CD/DVD
LIGHT THIS CITY
the hero cycle (2010/PROSTHETIC)
THRASH/DEATH-METAL. Recorded in 2003 when the members were still in high school, this debut release from San Francisco's LIGHT THIS CITY would foreshadow a career that offered up 4 total full-lengths of breakneck, Swedish-inspired metal that propelled the band on tours globally. This re-release contains new cover art and liner notes from the band.
LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE
Intimacy (2008/SEVENTH RULE)
HARDCORE. Representing Tampa, LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE consists of 4 veterans of Tampa's metal and hardcore scenes (ex-REVERSAL OF MAN, ex-SCROG, ex-OMEGA MAN, and ex-BRUTALITY). LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE conjures dark, sinister atmospheres amidst an urgent, precise attack. With an new focus, LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE have their own sophisticated, intelligent, intensely violent take on metal, "power death" (power violence + death metal). This new sound is evident through this entire record and it is gripping. "Intimacy" was recorded and mixed by Mark Nikolich (Torche, Kylesa) and mastered by Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Nile).
LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT, THE
navigate by heart (2006/COMBAT ROCK INDUSTRY)
HARDCORE. Fresh new blood in the Combat Rock family, this band from Finland has truly set hearts on fire with their shows and the album does no less. Passionate modern rocking hardcore. This is an impressive debut full-length whose brand of powerful melodic hardcore boasts just the right amount of lightly metallic acerbity and catchy surges of octave chords and stuff like that. The screaming vocals only add to the overall feeling of sincerity that permeates the entire record. Fans of ENDSTAND take note!
LIGHTNING DUST
infinite light (2009/JAGJAGUAR)
INDIE-ROCK. LIGHTNING DUST is the side-project of BLACK MOUNTAIN's Amber Webber and Joshua Wells. Where BLACK MOUNTAIN were raggedly aggressive, and prone to spiking their chunky metal boogies and stoner psych-rock with squawking free-jazz sax and satanic imagery, LIGHTNING DUST are more restrained and measured, swaddling their electric piano grooves in strings - while Webber's vocals have shrunk to a tremulous warble more akin to Devendra Banhart.
LIGHTS OUT
get out (2004/YOUNGBLOOD)
HARDCORE. Debut release from this San Francisco powerhouse. Fast, pissed hardcore in the vein of FLOORPUNCH and CARRY ON. This MCD contains their 2003 demo.
LIGHTS OUT
overload (2005/YOUNGBLOOD)
HARDCORE. Bay-Area youth-crew at its best! LIGHTS OUT continues to wear the crown as San Francisco hardcore kings - their energetic style has matured into a more developed sound with their debut "Overload". Taking the frenetic power of their "Get out" release and fusing it with some crunchy, midtempo songs, there are no punches pulled with this release. Fans of MENTAL, CARRY ON and DESPERATE MEASURES take note!
LIKE YOUNGS, THE
Last secrets (2006/POLYVINYL)
Loosely connected, the songs of their third album, Last Secrets, chronicle the realization, confrontation and eventual victory over the major problems within one's life. Funneling the complicated ups and downs of everyday living through their brazen simplicity (guitars, drums, synthesizers, vocals), the Ziembas have it down.
LIMB FROM LIMB
Death. famine. plague (2007/NO OPTIONS)
CRUST-METAL. LIMB FROM LIMB hailing from Vancouver Canada deliver an incredibly caustic debut record. Following in the footsteps of older metallic crust bands such as BOLT THROWER and SACRILEGE the record has all the palm muted galloping guitars and thrashy breaks that could be fit into one full-length. Vocals that are depraved yet perfectly fit current societal ills, they are throaty and super catchy creating memorable songs. 9 epics clocking in at 37 min., recorded at The Hive. The production on this record really shows skill. Amazing cover art by Rob Hope. Fans of STORMCROW and SANCTUM and the above mentioned bands should take note.
LION OF JUDAH
soul power (2005/LOCKIN' OUT)
HARDCORE. From the birthplace of hardcore, DC's LION OF JUDAH prove they owe just as much to "i against i" - era BAD BRAINS as they do to early FUGAZI. Formed in late 2004, LION OF JUDAH delivers their musically and lyrically thought-provoking debut "soul power". Sticking to their DC roots of musical creativity and political aesthetics, LION OF JUDAH shines amongst the sea of mindless and boring modern hardcore acts.
LION OF JUDAH
universal peace (2006/YOUNGBLOOD)
HARDCORE. LION OF JUDAH is a group from the DC area that is part of that growing legion. Having formed in ’04, LION OF JUDAH features ex-members of NO JUSTICE, WORN THIN, and DESPERATE MEASURES and is a classic example of the old-school hardcore sound of DC. Blistering guitar attack in the vein of BAD BRAINS and MINOR THREAT with loud aggressive punk drums and a sound that only a DC native can truly capture. In June LION OF JUDAH returned to Inner Ear to record this 11 track debut full-length "universal peace".
LIONHEART
built on struggle (2011/MEDIASKARE)
METALCORE. Completely obliterating the line between hardcore and metal, Northern California's LIONHEART blast through 13 tracks of heavy, intense and technical metalcore.
LIONS LIONS
from what we believe (2009/PANIC)
MELODIC-HARDCORE. Growing up in a scene that has fostered their growth, the members of LIONS LIONS have spent time in other notable Boston bands such as VANNA, THEREFORE I AM and A LOSS FOR WORDS. LIONS LIONS entered the studio to record their debut full-length "from what we believe". The results were nothing short of incredible, though not surprising considering the hands that were on the recording and the band backing it up, LIONS LIONS.
LIVING HELL
oblivion (2010/TRIP MACHINE LABORATORIES/EULOGY)
HARDCORE. LIVING HELL has been a force in New England hardcore for over 3 years. Their unique sound is the antithesis of modern hardcore, bringing the music back to the roots of the movement; blistering riffs, laced with depression, anxiety and unparalleled anger. "oblivion", LIVING HELL's 2nd album, is a clear and definitive progression from their debut record, "the lost and the damned". Combining hardcore, thrash and a hint of black-metal, "oblivion" is truly a unique and moving record. For fans of INTEGRITY, RINGWORM, RISE & FALL and PULLING TEETH.
LIVING HELL
the lost and the damned (2007/REVELTAION)
HARDCORE. Boasting a rich musical history, New England adds to its ever-flourishing hardcore community with LIVING HELL’s debut full-length, "the lost and the damned". This Connecticut/Boston hybrid’s take on hardcore is one that reflects the hardened, metal tinged sound of bands such as INTEGRITY, RINGWORM, PULLING TEETH and later CRO-MAGS. "the lost and the damned" is an album that blends the heavier, metal infused side of hardcore with a faster New York influence.
LLYNCH
transition songs (2004/D.I.Y.)
PROGRESSIVE-HARDCORE. LLYNCH from Germany lay down some more darker and more atmospheric heavy bass driven tunes. LLYNCH provide 4 songs on "transition songs" which showcases an interesting mixture of atmosphere and metal eruption which is built by musical arrangements focusing on the rise of musical tension. As for comparisons, LLYNCH sound like BOTCH meeting KISS IT GOODBYE at points. MCD contains the songs from their split LP with MINOR TIMES plus a multimedia part and video material.
