Ghost With The Most

Lucifer...we are here...

Ghost finally gets a proper U.S. release on vinyl from Metal Blade. I don't typically purchase multiple copies of Metal albums, but their Opus Eponymous album was so good, that I haven't been able to resist Satan's Call.

Metal Blade did a great job with the picture disc. The slight variation on the album artwork was enough to set this apart from the Rise Above release, and make this a "must buy" for me.

I'm still bummed that they had to cancel their U.S. tour. It is a rare thing for a band to be shrouded in the amount of secrecy that Ghost has maintained. To catch them live at this point, just when they are starting to take off, would have made for a memorable evening.

While there were no photos included with the Rise Above release, the packaging for the picture disc comes with a cardboard sleeve that captures The Nameless Ghouls on the back cover. Classic.

Striving Higher Compilation

You don't really see too many worthwhile compilations. The last one that I think I paid any attention to was Revelation's 2005 Generations. Five years later, Triple B gave us the excellent America's Hardcore, and in 2011, Six Feet Under give us another comp LP with Striving Higher. From someone that isn't a big fan of compilations, the strength of these three can not be denied.

Such a good selection of bands. I was excited to hear new stuff from The Rival Mob, Disengage, and Stick Together, plus it was a good introduction to some newer bands, like Inside and Tremors. There were also a few bands, like The Mongoloids and Blacklisted, that I've never bothered to check out until now. Pretty tight collection of bands.

I didn't preorder as soon as this went up. As great as this thing looks, I don't feel the need to order multiple copies, so I wasn't in any rush to get the most limited pressing. I have no idea how many were pressed on this gold and black colored vinyl.

The album comes with a nice big booklet, and a poster that displays all the record covers from the SFU catalog. Wow, I didn't realize there were so many SFU releases that I've never bothered to pick up.

The entire comp is worth it for the Dead Stop song alone. This song was recorded during the band's Live For Nothing sessions...about 6 years ago. I'm so glad that this song saw the light of day.

The Striving Higher comp came with a Blacklisted flexi single. Blacklisted was the biggest surprise for me on this album. Their song, plus the one on this flexi made me sit up and think that I may have to finally give this band a chance. Impressive.

Picked Clean and Agitator

Back when Six Feet Under put up the Alert pre-orders, the label put up a couple of other records at the same time. Picked Clean and Agitator. I'd never heard of either band, but I figured that I'd take the chance and order them anyway.

The Picked Clean record is fuckin' brutal. Pissed off and raging Hardcore. I don't know...it kind of reminds me of Dropdead or Knife Fight. No polish on this...at all. I don't know if I'll be able to hang with this. This is pretty ugly and chaotic. Maybe it will just take repeated listens for it all to sink in.

Clear vinyl.

Agitator plays some heavy Hardcore. Honestly, I don't typically like this style, but for some reason I've recently been digging bands like this more and more. You just know that when Agitator starts playing, fists start flying on the dance floor...and as much as I hate toughguy shit like that, this 7 inch is really good. Plus Agitator is unapologetic about their Edge, so I'm down with that.

105 pressed on grey vinyl.

The Newly Deceased

It is Halloween, which means it is the perfect time for another Metal post!

Three years ago, I had discovered Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles, and was spending some time on their message board. I was pretty excited on Metal and the resurgence of Thrash at the time, and I was looking for some new bands. Some guys were talking about the Thrash revival and mentioned a band called Deceased that played the style better than any of these newer bands. Sounded like something I should check out, so I downloaded their As The Weird Travel On album from 2005. I liked what I heard, but I was pouring through so much new music at the time, that I really didn't spend much time with it.

I've recently been going through some of the old music that I downloaded at that time. Some of it I've trashed, but Deceased really stood out. They have a great modern Thrash sound, yet still are reminiscent of some late 80's bands like Death and Rigor Mortis. I started digging around to see what else I should download from the band and discovered that they had released a new album recently. I gave Surreal Overdose a spin, and was so impressed that I immediately started searching the internet to find out if this was released on vinyl.

I found that Hells Headbangers did a vinyl pressing for the newest LP. Limited to 111 on colored vinyl. Not wanting to miss out on the colored vinyl, I immediately placed an order.

I love the blood and gore touches the band did with this packaging. I always get a kick out of this stuff.

Another solid Metal release for 2011.

Ladies Man

I hate it when I can't remember what it was that made me finally check out a band that is typically off my radar. You know, those bands that, for whatever reason, don't immediately jump onto the list of bands that you need to check out. Years go by, and then something will trigger you to finally give them a listen. Could be that they have a new record coming out...or possibly they are on the bill of a show that you are going to see...maybe you've just been hit over the head with the band's name for so long that you finally give in.

So, I can't remember what pushed me to finally check out The Ladies. It very well could have been the two good reasons on the front cover.

This record is a ton of fun. I've heard that The Ladies draw comparisons to The Dwarves...I don't know, I've never really listened to The Dwarves...maybe it's just because both bands have boobs on their record covers. Either way, the six songs on this 7 inch rage. Punk with a super snotty attitude, and no worries about possibly offending someone. I need more of this band.

Doggy Style

Since Bridge Nine, has released the Underdog discography, Matchless, I'm not sure why they would do another pressing of the True Blue demo on vinyl. After seeing Underdog live again this year, I've got a new found appreciation for the band. I've always loved them, but seeing them again, rekindled that fire, and I've been spinning them a bit more recently. Therefore, I didn't hesitate to pick up the newest 7 inch repressing. Yup, I still don't own an original New Beginnings pressing. *hangs head in shame*

After I received the new pressing, I had to pull out my other two Bridge Nine copies. Damn, that is some good looking vinyl. Limited to 500 on green.

Ceremony Covers

I've got a strange relationship with cover songs. I love a good cover, but the thought of an entire record of them...I can think of much better things to spend my money on. To this day, I still haven't picked up the double 7 inch of Chain covers, or that Revelation covers album. Maybe I'll pick them up someday, when I've got some spare change in my pocket. Right now, I just can't justify it.

When I saw the announcement that Ceremony was releasing a covers record, I shifted in my chair, surprised myself with an unexpected fart, and then moved on. Yawn. And then Bridge Nine posted a picture of the vinyl. Goddamn, it looked so good, I knew that I needed a copy. I've always enjoyed Ceremony, so the creative packaging was the push I needed to buy this thing.

The album cover lists the names of a bunch of bands that influenced them. Really, where else will you find Led Zeppelin next to G.G. Allin?

The more limited pressing of this record was on red vinyl, but Bridge Nine packaged it with a giant poster. I wasn't willing to spend the extra cash for such a useless item, so I went with just the clear vinyl pressing.

To be honest, I'd never heard a single song on this record...not one original. Therefore, these weren't like covers at all, but more like 6 brand new Ceremony songs. With some bands, you hear a cover song, and you want to search out the original and discover a band you had never heard before. Not in this case. I don't ever need to hear Pixies, and I can be quite content only hearing Ceremony's brilliant cover of them.

1,500 pressed on clear vinyl, with a screened b-side.

Anthrax Worship

Earlier this year, I went on an Anthrax spree. I listened to the band's entire discography, and was picking up CD's for those holes that I had in my collection. I grew up with the Belladonna era throughout the 80's, and while I've always looked down on the Bush albums...I found myself really appreciating Sound Of White Noise and We've Come For You All. With all this build up, I was excited to hear the news that Joey was back in the band, and that Anthrax was recording a new album.

I could not wait to hear Worship Music. The two songs that Anthrax put up for free download were a nice tease, and had me excited to rush out on release day to buy this.

The day of the albums release came and I was on the edge of my seat. Before I left for work that morning, I hit the internet and did a search for a download. I found one, and loaded it on to my ipod for my drive in. The first three songs, Earth On Hell, The Devil You Know, and Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't, were exactly what I was looking for. Powerful, heavy, with some great bursts of speed. The rest of the album, however, left me feeling underwhelmed. By the time I arrived at work, I knew that I would not be rushing out to the record store at lunch as I had initially anticipated. I felt the same level of disappointment I experienced when I rushed to pick up State Of Euphoria back in 1988. Still, I felt like there still might be something with this album. I stuck with it, and while nothing else came close to the greatness of those first few songs, repeated listens had me appreciating the entire album more.

The time had come for me to invest in a vinyl copy. In an age when new vinyl releases tend to be priced over the $20 mark, I was surprised to find Worship Music at my local record store with a $14 price tag. I was sold.

The gatefold packaging and vinyl on this release were all well done. Scott Ian may still seem like a dick, but Anthrax is respectable again.

Rearranged

When Aram first started REACT!, it seemed like he was just looking to help out his friends and put out a limited run of records for their bands. Get The Most, Mindset, ON, Breakthrough (hey, when is that record coming out?). The label seemed to take off, and quickly became a major player in the hardcore scene. I wonder if he ever saw REACT! getting as big as it is. Look at some of the bands from the 2011 roster. Remission (Chili), Common Cause (Norway), Clearsight (Ukraine) and the newest addition, Rearranged (Russia). Impressive. REACT! has been preparing for worldwide Straight Edge domination. Let me be first in line to join the revolution.

I honestly don't know if I would have bothered checking out Rearranged if they weren't on REACT!. The only thing that I'd heard from them was one song from a compilation last year, and while it was decent, it didn't really grab me. This new 7 inch, on the other hand, is a big step up.

It's got a cool hardcore sound that brings bands like Uniform Choice to mind, but I'll be damned if Drilling doesn't remind me of some of the early 90's emo/hardcore stuff like Bob Tilton.

Another quality record from REACT!. The Rearranged record went up for pre-order along with the new Skin Like Iron album. I checked out some of the Skin Like Iron stuff, but I was really not feeling it...at all. It pained me to do so, but I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on it. The first REACT! release that I didn't buy all available pressings. In fact, I didn't even order one copy. I feel incomplete.

200 on white, 300 on blue, 500 on black.

While I was in the REACT! store, I also grabbed a copy of Rearranged's New Forms LP. Released on Anger Battery Records, black vinyl was limited to 300.

Straight And Alert

Edge Day 2011. Faces come and go, but at the end of the day I'm still standing here, unwavering from the set of beliefs that I discovered at the age of 19 or 20. Something that made so much sense to me...something that I felt so strong about...something that I carry it with me to this day. Straight Edge.

Thankfully there are still bands out there that represent the Edge with some integrity and pride. Alert, from Massachusetts, are one of those bands. Three years after releasing their demo, they finally follow it up with a release on Six Feet Under Records.

Find Your Way continues along the same path, giving us a healthy does of Uniform Choice influenced Straight Edge Hardcore. Bands like this keep the spirit and energy alive for Straight Edge. I can not praise this band enough.

150 pressed on "violet" colored vinyl.

When I first opened my Alert records from Six Feet Under, it looked as though I received two copies on black vinyl. After Keith from Alert told me that the pressing included some on clear dark purple , I pulled the vinyl out of my music room, and this time I held them up to the light. Phew, crisis averted...I did have all three different pressings.

317 on clear dark purple vinyl.

605 pressed on black.

If someone can hook me up with one of the Fest pressings, this will be complete.

Show Some Love

Almost a full year after Youngblood first sold copies of the Sacred Love 12 inch at the 2010 Showcase, and we finally get the regular pressing of this record. Pre-orders went up in May, which was supposed to kick off a bunch of releases Youngblood had lined up for the summer. Here we are headed into Fall, and nothing else has gone up in the Youngblood store. If you can say one thing about Youngblood, you can say they are consistent...always releasing quality hardcore, but consistently later than they anticipate. No problem though, because Youngblood always come through.

One sided 12 inch vinyl, with a silky smooth back side. 201 pressed on red vinyl.

265 pressed on black vinyl.

Yeah, the 2011 Youngblood Showcase was last weekend. It was my second option for the annual roadtrip, but my brother was scheduled to work, so that squashed that plan.

While I was placing my Sacred Love pre-order, I took the opportunity to grab a couple of releases that I missed the first time around.

Touchdown were from 1988, but they are closer to Walk Proud than Bold or Gorilla Biscuits. Looks like 2003 rolled around and Youngblood and Malfunction decided that this needed a vinyl release. Notable for being the first Youngblood Vaults release.

Also released in 2003 is the Cleaver 7 inch from My Luck. I don't know much about this band, but they certainly remind me of the 2001/2002 Bridge Nine scene with bands like American Nightmare and The Distance. Abrasive hardcore.

Second pressing on red vinyl. 500 pressed.

This Is Hardcore

I was hopeful that I could convince the guys to take our annual roadtrip to the This Is Hardcore fest this year. The proposal didn't gain much interest, and as it turned out the entire roadtrip seemed to lose some steam this year. After six straight years of an annual guys roadtrip, this was the first year where we didn't have one. Bummer.

With or without us, the This Is Hardcore fest still took place, and bands still had some cool limited merch that I missed out on. Thankfully, Back To Back put up the left over Disengage records in their webstore, and I was quick enough to grab one.

While I liked the Disengage 7 inch when I received my first copy back in November last year, it wasn't until after I had posted it to the blog, and I had listened to it more than a few times, that it really started to sink in. I love this record. Straight forward, no frills, Straight Edge Hardcore. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Special screened covers were made for the This Is Hardcore repress. Limited to 100.

Secret People

Some bands get zero hype. They are on a small unknown label, and they get little to no press (wait a minute, does this even exist in today's world). No one is jocking them, and unless you are from the band's hometown, regardless of how great the band is, you may never hear of them. Secret People may just be this type of band. Made up of ex-members of Right On, and fellow blogger Disposable Income, last year Secret People released one of the best records that you haven't heard.

I'd never heard of this band before. I had seen their 7 inch in the REACT! webstore for a while, but I never really had any desire to check them out. When I found out that Matt from Disposable Income was in the band, I figured that I'd give them a chance. Honestly, this 7 inch impressed the Hell out of me, and I've since committed myself to spreading the gospel of Secret People.

350 pressed on black vinyl. Get into it.