Just another Bombtrack

Macconnell - You Can't Take Us Anywhere

2010-07-08T13:28:00.003-04:00

EDIT: Brian, the drummer of Macconnell, unfortunately passed away in an automobile accident on September 4, 2010. It is a shame to see a life like his cut so short and we now will never know the potential of him and what his band could accomplish. Brian was a great dude and is and will be missed. RIP Brian.

This is a post for my homies:

Macconnell - You Can't Take Us Anywhere.

For fans of Hot Water Music, Foo Fighters, Leatherface, The Draft.

Macconnell is my current favorite local band - I am thoroughly impressed with their songs so far and cannot wait to hear even newer jams. I am not saying this because they are my friends, I am saying this because it is true.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Also, hit up their FACEBOOK PAGE to hear and extra song not on the demo and check out a video of them I took from a show in March HERE.

Still my favorite band

2010-05-11T02:38:00.002-04:00

Burning Bridges - Demo

2010-04-29T00:26:00.002-04:00

I am not totally sure as to why, but I thought an update with this would be a good idea. Burning Bridges was a very frigging awesome hardcore band from Albany, New York. They had members of Tripface, Lariat and Blood Has Been Shed and members went on to form End of a Year. They had a few releases after the demo, The Best Revenge and Politics of Dead Friendships. There are three songs on this demo, all of which were rerecorded and released on The Best Revenge and one of which was released AGAIN on the Politics of Dead Friendships release. They were a very fun band to see live, and while I was bummed when they called it quits, I am at least happy that End of a Year came out of it.

DL HERE!!

I DIDN'T ASK TO BE THROWN INTO THIS WOOORLD BUT IT WASN'T UP TO ME

2010-02-23T00:15:00.001-05:00

So my boy Alex recently made a little poll on Facebook asking who people liked more: Outburst or Breakdown? I thought this was a pretty wild comparison and got me to think pretty hard about this. If this question was asked 5 years ago I would tell you Breakdown without a doubt, but now I find myself listening to Outburst a hell of a lot more. I never really thought of Outburst to have the same sort of lasting value as Breakdown but I actually find it to be the complete opposite now. Nothing against Breakdown at all, I still love that band. JUS' SAYIN'.

I also have always thought this band to be criminally underrated. I know they are a somewhat popular legendary New York Hardcore band but at the same time I feel a lot of people tend to overlook this band when talking about the incredible music that NYC has pumped out over the past 30 years. It is a shame to me that Bold comes to mind before Outburst when NYHC is mentioned. And for those of you who don't know me, I am pretty open about my hatred for Bold. They suck. Outburst didn't.

Deuces.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Scraps and Heart Attacks - S/T

2009-11-12T02:31:00.001-05:00

Zack requested some Scraps and Heart Attacks and I followed through. You're welcome, you sexy beast.

Anyway, I'm sure most people reading this blog are at least aware of this band's existence but for those of you not in the know, Travis from This is Hell and Kellen from I am the Avalanche were in this band prior to their current bands. In my opinion Scraps happened to be way better than TIH (and those who know me know I really do LOVE This is Hell) and they are about a trillion and one times better than IATA (and those who know me know I HATE I am the Avalanche. The Movielife was a far superior band. Although I am the Avalanche has entertained me when I have seen them, their recordings do not give me a boner. But I digress.)

Scraps were around for only a few years but I had the pleasure of seeing them live a few times, once happened t0 be immediately after they changed their name from the Heist. (Tangent: The Movielife played that show with them at The Chance and I really want to say Brand New did as well, but I might be confusing shows. If it wasn't Brand New then it was definitely One Line Drawing.) They played a somewhat controlled but still chaotic style of hardcore not unlike their fellow Dead by 23 Records brethren Frostbite, although the SAHA recordings were a lot less cohesive and focused more on guitars feeding back and coarse vocals that pummeled through with a sense of urgency. I have always loved their lyrics (so much so that the sidepiece I plan on getting will have their lyrics going along with it) and can always appreciate it when a band wears their influences on their sleeves lyrically, in their case making references to Jawbreaker and Inside Out lyrics. Also, any band that says "kids like you are fucking spent/do us a favor, get fucking bent" is pretty much the best band ever in my opinion.

Anyway, I am tired and anything else I have to say about the band is probably going to be stupid/unfunny/uninteresting, so I leave you with this: their Self-Titled release which contains their 7", demo and a live set. Enjoy!

DL HERE!!

For The Crown - Demo 2001

2009-10-26T21:04:00.000-04:00

First off, a big THANK YOU to Insane Sasquatch on Last.FM for helping me find a download of this. I have been (unsuccessfully) searching the interwebs for this demo forfuckingever since I lost it and I am now at peace knowing I have these songs once again.

For The Crown were a west coast band and come to think of it, I don't think they actually ever made it out this way to my neck of the woods on the east coast. If they did then I am an idiot for not going to see them but I am pretty sure they didn't. Regardless, I never regretfully never saw them. I remember learning of them through the InStrife message board in 2001 when the guitarist's (I think?) brother used to post on there and mentioned this band. I do recall the dude who posted on the board was named Nate. I instantly fell in love with the music. Musically, it reminded me a little of Reach The Sky at the time without being a carbon copy of them. I very much enjoy the full length they put out a few years after this but I always felt the vocals were much better on this demo. "Counting Footsteps" was one of my favorite songs for a very long time and I am happy I can listen to this over and over again.

Check it out and hopefully someone will enjoy this demo half as much as I do.

DL HERE!!

So I know it is quite early, but here is my top 10 for 2009 so far...

2009-09-22T23:10:00.002-04:00

Like I said, I am aware this is kind of premature but I kind of felt like jotting down my top ten releases of the year so far and seeing if and how much it really changes by December 31st.

1. Touche Amore - ...To the Beat of a Dead Horse
2. Iron Age - The Sleeping Eye
3. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T Full Length
4. Pulling Teeth - Paranoid Delusions/Paradise Illusions
5. Jay-Z - Blueprint 3
6. Incendiary - Crusade
7. Government Warning - Paranoid Mess
8. P.O.S. - Never Better
9. Shadows Fall - Retribution
10. Municipal Waste - Massive Aggressive/Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic TIE

This is a list excluding and EPs or demos.

I KNOW Another Breath - The God Complex would be on top of the list but since it hasn't been released yet (and I don't know when the fuck it will be) I have excluded that from this list as well. Sadly, Polar Bear Club probably will not make it this year but they were close as is Trapped Under Ice and The Black Dahlia Murder. I still haven't listened to the new Brother Ali, Converge, Strike Anywhere, Rise and Fall, Lewd Acts, Raekwon or Ghostface releases yet so I don't know if they will make it into the top ten.

Have Heart - Live at CBGB

2009-09-22T02:25:00.000-04:00

Live set from 2005 I believe. The closed with an Inside Out cover. Always delicious.

I am going to miss this band...a lot.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Horror Show - The Holiday EP

2009-08-18T12:47:00.005-04:00

Final release from one of the only good things to come from Philadelphia. I kid, I kid. But really, they are one of the few awesome things to come from that place. Fuck the Phillies.

PS - I JUST ripped this 7" into mp3 format and I didn't tag it properly and I also didn't bother to clean it up very much, so if you don't like all the crackles and all that jazz in there, I apologize.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Nightmares For A Week - A Flood Tomorrow

2009-07-25T17:31:00.000-04:00

Nightmares For A Week is a three-piece punk/folk-rock band from Kingston, New York and right now they are currently among my three favorite locals (along with Document and Dead Channels). This band consisting of ex-members of Jerk Magnet/Ana Divine strays far from that mid-to-late 90's pop-punk sound and focuses more on a twangy guitar-driven country approach to punk rock. With the Jawbreaker influence blatantly obvious (what, you couldn't tell from the name of the band?), they also draw influences from the likes of older Against Me!, Lucero and Hot Water Music while still focusing in and delivering on a sound I would like to think as their own. This five-song EP showcases some of their best songs while at the same time leaving the listener anxious to hear what this band has in store next. If you dig what you hear, take a trip to their Myspace page and pick up a copy of the cd.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Texas Blind

2009-06-01T11:14:00.003-04:00

There were a few dudes from my area who had a band...or still have a band. They always used to remind me of At The Drive-In...or maybe they still remind me of ATDI. They haven't played a show in forever and PROBABLY SHOULD GET ON THAT SOON.

Anyway, I present you all of this bands recorded material. Texas Blind is RIYL At The Drive-In, Fugazi and The Mars Volta; and even if you do not like those bands you should probably download this anyway.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Burning Fight

2009-05-10T20:34:00.003-04:00

I got home on Tuesday after driving out to Chicago for Burning Fight on the prior Thursday with Brizz, Andrew and Justin. This was a trip I had been looking forward to since before the tickets even went on sale and for months this feeling of anticipation was building deep inside of me. I really had no idea how things were going to be but I knew no matter what happened during the weekend of Burning Fight, it would be worth it. I couldn't have been more right.

I have been trying to transcribe my experience into a cohesive blog entry since the day I returned but I've been unable to do so, but I am going to try to anyway. If this is a mess I apologize to anyone taking the time to read this entry.

From the start of the 10:00 pre-show on Friday night I knew something was special about this event. It wasn't just a book release. It wasn't just a show where a few older bands got back together. It wasn't just a show where a few of the best and biggest hardcore bands of the present were getting together to play a show. It was truly something more than all of that...and I am having a hard time finding the right words to accurately describe it. At the risk of sounding cheesy, the word "magical" comes to mind.

Throughout the 22 bands that played (I only watched 20 of them...only! I needed a break sometime) I cannot think of a second where I didn't have a stupid smile on my face. The energy of the crowd (younger, older and in between) mixed with the pure unbridled passion that the bands poured out of themselves on the stage was a mind-blowing experience. I still think about how I first got into punk and hardcore and how it all hit me like a sack of bricks to the face and I've always had this insatiable desire to possess that feeling again. I always get such a natural high when I go to a great show that it makes me feel like everything is right in the world at that present moment, but it never quite felt the same way as the initial one-two punch the music packed on me almost 12 years ago. After all of this time I FINALLY was lucky enough to relive that feeling; not only relive it but feel something possibly even more powerful and meaningful as the past feeling. It wasn't simply the idea of Disembodied playing a show or seeing Trial put on one of the greatest sets I have EVER seen but it was the fact that these bands, old and new, were playing to a bunch of kids (and I use that term loosely) with the passion that seemed to drive them from the start and the passion that attracted the 1100 people in attendance to turn an ear to the sound to begin with. I had fucking goosebumps the entire time Unbroken played. I choked up when Reach The Sky ended their set. I cannot remember a time when i was so sore from dancing and singing-along to bands and still physically paying the price for it.

I met a few people in Chicago and everyone was awesome. It is a terrible thought if going to a show and immediately getting the feeling that some of the people in attendance got into the music for the wrong reasons and eventually use it as a stepping stone to something later in life, but the people at Burning Fight radiated nothing but positive energy and the desire of wanting to be nowhere else in the world except for right in that very spot, seeing those very bands, having those very conversations. I hate to judge the sincerity of another person but I know it is something we all do and while I try to work on it, I feel like last weekend I didn't have to with a single person because there was that one unifying theme amongst us all. The music spoke to us in a way only the people there those two nights will ever know. I am not trying to take anything away from a person who wasn't able to attend the shows, but the feeling I felt is something that I KNOW FOR A FACT nobody else could ever feel if you weren't in that room. I could honestly die knowing that I felt complete. It was some sort of zen like moment for me and I can bet my bottom dollar that everyone there had that same feeling of happiness.

Last week made me rekindle my romance with hardcore. There are times where I seem to get a little burnt out and go through my phases where I strictly listen to hip-hop and indie rock (which seem to become more and more frequent as I age) and I will never stop having an open mind about any genre of music since I would like to think I have a pretty open taste in music, but it was punk rock and hardcore that spoke to me like no other genre has, is, and will ever speak to me. The book release was a celebration to me in the fact that I didn't have to try to do anything but the entire atmosphere just dug deep into my heart and found where the passion and drive for the music was hiding and released it all along with everyone else in that room.

There is so much I want to write and I honestly have absolutely no idea if anything I had just typed out makes sense to anyone at all but I need to finally get it out. It's been a week and my mind and heart haven't come home with me, they are still in Chicago. I haven't been able to and almost don't want to stop thinking about that experience. I am trying not to dwell in the past by any means but I cannot help but think to the weekend and how I was happier than I thought was ever possible. If I did learn anything from last week it was that the past may have been incredible but we have a future and present and we need to take the momentum of the past and turn it into something positive for right here and right now...I know it may not seem like I learned that from typing up all this worshiping the events of a week ago, but I feel like that last week possessed the energy I need to make things right for the present and the future. I aim to feel that same euphoric feeling again. Maybe it won't come from music (although my life revolves around music so it would be hard not to) or maybe it will not even come at all, but at least I now feel that there is much more than going through the motions making it to the next day when I know what it feels like to be perfect for even a split second and I can take that and use it for my future. I have a feeling this is going to come across as some soul-searching rant at this point but I can honestly say if it wasn't for hardcore, my life would have probably ended a long time ago and this show could not have come at a more perfect time in my life than now.

Burning Fight made up for the best two days of my life and I wouldn't change a single thing about how anything unfolded. It gave me a breath of fresh air and I intend to keep breathing it all in.

I assume by now this is truly a jumbled, incoherent mess so I'll just leave this off with a quote which couldn't ring any more true to me than it does right now:

"I can still see the reasons that I opened my eyes to this scene in the first place. I can still count my beliefs growing stronger - stronger everyday" -Bane

Death

2009-03-30T20:01:00.000-04:00

THIS is fucking awesome.

READ about it here.

WATCHMEN

2009-03-06T03:09:00.003-05:00

I was stoked as hell that I could finally see Watchmen after waiting such a long ass time for it to come out. March 6th was not coming quick enough.

All I can really say is...wow. The movie was well worth the wait. It was rather lengthy at 2 hours and 45 minutes and they still didn't get to put everything from the comic in but I thought it was great how it turned out. The ending was a bit different which I knew going into it so that didn't bother me at all. I was really worried about how the use of slow-motion was going to play a role in this movie but it was executed tastefully and the shots that were in slow-mo seemed to call for it. Dr. Manhattan looked great and I don't think they could have cast a better person to play Rorschach. I did wish that they focused The sex scene was kind of...weird but Malin Akerman was naked, so who am I to complain? The action scenes were great and the costumes were spot on, especially Rorschach's mask, I loved it.

Very choppy "review." No care. Go see the movie!!

Deathcycle - S/T 7"

2009-03-02T17:12:00.000-05:00

Missed their last show. I don't wanna talk about it.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Can I Say - The Last Goodbye

2009-02-28T00:07:00.003-05:00

Awesome EP from an upstate New York band that went way under the radar. The broke up a while ago. Singer went on to form Dead Hearts. Fin.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Divided By Hate - Sediments Of Shame

2009-02-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

I was bored last night and decided to rip a few of my 7"s to my computer. This was one of them. This is for all the older dudes out there who might actually check this blog out.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

The Mighty Underdogs - Droppin Science Fiction

2009-01-26T21:00:00.003-05:00

This album has been blowing my mind lately. So good.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Baldwin - Demo, Our Cross To Bear Demo

2009-01-12T23:21:00.006-05:00

As I had mentioned in an earlier entry and have done a few times since, I will upload some material from some of my old bands for the 0 of you that probably care. anyway, this is a new band of mine called Baldwin. I am and have always been kind of bad with describing the music my bands have made so I will just say this: we have been compared to Farside quite a bit. I don't really think we sound like them (although if we did that would be amazing) but it is still an awesome compliment from people.

DOWNLOAD BALDWIN DEMO HERE!!

This other demo I am linking to is from my band Our Cross To Bear. This is my melodic hardcore band. For anyone who actually downloaded the Bust Out! demo I had uploaded, you might recognize some of the songs. OCTB is basically Bust Out! with a different singer and better songs. I would love to think that we don't sound like every other hardcore band that is beating the genre to death out there but who knows, I'm sure we do.

DOWNLOAD OCTB DEMO HERE!!

Common Market - Tobacco Road

2009-01-12T10:32:00.006-05:00

Music with substance, who knew it still existed? This is some chilled out hip-hop brought to you by the producer from Blue Scholars (Sabzi) and a dude who kinda reminds me of Talib Kweli (RA Scion). This made it into my Top 10 List of last year. Check it out.

Favorite Track: Gol'Dust

Rating: 8 Out Of 10

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Happy New Year by the way!

A New Enemy - S/T

2008-12-02T21:35:00.003-05:00

Aside from The Misfits (obviously) this band right here is probably my favorite New Jersey band. Heartfelt hardcore punk, sincere lyrics, awesome vocals, catchy melodies, songs about skateboarding and a Bad Brains cover. What more could you ask for?

Singer went on to front Robot Whales, Spanish Bombs and probably 19872817978972987 other awesome bands I'm sure, but I have always liked A New Enemy the most out of his projects.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Greyarea - Fanbelt Algebra

2008-12-01T00:47:00.002-05:00

Haven't posted in a while. Not really sure why to be honest, but to make up for it I offer one of the best albums ever.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

The Gaslight Anthem - Acoustic AP Session

2008-10-21T01:22:00.001-04:00

Nerdery Pt. III

Someone on the Gaslight message board posted this, and now I am posting it here.

DOWNLOAD HERE!

The Gaslight Anthem - Live in Boston

2008-10-03T17:21:00.003-04:00

Gaslight Anthem Nerdery Pt. II

This is a live set from when they played Boston on August 17, 2008. This was the day after the record release show in NYC which was incredible. The quality isn't great but I thought it would be a lot worse. It hasn't kept me from listening to this a hundred times already. ENJOY!

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

The Gaslight Anthem - Live Acoustic on KEXP

2008-09-29T22:56:00.003-04:00

For all the other Gaslight Anthem nerds, I have a live acoustic set + interview for you. Just Brian but it is still pretty delicious and I enjoy hearing the songs played acoustically. ENJOY!!

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

The Bouncing Souls - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

2008-09-19T11:22:00.002-04:00

I figured I would make a Souls post seeing as how I am seeing them tonight (for maybe the 20th time) with GREYFUCKINGAREA and Sick Of It All & I am ridiculously excited. Best Bouncing Souls record. The end.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Behind Enemy Lines - The Global Cannibal

2008-08-29T20:01:00.003-04:00

This has been the only album I have been listening to lately, and by lately I mean the past four or five days. If you're unaware of this band, they are a ridiculously awesome crust band with ex-members of Aus-Rotten and The Pist. Think of a faster Aus-Rotten but a lot heavier. Politically charged punk just the way I like it. Listen and love it.

Favorite Track: Global Cannibal

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Chain Of Strength - What Holds Us Apart 7" / True Till Death 7"

2008-08-12T01:37:00.000-04:00

No review needed, just going to say that this is the way the songs were supposed to sound in all of it's raw and passionate form.

DOWNLOAD TTD HERE!!
DOWNLOAD WHUA HERE!!

Lariat - Means Of Production

2008-08-05T15:38:00.004-04:00

I had recently found myself going through my cd collection and looking for albums that I haven't listened to in quite some time. Means of Production by Lariat was one of the albums that I dusted off the shelf and put in the cd player only to remember why I purchased this album in the first place. Putting it in brought me right back to Hellfest 2001 which was the first time I had seen and heard them and I remember being completely blown away by their set. I remember there being a pretty large sing-a-long to the song "Cubicle" (which is on their split with At War With Shadows) and just being pulled in by everyone screaming "This is not forever, we are not immortal/If you knew you were dying tomorrow how would you have lived today?" Unfortunately that was the only time I had caught these dudes live. Excellent hardcore and crust influenced metalcore with a big political agenda to boot. Think Unbroken meets His Hero Is Gone meets Deadguy...kind of. Just give this a listen if you have not heard them, this release will NOT disappoint. I know I say that about a lot of things, but I MEAN IT!

Favorite Track: Monsanto

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

WATCHMEN TRAILER!

2008-07-18T15:19:00.003-04:00

This is my nerdy side coming out. I saw this trailer last night when I went to go see The Dark Knight (which is the best movie ever, mind you) and I cannot tell you how ridiculously stoked I am for this. I was kind of worried about how Dr. Manhattan was going to look but I think he looks spot-on. HURRY UP 2009!!

Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Vol. 2

2008-07-14T10:18:00.004-04:00

I know it has taken me a little while to update the blog, my internet has been down, I've been in NYC for a few days and yesterday I was pretty much bed ridden all day, but it's all good beause I am back now. Over the past week or so, I have been listening to Immortal Technique more than any other artist, and I have been listening to this album more than any other album. Tech has recently put out an album called The 3rd World which is pretty incredible in itself and has sparked me to rock this album after some time. After not listening to it for a few months and rediscovering it, I completely forgot how much I truly love this album. Immortal Technique delivers the left-wing based lyrics that he is typically known for that still ring true and hold as much water today as they did five years ago when this album was released. Politically relevant and often very witty, IT never trades in a true thought or belief for a weak rhyme. Actively speaking out against both major and independent record labels alike, Technique has proven that he has and is accomplishing what he wants to on his own terms, and I can definitely respect that a lot. Any cat that is truly making music for themselves gets my seal of approval.

Favorite Track: Internally Bleeding

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Torche Video PLAYING BOMB STRING

2008-07-07T12:18:00.003-04:00

Ok, I lied. I'm not linking or reviewing any albums right yet and it also isn't hip-hop, but I love this video and have been watching it nonstop. Torche plays the bomb string they're known for and it SHAKES THE CAMERA! So good, I love it.

Layout

2008-07-07T01:31:00.002-04:00

So I was a little bored and messed around with the colors for this thing. Nothing great really but the black just seemed a little too boring and I didn't even like looking at this blog much anymore. When I have a few more extra minutes, I will change it around again to make it suck even less.

I'll have a few new albums linked soon, I PROMISE!. I keep linking older releases but I will try to get some newer jams on here. They are probably going to end up being hip-hop albums for a little while because that is all I have been really listening to lately. Whatevs.

John Brown - King Of Da Burbz MIXTAPE

2008-07-04T06:58:00.003-04:00

Remember the dude from Ego Trip's The White Rapper Show on VH1? Yep, this is him. All of life's mysteries have been solved and questions have been answered. My life is now complete. Duh.
DOWNLOAD HERE!!

The Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!

2008-07-03T19:10:00.000-04:00

This is the most recent, though really not all that recent, release from Chicago's The Lawrence Arms, and it is easily my favorite record of theirs. On this album, The Larry Arms still blend the East Bay sound and Chicago sound like they have always been known to pull off, but it is a little less Jawbreaker and a little bit more of themselves. I think the band has always done a good job of taking what they know and mixing it well with their influences but I feel that this is an album they can call their own. The songs for the most part are a little bit shorter in length and I believe it to be lyrically leaps and bounds ahead their previous albums. I am by no means trying to knock their older work, I LOVE everything this band has released, but nothing they have put out has knocked me on my ass as much as this one and in the same way that Oh! Calcutta! did when it was first released. This is one of those albums that helps me every time I get into a little funk and I hope it has the same affect on some other people that it does for me.

Favorite Track: Cut It Up or Are You There Margaret? It's Me, God.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Alkaline Trio - Help Me 7"

2008-07-02T20:48:00.003-04:00

A while ago I had posted the Help Me EP that had three songs from the new full length which actually dropped today. This is not that. This is 7" with a single edition of the version of "Help Me" and also has a Tegan and Sara cover on it of the song "Wake Up Exhausted." The cover is pretty excellent. Get into it.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

David Lee Roth Isolated Vocal Track

2008-07-01T11:46:00.001-04:00

Why post THIS?? Because it cracks me up.

Lion Of Judah - Soul Power

2008-06-24T23:34:00.002-04:00

I'm going to keep this one extremely brief. If you haven't heard this 7" by now I would be pretty surprised, but it's definitely worth checking out. The best EP Lockin' Out Records has released in my opinion. Burn meets Rites Of Spring meets Bad Brains. Love it.

Favorite Track: Soul Power

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

The Miracle Mile - The Future History

2008-06-20T01:25:00.001-04:00

This is the final release from California's The Miracle Mile. Four original tracks of honest, sincere hardcore that the band became known for and a cover of Nirvana's "Territorial Pissings" that is pretty spot on and surely tickles my fancy. I do however feel that the version of "Pushing Play Is Not Enough" that is featured on this release isn't as good as the version on the Coastal Flooding 7" compilation in my opinion, but I do appreciate how raw this version is and it captures the essence of the band pretty well. The four original songs on this EP are very solid and each one can definitely stand on its own, but they all seem to be lacking in comparison to any of the songs released on their earlier work on "Where The Heart Is." While this 7" definitely gets me excited and miss the band, it doesn't seem to give me the chills that their prior release has done for me. I love this album and it is definitely worth picking up if you can indeed find a copy, but if you happen to be like me then you'll find yourself reaching out to pull "Where The Heart Is" off of your shelf before grabbing this to listen to. And for those of you who aren't aware, members can be found making music in Dangers and Final Fight.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Screeching Weasel

2008-06-11T21:58:00.002-04:00

I was recently directed to this site which contains every Screeching Weasel release. Enjoy.

One Up - The Single

2008-06-10T17:48:00.003-04:00

This is unfortunately the final release from one of my favorite straight edge bands from Philadelphia, PA. I was lucky enough to see One Up three times, the first two being completely awesome and a whole lot of fun while the third wasn't as great. You could tell the band was on their way out and it was a shame to see them go like that, but they were still great while they were around regardless. This final release leaves us with two songs, one original and one Texas Is The Reason cover. Honestly, for a long time I was a little bitter about this being their final release, but after putting this on for the first time in well over a year, I now truly appreciate the record for what it is. I wish they could have recorded enough material for a full length or something more than just a single, but I am pleased with their final recorded original song and the TITR cover is pretty on par. I don't know, maybe this band was nothing special to a lot of people, I know a lot of people wrote them off as just another generic straight edge band with Youth Of Today style vocals, but they did mean a lot to me at the time and I still find myself listening to them every so often wishing that they were still together. I also find that the vocals are a billion times more enjoyable than Youth Of Today, but if you know me then you know how much I really can't stand that band anyway. Once again I digress. Anyway, check this record out and buy it if you enjoy, buy a copy. It is still up for sale on RevHQ.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Straightjacket Nation - Cheap Kicks Single

2008-06-09T14:20:00.002-04:00

I have heard of this band mentioned before but never really bothered to check them out. I heard they were playing with Career Suicide and are from Australia, but other than that I didn't and still really don't know too much about them. What I do know is that I was lucky enough to see them play twice this weekend in New York City and they were one of the most intense bands I've seen. EVER. I regret not checking this band out earlier and I regret that I was only able to purchase the Cheap Kicks LP and 7" when I am now aware that they have a handful of other releases. This is really good aggressive, infuckingsane hardcore punk rock. If Career Suicide and Government warning had a baby on speed then that might give you something half as intense as this band truly is. Check this release out and if you ever have the chance go see them, who knows how long it will be until the next time you have the opportunity.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Our Cross To Bear

2008-06-02T13:39:00.002-04:00

This is a video of my band playing a song at our first show. It took place this past Saturday at a barn in Montgomery, New York with Election Day, Like Wolves, Countess of Persia and Better Days.

World Burns To Death - Totalitarian Sodomy

2008-05-31T00:12:00.003-04:00

Dudes from bands you know and love. Personally my top 5 in d-beat style bands. I'm not giving this a full review or description because it will be 20 pages long about how this band is better than 99.999% of music out there, just check it out and buy the record.

Favorite Track: ALL OF THEM

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Black Dove - No Future/No Fate

2008-05-30T23:08:00.003-04:00

So I actually only heard about Black Dove for the first time last night. My friend Chris saw them play upstate and said this would be right up my alley, and he was right. Dirty crusty style punk rock from former members of Still Crossed. No Future/No Fate is an in your face release comprised of an intro and nine tracks of intensity. The music is great, while somewhat the standard to this style of music, but it was the vocals that really draw me in. There are a few parts throughout the album where some of the chord progressions sound a little odd and catch me by surprise, but at the same time I appreciate that because it doesn't feel like I have heard this release a million times before. Definitely not completely original by any means but these dudes seem to put their own spin on it. The only complaint I have with this album is on the eighth track, the drummer seems to get a little happy with the double bass in places I feel do not deserve to be abused by it. The drumming is spot on throughout the rest of this record though. This release is definitely worth checking out.

EDIT: Apparently this was recorded with only a single kick peddle & that actually slightly changes my view on this album for the better. My apologies, and please check this release out and buy it!

Here is the tracklisting since the mp3s aren't tagged properly. Sorry!!

01 HORDES OF LAMPADS
02 EMPIRE OF DUST
03 DIRGE OF THE HILLS
04 SAVAGE CHILDREN
05 BLACK DOVES
06 WHY DO BABIES CRY
07 NECROBUTCHER
08 DOOM DREAM
09 MJÖLNER

Favorite Track: Hordes Of Lampadas

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Election Day - Demo

2008-05-28T00:14:00.004-04:00

Election Day is a melodic hardcore band from all over Western New York. It is a little difficult to compare them to any band because no bands come to mind as a direct influence or rip off at any point, but I can see vague resemblances to Dag Nasty and maybe a hint of Champion from time to time. The vocals, lyrical content and the structure of all of their songs seem to set them apart from a lot of modern day hardcore bands of the same style and I can truly appreciate that. I remember the first time hearing them (maybe a year or so ago?) and it was like a breath of fresh air to hear a current hardcore band of this style playing it the way it SHOULD sound. I don't remember being floored by a demo like that in quite some time and I haven't had that feeling about a band's demo since. Go to the band's myspace page, stream all of their songs and if you really enjoy what you hear, go to the Secret Jams myspace page and purchase a copy of the demo 7". One of my best friends Chris put this record out and he put a lot of work into making the vinyl happen and I know him, the band and the buyer would all equally appreciate the purchase of one of the records. I hope you enjoy the music as much as I do.

Favorite Track: Sector 4

Bust Out!- Unfinished Demo

2008-05-28T00:05:00.003-04:00

Yep, another one of my bands. Bust Out! was a hardcore band again based out of Orange County, NY that I played bass in. This band was in the vein of Biohazard, Cro-Mags, Killing Time & Leeway. This is a demo we recorded that was never completed. Some vocal parts weren't finished. The rest of the band would probably kill me if they knew I uploaded this considering this recording isn't really supposed to see the light of day, but I figure more people have heard it than we wanted to initially so why the fuck not? (Try to) ENJOY!

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Cursed - III: Architects Of Troubled Sleep

2008-05-25T15:12:00.000-04:00

After catching wind of their recent breakup earlier in the week, I became thoroughly bummed out with this news and decided to deal with it by listening to the newest, and in my opinion best, Cursed release. Cursed was one of those bands that every time I made an attempt to see, something either came up which prevented me from attending the show or they just happened to cancel. I have always been a fan since I first heard them & knew that anything with members of Haymaker, Chokehold and The Swarm were involved in was going to be both important and intense, and after this final release of theirs I am deeply regretting missing out on the opportunity of seeing them live. This album is one of the more violent records I have heard in a while, from start to finish ranging from slower sludgy parts to crusty influenced grindy blast beats, the riffs and drumming are sure to grab your attention and not let go. I believe III to be their most mature and most cohesive album while not losing an ounce of the chaos in their music they have been known to pull off quite well. The only complaint is that the quality is a bit iffy on this release, but it isn't so bad as to be distracted by it while listening to the album. Definitely a must have for any fan of Cursed.

Favorite Track: Friends In The Music Business

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xclamationx - Discography

2008-05-20T02:16:00.003-04:00

Yeah, I'm lame and I am uploading stuff from an old band of mine. I'll be doing this with some of my old bands from time to time. Maybe.

xclamationx was a straight edge fast hardcore band I played bass in. We were around from 2004-2006 & based out of Orange County, NY. Recommended if you like thirty second songs & Family Guy.

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Aesop Rock - Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives

2008-05-19T00:49:00.001-04:00

At this point and time with his extensive touring, work with The Weather-
men, making numerous guest appear-
ances, making promotional exercise music for Nike, and being MTV's Artist of the Week back in late last year, I would be surprised if anyone involved in any form of underground music said that they had never even heard Aesop Rock. With his career now spanning over a decade and his constant work ethic of putting out album after album, this man has proved to be one of the best emcee's in underground hip-hop or even hip-hop in general. Aesop always finds a way to combine his original and fresh rhyme schemes with amazing beats laid down a lot of times by Blockhead or even sometimes himself. Constantly redefining himself with each release he also manages to redefine hip-hop at the same time, seemingly setting new standards for any rapper to reach. This EP was put out after Bazooka Tooth to hold fans over while he was able to write enough new material for the None Shall Pass full length, and this like much, well all in my opinion, of his other work does not disappoint one bit.

Favorite Track: Holy Smokes

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Fucked Up - The Line

2008-05-14T21:16:00.000-04:00

Not much of a fan of Fucked Up to be honest, but some of the things they do seem to crack me up & this song is no different. This is their dis track on Billy Talent. (Sort of) oldie but goodie.

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Alkaline Trio - Help Me EP

2008-05-12T15:21:00.003-04:00

Alkaline Trio are back with three new jammers. I believe two of these are going to be on their new full length Agony and Irony coming out in June. These songs are in the vein of Crimson, but in my opinion are A LOT better (I wasn't much of a fan of Crimson aside from a few songs like "Time to Waste" and "Mercy Me"). Matt lays vocals down vocals on "Help Me" and "Into the Night" and Dan lays down the vocals for "In Vein," which you might have actually heard if you happened to catch the latest episode of that crappy MTV show The Hills. I have always been partial to the songs that Matt has written and sang on a little bit more than Dan's, but the song that Dan lays the vocals down is probably the catchiest Alkaline Trio song to date and I haven't been able to stop singing along to this since I first started to listen to this. This is definitely a solid three song release from Alkaline Trio & I cannot wait until the full length drops.

Favorite Track: In Vein

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Screeching Weasel - Television City Dream

2008-05-10T02:21:00.002-04:00

Truth be told, if I even have to give a review about this album, or any Screeching Weasel album for that matter, you deserve to drown. Me being an asshole aside, this is personally without a doubt my favorite release that these pop-punk rock veterans have released. I have a lot of emotional attachment to this album. I feel like I'm in ninth grade all over again every time I listen to it and this is definitely an album that has stood the test of time with me. While I never really openly considered it one of my favorite albums, it wasn't until recently I realized that it is. Poor review? Probably, go buy it anyway.

Favorite Track: Speed Of Mutation

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End Of A Year - We Understand Europeans Are A Sexual People

2008-04-27T16:08:00.006-04:00

End Of A Year is back again with their familiar yet spot on style of DC Dischord style punk rock, this time with three new songs and one cover. While their sound has not changed dramatically, their song writing has definitely improved & these tracks are by far my favorite tracks that they have recorded. The only complaint I have about this recording is that I wish this had been a full length instead of just a 7" but if this is a taste of things to come from this band, you surely will not be disappointed.

Favorite Track: Let's Grow Old And Fat Together

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

LOCAL MUSIC MIX VOLUME I

2008-04-24T00:52:00.003-04:00

For my first post on this blog I wanted to do something just a little different to start off with. I made a little mix of a few of my favorite local bands, some past & some present. This is the first installment of the local mixes I will be making. I hope whoever downloads this gives all the artists a fair & honest listen. If you enjoy the artist, go and support them.

The tracklisting is as follows:

1-Gunslinger - Go Big or Go Home

2-Robots and Empire - Stampede

3-Burden Of Arms - The Dreamers

4-Severed Ties - The Strangling

5-Inner Dam - Dying Inside

6-Better Days - Bright Nights

7-Nobs - Paint Her Dead

8-When Dreams Die - Closure

9-Red Devil Suit - Whores and Cowards

10-Measured In Grey - Cigarettes and Whiskey

11-Ranges - Thunderfuck

12-Drowning Room - Sunday's Best

13-In Anchorage - The Emporer

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

Hope you enjoy!