A389 Recordings Founder Lists the Five Most Underrated Releases on the Label

Earlier this year, one of the most prolific and exciting underground labels around, A389 Recordings, celebrated its eighth anniversary with a blowout concert featuring the likes of Eyehategod, Integrity and Gehenna. Founded by musician Domenic Romeo (Pulling Teeth), A389 Recordings is having another busy year of releases, with new music coming from Homewrecker, Trapped Under Ice, Seven Sisters of Sleep, Full of Hell, and many more hardcore, punk and metal acts.

Oh, yeah, there's more. The label will be releasing Midnight Mass, a 32 page half/size magazine featuring interviews and other features, plus a four page companion to the A389 MMXII Digital Mixtape/Sampler which includes many of the artists they'll be issuing this year.

California Noisecreep readers should check out the FREE showcase the folks at Scion are throwing for A389 Records at The Glass House in Pomona on May 19. The event will feature Integrity, Ringworm, Seven Sisters of Sleep, The Love Below, and Young and in the Way. Get more info on the event at this link.

Since we're such big fans of Romeo and A389, Noisecreep asked him for a list of the five records he's released on label that he feels are the most underrated. Check out his list below and discover some great music!

Step to the Edge 7", Ancient Shores

"I've yet to hear a band play this style of pummeling '90s influenced metal-core (ala Coalesce) and do it as well as this band. I thought their first release was decent so I kept my eyes on them, and when they sent me the songs for what would become this 7" I was completely floored. They're currently wrapping up new songs for a split 12" with Cynarae coming out on A389 later this year."

Resurrection 7", Mighty Sphincter

"Super obscure goth-metal infused punk from Phoenix, AZ. These guys have been putting out records since the late 1970s and everything they've done has been mind-blowing in my opinion. I recently picked up the video compilation DVD and it's just incredible how ahead of their time these guys were. These songs were rearranged and re-recorded by The Count (Doug Clark) and given new life on this record. I think the name kinda turns people off though since it's tough to say in a serious context."

I Murderer, I 7", Pharaoh

"The first notes of the first riff of the first song make you feel like you're being run over by a Middle Eastern bulldozer in the desert. Super layered, dense and ungodly heavy Neurosis meets Bloodlet-styled dirges. They don't play out often and manage to maintain a very obscure presence, BUT have recorded a new 7" called This House Is Doomed that picks up where this record left off. It will be released in a few short weeks on A389."

Fade to Black 12", Roses Never Fade

"If ever there was a record that encompasses the feeling of being in a old cabin deep in the woods late at night, this would be it. This record features Dwid from Integrity, T from Vegas, and Matt Shack/Nick Fiction of Pale Creation playing dark creepy neo-folk that reminds me of a cross between Death In June and Tom Waits. Talking about it is making me want to put this record on and watch Evil Dead with the volume off."

We Don't Exist 12", Pala

"Spacey math-core, pedal-core, post hardcore ... I dunno what to call this but I love this record. Pala were one of those bands that was bursting with so much creativity and different influences it was impossible to stay focused on the same thing for too long. But when they hit their stride, it was amazing like on "Sure to Burn" – incredible. I recently had the engineer dump an instrumental mix of the record onto my iPod and it took my appreciation of this album to a whole other level. I'm glad this record exists."

Get more info on these, and all other A389 Recordings releases, at the labels' official site.