DAY OF SUFFERING - "Lifeforce design" crewneck sweater

Why were people always bitching about the colours and designs labels like Lost And Found, New Age, Victory and Conversion did? ‘Cause who wasn’t doing awful shirt colours and designs in the 90ies? So here is another example: the European design for Day Of Suffering. While the Catalyst Records version looks decent this could be worn at the Loveparade. It might look nice on dark grey etc., but this is just another kids fashion thing.
Needless to say that their CD is a burner. The first track kills everything and all other vegan metal bands have failed trying to copy them over the years.
I read some funny interview by the singer about arming yourself, educating yourself at the library and training physically for revolution, all in a very hardline influenced, pathetic style.
When hardline turned more and more into a religious yet islamistic thing the whole “vegan drugfree community” adapted slogans and aesthetics therefrom and ideas like the “jihad”, “eternal jihad” etc. were overreaching1. This was really the turning point and showcased the vegan drugfree ideology as crude fact which it actually was. So what was started by peace and anarcho punks who were influenced by early British and California punk – or were even involved there foremost – and included some interesting thoughts2 has turned into authoritarian sportswear wearing weapons enthusiasts or at least acting like those. I can even remember the guys from Unborn/ Statement being called kafirs by the new generation of "eco warriors"3 since they took/ take a stand against homophobia etc. Anyway I just wanted to explain “the eternal jihad” on the front print.

Funny side note: had the CD on tape first and misinterpreted their lyrics from "pawn" and I was screaming “new born vanguard” (which really fits better) while running instead of "a new world vision". Let' s call it a hardline influenced, accidental meme in my head.


Links:
Day Of Suffering @ Catalyst Records
Lifeforce Records

1 Day Of Suffering in "the rising of the tide":

"Oppressors to fight this jihad
A spiritual battle against the root of all evil"

2 Vegan Reich for example thought that the idea of animal rights is obsolete since animals could have no rights

3 Most of them have normal jobs, go to school living with their parents, do some martial arts in their leisure time, are shit talking on the world wide web and listen to metal. That' s it!

EARTH FIRST!/ EARTH LIBERATION FRONT - "visualize direct action" shirt

This is an Earth First or Earth Liberation Front shirt from the early 90ies – I can’ t remember1. I still have it but I won’t harass you now because that would be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Links:
Um, no (It' s sad that critical books are rare and those written are really bad, file them under yellow journalism (Bradford, George. How Deep is Deep Ecology? (1989)/ Arnold, Ron. Ecoterror: The Violent Agenda to Save Nature (1997)). A good read - but still lacking a deeper insight, analysis and a chronological tract - is "Entspannt in die Barbarei. Esoterik, (Öko-)Faschismus und Biozentrismus" by Jutta Ditfurth (Konkret Literatur Verlag, 1996)).

1 I still get – nearly daily – tao and “daily zen” e-cards from some of the ELF and EF! protagonists of the 90ies. Hahahahahaha…

STRAIGHT EDGE - "Coca Cola rip off" hooded sweater

Very worn hooded sweater with the famous Coca Cola rip off; I can' t remember who did the red originals first? Some US label? Sure Hand did some red ones later too, or? And about 2 years ago they were popping up again. Anyway the black ones very mainly printed in Germany by two mail orders and the motive was available on shirts, long sleeves, hooded sweater, polo shirts, baseball caps and gym shorts (!!!). This was round about in 1993 and 1994 when hardcore and punk - MTV was already playing "NYHC" - had its first peak concerning merchandise and bands like Sheer Terror, Yuppicide, Madball and and and had more merchandise products than records to offer. That was the first time the whole thing was fishy to me.
Be that as it may, but this motive is a nice classic.
Concerning "fishy": you can get them at Amazon now... hahahahaha. Ian, what have you done? Maybe we should rewrite "Youth Crew": You, me - trapped in the culture industry.

Links:
Here is the red one

BOLT THROWER - shirt

Maybe the only band that is concerned with traditional values I will accept. Let’ s face it: since their second album nothing’ s changed and I like it that way. Here is one of the many designs sold on tour (they still sell them cheap; about 8 bucks).

Links:
Homepage

DON MARTIN 3 - self titled (12") Belladonna/ Kurt & Jason #01 circa 1996

I recently saw that this 12" goes for around 70 bucks1(honestly - as a German adage says -: who shit in your heads, kids?), so I thought I post it. The emo shopping is a crazy thing, already about two years after the record came out (it was already overlooked when it came out), you could find it in every sales list of mail orders worldwide. I got my copy for around 2,50 or 3 bucks (5 or 6 Deutsch Mark back then) from Green Hell, who had this 12" for sale for around 6 years and no one was interested. Same goes for the compilation 7" which goes for 18 Euros now; crazy kids.
Anyway this Florida based band - named after famous MAD2 cartoonist - presented us one of the best twelve inches in this genre of the 90ies all in a very spartan packaging with a mispressed vinyl!! I don' t know if you can here all the flaws and cracks, but that' s not from ripping or converting, that' s how the record sounds - like intended scratches and skips. Maybe someone can tell me more about this.
Don Martin 3 were very, very much - again - influenced by Moss Icon, at least that' s my strong opinion but they did well without being a copy like... no names here (emos are huffy freaks). Although that might sound a bit pathetic: I like the poetic lyrics here very much.

Members of Don Martin 3 are now in Wilderness and they added a lot of British Wave, No Wave and guitar pop of the 80ies to their sound; I like it and recently ordered the records - and will tell you when they arrive.

By the way: I never heard their 7", so maybe someone of you downloading fruits wants to contribute it to this blog.3

Ah, okay... as bonus the compilation 7" together with Hope Springs Eternal and Moonraker although nice guys finish last.

DON MARTIN 3 - self titled (12") Belladonna/ Kurt & Jason #01 circa 1996

side a:
1. untitled
2. untitled
3. untitled

side b:
1. untitled
[MP3, 256k, password: pocket money]

V/A - "three way split" (7") Belladonna/ Kurt & Jason 1995

side a:
Moonraker
1. white christmas
Hope Springs Eternal
2. drone

side b:
Don Martin 3
1. transistor
[MP3, 256k, password: pocket money]

Fuck, this 7" is one of the best things from 1995 ever. I thought this might be funny:

The inlet scans overkill.



















Links:
Geocities homepage dedicated to them
Used to be the Belladonna homepage
Wilderness

1 Dear parents, please cut the pocket money for your children and send them to music school instead or buy a Strata-East record for them.

2 you gumbos!

3 Statcounter states that most of you stay here for about 4 minutes, then clicking on the download link and leaving. I hate you, autists.

LINCOLN - self titled (7'') Art Monk Construction #07 1994

Okay, here is Lincoln' s last 7" and their best stuff. This band broke up way to soon and their heritage is very small. This single was also released nearly two years later after the recordings. Together with Inkwell this was the band I prayed for them doing a full length. By the way: Lincoln' s home Morgantown is not the city Joni Mitchell is singing about.

LINCOLN - self titled (7'') Art Monk Construction #07 1994

side a:
1. sugarloaf

side b:
1. waterboy
[OGG Vorbis, 256k]

Just found videos on YouTube (hahaha, those kids have not to be afraid to be back stabbed - with all those backpacks):

LINCOLN & HOOVER - two headed coin (7'') Art Monk Construction #01 1993

This was the first release by Art Monk Construction and a good label start. Hoover were the most underrated D.C. band around that time, although being on Dischord (!!!). Lincoln who started as some kind of emo mosh band with their first 7" present here a very D.C. styled sound and this 7" perfectly sums up midtempo emo core in the early 90ies. Although there are only two songs and it' s very short, I have to admit that this would be a record you keep when you have to reduce your collection to 10 records of this style. End of discussion. Enjoy this seven yellow vinyl inches (collector nerds would say "gold"... hahahahaha... "gold" like the Youth Of Today Funhouse Records pressing... hahahahaha). Needless to say that all other Hoover records are must haves.

Here' s what Art Monk Construction wrote:

"It wasn't until over three years after having released this two-song seven inch was I told that I learned that it is so widely held to be the hallmark of the emo genre as it is known today. The fact thay any would pigeon-hole this creation is of greater tragedy than the most searing chord it strikes. Both Lincoln and Dischord recording artists Hoover took the angst and heartfelt restlessness of hardcore and intricately wove it into a fabric channeled by syncopated rhythms and vocals that yearned without plea for pity. The message is sent mid-tempo, yet written by scarred hand in tumultuous melody. No sleep for the self-declared wicked, a record that after almost five years still speaks with ferociousness to the firery woebegotten..."

LINCOLN & HOOVER - two headed coin (7'') Art Monk Construction #01 1993

side a:
Hoover
1. two down

side b:
Lincoln
1. benchwarmer
[OGG Vorbis, 256k]

Links:
Flex! entry
Art Monk Construction
Hoover @ Dischord

DRASTIC ACTIONS - Alternative Tentacles mocking

As promised: here is the nice Drastic Actions Alternative Tentacles rip off. I like it. Peroid. I hope they are going to do further stuff.

Links:
Drastic Actions Mailorder

SPLINTER – scathed (7”) Stormstrike #06 1995

Here is Splinter’ s 7” on Jojo’ s Stormstrike label (took me quite a while since my first Stormstrike posting). Together with the Mayday 10” it is the most beautiful release on the label. Full colour glossy cover and like the Ironside 7” totally black inside with a folded side bar of the precious cover, all with a very morbid temper. That’ s how Holy Terror/ Clevo records should look like and this 7” should be the measure for other releases concerning this style1. Both songs are a real progression to all their previous stuff and some nice Holy Terror hymns. Even the spelling style of the lyrics is better here. Enjoy and get it!




SPLINTER – scathed (7”) Stormstrike #06 1995

Side a:
1.oneiros suture

Side b:
1. one thousand words
[OGG Vorbis, 256 K]


As bonus a compilation (get it for 2 or 3 bucks @ Amazon) track by Splinter:



V/A - Dark Empire Strikes Back (CD) Dark Empire Records 1994

1. PM 1893 2TL
[MP3, 192k]


Links:
Stormstrike


1 from Integrity to Pale Creation, Starkweather or even Rise And Fall: they all do a good job concerning their artwork.

SPLINTER – s/t (7”) Smorgasbord Records #07 1992

I just need this posting for my next one! This is Splinter’ s 7” on Smorgasboard. The Flex! review says that they sound like Rorschach and Born Against, but I do not think so. They sound exactly like where they came from: Ohio. This 7” reminds me - even lyric wise - very much of early Integrity and Force Of Habit/Ringworm - not a high flyer but very solid. I never got the chance to listen to their demo tape or even the LP on Tenacity/ Desolate records, but I’ ve been told that they are quite similar to this 7”. Smorgasbord is not very popular concerning their layouts but this one might be one of the worst 7” covers in the world.

SPLINTER – s/t (7”) Smorgasbord Records #07 1992

side a:
1. 225
2. barbed wire

side b:
1. denial
2. maternal instinct
[OGG Vorbis, 256 K]


Links:
Smorgasboard
Interview with the former singer

RESOLUTION - self titled (10") Scorch Records #01 1990 (& "Seattle Brotherhood" CD)

Okay, let' s do this shit1: Resolution might not be the best band musically to you but since I try to capture some moments of my youth here, and the stuff being posted is far away from my nowadays interests, you have to abide what touched me back then. And so did Resolution. Their 10" had some kind of bad distribution I think and many of the 500 (or 1000?) pressed ended up in Germany due to mail orders like Horizons. Resolution emerged from Brotherhood2 and False Liberty and it' s fun to hear this tunes again, since them being from Seattle in 1990: still into Straight Edge hardcore but something big is coming: the Rock! And I think they are doing quite well compared to all those other straight edge kids who changed to Grunge over night.
Apart from the very, very simple drumming (like Brotherhood) this is quite well written, even the guitar solos fit in. At least they could have written new lyrics. I also like the two coversongs by Motörhead and Hendrix - don' t ask me why.
I saw some different versions back then in a record store: the lyricsheet was stamped or so, also on the back. As bonus I included the CD on the label we loved to hate. Besides their business tactics and partly the layout I think the really did a good job with some stuff since it was remastered, came from the original tapes or was at least hurried through a compressor. Listen to Lost And Found versions of Heresy, Urban Waste, Siege, Artificial Peace, United Mutation, Malefice, Void, Project X, The Fix, Marginal Man, Deep Wound, F.U.'s and and and; they all sound better than the originals - at least to my ears. Anyway this CD includes all their songs ever written.
In case you did not know: former members of Resolution are later in Sunny Day Real Estate and Engine Kid.

RESOLUTION - self titled (10") Scorch Records #01 1990

side a:
1. I seek a solution
2. one mind
3. purple haze (Hendrix)

side b:
1. forced
2. the last time
3. ace of spades (Motörhead)
[OGG Vorbis, 256k]




RESOLUTION - Seattle Brotherhood (CD) L & F #147 1995

1. I seek a solution
2. one mind
3. forced
4. ace of spades
5. the last time
6. built up
7. for a day
8. scotw
9. purple haze
10. chimes
[OGG Vorbis, 256K]


Discography:
- demo (Tape) DIY 1990
- by all means compilation (7") Progression Records #01 1990 with Hardball, Relapse, Face Value...
- self titled (10") Scorch Records #01 1990
- split 7" with Undertow Overkill Records 1990



1 I am trying hard at being the blog with the worst music.

2 members later joined Thorr's Hammer, Sunno))), Engine Kid and Goatsnake!!!

DEEPWATER - self titled (LP) Break Even Point #931211 1993

This very Endpoint-ish and thereby emotional hardcore band featured Joel from the beautiful Encounter (a discography CD with the unreleased 7" and demo is heavily needed) and Jeff from Policy Of 3, who were called Matter Of Fact back then. This record is not much known especially in the US since Break Even Point - used to be a strange, strange Italian label in my eyes - had very little distribution overseas, but you might get it for a few bucks nowadays; at least I got mine for 3 Euros lately from Drastic Actions. They remember me very much of Endpoint, Encounter, Majority Of One and early Split Lip; things I all grew up with, so Deepwater have my sympathy rooted in my early hardcore punk youth. The voice - of course - remembers me very much of Policy Of 3. Lyrics are all on the personal side.

DEEPWATER - self titled (LP) Break Even Point #931211 1993

side a:
1. paper cut
2. numb
3. goodbye
4. motions

side b:
1. cycle
2. in time
3. once
4. embers away
[MP3, 256k]

Oh man, Google keyword activity

The last few days I had the funniest keyword activities again by people who landed here; among them are "Ecorage Essen militant", "hardline gitarren chords" (= hardline guitar chords/ tabs), "altdeutsche schriftzüge download" (= old German fonts for downloading), "rapidshare straight edge hardcore"... kids, what are you thinking. Hahahahaha... very nice: the dude you entered nearly every vegan drugfree band ever in the navbar search.

Syracuse hardcore shows 1997

Never thought I might still have those gig posters; great line ups.

THE WORLD/ INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY - Tattoos Fade (7") Blue Ghost Records #01 1995

From the ashes of the divine Sticks And Stones came this brilliant Vaudeville influenced New York band. If you have never seen them live: poor you!
The title track of this 7" has been rereleased on the split 7" with Dawnbreed/ Monochrome (X-Mist Records) and on the "East Coast Superpunk Of Today!" cd on Gern Blandsten, but they always left off the flip side, because it was to obvious that they stole from "Velvet Goldmine" by David Bowie. Even if they did so: it' s a great song and it deserves to be rereleased (and even to be played live)! Since you can still get the title track, I just included "Nothing You Begin".

And yes: all their other records are brilliant and easily to get, but I have some soundboard recordings which were done on a little tape label back then and might post them (if you want to).

500 were pressed back then, I wish you good luck finding it.

THE WORLD/ INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY - Tattoos Fade (7") Blue Ghost Records #01 1995

side a:
1. Tattoos Fade

side b:
1. Nothing You Begin
[OGG Vorbis, 256k, password: themesongs]

Links:
Homepage
Tattoos Fade 7" at their homepage

INSTIGATORS - nobody listens anymore (LP) Bluurg #11 1985

Okay, I' ll stop posting shitty music for a short moment and switch to my favourite Instigators album (even one of the best Bluurg releases excluding all the CD rereleases of UK classics they are doing nowadays), their other stuff - especially later - is nice, but can' t keep up with those twelve inches. All those more melodic UK hardcore punk bands had something special I loved about them; just think of Sofahead, H.D.Q. (I am a huge fan), Shutdown, Leatherface or later Broccoli and so on.
"Wrong word", "Free" and "Nobody Listens Anymore" are quite hymns and any band with those bass guitar runs can lull me and what sets them apart is really some unspent ideas concerning songwriting combining good old UK punk, even some wave with mid-tempo US hardcore. The production is also great.
And: I was never bothered by those lyrics ranging from vegetarianism to problems of ageing; I wasn' t bothered by the lyrics of Ripcord, Generic or Satanic Malfunctions either. Although they all have a quite preachy undertone, I still think Crass for example were worse, but maybe it' s just personal sympathy.

So if I am going to sell all my punk records for more spiritual jazz: at least I am going to keep this one.

Sorry, but my Scanner cuts off a bit of the 12" covers and I am really to lazy to scan four times for just one cover compiling a panorama.

INSTIGATORS - nobody listens anymore (LP) Bluurg #11 1985

side a:
1. in one ear...
2. dine upon the dead
3. the fix
4. wrong word
5. free

side b:
1. nobody listens anymore
2. the blood is on your hands
3. old is sad
4. it' s got to be stopped
5. ... out the other
[OGG Vorbis, 256k, password: antithesis]

Links:
KFTH entry

Flipside, Heartattack & Maximumrocknroll issues and fanzines in general

(from Ich bin der Papst #2, circa 1992, Constance, Germany; done by Schlupp, former guitar player in Cwill)

What about fanzines? They were and are also part of this culture industry like flyers, posters, records and shirts were1. Lately I stumbled across many digital versions of classics; from Slash to Schism or Bloodbook, but like always it’ s nearly impossible to document the endless pile since every village in the world seemed to have a fanzine. If you ever visit Berlin you have to visit the Archiv der Jugendkulturen (= archive of youth cultures) they have a nice collection of fanzines there.

Anyway here is a nice collection of old Flipside, Suburban Voice, Heartattack & Maximumrocknroll issues in the pdf format:

Punk Zine Archive!

So in the future I am contributing some fanzines from all over the world – ranging from bad to brilliant.

1 Great (German) reads are the books “Wir waren Helden für einen Tag - Aus deutschsprachigen Punk-Fanzines 1977-1981” ( Paul Ott und Hollow Skai, Hamburg 1983) and the bonus book from the early Punk, New Wave scene especially in Düsseldorf and Wuppertal photo documentation called "Guter Abzug".

ABLAZE - self titled (7") Dropout Recordings #01 1996

Short lived band from Germany, supposed to be from the area where Upset were from. They did this 7" after their demo tape (also had some tracks on tape compilations ("Animal Peace" for example)) and then disappeared. I never saw them live or have any further informations.
This release doesn' t help either since there is no lyric sheet, contact informations etc. included. The 7" has a dire existence in every second hand record box all over the world, mostly for one buck. The dealers who do so have a point: it looks shitty, since the cover and back cover is totally grainy (looks like Paintbrush work with a very, very low resolution) and the 7" is brilliant in an absence of any production. The drums sound like a cassette tape recorder take in a rehearsal room, guitars sound tinny and just the screamed vocals stand out a bit. Really annoying, even the first version of the One Eyed God Prophecy 12" sounds much better. It' s a pity since this does no justice to the music: very much Uranus influenced emotional hardcore and a huge glance at the "Bremer School" especially Carol but also Assay etc.

This is all I found: a review in an old Heartattack. The writer seems to have the same opinion.

ABLAZE - self titled (7") Dropout Recordings #01 1996

side a:
1. living for the evolution
2. finally gone
3. intrusion

side b:
1. now I know, I can stand it
2. weep
[OGG Vorbis, 256k, password: antithesis, mirror 1, mirror 2]

V/A - Reconstruction (LP) Stonehenge #04 & Ras L' Bol! Fanzine #?? 1994

I used to be a huge fan of French hardcore and especially emo core and this compilation is a little who is who of the 1993 - 1994 period (okay, hundreds of bands are missing...), released by Stonehenge and Ludovic from the Ras L' Bol fanzine (pressing of 1035). About 3 years later French emo core was in the heydays in Europe and I know some people who paid nearly 30 bucks just to get the first Undone 7" to complete their collection (you can get this one today for 2 bucks); crazy and all before the huge Ebay gold digging.

My favourites are Ivich, Thrill Of Confusion, Finger Print, Undone and Vanilla. Some stuff here is really bad produced/ mastered, a reason why I seldom listened to the compilation (okay, I am still the guy who loves pappily rehearsal recordings). There are two essays about diy and giving it a larger scale - meaning within punk, outlook on society etc. - by the two publishers (judge for yourself! I included scans of the booklet).

I do not want to know what Autonomia Indigena' s further sense of mission and political attitude was but I have this foreboding1.

I sold all my Vanilla stuff years ago and I think I am a fucking idiot.

By the way here are two discography pages, the first one covering punk in France from 1977 to 1990 and the second "rock" until 2003 including most of the hardcore bands. Both seem quite complete, with short label informations... even having bands like Cocha Bomba or a label like Squad Records etc.

V/A - Reconstruction (LP) Stonehenge #04 & Ras L' Bol! Fanzine #?? 1994

side a:
Ivich
1. poison pilote
Sea Shepherd
2. burnt alive
Thrill Of Confusion
3. execution
Ultimate Disorder
4. nihilisme
5. errance
Finger Print
6. choix
Escape
7. raz-de-marée

side b:
Autonomia Indigena
1. no a la sumisión
Shatter The Myth
2. position
Cause 'n Effect
3. lonely
Undone
4. fallacy
Co-Exist
5. héros à tort
Vanilla
6. above the sea
[OGG Vorbis, 256k, password: Baudrillard]

Links:
Stonehenge Records

1 Maybe someone wants to contribute their 7" here?

HARD STANCE -long sleeve

Hard Stance longsleeve which was printed with the reissue of the first 7" (originally on Workshed) and a 7" with previously unreleased songs (I am still looking for the cd version and a xerox copy of the demo cover?!).

There was also nice shirt done by Workshed. This one looks a bit cheezy.

As you might know Alex, Zack and Mark were in Inside Out later.

The only thing I found concerning Hardstance: a post about collecting the different pressing versions.