THE REVIEWS
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Reviewed by Matt Brett (American Music Press - AMP)
This double vinyl only comp benefits a good cause - the Louisiana SPCA, who is working hard to help find a home for all the animals left homeless after the hurricanes last Fall. So right of the bat you know it's a good thing. It's also being put out by Koi Records - one of the up and coming labels on the scene, putting out EPs by the like of The Fire Still Burns and Thirty3, to name a couple. Mark at Koi is a solid dude and the effort he puts into this one shows.What you get here are tracks from a shit load of bands. included are KILL YOUR IDOLS, H20, ENSIGN, THIRTY3, THE CHARIOT, THE FIRE STILL BURNS and MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD to name just a few.
So seriously, if you've got the dollars to spare, you're not only gonna get a sick comp on vinyl for you collector nerds, but you'll be helping a good cause. It'll make you feel all good inside knowing that you did something to help someone other than yourself....but fuck that, you'll get a sweet record! (MWB)
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Reviewed by Jordan A. Baker (Paste Punk)
Almost immediately after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the southern coast of the U.S., KOI Records scrambled to do something to benefit some of the hardest hit victims of the storm: animals. "Scream For Help" is a 21 songs 2x10" ultra-limited (750 hand numbered copies) vinyl only release that donates the proceeds to Louisana SPCA. The assemblage of punk and hardcore bands on here is terrific as nearly all spectrums of the genres are present, from the slick, melodicore rock of THE FIRE STILL BURNS to the head-smashing metalcore of BLOODJINN (which just happens to be a stellar unreleased demo!). There's hardcore classics like H2O's "Family Tree," as well as a BLACK FLAG flag cover ("Jealous Again" being hacked to pieces by CELEBRITY MURDERS), and modern rippers like MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD's "Damage Control Freak," KNOW YOUR ENEMY's unreleased gem "Stop Beating Your Meat," THIRTY3's "Let's Keep This Joke Going" (very, very underrated band), and a crushing track from SPITFIRE titled "Life & Limb." New York hardcore is well represented by the presence of KILL YOUR IDOLS and DEATHCYCLE as well, while an impressive upstart named FAREWELL closes the disc out. The best thing about "Scream For Help" is that the whole thing is a compact 50 minutes in running time and there's great continuity between the songs. Even with such a diverse array of punk and hardcore songs, there are no unnecessary curveballs like acoustic interludes or whiny screamo flakiness. I often lament that the art of the great CD compilation is dying a slow painful death, and while a few killer discs here and there won't stop an irreversible flow, it's a blast just holding on to that sinking ship while you can.
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Reviewed by: Sean-Michael Dore [Fri, July 28, 2006 @ 3:00:26 PM]
The punk and hardcore music scene are known for a few different things... a strong DIY work ethic, the willingness to lend a hand to someone in need & taking a strong stand for animal and human rights. All of this converges onto beautiful green vinyl with Koi Record’s Scream For Help: Punk and Hardcore Bands 4 Gulf Coast Animals.
This double 10” vinyl only compilation benefits the Louisiana SPCA and is filled with goodies from tons of animal rights organizations. This 21-song compilation is very limited edition (750 hand numbered copies) and to top it off the profits go straight the LSPCA. If that isn’t enough reason to pick up this compilation, the impressive track listing of “whos-who” and “up-and-coming” punk and hardcore bands will do it for you.
Personal favorites Killed By The Bull and The Fire Still Burn alongside The Chariot and Most Precious Blood. Don’t go thinking it’s just a bunch of songs with no real substance. You’ve got unreleased tracks from Cattle Decapitation (live version of"Long Pig Chef & the Hairless Goat”), Celebrity Murders (live Black Flag cover of "Jealous Again”), Kill Your Idols, Know Your Enemies, on and on!?
I am not kidding you... this is a limited edition, vinyl only compilation that doesn’t just have great bands, unreleased songs and 50 minutes of delectable punk and hardcore... it goes to benefit animals effected by Hurricane Katrina.
You should feel guilty if you don’t pick this up.
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By Wade Coggeshall (Journal Review and Journal Review):
Scream for Help is a limited edition double vinyl collection with all proceeds going to the Louisiana chapter of the Society For The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In the wake of last year’s hurricane Katrina devastation, 21 bands have contributed songs representing a cornucopia of the heavy. Syndicated cartoonist dan piraro (who draws the Bizarro carton) created the original cover.
There’s a mix of the up-and-comers with their predecessors. Bloodjinn’s “See Through” has a monstrous, old school thrash makeup to it. Same thing with the squealing Dance of the Ghost by My Shining One, featuring Every Time I Die’s Chris Byrnes on vocals.
As far as the legends, H20 contribute “Family Tree” proving even on a compilation these new york punks are one of the best.
Other artists play with hardcore’s trademarks. Nine Days To No One is absolutely ferocious in their punk sound, but add a twisted twang. The slow shred of Spitfire’s “Life and Limb” is one of it’s more admirable traits. Mostly though, it’s maniacal and unpredictable. Killed By The Bull perhaps has the most unusual sound. On “I, The Crooked Hero”, they hew this loose, hillbilly evolution that place them in their own league.
And what would an animal rights benefit be without participation from the vegetarian death metal band Cattle Decapitation? Here they submit a previously unreleased live version of “Long Pig Chef And The Hairless Goat”, full of their blasting style and Travis Ryan’s regurgitating vocals. It’s so disgusting you’ll never want to eat meat again.
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