Blodet "Death Mother"

LP - $17.90 / CD - $9.60
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: CRR211
LABEL: Church Road

Blodet is a powerful and evocative musical force hailing from the depths of Sweden. With their unique blend of haunting melodies, raw emotion, and up tempo, the band has carved out a distinct space for themselves. Composed of talented musicians with a shared passion for pushing boundaries, Blodet's sound embraces the darkness and light that coexist within the human experience.

The band's latest offering, 'Death Mother,' is set to be released on the 29th of September via Church Road Records. With this highly anticipated album, Blodet delivers an audacious exploration of life, death, and everything in between. The captivating title 'Death Mother' hints at the paradoxical nature of existence, where birth and demise intertwine, giving rise to new beginnings even amidst the shadows.

Drawing inspiration from diverse musical landscapes, Blodet's music has been likened to the haunting intensity of Swans and the experimental energy of Sonic Youth. They skillfully blend elements of post-punk, noise rock, similar to bands such as Chelsea Wolfe and Cult of Luna, creating an alluring tapestry of sound that captivates listeners and draws them into a mesmerizing sonic journey.

Blodet's poetic and thought-provoking lyrics delve deep into the complexities of the human psyche, exploring themes of loss, love, existentialism, and the darker corners of the human soul. Their music possesses a cathartic quality that allows listeners to confront their own emotions and connect with the shared human experience.

As they unleash 'Death Mother' upon the world, Blodet solidifies their position as a significant force in the contemporary alternative music landscape. With their soul-stirring compositions and uncompromising vision, the band continues to push boundaries, forging a path entirely their own.

Stay tuned for the release of 'Death Mother' on the 29th of September via Church Road Records, as Blodet invites you to embark on a transformative musical journey that will linger in your mind long after the last notes have faded.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Death Mother
2. The Hour
3. Lead Me Home
4. Without/Within
5. 93-22

FOR FANS OF:
Chelsea Wolfe, Swans, Cult of Luna

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Heavy Discipline "Your Scapegoat"

LP - $13.35
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: PKR-084
LABEL: Painkiller

Pittsburgh's Heavy Discipline return with another slab of X-Claim!-indebted hardcore punk for hardcore punks. The band's songs remain committed to the economy and directness of their previous work, but some of the scrappiness of that material has been exchanged for a more muscular attack. It's a heavier discipline but, it's still unquestionably the Heavy Discipline we've come to know. 7 songs on a 12".

TRACK LISTING:

1. Intro/Rock
2. Loud And Proud
3. Farce
4. Genius Of Love
5. Lost
6. Your Fault
7. Fit The Mold

FOR FANS OF:
SSDecontrol, DYS, No Time, Meat House

Strange Joy "5 Tracks"

12"EP - $15.30
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: SDR-093
LABEL: Sunday Drive

While titled, "5 Tracks", the debut EP from Houston's hardcore band, Strange Joy deals with many emotions and themes throughout the span of 11 minutes--struggle, betrayal, a search for purpose, and most notably, new love. While the constant struggle exists in these hardcore songs, Strange Joy do not stray away from the sense of love and hope--" under all the trees and my heart's in tune". Strange Joy portrays all of this in a unique way; played fast and angrily, but with a sense of melody from the likes of Seaweed or Sugar. This EP will remain a staple in the bands' discography as they gear up for new music.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Leaves
2. Lung
3. Deny You
4. Tarantula
5. Black Hole Love

MARKETING POINTS:

• Available for the first time on vinyl

FOR FANS OF:
Seaweed, Title Fight, Fiddlehead

Instagram

GRAILS “BUrden Of Hope”

LP - $15.95
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: NR029
LABEL: Neurot

GRAILS don't mince words. Awesomely communicative but entirely instrumental, this dynamic band's violin, guitars, piano, and drums collide with sober melodies and massive emotion. At alternate moments, Grails can sound vaguely classical, Eastern European, Irish, like the lost tapes of Pauline Oliveros, and, you know, rock. They're not really like anything else on the Neurot roster, but they've got something in common with all the Neurot bands: a commitment to intense music that forges new paths and, yeah, communicates in the most real way possible.

Grails have their fair share of ambient noise - shivery violins, a trickle of a high-hat, the amplified scrape of a guitar string - but their music is based on strong, narrative melodies that resonate in the heart. At times it sounds delicate, but they never cower; Grails ROAR, even when they're being quiet.

The Burden of Hope is the debut LP, following a pair of self-released, eponymous ep's in 2000 and 2002. The LP is the culmination of a year's worth of recordings, including a reinterpretation of Sun City Girls' classic "Space Prophet Dogon."

Grails are gathered in Portland, Oregon from Baltimore, Little Rock, Louisville, Chapel Hill, and Reno. As an ensemble, their respective backgrounds in hardcore, classical, folk, and rock blend seamlessly. Formed in late 2000 to execute live the bedroom recordings of guitarist Alex Hall, the once-tentatively-assembled group found unexpected success with both audiences and local press. Originally formed under the moniker Laurel Canyon, the name of the group was changed to Grails to coincide with the release of The Burden of Hope in October, 2003.

TRACK LISTING:

1. The Burden Of Hope
2. Lord I Hate Your Day
3. The Deed
4. In The Beginning
5. Invocation
6. Space Prophet Dogon
7. The March
8. Broken Ballad
9. White Flag
10. Canyon Hymn

MARKETING POINTS:

• 20th anniversary of the original release

FOR FANS OF:
Wovenhand, Dirty Three, Mogwai, Rachel's

Instagram | Facebook

Values Here "Take Your Time, I'll Be Waiting"

LP - $16.60
LP UPC: 4059251593584
STREET DATE: 9/22/23
CAT#: EH093
LABEL: End Hits

Values Here is a new band formed by vocalist Chui and legendary guitarist John Porcelly (Youth Of Today, Shelter, Judge).

Values Here has been a long time in the making, with Chui and Porcell first meeting years ago at a Shelter show in Chui's hometown of Barcelona, Spain. A somewhat-joking conversation of the two forming a band ensued and Chui continued to follow-up with Porcell on social media until one day during the pandemic, he decided to send her some unused demos and she came back the next day with "Will Be Tomorrow," complete with several vocal tracks and harmonies. From there the pair spent a year writing songs and narrowed it down to what would eventually become the thirteen tracks on Take Your Time, I'll Be Waiting. The album itself is optimistic and hopeful, keeping forth a positive mental attitude mindset. There are tracks with straight up classic New York Hardcore influence like the aptly titled "Bring Me The PMA" and ones that venture into pop rock territory such as "We Get Stronger." With production by Tom Soares (Judge, Shelter) and mastering by Dave Kutch (Billie Eilish, The Weeknd), the band were able to create a dynamic sound with songs that would fit on the radio as much as they would connect to jumping around in a mosh pit.

Speaking on the sonic direction, Porcell states:

"Personally I always like to push the envelope with every band and record I do. I never just want to live off of past accomplishments and recreate a sound I did with previous bands just because I know it will be immediately accepted. I'd rather push forward and always challenge myself to make newer and more interesting music. I knew Chui was an amazing singer so I wanted to write songs that would showcase her voice and harmonies. I'm a punk rocker at heart so I'll always make music that's energetic and rallies around a message, but for this record I wanted to go further into the melodic side of things."

One things for certain, Values Here are creating anthemic, energetic songs to shout and dance along with, leaning into the positive, optimistic perspective that gave hardcore punk a sense of community and connectivity in the first place.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Will Be Tomorrow
2. Bring Me The PMA
3. Feeling Down
4. Do You Know Why
5. It's Your Business Not Mine
6. We Get Stronger
7. Don't Dig it Up
8. Earthlings
9. Lift Your Head
10. I Will Forget
11. Victory
12. No One's Left Behind
13. Last Forever

MARKETING POINTS:

• Founded by legendary guitarist John Porcelly (Youth Of Today, Shelter, Judge)
• Produced by Tom Soares (Shelter, Judge, Cro Mags)
• Studio drums Dave DiCenso (CroMags, Shelter)
• Mastered by Dave Kutch ( Billie Eilish, Blink-182, P!nk, Lana Del Rey)

FOR FANS OF:
Youth of Today, Shelter, H20

Mad Honey "Satellite Aphrodite"

LP - $17.25 / CD - $8.00 / CASSETTE - $8.00
LP UPC: 791689665634
CD UPC: 791689665641
CASSETTE: 791689665658
STREET DATE: 9/22/23
CAT#: DW247
LABEL: Deathwish Inc. / Sunday Drive

Mad Honey are a dream-pop band from Oklahoma City, OK.

"Satellite Aphrodite" is the debut album from Mad Honey. The exciting first chapter of a band destined to be part of the modern indie-rock lexicon for years to come.

As opener "Tuff's Last Stand" emerges, we are transported into Mad Honey's lush world of musical melancholy. This leads to the hazy and hook laden "Heavier Still", "Fold", and "Larkspur". Unforgettable songs that showcase a sophistication deep within Mad Honey's multi-layered approach. At the midpoint where many albums meander, "Satellite Aphrodite" continues to ascend. "Eileen", "E.T.Y.N", "R U Feeling It", and "Psycho" all shimmer and sway with punk heart and pop sensibility unlike anything else out there today. The acoustic heavy "Kamakura" then playfully brings us to "Concentration" and poignant title track. Two infectious songs that show Mad Honey discovering their own youthful creative magic in real time.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Tuff's Last Stand
2. Heavier Still
3. Fold
4. Larkspur
5. Eileen
6. E.T.Y.N
7. r u feeling it?
8. Psycho
9. 鎌倉市 (Kamakura)
10. Concentration

MARKETING POINTS:

• Deathwish debut album
• Mixed and mastered by Corey Coffman (Gleemer, Modern Color)
• Full-service PR by Stephanie Marlow (Deafheaven, Converge, Touché Amoré)

FOR FANS OF:
My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Mazzy Star

Instagram

Sore Dream and Hisham Akira Bharoocha "Sore Dream and Hisham Akira Bharoocha"

LP - $17.25
STREET DATE: 9/22/23
CAT#: CLCR113
LABEL: Closed Casket Activities

We rebuild through deconstruction. By taking apart pre-existing systems, we assemble a framework for the future from the wreckage. Sore Dream - which features Dylan Walker and Spencer Hazard of Full of Hell -- cobble together elements of noise, electronic, and industrial into a dark, dynamic, and dangerous vision. Joined by drummer Hisham Akira Bharoocha in 2023, this clash of elements yields a sonic exorcism of cinematic proportions. Now, the union of Sore Dream x Hisham Akira Bharoocha seethes with venom and catharsis in equal measure on their self-titled collaborative LP for Closed Casket Activities.

"This record represents the spirit of collaboration and the organic blending of two musical projects into one hybrid piece of music," notes Dylan. "It's meant to be transportive and meditative. When you listen to the tracks, we'd like you to visualize a world being torn apart from the inside, the frailty of our planet, and the cruelty of our own hands."

"If this could be a transportation device to a certain degree, that would be awesome," agrees Hisham. "This is a collection of all the physical energy we put into the sounds, and we creatively meet in the middle to find a way to explode off of each other. It sounds like we are playing volleyball with the sun as our bodies sizzle when it hits us."

Sore Dream initially came together in 2020 as an ambient electronic outlet for Dylan and Spencer. Of course, the co-founders shared a deep chemistry from Full of Hell, yet they stretched it into new territory on prior Sore Dream releases Gears Clogged with Blood An Honey[2021] and Teas of a Blistered World [2022]. Along the way, they met Hisham "at some gig in Brooklyn a few years back." Renowned for a myriad of musical and artist projects (from Soft Circle to Kill Alters), he instantly identified a kinship with Spencer and Dylan. Forging a friendship out of mutual respect, recording together proved to be a natural next step. By joining forces, Sore Dream added another dimension to the music with Hisham behind the drum kit. Working with co-producer Seth Manchester at Machines With Magnets in Providence, RI, they shocked this body of work to life.

"Since we never had actual percussion in the past, Hisham added a new color to the project and made it a whole different experience for us," notes Dylan. "He provided everything we ever could've wanted. The three of us were really open-minded. It was pretty effortless." "I knew there would be some processing on the drums, so I wanted to create parts they could mess up, chop, and loop if needed," Hisham continues. "Our tastes aligned, and it was really fun and gratifying."

Cover artwork by Johnny Brokenbrow visually translates this aural Sturm und Drang. "Johnny painted the three of us on the cover," Dylan goes on. "He actually based it on a lot of English folk art, and it encapsulates the energy and the mood. The color is a really important aspect. It's a different direction for us."

In the end, Dylan, Spencer, and Hisham have not only built an immersive album; they've also built a partnership meant to last. "Everything for this record fell into place as if it was meant to be," Dylan leaves off. "We were able to create a fluid album that bridges the gap between eras of Sore Dream alongside our brother Hisham in a way that we could not have done without him."

TRACK LISTING:

1. Blown Optics
2. For a Colony of Mollusks
3. Flames of Ruin
4. Cordyceps
5. Microoganic Genocide
6. Crystal Downpour
7. Earthy Inocybe
8. Spores in Lungs

MARKETING POINTS:

• Featuring members of Full of Hell
• Vinyl limited to 300 copies

FOR FANS OF:
Sightless Pit, The Body, Khanate

Converge “No Heroes”

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 791689665528
STREET DATE: 9/22/23
CAT#: DW57
LABEL: Deathwish Inc.

Engineered by Kurt Ballou at the band's longtime studio/practice spot God City, "No Heroes" shows the band exploring new sonic textures while still retaining the palpable energy they've become known for. While the album blazes out of the gate with the aptly titled "Heartache," songs like "Orphaned" and the intense "Plagues" prove that breakneck speed and heaviness aren't necessarily interrelated, and when Converge lower the tempo, they're able to effortlessly transcend traditional notions of heaviness. Devotees of "Jane Doe" will also be blown away by epic tracks like the nine-minute "Grim Heart/Black Rose," a doom masterpiece which features guest vocals from Only Living Witness' Jonah Jenkins. From Bannon's captivating artwork and introspective lyrics to Ballou's masterful production techniques, Converge's artistic vision has always separated the band from their peers, and "No Heroes" is no exception. Simply a great album.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Heartache
2. Hellbound
3. Sacrifice
4. Vengeance
5. Weight Of The World
6. No Heroes
7. Plagues
8. Grime Heart / Black Rose
9. Orphaned
10. Lonewolves
11. Versus
12. Trophy Scars
13. Bare My Teeth
14. To The Lions

MARKETING POINTS:

• Available again on color vinyl
• Features guest vocals from Only Living Witness' Jonah Jenkins
• Recorded & Mixed by Kurt Ballou
• Artwork & Design by J. Bannon

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Vermin Womb "Retaliation"

LP - $17.25 / CD - $7.00
STREET DATE: 9/22/23
CAT#: CLCR110
LABEL: Closed Casket Activities

The sophomore release from Denver, CO Grind trio, Vermin Womb. Produced and Engineered by Andrew Nelson of Bricktop Recording Studio

TRACK LISTING:

1. Crumbling World Without Joy
2. Rot In Hell
3. Denvoid
4. It Takes All Types
5. Said What I Said (Grave Pissing)
6. Boiled World
7. Art Districts Without Artists
8. Not One Regular Person Has Been Unharmed & No One is Innocent
9. Real Trauma (Bomb First)
10. Ambulance
11. Gamnique (Cold World)
12. Sad Clown (My Spiritually Rotten Second Reply)

MARKETING POINTS:

• As seen on tour with Full of Hell, Blood Incantation

FOR FANS OF:
Full of Hell, Pissgrave and Primitive Man

Rebuilder "Local Support"

LP - $14.00 / CD - $8.75
LP UPC: 724399772354
CD UPC: 724399772361
STREET DATE: 9/15/23
CAT#: IOD-49
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

"Local Support" is the sophomore full length effort from Boston's Rebuilder. The self proclaimed gnarly-punk band from Boston has piled into their van, and brought their brand of never-say-die Rock & Roll to the people. "Local Support" highlights the band's dedication to the local scene and being an important part of the music community. These eleven melodic punk anthems capture raw energy and passion with fist pumping sing alongs. Rebuilder's earnest lyrics cover everything from the importance of friendships to the dark state of the world and surviving the low points in life. "Local Support" is both sincere and enigmatic, bringing back memories of youthful nights singing along with our favorite bands when nothing else mattered more.

Tireless travel up and down both coasts, throughout the Midwest, and even crossing the occasional boarder into Canada and Mexico, Rebuilder has put the pedal through the floor since their inception. They have shared the stage with Dropkick Murphys, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Bad Religion, A Wilhelm Scream,, and NOFX. Produced by Jay Maas (Defeater, Bane, Title Fight), "Local Support" offers something for everyone. Iodine Recordings is presenting this LP on three limited color variants!

TRACK LISTING:

1. Hanging on The Telephone Pt. II
2. Hold On
3. Another Round
4. Wedding Day
5. What Happened to Me?
6. Stayin' Alive
7. Look Down Club
8. One Hundred Days
9. Malcolm, Go
10. Brokedowns
11. Disco Loadout

MARKETING POINTS:

• First vinyl release from Boston's new melodic punk band.
• Recent shows and tours supporting: Dropkick Murphys, A Wilhelm Scream, No Trigger, Bad Religion, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Pennywise, NOFX, and more.
• Upcoming tour dates with Frank Turner.
• Performing at The Fest in Florida and RPM Festival in Massachusetts.
• Produced by Jay Maas (Bane, Defeater, Title Fight)

FOR FANS OF:
The Get Up Kids, Piebald, No Trigger, A Wilhelm Scream, Samiam

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Glassing "Twin Dream"

LP - $17.25 / CD - $7.50
STREET DATE: 9/15/23
CAT#: BPR-74
LABEL: Brutal Panda

Twin Dream, the third full-length offering from Austin, TX multidimensional trio GLASSING, is a sonic mirror of our era and nothing short of immense. Ranging from grim to hopeful to destructive to cathartic, oftentimes all within a single song, GLASSING channel multifarious energies that delve deep into the Underland while simultaneously exploring the celestial. Elements of post-hardcore, black metal, noise rock, ambient, shoegaze, and doom swirl together to create a rich palette of mood and textures across 11 tracks that ruminate on splintered realities, altered consciousness, and esoteric philosophy.

Twin Dream was recorded with Andrew Hernandez (This Will Destroy You, Balmorhea, The Sword, Mammoth Grinder) in a remote Texas studio replete with crumbling infrastructure and the ghosts of country troubadours echoing amongst the walls. While the world burned on the outside, the music took on an entirely new meaning and those that survived the nightmare were left with a newfound sense of hope amongst the bleak reality. Twin Dream is the archetypal soundtrack to these end of times.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Spire
2. Burden
3. Absolute Virtue
4. Faint
5. Twin Dream
6. Godless Night
7. Doppler
8. Among The Stars
9. Where Everything Is Still
10. True North
11. At Long Last

MARKETING POINTS:

• Headlining US Tour August 23rd - September 9th
• New album coming in 2024
• Nominated for Best Metal Band / Album of the Year in 2021 at annual Austin Music Awards
• "The music that Glassing makes can best be described as a beautifully cathartic apocalypse." - Treble Zine

FOR FANS OF:
Deafheaven, Russian Circles, Liturgy, Pg. 99, Holy Fawn, Portrayal of Guilt, Chat Pile, Jerome's Dream, KEN Mode, birds in row

Instagram | Facebook | Official Site

Squint "Feel It All Wash Away"

LP - $16.60
STREET DATE: 9/15/23
CAT#: SDR-098
LABEL: Sunday Drive

Formed in the spring of 2022, Squint turned eyes to the St. Louis, MO hardcore scene with their EP, "Feel It" as an introduction. Now in the summer of 2023, the band has a new single, with the recently released EP, "Wash Away" and is getting ready for tour. Up until now, the bands' discography has only been available on limited cassettes--they are now compiled and available for 12" vinyl on the cleverly titled release, "Feel It All Wash Away". Featuring new artwork from longtime collaborator, Bastian Najdek.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Squintro
2. Ghost
3. Dealer Wins
4. Homesick
5. Mantra
6. Pig Pen
7. Seeds
8. Circles
9. Treading Water

MARKETING POINTS:

• On tour w/ Sign Language August 9th - 13th

FOR FANS OF:
Archers of Loaf, Seaweed, Drug Church

Instagram

All Under Heaven + Leaving Time + Glare "Split"

7"EP - $8.00
STREET DATE: 9/15/23
CAT#: SDR-089
LABEL: Sunday Drive

While there has been no shortage of modern-age, shoegaze-inspired alternative-rock, All Under Heaven, Leaving Time and Glare have seemed to differentiate themselves in a heavy-wave. Spanning from New Jersey to Florida and Texas, each band adds their own spin on the sound. On this three-way split, All Under Heaven leads with a jangly guitar, with Defabritus' distinctive, lingering vocals on 'Show You My Pain', which slowly flows into 'Head Down'. Leaving Time bring a punch of heaviness in the middle of the split, with their ringing guitar leads and post-hardcore inspired sound. Finally, on 'Sunny', Glare sound as bright as ever, with a careful blend of Smashing Pumpkins and Lush inspired swirling guitars and vocals. This first 3-way split on Sunday Drive Records captures the current sound of shoegaze/alternative-rock in 2022--All Under Heaven, Leaving Time and Glare continue to evolve in this space and build interest of what's next.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Show You My Pain
2. Head Down
3. Sunny

MARKETING POINTS:

• Available for the first time on vinyl

FOR FANS OF:
Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive

Great Falls "Objects Without Pain"

CD - $10.70
CD UPC: 795154140121
STREET DATE: 9/15/23
CAT#: NR125
LABEL: Neurot Recordings

Read any article or comment thread about the Seattle noise-rock outfit GREAT FALLS and you're likely to see descriptors like cathartic, heavy, crushing, and unhinged. Maybe even psychotic. And sure, those are all apt: For over a decade, vocalist/guitarist Demian Johnston and bassist Shane Mehling (who also played together in the early-2000s noisecore band PLAYING ENEMY and the experimental duo HEMINGWAY) have honed their sludgy, overwhelmingly intense brand of heaviness, punctuated by delectably discordant riffs, terrifyingly low, thwacking bass lines, and mesmerizingly tight percussion. In the live setting, too, they're notorious for a stage presence that is so aggressively confrontational and menacing that Mehling once broke his own arm mid-set.

But the most striking aspect of GREAT FALLS, setting them apart from the murky sea of sludge metal and AmRep-inspired noise-rock bands, is their ability to paint a deeply, utterly human story through an all-out assault on the senses: an art the band has perfected on their fourth full-length album OBJECTS WITHOUTPAIN, out September 15 via NEUROT RECORDINGS. The album is not only their NEUROT debut, but also the first LP featuring drummer Nickolis Parks (GAYTHEIST, BASTARD FEAST), who joined the band prior to the release of their exhilarating, cacophonous 2023 EP,FUNNY WHAT SURVIVES.

OBJECTS WITHOUT PAIN takes us on a bleak, purgative journey through a separation--a snapshot of the turmoil and indecision that occurs after the initial realization of someone's misery, and before the ultimate decision to end a decades-long partnership. From the foreboding intro riffs of "DRAGGED HOME ALIVE" to the end of the 13-minute closer "THROWN AGAINST THE WAVES," its eight tracks explore the thoughts that come up when a person is staring down the barrel of blowing up their life: How did this happen? Is it too late for a new life? Will the kid be OK? What will make me happier: familiar torment or unknown freedom?

On "TRAP FEEDING," we see the main character indulging in "dreams of alone" by scrolling apartment listing sin secret. "Alone" is exciting in theory: He can be free to be himself in a new space, finding solace in records, comic books, and video games. But when faced with the reality of filling out forms and credit checks, "alone"shapeshifts into a terrifying concept signaling imminent heartache and unendurable loneliness. He finds himself paralyzed, unable to stomach the decision. "OLD WORDS WORN THIN" considers the logistics of how a move would play out, how they would divide their belongings, what memories each object would trigger. Who gets the records? Who gets the friends, for that matter? In a rare moment of comic relief amid the emotional turmoil and discordant riffs, Johnston screams, "I know I did not make the cut / but I can drive the truck. "The tale ends with the 13-minute existential pulverizer "THROWN AGAINST THE WAVES." While the other songs mostly explore the impending turmoil of a future separation, the closer looks back on the destruction after the split of two people who became "sad shelters" to one another rather than loving partners. In a particularly dramatic moment, there's a returns to the former home one last time: "I slide the key under the door / I don't want the weight," Johnston shrieks in anguish, anxiously underscored by Mehling's frenzie drumbling and Parks' intuitively precise pummeling. Suddenly, everything goes silent for a few seconds, allowing time to process before launching into an agonizing rollercoaster of palpable grief and release. The song brings the album to a close with an emotionally crushing barrage of riffs--giving a glimpse of what the trio is capable of in the live setting

TRACK LISTING:

1. Dragged Home Alive
2. Trap Feeding
3. Born As An Argument
4. Old Words Worn Thin
5. Spill Into The Aisle
6. Ceilings Inch Closer
7. The Starveling
8. Thrown Against The Waves

MARKETING POINTS:

• Features members of Playing Enemy

FOR FANS OF:
Converge, Neurosis, The Body, Thou, Heiress

Instagram

As Friends Rust "Any Joy"

LP - $16.60 / CD - $10.70
STREET DATE: 9/8/23
CAT#: EH090
LABEL: End Hits

“When did time start flying by so fast? It’s getting harder to recall the past.” The opening lines of As Friends Rust’s upcoming album Any Joy are a fitting start for a band that has existed in one form or another for over 25 years (minus a hiatus from 2002-2008). Originally formed in the late ‘90s, As Friends Rust has been through a few iterations, but it is the core line-up of vocalist Damien Moyal, guitarist Joseph Simmons, guitarist James Glayat, and drummer Timothy Kirkpatrick that are creating thought-provoking melodic punk music for the modern age. With three EPs, two 7 inches, and a full-length in their history, As Friends Rust already have a lifetime of work in their pocket, but the seven songs on Any Joy might just be their most striking yet.

Originating in Gainesville, Florida and now spread across the country, As Friends Rust wrote, recorded, and produced Any Joy mostly from the comfort of their own homes. Vocals in Ann Arbor, MI, guitars in Gainesville, FL and Brooklyn, NY, with the exception of the drums, which were recorded in a studio by John Howard in Gainesville. Not currently having a permanent bassist, the band called upon friend Andrew Seward (of Against Me!) to play bass on most of the record, with additional contributions from Simmons. Mixed by James Paul Wisner in Orlando, FL and mastered by Matthias Lohmöller in Germany, the creation of the album was truly a collaborative and international effort. Working in separate spaces allowed the band to experiment more as the songs came together, resulting in a familiar but fresh sound that has more bite than past releases. It’s more focused, more direct, more confrontational, more catchy, while still staying true to the band’s melodic punk and hardcore roots.

Lyrics tackle everything from the emptiness of emoticons as a form of communication on “Positive Mental Platitude” to the need for political and social activism versus the occurrences of daily life on “​​No Gods, Some Masters.”

Diving deeper in, Moyal states: “The album is pretty varied topically, but there is a throughline in the way topics are addressed. In the past, as with many hardcore bands, ideas were presented from a more defined perspective, with a self-assuredness that, in retrospect, is pretty laughable given our ages at the time. On this album, most of the songs are left open as unanswered questions, shining light on an issue or even debating an issue from multiple perspectives, but ultimately leaving things unresolved. We’re trying to explore the nuances that sometimes get missed, or that we’re often too emotionally charged to consider.”

As the record sends off with the repetitive “We care, but not so much,” it sums up the attitude that As Friends Rust are making music for themselves, not for nostalgia, not for a paycheck, but to be shared with their long-time fans and anyone who wants to listen.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Final Form
2. Positive Mental Platitude
3. See Us Now
4. Great Filter
5. The Walking Debt
6. Origin Stories
7. No Gods, Some Masters

FOR FANS OF:
Stretch Arm Strong, Hot Water Music

Zao "Reformat / Reboot"

LP - $14.00 / CD - $7.00
LP UPC: 051497414122
CD UPC: 051497162566
STREET DATE: 9/8/23
CAT#: OOR-5
LABEL: Observed/Observer Recordings

Originally released in 2019 on a variety of super limited edition formats (Picture Disc, Cd's packaged in repurposed Floppy Discs, A Nintendo Cartridge) This 2023 repress of Reformat/Reboot on standard 140g black vinyl and digipack CD sees Zao's album "The Well-Intentioned Virus" deconstructed and re-imagined by Joseph Milligan (Anberlin), Steve Moore (Zombi), Makeup and Vanity Set and More. Cover art by the infamous Beeple. Download card included.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Reformat/Reboot (Jeff Gretz Remix)
2. Xenophile (Joseph Milligan Remix)
3. The Observer (Leverage Models Remix)
4. Vessel Collapsed (Dave Hidek Remix)
5. Broken Pacts (Makeup And Vanity Set Remix)
6. Antivirus (Steve Moore Remix)
7. Left In Pieces (Metavari Remix)
8. Apocalypse 2.0 (Emanuel Ayvas Remix)

MARKETING POINTS:

• Artwork by Beeple (This particular image was part of his record breaking Christie's NFT auction)
• Remixes of songs from Zao's 2016 album "The Well-Intentioned Virus" provided by Joseph Milligan (Anberlin), Steve Moore (Zombi), Makeup and Vanity Set, Metavari and more
• Zao will be on tour this September with Capra and Your Spirit Dies in Detroit, Chicago, Louisville and Greenville culminating with an appearance at Furnace Fest in Birmingham Alabama

FOR FANS OF:
Zao, Zombi, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Ministry

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Zao "Decoding Transmissions From The M​ö​bius Strip"

7"EP - $7.00
7"EP UPC: 051497414115
STREET DATE: 9/8/23
CAT#: OOR-4
LABEL: Observed/Observer Recordings

Recorded during the sessions for Zao's 2021 album The Crimson Corridor this 7 inch contains two songs exclusive to this release. Originally released in 2019 as a limited edition 7 inch with a reflective mirror board cover, this new 2023 version has updated artwork and comes in both standard black vinyl and a limited edition (500 worldwide) pink vinyl version. Download card included.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Transmission I: I Saw The End
2. Transmission II: I Saw The Devil

MARKETING POINTS:

• Repress of 2019 7 inch containing 2 exclusive songs available nowhere else
• Received a video by Johnny Arlett (Microwaves) which was featured by Kerrang
• Zao will be embarking on a tour in September with Capra and Your Spirit Dies which includes Detroit, Chicago, Louisville, Greenville and culminates with an appearance at Furnace Fest in Birmingham, AL

FOR FANS OF:
Neurosis, Isis, Converge

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Converge "The Dusk In Us Deluxe"

2xLP - $25.65 / CD BOX - $31.90
LP UPC: 723314783833
CD BOX UPC: 723314783826
STREET DATE: 9/1/23
CAT#: DW231
LABEL: Epitaph / Deathwish Inc.

Deluxe 2xLP

• Gatefold jacket printed on holographic mirror board
• 32 page, 12” x 12” booklet
• Side C & D feature 5 tracks available for the first time on 12” vinyl

CD Box Set

• Limited to 1000 copies
• Box printed on holographic mirror board
• CD features a 32-page booklet and holographic mirror board jacket
• Includes “Building The Beast” - a 44-page hardcover book featuring behind-the-scenes photos of "The Dusk In Us" recording session shot by Reid Haithcock

The ninth full-length from the Boston-based heavy-music innovators--vocalist Jacob Bannon, guitarist Kurt Ballou, bassist Nate Newton, and drummer Ben Koller--The Dusk In Us proves to be both dark and hopeful, abrasive and melodic, devastating and powerfully cathartic.

In recording The Dusk In Us, Converge once again worked in Ballou's renowned Godcity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts. Produced by the band and mixed by Ballou, the album matches its raw energy with a subculture-crossing inventiveness that's earned Converge longtime reverence within the punk, metal, and hardcore scenes. One of Converge's most dynamic and avant-garde albums to date, The Dusk In Us unfolds with an uncompromising honesty born from "writing about experiences in my life and working through the complexities of those things through song," as Bannon explains.

On the album-opening "A Single Tear," pummeling drums and caustic riffs form the backdrop to strikingly vulnerable lyrics like "When I held you for the first time/I knew I had to survive." ("'A Single Tear' is about becoming a parent, and the perspective and strength it can give," Bannon notes.) With its abrasive guitar work and menacing undertones, "Under Duress" brings a tortured howl to lyrics channeling what Bannon describes as "my emotional reaction to the complex world in which we live." A frenzied blast of pure fury, "I Can Tell You About Pain" offers what NPR recently hailed as "hardcore-fueled extreme music that simultaneously elevates and destroys." And on the seven-minute-plus title track to The Dusk in Us, Converge deliver a slow-building, quietly haunting epic of ethereal beauty.

Converge formed in Massachusetts in 1990, then made their debut with 1994's Halo in a Haystack. Soon regarded as pioneers within the aggressive music arena, the band had a major breakthrough with their landmark album Jane Doe--a 2001 release praised as "iconic" by the A.V. Club (who also noted that Jane Doe "reaches canonical status with every re-listen"). The Dusk In Us arrives as the follow-up to 2012's All We Love We Leave Behind, an album that Consequence Of Sound called "as skull-cleaving as it is beautiful" and that made its way onto Pitchfork's Best New Music list.

While The Dusk In Us finds Converge defying boundaries and pushing into new sonic terrain, it's also a natural progression for a band that's long thrived on making music that both challenges and connects. "Our only goal is to create something that moves us and resonates with us emotionally," says Bannon. "For us, it's simply a new album about new chapters in our lives. We are a very 'human' band--always have been--and our songs are all rooted in our real-life experiences. The Dusk In Us is that new chapter, just as previous records were before that."

TRACK LISTING:

1. Single Tear
2. Eye Of The Quarrel
3. Under Duress
4. Arkhipov Calm
5. I Can Tell You About Pain
6. The Dusk In Us
7. Wildlife
8. Murk & Marrow
9. Trigger
10. Broken By Light
11. Cannibals
12. Thousands Of Miles Between Us
13. Reptilian
14. Permanent Blue
15. Churches and Jails
16. Melancholia
17. Beautiful Ruin
18. Eve

MARKETING POINTS:

• Features 5 additional tracks available for the first time on 12" vinyl
• 32 page, 12" x 12" Booklet
• Gatefold jacket printed on holographic mirror board

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Celestial Sanctuary "Insatiable Thirst For Torment"

LP - $17.90 / CD - $8.75
STREET DATE: 8/25/23
CAT#: CRR202
LABEL: Church Road

Celestial Sanctuary's form of Death Metal is Feral, Aggressive and in your face - with the sole intent of creating the sonic equivalent of taking a boot to the chin. The band emerged in late 2019 with their 'MASS EXTINCTION' demo, displaying their love of death metal old and new - from the heaving death doom passages, neck snapping fast parts and skull crushing, stomp-inducing riffs all neatly presented in it's 8 minute run time; turning heads the world over.

Celestial Sanctuary then entered the studio to record their debut album 'SOUL DIMINISHED' which was released in March 2021 by Church Road Records (EU/UK) and Redefining Darkness Records - cementing them as the flag bearers of the NEW WAVE OF BRITISH DEATH METAL.

CELESTIAL SANCTUARY made their live debut at a sold out headline show at Camden's BLACK HEART in the September of that year, before going on an unrelenting campaign of shows supporting the likes of OBITUARY, GATECREEPER, CATTLE DECAPITATION, UNDEATH, SANGUISUGABOGG... certifying that the UK once again had a death metal band that could go toe-to-toe with the US heavyweights in the genre.

With a brief respite in playing and touring, CELESTIAL SANCTUARY entered the studio to record their unhinged sophomore album 'INSATIABLE THIRST FOR TORMENT' which will be released AUGUST 25th 2023 by Church Road Records.

"This album fully unleashes what we're all about. It's heavier, it's faster and it's way more unhingned" Says Tom Cronin "We wanted to create something that shows we're 'NOT ANOTHER OLD SCHOOL DEATH METAL BAND' and I think we've proven that and then some. With influences stretching from that gurn inducing sludge from the first Mastodon and Nerosis records to the technicality of Nile and Dying Fetus. This is a modern Death Metal record for fans of the EXTREME!!!'

TRACK LISTING:

1. Trapped Within The Rank Membrane
2. Glutted With Chunder
3. Swivel Eyed and Gurning in the Shadows
4. Meandering Stream of Foul Fluid
5. Biomineralization (Cell Death)
6. The Lurid Glow of a Dead, Burning Body
7. Unquenchable Thirst...
8. Gutted with a Blunt Blade

FOR FANS OF:
Cannibal Corpse, Gatekeeper, Blood Incantation

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Pageninetynine "Singles"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 843563166932
STREET DATE: 8/25/23
CAT#: VIS03
LABEL: Persistent Vision

After being out-of-print for over a decade, Pageninetynine and new Richmond, Virginia-based label Persistent Vision have partnered to reissue the band's Singles LP to make this collection available for a new generation of fans.

The Singles collection documents a band that was constantly experimenting and organically growing within the realm of heavy music. The collection brings together the band's original demo tape, an early EP, a compilation track, and splits with Enemy Soil, City of Caterpillar, Circle Takes The Square, Reactor No. 7, and Process Is Dead spanning the band's original run from 1997 to 2003.

Sequenced to trace the band's history in reverse, the album opens with the experimental droner of "Goodbye Face" from their final release before taking listeners on a journey touching on loose improvised jams, piano samples, and syncopated screamo/punk freakouts ending on the raw hardcore-inspired punk energy of their demo tape.

"I think every single record was us trying to push the creativity further and further," Mike Taylor, guitarist, said when reflecting on the collection.

"The more we toured and played, we took on every influence possible. This meant we wrote long songs, short songs, fast songs, slow songs, improvised, experimented with different tunings, and wrote pretty and ugly parts."

It's all there in the Singles LP. Essential for completists, the collection showcases the sound of friends seeing where their ideas take them.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Goodbye Face
2. Calm Song
3. The Lonesome Waltz Of Leonard Cohen
4. The List (Filth)
5. The Sobering Moment Of One Single Violin
6. You And Your Lumbering Body Of Death
7. Goin South
8. Cip Len Rae
9. More Complicated Than A Sci-Fi Flick
10. Diagram For A Suicide
11. Mary Get Your Knife
12. The Longer Now
13. Wood And Ink
14. Machine Revisited
15. A Classic Case Of…
16. My Application To Heaven
17. More Complicated Than A Sci-Fi Flick
18. A Gun

MARKETING POINTS:

• Available again on vinyl after being out of print for over 10 years
• Pageninetynine reuniting in August 2023 to headline New Friends Fest in Toronto, along with shows in Brooklyn, NY and Richmond, VA
• Includes liner notes by J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer)
• Packaged in jacket with printed inner sleeve and limited edition colored vinyl

FOR FANS OF:
Envy, Orchid, Jeromes Dream, City of Caterpillar, Deadguy

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