Mouth of The South Struggle Well

For The Fan Presents:

Mouth of The South “Struggle Well” (2014) Review

Facedown Records has been making some serious moves lately. They put out a ton of records in the past decade, and for those that have grown up with the hardcore scene in the 909 area code of Southern California, you know very well what they are all about. The label is one of the tried and true staples of hardcore and metal-core and release after release they have been pushing forward no matter what. I’m impressed with their longevity, and their latest string of releases are incredible, including the latest release from Mouth of The South.

Emmure: Eternal Enemies

Emmure: Eternal Enemies

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Emmure “Eternal Enemies” (2014) Review

There are a lot of hardcore and metalcore acts that are touring the country right now, and one of them hit the road with contemporaries on the “Mosh Lives Tour”. I went to see it go down, and realized that I’m too old for it. Plus, I didn’t have a camera, no smartphone, nothing, so my experience was definitely one of pure sight and sound. The headlining act was none other than controversial metalcore 5-piece Emmure and they tour the house apart with extreme force of sound. Victory Records has been counting down the days of this release and it finally hit the stores and the pre-orders shipped. The release of “Eternal Enemies” not only presents one of the heaviest chapters in the band’s history, it very well could be the best produced metalcore, deathcore buffet you’re going to listen to this year.

Throwdown: Intolerance

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Throwdown “Intolerance” (2014) Review

In the past Throwdown were darlings of straightedge hardcore with metallic riffs. However, around the time Eighteen Visions and other bands on the Trustkill Records label started getting famous, they altered their style to be more “commercial” friendly. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean they got a lot of radio play, but the sound was less militant, and more strategic in the hardcore bounty that they were trying to get a shot at. If you heard one Hatebreed record, for instance, than you know what the shift in sound was likened to. For years, I didn’t like the releases, and out of the blue, they come out with a record that returns to form and still rocks heavy, with “Intolerance”.

Saving Grace: The Urgency

Saving Grace: The Urgency

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Saving Grace “The Urgency” (2014) Review

Artist: Saving Grace

Album: “The Urgency”

Release: 2014

Genre: Metal/Hardcore

Facedown Records has released some of the most iconic records from the world of metal, hardcore and punk. I’ve been a fan since I was a teenager, and even booked some shows with their bands back in 2001 – 2003. The label has gone through transitional stages, with some bands not hitting me as hard, and then they picked up the pace and started signing some incredible bands and putting out albums that completely change the way I’ve viewed their roster. One such signing is that of Saving Grace. The previous releases rocked, but nothing compares to this latest record from the band.

Living Sacrifice: Ghost Thief

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Living Sacrafice: Ghost Thief (Review)

Artist: Living Sacrifice

Album: “Ghost Thief”

Released: 2013

Label: Solid State Records

Genre: Metal/Melodic Hardcore

For The Fan’s Guide To Alternative Christmas Records

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A Guide To Alternative Christmas Records

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The holidays are upon us and there is a ton of annoying music being played right now. Go anywhere in public and you will hear the choice songs that make everyone cringe. Not only that, they are usually bad renditions of them. How many times are we going to hear that Mariah Carrey song? Or worse than that, when will they stop playing Kenny G’s Christmas records? 

The short answer is, never.

So for those of you with smartphones, unlike myself, you may want to grab a handful of the following recordings. After a lot of listening, and yes, a LOT of listening, we narrowed down the top 5 alternative Christmas records worth a listen. These are all straying away from the traditional, even though “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on vinyl doesn’t get old. Heck, Sir Jorge even plays it in July. Granted, he’s usually alone and sad, but hey, wasn’t Charlie Brown always sad? We digress.

So here you go, 5 alternative Christmas records you’re going to absolutely want to put on instead of that lousy compilation your mom got you 2 Christmases ago from a Target end cap.