Fire & Ice... Twice

I think that Mike seems to be under the impression that I am not interested in current or new bands. I'd say he's probably half right. I mean, its not as if I have zero interest in listening to something new. Au contraire. I love to find new bands and new songs to play. Even though I have about 17,000 songs on my ipod, that represents 20 years worth of my life, and a lot of it I have played to death & am bored of. No, I want new music and I need new music. The problem is simply that I don't quite have the same appetite (nor time) to check out every single new band these days. I used to buy pretty much everything that came out, but these days it seems that there are no labels that I can trust 100%, and there are just way too many bands to sift through. So I guess my problem is just that I don't know how to cut through all of the crap to find the diamonds. Sometimes I just pick up on buzz bands through internet gossip. And other times people give me recommendations.

Fire & Ice was a recommendation Mike made last summer. I checked 'em out & loved 'em. But I still didn't make much progress in picking up their vinyl. Although, having said that, things are now starting to change on that front...

My latest parcel contained two copies of their 'Collections' 12" on Triple B Records, which look good side by side:

First up, a test press. As with a lot of test presses, this isn't much to look at. It comes in a plain white disco sleeve with a sticker in the top left corner:

The second version is the United Blood 2011 press. There were 100 of these made. Again, minimal packaging in a black disco sleeve:

These dudes have a new album coming out in the next month or so on Reaper Records. Unlike most new stuff that comes out these days, I got my preorder in nice and early. Can't wait.