Final Fight

Final Fight is a band from CA who recently put out a new LP. They released their debut Under Attack in 2005 and have also done a split with Life Long Tragedy. I think a striking similarity between LLT and FF is how they both changed their sound towards the same direction with their both second LP's. I might not make any sense so just check it out because even if the two LP's are kind of different, they're both really good and I hope I get to see them when they come here this summer with Miles Away.

Under Attack LP
Half Head Full Shred LP

Split with LLT

Give Up the Ghost - We're Down Til We're Underground

American Nightmare/Give Up the Ghost is another flawless band in my opinion. Here's how it goes: Background Music > We're Down > Year One, and since BM is already up...

We're Down Til We're Underground LP

Modern Life is War - Witness

Also absolutely flawless.

Witness LP

Lights Out

What will it take? What will it take?
Somehow I got to break you out
They're always talking and you're always listening

But do you ever question what they're talking about?

Truth, you choose to push it aside

Reality, you choose to cover your eyes

We've been pushed over, over the edge

But no one's complaining, no one's using their head

Get Out EP with demo
Overload LP

Pissed off and awesome.

Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation

I believe this came out in 2007. It's exactly what it says, a collaboration between Talib Kweli and Madlib with the former doing vocals and the latter production. I haven't listened to this in a looong time but I remember thinking it was good but you already know that - Madlib can do no wrong.

Liberation LP

Crown of Thornz - Mentally Vexed

So fucking good.

Mentally Vexed LP

Carry On - A Life Less Plagued

There's a reason why this is often referred to as one of the best straight edge hardcore albums of the past decade. It's really fucking good. Carry On released some other stuff too that I might get up here sometime.

A Life Less Plagued LP

Champion - Time Slips Away

Compilation of the pre-Promises Kept EP's Come Out Swinging and Count Our Numbers. Probably the greatest band of modern day positive straight edge hardcore.

Time Slips Away Comp

Have Heart - Demo '03

It's hard to compare how Have Heart sound today to how this demo sounds, and without taking anything away from Songs to..., I just prefer the rougher and faster sound of the earlier stuff. This demo is my favorite stuff by them with a better version of "Lionheart", a sample from one of my favorite movies (Stand by Me), a Verbal Assault cover and a really great song called "The Worth", one of my favorite songs by them. Enjoy.

Demo '03

Bold

Bold was a band from upstate NY active in the late 80's, though they did reunite in 2005 but kind of broke up in '06 again. Anyway, this is pretty much what they recorded, except for a 7" they put out while they were still called Crippled Youth. The Looking Back EP is their Bold EP re-recorded with two bonus tracks, and Speak Out was their first and only full-length. For youth crew-fans!

Looking Back EP

Speak Out LP

Shipwreck A.D.

I'm not completely sure how much attention these guys get but it can't be enough. Every time I listen to Abyss or read the lyrics, I'm blown away. Every time. It's that good. Here's also their demo before they added the A.D. to the name.

Abyss LP
Self-titled demo

Rise and Fall

Sort of metallic hardcore out of Belgium. When they came around here in December they said they're busy writing new material so won't be doing much touring, but it looks like they've changed their minds because they're all over the place with announced dates everywhere. So see them if you get the chance to because they're great live too.

Hellmouth LP

Into Oblivion LP

xfilesx - Excruciation

SOOO ANGWYYY.

Excruciation LP

Modern Life is War - My Love. My Way.

No words in any language would do this LP justice. Possibly favorite hardcore album of all-time. Remastered version with songs off the self-titled 7" at the end ("Destination: Death or Better Days" and "Farmer's Holiday Association").

My Love. My Way. LP

Blue Monday

Blue Monday was a straight edge band from Vancouver. Rewritten came out on B9 in 2005 and What's Done Is Done on Stab and Kill/Perfect Victim in 2003. For fans of Go It Alone and the like.

Rewritten LP

What's Done Is Done EP

Go It Alone - Hollywood North

This is for my friend Joe It Alone. Ha. Everyone else should get it too.

Hollywood North Demo

Crown of Thornz - Train Yard Blues

JUST IMPROVING THE BLOG'S QUALITY FURTHER WITH SOME NYHC HELP.

Train Yard Blues EP

Youth of Today - Can't Close My Eyes

Yup.

Can't Close My Eyes LP

Breakdown - Blacklisted

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS BLOG IS LACKING NYHC. GET THIS.

Blacklisted EP

Wu-Tang Clan - Legend of the Wu-Tang

It goes without saying that 36 Chambers is the best Wu-Tang's done, but if you were to gather up all their greatest songs off separate albums then you'd get this, The Legend of the Wu-Tang. Along with a few other songs that I don't think are on any other release, one of them being my favorite song by them, "Shaolin Worldwide". Aaaand there's also a Run DMC cover. If I were new to Wu-Tang, I would get this after 36 chambers if I wanted to hear songs from all periods of their career. 

Legend of the Wu-Tang Comp Part 1

Legend of the Wu-Tang Comp Part 2

The Last Emperor - Music. Magic. Myth

Any rapper who references Seinfeld, Star Wars and The Godfather is ok in my book. But there's more to The Last Emperor than badass references: good and underrated music. This is his debut that came out in 2003 and he's since released some more and currently working on an upcoming one. FUN FACT: He's done a song with Zack de la Rocha and KRS-One which can be heard and seen here. TLE does the middle verse.

Music. Magic. Myth

Trial - Are These Our Lives?

Some of the best lyrics I've ever heard. Definitely one of the best late 90's releases.

Are These Our Lives? LP

Bane - Give Blood

My favorite Bane album. 

Give Blood

Blank Stare - EP

ONE OF THE GREATEST OPENING TRACKS EVER. I LOVE THIS EP.

Self-titled 7"

Youth of Today - We're Not In This Alone

THAT'S NOT HOW I CHOOSE TO BE!

We're Not In This Alone LP

Eyedea & Abilities - First Born

This is the debut of Eyedea & Abilities' collaboration. Eyedea vocally, to me, sounds like a blend between early Aesop Rock and early Eminem. Don't let that scare you off though (don't know why it should, they were both pretty good early on) because he's better than both of them. Combined. Abilities' production makes this so good too. 

First Born Part 1

First Born Part 2

Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth

I was lucky enough to get to see Brother Ali when he came around here last year with Atmosphere. He killed it. Such fucking presence. In retrospect, I'm close to saying he was way better than Atmosphere. Anyway, he's signed to Rhymesayers and he's very, very good. If you can sit completely still to the first track of this, there is something wrong with you.

The Undisputed Truth

The New Amsterdams - Never You Mind

This was an acoustic sideproject of The Get Up Kids' Matt Pryor. It's alright, nothing amazing, but I guess you would want this if you're a Get Up Kid-fanboy or fangirl.

Never You Mind LP

Mineral - EndSerenading

One of the best emo releases. Mineral was a band from Texas and some of their members went on to bands like The Gloria Record and Pop Unknown. I will probably get The Power of Failing up here another time.

EndSerenading LP

Texas is the Reason

Texas is the Reason was an emo band with members from Shelter and 108. This is almost everything they put out, except for a few splits.

Texas is the Reason EP
Do You Know Who You Are? LP

Judge - Bringin' It Down

I'm sure everyone knows about Judge so I'm sure you know you need this if you don't have it already.

Bringin' It Down LP

Miles Away

Let me just start off by saying I had so much trouble finding Miles Away's self-titled before my blogbro came through, mostly due to the fact that fucking Madonna has a song titled Miles Away. It was frustrating to say the least, especially since I own the CD but my computer is too weak to rip and I don't have the patience to make it work.

Anyway, Miles Away is an Australian straight edge band and here's everything they've put out, I think. Enjoy!

Self-titled LP

Rewind, Repeat... LP

Consequences LP

Turning Point - Discography 1988 - 1991

Turning Point was a straight edge band active during the late 80's to sometime in the early 90's. One of the best bands from this era in my very humble opinion, and that's saying quite a lot considering many great bands put out stuff back then. Also: I've woken up many times in the middle of the night just because I was singing Turning Point-lyrics in my sleep. Truth.

1988 - 1991 Discography Part 1
1988 - 1991 Discography Part 2

And yeah, it's youth crew - kind of. They definitely developed their sound a lot so it's not pure youth crew. Just get it.

Wait In Vain

Did not care for this much when it came out but after giving it a few shots, it's become much clearer that this probably was the youth crew release of 2008. Featuring members from Trial, Sinking Ships, Champion and Set Your Goals. Also, I don't think I've said this (and it probably goes without saying) but I encourage everyone to actually buy this stuff if you like it. Especially when it comes to newer bands. 

Forget Me Not Demo
Seasons LP

Undertow

Undertow was an early/mid-90's hardcore band and they were fucking amazing. Seriously. For fans of Unbroken and such and I probably wouldn't call this youth crew. Indecision Records put out the Everything compilation back in 2004 which includes... everything. Well, almost. Edge of Quarrel came out sometime in the 90's and is also a compilation consisting of some songs off a split, demo tracks and some unreleased ones too. 

Edge of Quarrel

Everything

Tragedy

Evening the score further. Tragedy's a great band sharing members with From Ashes Rise and His Hero is Gone. They're coming to Europe this spring so I'm kind of psyched. Here are three releases, there are some more so don't think that this is it. ENFUCKINGJOY.

Can We Call This Life EP
Tragedy LP

Nerve Damage LP

Mind Eraser - Conscious Unconscious

This is Mind Eraser's latest EP, Conscious Unconscious. I guess I'm upping this to kind of even the score with all the youth crew around here. And also because it's fucking great.

Conscious Unconscious EP

Blacklisted

Blacklisted is one of the top bands at the moment. Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God confirmed that so get this and love it. The only things missing are the demo and the split with First Blood. Some rare demos are compiled with the Our Youth is Wasted EP in the We're Unstoppable comp, and I don't care about First Blood so I don't have that. Enjoy the rest.

...The Beat Goes On LP

Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God LP

Our Youth is Wasted EP
Peace on Earth, War on Stage EP
We're Unstoppable Compilation

Outspoken - A Light in the Dark

I'm all for everyone listening to whatever they want to but if you praise Have Heart without having listened to Outspoken then fucking go die. They even covered them on the What Counts EP ("Reinforced") and it's kind of like thinking Ceremony wrote "Pressure's On" or "Feel Like A Man". Disgusting, that's what it is. Now get this.

A Light in the Dark LP

Panic - Strength in Solitude

Panic was a band out of Boston I think, on B9. Strength in Solitude features both B9-released EPs and then the demo tracks. It's pure awesome. Fast. Great lyrics. They reunited after their break-up and put out another EP, Circles, on Reflections in 2006. But this is all you get for now.

Strength in Solitude

On - Demo

On is kind of a supergroup from Seattle, WA with members from Champion, Go It Alone, Blue Monday and Get The Most. Here's the demo from last year. Good stuff.

Demo '08

Swamp Thing - The Youth is Sick

Hailing from Richmond, VA, Swamp Thing not only have a badass name but their music is pretty fucking badass too. Get this. 

The Youth is Sick EP

Cursed - Three: Architects of Troubled Sleep

Thought I'd finish the trilogy. Will get Blackout at Sunrise up here eventually. This is my favorite Cursed release.

Three: Architects of Troubled Sleep

Youth of Today - Break Down the Walls

Duh.

Break Down the Walls

Mouthpiece - Face Tomorrow

This was a request from my BFF. Mouthpiece was a straight edge band from New Jersey, active during the early 90's I think. This is their EP, I might up the rest some other time. Get it if you like youth crew.

Face Tomorrow

End of A Year

End of A Year is definitely one of my favorite bands and I've been meaning to make this post for a while now. They are from upstate New York, but you'd never know by their sound. As you can tell by their name, these guys dig D.C. Hardcore. If you're into Embrace, Rites of Spring, Moss Icon, etc., you'll dig this.
This is everything I have from them. It post includes the "Warm" demo, their somewhat recent EP, two full-lengths, and two splits. I know I'm missing a few splits so if anyone has them and is willing to share, please do.

Split w/ Kids Explode
Split w/ Shook Ones
Warm
Disappear Here
Sincerely
We Understand Europeans Are A Sexual People EP

War Hungry

Without a doubt one of my favorite current hardcore bands. I wish they'd just come here already so I can a) see them and b) get their shit without having to pay shipping which would probably cost like twice as much as all their releases combined. Fuck my life.

Return to Earth

War is In

Split with Cold World

Canibus - Rip the Jacker

This came out when I was 13 and became my favorite hip-hop album almost instantly. It stayed that way for a few years. It's fucking magic and nothing I could say would do it justice. Stoupe (of Jedi Mind Tricks) produced this and fucking sampled like... fucking... Portishead, Twilight Zone (the TV show), Philip fucking Glass and a lot of other crazy shit. Canibus never did anything better than this, the lyrics blew my mind then and have a tendency to still do so. Just listen to "Poet Laureate II", FUCK.

Rip the Jacker

Uniform Choice - Straight and Alert

While we're on youth crew, here, have some of the finest of it. Straight and Alert is basically their demo songs along with the Screaming for Change LP. If you've missed this in some fucked up way then get it. 

Straight and Alert

Just Say Go!

Just Say Go! was an Australian band who disbanded in 2007 sometime. I feel like these guys never got the attention they deserved. With influences like Gorilla Biscuits, Insted, Better Than a Thousand, Battery and Chain of Strength, I'm not sure if you can go wrong. You should definitely get this if you like youth crew.

One Chance To Live LP
Revive LP
Where It Ends EP

Champion / Betrayed - Split

Here you go, bros.

Split '06

Attitude

Attitude was a band from Syracuse, NY on 1917 Records. I guess their last show was at Sound and Fury last year but they're touring Europe in a few weeks so I'm not really sure what's going on, maybe it's just a farewell tour or something. Either way, I'm excited because this band fucking rips. GET INTO IT!

We All Go Down Together LP
Turn Into Stone EP