striVVe #4 Tape

I'm not even sure how long ago I got this now, I really should try to post about things sooner to when they arrive!

Anyway, this is (rather obviously) a cassette, released by striVVe recordings some time last year. It features 9 songs from the likes of Shade of Mankind, Thee High Priestess, Black Feud, Horders, Oede and RVeVV, broadcasting strikingly different spectras of heavy music.  

The tape is probably best described as baby blue, although it was most likely produced to match the blue fading over the top of the 4P artwork. It's certainly a nice touch though, much more interesting than a standard store bought cassette.

This particular tape is probably just about the most limited release I've got. Only a ridiculous 10 were produced, and mine was lucky number 5!

Extras, it almost doesn't seem right when I get something without extras anymore. Luckily, this has got it in bucket-loads. To start things off there is a massive cloth patch of the artwork on the tape. That's the one on the right, and on the left there is a cardboard print of the same image.

Next up is this zine. I'm not really into any religious things, and don't want to get into any kind of debate here about the pros/cons, but it's definitely an interesting booklet. There are a few interviews, one of which is with Hans of Liar fame. At this point he was the replacement vocalist for Rot in Hell before for whatever reason things didn't work out and Lecky stepped up.

For a small time label, striVVe definitely put out some interesting things, all with great packaging. They are definitely worth checking out

rVeVV - MMXI Tape

I know I've said before that I'm not really into noise tracks, but over the past little while it has been growing on me. Bands like Vermapyre and Thee High Priestess have opened me up to a genre a little, and I think I'm starting to appreciate "the point".  So in the spirit of this enlightenment, I decided this release would be worth purchasing. 

Even if I wasn't that into the tracks, the packaging alone is enough to make this a satisfactory expenditure; it is my favourite tape packaging so far. The artwork is really minimal, just the 4P design on a black background, but it works really well.

The whole thing is held together by a string, which once removed reveals the plethora of bonuses stashed inside. 

The tape itself is as DIY as it gets; a completely blank cassette with nothing written on it at all. Along in the picture is a menacing photo of some barbed wire above the band logo (which I'm sad to say I'm not sure how to pronounce). What you can't see is on the reverse of the picture; a camouflage pattern which fits well with the whole theme of the release.

Next is 2 1" buttons and 2 additional cards. These have some sort of obscure picture on the reverse and information and track listings on the side you can see,

Inside the packing slip was this wee booklet direct from Give Up. There was also an A3 copy of some artwork slipped along side this, but sadly this got ripped and badly creased in the mail. It's a bit of a bummer, but I suppose these things happen when mail travels these vast distances.

I'd really like to thank Give Up and Sisster SSounds for this one, I really love it when there is just an abundance of stuff that comes along with music.

Only 60 of these were produced, and the first 20 had even more special packaging. I believe fellow Rvevv enthusiast James has one of these specialer copies over on Studies In Magnetism. And if you're keen to have a listen to this, as well as other Rvevv material, it has been supplied via bandcamp.