Samstag, 29. Juni 2019

bolt thrower - realm of chaos (grindcrushing splatter series)

next step towards a full earache grindcrushing splatter vinyl collection. it feels like i am really getting there. this time it is a heavy hitter from the list, my favourite bolt thrower album "realm of chaos" from 1989. i already have a first press copy on black vinyl in collection because of the booklet and all (read about it here) but always fancied this colour version because i am like that. i saw copies go on ebay for over seventy euros and when i saw this buy-it-now auction starting at eighty quid or so, i thought it was no different.
stumbling upon the auction regularly, i recognised the gradually drop in price and that made me curious. i took a closer look and could tell from the sloppy presentation that the seller whether didn't really have a clue what he was selling or simply didn't care enough. for example there was just one picture of the cover of the record. one could not see if it was a gatefold or if it had an insert or booklet or nothing. not even the actual vinyl was to be seen, only the hype sticker indicated the coloured vinyl.
when the price dropped to fourty bucks i really began to consider buying the record. i e-mailed the seller asking for more photos. the he turned out to be a she and she told me that she was no expert (really?!) but could not see anything wrong with the vinyl. i pulled the trigger and am really happy i did. the record is in great condition and sounds awesome. it doesn't come with the booklet but i doubt the pressing had booklets anyway. never saw one included. just three more to go, i believe (carcass, nocturnus and another napalm death). earache records. 1989/1991.

Dienstag, 18. Juni 2019

born of osiris - the simulation

just like the new fallujah album this was another record high on my wantlist for new releases this year and was equally hard to get. i actually pre-ordered via jpc in last year's december with a release date in mid january 2019. i was surprised because even the u.s. version had an in-store date for march. as expected the release date got postponed to early april. in april jpc delayed the date another time - may the e-mail said.
in may they finally cancelled my order saying that the record couldn't be delivered anymore. ok, i searched for an other option. emp mailorder offered the record with one week of delivery time. nothing after one week and still nothing after two weeks. this time i was the one to cancel the order. again mecodu, a commercial seller on amazon, came to my rescue. one week after i placed the order the actual vinyl arrived at my house eventually.
musically i am blown away by this new record. after "the discovery" there was no born of osiris record which i didn't like but there was also no record that came close to the aforementioned masterpiece. well, "the simulation" does come close. the right mixture of heaviness, virtuosity, melody and electronical atmosphere. sensational! the euro edition comes on white vinyl and is housed in a single pocket sleeve with printed dust sleeve. sumerian records. 2019.

Sonntag, 16. Juni 2019

obituary - frozen in time

the whole obituary back catalogue was re-pressed as of late and french label listenable records is responsible. i do have quite a few original pressings but already bought a re-issue of "back from the dead" at the end of last year. so now it is about "frozen in time" from 2005. this record marks the band's comeback from their seven year hiatus and it was pretty successful.
again obituary worked with roadrunner records to release their sixth studio album. i believe, that there was no initial vinyl pressing. cargo records from germany released a black vinyl edition in 2011 and this was steadily available since then. i was close to a purchase a few times but other things demanded more of my attention. so i am happy to not have to think about getting another copy and to grab me a nice colour vinyl version instead.
musically obituary did not fuck around. pummeling and no frills death metal is what you get and this is exactly what i want when i spin an obituary record. one of my favourite artworks the band ever had is featured on "frozen in time". super lovely blue marble vinyl as the perfect fit for the cover art. 200 copies made in a single pocket sleeve and an insert. i hope listenable got the rights for the two candlelight records releases of the band as well. we'll see. listenable records. 2019.

Dienstag, 11. Juni 2019

beyond creation - earthborn evolution

beyond creation's last record "algorythm" was and still is a frequent guest on my turntable. it has no weaknesses and is such a sophisticated piece of art, i am left mind blown after each listen. "algorythm" wasn't actually my first beyond creation album. a while ago i bought their debut "the aura" on tape but didn't come around to feature it here (like so many other cool tapes, ah well...).
this left only one album to be added to the collection - "earthborn evolution" from 2014. after the success of "algorythm" their french label season of mist re-pressed the first two albums on vinyl. "the aura" came first and now "earthborn evolution" is next in line. both got pressed on black vinyl and on transparent red vinyl. don't know if they benefitted from a discount for that colour-way at the pressing plant but otherwise i see of no reason why someone would chose that colour of vinyl for the releases. worst match!
anyway, i still needed that record and other colour-ways of former pressing are maybe better fits but look just as boring in my eyes. musically the record is unmistakebly beyond creation but while i can't put my finger on it yet it feels different to the other two records. maybe it seems a bit lighter, if that makes sense. a brilliant progressive tech death record all around. double standard gram clear red vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve. 400 copies made. season of mist records. 2014/2019.

Donnerstag, 6. Juni 2019

impending doom - the sin and doom vol. II

i came across this record by impending doom accidentally when i was browsing the new vinyl section at nuclear blast records. the band was among the many deathcore bands which sprung numerously in the mid to late 00's. i used to have their second and third album on cd and later on, when i started getting into vinyl, i bought their first three albums on vinyl from merchnow from the states.
when impending doom moved from facedown records to entertainment one for their fourth album "baptized in filth" in 2012, the label didn't produce a vinyl version. same procedure for their fifth album "death will reign". so i lost track of the band. now, for record number six entertainment one came to their senses and pressed it to vinyl. i saw some pictures of an opaque white marble version on the internet, what i pulled from the sleeve is an interesting clear with black smoke variant, though. don't know what's up with those versions, maybe an u.s. and an european edition?
musically the band did not stray far from the path of their first three records. deathcore that has its great moments but, to be honest it also has a few dull ones. maybe it is just me who had higher expectations that the guys had evolved stronger in the eight years between "there will be violence" and this latest effort, but the album fails to really excite me. e-one released this in a single pocket sleeve with a printed dust sleeve. don't know how many have been pressed. e-one. 2018.