Pre-orders underway for vinyl version of Sick of it All's latest album
Think Fast! Records is now taking pre-orders for the vinyl version of Sick Of It All's latest album, "Based On A True Story". You can check it out here. The first press is limited to only 1000 copies and there are three different vinyl versions to choose from including white/black swirl (limited to 150 copies), grey/black swirl (limited to 350 copies) and black vinyl (limited to 500 copies). Yes, there are discounted package deals available for the collector nerds who need to have more than one copy. The record comes in a gatefold jacket with SOIA's iconic dragon logo embossed on the front cover! Pre-orders will ship in July while the record officially hits (vinyl-friendly) retailers on July 12th. This is a must have for SOIA fans, and trust us, it'll be worth the wait!
Hardcore Is More Than Music 2011
Here's the Hardcore Is More Than Music movie with guys from bands like Agnostic Front, Madball, Hoods and others talking why racism sucks and why it should not be accepted on hardcore scene.In recent years we have been witnesses to new trends amongst neo-Nazis. Still more and more of them leave the skinhead image, and try to “catch onto” something else. One of the targets for them is the hardcore scene.
They find the aggressive music and uncompromising lyrics impressive. The leading figures of Czech neo-Nazi scene have been trying to infiltrate to hardcore shows and to take pictures with famous faces of the international hardcore scene. But they do not care about HC ethics, history or culture of hardcore. They only care about the “tough guy” image and macho poses. But that has never been what hardcore is about. People in hardcore scene differ from one another in many aspects, and that’s a good thing. But hardcore has never been connected to racism or Nazism. Hardcore community has always been a space for the people to meet without prejudice. And we want it to stay that way. That’s why we turned to some of the bands that have something to sa y. Among them were the bands whose shows attracted Nazis, who attempted to attend them. You can find the views and opinions of these bands on this DVD. Our questions remained the same, but the answers varied significantly. But they have something in common – there is no space for racism, prejudice and Nazism in the HC scene.
For us, HC scene is a family. For Nazis, it is just another scene they wish to abuse to gain support for their political goals.
With The Light Of Truth - book about Straight Edge related tattoos
Tattoos and hardcore have always gone hand in hand and here's a book which aims at shedding some light on this part of culture. With The Light Of Truth is a book profiling over 50 Straight Edge tattoo artist from across the whole globe. The official website states: "A collection of Straight Edge related tattoos and art and profiles of some of the best tattoo artists in the world. This book has a worldwide release of September 2011. Submissions are now closed. History is being made."
Think Fast! to release worldwide vinyl version of upcoming Earth Crisis album!
Official info: There’s no argument that the single underground band to stir the most controversy regarding their ethics and beliefs is none other than Syracuse legends, Earth Crisis. Forming in the early 90’s, Earth Crisis has remained a constant influence, combining heavy riffs with Karl Buechner’s signature commanding vocals. Not only have they stood as one of the most aggressive acts in the genre through their musical style, but also in their politically-charged beliefs.Earth Crisis’ message of human, animal and environmental liberation has caused shockwaves that resonated beyond the music industry. They have received national media coverage on CNN, TBS, FOX, CBS, MTV, and ABC. Charismatic vocalist Karl Buechner has spoken in front of members of Congress about teens and substance abuse. Earth Crisis epitomizes commitment, fortitude, and resilience and is an established and embraced trademark in the international metal, hardcore and punk communities.
It is with great honor to announce that the band's latest album "Neutralize The Threat" will be exclusively released worldwide on vinyl via Think Fast! Records. The release is under exclusive license from Century Media Records. Think Fast! co-owner Larry Scott says of the release, "This is a pinnacle moment, not only for the label, but for me personally. Earth Crisis has always been, in my opinion, an inspiration to unapologetically speak on behalf of what you believe is right."
Earth Crisis has continued along this path of breaking new ground, constantly working and reaching more people spreading their message to the masses. Their relentless touring has put them in front of countless national and international audiences - from the U.S. to Canada, to Europe, Japan and South America. In October 1999, they played Bogota, Columbia's Rock al Parque Festival for over 120,000 people. They have toured with bands ranging from Sepultura and Downset to The Misfits and Snapcase.
With “Neutralize The Threat,” Earth Crisis has never been stronger or more relevant. Look for the exclusive vinyl version to surface in August, with pre-orders expected to launch early on in the Summer.
Born To Hate has released new album - “Romper la Baraja" - on Cruzare Records
Born to Hate are back with their second record titled “Romper la Baraja” (“Break the deck”). New 9 songs of furious hardcore with mid-tempo and breakdown parts influenced by bands like Death Threat or Madball. The lyrics are in spanish! You can order it from Cruzade Records!
Desensitized to release new 7″ on Irish Voodoo,
Desensitized has joined Irish Voodoo Records! Currently, you can find the band working on new material in anticipation of their upcoming 7″ on Irish Voodoo, playing NYC and the surrounding areas, and generally having fun doing what they do best: making the music that they themselves would want to hear. The band came together in the spring of 2010, when Greg McGonagle, Jelani Wilson, and Jhonn Thomassen met during Black N’ Blue Bowl at New York City’s Webster Hall. The three of them quickly hit it off, and they were soon renting practice spaces by the hour, writing songs as a three piece with Greg on vocals, Jelani on drums, and Jhonn on guitar. Before they could even recruit a fourth member, Desensitized recorded their 6-song demo with Glen Lorieo and James Williams at Night Owl Studios in NYC. The demo was recorded, mixed, and mastered in a matter of days, with Jhonn and Greg splitting up the bass parts, many of which were written just a few days before entering the studio.
War Hound Interview
Damn, it's been almost two years since I made the first interview with this band and look where they are now - the band has inked a deal with Europe-based I Scream Records and their new recording are getting mega positive feedback. The kids are definitely feeling their heavy and hard-hitting take on hardcore - they go hard but they make sure it's also smart and fun. Here's the short interview on what's currently happening with the band!
Damn, it's been almost two years since I made the first interview with this band and look where they are now - the band has inked a deal with Europe-based I Scream Records and their new recording are getting mega positive feedback. The kids are definitely feeling their heavy and hard-hitting take on hardcore - they go hard but they make sure it's also smart and fun. Here's the short interview on what's currently happening with the band!Whatsup dudes! So to start off introduce yourself/your role in the band.
Jon does vocals
Ronnie plays guitar and also does vocals
Nico plays drums
Sean plays guitar
John Bro plays bass
How did Warhound form?
We started in a garage about two years ago. Pretty typical haha
I know you guys are influenced by NYHC, any specific bands? Or bands from elsewhere?
We are definitely influenced by NYHC. Bands such as Life of Agony, Biohazard, Madball and Merauder are some of our favorites. We're also influenced by bands that aren't from NY such as Cold as Life, Fury of Five and the Bad Brains.
When writing lyrics, what is the thing that motivates each song? (Reason for writing)
Each song has it's own message. We all work on lyrics together, and these lyrics reflect problems/situations we've all had to deal with.
Are any of you in other projects?
Ronnie and Nico are in a youth crew style band called "Head Stomp"
You guys are gaining a lot of popularity after your release “Return Of The Hardstyle”, how do you guys feel about this?
We're very excited for the future. We really hope that it continues. We just want to keep playing songs for our friends, that we love to play.
What is “Hardstyle”?
Hardstyle is "joke" term that really just means a harder/heavier style of hardcore. If your wondering what other bands would be considered "Hardstyle" in our opinion: check out Next Step Up, Fury of Five, Cold as Life
Being from California, I have no clue what hardcore is like in Chicago, what are shows like over there?
Shows in the Chicago Suburbs have gotten a lot bigger as of lately. We're very proud of that. A lot of kids have been coming around, new faces and old faces. Shows out here are very fun.
What has War Hound released so far?
A few demos when we were first started
A tape called "Call of the Hounds"
As well as our most recent tape "Return of the Hardstyle"
What can kids expect when they pick up a War Hound record?
Groove, Passionate lyrics and HEAVY BREAKS ;]
Any upcoming releases?
We'll be releasing a full length in 2012.
What is your current label situation? How do you like it?
We're signed to I-Scream records. It has been awesome.
Where can a kid find some War Hound merchandise/records?
warhound.bigcartel.com
coldcutsmerch.com/warhound
bornill.bigcartel.com
Any tours/upcoming shows?
We'll be on the road with Line of Scrimmage in June. We also have some dates with Hardside and Born Low.
Thanks for your time, I personally am extremely pumped to see you at Sound & Fury this summer. Any final thoughts or shout outs?
Shout out to No Zodiac, Silverhammer, Born Low, Lockdown (VBHC), Big Mouth, FocusedxMinds, Den of Daggers, Reaper Records, Unfinished Business, Twitching Tongues, No Regrets, Unreckoned and BIOHAZARD!!!!!
Interview done by Jeffrey Wang!
Dead End Path Interview
Pennsylvania-based Dead End Path has made a lot of noise with their debut Death Walks Beside Us 7" on Triple B Records. Their in your face style of hardcore backed up by some heavy-ass riffing and breakdowns has not gone unnoticed and shows and tours with some of the best current hardcore bands soon followed. I am sure most of you are looking forward to their upcoming album which is also due on Triple B, and if you wanna learn more about the band and its future plans, check out this interview.
Pennsylvania-based Dead End Path has made a lot of noise with their debut Death Walks Beside Us 7" on Triple B Records. Their in your face style of hardcore backed up by some heavy-ass riffing and breakdowns has not gone unnoticed and shows and tours with some of the best current hardcore bands soon followed. I am sure most of you are looking forward to their upcoming album which is also due on Triple B, and if you wanna learn more about the band and its future plans, check out this interview.Let us begin! Intros are needed, what is your name/role in the band?
I am Uriah and I sing for Dead End Path. Foose plays bass, Ryan plays guitar, Jason plays drums and Ian plays guitar.
How did the Dead End Path form?
We started up from an idea Foose and I had. We wanted to start a band that was a mix of all the bands we loved. Outburst, Breakdown, etc. It all came together pretty quick actually. I went on tour with a friends bands for a couple weeks in the summer of 2009 and when I got back the demo was pretty much written. We practiced a few times then recorded our demo Sept. 1st 2009 and played our first show Sept. 24th 2009 with Foundation at the Black Lodge in Kingston PA. That's pretty much it. It's been a really fun and eye opening experience...
What is the story behind the bands name?
No story really, we had a long list of names. Dead End Path always really stuck out, it's a great Merauder song obviously but I think it has more meaning than that. If I didn't have this band, I feel like it the dead end path would be an easy one to take. It's a pretty hopeful and positive name to me actually now that I'm thinking about it.
Are any of the members in other projects?
Naw not really, at least not at the moment. This band is pretty time consuming and our name focus right now. I'd love to start a more straight forward hardcore band, just for fun and to play locally. But I think I speak for everyone when I say DEP is our main focus right now. Foose, Jason, our friend Maddod (bass player of Stick Together) and I were in a NYHC hardcore cover band a couple summers ago called Jail Of Depression, we covered Cro-Mags, Outburst, Warzone and Breakdown. That was fun haha.
What bands influence you guys?
Like I said early on our influences were pretty straight forward, just a hardcore band influenced by other hardcore bands. Outburst, Breakdown, Madball, Merauder and Biohazard were all big influences on the demo. While writing Death Walks Beside Us, we were all really into Alice In Chains, Only Living Witness, Metallica, Leeway and Mobb Deep. I think all of those influences reer their heads in some way or any other on the record. For our new record, It's been a year since we wrote the 7" so all our of tastes have expanded even further. Burn, Death, Meshuggah, and Dismember were all influences musically on the new record. More of a darker sounding record. Everyone in the band has a really open and eclectic taste in music so we have alot of different influences to pool from. It's really cool honestly, it makes things not so predictable haha
What song means the most to you and why?
This is a hard question. I'd have say the song "Faith/Void" off our new LP probably has the "most" meaning, it was kind of a hard song to write. It's just about losing someone close to me and being really angry about it and not knowing why the people I loved were being put through this. Deliver Us... is about something specific that happened to me, so that one is tough. There are a couple songs about my dad, and some about growing up in the trailer park. Everyone song has a meaning to me and mean the most to me in their own way. I guess it's kind of a cop out answer but it's the truth.
You guys are doing a pretty big tour with Title Fight, Touche Amore, and The Menzingers soon, how do you feel being the only “heavy” band on the tour?
Yeah dude, really excited about this tour actually. We definitely are the most ignorant band on the tour haha. Umm I think in certain places it might be a little bit awkward, but we've tour a few times and have friends in most of the places we're playing so at least if all else fails they'll make us feel at home. I'm really not too worried about it. I think DEP will be a nice change of pace, every band is soo different from one another I really don't see anyone being bored the entire time. Plus Title Fight are our best friends and we've known the Menzingers dudes for awhile so it'll be fun hanging with all of our friends. I think the people that haven't heard of us before this tour will be into us. I have faith
What can kids expect to see at a live show?
Hmm that's a hard question - well usually you can expect me to be wearing something ridiculous on stage ala a sleeveless sweatshirt, you can count on Foose moshing the kids in the front row while he's playing, you can expect Ian's amp to screeching and squealing the whole time, you can expect Ryan and Foose getting pissed at him for it, you can expect Jason just feeling the vibe and you can expect me laughing at all of them. Honestly though, I just want people to have a good time. Everyone is there for the same reason, to have fun so that's kind of the philosophy we go by. No violence, no bullshit, just fun. Stage dive, sing along, mosh yourself into a frenzy and be excellent to each other.
What is your discography so far?
Our demo came out in December 2009 on Collapse Records and is out of /300. Out 7" came out the summer of 2010 on BBB records and is out of /1000 and our new LP is coming out on BBB records and is out of /1000.
Any new releases coming up?
As I mentioned we have a new LP coming out this summer on Triple B Records. It still doesn't have a title but I can promise you it is our best material to date. I'm really excited for people to hear it. I think it's great.
What is the most memorable show you have played?
Most memorable show would have to be Richmond VA on our winter tour with Stick Together. It was probably the 5th time we had played Richmond but the vibe was just incredible and our set was actually bonkers. Definitely one of the best sets we've ever played. Also United Blood a couple weeks ago was amazing for us. This is tough, there are alot of good shows that we've played.
Most memorable show you have attended?
Damn, hmm. Frostbites last show was one of the coolest shows I've ever been to. Lifetime,Cold World and War Hungry played a show together in 2007 and that was incredible. Any Title Fight show in WB is great. Any Title Fight show period. Anytime seeing UNDERDOG is great. They're my favorite band.
I personally am from California, where are you guys from? How is it different show wise?
We're from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It's about two hours north of Philadelphia. We have a great hardcore scene here right now. Between the WB kids, the Scranton kids, the Philly kids, and the NY/NJ kids, it's great. Alot of different types of kids coming to shows and supporting every band. It's a great time for hardcore. The only major difference i've ever noticed between east coast and west coast kids is circle pitting. We're not really accustomed to that here haha.
Thanks for your time, any final thoughts/shout outs?
Thank you Jeff and HBFV for doing this interview, it was great. Shout out's to all of our friends everywhere. Check out the new Title Fight record "Shed", check out Lifeless and Not Til Death. Make sure to get the new War Hungry, Disengage, Stick Together and United Youth records when they drop and last but not least check out our new record when it drops this summer. Catch us on the Title Fight tour!
Interview done by Jeffrey Wang!
One Life Crew and Know The Score split in works!
One Life Crew and Know The Score will both be entering the studio early this summer to record a couple tracks for an upcoming split 7″. This will be the first new recorded material in almost 13 years for OLC. Both bands will be playing a couple of record release shows in support of the 7″. The split is due to be released on Double Or Nothing Records. More details coming soon!
Ruckus signed to Double Or Nothing Records. New album this summer!
Here's official statement from DON: We would like to welcome L.A.’s Ruckus to Double or Nothing. We will be releasing a full length record later this summer titled “Of Malice & Man”. A couple tracks from the upcoming record will appear on a limited run of cassette tapes that will be available only through the band at their upcoming West Coast show with Sheer Terror. More news and notes as they unfold.
I Scream Recordsigns European deal for new Trapped Under Ice record
I Scream Records and Reaper Records, Trapped Under Ice's US based label, have inked a deal for the release of the new TUI album in Europe, later this year. Trapped Under Ice will start recording their new full length, entitled "Big Kiss Goodnight", in June which will be produced Chad Gilbert, of New Found Glory, and engineered by Paul Miner (ex Death By Stereo) who has worked with H2O, Terror and Ignite, to name of few.
Stout signed to Filled With Hate!
After two full-CD releases on Rucktion Records (UK), Maryland´s Stout signed a deal with Filled With Hate Records. The band will release a new 7-song MCD this summer on FWH!
New Blood: Turnstile
Turnstile is a new hardcore band from the Baltimore/DC area and while most of you know them cause they've got Trapped Under Ice's drummer Brendan doing vocal duties, there's definitely more to the band. I was really into their demo and hearing Reaper is about to release their debut 7" just made this otherwise fucked up week worth suffering through. Check what the band is all about in this quick interview with the Brendan.
Turnstile is a new hardcore band from the Baltimore/DC area and while most of you know them cause they've got Trapped Under Ice's drummer Brendan doing vocal duties, there's definitely more to the band. I was really into their demo and hearing Reaper is about to release their debut 7" just made this otherwise fucked up week worth suffering through. Check what the band is all about in this quick interview with the Brendan.First off, who are you/what is your role in Turnstile?
-Whatsup! I'm Brendan and I sing in the band Turnstile
How did Turnstile form as a band?
- The band started when my friend/ neighbor, Brady ( who plays guitar in the band) came to me with song ideas that I thought sounded awesome. We began writing, and after a few months of workin together, we recorded the demo. The rest of the guys (daniel, franz, and sean) are some of my best friends who were down to join us.
Where did the name of the band come from?
- I got the name from one of my favorite Hot Water Music songs, "Turnstile".
What bands influence you guys?
- Bands like Madball, Leeway, Inside Out, and Maximum Penalty are strong influences on our bands style.
To my knowledge you are in 2 other bands, one being the almighty Trapped Under Ice, and pop-punk outfit Diamond (DMND). How do you deal with being in 3 bands? All which are catching a lot of attention?
-I love it! There's no rule or limit on anything that you do. The 3 bands have their own style and I love to write and play music, so it really works for me. It keeps me busy
What is the difference playing in each? Do you like one more than the other?
-Playing in each band is completely different from one another, but I love playing in them all. I like singing. Switchin it up from bein behind the drums. Plus I like jumping around.
Are the other members of Turnstile in any other projects?
- Our drummer Daniel Fang plays drums in Mindset, Sacred Love, Praise, and a new band called Peace. Bass-man Franz is a rapper. Check him out, Freaky Franz, Freaky Tales mixtape, he's cool!
What is the hardcore scene like in Baltimore?
- Scene in baltimore is cool. Venues like the Charm City Art Space do a lot of cool shows. Check out Mindset, Sacred Love, Give, Praise, Mob Mentality.
What is your process for writing lyrics? What do you write about?
- The lyrics I write are just about things that I feel: Social Pressures, Relationships, friendship, and just living.
For those who haven’t heard you guys, what can a kid expect picking up a Turnstile record?
- what to expect? Hopefully it just makes you want to dance and jump in your bedroom.
What has Turnstile released?
- we just released a 7" called "Pressure to Succeed" on Reaper Records! 6 songs!
Any new releases in progress?
- We just released our first record, but we do have some New stuff already that we are workin on!
Any upcoming tours/shows?
- We're playing June 1st in Baltimore and June 5th In DC, and Planning on Playing a lot more very soon!
Thanks for your time man, any final thoughts/shout outs?
- Shoutout to Patrick Kitzel and Reaper Records, Fire & Ice, Dead End Path, Hardboiled, Red Bull, Vans, and my friends.
Interview done by Jeffrey Wang
Sheer Terror to release new 7" in July!
This is probably the biggest news of this year! The Sheer Terror 7", featuring two new songs titled "Heresy on the Monkey Bar" and "Blue Shadows Will Fall", along with a cover song scheduled to be out in July. This will be released by almighty Reaper Records!
S.O.S. pre-orders up now at Reaper Records
Head over to the Reaper DIY Store and pick up the S.O.S. 7" "I Owe You Nothing" pre-order. Supplies are limited! 'I Owe You Nothing', the title track off of the new EP of the same name by S.O.S., is available for streaming today on the band's official Facebook page. Head to this link to check it out. Today also marks the launch of the band's "I Owe You Nothing" pre-order! Hit the official pre-order link to get your copy now.S.O.S. is:
Scott Vogel - Vocals (Terror)
Matt Henderson - Guitar (formerly ofAgnostic Front and Madball)
Sam Trapkin - Guitar (Trapped Under Ice)
Chris Beattie - Bass (Hatebreed)
Nick Jett - Drums (Terror)
The band got together over several New York winter days to record their debut EP. Each member contributed to all parts of the creative process, from every riff right down to the vocal patterns. At the helm of production was Dean Baltulonis, a producer and engineer who has been involved with some of the genres most iconic recordings (Agnostic Front, Madball), and was a natural fit for the session. S.O.S. emerged with a concise, tried and true, no frills hardcore EP titled "I Owe You Nothing".
The idea of S.O.S. first started to take shape around two years ago when Scott Vogel, front man for Terror, and Chris Beattie, bass player for Hatebreed, began discussing the possibility of making music together. The two had first met while touring the US together in 1995, and their discussions were simply focused on making music without stress or complications. While there was some back and forth regarding other potential members, the idea took a more serious turn when Matt Henderson, former guitarist of Agnostic Front and Madball, agreed to be involved. This would be Matt's first formal involvement in a band in over five years. For the next member, Vogel had to look no further than his own band mate, Terror drummer Nick Jett. Nick is razor sharp behind the drums and his ability as a prolific songwriter added another creative dimension. To round out the group and put the final piece in place, S.O.S. brought in guitarist Sam Trapkin from one of the best new bands hardcore has seen in years, Trapped Under Ice. Individually, the members of S.O.S. represent the past, present, and future of hardcore. While that warrants recognition in its own right, the music and the spirit is what leads the charge for S.O.S.
"It took years to finally get everyone in the same room, but the result is cool," states vocalist Scott Vogel. "We did what we set out to do; make a fast and angry hardcore record with no gimmicks or nonsense, and just have fun doing it. It seems like today everything is so professional and serious and this was just friends from some of my favorite bands making some music together."
New Blood: Hold Down
So this edition of New Blood is dedicated to Germany-based Hold Down. Some time ago I wrote about their demo: ”Hold Down plays hardcore that is both aggressive and very catchy. The band certainly has a flair for a proper hardcore sound without any cheap tricks. They stick to the basics of the genre but still keep it fresh and powerful.” I think this sums up the band pretty well and if you ask me, they certainly one of the most interesting upcoming bands from the Germany right now. Read the short interview and learn what they’re all about!
So this edition of New Blood is dedicated to Germany-based Hold Down. Some time ago I wrote about their demo: ”Hold Down plays hardcore that is both aggressive and very catchy. The band certainly has a flair for a proper hardcore sound without any cheap tricks. They stick to the basics of the genre but still keep it fresh and powerful.” I think this sums up the band pretty well and if you ask me, they certainly one of the most interesting upcoming bands from the Germany right now. Read the short interview and learn what they’re all about!For those unfamiliar with the band - what do you want people to know about the band and your music or message? How did you all meet and how long have you all been a band?
Hello everybody. Me ( sören/ voice) and our former drummer, now guitarplayer mathias, come from the same part of town in the cologne area and we had been playing in another band together before we came up with the idea to start Hold Down last year. We all have known each other for a few years except for our drummer Emilio from Guatemala, who just recently moved to Germany and joined us to finally get things started.
What's the toughest struggle for the band like yours? What's the biggest wall to get over?
Don´t know about the other bands but in our case the biggest struggle was and still is to get a dedicated crew together. It took us a while to find the right guys and we currently don´t really have a bassplayer, so that kind of slows us down in some ways. Another aspect is the fact that I moved to Bremen (300kms from cologne) a while ago and we do not get to hang out and play as much as we want to, but that´s life.
For those who have not heard anything from you how would you describe band's playing sound?
That´s a tough one to answer. I would rather recommend you to download our first output on this page to find out on your own. But I reckon our sound could be described as mainly midtempo orientated hardcore with the odd fast riff and some groove to it.
What have you released so far?
we just recently recorded our first songs as a demo which we didn´t really release in that kind of way. We just wanted to record those songs quite soon after we founded Hold Down to get it started properly. We posted them as a download on our myspace and it can be found here on hardboiled as well.
Who are your strongest musical influences and why?
Beside the all time classic bands from the 80´s/90´s who have defined the Style of Hardcore Music and paved the way for many great Bands, I would say that we´re mostly influenced by (mainly european) hardcore bands like bleed into one, solid ground, no turning back…just to name a few. Those Bands, among others, are the ones who have been working hard during the last years to make European Hardcore as strong and alive as it is today and they stick to the old nyhc-style without loosing their unique sound which is very important to me. That´s the music that we all like, but there are so many good bands around which makes it hard to break it down to a few names. I definitely don´t want to compare us with those great bands in any way, that would be just ridiculous, but since we listen to that kind of hardcore all the time it influenced our approach to play music and made us start something by ourselves.
Where do you draw your inspiration from when it comes to the lyrics?
When approaching a new song, I´m mostly influenced by my own surroundings and my own life. I don´t write lyrics about politics that take place on the international level because in my opinion there are so many things that go wrong in front of our own eyes, fucked up things happen and there are boundaries to get over for everyone of us. There´s a lot to do and countless aspects worth to think and write songs about. Beside the contradictions and problems that we have to face sometimes, there´s a lot of positive energy left inside. Friendship for example is a big part of life, and so there might be one or two songs about that as well.
Tell me about band's performance element – what should kids expect from your live show?
Well, I can´t come up with impressive tales concerning life shows since we haven´t played a single one with Hold Down yet. We don´t have a bass player right now which makes it impossible to play, but are currently setting things up and there are some shows coming up around may. I would say people can expect the things to happen, they do themselves. We´re not afraid to demonstrate the energy we have and if the people want to go mad we will definetely appreciate that. But I think it´s more realistic to say that the people should not expect too much movement in the crowd on the first shows because we´re not that well known and you know what that means.
Tell us what you have coming up that we can check for. Plans, gigs and releases planned for the upcoming months?
We can probably be seen on a few shows in early summer like I mentioned before.
We´re currently setting up a show near cologne to showcase our demo. We also have a couple new tracks and currently work on a few because we have more ideas than we can keep in our heads, which should make us hit the studio again in the later part of 2011.
Any closing thoughts?
Thanks a lot for the interview and everyone who took the time to check our sound, we appreciate that. If anyone is interested in filling Hold Downs void on the bass position, just hit us up. Keep moving!
Unite.Resist Interview
Here’s a quick background info on the band: Unite.Resist is a new and upcoming hardcore band hailing from Scranton, Pennsylvania. The band started out in 2010, has released their self-titled debut Ep in January 2011 on Universal Warning Records and if that’s important for you, there’s Tom from Strength For A Reason playing bass there. Unite.Resist is currently working on the upcoming split with Troublesome on Marked For Death which should be available in the upcoming months. If you like real, honest, down to earth hardcore that tell it like it is, here’s something for you. Hell, every band that mentions Mushmouth as one of their influences should immediately make to every hardcore kid’s ‘to listen’ list!
Here’s a quick background info on the band: Unite.Resist is a new and upcoming hardcore band hailing from Scranton, Pennsylvania. The band started out in 2010, has released their self-titled debut Ep in January 2011 on Universal Warning Records and if that’s important for you, there’s Tom from Strength For A Reason playing bass there. Unite.Resist is currently working on the upcoming split with Troublesome on Marked For Death which should be available in the upcoming months. If you like real, honest, down to earth hardcore that tell it like it is, here’s something for you. Hell, every band that mentions Mushmouth as one of their influences should immediately make to every hardcore kid’s ‘to listen’ list!
Can you give us a brief history of the band? What prompted you to start Unite.Resist and who is in the present line up? What prompted you to start Unite. Resist and who is in the present line up ?
Tom: The band started through a few different line-ups, but came together with the band Myriad in 2003, which was ERIC(vocals), Jim( Drums), Tom (bass), Vic(guitar) and Dom(guitar). In the evolution of that band, Jon (guitar) eventually joined to give the band a second guitar when Dom left. This band played mostly in PA through 2003-2006 During these years Tom joined SFAR and started to tour with them. A few years later when Strength’s drummer decided to step back from the reigns, Jim took on the job of drumming with them for obvious reasons including schedules. We then mulled around with some ideas and decided to get a new project together, topics for lyrics, type of sound, etc., then decided to come out strong in 2010. We recorded our songs before playing live and then started looking for a label. After recording we played a few shows and then released the self titled EP on Universal Warning Records in the first week of January. Lou joined the band in January shortly after the release, playing his first two shows solo , but that’s the way it always seems to go when you have to work a full time job. The present line-up is ERIC(vocals) JIM (drums) Jon (guitar) LOU (guitar) TOM (bass) .
How would you describe your playing sound to those who still haven’t heard your music? Is it something people are going to be able to compare to Strength For A Reason?Eric: If you’re a fan of mid 90s hardcore you will enjoy us, it’s a break from all the breakdown bands that seem to be coming out , if you have V.O.D , Mushmouth , Madball on your ipod pick up a cd . If your a fan of Strength for a Reason I’m sure you would enjoy Unite Resist, but to compare us to them I would say no we have a different sound and style of writing.
Tell us something about your debut album. What do you hope people make of it?
Tom: The aspect that I liked about this recording is that we recorded totally analog, and with all live takes, so when a mistake was made we had to re-do the entire song. On a side note it just so happened that when ideas for the artwork on our Universal Warning EP were completed we used pictures from Ireland, Greece, etc. By the time the discs were printed and released, these countries were having protests in the streets over the economics situations and bailouts.
As for what I would like people to make of it, I would hope that something on the record would strike a chord with a listener, whether it be the music or one of the topics in the lyrics. I wouldn’t want to downplay the music because that is a huge part of a band, but I personally would hope that one of some of the lyrics could possibly start a conversation (especially in the states). The U.S. has taken a turn since 9/11. Whether it be the new attitude the country has taken, surveillance of citizens, erosion of civil liberties and our constitution (which the average person in this country seems to want to give away freely). I think these topics are in need of some serious discussion. I feel this can also strike a chord around the world, not only in the states, due to some of the events that we have seen in the past year. Bailouts in Europe and unrest in the middle-east, N. Africa and Eastern Europe. When it comes to the payment of a country’s debt, the people have to realize that they do not owe the debt, monetary practices are the cause of the troubles. The people have a right to be upset.
Eric: I hope people from 15 to 50 enjoy what we are doing on this release, and see how much work we put into it plus its all analog so the sound of the cd is nice and crisp not a lot of bands do analog anymore . We will also be putting out a split CD with the band Troublesome this summer on Marked For Death Records which will be released in Europe. So be on the lookout.
What are you be singing about on the record?
Tom: If you take a song like “Weaponless” the song is saying that people have a voice to speak out or address their grievances or change their world. But possibly someone who is in the lower or middle class may not be able to flex an economic muscle or pull some political “strings” like someone in a higher class would. So that’s why you hear people say, “that’s the way it is. What am I going to do about it? We can’t change it.” If everyone would change that mindset things could change tomorrow. My favorite part of the song is the MLK excerpt which refers to the U.S. staying true to its constitution, which is the solution to the many problems our country is facing currently. And of course there are other weapons that can be used, but the song is saying that non-violently the only weapon we’ve been left with is our voice and it can be powerful. Now would be a time to speak up in America, because you would rather see a problem solved peacefully than to have to resort to violence. But I am 100% behind the people of Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Egypt, Etc. The song “Pain in Change” is a play on the Obama presidential campaign slogan. Although the U.S. voted the man into office and the world seemed to justify him by giving him the Nobel Peace Prize. He never really had desire to change any of the Bush policies, as the people of the U.S. assumed.
Eric: I agree with what Tom said on the songs and also to let people know its not how cool you are b/c of the way you dress or went to a hardcore show. Its about knowing the people around you and knowing yourself that this is the place. Most people go to get away or to hang out with friends. Due to this current emphasis on fashion or text messaging and facebook you may not always see and to hear what some of the bands are saying open your ears people.
Where do your lyrics come from? What are your main inspirations?
Tom: When I first started seeing hardcore bands it was more the atmosphere of the show that I admired. It gave me the feeling that these people were here for a reason and had a very important message to convey to the audience. For some of the bands it was in their message, but for others it was in what they spoke about between songs. To me it always had a positive message,(or that’s what I heard or gravitated towards). Messages about believing in yourself, standing up for one another, and not being afraid to speak out against what grievances were around at the time socially, etc. I know that there are bands that currently have a something to say, and along with them we hope to contribute to more of a message brought back to hardcore. Currently my inspirations are found in the news. Europe is having economic problems in Iceland, Ireland, Greece, Spain. Problems that other countries will soon see. What happened in Egypt with the internet shutdown and use of the military against citizens in Libya could happen in any country. Europe and the U.S. are not an exception.
Eric: I remember when hardcore had a message, and has seemed to have lost some of that message. We are here because we love the music and the people and I really wanted to say a lot to the kids who just wanted to be cool at shows or to go outside and txt and tell people, “hey I’m at a show “. The kids who start bands who want to just say I’m in a hardcore band but really have no message and no heart they just want the look. We come to this place to get away its our high and we must keep the people with open minds in it that stay true to what's real.PA bands are recognized for their strong, heavy hitting brand of hardcore . How does coming from there shape your attitude to the music and hardcore culture?
Tom: I’m very proud to come from the PA hardcore scene, and the Northeast area in general. I would like to think that with any band the attitude and sound comes from the regions we were raised. The area we are from, which is an older industrial region, we are people of the same socio-economic backgrounds, all working class families. In the 90s our area was fortunate enough to have a stable club that brought in hardcore bands from other areas and allowed local bands to develop their music, Strength for a Reason was one of these bands. Our proximity to New York (2 hr) also helped. These bands that came up in that time period in turn passed that hardcore ethic along. Some people get it and some people don’t. I feel that the area that we come from is similar to the parts of Europe that have the same brands of music, such as the Ruhrpott in Germany ,England, or Poland. Especially Pennsylvania which produced coal, iron, steel and agriculture. I also feel we also get our work ethic from parents and especially our grandparents, who were hard workers, and I feel that this influences our attitudes.
And what do you think of the hardcore scene right now? What are some other bands you’re down with?
Tom, Eric : I think that the scene has a healthy influx of new bands. Some good fests going on in the U.S. like the new Tsunami Fest, This is Hardcore, Long Island Fest, etc. Some great new bands that have come out at the same time as us are: Troublesome , Lifeless ,Ready to Die , Rock Bottom , Born Low and Wrong Answer who we are really into presently. Right now I am liking the band Carrying the Fire from Baltimore, I like the message and I feel all around the band is amazing. Mother of Mercy is also very good. Steel Nation, who we all agree on, is another PA band who we happen to know personally, as well as Strength for a Reason, Cold World, Wisdom in Chains, Not til Death , and Concrete Reality . And these are bands that are more or less from our "area".So yeah I think there is a lot of potential right now to keep it moving in the right direction.The scene is strong the real bands keep it moving along and keep it alive thank god. The venues are sometimes tough to keep, but everyone will usually work together to find a hall, other location, or basement, which we have played over the last weekend. Its great to see people and the bands come together and put shows on no matter if your from one part of town or another, we should all be working together and pushing for each other. We are all the same, we love this thing called hardcore we love the feeling of being at a show together thats what its about, not doing presales for someone or to get the most facebook likes.
How do you rate paper fanzines, and do you think they still have a part to play in the hardcore scene?
Tom:I think that it is great that people communicate and share ideas through paper zines. It has contributed to the attitude and the drive that made hardcore what it is and we have to preserve that tradition. The internet can’t be the only form of communication within the scene. Whenever I’m at a show and see a zine or a paper pamphlet I will take one to read. While answering these questions I was looking at the Thinking Cap fanzine that I picked up at a show in Philadelphia.
What's your impression of the European hardcore scene?
Tom: I love going on trips to Europe, not only for the sights but for the friends I’ve met in several countries. Having been over to Europe a few times I can say that the fans are very appreciative to the bands from the US, and that the clubs and promoters are better organized that those in the U.S.. I appreciate the honesty European fans will give when it comes to opinions on performances or certain songs. I’ve had the opportunity to play with and befriend the guys in No Turning Back, Cheap Thrills, Bleed Into One, New Morality, For The Glory, Nasty, BOLT , Fallbrawl, Black Friday '29 . And others like Look My Way, World Eater, The Ice and I also happen to be fans of all of these bands. And as in the U.S. I see that when bands dissolve or break up the members usually end up staying in the scene and starting new bands, labels, and zines. This year SFAR had the opportunity to play in Katowice Poland this year and the thing I will remember was that Poland dances HARD. It was a show that I will remember, as well as the ice cold vodka shots, which I crave from time to time now that I’m home.
Five books everyone should read?
I’m sorry that I didn’t keep it to five books, but pick any of these five and you should enjoy
1. Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited by Auldous Huxley
( A similar book is 1984 by George Orwell, but I feel that Huxley realizes that the government will use a different form of control (through media and entertainment) rather that just brute force.
2. Inside the third Reich by Albert Speer
( As you should know our band does not condone fascism or national socialism, but stands for the opposite. I feel that everyone should at some point in their lives read a book about how a system like that can be built up around a population when the right circumstances permit. If one realizes how this happens, we would possibly not repeat the same mistake. Other books in this same vein could be The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn or The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard Evans)
3. Media Control : The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda by Noam Chomsky (also, the book that started it all: Propaganda by Edward Bernays or you could watch the documentary about Bernays “The Century of the Self” that can be found on youtube. Byernays was the nephew of Freud and the man who invented propaganda)
4. Slaughter House Five by kurt Vonnegut
(any of his books are a good read, Blackbeard, Cat’s Cradle, etc.)
5. The Brothers Karamozov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
(which gets me into other books like War and Peace by Tolstoy)
Also you can not go wrong with the classics
Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Republic by Plato
The Iliad of The Odyssey by Homer
The Gallic War and othe Writings of Julius Ceasar by Julius Ceasar
The Prince by Machiavelli
The Trial and The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
The Grapes of Wrath By John Steinbeck
Three mistakes everyone should do before they die?
Eric: I have no clue im only 27 find me when im 60 if im still alive and ask me .
What are some future plans for the band? What should we expect from Unite.Resist in the 2011?
Eric : we are writing for our Europe release as of right now, taking it easy on shows it should be out this July on Marked For Death Records .we all have a lot more time in the summer's soon as we are done recording that we will be playing out as much as we can .
Any last words ?
Eric : Thanks to all who support us we are thankful for how far we have come in just a few months and we plan to keep moving with our message as far as we can go .
Harm's Way to release new album at Closed Casket Activities
The time has finally come for a new LP from our own Harms’S Way. Just over 1 year from the 7″ release of the “No Gods No Masters” EP Closed Casket Activities will be bringing you the new full length entitled “Isolation”. This record is 8 new tracks that truly shows their progression into their own style of metal influenced hardcore. Recording has been finished at Brick Top Recordings in Illinois by Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos) and original illustrations for the project has been handled by Jon Macnair to bring the audio and visual aspects of the recording to life.In anticipation of the announced Harms’S Way – Isolation LP we will have a 7″ single for the song “Breeding Grounds”. This will be a tour exclusive on the upcoming East coast run with Expire and Venia and limited to 300 copies. The track will be available for a free download shortly at Closed Casket Activities but for now can be streamed here.
Summer Of Hate 2011 - final line-up revealed!
From the Hard-Ass Records blog: After working on the show pretty much since the day after the last year's SOH ended we are happy to announce the FINAL LINE UP for SUMMER OF HAVE V as well as tickets for the show. Detroit hardcore legends COLD AS LIFE and Connecticut's PALEHORSE will complete the lineup. We are truly excited to have CAL & Palehorse play this year. CAL is a band that we have loved since we were teenagers and seeing them at Summer of Hate will truly be the best environment to see them that we could imagine (other than back in the day in Detroit, of course!). CAL will be filming the set for an upcoming DVD about the band's history and this will be the only show they are playing all summer. More info here!
The new issue of Just Say Yo! zine is out
Just Say Yo! #4 is finally out! This time it's 60 pages, full size, in English with an artwork by Matt Gauck. Inside you can find interviews with Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife, I Am The Avalanche), On, Bridge And Tunnel, Bökanövsky, The Saddest Landscape, Austin Lucas and Hate5six. Also, the ultimate Leatherface mixtape (by Alex Fox), columns, reviews (records, zines...) and other shit. Available for 2 EUR (or 3 USD) + shipping and you can place your order here.
Downpresser Interview
Downpresser from Santa Barbara, Cali brings nothing but a hard mosh and blood to the dance floor! They've been getting a lot of good reviews for their music but what is more important is that all the kids I know who had a chance to see them live were coming home with bruises. If a hardcore band makes you wanna sing along while getting your ass constantly kicked in the pit you know it's a real deal! Read the interview to know where and when see them playing live and what's up with the upcoming Lp!
Downpresser from Santa Barbara, Cali brings nothing but a hard mosh and blood to the dance floor! They've been getting a lot of good reviews for their music but what is more important is that all the kids I know who had a chance to see them live were coming home with bruises. If a hardcore band makes you wanna sing along while getting your ass constantly kicked in the pit you know it's a real deal! Read the interview to know where and when see them playing live and what's up with the upcoming Lp!First off, thanks for taking your time to do this interview. Lets have some introductions, Who are you, and what is your role in Downpresser?
I'm Dan, I sing in DP.
How did Downpresser begin?
Sean (guitar) and Jim (drums) started playing together in late 2005. Russ (bass) joined and then I was asked to do vocals. We wrote a demo started playing out and it went from there.
What are some major influences for you guys?
Musically, I think Merauder, Biohazard, Leeway, No Warning, All Out War, Stigmata, etc. Bands like that.
Where/what do you draw from your life to create lyrics?
Probably the same as anyone else.. Emotions, opinions, situations in my life. Some of my lyrics are metaphorical but they're still personal. I try to be honest.
What song have you written means the most to you? Why?
Arm's Length. It's one of my favorite songs to play live and the lyrics have continued to gain new meanings the more we play it.
You play bass in Minus as well, what are things you enjoy/differences being in each band?
It's just different. Two different kinds of playing. I love each. The tour we did over the summer was perfect. I love playing with both bands.
For those who haven’t heard you guys, what can they expect when they pick up one of your records?
I don't know man. We just like writing hardcore that we would want to listen to. That's it, haha.
My first time seeing you guys was with Hammerbros in Sacramento, it was a religious experience for me. What shows have you been to that you will never forget?
Thanks! Recently, United Blood 2011. So much fun. Overall... I have a lot of memories from the early 2000's when I was coming up. Seeing In Control, Terror, American Nightmare, and so many other bands all the time was a huge influence on me personally. I was into punk originally, so seeing like Rancid and shit like that back when I was a kid was huge too.
How is hardcore in your hometown?
Strong right now. We have a bunch of good venues going right now and a solid group of kids that regularly come out.
What has the band released?
Demo, Perverted Justice 12"ep, split 7" with Creatures, Age Of Ignorance 7".
Any new releases coming up?
Working on an LP. It's about halfway done. We're trying to record it in the summer before Sound & Fury.
What are your touring plans? Upcoming shows?
At the end of May we're touring up to Rainfest with Rotting Out and Alpha & Omega. Right after Sound & Fury we're leaving on a full U.S. tour with New Morality and Cornered, both from the Netherlands. Cornered's got a record coming out on 6131 before the tour so keep an eye out for that.
Once again, thanks for doing this interview. Any final thoughts or shout outs?
Thank you. Hi to all my friends.
Interview done by Jeffrey Wang from San Jose, CA
New Blood: Maya Over Eyes
Maya Over Eyes really began in the summer of 2004 in San Jose CA. In no time at all they began sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in Hardcore, establishing themselves as a prominent figure in the local scene. Their first recording came as a demo in 2006. Soon after they finished their first demo, the band began to venture out on the road, including a western US tour in 2007 and a northwestern US tour in 2009.
Maya Over Eyes really began in the summer of 2004 in San Jose CA. In no time at all they began sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in Hardcore, establishing themselves as a prominent figure in the local scene. Their first recording came as a demo in 2006. Soon after they finished their first demo, the band began to venture out on the road, including a western US tour in 2007 and a northwestern US tour in 2009.First off introductions, what is your name/instrument played in the band?
Paco, vocals.
How did Maya Over Eyes come to be?
Maya Over Eyes started in late 2003 as a high school project. With no plans to do anything major. Just a bunch of kids into metal/punk that believed family and friends was the biggest thing in life when it came to hardcore music with a few other influences. As 2004 began, things had gone from jamming in a garage/back yards to performing at the Campbell, Ca Gaslighter. High school talent show at D.C.P. Collage prep. We started to get a following in San Jose, Ca as soon as the Cave opened. Gig after gig we soon wanted to become a full time touring band.
What bands influence you guys?
Maya Over Eyes has a very diverse influences when it comes to music. There's bands from all different genres that have a huge impact on us. They range from latin bands to metal bands, but I think we can all agree that Hatebreed is our most major influence.
What is the band all about? (What is the message the band wants to send out?)
The message we have is pretty basic. Live life to the fullest and be happy with what you have.... "Better Times" is a song that we released that breaks down everything we stand for. Hard times or not, there's always better times..
Where/what do you draw from your life to write lyrics?
I write lyrics from my past. Experiences my family and friends have gone through. Things in life will take you to the most extremes without planning. Definitely worth writing. Everyone has things to say. Poetry to write or rhymes to rap about. Life itself is where things come from..
What is the biggest challenge you guys have faced as a band?
The biggest challenge we've had is keeping this project together. With so many line up changes. Things always get complicated. But some how, some way we manage to keep it rollin...
How is hardcore in the Bay Area?
B.A.H.C. is very strange. It has a South Bay, East Bay divisions. When they come together, it's really huge. We have a few generations that hold it down. Over all Bay Area has a great scene. If you can turn heads in your direction, no doubt you can make some damage.
What is the band’s current label situation?
We've never had a label. This has always been D.I.Y. band. Never had plans to sign with any labels but things keep going our way. As long as we got heart and a little cash. Maya will keep doing they're thing.
What has the band released? (Put download links as well if you guys want)
"Things Get Worse Before They Get Better" is the only official self release E.P. we have since 2009. Theres a few demos but nothing worth downloading.
Here's a link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lwzly0imjmt
Any touring plans? Upcoming shows?
A full U.S. tour with Make It Reign (Reno, NV) & Forty Winters
(Coral Springs, FL) in June. It's a month and a week long. First U.S. tour we will do. A few gigs coming up but for that you can check out the Facebook page..
http://www.facebook.com/mayaovereyes?sk=app_123966167614127
Thanks for your time. Any final thoughts or shout outs?
We want to thank everyone that has always had their arms open to us. Lets us stay on their floors, shower and have taken care of us like family. You all know theres too many to name. To the kids that haven't seen us. It's only a matter of time. Shout outs to all San Jose for giving us there love. We always keep it 408 no matter where we go.
Interview was done by Jeffrey Wang
Strike Back Interview
Strike Back hails from France and is all about angry hardcore played at decent speeds and with a decent weight on it. Ten years after their debut album and they still have not lost it. After two full lengths and couple of Eps, the band has self released their new album called Still Holding On in January. If you read the review I’ve posted some time ago than you know it’s good, if not, make sure you check out this shit. Fans of Madball or Sick Of It All will be happy, fans of My Chemical Dildo might be disappointed.
Strike Back hails from France and is all about angry hardcore played at decent speeds and with a decent weight on it. Ten years after their debut album and they still have not lost it. After two full lengths and couple of Eps, the band has self released their new album called Still Holding On in January. If you read the review I’ve posted some time ago than you know it’s good, if not, make sure you check out this shit. Fans of Madball or Sick Of It All will be happy, fans of My Chemical Dildo might be disappointed.Can you tell us a bit about the history of Strike Back? How things got started and what have you been up to so far?
The band started 10 years ago, on New Year’s Eve 2000. With 3 friends of mine we wanted to play punk hardcore music, something in between Strife / Sick of it all / Madball /Agnostic front etc… a mix of all the bands we loved at that time. The problem was that we weren’t great musicians, we were young and inexperienced, so the beginning was hard and it took a while to find our own style. In 2004 came out our first LP “Straight from the 95”. When I listen to it now, it sounds a bit weird, a mix of punk rock, street punk and hardcore songs but I think it was a decent CD. You know now it’s a collector, very hard to find!
We started playing a few shows around Paris too and basically that’s how things started for us.
In 2007 came out our 2nd LP “Where I Stand”, we got great reviews and many people said it was one of the best hardcore CD ever released in France. We recorded it in a great studio and it really was a step forward for us. We played many shows in France and abroad with this CD and played with many great bands as well (Champion, Ensign, Comeback Kid, Internal affairs, Verse, No Turning back… )
In 2010, after a tour in the UK, all the guys left the band one after the other, I guess after 8 or 9 years in the band some guys wanted to do something else or were pissed with the hardcore scene.
So there was a total change of line up and luckily some new guys joined the band; otherwise it would have been the end of the band I reckon.
We worked hard and after a few months we were ready to record a new CD. Unfortunately our label stopped its activity so we had to do things on our own with a few friends for this one, the recordings, the promo etc… that’s a lot of work as you can imagine. Anyway, this CD is harder than the previous one and more aggressive. I think it’s our best CD, the songs are good, and the lyrics are sincere.
When you listen to this CD you kind of figure out who we are. We’re musicians, and normal people, we love playing music and writing new songs, we‘re not rock stars or hipsters. We spend more time in the studio then in bars or in clubs showing off or on the web spreading bullshit. We don’t try to be people we’re not.
Your album Still Holding On has been out recently. How has the reception been so far for? How long did it take to put the album together?
The CD came out 2 months ago; so far the reviews are very positive. We try to propose to the public something else, more authentic. I guess the youngsters won’t find us cool enough but usually the people who’ve been around for more than 6 months appreciate what we do.
The final line up was set in August 10 and we recorded in December 10. Many songs were written before august 10, with past and present members but we had to rework on everything to do something coherent.
So what can kids expect when they pick up a copy of the disc?
We play down to earth hardcore in the NY vein. There is no technical shit and no fantasy here. If you are into aggressive, sincere and energic hardcore this is for you. We talk about things we know and we deal with everyday there is no bullshit in here.
Which bands influenced Strike Back sound the most?
Each and every member of the band listens to different things, metal, hardcore, punk rock. We have always listed in our influences the same bands: STRIFE / MADBALL / SICK OF IT ALL for instance.
Speaking for myself, I’m not that much into new bands, and I still listen to the same old bands I used to listen to when I was younger: INTEGRITY / MERAUDER / CROWN OF THORNZ / WARZONE and also faster things like 10 YARD FIGHT or IN MY EYES
What are your overall thoughts about the state of the hardcore music and community nowadays? I am asking after reading the lyrics to couple of tracks on the album, like Newbie In This Game or Fuck Your Scene. What inspired these rants?
I think that for many people it’s meaningless. You know we live in a consumption society were image is important and commitment and trust is not. Everything goes very fast now, so it’s easy to move on to something else.
If I look at the old bands some recorded 3 or 5 CDs now it seems that every new band lasts 1 or 2 years and then split, you see what I mean, either they get tired of it or they weren’t that interested in playing music and being part of that. This is why I’m not that interested in the new things cause you never know what is the spirit behind that. I am not saying everybody is like that, but it seems that music, creation, the message, is not that important. Some people have understood it very well, some bands will sell 10 different types of shirts and have only recorded 5 or 6 songs… you know there is something wrong with that, the approach is different.
As I said before I’m not that much into new bands because, you need to know what you’re talking about, I wasn’t born yesterday and I know how things work, so when I meet 18 year old kids who talk shit, about politics, the scene, life etc… I just move on…
I dig the Crashing Down song but I am wondering, how do you guys cope with the new, challenging economic situation facing everyone today? What’s your advice to get ahead but not to get trapped in life´s routine?
Today if you want to survive in this world, you need money… there is no alternative and sometimes you sit on your principles. You know people don’t like to talk about money in the hardcore scene, but people are selling shirts and CDs against money … so for me there is no problem in having a real job and still being part of the hardcore movement. Why? because if you want to talk about society about what’s going wrong, the best thing is to be involved in that and to face it every day. In every job there is some kind of routine, no doubt about that, but if you like what you do and it allows you to do your things afterwards (like music, sports or what so ever) then it’s good.
I guess having a passion and hanging out with good friends sugar the pill
And what is the story behind the Self Respect song? What you think should be done to keep kids away from drugs and fucking up their lives in general?
This song is dedicated to all the people who ruin their everyday life because their too fucked up to move on and to do things. I mean since we were kids people have told us that drug using is shit so why people keep on doing that? I’m not Straight Edge and I enjoy sharing a drink with my friends but in a conscious way because I know that the day after I have things to do and I can’t afford to screw everything up because I got high the night before.
I don’t have a solution to keep kids away from drugs, I guess the inner personality is important, some people are stronger, some are weaker, and it’s easy for someone who has a boring job, no girlfriend, no ambition or dreams to fall in that trap.
France has always had a reputation for having one of the hardest bands in hardcore. What are some of the current bands from your country everyone should check out?
Unfortunately most of the bands we hang out or played with stopped… we had a bunch of great bands here in France. Nowadays there are a few new bands that hit the stage recently and that sound pretty good.
If you are into hardcore music, you can check out: xDIGx or BLACK SPIRALS, if you are into New school hardcore, check out REVIVAL, and if you are more into Punk Rock, check out THE DAVID CARRADINE APOCALYPSE.
What does the future hold for you guys as a band?
We are going to try spreading our name as much as possible. We got some shows coming up, and with the new CD out, we’ll try to play more after this summer. We ‘re also looking for people who could helps us dealing the CD abroad, review it and talk about the band too. We would like to go abroad for a few shows before the end of the year too. We are also going to do our first video clip in May on the song “Self Respect” .So we’ll see what comes up
Do you have any shout outs or anything that you would like to say?
I just want to thank all the people who have supported us since day 1 and all the others. As you can see we’re still around and we’ll keep on doing what we do best.
If you are interested in the band, the music etc… don’t hesitate to get in touch with us too through www.myspace.com/strikeback95 or facebook .
Finally thanks to the people who picked up our last CD too and to you for giving us the chance to appear in your webzine
Edge Of Spirit Interview
Edge Of Spirit is a long running Japan hardcore band with a heavy metallic sound. They take a lot both from classic metalcore sound as well as straight up metal and they do their thing just right. Their new self titled album is a proof they know how to handle their shit, delivering strong and tight performance while avoiding genre clichés. I just have to add that this interview has been actually done couple of weeks before the tragic tsunami that hit Japan and I just hope that no one from the band was harmed during these tragic events.
Edge Of Spirit is a long running Japan hardcore band with a heavy metallic sound. They take a lot both from classic metalcore sound as well as straight up metal and they do their thing just right. Their new self titled album is a proof they know how to handle their shit, delivering strong and tight performance while avoiding genre clichés. I just have to add that this interview has been actually done couple of weeks before the tragic tsunami that hit Japan and I just hope that no one from the band was harmed during these tragic events.Your latest album self-titled has been released recently. What can people expect from it?
It's pretty simple, I would like people to have a listen to it, crank it, and enjoy it. All we can do is just to output music, so If I could have people feel what they feel from the music, I would be happy enough then.
Now that it hit the streets, how do you feel about it? Are you satisfied with the outcome? What has been the response so far?
We're very satisfied with it. We have inputted all what we think and what we want to do into the album. The response has been so far so good, everybody says it's cool.
Has anything changed, music wise, since the bands previous release?
Nothing really has been changed basically. We take pride in the fact that we have kept producing original metallic hardcore sound and we will never change our own ethic.
What is the main inspiration when writing lyrics and is there a theme or themes behind the writing of this record?
The theme of the album is "revolution". I don't mean anything political, but I mean the theme is about how we can achieve what we can't, how we can make our things better, how we can solve our own frustration and struggle by ourselves around our daily life. The theme statement is, let's make a revolution in ourselves day by day. So, my inspiration mostly comes from anything around myself.
What is your label situation? How did you hook up with Demons Run Amok records for this release?
In Japan we have been on a label called OCH. I'm satisfied with deal and activities with them very much. Our manager Hideki enabled us to hook up with Demons Run Amok in Europe. He has been our fan for years and keeps trying to spread our music to the world. He's a brilliant manager.
What are some of the moments that stand out to you when thinking back about the band’s history so far?
Way too many good moments in this 14 years to name though, we got to known with friends in Korea, Canada, Australia, and America through our music by touring. That's what stands out to us.
What are some main influences that have shaped the band?
Musically all kinds of hardcore music and metal music have influenced us a lot. In terms of attitude, hardcore mind has influenced us a lot.
Describe hardcore scene in Japan at the beginning of the 21st century.
It has been excellent that various type of hardcore bands came out. Every year many overseas bands come over here, and everybody gets together, supports each other and trys to make an excellent scene. It's DIY level though, I think it's very good scene.
There are many kids saying that the hardcore is constantly changing and adapting. How do you feel about the progress in hardcore in terms of music and lyrics and how do you see the future of the scene?
For sure music is constantly changing and adapting. Rather than that, I think how we make a change with music is way more important. It's not like the newer music is, the better it is. Who and what kind of person plays the music is more important than what the music it is. The fact that new kind of music keeps coming out is very exciting and good, however I would like young people to check out where current music came from and try to understand that as well. The scene may be going to be bigger or die off. I can't really say what is going to happen in the future. I can't predict the future. If we don't really care how we should enjoy too much and everybody makes sure keep loving the scene, then the scene will stay good I think.
What is your definition of real hardcore and what is your formula for staying true to the roots of the genre but at the same time giving your music some fresh flavor and exploring themes not commonly done in hardcore albums?
My definition of hardcore is to stay true to yourself, not to change your mind by others' opinions. There are many kinds of music out now, but what kind of hardcore music you play doesn't really matter to me. What is important is your heart. I even sometimes feel hardcore mind from some of people who play other type of music. Our formula is to keep stepping and progressing with hardcore mind.
Beyond just hardcore bands who are some people you feel represent true hardcore?
Talking about here back in the ancient, samurai warriors represent hardcore!
Pick 3 words that describe your live show?
Passion, Heaviness, Chaos
Thanks for the interview. Any last shout outs? So what are some other band’s plans for the future?
We are going to go and tour Europe on May! Please check out www.mad-tourbooking.de for more info. I would like you to see us live and enjoy music together. If we visit your town, then please come and have fun with us!
www.facebook.com/edgeofspirit
www.myspace.com/edgeofspirit
