Free And Clear

I grabbed some great finds on my latest Triple B shopping spree, with both Fury and Glory impressing the hell out of me. As I was preparing to check out, one more record caught my eye. Could Triple B go three for three?

When I published my Year In Review post for 2016, I asked what Hardcore records I'd missed out on. Well, Triple B had all the fucking answers.

This record from Free At Last steals the show. I'm absolutely loving the Count Me Out/Turning Point vibe that this band deliver. We may have a new number one for 2016.

238 pressed on clear vinyl.

Power And The Glory

While I was in the Triple B store picking up the Paramount album from Fury, I figured that I'd check what other cool Hardcore bands I'd missed out on recently. I was in an adventurous mood, so lets roll the dice.

Following Triple B on Facebook, I'd seen the Glory name thrown around here and there...probably from local Boston shows and the last American Hardcore fest last December. Meh...I wasn't too interested in check out what they were about at the time, but while I was here in the Triple B store, I figured that I'd take the opportunity to check out what else the label had to offer.

Holy shit. This record rips. Eight songs on one side, clocking in at nine minutes. Great stuff, reminiscent of Straight Ahead. This thing rules.

300 pressed on coke bottle clear vinyl.

Sound And Fury

I was stubborn last year. I'll admit it. I spent a lot of time stuck in the past, and I resisted some newer Hardcore releases. When Fury released Paramount, I just couldn't be bothered. Even though I enjoyed the Fury 7 inch from a couple of years ago, I just couldn't get myself to pay attention when their new album was released. This record was getting tons of praise all over the place, but I had very little time for new Hardcore bands in 2016.

My mindset changed recently. After spinning the new record from Search, it put me in the mood for some newer Hardcore bands. One of the first records that came to mind was that Fury album that seemed to get a lot of hype last year.

I don't know if it would have cracked my Top 10 list for the year, but this is still a solid Hardcore record. Lyrics with meaning, passionate and intense...pure Hardcore. I'm really liking this.

500 pressed on clear purple vinyl.

Why Play Around?

Buying the vinyl for Killing Is My Business a few weeks ago, kind of put me on an 80's Thrash bender. When these kind of things happen, you've just got to roll with it, and fill some holes in the record collection along the way.

As I was enjoying my Thrash obsession, I came across the first Wargasm album in my playlist for 1988. I've been looking to pick this up on vinyl for years, and everything fell into place to make it happen this time around.

I was a late bloomer when it came to going to see live shows. Yeah, I'd been to big ticket concerts as a teen, but when it came to smaller, underground bands, I didn't start getting out until I was nineteen. Once I graduated from High School, and got brave enough to make the two hour trip to the big city of Boston, a whole new world of live music opened up to me. Making that first trip with some friends to see Testament at The Channel for the Practice What You Preach tour got me hooked, and soon I was travelling to Boston or Providence two or three times a month to see a show. Often times, I would make the three hour drive to Providence by myself...popping No-Doz and chugging Jolt Cola for the drive home...not hitting the pillow until 3:00 in the morning. I was a fiend.

All of this is just a long winded way of saying that one of those early shows I remember driving to Providence for was to see Wargasm and Meliah Rage play at The Living Room. After discovering the live Metal scene, I only stuck around for about a year...basically catching any show that I could during 1900...before getting sucked into Hardcore shows with Agnostic Front, Slapshot and Sick Of It All. Once that happened, Metal was in my rearview mirror. Because it was such a short period of time, man, I look back at those Metal shows as something really special.

So glad to finally add this underrated classic to the collection.

Suicide Machine

It has been 10 years since Career Suicide released their last album, Attempted Suicide. When I first heard that album back in 2008, it pretty much ruled my world. It was kind of an off year with Hardcore, and a number of big names dropped records that were big disappointments for me at the time. Although I was a couple of years late to the party, discovering that Career Suicide record filled a void that year.

I can't say that I follow the movements of every band, but since it had been 10 years since the last Career Suicide album, it was probably not out of line for me to have considered the band dead and gone. When it was announced that pre-orders were up for a new album from the band, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they were still releasing new music.

Given the number of years that had passed, it is amazing that this band can still produce a punk record with so much attitude. great stuff.

200 pressed on red/yellow vinyl.

Inception Of Sanctuary

When Sanctuary released The Year The Sun Died back in 2014, the album landed at the number ten spot in my Best of 2014 list. I was surprised with how much I loved that album, and looking back now, I should have rated it much higher. In addition to being a killer album, it served as a reminder for how great their two albums from the 80's were.

Since hearing The Year The Sun Died, I've been itching to finally pick up the vinyl for those 80's classics from Sanctuary, particularly their debut from '87, Refuge Denied. I've come close to pulling the trigger a few times, but have always had something else catch my eye and divert my attention, so I'm still here empty handed.

New releases are easier to commit to, so I'm sure that that band just released Inception because they were tired of me dicking around over Refuge Denied.

Inception contains Sanctuary's lost 1986 demo session, so while it technically doesn't contain anything "new", there are a couple of songs on here that I've never heard before. While the majority of the songs ended up being re-recorded for the Refuge Denied album, songs like Dream of the Incubus and I am Insane, make this well worth the money paid.

With the Ed Repka cover art, all the old photos, and the 12 page booklet on the history of the band...the packaging is top notch. Great release.

How Gold Can Punk Get

It took me the longest time to finally check out Bad Brains' Rock For Light album. My introduction to the band was through the Attitude CD that In-Effect released back in '89. There was no internet in those days, so my information on the band and their discography was really limited. When I discovered that the Bad Brains had another album called Rock For Light, I checked the packaging and saw the song list...what the hell...I already knew some of these songs. I was not spending my hard earned money on an album where I already knew some of the songs already. I was an idiot.

Around 20 years later, with the help of the internet and illegal downloads, I finally jumped in to check out that Rock For Light album that I was initially so quick to dismiss...and now, after sitting with these songs for 7 years, I'm finally getting around to grabbing a copy of the vinyl. I might be slow, but I do get there eventually.

When it came time to chase down the vinyl, originally I had the original PVC pressing in my sights. My motto recently seems to have been, "If it ain't an original press, it ain't shit", and that's where I started with Rock For Light, but sometimes shit is hard, yo.

Tracking down the PVC pressing turned out to be rather stressful for me. Copies were either too beat up for my tastes, had an ugly promo cut corner, were missing the insert, or just cost more than I was willing to dive in for. After following eBay and discogs for a while, I finally just couldn't take it anymore. I threw up my hands in defeat and decided to make a run at the pressing that looked the best...the Caroline pressing on gold from '91.

Feels great to finally have this classic in the collection.

Sign Of The Square Hammer

When Ghost released their Popestar EP, I had every intention of ignoring the damn thing. While I love Ghost, I really struggle with their cover songs. I mean, it was fun when the band was new and they were recording the odd cover from The Beatles or ABBA, but their 2013 covers EP felt like they were jumping the shark, and it soured me on the band a little bit.

When I heard that Ghost had another EP that was mostly covers, I wanted nothing to do with a second serving of bullshit. When it was announced that Ghost was going to be opening for Iron Maiden for their US tour this summer, and I got my tickets, I decided to give those Ghost albums a spin again. I was reminded how great those records are, and in my excitement, I decided to check out their Popestar EP as well...not for the cover songs, but for the one original track that was included...Square Hammer.

Too be honest, Square Hammer is pretty much the only song that I listen to from this record. It is a great song, and while the covers aren't terrible, they don't have the same impact as Ghost's original songs.

Twin Peaks

When digging through used record bins, my friend Jeff has a motto of, "For a dollar, I'll try almost anything". I had him in mind when I came across a couple of used Mountain records at the record store the other day.

I was deep into some early 70's playlists last year, and I spent a fair amount of time with the first two Mountain records...and even picked up both of them on vinyl. I'd been under the impression that things kind of unravel shortly after those first couple of releases, so I've never bothered with anything after Nantucket Sleighride. Seeing their live album and 1974's Avalanche in the used bin...each with a one dollar price tag, I threw caution to the wind, and decided to live dangerously by purchasing a couple of records that I wasn't familiar with. Must be part of my mid-life crisis.

While Avalanche was the kind of lackluster affair that I'd heard about, the live album kind of surprised me. Granted it was the 70's, so like most Rock bands from that time, they had to take the 6 minute song of Nantucket Sleighride and drag it out for seventeen and half minutes, filling an entire side of the record. It's all good though, because they pull off the jam very well.

I like how all the covers kind of fit the same theme, and they all look great together.

Nightmare Logic

At this time last year, I may have had only two new 2016 releases in my record collection...the final Mindset record and the Red Hare 7 inch. Here we sit, two and a half months into the new year, and I've already got nine new releases on the blog so far...with a few more queued up and waiting in the wings. 2017 needs to chill the fuck out on new releases so that I can focus on older shit.

One of the biggest surprises so far this year has been the new Power Trip album, Nightmare Logic.

I've wanted to like the band since I first checked 'em out back in 2010 or so, but man, they have just never clicked with me. You would think this Crossover/Metal style would hit all the right buttons for me, but for one reason or another they have just failed to connect.

With a new album coming soon, I shouldn't have cared...but something made me shrug my shoulders, and decide to give it a shot. I saw they had a song up on youtube...the song title sounded kind of badass, so I headed over to check out Executioner's Tax (Swing Of The Axe).

Damn! Has Power Trip always sounded this great, and I've been missing out? I can't believe how much I love this record. All out thrash attack. It kind makes me wonder if I should go back and give that first album another chance.

500 pressed on red vinyl, and only available at indie record stores.

I Am The Hammer

I hate it when the end of the year rolls around and one of my favorite albums still hasn't been released on vinyl. Such was the case with Eternal Champion's new album, The Armor Of Ire. While I was able to sneak a digital download back in September of 2016, it wasn't until early 2017 that we finally saw the vinyl. These kinds of delays just fuck with my end of year record photos. Unacceptable.

Eternal Champion debuted their first two songs back in 2013, then followed it up with one more song on their split with Gatekeeper in 2015. Three songs were not enough, and with great impatience, I couldn't wait for the band to finally get back to studio to give us a proper full length. When the news came that they were back in the studio, and expected to release their album in 2016, it became, easily, one of my most anticipated records for the year.

The band certainly delivers, and The Armor Of Ire became one of my favorite Metal records of the year. When I discovered that the vinyl was finally available for pre-order, I hopped over to No Remorse to place my order. Much to my surprise, the red vinyl that was limited to 100 had already sold out. I was confused. How had I missed the limited red vinyl? It felt like the early React! preorders, when shit would sell out if you weren't there and ready to roll as soon as it became available. Apparently there was a larger desire for this record than I had anticipated. I ended up missing out, and had to settle for the black vinyl. Limited to 400.

Mean, Green, Killing Machine

Since releasing their debut EP in 1985, Overkill have released a new album every two or three years. Rolling into 2017, Overkill offer up their eighteenth studio album, The Grinding Wheel. Damn. Outside of Motorhead, is there another band that has kept up that level of quality production?

Okay...ignore the fact that the gears on the front cover could never actually turn...once the first song kicks in, you know that I'm gonna move. As an Overkill fanboy, I can hang with all of their albums, and The Grinding Wheel does not disappoint. Goddamn Trouble rises to the top of the heap, but this whole album...especially first half are incredibly solid.

300 pressed on green vinyl.

Gods Of Violence

When it comes to Metal, I'm a sucker for the older bands that are still out there thrashing. When those bands from my angry teen years, step up with a new album, I'll throw on the denim and spikes, and look forward to it's release with eager anticipation. I'm a nostalgic old fool, but as long as they bring the energy, I'll keep buying the records.

Kreator album covers are typically bad ass, and with Gods Of Violence, they do not disappoint. Horns, skulls, upside down crosses...the perfect ingredients for some killer cover art. Sure it is a little reminiscent, of South Of Heaven, but it's all good.

I was interested in checking out the album with the album art alone...but then they released the first video for the title track, Gods Of Violence. The song was a ripper, and the video included some kind of satanic blood ceremony, complete with an all female orgy and lots of boobs. I was sold, and immediately pre-ordered the vinyl.

While their last album, Phantom Antichrist, took some time to grow on me, this new one immediately set its hooks. Great stuff.

500 copies pressed on red and black split colored vinyl. I was surprised to find my copy arrive with an autographed poster.

If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth A Damn

Last year, I got myself hooked on '77 punk. I spent a lot of time in those late 70's years, spinning old, well known classics, and discovering a number of bands that I'd never bothered with until I found myself neck deep in this obsession. The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Adverts, UK Subs, Heartbreakers, The Saints...and of course, The Damned.

I lusted after a UK pressing on Stiff Records for the debut from the Damned most of the year, but I was playing it cautious. Playing the waiting game, and holding out for the best condition at the best price left me empty handed and frustrated.

As I started checking off a couple of boxes on my Top 10 Wants Of 2017 list, I felt energized to make another run at Damned Damned Damned. This time, I was determined to get one at any cost.

Considering that I never really paid them too much attention until last year, I fucking love this band. I'm only familiar with their first three records, but god damn, those are flawless. Might be time to venture outside my comfort zone, and check out their Black Album soon.

Record Collecting Is My Business...

I've had Megadeth's Killing Is My Business on my Want List for a long time. Years ago, I set my eBay profile to alert me whenever a copy became available. My email inbox saw countless notifications, and I ignored most of them. The record seemed to show up pretty regularly, so I figured there was no rush, and I kept putting off buying a copy. Then, at the start of last year, I posted my Top 10 Wants In 2016 here on the blog. I thought that if I published it here, it would keep it at the forefront of my mind, and it would motivate me to finally cross it off my list. No dice. I didn't make anymore headway on it than years past.

I vowed that 2017 was going to be different. While I only crossed one record off my Top 10 Want List in 2016, I committed myself to doing better this year. With some cash in my Paypal account from recently selling off some records, I figured that it was time to finally make a move on the first Megadeth record.

One of the things that made an original pressing of Killing Is My Business so attractive, was that it is really the only place that you are going to get their cover version of These Boots. Seems that Lee Hazelwood wasn't too impressed with Mustaine's interpretation, and forbid them from ever releasing it again. Too bad...Megadeth's version is great.

I fucking love those green Combat labels. I want them all. When looking to buy a copy of Killing Is My Business, this was really the only way to go. Man, this thing is in amazing condition for a record that over 30 years old.

One of the reasons that I paid a bit more for my copy of this record was that it included the original merchandise order form. Gotta have it for the Metal history!

Searchin' For The Light

Admittedly, I find myself struggling to keep in touch with what is going on in the Hardcore scene. However, even with my "old man" status, I'd still heard about the band Search. That is really not saying much, as you would have to be living with undiscovered tribes in Africa to have not heard about this band. Featuring members of Mouthpiece, Floorpunch, and Turning Point, it would be difficult to avoid all news about this latest Hardcore supergroup.

Expectations were high when this record finally arrived. For someone that has committed to focusing on picking up more classic vinyl releases, and avoiding the trap of multiple pressings of current records, I guess it says something about my high hopes when I ordered the vinyl on both available colors.

The record itself does not disappoint. I know we are only two months into 2017, but this is already a strong contender for my favorite Hardcore release of the year. Flawless.

280 on coke bottle clear, and 700 pressed on blue vinyl. The clock is ticking on when REV will throw another pressing up in the store.