END "The Sin of Human Frailty"

LP - $18.15 / CD - $7.50
LP UPC: 197189533266
CD UPC: 197189556647
STREET DATE: 10/27/23
CAT#: CLCR124
LABEL: Closed Casket Activities

There will always be another peak to summit and boundary to break. END stretch their second full-length offering, The Sin of Human Frailty, beyond its very limits with a fierce commitment to unwavering unpredictability and uncompromising intensity. The New Jersey quintet counts producer and guitarist Will Putney, vocalist Brendan Murphy, guitarist Gregory Thomas, bassist Jay Pepito, and drummer Matt Guglielmo among its ranks. These musicians deliver a concentrated barrage like no other on, The Sin of Human Frailty [Closed Casket Activities].

END initially materialized during 2017. The group's From the Unforgiving Arms of God EP spawned the fan favorite "Necessary Death," and lead to a signing with label Closed Casket Activities. Highlighted by "Covet Not" and "Absence," the band bulldozed the senses with their 2020 full-length debut, Splinters From an Ever-Changing Face. Brooklyn Vegan hailed "Pariah" as "an absolutely filthy dose of modern metalcore," and Kerrang went as far as to describe their Debut LP as, "catharsis fed through a distortion pedal and shaped into a dense, destructive wrecking ball" Perhaps, Invisible Oranges put it best, "These gentlemen have come together to summon a fury seldom heard on any album from the realms of hardcore, grind, and black metal…"

In 2023, the members congregated once again to write and recorded what would become this sophomore release. "Part of the goal was to do things our way," states guitarist Will Purney. "We didn't want to lean on our influences too heavily, whether it's in terms of production, guitar tone, arrangement, or other elements. We were like, 'Let's just make a record that sounds like END'. I feel like there's more of an identity to the band than there has ever been on this record." The final result is a unique blend of HM2 driven Grind and Metallic Hardcore cross over with moments of Industrial chaos over ten tracks. Featuring guest vocal appearances by J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer), Debbie Gough (Heriot) and Dylan Walker (Full of Hell), this Graphic Nature Audio recording clocks in over 30 minutes of unhinged aggression and grind.

Produced and engineered by Will Putney and featuring the art of Alex Eckman-Lawn, this release pushes the complexity of END both sonically and visually. Vinyl comes packaged in a ten panel die-cut jacket, pressed on deluxe colored vinyl and with a digital download code.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. A Predator Yourself
  2. Gaping Wounds of Earth
  3. The Sin of Human Frailty
  4. Thaw
  5. Embodiment of Grief
  6. Twice Devoured Kill
  7. Worthless Is The Lamb
  8. Hollow Urn
  9. Infest
  10. Leper

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Touring with Full of Hell, Inter Arma and Wake this fall
  • Vinyl packaged in a 10 panel die-cut lp jacket
  • Over 10,000 copies sold of the bands 2020 full length album Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face

FOR FANS OF:
Converge, Napalm Death, Nails, Vein.fm

Six Going on Seven "Self-Made Mess"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 724399772231
STREET DATE: 10/27/23
CAT#: IOD-40
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Self-Made Mess is the debut album from Boston's indie rock/emo band Six Going On Seven. Out of print for over 25 years, this highly influential album helped define a genre that bridged the gap between hardcore influenced emo and indie-rock, with its complex bass and guitar harmonies and sincere vocals. Often referred to as a "band's band", Six Going on Seven came up alongside many of the household names we still discuss from the era: Jimmy Eat World, Hot Water Music, The Get Up Kids, sharing the stage with them and many others. Originally released on Some Records in 1997 and produced by Brian McTernan at Salad Days Studio, it is being presented on a limited-edition vinyl pressing with all new artwork and remastered by Jack Shirley (Quicksand, Joyce Manor) at The Atomic Garden.

"self-made mess was our first full-length, the culmination of 3 friends woodshedding/gigging around boston in early days. follow me here: i drove to boston in fall of 1994, we played our first show in january of '95, released a 7" the following year & made 'self-made mess' summer of '96 - this one was recorded by our friend brian mcternan after demoing over 9 songs the year prior with another great engineer (who abruptly moved to los angeles to make a record with the rolling stones -- true story) faithful to our live sound, youth (lost on the young) recorded on a shoestring budget in a small new jersey town (that, a story for another day) 10 songs remastered for your listening pleasure, enjoy." xo/ six going on seven

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Sexy Like the Titanic
  2. Endurance
  3. Getaway Car
  4. Flu Season
  5. Sincerely
  6. Deadpan Cool
  7. Lampwick
  8. New Faith in Loss
  9. Method Actor
  10. Everybody's Got a Hobby

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Out of print LP available on vinyl for the first time in over 25 years
  • Produced by Brian McTernan at Salad Days Studio (Hot Water Music, Thrice)
  • Originally released on Some Records (Walter Schreifels of Quicksand)
  • Notable emo / indie-rock band of the late 90s

FOR FANS OF:
Hot Water Music, Elliott, The Promise Ring, Texas is the Reason

Instagram

The Suffering "Our Fathers Turn In Their Graves"

LP - $13.35
STREET DATE: 10/27/23
CAT#: PRO-088
LABEL: Protagonist Music

Delivering a thundering metal onslaught with a sturdy hardcore spine, The Suffering live up to their dour name on a debut album of unbridled aggression. Members of the band are hardly strangers to playing abrasive music with scene veterans from notable bands such as Bleeding Through, Light This City, Mean Season, First Blood, etc. And all respect to the past, of course, but when The Suffering divert somewhat from former paths, opting instead for a noisier, bleaker, and more earache inducing brand of metal, it definitely stands on its own throat-punching merits. Their insistence on a non-stop attack, along with a pointed lyrical approach can really only be described as utterly relentless, combining break-neck speed and jarring breakdowns into an all-out musical tempest. Add to that the searing guest vocal spot on "Preach" from Aaron Weseman of Disembodied fame, and the deed is certainly done. File under uneasy listening.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Reflection
  2. Excommunicated
  3. Preach (ft. Aaron Weseman)
  4. Black
  5. The Disconnect
  6. Influencer

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Featuring ex-members of Bleeding Through, Mean Season, Light This City, First Blood
  • "Preach" features guest vocals from Aaron Weseman of Disembodied

FOR FANS OF:
Bleeding Through, Gatecreeper, Pig Destroyer, Entombed, Ringworm

The Iron Roses "The Iron Roses"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 724399772316
STREET DATE: 10/20/23
CAT#: IOD-45
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

The Iron Roses are a passionate, unique, and beautiful group of people making music that we hope will change the world. Fueled by the injustices of our current times - their songs are the kind of protest anthems that only a group of seasoned musicians could make. Still angry, still driven, and still screaming -- this is a band that will never give up the fight.

It takes serious talent to write and sing songs that sound angry while the music lifts your spirits. So much of political punk is abrasive and unpleasant. No hooks. No melodies. But other times the words sound incongruent with emotionless and insipid music. The Iron Roses manage something rare and commanding with music that lifts the heart coupled powerfully with lyrics that express fury and resentment of the current world. Punk as a genre has been so commodified and diluted over the last decades that it seems to be ever increasingly hard to find bands that resonate this way. That sing and play with such intensity that their authenticity cannot be questioned. That prove that true punk is alive and well and can have you dancing around your kitchen singing along at the top of your voice.

Yes, we can discuss their pedigree, most notably their frontperson Nathan Gray (of Boysetsfire), and their relentless touring and political activism. But none of those things matter if the songs don't connect with the listener. And this collection of songs are going to do just that. From the opening notes of the first song the cards are on the table. The objective is clear -- The Iron Roses are putting to words and music all the thoughts you've had these last few dark years. With the worldwide political climate leaning further and further from the left. With rights for many being limited and destroyed. With no end in sight. We need bands like The Iron Roses giving us a soundtrack to fight. Songs to pour our anger and frustration into when we sing along - just as they did when they wrote and recorded them.

The beauty of seeing these six individuals singing their truth is astounding. Watching them grow from strength to strength in the last few years it is unsurprising that this record is the outcome. They, and their songs, represent such power, love, and passion -- something that we need more than ever in this world today.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Screaming for a Change
  2. Soldier of Fortune
  3. Hearts of Fire
  4. Around & 'Round
  5. Old Guard
  6. Rebel Soul Sound
  7. Hit
  8. Justify the Lies
  9. Raising Hell
  10. The Hustle
  11. Revolution Summer

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Featuring Nathan Gray of BoySetsFire on vocals
  • Full PR Campaign via Atom Splitter (Anti-Flag, Refused, Alexisonfire, etc)
  • Full US Radio Campaign via Pirate! Radio Promotion
  • Incorporates a new sound featuring elements of political punk, reggae, and ska
  • Full US and EU Tours planned for 2023
  • Multiple festival appearances confirmed

FOR FANS OF:
BoySetsFire, The Suicide Machines, Against Me!, We Are The Union, Rise Against

Instagram | Facebook

Glazed Eyes "Promo"

CASSETTE - $7.00
STREET DATE: 10/20/23
CAT#: SDR-102
LABEL: Sunday Drive

As the end of summer approaches, a shift in music hits our stereos and headphones. Glazed Eyes creates music along the lines of a summer road trip with the windows down and a cold fall night. Inspired by their love of 90s alternative music, the Pensacola, Florida band aims to write music that is sonically much different than their members' previous projects, Malice at the Palace, and Burning Strong, amongst others. In their first promo release on Sunday Drive Records, these three tracks offer an exciting mix of alternative music and hints of emo and power-pop--melding the Teenage Fanclub-like pop melody with the distortion heard from Jimmy Eat World guitars. Glazed Eyes is the perfect band for this season, with an LP to follow soon.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Way Down
  2. Tried
  3. Fault

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Featuring members of Burning Strong and Malice at the Palace

FOR FANS OF:
The Goo Goo Dolls, The Lemonheads, Teenage Fanclub

Instagram

Bleached Cross "Exhumed"

Cassette - $7.00
STREET DATE: 10/20/23
CAT#: PRO-087
LABEL: Protagonist Music

"Exhumed" is the final offering from the studio sessions that produced the self-titled debut from Chicago's Bleached Cross. Featuring a previously unheard B-Side entitled "Despise", as well as remixes by The True Faith and Meatman (Trevor Vaughan), and unearthed demos from the time leading up to that recording session, this is simultaneously a bookend to the beginning stages of the band while also signaling the start of the next chapter in their sonic journey. Cold, introspective, and haunting, Bleached Cross have been making it their business to convert the masses into believers of their oppressive post-punk sound. With the release of "Exhumed" and future touring plans on the horizon, it's not too late to join in their next ritual… LET IT BLEED.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Despise
  2. Field of Souls (The True Faith remix)
  3. Field of Souls (Meatman Remix)
  4. Suffer (Demo)
  5. Soul Bleed (Demo)

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Features members of DW artist Frail Body & Crowning and Pains
  • Remixes by The True Faith and Meatman (Trevor Vaughan of Wound Man, Internal)
  • On tour with Black Magnet in January

FOR FANS OF:
Cold Cave, The True Faith, Chain Cult, Frail Body, Drab Majesty, Soft Kill

death pose "Midnight Society"

LP - $16.60 / CD - $7.50 / Cassette - $7.00
LP UPC: 197189424205
CD UPC: 197189424205
CASSETTE UPC: 197189424205
STREET DATE: 10/20/23
CAT#: BPR94
LABEL: Brutal Panda

death pose (fka big bird.) is a brand new heavy-as-shit band from Chicago, IL. Originally known as big bird., the band formed in 2022 from the ashes of numerous punk/hardcore/indie bands including Typesetter, Little Teeth, The Sky We Scrape, etc.

On their full-length debut (coming Fall 2023) death pose. tear through 13 incendiary tracks of down-tuned punk/post-hardcore influenced noise rock replete with indelible hooks, sharp angular riffage, and a rhythm section that resonates with urgency. The album was produced by Jeff Dean (Alkaline Trio, Braid, The Story So Far, Samiam) at The Echo Mill and mastered by Alan Douches (Converge, Every Time I Die, Thrice, Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan) at West West Side.

Dark lyrical themes of personal dissociation, political action, religious intolerance, heartbreak, and the human experience are woven throughout, adding a layer of realism and responsibility to their discord. We live out our deaths each and every day in the modern world and death pose. provide an exquisite soundtrack for such dystopian times.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Brief Candles
  2. Ratnest
  3. Double Hockey Sticks
  4. Gardens of Salt
  5. Not Waving
  6. Love Thy Neighbor, Berate Thy Hostess
  7. Imperfect Contrition
  8. Untitled
  9. Steady As Ever
  10. Revisionist
  11. Quadrophenia Pt. 2
  12. The Riverside
  13. This Time Tomorrow

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Debut full-length from brand new Chicago punk/noise rock quartet formerly known as the big bird.
  • Recorded / Produced by Jeff Dean (Braid, The Bomb, The Story So Far, All Eyes West) at the Echo Mill in Chicago, IL
  • Mastered by Alan Douches (Converge, Every Time I Die, Thrice, Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan, etc.)
  • Artwork by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jason S. Thompson
  • Members of several Chicago staple punk/indie/hardcore bands including Typesetter, Little Teeth, etc.
  • Performing The Fest 2023 w/ Less Than Jake, GWAR, Quicksand, Thursday, and more

FOR FANS OF:
Every Time I Die, Propagandhi, KEN Mode, Iron Chic, Hot Water Music, Helms Alee, Botch

Official Site | Instagram | Facebook

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