Vitality! - Reality Check Demo 2005

Artist: Vitality!
Title: Reality Check Demo 2005
Release: 2005
Label: self released

Track List:
1. What's it Worth?
2. Release!
3. Up to You
4. Step Back
5. This Walk
6. Missed the Point
7. The Reason

Before there was Seeker there was Vitality!. I picked this up at a show at Across the Street bar in 2005. I don't remember what show it was, probably something like Kids Like Us or Life Long Tragedy. It's times like this I wish my hard drive hadn't crashed in 2008 because I had a list of every show I'd been to up to that point. Naturally the list I keep now only goes back to that time.

Anyways, if you've heard Seeker and this sounds similar it's because of David Horn and his vocals that manage to come across as positive as he is in real life. This demo sounds a lot like Uniform Choice and Dag Nasty to me. Which is great because I love both those bands. If you do too you'll love Vitality!.

While I'm thinking about it, David Horn went to Africa. You should check out what he's doing there. Some people talk the talk about making a difference, very few people literally uproot their entire lives and move far away to walk the walk. If you listen to David's lyrics it's not surprising at all though.

From their MySpace (since I'm lazy):

Formed in the summer of 2004, VITALITY! originally played shows under the name AsxOne. The Houston hardcore band put out a 7 song demo, "Reality Check Demo 2k5" in the early part of 2005, with Ramiro Rangel drumming. After the release of the demo, Ramiro and the band parted ways, and Ryan Endsley became the newest member of the band. In December of 2005 and January of 2006, VITALITY! hit the studios again to record their first EP, Introspection.

Download: Vitality! - Reality Check Demo 2005 (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Vitality! - Reality Check Demo 2005 (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

The Wrists - Free Demo

Artist: The Wrists
Title: Free Demo
Release: 2005
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Test Pattern
2. Toxic Waste
3. Main Directive
4. Bury Your Own
5. Surgery Party
6. Bomb the Dance Floor
7. Final Few
8. If I Can't Have What I Want (I Don't Want Anything)
9. Get Slit

Here's another self released CD-R by Denton/Longview's The Wrists. Some of the songs are the same, but different recordings I believe. I think this was put out before the other CD-R, but it was within such a short time period that I don't really remember at this point.

"Main Directive" is by far my favorite song on this demo. Even today, nearly 6 years later it still gets stuck in my head sometimes.

Download: The Wrists - Free Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: The Wrists - Free Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

The Wrists - The Wrists

Artist: The Wrists
Title: The Wrists
Release: 2005
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Hatecrimes
2. Lights Out/Blackout
3. Toxic Waste
4. Livin' in the Eyeball
5. I'm a Bug (The Urinals)
6. Bomb the Dance Floor
7. Gon' Freak-Out
8. Final Few

It's not every day you hear punk bands that have forsaken guitars in favor of two basses. It's been a few years, but I seem to remember Daniel (vocals, bass) telling me that you don't need a guitar, you can just play only the higher notes on a bass for the same effect. It sounds crazy but for The Wrists it actually worked.

To say this CD-R is lo-fi might be a bit of an understatement. It sounds like it was recorded in a bedroom because it literally was. Despite the highly distorted bass, raw screamed vocals, and Casio keyboard (probably the kind you used to be able to win on Legends of the Hidden Temple) there is something undeniably catchy and memorable about this disc.

I'm still surprised that I was actually able to rip this without any errors (I left the log file in to prove it). The band thought it'd be a cool idea to take the CD-R and spray paint their logo on it. Too bad my copy got spray paint on the data side of the disc. The first few times I tried to play it my DVD drive couldn't even read it.

Members of The Wrists have been in far too many bands for me to mention. The Wax Museums, High Tension Wires, Bad Sports, Frank Castle, and The Pumpers, among others I'm sure.

Download: The Wrists - The Wrists (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: The Wrists - The Wrists (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire