Brainstorm - s/t 7"

Among the list of bands I love, Iceburn is one of those bands you might not expect to be on that list. But they are, especially their 'Hephaestus' album is incredible. Before Iceburn, some of its members including main member Gentry Densley were in a band called Brainstorm, a band which shared members with Insight (one of the early bands on Victory Records). Brainstorm, from Salt Lake City, started out in the late '80s out of the ashes of a band called Better Way. After a demo (which was posted on the xStuck In The Pastx forum a while ago, here is a direct link to the download: demo), a 7" was recorded and released on local label Flatline Records in 1991, who also released the Search self-titled 7" I posted a few months ago. This 2-song 7" might have even been released posthumously, as Brainstorm ended in 1990 from what I read? Anyways, great stuff nonetheless, especially 'Let Me Forget' is a great early '90s rocking mid-tempo hardcore song. Give it a shot!

Members moved on to bands such as Iceburn, Ascend, Eagle Twin, Handsome, Jets To Brazil and numerous more.

Brainstorm - s/t 7"

Brickhouse - Frankford 7"

Brickhouse was a shortlived hardcore band from Philadelphia, PA. They were formed in 1989, and besides a demo and the 'Frankford' 7" which was released on Street Level Records in 1991 I don't think the band did anything else. I don't even know of a compilation that they were on? The 7" was named after a neighborhood of Philly called Frankford, which was the home of some of the band members. The band had some members of Pagan Babies and The Uprise and 2 singers (with similar voices), as you can see in the video below. If anybody has any more info on them or can share the demo, do leave a comment please, cuz this band rocks hard. Solid hardcore, especially 'Nowhere But Up' is a killer track, altho all 4 tracks are great. They're not trying to do anything new, but what they do they do well. Enjoy!

My apologies for the weird skip right at the start of 'No More Favors', can't seem to get rid of it. I also scanned in a Street Level Records flyer that came with my copy of the 7". Again, only XL t-shirts & long sleeves.

Here's a cool live video of Brickhouse in action:


Brickhouse - Frankford 7"

Hope (Delusion) 7"

Here's a band I knew about for a number of years but didn't own any material of until recently. Hope (Delusion) from New Jersey started out as Unanswered in 1994 and recorded several 7"s under that name. They changed their name to Hope (Delusion) in 1997, after a couple of line-up changes and maybe they also felt their sound had also changed too much, tho the little I know of Unanswered isn't a radically different style. Anyways, using their new name name they recorded this self-titled 7" which was released on Track Star Records in 1998. The band folded shortly afterwards. If yer into bands such as Bloodlet, Rorschach and such, chances are you will enjoy this band as well. A good and solid 7", it's a shame this band didn't release more stuff. Enjoy!

Hope (Delusion) 7"

Pushbutton Warfare - A Pain You Never Thought Could Exist CD

Pushbutton Warfare from Western Massachussetts formed in 1994 after a Bloodbath reunion (Bloodbath being the best band on the 'Back Again' compilation 7", a pretty solid Western Mass hardcore comp from 1989 or so). 3 Bloodbath members started a new band, which would become Pushbutton Warfare, with a new singer, Justin Markou. The band recorded (and self-released?) a self-titled CD in 1997. After some tours and such, singer Justin Markou was replaced with old Bloodbath singer Bruce LePage and the original guitarist left and Chris 'Zeuss' Harris took his place. With this line-up the band recorded the 'Wash Away The Weak' 7" which was released on Jamey Jasta's Stillborn Records in 1999. The band eventually folded and members went on to various other bands. There were plans to re-release the self-titled CD with bonus material, but I have no idea if that actually happened?

Anyways, here's the 'A Pain You Never Thought Could Exist' CD, which compiles some Pushbutton Warfare demo and compilation tracks. Fairly tough hardcore, blunt and to the point, good stuff. This CD was released on Lifeless Records in 1998, before its first 'official' release I believe, which was the Shadows Fall 'Somber Eyes To The Sky' CD. What makes this CD different from most similar compilations is that it also features the never released Bloodbath 7" which was supposed to have been released on Community Chest Records (who also released the aforementioned 'Back Again' comp 7") but that never happened, and some Distance tracks, another pre-PW band with 2 Pushbutton Warfare members. Pretty damn cool if you ask me. For an extensive biography check out their myspace. Markus posted the 'Wash Away The Weak' 7" some years ago on Killing The Legacy blog, so check that out if you're interested, it's also a cool 7".

Bruce LePage ofcourse went on to front 100 Demons, while Justin Markou went on to Withstand and a number of other bands, RIP. Pushbutton Warfare members have also done time in a shitload of other bands such as Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Death Threat and Bloodwar, and guitarist Zeuss would eventually start his own Planet-Z recording studio and become one of the most well-known hardcore/metal producers around.

The CD also has a movie on it, but I couldn't get it to play for me. I've still included it with the download just in case.

Pushbutton Warfare - A Pain You Never Thought Could Exist CD
Pushbutton Warfare myspace