The Abused + Edgegazer Fanzine + : Weekly Seizure 11.8.13

Greetings goofballs. Got some GREAT gear in this week. Still burning through some tapes and zines, but these are the ones I'm gonna focus on for the here and now. Also, not that it matters, but I tried listening to Unbroken this week and it still didn't do much for me. Now you know.

EDGE GAZE-AHHH BITCH PLEAZAH

1) Edge Gazer Fanzine
Edge Gazer is a visually impressive fanzine done by a younger coreman (with some serious photography chops) down in Texas. I dig his enthusiasm for newer core, and overall enjoyed the zine. I know there was a little bit of balking at the steep price, but in the end I figured it'd be worth it and I'm not disappointed.

BRICK CITY

This is probably the most coverage I've ever seen given to Life of Reilly so that was cool. I dug the reflection on Free Spirit as I too am bummed about the record that didn't materialize out of that awesome promo tape last year. The definite highlight for me was the Chris Corry interview (interesting nuggs about Stop & Think, WW4 and the Pain Cave). The Intent layout rules (See above). My only gripe comes with the reviews...and I know, after all the time I spend complaining about how zines never have reviews I should probably shut my yap, but hear me out. I like that they're long and heartfelt, I just think the verbiage is a little convoluted and hard to understand. Generally though it's a good read and an impressive first effort. Really impressive. I got mine straight from the source, but you can save a few bucks if you get them from Mosher's Delight here.

JUST ANOTHER FOOL

2) The Abused - Loud and Clear Reissue
I'm not gonna "review" this record because you should have heard it already. Bonafide NYHC gem. Guitar tone, riffs, art, the total package. I used that old anecdote about how these dudes got into hardcore because they stole a car and found a Minor Threat cassette in the tape deck to open up a paper in college and my professor seemed horrified. Anyway, in terms of the re-ish, this is one of the best I've seen. Super extensive booklet filled with flyers, setlists, photos and a sticker sheet. Side A has the original record on it along with a live version of "Police Reign" and side B has the demo tape on it.

To steal an exchange I had with my Oz-Barney brother BSN: "The spiciest of the reissue meatballs." If only that half-assed Krakdown reissue on State of Mind would've looked this good...

Radio Raheem is sold out for now, but there's another press coming mid-December.

Intent Demon (Logo Power #7)

This demon mosher guy came from Edge Gazer fanzine, but I think he's all over Intent's letterhead and was probably done by Chris X based on his involvement with other Intent related ventures. I like that he's making the "Loser L" with his right hand.

Chiller Than Most Fanzine + Activate Fanzine (Weekly Seizure - 11.3.13)

Hey howdy ho. Nothing much to report except for that I still have a ton of zines to read! Thought I'd share some thoughts on a few that've come my way.

Activate #1

1) Activate #1
To shoot perfectly square, this one kinda fell flat on me. I'm not a huge fan of the layouts and the huge print...makes me feel like I'm getting screwed on content. I also didn't like that I was promised "reviews" and there were only 2. The questions tend to be of the surface variety ('who are your influences?' 'Who plays what?') and remind me of zines like It's Your Choice (which I did not like). That being said, there IS some cool content. Poder Absoluto is a band I've been interested in lately, and the interviews with Intent, Disapproval and Freedom were decent. Oh, my art was also reprinted here on the Dog Years interview. There's certainly potential with this zine. My honest opinion is "quality over quantity," so maybe trimming down on the number of interviews and digging a little deeper in the interview process would help? This could've been so great with a better layout and some reviews...
Looks like they're sold out, but keep your eye on their bigcartel here for future updates.

Team Tapir

2) Chiller Than Most #1
Incredible zine offering from a longtime internet buddy Atilla. The zine comes out of Europe (Hungary) and is completely cut n' paste for an incredible layout (peep the photo below). Nice, thorough interviews with Zach from Intent, Stand Clear, True, Unified Right and Rich Perusi's new band Garbageman. Great reading, great to look at. Definitely worth your time. Again, it's sold out, but maybe pay attention to their bigcartel and hope for a reprint.

LORDY that layout. Looks like a Ninja Turtles action figure package. 

Intent + Wild Man Wild (The Weekly Seizure 8.11.13)

Hey y'all. Kinda backed up with my other job, haven't had much chance to delve into the zines, but I got  a few tapes to tide you over til next week. Happy huntin.

1) Intent - It's Time Practice Tape
Not SUPER new and it's already long since hit the blogosphere, but I didn't go to Destroy LA, so I had to get one from the bigcartel. Sounds amazing for a practice  tape dunnit? I like the idea of bands going off and doing that, just doing it on their own and saving it for posterity. Like the Youth of Today Some Records tape I've been listening to today. Anyway, "I.G. Stomp" is a mosher something proper, and mine came with a lil note. (P.S., if you get a chance, go see Give on tour with Ceremony and pick up one of the shirts I did!)

s/o to the Zubaz Nation

2) Wild Man Wild - Dimension Dude Demo
Again, not very new, but I just got one. I actually did the artwork for this 'un, based on a bunch of suggestions that Taylor gave me and it ended up being a blast to do. Note that the tape is Zubaz print and references the Zubaz nation. I got this wrapped up in a bunch of Kansas City Royals scores from the newspaper too. Honestly, it reminds me of RZL DZL and stuff like that in the riffage and the dudes just want to have a good time. Track down the emps on a blog somewhere. If you're interested in art for your dumb band, I'm always interested. dylandraws.blogspot.com and dylanjdraws.tumblr.com for work samples. 

Hired Goons + Constant Constraint Fanzine + Extreme Aggression Fanzine (The Weekly Seizure 8.4.13)

Hey folks. Still no logo...but I did go to an ultra soul-deadening employee BBQ for my work this week. Ugh. Here's what came across my desk this week.

Harmony in my head

1) Constant Constraint #1
Ned from Title Fight does this one, and while I don't really get down with that band, the zine is cool. Layout is a little bit blurry (too much indesign) but I'll forgive it for the good content. Good questions begat good answers, and my favorite bit was in the Freedom interview when they were asked about Take Offense copping the name 'United States of Mind' for their upcoming 7". Also enjoyed an interview with Nick Woj from Cold World and Zizzack from Intent.

United States of Mind

NO PRESENTS FER XMAS

2) Extreme Aggression #1
Next up is Extreme Aggression #1.  Billed as a "metal & hardcore fanzine" and sporting King Diamond's snarling mug on the cover. A little lighter on content, but packs a wallop in the design dept. Peep the Satan's Satyrs intie below..or the completely hand written (!) Intent interview! Per the instruction page on the front, this is based outta Houston, TX, but I got it from Coke Bust's merch table. Great reading. Seriously, Satan's Satyrs is one of my favorite current bands and deserve all the praise and hype they get.

WILD BEYOND BELIEF

HIRE POWER

3) Hired Goons - Demo Tape
Burly skin-inflected core from somewhere in Canada. I got the tape in the mail this week without a lyric sheet (haven't been made yet) but I'm reminded of an early Sheer Terror (especially on 'Bearer of Plagues') with a little more rock and/or roll in the gee-tar bits. "Intro/Hire Power" is a brain-banger (can't catch the exact rhyme, but somewhere 'thunder' is rhymed with 'numbered') and I back the ever-lovin shit out of a good Simpson's Reference. HIREDGOONS.BANDCAMP.COM

INTENT - "No Rules" Demo (Demo Dogz #1)

Hey kid, wanna cop a Swazi?

Intent is a multi-state conglomeration featuring former and current members of Free Spirit and Rival Mob Mentality (see what I did there?). A one word name like "Intent" may conjure up images of Jncos, Wizard Sleeves and whole host of doofy 90's trite-isms, but this is rooted in the ever popular late 80's NY sound with hints of Boston's "new scene" all over it. Internet geniuses are probably rushing to point at that "Intent" has already been used at least twice (Texas and NY), but who cares? I heard on the Livewire board that a member of Give put tape on an Intention shirt to make an Intent shirt at the Clear (wait...that name's already been used) debut show.

The cover's awesome (and long-since sold out) but features a Frank Miller-esque comic character peddling a trenchcoat chock-fulla vices (my fav being the bird-flipping finger). Was it the same guy that did the WW4 artwork?

In terms of tune-age, 3 songs is hard to make a deep assessment but "My Point of View" has a typical Rival Mob style bass line, "Set it Straight" is the hardest song with the spoken word "cross me again, and I'll seal your fate" part and "Friendship" steals it all soaked in Pain Cave style drum sounds.  Vocally I hear Pat Dubar singing for Straight Ahead.

Verdict: Not essential but certainly not disappointing. Sounds a little bit too much like Free Spirit (albeit less sloppy and a little harder) to fully distinguish itself among all the other excellent bands that've popped up in 2012 (Prisoner Abuse!) but I shant complain. A good band is a good band.

Steal it here.