Condition Oakland

I grabbed this copy of the almighty Jawbreaker release, '24 Hour Revenge Therapy' on eBay the other week. This is my all time favourite record, by my favourite band. I love this record more than I love most things. They started recording this with Steve Albini the day I was born. Anyway, as far as I know there was only ever one pressing, and after this release they signed to Geffen records and released 'Dear You' which has a few variations. I think there might be a bootleg, but this is the first pressing. On black, not sure of the limitations.

I don't think much really needs to be said. It's an 11/10 release easily. This is in amazing condition, it was sealed when I got it.

You're Out Of My Top Eight

A little blast from the past here. This is Pro Team's EP entitled 'Our Wasteland'. This came out in 2007 as a CD on Washed Up! records, following their demo. This was one of my favourite Australian Hardcore releases of that era, and something I never really stopped listening to. The band never really broke up, either, but after playing a tour and some shows on the back of the CD version of this release they stopped playing shows and stopped being a band, essentially. A little while ago they announced they were writing more songs, playing more shows, and Midnight Funeral announced the release of this beauty on vinyl for the first time.

This came out last month. 300 copies and each is randomly coloured, so there are essentially 300 different variations. I ended up buying two because of this very reason. One is a bunch of browns/dark oranges, and one is a pink/purple swirl with black. Both are really cool, and I think there are more pictures of other ones up on the Midnight Funeral site.

A Turn For The Worst

I got this record when it came out a few years ago (maybe late 2010/early 2011?). I missed the preorders and then I saw Craig from Midnight Funeral post about having a few left when my friend Sean posted about the release on his blog. When Craig sent this to me a few days later he had forgot to send the insert, anyway, after a little chasing and Craig being overseas and a bunch of other stuff, he finally sent me the insert.

This is another record where the art is a major focus for me. The illustration work is something else, the front and back covers are exceptional, and the insert features zombie-like illustrations of the members. This band has put out another full length or two since this, and they've kind of blown up. Aside from the 'Three Nails and a Book of Flaws' 7inch this is my favourite release, and one of the only ones which has really grabbed my interest. I think the release was 300 on black.

Paranoia

So, after about a million years this finally showed up in my mailbox... Warbrain released this some time ago, I think it was early 2011 with immediate plans for a physical release as a 7inch. However there were a massive amount of delays and problems with the pressing. I kind of thought it was never going to happen and the only paranoia I had was if I was going to get my preorder money back from Trial And Error. But no, almost a year later it's showed up. It's also the first record Trial and Error have put out in quite some time. Anyway, here it is... It came in a nice screened mailer which features a 1 colour version of the cover artwork. The layout and artwork is by Callum Preston, who is an absolute champion and insanely good, he's really nailed this one. The packaging is nice and simple, front art, a back with a simple track listing and photo. Insert for the lyrics and then the vinyl... Which comes in 2 variants. Green on Green splatter (limited to 100) and Black splatter on Gold (limited to 200).

SHACKLES

So if you haven't heard Byron Bay's SHACKLES you've probably been sleeping under a rock instead of being hit with one. For a while they have been rockin' it out and absolutely killing it. They've put out two tapes on Sean's label; a demo and 'Preliminary Harm'. Now they have this, a seven inch by the name of 'Maunder'. There are 300 copies, 96 on the Green pictured (translucent) and 200 on Black (not pictured) and 4 test presses (not pictured). This band is beyond worth checking out.

Screaming Gets You Nothing

So as I posted about before, Give Up The Ghost/American Nightmare (whatever name you want to call them) did some shows at the end of last year, including what would have been the greatest New Years Eve in LA. To accompany these shows and the band (maybe) doing some things again, Deathwish reissued the 'Background Music' and 'We're Down Til We're Underground' LPs on both standard and 180gram versions. They came with re-vamped packaging and in gatefold. I'm not 100% sure but I think the tracks were also remastered/tweeked for this. 'Background Music' is one of my favourite records, and what I think is pretty well close to a perfect record, I'd quite like to own the first pressing (just because the name change annoys me) but until then this will grace my turntable.

DISENGAGE

This band has kind of risen to a little bit of an acclaim of late. Disengage are a youth crew revival sounding band out of Wilkes-Barre, PA. which is a host to quite a few similar bands, like United Youth and Stick Together. I think the reason (unfortunately) that this band has stood out above the others mentioned, at least with a wider audience, is due to the fact that they're "that hardcore band the dude from Title Fight is in". Ned from Title Fight does sing in this band, I think there are members from a few other WBHC bands (Cold World / Stick Together... and I think someone from Tigers Jaw might even be in the band) but that is not the sole reason you should check them out. They have released a demo and an EP called 'Look Back' which I quite like, but this is a step forward for the band. Song writing is stronger, everything sounds tighter. The artwork is also really cool on this, the cover is a painting of a hardcore show which is done really well. Check this out, but not because the dude from Title Fight is in it...

As Long As I'm Still Alive

So as a little bit of a follow on to that Backtrack post, here is the latest record from Baltimore's Trapped Under Ice. This is the Record Release Tour pressing of 'Big Kiss Goodnight' from when I saw them in America. Clear vinyl, I am not sure of the pressing information. Reaper Records are still killing it, and this record is growing on me with every listen. The artwork is really nice, in fact it's probably one of those records you could justify owning even if you didn't like the band/record. The insert is the dust jacket, which showcases a nice photo spread and lyrics on the reverse.

Welcome To The Pound

Backtrack have just finished up their Australian tour, so it's fitting to post about their full length which came out at the end of last year. 'Darker Half' is 12 tracks of solid Long Island hardcore. It's what you'd expect from the band if you'd heard previous releases, but predictable isn't the word I'd use. The song writing is a lot stronger. This copy is from when I saw them in Philadelphia with Sick Of It All and Trapped Under Ice as a part of the TUI/BT Record Release tour. It's on clear, I am unsure of the pressing information. I also got a copy from the Australian tour which is on half black/half white, which I thought was cool.

The Bullet or The Chapstick

So a little while ago I picked up this... a first press of Brand New's first record 'Your Favorite Weapon' as a little bit of a Christmas present to myself. This is on white, which is out of a hundred. It was pressed in 2001 by Iodine record. I believe there are 3 pressings. I'm quite happy I own this, it's my favourite BN release and I managed to pick it up at a good price (instead of the insane eBay prices) when Iodine Records found some in storage.

Refrain

Some time last year I heard the Refrain demo when they put it on the internet, my friends in BLKOUT also bought some actual CDs over on a tour and I got one then. I thought their demo was really cool, they had a strong youth crew vibe and it was awesome, but it kind of slipped under my radar. The other week marked their first east coast shows, with a show in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This reaffirmed and refreshed what I already knew, this band is amazing. They are one of my favourite Perth bands (it seems a lot of great stuff is coming out of Perth and the place seems to be full of great dudes, but I digress).

Anyway, the show was awesome, the band played really well and covered the almighty Straight Ahead, which instantly wins points with me. At the show I picked up their new seven inch which is out through Suppresion Records



I was going to take more photos however I was lazy and I was in a rush to go out, this is a gatefold 7inch, packing 6 tracks, one of which is a re recording from the demo. It all kind of follows the same vibe, only it sounds a little more defined and the songs are stronger; you can tell they have developed as a band.

The packaging/layout is cool. A simple two colour print of artwork, the inside has a live photo in the same scheme with lyrics/info printed over, and the back has a more focal live photo with a track listing at the bottom.

I really like this record. I really like this band.
Check them out, pick this up, go see them if you ever have the chance. This band is so underrated.

Birthday Purchases

I ended up emailing Summersteps Records a while ago about some information on this. Before Tigers Jaw were a band, they were a duo, and they released this. It is the first TJ release and it is called Belongs to the Dead.



This was only ever made as a handmade/limited CD-R. When I sent them an email they told me that they would make me my own copy. I don't usually post about CDs, but this is too cool to ignore. The songs on this have mostly been re-released/recorded as a full band, with some of the name changed. It comes in a paper sleeve, and it has a really cool insert that I am going to scan in which has some funny explainations about the songs and some things to cut out to make a tiger hat/mask.



On Friday I saw Greg from Arrest Records post about selling some copies of the test pressing from the Beartrap and Battletruk split 7inch and I jumped on it. This is out of 10 copies, of which I think about 3 or 4 were sold. These are the ONLY 10 copies of the record as the pressing never went ahead. This also means that it is the only thing Battletruk have ever released on vinyl.

There isn't a cover. There isn't anything. This was given to me in a clear inner sleeve and the only marking is the SIDE A label which you can see in the photo. There isn't even a SIDE B label.

I haven't listened to the songs yet, but both bands are fucking sick and you should check them out!

Some eBay Picks

Every now and then I buy from eBay. I kind of avoid it now because I have been fucked over by a few shitty sellers. Anyway, I chucked a few small bids on some records that took my fancy and I won. I've actually gotten a few great buys this way, it's always good to get something at a steal. I paid about $17AU for these two records, including postage.



First up is a nifty little seven inch from a few years ago by Sinking Ships. It's called "Ten". This copy is on red vinyl, and it is a second pressing (I believe) on Revelation Records. I have no idea about the release info or whatever. I'm still yet to own a copy of Disconnecting which is my favourite release by this band. I've had this record in digital format for years, it's kind of nice to have it in tangible form.



The second record I ended up winning is a copy of the famous Brainwashed seven inch by Miles Away on white. I already own a copy of this on yellow, and you don't see too many floating around any more, it was good to get one at a good price. I love this band so fucking much. This is on Resist records, there is only one pressing. White /200.

Hell Split Wide Open

This came in the mail the other day, and I was super excited. This is Iron Mind's new record, and their first full-length. It's the first release since their EP and I assume a lot of other people were also super excited about it, with good reason, it delivers big time. Aggressive, heavy hardcore with great song writing and structure, topped off with great lyrical work. I'm sure this will reap one of my top ten spots this year, especially for Australian Hardcore.



As I mentioned, the band has kind of been inactive since 2010. I think Sam went to Europe and a bunch of the other guys were in other bands and all generally busy, I don't really know the ins and out, but the future of the band was questioned. I think maybe that was all just rumours, because when you see this you can kind of understand why they haven't put anything out since 2009.

Sam Octigan sings for this band, and he is also an illustrator/designer. One of my favourite Australian illustrators/designers, actually. He did all the artwork for this record which is a fucking extensive masterpiece. The front cover, two middle sleeves of the gatefold jacket, and the back are all one giant flowing piece of art. He probably spent those 2+ years working on this. I would seriously just buy this record for his artwork... the songs are kind of a plus.





This came out on Deadsouls Records. My copy is on a colour known as 'Oxblood' and is limited to 100 copies. It also came out on Black/Purple Swirl (also limited to 100) and Black (limited to 300). There are 30 record release covers, and 10 test pressings.

You should go and pick this up. Every aspect of it is absolutely amazing. 10/10.