[MTN 28 - summer 2002 - 1000 copies]
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Track List (audio soon): Straight to Hell - "Meeting our Maker"  Straight to Hell - "Poison Planet" (COC) Scholastic Deth - "Warcore I" Scholastic Deth - "Warcore II" Esperanza - "Bad Faith" Cockroach - "Does Age Matter?" Cockroach - "Puke Your Frustrations" Self Defense - "Pick Your King of Beers" Self Defense - "Some Kind of Miserable"
Diallo - "Stencilled Slogans on Crumbling Walls"
Something in the Water - "Justified and Full of it"
Something in the Water - "Resist Control" (lifes blood)
Totalitar - "Tom Information" Totalitar - "Partipolitik" Balance of Terror - "Invisible Class" Balance of Terror - "Glossed Over" Last Security - "Thank You God" Melee - "Clearcut Bretton Woods" Melee - "Destroy the Negativity"
Vuur - "Art.xx" |
Mountain is pleased to announce the release of our latest benefit compilation: The DECIDE ON CHANGE LP. This record will raise money for the NYC More Gardens Coalition, who work to preserve endanged public green space. It features 20 tracks from 12 great hardcore punk rock bands from around the world. The booklet has info on all the bands, the More Gardens Coalition, and some words about the idea of public space activism.
Since the comp. idea began, NYC has been hit by terrorists, Guilliani has left his evil throne to Bloomberg, and the country has gone war-mad. These things don't diminish the importance of saving precious public space, especially green space, from greedy developers. More Gardens uses a diverse range of tactics in their fight, from exhaustive legal measures in the courts to celebratory rallies and garden events. Check out their website for the most recent news and contact info.
Of course, the music on this record is great too. Check out some reviews:"Think of this as the follow-up to last year's Histeria comp, as far as quality goes. Featuring some of the best hardcore bands from recent times (STRAIGHT TO HELL, TOTALITAR, BALANCE OF TERROR, LAST SECURITY, VUUR, SCHOLASTIC DETH, plus seven others) coming together, thanks to the fine folx from the Mountain Records Collective, to support the NYC More Gardens Coalition. But in addition to being an amazing sonic experience, this record also contains some inspiring writing concerning the history of More Gardens Coalition and using it as a springboard to discuss the taking back control of the world around you, and in specific, your city. Public space is ours, take it back. Fucking great compilation. " - Mike Thorn, Maximumrocknroll fanzine.
"Decide On Change is everything that hardcore should be about: bands that are extremely diverse but all easily classifiable as hardcore, in-your-face political causes with an element of street-level action, a focus on the international scene and incredible artwork that is as raw and in-your-face as the music. It's easy to see some kid walking into a dingy record store, picking up Decide On Change and having his life completely changed; like great hardcore compilations from Let them Eat Jellybeans to This Is Boston Not LA to Flex Your Head, Decide On Change is a record you could grow obsessed with.
Whoever put together the track listing for this LP is a true master of the art form of the compilation. Like Flex Your Head, Decide On Change has a lot of band-to-band continuity; nearly every single band on the LP seems to incorporate elements of old US hardcore, Swedish hardcore and occasionally post-hardcore, but each band comes up with something totally different. The people who just have Flex Your Head sitting on their record shelf for cred purposes won't understand the fascination of debating the merits of Red C versus Deadline, but those of us who live records rather than just listening to them know the difference.
So what do the bands sound like? Well, personal favorite Balance of Terror appear here with two tracks that are a lot faster and more old-school-sounding than the almost Tragedy-like material on their brilliant LP, Self Defense and Scholastic Deth do the old-school US thrash sound a la all of those old Mystic Compilations, Totalitar do their Swedish heritage proud with some raw crusty punk rock and Diallo slow things down a bit with some atmospheric punk rock that would certainly appeal to fans of Tragedy. Something In the Water sound like they're channeling Pick Your King-era Poison Idea, Last Security lean toward chaotic screamo, and Melee punish with one of the rawest production jobs this side of Urban Waste. Phew!
Decide On Change is more than just mindless screaming, though; whoever chose the bands seems to have favored groups with explicitly political lyrics, as every band on Decide On Change attacks some social issue or another from a very topical perspective. The comp is also a benefit for the NYC More Gardens Coalition, and the beautifully-put-together insert contains two essays detailing where, exactly, your money is going and why space is so important, especially in urban areas.
After listening to this brilliant comp I'm reminded of my early teenage years when I'd buy compilations like this one, listen to them religiously and write every single one of the bands who provide addresses in the insert. My guess is that even if you're an old jaded bastard you'll feel the same way after listening to Decide On Change, so pick this up and remember that hardcore is about more than vintage t-shirts and colored vinyl. " - Daniel, Deep Fry Bonanza fanzine (www.dfbpunk.com)"A solid compilation featuring exclusive and not-so-exclusive material from an international line up. Tracks from Straight to Hell, Scholastic Deth, Esperanza, Cockraoch, Self Defense, Diallo, Something in the Water, Totalitar, Balance of Terror, Last Security, Melee, and Vuur. Slick cover art, layout, photos of the bands and an informative essay about the purpose of this record. This compilation was released as a benefit effort for NYC More Gardens Coalition, an organization struggling to preserve 600 of the 740 current public gardens in NYC facing destruction by the city and real estate developers. Good rock and a good cause--definitely worth checking out." - Adam, United Nutmeg Zine (www.unitednutmeg.org)
Feel free to send us your thoughts on this record and maybe we'll post them here.
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