Drowningman "Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline"

LP - $17.25
LP UPC: 783495979739
STREET DATE: 5/12/23
CAT#: IOD-39
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

The 25th anniversary edition of the 1998 Metal-Core classic. Drowningman's debut full length, Busy Signal at the Suicide Hotline is an unpredictable amalgamation of angular blasts and melodic chaos. This quintessential document on the merging of metal, hardcore and punk is available on vinyl again, fully remastered with two bonus tracks. Drowningman was once ubiquitous with chaotic heavy music, having come up alongside many bands of the era including: Botch, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, and Coalesce. Originally released by Hydra Head Records, the reissue includes an out of print track from a split with Dillinger Escape Plan and a previously unreleased song. Available again with all new artwork and packaging. Includes download code.

"Busy Signal at the Suicide Hotline most certainly gets everything right, even though it's not talked about as much as We Are the Romans or Jane Doe, and as the years go on and as metalcore spun itself out of relevance, this record has actually got better. Noise-rock-influenced metalcore, angular and sharp, like a more antisocial and punk Botch." - Decibel Magazine

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Condoning the Use of Inhalants
  2. High School Slow Dance
  3. Busy Signal at the Suicide Hotline
  4. Sadder Than Saturday
  5. Mail Order Kidney
  6. Trouble Breathing
  7. Supermarket Riot
  8. Clothesline
  9. My First Restraining Order (1999)
  10. Like Taking out Stitches with a Fork (Needle and Thread)

MARKETING POINTS:

  • 25th Anniversary Edition, completely remastered for vinyl.
  • Remastered by Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden (Deafheaven, Amenra, Quicksand)
  • Includes two bonus tracks previously unavailable, including from split with Dillinger Escape Plan.
  • All new artwork and package re-design for the anniversary edition.
  • Band is active and touring again with upcoming tours and festivals, including Decibel Metal and Beer Fest.
  • Included download code

FOR FANS OF:
Botch, Dillinger Escape Plan, Deadguy, Every Time I Die, Converge

Official Site | Instagram

Quicksand "Slip"

LP - $19.40
LP UPC: 783495979715
LP STREET DATE: 5/12/23
DELUXE BOOK+LP STREET DATE: 5/26/23
CAT#: IOD-30A
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Available for the first time in over a decade, the 30th Anniversary Edition of Slip was completely remastered for vinyl using the original 1993 master tapes and includes bonus track “How Soon is Now?”. The jacket artwork was reconstructed using original art elements and color improvements. Complete with several limited beautiful vinyl variants.

Few albums fully establish and encapsulate a genre like Quicksand’s debut album Slip does for post-hardcore. Originally recorded in 1992 and released in early February 1993, Slip is as relevant and important an album today as it was nearly 30 years ago. Slip is a musical bridge between the 1980s New York Hardcore scene from which Quicksand’s members cut their teeth on, and the burgeoning sound of the 90s' heavy rock. It’s an album that stands toe-to-toe with other great records released that year, but the band’s NYHC roots give the record an edge you won’t hear on an ‘In Utero’ or ‘Siamese Dream.’

Lead track “Fazer” throws listeners straight into a brick wall of heavy guitars. Quicksand’s gritty genius is immediately apparent in the song: a group confident in their ability to mix heaviness, melody and big-chorus sensibilities in a way none of their peers could dream of. Front man Walter Schreifels and company merge their vast pool of influences (citing everyone from Bad Brains to Danzig) into a sound that’s undeniably Quicksand. Nowhere is this more apparent than the album’s lead single “Dine Alone.” It's a deceptively catchy song that exposed countless MTV watchers to crushing riffs, Schreifel’s gritty-yet-beautiful yowling, and a still legendary odyssey of a bridge.

The album is proof positive that a band can write some of the heaviest riffs ever, while still pausing for moments to space out on songs like “Lie and Wait.” The record concludes with a summation of all its accomplishments in “Transparent,” offering up guitar riffs that manage to sound heavy and hopeful at the same time. "Transparent" reinterprets Revolution-summer forward-thinking positive mindset in a new context of rock music. It's as though the band is aware of the righteous wave of great music they’re ushering in with this album. Slip gave everyone including Deftones, Glassjaw, Title Fight and hundreds more the blueprint of what post-hardcore can accomplish. Quicksand firmly cemented Slip as an essential album in rock music and a testament to how far punk rock can go.

Slip was recorded by Quicksand members Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today), Tom Capone (Beyond, Bold), Sergio Vega (Deftones, Moondog) and Alan Cage (Beyond, Seaweed) and co-produced by Steven Haigler (Pixies) and Don Fury (Sick of it All, Agnostic Front). Remastered by Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor).

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Fazer
  2. Head to Wall
  3. Dine Alone
  4. Slip
  5. Freezing Process
  6. Lie and Wait
  7. Unfulfilled
  8. Can Opener
  9. Omission
  10. Baphomet
  11. Too Official
  12. Transparent
  13. How Soon is Now?

MARKETING POINTS:

  • First pressing of an iconic album in over a decade.
  • Completely remastered for vinyl from the original 1993 tapes.
  • Remastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor)
  • Reconstructed/updated artwork from original art files.
  • Available on several beautiful color variants.
  • Band is actively touring worldwide with numerous festival appearances planned for 2023.

FOR FANS OF:
Failure, Hum, Narrow Head, Teenage Wrist

Official Site | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

There Were Wires "There Were Wires"

LP - $16.60
LP UPC: 724399772170
STREET DATE: 5/12/23
CAT#: IOD-08
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Unlikely but overwilling, the embryonic form of Boston’s There Were Wires (formed on Martha’s Vineyard in 1999) traversed every basement, rec hall and dive club in the city to blow out speakers and vocal chords alike with their explosive brand of hardcore punk. Their blend of harshly emotive dissonance and punchy, anthemic songs pulled inspiration from bands like Converge, Portraits of Past, and Unbroken. Though it’s true that TWW’s live shows were a powder keg of chaos, the true gooey center of the band revealed an honest vulnerability that belied the tough crowd of contemporaries, which gained them a small but devoted cult following in the New England scene.

After several self-released demo tapes and CD’s, TWW teamed up with Iodine Recordings for a professional version of their debut S/T record (including a live radio set), as well as their final 2003 record ‘Somnambulists’, which tread into darker, moodier, and more atmospheric territory than ever before. The boys disbanded shortly after this release with a final show in 2004, which led to the formation of the bands Disappearer, Doomriders, and No Flowers.

The band’s debut self titled LP is being pressed for the first time on vinyl and has been completely remixed by Kurt Ballou (Converge) at God City Studios and re-mastered for vinyl. The LP now includes several out of print B-Sides and the band’s 1999 demo. Available on two limited color variants. Nearly two decades later, with fresh new vinyl re-releases of both records in tow, TWW is poised to return to the stage once again. For now, what TWW’s second life yields beyond another chance to sing and dance with fans - both old and new - remains to be seen.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Lukewarm Happy
  2. Prepare For Collapse
  3. Instinctually Dumb
  4. The Physics of Air Hockey
  5. Stop Motion Aesthetic
  6. Fat with Glasses
  7. Commotion Strange
  8. The Hours
  9. Bigger and Better Things
  10. It Will Be Better Than the Rest of Your Life
  11. Cru Jones
  12. The Physics of Air Hockey (Demo)
  13. Stop Motion Aesthetic (Demo)
  14. Instinctually Dumb (Demo)
  15. Fat With Glasses (Demo)

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Classic influential Metal-Core album available for the first time in 20 years (on vinyl for the first time)
  • Remixed by Kurt Ballou (Converge, God City)
  • Full PR Campaign via Atom Splitter (Hatebreed, Alexisonfire)
  • Includes two bonus tracks, previously unavailable and 1999 Demo
  • Band is playing two reunion shows in Spring 2023 (First live appearance in almost 18 years)

FOR FANS OF:
Deadguy, Converge, Unbroken, PG.99, Jeromes Dream

Official Site | Instagram

Drowningman "Later Day Saints"

7"EP - $7.00
7"EP UPC: 724399772262
STREET DATE: 5/12/23
CAT#: IOD-39B
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Two new songs from the legendary Vermont based technical hardcore band Drowningman. Returning from a long hiatus, Drowningman has recorded two new blistering songs "Navigating Grief and Loss in a Pre-apocalyptic Landscape" and "It Will End in Cops." Recorded by producer Steve Evetts (Deadguy, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die) at the tail end of the pandemic. "The truth is "violence" has become very casual. Wilder death threats are made every minute on the internet than you will find in any Drowningman song. Violence is now done at arms length, typed into someone's comments, via press release, or by certified mail. Whatever happened to settling things on the front yard? At the end of the day, I'm proud of what we did here." - Simon Brody of Drowningman

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Navigating Grief and Loss in a Pre-apocalyptic Landscape
  2. It Will End in Cops

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Produced by Steve Evetts (Lifetime, Deadguy, Dillinger Escape Plan)
  • First new songs in over 15 years from Drowningman
  • Active and touring again
  • Playing Decibel Magazine's Metal and Beer Fest in April 2023

FOR FANS OF:
Botch, Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Deadguy

Official Site | Instagram

Jeromes Dream "The Gray In Between"

LP - $17.25 / CASSETTE - $7.50
LP UPC: 724399772156
CASSETTE UPC: 724399772163
STREET DATE: 5/5/23
CAT#: IOD-42
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Jeromes Dream is a hardcore band based in San Francisco, sharing a history with bands like Orchid, Saetia, Reversal of Man, and pageninetynine. After existing between 1997 and 2001, then reforming in 2018, JD will release their third full-length, The Gray In Between in 2023. The album introduces Sean Leary (Loma Prieta) on guitar and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Quicksand, Joyce Manor).

The Gray In Between is a raw, unapologetically blistering, yet beautiful execution of hardcore that demonstrates a honed precession in songwriting, lyrical content, and boundless passion. This album is quite possibly the band’s best, most powerful, and most realized work to date.

First Pressing:
500 x Stretched Invisible (Clear w/ Black and White Smoke)
400 x The Gray in Between (Black and Gray Swirl)
150 x Infinity (Gold inside Clear w/ Black and White Splatter) - NOISE CULT
100 x AAEEAA (Black) - Band Exclusive

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Conversations: In Time, On Mute
  2. Stretched Invisible from London
  3. South By Isolation
  4. Pines on the Hill (With Guests)
  5. Cosmos In Season
  6. AAEEAA
  7. On Holiday with Infinity
  8. The Future of Memory
  9. Often Oceans
  10. The Last Water Pearl

MARKETING POINTS:

  • First Jeromes Dream studio album in 5 years.
  • Produced by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Quicksand, Amenra)
  • US/EU Tours planned for Spring/Summer 2023.
  • Multiple Festival appearances planned.
  • Previous albums sold out in a matter of days of announcing.

FOR FANS OF:
PG.99, Saetia, Converge, Loma Prieta, Frail Body, Deafheaven

Official Site | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Orange Island "One Night Stay"

LP - $15.30
LP UPC: 603111749716
STREET DATE: 12/9/22 CAT#: IOD024
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Hailing from the suburban mill town of Clinton, MA, Orange Island were once a household name during the late 90s and early 00’s post-hardcore scene, coming up alongside bands like Taking Back Sunday and Thursday. Orange Island were often mislabeled as emo, but a more accurate description of their sound would be calling them an abrasive yet matured indie-rock band with an awareness of a pop-filled past. “One Night Stay” combines melodic hardcore, complex guitar interplay with lots of pop-influenced choruses and deeply somber lyrics that focus on the darker sides of life. Featuring tracks that have been out of print for over 15 years, they are now available on vinyl for the first time. Produced by Matt Squire (Taking Back Sunday, Thrice, and The Used).

“While indie-rock bands Hum and Samiam helped paved the way for the genre, Orange Island has taken those ideas and infused them with new energy.” - AltPress

“Sounding like a drop-D tuned Saves the Day or Jawbreaker, this Clinton, MA, quartet fuses gut-quaking East coast post-hardcore rhythms, à la Quicksand, dual guitar interplay and intelligent and earnest lyrics.” - EXCLAIM

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Holy Bibles And Stained Glass Hotel Windows
  2. Only The Good-Looking Need Apply
  3. The Silent Partner
  4. Life As A Series Of Addictions
  5. Knife In Hand, Gun In Mouth
  6. Burn Off Your Fingerprints
  7. We Hit It Off, It's The Shit (Or Get Off The Pot)
  8. The Bachelorette, Her Neck, And A Drunk As Joe Millionaire
  9. Diet Of Worms
  10. Oh! How Clintonian Of Me
  11. Four Letter Tattoos And White Flags

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Out of print album available for the first time in 15 years.
  • Full service press by Amy Sciaretto (Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, August Burns Red)
  • Produced by Matt Squire (Underoath, Taking Back Sunday, Panic! At The Disco)
  • Past tours with The Movielife, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday
  • Reunion shows planned for 2022
  • Past albums on Triple Crown Records and Rise Records

FOR FANS OF:
Thursday, Senses Fail, Thrice, Taking Back Sunday, Glassjaw, Circa Survive

Instagram

Light Tower "Light Tower"

CASSETTE - $6.00
CASSETTE UPC: 783495979692
STREET DATE: 10/7/22
CAT#: IOD037
LABEL: Iodine

Light Tower is a new collaborative project led by Chris Enriquez (On The Might of Princes, Spotlights) is a dark and deeply personal account of his personal experiences, delivered with his immense talent. Light Tower combines elements of shoegaze, post-hardcore, and emo, but offers something very unique that will strike a flame with fans of the genres. This debut EP features three powerful songs that set the stage of what we expect to see from the band in the future. Limited to 100 cassettes.

"Hearing Chris's rhythmic sensibilities on drums lead me to think he has a great mind for music. Hearing him helm a solo project proves it!" - Sergio Vega (Quicksand, Deftones)

TRACK LISTING:

  1. When the Mask Drops
  2. Drown and Sleep
  3. One of a Kind

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Featuring Chris Enriquez of On The Might of Princes and Spotlights
  • Produced by John Lamacchia of Candiria
  • Debut release limited to 100 copies

FOR FANS OF:
Quicksand, Hum, Swervedriver

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Stretch Arm Strong "Rituals Of Life"

LP - $17.25 / ZINE - $3.50
LP UPC: 783495979708
STREET DATE: 9/23/22
CAT#: IOD038
LABEL: Iodine

ALBUM BIO:
Few punk bands have the history and influence held by hardcore veterans Stretch Arm Strong. Formed in early 1992, a group of close friends who shared a love of punk music formed SAS in Columbia, South Carolina and played regularly to their local scene before releasing their debut LP “Compassion Fills the Void” in 1998. The band quickly gained the attention of the iconic Seattle based hardcore/metal label Solid State Records, and released their highly influential sophomore release “Rituals of Life” in 1999. Stretch Arm Strong perfectly executes a style of Hardcore Punk that few other bands have been able master as well as them. The band embodies a style of Melodic Hardcore, but seamlessly incorporates elements of pop-punk and heavy breakdowns, incorporating both harmonized vocals and brutal screaming. Their style appealed to fans of all punk sub-genres, allowing them to remain an important band in our scene until this day. But it is Stretch Arm Stong’s live show that perfectly captures their energy and passion for music. Stretch Arm Strong shows have been almost legendary in fans’ memories, full of intense dancing, stage dives, breakdowns, and sing alongs. The band were one of the biggest acts during a burgeoning time in punk and hardcore, coming up along many notable bands such as Bane, BoySetsFire, and Shai Hulud. Stretch Arm Strong has been credited for paving the way for many well known punk and indie bands around today, most notably they’ve been named as a major influence by: Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, Paramore, Thursday, and Rise Against, all of whom grew up attending Stretch Arm Strong shows. The band toured relentlessly around the world from 1999-2005 and released five LPs and a number of splits and singles. After a long hiatus, Stretch Arm Strong played a few reunion benefit shows in 2009 and 2011 with Bane and Evergreen Terrace. In 2021, Stretch Arm Strong played Furnace Fest in Birmingham, AL and were one of the most anticipated acts. Iodine Recordings and Stretch Arm Strong have partnered together to reissue “Rituals of Life”, which is one of the most iconic and popular hardcore punk records of the 90s, and has been out of print for over 20 years. This limited pressing has been completely redesigned and packaged using elements of the original art by award winning design firm Unoriginal Vinyl and completely remastered for vinyl by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in San Francisco, CA. Offered in several exclusive color vinyl variants. “Rituals of Life” will be presented with a special limited retrospective companion zine with notes, reflections, and essays from the band as well as: Hatebreed, Rise Against, Stick To Your Guns, Bane, The Gaslight Anthem, Further Seems Forever, and more… Includes a download card of the remastered audio (not available elsewhere!).

ZINE BIO:
Second Chances – The Rituals of Life Years, is a retrospective companion zine that reflects on Stretch Arm Strong’s iconic hardcore record from 1999. The zine includes essays and commentary from many notable bands, including: Hatebreed, Bane, Rise Against, The Gaslight Anthem, Stick To Your Guns, Further Seems Forever, and many more. The band collected old photographs, tour posters, lanyards, and other artifacts of their youth to be presented in this beautiful book constructed and designed by Unoriginal Vinyl. Available only during the pre-order for Rituals of Life, then out of print forever!

TRACK LISTING:

  1. When Sorrow Falls
  2. Outside Looking In
  3. Second Chances
  4. All We've Lost
  5. Try To Forget
  6. For Now
  7. Pursuit Of Happiness
  8. Reach Out
  9. Set Free
  10. Through My Actions
  11. To A Friend
  12. Melt With You

MARKETING POINTS:

  • First time on vinyl for over 20 years
  • Fully remixed and remastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor)
  • Exclusive colored vinyl
  • All new artwork and packaging by Unoriginal Vinyl
  • Playing several reunion shows in 2022, including Furnace Fest

FOR FANS OF:
Bane, Boysetsfire, Comeback Kid, Shai Hulud, H2O, Sick Of It All

Instagram

The Darling Fire “Distortions”

LP - $15.95 / CD - $8.00
LP UPC: 047338063307
CD UPC: 783495979746
STREET DATE: 9/23/22
CAT#: IOD033
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

“This place is a monument to my broken soul.” After enduring the crushing sorrow of loss and grief, The Darling Fire return with their sophomore release. “Distortions” is a dark and pensive journey in ten compositions that transcends both beauty and pain, seamlessly combining elements of shoegaze, post-hardcore, and metal. Ghostly female vocals float above a pounding wall of sound, sewn together with vast atmospheric waves. Bleak, somber, and enchanting. Most will find “Distortions” to be a significant departure from their previous LP “Dark Celebration” as this recording is much more abrasive, gloomy, and brooding—more metal influenced than indie. The band felt that this new aggressive sound more accurately portrayed the sadness, rage, and pain they felt and that it seamlessly balanced with the hypnotizing softness of Jolie’s vocals. The outcome was an amalgamation of something beautiful, austere, and cathartic. It combines the haunting chills of My Bloody Valentine and the heaviness of Deftones. The band allowed themselves to feel unconstrained while writing this album without having to force these songs to adhere to one genre or sound. “It felt like a natural evolution for us to go in this direction—to create more movement…” says Jolie Lindholm. The vast collective experience of each member of The Darling Fire is exceptional by any measure. Members previously played with: Shai Hulud, Further Seems Forever, The Rocking Horse Winner, As Friends Rust, and Strongarm. An impressive collaboration that was only strengthened by working with Producer Jay Maas (Defeater, Title Fight, Bane) in the studio. The outcome is an impressive and ambitious album that will resonate with listeners of all underground music. “I’ve had very specific dreams and nightmares throughout my life that I still remember vividly. A dream can blur the line between what is and isn’t real. At times, we may wake from a good dream and want to fall back into it; or we tell ourselves to wake from a nightmare, only to realize what’s happening on this plane is stranger than the one we just left.”

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Machina
  2. Heart Will Stop
  3. Clean Hands
  4. Downer
  5. Amber
  6. Hers
  7. Perigee
  8. Rituals
  9. Samsara
  10. Legless

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Features members of Shai Hulud, Further Seems Forever, The Rocking Horse Winner, and As Friends Rust
  • Full service press by Amy Sciaretto (Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, August Burns Red)
  • Produced by Jay Maas (Defeater, Bane, Title Fight)
  • Playing Furnace Fest 2022 in Birmingham, AL
  • Tours and Festival appearances planned for 2022

FOR FANS OF:
Deftones, Nothing, Holy Fawn, Spiritbox, Narrow Head, Slow Crush, Deafheaven

Official Site | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Her Head's On Fire "College Rock and Clove Cigarettes"

LP - $14.65 / CASSETTE - $7.00
LP UPC: 047338063277
CD UPC: 783495979722
STREET DATE: 7/29/22
CAT#: IOD029
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Indie rock, of all stripes, is far too long in the tooth—and the classic back catalogs far too crowded—for half measures: If we are to have new “left of the dial” songs in an age where the wry cleverness and heart-on-sleeve (or heart-patch-on-messenger-bag?) vulnerability of yore have listed into a kind of sardonic nihilism, then those songs must be full of that strange alchemic mix of chords and melodies that make hearts flutter and souls soar—they must be incandescent; bright flares that light us up and burn away the pretenses and bullshit the world circa 2022 seems determined to encase us in.

Enter Her Head’s On Fire—a fiery, enlivening quartet with an unfuckwithable pedigree (Saves the Day, Garrison, Small Brown Bike, The Bomb, Casket Lottery, Gay for Johnny Depp) that serves as the DNA for a ten track genetic splicing debut full-length, College Rock & Clove Cigarettes that is not only simultaneously familiar and transcendent, but also very, very good.

Like, cry-on-first-listen, sway-enraptured-on-your-tippy-toes, make-a-mixtape-and-slip-it-into-your-crush’s-backpack good.

If you ever thrilled to the anthems of Samiam, pounded the steering wheel to Superchunk, reveled in the waves of Dinosaur Jr’s melodic fuzz, gladly went over to the Farside, got down to some Elvis Costello, or can remember where you were the first time you heard Sense Field…well, then Her Head’s On Fire’s heart-seeking post-post-hardcore, “emo”tive rock stemwinders will be the best thing to happen to you in a very long time.

Building on the promise of an auspicious bow via last year’s well-received split with living legend J. Robbins, College Rock & Clove Cigarettes is a beguiling and powerful statement: Her Head’s On Fire has your number and a container of clean sonic kerosine. All you have to do is follow the light, open up to the real, and find your way back to the messy, anthem-inspiring glory of love once again.

Her Head’s On Fire is:
Sid Jagger (Garrison, Gay for Johnny Depp) vocals
Jeff Dean (The Bomb) guitar
Rodriogo Palma (Saves the Day) bass
Jeff Gensterblum (Small Brown Bike, The Casket Lottery) drums

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Burn
  2. Call Me Up
  3. Lexicon of Doubt
  4. Common Shame
  5. Pristine Heart
  6. Rising Tide
  7. So Beautiful
  8. Matchsticks
  9. Sugar Lips
  10. Are We Enough

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Debut LP by Her Head’s On Fire
  • Featuring members of Saves the Day, Garrison, Small Brown Bike, and The Casket Lottery
  • Produced by Jeff Dean (Samiam, Braid)
  • Full PR Campaign by Atom Splitter PR
  • Shows and Tours planned for 2022 (US / Europe)

FOR FANS OF:
Superchunk, Samiam, Jawbreaker, Lawrence Arms, and Farside

Instagram | Facebook

Nathan Gray & The Iron Roses "Rebel Songs"

LP - $15.30 / CD - $8.00 / CASSETTE - $7.00
LP UPC: 603111751610
CD UPC: 603111751641
CASSETTE UPC: 603111751627
STREET DATE: 7/22/22
CAT #: IOD032
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

NOT AVAILABLE TO EUROPEAN ACCOUNTS

Gray’s third solo album Rebel Songs brings him closer to his own truth as both a passionate songwriter and the vulnerable and exposed human that he’s become. Once hiding behind the aggressive and in-your-face façade as frontman of hardcore stalwarts BoySetsFire, Gray’s personal reckoning came with his confrontation of his own painful and past – he couldn’t just keep pummeling his repressed emotions into submission… he had to slow down, dissect and examine it. A victim of sexual assault at the hands of the church (which he is rather open about on stage and in song), he once sublimated the bubbling-under pain and anger into hardcore’s demands for speed and fury. These days, however, he battles his repressed demons by relaying his experience to his audience in a more relatable and therapeutic manner – though indie rock. “In my own journey through healing, I started to understand that no one can influence change in the world without turning that inward to heal themselves first. As such, what we do in our own lives influences our political leanings and world view.”

Rebel Songs is Gray’s reaction to not only his own personal past but the cultural and political unrest that infects this country and, on a larger scale, the world. “I think the impetus for the sound and style of Rebel Songs was to get back to my roots on what got me into hardcore in the first place, which was pure and simple punk rock,” he says of the album’s inspiration. “Coming back to that place while redefining myself through my roots was freeing. I grew up listening to The Clash, The Ramones, Fat Boys, RUN DMC, Black Flag and NWA. These artists defined and shaped me. They were there for me during the good times and the horrific times. Taking those inspirations with me into this place of my life and career just make sense.”

Melding all those music reference points into a 12-track album of fierce and passionate anthems, Gray and his band The Iron Roses takes all the experiences of their collective lives and coalesces it into melting pot of inclusivity. “People like me (white men) have to set an example,” he says of his very conscious decision to make his band as culturally and racially inclusive as possible. “How would people in the audience experience the show if they didn’t feel represented? The Iron Roses include a trans woman, a black man, a mother of two, pansexuals, bisexuals, CIS straight folks, etc. We represent many, because it is our duty to. It's important to me to create a space to allow others to express themselves on stage by using my own privilege. I'd be full of shit if I didn’t back my words. I see no point in talking about inclusion and diversity, about Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ rights and women’s rights if I didn't back it up. It would be a mockery.”

This blend creates a fascinating and organic brew of the different corners of rock that he imbues in his album. From the Elvis Costello-esque New Wave of “Reckoning” to the anthemic and earnest title track “Rebel Songs” (which features friend and Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath) to balladic album closer “That Said,” Rebel Songs covers a lot of ground – musically and thematically. The reggae and hiphop-infused “Look Alive” was new ground for him. “It was the first time I ever tried adding hip-hop influences into my body of work, which was terrifying and invigorating all at once,” he explains. “It presented a perfect opportunity to add to the mix my friend Eugenius who had recently sampled one of my old band’s songs. It’s the first song on the album that shows what an insane mix of influences the rest of this album will bring - reggae, punk, hip hop… Fuck, it’s like a ‘buckle up’ moment.”

But Rebel Songs isn’t a preachy album. It admits to being adrift in the feeling of aimless direction and asks for help as well. He tackles this rudderless abandon on the openly unanchored song “Lost.” “This was the first purely personal song on the album which was a huge shift from the albums prior to this,” he confesses. “It speaks to something people don’t acknowledge when speaking on social issues… It's okay to admit that you are also lost in the world, but that you are doing the best you can. It’s a personal experience we can all attach to. It’s important to hear this on an album that is socially and politically driven - being vulnerable to say ‘this is what I see, and I know I don’t have all the solutions and I’m not always right but I am doing what I can to be better. We should all do that.”

TRACK LISTING:

  1. The Reckoning
  2. Look Alive
  3. Rebel Songs
  4. Radio Silence
  5. Fired Up
  6. Capitol Stairs
  7. No Pasaran
  8. Million
  9. Don't Wait Up
  10. Lost
  11. Grace
  12. That Said

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Limited US Pressing on Iodine Recordings
  • First single featuring Timothy McIlrath, vocalist of Rise Against
  • Solo project of Boysetsfire singer
  • US tour in February/March 2022
  • Festival Appearances planned for 2022

FOR FANS OF:
Boysetsfire, Nathan Gray, Rise Against

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Onelinedrawing "Tenderwild"

LP - $14.65 / CASSETTE - $7.00
LP UPC: 603111749617
CASSETTE UPC: 603111749648
STREET DATE: 6/24/22
CAT #: IOD023
LABEL:Iodine Recordings

Jonah Matranga is no stranger to the scene. He has been making music for over 30-Years and has become somewhat of an institution. A prolific artist who is full of ideas and he straddles the line between the underground and the mainstream cusp. Jonah has fronted the bands FAR, NEW END ORIGINAL, and GRATITUDE and has worked with indie labels like Jade Tree to majors such as Atlantic. His music has been noted as influencing many notable bands ranging from Deftones to Blink-182. Simply put, there is no one quite like Jonah.

Throughout his long career, Jonah has always written from the heart and performed in an intimate way that few others have accomplished like he has, after playing almost 4,000 shows. From basements to massive festivals, he brings the same energy with him — a devoted fanbase, raw honesty, and an interest in making every show unique and personal. This has always been the most apparent in Jonah’s solo and collaborative project performing as onelinedrawing. Jonah’s performance as onelinedrawing has always been about connecting with fans in an intimate setting, where he often performed with only his guitar and his R2D2 side kick.

Tenderwild marks the return of ONELINEDRAWING, which is the first time since 2004’s “The Volunteers” (Jade Tree) that Jonah has used the moniker. This album brought together so many friends and fellow musicians that it only felt right to release it as onelinedrawing. Tenderwild is an uplifting journey that was written an inspired during a chaotic time of healing for Jonah. Contrasting between guitar driven rock songs and heartfelt intense ballads, Tenderwild is a collection of some of the best songs Jonah has ever written. The album features guest appearances from many of Jonah’s close friends, such as: Zach Lind (Jimmy Eat World), Jeremy Tappero (Soul Asylum), Norman Brannon (Texas Is The Reason), Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional), John Gutenberger (Far), and Jake Snider (Minus The Bear).

Tenderwild is an expansive and special album that has something for everyone.

“Onelinedrawing, is a diarist at heart, both in his music and in his daily life, and, man, does he ever rip his heart out and show it to you in his songs. A loose, free-roaming approach to confessional songwriting that pushes his music well beyond the normal sad singer/songwriter clichés.” – PITCHFORK

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Get a Dog
  2. Tenderwild
  3. This is Water
  4. Don’t Give Up
  5. Serious Question
  6. When I Did Drugs
  7. Everyday Angels
  8. Hell Of A Year
  9. What I Know
  10. Hello From Here
  11. You're A Home

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Brand new release from onelinedrawing, the first time in 16 years
  • Features guest appearances from: Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional), Norman Brannon (Texas Is The Reason), and Jake Snider (Minus The Bear)
  • US/European Tours scheduled for 2022
  • Full PR Campaign with Atom Splitter PR

FOR FANS OF:
Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Iron & Wine, The Decemberists

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Attempt Survivors “Educated Hips”

7"EP - $7.00
7"EP UPC: 047338063253
STREET DATE: 6/10/22
CAT #: IOD28
LABEL: Iodine

“All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique,” James Baldwin argued when it came to the latter. “All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.”

And this, more than anything, is the feeling that the music of Attempt Survivors evokes: A fuller story and sound, actualized through decades of separate preparation in a series of groundbreaking bands. (Go ahead and check that curriculum vitae: Helmet, Errortype: 11, Instruction, Saetia, Six Going on Seven, Big Collapse, Fires.)

These diverse, nuanced post-post-hardcore songs are, essentially, a conversation between four individuals who have put in the Gladwellian ten thousand hours—and then some, if one counts overnight tour van journeys!—to develop the vocabulary necessary to have it. There are shades of recognizable precursors—80s goth, burly AmRep groove, expansive 70s rock, 90s emo—but the dialect is its own. And within this unique dialect there is a fluency which allows for flow; that prevents the second-guessing, analytical left brain from fucking up the intuitive rhythm of the desperate-to-transcend right brain. (A good thing, too, considering the piecemeal, long-distance approach to collaborating mature living and a world-halting pandemic necessitated!)

Attempt Survivors is the sum of the many, many survivals of vocalist J. English, guitarists Adam Marino and Matthew Kane, and drummer Kyle Stevenson—surprising, in the best possible way, for those familiar with the aforementioned current/former bands, but not out of character.

“We’re only going to be on this star for a few minutes,” English says. “Let’s contribute something —make cool stuff. I want to leverage everyone’s lifetime of musical experience, hopefully wind up with something we’re collectively jazzed on, maybe not repeat the same mistakes? We can write a cool riff or steal a cooler one. Let’s see what happens. Just because we’re alive. That is the intention—to create something new out of love. Keep each other honest and pushing. If we’re on borrowed time — let’s make up some killer stuff & send it into the ether”

It is futile to try to make life or bands last forever, but these ripples from the still-beating heart of Attempt Survivors ably demonstrate the beauty of imbuing moments with meaning and keeping on keeping on straight until an end that need not be bitter if you live right along the way.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Educated Hips
  2. Follow Me Chaos

MARKETING POINTS:

  • New supergroup featuring members of HELMET, SAETIA, and SIX GOING ON SEVEN
  • Debut release
  • Tours and Festival appearances planned for 2022

FOR FANS OF:
Quicksand, Fugazi, Hum, Jawbox, Helmet, At The Drive In

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Smoke Or Fire "Beauty Fades"

LP - $14.65
LP UPC: 603111749518
STREET DATE: 5/27/22
CAT #: IOD019
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Smoke Or Fire were formed in Boston, MA during the late 90s alongside countless bands in the Boston underground scene. They delivered their unique brand of heartfelt emotional punk that included complex layered guitars, dirty vocals, and lyrics that ranged from deeply personal topics to social criticisms of war and politics. The songs often drew comparisons to bands like Avail, Hot Water Music, and Against Me! Although, Smoke Or Fire brought their own unique take on the genre with catchy melodies, and sing along choruses.

The band released their debut EP “Worker’s Union” on Iodine Recordings in 2002, and after several US tours, Smoke Or Fire relocated to Richmond, VA where they caught the attention of the iconic NOFX record label Fat Wreck Chords. They signed to Fat and remained through their career, releasing three full lengths: Above the City (produced by Fat Mike/NOFX), This Sinking Ship, and The Speakeasy. Smoke Or Fire was praised by music critics, and revered by fans for capturing a raw energy and a genuine approach to punk music.

Smoke Or Fire toured relentlessly over their twenty-plus year history, with numerous US and European tours, sharing the stage regularly with bands such as: Avail, Against Me!, Dillinger Four, Hot Water Music, Descendents, Anti-Flag, NOFX, Silverstein, Rise Against, Bad Religion, and The Ataris (just to name a few…).

“Beauty Fades” is a collection of out of print and unreleased tracks from Smoke Or Fire. Side A includes their debut Iodine EP “Worker’s Union” which was completely remixed and remastered at New Alliance Studios in Boston, MA. Side B includes seven rare or unreleased tracks that span the history of the band, including the EP “Rises in the East” which was never released, but included a number of songs that were in the band’s live set throughout their tenure. The entire collection is being pressed on vinyl for the first time ever. Complete with all new artwork and packaging.

“Beauty Fades” documents some of the best moments of the band’s legacy with fist-pumping anthems and emotional breakdowns. Singer Joe McMahon remains adamant that these are the best songs he ever wrote, which capture a youthful energy and idealism that is fleeting for us all.

"Distinctive hooks, infectious melodies and fist-pumping choruses: It’s all here, and it sounds damn near perfect." – ALTERNATIVE PRESS

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Sunday Pints
  2. Beauty Fades
  3. 50 Cent Hearts
  4. Second Wind
  5. Running in Circles
  6. They All Go to California
  7. Modesty
  8. Nowhere to Go But Up
  9. Hand Me Downs
  10. Written to be Read
  11. Live On
  12. Someone Said We Flew
  13. Oxygen

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Available for the first time on vinyl
  • Fully remixed and remastered at New Alliance Studios
  • Indie Exclusive colored vinyl
  • All new artwork by Jeff Caudill (Gameface)
  • Features all rare or unreleased tracks

FOR FANS OF:
Against Me!, Avail, Hot Water Music, Lifetime, Dillinger Four, The Lawerence Arms

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Hey Thanks! "Start/Living"

LP - 14.65 / CD - $7.00 / Cassette - $7.00
LP UPC: 047338063291
CD UPC: 783495979685
CASSETTE UPC: 783495979678
STREET DATE: 5/27/22
CAT #: IOD036
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Hey Thanks! formed in 2016 when 5 friends from outside of New Orleans, LA came together to share their love of music. They wrote songs that drew from their wide range of influences to include emo, punk, electronica, and indie-pop. They quickly developed a unique sound that set them apart from the majority of new bands emerging at the moment. They perfectly capture the essence of indie-pop music with earnest lyrics and hooks that you won’t forget. After several early lineup changes, the band found vocalist Travis Opal, who helped refine and define their exceptional sound.

The band gained a lot of attention soon after their formation around the New Orleans scene, being added to Warped Tour dates, and opening for shows with notable bands such as Metro Station, Issues, Save Face, I Set My Friends on Fire, and We The Kings. They quickly developed a dedicated following and have established themselves as one of the most well-known bands in the region.

Hey Thanks! spent the better part of two years writing and recording their debut full length “Start/Living,” working with an all-star team and some of the best production talent around today. The album was engineered and produced by Gary Cioni at Sound Acres Studio (Hot Mulligan, Crime In Stereo, Sorority Noise) and mixed by Brett Romnes (The Movielife, Heart Attack Man, The Front Bottoms, Oso Oso) and mastered by Mike Kalajian (The Devil Wears Prada, New Found Glory, Silverstein).

The band toured relentlessly, prior to the pandemic, and shared the stage with many up and coming bands such as: Greet Death, Keep Flying, Dozer Tx, Nominee, Bad Luck, Sundressed, Fernway, and Super American.

In 2021, Hey Thanks! caught the attention of the recently relaunched Iodine Recordings, who quickly signed them for several records, to include the official release of “Start/Living” on vinyl and CD. Start/Living breaks down the boundaries of pop-music and expertly incorporates elements of 90s alternative, electronic rock, and emo. Twelve infectious songs that captures the complexity of youth, longing, and love. Featuring the singles “From Me 2 U” and “The Part I Call Myself.” They are planning on hitting the road in 2022 to tour and support the release.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Conversations Make A Way
  2. From Me 2 U
  3. This Small Space
  4. The Part I Call Myself
  5. On Top Of Me
  6. I’m Sure It’s On The Way
  7. Fun Charade
  8. How It’s Supposed To Be
  9. Would You Believe It
  10. Promise It’ll Be Over
  11. If It Takes Me Forever
  12. In Seconds I’ll Be Gone

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Debut Release by Hey Thanks!
  • Produced by Gary Cioni (Hot Mulligan, Crime In Stereo, Sorority Noise)
  • Full PR Campaign by Atom Splitter PR
  • Shows and Tours planned for 2022 (US / Europe)

FOR FANS OF:
The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, Motion City Soundtrack, The 1975, The Summer Set, The Academy Is

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The Darling Fire “Dark Celebration”

LP - $14.65
LP UPC: 810017640553
STREET DATE: 4/22/22
CAT #: IOD-SPAR063
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

After years of individual success in some of the scene's most beloved bands, The Darling Fire was born of both deep struggle and deeper friendships. A veritable mosaic of indie notoriety, the band features members or ex-members of The Rocking Horse Winner, Further Seems Forever, Dashboard Confessional, Poison The Well, Shai Hulud, As Friends Rust, and Strongarm among others. The debut album, Dark Celebration, is in many ways what you'd anticipate — energetic, powerful, melodic, and heavy; however, it is far more nuanced than you would imagine. The collective sum of the parts and the alluring heart-on-sleeve lyrics produce a more intimate, spacey and bewitching experience — an authenticity that speaks to the true cathartic nature of the project. The result of their collaboration with producer J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Government Issue) is a powerful coalescence of artistry and vision — a record that five artists spent their entire careers waiting to make.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. For the Loveless
  2. Nevertwin
  3. Omaha
  4. Catatonia
  5. Silver Spider
  6. The Constant
  7. Saints in Masquerade
  8. In Twilight

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Featuring members of: Shai Hulud, The Rocking Horse Winner, As Friends Rust, and Dashboard Confessional
  • Playing Furnace Fest 2022 in Birmingham, AL
  • US Tour planned for Summer 2022

FOR FANS OF:
Deftones, Nothing, Hum, Narrow Head, Slow Crush

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Audio Karate "¡OTRA!"

LP - $14.65 / CASSETTE - $7.00
LP UPC: 603111749419
CASSETTE UPC: 603111749440
STREET DATE: 3/18/22
CAT #: IOD21
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

From the suburbs of East Los Angeles, CA, four Mexican American kids came together in 2001 to form the band Audio Karate. Audio Karate developed a unique sound that drew from their many influences such as Descendents and Jawbreaker. Their unique mix of melodic and emotional punk rock helped them develop a big fan base and quickly caught the attention of Kung Fu records, who signed them in 2001 alongside bands like Blink-182 and Tsunami Bomb. Audio Karate were far from being just another “punk” band, and their blend of melodies and hooks set them apart, making it difficult to place them in any one genre. The band has mastered the art of writing infectiously catchy songs with deeply personal lyrics, while still remaining upbeat and fun.

Audio Karate spent the early 2000s touring heavily and shared stages with bands like Blink-182, NOFX, The Ataris, Face to Face, and had many Van’s Warped Tour appearances. Their first studio album “Space Camp” was met with much acclaim from critics and fans, and the band was often featured on MTV and Fuse TV. Their follow up album “Lady Melody” was produced by Bill Stevenson of the Descendents. The record straddled pop-punk convention and technical oddity, with unique key changes and riffs that seemed to sound “wrong” while sounding gloriously right. Even Stevenson wondered how they did it, marveling at times during their recording sessions: “Technically, this shouldn’t work.”

Audio Karate went on a long Hiatus in 2006 and returned in 2018 to record their third album “Malo” for Wiretap Records and support their idols, Descendents, on a U.S. tour. Shortly after their return, the band began working with Iodine Recordings for anther release. “¡OTRA!” is a collection of their rare and unreleased material that spans the history of the band and feature works produced by Bill Stevenson (Descendents/ALL) and Trever Keith (Face to Face). Featuring guest vocals by Agent M / Emily Whitehurst of Tsunami Bomb and new original artwork by Chris Shary (Descendents/Teenage Bottlerocket). “¡OTRA!” contains some of Audio Karate’s best songs that have never been released on vinyl. A soon to be essential volume for pop-punk and emo fans’ collections.

“Well crafted melodic-punk and the passion in the vocals is undeniably infectious. Bill Stevenson once again has produced a gem of a record!” - Punk News

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Lovely Residence
  2. Segway
  3. Care Carelessly
  4. Black Covering
  5. End Won’t Justify the Means
  6. She Looks Good
  7. Do You Miss Meaning Everything to Me?
  8. Betrayed

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Contains all rare and unreleased songs never pressed on vinyl
  • Produced by Bill Steveneson (Descendents) and Trever Keith (Face to Face)
  • All new artwork by Chris Shary
  • Tours and Festival appearances planned for 2022

FOR FANS OF:
Jawbreaker, The Ataris, Jimmy Eat World, The Lawrence Arms, The Menzingers

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Ritual Earth "MMXX"

LP - $14.65 / CD - $7.00
LP UPC: 603111749310
CD UPC: 603111749341
STREET DATE: 3/18/22
CAT #: IOD020
LABEL: Iodine Recordings

Philadelphia’s Psych-Metal outfit bestow their epic debut album. “MMXX” delivers monolithic riffs in a vast soundscape with pounding heavy grooves and vocal hooks. Emerging from the darkness of a collapsing nebula, Ritual Earth reverberates the electronic radiation of all things Doom, Space, and Psychedelia. Heavy, Slow, Atmospheric and Dark. Seven charged, dystopian transmissions set to the pulse of the dying universe to come.

Ritual Earth formed in 2018 when Philadelphia cult sludge veterans, Chimpgrinder, found themselves in need of a new vocalist capable of aiding the band with their journey into new musical exploration and refining their sound. The band quickly connected with former hardcore vocalist George Chamberlin (Autumn, Aim of Conrad), who’s vocal range allowed the band slow to a more expansive and layered sound. The pairing resulted in a new band that merged the riff-rock stylings of Heavy Psychedelia, the slow tempos of Doom Metal, and the atmospheric elements of Shoegaze. The band later added keyboardist Mark Boyce (Boss Hogg, Delta 72) who included synthesizers and electronic elements to the music.

Throughout 2019, Ritual Earth began playing shows along the East Coast and released a three-song demo, that received positive reviews and acclaim from listeners and critics due to their unique sound and crossover appeal. The band gained a following in the Philadelphia area while sharing the stage with bands like High Reeper, Age of Truth, Green Meteor, and Thunderbird Divine to name a few.

By September 2020, the band finished writing and recording their debut full length while working with engineer David Downhan and Gradwell. The album quickly grabbed the attention of several labels, and the band began working with Iodine Recordings, who Chamberlin had previously worked with while in Aim of Conrad. Iodine Recordings is excited to present Ritual Earth’s debut album “MMXX”.

Track Listing:

  1. Solar Ecstasy
  2. Escape Velocity
  3. Reprisal / Nebulas Diabolos
  4. Free From My Vessel
  5. I Am Dreadnaught
  6. Ascension Dimension

MARKETING POINTS:

  • Debut Release by Ritual Earth
  • Promotional free Flexi Vinyl containing bonus track “Distress Signal”
  • Shows and Tours planned for 2022 (US / Europe)
  • Featuring members of: Aim of Conrad, Autumn, and Chimpgrinder
  • Crossover appeal in various genres

FOR FANS OF:
Kyuss, Elder, Nebula, YOB, Monolord, Cave In

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