Decapitated: Organic Hallucinosis (Black Vinyl)

There was a temporary deal on one of the distro sites I visit for 45% off of a select list of vinyl.  I was able to score 5 records, all pretty cheap and this was one of them.  The Polish Death Metal masters; Decapitated. 2006 release on Earache and the last record to have Vitek and Martin before they died in the bus accident.

White Wizzard: High Speed G.T.O (Red Vinyl)

As part of the distro sale, I got this super cheap.  I actually had not heard it before and thought it would be worth a shot.  It is not the best album I've ever heard, but it is better than I expected. We had a good time listening to it and I can only imagine that it will sit on the shelf for the rest of it's life in my house. Hilarious video.. some horribly done 80's throwback.

Candlemass: King of the Grey Islands (Double Black Vinyl) in Numbered Sleeve

By far the best album that I picked up on the distro sale. This is my favorite Candlemass album and I did not own a copy of it.  This is printed on nice double black wax and housed in a thin, gatefold sleeve.  The sleeve is numbered on the back, but it does not say what the pressing is limited to.

Record Store Day 2013 - Side by Side - Dio & Killswitch Engage: Holy Diver (Red 7" Vinyl)

I am not a huge Killswitch Engage fan, esp with Howard Jones, but my buddy turned me on to their cover of Holy Diver and I absolutely love it.  This was my one and only request for RSD this year and I am stoked to have a copy of this on vinyl!

The video is classic as well and is a parody of the original with Dio playing the sword wielding knight. 

Crown of Thornz: Mentally Vexed (Orig Black Vinyl) NYHC

Classic NYHC here from, 1996; Crown of Thronz with Danny Diabalo (Lord Ezec). The cover is a take on an old cigar box logo. It was pretty iconic in it's age.  It looks like the guys dog who I bought this from took a chunk out of the top corner of the sleeve.  The record is fine and the sleeve is mostly intact, but I am sure it has a story behind it. 

Gojira: The Link (Red 180g Vinyl) Limited to 250 Copies

Finally, a copy of The Link!  Listenable records out of France printed this not too long ago and to get a copy shipped was around $60. I did this with From Mars to Sirius, but it took a long time to get and was very expensive for one copy. I was tracking them on eBay to see if I couldn't get a copy cheaper than from Listenable and after a couple of months, I was able to.  It is a new copy and on red vinyl.  This fills in the last gap I had for Gojira records. 

Ringworm: The Promise 2 Copies (Glow in the Dark Vinyl and Orange Marble Vinyl) Limited to 100 Copies

A389 announced that they were printing The Promise on 2 new colors and were limiting both of them to 100 copies each.  I have a copy on purple already, but could not turn these down. The glow in the dark copy came with a small book with a ton of photos of Ringworm from back in the day. 

This also came with a copy of the Ringworm/Mindsnare split.  The original came with a comic book cover and purple vinyl.  This copy is a flat cover and black vinyl.  It was free with the purchase of The Promise.

Iron Lung: Life. Iron. Lung. Death. (Transparent red vinyl)

Great score on eBay, I got this in what looks like new condition, pretty cheap.  On semi transparent red vinyl with a small, interesting insert. 

Meshuggah: Contradictions Collapse & None (Nuclear Blast repress on double orange vinyl)

Classic Meshuggah album repressed from Nuclear Blast on dual 180g yellow vinyl and limited to 350pcs. So stoked to see this on vinyl.  Just waiting for Chaosphere to be reprinted!   

3 Bar Ranch: Cattle Callin -- The origin of "Cattle Core" (Double gray vinyl)

This is one of the most bizarre finds, in a very long time.  This is Hank III, 3 Bar Ranch and the one and only record in the "cattle core" genre.  This entire record is blast beats and riffs over footage of cattle auctions. Absolutely hilarious. I cannot believe this made it onto double, color vinyl

All Pigs Must Die: God Is War (Black Vinyl)

The debut from the Converge side project, All Pigs Must Die on single black vinyl. 

Black Breath: Heavy Breathing (180g Black vinyl)

Heavy Breathing on Southern Lord records on limited 180g black vinyl. 

Integrity: Detonate VVorlds Plague (Black vinyl)

This is one of a couple Integrity records that I need to fill my collection. Detonate VVorlds Plague. This is on single black vinyl with the classic, hidden embossed Integrity logo.

Jucifer: L'Autrichienne (Double black vinyl)

Another great score from the distro clearance.  Jucifer on Alternative Tentacles. Excellent sludge with female vocals on double black vinyl and nice gatefold cover.  

Their wiki page says that the name Jucifer came from a quote from the O.J. Simpson trial.. "If he's guilty, then he's the devil and The Juice is Lucifer." 

All Pigs Must Die: God is War (Limited clear vinyl)

I picked up a handful of records that were on sale from a distro that I purchase from.  It filled in some gaps and I took a risk on a couple, just for fun.  This is All Pigs Must Die: God Is War. This band includes Ben Koller from Converge and is reminiscent of their sound, but still distinctly different.

Dropkick Murphy's: Signed and Sealed in Blood (Double red marble vinyl)

The newest Dropkick offering; Signed and Sealed in Blood on double red wax. 

Dropkick Murphy's: The Season's Upon Us (Christmas colored vinyl Red, White and Green)

A Dropkick Christmas 7"; The Season's Upon Us!  I couldn't turn down the color options.  Red, Green and White.. perfect for the holiday season.  Unfortunately, they didn't get delivered until mid January, but they will get some play next year. 

The Dillinger Escape Plan/Drowningman: Split - Recent Hydra Head Press without proper covers (Black vinyl)

Apparently Hydra Head found some leftover Dillinger/Drowningman vinyl and thought to print some bootleg covers and sell the remaining stock.  I was lucky to grab a copy before they sold out. 

Madball: Look My Way (Black vinyl)

One of the few Madball records that I am missing. This is an excellent copy of Look My Way from 1998 on Roadrunner Records. 

Protest the Hero: Kezia (Black vinyl)

Finally, I have gotten a copy of Kezia! This was a limited run printing on a Canadian label that is very unlikely to reprint.  I have become a big Protest the Hero fan and found it really hard to pick these up.  If they sold on the cheaper end, they tended to be shipped from Canada and the additional postage put it out of my range.  Finally, after around a year, I scored a nice copy from an eBay seller.

If you've never seen this video, it is worth a minute.  Absolutely hilarious. 

Death: Leprosy (Back on Black repress on Red vinyl)

2007 pressing of this classic by Death. This is a repress on Back on Black that I picked up on eBay.  When I was travelling in Europe, I came across a dozen copies of all different pressings of this record and just never bought one.  Then, when I came home, I couldn't find one for a good price.  Finally, after a lot of waiting I got one from a new seller on eBay. It's in great condition and is really nice looking vinyl. 

Bolt Thrower: Realm of Chaos (Earache repress on "World Eater Red" vinyl)

This is a classic vinyl repress from Earache. This is the 3rd rarest of the 4 colors released; World Eater red is limited to 300 copies.  Original copies of Bolt Thrower sell for tons of money and I am really happy to see this repressed and available for a fair rate. 

Converge: All We Love We Leave Behind (Green marble, 180g black, Solid Red and Transparent yellow)

This is a pre-order that I had been waiting for, for a long time! I made sure to pick up copies of each version that was available to order and then, waited months to receive them. When they finally showed up, I was stoked.  Instead of getting one of each color, they made a mistake and shipped me two copies of the green marble, which is my favorite of all the pressings and prefer to keep.  I will end up parting with some of these copies over time, but will likely keep the green marble and the 180g black copies.  

From Deathwish, I picked up the 180g black, red and two copies of the green marble and from Epitaph, I picked up the transparent yellow. Since I received these, they have already been repressed on different colors.

Another fantastic release from Converge.

Knut: Bastardiser (Black vinyl)

Old school Knut record from back in the late 90's.  Some good Swiss technical(ish) sludge. 

Rabbits: Bites Rites (Black vinyl)

Picked this up for a few bucks with a bunch of other vinyl and was really impressed.  I had not heard Rabbits before I saw the auction for this record.  I just listened to a track on youtube and placed a low bid and got lucky and won it.  Not more than a few weeks later, I saw Big Business in Seattle and sure enough, Rabbits was the supporting act.  

Cancer Bats: Birthing the Giant (Transparent orange vinyl)

The second of the two Cancer Bats records that I picked up; Birthing the Giant.

Cancer Bats: Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones (Transparent red vinyl)

One of two new Cancer Bats records that I recently picked up; Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones. 

Grails: Redlight and The Burden of Hope (Red with black splatter and Green with black splatter)

Here are two great records; Redlight and The Burden of Hope by Grails. They have very simple sleeves, but they house some excellent looking vinyl. This is printed on semi-transparent color vinyl with black splatter, each of which match the color scheme of the album cover.  

Grinderman: Self Titled (Black vinyl)

This is the 2007 release from Grinderman, which included Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (Dirty Three). I bought it on a whim, knowing that the personnel is fantastic and whatever murmurings I have heard of the band were all positive. All in all, I am very happy with this record. 

This is their rad performance on the Letterman show. 

Simple, heavy, gatefold packaging and black, almost blank insert and spindle label.  

Vital Remains: Icons of Evil (Double heavy black vinyl with 4th side etching)

I came across another seller on eBay who was local and had tons of vinyl for sale; all starting cheap. I was working on my homework on Saturday and Sunday when the majority of his auctions were ending and I ended up bidding on a good handful of stuff and was able to save on shipping by picking it up at his house. 

This Vital Remains record is one from that lot, along with another dozen or so posted after this.  This is on double vinyl, with the last side having the Vital Remains logo etched into it.  It's a great record and excellent presentation overall. 2007 release with Glen Benton on vocals and produced by Erik Rutan.

Cathedral: The Ethereal Mirror on Earache Records (Black Vinyl)

This record has been on my wishlist for probably 18 months.  Somewhere I became stubborn and didn't want to spend what the asking price was for this.  The pressing on blue has been selling for over $100 lately and the black has been holding steady at a good price.  I just got lucky and found a US seller on eBay who posted this at a weird time of day and just didn't get bids.  I never really expected to win it, but got really lucky and did. 

I think their video for Midnight Mountain is hilarious. 

Immolation: Providence Scion A/V Release (Black Vinyl)

The new EP from Immolation was pretty hard to get for a decent price.  It was released by Scion A/V and was given away by them at the Scion fest and was never available for sale. Needless to say, after the fest, these were popping up on eBay as "super rare" and therefore, super expensive! I waited for a while and tracked a lot of copies and finally got one for a bit over my price range, but a fair price overall. 

Here is the full EP on Youtube 

King Diamond: No Presents for Christmas - Black Friday Record Store Day Release (Picture Disc)

As part of the Black Friday Record Store Day sale, this Holiday classic was repressed on picture vinyl! This was originally released on Christmas back in 1985 and was the first piece of music released by King Diamond. This is most definitely going to get heavy rotation next Christmas season!