Best of Blogosphere. Week XXIV.

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-#5. -#6. -#7. -#8.

-#9. -#10

The Blind/Heartless Split 7" (2011)

Country: USA/Ireland
Genre: Hardcore/punk
Label: Suburban Mayhem Records
Tracks: 6

I just received an email from Jamie who plays in Drainland and runs a small record label called Suburban Mayhem records. Jamie wanted me to post this split 7" featuring Heartless and The Blind. Heartless are a US based hardcore band who play a style of dark and angry hardcore that's sure to please fans of bands like American Nightmare, Defeater, and Touche Amore. The second band on the 7" is an Irish band called The Blind. The Blind play a style of brutal, dark and crusty hardcore that's influenced by bands such as Tragedy, Cursed, His Hero Is Gone, and Trainwreck. A Killer 7" by both bands. Highly recommended!

Heartless on Myspace
The Blind on Facebook
Purchase:Suburban Mayhem Records
The Blind/Heartless Split 7" (2011)

(Label Request)

Resonance-Transfuse LP (2008)

Country: USA

Genre: Hardcore/Punk/Emo

Label: Collapse Records

Tracks: 10

Compiling two limited but long reaching demo releases, Resonance delivers ten tracks of melodic punk hardcore. Lyrically, Virginia Beach's Resonance delves into social, personal and political issues often avoided by bands with a sound that is more in line with sunny days than serious headlines. Instead, Resonance allows their sound to be guided by a vocal tone that confirms them to be a unique entity. This came as a request from the shoutbox. I haven't heard this yet, but the band's influences sound promising and I'm going to download and give this a listen when I get home from work today. Resonance's influences include Jawbreaker, Lifetime, Turning Point, and Embrace. Enjoy!

Resonance on Myspace

Purchase

Resonance - Transfuse (2008)

Out On A Limb - Drowned LP (2011)

Country: Germany

Genre: Postpunk

Label: Taken By Surprise records/Narshardaa

Tracks: 8

I was looking for this album for about a month and finally came across it on the web last night. Out On A Limb are a Chemnitz/Leipzig, Germany based band who play a style of postpunk with complex/ groove based new wave-guitar sounds and nice melodies complete with a variety of energetic post-punk influences like Wipers, Joy Division, The Estranged, Dramamine, and The Gun Outfit. Great stuff. I hope you enjoy. Highly recommended.

Out On A Limb (facebook)

Purchase (Europe): NARSHARDAA STORE

Purchase (USA):TAKEN BY SURPRISE RECORDS

Out On A Limb - Drowned (2011)

Afrontar - Anatema (2011)

Country: El Salvador

Genre: Hardcore, Metal, Stoner.

Label:DIY
Tracks: 12
Lengh: 26'

Afrontar are from El Salvador, yes, El Salvador exist, risk of being wrong and this is possibly the best album to come out of there in this style. They plays basically a New School Hardcore with a clean and metallic production. There are moment that leave aside the New School influence to sound fully chaotic, fast and furious, however they knows combine it with a metallic stoner and big riffs. In short, interesting album.

Afrontar on Bandcamp
Afrontar on MySpace
Afrontar - Anatema (2011)

(band request)

Kepsah - Stack (2010)

Country: Italy

Genre: Post Hardcore, Alternative, Jazz, Spoken Word.

Label:DIY
Tracks: 10
Lengh: 51'

We're four guys, (dave-bass, zeta-guitar, pero-drums, seba-voice and sax ) been playing together for two years now and we recorded our album "Stack" in spring of 2010 and released it in the fall. Besides standard shows, we've made also readings ("Guerra e Morte") wich brought us to extremely different situations, even thought we're still getting heavier and more psichedelic, musically speaking. we have a Split coming out in fall and also still working on new tracks.

Hope you like it and enjoy the music!

Kepsah on MySpace
Kepsah on Facebook
Kepsah on Soundcloud
Purchase
Kepsah - Stack (2010)

(band request)

Revival Hymns-Feathers LP (2011)

Country: Finland
Genre: Indie Rock, Shoegaze, Postrock
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 7

(Band Request)

Revival Hymns is a relatively new indierock/shoegaze/post-rock band from Tampere, Finland. Revival Hyms begain playing together in the summer of 2010. First off, I love the band name. Now on to the music. Hazy, dreamy, psychedelic, slightly discordant at times too. I'd say picture Broken Water filtered through Sonic Youth, Swervedriver, and Catherine Wheel. I'm impresed. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing!

Revival Hymns (bandcamp)
Revival Hymns (website)
Revival Hymns-Feathers LP (2011)

Seaweed-Discography (1990-2011)

Country: USA
Genre:Posthardcore, punk, emo, indie rock
Label: K records, Sub Pop, Merge, Hollywood, No Idea

Punk unit Seaweed formed in Tacoma, WA, in 1989. Singer Aaron Stauffer, fresh off a stint in the little-known Spook & the Zombies, founded the band with best friend Clint Werner, who assumed guitar duties. After the recruitment of guitarist Wade Neal, bassist John Atkins, and drummer Bob Bulgrien, Seaweed began playing clubs throughout the Pacific Northwest, in 1990 releasing its debut four-song single on Atkins' Leopard Gecko label; "Just a Smirk" followed that same year, and in 1991 the band issued the excellent "Deer Trap" as part of K Records' ongoing International Pop Underground singles series. With their well-honed rhythmic hardcore approach, Seaweed proved an ideal fit for Seattle's Sub Pop label, signing to the company to release 1991's Despised EP, the band's first collaboration with producer Jack Endino.

With Endino again in the producer's seat, Seaweed delivered its finest record yet with 1992's full-length Weak, scoring a college radio hit with the leadoff track, "Recall." Four followed in 1993, and in the major labels' rush to cherry-pick from Sub Pop's roster, Seaweed accepted an offer to sign with Hollywood Records, working with producer Andy Wallace on 1995's Spanaway. Despite positive reviews, the album tanked and Hollywood terminated their contract Seaweed effectively dropped from sight, with former Quicksand drummer Alan Cage replacing Bulgrien in time for 1999's Actions & Indications, a return to form issued on indie Merge. The band nevertheless split later that same year. After Seaweed's demise, Stauffer teamed with ex-Screaming Trees bassist Van Conner in Gardener, which splintered in 2003 he then resurfaced in the Blue Dot.

*Fastforward 13 years to 2011 and Seaweed have regrouped and is set to release a new 7" entitled Service Deck/The Weight on No Idea Records. I was psyched to see the band getting back together to release these two new songs. Hopefully, we'll see more to come in the near future. Fans of Quicksand, Small Brown Bike, Basement, Title Fight, and Make Do And Mend take note! It's time to do your homework. Seaweed are one of the grandfathers of melodic punk and emo. I included the band's discography for you to check out. Enjoy!

Seaweed (myspace)
Preorder Seaweed:No Idea Records
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Seaweed - Seaweed (EP) 1990
Seaweed - Despised (LP) 1991
Seaweed - Weak (LP) 1992
Seaweed - Four (LP) 1993
Seaweed - Spanaway (CD) 1995
Seaweed - Actions and Indications (CD) 1998
Seaweed - Service Deck_The Weight (EP) 2011

A New Spelling Of My Name-The Fraud And Folly Of Good Intentions LP (2005)

Country: USA

Genre: Posthardcore, Emo

Label: Art For Blind Records

Tracks: 8

A New Spelling of My Name are a band from Washington DC featuring ex members of Homage to Catalonia, Midvale and Virginia Black Lung. They play passionate and political emo/post hardcore. This is the band's first and only full length to my knowledge. A new spelling of my name sounds like a cross between Homage To Catalonia, Midvale or a mellower version of Engine Down. I'd also say the band is influenced by bands such as Mineral, The Pine, and Texas Is The Reason. Definitely an excellent album. Too bad the band was short lived and only released the one album.

A New Spelling Of My Name on Myspace

Art For Blind Records on Bandcamp

Purchase:Art For Blind

A New Spelling Of My Name-The Fraud And Folly Of Good Intentions LP (2005)

Basement - Discography (1997 - 2006)

Country: France
Genre: Noise Rock, Post Hardcore, Metal
Label: Weird Records, PIAS France, Vicious Circle, Interference

Basement was created at the end of 1995 inspired by various American bands such as Jesus Lizard, Unsane, Fugazi, Cop shoot cop or Distorted Pony. The band's first EP entitled “Head on“ was recorded by Fred Norguet (Burning Heads, Portobello Bones, Ez3kiel...) and was released by Weird records/Tripsichord in March 1996. This dark spellbinding hardcore record came to tease the successful Amphetamine Reptile company.

After touring all over France, the band went back to the studio to record their second EP. Just like “Head on“, “Underneath“ was produced by Fred Norguet but was released by Vicious Circle/Pias in March 1998. This record proved that the band deserved its place in the French noise and Post hardcore music world. The three members of Basement spent the following two years playing their songs on stage in France and Europe and were selected for the FAIR in 2000.
2007 marks the return of Basement after a quite long break. There is now a fourth member in the band and they have just released a new record, “Everything gets distorted“, made of 8 tense songs combining strength and melody. This time the band has worked with the French producer Nicolas Dick (Kill the Thrill), Jean Michel Gimenez (Tantrum / cover and artwork), Interference (management) and After Before (booking). With a ten year long existence and after two records and more than 500 shows, Basement is back and ready to prove it on stage all over Europe.

Basement on MySpace
Basement on Facebook
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Basement - Head-On
Basement - Underneath
Basement - Everything Gets Distorded

Basement-I Wish I Could Stay Here LP (2011)

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Punk, Emo, Indie Rock

Label: Run For Cover Records

Tracks: 10

Basement are a Ipswitch, UK based punk/emo/indie rock band who play an infectious style of music that's a must for fans of Shook Ones, Grownups, Lifetime, and Title Fight. I Wish I Could Stay Here is the band's debut LP and the ten songs on this record demand to be listened over and over again on repeat. I Wish I Could Stay Here is an amazing record and shows basement giving 110% as musicians. Great stuff! Enjoy!

Basement on MySpace

Purchase:Run for Cover Records

Basement - I Wish I Could Stay Here (2011)

Joe 4-Enola Gay 10"(2011)

Country: Croatia
Genre: Postpunk, noise rock
Label: Whosbrain records
Tracks: 5

I recently stumbled upon Joe 4 in my search for music by a band called The Cartographer. Joe 4 play a tense, discordent, and noisy style of post punk/noise rock that draws influences from a variety of sources. Joe 4 are influenced by bands such as The Jesus Lizard, Helmet, Fugazi, and newer bands such as Big Business, The United Sons Of Toil, and Harvey Milk. Add to that slight undertones of feedback and possibly sludge and you'll start to see the sound Joe 4 is going for on this EP. Great stuff. Enjoy! Hit the band up on their webpage if you want a physical copy of this EP on 10".

Joe 4 on Bandcamp
Joe 4 - Enola Gay EP (2011)

Centuries/Homestretch-Split 7" (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk

Label: Dimlight Records

Tracks: 5

Damn, this is another killer split 7" by two bands I recently came across and decided to post. Centuries are an amazing band from FLorida who play a blackened/metallic style of hardcore that's a must for fans of Cursed, Integrity, Baptists, and Ancient Shores. The other band on this split 7" is Centuries, another Florida based band who plays a style of music that's sure to please fans of bands lie The Carrier and Ritual. Great stuff enjoy. I also included Centuries' Creation/Extinction and Homestretch's Comatose EP for you to check out as well.

Momestretch (tumblr)

Centuries (tumblr)

Purchase:DIMLIGHT RECORDS
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Centuries & Homestretch - Split EP (2011)

Centuries - Creation_Extinction

Homestretch - Comatose EP

Oak & Bone - Oak & Bone LP (2011)

Country: USA

Genre: Stoner, Sludge, Hardcore Punk

Label:Hex Records
Tracks: 11
Lengh: 34'

The debut LP from Syracuse, NY's OAK & BONE realizes a sound they have been working towards since their inception. Their first 7" on Hex showed the rocking and groovy stoner metal vibe in a more punk fashion. A split 7" with labelmates LIKE WOLVES last year offered a more trippy vibe to coincide with their fuzzed-out punk attack. Now on this full length you see all sides, anchored by an overpowering bass overload and reverb-ed out guitar leads. 11 tracks of surreal heaviness and monster grooves make this an awesome first full length. For fans of Kyuss, KARP, and Eyehategod.

Oak & Bone on MySpace
Purchase
Hex Records Blog
Oak & Bone - Oak & Bone LP (2011)
Oak & Bone - EP 7" (2009)

Victory And Associates-These Things Are Facts LP (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: Seismic Wave Entertainment
Tracks: 11

Damn. Another soundtrack to summer. I totally slept on this band and I'm totally honored to be able to post a review of this album. Victory and Associates are a bay area based indie rock band. The 11 songs on These Things Are Facts are a tight and catchy style of indie rock that's not afraid to rock out with the best of them. I hear influences ranging from Built To Spill to Weezer and some of the bands currently being put out by latest flame records such as Police Teeth and Trophy Wives. Victory And Associates definitely deliver the goods with These Things Are Facts. Highly Recommended!

I also included Victory And Associates earlier releases for you to check out as well. Hurry Up And Wait was self released and funded by preorders, so hit the band up and buy some records!!!

Victory and Associates Website
Victory and Associates on Bandcamp
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Victory and Associates - These Things Are Facts (2011)
Victory and Associates_Hurry Up Shotgun-Turn Fown The Guitars (2010)
Victory and Associates - Party Savior-Thousandaire (2010)
Victory and Associates - Karl Rove- Courage and Conseque (2010)

(Band Request)

The Usual - Lightletters LP (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Emotive hardcore, screamo
Label: self released
Tracks: 11

Damn, another high quality "screamo" release I recently stumbled upon. The Usual are a Hagerstown, MD based band who play an amazing style of emotive hardcore/screamo that's sure to please fans of We Were Skeletons, Loma Prieta, L'antietam, Lizards Have Personalities, and Pianos Become The Teeth. The 11 songs on Light Letters blaze by and are over before you know it. Great album by a super young band. Highly recommended! Enjoy! I also included The Usual's split with Migrations as well as Migrations "A Little Note EP for your enjoyment. Migrations are a dark/atmospheric instrumental band from the same area as The Usual. Great stuff as well.

The Usual on Bandcamp
Migrations on Myspace
The Usual - Light Letters (2011)
The Usual_& Migrations - Split LP (2010)
Migrations - ST

Best of Blogosphere. Week XXIII.

-#1. -#2. -#3. -#4.

-#5. -#6. -#7. -#8.

-#11.

The Caution Children-Vacations LP (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Screamo, posthardcore
Label: Tokyo Jupiter Records
Tracks: 10

Wow, I recently came across The Caution Children and had to do this post since I've been on a screamo kick due to the latest Lizards Have Personalities releases. The Caution Children are a Jacksonville, Fla. based band who play an impressive style of screamo/posthardcore influenced by bands such as I Hate Myself, The Saddest Landscape, We Were Skeletons, Lizards Have Personalities, and Pianos Become The Teeth. What sets The Caution Children apart from their peers is the addition of ambient, almost shoegazey elements to their music. The end result is 10 songs of epic and emotive "screamo" with tinges of post rock. Great stuff! Enjoy!

The Caution Children on Bandcamp
Purchase:Tokyo Jupiter Records
The Caution Children - Vacations (2011)

Like Wolves-S/T LP (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Punk, hardcore, garage rock
Label: Hex Records
Tracks:9

Hell yes. I've been dying to hear the latest LP from Syracuse, NY's Like Wolves, and I was definirely not disappointed by what I heard. After two self released 7"s and a kick-ass split 7" with Oak & Bone, Like Wolves present us with their debut LP. Like Wolves self titled LP features 9 songs of garage punk/hardcore influenced by bands such as Hot Snakes, Obits, Cloak/Dagger, Young Livers, and Drive Like Jehu. Great stuff. Words can't describe how good this is! Enjoy! I also included Like Wolves Paths 7" and their demo 7" for you to enjoy as well.

Like Wolves Blog
Purchase:HEX Records
Like Wolves - Like Wolves (2011) (removed by request ¬¬)
Like Wolves - Paths
Like Wolves - Demo

Thou-Big City 12"/The Archer And The Owle 12" (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Sludge, Metal, Doom
Label: Vendetta Records/Robotic Empire
Tracks: 8

In my opinion, Baton Rouge, LA's Thou is one of the most prolific bands out there in recent memory. Big City is the 3rd installment of Thou's summer EP series, which began with their To The Wizard Chaos Youth EP. Big city is a split 12" with Cower and features three new songs plus a Cower cover. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the Cower songs, but the Thou songs solidify the band as one of the heaviest bands in music today. Great stuff. Enjoy!

The Archer And The Owle is the 2nd release in Thou's summer EP series and features two songs from 2010's Summit, a cover of Nirvana's Something In The Way and a cover of Pygmy Lush's Cold World. I was amazed at Thou's cover of Nirvana and Pygmy Lush! Truly an amazing band!
Also check out Thou's web site. You can find most of their recorded output there for free download!

Thou Website
Preorder Big City 12"
Preorder: The Archer And The Owle 12"
Thou - Big City (2011)
Thou - The Archer & The Owle (2011)

The Love Below/Homewrecker-Split 7" (2011)

Country: USA

Genre: Hardcore/Punk

Label: A389 Recordings

Tracks: 5

California's favorite deviants The Love Below return with three new tracks of Cursed meets Left For Dead style hardcore that pick up where their debut 7" left off. Ohio's Homewrecker deliver two tracks best described as powerviolence influenced hardcore with Integrity moshparts and a vocal cameo by John Caution of Weekend Nachos! This is another great 7" from A389 recordings. Seriously, I have not heard anything released by this label that I don't like. Great stuff. Enjoy!

The Love Below on Facebook

Homewrecker on Facebook

Purchase:A389 Recordings

The Love Below & Homewrecker- Split (2011)

Throat - Licked Inch Fur 12'' (2011)

Country: Finland

Genre: Noise Rock

Label: At War With False Noise, Kaos Control, Made in Kansas, Verdura Records
Tracks: 4
Lengh: 20'

Man, the Finns just know how to do ugly music right. Be it tumultuous Noise and Power Electronics, militant Satanic Black metal or sewer level Sludge, they seem to just have harsh sound encoded in their collective DNA. Throat manifest that cold northern cacophony into a finely honed form of noise rock that has its’ roots in the damaged sounds of the 90s US underground, but is still planted firmly in the sonic miasma of their home country.

With a demo and a 7 to their name so far, Throat are still pretty much an unknown quantity to many, but hopefully the newly released “Licked Inch Fur” 12″ will go some way to changing that. Four raucous, headfucking songs of primo grade sludged out pummel that immediately put me in mind of the old AmRep and early Bovine records sound. Downtuned, gritty guitars, yelled vocals, and a super tight rhythym section that kicks like the proverbial mule.

Four songs here from these guys, and they don’t fuck around for one second. Straight from the off “Stampede” lives up to the title, with an insistent, grinding riff and (chock, horror) something remotely approaching a catchy chorus. It’s a short sharp blow to the head. Following that the slow burning dirge of “Wake Down” crawls along in a way that’s maybe less visceral, but twice as menacing.

That slow n’low menacing vibe continues onto side two with “Piggie” coming on like a hungover Unsane. Another slow burner til it jacks up the pace and intensity half way through and throbs along like the worst migraine ever. Jukka’s pained vocals add to the whole bad vibe perfectly. Closer “Poolpisser” brings things to a grinding halt with more brutal riffing over that clinically precise drum and bass duo, adding extra noise and feedback towards the end to completely destroy what’s left of your hearing.

There aren’t too many bands doing this style nowadays, and even less doing it this well. With this being a good old fashioned DIY style four-way label release you should have minimum difficulty picking it up, so hit up Kaos Kontrol, At War With False Noise, Made In Kansas or Verdura for a copy and get into one of the best new bands in Europe in years. -CVLNation

Throat Webpage
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Throat - Licked Inch Fur 12'' (2011)
Throat - Adult Situations 7'' (2010)
Throat - Good Times CS (2009)

Skin Like Iron-Descent Into Light LP (2010)

Country: USA

Genre: Hardcore, punk, d-beat

Label: Six Feet Under

Tracks: 10

Skin Like Iron is a Bay Area, CA band who play a dirty, abrasive and viscious style of hardcore pulling together parts of Never Healed, Siege and Infest, all at a speed ranging from a slow dirge to violent blast beats. On "Descent Into Light" Skin Like Iron mix equal parts of blasting D-beat, melodic, powerful hardcore and abrasive punk. Skin Like Iron also features members of Ceremony in their current line-up. I've included all of the band's recorded output that I could find for your enjoyment. I'm highly anticipating Skin Like Iron's new album which is slated for release any time now. Skin Like Iron's latest album is entitled Arrival and from the songs I've heard, their new album should be phenomenal. In the meantime enjoy Skin Like Iron's older material. Enjoy!

Skin Like Iron on Facebook

Skin Like Iron on Bandcamp

Purchase: Arrival Lp: REACT! Records
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Skin Like Iron - Descent Into Light (2010)
Skin Like Iron - all human failings ep (2009)
Skin Like Iron - s/t (2008)

Grace Alley & Skin Like Iron - Split EP (2008)

Skin Like Iron - Amalgamation II (2008)

Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire/Nesseria Split LP (2011)

Country: USA/France
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Grind, Sludge
Label: Throatruiner Records
Tracks: 8

(Label Request)

Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire (Denver - USA) are without a doubt one of the most apocalyptic bands these days : between blackened grindcore and filthy sludge, these four tracks are the perfect blend of all the most extreme stuff you could find. For fans of Today Is The Day, Robinson, Admiral Angry, Khanate... On the other side, Nesseria (Orléans - France) is delivering here their best material to date, still as intense and pissed than on their previous full-length, but in a dirtier and more complex way. For fans of The Secret, Buried Inside, Cursed or Trap Them!

*Wow, another kick-ass release from Throatruiner. Seriously, this label is absolutely on Fire! You need to hear this record, as it is brutal as fuck! Fans of Trap Them, Cursed, Thou, and Black September need to hear this incredible album. Blows a lot what's being released these days out of the water. Great stuff!

Throatruiner Records on Bandcamp

Purchase

Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire/Nesseria Split LP (2011)

Kuraia - Complete Discography (2001 - 2005) and songs from Compilations and Covers

Country: Spain

Genre: Stoner, Punk Rock, Hard Rock, Metallic Post Hardcore

Label: Metak

The dragon, oriental aesthetic, four well-known names, punkrock, hardrock and other hard sounds, but not leaving melody out; all of this amounts to a well- rounded and courageous work.

Kuraia on MySpace
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Kuraia - s/t (2001)
Kuraia - Iluntasunari barre (2003)
Kuraia - Piztu da piztia (2005)
Kuraia - Songs from Comps. & Covers*

*Includes Hemezortzi hizk; "Flip The Phase" Kyuss Cover

Lungs-S/T EP (2009)

Country: USA

Genre: Posthardcore, experimental, noise rock

Label: Escucha Records

Tracks: 3

Lungs feature ex members of Examination of the and This Dialogue. Lungs play a style of music that is really thick and heavy combined with amazing landspaces. The 32 minutes worth of music on this EP is a must for fans of Isis, Neurosis,Earth,Callisto, and Pelican. Great stuff. Enjoy!

Purchase:Escucha Records

Lungs on Myspace

Lungs EP (2009)

Yob - Atma [2011]

COUNTRY : USA
GENRE : Doom, Sludge
LABEL : Profound Lore

After the fallout surrounding the farcical lawsuit that befell YOB mainman Mike Scheidt concerning a former band that we cannot really say the name of because of legal reasons, a band that would then become Age Eternal which would also end up folding, it was inevitable and natural that Scheidt would start jamming once again with longtime YOB drummer Travis Foster and resurrect the beast with a vengeance.

Along with the legendary band SLEEP, YOB were always considered one of, if not the heaviest doom metal three-piece ever and already have quite the massive and impressive repertoire (a good portion of it released by Metal Blade) at their disposal. Most importantly, the reason why YOB have such a respect amongst the doom metal scene, is that they have forged a distinct sound (culled from such influences as BLACK SABBATH, NEUROSIS, OBESESSED, and the aforementioned Sleep) that no other doom metal band could adhere to.

Over the years, YOB have gained quite the reputation with their signature and distinct style of epic elongated crushing atmospheric sludge doom, and now, with their comeback album “The Great Cessation”, YOB have undoubtedly churned out their heaviest, darkest (as signified by the new band logo), and ultimately, as Schedit confidently describes, their best album in their storied career. Following in tradition of the YOB sound, “The Great Cessation” also welcomes new elements into the YOB sound picture which could take a few listeners by surprise.

With the addition of new bass player Aaron Reiseberg joining Scheidt and Foster to round up the reformed YOB line-up, “The Great Cessation” is a time-stretching, timeless, and unearthly slab of monolithic doom metal art. Produced by renowned knob pusher Sanford Parker (PELICAN, MINSK, NACHTMYSTIUM, THE GATES OF SLUMBER etc.) in the band’s hometown of Eugene, Oregon “The Great Cessation” sees YOB in 2009 much more epic, heavier, darker, and undeniably louder than ever. Ultimately, “The Great Cessation” will unravel itself as the doom metal monument of 2009.

D/L.
Purchase.

Contact.

Lizards Have Personalities/Orion Pax/Viceversa/Caitlyn Bailey-4 Way Split LP (2011)

Country: USA/Phillipines/Denmark

Genre: posthardcore/screamo

Label: Self Released

Tracks: 13

Wow, I can't get over how prolific Lizards Have Personalities have been this year. Here's the second in the series of split LPs featuring LHP and other bands from different parts of the world. The bands on this LP are diverse, but share the common theme of playing different takes on the genre of screamo/emotive hardcore. This LP features Lizards Have Personalities, who play a style of music influenced by bands such as Saetia or I Hate Myself. Orion Pax are the second band on the album, and they play a rumbling/earsplitting style of heavy screamo/metal. Next up, is Viceversa, from Denmark who play a chaotic style of sceamo/emoviolence influenced by bands such as Orchid, the Swing Kids, etc. The last band on the album is Caitlyn Bailey. I had a harder time pegging down this band's influences, but got hints of 90's ebullition screamo as well as newer US screamo played by bands such as Moldar, Deers!, Calculator and the like. Overall, a great album worth checking out. Great stuff. Enjoy! Hit the bands up via bandcamp/facebook for purchase info.

Lizards Have Personalities on Bandcamp

Caitlyn Bailey on Facebook

Orion Pax Website

Vice Versa on Myspace
Caitlyn Bailey - Lizards Have Personalities - Orion Pax - Viceve

The Fucking Hotlights - High Society Torture Party LP (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Punk, noise rock, hardcore
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11

Wow, this threw me for a loop. The Fucking Hotlights are a Buffalo, NY based band who play an impressive style of diverse and heavy music with varied influences. On one end, the band incorporates 90's Amrep style noise rock mixed with more chaotic and at times, tense music made popular by bands such as The Icarus Line, Blood Brothers, Cancer Bats, or Acid Tiger. At other times I hear the angular discordance of bands such as Fugazi or Drive Like Jehu. Add to that, the Southern rock swagger of Every Time I Die or The Joan Benet. The end result is a beautifully orchestrated style of controlled chaos. I can almost smell the booze and sweat coming out of my speakers. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing guys!

The Fucking Hotlights on Bandcamp
Purchase
The Fucking Hotlights - High Society Torture Party (2011)

(Band Request)

Moloch-Possession LP (2011)

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Sludge, metal, crust

Label: Vendetta Records

Tracks: 4

Hell yes. Here's another album I was trying to find for a while now. I first came across UK’s own sludge-mongers Moloch after hearing their split LP with Thou and was impressed by what I heard on the band's latest album entitled Possession. Possession sees Moloch delving further into the realm of ultra heavy music with four songs of blackened, metallic, and sludge heavy music. Definitely a must for fans of Thou, Black Freighter, Crowskin and Batillus. Great album. Enjoy. Props to Eraser and Hardcore Guerrilla for the original links.

Moloch on Facebook

Purchase:Vendetta Records

Moloch - Possession (2011)

Resurrectionists & LICH - Split Lp (2011)

Country: Germany/England

Genre: Hardcore, punk, powerviolence

Label: IFB/React With Protest/Vendetta records

Tracks: 12

Hell yes. Thanks to Krustie for the original link. What we have here is an incredible split LP between Germany's Resurrectionists who offer up 6 songs of dark, screamy, and chaotic hardcore/punk and England's LICH, who feature members of Battle Of Wolf 359. LICH impressed the hell out of me with their demo and continue to impress with 6 songs of ultra violent, metallic and emotive hardcore and powerviolence. I've been dying to get my hands on this LP for a while now and was finally able to order one through IFB records. Great stuff. Highly recommended! Enjoy!

Resurrectionists on Myspace

Lich on bandcamp

Purchase: 1. React With Protest Records

Purchase: 2. vendetta records

Purchase: 3. IFB RECORDS

Resurrectionists & Lich-Split LP (2011)

Brother Bear-Head In The Clouds Ep (2010)/Vespers 7" (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Posthardcore, Screamo
Label: self released
Tracks: 6

I've been meaning to do a post about Brother Bear for a while now and saw that they were releasing a new 7" entitle Vespers. Brother Bear are a posthardcore/emotive hardcore/screamo band from Seattle, WA who play an impressive style of music sure to please fans of We Were Skeletons, Pianos Become The Teeth, Sinaloa, Touche Amore, and La Dispute. The six songs on Heads in The Clouds are an impressive debut for Brother Bear. Hopefully, Vespers is just as amazing. Great stuff. Enjoy. Props to Music Approved By A Banana v.2 for the original links.

Brother Bear on Bandcamp
Brother Bear - Head in the Clouds EP (2010)
Brother Bear- Vespers 7 in (2011)

Who cares? - Le grand déploiement - Demo (2011)

Country: Canada

Genre: Grindcore, Death Metal

Label: DIY
Tracks: 7
Lengh: 12'

Founded in 2008 in the Saguenay, the formation of Grindcore Who Cares? among its ranks a lot of experience with members that were part of groups such as Cadence Abson, Mouse Trap, Putricide, Abuse, Head Office, Clearwater Deathblow and Demental to name a few. In September 2009 the band released its first demo consisting of ten songs and it was very well received by the public. End of 2010, the group replaces Fred Otis Sébastien Audet at vocals. In June 2011 the second demo, The Grand Deployment, released and then the group will focus on writing his first album. To date, Who Cares? shared the stage with bands such as Misery Index, Beneath The Massacre, The Spirit of the Clan, Fuck The Facts, The Last Felony and expects to Assault the entire province in the very near future.

Who Cares? on MySpace
Purchase #Digital #Analogic & Merch
Who Cares? - Le grand déploiement - Demo (2011)
Who Cares? - Demo 2009

(band request)

Æges-Roaches B/W Dirt 7" (2011)

Country: USA
Genre: Post hardcore
Label: Hawthorne Street Records
Tracks: 2

With the decline of Western civilization comes a new pilgrimage of musicians looking to carve out their fates from the wreckage of the past. ÆGES are the new breed of California’s creative drifters. Founded by former Seattleite Mark Holcomb (Undertow, Shift) and Chicago-raised Larry Herweg (Pelican, Tusk), ÆGES grew out of a temporary hiatus for their other band, San Angelus. Holcomb and Herweg continued writing new material and forging into heavier terrain. Another transplant, Kemble Walters (The Rise, The Blank Faces, Juliette and the Licks), who grew up in Indonesia, had met Herweg while on tour in Chicago. With both Herweg and Walters now living in LA, they began to play music together. Herweg noticed the similarities between Holcomb and Walters playing and writing and knew the two had to meet each other. Holcomb and Walters hit it off instantly in person and in the rehearsal space. The final piece to the puzzle was the sole California native, bassist Tony Baumeister (16, Cutthroats 9). Converging in Southern California across state lines and international waters, ÆGES use their world-wise musical expertise to rebuild the archetype of the heavy rock band.
There’s a definite element of desert rock in ÆGES sound–the low-tuned guitars, the sludgy sun-baked riffs, the deceptive pop hook buried in the molasses-thick instrumentation. Yet the diverse backgrounds of the band members create a unique blend of perspectives and a resultantly fresh sound. The common sonic thread between the four individuals in ÆGES–their tenure in bands that explored the darker side of hardcore—manifests itself in the aggressive tonalities of their sound. But their divergent paths, both geographical and musical, broadened the emotional palette beyond the angst of their earlier bands. Their debut EP, “Roaches”, is set for release via Hawthorne Street Records (Pelican, The Life and Times, Sweet Cobra) on April 19th, 2011.

The new millennium ushered in a new, revitalized era of artistic integrity for LA. We saw it in the age of the acid-hazed ‘60s, the age of the nihilistic Regan-era punks, and the current age of abandoned archetypes of a failed economy. It’s creative optimism in a time of hopelessness. It’s the music of ÆGES.

ÆGES on Facebook
Purchase:Hawthorne Street Record
Æges-st 7in (2011)

Cultura Tres - El Mal Del Bien (2011)

Country: Venezuela

Genre: Sludge, Metal, Hard Rock, Doom

Label: Dead Plan Records
Tracks: 12
Lengh: 65'

In the summer of 2010 the members locked themselves up in the studio to prepare the second album: “El Mal del Bien”. The result is - in the band members’ own words - “an album with a single clear direction”. Cultura Tres delves deeper into the dark atmospheric vein that already showed itself at moments in debut album La Cura. The daring album opener “Propiedad de Dios” sets the mood: it sounds like the soundtrack of a tragic cult movie. The songs that follow evoke the witchery, slavery, oppression and religious madness that influence the South American continent to this day. Being a concept album adds another dimension to the individual songs. A patient listener will be dragged into a hallucinating trip around the insane world the album paints.

Interestingly, the band has chosen to cover what might well be the first doom track in South America: “Holy Graveyard” (1992) by Epitafio. Alejandro Londoño, having been a member of this band in the past, has now fully closed the circle. Cultura Tres is living proof that the genre of doom/sludge was not dead in South America but merely dormant. Now it has woken again, not only speaking Spanish, but more importantly, with its own face.

El Mal del Bien will be released on vinyl in March 2011, with a tour that will hit Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Europe and Japan. Don't miss this chance to hear the new sound of South American sludge!

Cultura Tres Webpage
Cultura Tres - El Mal Del Bien (2011) (Bandcamp)

(Promoter Request)

Split - Ruce Po Obrně & Postgusto

Country: Czech Republic

Genre: Punkcore, Punk

Label: Chyba Records
Tracks: 12
Lengh: 23'

Ruce Po Obrne are bike punx from Jihlava, Czech playing hardcore punk with political and anti-punk elite lyrics. Latest release before they were splitted up. Postgusto is political folk from Czech.

Ruce Po Obrně Webpage
Postgusto Webpage
Split - Ruce Po Obrně & Postgusto

(label request)

Best of Blogosphere. Week XXII.

-#1. -#2. -#3. -#4.

-#5. -#6. -#7. -#8.

-#9. -#10.

Bone Dance/Divider/Plebeian Grandstand-3 Way Split LP (2011)

Country: USA/France
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Metal
Label: Throatruiner
Tracks: 6

Three bands, three different interpretations of hardcore/punk, two continents, one policy: Destroy.

BONE DANCE (Boise, Idaho, USA) doesn't want to be your friend. The nihilism you'll hear from these self-described "five loud dudes with shitty attitudes", playing their exceedingly raw brand of chaotic hardcore/sludge, will ring a bell whether you're into GAZA or KEN MODE, BOTCH or CURSED. Conceived with a colossal sense of brutality, yet never forsaking their punk ethos, "West" and "Conniver" will further consecrate this band as one to watch. Remember this goddamned name.

No matter how paradoxical it may seem, DIVIDER (Long Island, New York, USA) would prefer to unite rather than to divide. Uniting the sound of more modern filthy hardcore bands with a strong sense of punk emergency, these two tracks ("Gaia" & "Halios Geron" ) introduce Chris Tzompanakis behind the mic, best known for his work with the influential group SKYCAMEFALLING in the early 2000's. If you're into DEADGUY, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, or VISION OF DISORDER, you've found the perfect soundtrack for your next bare-knuckle boxing match.

As for PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND (Toulouse, France), if the shrapnel-laden assault that was "How Hate Is Hard To Define" had you asking for more, this time around there won't be any survivors left to beg for a rematch. If the explosion of screaming and distortion that is "Woe Is Me" isn't enough, then the hallucinatory "Woe Is You", with its NEUROSIS inspired, trance-like drums, and a throbbing bassline that builds to a crescendo which threatens to tip the richter scale, certainly will be. The first time I heard these tracks, I felt like ripping off my eyelids. And I won't be the one.

*I haven't had a chance to hear this, but this new 3 way split LP features Bone Dance from Idaho, Divider from NY, and Plebeian Grandstand from France. 6 tracks of brutal, punishing, and chaotic hardcore hellbent on crushing everything in it's wake. I'm really interested in hearing the new Divider songs. Great stuff for fans of Deadguy, Converge, etc. Enjoy. Props to Throatruiner, a great French label that continues to impress the hell out of me.

Throatruiner Records on Bandcamp
Purchase
Bone Dance / Divider /Plebeian Grandstand-3 Way Split LP (2011)

(Label Request)

Football, Etc. - The Draft LP (2011)

Country: USA

Genre: Indie rock, Emo

Label: Count Your Lucky Stars, Strictly No Capital Letters

Tracks: 10

Football, Etc. hail from Houston, TX, with a sound that feels more at home in the Midwest during the mid-‘90s; a time and a place that seems synonymous with emo before it was a dirty word. Football, Etc. brings to mind classic emo bandssuch as Braid, Mineral, Christie Front Drive, and Rainer Maria, while adding indie rock influences that make the band stand out on their own. Add to that some great vocals and a vibe influenced by similar newer bands such as Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) or This Faint Line and I'm hooked. Don't be put off by the football terminology and sports themed song titles. This is a truly amazing album that fans of 90's emo need to hear. Great stuff. Enjoy!

Football, etc. on Facebook)

Purchase (USA):Count Your Lucky Stars
Purchase (Europe):Strictly No Capital Letters
Football Etc - The Draft (2011)

Hooded Menace/Ilsa Split 12" (2011)

Country: Finland/USA
Genre: Doom, Death Metal, Crust
Label: Contagion
Tracks: 2

A quick post here. I was floored to see this finally hit the web. This split 12" EP is an excellent pairing of like-minded death merchants, the mighty Hooded Menace from Finland and Ilsa from Washington DC deliver one putrid track apiece for this inspired split. Ilsa drummer Joshua Brettell contributes the artwork to compliment the sickness contained within the grooves. Great stuff. For Fans of Thou, Moloch, Altar Of Plagues, and Salvation. This is a little more death-metal leaning than my usual tastes, but overall an incredible record. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy really soon. Contagion is down to their last few remaining copies, so act fast if you want a physical lp. Enjoy, and try not to kill anyone or burn down any churches.

Hooded Menace on Bandcamp
ILSA on Reverbnation
Purchase:Contagion Releasing
Hooded Menace & Ilsa Split (2011)

La Casa Fantom - Selection By Elimination (2011)

Country: Norway

Genre: Hardcore, Crust.

Label: Fysisk Format Records
Tracks: 9
Lengh: 23'

Though Norway consists of 46,5% forest, it s not broadly reflected in its music scene almost every band comes from and refers to a world urban, modern world, the world of cement. Not so with La Casa Fantom! In a collective far out in the norwegian woods they live in homemade treehouses, grow their own food in the summer and excel between pine and fir trees. Now, once again, the calm of the woods has been disturbed. In their d.i.y. studio with their d.i.y. amplifiers they ve recorded their fourth album, Selection by Elimination. La Casa Fantom consists of Lars (drums, vocals and engineering) and Bard (bass, vocals and illustration) and for the past 11 years they ve been doing their own thing. As well as releasing 5 EP s and 3 LP s, they ve built their own studio and constructed their own amplifiers and effect pedals. Every now and then, they pack up their gear, carry it down a curvy path, put it into their loyal red Transit and leave for one of the extensive tours that bring them to the underground of Europe. By now, La Casa Fantom have performed over 350 gigs in 25 different countries, and they have no plans of giving up. Or of taking a shower... Selection by Elimination is the first record that isn t solely released on their own label Iskrem Records, but like earlier releases they re behind both recording and mixing. The mastering has been handled by Jack Control (World Burns To Death/Severed Head of State). In the course of the nine songs they move through a more hard hitting, minimalistic and unproduced sound than earlier. With a range of quick punk songs about dumpster diving, droney riff-monsters about being on a collision course with oneself, to simplistic metal inspired tracks about recycling the bible into something more useful. The calm of the forest remains a myth - La Casa Fantom see to that. They re like a lonely, fierce bear amidst a flock of sheep. Trees are uprooted and boulders fly!

La Casa Fantom Webpage
Purchase #1 #2 #3

• La Casa Fantom - Selection By Elimination (2011) (OGG Vorbis)
• La Casa Fantom - Selection By Elimination (2011) (MP3 320kbs)*

*Re-encoded from OGG Vorbis

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La Casa Fantom - FredlØs (2009)
La Casa Fantom - Ingen Ny Dag (2006)
La Casa Fantom - La Casa Fantom (2004)
La Casa Fantom - Serum (2001)