The Ergs!-Thrash Compactor 7"

Finally the very last Ergs! record is here. A split release on Grave Mistake records and Firestarter records. Though this is only a one sided 7" and is probably in the neighborhood of 4 minutes it is still quite a treat. These 5 Songs were recorded some time ago during the session that ended up becoming the "Cotton Pickin' Minute" record(the country album) but apparently they also recorded some on the spot hardcore songs that day. Don't expect these songs to still retain that Ergs! melodic touch because these tracks are straight forward hardcore that bring to mind early AOD records and the shorter faster more obscure Descendents songs.

The packaging is great and comes with a download code for the jobless punk on the go. I dont know who did the artwork or layout for this but it definitely got the "Hardcore Makeover" and looks like a Government Warning 7" which suits it well.

buy it here:
www.gravemistakerecords.com
www.firestarterrecords.com

Fossil Fuel-Christmas Sieg Hiel Ride double LP

If Mysterious Guy Hardcore is a real thing, then Fossil Fuel is the quintessential Mysterious Guy Hardcore band. This is a double LP one record is all Christmas songs and the other is all original stuff. For those of you(probably all) who don't know Fossil Fuel is a band that uses drum machine beats that can be found on any key board at Toys R Us, a bass and a guitar. If this is all done by one dude then its pure genius but if this happens to be a group of guys...then its just garbage. At times the songs just seem like they are being made up as they go along and the guy doing the vocals can't keep it together and laughs every time he says a dirty word. All in all this is probably just a real expensive inside joke but having said that its also better then anything Mr. California ever did. Comedy gold.

Not much info on this band other then a p.o. box address on the insert. If you see this anywhere then you HAVE TO buy it(seriously) just trust me.

Fucked Up-Year of the Rat 12" single

Every time I am asked "Who's your favorite band?" I say "I dunno." or "I don't really have a favorite." Nothing comes to mind, not one single group pops into my head because no single group stands out. Maybe I will have a favorite and then the band breaks up or changes dramatically for the worst. Not one group can stay at the top holding their title for eternity. Today is different though, today i ask myself why don't i just answer "My favorite band is Fucked Up."

This record is not their latest effort. Its one that i slept on and then could never find, or maybe i just never had the money(not that its expensive). Well today i found it at my local shop and figured now was probably my one chance to get it. Like the one before this(Year of the Pig) I was expecting the A-side to be a departure of the Fucked Up norm, which is becoming the fucked up norm. Instead i found the A-side to be another PERFECT Fucked Up song, and ill cut to the chase with this statement: "Year of the Rat" blew me away. I feel that i am truly in love with this band. I read the lyrics and stare at the record spin the very same way i gaze into my significant others' eyes.

"Year of the Rat" is similar to the stuff off of "Hidden World" and "Chemistry of the Common Life". Its layered with guitar tracks and at times you can hear a quiet organ/piano/other instruments fighting over an orchestra of noise. This song has everything i love and look for in new music, and the hook at the chorus sent a chill down my spine.

The B-side "First Born" had a little bit of a Pink Floyd vibe to it but always retained the melodic hardcore sound that this band is famous for, This is indeed a sound all their own. The lyrics on this track seem to be on a more personal level which makes it very engaging.

So do i have a favorite band? I will probably still say "I dunno.", that's a huge question to answer. Maybe I'll say "No i do not have a favorite, but i really really like Fucked Up."

Whats Your Rupture? Records
Lifes a trap when you're a rat.

Duress-Indifference E.P.

7 Short songs with lyrics that dont come more straight up then this. This straight edge band delivers a harshness in a way only a Chicago band could. For the most part these songs pass by in seconds with out any sign of stopping but Duress manage to mix it up with some breakdown mosh parts that are traditional to the genre and keep it fresh with some distant sounding guitar noises. The tracks that stood out to me are ASSHOLE(the lyrics deliver) and the last song GUILT which slows things down a bit but still keeps all that harshness and hatred very clear. If you're not already keep your ears to the ground for more Duress info and releases because Im certain this band is only going to improve.

Released on Underestimated Records in a very small pressing of 300. Japanese style covers complete with obi strip. You can give Duress a listen on their myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/duresschicago

Condominium-Gag 7"

In my mind this is one of the very best bands playing today, they have got it covered, what they do is down to a fucking science. I love flipping past my 7"s and seeing 4 uniform records each one as good as(if not better than)the last. Condominium hail from Minneapolis and this would be their 4th record. The first two were self released and the other on Fashionable Idiots, this one was put out on Deer Healer.

On the A side we have the title track "Gag" a 7 minute mini opus that drags perfectly, and joins the likes of "Barricade" at the top of the list. The B-side has two more songs. "Redemption Song" is a short and steady song and though its good i dont think it can follow the title track. Finally "The entire human body" closes the album and is like Gag only an instrumental that seems to focus more on creating an atmosphere and it does so well.

Now i would love to say that this record was better then the last, since that seems to be the trend with this band but i feel even though the title track is amazing, as a whole the record seems to fall a little short. It is though by no means a bad record, as i said earlier this band is incredible and im sure you can expect nothing but quality from them in the future.

"Gag" was released by Deer Healer records, and i believe is still available there and at other distros as well. thank you and good night.

Manipulation-Demo cs

This tape has been floating around for awhile now and just a few days ago this band released their debut 7". I have yet to pick up the latter but i was able to find a copy of the cs floating around in a random distro. Members of The Pedestrians, Chronic Seizure, and Civic Progress come together and record this stripped down assault that sounds like it was recorded in a sweaty basement. Its hard for me to pin point all the influences i hear coming from these songs, the tape in general has a Discharge feeling to it and then other times it reminds me of the recently deceased Caustic Christ. There are some other influences in there but i feel that its always hard to pinpoint a band as good as this. Whether you compare Manipulation to this or that you still get a handful of well thought out songs that all pack a punch.

This tape is still out there and im sure if you dig a bit you can find a copy, their debut 7" is available from FASHIONABLE IDIOTS RECORDS. Manipulation is on the move and i have a feeling this band will be very busy this year.

Slices-Cruising LP

After spinning this one twice at a friends house and a couple more times once i got my own copy I'm ready for the review. I'll start by saying this thing opens with a bang, the first song MEDUSA is a great example of what i think Slices does best just a very steady and very balls out hard rock song. After the second song the album seems to be on its way with no sign of stopping but then it stops.

There are three noise pieces on this album two are listed as tracks, the other i guess is just noise between songs. I felt like this long break after the second song just killed it for me and took me right out of the album. To me the sense that everything is going to explode is gone. Slices past records just felt like the tension was rising and was gonna give at any moment, I didn't feel that with this record. Don't get me wrong there are some fantastic songs on here and if you are a die hard fan this thing will probably be your jam for some time to come. The lyrics as always are very unique and interesting especially on the first and last songs.

Cruising was put out on Iron Lung records who are proving to be a true force to reckon with. I believe this is still available if not then check some distros,in fact Cowabunga has some copies avail be.

Pigeon Religion-Crystallized Meth 7"

I was never a fan of this band, i heard about a minute of their record on parts unknown and then turned i it off when the vocals came in. I thought it was funny more than anything. I never planned on hearing them again, until my friend Branden gave me a free copy of Crystallized Meth. I only wanted one because he put it out. On the first listen it only made me think of how this whole sound was becoming saturated, everybody wanted to be slow and haunting and have 6 minute songs all of a sudden. I was not interested in what i was hearing at all. So now here i am giving it another listen writing this review and i think i have reached a conclusion. This single isnt all that bad and its probably the best material this band has put out.

I picture myself following this music down a dark tunnel but no matter how far or fast i travel its still very distant, the drums at times have a tribal like sound to them and i wonder if i even want to find the source of the noise. I turn back but quickly realize there is no way out and ill never reach the end. All in all this is just good dragging punk with a tortured sound to it. Since this review was probably a waste of your time here is a rating: 3/5 stars.

Video Disease Records may very well be on its way to legitimacy.

Veins- Youth Attack CS

This new band has been surrounded by a lot of hype, this cassette has been anticipated by many and let me tell you something brother...this thing fucking delivers. An all star team belts out six relentless hardcore songs that have a classic feeling to them. If you want comparisons picture THE REPOS meets DAS OATH. The songs come off frantic but are by no means anti-anthems, with some big build ups that explode perfectly. Add a touch of snotty punk vocals and there you have Veins.

as always Youth Attack pulls out all the stops on the packaging making this the most stunning cassette i have ever owned, and as always this puppy is sold out.