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Hello readers and friends alike, thank you for reading. I’ve been busy as hell the past what seems like forever. Last week was ABSOLUT / DESTRUCT tour, which I “managed” and drove ABSOLUT. This weekend is the Philly fest, Something To Talk About, and SCARECROW will be playing. I just got done printing some makeshift covers for our new EP for the gig. The EP should be properly released by the beginning of July. Anyway, when I was in Philly on tour last week, I had the privilege of witnessing DELCO MOTHERFUCKERS perform live at Fotoclub. God damn. I had seen some quick vids online, so I had somewhat of an idea of what I was in for, but nothing will compare to catching them in real life. This recording is insane, it is fucked up, and it is fast. The recording session is just the vocalist, Jim (what up MF), playing every instrument. I’m not sure if Jim can actually “play” the drums? But he holds it down and rips it the fuck up. Honestly, if you played me this recording with no context, I would guess it was some old ‘80s USHC band, and I really like that about it. When SCARECROW returns to Philly this weekend, we will pick up a fat stack of the EPs for Sorry State, so check it out in the meantime and be sure to grab a copy once we got ‘em in stock if you like what you hear! Alright thanks for reading, peace!

Alright, we finally have the ‘new’ KAAOS 7” on Fight Records in stock!!! I say new in quotations cos it’s certainly not new material from KAAOS, but a recording session that was recently unearthed! I don’t know much about this 7" but I know it’s a completely unreleased session from 1982. However, there are two songs from this session that initially appeared elsewhere on a proper vinyl release. One song was on their split with CADGERS and the other appeared on the “Systeemi Ei Toimi E.P.” Those tracks were recorded at a different studio, though. These Huvikumpu tracks are different versions which, I think, were recorded later. I am also pretty sure one song has never been released at all until now! So sick. The Fight Records webpage said the other track was never released as a KAAOS song but it was actually given to BASTARDS. They released their own version on the “Maailma Palaa Ja Kuolee” EP. Fight also said it’s actually the guitarist of BASTARDS playing on this entire session! Both bands were from Tampere, so it makes sense to see this connection. I think most bands from this town shared a member or two during this time. This session was recorded by Sidney Salminen. I think I read he was the one with the original tape that evolved into this release as well. According to the internet, he played in killer bands like KAAOS, BASTARDS, ANTIKEHO, and PROTESTI. However, I can’t find much info on what he did on any records. Maybe he played live with them or just filled temporary roles? I do know he played a major role in PROTESTI, which I think is a bit underrated compared to other Finnish hardcore bands of the time. Maybe it’s cos the band never had a proper record back in the day. We have some copies of the excellent 7" reissue in stock actually if you haven’t ever checked it out. This band to me sounds more like BASTARDS with their ‘sloppy’ sound, rather than bands with more groove like RIISTETYT or PAINAJAINEN. Alright then, that is about it for today. I will leave you with this sick video of KAAOS playing lots of the material I’ve mentioned here, live in 1982. If you are a Finnish hardcore fiend, don’t sleep on this Kaaos 7", stuff on Fight usually sells pretty quick. The quality of the recording isn’t the greatest, but it’s definitely one for the archives. Thanks for reading, peace!

Hello readers and thank you for reading. Today I will be here with the quickness to mention the repress we just got of the RECKONING FORCE 12”. Their debut LP Broken State maintained a spot on the top of the Sorry State charts for weeks on end when we initially stocked it, and for good reason. This record is fucking pummeling. I’ve been lucky enough to catch ‘em live a few times and god damn they do not disappoint. The drumming is ripping with catchy punches that lock right in with the guitarist’s lightning fast strumming hand. Fucking hell. They seriously shred. If you slept on this record, now is the time to wake the fuck up. If I am being totally honest with you, I slept on this LP for a few days cos the art did not really do it for me. Artwork is probably the least of my concerns when it comes to hardcore, but artwork can certainly draw me towards to record (for better or worse.) Shit, TOTALITÄR is one of my favorite bands and art was certainly not their forte haha. Anyway, I was working at the warehouse when I heard this absolutely pummeling hardcore coming from the fulfillment room and I rushed over to discover that Daniel was blasting their (then brand-new) 12". I bought a copy immediately. Maybe I should’ve waited for this sick silver version though... Fuck it, maybe I’ll buy both. This style of hardcore isn’t necessarily my go-to, but then again I’m not really sure how to stereotype this record into one of the sub-genres of hardcore. Some elements of the band remind me of WASTED TIME. Their styles are similar, and both bands go hard as fuck. I am not well-rounded on 80s USHC so I have no idea what to compare it to when it comes to the classics, but I am sure they have plenty of 80s influences. This Norfolk crew always seems busy with their projects, so I am sure RECKONING FORCE will lay down another hot ass slab for our turntables sooner than later, and I can’t wait. Alright, thanks for reading. If anyone from RECKONING FORCE is reading this, what up mofos!!! Thanks to everyone for the support. Peace!

Hello, and thank you for reading. I went to a few gigs over the weekend and had a blast. I saw QUARANTINE, who ruled. No surprise there. I was happy to get some hangs in and grab one of their tour tapes. Luckily, they put it online so everyone can hear it even if you don’t have a copy. Hell yes. This band rules and everyone in the band also fucking rules. I can’t wait to hear what is next for them. Alright, so we just got the new RIGOROUS INSTITUTION 12” last night. I’ve only listened to it one and half times, but I think I like it a lot, so I am mentioning it here. I just now discovered you can jam it online already here, actually. I don’t think this band needs an introduction, right? To be honest, when I listen to this band, I can’t tell what I even like about it. But it always keeps me listening. That’s why I said “I think” I like it haha. It’s a weird feeling. I think it makes me feel uncomfortable cos of the way the songs are written. I’m not sure. It certainly doesn’t bring me a feeling of joy, and it doesn’t bring me the satisfaction of teeth-grinding hardcore. The songs almost creep along. They aren’t driving, and they are not catchy. It kinda sounds like you are wading through some nightmarish swamp of shit, and the air you’re breathing is humid with a suffocating stench. The vocals are prominent in mix and sound just simply gross. It truly completes the sound. Anguish. That is what is sounds like. Does that sound like something you want to hear? Alright that’s all then, thanks for reading and thanks to everyone for the support.

Hello, and thank you for reading. Today I write about CONSEC from Athens, Georgia. They just released a new flexi on Futile Force. The label is operated by the vocalist of the band, Reeth. He actually recorded, mixed, and mastered this release as well! I became friends with the bassist of the band, Zach, when SCARECROW was down in Charlotte some years ago. (If yer reading this, what up ya’ll!) I don’t think CONSEC was a band back then, but I could be wrong. Anyway, Zach hit me up a few months ago to book CONSEC and unfortunately the date couldn’t work out on my end. I was lucky enough to hear the flexi tracks at this point it time as well. But after hearing it I was really bummed the show didn’t work out, cos I think this shit fucking rips. We did have the privilege of bringing them up here to gig with ZORN soon after though, so I got to see ‘em rip in real life in the end. I’ve been excited to get these in stock since I heard it, and the finally arrived today after some postal delays. Definitely check out the link I dropped above and grab a copy if you dig it! I look forward to what they do next. Cheers, and also fuck everyone that I think sucks.

Hello and thanks for reading. Today I will be here with the quickness for real as I am writing mad last minute. With Rachel leaving, me getting Covid, and training our new team member Angela I found myself deeper in the weeds than ever before. Luckily Daniel came to motherfucking rescue and whooped ass at everything fulfillment related. Anyway, today I write about INSTRUCT. A month or so ago I was writing with someone I haven’t talked to in ages. (If yer reading this, what up Devin!) We both used to live in the Midwest and moved to separate coasts. I was obsessed with his Kansas City band NO MASTER so naturally I was very excited to check out INSTRUCT when Devin mentioned he had a new band. The styles aren’t really the same, aside from being filthy fuckin’ hardcore punk. INSTRUCT has a definite metallic edge, while NO MASTER was pretty much on-the-nose DISCHARGE style. It appears INSTRUCT are just making music they want to, rather than what seems “cool” or hyped now days. I guess what I mean is it rules to hear some disgusting, not-give-a-fuck crust amidst all the contemporary hardcore releases coming out these days that all have the same formulas. While I am here to write about INSTRUCT, I would check out the NO MASTER link I dropped as well, both tapes rule. Thank you for reading, and thanks for everyone’s support. Peace!

Hello, and thanks for reading.

I am out sick from work unfortunately, but I will still pay my dues here with a brief Staff Pick. Over the weekend I rode with DESTRUCT up to NYC and Philly for some gigs they were playing. LIFELESS DARK was originally on the NYC bill but was replaced with CHURCH CLOTHES after they dropped. I had yet to listen to CHURCH CLOTHES, but I recognized the name from packing up dozens of their EPs for mail-order. This is a common theme in my life, unfortunately. Why don’t I just spin the damn record when I am packing countless copies? When I learned I was going to see them, I had no idea what to expect. Well, I got my fuckin wig split. They blew the doors off the club. They were the first band to play, too, so I find all this even more impressive. I have yet to listen to the EP still haha, regardless I certainly look forward to seeing them again. Seeing DESTRUCT two nights in a row was fucking excellent. I already thought they were one of my favorite bands from the States currently, and this weekend did nothing but reinforce this belief. DESTRUCT is a well-oiled machine. They are hardcore perfection. I can’t wait til their next LP is out. I was lucky enough to hear the tracks from said LP, but they have since released a new cassette with some live recordings where two songs from the upcoming LP are featured. We had a nice stack of these, but sold em all already. I know the band has a few copies left on the bandcamp I linked and Grave Mistake has some as well. Alright that’s all for this week. I hope everybody is taking care, and thanks for reading! Peace.

Hello, and thanks for reading.

I don’t have much time to write today, but I would like to make the time to correct something that I was wrong about last week. But first, let me quickly mention these brand new reissues from T.H.E. Rutto! The OGs are sought after, so I am happy it has finally been reissued and I can add them to my collection. I first heard of RUTTO from their second EP cos it appeared on the ‘Finnish Drunks’ bootleg 12”. I’m not sure if it’s cos I’ve spent more time with this EP, but I prefer it over the first one. I would check both out though if you aren’t familiar, and don’t sleep on grabbing copies cos there are only about 250 of each in the States. Alright moving on, I’m not sure how many people read what I write. If you do and you read about the KAAOS / CADGERS split last week, then please know that I was wrong about the pressing information I shared!! The person who told me the discs were the same pressing was completely wrong. Vote V. told me the first pressing was made in 1981 with a total of 200 copies. The bands made their own covers and shipped them to him. After 4-5 months, he had sold out and repressed the record in Spring of 1982. Finnvox (the pressing plant) had a minimum of 200 discs, but Vote bargained with them over the phone to have his pressing of 150 made cos he was tight on money. He also told me he had to borrow money from a friend to press the second batch! Funny to know that and see what they re-sell for nowadays. Anyway, again the band made their own covers and mailed them to him. The CADGERS cover remained the same while KAAOS had changed their cover, which meant the second press was not numbered like the initial one on the KAAOS sleeve. As you can see from my staff pic, I am huge fan of Finnish hardcore so I had a strong urge to correct what I said. I find it frustrating that I was given the wrong information, and I am embarrassed I shared it with such confidence. I want readers to be able to rely on my Staff Picks for accurate information, so please forgive my mistake. I will do better next time to fact check my findings. Cheers and thanks for your understanding.

Hello, and thanks for reading. This week I was not sure to make the focus of my Staff Pick. When in doubt, I can’t fail with using a photo of a hot ass slab. I chose this slab cos it is brand new to my collection, aka I’ve been playing the fuck out of it. To be honest, I never thought I would secure a copy of this pressing. They are pretty damn hard to find. I got this copy direct from a Finnish pen-pal of mine who fucking rules. I am grateful for the slabs and flyers he has granted me, alongside the many stories and info he has shared with me. According to discogs, there are 200 of the first version of this legendary split and 150 of the following version, which is pictured here. When I got the disc, I was curious when I noticed the matrix and center labels were identical for both versions. I wondered if they were pressed at the same time or if it was actually repressed like discogs says. Well I learned from someone else that discogs is wrong, surprise. I notice errors on discogs often these days, however I don’t take the time to correct them haha. If you are familiar with this pressing, you already know the CADGERS covers were identical for both versions, while the KAAOS cover was different. I learned that Vote V. from P. Tuotanto ran out of KAAOS covers after the first 200 copies, which is why 150 more came out a bit later featuring a different cover. Once I learned this, I decided I won’t worry about finding a ‘first press’ cos they are essentially the same record! Plus, it seems as though I have the sleeve that is harder to find...

Speaking of rare, I mentioned the VARAUS reissue we were getting a little over a month ago, but I intentionally left out the part about all the copies being on an exclusive SSR color!!! Why spoil all the fun at once? I can’t even express how fucking cool this is to me. I know Jeff and Daniel feel the same. VARAUS is a fucking killer band and their records are extremely sought-after in collector’s circles. That our shop in Raleigh, USA plays a role in the reissue of this rare 80s Finnish slab is simply unreal. I doubt we will have any copies in stock by the time you read this, so I hope you are like the other SSR fanatics who check the New Arrivals on our web-store each day. I also mentioned we were getting the ‘new’ KAAOS 7” in the same Staff Pick. I wish I had some details on that for you today, but I have none at the moment.

Alright, time to write about something we do have in stock, BOMBARDEMENT! I don’t know shit about this band, aside from that they are French. I did interview them briefly for the 2020 SSR Mixtape cos Daniel featured a track of theirs. I remember not really caring for them at first to be honest, but vividly remember listening to the finished mix tape and their track stood out in the sequence. After I found myself pleased with their new LP, I went back into their catalogue of another LP, 7", and demo. Damn, you can hear the band’s growth from recording to recording. This is awesome cos a lot of times bands get fucking boring after a record or two, and that’s not the case here. Instead, each BOMBARDEMENT record is like an enhancement from the previous release. It’s hard for me to relate BOMBARDEMENT’s sound to other bands, but maybe I could put the sound somewhere between MEANWHILE on their ‘Ghostface Democracy’ 7" and CIMEX’s ‘Criminal Trap’ 12". They keep the songwriting pretty straightforward, but the songs are not short. This drawn-out writing style reminds me of something a classic band would do. I feel like most bands playing this style nowadays keep their songs around 80-90 seconds. The recording itself sounds really good. Everything is super clear, and the tone is very pleasing to my ears. The voice of the front person sounds more calloused than the previous record, making this record hit harder for me. While the songwriting is simple, BOMBARDEMENT maintains a pummeling energy that keeps it exciting for me rather than getting boring. And when the guitar plays the occasional all-out lead, it hits the spot for me. Alright I’m about out of time now, I wanted to mention this BOMBARDEMENT LP cos it’s 100% worth checking out. Grab a copy if you dig it! I hope all my friends and loyal SSR subscribers got a copy of the VARAUS E.P. Thanks for reading. Peace!

Hello and thanks for reading,

I’m sitting down to write my Staff Pick pretty close to the submission deadline, so please excuse my lack of information and attention to detail. I decided to put together this image of some LPs I was jamming earlier this week. See what they all have in common? Yes, that’s right, DISCHARGE. Surprise? Anyway, The MERCENARY 12” has been on heavy rotation for me. So, it will be the star of my Staff Pick. To be honest, I’m not sure I ever heard their tracks from the Atlanta’s Burning cassette they did until this record pressing. Which is whack cos my old band with Jeff played that fest. I remember when the first demo tape came out, I was pretty excited cos the style was right up my alley. When I finally heard the second demo that appears on this 12" compilation, I was impressed by how much the sound and song-writing improved. I played the B-side over and over again. It’s a shame that stuff was only a cassette until this 12" reissue. They explain the details inside the LP of why this was the case. They also write a bit about Ruby (R.I.P.), the vocalist of MERCENARY. I only had a handful of conversations with Ruby ever. Although the writings about him in the LP are not written in a grieving fashion, it was still saddening to listen to the LP. I’m glad Mark from Beach Impediment did this reissue. Like I said I barely knew Ruby, but to me this is an important homage to him and his life. His memory has been materialized, and his legend will live forever. I hope you may rest easy wherever you are now, Ruby.

As for the other hot slabs in my photo, they don’t need an introduction right? Every single one is hot as fuck. Haha, now that I am looking at the photo again, I realize that each record is one of my favorites from the band. Aside from DISCLOSE, there is stuff I listen to instead if I am craving DISCLOSE. Even though this split was released in 2001, I still think it is legendary. ENGLISH DOGS and DISFEAR have been reissued somewhat recently, but I honestly fear that the TOTALITÄR / DISCLOSE split will never be reissued. It was on Your Own Jailer records, and nothing has ever been reissued from that label. I think self-titled DISFEAR 7" is so damn good and traditional sounding. It’s hard to pick if I prefer this full-length ‘Soul Scars’ or that EP. ‘Soul Scars’ is just so fucking good, damn. I was about to do a bit of nerding on DISFEAR, but instead you can click here and read my previous nerding about DISFEAR from last year. Unfortunately we sold out of the ENGLISH DOGS reissue and haven’t been able to restock, but we have copies of the DISFEAR reissue in stock. I would grab a copy of that alongside this MERCENARY 12" if you been sleeping. Alright, that about does it for this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for the support! Peace.

Hello and thanks for reading,

I really can’t remember when I first heard “Stockholm’s Mangel” but I know I checked it out cos of MOB 47. I had no idea who the other bands were previous to my listening, but quickly AGONI, CRUDITY, and DISCARD became some of my favorite Swedish bands. At the time, I did not know all three bands shared members. The DISCARD tracks were later reissued on a 7" in 1990, and a few times again after that. The CRUDITY tracks were bootlegged a few times, once on a 7" and once on a 12" split with DISCARD. I’m not sure when they came out, but I can tell you the 7" sounds like shit haha. I remember when I got my copy I was so bummed on the sound; you can’t crank the volume at all without it distorting. My homie Chris (What up Mofo!!!) said to me he thinks the 7" was around 1997, and the split was around 2000/2001. So the 12" might have good quality sound if they used the “Stockholm’s Mangel” CD reissue from 2000 as a sound source. No idea though, maybe that boot came before the reissue. I got the CD version cos I thought I’d never secure the LP version. They don’t pop up much, especially in the USA. Well, sometime over the pandemic, I was lucky to score the LP pressing within the USA. The entire reason I bought this shit was for CRUDITY pretty much. Don’t get me wrong, I love AGONI and DISCARD, but I wanted to blast the CRUDITY tracks in specific from the vinyl pressing. That band rips so hard, it’s insane to me. Hilariously, there is a fucking error in the track list on the CRUDITY side. In the middle of their tracks, all of a sudden an AGONI song plays that already appeared. And the CRUDITY track that should be in that spot is nowhere to be found. I was so fucking bummed to discover this... hahah. I was surprised no one has noted it on the Discogs page to be honest. Getting back on track, AGONI was never reissued aside from that “Stockholm’s Mangel” LP/CD on the label Swedish Punk Classics in 2000 (which I think is just the dude from Distortion Records). I think this bit of mystery added to my obsession with the band. The tracks from “Stockholm’s Mangel” were on their own demo tape as well back in the ‘80s but I have never seen much info on it, aside from this pixelated photo of a j-card I’ve seen in a few places online. The only other stuff I’ve heard from them was when they changed their name to AGONY and they were playing metal by this time. Unfortunately I didn’t care for it but I loved their first demo so much. It stood out compared to other Swedish bands with their super blatant DISCHARGE worship. I know bands like DISCARD and SKITSLICKERS worshipped DISCHARGE, but they had their own twist. Alongside the DISCHARGE riffs and aesthetic, DISCARD brought a pummeling speed with their D-beat. And SHITLICKERS of course worshipped every element of DISCHARGE but they added an extra element of noise and chaos. To me, AGONI’s first demo is right on the nose DISCHARGE worship. The riffs, the somewhat relaxed tempo, the lyrical content, and the overall aesthetic was pure DISCHARGE. The only thing they didn’t have was a ‘Dis’ name haha. I never even knew about the existence their second demo until this reissue was announced. The record comes in a gatefold sleeve with liner notes and band photos printed inside. I was bummed to fold it out and see there wasn’t a word written in English haha. My nerdy ass was looking to do some learning... Luckily, Daniel used his phone to do this translate thing, which was amazing. However, here now I have one better for you: complete English translations direct from the label! The compilation features three demos and five tracks recorded live in 1985. Aside from the first demo which I talked about already, I had never heard any of this stuff. Well really for the second demo, I think less than twenty people ever heard it in the history of the world. We are so lucky one guy saved a copy after all these years. They explain this stuff in the liner notes I linked above. The second demo is not ‘right on the nose’ like the first one, but man is it good. You can hear some foreshadowing of the metal to come on their following tape (which starts off the B side of the compilation.) There is some more attack on the guitar picking and the riffing is a bit more complex, which pushes the second demo away from the blatant DISCHARGE elements, but man is it damn good. Damn. I am biased though. I told you how much I obsessed over the band so hearing anything unreleased like this is going to make my day. So inside the cover there is no photo for the j-card of the second tape. Maybe there never was one? They also mention there never was song titles, so they just made ‘em up for the reissue. They also used that same pixelated photo I mentioned earlier of the first demo inside the gatefold. Man, AGONI tapes must be rare as fuck if no one can muster up originals in Sweden for scans, etc. All the more reason you should just buy this now! Haha. Alright, I think that’s all? Forgive me if I bounced all over the place in my writing. I felt confident in the topic at first but later found myself second guessing what I am writing. Anyway, as always, thank you for the support and thanks for reading. Peace!

Hello and thanks for reading. I’ve been moving the past few weeks, very slowly. It’s an hour drive one way, so I only have good opportunities on the weekend. Most of my belongings have moved but only a small portion of my records are at my new spot, which is why I said “very slowly,” haha. I move just a few boxes of LPs at time, so my selection is mad limited at my new crib. I’m pretty much just diving back into shit I haven’t jammed in ages. I just got done with that first WASTED TIME compilation, and now I’m moving onto my favorite (and only) SPITS LP. I didn’t get into THE SPITS until 10+ years after this came out, but I probably would not have liked it until later in life. I remember when my friend from ATX came to visit soon after I moved to Raleigh, and he called me poser for listening to something that was not blazing HC hahah... I first fell for this band when I heard “Let Us Play Your Party” and eventually I tracked this LP down. While that song closes out the A-side of the record, I really love the B-side. It’s actually just ended, and I’ve dropped the needle on B1 again.

Anyway, we have plenty of great records (and tapes) to write about, but I will embrace my inner fanboy and write about this TERVEET KÄDET book. I’ve raved about this label Finnish Hardcore in several Staff Picks, so it’s no surprise I am thoroughly impressed with their latest release. While this book is not loaded up with interviews and liner notes, it is brimming with fucking sick (and HUGE) photos. There is still bits of info surrounding each photo, however. I am grateful again for the English translations, cos there is some cool info/trivia about TERVEET KÄDET during these early years. The book itself is over 100 pages long, and it’s hand-numbered out of 600 copies. I could be wrong, but I think most of these photos have never been released. Some of them I recognized from TK records though, and of course they mention this in the book. I know for certain this book features photos by only one person, Heikki Kemppainen, spanning from 1980 to 1984. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about this person, and there is not much to learn about their history in Tornio, Finland from what the book says in the English translations. Alright I’m jamming SKITKIDS ‘Onna For Pleasure’ now, and it’s time for me to get back to work. If you are a fan of classic Finnish HC or TK in specific, I would grab a copy of this book cos you will not be let down! It’s not like that Sakevi book that has a shit ton of garbage that came later that no one gives a fuck about, haha or that one F.O.A.D. book where the last like 15 pages were just ads from the label... the name of that book escapes me at the moment. Anyway, thanks for reading, peace.