Labels
Sorry State
- 01. Revansch
02. Primitiv Energi
03. Inget Jag Vill Ha
04. Förlorad
05. Du Gömmer Dig För Verkligheten
06. Instängd/FriINSTÄNGD
Drag Utan Drog
- Format
- 7" lim
- Release-Datum
- 27.08.2011
- 01. This Life
02. Family Values
03. Invalid
04. Mask
05. Never Enough
06. Escape
07. Court of Public Opinion
08. Stupid Pills
09. What Goes Around Comes Around
10. Sold Out
11. Party's Over
12. Active Shooter
13. Exile
14. KilljoyINVALID
Invalid
[engl] Invalid’s cassette-only debut, Do Not Resuscitate, came out on their hometown label Cruel Noise Records early in 2020 and, for me, it was love at first listen. Invalid plays hardcore in the tradition of Black Flag’s Damaged, deploying sophistication and craft not to show off, but as tools that allow them to go further and deeper as they exorcise their demons. Invalid’s bulldozer intensity is the first thing that grabs you, but the great riffs and songs keep you coming back, every track containing an improbable hook like the martial chant of “Wake up / eat / shit” in “This Life,” the primal howl of “wasting away” in the chorus to “Escape,” or the instant-classic intro riff to “Stupid Pills.” Fans of records like Direct Control’s first 7”, C.O.C.’s Eye for an Eye, and Unseen Force’s In Search of the Truth are perhaps best primed to appreciate Invalid’s punishing yet catchy and energetic style of hardcore. This self-titled LP contains all eight tracks from Do Not Resuscitate plus six new ones cast from the same mold.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 27.05.2022
- 01. Barron Wasteland
02. Workshopping
03. DDYSWHP
04. Elevator Shaft
05. Shoko Ones Pt. 1
06. Aromatherapy
07. Fake V Flake
08. Fletcher From Pennywise
09. Mac N Me
10. Nut
11. Outta My Gourd
12. White Man In Hammerpants
13. Chrome Song
14. Diet YogurtISS
Alles 3rd Gut
- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 10.07.2019
- 01. Spikes
02. Metforming
03. Cellmate
04. Facemask
05. Popes, Queens, Wings and Things
06. (Uni)forming(atl)
07. One-sided Triangle
08. Sexts and Guidance
09. Too Punk for Heavy Metal
10. a msg 2 u
11. Hittrack
12. I Wanna Be Dated
13. Armchair Aryan (Richard Spencer's Gifts)
14. C.H.U.D.F.R.E.A.K. Swap Meet
15. My Miata
16. Puttin' on the Blitz (remix)ISS
Spikes+
[engl] Spikes+ is an expanded edition of ISS’s pandemic-themed 2020 cassette, whose uniquely packaged, self-released edition came and went before most anyone could hear about it. With some of ISS’s best songs—like the anthemic title track, the unexpectedly touching "Cellmate,” and the blistering “Facemask”—Sorry State couldn’t bear to let Spikes pass as a mere blip in the zeitgeist. Besides the five tracks from the original Spikes cassette, Spikes+ includes “Puttin’ on the Blitz” from 2016’s Studs cassette, 2018’s self-titled 7” on Sorry State, ISS’s three tracks from 2019’s American Idylls compilation, and the 2020 single Too Punk for Heavy Metal. Highlights abound here too, from the cowbell-infused “One-Sided Triangle” to the Agent Orange-inspired lead guitar on “I Wanna Be Dated” (courtesy Scarecrow’s Jef Leppard). Like the best odds-n-sods compilations, Spikes+ sounds great whether you’re revisiting old favorites or making new ones.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 23.12.2022
- 01. Do You Know Who I Am?
02. Used Condos
03. Rote Atlas
04. Soft Pipes
05. The Weather
06. The Leather
07. Fatigued
08. M.I.A. (Intelligence)
09. Cube In Hand
10. Rake
11. A Knock On The Roof / A ReplyJOINT D#
... / Intelligence
[engl] A highly significant leaked dossier of ripping hardcore, ‘Intelligence’ is dripping with arch rage and lateral hatred. This unrelenting dispatch from camp ? sees their quick fire bile launcher trained expertly on insidious fascisms old and new, looking both inwards to their home state of North Carolina and outwards to the murderous effects of American foreign policy, facing down this complex cluster fuck without flinching, reduction or cliché, instead deploying all the class, riffs and wordplay you’ve come expect from these quarters. Fusing the wild-ass pace Japanese hardcore mania with riffs recalling Poison Idea at their moist concentrated dose, Intelligence is both a sonic ultimatum and a helpful compass. Mandatory listening for both those who are just waking up to the nightmare, and those, like Joint D?, who’ve had eyes on their drones in the sky for quite some time- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 03.04.2017
- 01. Pollutant
02. Harm in My Head
03. Snakeskin
04. E.R.V.
05. Never Elaborate
06. Heavy Water
07. Accelerant
08. False Flag
09. Satan Is Real Again, AgainJOINT D#
Satan Is Real Again, Again, or: Feeling Good About Feeling Good About Bad Thoughts
- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 17.10.2013
- 01. Recognise the Word
02. Pulsating Gore
03. Do the Work
04. Heavy Hauler
05. Drink from the Lake
06. Smashed Berry
07. Be Your Own Killer
08. Stacking Up Bricks
09. Last of the Punks
10. Saudi Royalty
11. Where Do You FitKNOWSO
Pulsating Gore
[engl] With previous releases on Total Punk, Drunken Sailor, and Neck Chop, many of you know Knowso. Maybe you’re even familiar with Cruelster and Perverts Again, projects that share members and sensibilities with Knowso. As for the rest of you, some percentage will hear fifteen seconds of Pulsating Gore and decide it’s not for you. (You’re missing out.) Knowso is too quirky, too nerdy… they don’t rock. But if you have a soft spot for angular rhythms, they’ll pull you in. From there, Pulsating Gore has layers to peel back. Its music is intricate, dense with notes delivered quickly and precisely, layered into interlocking patterns that brim with organic tension. The vocals are not really singing, but memorable nonetheless… a kind of purposefully forceful, yet emotionally detached incantation. And then there are the lyrics, which quick-cut between cryptic images, cracked and fragmented slogans, violent premonitions, and austere documentation of drudgery, words and phrases repeating as their meaning throbs in time with the music. Much of the imagery comes from singer / guitarist / bassist / artist Nathan Ward’s day job as a trucker: roads, highway stops, caffeinated beverages, gory accidents, etc. The images have a darkly psychedelic quality, relating to Nathan’s preoccupation with the ideal of reality “glitching,” a topic Knowso explores both musically and lyrically throughout the album. Also informing Pulsating Gore is Nathan’s intense but ultimately futile struggle to unionize his workplace, with many of the album’s lyrics reading as abstruse but biting analyses of work, labor, and capital. Rather than topics for separate songs, these ideas float through Pulsating Gore’s music and lyrics like garbage in a gas station parking lot on a windy fall day. And that’s only part of the story, so strap in and let Knowso sweep you away.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 26.01.2024
- 01. 700 Club
02. Selfless
03. It's O.K.
04. Government
05. Dear Sirs
06. Nauseous
07. Blap!
08. Acid CasualtyKORO
EP (2023 edition)
- Format
- 7''
- Release-Datum
- 10.01.2023
- 01. Tempos Fracos
02. Rombo
03. Estrada de Ossos
04. Alma sem Remissão
05. Negativo
06. Ritmo Pavoroso
07. Pausa do Resto
08. Corpo no TrilhoLASSO
Lasso
[engl] Sorry State is proud to present the debut 8-song EP from Brazil’s Lasso. These eight short, fast songs fit with the long tradition of raw and urgent hardcore punk bands from Lasso’s part of the world, but there’s more than just aggro here. Lasso’s secret weapon is the subtle death rock sensibility that cuts through their songs, manifesting in the dynamic and memorable songcraft and in the dark, melodic guitar leads that occasionally pierce the mix. Carlos Casotti’s cover art beautifully captures the tension in Lasso’s music, balancing intensity and elegance in a way that’s immediately striking, but rich in depth and detail. Like other classic bands who blended hardcore and death rock—Rudimentary Peni, Part 1, False Confession—Lasso’s music is like an eerie and intense nightmare that stays with you long after you wake up. Limited to 350 copies.- Format
- 7''
- Release-Datum
- 16.10.2021
- 01. Nowhere
02. Rite Of Passage
03. Mania
04. In The Name Of Order
05. Forget Who You Are
06. Wrong Profession/Same Results
07. Nervous Habits
08. Desperate Plea
09. Throwaway
10. Second String
11. Thread Of Life
12. False StartsLIBYANS
Expired Language
[engl] It's been a while since we've heard from Boston's Libyans, but Expired Language proves that the passage of time and the increase of space between members hasn't blunted this band's attack at all. While not quite as frantic as A Common Place, you still get plenty of rapid-fire vocals and Dan's trademark epic snare rolls, but Expired Language is an entirely subtler and more melodic record than the previous one. The guitars in particular are stunning; dense and melodic without leaning on typical punk power chord tropes. And if you liked the big sing-alongs on A Common Place, then be prepared for Expired Language to knock you out, because the choruses on this record are truly epic.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 22.11.2013
- 01. DSM-IV
02. Double Crossed
03. Common Characteristics
04. MK UltraLOGIC PROBLEM
Logic Problem
- Format
- 7" lim
- Release-Datum
- 27.08.2008
- 01. Subversive Intent
02. Static Kill
03. Silence
04. Under the Influence
05. Death WatchMANIPULATION
Manipulation 2
- Format
- 7" lim
- Release-Datum
- 27.08.2011
- 01. Receiving End
02. Punk Star
03. Castration Camp
04. Love It or Leave It
05. Barbed Wire Brain
06. I.O.U.
07. Slimy EnemyMEAT HOUSE
s/t
[engl] When White Stains guitarist Eric Montanez (who also did time in Government Warning, Direct Control, Blood Pressure, Sickoids, and many others) moved back home to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2021, it wasn’t long before he was playing with some of the area’s best musicians, recruiting Alex Greenberg from Mutant Strain on drums and Scarecrow / Public Acid guitarist Jeff Young on bass. When the trio invited White Stains vocalist Keith Caves on board—even though he lives in Pittsburgh, 500 miles from the band’s home base—Meat House was born. After a handful of rehearsals and a couple of low-key gigs, in December 2022 Meat House spent a couple hours laying down seven tracks with the Shaved Ape, who recorded them live with the same 4-track setup he uses to produce his own recordings. The results, a loose and lethal homage to the filthiest, fastest, and catchiest early 80s US hardcore punk, could have easily fit on a 7”, but the band decided to cut them loud on a 45RPM 12” with a ton of dead wax in homage to records like Black Flag's Jealous Again or Battalion of Saints' Fighting Boys. Nothing about this record is precious or overwrought… it’s just seven raw blasts of go-for-the-throat American hardcore punk.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 28.07.2023
- 01. Worked On
02. Walled In
03.
04. Shut The Door
05. Really Clean
06. Expensive Taste
07. Party Talk
08. Night Shift
09. Homeless
10. Sleep
11. SolutionsMOB RULES
The Donor
- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 17.03.2011
- 01. Terrible Heat
02. Crutch
03. Knuckle Dragger
04. Tethered
05. Night Hag
06. Carolinian Jawbreaker
07. Murder Of Crows
08. Don't Care Don't Know
09. Peace Of Mind
10. What's Next?
11. Words FallMUTANT STRAIN
Murder of Crows
[engl] Like their self-titled debut from 2020, Mutant Strain’s second album, Murder of Crows, is a hardcore tsunami. Mutant Strain’s songs are so intense and delivered at such inhumanly fast tempos you’ll spend your first few listens to Murder of Crows scooping your jaw off the floor and locating your newly missing teeth. But speed and volume aren’t the entire story. Much of Mutant Strain’s explosiveness comes from the density of their songs, each of which seems to cram a full album’s worth of music into a highly compressed thrill ride. The riffs never stop moving, careening like subatomic particles around an unstable uranium isotope. But while Mutant Strain flirts with the edge of meltdown, the formidable rhythm section always stays locked into the groove. That’s why, unlike most bands that play at these speeds, at their gigs, the crowd doesn’t stand around waiting for the breakdown (also because there are no breakdowns). Mutant Strain’s shows look like Hieronymus Bosch paintings: piles of writhing, possessed bodies with vocalist Maryssa hovering over the chaos like a demonic overlord. Murder of Crows is bathed in that same ecstatic energy, so turn it up loud and hang on tight.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 26.01.2024
- 01. Pt. 1 Born Into Pain (Toofless Doofus / Juice / Dirt)
02. Pt. 2 The Evil Hand (Burning / Gross / Hogtied)
03. Pt. 3 Dismantling the Oath (Headache Hash / Pill / Can't Have a Lick)
04. Pt. 4 The Execution (Basket Case / Hypocrite / Mutant Strain)MUTANT STRAIN
Mutant Strain
[engl] Mutant Strain has been playing for a while now, blowing away every band they share the stage with. Their sound is densely compressed and explosive, with intricate rock and roll riffing and wild, seemingly eight-armed drumming working around heavy, grooving bass lines and vocals that sound like they’re riling up an army of demons. The result is a batch of songs with MC Escher-esque complexity but straightforward, crowd-pleasing catchiness. In order to capture the energy and excitement of their live show, when Mutant Strain recorded these tracks with Hollywood Jefe (Vittna, Scarecrow), they not only recorded live, but also recorded the songs in batches of three with no breaks in between, just like when they play live. The result is a record that is as manic and exhilarating as being in the pit at a Mutant Strain gig. The LP version is limited to 500 copies and is elaborately packaged in an homage to old Crass Records releases, featuring a huge, 24”x36” 6-panel fold-out poster sleeve, printed inner sleeve, and multiple inserts. credits- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 13.11.2020
- 01. I Say Nothing
02. Bad Luck Eyes
03. Average Cost Of Living
04. Brat
05. Bad Habits
06. New Hues
07. Behave
08. Like It Should
09. So It Goes
10. Gun
11. Fashion DeviceNATURAL CAUSES
Natural Causes
[engl] at you could hear on the earlier 12”. We tend to love bands that fall in the cracks between subgenres here at Sorry State, and the way Natural Causes combine the atmospheric arrangements and angular riffing of post-punk with the energy of garage-punk, all the while sprinkling the whole thing liberally with big pop melodies, makes them a perfect fit for the label. Recommended if you like your punk loud and aggressive, but still forward-thinking and adventurous.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 02.03.2017
- 01. Nuclear Exposure
02. Burning InsideNO TOMORROW
Nuclear Exposure
- Format
- 7" lim
- Release-Datum
- 27.08.2012
- 01. I Fear the Fall
02. Why So Serious?
03. We're Multiplying
04. My Shell Is Broken
05. Bet You Wanna Live
06. Life in Danger
07. Cutting the Red Wire
08. Annima City
09. Lights Out
10. I Seldom Try
11. Television
12. What's the Use?ROUGH KIDS
s/t
[engl] After two 7”s (one on Deranged and one on Sorry State), Raleigh, North Carolina's Davidians deliver their first 12” record. Realizing the sound hinted at on their previous two-song single, City Trends combines elements of art-punk and hardcore into one of the freshest and most distinctive sounds in contemporary punk. While Davidians pick up on various threads in punk’s 40-year history—the pulse and heaviness of 90s noise rock, the quirky rhythms of the Wire branch of post-punk’s family tree, the brooding atmosphere of goth, and the velocity and concision of early 80s US hardcore—these elements are fully digested, growing organically out of the sound of four people of varying ages and backgrounds playing in a room together. Rather than just referencing other parts of my record collection, for me listening to City Trends reminds me of a time of discovery, when every new band I found was a universe unto themselves ripe for exploring. With this record, the RIYL is rendered obsolete… you either like Davidians, or you don’t. But if you like smart, dense, and original punk rock then I’m pretty sure you’re going to like it a lot.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 31.03.2016
- 01. Traicionados
02. Hipocrita / Desobediencia
03. Nunca Digas Nada / Gritos Para Desahogar
04. Aqui No Es
05. La Ley
06. Me Dan Asco
07. Desesperacion
08. Se Dejaron Ir
09. Curriqui de BarrioRULETA RUSA
Aqui No Es
[engl] Debut 12" from this San Francisco punk band that first caught my ear on their split 7" with Mexico's Los Monjo. Like Los Monjo (and like singer Jose's old band, Peligro Social), Ruleta Rusa take the big, anthemic riffs of old Spanish punk like Eskorbuto and inject them with the wild energy of 80s US hardcore, sealing the deal with a sprinkling of infectious, rocked-out lead guitar. Whether they're bashing out an upbeat singalong like "La Ley" or a darker, more downbeat song like the title track, Ruleta Rusa fill every moment with maximum power and energy. Recommended for punks who like punk.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 22.08.2013
- 01. No Hay Paz
02. Hijos de Perra
03. Detenidos
04. Cambios
05. Odiado
06. Antiaerreas
07. Divina Providencia
08. Es Un Desorden
09. Todo Es Mierda
10. Vivire Sin Ti
11. Unidos/Un Dia En TexasRULETA RUSA
Viviendo Una Maldicion
[engl] It's been nearly five years since Ruleta Rusa released Aqui No Es, their debut LP for Sorry State, but if you think they've slowed, mellowed, or otherwise slipped off their game you are sorely mistaken. If anything, they're harder, faster, and punker on Viviendo Una Maldicion than they were on Aqui No Es, as perfectly exhibited on Viviendo's furious opening track, "No Hay Paz." Elsewhere on the album you get a similar mixture of classic Spanish punk, US hardcore, and second-wave UK punk that you heard on the band's previous releases, but everything feels a little more direct and a little rougher around the edges. Oh, and dig the show-stopping pair of Paralisis Permanente covers that close the album! In a word, Ruleta Rusa have gotten better... the tougher parts are tougher, the catchy parts are catchier, and they've delivered what is (to date, at least) the crowning achievement of their discography.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 17.04.2018
- 01. Sleep Starved
02. Not Your Prey
03. Little Secret
04. Epidemic
05. Dream Desire (You're My)
06. There's No Hope for the U.S.A.
07. 5:45 A.M.
08. Boys in Blue
09. Fast Living
10. Certain Death
11. Trend Setter
12. Starved for AttentionS.L.I.P.
Slippy When Wet
[engl] With Slippy When Wet, Pittsburgh’s S.L.I.P. go after that rarest of white whales: the all-killer, no filler 33RPM 12” hardcore record. If you’d only heard their earlier stuff, I could see worrying that the lurching, deep-in-the-pocket, Black Flag/Bl’ast!-style rhythms that are at the core of the band’s sound might wear on the ear after a while (god knows some of those later ‘Flag records can be tough to get through in one sitting), but Slippy When Wet reveals that, much like the Adolescents or the Zero Boys, S.L.I.P. are pretty much just writing great pop songs and delivering them with the energy and power of hardcore punk. In addition to being jam-packed with memorable tunes, the playing here is just phenomenal… the “members-of” list for this band is both long and deep, and the experience shows whether they're playing full-tilt hardcore punk like “Not Your Prey” or a Judas Priest-style riff-rock sing-along like “Fast Living.” S.L.I.P. have that Annihilation Time-esque way of using their phenomenal technical proficiency in the service of making music that is fun and energetic rather than dense and pretentious, and like those great A.T. releases, Slippy When Wet is a record that won’t leave your turntable for a very long time.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 09.11.2016
- 01. The Real Criminal
02. Wretched Souls
03. Courtesy Professionalism Respect
04. Skillful Butchers / Lost Children
05. Grim Outlook
06. Lying Through Your Teeth
07. Semblance of Terror
08. Behind the Service Weapon
09. Slaughter Bezos
10. One Last LaughSCALPLE
Skillful Butchers
[engl] Skillful Butchers is the new album from New York City’s Scalple, their first for Sorry State. Since Scalple’s 2018 12” on Roach Leg Records, they’ve expanded to a five-piece and changed their sound, moving toward the thrash-and-mosh dynamics of late 80s UK hardcore bands like Heresy, Ripcord, and Concrete Sox. Those bands took their inspiration from early 80s US hardcore, and just as the sound changed when those bands carried it across the pond, Scalple infuses this style with the filth, grime, and frustration they soak up walking New York City’s streets. More than just a well-timed throwback, Skillful Butchers ups their inspirations’ ante in terms of intensity and precision, and adds new wrinkles like the blistering metallic lead guitars and the crunching industrial interludes courtesy Maggot Champagne, aka Pharmakon. However you categorize it, Skillful Butchers is a great hardcore record, packed with memorable songs and riffs destined to get the pit moving as the world remembers how to mosh.- Format
- LP lim
- Release-Datum
- 01.10.2021
- 01. Viivyttely
02. Selviytyjä
03. Hyvä Ehdokas
04. Älä Tukehdu
05. SikaSIRKKA
Viivyttely
[engl] Kuluttava Kone, the 2020 cassette from Sirkka, has been in constant rotation at Sorry State since it came out, and when the opportunity arose to release Sirkka’s debut record, we couldn’t say yes fast enough. While Sirkka began as a two-person recording project based in New York, on Viivyttely they’ve expanded to a four-piece lineup, albeit one whose members are spread across the US east coast and Leipzig, Germany. Vocalist Sanja’s commanding snarl serves as further evidence that Finnish is the best language for hardcore punk, while the band draws from their roots in early 80s New England hardcore and their fascination with 80s Finnish punk, creating a unique sound that fuses the former’s brute force to the latter’s subtle sense of melody. It’s like Jerry’s Kids, SSD, Rattus, and Kaaos in one giant pigpile. Five tracks of hardcore punk that crackle with intensity.- Format
- 7''
- Release-Datum
- 10.01.2023