Get Right...Or Get Left Behind

A couple of posts ago, I was complaining that there hasn't been too much that's been released in 2008 that has blown me away. Thank you Right Idea and React Records for giving me exactly what I want. Right Idea is dedicated to The Straight Edge, and the music is classic '88 style...at times it reminds me of Unit Pride. As the song On Edge states, "The Spirit, The Message, The Music - Is Still So Fucking Strong". Right now, this record, along with Connection from The First Step, are at the top of my Best Of 2008 list.

Once the pre-orders went up, I didn't hesitate to order all three colors. Because of the numerous delays that Aram had with pressing plant errors, he slid some test presses and color variants with stamped dust sleeves as a special "thank you" for everyone's patience. Needless to say, I was fucking excited to receive one. Mine was the white vinyl with a few blue streaks...Aram only stamped about 25 of these so I feel extremely lucky to have one. Also in the package was a square of cardboard that had the React logo screened on to it. I'm already planning on getting a frame for this for the wall of my music room.

Four of a Kind

Here is another pressing of the Have Heart demo from Bottled Up Records. This time around we get 4 new versions...a black vinyl pressing, and mine was hand numbered 43 out of 100, plus 145 on clear purple, 177 on solid orange, and then 234 on solid purple. These four copies push my collection up to 13 pieces for the Have Heart demo 7 inch! That has got to be the most copies I own of a single record. At one point I was keeping a checklist for a bunch of records that I wanted. All the Have Heart stuff was on that list. I'm going to need to dig that out and figure out what I am missing.

When I ordered the Have Heart stuff, I figured that I'd give another band from the Bottled Up catalog a chance, and I picked up the Crumbler 7 inch. Meh, it is okay. I guess songs about prostitutes and beaver shots aren't really my bag.

A Couple Pieces Of Redemption

Why does 1917 Records hate me? This is the second pre-order I've done with them for I Rise vinyl, and both times I have failed to get the most limited pressing. It happened with the Down 7 inch, and now again with the new full length, For Redemption. I ordered two copies, and got the red and green split, limited to 200, and the mint green pressing, limited to 500...but I missed out on the pink vinyl which was limited to 100.

Maybe it is me, but once again I'm feeling underwhelmed by a new release in 2008. I'm not sure what it is...maybe it is high expectations, but the three albums that I have been looking forward to the most...Have Heart, Verse, and now I Rise...just haven't floored me. Sure they are good, and with repeated listens I'm enjoying them more and more, but overall, I'm just not getting my ass kicked. Maybe it is just my mood. Please, can someone release a no-bullshit, youth crew hardcore record, and make me happy?

More Steps

I was hoping to receive one more pressing of The First Step's newest 7 inch before posting this, but it didn't arrive, so here you go. I've had the blue vinyl from Rivalry for a while now. It is the second pressing, and limited to 1,270. Both the clear vinyl, 175 pressed, and the red vinyl, 325 pressed, were released on a South American label called Waking the Dead Records. There was a guy on eBay from Chile, that was unloading a few of these. I was able to pick them up without dropping a ton of money on them.

Old is New in 2008

Metallica's new album, Death Magnetic, is an amazing return to form. Sure it doesn't come close to the brilliance of Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets, or even Kill 'Em All for that matter, but damn it, this would fit in nicely between Justice and the Black Album. I can't get over how great this album is, as it continually finds it's way into my CD player or turntable...yes, I own the CD for this as well. I wasn't willing to drop the $100 for the deluxe five album version of this, but I didn't hesitate to pick up the double LP. Fuck all the haters.

Another old metal band to release a new album is Motorhead. With Motorizer, the band releases another album, fitting nicely into the mold they cast 30 years ago. The band doesn't change up their sound too much, and that is fine with me. As long as the songs are good, I have no problem with a band sticking with their sound. Bands that "out grow" their sound, or try to experiment typically end up sucking shit. Here's to Motorhead for releasing another solid album of "more of the same".

A Cruel Seven Inch

Another one of those 7 inch singles from Bridge Nine, this time offering us a preview of Cruel Hand's new album, and nothing more. Just two songs that will be on the band's album that will be up for pre-order in the next day or so. 300 on brown and 700 on maroon colored vinyl. The coolest thing about this 7 inch, though, is the sick cover art. Shit looks awesome. The artwork looks like it was from Pushead, but I'm pretty sure that it is a rip off. Anyway, these two songs are great, and I'm looking forward to the new album. When I ordered this record from Bridge Nine, I was really feeling the pinch financially, so I had to pass on buying the new Ruiner vinyl. Maybe I'll pick that up when I pre-order the new Cruel Hand.

Pure Hell

I keep wanting to expand my pathetic Slayer vinyl collection, but it seems that whenever I search eBay for their stuff, it is always more than I am willing to spend. A couple of weeks ago I was on a HUGE Slayer kick, and once again found myself on eBay searching for their shit. I came across a double LP, gatefold sleeve, pressing of Hell Awaits from a Korean seller, and I committed myself to it. I was bound and determined to win this classic. I already own the original Metal Blade release on vinyl, but I was pretty excited to win this double vinyl re-release. Considering it was coming from Korea, I was surprised at how quickly it arrived. This thing just looks incredible. Everything in this package was dead mint...from the vinyl, to the album cover, to the poster.

Getting Fired Up

This has got to be one of the most underrated releases of 2006. Fired Up's first 7 inch, When the Lights Go Out, is one of my favorites from the past couple of years. Straight up, no frills hardcore. To top things off, the record has been released on 7 different colors of vinyl, which has been a collector's wet dream. I'm still missing the record release cover for this, plus the newest pressing on purple, so I'll have to keep my eye out for those. I've had the blue vinyl for a while now, but I'm just now getting around to adding it to my collection. Picked it up on eBay back in March for $5.00. Sweet deal since it is limited to 250 pressed. The yellow vinyl was from the third pressing of the record and is limited to 100. I picked this up from the Youngblood table at the final show for The First Step. This one has plain orange labels, and the Youngblood stamp on the dust sleeve.