Author: Abel

Terror Revolucionário – Mr. Crack (SM053)

Terror Revolucionário formed in February 1999, in the city of Taguatinga, Federal District, Brazil.

“In the first half of 2011, we entered Estúdio Órbis, in Taguatinga/DF – Brazil, to record the next album with the title Mr. Crack. The album was only released in 2014.

It had been 5 years since the last recording. We invited Capaça (Violator guitarist) to help with the tones and production of the album. Recorded in two days, the album has 18 songs, being the band’s most crustcore/punk material.

Influences from Abuse Sonoro, Ratos de Porão, Disrupt, Extreme Noise Terror, Doom and Discharge are latent. Pay attention to the reference to Morbid Angel.

Now, in 2024, ten years after its release on CD, the album has a new version through the Strange Mono label.

Libertarian hugs,
Terror Revolucionário
(Fellipe CDC, Drikaos, Jeffer and Barbosa Osvaldo)”

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Out Now: Straight On View – Gotta Step Up (Demo ’24) SM056

Straight On View’s journey began with a shared passion for hardcore punk. Guitarist Jim reminisces, “Sometimes I get into certain moods with music and always go back to stuff I’ve loved over the years. I was listening to a lot of NYHC and youth crew at the time and then Chris and I started talking about it one day and he was showing me stuff I
hadn’t heard yet and then I just got in songwriting mode”. Band’s formation was a natural process. With each of the members sharing their unique energy and influences. “Chris and I were playing guitar with each other one day and listening to music and I mentioned I had a few hardcore songs I wrote. He had some riffs and it just kind of happened organically.” – recalls Jim. “Then we asked Matt to play bass shortly after and Colin suggested Eliot as a singer. I heard him and thought it’d be perfect and it just fell into place”.

Driven by a desire to spread positivity and constructive ideals, Straight On View aims to leave a lasting impression on the punk landscape. messages of unity and understanding through their music. “The most important things I took from youth crew were having a positive outlook and being constructive with your thoughts and actions.” reflects Eliot. “If we want to change things, we have to bring people together and break down the divisions between us.”

Collaboration and camaraderie defined the writing and recording process of “Gotta Step Up”. Jim highlights, “The coolest thing was just having everyone bring stuff to the table. It all came together nicely without much challenge and sounds super cohesive”.

Straight On View’s decision to release their debut EP through Strange Mono Records, a benefit label, underscores their commitment to community support and radical positivity. Dan Timlin, co-founder of Strange Mono, expresses his excitement, stating, “We share the same values, radical positivity, and practicing community support. Straight On View is relentless and tight, filled with frenetic energy, and they are one of the few bands that play this kind of music that aren’t afraid to rip a solo or two!”

All proceeds are being donated to Philly PAWS

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Sandcastle – Heaven Creator The Flower On A Woman (SM050)

Strange Mono is thrilled to announce the long-awaited release of Sandcastle’s ethereal 2019 album, “Heaven Creator The Flower On A Woman,” now available for the first time in physical format. This captivating album unveils the enigmatic bond between songwriter Sam Kassel and his trusted collaborator and engineer, Dan Angel.

Recorded in Germantown on vintage ¼ inch tape, this album is a testament to the mystical allure of Sandcastle’s music. Evoking a sense of ritualistic mystique, Kassel delves into themes of identity and introspection, pondering the enigmatic personas of the Guillotine Princess, the Midnight Flame, and the Nightingale Rider.

Sandcastle, the moniker for the enigmatic songwriter Sam Kassel, has been an elusive, captivating figure within the underground music scene for over a decade. Known for his clever lyricism, distinctive vocal style, and irresistibly catchy melodies, Sandcastle’s music transcends conventional boundaries, captivating listeners with its otherworldly charm.

“This was recorded in a basement on ¼ inch tape. The tape was somewhat of a band member during this time. I don’t know how to record with any of the beautiful machinery used–that is all Dan Angel–they are his curious beasts and respond to his Angelic touch with sentience and grace. Lots of wine, lots of grass. To name and order it, we worked a ritual. A candle, a book, a golden dish.
Who is the Guillotine Princess?
What is the Midnight Flame?
Who is the Nightingale Rider?
Who is the Nightingale?
Me? You?
What did it mean then? It all means more to me now.
(ps ufos are real.)” – SK

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False Tracks – Hymn For Terror (sm041)

Jayme Guokas, Mike Hammel, Greg Pavlovcak, and Jamie Wilson formed False Tracks in 2016 and have released a handful of EP’s since their start. Seasoned veterans of the Philly and DC indie pop/punk scenes, they’ve each been members of The Ropers, Lilys, The Snow Fairies, Pink Skull, Royal Shoals, Last Wave, and The Vexers respectively. With as much collective experience as this band has it’s no surprise that False Tracks delivers such addictive, perfectly executed, post-punk ear worms.

Throughout the last seven years the band has refined their sound into tight, punchy, post-punk burners. Hymn For Terror showcases a slightly darker False Tracks than what we’ve heard from them before. Moodier songs like Suspended Animation and Wet Market are balanced by the psyche-tinged Dandelion, and the new wave jangle-rock of Who Will Reveal Their Secrets First?. While their style is comparable to bands like Wire, The Feelies, Wipers and early Flying nun releases False Tracks offers more than just the sum of their influences.

Staunch believers that the first thought is the best thought they apply this approach to their songwriting. “The concept was to marry atmospheric guitar, kinetic rhythms, and primal beats with supernatural narratives where aliens, lost souls, and monsters are made to wander in uncanny landscapes. Between projects there was an opportunity to gather some old friends to have fun and make music. There was one rule established from the outset: no songs over two minutes. Shortly after the first demo we broke that rule.”

Recorded in Philadelphia with the legendary Jeff Zeigler at his studio Uniform Recording. ”We’ve all worked with Jeff on various projects over the last 20+ years. He tolerates our unpleasant manners. Luckily, our tastes have evolved somewhat in parallel with his, so he easily recognizes our references and touchstones. The experience is like hanging out with an old friend, comfortable and instinctive”

Proceeds from the sales of this album through Strange Mono are being donated to Homies Helping Homies. A mutual Aid organization provided food and necessities to the underserved community of the Point Breeze neighborhood in Philadelphia. 

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Out Now: MARKING & PLATING – Zéro Vague (SM048)

MARKING & PLATING is a Lo-Fi French No Wave project created by two library workers trapped in Texas. The band consists of Austin scene veteran Harold Whit Williams (Cotton Mather, Daily Worker) and poet/translator Michael Perret. On this debut Marking & Plating showcase a variety of styles taking inspo from bands like Sparks, DNA, House music, and classic French pop songs.

Created within the drab confines of cubicle land (and named after an old-fashioned end-processing cataloging unit), MARKING & PLATING started as a joke between library workers Harold Whit Williams and Michael Perret. The recording project took shape quickly under the lo-fi production of Daily Worker at his Austin, TX home studio The Kibosh. Taping their tirades and tilting at tech bro windmills, MARKING & PLATING presents Zéro Vague, snarky punk/no wave ethos informing some seriously catchy electro-pop.

“What started as offbeat offhanded convo at the office about us becoming a Texas/French No Wave band quickly became a pretty fucking cool-sounding thing. There are certainly elements of pop/rock here (and hooks!), but the true spirit is indeed experimental. All tracking music was performed or filtered thru an old Boss drum machine straight onto 4-track cassette tape. French spoken word vocals were cut and pasted. No animals were harmed during production (unless you include us and our damaged eardrums).”
– Harold Whit Williams

All proceeds from the sale of this album through Strange Mono is being donated to The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF). A non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association. FTRF protects and defends the First Amendment to the Constitution and supports the right of libraries to collect – and individuals to access – information.

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🖤🖤🖤
Jess and Dan
RIP DR. ABEL WARHOUND (2014-2023)

Out Now: Ruah – Memory Loops (SM047)

Strange Mono is announcing the release of Ruah’s new album Memory Loops. With this follow up to their first full length Ruwa, released in May, songwriter Ben Schurr shifts focus from immaculate production and into a more intimate style recording. With this more relaxed approach to production Ruah was able to craft honest songs that feel inspired throughout.

Memory Loops, is an exploration of memory, loss, and grief by the Philadelphia based experimental song project Ruah. Led by Benjamin Schurr, Memory Loops sees the project focusing on fragility and the significance of memory to navigate loss. Over the past few months, since returning to his hometown of Philadelphia, Benjamin recontextualized old cassettes and forgotten field recordings from the past 15 years to transform them into new pieces. “After setting up my studio in West Philly I found myself compelled to digitize old cassettes, microcassettes and field recordings I had made with friends at the beginning of my start as a producer/songwriter. I found snippets of magic from a friend who since passed and a song began to reveal itself, the more i dug the more revelations, this is a collection of that process, focusing on loops that had significance to me as a sonic mantra and a way to keep these fleeting memories alive”

What influenced you to start Ruah?

“I wanted to take the wisdom (ha!) I possibly acquired from the years of doing Br’er and other projects to move forward with intention. I don’t want there to be a formula to what the project can and can’t do, and I still want to feel like I’m discovering fire when I’m creating the music; but I do want the delivery of how it arrives in the world to be very much on a path”

What motivates your writing process?

“I see songwriting as one of the few places that’s truly mine, and I want that space to be honest. whether it’s reflective or trying to manifest something. In ways it’s like casting spells, and It’s about what energy I want to draw from and draw in, which echoes my sentiments towards being very intentional in my work, and def being aware of what I’m attempting to say/attract.  I’ve worked no shortage of shitty jobs and i really value the time I have to hopefully put something meaningful into the world, and I don’t believe anything good will come from me not being true to my intentions as a songwriter”

Can you walk us through your approach to producing?

“I like the collage approach to production that’s kinda a tapestry of a bunch of weird sounds that are meaningful to me that I weave together into a (hopefully) cogent piece of music. I’m always chasing the sense of wonder and discovery of finding new (to me) sounds and textures. I also really love finding old ideas that I maybe forgot about and recontextualizing them, I never get sick of the thrill of putting weird shit together!”

Proceeds from this album benefit Doctors Without Borders.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offers medical humanitarian assistance to people based solely on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation. Our teams of doctors, nurses, logisticians, and other frontline workers are often among the first on the scene when peoples’ lives are upended by conflict, disease outbreaks, or natural or human-made disasters.

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Out Now: The Company Corvette – Little Blue Guy (SM040)

Strange Mono is announcing the release of the fourth full length record from Philly’s stoned 3 piece The Company Corvette. Alexei Korolev and Ross Pritchett have been at it as The Company Corvette for over 15 years. After 3 albums they welcomed in drummer Zach Price, who proved to be a perfect fit. Their new record Little Blue Guy was recorded across the river in NJ, once again with Matt Weber at The Gradwell House. The addition of Zach to the line up, and sticking to what they dig most, their “vision”, if you will, however blurry it may have been, set this album up as their best work to date. As with the last album, the cover features artwork by legendary Drew Elliott (Midnight, Amorphis, Blood Feast, Necrophagia, etc) almost makes it look better than it sounds – and it sounds pretty awesome!

Formed in 2005 The Company Corvette has shared the stage with countless legendary acts–Weedeater, Pentagram, The Obsessed, The Mentors,and Truckfighters to name a few– blasting fans with their heavy stoner rock. This new album showcases the band’s pursuit of their singular vision. Covering the spectrum from misery laden doom, sludgy weirdness, heavy metal, dumb’n’fun rock’n’roll. This is stoner rock gone metal-and-back. There’s riffs, there’s hooks, there’s shreds and roars and psychedelic freakouts and they mean every bit of it.

The Titular track “Little Blue Guy” is pure Corvette; a massive dirge of swirling fuzzed out guitars, subdued vocals, and drumming so heavy and precise it’s sure to rattle your chest.

“Doom as fuck. Slow and heavy as we can stand it, with a slab of minimalist psychedelia in the middle – a vacuum of sorts to suck out your brain and then slowly regurgitate it back in. Lyrics stem from that time we ate mushrooms in my old tiny apartment and Ross saw something, or someone.” -Alexei Korolev

As the album progresses tracks like “Out Of Control” and “Brain Cells…But Who’s Buying” ramp up the sludgy rock sound akin to early Melvins with solos. “Drag” stands out with its fast pace, driving riffs, and snarling vocals.

“Loosely played thrash metal with a super fun to play guitar solo and lyrics about getting dosed.” -Alexei Korolev

The album rounds out with the stoned out “Ted Tedder” and “Lit The Wrong End” basking in psychedelic freakouts and deep sludgy grooves. “What’s your secret to releasing your best work nearly 20 years into existence?”, the band often gets asked. “Why, it’s no secret”, they say. “Everyone knows the trick – you set the bar low and keep ambitions lower. Make up a super awesome logo, play shows with your friends and cool bands, and release albums whenever you got em!” 

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Press for Little Blue Guy

“Singing is Ozzyesque (shades of “Iron Man”) and the atmosphere is warm and dark, with hints of danger lurking. The guitar is in the mood for trouble, and belts out some pretty riffalicious moments here. The bass gets its moments to shine, as well.” – Doomed & Stoned

” The results are pretty stunning, with the band kicking out the jams with vigour, and then hooking you in with sneaky melodies that stick to your mouth like peanut butter on the brain or, err, something like that. Look, this record is seriously cool, wonderfully heavy, and deeply addictive. Just buy a copy, OK? 9/10” – Sonic Abuse

“Little Blue Guy is a great album. Once the tunes and choruses have wormed their way into your head you will be humming this to distraction, the mix of very heavy with very melodic is great and it’s nice to review an album by a band that has a sense of humour. Hugely enjoyable album, highly recommended. 8/10” – Musipedia Of Metal

“Little Blue Guy is one hell of a release and if you want an album with enough power to kick the living shit out of you just through their wonderfully intense grooves alone, then this is the album for you.” – Outlaws Of The Sun

“I like this album immediately because it boasts a track called ‘Brain Cells… But Who’s Buying,’ and I enjoy cleverness generally, but if you need to be further disposed toward the work of Philadelphia trio The Company Corvette, how about the fact that guitarist Alexei Korolev and bassist/vocalist Ross Pritchett have been at it for more than a decade and a half.” – The Obelisk

Out Now: Unsung Gems Vol.1 “My Uncle Geno’s Band” – The Justice League Of America (SM039)

Strange Mono is extremely excited to announce the release of the first of our “Unsung Gems” series featuring The Justice League of America. The JLA were active from 1979-1983 in Bergen County NJ and NYC. These 14 tracks, artfully restored and remastered by Chris Lawson-Allen, offer listeners a chance to connect with one of NJ’s totally unknown, totally worthy rock bands.

Overspilling with talent and energy the songwriting speaks for itself, from the crunchy Kinks-esque “Can’t Stop Love” and “Settled Sons” to the powerpop guitar licks of “Palisades Park” and the melancholy political sentiment of “Madman”. Though the styles may shift from Blues Rock, to New Wave, and Powerpop the sincerity of songwriting can be heard all throughout. Our hope is to bring these total unknown 80’s rockers out of obscurity and into a new generation of listeners that desperately need them!

“They were already a band when I found their ad for a drummer in the Aquarian (which was the local music scene magazine in the tri-state area). We played a lot of places once” says drummer Geno Timlin on the band’s formation . “Influences were all over the place for the four of us. We all like rock and roll and the old blues men. I think the old bio explains us pretty well. We were just having fun.”

“The Justice League of America passed its members through a decade’s worth of city streets, baseball parks and suburban basements before they settled on a partially shared identity. Specifically, a hatred of triviality and a love for music, especially American music, and even more especially for the music that bounded from radios through the night air and down school hallways and, like a rock, through the windows of those who choose to ignore what they choose to ignore. The mayor of Metropolis, drawn to and repelled from what they sing, is still not sure what he thinks about these self-appointed upholders of justice. The business community remains similarly unconvinced, as well as some of their peers, who choose androgynous costumes and postures as from a big trunk placed in the attic for their business purposes. The Justice League of America — Bryan Brown, Frank Palmieri, Gene Timlin and Bob Torsello– plays rock and roll music, and those things which are honest that give birth and spring from it”
-From the bands original 1981 press bio 

All Proceeds are being donated to Doctors Without Borders

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Out Now: Concrete Caveman – Feral LP (SM042)

Concrete Caveman is a ferocious force of a Deathpunk unit, with an uninhibited aggression that pushes the limits of genre. With origins in South Jersey, Concrete Caveman made Philadelphia their homebase, a decision with no regrets as they represent the underground Philly scene to the core.

The trio are not new to the music scene, playing in multiple bands together over the course of ten years. Mindless Flesh is one of the standout names from their early days, with Lord Scumbucket as the most recent band that Concrete Caveman formed from. As frontman Johnny’s writing style developed a heavier and faster edge, it was time for the band to reform and rename themselves for a fresh, pumped-up vibe.

Deathpunk is the term the band claimed to encapsulate their ever-changing and unexpected sound. Lyrically, they have political moments, but it doesn’t dominate their message – more so critiques of the modern world, the state of affairs, and the obsession with technology and social media that can lead a society to destroy itself. 2021’s riff-heavy Chasm EP, preceded by the 4-track release DEMO, demolishes the eardrums with violent sounds that Concrete Caveman aims to top as they continue their rampage.

Concrete Caveman forms the culmination of all the sounds this trio has explored so far, and these longtime buddies have stayed loyal to their local Philly underground origins as they continue to expand across the Northeast, Midwest, and beyond. They’re breaking out of the basement and busting into garages, warehouses, abandoned sites, and even a swamp-bound cemetery – anywhere they can raid with an onslaught of Concrete Caveman frenzy.

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