Loose Choir "Shy Side"

LP - $15.30
STREET DATE: 11/1/24
CAT#: PRO-098
LABEL: Protagonist Music

Sacramento, California's Loose Choir bend the trends of indie/alt-rock with punchy punk flourishes and moody folk earholes, the result of which is a blast of nostalgia and new noise in equal measure. Formed in 2022 by Rae Boys (vocals), Tatton White (guitar, bass) and Noah G. Prado (drums), the band took their time fleshing out the songs that comprise Shy Side, their debut full-length. The patience paid off, as Loose Choir's collaborative strengths yielded a formidable collection of arresting tracks brimming with poise and urgency.

Thriving in the aural limbo between alt-folk and the often urgent sonic real estate of guitar-forward mid-'00s underground rock, Loose Choir vacillates its dynamism to startling results. Boys' affecting vocals slice like sunrise over a rough sea; the tandem of Prado and White's well-rounded chemistry--having performed for years in Northern California punk band The Red Robot--pushes and pulls the songs' bones apart to lay bare their emotive underbellies.

Recorded by Chris Keene (Surrogate, Saves the Day, Emery, live guitar for Loose Choir) at his Chico, CA studio, Shy Side embodies the saccharine sentiments of romantic misdirection and the language of longing into a fiery, guitar-forward maelstrom that will all but require repeated listens.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Sun On Sea
02. Path
03. Santiago
04. Waves + Existence
05. Patinadora
06. Wait On
07. Shadow Hum
08. Spell Of Self
09. Hope I'm Not Wrong

MARKETING POINTS:

• Featuring members of Saves the Day, The Velvet Teen, Hard Chiller, Emery
• Mastered for vinyl by James Plotkin (Botch, Cloud Nothings, Aimee Mann)

FOR FANS OF:
Land of Talk, The Cranberries, Swervedriver, The Anniversary

Leaving Time "Angel In The Sand"

LP - $17.90
LP UPC: 843563181218
STREET DATE: 11/1/2024
CAT#: SDR-128
LABEL: Sunday Drive

"Angel In The Sand" illustrates a virtue, having failed or fallen to the ground--and rather than just noting 'the ground', 'sand' is used instead, suggesting the terrain of beaches in Leaving Time's hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. On their debut LP, the Jacksonville band expresses this image throughout the ten tracks. Lyrically, vocalist Reed Cothren details sorrow, regret, and loss, with each word reinforced by the vast and dark sounds of distorted guitars, heavy cymbals and drums, and melodic leads.

Since 2020, Leaving Time has created a distinct sound in the alternative rock realm, heard on their self-titled EP, and again on their 2022 follow-up, "II". The band plays incredibly heavy both in recordings and live settings. With a foundation in hardcore bands, their attitude and expression transfer perfectly to this setting. Like their previous recordings, Leaving Time returned to local Florida engineer John Howard (Magnitude, Ecostrike) for their LP, primarily written throughout 2023. With the support of new master engineer Zac Montez (Cloakroom, Turnover, Nothing), this collection of songs sounds massive. The intro track builds a tense feeling with minimal guitar leads and heavy bass with toms. Later songs continue building on this feeling, like the explosive single, "Arm's Length". The flow of the songs allows listeners to reach these pressure release moments, like in "Waiting," where drummer Jarod Whalen plays a mournful piano outro paired with an acoustic guitar. Small moments like these contrast the heaviness of the songs, showcasing Leaving Time's dynamic songwriting.

With the heaviness portrayed on "Angel In The Sand," the band closes with the song "And On," about acknowledging pain but moving on. It's not purely optimistic, but it again has a dynamic of contrasting emotions, brushed with dense yet beautiful sounds and melodies.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Fading
02. Choke
03. Only Forever
04. Wish
05. Arm’s Length
06. Angel In the Sand
07. Burn
08. Untitled
09. Waiting
10. And On

MARKETING POINTS:

• Debut LP from Leaving Time
• Upcoming tour with Glare in November
• Vinyl is housed in a DJ sleeve insert, with full-color, matte-varnish jacket

FOR FANS OF:
Hum, Smashing Pumpkins, Sunny Day Real Estate

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Fórn "Repercussions Of The Self"

LP - $17.25 / CASSETTE - $7.00
LP UPC: 765464057181
STREET DATE: 10/25/24
CAT#: VIS019
LABEL: Persistent Vision

Pioneers of "funeral sludge," FÓRN have been favorites of the metal underground since their formation over ten years ago. Kim Kelly, writing for SPIN in 2015, stated: "Rarely does a debut album spring forth from the womb so fully-formed and vital as Fórn's The Departure of Consciousness... The album's six, tense, foreboding compositions take their cues from Thou's poisonous sludge and funeral doom's lightless melancholia in equal measure, and come punctuated by sparse, blood-curdling howls... This album drags listeners into the utter depths of despair then leaves them there, alone, as the last light winks out."

Releasing music via labels such as Gilead Media, including a split with Yautja, the band went dark shortly after touring in support of its 2018 album, Rites of Despair. With a series of major events occurring in the personal lives of the band members -- births, deaths, and relocations across four states and two countries -- and with the COVID pandemic disrupting society as a whole, the years after Rites of Despair would serve as a crucial pause and reset, leading to the radical rebirth that is "Repercussions of the Self".

"Repercussions of the Self", Fórn's first new musical creation since 2018, bursts through the speakers with god-tier grandeur, mixing the downtuned sludge epics the band is known for, with a new, industrial, electronic dimension.

Notably, the album features Lane Shi Otayonii (Elizabeth Colour Wheel) contributing vocals and electronics across all its six tracks. A past collaborator, Otayonii makes her debut here as a full-fledged contributing member of Fórn.

"Repercussions of the Self" was engineered and mixed by Kevin Bernsten at Developing Nations in Baltimore, Maryland and mastered by James Plotkin at Plotkinworks. The artwork is a collaboration between Alexander L. Brown and Devin Toye.

Vinyl comes packaged in a full color jacket with a printed inner sleeve.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Pact of Forgetting
02. Soul Shadow
03. Hela's Choir
04. Anamnesis
05. Regrets Abyss
06. Dreams of the Blood

MARKETING POINTS:

• Engineered by Keven Bernsten at Developing Nations (Full of Hell) with mastering by James Plotkin (Khanate)
• Features new member Lane Shi Otayonii (Elizabeth Colour Wheel) contributing additional vocals and electronics across all tracks
• PR Campaign by Curran Reynolds at The Chain PR (The Red Chord, Chat Pile)

FOR FANS OF:
Thou, Bell Witch, Noothgrush, Grief

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Various Artists "Fest 22 Compilation"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 724399772668
STREET DATE: 10/25/24
CAT#: IOD-77
LABEL: Iodine

In celebration of the 22nd annual FEST in Gainesville, FL, Sell The Heart Records have partnered with Iodine Recordings to produce a new FEST compilation (the 3rd edition) featuring 15 artists performing at this year's event. The diverse lineup features bands from all across the festival lineup, including some exclusive tracks from the likes of: Candy Hearts, Apes of the State, The Dopamines, The Raging Nathans, Teens in Trouble, Sleave, Rad Owl, Rebuilder, Best Ex, Omnigone and more.

TRACK LISTING:
01. The Dopamines - Save Your Beers
02. Rad Owl - Funny Papers
03. Apes of the State - Toothache (Live)
04. Crossed Keys - Notebooks (Hope For The Hopeless)
05. Teens In Trouble - Brave (Live)
06. Bear Away - Gimme All Your Loathin'
07. Candy Hearts - What You Want
08. Rebuilder - Malcolm, Go
09. Spells (featuring Stephanie Byrne) - Don't Tell Me Anything
10. The Raging Nathans - Gone But Not Forgotten
11. Sleave - In Escrow
12. Porch Coffin - Makes You Cool
13. Tiny Stills - Getting Good At Feeling Nothing
14. Omnigone - Division
15. Best Ex - Cut Me Out

MARKETING POINTS:

• Limited one time pressing
• Featuring rare or unreleased tracks from 15 bands performing at FEST 22
• Benefit for Feed The Scene

FOR FANS OF:
Rebuilder, Best Ex, Candy Hearts

Squint "Big Hand"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 843563179451
STREET DATE: 10/25/24
CAT#: SDR-124
LABEL: Sunday Drive

Big Hand--in reference to the constant moving of time on a clock--can gather a sense of anxiety, excitement, hope and hopelessness. In a more literal sense, a big hand can pack a punch, swell, break and recover. The St. Louis hardcore-punk band, Squint render their perspective through their debut album, Big Hand, by a summation of decades of influences of punk, hardcore, alternative and art-rock. With the collaboration of producer Jon Markson (Samiam, Drain, The Story So Far) and much touring, Squint has developed their sound & presence to their fullest potential.

A track like "Sunshine" demonstrates Squint's core identity--fuzzy hardcore with a catchy melody inspired by mid-late 80s punk/hardcore like Rites of Spring, Hüsker Dü and Black Flag--however, Squint dive much further into the well of 90s alternative rock with songs like "Magic" and "Half Asleep" which pull in many cues from bands like Pixies to Third Eye Blind and Everclear. Building on top of the Squint's ringing guitar melodies, they've crafted larger choruses than before, while still staying true to their core. Lyrically, vocalist Brennan Wilkinson poetically exhibits his frustrations with time and growth while facing obstacles that result in getting stuck in the same routines--it's a constant push and pull of progression and regression. Wilkinson's distinctive voice is shouted on each song, expressed in angst, but also hope. In the closing, self-titled track, "Big Hand", Squint builds on a slow tempo to fast hook, and lyrics shift from a sense of emptiness to an aspiration to take back control of time--or the Big Hand.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Lesson Learned
02. Sunshine
03. Magic
04. Half Asleep
05. Well Wisher
06. Pack Rat
07. Crawl Back
08. Grace
09. Golden State
10. Big Hand

MARKETING POINTS:

• Produced by Jon Markson (Samiam, Drain, The Story So Far)
• Debut LP from Squint
• Upcoming EU tour with Feverchild this fall

FOR FANS OF:
Hüsker Dü, Pixies, Third Eye Blind, Drug Church

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Grief Mop "You Were Right Here But So Far Away"

CD - $8.00
STREET DATE: 10/18/24
CAT#: SDR-131
LABEL: Sunday Drive

Written over the last couple of years, "You Were Right Here But So Far Away" marks the first studio recordings from songwriter Joseph Lacy (The Record Play, Transit). With friends sharing co-production credits, the debut EP came to life and was initially released in the summer of 2024. The songs are heavy yet beautiful, blending influences of emo and alternative rock from bands like Starflyer 59, The Appleseed Cast, The Gloria Record, and Elliott. Thematically, the four songs explore grief, memories, and dread that come from losing a loved one. Lacy dedicates "Spider ring (song for tim)" to his late, beloved friend and musician, Tim Landers. "You Were Right Here But So Far Away" is now being reissued on Sunday Drive Records this fall. The band has expanded to a full lineup, (ft. members of Infernal Diatribe: Brandon Lamontagne, Matthew Heath, Chris Mathews) begun playing their first live shows, and started writing their next record.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Iwishiwas
02. Spider ring (song for tim)
03. Intro
04. Fortynine

MARKETING POINTS:

• Featuring members of Transit and Infernal Diatribe

FOR FANS OF:
The Appleseed Cast, Starflyer 59, Elliott

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"Cut & Paste: The American Hardcore Fanzine" by Patrick Kitzel

BOOK - $31.90
ISBN: 979-8-9868736-3-3
STREET DATE: 10/18/24
CAT#: UNDERWELT02
LABEL: Unterwelt Books / Tribal Publishing

From the early fanzines covering the pioneering bands of our scene to the staples that established the classic feel of the American Hardcore Fanzine and everything in between. Presenting a visual collection of over four hundred fanzines accompanied by distinguished Fanzine creators such as Al Quint - Suburban Voice, Hud - Flipside. Kent McClard - Heartattack, Tim McMahon - Common Cause, Mike Gitter - XXX, Fred Hammer - It’s Alive, Chris Daily - Smorgasbord, Porcell - Schism, and Brett Beach - Hardware, to name a few. Cut & Paste offers a diverse range, both visually and in terms of the individuals featured, which will give the novice important insight into our scene and, at the same time, give the ones who have been along for the ride for a while a worthy trip down memory lane. Unterwelt Books follows up its 2023 release of CIV’s “ A Roadies Tale” with another great piece of collected Hardcore history.

MARKETING POINTS:

• Presenting a visual collection of over four hundred fanzines
• accompanied by distinguished Fanzine creators such as Al Quint - Suburban Voice, Hud - Flipside. Kent McClard - Heartattack, Tim McMahon - Common Cause, Mike Gitter - XXX, Fred Hammer - It’s Alive, Chris Daily - Smorgasbord, Porcell - Schism, and Brett Beach - Hardware & more!

Common Wounds "All Night Blood"

LP - $15.95
STREET DATE: 10/18/24
CAT#: PRO-100
LABEL: Protagonist Music

All Night Blood is the anticipated debut full length album from Phoenix Arizona's thunderous quartet, Common Wounds. Expect an emotionally charged, down-tuned homage to the music that built the foundation of their youth, building through well-crafted and expertly recorded songs that were meant to be heard at high volume. Containing nine post-hardcore statements that draw heavy elements of noise rock, emocore, and grunge, All Night Blood is punctuated by driving riffs, heavy percussion, and forays into melody which are accentuated by passionate, gritty, and often anthemic vocals. The lyrical themes of the album examine hope and hopelessness, struggles with mental health, relationships, and the societal and economic systems that are constantly bleeding us dry. With meticulous attention to the sonic experience, All Night Blood was recorded and co-produced by Zachary Rippy (Gatecreeper, Cave In), mixed by Scott Evans (Great Falls, Sumac), and mastered by Carl Saff (Unsane, Sonic Youth).

TRACK LISTING:
01. Cognition
02. Broken Hands
03. Vainglory
04. Mile Marker
05. All Night Blood
06. Parochial
07. Lost Voices
08. So It Goes
09. The Diplomat

MARKETING POINTS:

• Packaged in beautiful Reverse-Board Covers, and includes a bonus Postcard Set.
• Three different vinyl colorways including 2 metallic options and a limited black w/color stripe.
• Members of Run With The Hunted, Suicide Nation, War Tongue, Landmine Marathon.
• Co-produced by Zachary Rippy (Gatecreeper, Cave In) at Sound Signal.
• Mixed by Scott Evans (Great Falls, Sumac).
• Mastered by Carl Saff (Unsane, Sonic Youth).

FOR FANS OF:
Unwound, Young Widows, Exhalants, Love Letter, Whores, Red Hare, Chat Pile

Resting on Pretty "Dragwave"

CASSETTE - $6.50
STREET DATE: 10/11/24
CAT#: PRO-102
LABEL: Protagonist Music

Jenn X and Emma Geddon initially met via social media in late 2022 and became instant sisters, bonding over their mutual love of drag and dark music. Only a few days into their budding friendship, Emma offhandedly tossed out the idea of starting a project together that would combine these two creative pursuits. And, as fate would have it, Jenn was already yearning for the exact same thing. Despite living at opposite ends of California, the two goth queens began writing songs in 2023. They quickly discovered they possessed a rare and highly coveted level of musical synergy. They’d already completed rough mixes of their first two songs before even having the chance to meet in person for the first time.

With the release of their debut EP, “Dragwave,” Resting on Pretty has set out to not only craft songs listeners can lose themselves to on the dance floor but also to serve as a lyrical haven for the beauty and unwavering power of drag and queerness. Anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t fit in with the normative world are invited to live and slay and sing with Resting on Pretty. And this is only the beginning of so much more to come...

TRACK LISTING:
01. Nightmares in Black Lace
02. Fierce Claws
03. (An)nihilist
04. V.A.M.P.
05. We Got Gutz
06. Here Comes the Rain Again

FOR FANS OF: Boy Harsher, Q Lazzarus, Drab Majesty, Skinny Puppy, Antarctica

HELP "Courage"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 667758960996
STREET DATE: 10/11/24
CAT#: 31G143
LABEL: Three One G

Portland's Help is the frenzied sound of a broken and collapsing society. In a world beset with anti-human reactions to daily struggles, Help responds with ways to dismantle evil machines and systems. It is this pro-human mindset that brought Help band-mates Ryan Neighbors (Guitar/vocals), Morty (bass), and Bim Ditson (drums) together. All three had spent the last decade or so in other, perhaps more restrained, bands: Ditson with grinding indie rockers And And And, Neighbors with alt-pop dynamos Portugal. The Man and with his electronic project Hustle and Drone. With Help, they are retrieving punk roots each member had put down in their teens. They are ripping the seams back open to see what's really inside. "Everyone is angry," says Neighbors, "Make some art about it." Help is the band Portland needs right now. Fuck it, it's the band the whole world could use a heavy dose of if we want to climb out of the dark ages of greed and into the next century of mutual aid and collaborative self-directed communities of creativity.

Help's new EP "Courage" is centered around heartbreak and pain. Progress as a series of fresh new hells. Hoping that it is better to be in love than to be right, while enduring the apparent absence of both love and coherence in American culture. The short version of the story of this record is that both Ryan and Bim's lives were exploding and falling apart. Okay, okay, it's a breakup album. Their vulnerability in these songs became necessary for their survival. Though deeply personal, these songs are meant as an invitation for others to feel and hurt freely. After all, this may be one of the last freedoms we get to enjoy in this crumbled world. Courage. In the face of hopelessness, in the face of everyone pretending anything is fine, in the face of the end of things meant to last and last. Courage. For the band, Courage is a step towards a broader sound and an experiment in honesty over security. The upcoming vinyl release from Three One G Records also includes the band's debut self-titled EP. Their focus in all they do: Remove fear from decision making. Act in defiant joy. Refuse to dominate others. Do not hoard the gifts of the universe. Remember: the future is uncertain. Ends don't justify means. Solidarity now. If the goal is growth, success is an ending. War and love are forms of death. This record is an example of the destructive nature of growth: on the planet, on the human spirit, on our ability to hold on.

A note from the band about the EP: "As much as we feel like Courage is a cohesive piece of music and stands alone, we wanted to give fans more bang for their buck and a more complete listening experience. We decided to press our self-titled EP, Help (released in 2019), on side B of the vinyl as well as make these songs bonus tracks on the digital release. The songs we wrote in 2019 still mean just as much to us as these new songs, our lives were just breaking in different ways, and they will be next time around too."

TRACK LISTING:
01. The Consequence
02. Black Cloud
03. Courage
04. Fresh New Hell
05. Claustrophobic Nightmare
06. Feel So Alive (Do You Have To)
07. Help
08. Devil is a Snake
09. Pennies on the Ground
10. Staying Awake
11. Skeletons
12. Class War Now

MARKETING POINTS:

• Produced by Sonny DiPerri (Portugal. The Man, Animal Collective, Protomartyr, Emma Ruth Rundle)
• Vinyl features bonus tracks

FOR FANS OF:
Chat Pile, Shellac, Idles

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Onelinedrawing “Scan Anxiety”

7"EP - $7.00
7"EP UPC: 724399772651
STREET DATE: 10/11/24
CAT#: IOD-76
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Jonah Matranga has been making music for over 30 years. A prolific artist, he has become an enduring institution in the scene with a devoted fan base, rich lineage, and varied career that has straddled the line between the underground and mainstream.

Jonah has always written from the heart and performed in an intimate way that few others have accomplished. This is most apparent in Jonah’s solo and collaborative project Onelinedrawing. “Scan Anxiety was written for someone in a desperate situation. I don't know what Chinese Satellites was written about, but it feels similar somehow. If these songs find you feeling overwhelmed and help you through to a more serene place, that's what they were meant to do.” Scan Anxiety features the original song of the same name and a cover of Chinese Satellite by Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst with artwork by Kevin of 7 Seconds.

"I've loved making unique recordings for decades now, and that's how Scan Anxiety started. Some people were putting together a collection of songs for their friend who was going through cancer, and they asked me to be part of it … I just fell in love with the song, and wanted it in the world one way or another. Even though it was written about someone else's story, it became really personal for me. Chinese Satellite started as a unique recording too, it's just a gorgeous tune with a haunting lyric. I'll sing any song like that forever, whether I wrote it or not. I hope that Phoebe, Conor, and Marshall dig it."

TRACK LISTING:
01. Scan Anxiety
02. Chinese Satellite

MARKETING POINTS:

• Two new recordings by Jonah Matranga of FAR, New End Original and Gratitude
• Features a cover of 'Chinese Satellite' by Phoebe Bridgers
• Original artwork by Kevin of 7 Seconds

FOR FANS OF:
Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Iron & Wine, The Decemberists

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Life Abuse “Systematization”

LP - $14.65
STREET DATE: 10/4/24
CAT#: AL-055
LABEL: Armageddon Label

Life Abuse is a new band based primarily in Albany, NY. Its list of xmembers of could easily be described as a "super group". Boasting past members of Self Defense Family, The Oath, Male Patterns, Under Attack, Devoid of Faith, Libyans, End of A Year, and LIMPWRIST, just to name a few from the seemingly endless list. However, it really boiled down to Mark Telfian and Dan Barker wanting to reconnect and play music together again. They had last played together in 2004 when their band at the time DEATHSQUAD broke up.

DEATHSQUAD formed in 2001 and they released a 7" on Youth Attack Records in 2003 and a second 7" on Bonus Choke in 2004. They kicked around the idea of trying to do some type of project together since Telfian had gotten back into playing music in 2018 with Under Attack. Since Mark had moved to Richmond, VA the idea of doing a band from that distance seemed unfeasible.

They figured the closest they would come to playing together was having their bands Male Patterns and Under Attack do a split 7", which came out in June of 2022 on Shock to the System Records. In October of 2022 Under Attack broke up and Telfian was trying to figure out what to do and who to play with. Since he had started playing music again he always gravitated back to playing music more inline with DEATHSQUAD. He had written about a dozen songs that he felt were in that same style. After sending a few songs for Barker to check out they decided to start playing music again almost 20 years later.

As fate would have it, Barker had run into Sean Doody at a Male Patterns show. This was in fact the record release show for the Male Patterns/ Under Attack split. They had talked for a bit and gotten caught up. Doody had moved away from Albany for a few years and had stopped playing music for a while. Dan immediately suggested getting Sean as he too was very into playing that style of music and wasn't currently playing in a band. The final member was long time friend Nate Wilson. Wilson had played in various Albany bands with every other member of Life Abuse including DEATHSQUAD with Telfian and Barker. Their idea was simple, play Euro-style Crust in the vein of such epic bands like No Security, G-ANX, and ABC Diabolo while blending Telfian's Negative Approach influenced riffs and a hint of early Megadeth. Nate brought a metallic edge to everything with his lead work and solos. The end result was old friends making the most brutal music they could in what seems to be the most brutal times.

A new brutal hardcore band from the New York's Capital District featuring x members of Self Defense Family , The Oath , Malte Patterns, Under Attack, The End of A Year, Devoid of Faith, Libyans , and Limp Wrist just to name a few.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Life Cycle
02. Systematization
03. Poisoned Chalice
04. Threnody
05. Strategy of Tension
06. Reconciliation
07 .Chosen Path
08. Failure By Design
09 Give Rise
10. No Perspective

FOR FANS OF:
Limp Wrist, Born Against, Lifes Blood, The Oath

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Lowen "Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran"

LP - $19.40 / CD - $9.60
STREET DATE: 10/4/24
CAT#: CRR228
LABEL: Chuch Road

Lowen is a London based Middle Eastern progressive doom band comprised of Nina Saeidi on vocals, daf, santoor and more, as well as Shem Lucas on guitar, alongside Cal Constantine on drums and Richard Stevenson on bass when playing live.

The band mainly focuses on the displaced identity of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Nina Saeidi, who lives in permanent exile from Iran. A country where playing metal is illegal and women singing unaccompanied risk execution.

The ancient world, its art and languages, form a backdrop for an exploration of the pain and longing of the diasporically dispossessed in her mournful wails and use of traditional tahrir vocals unique to Iran.

In 2023 Lowen played shows across the UK including Desertfest, Doomlines, Masters of the Riff, Uprising Festival and recently as a support for Conan in London. In 2024 they will be playing Warhorns Festival, Brighton Doomsday and are accompanying Green Lung on a 6 date UK and Ireland tour in May.

Their debut album "A Crypt in the Stars" was released in 2018 and in 2021 they released a live and improvised acoustic EP entitled "Unceasing Lamentations", which was sung in Sumerian and Akkadian.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Corruption on Earth
2. Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran
3. Waging War Against God
4. The Seed That Dreamed Of Its Own Creation
5. May Your Ghost Drink Pure Water
6. Ghazal For The Embrace Of Fire

FOR FANS OF: Bolt Thrower, Dead Can Dance, Baroness

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Jr. Juggernaut "Another Big Explosion"

LP - $18.75
LP UPC: 198588088913
STREET DATE: 9/27/24
CAT#: MPR013
LABEL: Quiet Panic Distro

In an era in which technology, computerization, mobile media and its associated artifice pervades all forms of creativity, it's refreshing to remember that sometimes an excellent album can still be comprised of the most simplistic and honest elements: guitar strings, drumsticks, tube amplifiers, crash cymbals, and songs crafted by inspiration and intuition.

What Los Angeles-based power trio Jr. Juggernaut has assembled for its fourth full-length album, Another Big Explosion, emanates from a deeply emotional state, coupled with the sheer power of rimshot-splintered drumsticks, speaker cabinets pushed to their breaking point, and an exceptionally current, fresh take on the warm and fuzzy sounds of '90s style alt-rock. Were MTV's original incarnation of "120 Minutes" still on the air, the ten songs found on Jr. Juggernaut's latest would all be contenders for Buzz Bin video status.

Most of all, Another Big Explosion unquestionably lives up to its name. From the brightly melodic and driving cuts of "Hang On" and "Lonely Boy," to the overcast, ominous closer "Total Darkness," everything on the album is bold and expansive, yet finely tuned for maximum guitar-drenched attack. Singer/guitarist Mike Williamson had a mix of melody and noise in mind while composing the album. "For this record, I landed on an alternate tuning that let me play thick power chords while the top strings continued to ring out, like a shiny chime on top of a chugging locomotive," says Williamson. "This informed the entire soundscape of the album and gave us what I think is simultaneously our heaviest and prettiest album yet."

Co-produced by Williamson and Jr. Juggernaut drummer Wal Rashidi, Another Big Explosion is the first Jr. Juggernaut album to also feature bassist Noah Green (of L.A.'s The Pretty Flowers). It's also the first Jr. Juggernaut release to appear on Mindpower Records.

"We're excited that we could connect with Mindpower for this album's release," says Rashidi. "The band had discussed a long list of labels, but Mindpower kept rising to the top of the list of options. I think it's a win for both ends."

While some artists continue to lean on the latest in technological advances to further their efforts, Jr. Juggernaut realizes that its creative output can be distilled to the basics: Marshall half-stacks set to stun, brass snares shimmying with every hit, and songs penned purely from the heart.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Come Break My Heart
02. Hang On
03. Everything I Touch
04. Take Alone
05. Inclined
06. After Tonight
07. Million Miles
08. Lonely Boy
09. I Believe
10. Total Darkness

MARKETING POINTS:

• West Coast tour Aug/Sep 2024

FOR FANS OF:
Bob Mould, Dinosaur Jr, Husker Du, The Replacements, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Buffalo Tom, Goo Goo Dolls, Supercrush, Cloud Nothings, Superchunk, Hold Steady, Lemonheads

Instagram | Facebook

Audio Karate "Lady Melody"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 724399772613
STREET DATE: 9/27/24
CAT#: IOD-72
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Iodine Recordings is proud to present the 20th anniversary edition of 'Lady Melody' on limited colored vinyl. This deluxe edition of the classic California Punk record has been completely remastered for vinyl by Jason Livermore at Blasting Room Studios and includes all new artwork and a retrospective by the band and Bill Stevenson (Descendents, ALL).

In 2001 four Mexican American kids from the suburbs of East LA came together to form Audio Karate, their unique mix of melodic, emotional punk rock made it difficult to place them in any one genre but it also garnered a legion of fans. Their knack for writing infectiously catchy songs with deeply personal lyrics caught the attention of Kung Fu Records who signed them in 2001 alongside bands like Blink-182 and Tsunami Bomb.

Audio Karate spent the early 2000s touring heavily and sharing stages with bands like NOFX, The Ataris and Face to Face among many Vans Warped Tour appearances. Their first studio album "Space Camp" was met with much acclaim from critics and fans and featured frequently on MTV and Fuse TV.

Their follow up album "Lady Melody" was produced by Bill Stevenson of the Descendents and straddled pop-punk convention and technical oddity, with unique key changes and riffs that seemed to sound "wrong" while sounding gloriously right. Even Stevenson wondered how they did it, marveling at times during their recording sessions: "Technically, this shouldn't work."

Stevenson says "Lady Melody will always mark a special point in time for me. We had so much fun together during the Pre-Production, and then during the recording! I love this band so much, and it has been such a great pleasure getting to know each of them. Jesus Is Alive and Well and Living In Mexico is one of my favorite songs to have ever produced."

TRACK LISTING:
01. Jesus Is Alive And Well (And Living In Mexico)
02. Party At The Lexington Queen
03. Hey Maria
04. Ms. Foreign Friendly
05. A Whole Lotta Weight
06. Catch And Release
07. Gypsyqueen
08. Lady Melody
09. Aim To Please
10. Get What You Deserve Inc.
11. Who Brings A Knife To A Gun Fight?

MARKETING POINTS:

• 20th anniversary reissue of Lady Melody
• Remastered for vinyl by Jason Livermore at Blasting Room Studios
• Includes all new artwork by Jeff Caudill and a retrospective by the band and Bill Stevenson (Descendents, ALL)

FOR FANS OF:
Descendents, Jawbreaker, The Lawrence Arms

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"The Cosmic Dread" by Anthony Lucero

HARDCOVER BOOK - $14.00
BOOK UPC: 791689666273
BOOK ISBN: 979-8-218-35842-6
STREET DATE: 9/20/24
CAT#: WPR001
LABEL: Weeping Reaper

"The Cosmic Dread" is a unique children's book by artist and musician Anthony Lucero (Cult Leader). Through starkly powerful black and white illustrations, Lucero tells the story of a boy learning to accept the lonely, dreadful monster who lives beneath his bed.

"This comes from a very personal place. Childhood is at the center of the story but my hope is that anyone can find something that resonates within it." - Anthony Lucero

MARKETING POINTS:

• Written and Illustrated by Anthony Lucero (Cult Leader)**
• Hardcover Book
• 32 pages

Giant Walker "Silhouettes"

LP - $19.40 / CD - $11.35
STREET DATE: 9/20/24
CAT#: CRR217
LABEL: Church Road

Giant Walker are a Heavy Progressive Rock band from Newcastle, UK. After individually relocating 300 miles to further develop their craft, the Geordie quartet was coincidentally born in the South, bound together by their northern heritage and a shared love for bands such as Karnivool, Soundgarden, Radiohead and Deftones. Their music captures the many lows of loneliness and tips a hat to the music that gets you through hard times; sweeping you up in a conceptual journey, from giant riffs to melancholic melodies, and ambient soundscapes. Giant Walker have stitched together a sound, woven from the fabric of their influences, that can't be found elsewhere.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Time To Waste
02. Make Me
03. Silhouettes
04. Use On You
05. Halcion
06. Eraser, Obscurer
07. Round and Round We Go
08. So You Say
09. What It's Worth

FOR FANS OF:
Deftones, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age

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The Lips Are Back "The Lips Are Back"

7"EP - $6.00
STREET DATE: 9/20/24
CAT#: RADIO-038
LABEL: Radio Raheem

"The Lips Are Back existed from 1978-81 in the rural Michigan village of Battle Creek. Main Lip, John 'Rank Confusion' Conley, hailed from the Detroit area but was pursuing an engineering degree at Kellogg College. TLAB played throughout the state but primarily in and around the first wave Detroit punk scene. Unlike the terminal zilches with which they shared bills, the Lips had an urgent, crazed sound, comprised of equal parts Gene Vincent-yelp-greaser-rock and Bomp Records era Weirdos. I witnessed two unforgettable shows in early spring of 1980. The first on March 8 in Detroit at Bookies Club 870 and the second on March 24 in Ann Arbor at the Second Chance. I had just turned 17 and Yvette, a.k.a. Mrs. Confusion, snuck me into both venues. I recall a drunken recklessness to the performances, hopped up indeed. I'm not sure if the band was inebriated, however, as the musicianship was sharp yet loose simultaneously. Listening to these tracks in 2024 brings me back to the pre-dawn of the new thing: Hardcore. And knowing that a botched PCP deal delayed the release of this stone cold jam by 45 years is a punk rock story for the ages. Whose wise idea was it to flip Sherm for a profit? How many dust heads could there possibly have been in Battle Creek, circa 1980? Rank would go on to front the much bootlegged Midwest HC maniacs Latin Dogs." -- Barry Henssler (Necros)

Radio Raheem and Ancient Artifax have teamed up once again to bring you another killer lost recording, this time from beautiful rural Michigan. After laying down four tracks for a 7" record in 1979, The Lips Are Back got as far as the test pressing phase when someone had a bright idea -- what if, instead of using the band fund to self-release their spastic pop-laced debut, they were to first purchase some PCP, sell the dust for profit, THEN release their record and have some cash leftover? Genius, and what could possibly go wrong?! Well, we are happy to say that 45 years later, this brilliantly explosive platter is finally seeing the light of day, rescued from obscurity from the sole surviving test press. Limited to 500 copies with full color fold-out insert with complete lyrics.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Influence
02. Jones Town
03. Bad Morals
04. Swiss Cheese Memory

MARKETING POINTS:

• Includes a 7"x14" insert reproducing the original test press art mockup, as well as complete lyrics for all four original tracks.

FOR FANS OF:
Killed by Death punk, Latin Dogs, Midwest hardcore

Chastity "Chastity"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 641956287147
STREET DATE: 9/13/24
CAT#: DW260
LABEL: Deathwish Inc.

Not Exportable to Candada / UK / Europe

Chastity is for the skids, the headbangers, the freaks. Chastity is for everyone who has suffered and survived the lethal combination of suburban overculture and mental distress. Chastity is especially for everyone who didn't survive--the ones who didn't get out. Brandon Williams did, luckily, and his work with Chastity has been to collect people like him, who got out by the skin of their teeth.

Chastity's first three full-length records--2018's Death Lust, 2019's Home Made Satan, and 2022's Suffer Summer--formed a trilogy that defined a 4-year arc of the band's contribution to outsider music. Each record was informed by Williams' life, but each was also conceptual and interpretive, refracting his experiences through a level of remove. On Chastity's upcoming, self-titled fourth record, there is no such distance: Williams decided to write a fully non-fiction work. Out Friday, September 13 2024 on Deathwish (US), Dine Alone (Canada), and Big Scary Monsters (UK/E) 'Chastity' is a 13-track record about the things that have always run through the band's records--struggle, death, despair, redemption, darkness, and light--but this time, the songs ascend to new depths of intensity and desperation, new heights of resolution and power.

"It's really about the first nosedive that I did as a young person," says Williams. "It's a record about struggle, about the missing years. It's also a thank you to some people in my life."

The record hurtles through melodic hardcore, shoegaze, and emo, all magnificently and enormously rendered thanks to slick work from John Paul Peters (Propagandhi, Comeback Kid), who engineered and mixed the record. The band recorded at Peters' Private Ear Recording in Winnipeg in March 2024. Chastity's guitars have never sounded so immediate and towering, sometimes exploding into a sputtering, ripped-speaker chaos; and there are perhaps the most ferocious bass and drums sounds of the year on Chastity, splitting the difference between gnarly-as-fuck generator-show tones and vividly textured, hi-fi chest-beaters.

The new record arrives on the heels of a whirlwind six years for Chastity. Williams founded the project in Whitby Ontario. From the start, it's been a project of absolution via community connection. There weren't any venues for independent punk music in the suburban town, so Williams and his friends started throwing punk shows in a barn on Whitby's rural outskirts. People took notice: Before long, Ontario punk stalwarts like PUP and Metz were making the pilgrimage to the barn to headline gigs, and profits from the shows went to a regional youth mental health services. Chastity spent the next years touring North America including shows with Sunny Day Real Estate, Alexisonfire, and Deafheaven, culminating in their spring 2024 headline run, with a set that synced to an original feature film projected behind the stage.

This new era begins on opener "Jaw Locked" with a single tom strike and a wall of glorious, pounding major-key guitars. It drives forward, relentless and crackling with energy, while Williams revisits the feeling of voiceless loneliness--with a full, determined belt. He wants to hear people scream it with him. "I think the idea of people singing along with me about a time in my life where I was feeling like my voice didn't count for anything is a relief for me," he says. "It's like the circle has been closed in a way, it's like finally the lonely can all be together."

Follow-up "Electrical Tower Dive" finds Chastity's first official lyric use of "friggin'" tucked into a harrowing retelling of the first time Williams confronted, and re-considered, an early end to his life. Single "Bleached and Buzzed" follows it with a classic skate-punk thrash that seizes with anticipation and anxiety, before spilling into the massive, instant singalong "Summer All Over Again," where Williams laments an inability to fully enjoy even the most brilliant of warm, sunny days: "Summer all over again/And I am still stuck in my own head."

The record closes with "Drawing the Sun Back in the Corner of the Paper," a patient, atmospheric, hopeful slow-burn about opening back up to life and living (as Williams describes it, extending the contract with life) thanks to the care and support of another. In Williams' case, he credits his partner, the musician Linnea Siggelkow, whose care made him want to check in on others who need it, too.

It's a beautiful and affirming ending to a Chastity record, centered on the band's first and enduring idea: Life is less shitty if we live it together.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Jaw Locked
02. Electrical Tower Dive
03. Buzzed and Bleached
04. Summer All Over Again
05. Teeth On The Curb Looking Up At The World
06. There Are Missing Years
07. Offing
08. Life Less Severe
09. Demons In The House
10. The Dark Circles Around My Eyes
11. Free For All
12. Lake Ontario
13. Drawing The Sun Back In The Corner Of The Paper

MARKETING POINTS:

• Supporting Fucked Up this Summer/Fall
• Full-service PR by Stephanie Marlow (Gouge Away, Deafheaven, Touché Amoré)

FOR FANS OF:
The Dirty Nil, Greet Death, Fiddlehead

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Candy Hearts "You Could Be Anyone (Rarities 2010–2016)"

CASSETTE - $8.00
CASSETTE UPC: 724399772637
STREET DATE: 9/13/24
CAT#: IOD-73
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Candy Hearts were a New Jersey based pop punk band formed at the tail end of the 00's and fronted by singer-songwriter Mariel Loveland. Best described as empathetic tragedies channeled through '90s alternative-soaked pop-rock, Candy Hearts did downtrodden and heavily introspective sentiments with bubbly, hook-filled inclinations like no other.

Their sophomore LP 'All The Ways You Let Me Down' was produced by Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) and ranked by Billboard as one of the best pop albums of 2014.
Although they toured with pop punk heavyweights like Set It Off, Real Friends and The Story So Far as well as some stints on Vans Warped Tour, Candy Hearts have always aimed for ' Taylor Swift meets the Breeders'.

'You Could Be Anyone' is a collection of B-sides and rarities from 2010-2016, marking the 10 year anniversary of 'All The Ways You Let Me Down'. Mastered By Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden, 'You Could Be Anyone' is limited to 100 cassettes in purple tint. Candy Hearts will be reuniting to mark the anniversary at Fest in Gainesville this October. Although a decade has passed the message is still as clear and honest as possible to both fans and themselves. "I've always wanted this band to be completely true to ourselves," Loveland says, "That's just what our band has always been about."

TRACK LISTING:
01. In & Out (Acoustic)
02. Anything
03. Last Summer
04. What You Want
05. Hiding From My Friends
06. I Want You
07. Tongue Tied (Acoustic)
08. Flashers Flashing
09. Cracks Beneath Closed Doors
10. Top Of Our Lungs (Acoustic)
11. Something's Missing (Acoustic)
12. February 4th (Demo)
13. Maybe
14. Brooklyn Bridge (Acoustic)
15. Red Balloon
16. Things We Hate
17. Size of the Moon

MARKETING POINTS:

• Collection of B-sides and rarities from Candy Hearts
• Remastered by Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden
• Candy Hearts are reuniting for the 10th anniversary of 'All The Ways You Let Me Down' at Fest #22 in October

FOR FANS OF:
Lemuria, Paramore, Mixtapes

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