V/A - Manifest(o)

Label: Infernal Racket
Year: 1999
Infernal Racket was a relatively short lived label out of Pennsylvania who put out a handful of really great noisy, sludgy, stoner-y records in the late 90s. This compilation has them teaming up with their friends at Hydra Head, Escape Artist, and others to give a survey of what they were into at a particular moment in time.

Rabies Caste - previously released on 'For The Vomiting Truck Drivers', but...oh, so satisfyingly burly.
Isis - previously released on the 'Mosquito Control' ep, but again...I mean, it's when Isis were really going for it...so good.
Superhighway Carfire - previously released on 'Shell Of A Man', you may have missed that record though, which would be a shame if you like having two shoes clapped against your ears like I do.
Wally - previously released on the 'Freud' album. Really good, burly shit, with lots of changes packed into a compact song, yet avoids sounding like a disjointed mess.
Time In Malta - previously released on the 'Construct and Demolish' ep, one of the best bands of this era to play the noise-core/metalcore style as they mixed in some older D.C. influences.
Cave In - previously released on 'Until Your Heart Stops', still holds up as a barnburner of Slayer-core.
Meatjack - previously unreleased (that I know), throbbing wall of hate-noise from a band criminally underrated. Super nasty.
Dropnickel - previously released on the 'Digging It Up' compilation, which, there's pretty much no way you've heard before unless one of your cousins is on it. I think you'll dig their big, swinging grungy rock though.
Stillwater - previously unreleased (that I know), but I think this is the Stillwater who put out a record on 1124, but...not totally sure. Sounds like a band that would have been on a bill with Mind Over Matter and JJ Paradise Players Club circa 1997.
Cavity - previously released on the 'Goin An Arbor' 7". Still makes the hairs on your arm stand up with their impeccable Sabbath/Flag assault.
Scrid - previously unreleased (that I know) but a real overdriven doozy of clawing, scratching, stroked-out blasting.
Bobbykork - posthumously released on their discography. One of those quintessential "finds"...a "who the fuck?" band that will rip your face clean off your...ummm...face.
Calm - previously unreleased (that I know of), teeters on the oft-maligned "alt metal" line, but messy and loud enough to safely fall into an acceptable home here.
Burn It Down - previously released on the 'Eat Sleep Mate Defend" ep. Easily my favorite ex-Hardball band...mean and heavy.
Turmoil - previously released on the 'The Process Of' album. Easily my favorite ex-Conviction band...also mean and also heavy.

DL