GRAVE MISTAKE RECORDS AND MAILORDER
Webstore Update - October 17, 2019
Webstore Update - October 17, 2019
Hey everyone ... back again with another killer distro update for you! Not as massive as last month's, but we've got some gems this round so check it out!
Grave Mistake Webstore Update 10.17.19: New Releases from NOSFERATU, FIREWALKER, UBIK, SENSUAL WORLD, ELECTRIC CHAIR, THE COMES (reissue), PARSNIP, and MORE!
For quick browsing of recent additions to the store, you can check out all of these titles mentioned below in the New Arrivals and Recent Restocks sections!
This month brings us the brand new full length LP from TX's Nosferatu, a killer official reissue of The Comes classic No Side LP on La Vida Es Un Mus, some bangin new 7"s from Firewalker, Electric Chair, Bootlicker, Power, Chubby & the Gang, and Skull Cult, new LPs from Australia's Parsnip and Ubik, a new and improved pressing of of the Templars Dans Les Catacombs Du Studio De L'Acre collection LP, debut LPs from Richmond's own Sensual World and Slump, new LP's from NC's Das Drip and ISS on the one and only Sorry State Records, new issues of Cool Hiss Zine and Demystification Zine, and more!
Not to mention, a ton of great releases from last month's update are still available from Sheer Mag, Inepsy, Loose Nukes, Haircut, Judy and the Jerks, Death Side reissues, and Nightmare (to name a few), and unfortunately we're temporarily sold out of the Nosferatu collection/discography LP but should have some more in stock SOON!
Thanks for reading!
Alex / Grave Mistake Records
New Titles in the Webstore for 10.17.19:
NOSFERATU "Solution A" LP (Todo Destruido Records)
Texas's Nosferatu unleash their first full-length of hardcore ramped-up into its highest echelons of breakneck propulsiveness, whizzed-up and faultily-wired, a tumbledown chaos of Siege-like flurries, whipping about with Die Kreuzen sharpness, or the more modern uncompromising flailings of Permission and No. Ugly barks, murky blurs of riffs slammed into you with the force of a bomb-blast. Barely room for breath, most of the tracks snapping off with little ceremony, apart from on the Under The Sun which drags that grimy noise out into a grubby itchy monster three times the length of most of the other tracks on the album, and on the apocalyptic stomp of the closer Solution Absolute.
COMES, THE "No Side" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
Official reissue of seminal Japanese Hardcore band THE COMES debut. Originally released in 1983 on Dogma Records, a newly created City Rocker’s side label to release Hardcore/ Hard punk) No Side remains a milestone of first wave Japanese Hardcore. A vital document to understand the days when the Tokyo Hardcore scene was small and unknown with G.I.S.M., EXECUTE, GAUZE and THE COMES as main runners. Bands who shared stages, record labels and who grew to be one of the most varied, influential and enigmatic punk scenes of the planet. THE COMES music is frantic and sharp punk, bass driven and manic sounding with vocalist Chitose aggressive vocals punctuating every syllable and dominating the tunes. Like most first wave Hardcore acts they own their own sound and albeit many times imitated it has never been matched. No Side reissue comes in a heavy paste on board textured sleeve and includes a replica lyric insert.
KOHTI TUHOA "Ihmisen Kasvot" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
After 2 albums and an EP on Southern Lord and Svart Records, Finland’s Kohti Tuhoa are ready to unleash their brand new 12-track LP on LVEUM. The new album Ihmisen Kasvot presents killer songwriting with influences ranging from powerful Killing Joke -like tom-tom beats to fast-paced hardcore punk á la Impalers, with several nods to classic Finnish Hardcore Punk bands such as Varaus. The 12 tracks paint a picture of an overpopulated dystopian world that’s being slowly destroyed by self-centered human behavior, delivered with Helena’s piercing yet versatile vocal work.
FIREWALKER "The Roll Call" 7" (Pop Wig Records)
Firewalker is back with The Roll Call, ya’ll. Four tracks guaranteed to whoop your ears’ a**. Get it while its hot.
ELECTRIC CHAIR "Performative Justice" 7" (Iron Lung Records)
Imagine KORO, DISORDER and BATTALION OF SAINTS mixed together and you start to get an idea of where the new ELECTRIC CHAIR EP starts off. It doesn't sound like any of those bands but we just need you to keep that in your head. There ain't much going on in there anyway right? Frantic 80's style hardcore punk punk punk from members of BETA BOYS here. This style has been popping up more and more in the Northwest and we couldn't be more delighted. In short, this band rips and you should hear it, so slip in to something fingerless and jam this at maximum volume. 300 black 70 gr vinyl records housed in a 12pt custom diecut glued pocket sleeve. Art by the band. Recorded by Detto. Mastered by Will Killingsworth.
UBIK "Next Phase" LP (Iron Lung Records)
Back when they started out as a side project of Melbourne's goth punk band - MASSES, UBIK described themselves as "Catchy brat-beat with a little sprinkling of anarcho goodness". That still rings true but with a slight lineup change and a couple years of practicing/gigging, they've gotten 100x tighter and traded most of the goodness for a bit more snarl. The catchiness remains strong a deliberate. This band rules, we can't wait for you to hear their best work. 350 on black vinyl housed in a custom diecut 24pt reverse board jacket with insert and download card included. Sounds and mastering by Mikey Young. Art by Sam McKenzie.
PARSNIP "When the Tree Bears Fruit" LP (Trouble in Mind Records)
Undeniably, Australia has been a fertile crescent of quality music for the past few decades. Its relative geographical isolation has allowed for a microcosm of innovation and communal inspiration that seemingly knows no bounds. Like the root vegetable from which their name comes, Melbourne quartet Parsnip flourished and flowered within that scene. Since their formation in 2016, after releasing two 7-inch EPs on local label Anti-Fade (plus one side of a split LP with fellow Melbourne band The Shifters on Future Folklore), they are ready to unveil their debut full-length "When The Tree Bears The Fruit". "When The Tree Bears The Fruit" is chock full of jangle and spirit; A irresistible mix of garage, surf, girl-group gang vocals and bizarro funk, with a carefree attitude that revels in its idiosyncrasies (crazed wah-wah, warped harmonies, unexpected rhythmic shifts, ambient sounds of the sea) without sacrificing any ounce of melodic fervor. Bassist Paris Reichen's explains the album's title; "I was attending a meditation centre based on the teachings of the guru Sri Chinmoy... When the Tree Bears Fruit stems from his wisdom on the divine quality of humility. When the branches are laden with fruit, they are offered to the world. The tree bows down and shares its gifts with all – regardless of social status, wealth, age, gender, race, etc". Many of the tunes are symbolic of life's journey & whatever means used to get thru it (see first single "Lift Off", the addictive "Taking Me For A Ride", or the jaunty "Seafarer"), as well as celebrating the vast, weird & wonderful beauty of nature & the world. Look no further than "Sprouts" or "My Window" for evidence. Despite their admitted influences (Maurice Sendak, Beach Boys, Daniel Johnston, William Blake, 'Back From The Grave' comps, Sesame Street, 'Duck Soup'), Parsnip sounds like no one else; this is music that could only be made by close friends & family and the underlying positivity, jubilance and wonder within "When The Tree Bears Fruit" evokes a musical celebration, inviting the listener along to delight in its merry making.
CHUBBY AND THE GANG "All Along the Uxbridge Road" 7" (Goner Records)
Debut double A-Side from stalwart London face, Chubby Charles (ARMS RACE, VIOLENT REACTION) and three members of GUTTER KNIFE. Chubby and the Gang has a particular way of playing, easily summed up in one word: speed. Like an engine modified Wilko Johnson driving too quickly through tiny familiar northwest London streets. Debts duly paid to the preceding punk and rock n roll goalposts nailed in at one end by THE KIDS, and at the other by CYANIDE or THE CARPETTES. This is today’s punk in Britain
TEMPLARS "Dans Les Catacombs Du Studio De L'Acre" LP (TKO Records)
This essential collection of recordings from the Templars is now available again in this definitive version: re-sequenced, remastered for vinyl and pressed on 180g audiophile quality heavyweight vinyl.
BOOTLICKER "Nuclear Family" 7" (Neon Taste Records)
The 3rd single from Bootlicker is ready and just as crushing as everything else they've done. This five-piece D-Beat band from Vancouver/Kamloops BC Canada take the No Future catalog, infuse it with some of the Scandinavian hardcore ala Bannlyst or more contemporary groups such as Bloodkrow Butcher and create a scathing attack of modern hardcore. Silk-screened pocket sleeves in a limited pressing of 350 copies with printed insert.
SENSUAL WORLD "Feeling Wild" LP (Stupid Bag Records)
RVA's Sensual World finally brings their first full length out into the world. Dark melodic punk. 500 first press, black vinyl, "Tip On" jackets.
SLUMP "Flashbacks from the Dust Country" LP (Feel It Records)
Too much so-called psych-punk or acid-punk or whatever boils down sonically to some efx added to a familiar punk/rock format. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t qualify to my ears. On the other hand, this Slump band from Richmond, Virginia, ranks high. Very high. (And so am I.) They’ve been around for about four years now, with the current lineup of Will Fennessey (bass), Tony Nowotarski (Moog/guitar), Nick Yetka (drums), and Suspicious Sonny (vocals/guitar). They self-released a single in 2016 that kinda reminds me of the NYC HC band Kaleidoscope, except there are prominent electronics. They also released an excellent split EP (with True Body) that found them expanding the songs into longer chunks that allow for more freedom to move. And that brings us to their debut LP. Slump has retained the hardcore and sludge, but it would be hard to convince some people that this is punk-rock at all. (It is! And it isn’t!) Let’s mention Hawkwind. The UK space-rock group has become a template for riff-heavy acid-eaters over the past 40 years, and Slump is certainly in that line. It all opens with a riff that resembles the MC5’s “Black to Comm” and quickly descends/ascends into the dirty sky above beneath inside outside us all. Don’t expect an easy ride—this is gonna be a bumpy but very worthwhile trip. “No Utopia”? There’s a sane slogan for modern America. Whatever explicit message (?) may lie here is buried in volume and psychedelic mud. The hardcore urge beats the messenger to death again. I think that’s a good thing myself. Evolve, baby—evolve! Things ROCK on “(Do the) Sonic Sprawl”—conjures up visions of Philip K. Dick and 1980s Sonic Youth and some sorta (r)evolution (no Utopia!). “Throbbing Reverberation” is the shortest track and another rockin’ jam. The title gives a strong clue. Forward-thinking metal fans should dig this. Imagine Voivod with a LOT of noise in the mix.
POWER "The Fool" 7" (Feel It Records)
POWER is - and has been the real deal for quite some time. This single serves not only as a testament to that fact, but showcases two of POWER's best creations yet. Like thunder rips across the sky, the pounding drums on ‘The Fool’ signal the oncoming storm of slashing rock and roll. The single sees POWER explore a side of band which has always been simmering beneath the surface - and it seems the time was right for them to unleash these raw new tunes without holding back. Pure electric guitar damage from this most formidable three-piece. With the ‘The Fool’ cutting a figure which could’ve been found backstage at a show headlined by Venom and The Stooges, the flip, 'Give It All To Me’ displays a range of heavier melodies intoned by 80’s cult groups such as Wicked Lady and Iron Claw. POWER have stayed true to themselves and continued to ride towards to the storm.
YOUNG GUV "Guv I" LP (Run For Cover Records)
Young Guv is Ben Cook. Ben Cook is a songwriter, a dedicated and prolific songwriter of rare talent. The real deal. In the summer of 2018, Ben moved from his Toronto home to a sublet in Brooklyn, and there he began writing some of the best songs of his life. GUV I, out on Run For Cover in July, is a collection of pop music — staggeringly poignant and infectious pop music — written and recorded by Ben Cook throughout that New York City summer. Cook describes Young Guv songs as akin to “people-watching in a foreign country in the morning, trying not to cry from the overwhelming feeling of sadness and happiness.” Another way of putting it would be that Young Guv songs are about being alone. And this at a time in history when more people feel more alone than ever before. And so, as if sensing an opportunity for some kind of communion, Young Guv has made a discography out of conjuring the peculiar desolation that arises when you’re somehow by yourself in a discrete physical space — perhaps in a small Brooklyn apartment in the heat of a New York summer — surrounded nonetheless by millions of other isolated, solitary people, literally any one of whom you could, for all you know, love with all your heart for the rest of your life, but almost none of whom will, you’re ultimately forced to admit, become anything more than a briefly transfixing stranger, at best a wraith that haunts your dreams.
SKULL CULT "New Mutilator" 7" (Going Underground Records)
PUNK from Indiana. The first domestic release one of Indiana's best kept Punk Secrets - SKULL CULT. 5 song rager, easily one of the best records we've ever released. FFO: Coneheads , Devo, The Liquids. 5 Tracks
ISS "Alles 3rd Gut" LP (Sorry State Records)
The first and only punk band of the 21st century is back with their third full-length record. This time around the masters vomit up fourteen more half-digested bits of (punk) culture, chopping and screwing the classics in a way that perfectly articulates what it’s like to live in the dumpster fire we call 2019. As the novelty of ISS’s schtick—constructing new songs from samples of classic punk records—wears off and the project gathers the patina of maturity, Alles 3rd Gut doesn’t sound like passing of a fad, but rather the cementing of an aesthetic. With the possible exception of “Elevator Shaft” (which, incidentally, features a memorable guest vocal from Miss Lady of Warm Bodies and BB Eye), the samples on Alles 3rd Gut draw less attention to themselves, getting out of the way so as to spotlight the first-class lyrics and songwriting that have kept every ISS record glued to my turntable for months on end. Speaking of which, topics as diverse as (Barron) Trump’s America (“Barron Wasteland”), careerist musicians (“Mac N Me”), white people at the gym (“White Man in Hammer Pants”), white people in cars (“DDYSWHP”), and weird smells (“Aromatherapy”) all come under the ISS microscope. To the already converted: behold, the new scriptures have arrived. To the rest of you: welcome to the brilliantly warped world of ISS, the universe’s greatest current punk band.
DAS DRIP "S/T" LP (Sorry State Records)
After a scorching demo and three standout contributions to the American Idylls compilation, Sorry State is proud to present the debut release from Raleigh, North Carolina’s Das Drip. When Das Drip went to record with Kris Hilbert at Legitimate Business studio in Greensboro, North Carolina, they told him they wanted their record to sound like Government Issue’s Legless Bull EP. While it does sound a lot like the explosive snot-punk of early GI’s (as well as hormone overdoses like Gang Green’s This is Boston Not LA tracks or Negazione’s Tutti Pazzi EP), no one will mistake this for retro rehash. Most of Das Drip is double the age of your typical Teen Idle, and they’ve spent those years listening to and playing a lot more than just hardcore. Which isn’t to say this is “mature” either; after all, how can you call a record “mature” when its catchiest lyrics are “tapeworm hanging out your butt?” Most hardcore bands’ attempts to articulate rage and angst look like a three year old’s temper tantrum next to Das Drip’s debut, which is wilder, faster, crazier, and more intense than pretty much anything you can toss at it. Maybe Das Drip is for people who don’t like hardcore anymore because of the macho attitudes, unimaginative tunes, uninspired playing, or any number of other valid reasons. Really, though this record is perfect for anyone who wants the opposite of a Spotify playlist with the word “chill” in the title.
ODD MAN OUT "New Voice" LP (Pop Wig Records)
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest and featuring members of Gag and Angel Dust, Odd Man Out delivers their debut full-length of a modern take on classic New York-sounding hardcore. Gruff vocals bark politically and socially conscious lyrics over powerful hardcore that takes its cues from No Tolerance and Floorpunch.
ITSY BITSY "Prym N' Proper" Tape (Vinyl Conflict Records)
Itsy Bitsy is wild ‘n fast American hardcore punk that bites back. Short songs, sharp riffs, and mad.
DEMYSTIFICATION Zine Issue #2
Issue #2 of this killer full size/ full color zine outta DC features: A Warthog European Tour Journal, an interview with Diamond Stingily, an interview with Dreamscape/Aplomb, the Story Of A Sneaker: The Air Max 95 & Hardcore, a lot of talk about death and camo, but never together, and WAY MORE!!!!
COOL HISS Zine Issue #9
Newest issue of this steady Richmond punk fanzine. Short and sweet issue featuring interviews with 11 PM Records and Sensual World.
Restocks for 10.17.19:
DISASTER "War Cry" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
GUNS N' WANKERS "The Complete Recordings '93-'94" LP (Unless You Try Records)
KRIEGSHOG "S/T" 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
LARMA "S/T" LP (Beach Impediment Records)
MERE MORTAL "Tartarus" LP (Quality Control HQ)
MINIMA "S/T" LP (Static Shock Records)
PRO PATRIA MORI "Where Shadows Lie" LP (Demo Tapes Records)
TSOL "Dance With Me" LP (Dink Records)
NOSFERATU "Solution A" LP (Todo Destruido Records)
Texas's Nosferatu unleash their first full-length of hardcore ramped-up into its highest echelons of breakneck propulsiveness, whizzed-up and faultily-wired, a tumbledown chaos of Siege-like flurries, whipping about with Die Kreuzen sharpness, or the more modern uncompromising flailings of Permission and No. Ugly barks, murky blurs of riffs slammed into you with the force of a bomb-blast. Barely room for breath, most of the tracks snapping off with little ceremony, apart from on the Under The Sun which drags that grimy noise out into a grubby itchy monster three times the length of most of the other tracks on the album, and on the apocalyptic stomp of the closer Solution Absolute.
COMES, THE "No Side" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
Official reissue of seminal Japanese Hardcore band THE COMES debut. Originally released in 1983 on Dogma Records, a newly created City Rocker’s side label to release Hardcore/ Hard punk) No Side remains a milestone of first wave Japanese Hardcore. A vital document to understand the days when the Tokyo Hardcore scene was small and unknown with G.I.S.M., EXECUTE, GAUZE and THE COMES as main runners. Bands who shared stages, record labels and who grew to be one of the most varied, influential and enigmatic punk scenes of the planet. THE COMES music is frantic and sharp punk, bass driven and manic sounding with vocalist Chitose aggressive vocals punctuating every syllable and dominating the tunes. Like most first wave Hardcore acts they own their own sound and albeit many times imitated it has never been matched. No Side reissue comes in a heavy paste on board textured sleeve and includes a replica lyric insert.
KOHTI TUHOA "Ihmisen Kasvot" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
After 2 albums and an EP on Southern Lord and Svart Records, Finland’s Kohti Tuhoa are ready to unleash their brand new 12-track LP on LVEUM. The new album Ihmisen Kasvot presents killer songwriting with influences ranging from powerful Killing Joke -like tom-tom beats to fast-paced hardcore punk á la Impalers, with several nods to classic Finnish Hardcore Punk bands such as Varaus. The 12 tracks paint a picture of an overpopulated dystopian world that’s being slowly destroyed by self-centered human behavior, delivered with Helena’s piercing yet versatile vocal work.
FIREWALKER "The Roll Call" 7" (Pop Wig Records)
Firewalker is back with The Roll Call, ya’ll. Four tracks guaranteed to whoop your ears’ a**. Get it while its hot.
ELECTRIC CHAIR "Performative Justice" 7" (Iron Lung Records)
Imagine KORO, DISORDER and BATTALION OF SAINTS mixed together and you start to get an idea of where the new ELECTRIC CHAIR EP starts off. It doesn't sound like any of those bands but we just need you to keep that in your head. There ain't much going on in there anyway right? Frantic 80's style hardcore punk punk punk from members of BETA BOYS here. This style has been popping up more and more in the Northwest and we couldn't be more delighted. In short, this band rips and you should hear it, so slip in to something fingerless and jam this at maximum volume. 300 black 70 gr vinyl records housed in a 12pt custom diecut glued pocket sleeve. Art by the band. Recorded by Detto. Mastered by Will Killingsworth.
UBIK "Next Phase" LP (Iron Lung Records)
Back when they started out as a side project of Melbourne's goth punk band - MASSES, UBIK described themselves as "Catchy brat-beat with a little sprinkling of anarcho goodness". That still rings true but with a slight lineup change and a couple years of practicing/gigging, they've gotten 100x tighter and traded most of the goodness for a bit more snarl. The catchiness remains strong a deliberate. This band rules, we can't wait for you to hear their best work. 350 on black vinyl housed in a custom diecut 24pt reverse board jacket with insert and download card included. Sounds and mastering by Mikey Young. Art by Sam McKenzie.
PARSNIP "When the Tree Bears Fruit" LP (Trouble in Mind Records)
Undeniably, Australia has been a fertile crescent of quality music for the past few decades. Its relative geographical isolation has allowed for a microcosm of innovation and communal inspiration that seemingly knows no bounds. Like the root vegetable from which their name comes, Melbourne quartet Parsnip flourished and flowered within that scene. Since their formation in 2016, after releasing two 7-inch EPs on local label Anti-Fade (plus one side of a split LP with fellow Melbourne band The Shifters on Future Folklore), they are ready to unveil their debut full-length "When The Tree Bears The Fruit". "When The Tree Bears The Fruit" is chock full of jangle and spirit; A irresistible mix of garage, surf, girl-group gang vocals and bizarro funk, with a carefree attitude that revels in its idiosyncrasies (crazed wah-wah, warped harmonies, unexpected rhythmic shifts, ambient sounds of the sea) without sacrificing any ounce of melodic fervor. Bassist Paris Reichen's explains the album's title; "I was attending a meditation centre based on the teachings of the guru Sri Chinmoy... When the Tree Bears Fruit stems from his wisdom on the divine quality of humility. When the branches are laden with fruit, they are offered to the world. The tree bows down and shares its gifts with all – regardless of social status, wealth, age, gender, race, etc". Many of the tunes are symbolic of life's journey & whatever means used to get thru it (see first single "Lift Off", the addictive "Taking Me For A Ride", or the jaunty "Seafarer"), as well as celebrating the vast, weird & wonderful beauty of nature & the world. Look no further than "Sprouts" or "My Window" for evidence. Despite their admitted influences (Maurice Sendak, Beach Boys, Daniel Johnston, William Blake, 'Back From The Grave' comps, Sesame Street, 'Duck Soup'), Parsnip sounds like no one else; this is music that could only be made by close friends & family and the underlying positivity, jubilance and wonder within "When The Tree Bears Fruit" evokes a musical celebration, inviting the listener along to delight in its merry making.
CHUBBY AND THE GANG "All Along the Uxbridge Road" 7" (Goner Records)
Debut double A-Side from stalwart London face, Chubby Charles (ARMS RACE, VIOLENT REACTION) and three members of GUTTER KNIFE. Chubby and the Gang has a particular way of playing, easily summed up in one word: speed. Like an engine modified Wilko Johnson driving too quickly through tiny familiar northwest London streets. Debts duly paid to the preceding punk and rock n roll goalposts nailed in at one end by THE KIDS, and at the other by CYANIDE or THE CARPETTES. This is today’s punk in Britain
TEMPLARS "Dans Les Catacombs Du Studio De L'Acre" LP (TKO Records)
This essential collection of recordings from the Templars is now available again in this definitive version: re-sequenced, remastered for vinyl and pressed on 180g audiophile quality heavyweight vinyl.
BOOTLICKER "Nuclear Family" 7" (Neon Taste Records)
The 3rd single from Bootlicker is ready and just as crushing as everything else they've done. This five-piece D-Beat band from Vancouver/Kamloops BC Canada take the No Future catalog, infuse it with some of the Scandinavian hardcore ala Bannlyst or more contemporary groups such as Bloodkrow Butcher and create a scathing attack of modern hardcore. Silk-screened pocket sleeves in a limited pressing of 350 copies with printed insert.
SENSUAL WORLD "Feeling Wild" LP (Stupid Bag Records)
RVA's Sensual World finally brings their first full length out into the world. Dark melodic punk. 500 first press, black vinyl, "Tip On" jackets.
SLUMP "Flashbacks from the Dust Country" LP (Feel It Records)
Too much so-called psych-punk or acid-punk or whatever boils down sonically to some efx added to a familiar punk/rock format. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t qualify to my ears. On the other hand, this Slump band from Richmond, Virginia, ranks high. Very high. (And so am I.) They’ve been around for about four years now, with the current lineup of Will Fennessey (bass), Tony Nowotarski (Moog/guitar), Nick Yetka (drums), and Suspicious Sonny (vocals/guitar). They self-released a single in 2016 that kinda reminds me of the NYC HC band Kaleidoscope, except there are prominent electronics. They also released an excellent split EP (with True Body) that found them expanding the songs into longer chunks that allow for more freedom to move. And that brings us to their debut LP. Slump has retained the hardcore and sludge, but it would be hard to convince some people that this is punk-rock at all. (It is! And it isn’t!) Let’s mention Hawkwind. The UK space-rock group has become a template for riff-heavy acid-eaters over the past 40 years, and Slump is certainly in that line. It all opens with a riff that resembles the MC5’s “Black to Comm” and quickly descends/ascends into the dirty sky above beneath inside outside us all. Don’t expect an easy ride—this is gonna be a bumpy but very worthwhile trip. “No Utopia”? There’s a sane slogan for modern America. Whatever explicit message (?) may lie here is buried in volume and psychedelic mud. The hardcore urge beats the messenger to death again. I think that’s a good thing myself. Evolve, baby—evolve! Things ROCK on “(Do the) Sonic Sprawl”—conjures up visions of Philip K. Dick and 1980s Sonic Youth and some sorta (r)evolution (no Utopia!). “Throbbing Reverberation” is the shortest track and another rockin’ jam. The title gives a strong clue. Forward-thinking metal fans should dig this. Imagine Voivod with a LOT of noise in the mix.
POWER "The Fool" 7" (Feel It Records)
POWER is - and has been the real deal for quite some time. This single serves not only as a testament to that fact, but showcases two of POWER's best creations yet. Like thunder rips across the sky, the pounding drums on ‘The Fool’ signal the oncoming storm of slashing rock and roll. The single sees POWER explore a side of band which has always been simmering beneath the surface - and it seems the time was right for them to unleash these raw new tunes without holding back. Pure electric guitar damage from this most formidable three-piece. With the ‘The Fool’ cutting a figure which could’ve been found backstage at a show headlined by Venom and The Stooges, the flip, 'Give It All To Me’ displays a range of heavier melodies intoned by 80’s cult groups such as Wicked Lady and Iron Claw. POWER have stayed true to themselves and continued to ride towards to the storm.
YOUNG GUV "Guv I" LP (Run For Cover Records)
Young Guv is Ben Cook. Ben Cook is a songwriter, a dedicated and prolific songwriter of rare talent. The real deal. In the summer of 2018, Ben moved from his Toronto home to a sublet in Brooklyn, and there he began writing some of the best songs of his life. GUV I, out on Run For Cover in July, is a collection of pop music — staggeringly poignant and infectious pop music — written and recorded by Ben Cook throughout that New York City summer. Cook describes Young Guv songs as akin to “people-watching in a foreign country in the morning, trying not to cry from the overwhelming feeling of sadness and happiness.” Another way of putting it would be that Young Guv songs are about being alone. And this at a time in history when more people feel more alone than ever before. And so, as if sensing an opportunity for some kind of communion, Young Guv has made a discography out of conjuring the peculiar desolation that arises when you’re somehow by yourself in a discrete physical space — perhaps in a small Brooklyn apartment in the heat of a New York summer — surrounded nonetheless by millions of other isolated, solitary people, literally any one of whom you could, for all you know, love with all your heart for the rest of your life, but almost none of whom will, you’re ultimately forced to admit, become anything more than a briefly transfixing stranger, at best a wraith that haunts your dreams.
SKULL CULT "New Mutilator" 7" (Going Underground Records)
PUNK from Indiana. The first domestic release one of Indiana's best kept Punk Secrets - SKULL CULT. 5 song rager, easily one of the best records we've ever released. FFO: Coneheads , Devo, The Liquids. 5 Tracks
ISS "Alles 3rd Gut" LP (Sorry State Records)
The first and only punk band of the 21st century is back with their third full-length record. This time around the masters vomit up fourteen more half-digested bits of (punk) culture, chopping and screwing the classics in a way that perfectly articulates what it’s like to live in the dumpster fire we call 2019. As the novelty of ISS’s schtick—constructing new songs from samples of classic punk records—wears off and the project gathers the patina of maturity, Alles 3rd Gut doesn’t sound like passing of a fad, but rather the cementing of an aesthetic. With the possible exception of “Elevator Shaft” (which, incidentally, features a memorable guest vocal from Miss Lady of Warm Bodies and BB Eye), the samples on Alles 3rd Gut draw less attention to themselves, getting out of the way so as to spotlight the first-class lyrics and songwriting that have kept every ISS record glued to my turntable for months on end. Speaking of which, topics as diverse as (Barron) Trump’s America (“Barron Wasteland”), careerist musicians (“Mac N Me”), white people at the gym (“White Man in Hammer Pants”), white people in cars (“DDYSWHP”), and weird smells (“Aromatherapy”) all come under the ISS microscope. To the already converted: behold, the new scriptures have arrived. To the rest of you: welcome to the brilliantly warped world of ISS, the universe’s greatest current punk band.
DAS DRIP "S/T" LP (Sorry State Records)
After a scorching demo and three standout contributions to the American Idylls compilation, Sorry State is proud to present the debut release from Raleigh, North Carolina’s Das Drip. When Das Drip went to record with Kris Hilbert at Legitimate Business studio in Greensboro, North Carolina, they told him they wanted their record to sound like Government Issue’s Legless Bull EP. While it does sound a lot like the explosive snot-punk of early GI’s (as well as hormone overdoses like Gang Green’s This is Boston Not LA tracks or Negazione’s Tutti Pazzi EP), no one will mistake this for retro rehash. Most of Das Drip is double the age of your typical Teen Idle, and they’ve spent those years listening to and playing a lot more than just hardcore. Which isn’t to say this is “mature” either; after all, how can you call a record “mature” when its catchiest lyrics are “tapeworm hanging out your butt?” Most hardcore bands’ attempts to articulate rage and angst look like a three year old’s temper tantrum next to Das Drip’s debut, which is wilder, faster, crazier, and more intense than pretty much anything you can toss at it. Maybe Das Drip is for people who don’t like hardcore anymore because of the macho attitudes, unimaginative tunes, uninspired playing, or any number of other valid reasons. Really, though this record is perfect for anyone who wants the opposite of a Spotify playlist with the word “chill” in the title.
ODD MAN OUT "New Voice" LP (Pop Wig Records)
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest and featuring members of Gag and Angel Dust, Odd Man Out delivers their debut full-length of a modern take on classic New York-sounding hardcore. Gruff vocals bark politically and socially conscious lyrics over powerful hardcore that takes its cues from No Tolerance and Floorpunch.
ITSY BITSY "Prym N' Proper" Tape (Vinyl Conflict Records)
Itsy Bitsy is wild ‘n fast American hardcore punk that bites back. Short songs, sharp riffs, and mad.
DEMYSTIFICATION Zine Issue #2
Issue #2 of this killer full size/ full color zine outta DC features: A Warthog European Tour Journal, an interview with Diamond Stingily, an interview with Dreamscape/Aplomb, the Story Of A Sneaker: The Air Max 95 & Hardcore, a lot of talk about death and camo, but never together, and WAY MORE!!!!
COOL HISS Zine Issue #9
Newest issue of this steady Richmond punk fanzine. Short and sweet issue featuring interviews with 11 PM Records and Sensual World.
Restocks for 10.17.19:
DISASTER "War Cry" LP (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
GUNS N' WANKERS "The Complete Recordings '93-'94" LP (Unless You Try Records)
KRIEGSHOG "S/T" 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
LARMA "S/T" LP (Beach Impediment Records)
MERE MORTAL "Tartarus" LP (Quality Control HQ)
MINIMA "S/T" LP (Static Shock Records)
PRO PATRIA MORI "Where Shadows Lie" LP (Demo Tapes Records)
TSOL "Dance With Me" LP (Dink Records)