Friday, December 27, 2013

Stay punk, stay weird

Alright, this here is update #2.  These are the things that I have coming up out in the next couple months. So much awesome stuff. 

REALITY #016 - Rubrics/Abolitionist Split 7" - This is already at the plant and should be out any time now. There are a ton of labels helping out, and I'm only getting a small amount of these, but you should definitely pick one up, because both bands fucking rule.

REALITY #017 - xWill Powerx/Giz Medium Split CS - Ok, this may be a bit off my norm, but I think it's really good, so fuck it.  This is a "folk-punk" split between two friends of mine.  Both Will (who also plays in Closet Burner) and Giz (of Xtra-Medium) play stripped down heartfelt songs about being alive and being lost.  They each cover one of each others songs also.  These are the types of songs that scream along to when you are by yourself (or at least I do).

REALITY #018 - CHUD - Demo CS - A repressing of CHUD's demo they put out last winter... and it still fucking rules.  CHUD is a hardcore band, but they don't sound like most hardcore bands.  I'm not really sure how to describe it.. to me it sorta sounds like the Minutemen or Dead Milkmen but more raw and intense.  These guys are keeping punk weird, and, for that, they fucking rule.

REALITY #019 - Butt Piss - S/T CS - Another reissue here.  This was only out on CD-R previously, and I'm pretty sure the band only played like two shows after the CD was finished, which is a shame.  Butt Piss's line-up features Jon from Rat Storm and Closet Burner (and Reality is a Cult) on drums,  Jonathan, who now plays bass in Closet Burner, on vocals, as well as an array of other Bloomington long-time punx and thrashers.  This is trashy skate punk played fucking right.  I'm reissuing it on a pretty limited run of cassettes with screen-printed J-cards - grab it while you can because the band is long gone, and this is probably your last time to pick up this gem of Bloomington, IN punk history.

REALITY #020 - This is getting its own update... so you'll have to wait.

REALITY #021 - Marc Antony/D'amore Split CS - Okay, so here is another reissue of a record that never really got a proper release.  These songs were recorded for a split vinyl that got ordered back in like 2005 and almost pressed but some strange array of problems caused it to never actually happen.  It's really too bad because this is some of the best work by these two bands.  Marc Antony also features Jon (Rat Storm/Closet Burner) on drums, but this is back in his California days of playing frantic technical emo.  I think most people would call Marc Antony a screamo band... it's DIY, they took their politics seriously, and it's great.  The D'amore side is similarly crushing technical emo/screamo/what-have-you (I refuse to use the word skramz, sorry).  Members of D'amore went on to form the much better known bands Towers, Algernon Cadwallalder, Peter & Craig, plus many others - however, for fans of any of those bands, you really should pick this up - it's a few great tracks that were sadly lost to pressing plant woes, finally available for your mass consumption.  I'll have them up and streaming soon.

REALITY #022 - Nuclear Hellfrost -Bestial Grinding Carnage Flexi 7" - This band is pure grinding DIY black metal from  Ft. Wayne.  I haven't heard the tracks that are going on this yet, but the artwork is fucking perfect and everything these guys have done rules.  The recordings are being finished right now and I'll have them up and streaming very soon.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

PUNX GONNA PUNX

I have been neglecting my internet presence really badly, but it's ok - I've been busy making music, putting out music, and teaching physics.  What day do I pick to stop neglecting the internet?... christmas, of course! Anyway, I'm gonna do this update in a few parts over a few days.  This first part is the catching up.





First of all - I'm back in Galesburg, IL.
It's cold and there's not a lot going on, but that's no matter - PUNX ALWAYS GONNA PUNX!



The two releases that were up for pre-order over the summer - Falter - Descent 7" and We Must Dismantle All This - Decathect 12" - are actually here and shipping out.  They also are both really fucking awesome releases.  If you haven't given them a listen, you really need to.  Both of them are streaming at http://realityisacult.bandcamp.com.  Sorry they stayed in "pre-order" for so long, various delays and general laziness on my part are to blame.





Also, at the end of the summer the Occultonomy - Demo CS was released.  This is a weird little tape crammed with 9 songs in about 8 minutes focusing on important topics like bigfoot, skateboarding, and ufo sightings.  If you order the tape you get a free "Sasquatch the State" patch that features my favorite imagery I have ever come up with.




And lastly, but probably the most exciting for me.  Just last month the new Rat Storm - Empty Hands 7" came out!  This is my favorite Rat Storm release to date.  It was recorded by the almighty Carl Byers of Coffinworm and it just right. This was co-released with IFB Records and Profane Existence.  The band members have been long-time fans of/influenced by Profane Existence, so it is very exciting to be teaming up with them for this release.  It is also being released as #12 in the Profane Existence 2013 Single Series!  Give it a listen and if you buy it before Jan. 1st, you can get a rad deal where you get a T-Shirt with it for only a couple bucks more.

Okay - another update soon with everything that is going to be coming out in the next few months.  THERE IS A LOT!