Fuck These Lungs

I've been going through my cassettes a lot these days. Re-listening to tons of old favorites, catching up on some I haven't listened to yet (it happens). There have always been a large handful of tapes that I consider to be treasures. Not only because of the quality music, but with the sentimental value behind them as well. This baby right here checks off in both of those categories. This is the "Fuck The Lungs" compilation/4-way split between Pizza Hi Five, Godeater, Sloven and Nothing Is Over. Hand numbered out of 200 copies, released on Feelgoodgrind Tapes.

 Back several years ago, I was in contact with this guy Bryan, the guitar player and vocalist for Hooker Spit Windex. An Ohio unit who were actually my first true favorite "underground grindcore" band. I bought plenty of HSW tapes from him, and he was always cool enough to throw in a few choice freebies. For a small dork child like me, I always thought that was always the coolest thing.
One of these freebies was this gnarly looking tape, displaying what at first glance I thought were sackless testicles. And it had bands called Pizza Hi Five and Godeater on it. It was nuts, and strange, and didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. My knoweldge of grind at this time went as far as Napalm Death's - "Scum" record, and whatever Relapse was putting out. My brain was fried when I played it the first few times. This kind of grind was completely new and foreign. It was raw, visceral, nasty, unpolished. Complete blown out insanity and noise was is the name of the game here. Which of course is something we're all used to now, but for me back then it was unlike anything else.

I can probably just say that this is an all mid-west bands split, and a portion of readers will be instantly pumped. We all recognize Pizza Hi Five, and even back then there tracks stuck out to me as being the strongest of the bunch. This band has done no wrong in my book, I think they're fantastic. Godeater was a good pairing on their side. Their side is so blown out and out of control, complete powerviolence mayhem. Nothing is Over is some pretty alright hardcore with blastbeats. They did a split with Apt. 213 a few years ago that I need to re-listen too. Sloven is actually a pretty kick ass fastcore band in the same vein of Lack Of Interest. I don't know if they did anything else after this, I certainly hope so.

No expense was spared on the presentation here! The J-card is full color and printed on quality paper, and it comes with a double sided, fold-out insert. Tons of info and weird pictures. I loved looking at all this again.

Back then I wouldn't have ever guessed that people would be geeking out over bands like Pizza Hi Five years from now. I think that's pretty great, and shows that good quality music will eventually reach the audience it deserves. As for finding this, good luck. This copy's with me forever.

~VII