How Could Hell Be Any Worse?

 BSOM - Live on WKDU (2004) In the early 2000's, the extended punk scene in Philly really exploded. After a perpetually sleepy 90's in the tri-state area, the sounds of 80's hardcore, thrash and punk rock came raging back in the form of dozens of awesome, creative and energetic bands performing each and every Friday, Saturday and maybe even Sunday in basements, churches, front lawns and VFW's. This was a time when at week's end, my friends and I wouldn't ask each other IF there was a show going on but, rather, WHICH show or shows we were likely to attend, a glorious time indeed. New Jersey's BSOM originally stood for "Burning Sack of Midgets", but later changed the meaning to "Bastard Sons of Metal". They were a really wild, funny and aggressive thrash/crossover act that was the life of Peelout's or the Be Happy House or, in this case, Drexel's WKDU radio. I remember that every time they would start a show, the singer would get in...

 Ogre Christ - Demo (2007) In the summer of 2007, I started a university internship at Cedar Street Studios in Port Richmond in Philadelphia. The job was near my friend John from high school's house so we met up one day. In the course of a week we had hatched up a plan with John's friend's Mark and Pete to start a melodic death metal band that would make songs about video games and movies. We were actually interviewed by a Philadelphia weekly newspaper but I don't remember which one (there are 2) and I don't currently seem to own or have access to a copy of the article. At the time of this home-recorded demo, we didn't have a vocalist yet, so me, John and Pete all sang and screamed through distortion pedals. I liked the band because we tried to play well but we also had a sense of humor that's missing in a lot of metal. The demo is pretty rough but I tried to clean it up a little bit. The band imploded in less than a year due to creative differences but for ...

 Starkatz - Flip the F@%# Out! EP On our drummer, Mike Ock's birthday in 2007 or so, we (my band AMOM) played an outdoor punk festival at FDR Skatepark in Philadelphia. They used to have bands play on the dirt under the expressway and use a gas generator to power the show while brave young souls dared to drop in to the half-pipe next to them. I remember us talking to the singer/guitarist of this band Starkatz and she seemed cool. She gave us their demo. I think they came in from out of town for the show, like, from Ohio or Illinois or something like that. It seems a long way to travel to not get paid to play punk rock songs in a dirt lot in Philadelphia. But, alas, those are the stakes of punk rock. After we played our weird, screamy jangly music, she didn't want to talk to us anymore, haha! But, somehow, even in it's copier-paper sleeve I still have this band's demo from 15 or 16 years ago. I gave it a little bit of mastering because it's pretty rough but at least ...

 AMOM - World Made Us Crazy (2005) [2023 Remaster] AMOM  is a punk rock band that me and a few other people started back in high school in Philadelphia in 2004 and we played until 2010 releasing two albums and playing all of the basements, backyards and dirt lots. It was a lot of fun. On this release, the lineup was me (Jello) on guitar and vocals, Justin Credibly Old on bass and vocals and Phil on drums. We were really influenced by All, the Descendents, Fugazi, The Dead Milkmen, the Low Budgets and the Minutemen. I just dug this album out of obscurity and it was recorded on an 8-track recorder. So, even the "remastered" version still has some issues with noisy guitars that I couldn't fully suppress within my limited skill level. But I think it's a great album nonetheless. Enjoy! TRACKLIST: 1. Friendeater 2. Town of Lost Souls 3. Hey Tim 4. All That Need Be Said 5. Satan Claus 6. Irene 7. Are You Afraid of the Dark 8. You Can Tell the Quality of an Artist by the Qual...

 KFA - KFA (2023) Around Christmas 2022, I got back in touch with my friend and longtime musical collaborator Megaton. We got to talking and he told me he had written and recorded 9 crunchy punk/HxCx songs mainly about the PC classic "Doom". So, for me, it was a no-brainer to say, "Dude, I could totally sing on that!" And so here we are 6 months later with this kickass first release. For me, it's a really unique mix because it's got some of the chugging guitars, pounding drums and HxCx growls you want ala Paint It Black, Judge and Bane but with the odd surprise of some sweet and caustic synths as well as the faster more melodic sensibilities of AFI and Turnstile. Megaton recorded all of the instruments and produced, mixed, edited and mastered the album. And I (Jello) handled lyrics and vocals. I really hope people dig the album and we're already working on more stuff coming your way. TRACKLIST: 1. The Gates 2. Step into the Dark 3. See Red 4. Putrefier 5...

 KLOVER - FEEL LUCKY PUNK (1995) This is an amazing release that has been largely lost to time. C onsisting of  Mike Stone  (later a  Queensrÿche  guitarist) on vocals and guitar,  Chris Doherty  ( Gang Green , Jerry's Kids ) on lead guitar,  Darren Hill  ( Red Rockers ,  Paul Westerberg ) on bass and  Brian Betzger  ( Jerry's Kids ,  Gang Green ) on drums, the album is a perfect storm of the sounds of the popular punk explosion that took the world by storm in the mid-90's. On one hand, the album, expertly produced by Joe Baressi, is an obvious attempt at seizing the moment when Rancid, Green Day and The Offspring ruled the airwaves. The vocals are near perfect and the mix is totally crisp and clear (so a big departure from the chaotic revelry of Jerry's Kids). But the songwriting and performances here are the product of some really tenured musicians coming together to meet the moment and not holding anything back. While i...