As a European collector I can’t ignore this subculture of hardcore. And it also means a lot to me personally. That’s why I make this post. Since this is a “record-site”, I also want to put some records in this post. I’m not sure if these records have future but what I do know a 100% certain is that they have history and a very rich one.
There is a lot to say about Vegan Straight-Edge bands especially about their convictions. But I won’t dig deeper in these convictions as you all know what they stand for. And I also made a post about this already. The Vegan Straight-Edge bands have strong morals and ethics. The hard music Vegan Straight-Edge bands make isn’t meant to be artistic. No, the music is made to make an undeniable statement for the out-crowd and also as an outlet for their own anger. Unknowing outsiders perceive their music and way of dancing as violent and threatening. But it is totally not supposed to be like that. Violent dancing and hard music is part of their culture and an outlet for their very sober lifestyle.
I respect and respected vegan Straight-Edge bands and kids a lot. They are very dedicated people and have a strong message. But unfortunately they are misunderstood by society and even in other Hardcore circles.
Especially in the nineties they did a lot of work; like making zines and books, spreading flyer’s, organizing shows, making merchandise with messages on it, doing benefit samplers. I for one was very into vegetarianism and Straight-Edge but I never was an active activist or something in this sense. I also didn’t like their brainwashing attitude and fascism. What they put forward is good but one should become participant totally from within. Only this way it can stay. I mean, it should not be a trend or something that comes from the outside, like social pressure or doing as your friends do. If you become an activist in this way it will perish sooner or later. I guess this is a reason why it almost totally extinct nowadays.
Their hard line attitude often gets them into trouble also. The authorities see them as criminals but they are totally unaware about the ethics of the activists and the goals that they set. The direct actions are politically incorrect and there is a lot of money involved in the industries that they fight. It is very hard to live this way in society because you get repressed by elders and the unknowing. I guess this is also a reason why nowadays you almost hear nothing about the vegan Straight-Edge activists any more.
Now about the records. For me it all started with the “Justice For The Enslaved” CD compilation. This is one of many benefit compilations that the world of vegan Straight-Edge has. It is a CD only release on Sure Hands Records from the UK. There are 7 bands on it with 2 songs each.
The bands are:
- Clouded
- Point Of No Return
- Withdrawn
- Shorebreak
- Dehumanize
- Shed
- Reprisal
Clouded is a Belgian band that is very hard to find because they have only put out one mid CD and 7″ and some songs on several compilations. Their 7″ is called ‘Inheritance’ and is on Genet Records. I have it on clear but there are some black swirls in the clear, so it could be a one of a kind hinting the existence of black copies also. A fun fact is that the drummer of this band now plays in The Setup.
This band is for me the highlight of this compilation. Not because it is a Belgian band, but because they make a very unique but recognizable vegan Straight-Edge sound.
Shorebreak is from Spain and are definitely inspired by Morning Again. They had a LP on Good Life Recordings which is pressed on several colours. I have the brown one (out of 200) and the pink/cream coloured one of a kind. This is one of the nicest looking vinyl artwork I’ve ever seen. Proud to have it. But it exist on blue and pink also. Their music has very catchy melodies besides the passionate vocals and heavy instrumental poundage. A true gem…
I found this Dehumanize 7″ (to my great surprise) on eBay US. The title fully sounds “Restore The Sacred Order Of Nature”. They are an Italian band on the very focused vegan Straight-Edge label Surrounded Records from Rome. Italy was and is still very vegan Straight-Edge minded. Absolute cult 7″.
The fact that I didn’t find it in Europe where the most probably are, but in the US is surprising but this collector really took care of it. It kinda did me pleasure seeing that also Americans dig this stuff from Europe, a minority probably…
The last but heaviest band on this compilation is Reprisal. Also from Italy, they left their mark on the scene with killing hard riffs and vocals. If I were a kid I would have demolished my room when hearing this. This is their first LP on Good Life Recordings and in my opinion their best. It comes on sea-blue vinyl with only 150 pieces made. A interesting side note is that they are still playing vegan Straight-Edge but now together with members of Sentence; the band is called Awaken Demons. And have just released their second record on Trustkill. It is available on three vinyl colours and on CD also. Check hardcore.gl where you can find everything Awaken Demons and even the vinyl of Reprisal and Shorebreak.
Yeah sure Hans, ExC are definitely the mainstays in the genre. And classic to me also. But not that rare and hard to find as the ones listed here. 25 7″s?? You passed customs with these? You surely had a correct feeling about this record then. I've seen that Vegan Reich on ebay once, missed out on it. It went for a $25 to $30…I never seen a Point Of No Return 7″ before, only listed those that I have in my possession. Next up will be the ANIMAL TRUTH compilation which got me collecting also. This will be part II. Saving the best for the last.
To me personally the best bands in the genre are definitely Earth Crisis, Gatekeeper, Framework, Statement, Vegan Reich, Raid, Green Rage and the list would be endless of 90's vegan edge bands… I'll remember and praise myself lucky with it, on a visit to Syracuse NY back in '92…the Lost Horizon club was packed with Edge kids, probably between 500-1000 kids..ExC, Framework, Solstice and Green Rage played and the place exploded…I brought 25 Earth Crisis 'all out war' 7″'s back home and all my friends bought one…This was way before any-one heard from them back then. Earth Crisis was meant to become the leaders in the genre…we toured together across Europe in '98 and it was unforgetable and amazing.
The good news is that the Godfathers of vsXe, VEGAN REICH are about to release a brandnew album ! I still love vegan reich to this day so i'm anxiously awaiting the result of their hiatus… and maybe they can spark some new flames within a jaded scene… ? – Edward
There are two versions pressed right? One on ??? and one on victory? OK, my bad, they are rare! I wish I had one… But they are well-known and the ones here are rather unknown. They certainly deserve attention.
The other bands : WITHDRAWN from the UK have released one MCD on a UK label, not sure which one, and SHED have also released one MCD, I believe on Lifeforce Records out of Germany.Point of No Return are/were (?) from Brazil and were heavily influenced by my old band Nations on Fire. They have released several records on the singer's label, Liberation records. Last but not least, the REPRISAL LP pictured here will shortly be re-issued in a nice digipak – stay tuned ! Edward
I have this All Out War / Firestorm 12″ on Victory. The All Out War side is definitely the better side, while many argue that the Firestorm is the better side. Many later bands sound like this. Some H8000 bands also IMHO.
Canon? As Hans said; the list is endlessly.
Not that rare? That very first 7″ (I wish I stashed another 25) goes easely for $75-$100.Customs didn't bother, I had bags full of shirts, records with me…
I looked up this LP, this is another benefit coming from the US? Interesting line up for sure, never saw it before…I also have bought this new ExC 7″ 'Forced to kill' has early recordings of the band. Not bad…
Is this the band with 'Verses Of Bleeding' with that totally smashed open head on the cover? Never looked into this band will check their myspace once…
@Hans, it exists on three colors btw this seveninch. I will be sending you it as a gift, if you want.
ok cool
Conviction pressings (1992): #1 – 200 on green, 800 on black with blue labels. #2 – 200 on blue, 800 on black with green labels. First 25 or 30 copies (conflicting info) hand numbered with a color sleeve. First Victory pressing (1995) is a limited edition (328 copies, hand numbered on the back sleeve), green sleeve; the regular (re)press has a color sleeve. First press of 1011 on green vinyl. There's also a 12″ version on victory
Yes I really should be releasing records instead of buying those of others. Yes it already crossed my mind…
Canon needs to be mentioned too here I feel… Only 1 7″ but it's amazing.And yes, Vegan Reich is gonna record again, and Sean has also announced he wants to play fests in Europe next summer. I can't wait! Vegan Reich at Ieperfest? 🙂 Love Vegan Reich. Would be funny if Andy Hurley drummed for 'em again, hahaha, he might draw in some unsuspecting teenage girls 🙂
That 7″ is brilliant!!While we're talking vegan bands..check the 'Stones That Mark a Fire” LP..Earth Crisis, Statement,Culture….
The list is endless indeed… Framework and Gatekeeper share the same vocalist, Shane Durgee ; sadly the Gatekeeper demo never got released !When i phoned Shane about it, he told me they 'lost' the master, what a shame… 'There is Justice, and there is Death – and you're about to face both…' classic stuff !I had Carl sign both of my 7″s regardless. chugga. chugga. etc…Firestorm is prolly the best vsxe anthem ever written, love it to death even to this day, some 16 years later.love, Ed & Good Life.to xemonerdx : would be better to have VEGAN REICH at the renewed Good Life fest in March 2010 since Ieperfest started to be poisoned by the moneyhungry organiser…As a close friend i got my Earth Crisis 7″ and inspiration from my buddy Hans… for me EC were a staple for the first 3 records, after that they started to bore the hell out of me.Stones that mark a fire has an otherwise unreleased EARTH CRISIS track that is awesome !!
Framework had except for Carl the whole Earth Crisis line-up…Did we forget Abnegation?Even the fact that the GL record isn't that bad, my favorite is definitely the split with Chapter!!Fuckin' awesome!!!
Edward, unfortunately Sean said on the XCatalystX forum he wants to come over in the summer, with a late spring 2010 release of new VR material. So March seems too early, sorry 🙁
Abnegation people !!!
Yeps, another benefit compl, and definitely a sparkling line-up.'Forced to kill'is one of the demotracks of the ExC demo.
Thanx bro, but I ordered all 3 colors and a shirt.
@emonerd, let's see about that…the abnegation split is awesome… Willem should release the band's discography.and by the way 'Stones to mark a fire' was released with a slightly different line up as the 'Ceremony of Fire' CD !
vegan sxe stuff is today mainly still hot in Japan and Australia, an area i think that missed out on the first round…
we'd definitely be there to help you make hardcore history bro !
plus when you release records, you can make great trades… where do you think i got my enormous collection from 🙂
For the Vegan Reich and other Hardline records, make sure you have a long breath and search Ebay every week and you can find them all for 15 bucks each. On the Euro Ebays, they tend to go for double of that.The first ExC 7″ on Conversion usually goes for 20 to 30 bucks for the black version but expect to pay 70 or more for the blue vinyl or more rare green version of the 7″. The Victory records version goes for 10 to 15 dollars lately.
Hi Mr Anonymous,I would gladly buy some more copies for 20-30 bucks…
I don't feel like searching ebay every week for them, although it is probably the best place to buy these.Thanks for giving us a clue about the (ebay-)prices Mr. Anonymous, if you feel like posting more here please use a nick-name. Because there are several Anonymous-es here. And all of a different “calibre”.
Hi blackoffice, thanks for the compliment and for unveiling your blog. No need to be jealous…
As for withdrawn, they were originally called xwill to powerx and recorded a few songs but mainly played old school covers. They then took a much more 'thos who fear tomorrow' style and recorded a tape demo with 4 tracks on. This lead to the mcd 'a certain innate suffering' on surehand. By this point their original singer (schocky)had left, famed for stupidly spraying 'end faggot life' on thye wall outside the 1/12 center in bradford (he was a dick) Then the unborn drummer Chris Meadows took over on vocals and Foster who used to be in tunage took over from martin wainwrite on bass. The mcd was slower with a tinny sound and similar vocals, chuggy with a black metal feel (I think). They then recorded a two track tape for edens demise (nate xcanaanxs tape label….only releasing that tape i think). After a short break they got phil taylor on bass and lecky from voorhees on vocals (the bands 1st vegeterian) and recorded the more swedish/at the gates style hardcore album 'seeds of inhumanity' for some reason on 'household name records', they split, got a new singer and started up again as evanesce and did an album on chris meadows metal label Retribution records. If was pure (boring) metal. Lecky and drummer dave went on to play in walk the plank, dave now plays in s.s.s.If anyone wants any uploads, let me know.