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

Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man

Artist: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band
Title: Live at Third Man
Release 2010
Label: Third Man Records

Track List:
1. Blue Moon of Kentucky
2. Rock This Town
3. Polk Salad Annie
4. On The Road Again
5. Too Much Monkey Business
6. King Creole
7. Seven Nation Army
8. Creep
9. The Weight
10. Twenty Flight Rock

This is way out of place here, but who cares. Considering how popular Conan O'Brien is it's kinda odd to me that I haven't heard too much buzz about this record. Especially since it's actually pretty good. It's a little light on the comedy, but that's okay since Conan's TV show will be back soon. All the songs are covers. The White Stripes and Radiohead aside, mostly from older Rock & Roll acts that are from before even my parents time. Not that that's a bad thing at all.

I ripped this myself from my fresh new copy that came in the mail earlier this week. It sounds fantastic considering it's a live record so I'm guessing the setup they used to record it was pretty fancy. The vinyl itself, being brand new, was in pristine condition so I had to do very little editing to the rip. Just the standard subsonic hum removal, reducing the subtle static noise that all records seem to have, and fixing only a single noticeable pop.

I'm not in the habit of posting things in FLAC, it's too large and the quality difference between FLAC and LAME V0 is negligible, but I thought I'd make an exception here. For the FLAC version each side will have to be downloaded separately.

Download: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload
Download: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Download: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man (Side A) (FLAC) Multiupload
Download: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man (Side A) (FLAC) Mediafire

Download: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man (Side B) (FLAC) Multiupload
Download: Conan O'Brien & The Legally Prohibited Band - Live at Third Man (Side B) (FLAC) Mediafire

Pools/Cleric - split

Artist: Pools/Cleric
Title: split
Release: 2008
Label: self released

Track List:
1. Pools - Who We Are
2. Pools - Succombs to a New Life
3. Cleric - Men of Blasphemy

I promise I'll get back to posting more hardcore records soon, but first here's the 2008 split between Denton/Austin's Pools and Dallas' Cleric.

It's rare that I meet people who actually like screamo as much as I do. It's not exactly easy listening. Even amongst fans of hardcore, which to the general public is little more than yelling and chaotic noise, "screamo" is often a four letter word no matter the context. Getting a chance to talk with Garrick, guitar and vocals for Pools, and Jason Warhammer (of Resigned to Fate) about music while sitting on his roof during Chaos in Tejas a few years ago was a memorable experience for myself. I always get a little excited whenever I talk to someone in person about bands like pg. 99, Orchid, and Saetia. It's not something I get to do often.

Even though it's so close I really wish I made it up to Denton more frequently. Pools, even though they are on hiatus or whatever now, is part of the reason for that. There's a whole lot of dudes up there who love good screamo and play in lots of awesome bands whose shows I don't go to enough.

On the other side of this split is Cleric. Birthed from the remains of Cøma in 2007/2008, my memory kinda blurs on when exactly, they play what I guess would be called doom metal. I don't really know. Much like Oi (see this post), it's something I know I like, I just don't have a whole lot of experience with so I don't feel comfortable talking about it lest I sound completely ignorant.

Regardless of what you might call it, Cleric is loud, heavy, and evil. Knowing that, it should be no surprise that Kill the Client's Chris "Hollywood" Richardson is the mastermind behind it all. Before Cøma/Cleric I knew he sure as shit could play guitar but it turns out he's pretty good at vocals too.

Needlessly high resolution scans included. I dunno if I'm gonna keep including high res scans of my own records. It takes too damn long to do and it increases the file size of the download by as much as 200%.

Download: Pools/Cleric - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Pools/Cleric - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Anger Management Session 1

Artist: Various
Title: Anger Management Session 1
Release: 2002
Label: Martyr Records

Track List:
1. Kill Your Idols - All Those Wasted Calling Cards...
2. Holding On - Turn the Screw
3. Close Call - Left in the Dark
4. My Luck - Just Friends
5. Diehard Youth - Scene Vampire Killers
6. What Feeds the Fire - Without the Weapon

I somehow ended up with two copies of this 7". I don't remember where I got the first one. Either way Kill Your Idols and My Luck are both really awesome. The rest of the bands on this compilation are pretty generic 2000 to 2009 American hardcore. In 2002 I might have been excited about every band on this compilation, but in 2010 I can't help but roll my eyes at most of them.

That being said this is really worth it for the Kill Your Idols and My Luck songs. I've posted My Luck here before, so you might have already heard them. If not think Carry On or later Champion.

600 DPI scans of the artwork included.

Download: Anger Management Session 1 (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Anger Management Session 1 (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Pizza/Tideland - split

Artist: Pizza/Tideland
Title: split
Release: 2009
Label: Cosmic Debris Records

Track List:
1. Pizza - Do-Do-La-La
2. Pizza - In Your Head
3. Tideland - Graveyard Song

Both Pizza and Tideland hail from Sterling, Virginia. That town should sound familiar to some of you out there. It's the home of pg. 99 and a myriad of other fantastic bands. I'm pretty certain Tideland has at least one member who was in pg. 99, and you can hear the noisy Sonic Youth influence that pg. 99 was apparently all about. However neither Tideland or Pizza is remotely close to screamo or hardcore.

Pizza's two songs are nice and quiet. Relaxing even. But not in the almost eerie way fellow Virginians Pygmy Lush can be at times. In comparison the Tideland side of this 7" is pretty loud. But not as loud as one might expect if all you've heard from the Sterling scene is pg. 99 or Pig Destroyer.

I'm still not sure what the hell the animal on the cover is supposed to be. Some kind of rat dog? I've included 600 DPI scans of the cover and insert so maybe you can figure it out.

You might still be able to buy this over at Robotic Empire. Their store doesn't say how many are left in stock and this has been out for a while so don't hesitate to order it.


Download: Pizza/Tideland - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Pizza/Tideland - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Gauze - 面を洗って出直して来い

Artist: Gauze
Title: 面を洗って出直して来い
Release 1997
Label: XXX Records

Track List:
1. 栄枯盛衰
2. 面を洗って出直して来い
3. ワッショイ
4. 歯を喰い縛れ
5. 口を閉ざした臆病者
6. 金返せ
7. 一言物申す
8. エッサホイサッサ
9. 負け惜しみ
10. 最後のお願い

This is Gauze's fourth album, released around the same time as the reissues of their previous three albums. I've posted this before, but this is from a source I can verify as being perfect or near perfect. It's a LAME V0 encode made from a FLAC rip of the CD.

Download: Gauze - 面を洗って出直して来い (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload
Download: Gauze - 面を洗って出直して来い (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Gauze - 限界は何処だ (reissue)

Artist: Gauze
Title: 限界は何処だ (reissue)
Release 1997
Label: XXX Records

1. 山深雪未溶
2. 己
3. 聾桟敷
4. 一触即発
5. 小細工無用
6. ふんだくる だけなら 誰にでも出来る 汚い 臭い 手前らクソ爺に 四の五の言われ 銭を取られるのは 真っ平御免だ
7. 人非人
8. ゴム紐どうだ
9. 逃れの街
10. 死人に口無し
11. Live in Scotland 1989 August

Originally put out in 1989 by Selfish Records this is Gauze's third album. 限界は何処だ (genkai wa doko da?) means "where is the limit?". Kind of an appropriate question for Gauze to be asking.

This is a LAME V0 encode made from a FLAC rip of XXX Records' 1997 CD reissue.

Download: Gauze - 限界は何処だ (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload
Download: Gauze - 限界は何処だ (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Gauze - Equalizing Distort (reissue)

Artist: Gauze
Title: Equalizing Distort (reissue)
Release 1997
Label: XXX Records

1. Pressing On
2. Crash the Pose
3. Thrash Thrash Thrash
4. 勝手にさらせ
5. Fact and Criminal
6. パッパッパ
7. Low Charge
8. Absinth Trip
9. Distort Japan
10. 言いなり / Children Fuck Off

Originally put out in 1986 by Selfish Records this is Gauze's second full length. Probably their best work. Probably one of the best hardcore albums period.

This is a LAME V0 encode made from a FLAC rip of XXX Records' 1997 CD reissue.

Download: Gauze - Equalizing Distort (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload
Download: Gauze - Equalizing Distort (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Gauze - Fuck Heads (reissue)

Artist: Gauze
Title: Fuck Heads (reissue)
Release 1997
Label: XXX Records

1. Power
2. Fuck Head
3. Shot
4. Coretik
5. One Last Kiss
6. Love Song
7. Ghostlike Crime
8. ノイローゼ
9. 酔狂
10. Go

Originally put out in 1984 by ADK Records this is Gauze's first LP. Consider this required listening.

This is a LAME V0 encode made from a FLAC rip of XXX Records' 1997 CD reissue.

Download: Gauze - Fuck Heads (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload
Download: Gauze - Fuck Heads (reissue) (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire