THRU IT ALL’S FOUR SONG EP NOW AVAILABLE DIGITALLY

There’s a lot more for me to say about this release, but the proper words to give this release any justice are proving hard to find. Through the years the guys from Thru It All have been good friends, but not without our ups and downs, which is typical of any relationship when you’ve known someone for as long as we have. I’ve missed these songs, especially their youthful energy and the times spent with three wide-eyed near twenty-something year old ‘kids’ living life on the road for the first time. At nearly 50 I think of these days often… time spent seeing the Milky Way in South Dakota brighter than I’ve ever seen before or since, the Northern Lights from the rooftop of a garage in Fort McMurray, Canada, and almost being arrested by local cops in Midland, Texas for playing lazer tag in a large shopping center parking lot. Those are but just a few of many that I’ll never forget (especially breaking my ankle jumping off a boat onto hard concrete at a DIY Storage Lot/Unit show outside Tampa, Florida). I’m happy these songs are seeing the light of day again. It helps the faded memories burn a little brighter again.

Back in 2006 three Philly hardcore kids recorded a four song EP with a, at the time, relatively unknown producer named Will Yip, then piled into a van and hit the road with Giving Chase for a 50 day tour across US and Canada. After seven weeks on the road filled with broken down vans, killer shows and random garage and basement shows, THRU IT ALL returned to Philly with zero in the gas tank and bank accounts. Luckily they had this gem of an EP under their belts that sounds as fresh today as it did when the band worked with Will before he became a Grammy nominated Producer and Engineer.

Four songs of youthful hardcore that wouldn’t be unfamiliar to fans of bands like Comeback Kid, With Honor, and fellow Philly standouts Kid Dynamite. Sing-alongs, pile-ons, and all the mosh you could ask for now available on your favorite streaming service or ‘Name Your Price’ (zero dollars if you feel inclined) on our Bandcamp page right now.

Time to two-step it into the weekend.

NO ECHO TIME ‘IN YOUR HEAD’ PREMIERE

Time are excited to present “In Your Head,” the latest single to be lifted from the Friday, July 22 release of the band’s debut album, Hydrangea (pre-order some super sick limited vinyl RIGHT HERE). The fine folks over at No Echo are premiering “In Your Head” and you can also stream the track on your favorite digital platform.

Time’s ‘90s-inspired grunge-pop presents the question, “How much damage do you have to inflict on yourself before you’re reminded you’re still alive?” and bring you “In Your Head”, a self-deprecating song about our tendency to rely on vices or dependencies as excuses to avoid acceptance or accountability. “My writing has always been extremely self-critical,” said guitarist Jon Hunt of Time. “‘In Your Head’ ended up being the output of what happens when frustration and exasperation turn into self-reflection, and the grappling with the unintended self-destruction that brings about. Life is messy, and that is OK.” Stream “In Your Head” on YouTube HERE and via No Echo HERE.

While its core members are veterans of Philly’s hardcore scene via bands such as Kill Verona, No Roses and Shark Attack, Time’s own inspiration and sound is derived from the dark and heavy shoegaze/noise-pop of touchstones such as My Bloody Valentine, Sugar, Swervedriver and Catherine Wheel but with its own blushing melody and shine.

BAD PLANNING ET FORTES OUT TODAY

Happy release day to the fellas from Bad Planning! Oh yeah, it’s also BANDCAMP FRIDAY! Head on over to Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify, or any of your favorite digital and streaming services or grab a copy of Et Fortes on vinyl from our Limited Run webstore or Bandcamp page. Did we mention that it’s BANDCAMP FRIDAY too? Et Fortes is available on Randomly Mixed color vinyl, Translucent Gold with Black Splatter (Subscription Club only), and audiophile Black and showcases the band’s love of riff heavy hardcore, skate punk, and pop punk.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HOW ABOUT SOME FREE MUSIC?

Happy New Year! Thanks again for taking the time to support this lil’ old label. I can’t express in words how crazy it is and how much I have appreciated everyone’s support for last 25 years. The last two years in particular were pretty crazy. The new found interest in what the label has released over the past 25 years in addition to some new releases from the likes of Attic Salt, Broadcaster, Off With Their Heads, Mind Power, and The Readymen has really recharged the batteries here. Can’t thank everyone enough. It’s very much appreciated. There’s still a lot of work to do to get things to a consistent level, but how much I’ll be able to do that, who knows? Lots of potential changes in the future, but regardless, a lot of great releases coming down the pipe in 2022. We can’t wait to announce them!

To celebrate the New Year as well as continuing to celebrate 25 years of making bad decisions, here’s a little something from the ol’ Jump Start way back machine…

Back in 2001 I was living in State College, Pennsylvania, 3 years removed from graduating college and living the dream playing in a notoriously fun punk-ska band called No On 15. Jump Start was only five years removed from it’s first release, but I’d like to think I was finally getting my sea legs under me when I decided to reach out to other Pennsylvania punk bands about participating in a PA band only comp. At the time Pittsburgh and Philadelphia had well established scenes, but there were also a lot of great bands playing throughout the state. No On 15 was lucky enough to have played with almost all the bands that eventually ended up on this comp. The only problem was that by the time I had the artwork and all the audio ready, a half dozen bands on the comp had broken up.

Bummer.

Fast forward two more years and I’ve now updated the comp with new bands to replace the ones that had broken up. But again, same as before, by the time all the tracks were compiled and the artwork was updated several of the bands again broke up putting me back at square one.

Well, it’s 2022. The last two years have been a total shitshow. Let’s get weird.

Here’s this long, lost compilation of 24 Pennsylvania punk/emo/whatever bands from over 20 years ago. It’s not a complete picture by any means, as you’ll notice an apparent lack of bands from the Philly scene at the time, but that makes sense considering this was a snapshot of the Pennsylvania scene at large in 2001 as seen by and through me and my travels playing every and each corner of the state.

GRAB SOME FREE MUSIC RIGHT HERE

FUCK THE EAST BAY… WE’RE FROM PA!

I want to point out that I have nothing but love for East Bay punk. If it weren’t for Lookout! Records and bands like Op Ivy, Dance Hall Crashers, and Green Day there’s a chance this label would never exist.

The name of the comp was merely a tongue in cheek way of saying “Hey, that stuff is cool, but we’re doing cool shit too.” So much attention was being directed at bands from the East Bay scene, and California at large at the time as well I just felt like people should know about all the fun and crazy shit going down in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. I think this original tracking of the compilation does a great job of showing you what the scene across the state was like. Standouts include Wormbath (my personal favorite track on the comp), Wonderdog, Dutchland Diesel, The Overdrives, Fire in the Radio, The Peabodys, Digger, The Commercials, One Up on Lucy, and The Mad Cows, but honestly, I love all the bands on this compilation for one reason or another. Ken Adams, or better know as K3N from the Victory Records Victory Style comps, delivered some equally awesome yet ridiculous artwork.

Head on over to our Bandcamp page and download a copy of this 2001 audio snapshot for FREE. Nodda. Zilch. Name your price… how about FREE dollars? Sounds good if you ask as me.

Thanks again for your continued support! Take care and have a Happy New Year!

MIND POWER RELEASES LYRIC VIDEO FOR ‘GROUNDED’

Earlier this year Mind Power released one of the heaviest records of 2021, aptly named Self Torture.

We’re stoked to work with the fine folks over at No Echo to bring you a brand new lyric video for the track “Grounded”.

Originally released as quarterly digital only releases by the band, the 11 tracks off of Self Torture read like a book that’s woven from those releases with a cathartic, brutally honest, and at times self deprecating voice.

Featuring vocals from ex-A Life Once Lost frontman Robert Meadows and a lineup that includes former members of Ligeia, Dead End Path, and Bring the Heat, Self Torture features guest appearances from notable metal standouts like Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan, Darkest Hour’s John Henry and Michael Schleibaum, The Red Chord’s Mike McKenzie, and Most Precious Blood’s Rob Fusco just to name a few. Remastered by heavy music heavyweight Alan Douches, Mind Power’s first physical release is as heavy and earnest as the vinyl is beautiful.

You can still grab a copy of the limited Red & Black Splatter vinyl as well as the Opaque White on our new Limited Run webstore and Bandcamp page.

DECIBEL MAGAZINE MIND POWER VIDEO PREMIERE

Happy release day to Mind Power!

To celebrate we’ve teamed up with the fine folks over at Decibel Magazine to premiere Mind Power’s brand new video for the track “Mess”.

In the midst of a pandemic Winter dive into the depth’s of Mind Power frontman Robert Meadows’ mind on a bleak journey through darkness and snow in an almost tortured existence beyond dealing with the daily reality of Covid. Written before the pandemic, “Mess” could have easily been a diatribe on the daily life we’ve all come to know all too well the past over the past year, yet here we are.

MIND POWER SELF TORTURE VINYL

Just a quick heads up that Mind Power’s Self Torture vinyl goes on sale tomorrow starting at 11AM!

This limited pressing of 300 is available on Translucent Red/Black Splatter and Solid White and comes in a beautiful gatefold jacket. Each purchase comes with an immediate digital download as well as unlimited streaming access to the record via the Bandcamp app.

Featuring vocals from ex-A Life Once Lost frontman Robert Meadows and a lineup that includes former members of Ligeia, Dead End Path, and Bring the Heat, Self Torture features guest appearances from notable metal standouts like Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan, Darkest Hour’s John Henry and Michael Schleibaum, The Red Chord’s Mike McKenzie, and Most Precious Blood’s Rob Fusco just to name a few.

Originally released as quarterly digital only releases by the band, the 11 tracks off of Self Torture read like a book that’s woven from those releases with a cathartic, brutally honest, and at times self deprecating voice. Remastered by heavy music heavyweight Alan Douches, Mind Power’s first physical release is as heavy and earnest as the vinyl is beautiful.

MIND POWER TO RELEASE SELF TORTURE JAN 29TH

So, 2020 was one for the books, right?

We’re getting things sorted out over here to help ring in our 25th year, so we figured ‘Why not start things in a heavy groove?’

Without a doubt Mind Power is the heaviest band we’ve ever worked with, and it’ll be some time before we release an all out assault on your ears as thundering and groove heavy as Self Torture. Featuring vocals from ex-A Life Once Lost frontman Robert Meadows and a lineup that includes former members of Ligeia, Dead End Path, and Bring the Heat, do we even need to name drop guest appearances on Self Torture by Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan, Darkest Hour’s John Henry and Michael Schleibaum, The Red Chord’s Mike McKenzie, and Most Precious Blood’s Rob Fusco just to name a few? Wait, we just did.

Even without those guest appearances Mind Power’s effort on Self Torture is nothing short of brutal and exhausting.

The foundation for this release lies in the band’s prolific writing and recording throughout 2018 and 2019. Originally released as quarterly digital only releases, the 11 tracks off of Self Torture read like a book that’s woven from those releases with a cathartic, brutally honest, and at times self deprecating voice. Remastered by heavy music heavyweight Alan Douches, Mind Power’s first physical release has been given a while glove treatment by means of a limited Translucent Red/Black Splatter and White vinyl gatefold LP pressing. Originally slated for a 2020 release, we’re excited to finally get this out into the world. Vinyl ordering goes live next Friday, January 22nd, and digital drops on your favorite streaming service Friday, January 29th. Stay tuned for me details on that vinyl!