59 TIMES THE PAIN - Way Even More Out Of Today (B-Sides & Rarities)

Here's a band I really dig since my teenage years, roughly over a decade the swedish in 59 TIMES THE PAIN (named after the Hüsker Dü song) put out a very solid discography, their rhythm section always appealed to me, in particular the thick bass lines and Magnus frontman skills.

Soundwise they began as a straight forward hardcore group but instead of being related to other more political swedish groups they became associated to melodic punk bands, largely due to their relation with Burning Heart Records, famous for indie melodic swedish stuff. By their 3rd album Twenty Percent Of My Hand, in 1997, they were already well known abroad including in the US with a distribution under exclusivity by Revelation Records. They probably peaked in 1999 with a feature on Punk-O-Rama (compilation series by Epitaph) followed by spots on both Fat Wreck's Short Music For Short People and Dave Mirra's videogame soundtrack.

By 2001 with the release of their final offer Calling The Public their The Clash worship surpassed all their other major influences, now more street punk than ever some old-school fans didn't receive the album very well despite the comercial success.

The deal is that 59 TIMES never put together all their B-Sides and Rarities material on a single release like many melodic punk (aka skate punk) bands from that era did and these dudes have a lot of material, 30 tracks to be more precise! This is what I was able to gather, with the exception of ONE demo song I believe it's all here in proper good quality:

I. Feeling Down "Demo" (1993, Self-Released)

1 - Feeling down

2- Give us a break

3 - As You Move Along

4 - Thanks a lot

II. Blind Justice / 59 Times The Pain "Split" (1995, HG Fact)

5 - My everything

6 - Regress no way (7 Seconds)

7 - When it all comes down

III. Even More Out Of Today EP (1995, Burning Heart)

8 - More out of today

9 - Feeling down

10 - Join the army (Suicidal Tendencies)

IV. Break The Silence Vol.1 7" Comp (1997, Putrid Filth Conspiracy)

11 - Didn't care

12 - Gonna make it

V. Music For HardcorePunx EP (1998, Burning Heart)

13 - Can't change me

14 - Burned

15 - Against it

16 - Flares n' slippers (Cockney Rejects)

17 - Small man, big mouth (Minor Threat)

18 - Police on my back (Eddy Grant)

VI. 59 Times The Pain / Subterranean Kids "Split" (1999, Tralla)

19 - Make it go away

20 - Old news

21 - Walk together, rock together (7 Seconds)

VII. Turn At 25th 7" (1999, Burning Heart)

22 - Turn At 25th

23 - They don't care

24 - The great scape

VIII. Other Compilation Tracks (1994-1999)

25 - Time to wake up (from Teaching You No Fear)

26 - Join the army (from Cheap Shots Vol.1)

27 - Nervous breakdown (from Cheap Shots Vol.2)

28 - Sweet and tender hooligan (from A Tribute To The Smiths)

29 - Law and order (from A Tribute To Stiff Little Fingers)

30 - We want the kids (from Short Music For Short People)

Note#1: I deciced to put 2 of these compilations (Break The Silence and Teaching You No Fear) in full for download as they are pretty rare and features exclusive songs from other Sweden greats, like Rodrigo's (Satanic Surfers) other hardcore band INTENSITY.

Note#2: I didn't include the Raised Fist split here as those tracks were all featured somewhere else, including the song "Liar" that was renamed "Old News" for the Subterranean Kids split.

Note#3 : The ultra rare demo songs were also partially found on 2 other compilations (Signed For Life and Really Fast Vol.9) and that's where they were ripped from, the full demo tape rip remains missing.

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NO LONGER AT EASE - Demo

Location: Charlotte, USA

Release: Self-Released, 2021

Artwork: Haleigh Cunningham

More demos coming your way! This one was suggested by Devin from Rejection Pact, I'm talking about North Carolina's NO LONGER AT EASE and their 4-song debut work.

As the first track progress my expectations about the band's main influence (due to name choice) were confirmed, you get strong vibes of late BEYOND and BATTERY.

Their background consist of 2 bands: the youthcrew band Substance and the fast and pissed Fading Signal. They took a bit of that rage out and added some melodic riffs, a formula that had a secure home in labels like Rivalry Records, thus bringing a lot memories back.

Such a strong start always raise the bar for whatever comes next, let the folks at React! hear it to see it skyrocket!

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WISH TO DREAM - Demo 2021

Location: Seattle, USA

Release: DIY, 2021

Age of Quarantine, day # 432 - Just got this little nice surprice in my inbox, the 4-song demo from Seattle's newest HC act WISH TO DREAM. Named after the coolest song in Uniform Choice's second album Staring Into The sun.

The reference is sick, sort of underrated album by Uniform Choice, which translates musically as having fair amounts of melodic hardcore into the Youth Crew formula. Either way this is a solid kick off by WISH TO DREAM and got me wondering what the future holds for them, a very promising project! Fav track "Strength In Anger".

Also representing the US-Northwest Hardcore and, from what I believe, has members of Wish To Dream in it, comes REAL and their debut album "2019", very well produced straight forward hardcore, mastering signed by Killingsworth.

 

DOWNLOAD

76% UNCERTAIN - Are You Uncertain?

Location: Bridgeport, USA

Release: Flex! Records, 1994

Age Of Quaratine, day # 152 - Classic yet somewhat underrated group from the first wave of US hardcore. 76% UNCERTAIN began in 1983 and was on the epicenter of the whole movement in Connecticut, with members coming from other 2 groups that were amongst the very first CTxHC bands: C.I.A. and Reflex From Pain (Ray Cappo debut as a singer)!

Their sound is quite of their own, not leaning too much to the melodic side nor heavy which perfectly suits that transition of the first wave of hardcore to the next, possibly around 1984, right when they put out the pure gold Estimated Monkey Time LP. Then aggressive alternative rock was taking shape and begun to be largely accepted headed by groups like Descendents, Hüsker Dü and so on, not to mention crossover and thrash metal but that does not apply here. The next year they put out a more fitting album to that undergoing second wave, notably more melodic but with no damage to their style, the Nothing But Love Songs LP.

This first LP from 76% UNCERTAIN was on my wantlist for ages, since it was never re-released on vinyl it always fetched high prices (for me at least) or they were found in a bad shape, I ended never getting a copy. In 1994, the german label Flex! Records issued both their LPs on a single CD (the famous 2for1 90's savers) with a few outtakes included entitled Are You Uncertain?, leaving outside their last album Hunka Hunka released by none other than Wishingwell Records in 1989.

During the mid to late 80's they played with the greatest names in the game and helped spread the CTxHC scene nationwide. In 1990 Ray Cappo re-assembled the Reflex From Pain line-up together with Tom Capone and Porcell to record under a new band name, SHELTER.

DOWNLOAD [320kbps]

SEARCH - Within 7" (Flatline Records)

Location: Salt Lake City, USA

Release: Flatline Records, 1991

Age Of Quarantine, day # 142 - In my perception, most of USA's harcore productions in the early 90's were deeply influenced by bands that helped define the post-hardcore sound, blending elements of melodic punk, indie rock and hardcore (a style that later culminated on the "creation" of Emo). Such bands were Verbal Assault, Fugazi, Supertouch and Quicksand.

So this was the musical environment in which Utah's SEARCH and many others groups developed their sound in the first half of 1990. Although it was very short-lived this band was the starting point for other 2 more known bands that eventually became Revelation Records alumni, ICEBURN and State Of The Nation. Speaking of Revelation this has nothing to do with the New Jersey unit, just a bad name choice lol (terrible to look up online)!

Since it's indeed quite impossible to find stuff under this band name I only found out about this 3-song EP Within, the first track being the best one, and that's probably everything they did, it would be interesting to hear a full-length by these dudes tho.

A continous look on the FLATLINE RECORDS catalog reveals other cool stuff from that era and more about what was happening in the Salt Lake City scene, home of INSIGHT. With a very similar sound to SEARCH, both BRAINSTORM and WATERFRONT also put out just one record out each, the same goes for REALITY but they played a more "regular" hardcore.

For last we have THE STENCH, a group that have a certain following with even a documentary out. The singer (Terrance D.H.) later went to front another underground cult band called BAD YODELERS which is one of the weirdest bands you will ever hear under the spectrum of Hardcore Punk that is NOT wack, as their music range from Scott Reynold's (Pavers, ALL, Goodbye Harry) melodic punk style to shredding crossover/thrash metal and back to mellow post-punk.

DOWNLOAD I contains:

SEARCH - Whitin 7" (Flatline Records, 1991)

BRAINSTORM - Let Me Forget EP (Flatline Records, 1991)

REALITY- Something Hurts EP (Flatline Records, 1992)

WATERFRONT - Confusing The Truth EP (Flatline Records, 1992)

DOWNLOAD II contains:

THE STENCH - Crazy Moon CD (Flatline Records, 1989 - REISSUE 1996)

THE STENCH - Four Before EP (Flatline Records, 1991)

BAD YODELERS - 1984-1986 EP (Self-released, 1990)

BAD YODELERS - I Wonder... LP (Running Records, 1990)

Posters by Hardcore Show Flyers

ENVY - Buffalo Straight Edge

Location: Buffalo, USA

Release: New Direction Records, 1995-1997
Artwork: Lance Mountain

Age of Quarantine, day #6 - In times like these we must reach for positiveness. For today's post I chose ENVY, a posi-core band from Buffalo (NY), heavily influenced by Gorilla Biscuits.

I found barely everything by ENVY (thanks to xSTUCKINTHEPASTx) except the demo tape but since the band only improved through the years with their last album What Went Wrong? being my favorite, the demo might fall short. If only the drumming were better it could have been a more memorable band overall. The CD version of What Went Wrong?  has 88 tracks!! Most of it are short audio tracks of a long prank call, I ended up leaving the hidden bonus instrumental track only.

The band featured guitar player Joe Garlipp who played in bands like Fadeaway, Despair and World Be Free, all of them alongside Scott Vogel (who played drums in Fadeaway) and he gave back his share to the Buffalo hardcore scene in the 90's, doing the layout and artwork for many other sxe bands.

The label behind both ENVY's official releases, New Direction Records (another homage to GB), owned by ENVY's singer Larry Ransom, just put out 5 or 6 albums in total, including one weird AF rap group Skatemaster Tate.

DOWNLOAD I includes:
Envy - Self Titled 7" (New Direction, 1995)
Envy - Never Forget... (Promo, 1996)
Envy - What Went Wrong? LP (New Direction, 1997)

DOWNLOAD II includes:
Against All Hope - Breaking Through (Round Flat Records, 1990)
Against All Hope - Demo Cassette (Promo, 1993)
Against All Hope - Dry Wall (New Direction, 1994)
---
Fadeaway - Blindsight Demo (Watchmen, 1993)
Fadeaway - Self Titled CD (Conquer The World, 1994)
Fadeaway - Split w/ Two Line Filler (Last But Not Least, 1995)
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VA - A Reason For Living Comp (New Direction, 1997)

BIG SNIFF - Long Island Punk

Location: Long Island, USA

Release: Do It! Records, 1993
Artwork: Bob Fingerman

Imagine dudes in LUDICHRIST and SHEER TERROR playing melodic punk (aka 90's emo)? Imagine no further, BIG SNIFF was a short-lived project from West Babylon (NY) with one EP and one full-length out.

Both released in 1993, the songs on the EP "We're Only In It For The $"  are all featured on the LP "Experiment", used as promo I guess. Bob Fingerman did an excellent job for the band as he did all the art, especially on the EP where the cover really pops-out with the skinhead-girl, the martian hobos and all.

Sonically they deliver something between Black Train Jack and early-Gameface, fans of other 90's punk/emo bands like Big Drill Car and Lifetime might find something very interesting in BIG SNIFF.

The band is comprised by Alan and Mike from Ludichrist (who also played in Sheer Terror), the singer of NY's IN YOUR FACE Marc Adams, and the riffs where handled by Gary Bennett from Kill Your Idols/Black Anvil, he also played in a short-lived punk-emo band called CLOCKWISE together with Eddie Reyes (Taking Back Sunday).

This was actually a request by a fellow follower of this blog, thanks for presenting the band to me, if any of you have a request hit me up and will try my best! 

DOWNLOAD these records:
Big Sniff - Experiment CD (Dot It! Records, 1993)
Clockwise - Dead End EP (Motherbox, 1993)
Clockwise - She Was (Pie Records, 1996)

in times of virus breakout, hear big sniff and chill out!

REVULSION - Discography

Location: Norwich, UK

Release: Boss Tuneage, 2013

While doing the article about DECADENCE WITHIN I came across REVULSION in the Boss Tuneage Retro Releases webpage and upon checking their video clip I got hooked, excellent melodic Punk done in 1990!

I found a few blogs talking about this band but I decided to do it anyway, maybe more people could be surprised by them. REVULSION started in 1983 and recorded their debut EP in '85, influenced by the blooming UK82 and the likes of Varukers and Conflict but my favorite material is the melodic stuff which came about at the end of the 80's. (They've put the anarchopunk aside a bit and started to listen to Hard-Ons and Dinosaur Jr.)

In 2013 Boss Tuneage released a compilation CD with all their studio recordings (with the exception of their '85 EP). The CD gather tracks from various compilations, unreleased stuff and the killer final EP "The Only Revolution" from 1991. The bonus track is from the comp Words Worth Shouting and talks about animal abuse and exploitation.

I was going to add the rehearsal '86 tape to this but I didn't like what I heard at all, the focus here is really the Boss Tuneage release. 

DOWNLOAD these records:
1985 - Ever Get The Feeling Of Utter... Revulsion EP (Radical Change Records)
2013 - Self Titled CD (Boss Tuneage)

CRIVITS - Rotterdam Posse (1990 - 1998)

CRIVITS was a band I got into very early on while I was still a teenager, around 1999, bought the Eye To Eye CD out on LOST AND FOUND Records and used to skip the slow songs (lol). Then I had a hard time trying to find the rest of their releases for years! Surely there must be others on the pursuit as well so it's time for another discography from the vaults.

Hailing from Rotterdam (NL) they started in 1987 and has become a legend in the European hardcore scene, influenced by Lärm and US-bands like Gorilla Biscuits, Unity and Turning Point, CRIVITS kept the Dutch straightedge alive for another decade. They stopped recording albums in 1998 but live appearances happens occasionally.

At the time the band was active they shared members with other cool bands such as X-MEN and Guidingline. Afterwards they could be found playing in new projects such as ECHOES, BIRDS OF A FEATHER and more recently in ONCE I CRY.

For download I got hold of virtually everything in the highest quality, the 4 LPs plus the 2 EPs that were later added in the Eye To Eye album, a compilation of their first 3 albums.
 Musically they progressed from a raw old school youthcrew (making Pressure from 1992 their best record to many fans) to melodic hardcore already on their 3rd album Drive (1993) which, in times, can even be considered as post-hardcore. As I aged these post tunes became much more pleasant to my ears as opposed to my younger me.

Nevertheless they still produced some hard edge tunes even in the so called "melodic-phase", tracks like Point Of View, Live Your Life and Rotterdam Posse are memorable!

DOWNLOAD the following records:

199X - Live In Berlin 7" (Old World Records)
1995 - Stare LP (Lost And Found Records)
1996 - Once Again LP (Lost And Found Records)
1997 - Eye To Eye : Contains "Pressure" LP, "Back With a Message!" EP and "Drive" EP (Lost And Found Records)
1998 - The More The Truth Hurts... The More I Learn About Myself LP (Ignition Records)

For unreleased CRIVITS stuff, like demos and live versions, go to this post on OLD FAST AND LOUD!!


I attended the old school
Remembering all that is said
Still holds true to what feels right
The Rotterdam posse is NOT DEAD!

WESTERN FRONT RECORDS - Discography

Yo back on my quest to upload small label's discography for the one and only purpose of documenting the early 2000's hardcore punk history. First one was about Ambassador Records. These labels were all active during the same period, right when I was eager to know more new hardcore bands and was acquiring everything I could put my hands on (lol).

Western Front was a Los Angeles based hardcore label with a total of 10 releases, from 2001 to 2005. What a better way to find about new cool bands then to track down a labels catalog? AS you know, back then there was no bandcamp, discogs, spotify nor decent content on youtube.

WFR-01  THE DAMAGE DONE - Damage Done

First release (aka Demo aka "California") by this melodic hardcore from SoCal with that late 90's SXE sound similar to In My Eyes and Champion. Read more about them in this article, written by one of the band members which was also the guy behind Rivalry Records.

WFR-02  AMMUNITION - S/T

Virgina Beach hardcore 2002 represent! Features dudes from IRON BOOTS and TARPIT. Artwork by Linas Garsys. For download we have the CD version with 2 bonus tracks!

WFR-03  OUTBREAK - Eaten Alive

First record by this well known fastcore band, later signed to Bridge9 and Think Fast! Records (vocal's label). Artwork by Mike Bukowski! Contains bonus tracks!!

WFR-04  SAY GOODBYE - Anti-Social EP

Another great fastcore release by the label, introducing SAYGOODBYE. A band previously featured on this blog, more info here.

WFR-05  THE DAMAGE DONE - Never Wash Away

Their sick debut EP, much more personality when compared to the demo. File under criminally underrated album! A co-release with Rivalry Records of sorts.

WFR-06  THE MIRACLE MILE - Where The Heart Is

Another good add to the label's hoster, great melodic hardcore in the vein of American Nightmare. As a bonus I'm adding their 2004 EP The Future History out on Sell Our Soul to show how hard they rocked!

WFR-07  SAYGOODBYE - Say Goodbye LP

Label's finest release, check the special post about them here.

WFR-08  DROP IT - What The Hell?

The only Western Front release I don't own a single copy, pretty solid record tho.

WFR-09  DIE! - I Hope You Die

Awesome skatecore band from Italy, youth's gone thrashin'! Label's final release.

WFR-10  SAYGOODBYE - Misanthropy

update: Western Front number Ten! Last release for both the band and label.

DOWNLOAD [Discography]*

*except the records by SayGoodbye which were featured on the blog before!

AWAKE! - Beliefs

Location: Florida, US

Release: Skene! Records, 1989
Artwork: Paul Pavlovich

As requested the only release by this cool Florida melodic hardcore band. I have no idea how I got to know them, maybe the cover got my eyes, which was drawn by Paul Pavlovich of Assück!

This record got financial help from both Victory Records and TPOS Records but, as it seems, due to a miss-communication between labels only Skene was credited and printed on the 7" sleeves.

After that not much can be said about AWAKE!, a second EP was being recorded but got scrapped and members went on to play in several other melodic 90's emo-ish bands, the most recent one is SCIENCE in which they recapture some of that hardcore influence, pretty solid!

DOWNLOAD

The next few posts will be all about late 80's/early 90's hardcore, stay tuned!

THE NEW ENEMY - Illusion Of Choice

Location: Toronto, Canada

Release: DIY, 2019
Artwork: Peter Stirling

This came out as a great surprise, it's been 5 years since THE NEW ENEMY has laid their last record! Now they are back with a brand new 8-song EP "Illusion Of Choice", 5 original and 3 covers.

Their commitment in supporting local causes and their DIY/punk ethics remains untouched for over a decade now but the evolution of their music never stops going forth.

They went a step further from their previous EP and worked with 2 big names of the north american hardcore music scene -- Will Killingsworth [Dead Air Studios] and Arthur Rizk [War Hungry, Sumerlands]. The result falls right at that blurry line between punk rock and hardcore, especially when you add a dark melodic edge to it, all very powerful and heartfelt delivered [including the covers], this will definitely appeal to fans of Paint It Black and Jade Tree's best era catalog.

They were always keen to play a variety of covers, here they perform these in a brilliant personal way:

GOB "Reign On Your Parade"
Leonard Cohen "You Want It Darker"
Snapcase "Ambition Now"

The highlights of the record for me tho' are the heavy hitters Shrine and Thread which, in the latter, features the vocals of Jessica Meers.

Please visit their bandcamp and donate any amount or spread the word of a beautiful yet urgent matter.

NINE LIVES - Uncovered and Rarities

Location: New York

Release: P.O.P. Records, 2002

Allright, wanna talk about a tough record to track down? I present NINE LIVES compilation of covers and demos, ladies and gents!

Another late 90's project (that may rise again in 2019!) by Rob Vitale, this time without Ernie, only with Goldstein from Black Train Jack. This CD only came out in Japan and it compiles the following recordings:

Tracks 1-6 Cover songs
Tracks 7-10 2nd Demo Tape
Tracks 11-14 1st Demo Tape

For some reason they didn't include their IGGY POP redemption of Sixteen, which I fixed for this occasion. 9 Lives biggest hit Paperboy is included here in a demo version.

DOWNLOAD



Nine Lives drummer Rich Ramirez uploaded this video and a few others, most related to this release. For more Rob/Ernie music endeavors you may check BTJ and Higher Giant.

BLACK TRAIN JACK - Demos & Rarities

Location: New York City

Release: Roadrunner, 1992-1996
Artwork: Ernie Parada

What a band, the've built quite an audience that ranges from regular rockers to hardcore moshers sending everyone back to the days of yore!

They were active, recording music around the mid 90's (but they still play live from time to time), this post is about BTJ rare tracks taken from compilations and singles plus both their demos:

1992 - Five Songs Demo

01. No Reward
02. Guy Like Me
03. Who's That Man
04. It Doesn't Matter
05. Back Up

1992 - 5 Big Hits
01. Time
02. Someday
03. The newest one
04. My Discipline
05. One Love

1993 - Someday Maxi-Single
01. Someday

02.  This Is The Way

03. If I Can

1994 - Handouts Maxi-Single
01. Handouts (LP Version)

02. Handouts (BTJ Sing Along Choir Version)
03. No Use
04. Guy Like Me (featuring Jackie B & The A-Trains)

1995/1996 - Compilations
01. Gratitude (from Flipside R.A.F.R., 1995)
02. Catalina (from Homage - Lots Of Bands Doing Descendents' Songs, 1995)
03. 700 Club (from Punk Uprisings, 1996)

DOWNLOAD [new link 2021!]

After Black Train Jack they went on separte ways and formed many other projects following that same catchy melodic punk formula such as Grey Area, Nine Lives and Higher Giant but what not everybody knows is that Rob Vitali (vox) teamed up recently with dudes in Buried Alive and Maximum Penalty to record a demo under the name American Monster, take a listen:

credits: Orville Dunworth