Trojan Horse

Here is Trojan Horse. Possibly the most underrated band swimming around my little city. I honestly don't know why as they power a huge prog rock hole through the bland and unoriginal bands that seem to plague this parts.

Now to just call them prog rock is somewhat unfair as they glimmer through heavy pounding beats to amazing sublime tripped out parts that at times blow your furry little heads. All the transitions are smooth and really well thought out, if only every band put this much effort into playing music. With tracks such as Laces and Racists to the happy, clappy Brazilian song then it has something for everyone.

To stream their album or purchase it then go here - http://trojanhorse.bandcamp.com/

So go turn the lights off, stick your headphones on and take a trip.

Age Sixteen

Now sadly departed, but here is their 2009 Tour Sampler CDR they did. As i live in the UK i could never really see them, but they did send me a copy of this. It was before they put out their album so had a couple of tracks off it and was a good taster of what was to come.

Tracklist:

1. Fabric
2. As Personal As A Greeting Card
3. The Lion & The Gazelle

2009 Tour Sampler CDR

Video Post 2

Cattle Drums - Two Pigeons




Shed For You - 12 Seconds




Jenny Piccolo - Donation To The Deaf




Big Kids - Kinda Like Fest Live Set (Part One)




The Exploration




The Shark Ate My Friend




Maximillian Colby - One Gallon Alda




Q And Not U - X-Polynation




Doomtree - Drumsticks




Pre - Fuk is Fun




Antipop Consortium - Dead in Motion

Aesop Rock

Legendary Hip Hop guy from New York. Amazing, intelligent rhymes that show an insight that few can do and backed up with thumbing beats and great samples then it's no wonder why he is on top of his game. With previous Ep's and album like Labour Days, None Shall pass each tagged with their own individual sounds that are ever evolving then you just have to check it out.



Bazooka Teeth EP

Mane Horse

Ok, so i'm stealing this post from the excellent Muzack blog where one of the members of Mane horse writes on. But this EP is pretty outstanding, and i have been listening to it constantly for the past couple of months or so. Hailing from California, this lot play upbeat, sugar rush emo, punk tunes that will brighten up anyone's day. With great twiddly guitars and brilliant vocals what's not to like, if you are a fan of Ape Up!, Cattle Drums then jump onto this!

MYSPACE

What Do You Mean We're Just Friends?

I Have Dreams

Some of the most powerful and emotionally driven music driven music i have ever heard. I had totally forgotten i had one of their EP's until the other day, and when i put it on it stills sounds as fresh as it ever did. Ranging from screamo/emo to gut punching heaviness there isn't much that can top the well put together tracks or the pure intensity of this. GET IT!

Three Days Till Christmas

Cowboys Become Folk Heroes

So i have been on a somewhat nostalgic Screamo binge of recent, going through all my old ep's and albums and this has to be one of my favourites. As raw as it comes really, Cowboys Become Folk Heroes play with a great intensity that has rarely been matched since. With great slower paced break down that gather speed until all hell breaks loose. Outstanding.

MYSPACE

S/T

Ampere

So, i guess most people have heard of Ampere. But if you haven't then get listening! Featuring ex members of Orchid, Last 40 Seconds and Wolves etc this bunch play short, technical and intelligent screamo jams that screams of fast paced energy. Much like a hurricane of awesomeness.

MYSAPCE

All Our Tomorrows End Today

A Troop of Echoes

Been meaning to post this for awhile (sorry guys!). So here is A Troop of Echoes, hailing from the good old US of A! The guys have gone down the post rock kinda groove, with similarities to Toe, a bit of Fago Sepia and all that good stuff which is popping up all over the place. But A Troop of Echoes do it all with a Saxophone and sometime a cheeky bit of keyboard. If anyone ever reads this blog then ya'll know i always like things to be a bit different and to stand out and how this does! The tunes are packed full off energy and are woven together like a fine antique rug. They have also played with the likes of Giraffes?, Giraffes!, Arcing and ZX Favourites Divets. Pisses me off i live in the UK and miss seeing all these awesome bands live!

They have just released (or did so about a month ago) their debt EP so if you fancy some then get to it and grab a copy. BUT if you want a taste then click below for a small sampler of a couple of their tunes. But don't be a mooch and go and grab a copy!

MYSPACE

A Troop of Echoes (3 Track Sampler)

Thirty Called Arson

So here's a bit of old awesome metal/hardcore stuff for you. These guys never seemed to catch on too much which was a shame but thankfully they left a strong legacy behind them. Their sound was brutal, raw and pretty unforgiving the way this music should be. With huge breakdowns that are so forceful they could give you a nose bleed! This topped with some slower and an instrumental track shows they have some range, but it's mainly just balls out power!

You're Only A Rebel From The Waste Downward

Open Grave Culture

So during a few sleepness nights i have been listening alot to these guys. Too be honest i don't know alot about them other that they are amazing. Pretty experimental hip hop that stays clear of all the obvious clinches that can some times haunt this genre of music. So it is away refreshing to hear people putting their own individual stamp on proceedings.

The album is a mix of relaxing, down tempo tunes with glitchy samples and punching beats. Topped all off with great vocals that fit so snug into the whole sound itself. The track Sleeping Underwater is really outstanding. Consisting of an opening acoustic guitar riff with some odd noise sample then degenerating into a scratch fest with great rhythms being spit over the top. The overall sound is so different but so so good! You just have to grab a copy of this!

MYSPACE

Open Grave Culture Album

Bill Shatnerrr

So a bit of self promotion here but who cares! Here is my wee small band once again with our new EP You put the Round Burger on the Square Wonderbread for all you grimy hardcore/spazzy/jazzy buggers out there. Four tracks of angular hardcore with a slightly different twist. Obviously as i am in the band then i am rather bias but fuck it i think it's awesome!

MYSPACE

You put the Round Burger on the Square Wonderbread

Coping

So i have been on a sugar-esque poppy/emo high of the past few weeks and have been bouncing around to these guys for a few days constantly. Hailing from the Windy City these guys have super upbeat pop/punk/emo tunes that will cure any blues and bring the sunshine out! Sounding like the likes of Grown Up's, Ape Up then how can you go wrong!

So go on take advantage of their two track demo they put up for free and grab copies of the second run of tapes they will be doing soon!

MYFACE

DEMO

Cabin Fire

Hard to pin point what these guys sound like, but something between a furious rage of uncompromising proportions and a nervous, anxious energy would be somewhere on the way there. Really is a powerful form of hardcore with fast, heavy sections topped off with slower and more subdue sections that adds a little something different. I always like to champion this kinda of music that puts the danger and angst back into hardcore.

Below is their American Lies EP and it is rather bloody good!

MYSPAZ

American Lies

Vaccine

Super fast hardcore from members of the amazing Failures and Relics comes Vaccine. Ok so they have been around for a wee while now but doesn't take away from the raw, powerful and ever so angry tunes. This is the demo with 5 tracks of increasingly pissed of music.

Git some.

Vaccine Blog

Demo

Hyphens

So i was looking for some more noise stuff to post up and low and behold here we go!

This is Hyphens a melodic, electronic experimental project. Two tracks of minimal noise that does almost relax you which is odd as it does have alot of dark undertones. The tracks are softly built up and up creating more atmosphere as new sounds and noises are added to the already oddly seductive mix. It is hard to put your finger one what the exact genre is but honestly, who cares! More people should experiment with something it almost foreign to them and see what happens, and if this is the following result then hell yeah!

This is a two track free single which does include the artwork as well, so jump on board.

Hyphens Single

WW2 Vs Dinosaurs

Noisy/Hardcore/Thrashy/Psychedelic/Off the cuff tunes from this wee UK band (with an awesome name i may add!). There is a bit off everything for everybody in these shortish, well written and well played songs. Ranging from absolute madness to fast, heavier stuff with some mental keyboard skills then this makes for a rather interesting if not good listen. It's good to see bands playing stuff for themselves and branching away from the usual stuff that doesn't push boundaries. After a couple of tracks the madness you will come enthralled in a world without walls.

You can get a cheeky download of their tracks from their bandcamp site (link below) and i urge you to do so. Bravo!

WW2 Vs Dinosaurs Bandcamp

MYSPACE

- x

Glitchy, noise, hypnotic, drone, bout time i posted more noise related stuff. So, here is - x a minimal project from the UK that creates landscapes that break down what is normal and regurgitate the world through his own eyes, all be it glitchy eyes at that.

The tracks are all different but all share common themes of built up anxiety, that usually comes to ahead before disappearing as quick as you released it was there.

MYSPACE

((-[+]-))

Mega Post

Ok yeah so i don't update this page as much as i should, so here's a good few quick downloads for you all to make up for it!

16 Horsepower



Hillbilly/Folk/Country and Western/Bluegrass kinda groove for these outstanding fellows, great cross genre stuff with outstanding vocals.

MYSPACE

Sackcloth 'n' Ashes


Chon











Awesome technical, tappy post rock stuff from these kids. And they pretty much are kids too!

EP





Aerosols





Outstanding hardcore!!!!

1st 7"



Halo Benders













Amazing "basement Punk" from legends such as Calvin Johnson (Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System) and Doug Martsch (Built To Spill) combining for some great alternative music. This is a must!



God Don't Make No Junk



Hunter Gatherer











Post Punk awesomeness with the best duel vocals you may ever hear


Low Standards For High Fives





Shapes


















Great mathy/alternative madness from these UK lads. They have a track called You Butcher which is jaw dropping good.


Random Shapes Stuff

Thomas Wincek

Here's something a bit different. Thomas Wincek is a pretty awesome fellow. Does mainly such projects as All Tiny Creatures and Volcano Choir (to name a few, see the link below for all of them). But i have put up the Extended Techniques album which has a huge experimental experiment which includes hitting strings with chopsticks and all kinds of great weird things. Experience something different.

Extended Techniques

The Exploration

One of my favourite twiddly, tapping, emo? or whatever this newish wave is called. To my knowledge they only did a couple of small releases (but i'm sure i am wrong). Still no matter, the tunes are great slightly more slower and paced than other stuff about but well crafted and pretty darn melodic. I have put up the Basement Demo with sounds great and the semi distant vocals are great as you hear the singer straining to get heard (which sounds awesome). So if you are a fan of Grown Up's, The Reptilian then grab this as you won't be disappointed.

Basement Demo

Thrash To The Puss 5-Way Split

5 Bands, 5 or so minutes and Free! Pretty decent offer if you ask me. The 5 bands involved show all the different variations of hardcore, from straight up thrash to blistering powerviolence to even some jazz?!?!?

xHaroldshitmanx - Scottish thrash/powerviolence kids! One of the more productive bands about with splits and ep's a plenty and never ever let up or disappoint.

Damage - Powerful thrash filled tracks that make you wet yourself.

You Suck - Have since passed away! Which is such a shame, but they still have something to give. Super fast, super heavy straightedge kids, super awesome!!!

Unlearned - Members from the ever brilliant Kent Brockman so you know what's coming! Fuck Yeah!

Bill Shatnerrr - Angular thrash/jazz/hardcore and a whole lot of other crazy, adding something different.

So jump on board and get yourself a free copy, and spread it around!

Thrash To The Puss

Motivation

So here is the amazing Motivation! Straightedge Positive punk from Hungary. My love of the stuff coming out out Hungary is well known, it's almost like stepping back into the mid nineties with thrash/PV/hardcore bands just everywhere!

These fellows have been heading the charge for awhile now with the none stop tours and releases. It's good to see a hardcore band with a positive message, and yes i know alot of people do or don't agree with the straightedge principles but when the music is this good then who cares! Crank this shit up and let the posi river flow over you!

MYSPACE

Motivation - Life Of My Life

JXM

Just came across these guys today. Awesome fast thrash from Liverpool, UK. Really powerful stuff with that dirty ass sound that this music needs, plug in, play loud, play fast and thrash all the way!

I'm post up their split with the equally awesome GWC another great thrash/hardcore band also from Liverpool.

JXM are looking for gigs in the UK or anywhere i guess so if you can help then hit them up at their myspace page.

JXM Myspace

JXM/GWC Split

The Homefront

Awesome hardcore punk from Massachusetts, USA. Fast, melodic and just what this shit should do and throw in some wicked group vocals and bingo we got a super awesome band. Been listening to this album alot of recent, always dig some hardcore to the start of summer!

MYSPACE

The Homefront - Sacrifice

Under A Dying Sun

One of the most underrated bands ever! Since i heard their s/t album many moons ago i fell in love with them. Playing their own kind of emo/post punk tunes and unlike most bands around they play their own style, pretty dirty and well crafted songs. It's always a pleasure when a band put some thought into their stuff and show a varied range of music. With some really nice quiet, slow parts then burst into hyper, energetic frenzies and can then go either way. They always keep you guessing, which is awesome. Powerful stuff indeed.

Here is one of their earlier ep's Supernova. I was going to post their s/t album but i lent it to a dickhead friend and never saw it again!

Under A Dying Sun - Supernova

Video Post!

Yeah so i have been somewhat busy and i hope to post up more music soon, BUT in the meantime check out these awesome vids:

As The Sun Set - An early vid of these guys featuring some tracks off their first album.

Vid 1:



Vid 2:



Call Me Betty - Turbo Yeti Violence...Yes Please!



Amaget - Hmmmmmmm



Zach Hill & Carson McWhirter - Holy Shit



Airborn Audio - M Sayyid and High Priest From APC project. Amazing!



Hot Bone - Fantastic 2 piece doing some busking from Futuresonic last year.



Pantera - I'm Broken. Nuff said.



Fago Sepia - Just love these dude, fantastic jazzy/instrumental stuff. Outstanding.



Mosh And Wash - A small powerviolence/thrash gig in a laundromat, haha great stuff why don't more people do this kinda thing. Has some awesome bands from Canada and around there including Labrat.



GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES! - Wish my beard was half as good.



He Who Corrupts - Haha love it!



Divets - Another ZX favourite, now a 3 piece plating some awesome stuff.



Thats all for now, now GO AWAY!

Well Wisher

I have previously posted a few early tracks by these local emo party kids previously, but here is a video of them playing last week. They played with the superb Grown Up's and was a fun filled gig! Watch out soon for the Well Wisher 7" and the split with the equally awesome Polina.

Now limber up, stretch and get some Emosize into your life!

Sharks Roar

I love Sharks Roar!!!! I came across them a couple of months ago and fell for them like that cute nerdy girl on the bus you see every morning. Anyways the music fell just at the right time as we started getting some sun and made the journey to work a tiny bit more pleasurable.

They play a great indie/garage band kinda still with more over tones of punk/emo etc etc and when it's all played out it just sounds great. They put their album up for download (link Below), so getting ready for summer? Then jump on this.

MYSPACE

Sharks Roar Album

Arcing

Awesome little band that has popped up out of the ashes of the amazing Tiny Hawks. It features two of the members and a new girl on bass. There are not any tracks up on their myface page as yet but there is a pretty brilliant video of them that you should check out.

MYSPACE

Drowningman

I have been meaning to post this for ages, but alas i am lazy. So over the past few weeks i have been having this album "Rock And Roll Killing Machine" and have fallen in love with it all over again. It simply is one of the best hardcore albums ever, with amazing guitar work alot different from all the other bands around at this time and vocals that are delivered with so much rage that it will make you nose bleed.

There is something quite sinister about the album, i think it's mainly down to the lyrics and the semi dirty sound of it all. Rarely does an album have such an impact but that it did.

Drowningman - Rock And Roll Killing Machine

The End of History?

So a great new hardcore band from the sunny UK. Featuring ex members of the awesome Jesus of Spazzareth then you already have an idea of what these dudes about. They only have one track up at the moment but it's amazingly good, short (like 38 seconds short), fast and unrelenting. The future looks bright!

MYSPACE

The Madness of the Crowd Zine

Cool new little zine from one of the guitarists from Guilotines (see below post). Interesting small look at the music that surrounds his area with interviews with Amateur Assassins (an amazing band you should check out) and also Jake from Power Negi Records.

First issue has just gone out so go and snap one up!

MYSPACE

Guilotines

Super fast spazzy stuff from some kids in the Midlands UK. Playing Daughters styled hardcore with tints of all kinds of badness. With tracks rarely going over 30 seconds blink and you shall miss them!

They have an impressive line up of forth coming ep's with Henry Fonda, Kaza and Black Mass to name a few. So definitely a band to keep your seedy eye on this year.

MYSPACE

My Castle, Your Castle

Awesome new band from Scotland. Playing old decent emo/screamo tunes that at the moment are rough recordings but still adds the certain dirty demo, one take recording quality that i love! With the whole emergence of great US bands playing this stuff, midwest Penpals, Grown ups, The Exploration, Merchant Ships, Boyfriends etc etc cool to see someone closer to home doing it.

They have now hooked up with a new guitarist and are currently recording, so keep your eye put for their new stuff.

MYSPACE

Bill Shatnerrr New Track

UK Spazzcore giants have come out of retirement to carry on their journey into hardcore. Currently recording new tracks for a split with the awesome You Suck and Guillotines that should be out later in the year.

Go and check out their new track Charlie and the Zombie Factory (rough mix) on their myspace.

Also can still download their frantic demo here - DEMO

MYSPACE

Amaget

Hurrah another local band, from Burnley (a small trip down the road), and hell what a band! Powerful, noisy riffs with super thumped drums and you could imagine this guys would be loud as fuck live and leave your ears ringing for days. At points they sound like some unborn child from Skingraft Records, with occasional vocals and spazzed out guitar riffs coming at you like a bare knuckle cage fighter that will leave you half beat to death in a pool of your own blood. Awesome.

MYSAPCE

Bandcamp

MOTIM

These guys are so fucking awesome! They play some great screamo/metal/hardcore music from Brazil. But unlike most bands in these genres they play with intelligence drifting in and out of the said genres with ease and unboundable energy. This is one of the best ep's i have heard in a long time, so get it!

MYSPACE

EP

Bluetip

So here is one of my favourite bands of all time! Bouncing out of Washington DC, home of some of the best post hardcore bands ever and these guys in their prime were it. I deciding to go for their first album Dischord No 101 as for me is the most energy packed of of their albums. From the first "Fuck This Shit" lyric to the odd country and western track at the very end then there is many fully complete albums as this. Anyways enough brown nosing, grab a copy.

Dischord No 101

Eigenheimer

Here's something a bit different. I have been listening to this guy for the past few days. Popping out some great ambient/dance/acid jazzy/chiptune from the Netherlands then this guy has something for everyone. Some of it reminds me of the early 90's dance stuff like 808 State, which is only a good thing. So get your glow sticks ready and get the guys first two albums!

MYSPACE

For No Gold

TWO

Teeth

Time for some more Powerviolence/Thrash me thinks. Bullying their way from California come Teeth a straight up no bullshit band that play hard and play fast! The kind of band you can massacre in short waves with Mac 10's.

MYSPACE

Live at Spawn Ranch (First Recordings)

Demo

New Years Rough Tape

Carlton Banks

Awesome Mexican Screamo with a pretty cool name! They have some really good tunes packed full of energy and mayhem. All the tracks are well put together and add something a bit different from the US, Euro screamo stuff that is around at the moment.

MYSPACE

Demo

Giuseppe

Ahh great little band from Providence, US. Playing some sweet little instrumental tracks (with occasional vocals) and only being two of them then even bigger kudos for making the sounds pretty full with some decent guitar and drum parts.

They are embarking on a pretty big US tour soon with other wicked bands like Merchant Ships and Broken Chords Can Sing Alittle, so get out there and check them out in the real world. You can listen/download some of their tracks at their Bandcamp site thing.

Giuseppe Bandcamp

N.O.P Records

So here is a great wee label putting out really good punk/ska/hardcore tunes for all you little kids. It's always great to see small labels helping out and doing their best to put out quality music and N.O.P Records are great at what they do.

They have put out bands such as Shatners Revenge, Dregs of Society, Rat Pigeon and some more. All of their releases have also been put up for free download as well on their myspace page, and really are worth a check out.

So support underground music and support the small labels busting their balls to put out great music. Go and check them out at their myspace below.

N.O.P Records

Find Him And Kill Him

Yep more thrash. This time from the US, and a great band that show no compromise on record or live. Fast, furious and some witty social commentary. Get this and ten minutes later you'll want to be in a thrash band...and who doesn't!

Find Him And Kill Him - Cut Them To Pieces

Quattro Stagioni

Dirty Grindy/Powerviolence from these evil kids from Germany. They did split up at one time and then came back to put out another record (as far as i am aware, i could be very very wrong), either way this is awesome, fast, brutal and kicks you in the face, steals your wallet and then uses the money to buy your girlfriend a bunch of roses on Valentines day.....

7"

Claire Danes

So here is Claire Danes (if you are not already a fan that is), a great punk/pop/emo kinda band from Rochester, New York. The songs are just a nice size and play through quite easy with up beat drums and pop like guitar riffs then it all adds up to be rather fucking good!

Below is their first 2 demo's, but go and wave hello to them and buy one of their awesome T-Shirts!

MYSPACE

Demo's 1 & 2

xHaroldshitmanx/WWWW REPOST

So here is a repost for the Haroldshitman/WWWW boys as they are trying to plan out a summer tour across the UK. They are looking for dates between 2nd - 11th July but if you can help then go to their profiles and send them a message with any details and spread the love.

Here is the split we did together and it is ohh so awesome - ZX004 xHaroldshitmanx/WWWW Split Tape

xHaroldshitmanx MYSPACE

Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair MYSPACE