VILLAINS • Drenched In The Poisons LP

Nuclear War Now! Productions 2007
I'm really happy that I was wrong about this record... I thought it was gonna be unlistenable artsy noise recorded by New York hipsters and I was wrong - at least about the unlistenable part, cuz VILLAINS are definitely noisy, and they could very well be hipsters, but this record rules! It's got a DARK THRONE-ish Black Metal feel mixed with a bit of retro-Thrash, and it kills right from the get-go. Bands like TOXIC HOLOCAUST could learn a thing or two from VILLAINS about creating raw, reckless, vicious Metal with that old-school flava. Excellent record that you need to hear.
DOWNLOAD: Villains-DrenchedInThePoisons.rar (54.52 MB)

TUNES FOR FUCKER Vol. 2 LP

Tunes For Fucker Records 2007
Like a lot of people outside of Japan, and particularly in North America, my only exposure to Japanese Hardcore was through compilations. Meaning I was familiar with all the same bands you probably were (G.I.S.M., LIP CREAM, KURO, THE STALIN, etc.). Through mp3 blogs, and SYPHILITIC VAGINAS, I recently discovered the greatness of ZOUO, so when I saw TUNES FOR FUCKER Vol. 2 I had to grab it. Along with ZOUO's "The Final Agony" 7", TFF2 contains a TRANQUILIZER flexi, a MANBIKI CHOCOLATE 8", and G-SPOT's "Radical & Shout" 7". I really know nothing about any of these bands, but ZOUO sound very similar to G.I.S.M. (especially the vocals), and judging by the song titles have a Satanic lyrical direction. The 6 TRANQUILIZER tracks are blazingly fast walls of sheer distortion (lots of info re: TRANQUILIZER here). G-SPOT are kinda crappy Punk Rock that doesn't do much for me, but MANBIKI CHOCOLATE are killer, and easily my favourite of the 4 bands on TFF2. I'm gonna assume that all of these records are extremely rare, making TUNES FOR FUCKER Vol. 2 a pretty cool package.
DOWNLOAD: TunesForFuckerVol2.rar (77.45 MB)

MERCY • Session 1981 7"

Nuclear War Now! Productions 2007
Let this record stand as a reminder of all the things that are great about Metal! It bristles with an innocence and energy that is sorely lacking these days, and it's more memorable than the first time you got laid. Unlike MERCY's later output (I'm really only familiar with the "Witchburner" record), these recordings are steeped in the Metal/Rock tradition of "Hell Bent For Leather" era JUDAS PRIEST, and though "Witchburner" is phenomenal, these songs are better. Yeah the sound is kinda rough, but that only adds to the old-school charm. Along with the palpable PRIEST influence, THE BRATS' mix of Punk and NWOBHM, and MERCYFUL FATE's more rockin' early demo recordings, also come to mind. Impossible to pick a favourite, but "Shadow Woman" is spectacular, and for some reason when the glass starts breaking in "Dreams" I find it difficult to contain my excitement. It's quite surprising that MERCY aren't heralded as the great Metal pioneers they obviously were.
DOWNLOAD: Mercy-Session1981.rar (23.12 MB)