Yo ! Straight & Alert is beginning its big sale for 2 weeks and it starts today !
LP, 7", Fanzines, CD… more than 200 products on sale !
Find them HERE
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
Record of the week - Ringworm : Scars
1. Voluntary Human Extinction
2. To the Grave
3. Used Up, Spit Out
4. Sears
5. Unravel
6. Cleansing of the Fall
7. Burning Bridges
8. Angelfuck
9. Empty
10. Hellbound
Pressing infos :
400 Solid Red
100 Clear With Black Smoke
Cleveland, Cleveland, Cleveland… this name means so much when we are talking about hardcore. Just like city such as New York, Boston or Los Angeles, Clevo has a sound and an atmoshpere you can recognize amoung all the others. Cleveland's industrial / grey / sad landscape probably played a role in the developement of this scene where each band is full of hate and anger, and in the creation of one of the most extrem / dark hardcore sub-genders : Holy Terror. Started by bands such as Inegrity , and obviously, Ringworm ! Take the best of early 90's hardcore, add a pinch of metal and a huge dose of hate and you've got it. Ringworm still plays and just put out a new LP on Victory records. Turn off the light, light up candels and get ready to meet the Devil.
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I didn't find a way to reach the author of this interview so i hope he's gonna excuse me for "stealing" it. Anyway, it was done by You Breed Like Rats (http://youbreedlikerats.blogspot.com) and you can read the original version here : http://youbreedlikerats.blogspot.com/2008/07/interview-with-hf-from-ringworm.html
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VOLUNTARY HUMAN EXTINCTION
Interview with HF from RINGWORM (2005/2006)...
Here is an old-ish interview I did with Human Furnace, from Clevo legends RINGWORM, done in late 2005 or maybe early 2006 for a zine I never printed... It was carried out via email and isn't the best interview ever, but I thought I'd share it anyway. I wasn't that keen on their last few records, although I did really like 'Birth is Pain'... CLEARLY nothing will ever beat 'The Promise' (one of the best LPs from the 90s), or the equally perfect demo.
You're all older (wiser?) than when Ringworm first started. Do you think you've calmed down at all over the years?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. If anything, we're crazier than ever, for all sorts of reasons. Well first of all you have to be crazy as fuck to be in a band for this long, when you aren't rich and still drive all over the fuckin globe in a smelly van.
Compare the day you released 'the Promise' to the day you released 'Justice...'. What has changed in the band, and in hardcore generally (in your eyes), over the years?
"Hardcore" is a different animal nowadays. There are still bands and kids that still "get it" but there are way to many kids and bands that have no idea what things are all about. It's not about getting laid and Myspace bullshit. Its not about yer haircut, and whats "in" or "cool". It's not about making money (but that is nice). Hardcore used to be about having an open mind and not caring what you wore. It was never about make-up and girls pants. It's so commercialized now that everybody thinks they can get famous and "big" easily by just copying whatever the cool thing is. There is hardly any musical integrity anymore and it's a shame. Hardcore for me is the way you deliver, the honesty, the rawness, your conviction in what you are doing. Not your willingness to be influeneced by stupid trends.
Why are all the bands from Cleveland so 'dysfunctional'? What is it about Cleveland?
Well i dont think ALL bands from cleveland are dysfunctional. At a certain point we were, but we were young and didnt really care. We just wanted to have fun. Plus "real life shit" comes for everybody and sometimes you have to put priorites first. We are a little older now and have a great deal of focus now. Cleveland can be a tough place to live. Besides, some of the best bands EVER have been dysfunctional.
Are you proud of your influence on hardcore (the "Holy Terror" style has been gaining in popularity recently etc)?
I guess so. We just do what we do, always have, always will. we are proud of that.
Ringworm seemed to go quiet after the first album. Did you ever actually split up any time in the 90s?
Yeah, we actually disbanded from 1994 up until 1998.
What other bands have members of Ringworm been involved with in the past, and at present?
Wow, well thats a long answer. Here goes... myself- I do a band called GLUTTONS, I play guitar and sing, it's a mixture of Misfits and Motorhead, punk rockish type thing. I also do HOLYGHOST, which is a band that i started in '97 while Ringworm was defunct. That band also included former members of Ringworm, Aaron Ramirez and Chris Dora. That band is together once again with a diferent sound and it consists of myself and current Ringworm guitarist Aaron Dallison. Aaron Dallison also is well known for his other band KEELHAUL, in which he plays bass guitar. It's a nice extention for me to be able to do different things, expand some horizons. Matt Sorg has also resurrected an old band of his called DECREPIT, awesome old school death metal.. Mike Lare also does a band called KRUSH EFFECT and THE COAST, as does our drummer Danny Zink. Other original member, Frank "3 gun" Novinec is well known for his tenure in TERROR and is now a permanent member of HATEBREED.
How differently do you see hardcore today compared to, say, the mid 90's? Are you glad to see the back of chug-metal? What current hardcore bands do you like?
Well im not sure what you mean by "the back of" chuga-chuga stuff etc. Im actually just tired of anything thats watered down and generic, or shit that sounds exactly like everything you've heard before, which is a lot. I like good metal and shit that has drive to it and has some personality to it. As for current bands I'm into, that's hard to say... I suppose I'm still into alot of the same shit that I always liked, alot of old classic thrash, and rock, and alot of avantgard music. I do like a new band called UNHOLY from syracuse, the new ACCUSED, DEMERICOUS (GREAT FRIENDS, GREAT BAND).SCARS
Being contemporaries with Clevo bands like CONFRONT and FACE VALUE, were you ever tempted to play in a youth crew-influenced hardcore band?
Youth-crew? not my style. Im not very positive and i dont care about unity.
Why are you called Human Furnace? Is there a story behind it (like the origins of 'Dwid')?
There is but i never talk about it.
Do you ever see/speak to Dwid? In retrospect, what do you think about his infamous 'persona'?
I speak to him occasionally, and see hiim when we travel through Belgium. Dwid is an extremely creative person who helped shape the way things are today. I've known him and been friends for many years, at times he can a bit eccentric, but most influencial and ground breaking people are. Never afraid to take chances.
What were you favourite bands from Clevo in the late 80's/early 90's? Any funny stories from 'back in the day'?
There was quite a few great bands from cleveland back "in the day". FALSE HOPE, HYPER AS HELL, of course INTEGRITY, DIE HARD, CONFRONT. More currently BOULDER. I remember the day before the grand opening of the ROCK-N-ROLL HALL OF FAME in Cleveland, BOULDER took a generator down to the front steps and in the middle of the daytime set up and played the song "Cleveland Rocks" (for those of you who are familar with you classic rock) over and over again, for no-one but the construction workers and a few police officers, who enjoyed the set for quite awhile before telling them to pack it up, therefore making them the first official band to play at the hall of fame. I can go on about a shit load of stories, I have a million of them, but I won't. haha
Tell us about your troubles with Incision records with the first album.
Well, we felt ripped off about getting our share of the pressings and having the album not get the proper promotion. Some things never change.
Whats the funniest thing to ever happen on tour?
There's an awesome story about a "chick" we like to call "47 yyeeaarrssss". If anybody wants to know about that ask our bass player. hahahahahahahaha
Straight edge, what are your thoughts? Was there ever any antagonism between straight edge and non-straight edge kids in Cleveland?
I dont have a problem with straight people whatsoever. I dont care what people wanna do. I'm too old to care about what anybody else wants to do, I have enough problems of my own. Problems? Perhaps in the early days. It was usually an issue with the straight edgers, the real hardliners, but that was brief and mostly had to do with individuals not "scene" shit. I never had any difficulties getting along with anybody that is straight edge. I am not.
Tell us a bit about the choice to use the quote "there is no god" on The Promise....There is a fascination with religion/satanism/christianity in your lyrics and imagery. Where does it all stem from?
I find it an extremely interesting subject matter. It's called almost every world war in recorded history, for starters. I write about all aspects that effect my life, I just have a tendency to put a dark twist in things. If I was happy about something I wouldn't sing about it, that's not what this band is about for me.
What are your 3 favourite hardcore punk records? What are your 3 favourite heavy metal records?
Punk records - hmmmm. MISFITS - Earth AD, DEAD BOYS - Night Of The Living Deadboys, CIRCLE JERKS - Group Sec, plus a shit load of others, I hate doing these kinds of lists... Metal records -MERCYFUL FATE - Don't Break The Oath, VENOM - Black Metal, TROUBLE - Trouble, plus tons of others...
Is any member of the band into collecting vinyl at all?
Ah not so much anymore, maybe if there's something I really need to have.
Do you like any Japanese hardcore bands, like Gism or Gauze etc? Have you ever played in Japan?
Yeah I like and respect alot of those bands, we haven't been there YET but it's definetely on our TO DO list.
It's obvious that horror movies have been a big influence on Ringworm. Name some of your favourites.
Horror movies, here's another impossible list. Let's see... CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, ANYTHING VINCENT PRICE, THE THING (CARPENTER VERSION), THE EXORSIST, ITALIAN ZOMBIE...
EMPTY
Remake of Hills Have Eyes. Yay or Nay? Horror remakes in general?
Haven't seen it yet, I never make re-makes a priority to see, the originals are almost always better. The movie industry is completely out of ideas so all they do is make remakes of everything. Hopefully this trend will end soon. I enjoyed the remake of Dawn Of The Dead, I must say.
Who are some of your favourite authors?
Favorite authors - POE, NIETZSCHE, BRADBURRY, HUNTER THOMPSON.
Are you looking forward to coming to the UK soon? Do you like any hardcore punk bands from the UK, old or new?
We are excited as hell to get back to the UK. Can't wait to destroy every town we play in! Uk bands!? Are you serious? Fuck, MOTORHEAD, SABBATH, VENOM... about a zillion others. Thanks a million for the interview, can't wait to rage with everyone. Stay sick bastards!!!
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Clevo Holy Terror heroes' week is over. Ringworm is something you HAVE TO listen to, especially " The Promise" and "Birth Is Pain". Winter's soundtrack.
You can get their records here http://www.straightandalert.com/search.php?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=ringworm&submit_search=Rechercher
Ringworm :
Here are 2 bonus videos...
"Justice Replaced By Revenge" video clip
A recent live set :
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Record of the week - DEADVERSE - Caution To The Wind
100 copies on clear
400 copies on black
25 test presses w/ silk screen covers
Tracklist:
01. Misery Flower
02. An Ode To Bad Post
03. Lost To A Throne
04. A Quiet Foot In The Door
05. Pocket Hearse
06. Only Beings
07. Hard Direction
08. Pigeons
09. Bone To Pick
10. Figurehead
11. Lotteries
MISERY FLOWER
A little warmth in this cold world. Even if winter usualy means Integrity, Ringworm and other bands with a sound as cold as their lyrics, I wish to introduce you to this awesome band : Deadverse.
I discovered them when Christian from the german label Take It Back recs asked me if I'd like to get some copies for Straight & Alert distro… which I accepted just after I listened to the first track !
They come from Switzerland and play a kind of early emo hardcore / punk rock / indie. To make a long story short, think Deadverse takes their influences in Gray Matter, Rites of Spring, Tigers Jaw, Balance & Composure, Wipers, Jawbreaker, or At The Drive-In. They put an LP out in 2011 on Take It Back records, with 11 tracks just as good as the artwork.
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DEADVERSE is one of these many good rising bands from Switzerland. They're about to release their first full-length, which was a good reason for me to do an interview with Clive, the singer of the band.
Hey ! How are you ? What are you going through in your life at the moment ? Anything exciting ?
Hi, just great. I suppose the most exciting thing at the moment is getting the recordings done for our new LP which should be out in April if all goes well. Other than that, just waiting for Mother Earth to bring on the spring and summertime this side of the globe!
Could you please tell me what your band DEADVERSE is all about ? Who are you ? What do you do in the band ? When did you start and what’s the main purpose of the band ?
DEADVERSE started out as a punk rock band somewhere in 2007. Roman (guitar) and Lorenz (drums) were the initial members whereas soon after I joined them on vocals and later Boris on bass. We'd practice on Sundays without a real goal really, trying out new stuff and mixing ideas we thought sounded cool for us at that point in time. Somehow it seemed to work out and we started writing songs with more purpose. Soon after we then recorded our first 7", before we really played any shows. We had a choice of some 20 songs which we'd written but only put down like 8. We then kind of realized that it wasn't all that bad, and were quite stoked with the outcome. So we've taken it from there on I guess...
Where do you get your inspiration from for lyrics ? Is it a conscious and thought out process or do you prefer waiting for something to furtively pop into your head ?
I'd say it's a thought out process when it comes to a whole album or 7". I do find that there should be concept behind a stack of songs one would find say on a 7" or LP. Whereas there are situations where something just comes to mind based upon a happening or experience or even thoughts pondered on in the past. All our releases seemingly have a theme, obviously for me a bit easier to believe as I get to write the lyrics. But there is definitely a band based theme. I guess a lot of it is also based upon the band's name as well, because it was only then that the lyrics really received an ideal.
Who came up with the name DEADVERSE and what’s its meaning ?
I remember the first time I heard of your band was because of Mike, who I had just done an interview with when FALL APART was still around. At the time, the US band VERSE was reaching its peak of popularity and a lot of people familiar to hc/punk were really into them. And believe it or not, just because of that, I thought choosing DEADVERSE as bandname was kinda strange, which is of course a pretty dumb thought from my side looking back !
I know you sound nothing like VERSE, but I guess that’s what my subconsious ordered me to do, who knows…
I can see where you're coming from and it had crossed our minds as we'd heard of VERSE before, but we never thought these worlds would collide because in the end we wanted to do it OUR way, and not stand in any ones way or even copy something for that matter. We started out with a "working title" called DEAD END KIDS which has a slight punk attitude to it as so did the songs we were writing in the beginning. But as our "songwriting" progressed we couldn't fit it into a genre as we ourselves didn't actually know where this was going. The name DEADVERSE was the first one on top of a list of thought out band names we came up with. It just stuck! Up until then I didn't have much of the lyrics on paper but soon after we chose the name I found myself moulding the name around the content of the lyrics and vice versa. I eventually came up with nothing, but found out in the process of doing so that I didn't even have to look that far, just paying attention to ones surroundings and questioning social and political misgivings was enough to fit the shoe. We process thought, voice our opinions and in the end effect it just all means nothing ergo it's all just DEAD VERSE. Everyone has thoughts or problems others can't comprehend or even fathom. It's about questioning the lack of listening in general!!!
HARD DIRECTION
Then came the first time I experienced a DEADVERSE show ! And what impressed me the most were that passion and that energy you expressed on stage. It was so raw and intense that it was as if you were going to blow up literally, especially you Clive ! And off stage, the constrast is hitting, you’re totally cool and easy going and even slightly shy. I might be wrong, I haven’t known you personally for a very long time…but do you recognise yourself in my description ? And how much of an impact has this band on your personality ?
I've heard people say I'm shy and I guess I'm not the extroverted type but obviously being given the chance to express oneself does tend to overwhelm me at times, and what better place to do it with 3 other really good friends that are whole heartedly down with what we are trying to do. I'd go as far as saying that Lorenz, Roman and Boris light my fire! They're just brilliant at what they do!
What kind of crowds do you usually draw and how interactive are you with these crowds ? From my modest experience in bands playing live shows, I must say that it’s not always easy to know if people like your band or if they’re extremely bored with it, as they’re not really demonstrative or visibly receptive. So what do you get from these crowds ? Appreciation ? Frustration ? What else ?
It's hard to say which types of people actually pitch up at a show, but I guess mostly there's all walks of life. We never payed much attention to who we wanted to "impress" or which agenda we'd end up pursuing. Obviously we do enjoy it when people are receptive to what we do, but mostly we're glad if even just one person in the crowd was touched by the music in some way... now isn't that just a loverly idea?
I recently heard of a hardcore punk band refusing to shoot any videos at all, arguing that it’s too commercial or something. I know you did a small video for DEADVERSE. So why did you do it and what do you think of videos and self-promotion ?
We're firm believers of the DIY aspect to things. Our last two releases were done this way and the video was totally DIY as well. Roman finally bought himself a digital photo camera before we went on a weekend tour with FALL APART and made the video in his room at home with the crappy video function. We thought it was great and posted it. Otherwise I don't think we'd make a commercial video, but we'll never know. If the idea is good and makes sense then why not? If there's a point to get across then we're open for ideas, be it through the music or as a visual bonus. Whatever bro!
What do you do for a living ?
I work as a draughtsman.
Is DEADVERSE a political band ? I know you put out a split record with UNVEIL, which is overtly political with their vegan straight edge agenda and the few other issues they tackle through lyrics. I suppose you’re a bit different in terms of approach and how you manage your band, but I know for a fact that you were open enough, so to speak, to share a split record with a political band. So back to the question, are you a political band ?
First off, thumbs up to UNVEIL! I think it's great what they're doing, and I hope to see more of them in the future. In addition to that, they are really nice guys. We always enjoy their company, and were fortunate enough to share a split CD with them. I still love the contrast of the idea as we do have a different style to put it bluntly. But I guess we both have something to say and what better way to do so. Even though we're not overtly politically orientated, there is a touch of politics on a social level. It's more about querying things that people go through on a day to day basis, and why things have become what they are, and what's left to do, but all on a personal level. It's about objectively illustrating our suspicions and laying them out on the table for someone to see where we're coming from and maybe even spark a thought or a memory that someone can hopefully relate to and maybe say: "Yes, I know exactly what you mean", or "I've never thought of it that way...". It's more about going behind and questioning actions to understand the reactions.
AN ODE TO BAD POST
What are your views on what’s going on down here in the underground music scene ? Are there a few bands from the French speaking part of the country that you like ? And what do you know about Romandie ?
I think the underground scene isn't one that's meant to be popular, hence the name obviously. But there are a lot of people that are really into putting up shows and helping out bands that need to get out there. Obviously a lot comes from who you meet and who you've met which in certain cases does tend to make it easier for a band to get some stage-time, honestly speaking. Even if it's for next to nothing, just getting to play for a small audience in a cramped room always proves worthwhile. Unfortunately I don't know jack about the Romandie, or any bands from that part of Switzerland except for your band AGAIN’N’AGAIN, BLOWN and ARCHERS AND ARROWS. And I remember a band called EASTWOOD, round the 90's. Which is really poor on my part, as I haven't really made much of an effort. I guess it's also a bit because we've never played in the French part, which we'll definitely look into in the near future.
Besides music, what do you really like doing ? Do you like sports ? Travelling ? Knitting ? Cooking ?
I love traveling and that's the main reason why I have a full time job. And yes cooking just hits the spot. Other than that I surf when I can.
Do you vote ? Do you believe in democracy ?
I do believe in a certain kind of democracy. I don't believe everyone should have to vote about everything all the time. That's just showing off. People are just losing common sense about overcoming day to day hurdles, and everything gets discussed till it's boring. I find there are bigger things at stake that should be discussed, not petty shit!
Are you a home-loving person or are you rather a very sociable one ? And do you like spending time alone ? I’m asking you this cause I feel that nowadays a lot of people spend their whole life whining about their loneliness. I don’t wanna put everyone in the same basket cause I’m pretty sure some have a really hard life and have difficulty in dealing with loneliness. But I do believe loneliness has its benefits too. And then again, you’re likely to get people feel sorry for you if you’re a loner, even though it’s your own choice to live this way and how you are. In parallel, you never get anyone think you’re a weirdo because you’ve got a lot of people all around you all the time. So what’s your opinion ? (Which is one more question ! Clive, sorry for being so boring and elaborating questions that are that long !)
Well believe it or not, but being an only child I've had my share of loneliness. Not in a bad way either. My parents travelled around in Africa where I was born, so it was always meeting new people and going to new schools on a regular basis. Finding kids in the neighborhood proved quite a task at times because everything's so far apart. So I guess I'm a bit of both. I really like hanging around at home, doing next to nothing, but on the other hand I love being places and meeting people. Can't really answer that one.
Do you like reading ? What are you reading right now and what’s the best book, article or lyric line you’ve ever read ?
I do like reading. Although I haven't gotten round to reading much lately - which is a really stupid excuse, I know. The best book I'd say I've read is "To Kill A Mocking Bird" by Harper Lee, or "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson.
What are your plans for the future with the band ?
We'll see where it goes. We're releasing our first LP this year and hope to get to play lots more. I guess we're just taking it one step at a time.
LOTTERIES
What are your five all-time favorite records ? And why ?
Ok this is a difficult one and it's really hard to narrow this down. At the moment I'd say:
NEW BOMB TURKS – « Destroy O' Boy » : I just love the attitude of that album.
PUBLIC ENEMY – « Fear Of A Black Planet » : This LP I bought in South Africa in '92. Need I say more?
SEPULTURA – « Arise » : Yes I know!? But it just brings back some really good memories, even my mom would dance to it as we were doing the dishes together!
GO IT ALONE – « The Only blood Between Us » : Just has to be in there somewhere... Still love listening to this one too.
HOT SNAKES – « Suicide Invoice » : It's really that good.
Anything to add ? Any shout-outs ?
I would just really like to say thanks to all the guys and bands that helped us out over the last 3 or 4 years. Check out the following locals if you haven't heard of them: BEGGARS&GENTRY, SEED OF PAIN, LOW FAT ORCHESTRA, UNVEIL, DRAMAMINE (fom Münster DE). Thanks to Samuel Hartmann for helping us with the recordings and especially to those who have bought our records and have come to shows. Thanks to you Bastien for wanting to do this interview, even though I took so long.
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Alright, that was another discovery you'll have to keep in a part of your head. Switzerland , is maybe not the biggest european scene but this country can be proud to have some really amazing bands, like Deadverse in my opinion. Thanx again to Bastien and Skartnak.com for theinterview !
You can get their record here : http://www.straightandalert.com/lp/658-deadverse-caution-to-the-wind.html
Deadverse :
Monday, November 21, 2011
Record of the week - Striving Higher : A Hardcore Comp LP
Tracklist :
1. Foundation - No One Writes Protest Songs Anymore
2. The Rival Mob - My Culture
3. Inside - The World As It Is
4. Disengage - Think For Yourself
5. Battle Ruins - Cold Iron Death
6. The Mongoloids - Unnecessarily Necessary
7. Blacklisted - Those Shields Around You
8. Dead Stop - Hate To Say
9. Rhythm To The Madness - Challenging The Heavens (Parts I & II)
10. Blkout - Idle Hands
11. Stick Together - End It
12. Tremors - Creekside
13. Nails - Black Cloud
14. Bracewar - The Race
15. As We Let Go - Life In The Crack
16. War Hungry - Broken On The Wheel
17. Inside - Cloudy Eyes (CD only bonus track)
18. Gypsy - Therapist (CD only bonus track)
19. Blacklisted - It's All Going Down (CD and Flexi 7" only bonus track)
I've been waiting for this compilation so bad since the day Dave posted about it on Six Feet Under's website. Just by looking at the line up, I knew it was going to be something good. Like on most of compilations, there's good surprises, disappointments and some bands we wonder how they ended up here. However, Six Feet Under did a great job and some of the best current hardcore bands in the world feature on this comp. Along with "V.A – America's Hardcore" on Tripple B records, "Striving Higher A Hardcore Comp" is one of the best compilations of these last years.
In addition, all copies come with a 20 pages booklet featuring art for each band, a poster, and if thats not enough, a free flexi disc featuring another new Blacklisted song "It's All Going Down".
Let's go !
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1. Foundation - No One Writes Protest Songs Anymore
It starts, after a useless interlude, by Atlantas's Fondation. They are influenced by 90’s hardcore ( Unbroken, Indecision, Buried Alive…) and their sound is full of anger and rage. This song is metallic as fuck and it's a good way to start this comp.
2. The Rival Mob - My Culture
Then The Rival Mob… and here is the first desillusion. Even if it's hard for me to admit it because I love this band so much, this song is not as good as their previous material ( "Raw Life"LP, "Hardcore For Hardcore" 7"). TRM plays NYHC with a boston 2K hardcore vibe. Mental with the Tasmanian Devil singing! Angry, groovy, with a dirty and powerfull sound, this band is in my opinion one of the bests of these last years. However the song is still really good.
3. Inside - The World As It Is
Then we find Inside, new japanese band signed on SFU. They play a mix between late 80's youth crew ala Judge and 90's ala Unbroken. Quite good !
4. Disengage - Think For Yourself
After comes Disengage, who put out a 7" on Back To Back records last year. Let's call it "classic youth crew". I don't dig that song so much which would need a better recording . Next.
5. Battle Ruins - Cold Iron Death
BATTLE FUCKINGS RUINS. Damned, maybe the biggest surprise on this comp. Nothing of hardcore (except that it's a side projet of I-don't-remember-which-famous-band-members) , but awesome melodic ( ?) punk with raw vocals slightly influenced by Iron Maiden influences haha. I discovered this band with their awesome 5 tracks ST but this song brings them to a next level.
6. The Mongoloids - Unnecessarily Necessary
No breaks before New Jersey's The Mongoloids hit the speakers. They take their influences in bands who featured on famous compilations such as " Where The Wild Things Are "and "New Breed Tape" or also Sheer Terror, Life Of Agony, Outburst and Cro-Mags. Killer metallic hardcore with raw vocals, and craziness. The breakdown of this "Unnecessarily Necessary" will drive you nuts !
7. Blacklisted - Those Shields Around You
Guys from Blacklisted have since a while stopped to play their "better than Terror" metallic / groovy hardcore , to dedicated themselves to their new hobby : grunge-core. It doesn't mean nothing, and so what ? Whatever, since 2 or 3 records Blacklisted plays a mix between Nirvana and Black Flag with a metallic approach. The best way to get in love with their music is to listen to this track which is pretty rad !
8. Dead Stop - Hate To Say
Boom, Negative Approach in Belgium. Some say Dead Stop was the best belgian (european?) band ever… well I never had a chance to check them live so I can't dis/agree ! One sure thing is ALL their songs are dope and this one is another hit. Just like I said, NEGATIVE APPROACH. For those who don't know, it's fast and pissed off 80's hardcore.
9. Rhythm To The Madness - Challenging The Heavens (Parts I & II)
AAAAHHHOUUUUU FUCK ! My appologies for talking bad but this RTTM is a KI-LLER! 7:38 minutes and I'm asking for more ! This belgian band was supposed to be done since a while, well I don't know what's going on with it but one sure thing is that I recieved a huge kick in the teeth with "Challenging The Heavens" . Their hardcore style is weird : vocals coming from deep inside Hell, just like the guitar riffs. It reminds me a lot Iron Age, between ambiant metal and groovy / thrashy breakdowns.
10. Blkout - Idle Hands
Blkout comes from Australia and kicks ass too ! Metallic and groovy hardcore. It could be an english band and perfectly fill the gap between Deal With It and Dirty Money.
11. Stick Together - End It
Stick Together are influenced by the traditional late 80's Straight Edge Hardcore sound as well as the late 90's wave of bands that captured (or at least tried to capture) that same vibe. With current and ex-members of War Hungry, Bad Seed and Force Fed. I can't explain why but I feel this band has something that catches the attention and bring them to the hardcore first league.
12. Tremors – Creekside
We were talking about Dirty Money, here is ex-DM singer's new band. Think about some hardcore punk with Dirty Money vocal signature and you got it. Another band you should keep and eye on !
13. Nails - Black Cloud
We totally change musical landscape with Nails who's more into metal / hardcore / powerviolence, performing a 33secs track with a blasting drum all along the song. It was said that Nails is like "Entombed covering Napalm Death and Drop Dead". Pretty true.
14. Bracewar - The Race
Second little disappointment on this record. Bracewar who already put out a demo 7" a while a ago that was far from being as good as their previous LP, "Juggernaut". This song is still good. Metallic hardcore reminding me early Hatebreed.
15. As We Let Go - Life In The Crack
Another japanese band who's playing a kind of hardcore influenced by Guns Up and No Warning. Really not the best track of the comp.
16. War Hungry - Broken On The Wheel
War Hungry is way better ! Heavy metallic guitar riffs taken from Black Sabbath and old thrash metal played with an hardcore vibe and awesome vocal. "Broken On The Wheel" is the shit.
Let's finish with 2 tracks only featuring on CD version + 1 which is on a flexi 7" that you can get only by ordering on SFU website or Straight & Alert's webstore.
17. Inside - Cloudy Eyes (CD only bonus track)
Inside again, we already talked about them. This song is even more 90's hardcore influenced (Outspoken, Undertow and others) than the previous one. Good stuff.
18. Gypsy - Therapist (CD only bonus track)
Alright, I know hardcore-trendy-hype followers won't agree with me but I think this band is kinda cheesy ("kinda" because there is some good parts in this song still). The singer tries but can't sing in the tune and guitar riffs are boring during the half of the song. Oh yeah…and it's not hardcore at all, I guess we call that rock. Though it's done by talented guys (Bad Seed, Blacklisted, Cold World) and supposed to be influenced by Jawbreaker, Seaweed, Dinosaur Jr… yeah but no.
19. Blacklisted - It's All Going Down (CD and Flexi 7" only bonus track)
Last but not least, another song by Blacklisted. This song is more or less in the same style that the previous one on the comp (With in my opinion some Cold World's vibes). The bonus is that this song features on a classy clear flexi 7" !
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That's it ! In a little bit more than 50 minutes , this awesome Six Feet Under records compilation comes to an end. Don't forget to check out all bands' albums, especially the ones you are not allowed not to know : The Rival Mob "Raw Life"LP and "Hardcore For Hardcore" 7", The Mongoloids "Time Trials" LP, "Assorted Music" LP, "New Beginnings" 7", Rhythm To The Madness " Weltschmerz" LP, Bracewar's demo and their "Juggernaut"LP and eventually War Hungry "Return To Earth" 7" and their "ST" LP.
Go listen to them !
You can get the record here : http://www.straightandalert.com/lp/751-va-striving-higher-a-hardcore-comp-lpblacklisted-flexi-.html
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Record of the week - OUTSPOKEN : The Current
Tracklist :
1. Shadow
2. Innocent
3. Current
SHADOW
You can be sure if we talk about 90's hardcore, you will hear about Outspoken along with Earth Crisis, Integrity, Undertow, Strife and other huge bands around during Victory records / New Age records golden age. Concerning the music, they play a hardcore kind close to late 80's youth crew and especially the cold sound of Judge, with a metallic approach. "The Current" is their last 7" first released in 1994, and repressed in 2011 by New Age records. Check this record out and this 90's hardcore cornerstone band.
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This interview was done before Outspoken reunion show, by Jake for STUCK IN THE PAST webzine http://xstuckinthepastx.blogspot.com . You can read the original version here :
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Mike Hartsfield interview
No doubt many of you are curious to know about the upcoming Outspoken reunion shows and what else is in store for this '90s hardcore staple, so hopefully this interview that I did recently with Mike Hartsfield will answer some of those questions for you. On a personal note, I've known Hartsfield since '92 and not only is he one of the coolest and nicest guys in the hardcore scene but his devotion to both hardcore and to Straight Edge simply can not be denied. Enjoy the interview. - Jake
I guess the first thing that you and I should discuss is the Outspoken reunion. How did it come about? What is the lineup?
Basically, Dan Adair (our original bass player) called me with the idea of a show this year just for fun, not to make it a huge deal and just one for kicks since it's the 20 year anniversary of the band forming. I told him to count me in. So, Dan made all the calls, some were on board and some weren't. Since not everyone was into doing it, we got the guys that were down and started practicing all the songs under the band name "Save Yourself". Well, the more we talked to people about it, they started asking "why aren't you calling it Outspoken?", since we are playing Outspoken songs, that 3 out of 5 of us actually wrote. We started asking ourselves should we really start all over again just to doing the same thing? Dan went back to the guys that weren't interested in playing a show, asked them again if they wanted to be involved, and told them we might be doing Outspoken again as a band. Again, they wanted nothing to do with it. With three of us having been members of Outspoken, we filled in the gaps with the best elements and individuals humanly possible and Outspoken will play again in 2010. Dan and I are doing the same old thing, Jae moved from bass/backing vocals to lead vocals and we added Brian from Mean Season on guitar and Jae's friend Danny on drums. Jae knew Danny for years and thought he would fit perfectly, and he has.
So why are some of the original members not involved in the upcoming endeavors?
Without getting too much into it, everyone is older now with families, careers, etc. Things get more and more difficult to pull off and we totally understand them not wanting to do it. It's some of the same reasons why we originally broke up in 1994.
I understand that the initial reaction to the official announcement of the Outspoken reunion seems both positive and negative.
Yes, we heard both. It was very positive before we announced the lineup. Once we announced the change, we got a lot of negative but still some positive. It's been amazing though and I am excited about it.
Even the negative?
Especially the negative. I never knew other people were so passionate about this band. It's incredible. Some people are totally excited and want to see what we can do with it. Others seem pissed off and feel it should have a different name or that we shouldn't be doing it at all. Either way it's exciting to me. It's the challenge we need. It creates a bar we not only need to meet but the test is to go above and beyond without compromise. I think it's totally possible for us to be better than we ever were before. We can't wait.
Is Outspoken back together for good or just to play some shows? Will there be brand new songs/records?
We had originally talked about "a few shows" but now that we have a dedicated line up, we aren't setting any boundaries on what we might do.
So tours? New records? What else is coming? You must be thinking about the future.
We're just now starting to confirm shows so we are looking at a few offers and planning on what to do this year and next. Touring isn't out of the question, we just need to be smart in planning. Most of us cannot to be away from work too long and we all have financial obligations to keep in check. The band has never paid us even a fraction of as much as our full time jobs do so we need to be smart with taking on obligations with the band. As far as new records go, I started writing Outspoken style songs again in the late 90's so I have some material waiting in the wings. I just don't know which labels we should approach.
Not New Age?
I'd rather not. I just don't have the time to dedicate to giving it the attention I feel it would need. I've only got a few releases left to put out and I'd rather dedicate my time and resources elsewhere. It's been fun though. But, if a label doesn't come around, I'm always here to do it if need be.
Are you still Straight Edge?
Absolutely, unapologetically, and without compromise. It was easily the best decision I have ever made to better myself and my situation almost 25 years ago. Bleed for it....INNOCENT
What's your take on hardcore reunions in general, particularly reunions of Straight Edge bands with one or more key members who are no longer Straight Edge?
I've been here too long to keep score. With my time served, it's obvious that most people break Edge eventually. We have seen so many fall. So I take reunions as I see them. If I liked the band before, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they will be good. I'm more excited about hearing the songs than keeping an Edge count or figuring out who is an original member, It's about the music and the message more than the individuals involved. That feeling we had when we first heard those songs is what we want to feel again.
Outspoken was one of the most popular hardcore bands of the early '90s and headlined several shows during that time as a result. Did you ever feel overwhelmed because of this and if so, how did you deal with it?
Never overwhelmed, always just wanting to do more and thinking we had never done enough. Now, we have the time and new people to see what we can really do with it. Better late than never.
What are some of your favorite Outspoken songs and why?
"Shadow", "Innocent", "Burning", "Current". Haha, the newer the stuff, the better it is to me as with most musicians, I would think. We got better with time, I think. That's probably the reason why I'm really excited to see what new material we come up with.
What are some of your favorite songs by some of your other many bands and why?
I think A18 was the only other that I had favorites with: "Dig", "Gravelines", "Dear Furious", "Heartbreak Affiliated", etc.
As a musician and a songwriter, who/what are some of your influences and why?
Pretty much all the hardcore I got started on: Stalag 13, Aggression, Uniform Choice, Dag Nasty, Crumbsuckers, Insted, Verbal Assault, etc. Plus, before I got into hardcore, I was into a lot of metal. That influence creeps in from time to time.
You, along with David "Igby" Sattani and Colin Duckmanton, make up Hardcore Reunion, a group whose purpose is putting on shows featuring '80s and '90s hardcore bands with all of the net proceeds going to charity. How exactly did Hardcore Reunion come together?
Colin and Igby both are two legit guys that I know do things for hardcore for the right reasons. It (HCR) was just one of those ideas that sounded like a great idea when we first thought of it. We didn't want to deal with bands wanting big money and playing again just for their egos, etc. We knew Dan O'Mahony had been talking about a possible reunion of No For An Answer and that was our first chance to get things started. I was trying to get Outspoken on that first show but that didn't work out. We'll do the next one, I hope.
The very successful first Hardcore Reunion show took place at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California on 3/22/09 and featured No For An Answer, a surprise performance by Carry Nation, A Chorus of Disapproval, Headfirst, Blackspot and ICE. How did you, Igby and Colin decide on that lineup for the first show?
Well, No For An Answer came first and we ran everything by them before booking anyone. As ideas and options were presented, we just made the choices available to NFAA. It fit pretty well together without too much effort.
A number of people (including you and Chorus frontman Isaac Golub) brought their young children to the show. Were you at all worried or concerned for their safety as well as them being exposed to the rampant profanity that accompanies most hardcore shows?
No, not at all. We knew the show would be an older and less rowdy crowd. Plus, since I was there and didn't have any duties that would distract me from hanging out with my daughter, I knew she would be safe. She wore ear protection. Her best friend came too. There wasn't any inappropriate language, but if there was, I'm sure she hears worse things from friends at school. Both girls had a great time and so did I.
How are you able to successfully juggle your numerous hardcore endeavors with your responsibilities as a father and a husband?
"Successfully" (laughter). It definitely has it's ups and downs. I work so much that I have had less time to go to shows and I have been home more. Plus, I haven't played in a band in over a year. Now, thanks to Dan (laughter) opening his big mouth, it looks like I will have less free time than ever before.
You turn 41 this year and you are just as heavily involved in the hardcore scene now as you were when you were a kid, if not more so. What is it about hardcore that has kept you so heavily involved in it for over 20 years?
I have taken a huge step back actually. The label alone has taken a huge step back, I just don't have the funds I had at one time to contribute to it. Not to mention how my time has become more limited. But it's not hard to still feel connected to the hardcore scene. It's where I'm from and where I'm at. I love it.
How exactly did you get into hardcore?
I got into hardcore half way through high school (1985/1986), when I was becoming more and more disinterested in the heavy metal scene. I was really hungry to find something more personal, something I could become involved with and find a personal connection with. I joined a hardcore punk band at the time I still had long hair. Those guys exposed me to all I needed to be sold on hardcore, thanks to Paul, Matt & Justin!
CURRENT
You founded New Age Records in 1988. You were still a teenager and pretty fresh out of high school at that point. How did you go about starting New Age with what little resources (money and otherwise) that you had at the time?
I worked two jobs to get things started and just found a place in a local music magazine with an ad for a place that offered a special deal on pressing records. I called them and asked a handful of stupid questions, and figured out I could order 1000 records and it would be up to me and the band to sell them. When it started, I never even thought about releasing a second record.
It's my understanding that many record labels are ceasing production of CDs and only releasing records in digital and vinyl formats. Are you planning on doing this with New Age? Why or why not?
Yeah, I won't do CDs any more unless it's a CD that would be included with a record. They are way too hard to sell and no one is really interested.
You co-founded the Network Sound record label with your Outspoken and Drift Again bandmate Dennis Remsing in the early '90s. Why did you find it necessary to create a whole other label?
Because we were both fans of the style of music Network Sound ended up putting out (emo and pop punk) and figured it would confuse the New Age and Conversion fans if we just released them as we wanted.
Do you have any funny or interesting Outspoken tour stories that you'd like to share?
One good one is while we were driving back east once, I was driving and Jae was in the passenger seat. It was my bright idea that we should drive naked. Once we were driving for a few minutes I started passing big rig trucks in the fast lane then slowing down right in time for them to look down and see Jae totally naked. Then I would pace them until Jae begged me to pull by them.
After Outspoken broke up in the mid '90s, you formed The Suppression Swing with the equally prolific Jason Hampton on vocals. Did you have any idea back then that he would become the Hell's Angel on steroids that he is now?
No, I had no idea. Jason is easily in one of the greatest guys of all time. The Third Degree is one of my favorite bands ever. Classically underrated.
Amendment Eighteen (A18) is your most well known band and I gotta confess that aside from going to one A18 show and listening to a few A18 songs here and there, I don't know enough to ask you any real substantive questions about it, so what are your thoughts on that band?
A18 is by far the most dedicated and fulfilling musical experience in my life. I thought it was my least known band (laughter), at least that's how it seemed at our shows. A18 was a wild ride.
Thanks so much to Jake and Stuck In The Past for all of the support! Our first confirmed show is the A Time We'll Remember Fest on November 6th at Stephens Church in Washington, DC. We are playing with some incredible bands and look forward to seeing all our old friends again and making new ones.
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That's all folks. Outspoken's week comes to an end.
Thanx again to Jake and STUCK IN THE PAST (http://xstuckinthepastx.blogspot.com). You can read the original version here :
You can get their record here : http://www.straightandalert.com/7/730-outspoken-the-current.html
Outspoken
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Outspoken/42761148068
http://www.myspace.com/outspokenhardcore
Here are 3 live videos, two back in the 90's and one during a reunion show :
"Reinforced" from Loyola Marymount
"Burning" from Syracuse NY
"Shadow" from "Coming of Age" @ the Showcase
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