STRIKEFORCE - The End

Location: Washington, US

Release: DIY, 2015

When it comes to write music, they rather take things a bit slow but certainly heavy! STRIKEFORCE's second demo has only 2 tracks but holds promising of whats to come. These are tight and will please those into B9's latest output (Rude Awakeing, Expire,..).

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CAUGHT IN A CROWD - Of None

Location: Cape Cod, US

Release: DIY, 2015

After 2 years since their last record and a side project with half of the band (Straight Razor), CIAC hit the studio to record a 4 song promo tape which will be featured on their debut full-length on Triple B later this year.

Since they are already 5 years as a band it's natural to show off a certain level of growth on each record but the spirit definitely remains here, CIAC style. The song Of None is one hell of a teaser.

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CoinTossRecords Summer 2015 Sampler

CoinTossRecords just did a sampler with their current and upcoming releases. Check it out, pass along and support this legit label!!

cointossrecords.limitedrun.com

RELEVANT ANGER - ST EP

Location: San Dimas, US

Release: R.A., 2015

Back 2 Southern Cali! This time around we have RELEVANT ANGER with a new banger, a 6-song EP inspired by some of the angriest bands in hardcore history: Siege, Infest and Discharge. Fast and powerful music with a relevant punk message.

So many good bands hailing from that area, if you want to look further, Kattan (vocals) wrote a whole article about the actual southern california scene thats totally worth checking. On a side note, couldnt find who made all those bad ass RA's artworks, pretty dope.

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POWER CRUSHING JUSTICE

BETTER TIMES - If Not Us

Location: Buffalo, US

Release: State Of Mind Recordings, 2013

Exciting youth crew from the now defunct Buffalo group BETTER TIMES. They did 1 demo and 2 EPs, If Not Us being their last and best one, which had 65 pre-order copies with a Uniform Choice rip-off cover art (+ 15 tests w/ Bad Brains ones). All their records (regular versions) are still available at the State Of Mind e-store and other fine distros such as Life2Live and CointossRecords.

Members used to play in Our Times and lately in Tied Down. If you are into posi energetic hardcore, gotta check 'em all:

2011 - Demo (Press Gang Records)
2012 - Better Measures (Commitment Records / Like Glue Records)
2013 - If Not Us (State Of Mind Recordings)

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LOST CAUSE - The World Is Yours

Location: Murrieta, US

Release: Outlast Records, 2015

This demo sounds very promising, kinda rough but there's plenty of potential here. Groove hardcore with gang vocals and metal solos, yeah baby.. move it!

Outlast Records is pulling some aces under the sleeve, check 'em for some of the finest southern california hc. 

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HIGHER LEARNING - Triumph of Innocence

Location: Southern California, US

Release: Outlast Records, 2014

Thought provoking lyrics with fast music, this simple yet effective formula still has plenty of room in my collection and it's the main pillar of hardcore punk. The dudes in HIGHER LEARNING do it pretty well, heard their EP the other day, caught me off guard! Wasn't expecting to hear a mix of Lifes Halt and Committed, great blend of fastcore and youth crew. Extra multicultural point for singing a song in castellano!

I believe Triumph of Innocence is their third EP, released on tape by Oulast Records last year, only 30 were made. New record to be announced soon.

Members also play in DRUG CONTROL and Big Takeover, two of my favorite cali bands right now, how awesome is that?

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CRUCIFIED - Dead of Sleep

Location: California, US

Release: Get This Right, 2014

Coldest Winter: Darkest Reaches Of The Mind, a monstrosity of a record, figured in my 2010's top 5 and also for some others I'm sure. Bay Area's CRUCIFIED did 4 albums in its brief existence: 1 demo, 1 split, 1 LP and the posthumous EP Dead Of Sleep which was recently resurrected by Get This Right Records.

Their main influence is incontestably RINGWORM, devilish hardcore packed with metallic and thrash elements. All in all Crucified albums are great and well done but Coldest Winter is their pinnacle in my opinion, ripping production, shredding guitars and angry-possessed vocals. In Dead of Sleep they picked up exactly where they left but it didn't match up to Coldest's production (LPs sounds better than 7"s anyway).

I mentioned before the trends in hardcore (the cool ones) from the past few years. Crucified makes a good example as they stand in the "dark metallic era" that ruled around 2007-2012. They disbanded in 2011 and members kept playing in other side projects: Secret People and Skin Like Iron.

2008 - Demo (later re-released as a split w/ No Truce by Espapist Records)
2009 - Split w/ Steel Nation (Double or Nothing Records)
2010 - Coldest Winter: Darkest Reaches Of The Mind (Double or Nothing Records)
2011 - Dead Of Sleep (re-released in 2014 by Get This Right Records)



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*blog re-entry*