New merch in Seventh Dagger webstore

Seventh Dagger uploaded some new items into their webstore. Check out latest merch from Domestic War, One Choice and some other dope stuff.

Pre-order new Unit 731 album 'Res Ipsa Loquitur'

Res Ipsa Loquitur is brand new full length CD from Unit 731. Ten full songs w/ cover artwork by Angry Blue. If you preorder you will receive an exclusive 11X17 poster of the cover art! Place your order here. Shipping late June!

The last issue of Will To Speak is out

Will To Speak Issue #3 has been available since May. Here's the official release info:
Guess what, Will To Speak Issue #3 is finally out, should be finished at the printer as I am typing this. Long announced, we did not find the time and motivation to finish the zine for a long time, but it's done now. Get in contact with us personally or through will.to.speak[at]gmail.com if you want copies.

In other news, this will probably the last issue of Will To Speak. Thanks for your support. Please start your own zine and go read some books too. Team To Speak.

Interviews with:
- Debaser
- Lewd Acts
- Seed Of Pain
- Ian Wiles of Dead & Gone Records fame
- Ghetto Josh / Hexed Clothing

Plus:
- Photo Exhibition (rabbitriot.net)
- Columns
- Book Club
- Austrian Band News

Purification package deal

Pre-order for Purification package deal containing Banging the drums of war CD and T-shirt is available via Hurry Up Records.

The Killing Fields - new album from All Out War coming in August

“Into The Killing Fields” is official title for new All Out War album which is scheduled for an August 31st release date via Victory records. Pre-orders have already started!

Thin Ice - Revelation Through Tribulation

Back to the Blood & Ink stuff... Here we have the brand new debut EP of Texas' Thin Ice. It was released a couple of days ago and it's available as a digital release, if I'm right... You can get it from iTunes etc. and you know that I think that digital releases are so lame but, hey, we are living in the internet era, get used to it (even though I'll never get used to it...).

So, if you like bands like Buried Alive (ex-Terror, you remember them eh?!) , Shai Hulud and Figure Four, then this is your shit! Go and load your iPod now!
Brutal moshy hardcore that kicks ass from 5 guys that still attend school, holy shit! Oops, I guess this is a blasphemy, as Thin Ice is a Christian band!
To be honest, I'm just kidding, even God would forgive my bad sense of humor. I've no problem with Christian hardcore at all. On the contrary, I really appreciate Jesus Christ's words...
Back to the music, Thin Ice rule, whether you like Christian hardcore or not.
The EP includes 6 songs of intense brutal, metallic, hardcore; one song is a huge 5 minute lasting instrumental one, that I really dig!
The artwork is fine, too.
All in all, a nice release.

Review by Apostolisxxxfrom World's Appreciated Kitsch blog
Label: Blood & Ink Records
Year: 2010
Band's website

Integrity - The Blackest Curse

It's been ages since 'To Die For' was released (2003) and Integrity are back with a bang. The band that defined, along with fellow scenesters Ringworm, the heavy metallic hardcore sound and created the unique Cleveland, Ohio style, delivers their 8th (or something) full length album.

There's also a shitload of compilations and tons of split 7"s (i.e. w/ Mayday, Psywarfare, Kids of Widney High, Hatebreed, Lockweld and AVM just to name a few...) in their discography that starts back in 1989, that's why I cannot count exactly their full length albums! So, after the release of the 7" Walpurgisnacht, 2 years ago, Integrity, suffering a lot of line-up changes during the years, decided to finish 'The blackest curse'. It took them almost 5 years to unleash it to the world. Don't forget that Integrity fell in hibernation, after the release of To Die For, and only woke up for the 2008 European tour with Converge and Coliseum...
Back in 2010... Deathwish released 'The blackest curse' a couple of days ago ...and holy fuck!
This is a masterpiece and one of the best Integrity releases ever! The band returns to that awesome mid 90s sound they built with 'Those Who Fear Tomorrow', 'Systems Overload', 'Seasons in the size of days' and other classics. The music is so intense that nails you down, while Dwid's vocals are sick as hell once more, singing about his favorite and personal apocalyptic issues, including thoughts, religion, mental illness and the likes.
It'll be a sacrilege to mention any influences etc. when speaking about Integrity. Because Integrity is the influence. All this metal / hardcore scene that exists nowadays, with all those overhyped bands, wouldn't exist if Integrity hadn't paved the path. Integrity created a whole scene and the irony in this story is that bands that have been influenced by Integrity (let's say Hatebreed, Converge, Rise & Fall) get way more attention than Integrity themselves ...
Nevertheless, 'The blackest curse' is a cornerstone in the dark & twisted metallic hardcore scene.
Watch out for their upcoming split 7"s with Rot In Hell, Gehenna and Vegas.
And if you ever find a copy of Jagged Visions fanzine no.2, grab it immediately; it includes one of the best personal interviews with Integrity's Dwid ever.

Review by Apostolisxxxfrom World's Appreciated Kitsch blog
Label: Deathwish Records
Year: 2010
Band's website

New Life Or Death album coming soon

Abomination is a title of the upcoming Life Or Death album. If you remember Sentenced, you know what to expect - bone crushing hardcore not unlike Merauder, All Out War or Cold As Life. The band has already posted 2 new tracks on their Myspace profile!

Billy Club Sandwich - Bottom of The Barrel

Born From Pain - Survival state of mind tour in Asia

Massage from the band:
Mid July we will embark on our last leg of the SURVIVAL STATE OF MIND Tour, which will bring us back to Japan and countries and regions like Indonesia, Thailand, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Uncharted territory for Born From Pain. We are looking forward to finally play more of the Asian part of the world and happy to do so before we finish writing and recording our upcoming new album. Come check us out here:

JULY 16th @ ANTIKNOCK, TOKYO Shinjuku, JAPAN
JULY 17th @ DAY TRIP, NAGOYA Tsurumai, JAPAN
JULY 18th @ SENGOKUDAITOURYOU, OSAKA, JAPAN
JULY 19th @ FIREBIRD, CHIBA Shinmatsudo ,JAPAN
JULY 21th @ BEIJING, CHINA
JULY 22th @ WUHAN, CHINA
JULY 23th @ GUANGZHOU, CHINA
JULY 24th @ ROCK SCHOOL HONGKONG
JULY 25th @ THE ROCK PUB, BANGKOK, THAILAND
JULY 27th @ BANDUNG, INDONESIA
JULY 28th @ TBA
JULY 29th @ MU CAFE, JAKARTA, INDONESIA
JULY 31th @ WEST BORNEO CULTURE, PONTIANAK, INDONESIA
AUG 1st @ SINGAPORE

Moving On - new album from Pay No Respect

The follow up to "Fear Profits Man Nothing" is finally here! "Moving On" is packed with 9 songs of intense and heavy hardcore. Compared to their previous material, picked up a pace a little giving the songs more vibe. Pay No Respect proved they got what it takes to survive on this crowded scene! For fans of bands like Terror, Your Demise, First Blood, No Turning Back, Death Before Dishonor or TRC. Order it from Spook Records (Poland).

Setback - new singer needed, new album announced

According to Setback's Myspace bulletin, the band is currently looking for a new singer. You can message them for more details and to see if you qualify. The band also announced that new album should hit the streets sometime this year!

Carpathian – Wanderlust Tour

You still got a chance to catch 'em on this tour:

June 18 The Fort, Brisbane AA
June 19 Thriller, Brisbane 18+
June 25 The Fitz St Ives, Sydney
June 26 Cambridge, Newcastle 18+
June 27 Axis Youth Centre, Queanbeyan AA
July 1 Next, Melbourne 18+
July 2 Enigma Bar, Adelaide 18+
July 4 Seaford Community Hall, AA
July 9 HQ Skatepark, Perth AA
July 10 Amplifier Bar, Perth 18+

Red Eyed Devil to drop debut album

Red Eyed Devil, new band with Everybody Gets Hurt members, have been busy completing they're new up and coming album "Consequence Of Time". There's 11 tracks on the album, 1 is an instrumental. It should be released some time soon.

Bully tape release

Bully has found an awesome, interesting and fresh balance of punk rock, power violence, and hardcore. This 9 song tape will come with a real DIY version of a d.l. card as well as instructions on how to use it. There is only 100 tapes (45 - Blue Tapes, 45 - Yellow Tapes, 10 - Green Tapes) so don't sleep on these! You can place your order here.

Madball to release 'Empire' in the fall

New York City hardcore legends MADBALL will enter Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida in July with producer Erik Rutan (MISERY INDEX, CANNIBAL CORPSE, GOATWHORE) to begin recording their new album, "Empire", for a late September/early October release via Good Fight Music.

"I think [having Erik working on the album] is a good dynamic," states vocalist Freddy Cricien. "We did the last couple records with a different producer, [but] he was busy, so we were looking for an alternative and [Erik's] name was suggested. I got to talking to him and I found out he has a hardcore background, and he's a big fan of ours. I was really sold at that point because although he does a lot of death metal, he's really eager to approach this in a certain way."

Freddy is also looking forward to utilizing Erik's rich history in production with metal artists, and his fresh outlook on producing "Empire".

"[Erik's] going to use bigger production, and I like that, but he's not going to approach it like a CANNIBAL CORPSE record because the vibe is different, and sometimes that dynamic works," says Cricien. "He's a guy that's used to working with different things but he knows how we want our stuff approached. Erik wants to make a statement with doing a MADBALL record because he's so into the death metal background.

"I'm really psyched about it, really excited.

"If [Erik] was totally oblivious to who we were and what hardcore music was, I'd be skeptical. But that's not the case at all. He's more diverse than his resume shows, at least from speaking with him personally. He's a solid engineer and he has the ear."

Regarding the album's title, Cricien states, "'Empire' will play off of the name. MADBALL has come a long way from being street kids to becoming very established in our genre, and even beyond the music. We're finally at a point in our life where we're taking control of our things, whereas before we didn't have control of some things or didn't choose to have control. We have the feeling that we've built a little empire for ourselves with our band, brand, and different endeavors." He continued, "We get this reference that we're kings of New York."

"There are plenty of awesome bands that have come out of the city. AGNOSTIC FRONT are the godfathers of New York hardcore, SICK OF IT ALL are one of the undisputed champs of the scene... we were always known as more of the bad guys, but now people are calling us the kings. It's not a title we gave ourselves and it's not that we call ourselves that, but it's just a term of endearment and respect that people use and it plays into the name 'Empire'.

According to Cricien, fans of MADBALL should expect the sound that they have always loved, but some evolution as well. "There's a certain sound that we're known for, and as much as we want to evolve with the times, we also have to keep in mind that there's a certain standard and integrity with MADBALL, and we have to preserve that," he says. "Real-deal hardcore kids totally appreciate that. That said, the foundation always has to be a certain sound, but we always bring new elements into our sound. There has to be some evolution. It might appeal to people outside of the hardcore realm, but in the end, it's going to be a MADBALL record."

Since forming in 1988, MADBALL has been responsible for some of the most important releases in the hardcore genre, from the seminal "Ball of Destruction" EP (1989) to the landmark albums "Set It Off" (1994), "Demonstrating My Style" (1996), "Look My Way" (1998), "Hold it Down" (2000), "Legacy" (2005), and their latest release, "Infiltrate the System" (2007).

Source: Roadrunner

Ruined Families

Ruined Families is one of Greece’s best upcoming hardcore / punk acts. They combine their Cursed influences with a lot of Integrity / Rise & Fall parts and some 90s emo stitches. ‘Four wall freedom’, their first LP, is about to be released in mid-July. I had an, all-around, interesting conversation with T.Z., Ruined Families’ vocalist and lyricist. Enjoy.

Ruined Families is one of Greece’s best upcoming hardcore / punk acts. They combine their Cursed influences with a lot of Integrity / Rise & Fall parts and some 90s emo stitches. ‘Four wall freedom’, their first LP, is about to be released in mid-July. I had an, all-around, interesting conversation with T.Z., Ruined Families’ vocalist and lyricist. Enjoy.

Hey guys! Wanna introduce your band to Hardboiled readers?
We are Ruined Families, an aggressive musical collective from Athens, Greece.

Are your families ruined or something? Why did you choose such a name and what’s the meaning behind it?
As a matter of fact, none of our families is ruined. Ruined Families is a name we came up with that we believe it reflects the band's sound and aesthetic to the world that surround us. It's a reaction to the society, the misery and the happiness, the security that is offered for free to some and taken violently from others.

You are about to release your first full length, called ‘Four Wall Freedom’, as far as I know. Give us all the useful information for it please.
Four Wall Freedom is our first music endeavor. It's the first 8 songs we wrote as a band. It's a record written in winter. The title itself is a paradox. Privacy is really important and sometimes what we do in four walls might never be achieved in huge spaces in modern cities. Four Wall Freedom is the secrecy, privacy, actions, words and worlds held inside four walls that each one of us creates.

Musicwise, I dare to say that Cursed are a big influence for you. Which artists (not just musicians) do you admire and why?
Without a doubt, i could say that Cursed is a huge influence for all of us as a band, a purely amazing band. If you asked this question to each one of us, you would receive 5 different answers. All I could say is that we're influenced by good music, but, as well by ideals and aesthetics of bands and artists.
Here are some names:
Nirvana, Francis Bacon, Celtic Frost, Interpol, Paul Thek, Guy Debord, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Jawbreaker, Jim Carroll, Orchid, Modern Life Is War, Jim Carroll, Jack Kerouac, Coen Brothers, Integrity, Woody Allen, The Smiths, Kiki Dimoula, Ryan Eggleston, Danzig, Friedrich Nietzsche, Dadaism, Catharsis, Charlie Kaufman, Sonic Youth, Poison Idea, Louis Althusser, Jacques Lacan, Lightning Bolt, Hannah Arendt, Walter Benjamin, Infest, Socialisme Ou Barbarie, Darkthrone, Benedict Spinoza, American Nightmare, Cat Power, Trial, Pyotr Kropotkin, Unbroken, Rosa Luxemburg, The Situationist International, Black Flag.

There’s a philosophical / poetic approach in your lyrics. What issues do you cover and what feelings do you wanna arouse to your listeners?
As a lyricist, I try to do an observation in the world. Paradoxes, the study of the obvious, the uncommon familiar, privacy, losing faith in man, love and god. The world is full of things we see, but, don't pay attention to; it's full of ideals, situations, looks, silences that can't be captured. What I try to do is to reproduce these moments with cheap grace.

Do you think that today’s hardcore scene is way too safe & predictable? What’s your opinion about all those overhyped bands and the non-ending clichés surrounding our movement?
People divide themselves, categorize and watch selectively. In our selective vision, we set microcosms that are mostly often bigger than the rest of the world to us. There are always right and false leaders, but, I believe that this only affects the masses. There are always masses even in subcultures, minorities and movements.

And after all… is hardcore / punk a movement? Or is it just another outlet for 18years old kids to unleash their frustration & energy and then throw up their ideals and follow the ‘tie & suit’ way?
Hardcore/punk is like a cave. A cave can provide you a shelter, some place to sleep and some place to rest. A cave also may be wet, cold, may be dark or may have wild animals willing to eat you.
If you want to enter the cave, you might not know what you will face, but, it's always an unpredictable place to explore, rest or breed -an interesting place- but, it always contains the element of danger and uncertainty.
What matters is how you get out of the cave, if you manage to do so.

The financial crisis in Greece is almost at its peak. Why do you think that this happened? And what’s the solution you propose?
The situation in Greece is really sad for the citizens. Unfortunately, we are all to blame, everyone in a different level of course. Politicians have taught the people how to act, then people act like the politicians themselves, but, in their own smaller worlds. It's a really difficult situation and it will get even more difficult. People need to get together and organize.

By the way, what’s your opinion about the Greek hardcore / punk scene?
Hardcore and Punk in Greece has some really good bands and people trying for the scene. Everyone who gives a slight inch for this scene deserves credit. Of course there are people bringing this back with attitudes, but, as a matter of fact everyone that helps, loves or hates in any way is always doing something.

Even if you are a brand new band, you will tour Europe next month. You are playing in Fluff fest, as well. Which countries are you going to visit and what do you achieve with this tour?
We are siked to do this tour. It's a first time experience for us and we're playing shows with some great bands, as well as Fluff Fest. This would never be possible without the help of some amazing friends. What we really want is have a good time and meet new people and places.

Thank you. Any last words or closing comments?
Be humble, be conscious, educate yourself, talk when you have something to say, say thank you.
Thank you.

For more info:
www.myspace.com/ruinedfamilies
www.ruinedfamilies.blogspot.com

The interview was conducted by:  Apostolis - World’s Appreciated Kitsch
Photography: danai | icon – www.pictureperfectsmiles.blogspot.com

Bully - Split

Bully is a hardcore/punk band from Tacoma. If you dig fast and furious hardcore you should dig this.

Blood In Blood Out - You Keep On Praying

New songs from Blood In Blood Out. Yeah, that's right - they're back and stronger than ever! Can't believe one could not like these new tunes...

Harm’s Way - No Gods, No Masters

Whoever said hardcore can’t be dangerous no more obviously hasn’t heard No Gods, No Masters by Harm’s Way. There are no cheap tricks here. The band gets down to the business straight from the start and does not let up right to the end. This EP is all about primitive, sinister, cold and raw hardcore spiced up with thrash influences done in the right way. Everything is presented with such force that your respect is taken for granted.

Some of the names that pop to my mind when listening to this are Integrity, Poison Idea, Discharge and Napalm Death, but it’s really hard to pin down what’s going on here. Musically, they can’t be touched. Their style is pretty much straight forward and they are taking no prisoners. Most of the guitar work is very catchy and the drumming is on point and marks up the music’s rhythm to perfection. The vocals are dark and vicious. This guy’s hateful and deep voice is capable of raising the hair on the back of your neck. I like the obscure sound of this and the dirty and cold production is fitting the music perfectly. Grim hardcore straight from the mouth of hell mingled with mid to fast passages and enough diversity to keep you interested all the way. I fail to find anything to dislike here. These dudes must rip on stage!

Author: Dloogi
Label:Closed Casket Activities
Year: 2010
Check out the band at their Myspace

Crackdown - Enough Is Enough

Agnostic Front, Mother Of Mercy and New Lows tour

September 30th Peekskill, NY – Popeyes Pub
October 01st Albany, NY – Bogies
October 02nd Allentown, PA – Crocodile Rock Cafe
October 03rd Cleveland, OH – Now That’s Class
October 04th Lansing, MI – Macs
October 05th Toledo, OH – Frankie’s Inner City
October 06th Milwaukee, WI – Mad Planet
October 08th Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
October 09th Des Moines, IA – House Of Bricks
October 10th Omaha, NE – Sokol Underground
October 13th St. Albans, WV – The Brickhouse
October 14th Washington, DC – DC9
October 15th Philadelphia, PA – North Star Bar
October 16th New York, NY – Santos Party House

New album from Terror to drop September 14th

September 14th is a scheduled date for North American release of “Keepers Of The Faith“, new Terror album. The album will see the light of day through Century Media. Here's an official update from the band´s vocalist Scott Vogel:

“This is the record we put everything we have into, from the music to the lyrics, the layout to the title and to the direct hand to hand street marketing approach, we are putting it all on the line. We took all the rules of what’s going on in the industry today and washed them from our minds. We wanted to capture those early days of hardcore. This is the record we were destined to make. This is TERROR at its best and I’m so excited to get this out and start touring surrounding its energy and passion.”

Blood For Blood is back for a tour in Europe

Blood For Blood will be returning to the stage with couple of shows in Europe later this year. The guitar duties will be handled by Billy Graziadei of Biohazard fame. The band issued the following statement on the matter:
“First off, we would like to thank all our fans for hanging in there over the last six long years. As of December 2010, Blood for Blood will embark on our first tour since 2004. Blood for Blood has agreed to join the Persistence Tour in Europe sharing a stage with long time friends Sick Of It All as well as other acts soon to be announced.

The decision to play again was not an easy one to make. Over the last few years we have tried time and time again to contact [guitarist & vocalist] Rob [Lind aka "White Trash Rob"] about a possible Blood for Blood reunion, but he has ignored every single attempt we have made. Therefore, we were left with no other choice but to find someone else to fill in for his BFB responsibilities. Now, let’s make this perfectly clear: We have no ill will towards Rob whatsoever. We wish him well and Blood for Blood will always be open to him.

That being said, we were left with the conundrum of finding a fill-in for Rob. After some careful thought we believe we found a perfect fill-in. We are pleased to announce that Billy Graziadei of Biohazard will be joining Blood for Blood on stage for Persistence Tour 2010.

Again thanks for all the countless emails and support letters from all our fans over the years. We are looking forward to seeing all your ugly faces again.

Skarhead cancels couple of European shows

Here's the official statement from the band:
"Due to unforeseen circumstances and matters beyond the band's control, we are all very sad to announce that the first couple of shows of the European Skarhead tour, which was supposed to start tomorrow June 18th 2010, are now officially cancelled.
Needless to say the band is extremely disappointed and want to apologize to all the fans who were looking forward seeing Skarhead.
Everybody is currently doing everything in their power to get the band to Europe as soon as possible.
We'll hopefully have a kick off day before the end of this week, and will get back to you asap with more news."

Bitter End / New Morality European tour 2010

07/29: Dublin, Ireland @ Life and Death Fest
07/30: Mol, Belgium @ Break Out Fest
07/31: Lichtenstein, Germany @ JZ Riot
08/01: Munich, Germany @ Sunny Red
08/02: Vienna, Austria @ Escape
08/03: Berchtesgaden, Germany @ Kuckusnest
08/04: Hamburg, Germany @ Rote Flora
08/05: Fredericia, Denmark @ Fredericia Hardcore Fest
08/06: Leisnig, Germany @ Sucks'n'Summer Fest
08/07: Essen, Germany @ Filled with Hate Fest
08/08: Hengelo, The Netherlands @ Innocent
08/09: Mannheim, Germany @ JUZ Mannheim
08/10: London, UK @ The Underworld
08/11: Nottingham, UK @ The Central
08/12: Newport, UK @ Le Pub
08/13: Canterbury, UK @ The Chantry Social Club
08/14: Ieper, Belgium @ Ieper Fest

Donnybrook Canadian Tour

7/31 Victoria, BC @ Victoria Arts Center (Van Isle Hardcore Fest)
8/1 Vancouver, BC @ TBA
8/2 Calgary, AB @ Albert Park
8/3 Edmonton, AB @ Avenue Theater
8/4 Saskatoon, SK @ Walkers w/ The Ghost Inside, Betrayal
8/5 Regina, SK @ The Buffalo Lounge
8/6 Winnipeg, MB @ Ragpickers

Smashrooms - The Wind Of Tomorrow

With The Wind Of Tomorrow from Italy owned Smashrooms brings 4 tracks of traditional hardcore which is aggressive and raw but still maintains some level of melody. It’s not the type of stuff I’d go out of my way to listen to but I’m pretty sure they will get a big and loyal following among the kids who are oriented more on the positive side of things and dig bands with political message in the lyrics.

With The Wind Of Tomorrow from Italy owned Smashrooms brings 4 tracks of traditional hardcore which is aggressive and raw but still maintains some level of melody. It’s not the type of stuff I’d go out of my way to listen to but I’m pretty sure they will get a big and loyal following among the kids who are oriented more on the positive side of things and dig bands with political message in the lyrics.

Author: Dloogi
Label:Epidemic Records
Year: 2010
Check out the band at their Myspace

Alea Jacta Est - Ceaser t-shirt

Caesar t-shirt from Alea Jacta Est in Useless Distribution webstore. Stedman t-shirt - 150g/m2 - printed in gold. And remember they've got new album coming!

Rise After Defeat - eagle vs. snake t-shirt

New t-shirt from Rise After Defeat designed by UomoTigre (Dagger Tattoo - Dagger Design). White, red and black print on white Fruit Of The Loom t-shirt. This item is a pre-order, the shipping date is June 20, 2010.

Backtrack, Fire & Ice, Dead End Path dates

7/17 Huntington, WV @ Fred Jr's
7/18 Indianapolis, IN @ The Dogo
7/19 Louisville, KY @ Keswicks Democratic Club
7/20 Kansas City, MO @ Scion Lab
7/21 Denver, CO @ Blast O Mat
7/22 Las Vegas, NV @ TBA
7/23 Oxnard, CA @ Sound & Fury
7/24 Oxnard, CA @ Sound & Fury
7/25 Oxnard, CA @ Sound & Fury
7/28 Tucson, AZ @ YCMA
7/29 El Paso, TX @ The Hideaway
7/30 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
7/31 Baton Rouge, LA @ TBA
8/1 Madison, AL @ The Venue
8/2 Atlanta, GA @ 585 Wells
8/3 Columbia, SC @ House Of Hardcore
8/4 Raleigh, NC @ Soapbox

Cold Snap - Bad Moon Rising 7" pre-order

ere's the message from Dead & Gone Records:
We are now taking pre orders for the last ever Dead & Gone Records release and it’s a great way to sign off. This band has got better with every release and every show. 'Bad Moon Rising' is progression from the 'Glaciers Incarnate' and the recent split with Cornered. Trust in us but listen to the title track here and get blown away www.myspace.com/coldsnaphc

Cold Snap have been working hard the past few years to develop their sound and hit as many corners of the island as possible. Spawned in 2007 from various ‘down south’ bands (dirty money, on thin ice, age of kali, out of hand) . CS delivers hard hitting NY style core and if needed reference points are Outburst, Breakdown, Crown Of Thornz. Mainland Europe is now in the bands sites with shows planned this coming summer. Anyone who saw this band at the RIP show on May 29th knows they are for real. Listened to BMR yet? Hard as fuck right? The Dirty South has risen once again

This is a split release with Carry The Weight Records (www.ctwrecords.com) check out their releases and upcoming hit list. This label is going place. Torch.
Help me out and buy this and buy it quick!

Thanks to everyone who has supported D&G over the years, everyone who bought records, designed flyers and merch, played on records and booked a show. Its been a very very good time. xxx

Pressing Info : 500 x Black, 200 x Black with yellow centre, 200 x Clear w/Grey, White, Yellow Splatter

www.deadandgonerecords.com
www.myspace.com/coldsnaphc
www.ctwrecords.com

Mother Of Mercy record Bridge 9 debut

Pennsylvania's MOTHER OF MERCY will enter the studio today to record their yet-to-be-titled debut album for Bridge Nine. Recording at Studio 4 with Will Yip (Blacklisted, Cradle of Filth, CKY), Mother of Mercy will be holed up Philadelphia for the next several weeks recording new material that "sounds like Only Living Witness and Megadeth", said bass player Drew Ferry.

He went on to say, "I'm personally excited to get back into the studio with Will. Gypsy recorded our Six Feet Under full-length there and it was quite an experience witnessing the stories of the history involved inside of Studio 4 as well as Will's current endeavors. Looking forward to seeing what we can do this time around."

Mother of Mercy released the critically acclaimed album III last year on Six Feet Under Records and has spent some serious time on the road alongside bands like Comeback Kid, Cruel Hand, Title Fight and more. Additionally, Mother of Mercy has played highly coveted sets at Chaos in Tejas in Austin, TX and New England Metal & Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA this past Spring. If their past work is any indication of what is to come from Mother of Mercy - raw, abrasive and dark metallic hardcore influenced by Samhain, Undertow and Obituary - their upcoming full-length album for Bridge Nine will be nothing less than stellar. Stay tuned for new music and news to be posted soon at www.Bridge9.com.

Alea Jacta Est - Morituri Te Salutant

Check out new songs from Alea Jacta Est upcoming album!

Forget Your Fears - Rugged & Ruff

"Rugged & Ruff" is the first extract from Forget Your Fears next EP called "This Distress Pushes Us To Rise" coming out this summer.

Upright - Face The Consequences

Upright was formed in early 2010. Demo '10 Cd is sold out, Tape version of the demo coming real soon on Street Survival Records. Split 7" with Foreseen coming later this year.

Danforth - Predator

Our Fight

Our Fight proves things are still going well in Cleveland scene with their powerful and aggressive hardcore, both in lyrics and music. While sticking to the principles of the genre, band's songwriting is awesomely honest and creative. Check out what Steve (vocals) had to say about the band, their music and Cleveland scene.

Name: Our Fight
Location: Cleveland Ohio
Active since: Feb 2010

How do you define your overall style?

We have a lot of influences from all over but really the only way to pin it down is just to say it's Cleveland hardcore. Cleveland has made a name for it's self over the years and we are just hoping to live up to that.

What's your goal with this band?

There hasn't really ever been a goal discussed. We have things we would like to accomplish like touring as much as possible and putting out music we're happy with want to hear ourselves.

What do you have recorded so far?

So far we only have a 5 track demo recorded that you can download for free or buy on cassette from us. We have just finished writing several more songs though and will be looking to put something new out by the end of the summer.

Can you give me a brief background on the band and what you guys are currently up to at this moment?

Everyone in the band is in one or more other active cleveland hardcore bands but i don't believe any of us consider it a side project. We all got together because in the current cleveland scene there are A LOT of bands but none of them were representing the side of cleveland that our fight is going for.

Lyrically what kind of themes do you deal with? What is the message you're trying to present to your listeners?

A lot of what i write about is personal. I've always believed in the philosophy "write what you know," so that's what i have stuck with. Everyone in the band is straight edge but that hasn't really entered into the lyrics just yet. Mostly what has been written about so far is loss of faith in god and people. I could elaborate on that more but it would go into some boring personal stories so i'll just shorten it to say that the world is full of shitty people with shitty ideas and they will do everything they can to make you like them. What i write about are my struggles with these people and my observations about them.

It's pretty obvious where the band's name came from. Starting Our Fight, did One Life Crew have a big influence on you?

This is something that i wish more people would research. Our Fight is actually a Confront song. We chose the name because the song speaks against racism. OLC did play this song as well but it was written by Confront and will forever be a Confront song. I have a hard time comparing anything we do to OLC because of how much i disagree with most of the things they stood for. That being said, musically the idea of Our Fight was to take a lot from Confront and early One Life Crew style hardcore, but we ended up abandoning that by the first practice and just started writing what we wanted to without any guidelines really.

The Cleveland sound is a brand and there are lots of bands all around the world trying to capture this sound. Being from clevo what's your perception of this? Does it make you proud in any way? Do you follow any bands in this trend?

I think it's pretty cool that people are catching on the cleveland sound more and more lately. It has made for a lot of integrity and ringworm knock off bands, but as long as you recognize your roots and where it all comes from i feel like there is no harm done. It does sort of give a sense of pride that so many people are recognizing the cleveland sound now, but even if they weren't we'd all still be proud to be from here and making music that represents our city. It's kind of hard not to follow some of the bands that are putting out cleveland style hardcore these days. Bands like Crucified and Rot In Hell have had my attention for a while.

When asked about Cleveland every hardcore kid will say Integrity, Ringworm, One Life Crew and In Cold Blood. Are there any bands from over there that you think went underrated but were as much important to the local scene?

I think when you say that most hardcore kids know about In Cold Blood you are assuming too much. Many people I've run into have never heard of them and that is a shame because they were such a great band. But the biggest area of Cleveland's history that goes overlooked is what we had going on in the early 80's. If you read "American Hardcore" by Steven Blush, in the back under regional hardcore acts the whole state of Ohio is pretty much left empty. But there were some great bands form Cleveland back then. (The Guns, The Plague, Zero Defects, and Starvation Army to name a few) also there are a few other bands from later on that were really great such as: Confront, Committed, The Final Plan, Grudge Match, Pale Creation, 9 Shocks Terror, and False Hope. I could go on forever but I've already said too much.

And what about the new generation of bands. What are some hardcore bands that are making noise right now in Cleveland?

Cleveland has a pretty tight knit scene right now that we are all proud to be a part of. All of the members of Our Fight have other bands and we are close friends with many more bands from the greater cleveland area. If you want a list, here you go : Search Bloc, Mad Minds, Masakari, Basement Boys, Horrific Dick, Wind Of Death, Rid The World (rip), Mammals (rip), and Ghost Breeder. There are a lot more that im forgetting but you get the picture.

What's your pick for best hardcore release of 2010 so far?

The album I've been sweating the most that has come out this year is actually "The Prophet Feeds" by Masakari. We are really good friends with these guys and share a guitar player but even if that wasn't the case this album would blow my mind.

Check out band's Myspace.

Ruckus

I've been fan of Ruckus since their debut for BDHW Human Pollution and still consider them one of the most inventive and exciting, yet underrated hardcore bands of the moment. The split with Xibalba and World Of Pain is one the way so this and other topics are discussed in this interview.

I've been fan of Ruckus since their debut for BDHW Human Pollution and still consider them one of the most inventive and exciting, yet underrated hardcore bands of the moment. The split with Xibalba and World Of Pain is one the way so this and other topics are discussed in this interview.

First of all, could you tell us what’s been happening with Ruckus since The Human Pollution came out?

We've been playing tons of shows since then. We did two short tours. One with Rotting Out/Creatures/Expire and the other with the legendary Merauder. We'll also be playing SOUND AND FURY this summer. Also as far as new music, we released a two song demo since then, which was supposed to be a split with Life In Chains.

You’ve got split CD with Xibalba and World Of Pain in the works. Can you tell us something about it? How did you hook up with the rest of the bands on it?

It could be the heaviest split ever created. I've known all the guys in both bands for a while because of old bands we were in. It should be out by Sound and Fury. We're just waiting on the artwork.

How would you describe your part of the split? What people should expect from the new songs, both musically and lyrically?

Well the other two bands are a lot HEAVIER than we are, so we tried to match them a little bit to not sound out of place. 3 out of 4 of our tracks are easily our most metal-influenced songs. The lyrics are a bit more about real life than religion and social bullshit. For example; the song "Domesticated" has to do with hating the daily grind of life, and the song "Below My Law" deals with statutory rape.

One of the things I like about your band are lyrics. How do you go about writing them and how important are they to the complete song writing process?

When we originally started the band, it was just my brother and me. Half the lyrics for the Human Pollution record were already done before Jacob joined the band. Since then he has written 90% of it, and they have been more real and personal to him rather than me just trying to write "hard" lyrics.

You guys stick with the heavy side of hardcore. What is the response to your music from the metal crowd?

We haven't really played to a metal crowd, but we have played one or two metalcore shows, and we seem to do well with them.

Being in the hardcore band can be a grind! Do you find it hard to balance school or work with playing? What drives you to keep on doing what you do?

I took this semester off from school to juggle all my bands, so yeah it can be tough. Shows and tours ultimately make it worth it. We love playing live.

Doing my research I haven’t found much about the band in terms of history, reviews or interviews. Do you feel that the type of bands like yourself tend to get ignored by fanzines, webzines and media in general?

We haven't been asked to do interviews much. This may be our 3rd one if that. We do have an article in the upcoming INVASION MAGAZINE though, which is great. We're glad Ama takes the time to notice smaller bands. I see other bands our style getting lots of media attention too like Backtrack, Foundation, Harms Way and Creatures. It could just be that we don't really get noticed, which is ok. We're not here to impress anyone. If people notice us, cool... if they don't... fuck 'em.

What’s your perception of the hardcore scene nowadays?

I think its stronger than ever. Even the worst venue in our area is picking up and doing shows correctly. The bands our style are infinitely better too. In 2005 a "hard" band had to have 20 open-note breakdowns to get attention.

How often do you play shows and what is the crowd reaction that you’re most happy to see? Are there any shows that stand out as especially memorable?

Our songs are clearly built for pitting, so thats what we like to see. The first time we played Las Vegas, people were moshing with trash cans and bats. It was wild. Another memorable show was our Gilman show with Merauder. It was the only time we got a reaction to the Carnivore cover song that we play.

Before we finish, could you share some of your plans for the rest of 2010? What are the chances of you touring Europe?

We're playing Sound and Fury, and probably doing a short tour in the Fall to support the Earthquake Split. We will definitely tour Europe next year. It was supposed to happen this summer but it fell apart. Also we'll have a new 7" coming out before the end of 2010, as well as collections-type CD for Europe with all our newer stuff on it. We

Thank you for your time! Any last shout outs? Anything you would like to add?

Thanks for taking time to check us out. If anyone is interested, Colin and I have a side project called TWITCHING TONGUES. You can find us pretty easily by googling it. Everyone also needs to listen to Foundation, Harms Way, Creatures, Expire, Alpha & Omega, Xibalba, Expire, Rotting Out, Type O Negative, Only Living Witness and Carnivore.

Ruckus at Myspace

"First World Collapse" EP from Ashes Of Betrayal

When musical aggression, brutality and speed meets a pissed-off, critical socio-political and thoughtful mind approach... then comes Ashes Of Betrayal new "First World Collapse" EP. 5 fierce sentences of guilt against the First World Order burned and forged into a Slayer-Arkangel-Liar musical style. Out now on Strikedown Records.

Pacto de Sangre album Sangre Joven available now

Pacto de Sangre album Sangre Joven is now available on Useless-Distribution. 10 Tracks of pure Andalusian Beatdown, 2 vocalists and earth-shattering breakdowns…

New album from Alea Jacta Est will drop late June

Alea Jacta Est will release their new album called Gloria Victis late June on Useless Pride Records. It will feature xGerardox (Nueva Etica), xGuiguix & John (Through My Eyes). You can place your pre-order here.

Lazare to drop debut EP this June

Debut EP from Lazare containing 4 tracks will be avaible on June 19. The band will have release party in Rouen with Providence and Out for the Count. Watch out for an uncompromising hard band with a pounding underground attitude, that's so rare these days not to be mentioned!

Cold Existance MCD finally available

Hailing from Sin City Las Vegas, the SOSF Crew four-piece is ready to kick your ass with their angry, frustrated, filled-with-hate, pissed-off Old Style Hardcore. This output delivers all must-haves of a good traditional Hardcore record. Plain brutal music, raging vocals, breakdowns, crew-shouts and non-nonsense lyrics. People, going nutz for bands like old BLOOD FOR BLOOD, SHEER TERROR, NEGLECT, MADBALL and MERAUDER will dig this shit. And as a highlight COLD EXISTENCE recorded a cover-version of the D.R.I. classic “I don´t need society”.

Nothing To Regret / Still Alive split CD out now

Four new songs from Still Alive and five from Nothing To Regret. You can pick up your copy from Marked For Death Records, Caboose Recordings, Filled With Hate Records, Good Life Records, Retribution Network and through some other labels and distros!

Break The Boundaries from Renegade out now

Renegade was formed mid 2009, By the end of 2009 they had certainly made a name for themselves in the western Sydney area. Now in 2010 their debut Ep "Break The Boundaries" is out on the streets now! Check out their webstore for merch and music.

Life Of Agony limited pre-order

During the next couple of weeks you can pre-order the "20 Years Strong | River Runs Red: Live In Brussels" release with an exclusive "20 Years Strong" t-shirt for only 19.99. A beautiful digipak package, with foldout poster, holding a full length CD and DVD of Life Of Agony's 20th anniversary performance in Brussels, Belgium. The DVD also features bonus material and the "20 Years Strong" documentary.This is a limited and exclusive offer so take advantage of this great opportunity today. Place your order here. Pre-order ends on July 9th in Europe and July 16th in the rest of the world.

Killing Time - Three Steps Back

Well. 14 Years later, we have a new Killing Time. I wanted to put this in before the interview, so as to eliminate all bias. Here we go. Overall, this music kicks ass. That could be the review: plain and simple; direct and blunt; no frills - like a Killing Time album.

The songs are all under 2 min; no emo singing, no experimentation, no post-hc influence, no gimmicks, no leaps of faith. The fact that they are the original 4 plus one - solidifies this classic ensemble. (Anthony Comunale, vox; Carl Porcaro, gits; Anthony Drago, drums; Rich McCoughlin, gits; Chris Skowronski, bass)Responsible for the first Breakdown material, Raw Deal demo, and the Hall of Fame "Brightside" lp, this line-up has written music together for 25 years. And it comes across with a blistering slap as they synchronize seemlessly. The production holds the tough feel, while leaning towards a crisp sound that lends itself to each individual's actions and a cohesion that melds indistinctly. This lp is mixed so well. I can pick out the bass, which frequently deserves the spotlight. Nothing is done on those four strings by the numbers here. Decisions in writing and in mixing let the nuances perk up with flair. The guitars play well together. Often, we have a solid, focused riff; while simultaneously leaving space for the lead to play around and wander. Vocals are flawless. Not aged one bit. No stupid ass singing. Just a spoken, fierce delivery of throaty sage to explain what's fucked up with this world and the ugly ways in which people interact with each other.

To do the "for fans of" thing; in case you are new or haven't tuned into Killing Time in 20 years... First off, i think of the much younger, Philadelphia based
The Virus. The vocals are dead on and the music is the same. Anyway, since these dudes sparked this style, lets compare. Think Ag Front- LAJFA/One Voice. Murphy's Law fast spite and spunk mixed with Inhuman's stark stomp with a dash of Cro-Mags. True NYHC. Think Poison Idea - BVBO/FTD and The Pist. Maybe KYI hopped up on steroids and sarcasm. Maybe Bane and The Wretched Ones have a quickie in the men's room while MOD watches? Think when NRSV plays a 'catchy' song... i don't know. Did you get Colletti's "Loved & Hated' or the mighty Against the Grain? This is like just a step away from that. the perfect amounts of Terror mixed with Gorilla Biscuits. Anyway - if you like any of these bands, kneel and pay homage to Killing Time.

This is a true collaboration, all members are credited with music and lyrics; coupling up and writing solo. A true group effort.

This isn't "Brightside Pt II". But it isn't "The Method Pt II" either. This album would have felt like the natural, gradual step in between the two. There is a maturation in this album, but there are tons of "Brightside" moments. More than moments, this is actually pretty akin to "Brightside". There's no denying that these guys honed in on the 'method' or, er, sound, that they created. This album could have been recorded in '88. Rest In Pieces/AF/Breakdown/Killing Time feel, through and through. There are some metal parts, some rock parts, mostly punk parts; but they are all liberated by the heavy hardcore that these dudes originated. Killing Time has grown, but not changed.

welcome back.
thanks guys.

1. "Flight Plan" kicks right in with a straight 4/4 drum beat, quick riffing, and some screaming guitar. Anthony Comunale comes in with his voice in the same exact shape as any other KT output. the riff is heavy and fast. This is pure NYHC. No apologies. at 1:20, we get a vicious breakdown that rivals any band of kids that grew up on this shit. The lyrics are peppered with a refrain of "fuck them!". It is a phrase that is a flippant response to anyone that might degrade those of us that live a hardcore/punk lifestyle; eschewing all the benefits of productive responsible lifestyles. We get some pretty damn good benefits out of this life. Tangible, visceral ones that feed people's desires that they do not reflect on til they fuckin retire.

2. "Spaceheater" jumps right in with NYHC old-school flavor; a touch of late '80s but not too crossover. Some slow sludgy parts provide a nice kickboxing soundtrack in between the comfy riff that propels the fast parts. This is classic.

3. "24" jumps in with a quick riff that is laid with what is followed by a dissonant lead the elevates the tune. The drums pounds away with speed. This tune is a touch more punk. It has a bounce to it. This tune blazes by at 1:44, not a second wasted. The vocals bounce with the sound; and gang chants are added to bring that punk feel home. Amazing.

4. "Cropduster" continues on the hardcore punk trek. We get beaten with a pummeling, gritty beat and moments of the bass being jiggled at chaotic speeds. A clean riff carries the song through what we want; 2 quick verses and then a rolling breakdown with gang chants. It picks up and builds at the end to culminate into an exhausted exhale.

5. "Mingus" comes in with a punky-new school gallop that has me dancing in the mirror. i can see the kids running side to side and picking up change. A nice nod to the 2000-era bands that expanded on KT's sound. Every thing comes full circle, i guess. It has depth with the guitar lines. There is more going on in this song. Adding to a youth crew feel is a presence in the bass that grasps the listener. The lead guitar is allowed to go astray more and is featured. While, it is not something i always look for in my HC - it certainly does not detract.

6. "The Accident" a good mid-level stomp. the drums really push the bass, which is promoted in this mix. it diverges off the simplistic path and adds a level of groove to this joint. The vocals are fierce and contemplative. there is a catchiness to the main guitar line, especially in the chorus that will get you singing along. The bass lays this foundation well. The leads, again, add little squeals that will have Carl from ATHQ basking. "We've all been searching the wreckage" is chanted at the close and provides a nice coda.

7. "Rope A Dope" This tune leans more towards that punk hardcore feel. Not Bad Religion catchy, but Murphy's Law. All the instruments meet a nice middle ground. Each is allowed to shine and titillate in the mix , while they all complement and yield to each other. There are two parts that step back a touch - dying for a cavalry of sweaty bald guys to pick up change! and i will be right there. good shit.

8. "Inheritance" my first reaction to this was that has a splash of 'rock' in it. I mean, it's a hardcore song. And not like a Brookyn Biohazard/LOA groove, but just a little more rock than other tunes. Listening to it again and again, the parts in this have a down stroke feel to the riffing, a retarding effect, almost. it allows us to catch the riff and dance. Its good. it is a nice pause.

9. "Half Empty" No resting! Let's go! Speed picks right back up wit this one. and a chorus of chants ("Half Empty!") rest on a fierce gallop of drums and bass, as we forge a path of ash from the suckas that stood still. Boom! A solid breakdown in the middle lands expertly. Which then picks right back up to cruise throughout the rest of this strong song. Probably in the top 5 of the album.

10. "Lookout" yeah. you should. Pile on right away. Music and gang vocals paint a picture of the singer getting forgotten under like 50 kids on the edge of the stage. AC emerges from the crowd to growl over the bouncing, wiry riff. Drums concretely establish the standing beat, over which all of the instruments convene to add to the frenzy.

11. "Crouch" ..."don't be a pussy, boy!" yeah. Don't. Jump up and do your own thing. This tune crushes.

12. "AKB" Somehow they lifted a 1987 Anthrax stomp for this. it works. "Everyone's out to get me!" and "Leave me Alone" are the constant repetition of these lyrics. And the metal riffage adds to the paranoia. There is a quick, but crisp bulky breakdown in the middle. The song is harsh and tough. perfect.

Review by Hutch from Empty Hands blog
Label: Dead City Records
Year: 2010
Band's website

Suburban Scum - Internal War

After impressing demo I’m glad to say that Suburban Scum have pumped out some nifty shit with their debut album. It’s pretty much amazing how they managed to pack so much hostile, grimy and anti-social vibes into such a short record.

The musicianship is top notch and the compositions are equally skilful put together. The guitars lay down a wall of sick riffs while the drumming is downright punishing, creating very brutal songs that never go down in intensity. The songs are far more diverse than your average hardcore band without using any of that clean vocals or metalcore bullshit. They don’t go over the top with song writing though, they just keep it stripped down and vicious and that’s the way I like it. There isn’t a weak track on the album and somehow their brand of hardcore is more vibrant than anyone else’s in the same bracket. I’ve heard a lot of people comparing them to Trapped Under Ice and I could agree to some extent, but they definitely have a style of their own. I also gotta mention the awesome front cover and the whole package of this CD in general. It makes it worth investing your hard earned money into this then just downloading it off Internet.
This record is one of the best examples of what I think is one of the most promising areas in hardcore today. From old school to new school, from mosh to circle parts, Suburban Scum fuses all these elements together with skill and a sharp eye for detail so the outcome is nothing but one of the best albums I’ve heard in recent months. Hardcore is once again reckless and antisocial!

Review by Dloogi
Label: Ride The Fury
Year: 2010
Band's website

Purification reunion tour

More dates tba!

17.07 Rohr/Hartberg – Burning Season Festival (AT)
23.07 Plzen – Fluff Fest (CZ)
31.07 Aachen – Musikbunker (GER)
02.08 Paris – Pixi (FR)
03.08 Zurich – Dynamo Werk 21 (CH) + FIRST BLOOD
04.08 Augsburg – Circus (GER)
05.08 Mannheim – Red Box (GER)
13/15.08 - Ieper Fest (BE)

Deez Nuts signs with Mediaskare Records

Mediaskare Records has officially signed a North American deal with Australian hardcore/punk band Deez Nuts. Fronted by ex-I Killed The Prom Queen drummer JJ Peters, the band's latest release, "This One's For You," will be available later this summer (the effort is currently available in Australia via Roadrunner Records).

Pushed Too Far

Pushed Too Far from Belgium have just released their third album, Up For Grabs, and if you like hardcore done raw, check it out! Here's something on new album, hardcore, band's plans for the future and life!

Pushed Too Far from Belgium have just released their third album, Up For Grabs, and if you like hardcore done raw, check it out! Here's something on new album, hardcore, band's plans for the future and life!

I’ve heard the new tracks from the upcoming record and I am most definitely digging them. Could you tell us how representative are these songs for the rest of the material?

They are very much representative, though some songs on the album will be a little bit darker, slower or faster, there's a pretty good variation on the CD. Two more tracks have been posted up our myspace, so go check them out and let us know what you think of them!

What would you say is the biggest difference between the your previous releases and "Up For Grabs"? What’s the direction you’re going with for the album?

For most people the biggest difference will probably be the change of vocals. But nevertheless the rest of the music has changed too, the easy "beatdown"-parts have made way for another way of releasing the anger, more in the breakdown direction. I guess we simply matured...

What are some musical influences that have shaped the band over the years? Who are some hardcore bands that you look up to?

Different bands will come to mind, ask any of us this question and you will hear 5 different answers, but if you ask me, I'd say Madball, Bulldoze, Judge, Ryker's and a slice of Skarhead! As for bands I look up to, that's a hard one, since there's so many to mention, but I'll try to keep it brief. Madball & Biohazard, for getting me into Hardcore, Krutch & Judge, for the aggression, Neglect, Blood For Blood & Sheer Terror, for the nihilism, and Next Step Up, just for being Next Step Up. Also mad props to No Turning Back for doing what they do, haven't seen much bands living it like they do!

What about the lyrical content? Is there an underlying theme you’re trying to stick with?

Well, not really, though some things do come back. It's about what we see & do, what/who we love & don't, it's about Hardcore, about being betrayed by friends, it's the way we see the world...

Do you get political in your songs? How important do you feel it is for hardcore bands to speak out about political movements and ideas?

The only song a little bit about politics would be "Bread & Circuses", and it's mainly about how it doesn't do a lot for us, and tries to keep us blind from the real problems in the world. I mean, we are from Belgium, and our federal government just fell, because they couldn't agree what language people need to speak in an area around Brussels about 20KM2... We have a worldwide crisis, growing poverty and unemployment, racial problems... You'd get disappointed in politics pretty fast then. The newest scandal here is about religious people molesting little children, and they don't even get prosecuted for it, they even get to keep their pensions, because it happened more than 5 years ago... But still, even without a government worthy of the name, this country has been going on for 3 years, with the rich getting richer, and the poor just trying to get by... I don't think Hardcore should be (only) about politics, but it's not a bad thing to see the bigger picture every once in a while, and getting your views out.

The guest list on the album is pretty impressive. Who you got on the album and how did these collaborations come about?

Well, it's a long list for sure, and we all choose them because they have been friends of us for years. Tito from Surge of Fury sings on two songs, and he mainly is one of my best friends, the same goes for Buske from One Step Beyond, when friends become family there's really nothing much more you need. We also have BartV from For My Enemies (RIP), who we did a tour with last year, Andrew from True Valiance (UK) because he became a very good friend, Maarten Trail of Hope, who has been supporting us for years, and Joeri from Enough Said & Gebo from Strike With Vengeance, the new blood! Nicho (our guitar-player) does a few lines too, and the backing-vocals have been done by 30 people I guess, just because it was fun to all hang out at High Lake Hill Studio!

What’s your label situation? Who will release "Up For Grabs"?

The album will be released on our own label, Clenched Fist Records, which has already put out all our previous Cd's, as well as a few others. We discussed looking out for another label, to maybe get a bit more exposure or something alike, but in the end Hardcore still is, and always should stay, DIY. Most of the new bands try to get on a label as fast as possible and think they will conquer the world because of it, but when you do it yourself, the satisfaction is much bigger.

What are your expectations for the CD when it comes out?

May it crush everybody! Seriously, we hope a lot of people pick it up, and like it as well. We've put our heart in this, and we feel like this is the best one yet, so we sure are proud. As far as downloads go, because it's a soft spot in the current music industry, we certainly prefer people buying our CD, though we realize it might be hard for some people. But still, nothing compares to having the CD in your hand, seeing the artwork (done by Joe Glorybound Tattoos & BSK_NMC) and putting it in your radio. I personally take a lot of pride in my ever-growing Hardcore collection (+1200 Cd's, records & tapes).

You’ve gone through some line-up changes lately. Who are the new people in the band?

Since the last CD the only change has been on the vocals. Our previous singer decided is was time to take a turn in his life, and DMZ filled in the spot! But this is also the first CD written with all of us together, since Nicho only joined the band right before the previous CD was written.

And how did Pushed Too Far get together in the first place?

It started out in 2003 as just a few kids that needed to let some steam off, and after 1 year and a half a demo-tape got released, ever since Pushed Too Far have started and kept playing shows all around. A half year later a mini-cd got recorded, but things only started to go the way they were supposed to after the release of "The Anger" full length. In the beginning there wasn't a very big scene at this part of Belgium, certainly not in the "Beatdown"-style, so we played the H8000-area regularaly (had some of the best shows with Retaliate RIP and Die My Demon RIP), it was only after "The Anger" got out and a few other bands started (like Johnny Unstoppable) that things over here got going. After that, we took a second guitarplayer, which did a great deal to our sound, and released a split-cd with Point Of View, shortly followed by another full-cd called "Fools Never Move On". Now last year the original vocalist left the band because of issues with his girlfiend, and we replaced him by DMZ, who had been following PTF since the beginning. We released another demo, and now this year we got our newest full-cd out, entitled "Up For Grabs"!

When you look at the scene, what do you think hardcore is lacking?

Dedication, respect & history. People tend to forget what has happened in the past, and what people have sacrificed to get the "scene" to where it is now. With more respect, downloading wouldn't be such an issue, since you would simply buy what you like, knowing the band didn't make it for free either. People wouldn't trash the venues, leaving their garbage at the door and harassing neighbors. And dedication, because a lot of people just get into it, and drop out a year later, when they hop on the newest trend. It takes dedication to be in a band, ask anybody that is about his girlfriend and you will already know why. And I might even add passion and unity, because fighting each other is a stupid thing, when we should be fighting the system.

What are your favorite current hardcore bands from Belgium?

We got a pretty vivid scene over here, with a bunch of new bands, and old ones picking up again. Without having to pick my favorites, you should definitely check out Surge Of Fury, Strike With Vengeance, One Step Beyond, Trail Of Hope & Enough Said, just because they helped us out with the vocals on the album, and because they all are great in what they do. Other bands and friends of ours would include Angelskin, Saviour (new CD coming out!), Headshot, The Setup, Johnny Unstoppable, Tear It Down (new CD on the way), Murderhorn (just released the CD), Point Of View, Crossed The Line (just released the CD) & Accept the Change. And of course there's the well-known ones like Arkangel, Length Of Time, Out For Blood who recently reformed... really, things are good over here! Sorry for those I missed, but there's always too many to mention!

What can we expect from you guys in the near future? Are you have any goals set for the band or are happy to just go with the flow?

Well, the release-party was last week, and we're playing with Hoods in Holland this week, followed a bunch of other shows. We'll be going through Europe with our friends in Headshot (looking for a show on the 3rd and 7th of July, hit us up!). After that we just continue to play shows, and will start working on new material again, for a release somewhere next year... We'll pretty much go with the flow, so hit us up if you'd like to book us!

Closing comments for readers?

Check out the new album and come out to one of our shows of course! Check out all the bands mentioned, support your local scene, because you need it more than you think. Buy music if you can, go out to shows, dance and sing along! Thanks go out to everyone that supported us in any way, Bart at High Lake Hill Studio and Nicolas Decleve for doing an amazing job on the recording, and ofcourse to the Hardboiled Blogspot for letting us do this interview! Bring back stagedives! Pushed Too Far 2010

Check out band's Myspace.