AHC

I'm really not a fan of compilation records. Very rarely do they become something truly special. In most cases, the good bands on the comp will turn around and include the song that they submitted on their next record. Within a year, the compilation is just the equivalent of someone's mixtape. Yawn. Plus, I tend to listen to bands and not songs...if that makes sense. When I'm scrolling through bands in my ipod, I think of albums and 7 inches that I want to hear, and compilations rarely come to mind.

Still, when a new compilation LP is released that is as strong as America's Hardcore, I'll still pick it up. The Rival Mob, Cruel Hand, Thought Crusade, Foundation, and Wolf Whistle...plus a bunch of other bands that I've been meaning to check out. Backtrack has a song on this comp, and while I really didn't care for them at the AHC record release show, their song here makes me want to revisit them and give them another chance.

White with red and blue splatter. 300 pressed.

I noticed that Triple B Records had the Free Spirit pre-orders up when I ordered the AHC comp. The more limited color was already sold out by then, so I only picked up the red colored vinyl, which was limited to 700.

There was lots of hype around Free Spirit, and I was excited to finally hear this 7 inch. Unfortunately it falls a little short for me. Not that it is bad, but it just didn't really grab me the way I expected it to. The band plays lightening fast, and it pretty similar to Straight Ahead, so maybe with repeated listens, this one will catch on.

While in the Triple B store I noticed that they had the Sound and Fury pressing of the Downpresser 7 inch. I've had the mp3's for this record for a while, and I figured that it was about time that I finally purchase it.

Sound and Fury fest cover. Limited to 100.

Downpresser play that mid-90's style of Hardcore that is making a resurgence nowadays. I can hear a bit of NYHC influence as well. It's not a style that always grabs me, but this is cool shit.