False Fed “Let Them Eat Fake”

LP - $15.30 / CD - $10.70
LP UPC: 795154137015
CD UPC: 795154139828
STREET DATE: 10/13/23
CAT#: NR124
LABEL: Neurot Recordings

From the dark roots of Amebix, Discharge and Nausea. A new twisted branch of thorns shoots from the alternate family tree.

In 2019 BC (Before Covid) Discharge frontman Jeff Janiak reached out to longtime friend and musician JP Parsons to assist on a new project. The pair wrote and recorded various ideas before reaching out to Amebix guitarist Stig.C.Miller who joined them in the midst of the global pandemic. The trio utilized this new creative climate of physical restriction and went on to set the foundations for their first album, via file sharing home recordings, which would be arranged and produced by Stig. It was several months later when he would call upon Nausea, Ministry and former Amebix drummer Roy Mayorga to complete the line up. Roy went onto record drums, mix and produce the band's debut album 'LET THEM EAT FAKE'.

In these unprecedented times of global restriction, fear and the everlasting lack of faith in the hierarchy 'False Fed' has cultivated a heavy sound that is drenched in melody, aggression and shrouded in darkness. It is not bound by genre, yet still offers subtle hints to the creators lineage.

False Fed are:
Jeff (JJ) Janiak - Vocals
Stig.C.Miller - Guitar
JP Parsons - Bass Guitar
Roy Mayorga - Drums

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Superficial
  2. The Tyrant Dies
  3. Echoes of Compromise
  4. The Big Sleep
  5. Dreadful Necessities
  6. Mass Debate
  7. The One Thing We Can Not Avoid

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Features Jeff Janiak of Discharge on vocals

FOR FANS OF:
Discharge, Ministry, Amebix, Nause

Instagram | Facebook

Stretch Arm Strong "Rock and Roll All Nite"

FLEXI 7"EP - $3.00
FLEXI 7"EP UPC: 724399772347
STREET DATE: 10/13/23
CAT#: IOD-48
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Recorded during the original "A Revolution Transmission" session in 2001. This cover of KISS' "Rock and Roll All Nite" has been out of print for over 20 years! Available again as a limited edition Flexi 7" (Limited to 1,000 copies) as a companion to the Deluxe Edition of Stretch Arm Strong's classic sophomore release!

Few punk bands have the history and influence held by hardcore veterans Stretch Arm Strong. Formed in early 1992 in Columbia, South Carolina, Stretch Arm Strong perfectly executes a style of Hardcore Punk that few other bands have been able master as well as them. The band embodies a style of Melodic Hardcore, but seamlessly incorporates elements of pop-punk and heavy breakdowns. Their style appealed to fans of all punk sub-genres, allowing them to remain an important band in our scene until this day.

Iodine Recordings and Stretch Arm Strong have partnered together to reissue "A Revolution Transmission", which has become one of the most iconic and popular hardcore punk records of the early 2000's, and has been out of print for over 20 years. This limited pressing has been completely redesigned and packaged using elements of the original art and completely remastered for vinyl by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in San Francisco, CA.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Rock and Roll All Nite

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Out-of-print song from original 2001 A Revolution Transmission session
  • Remastered by Jack Shirley (Quicksand, Deafheaven)
  • All new artwork by Jeff Caudill (Gameface)
  • Limited Edition (only 1,000 copies made)

FOR FANS OF:
Bane, BoySetsFire, Comeback Kid, H20

Instagram

Stretch Arm Strong "A Revolution Transmission"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 724399772279
STREET DATE: 10/13/23
CAT#: IOD-43
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Few punk bands have the history and influence held by hardcore veterans Stretch Arm Strong. Formed in early 1992 in Columbia, South Carolina, Stretch Arm Strong perfectly executes a style of Hardcore Punk that few other bands have been able master as well as them. The band embodies a style of Melodic Hardcore, but seamlessly incorporates elements of pop-punk and heavy breakdowns. Their style appealed to fans of all punk sub-genres, allowing them to remain an important band in our scene until this day.

Iodine Recordings and Stretch Arm Strong have partnered together to reissue "A Revolution Transmission", which has become one of the most iconic and popular hardcore punk records of the early 2000's, and has been out of print for over 20 years. This limited pressing has been completely redesigned and packaged using elements of the original art and completely remastered for vinyl by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in San Francisco, CA. Offered in several exclusive color vinyl variants.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Means to an End
  2. Worst Case Scenario
  3. The Truth About Iowa
  4. For The Record
  5. Take Back. Control
  6. When Words Escape
  7. Kill The Light
  8. Still Believe, Part II
  9. Dreams Away
  10. Positive Aspects of Negativity
  11. Transmission Demolition
  12. Parasite Complex
  13. Angels of Silences

MARKETING POINTS:

  • First time on vinyl for over 20 years
  • Fully remixed and remastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor)
  • Updated artwork with expanded gatefold insert
  • Playing multiple rare headlining live shows this Fall, including First In Flight Fest

FOR FANS OF:
Bane, BoySetsFire, Comeback Kid, Shai Hulud, H2O

Official Site | Instagram

Wrong Man "Big Plans"

12"EP - $15.30
STREET DATE: 10/6/23
CAT#: SDR-106
LABEL: Sunday Drive

"Big Plans" is the second release from Belgium's, Wrong Man. Having played together in previous bands, Partisan, Rise and Fall + more, Wrong Man formed to do something different than previous projects. Following the debut, "Who Are You?" Wrong Man continue on the path of noisy, melodic, post-hardcore. Hints of Fugazi, Quicksand, Swiz and Jesus Lizard are sprinkled throughout the band's songs. On "Big Plans", the band sounds the most confident yet. Sonic pushes and pulls, along with the bands' ability to play with quietness, and with Bjorn's yelling of introspective, separative lyrics, the band creates a very dynamic and unique record.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Don't Remind Me
  2. Big Plans
  3. Wait
  4. Lights Out

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Featuring members of Oathbreaker, Rise and Fall
  • Upcoming fall tour with Superbloom in EU
  • UK tour with Fiddlehead in Winter 2024

FOR FANS OF:
Swiz, Fugazi, Jesus Lizard

Instagram

Wet The Rope / Icepield "Split"

LP - $14.00
STREET DATE: 10/6/23
CAT#: PRO-078
LABEL: Protagonist Music

On this split album we find California represented in two bands that are deeply connected to the experience of 90's emotional hardcore, while firmly establishing relevancy for the current times. Northern California's Wet The Rope approach their second vinyl release by quieting their angular, off-kilter hardcore just slightly and focusing their work on exploring aging, loss, and death. Their sound is plaintive, urgent, and melodic, bringing to mind acts such as Ignition, Pot Valiant, and Swiz. San Diego's Icepield follow up their cassette EP with tracks that bring to mind their hometown flavor a la Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu, while a closer listen reveals touches of 80's dark post-punk and alternative rock as well. Their anxious and chaotic melody along with cryptic, introspective lyrics, combine for a driving and ultimately catchy result. Wet The Rope boast ex-members of Amber Inn and Downcast, while Icepield have ex-members of Stickfigurecarousel.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Wet The Rope - Let the Rain Fall Forever
  2. Wet The Rope - Appalachian Dusk
  3. Wet The Rope - Suffocation
  4. Wet The Rope - Alarms are Obsolete
  5. Wet The Rope - Bring Us Back
  6. Icepield - Truth Decay
  7. Icepield - The Glove
  8. Icepield - Brutal Holiday
  9. Icepield - Please Send Hell
  10. Icepield - Open Presence

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Wet The Rope is ex members of Amber Inn, Downcast
  • Icepield is ex members of Stickfigurecarousel
  • Album mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Graf Orlock, Joyce Manor) at Atomic Garden

FOR FANS OF:
Amber Inn, Ignition, Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu, Swiz

Garrison & Orange Island "Songs from a Central Massachusetts Mill Town"

7"EP - $7.00
7"EP UPC: 724399772378
STREET DATE: 10/6/23
CAT#: IOD-52
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Hailing from small towns in Central Massachusetts, both Garrison and Orange Island shared a similar history coming up in the music scene. They shared influences, stages, equipment, and even occasionally members. Even though both bands took their different paths, they always shared a friendship and common roots having come up in the time of the Worcester Space and the St. John's Gym in Clinton. In 2003, while both bands were in the studio working on new albums, Iodine Recordings proposed the idea of a split where they covered each other's songs. These two songs were the result, and although the record never saw the light of day, we are excited to present it now, almost 20 years later, on vinyl for the first time. Both songs were remastered by Jack Shirley (Quicksand, Joyce Manor) at The Atomic Garden, and the Garrison track was remixed by Ethan Dussault (On the Might of Princes, Smoke or Fire) at New Alliance Studio. It is being presented as a limited edition pressing on transparent red vinyl, hand numbered out of 250 copies.

Both Garrison and Orange Island embody the best parts of late-90s emo and post-hardcore. Garrison covers Orange Island's "Stand Up, State Your Name" from "Everything You Thought You Knew" and Orange Island covers Garrison's "Recognize and Opportunity" from "Be a Criminal."

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Garrison - Stand Up, State Your Name
  2. Orange Island - Recognize an Opportunity

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Out-of-print tracks on vinyl for the first time ever
  • Orange Island track produced by Matt Squire (Taking Back Sunday, The Used, Underoath) at Salad Days Studio
  • Garrison track produced by Ethan Dussault (Smoke or Fire, On The Might of Princes) at New Alliance Studio
  • Garrison and Orange Island playing a reunion show in Boston on October 6, 2023 (sold out)
  • Garrison playing a reunion show at The Fest in Gainesville, FL
  • Limited to 250 hand-numbered copies on colored vinyl

FOR FANS OF:
Thrice, Hot Water Music, Thursday, Quicksand

Garrison:
Instagram | Facebook

Orange Island:
Instagram

Hexis "MMXXI KAL. OCT."

Flexi 7"EP - $6.00
Flexi 7" UPC: 727785442329
STREET DATE: 10/6/23
CAT#: VIS04
LABEL: Persistent Vision

The latest from Denmark's HEXIS, a limited edition clear flexi 7" featuring two live songs from their appearance at Soulcrusher Festival in the Netherlands, in 2021.

Formed 2010 and known for their DIY approach, Copenhagen road warriors HEXIS merges blackened hardcore and sludge with black metal, post-metal, and dark ambient passages. Their last album 'Aeturnum' garnered widespread acclaim, noting their ability to deliver "sheer brutality and power", and drawing comparisons to peers such as Oathbreaker and Celeste.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Opacus
  2. Molestus

MARKETING POINTS:

  • On tour from September - December 2023 with 100+ shows across Europe, Canada, Latin America and United States, including dates supporting Amenra and others
  • Relentless touring has taken them to nearly every corner of the globe, playing roughly 1000 shows since 2010
  • Their last album 'Aeturnum' garnered widespread acclaim and positive reviews, the latest in a series of well-received releases which includes a split with Primitive Man
  • Pressing is limited to 300 copies on clear vinyl flexi

FOR FANS OF:
Oathbreaker, Celeste, Amenra, Converge

Instagram

Private Hell "Days of Wrath"

CASSETTE - 10/6/23
CASSETTE UPC: 721352025021
STREET DATE: 10/6/23
CAT#: VIS06
LABEL: Persistent Vision

The latest from Richmond, Virginia's PRIVATE HELL, "Days of Wrath" blends influences ranging from 80s punk and extreme metal to 90s crust and hardcore. Their abrasive new six song EP follows up their 2021 demo, and loosely centers around reflections on loss of time, life, and hope.

Recorded and mixed by Jordan Greenough at NFTW Records (Reckoning Force).

Comes packaged with full color j-card and red shell cassettes.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Prometheus Bound
  2. Days of Wrath
  3. Progress
  4. Tower of Silence
  5. Agony
  6. The Final Torment

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Have toured the East Coast extensively headlining and supporting shows for Cro Mags, Enforced, Poison Ruin, Final Gasp, Brain Tourniquet and others
  • Recorded with Jordan Greenough at NFTW Records (Reckoning Force, Lethal Means)

FOR FANS OF:
Doomriders, Coliseum, Black Tusk, His Hero Is Gone

Instagram

Best Ex "With A Smile"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 724399772293
STREET DATE: 10/6/23
CAT#: IOD-35
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

The heart of singer-songwriter Mariel Loveland has always been her DIY spirit. As a teenage poet, she taught herself guitar in an attempt to put her words to music, writing her first songs in the margins of her notebook during math class. Not long after, with little more than a rusted-out van and a handful of home recordings, the songwriter hit the road with Candy Hearts, a wide-eyed punk band rooted in early ‘00s nostalgia.

Within two short years, Candy Hearts went from playing in basements across the East Coast to sharing the stage with pop punk heavyweights like Man Overboard, New Found Glory, and Weezer. Math class became MTV and the microphones she set up in her mother’s basement became an LA recording studio. After a stint on Vans Warped Tour, Loveland found herself wondering: what happens after your childhood dreams come true? It turns out, you start all over again. Enter: Best Ex.

With her solo endeavor, Loveland has managed to maintain the diary-like introspection and biting sarcasm of previous releases, swapping out energetic guitars for fuzzed-out synths and dreamy acoustics. Her previous two EPs—Ice Cream Anti-Social (2017) and Good At Feeling Bad (2020)—were met with critical acclaim from publications like Billboard and Alternative Press, even landing airplay on BBC Radio 1. After inking a new record deal, Loveland is gearing up for Best Ex’s full-length debut.

“With a Smile” is full of sardonic emo-tinged indie-pop songs about breakup and heartache. The album is a concept album about the ways in which the world tells women to smile. "We’re expected to be a million things, but one of those is always pleasant in public. We’re supposed to suck up our issues with our mental health (lest we get labeled hysterical or over-emotional). We’re expected to shrug off the injustices we see in the world. We’re expected to just smile through our own abuse and never say a word. And of course, sometimes we smile for good reason. We fall in love, people make us laugh, the sunshine in the summer feels healing. Good things do happen, there is still beauty in the world. I’m not a total cynic, I’m just an exhausted introvert." - Mariel Loveland / Best Ex

TRACK LISTING:

  1. With a Smile
  2. Tell Your Friends
  3. Give Me a Break
  4. Salt On Skin
  5. I Promise to Ruin Your Life
  6. Stay With Me
  7. Die For You (feat. Luxtides)
  8. Cut Me Out
  9. What The Hell
  10. Joyride
  11. The End
  12. Daylight

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Features Mariel Loveland from Candy Hearts (Bridge 9 Records) debut full-length LP
  • Produced in part by Gary Cioni (Hot Mulligan, Crime in Stereo)
  • Mastered by Jack Shirley (Jeff Rosenstock, Joyce Manor)
  • US Tour to include festival dates in 2023/2024

FOR FANS OF:
Candy Hearts, Rico Kiley, Death Cab For Cutie, CHVRCHES

Official Site | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

Spot "Sounds of Two Eyes Opening"

Book - $25.65
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: RADIO-SPOT
LABEL: Radio Raheem

Glenn "Spot" Lockett landed in Hermosa Beach, CA in the mid-1970s. A serious musician, he helped build Media Art Recording Studio and stumbled into photojournalism via Easy Reader, the local news weekly. Hermosa proved to be a crossroads abounding with oddball roller skaters who were mostly overshadowed by Venice disco rollers and the Dogtown-inspired leaps into professional skateboarding (never mind that the first skateboard competition ever was in Hermosa in 1963). Then, in the late 70s, a cultural shift hit, fueled largely by music. This time the South Bay was in the vanguard. Spot became the in-house producer and engineer at SST Records--the label founded in 1978 by Greg Ginn as a vehicle for Black Flag, the band that defined LA hardcore. Between 1979 and 1985, he recorded, mixed, produced or co-produced most of SST's pivotal acts, working on all of Black Flag's greatest releases, and on classic albums by the Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Saint Vitus, Descendents, Big Boys, Hüsker Dü, The Dicks, Subhumans and Misfits. Throughout this period, Spot remained a master photographer who documented various Los Angeles subcultures in intelligently composed black-and-white photographs. As this volume reveals, there was no distinction between the musical and the visual--he heard what he saw; saw what he heard--hence, the title of this collection. Spanning the late 1960s through the early 1980s, Sounds of Two Eyes Opening offers an amazing portrait of Southern California beach life, set against the dark clubs and rehearsal spaces of the burgeoning punk scene.

Hardbound, 272 pages

FOR FANS OF:
Photography, Punk Rock, Black Flag, SST Records, Southern California, Beach Culture

Beyond The Pale "Beyond The Pale"

7"EP - $6.50
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: PKR-083
LABEL: Painkiller

Beyond the Pale come violently blasting out of Toronto on this 11-song 7". The easy comparison would be Capitalist Casualties and Infest but a better comparison might be 00's bands like Low Threat Profile, early Extortion, and Running for Cover. If you know these records, then you know Beyond the Pale.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Pain
  2. Force
  3. Break
  4. Beyond the Pale
  5. Dead
  6. Excuse
  7. Control
  8. Suffering
  9. End
  10. Buried
  11. Promise

FOR FANS OF:
Brain Tourniquet, Infest, Crossed Out, Scapegoat

Painful Choice / Sugar Coat / The Arrival Note "Split"

7"EP - $7.00
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: SDR-099
LABEL: Sunday Drive

Florida emo/indie rock and Atlanta hardcore merge on this three-way split from Painful Choice, Sugar Coat, and The Arrival Note. Painful Choice expands further into the rev-summer sound heard in their demo; it is now much more honed in with the same passion and melody. Sugar Coat, a new Florida band, adds a jangly, indie-rock sound to the mix, with the Built to Spill/Pavement melodic influence. Finally, The Arrival Note closes out the split with their best songs yet. Over the years, the band has taken the late 90's emo sound and modernized it to be their own. Now with a solid lineup, the band explores a more heavy, anthemic sound; channeling the Texas is the Reason LP or the more fast-paced Hey Mercedes songs.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Painful Choice -- Azul Profundó
  2. SUGAR COAT -- Mask
  3. The Arrival Note -- Falling Down

MARKETING POINTS:

  • The Arrival Note and Sugar Coat Texas tour this July
  • All three bands playing Armageddon Fest this summer in Florida

FOR FANS OF:
Texas is the Reason, Rites of Spring, Farside

Instagram - Painful Choice | Instagram - Sugar Coat | Instagram - The Arrival Note

Academy Order "A New Kind of Fear"

LP - $14.00
STREET DATE: 9/29/23
CAT#: PRO-085
LABEL: Protagonist Music

Since 2021, Academy Order have been honing their sound through various releases and live incarnations, expertly showcasing elements of death rock, punk, new wave, and even hardcore in a sonic amalgamation that is uniquely their own, while remaining just familiar enough to keep heads nodding. Now they surge forth with a debut LP, unleashing "A New Kind of Fear" to solidify an approach that touches nerves both lyrically and musically via counterpoints of aggression and melody not so commonly coupled in the broad genre of post-punk. The deliciously cold attack of driving guitars and Matthew's demanding vocals weighed against synth lines straight from the 80's dance floor and Norelle's angelic vocal hooks bring the shadowy rhythm of the whole album to halting depths and infectious heights. Though far from derivative, fans of seminal acts such as 45 Grave, Clan of Xymox, and TSOL may find themselves moving just as readily as those who enjoy Danse Society, Bleached Cross, and Chain Cult.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. A New Kind of Fear
  2. The Devil Spoke
  3. World Sent Spinning
  4. Death in the Mid-Atlantic
  5. Echelons Cave
  6. Remember the Night
  7. ...You Learn To Sleep
  8. Perennial Sun
  9. Death in the American South
  10. Life in the Fog Bank

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Recorded by Zach Miller (GEL, Sick Shit) at Landmine/Noisewar Studios
  • Mastered by Phillip Odom (Code Orange, Portrayal of Guilt, Angel Dust) at Bad Wolf Recordings
  • Full US tour Oct/Nov 2023

FOR FANS OF:
45 Grave, Clan of Xymox, TSOL, Chain Cult, Bleached Cross, Blitz

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

Instagram

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

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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