Notice

This blog is no longer active. My life has taken turns that have left me with no extra time or energy to devote to this blog's maintenance and the uploading of additional content. I do continue to receive and respond to comments on posts on the blog, through email, and on Facebook. I still love to listen to old Christian hardcore albums, as well as reminisce about and discuss these bands. I hope this blog continues to serve as a valuable resource on the subject, which keeps me bound to continuously replying to incoming emails with requests for downloads whose links on the blog are no longer functioning. This is no problem and I am happy to continue offering such a favor. If a link doesn't work then contact me.

All the music posted on this blog belongs to the artists. It's all on this blog for the solely to spark memories, discover Christian hardcore bands you never knew existed, and to be a reminder to go and search for and purchase these records! Please, if you enjoy any of the records featured here then try to get your hands on a physical copy. If you are associated with any band on this blog and would like me to either remove the links to downloads of your music or not be featured on this blog at all then please just email me.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

more Bloodshed stuff



Thanks to Matt M., we can now have our hands on Bloodshed's self titled record. Be sure to check out the previous post of Bloodshed on the No Exit Hardcore Compilation from 1994 on Inside Front. Thanks again Matt for taking the time to rip this stuff and send it my way. Here is a nice bio of Bloodshed on their tribute MySpace page:

"A band that started by kids in their early teens and ended after just two eps on Tooth and Nail. Fans, new comers, and old core adults (ha), join up and post your comments about this amazing band. Maybe with the slightest of hope, the band will reform and play once again. Bloodshed started in the early nineties (1992?) with Jason Fleetwood, Jonathan Caro, Justice Gulmatico, John Kittrel, and Sean Stopnik. Later, Kevin Chen joined up for their final ep. (Kevin Chen also went on to play with the OC Supertones for two albums). Timothy Clark later joined when vocalist when Jason Fleetwood departed. Shortly after, the band changed their name to "Slingshot David" with hopes of starting anew.

Bloodshed first appeared (Nationally) on "Helpless Amongst Friends Vol. 1", which was released on Tooth and Nail in 1994 (Which also featured other such bands as Focused, Unashamed, P.O.D, Strongarm, The Blamed, NIV, etc.). The band soon after, did several west coast and national tours, going out with bands like Focused and Unashamed. They even hit Cornerstone in 95. Bloodshed released just two EPs on Tooth and Nail until their demise in 1997. "Self Titled" was released in 1995, and "The Soft Spoken Words of Fallbrook" was released as a limited edition ep in 1996. The band released a few rare demos here and there. I have one on cas
sette of their final songs but who knows if I can turn that to mp3. Plus no song titles :( I am sure band members have a bunch of stuff on cd tucked away, so maybe we'll surprise some of you soon. The band consistently played to packed clubs/venues all over Orange County and Los Angeles for several years until they eventually broke up and went on to do their various side projects full time. They attempted one final lineup in 97' with Timothy Clark on vocals and recorded a few demos as the band "Slingshot David". The band broke up a few months later leaving that demo unheard (except by me ;). Apparently their was another recording done for a label out of Canada that would have been the full Slingshot David introduction but they broke up before it's release. Bummer. This band practically coined the term "Emo-Core" around Orange County. This coming from a band of 16 year olds was pretty impressive at the time.
No, "Emo-Core" did not start with Thursday and Poison the Well , sorry kids.
"

Self titled (1995 - Tooth & Nail Records)



- Thanks again Matt M. for the upload.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Dodgin' Bullets



I've pretty much been into every Quiggle project. I still love xDisciplex and Shockwave and listen to their shit frequently. Being a big fan of No Innocent Victim as well, it simply makes sense to love Dodgin' Bullets. Here's why:

(from their MySpace page)
"True friendship was born in the Summer of 1998 when No Innocent Victim toured with Erie, PA's xDisciplex AD! Ever since that tour, the two bands have been close knit and best of friends. It only made sense to bring the two coasts together and join forces to create a fun band but at the same time dealt with serious issues. DODGIN' BULLETS was then born and released their first 5 song CDep "Soundtrack to the end of the World" in September of 1999. It was Facedown's 6th release and came out at a crucial time of the label's history and growth period along with the debut full length from FIGURE FOUR as well as OVERCOME's final full length "Immortal Until Their Work is Done"! The band has now recorded three different times and most all of the tracks can be found on the "Earn Your Respect" CD out now on Facedown (because both "Soundtrack To The End Of The World" and "World Wide War" were out of print). DODGIN' BULLETS is and always will be about friendship and a solid bond! Musically it is best described as a perfect mix of California's No Innocent Victim and xDisciplex AD. Heavy and straight forward New York influenced hardcore with heavy Quiggle influenced breakdowns and flavors thrown in! They were never a full time band, and that was never the goal or point of it. DB played shows in So Cal, Erie, PA and Cornerstone Festival in Illinois. Note: this page is NOT maintained by former band members. It's just a tribute to this great hardcore band, that sadly is no longer around."

Soundtrack to the End of the World (1999 - Facedown Records)



World Wide War (2000 - Facedown Records)



Earn Your Respect (2002 - Facedown Records)

Death Through Adam



Death Through Adam were a band from sometime in 2000 until 2004. They were from my hometown of Cincinnati, OH, and for about a year or so they played straight up chuggy hardcore and were my favorite band. When Death Through Adam first started, as This Day Forth, music style and band lineup was much different. As they became Death Through Adam, they began playing hardcore music, abusing china cymbals, Boss Metal Zone guitar pedals (remember those?). I was a huge fan of their's. Sadly, I have no recordings of them from that short period of time, but am currently trying to get something from then from the dudes that were in it. In 2002, they independently released an ep titled The Differences Between Pictures and People. This record displayed their change in music style as they went more for a more metal influenced metalcore sound. Over the next couple years, they progressed musically, becoming more metal, less hardcore, and more technical, somewhat comparable to an old Between the Buried and Me. It was pretty good, don't get me wrong, but their old shit was the greatest. Death Through Adam wasn't the only musical project these dudes though. Members were previously in other projects and went on to be in other stuff, some current. I actually got the opportunity to play with a few of the guys. Will, who did vocals, later played drums, very briefly, for a metalcore band I was a part of called Before Mourning Comes. Marc, who went from drums to bass, and Phil; who played guitar, did vocals for a bit, and went back to guitar; both joined a project I was in called A Cry for Mercy and continued into Before Mourning Comes for a short while. Will and Phil had both been a part of local Christian hardcore band, Descension, in the late 90s. I will post their record soon as well. Will and Phil, pretty recently actually, played briefly in nationally known Christian metal band Corpus Christi on Victory Records. Marc played in several local projects, such as Dead Heroes (RIP), Fright Night, A Call to Arms. Josh, former bassist before lineup and musical changes, later sang for Josiah, a Christian metalcore band from Indiana. Overall, Death Through Adam had a major impact on the local scene in my opinion. They were the only Christian hardcore/metalcore band playing at shows in our city at the time, and for a while they played hardcore music and put on shows that really sucked you in. I'll NEVER forget the impact they had on me and the sounds of those Metal Zone pedals, china cymbals, and off mic screams. Great stuff. Although I do not have their early stuff, I do have their later, more metal influenced, eps.

The Differences Between Pictures and People (2002 )

To Slumber in the Silent Dust (2003)

Sorry I do not have the artwork available. I have them in my iTunes, but can't find the artwork online anywhere and don't know how to locate the artwork files for my iTunes. If you know how, let me know. I will also be nagging those dudes for their early recordings.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

More posts coming...

It has been about a week since my last post, and I can thank Windows for that. I'm the last person to hop on the latest trends, but I am totally switching to Mac when I get the money. I've had it with PCs. They make simple operations much harder than they should be. Whoever came up with the saying "Computers only do what you tell them to" is WRONG. I tell my PC to turn on, it doesn't. I tell my PC to close a window, it doesn't. I tell my PC to "Safely Remove" my external hard drives, it "can't". I spent days backing up my stuff, copying some iTunes files so I wouldn't lose my nicely organized iTunes, and re-installing Windows onto my PC and setting up my iTunes again. I've got a ton more stuff to post on here. With the holidays coming up, I'm going to try to get a couple more bands on here before I can't for a little bit. I have a lot of obvious Christian hardcore bands to post on here; such as No Innocent Victim, Figure Four, Set Apart, Stretch Armstrong, Terra Firma, and more; and some not-as-well-known Christian hardcore bands, as well as some old local Christian hardcore from here to post. In the mean time, if anyone's got any of the records I'm looking for (posted on the right side of the page), please email me through my Blogger profile. Thanks.

Josh

Friday, December 11, 2009

Few Left Standing



Few Left Standing was a short lived Christian hardcore band from Memphis, TN. They played a brand of hardcore that aligned themselves with the "spirit-filled hardcore" movement that raged through the mid to late 90s and early 2000s. It sucks that there isn't much coverage on Few Left Standing on the internet, but they always had a more underground following, never joining the mainstream hardcore community. They were only a four piece band, something that differs from the general hardcore routine, and were on, now defunct record label, Takehold Records. I'm certain you can still purchase their two full length records, Regeneration of Self and Wormwood, through Tooth & Nail Records website, so do it. I am uncertain of many details regarding Few Left Standing; such as when they became a band and when they called it quits, demos and records, etc.; but from what I have gathered on a fan-created Myspace for the band, there is a two-song record of their's out there that is extremely rare. I have added it to my list of shit I need on the right side of the blog.




Wormwood (2001 - Takehold Records)


Friday, December 4, 2009

Point of Recognition



Not in the mood to type up something on Point of Recognition. I loved them, saw them only once and went nuts for them. Their stuff got extremely heavy throughout the period of releasing only three full lengths and a three-way split with Torn in Two and Cast in Stone titled Now the Tables Have Turned but remained somewhat of a generic sound. One thing I did enjoy about them was they always mixed some metalcore in with their tough facade. Here's a decent bio that can be found on their Wikipedia page:

Point Of Recognition had been playing for about a year before releasing their debut album Admiration of a Son on Rescue Records in 1999. Four of their songs were also included on a 3-way split CD, titled Now the Tables Have Turned, on Facedown Records (along with Torn In Two and Cast In Stone). The band toured constantly before releasing their second album Refresh, Renew on Facedown Records.
With the heavier sound from the Refresh, Renew album, the band toured with the likes of
H20, All Out War, Throwdown, No Innocent Victim (Southern California neighbors with whom they perform often), among many others, quickly gaining fan support. However there were soon lineup changes. With No Innocent Victim and former Dodgin' Bullets guitarist Tim Mason joining the group in 2002, the band would release their final album Day Of Defeat in June of that year.
Day of Defeat was praised by fans and critics alike[
citation needed]. The band called it quits in October of 2002 in order for the members to pursue other interests, musical and/or family.
In January 2007, it was announced that Point Of Recognition would reunite for Facedown Fest 2007 on March 24
[1], much to the delight of the fans.

Admiration of a Son (1999 - 316/Rescue Records)




Refresh Renew (2001 - Facedown Records)



Day of Defeat (2002 - Facedown Records)


Monday, November 23, 2009

xDisciplex



Erie, PA's xDisciplex (now known as xDisciplex A.D.), formerly Disciple, was such an influential Christian and straight edge hardcore band. Around from 1995 until sometime in 2004, xDisciplex put out a good deal of records for kids to love, because most of them are amazing. They are mostly known nowadays for their founding members, the two Quiggle brothers Dan and Dave, who have been in a number of projects and Dave having a huge reputation for his artwork and tattooing. xDisciplex are a band that will never be forgotten, and definitely never be grouped only in the Christian scene, but the entire hardcore scene. I think I can say that their record, No Blood, No Altar Now, is their best, but all of their older stuff seems to be their best. I believe I have gotten my hands on their entire discography, but may be missing things like demo's and small things, and I know I am missing their Blood Feud record, so if anyone has that please get at me. Out of all of the bands that will ever be featured on this blog, xDisciplex will be one of the best. I only ever had the opportunity to see them two times, which I totally took advantage of, and each time I loved every second of their set. It was always insane. Well...onto their records.

Lantern (1996)





Scarab (1997)



Imitation of Love (1998 - Goodfellow Records)



No Blood, No Altar Now (1999 - Goodfellow Records)



Heaven and Hell (2000 - Triple Crown Records)



Doxology (2001 - Facedown Records)



The Revelation (2003 - Triple Crown Records)



Benediction (2003 - Angelskin Media)

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Hopesfall



Hopesfall used to be an amazing band, I don't know what happened. They formed in 1998, breaking up ten years later, but only released two records worth a listen. Their first record, a full length titled Frailty of Words, was released on DTS Records in 1999. This record was the shit. At the time, the "post-hardcore" sound, emotional hardcore, singing in more hardcore, was becoming more and more prevalent. They took this sound but kept and very raw, aggressive late 90s metalcore sound and just made it into something of their own. Hopesfall was band that gained notoriety, but never really got the recognition that they should have when they were playing their early stuff. You can tell that once they hit the more mainstream sound, that's when their audience grew greatly. Their second record, an ep titled No Wings to Speak Of, was released on Takehold Records and Trustkill Records in 2001. This is what I would consider to be their last decent release. After this, they went downhill. It's pretty lame when I see Hopesfall the first time when I was like a freshman in high school and their set was insane; people all around me were screaming, the pit was nuts, and I even saw a dude's tongue fall to the floor when he got hit; to seeing them only a couple years later at a venue here in Cincinnati and with a new lineup, new material, they sucked. It's a shame that the band didn't continue what they really started in 98. Definitely give Frailty of Words a listen, and maybe a couple songs off of No Wings to Speak Of are worth a listen.

Frailty of Words (1999 - DTS Records)





Friday, November 13, 2009

So what's making the hardcore scene so lame today

I know I haven't been involved in playing in bands, attending shows, spending money on band's music, being militant about being straight edge, as long as a lot of people, who are typically much older than me (I'm only 23). BUT, being someone; who his entire life has been into underground music, always been drug and alcohol free, has for over a decade played in local hardcore bands to show my support for the scene, and discovered / fell in love with hardcore music and straight edge when I was only 12 years old and still have that love for what brought me into it all today; I think I can easily point out how shitty this scene has become and the exact reasons for it. Let us take a brief look:

1. The music. What had always made the counter culture of the hardcore scene so great was the music. What first sucked you into it was it was always dudes, pissed off, screaming about shit they hated or shit they really believed in. If you were anything like me, you needed more and more and absolutely could not get enough of it. You sought out show flyers regularly; visiting alternative stores, records stores, malls, the counters at music stores or music equipment shops; and you kept your eye out for that rare occurance when you'd see someone that was dressed like you; wearing a band shirt you knew, or wearing a choker with baggy clothes, maybe wearing the cuffed jeans, chuck taylors, vans, X's on their hands, tattoos, piercings, etc. etc. etc.; and when you saw someone like you, it was a big deal. Maybe you even went up to that person and sparked conversation about your similar interests, and next thing you knew, you were hanging out with them and recognizing them at shows. But what made the music really so great, was that the scene always provided you with what you needed at times of change. You were getting into hardcore, hearing bands like Hatebreed, Earth Crisis, Strife, Despair, or whoever. Then you needed more, and throughout your desperate search at record stores or shows, because you were a true hardcore kid that wasn't handed everything through the internet and with your parents' money, you found a diverse montage of amazing bands within the scene. You found your bands that played straight up hardcore, your bands that played the 90s metalcore stuff, or your bands that were strictly straight edge or vegan or BOTH. You found your Christian bands or your Krishna bands, your bands that preached left wing rantings or your bands that didn't get big in the scene because they weren't liberal like the rest. You found your bands that played early grind stuff like Converge, Assuck, Anal Cunt, etc. You found your bands that played early screamo and passionate sounding hardcore from the 80's and on. Or if you were a traditional hardcore and punk person and kept to the bands that played the youth crew sound, they were there, and still are. As the mid 2000s came, so did death by being bland. Bands became big only if they fit a mold. Now, I understand, with any type of music, this occurs at any point in time, but this is the hardcore scene remember? Supposed to go against the grain, right? A good example is last year I was in a band that played melodic hardcore, but was becoming more and more like the stuff that got me into hardcore: Strongarm, old Shai Hulud, many "spirit filled hardcore" bands, etc. This jobber kid from Kentucky had the nerve to offer us a management and tell me (I wrote and still write all the music) that I need to compromise our sound to get big. Instead of playing stuff like Strongarm and old Shai Hulud, we need to make it sound like Comeback Kid mixed with Poison the Well. Little does this fuck know, that as much as I loved the first two Poison the Well records and the first Comeback Kid record, we were playing a sound that didn't last very long and were trying to bring it back. When I made this clear to him, he had the balls to tell me the 90s sound won't ever come back. Well, first of all, this punk tours with horrible metal bands of today (what the new "scene" kid would listen to). Second of all, what sound is becoming very prevalent in the real scene again? Oh, that's right, the 90s shit. I think 2009 being a year of reunions, Burning Fight Fest, and the rise of bands bringing that sound back, is all pretty decent proof, huh? Third, if the scene ever relies on compromising music to make it big, it's all gone to hell. Bands, please do me, yourselves, and the scene a favor, play shit that doesn't fit the mold.

2. The "jobber". We all know what a "jobber" is, right? Well, if not, a "jobber" is a new jack kid who talks himself (or herself) up a lot, kisses a lot of ass in the scene, and thinks he or she is the absolute balls. Go to a show nowadays, you'll find yourself surrounded by these types. Kids today have everything handed to them, and that's not just the hardcore scene. Parents have become pussies with their kids. Kids are growing up with no respect for their superiors or for the elderly, and respect is the issue here. When I started going to shows; getting into hardcore, claiming straight edge, falling in love with the scene; along with a few friends, we looked up to people and expected nothing but opportunities to learn more. To this day, I know people that are much older and have been around this stuff for much longer and have records, seen shows, or even played in bands or with bands at shows that I would just die to be a part of. I looked to these people for knowledge. I always wanted to learn about more bands, and to do so I had to do some work to fulfill my craving. Today, a 13 year old kid goes on Myspace (a lame invention), and socializes with his friends and girlfriends online rather than hangs out with them in person, gets into bands of today that are just so horrible and are huge making the big money, and begins seeing that this is how bands who sound metal, punk, hardcore, etc. should be. So then the kid meets other kids that are straight edge or into hardcore music or whatever, and starts loving it. So what's this kid have to do now? Get back online, look up bands that are the sounds he's looking for, and that's it. Go to a store to find flyers? Nah, how about just go on Myspace and who needs a paper flyer keepsake when you can just see a digital one online? Kids getting covered in tattoos, acting tough, talking themselves up as if they were in the bands they wish they knew of long ago, need to learn to look at the scene as opportunity, not as a Myspace gathering at a venue with hardcore bands playing.

3. Girls, girls, girls. What guy doesn't love girls? I mean, my opposing sex isn't my favorite thing in the world right now, seems like they always let you down, right? But in the hardcore scene, what's a girl doing there now? When I was younger, and obviously before I started getting into it all, you would see girls at shows rare to none. But, they were there for the same reasons the guys were there. They really loved the music, they really loved the energy, and to be honest, some girls you couldn't even tell apart from the guys. And I loved it, I think that is a scene, not what we have today. Today, girls are there to either flirt with dudes, get fucked, and pretty much as like the teeny bopper slut they are at school, but dress alternatively (which is now cool) and be the same slut girl from Clueless at a hardcore show. Remember the saying, "Get your clit out of the pit!" ? Sigh...patriarchy can work wonders if you let it.

4. The fashion. Every scene of any decade or period of time has its trends. Hell, I've gone from dressing like a dork when I was 12 listening to punk rock, some Metallica, loving the Bosstones to death, discovering hardcore bands, and becoming straight edge; to sporting baggy clothes, belts hanging down the front of my pants, huge ass Xs on my hands all day every day, wearing chokers, wearing skate shoes, listening to heavy 90s bands; to all black tight shirts and pants, wearing chucks, listening to late 90s metalcore; to wearing cuffed jeans, wearing chucks, wearing plain white ts (not the untalented pop band), listening to more early screamo, more metalcore, and still loving the old stuff; to closer and closer to where I am at today. What's great about all that, is I followed the scene around me. I wasn't dressing like kids at school in middle school and in high school, I was dressing like bands I was seeing at shows. I understand the hardcore scene has had its lame trends, some pretty humorous, and still does, but the hardcore scene has always been one step ahead of the mainstream, ever notice? Well now, it seems the hardcore scene and the mainstream have joined forces in creating such a horrid breed of...something. Kids now left and right are getting sucked into the super tight jeans, super v necks, lame girly hair, vans, piercings, and tattoos. Come on. Who would have thought that what used to be unheard of would become the new preppy? Go to a mall, out on your street, a movie theater, all you see is this shit. I called this shit in my 8th grade year and promised I would blow my brains out when it happens. Well, it's here, and suicide is weak, and I'm not weak.

5. From basements to arenas. This is the last aspect of the ruins of the hardcore scene I will rant about. Remember when shows were like anywhere from FREE to $5? Remember when you would take a few singles to a basement or hall somewhere and get to see tons of bands, maybe even some of your favorites, see a tons of new bands you never heard, get some fucking variety, enjoy the music to the point of exhaustion, can't get enough of what you saw, and feel like you had the weekend of your life? I rememeber that. What's wrong now is shit like Warped Tour, Ozzfest, Hot Topic, and Makeout Club, Friendster, Myspace, etc. Now, there is nothing wrong with Warped Tour still having punk and ska bands like it used to; Ozzfest featuring Ozzy and metal bands like it used to; Hot Topic (as still pretty new as it is) only selling lame goth shit; and internet social network sites being for the kids that have to gossip all day and night with their school friends and look super cool; but what's happened is our beloved hardcore scene and all music that is attached to it, or has been born from it, has enmeshed itself right in with these things. Is that the hardcore way? I think not. You should only be paying a few bucks to go see a group of hardcore bands. You should be seeing bands at random places, halls, basements, churces, anywhere that lets you throw and show. Bands shouldn't be able to make an entire living off playing hardcore music. Not that I don't think it's amazing that dudes are making money off something they love and have loved for a long time, but the fact that it's THAT popular and THAT mainstream, is the problem. Bands are making so much money touring that some cities don't get them there because kids throwing shows can't afford them, sorry east coast hardcore kid that can't see his favorite west coast band because they have a guarantee of $1000 a night. It's absurd. All we have left, those of us who really appreciated what things were like, is holding onto what we do love and keeping it sacred, and hope that when you're at the mall next time you're the only one sporting a Groundwork shirt. But the way things are going, who knows how bad it can get.

So, in conclusion, in no way think I don't still love hardcore music, love shows, love playing in a hardcore band, I do I do I do. But there is so much in the scene that is fake, trendy, and mainstream, I may as well go to a My Chemical Romance show. Hardcore is hardcore, it's not what it looks like today. If you're new to the hardcore scene, learn from those older than you. Really seek out bands and learn to appreciate the variety that the hardcore scene had, and still has the potential to, offer. And if you are in a hardcore band, or plan to be in one anytime soon, remember, play music for the right reasons. In hardcore, it's not about money, being on magazines covers, selling merch at Hot Topic, it's about making sure every hardcore kid hears your name and hears your music. Bands like Overcome and 7 Angels 7 Plagues are very good examples. Those bands are HUGE to those who really love hardcore music, but those bands are NOT huge to those in hardcore just for the ride. It's about notoriety, not fame.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Selfmindead

Sweden's Selfmindead was a band that got pretty overlooked by the hardcore scene in my opinion, seeming to only make a name for themselves in the Christian scene. They were around for quite some time too, like 1994 until 2003. They only released a few records; a 7" with Soulscape Records in 1997, a self titled record in 1998 with Sally Forth Records and Solid State Records, a full length record titled At the Barricades We Fall in 2000 with Solid State Records and Sally Forth Records, and a split with The Spirit that Guides Us titled The Oslo Compact in 2001 with Sally Forth Records, and several compilations. I saw them once at Cornerstone Festival when I was real young, but that's it. They do have a MySpace page now, from which I have posted a pretty detailed bio:

"selfmindead started as a 4-piece band in the winter of 1994-1995 in Eskilstuna Sweden, drums-marko, guitar-timo, vocals-ilkka and bass-tapani.........mainly influenced by the hardcore scene in Sweden at the time, bands as Refused, Abhinanda, Mindjive to name a few............... in early 1995 the band entered a band contest called cult-95 in the hometown of eskilstuna, and they went and won it.. that was the start and the confidence the band needed to aim higher, more gigs where played around the country of sweden and new contacts where made, in late 1996 the band got in contact with the newly started record company called soulscape records and they got signed for 1 record, early 1997 the band got into a studio and recorded a 7" vinyl consisting of 2 original songs and 1 coversong, and a cover of "hazel would" by starflyer 59...........................in the early summer of 1997 the band hit the studio in husqvarna/småland/sweden to record their debut selftitled cd.............the cd was released in scandinavia by soulscape records, in benelux and europe by sally forth records and in the united states by solid state records............the record release was followed by a member change... the bassplayer tapani left the band and was replaced by emil (silver, royal, and later serena maneesh)...... the band toured all around scandinavia for a year or two........ until new song-ideas started to burst out of the band, the band hit the studio again in the late summer of 1999, that was the recording of the second fullenght album "at the barricades we fall". the record was released in scandinavia by soulscape records and europe by sally fort records and usa by solid state...............in the time of the writing process of the second record emil left the band and pursued other projects. instead marko left the drumstool and was replaced by tommy (silver) marko took the role of guitarist and the bassguitar was picked up by even (silver) the band toured as a five peace for a year or so, then tommy and even left the band to work more on their silver project. hard work gives results!! :) the band started to look for new permanent members and found håkon from a band called "mold" on bass and michal from a broken-up band called "amphibro" from sweden. the band rehearsed monthly due to michal living in sweden 700km away, but they got good progress in the live performances and got booked to tour the united states the summer of 2000.......the band warmed up with a tour of germany and sweden before heading west to the USA. the tour was planned to go on over 2 months..........all of the bandmembers couldn't make it to the usa though... so a reserve-solution was made and the band continued the tour through-out almost all the states.......the band got back and started writing their third album, they released a split ep with the dutch band called "the spirit that guides us" it got released on sally forth records and distributed by sony music. several festivals and shows were played throught out scandinavia and they toured netherlands a couple of times.......selfmindead did their last show at the club named "blå" in eskilstuna sweden in august of 2002. the band went into writing modus to write their third album in early 2003 the band got split up, due to differencies................out of the ashes came benea reach (marco, ilkka, håkon, etc's metal project) and tiikeri (timos elektronika project) ....check them out.... www.myspace.com/tiikeriweb Click here to buy TIIKERIs NEW CD. www.myspace.com/beneareach"

Now, out of the four records I know they put out, including a split, I only have ONE. I have it posted below. It is a great album, sounds A LOT like your Swedish 90's hardcore bands like Refused or Abhinanda. If anyone has their split from 2001 or their early 1997 7" or their self titled record, please hook me up!

At the Barricades We Fall (2000 - Solid State Records/Sally Forth Records)

A Testament to Broken Walls compilation

In 2002, I believe, Adeldama/BackRoad Records pushed this midwest comp called A Testament to Broken Walls. This comp did not only feature Christian bands, but from what I can remember in those years, Christian bands and bands who were not Christian often got looped together in scenes because of similar music styles and a lot of Christian dudes being in non-Christian bands and such, at least in the Midwest it seemed. Therefore, this comp featured bands like: Subsist, Blue Skies Burning, 7 Angels 7 Plagues, End This Day, Circle of Dead Children, Entrust, Fed by Ravens, Upheaval, Zao, and many more. This comp makes me think of those times in the early 2000s so much, how different the scene was even then, wasn't too long ago. Haha that was when Christian hardcore became pretty cool to everyone, before all those Christian hardcore kids became atheists the last few years. Typical hardcore scene evolution I guess. Anyway, check out the comp below.

A Testament to Broken Walls compilation (2002 - Akeldama/BackRoad Records)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Sleeping by the Riverside



Tampa Bay, FA's Sleeping by the Riverside was around from 1996 until somewhere in 2003 or 2004. Being from Florida, of course they are going to have that melodic hardcore sound, which I love. Check out their MySpace page for lineup, discography, and live pictures. I have always put Sleeping by the Riverside in the same category as bands like Strongarm and Shai Hulud, but they incorporated more than just the melodic sound, and kept hints of the 90s metalcore sound. Members of went on to be in bands such as: Underoath, Further Seems Forever, Motion to Strike, Nothing Promise, Affix Bayonets, The Sugar Oaks, and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. The band had their music distributed amongst several different companies; releasing music carried on compilations with Steadfast Records, Takehold Records, and Facedown Records; releasing splits with Carry the Dead on Takehold Records in 1999 and with Sward on Takehold Records and Foreland Records in 2001; and finally releasing their full length, A Breath Between Battles, on Indianola Records in 2003. I only have their split with Carry the Dead and their full length record, unable to ever find their other releases, but have always been content with the material I do have of their's.

Split with Carry the Dead (1999 - Takehold Records)



A Breath Between Battles (2003 - Indianola Records)

Pink Daffodils



Pink Daffodils was around from 1996 to 1999. I only have one of their records, a three song ep titled Listless, released in 1997 on Sofa Records, but am aware of a single titled "Euroclydon" that was released. I don't know a thing about Pink Daffodils, but that they were a four piece, female fronted hardcore/punk band from Pennsylvania. The only reason I bought the album was because when I was like 13 I visited a weird Christian alternative store in the basement of a building downtown Cincinnati where they sold like classic Dickies pants and other alternative clothing, along with a lot of underground Christian music (not all hardcore or punk). I was browsing through their stuff, probably looking for something entirely different, when I picked up the Pink Daffodils Listless record and on the back saw a live picture with some dude sporting an old Earth Crisis shirt, and that's what sold me haha. Plus I really wanted that Earth Crisis shirt. As a matter of fact, anyone who comes across this blog and has, or knows where I can get my hands on, the old Earth Crisis shirt with the recycling symbol in the middle with "Earth" above it and "Crisis" below, on white or grey, please contact me via email. The only other thing I know of Pink Daffodils is that Jesse Keenan and Sarah Klein, both of Pink Daffodils, went on to form Red and Gold, with a sound more close to Fugazi and Rites of Spring. If anyone has any more information on Pink Daffodils, please comment!

Listless (1997 - Sofa Records)

Through and Through



I personally know hardly anything about Through and Through. I discovered them when I was very young and found a split that they had done with Zao. At that age, I wasn't part of a family with internet and money and all that stuff, so I didn't have many resources as to getting my hands on bands' stuff besides going to shows and some local records stores. Through and Through was a band I always kept my eyes open for, and shortly after discovering them (after they had broken up, of course), I came across three records at the Cornerstone Festival in Illinois on which I spent my only spending/food money for the week. I had found their split with Zao (check my huge post on Zao), their split with Subterfuge, and their only full length record, Joshua Aiken. The only thing I ever knew of them was that they were on Boot to Head Records, released their split with Zao on Steadfast Records, released their split with Subterfuge on Declaration Records, and were from Canada. Luckily, Boot to Head has bios on all of their past bands, and here is what they have to say about Through and Through:

"Hailing from Vanderhoof Canada, Through and Through made a name for themselves over their short existence, both in their home of Canada, and here in the States. T&T began roughly in the winter of 1995, as a typical metallic hardcore band and a four piece, and went on to refine their sound into a sweet blend of emo, insane vocal screams, and pounding metal, to create their own haunting sound. As a five piece the band was able to express their creative aptitude to the fullest of their ability.

In Fall 1998 T&T released their only full length record entitled "Joshua Aiken" and it blew people away, they seemed to come out of nowhere, but don't get me wrong though, these guys definitely weren't newcomers, they had two demos which sold well throughout Canada and the States, making it possible for them to hook up with Steadfast Records, on whom they released a split 7" record with ZAO. T&T were also been featured on many compilations across the States, and Canada and Brazil.

Having toured the States independently twice for roughly Six weeks each time (this was a tough feat for a signed band back then, let alone an independent band) the band built a loyal and steady following, but even though T&T seemed to have the world ahead of them, and just when things started to take off for them, the band called it a day in early 1999 when a few members quit to peruse other interests. "

Well, that's them. Now onto their records...




Joshua Aiken (1998 - Boot to Head Records)



More Overcome stuff

I've pretty much gone through all my Christian hardcore stuff, I think, and now it's just a matter of getting it all on here. I came across my copy of Overcome's Life Sentence Records 7" record, As the Curtain Falls, released in 1996. Check out my previous Overcome post for a handful of other Overcome records.


Saturday, November 7, 2009

Unashamed



Unashamed was sadly only together from about 1994 until 1996. Hailing from Orange County, CA, Unashamed played more of an East Coast hardcore sound than West Coast, similar to the sound of bands like Warzone and 25 Ta Life (saw that comparison on their Wikipedia, pretty much the only bands I can even think of). Along with their very definitive hardcore sound, Unashamed brought extremely forthcoming spiritual lyrics, making them one of the forefathers of the "spirit-filled hardcore" sound. They only released two records, full length record, Silence, in 1994, and a full length, Reflection, in 1996. Both records are amazing, even if you're not into Christian hardcore. One defining cool thing Unashamed did was cover Rich Mullins' "Awesome God" on their second record, Reflection. It has been announced that Unashamed has reformed and will be playing and recording. One set date seems to be January 8th, next year, at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA. Check out my previous post about it and their official MySpace page.

Reflection (1996 - Tooth & Nail Records)





Silence (1994 - Tooth & Nail Records)
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Monday, November 2, 2009

Zao



Zao is a band with A LOT of history. They have been around since 1993, and still play today, but their music has changed quite a bit over the years. I really only give a shit about Zao before 2000 came along when their sound went really weird, in my opinion. Originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, Zao formed with only four guys playing what they considered to be "Christ-centered hardcore" for all the kids who felt like outcasts in their church. They released some demos; a full length record titled All Else Failed in 1995 (rereleased with different artwork in 1999 and 2000), The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation in 1997, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest in 1998; along with splits with Through and Through, Outcast (split rereleased in 1999), and Training for Utopia. Zao went from releasing records on Steadfast Records, to Tooth & Nail Records, to now on Ferret Records. Zao is notorious for going through tons of band lineups, as well as sounds. They began, and continued through the mid 90s, with a more straight up 90s hardcore sound, which was a pretty generic sound mixed with very emotional sounding parts and some rad heavy stuff. With new members came a more metal sound, becoming probably the definitive sound of Zao. Super sludgy, evil sounding metalcore with crazy vocals and the essential metaphorical, deep lyrics. When 2000 came along, with new members and a new sound, they changed a lot. Their brand of metalcore became more verse-chorus-verse structured, losing what I believe to be the spirituality of Zao's music. Anyway, for more info, check their MySpace or their Wikipedia page. Below I have posted all of their stuff, I've gotten my hands on over the years, including early demos, old splits, and all the old (good) full length records. In my opinion, their best stuff in on the Splinter Shards... record.

[sorry for the shitty pictures, no time to scan mine and can't find many online]

Conflict Demo (1994)

The Tie That Binds: Zao / Outcast Split (1995 - Steadfast Records)


(original 1995 pressing)


(artwork for 1999 rerelease)

All Else Failed (1995 - Steadfast Records)
Part One
Part Two


(artwork for original, 1995 release)


(artwork for 1999 re-release)


(artwork for final, 2000 re-release)

Treadwater: Zao / Through and Through Split (1996 - Steadfast Records)



The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation (1997 - Tooth & Nail Records)
Part One
Part Two



Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998 - Solid State Records)



Zao / Training for Utopia Split (1998 - Solid State Records)