Scum Of This Earth
Watch out for Pantah's debut ep 'Not For Me' to drop soon enough! The band will be releasing this gem via The Limit Records (NL), and the same material will be also availabile on tape through Cause & Effect Records (UK). One track from the upcoming record is already available for your listening pleasure. If the rest of the new tunes are as dope as 'Scum Of This Earth', they will get my money for sure. It seems that if you dig their first demo you won't be dissapointed with the new record. This is the same rugged, aggressive stuff with pretty crazy vocals. Go to band's facebook and click like button to get all the updates on the ep.
OLC live set from East Coast Tsunami
It's funny how one of the most hated bands in hardcore turns out to be one of the nicest and down to earth dudes. I saw them play last year's Ninja Fest and their performance was short but slick. They got nothing but love from the crowd and love they did give back. I don't know how active the band gonna be in terms of gigs in the future, but if you have a chance to see them play live don't miss it. Props to Shed My Skin for the above vid.
Overreact - Self Titled (Knives Out Recs)
The debut ep from France’s Overreact does not disappoint. If bands like Integrity, Ringworm, Vitality or Kickback are your shit, this ep will be a dope front-to-back listen as it showcases the band just wrecking shit through 4 tracks with a real nice vibe on the 90’ evil and grimey metalcore tip. Some real hard shit on this one. Those dudes ain’t ashamed to admit they’re heavily influenced by old school metalcore sound which seems to be a kind of hype in some circles. But make no mistake, this ep hits so many right points that it’s clear they’re not some new jacks jumping on bandwagon but real dudes with sincere love for the art of hardcore.
New Madball track
Doc Marten Stopm is a new track to prepare you for the release of Hardcore Lives album. The track is dope in a way carries on the tradition of classic Ne York sound with a dose of punk in the mix. I am eagerly anticipating this release, the tracks they've released so far are both high powered bangers and one of the finest work in years. The album will include guest cameos from Scott Vogel, Toby Morse and Candace Puopolo which is another reason why it's gonna be sick.
Indication's XI ep finally drops
For those living under a rock, debut EP by Indication is finally here and oh boy, it rips! Think of old Integrity and Ringworm, but not in this fake-ass holy terror goofy way, it's 100% foam to mouth aggression type of hardcore. This shit is real. Get your copy here, fruit!
Dope new music: Mizery - Survive The Vibe
Fucking hell, this ep is beyond hard! Everyone who thinks bands like Fire&Ice, Bitter End or Cold World rip needs to drop whatever they're doing in listen to this shit. This little gem was uploaded in March but it's just now that I found out about it. If you were sleeping on this band just like me, correct your mistake asap. Mizery, California, USA. Ep coming soon on Lion's Share Recs.
Manipulate @ BNB Bowl 2014
Manipulate is one of my favorite new bands and I can't wait for them to record some new shit. I don't know when it's gonna happen but I hope it will. The video above is taken from their BNB Bowl 2014 performance, straight up fire! I envy everyone who got to be at this fest.
Body Count - Talk Shit, Get Shot
Hipsters getting shot? Check. Yuppies getting slayed? Check. Internet shit-talking bitches getting smacked? Check. This is the lead single from the upcoming Manslaughter album, which is due out June, 10th. Bang your head to this!
Overreact Interview
If you're into metallic hardcore the way it was done back in the 90', the debut ep by Overreact will leave you floored. Seriously, the band got that style on lock in a way they hook up gritty and raw hardcore with heaviness of metal. It's a short piece of art, but the band made sure each tracks on it rips. Check out the interview to learn more about these dudes.
New Tunes: R.A. - Black Widow
Rude Awakening dropped a new track to promote the upcoming Collateral Damage album. What can I say, the track is straight fire and perfectly blends aggressive, groove heavy tunes with threatening vocals. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first song to be leaked from that album and judging only by this monster we should gear up for some strong shit. It seems every week there's another killer band releasing new killer music, I like where this year is going.
Eternal War by Forced Order
Forced Entry is a new band from California that brings that evil heaviness that makes everyone go maniac when they hear it. If you don't know, members of Twitching Tongues, Soul Search, Harness and Disgrace have their dirty fingers in this band and that guarantees quality. The band have dropped new track on their bandcamp which is fire. The vocals are seriously pissed off and menacing, the music itself is dope too. I dig it and hope there's more tracks coming in the same vein on their upcoming ep. Eternal War to drop via Ratel Records soon!
Unite For Relief comp
I love it when hardcore community gets together for a good cause. Like this comp, which is a result of couple dudes from Germany, US and Japan teaming up to make it happen - and all the profits go to help people in Japan who still struggle to get their lives together after the tragic tsunami in 2011. The tracklist is insane and includes everything that’s cool about hardcore - from classics like Next Step Up or Darkside NYC to newer bands like Look My Way, Ballistic or For The Glory. You also get big names like Madball, Wisdom In Chains or Trapped Under Ice in the mix as well.
2 cds, 35 tracks - I know the main goal is to raise money for the needing, but if you choose to buy this cd you’ll get shitload of good hardcore to listen in your car or gym or wherever you like it. The selection of the songs is dope, there are absolutely no fillers and all the tracks are heavy as hell. That's not surprising considering the opening track is Bringing Back The Glory by Next Step Up. It's a track everyone loves and are familiar with, but it kind of embodies the spirit of integrity and solidarity this record carries. It's impossible to pick a fav track here, but I advise you to check out Methods Of Groove by Embraced By Hatred. You can't top the original, but this version still is fire!
Furious Records released the comp in Asia in 2012 and Filled With Hate Records released it in Europe/US in 2013. There are some copies left and they need to go! You can order your copy here. Europe, US - step up!
Sworn Enemy is back at it again
You can stream new Sworn Enemy in its full glory now. I don't usually post videos like this but since this one was put on youtube with band's permission I guess it's ok to share it. Straight off the bat, I'm not a big fan of their previous releases, basically everything after The Beginning Of The End was crap, but I've heard that new album is good so I was curious to check it out. I need to listen to it in full several times before making my opinion, but the first impression is that it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Actually, there are some dope moments here and there and it's great to see the band taking less metal and more hardcore approach. That doesn't means they gave up on the whole thrash thing, but there are songs on Living... that definitely carry the same feeling as As Real As It Gets or The Beginning Of The End. Approved.
What do you think about it?
Review: Scarred Mind - Heavy Mental
Scarred Mind - Heavy Mental (Worship Records, 2012) - Damn, this ep is soooo good! Scarred Mind delivers some dope tracks on their debut 7” ep Heavy Mental. Crunchy and sharp hardcore with a slight metallic sound that moves forward while managing to stay true to its roots. They combine elements from different eras and styles hardcore, but most of all it’s about that rugged and raw style everyone loves.
Demo Daze: Cease To Resist, Cold Times, Watchmen, Idle Hands, Paid In Pain
Check out this selection of some of the finest new hardcore that scene got to offer right now:
HC Gem: Agnostic Front with Freddy Madball, Montreal, Quebec '92
Here's a cool footage of Agnostic Front's show in Canada from 1992 with Freddy Madball filling in for the vocals in place of Roger. Lots of stuff from One Voice, plus the sound and video quality is not as bad as you would expect from VHS rip.
Assorted News
Forbearance records will drop a debut ep by Paid In Full. The ep can be streamed in its full glory here - this stuff is pretty ill so I recommend you check it out!
Dead End Recs will release new No Excuse titled Testament. The recird will be limited to 300, 200 Black and 100 Red vinyl. FFO:Youth Crew, Youth Of Today, United Youth, Mindset. Order your copy here.
Times Are Changing: A European Hardcore Compilation LP out soon via Destroy Your World Inc. The comp includes acts from various countries of Europe: No Turning Back, Coldburn, World Eater, Born From Pain, Risk It!, Knuckledust and much more.
Old School Cartel out of Australia is set to drop a split 7" between Worst Possible Outcome and Deadly Visions. Both bands hail from Australia and both rip.
Hoods' new album will be titled Gato Negro: OK so we tracked 6 songs. They came out amazing. For the first time ever in the studio I have zero worries. This album is well worth the abuse, rage, sadness, happiness, and depression that went I had to go through to achieve. GATO NEGRO is in the alleyways and coming to a street near y’all. Keep that blood pumpin’ MH.
Play this one loud! Open it in a Feels like I'm stuck in quicksand...
Quicksand is such a dope track that I'm really happy Concrete decided to drop a video for it. The song is of course taken from the band's latest record Deadlock - go check it out if you haven't already. Fans of heavy, but old styled hardcore should be most interested in catching up on it. Especially if Madball or early Hatebreed is your type of shit. By the way, Concrete's split 12'' with Hammerfist coming Summer 2014!
Interview with Joey Knuckles (The Alliance, Suicide Kings) pt II
As promised, here's the second part of the interview with Joey Knuckles (check the first one if you haven't already). This time we focus on Suicide Kings, his rap project with producer Cole Young “DJ King Cole”, also of Gravemaker fame. Kings recently dropped their debut album 'Crown Of Thorns', which is the main reason for this conversation. The style of the record is straight up raw and aggressive hip-hop with guest features from heavyweights like M.O.P, Saigon and The Demigodz. Dope stuff!
New Madball track: DNA
So, Madball just dropped new song from the upcoming album, 'Hardcore Lives'. Of course you know how it's gonna sound even before you push play, but honestly, it is probably one of their best tracks in years. The New York posse drops some dope groove as always and Freddy sounds really dedicated and pissed off on this one. I feel like this song really once again got me hyped for anything new from the band.
Ryker's - Hard To The Core video
Just over the last couple of days there's been more updates about new Ryker's album, and all of a sudden the band drops the clip for title track from the upcoming record. The track itself does not dissapoint if you're a fan of their earlir work. What can I say, this is Euro-core in all its glory.
Stream new Look My Way
Recently there has been a steady stream of very ill music coming from different scenes, be it Europe, US, South America or Asia. I don't have enought time to write about every dope new band or track I hear, but I gonna try to at least write about the most interesting ones.
Most of you probably know that Look My Way will be calling it quits this year, but before this happens the band promised to release a farewell record. Well, here it is and you can stream Last Will And Testament in its entirely here. Can't say the band has been among my favorite bands doing it right now, but I gotta admit these new songs are their best work so far. It sounds hard and dynamic, and the ruff vocals only add to overall positive outcome. Press play below and be sure to cop this material when it's finally out on a physical format. Expect it to drop in May on tape via Save My Soul Records.
Interview with Joey Knuckles (The Alliance, Suicide Kings) pt I
This is the first part of the interview I did with Joey Knuckles, who did vocals for one of my all time fav bands - The Alliance. If you need introduction, check out the post I did couple days ago which gives a short overview of the band and most of all, shares some deep science on why Hit Em' Up is one of the tightest hardcore albums of all times. Seriously, you need to go there, download this stuff and go ape shit listening to it. As for this interview, I am stoked that we were able to pull it off. There's a cloud of mystery surrounding the band as I didn't come across any other interview or bio, so I took this opportunity to ask Joey about how various stuff, like the band got started, their time being part of Detroit scene, and what eventually led to its demise. Next part of the interview will be about Joey's new project, Suicide Kings.
Last Dayz set from Northcote Festival
I always felt bands from east side of Europe have been underrated despite churning out one great record after another. Especially in the recent times, the amount of awesome hardcore coming from Poland, Russia, Ukraine and so on is amazing. Don't even get me started on listing bands to check out, too many to mention - go through old post on this blog and find out for yourself. But don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound like I am complaining. It's not really something I loose my sleep over. You have to work for yours and take care of things in your own backyard, which means good old fashioned 'support your scene' attitude. More important to me is Polish bands getting support from local kids and keeping the local scene alive. If the rest of the world is sleeping on bands from here, they are simply missing out on great hardcore.
Anyway, every Last Dayz show I've seen was beyond incredible so peep the video above and see how hardcore should be played live. I wasn't at this years Northcote fest, but the video looks really dope. I gotta give it to the dudes running Remain Sustain youtube channel, the sound and video quality is superb.
Forgotten Classics: The Alliance - Detroit hardcore
So little is known about this band that I cannot give you any detailed bio. All I know it featured members of Earthmover, Cold as Life, Hyde, Dogz of War and Tank. Even though there are plenty of kids who don't give a single fuck about that band nowadays, The Alliance was everything that was right (and everything that was wrong, to some) with hardcore in the 00’s. The band called it quits in 2007 after their third album Hit Em Up came out. That's pretty much all I know about them, now let’s get down to the music.
New Rykers album is closer than you think
Thats official - Rykers are back! The band gonna drop new music via Beatdown Hardwear! With track titles like The World As I See It Today, Time Heals, Born To Fly or Slave Cruel World I'm expecting this one to be as tight as the old records. Check out the live recording of the title track below. The pre-orders are already up BDHW webstore, orders will be shipped earlyest 30th April till 5th May.
Assorted News: Sub-Zero, Knuckledust, Lifeless and more...
Fuck yes! Sub-Zero are back and working on new music!
Knuckledust is working on new songs for the upcoming 7" ep due out in September. The record will drop via GSR Music.
The same goes for Lifeless, who's new album gonna be titled 'Dream'. Recording is in the works, keep checking thier stereokiller where all the new songs gonna be available even before official release. 2014 is gonna be good!
Life.Lair.Regret. Recs will release a debut tape from Upperground, female fronted band from Sydney, Australia. You can check out the Ne Order track below, it features Warbain's Lloyd, which seems to be the main reason this track don't suck.
"The L.A. Journal #1, a fanzine by LegendsArising.com focussing on the good things in life: hardcore music, traveling, art, vegan/vegetarian food, opinions, and our community. The zine includes interviews with Expire, Backtrack, Turnstile, Angel Du$t, and Kids Insane." Order your copy here.
New Blood: Back Down
Back Down hails from Bristol and so far have a demo that dropped last year, which was then followed up by Against All Odds EP that came out earlier this year. They play hardcore that while fast and dynamic, stays on heavier side of things, not unlike Terror or Madball. If you like this style, there's much to love about that new ep. Check out the interview I did with Tom who does vocals for the band.Video: Wilful Damage - This Is Ours
Wilful Damage, my people from Brisbane, have dropped what is their first official clip. This track is taken from band's most recent record, Pride, available for free download here. Turn it up!
New Blood: Guts Out - Moscow Hardcore
Guts Out caught my attention with the self titled ep they dropped in January - with pretty much every track on it being incredibly dope it rapidly became one of my favourites. The band doesn't break any new ground, but it works classic NYHC hardcore style with considerable skill and aggression. Take my word for it, without mentioning any names, it can give a lot of more hyped bands a run for their money. Anyway, as I want to have more bands from Europe featured on this blog this year, Guts Out were an obvious choice.Hardcore gem: 25 ta Life featuring Stephen (Kickback)
This video is pretty insane, if you haven't seen it already check it out above. 25 ta Life start playing Short Fuse and all of a sudden Stephen jumps in and totally kills it. Sick! Paris, filthy Paris, 2004.
Review: Hammerfist - Zero Stone
Hammerfist - Zero Stone (Rucktion) - Fuck, this shit is heavy! Not much have changed compared to band’s previous albums but if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. After first listen I knew I got what I expected from this album - the vocals are maniac and the riffs are massive. Much of the album has a strong old-styled metallic hardcore vibe to it that I'm really feelin. It’s kind of stuff you know from Merauder or Hatebreed albums, and it’s done so right. For more traditional, faster hardcore parts check out tracks like Carry The Weight, while Skin Change and Illusio deliver heavy breaks that weight tons.
Bolt - top of the core
Bolt must be one of my fav bands from Europe, these dudes can't be touched! Like their page is you haven't already.
Play this one loud! Open it in a New tunes from Criminal Instinct
Criminal Instinct will drop new 'Fever' 7″ and have recently posted 2 tracks to prepare you what's gonna happen when the whole record hit the streets. Both tracks are raging! Solid Bond Records is already running pre-orders for the first pressing (1000 pc / black, orange, red & white) so don't sleep on it. On the related note, the label will also drop new shit from No One Rules, you can check out this band here.
Interview with Nikolay from Ugly & Proud Recs
My man Nikolay is a brain and muscle behind Ugly & Proud Recs, a young hardcore label based in Sofia, Bulgaria that has been putting out some quality records in recent years. Roster includes bands like Blade, Lose The Life, Can't Relate, Raw Justice, Die Young and much more. As you can see, 100% legit stuff that everyone into hard and uncompromising hardcore could appreciate. This type of entrepreneurship will always get respect and support on this blog, so I thought it would be cool to ask Nikolay couple of questions about the label - how it got started, how it works, and what is the biggest headache. I hope seing the insights behind what it means to run a DIY hardcore label is something you'll find interesting.
New clip from Clearview - Times Of Distress
Clearview is without a doubt one of my favorite active bands in hardcore. They dropped their last album 'Rage Through Integrity' in 2012 and if you read my review you know I loved the shit out of it. I even managed to catch them live last summer and they're nothing but legit dudes. Here's a clip the band put together from various footage from that European tour. Quit being a loser, check out this clip.
Review: Nueva Dirección - s/t
Nueva Dirección - s/t - Self titled record by Malaga (Spain)-based Nueva Direccion is an unfortunately flawed attempt at old styled hardcore/punk. The self-titled album delivers five tracks that fixate on sound somewhere in the middle between Sick Of It All, First Blood, Terror and so on. While all the usual elements are at play here, with songs going from fast parts to breakdowns, riffs heavier to melodic, no song get close in terms of infectious vitality or catchiness to the bands they try to copy.
