JOHNXMCCLANE - Self Titled

JXM    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP

In honor of arguably the best Christmas movie ever, and as suggested by Steff Doomnomad, please accept this gift of powerviolence in the form of JohnXMcClane, from South East England. This 8-song, 8-minute EP is all you will need to deal with your dreadful family. When things start getting rough, just crank this motherfucker up and start windmilling into the Christmas Tree. They will also have a 2nd EP out in January on Church Of Fuck (preview below), so follow the band and label on Facebook for future updates. Merry Crust-mas!  --ADAM

- download -

SELF TITLED - EP (2013)

1. Intro

2. Bite

3. Guilty

4. Glass Itch

5. November Violence

6. Worth

7. Pressure

8 Maggot

CATHOLIC GIRLS - Distant

CATHOLIC GIRLS    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  LABEL  ▲  TUMBLR  ▼  TWITTER  ▲  MERCH

I went to an all-boys Catholic High School, so I may be predisposed to liking this band based solely on their name. Sadly, this band is not made up of actual catholic girls but, is instead, 5 dudes from Denver, CO that are getting ready to release what is sure to be one of the best records of the New Year. 'Distant' is a 5-song punch to the head that is on par with anything that Southern Lord or Deathwish Inc. is putting out right now. Feeling familiar and new at the same time, this 7" takes many twists and turns down the road of hardcore but any fan of bands like Cursed or Homestretch will enjoy the ride. 

The record comes out in early 2014 on Crown And Throne Ltd, a new label based in Denver. Pre-orders will be happening soon, so follow the Band and the Label on Facebook. The limited pressing will feature artwork by Chris Colohan, which is just another reason to get this. If you like what you hear below, go buy it yourself on the Crown And Throne Ltd Bandcamp Page, where you'll get an extra track not included on the 7". 

For fans of Call of the Void, Of Feather And Bone, BANKROBBER, Burning Love, Black Mask & Raindance

- download - band approved -

DISTANT - 7" (2014)

1. Dead Fawn

2. Loveless

3. Sleepwalking

4. Sorry City

5. 1996

6. Piston

JARED'S BEST OF 2013

▲  PLEASE WELCOME JARED TO THE PULPIT  ▲
CURRENTLY GUTTERS  ╪  FORMERLY OF NIGHT TERROR

Hey all.

Adam invited me to start writing for the blog, and with out any hesitation, I accepted. It's always awesome to be able to make a few posts here and there on a blog that you visit frequently and find new bands on that you usually end up liking.

ANYWAY. For my first post, I'll be posting my "Best of 2013" list for albums/splits/EP's and even shows I was able to go to this year. I'll try to make a point to post at least once a week, if i can, with what I'm listening to or a show i went to or something of that nature.

Click below to see the list. Thanks for taking the time to read!

CATHEDRALS [2005-2010]

CATHEDRALS    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▼  BANDCAMP

Out of the blue, Cathedrals made a Bandcamp page this weekend that includes their first two recordings plus a Smashing Pumpkins cover. So, I thought I'd gather all of their releases here for you. Even though some of this stuff is coming up on being a decade old, there are few bands whose sound is more relevant today than Cathedrals. This is consistently some of the best hardcore you are ever going to hear. They called it quits in 2010 but members currently play in Polygraph, Silver Snakes, Horse The Band & Claudine de Culam.

For fans of Cursed, His Hero Is Gone, Breach, Eso-Charis, Coalesce, Norma Jean & Converge

- download -

IN THE EVENT OF A BLACKOUT - CD (2005)

1. Inspiration Could Strike At Any Moment

2. Everything

3. There Is A Hole In My Heart

4. Citation

5. Literally (Pt. 1)

6. Literally (Pt. 2)

7. Regrets

8. +RU+H

9. Try Not To Die

10. Struggle

11. Scientific Discoveries By The Everyday Man

MICROGRAVITY - CD (2007)

1. Sorry I Don't Speak Surface

2. Fractured

3. The Lesser Lights

4. Llano Del Rio

5. Hooverville

6. Hush

7. Where Boys Fear To Tread

SPLIT w/BLEEDING KANSAS - LP (2009) - Cathedrals tracks only

purchase

1. Sonora

2. Daggett

3. Jasenovac

4. Vidal

5. Candelaria

SPLIT w/DEADHEAD - 7" (2010)

purchase

1. Greater Lights

2. Follow

3. All Is Black (Deadhead)

4. No Solution (Deadhead)

THEY EAT THEIR OWN GOD - Untitled

TETOG    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP

They Eat Their Own God is a blackened, anarcho-punk crust band from Columbia, SC. They just released official finished versions of 2 songs after two years of development. These tracks will be physically released on a 7" sometime in the near future. These 2 songs are BIG and they each clock in at around 7½ minutes. They are vastly layered and have a dark, spacey and atmospheric feel to them. The band describes itself as "A group of friends tackling personal struggles and commenting on broader social concerns-- alienation, doubt, domination, hatred & love, group dynamics, the subversion of power, and the tragically more common subversion of the self-- through short stories, poetry, visual arts, and rippin' tunes."

For fans of Deafheaven, Nachtmystium & Young And In The Way

- download -

UNTITLED - 7" (2013)

1. Open Gaits

2. Occlude//Swallow//Conflagarant

AUXILIO - Demo

AUXILIO    ☼    BANDCAMP

Here's a band from Valencia, Spain. The name Auxilio translates to English as meaning 'help' or 'assistance'. Also, the band chose a picture from the WWI Battle of Passchendaele (above) as the cover art for their demo. Unfortunately, that's all I know about this band. Their 6-song demo is a throwback to old-school, metallic d-beat hardcore/thrash. If that sounds like your kind of thing, and you don't mind Spanish vocals, check this out.

- download -

DEMO (2013)

1. Matalos A Todos

2. Despues De Las Bombas

3. Muerete

4. ¡Que No!

5. Todo Perdido

6. Tu Cruz De Mierda

ADAM'S TOP RELEASES OF 2013

2013 has been an INSANE year for hardcore releases. Tons of amazing demos, incredible LP's by established bands, Left For Dead is back at it with new records and we even got a new Cursed song. Making this list ended up being harder than I imagined. It started off as a Top-10, then moved to a Top 13 of 2013. But, the more I looked back over the year, the bigger the list grew. At the end of the day, you've got 35 of my favorite releases this year. They are numbered 1 to 35 but take that with a grain of salt. Obviously, there's not a bad release to be found, and after the Top 10 or so, they are all basically equal in my mind.

However, there were two bands that stood out from the crowd in my humble opinion, creating a tie for the top spot between Harrowed from the UK and Chicago's Moral Void. The debut LP from Harrowed has been a year in the making and was by far my most anticipated release of the year. I was obsessed with their demo cassette and was a huge fan of their earlier band, Santa Karla. When the 'Into Inferno' tracks started streaming in August, I wasn't disappointed. If you were smart enough to pre-order the LP, it started shipping worldwide in December. Meanwhile in the States, Moral Void is currently working on a full-length but went the 7" route in 2013. The 2-song 'Vol. I' completely floored me and their split with Young And In The Way is just as powerful. These are hands down the 2 best 7-inches of the year. As a bonus, they'll have 2 more tracks on 'Vol. II' in early 2014.

HARROWED - Into Inferno (December) - purchase

MORAL VOID - Vol. I (July) & Split w/Young And In The Way (September) - purchase


When I started this blog this year, I had no idea how much work it would involve, but it has been worth every second. I discovered a shitload of new music and met a ton of cool people and bands. Thank You to everyone that has visited us here and I hope you return.  ~ADAM

Click below to see the rest of my Best Of 2013 List. If available, you can download by clicking the release title.

NEGATIVE STANDARDS - Split w/Whitehorse

NEGATIVE STANDARDS    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  HOMEPAGE  ▲  MERCH
WHITEHORSE    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▼  BANDCAMP  ▲  BLOG           

If you think a 3-song 12" doesn't sound very imposing, you may want to think again. Oakland's Negative Standards and Australia's Whitehorse have joined forces to create a record so mammoth that you will probably need a new needle for your record player after a few spins. Negative Standards have been featured on this blog before, and their previous releases, a 10" & LP, are still some of the most played records in my collection. This new split is crazy. You've got 2 songs from Negative Standards, one is 9 1/2 minutes and combines every genre you could want in a song. It's an atmospheric, creepy, sludge-filled blast of violence. When you're done with it, you'll feel like you just listened to 10 songs. The 2nd track on their side is just over 2 minutes and is more of a full frontal attack, similar to their previous records. I'm not terribly familiar with Whitehorse, but their near-13 minute monster of a side lives up to everything I've heard about them: Ultra-brutal sludge/doom with one of the sickest vocalists around. It felt like I needed to curl up in the fetal position as I listened to them. 

If this sounds like something you'd want to subject yourself to, buy this 12" from Vendetta Records.

- download -

NEGATIVE STANDARDS/WHITEHORSE SPLIT 12" (2013)

1. Negative Standards - XII

2. Negative Standards - XIII

3. Whitehorse - External Oblivion

OPEN SORES - Self Titled

OPEN SORES    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP

Open Sores is a 2-piece bass and drum combo from Schenectady, NY. I never really envisioned myself writing about a band like them on this blog, but as I listened to their 9-song EP today, I literally felt like I was getting slowly crushed by a steamroller. Forget what you might be thinking because this band sounds just as huge as any other powerviolence band you're going to hear. This speaker-shredding recording combines elements of punk, crust and thrash, with feedback and samples strewn throughout. The (dual?) vocals are just as manic and desperate as the rest of it and they only add to the uneasy feeling of impending doom you'll get as you listen. It's all over in just under 6 minutes and against your better judgement you're going to just keep playing this over and over again. The band also has 2 other demos on their Bandcamp page so if you like what you hear, head over there and feel free to give them some $$$. The band will eventually offer this EP on cassette & CD, so if you want one, keep track of them on Facebook.

- download -

SELF TITLED - EP (2013)

1. Holy Man

2. Crossed

3. Time To Pay

4. Powerless

5. Madworld

6. Dead To Rights

7. Devoured

8. Materialistic Holocaust

9. Warpigs

WITHERS - Hear The Unsung. Speak The Unspoken

WITHERS    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  TUMBLR  ▲  TWITTER  ▼  MERCH

This 3-piece from Linz, Austria is approaching music intensely, and is driven by vocal outbursts and disruptive guitars. They're developing a sound that will assault your senses with feedback punctuating the eardrum to an apocalyptic backdrop. Lyrically they keep it deep and speak in general about human/social atrocities, troubled minds and search of self-awareness. In this manner they are evocative of bands like Converge, Cursed or Cave In, who have a similar approach of creating music in the grey area between chaotic Hardcore, Metal and Punk.

Withers put out one of my favorite records earlier this year, 'Lightmares', which you can download at their Bandcamp page with a "name your price" option. And, they have just put 2 more songs up for a free as well. These songs exist in physical form on a tape with a limited pressing of 100 on Thirty Days Of Night Records. This latest offering is on par with everything else they've release, that is to say they are FUCKING EXCELLENT. They also have 2 more splits in the pipeline to be released early next year, so keep your eyes open for more from this amazing band.

- download -

HEAR THE UNSUNG. SPEAK THE UNSPOKEN - CASSETTE (2013)
purchase

1. Inflame. Exhume. Resign.

2. Delusions Of Grandeur

INCARCERATION - Sacrifice

INCARCERATION    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP

In honor of David's metal-as-fuck year end list from a few days ago, I bring you Incarceration, a killer old school death metal band that started out in Brazil but is now based in Hamburg, Germany. Their 3-song EP 'Sacrifice' is out now, and if you hurry, you can still get a copy of it on vinyl at their Bandcamp page. This isn't some over-produced cheesy metal with growling dog vocals, this is straight-up blackened thrash inspired by the fastest riffs of Nihilist, Repugnant, Sadistic Intent, Slayer & Sepultura. If you're feeling a little metal today, download this and start a circle pit in your living room.

- download - band submission -

SACRIFICE - 7" EP (2013)

1. Forsaken And Forgotten

2. Sacrifice

3. Cemetery Of Lies

SPLIT w/ESCARNIUM (2012)

1. Covered In Decadence (Escarnium)

2. Sacrifice (Incarceration)

DAVID'S TOP RELEASES OF 2013

Well, lads, I won't write the usual verbiage, let's just keep in mind that the releases listed here are the ones that I listened to 666 times per week and deleted from my ipod in order to not abuse, not hate or not get bored of them. I must warn you that I relentlessly procrastinated listening a shitload of stuff this year, from My Bloody Valentine to Ulcerate and Oranssi Pazuzu. So here it is, intoxicated by the sickening Christmas spirit here in Germany and therefore being über generous, I give you my 37 favorite releases of the year, in no particular fucking order, because I'm too busy with Uni and remembering how great Terrorizer used to be.

PS: The new Immolation album would have done my list too, but they need to remember to not overproduce drums, besides that, much respect.  ~David

Check out the full list after the break.

KRATZER - Split LP w/KVAZAR

KRATZER    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  BLOG

I've been compiling a year-end list of my favorite releases to share with you soon, and I keep stumbling across great things that I have failed to mention on the site. Probably the best thing that I didn't blog about was a split LP by Kratzer (Germany) & Kvazar (Greece). While the Kvazar side of the record is definitely enjoyable, it ends up being just a little too spastic and shrieky for me to spin on a consistent basis. The Kratzer tracks, however, are so mind-blowingly good, I'm surprised I haven't worn out their side of the vinyl. Pure German crust at it's finest, Kratzer combines elements of hardcore, d-beat, and punk all wrapped in a sludge-soaked melody. Their 7 songs are divided right in the middle by track #4, the aptly titled '?/!', a beautifully haunting piece that allows you to catch your breath while you absorb what you just heard and, at the same time, prepares you for what's to come next. Do yourself a favor and just download this already.

BUY THE LP AT 7 DEGREES RECORDS and BLAST BEAT MAILMURDER

For Fans of Cursed, Centuries, Gun Mob, Burning Love, Worms Feed, Svffer, Black Ships & Alpinist

- download -

KRATZER SIDE

1. Laufrad

2. Schatten

3. Zeitverlust

4. ?/!

5. Sklave?

6. Missverstand

7. Exit Alltag

KVAZAR SIDE

8. Off By One/Mutant Rhetorics

9. Like Dinosaurs In A Tar Pit/Random people

10. Leap Of Faith

11. Sapping The Foundations

12. The Avalanche Effect

13. The Edifice

14. The Truth

DAGGERS

DAGGERS    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  TUMBLR  ▲  VIMEO

Recently Daggers, from Belgium, announced that they had joined the hardcore family of Throatruiner Records (is there a better name for a label?) and that a new LP entitled "It's Not Jazz, It's Blues" would be coming out this Spring. So, I thought now would be a good time to introduce to anyone not familiar, one of my favorite bands, hands down. Daggers has previously released 1 LP  & 2 CD's, and there's not a bad track on any of them. The one thing that sticks out for me is just how FUCKING GOOD these recordings sound! The mixing of the drums and guitars is absolutely perfect. And then you add the throat ruining vocals (pun intended) that are both soulful and demonic at the same time. The music overall remains at a mid-tempo pace and the guitars are never overly distorted, but it never gets boring and actually gives it a darker feel. I can seriously listen to this band all day long. Get everything below and be on the lookout for their new album.

- download -

EUPHORIA - LP (2011)

purchase - USA - UK

1. Freaks

2. Axes

3. Dekanahwideh

4. Mohawk

5. Altar

6. Call

7. Riot

8. Decay

9. Gloom

ALONG THE ACHERON - CD (2009)

1. Animated Bones

2. Dirty Minutes

3. I Owe You Nothing

4. KV 77: "Ouverture"

5. Dragged Down

6. Last Debt

7. Mercenary Masses

8. Charon's Path

9. Introspection

10. Ashes And Dust

11. KV 88: "Finale Doloroso"

12. Fucking Filled

13. Insel Der Toten

SELF TITLED - CD (2008)

1. Understatement Of The Year

2. Sleep

3. Sharks And Hearts

4. Fucking Empty

5. Nameless Old Bones

6. Duck Taped Memories

THEY AS IN THEM [R. I. P.]

THEY AS IN THEM    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  YOUTUBE

They As In Them were a 5-piece punk/hardcore/sludge band formed late 2009 in Los Angeles by childhood friends that released a demo, a split tape and a 7". Unfortunately, they announced yesterday on their Facebook page that they would no longer be making music:

"We're a haggard bunch of dysfunctional dudes who love to play together but we've realized the project can't go on any longer. Individually we are all at different creative places. We are glad to have had the chance to travel together, meet amazing people, and share our music with anyone who cared. We can literally name the people who have helped us, cared about our project, or gave us a floor to sleep on. And that is awesome. Keep the scum alive and spit on people more often, fuckers."

So, if you were a fan, sorry to ruin your day. If they are new to you, well hey, at least you have some new music to check out. They've put their releases on Bandcamp for free and you can still buy the 7".

- download -

SELF TITLED - 7" (2012)

purchase

1. Bad Debt

2. Kill Yourself

3. Ruiner

4. The Paradigm Shift

SPLIT w/STRESSCASE - CASSETTE (2011)

They As In Them tracks only

1. The Twentieth Century Was A Hoax

2. Nuclear Arms

3. Death Beach

4. Soft Machines

DEMO (2010)

1. Nineteen-Seventeen

2. Orchid

3. Soft Machines

4. Blue Period

BLOG ROUND-UP LINK DUMP #6

KRAMPUS IS COMING

THE ELEMENTARY REVOLT

Art Of Burning Water - The Humiliation Process

The Dawn - They Die Better That Way

Bastardhammer - 10 Counts Of Fuck Off

Sea Of Shit - Self Titled

Dendritic Arbor - Sylvan Matriarch

MANIC COMPRESSION

Vessel - god.queen.war

SEJR - Demo

CUT & PASTE

No Crosses - Demo

Protester - Demo

BLACK HAND INN

All Pigs Must Die - Silencer

BeatrizCarnicero​/​Pudrëtë - Split

ANNIHILATE NEXT WEEK

Occultist - Death Sigils

WE LAST LONGER
Dropdead - 5 New Tracks

VACCINE - No Faith split

VACCINE    ☼    BLOG  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  MERCH

Vaccine was a monstrous, pissed off, straight-edge hardcore/powerviolence band from western Massachusetts. After releasing a demo in 2009, they rolled out a handful of releases steadily over the next few years, including a split with another SxE HxC powerhouse Coke Bust. The band called it quits in February 2013, but they still had some releases in the pipeline. They have one final track that will appear on the To Live A Lie Vol. 2 compilation LP due out sometime soon. But, until then, sit back and enjoy their final 7", a split with No Faith. Every one of their releases is free to download on Bandcamp, so check them out below and take what you want.

- download -

SPLIT w/NO FAITH - 7" (2013) - Vaccine tracks only
purchase

1. Heat Death

2. Fuck Monsanto

3. The Time Is Now

4. Prison Cycle

5. Blood Money

BRAIN CORRUPTION - Artifacts Of Humanity

BRAIN CORRUPTION    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▼  BANDCAMP  ▲  YOUTUBE

Brain Corruption is a grindcore band from the Bremen area in Germany, founded by Robert and Marty in September 2009. From 2010 to May 2012, Thorso (Abhorrent Castigation) was added as a second guitarist. It looks like they are back to being a 2-piece for this release. I was hesitant to post this one at all. Musically, it's great. It's like a giant wall of violent, mechanical grindcore crashing down on your head. Production-wise, think of Puig Destroyer. And, half of the vocals are great too, but the other half... well let's just say I'm not too fond of them. Mixed in with the standard crust-style, higher pitched vocals are the lower, growl-y, guttural grunts you might hear in some doom, black metal or goregrind band. So, take a listen and decide for yourself. The download is free and it's worth checking out just to hear how good a 2-piece DIY band can sound.

For fans of Rotten Sound, Nasum, Insect Warfare, All Pigs Must Die and NAILS

- download -

ARTIFACTS OF HUMANITY - CD (2013)

purchase

1. Artifacts Of Humanity

2. Afterlife Hysteria

3. In Your Face

4. Lack Of Knowledge

5. Voidalism

6. The Cancer Grows On

7. Observator

8. Parasites

9. Security
10. Misery

WVRM - Despair

WVRM    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP

Holy God what a devastating EP this is. The band is WVRM (or WORM or WURM, not 100%) and they are from Greenville, SC. You'll be hard-pressed to find any more info about them though. But don't worry about that right now, just sit down and listen to this over and over and over again. This is 9 pulverizing songs that clock in at just under 11 minutes. If there was ever a band that was made for this blog, it is WVRM. As you listen, you'll start thinking of the same descriptors that are at the top of this page: Blackened Hardcore, Crust, D-Beat, Powerviolence, Death & Grind. I don't know what else to say, this shit blew me away. Follow them on Facebook and get this EP immediately either here or for free at their Bandcamp. Fuck.

- download -

DESPAIR - EP (2013)

1. Angel Crusher

2. Funeral Heart

3. Applesseed

4. Haunted

5. Coffin Dragger

6. The Rotted

7. Cry baby

8. Old Boy

9. Downpour

THE DAY MAN LOST - Split

THE DAY MAN LOST    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▼  BANDCAMP

The Day Man Lost plays a blend of fast punk/grindcore with elements of powerviolence. Their lyrics deal with issues such as animal rights, anti-authority/anti-cops, pro working class etc. They played their first gig in November 2003 & played their (temporary) final gig in August 2008 in their home city of Preston (Lancashire), UK. The band later rose from the dead and returned to active service in late 2011. Originally a 3-piece, they got a new singer and new bass player over this summer. A European tour is planned for Easter next year with Scottish blast fanatics Sufferingfuck, and new split releases are in the pipeline with that band and Suffering Mind. 

In 2013, they recorded a split 7" EP with the band Prolefeed that was released totally DIY by both the bands. It was sold at their shows and may be history as I don't see a purchase link anywhere. You could always try messaging the band on Facebook if you really want a copy. Grab it below if you are a fan of maniacal grindcore & blast beats done at a blistering speed, not unlike Nails or Shitstorm or Trap Them.

- download -

SPLIT w/PROLEFEED - 7" EP (2013) 

The Day Man Lost tracks only

1. Hung By The Noose

2. Cheap Seat Viewpoint

3. No Borders

4. Reduced To A Commodity

5. Victims

6. Slave To Ignorance

7. How Far Will You Go

HUMAN BODIES - Demo

HMN∙BDS    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP

Rising from the charred ashes of the amazing HOST and featuring a member of doom-occultists Fórn, are Human Bodies. This new 2-piece hails from Boston, MA and describes themselves as raw black metal for mutant punks. Their 4-song demo is just that, atmospheric and blackened-as-fuck, dirty filthy hardcore. This band is so venomous they sound like GG Allin fighting Satan himself. Tapes of the demo are limited to 50 copies, email hmn.bds@gmail.com to get one. FFO The Secret, Exhaustion, Isolation Tank & Cruel Friends.

Seriously can't wait to hear more from this band (and to finally get that unreleased Host LP!!!)

- download -

DEMO MMXII - CASSETTE (2013)

1. Segments, Nevermore

2. Stygian Reverie

3. Dregs

4. While The Other Waits

BONE DANCE [R. I. P.]

BONE DANCE    ☼    HOMEPAGE  ▲  FACEBOOK  ▼  BANDCAMP  ▲  MERCH  ▼  TWITTER  ▲  TUMBLR  ▼  INSTAGRAM

Well, this sucks. Bone Dance, one of the best hardcore bands around, has called it quits. From Facebook:

"Hi everybody. Just a quick announcement: After 5 years, hundreds of shows, thousands of miles, and infinite bullshit, the time has come to call it a day. Thank you everyone who has done anything at all to support this band throughout our existence. It really does mean the world to us, and it always will. 

We have debt, so if you'd like to get some merch, feel free to pick something up at http://store.bonedance.net/ - 50% off everything in the store with the discount code 'THANKYOU' - we'll be throwing in free stuff with every order, so be sure to include your preferred shirt size in the order notes, just in case. 

Again, thank you to everyone who wasn't a two-faced garbage fire."

Even if you didn't celebrate them in life, now is the time to do so in death. Stop by their Facebook page and pay your respects. Grab some of their stuff below and then head over to their store and clean that motherfucker out!

- download -

SELF TITLED - LP (2012)

vinyl sold out - purchase digipak

1. Comfort

2. Burnout

3. Conniver

4. Writhing In Ecstasy

5. White Guilt

6. West

7. Children Having Children

8. Barren

9. The Skinny

10. Feral

SPLIT w/DIVIDER & PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND - 12" (2011) Bone Dance tracks only
purchase vinyl
1. Conniver
2. West

SNAKECHARMERS - 12" (2010)

purchase vinyl

1. Dirge

2. Devil's Arithmetic

3. Birds Singing (Wolves Licking Blood)

I HAVE LIVED LIKE AN ANIMAL, BUT WILL DIE LIKE AN ANGEL - LP (2009)

1. No Sun

2. Apolonio

3. Back Tongues

4. Dead End Rendezvous

5. Ghosts

6. Felix Wolfe

7. Your Kind Eat The Young

8. Nom De Guerre

9. David

10. ...And They Had It All

GLOBE AND BEAST - Grandfather's Axe

GLOBE AND BEAST    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  BIG CARTEL

Globe And Beast, from San Diego, released their behemoth of an LP 'Grandfather's Axe' earlier this year. It was 13 brutal tracks of violent, metallic hardcore. They've decided that they want their album heard by as many people as humanly possible, so it is now up for free digital download via their Bandcamp page. I highly recommend that you grab this, it's a brilliant record. The biggest praise I can give this band is that they honestly remind me of Cursed, from the perfect production to the Colohan-esque vocals. Download & buy, NOW.

- download -

GRANDFATHER'S AXE - LP (2013)

purchase vinyl

1. The Weight

2. Stays The Same

3. Hand Of Glory

4. Body's Sore

5. Actuality Of Chaos

6. Days On Replay

7. Woven Deep Within

8. A River's Mouth

9. Directions

10. Systems

11. Coexist

12. Creatures Of Habit

13. Grandfather's Axe

CVLT OF GRACE

CVLT OF GRACE    ☼    FACEBOOK  ▲  BANDCAMP  ▼  TUMBLR

This is one of the two bands I had the chance to check like 2 months ago. Not really beyond interesting, but enough to keep me excited about what will come from them, namely, new material, shows… that sort of shit. I’ve been trying to write about these bands for a while, but every time I sit down, the blank page just absorbs me and listening to them doesn’t throw me any rope away from the shallow white void.

This may bring us to the question “so why write about them?”, and the only answer I can come up in this moment, after procrastinating for so long, is that they are young, they give me hope and I really enjoyed their live performances. If you ask me out of the 2 bands I saw, which one I prefer or in which do I have “more faith”, I would answer Cvlt Of Grace. If you ask me which one would I have more stuff to complain about, it would be also Cvlt Of Grace. But it's actually just one thing, and I will probably forget to address it anyway.

So, Cvlt Of Grace are a 5 piece band, from Máriagyűd, Hungary. Formed in 2011, these guys already have 3 releases, with the last two available for download courtesy of themselves (Vision & Path). Telling from their online shop, these guys like tape and they also have quite cool somehow-occult/alchemy-infused merch, that matches their blackened hardcore proposal.

I wanted to make this brief and right now don’t want to bitch about anything, so go and enjoy and judge for yourselves what Cvlt Of Grace has to offer.

- download -

VISION - CASSETTE (2013) 

purchase

1. Part I (Corpses)

2. Part II (Green Scanning Pupil)

PATH - CASSETTE (2013)
purchase
1. Intro
2. Firing Squad Loads Again
3. Torture
4. Black Sun
5. The Anarchist

SELF TITLED (2012)

1. Dream Of Hill

2. Valley Of Death

3. I'm At Home Again

4. Everyday Life Of A Mother - Pt. I

5. Nowhere/Nobody

THE PLAGUE - Demo

THE PLAGUE    ☼    BANDCAMP

I found this 3-song demo by this band and it's pretty damn good. But it's annoying at the same time because I can't find anything out about them. They are on a label called Tombs In The Valley based in the UK, but that label's web and Facebook links are broken. Not to mention there are about 150 bands called The Plague on Facebook. If you know anything about this band, please leave the info in a comment.

As far as the music, like I said, it's pretty damn good. Very dark and very metallic. Sort of reminds me of Death Breath, Struck By Lightning or Skin Like Iron. So, if you dig bands like that or stuff that leans towards the dirty, metal side of hardcore, you might like this.

- download -

DEMO (2013)

1. Iscariot

2. Headvice

3. Napalm Reign