BB010: MUTANT SUPREMACY ”Rotting Season” 7″EP

— 4 tracks of crude old-school death metal from New York, relentless and unmitigated!

— E.T.A.: March 2012

— Limited to 300 hand-numbered copies.

— Artwork by Jon Clue.

First release that has been uploaded is  Straighthate “Indigenous” so chew on it! Forgardur Helvitis “Gerningavedur” will follow shortly!

GADGET (SWE) “The Funeral March” gatefold LP (7 Degrees Records) 12e

If you’re into eurogrind you must be familiar with Gadget by now. They are amongst the best that Sweden has ever exported in terms of grind. Their 2004 debut “Remote” has took the scene by storm because their excellent blend of grind was intense, varied, and infused with some unexpected elements like black metal parts.

To be honnest “The Funeral March” didn’t have the same impact on me back when it was released in 2006, mainly because of the sound: it was too dense/compressed for my ears.

The vinyl release courtesy of 7 Degrees Records has been the perfect occasion for me to re-discover this opus, not only because vinyl always sounds better  but also because it has been remastered. This is a personal take on the Nasum-style of grindcore. It has a lot of variety, it is furious, memorable and last but not least, it has some excellent lead guitar work –  which is definitely one of the highlights of this album.

Collector data:

• Remastered version.
• Regular edition: red vinyl. This is the one we have in stock.
• Limited black vinyl edition: 100 pieces (pictured above).
• Limited white vinyl edition: 200 pieces.
• Packed in plastic bag.

WAKE (CAN) ”Leeches” LP (7 Degrees Records) 12e

As I wrote in a past post on the occasion of the  ”Leeches” digipack CD, if you’re into hardcore and grind and you don’t like this then you must be a sad fucker!

We are extremely happy to distribute the debut album of what is one  the most promising grindcore/hardcore bands in the world right now! Wake execute with conviction and passion music that is ferociously brutal, yet also memorable and catchy. This is NOT the kind of band that blasts like if there is no tomorrow, only to let you at the end of  the record without actually remembering  any specific riff, beat or song.

Wake are a crucial fucking band, and as a matter of fact if you’re into grindcore and/or extreme hardcore and you don’t like them, then you must really be a sad, sad bastard… I also enjoy the fact that they have influences from many different scenes. You can tell that they’ve been listening a lot to obvious bands such as Phobia or Nasum, but also to more obscure yet essential acts like Catharsis (fuck yeah!) or Mörser. I am not sure if they’ve actually been into them, but they also remind me two of my favorite -and sadly defunct- US underground bands of this last decade: Kalibas and Rune!

The vinyl version is gorgeous so do what you have to do!

Collector data:

• 423 pieces in grey/black marbled vinyl, this is the version we distribute (pictured above).
• 77 pieces in clear vinyl.
• Includes an insert with the lyrics.
• Wrapped in cellophane.

HEADCLEANER from Salonica are the heavy weights of greek grind. They have what appears to be an all-star line-up of Salonica’s brutal scene with ex/current members from Kvazar, Homo Iratus, Disembowel, Terrordrome. We have stocked their entire discography so far, spanning across almost 10 years and two distinct eras for the band. Let’s see what we got here, in chronological order.

HEADCLEANER (GR) “Intellectual Oxygenation” CD-R album (D.I.Y.) 5e

I received my copy a few years ago during a trip to Salonica and I was extremely happy to find out that Jim “Mitch” Evgenidis, the former vocalist of Homo Iratus and one of the best voices in the greek scene EVER, was alive and kicking with a new band.

This is classic grindcore material done in the Napalm Death veins but with some twists. There’s a lot of groove, a bit of melody rendering tracks like “Piss For All Mankind” memorable and epic, many samples giving a slight post-industrial edge. The production is somehow muddy but it’s not something I would complain about (especially for a debut effort). There is a good balance of all instruments, it just lacks a bit of punch – that the band would achieve later.

It was released back in 2003 and eventhough it’s pressed on CD-R, it has a pro-printed 8-page booklet and back-cover. The band demonstrated straight from the start that it had aesthetics of their own and the will to experiment and not limit themselves to the strict limits of grindcore.

We have stocked a few of the last copies available (there have been ~600 made), so grab it while you still have the chance.

HEADCLEANER (GR) “The Protest” CD (Clean Head Productions) 8e

2009 marked a second beginning for Headcleaner since the original line-up  has broke up in 2004, a year after the release of “Intellectual Oxygenation”.  The new line-up comprised another ex- (and founding) member of Homo Iratus, Costas, as well as Bill, the virtuoso drummer of Disembowel and Terrordrome.

The material in this album  (2010), is a lot more massive both in terms of sound/production and style. There are more death metal influences, while Napalm Death still are  still a solid point of reference. The songs are more rythmically intense with Bill is delivering the goods with some crushing, untriggered beats. The band still displays a will to experiment with the closing track of the regular album (there’s a cool bonus track after it, the greek version of “Buried Alive By Capitalism”), “Laughter Of The Dog”, an emotionally charged, epic and uneasy 14 minute track  built around soundscapes/samples, slow doom riffs, accoustic guitars and narrative, theatrical vocals.

Across the 16-page booklet unfold the tasteful aesthetics of the band, illustrating their political agenda. The layout, artwork and  photography are courtesy of vocalist Jim Evgenidis and his brand, Icon Filmworx.

HEADCLEANER (GR) “Resistance Determination And The Sheer Will To Overcome” MCD (Clean Head Productions) 6e

Headcleaner mark 2 are a focused and dedicated war machine, and this new brand new mini-CD (released in January 2012) is the proof.

With my longtime comrade and friend Lefteris from Kvazar (R.I.P.) handling the bass, the band sounds even more crushing and brutal than on their “The Protest” album. The production is more massive and loud, with a thunderous bass and excellent guitar sound. The songs are in general more intense. Mitch shows progress on the vocal department as well. His voice is more expressive and varied. His growls have a new, lower edge and when he yells in more mid-range tone, he does it with class and conviction.

Closing track “Departures-Arrivals” is once again experimental. It has an industrial, eerie feeling,  almost post-rock. The vocals are very expressive, sounding as if a character narrates the pitch black reality of this grim existence…

The layout and artwork (courtesy once again of Icon Filmworx) illustrate pretty well the atmosphere that the band succeeds to create, across a substantial 16-page poster-type booklet.

That’s all folks, if you want to grab everything at once we’ll do a special price for you so get in touch!

BATHTUB SHITTER (JP) “Dancehall grind” digipack CD (RIP Roaring Shit Storm Records) 8e

I wrote recently how much I like Bathtub Shitter from Osaka, Japan… This is their classic third album from 2005 and possibly their strongest material to date. With this one they have certainly surprised more than one fans of japanese grindcore by incorporating diverse elements and influences – from the old-school videogame music intro, to thrash metal, Pantera, funk and then Black Sabbath, plus awesome singalong parts, and a Judas Priest “Painkiller”/Metallica “Creeping Death” medley played backwards! We’re talking  about a serious rollercoaster grind-o-rama AND they have  some of the most hilarious and irrestible screamed vocals ever!

I cannot talk about this record without mentionning  the lyrics. They’re written in japanese english so most of the time you won’t understand a fucking thing  - but that’s the point I guess! Take the disc opener “Skate Of Bulgaria” for example. There is no way you can figure out by reading the lyrics that this about the beginning of World War I. “Rest In Piss”,  the most lyrically sober track of the album talks about and is dedicated to Mieszo Nasum, yet they still manage to retain their humor while speaking about something so tragic: “Peaceful everyday, toilet collapsed without notice, Big wave swept all, there was under water, Br0wn tsunami caused bad shitting tale, I lost you but wish only you are drifting, like a shit, rest in piss”.

The present edition that we distribute is a limited grindtastic reissue. You can find below all the fuckts.

Collector data:

• Remastered version.
• Repackaged with some new artwork.
• UK pressing limited to 500 copies.
• Includes 2 CD-exclusive bonus tracks:  ”The End Of The Rainbow (Japanese version)” is taken from the split 7″ with Misery Index, ”P.O.P (People On The Paper)” is a previously unreleased alternate version (the original version comes from  the split 7″ with Misery Index).

AOSOTH (FR) “III – Variations of Violence” LP (Spikekult Rek.) 17e

This is a bold discographic move if there ever was one – a sort of a world premiere in the black/death underground… Mkm, vocalist of Antaeus and Aosoth, has hereby released on vinyl format an instrumental version with an alternate mix of Aosoth’s latest opus “III” (regular version out @ Agonia Rec.)…

Not that we expected anything less than an excellent release from Spikekult! This label is responsible for some of the most revered pieces of my record collection like the Grand Belial’s Key “The Tricifixion of Swine” 7″EP,  Antaeus “Rekordin 2000-1″ CDEP, the original vinyl release of Demoncy “Joined In Darkness” (BBM was one of official disease holders for this one!), Arkhon Infaustus “Dead Cunt Maniac” 7″EP, etc.

It turns out that the original idea was brilliant! Collector interest put apart, hearing Aosoth’s music without the vocals and with a different mix puts it under another perspective. It is extremely hypnotic and trance-like, very ritualistic, spiritual and majestic. You end up wondering how come that noone had the same idea before (or did he/she)?

I can also relate to the circumstances which led to the gestation of the concept, because as a vocalist I have spent, just as Mkm, endless hours listening on loop to instrumental, unmixed (or early mixed) versions of the recordings I would croak upon…

As far as the physical release goes, it is excellent in all aspects.  I like B. Vierling’s excellent design better than the original artwork. For more details, see the facts below. We only have a handful of those so order your copy now or pay an exorbitant price later on ebay like a fucking loser!

Collector data:

• Vinyl only release.
• Limited to 250 handnumbered copies.
• 5mm spine, matt laminated cover, heavy vinyl.

HAAPOJA (FIN) “Hallitsematonta Voimaa” CD-R mini-album (D.I.Y.) 5e

It is astonishing how  many good underground bands exist out there, flying under the radar of record labels. Haapoja hail from Finland and are easily one of the most inspired and challenging new bands that I’ve listened to lately…

Describing what they’re up to is not easy because they have composite influences from all over the place. In no particular order they remind me the crunch of Entombed’s death’n'roll, the instrumental endeavors of Keelhaul and The Fucking Champs, the majesty of early Mastodon (circa “Lifesblood” & “Remission”), modern (post-) black metal (Dødheimsgard, Ved Buens Ende, Virus) and plenty of noise rock and noisy/math hardcore bands. They sound crucial and are definitely succeeding to build a momentum that will appeal to a wide variety of underground fiends.

The recording  sounds raw and  very fresh – the drums and one of the guitars have been recorded live. The mix is not overpolished and the whole gets out of the speakers powerfully.

Except the music, what I like about Haapoja is that they are in the true spirit. They have made this 20-minute long recording available as a free download from their bandcamp site, and they have crafted a fine CD-R release out of it. The booklet and back sleeve are printed professionally, the surface of the CD-R is printed nicely, so fuck the record labels, support the band and get it!

WAKE (Ca) “Leeches” digipack CD (Hearing Aids Records) 8e

We are extremely happy to distribute the debut album of what is one  the most promising grindcore/hardcore bands in the world right now! Wake execute with conviction and passion music that is ferociously brutal, yet also memorable and catchy. This is NOT the kind of band that blasts like if there is no tomorrow, only to let you at the end of  the record without actually remembering  any specific riff, beat or song.

Wake are a crucial fucking band, and as a matter of fact if you’re into grindcore and/or extreme hardcore and you don’t like them, then you must really be a sad, sad bastard… I also enjoy the fact that they have influences from many different scenes. You can tell that they’ve been listening a lot to obvious bands such as Phobia or Nasum, but also to more obscure yet essential acts like Catharsis (fuck yeah!) or Mörser. I am not sure if they’ve actually been into them, but they also remind me two of my favorite -and sadly defunct- US underground bands of this last decade: Kalibas and Rune!