YAPHET KOTTO-The Killer Was In The Government Blankets-LP (Alternate Review from DS website) After this band's 7", I was worried that this might stink. Not that the single was bad or anything, just that sometimes a band can put out a good 7" and not be able to sustain the drive or quality throughout an LP. This is not one of those bands. Combing the emo genre for innovative bits and pieces,but cranking it up to the hardcore level. Thoughtful lyrics, solid packaging, another winner from Ebullition. Shut up and go purchase this in mass quantites.
(Ebullition Records)

HAYMAKER-demo (Alternate Review from DS website) This review is essentially a heads up to anyone that cares about hardcore these days, that you will soon be buying some record by these fellows. If you cared for CHOKEHOLD, LEFT FOR DEAD or even THE SWARM, you will like this. Early 90's straight edge hardcore, with the current/retro mid 80's thrashy sound. Lots of songs; dealing with cops, religion and smashing shit (which is an epidemic around here and certainly a quick way to not be able to play any venue). And a half decent REAGAN YOUTH cover. See it soon on ebay.
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FANSHEN/STORMSHADOW split LP (Alternate Review from DS website) FANSEN have a split personality. Part foam at the mouth speedy hardcore, part sensitive sweater vest emo. And with 17 songs on their side, you can tell that if you don't like one, another one will be along shortly. STORMSHADOW (were they named after the evil ninja in GI Joe?) remind me of the early Lookout bands like MONSULA or a little bit like SCREECHING WEASEL. Punk rock with melodies and sometimes a female vocalist (who's also the guitarist). Both bands are political and appear to be genuine. Good stuff, and it comes with a large, thick booklet with the lyrics and various other political statements.
(9 Volt)

KILL THE MAN WHO QUESTIONS-Sugar Industry LP (Alternate Review from DS website) Reminiscent of mid-80's hardcore like MDC without the country, polka, and folk tunes. In fact, MDC isn't a bad comparison at all, both bands are political and sincere. KILL THE MAN WHO QUESTIONS also has a dual vocal setup, switching off between female and male vocals. The lyrics are what make this release shine though, intelligent, provocative and really a step above the rest. A sign that the band is confident in what they say. As always with Coalition, the design and layout are top notch.
(Coalition Records)

COUNTDOWN TO OBLIVION- Brain Surgery For Beginners 7" EP (Alternate Review from DS website) Maybe I haven't expressed my distaste for wank-metal enough, and this was put out just for me to be able to express such a distaste again. Metallic riffs and solos good enough for any 80's wank metal band. Sure, the rest of the band seem to like hardcore enough to play it as if it were the mid-80's and mid-tempo, but considering this could be the best band in Toronto, this is very disappointing. Live they sounded nothing like thisŠ I'm confused at how a good band live, can be so metallic, enough to drive me to harp on it for most of a review, on a record. The cover art on the other hand, makes up for the metal quotient and that's a good thing.
(Deranged Records)

THE RED SCARE/ORCHID split 7" EP (Alternate Review from DS website) THE RED SCARE song sounds exactly like all the other RED SCARE songs I've heard, and that would normally be a bad thing, except I like the songs so take that for what itıs worth. SHOTMAKER and FOUR HUNDRED YEARS come to mind as I've already referred to them in some other review of theirs. ORCHID impress me more than they have before with that new school mid-80's hardcore revival mixed with the better parts of screamo violence or whatever it's being called this week. I actually dug the second song, and the third "song" with piano and guitar is a throwaway track that should've been on an LP or something. There's only so much space to impress people, y'know what I mean? Who the fuck cares about it? It's frivolous and wasteful and pretty much self indulgent. Fuck that, give me rock.
(Hand.Held.Heart)

CHRIST ON PARADE-Insanity Is A Sane Reaction-2XLP (Alternate Review from DS website) Compiling their LP, both the "Avarice" 7" and the "Isnıt Life A Dream" 7", plus some previously unreleased demo tracks took three years? At least it exists. As a response from the former band members to the bootleg discography (which has the "Sounds Of Nature" 12" on it), this is better. I was hoping for more out of the demo tracks, but my expectations were really high for this; CHRIST ON PARADE was the first contemporary hardcore band I had heard; before that my exposure to hardcore was relegated to CIRCLE JERKS, THE EXPLOITED and BLACK FLAG. But CHRIST ON PARADE were together at the time I was listening to all that! That means punk rock and hardcore ain't some history lesson! Basically, this band has proven how far ahead of their time they were, I could probably play their LP for an unsuspecting new school kid and it could easily slip in besides the modern hardcore being played today. The singles (which take up sides 3 and 4 along with the demo tracks) are great treats, songs that I'm not well acquainted with but are strikingly familiar. I wish that they did more with the inserts and had a different cover (the label that was on one of the sides of the LP as your cover?), something closer to the hand written lyrics sheet seems would be more in keeping with the original work. Same goes for the one insert sheet which has band member information (ie. who played what on which record) and the four flyers and dozens of photos (all on one double sided page). On green translucent vinyl.
(FOAD Records)