all things old school: February 2022

Sunday, February 13, 2022

STAND YOUR GROUND - 7" EP + Demo

Location: Oxnard, USA
Release: 1998, Jitsu Records

STAND YOUR GROUND was the starting point for 2 of my all time fav "modern" hardcore bands: CARRY ON and IN CONTROL. Comprised of Todd Jones and Corey Williams (with both of them joining Carry On later in 1999 for The Line Is Drawn 7", read more details here) plus Toni Melino (later on In Control, Annihilation Time), Aaron and a guy named Max on bass completed the initial line-up for STAND YOUR GROUND, with this formation they recorded the '98 demo which is NOT up for grabs here, I looked relentlessly for it but in the end couldn't find a digital rip of it.

Then, still in 1998, Corey left and Zack Nelson (later on In Control, Retaliate) came along to record the debut EP (aka Break Through 7") on Jitsu Records around the same time as Carry On's debut Stabbed In The Face 7". But that was not the end of STAND YOUR GROUND, surprisingly my pal Old School Mike (OSMX) had another demo from them called Last Demo supposably out in 1999. After a few listenings I came to realize that half of these tracks are actually pre-In Control songs found on their Hometown Pride demo tape.


So, given the timeline, I assume Todd left to play in Carry On and Zack switched to guitar and called Ryan Fredette for this '99 demo presented here which is basically IN CONTROL before they changed their name from STAND YOUR GROUND, anyway the recordings are totally different from the Hometown Pride sessions and you should definitely check it out if you appreciate Nardcore music.

DOWNLOAD [JITSU RECORDS DISCOGRAPHY]:

JR#01 CARRY ON - Stabbed In The Face 7"
JR#02 STAND YOUR GROUND - Break Through 7"
JR#03 - OPEN UP / IN REACH - Split 7"

+ STAND YOUR GROUND - Last Demo '99