Downward Years to Come

One of those classic moments where you're so late to a band it's almost embarrassing. It wasn't until the release of Guilty of Everything earlier this year that I even had a clue about this band. I took a chance and bought the newest effort on CD (Vinyl now on it's way courtesy of Alan at Different Kitchen, cheers fella!) and fell in love, hard. That album is solid, serious album of the year type stuff. So I set out to grab whatever I could really; and now i'm seeking the Poshlost CD/Cassette (I believe that's the demo/ first release, if anyone is up for selling a copy please let me know as i'd be happy with either/both). Anyway, Downward Years to Come : 

By the time I came to looking for this, the A389 store had long sold out, which is about right. All three colours were done, dusted and at the time there was no word of a possible second press. In my relentless moaning to Alan about it; he pointed out that good dude Rich at Ignite Records Store/ Speedowax Records got a fair bit of A389 stuff in and it may be worth dropping him a message. A few words and a Paypal payment later, it was all sorted. One of the best record buying experiences ever. 

So a few days later, this found it's way through the letterbox (well, not through the letterbox, that would have really pissed me off) and the first thing that got me was the art. Kind of weird and dark, even the title of this thing is a little sad and unsettling. 

Flipping it over and looking at the back cover and you start to see a bit of a theme here. Everything is in Black, White and Grey. That actually goes for all the releases, up until the most recent presses of new LP, Guilty of Everything with a new Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness variant - http://www.insound.com/Guilty-of-Everything-Pink-Vinyl-Vinyl-LP-Nothing/P/INS134075/) and red 3rd press with matching artwork (http://www.relapse.com/guilty-of-everything-lp-red.html). Up until this point, all vinyl releases have Black/ White/ Grey artwork and Black/ Grey/ Clear vinyl variants (as far as i'm aware). 

I ended up with a clear copy, and more than that I have no clue what the pressing information here is; not a trace of it on Discogs/ Deadformat/ the A389 store. However, from what copies I have seen there are small amounts of black in the clear copies. Some people have an issue with it, and I get that, but for me it's not a problem either way.  

Another thing to note, the speed indicates 45rpm, but this is incorrect and plays at 33rpm. More important though is the Nothing logo. This has been around since the first Nothing release, and it's a really cool piece of imagery, I dig it. 

The insert kind of carries on with this start black and white bleak, unsettling imagery. Really simplistic in nature, but really sets it up for something important. I guess that lyrical themes and presentation are a real thing for this band, as everything seems quite meticulously put together. 

The 2nd side of the insert carries on, with lyrics and other liner notes. And another sneaky logo in the bottom right corner. 

Musically, I really like this release a lot. All the reverb you'll ever need, really essential weekend afternoon listening. The 5 tracks clock in at around 25 minutes, and can be streamed from the A389 bandcamp here: http://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/album/a389-112-nothing-downward-years-to-come-12. 

Also, recent-ish rumour has it that there is a 2nd press of this on it's way, with the possibility of some extra tracks or something fancy. I know i'll end up buying it again. 

So to summarise, great band, great presentation. Guilty of Everything is worth all the time in the world, and if you're selling some Nothing stuff, get at me. I want that Poshlost tape real bad, and the Guilty of Everything tape. Tell your folks. 

Thanks for reading. I'm away for a few days on holiday as of tomorrow, but if I grab a spare half hour i'll try and squeeze something in.

Kane

Boston // Orlando

I never realised how much people dug this record until recently, with a heartbreaking £80+ eBay price tag (from a recent auction), it seems this item is in some quite hefty demand. Funny really, as it's a lathe cut, so the sound quality isn't up there with it's wax brother, and more importantly, it's two songs. Two great songs to be fair, but still only two songs, about 7 minutes of music. Private deals are rumoured to consistently hit the £35-50 mark too. Mental. Saying that, the band in question are brilliant, and this thing was quite limited and a fun little release too. 

Here it is. Boston // Orlando by Moose Blood. It's an 8'' square lathe cut, single sided with two tracks (Boston and Orlando). Fist in the Air (FITA) put this out as a limited one time press. FITA are a cool UK label who have released three Moose Blood records, and a bunch of other great stuff. 

It's impossible to take a good photo of this thing. But it does look really nice as a package, and I've always enjoyed the occasional shaped record in my collection. 

The front cover is fantastic, the imagery suits the songs perfectly. A small run of shirts with this art were made up as a package deal with the release of this, but knowing (roughly) the availability of the release at the time, I just wanted to grab the record and check out as quick as possible. 

Here is the back cover. The lathe comes in a poly sleeve with a double sided single sheet insert that acts as the cover art too. Also here you get the numbering scheme. I ended up with 47/50. I'm not sure if this means I got in early and they counted down or whether I nearly missed out. The numbers could be completely random I guess? I'm also pretty sure that 52 was the official number when all was said and done, and they got numbered 51/50 and 52/50 accordingly. But that's anyone's guess as to where they ended up. I was told they were already spoken for when pre-orders went up! If you have sharp eyes you'll also see the tag line EMO IS A GANG. Erm. 

Obligatory stickers and stuff. I like the sticker with the art on, of course it's still in the sleeve, never to be used. I also still have the download card (it hasn't been used either). If I feel the need to hear the songs, stick 'em on right? The last sticker on the bottom right also contains some info on the back about the lathe cut... 

There you go! 

A quick word about this release. This package looks like it took an awful lot of time and effort. A few people moaned about the limited availability of the record; but appreciate these things were individually made, the art individually cut to size etc. a lot of hard work went into this release, and it's really appreciated (speaking personally). This went up for pre-order on a Sunday if I remember correctly, at somewhere between 6-8pm (can't remember the specific time). It went super fast, definitely under a minute, it was one of those definite scrapes of luck (and being armed with a laptop and two iPhone's helped). Before anyone asks, I was only using all of those to guarantee ONE copy, I only have ONE copy. The only time I remember a pre-order that tense was the Valentines day edition of Is Survived By by Touche Amore, but that's a story for another day. I believe this was £7.99 on release day, and it was definitely worth that, maybe even a little more. But £80, I envy a guy that can have that throw that down on what is effectively a single. Saying that, I feel your pain, we've probably all paid through the teeth for a record that was originally worth about £3. The struggle is real folks. 

Thank you for reading.

Big Wheel or bust

This was one of the single greatest examples of having to have a particular record. One of those albums that is of such importance, that a repress simply won't do. Thankfully, with a bit of eBay hunting and a considerable amount of money just about anything is possible.

With that in mind, here is the Big Wheel Recreation press of Clarity by Jimmy Eat World. Another one of those top 5 records that you constantly obsess over. One of those records you couldn't even count the plays of over the years. It's such an important piece of music, one that I cannot listen to one single track from, one that cannot have a track skipped. It's enjoyed in full every time. For the amount of love I have for this record, the Capitol repress (or Shop Radio Cast press now I guess) just wouldn't do. So I set out to find this LP, and after a couple of eBay misses, here it is. 

Plain black double LP. There were 4 variants total for the 1st press, and I assume black was the most common (pressing numbers are just about impossible to find). But I am just so happy to have a copy. Buy it Now, free shipping, speedy delivery and one play through with bated breath. It was fantastic, Goodbye Sky Harbor has never sounded so perfect. 

This is the Big Wheel Recreation cover, the repress has the text running vertically as opposed to horizontally here. The images are just so crisp and cool. The CD has slightly altered artwork (the CD artwork is comprised of the four top right images), but nobody cares about that.

Back cover. Nothing too fancy, band photo, tracklisting and that ever important BWR logo in the bottom centre. I always love checking the back of a sleeve for the lack of a barcode. Look at those curtains.

The insert is just a one-sided single sheet with lyrics, credits and notes. This whole package is in incredibly good condition, if you take into consideration it's a 15 year old record (I have seen a few rumours of this not surfacing on vinyl until the early 2000's, but I've seen more evidence suggesting a 1999 vinyl release than otherwise) . Again, nothing fancy, just everything that is needed. 

The last thing to note really, is that this double LP is housed in a single LP sleeve, not a gatefold sleeve. Another example of this is Sunbather by Deafheaven; some people like it and some people don't. Personally I don't care too much either way. I guess the upside to this method, is that in a gatefold, some stuff like inserts have a tendency to get creased over time by slipping into the fold. But back to the point, I love how this record looks and I love how it sounds. I feel incredibly fortunate to own a copy in such great condition. This is a truly cherished piece of my collection. No regrets ever, this album is perfect.

 I still can't believe I paid a considerable amount more for an LP, just so it didn't have two extra tracks at the end, and so that the text ran a different way. I'm sure you understand though, the heart wants what the heart wants.

Thank you for reading.

I miss Witch Cult

Three post in three days, told you i'm making more of an effort! Today i'm talking about Witch Cult, and for those that might not be familiar with them, they were a Powerviolence band from the South Coast of England. They were known for playing guerrilla type gigs, often in balaclavas, disastrously short sets and they're now sadly missed. A great band. Of all their recorded output, this is the one that got the most hype around it, probably due to it being very good. And more readily available than some releases by them.

Holy Roar Records put this out on Halloween 2011. Holy Roar are a fantastic UK label, part of the Pink Mist Collective. They put out mostly hardcore stuff, but occasionally dip into math rock and other genres. A great independent label that put massive amounts of effort and attention to their releases. This was released on black vinyl only on a single press of 300. The cover art is a really odd, almost pixelated photo of two band members (I assume) in balaclavas, with a white inverted cross in the bottom right corner. The font for the band name on the centre label of the vinyl also has an inverted cross. Very goth. Also, everything on this release is black and white, not a dash of colour to be seen. 

The back cover is a neat quarter fold with the track-listing and label logo. At first it struck me as odd that the record didn't come in a dust sleeve, but it's all good. From an aesthetic sense this looks much better, and hasn't damaged the record in any way. Works to probably run a microfibre cloth round it first though before sticking it on your turntable. 

Oh yes. This record is also single sided (it's powerviolence mate, it's certainly no longer than 10 or 12 minutes), so the b-side has this really nice etching. The etching is of the Holy Roar logo, with a bit of a twist. The witch hat and broom have been added, I guess the whole Halloween/ Witch Cult thing really ties in here. I really love the little additions in this release. It's appreciated that they made the most of the extra space, and I'd rather have this etching over shirking down the format to a 7''. Where's the fun in that? 

As another fun little addition, the record came with a free copy of the album on CD. It kind of looks like a promo job; plastic wallet, card sleeve etc. I like it though, as they've taken the time to make a scaled down version of the artwork for the LP. Probably a 2 minute job I know, but most major(?) label vinyl releases that include a CD have this sketchy plain card wallet with no track-listing or art (Epitaph i'm looking at you). Also, it's way cooler than some download card that you spend ages looking for, just for it to be invalidated on Bandcamp. 

And here is the back cover, just so you know what it looks like I guess? 

Around a year ago, Witch Cult played their last show, and until then I think copies of this were still fairly easy to find (the label long ran out, but Amazon/ eBay had copies floating from time to time). However, it's not really in ready supply anymore; but have a listen here if you're so inclined (http://witchcultpv.bandcamp.com/album/s-t) and if it takes you're fancy, have a little hunt for it. I hope seeing how cool this release is aesthetically will entice you just that little bit more. 

I miss Witch Cult.

From Canada with Cursed

This is my first cassette entry, to my knowledge. Thankfully it's a really cool one, and one that i'm really grateful to have in my collection. The cassette press of the Cursed demo.

This really is the only way to have the demo. There was a CD press of this way back in the day, but the amount released is a mystery. Some say 13 copies exist, some say 66; I'm on good authority it's 13. No more than that though. So when I saw this I was excited. Until I saw it was sold out. In fact, there had even been a second press that I'd managed to sleep through. 

Not to worry though, as the good dude that runs Night Trap Recordings (who released this) answered a prayer (or email) and we got to talking about all things Cursed. Turns out he's a super nice guy, and just about the biggest Cursed/ Chris Colohan fan you could run in to. His collection literally puts any collection of any band ever to shame. It's impressive to say the least. A few emails and a Paypal payment later and this was on it's way to me. No fuss, a perfect transaction. I was given the choice of a 1st or 2nd press of this tape. I went for the first press as the black/ white split shell appealed to me (if you have sharp eyes you'll notice). 

As far as design etc. goes, I think the cover is a still image or promotional shot from the film 'The Devil Rides Out'. I think the Cursed 'Baphomet' logo may be from the same film? Christopher Lee was in the movie, I'm sure I watched it with my Dad as a child. Anyway; the stark black and white imagery against the black and white shell of the tape works really well, and considering this thing was released long after the demise of Cursed, it really fits in with what they were all about. I really appreciate the fact that someone took the time out of their life to give this the effort and attention it deserves. Standard jewel case, nothing sloppy but nothing fancy either, just as a demo should be. And that font, how could you not love that font?

As for the tracks, they're incredible. This version of Polygraph is punishing, and so abrasive. I love it. Three tracks that play on each side of the tape and every time I play it, it gets flipped straight back in the cassette deck to be heard again. 

Long live Cursed.

If you're 555

Well, I'm finally dusting off the keyboard and getting back into this. Downside: I've been away a minute or five. Upside: I haven't slowed down on buying records, so there's plenty great posts lined up.

I thought I'd start this up again with a cool one that arrived today. Iowa by Slipknot.

This was a truly great eBay score, not super cheap but not expensive either. Not in mint condition, but not bad considering the age (I think this was released in 2001, so it's aged well). The need to grab a copy of this really came from nowhere. I was talking to a friend about this LP, and they pulled out their copy and showed me how cool this was on wax, and an obsession started. I needed it; and I needed  a proper copy, not one of those corner cut promo copies. I remember sneaking out and heading to my local store for the midnight release of this (someone actually brought a goat to the proceedings, very metal.). Fuck, I must have only been nine years old. Either way, long story short, vinyl copies were available, but I had only saved up my pocket money to accommodate a CD copy. Worst part is I got busted anyway when my Mother strolled in my room to wake me up for school the next day and spotted the copy on my bedside table. So this wax is my 12 year wait in spoiled brat gratification. I'm rambling, on to the vinyl! 

Not too much to note here, plain black vinyl with the Nonogram logos on each side. Super cool, but there's way more aesthetically pleasing features about this records...

The front cover is super cool, I remember being almost afraid of it as a kid, and having it on this format now really brings home the menacing vibe of the whole thing. I believe Clown (member number 6 AKA Shawn Crahan - dude hitting the beer kegs on stage) named the goat Eeyore, but I could be wrong? The silver foil effect really adds something too. Apparently this stuff is prone to a bit of creasing, and mine has suffered a corner ding too. Apparently promo copies of this have a corner cut on the top right hand side, for those that wanted to know, and cut out half of the song 'The Heretic Anthem'. Lame. 

The back cover is more of the same, with the silver foil and super creepy goat thing going on. 

As you open the gatefold cover up, there's another great image of the Nonogram, along with individual photos of the nine members. However, the band members are assigned numbers from 0-8, and they're not in number order in this photo, still cool though. 

The next thing pulled out from the gatefold is this fold out poster of the band. Apparently an intact poster is quite rare, as they've often got blu-tac marks or pin holes from being up on the wall. That's even if a copy comes with it, as they're often forgotten about in the sale. Thankfully mine has none of that, and I love this image. It perfectly captures the band from this particular time. They would change masks and boiler suits for every album cycle and I vividly remember this one coming out, so it serves as a nice reminder.

For me the inner sleeves are where things get a bit weird. This side contains lyrics and some strange symbols and logos, the one on the far right looks like a construction of the Nonogram. The other side however:

To my knowledge that is a goat fetus. A bloody goat fetus, how messed up is that? The other sleeve contains another great group shot, and the text in the top left is a dedication to the fans which is quite cool to read. If anyone is super interested, I get that my photos aren't that great so I can type it out. Just comment if you want to know what it says and i'll drag it out...

Aside from a nostalgic purpose, this album really is something special. It got lumped in with nu-metal, but it's way more complex than that. It's up there with Jane Doe and We're Down 'til We're Underground with the most abrasive and pissed off sounding records I have ever heard. It starts with opener (515), which is DJ Sid Wilson screaming after the news of a family member passing, with samples and noises in the background. I try to not touch on the musical context of an LP too much with this blog, but this record is a true classic for heavy music. The history surrounding the LP is incredible too. Another factor to me hunting this down was the crazy background of this album; it was really born from a dark time. Do a bit of internet searching for the film 'Goat' (I'm sure it's on YouTube) and you'll understand it.