Category Archives: Fundraising

Sky Within Us (2024 Compilation)

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Good afternoon, Dear Reader.

I’d like to share another fundraising musical compilation with you today, one that supports a cause very near and dear to me as an avid birder. (FWIW, earlier today I hit a fun milestone, since the beautiful song of a Warbling Vireo drew me outside to spot my 100th different species of 2024!) …

Canadian label Polar Seas dropped this collection of gorgeous ambient works earlier this month, with any proceeds collected benefiting the BirdSafe.ca / FLAP Canada.

 

Various Artists – Sky Within Us (Polar Seas, 05 April 2024)

 

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Free Me from This Dungeon (2024 Compilation)

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Y’all. It’s been a minute. What’s shakin’?

Our favorite Maryland-based non-profit charity record label recently dropped the latest in their series of benefit compilations, and I wanted to make sure you hadn’t missed out on this one.

Primarily consisting of dungeon synth and other closely-related (mostly) instrumental, (almost exclusively) synth-based sounds, Free Me from This Dungeon is on sale now with proceeds supporting the Safelight organization.

 

Various Artists – Free Me from This Dungeon: A Compilation in Support of the Safelight Organization (Food Desert Recordings, 23 February 2024)

 

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Let No Man Pass Judgement (2022 Compilation)

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Following Being for the Benefit of Equality, Food Desert Recordings‘ fundraiser from earlier this summer in support of the transgender community (and especially trans youth) of Texas, the Maryland (USA)-based digital label is at it again.

Once again guided by their mission statement of “supporting charities that uplift and empower maligned communities,” this month a second benefit compilation has dropped, this time in support of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, in light of a recent plague of legislation all over the country whose sole purpose is to restrict or remove those rights.

 

Various Artists – Let No Man Pass Judgement: A Compilation to Support a Woman’s Right to Choose (Food Desert Recordings, 02 September 2022)

 

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Being for the Benefit of Equality (2022 Compilation)

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Earlier this year, an anonymous, benevolent soul from Maryland (USA) proposed the launch of a new digital record label for charitable purposes. And hence, Food Desert Records was born. Named for the concept where more impoverished communities frequently lack easy access to affordable higher-quality, higher-nutrition foods, this new entity has set out to engage in activities that will raise awareness and generate mutual aid — not only for literal food deserts, but more broadly for any underprivileged or marginalized communities.

The label has cited their mission as “supporting charities that uplift and empower maligned communities,” further explaining that “Friends and allies are welcome; racists, fascists, homophobes, and transphobes are not. Together, through love and music, we will help to build a better world.”

 

compilation cover art

Various Artists – Being for the Benefit of Equality: A Blade with Which to Defend the Trans Youth of Texas (Food Desert Recordings, 04 July 2022)

 

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Happy Groundhog Day!

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XXX F CADDYSHACK 04 S GLF

 

Hey! I know I promised recently that we’d be getting back to reviews soon. That was before I spent the majority of January just getting caught up on listening to stuff from 2016 so that I could belatedly finalize my list of the year’s best releases! But that’s finally online now, and our first review of 2017 is scheduled to be published tomorrow. First, though, it’s time for another quick news update.

In this edition: charity donations at Bandcamp; tour news from Katatonia, Conan, and North; album release news from Ever Circling Wolves; plus more news about new videos and shows!

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Happy 2017(?)

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2017

 

Well folks, here we are, starting another new year. 2016 was quite an eventful one, both on a personal level (Valley of Steel headquarters has relocated within the past few months! — which is why we’ve been so quiet for a little while; we’ve been hella busy between finding a place to move to, moving there, getting settled in, etc. — although for those who may be worried: we’re still in a valley in a former industrial area outside Pittsburgh, so the website title is still accurate, it just happens to be the valley of a different river than our former location), as well as on a sociocultural level (politics, both domestic and foreign, has really been a mess lately, hasn’t it??).

Of course, like every year, tons of great music got released in 2016 as well — and like every year, I’ve failed to write about everything I’ve wanted to share with you folks (or even half of it). We’ll be diving back into the reviewing and sharing of new (and some fairly not-so-new) music very soon. But today, I’d like to hit a few other items as we briefly glance over the year that was…

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What To Do In Pittsburgh Tonight (21 November 2012)

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What’s up, readers! It’s Thanksgiving Eve, which around these parts is officially the BIGGEST party night of the year! That’s right, bigger than Saint Patrick’s Day, bigger than Cinco de Mayo, bigger even than New Year’s Eve.

Believe me, I spent enough of my younger years working overnight in a 24-hour convenience store — one that is famous for its “Made To Order” food, and in particular, one that was located in a small town where the ratio of bars to houses is practically one-to-one — so I’ve got enough empirical data to back up this claim.

Anyway, if you’re looking for somewhere to go tonight, I’ve got you covered. Just please be careful out there, and please be safe getting home! I’ve got lots of exciting new content planned for the near future, and you won’t want to miss any of it. (I know it seems like I’m making light of the situation, but seriously, go out and have a good time — but for your own sake and everyone else’s, just don’t be stupid, ok?)

Here we go…

 
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FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Punk Aid “Aceh Calling” Compilation

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Punks are getting arrested in Indonesia, being forced to shave their heads, being forced to pray, and having their clothes burned.

That’s the story behind Punk Aid and Aceh Calling, the massive (72 bands!) benefit compilation that’s on-sale now to support the underground punk scene in Indonesia.

The compilation was originally released in March 2012 as a digital download, and you can still grab a copy of this titanic collection from Bandcamp for just six bucks. But since that time, enough money has been raised to have CDs made, as well.

This is a three-disc set, and there were only 200 copies produced — at least half of which will stay inside Indonesia for all the punk kids there who may not be able to download the MP3 version. But there are a handful of them available for sale to the rest of the world, so if you want to help out a struggling pocket of the worldwide punk community AND get some new CDs packed full of great music in the process, you should hurry up and take advantage of this!

Movement Records in Jakarta is receiving all of the profits from the album sales, so they can distribute the money to those who need it locally. The bands included on the compilation will receive no money, and neither will the folks who brought it together or those who are selling it. “This is being done for one reason — it’s the fucking right thing to do,” says Punk Aid organizer Michael “Mike Virus” Rothstein.
 

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FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Doommantia Vol. 1 Compilation

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Various Artists – Doommantia Vol. 1 (23 October 2012)

 
Hey folks. We’ve already talked about Ed Barnard, who operates the Doommantia website, but in case you’ve forgotten, this is the guy who has dealt with being bankrupted by astronomical medical bills, eventually resulting in being evicted from his home. More information on the situation is available elsewhere, if you care to look.

Anyway, it’s a pretty terrible story, but the brotherhood (and sisterhood — or, let’s just say, siblinghood) of Doom Metal has been quick to respond. The Doommantia website itself has been collecting funds via a Paypal button; earlier this month, Maryland-based War Injun put together a benefit concert.

And now, an enormous (39 tracks! Over four hours long!) compilation of songs from all kinds of amazing bands has been put together by members of South Carolina’s Compel. Downloads are available for purchase from Bandcamp; the minimum price is only seven bucks, but naturally you have the option to decide to donate any amount you wish.

 
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Upcoming Shows: What To Do In (And Around) Pittsburgh This Weekend (27-29 July 2012)

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What’s up, readers!??

Pittsburgh metal. Good stuff. FREE. Read about it, download it. You won’t regret it, and I won’t stop bugging you until you do it. Seriously.

A whole bunch of the bands who have songs on that comp are playing shows this weekend, along with a whole bunch of other bands. If you’re in the Pittsburgh region over the next couple days, you’ll want to pay attention because here’s your guide to what awesomeness you might have missed if I wasn’t here to help you out!

 
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