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/

Concrete Evidence Mother Fuckers

AZHC the realest. Concrete Evidence is the freshest installment of the Tucson chapter of this scene, and it’s quickly become one of my favorites. I first started talking with the band following the Desert Dweller recaps, and since then I’ve learned a bit about this band that just seems to be nothing short of genuine.

CE mix 90’s and new school hardcore. They have a slight rap/hip hop bounciness to the vocals, while also mixing in the hard hitting edginess of 90’s bands. The band in both the recording and live performances have solid chemistry and a tightness that could be compared to career and strictly professional musicians. The band was kind enough to do an interview with me as well.

What got you into hardcore?
Honestly I really can’t remember. I know when I was younger I was more into punk bands but never really had a connection with it. Wasn’t till I found more traditional hardcore bands that the lyrics started really hitting home for me. It was more relatable. So maybe it was the message that got me into it.

What bands have been the most influential in the writing process for the band?
For the demo I wanted to do a band like No Warning, Madball but with some Lockin Out tossed in the mix. I felt no one was really trying to touch that style of hardcore and it happens to be my favorite.

What message do you hope to convey with your lyrics?
The songs are just my take on things that have happened in my personal life. If CE actually has a message though, I would want people to take away that we’re a “real” band. Not only do we all love music but we all love and are excited about hardcore. CE will always be for Arizona hardcore. We’re not trying to ride on a gimmick or trying to be a “hard” band. We’re just hardcore kids from Arizona that will always put on for Arizona.

How has hardcore shaped you all as individuals and your view of the world?
I think hardcore can really be an eye opener for people who feel lost in the world. I know that’s what it did for me. You have both sides of a negative and positive outlook. For me, personally, it shaped me to see that the world is a harsh place. But so what? You’re either gonna let it crush you or you can push back. To quote the cro-mags “That's the life, the life I've lead. What can I do? Life's hard so, I gotta be hard too.”

What’s been the best part of being a Tucson band?
Three of us are from the Tucson Hardcore scene and two are from up here in Scottsdale/Salt River. I moved up here a couple of years ago for work. So the line up is kind of all over the place. But I think what’s very sick about Tucson Hardcore is the kids. Tucson lives and breathes hardcore. The kids are just excited to have bands come through. Weather it’s a big named band or a band that only has a demo out. The shows always have an energy small or big and the shows always set off. It’s cool to see that, instead of kids standing far away from the band with their arms folded. Also Tucson rides hard for their local bands which is fucking sick. Yeah technically we might have our foot in both doors having members in both Tucson and the Phoenix area but Tucson has welcomed us with open arms and it’s sick. Shout out Get A Grip, Crossfire, War Prison, Troubled. Also shout out the Phoenix bands in Construct, Penalty Box, Bloody Ways. All good AZHC.

What have you listened to, read, or watched lately that you believe deserves attention?
Damn that’s a good question when it comes to watched lately. I saw that movie “Blinded by the Light” it’s about a guy in England who finds Bruce Springsteen music and how it changes his outlook on life. It’s a really good movie. Feel like it kinda falls into the previous question about how music can shape you and your view of the world. Very good movie.

Awhile ago I bought X-Man Grand Design and Second Genesis. I think they look fucking beautiful. But more importantly I also want to give a shout out to my friend Sam Fishel. He does a zine called “Decided Advantage” I think he’s working on issue #2 now? He’s a good dude and doing some cool shit with his zine so everyone support that and pick up a copy.

As for listening I gotta go with War Prison from Tucson. That shit is HARD! Good dudes playing some sick ass hardcore straight out of Tucson. Check that shit out if you haven’t! 

You put out a demo earlier this year, what’s the next step? Is there some more music coming soon?
We’re in the talks of putting out a split with another band. Hopefully we record by December and have it out earlier next year. Hopefully play more shows as well.

What are the bands collective top 5 records that define what people that like your sound should check out.
No Warning - Ill Blood
Madball - Set It Off
Cro-Mags - Alpha and Omega
The Wrongside - Of the Grave
Crown of Thornz - Train Yard Blues

When it comes to Tucson bands and the overall mix of bands in AZHC I have to say, this is such a diverse area. Of all the bands I’ve been listening to this year, CE, War Prison, and several others have been the bands I loved listening to the most. Production value and overall sound exude fun and good times. I think the best part of CE specifically is the fact that the members are writing and playing music that they want to hear, this is something you hear from many other bands. But I think that this is the part that genuinely sets them apart, they are in this to have fun, show appreciation, and send out good times and fun shows in the process. It’s truly friends that love music getting together to play some great songs.

Support the Band:

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

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

What On Earth Can We Do - Abuse of Power Review

 Atlanta’s Abuse of Power has been one of the better melodic hardcore bands in recent memory. Their debut LP What on Earth Can We Do? was released on Triple-B earlier this year. It’s a strong record, but is it the best of the band’s catalog?

The guys at Axe to Grind Podcast nailed down Abuse of Power’s sound when premiering the album’s best track, “May 1st”. To paraphrase, AOP borrows heavily from late 80’s/early 90’s melodic hardcore in the vein of Turning Point and Four Walls Falling – straight edge bands with fast, trotting beats, who separated themselves from youth crew by injecting Revolution Summer style melodies. The band’s first EP, 2017’s When Then Becomes Now, was a truly formidable introduction. What on Earth… is a big step forward in a lot of ways.

Producer CJ Ridings knocked What on Earth out of the park. The drums are the obvious production highlight -- they’re mixed perfectly and sound super full. The guitar tones are pleasant. Ridings really nailed the Turning Point “melodic hardcore” sound, with an even cleaner modern sheen. I believe this album puts Abuse of Power in the conversation with tone monsters Fury and Ecostrike for ‘best guitar tone of the genre’ consideration.

What on Earth… also marks a shift in the band’s songwriting formula. Every one of the songs on the EP was built around a big, catchy riff. The new material relies more on dynamics than melody. There’s lots of open space. The parts stop and start seamlessly. The drumming builds and swells behind walls of guitar feedback, before unleashing in full gallop mode. These galloping bursts are where you can really hear AOP’s improvements in musicianship. The band has sped up, with the guitarists adding an extra 32nd note to their palm-muted assaults. The rhythm section is locked in and super tight. The trademark riffing isn’t totally gone. It’s just more complementary, adding to the melody instead of being the basis for entire songs. I guess it would be hard to translate their old songwriting approach to a 10-song full length and have every riff bang like the riffs on the EP.

AOP’s new approach seems, on the one hand, more mature and artistic. On the other hand, it’s lost some of the fun elements that made the EP so great. The dance parts are few and far between, and there certainly aren’t any blatant singalong moments in the vein of the EP’s title track. I believe the EP will – rightly or wrongly – be remembered as the classic material. Dancing and singalongs are what draw hardcore kids to hardcore. Does that make the EP better? Not necessarily. It’s up to the listener to decide if they prefer catchy bursts of unrefined youthful energy or a slicker, streamlined, artistic outpouring.

Regardless, What on Earth… is a great record. Anyone who appreciates speed, melody, or great production will find something to hang their hat on.

Written by Vince Guglielmi Nov. 13, 2019

Support the Band:
Bandcamp: https://abuseofpower.bandcamp.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aopfanclub?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aopfanclub/?hl=en

Life throws its punches

Recently I had the chance to meet Jon from Slowbleed following a performance in Tucson. What a great experience that was, learning about him, his music, and his involvement with the 805. It was a humbling experience and a fun conversation as well. I reached out a little later to follow up on what we talked about in Tucson and ask some other questions.

How long has Slowbleed been a band?

“Logan (Guitar) and I wrote the first Slowbleed demo in mid 2016 and did nothing with it until about a year later. I lived out of the states for some time, and it just wasn’t a possibility to be a band.”

When writing and going through the creative process do you find it difficult to come up with material?

Not at all, I really love writing and it comes rather quickly. Living with Logan, at the moment, and hearing him riff everyday keeps things fresh and moving fast.

What message do you hope listeners gain out of your music?

This last year I thought I had lost everything. Some of the people closest to me were taken from me in a terrible accident, and I struggled a lot. I made mistakes, I found moments of weakness and moments of strength. I sing for people who wake up and face the world without the people they love and need the most. On their strongest days or their weakest days.

What got you into hardcore and punk music?

I have, for as long as I can recall, been drawn in by distortion and rough-around-the-edges imagery. I can’t remember a time in my life I didn’t love old metal music videos.Anything I could get my hands on from Punk, Grunge and Nu Metal on TV, to getting Death Metal CD’s from older friends. It wasn’t until the Alpine theater in my pre/early teens that I discovered hardcore.

What influences would you list as your sound for Slowbleed?

Funny enough we grew up in a very small agricultural community and kinda had to grab on to any heavy music available to us. I specifically remember trading around death metal CD’s in my pre-teens, and it wasn’t until about age 12 that friends and I discovered Oxnard hardcore bands at skatepark shows in Ventura. Logan has always been one that can play At The Gates riffs and Ozzy. He was my one friend at school rocking Carcass and Sepultura. The riffing has always been heavily technical for a hardcore band. The goal has always been to make hardcore with metal chops and metal with hardcore intensity.

In your most recent release, the lyrics seem to be personal, visceral, and full of emotion. Can you describe the process in writing songs like ‘In the night…’ or ‘Never Been Worse’?

Like I mentioned previously, I had some major loss, and I wrote that record mostly about my struggles with missing my girlfriend Raegan at the time. I was low and needed that record to keep my head up. I hope one day those lyrics help someone else out.

Are there any other releases hitting the airwaves, or any tours?

I can tell you now, there are several Slowbleed releases laying dormant until later this year and early next year. We also do a week with Piece Of Mind on the West-Coast next week.

What has been the most and least enjoyable parts of touring?

I’m lucky to play in a band with my best friends and tour is an absolute blast being stuck in a van with my fucking brothers. That being said, all of us are very busy folks at home and work far above full time. For me stepping away from work for a week or more leads to me having to play catch up on the road.

What have you read, watched, or listened to recently that you feel people need to be aware of?

805 hardcore forever. If you aren’t aware of all the sick releases coming out of this area you better educate yourself. Dead Heat, Omega Point, Minus, Downpresser and The Warriors all have new or unreleased records you can’t miss.


Speaking of music to help people get through a difficult time, the EP by this band is exactly that. Never Been Worse evokes pain, loss, and seeking hope in better times. This interview, and listening to this, couldn’t have come at a better time. I, myself, have been going through some difficulty and hearing this has brought about a feeling of connection. The release helped me further realize loss, difficulty, and tough times are occurrences that everyone goes through. This puts into words the many emotions I’ve felt over the last few weeks. With that being said, I couldn’t offer this enough for people to listen to.

Support this band!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SlowbleedCA

Bandcamp: https://slowbleedca.bandcamp.com/

Desert Dweller Day 2 Recap

This is Part 2 of the Desert Dweller recap. The first day was fun and full of great hardcore, moshing, and a lot of dancing. Day 2 was much of the same, it was also stacked with a good amount of heavy-hitters as well. The fest, again, took place at the Global Justice Center in Tucson, Arizona. It was booked and put together by Matt.

I have nothing but great things to say about this festival. It was just so packed with energy and genuinely good fun. The bands all performed great, and it was such a diverse showing of bands; it was something everyone could enjoy.
The bill for day 2 is as follows:

War Prison
Construct
Crossfire
By All Means
Jinx
Initiate
Regional Justice Center
Gulch
Hands of God
Vamachara
King Nine

From start to finish it was simply a good time. Each band showed up and gave all they had. Some were heavy, some were fast, some were hardcore adjacent, but were still holding down the same energy. But all were there for one thing, to celebrate hardcore and celebrate music and art.

War Prison played first, unfortunately I missed it. But if the band brought even an ounce of energy that is easily heard on their most recent release, then there should have been no stopping them. It’s a solid mix of heavy early 2000s hardcore and traditional twists. I can’t express enough how much this band is deserving of attention.

Construct played next, this band is a mix of melodic and traditional such as Quicksand, Title Fight, Gorilla Biscuits, Dag Nasty, Mouthpiece, and Better Than A Thousand. The set was thoroughly enjoyable and brought the youthful spirit of hardcore to the forefront of the fest. Sound and quality were strong as well. The band was well in sync and the volumes w
ere well-balanced. This is definitely a band worth checking out.

Initiate played a little later in the evening. This band is proof that hardcore is open for all, it simply takes an outpouring of heart and effort. I have had nothing but respect for th
is band, and that was further solidified after having the chance to see them live.

Gulch, this band is absolute chaos incarnate. The crowd was fully invested with dancers and moshers. The bands emotion, presence, and performance were visceral, physical, and very much resonated with me and it seems as if it did the same with everyone else. The bands balance and volume were completely perfect, with no sense of confusion, though there was an insane amount of chaos onstage and off. Overall, it was a highlight performance for me.

King Nine headlined. It was a total NY take over. What can I say about this band, other than it was a powerhouse of NYHC. It seemed clear that the crowd was invested in having a good time, as well as let loose in feeling the music. This band is quickly gaining traction, and having had the chance to see them in a setting such as this was a unique and enjoyable experience. The amount of people dancing, jumping around, singing along, and really letting loose was a clear showing of the power music has. The band’s sound was perfect and the entire set was purely good.

Overall, I absolutely love my experience with seeing Desert Dweller. I am grateful for the chance it gave me to meet so many new people.

Support all of these bands!
War Prison: https://warprison.bandcamp.com/releases
Construct: https://constructphx.bandcamp.com/
Crossfire: https://crossfireaz.bandcamp.com/
By All Means: https://bam253.bandcamp.com/
Jinx: https://jinxed.bandcamp.com/
Initiate: https://initiatehc.bandcamp.com/
Regional Justice Center: https://regionaljusticecenter.bandcamp.com/
Gulch: https://gulchca.bandcamp.com/
Hands of God: https://handsovgod.bandcamp.com/
Vamachara: https://vamacharahc.bandcamp.com/
King Nine: https://kingnine.bandcamp.com/

Desert Dweller Day 1 Recap

 Last weekend was Desert Dweller Fest, a hardcore festival based out of Tucson Arizona showcasing AZHC as well as keeping the memory of indigenous people alive. It was a fest put on by Matt Marcum, and was quite a blast. The festival has been going for 3 years, and has gotten better and better. The line up for this years was as follows:
Day 1:
Concrete Evidence
Penalty Box
Summerhead
Easy Money
Troubled
Slowbleed
Absence of Mine
Drain
The Beautiful Ones

Most of this bill were AZHC or adjacent bands with Slowbleed and Drain being the only non-AZ based bands of the day. This, however, didn’t deter any energy from being spent on each bands set. Every band showed out, and put on hard for the scene and for the locals. The crowd was involved as well with dancers and moshers being strongly prevalent in and out of the pit. During sets like Concrete Evidence, Penalty Box, Easy Money, Absence of Mine, Slowbleed, Drain, and of course the one and only The Beautiful Ones; kids were dancing moving, nodding, and singing along.

This festival was something unique, in my opinion, as it was mostly local and in a small and intimate setting. It was truly an eye opening experience that showed me just how alive local scenes can be when cared about, and cultivated through positive influence and continual support. I saw a large sense of community, and felt it as well when discussing hardcore, and talking about music with like minded individuals. Never have a felt more engrossed in such a diverse community or more surrounded by a group of people that I admire for standing against something and professing their feeling and ideals in music.

Concrete Evidence played first, and had a great sound, the volumes were solid with each instrument equally distributed sonically. There was never a feeling of one element overpowering another. This band has a solid metallic tinge, with heavy hardcore influences. It draws my mind in particular to bands like Bent Life and a mix of fast punk.

Penalty Box was another great set, one that was fun to watch and also had good energy from the band. This bands sound is an interesting mix of beat down vocals with youthcrew energy and guitar parts. But it is a beautiful mix because it creates a vibe of fun and enjoyment. This band has sounds similar to Youth of Today, Judge, Ten Yard Fight, Skarhead, and Buried Alive. The latter of the bands being more in reference to vocals.

Slowbleed played a little later in the evening and absolute destroyed the place. Moshers and dancers were everywhere. The band had strong stage presence and was able to keep the crowd well involved without sacrificing sound or quality. The volumes were well balanced and were not a burden on the ears.

The Beautiful Ones headlined and absolutely crushed it! The place was well packed and the crowd was well involved with keeping the energy levels high. TBO really kept the spirit of AZHC alive and showing that Tucson is still a scene to behold.

Every band put on a great show, these are the bands from the first night that I feel had a great impact and are worth looking into. But most of all every single band had great energy and did an amazing job at showing what hardcore is and what’s it’s about. Community, and positive outlets for negative surroundings.

Follow and listen to the bands here:

Concrete Evidence: https://concreteevidenceaz.bandcamp.com/releases
Penalty Box: https://penaltyboxhc.bandcamp.com/
Summerhead: https://summerheadmusic.bandcamp.com/
Easy Money: https://easymoneyhc.bandcamp.com/
Troubled: https://troubledaz.bandcamp.com/
Slowbleed: https://slowbleedca.bandcamp.com/
Absence of Mine: https://absenceofmine.bandcamp.com/
DRAIN: https://drain831.bandcamp.com/
The Beautiful Ones: https://beautifulcru.bandcamp.com/releases

K//L Different Shade of Blue Tour Recap.

Tuesday the Different Shade of Blue tour came through Mesa AZ. Seeyouspacecowboy, Candy, Rotting Out, Stick to Your Guns, and Knocked Loose all played. Unfortunately I was unable to finish the night due to scheduling issues the following day. However I was able to see the three bands I was most eager to see. Seeyouspacecowboy, Candy, and Rotting Out. The first I have never had the opportunity to see.
Seeyouspacecowboy got strong response for being the first band up, and there were moshers and dancers from the beginning to the end of the set. I was not at all surprised at the energy of the band onstage as they have quickly become
heavily discussed in hardcore and metalcore. The bands performance was tight, the chemistry amongst members was clear, and it seemed that everyone was having a blast on and offstage.

Candys set was fun and energetic as well. I actually hadn’t seen the vocalist perform since he was in the band malfunction. I was thoroughly impressed with each of the songs the band played their encouragement to the crowd to get rowdy, and most of all their patience with the venue. The only issue I noticed during their set was due to having mic issues. Through, what seemed to be, the entire set the vocals we drowned out by every other instrument because the volumes were not checked properly, or the mic wasn’t working. It was clearly mixed of both. But the issues went almost unnoticed, as it were, by the crowd as dancing ensued by some of the patrons during each song. Thankfully, the mic issues were somewhat resolved about ¾ of the way through the set and vocals became easier to hear along with the rest of the volumes being less of a competition and more of a collection of musical chaos. I thoroughly enjoyed Candys set, and hope to see them play Arizona again soon.

Rotting out was an all out blast! From start to finish. The set was filled with so much energy it was palpable. Except for a few minutes in which a stage diving mishap occurred, every second of their set was a party. Stage dives, moshers, dancers, and friends were just having fun. For 30 minutes aggression, frustration, isolation, and negativity melted away in the lyrics of a band that hadn’t played in AZ in years. The sound issues and mic problems seemed to be resolved which was another great plus especially for a band as unique, and cherished as this in AZ. I have not much more to say aside from the fact that I’ve never felt or seen such a strong showing of hardcore pride as there was in the Nile Theater that night.

Unfortunately I missed the Stick to Your Guns and Knocked Loose sets due to my own schedule conflicting with my ability to see them. However, from what I’ve heard and seen both bands were well received and Knocked Loose always puts on a strong show.

More than anything, I believe that hardcore lives on and is going strong. It may not be the same sounds that many prefer or are used to, but the ethos, mindset, reason for the music, and desires are still holding strong to what it meant at the inception of hardcore into the creative community.

Disclaimer:
   Both Videos and the Photo are not my creative property I do not own them. 197 Media and Hate5Six own the rights to the videos. The photograph also does not belong to me, Photographer is Unknown.

Face the Truth

Heading back to Boise, Idaho for this interview, I was given the chance to speak with Rejection Pact. What a great experience from some really solid dudes. We discussed music, books, movies, and humanity in general.

The band released a record from Safe Inside Records titled Threats of the World. They’ve been on tour a little bit and have some plans coming down the pike- so keep your eyes and ears open.

Here’s a bit of what we talked about.

You recently released a new record, did you find the writing process difficult at all?

“Honestly, everything came together very quickly in terms of writing. We were writing 1-2 songs a practice. It helped that we had written almost 10 songs before the demo came out and we used a few for the record too. So, basically, the whole thing was pretty fun and painless. Ralph & Charlie have been playing music together for like 6 years so those two are dialed in which helps a ton.

The most difficult process was probably coming up with song titles or getting vocal patterns down, and even then, that wasn’t really difficult either.”

We discussed the band’s interests musically and what wells they drew from in order to write this record. To me the sound is true-to-form old-school hardcore, but with a modern and fresh twist of fun.

Your sound feels familiar, but fresh at the same time. How would describe your sound and what influences do you cite?

“I’d describe our sound as hardcore. I think it’s very traditional sounding in the most basic sense. It’s fast, the songs are short, the lyrics are pretty straight forward, and there’s some mosh parts.
To go deeper, I’d say it sounds like mid 2000’s hardcore that you’d find when looking at the earlier B9 roaster, Rivalry Records, or if you’re going a tad more current, REACT Records.

I mean we all have individual influences and often. After we’d write a song, the comparisons we make def vary from member to member, but as a whole, some major influences are bands like Go It Alone, American Nightmare, Allegiance, Paint it Black, Mindset, older Trash Talk & Ceremony.

There’s also a low key nod to Fat Wreck/Epitaph punk in there, but nothing too prominent.”

I found this to be an extremely apt acknowledgment of who the band finds influential. Each one of these bands can be heard distinctly in the sound. My favorite and immediate first thought was Ceremony. I also heard a bit of Better Than a Thousand, which was really cool.

Rejection Pact has done some pretty good touring as well, hitting the west coast. The band mentioned they may be trying to get a bit further out soon too.

This is what the band had to say specifically about touring.

You’ve already done some touring, what’s been the best parts of touring?

“Best parts are playing shows and seeing people interact with the music you wrote and any positive feedback or energy that is the result of something you created is very cool. Trying new food and hitting local spots in the area you’re playing is always rad; some members of the band are vegan and Boise isn’t the most vegan friendly area so getting lots of vegan food is a big tour highlight. Also, just being stuck in the van and going insane and listening to hours and hours of prank calls and talking shit to each other and sharing really stupid stories and crap is always fun.”

I find it really cool that bands such as this put on for locals too, not just their own area. Rejection Pact seems to be students of hardcore and it’s ethos. They’re not just individuals enamoured with the myth of what it meant.

Part of being in hardcore is uniting around the message of standing against a society that rejects decency, care, and recognizing differences are good. The guys in this band are much the same, and their message is too.

What message or goal do you have for your music as a band? What do you hope listeners to gain most from your lyrics and music?

“The only real goal we have for our music is for it to resonate with people, and hopefully it clicks, which can allow us to play cool shows and meet new people and play new areas…We hope listeners just challenge themselves as well as their surroundings. There’s a lot of awful things happening in the world, and the first thing we need to do is think.”

What is the central theme behind Threats of the World?

“People. They’re our greatest resource but also our greatest threat...there’s a couple introspective songs but even then [these songs] deal with yourself...you’re a human..there ya go.”

The band put out a release titled Threats of the World through Safe Inside Records. It’s a 10 song effort coming in at about 13 minutes. Each song is a fast paced, mosh and dance driven powerhouse. The guitar and bass lead the song through an onslaught of riffs and thrashy punk lines that can’t be ignored. This is coupled with a traditional punk beat, fast and loud. The vocals are harsh and in your face, shouting a message of anger, frustration, and change that just can’t be ignored. Overall, each element of this record is fun and purely enjoyable. I firmly enjoyed listening to it, and honestly, when the album was finished, I spun it again. I recommend anyone and everyone give this a listen. It’s a positive and enjoyable throwback to early hardcore, but gives sufficient nods to modern and mid-2000’s hardcore and punk as well. 5/5.

The band recommends that people listen, read, and watch the following as well:

What books, movies, music, or documentaries have you recently enjoyed that you think people should check out?

Musically, everyone should check out:

• Webbed Wing “Bike Ride Across the Moon”
• Sect “Blood of the Beasts”
• Lurk “Electro-Shock” 
• RJC “Institution” 
• Result of Choice “Place of My Dreams”
• Shallow End “Urban Decay”
• Some new Idaho hc releases like the State of Suffering summer promo, the Stalemate demo, and the new Ingrown single 
• Some new demos that rules are Love & Trust, Headcount, and Outnumbered 

Charlie’s been reading some books like Confessions of an Eco-Warrior by Dave Foreman. He watched a pretty interesting documentary the other day about people who are in romantic relationships with their automobiles, that was something. Movie wise, Ad Astra kicked ass, Little Woods is def worth a watch, The Peanut Butter Falcon, The Art of Self Defense, and Joker rocked.

Follow the Band on Social Media!

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RejectionPact?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Give them a listen on bandcamp
https://safeinsiderecords.bandcamp.com/album/rejection-pact-threats-of-the-world 

LETS GO APE $HIT!

Many people wouldn’t associate Hardcore with Salt Lake City, I know I didn’t. However, I had an amazing opportunity to chat with and learn from some of the members of Ape $hit, an SLCHC band. All of which are students of the game. In our chat I learned about the bands interests, sound, progression of style, and they educated me a bit in the history of Salt Lakes punk and hardcore roots.

Here’s a little bit of what we discussed.

Having previously established somewhat of a sound, what caused the change? Follow up: in transitioning your sound, it sounds similar to early 00’s heavy hardcore and some beat down. What influences are you pulling from?

"Ape $hit started off as five members consisting of Tyson Bowles on vocals, Chase Watts on guitar/backing vocals, “Nezzie” Newton on guitar, Ryan Heidt on bass/backing vocals, and Matthew Lloyd on drums.  Ape $hit was the precursor to another band, Witchtrial, consisting of the same members on the same instruments playing more metallic hardcore (in the vein of Axis). The intent was to have two separate bands with two completely different sounds to play separate shows where our individual sounds would match one bill a little better than the other or to compile both bands on a bill and gear share.

After we put Ape $hit on the backburner to focus on Witchtrial, the lineup changed.  Both Nezzie and Ryan left Ape $hit, leaving the band to decide whether or not we wanted to find new members to continue on or not.  We soon added members Johan Gutierrez and Kason Bowles (Tyson’s brother). Our local scene has little interest in punkier hardcore bands and tends to lean towards more metal/heavy bands.  The incentive was to maintain the punk factor while adding elements of NYHC groove and early 2000’s beatdown to breathe new life into our songs."

We also discussed the existence of a hardcore scene in a state and city like Salt Lake City Utah, and how well the scene is. The band mentions bands like iceburn, insight, lifeless, xclearx, and decontaminate plus many others. They discuss having waves of interest and growth in hardcore, while also having not such much in other periods. However, the band states very confidently that SLCHC is alive and well. What I found most interesting was the existence of this growth in such a predominantly Mormon (LDS) area, but from what I’ve learned and the band has mentioned, the area has a strong existence of hardcore with new growth coming consistently

We talked about messages and what the band hopes to accomplish with its music. Their answer, support the local scene.

“We aren’t a serious band by any means.  The only message we’ve ever wanted to get across is to support your local scene (not just the “cool” kids for scene points), support all bands, welcome fresh faces into our community, and watch out for not just your friends, but everyone in our scene.”

When asked what they’re politics are, or what they believe hardcore bands and politics have to do with each other, the answer was succinct and clear. Hardcore is typically left leaning, political climate changes constantly and bands are being formed to discuss that, but Ape $hit isn’t here to swing the political stick. Instead the band had this to say,

“Ape $hit is fairly apolitical and falls more into the category of fun punk that brings bouncy balls to shows and is a general nuisance for 10-15 minutes.”

The crowning point was that we touched on the most recent release as well, something that I was looking forward to after hearing their Summer Tape ‘19.

Your Bandcamp has three of your four members doing vocals, do you ever find it difficult determining parts?

"Not at all.  It’s a democracy on who wants to do what parts with additional suggestions by the members of the band who have prior vocal experience over their time playing in bands.  Advice is given as well as taken."

We also spoke on influences from the summer tape and what the band wanted people to hear in the new record. The band stated that they each had specific and different styles of hardcore they loved. Some members like early 00’s beatdown style NYHC referencing Billy Club Sandwich, Everybody Gets Hurt and then some ignorant heavy bands as well as punk and power violence style bands as well. The bands members all are students of hardcore and have a profound respect and love for it. Most importantly they are working on building their scene.

I would also like to discuss my thoughts on the new release. It has three tracks; Pretty Neat, Ape $hit 2, and Baaaaad Attitude. I think this three song promo is very much a promising sign of strength and musical aptitude for the band. Pretty Neat opens with a sound bite that then leads into a decently groove laden guitar rhythm. The lyrics, drums, and vocal mixing were all done well. Each instrument and part is distributed sonicaly so as to avoid one part being overpowered by another. Ape $hit is just an all around fun song, it’s fun from the start with the gang vocals to the ending mosh part. In fact, the whole song is just absolute mosh. It’s upbeat, groovy, and aggressive. It’s all just wonderfully nostalgic while feeling fresh as well. That leads to Baaaaad Attitude, the closing number of this tape. This is just pure anger and aggression. It’s full of anger, but also invokes head nodding as well as some serious ass beating style music breaks. Overall I love this record. It brings me joy that something like this band exists, and is so dedicated to just full blown fun hardcore. I would absolutely recommend anyone check out the band and spend the time to see them if the opportunity arises!

Follow them!

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ApeShitHC 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apeshithc/

Toss them some money for merch and music!

Bandcamp: https://apeshithc.bandcamp.com/music

Encounter XXX Final Vengeance

Final Vengeance, the latest release by Boise Straght Edge Hardcore band is one that invokes sheer chaos. From the very first moments the record starts to the moment it’s over, each song sends the listener through an onslaught of guitar riffs, driving bass, and such a tight drum beat that it’s impossible to not spin kick.

The vocals are as energized as the instrumentals with clean and clear audio work making it easy to hear them. Yet this clarity is still coupled with some intense and in your face aggression. Combine that with the use of strong and passionate lyrics, it’s easy to see why these folks are so proud of what they play and who they are.

The wonderful recording quality, for a first release, must be noted as well. The layering is very clearly and intricately done with the instruments, and vocals being perfectly balanced. It was so well mixed and mastered that there’s not one instance of elements overpowering each other.

The emotion, tempo, and power of this release is evident and I honestly felt as though I wanted to claim edge just listening to it. Bands like Hatebreed, kickback, some of the bounciness of Earth Crisis, and in my opinion the fun of Youth Crew! Each of these influences are clearly noticeable and are a staple in acknowledging the roots of this band. Without bands like All out War, Kickback, and Hatebreed then Encounter XXX might not present such an aggressive onslaught.

I highly recommend this release and give it a 5/5, the band is currently dwelling in Boise and playing shows locally. Follow them on Twitter and snag one of the cassettes!

Twitter: @Encounter208

Facebook: Encounter XXX

IG: encounterstraightedge

Bandcamp:https://encounterxxx.bandcamp.com/releases
Cassettes: https://delayedgratificationrecords.limitedrun.com/products/645921-encounter-xxx-final-vengeance