Video: Clearview - Concrete Jungle



Clearview may be one of the hardest bands you don't know. Concrete Jungle is taken from their 2017 lp Absolute Madness which makes me think how the hell a clip is 2 years in a making when there are people doing proper movies using their iPhones. In a week.

Musicwise, Concrete Jungle is another hard-hitter from the Brazilians and with all the heat this one delivers don’t for a second think it's not groovy. It's a rare thing when a song makes you wanna punch walls while nodding your head.

New Music: Forced Under - Break The Chains


Some heavy shit! Beatdown hardcore from Maryland,US delivered with more finesse than your average but still sounding like they want to fuck you up. Coward and Turncoat are the best tracks in here that keep on creeping on in my head. Reading the lyrics this is some grim, vicious and joyless outlook on the world. Compton, the vocalist, as any clear-thinking individual, is aware that this world is not doing good and it's only getting worse. From betrayal to the pressures of society to this world being ran by idiots, all the key struggles in life are covered. Check it out if heavy ass beatdown hardcore is you thing.


Interview: Exposure



Exposure rep German hardcore scene and I gotta tell you, their latest stuff in the form of Atonement will wreck you. The band stays winning with heavy ass Clevo worship sounding like In Cold Blood or some shit. This is my unexpected champing of recent months and if you sleep on this band, you're a total ass.

Straight off the bat, that Atonement promo tracks are fire. We will talk about that, but first tell me about Exposure. How it all began?
Thanks man, appreciate it. Exposure began as a - probably late night - idea of mine when I was watching some movie of questionable quality. I had a bunch of riffs and ideas floating around in my head and decided to try and turn them into songs. Few weeks later, I did some rough demoing and showed it to rest. Except for Mi(s)cha, we had all been in a Powerviolence band of sorts called Hikikomori that never really went anywhere and we had joked that Volker sounded too much like Dwid at times to not seize that opportunity, so there we are.

So, give us some insights about Atonement. How the promo tracks are representative for the upcoming full length?
Well, they're 2 songs that sort of cover the spread of what we do as a band. We mosh, we pogo (leather jacket with Deathside and Bastard backpatches) and we enjoy the heavy metal music. Also, these are the 2 songs of the full length we've been playing for the longest. The rest of the full length is different variations of what we've done on the demo. A little more finesse maybe but in essence, our approach is trying to write a hard song with several hard riffs.

For the collectors, who will release the album and on what format?
We're still trying to figure out the specifics but it will most likely be vinyl only.

Your sound has been compared to Clevo bands, do you agree with it? What bands were major influences when starting the band?
Oh yeah, definitely. I'm trying to channel the obvious, golden era Integrity, Ringworm, In Cold Blood, Only The Strong Compilation but I also look to bands like Bastard, Deathside and other Japanese Hardcore bands for influence.

Criminal Minded



These 2 new tracks from the upcoming full-length by Criminal Instinct are less than 3 minutes combined but if the rest of the album is as good 'Terrible Things' gonna be 2019 answer to Droppin' Many Suckers. NMFP is filthy and Victim is grimy. With the level of aggression presented here, it's clear that it's best to leave these dudes alone in real life.

This gem is dropping on November 8th via Closed Casket Activities. Be quick or be sorry!

Trigger warning. Shots fired!




Every time I open my mouth
You just gotta bring up your past
I won't tailor my point of view
Around your fucking bitch ass

NMFP
Not my fucking problem


Review: Heavy Runner - Life Music



If Poland’s contribution to hardcore in 2019 could be summed up in one album, this would be the one. Heavy Runner is the rarest of beast: tough as nails but fun. Life Music sounds like a tribute to glory days of beatdown and certainly captures zeitgeist of 90' Baltimore hardcore by the way of Stout and Next Step Up. Some extra Rucktion/Ninebar flavor here and there to boost up the craziness, while the vocals vibe like this guy received spiritual guidance from DMX himself. Get at me dog!

The chemistry between the band members is amazing and everybody is doing their part while vocals spit out some truthful lyrics that appeal to both sides of the brain. The backing gruffy vocals add some counter balance to swagged out lead singer. To some this music might appear too simple or even basic, yet beneath the surface, a lot of work was done to make these tracks pop. There is an art to being simple so fuck people who think that way.

Probably the best part of this album is that they don't take it too seriously. It's all positive and full of healthy mental content even when they deal with some shitty subject matter. And don't get me wrong, they walk a thin line but there's never anything goofy or gimmick about it. No doubt this no-fucks-given attitude and survivor mentality is the main source of electricity in this album.

Heavy Runner delivers some of the best hardcore of recent memory and Life Music is already included in my top 10 of 2019. Good stuff to annoy your girlfriend, offend your parents and upset the neighbors. Keep your shit the hardest!

Ratel / Ugly&Proud 2019

Demo Daze: Victim To None - True Sight



Get ready cause some epic shit is about to drop on your fucking head! Man, this stuff right here is a heavy hitter. True Sight is short but slick ep by Victim To None and with just 3 tracks in total there's no time to mess around. I respect bands that just get in there and get it done and say 'okay, bye'.

This is a solid hardcore that I am surprised that not that many people are mentioning this.

>>>DOWNLOAD<<<



Found footage: Subzero 'MRP' [2019 reunion show]


SUBZERO performs live at Saint Vitus Bar-Brooklyn w/Silence Equals Death,Killer Of Sheep,NRSV,Ramallah - spytekklb820 Ipa

Subzero is on my all-time top 10 list and embodies everything I expect from hardcore. Every album by them sound so fucking raw and out there with an emotional impact that comes with full force. I love that this band is as rich in substance lyrically as it is layered in different sounds and styles. They can go to places and directions that you never expect, spinning you in so many circles. Happiness Without Peace is a desert island album, Necropolis was a bomb and Suffering also delivered. No matter which one you pick, the execution is always strong, sharp and to the point while the lyrics creep into your head and make you rethink stuff. We're yet to see if they can recreate that magic on the upcoming reunion album.

Also, 2020 European is in the works.


Review: Day By Day - Nowhere To Run



Between me and you, after first listen I thought this record does not make any sense and I want my money back. I bought that lp because of the hype and I felt like a fool. The cover art sill looked cool thought so decided just to keep it, and since I spent my hard earned money on that crap, thought I'd give it a second chance. And a third. And couple more.... and I finally began to realize I was wrong. Nowhere To Run is fire! Day By Day hacks back to glory days of metallic hardcore made by the likes of Stigmata, Dmize or Declination-era Cold As Life. Not crazy heavy, but heavier than Madball. I could be wrong but the vocals remind me a lot of some European metalcore bands like Kickback or Out For The Count. By that I mean high pitched screams that always take me a while to get used to.

On the lyrical front, Nowhere To Run is about the pain and the struggle in a world full of shitty people doing shitty things. But not that 'let me remind you to feel bad' vibe, it's more about dealing with adversity and standing your ground. And there's a mandatory salute to the local scene with SFLHC. Pain and glory - if that's not what hardcore is about than what is? Pretty sure this dude has not done any poetry class because it's all written in a straight forward, almost naive manner, but if that's your problem that means you're on the wrong blog.

All in all, Nowhere to Run come of as fresh and innovative, and there's a sense of menace and urgency once you catch the vibe of it. It took me a while, but I don't regret giving it a second chance.

Eighty Sixed Records' 2018

25 ta Life - Wise to da Game [Stikman version]



Live, Raw, Unmixed and Unmastered.

Time to rise above the ignorance cause I'm wise to da game
And I refuse to take part cause I'm wise to da game

Return Of The Power: Grimlock's Crusher deluxe vinyl edition



If you know Knives Out you know everything done by them is a work of art. I've seen pictures of the upcoming Crusher "Steel" deluxe vinyl edition and it looks fat to death! Some of the options are sold out already so head to their website to secure a copy for yourself before they're all gone. Strictly limited!

Next in line for Knives Out: Xibalba, Sheer Terror and Death By Stereo.