Thou - To The Chaos Wizard Youth 12"

The onslaught of Thou releases for the year begins with this 4 song EP and it looks like there will be many more to come. This is up there as one of their best so if you only grab Thou releases every so often, this is one to get. Released by Vendetta Records with 100 copies on white vinyl and 400 on black. Buy it here or download high quality mp3s for free from the bands page here.

Nerveskade / Perdition - Split 7"

Distort Reality have recently put out this split between 2 of the US's greatest noise punks, Portland's Nerveskade and New York's Perdition. Nerveskade blast out 4 songs in a few minutes including a Shitlickers cover. I have recently heard that they have broken up which I'm pretty bummed about. Hopefully there will be some posthumous releases to come as that's fucked if this is their last record! Perdition sound like they take influence from a lot of the same bands as Nerveskade but they've got more of a tougher hardcore style vox. Fucking great stuff. The labels are on the wrong side's of the record for this first press so if you're listening to these bands for the first time you might get confused. The bands used each others drummers for the cover art with pretty hilarious results, that Nerveskade cover is pure gold! Get it here.

Pig Heart Transplant / Blue Sabbath Black Cheer - Split 7"

This split was released a few years ago by Epicene in an edition of 300 copies. I managed to find one rotting away in a distro, as of this posting there is still some left so go here if interested. Each band lays down 1 song of menacing noise/power electronics. The Pig Heart Transplant song was on the cd version of Hope You Enjoy Heaven but not the vinyl version so I suppose that's why it ended up on this split. The packaging is about as minimal as it gets with blank labels and a one sided front sleeve with no info apart from the band names on the obi-strip. A collaboration/split 3xLP between these 2 groups is coming out later this year, should be an interesting release.

Hooded Menace / Asphyx - Split 7"

Doomentia Records are responsible for this latest split between Hooded Menace and Asphyx. Both bands lay down 1 track each of heavy Death Doom. The Hooded Menace song is from the Never Cross The Dead recording session and is easily just as good as any song off that album. Comes in a super thick gatefold sleeve which is pretty unusual for a 7". 500 copies on black and 500 copies on picture disk all sold out instantly from the label. If you missed out it sucks to be you.

Grief - European Tour 7"

Grief briefly reformed in 2008 and toured Europe. Alerta Antifascista pressed up 500 of these 7"s for the tour. It's got 2 live songs on it and comes on green vinyl in a poorly designed sleeve. Sick!

Flesh World - Planned Obsolescence

Flesh World have followed up last years demo with another cassette release. I think this band really suits the tape format and this sounds even more blown out and fucked than the first. 2 songs from the demo have been re-recorded here plus 5 new ones. Fans of noisy hardcore punk like Void and Cold Sweat will most probably be into this. Great looking package too, good to see a band put some effort into their tape releases. Get it from No Patience.

Discharge Reissues

Discharge don't really need an introduction, I'm sure everyone's heard them before though I sometimes wonder if they sell more patches than records these days. Havoc Records have recently repressed 1981's WHY? and 1982's Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing which are the two most worthy of hearing. Looks like the singles are getting reissued next. Clear vinyl was limited to 200 copies and there's 1800 on black. Get them here.

Iron Age - Sage Demos (Double Flexi & Zine)

BSVIV have just put out this double flexi version of the final Iron Age demo tape. A rather extravagant package for a 2 song demo but well deserved seeing as it's the last thing they'll ever release. Comes with a 12 page zine that I was hoping would have more content but it's just the usual insert type stuff, live photos, lyrics, etc. Limited to only 300 copies with some still available here. Don't snooze.

Dry-Rot - Jingle On The Record (Double Flexi)

Cold Vomit Records have released this Dry-Rot live recording on a double flexi. The cover is a folded X-Ray and it comes with an insert that doesn't fit in the sleeve, a short story and what appears to be a screen printed page out of the bible. This is probably the closest I'll get to experiencing this band live and it sounds like a whole lot of fun. They play a cover of U2 and then call them poseurs later on haha. This was limited to only 250 copies and the label is already sold out. If you live in Australia go to No Patience and grab one of the last remaining copies quick smart. Otherwise you can download it here.

Cult Of Daath - Doomed By The Witch

Cult Of Daath are a US black metal band that has been around since 1999 yet I have only just discovered them. This is their latest demo and first recorded output in over 5 years. Classic black metal with a heavy Darkthrone influence and a hint of some early death metal too. I will be hunting down this bands back catalogue now, great stuff. Get this tape from Nuclear War Now Productions.

Trap Them - Seance Prime: The Complete Recordings

Deathwish Records have pressed all the tracks from the Seance Prime EP and their side of the Extreme Noise Terror split together. Freshly remastered and pressed on a 45rpm 12". Clear vinyl limited to 300 copies.

Hooded Menace / Ilsa - Split 12"

Finland's Hooded Menace and Washington DC's Ilsa split this 12" in half with one track each of their respective style of doom. I bought this for the Hooded Menace side but the Ilsa side is getting equal spins. The amazing artwork by Ilsa drummer Joshua Brettell makes me glad this was pressed on the larger 12" format so you can really take in all the detail. Only 500 copies were pressed and it's apparently nearly all sold out so head over to Contagion Releasing before it's too late.

Hooded Menace - Catacombs of the Graceless from (((unartig))) on Vimeo.

Hooded Menace - The Eyeless Horde Demo

Here's the latest dub of Hooded Menace's 2007 demo tape courtesy of Rusty Crowbar Records. This has had at least 3 releases on tape, been pressed on 7" and then the songs were re-recorded for their first LP Fulfill The Curse. If you haven't heard these guys before, they're from Finland and play slow paced death/doom with horror influences. If you like Winter you will love this band.

White Wards - Waste My Time 7"

Iron Lung Records have just released this 7" from Olympia's White Wards. Now I'd never heard of this band before but I'll give everything from this label a listen. They play fast noisy hardcore, you can give 2 of the songs a listen here. Comes in a super thick card sleeve with clear insert.