Stillborn Fest dates announced

Hatebreed have announced a fist full of east coast headlining shows this winter as Stillborn Fest. “We're excited to continue with our Holiday tradition of doing Stillborn Fest. It's going to be great to play for all of our diehards in the North East.” The band will celebrate the 15 year anniversary of the release of “Under The Knife” which came out on cassette & 7" in 1995’. Jasta adds, “We'll definitely be adding some old jams back into the set. See you there!”

Supporting on this short run are FOUR YEAR STRONG (Allentown & Poughkeepsie), H20 (Allentown only), A LIFE ONCE LOST, THIS IS HELL, TRAPPED UNDER ICE & Stillborn Recording Artists THY WILL BE DONE, THE WORLD WE KNEW & STRENGTH FOR A REASON (where noted.)

12/27 Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon
w/ A Life Once Lost, Thy Will Be Done, The World We Knew & Hate Your Guts

12/28 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
w/ Four Year Strong, H2O, Trapped Under Ice, This Is Hell, Thy Will Be Done, The World We Knew & Strength For A Reason

12/29 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
w/ Four Year Strong, A Life Once Lost, Trapped Under Ice, Fireworks, This Is Hell, Thy Will Be Done, The World We Knew & Strength For A Reason

12/30 Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
w/ A Life Once Lost, This Is Hell, Thy Will Be Done, Hate Your Guts,
The World We Knew & Strength For A Reason

No Redeeming Social Value to release compilation of old albums

New York’s DIY record label, Dead City Records, and fellow Empire City hardcore punk legend, No Redeeming Social Value, have teamed up to release No Redeeming Social Value’s entire back catalog of classic albums in digital form for the first time ever. Hardcore fans can finally download some of the definitive releases in NYHC history - Rocks The Party, Hardcore Your Lousy Ass Off, THC, and the Drunken Chicken Style EP - each featuring bonus tracks and other special surprises. The digital releases are available through most online retailers, including iTunes and Amazon.com, while CD versions are also available through the Dead City webstore at: www.deadcityny.com/DCReleasespage.htm, offering fans a plethora of options to enjoy NRSV’s classic party anthems.

Alley Gods

I've had a chance to follow this bands since their first 7" and have been steadily impressed with their music. Alley Gods brings nothing but a fast and angry hardcore with a straight in your face lyrical delivery. Make sure you peep their new album I've reviewed somewhere on this site recently - they still know how to instantly get your anger level high and the blood flowing through your limbs! Check out the interview for some info on the band, new album and hardcore scene in their hometown, Turku.

I've had a chance to follow this bands since their first 7" and have been steadily impressed with their music. Alley Gods brings nothing but a fast and angry hardcore with a straight in your face lyrical delivery. Make sure you peep their new album I've reviewed somewhere on this site recently - they still know how to instantly get your anger level high and the blood flowing through your limbs! Check out the interview for some info on the band, new album and hardcore scene in their hometown, Turku.

Correcting Wrong Opinions has been out for a while. Are you satisfied with how this album came out and the response it’s been getting?

O: Yes. We wanted to do a traditional straightforward album without messing too much with the hardcore trends going on and I guess we succeeded.

R: We’ve been happy to hear what people think of the album whether they’d like it or not but the feedback has been mostly positive.

Can you give us an insight of the writing and recording process for the album?

L: Just before we decided to do an full-length album we begun to have a clear image of our own style to work things out. Meaning, the composing part suddenly was so easy and there were solid songs coming out without planning them properly. We were sort of jamming the songs together and that’s when we thought it would be a good time to concentrate to the big picture which of course would be the full-length.

T: The most effective way for us to keep things solid has really been purely to just play and have good time instead of planning too much. Letting the songs just roll on. And what comes to the recording part, it was quite easy aswell cos we already had some experience of how it all works in the good old studio with the good old producer. In the studio we just polished the songs with adding all the little details, but I guess that’s just how it should be in the first place. It was a relatively easy process altogether.

If you ask me, Correcting Wrong Opinions is a perfect example of an old school album that sounds fresh and exciting. What bands you look to as an inspiration?

O: We all have a wide range of music we listen but when talking about hardcore I think it can be heard in the album that besides of old school bands we also know what’s going on in present. The list could be endless but to name a few hot finnish bands of who’ve made an impact; Kieltolaki, Last laugh, Cutdown, Ratface…

T: …Finnish bands because in hardcore going to shows is a big part of it and those are some we’ve heard live and digged.

L: And because our style can more or less be described as old school; Minor Threat, Outlast, Gorilla Biscuits to name a few, not saying we try to sound like them.. I just like bands playing fast. Old or new ones.

O: And to counterbalance the fastness; Kickback, Irate, Integrity and Nasty are bangin.

Explain what the name of the album translates to and how it relates to the music…

L: It’s meant to sound provocative and cocky but you can also turn it over by correcting your own opinions. In hardcore lyrics there’s a lot of principles that people adopt without questioning them. By correcting wrong opinions you can also mean changing them and, indirectly, learning something. Basically it’s just against all too strong opinions cos things tend to have more sides than people want to see or understand. If you find the lyrics radical or offensive, it’s just our side of the coin. We’re not saying it’s the absolute truth that we declare.

I’ve read about The lyrics on the new album are something most kids can relate to, no matter if they’re from Finland, Spain, Poland or any other place. Is it important for you to have people taking something from your music?

R: It’s great if the lyrics are something that people can relate to and get something out of, but mainly they’re our own opinions and thoughts about the things we face daily in our lives. Whether they’re provocative or not, the subjects are not that positive or nice, cos that’s how we see the world.

O: After all the lyrics reflect our personal feelings at the moment written down as an expression of dissatisfaction and anger.

What are some of the songs from the album that are most important to you and why?

R: I’d say the title track and “Generations of hate” because those two show our music’s variability. It’s boring to make songs that fit exactly in to some genre and these songs break the norms of traditional hardcore just right.

L: My favourite is “Still the same” cos it matches my vision of how I wanted the album to sound like, musically and lyrically.

O: Every song has their own meaning to me but to pick one, “Black & white”. It’s about a local football club.

T: I can’t get bored with the song called “Mistakes” because of it’s intro which is never played the same way.

How did you guys get into the whole hardcore thing? What was it about it that appealed to you the most?

L: We all went to the same junior high school and traded punk records at the schoolyard and eventually found hardcore which became more important after getting into the local punk/hardcore scene. We went to gigs and got impressed enough to start a band. HC as its best has got that certain passion that is hard to find elsewhere.

What are some of the headaches you deal with playing in hardcore band?

R: Hangovers.

And what are some of the most rewarding aspects of it?

O: Getting to play. The feeling you get if you got a gig and the crowd is active and the playing goes well. It’s a reward by itself. The satisfaction of getting the anger channeled to something.

T: Recording is also a big part because you can get a concrete proof of your work.

Have you had any crazy experiences when playing live?

L: That’s got to be the gig when we tried to cover “Raining blood” as an intro and I failed big time. One should not play that song wrong. There’s also some gigs in the past that were ruined by playing too drunk but it’s not a problem anymore cos we’ve learned that the satisfaction of playing tight and getting drunk later is greater.

R: Nothing too crazy so far. Just the usual; broken amps and drums falling apart. Girls-only –pit is worth mentioning too…

What are some other hardcore bands in Turku? How is the scene over there in general?

O: Turku scene is doing well except of the recent loss of our legendary venue TVO, which has been the center of punk, HC and bunch of other underground music happenings for ages.

R: To mention a few active bands from Turku: Get Stitches!, Ill Omen, Kylmä Sota, Anvils Drop, .45 Stainless and early mentioned Kieltolaki. The HC scene in Finland is quite small but it’s the reason people from different cities are so connected with each other.


It seems like the emo movement is losing its momentum – what do you think will be the next thing to ruin the good name of hardcore?

R: The trends aren’t really that noticeable in Finland. Seems like people just make the music they want and don’t really give a fuck what’s going on with the latest movements. Of course there is always some influence from the trends going on but it doesn’t affect on us in any way.

Before we finish up, tell us how did you guys come together? How long have you been a band?

R: We started in 2005 when we got to play together at my parent’s garage. At first it was just playing some street punk but after few months when Oskari came to vocals we just started to play hardcore. We all know each other from way back and have been playing together in various lineups at junior high.

Ok, thanks for the interview. Anything you would like to add?

L: Thanks for the interview! There’s been some talk about touring Europe some day so if you’re reading this and feel like you could maybe book us, feel free to contact. Check out our and Poolside Records’ myspace:
www.myspace.com/alleygods

www.myspace.com/poolsiderecords

alleygods@hotmail.com

The band is:
O = Oskari (vocals)
L = Lauri (guitar)
R = Roippe (drums)
T = Topi (bass)

Onore Edgewear interview

Onore Edgewear is a new clothing brand dedicated to sober and vegetarian lifestyle. It is run by guys who have been long active in the hardcore scene, including playing in a band called Providence, which all the beatdown freaks should be familiar with. This is a short interview to give you an idea what Onore is about.

Onore Edgewear is a new clothing brand dedicated to sober and vegetarian lifestyle. It is run by guys who have been long active in the hardcore scene, including playing in a band called Providence, which all the beatdown freaks should be familiar with. This is a short interview to give you an idea what Onore is about.

There are many hardcore/straight edge clothing lines out there, what made you to start your own line?

Yes that’s definitively true, there are many straight edge company but, it was like I wanted to have something I created by my own and I had so many ideas that I thought it was the right time for me to start something.

Could you tell us who is involved in Onore Edgewear? What are the primary objectives of the company?

I’m the only one involved in OEW but a lot of friends help me for making designs that come from my brain becoming real! I thank them for the bottom of my heart: xCYRx, vPIERREv, ALEX. The only aim that I have is to make shirts with designs that I like, including things that I feel right for me as being Straight Edge and Vegetarian.

How would you describe the style of Onore clothes?

I would say that Onore Edgewear has a very classic style, mixing hardcore and tattoo's image.

Your designs have images of straight edge and vegetarian phrases. How important is it to you to spread this message via your designs?

For sure designs include straight edge and vegetarian’s elements because of those things are the root of the brand but one thing who's really important is not to include rude or violent words; I don't want people who are not vegetarian/straight edge to feel judged, all is about respect; I want people to think by themself.

Running a clothing line can be a very tricky business. Could you drop some advice on kids who might want to follow in your footsteps?

I don’t think I am able to give advice on kids because of all of this is very new for me!

What are some of the bands from your local scene you’re down with? I know that you’re personally involved in Providence…

There are many bands that I’m working with right now: Lazare , Fierce, Strike Back. And of course my band Providence. A cooperation with xConfrontox should start soon!!!.

Where can people find your clothing?

People can find clothes here : www.uselesspride.com and at providence’s shows! Soon they could order from the myspace via a Bigcartel.

What are your plans for the future with Onore Edgewear?

Making new designs!

Before we wrap this up, would you like to kick some shouts?

First of all thank you Dloogi! I would like to thank angelique, xcyrx/per sempre tattoo, vpierrev, alex, djamhellvice, tonr, fab and dexter, vchrisv & vdamishv/lazare, xbenx & xecharkx/fierce, xjeromex/strike back, xsammyx/on the attack record, xjavierx/olc, xyox & vbenjhav/5blocks, vluisv/debajobarrio, xolivierx/alea jacta est, antho/cih, vmarcov beatdown, xbillyx/purify, tom/kartel, gideon and strengthen what remains guys, xjoex/pay no respect, xetiennex/8control, nina & julien.

New Vietnom merch from Goodlife

From Goodlife newsletter: "Straight from the desk of our designer comes this brand new and band-approved VIETNOM design, printed on one-sided T-shirts and 2-sided Hoodies - see pics in the store or even bigger pics on our facebook and myspace pages! Don't sleep on this one, you KNOW they'll be flyin' out the store in no time..."

Killing The Legacy Fest 2011

Killing The Legacy Fest will take place in Turku City and will include bands like Ill Omen, Become A Threat, Get Stitches! and bunch more. From 'Killing The Legacy' blog: "That's right motherfuckers, KTL Presents a two-day hardcore extravaganza in S-Osis of Turku City, Finland. Dates are 7-8.1.2011, shows are happening on Friday and Saturday."

Line up is currently showing something like this:

Become A Threat (Hki) - http://www.myspace.com/becomeathreat
Hammertime (Hki) - http://www.myspace.com/fullhouserecords
Last Laugh (Hki) - http://www.myspace.com/helsinkill
Enemyblood (Lahti) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBbSIQiOgTI
Ill Omen (Tku) - http://www.myspace.com/illomenhc
Get Stitches! (Tku) - http://www.myspace.com/getstitcheshc
End Begins (Lahti-Tre-jne.) - http://www.myspace.com/endbeginshc
The Jacklads - (Lahti) - http://www.myspace.com/thejacklads
The Random Sickos (Espoo)


There will be band or two more. Tickets won't be expensive and door times will be released later when a poster is done. If you want a nice showcase of Finnish hardcore, i'd recommend to come around this time."

Alcatraz writing tunes for new album

Alcatraz boys are getting their shit together and currently working on the new album! The band has undergone some line up changes recently but with the new drummer, they're working on new tunes and are on the right track to have the new album ready. Labels, get in touch as they still looking for someone interested in putting it out!

New album from Embrace Destruction due out in 2011

Embrace Destruction will have their third album coming out in early 2011 on Urban Discipline and One Voice records. It will be produced by Danny Giordana. The band is currently touring heavily so check 'em out live if you have a chance.

Lazare

Lazare (LZR) is a French hardcore band with strong metal influences not unlike Kickback or Our For The Count. If you're in the mood for this sick and nasty stuff that only French can deliver, this one is for you. The band formed in 2008 in Rouen, they have a MCD out this year on NBTB records.

Lazare (LZR) is a French hardcore band with strong metal influences not unlike Kickback or Our For The Count. If you're in the mood for this sick and nasty stuff that only French can deliver, this one is for you. The band formed in 2008 in Rouen, they have a MCD out this year on NBTB records.

Could you introduce the band and give us a quick rundown on the history behind Lazare?
The band started in 2008. We are all from a city called Rouen. So there s David on the drums, Christophe playing basse, Baptise and Nico are the guitarists. And Damien and myself on vocals. We all had bands that did a few gigs in the past (sworn villanova junction…)

You have just dropped new album called simply LZR. Can you explain what should we expect from it?
Its not an album it’s a MCD with 4 songs. It s the first one that we did with the band. LZR means Lazare. 4 songs that where we just express ourselves.

Who would you say is your biggest inspiration? Will fans of French bands like Kickback, Stormcore or Out For The Count get some of this heavy metallic hardcore sound here or are there some any new ideas we should expect?
We can’t deny the fact that we have all listened to kickback, we also did a gig with Out for the Count in Rouen for our release party, it was a blast. But they are many things that we listened to and that we get our inspiration from, not only in hxc but also in hip hop.

What is the idea and concept behind LZR lyrically?
Everything that is around us, daily life- from what happens in da streets, big brother watching you, this whole made world that we evolve in, or also how the media make us numb. And also how the people buried themselves and grow in their own vices.
We spit our vision of things without pretending that it’s the truth, its just our opion and things we believe in., without forgetting of course the values and morals we truly hold to.

Hardcore, metal and hip hop culture – how important is for you to incorporate all of these elements into your music?
This is the whole band’s aim. Its just the mix of the 6 os us that make lazare so special. Without this whole mix of people we wouldn t make this music

How do you feel about the state of French hardcore? What are some of the bands from your area you support?
I would say that French scene is far from how it should be. There are many good bands but very few cities where there is an active local scene with active people. For example in Rouen there is a good scene with new and older generation. The atmosphere during the gigs are quite wild.
The main problem is that there is not many places where to play anymore: either it s too small either you have to book it 6 to 8 months before the day you wanna play.

How did you hook up with NBAB and what do you like about this label?
Well I would say that he helped us out. We now work with Vincent from Emergence records, a homie from the area of Rouen that is good in what he does and he released 200 Mcds.

Do you have a general attitude to how you run a band – is it just for fun or do you feel any pressure to write better songs, play bigger shows etc?
Our main goal is to play as many gigs as possible, to play shows in cities or countries we ve never been before. There is not too much pressure, we make things our way, or the way we can sometimes but we always do it with strong beliefs.

What’s next for Lazare? What goals would you still like to achieve in 2010?
Till the end of the year we wanna play as much shows as possible. We are trying to book out first tour from October 30th to November 6th. And by the end of the year we ll try to get back to the studio so we can record new songs. But most of all we wanna keep enjoying each and every one of our gigs.

Any shout outs or last words?
This goes to all the people we ve met during our shows, to those who support the scene and or not here to show off or to pretend.
To those we would like to meet in the future and a special thank you to you for your support and this good hxc zine.

Hellburnsaway - Worse Than The Truth

Here’s a nine track debut album by France-based Hellburnsaway; a nice mixture of hardcore and a slight touch of metal. The songs in general are mid to fast paced but from time to time they also pull off some slick breakdown to keep things varied. Heavy-ass yet still groovy riffing with on-point style of drumming are more than matched by Thomas vocals.

The songwriting is just fine and groove is rarely absent. Hellburnsaway definitely got some Terror feeling to them, but also take influences from bands like Madball, Death Threat and even some modern hardcore can be heard from time to time. Even if they still got some way to go before they’re on the level of these bands, the album doesn’t lack memorable hooks and good ideas.. All in all, this is beefy and aggressive hardcore that can serve as a good soundtrack to lifting weights and heavy bag workout. Hellburnsaway has busted out a solid and promising album and I’m really curious how this band gonna develop in the future. I also wouldn’t mind seeing them live cause judging from their Myspace photos, they know how to move the crowd.

Review by Dloogi
Buy it here.
Year: 2010
Band's website

Think Fast! Records Showcase Tour

The final schedule for the previously announced 2010 Think Fast! Records & Think Fast! Booking Showcase Tour has been unveiled. Recent additions and changes include stops in Philadelphia, PA, Columbus, OH, El Paso, TX, and Kansas City, MO. The diverse lineup will feature Outbreak on all dates, along with select dates being filled by The Menzingers, Hour Of The Wolf, Mountain Man, Smartbomb, Reignition, and Red City Radio.

Shook Ones will also make an appearance at The Fest in Gainesville on 10/31. The tour features artists spanning both Think Fast!'s label and booking departments. The official showcase website (linked below) has info on the particular bands who are playing each date and the final itinerary can be viewed below:

Oct 22 @ The Temple - Boston, MA
Oct 23 @ Broad St Ministry - Philadelphia, PA
Oct 24 @ Acheron - Brooklyn, NY
Oct 25 @ Garfield Artworks - Pittsburgh, PA
Oct 26 @ Bat Chapters - Columbus, OH
Oct 27 @ Keswicks Democratic Club - Louisville, KY
Oct 28 @ The Hideaway - Johnson City, TN
Oct 30 @ The Fest - Gainesville, FL
Oct 31 @ The Fest - Gainesville, FL
Nov 01 @ Bridge Youth Center - Fort Myers, FL
Nov 02 @ The Farside - Tallahassee, FL
Nov 04 @ The Warehouse - Baton Rouge, LA
Nov 05 @ The Ten Eleven - San Antonio, TX
Nov 06 @ The Broken Neck (FFF after party) - Austin, TX
Nov 07 @ The Pine Box - Midland, TX
Nov 08 @ Naylair - El Paso, TX
Nov 09 @ Skrappy's - Tucson, AZ
Nov 11 @ The Box Office - Las Vegas, NV
Nov 12 @ Che Café - San Diego, CA
Nov 13 @ Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Nov 14 @ Gilman - Berkeley, CA
Nov 15 @ The Branx - Portland, OR
Nov 16 @ Cretin Hop - Spokane, WA
Nov 17 @ Mo's - Salt Lake City, UT
Nov 18 @ Blast-O-Mat - Denver, CO
Nov 19 @ Scion Lab - Kansas City, MO
Nov 20 @ Fubar - St.Louis, MO
Nov 21 @ Refuge Skate Shop - Dearborn, MI

The Smashrooms European tour

The Smashrooms are touring Europe from 7th to 16th October! Here the tour dates!

OCT 7th: Innsbruck (A) @ Proberaum DIY Show
OCT 8th: Hannover (D) @ Stumpf
OCT 9th: Bremen (D) @ G18
OCT 10th: Poznan (PL) @ Rozbrat Squat CANCELLED!
OCT 11th: Prague (CZ) @ Cafè Na Pul Cesty
OCT 12th: Berlin (D) @ Koma F
OCT 13th: Emmen (NL) @ Huize Spoorloos
OCT 14th: Ieper (B) @ Vort'nVis
OCT 15th: Nancy (F) @ Soap Box Club
OCT 16th: Völklingen (D) @ BYS Proberaum

No Zodiac

No Zodiac is another representative of recently blooming Chicago hardcore scene. Their style is nothing but reckless with influences ranging from Project X to Unit 731 and lyrics that hit hard. It's just raw, in your face, make no apologies hardcore the way it should be.

Name: No Zodiac

Location: Chicago, IL

Active since: 2009

How do you define your overall style?

Aggressive, Heavy, Evil, Hardcore.

What’s yourbgoal with this band?

Our goal is to spread. The word of Hardcore as much as we can and have fun while we do it.

What do you have recorded so far?

We have recorded a 3 song demo, and soon will be putting out our Soulless e.p. very soon.

When, how and why the band came to being?

The band came to be in the winter of 2009, just as a side project for Alex and Erik, but soon became the primary band for both.

It seems your demo is getting a really good response. Are you happy with how the things turned out and the reviews you’ve been getting so far?

We are very happy with the response we have gotten with our demo, and look forward to our future recordings.

The overall tone of the lyrics seems to be very dark and negative. Would you agree with that and is there any running message behind your music?

The message behind our lyrics is pretty much just life experiences that our vocalist has experienced in his life and how he felt about these experiences.

How about Stomp Out – are you that serious about the kids who drop the edge?

That song was pretty much just for shock value and to get us noticed, and obviously it worked because numerous people have asked us this, and the answer is no. Many of our friends are not straightedge.

How was it to share a stage with bands like Earth Crisis, Death Before Dishonor or Evergreen Terrace? What are some of the gigs that stand out?

It was surreal to share the stage with the bands that we grew up listening to and seeing on huge tour flyers. Most of the local shows we play stand out because its all friends, and people we know so they always end up really fun.

Who are some of the bands that you enjoy seeing live?

Some bands we enjoy seeing live are: The Killer, Blood in Blood Out, SilverHammer, Soul Search, Short Handed Goal, Den of Daggers, WarHound, Knock Em Dead.

What is the craziest thing that ever happened at one of your shows?

Everyone of our shows is crazier than the last, so its really hard to say, so pretty much our friends that wreck shit when we play are usually the craziest things at shows.

What’s the scene like out there in Chicago at the moment?

The scene in Chicago is growing very rapidly and there are new faces at every show and new bands popping up everywhere, so pretty much this scene is alive and well, and everyone should be on the lookout for new bands out of this area.

What are some other future plans for No Zodiac? When can we expect a full length album?

Some future plans we have for this band are possibly a couple small tours over the next summer, and still playing shows around like usual. As far as a full length goes, we aren't planning one soon, but I'm sure we will sometime.

Shout outs and/or last comments?

We'd like to give a shout out to: All our friends in Born to Lose Crew,SilverHammer, Warhound, Blood in Blood Out, Den of Daggers, Nothing to Regret, Streets of Rage and lastly to everyone that supports Chicago Hardcore! If your scene sucks it's because of you, book a show, start a band, and go to local shows!!

Check out No Zodiac at Myspace.

Pacto De Sangre - Sangre Joven

Somehow, you don’t hear that much about Spain native Pacto De Sangre as about some other beatdown acts in Europe so for those unfamiliar, here’s a real quick recap: PDS formed back in 2007 on the ashes of a band called No Hay Otra Mejilla. Since then, they’ve been working hard to build a reputation for themselves as top dogs of the beatdown genre in the local scene. This year the band hit the scene with their follow up to Andalusian Beatdown, a demo EP from 2008.

It’s been some time since I’ve listened to their previous output but it seems to me the overall tone of their music hasn’t changed that much. The band doesn’t waste any time with the opening track which is simply two minutes of serious breakdowns, double bass action and deep and heavy vocals with occasional guttural growls and barks. Nothing but a beatdown, baby! The following tracks pick up the pace a little bit and make me think about later Shattered Realm albums. What’s interesting is that they’re one of the few remaining beatdown bands that sing in their native language. It’s kind of surprising that they’re one of the few when you think how good Spanish sound with this type of music. If I had to name what bugs me about this album I would say the lack of variety. They should try to incorporate some more tricks into their song writing cause after the strong first half of the album, the tracks at the end blend in a bit. The album would also definitely benefit from better, by that I mean heavier, production which would allow the band to squeeze more power out of these songs. But these are minor setbacks that ruin the overall good impression.

When it’s all said and done, Pacto De Sangre seems to have what it takes to survive on a recently very crowded scene. Sangre Joven is not the album that will make them international superstars of beatdown, but it proves their status as a respected up-and-comers. All beatdown diehards should find it a worthwhile grab!

Review by Dloogi
Label: Useless Pride (FR) / La Otra Opcion Rec (SP) / Cruzade Records (SP) / Honor Records (MX) / SEHC (SP)
Year: 2009
Band's website

Custodia - En El Corazon

Overlord - Severed Parts

Overlord is a 4-piece featuring members and ex-members of BORN FROM PAIN, THE SETUP, DIABLO BOULEVARD and LENG TCH'E. As can be read on band's website, their intention is to deliver "dark and heavy hardcore with a sludge influence". Can't wait to hear more from them in the future!

New band with Six Feet Ditch, Nasty and Orson Sparks members

Official info on the band: "WEAR THA MARK has been on the cards for just over a year now & has finally started to see the light of day. It is made up of members of SIX FT DITCH, NASTY & ORSON SPARKS. this is mainly a studio band so expect some great music comming your way, & a full length CD comming in 2011 & maybe a 7 inch." Check out their myspace for songs preview.

Death Before Dishonor touring plans

Death Before Dishonor will be storming through the East Coast alongside legendary hardcore band Strife with support on various shows from label mates Cruel Hand, Foundation and more. Following the East Coast dates, Death Before Dishonor will head to the Midwest with thrash kings Suicidal Tendencies and support from Hed PE, Cro Mags, and Underdog starting in Columbus, heading back through New York, and then ending out in Minneapolis. Tour dates are listed below.

In the five years since they originally joined the Bridge Nine roster, Death Before Dishonor has released two full-length albums, two 7 inches, and played thousands of shows around the globe. Last July, Death Before Dishonor released their third and most accomplished studio album to date – Better Ways to Die. This album not only solidifies Death Before Dishonor’s commitment to what they do as a band, but it also displays their unflinching ability and desire to establish themselves outside of clichés and the pre-defined constructs of what it is to be “hardcore.” With their 2007 release of “Count Me In,” Death Before Dishonor caught people off guard as the album debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers Charts, Independent Albums, and Top New Artist charts and stayed there for over four weeks. “If it weren’t for this band, I would be sitting in Massachusetts. In the last two years I’ve been to Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, all across Europe, the US and Canada and I’ve seen all four oceans. We have no reason to stop now", said vocalist Bryan Harris.

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR - ON TOUR
October:
16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Broad Street Ministry w/ Strife, Strength For A Reason, Double Dealer
17- Richmond, VA @ The Warehouse w/ Strife, Foundation, Stick Together, Disengage
18 – Providence, RI @ Club Hell w/ Strife, Cruel Hand, Unsung
19 – Albany, NY @ Valentines w/ Strife, Incendiary, Born Low
20 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge w/ Strife, Disembodied, Iron Age, Earthless
28 – Columbus, OH @ Alrosa Villa w/ Suicidal Tendencies
29 – Detroit, MI @ Harpos w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE
30 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagle Ballroom w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE
31 – Cleveland, OH @ Peabodys w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE

November:
02 – Sauget, IL @ Pops w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE
14 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Underdog, Cro Mags
15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE
17 – Chicago, IL @ Metro w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE
18 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze w/ Suicidal Tendencies

Coke Bust - Degradation 7" pre-order / European Tour

Washington DC Straight Edge outfit - Coke Bust and their brand new 7" - on Refuse Records! Following their two 7"s and full length LP on Six Weeks Records, these 6 songs are mind blowing full-throttle raging non-stop hardcore assault influenced by the masters from Infest, Heresy, Ripcord and Youth Of Today that will leave you on your knees begging for more. Everyday bullshit going on personal and political levels fueled the fire in the lyrical content. Recorded by Kevin at Developing Nations Studios and mastered by Smok (Post Regiment fame) in As One studio.

Limited version available in pre-order on orange vinyl with additional Coke Bust tour poster, regular 1st press on green vinyl.

But that’s not all - COKE BUST is coming to Europe next October for their very first time, check all the dates below! Special Coke Bust tour edition of "Degradation" 7" available at the shows as well as limited to 100 copies tape-version of the 7" with some extra live tracks. It's the first tape-release on Refuse since 5 or 6 years!
US press of "Degradation" 7" will be out some time later on Grave Mistake Records - gravemistakerecords.blogspot.com
Coke Bust: www.cokebust.com www.myspace.com/cokebust

Track list:
Side A:

1.Another fucking problem
2.Long gone
3.Keep out

Side B:

4.Degradation
5.No authority
6.Deathbed

Pressing info:

3 test presses
75 copies of special tour edition, different cover, hand numbered, orange vinyl (available only on Coke Bust European tour)
120 copies of limited edition pre-order version, orange vinyl w/ tour poster
347 copies on green vinyl.

Price:
Limited orange vinyl w/ tour poster 5 euro // $6,50 + postage
Regular green vinyl 4 euro // $5 + postage
Shipping dates: 2-7.10.2010
(shipping from Germany)

ordering: refuserecords@gmail.com
check mailorder list: refuserecords.prv.pl
www.myspace.com/refuserecords

Trapdoor Bookings and Refuse Records presents:
COKE BUST 'DEGRADATION ACROSS EUROPE' TOUR 2010

7.10. - Amsterdam, NL @ OCCI w/ EXTORTION, SEEIN RED ("Degradation" EP release party!)
8.10. - Mulheim, DE @ AZ CLUB w/ NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
9.10. - London, GB @ TBA w/ tba
10.10 - Birmingham, GB @ Wagon and Horses w/ NEVER AGAIN, BONESTORM
10.10 - Nottingham, GB (late) @ Old Angel w/ NEVER AGAIN, TREMORS, CURB CRAWL
11.10 - Glasgow, GB @ Fortress of Solitude w/ CLOCKED OUT, DEFENCE, LOBOTOMIES
12.10 - Leeds, GB @ The Fenton w/ NEVER AGAIN
13.10 - Canterbury, GB @ Chantry Social Club w/ NEVER AGAIN, NO REALITY, TREMORS, MOUTH
14.10 - Antwerp, BE w/ Backstage JC Den Eglantier w/ REPROACH, BITE DOWN, GET WISE
15.10 - Bremen, DE @ G18 w/ PLAGUE MASS
16.10 - Gothenburg, SE @ TBA w/ NEVER AGAIN, STAY HUNGRY
17.10 - Karlskrona or Aalborh, SE
18.10 - Hamburg, DE @ Rote Flora w/ AT HALF MAST, WORMS FEED
19.10 - Kortrijk, BE @ The Pits w/ BRUTAL KNIGHTS
20.10 - Gottingen, DE @ Juz
21.10 - Leipzig, DE @ Liwi
22.10 - Berlin, DE @ Scharni38 w/ SHORT FUSE, THE REBARKER
23.10 - Warsaw, PL @ CDQ, Hardcore 2010 Fest w/ STRAIGHTJACKET NATION, SHORT FUSE, A BIT OF BRAINDEAD, APE ATTACK!, SCHIZMA'90, GOVERNMENT FLU, SELFMADEBOMB, ONE KIND WORD, THE LINE.
24.10. - Budapest, HU @ Station 80 w/ CRIPPLED FOX, YOUTH VIOLENCE, P.F.A.
25.10 - Vienna, AT @ Arena
26.10 - Prague, CZ @ Klubovna w/ REMEK, PRAHA
27.10.- Freiburg, DE @ TBA

Skarhead announces European Tour

In continued support of the long-awaited new record “Drugs, Music & Sex”, which hit stores worldwide in November 2009, Skarhead proudly announces yet another highly anticipated European Tour! Despite external difficulties that forced the NYHC Veterans from participating in it's 2010 summer run, the band will now return to Europe this November STRONGER than ever!! With the release of “Drugs, Music & Sex”, through their new home I Scream Records, and the upcoming reissue of the DMS EP (featuring bonus demo sessions from 2001) through Reality Records, Lord Ezec & Company prove to be unrelenting and viciously determined.

As Skarhead parts ways with long time agent M.A.D Tourbooking, they are proud to announce the new collaboration with STRONGER BOOKINGS as it's new European booking agent. Danny Diablo aka Lord Ezec says: "Stronger Bookings is able to focus on making Skarhead a priority and help personalize every detail of our tour. Working with them has refreshed our entire outlook. M.A.D will always be one of Europe's leading agencies, and we wish all of our friends, as part of their roster, nothing but success in all of their future endeavorers".
Rounding out Lord Ezec's All Star Line up is long time Skarhead Favorite Puerto Rican Myke (District 9) on vocals, joined by Riggs Ross on Drums (Madball, Hatebreed, Ragmen), Mike Cools on Bass (V.S, Cro-Mags, Cold As Life, Sworn Enemy, AOM, Merauder), AK Rey (Vietnom, Tension), and Matty BK (Subzero, Merauder) on guitars!!
This is NYHC at it's finest!


Skarhead European Tour
November 5th at Versus Theatre in Wroclaw (PL) (with Danny Diablo)
November 6th at The Fresh in Warsaw (PL) (with Danny Diablo)
November 8th at Modra Vopice in Prague (CZR)
November 9th at The Arena in Vienna (AT)
November 10th - tba
November 11th at Ex Emerson in Firenze (IT)
November 12th at United Club in Torino (IT)
November 13th at Estraperlo Club in Barcelona (ES)
November 14th at Ritmo Y Compas in Madrid (ES)
November 15th - tba
November 16th - tba
November 17th at La Caravan Serail in Toulouse (FR)
November 18th at La Peniche Alternative in Paris (FR)
November 19th at Party Center 4km in Sofia (BG)
November 20th at JOC Ieper in Ypres (B)
November 21st at 013 in Tilburg (NL)


Right before the highly anticipated new Skarhead Tour, Lord Ezec will be on the road in Europe, in support of his new Danny Diablo album "International Hardcore Superstar" (released through Hellcat Records), starting October 22nd in Bulle, Switzerland. At the end of that run, on November 5th & 6th, Skarhead and Danny Diablo will be playing to shows together in Poland after which the Skarhead tour will kick off.

Danny Diablo European Tour
October 22nd at Ebullition in Bulle (CH)
October 24th at La Boite à Musique in Watrelo (FR)
October 26th at Transclub in Lyon (FR) (SOIA/Madball after-show)
October 28th at The Innocent in Hengelo (NL)
October 29th at Eventstage in Zizers (CH)
October 30th at United Club in Torino (IT)
October 30th at Pieffe Factory in Gorizia (IT)
November 2nd at Melodka in Brno City (CZR)
November 4th at Club 77 in Prague (CZR)
November 5th at Versus Theatre in Wroclaw (PL) (with Skarhead)
November 6th at The Fresh in Warsaw (PL) (with Skarhead)

Embrace Destruction - This Is Dedication

Show Of Force - Self Titled

The debut album by Show Of Force contains seven tracks of raging and tough old school hardcore. Hardcore is a genre where you can get away with taking a lot from other bands as long as it’s entertaining and that’s the case with this band.

Listening to these tracks it’s hard not to think of classic acts like Madball, Killing Time, Agnostic Front and such. They may lack the depth of Set It Off, Brightside or Victim In Pain, but nonetheless the band flawlessly executes all the aspects that define the NYHC genre and they do it with skills and practice. The songs sound catchy, fast and pissed off. The production is superb, but at the same time the clean sound doesn’t strip the rawness of the band. Musically, they’re head and shoulders above lots of other bands that play with this style. Lyrically, a large portion of the album deals with topics such as personal struggles, dirty politicians and fucked up society, all presented with an in-your-face delivery. I know it may sound cliché, but as long as they sound honest it’s cool with me. If I had to choose my fav track, I’d definitely go for Worst Case Scenario, a politically themed monster of a song with the chorus that will stick to your head for days. If you’re into NYHC, this is a must!

Review by Dloogi
Label: Real Recognizes Real Records
Year: 2009
Band's website

New EP from Harbour 81

Harbour 81 returns with a new 7″, following up their 2008 debut album ”Live Your Dreams”. The band features two ex-members from the legendary Dutch old school hardcore band SECOND CHANCE who broke up in 2007. Harbour 81 plays old school 80′s style hardcore in the veign of bands like Sick Of It All, Warzone, Slapshot & (early) Agnostic Front. The stream of the entire new EP can be found here

Edge Of Spirit sign with Demons Run Amok

Demons Run Amok Entertainment and Lucifers Legions Records offered bigger distribution to Japanese hardcore band Edge Of Spirit who recently signed with Lucifers Legions, and the band re-signed with Demons Run Amok, that caused release date change from October 27th into December 1st. The album titled Edge Of Spirit by Edge of Spirit will be released through Demons Run Amok Entertainment on December 1st, 2010 in Europe. The price will be 12EURO. For more infomation about the release, visit www.demonsrunamok.de

Pre-orders underway for 2nd press of Outbreak's self-titled album

From Think Fast Records: Pre-orders are underway for the second pressing of vinyl for Outbreak's self-titled album! If you missed out on the first press, don't miss the boat this time as the entire press is limited to only 500 copies. We're offering two different colored-vinyl variations including blue/black swirl (limited to 200) and white/black swirl (limited to 300). Each vinyl pre-order will come with a free digital download coupon (for high quality, 320 kbps mp3s of the album) as well as a free, full color poster for the upcoming Think Fast! Records & Think Fast! Booking Showcase Tour, which Outbreak will headline!

We've also thrown in the option to pre-order your vinyl with a discounted CD version of the album. Check out all the Outbreak pre-sale packages in our webstore here. You can stream 10 songs from Outbreak's self-titled album via MySpace. You can stream Outbreak's entire album from Think Fast! website here.
Here's some press the band has received since the album's initial
release back in November:

"Outbreak succeed at issuing a merciless hardcore assault while
sounding like they're having the time of their lives. ...tighter,
smarter and livelier than most current hardcore, Outbreak deliver
another impressive round."
- Alternative Press

"The odds were against them, but they said "fuck the odds" and wrote
the best album of their career. Punk as fuck, right? ...when a band
writes a self-titled album, it's assumed their intent was to define
themselves -- their sounds and their politics. Outbreak does this
while producing relentless punk rock tunes in the process."
- PunkNews.org

"Yes, Outbreak are releasing their new album both on Think Fast!
Records and on Universal Music's Trustkill. Yes, they're on the 'Saw
VI' movie soundtrack. Yes, they've chosen a more punk way for their
sound. But fuck no, they haven't got soft."
- Daily Music Reviews

"The artwork is brilliant, production is solid, and the tunes are
pretty much how they are meant to be in this genre from start to
finish. Everything a fan of the band would expect, and then some.
Fifteen songs, twenty minutes, one solid album."
- Bombshell Zine

"While I recognize, and appreciate more, the punk angle of Outbreak,
others who are into the omnipresent hardcore element running rampant
in rock and metal today will enjoy their raw, caustic edge. The pace
is unrelenting without being monotonous ...Outbreak's latest is a fast
and furious, ripping good time."
- DangerDog.com

"Outbreak does a fantastic job defining themselves with this album.
...it appears that they may have finally released an album impossible
to ignore. Their former releases, You Make Us Sick and Failure, while
hailed in the hardcore scene, can now be seen as mere stepping stones
to this release that may be the pinnacle of their career."
- Outburn

"What sets Outbreak apart from the pack of hardcore is while they
serve up all of the elements of good hardcore, they are not dogmatic
in bowing to the rules established for hardcore. There is a melodic
punk energy throughout the album that really pushes them over the top
for me."
- 410 Media

Ill Roc Familia Tour with Danny Diablo, Skam Dust and Shotblockers

Danny Diablo will be on tour in Europe between late October and early November 2010. Skam Dust, Panic, DJ Stress and other members of the Shotblockers will share the stage with the king from Queens for this 2 week tour around Europe! Check the show list below. A few more shows will be confirmed really soon so stay tuned.

October 22: Bulle - Ebullition - Switzerland
October 23: (FR) to be confirmed
October 24: Watrelo - La boite à musique - France
October 25: (FR) to be confirmed
October 26: Lyon - Transclub (after-show SOIA / Madball) - France
October 27: (FR) to be confirmed
Ocotber 28: Hengelo - The Innocent - Netherlands
Ocotber 29: Zizers - Eventstage - Switzerland
October 30: Torino - United Club - Italy
Ocotber 31: Gorizia - Pieffe Factory - Italy
November 01: Slovakia (venue to be confirmed soon)
November 02: Brno City - Czech Republic
November 03: Prague - Club 77 - Czech Republic
November 04: Wroclaw - Klub Senso - Poland
November 05: Warsaw - Klub Harlem - Poland

New merch from Xibalba on ColdCuts Merch

Coldcuts Merch got couple of new Xibalba designs in their webstore. Click here for more info! Also, do not miss the upcoming split featuring the band that will be out on BDHW Records.

By My Hands

By My Hands has been steadily making a name for themselves in the scene both on local and international level. With couple of succesful tours and releases behind their belt, things can only get better as the new album, Growing Older, Getting Colder, is a major step forward in terms of writing heavy and catchy songs that makes you wanna kill everybody in the pit. Read the interview, buy new album, buy creatine, go to their show!

By My Hands has been steadily making a name for themselves in the scene both on local and international level. With couple of succesful tours and releases behind their belt, things can only get better as the new album, Growing Older, Getting Colder, is a major step forward in terms of writing heavy and catchy songs that makes you wanna kill everybody in the pit. Read the interview, buy new album, buy creatine, go to their show!

There is a few year gap in between each of your albums. What’s been happening with By My Hands since the "Another Lesson Learned" came out?

CHRIS: Another Lesson Learned came out 2005, so quite a lot of shit has happened since then!
First thing we did since that release was tour with CDC and In Blood We Trust in the UK, then we release a 8 track split cd (4 from each band) with CDC on the now defunct Zone 6 Records. After this we toured east coast, central and southern USA with Leavenworth. That was one of the best times of our lives - we got to play with some many cool bands, cool shows, and hang with really cool people. We even played Dypshorias reunion show, and How It Ends last ever show, so that was extra special.
After this all we have been doing was writing new songs, and playing shows. We toured the UK a couple times over with Palehorse and xRepresentx too. That's about it!

Can you give us a little background on the new album? How do you think it compares to your previous record?

CHRIS: I think it sounds totally different from the split, and definately completely different from Another Lesson Learned, but still ultimately sounds like By My Hands. Of course, we think it is more mature and greater than anything we've released before, but bands always say that, otherwise, what'd be the point in writing new shit?
The metal influences definately don't shine through as much as they did in 'A.L.L' but, instead these sound more hardcore, more groovy, if that makes sense. There's definately more groove to this record. I think if you listened to all 3 records starting for the earliest to the newest you can definately hear the progression happening.

Is there anything different on this album that people might not expect to hear?

CHRIS: There's some sweet samples, a solo, some guest appearances, and a whole lot of heavy hardcore. I think more of our hardcore influnces shine through than the metal ones here, but it still definately sounds like BMH. Hopefully it has something that everyone can get down to or relate to.

How did you decide on the title, “Growing Older, Getting Colder”?

CHRIS: It's a lyric from the song 'Real' that appears on the album.
It just seemed perfect fit for the album name, given the lyrical content, and more importantly how we all feel/felt as a band during the writing and recording of the cd. It's been over 4 years since our last release, , we were having a lot of problems with recording the cd at the time, the hardcore scene was changing, the political climate was changing, our personal lifes were changing, the world was changing. The title means is exactly what it says, and a fair representation of how we feel as a band. You are supposed to mellow out as you get older, but we certainly dont feel that way, let's say.

In my opinion, one of the strongest points of the new album are the lyrics, with themes ranging from personal to socio-political issues. Care to tell us what inspired you when writing some of this stuff?

CHRIS: Thanks man, that mean's a lot.

As you said, a bunch of different issues are covered from song to song, and I tried to be as honest as I could about my feelings when I was writing, whether they were viewed as cliched topics or not. I really wanted to make my feelings clear to anyone who heard or read these words, I wanted the conviction to literally drip from the page. I didn't want to pull any punches, and I think I did that the best I could.

'The Hate', was inspired by a great dislike, shall we say, for organised religion. We live in a city, and indeed a country with a deep seeded religious divide and in-built intolerance. Vulernable people live, fight and die by this fear-obsessed fairytale right wing fascist-fed bullshit every other day all over the world, and I guess it's made me more than a little intolerant of it.
The song 'Trapped' touches on this vaguely but overall is more of a song about our city, the class war, and the state it's in right now.

'Worlds Apart' is more like a bit of a political statement on war than anything else. As you know, we regretably come from a country which hearlds an army that has been party to more than a few illegal occupations of other countries, especially in recent times, with the Iraq and Afghan wars. It's hard to live here, and see people, family members, friends.....sign up to these wars to escape their own struggles, the monotany of a jobless penny-less life on an estate, so that they vindicate their lives....made to feel like they've made something of themselves due to the pressure and praise heaped on them by national news and the like.....when in reality they are sadly used as political cannon fodder in this money-hungry horseshit that's used to divide the people. This song was written at a time the Palestinian land-grab war was prominent in nthe news too (even though the struggle continues, coverage has dwindled), so I guess it's my feelings, over all, on war and occupation.

Other stuff such as 'Real' 'Dead Words (The Truth Hurts) and 'Bad Beat' are more of the personal nature about feelings, opinions, and thoughts on events in and around life, and to be honest, I think I've rambled on enough about this subject...but if anyone is interested enough to want to know about the lyrics of the album, then I'd welcome any questions. Get at us via myspace/facebook or email; deadweightbookingATgooglemailDOTcom.



How did you hook up with Marked For Death records?

CHRIS: Well, Manuel at MFD emailed us, literally about 8 months before the album dropped, as he knew we were writing and looking for label.
From day one he was really into the music, our style, and our message as a band. He kept in touch with ideas he had for us, emailed constantly to check on us, and generally seemed really interested. We definately wanted a label behind us who shared our values and the same passion for our music as we do, so the rest is history.
Support a real label.
http://markedfordeathrecords.bigcartel.com/

SEAN: Yeah for sure, we've had a lot of good feeback from up and down the UK and Europe so far over the years, being from Glasgow hasnt been as much of a disadvantage as it may seem. In this day and age, location is becoming less and less important for bands. Aslong as your cd is floating about on the internet, people will hear it regardless of where your from, if they can get it for free they will probably listen to it, even if they've never really heard of you.
For us, we've always had good ties with bands in London and for a while it was a place that we had a lot of friends, and a fairly good following. Some of our first releases were on a London-based label, so our records were readily available. This was beneficial for us when bringing out a new record, because a lot of the older heads were famiilar with our earlier stuff, it meant that there was no hesitation for hardcore kids down that way to check out the new shit, and in turn, put us on shows down there. Something which can be hard for bands who are trying to book their own shows.

And how do you feel about the way UK hardcore has recently been represented overall? How do you feel about the bands that are currently active in the UK scene?

SEAN: At the moment there are a lot of really good bands in the UK, and conversely, a lot of completely garbage ones. Unfortunately, as with most places, when one good band pops up, so do a million other godawful carbon copies. On a global scale, the UK is being represented fairly well I think. From being over the states recently, Ive noticed that being from the UK is almost becoming an excuse to check out a band if your American, and as a result, people just cant get enough of UK bands.. Bring Me the Horizon, Architects, Your Demise, Gallows, You Me at Six, Dead Swans amongst others are all well killing it in the states at the moment, some more than others of course, but doing good none the less. OK so they may not all be hardcore, but have been in and around the hardcore scene and its fringes here at some point, like it or not. I remember Taking Names went to the US years ago too. That was a good band. Here in the UK, there are a lot of good smaller bands who are developing their own sound and have good ethics, which is refreshing to see in hardcore. For a long times theres been too much of an emphasis on how you look or how many tattoos you've got, so its good to see what Id consider "newish" bands (like us) like Brutality Will Prevail, Broken Teeth, Basement, Deal With It, True Valiance, More Than Life, Departures, Breaking Point, Deal With It, Cold Snap, Last Witness etc just doing whatever the hell they want, playing shit they like, not caring if people like it or not, while being supported by great DIY labels such as Purgatory or Holy Roar records.



How do you feel the scene in the UK differs from mainland Europe in general?

SEAN: I think the main difference would be the divisions in genre. In the UK, there isnt much of a crossover in genres, and people generally tend to stick to one strict style or genre of hardcore. In europe theres a much better sense of unity, and people will usually turn up to shows regardless of whos playing, simply to support music in their area. Also, from a musicians point of view, European promoters usually treat bands a lot better than UK promoters. Not that UK promoters treat bands badly, but promoters on the mainland go above and beyond to make sure you are fed properly, have plenty to drink at all times and have a nice place to stay. It makes a nice change from having to go around the crowd asking people for a place to stay, you know?


“No cheesey fake "endorsements", no "paid for" fancy myspace pages, No "band management" with fax & paging numbers.” – is it something you see often in UK? Do you think that increasing popularity of hardcore draws a lot of kids who are not getting it right?

CHRIS: I think its a "problem" worldwide, not only in the UK. I hate seeing bands who have more professionally taken "photos" than shows they've played, or more merch for sale than the amount of songs that band has written, bands with management and representation that haven't played out of their home town.....you know?
I see it all the time now-a-days. To me, it's totally crazy. Live fast die fast bands. They spring from nowhere looking for a fast rise to "fame" or whatever, get none, then change their name and start again.
For me, it all stems with the internet, and how easy it is to access things, like new bands....this was a great thing for me when getting into hardcore, but it also has its bad side...it also means that you can drop a band as quickly as you picked them up, for something new because of the saturation of bands trying to rise to fast.
Everything is disposable.
For me a lot of things are lost, for example interaction with a band, communication, you get me? Most of our friends, shows, and friends have came about from talking with real people directly rather than using management to send contracts and official bullshit to promoters and bands, while hiding behind an over-produced website with no substance.
A lot of unity is lost this way. It makes things more 'plastic'. Hardcore's more than just look or a "sound". It doesnt matter how much you "sound" like a hardcore band, hardcore is a mentality, and I think kids forget that.

So, in your opinion, what are some of the most important lessons in hardcore? What kids should keep in mind?

CHRIS: haha, I hate telling people what to do like I'm some kind of expert, cause I'm not, but in my opinion the best things you can do are;
Talk to people at shows, via email, whatever...be yourselves, and try and concentrate on the music first before you do anything else. Good music and real people stand the test of time.

Before we finish, what are future plans for the band?

CHRIS: Yes! We have been a band for 7 years, and 6 of those we've been playing shows, and all we have managed in mainland in europe is one show. We need to play on the mainland as soon as possible, so hopefully we will do this before the end of 2010, or at the beginning of 2011. Manuel from Marked For Death is currently oraganising a huge show for his label in Augsburg, so we can hopefully use this as a starting point for a tour.

We are also currently finalising a tour in South Africa with a band called Conqueror (http://www.myspace.com/conquerorhc) from Jo'burg. I really can't fucking wait for that.
Other than that, we are just going to continue as normal, play as many shows as we can, tour the album, and hopefully write some new shit.

If anyone is interested in booking us at any time, just get in touch.

Any last words for the readers? Anything you want to get off your chest?

Yeah - Big up to Dloogi and Hardboiled! Thanks for the support.
Support the zines, support your scene, and support real bands.

Unfinished Business

Unfinished Business is a new hardcore band from Syracuse, New York. Their sound is heavy and with strong mid-tempo passages and slick faster parts. They definitely are skilled at what they do and if you're into metallic hardcore some of their songs will get caught in your head!

Name: My name is Tom, and I do vocals for Unfinished Business

Location: Syracuse, NY

Active since: I think the first show was February 2009

How do you define your overall style?
Just hardcore. Heavy and straight forward.

What’s your goal with this band?
Eventually I think we'd all love to tour full time. But also just to give back to the hardcore scene, especially in Syracuse.

What do you have recorded so far?
Well, before I was in the band, they recorded a four song demo. Soon after I joined (June 2009) we recorded a 2 song demo. Then this past December we recorded the 5 song EP.

How did you all come together to form the group?
Our old drummer and I have been friends for a long time, and I would go to practice with him every now and I just happened to be there the day Mike, the old vocalist got kicked out. I had never done anything besides bass until that point, but decided to give it a try anyways, and obviously it worked out! As for drummers, we had some trouble for a while, but Ben Shaw's been playing with us since February and it's been working great!

Your new EP is out. Tell us something about it and how does it stand compared to the previous recordings?
Well, honestly we've really been slackin' about getting it pressed, which is why we have it up for download now. We're planning on recording a few more songs and releasing something more official that will include the 5 from this EP. I definitely think that it's all around our best so far though, from production to music.

Lyrics were always a very important part of hardcore. What do you want listeners to experience while listening to your songs?
I really think it's counter productive when bands have lyrics that are just filled with analogy after analogy, and it becomes so hard to really understand what the song is about and to relate. Whenever I write, I want people to be able to read it and know exactly what I mean.

What’s good happening in Syracuse when it comes to hardcore? Any good new bands around?
Our friend TomDom is actually doing a show where anyone who's never been to one gets in for free and anybody who brings somebody get's in half price. I think we're all real excited and hoping it brings some new faces out regularly. We definitely have some cool bands coming out though. Born To Expire, Violent Side, No Remorse, Ghost Ship, and Oak & Bone, just to name a few.

How do you think the current state of the scene in your hometown compares to that of 90’ when Syrcause was a straight edge Mecca?
I think things have slowed down since then, definitely, but it's still alive and well. I'm not sure if any of the new bands will be as influential as bands like Earth Crisis, Another Victim, and The Promise, but We've still got a lot of good things happening. I especially think we're lucky to have one of the best HC labels around in our city, Reaper Records.

And how do you feel about the hardcore scene in general? What’s worth attention and what sucks?
I think there's a lot of alright bands that get lots of hype, and a lot of great ones that are rarely talked about. Also, I think as a lot of older people are "getting over" hardcore, the younger kids need to step up and start their own bands, start booking shows, etc. I think a lot of great bands are coming out now though, Especially from Texas, Cali, Virginia, Wilkes Barre, and Long Island.

How would you descibre Unfinished Business show?
This is tough, haha. It really depends on where we play I guess. We all play our best, and however the crowd reacts is up to them. I mean, we've played shows where people barely moved, and we've lso done a lot where the whole crowd has gone ham. Haha

What are some other bands that really impressed you live?
I think True Life played one of the tightest and heaviest sets I've seen when we played with them in june. There's also Terror, Trapped Under Ice, Bitter End, Cruel Hand, Mongoloids, and a lot more.

What are some of the movies every hardcore kid should see?
Personally, I'm a big fan of Will Smith, so I'd say anything with him! I'd say also Sin City, the new Karate Kid, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and The Warriors.

What's next on your agenda?
We'll be recording about 5 -6 new songs in November or December, and we're planning a tour in the beginning of January with our dawgs in True Life.

Last words…
Wanna shout out to Hardside, Born Low, True Life, Double Dealer, PK and Cabal Screen Printing, Toxic Breed, and TomDom. And, anybody who ain't checked out our EP yet, quit sleepin and hit the pit! haha.

Check the band at their Myspace.

Alley Gods - Correcting Wrong Opinions

Correcting Wrong Opinions is pretty cocky name for an album but I’m glad to say that these tracks live up to the title. Just like on their debut 7” (which I reviewed some time ago), Alley Gods displays a style that is full of some classic 80’ hardcore influences but served with a modern twist. It’s nothing ground breaking, but those kids got skills.

They definitely have a solid foothold in the roots of hardcore which makes Correcting Wrong Opinions a solid tribute to a now distant era of hardcore when it was all about pissing people off, not giving a fuck and having a laugh. There are so many things that are right about this album - the tempos are fast and the song are sharp and short with occasional melodies, guitar solos and sing alongs. The meat of the album is made of pummeling riffs and shouting vocals backed up by a tight and fast drumming. The bass player is doing some crazy stuff with his instrument as well and thanks to the balanced production, it can be heard perfectly. Despite to straight forward approach, they somehow find a way to display their musical skills in these songs so it doesn’t get boring that fast. Sometimes even some classic Finish hardcore influences kick in (some old shit when punks still looked like punks with all the spikes and leather). I like their straight forward lyrical style –some songs are provocative, some touch serious topics while other are plain fun. It took me some time to get used to the screechy vocals. In the end, after couple of spins they don’t bother me that much no more, but still it’s not my favorite style of singing. Overall, it’s a solid old school album and the odds are pretty good that if you’re into this style you'll find plenty to like on here.

Review by Dloogi
Label: Poolside Records/Psychedelica Records
Year: 2010
Band's website