Robotic Empire makes us laugh...really, we just can't take them seriously....not because of what they release (compare our rosters, we copy their asses all the time) and not because of who runs it (their teamleader Andy has been on our friends list since before we had internet access)...nope, it ain't neither of those things. It's because their birthname is Robodog...and for some strange reason they went and changed it years and years ago.

So for all you too young to know this, and for all of you too old to really care, we've got two things we want you to consider...the first being for our benefit, the second being for yours:

A) Email Lindsay and Andy and tell them Robotic Empire is a joke and that Robodog lives.

B) Go pre-order the boxset to end all boxsets...the item that made the HHR staff weak in the knees...the item that made us want to bear hug Steve and kiss Andy on the lips....the most comprehensive and excessive piece of work we've seen from an indie label in who knows how long....we're talking about the shit you see above....lots and lots and lots of a band we love more now then we did then....FLOOR.

The specs for this thing are like a 6 course meal: 10 x LP, 1 x 7", 8 x CD, 32 page booklet, exclusive shirt....or as the ad says "EVERYTHING". We want this and we already begged Andy for one. Well, we begged him for two actually.

This much Floor is a lot of Steve Brooks to take in, so we recommend you do it in spurts after you get this thing unloaded of the flatbed and wheeled into your play room...but be sure to take it from a team that knows, too much Steve is never enough. You see, we didn't really know Steve back in the Floor days...its during his more recent years fronting Torche that we started to fall for the guy....and now that we've fallen for him we just can't get enough. We certainly did know about him back when, or to be more specific, we knew about Floor way back when...they was all dirty and gross and still somehow sweet and lovely, like the fresh offspring of a pile of late 80's/early 90's bands that we're still not wise enough to name check appropriately. Lets just say Floor were pretty much kinda exactly like the sort of band you might expect a guy from Torche to maybe have cut his chops on when he was a wee metal lad floating through Florida's hardcore community. Steve wasn't the only dude in the band, but as far as we are concerned (and with no disrespect to our homies that played in Floor over the years) it was pretty much his band all along. And now, for a limited time, you can get all this Steve 'n Floor in one motherfucker of a boxset....

Way to much gushing from us, eh? Fair enough, its late and we ain't sure any of the above makes sense, so we'll shut up...here's the official word from Robodog and Floor:

FLOOR "Below & Beyond" Box Set pre-orders launched, eight previously unreleased tracks posted

It's pretty rare when a band comes along that creates something truly unique. Scarcer still are multiple standout recordings from the same group. Rarest of all is one who amasses a large body of work that varies greatly, yet consistently remains impressive.

Southern Florida's FLOOR were around for roughly 10 years and recorded well over a dozen times during their on-and-off existence. Nearly 100 tracks are the result of a decade of persistence amid overall underappreciation, and only in the wake of their demise did underground audio followers finally take note. Their huge body of work yielded only a handful of officially released records, and most of what the band recorded just collected dust in the vaults. Finally, everything ever laid down to tape by this truly ahead-of-their time(s) outfit has been compiled into one massive release.

From the living rooms and basements of 1992 to the studios of 2001/2002, FLOOR had an incredible evolution from the GODFLESH and early-MELVINS-inspired sludge worship, to the unrivaled sugary doom/pop amalgamation which would eventually pave the way for TORCHE, HOUSE OF LIGHTNING and others. The changes in sound from recording-to-recording means the sheer variation of style (and audio fidelity) witnessed throughout this collection is astounding, and when dating these recordings against what would eventually follow, it becomes crystal clear that FLOOR were consistently operating on that fabled "next level".

It is with great honor and elation that Robotic Empire is able to present the "Below & Beyond" Box Set. After many years in the making, FLOOR is finally able to conclude their existence with this extensive collection. Ten 12" LPs, one 7" EP, eight CDs and a (roughly) 32-page booklet of writings, photos, lyrics, artwork (and more) are all to be housed in separate jackets contained within a custom cloth-bound box. Each record comes on a different color of vinyl to match to the corresponding artwork, and two etchings accompany recordings that didn't have appropriate flipsides.

Robotic Empire is making 305 copies of this box set, and if the demand is there maybe more at a later date. It's hard to know what the response to this release is going to be, considering the band hasn't been active for over 5 years and had a varied fanbase during their actual existence... so 305 was the number chosen by the parties involved and 275 copies are now available to the public.

The price for FLOOR's massive "Below & Beyond" Box Set collection is $250 US. This is obviously a large amount of money, so as a way of thanking those who pre-order, an exclusive t-shirt is being included (with a design/style that's only available with this preorder). Because those purchasing this box set are spending a lot of money, Robotic Empire has built a website for those who order with the sole purpose of keeping purchasers informed on the status of the production.

A major personal thank-you is due to Anthony, Steve and Henry for braving everything that went into this, and for trusting us to finally do the band justice with this massive release. An additional thank you to everyone else who contributed as well (be it artwork, musicianship, moral support or otherwise), and to you for still being interested after all these years. Namasté!

ORDER @ ROBOTIC EMPIRE - ONLINE STORE:

PREVIEW TEN SONGS (eight previously unreleased) @ FLOOR'S MYSPACE PAGE