Hellbreaker

This record right here, I've been calling it my favorite release of 2013. I still stand by that, and will use it as an answer without pause. A monumental split 12" release between two excellent bands, Triac and Disciples of Christ (D.O.C.), released on RSR, clear vinyl, 45 RPM.

I can't say enough good things about this record. Both sides are equally perfect, in every way. D.O.C.'s side is caked in distortion and filthy lo-fi production, but still manages to be tough as hell, and even a little catchy. It's disgustingly great.I had the pleasure of seeing them at MDF a couple weeks ago, and they're as intense live as on record. Triac's side is an absolutely face shredder. The sounds are a bit more modern-grind sounding, but are completely pummeling and as pretty as a rusty saw blade to the face. Essential grindcore.

Best looking packaging I've seen from RSR too. Beautiful matte sleeve covered in fantastic artwork, with a double sided insert. Quality stuff. Love the Psychic TV homage aesthetic too. The clear vinyl is limited to 100 copies too! I somehow managed to get one from TLAL. Not complaining.

Buy or cry, this thing will destroy you.

~VII

Tormento

Here's a little looked over 7" release from a super solid band that will probably get talked about a lot more soon. Rapturous Grief are a grind/powerviolence duo from Atlanta, I believe this is a self-released record, limited to something like 200 copies, purple vinyl, 45 RPM.

10 tracks on here, all sung in spanish, but there really isn't a spanish powerviolence/hardcore influence on here at all. If anything, I'd compare these guys to a band likt Shitstorm, due to how caveman simple the songs are in structure and performance. And I love Shitstorm, so to me this is all good. Much less noisy recording than any Shitstorm release though, this record is beefy and muscular as hell. Everything is perfectly mixed, it all sounds great.

To my understanding, there are 200 copies of this, but 100 of them have a different cover, or are on a different color of vinyl, which is why it only says it's /100. Nice poster/insert too!

~VII

The First Whore

I don't make it very obvious on this blog, but I am a HUGE fan of harsh noise and power electronic music. It's by far one of my favorite genres, and one of the only styles of extreme music that get's me incredibly excited anymore. One of the albums I've been digging very heavily recently is the seminal swansong full length from Deathpile, "G.R". 33 RPM, transparent green vinyl.

This record kind of came to me out of the blue when I was at work, at my coworkers were ordering new records and asked if I would be interested in this. Just going on the description, I know it would be. Harsh noise, power electronics, a big emphasis on HNW, especially on the track "Addicted". His whole record is a concept album about Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer. The lyrics take a 3rd person perspective of Gary and what goes on through his mind and the actions he does throughout his killing spree. Sick stuff, you can tell a lot of noise artists these days were probably inspired by this.

Pretty tidy matte sleeve packaging, with a printed inner sleeve with lyrics. 

~VII

Constant War

Well, we can round off the first bit of 2013 with a huge bummer. Vaccine recently played their last show, and the band has subsequently called it quits. Really pretty bummed I never got to see them live, their shows look intense as fuck. And seeing them perform the entire "Human Hatred" EP would have been incredible. Oh well, can't see em all. I finally managed to snag their latest EP, "Dead Inside", on discogs. Got the mail order color too, red vinyl, 45 RPM.

 It seems pretty unnessicary to go into great deal describing the music on here. Anyone who knows what this band is about should have a perfectly fit description for it. Fast, vicious, distorted, and hateful. Almost identical to "Human Hatred", but with more of a brighter sound. This is a band that never strayed away from their sound, which may have ended up being their creative downfall if they kept at it, but I love it. Very fast, and very short stuff. Not only do they not overstay there welcome, they barely even come in the door and stick around, but they definitely leave an impact.

Interesting cover art. I think I honestly prefer the art that was on the Cut The Cord pressing in Europe, but at least this is a bit more unique. Very nice sturdy clued sleeve too (my favorite!) on some heavy weight vinyl. Very tidy package from Painkiller records.

Apparently they have one more post-humous release coming out, which will be a split 7" with No Faith. RIP Vaccine.

~VII

Black Blood

Water Torture just never stop delivering the goods. Gotdamn. This time around, we have a RIPPER of a split 7" with Six Brew Bantha, which couldn't be more perfect. Both bands really made a name for themselves in the underground last year, seems only natural that they would pair up. This is the pre-order variant, purple vinyl, 33 RPM. Brought to us by a great up and coming label called Nice Dreams Records.

Very unusual stuff from Water Torture on their side. They're always evolving and experimenting with recordings, and instrumentation, and this time they've added a guitar player to the fold, who totally dominates the mix. The bass is nearly inaudible. Kinda weirdo-powerviolence stuff, there's a lot of riffs that you don't really hear in the genre on here. I dig it, not sure if they'll every do something like this again.

Six Brew Bantha might win with their side though. Holy fucking shit, these songs are vicious. The bands goes absolutely fucking A-wall on here. Completely brutal, but still incredibly tight. The guitar work is excellent, and they still have the best loose/tight snare sound going. This stuff is dynamite.

Those who pre-ordered got the purple variant, of which there is 100 of. There's also 100 on clear and 100 on blue, which were intended for the bands to take on tour. I kind of want them both, cause I'm nerdy like that.

Snag this, listen to both bands, treat your ears to something tasty. 

~VII

Crux

Here's one of my most anticipated releases of the year, a grind/violence record that should have any fan of the genre get moist underwear. ACxDC, Sex Prisoner and Magnum Force all coming together on one sexy ass 1-sided 10" record. Mixed vinyl, limited to 100, 33 RPM.

Brilliant stuff from all three bands. By far the best stuff that ACxDC have done to date, these songs really did make me a big fan of the band. Absolutely killer stuff. It's great to hear stuff from Sex Prisoner again, after a 3 year wait from their outstanding 7". The mix is a bit muddier this time around, but they still keep the heavy as iron balls breakdowns. Magnum Force's stuff goes by in the blink of an eye; blazingly fast, crazy intense, bordering on falling apart. 

Really simple fold over sleeve packaging, nothing special. But it does come with a nice 3-page booklet.

Some actually nice looking mixed/marble vinyl, nice and dark purple, with an awesome B-side etching.

I also was very lucky enough to score a test pressing of this record! I believe there's only 20 of them, and I'm pretty stoked to have it in the collection. Thanks TLAL!!

Buy this ASAP, it's selling like crazy. 

~VII

Cali Smile

I recently scored a gorgeous first pressing of one of my favorite grindcore releases ever, hell, one of my favorite records period. In Disgust - "Reality Choke" 10", which is a modern fucking classic, and if you haven't heard this yet, shame on you and do it immediately. 

I've talked about this record endlessly, I never run out of good things to say about it. It's just perfect in every way; the recording is devastatingly heavy, the guitars are absolutely pummeling, the vocals are scary deep, and the groovy breakdowns will flatten your skull into a pancake. Particularly the track "Cali Smile", when that song breaks down, shit gets destroyed.

This is obviously the clear vinyl version of the first press, of which there are 566 copies. The label decided to make the black vinyl variant the rare one, since there are only 100 black first press copies. Pretty curious move. 

Comes with a little insert. No lyrics, as usual.

Here's the first and 2nd press together. Obvious differences with the packaging, which is nice.

Worship.

~VII