The Misfits - Box Set

The Misfits Box Set Disc 1

The Misfits Box Set Disc 2

The Misfits Box Set Disc 3

The Misfits Box Set Disc 4

Released in 1996 in a special coffin shaped box, this contained almost everything the band had recorded, from 1977 to 1983, the only exception being the album Walk Among Us because Caroline Records failed to secure its distribution rights. Disc 1 is the self-titled Misfits album (referred to here as Collection I) and Collection II. Disc 2 is the Legacy of Brutality, Evilive, and Earth A.D./Wolfs blood albums. Disc 3 is various singles and studio recordings. Disc 4 is the unreleased Static Age album which was recorded in 1978 but never released in its entirety before this box set. Essential for any fan of The Misfits, or punk music in general.

The Misfits - Twelve Hits From Hell

The Misfits - Twelve Hits From Hell

This Misfits album was recorded in 1980 and never released. The lineup here included Bobby Steele (The Undead) on Guitar and Arthur Googy (Antidote) on drums. Caroline Records had planned on releasing this in 2001, they even sent copies out to the press, but both Jerry Only and Glenn Danzig had the album pulled from the release schedule and deleted. All the songs saw the light of day on various Misfits EP's and LP's, so nothing really new here, just a cool unreleased album.

Pajo - Scream With Me

Pajo - Scream With Me

David Pajo (Slint, Tortoise, Zwan and Interpol) doing acoustic lo-fi covers of Misfits songs. You've never heard someone sing "Angelfuck" so tenderly before. This album is pretty awesome.

Pissed Jean - Sam Kinison Woman

Pissed Jeans - Sam Kinison Woman b/w The L Word

This is the new 7" single from these dudes and the two tracks here are certified bangers. Everything this band has done has been incredible, Pissed Jeans are batting a thousand in my books. If you've never heard this band before they sound like Black Flag mixed with Jesus Lizard and they're one of the best punk bands around today.

Piebald - The First Ten Years

Piebald - The First Ten Years: Volume 1, Disc 1

Piebald - The First Ten Years: Volume 1, Disc 2

Piebald - The First Ten Years: Volume 2, Disc 1

Piebald - The First Ten Years: Volume 2, Disc 2

Piebald - The First Ten Years: Volume 3, Disc 1

Piebald - The First Ten Years: Volume 3, Disc 2

Here it is, every single piece of music the band recorded during their original heyday. Every split 7", compilation track, cover song (Weezer, Slayer, Jawbreaker), several never-before-released demos and every full length. You get their debut album on Hydra Head Records, "When Life Hands You Lemons", as well as the Big Wheel Recreation albums, "If It Weren't For Venetian Blinds, It Would Be Curtains For Us All", "The Rock Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "We Are The Only Friends We Have". This thing is a must have for even the most casual fan of the band, it is just so comprehensive and well done that you can't help but fall in love with Piebald. Hearing a lot of these songs will have you wondering how the fuck this band wasn't all over the radio back in the day. If you only know them for their song "American Hearts", get this and see why they were such a big deal. Rise Records put this out over the last several months, which was a total surprise to me because Rise mainly releases really fucking terrible mall-metal albums (The Devil Wears Prada anyone?). Piebald has always had a great sense of humour, wity lyrics and incredible hooks and they're all present here on these 100 (yes one-fucking-hundred!) tracks.

Sweet Cobra - Mercy

Sweet Cobra - Mercy

This was written and recorded while guitarist Matt Arluck was battling cancer (a battle he lost this summer, rest in peace) and the songs don't just address and reference that battle, they channel the struggle into one of the of the best albums of the year. Sweet Cobra play noisy metal that draws as much influence from Neurosis as it does Quicksand. If you wished Torche wasn't so damn poppy, or on the flip side, that High On Fire were just a little more sugary, then this here is for you. Mercy was produced by Sanford Parker (Minsk, Nachtmystium, Pelican) and mixed by Kurt Ballou and it sound absolutely huge.

Jawbreaker - Unfun

Jawbreaker - Unfun

I'm not one of those people who only love the first album by a band and refuse to acknowledge anything afterwards, but fuck, Unfun sure is pretty fucking great and my favourite Jawbreaker album. Don't get me wrong everything the band has done is the tits, but there really is something special here. Some call it pop-punk, some call it emo, I could care less. Unfun is raw and smart and way ahead of its time, a true modern punk classic. Everyone should already have this and if you don't, get on it.

Skunk - Laid

Skunk - Laid

Skunk was Matt Sweeney's band prior to Chavez. This is their only full-length album, released in 1991, and it's pretty rad. Skunk sounds like Hüsker Dü and Dinosaur Jr. mixed with 70's hard rock,and Matt plays some seriously great guitar on this thing. Skunk were signed to TwinTone Records out of Minneapolis, Minnesota which was once the home of The Replacements and Soul Asylum.

After The Fall - Eradication

After The Fall - Eradication

After The Fall play tight, aggressive and super fast punk with just the right amount of hardcore thrown in. If you dig Propagandhi, Good Riddance and No Trigger (whose singer Tom Rhealt make a guest appearance here on the song "Throgs Neck") then After The Fall is your new favourite band. This is their second full-length, and definitely the best thing they've done. This is getting tons of spins around my spot. Eradication was recorded at The Getaway Group by Jay Maas (Verse, Soul Control, Living Hell) and mastered at The Blasting Room by Jason Livermore.

The Fucking Wrath - Terra Fire

The Fucking Wrath - Terra Fire

These are some dirty fucking jams. The Fucking Wrath can go from sludgy doom-laden riffs to pummeling d-beat hardcore flawlessly and within the same song. Their debut LP Season Of Evil was the fucking tits, and this EP is a true rager. If you like your hardcore crusty and your metal sludgy than The Fucking Wrath will make you spill your children. This is their first release for the venerable Tee Pee Records, and hopefully it won't be their last.

Refused - New Noise Remix

Refused & Steve Aoki & Bloody Beetroots - New Noise

International Party Starters Steve Aoki and Bloody Beetroots re-imagine New Noise as a barn burning dance epic instead of a barn burning hardcore epic. It is what it is, the song is good enough that it can't really be fucked with negatively, and these two mixes are pretty neat. I assume a lot of hardcore kids get down with this shit, well at least the ones who discovered drugs, fun and girls. CAN I SCREAM.

Much The Same - Survive

Much The Same - Survive

This was released by Nitro Records in 2006, and would be one of the last records from the label. This is fast melodic hardcore that reminds me of NUFAN, Pulley, Bigwig and Millencolin all mixed together (throw some Lifetime in there as well). The band broke up shortly after this was released, which is a shame because these guys slayed. They totally nailed that mid-90's punk rock sound without sounding like a tired re-hash.