The Night Creeper

I really need to pay attention to Rise Above releases more or use social media or something, I always seem to be late to the table with this labels releases. One minute I hear Uncle Acid have a new record coming out and the next minute it's out and I've nearly missed the boat on getting a copy already.

Uncle Acid - The Night Creeper

By the time I got to the Rise Above store to pick this up there were only copies of the Solid Purple American version left as a colour option. 1,000 pressed with 35 available on the Rise Above store. In retrospect I could have possibly picked up a copy from an actual store but the other regular colour copies are out of 1,000 too so - meh!

The packaging of course looks great again like you'd expect for this band, it should really be a gatefold though I think, that's my only gripe. The rest of the look of this carries on the feel created for the last two LP's nicely. Now, I need to listen to this more granted, but I'm not as excited by this release as I was the first LP, it's good and the spins I've had I've enjoyed but there just seems to be something missing, there was a real uniqueness and energy to that first LP that I don't think they've found again yet.

Old Rev

Here's a couple of old Revelation Records releases I've picked up on my travels recently.

Orange 9mm - S/T

I always liked Orange 9mm especially this release, saying that I can even hang with both the LP's that came afterwards. I wasn't really looking for this record but it fell into my lap and I couldn't say no.

Iceburn / Engine Kid - split

Can't say I'll be spinning this oddball split release between Iceburn and Engine Kid too often, it's a bit of a strange one and hardly a revered Rev classic. Once again I couldn't resist picking up a Rev release for next to nothing though. I have a vague recollection of seeing Engine Kid in the mid 90's as like third support to someone else but I can't remember who or if it was even Engine Kid. Did they ever play the U.K?

No Fighting In The Pit

Sometimes I question my parenting skills, being somewhat childish myself I wonder if my approach is the best way forward for the two rugrats I've managed to breed. Then I throw a record on the turntable and the kids come into 'slam dance' but not before the eldest ones reminded the little one that 'there's no fighting in the pit' and I think maybe I'm doing ok. That's what happened when I gave this one a spin the other day. Anyway...

Turmoil - Anchor

Turmoil have come back into people's conscience recently and I must admit I've  given 'The Process Of...' a fair few spins recently myself. So when I saw this on discogs for a couple of quid recently when picking up something else from the seller I couldn't resist adding this to the cart too.

This 7" release 'Anchor' came out a couple of years before the LP and it's a total ripper from start to finish. I love this brand of 90's metal-core before the sound and genre took a distinct nose dive when we hit the millenium. This is the white vinyl version which I presume is more limited than the black version.

An Angry Surprise

I think I mentioned a few posts ago that I've been listening to Downset a lot recently. As usual when you kinda go through a phase with a band again I started looking at their releases to see what I didn't have. I have a few of the 7" output but I didn't have a copy of the Anger 7" -probably my favourite Downset song - so I picked it up.

Downset - Anger

Boy am I glad I did. It's very rare at my advanced stage of life that I find something out or discover something about a band I've listened to for years that I didn't know, but with this release I did. I threw the record on to my turntable just to give it a quick spin really, I've heard Anger a million times so just wanted to make sure it played ok. Then as the second verse hit I had a real 'What the fuck?' Head turn moment. 

Where Rey usually sings - '...and what does that fake know about mutha-fuckin South Central? Fool, what you know about a set or a sign, you fake mutha-fucker...' 

I heard for the first time ever

 '...and what does Rage know about mutha-fuckin South Central? Zack, what you know about a set or a sign, you fake mutha-fucker...'

I had no idea this original version had been changed for the album version of the song. Obviously, there was some beef between the bands (RATM) that they later thought better of. In fact listening back to the album version of the song I realised that it has quite obviously been edited to change these two words but I'd  never noticed before.

So yeah, what was actually just a 'for the sake of it' buy actually turned out to be pretty interesting. This blue vinyl looks nice too with the super 90's cover.

Lunch Break Records

So yesterday I had a bit of time between meetings on my lunch break and decided to visit Nottinghams three record shops to see if I could find anything. The first was a total bust - what is it with record shops these days I mean who's actually buying records now? Whilst there is definately a revival in the number of stores they all seem to be peddling the same Beatles reissues and Lana Del Rey records at varying prices. In fact prices is an odd one, all three record stores I visited yesterday had one record in particular priced at £18, £24 and £32 across the three stores. Very strange. Yet the most expensive store had some records cheaper than the other two. Anyway I digress...

Mutoid Man - Bleeder

So into the second store and this one snuck up on me, I really liked the first Mutoid Man record but had no idea there was a follow up doing the rounds. It said 'last copy' too so I quickly snatched it up thankful I'd found a record I actually wanted.

Once again the record sports great trippy colourful artwork and this is the red vinyl version. I've only had a couple of listens but this album is good too, it's slightly different to the first record, a bit cleaner and less 'stoner' rock but still good.

Code Orange - I Am King

It's taken me ages to pick a copy of this record up, I don't know why as I loved the first full length- you know back when they were kids - but it was worth the wait as I got it for a measly £10.

This green marble vinyl whilst probably very common looks great with the rest of the packaging too so I'm not complaining.

On to store three and I was less than hopeful of finding anything other than Mumford and Sons records and copies of AC/DC's more popular work but surprisingly I did buy three records.

Ajax - S/T

I'd heard the name of NY punks Ajax being banded around for the last year or so and made a mental note to have a listen at some point. Low and behold in a VERY small 7" section marked U.S Hardcore/Punk I found a copy of their 7" release.

It's gruff, raw punk on offer here but I can see why the name had reached my ears as I really enjoyed this record. Good stuff indeed.

Rage Against The Machine - S/T

Doesn't really need an introduction does it? I ventured over to the metal section and it was as cheap as I've ever seen the record so I decided to add it to my record collection. 

No thrills black vinyl reissue

Earth Crisis - Salvation Of Innocents

Okay, bear with me on this one. Still flicking through the metal section I noticed a familiar old name - Earth Crisis - I looked at the cover and thought 'Jesus that's terrible' and was about to put it back when something else caught my eye, the price tag!! It read £3.99! Now , don't get me wrong I haven't cared about Earth Crisis for years, decades maybe, but when I can buy a year old record for less than lunch, fuck it I'll take a chance.

I presume this had been hanging around for the past year with no takers hence the price drop.180grm blue vinyl in a gatefold sleeve. To be honest it kinda sounds how you'd expect Earth Crisis to sound now, but it's not that bad, more than listenable  and for that price I'll throw it on my shelf.

And that folks is how I spent my lunch break yesterday.

Seven sevens

Here's seven 7" records I've picked up over the last few months that were sat on the pile. Usual mixed bag of stuff

Harm Done - Harm Done

I'd been meaning to pick up a copy of French band Harm Done's 7" for ages as they feature members of Raw Justice another Straight & Alert Records band I like. It took so long that I had to wait for the repress to pick one up but I did at least manage to get this Spray Painted cover version out of 40 copies.

Cross Me - Mind Prison / Content

So Cross Me who I really like and are about to make their Bridge Nine debut chucked this out on Flatspot Records a few months ago. I don't know why I pick these Flexis up at all as they are totally useless but hey that's the collectors dilemma I guess. I didn't realise how bad this photo was till after I took it sorry. It came with a big double sided poster / lyric sheet.

Ancient Heads - It Can't Rain Forever

Missed out on a coloured version of this Ancient Heads release on React which was a shame as its really good straight ahead hardcore. The Black version is out of 500 but there's 350 on white and 150 on red. I really like how this record and cover looks.

In My Eyes - Demo

Doesn't really need an introduction this does it. It's In My Eyes, It's the Demo and its on blue.

Social Justice - I Refuse To Lose

I have a new job that involves a lot more driving to see clients and go to meetings and the like. Between meetings during the day I don't always want to listen to Converge or similar heavy stuff when I'm trying to keep my head straight. So recently I've been listening to a lot of Downset. That in turn made me want to check out Social Justice the band Downset became further down the line. This was I believe their only 7" release I Refuse To Lose. This is the European repress that came out a year later and includes an Inside Out cover.

Better Than A Thousand - Self Worth

I think I picked up this Grapes Of Wrath released version of Better Than A Thousands Self Worth whilst I was still rocking the Just One LP repress that came out for RSD.

Good Times / New Reality - At The Beach - In The Woods

Whilst picking up the Harm Done record from Straight & Alert I saw this release from two U.S bands and the description said for fans of Mental, Righteous Jams and Rotting Out. Sounding right up my street I added the Handmade Artwork version of 40 copies to my cart. I didn't realise how hand made it would be though, this is the kind of felt penned picture I'd have probably done at school whilst supposed to be doing maths work or something. Decent stuff though from both bands. It also came with a shed load of inserts. On a blue and black marbled vinyl.

First Post Of July

I had every intention of bringing these posts to you on a more regular basis but a promotion at work has eaten in to my time in July, so let's just get some recent LP pick ups out of the way all at once.

Break Away - Face Aggression

Loved the 7" releases this band put out but I was rather slow on the up take of their full length debut. It's good stuff though - aggressive and heavy. Black vinyl of 500.

Rotting Out - Reckoning

Rotting Out's recent EP offering is a glorious looking slab of wax. This photo does it no justice but the blue with black splatter and white half vinyl is a sexy looking thing. The etched B-side is nice too. This might be the first Rotting Out release that doesn't see them sporting their own Merch too - Hazaah!!!

Violent Reaction - Marching On

You couldn't have written it any better for me. Revelations first ever release of a UK band is a band from Leeds and their record is called Marching On (together) come on, it's brilliant!! As is this record! 

Billingsgate - No Apologies

I picked up this slightly beat up copy of Billingsgates No Apologies record from eBay mainly out of curiosity as much as anything. I wonder why this was on Nemesis and not Victory like their first release.

108 - A New Beat From A Dead Heart

The first of two 108 releases I got recently. After listening to the 18.61 release quite a bit I had it in my mind to pick up some more and these both came along cheap without any real effort. This came out in 2007 and is I believe the yellow and gold mix of 400.

108 - Holyname

I also found a copy of the bands '93 debut on Equal Vision. As far as I know there isn't a colour version of this record just black. I always find it funny when I buy a record off eBay and the seller only has one record of this ilk - how does that happen? I'm sure all the other stuff they were selling was barely even rock music much less hardcore or punk and right in the middle sitting there like an ugly step child is this 108 record. Odd.