Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Logs - Hogz



After two years of waiting Logs has finally let the long awaited followup to their 7" see the light of day. In case you have been living under a rock for the last three years Logs is a three piece screamo band from Olympia, WA that shares a member with Kidcrash. Hogz is 8 tracks of awesome personified. Honestly, well worth the wait and one of my favorite releases in the past two years. I can't stop listening to this shit. I believe that these recordings have the original lineup although after this recording the band changed drummers. This album is alot more chaotic and heavy than their 7" and the bass has less grumble (maybe it is just my shitty speakers). You need to download this album right now and listen to it at least twice to get the full effect. Logs made a bandcamp that has a free stream of the songs but not a download, I jacked this DL from my boy Chris over at Elementary Revolt (one of the best blogs out there right now). Buy the fuck out of this record when it comes out on Denovali. Word the fuck up.


***



HOGZ

Saturday, November 27, 2010

The Third Memory



The Third Memory was a French screamo band. Real good shit, one of my favorite bands right now. The following is from their myspace:
"The Third Memory is no longer a band.
This was decided after Julien's (guitar) decision to move to Tokyo, Japan. The last songs composed by the band are not planned to be recorded for now. No tour is planned either, but any change will be announced on our myspace page.

The Third Memory was and will always be one of the most intense, exciting, heartflelt and important part of our lives. We send all our love and respect to the people who released our records and organised shows all over the world for us. We enjoyed it as nothing else, and we owe you guys everything. Thank you a thousand times.

The Third Memory is strictly attached to what "punk-hardcore community" means. It must stay the subversive counter-culture it has always been. Please make wisely the difference between the bands who do it for passion, message and heart, and those who do it for the posture.

Julien's work as an artist is fully respectful of the messages spread in the hardcore scene.
Julien (drums) and Adrian (bass) are now playing in the following bands with the same unbridled strength of mind they used playing in The Third Memory : Cavalcads, Supertimor, A Different Day.
Our beloved roadie Peni is handling the record label Petit Chantier Records and keeps helping bands touring."

The Third Memory are featured on three compilations: This Is Your Life, Cité De Chenilles, and The React With Protest Sampler. The first two are available below so I listed the artists who also contributed to the releases. All of their releases except for the split with Cease Upon The Capitol are below, along with a video.

Word.


Cité De Chenilles:
---
Appollonia, Brume Retina, Aghast, Aussitôt Mort, Mihai Edrisch, Belle Epoque, Daitro, [The NeverEnding...], Looking for John G, A.S.T.R.O., Draft, The Third Memory, Gantz, Time To Burn, Noir, Revok

>><><><<<<>>><<><><><><>>>>>><<<

This Is Your Life:
---
The Apollo Program, Belle Epoque, Bravo Fucking Bravo, Catena Collapse, Cleaner, Daitro, Francis Brady, Gantz, Humosexual, Katyn, La Quiete, A Light In The Attic, Lobo's Son, The MAchines Will Take Over, My Precious, The Pine, Raein, Room Two37, Sheltek, Simfela, Snowman, The Third Memory, Tidal, Utarid

***


Cité De Chenilles


Et De Cela Rien Ne Ressort


The Gathering Of Distorted Souls In The Garden Of Flameless Utopia


The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions Demo


The Third Memory / Dominic


Self Titled


The Third Memory / Only For The Sake Of Aching



This Is Your Life



Dodewaard / Thema 11 / Petethepiratesquid / The Third Memory

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Cease Upon The Capitol



Cease Upon The Capitol were a screamo band from Nashville, Tennesse who have since broken up and formed Dolcim and Sanctions. Their sound is pretty typical of a post 2000 skramz act, as in their sound is a mixture of post-rock, punk, hardcore, screamo and thrash. They sound like a softer version of June Paik, or a darker Raein. As far as American screamo is concerned, Cease Upon The Capitol is amongst the best, in my mind. I highly recommended CUTC if you like any of the bands above, along with The Third Memory or City of Caterpillar. You can still find their records online, go buy them. Aside from their Lps and EPs, they have a demo, Splits with The Third Memory, Trikorona and Silbato, and were featured on the Emo Apocalypse and Armageddon.
Below is everything they have released, aside form the split with The Third Memory, and a video of them playing "Protocol Of The Left" in France back in '06.

Word.


***


Demo


Self Titled


Untitled


Cease Upon The Capitol / Trikorona


Cease Upon The Capitol / Silbato


The End of History


The Single Series


"New Recordings"

Monday, November 22, 2010

The Appleseed Cast




The Appleseed Cast are one of the forefathers of modern emo music. Their sound, which has progressed from Mineral-esque emo music to post-rock in the vein of Mono, set the groundwork for "indie" bands since THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. They live in Kansas now, but in the past they were stationed in California and North Carolina.
Their first album is very Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate, you know? That really nice late '90s emo. Their sound then began to get more "atmospheric" and shit leading up to Low Level Owl (which I bought on 3xLP in South Carolina years ago), which is an even balance between post rock and what would be called "indie" rock, although it is still very much and emo record. It was recorded over the span of a month and they used organs and shit after the core instruments were tracked to fill out the sound. Next came Two Conversations and Peregrine, which were less post-rock and more "indie"(I really fucking hate it when people call music indie, but you know the sound that I am talking about). Their most recent album, Sagarmatha, is a post-rock record. There are vocals, but for the most part it is very atmospheric and shit. Its good, very mature. Word has it that they are recording for another LP and are going on tour again soon. These guys are one of my favorite bands ever, I love all of their releases. I saw them in 2009 and it was amazing, I wish I could have seen the Low Level Owl tour.
Below is everything that they have put out, plus a compilation and a song from another compilation. I was unable to find "The Graveface Sampler" and "Kumquats & Apricots", both of which has one Appleseed song. There is also a video down there, so enjoy. This is one of the only posts that I put the release year onto the albums because it is important to know the growth of the band and listen to their sound evolve.

Word.


***


The End of the Ring Wars (1998)


A Million Miles Away - The Emo Diaries No. 2 (1998)


Tale of the Aftermath b/w Skatter Ik Ignito
(1998)


The Appleseed Cast / Planes Mistaken For Stars / Race Car Riot (1999)


Mare Vitalis (2000)


Low Level Owl: Volume I (2001)



Low Level Owl: Volume II
(2001)



Lost Songs
(2002)


Two Conversations (2003)


"The Spider Wall" from Deep Elm Unreleased No. 2 (2003)


Peregrine (2006)


Sagarmatha (2009)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Ten Thousand Leagues



Ten Thousand Leagues is a hardcore "supergroup" I guess, made up of members of Moldar/Summer Vacation, Calculator and Color Chromatic. There may be other bands involved, but I only know Jeff, Ramy and Mark. The bassist was in Lautrec. Shit is dope. You need to check this out.
---------
TEN THOUSAND LEAGUES DEMO 2010
recorded at The Earth Capital nov5, nov6 2010
these are the first songs we wrote as a band during the summer and fall of 2010. the s/t demo will be released on cassette tape by the different imprint collectives that are closely affiliated with this band (Kyeo Speaks, Olhar De Vidro, Destroy All Religion). these songs will also be pressed onto a 12" split record with a band soon to be announced. things should make sense by winter.

track-listing ::
1. Pieces Of Mosaic
2. Blank Scripture
3. Timepiece
4. Forfeit This Routine
5. Early Morning Eyes
--------
Word.



***


2010 Demo

Monday, November 15, 2010

7" INCH SPLOTLIGHT: Shotmaker/Watershed Split (1994)


Photobucket


This will be the first post of a brand new feature I'll be doing here on Chug Life, called 7" Inch Spotlight. Basically, I'll be picking and reviewing a 7" from my own personal collection. I think these posts will be fun for me to write and also break up the sometimes monotonous full discography posts we do sometimes.

Punk, being the completely ass-backwards genre that it usually is, has become perhaps almost as unequivocally associated with the media form of vinyl records as peanut butter has become perpetually paired with jelly.

Match this with the fact that punk is a relatively small subculture, (although it's forays into the nether regions of pop culture only continue to become more prevalent as the genre itself gets a little more aged with every passing year), as well as the fact that it is, actually, still very young: whether you say '74, or '77, (or even earlier), punk has really only been around four about 35 years or so, and you might be able to get a better idea of the vinyl collecting hobbyists that are just as diehard and nerdy as your fanatical stamp or baseball card collector.

The fetishist culture that has arisen around collecting punk records has created a situation that has indelibly helped the art form survive as well as retain it's aesthetic core values. Vinyl is often held up on a pedestal, as some sort of monument to the ideal of purity and elitism that sometimes can beget an unfortunate image of the concept of punk music (which more often than not is embodied by that one shitty quasi-intellectual snobby douche bag at the show...there's at least one in every scene). However, vinyl also reflects some of the more positive and heralded aspects of punk. The concept of DIY, as well as a widespread tradition of continuing to release material on vinyl (and other dead formats) despite the rise of CD-ROM and mp3 technologies, and the attention to detail that is often associated with many band's vinyl output in terms of liner notes and artwork are all certainly recognized by many to be some of the most pleasurable and nostalgic aspects of being involved in punk culture.

And, more than probably any era, the late '80's and early '90's have come to embody the golden age of obscure, limited edition vinyl releases and handcrafted DIY workmanship. Maybe that's why I decided to start my feature with the Shotmaker/Watershed split, because it comes from and is a great example of DIY culture in that very same era; from the chunky guitars and iconic 90's emocore vocals to the obligatory black and white antique photograph and photocopied zine featuring a rant on DIY, apparently from the runner of the record label that put out this gem, Vital Communications. Let's face it, it pretty much screams 90's emo.

Shotmaker's side of the split does not disappoint, and is pretty much in line with the rest of their fortunately rather sizable discography. Chunky guitars, grimy bass, and precise drums form the band's relentless and influential sound.

"Selector" rolls right along with a tight, groovy feel and the bare-bones screamed/sung vocal approach that helps make Shotmaker such an intense, interesting band to listen to. And the trademark palm mutes are back once again on "Public Eye Opinion," that features one of the band's most melodic choruses without losing any of their heaviness and gritty approach. It's splits exactly like this one that helped make Shotmaker one of the more well known bands to emerge from the era and enjoy continued popularity due to the rise of download and blog culture.

Watershed, although clearly the far more obscure band featured on the split, is certainly not to be ignored. Their side of the 7" is an amazing emo gem, and honestly holds up just as well as, if not better than many of other early 90's groups that are more well known due to having put out game-changing records or touring extensively. It's bands like these that makes colecting hardcore and emo records so rewarding. I bought this split purely for the Shotmaker side, and was very pleasently surprised when I flipped the record over and listened to Watershed's offerings.

The first song, "Eyes," starts off with a sound clip featuring someone, presumably a doctor in a promotional or educational video, promoting the use of morphine on medical patients playing over a heady, slow guitar riff that sounds almost ahead of its time. The vocals were maybe the most surprising thing about the band for me. They don't necessarily sound like every other band from the era. They're raised high in the mix, and are incredibly melodic when they're being sung, as they are for the first half of this song. This mesmerizing melodic part gives way to a breakdown that conjures up images of 90's heavyweights like Indian Summer, Lincoln, or Moss Icon, and displays are more raw and desperate vocal style.

That sound carries over into "Stand Alone," which relies heavily on a cut-up, stop and start structure that's balanced wonderfully by a chorus you'll find yourself bobbing your head along to.

Unfortunately, the only thing I really know about Watershed is that they were presumably from Canada and this was apparently their only recorded material as a band.



Check out this great French blog too see nice picture of all the inserts and cover art for this release, including the Vital Communications zine that came as an insert in these seven inches.

* * *

Shotmaker/Watershed

Shotmaker/Watershed Split 7" (1994)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Antilles



Antilles is a Screamo band from the midwest. Their myspace says they are from Ohio but their bassist lives in Chicago at The Summer Camp. Musically, they sound like alot of the French bands (Daitro/Mihai Ederisch) but the vocals are more in the vein of New England bands like Ampere or L'antietam. I don't know all the bands that these guys are in, but I know that some of the dudes are affiliated with The Juniper Wait and Lion of The North. I recomend this to anyone who likes midwest emo tunes or some of the more melodic euro skrimz. Harrison, who runs Kid Sister Everything, sent me this really detailed description of the Antilles catalog:

Antilles/The Juniper Wait "Split"
Released by: Arclight Communications
Year: 2007
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Adam, Josh

Only released as a CD. Arclight was run by Cody Kirkendall, who was at the time in Juniper Wait and ended up playing bass in Antilles. Recorded by Rob Zajac at Waveburner Studios.

1. Mutiny Aboard the Crystal Ship
2. The Lamentations of an Empty Mind
3. (The Juniper Wait)
4. (The Juniper Wait)

Antilles "Beholder/Destroyer"
Released by: Arclight Communications
Year: 2007
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Josh

Only released as a CD. Arclight was run by Cody Kirkendall, who ended up playing bass, Pre-release cover was vellum slipcase with one color screen print, and photocopied insert. 1st official release of the record was in recycled chipboard package, with two color screen print, art by Seth Grham of Romance of Young Tigers and patch insert. Recorded by Rob Zajac at Waveburner Studios.

1. Beholder
2. Rumors of an Apocalypse
3. Plagiarized, Rehashed
4. A Means to an End
5. Pestilence & Drought
6. Eulogy
7. Destroyer

Antilles/Trifle Tower "Split"
Released by: Murkhouse Recordings
Year: 2008
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Cody

Only released as a 7", 400 on black, 100 on clear blue. Miscellaneous colored covers with the same art. Black on white were Trifle Tower's copies, brown on white are Antilles copies, grey on white covers were made for the Antilles & Mountain Asleep tour in May 2010. Recorded by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.

A1. Salvage
B1. (Trifle Tower) Criancas da Rua

Antilles "Beholder/Destroyer"
Released by: Arclight Communications
Year: 2007
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Josh

Only released as a CD. Arclight was run by Cody Kirkendall based out of Ohio, who ended up playing bass, Pre-release cover was vellum slipcase with one color screen print, and photocopied insert. 1st official release of the record was in recycled chipboard package, with two color screen print, art by Seth Grahm of Romance of Young Tigers and patch insert. Recorded by Rob Zajac at Waveburner Studios.

1. Beholder
2. Rumors of an Apocalypse
3. Plagiarized, Rehashed
4. A Means to an End
5. Pestilence & Drought
6. Eulogy
7. Destroyer

Antilles "Antilles"
Released by: Allergic to Fun (12") Kid Sister Everything (CD)
Year: 2008
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Cody

Released as a one-sided 12", 200 on black, 100 on white. Cover art by Pat from Apeshit (NY). Alex French (guitar & vocals) runs Allergic to Fun based out of Cleveland,OH, this was his first release. Harrison runs Kid Sister Everything based out of Chicago, IL, this was his fifth release. 100 CD covers burgundy on creme, 100 CD covers violet on grey. Recorded by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.

A1. Histories
A2. Of Conquest and Expansion
A3. Buying into the Fallout
A4. Vanity

Antilles/Mountain Asleep "Split"
Released by: Brightskull Records
Year: 2009
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Cody

Mountain Asleep is from Louisville, KY. 300 copies released on 'mixed garbage' vinyl 7". Brightskull Records is based out of Louisville, KY. Recorded by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.

A1. Said & Done
A2. Capsized
B1. (Mountain Asleep)
B2. (Mountain Asleep)
B3. (Mountain Asleep)

Antilles/Staph "Split"
Released by: Inkblot Records
Year: 2009
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Cody

Staph is from Chicago, IL. Inkblot records is based out of Brooklyn, NY. 400 copies released on white vinyl, 100 released on green/white splatter vinyl. The third in Inkblot's " Seven Inch Split Series. Recorded by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.

A1. New Standards
A2. Jono
A3. Standstill
B1. (Staph) Everything Above Us

Antilles "My Empathy"
Released by: Kid Sister Everything (7"), DIY (CS)
Year: 2010, 2008
Preformed by: Alex, Kevin, Drew, Cody

200 on opaque red, 100 on black. Released by Kid Sister Everything out of Chicago, IL. Originally released as a cassette by the band themselves with alternate artwork. Recorded by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.

A1. Propensity
B1. The Shame

Below is everything they have put out except for a demo that was released for their tour with Straight, No Chaser in 2008. They are currently working on another 12" too, so be on the lookout for that shit.


***


Antilles / Staph Split


Antilles / Juniper Wait Split


Antilles / Trifle Tower Split


Antilles Self Titled


Beholder / Destroyer


Antilles / Mountain Asleep


My Empathy

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Straight, No Chaser




Straight, No Chaser was a chaotic hardcore band from Rochester, New York (not to be confused with the a cappella group). They played a style of hardcore similar to Louise Cyphre and Capsule, although I suppose their songs can be experimental at times what with their noise oriented interludes and breaks. I had a chance to see them play once in Lancaster, PA with 1994!, Sinaloa, We Were Skeletons, Algernon Cadwallader and Black Kites. Their set was really loud and intense, although I have to admit that I was standing pretty far in the back of the room because I smoked a bowl while they were setting up. After their set I talked to a dude who I thought was in the band, turns out he was one of their friends or something (they all looked the same). When the band came back they gave me a beer though, so that was pretty cool. I had only heard their 7" and 12" but yesterday I found out that they had a few more releases, which are available below. There is also a video down there. I highly recommend this band to anyone who is into spazzy skramz, experimental hardcore, noise breaks and wild time signature changes. Sadly, this band is no more, but you can still get their records from many distros.


Word.


***


12"


7"


Demo


6 Song CD-R


3 Song CD-R


Tour Demo / LP Preview


Unreleased