Only Attitude Counts - Triumph Of The Underdogs

With this album, kings of Vienna hardcore remain true to the basics of the style they’ve been perfecting for years but play their music with a certain vitality and freshness that isn't often heard from such long going bands like them..
What struck me when I was listening to this shit for the first time Is that it seems the band wanted to go heavier with their music. Not metal, but the overall feeling I get with this album, they seem to be more focused on displaying their musical skills and showing that they can write much more detailed songs then they did before. There is some thrashy feel to some of the songs and it really works for them. They can go fast and aggressive or slow and menacing but the execution is always flawless. Usually, when hardcore bands do that we get a shitty album that tries to mimic metal, but that’s fortunately not the deal here. Take a song like Make Amends for example, with its catchy chorus backed up by typical punk rock gang vocals and a hint of melody in the riffing which is broken up by a slick breakdown with pounding drums, double bass and some heavier guitar work. It’s a short part, but effective.

Although they added a little more variation, the songs on this album are straight forward as always and mostly up-tempo. The riff work is above the average, ranging from some punk rock infused tunes to straight up metal and the rhythm section is pounding.

With this release Only Attitude Counts has taken their old school experience along with new ideas and passion to make an album that's both aggressive and modern. Even after listening to it countless times, it remains effective and catchy. It’s more musically detailed without ruining the raw sound the band is known for. I like the consistency of the album. The keep it tight right from the start and it gets more intense as the album plays out.

Author: Dloogi
Label:Swellcreek
Year: 2009

Taggers - cop's training video

Taggers is actually a real training video for police in Los Angeles from the early 90's. Advice for the coppers how to fight with the taggers that is give here is marvelous, especially one about chasing for the fattest guy if you're out of shape. Priceless!




Eyes To The Sky - All Bets Are Off

The sound of this album makes me think of Throwdown and I just couldn’t escape this comparison. It is in the slow to mid-paced groove where the band feels most comfortable and the fast moments are really few and far between. While the band isn’t on the level of Throwdown in their prime, they still deliver some mean and uncompromising shit.
Lyricalwise, the album is filled with aggressiveness and the vocalist Ryan is dropping some seriously anti-social verses about self pride, brotherhood and bringing pain upon those who oppose him. This is the way I like it actually.

While I overall enjoyed the album, ETTS’s weak links seem to be the lack of good ideas to give their songs some variation. The band doesn’t try any new tricks and instead rely on a well set out formula of mosh driven hardcore. While they manifest some good ideas now and then , this is not enough to keep the album interesting for more than a couple of spins. I mean, they got what it takes to make a good music, whether it’s a solid musicianship or angry and convincing vocals, but somehow there aren’t many moments here that excite me. The albums opens up with some solid tracks and then the whole excitement seems to be disappearing somewhere along the way. Despite some strong moments early on, the album as a whole sounds relatively flat. They get my blood rushing again with the last song Live And Die Honor. Never mind its cheesy title , the band brings a lot more emotion out of this song with the right groove and nice guitar lines. It seems ETTS is finally starting to get things more vibrant and too bad it’s happening in the last song.

I know they’re working on a new record right now so I hope they will be able to carve out more of their own identity with the new songs. Overall, this is not a bad album and if you want just something to mosh to, it should play its part. I’ll be checking out another ETTS album for sure but it’s gonna need some more creativity to succeed.


Author: Dloogi
Label:Seventh Dagger
Year: 2008

Hardcore Press Review

Reactions to EDGE documentary and other scene related stories from all around the web:

“Edge” Documentary Sets Audiences Straight - The Celebrity Cafe

The culture of sobriety: EDGE offers a broad perspective on the straight-edge movement - Vanguard

Palace Theatre in Syracuse to present "EDGE" documentary featuring Karl Buechner [+interview] - Syracuse.com

Hardcore Krishna: Veteran punk singer Don Foose returns with furious music and a spiritual message - Cleveland Scene

Greg Bennick of Trial Interview - Seventh Dagger blog

Top 5 Hardcore Albums by Jason Mazzola of Cloak/Dagger - Decibel Magazine

20 best: US hardcore - FACT Magazine

Straight Edge Music - myfoxboston.com

Ghost Town Interview - All Year Summer blog

Sheriffs developing gang task force: "ut Fernley has the heaviest population of Hispanic gang members, while the more rural areas in the south of the county are seeing an increase in Straight Edge or Hate Edge gang members made up of predominantly white school-aged teens who are anti-smoking, drugs and alcohol, but have no problem with using violence to spread their message." - Biker News

Straightedge: What Every Parent (and everyone else) Should Know - Idaho Falls Today

Extreme Flashbacks: CM Punk and Constructing The Underlying Straight Edge(s) - The Wrestling Daily

Juggalo Rydas vs. Straight Edge Militants - Spike

By Way Of Blood

"The reaction that the crowd shows a hardcore band compared to almost every other genre. The more they get into what were doing makes me that much more into it. "


Name: By Way Of Blood

Location: (jake)manchester,nh/(mark)not northern ma(a dig to those bands who lie)

Active since: Oct.07

How do you define your overall style?
Aggressive hardcore late 90's HARD hardcore(jake)

What’s your goal with this band?
Tour europe and make kids hurt each other. bring back that feeling from the late 90's scene.

What do you have recorded so far?
A couple demo tracks and an unreleased 5 song e.p.



Would you like to introduce yourselves to the readers who may not have heard of you, as well as a brief history?
Mark -drums Jake-guitar Mark l.-guitar Alex-vocals bass-????? (just Jake and Mark here now. drummer. no drummer. drummer no drummer. drummer no singer. band label no bassist. me and jake have been busting our asses for 2 years just to keep the band alive. i was the vocalist for the first year and a half and made the move to drums after having 3 disappointments with the ones we had. we are moving onto our 6th bassist. (i promise its not our fault) we found alex through a few friends who had a band with him that was on its way out. so we swooped in and grabbed him up. and couldn't be happier.

Congratulations on getting a label. How did the Demon-seed deal came about and does it mean that the debut album is coming soon?
We got offered to do a tour this december with blood-war, through our manager ED from graveyard booking and they checked us out and passed us on to the label and with the powers that be being kids from the mid to late 90's they jumped on us. Ed has been a HUGE part of the life of this band in the short time we have know him. Meshia and kyle always throwing down on the floor for us helps alot too!!!

Many kids tend to turn to hardcore as an outlet from something that they’re dealing with in their regular lives. What is it with you, why did you lean towards this type of music?
Jake-fat scene chicks!! haha umm.. the reaction that the crowd shows a hardcore band compared to almost every other genre. the more they get into what were doing makes me that much more into it.
mark-same old story felt out casted to my "peers" haha im gonna cry. no i was into like "heavy" radio shit and then i went to my first show (xproclamationx, big jon stud, ever-down, and strike 3) and i was instantly consumed by the whole feeling of what the scene was then.(1996)

I’m really feeling the All Family Here track, both musically and lyrically. Tell us how that song came about…
Well we have a song called kinsman that was more of a direct anthem to our close friends and family and we noticed that we were starting to make new good friends and fans and wanted to address them, and we thought what better way than a "kinsman part 2".


What bands do you think had the biggest influence on your sound?
Terror (old), no warning, to kill, buried alive, shai hulud, madball, death before dishonor, hoods, agnostic front, indecision, one king down, snapcase, gwar, gorilla biscuits, suffocate faster,earth crisis, helmet, the miles between, reign supreme,down to nothing, think i care, integrity, and ringworm. i guess haha

One of the purpose of the band is to resurrect the New Hampshire hardcore scene. So do you think it’s moving in the right direction right now?
Not really. the kids who care right now only care to be seen and the ones we want are so fed up with the way the scene is they don't bother but its moving forward. it will take time to make people remember why they need to give a shit.

How would you describe the climate of the scene over there? Are the kids working together to make it work or they rather sit and do nothing but talking shit? 
Cold and doing nothing. but there are a SMALL handful of kids and people doing their part!!



So what are some classic acts from NH and what are some of the newer bands everybody should pay attention to?
Ever-down, strike 3, distrust(the hardcore one),enough said, word for word, trials, relentless we stand, yellow stitches.


What are the future plans for the band?
Not be to drunk to play. haha. tour europe. just have fun and play. thats what its always been about.

Thanks for taking your time to do this? Anything you would like to add?
Check out demon-seed records! blood war!! graveyard booking(ed we owe you so much!!!) trials!! enough said!! and relentless we stand!! full length record coming out spring/summer 2010

Band's Myspace profile.

Two horror comic books to be released shortly

Hairy Things is a three issue limited series written by Jay Carvajal with Marc Borstel providing the visual side of the project. The first issue will be out January 13, 2010. You can order it here.

The Wild West can be a scary place, as four unlikely friends discover, when they stumble upon a remote town deep in the Colorado Rockies that is being attacked by big hairy creatures. Sadly, for this gang, these hairy things may be the least of their worries! Ships Weekly in January!

The Waking was written by Raven Gregory, penciled by Vic Durichio and olored by Garry Henderson. The story is all about the zombies, fucked up scary kids and big breasted women.

In the big city, four police detectives investigating two routine murders discover that the victims of these crimes are coming back from the dead in search of those responsible for taking their lives. Now the detectives are in a race against time to find the source of the recent "awakenings" and will be torn between doing their jobs or allowing the victims to find their own justice. Meanwhile, a father with an incredible ability must choose between avenging his daughter's death or losing her forever.

Metal pick of the week: Musica Diablo

Musica Diablo is Sao Paolo based thrash project having Derrick Green of later day Sepultura fame on vocals. I haven't been following Sepultura for the last couple of albums so the fact that is doing all the shouting here wasn't really of a big importance. What matters is that this stuff is really good. With powerful chugging riffs, brutal vocals and a tight rhythm section they immediately managed to grab my attention. The band throws down some grimy but aggressive vibes. It's raw and energetic with a lot of good things going on. The song writing is great as the transitions from straight up fast and some more experimental parts goes naturally and the whole deal is very organic and flowing. Musica Diablo is working on the new album which is about to be released in early 2010 so let's hope it's gonna be as good as the songs on their myspace profile

This is pretty scary actually....

Face Your Enemy - Hard To Forget


Cold Hard Truth - Reflect The Conflict

In a time where "beatdown" style bands are a dime a dozen and attention spans are that of birds, it's the right mix of attitude, aggression, and (sometimes) relatability that makes a band truly stand out. Cold Hard Truth have that concept nailed to the wall with a sharpened leg bone and let me tell you, sleeping on these guys would be like resting your head on railroad tracks.
Expect a new cd in the coming months loaded with more stake-driving, stomping brutality. For now, "Reflect The Conflict" remains a staple in my cd-players diet and stands above and beyond most of the current crop. Their uncompromising style immediately evokes the essence of such old-time heavyweights as Clubber Lang, Next Step Up, Bulldoze, and Fury of Five. So if you like your hardcore to the point, mean, and dirty, then this needs to find it's way into your collection fast!

Lyrically, expect straight up tales of vengeance and contempt-for-stupidity which we all encounter at some point or another. They don't go too deep so the relatability factor is on point.

Author: Jay Vindictive
Label:IWO
Year: 2008

Deflectime - Prepain For Pain


2010 Zombie Calendar by Empty Room Studio

The times are tough so this is exactly just a type of stuff that you least think about when planning your budget for the next year but if you tell me this shit looks weak you're a joke. Whether you got the money or you just wanna take a look at it, Empty Room Studio released the zombie themed calendar for 2010 and it can be purchased here.
Empty Room Studios provides high quality illustration and writing services for the creative needs of companies and studios in the entertainment industry- namely comics, games and television/film.

And we are proud to announce one of the first of many ERS projects we’d like to share with all of you: our fans, our clients, our friends.

This project was designed for our artists to have fun, do something different and for ERS to showcase some of our best and most talented.

The shape of dread to come

There's nothing better in life than hardcore and horror. Here's a couple of upcoming flicks you should keep an eye on. Stylistically, they range from atmospheric and eerie stuff to straight up zombie action. Some of it I'm really looking forward to and some just caught my attention, nonetheless I've got a feeling all of them gonna be a good watch.

Survival of the Dead
On a small island off North America's coast, the dead rise to menace the living. Yet...the islanders can't bring themselves to exterminate their loved ones, despite the growing danger from those the once held dear. A rebel among them hunts down all the zombies he can find, only to be banished from the island for assassinating his neighbors and friends. On the mainland, bent on revenge, he encounters a small band of survivors in search of an oasis on which to build a new life. Barely surviving an attack from a mass of ravenous flesh-eaters, they commandeer a zombie-infested ferry and sail to the island. There, to their horror, they discover that the locals have chained the dead inside their homes, pretending to live 'normal' lives...with bloody consequences. What ensues is a desperate struggle for survival and the answer to a question never posed in Romero's Dead films: Can the living ever live in peace with the dead?


Ghost Machine
Thrill-seeking military technicians and computer-game enthusiasts Tom (Faris) and Vic (Ford) recklessly smuggle a top-secret, virtual warfare training programme out of their base and into a spooky disused jail, while a vengeful spirit infiltrates the software and draws them into an all-too-real game of life and death. When Special Forces trainee Jess (Taylor) tracks the group down she embarks on a rescue mission that will take her into a virtual world as deadly as any real war-zone as she becomes their only hope for survival.

Junkyard Dog
Inspired by actual events, JUNKYARD DOG is a gritty psychological thriller that delves the demented mind of a cannibalistic serial rapist who kidnaps his tenth victim in as many months on Halloween night.

JUNKYARD DOG tells the terror-filled tale of Audra Buckman, a nineteen year-old college co-ed, trapped in a month-long nightmare, struggling to stay alive and uneaten while being held captive, left half-starved and repeatedly savaged by JYD, an oddly charismatic, vicious man-eating monster. Audra's only hope of escape from this hell--and the mouth of a madman--is Samantha Deatherage, a tough FBI agent who is sent on a solo assignment to search for the missing girl.



Under the Dome
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when--or if--it will go away.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens--town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing--even murder--to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

Drifter
Four characters wake in a desert, disoriented and lost with no clue where they are or how they got there. All four have fresh surgical scars and are on the verge of death. As they run desperately through a labyrinth of realities, both past and present, their ties are revealed and they come to see that only one of them will survive.

Blood: a Butchers Tale
Blood: a Butchers Tale, is the harrowing tale of Sam, a simple butcher who discovers that the love of his life, Darcy, is being seduced by a vampire.
As he investigates further, Sam realizes that his destiny is to become the destroyer of this blood thirsty race. Sam begins a killing spree with the slaughter of his beloved wife, then her blood addicted lover.
Sam then makes it his duty to systematically destroy the remainder of the clan, until he hesitates about killing Lily (Campbell), the last of her race. Helplessly he falls in love with Lily and learns to respect her desire to be normal.
Eventually Sam must battle with the possibility of repopulating the planet, with the exact race he set out to destroy.

Descent 2
Distraught, confused, and half-wild with fear, Sarah Carter emerges alone from the Appalachian cave system where she encountered unspeakable terrors. Unable to plausibly explain to the authorities what happened – or why she’s covered in her friends’ blood – Sarah is forced back to the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing companions. As the rescue party drives deeper into uncharted caverns, nightmarish visions of the recent past begin to haunt Sarah and she starts to realize the full horror and futility of the mission. Subjected to the suspicion and mistrust of the group and confronted once more by the inbred, feral and savagely ruthless Crawlers, Sarah must draw on all her inner reserves of strength and courage in a desperate final struggle for deliverance and redemption.

Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders
Terry loves Elliot. Warren loves Terry and Elliot. Elliot loves Elliot. He used to love Terry. And when Warren decides to invite Elliot along on Terry’s Satanic ritual outing, all hell breaks loose.
Now they’re lost. Terry’s unconcious. Their car won’t start. So, when Elliot and Warren see an omnipotent light, they gotta get there - but Terry must have been dragged off or something, so they have to go find her and bring her dead ass back to the goddamn car ‘cause the light’s too far to carry her.
Along the way, they encounter the frightful and ghoulish reckonings of their night’s work: Terry is neither dead nor alive, crows seem to be exploding without the aid of Alka-Seltzer, and Satan might be on hard drugs.
Can Elliot and Warren trudge the bowels of Hell to the Light of Salvation, or will they succumb to their most Satanic desires?



Reykjavic Whale Watching Massacre
When a group of whale watching tourists find themselves stranded at sea on a stalled boat, their only chance of rescue comes in the form of an old whaling ship.
Not long after they board, it's clear that the crew that saved them are crazed lunatics and so begins a horrific rampage that covers the deck in blood. Each tourist finds themselves in a nightmarish battle to survive and get to dry land before the sick whalers make chum out of them.

Self Respect - Raz Na Zawsze


Show Of Force

"The overall message is that this world is fucked up. It’s not just the constant threat of war or diseases that these so called governments are shoving down your throat. But you also have to deal with all sorts of day to day crap. I say burn it all down and start fresh."
"The overall message is that this world is fucked up. It’s not just the constant threat of war or diseases that these so called governments are shoving down your throat. But you also have to deal with all sorts of day to day crap. I say burn it all down and start fresh."
Could you please introduce Show Of Force to our readers? How did you meet and how long have you all been a band?

We’re Show Of Force and we’re from Holland. I’ve met this crazy French guy called Sebastien at work and he was into the same kind of hardcore as I am.So he said we should start a band. I called up Joost who I knew from our previous band and found a new drummer called Tijs. We started rehearsing in early 2007. The crazy French guy emigrated to Australia and Cas has since then replaced him.

Is it your first band or were or still are any of you in side-projects?

Joost (bass) and me (vocals) were in a metalcore band called Stone Cold that started in 1995 and lasted until 2002. We released a DIY EP and a full length album on Gangstyle records. Check out myspace.com/stonecoldrip for some tunes. We’re doing a thrash metal side project with some old members. Our guitar player also plays in a metalcore act called Burn Brighter check it on www.myspace.com/burnbrightermusic. And our drummer plays with himself in his spare time hahaha.

Your debut EP has just been released recently via Real Recognizes Real records. How do you feel about the finished product and the response it has been getting?

We’re satisfied with the end product. The overall sound is hard and aggressive. But we’re looking ahead and working on new tracks so hopefully we’ll be able to hit the studio in early 2010.
Reactions have been very positive thus far. Older guys recognize the sound and younger kids are enthusiastic because you don’t have a lot of bands around that still play this style.

Do you have a favorite song on the EP?

Sentenced To Death. It has this old school, even a bit melodic vibe to it but also has this pounding mosh part. Also the lyrics and the sample at the end came out really well.

How would you describe the lyrics on the album? Is there any message you would like to get across to the listener or it’s more personal stuff?

The overall message is that this world is fucked up. It’s not just the constant threat of war or diseases that these so called governments are shoving down your throat.
But you also have to deal with all sorts of day to day crap. I say burn it all down and start fresh.

Would you say the hardcore music is therapeutic to you, like you can have your say and just get some things off your chest?

Yes. I’ve been in bands since I’ve been 14 years old. And screaming your lungs out at least once a week is very therapeutic. I could recommend it to anybody.Also other band related issues that need to happen keep you busy. I don’t want to think about what I would be doing without it.

One thing that I like when listening to your songs is that it somehow sounds fresh at the same being deeply rooted in the traditions of the genre. How do you go about, when writing new material? Where do you try to find your influences?

Our main goal when we started this band was to bring back that 90’s hardcore sound which we all grew up on. But at the same time have that brutal hardcore sound you have nowadays. Joost comes up with the music and I write the lyrics. Influences are of course NYHC bands like Madball, Killing Time, Cro-Mags, Bulldoze, Breakdown, Merauder....etc. But also that Cleveland sound from bands like Integrity, One Life Crew, Ringworm. Basically bands that make you want to destroy everything around you.

Your EP is distributed by Allhiphopshop.com. How this collaboration did come about?

The owner of Allhiphopshop.com used to play guitar in our old band Stone Cold. We always kept in touch and in the meantime he started to sell hiphop and hardcore albums through his shop. Eventually he also started Real Recognizes Real records and he put out records for Danny Diablo and the Shotblockers.
Then we recorded our EP and he offered to bring it out on RRR. He’s got all the contacts so that’s very helpful. Also check out the new albums for Grizz Rock and Skam Dust coming out soon on RRR.

How important is playing shows for the band and basically giving a good performance? Are gigs more of the fun or rather hard work for you?

Very important. You can be the tightest band in the world but if you don’t deliver on stage you might as well go do something else especially in hardcore. I remember the first time I saw a hardcore band on stage it blew me away. Before that I only saw metal bands but those dudes mostly stand there banging their heads. Cool but not the same. We want to keep it fun and want to play shows with hardcore bands and a hardcore crowd. So we’re more picky and don’t play every shit hole for a couple of bucks each weekend like we did back in the days.

If you could put together a show with any band of your choice, what would this band look like?

Killing Time with Anthony Comunale on vocals. I saw them this year at the New York Hardcore Superbowl and his voice is amazing. One of the greatest hardcore bands that is still playing. They did a European tour a while ago but with a different singer. I think a lot of people would come out to see this.

There always has been pretty massive hardcore scene in The Netherlands. What’s happening with it now? What are some of the bands kids should check out?

I think it’s getting better. There was a period when there was not a lot going on in the scene. Nowadays the bigger bands still draw a crowd and there’s a lot of new bands coming up. So hopefully there will be a next big hardcore wave like we had in the 80’s and 90’s.Metalcore is getting bigger and bigger but a lot of these kids have no idea where it came from. Also the bands are drifting away from the hardcore sound. Dutch bands to look out for are All For Nothing, New Morality, Strike First and us of course.

What do you think is it about hardcore that make it a lifestyle to kids all around the globe?

It appeals to kids because of the rebellious nature of hardcore. Ideal when you’re young and you want to listen to something different then that top 40 bullshit. Hopefully you pick up some different views about life in the meantime. That you can apply in your personal life later on.

Plans, gigs and releases planned for the rest of 2009 and beyond?

We got some shows planned and writing new material. So hopefully we’ll hit the studio next year.

Wrapping up this interview please tell the kids why they should go out and cop your debut EP?

Check it out if your into no nonsense hardcore like it used to be made. Order it online at www.allhiphopshop.com and check out some tunes at www.showofforcehardcore.com.

x Represent x / The Pledge / x The War x - split EP

This short EP comes with more than its fair of sharp moments and a lot to enjoy if you like your hardcore served raw and heavy. Every band here is relentless and tight as they just pound their way through their songs.
Right from the first band it is plain to see that the album will be an engaging ride. I’ve already known xRepresentx so I knew what to expect. The band doesn’t disappoint this time with their fast and right in your face hardcore. The straight edge message is pretty clear and they don’t beat around the bush with their drug free ethics. The Pledge is the only band here I haven’t been familiar with. Their style is more traditional old school and there are more emotions in what they do compared to the rest of the pack. Although both of their songs don’t go over about 90 seconds mark, there are some good ideas going on here with nice use of gang vocals, danceable beats , slick melodies and catchy choruses. Next comes the Aussie most wanted - xThe Warx. Their songs definitely got more beefy production and sound the heaviest here. Since time is limited the band wastes no time and from the first notes dives into the moshpit extravaganza. The riffs are heavy, the rhythm section beats even heavier and the vocals downright hostile. This is the band that got a lot of potential and I hope they will get the recognition they deserve.

The key word here is straight edge. I know some might say these bands are little heavy-handed or judgmental and I can agree that preachiness in hardcore can sometimes be off-putting, but in my opinion they manage to find a right balance. Every band here sounds aggressive without being boring and honest without being pretentious. The result is EP of very honest and thrilling hardcore that busts ahead and takes your attention along with it.

PS. Apart from Pledge all of these bands have released new albums in recent time so don’t forget to check them out.

Author: Dloogi

Label:Seventh Dagger

Year: 2009

Trashed: The Webcomic

Here's Trashed, the online comic from Derf, widely known for his hilarious 'The City' and 'Punk Rock and Trailer Parks' strips. This one tales the semi-autobiographical story of working at one of the most shitty jobs you can imagine, garbageman. It's funny and damn true. The author itself got a punk rock background, being in the movement in the 70'. This is nothing new really, but if you're into comic books or punk rock or got shitty job yourself you might find this interesting.
Here's the official description of the series:
The original Eisner-nominated graphic novella, a hilarious, stomach-churning memoir of the unforgettable period 19-year-old Derf spent as a garbageman in his small Ohio hometown.

Follow Derf and his partner, Mike, as they struggle with exploding garbage bags, idiot co-workers, an oppressive boss, bizarre townfolk, the weather and pile after pile of reeking, maggot-covered garbage.

In TRASHED, Derf lovingly recounts the nauseating details of the shit job that sets the standard for all shit jobs. Climb aboard the clanking garbage truck named Cyclops for a ride you won't soon forget!

Wisdom In Chains - S/T

Prior to release of the brand new album from these guys, Swellcreek/Superhero records decided it was a good time to remind the kids how it all got started. So here it is, reissue of their very first self titled album.
This baby was originally released in 2003 on Gangstyle (now GRS) label. I guess most of kids are more familiar with band’s successful releases Die Young or Class War so I think the best way to describe this debut album is to say that it is basically among the same lines as the mentioned above. All the elements they mastered to perfection on their later albums are here. So if you haven’t heard about this band yet, which is pretty hard to believe, Wisdom In Chains plays old school hardcore with fast beats, punk rock flavor and a lot of singalongs. They get right to the heart of what makes a good hardcore with strong songs that bear the right amount of melody, speed and groove. With this band there's always a huge catchy chorus to wave your fist in the air and shout along to.

Comparing this album to their later ones it’s interesting to hear the natural progression of a band. Their ability to write better, more consistent and detailed song have grown with each release. Even if it’s not as varied as on their next albums, it’s still a pretty damn good listen and these songs haven’t really aged that much. They keep their compositions pretty versatile and dynamic all the way but without losing the aggressive edge.


Author: Dloogi

Label:Swell Creek/Superhero

Year: 2009

Two bad ass animations from Diluvio Gallery

This exhibition started actually in March but it's just in recent days that I came across it. These short movies were created by Niles Atallah, Joaquin Cociña and Cristóbal León. I'm no way into art but I dig some slick, dark images from time to time and this stuff is pretty disturbing.
Lucía, Luis y el lobo (Lucia, Luis and the Wolf) is a video installation in “Sala Cero” on the 2nd floor of Galería Animal (Animal Gallery) in Santiago, Chile. The exhibition is made up of the short films Lucía and Luis that are projected on a wall in the gallery as well as a series of other short animations shown on small screens in a pile of dirt and furniture. The exhibition closes the first stage of an animation project formed by Atallah, Cociña and León. The next stage will be a feature film called La casa lobo (The Wolf House), preparations for the film will start later this year.


Lucía is the 1st short video of the 2-part series “Lucía, Luis y el lobo” (”Lucía, Luis and the Wolf”). The video was shot frame by frame with a digital photo camera. Materials: charcoal, dirt, flowers, found objects and cardboard.


LUCIA from diluvio on Vimeo.

Luis is the 2nd short video of the series “Lucía, Luis y el lobo” (”Lucía, Luis and the Wolf”), it is a follow-up to the short video Lucía. The video was shot frame by frame with a digital photo camera. Materials: charcoal, dirt, flowers, found objects and cardboard.


LUIS from diluvio on Vimeo.

Click here for more info.

After the Wall Tumbled and other stories...

So the Berlin Wall has crumbled down and communism was almost defeated, but no way does it mean that the world's problems are over. Here's the selection of articles that caught my eye recenty:

After the Wall Tumbled - In 1989, Central Europe's fate was supposed to be uncertain and bleak. Today the region prospers more than ever - Slate.com

The Lessons of 1989The fall of the Berlin Wall is a reminder of the duty of solidarity. - Slate.com

Sex, Drugs and Alcohol Among World's Big Killers, WHO Says - Foxnews

More Kids = More Happiness? - doublex.com

How Superman Defeated The Ku Klux Klan - IO9.com

Wife Tries to Kill Husband Over Muslim Principles, Cops Say - Foxnews

China rescues kidnapped children - BBC

Sudan: End Rights Abuses, Repression - Human Rights Watch

Russia: Stop Collective Punishment in Chechnya - Human Rights Watch

An Uncivil Approach to Civil Society: Continuing State Curbs on Independent NGOs and Activists in Russia - Human Rights Watch

Downturn is 'climate opportunity' - BBC

Everyday Dollars - Before The Supply

Compared to a lot of stuff that is being released nowadays, Everyday Dollars opts for a more punk-edged sound with a hint of oi! now and then. The songs possess the right amount of melody, aggression and intensity. Cuts like Supply And Demand, Nothing To Happen or Now It’s Time is the essence of how hardcore should be played.
Lyrically, the vocalist Rob does drop some great and honest verses. They’ve got a down-to-earth, real-person type feel to them everybody can relate to. Apart from the music itself, the lyrical content of this album is the main element that makes me think of Warzone when I’m listening to this. In fact, Everyday Dollars is not hiding the fact that this band was a huge influence on their music when they sampled Ray’s voice on Now It’s Time, making this track a definite highlight of the album. Somehow, both in music and lyrics, this album maintain a feel of hope or optimism and kind of set me in a positive mind frame.

I really fucking regret that I slept on this album for over a year. If you like straight and powerful hardcore with a melodic touch and a honest, real life message, don’t make a same mistake and grab it as soon as you can. I tried to find just anything to pick up here but failed miserably. This is the type of album that will make you mosh around your room like you were kid again. I can’t stop listening to this album, and it just keeps getting better with every spin.

Author: Dloogi

Label:Swell Creek/Superhero

Year: 2008

Unstable Foundation

"There are a lot less places to play too. Some of the show goers need to understand that fighting at shows has to stop. When we were younger and there was a fight, the older kids kicked our asses. Why? Because places get shutdown due to fights and no one gets it through their head. When there is no place to play then people will learn. "

Name: Unstable Foundation
 
Location: Bronx, NY
 
Active since: March 2009

How do you define your overall style? 
Hardcore/Metal 

What’s your goal with this band? 
To take over the world enslaving the masses to do our evil bidding. (Just kidding) To make good music, have fun and just enjoy everything. 

What do you have recorded so far?
A 2 song demo in May 2009. We are currently in the studio recording our first release “Strength Through Determination”. It should be out late November, early December. 

So, Unstable Foundation is a band formerly known as a 4 In The Chamber. What was the reason for this change? Did you guys wanted to start things from the scratch or is it basically the same band but just with a different name? 
We’ve had so many lineup changes and musical direction changes in the past. So, it seemed like the right thing to do. Revolving members that had other goals in mind or people that were unprofessional. We did start from scratch though; Unstable Foundation has all brand new songs. This is a brand new band featuring members of 4ITC.

What is in your opinion the biggest difference between 4ITC and Unstable Foundation? What do you think the kids who were down for 4ITC would like about the new music and what could surprise them? 
The music is different because we try things in Unstable Foundation that we didn’t try in 4ITC, but we still stay true to speed songs, breakdowns and sing along lyrics. The music is a little more complicated, but then it’s also more stripped down. We think if you like 4ITC you will love Unstable Foundation. We have been told by friends that loved 4ITC that they like U.F. better, so we are going to roll with that one. 

Do you guys still play older 4ITC songs at the shows? We did in the beginning, but now we don’t. We decided to let 4ITC be 4ITC and even though the bands are linked by members and the name “Unstable Foundation” being the title of 4ITC’s first release, those are the only thing that the bands share.

How come 4ITC’s line up have changed so often with only Frankie being around from the start? Well Frankie and Dave are original members of 4ITC. Frankie left in 2001 and started a new project with Frank our drummer. He returned in 2004 and shortly after Frank came on board to play drums. There have been many members because of unprofessional people. Some members did it for certain tours, like Europe and Puerto Rico and others wound flake out after a while. We never stood for anyone’s crap. So, when someone flaked, they were out. We won’t say Frankie is not a pain in the ass, but we accept him for what he is.

Being an underground band can be a grind cause you got to take care of business and promotion all by yourself. Is it hard getting it done with no big label behind you and what advice would you give for all the new bands around? 
It has its limits. lol Thanks to sites like East Coast Hardcore, Myspace, and people like you guys. It makes life a little easier. As far as advice, we would just say, play your heart out, don’t try to do too much, if someone can’t pull their weight in the band, kick them out and find a good fit, take your time with your music writing, your recordings and just be yourself. Going to shows and supporting other bands is a good way to get people to see you, but some bands like when people come to see them and don’t go to see others. In other words, “no one is a rockstar in the hardcore scene” if you think you are, dress trendy and play nu-metal.

You did 2 pretty nice videos with the 4ITC. Is it hard to get the airplay with this kind of music in the States?
Well airplay is really not an existent thing in NYC or actually in the U.S.. Stations like MTV and Fuse won’t play our videos. We made them more for the Myspace and Youtube crowd. We got a ton of hits on them. It’s a good way for people not from our area to see what the band looks like live and stuff.
 
Almost 15 years in the game, how has the hardcore scene changed in your eyes? Do you think it’s in a good place today?
The scene is nothing like it was 15 years ago. A lot less people go to shows (Especially in NYC). There are a lot less places to play too. Some of the show goers need to understand that fighting at shows has to stop. When we were younger and there was a fight, the older kids kicked our asses. Why? Because places get shutdown due to fights and no one gets it through their head. When there is no place to play then people will learn. I think the scene also differs in the bands sounds. A lot of bands just incoherently scream, not on time, not with the music and sounds like noise. Just because you have a strong voice it doesn’t make you a singer. If that was the case, Frankie’s mother would have been singing hardcore years ago, She yelled all the time when we were kids. Honestly though, the scene goes in cycles, we have good years and bad years, just like marriages. We are on a low the last few years, so any year it’s coming back.

And how do you feel about what’s going on in Bronx nowadays? Few years back bands like Irate or District 9 were holding it down for the Bronx. What are some of the younger bands from your area everybody should give a try
Well Billy Club Sandwich and Unstable Foundation are probably the only bands that are still doing a hard core style. Most bands from the Bronx are either emo or straight out metal. If you want to check out some Bronx bands, check out the Bronx Undergound. (myspace.com/bronxunderground). District 9 til this day is missed. We still see some of the guys here and there, but the Bronx isn’t like it was 15 years ago. Hopefully, we can keep it alive.
Bands to check out though: Billy Club Sandwich, Everything’s Ruined, The Judas Syndrome (ex Irate), Diary of Demise, Waist Deep In Flesh, Demized, Hope It Dies, Catalyst of Thought, Severed, Old Yorke, Empires Erased.

So, when can we expect the debut full length from Unstable Foundation and what are band’s other plans for the future?
Strength Through Determination - Late November. Early December 2009. We are recording with engineer Max Velez at Hollow Studios in Pomona, NY. Max and Frankie are producing it. So far it’s coming out fantastic. Production wise it will sound better then anything 4ITC ever released. When it’s done we are going to hit up some labels we know and see if anyone is interested in releasing it and hopefully a Europe tour next summer.

Thank you for the interview. Anything you would like to add? 
Thanks for this chance to interview with you guys. We have lost touch with the promoters that we knew back in the day over in Europe and would like to come over and play next summer. So if anyone books bands, we would love to get in touch with them and make it happen. Check us out at myspace.com/unstablefoundation or email unstablefoundation@myspace.com  We have songs, merch, news, shows and just friend up with us and give us love!!

New Daily Riot tees and hoodies


German Daily Riot have just released their new shirts and hoodies and if you haven't noticed yet, they've got new album released this year. It's called "Fight Everything" so go to their myspace profile and check out couple of songs from this record.
Here are the designs:



Proudz

"Whatever life you have is the one you've been given and you'll have to move your ass if you want to change it because nobody will do it for you. "Dulce Miseria" tries to explore and focus on that."

"Whatever life you have is the one you've been given and you'll have to move your ass if you want to change it because nobody will do it for you. "Dulce Miseria" tries to explore and focus on that."
With your new album that came out, how do you see the evolution of the band? What makes “Dulce Miseria” significant and what can your fans expect from it?
I always say that the real evolution for a band consists in keeping their "original" sound and taking it to another level. To improve the performance, composition, lyrics... not change their style and justify it as an "evolution" as a lot of bands do. I think that the fans of the band will find the best of Proudz in this new album with better ideas, better lyrics and better sound.

Give us some insight into the record and the meaning behind its title? How does it differ from your previous albums?
Even though it may not seem like it we always have done "conceptual" albums. I mean, "Solo los Fuertes" (Only the strong), probally our most "social" album, was about survival in a world full of greed and hate. "Ajuste De Cuentas" (Settling of Scores) was about payback and revenge, and "Dulce Miseria" (Sweet Misery) basically talks about how we can learn to live with our demons and fears. The main difference, as I was saying, is that the album has been worked on more. Proudz is not a band with great musicians or great lyrics, until now at least. We set a very high standard in our last album "Pura Vida" in these aspects so we wanted to do it better. That's the point of reference and I'm sure that we have made our best album to date. I know that some people won't like it as much as others but we never have been as satisfied with an album as we are now.

Can you tell a bit about the lyrics and which themes you have touched this time?
Well, the theme behind our songs is the fight to overcome adversity but we wanted to take it further. Sometimes you think that you are not as happy as you should be, you ask yourself why your life is not like the life of the person next to you... Whatever life you have is the one you've been given and you'll have to move your ass if you want to change it because nobody will do it for you. "Dulce Miseria" tries to explore and focus on that.


Do you think that singing in Spanish can benefit your band cause it sets you apart or it can be a disadvantage in regards to interest from other European countries?
It's surely a handicap. We created the band with the sole purpose of enjoying and expressing ourselves. We never expected our music to cross frontiers. We were worried about that when we played in France, Holland and Belgium. About the language. But we realize that, in a way, the originality and signature of the band comes from singing in Spanish. There a thousand bands doing this shit in English. There are bands, however, such as "L'Esprit Du Clan" or "Rammstein" (to name a few) that have made it singing in their own language. It's different when I see Spanish bands covering american band in Spanish or something like that. It's crap!

What are some of the bands that have influenced you musically?
There are too many, obviously Madball or Rykers, though you can always find some Punk Rock, Metal or Hip Hop in our songs. I love music, from Trash Metal to Jazz or Country music, but when we write songs for Proudz we always know what we want to do.

Any plans of a tour or shows in the upcoming months to promote the new album?
We are going to do some shows, not a tour this time. Maybe next year, who knows.

A lot of kids says that hardcore has gotten watered down nowadays or it’s now what it used to be. What are your views on the current state of hardcore scene?
For better or for worse, the Hardcore scene has always been moving. One day it's on top and you can see a lot of festivals or magazines with hardcore bands in their pages and the next day nobody remembers those bands because there's a cooler trend. The most important thing is that the bands have to play and believe in their music and the people involved in shows or fanzines have to believe in themselves too, regardless of the state of the scene.



Running this band for such a long time, there surely must be a moments that stand out in the history of Proudz. What are some best and worst memories connected with a band?
I think that the worse and best things that ever happened to me on stage happened on the same night. We were playing in Asturias 10 years ago and we had an asshole as drummer. He was completely drunk and couldn't play so we couldn't play any song. I was really ashamed but it turned out that one of the drummers of a local band was a fan and he knew all our songs. He offered to play with us and he did it. It was fucking amazing. There are a lot of memories along the way but I think that's my favourite. That was with our first album so it was really emotional.

Did you have any aspirations or goals when the band started? How have these goals changed as the band has progressed?
I feel really lucky because I have seen a lot of the things we proposed for the band when we first started get done and much more. We have recorded 5 albums, played in other countries and shared a stage with our favourite bands. We are sure that you can't say that you have managed to do everything as a band. There are so many things that could give me a lot as a musician and a a person but I'm sure I won't see half of them happen. It's having that aim, however, that keeps a band's essence and attitude.

When it’s all said and done what do you want as a band to be remembered for the most?
I would like to think that we have done something that will last forever. I mean, maybe someone in the next 20 years will listen to a Proudz album and think "ok this is the kind of band there was then" or "this is how they did this shit back then"... I'm not talking about a legacy, it's something more personal and intimate. Sometimes I discover a band from the 50's that was not famous but I love their music even today. That's what I'm talking about.

Thanks for taking your time to do this. Anything you’d like to say to the kids out there?
Thanks a lot for your support. If you want to know more about the band you can visit our myspace profile: www.myspace.com/proudz.

Eblood celebrating their 10 years of existence

Eblood, one of the longest running straight edge/vegan clothing companies around, is still up and active. They've just released new line to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Check out their website and take a look at the new designs. And if you're in Torino, don't forget to go to Hannibal Store which is run by the same guys.






About the brand:

Eblood Clothing was born in early 1999 when the idea of creating a technical, stylish and ethical clothing company finally became a tangible reality. Since day one, as originators of the idea, we have kept our focus on total quality and style trying to offer a product launched with innovative fabrics along with a rough street image, fitting the taste of those who truly live the street spirit in every form and shape.

Trust Comes Tough update

Trust Comes Tough have introduced couple of new items to their collection. The message attached to Smoking Sucks t-shirt is simple yet totally true as it's a nasty habit. Finally, they've got a shirt not just for the edge or drug free kids, but the kids that support hardcore and feel it in their blood. They've also got new belts and booty shorts for the ladies.
Here are some of the new tees:




Darasuum has lunched their webstore. Check it out if you're interested in buying band's 2009 demo (limited, comes in a DVD box) as well as some cool looking merch.

Mosh It Up Clothing update

Mosh It Up Clothing is a brand for every boy and girl who admire a good mosh part but like to look good and stylish when doing those crazy moves in the pit. They've just released two new horror oriented tees and since there's nothing better in life than hardcore and some b-rated horror flick, I advice to check it out.


About the brand:

"Mosh It Up Clothing is for anyone who appreciates originality and consistent greatness in “mosh” music! It’s for all the people still out there representing their favorite hardcore bands by jumping around, singing along, headbanging, or being more active and rowdy like stage diving, circle pitting, or “Moshing It Up”. Bands love to see new as well as consistent fans dancing their hearts out as well as just having good old fashion fun. All types of “mosh” music have an intense, get rowdy presence with some more intensifying than others, but all mosh pits are for fans to have a good time. People who MOSH IT UP know there isn’t a comparable feeling then the adrenaline you feel in a mosh pit while watching one of your favorite bands. So if you love to MOSH... MOSH IT UP"



Darasuum

"We wrote, practiced, recorded and promote our band fucking hard before taking on any shows. New bands forget that a band is still a job. They shouldn't expect shit to get handed to them or take the first thing offered to them."


Name: Darasuum

Location: Riverside, CA

Active since: January 2009

How do you define your overall style?
If Hatebreed and Comeback Kid were to have a kid, it'd probably be our band.

What’s your goal with this band?
well i'd love to travel the world and just have a shit load of people singing our songs at the top of their lungs. Until that happens, i don't think i could ever feel that our goal has been achieved.

What do you have recorded so far?
So far we have a 3 song demo that was self released in a DVD case package. In early October we wrapped up 5 more songs for an EP that is set for release later this year or early next year.



So let’s start with the basics. When, how and why the band came to being and who is who?
Well Daniel (guitar) and I (gabe) were in another band a few years back and after several attempts of trying to start new bands we just figured that we work really well together and decided to start writing a bunch of songs that would be different than our last band. We had 5 songs done without an actual band. We just programmed drums and he did all guitars. In May 2009 we decided that we'd start trying to find members, so we got our old bass player Fick to join us. Our friend Mike had quit his old band Oblige because he hated playing bass, since he was a guitar player, so we snagged him. Our drummer Brandon was doing studio stuff with a dude from Jennifer Lopez's band and was also doing other stuff with bands like Mirror of Dead Faces, Earth From Above and whatever he could get his playing on. He was between jobs so i hit him up and everything just fell into place.

The band is still pretty new, so how has this first year been for you guys?
The first year has been great actually. Right after we put out our demo we immediately had interest from small labels and we have had an awesome response from tons of people. We mailed stuff all across the states already and have shipped to Germany, France, Italy and Costa Rica. Its crazy! We've passed out over 1,200 free CDs just to hype up our first and second shows. So i'm hoping all that really pays off for us. I just really want people to sing our songs!

For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us reasons why they should...
well the first reason being is that we're not fucking deathcore. People sometimes expect us to be this deathcore/metal band because of our band name and our location, but we're the furthest from it. We sing about shit that really matters to us and most of the lyrics, people can really relate to. From failed friendships to friends who have died of drug overdoses. We'd like to think we're a breathe of fresh air in a world being over populated with this deathcore phenomenon.

Where did you get the name Darasuum, which as far as I know means ‘eternal’? Since the name xDeathstarx was also based on Star Wars, Is there any special meaning to it or a hidden message expect that you’re big fans of Star Wars?
There isn't much of a special meaning behind the band name. Daniel and I were trying to come up with band names but nothing sounded good because its hard to find an original name these days in the english language. So Daniel pulls out this Star Wars book and says to look in the back of it, because there are all these Mandolorian words and i found "Darasuum" and we both just said "yeah that sounds cool and it has a good meaning." Daniel is a huge Star Wars nut. He even went as far as making a Boba Fett costume completely from scratch. Gun, helmet, uniform and all. Its sick as fuck!

You released your first demo just recently and the reaction to it was pretty dope. Are you happy with feedback you're getting?
Yeah, like i had said earlier, a lot of people have been saying its a breathe of fresh air. Its been real nice hearing positive things about my band. Everyone in this band has had shitty first bands except for Mike, since Oblige is just fucking incredible! And maybe Brandon, since him and Garza started Suicide Silence and xDeathstarx was well liked with the christian audience.

When starting this band, did you have any goals as to how you wanted it to sound and do you think that fans of your previous bands will feel what you’re doing with Darasuum?
I think Daniel knew what he wanted. He really loves the melodic hardcore sound and all he did was mix our older hardcore influence and add harmonics over everything. I can't see why our past band audiences wouldn't like what we're doing now. Its almost the same shit but without a million breakdowns and technical guitar times.



What are the lyrical themes that you guys delve into with Darasuum?
I've dipped into a few themes. Friendship, drug overdose, failed relationships, religion, and scene politics.

“An EP is to be released later this year but no official date has been set.” – could you please tell us how far are you with the EP and what kids should expect from it?
We're done with it. We just upped some rough mixes on our myspace. Those songs are more driving and people into circle pits would just love. I don't even think circle pits exist anymore and thats sad being from California and all. A lot of people really want br00tal breakdowns, but you won't get that out of us. You'll get tons of sing alongs though!

The band is pretty new but personally you’ve been around for some time. What is the toughest lesson you ever learned while being in hardcore scene?
for ME, i have to learn not to be as blunt with my lyrics. As a band we've learned that there's a right and wrong way to doing things. We can't just write songs and play the first show we're offered. We wrote, practiced, recorded and promote our band fucking hard before taking on any shows. New bands forget that a band is still a job. They shouldn't expect shit to get handed to them or take the first thing offered to them. All that "pay-to-play" bullshit is stupid. Bands can get around that so easy if promoters just see them hyping up their bands at shows. Go to Kinkos, make 6 flyers to a single sheet of paper explaining what your band is similar to (ie: for fans of..:) and go to a show and hit every car. We've been lucky enough SO FAR to get out of the "pay-to-play" shit. But i spend way too much money at Kinkos.

What’s next for Darasuum apart from the new EP?
We'll just keep writing. We never wanna stop writing, we wanna move in new directions and try new things. I would like to tour but theres people in our band that can't at the moment, but we can definitely do little week or weekend tour here and there. We'll just see what happens next year. For now, we just plan to keep writing and hitting every show we can to let people know who we are.

Thank you for taking your time to do this. Any last shout outs?
Thank YOU for taking the time for doing this. And thanks to everyone who has given us a listen whether they like us or not. We appreciate everyone's time given to us.

Check out the band at their myspace profile