FOAD Records is proud to announce the release of RAW POWER’s “Birth”, a totally remastered version of the band’s first ever demo tape (1983) and a live from Kentucky, USA 1984 recorded during their first American legendary tour!
This album comes to celebrate RAW POWER’s 30th anniversary; we reached singer Mauro Codeluppi to conduct an exclusive interview regarding this release and the glorious past times of Italian hardcore… please read on, and place your order clicking this button

You are the only Italian hardcore band that has continued playing live and recording albums from 1980 until today. The easy question is… why?|

And the answer is another very easy one: we have been very lucky to have fans that have supported us all the time and are still doing it after so many years. You see, we have to carry on for them, as well as for my brother and for ourselves too… we would be lost without Raw Power.

Why do you think at least half of today’s HC bands won’t reach the 10 years activity benchmark? What has changed from the days when you started?|
I think that the biggest problem has always been that in the moment a band member thinks he is good or even very good, he starts getting strange ideas in his mind… he may want to go solo, start his own band, or think that the others aren’t good enough anymore for his level. So he leaves, starts his own band and most of the times what happens is that his new project doesn’t go anywhere. He then will realize that without the others he is just an average shit of a musician. I think that this is something that has always been happening and always will, and furthermore these days the kids are so spoiled that I think it’s happening more than ever. On top of this, of course, consider the fact that a lot of kids get fed up quickly with working hard, making sacrifices… they want everything and they want it quickly. But of course, that is not how it works.

This record, “Birth”, that will come out for FOAD Records in LP (regular edition and limited die hard edition) contains your first Demo from 1983 on side A. Can you remember now, after 30 years of distance, how it all started?
Well of course I can’t tell you exactly how it happened, first of all because back then I was the last member of the band and my brother was the one doing all the work… but what I remember is just that we all had this great desire of doing something a bit different, something that might give us a chance of going away from where we lived to see places, meet people and have new experiences… that was the reason why we started writing our own songs, rather than carry on with performing cover versions.

The B Side will be a live recording from your first legendary USA tour. As you were the first Italian hardcore band to get to play in the USA , how much did this experience count for you? Do you have any memories of it?

As I have said many times before, I think that the first tour in the US changed our life. It was an experience that made us grow,  something that I/we will never forget . There are so many episodes that happened during that first visit, and to mention them all would take a very long time. We were just some young kids (yes we have been young too!) that passed from a village of 6000 people to cities like L.A, New York, San Francisco… we travelled to all the major cities of the East/West coasts and the South. We were just like children, discovering new things every day. It was wonderful and we have to be grateful to all the people that made it possible for us to get there, and to all the people that helped us once we got there, and also to the ones that came to see this unknown Italian band playing hardcore… we really have been blessed.

Too many people have bootlegged records without proper artists’ authorization. This has been going on for many years, and has become a huge problem with reissues lately. Has this ever happened to you? Would you like to give a message to the culprit readers?

Well, we’ve had people printing and re-printing our records and Cds right from the beginning, and I must be honest, sometimes we were the ones giving the permission to print our stuff. As long as we knew it, that was ok; the people I really hate and cannot understand are those that will release your music without even asking… I mean, we have hardly made any money at all from our records… I also know for a fact that the people that I care about who have put our music out haven’t made a lot of money either… they are just like us, nuts about the music and that is fine. However, those that have taken advantage of bands by printing everything behind your back, well… I hope they all meet a very sticky end.

Your final space to say what you wish…

I would just like to thank everyone at FOAD  for the great job they have done here. I didn’t believe that they would fulfill what they said they would have done, but the result is here for everyone to see, and what a wonderful job they have made of it!! I think this record is a definitive must for all those loving Raw Power. Last but not least I would like to thank everyone we know and also the ones of you that we have never met but have constantly supported us. Thank you so much!! I hope we can still carry on for a long time, able to come and play, and never disappoint you!

FOAD Records is proud to announce the official release of NECRODEATH “Into the Macabre” CD/DVD Deluxe 25th Year anniversary boxset!!

Check out a video presentation of this great reissue:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftcgr76HIoI

EXCRUCIATION is hands down the missing name to complete the unholy trinity that forged the best of Swiss 80s Thrash Metal… easy to realize that the other 2 are HELLHAMMER and MESSIAH. FOAD Records has put together a special edition double LP, a deadly retrospective nightmare into the band’s rawest and earliest recording. You can purchase a copy using the Buy Now button below:

To celebrate the release, Marco FOAD reached original – and still active – member Eugenio Maccariello, who has sung for this Swiss powerhouse of Thrash since the very beginning… discover some of the great stories hidden in the vaults of Swiss 80s metal!!!

The reissue of your wonderful “The Last Judgment” MLP and “First Assault” demo is finally out in a gatefold double LP version. What do you remember from those times? Tell us something about Excruciation in the ’80s …
Well you know, who is remembering the 80s today did not live them… Seriously, it has been a nice time: in that period many new things have come out in our music genre. New stuff, something people had never heard before. It was the birth of a scene which we felt like a family, with relatives scattered all around the world… I remember that releasing a tape with your music, and hearing the positive reactions from the people, to me was much more satisfactory than releasing a CD today.

In those years, Switzerland seems to have bred very great bands. I am referring to the likes of Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Messiah, Coroner, Lunacy, and obviously you, Excruciation! What ties did you have with the other Swiss bands from that era? I remember a “high quality” scene made up of excellent bands, labels (I would like to remember Chainsaw Murder records), fanzines, radio shows etc. Also, who chose the name Excruciation for your band?
There was  a good friendship and a great deal of respect between the bands, especially with Coroner, Lunacy and Exxor, as they all came from Zurich. We spent time together almost daily at our favorite bar. But we also had good relationships with Messiah, Samael, Alastis, Fear of God etc., it was a perennial party. Regarding the radio program, I think you refer to the Speed-Airplay: it was choked full of new Hardcore and Metal, and each episode could be bought on tape. Good times!
Our moniker was proposed by Martin Ain of Hellhammer / Celtic Frost… I guess we couldn’t just tell him NO, ahahha…

In the previous question I remembered one of the most interesting labels of the extreme metal scene of the ’80s: Chainsaw Murder. in addition to your  “The Last Judgment”, they also produced the first two LPs of Messiah, the 7 “of the fabulous Pentagram (Chile) and Calhoun Conquer. Do you have any story about this wonderful label and its founder Marco Suremann? Is it true that without him Hellhammer (and consequently Celtic Frost) probably would not have kept playing due to economic problems?

Sure, he has not only helped Hellhammer, if I remember correctly he actually bought their drumset… he never played it, he just bought it for them and helped them where he could. I think Hellhammer would have continued anyways, maybe with a substantial delay. To me Marco was one of the most important people in the Swiss scene: he knew many people all over the world and he has helped spreading the voice of the Swiss bands. Even if he was a record label manager, he was also working as a roadie and a driver for us, Messiah and many other bands.

Excruciation as a band has been running since the early to mid 80s. You are still active and determined even after all those years. Now, your style leans more towards Doom Metal, but judging from your fans’ reaction, “old school” Excruciation seems to be everyone’s favorite. How do you explain it?
Nostalgia? I am also seeing that a new young scene is growing here in Switzerland: they are very loyal to the 80s stuff. Perhaps this happens because it was sincere music played with great passion, not because a band wanted to get rich… they just felt it. Today, everyone who can play a guitar and release a CD can put it on the web, and the music itself is losing its real value. Do not misunderstand me, I think that even today there are real and passionate bands, but you have to look hard to find them.

Eugenio, this question is for you… you have Italian descent (Naples to be exact). After more than 20 years you will come back to Italy for a one-night only appearance at the “Into the Macabre” festival, playing with Necrodeath. On this night, both bands will celebrate the 25 years after the release of their respective masterpieces. How do you feel about that?
Well, for me it’s like coming home! To me, the fact that this reissue comes out in Italy is a very big satisfaction. Although I was born in Switzerland, and my mind perhaps works more like a Swiss, my heart always beats to an Italian rhythm… the Neapolitan! Furthermore, we will get on stage with a band that I love since the very early days (I had a copy of the first Ghostrider demotape!), what can I want more? These are some of the reasons why I keep playing music! Thank you for re-releasing “The Final Judgment” and giving us this opportunity!

WE’LL START TO SHIP ON APRIL 1st 2012.

FOAD Records has prepared another great album you will not want to miss:  a collection of very early RAW POWER material, 31 songs of pure energetic Italian Hardcore fury! Side A contains an official re-issue of the band’s debut Demotape from 1983 remastered from the 1st generation sources/tapes provided by the band, now for the very first time on vinyl!!

On the B Side, you get the Live at “Jockey Club” (Newport / KY / USA, Sept. 4th 1984), 15 songs (many of which completely unreleased and appearing for the first time ever on vinyl) re-equalized and remastered from a 2 channel master found by an old RAW POWER‘s  roadie.  Highly influential Italian Hardcore at its top: fast blistering drums, inhuman 6 string execution and rabid vocals combined with the screaming mad assault of songs such as “Fuck authority”, “Raw power” and “Don’t let me see it” that gave a vital input to tons of other like minded speed/HC maniacs to come in later years. They were the first Italian HC band touring the USA, and  the one that brought Italian Hardcore on the international music map. This records testifies the energy and the compromised “raw power” they had on stage back then!

As in FOAD Records’ quality trademark, this release comes in a top quality packaging, enriched by an exclusive artwork by Vince Packard (the original “Screams from the gutter” / “After you brain”‘s artist), a reverse board thick gatefold cover, an A2 poster (two sided) with an extensive selection of gig flyers from the band’s early tours, plus photos, liner notes etc.. unmissable release!!!

PRE-ORDER THE REGULAR BLACK VINYL EDITION, LIMITED TO 400 COPIES

PRE-ORDER THE DIE HARD SPLATTER VINYL EDITION

Do not forget that this release will be officially presented on the 30th of March at Honky Tonky, Seregno/Milano in occasion of RAW POWER‘s 30th birthday’s show, supported by Milano hardcore veterans CRASH BOX and directly for the UK, another long lasting HC legend:  THE STUPIDS … an event you definitely do not want to miss!

EXCRUCIATION “Last judgement / First assault” Double gatefold LP (FOAD 031)
- ITEMS WILL BE SHIPPED FROM MARCH 24TH -

If one has to think back of classic 80s Swiss Thrash Metal, EXCRUCIATION is hands down one of the names forming the genre’s unholy trinity… and it would be pretty easy to realize that the other 2 are HELLHAMMER and MESSIAH. FOAD Records presents another classic Double LP housed in high-glossy, laminated gatefold cover including unreleased photos and exclusive liner notes. This special edition double LP is a deadly retrospective nightmare into the band’s rawest and earliest recordings. It starts with an incredibly remastered version of the classic “Last judgement” Mini LP originally released in 1987 by the obscure kult label CHAINSAW MURDER RECORDS (which, in its short existence brought to vinyl MESSIAH and a legendary 7″ of Chile’s Death/Thrashers PENTAGRAM!), and follows up with the entire “First assault” Demo 1986. An extensive selection of rare rehearsal and live tracks from 1985 to 1987 completes a total of 25 bursts of mayhemic Thrash. The stuff included ranges from riff oriented, evil kind of Thrash (think of early DESTRUCTION and once again, MESSIAH) to faster Thrash close to the “core” formula (on the backcover you’ll see the band members sporting D.R.I., C.O.C. and WEHRMACHT tshirts) to some darker, slow paced structures recalling the crypts of Tom G. Warrior’s bands.. what you get here is not only meant to be an extended version of the band’s cult MLP “Last judgement” but basically a complete tour revealing the roots of their sound,  one of Switzerland’s most incredible Metal acts.

This record is available, in classic FOAD Records‘ tradition, in two different editions:

REGULAR BLACK VINYL EDITION (Limited to 400 copies only)

For all the collector’s out there, you can win an autographed copy of “Into the Macabre” CD/DVD or vinyl LP edition by participating to this contest (in Italian only, sorry) organized by METALLIZED.IT.

NECRODEATH in the studio during the "Into the Macabre" sessions

To celebrate the release date in great style, we have organized a massive record release party on the 24th of March:  the “INTO THE MACABRE Festival”, also featuring legenadary Swiss ’80s Thrash legends EXCRUCIATION.

Exclusively available on FOAD Records, we announce the  release of two more classics of deranged extreme music from the scorching Colombian extreme underground…  ORDER your copies NOW!!

RESTOS DE TRAGEDIA “Radikal Evoluciòn” LP (FOAD 028)

PRE-ORDERS START SHIPPING ON FEBRUARY 25th 2012!

Complete 1989-2011 discography for the ultra raw Colombian Hardcore outfit featuring Ramon Restrepo of the mighty PARABELLUM and BLASFEMIA! Includes all of their rare late 80s 7″s and compilation tracks + newer studio material, all taken from the 1st sources and remastered for the best sounding vinyl result ever. Remember well: this album only contains the original cuts, taken from the master reels, and does not include any of the recent re-recordings which have appeared on a CD with the same title! These 31 desperate cries are the real cuts from the 80s, ranging from aggressive, uptempo South American Hardcore to filthy guttural Crust/proto-Grind attacks reminescent of Sore Throat, early N.D. and Extreme Noise Terror crossed with stuff like early RDP, Armagedom and similar. Every song is characterized by that raw, evil riffing Ramon is so well known worldwide for. The release includes both the “Medellin presenta A:” 7″ (1988), “Ser y no ser” 7″ (1988) and “La ciudad podrida” (1990) comp. tracks: some of the most aberrant, monstruously rough and savagely distorted HC/Punk bursts ever recorded in South America!! This is the uttermost chaos-core presented at its sheerest form! Strictly limited to 300 copies, coming in transparent electric blue wax, and including a huge A2 insert with lyrics and rare photos!!

URSUS “Hijos del Metal” LP (FOAD 029)

PRE-ORDERS START SHIPPING ON FEBRUARY 25th 2012!

URSUS (Colombia) “Hijos del Metal” is the band’s classic debut album originally issued in 2008 on CD by Arctos Records, and now available for the very first time ever on vinyl. Limited to 300 copies – the first 27 colored -, a lethal dose of high-power Colombian Speed/Thrash Metal delivered with their true old school 80s spirit and headbanging energy. Special remastering and completely new layout + insert with lyrics and tons of photos.

Attention: this classic comes in a really ultra-limited DIE HARD coloured vinyl pressing of ONLY 27 COPIES produced by mistake during the vinyl manufacturing! This is a true collector’s gem and will be sold out in nanoseconds, so be ultrafast! 7 copies have been shared between the band members and the FOAD Records’ team, so there are only 20 left, ALL of them exclusively available through our Scareystore mailorder. Kill or be killed, as only 20 of you will be able to get this gem into their record collections!

REGULAR BLACK VINYL EDITION

ULTRA LIMITED DIE-HARD RED VINYL EDITION

AND DO NOT FORGET THE NEWLY AVAILABLE

BLASFEMIA “Guerra Total” LP Second Pressing (FOAD 017)

This is the most legendary Colombian blackened Thrash apocalypse featuring members of the immortal cult PARABELLUM!! A torrential wall of mangled noise that reverberates sickly from the strings like a vomit fuzz, anticipating eagerly for you to say, “enough is enough”! This is the definitive edition you have been waiting for!! Horrible to the core, a barely intelligible blackened metal of depravity, torturing their instruments into a black mass of ritualistic fucked up noise… blending cruel chantings and drunken poundings, BLASFEMIA are the real Southern American Nightmare, and this total reissue comes to bring the madness back from the grave, and testify it forever on!! The record comes with a printed inner sleeve with rare photos, liner notes and lyrics and an additional A2 poster. Order your copy now, as we have already received tons of requests for it!!

REGULAR EDITION:

NEW TRICOLOR DIE HARD EDITION:

These three records will come down onto your hears as a shady drug deal gone bad into a knife fight… don’t miss some of the best extremities from the real South American brutal underground…