Various Artists: The Ghost Is Clear Records 2020 Sampler (2020)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Sludge, Noise Rock, Post Punk, Post Hardcore
Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records
Tracks: 26
Length: 71.80'

Damn, this is an incredible sampler featuring material showcasing new releases from The Ghost Is Clear records and bands affiliated bands of the label.  On their 2020 sampler, The Ghost Is Clear records offer up music from Rid Of Me, Nerver, BIGHAND//BIGKNIFE, Poster Boy, Seaxes, Abandoncy, VAC, Shadow Snakes, Big Water, Prayer Group, Facet, Canyons, Trash Dragon, My America Is Watching Tigers Die, Almanac Man, PINKO, My Condolences, Ekumen, Don't Grow Old, Crowning, Doom Beach, Larium, Easy Prey, Heel Turn, This Is Fantastic For You, and Life In Vacuum.  Overall, this is an amazing collection of bands and really shows you why The Ghost Is Clear records has been one of my consistently favorite label for the past decade.  Overall, Sampler 2020 makes for an amazing listen and definitely should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

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Couch Lock-Couch Arrest/Couch Depressed Cs. (2016)

Country: USA
Genre: Punk, Emo
Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 17.0'

Couch Lock is a three piece band from Kansas City, Missouri who formed in early 2015, from what I can tell.  Couch Lock play a killer style of music that mixes equal parts punk and emo.  Musically, Couch Lock can be said to be influenced by bands such As Friends Rust, Lifetime, Braid, as well as more modern bands such as Coping, Snowing and Street Smart Cyclist.  Couch Arrest/Couch Depressed is the band's latest ten song cassette, which compiles the band's two EPs into one format.  On Couch Arrest/Couch Depressed, Couch Lock offer up ten tracks of slightly off kilter and catchy as hell sounding punk and emo.  Overall, Couch Arrest/Couch Depressed is a killer cassette and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!  Couch Arrest/Couch Depressed was released via The Ghost Is Clear records on January 22nd, 2016. 

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Canyons/Creeper-Split 12" (2013)

Country: USA/Canada
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Crust, Sludge, Noise Rock
Label: The Ghost Is Clear
Tracks: 11
Length: 23.0'

Here's a killer split LP I had to give some love to today, after reviewing the Blacklights Split LP on TGIC records a while back.  This split LP made it on my Best of list for 2013 when I was writing for Manic Compression and Elementary Revolt, so I decided to post this to Dead Air for those of you who missed this album the first time around.  Canyons is a four piece band from Kansas City, MO who formed in 2008.  Canyons play a killer style of hardcore, punk, sludge, sludge, and noise rock.  Musically, Canyons can be said to be influenced by bands such as Breather Resist, Coalesce, Engineer, Fight Amp, and Achilles.  Since their inception in 2008, a three song tour demo in July of 2008, a split with Regret, The Informer in December of 2008, a split with Mons Wolf in July of 2009, a compilation of their earlier material called Rufus Collection in February of 2010, a 3-way split LP titled Can't Have Nothing Nice with Tigon and Foreign Theaters in November of 2010, an most recently, a 6-way split LP with Wounded Knee, Sohns, Anodes, American Thunder Band, and Duck. Little Brother, Duck! in October of 2015.  On their side of the split, Canons offer up six tracks of sludgy and noise damaged hardcore.  Side two of this split features Creeper.  Creeper is a four piece band from Toronto, Ontario who formed in 2009.  Creeper play a killer style of blackened, metallic, and crust-tinged hardcore.  Musically, Creeper can be said to be influenced by bands such as Cursed, Rise And Fall, Trap Them, and early Coliseum.  Since their inception in 2009, Creeper have released a self-titled four song demo in March of 2009, a split cassette with Amountainfar in March of 2011, a three song 7" titled Exhaustion in January of 2011, and most recently a four song EP titled Noise II Men in March 5th, 2014.  Sadly, Creeper have called it a day and these five songs are some of the band's last recorded material.  Overall, this is a killer LP and should not be missed.  Highly recommended.  Enjoy!  The Canyons/Creeper split was released via The Ghost Is Clear records on June 30, 2013.

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The Reptilian/Two Knights/Victor Shores/Boy Parts-4-Way Split 7" (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Punk, Emo, Indie Rock, Math Rock
Label: The Ghost Is Clear
Tracks: 4
Length: 9.0'

Here's a killer four-way split 7" featuring new songs by The Reptilian, Two Knights, Victor Shores, and Boy Parts.  First up on the split is The Reptilian.  The Reptilian is a three piece band from Kalamazoo, Michigan who formed in 2008.  The Reptilian play an angular and off-kilter style of emo, math rock, and indie rock.  The Reptilian offer up one song titled Nahimstay for the release.  Next up on the split is Two Knights.  Two Knights is a two piece band from Denton, Texas who formed in 2009.  Denton play a similar style of music as The Reptilian, but scaled back and stripped down due to the band being a two piece.  Two Knights offer up a song titled Dazzler for this split.  Next up is Victor Shores.  Victor Shores is a three piece band from Minneapolis, MN who formed in early 2011, from the looks of things.  Victor Shores play a killer style of punk and emo with a killer 90's vibe.  Victor Shores offer up one track titled The Dazzler for this split.  Last up is Boy Parts.  Boy Parts is a punk/indie rock band from Missouri, who formed in the summer of 2013.  Boy Parts contribute a song called So Long And Take Care Of Yourself for the 7".  Overall, this is a killer 4-way split and will definitely appeal to fans of modern punk, emo, indie rock, and math rock.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!  This split was released by the always on point The Ghost Is Clear records on June 9th, 2015.

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PINKO-S/T Cassette (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Post Hardcore, Punk, Noise Rock
Label: The Ghost Is Clear
Tracks: 8
Length: 18.0'

PINKO is a three piece band from San Antonio, Texas who formed in August of 2014.  PINKO play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, punk, and noise rock within their sound.  Musically, PINKO can be said to be influenced by bands such as Drive Like Jehu, Fugazi, Hot Snakes, Science Of Yabra, Haymarket Riot, and early 2000's Ebullition records style post hardcore bands.  This is PINKO's debut self-titled cassette, which was released via The Ghost Is Clear records on August 14th, 2015.  On their self-titled debut, PINKO offer up eight tracks of angular, frenetic, and tense sounding post hardcore, punk, and noise rock.  Overall, PINKO have absolutely nailed it on their self-titled debut.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

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Blacklights-6 Way Split LP (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Noise Rock, Sludge, Screamo, Emo, 
Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 30.0'

Damn, here's a behemoth of a six way split LP that I absolutely had to review after listening and getting the go ahead from Bobby, who plays in Canyons and runs the always on point The Ghost Is Clear Records.  Blacklights features new tracks from Kansas City, Missouri's Canyons, Indianapolis, In's Wounded Knee, San Antonio, Tx's Sohns, St. Louis, Missouri's Anodes, Kansas City, Missouri's American Thunder Band, and Portland, Oregon's Duck.  Little Brother, Duck!  The first band on the split is Canyons.  Canyons formed in early 2008 and play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock within their sound.  On Blacklights, Canyons offer up two tracks of sludgy and noise damaged hardcore.  The second two songs on the album come courtesy of Wounder Knee.  Wounded Knee is a Indiana based band who formed in late 2013.  Wounded Knee play a chaotic and volatile style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, and screamo within their sound.  The next two songs on the split come courtesy of San Antonio, Tx based Sohns.  Sohns play and abrasive and completely unhinged style of screamo tinged hardcore.  Next up on Blacklights is St. Louis, Missouri's Anodes, who contribute one song to the LP.  Anodes play a killer style of Ebullition records style post hardcore and screamo.  The next two songs on Blacklights come from Kansas City, Missouri based American Thunder Band.  American Thunderband (formerly known as Texas Instruments) play a tense, urgent, and chaotic style of emotive hardcore and post hardcore.  The last band featured on Blacklights is Duck. Little Brother, Duck!  Duck. Little Brother, Duck!  play a great style of music that incorporates elements of punk, emo, and math rock within their sound.  On Blacklights, Duck. Little Brother, Duck!  offer up one track of really well-executed punk, emo, and math rock.  Overall, Blacklights is an amazing LP and each band offer up top notch material for this release.  Look for Blacklights to be released via The Ghost Is Clear records on October 31st, 2015.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

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Sloths-Twenty Years 12" (2014)

Country: USA
Genre: Post Hardcore, Sludge, Noise Rock
Label: The Ghost Is Clear
Tracks: 4
Length: 18.0'

Sloths are a three piece band from Portland, Oregon who formed in early 2011.  Sloths play a blown-out, dirty, and sludgy style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, sludge, and noise rock within their sound.  Musically, Sloths remind me of bands such as Engineer, Achilles, Breather Resist, and Bone Dance.  What sets Sloths apart from the pack is that they also include a darkly atmospheric vibe, which just adds to the intensity of Sloths' sound.  Since their inception in 2011, Sloths have released a self-titled six song demo in February of 2011, a four song EP titled Transit in July of 2011, and a three song 7" titled Knives in July of 2013.  Twenty Years is Sloths' latest four song 12", which was released via The Ghost Is Clear records on September 16th, 2014.  On their latest EP, Sloths offer up three tracks of blown out and dirty as hell sounding post hardcore, sludge, and noise rock.  Track 4 is a cover of Slint's Breadcrumb Trail.  Overall, Twenty Years is an amazing 12" and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

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