Encounter - Lost EP (early 90s New Jersey Hardcore, download included)

It's about time that I posted about Encounter, and this record in particular.  This is one of my favorite EPs of all time, and one of my absolute favorites from my personal collection.  I think most music lovers would agree that in many cases, it's not just the music that makes a record a favorite.  My favorite records hold a significance and meaning that transcends the music itself.  Some represent a particular moment in my life that I flash back to the moment I hear them (or even think of them).  Some have stories attached to them that are unique to me and make them special.  This record does both.

When I was in middle and high school, every now and then I'd go with my dad to Boston and check out record stores.  There was Newbury Comics of course, where I scored lots of of awesome records (back when punk seven inches cost 3-4 dollars). There was also the now defunct Second Coming Records which specialized in punk/hardcore as well as other used record shops like In Your Ear.  During one of these trips around 2000/2001, we went into a bookstore in Harvard Square (I think) so my dad could look at books after having been so patient as we went from record store to record store.  I don't remember the name or the exact location, which is a damn shame because I never made it back there and I don't think it exists anymore.  Anyway, we entered this bookstore and I was thrilled to discover they had a very decent selection of used records.  I flipped through them, found some punk shit here and there but nothing too exciting.  Then this one record caught my eye.

I was very into old emo at the time and anything that looked remotely "emo" caught my eye (this led to some truly horrible purchases, but hey, that was the fun of record shopping -- a lot of hit-and-miss). The cover of of this record struck me.  Pretty dark and lonely, huh?  I did all the proper checking to make sure that this was in fact a hardcore record and not some sort of goth crap before buying it (along with a Danzig II promo LP that I sold on ebay like a fucking moron back in 2005).

When I got home and threw it on the turntable, I was blown away.  This was some truly great hardcore!!!  Strong songwriting, mostly straightforward introspective lyrics, and overall excellent production with a beefy guitar sound and clear bass that really shines through during the more melodic parts.  But don't take it from me.  Listen for yourself while I editorialize:
Extend your hand and help me to break free Excellent opening track that really sums up Encounter's sound: moshy, heavy hardcore with melodic leanings. If I had to compare this to another record, I'd say the first Lincoln 7" would be a good pick, as both records have a similar heavy east coast hardcore sound with nods to the budding emo sound at the time.  (In fact, Joel & Jason Jordan released the Lincoln record on their own Watermark Records, so there's that connection.)  They don't take the melodic influence as far as their NJ brethren Turning Point, and there is plenty of awesome riffing and driving hardcore to be found on this 7". Feign a stable reality but I can hear your cries Why can't you see through those walls and look into my eyes A melodic intro builds to one of my favorite riffs ever.   My voice - unheard My position - unnoticed Come on.  A slow moshy intro into a gnarly bassline into an awesome fast part into some short but sweet chugging and an awesome divebomb.  COME ON!!!!!

Their hate will not let me up

It holds me down

It holds. Me. Down!!!

Ok things get a little emo here.  There's clean guitar (awesome), it's over 3 minutes (not bad when compared to 7 minute emo epics) the lyrics are a little dramatic (what can you do?)...but still an awesome song and a good end to the record.  Listening to this record you can hear the different influences, and they really come together instead of working against one another.  The result is a distinctive style and a great record.

Aside from this record, Encounter released a couple splits and appeared on a couple comps, and managed to tour Europe.  The guitarist and singer (brothers Joel and Jason Jordan) would go on to form Rain Still Falls who played straightforward emocore.  They were good too, worth checking out if oldschool emocore with lots of octave chords is your cup of tea.  They definitely had both feet in the emo sound, as opposed to Encounter who only dipped their big toe in it.  

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Encounter's relatively short existence and limited output kept the band from leaving a stronger impression, and they are largely forgotten.  Redemption Records released an 8-song discography some time ago, but it's out of print.  The Redemption website mentions something about a possible reissue of some Redemption releases, but the last update was almost two years ago, so all of this stuff is out of print at this point.  I managed to find some other tracks that don't appear on the Redemption discography and I've compiled all of the tracks that you can download here.   and hear the songs in the meantime.  

If anyone has any flyers, photos, thoughts or recollections of this band, please feel free to share them here. In the meantime, thanks for reading and listening (or listening and skimming).  Hopefully this post gives Encounter some new fans, and for any old fans, a trip down memory lane and a way to hear these songs again without dusting off your old records.  If any band members come across this, thanks for the awesome music but I thank you especially for the special moment in that bookstore 14 years ago where I discovered my favorite record...and also made my best record shopping memory.  Until next time...

Encounter - Discography

Encounter - Discography

Encounter - Discography

Encounter - Discography

Encounter - Discography