Wiccans - Toronto's Alright If You Like Poutine CS

The greatest band in the world does it again. Four new songs. 

Only includes side (A), side B material is already up.

Nice.

Wild Joe CS

Mark Winter is a goddamn genius. 

I had no idea what to expect when I bought this and I'm still just as confused.

Hey I'm Joe!

Other Women - Last Favor CS

Nine times out of ten a whim buy eventually becomes a favorite. This was a Christmas day whim buy from last year on what I believe was Diseased Audio's webstore. The band was described on the site as "Mysterious Guy Hardcore Bullshit", and my idiot self was sold. I bought it and it took me a month to finally play it but it was a something that worked for me. Scrounging the net all I could find at the time was a bandcamp with the first demo and a last.fm with the sole words "Celtic Frost Worship" (which was a much more fitting term for the band than diseased audio's profile). 

Well now that I've gotten how to rip a tape to my computer properlly here is this little hidden left over of the 2011-2012 mysterious guy trend. Mosh.

BECOME A CAREER.

Gath Šmânê ‎– Transmuted Marrow CS

Another rip from my collection, this was apart of my haul from the most recent Youth Attack update (more from that to be posted). I remember getting on that rather late and missing a few of the items I really wanted but this little bastard piqued my interest. Jerkbooth described it quite aptly as "Mysterious Guy Death Metal". While in presentation and whatnot this is correct this is a blend of the classic eighties doomy jaunts with some of the speedier newer camps of USDM. 

Embrace the left hand path!

BLACK APPARITION CS

Trve filth from members of House of Apparition and Black Beasts. This is a rip of my copy of the cassette I had to wait three months for (lol)

BLECH

Head Trauma||The Final Raw Nerve Tour Rip

At this point, if you are into hardcore, punk or any of this style of music and don't know and or appreciate Raw Nerve, leave. 

I found out about Raw Nerve relatively a year after their collapse, thanks to the wonderful cut n paste blogspot. But what truly got me into them was hanging out with my friend Jeramy and listening to the "Midnight" 7". But for the longest time Jeramy and I would watch a trailer for an alleged doc of the final two weeks of this band's existence called "Head Trauma". Anything other than the trailer for this remained illusive. After a year or so of hunting I finally ran across a copy in the hands of an NWI mutant named Zac, a trade was commenced and now here it lies in my hands. 

I'm not going to say much other than this is an incredible insight to touring with a DIY band and Raw Nerve themselves. The rip is of the main doc, there was an extras section that contained full sets from the tour, but for the most part I believe all of those are on youtube. 

I have no earthly idea if there are other copies of this floating around in the world, but judging upon how difficult for me to get a copy of this this is probably your best bet of ever seeing it. 

DOWNLOAD

Left Hand Path Tapes

Alrighty you nitwits. Again I'm not sure how many of you that are out there that follow this blog, but I have some tasty filth on the way for you. But I figured the time was right for some goddamn shameless promotion. Left Hand Path Tapes is a small label/distro I started in January of 2014, the idea I guess is to put out music/video that I want to see put into a physical medium. At this point I have seven releases out, and have two to soon be out. This is what I have:

• LHP-001: H Cough Noise-Demo 2013 CS: H Cough Noise was the band I fronted from September of 2012 until April of 2013 and at this point the only (released) recorded material I have participated in. as far as the sound we were self proclaimed "Sludgeviolence", influenced by the likes of Spazz, Dystopia and other bands of that era. The tape was released originally by Death Mask Tapes of Denton, Texas around the time this band collapsed. But in January of 2014 I did a second small run for those who never got a copy. This CS is sold out and will never be pressed again.
• LHP-002: Paranoid Anxieties Volume 1 VHS: Paranoid Anxieties is an hour and a half VHS compilation I shot, edited and released on my own. It's a cluster of footage I shot of Punk happening in Texas from April of 2013 until March of 2014. Featuring bands such as Glue, The Sentenced, Nuke Cult, S.H.I.T., Wiccans and more as well as interviews. As of now it is available on a made for order basis. 
• LHP-003: Smear CS: Smear is the most overlooked and underrated band from the North Texas punk scene. The band is a trio of kids makings thick, moshy hardcore. The dudes seldom play a show but do they ever kick ass. I did a run of 30 of these and took them on the Common Ignorance summer tour, as of now there is two left in the store [I will link that bellow]
• LHP-004: Punk In The Gulag VHS: There are many shows you can look back to and with a definite confidence say "that was one of the best we have ever pulled off". June 21st, 2014 that happened in Fort Worth, Texas. At 11:30pm a group of punks invaded a derelict trash incineration plant nicknamed the "Gulag" with a generator and threw a three band show. This VHS is an account of the one and only show to ever take place in the walls of The Gulag, featuring sets from Treatment, Drug Dogs and The Sentenced. Thirty of these were made and at this time a few are left in the store.
• LHP-005: Paranoid Anxieties Volume 2 VHS: Numbered early, this VHS is set to be released December 17th, 2014. But building upon what I did with volume one this VHS features 37 different bands from all corners of the US, including but not limited to: Big Zit, The Sentenced, The Flex, Forward, Gag, Nancy, Sheer Mag and many, many more. I will be in Toronto November 19th to the 24th for Not Dead Yet and intend to have a few copies for sale. 
• LHP-006: The Shards VHS: The Shards was a short horror film made by Alex Salazar and Erin Vernon in the fall of 2012. Made in one night and scored by the duo the movie is the epitome of DIY filmmaking. Released September 2014 copies are still available in the store.
• LHP-007: The Shards-Summoning CS: Erin Vernon upon creating the soundtrack for The Shards developed a keen interest in synth based ambient music. In 2013 she released an EP called The Summoning under the name of "The Shards". The album in her words is to be a soundtrack for the end of days. Released October 2014 copies are still available
• LHP-008: The Sentenced-Live Document VHS: Created as a Not Dead Yet exclusive this VHS catches The Sentenced in their prime form at Ironhead Tattoo in Dallas. This tape will only be available at their show on November 21st in Toronto.
• LHP-009: Smear 2nd CS: The boys are back with a second cassette building on what they had spat out at the world in the Winter of 2013. Set for release December 13th, limited to 25 copies on blood red cassettes.
  
  You can visit the store here. If you are looking to distro anything above contact me at wmecca1@gmail.com

Cleric-Gratum Inferno

Metal in Dallas for the most part is a bummer. Being the city where Pantera made their way into the lime-light has left the scene in this stunted growth where most of the bands around are bands that wish that they were Pantera in their prime. All the while this is happening there are bands making headway, Divine Eve, Giant of the Mountain, Steel Bearing Hand, Tyrannosorceress, Plunge, and Cleric. 

Cleric has been around in DFW for around 7 years now, in one form or another. The band was around as a four piece from 2007 and 2008 before shrinking to a trio and disappearing into the fog. In 2011 the band regrouped with the 2009 line-up plus a stand-alone frontman, Zac Christian, and began working at it again. Well a year ago the group brought this monstrosity of a record to life. If you're a fan of old Swedish Death metal with chainsaws replacing the guitars and dredgingly crushing doom moments this band is for you. 

This record is still available via the band and Tofu Carnage records (and oh my fucking god is that vinyl absolutely beautiful). Take a listen, buy the record and embrace the left hand path.

DOWNLOAD.

Best Fwends-EP3

Best Fwends is happiness and pure joy personified into musical form. 

I heard about these guys two years ago when they played the 1919 Hemphill 10th anniversary show, the one night of that weekend that I didn't go and I still regret it. Studio wise the band is only two people, Dustin Pilkington and Anthony Davis, live the band features members of Sin Motivo and Wiccans. 

So if you want to get stoked or make a shitty day better than there isn't much more beneficial than listening to this EP. DOWNLOAD.

Akkolyte-Clues in the Chaospile

Chances is if you're from Dallas, or North Texas in general, you've heard of Akkolyte. If not then, Akkolyte is a long standing duo from Oak Cliff, made up of two brothers, Aaron and Stefan Gonzalez. The band has been around since about 1999 and done countless splits, one of which was with Magrudergrind of all bands. This all accumulated in 2011 when Akkolyte put out their debut album, Clues in the Chaospile. 

The album is a monster of a record, Stefan and Aaron are two of the most talented musicians in the DFW area and unliked most albums under the banner of grindcore this album never gets boring, the two are always doing something and it rules so hard. 

This album has been out for a while, you can still buy it physically and digitally from Tofu Carnage. But for those who bought the record and realized that it had no download card, then here you go. 

DOWNLOAD.

Wiccans-Tour Tape

I have no clue how many of you actually read through this blog and gander through my posts, but if there are (or if you know me in the real world or through my social media platforms) you will know without a doubt Wiccans is one of my favorite bands. From the first time I saw them play in a smoke filled forest with a homeboy in a devo hat on acid firing roman candles at them to a few nights ago when they played during an arctic blast of a thunderstorm in Fort Worth I have never seen this band play a bad set.

Back in August I had thought that I had done the impossible and had a complete discography run of their material until Payton and Harpal both informed me I was missing two pieces of the puzzle; the 2012 Tour Tape and the tape edition of Field II. Both of which I was assured would be next to impossible to obtain. Fast forward to last friday, in my excitement to see Wiccans play a hometown set I had posted a song from Skullduggery (the dredging "Third Estate"). Former guitarist, Daniel Zeigler, now a crystal loving Buddhist Monk sent me the audio to the tour tape (with a winky emoji mind you). The tour tape is a hidden gem and something I am very grateful that Daniel sent me, for it contains three songs, two Field II demos and a song from the group that has never been released anywhere else. 

But a bit of history on the tape from the mouths of Harpal and Adam; released for an early 2012 tour before Field II was even properly mixed, the release was limited to 17 copies and spread through the midwest. The aforementioned exclusive song is entitled "Negative Space" and was intended for a compilation (what comp I do not remember.) but by the time Wiccans had sent in the track the comp was full. Plan B was to put the song on Field II but the group felt that "Negative Space" did not fit in with the rest of the record, therefore the song was confined to this tape. The other two songs are "Telepathy" and "Psychic Mirrors", demo versions recorded before the Field II sessions and played much faster than their album counterparts. 

Once more I would like to thank Daniel Zeigler for sending me this hidden gem. The tracks were one big lump when they were sent to me, for this DL I have separated them out. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD

Myrkur-S/t

I would love to thank the hellhole of a website known as tumblr for helping me to find out about this incredible band. Myrkur is a one woman Black Metal band from Denmark, blending the old second wave styles of Darkthrone and Ulver with classical and very natural sounding somber moments, similar to what some of the Cascadian Black Metal bands are coming up with. 

This LP just dropped, but it is very much worth your time to pick this up if you are at all into black metal, as it feels like a strong breath of fresh air. But decide for yourself and download here. 

Raspberry Bulbs-Nature Tries Again

Raspberry Bulbs were initially introduced to me through some internet research on Sexdrome, and I happened upon the anxiety ridden jangling masterpiece known as "Deformed Worship". Not long after when I was searching in a local record store, "Recycled" of Denton, I happened upon a bloodstained copy of this magnificent record.

Now when I say bloodstained, I mean that in a literal sense, the cover of this record had dried blood on it. Make of that what you will. 

That aside this record is phenomenal, written before the jangling punk mess of "Deformed Worship", "Nature Tries Again" is more on the Black Metal side of things for this band, low growls and moans with a more menacing approach of the raw black metal/blackened punk affair. 

DOWNLOAD.

Wiccans-Demo (2009)

At this point if you do not know of Wiccans, you are fucking up, leave this blog go find an MP3 for Field II and immerse yourself in the psychedelic hardcore madness. If you do then I present you with this gem. This is the first set of Wiccans recordings from back in 2009. Put out by British label "Eat a Book" I have been long scouring the web for these songs (I own the two separate versions of this tape myself but I wanted the world to hear this without having to hunt this bastard down). 

The tape for the most part is the Teenage Cults Mini-LP with some songs from Skullduggery sprinkled in, but all this raw, muddy fierceness. Interesting bit of trivia is that the song from this tape "Drop Out" would later mutate into the song "Ephemera" on 2011's Skullduggery.

But the point is, if you want to hear a bit of North Texas punk history then download now.  

And in better news, Wiccans is working on a third LP, get stoked.

SLAVE HOUSE - DEMO

Greetings and felicitations, malefactors! It has been a while and life has had its share of cramming shit into my face, what with Paranoid Anxieties, the tour with Common Ignorance and attempting to wade my way through the nearly 20 hours of footage on my computer life has been busy. In any case I have just returned from a trip to the northeast, a rather dull one in all honesty, but that time has given me a chance to sit down and listen to some new bands that I have crammed into an ipod for the journey. And the biggest obsession of this journey has been Slave House.

I have yet to drag my way through to web in an attempt to find any information about this band. But in the little studies I have done thus far I've found there is little information about this band out there which, truthfully, makes it all the more appealing to me, because, lets face it I have a big soft spot for mysterious guy music. 

As far as the music goes, super raw, blackened punk with a Bone Awl sort of vibe to it. The thing about the music here is the riffs on this are so goddamned catchy that they get stuck in your head and make you want to come back for it more and more. The third track,"Sacred Flesh" is the best in that it has a superb pogo, 1-2 beat to it.

I found out that this tape is out and copies are circulating around the net, but download it now and hunt yourself down a copy.

(I would also like to thank Kavon from Common Ignorance for letting me know about this band, thanks Princess!)

Nuke Cult - We Play Ugly Music, Fuck You! Tape

Nuke Cult are the truest dawgs and one of the coolest bands to catch live. While their first tape has been out making the blogspot circles for a year or two now, their second tape has been a bit harder to locate online. I know that this was released on it's own originally but has since been re-released twice as a split with the Dirty Work tour tape ( I have a copy from the second round which was dubbed over a Christian how to pray tape of some sort).

I definitely prefer this tape to the demo from 2011, which in it's own right was good, but this tape has some stronger material in my opinion. But decide for yourself and download here.

S.H.I.T.-Collective Unconsciousness 7"

It's S.H.I.T. And it's a new 7" by them. Don't be stupid and DL it now.

Chainchomp-S/T Tape

Grab your denim jacket, bust out the whips and chains and prepare to fucking slam. Chainchomp was a short lived band from Denton, Texas (only lasting about 5 months). Made up of former members of Meaner Demeanor and Bokonon, a revolving door of drummers (including Miles of Two Knights and Johnny of Innards) and Payton Green of Wiccans/Video/Glowgod this band was a powerhouse live. 

Music here is hard hitting punk like you like to hear in this new day and age and the intro to this tape is probably still one of my favorite intros in this new wave of Hardcore. Payton Lower's maniac vocals in a frenzy over the chaos what is the music. Just hit this already.

I remember seeing just about all of this bands shows (with the exception of the Sin Motivo tape release) and remember people going hard for them every time (I took a thumb to my left eye moshing for them one night). Sadly the band fell apart in June 2013, with only Daniel and Payton Green coming out and still making tunes. While Chainchomp has never been officially declared dead there is hope for one more show one day, until then go nuts.