Endless Black Well of Despair

January 26, 2012. Hello everyone. Again, long time no hear from us huh?

I just wanted to take the time to update this for once in a million years, and let anyone know who may stumble across this, that we are still a band. -ish. We aren't playing any shows currently, but we do plan to get together again at some point. Probably not for a while, but it will happen. Write some more tunes, yell at a bunch of stone faces some more, you know the drill. For now, check out everyone's other bands:

Old Soul (Jimmy & Adrian make epic shit happen)

Clockwork (DJ plays bass and sings the pop-punk blues, Lifetime-style)

Cloud Rat (Rorik & Adrian grind your ears into oblivion)

We've all been busy with life, kids, work, etc. And these bands have all been very active. It's been hard to do anything with the Anchor, what with Jimmy living in Grand Rapids, DJ in Detroit, and Adrian & Rorik in Mt Pleasant.

Stay well. Read Discworld novels. And lots of good comic books (none of that superhero bullshit).

Disconnected split Tapes and a show in July!

Hey everyone! Long time no talk huh?

We here at the Under Anchor camp have all been extremely busy with work and other bands and kids and booking shows and hanging out with loved ones and what not.
But! The split w/ Disconnected cassettes are finally on there way here, so we can send those out to the folks who bought cd/posters, and have them at shows!

And speaking of shows, there is a really cool one coming up.

RINGWORM, PALEHORSE, IRON RAIN, UNDER ANCHOR, POISON TONGUES, EXPLODER. July 8th @ The Shelter in Detroit. BE THERE!

We are SLOWLY but surely writing some songs. Musically, we have two almost finished, and a couple more in the works. Lyrics will come later. Not sure what we are using them for yet. Maybe another 7". Maybe another full length! Who knows. We are just rolling with it for now. If it's an LP, don't expect to hear anything until next year.

Also, quite a while ago I had talked about doing a zine called Civil Dead. Well, it's still gonna happen. Just sayin. I take a while to do shit sometimes, but it will be out before too long.

Somebody else should update this thing too.

Go listen to Asva.

Rorik / UA

SPRING BREAK WITH GREAT REVERSALS!!!

Coming up March 10th - 13th we are headed out for a little jaunt through the Midwest and Southeast Central parts of the good ol' USA with our pals in the mighty GREAT REVERSALS. Pretty stoked for all of the shows. Especially the show in Toledo on the last day with RINGWORM. Plus it is POISON TONGUES' first show as well.

Other highlights include finally getting to see my friend Story's band SACAEA in Nashville, getting to see VETERANS again in Cincinnati, and Under Anchor playing in Grand Rapids for the first time in almost a year! Woohoo!

We will have new shirts for this tour, and also possibly some CDRs of our side of the Disconnected split with us. Haven't really decided yet. But yeah come out to a show, hang out with us, bring food, let's party.

It's good to get UA back out on the road. It's been since July 2010! Damn!

Much love.

New Lyrics

Disconnected Split (2011)

1. BLACK OCEAN

I have taken part in the leprosy,

Poisoning the earth ruthlessly in routine.

Please Gaia, forgive me for my sins.

Mother, I want to know and love you better.

But unfortunately I was born a man in this age.

Senses dulled, spirit dimmed, and mind subdued.

I can't seem to get in touch, can't know the planet.

Wandering disconnected and blind.

Please Gaia, forgive me for my sins.

Mother, I want to know and love you better.

And now, walking along the ocean shore at night,

I wade out until the water is at my chest.

I let the black waves crash over me,

And carry me out into the sea.

Oh, endless great Ocean, please swallow me.

I don't want to live apart from you anymore.

I don't want to live as a parasite any longer.

2. SS 'MERICA

How has this come to pass?

The metaphorical gun to the head of freedom has discharged.

Brain particles flew and planted themselves into the lawmakers heads.

And all of the blood flowed down into the veins of our "public servants."

Both parties are now livid and mad with freedom.

Freedom to pass whatever abomination of a law they choose.

Free. Free to harrass and to forsake any person they choose.

They have built a prison out of our borders.

How has this come to pass?

We have allowed the men with the guns to rule our lives.

We cannot allow this any longer.

Unite against the thieves or perish.

3. NO HOPE*

"Like a leper rotting in flesh, let all avoid me.

Like a cripple without limbs, let me not move freely.

Remove my cheeks, so that tears may not roll down them.

Crush my lips and tongue, so that I may not sin with them.

Pull out my nails, so that I may not grasp anything.

Let my shoulders and back be bent, so that I may carry nothing.

Like a man with a tumor in his head, let me lack judgment.

Ravage my body sworn to chastity, leave me with no pride, and have me live in shame.

Let no one pray for me."

For I rebuke the "benevolent" deities;

I curse those responsible for all creation, for I am cursed the same.

Let no one pray for me.

Instead, pray for the fire to cleanse this earth of our filth.

Open your eyes and open your heart.

Open your mind, and open your mouth to call forth the end.

4. BELLIGERENT UNIVERSE

The Creator must have been a fool.

No thoughts as to create a self-sustaining organism.

To live, one must consume. Energy must be expelled to exist.

The laws of reality are harsh and unjust.

Like how there's no such thing as a sure thing in this life.

"Except for death. Accept your death."

I can't quite grasp the idea yet. And now I'm losing it.

Why so much suffering? Why the frailty of everything?

Not much longer now and this planet is going to wipe itself clean.

In a belligerent universe with no right or wrong,

We are all fools.

5. LA VIOLENCIA

Strung up by his hands, With his legs bound to a chair.

Blindfolded, beaten and bruised. Dry blood crusted on his face.

Just enough water to keep him breathing for what seems like an eternity.

A life of misery in a dark hole with no way out.

He hears his tormentors enter the room. Fear builds in his heart.

They remove the blindfold from his head, And there stands his wife.

She is crying and bleeding, And he begs them to let her go.

They beat him to a pulp, and rape her while he watches.

This is not some random occurrence, And not a stretch from the truth.

Similar extreme atrocities are committed daily.

Political prisoners stuck in a world of torture and imprisonment,

With no hope but death.

And there is no such thing as justice. No cosmic karma.

No punishment or reward for deeds done in this life.

What so darkens the hearts of men?

I just don't understand.

6. FORBIDDEN LOVE

Forbidden to love whomever I please.

Made to feel shame for any other belief.

How ironic is it that in a "free country"

One cannot legally wed whom one chooses?

I can't accept this. I won't participate.

The most basic right that we should have is not ours to uphold.

No more hatred. No more discrimination.

If love is forbidden, where does that leave us?

A society of fear. Collectively empty and alone.

Exclusion brought about by religious indoctrination.

Insecurity created by alpha-male ideologies.

No more hatred. No more discrimination.

No more forbidden love.

* The first half of NO HOPE was taken from the film "Thirst" by Park Chan Wook.

No such thing as justice.

Hello everyone (to the few who might read this).
Winter is kicking my ass, but I'm hanging in there. I can't 100% speak for everyone in UA, but I'm pretty sure they are all doing all right. DJ is great I know. Jimmy and I share a house and are both living in poverty, and it gets a bit tough. But life goes on and there is a lot of work to be done and fun to be had. Adrian recently moved and seems to be doing well.

Shows have all been going great! Thanks to everyone for coming out and making good memories with us. I'm starting to get the tour bug again, so look out for some tour dates soon. I think we are doing a four day weekend with the mighty GREAT REVERSALS in late march. Come late Spring/early Summer, we will have a couple proper tours in the works.

Disconnected finally got their side of the LP recorded!!! Now we just need the artwork. That will be put into motion soon, and I'm guessing the record will be out in April. We have been talking about doing something cool for the record release, so keep your eyes peeled!

All right folks. That's it for now.
Go read Elephantmen. And Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities. And The Boys. And other good comics.

-Rorik

New Recordings Up!

Check them out in the download section. I realize it isn't 2011 yet, but that is when the record will officially be out, blah blah blah. Speaking of that, I hear that Disconnected's side is sounding fucking killer, and will be done within a week or two! Stoked! Now for the artwork...

We have a few shows coming up. A house party in Lansing on December 4th with End Trails, Damages, and Accidents. Bunch of plural band names, I tell ya! Then December 11th at Justice Records in Mt. Pleasant with Veterans (Cincy HC), Cloud Rat, and Xtra Vomit. Then January 8th at YE OLDE JAMESTOWNE HALL in Saginaw!!!!! FUCK YES! It's been over two years since I've been there. I'm pretty sure this will be only the second show there in two years actually. Here's a flyer for the road...

On a different note... Splatterhouse got remade for the PS3 and I'm probably going to play the hell out of it.

DJ Rules.

HOT.

In other Under Anchor news, Adrian (Cloud Rat, Old Soul, Quietus, Etc.) is now our permanent guitar player. He played with us on November 2nd at Static Age and fucking killed! Next show: December 11th at Justice Records w/ Daisycutter (Ft Wayne IN), Veterans (Cincinnatti OH), Cloud Rat, more. Get pumped.

Stuff, real quick.

Quick update: We recorded with Kevin Kitchel and it sounds fucking killer. Can't wait for the final Mix!
We are playing at Static Age on November 2nd w/ Run With The Hunted, Great Reversals, and End Trails. Come hang with us.
We will be booking for some tours for the next 6 months or so too! We are looking to go out with Disconnected, Sunlight Ascending, and some other friends.

Other news, I'm working on a new zine. Hopefully it will be ready in a couple months! I'm pretty damn excited about it, as this will be my first foray into zine-making.

So yeah, come and bring vegan food to the show on the 2nd. Be our friends. Love Love Love!

-R/UA

"DISCONNECTED AND ISOLATED. SICK OF THIS FUCKING WORLD."

I can relate to that a lot. Those are lyrics from Disconnected's demo, Isolated.
The time is finally coming. We are going to do this fucking split 12" LP with Disconnected.
We have six new songs written! And we are stoked! I still need to write lyrics for two of them, but that will be done shortly. We are going to be recording, hopefully in about a month. Keep in check.

We have practiced with one potential guitar player, and have another one learning songs as well. We will see how this pans out, but either way it is going to be great. Under Anchor will be back to playing shows within a couple months.

Fuck Arizona 1070B and all the other similar bills that are trying to be passed in other states, including Michigan.

-UA

Flip Flop Mosh 2010

There is no end, again.
Yes, friends. Under Anchor is no longer breaking up. After the last tour, we decided that we loved this band and each other so much that we want to continue making music together!
...though we will be taking a break from shows for a few months, to regroup and focus on writing and demo-ing new songs. In the meantime, sadly, we are parting ways with Derek, and are in the market for a new guitar player. If you are interested or know someone who would be, drop us a line.

Keep tuned in for a possible full length... and maybe that long-forgotten split with Disconnected...

Sorry for all the confusion. "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til its gone?" Or in this case, almost gone.

Here's to another 4 years!

Final Tour, Final Show.

Thank you to everyone who has been coming out to these last few shows we have played. Every show that we have played this year has been fucking amazing. I don't have the words to express how much this means to us.
On to news...
We are doing one final tour, and it is with our best pals Deathskin Razors. It will be a little bit like this:

July 1st - Toledo, OH
July 2nd - Buffalo / Syracuse, NY
July 3rd & 4th - Fest in Burlington, VT
July 5th - Boston
July 6th - NYC
July 7th - Philly
July 8th - New Brunswick, NJ
July 9th - Washington DC
July 10th - Pittsburgh
July 11th - Cleveland, OH

Something like that.
Also, our last show is going to be Saturday, September 11th 2010. Most likely at the Metal Frat in Ann Arbor.
The lineup at this point is:

Under Anchor
Deathskin Razors
Positive Noise
Disconnected
At Half-Mast (SC)
End Trails
Kenny's Band

We are playing a show in Lansing on May 7th, and then a show in Mt. Pleasant in June. These will probably be the last shows that we play until the final tour and show.
Also, be on the lookout for our good friend Andrew Truss' next issue of his zine, should be out in June. He is doing a pretty cool retrospective piece on Under Anchor.

Again, thanks so much to everyone for the past 3+ years of support.

Apparently, There Is An End.

Under Anchor will be disbanding sometime later on this year. We plan on recording a few songs that we have been working on, putting together a discography/farewell package, doing one more tour, a last show, and then finally a DVD after everything is said and done. The DVD will collect live footage of UA from the past four years, and maybe some video from tour and interviews.
We will have more info about all of the aforementioned things soon.
Thank you SO SO SO much to everyone who has supported us in any way. This has been such a rewarding endeavor.

In the meantime, make sure to catch us at our upcoming shows, as they will be some of the last that we ever play.

- R/UA

Frat Parties!!!!

Here are some pictures from the last two shows we played. The first two are from the Shai Hulud show at the Metal Frat 2/19/10. The rest are from the Vegan Documentary Benefit show at the Metal Frat the next week 2/26/10. Holy shit we're like the house band there now. But on the real, these were two of the best shows that I have ever been to, and that we have ever played. Such great times, good energy, fun fun fun. Thanks to Sami A. and Christopher N. for the pics!


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Shows have been great. People have been great. I really feel like the Michigan community has come together a lot over the past year or two. A lot of cool things happening right now. Mt. Pleasant alone has a cool bike co-op, a grocery co-op, a community garden happening in a month, the Mt Pleasant Free School, and a ton of cool local businesses doing great things. DIY shows at Justice Records have all been great so far.
And that is just small-town Mt P. Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, Traverse City, Bay City, and more all have cool things going on. I'm stoked!

In Under Anchor news, we are no longer doing the split with Disconnected :(
We really really want to, but unfortunately timelines aren't coming together. Disconnected already has their stuff recorded, and we are still writing. Maybe another time!
Sooooo, instead, we are now planning on doing another full-length. Hopefully record at the end of summer, early fall. Maybe have it out by the end of the year, maybe not. We want to take our time and write a good record, no rushing. It might take a while, but we are really excited about the stuff we have come up with so far.

Also, we aren't going on tour with Dire Wolf anymore. Damn. One of these days we will do an extended tour again, for now we will probably be sticking with weekends though.
Thanks to everyone who has been coming out and making all of these shows as amazing as they have been. DIY/Punk/Hardcore/Community/Etc. is alive and well!!! Woo!!!

UA

ILL LIFE.

Holy shit. Long time no update.

All apologies.

We have all been EXTREMELY busy. Rorik opened a record store, still does his crane job, and also started another band (Cloud Rat, recording this sunday, keep your eyes and ears open, it's good stuff). DJ has been working AT LEAST 60 hours a week, every week, and he also started another band or two. Derek has also been working a lot, and also started another band (really good Black Metal, no name yet). Jimmy was working literally day and night for a couple weeks (20+ hour shifts). God damn.

We have managed to play a couple shows and practice here and there. On the first of the year, we played at our wonderful friend Jimmy Lawson's house. This turned out to be one of the most fun, energetic, crazy fucking shows we have ever played. Jimmy's basement was literally destroyed. People were getting thrown through the wall, into the next room. Awesome.
Then we played at Rorik's new record store Justice Records on January 6th. Fun show.
Then we played in Traverse City with Cruel Hand. John Mckaig rules. Love Traverse City.

So. News.
We will be recording sometime within the next couple of months, for a split LP with our boys in Disconnected. We're pretty stoked on this new material we are writing, and the goal is to put Disconnected to shame, because we hate those guys.

We have some pretty cool shows coming up. February 6th in Muskegon at the Pothole, Vegan Potluck, w/ Damages, Duckbomb, Religious SS Disorder, Hedgemonicide, and Cloud Rat.
Then February 19th at the Metal Frat in Ann Arbor w/ Expire, Rattletooth, Iron Zombie, and a very special guest... trust me, you don't want to miss this show.

Also, we will be touring soon. February 27th - March 7th East Coast Tour with Dire Wolf. Woo!
Then April we will be heading out with Cloud Rat for a four day weekend. Dates will be up soonish!

Blah blah blah blah blah goodbye.

-Under Anchor

Wow.

The past month has been insane. Two weekend tours, Michigan Fest 2009, and the Peace Of Mind 7" is here!
Will expand more on all of this later. For now, check out our boy Mahlon from Disconnected's blog for a tour journal from the Disconnected/UA weekend Right Here.

Send us mail, order the new record ($5 +$2 Shipping), hate on us, whatever:

Under Anchor
1108 Arthur Ave
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

Really. Do it. Real mail beats e-mail a million times over.

We are going to be taking a break from shows for the next month. DJ broke his hand, everyone is poor, etc. We had to cancel our December tour. Sorry to everyone who helped us out so much. We will be headed back out soon enough though.

Hardcore lives!

MICHIGAN FEST 2009

This is a fest that Ryan (Positive Noise) and Rorik are putting on at the end of November. It also doubles as the Peace Of Mind record release, the Positive Noise/Xtra Vomit split record release, and a benefit for an organization that helps disabled people stay active. Come out! The show is donation-based!

Fall/Winter '09 Tours

We are doing some dates in November, a few with Deathskin Razors from Detroit, and a few with Disconnected from Toledo:

11.13.09 Ft Wayne IN w/ Deathskin Razors, possibly Daisycutter, more
11.14.09 House Show! 1108 Main St, Cedar Falls IA w/ Deathskin Razors and more tba!
11.15.09 House Show in Muskegon, MI w/ Deathskin Razors, Xtra Vomit, more
11.19.09 The Leathershop in Lima OH w/ Disconnected, Karloff. Iron Minds, Domestic Dispute, Pizza HiFive
11.20.09 The 1511 in Indianapolis, IN w/ Disconnected, Kata Sarka, The Sorely Trying Days, Deadmen, Medusa
11.21.09 The Albion House in Chicago IL w/ Disconnected, Boiling Over, Picked Clean, What The Fuck
11.22.09 Breast Cancer Benefit @ The DAAC in Grand Rapids, MI w/ Harm’s Way, The Killer, more tba
11.28.09 MICHIGAN FEST @ the Wesley Foundation in Mount Pleasant, MI

It would be cool to see some of you at any of these shows!

Also, still need help with our december tour, so if you can help out at all let us know!

12.04.09 Tour Kickoff
12.05.09 Milwaukee
12.06.09 Duluth
12.07.09 The House Of Wang w/ Me And You Crew, Ceiling Walker, Odd Man Out
12.08.09 Sioux Falls
12.09.09 Lincoln
12.10.09 Kansas City
12.11.09 St. Louis
12.12.09 Louisville
12.13.09 Columbus

PEACE OF MIND lyrics.

Midnight
Here is a man addicted and malicious
He cannot function without his fix
Just after dusk, he spots a woman and her young daughter
Walking home with groceries in their hands
Easy prey
He pulls a knife and puts it to her neck
"Unless you want to die, you'll do whatever I say"
Tonight, a woman is violated
In front of her daughter's eyes
Is this a man?
Spreading poison funded by the government
Fueling hatred and class oppression to a peak
Using fear as a tool to satisfy his wants
And gaining sympathy for leverage
Waste of life
Yes this is a man
Who belongs in the dirt

Oil City
Everyday is the same
His anguish is a consummate flame
Fueled by his family
Fueled by his shame
He can't recall anymore days of happiness and fulfillment
Numbed by society
Twelve-hour shifts consume his life
He takes a drink as he tries to visualize the face of his son
His boy was lost years ago in an accident on an icy road
He takes a gun and puts it to his head
This is his last night wishing he was dead
But out of the corner of his eye
He spots a newspaper with a strange headline
"Honor Killings = Supreme Injustice"
He reads the story of a young girl in Iraq
Murdered because of her love for a boy of a different religion
She was stoned to death at age seventeen
Stoned to death by her own family
And he cries "Please tell me that this is not real"
And he weeps, and he gets down on his knees
Overcome by sorrow, in shock and disbelief
He drops the gun and picks up the phone and calls everyone he knows
And he says "I am thankful for you"

Eyes And Teeth
A lifetime of suffering for a moment of tortured perversion
An epidemic of detachment rooted in the core of our culture
Sadness magnified by fear and disgust
Delusions appeased by infinite objectivity
I cannot forgive. I can't forget.
How much more can we take?
How many more victims of rape?
Picture a small boy confused and alone
Strong hands hold him down as he is penetrated
And through the rest of his life he will always remember
The fear, pain, shame, embarrassment, and helplessness
He will always carry these feelings.
Seeking justice through retribution
Seeking closure through execution

Death Incarnate
Why must I struggle to separate
Happiness from self-deception?
A sound mind from ignorance?
Contentedness from complacency?
Why can't everything be so simple like it was before?
Another day passes, another billion dead
Scraping the earth clean of life
And the rest of the world is too busy to notice
How much blood is collecting in our hands
So much death. So much pain. So much misery.
And most of my friends still don't comprehend.
What is happening?
Centuries of lies. They have permeated every facet of our minds.
Humanity is dead.
How do we redeem ourselves?

Reality Of Truth
We travel thousands of miles
We consume in hopes to enrich our lives
We discuss what we believe are profound truths
We spit in the faces of gods and their believers
And we love in hopes to fill the holes
In our hearts and our minds ( To break free)
In this world of deceit I have learned
To question everything (To break free)
And I struggle against the tide
Throwing fists and baring teeth
Crushing everything touching me
Surrounded by a human undertow
And every face is a face I know
We're all battered and bruised
And we're all alone
Searching for solace
Searching for home
Still searching for completion
Still searching for peace of mind
For the reality of truth
But why does it always seem as if
Nothing is real?

Peace Of Mind Preorder

Ok,
To preorder the record:

E-mail rorikb1@hotmail .com saying that you want a preorder package, along with your shirt size and your address.
For payment:
You can either paypal rorikb1@hotmail .com, or send check/cash(INCLUDE RETURN NAME/ADDRESS!!) to:

Under Anchor
1108 Arthur Ave
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

$17 if you need it shipped, $15 dollars otherwise (get it at a show, or arrange something else).

Here is the cover art: