Moss Icon - The Remaining Songs (remastered)

When i first started this blog i posted a 2xCD Moss Icon discography that i put together from various sources, which, aside from the studio material, included demo tracks, live tracks, and even the Breathing Walker cassette. In fact sharing this amazing collection was one of the reasons i started this blog. Moss Icon has been a huge infatuation of mine ever since i heard the Mahpiua Luta 7" in 1989, and has been a favorite of mine ever since. Over 20 years later i can still listen to songs like Kick The Can or Hate In Me and think that Moss Icon may very well have been the greatest punk band in the US (of course then i'll hear something else and think the same thing, but that's besides the point). Unlike many of the bands from that time that have faded from memory, Moss Icon remaisn timeless for me. Needless to say when i heard the band was releasing a complete discography i nearly stained my good jeans. For me, this was the most anticipated discography i could ever think of. When i finally got my hands on the 2xCD version, i was a bit disappointed that this wasn't a "complete discography" at all, but more like an anthology. I found this really odd, as there was more than enough room on these 2 CDs to include everything the band had recorded, or at least released. I can understand maybe not including the 1987 demo, which i love, but i'd wager the band doesn't think too highly of it at this point. What i can't understand is the exclusion of songs like Cape Of Holes, Nov. 10th, or Sioux Day. Songs that are every bit as good as anything on the band's 3 7"s, or the Lyburnum LP. I also don't understand why they didn't include that killer intro to Kick The Can from the Mahpiua Luta 7" version. Still, i'm glad this was released, and the sound is excellent. It's great to finally have the Hate In Me 7" and the Silver Bearing split LP in quality sound.


When i finally got this blog rolling again, i deleted the Moss Icon post because of the upcoming discography, leaving only a collection of live sets you can still grab here. But since so many songs didn't make it onto the official discog, some of which are crucial to the band's output, i've decided to compile them here. I "remastered" the tracks as best as possible, removing any background noise and making other adjustments, and not to pat myself on the back, but they sound better than ever. My advise would be to pick up the discography CDs or LPs, and download this collection, to hear What They Lack. Enjoy.

Moss Icon - The Remaining Songs

Jonathan Vance - vocals
Tonie Joy - guitar
Monica DiGialleonardo - bass
Mark Laurence - drums
Alex Badertscher - guitar (1990-1991)

The first 4 tracks were taken from The Life demo, recorded in 1989. I only included the 4 songs that were not later released on various records, aside from Cornflower Blue (featuring Daniel Littleton of The Hated, and Michael Littleton of Ida), which was included on the False Object Sensor compilation LP released on Vermiform Records in 2001. Since it was left off the discography, i included it here. Reflections Of An Old Man is the music from the intro to Kick The Can, but with lyrics. These 4 songs are up there with the best of the band's material.

Track 5 (Sioux Day) was on the Superpowers cassette released on Troubleman Unlimited in 1992.

Tracks 6-12 is the entire 1987 self-released demo tape. This is a great raw sounding recording. The first 2 songs, Hate In Me and What They Lack, were re-recorded a year later for the band's first 7", and Mirror was re-recorded for the Panx Vinyl Zine 3 compilation 7" released in 1989. Mirror was also included on the Lyburnum Wit's End Liberation Fly LP, recorded in 1988 and finally released in 1993 on Vermiform. Most all the band's other records were rleased on Vermin Scum Records. The four remaining tracks were exclusive to The Life demo, and never re-recorded, or even appeared anywhere else as far as i know.

Tracks 13-16 are various live recordings, dates and venues unknown. The song Today is an unreleased song. Great sound quality on these live songs, especially the last two, which were from the same show.

Death Side - 1987-1994 Discography remastered

The mighty Death Side, my favorite hardcore band to ever come out of Japan. In this post i've uploaded the complete discography at 320kbps from the Nucleus-R remastered reissues that were released in 2002. The sound quality is incredible.

First time i heard Death Side was some time during the mid '90s. My friend Gen sent me the Bet On The Possibility LP. Until then i had heard Japanese stuff like Gism, SOB, and Bastard. This was on another level though, and the album seemed to steamroll right over me leaving me with my jaw hanging open. The song writing, the vocals, Chelsea's incredible guitar playing... it all fit so perfectly. And just when i would think "Damn, that was the greatest song i've ever heard", the next song would kick in. This is one of those rare albums where every song just gets better and better right until the amazing epic closing track Crossfire, which veers off into Iron Maiden territory, with Chelsea pulling off incredible metallic riffs and leads like it was nothing. The guy truly was the Adrienne Smith of hardcore. RIP!

Since then i've obsessively tracked down all the bands other releases, and was lucky enough to hunt down all the Nucleus-R reissues. I love all of it, although Bet On The Possibility will always be my fave, and i consider it one of the greatest hardcore full-lengths on the '90s.

EPs, Splits and Comp Tracks

Starting off this mandatory discography is the band's collection of singles, splits and comp tracks spanning 1987 through 1994. My fave being the split  with Chaos UK, which was released on CD only by Selfish Records in 1993. Many of the other compilations in this anthology are probably pretty hard to come by these days, Blast In Hell from the Game Of Death comp is such a ripper, but everyone will have their faves. By 1994 the band had a nice streamlined metallic and catchy sound. This is the kind of stuff you listen to and think "how did this band not take over the world"?

The band's first 7", Satisfy The Instinct (Selfish Records 1987), was originally on the 2xCD collection called The Will Never Die (named after the band's 1994 ep). I included that 7" on the Wasted Dream CD, so i could fit all the other non full-length stuff on one CD. I modified the front cover and created the back. Enjoy, and play LOUD!

Bet On The Possibility

Next up is the Bet On The Possibility LP, for me the band's high water mark. In my opinion, this is where it all came together, the band at the top of their game. Bet On The Possibility was originally released on Selfish Records out of Japan in 1991. According to the liner notes it was recorded at Our House, and came  with a lyric sheet and gatefold sleeve.

Wasted Dream

Last up is the band's first full length album, Wasted Dream. Originally released on Selfish in 1989 and re-released on Selfish in 2011 on vinyl. Recorded at Antiknock in 1989. Original CD version came with a CD booklet with lyrics and pictures. The 2011 reissue included the entire Satisfy The Instinct 7" as bonus tracks. Like the others, this is a 320 rip of the 2002 Nucleus-R remaster.

Lineup 1987-1994

Ishiya - vocals
Chelsea - guitar
You - bass
Muka Chin - drums
Ran-Lin - drums

Chelsea passed away in August of 2007. He also played guitar for Paintbox (also highly recommended). Paintbox released three full lengths and five eps. Ishiya also sang for Forward, who recorded many records between 2000 and 2012.

The Disappointments - 21 song 7" - 1987

Just a quick update before i get on with the post. Sorry once again for the massive delay! I really should be back on track now, and have lots of stuff either ready to be posted within the next few weeks, or currently being worked on. I won't spill all the beans, but some stuff that should be up soon: Sacred Denial collection, Short Hate Temper discography, Death Side remastered discography, Moss Icon (all the tracks not on the 2xCD discography), Mental Abuse, live Jawbreaker, Open Your Mind (Pre-Infest), and lots more. I really want to get this thing back off the ground.

The Disappointments were a real obscurity, and if not for their association with GG Allin they would probably be one of the most under the radar '80s hardcore bands to ever exist. First time i heard this 7" was some time in late '87. I recorded the first half of the ep from Pat Duncan's radio show on WFMU. There was just so much stuff i was hunting for at the time, that this one got overlooked, and luckily i recently came across it online. I spent an inhuman amount of time cleaning the audio and removing all the skips and pops, and even boosting the volume just a bit (without going into the red). It all paid off though, and i'm really happy with the way it sounds. I've been listening to this like a maniac for the past month or so. I can't get enough. Highest recommendation! Wanker!

The Disappointments

Better You Than Me
Scar Yourself
Drink It Away
Brainwashed
Possessed
Wanker
Rehash
Squared
Find A Job
The Woe
Trash Fever
Big Fat Boss Man
No Pot
P.U.P.
Putting It Off
Credit Due
Wishing Well
Did It Wrong
Next To Impossible
Hint To Move
Mama Done Told Me

Not much info about this band online, other than they were from Detroit, Michigan, and released this insane 21-song ep on Ice Pick Production Records in 1987. The music is hard to describe. It's absolutely frantic, deranged, fast hardcore punk with tempo changes all over the place. Like a faster and more psychotic version of Neos, with a crazed vocalist that kinda sounds like the guy from Violent Tumor (actually the music reminds me a bit of Violent Tumor at times), and even Denunzio from the '87 Infest demo, with back up vocals in the vein of Jello from Dead Kennedys. If this came out today it would probably be thrown under the banner of powerviolence, as it is this must have floored people in '87 (it sure floored me).

All copies were on white vinyl labeled as The Disappointments on the cover, but the labels read Elvis Roy and The Disappointments. Band members were Elvis Roy, B. Paingle, T. Rick and Mark. Aside from Elvis on vocals, i'm not sure who played what.

In 1989 The Disappointments were the backing band for GG Allin. There was even a 7" record put out as GG Allin and The Disappointments. The ep was called Outside Inside, put out by Bitter Boy Records, recorded 1989, released 1990. It was a soundboard recording of a full show at Stache's Bar in Columbus, OH. recorded  June 26, 1989.

In the late '90s The Disappointments recorded three 7"s. All Cranked Up (1997 Sell-Out Records), Sex, Drugs & Puke (1997 Radio Records), and Let's Die (1998 Radio Records). These records were nothing like their demented 21 song hardcore 7" from '87 though, and more in line with GG's brand of scum rock.