V/A - New Breed - The Tape Compilation

Year: 2011
Label: Wardance / Lush Life

Originally released in 1989 by Freddy Alva (Wardance Records) and Chaka Malik (Burn) as a cassette compilation (hence the name), as the inaugural release for their Urban Styles imprint and as a compliment to issue three of Freddy's Urban Styles fanzine, this record has since been re released as an 8-track (timely), a CD, and as a double lp, which is what I have. More recently (2016) a documentary was released on the compilation, and more specifically the sub-scene it covered upon its release. Pretty sure you can find it on Youtube. It's worth your time if you've ever been a fan of NYHC.

This particular compilation filled a similar niche as the "NY Hardcore Where The Wild Things Are", and the "Look At All The Children Now" compilations did, which is to shine a light on the NYHC bands that weren't on Revelation Records, and maybe weren't getting much play outside of Lismar Lounge. And while, yeah, Sick Of It All and Judge and all those bands were incredible, for my money Absolution, Collapse, and Life's Blood are just as good. A bit more raw, a bit more ferocious, a bit darker, and every bit as vital.

The bands:

Absolution - A band that's tough to beat, and that for my money was the transition from classic stomping NYHC to grooving Quicksand post-hardcore. There's a slight skip on the song...sorry, but it's part of the record.

Life's Blood - If Absolution are tough to beat, Life's Blood are the one band here that does it. They are the pinnacle of what makes this style of music so vital. You get live versions of some of their gnarliest here, including the bonus tracks at the end of the album. But for some reason, there's an extra track listed ('Stick To It') that isn't actually on the record.

Outburst - Their 7" is one of my all time favorites, and on this compilation you get earlier, more raw versions of a couple of those songs, plus a live rendition of 'Controlled'. 

Our Gang - Super to-the-point scratchy attack. Had dudes that went on to Go!, Hell No, Born Against, Serpico, Citizen's Arrest, and a million more bands.

Collapse - This band should have been the biggest ever. Total punishment, that fits really well right in between the fractured pulse of Absolution (two members were in both bands) and the scum fuck attack of Life's Blood. Plus, the dude who plays bass in the damn Deftones plays bass in Collapse. Weird world.

Pressure Release - The closest thing to Youth Crew that you'll find on this compilation, but appropriately more feral and unhinged than Bold ever was. 

Breakdown - Steamroller hardcore that if you squint hard enough you'd swear is where Infest got their ideas from. 

True Colors - This was two of the dudes from Our Gang, and I believe this is the only song they ever released. Drayl Kahan, later of Citizen's Arrest is in the mix too. Frenzied shit.

Show Of Force - This band was Outburst and Breakdown guys with a couple of friends knocking out a couple demos worth of moshy grime, and managing one track for this album. 

Direct Approach - No frills, meat and potatoes NYHC. Never the headliners, always the opener.

Raw Deal - Legends. Before changing their name to Killing Time, they were demolishing audiences with some of the most brutal, metal-tinged, gut punches. Top tier shit. 

ABomb-A-Nation - Imagine a more primitive 7 Seconds mixed with Token Entry, and that's kinda these guys. But not as good as either.

Beyond - Underrated nutters who were doing their best to give hardcore a kick in the pants, only to find "success" once they split and got into bigger bands (Bold, Burn, Quicksand, 108, Inside Out, and 1.6 Band [well...maybe not that much bigger]).

Direct - Pretty certain these two songs on here are all they ever released, and they are live and raw as fuck. One of the guys was in Beyond, and one went on to play drums in Orange 9MM. These are good songs though...would love to have heard a 7" by this band.

Uppercut - Raging assault that rubs shoulders with Breakdown, Raw Deal, Sheer Terror, and Maximum Penalty. Mean shit. Members from Side By Side, Gorilla Biscuits, Bloodline(!), Judge, Alone In A Crowd, and Electric Frankenstein, among others. Professional types.

Fit Of Anger - Standard issue gruff dude style hardcore. Surprising? Should not be.

Discipline - Between this song and their track on Voice Of The Voiceless, this band came and went. But, for the hardcore archeologists out there, this band marks the first appearance of Danny Diablo, and features Gus SxE, who would next put out one 7" with his band Ocean Of Mercy that I, frankly, love. So there.

Bad Trip -I'm a big Bad Trip fan, and dig their bouncy style that never devolved any sort of funk or funk adjacent bullshit. It was just charging good hardcore. 

Under Pressure - Another band that just a a couple cassette demos and then disappeared. But the track they have here is a solid bruiser that may not be breaking any new ground, but they certainly sound like they would enjoy breaking your jaw.

Stand Proud - See above, but maybe scratch the part about them wanting to punch you in the face, and instead maybe they would ask, "hey, are we in tune?", to which you would say, "No, no you are not.".

All For One - I used to have this band's 7", but I cannot find it, which means I sold it (doubtful, as I am more of a hoarder than a wheeler dealer), lost it (also doubtful), or someone grabbed it (more likely). The vocals are the make or break proposition with this band, they are the proverbial "acquired taste".

DL