V/A Locked in the Basement, Collection 1 LP

Locked in the Basement: Collection 1 is a gritty vinyl compilation that rips through 20 tracks from 20 underground bands in Bethlehem, PA and the surrounding area’s scenes. Born out of the pandemic and fueled by DIY ethos, this project is raw to the bone. The recordings are rough and unapologetic, capturing everything from crust to street punk, post-punk, and grindcore—so don’t expect polish, but get ready for a jolt of unfiltered energy. Standout cuts from ONE SIDED, ALEMENT, CHISELED LILLIES, RA!D, BRAZEN HELL, and PALE FANG tear through the noise, proving this collection isn’t about perfection, it’s about power. Pressed on blood-red vinyl with black splatters, the album also includes a booklet packed with fun stories from the bands’ sessions. Recommended for people who give no shits about recording quality and are interested in checking out what seems to be kind of a cool document of the bands playing in and around this scene since 2020.

• Reviewer Jeff Cost
• Label DCxPC
• Issue MRR #498 • November 2024