2013

I can't remember how I got this one. It may have been from Hellfish, either way it's Swamp Thing's Self-titled 7" on black. There's 300 of these and overall this is a pretty solid 7" from the band, the artwork and layout are good as well. 6131 did a good job with these.

 So this one I also have no idea how I got, maybe from a label? Six Feet Under? Anyway it's War Hungry's Return to Earth from 1917 Records, which is no longer an active label. There are a bunch of different colors and versions of this release, but the black is the most common out of 560. I believe this was the most recent release before they just release their LP, which was a pretty good release as well.

 I'm pretty positive that this is a mispress of Down to Nothing's Splitting Headache from Speedowax Records. I got this one from Rich from the label. This one is supposedly pretty rare out of only three. I don't know too much else about this one, like why it is a mispress or anything like that.

 So this is the repress of the Cold World and War Hungry split from Six Feet Under Records. This came out great. It was a good idea to keep the layout and design completely the same just change the pictures and make everything color. Black is out of 456 and white is out of 526.

I believe I got these from 6131. Starting on left is two copies of Bad Seed's Self Titled. Purple is out of 400 and yellow is out of 100 copies. Both are from the third press. On the right is a copy of the Bad Seed and War Hungry split on black out of 300.

I believe I also got these from Hellfish. This is two copies of Backtrack's Deal with the Devil. The copy on red is out of 200 and the copy on white is out of 400 I believe. If anyone could confirm this for me that would be cool. Both are from the second press.

This was the last version of Fired Up's When the Lights Go Out that I was missing. This is from the first press on clear out of 200. I think the only thing I'm missing is transitions and a test, but I'm not sure when I'd get around to getting copies of them.

This is my pre-order from Alert's Find Your Way. This was put out by Six Feet Under Records. It came out looking pretty good and it's a good 7" too. Bummer this band just recently called it quits, but it happens. Cool dudes as well. Purple is out of 105, 317 on Dark Clear Purple and 625 on Black.

So this was a pre-order package from React! First up we have three colors of Rearranged's Self-Titled. I believe this band is from Europe or maybe Russia? Not completely sure, its a great release either way. 200 on white, 300 on blue and 500 on black. On the bottom left is the second press of Give's Heaven is Waiting. This band is pretty cool and defiantly playing their own style in current hardcore. Black is out of 300 and white is out of 200. On the bottom right is the limited second press of Noose's It's Your Time on grey. For a second press this one is very rare, only 150 copies.

The first step is admiting you have a problem.

I have realized the title of this post, as I have been spending way too much time and money on records lately. I've had too much down time at work, and well I couldn't find anything else to do.

This is a copy of The Effort's Iconoclasm. This has the special Newsletter Edition Sleeve, hand numbered out of 50. I've been trying to expand my collection of Iconoclasm, in my opinion it's the best material the band has released. The LP flows from beginning to end and each song all could be considered some of their better stuff. The problem with this one is that there are so many versions of it. Not to mention now that Seasick Records put out a second press, it's out of hand. It was already over-whelming with just Words of War Records.

After I heard very late to the party that Blink's Enema of the State was put on vinyl by Mightier Than Sword Records, I knew I had to get a copy. So I went to the webstore and was able to pick up this copy on Yellow from the second press out of 500. I found out about this being pressed by chance, surfing up eBay. I was happy I did. These things are going for a good penny on eBay and there are several different versions, so that only adds to the collectors inability to hold back. No worries for me though, I don't see myself paying what other people are willing to for other copies of this one. This label also re-released Cro-Mags The Age of Quarrel, which caused a lot of attention. How this label is getting the rights to put these out is beyond me, but it's cool none-the-less.

This is the last copy of Juggernaut that I didn't have. This is on white out of 252. I've got a decent collection going now of this band. I'm missing pretty much only the really rare stuff, so for the most part I'd say it's done. This is another collection that happened by coincidence. I was originally only interested in the s/t 7", but I actually gave the other material another listen and gave my bias a break. I picked up copies of the latest 7", demo tape and this LP all for pretty easy and cheap, so that's what I mean by coincidence, I wasn't trying too hard to expand.

This was a big score for me. I've been wanting to get a copy of this for a few years, and they always go on eBay for like $40 or more. I was lucky to be able to snag this one for less. This was the first album that I can look back on and triggered me completely going after more alternative or unconventional I suppose you could say, music. I picked this up on CD like about seven years ago, when I thought the coolest thing was ordering CDs off of Amazon. I've come far.

Anyway for those that don't know, this is Underoath's They're Only Chasing Safety. This was what you could say was their biggest record as far as "breaking" them per se. To me this was the best this band was and ever will be, and I'm sure a lot of people agree with me, but there are bias fans of every album they've put out. This could be described as screamo or post-hardcore, more on what people would consider to be not hardcore related at all. This album just is monumental for me, I'm sure that most people can point back to one album that just kick started a lot of who they are today, this would be it for me.

So the white vinyl is out of 500. The whole pressing of this was pretty limited, like 1,000 or 2,000, thus why these go for a good penny. This album sold over 500,000 copies on CD, and their following album debuted at #2 on Billboard. So the fact that only like 1,500 of these were pressed, on like four different colors, it's all pretty rare.

Back to hardcore. This is a copy of Uniform Choice's Demo 2x7". This is what I think is the second press, split release with Cargo and Headhunter Records. No idea how many this is limited to. If you know, please help. The original press was put out by Nemesis Records I believe.

Here we have another copy of What's Done is Done. This is on clear out of 300. This is my second copy and my third, on red is in the mail currently.

I picked up these two copies of the Youth Crew 09 comp from Chris, bassist of Mindset. The top is on orange out of 100 and the bottom is a transition from the black to the orange out of 40 or 50. Now I know that I paid too much for these, but hey that's my own ignorance, not Chris' fault. Either way it went to a good cause, to get Chris a plane ticket to go on the Praise Cali tour a little bit ago.

This is some friends of mine's band, Troops of Tomorrow. This is the pre-release tape for their upcoming 7", The World Won't Listen. Good up-in-coming D.C. band. They play a mix of street punk and hardcore. It's a pretty good recording I have to say and though street punk isn't really my thing, it's a solid release. I believe the 7" release show is on Wednesday in Baltimore with Rotting Out and Soul Search. Give 'em a listen here.

So I had to open an eBay case to get this record. Didn't get it in the mail for like 3 weeks, opened a case and it was at my door in two days. Funny. This is the record release of the latest Down to Nothing 7" All My Sons. I was unable to go to the show in Richmond, which was a bummer because I'm sure it was a banger.


This was done pretty well, one of the better special cover releases I've seen. Clean design, simple, stamped, numbered and it even has different labels on the 7" than the regular release.

In yet another installment of Down to Nothing, this is the On Thin Ice split from Grave Mistake Records. This is one of the rarer red ones, which apparently is out of 50 or so. The 1st press was supposed to be pink, which it is, but some came out darker than others, and completely red in this case. Here's a comparison of some of them for you.

Alex as usual completely hooked me up, got me some added goodies for the collection. I also asked Alex to put two zines in the package for me.

I'm starting to get in to zines. I feel like they need to come back in popularity. The left one is put out from a guy in Toronto I believe, or somewhere in Canada. Apparently all of these interviews are from like over two years ago and he just didn't get around to putting this out until more recently. Pretty solid material, nothing amazing with presentation, pretty standard. Worth checking out. The one on the right is great, Just Say Yo!. Pulling Teeth, Trapped Under Ice, Not Sorry and Police and Thieves are all in this one. Great artwork, quality print and good content. This and The Effort are the two best zines I've seen. If anyone knows of any good zines I should check out please comment on here.

This is I think is two copies of the Fireworks 7" from the second press, not totally sure. I saw this band a little over a week ago for the first time and they were pretty good. Dudes seem in it for the right reasons. Oh yea, there's a Kid Dynamite cover on here and they have some Misfits cover demos on the internet somewhere. These guys sound a lot like New Found Glory, to the point to where people think it actually is them.

I picked this up at a yard sale a few weeks back. The cover is a little beat up as the picture shows, and when I bought it I looked at the vinyl and it looked pretty good. Now that I've looked at it in better light, not so much. O well, I probably should've haggled the guy. I'll try and clean this one. I haven't cleaned a record in a while, so let's see if I remember how.

I won these both on eBay for pretty cheap for what I think they would go for. Both are second presses and out of 250. Apparently these came out when Bridge 9 also put out the Time Slips Away CD, thus the reason for the labels. The copy of Count Our Numbers is supposed to be purple, but apparently some came out blue, and this looks like one of them. Supposedly this may mean its more like out of 60 or 70. I would need one on purple to compare.

In another eBay pick up I got Juggernaut on red, the most rare of the regular pressing.

I made an order from Heart in Hand records to get the two Mass vs Cali compilations. I also picked up two copies of Control's A Step Apart, Life to Live Records' first release. Control was a D.C. youth crew band a few years ago. The band is still together and I think still has all the same members but is now Broken Bodies, which is a harder band, similar to Carry On I'd say. I'm glad I was able to get this.

After a long wait, I finally got this one in the mail. I honestly just didn't believe it was here. This is the UK Tour copy of Splitting Headache, out of 30. I think Rick from Speedowax still has a copy of this somewhere between Europe and the states, that's just chilling somewhere. The first time he sent this to me It took like almost two months I think to come back to his house. So he sent me a different copy, and that I think is the one that's lost now. He then sent me a third copy, I think his own copy? Odd, it got to my house in like a few days. All the waiting for it to take only like 6 days to get here the third time around. Either way thanks to Rich, and when I get the other one I'll send it back to you Rick.

This is an Australian pressing of All My Sons from Dead Souls Records. I think this is the preorder color out of 100, but when I ordered this it was the only copy available. Seemed strange to me to do just a pressing of 100 only, but whatever I made the order, and not for cheap I might add. So after I got this I checked back to their store for the pressing info. There are two more colors available now, great. So now I have to pay like $50 after shipping to get the two of them. Is Australia currency that much stronger than the dollar or am I just getting ripped off?

Weekend Posts are a Must

Here is the new Hands Tied 7" from Livewire Records. The red is out of 300, gold out of 200. Apparently this is an active band again. Not sure how long that will last, but this 7" is pretty good.

This is a copy of the Bracewar Juggernaut LP on clear out of 650.

I got this in a trade. It's the Swamp Thing In Shame LP United Blood version.

Numbered out of 30, pretty limited I have to say. The cover is pretty cool, nice old school tattoo design.

I traded my copy of The Rival Mob HC4HC SFU showcase version for the Swamp Thing LP and this Mindset 7". This is the Winter 2009 Tour cover, limited to 110 copies. I was very happy about this trade. I think I got the better end of the deal, but that depends on who you are I suppose.

I've been meaning to get a copy of The First Step's Open Hearts and Clear Minds. This is one of the best records in the past 10 years I'd say. This thing is just so incredibly raw, fast and refreshing. This is clear out of 400.

This is another Down to Nothing record I probably didn't need to get. This is Grey/Red mix and Blue/Yellow split. I think it's out of 225. I'm kinda lost on the pressing on this record. Hopefully Rich of Speedowax will hook it up.

I finally got a copy of Focus on the Light, the Powered pressing. Hopefully more to come. This is out of 510.

I picked up a few Effort records on eBay. This is the record release version of Iconoclasm with the special screen printed sleeve.

Numbered on the back out of 50.

Here we have the pre-order version with a special screen printed sleeve as well. This one is numbered on the front out of 75. I've been meaning to get some more versions of this LP. This is the best output by the band without a doubt.

This is the pre-order version of From Our Mistakes, with a numbered cover out of 100. This I believe means I have all of the first press.

Here we have three copies of the first Fired Up 7" that I picked up from Kyle Whitlow of Rivalry Records. From top to bottom this is Purple on 300 from the 3rd press, Black out of 400 from the 1st and Blue out of 250 from the first. I think the only one I'm missing is the regular version, not tour version, on clear.

Well I'm almost caught up, a few more to go.

Collect 'Em All

A lot of this blog consists of me continuing to get some of the same records I already own, but different variations of that same record. I'm not sure why I do this or what is my motivation behind it. I guess its almost like a way of showing how much you like a record by getting as many copies as possible. It could also just be for bragging rights, sometimes I feel like it's the latter of the two. Maybe it's just a simple novelty thing? Sometimes I realize it gets out of hand, but moments later I get excited again about it. It's odd how these things work.

Well after that intro, after a while of not really getting anything new from this band, I got two records. Cold World has been a band that just stands out to me, maybe its from seeing them in Philly a few times, or just that the band is so well liked, yet they don't play that much. Cold World to me plays a type of hardcore that is just a no-brainer. A lot of hardcore kids like hip hop and it makes me wonder how a band like this hadn't come out that actually could pull it off well. Probably because it's not easy.

This is the third and lost copy of the No Omega Compilation LP that I did not have. For anyone that doesn't know this puts all of the first 7"s on one release, and I think an extra song. To me this is the best Cold World. This LP just sort of encompasses all of it. This one is out of 104 copies.

Also keeping with my preferred Cold World releases, this is the self-titled 7" on blue. I feel like that for the most part the hype that surrounded this band has died down a bit, which is awesome because it makes for great deals on stuff I normally would've passed on. I believe this one is out of 200.

Here we have The Effort's From Our Mistakes 7" on green from the 1st press, 175 copies. Compare it to the other post I had from the first press here

I decided to place an order at React! for a few things I didn't have. I picked up the Carry On re-release of It's All Our Blood put out a while ago, I had picked up a copy on white from Sean Youngblood and I thought I had pre-ordered this and the red copy from React, but I found out later that I did not. Maybe I'll get a copy on red somewhere down the road.

I picked up a copy of The Effort #2 fanzine. This really impressed me, sometimes I feel like the quality of a zine just doesn't impress me most of the time. This thing is incredibly well done. Huge interviews, lots of topics and just tons of rad stuff. I'm looking forward to sitting down and actually reading it. I was also supposed to pick up a copy of Mindset's Time & Pressure on black, but Aram sent me it on red. Aram did however give me the other screen-printed mailer used for the Mindset 7", so that was a nice bonus.

So now I have duplicates of red and white. Aram wants me to fund his label apparently. No worries I can pick up a copy on black at a show I'm sure.

This is another copy of On's Vital Times, this time on black, out of 600. I need to get more copies of this record. It is just too good.

Here we have another copy of Swamp Thing's 7" on tan I think. Kind of hard to distinguish between tan and gold, under different light it can go either way.

I love Bracewar's first 7" and after I heard the LP I wasn't really impressed at all. About two weeks ago I was giving it another listen, and there are several tracks that are pretty good. So I thought maybe a purchase was necessary, and to my luck and fairly easily, I got the Sound and Fury version out of 100.

I decided to pick up another Wishingwell release, this is Insted's Bonds of Friendship. Probably one of the best covers I've seen, mixes the like 50s and youthcrew look really well.