Integrity / Mayday split 7" 2.0

A short while ago, I wrote a post about this split. Well, not this one but a later repress from Game Two records. This is the original press from Endgame records from 1992. For whatever reason, I was browsing Discogs and came across a copy of the 1st version rather cheap. It wasn't exactly essential that I got another version of this record, but the price was so good I felt it would almost be wrong not to get it. 

Like I mentioned before, I still think the artwork is better on the repress, to be honest I don't know what the Integrity side is meant to be. It is nice to see that Mayday original got some artwork of their own though. There's is definitely the interesting one of the two.

Instead of white, this version is on black vinyl this time around. The centre labels are also exactly the same as the later model.

Interestingly, both versions share another aspect in common. The later version was dedicated to the memory of the then recently deceased David Araca. Likewise, this version was dedicated to the memory of the artist Francis Bacon, who was responsible for the artwork seen on Those Who Fear Tomorrow, as well as that on the Rot in Hell demo EP.

The reverse of the insert belongs to Mayday, who seem to also be showcasing the work of "bacon". Perhaps they too found a link between the artist's last name and choice of subject in the paintings.

So there we have it, another classic Integrity record to add to the collection. It's not really adding anything new to what I've already got, but it's still cool to pick up another variant. It's a pretty great split anyway.

Integrity / Mayday split 7"

Recently I've seemed to be quite lucky in picking up old Integrity splits off Ebay. There was the split with Kids of Widney High, the split with Lockweld that arrived just the other day (post to come soon) and then this split with Mayday. For whatever reason, they just haven't been selling for much. In fact this one was so cheap, that the postage ended up being 4 times the cost price (still only $8USD).
This was originally released on Endgame records in 1992. Apparently, "Some 2000 copies were sold within a few months before the label was abandoned". My copy is part of a 1995 re-issue on Game Two records. It has completely different artwork to the original, although I'd say the one I have looks a bit better.

Mayday play two songs that sound pretty typical of early 90's hardcore. Not that that is a bad thing, they are two good songs and complement Integrity's infamous Kingdom of Heaven and Rebirth well. Inside the cover we have the lyrics to these four songs, as well as some information about the recordings. Integrity give praise to the then recently deceased David Araca, who was taken from this earth prematurely due to brain aneurysm. The latest Integrity 7" on A389 is in memory of David Araca, and is a re-release of these songs ( as well as Eighteen).

The version I've acquired is on white vinyl, which I think is limited to 1000 copies, making it the most common of the variants. The Integrity side  features the title of the split; "Les 120 Journees de Sodome". This translates to 120 Days of Sodom, the title of a book written by Marquis de Sade, which coincidentally is inscribed on this side of the record.

Strangely the inscription on the Mayday side is subtly different than the Integrity side. Whereas that side says THE MARQUIS DESADE "120 DAYS OF SODOM', this side has the quotes in a different position; "THE MARQUIS DESADE 120 DAYS OF SODOM". The difference is so subtle that nobody else'll probably care, but I thought it was something interesting.