We realize that many people have a hard time getting our older records and since they are mostly sold out and probably aren't getting repressed, we are putting them up for download. I've never been good at keeping track of presses but I'll try anyway. Our self-titled 7" came out in about 2006 after major pressing plant problems. There were 50 test presses along with hand made covers that came out for the record release. I believe a 1000 were pressed, black as well as various colors. Some of these are still available from Specimen 32 Records (defunct). From Specimen 32's Website "BLACKBIRDS s/t 7" (a mix of American Nightmare, Outbreak, with 97a tempo. raging hardcore, ex members of fucking no one.)" [Click Image For Download]
We also released this same record as a split cassette with Spitting Cobra's 7" "Love Shield", this came out on Cut-ups as "Dreamers Disease" and there are no longer any available but you can still get Spitting Cobra's record as well as the kick ass Comrade Kilkin "Sic Vita" one sided 12" (other side is silk screened with the lyrics, it rules) from them. And they don't give a fuck about making money so they sell all their shit as cheap as they can.
Our Split 7" with Braindead, sometimes referred to as the "Brainbirds" split, came out in 2007 on Burn Bridges Records. Since I'm Lazy I'm just going to copy the info from their site and throw up some reviews. [Click Image For Download] BRAINBIRDS!!! This split showcases two of the best new bands in hardcore. Philly’s BRAINDEAD plays melodic hardcore with fast and heavy parts sure to please everyone. Putting a modern twist on a more classic hardcore sound they offer up three brand new songs and a sick cover of Iggy and the Stooges “Search and Destroy”. Michigan’s BLACKBIRDS offer up two new fast and pissed off tracks of fast crusty hardcore that shows perfect growth and progression from their self-titled debut on Specimen 32 Records. They also throw in a kick ass cover of Iggy and the Stooges “Now I Wanna Be Your Dog”. This record is for fans of Outbreak, American Nightmare, and Iggy Pop and The Stooges.
TRACKS:
Braindead
1. Horns, Horns, Horns
2. 4th and 26th
3. Knives In My Eyes
4. Search And Destroy
Blackbirds
1. Now I Wanna Be Your Dog
2. Haves
3. Have Nots
PRESSING INFO:
Test Presses: 13
1st Press: 100 on yellow, 400 on "Rat-tail" Grey
REVIEWS:
"The split effort from Burn Bridges teams up two underrated bands that definitely deserve more attention. Pennsylvania's Braindead and Michigan's Blackbirds each deliver original songs as well as covering classic The Stooges songs.
Blackbirds opts to lead off with their cover, they take on The Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog.' It's hard to judge their take on it if you've yet to hear 'their' sound. But overall it's pretty good, a bit heavier than The Stooges but shows the influence of the legends on their sound. Blackbirds' two originals bear likeness to the work of bands like Tragedy and From Ashes Rise. It's a stark contrast to that of Braindead, but I dig it."
-http://www.scenepointblank.com/
"I doubt my copy is an error pressing or anything, but it looks like both bands are listed on the A Side, and Blackbirds' side actually starts with their Stooges cover, as opposed to the traditional finish of it. Well, either way, 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' is what they open with, and they even throw in that pounding piano -- not a bad job. They then bust through 'Haves' and 'Have Nots,' two ugly-sounding, pissed off numbers that each start blisteringly fast and then throw in a heavy outro. The label that released their previous output, a self-titled 7", describes them as a mix between American Nightmare and Outbreak; if anyone, I do hear a bit of Outbreak in there, but I don't know about the former."
-http://www.punknews.org/
"BLACKBIRDS, from Michigan, displays an angry, dark side with a cool song called 'Haves/Have Nots', which deals with our crumbling society. This is supposed to be two songs but they blend in together as one epic track. And their cover of 'I Wanna Be your Dog', done with some serious power chords, will tear your speakers apart because you will play it loud. Both bands here are cool and worth checking out. (BG)"
-Maximum Rock and Roll
"Blackbirds toss out two originals and a cover of "I Wanna Be Your Dog," which comes off more ironic than anything else. They fare much better on their own songs—dark and brooding hardcore stuff with some pretty goddamn serious drumming going on throughout. Band sounds like they'd be right at home on a Deathwish sampler, sandwiched between, say, Trap Them and Reign Supreme... would've preferred if both bands had ditched the Iggy idea and given us another original instead, as they're both onto something. Complaints aside, some damn fine jabs being thrown."
–Keith Rosson (Burn Bridges) http://www.razorcake.org/
Blackbirds opts to lead off with their cover, they take on The Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog.' It's hard to judge their take on it if you've yet to hear 'their' sound. But overall it's pretty good, a bit heavier than The Stooges but shows the influence of the legends on their sound. Blackbirds' two originals bear likeness to the work of bands like Tragedy and From Ashes Rise. It's a stark contrast to that of Braindead, but I dig it."
-http://www.scenepointblank.com/
"I doubt my copy is an error pressing or anything, but it looks like both bands are listed on the A Side, and Blackbirds' side actually starts with their Stooges cover, as opposed to the traditional finish of it. Well, either way, 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' is what they open with, and they even throw in that pounding piano -- not a bad job. They then bust through 'Haves' and 'Have Nots,' two ugly-sounding, pissed off numbers that each start blisteringly fast and then throw in a heavy outro. The label that released their previous output, a self-titled 7", describes them as a mix between American Nightmare and Outbreak; if anyone, I do hear a bit of Outbreak in there, but I don't know about the former."
-http://www.punknews.org/
"BLACKBIRDS, from Michigan, displays an angry, dark side with a cool song called 'Haves/Have Nots', which deals with our crumbling society. This is supposed to be two songs but they blend in together as one epic track. And their cover of 'I Wanna Be your Dog', done with some serious power chords, will tear your speakers apart because you will play it loud. Both bands here are cool and worth checking out. (BG)"
-Maximum Rock and Roll
"Blackbirds toss out two originals and a cover of "I Wanna Be Your Dog," which comes off more ironic than anything else. They fare much better on their own songs—dark and brooding hardcore stuff with some pretty goddamn serious drumming going on throughout. Band sounds like they'd be right at home on a Deathwish sampler, sandwiched between, say, Trap Them and Reign Supreme... would've preferred if both bands had ditched the Iggy idea and given us another original instead, as they're both onto something. Complaints aside, some damn fine jabs being thrown."
–Keith Rosson (Burn Bridges) http://www.razorcake.org/
Braindead is also putting up re-mixed and re-mastered versions of their songs for download and we may re-record one or both of these songs for our full length we are currently writing.
Enjoy and give us feedback!
-justin
