This One's for Fun. It's Called "Never Surrender!"

  I have posted about Negative Approach before, quickly reviewing their 10 song 7".  It really is a nearly flawless piece of music history tightly rolled up in a tiny package to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting. Negative Approach then put out some tracks on a couple of comps and finally an LP called "Tied Down". On this sweet ass DVD entitled "Reproach DVD Vol. 1" you see the band evolve from a very early show(their first?) with only songs from demos to a full on wrecking force destroying venues full of young hipsters and punks. There are three full sets present, including a bonus song I talk about below, each showing off the bands growing strength and expanding repertoire of songs including favourites of mine such as "Can't Tell No One", "Pressure", "Live Your Life", "Whatever I Do", "Lead Song" and "Lost Cause".

 Here's a link to them doing a fucking amazing cover of "Never Surrender" by Blitz. They do this three different times on the DVD, and to be honest I NEVER get tired of it. I have a deep seeded love of covers, and this one fucking rules. I have this link starting at the cover because the rest of the video is a mostly poor rip of the DVD. When I watch my copy it's not nearly as bright and the sound is much better. You need to see this either way.
 Never say why, never say die, it's always worth another try"!

Also the very last song on here is ANOTHER cover. This time it's the Misfits playing a show in MI and having John Brannon(with hair!?!) helping them vocals for a rendition of "Can't Tell No One". Brannon's voice overpowers everything else that has mics attached to it, although you can hear Danzig in the backround during vocal pauses yelling "Go!" in true Danzig fashion.

Reproach Vol. 666

So if you're unfamiliar with this band, you need another serious lesson music history. This 7" came out way back before I was born, in 1982 and is a preamble to all the bands you love today. Dropdead (their biggest non-Siege influence), Knife Fight, Spazz, Haymaker, Chokehold, XBrainiax etc. Shit NA and the Misfits influenced each other immensely. These guys are one of those super proto bands that you don't even realize the number of bands they influenced. Brannon gave hardcore it's demeanor for Merlin's sake. Bald. ANGRY. Insightful. Powerful. Jamey Jasta ain't got shit on John Brannon. He even uses a lot of tough man talking instead of a yell or scream to get his point across in another fashion instead of just blitzkrieg.
Negative Approach is equal parts Blitz, Sham 69, Black Flag and Misfits. One could cite DC band also, but I hear it less than the Necros or Meatmen. Negative Approach fits the aesthetics(music and lyrics) of the aforementioned bands and not the latter. One could argue this, but why would they? Regional hardcore sounds different for a reason. Besides all the comparisons one uses these guys play fucking fast, pissed hardcore with usual one minute run times. There are some grinding examples("Pressure", "Chaos"(not on this 7")) and some bad examples("Nothing"). And in all honesty "Nothing" is the only song I never listen to as it's the last one on side A right before you flip it and crank up "Fair Warning". This rager starts ripping with the rambunctious jam "Can't Tell No One" which is a fucking anthem. Try to not pile on everyone in sight grabbing the mic. "CAN'T TELL NO ONE! WHAT TO DO! CAN'T TELL NO ONE. WHAT TO DOOOOOOO!!!!!" From the first riff you just want to fly off the hook and circle pit like a mother fucker if you're not singing along. Or do both! "Sick of Talk" has an americanized d-beat rhythm section. "Why Be Something That You're Not" is mostly sick mosh riffs. Try not to mosh if a band ever covers it. I dare you. "Lead Song" is another anthem full of gang vocals and sing alongs. Much more punk then hardcore on this song. "Negative Approach" and "Whatever I Do" are two more anthems with fucktons of singing along. The energy in the last two minutes of this record rivals most full-lengths.
Once again the lyrics here are great. They're simple, emotive, to the point and easily singable. I love the things they had to say. Even at 25 the words of a 19 year old ring more true to me then Dostoyevsky ever could. Sorry Andrew. Well, every song but "Nothing". But really, nine out of ten is perfect for a 7".

"I can't take this,
PRESSURE, PRESSURE, PRESSURE, PRESSURE!"
Too many things are too extreme
There's too much shit, too many schemes
It never makes sense, it's just a hype
Forget about it, live your own life

PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE
PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE!

Fairytale Beginning Ending

 So after much delay(not a complaint) today I received my Magnicide "Rise to the Annihilation" cassette. This is the fifth or sixth time I've ordered something from a foreign country. I've ordered from TVG (Germany) and an independant t-shirt company in England. But my favourite packages always come from south east Asia. I ordered my Wormrot LP straight from the band and I'm still pumped to look at it. Starting last month and culminating today I've received two packages from Magnicide. My first package was their split LP with Toxic Revolution that had some show flyers and stickers in it. On a flyer was a note from Jali that he mailed the cassette separately to insure integrity of all product. I for one fucking appreciate that. A band that cares. Imagine. I bring this up because it's interesting to me the lengths at which people go to receive products. It takes over a decade to obtain a car if you live on Hawaii. It usually takes upwards of two months to receive blast beats in the mail from Malaysia. The waiting, pining, anticipating for that square shaped, thin cardboard box or small bubble wrap packages. The processes the product goes through. Writing international addresses, putting on correct postage. There are even Customs Declaration stamps that the proper authorities must see.

StrainEyes No. 6

 And then finally you open your package to find its contents. In this instance it was a rad yellow pro cassette with a lyrics booklet rubber-banded on.  This is another example of the essence of DIY. I know how hard it is to track down specific parts. The plastic case is an example. Where the fuck do you just go buy a bunch of empty cassette cases? And for records it's even harder. How do I make this 5" record fit into this 7" bag? How do I package this 3" CD? For most bands it's using ingenuity and their own hands to put things together. They will print 100 5" cases, fold every one and bag them. They will screen print their own patches or 7" cases then glue every case together one by one.All this labor goes into a tiny little package only a few select people will seek out to hear. This tape will bring me much joy to listen to in my bakery, and everyone else is left saying "Hello Misery".

straineyes@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/straineyes

 For me when I sent the band money I was worried I fucked up the address. I'd never sent a letter to the other side of world in a physical sense. Let alone money I worked for. Things are different in the digital world. Wi-fi banking, ATMs, credit, debit. I can't do any of these things because I have no bank account so it's the old school DIY way for me of contacting bands directly and waiting.

Old computer gets a speed upgrade.

From Soft to Hard

It's getting super shitty outside right now in Lawrence, KS. The amount of snow falling and that's expected to fall is just like it was when I lived in OH, except back there it's like this much more frequently. It's only like the third time since the onset of winter it's snowed like this. It's also really shitty like this the further north you get, like Cleveland.
Shitty weather of course calls for specific types of music to cope with. Copious snow is best dealt with black metal(Krallice) or stupid fast, blasting hardcore. The XBrainiax "Disgrace to the Corpse of Eric Wood" 7" is perfect for this. The fastly yelled lyrics of vehemence at ignorant republicans, shit head scenesters,crusties and non-straight edge "substance abusers" thrown against sick power-violence/fastcore is more than enough to power one through inches of snow on foot. And you really can't help but to love the songs with silly lyrics and concepts. I mean their demo was called "Light Speed Demo" and the band have used a heavy Star Wars motif since the beginning. Their take on the skull around the band name is by far my favourite because it's fucking Chewbacca. You get thirty one songs in about ten minutes. 31 songs is a shit load for a seven inch, so it's totally worth it. Stand out tracks for me are "Jaded, Twisted, And Evil", "Trekkie Killer", "Actually, Freedom Is Free", "Mos Eisley", "Young Republicans Fuck Off", "My Way" and "Lenny Kravitz Is His Answer". There's even a No Comment cover(more like Slow Comment HAHA)that ends with some sweet groove XBrainiax uses in multiple songs.

"Cry me a river, emo Spock!"

Not For Babies

So I'm stealing a link so I don't have to upload this, but here's the Chainsaw to the Face/Hummingbird of Death split 10". My copy was on black, although there are 170 on purple marble, which is sexy. The artwork on this is amazing as well, I love the combination of both bands names into the image. Grinding fastcore brutality on the cover, and the vinyl.
The Chainsaw to the Face side is what you expect from a band with that name. Good musically, real fucking fast. I just cum buckets for HoD though, sorry dudes.
The HoD run through six songs in a freight train frenzy or blast beats and sincerity. One thing first kicked my dick and always will is how passionate and sincere Mike sounds on this recording. They write songs about all kinds of subjects,remaining intelligent the whole time, but on socially political songs their message really shines through. This 10" hits me like the first Gorilla Biscuits LP. It's hardcore about something. But really fast. What's not to like?
"First We Should Observe the Ancient Ritual of the Traditional Pre-Fight Donut" is a blast filled shredding intro that leads into "Shittier Luck Next Time". It and "Great Annoyance and Displeasure" deal with the shitty human beings wer're all forced to deal with on a daily basis, and those even worse exceptions. The true shitbags needing to choke on bags of decaying anus'. And "Ordinary Hard-Working-Law-Abiding Homophobes" is about what you think it is. It's Mike being fucking pissed about how normal people (gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, transgender) people are treated by the majority. I know exactly what he's talking about. There's also a rad Koro cover on here, they do the song "Acid Casualty". And at the end is the epic three minute "Anytown U.S.A." The excerpt at the end is Mike/the band's feelings on the us's war efforts in the Middle East. It's full of Discharge inspired lyrics, blast beats and fucking shredding. Oh the shredding.


“Look, you got to remember that if Washington D.C. were the size of Baghdad, we would be having something like 215 murders a month. There's going to be violence in a big city. It’s five and a half million people.” Donald Rumsfeld, former US Secretary of Defense, June 18, 2003
“I'm more puzzled by comments that the violence [in Iraq] isn't any worse than any American city. Really? In which American city do the headless bodies of ordinary citizens turn up every single day? In which city would it not be news if neighborhood school children were blown up? Day-to-day life here for Iraqis is so far removed from the comfortable existence we live in the United States that it is almost literally unimaginable. I don't know a single family here that hasn't had a relative, neighbor or friend die violently. Imagine the worst day you've ever had in your life, add a regular dose of terror and you'll begin to get an idea of what it's like every day for a lot of people here.” -Jane Arraf, NBC News correspondent, October 10, 2006

From Soft to Hard

Here's both sides of the Hirax/Spazz split that came out in 1997. I have no idea what kind of pressing info there is and I doubt I have an original pressing. The Hirax side of the cover is a band photo while the Spazz side contains the brutal exploding face illustration used on "Raging Violence". Max Ward played drums for Hirax at one time and sang for Spazz. The Hirax song was apparently recorded for the "Blasted In Bangcok" demo but was left out. Either way I prefer Hirax over Spazz. It's not that Spazz sucks or anything, I just havn't gotten into them. Hirax however has an awesome, raw old school traditional metal crossed with early thrash. This obviously evolved to the full blown thrash band they are now. This real fast hardcore with Katon's vocals is a sure way to get you pumped up. Living room circle pits abound. His lyrics about world unity and peace is nice and all and I support how he feels. However, that's not how it works out unfortunately. But who am I to tell him not to have hope.

SHOCK!

From Soft to Hard

Monday I received my vinyl copy of Wormrot's debut LP "Abuse". My iPod said I listened to it over 1300 times since first finding out about them in early December, so thank Merlin that wasn't the deal with the vinyl. It was imported however so there is a little damage to the cover, I mean TVG is in Germany. But oh wait, I ordered this straight from the band, so it came from fucking Singapore, so I'm not really bummed. I got one of the 552 black records, and TVG still has some of the red available, but there are only 110 so if you want one get it quick.
I don't know how to adequately describe what follows after putting needle to wax. One can hear the influences of Insect Warfare, 324 and Napalm Death. But having read interviews I find that there are lots of western pop influences in the band. The is blatantly obvious by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover. It's shocking how fucking good it is too. The upbeat tempo and energy out the ass, just their originals. I also love Arif's Engrish lyrics. Reminds me of Total Fury and the Burning Spirit scene, and I dig that shit!
These dudes just got signed to Earache who's reissuing this on double CD (Abuse+34) and vinyl. They have a couple of cool shirts too with cool package deals. I think I'm gonna buy the CD for the extra tracks. Well and because I think these guys are amazing and I can't wait for them to get huge. They are putting together a US tour for later this year, so try to get them in your city.

Abusive grindcore holocaust is right.

From Soft to Hard

Ringworm/Terror split 7"
This guy came out in 2003, back when Terror were relativly unknown and Ringworm was still just blip on the massive Victory radar, though thankfully Deathwish Inc. pulled this split together. It's the second part of a four part series dealing with the four card suits. They've done three so far, the heart still to be released. This was the second 7" (the first having Hope Conspiracy and Suicide File, the third having First Blood and Blacklisted(originally supposed to be Integrity, lucky Blacklisted)) with two pressings. 4,000and 1,000 for the second pressing. I have four copies, two randomaly fell into my possession and two I sought out for purchase. One orange(500), clear(1500) and red(500) from the first set and I have an uncut blue record(325) from the second pressing. In the matrix on the Terror side it says "I need maximum output-more stagedives!!!" and in the matrix of the Ringworm side it says "For a good time call 804-306-6134...", which I did call once but the guy had no idea who Ringworm was, and I was nervous because I was like 16. Anyway, the hardcore.
Terror play that tough guy, self-affirming hardcore that got big(again) around that time. Scott Vogel, who I love as a singer, really steps it up when his band writes short songs. The "Lowest of the Low" EP shows this. Unfortunately the two songs on here don't hold up to the EP, and can in no way hold up to Ringworm. I just find them boring and too slow paced. Not to say I don't like Terror, just saying this was their weakest output until "One With the Underdogs".
The Ringworm side however is fan-fucking-tastic. Raging Clevo style hardcore played fast and hateful. These two songs also appear on the follow-up full length "Justice Replaced By Revenge" that came out two years later, obviously with a different production. I believe the two songs posted are from that CD, sorry guys. The 7" versions are better in my eyes.


"Seeing red, until I finally reach my THRESHHOLD!"

From Soft to Hard

Hatred Surge/Insect Warfare split 7"   
I found my copy of this online for like eight bucks , which I thought was a steal. I'm pretty sure mine is a second pressing (this originally came out in 2006) as the cover is white and the vinyl is transparent green. A few notes about the packing. The artwork on the front and back is SICK, Daniel Shaw is the man. And super big ups to Hatred Surge for giving Poser Disposer a shoutout. Those dudes are awesome. I found some of their 7" (which I own) online, if I find the rest I'll post it. Poser Disposer play a thrashy-grind, maybe akin to that of Macabre, which I hear in so many other bands I love. But I digress.
Hatred Surge is some Despise You style power-violence/grind that while awesome in it's own right, but has a hard time comparing to fucking Insect Warfare. Anyone unfamiliar with them with quickly learn they play Napalm Death to the extreme style grind fucking core. Rahi's demonic vocals and Beu's outrageous static guitar create a pummeling four minute orgasm. Obvious highlights are "Reanimated Horde" and "Hurricane Death", the latter having a tremendous amount of groove.

The correct track listing is also as follows:

1. Rot
2. Out of My Head
3. Pile of Shit
4. Funeral
5.Old and Tired
6. Farce
7.Negative Appeal
8. Obscene Creed
9.Reanimated Horde
10.But Now You Die
11. Hurricane Death

"Cut up the skin, drink from the vein. Obliterate the body, but the brain must remain!"

From Soft to Hard

After hearing the xBrainiax/No Comply split I was interested in hearing more No Comply even after the aural destruction that xBrainiax cause. Lucky for me I found this 7" at a local record store and I like it even more than their side of the split. They have a real gnarly surf/skate punk vibe in the lyrics as well the music, which is some awesome Georgian hardcore to begin with. I'd liken them to faster version of Ceremony with less Motorhead and a more punky Discharge meets Blood for Blood feel.
The packaging for the vinyl itself is two colors(Orange and black) silk screened onto thin cardboard. I found that there are 75 that were printed on clear vinyl but mine is black and I have no info on pressing numbers for it. Inside the sleeve is a lyric sheet and a digital download coupon where you can download MP3s of your new 7". That's what I did and now I'm passing on the savings to you!


Grinding and grinding and grinding!
My fist into the earth!

From Soft to Hard

I bought this slice of hardcore gold when I was a sophomore in high school from Used Kids and I downloaded it from here. And the first thing I have to say is everyone should go to the 7inchpunk link and read the story about how this was recorded, it's good shit. It also might be one of the most DIY things ever done outside of Black Flag pushing the school bus they took on tour. As for the music, you get two songs of 90's style youth crew hardcore. The band name is from a DYS song and there are a couple of dudes from Chain of Strength in this band so you know at least this isn't a mediocre band wasting wax. There are all kinds of little things I dig about these song, but they're all standard hardcore cliches, like the gnarly gang vocals for instance. But a lot of the things that make this music simple and standardized are the thing I enjoy the most about it. And in all honesty, a little energy can go a long way and these guys have that shit amped up to 11.


"I won't fucking turn away!"

From Soft to Hard

This is going to be a new regular "feature". When I buy an album on vinyl(maybe a CD (less likely) or a cassette) of something I already have digitally I will post it on here and take it off of my iPod. This is significant for me as I'll be able to fully enjoy those songs the way they are intended. I'm also going to post a bunch of stuff I have both vinyl and digital copies of just for fun.

I ordered the Krallice LP three weeks ago and was finally able to pay for and bring home today. If this was a CD I would have probably worn it out at work and in transit to and from. I've already posted a song by these guys and here's another one. It's a way faster song with all kinds of peaks throughout instead of a huge build up at the end like "Forgiveness In Rot". No matter what I'm doing, riding my bike, cleaning the house, or stabbing people in the chest this songs rising and falling crescendos never fails to pump me up. No fan of extreme metal will be able to resist head bobs and/or foot tapping. The vinyl copy of this sounds so raw which sort of clashes with the upbeat, shredding and severely epic songs on it. But this juxtaposition is very pleasing to me, the dichotomy of ugly and beautiful and there are so many happening in this track. The aggressive but melodic guitars; the smooth bass carving out grooves of bestial low end destruction.
On a related note I get to see Dysrhythmia Sunday night. I think I'm going to talk Colin Marston's head off about this band (maybe an interview?) and then I'll try to be that awesome guy to feed the band and let them stay at my house. Regardless, I'm stoked to see that dude doing what he loves with a rad band. I saw him in Behold...the Arctopus with Mouth of the Architect and Intronaut last year, and needless to say, that was sweet.

Krallice also has a new album coming out 11/10. I'm not going to do all the details, the internet press has them already. I'm sure it will be worth all the hype.

"Black as in evil and darkness."

From Soft to Hard

Backstabbers Inc.- "Evolution" 7"

Notice the Man Is the Bastard style skulls,
this trend has been going strong for quite some time.

First off this post is in response to to am I mean? for him posting about a Trap Them 12".
In an effort to post more informational posts I'm going to start actually looking at my copies of the records I post. For instance this 7" came out in 2000, is the first Cadmium Sick Records released and the lyrics are printed on a separate sheet of paper. It's a little less than seven minutes of fucking hateful hardcore/grind. The kind of music that warrants stomping head walks and vicious circle pits. These guys can even get really dense and chaotic and with blastbeats and some ripping low end. This is a really good precursor for the rest of their material and the next band some of the members are in, Trap Them. I haven't heard more than like four songs by Trap Them (who changed their name, see below) but apparently it's been a good transition is style for them. But BSI is just an honest expression of contempt for the things we that we all hate played in a very fast and loud. Which is how it should be. The only time I've seen them was at the first Bottlerocket Fest in MI. They were one of the bands I was most excited about seeing and I was not disappointed. Every second was they played weighed so heavily on me by the cacophony they were releasing through the amps. Every second Ryan was screaming was a moment the anger he felt about the things happening around seethed out. I think it's great when people's faces get so ready and strained from moving and screaming, and that's just what everyone in the band was doing.
I also have have a 7" comp call "People Don't Take Photographs of Things They Want to Forget" with Transistor Transistor, Purity's Failure, Trap Them & Kill Them and Advocate on Broken Press. The BSI song is called "Flesh Wounds, Target Practice and How I Became a Statistic" It's transparent blue, side A says "Cir Sus Peanuts..." on the matrix and side B says "Get fucked" on the matrix. I don't have any of the songs from this in digital format, but I would like to find a way to rip my vinyl.
I unfortunately couldn't really find any pressing information on either of these.
BSI also put out a discography on Black Market Activities (Guy from The Red Chord's label) called "Bare As Bones" that has the 7" I posted, and I believe two other 7"s. They also put out an LP called "Kamikaze Missions" on Trash Art! before they broke up. They were originally based out of Vermont/New Hampshire, but had a large number of member changes including lots of drummers and at least three bass players, and I know some of their drummers were also in The Red Chord and Unearth.

The correct track listing is as follows:
Hair and Nails, Nails and Hair(Don't Kiss the Rapist)
I Wish You Were Here (So I Could Tell You to Leave
Still Photos Exemplifying Blind Rage
"Sergeant Gun In Mouth, Reporting For Duty"
Problem Solving Technique Of An Asshole
Send Me A Fucking Blitzkrieg
What If He Shouts Back? (The Anti-tortured Souls Campaign Anthem)

"Thanks to those who've pulled the knives from our backs."