Amon Tobin is an electronic music producer from Brazil. This release is very similar to one of his previous records Foley Room, relying heavily on field recordings, though this time mixed in with some of his own electronic compositions.
The Gaslamp Killer is an alternative hip hop producer from Los Angeles, California. He delivers a psychedelic sound achieved my combining hip hop, jazz, funk, rock and so on. There is a decent variety of collaborations here, with my favourites being from Gonjasufi, who's album he previously produced. There is plenty here to warrant multiple listens as ever track has tons of samples woven in and out of each other. It's almost like trying to solve a puzzle, trying to pick apart every part of each track on offer.
Reparation play crushing, heavy down-tempo hardcore, and come from the UK. This is their debut release and are obviously keen on playing at the heaviest end of the hardcore spectrum. The production on this double EP is great aswell. You can get the record for any price you wish to pay over on their bandcamp page.
Power Trip are a great hardcore thrash band from Dallas, Texas. They play intense and incredibly aggressive music with influences from across the board, from Bad Brains to Sepultura. If you liked Pulling Teeth who I covered early on in this blog then check out Power Trip below. This demo is available for free on Bandcamp.
Jaguarz were a straight edge hardcore band from Boston. One of the few bands on Lockin' Out Records that I haven't listened to as I just couldn't get hold of it. Now recently made available for free via Bandcamp, I had no excuse but to give it a listen. This version comes with the song "Survival" on the end as well, that previously only appeared on a compilation put out by the record label.
Zaga Zaga are a chaotic hardcore band that I stumbled upon by chance whilst trawling Bandcamp for something to listen to, and I was so happy I did. Although chaotic, they have a bit of a post-hardcore vibe going on aswell.
Xerxes are a combination of aggressive and melodic hardcore. If you liked Pianos Become The Teeth, then you will have a good basis of what this band are about. They are very dark and at times can play with ferocious speed. This is a 2 track EP released in 2010 that acts as a good taster to the band, but if you went a full length as a starting point I recommend listening to Our Home Is A Deathbed.
This is a great mixtape from a group reformed from the ashes of Three 6 Mafia. This is an hour long bass filled mix reminiscent of the work they did in the '90's in their former guise. Considering this is a mixtape, the production is great and could easily be mistaken for a full release if I wasn't aware that it was a mixtape. If you're easily offended by satanic themes, then this is not an album for you, as the content is woven throughout.
Vallenfyre are a death metal band from the UK. If you're an Entombed fan this should be easy to get into and right up your street. This album is a good collection of incredibly heavy death metal and doom metal tracks, mixing them up enough that the 50 minute run time isn't a chore.
After his previous band The Book's came to an end, Nick Zammuto got to work on a new project, while still retaining the electronic elements The Books had been known for. This is an energetic percussion album, with jamming guitars and energetic vocals. This is just the basis though, as he crams in so many different genres in to this record, from techno to prog rock and back in time to disco. The spoken word samples The Books had been known for make a nice impression too. If you want a weird musical journey, take a ride with Zammuto on this self-titled record.
Capital STEEZ was an american rapper, best known for being part of the hip-hop collective known as the PRO ERA. Unfortunately he took his own life in 2012. This is a remixed version of his mixtape of the same name. This is a very well produced rap record using original beats and sampling the greats like MF DOOM. STEEZ is one of my favourite rappers of the group, only slightly behind Joey Bada$$. Not that this should be held against STEEZ, as he didn't really leave himself much time to shine and evolve as a rapper. Maybe under different circumstance he would have come to outshine the rest of the group, he definitely had the potential. He doesn't have the ego that a lot of rappers suffer from, he's just an entertaining guy saying interesting things in entertaining ways.
Hallows are a melodic hardcore band from Sydney, Australia. They are lively and heavy and the perfect soundtrack to end the weekend. I'm doing this all back to front as I listened to volume 1 without listening to volume 2, but I'll get round to that eventually.
This record is a collaboration between British singer songwriter Billy Bragg and American rock band Wilco. This is a collection of songs written and never released by American folk singer Woody Guthrie. Due to the success of this record they would go on to record another collaborative album of even more unreleased Woody Guthrie songs. If you're into folk music be sure to check this record out, a great departure from the usual styles of Billy Bragg and Wilco, and a more solid recording than the follow up.
Reagan Youth are a political hardcore punk band from New York, formed in the 80's. Don't be put off by the cover of this record and write them off as racists before checking them out as they are quite the opposite. They are an anti-racist band who would use racial imagery as satire, often using KKK and Nazi themes. Their music draws parallels between the young republicans rallying in favour of Ronald Reagan and the Nazi youth of the Third Reich. The original vocalist's parents being holocaust survivors shows the sincerity of their message. This is a record I have listened to in the past, but recently dug out again when growing to more appreciate the roots of hardcore in America. Posted below is their first record Youth Anthems For The New Order.
Rat Trap are a hardcore punk band from Boston. This is a really heavy record and they manage to work some southern influence into there too which adds a decent bit of variety. 4 tracks knocked out in just over 10 minutes. I could write more about this band to convince you to listen to them, but it'd be quicker to find 10 minutes this evening to give this EP a listen and let your eardrums be assaulted.
108 are a Krishna hardcore band formed in the early 90's playing a style of hardcore very reminiscent of that era of New York hardcore, but arguably heavier. The Hare Krishna faith is definitely at the forefront of the band, which can be a barrier to listeners who aren't followers.
Power-Pill is an alias of Richard D. James of Aphex Twin fame. This 4 track EP is very obviously inspired by Namco's hit arcade game Pac-Man and does well to sample all tunes and sound effects on offer. If you want a retro nostalgia trip this record is sure to put a smile on your face, electronic music fan or not. Chances are you've heard the first track on this record without even realising it was produced by one of electronic music's greats.
Hardcore sludge band from Syracuse, NY. They mix both styles so well together that they offer something to fans of both genres. If you're a fan of chugging slow riffs with a melody check out these few tracks from their 2012 Demo recording.
Big K.R.I.T. delivers his own rendition of southern rap with style. 5 Tracks of ear candy that sound like they've traveled through time to the present day. All of the featured artists on these tracks are great too, although i'm not a fan of them as individual artists, they all contribute something good to each track. This is effectively a very trimmed down version of his mixtape ReturnOf4Eva, compiling the more mainstream radio hits of the tape on to one easily digestible EP. If you like what you hear, check out the full mixtape and the album that followed 4eva Na Day.
Faith No More recorded this during the tour to support their 3rd album The Real Thing. Although this record is heavily reliant on tracks from that album, the actual set list that night was more diverse. So looking back over their discography and noting that this is their only live album, it's a shame they haven't yet released it in full. However, the energy on this live recording really holds true to what the band offer as a live act, and the cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" is brilliant. If you want a more accurate feel for a Faith No More live show, seek out some of the live video recordings from this show as Mike Patton climbs the lighting up to the rafters and the whole band putting every bit of energy they have into their performance. The quality of the album is great too.
Behemoth started out as a black metal band that slowly changed their sound to be more blackened death metal. This record collects their two latest EP's Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel and Nieboga Czarny Xiadz. Both of these EP's would end up re-recorded for their full length album The Satanist. Incredibly heavy and incredibly punishing while at tims slow and plodding. The final track is a cover by a Polish punk band called Siekiera, who I have never heard of, but will do my best to dig up at some point.
I feel like it shouldn't be a detail that I need to mention, that he is an openly gay rapper. But as this record in itself is a question as to why a male rapper can't rap about wanting to be in a relationship with other men, it's clearly a point that he'd want to be mentioned. More than half this record is easily dedicated to this one point. This isn't for the feint of heart either as he doesn't shy away from the bad language, there's no need for innuendo in his vocabulary when he can just say what he means bluntly. The idea behind the title for this album, was to end his career with it, but has since changed his mind and gone on to release #IMF in 2015. This is great news as he is one hell of a talented rapper.
Take No More are a Romanian hardcore band. This wasn't the most interesting demo I've listened to, for a few reasons. They don't quite know what style of hardcore to play, jumping from youth crew to thrash to metal, without ever really blending the styles for a level of consistency. It's only 3 tracks long so go ahead and give it a listen without feeling like you've wasted too much time, and make up your own mind.
Rat Path are a hardcore band from Seattle, Washington, and this is their debut release. They combine old school thrash with modern hardcore, to make a great crossover sound. If you're a fan of bands like Cruel Hand and Hellmouth then give this a listen. As far as I can tell this is their only release to date, not including the two split EP's they released with Malice and Drag Me Under.
Bastard are a Japanese hardcore band formed in the late 80's and are one of, if not the, best hardcore bands in the burning spirits scene from Japan. They play as fast and as hard as they can. I have only just started to truly appreciate Japanese hardcore after breaking out of the bubble that I've been in of US and UK hardcore. Anywhere you see Japanese hardcore mentioned, it's more than likely accompanied with a mention of Bastard. If you dig this record, go on to check out other heavyweights of the scene like Judgement, GISM, Systematic Death, and Smash Detox.
The Yardbombs are an Australian political punk band, with an old school fast paced style. Although they are politically driven, it's not all doom and gloom, so don't let that fool you into thinking that they don't know how to have fun. When listening to the track "Optimus Prime" I was listening for some sort of message or theme, until coming to the realisation that it was just about the paranoia of a truck that winks at him. "Antisocial Media" is a punk song for the current generation, appealing to all those who view social media platforms as another way to taunt others, waste time, and not socialise with their friends in person. The final 3 tracks on the record are covers, and these are some of the most left field choices I've heard from a punk band to date. "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice, "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?" by Australian rockers The Angels (who I am not familiar with) and "Whats Up?" by the 4 Non Blondes. If you're a punk fan and want a fast ride through 18 tracks that don't take themselves too seriously, listen to a taster below and track down the record for yourselves.
A few tracks in to this debut record by alternative rock band Cake, they sound so effortlessly cool. The vocalist sounds so relaxed, yet still delivers his lyrics with a level of intensity and perfect enunciation. The trumpets will take you on a cultural journey from the Caribbean to Mexico in a way that all just seems to make sense. This album doesn't require you to think too hard about what you're listening to. It just wants you to sit back and enjoy.
Another album, another sound. Though this time they have definitely matured as a band, writing music from their own experiences rather than relying on the sounds of their inspirations. Cage The Elephant have evolved into a modern rock band with Melophobia. They still wear their influences on their sleeve, but as an addition to their songwriting and not as a basis. From the Bowie influenced open track "Spiderhead" to the Velvet Underground inspired closing track "Cigarette Daydreams". What they have created here is their most consistent sounding record to date, and one that I really enjoyed. If you're a fan of rock in any form there will no doubt be something on this record you'll enjoy.
H2O are a hardcore punk band from New York. This record is a tribute to many of the acts that inspired their music and inspired them to play. There is a good variety of hardcore and punk bands represented, all flowing very well in the H2O style meaning it doesn't sound like a crazy mess of different sounds. I've never cared for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and hearing a band I love cover one of their songs still didn't change my opinion. I don't know how many times I've heard bands cover "Start Today" by Gorilla Biscuits so it was refreshing to hear "Cats and Dogs" get some love on this record. The track that best represents their own positive bouncy style is "Safe" by Dag Nasty. Their cover of Warzone's "Don't Forget The Struggle, Don't Forget The Streets" is a great closer and perfect summary to the record, hammering home the message they want to deliver with this tribute album. If you like what you hear, check out some of their original material, and check out the original artist's works too.
Pianos Become The Teeth are a post-hardcore band hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. The demo here consists of only 2 tracks which would eventually be re-recorded for their first EP Saltwater. The first track "All Children Make Mistakes" has more of a rock vibe, but the second track "Idiosyncracies" is where they set out the groundwork for the sound they would become known for.
This is the second posthumous release of Detroit based producer J Dilla. This is a 21 track collection of his unreleased work with various Detroit rappers contributing on top. A year later this would be re-released as an instrumental album. As this is a J Dilla record, there are tracks and moments on this album where I wish I could be listening to the instrumental version. Too often I found my attention taken away form the work that J Dilla had put into creating the beats on this record, with my focus instead drawn to the mixture of rappers on the individual tracks. There are some highlights however. Posted below is a track featuring Danny Brown. Unlike some of the other tracks on offer, he isn't in a state of idol worship (or Dilla worship) and has clearly put a rap together to complement the instrumental that J Dilla has produced. While this certainly doesn't compare to Donuts, it's worth a listen for those of you craving more material.
Reaching Forward's Complete Discography collects their first full length For The Cause, their first EP Pride Is Everlasting, and the tracks they recorded for their 2 split releases with Bloodpact and Ensign. At the end of the record is a bonus live set recorded in Poland. Reaching Forward are a straight edge youth crew band who play with a New York hardcore style. There's a lot of good stuff on here, but my issue with collections and discographies like this is there's too much to take in. I guess it depends how you yourself would approach listening to a discography on one CD. Would you pick out certain parts to listen to, or do as I do, and listen to them in completion? I've never been one to skip a track, as I like everything in context. After listening to the frantic 32 tracks on offer here I was burnt out. I'd suggest seeking out the individual records on here and judging them as separate pieces, especially For The Cause. The live recordings don't enhance the collection either, I've just listened to the same songs in better quality a few minutes earlier. Ignoring the run time though, Reaching Forward are a tight band, with the ability to deliver some fast paced catchy hardcore tracks, that will get your adrenaline flowing. I'm going to go back and listen to the records on offer in this collection separately for a second opinion. Posted below is the discography.
In the short 12 minutes that this EP sticks around for, there is nothing memorable here to get excited about sharing with you. There is also nothing bad to write about. Unless you're interested in exploring Autopsy's discography I would skip this release and listen to Acts Of The Unspeakable from yesterdays post. But for those who are curious listen below to a glimpse of what was to come.
The first death metal album of the blog. I got into this band recently, so far only listening to their first two records, Severed Survival and Mental Funeral. They retain their familiar sound on this release, but with the pace constantly shifting from full speed to slow almost doom like riffs. Despite the pace changes, they still manage to speed through almost 20 tracks in just over 30 minutes. I actually preferred and looked forward to the slower moments of the album. This did make it hard to pick out any favourite tracks, as I was more looking forward to moments in songs. There are a few tracks which retain some consistency from start to finish, like "Your Rotting Face" and "Funereality". I would probably go with these as my favourites due to the consistent structure making them more memorable. I'm going to go back a year in their discography tomorrow and listen to their Fiend For Blood EP. Stay tuned.
I feel like I've just listened to a Pixies record, and all it left me with was a desire to go and listen to the Pixies. This isn't a terrible record, they play very well as a group, it's just not their sound I'm listening to. Their debut self-titled record had a southern rock n' roll sound, while this album is all over the place with its influences. In isolation there are some great tracks to listen to here. The second track Aberdeen seems to set up the sound for the record but then it's sadly a jumbled mess from there on out. Go and listen to the Pixies or The Stooges instead, but if you're curious you can listen below.
This album isn't entirely new to me, but when I first became aware of it I only managed to find and listen to a few select racks off of it. Today was my first full playthrough of this album, and it immediately brought back good memories of the white trash hardcore band Blood For Blood. Take the rock & roll edge out of Blood For Blood and add a metal twist and you've got Ramallah. The two bands share many members, most importantly vocalist Rob Lind, still just as angry and pissed off at society and the world, but this time taking an empathetic view of other people's struggles. They take their name from the city of Ramallah in Palestine, but that doesn't make them strictly a political band. The version of the record I listened to was the 2004 re-release which features 2 bonus tracks, bizarrely one of which is "What Difference Does It Make?" by The Smiths. After doing some reading around the project I also discovered that Jacob Bannon of Converge did some guest vocals on a few tracks, which upon re-listening to the record are hard to miss. I don't think the band have as much staying power with me as Blood For Blood do on my playlist, but they piqued my interest enough to warrant giving the follow up record Kill a Celebrity a listen in the future.
In your face. That's the best way to describe Pulling Teeth. Being one of my favourite hardcore bands of the last decade, I was surprised to discover I hadn't listened to their first release. This 3 track demo started out as a side project for members of the band Slumlords and showed off early the massive potential they had. Obviously not as well polished as a properly mastered recording, Pulling Teeth still deliver an aggressive taster of things to come in just over 3 minutes. All 3 tracks were re-recorded for their first LP, Vicious Skin. Pulling Teeth produce, high intensity, fast paced, anger driven hardcore with heavy thrash and metal influences. If you are a hardcore or a metal fan, do yourself a favour and listen to Vicious Skin. I mention on my about page that I was in a bad habit of replaying the same dozen records over and over. Vicious Skin is one of those records. So let this demo be a taster session for you, enjoy it, and listen to Vicious Skin.
Kicking off this blog is a live recording by the Swedish hardcore punk band Anti-Cimex. This is a band I had never heard of until this year, let alone listened to. This show comprises of songs from their self titled release (aka Criminal Trap) and their comeback record Absolut Country of Sweden. It does feature one track from Raped Ass, which is a shame as it is one of the best EP's that Swedish hardcore has to offer. This is a raw recording, so don't expect a well mastered release, they are a punk band after all. Posted below is the entire 30 minute set. I believe it was filmed, but to my knowledge was never released.
