Aerosols LP + Bonus 7"

So where do I really start with Youth Attack Records and the latest Aerosols release? This was officially released a while ago, but due to the insane hype and demand over new YA pressings, I wasn't able to buy a copy until the second press was put up last month, and even that sold out the same day. Known for their intricate and stylish packaging, Mark McCoy put together something awesome for Western Massachusetts' Aerosols.

Limited to 500 copies on gray and black mixed vinyl, the release contains a full LP along with a bonus single sided EP, just in case your cravings weren't quite satisfied. The inner jacket has photo corners on the front, meant to hold the bonus wax as if it were a picture, which is a pretty original idea. However, due to shipping and transport, many people's photo corners ripped or came off while taking out the LP. The backsides of both inner sleeves have pictures of the band, along with the lyrics written out in lavish script. Definitely a winner on packaging, even with the photo corners breaking. The only other item I miss is a digital download, but this is YA, not Deathwish Inc.

The record immediately picks up where the first three EPs left off. Fast, smashing, rip-roaring hardcore that shreds the needle right off your turntable. The insanely fast drumming and guitar riffs create a wall of distorted sound that seems to blur its way through the record. Aerosols treads a fine line between crossing into the inaudible and just rough enough to reach the sound they appear to be aiming for. Most of the songs border a near out of control pace, while some slow down at points, such as "Presidential Pardon" or "Settle for Hell."

Vocally, the LP is abrasive and pissed off, screaming through the speakers amongst distortion, feedback, and pounding percussion. If your into this type of style, its actually done pretty well, especially for this genre of music. The lyrics rage on about the political system, ugly American pride, religion, drug abuse, our inevitable death, and other related topics.

Musical ADD is the last thing people will experience with this record, as the whole LP clocks in just a shade under 10 1/2 minutes, with the longest song being a mere one minute and thirty-seven seconds. Just in case this didn't quench your thirst for teeth grinding hardcore, the bonus EP adds in an extra 5 songs at just over 2 minutes.

If you're looking for the next youth crew or bro mosh record, stay far away from this. But if you're into fast, blasting hardcore that shows no mercy for anything, your already late on buying this. Hell, even if this isn't the usual record you'd pick up, it's still worth a listen. The second pressing is still available on Interpunk, but it probably won't last long before you'll be stuck scouring eBay for a copy.

Buy at Interpunk
www.ihateyouthattack.com

Upcoming Spring Philly/NJ/NYC Area Shows

Coinciding with the rash of incredible releases coming out all over the country, there's plenty of amazing, talented bands coming through the tri-state area. Whether its hardcore, indie, or punk rock, a little bit of everything is out there, no matter what your musical taste is. Some are at up and coming venues like The Barbary, while others are at local churches and basements, and some at larger spots such as the World Cafe.

3/6 - Coalesce @ Kung Fu Necktie (Philly, PA) - Unfortunately this show sold out pretty quickly in advance, but for those attending it will definitely be something special. With a dark, complex hardcore metal blend in the vein of Converge, these guys are back with a vengeance to tour again.

3/7 - Blacklisted/The Rival Mob @ The Barbary (Philly, PA) - There's not much else you can ask for from Joe Hardcore and company. Philly locals, Blacklisted along with fast-growing Boston hardcore, The Rival Mob, who are blowing up bigger than most of their contemporaries.

3/14 - Reign Supreme/Mountain Man @ Championship Bar & Grill (Trenton, NJ) - Deathwish Inc metallic hardcore hailing from Philly alongside Massachusetts' Mountain Man, fresh off the release of their 10" LP, "One."

3/21 - Raw Nerve/Vaccine/SQRM @ 538 Johnson St. (Brooklyn, NY) - Record release show for Raw Nerve's forthcoming LP on Youth Attack Records, alongside labelmates SQRM. Throw in Vaccine, and you're sure to need a bottle of aspirin the morning after this one.

3/27 - Drunk Driver/Vile Gash/Aerosols/Neon Blud @ Market Hotel (Brooklyn, NY) - Another YA record release show for Vile Gash's new EP, as well as Drunk Driver's new LP on Load Records. Lightning fast, loud as hell Aerosols and Neon Blud (ex-Cult Ritual) round out the bill for a pretty heavy night.

4/6 - Death Threat/Death Before Dishonor/The Mongoloids @ The Barbary (Philly, PA) - Boston and New Jersey hardcore uniting for another banger in the Northern Liberties area. DBD are on the road constantly, and put together a heavy, high energy performance that's not to be missed.

4/21 - Mastodon/Between the Buried and Me/Baroness @ The Starland Ballroom (Sayreville, NJ) - Metal explosion! I haven't seen BTBAM in such a long time, and after their last LP it seems like it might be time to relive their incredibly tight live show. Mastodon is sure to rage on for an hour or two, and while I don't like this venue, it might be just good enough to check out.

5/5 - As Tall As Lions @ World Cafe Live (Philly, PA) - Indie pop infused with electronic elements, ATAL is back on tour again after the release of their third record, You Can't Take It With You.

5/17 - Foundation/Backtrack/Rotting Out @ The Barbary (Philly, PA) - Basically the hardcore equivalent of the Monsters of Rock tour. Three of the best new bands, all from different corners of the country (Atlanta, Long Island, LA), joining forces for US tour that's better than nearly anything else out there.

5/19 - Foundation/Backtrack/Rotting Out/Mother of Mercy @ Stelton Church (Edison, NJ) - Yeah, this is intense enough to go see twice. Add in Wilkes-Barre's Mother of Mercy and you'll swear you dreamed this lineup.

5/21 - Capitalist Casualties @ Kung Fu Necktie (Philly, PA) - The influential grindy, crusty, political, pissed off punk group is back for a couple reunion shows. If the words "powerviolence" or "crust punk" mean anything to you, don't miss out on this one.

There's plenty of other shows out there, but this is enough to keep people busy almost every weekend until June. The tri-state scene is alive and well! More coming soon...

Fired Up - Doomed to Repeat

First off, I have to admit my love for this band right off the bat. Although I'm not a huge fan of posthumous releases, this record still does it for me. However, there's something slightly disappointing about it due to us being robbed of the experience of hearing these songs played live, which is really what the essence of hardcore is all about. But if you were into When the Lights Go Out, then this is definite mandatory pick up for your vinyl collection.

This EP basically picks up where the last one left off, fast and aggressive but highly positive in nature. Listening to these guys reminds me of Champion, which reminds me of Carry On, which reminds me of In My Eyes, which reminds me of Ten Yard Fight; you get the idea. While sometimes they can be a touch repetitive, at least the sound they're emulating is something most people are constantly craving. While so many bands are leaning towards metal, or falling in line with the dozens upon dozens of NYHC clones, its refreshing to hear fast-paced youth crew styled hardcore once in a while.

Something else that struck me on Doomed to Repeat is the length. There's been way too many bands putting out EPs with 2 or 3 songs on them, as well as LPs with only 9 or 10. This works out fine for other genres, but for hardcore bands with songs that are anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes long, I can't help but feel a little cheated. Doomed to Repeat is still a fast, to-the-point record, but with 7 songs, you can really develop a sense of what Fired Up is about.

The title track immediately lights the fuse on this EP, starting up a pace that doesn't seem to stop throughout the entire record. Overall, the sound relies more on their aggressive tempo, and less on breakdowns or heavy guitar riffage. Positive beliefs and words are strewn all over the record, jumping from missed opportunities and everyday pressures to the endless struggle to simply find a better way to live and exist. This one won't fall short, especially if their last release had your turntable cranked up.

**This actually came out in October but due to delays with the Carry On LP that was up for preorder at the same time, many people didn't receive theirs until about a month ago or so. RevHQ still has copies available, along with other Youngblood releases. Also, if someone has the Youngblood Showcase press of this record, I'd be glad to take it off your hands!

RevHQ Youngblood
http://www.youngblood-records.com/site/
http://www.myspace.com/firedup

Outbreak/Forfeit/New Lows/Wrong Answer/Accident Prone @ The Barbary 2/20/10

Saturday hardcore matinees at The Barbary have been rolling as of late, and the latest installment was another great way to spend an afternoon. Cold, boring winter afternoons in the Northeast don't get too much better than this, especially for only 10 bucks. I haven't seen Outbreak in about four years or so, probably at the Knitting Factory with Bane or Modern Life is War, but I can't remember exactly who. While I'm not all that stoked on their material after the Forfeit LP, I was still excited to catch them again.

I missed out on Philly locals, Accident Prone, but from what I can tell they seem to be worth checking out. I usually try to avoid buying into the "ex-members of ____" gimmicks but its hard to ignore a group with current members of Crumbler and My Turn to Win, and ex-members of Drug Test and One Up. They have a pretty gritty old school straightedge influence, so next time I'll have to get out earlier to see for myself.

Wrong Answer from Bucks County, PA, plays hardcore in the vein of Integrity, but with the metal dialed down a bit. They played a decent set, complete with an old Integrity cover to finish everything up. The singer and lead guitar player have an especially energetic stage presence, clearly feeling the songs they're playing.

I've been really psyched on New Lows from Boston ever since their set at Sound and Fury this past summer. Dark, low, brooding hardcore for fans of upside down crosses and long, slow mosh parts; get into it. They haven't been playing a ton of shows lately, and their set definitely started out somewhat rigid. About midway through "Hatchethead," they knocked the rust off and started to really get into a groove. This was a fun set, as the band played songs from the self titled EP, demo, Paincave Sessions tape, and a brand new track from their forthcoming LP on Deathwish Inc.

Reaper Records outfit, Forfeit, followed up with an equally heavy set, chugging along like a locomotive run off the train tracks. Hearing some material off The Lower Depths live somewhat changed my feelings on the record, and the band makes their recorded songs sound even better. Not every hardcore band can pull this off, so I was pretty impressed with their tight, expressive performance. I couldn't believe how weak the crowd was during this set though, which was kind of a bummer.

Outbreak straight raged through their set, blasting through just under 20 minutes of music without saying a word. I love when bands just hit the stage and rip through fast, pounding hardcore songs like this, with fast as hell drumming and guitars. Even their newer songs sounded alright, and the amount of energy they're still capable of playing with kept things moving at a blistering pace. The crowd obviously felt the same way, rushing the stage during older songs like "Scum," "You're a Waste," and "Braindead." Sing-a-longs were in full effect for most of the set, reminding me of the times I saw these guys back in high school and college.

This was a great way to kick off my Saturday, although the crowd was small and fairly tame for most of the show. There's plenty more hardcore matinees at The Barbary coming up soon, including Skarhead/Bulldoze/Shattered Realm/Punishment on 2/27 and Blacklisted/The Rival Mob/Gods & Queens on 3/7. Until next time...

New Preorders/Releases to Get Psyched On

There's been a slew of demos and new artists popping up in the hardcore scene, with a pile of exciting new material slated for release soon. Some of this is already out or up for preorder, but I've been struggling almost daily to decide what to spend my hard earned cash on. I only wish I was able to buy everything and support all the up and comers, but here's some of the latest vocal chord shredding and guitar smashing records available.


Mountain Man - One: I swear the first time I heard this demo I felt like throwing my laptop into the wall. Fast, heavy, aggressive as hell hardcore from Worcester, MA that reminds me of a mix between bands like American Nightmare and Internal Affairs. Their sound also seems to fit in well with many of their contemporaries in the Boston area. The only thing I'm not excited about is the annoying 10" format, which never seems to fit in anywhere. The record is for sale through Mightier Than Sword records on three colors with a limited shirt and poster also available. If you're in the dark on this one, the demo is available for download on their Myspace profile, and they'll be tearing up some venues in the Northeast soon.

Get the Most - Together: After a demo and two EPs, Get the Most is finally releasing their debut full length. Offering a fast, energetic throwback to late 80s style youth crew straightedge hardcore, the band has grown quite a following since forming in 2005. Preorders actually just started today on React! Records, available on 3 different colors, with a couple great looking four-sided longsleeves. This label has been on fire lately, so I'm not expecting anything less than great from this band's first LP.

Expire - Grim Rhythm: More explosive Midwest hardcore hailing from Wisconsin; these guys are releasing their debut EP on Hellfish Records. There's been a great influx of bands hailing from the Midwest playing a brand of straightforward, honest music, and I can't wait to hear more. The vocals also remind me a little of Modern Life is War during their first EP; unpolished and raw. Their demo is also available for download on their Myspace, and the EP is still available on two colors (preorder packages are sold out already).

Fire & Ice - Grim: A fun, NYHC and rock-influenced band from the ever growing Richmond, VA scene. Triple B Records will be putting out their second EP, although there isn't a date set on this one. Gods and Devils was a good effort, and I'm confident these guys will crank it up a notch on their upcoming record. It also looks like there should be three different vinyl colors once this drops.

Raw Nerve - LP: Like taking a baseball bat to your turntable, this blazing fast Chicago hardcore act are set to blow up with their upcoming LP on Youth Attack Records. No specific release date is available but there's been a couple vague updates on the YA website stating it should be out sometime in March (at press now). After a fairly popular demo and EP, people should look forward to another vicious, blistering effort from Raw Nerve. I'd recommend frequenting the YA website often if you expect to get a copy, as many of their releases tend to be very limited, selling out in a day or less sometimes.

The Rival Mob - Hardcore for Hardcore: Mob rules all! I seriously cannot wait for this one, and this band is catching on all over the country. This should be a great release on Six Feet Under Records, hopefully with some stellar vinyl colors and packaging. The Rival Mob has a gritty, raw style and demeanor that reminds me of the old school, no frills hardcore bands of the past. If you've been under a rock recently, go pick up a copy of Raw Life from Lockin Out to keep yourself entertained in the meantime, otherwise be sure to catch them in Philly or at United Blood if you're in the area.

Now that everyone's overdrawn their bank account, get back to work so you can afford more amazing releases. These are just a handful of what's coming right now, and I'll be anxiously waiting like a cat in heat for more.

http://mtsrecords.com/
http://www.itstimetoreact.com/
http://www.hellfishfamily.com/
http://www.triple-brecords.com/
http://ihateyouthattack.com/
http://www.sixfeetunderrecords.com/site/

The Effort - Demo Sessions

I was pretty excited to hear some new The Effort material, especially after the success and power on their previous records. Drawing obvious comparisons to contemporaries like Verse or Have Heart, but carving out their own niche in the straightedge hardcore scene, they appealed to me since the first EP. Bringing clear influences from older acts like Ten Yard Fight and adding in their own, youthful voice created a whirlwind of passion in their lyrics and sound, with strong convictions I can respect. When Wear Your Heart dropped, I went almost a little overboard I was so into it, and now have over 10 different versions of the EP from Words of War Records. Record nerdery aside, I can't help but feel somewhat shortchanged by this demo, as if I was ready to explode but left blueballed instead.

While this is still just a demo precursor to the upcoming LP on Panic, the overall feel and quality of this release doesn't seem on par with the rest of their records. The Effort set the bar pretty high with the debut LP Iconoclasm, and From Our Mistakes quickly continued the trend. It took a few listens for these three tracks to grow on me, which never happened with their other releases. The initial turnoff was the overpowering vocals that burst onto the initial song, "Counting with the Shepards." Of course this isn't going to be completely mixed for a demo but the lead guitars and melody are lost under the grinding vocals, sounding more like the singer from Swamp Thing and making it nearly impossible to understand anything without straining your ears.

The vocals seem to come a bit more under control on the other two songs, "1958" and "To the Top, All the Way." Their sound is still there, as they create a nice rhythm on "1958" with clean guitar work during the opening, breaking into medium-tempo verses. The final song has some fantastic energy, but quickly trickles down to a slow outro with the singer Tony screaming inaudibly in the background. From what I can tell, the lyrical value is still there, but I haven't been able to read them yet as the preorders won't ship until early March. The tension filled melodies, gang vocals, and overall effect found on past songs like "And to Think" or "Black Sheep" just doesn't quite appear to be there.

This isn't one of the worst things I've heard this year, but it's definitely far from the best. Maybe my standards were set a little too high from their past records, and I couldn't help but demand something better. Even still, support this band and check out their new material for yourself before deciding whether or not they've lost their touch. There are some bright spots on this cloudy performance, but it fails to generate the enthusiasm I anticipated. No matter what, I'll still be awaiting their LP this summer; maybe the warmer weather will put me in a better mood.

http://www.myspace.com/xeffortx
http://www.panicrecords.net/theeffort/

Bane - 6:58 Boston EP

What an incredible concept for a record these guys came up with this time. This EP is the final result of coordination between 7 photographers, 6 countries, and 5 record labels. At one precise moment in time, photographers snapped pictures in different locations from around the world in Boston, LA, Curitiba, Dublin, Rome, Tokyo, and Perth. Each record has the same 3 tracks on it, but different covers and limited vinyl pressings, while some are CDEPs. It also makes the EP incredibly accessible across the world, sparing fans the expensive costs of buying foreign albums and paying for international shipping costs. Finally, not only is the idea awesome, but the music is great, reminding me of older Bane records.

The record explodes into action with the first track, "The Bold and the Beautiful," with a roaring drum roll breaking into booming gang vocals. Bane keeps the pace up throughout the song, returning to the sounds found on Give Blood rather than their previous full length, The Note. I've always loved this band, but after struggling to find the same quality in the last LP, Boston is a breath of fresh air to me. About 1:30 into the song, the band rips into a classic two-step tempoed riff as gang vocals echo "Live, learn, rise, fall, point, squeeze!" It feels so rare to me for recent bands to have such an energetic moment so early in a record, and Bane hits the nail on the head with this one.

The middle track, "One Life to Live" is a classic fast paced hardcore song, again reminiscent of older Bane material. Listening to this band for years, it seems they have a habit of ending records in an epic, long-winded manner, a la "Ali vs Frazier" or "Swan Song." The final piece to the EP "The Young and the Restless" fits into this mold, building towards a fantastic 3 minute finish.

Lyrically, the record sticks to Aaron Bedard's usual themes of perseverance, strong wills, and surviving anything life can throw at us. I've always found his words to be a form of inspiration and motivation, constantly staying positive despite the adversity life can bring. After over 10 years in the scene, Bane proves they're still capable of hard, fast, expressive music. Even if this was only 3 songs, it builds my hunger for more material, and I can't wait to hear what's next from these hardcore pioneers.

http://www.myspace.com/banecentral
http://www.triple-brecords.com/