Allo, Darlin' - Henry Rollins Don't Dance

Artist: Allo, Darlin'
Title: Henry Rollins Don't Dance
Release: 2009
Label: WeePOP! Records

Track List:
1. Henry Rollins Don't Dance
2. Dear Stephen Hawking
3. Heartbeat Chilli

This is not hardcore, but it is actually tangentially related. Allo, Darlin' is an indie pop/twee band from London. "Henry Rollins Don't Dance" is their second release under the name (they put out an EP as The Darlings before changing their name).

"Henry Rollins Don't Dance" is a catchy and upbeat tune that from what I can tell is about dating a dude who likes hardcore punk and just wanting to be able to dance to normal music with him. As much as I like the title track I think "Dear Stephen Hawking" is the best song on this 7". It's a little bit slower and a little bit more melancholy, but the lyrics are really thought provoking in a romantic sort of way. The last tack is just too slow for me to really get into. I like the use of the ukulele, but it's not enough to save it from being skipped most of the time.

I was lucky enough to catch Allo, Darlin' during SXSW last year. They played outside in the freezing cold on the patio of a pizza place. I don't think they were prepard for the cold at all since it was March in Austin and being from England they probably thought Texas was always warm. They're going to be back here again for Chaos in Tejas 2011. Why and how they got put on that I have no idea. Not that I'm complaining.

This rip is from my girlfriend's small but excellent record collection. I think you can easily find it elsewhere online but I wanted to post my rip here along with scans of the cover and insert.

Download: Allo, Darlin' - Henry Rollins Don't Dance (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Allo, Darlin' - Henry Rollins Don't Dance (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Tetsu Arrey - Rocket / Core

Artist: Tetsu Arrey
Title: Rocket / Core
Release: 2002
Label: H.G.Fact

Track List:
1. Rocket
2. Core

I was lucky enough to pick this up at the same time as Tetsu Arrey's "Force" 7". To be honest this 7" isn't quite as good as "Force" but it's still full of energy and fun.

I forgot to mention in my last post that 鉄アレイ means "iron dumbbell". Personally I think it should be romanized as Tetsu Arei but I guess at some point enough people started using Arrey. I suppose it's pronounced the same either way so it doesn't really matter.

Download: Tetsu Arrey - Rocket / Core (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Tetsu Arrey - Rocket / Core (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Tetsu Arrey - Force

Artist: Tetsu Arrey
Title: Force
Release: 1996
Label: H.G.Fact

Track List:
1. 生きてる自分を誰かが知っている
2. 最初に足を引っぱるのは自分
3. Starting Over
4. Force

This is a killer 7" by Japanese burning spirits veterans Tetsu Arrey. You probably already know what to expect and I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. All four songs rage from start to finish.

I've seen this posted elsewhere, but the copies I've downloaded have all been from the same rip that didn't have any of the crackling and popping removed. So if you've been looking for a better rip of this here it is. I was lucky enough to snag this for a more than reasonable price last month.

Scans of the cover included. Sorry about the large file size, but it's 2011, deal with it.

Download: Tetsu Arrey - Force (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Tetsu Arrey - Force (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

Neighborhood Villain - Demo 2007

Artist: Neighborhood Villain
Title: Demo 2007
Release: 2007
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Over and Over
2. Working Class Zero
3. Hope for Man
4. 5 Senses

If Gjared Robinson ever asks you if you have two dollars it might be a good idea to answer yes. It probably means he's gonna force you into buying a demo for a band he's in. And that's a good thing.

When Gjared told me his new band was gonna sound like Dag Nasty I was beyond stoked. There aren't many bands that play that kind of melodic hardcore these days, much less play it with passion like it's still 1989. With members from tons of bands from Dallas, far too many to mention in fact, Neighborhood Villain plays an energetic style of hardcore that grows on you with each listen.

This demo shows lots of Dag Nasty, early Lifetime, and Quicksand influence both musically and lyrically. It's a damn shame they broke up since every time I got to see them play they put on an intense and emotional show that always improved over the last time. They did eventually release an EP in late 2008 before they kinda of just stopped playing shows.

Download: Neighborhood Villain - Demo 2007 (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Neighborhood Villain - Demo 2007 (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

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

Shikabane - 自我と煩悩

Artist: Shikabane
Title: 自我と煩悩
Release: 2000
Label: Agipunk Records

Track List:
1. 憎悪 (Hatred)
2. 繰り返し・・・そしてまたその繰り返し・・・ (Repeat... And Repeat It Again...)
3. 自我と煩悩 (Ego and Desire)
4. 人のために生きるか 自分のために生きるか (Living for Someone or Living for Myself)

This record has been sitting on my desk since my last post nearly two months ago. I just never got around to ripping it. Better late than never I suppose.

I should note real quick that this fine blog, which I frequent, posted a rip of the CD version of this record that was put out by MCR. The CD version actually has an extra track, but for some reason it isn't noted on the disc itself nor is it included in the lyrics sheet.

This record is a bit more on the melodic and metallic side of things. In fact at times there is too much melody for this EP to really be considered grindcore like. It works for Shikabane though because this 7" is no less intense as any of their other output. The song length however might be an issue if you suffer from ADD as all the tracks are over two minutes.

Download: Shikabane - 自我と煩悩 (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Shikabane - 自我と煩悩 (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Agathocles/Shikabane - split

Artist: Agathocles
Title: split
Release: 1997
Label: Keloid Records

Track List:
1. Agathocles - Bio-Industry Fucked Up Humanity
2. Agathocles - Macho-Crowd
3. Agathocles - Just Injust
4. Shikabane - 所業
5. Shikabane - 無
6. Shikabane - 仏造って魂入れず
7. Shikabane - 摩訶般若波羅蜜多心経
8. Shikabane - 欲にきりなし、地獄に底なし

Fans of grindcore should be very familiar with Belgium's Agathocles as they've been around for the last 25 years (yikes!) and have been regularly putting out split 7"s with seemingly any band that will agree to do so. Wikipedia lists 69 splits but I would not be shocked if there were more out there.

The B-Side of this record (which I tend to favor considerably) is by the less prolific but no less awesome Shikabane.

I didn't mention it in my last post but their name means "corpse". Although my understanding is that 屍 (shikabane) is really closer to like what we might call a zombie or ghoul, although not necessarily animated. The implication is that some evil shit has gone down at some point and the result is a shikabane, a body without a soul, and thus no life. 死体 (shitai) just means a dead body usually of just any person. 亡骸 (nakigara) however is the remains of someone close to the speaker or for whom a degree of respect is given.

I only mention all that because the nuance of shikabane is a whole lot more appropriate for a grindcore band.

Download: Agathocles/Shikabane - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Agathocles/Shikabane - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Shikabane - 人間に生まるること難し・・・

Artist: Shikabane
Title: 人間に生まるること難し・・・
Release: 1997
Label: Self Released

Track List:
1. 善悪
2. 人間に生まるること難し・・・
3. 独裁者
4. 現実逃避
5. 罰すべき世俗の偽善者
6. 過剰欲
7. 精神安定剤
8. 虚栄の過ち
9. 心身脱落
10. 無心無念の境界

This here is Japanese hardcore/grindcore act Shikabane's first EP. Recorded in 1996 and self released in 1997. This shit rips. If you're a fan of thrashy fast and loud hardcore that borders on grindcore half of the time this is for you.

This is a personal rip. I got super lucky and was able to snag a copy for myself a few weeks ago. I've seen this posted elsewhere many times but it's always been the same kinda sub-par sounding rip. I thought I could do better so here it is.

I really wanted to provide pronunciation/translations for the song titles but I suck at reading kanji still and even when I can read them I don't know which onyomi or kunyomi pronunciation to use in a sentence just yet (生 has 2 on and a whooping 17 kun). I can tell you the title of the EP roughly translates to "It's difficult to be human..." or something like that.

Download: Shikabane - 人間に生まるること難し・・・ (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Shikabane - 人間に生まるること難し・・・ (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Under the Influence

Artist: Various
Title: Under the Influence
Release: 1999
Label: Vicious Circle Records

Track List:
1. Where Fear and Weapons Meet - Glue
2. Ten Yard Fight - Forced Down Your Throat
3. Committed - Get It Away
4. Fast Times - Under Your Influence
5. Time Flies - Nothing Done
6. Kill Your Idols - X Claim

If you're a fan of SS Decontrol or Boston hardcore in general then consider this a must download.

Download: Under the Influence (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Under the Influence (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Tom and Boot Boys/The Discocks - Hated and Proud E.P.

Artist: Tom and Boot Boys/The Discocks
Title: Hated and Proud E.P.
Release: 1996
Label: Knock Out Records

Track List:
1. Tom and Boot Boys - Tom and Boot Boys
2. Tom and Boot Boys - Young Punks Pogo
3. Tom and Boot Boys - Oi Boy Oi Girl
4. The Discocks - Have Your Fun Tonight
5. The Discocks - Part-Time Youth

I love songs named after the band who performs them. Especially when the chorus is pretty much just the name of the band yelled over and over. If that's your sort of thing then Tom and Boot Boys are for you. They're fun, obviously not too serious, pogo/Oi! punk from Japan. Last.fm claims the singer, Noriyasu, runs a label called Pogo 77 Records.

I suspect for some people the band on the other side of this record, The Discocks, will probably not need an introduction as they've been around for quite a while in one form or another have a number of records to their credit. The rest of us who don't subscribe to RSS feeds of blogs dedicated solely to Japanese Oi! can probably be forgiven for being ignorant. While a little less aggressive sounding than Tom and Boot Boys, The Discocks are the same sort of Oi! punk. Personally I found their side of the split getting stuck in my head more so than the Tom and Boot Boys side.

Download: Tom and Boot Boys/The Discocks - Hated and Proud E.P. (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Tom and Boot Boys/The Discocks - Hated and Proud E.P. (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Carpenter Ant/Race to Die - split

Artist: Carpenter Ant/Race to Die
Title: split
Release: 2003
Label: Coffin Fund Records

Track List:
1. Carpenter Ant - Intro...The Grill Is Off
2. Carpenter Ant - 7 Plys Forever
3. Carpenter Ant - Ode to C. Herman
4. Carpenter Ant - Mohawk Combover Fuck Yeah
5. Race to Die - Disaster
6. Race to Die - Bald Leading the Blind
7. Race to Die - Possessed to Skate (Suicidal Tendencies)

If you google "Carpenter Ant Lehigh Valley, PA" most of the results you get are about actual carpenter ants and pest control service in Lehigh Valley, PA. I guess carpenter ants are a real problem up there. I suppose then it kind of makes sense for a bunch of pesky skaters to name their band after wood eating ants. There's pretty much no info about Race to Die out there so I have no clue where they're from or what they're all about.

Anyways, as if the cover and song titles didn't give it away, what we have here are songs about skating and other punk things that do an excellent job of not breaking the two minute rule. Both sides of this split are thrashy and at times a little sloppy hardcore played with your typical adolescent attitude problem. Race to Die even does a pretty gnarly Suicidal Tendencies cover.

Download: Carpenter Ant/Race to Die - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Carpenter Ant/Race to Die - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Fudge/Totsugeki Sensya - split

Artist: Fudge/Totsugeki Sensya
Title: split
Release: 2002
Label: 625 Thrashcore

Track List:
1. Fudge - No Racism, No War
2. Fudge - Selfish Rock
3. Fudge - 生存 (Seizon, Existence)
4. Totsugeki Sensya - Reality
5. Totsugeki Sensya - Search for the Sun

Sometimes I like to go on eBay and search for records without anything in particular in mind. I'll often just go to the records section and filter out all the bullshit like easy listening and world music as well as everything that is over a few dollars (if I didn't know I wanted it before I started looking then it really isn't something I want to spend much on) and sort by ending soonest. Every once in a while I'll find a gem amongst a seemingly endless number of Sex Pistols represses and Jefferson Airplane records misclassified as punk. This split by Gunma bands Fudge and 突撃戦車 (Totsugeki Sensya, which transliterates to "assault tank" but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess it means "tank assault") is one of those gems. The best part about this record, for me anyways, is that I won the auction with a winning bid of $0.01. How's that for some luck?

Here's what 625 has to say about this record...

Gunma City hardcore fighters! My friend Mamada from SHIKABANE is always telling me about these bands from a small town outside of Tokyo called GUNMA CITY. By chance I got into contact with a member of TOTSUGEKI SENSYA and got their demo and it fucking floored me. I couldn't believe that they had been around for a few years without some kind of output. Mamada then told me about FUDGE and we started playing around with the idea of doing a GUNMA CITY comp of some type. This is the product. While FUDGE play a more traditional style of Japanese metallic hardcore (guitar solos, shouted choruses, etc), TOTSUGEKI SENSYA play a mix between CONFUSE and BASTARD. Putting Gunma on the map! (1000 pressed, all on black)

Speaking of Shikabane, expect a few awesome and related posts in the next few weeks.

Since I'm a bit of a dork and am always curious about places I've never heard of before I looked up Gunma City but couldn't find anything. It turns out, according to Wikipedia that "On January 23, 2006 Gunma, along with the towns of Kurabuchi and Misato, all from Gunma District, and the town of Shin, from Tano District, was merged into the expanded city of Takasaki.". So there was a Gunma-machi (town) in Gunma-gun (district) in Gunma-ken (prefecture) at the time this record was pressed but it has since been absorbed by Takasaki which is considerably larger.

The only pictures I could find that were definitely of Gunma-machi were of an old (probably neolithic) burial mound...





this western pasta restaurant...



and a snow covered field...



Not exactly someplace I can imagine as a breeding ground for great hardcore, but don't let the quaintness fool you, the bands on this 7" rip.

Download: Fudge/Totsugeki Sensya - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Fudge/Totsugeki Sensya - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

My Luck - Cleaver

Artist: My Luck
Title: Cleaver
Release: 2004
Label: Pass Youngblood Records

Track List:
1. Flashbacks
2. Alone
3. Caring for Nothing
4. Fingers Crossed
5. Vinyl Fix

More from this Houston band. This is their 2001 demo plus one more song. For fans of Champion, Carry On, Far From Breaking, etc.

Download: My Luck - Cleaver (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: My Luck - Cleaver (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Wiccans - Teenage Cults

Artist: Wiccans
Title: Teenage Cults
Release: 2010
Label: Pass Judgement Records

Track List:
1. Repitition
2. Educational Films
3. End Game
4. Teenage Cults

My initial impression of Wiccans was that they sounded a lot like Career Suicide. Upon seeing them a second time and giving their brand new 7" a few spins I'm not so certain that would be the comparison I'd make now. But, much like Career Suicide, there are guitar rhythms present in all the songs on "Teenage Cults" that are sure to get your head nodding and foot tapping. Yet another reason DFW hardcore is awesome.

Once again, I don't think you can buy this online anywhere yet, but if you head over to Facebook and send the handsome dudes in Wiccans a message they just might be able to work something out.

If you downloaded this during the short period where this was posted before I deleted the post you'll want to redownload it as I majorly screwed up the first track during the cutting process. Oops.

Download: Wiccans - Teenage Cults (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Wiccans - Teenage Cults (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

High Anxieties - Negaduck

Artist: High Anxieties
Title: Negaduck
Release: 2010
Label: Rise and Shine Records

Track List:
1. Langolier
2. Neutralized
3. Three Issues
4. Youth
5. All Nighter
6. Dark Roads
7. Bottle Rocket

I've been waiting to get my hands on this record for a while.

High Anxieties, from Fort Worth, used to go by the name Negaduck (hence the title of this 7" I suppose) but they changed it for reasons unknown to me. I really cannot say enough good things about this band and this record. The songs are fast, energetic, and fun, just the way hardcore should be. Langolier is my favorite song on this 7" and is quite, pardon my overuse of the word, catchy.

Lyrically this 7" is pretty cool too as some songs touch on weighty issues in a necessarily cynical but smart way that I feel is part of what sets punk apart. High Anxieties obviously doesn't take themselves too seriously though; "Sleep can get bent. Coffee makes your teeth black. Full Throttle's where it's at." I'm more of a Monster kind of guy myself.

I don't know if you can even buy this online anywhere yet, but they have a Facebook page, so you might want to try and send them a message to see if they're willing to do mailorder. My copy was hand numbered out of 200, I'm not sure if that's for the color I got or of that's in total, either way don't hesitate.

High resolution scans of the cover and lyrics insert included.

Download: High Anxieties - Negaduck (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: High Anxieties - Negaduck (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Through Being Cool - A Tribute to Devo

Artist: Various
Title: Through Being Cool - A Tribute to Devo
Release: 1997
Label: Jolly Ronnie Records

Track List:
1. The Johnnies - Gut Feeling / Slap Yer Mammy
2. The Role Models - Jerkin Back 'N' Forth
3. Mexican Breakfast - Come Back Johnny
4. The Sillies - Through Being Cool
5. The Slobs - Be Stiff
6. Snap-her - Mongoloid

I just picked this up yesterday and I thought it was so much fun I had to share it right away. When I first saw the title I thought it had to do something with Saves the Day, and then I noticed where it says "A Tribute to Devo" and got really excited. Lo and behold, one of the bands featured on this record was The Role Models, whom I have posted about before. I wasn't 100% certain if it was the same band at first, but the address on the back was the same as the one given for where their song on "As I Look to the Future" was recorded.

I don't know anything about the other bands on this compilation, except that I think this is the same band as The Sillies on this record. What I do know is that Devo is awesome and these covers are all in their own way excellent takes on their songs. My personal favorite is The Johnnies' cover of "Slap Yer Mammy".

Scans of the front, back, and insert included.

Download: Through Being Cool - A Tribute to Devo (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Through Being Cool - A Tribute to Devo (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Cluster Bomb Unit/Raagg - split

Artist: Cluster Bomb Unit/Raagg
Title: split
Release: 2002
Label: Rabid Dog Records and Crimes Against Humanity Records

Track List:
1. Cluster Bomb Unit - Parties in Villas
2. Cluster Bomb Unit - Wie Lange Noch
3. Cluster Bomb Unit - Das Große Spiel
4. Raagg - Death of Last Species
5. Raagg - Sick Society Suicide Systems
6. Raagg - Extinction

This was one of the first records I ever bought. Probably not long after it came out. I dunno how I found Crimes Against Humanity Records, but I remember the first time I went to their website I was floored by how cheap everything was. Seriously, if you like hardcore, grindcore, or metal take a look at their selection. Odds are you'll find at least a few things you want, and for prices that are still so low I can't help but wonder if they actually make a profit on what they sell.

Anyways, enough plugging someone else's business. Cluster Bomb Unit is rad crusty hardcore from Germany. They've put out a number of records over the years, some of which have been collected into partial discography CDs. I think this 7" isn't on any of them. I will likely post those discography CDs in the near future. The artwork for their side of the split is punk as fuck. I'll admit it's the reason I ordered it in the first place. I figured it had to be good. I was right.

Raagg is noisy hardcore from Japan. I know absolutely nothing about them. As far as I (read "Google") can tell this split is their only recorded output. Their side has some minor static noise in it that I wasn't able to remove. I think it might actually just be the original recording was done on shitty equipment and not due to the vinyl playback. Given the kind of bands we're dealing with here that's extremely likely.

At least Cluster Bomb Unit has a website.

I had to change one of the filenames to make it work with the .zip format. If you're curious as to why that's sometimes necessary read this.

Download: Cluster Bomb Unit/Raagg - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Cluster Bomb Unit/Raagg - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Japan in Decline

Artist: Various
Title: Japan in Decline
Release: 1999
Label: Six Weeks Records

Track List:
1. Slang - Yukusaki-Wa-Michi
2. Fuck on the Beach - Go Muscle
3. Shikabane - Pain of Existence
4. 324 - Advance
5. Smash Your Face - I Believe in My Way
6. Frigora - Ett Krig Formel
7. Curtainrail - Away
8. Hellpop - Act Like Nothing
9. Kung-Fu Grip Man - Like You
10. Mass Genocide - Justice?
11. Vryker - Do as You Feel!
12. Unholy Grave - Kamui: Indigenous Peoples
13. Smash the Brain - M.F.
14. Majestic Four - 出るなら出てこい!
15. Carcass Grinder - Waffle Is Not a Crepe
16. Judgement Disorderly - Crazy
17. Dudman - Simon Hell
18. Su19b - Disappoint
19. More Noise for Life - Exterminate Racism
20. Hashdum - Insain and Future!!!
21. T.R.U.T.H. - Hatred for the Self-Humanity of Stupidity (Total Raw Death Noise Mix '97)

You know that feeling when you're browsing through the wares of a record store and you chance upon something totally unexpected and totally awesome and you take it right out of the bin or whatever and think to yourself "Holy shit!"? That was exactly what I felt when I found this record. I still feel like I won the lottery when I look through my own record collection and see sitting nicely near the end where I keep all my compilations.

If you're a fan of any of the bands on this compilation you've probably already seen this posted over here before. The dude who does that blog does excellent work. But, sadly the CD version of this compilation, which is what he posted, inexplicably leaves out two tracks. I'm mystified as to why since the LP version is a mere 2 minutes 11 seconds longer (clocking in at 26:14). That's short enough to fit on a CD two and a half times over.

So here it is, a rip of the LP version of this fantastic compilation of Japanese hardcore and grindcore (mostly grindcore) bands. There's some real gems on here, notably from Slang and Shikabane. Both of whom would be placed up fairly high if I had to make one of those bullshit favorite bands lists.

I really wish I could have scanned the insert but it's far too large for my scanner. The only band to put lyrics (in English) in their info was Unholy Grave. I'm really glad they did because they touch on a very sensitive subject in Japanese history, the Ainu people, who are the true indigenous people of what is now known as Japan. Since around 720, and likely before, they've faced persecution and outright genocide at the hands of various Japanese administrations mostly so that their land could be taken for farming. Today they still face discrimination even if it is no longer sanctioned by Japanese law. I've been told that the subject brings up lots of strong negative emotions in Japan, so it's kinda cool to see a Japanese band discussing the issue of indigenous people's rights. Especially since it took until 2008, 9 years after this compilation came out, for the Japanese government to fully recognize the Ainu people as a distinct culture of their own.

Kamui: Indigenous Peoples
Ainu-moshiri... We know it as Hokkaido
Before... No Japanese there
It was land for the Ainu race
For indigenous peoples living with Kamui

They have no letter
It never means the lower race
Before the Japanese invasion
It was land for the Ainu race
For indigenous peoples living with Kamui

Download: Japan in Decline (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Japan in Decline (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Affront/District - split

Artist: Affront/District
Title: split
Release: 1997
Label: Plastic Bomb Records

Track List:
1. Affront - Time Is Now
2. Affront - New World Disorder
3. Affront - It's Your Life
4. District - I Can't Stand the Crush on Me
5. District - Bored for a Lifetime
6. District - Sensational

Yet another bargain bin gem (I'm gonna be posting a lot of these). This split features two bands from Germany. It was recorded in 1997. That's about all the background information I know. Both bands are fast, energetic, and angry hardcore punk. Nothing you haven't heard before, but if that's a problem for you then you probably don't like punk anyways.

Download: Affront/District - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Affront/District - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

On My Side - Redefinition

Artist: On My Side
Title: Redefinition
Release: 2007
Label: Words of War Records

Track List:
1. Firm Grasp
2. On My Side
3. Definition
4. Speak Out
5. Prison Break
6. Do It Right
7. Gossip

I miss this band so much. It still bums me out that they broke up. Great dudes playing great hardcore with extremely positive lyrics is what you're in for here. Musically they remind me of Judge and other similar late 80's NYHC bands but Carlos' lyrics are far more upbeat and far less negative. He told me once that he actually had a cold that caused his sinuses to back up when they were recording this so the vocals didn't turn out how they wanted at all.

Carlos was awesome enough to send me a CD copy of the "Redefinition" EP the other day. I've heard this a thousand times, but it's always been rips from a cassette or vinyl, and never ones done properly. So hearing it with this much clarity for the first time is, for myself, a real treat.

Download: On My Side - Redefinition (CD) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: On My Side - Redefinition (CD) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire


Here's a little bonus (I guess...). This is a rip of my cassette copy. I got a decent tape deck at Goodwill for like 8 bucks a couple of months ago so I've decided to start ripping some of my cassettes. After some minor tweaking in Adobe Audition I'd say this sounds pretty damn good for a tape. But still not as good as the CD.

Scans of the cover and lyrics insert included.

Download: On My Side - Redefinition (Cassette) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: On My Side - Redefinition (Cassette) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

The Upsets - Tommy Gun Heart

Artist: The Upsets
Title: Tommy Gun Heart
Release: 1998
Label: TKO Records

Track List:
1. Tommy Gun Heart
2. Sonic Reaction
3. Vampires

Straight from the bargain bin this was a pretty awesome find. The Upsets are polished but not overproduced punk rock. More rock than punk, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. "Tommy Gun Heart" is catchy as hell and will get stuck in your head. I can't find anything about this band but this record is apparently still for sale at TKO Records. I got my copy for a fair bit less from End of an Ear in Austin.


Download: The Upsets - Tommy Gun Heart (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: The Upsets - Tommy Gun Heart (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Between the Clouds

Artist: Various
Title: Between the Clouds
Release: 1991
Label: Greenrecords, SOA Records

Track List:
1. Creepshow - Something Inside
2. Growing Concern - Beyond / Your Democracy
3. One Step Ahead - Break the Chain
4. Rabid Duck - Search
5. Permanent Scar - Fed Up

This is for fans of Judge and late '88 era NYC hardcore. Given my previous experience with Italian hardcore I never would have guessed. I know absolutely nothing about this compilation though.

Download: Between the Clouds (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Between the Clouds (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire