In case you haven't already got your own copy of the Ringworm / Mindsnare split 7 inch to listen to yet, A389 Recordings from the US have put the whole split up in its entirety for streaming. You can still order coloured copies thru the Resist webstore while they are available, but these won't last forever.
Like you really need to hear this split to know it's fucking good! But, for the cheap skates you can check out a full stream of the 7 inch here and order a coloured copy thru the Resist webstore here.
While it seems some Americans have figured out the magic of Mindsnare, alas others have not. Below are two differing reviews.
First from The Words Of Evil blogspot:
"As the year comes to a close in the coming months there are still quite a few exciting hardcore releases coming down the pike, including this scathing split 7 inch featuring Cleveland hardcore legends Ringworm and Melbourne, Australia's Mindsnare. Ringworm contribute two previously unreleased tracks worth the price of admission alone.Fans of the band will most definitely not be let down by these admittedly short but extremely heavy/vicious tracks featuring some of the best riff's I've heard from the band in quite some time. The real surprise for me concerning this split were the two crushing tracks from Australia's Mindsnare, a band I was previously unfamiliar with but will be extensively checking out after hearing their side of this split. These two songs contain some of the heaviest hardcore I've heard this year, and frankly I felt like kicking myself knowing I had been unaware of their existence for so long. A389 continues their string of excellent releases with one of the best split's I've heard all year. Any fan of heavy metallic hardcore owes it to themselves to check this record out. Also to be noted is the awesome artwork and the fact that it comes with a comic book which is a straight up outstanding addition to anything, let alone a 7 inch."
The second from the Total War blog:
"Ringworm often heralded as "Your favorite band's favorite band" teams up with Australia's metal outfit Mindsnare to crush skulls and murder innocence, courtesy of A389 records of course. Fresh off their latest full-length Scars, Ringworm doesn't disappoint.
Ringworm comes armed with two tracks that sound as if they're from the same session as their latest LP. It's a metallic assualt on the senses, grinding your head into a fine dust. "Leviathon" immediately grabs the listener and confronts you with HF's signature vocals. The guitar is perfect and the drums are ridiculously good - as it should be expected by Chris Dora. The song keeps up a frantic pace for the full two and half minutes before launching into "One Day." The vocals have an interesting echo that sounds immense if you're wearing headphones. This track has no slow moments just a minute and change of gnarly metal that really cannot be topped. I cannot wait to see what else Ringworm has up their sleeve since the band is free of Victory.
Mindsnare is a band I knew nothing about. Quick research showed that they have been around for some time now, releasing full lengths and such since the early nineties. In any case, Mindsnare compliments Ringworm's metal crossover style. Their sound is heavy, something that is probably exacerabated by Kurt Ballou's mixing. Their side starts off with "Gather To Decompose," a savage number. The riffs are gnarly and its a great sound but the vocals didn't blow me away. By all means it's a good opener, but it didn't grab me like "Leviathon" did. Their final track "Twist And Burn" is better and absolutely punishing. Aside from my gripe with the vocals, Mindsnare lays down two vicious numbers.
A389 always has cool packaging, whether it's a poster or peculiar insert. This split is no different. Aside from the music, this release comes with a multi-page comic book by Human Furnance. The art is really cool and definitely makes this one stand out. I'd love to see more releases like this.
Don't wait too long on this release because I have a feeling it won't be around for too long..."
