DS 13 – Umea Hardcore Forever, Forever Umea Hardcore 2xLP

DS 13, Spela Snabbare Records and Havoc Records presents the compiled works of DS 13 from their 7″s, splits and compilations. 67 tracks total in a nice gatefold sleeve just in time for the 20th anniversary of the first 7″. Back in 1997 I was running a label and distro and I was trading records with this guy Pontus from Umea, who sent me a letter telling me I should check out DS 13. In those days not a lot of bands were playing fast hardcore. It was great to hear young guys raging fast with so much energy while rejecting emo, pop punk and everything else that was big at the time. I ordered their 7″, and right away I wrote to them and asked if I could press it in the USA and perhaps help them tour the USA. This lead to a long collaboration between Havoc Records and DS 13, over several tours and releases. It also introduced me to the small but prolific scene in Umea which led to releases and touring with other bands as well. Those tours and records twenty or so years ago were great times for hardcore, and I was happy to play a small part in it, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this retrospective.