This specific demo tape came from their first run from what I can tell. They have produced at least three runs, to my knowledge, of demo tapes and one version contained a live set on the b-side which is, sadly, not this version. It’s almost as if those who bought the tape right away were screwed out of hearing the live set and having it recorded for all of time, but who am I to complain? On the plus side, versions that came after this included an official METHMOUTH patch, which I got later on because several weeks after I got this tape I got some actual printed pictures from their first show and the official patch.
I thought maybe these items were just sent to me as a follow up because of them being bonus items with the following round of demos and I was in round one, but alas, I still don’t have access to their first show no matter how much I’d like it.
Okay, I’m over that now. Moving on.
So, what can be said about METHMOUTH? They are a hardcore punk band from Florida with screaming on the vocals and sometimes sing along choruses. You could compare them to something along the lines of Gorilla Biscuits or Toxic Narcotic, depending upon where your knowledge of music extends to exactly.
This particular cassette comes with both sides splattered with black paint and otherwise white, so you don’t really know which is Side A and which is Side B. Luckily, they provided a lyric sheet, based upon which you can tell which side you’re listening to because despite being hardcore punk, you can actually make out the words to these songs as they’re being sung.
I also feel like this cassette is unique for the way it is designed. It comes folded up ala cassette singles of the olden days, yet it has a string holding it together also. This could have easily just been tossed inside a plastic case, but this is so much more clever I feel like in many ways the packaging of this particular demo tape is worth the price of buying this, even though the music also more than makes up for the cover price.
I only ever received a few promo tapes back in the day. I began reviewing music when cassettes were going away and CDs were taking over. Now, CDs are going away and digital music is trying to take over, but are we really better off? I did get a few tapes here and there—some from labels, some from bands. I remember being at a show once with a merch table from a band on Equal Vision and they had a sampler out on cassette. I thought it was odd, but a free tape is a free tape and now I love that thing for the music/memories that is on it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that there was a time when bands (especially in the hardcore/punk scene) would have to say, “Listen to my demo” by handing you a cassette. I’ve had CDs handed to me, sure, but never a cassette. So this is kind of cool for me because I imagine some band handing me this tape at a show (Even though I got it in the mail) and me being able to say years later that I knew about them back when.
METHMOUTH also gets my award for fan-friendliest hardcore punk band.
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