115. THE CONSEQUENCE S/T CS

As we gaze upon the smoldering hellscape, we are witnesses of what equates to a scurry of rats fighting for control over a giant trash pile. If anything, it’s extremely cool to note that we have a fascinating study in decay and despair, where pretty much everybody in this great cast of characters is fair game for a hideous demise. If you happen to be the next victim of a rat attack, know that it was the doings of your usual bog standard enemy, wholly disgusting in every way and who harmed you out of the unjust power granted to them from some hidden figure above. While one simply cannot wait for all of them to be dead, if these scavengers are fated to rule their devastated wasteland, one might consider if, for now, it’s better to just let them have it. Here in the underground society where beleaguered souls gather, one views struggle for what it truly is: we aspire to be our best, to maximize our potential and to never break in the face of opposition. Though the rats outnumber us, they can never harm our souls which they understand and hate. In the end they know they will pay, and that will be THE CONSEQUENCE.

Listen to “The Consequence/Target on My Back” & “Cast Out”:

YA. 114 VEIL II “Negative Space” EP

One can glean some indication of the intensity of VEIL II just from the fact that it is a collaboration between Matthew Adis and James Trejo—two men who can only produce music that expresses their total and complete contempt for this world. Inevitably, these visionaries of menacing hardcore classics like SALVATION’S “Mortality Interactions” and CADAVER DOG’S “Dying Breed” found themselves in the same bedroom studio and, upon pressing record on the 4 track, a tortured serendipity ensued. The results speak for themselves. The music, though possessed of overwhelming ability, is delivered in a straightforward manner as if to clarify, ‘yes, you all suck—everything sucks.’ Their audacity is shocking, but it has the effect of instilling in the listener a warranted rage and craving for release from the prison we call existence. What’s more, there is a science fiction element to VEIL II that leaves one with a depressing feeling toward the world to come. It is as if Negative Space abandons one to endlessly stumble through a smoky, post-apocalyptic landscape of bones, which in its own curious way is comforting. If you feel your reality deserves to topple, then let VEIL II be the boot that kicks it over. 

Listen to “Memory Vault” & “Clarity I”:

113. MANGLED STATE “Pain Incarnate” Flexi

Now that we are in the End Times, “normal” means living in constant fear and enduring nightmares forever. One may feel the instinct to flee, but safety is nowhere to be found. What has grabbed us will not let go. Look away all you want, but eventually you will face the situation: we are in a new Dark Age. Others take comfort in the fact that none of this comes as any surprise. MANGLED STATE provides us with a vision of unflinching realism to remind us all that exists is pain, because pain is all. Houses reduced to rubble, decay, disease…welcome to your new life; yet these trivialities are merely incidental to the human condition. You will tolerate more than you ever thought possible, but it requires understanding that life will never again be as easy as it is right now. It is to say that in exchange for present comforts we gain future strength, but to do so is to pass through its flames. What will you endure?

Listen to “Parasites” & “Concrete Eyes”:

112. COMBAT FORCE “Never Stray” EP

At last the incredible followup to Combat Force’s savage demo has arrived, showing them at peak hostility, once more brandishing their barbaric style to lay waste the musical landscape as only the Denver scene can. The six songs on Never Stray show the band expanding their sound to reflect the vast influences that went into its masterful creation, resulting in a timeless assault on all that is weak and unworthy. 

Listen to “Worthless generation” & “The End”:

YA 111 GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD “Cataclysm” 7″

The blackness of the universe is encapsulated within one’s skull which finds expression in the horror we call living. Unceasing as daily tribulations are, by virtue of our continued existence we encourage them all the same. Life thus is a prolonged justification of a ceaseless downgrade, like a distant star flickering ever softer until lost in the black hole of infinity. Content only with the conviction of our grievances, our true purpose—death—arrives all too easily, until finally, successful in our duty, we reach our denouement. 

110. GOODBYE WORLD “At Death’s Door” LP

As modern music bleeds out in a hopelessly boring death spiral, one must regard the output on Youth Attack like an ancient sword with mystical powers forged out of a comet which makes it glow blue. While undiscerning music fans can be likened to the victims of a serial killer con-man, GOODBYE WORLD are the jaded detectives assigned to the case—and yet, they let the victims die as they deserve in order to protect the sword and deliver it to its rightful owner—you. On At Death’s Door there is no time for negotiation; in only 12 minutes, legendary frontman Aaron Aspinwall comes out guns blazing and wreaks havoc over a hurricane of riffs and drum beats that hit like a ton of bricks and once the smoke clears the megaforce of Jeff Jelen, Mark McCoy, John Menchaca and James Trejo are standing in the rubble.

This exciting debut LP features 15 hardcore songs laden with wild guitar solos and psychotic drum fills and lyrics about gore-soaked car crashes, being hacked to pieces, hanging out in graveyards and driving off of cliffs—all of which culminate in a sound that only YA can produce: say hello to GOODBYE WORLD. 

Listen to “Blood and Bone,” “Fetch the Blade,” and “Hacked to Pieces”:

109. ARTS “Graveside Summoning” EP

After completing nine years of occult study and seclusion, ARTS has manifested “Graveside Summoning,” containing four malevolent spells that seal the listener in a labyrinth of insanity. These compositions unleash a full-frontal assault of venomous vocals with riffs encircled in sepulchral fog to swallow you in a black abyss. .:AA:. returns from the shadows to stake his claim as the magus of aural chants, while .:MM:. conjures symphonic angels to poison your mind with confusion and doubt so that you may never rest again. In the dark years since the release of their monumental album, “Vault of Heaven,” ARTS has maintained their throttling style while developing a heightened sense of enchantment that has been painstakingly crafted within their furtive denomination to achieve maximum poisonous effect.

Listen to “Daemonomie” & “Graveside Summoning”: 

108. LIFE SUPPORT “Die Like a Man” EP

There’s no horror that we don’t create ourselves. In a world where success is achieved through the sufferings of others, our souls are but scraps floating in and out of corpses, blurring the line between the dead and the living. LIFE SUPPORT serves as an antidote to our waking death with a command to view mortality as a chance for good, as all else is a fantasy poisoning the heads of men.

Denver HC legend James Trejo and Mark McCoy team up for this 5-song debut of pounding American hardcore, recorded by audio master Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.

Listen to “Die Like a Man” & “Status”:

107. MANGLED STATE “Stigma” 6″

As voyeurs of a burning world, we find ourselves living in a perpetual aftermath of real-time destruction. This horror has seeped into our souls, leaving us isolated, bitter, and betrayed. MANGLED STATE observe this all too clearly. On their caustic debut they articulate the feeling of having one’s back to the wall with no choice left but to lash out.

Initially conceived as a two piece, this Houston, Texas outfit showcases J. Everett & J. Bokemeyer pounding through 5 tracks of minimalist U.S. hardcore in a style that has come to define Youth Attack’s vision: direct, hostile and unapologetic.

Listen to Stigma & Scowl:

106. SNARLING HATE “How to Kill” 7″

Throughout history, the trials of mankind have been carved not by policy, but by blood. On an archetypal level, the fate of the world rests upon its unwillingness to submit. At a time in history when “empowerment” is just another trick of the establishment to seduce the powerless into conformity, true power rests in one’s refusal to accept their terms.

On their debut 7”, SNARLING HATE showcases this with two stomping hardcore anthems to fill the listener with courage, contempt and hope. Legendary frontman Shaun Dean, with his unmistakable growl, delivers a stunning vocal performance, while Denver stalwart James Trejo astonishes again by performing all instruments with his usual mastery. With additional guitar by Matt Wilga (Cancer Kids, Failures, Suburbanite), SNARLING HATE has been unleashed.

Listen to “Takeover”: 

105. VILE GASH “Agonized Corrosion” CS

We know that, while happiness is ideal, it is the work of the imagination. The prison of the mind, constructed in such a fashion as to fester one’s torments, is a cruel testament of nature, held at bay by our hostile environment which seeks to eliminate us from existence. Day by day and brick by brick, we console ourselves with platitudes and toil for the continuation of future generations who die unfulfilled.

As a testament to the brevity of existence, VILE GASH returns with “Agonized Corrosion.” Recorded under extreme conditions, these three audial detonators explode with furious destruction to convey yet again the horrible certainty we face.

Listen to “Languish in Mindset” & “Agonized Corrosion:

104. CREEP STARE “Pain Game” EP

Exploding out of the deep San Antonio, Texas underground, Creep Stare drop a bombshell of pure hardcore misanthropy with their astounding 10 song EP, “Pain Game.” Taking a no-frills, classic approach steeped in modern world misery, they deliver a high-impact barrage of throttled riffs and gruff vocals, aided by an unhinged performance by session drummer and Denver HC legend, James Trejo (Cadaver Dog, Life Support). At it’s most honest, hardcore shows us that life is inevitably about dying. Therefore, we must learn to suffer, because, as vocalist Josh Everett declares, your reality’s fucking caved in.

Listen to “Pain Game” & “Blood Ties”: 

103. CITY HUNTER “Dying Breed” LP

After gaining infamy with two long-sold out cassettes and a slew of deadly, knife-wielding live performances, City Hunter’s long-awaited full length album, “Deep Blood,” delivers 14 fatal stab wounds to engulf the listener in a delirious pool of hell. Soaked in filthy atmosphere and laced with grim interludes, this is not your feel-good retro horror, but a sickening manifestation of death and destruction. With a fully developed sound, this audial hallucination of murder and torment is a living nightmare you can’t escape.

Listen to “living Nightmare” & “Dying Out”:

102. SUBURBANITE LP

Like a burning skyscraper collapsing in a city siege, SUBURBANITE launches a full-scale takeover with total sonic decimation. Discharging a relentless veteran onslaught of breakneck hardcore led by irate frontman Chris O’Coin, the band fires off an intolerant, hostile and warlike approach, anchoring their debut in one brooding anthem after another. Purveyors of the Bruiser Beat sound, this is New York Hard Core for a new age. Rising up from the ruins of the genre’s failed past while dismissing contemporary values with arrogant disregard, SUBURBANITE calls forth the End Times so that intruders, trapped in a sick and insane society, have no choice but to wreck vengeance upon it.

Listen to “Combat Shock” & “Shots Ring Out”:

101. CADAVER DOG “Dying Breed” LP

Easily the most negative hardcore album of all time, CADAVER DOG’s debut LP showcases Denver one-man-army James Trejo as he flies off the handle like no one else—a visionary single-handedly shaping hardcore into what it should have always been. “Dying Breed” unleashes a savage musical assault, dialed to astounding levels of ferocity. These 15 songs can be considered the end conclusion to hardcore’s aim, with a sound both timeless and fresh, assuring the listener that this is what nearly 40 years of bands have tried to achieve. Coming off the “Blunt Force Trauma” flexi from last year, “Dying Breed” is a rampage of relentless chord changes, rabid vocals and blazing tempos that fly by with the dizzying delirium of a fistfight. An album that lives up to its title in every regard, and aggressive lyrics that go further than any other “hardcore” band, “Dying Breed” is proof that CADAVER DOG stands alone.

Listen to “Blindsight: and “Repulsed”:

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99. VILE GASH “Nightmare in a Damaged Brain” LP

A masterpiece years in the making, this 12-track expurse of barbarity leaves the entire genre of hardcore in a smoldering crater. VILE GASH has achieved a fully-realized vision, delivering what can only be described as the end of music. Clocking in at just over 10 minutes, the album explodes in a barrage of hatred and disgust, each song showcasing a bitter contempt for life. Their blunt execution has intensified, becoming harsher and uglier, ranging in tempos the band has never before achieved with a perfect, grinding production that showcases the hideous nature of their riffs. This is a feel-bad experience like no other, and to listen is to feel yourself compelled to sickening violence. “Nightmare in a Damaged Brain” is the final command for existence, from which nothing shall follow.

Listen to “Obedient” & “Putrid Face”:

98. COMBAT FORCE Demo EP

97. CIVILIZED “Chopping Block” LP

Despite their geographic isolation, Denver’s CIVILIZED have emerged as elites in the hardcore underground. Building upon their stellar Dust and Blood EP, they unveil 13 new songs with a mastery that surpasses their influences. This is how eternal US Hardcore is made: raise the standard with scrutiny and persistence, smash all that is mediocre with brute force and aspire toward truth by eliminating all that is not real. Through these aims, CIVILIZED unveils a classic. Chopping Block is a tour de force of modern hardcore—a barrage of hooks and jaw-dropping shifts delivered in a burst of youthful fury. Zach Reini’s vocals astound as he leads the way in a sequence of perfectly executed compositions that balance time-honored motifs with dizzying variety. Engineered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, with an unforgettable cover shot by acclaimed photographer Daniel Shea, CIVILIZED has laid your neck on the line.

Listen to “Stagnate” & “All the Same”:

96. CULTURE SHOCK LP

Urban life promises many rewards—lies that foster complacency and addiction. In the cities where these hotbeds fester, we observe in real time how societies fail. After a period of crisis, horrifying acts are normalized. Drugs become one’s identity, hype is power, ego is abuse.

For the lone wolves and free thinkers disgusted by the mainstream echo chamber, they scorn the idea of getting along with self-proclaimed role models and their bland, conventional “fun.” CULTURE SHOCK is a fist in the teeth of the Good Life, with an outrageous vendetta to take out the entitled parasites ruining the world.

CULTURE SHOCK’s debut is an unapologetic and relentless pummel of US hardcore. Each of these 10 anthems delivers a feral intensity that we’ve come to expect from the Denver scene. Recorded on analog tape in Denver, Colorado and mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, maniacal vocalist Geoff D. sums it up it best when he proclaims “The Pack is small, but the bite is hard!”

Listen to “Culture Shock” & “Lone Wolves”:

95. CADAVER DOG “Blunt Force Trauma” Flexi

For Denver, Colorado mastermind J. Trejo, hardcore is a weapon of hatred and aggression. Eschewing any notion of self-righteous victimhood, CADAVER DOG goes on a rampage with cyclonic chord progressions, harsh tempo shifts and an over-the-top-vocal performance that lays waste the stagnant, crowd-friendly cesspool of today’s scene. This is pure, nihilistic hardcore topped off with a superb rendition of LOCKJAW’s classic, “Need A Gun.”

Listen to “Put You Down” & “Strength Through Hate”:

94. THE REPOS “Poser” LP

With a legacy spanning 14 years, THE REPOS reign as living legends at the forefront of contemporary Hardcore. Their first two albums are undisputed sought-after classics. Following years of incredible tape and EP releases, they finally usher forth their most accomplished work yet: Poser. Sounding more unhinged than ever, guitarist Joe Phillips shines while cult frontman Aaron Aspinwall delivers his best and most visual lyrics to date. Poser has an unrelenting ferocity that paints a gritty vision of life on the outskirts that few dare tread. THE REPOS are the embodiment of all that YOUTH ATTACK represents: outstanding, pure, uncompromising Hardcore.

Listen to “Still Ain’t High” & “Gift-wrapped Pistol”:

93. DEVOURING GHOST Soundtrack

Mark McCoy’s latest solo drawing exhibition, Devouring Ghost, opened 04.17.15 at Weltkunstzimmer in Düsseldorf, Germany. To coincide with the nine drawings in the exhibition, he created a special edition soundtrack to play in the gallery. Each musical composition relates to a visual work on display, presented in an array of stripped-down black metal and ambient tracks. The album spans two LPs and was composed in collaboration with Ian Jacyszyn (Absolute Power, Suburbanite) and Ryan Martin (Dais Records, Copley Medal). Devouring Ghost deals with the transience and mutability of a technically-constructed world. Symbols of decay and mortality reflect the ambivalent and unconscious desire for death. 

Listen to “Fatalis Virgae” & “Eye Socket”:

92. ABSOLUTE POWER LP

On their highly-anticipated debut ABSOLUTE POWER drops the hammer with 16 songs of unbridled East Coast U.S. Hardcore. In a tornado of anthemic riffs and tempo changes they set the stage for an all-out tear down of authority led by vocalist Chris O’Coin’s insane performance. Through themes of security, violence, and voyeurism the band strips away the bullshit to reveal a hideous raw sound that burns with aggression. Recorded by Ian Jacyszyn in NYC and mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air. ABSOLUTE POWER stands ready to rule.

Listen to “The Bastards Who Made You Sick” & “Faithful Until Death”:

91. ANCESTORS “In Death” EP

After Death, nothing is, and Nothing, Death, The utmost Limit of a Gasp of Breath:  Let the ambitious Zealot lay aside, His hopes of Heav’n (whose Faith is but his Pride) 

In Death marks a reestablishment for ANCESTORS. Following their trilogy concerning the ambiguity of death and reality come these four cobweb-ridden canticles entombed in an oppressive, decayed atmosphere. Echoing this transience into the black embrace of eternity is a violent, swirling cacophony with focus given to refining compositional structures to mirror both the nuances of lost remembrances and to glorify the hallucinatory nature of despair.  

Listen to “That Which I Should Have Done I Did Not Do” & “Reliquary Ashes”: 

90. FAILURES “Decline and Fall” LP

Failures unveil their magnum opus dissonance with Decline and Fall.  It is a work years in the making, of painstaking scrutiny and craftsmanship, delivered in an agonized effort to boil down the very essence of what it means to endure the habitual torments of existence. In just over 14 minutes these 14 songs dissect the intricacies and endless defeats that coincide with our fruitless pursuit of happiness and fulfillment, and illustrate how, by rendering these hopeless, baseless projections of our deepest insecurities, we come to define our demise as the very core of our lives. Humanity’s toil may endure, but whether we drag along for the ride or tumble off into a ditch to rot makes no difference either way. 

Listen to  “Time For Reflection” & “Errands”

89. CIVILIZED “Dust and Blood” EP

Denver’s CIVILIZED react violently to their environment with an all-out assault on those spineless and disloyal cowards that we call “friends.”  On these 8 songs we hear timeless hardcore delivered at its highest intensity, with singer Zach Reini’s ferocious delivery leading the offensive in a tour de force of rage and revenge. As proof of Dust and Blood’s authority, those familiar with their Negative Reflection Demo will take note of their augmented aggression and now masterful execution of riffs, breakdowns, and tempo shifts that heretofore stand unparalleled. You’re all to burn!

Listen to “Numb” & “Fracture”:

88. GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD “Blood War” LP

87. THE REPOS “Lost Still Losing” CS

“Lost Still Losing” is the 17 song full length by THE REPOS recorded in 2012 that never saw the light of day until now. Some of those tracks were later self-released by the band as “Poison Head” on a self-released sold-out cassette. Here finally is the complete session entirely remastered and presented in its original glory. This features some of the band’s finest material to date with blazing raw hardcore anthems and disturbing life-on-the-fringes lyrics by Aaron Aspinwall written in a style like none other. Hands down one of the most seminal bands to have ever emerged from the underground.

Listen to “Gone Get Goner” & “Hot Shot Fever”:

86. THE REPOS “Live Munitions” LP

One of the most prolific and influential hardcore bands of our generation is finally captured live with this fourteen song assault recorded in Chicago during a private performance on the west side. This LP contains all their best classics like “Attack From All Sides,” “Lowlife Legion,” and “Voice In My Head,” delivered in a non-stop, three-chord barrage under a tornado of growls by a lunatic frontman. Mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios for optimal ferocity, making it almost seem like you were there bashing in faces too.

Listen to “Hollow Trees”:

85. FINAL GRIN S/T CS

With a stripped down delivery, Chicago trio FINAL GRIN step forth with this seven-song cassette of deliberately paced and chanted orations drenched in mysticism and the gleaming awe of Death.  Perfectly produced by Ryan Lowry (RAW NERVE, SKRAPYARD) and mastered by Will Killingsworth (FAILURES, VEINS). Features black chrome tapes, oversized soft vinyl cases, lyric pamphlet, and full color foldout poster inserts.

Listen to “First You Need Fear”:

84. THE ROPES “Vietnam II” CS

On their fourth cassette release, THE ROPES let loose another turbulent whirlwind of caustic urban hardcore with lyrics of isolated life on the fringes and riffs that hearken a timeless adolescent enthusiasm before everything went horribly wrong. Initially self-released in an edition of 100 cassettes on a weekend summer tour, the original 4-track tapes have been fully revamped and remixed by Ian Jacyszyn (VEINS, SUBURBANITE) for maximum force, including a jaw-dropping version of “22 Going On 23” by BUTTHOLE SURFERS. Presented on black chrome cassettes in meticulous, handcrafted fold-over flap box covers and inserts.

Listen to “Gonna Get Through to You” & “22 Going On 23”:

83. THE ROPES “Always Nothing” CS

Showing no sign of slacking off, THE ROPES continue their astounding legacy on their third cassette, Always Nothing. With seemingly effortless command, they reveal not only their capability of classic rock by interweaving random interlude renditions of JAMES GANG’s “The Bomber,” but stamp out everything in their path with some of their most forceful anthems yet. Features black chrome cassette tapes in meticulous handcrafted fold-over flap box covers and inserts. Always nothing, always none!

Listen to “Always Nothing”: 

82. THE ROPES Demo II EP

Following their stunning debut S/T EP, legends THE ROPES immediately tore forth with a second self-released demo tape for one show in Cleveland, which was then remastered by Will Killingsworth and given a deluxe, revamped layout as a limited vinyl release for Record Store Day in Chicago. Reissued again is this incredibly enraged five-song, six-minute masterpiece of stripped down, blown out hardcore helmed by monstrous vocalist icon Aaron Aspinwall. Featuring a rendition of DEAD BOYS’ “Down in Flames” arguably better than the original, with a 12 panel fold out glossy poster, double sided cover sheet, and obi card and pressed to heavy clear vinyl in an edition of 200.  Listen to “Hitchhiker,” “Went Gone,” & “Love Me”:

81. RAW NERVE “Every Problem Solved” EP

Chicago hardcore legends RAW NERVE have gone out burning down the whole city with this final four-song frenzy to top off one of the most uncompromising runs in recent hardcore history. Eschewing the reassurance of sing-alongs and melodies, RAW NERVE fixates on the insular world of loneliness and the search for meaning by tearing apart all falsehoods with a bitter vengeance. This is combustive, youthful hardcore at its finest. Features heavy tip-on 7” jackets, 8 page photo booklets, and thick vinyl.

Listen “Wired Nation” & “Daily Reminder”:

80. ANCESTORS III LP

ANCESTORS III consummates their trilogy with nine hymns to the phantom of Death. Steeped in atmosphere and violence, each track builds only to topple into devastating collapse. Showcasing a focused clarity of both sound and composition to transport the listener into an otherworldly realm, this recording culminates their genre melding of raw hardcore and lo-fi black metal and careens with an agonized velocity as if each moment is more painful than the last.

Listen to “III”:

79. SALVATION “House of the Beating Hell” EP

Picking up where they left off with their “Mortality Interactions” LP, SALVATION continue to suffer their waking nightmare like a procession marching to its own burial. With a sharpened delivery, vocalist Matthew Adis drags the listener into a maelstrom of disrepair through songs that pulsate with an ominous shudder. Life might be a total loss, but it comes with the obligation to endure until the end.

This EP features heavyweight, custom glossy die-cut jackets with full-color printed inner sleeves, and pressed on heavy red vinyl.

Listen to “The Tethered Man” & “House of the Beating Hell”:

78. CADAVER DOG CS

A ravaged all-out war on bullshit behavior and spineless postering, CADAVER DOG hit hard with this barrage of anthems to decimate every parasite in their path. Taking cues from early U.S. hardcore, these unembellished tracks are timeless in their approach and bloodied in their insistence to cut right to the matter: watch your back.

This release features pro-printed cassette wrap sleeves enclosed in a custom five-panel foldout jacket, pressed on black chrome tapes for maximum impact.

Listen to “Blindsight” & “Abandoned”:

77. GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD “Golden Dawn” CS

Illuminated with death’s aura, GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD unleashes seven new invocations to behold the Golden Dawn. Building on the foundation of previous efforts, prolific helmsman J. Wood showcases a broadened perspective of his vision, steeping each assault in a dismal atmosphere of resounding textures to plunge the listener into the very limits of nocturnal fate.

Listen to “Body of Light”:

76. CIVILIZED “Negative Reflection” CS

CIVILIZED come out swinging with this cold-cocked HC revenge spree, smashing down all flimsy facades of weak-willed do-nothing’s with a might-is-right savagery. Seldom has such a compulsive array of frenzied emotion reached its boiling point. A bombardment of aggression dispersed with bludgeoning momentum, these are songs to fuel your own war.

Listen to “Pedestal” & “New Slave Class”:

75. SHIRTLESS THUGS “Ripped You Off!” CS

Youth is a terrible, unrewarding time to express bewilderment at how anyone can pretend it’s anything but awful. Shirtless Thugs render your pain a reality with their suburban sound of abject destitution and illegal entry into your world. What’s a better way to take your problems out on yourself than to let others do it for you?

Listen to “Ripped You Off!” & “Champ With Cheese”:

74. HOAX 2ND EP

HOAX delivers bad news yet again. Capturing the intensity of their over-the-top live performances is certainly no small feat, yet on vinyl they convey an unparalleled aural assault of massive proportion, wreaking destruction on all fronts with songs that demolish everything in their horizon. Phony chains of command, social indebtedness to false truths, a world crumbling to pieces—games of a bogus system that rely on your habitual passivity. HOAX propel you to retaliate!

This EP features elaborate die-cut five-panel fold-out sleeves, pressed on thick black vinyl.

Listen to Down & Skills or Death:

73. ARTS “Thousand Wounds of War” LP

The first spell from Arts is an apocryphal prayer to awaken the dead and answer the call to the divine truth manifested within the depths of these incantations, venerated here in the 7th year of the Great Tribulation. Remastered from the original 4 track tapes to achieve maximum sonic devastation and eclipse the listener in supreme blackness, herein is the sound of war unleashed.

Listen to “Thousand Wounds of War”:

72. GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD “Black Sun Rising” CS

Nobility is only in the negation of existence, in a smile that surveys annihilated landscapes.

Emerging from the shadows for the first time since 2009’s opus, “No Afterlife,” GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD returns with this black invocation to trample all delusions of existence. Scaling back to an even more minimal sound, these seven hymns escort man’s pathetic hopes to the grave with brute malignancy.

This release features pro-pressed black chrome tapes with printed paper labels for maximum volume, and housed in custom offset printed “match-box” slipcases enclosed in book style jackets.

Listen to “Holy land” & “Shadow of Death”:

71. THE ROPES 7”

It is not worth the bother of killing yourself, since you always kill yourself too late.

Reawakened from the crypt of THE REPOS crawls its sickened progeny, THE ROPES. After a three-year interment these six new anthems seep to the surface and pick right up where their forebears died off. With a brash amalgam of American influences, THE ROPES display incredible mastery in their seemingly off-hand assault, driven completely over the top by the inhuman roar of vocalist Aaron Aspinwall.

This deluxe re-release of their self-titled EP comes showcased in a custom foldout double-sided envelope sleeve, with a sixteen-page booklet featuring marvelous artwork by Will Boone, and pressed to red vinyl in black dust sleeves.

Listen to “Heads Will Roll” & “Low End Highs”:

70. SUBURBANITE EP

To resist happiness, what could be more rewarding? If you have not already tasted it, surely you will never be satisfied once you have.

New York City’s SUBURBANITE debut with this 7-song stampede of rough HardCore depicting the Outsider’s isolating search for autonomy in a backdrop of omnipresent authority.

Listen to “Winter Soldier” & “Ruling Class Rebel”:

69. VILE GASH “Deluded” EP

If we could see ourselves as others see us, we would vanish on the spot.

On their second vinyl outing released in anticipation of their upcoming LP, Columbus, Ohio’s VILE GASH delivers three ravaged bursts of aggression that seal the deal on man’s need to exert his will, even at his own expense. This is a hideous rotting beast, one drowned in contempt over the fallacies of rational thought.

Listen to “Deluded” & “Every Day”:

68. RAW NERVE “Midnight” EP

Only the lunatic enjoys the privilege of passing smoothly from a nocturnal to a daylight existence: there is no distinction between his dreams and his waking.

RAW NERVE return with their most ambitious outing yet, an 8-song EP depicting human involvement as a thin fabric of insecurities sewn by the incapable and the bitter. This is the band at their most prolific, expanding their sound into a jarring implosion of balance and tension.

This release comes pressed on dark blue vinyl housed in three-panel inner sleeves with black dust jackets inside a custom uncoated slipcover.

Listen to “Late Again”:

67. RAW NERVE “Tall Tales” LP

Self-betrayal is authenticity: the poem will crush the poet, the system the philosopher, the event the man of action. Destruction awaits anyone who, answering to his vocation and fulfilling it, exerts himself.

Chicago’s RAW NERVE has risen to prominence after a steady stream of releases and touring, becoming one of the forerunners in a long tradition of Midwest hardcore bands. This is all made evident on “Tall Tales,” an anthology of EP releases showcasing their rapid development from the self-released demo of 2009 to the “Nervous Habits” single from 2011. This is frenetic music at the brink of disintegration, delivered without caution to strangulate the very notions of safety.

“Tall Tales” collects their “Nervous Habits” Cassingle, Mailorder LP Cassingle, “These Are The Voices…” compilation track, remixed & remastered “Teens in Heat” EP, and self-titled Demo pressed on heavy white vinyl showcased in a thick 8-page book style jackets w/pocket sleeve and cover art by Dan Rossiter.

66. RAW NERVE “Nervous Habits” CS

Desire for harm is the comfort of a steady faith in the imperishable. To seek possession of this absolute illuminates a destination marked by a path concealed by stones hurled from the veiled recesses of sanctuary.

Listen to “Nervous Habits/New Neighbors”:

65. EUTHANIZER “Permanent Damage” CS

“There is no possessing, only an existing, only an existing that yearns for its final breath, for asphyxiation.”

Housed in a hand-assembled foldout slip case with clasp in an edition of 200.

Listen to “Dying Awake” & “You’re Here”:

64. SQRM “Rodeo” LP

True loathing is frivolity mastered. It is a privilege and an art; it is a passion for the superficial by those who, having met the impossibility of certitude, nap through their spiral into oblivion; it is the plummet from one quagmire into the next, which, being by nature bottomless, is reassuring in all its familiarity.

Listen to “White Stains” & “Cut My Strings”:

63. SALVATION “Mortality Interactions” LP

However strident one’s realizations may seem, in the face of horror they are but a lemon squeezed down a well. What remains is to proceed dead for a life; there is nothing better buried. A wide-awake decay for all witnesses here and forthcoming to relish is a love that grows maggot-like. It is an impeccable and glorious worm, guardian of a serene and rotting corpse. Do not recoil in horror from its caresses, rather, let it disgorge all what once was, for as it bores through, wear it proudly—after all it is you, living.

Listen to “Lapse Infinitum” & “Single Truth, Final Nail”:

62. THE TOLL – s/t 12″

Beneath the inevitable is a barren vista home to death’s embrace. It is here that the dissolution of opposites can never merge the shattered chains of ambition. Here and now, one shall forever fail what is hardest: to tear down the curtain to the reveal bare, absolute truth. It is this sound of reminiscent bells that drown the voices screaming out of deep cisterns and exhausted wells.

Listen to “Secluded”:

61. SEXDROME “Grown Younger” 12″

The brain-drift that sniffs out the deepest of all pleasures—the cessation of all striving—disgusts and degrades instantly. Yet how this fascinates. Root for it, raise your filthy snout in elation—that is a kind of enlightenment. But what to make of such a fruit, whose gleaning requires you go down on all fours.

Listen to “W.I.E.R.V.W.I.”:

60. ARTS “Vault of Heaven” LP

Shrouded in ethereal night exists a fire abounding in phantasms. This is a flame that speaks of Initiation and Consecration as a veritable heritage of destiny. Herein, reflecting back into itself, this luminescence serves as the lone sanctuary of divine thought on the part of the profane where it cannot be seized by non-believers. That the glorious fire of revelation is diffused in accordance with supreme reason is proof that God does not enlighten the world by means of meteors and flashes, but chooses to remain concealed in his own sepulchral sleep.

Listen to “Sword Blood Dripping on the Death Shadow” & “Black Towers to ✠Agla✠”:

59. VEINS CS

Six expositions on our collective hopes and dreams succumbing to futility. For within the blanketing comfort of hopelessness lie new pathways towards examining our festering, rotting selves: as allegiances inevitably wither, emotions fade, and covenants shatter into endless reflections, all we have is to gaze hesitantly upon ourselves, the ravaged remains.

Listen to “Sniper Parade”:

58. RAW NERVE 12″

As you trot along in circles, do you chase or do you flee? And do you do so as a herdsman or as an exception? Are you genuine? Or are you only an actor representative of which is already represented to an audience that blinks at your gestures and coughs over your words. Perhaps you are no more than an imitation of an actor watching yourself being watched and marveling at the circle that you perceive to be straight.

Listen to “Secondhand” & “Crosses”:

57. VILE GASH 7″

“Theoretically there exists a perfect possibility of happiness: to believe in the indestructible element in oneself and not strive after it. What is laid upon us is to accomplish the negative; the positive is already given.”

Listen to “Worthless” & “Leech”:

56. SQRM “Fuck To Survive” CS

The survival of humanity lies in its self-destruction; therein sprawls a wide vista of impasses that, out of weakness of spirit, one is often tempted to retreat from and divert into spiritual mummification. The few who dare to persevere into the tempest of solitude can expect a horrifying and often disastrous confrontation with the self. Thankfully, our insufficient impulses deflect us headlong into passion. This prolonged storm of madness, insanity, and eventual death is exacerbated most effectively through the act of intimacy. Here one may concede for a lifetime. Through physical involvements with another, one can reflect the pain that life relentlessly rains upon us. To be motivated by weakness must be considered a sublime art; it is this colorful flaw that maps our race to the grave.

Listen to “Succubus” & “Fuck to Survive”:

55. NAZI DUST EP

May it please heaven that the listener, emboldened, and become momentarily as fierce as what he hears, find without loss of bearings a wild and abrupt way across the desolate swamps of his somber, fear-averting existence. For unless he bring to his listening of NAZI DUST a rigorous logic and mental application at least tough enough to balance his distrust, the palpitations of his own incoherent nature will lap up his soul as water does sugar. It would not be good for everyone to hear the music contained here; only the few may relish this bitter fruit without danger. So, timid soul, before further penetration of such uncharted steppes, retraces your steps, do not advance.

Listen to “Hatred Side” & “Invest and Sacrifice”:

54. GRINNING DEATH’S HEAD LP

Death is a sentient and responsive shadow. To stand in His presence one must be a willing empath for immersion in His essence. Those who seek shall find Life and Death merge in a continuity of purpose, like blue streaks in a black sky. Proceed: for beyond this converging twilight lies a profound remembrance of the things you have seen, the places you have been, the tears you have drowned in. It is easy to get caught up.

The 2011 cassette version of “No Afterlife” features an entirely revitalized sound, with a new up-front mix and distinct rhythm section that enhances the tracks to a supremely balanced yet feral tonality. Also featured are two exclusive previously unreleased bonus songs from that session, “Absolution” & “Chasm”. This release comes showcased on black chrome tapes for maximum volume, and housed in custom offset printed “match-box” slipcases enclosed in book style jackets.

Listen to “The Fold” & “Six Feet” (MMIX Mix):

Listen to “Carrion” (MMXI Mix):

53. AEROSOLS 12″ + Bonus 7″

To earn the gratitude of one’s own age is to admit inferiority. Lurking everywhere is mankind’s hastening compulsion to absorb and discard information in the hope existence will not pass in vein. In this light, the more something succeeds, the more it fails. To be the infrequent possessor of something truly great is to address posterity: to be sure, contemporaries will remain indifferent; you will be like a man compelled to spend his life on a desert island who toils to erect a memorial so that the fishes of the surrounding sea know he will someday cease to exist.

Listen to “Niche Market” & “You’re Wrong”:

52. NAZI DUST S/T CS

Necking teenage couples stalked in the park, beer soaked frat house hazers in a sports car inferno, handsome star quarterback left to mop up his own teeth, the hifalutin class valedictorian who’s eye sockets collapsed into festering furrows after his first of many eyeball attacks from the grandstands: HERE’S WHAT YOU GET.

Listen to “Value Without Purpose” & “Bad Blood”:

51. TAYLOR BOW “THIN AIR” LP

There is a dying plebeian ambivalence to the ghastly creaks and tragedies of New York City. Only here can one man come up against another, individually in a void, and speak collectively to the disintegration of his being. A city where the deluge of beauty is mystified by the constant groan of economy undermining a perpetually dissolving modernity. As it looms, it showers upon us the debris of its newest and most ragged disharmonies to stimulate our malignant activities and applaud the constant awakening of our intangible reality. These luminous sights, sounds, and sensations of this mythological frontier are but mere scuffles and flurries under the crumbling stone and iron exposed to the decay and the terror of the overwhelming shadows that engulf us.

Listen to “Without a Moment of Ease”:

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49. CULT RITUAL S/T LP

Bulldozing over a breadth of classic influences, Florida’s CULT RITUAL embodies everything a band should be: Motivated, Uncompromising, and Lethal. Anyone fortunate enough to have lived through their live performances will attest to the band’s unparalleled standard of ferocity. Their debut full length LP captures the band at their most daring, most fully-realized apex. This release features a stunning 22″x22″ double-sided poster and silkscreened artwork on heavy 165 lb board, showcased in three versions:
·Main—Edition of 700 flesh vinyl, cover designed by the venerable Christopher Norris of Steak Mountain
·Mailorder—Edition of 100 white & black blob vinyl, cover by Mark McCoy
·American Tour—Edition of 200 maroon and red puddle vinyl, cover designed by the band

Listen to “Horror Sale” & “Nailed”:

48. VILE GASH DEMO II CASSETTE TAPE

Lost in the fog of despondence a deceivingly sophisticated process is playing out. It is a method so glowingly equipped for problem-making that it lovingly mangles it’s chances with it’s own self-betrayal. Sprouting from this artful machination are new joys and tribulations, perpetuated by a continual debasement of spirit in order to plummet to the lowest depths and remain there, unhealed. Lim. 100

Listen to “Life-Rot” & “Scum”:

47. HALLOW SOUNDTRACK 2 X LP

HALLOW is a sprawling foray of architectural disassembly, a weed-out process of reassessment and purposeful self-affirmation. This is the soundtrack to accompany Mark McCoy’s debut drawing exhibition at LA’s HOPE Gallery. HALLOW unfurls like a broken seal of revelations, billowing down its miasma of certainty. Looming perilously under a wash of malformation and debris are nine musical compositions to correspond with each of the drawings featured in the show, the side of each disc showcasing a consistent breakdown of structure mirrored by an intensifying sense of isolation and reverie. Split release with Teardrops.

Listen to “Harken” & “Trawl”:

46. SALVATION “OF UNFORGIVING WIND” 12″

“Of Unforgiving Wind” is the tempest twisting through your doubts, the ambition you wrestle to avoid, the repudiation of life’s answers you could never swallow. SALVATION endures on a crumbling platform all their own, perhaps the most deeply introspective and simultaneously virulent musical force going. If song structures serve to impact, then regard SALVATION’s epistle as your own personal liquidation. This HIGHLY anticipated release comes in an edition of 600 pieces with 20 page saddle stitched booklets of singer Matt Adis’ incredible artwork to accompany each vinyl on label-less purple marble. In addition, the first 100 copies will come showcased in a unique mailorder edition on white vinyl with additional incentives.

Listen to “Creaks Within The Foundation” & “Departure”:

45. ANCESTORS II EP

A faceless phantom embodiment of pure emotion, ANCESTORS further plummets with these assemblages of structure at their basest form. A grating cacophony of disorder that drags with a rusted, bleeding hesitation, each note broods over its existence with an arcing disparity before hitting the final death knell. Lim. 333 copies.

Listen to “I,” “II,” & “III”:

44. ANCESTORS I 12″

After a quiet self-release of 100 tapes and a small repress on the doomed Northern Sky Productions, this obscure, decimated chronicle surfaces on vinyl at last. ANCESTORS is an effigy to its own ruin with a vibrant tortured atmosphere that burns with despondence. It is music that may be most accurately interpreted as a transcendence of the material, a rumination on one’s own past, and a call for self-realization. Lim. 333 copies.

Listen to “II” & “IV”:

43. COMPLAINTS S/T EP

Winters in Massachusetts are a dreadful gloomy time where people content themselves by hiding indoors gaining weight, renting videos, and eating pizza. Never being ones to rest on their laurels, Will Killingsworth and Dan Madden set their gripes to tape with these three blistering responses to the reclusive life of their surroundings.

Listen to “Blank” & “It’s Over”:

42. CULT RITUAL 2nd EP

Tampa’s renown CULT RITUAL, a dense mercurial wreck spinning out of control at every moment. Pulling from a vast and diverse history of influences, these young stalwarts have begotten a beast that teems with contemplative senselessness. Laced with vexation and an inner devotion to authenticity, they stand ready to change your life. Already artistically in league of their own, expect beautiful hand-assembled die-cut tri-panel covers in an edition limited to 500.

Listen to “Haunted Ground”:

41. REPOS “Ending On A Positive Note” LP

After a complete circumnavigation on the futility of existence, The Repos have proudly hit the eject button once and for all with this collection of prophetic eulogies. Those already versed can expect an even harsher basement production coupled with a noticeably lower regard for showmanship. To commemorate their passing, we present this tribute to their end, showcased in beautiful floating-white-blob colored vinyl with a stylish 32 page photo ‘zine, hand assembled covers, housed in resealable poly bags in an edition of 300 copies.

Listen to “Flame Still Burns” & “Potential Friends”:

40. FAILURES LP

FAILURES is an empowering new musical group from the East Coast. Comprised of four ambitious men, who under the most extreme scrutiny have courageously rendered this super-charged missive of volatile energy. Appearing at a moment in history that can only be best described as a yawning pit of deluded regurgitation, this 14 song attack answers your life’s desperate call for Meaning.

Listen to “Cheer Up” & “Friends”:

39. AEROSOLS 3rd EP

Great bands do not gain popularity, develop musically, or give you what you want. They exist apart from your world. Instead, your world becomes a part of THEIRS. Are you ready for the plunge? Here again AEROSOLS outdo themselves with another stunning effort, a 5 song clear vinyl eruption featuring unquestionably their best material to date. Once more, these come housed in laboriously crafted hand-cut, hand-assembled sealed gatefold jackets, with shiny resealable poly bags. A Classic.

Listen to “National Tragedy” & “Culture Warrior”:

38. SALVATION “Smoke and Mirrors” EP

A mouthful of bloody broken teeth and flailing debris with a frantic, collapsing sound all their own, SALVATION are an epithet of TRUTH in a world of of ineffectual, poorly composed liars. Song after song they shatter their way towards a harsh and inevitably devastating collapse. SALVATION festers in their primal hostility with a level of strength teeming on the insufferable. 

Listen to “Smoke and Mirrors”:

37. MK ULTRA Discography 2xLP

Little seems to be said of their existence now, but from 1994 until their demise in 2000, seminal Chicago outfit MK-ULTRA (along with LOS CRUDOS, CHARLES BRONSON, PRETENTIOUS ASSHOLES, BILLY BUILDERS, etc.) emerged to define one of the most devastating and outspoken hardcore scenes of all time. This 55 song retrospective features their entire vinyl output including both EP’s, splits with Los Crudos and Seein Red, compilation tracks, and excerpts from their original demo tape. YouthAttack is proud to present this long awaited reissue of the some of the greatest hardcore ever captured.

Listen to “Most Likely to Succeed” & “Stick Figure”:

36. LA PIOVRA “The First Discovered Treasures” CD

Cranked out in time for their West Coast stampede, this is a collection of the long sold out one sided 12″, a mysterious bonus track included only in the picture disc euro version of the 12″ (Agipunk), the”Risacca” 7″ (Punks Before Profits), and the super obscure and practically unheard “Maledetto” Demo. Unquestionably the finest and most important Italian HC band in twenty years.

Listen to “L’Ultima Sigaretta”:

35. AEROSOLS “Medicine” EP

The phenomenal follow up EP is a crash landing into oblivion. Without a doubt the most heart pounding musical group on the East Coast if not the universe, these six songs of screeching and relentless wreckage crumble and disintegrate into a giant disastrous mess before culminating in absolute ear deafening brilliance. Features hand assembled gatefold sleeves, tinted clear wax, and resealable poly bags. 200 copies pressed. Worth it alone for the photo of Tony’s shirt. The time to act has PASSED.

Listen to “Medicine” & “Suburban Blight”:

34. ALTARS “Das Vergewaltigte”

An obscure, barely discernible shower of noise mini-opus, exquisitely done for those who can comprehend its beauty.

Features:
*300 copies red wax, no labels, hand etched vinyl
*silk screened thick chip board covers, laboriously hand assembled w/ hidden inner glued insert
*red dust jackets and resealable shiny poly bags
*horrible fucking sound

Listen to “Das Vergewaltigte”:

33. NO AGE EP

Needing no introduction, NO AGE reign supreme with their buzzing daydreaming sea shore sound of scorching noise and sunshine hooks. With an initial press of 500 copies on white vinyl, followed by a quickly vanished repress of 100 copies on clear vinyl, this is but one in a series of five incredible EP’s the band released last spring before striking gold.

Listen to “Neck Escaper” & “My Life’s Alright Without You”:

32. CALIFORNIA LOVE “Reaping The Whirlwind” LP

An ugly, undulating wreck exploding from all sides, this is not music but an assault to annihilate everything in it’s path. On their second effort, CALIFORNIA LOVE plow through twelve tracks like a Mack truck, switching tempos from a painful gut wrenching crawl to a blinding blast with a masterful precision to leave the listener completely bewildered and senseless. The cover art says it all.

Listen to “Under the Crosses” & “Legacy”:

31. AEROSOLS EP

These notorious Western Mass-holes known for their three and a half minute live sets bring you five quick punches to your flabby guts and tinnitus for your tune-less ears. Already much sought after, this modern classic is showcased on clear wax with a hand cut, hand assembled insert and jacket, housed in a sealed shiny poly bag. Limited to 200 copies.

Listen to “Worthless” & “On the Fence”:

30. DAS OATH 11″ LP

Cut to an 11″ format, this screeching opus trims the fat for a full bludgeoning without all the filler. With full-color fitted sleeves and separate removable inserts, you get 7 songs in 10 minutes— just the perfect amount of time needed to kill your parents and throw out the rest of your shitty record collection. A one time pressing of 1,000 copies released in collaboration with the highly questionable COALITION RECORDS.

Listen to “Reliquary” & “Tropical Malady”:

29. ISSEI SAGAWA EP

Gore-obsessed high school dropouts eschew all concepts of talent to crash your party and fingerbang your girlfriend while they cum in your mom’s shampoo bottles. Five tracks of disturbing blown out noise from these notorious Arizona teens captivate and disappoint. Listen to this alone and you will quickly wind up in jail. Comes with a tasteful poster insert suitable for framing or holiday gift wrapping paper. 300 copies pressed, 100 on white, 200 on yellow. A split release with L.A.’s TEARDROPS Records. To promote the band’s live fiasco on the west coast, a numbered TEST PRESS edition of 50 copies with an exclusive 12 page booklet were sold soaked in the band member’s urine.

Listen to “All My Best Lovers Were Pre-Teens” & “I Ate Rene”:

28. LA PIOVRA One-Sided 12″

A manic hybrid of early Italian HC mixed with the finest elements of late 70’s garage, 70’s Eurocrime Films, and 19th Century Nautical seafaring renders something freshly vicious to throw shit to. Comes with full color fold out insert housed in a resealable polypropylene bag. The first pressing of 500 on tan vinyl with gold silkscreened image are now SOLD OUT, leaving but a few of the 2nd press on clear wax to harpoon before they too head down to Davey Jones’ locker.

Listen to “Contintasca” & “Il Punto Non Basta”:

27. THE REPOS “Heads and Hearts Explode” LP

Throw this record on and watch your life crumble. This opus clocks in at 11 minutes and 36 seconds, just in time to ruin your weekend r’n’r and your optimism for life in general. With a looser, more free-form indifference to their playing, their second full length charges on with their same frenzied fist-the-face blend of Poison Idea/Youth of Today rage as previous efforts, but only louder. The majority of this material was written and recorded on the spot in the studio just to add to the schizo urgency you’ve come to expect from Chicago’s tallest maniacs.

Listen to “No Luck, No Dice”:

26. CANCER KIDS “The Possible Dream” LP

These Western Mass outcasts with a predilection for Godzilla, Mr. T, and the Red Sox dwelt in a world where fame meant nothing and tangible politics had little to do anything found in a filthy squat. After releasing a promising split ep with Malay and playing at most two live shows, these guys disappeared back into their garage, tightened their sound, and wrote 50 songs. Represented here are the best 19 of that lot, a record so musically solid and consistent that it has claimed the throne for the loudest, most devastating LP in the galaxy. For those who may have lapsed on their note taking, THE CANCER KIDS is ex-members of the legendary cult BUCKET FULL OF TEETH, and was produced by genius Will Killingsworth of ORCHID/BUCKET FULL OF TEETH/AMPERE glory. A masterpiece years in the making. Edition of 700.

Listen to “9021Oi!” & “Boston Blow”:

25. DAS OATH “Mini LP”

Continuing on their welcomed path to oblivion, the band’s sophomore release ejected a superbly produced attack in a gatefold with all the usual tastefulness you’ve come to love to hate. Expanding upon their range of influences only slightly, this record contains nine tracks full of barely-contained intensity targeted at every sap who think bands are worth admiring. Thanks to their own increasingly devious attempts to thwart any lingering fans, this record cost a fortune and is impossible to find in stores. 1,000 copies on clear vinyl. First 500 sleeves with UV gloss coating.

Listen to “You Will Never Never Never Know Me” & “Tightened, Solidified, Cracking”:

24. VMW 2ND EP

Three more disorienting disasters from these semi-gifted groundbreakers confuse and delite your dullest desires. This time around, influences from various skinheads, drug-laced terrorists, and crossdressing sluts set the mood to your maniacal relapse. The luxurious 4 track production and beautiful overpriced packaging keep you captivated.

Listen to “Thank You, Genocide”:

23. HAXAN S/T 12″

Hark! The eclipse of your optimism is upon you! of your hopeful ambitions and good fortune, say goodbye. Admit the mysterious HAXAN as the embodiment of bitter isolation suffocating your doomed, fruitless existence. It is only through this admittance of total nihilistic hopelessness that record collecting appears as essentially crucial as this. Do not despair. While you’re here suffering, let it possess your soul. Scathing, obscure, and violent art. Limited to 120 copies.

Listen to “Witches Oath”:

22. SURF NAZIS MUST DIE “Anti-Everything” EP

Possibly the most overwhelming head rush from Germany since VITAMALZ, the SURF NAZIS made enemies faster than they existed (including you) and single handedly salvaged western Europe from the clutches of it’s smouldering musical banality. Existing for a mere minute, they recorded only this masterful EP before detonating into abrupt oblivion like all good bands should. Raging with junk food, girls, and Hollywood, they explode with eight frenzied songs delivered with as much whimsical sincerity for their scene as their scathing contempt for everyone in sight. Prepare to find yourself uncontrollably shouting along as you bash your face through your bed room wall. Includes bonus detailed instructions on how to take the record and go fuck yourself.

Listen to “I Am Angry” & “Emo Kids Blown to Shit”:

21. THE REPOS S/T LP

This maniacal Chicago height-requirement-hardcore frenzy fronted by legendary A List legend Aaron Aspinwall initiated the REPOS legacy with this stunning debut. With their patented low regard for showmanship, this gem lets loose with an instant wallop of monstrous three chord aggression to beautifully soundtrack your life’s detonation. This is a limited one time pressing of 1,000 copies with the first 200 on stunning black and white spotted vinyl.

Listen to “Attack From All Sides” & “Comedy Joke Time”:

20. DAS OATH “Uber Alles Collection” CD

This beer coaster contains all the basic requirements for your average jaded late-twenty-something hardcore listener: lame uncollectible CD format, blocked-out artwork, and plenty of feedback-laden songs about how nothing in life has any point. To reach this nihilistic conclusion, it is recommended you first buy this release.

Listen to “I’ve Been Trying to Fuck My Life Up for Years” & “If You Feel Like an Enemy Come Follow Me”:

19. OATH/ TOTAL FURY Split EP

Five songs from both best bands in the world including each doing a cover of the other’s most definitive anthems (that ironically, no one can actually sing along to). Just be forewarned this is an insanely overpriced record with artwork that unquestionably sucks. The one thing that CAN be said for this is exactly what you’d tell a forty year old virgin: hurry up and just pay for it already.

18. DEATHSQUAD S/T EP 

was yet another of Albany’s Flash in the Pan Powerhouses that are remembered now for their insane snow sled tour through Sweden. Here they churn out three songs in the Scandi tradition of epic crustiness, played with surprising conviction for guys who all love Starbucks. Cover depicts an image of Nazi youth that up to this point has only offended one stupid Canadian. Five hundred copies done with silver covers, while another 500 done in white to preserve that true American spirit.

17. BUCKET FULL OF TEETH “I, II,III” CD

This is a poorly printed compact disc collection of all three of their famous concept EP’s. Limited to 1000 copies or until this band strikes it big on Level Plane.

Listen to “It’s a Set-Up” & “Conditioned Response”:

16. CHARM CITY SUICIDES S/T CD

This is the CD version of the boom-box recorded full length originally issued on VERMIN SCUM records. Since this band no doubt carried the torch of the Youth Attack curse by breaking up before this came out, no one really cared when it did. A shame indeed, for Chris Coady’s masterful bad production makes this the noise classic worthy of tinnitus.

Listen to “I Wanna Get With You”:

15. TOTAL FURY “Committed to the Core” 10″

Though by most hardcore snob’s standards TOTAL FURY’s “Committed to the Core” is a flaccid follow up to their classic “13 Songs” LP, one cannot deny the keen ability of these amazing Jap’s to copy SSD to a tee (bad lyrics and all). This record comes in a beautiful, full-color ten inch sleeve with elaborately etched vinyl. Sayonara Masashi!

Listen to “Lost Cause” & “Connected”:

14. HOLY MOLAR S/T Picture Disc 10″

A record that seemed hopeful until it was mixed; this is the follow up to the live EP confusedly released on both Youth Attack and Threeoneg. This time the songs are more intricate and lengthy leaving the drums for the trash heap all that under keyboard drudgery. Side two displays the band’s first stabs at “concept”-based song writing, involving a three part saga of a murderous trannie-ghost residing in a black metal castle. This is strictly for high school intellectuals.

Listen to “Drip! Drip! Drip!”:

13. BUCKET FULL OF TEETH “III” EP

The best recorded entry in the trilogy, this EP focuses more on ENO-esque soundscapes and less on formulaic songs structures. Absorbing and innovative nonetheless, fuck the naysayer and his fossilized tastes.

Listen to “Dark Colossus” & “Here’s Your Warning”:

12. BUCKET FULL OF TEETH “II” EP

“II” contains the best stoner riffs Tony Iommi forgot to write. A classic soaked in blast beats and explosive ferocity. Buy it now for that one song on the second side. Whew!

Listen to “Empty Faces” & “Lost Keys”:

11. BUCKET FULL OF TEETH “I” EP

Chapter one in the twelve thousand dollar escapade that did the unthinkable of turning punks into fans of German prog rock. This trilogy of EP’s by ex-ORCHID/CANCER KIDS members is a continual bombardment of ambitiousness to challenge anyone who actually reads the linear notes. One added flair to these three EP’s is how fucking awesome they are.

Listen to “Dreams of Dead Bosses” & “Hollow”:

10. MEIN COMP Compilation EP

“Political” compilation EP delayed for years beyond comprehension, featuring some sort of George W. Bush message and ten tracks from veterans like TEAR IT UP, LIMPWRIST, THE OATH, PUNCH IN THE FACE, LAST IN LINE and more that aren’t as sellable.

Listen to KNIFE FIGHT’s “United We Stand,” PUNCH IN THE FACE’s “We’ve Got Bush” & LAST IN LINE’s “Bomb Blast”:

09. NAZTI SKINZ “Sic Semper Tyrannis” EP

NAZTI SKINZ’ brilliant concept consisted of four talented and well known personalities who only wanted to play five shows, write six songs, and release 500 copies of a crummy looking record. This, they thought, would safely undercut the probability of ultimately sucking as most bands do. As a result, they cashed all their chips in here and recorded the most brilliant single nobody’s ever heard. A one time pressing of 500 copies that vanished faster than they did.

Listen to “Bootlick” & “No Accident”:

08. RUINATION U.S.A. Shaped Disc

Continuing on in the great tradition of being hailed “America’s #1 Favorite Hardcore Reissue Label”, Youth Attack offers up this sumptuous U.S.A.-shaped punk record. 2000 copies pressed on clear vinyl, ready to be filed immediately in the section of your record pile exclusively reserved for “funny novelties”. If anything, buy this for the awkward photo of the band members on the inside flexing their homo-erotic insecurities.

Listen to “Hero/Suspect” & “Bad to Worse”:

07. VIRGIN MEGA WHORE S/T EP

This record issued us a $75,000 lawsuit.

06. JELLYROLL ROCKHEADS “Kill Trend Thrash” EP

“Kill Trend Thrash” is the demo put to vinyl from this incredibly amazing Japanese outfit. Without a doubt the best thing they ever did, subsequent releases of theirs only seem to claw at has the crystal meth insanity of riff writing shown here. 300 copies pressed on maroon vinyl, 1500 pressed on white.

Listen to “High Pressure” & “He Told Like This”:

05. BAD FORM “No More Neo No Wave” EP

This is the second EP from this short lived and snobbish Jersey quartet. Four songs of out of tune guitar chaos and bluesy bellowing echo an artier side of the STOOGES and BLACK FLAG. NOTE: This band has nothing to do with LE SHOK. However, since for some reason this record seems to have sold on that merit for several years now, please casually ignore this disclaimer.

Listen to “Sell Yourself”:

04. HOLY MOLAR “Live…” EP

A sheer disappointment from all angles, one can’t help but be let down that these guys weren’t all wearing around signs that said “we’ll never outdo what our known bands have done.” It could be that or have something to do with how there just isn’t much one can expect from a record with a chicken on the cover.

Listen to “That Old Rugged Crossdresser”:

03. LONG LIVE NOTHING S/T 12″

Consider this dud a major death blow to the sinking ship you call your record collection. LLN is strictly music for failing first year art students and fans of the third EMPEROR LP. One member went on to be some huge instrumental tech-metal band, while the others slipped cozily into the void of suburban obscurity. The cover is art lifted from a BOB SEGER record if that tells you anything. This band is so forgettable that they recorded their second full length and never put it out.

Listen to “Little Buddha”:

02. SOCIAL COMA S/T EP

15 song repress from a Japanese label with a name that no one remembers. Songs snagged from the non-circulated 21 song SOCIAL COMA demo tape from 1997, featuring a celebrity conglomeration between members of basement-clearers DAIGORO and CASTEVET. Once grind comes back in style, this clunker will be HUUUUGE.

Listen to “The Wind Beneath My Wings” & “She’s a Lady”:

1 1/3. THE OATH S/T EP

This is actually a Coalition Records release with the Youth Attack logo slapped on it, but since no one buys any Coalition crap anymore it might be nice to do toss them a bone: Eight songs of stolen riffs written in a Danish hotel, hurriedly recorded and mixed twelve hours later.

Listen to “A Carefully Thought Out Bad Idea” & “We?”:

1 1/6. CHARLES BRONSON- Complete Discocrappy 2 x CD

120+ song marathon of almost every imaginable recorded scrap that a bunch of college kidscould write about hating college. Comes with illegible 32 page booklet and unplayable CDROM.

Listen to “Obligatory Jock Slaughter Song” & “Let’s Start A Revolution So I Can Break Some Shit”:

0. CHARLES BRONSON EP

14 song repress of 1994 debut originally released on Six Weeks Records. Y.A repress version has matte finish glued pocket sleeves, Kinko’s photocopied inserts, and ugly colored vinyl. The first 200 of 1500 copies done with red covers and yellow inserts. Management is quick to point out that ten years later this has aged almost as badly as everything else that came out that year.