Is your World on Fire?

Gemm is a rock band from Phoenix, Arizona. The band is coming off the release of their summer promo with the infectious tracks ‘Dizzy’ and ‘World On Fire’. Gemm is made up of Peter on vocals and bass, Ryan on guitar, Garrett on drums, and Russ rounding it all out on vocals and guitar. Their sound invokes 90’s grunge with hints of shoegaze, but overall the band comes at your ears with straight forward rock ‘n’ roll. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Peter to talk about Gemm.

     The band has been playing together for 3 years, starting at the end of 2020. However, Russ, Ryan, and Peter have been playing in bands together since 2010. Since then, the members have worked on other projects and have all improved greatly as musicians and artists.

     ‘[It’s all come] full circle… we’re all on the top of our game and it feels organic’.

      What are some of the band’s influences, musically?

      Gemm has so many influences musically, but the main influence is felt with 90’s grunge. Bands such as, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and newer bands, Superheaven and Basement. Regarding their influences, Peter had this to say, ‘That’s a hard question because I hear things that influence my specific part.’

This sentiment rings true with each of the other members as well. They pull individually from different places and create a melting pot of music that sounds simultaneously nostalgic and fresh.

      What plans does Gemm have coming down the pipe?

      ‘We have a few things coming up.  We have a run of shows with friends of ours, All Eyez and Shiiva, we have a 6 song EP coming as well, and we have a show coming up with Teenage Wrist, Spiritual Cramp, and Slow Joy. There’s more to come, definitely some stuff coming in November.’

      What bands are you currently listening to that you feel deserve more attention?

      ‘There’s so many Arizona bands that deserve attention’ expresses Peter. ‘Hard Luck, One Life Taken, Skin Ticket, Beyond All Doubt, Dreamcast. With Tucson there’s Maldita Gente, Fortuna Malvada, Velour, Commoner, Final Stance, and more. There’s also Beg For Life, and Chain. Big shout out to Jeff Yuma for keeping things going and booking shows.’ The list of locals goes on further but other bands mentioned was Chlorine from Portland and Ultra Lite from Philadelphia.

     How has the writing process changed or evolved from the first release to this?

     ‘Initially,’ stated Peter, ‘we weren’t sure we wanted to be a band. It took us a while to dive into wanting to actually write music. We jammed and played different iterations until settling into the Gemm sound. That first release was kind of chaotic.’

     Following the first tape release, the band went back into the studio to answer with something more focused. About the second release Peter says,

     ‘we learned a lot. We took a few months following the first time back in the studio to get back in the mode of being a machine.’ 

     With that happening, the band was able to write and flesh out 6 songs in total.

     What other interests or projects do each of the members have?

     Each member has other interests outside the band as well. Peter does photography, - check out Tremendous Visuals - music, and has other media projects. Russ has experience in carpentry, airbrushing, and working on his motorcycle. Garrett is into horticulture. Ryan plays guitar and currently has other musical projects in the works, and he paints.

     What’s been one constant message or ethos that the band has had and will continue to have?

     ‘At its roots Gemm is a hardcore band…’ Says Peter, ‘we have the mindset that it’s 1 or 1 million, it doesn’t matter. If you show up to see us we’re giving it our all. In everything we do we want to create a space for people to feel important and welcome.’

     The band has so much going on, with more to come. This experience helped me to see the band in a light outside of the music. It feels more like an effort to create a movement, one of ‘we’re all in this together’. Go check out the band on Spotify, or watch the music videos for ‘Dizzy’ and ‘World on Fire’.

Follow Gemm on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gemmrockaz?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ==

Twitter: http://twitter.com/gemmrockaz

Facebook: http://facebook.com/gemmrockaz

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gemmrockaz?_t=8fj2eOtV7yI&_r=1

World On Fire music video: https://youtu.be/8yRumqFngZM?si=byl8gbkoBA1hlGDx

Dizzy music video: https://youtu.be/zStK9Ljz8tU?si=yT0_k48vvstXUul-

Photo credits: Chloe Lara, Tremendous Visuals, Mj Graves, and Ppuredevotionn

Jake from Livid and Die

 When making your jewelry, do you make the pendants yourself?

When it comes to my jewelry I usually thrift the pendants, or find them online from a bunch of different sites. Finding good charms can be a pain. I want to start casting my own eventually.

What got you into drawing, and what are some of your favorite pieces to draw?

I started drawing when I was really young, and stopped for some reason at the end of highschool. I’d say in 2017-ish I started drawing again. It felt really good to go back to a format of art I had almost forgotten I could do. I think the classic skull is a favorite. Who doesn’t love skulls?

How long have you been making, selling your art and jewelry?

I started making my art again in around 2017, and jewelry started in 2018 I’d say? When I repierced my ear I started making my own jewelry, and I received a lot of compliments on it. People told me that they would buy my earrings and what not if I made them some, so I figured why not. I started selling my art I think around 2018ish predominantly, again when people started asking for it. I really appreciate people who commission me, buy prints, support my band, etc. Makes it feel like what I’m doing matters even just a little bit.

Who are some of your inspirations?

As for art, I definitely take inspiration from Winston Smith (the Dead Kennedy’s collage artist,) Ethan McCarthy (from Primitive Man and Vermin Womb,) and Alexander Heir (Deathreaitors.) Their art rips hard as fuck. 

For Music, I’d say Weekend Nachos, Harm Done, Sex Prisoner, Gag, Glue, Warthog, Vermin Womb etc. are contemporary bands that are just too sick not to love. But I honestly think I get inspiration from all of my music tastes, from black sabbath to the system of a down haha.

What got you into punk and hardcore?

Growing up my parents showed me everything from Korn and slipknot to SoundGarden and Alice in Chains. Classic rock, thrash, 80’s music, nu metal, grunge, etc. I think that’s what got me into metal/metal related genres. I found Dead Kennedys on my own sometime in High School I’d say, and that really started my liking of punk shit. However as for hardcore, I remember I was at home bored one night at was watching music videos on demand, when I stumbled upon Converge’s Aimless Arrow. I was blown away by them, and then started listening to everything they put out (it’s metalcore, but whatever.) Some of my friends in High School showed me Warhound and Trapped Under Ice, and then I attended my first local show ever, which was Kingmaker. After that I did  a straight nose dive into extreme music and hardcore, Weekend nachos, TUI, Cult Leader, Harms Way, Full of Hell, No zodiac, etc. 

In your opinion, why is a DIY ethic so important?

DIY ethic is the very heart of being punk in my own opinion. Like with any successful band, sure there is dumb luck associated with it, but the beauty of DIY music is you dont need that bullshit in order to have the time of your life. Playing basements, and random DIY venues I’ll take over a bar any day. Its so fucking sick to see a community come together to listen to such hard-to-listen to music. 

I’ve always been super DIY, not only because I'm a cheap asshole, but it just feels better doing things yourself. I design, and print all of Livid’s merch. I book all of our tours myself. I work on our van to keep it running. We’ve done so much as a band, all thanks to our bust our own asses type mentality, and to say the least it's paid off time and time again. Without the DIY ethic, I’d be missing out on most of my favorite memories.

How long have you been playing drums and in bands?

I’ve been playing drums my whole life. I’ve been playing guitar since highschool, and vocals since Livid started (about 4 years ago.) I played guitar in my first band, then drums in the second. My first band broke up after our first gig, and the second went on for a little bit, until I started Livid with my bandmate Jake Smith. I love playing drums and doing vocals, even though it kicks my ass. Now I’m also playing guitar in Die. our punk band, and I’m super stoked on that. 

What are your influences when it comes to making art, music, or jewelry?

I draw inspiration for many of my works from the world and how shitty it is. I have been through several ups and downs with depression, stress, etc. I feel like most of my art is really dark, and I guess the world is too. 

Not to be that dude but I’d say most of the art, and music I like is either really pissed off or really fucking sad. I think the art I make follows the same pattern.

What are some artists, writers, or bands you think have been overlooked and need some attention?

Oh man, far too many.

Listen to Mutilatred, All You Know Is Hell, Iced, Scalp, World Peace, Snuffed, Spy, SandxCoffin, Beyond Pain, Control System, Pig City, Kidnapped, XSAVAGEX, Family Vacation, etc.

I know there’s way more but those are the ones coming to mind off the top of my head!

For artists I’d say the inspirations I took from before!

Give Jake and his Projects a listen and follow!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lividband?lang=en

https://twitter.com/lividxjake?s=21

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livid262?igshid=154t0b3bc0579

 https://instagram.com/lividjake?igshid=upf7kc8avong

https://instagram.com/die.fuck.you?igshid=1kh9p9hf9lbcj

Bandcamp: https://tomorrowwillbeworse.bandcamp.com/album/sorry

https://lividwi.bandcamp.com/album/livid-mutilatred-split

https://diefuckyou.bandcamp.com/releases

Butter on the Top - GROIN

GROIN.
The humorous, but still serious crusty love-child of PV fans from Tucson and Phoenix. The band is about as in your face as it gets. When friends Luis (Lois), Austin, Josh, and Matt came together it was in an effort to create something fun while contributing to a scene and culture they love. It was great to have a chance to sit down and hear some of the members perspectives on hardcore punk, messages in music, and writing. Here's what we talked about:

What message or point do you hope to get across to listeners?
Lois: To be honest, I didn't have any intention of spreading a message or anything like that when I was writing lyrics. For the most part they’re just some of my observations/gripes I wanted to get off my chest. Articulate and solidify them as ideas. Unfortunately I’m pretty pessimistic (or realistic) about most things and doubt my lyrics will do much for anyone.

What influences do you cite as a band?
Josh: Personally it’s mostly Weekend Nachos, Magrudergrind, and Dead In The Dirt.
Lois: Magrudergrind is my personal all time fav for Grind/Violence but I also had some ideas inspired by Full of Hell and Dreamworks’ 2001 Shrek soundtrack
Austin: Insect Warfare, Infest, Pig Destroyer, Converge (Poacher Diaries), From Ashes Rise, Lack of Interest, Tragedy

Considering the sound, tempo, recording style and editing, there seemed to be many different influences as well as different entry points for the band members. The guys were all more than happy to share which bands they love and at what point they were introduced to hardcore and punk.

Which bands got you into hardcore?
Josh: The first hardcore and hardcore adjacent bands I remember listening to were Comeback Kid, Cruel Hand, and about every band on Facedown Records in the late 2000’s.
Lois: Trapped Under Ice and then a lot of straight edge bands that would be considered metalcore by today's standards. Seventh Dagger Records particularly circulated in my highschool so bands like xAFBx xRepresentx xTyrantx Barcadia
Austin: I started out with a Converge CD I got at the library in middle school. I got into more mathcore type of stuff for a while which led to a few different genres.  “Stay Cold” by TUI was the first more standard sounding modern hardcore record I was into.

What was the writing process like with this release?
Josh: Austin had a bunch of songs written and we just sat down and practiced them. Some were just ideas that we finished off. Luis wrote all the lyrics.
Lois: Yeah, we’re split between Phoenix and Tucson so we had like 2 practices to create and finish songs that weren't already in Austins arsenal. I wrote and jammed all the lyrics at home using rough scratch tracks. Then we spent one day in Phx recording all the drums and another recording vocals. Since then, we’ve jammed like 2 times and might jam one more before our first show.
Austin: I wrote a few of the songs 4 years ago for a fun personal project.  Lois approached me asking if I wanted to start a powerviolence thing and I said sure.  He ended up liking the idea so we decided to expand on it and make it more of a (somewhat) serious thing and wrote more to go with it.  I’ll drop the link if anyone wants to hear the old versions

https://wiggleroompv.bandcamp.com/album/wiggle-room

What are the bands plans for the future, any further releases, tours, upcoming shows?

Josh: We’re definitely going to continue writing music. No tours planned but things could change and as of now our only show in the books is March 14th we are playing with Sex Prisoner and Beyond Pain in Tucson.

This release has some great humor to it, while also having a fairly serious message as well. How do you think humor, seriousness, politics, and other ideologies fit into punk music? Or do you feel there is even a place for these types of ideologies?

Josh: I think it’s important to have a message you’re passionate about but at the same time you got to have fun and not take yourself super serious. People go to shows to have fun. 

Lois: I feel like there’s this paralyzing effect from how many social issues are thrown in your face constantly. People get overwhelmed because social media, or the news, are just making it seem like everything’s going to shit. Which in turn just turns a certain amount of people apathetic. I personally find a little respite in humor especially when I’m feeling overloaded with negativity. That’s why I like what we got going on in Groin. We’re able to dish out some heavy stuff, give you a little break to catch your breath, then throw your ass back in the deep end, and you’ll still have some energy by the time we’re done.

Austin: I think it’s important to laugh at everything even if it is something serious. It can help you cope with your problems when you realize you don’t need to take everything so seriously and nothing really matters in the end.

What have been your favorite experiences in playing music?

Josh: The people you meet. 

Lois: Played a shitty house show once in my old band Chaos Ladder and a local rapper Filly Fee started fighting his own friend in the pit but because they were super faded it ended up turning into a glorious ghetto WWE match. Wayyyy more entertaining than our shitty set.

Austin: I love that music has allowed me to travel and meet so many of the great people I know today

What are some bands, books, or other mediums you’ve enjoyed recently and feel that others should pay attention to?

Josh: “Every Movie is Good” podcast is tight for movie lovers, “Demolisten” podcast is tight for fans of hardcore. Obligatory shoutout to all the local bands in Arizona too. Decided Advantage fanzine. Chris has some stuff in the works too.

Lois: I’m not that cultured so I’ll just shout out all of AZHC, but especially War Prison, Concrete Evidence, Get A Grip, Troubled, and Crossfire.

Austin: Check out Viacom, Hydraulic Press Channel, Henry’s Kitchen, Oats Studios, Denis Villeneuve, Larian Studios, Blackbird Haus, 48vault and of course Groin

Overall and honestly this band is fun loving and heavy. It is the type of aggression you'd want when watching a crazy riot scene in a movie, or when dealing with the murderous tendencies that can creep up when dealing with the most incompetent individuals on the planet. Groins Greatest hits scratches an itch for hatred, anger, humor, and sarcasm that any guitar music fan could ask for.

Follow the band on social media:

Bandcamp: https://groinaz.bandcamp.com/releases

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groin.az/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GROINAZ/

Flagstaff Stomp

    Another great chance to work with an amazing AZHC band, Penalty Box, solid dudes playing some heavy, but youthcrew informed hardcore out of Flagstaff AZ. Solid dudes playing fun aggressive music, that is just enjoyable. Seeing this band, interacting with the members, and being able to sit and talk with them was a great learning experience. This band is in fact full of bonafide genuine guys. They've done a release with the Band Vibes from Canada, as well as two of their own releases. This is a little bit of what we talked about:

You have a good sound, and have some familiar draws. What bands influenced you most in your writing and playing?
     "I’m usually seeking musical guidance from bands I feel have healthy doses of negativity and stubbornness… primarily Neglect, Cold World, Bulldoze. I’m also trying to be a little more poetic with my lyricism by adding elements from bands like More Than Life or Turning Point for the sake of Sam’s riff-writing style...I also kinda copy vocal patterns of snippets of any song from any hardcore subgenre. Near the end of ‘Genie In A Bottle’ I take inspiration from a small part of Stout’s ‘Shaved for Battle’... Since we’ve always played in D Standard as opposed to E Standard my riff writing has kind of been all over the place but overall a lot of the Penalty Box songs I’ve written, the guitar and bass parts for draw influence from a slew of late 2000s/early 2010s democore stuff. Basically the entire era of hardcore where every album cover had either cartoon characters, bubbly graffiti font or a rip of the Floorpunch mosher guy."

What bands got you into hardcore?
     Carter: "First hardcore band I ever saw at age like 14 or 15 was Redeemer. They randomly threw on this big show at the Nile theater with synthy metalcore bands. They stuck out like a sore thumb, sounding a bit like Verse, and I particularly loved the ample use of two-steps at that time. I didn’t even care that they were a Christian band either...Listening to or seeing that style was pretty dormant for me until I discovered all the other AZHC heavyweights like 7serpents, Beg For Life, Brothers In Arms, Reasons, and Spill My Blood, and saw them all at Dust Fest II later that year. The rest was history."
     Sam: "The first legitimate hardcore band I listened to was a band called Set It Straight from Redding (they did a split 7” with local legends Where Eagles Dare). One of the first friends I made from the Phoenix area back when I was living in Flagstaff as a youngin inadvertently put me onto them during a time when I was mostly listening to heavier metalcore stuff. As I started going to more shows in Flagstaff I started listening to some of the bands my friends who went to shows listened to and talked about, which were a lot of 2000s bands like Ruiner, Verse, Have Heart, Life Long Tragedy, Sinking Ships, etc. A noteworthy thing about core kids from Flagstaff was that their musical tastes pretty much spanned the entire spectrum of aggressive music from straight edge, youthcore, all the way to Killwhitneydead, which was kind of cool as a 17 year old becoming involved with all of it since I kind of got a feel for everything from the get go and could decide pretty early on what I liked and didn’t like."

Can you discuss the lyrical content of your songs, what message is the band hoping to convey?

     "A lot of our songs are written from a personal standpoint about our own selfish grievances toward the self-involved and disrespectful ways people choose to lead their lives. None are about specific people per se, but they all focus on bad habits and shitty actions we’ve either witnessed or were on the receiving end of throughout our lives. Some lyrics serve as a warning about how peoples’ behavior can impact those around them and ultimately themselves. We want it coming across as a suggestion to look at the big picture, and better one’s self in the process, rather than pompously telling people the way they live that we may feel is ‘wrong’, is the bottom line, because a second set of eyes could always use a third set of eyes. But then again, I might say screw it and go full dickhead for the next release."

You recently played with Skarhead and Desert Dweller, what was that like?

     "The Skarhead show was cool! We don’t really listen to Skarhead much, but knowing who the members are, and the role they played among other NYHC bands from that time made it one for the bucket list (plus they were total characters onstage and their banter with one another kept things interesting). Their DJ kept playing trap horns and this “I love cocaine!!!” soundbyte repeatedly.. they’re a total riot. Brick By Brick also played that show, and they’re just straight up heavy and sick as hell.
     As for Desert Dweller, we went for the 3-peat, which was cool because Matt has always been down to make sure we were playing every year. Big fat shoutout to the whole Desert Dweller crew for always doing their thing and showing everyone a good time. We went into this one knowing it was going to be our last show for a while since all of us have other projects to focus on, so we knew the energy would be a little bit different between the band because of that. Everyone still showed out, represented Arizona to the fullest, and made it a memorable experience. It’s always a fun time running into our buddies in Drain as well.. it’s so sick seeing them absolutely tear up the place."

What’s been the most interesting show you’ve played?

     "One show we still laugh about to this day, took place in Flagstaff at Firecreek back in July 2018. Besides us, every band on the bill was either a pop punk or alt type band. We were kind of out of our element being on this mixed bill, but hopped on anyways cuz Sam’s good homies in Dead Lakes from WA played, and we wanted to get it in with them during their visit.

One band in particular had these shit-eating kids with agents and photographers present. That honestly wouldn’t have mattered but they were acting a little too Hollywood for the coffee shop venue’s 50-head turnout, and a little too Hollywood towards us- pretending to forget our names and laughing about it. I remember asking those dudes a few questions trying to make conversation, and their manager(?) or whatever was answering for them. I don’t know.. we didn’t get radio play on KUPD so I guess the joke’s on us.

Well, anyways, all our Flagstaff guys rolled out for our set and got appropriately rowdy, as Flagstaff does. Kids getting moshed on top of tables, some high school bully came and got clocked badly, Carter’s boss from the Ice Rink and Jesse’s coworker from the hospital came out of curiosity, and all this busy activity kept us all smiling and having a fun night. 

The photographer of the Hollywood band was taking pictures of every set, and while she got pretty good shots of everybody else, the photos of our set were all taken from a chair in the back corner of the room. It was basically 38 of the exact same wide angle photo of the whole stage.

It was just beautifully controlled chaos in this otherwise quiet, little coffee spot."

What role do you feel punk/hardcore plays in social and political movements?

     "Hardcore’s a powerful outlet and platform for anybody who is passionate about a viewpoint they wish to defend in a healthy way. Acknowledging social issues, and unifying with one another to foster change in the hard-headed spirit of hardcore creates an atmosphere of solidarity for those who may share the same viewpoint without really having the means to express it. Giving misguided, confused, or oppressed people a voice, and a reason to aggressively express their feelings with that voice, is something that is relatable to many other folks within the circle and builds strength to take on the world/their issues together. That, right there, has always been the most important aspect of it, at least in my opinion." 

     "Militant-minded people are crucial to any hardcore scene, because they help encourage us to say what we mean with utmost conviction. Advocating movements in hardcore also kickstarts the desire to get educated on current issues, so we can draw our own conclusions and know exactly what we’re fighting for. Anyone can yell on about “fuck this, fuck that”, and strength in numbers will always help us hinder oppressive forces. Real, long-lasting change, however, comes from those who not only follow the right path but know why they’re following that path as well. Thankfully, Arizona’s hardcore scene has no shortage of these types of role models."

Do you have any new projects or musical efforts coming down the pike?

   "At the moment we’re taking a bit of a break from the band because we’re all working on other projects, but rest assured this isn’t the end for Penalty Box. Sam is playing bass for Construct (just played FYA) and doing Decided Advantage Fanzine, both of which he is grinding hard at. Austin and Nathan have a powerviolence-centric side project as well as a heavier hardcore project in the works called Cradle (keep your eyes majorly wide open). Carter is also dabbling in a new, heavy project with some Flag and Phoenix homies called Full Immunity. There’s clearly still a ton of musical inspiration alive within all of us, but in due time, Penalty Box’s hibernation will end, and we’ll have something in the works. We’re just rolling with things as of right now, so we’re still down to play a cool show if the opportunity presents itself."

What’s are some books, movies, and music the band has been getting into you feel others should definitely check out?

     "This may sound like a shameless plug but Decided Advantage Fanzine is a piece of literature you truly want to be reading for your ‘in-the-know’. Otherwise we can’t really read. Carter is patiently waiting for season 4 of ‘Better Call Saul’ to hit Netflix. ‘Pen15’ and ‘I Think You Should Leave’ are a couple great current shows we’ve been into lately. 

Now BANDS.. Some personal favorites as of late have been Amy Winehouse, Dojo Cuts, Silver Jews, Narrow Head, Diztort, VOD, Life of Agony, and still any 90’s/00’s beatdown. (Trying hard to cover all bases here). I told myself 2020 would be the year of change as I try to find more easy-listening for longer car rides, but I always find myself coming back to beatdown, smh.

Other tight up-and-comers to check out that we like include True Form, Apsara, Figure, Wise, End On End, Big Laugh, Shining Hour.

Last but not least, shoutouts to our AZHC kin making GOOD new music. Check out War Prison, Incentive, Concrete Evidence, Slow Descent, Get a Grip, Mad World, Pedistal of Infamy, Easy Money, Pointbreak, Beg For Life, and Arm’s Reach."

This interview was one that I thoroughly enjoyed, and am grateful to these guys for being willing to do. This band puts on for AZHC in all capacities. Give them a listen, a follow, and keep your eyes peeled for the many other musical projects the members have going.

Follow the band on social media:

Twitter

Instagram

Bandcamp

Just Another Day- N.E.G. Review

Triple-B Records had a banner year in 2019, releasing a slew of important albums. Perhaps the biggest jewel in label head Sam Yarmuth’s 2019 hardcore crown is Never Ending Game’s debut LP, Just Another Day. The Michigan band features past members of notable acts like True Love, Freedom and Detain. Their experience shines through on Just Another Day. The album is fully formed and executed to near-perfection.

NEG’s sound is a total throwback to mid-90’s New York. There are elements of Merauder’s speed, Crown of Thornz’ groove, and a whole lot of whatever Bulldoze does. There’s a liberal dose of Cold as Life, NEG’s hometown heroes, thrown in as well. NEG almost always forgo modern chugging breakdowns in favour of slam parts or old-fashioned double-time ass beatings. Most heavy bands these days have some sort of metalcore influence, so it’s refreshing to hear a band get ignorant without pulling from the same tired well. The songs on Just Another Day are straight up hardcore, but they will no doubt have kids beating the piss out of each other at shows and accidentally kicking holes through their bedroom drywall.

Just Another Day is roughly divided in two parts. The first four songs are linear and conventional in structure. They’re no-nonsense tough guy anthems that stick to the formula and pull it off. This side is highlighted by the album’s two singles – the eternally catchy “Puppet”, and “God Forgives…”, which has arguably the album’s best mosh part.

After four incredibly strong tracks comes “N.E.G. Jamz”, a groove-metal interlude in the vein of “Loading…” from the band’s debut EP.  The interlude works as a palate-cleanser, but doesn’t add a whole lot on its own. It would have been more interesting to see this style explored on a full song.
The second half of Just Another Day is where NEG start to take a couple chances.  It kicks off with “Bleeding”, the first of two previously released tracks. The song marks a shift in lyrical content. While the first half of Just Another Day deals with the outside world, the second half turns the lens inward. Self-harm, addiction, death and suicide are all tackled in a no-nonsense, melodrama-free approach. There’s more musical experimentation here too. “Bleeding” and “Stolen Life”, specifically, wind through different tempos and keys. The B-side is punctuated by melodic parts a la Master Killer or, more appropriately, Irate’s “Vendetta”. The album is capped off by “1 of Those Nights”—its boldest and most emotional offering. The track is the definite highlight of the second half, if not Just Another Day entirely.

The songs on Just Another Day are great, but a few little touches make the album pop. The track sequencing is perfect. The production is light-years ahead of NEG’s previous output, especially on the drums and vocals. The only thing I don’t like is the album art, which seems a bit cluttered to me. A minor complaint for an otherwise stellar album. I haven’t been able to stop listening to Just Another Day since it came out in October. This album was in everyone’s 2019 top 10 list for good reason.

This review was written by: Vince Guglielmi January 2, 2020

Follow Never Ending Game and any news on them on Social Media:
Twitter: @NevaEndinGame
Instagram: triplebrecords
Facebook: Triple B Records
Bandcamp: https://neverendinggame.bandcamp.com/

What I've Learned

This a bit different of an entry for this week. I wanted to take a moment and talk about what I’ve learned, and how I’ve grown because of this subculture and it’s music. I got into more aggressive and, unbeknownst to me, hardcore-adjacent music. Since a young age I’d been drawn to ska-punk and punk music, as well as some thrash and other guitar music. At around 17 I started to get into really adjacent bands, or bands that had ties to hardcore. Some of my favorite bands for a long time were The Devil Wears Prada, Taking Back Sunday, and August Burns Red. Prior to that I was listening to The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and several other punk bands. As I grew into other musical styles, I discovered hardcore and felt more alive and apart of something attending the shows than I’d ever felt before.

In this community I found more belonging than in religion, in school, or anywhere else. Another thing that I’ve gained from this is a love for activism, social and political awareness, and art. It is in this that I’ve discovered a love for creativity. Here I’ve found my reason and my purpose in life. That is to defy and question everything. It is because of bands like Bane, Gorilla Biscuits, Rotting Out, Trapped Under Ice, and Angel Du$t that I’ve found the ability to write and create something meaningful, at the very least, to me.

I’ve not done this blog for long, but I have done it enough to see the results. It is also because of this that I’ve been able to make friends. The other amazing thing I’ve learned is the fact that no matter who, what, or where you are, you have the ability to create, belong, and contribute to the overall progression of this subculture. I love hardcore and I love what it’s taught me. I still have so much to learn, but what I’ve learned so far is that it is what you attempt with what you have that matters most.

What I find most interesting, especially in scenes like AZHC, is the variety of sounds, styles, and preferences of hardcore. Even with these varying preferences, I feel elated by the fact that, for 15-30 minutes, that doesn’t matter. What matters is the feeling, the emotions, and the message. There are bands that have political messages, ones that talk about difficult lives, frustration, being straight edge/addiction, and many other important and moving things. However, the fans and kids that support the scene are able to put whatever preferences and differences in music aside and just have a solid time and create a space where you can let off any negative energy in a positive way. This is crucial, and what drives much of hardcore, in my personal opinion, to continue to be such a groundbreaking and inclusive subculture. It creates a space for influence from everyone and does all it can to have a positive and beneficial impact on the people that belong to it. Hardcore isn’t for everyone, but for those that belong and find it a place of peace and are willing to call it home, it’s rewarding and has so much to offer.

I've never loved anything as much as I love this, and I’m lucky to be a part of it.

Too Blessed to Stress about what you think.

 This past October I had the humbling experience to chat with Sammy from DRAIN. We talked about DRAIN’s growing success, their influences, signing to Rev Records, as well as touring, making music, and being with friends. I want to take a moment and just talk about Sammy’s character. In the few minutes that we talked, and the initial introduction, I was thoroughly impressed with his demeanor and genuine kindness. I felt immediately comfortable talking. It was easy to tell that he felt confidence and comfortable in his skin and in his music. He talked about the adventures Drain, Gulch, and Hands of God have had and just how much of a blast it's been seeing the music have an impact on people.

          What happened that caused the Rev Deal?

          “Honestly, a buddy of ours introduced us to one of their friends that had just started working at rev. So anytime we recorded something we’d send it to him, but it wasn’t until Sound and Fury that it clicked. After our set I was selling some shirts and he ran over frantic and said ‘That’s it, I’m in! Let’s do it!’ So we signed to rev.”

           What do you want people to get out of Drain?

“Honestly, I want them to feel [the music] in their fucking belly, in their gut. I just want people to feel free and feel energized. Just get into it… Anybody can do whatever they want with a little can-do attitude.”

What have you read, watched, or listened to recently that you think people should be checking out?

            “Check out bands from the Bay Area. Jawstruck just put out an ep that I love, they have a message- a lot to say. There's just so much!”

What influences or sound were you looking for with DRAIN?

“Honestly, so the thing with DRAIN is that when the band started I wasn’t even an original member. Instead, it was kind of like the band that you and your buddies make in high school and then things kinda change and you meet new people and start a second band. That was this band. We started out trying to [do] a sleazy Motörhead, but then we kinda decided to start [doing] some more heavy hardcore with solid cross over...it’s mostly about doing something fun, something new, and something we haven’t done before.”

What’s the best part of touring?

“For real, the best part isn’t the drive, the food, the shows- I love all of that!- but it’s the chance I have to be with my brothers, my best friends. Honestly it wouldn’t work if it were any other way. We just want to have fun! We’ll sleep in the van, someone on the floor, on the seat, on the roof, doors open under the stars. It’s like camping but so much more fun.”

How has this blow-up made the band feel?

“It’s so surreal, it doesn’t feel like reality. Like you dreamt about it, thought about it, and wanted things to happen as a kid. That’s kind of what it’s like now, and now we get a chance to see this all come to be.”

 “Seeing how the music impacts people is crazy.We have kids dancing, singing along, coming and telling us about how our music influenced them to start getting better at their music. It’s so cool, and it’s really emotional-like it makes me feel so happy.”

Being given the chance to speak with Sam about music, touring, and life was a really cool experience. He is honestly one of the nicest, humblest, and most genuine people I’ve spoken to. His love and interest for hardcore in both his local scene and the worldwide community of hardcore has shown me, even more, that this is more than music and lyrics.

Sam mentioned that DRAIN would be dropping some new stuff at some point. So pay attention and keep a lookout for it. I typically have nothing but positive feeling for bands that I speak to, and DRAIN and Sammy are no different. I urge everyone to listen to the 2018 Promo and the other music they’ve put out. It’s fun, ass shaking, blisteringly fast, heavy hardcore.

Follow the Band on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drain831

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drain831/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drain831

Bandcamp: https://drain831.bandcamp.com/