Rot In Hell US Release Show LP

Can you believe that some people had never heard of Rot In Hell until just recently? I've been banging on about them on this blog for three years now, since the release of their first piece of vinyl. But now that their first proper album has dropped on a big US label, it seems a lot more people are finally starting to take notice. Good news that the band are getting more attention, as they obviously deserve it, but the slight downside for me is that there are loads more fartknockers chasing their records, which makes life harder for an idiot like me. Here's a recent example...

The band recently (well, two months ago... but when you're as old as me, that still qualifies as 'recently') played in Baltimore at the annual A389 Records jamboree. This show served as both the record release show for their LP, and also the band's first opportunity to play live in the States and confuse foreigners with their strange accents. But since I wasn't going to Baltimore, I knew I was going to miss out on the box of treats they were taking. I missed out on the most interesting record that they made, a 7" called 'Urethra' (or something like that) which came packaged in a fine English top hat. I think there was one left unsold, but old Iron Head gave it to his new best mate Stefan Sonic rather than bring it back home. And then to add insult to injury, me old mucker Sandbag got one, which he shoved on his blog and in my face. I guess that'll be one that I'll have to live without. Ah well.

For some reason, however, it seems that not all of the release show LPs sold at the event. I can only guess that when inquiring about the price, some Americans could not understand the reponses they were given in traditional Northern English and thus walked away puzzled rather than transacting. But this of course meant that a couple of the LPs came home to Blighty, so it was only right that one of them found it's way into my museum.

So here we are - the limited cover for the US release show. As is oft the case, this takes the form of a piece of card over the top of a regular sleeve:

I'm not sure exactly how many of these things were made, but must have been a helluva lot seeing as mine is number 45,150:

Mine also came with copies of two flyers for the event. A nice momento for anyone who went. And also good for those of us who didn't go. It means that we can say we bought our copy at the show when we come to sell our records on eBay in a few months to try to make a fast buck because we're moving on to our next fad.

Removing the record release cover, you get to see the 'regular' cover for the record. I'm not sure what the skull is supposed to be but I think it might be some kind of rat. I'm also not sure why it was chosen exactly, but I like to think that the original intention was to show a picture of a nice, healthy, happy rat on the cover, which the label procured in good time and put safely in a box with the recording. But then three years later when they came to actually release the album, they found that the poor rat had long since died and all that remained was a pile of bones. So they just took a photo of it anyway because buying a new rat would have taken another three or four years and by that time vinyl would most likely have been replaced by thoughts which you would have implanted in your head, hence eradicating the need for cover art altogether.

The vinyl itself is a classic example of GZ vinyl, which you are probably aware by now that I am not the biggest fan of. The colour being exhibited here is described as 'gold / orange mix' and I believe there were 300 made.

The other colour available (that I don't have) is being referred to as 'beer' vinyl, and I believe that this colour was made as an ironic tribute to three members of the band's straight edge status.

Musically this is spot on. But, to be honest, I've been telling you that for three years, so if you haven't go the message yet then I'm probably wasting my breath. It's funny though, because I sneakily acquired some kind of advance, unmastered copy of this about two years ago and I've already pretty much played it to death. But it's great to read the reviews of other fools lapping this up. Interestingly though, I don't think I've read a bad review of this yet, which (if nothing else) confirms that I was right all along and therefore means that you should pay more attention to me in future, 'cause I know what the hell I am talking about.

My record also came with a cdr which I know bugger all about. I think that this was available in limited numbers. This is a newish ep which goes by the name of 'Studies In Emerald'.

This sounds absolutely nothing like Rot In Hell that you think you know. This CD contains four acoustic songs played & sung by the guitarist who doesn't look like he could be in Blue Oyster Cult or the Bee Gees. The style of music is pretty much nothing like how the band usually sounds, but they are still fantastic . Imagine if you will a mix of Johnny Cash, Death In June and Morrissey and you're starting to get an idea of the confusion that will unfold once you spin this disc. That said, however, I'm not sure if you can actually buy this CD, as I think it was made for the US release show of the LP and all copies are gone. But I admit that I don't really know. All I can say is that if you have the opportunity to acquire these songs then you should. Oh, and for those of you who (like me) don't like CDs, then it's worth noting that two of the songs will surface on vinyl at some point in the not too distant future. In fact, one already has - it just came out on a split with Horders that you can buy from Feast Of Tentacles Records (use google). The other song was originally going to be on a split 7" with Roses Never Fade, but now I think it's intended to be released on the split 7" with Integrity that might actually come out one day if all the planets come into alignment.

Check out the band's blog if you like stuff and things:

Rot In Hell Blog