v/a OVER THE EDGE volume 1

The value of a good compilation these days is pretty much non-existent. I don’t know if it’s just because every joker out there tried to put one out & oversaturated the scene with sub par bands, or the fact that labels can now afford to give away free samplers these days. Either way, you just don’t really see much focus on them like there was a decade ago. Compilations like “East Vs. West”, “Voice of the Voiceless”, “NYC The Way It Was”, “Only the Strong”, “Where the Wild Things Are”, “East Coast Assault”, “In Our Blood”, and so on and so forth… At the time when every kid on the corner didn’t have a record label, t-shirt company, webzine, or a band that went straight to releasing full length records; bands were struggling to be heard. Hardcore kids didn’t really have the kind of money they do now or the readily available resources there are present day. A good compilation was an amazing way to hear so many new bands. I would sit there and track down releases from just about every band on the comps. I’d order 7”s or demos, anything I could find. It was just a great resource for up and coming bands. Normally a few bands on a comp from that time would go on to do bigger and better things. It’s a shame such a great avenue for promoting new music has gone the wayside for myspace music players.

In 1993 a well known but troubled label called Endless Fight released a 14 song compilation with some of the groups that were playing frequently along the Northern East Coast of the US. You would have either seen their name in a zine or read it on a flyer at one time or another. Many releases from this label were pretty damn solid but I believe that it eventually folded in on itself for reasons that I can’t really remember. Regardless Vol 1 of this compilation turned me on to many great New England and other area new comers.

A few standout tracks would be; Shift who played a nice rock influenced brand of Quicksandy hardcore whose female drummer went on to play in Hole & Motley Crue I think. Their track is actually one of their heavier ones from their back catalog as it wasn’t too often you would hear them bust out a break down like in the middle of this track. Jasta 14 features a very young Jamey Hatebreed on vocals (or as you could have guess, Jamey Jasta). This was a great track and I’m regretting not being able to locate my Jasta 14 demo these days. Overcast as you know went on to turn a lot of heads with their early brand of metallic hardcore. Mayday as well was a great sample of a band ahead of their time. The Converge track is from early on and you can hear a big difference in their approach. Vocally Mr. Bannon seems to be going for a bit more of a Starkweather feel. Dive would round out this comp with more of their brutal take on music. All in all this compilation served its purpose by turning this young kid onto many new and exciting bands of this time.


v/a OVER THE EDGE volume 1
Released 1993 by Endless Fight Records EFR 001 CD
http://www.mediafire.com/download/wmk02wwumozbh32/Over_The_Edge_Compilation.zip

Tracks:
1. Shift - No Avail
2. Jasta 14 - Broken Records
3. Overcast - As a Whole
4. Mayday - Arcane Eye
5. Time's Expired - Total Awareness
6. Malachi Krunch - I'm De Kat
7. Dissolve – Wire
8. Dissolve – Ambition
9. Frostbite – Traditions
10. Alert – Penance (That Song)
11. Converge – Divinity
12. Age of Reason – Portrait
13. In-Line – I Survive
14. Dive – Now They Run / The Water Drove Her Crazy