TAKE CONTROL: Tides
6 song 7” on Commitment - € 3,50
Take Control, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, has already been making a name for themself in the Midwest hardcore scene by touring like crazy. The band brings their straight edge message packed in hardhitting fast and heavy hardcore, that both sounds firmly rooted in the past, but also very much 2008. The bitter lyrics fit in very well with the aggressiveness of the music – bitter about the destruction that is happening all around. The band may sound bitter, but brings with their music also a message of hope. As powerful and angry as hardcore should sound!
TAKE NO HEROES
39 song compilation on Boisleve / Refuse / Take 4 etc. - € / $ 7
8 labels are involved in this compilation, and among those some of my favourite, like Refuse, Kids For Life and Take 4 - so you know you will get a quality release here ! The infamous Yann Boisleve was the driving force behind this international hardcore compilation that features 10 hardcore bands from all over the world: Pointing Finger (Portugal), Razlog Za (Croatia), No Violence (Brazil), Feud (Philippines), Only Way Out (Poland), Crickbat (Spain), The Mutiny (USA), Sincerity (Germany), Cita Attieksme (Latvia) and Second Combat (Malaysia) - so a really allstar line-up of great bands that all already left their mark on the hardcore scene. With the exception of No Violence, that have more of a crusty sound, all bands play fast old school / youthcrew hardcore, and most of the bands also have something worthwhile to say. The compilation comes in a nice package… if you want to support hardcore, buy this ! Highly recommended !
TAME THE TIKBALANG: Forever Shall Be
CD on Carmen Records - € 4
New York City inspired hardcore from this band from The Philippines. From 2002.
TANGLED LINES : Wash The Shit Off
8 song 7” on Refuse - € 3
Killer female fronted punk from Germany. Every song has great breakdowns with awesome lyrics shouted over the top of them. This record is filled with energy all around. The live shows from this band are out of control. Limited edition cover.
TANGLED LINES – DICK CHENEY
10 song 7” on Refuse / Thrashbastard - € / $ 3
The Tangles Lines play fast straightforward hardcore with a cool sounding girl singer – lyrics deal with being yourself on the dancefloor and keeping nazi’s from hardcore show. They end their side of this split-7” with the Gorilla Biscuit ‘New Direction’. Dick Cheney are from the Swedish hardcore capital Umea, and take their influence from late ‘70/very early 80s USA hardcore/punk. Their side contains six songs, that deal with killing your parents, how much the government sucks, having a boring job and how your life goes down the drain – if that ain’t punk subjects, I don’t know what are…
THE CONSPIRACY - € / $ 2
In fact this is the second Step Forward - Get In Touch split issue, but as it seems the cooperation between these two fine Philippines zines is here to stay, the editors decided to give their collaboration a name of its own: The Cnspiracy. This zine has all the qualities you have come to expect of Get In Touch and Step Forward: lots of interesting columns, interviews that go beyond the surface, reviews of releases from all over the world, scene reports and much more. This issue is a ‘woman’s issue’, which means that are more columns by women than usually, and many many girls that are active in hardcore are interviewed. Some name-dropping - interviews with (the editors of) Slug & Lettuce, It’s Not Just Boys Fun, W.R.I.N.G., Voice, and with local bands Mindrape and Forgiveness Denied. A total of 100 pages of highly recommended reading !
THE FEW AND THE PROUD PART 1
16 song compilation on One Try - € 5
This CD documents the Sundsvall hardcore scene circa 2000. Bands included are Towards Nothing, Endflow, Greed, My Orchard, Mukti, Restless Youth, Java and Skaplig Fraktur.
THE WARREN COMMISSION : Uncover / Discover
3 song 7” on Solution - $ / € 3,50
Poppy melodic punk from this band from Somerville, MA, that sometimes reminds me of Discount. Just as Discount in their early period, most Warren Commission songs are sung by the female singer, but in some parts one of the guys of the band is also doing lead vocals. Lyrics are personal, which is also typical for bands in this style. A nice little record, for those moments you prefer something less aggressive than the usual hardcore record.
THESE HANDS ARE FISTS: Peace Is Bad For Business
8 song CD on Refuse - € 7
These Hands Are Fists features many veterans from the Portugese straight edge scene, with members who have earned a good reputation by playing in bands like Time X, New Winds and Fight For Change. The sounds of These Hands Are Fists is in line of Time X and Fight For Change – youthcrew with modern hardcore influences, with a top notch production; their politics are clearly in the line of New Winds. The band is vegan, straight edge and political, so it should not come as a surprise that their lyrics are very political. The title of the CD is also very clear about the side they are on. One of the best records I have heard recently from the Portugese sXe scene.
THIS IS OUR TIME
18 song CD on Still Holding On - € / $ 7
Another strong release of Still Holding On Records, and again a document of how international the hardcorescene has become - six old school sXe / positive HxC bands can be found on this compilation: Pointing Finger (Portugal), Cinder (Spain), Reconcile (Argentina), Day Of The Dead (Portugal), On Alert (USA) and Odyssey (Brazil) - all bands play fast youthXcrew / old school hardcore. I guess the line-up of this compilation already says enough about the quality, so get it!
THIS SHIP WILL BURN: Servant Of Servants
5 song 7" on Thrashbastard - € 4
This new band from Sudbury, Ontario toured early 2007 with I Refuse in Canada. The record contains five songs of melodic punkrock in the vein of Fucked Up, with mostly personal lyrics.
THIS TIME AROUND: Whats In Your Heart?
4 song 7” on Sell Our Soul - € / $ 3
Old school hardcore from the UK, on a Spanish label – This Time Around burst out four songs of classic old school hardcore, with aggressive and powerful vocals and enough personality to set this release apart from the many other old school bands at the moment. The guitarwork is sometimes melodic, without losing the punch and speed. Lyrics are mostly personal, about people changing their ways in life. Collectors information: comes on black splattered red vinyl.
THRASH ATTACK DO BRAZIL
11 song 7” on Offside - € 3,50
A compilation of Brazilian thrash bands on a new French label. Bandanos, Vinganca, Satanaiz, Nerds Attack!, Justica and B.U.S.H., probably the most wellknown band of the bunch, all deliver fast and furious hardcore.
THRASH WAR
14 song compilation 7” on Demo-Lition, Vinyl Remains - € 4
A 4-way split between Worker & Parasite, Brain Dead, Valhalla Pacifists and Patient Zero. Four English bands from up and down the country playing harsh and fast hardcore punk, skull bursting violence, thinking-mans thrash and just plain balls out thrash. Yes, it’s all fast and thrashy.
THRASHINGTON D.C. – KILLIN’ IT!: Split It In E.P.
7 song 7” on Out Of Vogue and many other labels - € 3,50
Killin‘It! (3 songs) from New Jersey paly raging thrashy hardcore in the vein of Tear It Up and Cut The Shit and are from New Jersey. Thrashington D.C. (4 songs) play sick rock'n'roll thrashcore, and are from France!
TRENCHCOAT ARMY
6 song 7" on Mad At The World - € / $ 3,50
Early 80s style HxC from this NYC band- the music is fast, raw and noisy, while the lyrics are pissed-off and somewhat nihilistic. As if you've entered a time machine, that brought you back twenty years in time... but the name of the band is very 21st Century.
TRUE BLUE: The Ice
5 song 7” on Crucial Response - € 5
True Blue, featuring the former singer and drummer of Spawn, seem to be the new hype in Holland, Belgium and Germany - who are either loved or hated by the kids, there seems to be middle way. Heavy influenced by the Cro-Mags and recorded in the Bunt Studio, this 7” is the debut of True Blue (are they Madonna-fans ?).
TRUTH IN MY HANDS
9 song CD on Step Ahead - € 6
100% youth-crew,positive attitude in live action,lyrics and of course music. Truth In My Hands is sparkling through 9 fast rocking old school songs in more than 18 min. You'll find fast parts, sing-a-longs, mosh and stop and go as well. Lyrics that let you take a break to think about what's happening all around (political and personal stuff). From 2001.
TRUTH INSIDE (Added August 2011)
5 track 7” on Ugly And Proud - € 4
Truth Inside from Florida put out a strong demo in 2010. That demo was supposed to be re-released by Just Another Day Records. When Just Another Day Records threw the towel in the ring, fortunately, Truth Inside found a new home at Bulgaria’s Ugly And Proud Records. The band decided to re-record the songs of the demo, and here is the result: 5 songs of pure 80s youthcrew energy!
TRUTH THROUGH FIGHT: Behind These Words
6 song 7” on La Otra Opcion, Actua, Stomp - € 3,50
Truth Through Fight is from Andalusia, Spain. The band started out in 2004 and plays pure 88 style youthcrew full of energy and crew sing-a-longs. Lyrics (5 in English, 1 in Spanish) reflect the positivity of the band. One of the best 7”’s I’ve heard so far in 2009!
TRY HARDS – UPSTARTS – EASTFIELD - MUTLEY – PLANETEERS
4 song 7” on Good For Nothing - € / $ 3
A nice introduction into five bands from Scotland. The Try Hards kick the record off with a very punk and very Scottish sounding introduction and then go into a powerful thriving punk assault with their song ‘Scrap’. The Upstarts play catchy skapunk in the vein of Operation Ivy. Eastfield are certainly not straightedge, as is very clear from their 77s punk style sing-a-long-song ‘Wasted’ (with guitar solo!). Mutley play raw punk and the female-fronted The Planeteers close the record with another sing-a-long punk song.
TURN THE TIDE: What’s Behind These Eyes
5 song 7” on Commitment - € 3,50
Turn The Tide started out as a project in Ocotber 2006, when people involved in several other Finish hardcore bands, decided it was time for a straight edge band playing traditional hardcore in Finland again, as such a band had been lacking since the breakup of On A Solid Rock. Although Turn The Tide take the inspiration for their sound clearly from the classic youthcrew bands, their sound also contains elements of melodic punkrock and even classic rock, with raw production adding an extra sting. Shouted by a voice that sometimes brings Ian MacKaye to mind, the lyrics on their debut-7” are reflections of everyday life and relations with other people: greed, love, self-confidence and personal choices and growth.
TWENTY THIRD CHAPTER : Astringent Mask E.P.
3 song 7" on Moo Cow - € / $ 3,50
23rd Chapter from New Carlisle, Ohio, play slow, thriving, metal influenced hardcore.
UNBREAKABLE: Peace Of Mind
7 song 7” on Ugly And Proud - € 4
Farewell 7” of this Belgian straight edge band. 8 songs of modern yet old school straight edge hardcore. They draw influences from Youth Of Today, Uniform Choice and Insted, but their approach is totally new and up to date. Everything you need is here: fast parts, sing-along parts, 2 step parts, everything a good youthcrew record should have. Only 200 copies made, so get a copy while you can!
UNCONFORM
8 song demo - € / $ 2
The debut demo of the Russian old school band Unconform - 8 songs of youth crew hardcore with lyrics in Russian (!) - about unity, vegetarism, military service, staying true to your self and life in general. For people who think the CD (see below) is too expensive, maybe this cheap demo is a good start to check out some fine Russian youth crew hardcore.
UNCONFORM
14 song CD - € / $ 7
Unconform is an old school band from Moscow that made a big impression on me when I saw them on the 2001 edition of the Fluff Fest in the Czech Republic. Unconform play melodic old school hardcore with Russian lyrics - as not many people outside of Russia are able to speak Russian, a short explanation in English of each lyric can be found in the booklet.
UNDRESSED ARMY: Hier Ist Alles Geil
9 song 7” on Rising Riot / Unkraut / Dreckchords - € 3,50
Straight outta germany's coalchamber, here is the UNDRESSED ARMY with their first 7". The guys released some really fine demos in the past. The UNDRESSED ARMY is hardcore 'fucking' punk, political, cynical, critical, no bullshit, no macho-attitudes, no Hatebreed-tshirts and muscle-posing. Singalongs, Circlepits, fast hardcore and lyrics in German! Comes on very green vinyl.
UNFORCE: Keep On Struggling
4 song demo CD-R on Think Positive - € 3
Unforce is a youthcrew straightedge band from The Philippines. The band started out in 1998, as a positive old school hardcore band, then broke up for a couple of years, but was reborn as a straight edge band in 2009. On this demo, the band plays 4 energetic youthcrew influences songs, including a cover of ´X On My Hand´ of their fellow-country men Feud.
UNTIL TODAY : Hate Free
5 song 7" on Surrounded - € / $ 3
This record contains the first demo of Until Today. More raw, straightforward and fast than their later 7"'s two of the songs were later rerecorded and appeared on the 'Hit The Line Hard'-compilation.
UNTIL TODAY : In The Distance...
5 song 7" on Third Party - € / $ 3,50
Debut-7" of this North Carolina sXe-band, that features some members of Reinforce. Their sound is in the same style as Reinforce - youth crew hardcore, but with some melodies and some orginal ideas. Their second 7" will be out soon on Underestimated Records and they are also featured on the 'Hit The Line Hard'-compilation on Commitment.
UNVEIL: Destruction Wherever I Go
4 song 7” on Start A Fire - € 3,50
This is the debut-7” of this vegan straight edge band from Switzerland on the German label Start A Fire. Unveil plays heavy new school hardcore, without being too metal. A powerful production, good songs and lyrics that cover importants subjects like the unequality in this world, pollution, the meat industry and the Chinese occupation of Tibet. One of the best European straight edge records from 2009 so far.
UNVEIL: Hypnopaedia
4 song 7” on Take It Back / Start A Fire - € 4
Inspired by the heritage of the political 90s hardcore community, this vegan straight edge powerhouse combines influences by bands such as Unbroken, Undertow and Trial with elements of modern hardcore, yet going a way of its own. Positive, political, powerful.
UP RIGHTS: Old School Revenge
6 song 7” on Commitment - € 3,50
Debut-7” of Up Rights, a straight edge band from Toulouse, France. Uprights is not exactly new on the scene, as they played their first show in October 1996, being formed that same year after the break-up of Conform Choice. Mainly inspired by the late 1990s wave of European straight edge bands, Up Rights play fast, energetic and melodic old school hardcore and couple it with a message of drugfree pride and positivity, while taking a stand against the evils of today’s hardcore scene, like violent attitudes, fashion slavery and MySpace addicts.
UP YOURS
6 song 7” on Positive And Focused - € 3
This one sided 7” is a re-release of the demo of this new Amsterdam hardcore band on vinyl. Fast and aggressive mid-80s inspired hardcore.
UPPERCUT : What Comes First
7 song 7” on New Day - € / $ 3
Although this is the first (!) 7” of Zeeland’s Uppercut, the band can be considered as the veterans of the Dutch old school scene, having released their first CD in 1997. That release was totally DIY, these days Uppercut belong to the I Scream stable of bands. This record was released on Rotterdam’s New Day Records, and contains seven songs of aggressive rawly produced old school hardcore. Common theme in almost all the songs on this record is staying true and not changing your ways as time moves on, critizing those who don’t. It’s nice to finally be able to hear Uppercut pressed into vinyl. Comes on white vinyl.
URBANOS – CHOKE COCOI
15 song CD on Take 4 - € 7
Urbanos from Argentina lay 8 tracks of energetic late ‘90s NYHC inspired tunes with strong female vocals and some South American flavour added to it. Lyrics are in Spanish, but come with an English translation. All-female Choke Cocoi from The Philippines unleash a barrage of some of ferious and frantic female fronted hardcore punk tunes. Lyrics deal with militarism, media portrayel of women, money and discrimination based on gender.
VALUES INTACT : Dear Hometown
9 song CD on Goodwill - € / $ 7
It’s good to see that Goodwill Records, one of the longest lasting Italian hardcore labels seems now more active than ever. And everything they release breathes quality! Palermo straight edgers Values Intact have also found a home at Goodwill for their new album. Nine songs of modern youthcrew hardcore with lyrics about straight edge, friendship, love and hope. Another proof that the Italian sXe scene is still alive and kicking!
VALUES INTACT – AT HALF-MAST
4 song split-7” on Goodwill - € 4
This split 7” is the swan song of Palermo straight edge band Values Intact. Three songs of fast, angry, furious and heartfelt hardcore. On the other side of the record, At Half-Mast from the USA present one song of screaming and powerful HC. This record is part 1 of a series of 4 split-7”’s with artwork of four different international artists, that together tell a story. Orange vinyl.
VASELINE CHILDREN
10 song 7” on Thrashbastard - € 4
First release of probably the best Croatian band at the moment. Vaseline Children play highly energetic fast and thrashy straight edge hardcore with angry vocals and an in your face attitude. Lyrics deal with life in general, politics and the hardcore scene.
VENICE - ZxExD : A Subtil Arte De Hacer Inimigos
12 song 7” on Regulator / We Love Pandas - € / $ 3
Hailing from Argentina, Venice stips down 5 anthems of mid-80’s influenced skate-core, blending melodic yet powerful fast hardcore-punk. Like Dag Nasty meets Circle Jerks. Straight edge thrashers ZxExD bring 7 powerful tracks of politically charged thrashcore in the vein of Lärm and Discarga. Comes on green vinyl.
VERDICT: Constanta
10 song CD on Self True - € 7
Debut full-lenght album of this straight edge band from Moscow, Russia. Verdict plays newschool hardcore in vein of Morning Again, Reprisal etcera.
VERDICT - HOY ES EL DIA – SHIVER
9 song split-CD on Self True - € 7
Three straight edge bands from three different continents. Verdict is from Russia, Hoy Es El Dia is from Chile and Shiver is from Japan. A total 9 tracks of new school hardcore/metal, chugga chugga style in vein of 90’. For fans of Morning Again, Excessive Force, Canon, Birthright, Purification, Chokehold etc.
VITAMIN X : Once Upon A Time ...
10 song 7" on Commitment - € 4
2nd 7" of Amsterdam's number 1 sXe-band (well, that's not that difficult, because there is only one sXe-band in Amsterdam) - a step forward from the first 7" - more balanced, both with respect to songwriting and production. 10 hardcore songs in 16 minutes (so in fact it's a mini-album for the price of a 7" !), with lyrics addressing serious issues like drug legalization, computer-addiction and prejudices in the hardcore-scene.
VITAMIN X : See Thru Their Lies
17 song CD on S.O.A. - € / $ 9
Finally it's done - the first full length of Amsterdam sXe-ers Vitamin X. After two 7"'s on Commitment, Italy's S.O.A. Records has the honor to present us 17 songs of fast trashy/youth crew hardcore songs with a strong political message. The new Vitamin X songs are on the average faster than the songs on the two 7"'s and the production (in the legendary Koeieverhuur studio - where Negazione and BGK and other legendary 80s European HxC bands have recorded) adds to the overall result. I guess I'm not objective, but when you ask me, Vitamin X has become one of the best Dutch HxC bands ever.
VITAMIN X : People That Bleed
12 song 7" on Havoc - € 2,50
After two 7"'s on Commitment and one album on S.O.A./Underestimated, Vitamin X has teamed up with the legendary HxC label Havoc for their new 7". With every new record, Vitamin X becomes faster and more thrashy, while their lyrics focus more and more on political issues - without forgetting their sXe roots. This 7", their best recorded output so far, contains 12 blasts of pure HxC power, sounding as a mixture between Heresy, Black Flag, Minor Threat and old Vitamin X. Cover is a bit water damaged.
VITAMIN X: Down The Drain
23 song CD on Havoc - € 8
Second full length by this hyperactive Dutch SE fast core band. They've moved from youth crew style to a more fast hardcore sound similar to DS13 or Life's Halt. Great political SE lyrics and high energy hardcore.
VITAMIN X : Pissed Off: A VX Collection
36 song CD on Cactus / Karatecore - € / $ 7
This CD was released on several South East Asian labels on the occasion of the Vitamin X South East Asian tour in November 2005. It’s sort of greatest hits record, with songs of all Vitamin X releases from the first 1998 7” Straight Edge Crew, until their most recent Rip It Out 7”. The band themselves picked their favourite songs, so it should come as no surprise that there are more songs of the later records than of the early records. Still, the compilation contains all their hits: Straight Edge Crew, Raincoat, Not Me, People That Bleed, Stab, The Unknown Soldier, Herida Profunda, Bad Trip, it’s all there – and it’s all good! A perfect introduction to probably the most succesful Dutch hardcore band ever.
VITAMIN X : Pissed Off: A VX Collection
36 song CD on Take Four / Delusion Of Terror / Avoid Fate - € / $ 7
The Philippines version of the Vitamin X discography, released on occasion of the 2005 South-East Asian tour. Contains exactly the same songs at the Malaysian version, but comes in different artwork.
THE VOWS
4 song 7” on Dead And Gone - € 3
A straightedge supergroup, if ever was one, this band from Seattle features John Pettibone (Undertow, Himsa), Chris Williams (Champion), Aram Arslanian (Champion, Betrayed), Ryan Murphy (Undertow, Ten Yard Fight, Ensign and currently The Helm) and Rob Moran (Unbroken, Over My Dead Body and Some Girls). This EP is made up of four tracks of fast, positive hardcore proving that the passion for hardcore is still alive within these individuals. Fans of those ex bands will not be disappointed with 4 tracks of heavy west coast straightedge hardcore. Highly recommended!
WAKE UP AND LIVE #6 - € / $ 2
Straight edge zine from Portugal, done by Diogo, the singer of Pointer Finger. The sixth issue contains interviews with Insted, A Step Apart, Betrayed, I Object and Soulfire, columns, review and a Day Of The Dead American tour report. It also reprints an interview with Porcell from a couple of years ago.
WARREN COMMISSION: Uncover/Discover
3 song 7” on Solution Records - € 3
This band from mass play emo/indie rock in the vein of Discount, Jejune, Rainer Maria and Velocity Girl. Split female/male vocals w/ catchy music that leaves you wanting more.
WASTED : Heroes Among Thieves
12 song CD on Combat Rock Industry - € / $ 7
The third album of Wasted, from the Finnish city of Tampere. Wasted have already been around for some time, and still play a raw but well-produced mixture of hardcore and punk. In the well written lyrics Wasted – that seems to be made up by two pairs of brothers (that is, we have two Rönkkö’s and two Järvinen’s in the band) – deals with the consequences of the focus our society puts upon achieving a ‘success’ in society, consumption, war, TV, music as an inspiration to do something with your life and more.
WE’LL FACE: What Can I Gain?
8 song CD on Youthcrew - € 3
The second release on Italian label Youthcrew Records. Eight songs of pure 88-style youthcrew hardcore from this band from the Milan area. Members later ended up in The Miracle!
WEIGHT OF GOVERNMENT: Until The End
7 song CD on Invisible - € 4
Weight Of Government, who are from Spain, mix hardcore and oi! Energetic playing and lyrics in both English and Spanish make up for a powerful CD!
WHEELBITE: Darts
11 song 7” on Malfunction - € 4
Wheelbite were a skate culture influenced punk/thrash band from Richmond, VA. They disbanded in 2005. From 2001.
WHEN SEASONS CHANGE : Time Will Tell Us
6 song 7” on Commitment - € / $ 3
When Seasons Change is a brand new band from the north-east of Italy. Formed in 2004 as Nothing To Hide, the band changed its name to When Seasons Change a year later and now have their debut-7” out on Commitment Records. Six songs of powerful, energetic and melodic hardcore, fusing the late 1980s and late 1990s styles of positive straight edge hardcore with some 21st century influences. In their lyrics, WSC adress with both personal and politics topics, like having pride within yourself, taking a stand against fascism and refusing to give in to this materialist society we are living in.
WHILE YOU WAIT: My End My Rebirth
8 song 7” on Indelirium, Defiant Hearts, False Idols Fall - € 4
The labels say: “Hardcore inspired by refusal to accept the system of values of the modern world and voice of anger travelling through melodies of HC new school, fueled with old school energy. One time pressing of 300 copies.”
WOLF DOWN: XXVI
4 song 7” on Catalyst / Start A Fire - € 4
When German vegan straight edge band Sink Or Swim broke up, some members of the band continued in a new vegan straight edge band, and that band is Wolf Down. This four song EP, which is released as a collaboration between Catalyst Records from the USA and Start A Fire Records from Germany, is the debut of Wolf Down. From the lyrics and the quotes of anarchist thinkers as Bakhunin and Emma Gold it is clear that Wolf Down is not only a vegan straight edge band, but also a very political motivated band. Musically, the bands fits in very well with most other bands on Catalyst: heavy hardcore/metalcore with aggressive and powerful vocals done by singer Larissa. Comes in cool artwork.
WOUND UP: Demo 2008
5 song demo CD-R - € 1
Wound Up is a new hardcore band from Manchester, featuring some Currahee-members. Wound Up has a heavier sound than Currahee, although the style does not differ that much. Production is raw, but the energy is there.
X-MEN: We Won't Take Part
7 song 7” on Commitment - € 4
The first and only 7” of the legendary X-Men, featuring members of GuidingLine and Crivits, from 1998, long sold out, but I have a few copies available again. A maximum of 1 copy per person. Be quick, because they will be gone soon!
YOUNGANG
5 song 7” on Spaghetti - € / $ 3
Second 7” of this Torino skinhead band, with midtempo, sometimes melodic, well-produced oi! with lyrics in Italian.
YOUNGANG : Il Santo
12 song CD on Spaghetti - € / $ 7
Youngang is a skinhead band from Torino, Italy, who play typical midtempo oi! with lyrics in Italian. Fortunately, a translation in English of the lyrics is included, and Youngang sing about the usual oi-subjects (drinking beer, soccer and being a skinhead). As their political stance, it seems a bit complicated - they state to be apolitical, but at the same time put a poem of a Italian anarchist to music and I see many black stars (sign of anarchism) between the buttons that are showed on the backcover... anyway, for sure Youngang is no rightwing band. A great record to singalong to in a football stadium !
YOUR MISTAKE: Soul For Sale
6 song MCD on Light The Fuse - € 6
Your Mistake from The Netherlands feature some founding members of No Turning Back and Shattered and play hardhitting moshcore. Crown of Thornz and Biohazard come to mind, but Your Mistake clearly has a sound of its own.
YOUR NEW FRIEND : Smoke ‘n Thunder
4 song 7” on Revenge Therapy - € / $ 3
Recorded in 2001, but only recently (at the end of 2003) rereleased – this 7” by Your New Friend from Northern Ireland. Your New Friend features former members of Circle Again, although the music of Your New Friend is much more polished – somewhere between (later) Dagnasty and poppunk. No lyric sheet included, but they get extra points for the song title ‘David Lee Roth, I Too Am Running With This Devil Of Which You Speak! (sic)’. Comes on mint blue vinyl.
YOUTH AGAINST POLICIAL VIOLENCE
24 song CD on Amp!/Deifer - € / $ 8
Sampler on two labels from Argentina, featuring bands from all over the world: Loquero (Argentina), 2227 (Slovenia), Donfango (Chili), Stinkaholic (USA), White Frogs (Brazil), 720o (Argentina), The Throw Down (USA), Resisenza (Italy), Discourage Youth (Argentina), Junto! (Canada), Nos-Independencia (Chili) and Dios Hastio (Peru).
YOUTH AVOIDERS: Demo 2010
7 song 7” on Build Me A Bomb a.o. - € 4
The label says: Vinyl press of their 2010 demo tape, these songs had a lot of good feedback so we thought they deserve to exist on a 7" piece of wax. This is four Parisian guys playing hardcore with a power-pop touch that could be compared to Dean Dirg, Idle Hands and some Observers and Autistic Youth vibes.
YOUTH CREW 010
10 song 7” on Positive & Focused, Monument and Youth Crew - € 4
Second Youth Crew compilation, and just as the first one (Youth Crew 08) it's a classic: 10 youth crew bands from all corners of the world showing that youthcrew hardcore is alive and kicking. Bands featured are Alert (USA), Pressure (Portugal), Fumbles In Life (Italy), State Of Affairs (The Netherlands), Forever Young (Sweden), Reveal The Truth (USA), Half The Battle (The Philippines), Rearranged (Russia), Staid (The Philippines) and Outlast (USA). Comes with great artwork done by Javi. Higly recommended! (Unfortunately, the copies I have come without inlay).
ZLODZIEJE ROWEROW : Emo'la
16 song CD on Refuse / Emancypunx - € / $ 8
Z.R. is a band from Poland, that mix emo, hardcore and punk into a interesting sound of their own. Lyrics are in Polish, but translations in English, German and Spanish are included. The two last songs are dance versions (trip hop-style) of two songs of the album.
ZOOTIC – SANNYASIN
9 song split-CD on Regulator / Anti-Corpos - € /$ 5
Portugese punk-rockers Zootic deliver 4 passionate and intense songs in the best tradition of early 90’s punk. An eclectic sound that mixes the best elements of classic hardcore/punk roots. Lyrics are mostly in Portugese and English about the pressures of today’s society. Sannyasin (ex X-Acto) delivers five songs in the vein of early Strike Anyware, mixed with some Bad Brains influences. The English lyrics deal with both personal and political subjects.