One Day Away - s/t Ep

More 1990's obscurity... It probably would have made more sense to post this record a few months back when I did the spate of mid-western U.S. hardcore that included Animal Farm and Hinge but I moved on to other groups fairly quickly.  One Day Away hailed from Wisconsin and this 7" was their sole release and was on the same label that put the Animal Farm Ep.  ODA had a similar sound to those previously mentioned bands - mid-tempo but metallic and featuring a singer that sounded like Sam Mcpheeters gargling glass.  Political lyrics and a cover/packaging that made this 7" look like an Ebullition release rounded out the aesthetic.  Aside from this Ep, One Day Away had one track on a Wisconsin HC compilation that I'll be posting soon - a record that also featured Animal Farm. 

One Day Away - s/t Ep

Slag & Thaw

Alright, sorry for the slight delay in posts... switching musical gears, this time out I've got some heavy 1990's U.S. hardcore for you from two very short-lived bands.  Slag hailed from Arizona and played the kind of groovy, metallic hardcore that was becoming popular in the early to mid 90's - building on the sound of bands like Amenity or later Verbal Assault and moving into the territory marked out by groups like Citizens Arrest, Rorschach or Downcast.  One of these guys went on to play in Groundwork, a band that Slag's sound definitely fits with.  Thaw was around even more briefly and played a bit more straight-forward style with strained vocals that recalls bands like Half Man or perhaps even Jihad.  Slag only released one 7" Ep and a split Ep with Thaw - Thaw's side of that split seems to be their only recording... both records are included in this post and it hopefully serves to keep more memories of little known U.S. DIY hardcore alive.

Slag/Thaw split Ep and Slag - s/t Ep

Suckerpunch

Alright, I've finally got some time for a proper new post... lately I've been revisiting a bunch of Ebullition records and related releases - 1990's "emo" influenced hardcore and the like.  Suckerpunch was one of those sort of bands and appeared on the great "Give Me Back" compilation that Ebullition issued (and which I posted a while back here).  While I think their track on that comp. (Religious Phallos) is their best song, their other material is definitely worth a listen.  Collected here for you is their self-titled 10" and their side of the split flexi Ep with Born Against - fair warning, my copy of the flexi is relatively degraded and the sound quality is pretty terrible.  It appears that the band only released one other split Ep before calling it quits.  For those unfamiliar or who haven't heard their contribution to the Give Me Back comp., Suckerpunch had a relatively metallic HC sound which is in keeping with Ebullition stalwarts like Downcast and Struggle but which also brings to mind East Coast bands like Citizens Arrest or Rorschach, though not quite as heavy.  Lyrically and aesthetically they were firmly in the Ebullition style as well.  Anyways, check them out and hope you dig this relatively overlooked group from the 1990s California HC scene.

Suckerpunch - s/t 10" and Split Ep w/ Born Against   

Animal Farm - You Cannot Call This Peace Ep

More mid-90s Wisconsin HC here... Animal Farm featured a member of Hinge, from the last post, and similar to that band only released a single 7" Ep.  Animal Farm had a more metal influenced sound, one that brings early Neurosis to my mind - particularly their "Word As Law" period.  Early Dead and Gone as well as the first Rorschach and Born Against Lps are also good reference points for this delicious little slab of wax... check it out for yourselves and see what you think.

Animal Farm - You Cannot Call This Peace Ep  

Wardance Orange

All right, sorry for the delay... I was a bit under the weather last week.  Anyways, I think I'm going to stay in Richmond for a minute and post another 90's Virginia band called Wardance Orange.  I saw these guys a couple of times back in the day in my travels up and down the East Coast to see shows.  I don't know much about them but, though being relatively short-lived, Wardance Orange put on a great live set.  They only released one 7" and a split Ep and to my mind neither does their live presence justice.  Still, their self-titled Ep on Tribal War Records is a solid mid-90's hardcore record.  There's tons of influences in the music - from metallic hardcore (particularly Rorschach) to early emo (Moss Icon or Rites of Spring).  This one might be more of a "you had to be there" kind of post, but hopefully it at least provides more insight into the East Coast HC scene at the time...  Along with the self titled 7", this file includes the split Ep with Atlanta emocore band Ex Members Of...

Wardance Orange - s/t Ep and Split Ep w/ Ex Members Of... 

Eucharist - Self Title Lp

More mid-1990s American hardcore here... I don't have a ton of info on these guys but I do know that Eucharist hailed from Richmond, Virginia and that this self titled 12" was their only release.  These dudes played fast and heavy hardcore with some metal influence and intense vocals.  This record came out on the same label that released some of the Half Man material, as well as Ire and early Saetia.  Half Man is a good starting place for Eucharist's sound - other references would be heavy hitters like Rorschach or lesser known greats like Manchurian Candidates.  Sadly, they only released a handful of compilation tracks aside from these 13 songs...

Eucharist - Self Titled Lp

Conniption

Here's another 90's hardcore group from upstate New York... Conniption was fairly short-lived and released a couple of split 7"ers and one full Ep - one of the splits being with recently posted fellow New Yorkers Half Man.  Though they came out of the hardcore scene, their sound was very metallic and lay somewhere in the overlap between Hardcore, Grind and Death Metal.  At least one of these guys went on to form slightly more well-known straight edge grind band Monster X after Conniption's demise.  Here is Conniption's full Ep and the split with Half Man (including the Half Man tracks that I left out of the last post)... I still need to get my hands on the split Ep with Scapegrace.

Conniption - Self Titled Ep and Split Ep with Half Man

Half Man

This time out I'm returning to the U.S.A. for a band from New York state called Half Man.  These guys were around from the early to mid 1990s and played an interesting brand of metal influenced hardcore that, to my ears, sounds like it would have been at home on Ebullition records.  This post includes their two 7" Eps and their sole Lp, "As Everything Fell Apart."  Their sound transitions some from the Eps to the full-length, with the earlier material sounding more reminiscent of early Ebullition bands like Struggle or Downcast, while the Lp showcases a heavier, more metallic sound that brings to mind 90s greats like Rorschach, Ottawa and even Antischism.  While I dig the Eps, the 12" is by far their best material and a great slice of 90s hardcore punk.

Half Man - Lp and 2 Eps

Catweazle

Alright, here's another Dutch band from the late 1990s... Catweazle played a slightly more metallic and straight-edge influenced version of thrashcore, reminiscent of early "crossover" bands like DRI and Attitude Adjustment with heavier breakdowns and, overall, a more Euro HC feel.  Short-lived, Catweazle only released a couple of Eps and a split 10" with Dutch thrash legends Seein' Red before calling it quits.  This post collects all these releases - aside from a few compilation tracks, their entire discography.

Catweazle - Discography

Cavity - Human Abjection (Repost)

Cavity hailed from Miami, Florida and existed from 1992 until the early 2000s.  This is their first Lp, released on City of Crime records.  Definitely influenced by Eyehategod, Damad and Grief, these dudes were doing the mid-tempo, crushing riff thing before it got huge.  "Human Abjection" was their first proper record and featured Steve Brooks of Floor and, later, Torche on 2nd guitar.  Floor is a good comparison, but with more vicious vocals.  This record was eventually re-released by Bacteria Sour records on the "Drowning" CD but subsequently went out of print all together.  Those familiar with Cavity's later records will want to see where it all began with this group... others unfamiliar with their records will still dig hearing their heavy take on HC, before they moved in an even more metal direction.

Cavity - Human Abjection Lp

Cavity - Human Abjection Lp

One more slow, heavy record before I get back to the fast stuff... Cavity hailed from Miami, Florida and existed from 1992 until the early 2000s.  This is their first Lp, released on City of Crime records.  Definitely influenced by Eyehategod, Damad and Grief, these dudes were doing the mid-tempo, crushing riff thing before it got huge.  "Human Abjection" was their first proper record and featured Steve Brooks of Floor and, later, Torche on 2nd guitar.  Floor is a good comparison, but with more vicious vocals.  This record was eventually re-released by Bacteria Sour records on the "Drowning" CD but subsequently went out of print all together.  Those familiar with Cavity's later records will want to see where it all began with this group... others unfamiliar with their records will still dig hearing their heavy take on HC, before they moved in an even more metal direction.

Cavity - Human Abjection Lp

Stalingrad - Patty We Kind Of Missed You On Your Birthday Lp

Well, a new year and finally some time for a new post.  This time out we've got some seriously twisted HC from the U.K.  Stalingrad played very sludgy, metallic hardcore.  Not really "metalcore" so to speak, they had a sound of their own - plodding but groovy and heavy as hell.  This band featured members of Disaffect, Hard to Swallow and other UK HC luminaries of the time and guest vocals on this record include members of Doom and Voorhees.  This is Stalingrad's one and only Lp; they had a few 7"ers, splits and a final 10" before calling it quits in the early 2000s.  Amongst the heaviness, insane vocals and general vitriol, this record features a killer take on Lynard Skynard's "Simple Man" which may give you an idea of where this one is coming from.  Definitely worth a listen...

Stalingrad - Patty We Kind Of Missed You On Your Birthday Lp

Coitus - Darkness on Streets Ep

 Time for another Tribal War release, this one from the U.K.'s Coitus.  These guys were around in the early to mid 90's and played some seriously metal-tinged punk.  Generally mid-tempo with a strong Celtic Frost meets Discharge vibe, Coitus were a breath of fresh air in the era of straight up Dis-clones.  A little while back someone released a 2 CD discography of their material, including this Ep and their demos and compilation tracks.  I've not gotten a copy yet but it's on my wants list for sure.  Another blog posted the Coitus demos here if you are interested.  More great stuff from the 90s.

Coitus - Darkness on Streets Ep

Confrontation

 

Here's another post of some So-Cal crust - Confrontation.  This includes their two 7" Eps... "Dead Against the War" and their "1989" demo pressed on vinyl.  Dead Against the War was always my favorite... it has a great metallic, almost industrial sound to it.  One of these guys went on to form Dystopia and you can definitely see the parallel in this Ep.  The Demo 7" is more traditional crust-core - not bad at all but a very different sound from the later Ep.  There is also a Confrontation/Cantankerous split 7" out there but I've not been able to track down a copy... even a rip of it would be appreciated if someone has it.  One last note, DATW just happened to be the first release for Tribal War records... one of seminal labels of the 90s and one that will appear frequently on this blog.  Enjoy.  

 

Confrontation - "1989" Ep and "Dead Against the War" Ep