Roswell Project /// Stickfigurecarousel - 7inches

Double post! In this one you get two different downloads for two different bands.

Both of these bands I stumbled upon accidentally. Roswell Project by being intrigued by the artwork as it looked at me in a used bin, again at the great Dr. Strange Records. When I looked at the thanks list, I decided the record was worth a two dollar risk and at worst i got some cool artwork. I wasn't disappointed. Screaming, pissed, anguished hardcore from so cal. circa the late 90's. Yeah, I'd call it screamo. Good stuff and definitely track it down if you can. The last song bums me out almost every time. Great song though.

Roswell Project - 7inch (download)

*at the time I upped this, I hadn't added the artwork to the zip file. All scans for the Roswell Project 7inch can be found HERE

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Next is Stickfigurecarousel. Now, this band I had at least heard of before finding this 7inch in the used bin at another local shop, Red Planet (ne. CD World). I knew that Chad Stroup was in the band and that they were part of the second wave of "the San Diego bands" meaning, post Unbroken.

This two song 7inch comes packaged really nicely. It all folds out with little windows cut in the front and back sections to show other pictures through them. Nice, hard card stock for the whole thing and two songs that deliver chaotic, equal amounts of mid-90's screamo/emo. Infused with just enough of what made bands like Heroin, Indian Summer, & Saetia great- the band mixes things nicely.

They have at least two other releases, I believe three if you include the split 7inch, which I have never seen or heard. If anyone owns these, mp3's of them, or wants to swap - DEFINITELY get ahold of me. (I own the As The Sun Sets comp they were on). Thanks.

Stickfigurecarousel - Bastille 7inch (Download)

*I havent scanned this record yet. This is being posted because it accompanies the Roswell Project record nicely and a I promised a friend I would up it since he keeps hearing about them and hasn't heard them yet*

Hot Cross - Live on WLUW

Hot Cross was formed from the ashes of many well noted screamo bands, which set high standards of what the band would produce as a singular musical unit. Unfortunately, for most the expectations they held of a cookie cutter repeat of their previous bands (Sateia, Neil Perry, you and i, & Joshua Fit For Battle) would lead to a dislike of what Hot Cross would do.

Their first ep "A New Set of Lungs" set the pace both lyrically & musically and outlined a new band with a new sound that was going to operate independently of any expectations that others had of them. Forgone was much of the noisy, chaotic sounds of previous bands; in place was very well textured guitar parts with running leads dueling each other over less refined riffs. The guitar execution of the band helped set the band above, and maybe unfortunately, apart.

Also gone were singer Billy's impassioned & awkward screams- in place was a new voice- not unfamiliar, but rather just new. A cleaner voice that screams, sings, and talks along with vocal help from different members again gives the band a textured sound. Bass and drum round out a full sound with such utter perfection that its hard to not consider the possibility of them being robots.

The ferocity felt on the first ep was channeled into a much more lyrical anger backed by the aforementioned musical layering. Still enough piss and energy to go around, but when the "Cryonics" lp came out, many of those who liked Hot Cross began to tune out. Some of us though, listened closer.
"Fair Trades & Fairwells" ep came next. Mostly fast, dueling guitars, but still boasting a full and intricate sound- the previous output seemed to collide into one small record. All along a few split 7inches came out that tow the line between Cryonics and Prepare/Repair. Then came the departure of one singer and recording an album twice, the second time with said departed guitarist.

"Risk Revival" came out and took another step. Gloomy and with a more standard sound, a last step that pushed even more away. Even though its my least favorite Hot Cross record, its still a great record with some real gems and a lot of other good tracks on it. Sadly, at this point Hot Cross would go on an indefinite hiatus that they are still currently on.

Much, if not all of their stuff is still in print. Level Plane records carries a lot of it. Aside from that material there is this live set from WLUW radio. It offers an alright mix of songs (all great songs, just not much from Cyronics). This set predates Risk Revival. The quality is great.

Enjoy & excuse the long story.

Hot Cross - Live on WLUW (download)

Level Plane Records
Hot Cross Myspace Page



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Now playing: Hot Cross - Vacant (demo)
via FoxyTunes

Strain - Cataract / Turn the Tide 7inch

At the request and assistance of the ever awesome Andy Kid (thanks for loaning me the record) this 7inch is coming to you. Heavy, Angry, and so very 90's. Strain is all things a band from their time ('92-'97) should have been. Hailing from the great white north of Canada and releasing much of their stuff on a German label has helped keep this band some what of a semi-forgotten treasure. And so, its a true pleasure to offer up this little 2-song gem. It was their third 7inch and in my opinion finds them first really coming into their own. Heavy hardcore (predating metalcore) with (no pun intended) strained vocals soaked through in anger. Members went on to bands such as By A Thread & member Eric has had a long running radio show up north called Flex Your Head.

Enjoy (scans of front, back, and insert included in download).

Strain - Cataract / Turn the Tide 7inch (download)

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Now playing: The Spectacle - Angel's Choir
http://foxytunes.com/artist/the+spectacle/track/angel's+choir

Quicksand - Divorce / Voice Killer 7inch

Quicksand came out of the ashes of a multitude of prominent hardcore bands from the late 80's/early 90's (Burn, Absolution, Beyond, Bold, Gorilla Biscuits). Led by GB guitarist Walter Schriefels, they took a lead role in developing the sound of Post-Core and leaving an influence that is still widely felt in music today.

Equal parts hardcore, indie, punk, and innovative, they blended a sound that could have a menacing musical sound while being perfectly layered with guitar hooks and clean vocals that cut through it all.

They did an EP, 2 LP's and a multitude of singles/promos and have a wide assortment of other tracks floating around. They even began a third album before dissolving for good amid internal tensions.

This 7inch is one of the aforementioned promos, containing one track (divorce) from their second lp & Voice Killer, an otherwise unreleased B-Side. Enjoy.


Quicksand - Divorce/ Voice Killer 7inch (Download)

Quicksand WIKI Page

Moral Straightjacket

... My apologies, my laptop has been a pain the last week or so and it's prevented me from uploading much. I just got up the Collision demo (see directly below post) and I'll work on some more this weekend. I'm in the process of copying all my things and preparing to reinstall the OS, so bare with me as I use the PC which has almost none of the files on it. FUUUUN.