In a move that Hydra Head should have probably done at least a year ago, the label has put together a free downloadable sampler with 22 songs, some of which fall into the ever nebulous “rare or unreleased” category. Be warned though, at least five of the songs on the sampler go for at least seven minutes, and one of which moves just past the 15 minute mark (in hockey, it’s called an intermission). In other HH news, the label has launched its own high-quality MP3 store, which is where you can grab the sampler.

Track List

• 1. Oxbow + Philippe Thiphaine – “Coalking” From Songs for the French (5:46)
• 2. Daughters – “The First Supper” From “s/t” (3:18)
• 3. Bohren & Der Club Of Gore – “Unkerich” From Dolores (5:31)
• 4. Knut – “Calamity” From Wonder (1:43)
• 5. The Austerity Program – “Song 27″ From Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn (4:04)
• 6. Pyramids With Nadja – “Another War” From Pyramids With Nadja (15:27)
• 7. Helms Alee – “Lionize” From Lionize/Truly 7″ (2:45)
• 8. Hayaino Daisuki – “Ghosts of Purgatory” From The Invincible Gate Mind of the Infernal Fire Hell, or Did You Mean Hawaii Daisuki? (2:43)
• 9. Harvey Milk – “I Know This Is No Place For You” From A Small Turn of Human Kindness (5:07)
• 10. La Gritona – “Tony Alamo” From Demasiado Tonto Para Los Ninos Listos. Demasiado Listo Para Los Ninos Tontos (4:38)
• 11. Stephen Brodsky – “Here In Spirit” From Here’s to the future (5:54)
• 12. Jodis – “Continents” From Secret House (7:27)
• 13. Nihill – “Mundus Subterreanus” From Krach (5:16)
• 14. Cave In – “Retina Sees Rewind” From Planets of Old (2:30)
• 15. Kayo Dot – “II. Whisper Ineffable” From Coyote (11:13)
• 16. Keelhaul “THC for One” from Keelhaul’s Triumphant Return to Obscurity (3:34)
• 17. Clouds – “New Bombs” From B Chuggas May Be Logging (2:08)
• 18. Xasthur – “UNTITLED 4/05″ From 2005 Demo (7:02)
• 19. GridLink – “Amber Gray” From Amber Gray (1:06)
• 20. Greymachine – “Wasted” From Disconnected (8:43)
• 21. Bergraven – “Hunger” From Till Makabert Vasen (7:08)
• 22. Torche – “UFO” From Songs For Singles (2:01)

Detroit deathcore dudes AND HELL FOLLOWED WITH have their new full-length, Proprioception streaming at the very (very) deathcore oriented site AOL Music. The Earache Records release hits stores in the US on June 29th.

FINDING FAITH are an emotional melodic hardcore band from Germany. The group will be releasing a 7″ on Can’t Slow Down Records (love the name!!) this summer. The ultra limited release (100-150 copies) has a pre-order going on here.

- I heard about these guys for the first time this morning on the Vinyl Collective message board, went to check ‘em out, and was beyond impressed. They sound a bit like AMBITIONS, but maybe a little darker, rougher. The group cites REACH THE SKY as an influence, one of my all-time favorites, and you can definitely hear it in the heartfelt vocals and methodical songwriting.

Ripple Music has announced a new split 7″ featuring Washington State’s 70s-style metal revivalists STONE AXE and Brooklyn stoner rock mashers MIGHTY HIGH. The two song release will be available from the label in July, and in late June from STONE AXE, as they tour support of the legendary SAINT VITUS.

Long-running metal/hardcore band 36 CRAZYFISTS plan to release their fifth full-length, Collisions and Castaways on July 27th, via Ferret Records in the US (Roadrunner for the rest of the world). The release is the follow-up to 2008′s The Tide And The Takers. Like Takers, guitarist Steve Holt produced the new record, and it was mixed by Andy Sneap. The brand new song “Reviver” is streaming on the band’s MySpace page. 36 CRAZYFISTS will be on tour in the US with FEAR FACTORY and AFTER THE BURIAL for most of July.

- These guys just keep soldiering on… it’s pretty amazing give all of the label shenanigans that have been handed to them. I’m into all of their prior full-lengths, but A Snow Capped Romance really stands out as one of the most distinctive metal/hardcore discs out there, even with the heavy GLASSJAW vibe of its time.

New Jersey punk band BANQUETS has their new EP This Is Our Concern, Dude, available for download  and streaming via Bandcamp. The 7″ vinyl was released on Black Numbers. The band features former members of LET ME RUN, THE STAND IN, and THE BANNER, and sound a good bit like THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM (I’m going to be typing this a lot in the months to come, aren’t I?) and THE EXPLOSION.

New Jersey punk rockers LET ME RUN have their new EP Broken Strings streaming over at Hurley.com. The six song effort is being released by Paper + Plastick, and is the band’s follow-up to their full-length Meet Me At The Bottom (XOXO).

- In another case of line-up switcheroo, the band has seemingly replaced their second vocalist Dan Maxwell, who is on the new EP, with Rocky Cantese. That’s kind of confusing…

Double or Nothing Records‘ metallic hardcore band CRUCIFIED are streaming their brand new full-length Coldest Winter; Darkest Reaches of the Mind, via Bandcamp. The album is available for download right now for a mere $5, and will also available as a 12″ and CD from the label in early July.