Dystopia - Live In Seattle

Bootleg recorded copy.

Download? - Click Here (Dystopia - Live In Seattle, WA 11-09-02.zip)

Dystopia - Backstabber 7''

Download? - Click Here (Dystopia - Backstabber 7''.zip)

Dystopia - Live on KFJC '96

live recording.

Download? - Click Here (Dystopia - Live on KFJC '96.zip)

Dystopia & Grief split

DYSTOPIA

1. Sleep

GRIEF

2. Lifeless
3. Fucked Upstairs

Download? - Click Here (Dystopia & Grief (split).zip)

Grief - Dismal

1. Rhionceros
2. Isolation
3. Coma
4. Shoot Me...
5. Fucked Upstairs
6. Depression
7. Virus
8. Fleshpress
9. The Drone


"I wanted to see it myself, I saw seventeen thousand kids there, not a smile in the whole group, very sombre. And its not music, I mean I know a guy like me you’d say couldn’t understand well I’m telling you its not music, Its frantic, frantic noise". That is what we hear on a sound sample starting off the fourth song. Probably a description a parent or local religious individual gave. It illustrates well how depressing, down, heavy, unrelenting, unforgiving and harsh Grief sounds.

In the tradition of bands like Winter and Dusk we get some of the most uncompromising and slow doom there is. In fact those bands almost sound like go-lucky happy music compared to Grief, mainly due to the sludge elements. These US Doomsters create some of the harshest sludge doom around. Both musically and lyrically the music is plain rude.

While sometimes addressing environmental issues ('Rhinoceros') or the horrors of World War II ('Fleshpress') most lyrics are very basic and brutal about a desire for death, depression, and hatred for oneself and the rest of mankind. Lyrics like "In my sleep, unsuspecting. Put a gun to my head. I hate my Pathetic Life" from the track ‘Shoot me... (I'm already dead)’ leave little to the imagination. Only on one of the last tracks, ‘Fleshpress’, does Grief show they are actually familiar with the concept of melody.

This not for those who like romantic doom-metal, nor for people who enjoy more groovy doom, this album is one big chunk of misery and will mainly appeal to the fans of "slowed down death-metal" like Winter and Dusk or sludge doom like Eyehategod and Crowbar. Brilliant stuff!

Download? - Click Here (Grief - Dismal.zip)

Asunder & Like Flies Of Flesh (split)

Tracklist:

1. The Fall of Elders (Asunder)
2. Tides of Ruin (Asunder)
3. (Outro) Eulogy Part One (cd only) (Asunder)
4. Prelude to a Storm (Like Flies on Flesh)
5. In Spite of You All (Like Flies on Flesh)
6. Punishment (Like Flies on Flesh)
7. A Pain That Lingers (Like Flies on Flesh)
   

Asunder biography:
In the early '90s, crust legends DYSTOPIA and a new stenchcore band, SKAVEN, released a split Lp on LIFEISABUSE RECORDS and followed that with a US tour. With the completion of this tour, 2/3rds of DYSTOPIA moved to Oakland, California, and shared a large house (the infamous "Compound") with members of SKAVEN. With DYSTOPIA on a short hiatus, and SKAVEN broken up due to internal problems, guitarist Geoff Evans formed a new band called LACHRYMOSE with the drummer and one of the bass players of SKAVEN. While rehearsing in their house one day, the drummer of DYSTOPIA, Dino Sommese, who shared the house, proposed that he take up the vocal duties for this project.

LACHRYMOSE began rehearsing regularly and began to play out at local shows. One of these shows, a warehouse show in San Francisco, was to be San Francisco based kvlt black metal band WEAKLING's first show. Due to police interference, WEAKLING never got to perform (pigs). LACHRYMOSE did not last long, and slowly disintegrated.

Wanting to continue playing music, Geoff and Dino decided to start jamming with long-time friend Seth Baker on guitar and Dino taking up the drum and vocal duties. Sharing an interest in both early Swedish death metal and doom metal, the trio began writing death/doom songs and the early sounds of ASUNDER began.

Lacking a bass player, ASUNDER asked an acquaintance from the scene, Jim Mack, of BLACK GOAT fame, to come down and jam. After a couple hours of jamming, Jim decided that ASUNDER didn't need a bass player, and left. Confused and amused, Asunder continued searching for a bass player. Another acquaintance, Britt Hallett, decided he would take on the task. When this lineup solidified, their death/doom intentions did, as well.

Not long after this, an opportunity arose to go into the studio and record a demo. Evans had received some free studio time in exchange for internship duties, so ASUNDER were pleased to have the opportunity to record in a top-notch studio. Entirely self produced, the demo was finished, and ASUNDER began playing out at local metal and punk venues. Having been involved with the recording of the demo, Mauz from LIFEISABUSE records decided he would like to release it as a split LP/CD with old tour buddies, LIKE FLIES ON FLESH.

Meanwhile, ASUNDER had been working on some new material, expanding on their sound. Once again, the opportunity to record presented itself and ASUNDER returned to the studio to record a new song - Of Wind and Wings. Unsatisfied with the outcome of this session, ASUNDER never released this song.

Fueled by this somewhat disappointing experience, ASUNDER wanted to add a new element to the band. With the new material leaning more towards long, slow, sorrowful songs, the introduction of the cello was a logical next step. Long time friend, Alex Bale-Glickman joined, incorporating this new sound. After having performed live a few times with the cello, it became clear that, due to limitations with live sound reinforcement, the cello could not be used in live shows.

During this time, drummer Dino Sommese and guitarist Seth Baker formed a new death metal outfit, INSIDIOUS. Due to increasing time commitment issues, it became clear that Seth Baker could no longer devote the time necessary to remain in ASUNDER. His replacement was found in another acquaintance from the Bay Area scene, John Gossard. ASUNDER knew John from his bands, black metal titan WEAKLING, and depressive gloom metal oddity THE GAULT.

With the inclusion of Gossard, ASUNDER began playing out and preparing to enter the studio again. In the summer of 2003, ASUNDER entered SHARKBITE STUDIOS in Oakland California with famed engine-ear and producer, Billy Anderson. On a very small budget, this marathon session resulted in ASUNDER's debut full length LP/CD - A Clarion Call.

After having completed mixing the album, ASUNDER were invited to play the San Francisco show for the DOOMINATION OF NORTH AMERICA tour and the STONER HANDS OF DOOM festival in Portland, Oregon. This was going to be the first out of town show for them, and an excellent opportunity to play for a primarily doom-oriented audience. Having no means of transport to Oregon, ASUNDER rented a van from a local punk venue, BURNT RAMEN STUDIOS, to make the doomed journey.

And a doomed journey it turned out to be. Not 30 minutes outside the Bay Area, this van began to catch on fire inside. Apparently, someone had bolted the exhaust pipe to a plywood floorboard of the van. This continued to happen every hour or so, and the only solution that they could come up with was to line the floor of the van with ice. Several bags of ice later, they triumphantly arrived, smoldering van and all, in Portland, Oregon.

Upon return to the bay area, ASUNDER began searching for a label to release their new recording. After reviewing a couple offers, they accepted one from NUCLEARWARNOW! PRODUCTIONS. Having been familiar with NWN's high quality releases, ASUNDER saw this as a great opportunity to design an elaborate package for the vinyl-only release, also involving some talented and skilled friends and family with the visual aspects of this release. As for the CD version of the release, once again they entered into a deal with long time crony, Mauz of LIFEISABUSE RECORDS. This was to be a split release between LIFEISABUSE and the band's own fledgling label, DENATURED SPIRIT.

Having come to the end of the work for this album, and having come to a mutual disinterest in working together any longer, bassist Britt Hallett and ASUNDER parted ways. Optimistic now as to the future of ASUNDER, they invited the bass player from Dino and Seth's INSIDIOUS, Salvador, to join as the new bass player.

Considering ASUNDER's relatively small number of live performances, it has been fortunate to have shared the stage with many great bands, such as GRIEF, MOURNING BELOVETH, THE PROPHECY, ORODRUIN, HIGH ON FIRE, local greats like LUDICRA, HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE, AMBER ASYLUM, SUBARACHNOID SPACE, ARTIFICIUM SANGUIS, and many others. Recent shows have been great, with bands like TARANTULA HAWK, NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, and OM. Future plans for ASUNDER include performances at the THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS FESTIVAL, and a possible split release with arizona doom merchants-GRAVES AT SEA. Over 5 years and counting, ASUNDER continues its patient but insistent stride into a future that was doomed from the beginning...

Download? - Click Here (Asunder & Like Flies On Flesh (split).rar)

Grief - Grief

Grief - Grief (Self-Titled)



In 2005 the corpse of Grief kicked open its coffin and has been seen shambling through various venues along the east coast. This doom metal zombie will stalk the night in search of the brains of America's youth on which it will feed. It will live for an undetermined length of time before returning to its hole in the ground.this is a fan run site.


Download? - Click Here (Grief - Grief.rar)

Grief - ...And Man Will Become Hunted

Grief is:
Jeff Hayward - Guitar/Vocals
Terry Savastano - Guitar
Eric Harrison - Bass/Vocals/Artwork
Rick Johnson - Drums

Years Active: 1991-2001

Tracklist:
[1998]-[...And Man Will Become Hunted]
Predator
I Won't Come Back
If The World Was Flat
Ostrich
Hurricane Jello
Down In The Dumps Again
No Escape
When Rotten Ideas Break Free
-Approx. 49 minutes



Grief biography:

Grief was founded in 1991 by Disrupt guitarist Terry Savastano and drummer Randy Odierno (who later switched to bass and later again left to join Bane of Existence). They broke up in 2001 mainly due to drummer problems - something that was an ongoing problem for the band from the start. They also cited what they called a "hostile environment for doom metal bands". They reunited briefly in July 2005 to play a cluster of reunion shows.

The band had several 7"s including one with Dystopia and Corrupted each. A compilation album called Turbulent Times appeared in 2002 through Southern Lord. The group reunited for one show at the first annual New England Grind And Doom Fest on July 17th, 2005 at The Middle East Cafe in Cambridge, MA. They were so excited by the response to this show that they began booking others, and they toured intermittently throughout 2005 and 2006.

In 2005, the band played shows through in venues including The Ace of Clubs and The Knitting Factory in New York, The Khyber in Philadelphia, O'Brien's in Allston/Brighton, MA, The Living Room in Providence, RI, and Cherry St. Station in CT.

In 2006 Southern Lord Records released a full length live album called Alive which featured their performance at the 2005 New England Grind And Doom Fest. The album features artwork by Eric C. Harrison, who did much of the band's painted cover artwork.

Grief's final appearance was at Emissions From The Monolith 8, a sludge/doom festival that took place in Ohio, May 2006.

The Hartford Advocate wrote the following about their 12/3/05 date at Cherry St. Station in CT:

"Since 1991, these Massholes have been writing songs about a distinctly New England flavor of depression and isolation. Jeff Hayward’s throat-shredding vocals often seem more hardcore than metal; indeed, almost 15 years later, it’s possible to see Grief as one of a handful of seminal NE bands who initiated the merger between hardcore and metal. However, unlike some of those bands, Grief still sounds both relevant and entertaining."

Album Review:
As far as I am aware this is the last album by Grief before they broke up. Often misunderstood and scorned, they never became as well known as Eyehategod or Crowbar (although they deserved it). The band called it quits in 2001, run down by an unforgiving music industry. The anguish and torment of all those years has been captured perfectly on this album filled with sludgy doom.

Grief has always been extreme and stands on a lonely height when it comes to the filth, pain and misery in their music. While they have "calmed down" a bit since their debut 'Dismal', this album is anything but a cute little puppy. No sir, this is still one hell of an angry, neglected, vicious and mistreated rotweiler barking out in anger. The music is painfully slow and twisted while Jeff Hayward screams out his frustrations.

But okay the music has become a little more accessible throughout the years; it can now actually really be called music and not just "pain and torture pressed on a silver disk". This mainly due to the introduction of more of a sabbathish groove (if that would be an appropriate name for such a slow pace) and melody. But as said before, don't let that fool you into thinking they "mellowed out". By their gradual evolution they managed to create an album just as painful for the soul and tortured as on their debut, but a little easier on the eardrums. And that is also where their "accessible" sound ends.

What a shame that they were eventually crushed by the only thing more twisted and disturbed then their own music: the music industry and life itself. Luckily most of the Grief members have already started a new band. Lets hope it will be as brilliant as this album. For now however get this album if you don't own it yet because trust me, the pain will last! A must for all the sludge fans and fans of "slowed down death-metal" like Winter.


Download? - Click Here (Grief - ...And Man Will Become Hunted.rar)

Dystopia - The Aftermath

This album was released in 1999 on Life Is Abuse Records.
I would definitely say to download this album and check it out, its fucking awesome.







Track List:

1.	Population Birth Control	05:50
2.	Father's Gun	02:28
3.	Self Defeating Prophecy	05:22
4.	Sleep	06:06
5.	Socialized Death Sentence	03:11
6.	Backstabber	02:14
7.	They Live	02:40
8.	Anger Brought By Disease	02:52
9.	Jarhead Fertilizer	03:45
10.	Taste Your Own Medicine	01:52
11.	Instrumental	03:13
12.	Diary Of A Battered Child	29:34
13.	Cosmetic Plague (Rudimentay Peni cover)	01:03
Total playing time		01:10:10

Download? - Click Here (Dystopia - The Aftermath.rar)

Read post before for a lot of Dystopia related links.

Dystopia - Human = Garbage

Dystopia formed in Orange County, California in 1991. They are considered a sludge-metal band, popular amongst both heavy metal and crust punk scenes, due in large part to their bleak, misanthropic imagery. Lyrics deal with things from human emotion to social and political issues to environmentalism to racial equality to animal rights and vegetarianism/veganism. The member were Todd Keisling on bass, Matt Parillo on guitar and vocals and Dino Sommese on drum and vocals throughout most the existence. In the real earlier year Dan Kaufman was also doing vocals.

I really dig this band, they have a great musical style and the lyrics are awesome. I suggest you check this album out if you haven't already, Dystopia - Human = Garbage.

Download? - Click Here(Dystopia - Human = Garbage.rar)


Links to things involving Dystopia:
Life Is Abuse
Dystopia (myspace)
Dystopia (official site)
Dystopia (unofficial site)
Metal Archives
Interview #1
Interview #2
Dystopia Lyrics
Dystopia Wikipedia
Live Pics

Dystopia Videos:
Dystopia - Live At The Gilman (1/4)
Dystopia - Live At The Gilman (2/4)
Dystopia - Live At The Gilman (3/4)
Dystopia - Live At The Gilman (4/4)

Bands involved with Dystopia:
Asunder- link1
Asunder- link2