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

All Ill - Symbols of Involution Ep

Up next is a Spanish group from the late 1990s - All Ill.  These guys played ultra fast, thrashy, straight-edge influence hardcore with perhaps a touch of power violence.  Bands for reference would be their country-mates E-150, Scholastic Deth, Exclaim or Sick Terror.  Presented here is their "Symbols of Involution" Ep that came out on Sound Pollution Records in 2000.  This one features 10 tracks, including a Project X cover (Dance Floor Justice).  It looks like All Ill released at least another CD's worth of material but I've not been able to track that one down.  Regardless, this Ep is killer and a great listen for fans of this sound and the aforementioned bands.

All Ill - Symbols of Involution Ep

Weaving the Deathbag

Alright, another Wisconsin band here... as I mentioned in the last post, Weaving the Deathbag featured a member of Defacto Oppression and formed shortly after D.O. disbanded.  Weaving... had a slightly different take on the early 2000s hardcore punk sound, playing faster and with somewhat cleaner vocals.  I've always thought WtDB would have fit well on Sound Pollution or 625 Records - their sound was reminiscent of 90s greats like Hellnation and Capitalist Casualties, with perhaps just a touch of melody.  Weaving the Deathbag released a total of four 7" Eps, each of which is collected here on their "Compendium" CD.  I picked this up from the band on one of their final tours - 26 tracks that collect all the 7"ers plus a couple of cover songs.  Great stuff from a sadly short lived and underrated band...

Weaving the Deathbag - Compendium CD

Defacto Oppression

Ok, I'm back in town and have had a little time to prepare some posts for you all.... this time out its back to the Mid-West of the USA for a short-lived Wisconsin band called Defacto Oppression.  These dudes only released a 7" and a full length CD, both of which are presented for you here.  Coming along in the late 90s and surviving into the early 2000s, Defacto Oppression's sound straddles the decades similarly... the 7" has a more 90s sound, reminiscent of the crusty hardcore you might hear on early Profane Existence records - bands like Deprived, Resist or early Defiance.  By the time their full length came out, Defacto Oppression seemed to incorporate a more "modern" sound - resembling His Hero is Gone or Tragedy, but with a flavor all their own...  the 8 minute long closing track, "The Train," is intense and a fitting closing number to both the album and their career.  One of these guys would go on to the great Weaving the Deathbag who will be featured in the next post... great stuff.

Defacto Oppression - We're Digging Our Own Graves Ep and Screen Symphony Suicide CD

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

Black Dove

OK, to finish off this Ohio trilogy, here is a final Dead Hate the Living related band that I've got... Black Dove featured the same three TDHTL dudes from Dismal, plus another guitarist.  Black Dove perhaps threw a bit more metal riffage into the mix, but in the main they continued on with the vicious Scandicore of Dismal.  Included here is their demo Ep - a 7" of the demo tape pressed for tour, along with their "No Future No Fate" Lp.  I don't think Black Dove released anything further, though they seemed to have soldiered on for a bit after the Lp came out.  Brandon and Carter, the bass player and drummer, appear to have formed another band, Paralyzer, after Black Dove but I've not tracked down any of their material.  Black Dove, like all their preceding bands, were great live, toured extensively and were staples of the early 2000s DIY scene in the U.S. and if you were into the previous couple of posts at all, they are well worth a listen...

Black Dove - Demo Ep and "No Future No Fate" Lp       

Dismal - Terra Plague Ep

Here is the Dismal Ep I mentioned in the last post... the core members of The Dead Hate the Living formed Dismal shortly after the band's demise with a different guitarist and minus TDHTL's main singer.  Dismal went in a much more Scandicore direction and the Anti Cimex influence is right on the surface of these tunes, with perhaps a half step more speed.  Unfortunately Dismal was very short lived but they did fold into the also excellent Black Dove.... their stuff coming soon.

Dismal - Terra Plague Ep