Don’t ask me why, but I’m really fascinated by this Richmond VA based label called BRAIN GRENADE Records. The Internet doesn’t provide many info on that label, so I’m collecting blind and do not really know their discography. But the bands they launched are really worth having records from and they got fairly well-know by now. So that’s how I got into this label, by searching after other releases of these bands.
The first record I will show you is quite rare (/65) and is the record release version of BRACEWAR’s first record. Very hard to find considering the numbers made. Bracewar is actually quite essential if you want to have a good collection of the decade 2001-2010. Because they play a new breed of hardcore and have a total different set of ethics than in the eighties and nineties. Straight-Edge is totally forgotten (they make shirts that say “Bracewar F*cks On The First Date”) and have a totally other believe system. Like Trapped Under Ice they have a rather esoteric mindset. Check the Tarot Card that comes with this 7″.
I still haven’t completed this collection, although I have 5 different versions of this record. But I take it easy, no need to stress this, since they are relatively new. There are these regular versions of the record:
So a black (/700), Yellow (/200) and Red (/100) copy of the first press, recognizable with the colored sleeve. And then comes the second press with a black sleeve and ‘Bracewar’ printed above the original artwork and also on black vinyl.
But this regular version on yellow also has some copies that have black speckles. I saw that on ebay but couldn’t buy it at that moment. So this is a quite interesting slab of vinyl.
I’m also missing some Tour versions of this record.
The next record I show is the WAR HUNGRY Devine / Demonic 7″. Also very interesting and impossible to complete especially when you live in Europe, so I like this one too.
The one beneath is the Saint-Patrick’s day show version out of 100. It comes with a totally cool flyer from a show I wished I was on. Also a lyric sheet is included.
I really like the artwork of this version, especially compared to the Canadian Weekend version. Because this artwork looks like a nineties vegan sxe record inspired on biblical scenes and doesn’t fit with the music or time era. Not that I dislike the 90’s of course but still…
To show which record I’m talking about, I made a picture of the regular cover. The regular version also has two color-variants; Orange (/200) and Purple (/100). Also very hard to find.
They also released an 80’s hardcore inspired band IRON BOOTS. But these record are for a next post.
One last thing, I also found a safer method to store records. Like you see on the picture left I separate the sleeve and the record by putting cardboard between them. This way you can prevent ringwear totally and another advantage is that you can safely flip through your records because you only touch the cardboard and do not bend the sleeve by touching it while flipping. I figured these Bracewar and War Hungry 7″s needed that way of storage since they have a long way to go and have very vulnerable and thin paper sleeves. As for now I do this with every thin paper cover I have. Just a heads up for those who aren’t familiar with this storage method already.
Another thing is that SIX FEET UNDER is working on new Bracewar and War Hungry releases. Keep your eyes peeled.
