ASR-18: BROTHERS - Black Friday LP MP3: Is Anyone Listening? Eleven tracks of amazingly powerful old school hardcore with a new school flare. Positive lyrics compliment traditional breakdowns with intense, melodic, and catchy riffs. This is their incredibly accomplished debut release and is strongly recommended for fans of modern hardcore like MLIW or DEAD HEARTS. Hailing from Michigan and featuring ex-members of Comeback Kid, BROTHERS come at you with nothing less than the perfect mix of brutality, energy, and melody! Passionate, moving and full of energy, "Black Friday" demands your attention and leaves you breathless. Yes, it's that good. ASR-17: COUNTING THE DAYS - Finding A Balance LP MP3: Nowhere To Turn Hailing from Glen Burnie, Maryland, Counting The Days give us "Finding A Balance". 12 tracks and 31 minutes of passionate, aggressive and inspiring modern hardcore. At once you realize that these songs come straight from their hearts, as they're filled with passion. Angry and desperate, but never losing hope. "Finding A Balance" is a treasure trove of hardcore anthems filled with tons of sing-along’s, grooves, and breakdowns. Lyrical subjects range from skateboarding to alienation to hating work and struggles with everyday life, issues we all can relate to. Heartfelt, moving and (in the end) uplifting, "Finding A Balance" is emotional hardcore at its best, as fast as it is furious. If bands like American Nightmare, Count Me Out and Another Breath float your boat, you'd be a fool to miss out on COUNTING THE DAYS. ASR-16: SHORT FUSE - Blight 7" MP3: Blight "Blight" has six new songs of hardcore punk for the working class. No gimmicks, no crews, no bullshit. Disillusioned, angry and pissed. Short Fuse are unafraid to voice their disappointment with their lives, their jobs and YOU. Not looking for approval, this is honest punk rock the way it was meant to be played, raw, abrasive and in your face. ASR-15: JUST WENT BLACK - Embracing Emptiness 10" MP3: Losing Heart After their highly acclaimed full length release „Tides” in 2005, Hamburg’s Just Went Black return with their brand new 10" EP, titled “Embracing Emptiness”. Passion is the name of the game and the six new songs leave nothing to be desired: raging fury and sheer power, as well as fragile melodies and moments packed with pure emotion. This is pure hardcore punk rock, and nothing else. Or wait a second - maybe it’s a lot more?! Devastating, ugly…and stunningly beautiful. We're doing out best to give this the deluxe vinyl treatment: heavy cardstock covers and printed inner sleeves. All preorders will be on limited colored vinyl while stocks last. We expect these to move quickly, so order now! ASR-14: EMPTY VISION - The Rise LP MP3: The Rise The long awaited vinyl release of "The Rise", the first full-length album from EMPTY VISION! Brought to you as a collaboration between ASSAULT RECORDS and COBRAXRECORDS, "The Rise" contains eleven tracks of modern hardcore. After establishing themselves as an intense live band by playing shows all over Germany, EMPTY VISION are poised to take the world by storm with their latest recordings. From start to finish, this is a powerhouse of passionate and inspiring hardcore to rival the very best. Recorded in early 2006 at "Die Tonmeisterei" studios (Just Went Black, A Traitor Like Judas) "The Rise" is no slouch in the production department either. Add to that a slick looking gatefold cover with artwork done by "Desperate Days design" (Just Went Black, Crucial Response, Ritual), and you know that this record will turn some heads and deservedly so. It's gonna be a HOT winter! ASR-13: SHORT FUSE - Fruitless Efforts 7" MP3: Fruitless Efforts Hot on the heels of their debut LP comes the new SHORT FUSE EP. Four new tracks of hardcore punk that showcases the bands progression. A little less trash, a little more melody and anger to spare- these songs will stay in your head after a few spins. These guys are still pissed and jaded, but they're also ready to fight, wearing their working class colors with defiance. They might hate their jobs, but they sure as hell are dedicated to this band, a vessel of their own creation, powered by anger and passion. For those of you who can't do without some comparisons, imagine early Fucked Up mixed with Discharge and Poison Idea. Dirty and raw, this is SHORT FUSE and they're ready to explode. High production values on this one, don't miss out! ASR-12: DAY OF THE DEAD - A New Healing Process LP MP3: Forever Is Today The debut full lenght from Portugal's Day Of The Dead finds the band picking up where they left off with their previous efforts. They've upped the ante and go for the throat with 12 tracks of explosive and unrelenting modern hardcore. Honest and sincere, "A New Healing Process" eschews sloganeering and empty phrases in favour of socially relevant and intelligent lyrics. Laced with slick melodies and infused with the passion of five guys who never lost their faith in Hardcore as a medium to affect change, Day Of The Dead made sure that this is the record they'll be remembered for. Pissed off and politically aware, their aural assault will appeal to fans of everything from American Nightmare and Envy to Modern Life Is War. Get ready to dance, sing along and start to think about the decisions you make. ASR-11: SHORT FUSE - s/t LP/CD MP3: Irresistible SHORT FUSE charge at you with 18 tracks of pissed-off old school hardcore in just under 20 minutes. These guys have been active in the scene for years and their love for early hardcore from the 80's is more than evident. Stripped down and raging Hardcore that serves as an outlet to vent frustrations, a way to deal with the pressures of the daily grind. Disillusioned and angry, this is where these four guys come alive, proud and passionate. Abrasive and in your face, they nevertheless manage to sneak in some melodies and sweet chorus parts every once in a while, creating a volatile mix that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. If you miss bands like the CIRCLE JERKS, got a soft spot for DISCHARGE and can't get enough FUCKED UP vinyl, SHORT FUSE will deliver the goods. Not concerned with crews and cliques, this is true Hardcore Punk, furious and reckless. This is a split release with Underestimated Records from the US. Don't miss SHORT FUSE tearing up the states this summer! ASR-10: THE LEGACY - We Gave It Everything MCD MP3: Watered Down And Drowning This is the reissue of THE LEGACY's "We Gave It Everything" MCD originally released on DEAD & GONE Records. If you haven't heard from THE LEGACY yet, you're missing out on one of europe's finest hardcore bands right now. One year after their debut release, THE LEGACY have stepped it way up. "We Gave It Everything" showcases the bands progression from melodic old school hardcore into something more passionate and intense. Retaining their melodic edge, the new record comes at you with more drama and anger, improved songwriting and lyrics. If you're into bands like MODERN LIFE IS WAR and LIFE LONG TRAGEDY, you owe it to yourself to give THE LEGACY a listen. While similar to these bands, THE LEGACY still retains a more old school approach that makes "We Gave It Everything" nothing short of exceptional. Just like the best hardcore songs, THE LEGACY give strength and inspiration, something we all need in a world were ideals are considered by many to be expendable. In this life of broken dreams, their message is simple: "Don't give up on yourself"! Six amazing songs, a professional production and the slick layout serve to make this so crucial that we simply had to reissue it. ASR-09: JUST WENT BLACK - Tides LP MP3: Some Little Tragedy MP3: The Killing Glance The wait was long and expectations were high. Now the JUST WENT BLACK full-length is finally out. "Tides" is a more than worthy successor to their debut 7" "Balancing Reasons In An Unbalanced World". Refusing to be pigeon-holed, the band has reinvented itself with every step without losing their singular sense for melodies and lyrical self-destruction. Thus it comes as no surprise that building on their very own distinctive sound, the band has matured considerably and evolved musically, taking themselves to a whole new level of passion and sincerity. Unafraid to stray from the beaten path, these 11 tracks are angry, desperate and deeply personal. "Tides" shows us a darker and heavier side of Just Went Black, layered with haunting melodies that will stay with you long after the record is finished. More than just a hardcore record, this is an emotional tour de force and a new benchmark for the quintet. Still in love with the dirt, the rejected and crippled, JUST WENT BLACK refuse to submit to the clichés and trends that plague today's Hardcore scene. Convinced of Hardcore as being "more than music", they succeed in bringing back integrity and intensity to a scene that is lacking both all too often these days. Mastered by Paul Miner at Q Mark, pressed on 150g vinyl and packed in beautiful gatefold cover, "Tides" serves as an inspiration in a world of disappointment. CD available from NEW AGE Records (USA). ASR-08: BREATHE IN - s/t 7" MP3: Dying Days Better late than never. This is indeed the follow- up to the BREATHE IN debut LP that came out on Bridge Nine in 2002. After some changes in the line-up, BREATHE IN are back and boy, what a return this is. Knowing their previous material leaves you ill-prepared for these five blasts of punk rock fury. Abrasive and very much in your face, these guys have gone native, coming up with a sound that is way more pissed and angry, while still retaining BREATHE IN trademarks, namely a keen sense of melody and Louie's unique and hoarse vocals. This isn't another well-designed hardcore product, more of a 'fuck you' to slick layouts and fancy graphics. Celebrating the spirit of punk rock, everything has been done by the band, by hand, without the use of computers- just like back in the day when this was what DIY was all about. The result is a wakeup call to all those bands who believe that they can buy themselves scene credibility by hiring designers to construct a carefully chosen image. BREATHE IN return to the punk rock roots that are the foundation of hardcore and build upon them with no discernible quality loss. Their new ep proves that they are still a force to be reckoned with. ASR-07: ANOTHER BREATH - Not Now, Not Ever 12" MP3: 17 Minutes Hailing from Fulton, NY, ANOTHER BREATH play honest, sincere and intelligent hardcore with intelligent lyrics. Great riffs, powerful chorus parts and a keen sense of melody are the ingredients for their songs which are filled with raw energy and passion. They're probably the best band that you've never heard of. Their unique blend of fast, yet melodic hardcore has a definite rock influence to it, at times reminding me of The Disaster and maybe even a little Kid Dynamite, without being derivative. This isn't just another hardcore record, this is an expression of friendship and love for music. So much so, that you can actually feel their urgency and emotional involvement, making ANOTHER BREATH stand out amongst their contemporaries. Tracks 1-8 were recorded at God City in Boston with Kurt Ballou, songs 9-12 (exclusive to the vinyl version) were recorded at Watchmen Studios by Doug "Pearly" White. Both recordings perfectly capure the bands essence and their joy at doing something that means the world to them. CD version available from Rival records. ASR-06: Raging Assault: A triple split CD MP3: SURF NAZIS MUST DIE - I'm not anti-girls, girls are anti-me We’re proud to announce the latest Assault release. In association with RedRedRed and XlowbrowX comes a triple split CD featuring the entire discographies (so far) for some of germany’s finest hardcore heroes. This treasure chest not only contains three essential 7” releases on one CD, but is loaded with tons of rare extra shit, exclusive to this CD! Things start off with the entire M.O.T.U. – “Never Stop Cutting Off Heads” debut 7”. Six trashy songs straight from castle Grayskull, Stuttgart. JUST WENT BLACK’s 5-song debut 7” “Balancing Reasons In An Unbalanced World” is up next, followed by four songs from their impossible to find demo. Melodic and passionate northcore to stoke your fire. Get on the ground floor now, before their upcoming full length record on New Age records will have everyone talking. See them kick asses all over europe in summer and fall of 2004. The final 18 songs are the legacy of the infamous SURF NAZIS MUST DIE and presents everything they’ve ever recorded including their sold out 8-song “Anti-Everything” 7”, their remastered 9-song demo and an unreleased song. Watch out for the rerelease of their 7” on Youth Attack records! Clocking in at 33 songs in 44 minutes, featuring artwork from each band and lyrics to every song, as well as a striking new cover, this CD is a true bargain and a must-have for every cool kid on the block. Now you can finally experience what all those kids with turntables have been talking about last year! SURF NAZIS MUST DIE 1,2, surf heil! SURF NAZIS MUST DIE from Ibbenbueren/Germany are no more, their career lasted as long as their songs. But they are a band that will be remembered: They’ve made their mark playing highly explosive, frantic thrash punk/hardcore, taking influences from early 80's heroes. Their debut release, the ‘Anti Everything E.P.’ includes 8 songs, all under a minute. The goofy lyrics about teenage frustration and anger, the scene and other bullshit take a ‘no prisoners’ approach and attack everyone and everything, evidenced by the incessant use of ‘fuck’. Their short, blasting live performances quickly made them famous throughout the scene and showed kids how HC should be played! SNMD brought back punk into the often macho-infiltrated hardcore scene and proved that straight edge can indeed be funny as hell and punk as fuck. JUST WENT BLACK Passionate rocking and melodic Hardcore from Hamburg, Germany. Just Went Black's music is a rather unique mixture that can not be categorized easily. Their sound is build on an often fast and straight forward, yet always highly melodic old school hardcore groundwork, blending in with some rather classic punk rock and some mosh parts. All this is thrown together in short and explosive but still complex songs. Despite the melodic guitars, the fierce and aggressive vocals do justice to the dark and emotional lyrics, fueled by the tragedy and misery of human life. JWB refuse to fit into categories and stand for both integrity and honesty in a hardcore scene increasingly dictated by trends and fashion. M.O.T.U. Awesome trash with dual screamed/ growled vocals from Stuttgart/Germany. Speed, mosh and singalongs, this one's for the kids. The Masters Of The Universe are here and everybody gets his licks, most evidently a certain fuck from Texas, questionable leader of the world’s largest terrorist organization, who gets his head sawn off on the rather gory cover. M.O.T.U. (ex-Absidia, Sidekick) hit you hard with their amalgamation of high-speed punk, insane trash, moshy old school and flesh ripping grind. Featuring the songs from their sold out demo as well as a new track, their debut 7” is the one record you dare not miss. It doesn't get any better than this. Bow to the Masters Of The Universe! ASR-05: JUST WENT BLACK - Balancing Reasons In An Unbalanced World 7" MP3: Between The Lines (early version - different from the 7") Passionate rocking and melodic Hardcore from Hamburg, Germany. Just Went Black's music is a rather unique mixture that can not be categorized easily. Their sound is build on an often fast and straight forward, yet always highly melodic old school hardcore groundwork, blending in with some rather classic punk rock and some mosh parts. All this is thrown together in short and explosive but still complex songs. Despite the melodic guitars, the fierce and aggressive vocals do justice to the dark and emotional lyrics, fueled by the tragedy and misery of human life. Just as Just Went Black's music refuses to be categorized, so does the band itself, playing shows to different audiences of the nowadays widely separated punk and hardcore communities. ASR-04: M.O.T.U. - Never Stop Cutting Off Heads 7" MP3: Trash Ridden Society Awesome trash from germany. Dual growled/ screamed vocals, pissed off and angry. Speed, mosh and singalongs, this one's for the kids. The Masters Of The Universe are here and everybody gets his licks, most evidently a certain fuck from Texas, getting his head sawn off on the rather gory cover. M.O.T.U. (ex-Absidia, Sidekick) hit you hard with their amalgamation of high-speed punk, insane trash, moshy old school and flesh ripping grind. Featuring the songs from their sold out demo as well as a new track, this is the one record you dare not miss. It doesn't get any better than this. Bow to the Masters Of The Universe! Limited colored vinyl available through SENTIENT exclusively. ASR-03: RAMBO- Wall Of Death The System LP/CD MP3: Your Apathy Makes This An Institution MP3: Jesus´ Middle Initial Does Not Stand For Hardcore RAMBO hail from Philadelphia and play heavy, fast, and thrashy hardcore that has great sing-alongs and mosh parts all over the place. Their lyrics span a variety of topics including riding bikes (“U-Lock Justice”), moshing (“Bike, Skate, Mosh”), riots (“Wall Of Death The System”), anarchy (“Circle that A Motherfucker”), religion (“No Circle Pits In Heaven”) and a whole bunch of other important shit. This band stands for a lot of serious things, but also takes time to have fun, which is the way it should be. It’s been a while since a band was able to blend amazing music, intelligent (and funny) political lyrics, as well as a ton of anger so effortless. Their LP comes with a huge lyric booklet, filled to the brim with explanations and information, not to mention the incredible artwork of Mike Bukowski. The CD version features an 18 minute cd-rom video that has clips from a bunch of Rambo shows that are just a total fucking riot, literally! The band wears camo and stages huge riot re-enactments with kids in the pit dressed up as either cops or protestors. ASR-02: THE DISASTER - Black And White And Red All Over LP MP3: Dissapointment Is Noting Your Absence From The Obituary Section Of The Morning Paper Lyrically dark and desperate, The Disaster come out of New York City with a blast of powerful and melodic hardcore with raspy forced singing. The music is classic hardcore with melodic sensibilities. THE DISASTER sound like the most incredible combination of KID DYNAMITE, IN MY EYES, and AMERICAN NIGHTMARE. The hoarse vocals are hard and harsh. They fuel the music with angst-ridden lyrics about depression, death and other dismal outcomes. Great lyrics, fast-paced drumming, blazing guitars, and thumping bass propel this into a fireball of fury. Every song is short, unyielding, and lethal. While banging out straight-ahead adrenalized rhythms, The Disaster is capable of sneaking in gusts of catchy melody. Aggressive and vicious, THE DISASTER have delivered one emotionally fantastic release that emphasizes all that is right about having passion for hardcore ("Color Me Colonial"), and all that is true about fatalistic thoughts in moments of utter despair ("An Ode to A Dawn That Will Never Come"). Jaw-dropping artwork and packaging, along with the vibrant production top off a release that will turn some heads. ASR-01: THE SCARLET LETTER - Pure, Unadultered Adultery 7" MP3: Solitary Love Song Nine passionate tracks from New Jersey's The Scarlet Letter. The music is powerful and recalls the fury of '80s hardcore, while having some definite newer influences as well. Addding emotional and melodic parts to the mix of fast-paced, powerful and slightly psychotic punk rock, they’ve created their own blend of screamo hardcore that is highly original. What makes the Scarlet Letter stick out is their ability to successfully mix different styles. Ultra fast parts with melodic breaks, accentuated by different singers, and back to something else entirely. Somehow, they make this work again and again in songs that take barely a minute. Their musical complexity is matched by intelligently political lyrics that address serious issues. The 12-page booklet does not contain only the lyrics but explanations for every song, making it abundantly clear that these guys do not just play music- they have important things to say and want to be heard.