Merel

Merel were a five-piece hardcore/emo band from New Jersey that were around from 1990 to 1993. They were integral in developing the "emo" sound of the underground hardcore scene in the 90's, with desperate vocals, driving bass lines, syncopated stop-and-starts, and dual guitar chaos, blending octave chords and dissonance. They'll fit right in for fans of Heroin, Mohinder, Hoover, and other like-minded bands of the era. Members of Merel went on to form Rye Coalition, while Merel reformed in full for a few shows in 2013.

Merel put out a handful of releases in their brief time together. The most notable was a self-titled LP in 1993, along with a split with Iconoclast in 1992 and a self-titled 7" in 1991. These were all compiled in 1995, on the again self-titled Merel. This is the most essential listening for the band, as it includes all their prime recorded material. However, thanks to Blogged and Quartered, we also have an early live recording, a demo (that includes both recorded and live material), and two tracks that appeared on a compilation put out by Troubleman United. I've included those as well, since the link at the aforementioned blog seems to be down. Enjoy.

Live On WNYU (1990)

1. Daydreamer

2. Fountain Wishing

3. Vigil

4. Under the Gun/Play Dead/Vigil

5. Bring To Pass

6. Wrong Again

7. Troops

8. Unknown

9. The Give And The Take

10. The Weathering

The Castle & Pies Demo (1991)

1. Troops

2. Vigil

3. Under The Gun

4. Bring To Pass

5. The Give And The Take

6. Fountain Wishing

7. The Give And The Take

8. Play Dead

Superpowers (1993)

26. Daydreamer

27. Wrong Again

Note: Merel tracks only

Merel (1995)

1. Lint For Brains

2. So Lovely Breath

3. RustyFishDeadPipes

4. Poolside & Potbellied

5. Waiting For A Fist Fight First

6. Cock Diesel

7. Bile (The Golden Years)

8. Pinatubo Said You Out

9. NewfoundSnideRemark

10. Play. Dead.

11. My Sweet Dull God

12. Shivers Thru A Loophole

13. The Weathering

14. Roadkill

15. The Guest

Note: Tracks 1-8 from the LP

Tracks 9-14 from the EP

Track 15 from the split

Rosemary's Babies

So it's Halloween, and I figured a post to commemorate the spookiest of holidays was in order. Since the band most associated with this time of year is already on here (rhymes with Dispits), I figured the next best thing would be a band closely associated with them, but not discussed nearly as much. Plus, they take their name from one of the greatest movies ever made (Rosemary's Baby) and dressed like the ultraviolent characters in A Clockwork Orange, which definitely gives them bonus points.

Rosemary's Babies were a four-piece hardcore punk band from Lodi, New Jersey that began in 1980 and broke up in 1983. They played a brand of punk very similar to early DC bands such as Minor Threat and Bad Brains, with a hint of Circle Jerks thrown in the mix. Additionally, they were quite reminiscent of The Misfits, who the band were closely acquainted with (both were from Lodi and had a penchant for horror). Rosemary's Babies drummer was none other than Eerie Von, who was a photographer for The Misfits, and also did a lot of the overdubs on posthumous Misfits compilations along with Glenn Danzig. He was also a major member of Glenn's post-Misfits bands as a bassist, including all of Samhain and the first four (and most essential) Danzig records. To get back to Rosemary's Babies, they only released one 7" in 1983, titled Blood Lust. In 2004, a CD compilation was released including all but one track off of Blood Lust, in addition to other recorded tracks and live material. That's what I have below. So enjoy, and Happy Halloween!

Talking To The Dead (2004)

1. What I Hate

2. Talking To The Dead

3. Sex Maniac

4. One Dead Low-Life

5. I Vote Yes

6. Happy Song

7. Attack Of The 50ft Cowboy

8. Sounds Of Death

9. I'm Gonna Be Sick

10. You Just Don't Rate

11. Alice In Murderland

12. That's Alright, That's O.K.

13. Let's Molest 10yr. Olds

14. Fake Babies

15. Dead Zone

16. Small Minds, Think Small

17. Becky Bondage

18. Inferior

19. Blood Lust

20. The Green Hornet Theme

21. Fake Babies (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)
22. Alice In Murderland (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

23. Talking To The Dead (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

24. That's Alright, That's O.K. (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

25. Small Minds, Think Small (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

Make Me

Make Me were a five-piece screamo/emo band from New Brunswick, New Jersey that formed in 2004 and broke up in 2006. Their output was fairly limited, releasing only a demo, a split, and some various compilation/unreleased tracks. However, they were an incredibly solid band and quire underrated. They took the shimmering, clean, and melancholic guitars of American Football and blended them with the intensive throat-shrieking vocals of You And I, or something of the sort. A good descriptor might be "upbeat screamo", or Merchant Ships pre-Merchant Ships. I don't know, it's good shit. Enjoy.

Demo (2004)

1. Rubber Sidewalks

2. Hello Moon

3. Relax And Adapt

4. Let's Go Off On A Tangent

Split With Black JuJu (2006)

1. Snail Trails

2. Do You Ever Wish You Could Breathe Underwater?

Unreleased

But It Felt So Real

Untitled #1

Untitled #2

Bandcamp

4-Way Split PremieRing - Massa Nera

4 bands, 4 blogs, 1 amazing split. I'm incredibly happy to present the PremieRing, a project set up by four different blogs to each premiere one band from this new four-way split. To start things off, I was lucky enough to get Massa Nera, a Sophie's Floorboard favourite. You might remember them from last year's LP Los Pensamientos De Una Cara Palida, a modern screamo essential. This five-piece New Jersey band are back with a new offering of two tracks to kick off this split. You can check out the exclusive stream of these new songs below, as well as pre-order information and links to the other blogs in the PremieRing. Recording info for these tracks is as follows:

Allen Nuñez - Guitar & Vocals

Christopher Rodriguez - Guitar & Vocals

David Mocada - Bass & Vocals

John Rodriguez - Vocals

Mark Boulanger - Drums

Additional vocals on "Doing Nothing For Others Is The Undoing Of Ourselves" by Steve Roche

Tracked and Mixed by Steve Roche at Permanent Hearing Damage

Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering

The first track offered up here is "Un Mal Cola De Hadas", which kicks off with some clean, looming melodic riffing, a clear sign of the band's technical prowess. After some instrumental mingling, the vocals kick in, with some furious kit-shredding drums behind them. They utilize their many vocalists well, trading lines off each other before coming together in climatic, shouted unison. The guitars hammer out heavy dissonant chords, while the bass builds eerie lines in the back. This song blends hints of melody into angular rhythmic patterns, with every instrument getting a chance to shine amidst the cathartic chaos. As it comes to close, it breathes as it opens, giving the listener a second to recover before track 2 bludgeons again.

"Doing Nothing For Others Is The Undoing Of Ourselves" opens with an incredible rhythmic passage, with the bass and drums creating an almost dance-y vibe, intertwined with the guitar's clean arpeggios. Just when the track sounds like its about to explode, they pull back and continue at the same level when some of the most impassioned vocals in recent history find a way to yelp themselves in. The vocals only build in intensity as the instrumental winds behind them. Sure enough, the blast beat climax this track has been teasing at finally hits, and its a glorious mesh of heavy bass, snare insanity, and guitar tremolos. On the way out, after all the instruments have rung out, there's one final, lonesome scream, a perfect way to end a track that's taken the listener to a couple of different places in a relatively short span of time. This band never ceases to amaze with the material they put out, and these new splits track are no different.

Keep these on repeat for a bit, and then check out the remainder of this split over at the incredible blogs listed below. I assure you this is one you do not want to miss. Enjoy.

Pre-Order Here

This is a joint release via: Zegema Beach Records, Dead Tank Records, Dingleberry Records, Adorno Records, Blessed Hands Records, and Pundonor Records

Check out the remainder of this split at the other PremieRing spots below:

Yo Sbraito - Idioteq

Thisismenotthinkingofyou - This Noise Is Ours

Ef'Il - Open Mind / Saturated Brain

Massa Nera

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Sick Shit

Sick Shit are a four-piece hardcore/punk band from New Jersey that have been around since 2015. They play a vicious style of hardcore in the vein of Punch, with some definite powerviolence influence. They incorporate both low guttural growls and shrieking screams in their vocals, as well as some break-neck speed drumming and noisy guitar work. This makes for an undeniably aggressive and whiplash-inducing listen. Their latest EP, Thick Spit is definitely recommended for people who like a little chaos in their hardcore. Enjoy.

Softcore (2016)

1. Organize

2. Parental Transaction

3. Brat

4. Stooped

5. Kids For Cash

6. Playboy

7. Impotence

8. Deepthroat

9. Great Posture

10. Hollow Shell

11. Stock

12. Dirt

13. xDIEx

14. Eulogy

15. NJxHCxNJ

16. Spit

17. Dolly

Reclaimed (2016)

1. Better

2. Sprawled Out

3. Validation

Demonstration (2018)

1. Flocculent

2. Wastrel

Thick Spit (2018)

1. Discarded

2. Wet Lung

3. Trichtotillomania

4. Cohesive

5. Clot

Persevere (2018)

1. Split

2. Ready To Fight (Negative Approach cover)

3. Good Intentions (Gorilla Biscuits cover)

4. Persevere

Bandcamp

Facebook

The Van Pelt

The Van Pelt were a four-piece indie/emo band from New York City that formed in 1993 and broke up in 1997. They have since reunited a few times in 2009, 2014, and 2017. They were formed by Chris Leo, who was formerly in the seminal band Native Nod (he's also Ted Leo's brother). The Van Pelt took a decidedly less aggressive approach than Leo's previous band, and instead focusing on clean, winding guitar arpeggios, with odd song structures that fall and rise. Vocally, the stream of conscious, sung/spoken vocal he is renowned for are still present, though far more intelligible and a little more opaque. They released two full-lengths during their initial run, and a new album in 2014. If you dig 90's emo with some heavy post-hardcore leanings, you'll dig this. Enjoy.

The Van Pelt/Radio To Saturn (1994)

1. The Van Pelt - His Saxophone Is My Guitar

2. Radio To Saturn - Young Friends

3. Radio To Saturn - (She Likes The Part) About Wolves

4. Radio To Saturn - Somber Town

(Young) Pioneers/The Van Pelt (1995)

1. (Young) Pioneers - April Violence

2. (Young) Pioneers - Great White Hope

3. The Van Pelt - Everything's Alright

Stealing From Our Favorite Thieves (1996)

1. His Steppe Is My Prarie

2. It's A Suffering

3. Shame On You

4. Magic Fantasy (We Are Provincial)

5. You Are The Glue

6. Simone Never Had It This Good

7. His Saxophone Is My Guitar

8. It's New To Me

9. Turning Twenty Into Two

The Speeding Train (1997)

1. The Speeding Train

2. Evil High

3. The Democratic Teachers Union

Sultans Of Sentiment (1997)

1. Nanzen Kills A Cat

2. The Good, The Bad & The Blind

3. Yamato (Where People Really Die)

4. My Bouts With Pouncing

5. Don't Make Me Walk My Own Log

6. The Young Alchemists

7. We Are The Heathens

8. Pockets Of Pricks

9. Let's Make A List

10. Do The Lovers Still Meet At The Chiang Kai - Shek Memorial?

Live! at WMUC FM on Third Rail Radio (1997)

1. The Van Pelt - Yamato (Where People Really Die)

2. Chisel - Towncrusher

Same As Stone (2005)

1. Same As Stone

2. The Swede's Down At The Beach

Imaginary Third (2014)

1. Infinite Me

2. The Threat

3. ABCD's Of Fascism

4. Three People Wide At All Times

5. The Betrayal

6. Democratic Teacher's Union

7. Evil High

8. The Speeding Train

Bandcamp

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Ok, so I've got one more post to make before the year's out. Today (December 29, 2017) marks the final day of this band's existence, since they've decided to burn out instead of fade away. Their final show is tonight, and their last album was released last year. This band has had an insane career throughout their 20 year existence, marked by numerous line-up changes, explosive live shows, and consistently hard-hitting, forward-thinking albums. Without a doubt they are one of the greatest, most progressive and influential bands in hardcore and metal, and this is the perfect time to look back at the amazing work that solidified their legacy. Without further ado, The Dillinger Escape Plan. 1997-2017.

The Dillinger Escape Plan (1997)

1. Proceed With Caution

2. I Love Secret Agents

3. Monticello

4. Cleopatra's Sling

5. Caffine

6. Three For Flinching (Revenge Of The Porno Clowns)

7. Sugar Coated Sour (Live)

8. Abe The Cop (Live)
9. The Running Board (Live)

Note: Last 3 tracks are bonus tracks on the 2000 reissue

Under The Running Board (1998)

1. The Mullet Burden

2. Sandbox Magician

3. Abe The Cop

NJ (1998)

1. Nora - The Power Of

2. The Dillinger Escape Plan - 4th Grade Dropout

3. Nora - Murder One

The Dillinger Escape Plan/Drowningman (1999)

1. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Jim Fear

2. Drowningman - My First Restraining Order

Calculating Infinity (1999)

1. Sugar Coated Sour

2. 43% Burnt

3. Jim Fear

4. #..

5. Destro's Secret

6. The Running Board

7. Clip The Apex... Accept Instruction

8. Calculating Infinity

9. 4th Grade Dropout

10. Weekend Sex Change

11. Variations On A Cocktail Dress

Irony Is A Dead Scene (2002)

1. Hollywood Squares (feat. Mike Patton)

2. Pig Latin

3. When Good Dogs Do Bad Things

4. Come To Daddy (Aphex Twin cover)

Cursed, Unshaven and Misbehavin': Live Infinity (2003)

1. Jim Fear

2. Destro's Secret

3. Sandbox Magician

4. The Mullet Burden

Miss Machine (2004)

1. Panasonic Youth

2. Sunshine The Werewolf

3. Highway Robbery

4. Van Damsel

5. Phone Home

6. We Are The Storm

7. Crutch Field Tongs

8. Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants

9. Baby's First Coffin

10. Unretrofied

11. The Perfect Design

Plagiarism (2006)

1. Unretrofied

2. Wish (Nine Inch Nails cover)

3. Angel (Massive Attack cover)

4. Jesus Christ Pose (Soundgarden cover)

5. Like I Love You (Justin Timberlake cover)

6. The Perfect Design

Ire Works (2007)

1. Fix Your Face

2. Lurch

3. Black Bubblegum

4. Sick On Sunday

5. When Acting As A Particle

6. Nong Eye Gong

7. When Acting As A Wave

8. 82588

9. Milk Lizard

10. Party Smasher

11. Dead As History

12. Horse Hunter

13. Mouth Of Ghosts

Option Paralysis (2010)

1. Goodbye, Mona Lisa

2. Good Neighbor

3. Gold Teeth On A Bum

4. Crystal Morning

5. Endless Endings

6. Widower

7. Room Full Of Eyes

8. Chinese Whisperers

9. I Wouldn't If You Didn't

10. Parasitic Twins

One Of Us Is The Killer (2013)

1. Prancer

2. When I Lost My Bet

3. One Of Us Is The Killer

4. Hero Of The Soviet Union

5. Nothing's Funny

6. Understanding Decay

7. Paranoia Shields

8. CH 375 268 277 ARS

9. Magic That I Held You Prisoner

10. Crossburner

11. The Threat Posed By Nuclear Weapons

Dissociation (2016)

1. Limerent Death

2. Symptom Of Terminal Illness

3. Wanting Not So Much To As To

4. Fugue

5. Low Feels Blvd

6. Surrogate

7. Honeysuckle

8. Manufacturing Discontent

9. Apologies Not Included

10. Nothing To Forget

11. Disassociation

Live Infinity (2019)

1. Sandbox Magician

2. Jim Fear

3. Destro's Secret

4. Clip The Apex... Accept Instruction

5. 43% Burnt

6. The Mullet Burden

7. Sugar Coated Sour

8. The Running Board

9. Abe the Cop

Compilation Songs

Damaged I & II (Black Flag covers) (2002)

My Michelle (Guns N Roses cover) (2004)

Rebel Yell (Billy Idol cover) (2004)

Rorschach

Rorschach were a five-piece hardcore band from New Jersey that were initially around from 1989 to 1993, before reuniting for some shows between 2009 and 2012. They were one of the earliest bands to really blend hardcore and metal together, which would be an undeniable influence on the development of metalcore/metallic hardcore, particularly in the case of Converge. Rorschach's music took the fast-paced aggressiveness of hardcore, and the heavy, dissonant riffs of metal, and fused the two together to create this entire other beast of a sound. To top it off, their vocals are shrieked and howled in the vein of a wounded animal, a clear predecessor to many bands to come. They released two incredible albums in their time (Remain Sedate and Protestant), as well as an EP and a handful of splits. All their material was compiled in 1995 on Autopsy, which is what I have below. Enjoy.

Autopsy (1995)

1. Pavlov's Dogs

2. In The Year Of Our Lord

3. Someone (Duke Ellington cover)

4. Impressions (Erroll Garner cover)

5. Clenching

6. So It Goes (Nick Lowe cover)

7. Lightning Strikes Twice

8. No One Dies Alone

9. My Minds A Vice (And It's Being Cranked Real Tight)

10. Checkmate

11. Exist

12. Oppress

13. Brainhandle

14. Hardware (Septic Death cover)

15. Bone Marrow Biopsy

16. Laryngitis

17. Synthetic Intelligience

18. 21st Century Schizoid Man (King Crimson cover)

19. Mandible

20. In Ruins

21. Traditional

22. Dawn and Quartered

23. Shanks

24. Recurring Nightmare #105

25. Blinders

26. Hemlock Grove

27. Raw Nerve

28. Skin Culture

29. Cut The Wheel

30. Ornaments

31. My War (Black Flag cover)

Can't Swim

Can't Swim are a five-piece pop punk/post-hardcore band from Keansburg, New Jersey that formed in 2015. Thus far they've put out an EP and full-length (both on Pure Noise), which have fast-tracked them to so massive attention. They play a slightly heavier, indie-centric brand of pop punk that still utilizes the energy, catchiness of its brand, though with a slightly less sunny disposition. Fans of bands like Boston Manor, Daisyhead, Have Mercy, Citizen, Trash Boat, and other like-minded bands will dig this, as I'm sure the many of you who requested them will. Enjoy.

Death Deserves A Name (2016)

1. Your Clothes

2. Come Home

3. Right Choice

4. Way It Was

5. Death Deserves A Name

Fail You Again (2017)

1. What's Your Big Idea?

2. We Won't Sleep

3. $50,000,000

4. Friend

5. Quitting

6. Hey Amy

7. Stranger

8. One Shot

9. Kid

10. Show Me

11. Molly's Desk

12. All The Moves We Make Are In The Dark

This Too Won't Pass (2018)

1. What Have We Done?

2. My Queen

3. "sometimes you meet the right people at the wrong times"

4. Hell in a Handbasket

5. Congratulations, Christopher Hodge

6. Malicious 444

7. Not The Way It Is

8. Amnesia 666

9. Daggers

10. Winter Of Cicada

Website

Facebook

Massa Nera - Los Pensamientos De Una Cara Palida PREMIERE

Hell yeah, I'm happy to announce another incredible premiere from another amazing band. Los Pensamientos De Una Cara Palida is the debut full-length from New Jersey's Massa Nera, an incredible band who put out this amazing album today.

This thing is seven tracks of some of the best and most dynamic screamo you will hear all year. From the teeth-clenched, steel-clanking, edge of your seat introduction to the fury that's unleashed in its wake, to the tension-wire tugging build-ups, this will surely have you hooked. It's dark, heavy, noisy, throat-shredding hardcore with flashes of melody and syncopation, giving their chaos a sense of dynamics and progression. This record is truly forward-thinking in its sound, energy, and catharsis. Fans of classic bands like Off Minor, City of Caterpillar, or Daitro will dig this, though I'd recommend it to any fan of the screamier side of hardcore. I am super stoked to share this with you guys.



You can grab a pre-order over at Zegema Beach Records (release #100, congrats!), or one of the other fantastic labels helping to get this out there:

ZEGEMA BEACH RECORDS:

Pre-Order
Website
Bandcamp
Facebook

MIDDLE MAN RECORDS:
Pre-Order
Bandcamp
Facebook

ANCIENT INJURY RECORDS:
Pre-Order
Bandcamp
Facebook

DINGLEBERRY RECORDS:
Facebook

You can check our their set from the Zegema Beach Records Fest here. They've also got some more upcoming shows in Ontario: Oct 6th in Hamilton, and Oct 7th in Toronto (at the Festival Lingua Franca).

MASSA NERA:

Facebook

Bandcamp

Born Against

Born Against were a four-piece hardcore band from New York City that formed in 1989 and broke up in 1993. Their two constant members were vocalist Sam McPheeters and guitarist Adam Nathanson, while the roles of drummer and bassist kept changing. Without a doubt, Born Against and are one the best and most influential bands in hardcore. They helped transition the genre from the straight-forward assault of the 80's to the more experimental nature of the 90's. Born Against were also known for their strong leftist political ethics. McPheeters' lyrics are just as assaultive as their music, and their agenda is often presented in a satirical way that just can't be ignored. Below are their two full-lengths and a compilation of all their other material. Enjoy.

Nine Patriotic Hymns For Children (1991)

1. Mount The Pavement

2. Shroud

3. By The Throat

4. Nine Years Later

5. Test Pattern

6. Mary & Child

7. Jock Gestapo

8. Organ Of Hope

9. Well Fed Fuck

Battle Hymns Of The Race War (1993)

1. Murder The Sons Of Bitches

2. Mt. Dew

3. Footbound & Hobbled

4. This Trash Should've Been Free

5. Poland

6. Sendero

7. Set Your A.M. Dial For White Empowerment

8. Intermission

9. Born Against Are Fucking Dead

10. A Whopper Of A Tale

The Rebel Sound Of Shit And Failure (1995)

1. Neil

2. The Good Father

3. Mary And Child

4. Eulogy

5. Riding With Mary

6. The Nail That Sticks Up Gets Hammered Down

7. Resist Control

8. Half Mast

9. Xmas Eve

10. Nine Years Later

11. Born Again

12. Born Again/Witness To A Rape

13. Well Fed Fuck

14. Body Counts

15. Alive With Pleasure

16. Movin' On Up

17. I Am A Idiot

18. Bit Part In A Movie

19. Lillian

20. Janelle

21. Go Fuck Yourself

22. Albany Academy

23. Wearing A Lampshape

24. Five Dollars An Hour

25. My Favorite Housing Project