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

Virtual Reality - Dreamstate Lp

 

OK, here's a weird one, somewhat related to the last post.  Virtual Reality was a one-off band featuring members of Doom playing a vastly different brand of music.  Really only "punk" in the widest sense - based on who was in the band and the lyrical content, VR sounded like an amalgamation of Black Sabbath and the KLF. Definitely "rock" meets techno or hip hop.... It's strange and hard to describe and has to be heard.  A product of the times, for sure.  This one came out on Flat Earth and Belgium's Genet records in 1995 and is their only release.  Several of these tracks found their way onto compilations - "Mind Pollution 2" for instance, but these 10 tracks make up their entire discography as far as I know.  Varying from groovy beats and heavy riffs to techno based tracks and white-boy rap, these guys certainly pushed the envelope of the 90s punk and HC scene.  A distinct record and one that any Doom fan should hear for the novelty alone.

Virtual Reality - Dreamstate 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

N.S.C. - Word of God Ep

Ok, with all the holiday traveling I've been doing, I only have time for one last post for this year.  Up next is yet another short lived band from the early 90s.  N.S.C. hailed from Salt Lake City, Utah and played some crusty, anarcho influenced punk featuring male and female vocals.  Several tracks on this Ep are fairly straight forward crusty punk, similar to Mankind? or Resist.  A couple of tracks are longer and have what I'd call "theatrical" interludes which bring to mind bands like the False Prophets or even later Dead Kennedys.  The final track is a mash-up of shitty rock covers with the lyrics changed to lampoon major label bands.  Overall, though, this is an interesting collection of tunes which stuck out for me at the time.  The only other N.S.C. release I know of is a track on the Our Voice Pro-Choice comp. which also featured Born Against and Heroin. 

Everybody have a happy and safe New Year's Eve and I'll be back with more records in 2012!

N.S.C. - Word of God Ep

Apostates - Burning World of Hate Ep

Here is a fairly obscure release from a band on the fringe of the NY punk scene in the late 80s and early 90s.  Apostates appeared on some NY punk compilations, notably Squat or Rot, Vol. 2 - along with Jesus Chrust, Yuppicide and others.  This 7" was released soon after and featured the song from that comp. with 2 additional tracks.  Apostates had a distinctive sound and were unlike most other NYHC bands of the time.  This record has a real anarcho-punk meets folk rock feel to it.  For reference, I'd compare it to the Pollution Circus Ep I posted a while back, or to some of that first Terminus Lp.  Apparently the band went in a more Goth direction after this record, though I've not heard anything else from them.  They have a site with the band's history and activities these days.  Whatever became of them, this Ep is a great record with an unconventional sound.

Apostates - Burning World of Hate Ep

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

Head Hits Concrete - Hope, Fear and the Terror of Dreams Ep

This week I've got another Canadian band, Winnipeg's Head Hits Concrete.  These guys play some brutal grindcore with a slight tech-metal influence.  Their sound reminds me a bit of Discordance Axis or fellow Canadians Malefaction.  HHC existed from 1999 to 2004, though there are rumors that they are back together and recording new material.  This Ep is from 2003 and came out on Intolerant Messiah records.   

Head Hits Concrete - Hope, Fear and the Terror of Dreams Ep