Life of Agony: River Runs Red - November Record Store Day Pressing on Transparent Red Swirl

One of my all time favorite Hardcore records was repressed on Brookvale records, out of Long Island.  Every year I go back to Long Island for Thanksgiving and we go shopping on Black Friday.  The guys who run Brookvale Records also owns Looney Tunes which is an independent record store which has become a staple in New York. I do all my Black Friday RSD shopping there and it so happens that they were releasing River Runs Red there, on Black Friday.  They've gotten in this habit or re-releasing classic local albums on limited vinyl. 

This was pressed in 3 variations, one is limited to 500 on splatter red/black and can only be purchased from them. Another was a press of 500 on blue for European distribution and then 1500 on solid red for general distribution.  I picked up 2 copies of the red/black swirl. What's strange is when talking to the owner, he mentioned a couple of times that it was the first pressing on vinyl.  However, I do have a Roadrunner/Cargo pressing of this, on black. 

This record will always be a classic in the New York Hardcore crossover scene.

Xibalba - Hasta La Muerte on Blue/Black Splatter Vinyl from Southern Lord - Limited to 500 Copies

This is, without a doubt one of my favorite albums in the last couple of years.  I have a copy of this on black, but really like the presentation on blue/black splatter and have been tracking them for a while. Xibalba is that perfect fusion of really heavy hardcore, mixed with doom influenced metal. Taylor Young produced the record, who worked with Twitching Tongues and Nails and I think he really brought across the brutality of their music. Regardless of your taste in Metal, this should appeal to you somehow.

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.