Nightburner - Demo

Artist: Nightburner
Title: Demo
Release: 2011
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Not on My Block
2. Bullshit
3. Summer
4. Do the Right Thing
5. Two Worlds

This is so fresh it doesn't even have cover art.

I've made it a mission of sorts to try and track down some of the current lesser known hardcore bands from the midwest. Chicago's Nightburner is one of the better ones I've found so far. This demo is nothing out of the ordinary these days, but it's pretty darn good for what it is. Fast, angry, distorted hardcore.

The band posted this on their blog in 32-bit wave format and as one giant mp3 of unknown quality. I took the liberty of reducing the bit-depth to 16-bits (LAME will only work with 16-bit wave files), splitting the tracks, and encoding them as separate mp3s for your convenience. Just a warning though, this clips out a fair amount and is LOUD. Like REALLY loud. I just got done listening to it four times and my ears hurt.

Download: Nightburner - Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Nightburner - Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Sacred Shock - Demo

Artist: Sacred Shock
Title: Demo
Release: 2007
Label: Self Released

Track List:
1. Deadlines
2. Pedestal
3. Planet Decay
4. Bridge Burner
5. Best Interest
6. Sacred Shock

I've been meaning to post this for a while.

Sacred Shock is yet another band brought to you by Machine Gun Romantics/Hatred Surge mastermind Alex Hughes.

You're probably going to need to crank up the volume on this one. When I was ripping the tape I noticed that the sound was clipping off causing lots of bad distortion. Sadly the only way to remedy that problem is to re-record the tape with a lower input level on the line in. This means the sound is better but the volume is lower. I had to re-record it like five times to get it right.

Download: Sacred Shock - Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Sacred Shock - Demor (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Iron Age - Demo

Artist: Iron Age
Title: Demo
Release: 2005
Label: Next Level Records

Track List:
1. Intro
2. Forked Tongue
3. Brainwreck
4. Comin' Down
5. My Level

You've no doubt heard Iron Age's debut "Constant Struggle" and 2009's magnificent album "The Sleeping Eye". But, unless you own a copy of their demo I suspect you've probably never heard it as I couldn't find a digital version of it out there. Fortunately I have a copy and have taken to trying to rip my cassette collection.

I picked up my copy of the demo in early 2005 at a Terror show. I think it was actually Terror that was selling the demo which is kinda weird since they're from LA and all. If I had to guess they probably got a few copies to distro when they hit up Austin. I hadn't heard of Iron Age at the time and whoever was working the Terror merch table insisted I spend my leftover 2 bucks on the Iron Age demo. I'm really glad I took that dude's word for it. They may not have been at the time of the demo but Iron Age is without a doubt one of the best bands in Texas. I'd even go as far as to say one of the best in the country but I'm probably a little biased towards anyone from my home state.

This tape is a piece of crossover greatness in the rough. Nowadays Iron Age is pretty much straight up metal with only occasional forays into what is still obviously hardcore. This demo is sort of the opposite, hardcore with just enough metal to make it really stand out, especially back in 2005. Were this released in 2011 one could probably be excused for calling it generic or riding on a wave of similar sounding bands. But I like to think Iron Age is largely (at the very least partially) responsible for the popularity of more crossover-type bands we've seen in American hardcore the last few years.

Download: Iron Age - Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Iron Age - Demo (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Cøma - Sic Semper Tyrannis

Artist: Cøma
Title: Sic Semper Tyrannis
Release: 2007
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Self-Induced Manipulation / Nation of One
2. Sic Semper Tyrannis
3. We Are the Dead of a Dying Breed

Cøma was a short lived side project of Kill the Client's Chris "Hollywood" Richardson that later turned into Cleric. Other members of the band were also in Terms of Grey and Serious Youth. I thought about writing a description of what they sound like, but I think the cover art for this demo sums it up better than I could. If you like metal with plenty of tempo changes or songs with a strong political message this is for you.

Download: Cøma - Sic Semper Tyrannis (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Cøma - Sic Semper Tyrannis (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

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

Lie and Wait - 2 Song Tour Demo

Artist: Lie and Wait
Title: 2 Song Tour Demo
Release: 2007
Label: Self Released

Track List:
1. King for a Day
2. Apostasy

I've posted Lie and Wait before. As this release's title suggests this is a two song demo Lie and Wait handed out during a tour some time in 2007. I don't really remember which tour at this point, but I do know I got this from them at The Way it Is fest which they played.

The first track "King for a Day" is pretty par for the course with Lie and Wait. For the most part mid paced with plenty of distortion on the guitars. Tyler is pissed at something and I'm pretty certain it's either society or religion or both.

"Apostasy" is a little bit faster at times but slows down just before a pretty awesome build up about half way through. This song reminds me of earlier No Warning more than anything else Lie and Wait did.

I seem to recall this coming out after their last album "Led Astray", but that may just be because I might not have seen them in the months immediately before its release. I got my copy after the album was out. The fact that a far more polished version of "Apostasy" appears on the album I'm inclined to believe this is from before it. "King for a Day" doesn't appear on anything else so maybe it just didn't make the cut. Next time I see any of them I'll ask.

Good luck finding this anywhere else.

Download: Lie and Wait - 2 Song Tour Demo (LAME 3.98r V0)

Power Trip - Demo 2008

Artist: Power Trip
Title: Demo 2008
Release Date: 2008
Label: Self Released

Track List:
1. What Have We Done
2. This World
3. Acid Trip
4. Untitled
5. Vultures

I feel kind of conflicted about posting this. Let me preface this entire post with this: go to Withdrawl Records and order the demo in 7" format. While your at it head over to Double or Nothing Records and order their latest 7" on all three colors.

For those not in the know Power Trip is fronted by Riley from Balls Out. If you're from outside of Texas you probably aren't familiar with them since they (to my knowledge) only went on one tour with Look Out! (now Lie and Wait) back in early 2006. Power Trip sounds very little like Balls Out, but Riley's intensity as a vocalist is still present, in fact he's gotten even more angry and more passionate than he was when Balls Out was still going. Balls Out played a show tonight actually, but it was because it was one of the last shows at Red Blood Club, the last punk venue in Dallas. Power Trip played as well and they opened with a Leeway intro which is only fitting given how the rest of their songs sound. I should also mention that the rest of the dudes in the band used to be in a band called Reality Check which was pretty good, but Power Trip is on a whole other level. Most of them aren't even out of high school yet which blows my mind. Nick also has a new zine out that's pretty gnarly. Power Trip is the real deal.

Download: Power Trip - Demo 2008 (LAME 3.98r V0)

Out To Sea - Mouth Like A Sailor Demo 2008

Artist: Out To Sea
Title: Mouth Like A Sailor Demo 2008
Release Date: 2008
Label: Self Released

Track List:
1. Out To Sea
2. Hearts For The Heartless
3. There Was A Man...
4. Broken Mirrors
5. The Animated Dummy
6. A New Flame

I told Kurt I would post this online just to spite him so here it is. Out To Sea is from Dallas. Kurt (guitar) is also in Highlife who is doin' big thangs in 2008. Jeff (guitar) was in Balls Out and he's one of the best dudes ever. I play D&D with Blake (vocals). Ernest (bass) is only half Mexican and he was in Serious Youth so who cares about him. I don't really know Chris (drums) but he seems like a nice guy. I really can't stop listening to this demo, it's recorded so amazingly well. It sounds like a full fledged release on a major label, but they put it out themselves. Blake's vocals are the kind of sorta melodic screaming that used to be so huge many years ago now and it works perfectly with the music which is also pretty melodic in places but with just enough crunch to still be hard as fuck. Kurt told me they overlayed the guitar tracks 6 times in the mastering process. I really can't say enough good things about this band, good dudes, good music. I don't know if they're sending out these demos through the mail, but you should send them a message on myspace and ask them to sell you a demo and a t-shirt (designed by Ernest's brother-in-law).

Download: Out To Sea - Mouth Like A Sailor Demo 2008 (LAME 3.98r V0)

Seeker - Demo 2008

Artist: Seeker
Title: Demo 2008
Release Date: 2008
Label: Self Released

Track List:
1. Intro
2. Losing
3. Life Not Lived
4. Subtle Cull
5. Lush

TEXAS STRAIGHT EDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My friend Ernest thinks Seeker isn't quite as good as I and some others around these parts make them out to be. I have to respectfully disagree. Seeker fucking rules. It's so good to see another awesome straight edge band from Texas. Currently On My Side holds the title of my favorite, but Seeker is a close number two. They're from Austin and comprised of members of Vitality!, Layin' it Down, Black Past, and probably a bunch of other bands I don't know about.

This is a sorta bad rip I did myself from the cassette demo. There's better sounding tracks available on their myspace but you can't download them. I have no idea if they'd be angry at me for posting this here, but it's so good I can't resist.

Update: Seeker was kind enough to make available a digital copy of the demo straight from the source so we can skip all the awkward analog to digital business. It sounds MUCH better than the copy I had previously supplied.

Download: Seeker - Demo 2008 (FhG 256 kbps)