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

IMPLEMENT - Leeds Punk Metal

Location: Leeds, UK

Release: Cold Comfort, 2018-2020

Logo: Ciaran O'nuallain

Age of Quarantine, day # 135 - For over a decade now LEEDS is still a hotspot for NWOBHC bands (this blog is filled with them) and since last year I've been following a fairly new project from there, IMPLEMENT.

Right off the bat SACRILEGE comes to mind as you play any track among their 3 EPs plus the 3-song TOUR PROMO released just before the virus breakout. Their music flerts with stenchcore and crossover so people into GAZM and Lifeless Dark will most likely be delighted by IMPLEMENT.

Their debut full-length can pop-up anytime now, hopefully sooner than later.

DOWNLOAD

MORE TO PRIDE - This Is Life

Location: Lynwood, USA

Release: Rivalry Records, 2005

Age of Quarantine, day # 126 - Picture Internal Affairs, Carry On and Floorpunch becoming one single group, you get MORE TO PRIDE, straight outta California! They are another damn fine example of that classic early 00's type of US hardcore sound, fast and in your face.

My CD copy of This Is Life is quite worn out, has been up and down, lotsa of spins during the first years and every now and then. The CD version contains the tracks from the 2004 Promo, making a total of 10 songs. The album also features guest vocals by John Eightclip and Connor from the rad Lights Out.

According to Kyle Whitlow, the co-owner of Rivalry, MORE TO PRIDE were considered the next big thing after the demise of CARRY ON, the new bearers of the aggressive straight edge hardcore flag in the West Coast, but... they were all youngesters at that time, around 18 years old and they went separate ways all too soon.

They could be seen reunited playin' in 2014 and most recently in 2017 at the Sound And Fury Festival but no new recordings has surfaced.

DOWNLOAD [320kbps]

THE LIMIT - Demo + Promo

Location: Florida, USA

Release: DIY, 2019

Atwork: Gil Sayfan

Age of Quarantine, day # 121 - THE LIMIT in tha house! Fresh new group from Tampa, playin' NYHC inspired hardcore, they already offered a 4-song Demo (2018) and two more tracks in the Promo from last year. Since I can't remember how I got to know them it will be hard to keep track of upcoming stuff, no websites no labels and maaan they have the right sound for IOU Records, Edgewood and even Triple-B!

I feel it won't take long for us to hear more from THE LIMIT!!

DOWNLOAD

Last Man Standing - Still The Same Over The Years

Location: Bolzano, Italia

Release: Vacation House Records, 1998

Age of Quarantine, day # 117 - Another throwback to late 90's Old School Revival. As I was looking on my CD collection to rip some stuff for the blog I came across LAST MAN STANDING, hard to think there's little info about them on the web as this album had a lot of spin between me and my friends back in the days.

All the way from Italy, LAST MAN STANDING is the definitive european answer to Uniform Choice! A cool homage to one of the greatest hardcore bands to ever exist, but more than that they represent a true gem in the whole revival movement in the 90's. The lyrics also show influences of other 80's Youth Crew groups as it is filled with straight edge pride and positiveness.

They existed for a brief moment with just 2 albums out but are undoubtedly one of the best bands to come out of Italy in my book, therefore it's one of the most notable releases on the italian label Vacation House's vast catalogue and a great add to the Siton Records host with their sophomore album "The True Meaning" CD/EP. 

DOWNLOAD these gems [320kbps]:

1998 - Still The Same Over The Years (Vacation House)

1999 - The True Meaning (Siton Records)

TRUE COLORS - The EP Collection

Location: Antwerp, België

Release: Powered Records, 2005-2010

Artwork: Spoiler

Age of Quarantine, day # 109 - TRUE X COLORS needs no introduction, although it's better to make clear we are not talking about the 80's NYHC band but the Belgian one! Long story short, guitar man DUNK quit Justice to start TRUE COLORS in 2004, a time also known as The Belgian Old School Hardcore Explosion.

I happened to visit Belgium for a week during the new year's eve in 2009 and despite I didn't see any show while there as I was sightseeing up and down, sporting my white True X Colors hoodie, a friend of the person hosting me there recognised the band on my apparel and got truly amazed, for 2 reasons: 1- they were her childhood friends; 2- because for her they were just a garage band lol! She then immediately called one of the guys and I ended talking to them over the phone as they were all hanging out together with dudes from Loud And Clear. Also when I visited a skateshop in Antwerp it was playing Focus On The Light in the store and I had a chat with the clerk, even though I never saw them play live I have these memories with me.

In an effort to make available high standard material here, despite the good amount of websites/blogs covering them out there, I researched for better and clearer rips of their EPs (except Consider It Done), especially the Perspective 7" which is my second favorite record by them. For that I used the CD version of Rush Of Hope that contains this EP, the same goes for the 2006's True Colors EP (Not Just Words Records) which comes as a bonus on the CD version of Focus On The Light.

It seems Powered Records ceased its operation for good now, for what I know Control Records and Reality Records are now the only remaining labels interested in old school in Belgium, what an exciting time those years were, not only for the locals but for aficionados of the style everywhere. For more detailed pressing info and limited versions of each release from TRUE COLORS please visit these two fine webpages: Life Trap! and Records with History and Future.

DOWNLOAD these albums [with scans]:

2005 - Get 'Em (Drink Milk Records)

2006 - True Colors EP (Not Just Words Records)

2008 - Perspective (Powered Records)

2010 - Bonus EP (Six Feet Under Records)

I highly recommend the reading of that zine linked at the top, 2 other bands interviewed there that can be found here are LOSING STREAK and NEWGATE POTENTIAL, if you haven't already, they are damn worth checking hands down!

STEP IT UP - Party Time EP

Location: San Diego, USA

Release: District Records, 2006

Age Of Quarantine, day # 98 - San Diego based STEP IT UP has that peculiar "Posi-Numbers" sound from the first half of the 2000's decade, a type of modern and fast Youth Crew hardcore music.

Party Time EP is probably their last record, which also came out as a split release with HEAD HIGH on CD. Before that they recorded 2 other EPs: Lace Your Kicks! (2004) and What A Joke (2005).

That first EP was going to be the first international release on the label I used to co-own, Last Drop Recordings around 2004, but that never happened, we just put out very few local releases on CD-R.

DOWNLOAD

WHERE FEAR AND WEAPONS MEET - The Discography

Location: Florida, USA

Release: Revelation Records, 1998-2003

Age of Quarantine, day #92 - 1998 was a dope year for hardcore punk, a time we witnessed the release of seminal or inaugural albums by bands such as Floorpunch, Carry On, Sportswear, True Blue... to name a few, bands that shaped the sound for the new millenium. That was also the year we saw the emergence of Miami's own WHERE FEAR AND WEAPONS MEET.

The band came about when John Wylie (Culture, Morning Again, Tension) got together with Jason Lederman (Beyond Reason, Until The End) right after the demise of Morning Again to start a fast and straight up hardcore project, they recruited Ryan (Poison The Well) and after a few trials the vocalist chosen was Alex "Wall Street Justice" Flores. Then, quickly this unit put together 5 songs that debuted on a 7" by Revelation Records, how many bands does that? Thankfully they put aside all that metalcore shenanigan and delivered nothing but fast and energetic hardcore. The next year they presented what is considered to many (including me) their best work, THE WEAPON!

The Weapon LP caught me off guarded back then "who are those dudes?" such a cool a record, full of hit songs and great message, simple yet very effective. Unfortunately Alex and Ryan quit the band the following year but gratefully they kept going with Larry Scott (Think Fast! Records) on vocals and Chad Kishick taking over the bass, as a result the band lost a bit of its tightness and speed.

I went through my record collection and my network to gather virtually everything they recorded on studio in 320kbps audio quality, with the exception for the SSD tribute 7" that I found a clearer audio rip in VBR. (what an amazing tribute by the way!) The weirdest track here is that The Cure cover which I gladly didn't know existed prior to this post, a hardcore punk tribute album to them, lol! The original band is fine but this is a odd bunch, the only other ok song there is by Voice Of Reason. Also WFAWM were featured on several compilations out there, including on The Rebirth Of Hardcore: 1999, but none of them with exclusive songs.  

BUY THE RECORDS

DOWNLOAD the following:

1998 - Where Fear and Weapons Meet EP (Revelation Records)

1999 - The Weapon (Revelation Records)

1999 - Under The Influence - A Tribute To SS Decontrol (Vicious Circle Records)

2000 - Split w/ Comin' Correct (Temperance Records)

2000 - Disintegrated - A Cure Tribute Compilation (Too Damn Hype Records) - just the WFAWM track! 

2001 - Unstoppable (Triple Crown Records)

2003 - Control (Eulogy Recordings / Think Fast! Records)

Today, as a bonus, we have these early 90's sxe hardcore bands from South Florida, check it out!

Download these:

TENSION - In Our Time (First Street Records, 1993)

BEYOND REASON - It's Just Begun (Youth Bus Records, 1991)

VA - Notes From The South (Youth Bus Records, 1991)

KNOW THE SCORE - Delay Of Game EP "Promo"

Location: Florida, USA

Release: Eighty-Sixed Records, 2020

Age Of Quarantine, day # 82 - KNOW THE SCORE, back to the studio after 14 years, since their sophomore release on Eulogy Recordings. A discography LP "All Or Nothing" was issued in 2008 comprised of songs recorded in 2005 and 2006, after that they were laying low playing shows occasionally throughout the years into the new decade.

They play a blend of INFEST and Cleveland Hardcore, pissed off short songs filled with blast beats and break stomps. Recommended for fans of Negative Approach and State Of Conviction. Hence I have a soft spot for all things fastcore, I follow these dudes since they signed to Eulogy and got myself a copy of that discography LP.

Smash Racism is the new single for an upcoming EP on Eighty-Sixed entitled Delay Of Game, perfect timing for a song like this, a moment we all must show our true colors, either you're part of the solution or part of the problem, NO TOLERANCE FOR IGNORANCE! It's maddening to think in 2020 people are still experiencing this kind of despicable attitude and police brutality taking lives, they are a disease that must be wiped out together with covid-19.

The band is also running a donation through the sales of shirts with all proceeds going to the NATIONAL BAIL FUND NETWORK, pre-orders ends this friday!

DOWNLOAD

Thanks to the European initiative HARDCORE CREW for the heads-up!

THE FOG - Into The Fog

Location: Berlin, Deutschland

Release: SFR-Hardcore / Refuse Records, 2020

Age of Quarantine, day # 69 - From the people who have been providing the best ugliest things on hardcore for last couple of years, SFR-Hardcore (in conjuntion with a bunch of other labels) presents the sequel for the Berlinese band THE FOG.

The band's rawness sound remains but the production in Into The Fog is up a notch, 6 tracks perfect to bust into the dancefloor swinging chains, reminds me of Firewalker in some parts.

If it wasn't for the pandemic they should've been on tour around Asia promoting the album which got a cassette version by Malaysian Pissed Off Records!

GET THE 7"

DOWNLOAD

Also while visiting the SFR-Hardcore's page don't forget to check 2 new Deustch/North-american joints URBAN VOID and CHRONIC ABUSE!