Woah

I don't really like making posts that aren't for an album or whatever. But this blog right here, wow. If you're a fan of Japanese hardcore/punk you should check this out. There's some A+ posts on there. Goddamn.

Four Hundred Years - Transmit Failure (reissue)

Artist: Four Hundred Years
Title: Transmit Failure (reissue)
Release: 2004 (originally 1998)
Label: Lovitt Records

Track List:
1. Power of Speech
2. Penny for Your Thoughts
3. Radio Silence
4. Transmit Failure
5. An Hour too Late
6. Motion Sickness
7. Throw Spark
8. Sequence
9. Give Us This Day
10. Line Breaker
11. Untitled

Since I had somehow never even heard of this band until two days ago I'm just going to be quoting their bio from amazon.com...

Four Hundred Years were not merely a band, but a phenomenon. A force of emo/hardcore intensity that began in Tucson, Arizona, following the end of Groundwork, they eventually migrated to Richmond, Virginia. Four Hundred Years amassed a large, frenzied, and rabid audience. Intelligent and intricate with a perfect blend of melody and dissonance in all the right places, Four Hundred Years had unparalleled abilities to captivate their listeners and turn them loose on an unsuspecting music world. Alternative Press noted, "Combined with the weight of their political views, the tension of Four Hundred Years' music is simultaneously a catharsis and a call to arms."

Four Hundred Years toured Europe, Japan, and America numerous times and played with such notables as Fugazi, Frodus, Sleepytime Trio, and many more. Upon the completion of recording The New Imperialism, their third full-length, they played four final shows on the east coast and disbanded.

This reminds me of a ton of other awesome early emo bands so if you like that kind of stuff and like me haven't heard of this band before you'll love this. "An Hour too Late" is pretty much the definition of goosebump inducing emotional release.

As usual, if you like it consider buying it.

Download: Four Hundred Years - Transmit Failure (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Four Hundred Years - Transmit Failure (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Proclamation - Straight Edge Hardcore

Artist: Proclamation
Title: Straight Edge Hardcore
Release: 1998
Label: Bridge 9 Records

Track List:
1. Straight Edge Hardcore
2. What It Takes
3. ...In the Family
4. Glorify the Lies
5. You Should Pay
6. On the Rise
7. Torn Apart
8. You Gave In

This is really cheesy straight edge hardcore (obviously) from Boston in the mid-90's. I realize that at the time this band was forming that this style of hardcore with these kind of lyrics probably wasn't quite as cliched as it is now. But that doesn't do much to keep this EP from seeming like a parody. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it, but I'd also be lying if I said it was good.

Here's some more info on Proclamation and this particular record. If you like this you can actually get it on CD as part of an early singles collection from Bridge 9 Records still. And for an extremely fair price of six dollars.

Download: Proclamation - Straight Edge Hardcore (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Proclamation - Straight Edge Hardcore (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

The Comes - No Side (reissue)

Artist: The Comes
Title: No Side (reissue)
Release: 2008 (originally 1983)
Label: Dogma Records

Track List:
1. No Side
2. Case
3. Public Cicle
4. Wa-Ka-Me
5. さらけだせ
6. 究極
7. バカコケ
8. 人間狩り
9. Panic
10. 工場
11. Medium
12. 金 (Live)
13. I Love You (Live)
14. Dead Body (Live)

Classic hardcore (punk) from Tokyo with female vocals. This is a reissue of their 1983 LP "No Side" with 3 additional live tracks.

I generally hate it when bands are described as being "female fronted". I think if the music is good then whether it's a dude or a girl singing is largely irrelevant. But given that The Comes are from the early 80's I can't help but imagine that having a female hardcore vocalist made them quite the exception. I mean, it would even today, but I just suspect more so back then. This isn't just boys fun, but you have to admit the gender ratio sure is pretty skewed.

I've read someone in this band went on be in Lip Cream. Not sure who though.

Download: The Comes - No Side (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: The Comes - No Side (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Hands of the Few - Hands of the Few

Artist: Hands of the Few
Title: Hands of the Few
Release: 2006
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Intro
2. This Is Oak Cliff
3. Take Your Life Back
4. For Your Sake
5. Living Nightmare
6. Another Day
7. Friday Night

Wow. This takes me back. Dallas hardcore circa 2004-5 to 2007-8. Before they were Hands of the Few they were Curbcheck and now they're Grounds of Decay. If you like Buried Alive you'll love this.

Please excuse the shitty artwork. I'm actually the person responsible for it. I've gotten much better at Photoshop since then.

Download: Hands of the Few - Hands of the Few (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Hands of the Few - Hands of the Few (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

D-Clone/Nerveskade - Obscene Noize Violence

Artist: D-Clone/Nerveskade
Title: Obscene Noize Violence
Release: 2011
Label: Hardcore Survives Records

Track List:
1. D-Clone - Mental Disorder
2. D-Clone - Mangle Trivial Daily Life
3. Nerveskade - Debt
4. Nerveskade - Stabbing Brain
5. Nerveskade - Total Isolation

I just saw this posted on another blog but the download link was to scene release forum where download links are password protected or try and trick you into some sort of bullshit subscription. Fuck that.

5 tracks of noisy hardcore from Nagoya City and Portland. Great stuff on both sides. I really hope they have copies of this at Chaos in Tejas.

Download: D-Clone/Nerveskade - Obscene Noize Violence (LAME 3.97 V2) Multiupload

Download: D-Clone/Nerveskade - Obscene Noize Violence (LAME 3.97 V2) Mediafire

Formaldehyde Junkies - Are a Total Wreck

Artist: Formaldehyde Junkies
Title: Are a Total Wreck
Release: 2005
Label: Underestimated Records

Track List:
1. Road Hazard
2. Shitty Life
3. Poison Control
4. Total Wreck
5. Nuke the Frats
6. Repressed

Here's a much better band from Minneapolis. One whose name, I am ashamed to admit, prevented me from checking them out for the longest time. If you like simple and obnoxious hardcore from the 80's you'll love this. For fans of classics like The Necros or modern bands like Career Suicide, Government Warning, Brutal Knights, and Social Circkle.

Download: Formaldehyde Junkies - Are a Total Wreck (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Formaldehyde Junkies - Are a Total Wreck (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Path of Destruction - 1:00 A.M.

Artist: Path of Destruction
Title: 1:00 A.M.
Release: 2003
Label: Havoc Records

Track List:
1. 1 A.M.
2. Am I that Drunk
3. Mortality
4. Silence Is Golden
5. Path of Destruction

Crusty hardcore from Minneapolis. Pretty decent stuff, but the vocals could be better in my opinion.

Download: Path of Destruction - 1:00 A.M. (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Path of Destruction - 1:00 A.M. (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Ogreish Organism - 4th Pill

Artist: Ogreish Organism
Title: 4th Pill
Release: 1995
Label: H.G.Fact

Track List:
1. 4th Pill
2. 孤高の戦士

I'll be honest, when I bought this I had no idea what I was getting. At the time my knowledge of hardcore from outside the US was limited pretty much to just a few of the bigger bands from Europe. In retrospect this may have been one of the best scores I've ever made considering I got this for 99 cents plus 2 dollars shipping if my memory serves me correctly. All I knew when I placed the bid was that it was a cheap record from a label I'd heard a few people mention before.

Before I even mention who is in this band I want to make one thing 100% clear, the music holds its own regardless of the band's pedigree. The B side is definitely superior, but mostly because its extended intro is more to the point. The vocals might take some getting used to if you're not already a fan of the style. But, my God, the guitar riffs and the bass are over the top good.

Now for the part I would be remiss not to mention. Pill, the drummer and vocalist was the drummer for Lip Cream, G-Zet, Asylum, and High Rise, as well as the vocalist for G-Zet and キャ→ (Kyah→). Bass player Tomonori Iizawa was the bassist for Bastard and Judgement and guitar player for Buzzy大和町バンド (Buzzy Yamatocho Band). And Chelsea (RIP), it'd probably be easier to just list bands he wasn't in.

Download: Ogreish Organism - 4th Pill (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Ogreish Organism - 4th Pill (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

New Brutalism - Turbo Record!

Artist: New Brutalism
Title: Turbo Record!
Release: 2002
Label: ABC Group Documentation

Track List:
1. 056.00
2. 056.25
3. 056.50
4. 056.75

Hooray for the bargain bin! I'm not normally one for "noise rock" or whatever the kids these days call it, but this short record by Knoxville's New Brutalism isn't bad at all. I'll be honest though, I had to google them to find out what genre one might call them because when I was listening to this record I couldn't quite peg it myself. I bet some folk consider that a good thing. Apparently all of their instruments are hand made out of aluminum.

Download: New Brutalism - Turbo Record! (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: New Brutalism - Turbo Record! (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

A Sleepee Mix

Artist: Various
Title: A Sleepee Mix
Release: 1997
Label: My Room Records

Track List:
1. Sarcastic Bitch - Tea Party
2. Goodnite Moon - Tummysuck
3. Make a Wish - Fifteen Traumas
4. Acetaminophen - Harriet
5. Complete Sentences - Button Forest

This is a quiet little compilation of quiet indie rock (for lack of a better description). Not necessarily my cup of tea, but I figured someone might enjoy this.

Download: Various - A Sleepee Mix (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Various - A Sleepee Mix (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Cosigner - Cosigner

Artist: Cosigner
Title: Cosigner
Release: 2000
Label: Visalian Records

Track List:
1. Soft and Drowsy Song
2. Left to the Quiet
3. Lift Me or I'll Surely Run
4. Maduro

I thought for sure this would be some kind of late 90's emo when I bought this record based solely on the cover. I was wrong, but this is still pretty good indie pop so it was 50 cents well spent.

Cosigner has a blog of their own. The last post was in April of 2009. I dunno if they just haven't kept up with it or if they're still around at all.

There's a couple of very small skips that I tried my hardest to fix. I suspect only one of them will be noticeable at all. Sadly I cannot say this is a perfect rip because I can still notice them. But I know where to expect them so you might not even hear them.

Download: Cosigner - Cosigner (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Cosigner - Cosigner (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Scarred for Life - Is This the Price of Freedom?

Artist: Scarred for Life
Title: Is This the Price of Freedom?
Release: 2003
Label: Despotic Records

Track List:
1. Powers that Be
2. Empty Promises
3. M.O.A.B.
4. Aftermath of War
5. Wage Slavery
6. Corporate Genocide
7. Grinding Us Down

This is fairly straightforward crusty hardcore with fairly cliched lyrics. I don't mean that in a bad way at all. Because this is actually pretty good. It's just that you've probably heard it all before. But as I've said before, if you have a problem with that you probably don't like punk anyways.

Download: Scarred for Life - Is This the Price of Freedom? (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Scarred for Life - Is This the Price of Freedom? (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Desolation - Rest in Panic

Artist: Desolation
Title: Rest in Panic
Release: 2010
Label: Prank Records

Track List:
1. Rest in Panic
2. Boxed In
3. No Steps Forward

Sugi's terrific artwork kinda gives it away, but just in case you hadn't guessed, this is Japanese influenced crusty hardcore. From San Francisco, Desolation features members of Born/Dead, Strung Up, and Scurvy Dogs. That's about all I know about this band. This 7" is pretty damn good.

I think Prank's mailorder is sold out, but you might still be able to find this elsewhere if you look.

Download: Desolation - Rest in Panic (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Desolation - Rest in Panic (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Slave One - Bloodied Body

Artist: Slave One
Title: Full Circle
Release: 1997
Label: Highwater Records

Track List:
1. Bloodied Body
2. The Wounds of Lost Love

Here's one more Slave One 7".

Download: Slave One - Bloodied Body (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Slave One - Bloodied Body (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Gauze - 貧乏ゆすりのリズムに乗って

Artist: Gauze
Title: 貧乏ゆすりのリズムに乗って
Release 2007
Label: XXX Records

Track List:
1. 39℃
2. 出稼ぎ船 (Dekasegi Fune, Migrant Boat)
3. すっぱい匂い (Suppai Nioi, Sour Stench)
4. しょんべん横丁 (Shonben Yokochou, Piss Alley)
5. 大きなサツマイモ (Ooki na Satsumaimo, Big Sweet Potato)
6. 開かずの踏切 (Kazu Hiraku Fumikiri, Kazu Hiraku Crossing)
7. メシ喰え (Meshi Kue, Eat)
8. 愛しき不器用者 (Itoshi Ki Bukiyou Mono, Dear Bungler)
9. みっともない (Mittomonai, Shameful)
10. 貧乏ゆすりのリズムに乗って (Binbou Yusurino Rizumu ni Notte, Blackmail, the Rhythm of Poverty)

I've been meaning to post this for a while now. This is Gauze's latest record, from 2007. You know what to expect here, fast thrashy Japanese hardcore. 13 songs in 10 minutes! That's what I like to hear.

If you downloaded this before 5:45 CST on March 4th, 2011 please redownload this as I originally posted a rip from another blog. I forgot I had downloaded a FLAC copy of this album but hadn't converted it to mp3 yet.

Download: Gauze - 貧乏ゆすりのリズムに乗って (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload
Download: Gauze - 貧乏ゆすりのリズムに乗って (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

The Creatures of the Golden Dawn - The Clown with the Broken Crown

Artist: The Creatures of the Golden Dawn
Title: The Clown with the Broken Crown
Release: 1991
Label: Dionysus Records

Track List:
1. The Clown with the Broken Crown
2. I Don't Need Your Love
3. Living in Sarah's Lies

Once again my ability to pick nuggets of gold out of the bargain bin has proven itself to be quite prodigious. But seriously, this record was actually a pretty good find. I bought it because the band's name is weird and it's a really pretty color of blue marble. I love blue marble. I didn't expect this to be any good, but it turns out The Creatures of the Golden Dawn play a sort of throwback 60's garage punk. I say throwback because they got their start in the late 80's or early 90's it seems. Information about them is somewhat sparse and tends to always be a footnote to the singer's later career.

Were the recording quality of this not as good I think one could be forgiven for mistaking this record as being from the 60's. It's got that simple poppy rock and roll song structure that every one hit wonder from that decade seems to have had. But with a slightly less polished feel. In many ways like very very early punk rock, from before anyone called it that. Except Creatures of the Golden Dawn was apparently riding the trailing edge of a wave of a revival of that style.

Download: The Creatures of the Golden Dawn - The Clown with the Broken Crown (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: The Creatures of the Golden Dawn - The Clown with the Broken Crown (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Slave One - Full Circle

Artist: Slave One
Title: Full Circle
Release: 1998
Label: Redwood Records

Track List:
1. Full Circle
2. Blurred Vision

I think it's time for some metallic 90's hardcore. Fort Worth style.

Slave One reminds me of a bunch of different things; His Hero Is Gone, Rorschach, and even Amebix (but only a little bit). They were active from 1996 to 1999 so it's not too surprising they had a really heavy metal sound to them. Unfortunately that was a bit before my time so while they are from around these parts I can't say I know much about them. Members later went on to be in Garuda, Caddis, and Matt (guitar) is currently in Raging Boner. Next time I see them I'll be sure to ask about this band.

Download: Slave One - Full Circle (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Slave One - Full Circle (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Warhead - この想いを何処へ… + The Lost Self and Beating Heart

Artist: Warhead
Title: この想いを何処へ… + The Lost Self and Beating Heart
Release: 2004
Label: Ugly Pop Records

Track List:
1. It's Not a Dead End
2. Pride as a Human Being
3. Never Give Up
4. For Yourself
5. この想いを何処へ・・・ (Kono Omoi wo Dokoe..., What to Do with This Yearning?...)
6. Victory Flag
7. Children Will Cry Over
8. Make The Best of a Bad Job
9. Go Fly
10. The Lost Self and Beating Heart
11. Burn Your Heart and Go Through Darkness!
12. 疾走 (Shissou, Sprint)
13. Absorb Shocks!
14. Crazy Soul Hurricane
15. The Lost Self and Beating Heart
16. I'm Still Alive!

This record combines 1993's "この想いを何処へ…" and 1995's "The Lost Self and Beating Heart" 7", both of which were put out on Blood Sucker Records.

And here's slightly larger versions of the artwork.




Download: この想いを何処へ… + The Lost Self and Beating Heart (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: この想いを何処へ… + The Lost Self and Beating Heart (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire