Fellow vinyl bloggers' RSD posts have come and gone weeks ago, which is fitting, as mine features no actual RSD exclusive vinyl. Ha! (although the trip did somehow end up with me securing a RSD release, but that's still in the post) Last Saturday was the first time since Record Store day that I've actually had chance to get out of the postal code I live in and get to a real life record store. The closest one to me that I know for sure sells a good selection of hardcore and metal is in Birmingham where you'll find Ignite Records. A small but well stocked independent ran by Rich Tandy who keeps a solid selection of predominantly punk, metal, emo and hardcore on the shelves. Ignite is located in a place called The Oasis Centre, a rabbit warren of small alt clothing shops and tattooists, that sort of thing. It's worth trekking through the maze to find Ignite, tucked away on the bottom floor. Rich (who also runs a label, more on that later) is a top dude and will usually hook you up with something solid. Ignite Records' full address is Level 2, Oasis Centre, 110-112 Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 6SX (that's UK by the way). Get down there if you're from round the way, or passing through. Anyway, here's what I found:
Firstly, Dead End Path's debut LP 'Blind Faith'. This was released last year by Triple B and was something I nearly picked up when I ordered the Bane repress. I never did though, and always thought when I listened to it on my ipod how much of an idiot that made me. So I snapped it up when I saw it on the shelf. From the now out of print 1st press too, happy days! Pressed on a blue/black swirl out of 330.
Iron Chic 'Shitty Rambo' 7". These guys do pop-punk right, featuring (among others) ex members of Latterman, who were also brilliant. Jaded, mature pop-punk, it sounds totally golden. Released on Dead Broke Rekerds in 2009 and this is also from a now out of print 1st press, on a mixed gray swirl out of 500.
Rot In Hell / Vegas split 6", from the 2nd press, or what I call the 'commonly available' press. The 1st press of this was inside the surprise mystery secret Organized Crime Records Halloween 2011 package which I got and wrote about here. So I'm an idiot for buying this again, but there we go. The 1st press was black, this is on yellow out of 300. There's similarities between the 2 pressings, the label art & insert are exactly the same and the outer pocket style sleeve is foil embossed with the band logo's which is a bit like the original wrap around sleeve. Same stuff, less detail basically. And no hand numbered wolf/flower art this time.
Douglas P worship.
And lastly, Napalm Death / Coalesce split. I wasn't gonna get this originally, Rich said he'd come across a copy but it was a bit beaten up. Sure enough the sleeve was a little too dog eared for my tastes, but while hunting for and failing to find £2 change for me, Rich said I could just take this for the difference. Fair deal. Yeah it's a bit battered, but both sides are total fucking rippers, which comes as no surprise.
Has Shane Embury ever not looked 57 years old?
So that's all I bought, but as we were chatting I mentioned how I do this vinyl blog and it turns out Rich reads it, making me feel like some sort of minor celebrity. So he chucked in a couple of the records he's recently put out on his label Speedowax, free of charge. Nice one man. First, Douglas / Deathbed split. I fucking love Douglas. A Welsh, energetic pop-punk band. They have these burts of technicality and noodly bits that make me think of Kinsella-related stuff. I'm sure they've split now, but these are 2 new songs. Not sure what the deal is there. On the reverse, a polar opposite. Deathbed are straight edge hardcore from Atlanta in the vein of Earth Crisis, Snapcase etc... Both of their tracks are total fucking stompers. Real good. This is an orange pressing, out of (I think) 2 different variations.
And lastly, the Snake Road 7", a numbered pre-order copy no less. These are from Philadelphia and play a really cool hybrid of D-beat, crusty Cursed-style hardcore with some of their own elements thrown in to, there's some nice little bluesy rock breaks that pop up. Feels pretty fresh, I'd expect big things.
You can listen to the Snake Road 7" and then download it for free here or buy both of these direct from Speedowax online here, or just go into Ignite and hit Rich up for a copy. His store is well worth a visit.