Prema - Pebble

 This oft overlooked gem is of the krishnacore era, hailing from Philadelphia, PA.  I really like the vocal styling on this record but I could do without some of the chanting and lord Krishna praise towards the end.  It's not that I don't like the mantras that some of the other bands like Shelter and 108 included on their albums, its just on this record they are kinda annoying.  Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era because I dig these cheesey records.  Anyway, Prema has a pop and rock influenced sound of hardcore.  Definitely reminiscent of their Shelter and 108 brethren (less metal than 108.) Fun fact: Prema is a term for love in Hinduism.  If you like this and the afore mentioned bands, check out Refuse to Fall and Run Devil Run.

 PREMA - PEBBLE

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Shelter - Mantra

My favorite record from my favorite band.  I don't apologize if you don't agree. 

Ray Cappo  formed Shelter after Youth of Today started to dissolve in 1990. Influenced by vegetarianism, positivity, and the Bhagavad Gita, Shelter started a whole new movement in hardcore called "Krishna-core."   Around the same time Shelter formed, Ray Cappo also created Equal Vision Records.

Some other records to check out by Shelter are When 20 Summers Pass, Quest for Certainty and In Defense of Reality.

SHELTER - MANTRA

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Tombs - Split with Planks

I went to the Heart of Winter fest in Richmond last week to check out Tombs and Cough with some friends.  Cough was solid and I enjoyed their set even though I think they were a bit better at Nara with Walls.  Tombs on the other hand blew me away.  This doesn't happen very often for me.  I will walk away from a show and feel like, "yeah, that was good/fun/etc."  Tombs are definitely on "some next level shit."  They were loud, heavy, dark, noisey and no bullshit.  They loaded their equipment fast as shit, played their set, and were done.  For being a only three piece they still manage to bombard with a wall-of-sound.  From what I've been told they have ex-Anodyne vocalist Mike Hill.  Here is their side of their new split with Planks thats only out of like 200 or something.

TOMBS - SPLIT WITH PLANKS

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The First Step - Open Hearts and Clear Minds

Fuck all the controversy surrounding this band, this is a solid 7".  I am finding that my negativity these days is getting in the way of things I want to do and turning some of the people I love off.  My way of dealing right now is by listening to posi-core like TFS.  I have mixed feelings about the way the hardcore climate has shifted to negative, "power-violence" and abandoned youth crew and positivity.  I agree being "posi" can get kinda hokey after awhile, but I'm kinda tired of this forced trend of depressing hardcore.  Listen to more Uniform Choice, please.

THE FIRST STEP - OPEN HEARTS AND CLEAR MINDS

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Failure Face - Complete Failure

Okay, so I first got into this band last year when I was really down with school, not doing anything productive musically and overall just really depressed.  I got a zine at some show with a quote from one of their songs that really stuck out to me.  I tracked down the recordings and was hooked immediately.  I had to share this with someone so I sent it over to a friend who also really dug it.  It's straight forward, no frills hardcore bashing out extremely catchy one minute songs.  I don't know why it took me so long to hear about this band but it couldn't have come at a better time.  I really don't know too much about their history, members, etc. but I think they went on to be in Murder-Suicide Pact.  It is pissed and brutal with no bullshit.  Check it out and if you like it I think you can still get their 7" from Ebullition Records.

"Everyday that I don't eat the gun, I won. Everyday that I don't kill someone, I won."

Failure Face - Complete Failure

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Breathing Fire - Demo

While I'm on a powerviolence influenced hardcore kick, here is Breathing Fire's 2004 Demo that was rereleased in 2007 by Painkiller.  By the way, Painkiller Records have been really on point with their releases recently putting out stuff like Iron Age, Walls, and Mentally Challenged that you should definitely check out if you haven't already.   Breathing Fire are ex-xFilesx (haha) which were one of my favorite hardcore bands of all time.  They have a new LP out called Years of Lead, which I'm fairly certain is sold-out.  Expect slow and super heavy jams taking influence from bands like Crossed Out.  I know a lot of bands are playing this type of sound right now (Mind Eraser, Trash Talk, Faithealer etc..) but Breathing Fire is definitely a stand out.  Don't get me wrong though,  I like about 90% of the super heavy, "power violence" sounding bands that have been putting stuff out (I was/am kindof in one of them).  These dudes have been playing heavy music for a good while now so they know what sounds really good. Check it out and if you dig it, buy the record!

Breathing Fire - Demo

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Tarpit - Demo

Before I got into hardcore I was listening to Anarcho-punk and going to metalcore shows at redneck bars and churches.  Little did I know there were really amazing bands playing in Norfolk and Virginia Beach all of the time such as Victim, Iron Boots, Bloody Sunday, Cutback, Resonance and Nothing Personal.  Anyway, one of the first Virginia Beach hardcore bands to blow me away was Tarpit.  I started going to as many of their shows as my parents would let me around the time when they released their Wake Up E.P.  Before that they released a Demo and a split 7" with Victim (which is one of the first 7"s I bought).  Their Demo made such an incredible impact on me and is one of the main reasons I really got into hardcore.  So, here it is.  

Tarpit - Demo

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