Interview /// GIVE (Full Interview)

Hailing from Baltimore, MD...Give brings forth a refreshing style of rock driven hardcore punk. Their sound resembles that of late 80's early 90's bands like Dag Nasty, Farside and Into Another but clearly not imitating them either. I've been really into what this band has been doing lately so here is an interview I did with their singer John, enjoy the read!

Who are you and what do you do in Give as well as everyone else? 

My name is John, I am a 27 year old male and I sing for Give. Ian and Ben play guitar, Pat plays bass, and Gene plays Drums.

Give us a brief history on the band, why did you guys decide do this and how did it all come together? Give originally started in early 2006 as a loose idea between my friend Aaron and I. We gave the band a real go and eventually found people to round out the line-up. We met up with Gene and our friends Andy and Ahron in late 2006 and started jamming loosely. We had known all of them for a long time and everyone seemed to be on the same page. They all had other projects going on, and I was enlisted in the US Air Force stationed in Mississippi at the time. I figured it would be best to not try and do anything but practice together and write songs until I had a chance to finish my military service and move up. So we only practiced every so often until about the end of 2008. Aaron was busy with his other band, The First Step, and was just about to go away on a three year buddhist retreat, so we had to part ways. Andy became busy with other bands and now fronts the band Praise. We recruited Ian, Ben, and Pat to replace them, played our first show in Nov of 2008 and have been doing it ever since.

Why the name Give? Any significance with the name?

I originally chose the name because of it's potential I was really into the band name "Gone" and liked the way the word looked on layouts, specifically the letter "G". Besides that, there are tons of obvious parallels that can be made in regard to the name and music, life, ideas, beliefs, etc. It's always interesting to hear what someone else thinks about us from the name. I think in the beginning, the band name can maybe define the band, but then eventually, it switches and the band starts to define the name. That type of thing always interested me.

You played the Radio Silence show this past december with Walter Schreifels and Birds of Paradise, what was that show like? That show was a lot of fun and Anthony was really easy to work with. New York City is so huge and varied and feels like a hard scene to really make your way into, so it was nice to have some help.I think the Radio silence book came out really well, so it's cool being associated with that. I gave Walter a 12" after our show, I wonder if he was into it?

What bands has everyone been involved with prior to doing Give?

I sang for a band called Breakthrough, we only released a demo in 2003 and played about 11 shows total. React Records are in the process of releasing the demo plus an extra track onto vinyl. Gene has been in No Justice, Desperate Measures, Savage Boys and Girls Club, and has filled in for countless bands over the years. He is also the drummer for Lion of Judah right now. Lion of Judah just released a stellar EP on youngbllod records. Ian and Ben also play in Lion of Judah and Ian plays with War Hungry. They are in the process of recording a record for six feet under records. Ben was in a band called Turn into Ghosts a few years ago, and Pat was in a band called Queen Ann's Revenge.

"Boots of Faith" 7inch out now on Deranged Records

You recently did a 12" on Moonflower Records, where was that recorded and how long did it take to write the LP? We recorded that at Inner Ear studios with Don Zientara. Writing for the LP didn't really take that long. We changed line-ups right when I got here in Maryland and scheduled our first show opening for Rival Schools at the otto bar here in Baltimore. We had about a month to prepare so we rented time at a local space and practiced almost every day for a month prior to the show. We wrote about 9 or 10 brand new songs during that period and picked out our 6 favorite songs for the 12". Our first show was in november 2008 and we recorded in March 2009, so we got them ready pretty quickly. We always have a pretty big pool of songs to choose from.

Did you do any releases or a demo prior to the Self Titled LP?

We practiced for a few years writing together and feeling out exactly what we were going to do before the 12". So there is a ton of practice recordings and demos we made for ourselves to fine tune the songs and make adjustments. The 12" is essentially our demo in my opinion. I think it showcases what we are, but also shows there is a lot of room for growth. I think the 12" really shows our influences like any band and I'm really interested in where we will go after this.

What was it like working with Don Zientara at Inner Ear Studios?

Gene, Ian, and Ben had recorded with Don a few other times with Lion of Judah releases and they always spoke highly of the experience. I had a great time and Don is very encouraging without being too hands on. Inner Ear is a very comfortable studio and Don has went out of his way to make recording there a pleasant experience. During our recent recording, he took us out to a local restaurant for dinner and took care of the whole bill. There is a lot of old photo's, records, posters, and interesting DC music paraphernalia that line the lounge and hallways at inner ear that always make me smile.

How long did it take to track the LP?

We completed all of the recording for the 12" in one day, and had to go back later to mix it. It was a total of 6 songs, and the first song was a practice recording from an earlier line-up of the band that we tacked on during the mixing process. We just did 4 new songs for two new EP's and it took us a day to record all of those also. Since finances are always tight and we put the 12" out ourselves, we really try to make the recording process as quick as possible. I think it serves us well. It will be interesting to see what happens if we ever get a little flexibility in the studio and if that is a help or hindrance. A lot of overanalyzing can go on in the studio during recording.

What releases do you have planned for the future?Any Touring? Etc...

We just finished up recording 4 new songs that are going to be released as two separate 2 song singles on two different labels that we are going to announce shortly. We have been playing a lot of shows lately and are touring down to Chaos in Tejas this summer with Lion of judah and War hungry. Besides that, we are always looking for shows to play and will usually find a way to play anywhere people would like to see us. I hope to make it out to california this summer, and to more places in the midwest that we haven't been.

How would you describe your bands sound? What are your main influences musically and how would you want other people to describe Give's overall sound? I have no idea how to describe give. I would like someone to just take the LP and figure out what makes sense in their own head. I think describing a band is the listener's job. They decide to love it or hate it or ignore it. A few of my favorite descriptions that I have read/heard are "A mix of Embrace and AC/DC….EMBRACEEDEE", "Bootleg Glen Danzig singing for a third rate grunge band", and "Revolution era Dischord and SST with their own thing mixed in". I think it's pretty easy to pinpoint a few influences on our first record and that's the usual. Figure out a common jumping off point and see where we can push it. Being in the band, I myself am really interested to see what happens on the next releases. I feel like it's totally impossible to completely direct how your band is going to come across to another person, and even to totally have the finished product match the initial vision. It was frustrating at first, but now I find it to be a lot of fun. "Once the music leaves your head, it's already compromised".

Where do you see the band going in the future? How far would you like it to go?

We are just going to write tunes and play out as much as we can. Who knows where it will take us. I want to be completely swallowed up though. I want to tour as much as possible and write music that I can be happy and proud to have other people hear. Write albums that I would be burned at the stake in defense of.

What is one major aspect that you would like to accomplish with doing this band if you have yet to already? It would be cool to really help our hometown scene (Washington DC/Baltimore/Maryland/Northern Virginia) become a known spot for creativity, great shows, and good times. Unite the whole place and keep building. I want bands and people to go to a show in our area and walk away salivating to come back. Seems like there is a lot of bands and people around here lately, a lot of energy and excitement getting stirred up. We have good promoters, supportive people, and a pretty diverse musical trough to drink from.

Some bands that people should not be sleeping on in 2010?

The Rival Mob is a current fav, but I don't really think anyone is sleeping on them. I think most people know the deal already. Same goes for my dudes in Mindset. New Hostage Calm record is going to be cool. I'm always interested in what Fucked Up is going to do next, and I really hope Blacklisted keep pushing it. I liked their recent album. A few new bands from our area worth a listen are Rations, Praise, and Sacred Love. And a few bands everyone should be acquainted with already are Coke Bust and Police and Thieves.

Give (Full Set) from hate5six on Vimeo.

New Rival Schools Record "Pedals" Out March 7th

http://www.rivalschools.net/

Death Won't Wait (http://deathwontwait.wordpress.com)

A good friend of mine Reggie put together a new blog, you all should go check it out. He always has some good stuff to say and talk about. Also, I beleive he is going to put out some records/tapes in the near future so be on the lookout for that! Support DIY Punk and Hardcore.

http://deathwontwait.wordpress.com
http://deathwontwait.wordpress.com
http://deathwontwait.wordpress.com

Reviews /// End of Summer Edition

I've been staying pretty busy this summer with a lot of stuff that doesn't involve the zine actually, but now that things are starting to slow down I have been finding time to do up reviews and what not. After all who wants to be cooped up inside all day when its 90-100 degrees outside? Below are some records that came out over the last several months, some are very new and others have been sitting on the shelves for some time but here they are anyways.

Bitter End - Guilty As Charged August 3, 2010 | Deathwish Inc.
There really are no clever words or phrases to start off this review that can hold true to how amazing this LP actually is so I'm not even going to try. "Guilty As Charged" has without a doubt proven that Bitter End have spent a great deal of time crafting their sound rather than focusing on an image, and its shown because this is without a doubt one of the best full lengths to come out of 2010. Unlike their previous LP this starts off hard and fast with the opening track "Corrupted Souls". The song structures are not nearly as lengthy as some of their songs have been in the past so this record simply kicks right in the second you hit play. The following four tracks are just as fast and don't let up really until "Unjust", which starts off with the same upbeat tempo but cuts into a clean guitar melody being carried out by bongos and other percussive instruments. Another element that you wouldn't normally have in a typical hardcore record would be an acoustic instrumental track that basically resembles an anthem for the state of Texas. From that point on the overall feel of the album changes, the first half is really fast paced and in your face and the second is more mid tempo and melodic (not to be mistaken as "melodic hardcore"). Some of my favorite tracks on the second side of the record are the last three: "Broken", "Victims", and "Immortalized". The song "Broken" kicks in with this slow guitar part that reminds me a lot of Machine Heads "Davidian". The backup vocals towards the middle of the song are so intense and thick that it really breaks up the song. "Guilty As Charged" was long overdue for this Texas hardcore outfit but all in all it was worth the wait. Too many bands rush into writing a full length and it often ends up showing but that is not the case with Bitter End. The music shows that they spent a lot of time writing and recording and more bands need to start recognizing that and open their eyes more to new influences.

Black Breath - Heavy Breathing March 2010 | Southern Lord
I don't know where this band came from out of the blue but for the past few months they are all that I've been hearing about. I had never heard these guys since listening to this LP but I can assure you that this was enough to make my ears bleed and my head spin. Believe me when I say that this is a damn good metal record. From beginning to end the riffs don't stop and neither does the head banging, and it leaves me to wonder if there are any metal bands lately that can accomplish that. Having only done one EP prior to this that resembles a more punk/d-beat sound(from ashes rise, disfear), Black Breath take that style and evolve it into much more; gaining influence from bands like Entombed, Kreator, Bathory, and Celtic Frost. With that said you get a black metal, d-beat punk hybrid. I'm obviously aware that they aren't the only band playing this style but they do add a sense of flavor to it that I don't think other bands are bringing to the table these days. If you are familiar with the Deathwish catalog at all then you will know by listening to this that it was recorded by Kurt Ballou (Converge) at Godcity Studios in Boston. There is a definite Entombed vibe going on with the production of this album and it often becomes indistinguishable at times, especially on the track "I Am Beyond". Despite the fact that the first few seconds of the opening riff is "Wolverine Blues" they do take it a bit further and the entire song is just a straight headbanger. Just in case you thought the song couldn't get any heavier wait until you listen towards the end of that song and everything you have ever known or heard about a breakdown becomes irrelevant information. I swear Black Breath reinvented the wheel on this one because they took a simple beat and made it something so much more. If you listen to that end breakdown and something surrounding you is not destroyed afterwords than there is something wrong with you, and ill leave it at that. The entire rest of the album keeps right with the pace of the first few songs. Some other great tracks to check out would be "Heavy Breathing", "Wewhocannotbenamed", "Children of the Horn", "Fallen", and the opening track "Black Sin (Spit On The Cross)". For this being the first Black Breath album that I have heard, I can say that I was overly impressed and I really haven't stop listening to this since I picked it up. Usually it takes a week or two until it gets old but not this time around. If for some some reason your still uncertain on how you feel about this band, just imagine what it would have sounded like if Entombed recorded a Motorhead album, minus the mutton chops.

Cruel Hand - Lock & Key July 27, 2010 | Bridge 9
This has been a long and overdue record for the guys in Cruel Hand, seeing as how they have been touring nonstop for the past two years on their previous record "Prying Eyes". To be honest with you when I first gave this a spin I was not into it at all, I immediately felt like the recording was a step down from their prior doings. I liked the songs and felt like they had great groove but for some reason to me there are a lot of sonic differences in comparison to "Prying Eyes". So I decided to hold off on listening to this record for a few weeks and finally I came back for another listen, and I can now see what they were really going for with this album. Its a lot more raw and striped down with guitar riffs resemble more of Obituary and Metallica than No Warning. Obviously the "Cruel Hand" sound is relevant but they just stepped their game up and decided to go all the way on this one, and it worked. I always saw this band going towards a somewhat new direction but I never thought it would be this simple, I figured they were going to go the route Iron Age did and write 11 minute metallic worship anthems. The drumming on this is different and tasteful as well. I believe Nate (originally on guitar) switched over to do drums on this recording and the difference is noticeable but not at all terrible. His playing is more straight forward and flows nicely with these songs, but I do wonder what this would have sounded like with their old drummer playing. Some of the more dominant songs off of this would be "Broken Glass", "One Cold Face", "Labryinth" and "Cruel Hand".  Another unique characteristic with "Lock & Key" is that Chris (vocals), throws in some James Heatflied singing parts in a few of these songs from time to time which really breaks things up a bit. I have to say that I'm glad I gave this record some time before I reviewed it. I think Cruel Hand played their cards right on this one by changing things up a bit, but I do think that they could have gotten a little more creative with the song structures. All in all though this is something I would expect Cruel Hand to do, its different but not totally outside the box and if you have been into their material from the beginning you will not be disappointed.

Diamond - Demo 2010 Digital EP | Self Released
This demo just recently popped up around the internet a few weeks ago and let me tell you it just might be my favorite release of the year. With two of the members being from Baltimore's Trapped Under Ice I couldn't help but expect this to be a hardcore or punk band, but I was surely mistaken. The first song kicks right in with some upbeat rock rhythms that reminds me a lot like Jimmy Eat World and Rival Schools to some extent; while having vocal characteristics that range from previously mentioned bands to a more pretty version of Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age). For this being a demo you wouldn't tell by listening, it sounds good enough to be released by a major label which is not always the case when a band records their first demo. They really did no wrong with this and I would expect that they spent a lot of time writing and recording which payed off in the end. Rarely are there original sounding bands coming out of the gates as quickly as these guys have and I give them props for doing it. I'm looking forward to hearing some new tunes and hopefully seeing this band play out. The demo is up for free on their website, so go snag it while you still can. (http://wearedmnd.com)

Mammoth Grinder - Extinction of Humanity 2009 | Cyclopean Records
I know that this record came out a while ago but this isn't alternative press and I can do just about whatever I want. So in that case I was fortunate enough to see these guys plays recently and I knew right from the start what I was going to get myself into. This eight song 12" is fast and to the point, and there is really no room for errors. Starting right off with noisy feedback that leads straight into their fast and aggressive style of playing this three piece reminds me a lot like older Obituary and Morbid Angel. These guys however don't just remain a pure death metal band, they do add some unique elements to the mix creating their own blend between doom and death metal. For only having one guitar player there is a lot going on with his parts, a lot of layering and atmospheric leads going on over sludgy and down-tempo rhythms. This music is nothing groundbreaking, but it is for sure unique in its own way and just overall crushing. Might I add that the album artwork was also very intriguing to me when I went to go pick this up. From the looks of it I can sense that this band has a bit of an H.P. Lovecraft influence going on with the art and lyrics, again not a bad move on their part. If your a fan of older death metal mixed with His Hero Is Gone type stuff then you will not be disappointed and if you are then stop calling yourself a fan of heavy music. For being only a three piece this band will blow your ears out and make you wish that you could play guitar as fast and steady as this dude can.

Maker - I-91 May 25, 2010 | Either/Or Records
I hate to say it but this band is your typical cliche pop punk/rock band. The songs are trying to hard to be catchy that it doesn't really work. There are a few parts however in the song "I-91" that adhere but nothing that would stay stuck in my head for days at a time. The vocals are not terrible but also no very originally in the least bit and the same goes for most of the guitar parts. I think if this band were to make it a more raw punk/rock sound and go with that then  it would work but everything is to overdone in my opinion. The only thing that really caught my ear was the intro of "Anything" which reminded me almost too much like an American Football song. If they had kept that going then this review would have a little bit better of an outcome. I'm sure there are people out there who will dig this, but its simply just not my cup of tea, but then again who said the tea I drink tasted good?

Tigers Jaw/Balance & Composure - Split 7" May 11, 2010 | Run For Cover Records
Mixing together slow indie rock jams from Tigers Jaw and upbeat space rock/punk anthems from Balance and Composure; its no doubt that this split will have something for everyone to get into. This is packed with four brand new songs from each of Pennsylvania's own. Is it me or does every good band nowadays come from Pennsylvania? Well Tigers Jaw and Balance and Composure both prove how serious but yet laid back they can really get with their music. Personally my favorite side on this split would have to be Tigers Jaw. They have been catching my attention for some time now and I really cant get over their sound and everything that they've done as a band so far. I was getting worried due to their gaining of popularity but I was reassured after hearing this record for the first time. Their sound hasn't changed one bit, and its really just progressed over time. The vocalist sounds so uninterested in whats going on around him that it really makes their sound unique and genuine. Honestly I wanted to list out what songs are the really good ones to check out but they all are great so just pick this up and hear for yourself. Balance and Composure have improved a lot since the last time I listened to them (which I believe was their first full length). The guitar parts and vocals remind me a lot like Polar Bear Club and Title Fight but add some more ambient and spaced out melodies to the mix. All in all these songs are a definite improvement for them. The first two tracks "Kaleidoscope" and "Burned" are the two to really check out, and are the strongest songs on their side of the record. All in all this is a great split, it shows all of the capabilities that both bands carry and I do see them both going on to do some great things.

Walter Schreifels - An Open Letter To The Scene April 10, 2010 | Academy Fight Song
It is without a doubt that Walter Schreifels is one of the most influential musicians to come out of the hardcore and punk scene in the last 15-20 years. Having been in some of the best New York Hardcore bands from the 80's/90's as well as crafting the "Post Hardcore" sound; Walter has truly pushed the limit of creativity and musicianship in his career. Now he has brought us something entirely different, a solo singer/songwriter album filled with indie rock/pop sensations fueled by the spirit of hardcore and punk. Walters debut 10 song full length, "An Open Letter To The Scene" is exactly what it sounds like. This is a tribute to hardcore and punk but played by an acoustic guitar and a soft spoken voice. However this album does not limit itself to just that, there are a lot of instruments incorporated into the music and for the most part there is an entire band backing his vocals and guitar playing. When I listen to this I feel like I'm hearing a soundtrack to a Sun dance film; but without the audience knowing that Walter is in fact creating his own version of an Agnostic Front Song ("Society Suckers") as well as doing a tribute to Raybeez of Warzone ("Open Letter"). Although I'm sure those songs are getting a lot of attention (as they should), there are a lot of other great tunes off of this record such as the opening track "Arthur Lee's Lullaby" and "Requiem". My favorite track however is "Shootout" which starts off with a soft acoustic chord progression underneath a layered sample from an old movie scene. The subtle vocals quickly follow but then kicks right into a slow and groovy chorus with a great lead guitar part followed by the vocal melody. When I first heard that part of the song I felt like I was listening to something from the 50's. Before his debut release Walters music was not as accessible, but now that "An Open Letter To The Scene" has been released it will see a lot of attention and I really feel that he hit home with this project. The hardcore kids who appreciate good music and great song structures will love this and understand the references. And people who have never heard of the Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Quicksand or Rival Schools before but thoroughly know the entire Sup Pop catalog will surely be into it as well. This is another great piece of work that Walter has crafted and in the end it just shows how great of musicians he really is and how challenging his style has become after playing Hardcore and Punk music for all of these years. 

Interview /// Tigers Jaw (Part I)

What is your name and what do you do in Tigers Jaw?
Ben Walsh, guitar and vocals

How did the band start up? What were your first goals and aspirations when you had the idea to do the band? Adam and I started the band in late 2005 and recorded a few songs in adam's basement with two other members who quit shortly thereafter. We recorded a very minimalistic album called "belongs to the dead" for the summersteps records handmade series. Brianna joined the band in summer 2007 and then we went through a few lineup changes before Dennis and pat joined, forming the current lineup. Our goals starting out were just to write music that was something we liked and that was a departure from bands we'd been in before. We were very motivated by the Scranton band okay paddy(rip).

What bands were you all involved in before Tigers Jaw?
Tigers jaw was my first serious band. Pat and Dennis were and still are in a band called Three Man Cannon. Adam was in a band called kosmos. I don't believe Brianna was in a band but she's been involved with music for a long time. Some of us were in other bands during tigers jaw, most notably Captain We're Sinking. Adam and I tend to get kicked out of bands pretty frequently.

Where do you get a lot of your influences from both lyrical and musically?
We have been blessed with meeting a large number of great people and great bands since we started and we are very influenced by them. Additionally, all five members have a varied taste in music. My favorite album of all time is "In Reverie" by Saves the Day, and recently I've been listening to a lot of the Sidekicks, Osker, and Brand New. Lyrically, we are influenced by every relationship, every interaction we have, every positive and negative feeling, and just growing up in general.

Care to get a little deeper with that? What sort of frustrations either positive or negative drive you to write the lyrics and music that you do? I don't know that I'd put it that way, being driven by frustration, exactly. When I write a song, nothing is too deliberate. If I sit down with the intention of writing a song about something specific, I come up with absolutely nothing. It kind of just happens bit by bit when I'm thinking about something else. certain lines are directly influenced by things like failed friendships/relationships, or not feeling competent, or growing up but having no idea what I'm doing. other times I write lyrics and they don't seem to be about anything at all.



Tigers Jaw is a pretty unique band name, where did it come from and who thought of it?
Technically Phil Elverum thought of it. The name is taken from a microphones lyric. It was Adam's call on naming the band tigers jaw though.

What bands have you been on the road with and what was your favorite experience?
Summer 2007 we toured with Louch and the Green Chair. The band was comprised of Adam, myself, and Louch's handsome drummer Thomas filling in for us. The shows were scarcely attended but it was our first experience touring, and was very worthwhile and enjoyable. Summer 2008 we toured with title fight. we toured as a four piece (Adam, Dennis pat and myself). summer 2009 we toured with our soul mates in kite party. It was our first tour with all five of us. This past January we toured with end of a year and aficionado. We can't pick a favorite band we've toured with. A few of those bands are tied and all for different reasons that are unable to be compared.

You get the opportunity to travel to a lot of amazing places when touring, what have been some of your favorite spots to play the past few years? Personally, I really enjoy playing in Boston and New York City. Cleveland was very good to us this past January. Playing in Canada was great but I've never been so cold in my life. I'm not too picky though, I just enjoy traveling in general and just visiting places I've never been to before.

You guys put out a self titled full length in 2008 and on vinyl in 2009, how did that come about and why did you decide to release the vinyl on another label? The CD was released on the now-defunct Scranton label prison jazz records. The label had no intentions of releasing it on vinyl. Our friend nick from Photobooth offered to press it on vinyl so we did. We didn't have much of a budget so we hand-screened the covers ourselves.

New Look, New Blog, New Issue!

I decided to make this blog a little more stripped down, simple and less of a hassle to update so I made up a new blog, sorry for all the confusion but I think for those of you who regularly read this you will enjoy the new features. The new issue of New Noise has been taking me a bit of time but it will be worth it I can assure you. I'm currently still wrapping up some interviews, reviews, and writing out a few more columns. I'm hoping to have this thing printed by the fall but I'm never on time with anything so who knows. However this will be worth the wait because this next issue will have a lot of content and will look a lot more put together when I'm done with it (I might even try to get them actually bonded together, but we will see).

Below is all of the info on the next issue, So far a lot of great interviews and content are being featured that I couldn't be anymore excited about! The cover and layout will be done hopefully ASAP so be on the lookout for that as well.

NEWNOISE|ZINE ISSUE #2 FALL 2010
Interviews with:
PAINT IT BLACK
TIGERS JAW
JONATHAN BUSKE (The Promise, Another Victim, Santa Sangre, Terror, Etc…)
NAYSAYER
MOUTHEATER
PIECE BY PIECE
FIRE & ICE
ROTTING OUT
GIVE
+
Reviews
Forfeit European Tour Journal
Columns
& More!

Video /// Last Forfeit Set 6/27/10 @ The Lost Horizon Syracuse, NY (w/ Terror, Foundation, Backtrack etc...)

Forfeit's Last Show in Syracuse,NY on 6/27/10 from Colony Films on Vimeo.