REV Mystery Box Of Nothing

Bridge Nine started the concept a few years ago of a "Mystery Box". It is basically a crapshoot. While there is a possibility of receiving a test press, or some other out of print rarity, you will most likely receive a box of shitty CDs that no one cared about when they were first released. It is a gamble, and when REV announced they were doing the Mystery Box package, I figured that I'd roll the dice.

I didn't know it at the time I placed my order, but the REV Mystery Box came with an exclusive Down To Nothing 7 inch. Earlier this year, REV released the Greatings From Richmond 7 inch, which has two songs from the forthcoming Down To Nothing album, plus one exclusive b-side track. This Mystery Box 7 inch just swaps out one exclusive song for another, so I basically just paid $15 for one song.

500 pressed.

I set my expectation low and the REV Mystery Box hit the mark. Nothing really cool, and a bunch of CDs from bands that I never gave a shit about. Oh well, it was still fun, and I'll probably play along if they do another one next year.

Bridge Nine Mystery Box 2012

The Bridge Nine Mystery Box. The possibility of getting a rare piece of vinyl, or getting a box full of shit that you could care less about. Each year Bridge Nine has upped the ante, and this year they had the hype machine running at full power. The label was posting pictures on Facebook of all the cool t-shirts, rare vinyl, and test pressings that were going to be included in some lucky Mystery Boxes...it was enough to make some kids order multiple boxes.

My box came up short on any rare items, but still, for $15 I'm not complaining. I'll wear the Soul Control shirt, and sell the CDs that I have no use for to my local record store.

Bridge Nine offers up three choices for the Mystery Box, and the only one that had any interest for me was the one for Cruel Hand. Three songs from last years Sound & Fury set, pressed to a 7 inch. Limited to 500.

The note included with the record mentions a new Cruel Hand LP later this year. Looking forward to it.

The only other thing of any interest from my Mystery Box was the second Bridge Nine pressing of the Antidote 7 inch.

1,000 pressed on clear vinyl.

Have Heart 7.29.07

At the end of September, Bridge Nine announced pre-orders for their new Mystery Box. I wasn't too excited with what I received in last years Mystery Box, and was thinking about passing on this one. But the added incentive of a special 7 inch, limited to 500, was all that I needed to hear, and I bought one.

Bridge Nine had three options for the Mystery Box this year, and I went for the one that was listed "for fans of Have Heart, Champion and Foundation". The special 7 inch was kept a secret until the packages were shipped and people started receiving them. Turns out that the 7 inch for the Have Heart Mystery Box option was a four song 7 inch taken from the band's live set at Sound and Fury back in 2007. I'm not that big of a fan of live recordings, but this makes a nice addition to my Have Heart collection...plus the cover of Burning Fight is pretty cool as well.

As for the rest of my Mystery Box, it wasn't anything too exciting...as I expected. I got a copy of the new Strike Anywhere CD, which forced me to finally check it out. I didn't particularly care for their last record, and wasn't too interested in checking out their new one on Bridge Nine. To my surprise this is actually a really good album. Thank you B9 for sending this. Oh yeah, I also got a CD of Have Heart's Songs to Scream at the Sun...already had it, so I gave it to Rob.

The other piece of vinyl that I got in the Mystery Box was the live Death Threat 7 inch. I don't listen to the one I got a few years ago, and I wasn't thrilled to get a second copy. The funny thing is that the Mystery Box that Rob ordered also included this Death Threat record. Ahhhh...the B9 Mystery Box, a chance for the label to clear their shelves of crap that no one wanted the first time around. Oh well, at least I should be thankful that the label didn't send me something from Death Before Dishonor again. Still, the whole thing was kind of fun, and I'd probably order again if they do it next year.

Prepare To Be Let Down

I recently picked up the second pressing of Ruiner's album, Prepare To Be Let Down, on tri-colored vinyl. I love the cover artwork on this thing...very dark...and compliments the music laid down on this record as well...very real and passionate hardcore. Sick record all around.

While ordering this record, I also picked up the Bridge Nine Mystery Box. In an attempt to do some spring cleaning in their warehouse, they ran this limited $10 offer for the Bridge Nine Mystery Box. What you would do is give them a list of your four favorite B9 bands, and they would fill the order with what ever they wanted. I took the chance and sent them my list of bands; Champion, Have Heart, Carry On, and Betrayed. Then I waited to see what I would receive. Some people would post pictures on the B9 messageboard, showing what they got. My anticipation grew as a few people were receiving rare pieces of vinyl. I saw kids receive very rare American Nightmare vinyl, a Death Threat test press, and the Carry On LP on clear vinyl. Some people received banners from B9 bands, and others received screened tour posters. And then there were those that received rather disappointing orders...one kid received 10 copies of the Anger Regiment CD. It took them a couple of weeks to fill my order, so I was getting nervous that all the cool shit was already gone. I finally received my box yesterday, and yeah, I was a little let down. No rare vinyl...no cool, limited posters for my music room. I got four CD's...Blue Monday (which I already own), the Some Kind Of Hate EP (I have the blue colored CD, but received the orange one), plus a CD from Death Before Dishonor and No Turning Back (which I have downloaded and burned to a CDR, but didn't like enough to really buy...so now I have an actual copy of it...karma?). I also got two t-shirts. I got a Have Heart shirt from their Euro tour. I already own this shirt...bought it for $5 at the Edge Day show a couple of years ago. The funny thing is that last week, my wife was telling me that this was not her "favorite shirt"...which is code for "I hate this shirt". Now I have two of them. I also got a long sleeve, black Ruiner shirt. I'm not sure how I feel about this one...it definitely isn't a style that I would have purchased...my wife on the other hand, hates this one as well. I also got a handful of stickers that I probably won't do anything with. Overall, this was a very cool idea from Bridge Nine, and a very different approach in a time when lots of labels are throwing their rare vinyl up on eBay to fund future releases. While I didn't really get a box of stuff that blew me away, it was a fun purchase.