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. 

The Ever Approaching End...

On the 29th of August of last year, Our Time Down Here played their final show in their hometown haunt and called it quits. I caught them at a show a couple months earlier on their farewell tour; every word was sang along, it was a sweaty endeavour; and through the sadness of the occasion I had a great time.

Despite rumours of their LP, Midnight Mass finally getting a vinyl release; at the show I attended there was no vinyl copies at the table and the band weren't hopeful of a pressing coming to light before their demise. And this is where great friends come through for you. At the same time I noticed vinyl copies floating around; good guy Richard Heaven who runs a great zine called Pornography For Cowards (check it here: https://www.facebook.com/PFCrecords) said he was going to the final show and would pick up a copy on my behalf.

The dude really came through for me, getting one with the limited /25 final show prints. For anyone interested, these are the same as the pre-order covers, but have different text (we'll get to that later). As far as the record is concerned, the copies used were part of the blood red/200 variant still available through Palm Reader records who put this out: http://palmreaderrecords.bigcartel.com/product/our-time-down-here-midnight-mass-12

The record itself looks great, the blood red against the black and white cover makes everything stand out. And they're carrying on with this whole goth life thing the band loves so much. The other variant was a super cool black and orange mix too, very Halloween.

Throwing these two together for a quick comparison shows another nice little detail in the record. The A and B side labels have their colours reversed over the two sides. Not anything particularly noteworthy, but it's nice when these little details don't go unnoticed I guess. 

And finally this is the little bit of card that gives sense to all this writing. I ended up with number 9 of 25. I feel a bit bad about this as I couldn't get to the show; but it's better than eBay stalking and it's great to know I got a copy from a nice dude who attended the show for the right reasons. We had a good chat about how the show was; and all in all I'm glad I have a copy of this from their last show.

To anyone that never listened to this band, I strongly encourage you to do so. They were absolutely great and this LP will stay with me for many years. Gone but not forgotten; don't fear dearest friend, the ever approaching end.

The Blood of Thine Enemies

In modern hardcore circles, where labels are constantly being judged on their output, reliability and general effort; I think it's time we give a big hand to Deathwishinc.
Jacob Bannon and co. just seem to have this thing nailed down to a tee, and today i'm going to talk about a stand alone piece from the Deathwish vault; damn this record is so cool...

J. Bannon's The Blood of Thine Enemies came out sometime in 2008 I believe as a predecessor to the Wear Your Wounds project; of which physical material surfaced last year. Anything that Jacob Bannon puts his hand to tends to be nothing short of genius, and here nothing changes. Although most fondly heralded for his work in Converge, this 7'' is more reminiscent of his work with Supermachiner and Wear Your Wounds. This particular track is 6 minutes of bleak noise, definitely an emotional affair, if not a little creepy. Either way it's well worth the time of day, it's fantastic. But less of my opinion, more on the record itself:

First things first; before you even get into the record you want it. Jacob Bannon offering a masterclass here in how to make the most of your packaging. Both sides of the jacket are screened, and no detail is spared. Even the spines are printed; and the artwork is fantastic as always. 

The record is housed in this Arigato style packaging, further allowing the aesthetics of the record to take over. And again, more screened art on the inside of the fold. At this point it's worth mentioning that this song/ project was a stand alone solo deal outside of any other Jacob Bannon related project and this track only appeared here. This release was certainly a special one, and although not particularly limited; it sold out and to my knowledge it hasn't been repressed either. Also, as you can see; I ended up with the 'Bone' variant. Pressing info was as follows: Black-200/Bone-600/Silver-600/Gold-600. I like the fact that this came without a label, it just wouldn't have looked right. So, 6 minute single-sided 7-inch; what's going on with the other side? Well...

Possibly the most intricate and impressive etching to appear on a 7''. Again, this kind of thing just attests to how great a label Deathwish really is. Relentlessly releasing great music; and combining that music with a visual package to complete the experience. For those with good eyes/ better zoom, the lyrics are etched here, along with the cover art. All of the variants came with this etching, and all came in this packaging. I scored mine long after it sold out (cheers Darren!), and at 2000 available there should be no reason why this isn't in your collection. Musically, although a little left field of the typical Deathwish roster, it's still great. With packaging and design from the one and only Jacob Bannon too, there's plenty that makes this a desirable record. I love it; I love the whole idea behind it. May Deathwish carry on to treat us like this. 

Thanks for reading, cheers!

Marched

Damn this last post took some gearing up to do. I feel so lazy, hopefully over the winter I'll make a good effort here. There's some great stuff i've picked up, Touche Amore related and otherwise. Anyway, on to the good stuff!
Here' i'm going through the special presses of this album. There's three available, all through different pressing. All of them have cool stuff going on, all of them pressed in different amounts, all of them a hassle to find. Let's go:
From the first press is the Sound and Fury '09 press of To the Beat of a Dead Horse. These were made for Sound and Fury fest a while back, the year before that they had a tape version of their demo available (don't have it, really want it!). Either way, this fest is often the product of some awesome exclusives. I'm sure Doug over at We Will Bury You has some awesome stuff you could learn from, starting here: http://doug-wewillburyyou.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/have-heart-songs-to-scream-at-sun-sound.html. Enough digressing, on to the vinyl:

Two things to note here at first. Number 1. The most horrifically awful shade of yellow is what this variant comes on (looking closer, there's some brown and white mixed in there too), and the 'theme' of this one is aptly titled 'Sun'. Number 2. The cover is a tad different. No clouds of rain, no child biking. Here we have a menacing chap on a camel and a sun complete with shades and tasche. You can also see the arrow to Sound and Fury '09 too, nice touch. I'm not sure who did the art here if i'm honest, either way it's great. Nothing better than a fest press with a new cover... These were numbered out of 100, and from the first press that makes the numbers up to 1000 (100-yellow/200-black/300-brown/400-grey). I ended up with number 74: 

For those of you with sharp eyes, you'll see that the new cover is a kind of insert; with a quarter fold under cover, holding the LP inside the original jacket under the new cover. Two covers, one LP, winner. There was also a cd included in my copy, although no one needs to see that I assume. There's not really more that needs to be said I suppose. This was great for collectors and everything you want from a fest press. New cover, exclusive variant, hand numbering. Solid effort. On to the next one. 

From the second press came the very elusive and sought after Spring Tour variant: 

I honestly had so much trouble finding this one. I managed to find it eventually last year when a guy was parting with some stuff for christmas cash. This makes up the pressing numbers as such: (500-blue/420-clear green/ 80- seafoam green). That's right, 80. I believe this makes it the rarest pressing of this LP, aside from transitional presses (they don't count, lets be honest). The main selling point here is the great looking hand-numbered obi strip, and another exclusive variant just makes everything really appealing. I'm not that up on my knowledge about this one; for example, I don't know if all of them had the dashes of black in them that mine has. I don't even know who was on the line-up on this tour. I do know that it wasn't in England though! All in all it was a great find and i'm more than happy to have it in my collection. I ended up with number 61/80: 

Finally, from the third press and possibly the most intriguing of all; the Record Store Day press. From what I know, these were made with the intention of being an indie store exclusive for RSD 2011. However, they were not made in time and ended up being sold online instead through the 6131 store. Either way, I got mine from a super nice guy called Petter. 

And here we are! The numbers are made up (750-white 180gram/250- white 180gram). These look incredible. The 'blind' or letter-pressed cover is really effective and suits the variant perfectly. This variant doesn't have an insert, no gatefold (in fact it has a book style sleeve that opens) and the cover is all indented; the tracklisting and even the spine are all letter-pressed to have an embossed cover. Not only is this aesthetically different, but it kind of makes a statement; allowing the music speak for itself. Even the labels on the record are blank (unlike the 750 in standard covers). 

Complete with Record Store Day stickers and an alternative clear sticker (unlike the standard white stickers with black writing found with the first two presses - no numbering on this exclusive press though!); this variant is everything that represents why more independent labels should have the opportunity to take place in RSD. Honestly, did you Back to Black Rainbow LP have this much time and dedication involved? 

And that's it folks. Five posts and we're finally there. Well, that's a lie. In this time To the Beat has had it's 6th press. A rather cool looking Orange 180gram/1000 as all pressings are to follow I assume. And yes I do have it, and you will see it at some point i'm sure; but for now I'm going to have a look through my collection and see what I really want to write about. Some stuff has a great story to tell, others are off the 'never in my life will I ever afford this' list. Some stuff you could probably pick up easy enough. Either way, it's going to be fun. Thanks for reading!