Monday 29 April 2013

Poison Fingers

A couple of months ago a distro I've bought from a few times was having a clearing out sale, the deal was something like five 7" records for five quid. Obviously though you didn't get to pick the records, but hey, for that price I'd take the risk.
Now, three of the records were kinda Meh! Infact one of them is downright terrible. Another of the records I already had which was typical. But the fifth I was pretty pleased with.

Into Another - Poison Fingers on purple. As I've been (very) slowly trying to add to my Revelation Collection this was a welcome addition. Hell, I'd have paid a fiver for this on its own right?

The purple press is of 300. I already had the standard black press.






Sunday 28 April 2013

Rise And Hell

Here's the three other records I mentioned in my last post, in fact these were the records that had caught my attention in the first place. I bought all four records for a measly £20. I already had these records on CD or on my iTunes so this was a nice cheap way to add them to the record collection. What a score!

So first up Rise And Fall - Into Oblivion


This is a great record, I like Rise And Fall a lot. I first heard of them in around 2005/2006 when I went to see a Converge show. I bumped into a friend before the show who said that he was mainly there to see Rise And Fall (I think he was the only one there singing along to the band), so I was expecting big things. He was right they were awesome and I immediately went and picked up this album on CD.


As is going to be a similar theme with all of these records the artwork and layout to this thing looks awesome. Then again has Jacob Bannon ever done a bad layout?


This is the second press on Deathwish Inc - White and Silver mix of 719. The colour works so well with the rest of the package.


Up next the first of two records by This Is Hell. Misfortunes first
 

This was the first record I heard from This Is Hell. I actually bought it on CD for my wife as I thought it would be something she would like. She did like it and so did I. A few years later I was in a band that played with these guys which was pretty cool.


I like buying records that I already have the CD of because it almost always makes the artwork look a million times better. I'd not really looked too much at the front of this but now seeing it enlarged it looks awesome.


This is the second pressing red vinyl version of the record of 550.


Last is Sundowning by This Is Hell. This record was actually released before Misfortunes. But I wanted to save this till last as it's the best looking.


All three of these records artwork has been done by Jacob Bannon but this one looks the best. The pictures don't really do it justice at all.


The cover has a sort of embossed feel and design to it too which I've done my best to photo below. Just gives it an extra edge and quality feel.

 
I know people kinda hate on splatter vinyl and I agree some of it is ugly as hell but the kind that is done in this three colour style I think looks amazing. This reminds me of the Day Of Mourning - Your Futures End and Cold World - No Omega  records that I raved about that had been done in a similar way. 


700 on this colour-way. I love how these records look when held up to the light.

Thursday 25 April 2013

Lifetime

When I wrote about the two Lifetime records I picked up a couple of months ago, I replied in the comments that I needed to pick up the self titled later record too at some point. I only kinda half meant it. I didn't particularly care for the album first time around, it was ok but didn't really grab me like the earlier stuff. A couple of weeks ago though I was scoring some records super cheap and noticed that the guy I was buying from also had the Lifetime record, for £5 how could I refuse?

Listening to this record again I think my initial assessment was spot on, it's alright and is more than adequate melodic hardcore/pop punk but it's definitely missing something. There's probably more pop punk that hardcore for my tastes and with that some of the more interesting aspects of Lifetimes sound has gone. Also gone are the good covers on the 'Jerseys Best Dancers' and 'Hello Bastards' records, look at the cover on this thing...WTF???

I believe this is the blue first pressing of 500. I should probably try and get hold of a copy of the bands debut Background on vinyl too now right?

As I touched on at the beginning of this post, I bought some other records with this, but they can wait till next time.





Tuesday 23 April 2013

Expire Live

Last month I wrote about two Expire records I'd picked up. In doing this I realised via discogs that there was only one Expire release I didn't have a version of, a live split with Soul Control. The record was given away free by Bridge Nine last year, I can't remember how you went about getting your grubby mitts on one but needless to say I missed out. I'd have to correct that.

Fast Forward a week or so and I was looking at a list of records someone had for sale and noticed it was there. I sent the guy an email and he fired one back saying he didn't really wanna sell that one and also he'd feel like a dick charging me for a record he got for free - bummer! However it didn't end there. He went on to say he would be at the Bridge Nine offices that weekend and would get me a copy and send me it for the price of postage! Turns out the guy is Leigh who plays bass in Bridge Nine signees Goodtime Boys! Legit good guy! True to his word he did nab me a copy. Thanks Leigh.

This is the Black version of 600, there's also a clear version of 100. Sonically this thing sounds fairly terrible but I had to have it.
I'm contemplating a stab at getting all versions of every release by Expire now.







Monday 22 April 2013

Black Masses

I've been loving the doomy stoner side of the rock/metal world over the last year or so. I've always been into Sabbath and a few stoner rock bands but my love for this style has really been kindled now. Maybe it's an age thing?!?
So with this in mind I ventured to my local record store recently (they have a good stock of this kinda thing) to get a new fix. I stumbled upon a band I had often seen the name of but don't think I'd actually ever heard, Electric Wizard. The shop had a few records by the band, but not knowing where to start I opted for what looked to be not only the most interesting, but also the cheapest. This is the bands 2010 effort Black Masses, released on the always trusty Rise Above Records. Awesome layout. Double Gatefold Lp on black (180 gram??) vinyl. I was a bit bummed that this was only on black as its pressed on around 20 different colours it seems but as the record is called Black Masses maybe it's the most apt? Looking at the other pressing numbers I'd presume this is of 400.
Cool band, if anyone has any suggestion for their best stuff let me know.







Tuesday 16 April 2013

RIP Chi Cheng

This week Deftones bassist Chi Cheng died after being in a coma since 2008 after a car accident. As a small tribute to the untimely loss of a great musician and by all accounts man, here are the two Deftones records I have on vinyl. I love both still and Chi's Bass is a driving force on both.

The bands debut album Adrenaline on Hot Topic exclusive pink vinyl (no idea why it's pink) and the bands follow up Around The Fur which is a 180 gram repress.









Sunday 14 April 2013

Mario's Mindset

Some people are just honest to goodness nice dudes. Mario over at Acrossyourface is one of those people. We've exchanged a package in the past of stuff and giving each other the heads up on pre-orders and the like but this time he has really out done himself.

Back in September Mario wrote about how he'd managed to pick up a limited copy of the No Tolerance 7" on blue from Youngblood Records and he'd been good enough to secure me a copy too. He fired me an email saying he'd send it over at some point but was gonna try and pick me something else up to make the postage worthwhile. Boy did he.


So first off the No Tolerance 7" limited to 200. I'd only managed to get a black version previously so this is much appreciated. Also in the package was this.


A few weeks ago I wrote about this record and bemoaned only managing to get a black version. I didn't need to worry about it as Mario has secured me this copy, a limited to 100 tour copy of the Mindset Leave No Doubt LP. If that wasn't enough Mario also picked me up a sweet shirt from the tour too.


Now obviously this would have been more than enough but the goodies didn't stop there.


From the same Mindset show Mario also picked me up a copy of the Step Aside Reaching Out 7" with limited weekend cover.


White Vinyl number 42 of 50. I hadn't got round to picking up a normal copy of this let alone a limited one so this was really appreciated.

Lastly was another LP, The Forgotten - Veni Vidi Vici. In the note Mario put in the package he said this was one of his favourite punk bay area records ever and he'd found a copy recently and thought I'd like it. The good thing is I do like it. I'd never heard the band before but they are pretty good and have that Rancid / Harrington Saints etc punk sound I really like. The cover art is great too.


Now I have to try and put something good together for Mario after receiving this. Not because he expects or wants me to but because I want to, because this really was a great load of records to get through the mail. Mario wouldn't even let me help him out with the postage which is pretty damn expensive now. It's times like this though that I'm reminded that even though two people have never met the bond of hardcore music and vinyl collecting can be pretty strong!!

Thursday 11 April 2013

Step 2 Rhythm

Turnstiles debut 7" Pressure To Succeed was a ripper of a debut, I absolutely loved it, so when it was announced that a new 7" was on its way I was pretty excited.
It seems a lot of people were excited too as although I seemed to arrive pretty soon after it had been put up for pre-order I missed the rarest version of the record on black (300), at least I think I did, it seemed to be available but wouldn't let me order one so I made do with the white version of 500. Although it's actually more of a gray than white. Transition from the black version maybe? I would have picked up a version on green (1000) too but man those postage rates are a killer at the moment.

Musically this has a really different vibe to Pressure To Succeed and Turnstile seem to have gone a bit 'Take Offence' with the introduction of some clean sung vocals to their sound. It took me by surprise quite a lot at first listen and I wasn't sure I was into it but on further listens I'm ok with it and the singing on Keep It Moving especially is annoyingly catchy. In fact the singing makes Turnstile sound like another band and I just can't think who but it's been annoying me for days.

That "I'm gonna break you down" drop in Canned Heat is pretty cool and got me moving.





Monday 8 April 2013

Poison Apple

I'm so far behind it's crazy, I've got loads of records through recently and haven't had the time to listen to a lot of them let alone blog about them. The joys of working and being a father I guess. Anyway, that being said I'm gonna begin my attempts at catching up with the new Uncle Acid (my surprise band of 2012) 7" Poison Apple.


Mark over at Couch Slouch has already done a pretty comprehensive write up about this so I'll try not to repeat what he's said too much. I'd been waiting keenly for this to be released but either forgot the date or got distracted or something so by the time I realised it was available for pre-order the limited to 100 clear vinyl had gone, leaving me with a choice of  the 'purple splatter' or the 'white in solid green' versions limited to 200. I can't remember why I went for the white in solid green, I think something seemed more limited about it, maybe it was one per customer like the clear version and the splatter was two per customer? I can't remember.


As you can see, either way it's probably better described as half white-half green but maybe some of them differ? As usual with Rise Above releases even as I was pre-ordering this, the clear versions were 'available' on eBay for stupid money even though the sellers didn't actually physically own a copy yet. It's pretty disgusting really, especially as like Mark pointed out, that it was limited to one per customer so this was pure flipping. Even this version sells on eBay now for around triple what I paid for it. Rise Above stuff really is hot at the moment.


Anyway, enough about that. The music is more of the same really from Uncle Acid and that's exactly how I like it. Both tracks are good and in fact I might even prefer the B-side Under The Spell. It's a great preview for the new album Mind Control, which I thought was out this month but as there is no pre-order yet (which will be fun), I guess not.


The cover for the 7" just says Uncle Acid where as the record labels say Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats which I think a few people have noticed and found odd. I hope that they don't drop the '& the deadbeats' part, i think that really adds to the name and mythos of the band.