point. I was always a fan of the song "Cry of the Sheep," and the 7" version is much better. Their other records were only released in Japan and hard to get a hold of in America. This is also worth it for their weird track from that Poison Idea tribute comp from a few years back, and the Super Mario breakdown in one of the songs.


Madmen- s/t (demos)
There's a bit of mystery surrounding this record, supposedly it's a boot, but the sound quality is great. If you don't know the story with this, its Jonah Falco's (Career Suicide/Fucked Up) solo project where he plays every instrument. Kinda a weird concept, but if you didn't know that, you wouldn't think there was anything weird about it. This compiles the 2 Madmen demos on one record. I will say I like the first demo (side 1) better. The sound is similar to CS in a more early 80's KBD influence, but without the whiny vocals vocals. This is certainly better than anything Career Suicide or Fucked Up are doing currently, but I really wouldn't go out of my way to get a copy.


Ripcord- Live At Parkhoff Alkmaar Holland 18/09/1988
I have no clue when this came out, but I LOVE Ripcord, so I'll give it a mention. First of all, it's on a awesome clear speckled vinyl. There's also some covers on here with the vocalist of Napalm Death, and Ripcord really are in their prime here. Live albums are generally for the die hards, but damn do they rip on this one. It says in the liner notes that it was recorded towards the end of a tour, and it shows because they're tight as hell. Definitely need this to complete your Ripcord collection.


Systematic Death- Systema 6
I was fortunate enough to catch Systematic Death at one of their reunion shows last year, and they were phenomenal. Usually when a band breaks up, the reunites and releases an LP it's hit or miss. I can assure you that this is definitely a hit. This is seriously up there with their older records like "Final Insider." I guess much like Gauze, they didn't lose their touch. Seriously, hearing is believing, and this is definitely worth your time.


DSB- Useless System Abuse
I was a big fan of DSB's earlier releases, and was bummed that they got denied last year and couldn't tour. After listening to this release though, I'm significantly less bummed. All of the press I saw for this said it was their most intense release since "Wings Continue to Strive..." and that's just a plain lie. This is terrible, I paid $13 for a 5 song LP and a DVD. They should have skipped the DVD, press this at as a 7" and saved everyone $8. Or better yet, just break up, because this is fucking terrible. Sorry you couldn't get into my country illegally for a tour, maybe make the effort to file the proper paperwork next time...


The Rival Mob- Raw Life
FUCK, I really slept on this band. Their sound is similar to some more heavy NYHC bands (think the first Madball 7" or "Cause For Alarm" era AF), but is devoid of metal distortion or double bass drum. The lyrics to "Raw Life" are so great, and are about simplifying your life, cutting out all of the bullshit of modern convenience. The songs are hard and fast, with perfectly placed breakdowns. I normally stay away from stuff on Lockin' Out, but this is the real deal shit. Their new record is going to be great! "Mob Rules All!"


Burial- Speed At Night
Awesome, a new Burial record! It's an EP, but at the size (and price) of an LP. It definitely picks up where the last LP left off, with some dead on Burning Spirits influenced Japanese style HC. They've got the right balance of HC power, with a good balance of metal riff-age. This is really good, as should be expected if you have any of their other records. Unfortunately it's only 6 songs, making it an EP.


Organism- Hope
This is really great, authentic sounding Japanese HC from Japan. It really reminds me of early DSB, or maybe Warhead. Shit's real real good! This came out as a CD a while back, but this is the reissue on vinyl by Hardware Records in Europe. They unfortunately changed the cover art, which sucks because I liked the original art I saw.

DEMOs:

CCP- Red Alert (cassette)
This is a real good demo from a new VA sXe band. Similar to modern bands like Coke Bust or Shark Attack (who I assume they got their name from), with maybe a Crippled Youth vibe to the vocals. Definitely a part of the rising sXe scene of bands that are more influenced by angry early 80's bands, more than posi youth crew type stuff. This is a real promising demo, and I can see a real good EP coming from these dudes.

RAZORXFADE (pro-tape)
A new band from the Chicago area similar to Boiling Over or Poison Planet (who's drummer has coincidentally played in). There's a rawness to the recording, similar to a more stripped down version of Blank Stare. The music has a real Boston crew sound (SSD, Jerry's Kids, etc...) to it. The vocals are distorted, and there's a lot of feedback throughout. I feel like the snare drum really dominates the mix since it's got a high pop to it, but overall a very good demo.

Boiling Over- Barriers (pro-tape)
Damnit, Boiling Over records their best stuff yet and decides to break up. If you liked their 7", this is way better. If you didn't like their 7", maybe this will change your mind. The songs are played with more ferocity than before, and the vocals have just the right amount of distortion (think LBAL). Seriously this shit is fierce, fuck you guys for breaking up.

Boilerman (pro-tape)
Boilerman coincidentally features a member of Boiling Over (dude loves to boil shit), but sounds nothing like them. Their sound is more akin to modern pop-punk bands, as opposed to the early Lookout style. If you're into stuff on No Idea or Don Giovanni type labels, you should probably check this out. I get a little bit of a Ringers vibe, in the rough recording quality.

Stressed Out- Dudes Don't Die (pro-tape)
I was expecting this tape to be more metal sounding after having seen Stressed Out somewhat recently. The second the first note hit, I thought the guitars sounded like Slayer- Reign in Blood tone. On their split w/ Rip It Up they had a more early 2000's era thrash sound, but now it looks like they completely changed into a late 80's crossover thrash band. The guitars are definitely metal (I guess that's what happens when "Metal Pete" and "Metal Joe" are in your band), but the song structure is definitely more on the HC side (verse-chorus-verse-chorus-breakdown-etc). I think if they just went straight thrash metal, and ditched any scrap of hardcore they'd be onto something there. I wish there were lyrics included, since a lot of bands like this tend to have terrible lyrics. This is way better than the average Municipal Waste rip-off band though.

Duress- Live (tape)
Duress rules, nuff said. This has a mixture of 7" and demo songs, plus one new song. The set is from a radio station, so it's well recorded, and is over in like 10 minutes. Short and sweet, leave the crowd wanting more. Perfect for a live set, but in tape form I'm left wanting more. Mission accomplished boys (and girl).

Sacred Love (CDr)
This is a new band from MD with some members that also play in Mindset. The songs have a more mid-80's DC sound, mixed with some post-Rock For Light era Bad Brains. The CD starts off kind of fast/mid-paced, then slows down, and picks up again. It's not really my thing, but I would recommend it if you like other modern DC area bands like Police & Thieves or Lion of Judah.

Stripmines- Failsafe (tape)
Now this is the shit right here! I was lucky enough to catch this band's first show. Members of Devour and Thieves playing some heavier d-beat/Japanese influenced HC. Their sound stays way more on the HC side than any sort of crust leanings. The vocals are fierce, and the lyrics are angry and negative (just the way I like it). I wish the recording quality was a little better mixed/recorded, but I think this band will release a killer record when the time comes.

Thieves- demo/live 2009 (tape)
This tapes has their demo on one side, and a live set on the other side. Their sound is rooted in 80's HC; there's some brief fast moments, but overall somewhat mid paced. Maybe a little bit of Heresy is in there too. There's no lyrics, and with songs like "Black President" and "Harry Pothead," I kinda wanna know what's going on. The live material on the B side is pretty poorly recorded, and just kind of sounds like a mess. Maybe if I knew the songs better, something may stand out.

Plague (pro-tape)
Plague has a real southern sound to them. There's a real Corrosion Of Conformity sound, but I imagine every southern band hates being compared to COC. I'll say that they remind me of Slipknot (the 80's Rev band, not the shitty nu metal band). What you get is a hybrid of 80's HC, mixed with some southern rock influence. The vocals almost have a quality similar to Filth. Pretty damn good, I could see someone into Annihilation Time being way into this.