Poverty Map

I got this a while ago. A whiiiile ago, as in Record Store Day. If you all remember, Deathwish Inc. did a couple "RSD exclusive" records to join in on all the fun, this being one of them. This was actually kind of a blind buy, and is the first recordings I own from either of these two bands. Here's the Loma Prieta/Raein split 7", ultra clear vinyl, 45 RPM.

I have always wanted to pick up a Loma Prieta album, but for some reason never got around to it. SO this seeing that this record was coming out seemed as good a time as any to bite the bullet, and I'm glad I did. The 4 songs on here (the last one being a cover of Black Flag's - "Spray Paint"" are a great distorted mess of emoviolence/power screamo/whatever, tons of disonance, and a lot of skramz influence. Very cool and unique sounding riffs too, there's a lot of creativity here. I dig it a lot, very solid stuff. I'm going to try to pick up some more of their stuff soon. Wasn't to hot on the Raein track though, I gotta say. It was pretty and had some shimmery guitar tones, but it built up to practically nothing. Probably would have benefited to have an additional track. Oh well.

Nice, simplistic, very tidy presentation in a glued sleeve. Love it. The ultra clear vinyl is limited to 300 and was the rarest variant in the first press.

~VII

All We Love We Leave Behind

The pre-orders we all made several months ago FINALLY started shipping out, and I got my copy of the new Converge album, "All We Love We Leave Behind", yesterday. I ordered mine through Kings Merch, and got the yellow/gold/orange/whatever variant. Part of me kinda wishes I got the 180g. variant from Deathwish, but that's long gone by now, so who cares. Anyway, Converge is a band that I've really settled down on the past couple years. I used to live and breath this band, and they were my first real introduction to the modern style of hardcore. They really did help change my life. But with the VERY underwhelming couple of splits they've released, and the fact that I've probably over saturated myself with their music, I really don't listen to them all that much anymore. Truth be told, I haven't listened to this album yet either, I just wanted to get some pictures up on the blog after the long break and show you the absolutely GORGEOUS packaging and artwork on here.

Very tidy matte cover sleeve with foil graphics all over the cover. I chalk this up with some of the best artwork Jacob has ever done (wait until you see the gatefold), and it's a very refreshing change from the bands usual "damaged woman" aesthetic.

Bam! Lookit that gatefold. I gasped the first time I cracked this open and saw it. 

The colors...

They called this "yellow vinyl". Nuh-uh. I was honestly expecting a solid yellow color, which I think would have been cooler. 

Everyone and their dog is telling me this is a fantastic album. I have pretty high expectations, and I'm gonna spin it as soon as this is done posting. Updates later!

~VII