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*

GUIDANCE - Path Of Grace

Location: London, UK

Release: Ugly & Proud / Monument, 2015

I must say, Im not into 90's metallic hardcore that much but Path Of Grace grew on me quite fast, it's full of passion and intensity like I haven't heard in long time! This posthumous full-length by London Straight Edge GUIDANCE was released digitally in 2014, now bulgarian and swedish labels are pressing 274 handnumbered copies on vinyl and are ready to be ordered.

Members of this extinguished project can be seen on Mankind, Violent Reaction, xRepentancex and Digress. This video shows one of their last and rare live perfomances.

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They were featured on this blog's 2015 Sampler, more bands from there will come up here eventually.

BREAKOUT - Demo II

Location: Austin, US

Release: DIY, 2015

Less than a year BREAKOUT is back with a new demo, still faithful to their late 70's street punk and UK82 homage. Previous record True Crime got plenty of positive feedback!

Check the dates for their Summer Tour in US and Canada that started last saturday.

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SOUL DISCHARGE - Demos

Location: Tokyo, 日本

Release: DIY

Awesome old school from Japan. SOUL DISCHARGE take their cues from classic 80's NYHC with hints of 90's Clevo style. To make things more interesting they throw in a few reggae dubs not unlike to Bad Brains, Underdog and Real Reggae, which definitely helps them stand out.

They recorded 2 demos and contributed with a song to This Is Tokyo compilation, where I got to know them. I believe everything is sold out as they made quite a name for themselves in the local scene.

I asked them for the audio files and they kindly sent both demos! A new record is also on the works.

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STRAIGHT RAZOR - Straight Razor EP

Location: New Bedford, US

Release: React! Records, 2015
Artwork: Alexander Heir

One of 2015's most anticipated records, Straight Razor's debut EP. Fast and harsh hardcore punk, slashing through the wicked minds!

This project features: Brendon (vox) and Trevor (6-strings) from Rival Mob + Dean (4-strings) and Tyler (drums) from Caught In A Crowd.

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"A super fun side project that I worked on with some close buddies. The best story about this record is it started as a straight edge band, and since the release of the record everyone but myself has broken edge. A couple of them broke even before the record came out. That’s just really beautiful to me. The idea was to record some 80s style punk/youth crew to tape. All done in my basement on the trusty 4track like mostly everything hardcore-related I record these days. We talk about getting together and doing more with this project eventually and calling it “Hate Razor” hopefully that happens sometime. XXX"

-Trevor, 2016

STRANGE PLACES - Strange(r) Places

Location: Ipswich, UK

Release: Carry The Weight, 2014

BASEMENT's side project, totally different approach. In STRANGE PLACES they play heavy metallic hardcore with a stoner/doom vibe and they kill at it!

Strange(r) Places is their second EP in which they are more tight as a band and got bolder on music writing, drawing influences from Life Of Agony, Leeway and some other classic 80's thrash. First album (self titled EP) came out in 2013, also on CTW Records. Vocals are done by Max from Wayfarer, the other dudes play in Basement making it hard for them to conciliate among other duties and play live with Strange Places.






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Thanks to: Big Phil, Pinguim Metälhead & Crabby Love.

LIFE OF REILLY - Break The Silence

Location: Wilkes-Barre, US

Release: Xpressions Records, 2015

Throwback to 80's DC thats what John Reilly and his gang are up to in their 10-song debut 7" on Xpressions, their first release as well. No bs harcore punk.

LIFE OF REILLY started in 2012 comprised of members from Stick Together, United Youth and Westpoint. I believe all songs featured on their demo were rerecorded for this 7".

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(pressing info: 100 green / 400 black)

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