Reviews /// December Reviews

It’s been a while since i’ve done some reviews and there have been some great records out lately that needs some attention. So I figured since the weather has been getting shittier I would stay in and write up some reviews. Check back for more because I’m sure I missed a few that I forgot came out in the past month or so.

Blacklisted – NODTBHMTM
November 30, 2009 | Deathwish Inc. [9/10]

There is a lot of controversy with this record but ill leave all of that out and keep this a strict review of the musical content. It seems over the past few years there has been a definite Only Living Witness influence, and that is still relevant with this record on songs like “Skeletons” and “Pallisade”. However there is more of a noise rock/grunge influence on a lot of the other songs such as the opening track “Our Apartment Is Always Empty”. This track can probably sums up what they were going for with this record and in my opinion it is the strongest song. You can tell that they put a lot of effort into the music and the production, and it shows. My only complaint is that I wish George (vocalist) put a little more time into his vocal style as much as he did his lyrics. At times they’re really suitable but at other times it seems to forced and unnatural. He has however written some of the most emotional lyrics I think a hardcore band has ever done, and I think that is one of the reasons why so many people freak out every time a new Blacklisted record comes out. As well as the change in the musical content, Blacklisted made some other changed as well. Most of the releases on Deathwish are recorded by Kurt Ballou (Godcity Studios) and that is sort of the “Deathwish” sound. However this release sounds much different than previous Blacklisted records because it was recorded in Philadelphia by Will Yip at Studio 4. If I'm not mistaken most of the productions that he has done have been more mainstream so I was surprised when I found out they were recording with him, but it came out sounding great and there is a noticeable difference between this record and “Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God”. Another thing I like about this release is the artwork. It’s a bit unusual and looks more like a Dinosaur Jr cover but it fits with the music. Its not just the art however that I like, most bands on Deathwish have their art done by J.Bannon and as well recognized and talented as he is its good to see a release that doesn't look the same. It seems like the past 10 or so records to come out on Deathwish have been done by him so its good to have a breath of fresh air from time to time. All in all this record I think is very important for Blacklisted and their fans. It shows a lot of growth and development and I’ve loved watching this band turn into the creative force that they are today. Their song structure is more unique than any other hardcore band out today and their lyrical content is just as emotional as any indie rock band from the 90′s. I think they have a great formula for what they want to do, however I don’t think they have quite yet perfected it yet. Needless to say Blacklisted has been one of the few bands I’ve enjoyed watching over the past few years and seeing how far they’ve grown as a band and as musicians, this is by far one of the most unique and interesting records of 2009.

Rise and Fall – Our Circle is Vicious
October 27, 2009 | Deathwish Inc. [7.5/10]

Belgium’s finest hardcore/metal act is back with their second full length to date and its taken them quite some time to get to this point. The wait was well worth it because this record smokes from start to finish. Heavy and evil are the two formulas that describe this record, plus it has an overall negative feel too it and I like that. These songs are a bit more on the melodic side and tend to be slower than their previous record “Into Oblivion”. You can tell that they spent a lot of time writing and in the studio because everything is neat and fits together. This is one of my favorite productions that Kurt at Godcity studios has done for deathwish. Unlike their previous effort, this record seems to me like it was mixed not to sound like the loudest record of the year, which is a good thing. Its mixed to a level where everything can be understood, which is good because there is a lot going on musically. “Harms Way”, “Built on Graves”, “A Present Tense”, “To The Bottom” and “In Circles” are my personal favorites off of this record, but that doesn't mean the rest are just as good. This new LP shows a lot of growth and maturity with the band and it reminds me a lot of later Cursed, very evil and the guitar tone is very distinct and similar to that Rotten Sound or Entombed. This record is by far Rise & Falls best work to date. They have matured as a band musically and this record is proof of their hard work. They have already toured the US on this record but I'm sure they will be back in 2010, this is definitely a band to watch for in the future.

Like Wolves – Paths
October 2009 | Self Released [8/10]

Rochester, NY’s chaotic and aggressive hardcore/punk act Like Wolves is back with a new 7″ and in my opinion this is their best work yet. Before hearing this I wasn’t to sure about these guys, I liked what they were going for and live they were really awesome but I didn’t quite get into on record, but after “Paths” I was blown away. This four song 7″ is raw and intense from start to finish, but a little more comprehensible. There are a lot of hardcore punk bands that just sort of go off on a tangent and aren’t even playing music, this record has a sense of musicianship and is more organized than most punk bands. The guitars are also doing a lot of weird stuff that I don't hear most bands doing right now and I like that. This band has definitely crafted their own sound that is for sure. Nothing beats seeing this band live, I would go check them out in the Rochester area or when they are on tour. I know what your thinking, they will probably be really loud and you wont understand whats going on, well your right about one thing. They are a very loud band but they play their instruments well and as for being a chaotic band live, just watching the singer. Great record from a great local upstate new york band. I’m hoping to see these guys do some more records and the fact they are doing it on their own is a pretty cool thing. It seems like everyone you meet now in hardcore runs a label or has put out a record, so its cool to see a band take the initiative. The artwork is also a thing that I forget to mention, it came out really cool, and the inside is neat and simple, pick it up if you haven't already and check it out for yourselves.

Baroness – Blue Record
October 13, 2009 | Relapse Records [8/10]

Savannah’s own Baroness is back with their most critically acclaimed album to date ,”Blue Record” is the bands second full length, following the well respected “Red Album”. Is this considered a continuation from their previous record? I’d say so but there are some different characteristics that they did on this record that adds to their already unique sound. Blending prog rock leads with their own unique “indie metal” sound as they call it, there is no doubt that this record is up for debate as their best record yet. There is so much going on in every song that I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’ve been listening to this record on and off for weeks now and I still find new things that I didn’t even notice before. This is a record with many layers to it and you almost need to sit back and not do anything else but listen when you hit play. The production of this record is not as dirty as the “Red Album” however. This mix is a lot more pristine and clear, and you can tell a lot more work was put into this production. But like most bands, as they get a larger fan base their production and musicality becomes bigger as well. Like most reviews I usually talk about the music more in detail, but to be honest I’m feeling a tad bit lazy. However if you are reading this to see what songs I like the most I can name a few. “A Horse Called Golgotha”, “Jake Leg”, “Swollen and Halo”, and “The Sweetest Curse” are all great songs off of this LP but I suggest that you listen to this from beginning to end and soak it in entirely; after all that is what you should be doing. All in all there is a lot going on with this record and I like that. Baroness adds so many elements into their music its hard to just categorize them under one genre, so i guess the term “indie metal” sort of fits for them because it can be taken in so many ways and on so many levels. If you were really into the “Red Album” this will surely not disappoint you and if it does than your just saying that because you’re mad at how well these guys can play their instruments.

Converge – Axe To Fall
October 20, 2009 | Deathwish Inc. [10/10]

3499 The long overdue and highly anticipated Converge album is finally here, and I’m glad to be able to finally review it. With their most aggressive album to date, this 13 song record is a great follow up to their previous effort “No Heroes” which was release in 2005, proving that Converge still is one of the best and most creative bands in aggressive music today. You cant really start off a Converge record without it having ungodly fast drumming followed by intricate guitar picking and a huge bass sound, with that formula you get the song “Dark Horse”. Its the same as how every converge record starts, but there is a sense of more melody and and a lot more metal with this song and even the whole record for that matter. I might be wrong but I do remember reading somewhere that this record was not entirely produced by their guitar player Kurt Ballou (Godcity Studios). From what I read they had the help of a co-producer, and I think the outside influence shows with these songs. They are a lot more intact than previous records, and you can tell that they wanted to make it more adhesive to newer metal fans, and I think it worked. I’ve never heard an album that goes by as fast as this, it seems like when one song ends a new song emerges right after. I don’t think there is any filler space between any song and I like that a lot. It makes the album seem as though the band is playing it live and straight through with out any bullshit in the middle to lose your attention. One of the coolest tracks off “Axe To Fall” would have to be “Cruel Boom” which features a quest vocal spot from Neurosis’s Steve Von Till who has a fascination for sounding almost exactly like Tom Waits. Before doing research on the matter I was convinced that they did in fact get Tom Waits to record on one of their songs which would have been beyond awesome, but great job nonetheless. Other great tracks off this record include “Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast”, “Wishing Well”, “Cutter” (which sounds like a straight Motorhead influence), “Axe To Fall”, “Damages”, and “Wretched World”. As Converges popularity sores with this record, so does their musicianship. They can pull off almost anything from extremely fast songs to slow driving acoustic medley that replicates that of a Tom Wait song. The more and more I listen proves how much I like their later stuff more than their previous, after all I wouldn’t be that much intrigued if they just rewrote “Locust Rain” over and over.

Interview /// Foundation (Atlanta, GA)

This is a combination of two interviews that i did with Andrew, the first was back in the winter of 08 and the follow up was done in June. Since then they have released a 7”EP on Six Feet Under Records and have been promoting that on tour all across the states, do not sleep on this band!

So to start off how have things been with you guys since last time we’ve talked?
A: Things have been great. We’re finishing up recording this week and then getting ready for tour. We’re all getting pretty anxious to hit the road.

Since the last interview I did with you guys you went through a little bit of a line up change, who all is in the band now, and what do they play?
Since the last interview, we’ve gone through a bass player and a guitar player. Sexy Tim plays bass for us now. He’s been involved with the Atlanta hardcore scene since before I was coming around and we’re happy to have him. Plus, he’s got some sick gear. And then we added Hank “Five Subs” as our second guitar player. He’s the youngest member of the band so we give him a lot of shit, but we love him. Everything else is the same. Champ still plays drums, Tomas is still doing vocals, and I still play guitar.

Who all was active in other bands before Foundation?
Every member in our band was in another band before Foundation. That’s just sorta how Atlanta is and has always been. We tend to recycle members from bands that end. Matt was in the Atlanta straight edge band Overdose. Champ also played for them towards the end. Everyone else in Foundation moshed for them. Speaking of Champ, he played in the band Instilled. They were great. They were the last Atlanta band to tour the country so we decided that we originally wanted to do this band so that we could continue doing what Instilled was doing: putting Atlanta on the map again. Instilled eventually formed into Depression. They were cool too, but very short-lived. Tomas did vocals in the band Final Expression. Sick Unbroken reference, I know. And I played in a band called Cold Stare. They were probably one of the best and most underrated Atlanta bands if you ask me.

How did you guys get together and how long have you been a band?
We got together so that there would be another awesome band to the city of Atlanta. At the time we started playing, Depression and Overdose were doing their thing and we wanted to do something a little different than them. We formed in August of 2006 and didn’t play our first show until December 2006, I believe.

I see that you guys have some tours coming up this summer and into the fall, who will you be touring with and where about is the tour routing?
We’re doing around two months worth of touring this summer. On July 20th we meet up with Mother of Mercy and Title Fight in Massachusetts and then caravan out to Sound and Fury. That part of the tour hits some of the Northeast, goes over through Michigan and the Midwest, then hits the Northeast and down to Sound and Fury. After the fest we part ways with Title Fight and pick up Alpha & Omega. From there, the three of us make our way through the southern U.S. and up to This Is Hardcore Fest. That’s the end of the first bit of our touring. After that, we have about a two week break until we meet up with the last Have Heart tour in Texas. We’re gonna be with that tour for about two weeks until it ends in New York. And to wrap up our touring, we’re playing the Great American Hardcore Fest in Boston the day after the tour stops.

Last summer you guys went on a first full U.S. tour with Forfeit, what would you say were the best moments and the worst moments on the road?
This past summer was definitely one of the best times of my life. I’m sure this was also the case for most of the other members in the band. Forfeit rules and touring with them was no different. Night Moves rules. Best Moments: any time we ate Chick-Fil-A, going to Tijuana, reaching the other coast, driving through the mountains in Colorado, going to a Braves game back in Atlanta, playing with Killing Time in Philly (before we met up with Forfeit), moshing for Forfeit, playing Columbia, Missouri and hanging out with some great dudes, walking around Chicago, stopping at a roadside attraction in the middle of nowhere called “The Thing” and spraying our guitar player Matt with a fire extinguisher, stealing everything, wearing a du rag for a couple days straight, starting shit with shady promoters and “getting the cops called on us” in Texas, losing money in Vegas…this list could go on forever. Touring the country with Forfeit was everything a hardcore tour could have been plus some.
Worst Moments: a few cancelled shows or a few shows where we got fucked over. Also, when Forfeit had a little van trouble for a minute. That sucked. It happens though. After all, it was both our first full U.S. tour.

What was your favorite place you guys hit up on tour? Favorite show played?
There wasn’t really one favorite so I’ll name a few:
-Columbia, Missouri: the people there really know what’s up.
-I think it was Indianapolis, IN when we played a sick basement show
-Tijuana, Mexico was the show that made us an international touring band haha.
-When we jumped on a show with The Millionaires in Omaha, NE
-The Atlanta show towards the end of tour. I guess we’ll call it our actual record release show. Atlanta truly has one of the best scenes in the country and people have started to recognize that.

What were your ambitions or goals for the band when you guys first started?
We started the band because playing music with your friends is fun. Plain and simple. We originally wanted to play music in the vein of a lot of our favorite hardcore acts from the mid-90s. Some of these included Unbroken, Mean Season, Strife, Outspoken. We wanted to emulate a real stripped-down sound such as some of these bands I mentioned.

What are your goals now for the band? Has anything changed?
It seems like so much has changed since the beginning. We have parted ways with a lot of members since the beginning and right now Champ, Tomas, and I remain to be the only original members. I’m pretty sure that the band would end if one of us had to stop playing for some reason. We are kind of like the foundation to Foundation… Our goals now for the band are to continue to progress as musicians and to not write any more bad parts. I would love to eventually write enough songs to release on an LP. We have full intentions to continue with the band and gradually become more serious (as far as touring goes) as I get closer to graduating college. I’m the reason why we’re moving slow like a turtle walks, but I’m so close to finishing that it wouldn’t be worth it for me to go full force until I get that piece of paper that says I’m done.

You guys have a very strong impact on Atlanta and the straight edge hardcore scene there, what are your thoughts on seeing new kids and faces coming to your shows and getting into hardcore and straight edge?
Well, I certainly appreciate anyone who supports our band, but I don’t really think too much about the new faces coming to shows and/or getting into straight edge. Here in Atlanta we really have an attitude to uphold and as shitty as it sounds, I would like to uphold this attitude. I mean, hardcore isn’t for everyone and I don’t really like to befriend a lot of these new faces that start coming around until they stick around long enough to show that hardcore and punk is really something that they give a shit about. For all I know, the main reason these new faces are coming around is because they have found this year’s new hobby or they have found a new place to meet people of the opposite sex. That’s not to say that I don’t believe that I can’t learn anything from these people. I just don’t go out of my way to introduce myself to people at shows. Besides, knowing everyone at the shows isn’t really the main reason you should be going to shows anyways. I think it’s cooler to be a part of something together as individuals. As far as straight edge goes, I fully support anyone who decides to make the decision to be straight edge as long as they have honestly put enough time into thinking about whether or not it’s right for them. Sadly enough, this isn’t typically the case, which is why there are so many edge breakers out there haha.

Last summer you put out a 7” on Triple B Records titled “Never Stops Raining”, how did you guys get together with Sam and Triple-B? How is the relationship been since releasing the record?
Sam showed interest in our band after the first 7” came out and he moshed for us when we played Edge Day ’07 in Boston. That was a defining moment for Triple-B. Sam moshes with finesse, I must say. He had previously put out Matt’s other band Overdose so we sorta got to talking from there. The relationship since releasing the record has been amazing. I mean, more than we could have ever asked for. Sam really knows how to treat bands well. Don’t sleep on this label because he’s got some sick upcoming releases. Check out Free Spirit, The Rival Mob, Downpresser, those are just a few.

How did you guys go about writing the “Never Stops Raining” 7” and did you find a significant difference in writing from this record than you did the previous 7” out on eightfold path records?
We definitely had a better idea of what kind of sound we wanted to go for when writing for this 7”. Sure, we wanted to keep drawing influence from a lot of the bands we originally intended to sound like, but naturally all of our tastes had matured a little at this point. With the Never Stops Raining 7” we really wanted to start writing a little more intense music. I guess we are trying to modernize our band a little bit and the new material will be picking up where this 7” leaves off.

Six Feet Under just recently re-released your guy’s first 7” with new artwork. Who’s idea was it behind the cover art?
Well, we all really love Chick-fil-A and we eat there several times a week. So, it only made sense involve them with our 7 inch artwork. We told Dave at Six Feet Under about the idea; he created the image and ran with it. Chick-fil-A couldn’t be happier that we used their company to promote our music.

How did you guys hook up with Six Feet Under, and what made you decide to work with that label?
Well, I think that we initially met Dave from playing shows with Blacklisted. They were one of the bands we were fortunate enough to play out-of-town shows with when we were first starting out. Our drummer, Champ, kept close contact with him over time and eventually Dave told us that he wanted to put our record out. We decided to do our record with him because he runs an awesome label and we’re all friends.

Last time we spoke you mentioned that Six Feet Under will be doing a discography on an LP, is that still in the works?
Not quite. Instead of the discography, we’re gonna be releasing a new 5-song EP. This will also be released in cd format including re-mastered versions of our first EP and split songs.

What are your plans for future releases? Is there an LP in the works?
Aside from the 5-song EP, we don’t know what our plans are for future releases. We’re gonna be touring a good bit for a while since none of us really have any major obligations in life right now. When we get back we’re gonna start writing again, but we have yet to decide what we want to do with our new material.

How has the sound changed from your new material as compared to your previous releases?
I feel that every release of ours has been a progression from the previous release. This has a lot to do with us starting to really find our sound. I feel that Hank, our other guitar player, and I really mesh well together with our writing styles and that has led to us writing what I feel is our best material yet. Our music has definitely become a little heavier since we started, but it has just been a natural progression for us.

What local bands have you been into lately? Any other bands from the Atlanta area that people should check out?
Check out The Holy Crows, Roam Alone, Hard Luck, Bukkake Boys, and I play in another band called Dealbreaker that’s pretty alright. There are always new bands popping up in Atlanta that are usually pretty sick.

Favorite hardcore record(s) of 2008?
I can’t remember all that came out this past year so I’ll name a few memorable releases for me:
Cruel Hand – Prying Eyes (hard)
Have Heart – Songs to Scream At the Sun
Blacklisted – Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God
Bitter End – s/t
Thought Crusade – Common Man
Lie and Wait – Awakening
…fuck I know there were so many more but my mind is at a loss right now.

I know you guys are real big fans of 90’s hardcore and your music and lyrics show that to an extent, what are some of the bands from the 90’s that you have gained most of your influence from? Who do you think the most important band is that came out of the 90’s?
We’re all big fans of 90’s hardcore. That’s not to say that our intentions of this band are to be a mid-90s worship band, it’s just where we draw a lot influence. Each member definitely brings in separate influences, but if I had to pick a few bands from that era that we all listen to I would go with bands like Indecision, Turmoil, Unbroken, Buried Alive, Converge, Snapcase, Outspoken, and Earth Crisis. As far as the most important band from that era, that’s tough to say. I guess if I were to pick one band that was truly unique and significantly different from the rest of the scene at the time, I would give it to Unbroken. I think that the rest of my band will agree with me on this as well. They were just on another level from the rest.

I know a bunch of you guys and other Atlanta Heads went out to Burning Fight in Chicago, thoughts on the show?
The whole band plus a few others recently drove up to Burning Fight in Chicago and it was nothing short of amazing. There were not many bands I didn’t watch and there was a good vibe the whole show. Unbroken definitely took the cake followed by Trial as a close second. Some other sets that were personal favorites of mine were Reach The Sky, Bane, and Killing Time. It was a good time.

What are your thoughts on the book, have you gotten a chance to skim through and read it?
I actually haven’t had a chance to read much of it because I’ve been so overwhelmed with reading for school, but I did skim trough it and it looks like a pretty good read. I’m probably just gonna bring it on tour with me so that I can actually check it out. I know Tomas has read a good bit of it so far and it sounds awesome.

Alright here is the big question, favorite Syracuse Hardcore Band?
I’ve thought long and hard about this question and I have to go with The Promise. They were the only band from that area that I got to see live and they had the most impact on my life. I saw them and Bane together as one of my earlier Atlanta shows and I just remember my mind being blown. I guess one of their guitar players got lost in the city before their set so they had to play without him. They sounded good either way. I’ll never forget that show. (http://www.myspace.com/xfoundationx)

Pre Order /// Forfeit - The Lower Depths

FORFEIT “The Lower Depths” LP
PRE ORDER VERSION WHITE VINYL

FORFEIT “The Lower Depths” LP / PRE ORDER VERSION RED VINYL

1. Something Against Me
2. Burnt Earth
3. Cut Off
4. Treading Water II
5. The Shift
6. The Lower Depths
7. Cease To Exist
8. Swift Judgment
9. Bloodletting
10. Bleak Reality
11. Parallel World


“Forfeit is a band birthed by the inspiration that its members drew from the legacy of their local scene. Having all been in previous hardcore outfits, Steve Hornyak, Ben Shaw, and TomDom felt a strong pull towards the roots of Syracuse hardcore. In 2007 the group started writing and playing songs in that vein together as Forfeit. That same year they recorded a demo at More Sound Studio. The following year brought the addition of both Brian McGee and Pat Benson to fill out the lineup and the sonic void.

In 2008, Forfeit released their first EP, “Visions” on Reaper Records. Touring to support the release with bands such as Trapped Under Ice, Death Before Dishonor, Terror, Blacklisted, Cro-Mags, Have Heart and Down to Nothing. Bringing the music to new fans of the band as much as they can and developing a great following in a short time.

2009 brings a new LP recording from the group that is being released this fall on Reaper Records. The album is entitled “The Lower Depths” and promises to build and expand on their musical vision. The group plans to tour extensively to support the release and bring both pride and glory to the scene that spawned them. “

Click Here to pre-order “The Lower Depths” from Reaper Records

Rare /// The Promise - True Love Demo

I was doing some lurking a few days ago and came across this demo posted on the Stuck in the Past blog. This demo featured members of Another Victim that would eventually go on to become the first 7″ep from The Promise, titled “My True Love”. Another Victim opened with these two songs at Hellfest 2001 (last show) and later handed out these demos. I was shocked when I came across this, I had never heard of there being a “True Love” demo.

I guess they only made a handful of these so coming across one would be hard to do. If anyone is trying to get rid of one or knows of one being sold, send me an email, I really need to get my hands on one of these. The recordings are the exact same as the EP released by Deathwish.

EDIT: From Buske
True Love was the original name of the band. We were talking with EVR about releasing a full-length and they informed us of another band named True Love that had the name already copy written. EVR advised us to contact this band to avoid any future legal issues regarding the name and they weren’t very cool with us borrowing their name.

While siting around the house one day, we had a “name the band” gather and started digging through our CD collections. Our good friend, Grez, pulled out the Ringworm record entitled, “The Promise” and there it was – hands down, unanimously

Vinyl /// Achilles - Hospice LP

This record is probably one of the most important records to come out in the past five years for me and it happens to be birthed right in my neighborhood (well close). I remember picking up this CD when it came out and I was not sure what I was really picking, I sort of purchased it on a limb. I had heard them on previous records but always forgot to keep checking them out. Needless to say this record blew me away right from the first listen, and it has been in heavy rotation in my car CD player and iPod for the past few years now. So when I found out that someone was going to be releasing this onto vinyl I made sure to remind myself to get a copy.

The record came out pretty cool if you ask me. It’s different than most that I have, the sleeve is a thinner card stock and the artwork feels and looks like a charcoal painting. If you look at the vinyl layout and the CD layout you can see some similarities. The lyric insert is straight and to the point and I like that. The record also comes with another insert that is on a thicker; opaque tracing style paper with the logo of the record as well as the hex, and farewell party logos. Looks pretty cool, I don't know why they just didn't make that the insert but I'm not complaining, its a unique record and the layout goes hand in hand with that.

Go and pick this up online at Farewell Party Records webstore, and I also believe Hex has a few of these in his distro, so pick one up at a show. I believe they will be playing some more shows in the near future when PBC is back from their world tour, but I'm not certain so keep an eye out.

New Noise #1 Cover And Comp Announced!

Today i finally finished putting together the final layout of the zine, everything is proofread and approved The first 25 out of 200 zines were sent out yesterday to the printing center. Below the cover is the insert for the Comp that will be included with the zine. Those will be put together monday after the zines are done being assembled. I will have the zines at the Forfeit/Born From Pain Syracuse Show Friday so come out to that show and pick one up! t took me forever to get this done, and i know i can be a bit of a procrastinator but its finally finished, thanks for checking it out and for everyone who has helped along the way.

New Noise Zine No.1 Fall 2009 $3.00
Featuring Interview with: Reaper Records, Polar Bear Club, Foundation, Triple B Records, Unholy, Not Sorry, and Violent Side

Includes the New Noise Compilation 001 featuring: Not Sorry, Forfeit, Mayflower, Cicada, The Andrea Doria, Born to Expire, Reckless Days, Ghost Ship and Unfinished Business

Webstore for online ordering will be up soon.

-pat,newnoisezine

Reviews /// Post Rock/Hardcore Making A Comeback?

Brand New – Daisy
September 22, 2009 | Interscope Records [10/10]

This record came unexpected for me. I’ve been a fan of Brand New for a long time now and for some reason i did not keep my eyes and ears open when they announced that they were hitting the studio, maybe they wanted it to be that way. Either way Brand New is back and they are very pissed, more than in their previous record “The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me”. This record is very strange even from the appearance of the cover. This starts off with a 1920’s/30’s female vocalist playing the piano and then kicks right into one of the heaviest songs Brand New has ever written. I felt like i was listening to old Glassjaw or Cave In. It takes some getting use to but it is a pure adrenaline rush. Don’t listen to this song while driving or you will be sure to see yourself wanting to drive into the person ahead of you. “At the Bottom” was the first song that i heard off this record and i was instantly hooked. It’s very soothing but yet when the chorus kicks in you feel a sudden burst of electric energy pouring out of the guitars and Jesse’s voice. This song will be stuck in your head for days. The whole record has a very post rock/hardcore vibe. It’s very heavy both musically and lyrically. Heavy Music does not always have to be overly distorted chugging guitar riffs and screaming vocals. The tones and overall sound of this record is what makes it heavy even when the clean guitar is playing. This record is a lot darker than their previous work and I’m glad they went that route instead of falling back on older sounding material. There are very few records that have nothing but great songs on them. With many records there are several good songs but then there are filler songs just to take up room to reach a certain amount of tracks. With this record i feel that there are no filler songs, Brand New wrote what they wanted to write and recorded it the way that they wanted to and it worked. This record defines a lot of things both musically and lyrically and it crosses many lines that most bands stay behind. There are those few bands that have reached a status to where they can do whatever they want even if its different and new to their sound. They have reached the pinnacle in their career and i hope it sticks with them in the future.

Polar Bear Club – Chasing Hamburg
September 8, 2009 | Bridge Nine [7/10]

Probably one of the most anticipated releases of the year, Polar Bear Club is back with their second full length “Chasing Hamburg”. Ive been looking forward to hearing this record for quite some time now, and overall i think this is a great release. This is a PBC record by all means but it ventures into a more pop rock sound which isn't at all a bad thing. It will definitely help them gain popularity with newer and younger fans. All the songs on this record are well under five minutes which is easy for the listeners especially for those who have never listened to PBC. There are a few singles off this such as “Living Saints” and “One Hit Back” but there are also some other hits such as “Boxes”, “Local Eyes”, “Song To Persona” and “Olde Fisher Burial Ground” which opens with what sounds like a steely dan solo. This record has a lot of great songs on it and will keep you coming back to hear more. All of those songs mentioned will stay in your memory for a long time. This had a huge production behind it as well and it shows. Matt Bayles who produced albums by Minus the Bear, Russian Circles, Mastodon, and so on produced this record and it only seemed fitting that he did. PBC have always had a unique sound much like most of the bands Bayles has recorded in the past so it was great to see both forces clash on this record. Polar Bear Club have been known to blend punk, rock, and post hardcore and shape it into their own unique sound for many years now and this record proves that they can do that and more. Personally i feel that they did their best work on “Sometimes Thing Just Disappear” as well as “The Redder The Better” but im sure this record will grow on me as much as the others did and pretty soon i will be calling this one of my favorite PBC records, FUCK IT… they are all good so go and pick this up as well as the rest of them.

Thrice – Beggars
September, 2009 | Vagrant Records [9.5/10]

Thrice has always been a band that i feel like people don’t really get anymore, and are not into. But if you get past a few of their earlier records you’d find out that they have a lot of post-hardcore/rock influences but with a unique style. Thrice is back with their 7th studio album and i’d say its one of their best efforts yet. The last concept record they did was actually two records but split into four parts. The concept was really cool i thought and it had a lot of different styles which could appeal to certain people. This record however is very straight forward and precise, much like their early release “Vheissu”, where the band started to come out of their element. This record starts off very abrupt with a progressive style drum beat with bass playing and off rhythm beat over top. The rest of the song (”All the World is Mad”) is very bluesy and rhythmic and it all ties together when the chorus kicks in. This song struck my attention the second i started it and to me that's how must records should start. To me this whole record has a blues vibe to it, some of the progressions sound as if B.B. King or Muddy Waters were recording the songs. The second track “The Weight” kicks right in with a soft blues progression that sounds like it might stay in the same context but it transitions into a very catchy melody.My favorite track off this record comes in at track four, “Doublespeak”. There is no beating around the bush with this song, it comes in right away and is instantly catchy. The piano part is very dark but yet melodic at the same time and the vocal melody over top makes you feel like everything surrounding you is moving at a much faster rate. Most songs you get sick of hearing the chorus three or four times, but not this one. This is probably the most catchy song on the record in my opinion and one of the best songs they’ve ever written. I feel like this band could do whatever it is they want musically. Bands like that are few and far between and most of the time there are a lot of people and fans who don’t support a decision like that but Thrice has had a fairly well following the past few years from what i can gather. I wish people in the hardcore/punk scene who have various other musical interest could get into this band because they have the unique quality to appeal to everyone. Basically what it comes down to is that this record is pretty much tells you the type of band Thrice is. They have so many elements to their music its hard to describe them under one category. This record is proof to how great of a band they have become over the years. They can go from playing really catchy teenager pop punk to writing more post hardcore and indie/rock influenced songs. Many bands are known for writing the same record over and over, very rarely do you come across a band who has sort of veered off to other directions from record to record. Go and purchase this record off iTunes and be sure to pick it up when it comes out.

Title Fight – The Last Thing You Forget
July 23, 2009 | Run For Cover Records [9/10]

Who hasn’t heard this band yet? A part of me has been wanting to be behind because there has been so much talk about these guys that it almost got a bit annoying, but i think that made me want to check them out even more. So finally i picked up the CD recently and I'm a little upset with myself for not getting it sooner. The 7″ includes three new songs of pure pop punk/hardcore sensation. The CD format includes this 7″ as well as all of their older material so i suggest you pick that up as well. The reason I've been so hesitant to check this band out is because a lot of the bands that play hardcore influenced pop punk are terrible and overrated (with the exception of a few bands). But these guys do not fall into that category. I feel like if you take Saves the Day and Kid Dynamite and put them together, Title Fight would be the outcome. They are fast, and aggressive but yet also melodic. How many bands have ripped of Kid Dynamite and Saves the Day? Well a lot but, this band puts their own style into the mix. “Symmetry”, “Introvert”, and “No One Stays at the Top Forever” are the three new songs featured on this CD and all of them have their own uniqueness to them. “Introvert” has an awesome slow jam section in the middle of the song leading right into “No One Stays at the Top Forever” which that in itself is a perfect sing a long song. And to add, I don't think they could have written a more catchier song that the opening track “Symmetry”. The reason this band has so much push behind them is because they are in fact a good band, that's why they have been getting the attention they have been. This record proves that they didn't just write a few good songs, they keep getting better and better with time and I'm looking forward to another EP or possibly and LP. We will see what the future has in stores for Title Fight. Go and pick up the 7″ and the CD if you’re looking to get all of their songs.

Lewd Acts – Black Eye Blues
2009 | Deathwish Inc. [7/10]

I didn’t really know much about this band before this release, so I’m not really aware of what this band is about but this record gives me some reasoning behind the direction they are going towards. Lewd Acts is a very fast, but yet progressive punk/hardcore band along the vein of early Converge. When i first listened to this record I knew it was a Deathwish release. It just has that sound to it, very dark, grimy, and intense, and to make it even more like a deathwish record it was recorded with Kurt Ballou at Godcity Studios. But aside from all of that this is still a unique record and it does stand out from the rest. It has a surprise around every corner it seems like. One moment your listening to a very slow, droned out and distorted chorus (“Who Knew the West Coast Would Be So Cold”) and the next thing you know they are back to fast shredding guitar riffs. My personal favorites off this record would be “Wide Black Eyes”, “Nowhere To Go” along with “Penmanship Sailed” and “Nightcrawlers”. I was overall very pleased with this record, especially because this was my first interaction with the band, perhaps i will go and check out their previous records. This is out now on Deathwish so go and pick it up online.

Soul Control – Cycles
August 25, 2009 | Bridge Nine [8/10]

Soul Control is back with a twelve song full length. This is their first effort for Bridge 9 records, meshing 90’s influences hardcore with a post hardcore and punk sound. Four of the songs off this record were released a while back onto four separate Ep’s on four different labels, which was kind of new and unique concept. All of those records featured vocalist Rory Vangrol who had been recently added to the band prior to those release. This is now the first major release for Rory and Soul Control.The recorded songs sounded better on the original EP’s but maybe that's just because I'm use to that sound. Most of the time you can never reproduce the same effect when a band records something, but that doesn't mean the songs are crap. This is a Soul Control record, very fast, noisy, and full of different influences from punk/hardcore and post hardcore/rock bands. The thing about this band that really pulls me in is the guitar work. That dude does a lot of cool stuff with effects and just in general that i think a lot of bands are too afraid to incorporate into hardcore/punk today. This is a very fast paced record, its over before know it and you wouldn’t think so when you look at the track listings. Some of my favorite songs include “Fundamental Forces”, “Playing Coward”, “End Times” and “Cycles”. Soul Control blends a style much like early 90’s bands such as Quicksand, Handsome, and 108. I think a lot of people overlook this band for many reasons, one being that they are sort of against the curve and not really doing what most bands are doing today. This is definitely a unique record and one of SC’s best releases to date.

Print Is Dead

Today I just printed the first proofs of all the interview for the first issue. Its been a long process for me and its been taking me many months but I’ve finally gotten underway with the final editing and printing. Once i finish reading through everything to make sure there are no mistakes I will do any editing that is necessary and then begin to print out the final copies of all the interviews, articles, and other pages featured in the zine. Once all of that is done i will take them to Kinkos and start making copies. Its almost been a year since i did the first interview with Foundation, my goal is to get it out well before that date haha. Im not going to give you an estimated date of when it will be out because i’ve done that several times already, so just keep your eyes and ears open, its coming soon…

Im also going to be working on two new covers for the zine, one hand xeroxed and the other hand drawn by a good friend of mine. Hopefully those will get done by the end of the week. And finally I added some new tunes up to the myspace player so go and check those songs/bands out. The songs will be featured on the comp that will be sold along with the zine, more tunes on the way! Thats probably enough rambling on for today so go and check the website for some new reviews and more updates.

-nn|z

Photography /// Last Syracuse Have Heart Show

Last nights show was beyond any words or expression. Everything about this show defined hardcore for me, I wont go on to much but hopefully those reading and those who attended understand the impact that this band has had over the past few years. Usually when bands break up I’d get bummed because its usually unexpected and too soon.


But with Have Heart i feel that this was the right time for them to hang the towel. They’ve done everything a hardcore band should do, tour the world, put out records and develop their own sound while still sticking to their morals and beliefs.

According to them they will never do a reunion down the road, which i feel is a good thing. When a band has called it quits they should stay that way. They have lived their legacy and like he said last night, its time to let new bands start from where they left off, that is how hardcore stays alive. Its sad to see this band go but at the same time it seems complete. I will miss seeing this band, I've been fortunate to have had the chance to see them all over the states and even overseas in Europe. Its amazing to me to be able to share something like that when your both half way across the world and away from home. That is how small of a world the hardcore scene is and it should stay that way.

There are too many photos to post on this all at once so I’ve posted a few of my favorites. The rest of the photos can be viewed at Nate’s photo blog (http://www.natebenson.com/Benson). Check them out and if you were not at this show you really missed out, this was a show of the year for Syracuse, nothing like this will ever happen again.

Reviews /// Heart In Hand Records (Los Angeles, CA)

I received a package in the mail with some records in it to review from a small label based out of Los Angeles, California. I never really heard much about this label, just saw a few ads and what not on the internet, and i never had heard of any of the bands on the label but i was surprised with what i head when i started listening to the records that were sent to me.

Two of the bands, Until Your Heart Stops and At Our Heels are from the California area and the Recluse are from Birmingham, Alabama. Check out these bands and the label. All three of these bands have a different sound to them and i was into a lot of what I heard. (http://www.myspace.com/heartinhandrex)

The Recluse – Summer Showers
I haven’t really heard too much about this band, nor have i heard any of their other releases, but this Birmingham hardcore band brings a very angry and aggressive side to melodic hardcore. This 7″ is the only one i know of that they’ve done so i will treat it as if it is a debut 7″. In my opinion this is a good record for a band starting out. The production is normal for an EP, not to clean and crisp but still solid in the direction the band is going towards. From what i can gather online, they get a lot of influence from bands such as Black Flag, American Nightmare and Panic, some of that i can hear in their music. I like the roughness to this record, it transitions smoothly and i like a lot of noise that you wouldnt normally want in a record. The vocals stick out a lot for me after a few listens, i think that if they do record more records they could develop into a band people could really get behind. With the route that they’ve already taken they could adapt a unique punk sound like bands such as cloak/dagger or along those lines. This is a solid EP, i am looking forward to hearing how this band progresses as time grows.

At Our Heels- s/t 7″
A little hard to get use to at first but I think once you get past the vocals being a little too high pitched you can begin to gather what this band is about. Im not saying the vocals are bad by any means, i was just surprised when i first put this record on. At times the vocals are very tasteful and at other times i could go for something else. This band is very fast but yet very heavy and nothing sounds like it’s out of place. A lot of the guitar parts are unique and i wasn’t expecting to hear some of the melodies and riffs on this record. This is a cool sounding EP if you ask me, again i dont know too much about this band but im pretty sure this is the only record out right now from this California hardcore/punk band. Im also curious to see what they sound like on records to come.

Until Your Heart Stops – We Are Not Coming Down
This was my favorite record out of the package I received, and i wasn’t expecting it to be at all. When i first looked at it from a quick glance it was not all to appealing, the name did not really stick and i wasn’t to into the artwork. So after a while of it just sitting on my desk i finally put this record on and was shocked when the first song “Pulling Teeth” came in. The bass at the beginning sounds solid and the ending of the song was very catchy. The vocals are at a more mid range style and sound great with the feel of the entire band. Again like most bands from Cali, these guys are very fast and aggressive but with a melodic sound to them. The guitar parts as well as the tone are unique and were very appealing to my ears. My favorite tracks off this record would be “Lovers”, “Pulling Teeth” and “Ghost Town”. The first riff in “Ghost Town” almost sounds to me like a blues lick but played by a punk kid. I guess you should never judge a book by its cover, this is a very good debut EP, i hope this band sticks around long enough to write some more material, stay away from the trends, create your own style.

http://www.myspace.com/thereclusehc
http://www.myspace.com/atourheels
http://www.myspace.com/untilyourheartstopsmusic

Interview /// Patrick Kitzel (Reaper Records)

There is not much here i can say without all of you already knowing, but Reaper Records is hands down the best label in hardcore today. This interview touches on many subjects about reaper and a lot of other things Patrick has done (True Blue, Spawn, Repel Fanzine, Halo Tattoos, etc…)

How have things been? How’s life hanging in Syracuse working at Halo while holding the fort down with Reaper?
Life’s been crazy man but good. This year has been crazy for Reaper. I think so far we’ve put out at least one release per month and still no end in sight.

I’ve noticed that it’s been a crazy past few months for reaper; I want to touch on that later in the interview. Now originally you are from Germany, whereabouts did you grow up and what was it like growing up over there?
I grew up in Essen Germany, one of Germanys main industrial areas. I grew up like any other kid, loved playing outside, eventually started skateboarding and started listening to hardcore and punk.

I was just recently over there and it seems like everywhere you go over in Europe and especially in Germany is less modernized than it is over here in the States, just from looking at the city and the buildings and the way people get around.
Well I guess World War II leveled so much stuff out that most of the cities had to be rebuilt. I also think the fact that Germany doesn’t spent billions and billions on wars in 3rd world countries has to do with more funds being available to be spent on Green technology and stuff like that…

Did the war still have a huge affect on the way people lived when you were growing up over there?
I think it will always have an impact no matter how late after the war you were born there. It’s just a real touchy subject. I mean over here nobody really thinks about all the Indians that got killed and the land that was stolen or even the Asian people that were put in camps over here against their will after pearl harbor and stuff…I just feel that Germany has that shadow over their people and even though rightfully so its still a little depressing that the past cant just be the past ya know? Anyways, it’s important that people know that Germany is not what it was 60 years ago and that 99% of the people there feel disgusted about their past.

How old were you when you first got introduced to music? What were some of your idols growing up?
I grew up listening to lots of 50s stuff because that’s what my parents where listening to. My mom got me into Elvis when I was maybe 8 or so and that’s still my favorite to this day. I don’t know about idols. I was into pretty much what every kid was into, rambo, bruce lee shit like that action heroes.

Eventually you got into hardcore and punk, how were you introduced?
As I said I got into skateboarding around summer of 88 and then the next year I started learning about hardcore and punk from other skater kids or skatevideos, thrasher magazine and other German skate mags, people would trade tapes and stuff…

What were some of the first tapes you got your hands on?
Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedy’s a whole bunch of German punk bands like Slime and Daily Terror…

Everyone has that one band that pulls them in, either with the lyrics or the music. What band(s) really stuck out to you and made you want to become apart of the hardcore scene?
Well there were a few bands like that. Bad Brains and Minor Threat definitely were my favorites back then along with Youth Of Today and Judge. Bad Brains really were a band you listened to and were like what the fuck is going on. They would be lightening fast one sec and then jamming these Rasta tunes the next minute. It blew my mind the first time I heard them and still blows my mind to this day. It’s in my book the all time best band and everyone who disagrees sucks. Minor threat and YOT definitely got the straight edge thing going with me. Their lyrics made me rethink all the peer pressure growing up and straighten myself out. My parents are alcoholics and I would have become one too if it wouldn’t have been for hardcore and Straight Edge I am sure. YOT made me go vegetarian after hearing the song “NO MORE” and after picking up Animal Liberation by Singer, which was suggested in the layout of the We are not In this Alone LP. Cro Mags and AF and all the NY stuff obviously were always at the forefront to.

Eventually you started to be more involved by playing in bands and starting a label, what was the first band you became involved with?
Yeah it was the idea of a hard sound that was appealing to me as a young rebellious type kid with lots of anger piled up but at the same time it was intelligent. It wasn’t like metal that everyone loves to jock these days. Pantera are a joke compared to the Bad Brains in every aspect. Ya know what I mean? The first band I became involved with was Spawn. A local sxe band that I first roadied for and then when Chris their first singer quit I joined and took over vocal duties.

I just recently picked up the Spawn full length while on tour but it’s not the one you sang on, which records did you sing on for Spawn?
I did the Despair/Spawn split 7″ the LP you picked up was the LP on New Age Records. It came out the summer of 1996 and I joined right after that came out.

I’ve been looking for that split but still have had no luck, im sure ill get my hands on it soon. Spawn was the first European hardcore band to tour the States, what did that feel like being apart of that and having such an impact on European hardcore.
Well it wasn’t the very first euro HC band but definitely the first of that era and that style ya know? It was a different time man, no cell phones, the internet hadn’t kicked in yet, no mapquest or GPS shit, everything was different. You tour and you know it aint easy, now imagine how it was without all that technology, hahaha kids complain these days about having to wait 2 weeks for their mailorder. Back in the 80s and 90s you were stoked when it got to your house after 4 months or at all ha.

I often think about what it would be like if we had no internet, no gps, only a map and the address to the show, im curious to try it someday haha
Do it and let me know how it goes, Haha.

I read that Spawn was also the first band to be on a label in the states is that right or was it again the first band of that era?
Well of course there where other bands before spawn on US labels, especially bigger punk bands and metal bands etc… you gotta see it in the right context a euro straight edge band on a straight edge label like New Age at the times was definitely special.

That must have been a good feeling was the split 7″ you did with despair released in the states?
The 7″ did not come out in the states but was distributed world wide.

You did a fanzine called Repel, when was that around?
I did Repel a few years before spawn, like 1994 till maybe 1998 or so, 4 or 5 issues total.

What were some of the bands that you interviewed in repel?
Merauder, Earth Crisis, Madball, Stale, Brothers Keeper, and Damage ID.

Repel also was a tape label is that correct? What made you decide to only put out tapes?
Well in the early and mid 90s that’s what people still did to a large extent It wasn’t like today where everyone and their mother put out cds and 7″.

You did demos for Buried Alive, Born From Pain, True Blue, what other bands did you put out tapes for and what was the response like over in Germany for Repel and the bands that you put out?
I did a despair live tape, the damage id demo, the discord demo, iron skull demo and 2 tape comps, maybe some others too that I forgot haha. Anyways the response was always awesome, true blue sold over 1000 demos, it was nuts, all hand copied tapes haha I couldn’t imagine now 12 years later doing that.

That must have been a lot of work, and very stressful im sure. How long were you doing tapes for, just as long as you were doing the zine or did it last a little longer?
Pretty much from like 93 until 99 or so…

Alright so as most people know you did True Blue, and you mentioned that you put out the True Blue demo, when and how did true blue start?
True blue started out as an idea that Spawns and True Blue / World Collapse drummer Rene and I had back in 1997. Originally we called the band Harsh Truth but changed the name after jamming some Madonna one day to True Blue. We started practicing with the original line up soon after and recorded the demo in 98 early 1998 I think it was then a year after the record came out.

I always wondered where the name came from haha, True Blue toured the states as well is that right?
Yeah in the summer of 2001, half was with death threat and the other half with hatebreed and e town concrete.

How were those tours?
It was awesome, people where digging it and it was great to tour with our friends in hatebreed and death threat. I also just remembered that the last demo I put out was the Desperate Measures demo that we took out on the tour with DT to open up the shows.

That tour sounds like it would have been a blast, after that you decided to move to the states, why the big move?
When we came home the bass player quit and we couldn’t find a worthy replacement. So we put our 2nd guitar player on bass and that didn’t work out either.

Was true blue all that you really had going over there at the time?
I was working during that time either construction or worked at this place that did professional theatre comedy and rock shows, so I booked bands and whatnot at that place Full time.

Did you live anywhere else before living in Syracuse or has this been the only place in the states you have resided at?
I was dating this girl from around here at the time and she ended up moving to Germany. After a few months she started hating it there and so we moved to the states after TB broke up. Syracuse has been pretty much the only place I lived in the states.

Why Syracuse?
That’s where she lived and also I knew DJ and Buske and everyone already for years from the hardcore scene. I’ve actually known DJ since 1994.

How did you and him get in touch?
He used to tour manage earth crisis and that’s pretty much how we met, he knew already about me from mike ski who sang for brothers keeper who I was friends with and still am of course.

DJ went on to start up Halo Tattoos, when did you start working there and what is it you?
I started here at halo in 2002. I am the business manager, basically everyone at halo works for me and I work for the 2 owners. I am in charge of employees, payroll, advertising, bills etc…

That’s a pretty serious role on the business end of things, is it complicated to be managing that business as well as your own?
Yes it defiantly gets hectic sometimes but I got it under control, haha.

Do you have people helping you out with the label or is it all done by yourself?
It’s mostly done by myself. BUSKE, GUAV and DJ help out wherever they can. My man pigg helps a lot out with Fests and shows and TC and DAN K as well as T DUBS and PIGG are definitely apart of the assembly line at my house whenever records have to get put together and shipped out.

Its good to have a crew of friends to help out when things get hectic. So how did everything come about for reaper? What made you decide to put out records?
DJ and I really wanted to do a label to put out local stuff. AWOL at the time did a demo and we liked them so we asked them to do a 7″ for reaper.

After the Awol 7” you put out the Terror demo 7” that really put your label to another level. How did that come together?
I’ve been friends with Scott since the early 90’s and basically knew him trough most of his bands. I did the despair live tape, I did a split with spawn and despair with him, I did the buried alive demo, toured with all of his bands and whatnot so doing something with terror was only natural.

On the topic of Terror you’ve done a number of records with them on reaper, recently you put out Terrors new record “The Damned the Shamed” onto a picture disc. That record was originally released through Century Media, what was it like working with them to get the rights and everything else to put the record out?
I’ve known the people at century media since they are from Germany, actually the true blue LP was talked about coming out on CM anyways. I worked with them a bunch in the past for the Merauder reissue and stuff; the dudes at CM have been pleasant to work with.

That record has a lot of different qualities to it but yet is still a terror record to me. What are your thoughts on it, it’s obvious you are into it, but what are your thoughts on how they have developed their sound over the years?
I think they get better with every record, I can honestly say that I like every new one they do better then the one before.

Black SS have been a band that everyone has loved in Syracuse and the surrounding cities for some time now. How did the Foreign Object cd come about?
After AWOL broke up and some of those dudes started BSS I was kind of bummed, I first liked AWOL a lot better then BSS but as they progressed and came into their own more and more. I fell in love with their sound and that was basically how we ended up doing the LP.

Recently you did CD discography for Black SS, did they approach you first about doing that or was that initially your idea?
We ran out of the CDs and instead of just repressing the Foreign Object CD I had the idea of just grabbing everything and putting it on one cd for the same price as a regular cd and to make a real cool layout….

It came together great, lets fast forward a bit; recently you put out the “Mercy for None” Comp, where did you get the idea to put that together?
When I grew up I loved comps. It was kind of like the Internet nowadays. You would get a comp and get to check out a bunch of bands, these days you cruise the Internet to check out bands I kind of wanted to bring that vibe back.

Many people think that all of the bands that are on that comp are now on reaper, but only Naysayer is a reaper band; do you plan to work with any of the other bands on that comp?
There are some plans to work with Unforgiven for sure.

Great band excited to see what they do next. Now Trapped Under Ice has had a huge impact on the label, how did you first come about them?
Well even though Pauly thinks he discovered them Buske and I both found TUI on myspace. I loved the demo and even though they were a little rough the first time I saw them I was instantly into what they were doing. They are great kids and definitely do their thing and do it well!

Were you expecting them to gain as much popularity as they have?
I wasn’t thinking in that way, honestly I never do with reaper bands. Terror have been my friends since day one. I could care less how big they are, I love what terror does and how they do it and they feel the same way about me and that’s why we do stuff together. Same goes for Forfeit and Naysayer or Black SS and most defiantly TUI. People who say they are a hype band are stupid. They tour their asses off and are one of the best bands around. They are on top of what they are doing musically. Maybe some kids dig em because they are having some push behind them but in 10 years you will be able to listen to them still and be like yeah that was the shit. While all this other whack washed up want to be throwdown sounding bands are gone, it’s all about the test of time man!

I couldn’t agree more, they are a hard working band and hard work pays off “Secrets of the World” their new LP just dropped like a week ago, how has the responses been? I’m sure the preorder list was endless for you.
Yeah the pre orders where crazy. Between Reaper and Merchnow it was over 600 copies in pre orders. The 1st press is sold out and the record came out august 4th, which was yesterday haha

Haha man that is awesome, congrats! Are you satisfied with how this LP came out, with the artwork, layout, sound and everything involved with putting out the record?
Yeah I am very happy. DJ ROSE HALO/Reaper did the artwork. Our man Buske did the layout and everything came together awesome. I think it stands out for sure but still looks like a classic hardcore record, I am very proud.

On the previous record Dan Higgs did the artwork for the 7” and the preorders. Why did you decide to have DJ (Halo Tattoo) do up the artwork this time?
DJ is not only part of reaper but also a big fan of the band. When the band came up with the title it was a no brainer that DJ would be a great artist to do the artwork for the record.

It came together great. This isn’t the first time you’ve used someone at Halo to do up artwork for one of your releases.
Definitely not, Tommyrot did a whole bunch from black ss to merauder and Chris Chisholm who tattoos for us (used to play guitar in all out war, OG line up) did the terror blood tracks demo cover and the naysayer 7″ cover.

That must be a relief having artist all around you and not having to worry about finding someone to draw up a record cover.
ehhh hahaha it is and it isn’t, trust me no matter what its always a struggle. It wouldn’t be a hardcore label if it was all easy all the time haha.

Now you mentioned the “master killer” re-release you did a while back, any plans for other re-releases in the future?
Not sure yet.

Now I wanted to talk about the reaper website and the new Reaper “R”. Why the new design and why the new logo?
The logo was done by Rene of world collapse, I had this whole idea of having something that people can draw easy on their jackets or school books or on bathroom walls. Something along the lines of the Dead Kennedy’s logo or Urban Waste etc… So that’s why we sat down and created the Reaper R. The new website was both of our ideas. I wanted something that takes basically no clicking around to get the info you want. Something really stripped down, I also wanted it really hardcore looking in a way that no other website looks like. Rene came up with the idea of having it like a hardcore scrapbook or a fanzine style.

The new logo and site looks great. Now everyone has some guilty pleasures when it comes to music, what are some artist/bands that no one would expect you to be into?
Let me think about guilty pleasures, music wise…I don’t really think I have any. I like lots of diverse stuff but nothing really were people could say that that’s some serious faggot shit haha. I definitely listen to a lot of 50’s stuff especially girl groups from that era… lots of old school reggae, I love Ryan Adams who you could say is definitely a bit of a fag but his music is the shit. Everyone needs to own EASY TIGER!

What are some bands out right now that are not on Reaper that you have been into lately?
Bracewar is definitely a great band, Alpha and Omega, Warhungry, Steel Nation, Creatures are fucking hard as shit… Down To Nothing “the most” is one of the best records of the past few years!

Lets dig into the future a little bit more, what would you want reaper to be remembered for say 20 years from now?
That we were a hardcore label. Not a record label perse but a hardcore label that put out hardcore records. Reaper is not interested in the record industry and all its BS, we are a grass roots hardcore label that’s all…

What do you have coming up next for reaper? Any secrets you can let out of the bag?
The Maximum Penalty and Forfeit LPs are up next. After that the piece by piece and born low 10″s. Hopefully the true blue demo 7″ and world collapse ep vinyl version by the end of the year. Black ss are working on a new full length and we are still working on the slugfest discography. 2010 will bring some goodies of course…

Thank you for doing this interview, any closing comments?
Big ups to Syracuse hardcore and major thumps down to all the haters out there! Thanks to all the people that have been supporting us since day one and all the new people that got our back, Hardcore lives!

Go and check out reaper records online. Be sure to keep an eye out for the new Maximum Penalty and Forfeit LP’s. (http://www.reaper-records.com)

Book Review /// The Anti-Matter Anthology

I picked this book up while i was on tour over in Europe. I remember hearing about this a few years ago when they did the book release show with Snapcase and 108 in Brooklyn but i had forgotten about it until recently. I was extremely shocked when i picked this up and read through the list of band interviews that were featured inside. Before reading i did not know all to much about Anti-Matter and what type of impact it had on the post-punk/hardcore scene in the early 90′s. After reading this book i realized how much i really wish i was a hardcore kid in the 90′s.

Here is a brief history of Anti-Matter:
“For those who don’t know, Anti-Matter was a fanzine published between 1993 and 1996 from a bedroom on the corner of East 10th Street and First Avenue in New York City. Anti-Matter was also a compilation album, released in 1996, that documented sixteen hardcore, post-punk, and indie bands who weaved the fabric of the music that featured prominently in the fanzine. On November 6, 2007, for the first time ever, Anti-Matter will become a book: The Anti-Matter Anthology: A 1990s Post-Punk & Hardcore Reader will be issued by Revelation Publishing, the literary sister of Revelation Records.

Anti-Matter was conceived and created by Norman Brannon — in 1993, a former guitarist for Ressurection, 108, and Shelter. Upon its demise, Brannon went on to form Texas Is The Reason and New End Original, in addition to working as a DJ and running an independent dance label called Primal Records. His work has been published in Alternative Press, Punk Planet, Ego Trip, Soma, and VIBE, among others. Brannon is currently working on new music, as well as a second book of short-story nonfiction. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, and online at Nervous Acid. Also, he apologizes to anyone who bought Fuzzy or Inch records at his behest.”

This book includes most of the interviews that were featured in every issue of Anti-Matter plus additional bonus material. Some of the many highlights for me personally were the interviews with Into Another, Mike Judge, Farside, Quicksand, Shelter, Jawbox, Samiam, Rage Against the Machine, Snapcase, and Sunny Day Real Estate.

The interviews are on a much more personal level than most zines and interviews that i’ve read. Brannon asked a lot of personal and emotional questions that would often make me wonder if i would want to answer some of the questions if i was being interviewed. In the interview with Mike Judge he explains why he wears sunglasses when he is in front of people or being interviewed. In the Shelter interview Porcell talks about the few incidents were he sold out numerous times one being with Walter of Quicksand at a Morrissey concert.

Zack de la Rocha gets very political during the Rage Against the Machine Interview. Zack talk about Leonard Peltier for two and a half pages as well as the direction RATM was taking at the time, being on MTV and making music videos. Every interview in this book is different from the on prior.

The whole idea behind Brannon’s interviews are to get on a personal level and to interview people who he knows really well. I mean how could you get personal if you hardly know the person that your interviewing? That is why the interview with RATM was very political and the interview with Richie of Into Another had a slew of questions related to personal and emotional problems involving his ex girlfriend, the way he felt about his friends and his home, as well as questions involving the direction Into Another was going in and if he as ready to take on fame.

The one question that was asked numerous times throughout all of the interviews was “when was the last time you cried?”. I was surprised that everyone who was asked that questions answered it without shame or embarressment.

This book is one of the few books that I’ve read about punk and hardcore that Ive thoroughly enjoyed all the way through. Most books just have pictures and boring bio’s of bands, i do enjoy reading up on bands that i admire but sometimes it gets old. This book is something more, it goes deep into the heart of the people being interviewed and really makes you understand why we do this and why punk and hardcore is apart of our lives. This is more than the lyrics and the music, its a personal and emotional state of mind and the interviews in this book captures that state of mind.

A lot of great bands and people were involved in the punk and hardcore scene during the 90′s and it was a very innovated time for punk and hardcore. This book is by far one of the best I’ve read about the era and punk an hardcore in general. There are a few good books out there but for me personally this one is the best. Go and pick this up, if you are a fan of the 90′s or any of the bands featured in this book than you will not be disappointed.

 

Reviews /// Picked Up Some Gems At This Is Hardcore

I picked up a few new releases while I was at This Is Hardcore in Philadelphia this past weekend. I picked what I knew was going to be good to review for the zine. These are some great bands that are doing good things, so be sure to pick these up and to support these bands and the labels that put out these records.

Foundation – Hang Your Head
August, 2009 | Six Feet Under Records [8.5/10]

This release is the first release for Foundation on Six Feet Under Records and it has been very well anticipated for a while now. This is by far the best record this five piece from Atlanta has put out. They have definitely grown in the past few records they’ve done. “Hang Your Head” has a much heavier sound to it and the overall message is very powerful and straight forward, not too many bands do that nowadays. Foundation has been through some lineup changes since their previous records, adding a new bass player along with a new guitar player and the alteration is noticeable. This band has always had a 90′s sound to them and there is no lacking of that with this record but I feel that there has been some newer influences added to their sound. Bands like Buried Alive, Converge, and Indecision come to mind a lot when listening to the structure of these songs. Starting off with the track “Fireproof”, which has one of the strongest opening riffs on this record. The vocals come in very hard and are backed by powerful gang vocals that sound like The Path of Resistance (“Who Dares Wins” era). After that follows the title track “Hang Your Head” which is the longest song on the record. The chorus is very heavy and kicks in at the end of the song even heavier. My two favorite tracks off this record are the last two “Heartless” followed by “Pray For (Atlanta)”. I can’t really express how heavy both of these songs are, so you really need to just go pick this up. “Heartless” opens up with a riff that sounds like it would be on an early Converge record which i think really adds to the effect of the song. “Pray For (Atlanta)” kicks in right after with a very strong guitar part guided by a sample over everything. I think It goes along great with the lyrics and the actual feel of the song. Once you read the lyrics and hear what is being said everything should start to click, the concept of the song along with sample is very coherent. Along with the record SFU put a digital download card in and on that was a re-recorded song “Evaporate” which is off the first 7″. This recording features a quest spot from Justice of Trapped Under Ice which was a cool thing they did and it came out sounding great. Foundation have always been very proud of where they come from and if you look closely at their lyrics and the layout of this record you will see that very clearly. Not too many bands hold onto their own scene not to mention talk about unity and pride in their lyrics and display it within the artwork and layout. This record is without a doubt their best work yet and I'm glad they decided to go with such a great label to do this on. Everything from the artwork and layout to the actual record came out great, this will be a very well received release for both Foundation and Six Feet Under Records.

Soul Control – Silent Reality EP
August 2009 | Bridge 9 Records [8/10]

This is the first release on Bridge 9 for SC, following this release is their full length LP titled “Cycles” which will be out later this month. This EP features two songs “Silent Reality” which will be on the LP and “Feel the Pain” which is a cover by Dinosaur Jr. When i heard talks about SC doing a cover for the EP I didn’t know what to expect but I knew that they had something good up their sleeves. When i found out that it was a Dino Jr cover and that it was spot on and “radio worthy” i knew i had to pick this up to hear for myself. For once the rumors were not wrong. I was expecting maybe to hear Rory’s normal yell over the song but this is in fact sung intentionally to sound like J Mascis and it turned out great. Everything about the cover is exact, the guitar/bass tones and even the drums. I had to go and listen to the actual recording by Dino Jr to compare the two and it was like i was just listening to a different version by the same band, but clearly it wasn’t the same band. I suppose i should at least talk about the SC song which is on side A of the EP. Soul Control has always had their own sound to them even with the addition of Rory on vocals they have still managed to withstand their own style. This track is nothing to out their for these guys but it is defiantly a step up. The production is very well put together and I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of the LP. The guitarist has defiantly messed around with some more effects on this record which i think is cool, Ive always been into the weird stuff that this band has been able to pull off. This EP only features one song off the LP so its hard for me to judge the rest of the record but from the sound of this song i can tell its going to be a step up from their previous records. And if your into Dino Jr pick this up and hear it for yourself because its a work of magic, i don’t know how they got to sound so close to Dino Jr but they certainly pulled it off, i was hoping a hardcore band would do this sooner or later and I’m glad it was Soul Control.

Gypsy – s/t 7″
August, 2009 | Six Feet Under Records [9/10]

New band with a new sound and with a strong first release like this one its no surprise that Gypsy will be talked about and well received. Featuring members of Cold World, ex-Blacklisted, and Let Down this four piece has a very different sound than its predecessors. This record reminds me a lot of older 90′s alternative/post hardcore bands such as Handsome, and Braid mixed with a dirtier grunge sound similar to Dinosaur Jr and Hum (minus the space rock sound). Both songs have a different aspect to them, the first track “Relatively Distant” has a heavier feel to it and is very upbeat, the riffs and structure remind me a lot of Helmet. The second track “Skeleton Parade” is much slower and more relaxed than the previous song. It reminds me a lot of Dinosaur Jr or something along those lines, especially when the guitar solos kicks in. The vocals are very dynamic but yet not all over the place and that is a very good thing. Especially when the vocals are actual sung, its almost like a Braid/Hum hybrid. They did the right thing with this record, there is not to many songs to keep the listener from wanting it to be over. This record is short and makes you want to hear more. They put their sound out on the table and people will know what to expect from this band with future releases, which i hope they do more. I feel like this formula has happened before, you take members of hardcore bands and you make them play in a rock band (like Quicksand or Renee Heartfelt) which I’ve always been a fan of. These songs are very catchy and can easily be stuck in your head, this is a very strong EP and a band like this has needed to come along for a while now.