COMMITMENT RECORDS
MAILORDER CATALOGUE
NEW IN STOCK OR BACK IN PAST FEW MONTHS
ALONE: Kiss Dreams Goodbye
5 song 7 on Refoundation - 3,50
Passionate melodic modern old school in the vein of Unbroken, Turning Point, Verse and The Get Up Kids from Italy, with personal lyrics.
ANCHOR: Captivity Songs
5 song MCD on Refoundation - 4,50
Anchor sprung, as they described it themselves, from the independent music community as well as the anarchist and animal liberation-movement of Gothenburg, Sweden and features former members of Damage Control and Set My Path. This is their debut release: 5 songs of powerful straight edge hardcore in the vein of mid-1990s bands like Unbroken, Abhinanda and Shield. Lyrics come with explanations and deal with religion, vegetarism, drugs and friendship.
ASUNTO: El Fuego Sigue Ardiendo
13 song CD on Tomorrow - 6
Record to celebrate the 10th year of existence of vegan straight edge hardcore pioneers Asunto, who are probably the first vegan straight edge band to come from Santiago, the capital of Chile. Thirteen songs of well-delivered metalcore, with mostly screamed, but sometimes also sung vocals. Songs are in Spanish, but come (partly) with English translations.
AT ALL COSTS: Direction
6 song CD on Our Pride - 7
The Direction EP marks the maturation of a young band that has quickly risen to the top of the Connecticut underground scene. The EP showcases AAC's "heavy but bright" sound through both catchy and emotionally charged songs. Their unique blend of horn-back youth crew hardcore on this record of heart pumping, pulse pounding, pile-on anthems is sure to make it a favorite for fans of all genres including ignite, stay gold, or uniform choice. lots of melody but still plenty of agression. At All Costs have toured in the Northeast with bands like Our Final Say and Signs Of Hope, and have played countless one-off shows with bands like Sinking Ships, Down To Nothing, Have Heart and more, while selling thousands of copies of a self-released demo.
AT HALF-MAST TO THE EMBERS
4 song split-7 on Goodwill - 4
At Half-Mast offers one song of over 6 minutes of heavy oldschool newschool mix with screamed vocals. To The Embers is a new band from Italy, presenting 3 songs in 6 minutes of abrasive fast/slow HardCore that both draws influences from the distant (Chain Of Strength, Battery) as well as recent past (Shai Hulud, Champion, American Nightmare, Stay Gold). This record is part 2 of a series of 4 split-7s with artwork of four different international artists, that together tell a story. Blue vinyl.
BRAT PACK: Hate The Neighbors
13 song CD on Crucial Attack / Ha-Ko Bastards / Dirty Faces - 9
Hailing from the eastern part of The Netherlands comes a band that you would expect from the western and sunny side of California. The band started in 2006 and not long after that they recorded a demo which was well received. With ex- and current members of Beans, Antillectual, My Reply and Citizens Patrol they have a wide variety of musicians in the band and that's something you distinctly hear in their sound. Influences vary from the melodic sounds of Nofx ( take note off the melodic guitar intros), Bad Religion, No Use For A Name but with a harder edge than any of these bands using influences of hardcore bands such as RKL, Stalag 13, 7 Seconds en old New York and DC hardcore bands like Minor Threat and Urban Waste. Brat Pack delivers 13 songs of full excitement and loads of melodies which will have you dancing in no time.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: Chapter 5
5 song 7 on Commitment #36 - 3,50
Birds Of A Feather is band with many familiar faces from the Dutch straight edge scene. All members are over 30 and still keep the straight edge flame burning. Manliftingbanner, Mainstrike, Crivits, X-Men, Betray, the zine Value Of Strength, to mention some of the many projects the BOAF members have been involved in. These five songs, recorded during the sessions for their debut-album, show that being over 30 does not mean that you have to become watered down: fast, to the point, energetic, taking inspiration of the classic straight edge bands from the late 1980s. The lyrics reflect on life, looking back, but especially looking forward, staying true to ideals, growing as a human being with compassion and gaining insight.
BREAK THE CHAIN: A Time Well Remember
7 song 7 on Rebellious 4
Debut 7 of Break The Chain from Southern California, USA. Pissed off straight edge hardcore in the classic 88 style. Angry lyrics that deal with personal issues and addiction. Good stuff!.
BREAK THROUGH
6 song 7 on Breakout - 3,50
Debut-7 of Break Through, we come from the Mόnster area in Germany. Break Through plays fast yet melodic youthcrew hardcore with lyrics about the media, breaking free, hardcore pride, vegetarism and reflections on the past. A nice debut-7!
CANT SIT STILL #2
Zine - 2
Second issue from this hardcore zine from St. Louis contains interviews with Die Young (TX), Birds Of A Feather, Get The Most, Struggle Against, Always Aware and Suburban Smash, articles on vegetarism and racism and the usual reviews.
CITIZENS PATROL
10 song 7 on No Way / Crucial Attack - 3,50
Citizens Patrol is hailing from the south of the Netherlands and play awesome straight forward hardcore. Imagine old NYHC like Antidote, Urban Waste mixed with some Spermbirds and a little US punk like Reagan Youth. Also could fit along the lines of modern HC like Violent Minds, Direct Control, Strung up or Amdi Petersens Arme. Political lyrics. Sounds as if it could have been recorded in 1983.
CIVIL TERROR : Rising EP
10 song 7 EP on Crucial Attack - 3
Civil Terror from The Netherlands plays fast, raging terror not unlike Infest, SSD or Judas Priest. Since their demo sold out ages ago, all 10 songs were released on vinyl. The songs have been mostly re-recorded, mixed and mastered. First releasing on the new label run by the guys behind Crucial Attack distro.
DEAL WITH IT: World Coming Down
5 song 7 on Dead And Gone - 3
Intense and hard straight edge hardcore from this new straight edge band from Leeds. Deal With It get their inspiration from the harder New York bands, like Breakdown, Cro-Mags, Killing Time and Raw Deal, which also translates in the lyrics, that are quite dark, although, here and there, I see a spark of hope. Lyrics deal with the demise of this world, drinking culture, the trap of 9 to 5 working life and violence.
DEATH IS NOT GLAMOROUS: The Demo 7
5 song 7 on True North - 3,50
When the Death Is Not Glamorous demo was released in 2005, it turned many heads. It made them one of the most talked over new bands of 2005. The records they have put out since the demo, proved that there was a clear ground for all this fuzz. For those who dont know Death Is Not Glamorous: the band rose from the ashes of Norwegian straight edge band Damage Control and plays melodic hardcore with some clear punkrock influences, with sometimes shouted, sometimes sung vocals. True North Records, run by drummer Even (who played 10 years ago in Commitment bands Kids Like Us!) has released the legendary demo on vinyl.
THE EFFORT: Wear Your Heart
5 song 7 on Words Of War - 4
The Effort is a straight edge hardcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Although their members reside in three different states, and the age difference in the band ranges, they have found a way to work together to produce some of the most progressive hardcore music coming out of Boston today. They started in the summer of 2006 and since then they've been rapidly gaining a large following. Drawing from such influences as Bane, Champion, 108, Verse, Turning Point, Boy Sets Fire, and Have Heart, The Effort seems to battle each others influences with their instruments, transcending beyond the stereotypical straight edge label in an attempt to use the subculture's morals to make an impact on their generation through Eastern thought.
FACTS SWORDS
9 song 7 on Rising Riot / Good Boys - 3,50
This 7" documents two young bands from Germany. Both, TheFacts and TheSwords sold their sanity for the essence of chaoscore. TheFacts are running a desperate, distressed path through the abyss of subsistence. If you need comparisons, take Some Girls, and Panic. The drugfree and vegan moshmonster, formaly known as TheSwords are out to take a stand against the prevailing stupidity in todays hc-scene. Vegan-SXE gets a new shape, forget the blackened metalmosh-kids without any background. HC needs content, so here are TheSwords.
F.P.O.: 2003-2007 Recordings
41 song CD on El Paso - 8
This CD compiles most of the stuff the Macedonian straight edge/thrashcore band F.P.O. has recorded in the years 2003 to 2007: the tracks of the split CD with Wasserdicht, the split 7s with Secret 7, My Revenge and I Object and a bunch of compilations. The CD also contains an unreleased song and a live show, recorded in August 2006 (this is the 41st track). A cool compilation of a very cool band!
F.P.O.: Straight To The Point
6 song 7 on Commitment - 3,50
Its sad, but true. This 7 is the farewell record of these Macedonian straight edge pioneers. And in a way, this 7 also makes the circle round, as on the 7 F.P.O. return to the sound of their early days. The six songs are fast bursts of hardcore punk, with a touch of youthcrew and an emphasis on the punk part. Singer Vasko sings in a raw voice, with gives the songs even more a punk feel. The music was recorded live and that really suits a band that made a name mainly because the many high energy shows they did over the years. The philosophy of F.P.O. did not change through the years: still straight edge, still political, still truly D.I.Y. and this shows in the lyrics, that are sung in their native language, but came (of course) with translations.
GET LOST: Unity Is Fucking Dead
8 song CD on High Hopes / Eternalis / Kawaii / Positively Negative 6
8 songs in only 12 minutes, so you know what to expect from this straight edge band from Paris. Fast old school hardcore, with some small New York hardcore influences, but without taking the speed away from the songs. Lyrics deal with hypocrisy within the hardcore scene, the war on terrorism, straight edge and the meat industry. Good stuff!
GO! : What We Built Together
9song 7 on Refuse / Stress To Death / Go! - 3,50
GO! is a positive New York Hardcore band that originally existed from 1989 to 1991. Among bands like Lifes Bloodn, Born Against and Citizens Arrest, they were an integral part of DIY side of NYHC scene in those days. They were known because of their fast, short and positive HC songs with lyrics focused on personal/political issues, caring about social and environmental awareness, confronting racism, sexism, homophobia, violence at shows in their lyrics and supportive to all-ages shows, equality for women, equal rights and respect for gay and lesbian people, essentially having respect for other people in general. In 2006, Go! Reformed and released the "Reactive" 7", taking their values and sounds from the past to present. "What we build together" 7" is their new release contains 9 songs (including two new versions of their old song "You'll say you'll", this time in German and Hebrew versions).
GOOD FELLAZ: Demos 2007
10 song 7 on Anti Todo - 3,50
This 7 compiles the first two demos from this hardcore band from the Canary Islands in Spain mostly known as a favourite touristic spot for many Western European tourists. Good Fellaz play fast and raw hardcore, early 80s style with some late 80s and early 90s influences.
GOOD INTENTIONS: Atι O Fim
12 song CD on Seven Eight Life - 8
Good Intentions is one of the longer lasting straight edge bands from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The band has been around from 1999. Atι O Fim (Until The End) is their first full length record: well-produced modern sounding youthcrew in the style of Champion, Over My Dead Body, When Fear And Weapons Meet and The Comeback Kid. Lyrics are in Portugese, with the exception of the last song, straight edge anthem My Truth.
THE GUILT SHOW: Those Who Do Wrong Deserve To Be Blamed
4 song 7 on Defiant Hearts - 3,50
Fast and angry modern-sounding old school hardcore from Bologna and Lignano, Italy. Members have previously played in bands like The Secret, Summer League, Ivory Cage and Not One Word. Comparable to Unbroken mixed with early American Nightmare! The lyrics deal with personal and more social and political issues.White vinyl.
HEAD TRAUMA : Two Faced E.P.
6 song 7 on Give Praise - 3
Head Trauma from Long Island, New York deliver simple and rythmetic laid out fast hardcore. It goes into fast paced two step parts, and then blasts right back into simple fastcore.
KEEP IT REAL #7 - 2
Seventh issue of probably the best zine from Greece. This issue includes interviews with Said And Done, Endstand, Justice, Good Old Days, Olde York, 925, Internal Affairs, Down & Outs, Gold Kids, Plus Dots, Straight Opposition, Teamkiller and Stand Fast, plus all the usual stuff like colums and reviews.
LIVE BY THE FIST: No End In Sight
10 song CD on Caustic - 8
Live By The First is a straight edge band from Santos, Brazil, who play heavy moshy modern hardcore.
LIVE FOR TODAY: Taking It Back
7 song CD on Our Pride - 7
Antelope Valley's Live For Today come together to re-introduce old school hardcore to a metalcore driven scene. So if you like songs about friendship, faith, sobriety, and believing in yourself then pick up your copy today! For fans of Gorilla Biscuits and Side By Side. A.V. posicore in full effect.
MILES TO GO WHEN SEASONS CHANGE
6 song split 7 on Break Out / Heaven To Hell - 4
Two old school straight edge hardcore bands team up on this split 7. Miles To Go sound more youthcrew than on their demo. A intro and two strong songs. When Seasons Change follow up their Commitment debut with two new songs and one re-recorded song of the 7. Comes in cool artwork and on coloured vinyl. Recommended!
NERVOUS BREAKDOWN : Join The Army E.P.
7 song 7 on Give Praise - 3
Oldschool hardcore from Germany. All about the circlepits and old school sing-a-longs of the old American hardcore days. From fast to slow, mosh breaks and fast circlepit parts... these guys have fun just like the old school punk kids used to have, before it got beat up with too much hardcore! Combine the fun feel with smart lyrics about oppresion brought from people who just follow orders, and scene-core police... it comes together well!
OUR ROOTS OUR PRIDE
32 song compilation CD on Still Life / Youth Crew - 9
This compilation documents the start of the Italian positive and straight edge hardcore scene, 1989-1995. It contains the debut 7s of Growing Concern, Think Twice, Open Season, Maze, Creepshow and Reality.
OUTPATIENTS RAISE THE WHITE FLAG
10 song split-7 on Demo-Lition Vinyl Remains - 4
Raise The White Flag's last demo coupled with new Outpatients recording, 10 songs in all of furious fast core from the United Kingdom.
PANDAMONIUM
7 song 7 on One Percent - 4
A girl thrash attack from Minneapolis, MN fast to very fast thrashy hardcore with strong girl vocals with lyrics about broken friendships, destroying your tv, zombie attacks and dealing with live. Cool stuff!
PANDAMONIUM / TOTAL FURY
5 song split 7 on One Percent - 4
In September 2007, Pandamonium from Minneapolis toured with Total Fury from Japan, and this split-7 was the 7 sold during that tour. Total Fury bring us 3 fast thrash songs, including a cover of country fellows Second Wind. Grrrl thrashers Pandamonium present five fast songs, including a Los Crudos cover.
RESOLVE
7 song 7 on Commitment - 3,50
Resolve is a five-piece straight edge band from the St. Louis, MO-area, that plays pure late 1980s youthcrew hardcore, in the classic style that bands like Youth Of Today and Turning Point made big. So the perfect soundtrack to singalong, fingerpoint and jump around to! The songs are fast, energetic full of catchy singalongs and deal with life from a positive perspective. With lyrics about the meat industry, the power of oil corporations in the USA, intelligent design, but also about being different and making a positive change, Resolve makes clear that the have some importants thoughts to share.
RUSHN ATTACK
4 song 7 on Crucial Attack - 3,50
This Dutch band is bringing you 4 punk tunes rocking to the max. Inspiration is drawn from bands like Black Flag, Cut The Shit, Annihilation Time and New Bomb Turks, but Rush N Attack threw these influences into a blender, shaked it and put in their own flavour, to give you this special taste.
SAIRAAT MIELET : Controversial History 1988-1992
song CD on Six Weeks - 8
Despised crossover hardline SXE HC/thrash from Finland 88-92 packaged in a full color digi-pak with liner notes, lyrics, new pics. Contains the world famous Tippa Tappa and Punk On PaskaaEPs.
THE SHINING : The Word Is Fiction
8 song 7 on UPS / Pick Up and others - 3
The second off-the-rails ripper for The Shining. This disc is packaged in an elaborate gatefold sleeve and the music is just as striking. Fast, ferocious hardcore punk (inspired by bands like BGK and The Accused), a whiff of crossover and hitting all the right buttons.
SHORT FUSE: Blight
6 song 7 on Assault - 3,50
Second 7 and third record of Germanys Short Fuse with Seb of Highscore fame on vocals. Assault records writes: "Blight" has six new songs of hardcore punk for the working class. No gimmicks, no crews, no bullshit. Disillusioned, angry and pissed. Short Fuse are unafraid to voice their disappointment with their lives, their jobs and YOU. Not looking for approval, this is honest punk rock the way it was meant to be played, raw, abrasive and in your face.
SIGNS OF HOPE: First And Foremost
9 song 7 on Goodwill - 4
Signs Of Hope is a hard working Connecticut based oldschool HC band, that has released their 7"EP on Italian label Goodwill Records. 9 songs of urgent oldschool hardcore that draws its influences from bands like Chain Of Strength, In My Eyes and Ten Yard Fight. Good stuff!
SPES EREPTA: Minutovα Terapie
10 song CD on Refuse - 7
Spes Erepta is a vegan straight edge band from the Czech Republic. This CD compiles everything they have recorded so far: their 7 from 2005 and some compilation tracks from 2006 and 2007. Spes Erepta plays crusty hardcore, a quite unusual sound for a straight edge band, and couple it with political lyrics in the Czech language. The last song is a 30 minute spoken word by Michal Kolesαr, unfortunately it is in Czech, so only people who speak that language can understand what he is talking about. Good to see a straight edge band with a more original sound and a worthwhile message to share!
STOP TALKING!
5 song MCD on Crossfire 4
Debut MCD of this young Italian band. Five songs of well produced fast old school hardcore on the Japanese Crossfire label. Lyrics deal with child mistreatment, animal testing and personal issues. Good debut by this vegetarian and drugfree band.
STRENGTH APPROACH: Piece By Piece
6 song 7 on Defiant Hearts - 3,50
Of course, Strength Approach does not need an introduction. Already around from 1996 on, this Roma band released many quality old school records over the years. This 7 on the German Defiant Hearts records features a mixture of new songs, songs taken from Keep The Standards High, the long sold out 7 on Siton Records, and covers (by The Animals and The Misfits). Full colour artwork done by Mike Bukowski! White vinyl.
TAKE CONTROL: Tides - 3,50
6 song 7 on Commitment
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 YOUR SHOT #3 - 1
Third issue of this zine from Greece. This issue includes interviews with Break It Up, Crickbat, Disharmonic, Icepick and XsisterhoodX.
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 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.
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, its all fast and thrashy.
TROMATIZED YOUTH: Nantes Pride
12 song 7 on Hardcoretrooper - 4
Debut-7 of this Nantes hardcore band. Tromatized Youth play fast and short NYC influenced hardcore, and take a heavy inspiration from The Toxic Avenger, a legendary monster, as showed by the artwork of the 7, all the samples used on the records and the name of the band, as Troma Entertainment was the company releasing the Toxic Avenger movies.
TURN THE TIDE: Whats 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.
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.
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 todays hardcore scene, like violent attitudes, fashion slavery and MySpace addicts.
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-7s with artwork of four different international artists, that together tell a story. Orange vinyl.