WAR NERVE - Demo '15

Location: Stockholm, Sverige

Release: DIY, 2015
Artwork: Jacob Bondesson

Bands like Firewalker, Tomar Control and I.C.E. are on the spotlight of the old school right now. Inside hardcore punk all genders matters the same (or should be), since day one the general goal is to break all walls towards equality but still today seeing a woman as a frontman, raging on stage full of attitude drawns more attention than usual. They are not the first and most certainly won't be the last, hopefully it will become more and more common.

After doing some research on the swedish scene and talking with a local active member I found about WAR NERVE and some other projects that are about to surface there. They play crushin' heavy metallic hardcore and with the help of Gabi's powerful vocals they deliver 4 hard tracks in the vein of Merauder, Nailbomb and Bolt Thrower to name a few. Also the lyrics are something to be noticed, especially the one sang in spanish (!) but my favorite is Deadlift.

Droid Rage made an interview with them almost an year ago when the demo came out, therefore we can expect new music to drop anytime in the coming months. 

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BIND - 2015 Demo

Location: Palatka, US

Release: Plead Your Case, 2015
Artwork: Frank Miller

90's metallic hardcore can be very dull but a few has the skills to make it appealing once again. Florida's new group BIND nailed it already on the demo, heavy as fuck and full of hatred. FFO: Buried Alive, Exhorder. 

Tapes were due a few months ago, I believe they are all gone by now. New material is promised to surface on the next season which is becoming highly anticipated!

PURCHASE MERCH/TAPE

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THE REAL COST - The Real Cost EP Cassette

Location: Austin, US

Release: I Hate I Skate, 2016

Another suggested band by my bro Gonz, THE REAL COST. Simple yet effective youth crew from Texas in the vein of Crippled Youth. This and the new Urgency record were the newest additions to my playlist this past weekend.

Tapes to be available soon through the label's bigcartel.

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SURVIVAL METHOD - 2 Song Promo (ex-Enchant)

Location: Dallas, US

Release: Plead Your Case, 2015

I was very interested in hearing their upcoming material but it seems as soon as this promo came out the band disappeared, so there was little to no promotion about it whatsoever. As I found out later through the dudes in ToxicBreed blog, ENCHANT had to change their name (due to legal issues) to SURVIVAL METHOD, so they had to put down all their social media related to Enchant.

It was upon hearing their demo the interest grew. They play a furious Metallic/Crossover type of hardcore, influenced by Cro-Mags and Violation. Members also played in TRUTH, SOLD SHORT and BLACK SUMMIT. Debut EP "Reality Blurred" to come out soon on Life To Live Recs.

DOWNLOAD [promo + demo]

MEDEA - Promo Tape 2015

Location: Stockholm, Sverige

Release: DIY, 2015
Artwork: Gabriel Siveri (The Hammer)

You are facing THE promo tape of the past year! Boombastic thrash crossover by swedish new blood MEDEA. Actually the band has been around for 4 years or something but only recently with the release of the EP Doomed From Birth they've secured their names on the map, for good!

These 2 tracks presented here are proof that possession is a real thing! Not only the dudes in the band feels affected by this phenomenon but it also transfers to the audience in a minor scale, causing involuntary movements and occasional shouts. We are talking about demonic speed riffs and enraged breakdowns bangin' merciless in over 7 minutes nonstop. The Vatican has already put them on their watchlist, is what I heard.

Expect a full-length sometime in the near future, 666 + 666 + 666 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 2016.

DOWNLOAD [320kbps]

up next, promo tape by The Hammer!

SNARL ​/ ​SPITBACK ​/ ​POWER WRENCH - Split

Location: Michigan, US

Release: DIY, 2015

Sometimes old news is good news, it's been a full year since this 3-way split came out. My bro Gonz put these jams up on our last camping trip and it was a hit, people from other tends came along and stage-dived from the trees, fast times at the Ubatuba shore!

This split has 3 Michigan hardcore bands showcasing their best material to date with 3 songs each. It starts with SNARL, side project from a dude who is in The Story So Far, playing frantic fast and fully charged hardcore with a sweet cover by CARRY ON. Then SPITBACK enters bringing the RIFFS, dopestyle. Can't listen enough of this, mad breakdowns!! The last one to show up is POWER WRENCH, another side project from a melodic band: Citizen. They put the FUNK back in funkcore (!), going even further in the early days of Red Hot and the groovemasters in Living Colour as a source of influence (if you still think bands like Fire & Ice and Turnstile only listens to Leeway and Crown Of Thornz, you're trippin).

Despite the fact that 2 of these bands are supposedly one-man-bands and they might not be taken as serious (lack of live appearances and such) as a regular group it doesn't affect the output as they sound carefree and yet heartfelt, maybe thats one of the benefits of having a side project, more weight off your shoulders. As a bonus I included Spitback's split with Power Wrench where the track "bonecrusher" alone is worthwhile the download! More funk, more skate punk.

DOWNLOAD [320kbps]

 

WORLD BE FREE - DEMO 2 Song Cassette

Location: USA

Release: Revelation Records, 2015

WORLD BE FREE, newest supergroup around that features Scott Vogel (Terror) on vocals, Andrew Kline (Strife) on guitar, Joe Garlipp (Despair) on guitar, Arthur Similos (Civ) on bass and Sammy Siegler (Judge, Youth Of Today) on drums.

They got their name from a NBA player called World B. Free, the Prince of Midair and they play some melodic yet vibrant hardcore. First batch of this demo cassette evaporated from RevHq webstore in a few hours but these tracks will appear on their forthcoming full-length "The Anti-Circle" scheduled to drop in February. (2nd and final run of tapes are still available in their official store)

DOWNLOAD

happy new year!