Fields of Fire - The Kids Can't Be Bought Ep

OK, I've been back in town for a bit but have been playing catch up around the house and am finally squeezing in time for a new post... this week I've got a rockin' 7" from Southern California posi band Fields of Fire.  This one came out in 2000 and features some kick ass old school sXe HC in the vein of Insted or Chain of Strength - fast and heavy but with lots of melody.  These guys came from the same scene as Life's Halt and In Control, and like those bands were bridging straight edge and nardcore somewhat.  Good stuff.

Fields of Fire - The Kids Can't Be Bought Ep

The Final Plan

Here is another short-lived early 2000s band - this time from the U.S.A.  The Final Plan hailed from Cleveland, Ohio and played pissed off, lightning fast, sXe-influenced hardcore... they had much in common with contemporaries such as Tear It Up, Haymaker, Carry On and Panic.  It looks like they only contributed two releases before calling it quits - an Ep called "Dead End Nights" and a split with Texas band My Luck.  I've included both Final Plan releases here, along with the My Luck tracks from the split as well (they are pretty great in their own right).  Check them all out below.

The Final Plan - Dead End Nights Ep and split with My Luck 

Highscore

Highscore were a straight-edge hardcore band from Germany that started up in the late 1990s and lasted until the early 2000s, releasing a couple of Eps and two Lps worth of fast, thrashy HC.  These guys had releases on 625 and Deranged Records, which should go far in describing their sound.  Other points of reference would be Dutch ragers Vitamin X, Life's Halt or the Uniform Approach Ep I posted a while back.  This post contains their two full length records - 26 tracks total.

Highscore - New Fuel and Unsuspecting Actors in a Bad Soap Opera Lps

Go!

OK, I'm about to head out traveling for a couple of weeks but I wanted to leave you all with one last post before I lose contact for a bit... here is the bulk of the recorded output by the great New York hardcore band Go!  Emerging in the late 80s and calling it quits in the early 90s, Go! played short, fast, straight-edge style HC with a slightly rawer sound and Mike Bullshit's trademark vocals - not quite spoken, sometimes screamed but certainly never sung.  Go! definitely had a posi-vibe to them, with conscious lyrics and a decidedly pro-gay stance that stood out in the scene at the time.  They released a slew of 7" Eps which were collected onto a discography CD.  Then, in 2006 the band regrouped for a bit and released two further Eps which updated their sound and featured more of Mike BS's positive lyrics and message.  The file linked here contains the discography CD "Existence," their side of the split Ep with Bad Trip (the only original material not on the CD) and the two Eps released in the mid-2000s.  Great stuff and a band I've dug for a long time...

Go! - Discography CD, Split Ep w/ Bad Trip, Reactive Ep and What We Build Together Ep

Amenity - Forward Into the Past (Repost)

Here is the Discography CD from Chula Vista hardcore band Amenity.  They appeared on the "They Don't Get Paid..." comp. I just re-posted and were a staple of the Southern California HC scene in the late 80s.  A straight edge band with posi lyrics and a healthy social conscience, musically they seem to me to straddle the line between bands like Ignition and Verbal Assault and the emergence of early 90s chugga-chugga style HC as practiced by groups like Groundwork and Chokehold.  Their "This Is Our Struggle" 7" was a mainstay on my turntable back then.  This CD, issued by Vinyl Communications, includes their Eps and compilation tracks, demos and some live tunes, including cool cover songs.  The sound quality on much of this collection is lacking but the early tracks, though rough, include some great HC tunes.  The later material is more mid-paced and rocking, but still powerful and the lyrics are great.  I bet these dudes were awesome live.

Amenity - Forward Into the Past CD

False Face - Where It Ends Ep

So last night I was able to catch current U.K. hardcore heavyweights Violent Reaction and The Flex on their trek through the U.S.A.  After watching VR dispense some sick straight edge jams, I was tempted to revisit some old school (relatively, I guess) U.K. sXe HC.  False Face was a short lived band from the Northeast of England whose sole release appears to be this 7" Ep.  Recorded by the legendary Dickie Hammond (H.D.Q., Leatherface, etc.), this Ep delivers fast, melodic HC in the vein of Uniform Choice and classic Revelation bands like Gorilla Biscuits or early Ignite... I'm not certain but I think one member of False Face went on to found, along with former members of Steadfast, the almighty Voorhees.  Regardless, a great 7" for those who dig fast sXe style hardcore, even if they're drinking a cider while listening to it....

False Face - Where It Ends Ep

Uniform Approach - A Pledge to the Edge Ep

Here's a gem that a friend of mine asked me to send him files of recently, so I decided to publish the link for general consumption on the blog... Uniform Approach was a one-off side project of U.K. hardcore legends Heresy and Ripcord and was a less than serious homage to U.S. straight-edge HC that so influenced both bands.  These songs were recorded as a demo in 1989 but didn't see a proper release until 2004.  The music isn't too far removed from their full-time bands, particularly Ripcord, but the lyrics are jocular riffs on stereotypical sXe themes... songs about X'ing up, protecting your bros and other posi topics.  I'm also a sucker for this style and along with Heresy and Ripcord being top faves, this EP is right up my alley and a must for those into hyper speed hardcore punk.

Uniform Approach - A Pledge to the Edge Ep
   

Amenity - Forward Into the Past

Here is the Discography CD from Chula Vista hardcore band Amenity.  They appeared on the "They Don't Get Paid..." comp. I posted a while back and were a staple of the Southern California HC scene in the late 80s.  A straight edge band with posi lyrics and a healthy social conscience, musically they seem to me to straddle the line between bands like Ignition and Verbal Assault and the emergence of early 90s chugga-chugga style HC as practiced by groups like Groundwork and Chokehold.  Their "This Is Our Struggle" 7" was a mainstay on my turntable back then.  This CD, out on Vinyl Communications, includes their Eps and compilation tracks, demos and some live tunes, including cool cover songs.  The sound quality on much of this collection is lacking but the early tracks, though rough, include some great HC tunes.  The later material is more mid-paced and rocking, but still powerful and the lyrics are great.  I bet these dudes were awesome live.  It appears that they reformed a few years back to play a few shows and record new tracks but their reemergence seems to have been short lived.


Amenity - Forward Into the Past CD

Profax

Here is the discography of Swiss straight edgers Profax.... a great mid-90s band that I still love.  This disc compiles their two 7" Eps and all their compilation tracks.  This band wowed me upon introduction with their two songs on the Ebullition comp. "Give Me Back".  Their Eps are just as great... think more Verbal Assault than traditional sXe HC.  My absolute favorite track is the least HC - "Patience" from "Give Me Back" blows my mind still.... amazing lyrics and a great rockin' song.  "Living Without Cruelty" is another classic, along with "Bona Fide" and "Chiste Malo" and... definitely check this one out! 


Profax - Discographie