We Can Do Anything!

Ah, the sound of children's voices, so green, carefree, and heart-warming, especially when shouted over grinding fast hardcore punk!  It's thanks to another blog visitor that I was pointed in the direction of a record virtually unseen on these shores.  The "Making Children's Songs a Threat Again" comp might suggest a themed collection, and that is indeed the case.  The tracks, writings, and interview responses are all concerned with either growing up, or the ongoing conundrum punk/anti-authoritarian parents face as they struggle to reconcile their ideals with the choices they make for/with their children.  Some documentaries have been made on this subject, but the interviewees and bands on this one are not as mainstream as the ones in those flicks.  In addition to fantastic music and discussion, this comp was put together with that ingredient foodies love to allude to-- I'm talking about the "L" word here, people.  There's a hand-bound smaller booklet with lyrics, a comic book clipping, and even some handwritten messages.  The larger booklet is less involved, but nicely and simply laid-out, and contains interview responses from some members of contributing bands, members of other hardcore bands, and some label proprietors (Deep Six, Profane Existence...).  And, just look at the international line-up:

This is an incredible comp; something I seldom ever say.

Some other things you may want to know about it:

• It starts off with a long spoken word in French by the singer of 20 Minutes de Chaos.  But that is the only track of its kind.
• Yes, a couple of tracks do actually have band members' kids on vocals.
• Some European distros still have copies of this, such as here. This one is worth owning just for the packaging alone!
• Many of the tracks are exclusive to this record
•  There are some between-tracks sound bites and music; I often wasn't sure where to cut them off.  Sorry if I goofed.  However, this comp seems designed to be heard all the way through, no interruptions. 

"Making Children's Songs a Threat Again" LP (scans of all booklets included), (Guerrilla Shooting Records, 2005)

Recent Re-ups:
Servitude/Ebola split 7"
Servitude 7"
Multi-Facet/Sheephead split 7"
Token Tantrum 10"
Assassinators early EPs/Demo CD

Okay, next up, we return to the Swedish series...

Dude, Yer Gonna Need a Bigger Beer

I guess every compilation post should start with a disclaimer: the story is I heard about a band that featured members of Filth, Dystopia, and Fields of Shit.  They were called Abandon, and their only output were the five tracks on the "Letters from the Landfill" comp.  Abandon made music for the early days of summer-- a desperate outpouring of pent-up angst to be heard while sitting under that blazing yellow disk in the sky, fighting hopelessly to get through the haze .  Don't expect the sludgiest, crustiest thing to ever come out of the Bay Area; in fact I recommend that you to recalibrate before taking a listen.   These guys were more about ambiance driven by fairly lightly distorted guitar and syncopated drums, navigated by the unmistakable vocals of Mr. Jake Sayles.   As a  first release, I would have been all excited to hear what Abandon would do next, but we all know what happened (or didn't).  The rest of the comp has its moments.  The big moment for me was discovering This Is My Fist.  I'm not sure how I've avoided them for this long, but their abrasive, yet melodic punk tunes had me checking their discog page but quick.  From track to track, I detect a little bit of all those things I like in bands like Lost World, Preying Hands, Burning Kitchen, Zeitgeist... difficult to nail, but completely rad.  The other two bands have to catch me when I'm in the mood.  Shotwell and Peels each play their own kind of indie/punk/progressive rock that is silly, smart, and serious depending on which track or movement you're hearing. Good stuff; just now always my thing.

"Letters from the Landfill" Compilation (Left Off the Dial Records, 2003)

Shit, where does the time go?!  I think I finally found the motivation (and some records) to get this thing going again.  Meantime, keep the requests coming.

Re-ups:
Seven Foot Spleen
Spine Wrench- also... if you want free Spine Wrench vinyl, check out Mid's comment on this post and get in touch with him.
Multi-Facet/Sheephead Split

Les Voix du Silence

This French series is hereby bookended with this post of odds and ends held loosely together by hardcore innovators, Ivich, and the force that was their music. The first link you see below is for a compilation, and what a monstrosity it is! I won't lie to you; much of "An Insult to Our Freedom" sounds like ass. Between the low volume and the bad demo/live quality of many of the tracks, digital sound files are the way to go on this one (skipping around being so much easier). As with all comps, it is only as worthy as the line-up, and with bands like Disaffect, Unhinged, Disrupt, Agathocles, Battle of Disarm, Active Minds, and a slew of others, you can probably guess why I'm posting it. Ivich contribute a raw and loose rendition of "Si J' Etais Libre," which would later be re-recorded for their split with E-150.
In the other link, you'll find three little gems, not least of which is Ivich's only 7". The always fabulous Fab sent me these tracks a while back, but I decided to rip my copy which I hunted down recently. As an early offering, the band is a bit less melancholic, but the raw emotion that would come to fruition on their LP glimmers noticeably below the surface.
The "Autonomie Volume 1" comp. makes me wish more comps were like it. With only four bands and four tracks, there's no room for turds or boredom. Ivich once again bring us an early version, this time of "Les Voix du Silence" from their 10". Alcatraz is arguably the weakest band, but their meandering and plodding screamo is interesting enough, especially with the random trumpet flurries (something I would expect from Ivich, actually). Headway and Coche Bomba finish it off, the first with a slow take on the Bremen style, and the last with their characteristic Larm-influenced grind attack. A little variety never hurts.
Finally, and for the hell of it, I'm tacking on this Vanilla/El Vidal Sonido split 7". As some of you know, some Ivich personnel formed Vanilla, and if you've heard the Ivich 10" and early Vanilla recordings, the confluence is easy to recognize. "The Ink" is a mid-period track, not fast like the early material-- not as indie rock as the later stuff. It is anguished and atmospheric, so if that's your mood, Vanilla deliver. El Vidal Sonido is a different animal, and a mysterious one. Reading the insert I got the impression that they were a little pretentious, but the goods are delivered in the form of some very well done indie rock instrumentalism, so I forgive the posturing. Atmosphere is the key word again with these guys, the gloomy kind, so maybe they aren't so different from Vanilla after all.

All Ivich Records:
Here and here... "Insult to Our Freedom..." here

"An Insult to Our Freedom" Comp LP

The Ivich 7", "Autonomie Vol. 1" Comp, & the Vanilla split

Calling the Waffle House Home

Mr. Nuclearpowergrind requested anything by pre-Assfactor 4 bands Unherd and Tonka. Mike at Twisted Tracks stepped up and posted the Unherd LP, and after some searching, I managed to track down some odds and ends. We start with the Tonka 7", a collection of four high-energy, youthful tracks bathed in DC post-hardcore, but hung to dry in a more southern clime. The cover design indicates either the band's affinity for early Jawbreaker, or a mere coincidental resemblance to a certain album of theirs. Tonka wasn't as fast or hardcore as Assfactor, but they nailed this style damn well, as did Unherd.
Both bands contribute solid offerings on the "Stupid by the Grace of God" comp, which showcases four South Carolina bands. In addition to Tonka and Unherd, we're "treated" to some syrupy pop-punk by way of Toast, and a helping of "cereal-core" compliments of Bedlam Hour. I thought "Frankenberry Mosh" might be a silly fluke in their discography, but the photo on the back depicts one member wearing a Cheerios box on his head. Good thing this never became a trend.
Finally we arrive at another Unite and Fight Records release, the "Please Stop" comp., relevant here for its two solid Tonka tracks, and curious for its inclusion of Orange County peace punkers, Media Children! Demise play decent old-school hardcore, but I'm not too fond of Officer Friendly's track.

Get all three records HERE

Hardliners is Hippies

Yet another badass compilation, the Homeless Benefit comp EP is an amazing and aggro glimpse at the end of the nineties-- excellent intentions and voraciously violent music. Read the band list below to understand why I had to post this even though The Pope did the honors years ago, then go to his blog while you listen and read his dressing-down of Jeanxseberg's naive lyrics.

Homeless Benefit EP

Quinientos Años

I've been putting this off for too long. This is a repost of the "In the Spirit of Total Resistance" 2X7"-- one of my all time favorite comps. Seven bands assembled to attack Man's inhumanity and celebrate the 500 years of resistance enacted by indigenous peoples of the west, from Canada to Puerto Rico. The brutality is amply provided by Crudos, Huasipungo, Man is the Bastard and One by One, while Jonestown, Pollution Circus, and Dogfight inject a balancing dosage of eclecticism. In true repost fashion, the tracks have been re-ripped at 320, and photos of the entire layout and 60 page book have been made available.

The Comp

The Book

The Kaaos Continues

You may have to sublimate your hate for tribute records to enjoy this one. If you love Finnish hardcore, it shouldn't be hard. Some of that country's finest bands from the nineties and beyond cover one of its finest from the eighties (the one exception would be Portland, Oregon's Detestation... Doom was supposed to contribute but missed the deadlines). Many of the covers are fairly traditional, although each band leaves its indelible signature. The ones who really bring something new to the picture are Olotila, Silmäosasto, and Absurd Attitude, in most cases with pleasing results. Taken as a whole, this is a great listen and a worthy tribute. There is a rare 3 X7" version out there too, if anyone has info on that.

"The Tribute to Kaaos- The Chaos Continues" 2X7" comp. (The End Records, Finland)

Vacation has officially begun! Expect a higher frequency of postings...

400DayHeadache

We're gonna slow things down a little, add a pinch of dissonance, and coat them with a nice glaze of melody for easy ingestion. "400 Day Headache" spins like a good Allied Records comp from the mid nineties, but this one was put out by an operation called Unite and Fight Records. The cover above has a few very recognizable names, but a few that are less so offer some pretty impressive contributions as well. A very nice listen that brings back angst-y coming of age memories-- as does the suggested retail price. Four bucks in 1993 got you an LP shipped to your doorstep, and the label was still able to send fifty cents of the proceeds to The Rainforest Action Network. Bygone as those days seem, at least these days you can get a free simulation of the real thing beamed right to you...

"400 Day Headache" LP

Unforeseen Disasters

Another exhumed time capsule of the nineties, the "Unforeseen Disasters" comp offers an almost complete sampling of what was going on in that decade. Specifically, this one was planted in the loamy catacombs of The South, even more specifically, Georgia and the Carolinas. Of greatest interest for me is what I believe to be an exclusive track from Damad, which represents one of their earliest vinyl outings (along with the In/Humanity split). The same can be said for Initial State's "Die Silent," but that track also appears on a No Idea comp and on the band's own LP. In/Humanity, Quadiliacha, Blownapart Bastards, and El Toro each bring an eclectic tidbit to the gathering, making this shindig short, but hotter than Georgia asphalt.

"Unforeseen Disasters" (Passive Fist Records, 1994)

Uña de Gato...

Spring cleaning and some recent landscaping endeavors have rekindled a tight bond I once held with compilations. Cuing a few of them up while knocking out some grueling task just seems to work: fade in when the winners come on-- fade out during the duds. And so we arrive at another compilation week, but one that I hope will rejuvenate interest in a format tarnished by saturation and mediocrity. I can try at least. The best way to start is with "Uña de Gato- Cuerno de Vaca," a rare 2X7" of heavy bands Tee Pee Records put out 15 years ago. There are many reasons to start here, one is that a nice commenter requested it, but you may be more interested in reasons like El Dopa, Corrupted, Logical Nonsense, and Cattle Press. Some of the other bands are interesting too, but with a line up like this, they become an after-thought.

"Uña de Gato..."

On a side note, the same commenter who was looking for this was looking for other Cattle Press and IaborHer rarities. Justin at Mustard Relics tracked down a couple.

Another Day In The Void

You knew Grievance would have to make another appearance here, didn't you? Before throwing this one against the wall to see if it sticks, I recommend sampling the previous 7" posted below. The 7" at hand today, which I'm calling "Un Altro Giorno" after the first track, is a bit flawed. Let's begin with the positive-- the songwriting is amazing! The guitars are even more dissonant than their other material, and while the tempos aren't as varied and oddly placed, the riffs perform some pretty impressive time signature gymnasticism. Where this little record falls short is in the weak production (specifically on the drums), and in the absence of the usual vocalist. But seriously, the music destroys.

Whenever I can I like to add a little bonus track. The "Resistance Is futile... Assimilate" comp has another outstanding Grievance offering (with the other vocalist!). It reverts back to their other 7" with its whacked-out tempo progressions and emotive build-up. I was going to just add this track, but I figured you might also like the other material from Konstrukt, Stalingrad, and No Comply (they do a Spazz cover with pretty much a drum machine and bass!).

Grievance "Un Altro Giorno" and "Resistance Is Futile" Comp.

Phoque Aime All

I was on a whole French '90's hardcore kick, then it was brought to my attention that the "Le Garage" comp link was not working... perfect time for a French double (re)post. Sea Shepherd's vocals remind me a bit of Ivich and Vanilla, but musically we're looking at more straight forward and fast hardcore. In fact, until you see the layout of the booklet, there's not much more to connect these guys to the emotive cadre encircling their particular time and place (other than maybe the dolphin (?) voices between tracks). Rough and fast one moment, a bit groovy the next. Very cool band that probably only released comp tracks in addition to these six (hopefully I'm wrong and some nice commenter can help out). Speaking of comps...


... I posted this "Le Garage" comp what seems like years ago. It was pretty important to me back in the day as it had very early tracks from Finger Print and Ivich, who became favorites and continue to be such. There's also an early version of a Sea Shepherd track that's on the 7", a rager from Abolition, and 2 tracks from Human Alert that leave me a bit ambivalent. If you're a Finger Print fan and haven't heard "Docility," you may be in for a bit of a surprise.

The Sea Shepherd 7"

 "Le Garage 7" (re-ripped @ 320) HERE

A Punx Picnic On Industrie Strasse

This week has been a real pirate whore. Next week and this weekend, I'll shoot for diligence, but no guarantees there. After such a shit week, it's time for a couple of fun comps. Shit, the "Industrie Str. 23 96-97" comp has an exclusive Quarantine track, for fucksake! Throw in a possibly exclusive La Fraction number and a bunch of other nice Euro punk/crust/grind of the late nineties, and you have instant party! Lots of variety; seldom a dull moment...

"Industrie Str. 23" Comp.

And, I need your help with this one. Below is a silly 7" comp from a festival in Biel showcasing a cover song contest. I picked it up because of Lost and Skew Whiff, but my brain isn't working right this week. Do you recognize any of these covers?

"Schrott Bar" Comp

The Pimp Of Satan II

Satan's Pimp Records was the label equivalent of that kid at your school who liked to torch crickets with a maginifying glass. Case in point:













And why not?-- included below is a lesser Satan's Pimp comp, but it's got Gob and Noothgrush on it, which makes it automatically post-worthy.





D/L "Accidental Double Homicide" & "Accidental Decapitation Through Masturbation!"

God's Chosen People

Would anyone else like to join Strangeranger and me on a pensive amble down memory lane? My musical diet of the 1990's consisted of a weird Smörgåsbord of bay area pop punk, European crust, US powerviolence, and whacked out, screamy DIY bands like the ones on the "God's Chosen People" comp. In fact, "G'sCP" was one of the earliest bits of exposure I had to the avant nuttiness of the whole HeartattaCk-Old Glory-Gravity situation. I still love half the bands on this thing, and lucky for me, they're mainly the bands whose tracks were collected later in some form or another. Yep... lots of memories, and the love and abuse I've given to this comp over the years is evident in the condition of the vinyl. I cheated a little on a couple of tracks and just ripped them from discography CD's; but the whole imbroglio of naked, flailing bodies and disenfranchised, idealistic minds is still here, both in the tunes and within the pages of the stunning booklet.

Here

Bands & Tracks:

A Hardcore Mess

I picked up the "Japankore Omnibus Vol. 2" one-sided 12" comp mainly for the Sink track. But that's not the only reason I keep playing it. The Japankore imprint was the brainchild of Japanophile, Brian (of Drop Dead). For this installment, he had The Gaia assemble seven all-female bands from Japan (including themselves), and then tacked on a mix-gender upstart band called Melt Banana. Maybe you've heard of them. The result is quite a wonderful little mess.

Orfee, of Cephalochromoscope, was gracious enough to offer his scanning craftsmanship for the graphics. Some tech issues prevented him from re-ripping his copy, so I did my best to handle the audio. Thanks, brooooo! Be sure to go over to Cephscope and say Hi and download the Senseless Apocalypse CD.

The Omnibus

The Bands:

La Lucha Sigue

The "Zapata Vive - La Lucha Sigue" comp LP was a massive gem that got a lot of spin-time on my turntable in the mid to late '90's. Scan the track list, and you'll see a pretty impressive "who's who" period-piece of European crust and grindcore. The stand-outs for me are probably the tracks by Day By Day and Quarantine, as well as the live classics like "Up The Punks" and "Way Of Doom" (a duet with the Fleas and Lice singer!). "Reality," by Unhinged, would be a highlight if I wasn't already intimately familiar with it from "Win Our Freedom In Fire." There's tons more violent noise to be had, as well as an enormous book(let) dealing with the Zapatista movement which was all the rage at the time.


Bands & Tracks:







Listen

Read

Little Big City Of Dead Dreams

This one goes out to The Pope for posting all the awesome Vae Victis (Reno) records. I've had them on vinyl for a while, and I've got to say that as a fan of dark hardcore this band ranks way up there! Here's the final, vinyl piece of their discography, the "Reno (Where Dreams Come To Die)" LP compilation. 10 Reno acts gather here, ranging in style from old school hardcore, to grindcore, death metal, emotive DC rock, and pirate punk! Of course, Vae Victis show up for two total ass-rapers, and there's another double appearance by that Merck Manuel of hardcore and grind, Iron Lung. Those two bands are definitely the highlights, but Redrum and Headgrenade come out of this as favorites too. Check it out.

Here.

The bands: Redrum, Headgrenade, Vae Victis, This Computer Kills, The Livid, The Shookups, Bloody Victim, Iron Lung, All Opposed To The Freedom You Have To Buy, The Scurvy Bastards.

Sign Language

I've got another artifact here from the time when extreme idealism was prerequisite for starting a hardcore band or label. "Sign Language" was a triple 7" box set compilation Allied Recordings put out in the early '90's. According to his blurb, Yates liked the result but hated the process of assembling this thing. Like many contemporaneous comps, it includes a ton of graphics and writing, and fairly diverse selection of music (for similar comps, go here and here). Most of the standout bands' material would be compiled elsewhere in later years, but this is a pretty awesome line-up in an equally awesome package. (Note: the records were mastered at a really low volume, so you'll have to crank up your stereo for this one).

Bands & Tracks:
1. Scarecrow- "Walls Of Vacaville"
2. Sawhorse- "Twice Removed"
3. Seein' Red- "Man-Trap"
4. Political Asylum- "Sentenced"
5. Spitboy- "Motivated By Fear"
6. 411- "Life Minus Me"
7. Christ On A Crutch- "Fish People"
8. Suckerpunch- "Pain Never Dies"
9. The Fixtures- "Support The Troops?"
10. Sleep- "Numb"
11. Econochrist- "18 And Free"
12. Jawbox- "Dreamless"

Sign Language

Gutter Songs For The Godless

I'm in a compilations-that-don't-blow kind of mood, so I've got a couple of good ones today. The bands mainly fall into the new old school category in case that's your thing. The connection between the two comps is the appearance of one of my faves, Out Cold, although both tracks posted here are NOT exclusives. The first, "Bands That Don't Give A Shit About Being God," was pretty limited, but still might be in print. I don't know, so check with the label. In addition to Out Cold, it showcases some of best Massachusetts has to offer, including another favorite, The Conversions. The rest of the bands kick ass as well, and range from old school hardcore, to poppy punk. All of 'em are good.

Tracks & Bands:

1. Out Cold- "Doomsday Guy"
2. Violent Nuns- "The CIA Is After Me"
3. Sgt. Slaughter- "Wildman"
4. Social Circkle"- Private World"
5. Witches With Dicks" - It's Not You, It's Me"
6. The Conversions- "Chosen Few"


Keep scrolling for D/L link

In the folder below you'll also find this impressive, slightly older comp put out by Kangaroo Records, "Songs From The Gutter." Once again there's an Out Cold track that appears on one of their albums, but it's one of my favorites, so you won't hear me complain. Other bands that may perk up your antennae would be Brother Inferior, Final Conflict, and Seein' Red. The other bands compliment the awesomeness nicely.

Tracks & Bands:

1. Brother Inferior- "Collective Conscience"

2. Out Cold- "No Solution"

3. Yawp!- Inhuman Attrocity"

4. Brezhnev- "District 72"

5. Final Conflict- "Abort"

6. Boils- "Anthem 4 This Generation"

7. Seein' Red- "Dream"

Both Comps Are Here