OAK & BONE LP ON BANDCAMP

It's been awhile since I updated the bandcamp page.  But finally, the last of the releases I have yet to put up will be up this week.  First off, the raging s/t LP by OAK & BONE.  Check these tracks out if you never have before.  Grime deluxe.  It's really good.

http://hexrecords.bandcamp.com/album/oak-bone-s-t-lp

More to come.....

TAXA 7" COVER ART AND NEW SONG!

Vancouver, BC band Taxa will release their debut 7" this summer on Hex Records.  Look above and gaze at the pretty cover art.
Next, go to their bandcamp and check out one of the songs from said 7".  Do it now.
That's all for now.  It's pretty kick ass.

APRIL REVIEWS TIME!

Hoo boy, this late Winter-into-Spring transition has been a real motherfucker.  Good thing some incredible records have already dropped this early in the year.  I mean, there's a few top of the year contenders here.  I highly suggest readers check out some of the things I have reviewed here for themselves.  Please.  Really.  I mean it.

 

CHRON TURBINE, “Skull Necklace Just For You” LP

This sounds like if The Cars were raised on a steady diet of records released on Amphetamine Reptile, but the catchy pop aspect won out in the end.  It’s actually pretty fuckin’ great if that first sentence made no sense to you.  Thick, riffy, and noisy, but brilliantly catchy.  It loses a bit of steam in the middle, mostly from slower tracks that aren’t as easy to get stuck in your head.  Yet despite all that it’s a great listen, one that certainly surprised me, and I was happy to have heard it.  I might actually be a better person because of it now, so thanks for getting songs like “You Can’t Touch My Shit” and “Trans Jamder” embedded in my cranium!  Printed on a wild silkscreened cover and limited to something like 200 copies.  Neat!  (Peterwalkee Records)

HEIRESS, “Early Frost”

While this band has been going for quite a few years now their level of activity has been fairly timid, aside from releasing a few seven inches here and there.  And I’ve never found them to be exceptionally compelling musically.  But for some reason I really wanted to get this record.  I think it’s because the simple cover photo looked really cool to me.  It’s one of those ‘behold this majestic mountain that alludes to how heavy this band is’ sort of thing.  Either way, I was sold.  And while that cover is cool, the rest of the packaging looks like some scroll from Lord Of the Rings, and I swear that a riff in “Damaged New Wind” was lifted from the theme music from “Dune” (which, by the way, I’m totally cool with).  So yeah, think rather epic stuff here.  I’d say in all Heiress is in a Neurosis frame of mind when writing, and filtering it through a sort of mid-90’s heavy emo core execution.  The plus is that it’s not something one really hears much these days.  On the negative, it can get a little dull at times.  Overall, it’s a fairly engaging listen.  (DeathwishInc)

IRON LUNG, “White Glove Test”

This will most likely be one of, if not the most intense records I hear all year.  Fucking fuck, Iron Lung are unsettling to listen to, incredibly abrasive, and so pissed.  It’s just two dudes coming up on their 40’s and fucking shit up harder than anyone else in this universe.  Bow down as schizophrenic riffs blast between powerviolence speed and pounding Swans-inspired sludge.  Wrap your little brain around the other half of this duo who smashes his drums like a jackhammer with a giant metal fist at the business end of it.  Both dudes do vocals.  Now imagine this non-stop pulverizing for a good 20 tracks (in about 22 minutes), and stare at the insane cover art of a cleansing hand melding into a head full of junk.  Read the words about medical malpractice, disease, and little people being crushed under a latex glove that smears them out with a fake vaccine.  “There is no hope for them” goes the line throughout “Brutal Supremacy” (1-3) and it’s a fitting description for the panicked music Iron Lung drops on you like so many anvils.  Now, one more thing to fuck with you:  they created a companion album to go with this of noise, soundscapes, and assorted industrial clanging (much like Neurosis’ “Times Of Grace” and “Grace”).  On it’s own it’s exactly as I described.  But as a bonus they combine both albums to make for one fucking crazy synced-up conglomeration of powerviolence and noise.  This is so damn good and intense.  Lose your mind to this.  (Iron LungRecords/ Prank Records)

NAILS, “Abandon All Life”

There’s no reason one should attempt to do some deep searching when breaking down the newest offering from Nails.  It’s pretty much the heaviest thing you’re going to hear all year.  That’s about it.  In about 17 minutes they drill 10 songs into your skull of the heaviest of heavy metal.  Some of it lurches, sledgehammer in grimy fist, smashing all in its wake.  Some of it has the subtlety of a blitzkrieg, lightning fast and terribly violent.  None of it is positive.  You won’t feel happier after listening to it.  And sometimes that’s fine.  The photo on the inside cover makes Todd Jones look like a skinny version of that wrestling manager Paul Bearer (R.I.P.).  Purchase and despise humanity.  (Southern Lord)

NIGHT MARCHERS, THE, “Allez, Allez”

A few years ago The Night Marchers emerged with ambition.  Their first release was a double LP.  Yeah, take that bands that just put out seven inches!  Considering that main man John Reis (Rocket From the Crypt, Sultans, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu) basically eats, sleeps, and shits songs coming up with enough to fill two records worth is not a huge deal.  But the band has remained silent since for the most part.  And honestly, I thought that first Night Marchers thing was a bit dry.  They were really going for a retro garage rock sort of thing, lots of clean playing, clean production, and a few catchy songs too.  So now that they have awoken once again I feel Reis is really writing shit that harkens to what we all know best from him- loud, brash, loose, and hot shit rock songs.  This new Night Marchers record may as well be an unreleased Hot Snakes record with a couple Rocket From the Crypt tunes thrown in for good measure (I’m sorry, I will forever associate any song John Reis sings and plays guitar on that involves horns to be a defacto RFTC song).  I don’t say this as a bad thing.  This record is beyond awesome.  They know how to dirty it up with rumbling bass on the opening track (such a great riff), and in “Loud, Dumb, and Mean” the vocals get so static that it sounds like Reis is going to break the damn mic.  Sing along choruses abound, witty lyrics that are both humorous and clever, and so many damn riffs you could pack a garage full of them…  this is the way to go.  Congrats to this band for fully bringing on a kick ass record from start to finish.  (Swami Records)

PISSED JEANS, “Honeys”

I gotta say, Pissed Jeans never disappoints.  But for some reason this record is getting less attention from my turntable than previous records have.  Maybe it’s because the band have honed in on their ‘thing’ and are on a sort of repeat function?  I can’t say.  Their first LP, “Shallow” was raw, wild, and crazy.  “Hope For Men” followed with many challenges to the listener, separating the true believers from flavor-of-the-month bandwagon jumpers (yet when you put a face smasher like “Fantasy World” on your record you could put an hour of noise over the rest and I’d still buy it).  “King Of Jeans” really got the band on solid footing and has proved to be their overall most solid record.  I guess maybe they saw the sonic success of that record and hoped to go for it again.  Present are the barnburners (“Bathroom Laughter”, “Health Plan”), the slow and sludgy grumblers (“Cafeteria Food”), the humor (“Loubs”, “Cafeteria Food” again), and the swinging riff fests (“Male Gaze”).  So yeah, it’s a friggin’ awesome record.  But I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before.  No disappointments, just nothing new either.  (Sub Pop)

RESTORATIONS, “LP2”

Top ten of the year territory for this here record.  Restorations have a thing going on that is all their own and they own it.  Big anthems, warms sounds, lush organs, raspy vocals, massive fuzzy bass, riffy guitars and a sense of songwriting that shows years of experience.  This band is deserving of every dick-stroking comment that comes (cums?) their way.  “LP2” is full of the type of big songs that made their debut LP so great (See “D” and “Adventure Tortoise”), as well as some dabblings in new sounds that add some trippy, psychedelic riffing to their post-hardcore rock sound (“Quit” and “Kind Of Comfort”).  I am fully down for every tune on this record and can’t wait to see them showcase this stuff on the live front.  Unless you strictly like your music with blast beats or breakdowns, or straight from a shitty gutter than there is probably something about this band you can relate to, and therefore enjoy thoroughly.  Well done fellas.  (SideOneDummy)

RUN, FOREVER, “Settling”

Here’s my compliment that I will bestow upon Run, Forever:  this record’s got some really nice packaging.  That whole glossy, embossed type on the whole thing looks real good.  Oh, the music?  Eh, not my bag.  Sort of folky-punk/mainstream rock, touches of Against Me here and there, sensitive-guy-with-a-bit-of-a-grudge-against-his-CEO-Dad sort of vocals.  You know the deal.  Some people fall over themselves for this sort of stuff and have these semi-seizures (AKA, sad white people ‘dancing’) in crowded basements and that’s all well and good for people who are into that.  I, personally, am not.  And that’s what I got to say about that.  (Tiny Engines)

TWO NEW RELEASE COMING THIS SUMMER!

Two new bands will be releasing records through Hex in the coming months.

The first is Vancouver, BC- based Taxa (members of Damages, React Records).

The post-hardcore band uses heavy bass tones, weird melodies and alternating male-female vocals that places them somewhere in the realm of Unwound meeting up with Mission Of Burma.

They recorded a handful of songs, 2 of which will appear on their debut 7”.

One of the tracks (as well as a track not appearing on the record) can be heard here: http://taxa.bandcamp.com/

The second release will come in the form of an LP by Syracuse-based Blood Sun Circle.  When Engineer (Hex Records, Black Market Activities) called it a day the three brothers opened up a music store.  The bug to create a new band soon followed and they paired up with a new drummer and began banging out songs that took a considerably different direction.  They’re still loud as hell, but picking up similar notions that bands like Young Widows and the Bad Seeds have been crafting, and putting their own take on it.  They currently have a demo online and will begin recording right at their home base, Gorham Brothers Music.

Check it here:

 http://bloodsuncircle.bandcamp.com/

MORE TITLES ADDED TO BANDCAMP

So we continue to add more titles to the bandcamp page, including the overlooked, yet hugely rocking LP from Portland's PRIZE COUNTRY.  In the last couple weeks we've also added the entire ACHILLES catalog, the OAK & BONE 7", the NIGHT OWLS ep, ENGINEER, ED GEIN, and more.
So if you're type who is not into physical, material things anymore, but highly enjoy digital files of music (and also honest enough to pay for them), please, by all means, check out some stuff on the bandcamp page.  Hell, you can listen to it for FREE.
I'd like to add that people who pay for downloads on the page will receive an e-mail with digital files of the lyrics and artwork to go with it.

BANDCAMP PAGE HERE.

HEX RECORDS ON BANDCAMP!

I started making a Bandcamp for all Hex releases so you can purchase them digitally (if you don't already)... or just listen to them. Mind you, it's a work in progress, so there's just a few things up at the moment, but we'll be adding to it as often as we can. Started off with a couple out of press releases and one nearly out of press release. Check it: http://hexrecords.bandcamp.com/

JANUARY REVIEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COLD

After a basically non-existent Winter last year 2013 actually feels like a real Central NY Winter.  So that means I'm bored, cold, somewhat depressed, and I leave the house pretty much only for work.  That leaves plenty of time to listen to records and be miserable.  Thus, there are kind of a lot of reviews this month.  When does it stop being dark all the time and Spring arrives?

 

ANCHORS, “At the Bottom Of the World”

I thought this was the European straight edge hardcore band, back for more!  Alas, it was some other band with the same name that sounds quite different.  Seriously, in 2013 how hard is it to do a google search for your bands name to make sure no one else has it yet? Additionally, as things stand one might want to consider coming up with a name slightly more original as well.  All that aside, I put this thing on and was softly slapped across my jaded mug to about a dozen songs that all sounded like Polar Bear Club meets a bad power metal band.  It’s not something I’m terribly interested in re-visiting.  At least they play fast.  (Creator-Destructor Records)

BLOOD MONEY demo

I’m getting kind of an Eyehategod-meets-Majority Rule sort of vibe from this new Syracuse three-piece.  While that sounds totally awesome to say, consider it more of those two bands meeting in their own demo stages.  These tunes have a lot of dual strained shouting, the occasional awesome riff (the weird lead riff in the first song being the strongest), bursts of chaotic damage, and lots of droney feedback.  While some people are all about this style I have to admit doing the long and drawn out endings with really slow feedback-drenched riffs isn’t always my bag.  Blood Money makes use of this in a few of their songs and I tend to think it goes on a bit long at times.  But again, some folks live for that stuff.  Not a bad start though.

FUCKING INVINCIBLE, “Very Negative” 7”

Friggin’ fast.  Reminds me of the short-lived Louisville band Pusher in a lot of ways.  Basically, if a song hits two minutes than the band probably gets bored.  Fast part, really fast part, quick breakdown, and out. The sike-out at the end of “Anti-Tomorrow” is pretty funny, so they make up for it on the B-side with “Death Defier”, the closest they get to a slow song and that’s just because it chugs along so heavily.  I’m an instant fan of this.  Played really tight, really fast, really loud, and damn heavy too.  (Atomic Action!)

JOWLS, “Cursed” 10”

By the way the record is laid out one might think Cursed released new material titled “Jowls”.  It could be.  But it’s not.  This is the band Jowls, and the rest of the layout doesn’t really give any indication of what they have going on, other than possibly saggy faces.  Whether or not that is true Jowls do have a good thing going on.  Burly and chaotic, yet tight playing with some sense of melody…  it’s about as good as one can hope for under a banner of ‘screamo’, battling the shitty version that passes for music these days.  Think more Shotmaker and Torches To Rome with slightly more heaviness and groove.  Approved.  (TinyEngines)

KOWLOON WALLED CITY, “Container Ships”

East Bay sludge metal dudes return with a record that is actually a bit less on the heavy side and more on the contemplative end.  Yeah, that doesn’t sound good, I know.  But hear me out.  They still offer up a couple more upbeat songs, and those bowel-loosening sub-sonic tones are still present in the low end thankfully.  I won’t lie, I’m more of a fan of the ultra-heavy dirges on their last LP, “Gambling On the Richter Scale”.  It was so damn heavy.  But take that KWC you are familiar with and insert a sort of Hoover-meets-Neurosis vibe here and there and that’s not a bad thing at all.  No sir.  (Brutal Panda)

RESTORATIONS, “A/B” 7”

Two songs to satiate us fans until their new LP drops in the Spring.  Philly’s Restorations found their thing and have been rolling with it for a couple years now.  And man, whatever that thing is they got it in spades.  This really picks up right where their excellent LP left off.  They find a nice grooving riff and kick your ass with it, a nice melody on top of it, turn the whole thing into an anthem, those wonderfully gruff vocals, and then jam out the end so it all sounds pretty epic.  “A” is a bit slower and “B” is a bit faster.  Both songs are bad ass.  Keep it coming.  (Tiny Engines)

STEREO STATE, THE, “Crossing Canyons”

This is the sound of a sad, flaccid penis dry humping a cold, damp pillow.  Could mainstream rock be any more dull and predictable?  Am I listening to Nickelback?  Meh, who am I to criticize?  I thought Sensefield were the shit and they were totally wimpy radio rock.  But yeah, this just sucks.  (Creator-DestructorRecords)

“THE PEOPLE’S APOCALYPSE”, by Ariel Gore and Jenny Forrester

The cover has a raised Black Panther style fist with a mushroom cloud behind it.  The idea is to collect stories and survival tips about when the shit hits the fan it seems.  The result?  Not exactly.  There certainly are some good short stories in here outlining an end times scenario (the one about the Mars dust affecting the population was by far the best, with the animal uprising and basement apartment dwellers as the only survivors stories not far behind), as well as some general lists of things one might need in a post-apocalyptic world.  But there are also a lot of short stories that seem to have nothing to do with the end of the world.  They’re just general stories, so I’m not sure why they’re included in here.  Overall, pretty entertaining and a fairly quick read too.  (Lit Star Press)

TORCHE, “Harmonislaught” 7”

Back to the heavy with this one.  I may be in the minority here, but I’ve always enjoyed Torche’s EPs as opposed to their full lengths.  I felt “Meandrathal” and “Harmonicraft” had some good songs, but some filler too.  Yet, basically everything on “In Return” and “Songs For Singles” (which is arguably an EP) I feel is golden.  So, this new 7” offers two slabs of down-tuned musical concrete and both are winners.  “Harmonislaught” brings back the bomb string for pretty much the entire song to great effect.  The flip side, “Rock N’ Roll Mantasy” gives us a bit of current Torche, complete with an interesting lead and a bit more upbeat, but still on the heavy side of things.  A great single from an awesome band.  (Amnesian Records)

“UNSINKABLE”, by Robnoxious

Here we have a zine/small book about a few folks who decided one day to build a pontoon boat out of scrap and sail it down the Missouri and Mississippi River.  They literally used scrap wood, junk, buckets, and other random shit and made an 8’x20’ boat for under $100 and sailed it for about 250 miles.  They took a couple months to go all that distance too.  Nevermind that the same distance could be travelled via automobile in about 3 or 4 hours.  The book is broken down into the mechanics of how they built their craft, and then journal entries of the strange times they had with river life dealing with twisters, downpours, mud, floods, the little towns they came across with small town people, and being savage crust punk hippies who I can only imagine smelled to high heaven after a month of living on a shanty boat with nothing but beer and wild forest berries to feed them.  Not a bad story overall.  My only question-  why on Earth bring a dog with you the whole time?!  Why would a dog want to hang out on a tiny boat with three other people for weeks on end?  That just seems cruel.  (Microcosm)

UNWOUND, “Live Leaves” 2xLP

Unwound, who hailed from the Pacific Northwest and have been split up for over 10 years now, were what I felt were the perfect combination of post-hardcore’s burly groove and Sonic Youth’s noisy inventiveness.  By the time they released their final album, the wonderful double LP “Leaves Turn Inside You” they had transcended easy-to-place labels and really came into their own with longer winding songs, weird textures, occasional keyboards, and just general awesome songs.  I’m a bit more of a fan of their previous LP, the slightly more rocking and grooving “Repetition”.  But I digress.  This double LP, just released, documents live recordings from various stops on their last tour where they played as a 5-piece (as opposed to the three-piece set up they’d had for their whole existence).  The record(s) consist mostly of “Leaves…” material, with a couple covers and the classic “Corpse Pose” (probably the most well-known track off “Repetition”) thrown in for good measure.  The sound quality on most of these recordings is pretty decent overall, though could use a little work in some areas.  Apparently, these recordings were kind of rough and took a long time to get a good sound out of.  For the Unwound fanatics out there this would be worth your time to check out.  Comes in a fancy cardstock sleeve with a screen printed cover.  (Kill RockStars)