PRE-HOLIDAY SALE HAPPENING NOW!

Beating that holiday rush! Between now and Thanksgiving go to either the Hex webstore, or the bandcamp, and save 20% on your whole order using the code 'PORTLAND'. Now that I'm settled into my new place I've gotta get rid of some of this stuff and what better way than to sell it to you. So think ahead and get a gift for someone you love, which will likely be gifts for yourself. I won't judge. Go here: http://hexrecords.bigcartel.com/products or here:
https://hexrecords.bandcamp.com/

CLOSING SHOP FROM 10/24/17-11/6/17 PSA

Just as a head's up I won't be doing any label business between Tuesday Oct. 24th- Monday, Nov. 6th because I'm moving across the dang country, and getting settled in my new home. So if you want to order anything the next couple of days would be the best time. Otherwise you'll have to wait a couple weeks for me to send orders out. Cool? Thanks. http://hexrecords.bigcartel.com/products

REVIEWS FOR OCTOBER!

It has been a wild last few months.  I've traveled everywhere, seen tons of shows, done lots of stuff and now that summer is over and fall is kicking in I am moving across the country, so truly, there is no rest for the wicked.  And now that that crazy moving sale I had is over I can leave readers with this- a batch of reviews covering probably the best couple of months this year so far for new music before I bail out.  I tend to be someone who favors spotlighting new bands that I find interesting, rather than pining for the past.  But I have to say, several reunion bands made some pretty excellent music worth talking about.  And, of course, Unsane never broke up, they just went on pause for a few years and have come back to remind you why they own heavy, mean-spirited music.

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BIG HUSH, “Spirit/ Wholes”

People from Pygmy Lush go for broke with a variety of songs that collects two separate EPs onto one record.  The first half evokes heavy-duty shoegaze vibes with wispy male/female vocals, like Swervedriver meets the Breeders.  “Cold Shoulder” sounds like the whole song is going in reverse, and sounds more like an experiment in writing a cool song and trying out bizarre effects pedals.  “Cough”, strangely enough rips the first riff from “Iron Man” and then turns it into a lackadaisical jam that could have been a B-side on “Last Splash”.  Opener “Soft Eyes” is the standout song on the whole record with it’s more upbeat tempo and catchy lead, and it goes right into another very upbeat song (“Pay To Play”) that keeps things moving along.  However, once you move into the second half of the album (or, second EP), “Wholes”, it’s a far more restrained affair, considerably mellower, but almost as enjoyable.  There’s a bit more of a twangy element to it and focused a bit more on the vocal interplay…  almost, dare I say, alt-country (yuck, what a weird-sounding term).  Still, I really like it.  So I definitely think people who like Pygmy Lush will really love this as well, even though it is a bit different than that.  (Robotic Empire)

BURN, “Do Or Die”

I heard that first single from this record and was pretty turned off.  It was not very good.  Luckily, that’s the one clunker on this record.  It’s not that it’s even a terrible song; it just has a few too many parts that don’t work all that well together.  But for those looking for “Shall Be Judged” over and over again look elsewhere.  It’s been over 25 years, if these guys didn’t change somewhat in that time than I’d say they haven’t grown much as humans, which is kind of sad.  Yet what remains the same is the fact that Chaka has the energy of a teenager, Gavin Van Vleck continues to write some of the most forward-thinking hardcore/noise/inventive riffs around, and that new rhythm section is still as tight as anyone the group have had in their ranks in the past.  For those who truly pine for times past I’d say a good half of the record retains some of that faster, strangely melodic, and weirdly aggressive hardcore that the band is known for…  just recorded much better and bigger.  Two old songs have been re-recorded, but they feel really unnecessary since they both sound fine in their original forms.  And then you get a few songs that work in a new and different way, and a couple that don’t work all that well.  All in all, for a band that has, in a way, re-invented themselves two decades later (despite the handful of reunions over the years) they’re pulling it off pretty good I’d say.  Heck, the packaging on this sucker is worth the price alone.  If you end up not enjoying this you can just stare at it for hours with how ridiculously awesome it looks.  (Deathwish)

CLOAKROOM, “Time Well”

I’ve really been looking forward to this one and I have to say I’m pretty pleased.  It’s kind of a grower because it’s lacking some of that instant gratification (which is a relative term considering the rather glacial pace this band’s songs tend to flow) that was present on songs like “Moon Funeral” and “Starchild Skull” from their last LP, “Further Out”.  Still, those tones remain ridiculously awesome and sludgy as all get out while the shoegaze-y melodies throw an atmospheric haze over the whole thing.  Additionally, this record plays around a little more with some otherworldly psychedelic songs that have an almost Pink Floyd-ish aura to them (“Hymnal” and “Sickle Moon Blues”).  The entire first half of the record stays a little closer to what people sort of expect, at this point, from Cloakroom and they do so quite fantastically.  “Big World” and “Concrete Gallery” tend to be the best examples of this and contain some of the slowest, heaviest, riff-iest moments on the entire record.  Plus, unlike “Further Out” where it didn’t quite feel like a full length exactly due to some interludes passing for full songs, “Time Well” is almost a whole hour of music with not a single dud on the whole record.  So, hat’s off to them.  I think I personally may be a little more partial to a couple of my favorite songs from the last LP, but this is certainly a worthwhile follow-up. (Relapse)

METZ, “Strange Peace”

Heck yeah, Metz.  I’d like to think they have matured in a sense, or tried some new things on this record.  Aside from it not being named “III”, that’s not really the case.  It’s just another pile of amazing, total hearing-devastating, non-stop crazy noise rock gems.  They rolled with Albini to record this one and most would say he’s a master at capturing a band’s live sound.  Well, this record sounds fucking amazing, huge, and dirgy, like there’s some studio magic going on.  But I’m guessing that this is just what all these songs sound exactly like live.  There’s still plenty of weird guitar effects (the opening riff on “Drained Lake” being a good example), catchy garage rock on speed (lead single “Cellophane”), some strange interlude-like creepy melodic songs (like “Sink” and “Caterpillar”), and absolute rippers (“Dig a Hole”, “Mr. Plague”).  I think my favorite song here, though, is the mid-way point “Lost In the Blank City”- it’s relatively slow, massive heave and gigantic riffs just lure you right in for 4 and a half minutes of bliss.  Metz have just really nailed it.  Not only are they one of the most electrifying live bands in the world right now but they manage to pull the grungy aesthetic of Nirvana, the strange inventiveness of Drive Like Jehu, a metric ton of nervous tension/anxiety, and a wild catchiness that goes unmatched.  (Sub Pop)

MODERN PSYCHICS, "Paid Vacation Time" demo

After the split of Albany’s weirdo crunchy post-hardcore band Throat Culture a couple of the members have re-emerged as Modern Psychics, who have a decidedly far less hardcore sound to them.  However, there are tidbits of their writing style present, such as vocalist Seth Eggleston’s raspy shout.  But the music takes a turn for faster beats and catchier riffs.  The band certainly pines for some Wipers-style garage punk, yet I think they lean a little dirtier, slightly heavier.  Regardless, it’s a fun debut and I feel like they’re onto something cool with this so hopefully they keep it up. (Modern Psychics)

THOUGHTS OF IONESCO, “Skar Cymbals”

Reunions abound everywhere.  I tend to be interested when bands that were absolutely crushing, but severely underrated in their time come back years later when no one outside of their immediate hometown remember them because they really have nothing to prove by making a return.  There’s really no pressure.  Thoughts Of Ionesco are one of those bands.  Hailing from Detroit they released a handful of records between the late 90’s and early ought’s before totally imploding from their own insanity.  I saw them once and it was one of the most visceral and threatening things ever, how these three individuals could so outright hate the world and themselves while still ripping some weird, ugly melding of hardcore, noise rock, prog and jazz improvisations…  like if “Hard Volume”-era Rollins Band did cheap drugs and worshipped both Miles Davis and Dazzling Killmen.  It hurts to listen to, like in a good way.  And then you wonder how the fuck they pulled off that drum fill and Voivod-esque fret run while screaming like someone’s shoving forks in their eyes.  So yeah, a dozen years or so pass and they just up and decide to record a few more songs and play a single show.  That’s the way to do it.  And I gotta say, the three tracks on the A-side of this slab do a pretty good job of reminding you all why Ionesco was nothing to fuck with.  This material fits in perfectly with anything from “And Then There Was Motion” to “For Detroit, From Addiction”.  The B-side, on the other hand, is the band getting weirder than ever.  It’s a single 13 minute track that is kind of broken into 4 parts that range from an improv jam, to a sort of spaghetti Western sort of dusty, bluesy thing, to shoehorning a re-recording of “… And None Were Human” (arguably their most well-known song) randomly in there, and back to some strange noise experiment.  I don’t really get why that was done in that way, or why they re-recorded that one song, but it’s not my place to attempt to understand.  All I know is this is a seriously weird and violent, yet astoundingly talented band that deserves your attention.  (Corpse Flower)

UNSANE, “Sterilize”

It’s an Unsane record, what do you think I’m going to say?  My love for this band is about as predictable as the guarantee that this will be louder and meaner than just about anything else you hear this year.  Unsane have never relented in their mission to be violent, grimy, and unpleasant to your eardrums.  They may take several years between albums and tours, but they always eventually come back to do more damage and their consistency in delivering quality records never ceases to amaze me.  Now what I say next may sound disparaging, but I mean it in the most sincere way- you could take any of the last four Unsane albums and make a mix and you would swear it was all the same album.  That’s really not a bad thing because every one of the songs on this, and those previous albums, are great.  Unsane kind of write the same song over and over but it’s a really good song, so I have no complaints.  Their earlier material, especially from “Total Destruction” to the landmark “Scattered, Smothered, and Covered”, and onto “Occupational Hazard” showed true evolution of the band where you could hear how they slowly honed in on recording and production techniques to truly capture their sound adequately.  They also played with different tempos more on those records with some glacially slow pummeling songs (“Get Off My Back”), as well as upbeat, faster songs (“Committed”).  But once they got to albums like “Blood Run” they tended to settle into a tempo that has worked for them and a recording style that captured them perfectly and they have rode that wave ever since.  And it’s damn good.  “Sterilize” continues this tradition, particularly on lead single “Aberration”, the slow and violent swing of “Lung”, and the crawling swell-and-crush of closer “Avail”.  Drummer Vinny Signorelli never overcomplicates things, making sure the beat is steady and the bludgeoning is precise.  Dave Curran has a better bass tone than just about anyone and uses it to drag his sludgy riffs through muck and through your dang face.  Chris Spencer is the serrated knife, chopping through the guts with bluesy riffs, stabbing jolts, and gigantic gouges across the songs; his voice a static howl blasting spit and sweat at anyone in the front three rows.  They know what the fuck they’re doing and have been doing it better than anyone for close to 30 years at this point. Unsane never fail to disappoint and that’s why they are the forever undisputed kings of noise rock.  Bow down, so your head doesn’t get blown clean off.  (Southern Lord)

HEX RECORDS MOVING SALE!

MOVING SALE!!!   At the end of October I will be moving out to the Portland, OR area and before then I need to get rid of a bunch of stuff.  That's where you, dear reader, come in.
Tons of stuff up in the store- LPs for $5-8, CDs 10 for $10, LP package deals, 7" package deals, cheap shirts, some old tapes/cassette lots, selling off a few test presses (someone will get a free one in their order too!), and I even managed to dig up some copies of zines I did back in '95 before Hex even began. Cringe worthy. This is running from 9/20-9/30, so get to it. * most of these deals I can only afford to ship within the U.S. so sorry to internationals.
 http://hexrecords.bigcartel.com/products

GRIZZLOR NEW LP UP FOR PRE-ORDER NOW!

New Haven, CT's own weirdo noise rock trio, GRIZZLOR, offer up their brand new and first full-length album, "Destructoid", after releasing a small collection of EPs and splits thus far. The band, having formed in 2014, now venture into the land of full-lengths and are more bummed out and irritated than ever.

In preparation for this gargantuan release they are offering up the first single from this new LP over at New Noise Magazine.  Go check out the song, "Too Many People" over HERE.

Once you've done that you can continue the misanthropic feelings by ordering the new record either through the Hex webstore HERE, or via our bandcamp page.

"Destructoid" is a 29 minute glimpse into the reality that is GRIZZLOR, spewed out through a barrage of sharp angular riffs, aggressively pummeled rhythms and vocals spit through a wall of misanthropic fuzz. Just when you think things can't get any worse, GRIZZLOR returns to remind you that it always can. "Destructoid" is the center point where THE JESUS LIZARD, MELVINS and DRUNKS WITH GUNS meet with finality.

Pressed onto 300 copies, split evenly between the following colors:
150- black
150- clear yellow
State your preference if you like.

* international orders are better off rolling with www.mvdshop.com for better international shipping rates*

NEW REVIEWS FOR JULY

I am compulsively going through all my seven inches, of which there is likely about 500, trying to see what I want to siphon off from my life, and in the process I have listened to most of them to assure myself if I want to keep them or not.  Is that obsessive?  Well, somewhere in that mess I managed to listen to and read a bunch of new stuff too.  So here it is.

FOTOCRIME, “Always Hell” 7”

After Coliseum quietly called it a day after over 10 years together Ryan Patterson really wasted no time in organizing a new project where he is essentially the sole songwriter and musician.  However, this is far from a solo lonely guy with a guitar type project.  This follows a steady path that one could see as a logical evolution of what Coliseum was doing towards the end.  Just as each Coliseum record moved slowly in a post-punk type direction this new project, Fotocrime, seems to fully realize it and gives heavy nods to those Killing Joke and goth-y vibes you kind of figured Patterson would eventually roll with anyway.  On this 7” his playing and vocal style are still present (along with stark socio-political lyrics), but a little more use of background textured synth is utilized, along with a drum machine in place of a person.  It presents a different air of presentation and a new direction in terms of production and recording style.  As with nearly everything Patterson has done in the last few years it’s a bit of a grower, but once it gets in my head a bit I tend to really enjoy it.  Apparently the live version of this band is pretty damn exciting, so not only am I happy to see the man still in the game, but also taking a chance on something he is passionate about that might be a tough sell to old school fans.  It’s a good start.  (self-released)

GREEN SLIME, s/t

This duo is comprised of Eric and Blake Ellman, who have played both individually and together in every Buffalo band ever.  Their rap sheet on past bands is nothing short of prolific.  So, naturally, aside from being brothers, they have a pretty instinctual feel for playing together.  This little project of theirs combines a monster dose of thick-as-molasses rock that fits somewhere between the non-shitty Weezer stuff, Torche, and Sugar (or at least the songwriting style of Bob Mould and his various projects).  I’m quite into it because it’s really easy to get into and exceptionally catchy while still keeping it pretty chunky and riffy. (Ruby Disc)

GT/ NULL split live LP

I’ve spoken at length about Null.  On this they have four live songs culled from their already known releases (plus one new song), and they’re almost indistinguishable from the studio recordings.  They play slow, heavy, but melodic (mostly in the vocals) songs that bring to mind bands like True Widow, Floor, and Cloakroom.  However, instead of bass they use synth, but it sounds so deep and heavy you really wouldn’t know the difference.  I’ll pretty much consume whatever this band releases.  GT are, from what I can gather, a regional Alabama band that is kind of bluesy rock, but with a slight punk vibe and a dark swagger.  Think maybe Vincas, but less noise rock, Hot Snakes minus as much personality.  Their tracks are also live, and again, they play real tight and get a good recording so you really can’t tell.  This was a Record Store Day release (meh), but focused more regionally as benefit for a local charity (Girls Rock Birmingham), which is awesome.  It made it more fun tracking this one down.   (Seasick Records)

INTEGRITY, “Howling, For the Nightmare Shall Consume”

At this point I’m going to say that Integrity is kind of Dom Romeo.  He pretty much went from being their #1 fan, to playing in several bands that heavily sounded like Integrity, to being in Integrity.  And he has written a pretty solid Integrity record.  Honestly, I have not kept up with all the various Integrity stuff since “Humanity Is the Devil”.  This record weighs in heavily with more galloping thrash and speed metal type stuff, and a little less on the meat-y breakdowns of old material (save for “I Am the Spell”).  Of course, there are solos everywhere, almost non-stop.  “String Up My Teeth” is a strong departure and will likely throw off long time fans with it’s kooky backing vocals, but hey, after 20 plus years you gotta try something new, right?  The thing that has always kind of bothered me about Integrity though is the adulation thrown at their frontman, as if he is some sort of great visionary.  And instead of being upfront about admitting that, “hey, I’m just the singer” the dude seems to bask in the glory.  He’s the singer.  He’s not writing the music.  The Melniks laid the groundwork and a backing band has worshipped that style ever since.  Dwid basically has to just give the OK to other people writing music that sounds like Integrity.  That’s it.  So if you liked Integrity before you will enjoy this.  Dom Romeo put together a good band that wrote some solid jams for the dude from Integrity to sing on.  (Relapse)

OUT OF BODY, “Voiceless”

Feel good record of the year?  It’s quite possible.  I’ve been jamming on this album since probably late last year, awaiting its eventual release into the wild, and it surely delivers.  Out Of Body are the little secret from Austin, TX that isn’t so secret anymore now that they’re on the road a lot more and getting some deserved attention.  Their take on 90’s-era post-hardcore is informed as much by standard bearers like Quicksand and Shift as it is by more alternative-rock champions like Failure, Far, and Smashing Pumpkins.  There’s as much emphasis on groove and riffs as there is on spacey melody and uplifting vocals.  And I know I’m a predictable sort, so since it has the best qualities of the aforementioned groups of reference I’m all over this like your weird aunt getting a tarot reading at a psychic fair.  The only small downside is that all four of the songs that appeared on their demo from last year are also on this and I was hoping for some additional new material.  Still, you get a total of 10 jams to rock your socks off for the rest of this year.  After that they better deliver some new stuff, so help me.  (Coin Toss Records)

POST/BOREDOM, “Casual Friday” demo

Pacific Northwest homies invoke spirits of their regional brethren in the form of Harkonen’s more chunky smashiness and These Arms Are Snakes more caustic/less artsy (less snarky?) moments, with a good dash of all out noise rockin’ drive.  Naturally, there is a good sense of humor going on, what with song titles such as “Chef Goldblum” and “Buttmans Bathole” to keep things in check and the pretty cover painting of the band.  Give ‘em a chance, let them be your friend.  (ConditionsRecords)

RIOT STARES, “Let the Phase Speak” 7”

Here is another band that is taking many cues from 90’s hardcore in a great way.  They totally nail the sound Snapcase was coming out with on “Progression Through Unlearning”, which, at the time, was a great combination of their chunky, pinch-harmonic mosh-y hardcore, and something a little more upbeat and rocking.  To be honest, I’m surprised there aren’t more bands out these days that do stuff like this.  Snapcase was fucking huge when that record dropped.  I guess these South Carolina cats picked up on that in a big way and I suppose they’re getting in on the ground floor of that particular revival niche.  The two new songs on this seven inch progress the style they started with on their debut 7” last year and it’s pretty damn good.  They blow the roof off things with the B-side, which is a cover of Cast Iron Hike’s, “Boxed”, an absolute crusher from an very overlooked band who dropped one amazing record almost 20 years ago and then called it quits.  I’m exceptionally happy to see a new band draw some attention to that and hopefully people will explore more for themselves.  Here’s to more from this new-ish exciting band who obviously have good taste.  (Bitter Melody/ Speedowax)

SCRAPS COMIX,  Paul Rentler

An art zine full of off the wall pop culture mash-up’s with photocopy hell, melting faces, and the arcane.  Paul Rentler has an exciting style where random ephemera from every niche of popular culture collides in strange collages pairing everything from my childhood (and before) to create fantastic new spontaneously combusting monsters.  Bart Simpson’s aura exploding with the original X-Men, a stock image of a 50’s housewife fainting and the equally terrified specter of Slimer rising from her soul while the Hamburgler makes off with a skull, Orko the ghost (floating dwarf wizard?) being exorcised of actual ghosts, Garfield bursting out of Alice in Wonderland’s face petrified like he is boggled by the terror inside, Mayor McCheese rescues a buxom beach babe from snakes while dreaming of Robocop.  It’s a freaky head trip of roughly photocopied madness, cobbled together to form collages that are like all the random reference material of Craphound in a cross-dimensional rift with every back page comic book ad from the last five decades.  Give me more.  (paulrentler.com)

GRIZZLOR, "Destructoid" COMING SOON!

The new GRIZZLOR record is fast approaching.  Tune in soon for a new track and pre-order info.  In the meantime, here's a little teaser.