If you follow this blog in even the slightest of ways, you’ll know that we love Bandcamp. In our eyes, even though some problems exist, they’re hands down

8 years ago

If you follow this blog in even the slightest of ways, you’ll know that we love Bandcamp. In our eyes, even though some problems exist, they’re hands down the best solution for artists seeking to do business online. Like how we view Heavy Blog, Bandcamp views itself as part of a community, more than just a place where money and products exchange hands; this is music after all and no matter how much finance rules the day, there are still plenty of other elements which make it up. True to this perspective, Bandcamp has declared that all of their share of the proceeds on this day, Friday the 3rd of February 2017, will be donated to the ACLU to help in the fight against what is to come in the United States (sidenote: you should absolutely go to the announcement post on their site to find a great curated list of artists from the countries affected by the “Muslim ban”).

What exactly is coming? How can we distill such a momentous event into a few words? Civil liberties is a good term for that. It elevates the discussion above partisan lines for, supposedly, even the staunchest of American conservatives should care about such liberties. They are not only the ideological fuel behind the very existence of the United States but also one of the reasons it rose to such prominence during its first two centuries. It’s easy to be cynical; American history is far from missing its own bloody hands, scorched earth and atrocity. Indeed, it’s very birth is inherently tied to some of the worst acts in human history. However, it has also been, for decades, a symbol of the struggle to be something more, to at least attempt to shake off the past and move forward together, however haphazardly.

Until now. Whether you’re Republican, Democrat, European, Christian, Jewish, straight, gay, trans, or any other of the wondrous multitudes of denominations we humans divide ourselves into, Trump’s rise to power should worry you. It should worry you because it could very well be the death knell of the struggle for a better place, where civil liberties attempt to rein in the cruelty and callousness of humanity’s more prominent attributes. For that, the ACLU is great; instead of concerning itself with idealism and a shining city on a hill, it goes to court and challenges. The organization digs its legal heels and refuses to allow things to just happen, to allow civil liberties to be eroded. And that costs money; a lot of money. Litigation is a costly business, almost on purpose. It enables certain layers of society to hold the rest in a paper stranglehold.

Just this past week we saw how important the ACLU still is. One of the first to confront the so called “Muslim ban” enacted by the indifferent pen of Donald Trump, it began the long and arduous legal battle against this administration. With not only the presidency but also Congress and Senate painted in the most extreme and reckless red imaginable, their work will grow seven-fold; now they must take on the legislative branch as well. Thus, and despite of the already remarkable success their fundraising has seen in the past week, Bandcamp’s contribution to the ACLU is admirable. We’re here to do our share; below you’ll find a list of artists that are worthy of your support on this Friday.

Have you been sleeping on their music for a year? Good chance to rectify that. Have you always debated whether you should buy a certain album? Why not now? Hear something new you like? Throw some money at it and, by proxy, at an organization fighting The Good Fight™. All entries come with genre definitions, to ease your journey even further through this uniquely massive amount of music. Entries marked with an asterisk represent artists or labels which are going one step further: not only Bandcamp’s share of these purchases goes towards the ACLU but also the artist/label’s share. That means that these entries donate 100% of their worth to the ACLU.

We hope you find things you enjoy in this list and are able to give through them. If not, consider setting up a donation for the ACLU in any case. It’s a good way to pitch in in a fight which often seems hopeless. And, as always, play it loud. Play it loud, while we still can, so that we may always be able to continue doing so.


A Constant Knowledge of Death  – Vol. II: Organic Emotions (post metal)*

Acid WashBig Heavy World (traditional heavy metal)

AenaonHypnosophy (avant-garde/black)

airøspaceanalogues (experimental hip hop, underground hip hop)

AkhylsThe Dreaming I (atmospheric black metal)

Astronoid Air (shoegaze/thrash)*

ArcturusArcturian (avant-garde)

Battle TranceBlade of Love (avant-garde jazz/post-minimalism)

Bestia ArcanaTo Anabainon Ek Tes Abyssu (experimental black metal)

Blazon StoneWar of the Roses (power/speed metal)

BotanistVI: Flora (experimental blackgaze)

Car BombMeta (mathcore)

Caspian Dust and Disquiet (post-rock)

Cory BrananAdios (pre-order) (singer-songwriter/Americana/country)

Coma Cluster VoidMind Cemeteries (technical/brutal death metal)

Coma RegaliaEn Seperata (screamo)

CombatwoundedveteranI Know a Girl Who Develops Crime Scene Photos (noisecore)

ConvulsingErrata (death metal)

Cyborg OctopusLearning To Breathe (progressive metal)

DalekAsphalt for Eden (experimental hip hop)

Darcy James Argue’s Secret SocietyReal Enemies (jazz/experimental)

DreadnoughtBridging Realms (experimental doom)

DumbsaintPanorama, in ten pieces (post-metal)

ElderLore (heavy psych/doom)

EndalokÚr Draumheimi Viðurstyggðar (avant-garde Icelandic black metal)

EquipI Dreamed of a Palace in the Sky (vaporwave, video game soundtrack)

EximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułumPrajecyrujučy Sinhuliarnaje Wypramieńwańnie Daktryny Absaliutnaha J Usiopahłynaĺnaha Zła Skroź Šaścihrannuju Pryzmu Sîn-Ahhī-Erība Na Hipierpawierchniu Zadyjakaĺnaha Kaŭčęha Zasnawaĺnikaŭ Kosmatęchničnaha Ordęna Palieakantakta, Najstaražytnyja Ipastasi Dawosiewych Cywilizacyj Prywodziać U Ruch Ręzanansny Transfarmatar Časowapadobnaj Biaskoncaści Budučyni U Ćwiardyniach Absierwatoryi Nwn-Hu-Kek-Amon, Uwasabliajučy Ŭ Ęfirnuju Matęryju Prach Ałulima Na Zachad Ad Ękzapłaniety PSRB 1620-26b (death metal)

Forest SwordsEngravings (experimental electronic)

GireGire (avant-garde)*

GrouperRuins (ambient/singer-songwriter)

The Heads Are ZerosAll the Men I Love Are Dead (mathcore, noisecore)

Hell FireMetal Masses (traditional heavy metal)

Iron ChicYs (punk)

Jared GrabbMasters (pre-order) (singer-songwriter/indie)

Jr. JuggernautWitch’s Hand (indie/alt-rock)

KauanSorni Nai (post-rock)*

KrallicePrelapsarian (avant-garde/experimental black metal)

LIL UGLY MANEMISTA THUG ISOLATION (experimental hip hop, Southern rap, Memphis rap)

LORNArrayed Claws (black metal)

MaethShrouded Mountain (experimental doom/post metal)

Mammoth Deviations (progressive metal, jazz fusion)

MasteryValis (experimental black metal/free improvisation)

Maze of SothothSoul Demise (death metal)

MesarthimThe Great Filter (atmospheric black metal)

MessaBelfry (doom metal)

Migrations in RustTwo Shadows (ambient)

MonobodyMonobody (jazz/math rock)

MountainEvolve (post-rock)

NYNEventuality (progressive death metal)*

Of Modern ArchitectureWilderness (progressive metalcore)

Outrun the SunlightTerrapin (post-metal)

PallbearerFear and Fury (doom)

PerturbatorThe Uncanny Valley* (retrowave)

The Palindrome SequenceModern Renaissance (progressive deathcore)

PharmakonBestial Burden (power electronics/death industrial)

PileDripping (post-hardcore)

Polar BearSame as You (spiritual jazz)

P.O.S.Chill, dummy (hip hop)

Rain Temple新しい日の誕生 (vaporwave, ambient, dreampunk)

Resurrecting IdResurrecting Id (jazz, djent, progressive metal)*

Rocka RollasPagan Ritual (power/speed)

SANATANABRAHMAVIDYA (symphonic power metal)

SannhetRevisionist (post-metal)*

A Sense Of GravityAtrament (progressive death metal)

SERDCETimelessness (progressive death metal)* [Blood Music]

ShoppingWhy Choose (post punk)

Sick ShitReclaimed EP (Powerviolence)

Siddiq and VektroidMidnight Run (experimental hip hop, vaporwave)

sleepmakeswavesLove of Cartography (post-rock)

So HideousLaurestine (post-black metal)

Spectral LoreIII (atmospheric black metal)

Street SectsEnd Position (industrial/noise)

Sunrot/InertiaSplit (blackened sludge/noise)

Tangled Thoughts Of LeavingYield To Despair (post-metal, jazz, drone)

Telepathy12 Areas (post-metal)

TelosTelos (mathcore)

Travis Laplante & Peter EvansSecret Meeting (avant-garde jazz/free improvisation)

UnreqvitedDisquiet (atmospheric black metal)

VIRTAHurmos (jazz, post-rock)

Vivid IllusionCircumnavigation | A (post metal/rock)*

Wacław ZimpelLines (post-minimalism)

We Lost The SeaDeparture Songs (post-metal)

William Elliott WhitmoreRadium Death (singer-songwriter)

WvrmHeartache (grindcore)

Young FathersWhite Men Are Black Men Too (experimental pop)

Heavy Blog

Published 8 years ago