Negative hardcore in full effect! Presented by Hypertension Records, The Abyss Stares Back is a series of five nihilistic heavy split releases feat. unreleased songs by ALKERDEEL, AMENRA, DRUMS ARE FOR PARADES, HESSIAN, MATHIEU VANDEKERCKHOVE, NIHILL, PRIMITIVE MAN, SCOTT KELLY / NOAH LANDIS / MUNLY J MUNLY, VVOVNDS and one more still to be announced. Check out the official trailer and full press release below!
[UPDATE / June 2nd] Trailer by COBM added.
The record-industry is dead, long live the underground!
Today’s crisis in the record-industry might seem to be a curse, not only for the big money consuming mastodons but also for the smaller and independent labels more prone to take artistic risks. At the Hypertension Records HQ we embraced the challenge and turned it into a blessing. Instead of holding our horses we took a giant leap, got creative and started working at by far our most ambitious project our nine years old history.
So what’s the fuzz all about?
In the span of one year (May 2014 – December 2014) Hypertension plans to release five split 12″s – each featuring exclusive tracks – one side by artists like Nihill (nl), Primitive Man (us), Scott Kelly (us – Neurosis) and on the other side Belgian powerhouses like Amenra, Drums Are For Parades, Hessian, Mathieu Vandekerckhove (Amenra, Syndrome), Vvovnds and Alkerdeel. Hypertension is proud to be contributing to the creation of some unique partnerships between bands that admire and respect each other.This is our way to celebrate the passion, creativity and pureness of independent music. This is our way to challenge the status-quo, support amazing local bands and give (cult) foreign bands some well-deserved exposure. .
The Art
This is a Hypertension project so we’re pretty sure you didn’t expect the story to end here. For all the artwork, lay-out and visual content of this series we will be teaming up with some great artists who all got close links with Hypertension.
Up and coming artist Tom Vanuytrecht/White filth will be responsible for the artwork. Tom is an early adaptor of all things Hypertension, following and collecting our releases from day one. For the 12”-series he created different object/shrine-light installations that will feature on the front cover of every record. Stefaan Temmerman, in-house photographer of the Church Of Ra, Amenra crew member, freelance concert photograph and a brilliant photo artist, will be responsible for all the band photos and the images of Tom Vanuytrechts’s installations/artwork for the records. Steebz Khuan will be responsible for making sure everything fits the right graphic standards. José Carlos Santos, Lisboa resident and writer for Terrorizer and Rock-A-Rolla, will guide you through every release with liner notes/ background info.
The Series
It was Fredrik Nietzsche who said: “without music life would be a mistake. ” We couldn’t agree more.. So when looking for an appropriate title for our project we ended up rephrasing our friend Frederik by adopting the title: ‘The Abyss Stares Back’. Matching the atmosphere provoked by the shrine light installations of Tom Vanuytrecht it also refers to the underground movement we proudly support.
Pré-order for the series start Thursday April 17th. Each record will be a gem, pressed on 180gr. vinyl, receiving a high quality treatment for your sonic and acoustic pleasure.
There will be a one time only pressing of 500 copies, no less, no more, no repress.At a cost of 110 euro (excl shipping) each package will contain four parcels including:
- Five 12”s (on clear vinyl, first come, first serve).
- A limited edition t-shirt.
- A limited 2-cd including all tracks of the series.
- Printed pictures w/ liner notes for each 12” (by José Carlos – Terrorizer)
- A slipmat.
- A poster.
- A deluxe collectors-box to store all records and specials
- For 10 euro extra you can upgrade the box with a ticket for an exclusive acoustic Amenra show in the marl caves of Riemst (region Hasselt-Maastricht-Liege)
The first 100 copies will get an extra gift: we’ll randomly throw in test pressings, special art prints by Vanuytrecht, other Hypertension releases,… Remaining copies will be sold in the Hypertension-store, by the bands and by a select amount of distro’s.
Release Dates (TBC)
May 2014: The Abyss Stares Back # 1: Amenra / Vvovnds
June 2014: The Abyss Stares Back # 2: Hessian / Primitive Man
September 2014: The Abyss Stares Back # 3: Mathieu Vandekerckhove/ Scott Kelly
October 2014: The Abyss Stares Back # 4: Drums Are For Parades / ???
November 2014: The Abyss Stares Back # 5: Nihill / AlkerdeelTrailers are available on our Vimeo and snippets of all songs will be released on our Soundcloud.
