Still Screaming - Reality Ain't The Truth

Still Screaming - Reality Ain't The Truth
WTF 2009

Still Screaming deliver heavy handed hardcore with four songs of their own and a Warzone cover (which I think I remember from the tribute album). ‘Reality Ain’t The Truth’ lies heavily on classic old school sound with fast tempos, catchy but aggressive guitars and pissed off dual vocal attack spitting out honest and real life lyrics.

The beat is a most of the time straight-forward, old-school arrangement but they do spice it up with some metal vibe or kinda rap styled vocals now and there. This music is definitely dated, but with a strong foothold in the roots of the genre and that’s the main reason I like it so much. The lyrics are very honest and packed with the stuff like believing in yourself, hardcore pride and real life situations. The package of the record is awesome, with a hard cover and an artwork drawn by Spiller with a strong hardcore feeling to it. This type of stuff really adds a value to the overall offering. This is a 7” that deserves a shot from anyone who likes the old school sound. ‘Reality Ain’t The Truth’is an aggressive, attention-grabbing piece of hardcore.

Author: Dloogi

Still Screaming at Myspace
WTF Distro at Myspace

The Ice

Band’s name: THE ICE

Location: Cologne, Germany (that’s where we were founded as a band. some members come from other areas, though)

Active since: Well, our first demo was released somewhat in 2005. Some line-up changes, blab bla bla… I guess the recordings for our second demo in 2007 would be the real starting point of our career. From that demo on, we had an old member leaving (Heiko – bass) and two new members joining the band (Peter – bass, Andy – 2nd guitar).

How do you define your overall style?
Tough question… Musically, we get a lot of inspiration from different backgrounds. We are all heavily into NYHC and bands from the mid 80ies and early 90ies. Mix that up with some classic Rock ’n Roll elements and a good amount of Heavy Metal and EBM like Sisters Of Mercy or Depeche Mode. There you have it. Overall style…? That’s pretty tough, too… I guess, we are all deeply involved into media, art and fashion. That is and always has been a huge influence for the band. It resulted in various shirt designs, that went really well, our reputation as a band with a strong affinity for sneakers and not to forget, our collaboration with Florian Bertmer, an awesome artist, who designed our Demo and our 7inch.
Furthermore, we see ourselves as a band with a really high work ethic. This might surprise some people out there, cause we had to cancel so many good showcases in the last two years. But believe me, it is just, because we always try to be the best THE ICE we can possibly be. That leads to long periods of work behind the curtains. After all, we want to be understood as a band, that always tries to set themselves off this mediocre hardcore scene, with all the look-alikes and random songwriting or images.

What’s your goal with this band?
See my last answer… We do not want to be famous or whatsoever. We want to stick out of the masses, artistically. Plus, we would be deeply satisfied, if we broke up some people’s stereotypes when it comes to the definition of a hardcore band (stylistically and musically).

What do you have recorded so far?
As I mentioned above, we recorded a demo in 2005. But forget about that demo. We really started off in 2007 with a five song demo, that got released as a 7inch in the same year. You don’t own it, yet? Get the free mp3 through our myspace profile.
We just finished the recordings for our upcoming EP. Great stuff, that went way further than I had expected it before! I truly believe that we achieved something special with these recordings. You just wait and listen to the stuff in the near future!!!

What can we expect from The Ice and what does the name represent?
You can always expect excitement. Whether it will be on stage or at home, when you listen to our tracks. Boredom is death, so we try to break things up and present something fresh. The band’s name could stand as a good metaphor for that. But to be honest: we just tried to give a little tribute to two of our favourite bands, when we picked the band’s name.
It also represents the coldness in our hearts and our society. A cold and harsh atmosphere – mirrored by our songs.


How did you meet each other and how long have you been a group?
We did not really meet. We were all friends before we started the project that soon was to become a real band.

Your new Ep should be released somewhere soon. Could you shed some light on it? What kids should expect from it? How are the new songs different from your first demo?
I already said, that we mixed up some musical inspirations on this EP. And we wanted to set the whole recording process back in the past, to honour the way and the aesthetic bands from the late 80ies recorded their material with. No Pro-Tools, no trigger sounds. Pure music in its natural state. Listen to the old records from that era (Icemen, Danzig, etc.) and you get a good idea, what the new tracks sound like. People evolve. We all evolved as individuals. And so it is just common sense that the band evolved with us. We all grew as musicians and that really went into our recordings. We used to play straight up riffs with a lot of quotes from bands like the Mags or Judge. On our new record, we slowed down a bit and gave it more ambience, more atmosphere, more emotion. In the end we picked up the pace, again, and finished up with a good balance between melody and quickness. You can expect to be positively surprised.

So what is your label situation? What label is releasing the EP?
We just signed to COUNTDOWN RECORDS from Italy to telease the EP and we are very happy out it. Its a hard working and passionated label. The EP is coming in november. So watch out for it!

What bands influenced your sound?
I listed up some names in the answers above.

Lyrically, where do you find your inspiration?
Since I usually write all the lyrics, this question is easy to answer for me. Well, I listen to old Crowbar material and copy and paste the most from that. Ha ha ha
Seriously, I studied literature and right now I work on a thesis on space and time in narration. That’s why I read a lot about philosophical and ethical approaches towards the concepts of being, time and space. Some inspiration derives from this reading. I try to pick up the atmosphere from the songs and reflect it through the words I write down. In the end, most of the lyrics tend to have some wider concepts involved. They also reflect my experiences as a living human being.
Make sure, you read our lyrics. That really means a lot to me.

How did you get into hardcore music?
I can speak for myself only, at this point. Well, typical hardcore vita, I guess. Got into Metal and Punkrock, when I was 13/14 years old. Quickly went from Metal to Trashmetal. Liked the political and critical approach of the bands from that days. Looked up the booklets for further bands to check out, stumbled over the name Cro-Mags a couple of times, got the records… the rest is history, hahaha…
Well, I had a NewSchool phase in the mid 90ies. That’s it. Started a couple of shitty bands, some cool bands, now I am here, playing guitar for The Ice. I really enjoy what I am doing with this band. I all aspects, that is!

What are your thoughts on current state of hardcore music and the scene?
Too, close minded, to self-restrictive, too young! Old people don’t get off their asses anymore, youngbucks are too braindead to check the roots. But then again, a lot of very promising and fresh acts are around, today. I guess European Hardcore has outrun US Core in the last couple of years.


What excites you about hardcore in 2009?
That I am still a part of it. I am 31 years old now, and you know, life starts to become quite serious. Haha. I wouldn’t want to miss out on the scene, though!

What's next on your agenda except for the new EP?
We are working on our live performance, right now. We want to give it a bit more event-like character. Well, some little touring could fall into place, also. Let’s wait and see…

Any additional comments or shout-outs?
Never stop creating, never slow down. Evolve and reinvent yourself every day.

Thank you for interviewing THE ICE.

Touch the void!

Check this awesome band here:
http://www.myspace.com/theicerules

Download the demo here.

Black Clouds Halo - Born Under Bad Sign

Black Cloud Hate is not your average hardcore band. To be honest, at first I was a bit skeptic about it. I mean, most of the times when hardcore bands try to incorporate hard rock sound a’la AC/DC in their music there’s a lot of promise but the overall outcome turns up to be a totally unlistenable pack of hippie crap. Fortunately, as soon as I’ve heard the first notes on this CD I knew this one is going to be something different.

Born Under a Bad Sign, same name as a blues album by Albert King, is a perfect blend of hardcore and punk with hard rock, rock’n’roll or even blues influences. To be honest, the hardcore element can be found mostly in the way the songs are structured while most of the music is strays totally into rock territory. It takes a lot of effort and originality to stand out in today’s hardcore scene and I think Black Cloud Hate menaged to do it. This album has the perfect blend between nice melodies and rough edges. If I had to pick a comparable bands I would go for a softer version of Killing Time or Blood For Blood for the core side, and bands like AC/DC and Rose Tattoo for the rock side. My only complaint is I wished the music was a little bit more aggressive sometimes but I guess that’s the deal with what they wanted to create on this album.

It happens every once in a while with hardcore that when everything seems almost stale and predictable some band occasionally breaks out and lets us know there’s still something fresh to it. Even though it’s not too ground breaking, the band deserves a credit for being original and coming up with their own style of doing music. Not a type of album you would mosh to but certainly a good listen for a nice headphone session or just driving around.


Author: Dloogi

Year: 2008
Label: WTF Distro at Myspace

Black Clouds Halo at Myspace

Hoods - Grizzly

Hoods - "Grizzly" from Will DaRosa on Vimeo.

Trapped Under Ice

Here’s the band that needs no introduction. Trapped Under Ice are one of the best bands that have burst on the scene in the recent years and with their last output called Secrets Of The World proved to be worth all the attention they're getting. Representing the raw sound of Baltimore, this is as hard as hardcore can get.

Before we talk about the new record, I wanna ask you about the Stay Cold release and how much hype it caused. Looking back did you ever believe you would become so successful in hardcore with a debut EP? It’s not only my opinion that Stay Cold gave a hardcore scene a much needed adrenaline boost and was one of the highlights of 2008 when it comes to hardcore music.
We didn't think that stay cold would get such a good response. Not that we are not confident in the music we write, but we felt that we were doing something a little different from a lot current bands and we weren't sure how it would be viewed. We put a lot of energy into every song. In the end it was worth it and we definitely appreciate the kind words about the record.

As you probably know your early demos and EPs are reaching enormous prices on Ebay. Do you get any feeling knowing that there are kids out there willing to pay that much for your music?
It's cool that people care enough to spend anything on checking out our band. Especially in a time when so many people can settle for simply downloading music and throwing it on their iPod. It doesn't make you a terrible person if you download music, but let's not forget that this vinyl shit is an important factor in keeping hardore alive.

So, let’s get to the new record. Now when the album is out and getting a positive feedback, how are you feeling about everything right now? How are you feeling about your music coming out and the response it gets?
Once again, I personally felt good about the music when we wrote it, but you always worry about how people interpret your music. It feels good that people like the new record. I especially love the feeling you get when you see kids singing along to songs that have been out only for a few days. Very cool!

Were there specific musical influences on this album? What was the creative process like? Do you feel more confident when writing because of the good responses you have had to the first recording?
Definitely a lot of different bands contributed to influencing the record. Also bands that have been influences in the past have inspired us in new ways. We’ve all been listening to a lot of Stout, Stigmata and Madball.

As far as influences go, what do you think has helped you to shape your sound the most, and how do you manage to stay unique without losing the raw and in your face hardcore feeling present in your songs?
Drawing influence from everything, including lots of different types of music outside of hardcore. A wide variety of influences help you to develop a more unique style. That goes with anything.

Is there an underlying theme in the album lyrics or a concept idea behind the album? What do you hope listeners take away from your lyrics?
The only reoccuring idea is the idea of having unanswered questions. The record is called "secrets of the world" and most of its content is questions that myself and a lot of people ask every day.

What image or lifestyle do you feel your music conveys?
A normal lifestyle. Were not That different than most people. Maybe that helps people to relate to the music.


What is your statement on the Iraq war, coz due to the lyrics to the American Dreams you rather seems to be against bringing democracy in the Middle East? How do you think the fact that Obama won the election will change the way America is taking care of business abroad?
I would think it's pretty obvious that I'm not happy with US involvement in Iraq, but the song is about more than just Iraq. The song is about a lot faults in the system and American tradition and ideas.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the lyrics for “Gemini”, which is one of my favorite songs by TUI. What is the explanation behind the song?
We intended for Gemini to be more of a vague song, but at the same time easy to relate to. It's about the 2 sides people have to them, good and bad, in other people and yourself.

There seem to be much home pride in your songs. If you could give your listeners a flashlight into how it is growing up and living in Baltimore, what would you want to shine the light on?
I grew up in Baltimore county and moved to east Baltimore city about 5 years ago. It can be an ugly place but like anything in the world it's what you make of it. I have good friends and things to keep me occupied and out of trouble; like hardcore. Hardcore has kept me away from shit that's killed some of the kids I grew up with and went to school with.

What sort of art outside of music influences you? What sort of movies or books do you like and do they have any impact on your music?
I don't fuck with books, and I like movies but seldomly do they compell me to write. Movies are fabricated. I don't want to make music about fantasy shit, but instead music about the real world.

You guys were touring your ass off since the Stay Cold came out. What do you like the most and the least about being on tour?
I most like seeing the world and making new friends. I least like losing touch with my home life and friends.

Is there anything you find tricky about touring? Did anything surprise you when you were on the road or played in places like Europe for the first time?
I find it tricky when people try to take advantage of you. It's been a huge surprise to me how greedy and selfish some people can be.

How are the things going in the Baltimore hardcore scene nowadays? I’ve been a huge fan of your bands since I’ve first heard ‘Bringing back the glory’. It seems like bands like TUI helped to put it back on the map lately.
The Baltimore scene is awesome. A lot of people making new bands and coming out to support. Everyone in Baltimore is fucking weird and it's a great place for a weirdo to escape the bullshit of the real world and just be weird. Simple

Many Baltimore bands tackle racism in their songs, like 2 classic songs ‘Right Wing Hype’ by Gut Instinct and ‘Bringing back the glory’ by Next Step Up. Is it still a problem nowadays?
Racism will always be a problem. That problem is pretty minimal in Baltimore, but never let them catch you slipping.

What do you think about European hardcore? You guys seem to get a lot of love over here…
We have a lot of love or Europe. People really appreciate hardcore for what it is, people are less jaded. We plan to return on January.

Is Trapped Under Ice full time? If not what do you guys do for the living, what’s it like trying to get time off for a tour etc.
I wouldn't say full time, we definitely get to spend time at home, just less than time spent on the road. Sam and Ben both have more serious, career type jobs while Brendan goes to school and the rest of us work odd jobs. Brendan and Ben share drum responsibilities as they are both dedicated to other things.

What question would you like to be asked in interviews, but you are never asked? And what is your answer?
Question - who is currently the best live hardcore band, answer - Terror

I made a survey among my friends and it turned out that the thing the kids want to know the most is what is your bench press record and who’s the strongest dude in the band? Is it hard to keep fit during the tours?
The most I've ever benched is probably 245 lbs. Sam's is much higher. He's no doubt the strongest dude in our band. It's definitely hard to keep fit on tour. I wish we had more time to focus on training and better diet. I lose weight and strength every time we go out.

Thanx a lot for the interview. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Check out Naysayer, Bad Seed, and Foundation

Trapped Under Ice at myspace.

Thrash Metal Documentary

I found this shit browsing rocktube.us so big props to the author of it and the guy who posted it. There's an interesting part when the guys from all these big thrash bands talk how they were influenced by hardcore/punk scene and how thrash metal was their way to connect the world of metal and punk rock. Good stuff, worth seeing.

Gaspar Noé's Enter the Void

This is what the official website says about it:

"Oscar and sister Linda now live in Tokyo. Oscar survives by doing small drug deals while Linda is a stripper in a nightclub. One night during a police raid, Oscar is hit by a bullet. While dying, his spirit, faithful to the promise made to his sister to never give up, refuses to leave the world of the living. Then his mind wanders in the city and his visions become increasingly chaotic and nightmarish. Past, present and future will mix in a hallucinatory maelstrom."

And here what the master himself got to say about it:

All For Nothing - Solitary

This MCD contains some seriously energized tunes packed with charisma, vitality, and more hits than miss. It’s only 5 songs clocking in 10 minutes, but it’s enough to let you know this band is for real.

The band is a perfect blend of traditional NYHC hardcore with some modern influences, in a way that they keep their music aggressive and focused, but with nice twists and hooks so it doesn’t get boring easily. Their music is mainly fast with nice melodies and a lot of pit-friendly parts. I hate to evaluate an album by focusing on the fact that they’re female fronted, but Cindy is doing incredible work on vocals and it’s one of the times when you think it’s a real pity that there are so few girls involved in hardcore bands. She's a volcano of energy during their live shows. I remember them playing with Slapshot in front of like 20 kids who came to that show and everyone agreed that despite you could sense not many people in the crowd recognized them, their performance was tight.
The MCD comes in a digipack with a nice artwork on top of it – it’s is simple but very neat and gives the box a feeling of quality. Regardless what is your favorite style of hardcore, it’s the energy in the songs that’s really going to get your blood rushing and All For Nothing got it all. It’s a short CD but the quality of the songs make up for it. It’s honest and powerful and for those reasons alone is worth a listen.

Author: Dloogi

WTF Records 2008

All For Nothing at Myspace
WTF Records and Distro

New record label: Wrath Of Time Records

Wrath of Time Records is a new record label founded and run by all five members of the vegan Straight Edge band Eye of Judgement.

Born out of necessity the first release by the label will be Eye of Judgement's own sophomore album 'Belligerent'. This album was originally going to be released worldwide by Catalyst records but after long postponements the band parted ways with the label and decided to take matters into their own hands.

In the future, the label will be focusing on bands that support either a vegan or a vegetarian lifestyle and will be open to receive demos from any bands that adhere to these ideals

Releases

WT001 Eye of Judgement - Belligerent CD

After four European tours and one US tour Eye of Judgement brings you 'Belligerent'. Recorded at Menno Bakker’s Bunt Studios, this album contains seven new Eye of Judgement songs as well as a cover of the song ‘Black Planet’, originally recorded by the Sisters of Mercy.

Expect a barrage of hate-filled metallic hardcore, moving slightly more towards the Crowbar spectrum of the universe but still holding on to the primary influences and references that initially formed Eye of Judgement. The artwork has once again been taken care of by the very talented Samuel Araya.

Myspace
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Listen to the new song from Steel Nation

Check new song out now in this youtube video (or on their myspace page too) then go preorder "Forever Wounded" from Double or Nothing.