Sunday, September 6, 2009

Ringworm - 1990-2003




'90s metallic hardcore is a genre i'm not too familiar with, or really have any interest in, but Ringworm are in a league of their own. From Cleveland, Ohio, the band started as Force of Habit (with only one known recording under that name), then changed their name to Ringworm and self-released the completely powerful and vicious 1991 demo. The band went on hiatus after the demo and didn't record anything again until 1999. 8 years later and the "Madness of War" demo sounds like it picks up right where they left off. They've been putting out records ever since, and are still active today.

This is a collection of demos, split eps (all out of print), cover songs, live tracks, alternate mixes of some tracks from their first full length, and the only known Force of Habit track recorded in 1990. 27 tracks spanning 1990-2003, all excellent sound quality, and all tracks mastered to be at the same volume. I put this one together for myself, but it came out so good i decided to share it here. Enjoy!
 

Ringworm 1991-2003 Anthology
 

1991 demo lineup:

James Bulloch (Human Furnace) - vocals
Frank Novinec - guitar
Chris Pellow - bass
Kenny Carpenter - drums

The original demo was recorded on August 5, 1991 at Mars Studio in Cleveland, Ohio and released as a 7" in 1995 on Blood Book Records. All music written by Frank Novinec and all lyrics by the Human Furnace. These tracks were later re-recorded for the band's first LP entitled "The Promise" released on Incision Records in 1993. The demo recordings are far superior in my opinion, and the version in this collection is devoid of the samples before each track. The 1991 demo is by far my favorite Ringworm recording, and i never seem to get tired of it.

The band went through many lineup changes throughout the years, and i'm not sure what the lineup was in '99 when they returned with the "Madness of War" demo. Three crushing songs, 2 of which were re-recorded for the band's split 7" with Cold As Life released on Stillborn Records in 2001.

The split cd ep with Godbelow, known as "Hollowed Soul" was released on Surface Records in 2000. One new track, a crushing re-recording of Necropolis (from 1991), and a cover of Killing Time's "Brightside".

The split 7" with Terror was recorded on May of 2003 at Spider Studios and released on July 15, 2003 on Deathwish Inc. Records. Both tracks were re-recorded for the third full-length "Justice Replaced by Revenge" released Oct. 18 on Victory Records.

The Circle Jerks and Angry Samoans covers threw me for a loop when i first heard them because of the clean guitar sound and clean vocals. They stay true to the originals, and there's really no way you can even tell it's Ringworm unless told. These tracks were recorded in 1991, and "I Just Want Some Skank" was released on the 1991 compilation "Dark Empire Strikes Back: Cleveland Compilation" released on Dark Empire Records. I'm not sure if the other tracks were released on any compilations, i got all 3 of them from the "Flatline" CD put out by Lost & Found Records in 2005.

The live tracks were recorded at Peabody's in June of '94. I'm pretty sure this is the original lineup with the exception of Chris Dora on drums. Such a vicious rendition of Urine. These tracks were also taken from the "Flatline" CD, as were the next batch of songs, the alternate mixes of various tracks from "The Promise".

The last track is the only known Force of Habit (pre-Ringworm) song, taken from the "Voice of Thousands" comp released on Conversion Records in 1990.

If anyone has any further info on lineups during certain recordings (or just any further info in general), please leave a comment.
Current members:
Human Furnace - vocals
Matt Sorg - guitar
John Comprix - guitar
Chris Dora - drums
Mike Lare - bass / vocals
Former Members:
Matt Devries - guitar
Frank "3-Gun" Novinec - guitar
Danny Zink - drums
Chris Pellow - bass
Bblaze Tishko - guitar / bass
John Lock Jaw - bass
Chris Smith - guitar
Kenny Carpenter - drums
Bob Zieger - drums
Aaron Ramirez - bass
Aaron Dallison - guitar
Steve Rochourst - bass
Ben Hhallowell - bass

If you like this stuff, be sure to check out the Holyghost 1999 demo, which is available on CD from Deathwish Inc. Records with 2 bonus tracks. Human Furnace on vocals.

24 comments:

  1. A389 Recordings will be reissuing the RINGWORM "THE PROMISE" 12" next month ... check out www.a389records.com for more info.

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  2. Awesome, one of my favorite bands of the '90s... Unfortunately, track 19 (Numb / Blind To Faith live) is corrupt and won't unzip with the rest of the collection :(

    Many thanks for doing this awesome blog!

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  3. Looks like the link is down..?

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  4. I spoke too soon - maybe you were reupping at the same time I checked?
    Grabbing it now, thanks!

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  5. thanks again vin! look forward to that under pressure stuff. nice one on the pressure release too.

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  6. what do want to know about ringworm? i know everything. Im in need of old worm flyers asap. hit me up with questions or if you have any flyers- humanfurnace13@aol.com

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  7. also who the fuck is mollie kotzen? was never in ringworm. and james bulloch aka human furnace never played played guitar in ringworm only sang. oh and the vinyl re-issue of the promise is coming out on halloween this year. pre-orders come with the demo on 7 inch. www.a389records.com

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  8. Anonymous, i got that list of members online. Thanks for pointing out the errors, i'll be fixing that now.

    As far as info, was their a different lineup from 1991 to 1999? I'd like to post the correct lineups for both demos.

    I'm looking forward to the re-issues.

    Vin

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  9. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LINE-UP. BESIDES, GUITAR AND VOCALS. BASS HAD MANY CHANGES AS WELL AS DRUMS. (WE HAD FILL-INS, BUT THIS IS THE SOLID LINE-UPS AT THOSE TIMES)
    91 DEMO LINE UP
    HF-VOX
    FRANK-GIUTAR
    KENNY-DRUMS
    PELLOW-BASS

    93 PROMISE LINE UP
    HF-VOX
    FRANK-GUITAR
    PELLOW-BASS
    BOB ZIEGER- DRUMS

    WORM BROKE-UP IN 94, GOT BACK TOGETHER BRIEFLY IN 95 FOR A EUROPEAN TOUR WITH INTEGRITY, THAT LINE-UP WAS
    HF- VOX
    FRANK - GUITAR
    BLAZE- BASS
    BOB ZIEGER- DRUMS

    PERMANENTLY REFORMED IN 98 -EARLY 98 LINE-UP
    HF- VOX
    FRANK - GUITAR
    CHIRS DORA - DRUMS
    BLAZE - BASS

    MID 98 LINE-UP
    HF-VOX
    FRANK-GUITAR
    BLAZE - GUIATR
    JOHN TOLE - BASS
    DORA- DRUMS

    LATE 98, EARLY 99 LINE-UP
    HF- VOX
    FRANK - GUITAR
    BLAZE-GUITAR
    AARON RAMIREZ - BASS
    CHRIS DORA - DRUMS

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  10. the demo was recorded in 1991...the "Promise" LP was recorded in 1993.there was no hiatus.the band broke up in 1994.reformed in 1995.off again...repeat the process ad infinity. -Clive Barker.

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  11. Ringworm! It doesn't get much better than this. Thanks.

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  12. these guys are one of my fav bands. there music is fucking sweet and nuts. like nobody else. seen em a few times and would love to see them AGAIN AND AGAIN!!

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  13. yO...thanx alot for this Ringworm compo!! one of the only bands in 216 that was a consistantly good hXc band.

    Ringworm had the sickest shows in the 90's. Furnace is sick!!

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  14. One of my favorite bands from the 90s..."Justice Replaced by Revenge" (2005) is awesome!

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  15. You are pretty good at making this compilations for us, the best way to get the best of every great band in one place. Awesome.

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  16. Thank you very much!!! It's a killer compilation... Salutes from Southeast's Brazil!

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  17. This is an awesome band, their music is explosive and full of excellent riffs.

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  18. Thanks for this, I was searching for the Madness Of War demo after receiving the flexi that A389 just put out and needing the mp3's for when I'm driving and want to rage. This compilation you've put together is awesome.

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  19. brilliant work, thanks... this is one band that really doesn't get mentioned enough!

    just one question - my old tape copy of the first demo came under the title *satanic hardcore death metal*, which i always thought was actually the name of the demo... i guess not (?) - possibly just what one trader thought was an apt description for the music :)

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  20. That is the same "Amputee" that appears on Birth is Pain. I always assumed the Lost & Found 7" was just the live version that was released on Flatline. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

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