Continuing a release tradition that appeared, for a time, dormant, Madball are readying the release of a six-track EP of new material and re-recorded Ball Of Destruction-era cuts. Yet unlike prior works — which have appeared on labels like Roadrunner, Epitaph, and most recently, Good Fight — the Rebellion EP comes courtesy of The BNB Label, a brand extension of frontman Freddy Cricien’s Black N Blue Productions group.

The above promotional video offers a glimpse of the band–which still includes longtime members Mitts and Hoya Roc–at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersberg, FL with Eric Rutan, whose production credits are lengthier than his work in Hate Eternal. Back in 2010, Rutan produced their last full-length Empire (read my review here), promises a more “raw” sound on this record, though the clip only offers brief snippets of the material. Notably, Rebellion marks Madball’s first recording with former Unearth and The Red Chord drummer Mike Justian, who has been gigging live with the band over the past year or so. After the Max Weinberg incident, it’ll be interesting to hear how Justian works with the band.

Click to read more…

An asterisk amidst the exclamation points, Git Some play atypical hardcore for like-minded weirdos — which isn’t to say that this self-titled Alternative Tentacles production comes up short in the energy department. Hell, these fuckers own majority shares in the electric company and “Wipe The Brain” threatens to prove just how voltaic they can get. Dissonant and angular, “Accountability Starts With Me” indulges a Touch & Go Records sweet tooth with a treat smeared with Melvins-esque bombast.

Click to read more…

Ageism and rockism are strange and inextricable bedfellows, limbs inconveniently entangled. Conventional wisdom dictates that, more or less, rock n’ roll belongs to the young and furious. Time serves to either tame or shame. Rod Stewart makes blue-eyed soul for the cataract set, while Alice Cooper’s continued desperate insistence on eyeliner and leather appears even more embarrassing than his golf get-ups. With some three decades since their respective debuts, neither Keith Morris nor J. Mascis ought to make credible music for expanding audiences. The former SST labelmates should be coasting on the classics, something Dinosaur Jr. did rather effectively at last year’s Bug anniversary gigs. Yet they persevere, with new projects seemingly ill-suited for men of a certain age.

Click to read more…

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve shared a Pit Romney update, and thus far 2012 has seen some pretty excellent fests happen, including this past weekend’s Breast Fest in North Carolina. The annual Black N Blue Bowl happens here in NYC this coming Saturday, so I figured now was as good as any time to revive this feature…

Truly, the biggest news came in the long-awaited announcement of the 2012 lineup for Philadelphia’s This Is Hardcore. As usual, the four-day event–August 9-12–reads like a who’s who of hardcore, past and present. Headliners include Blacklisted, Cro-Mags, H2O, Gorilla Biscuits, and Terror, with one slot TBA yet widely rumored to be none other than Suicidal Tendencies, which would be a real coup for any U.S. hardcore festival. The rest of the bill includes a dizzying array of rising stars (Code Orange Kids, Power Trip, Rival Mob), legacy/reunion acts (Breakdown, In My Eyes, Lifetime, Negative Approach), and upstarts (Born Annoying, Praise, Rude Awakening). Though the festivities have moved to a larger venue (The Electric Factory) this year, I anticipate another sell-out event when tickets go on sale this Thursday.

Click to read more…

I spoke too soon.

Recently, I was quick to declare that Ceremony‘s latest LP was enough of a departure from contemporary hardcore to qualify as constructive abandonment, to borrow from the divorce law parlance. Not quite vested in the scene, Zoo finds the California band shapeshifting like Wire did on Chairs Missing or when loudmouthed Johnny Rotten reemerged as visionary John Lydon for Public Image Limited’s debut. Though I dig the new record tremendously, I harbored some disappointment to the a-changin’ times.

Yet Ceremony’s midnight Mercury Lounge gig on Monday provided a suitable counterpoint. Whether disheartened or emboldened by the reported lackluster reception they’d received mere hours before opening for Refused at the cavernously un-punk Terminal 5, the band showed zero indication of fatigue or disengagement as it burned through material from the new record interspersed with Rohnert Park cuts and even a few covers. The engaging set showcased the band coping well with its newfound popularity while relishing the familiar comfort of a hardcore audience.

Click to read more…

One of the coolest things about hardcore is its volatility. Bands form, play some gigs, record a few tunes, and then disappear, with former members reemerging in new projects as well as fresh variants of prior bands. When Tigers Fight comes as the latest incestuous incarnation of what this scene has to offer, combining Mike McTernan (Damnation A.D.), Jim Winters (Earth Crisis, Starkweather) Jonathan Dennison (Another Victim, Unholy, The Promise) and current Hatebreed drum tech Andy Miller. Death Songs, their forthcoming second album, boasts epic metallic traits and thrashy flourishes that brazenly blur the lines between hardcore and post-hardcore. The result makes for essential brutal listening.

Though the record isn’t out for another week through Closed Casket, I’m pleased to present this exclusive album stream of Death Songs for your home moshing pleasure. If you dig what you hear, be sure to pre-order the damn thing.

-GS

“I’m just about hardcore. I’m not about that other shit.”
-anonymous Converge concert attendee, April 14, 2012

Plagued and visibly frustrated by a series of technical difficulties, Converge frontman Jacob Bannon stayed as positive as he is lithe and energetic, at one point announcing between songs, “I’m eating microphones up here. It’s punk rock.” The New England hardcore giants, who I once saw open for a goddamned cartoon, sounded better at Brooklyn’s Music Hall Of Williamsburg than at any time I’d ever seen them before. Perhaps it being the final stop of the tour or their longtime soundman’s birthday had something to do with it. Perhaps not.

Click to read more…

By now, many of you have seen photos of Life Of Agony’s Mina (nee Keith) Caputo’s provocative shoot with photographer Jeremy Saffer. LOA’s influence on contemporary metal and hardcore cannot be overstated, and — unless you’re part of the Mustaine-Santorum homophobes club — Caputo’s coming out as a transitioning transgendered person shouldn’t change your opinion of her invaluable contributions to heavy music. Hell, I’m listening to River Runs Red right now; why the fuck aren’t you?

In response to some of my recent Twitter grousing, a dear friend suggested that I nominate Caputo for Revolver Magazine‘s ‘Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock’ feature. Now, critics including myself have gone on record in opposition to the feature, charging that it’s sexist and exploitative, downplaying the vital and vibrant role of women in metal to little more than mere eye candy. In defense, Revolver‘s editor-in-chief Brandon Geist has countered that the piece is meant to celebrate and empower those who choose to be models. No matter where you stand on this, I’d posit that one way to help mend that rift would be for Revolver to adopt a more inclusive policy and consider transgendered people for the feature. With a long history in this scene and a demonstrated willingness to take eye-popping pictures, Caputo would be the ideal inaugural TS entrant.

And so, I’ve started a petition, which I encourage all of you to sign. You’ll be in good company, as Caputo’s former Life Of Agony bandmate Alan Robert has already added his John Hancock. Not bad, right?

-GS

Admittedly fatigued of writing long-form album reviews for close to 15 years, I created the Bleeders’ Digest feature here at MetalSucks with the idea of giving a small number of records a thoughtful capsule review, leaving it open to all contributors. (Corey Mitchell has dutifully refined it for his purposes, resulting in what I consider one of the site’s best recurring features.) As my scope intentionally narrowed to hardcore, I came to accept that the bulk of the artists I sought to cover were largely releasing music in non-LP formats, which led to the creation of my Inch Scraper column, of which I hope you have enjoyed the (almost) weekly installments.

Still, I haven’t felt comfortable essentially shunning the albums coming out of the vibrant hardcore scene. And so, I’ve decided that the sensible thing to do would be to regularly select a healthy handful of LPs suited for pithy and potent assessment. With the first quarter of 2012 behind us, I’m pleased to present a roundup of the hardcore albums that have hit my mailbox these past three months. Make sense? Good. On with it then…

The finest Southern Lord style band not signed to Southern Lord, Rise And Fall return in fine ferocious form with Faith (Deathwish). Face-ripping pit beasts like “Deceiver” and “Hidden Hands” abound, and the breakdown on “Dead Weight” is especially crushing. As with 2009′s Our Circle Is Vicious, the Belgians remain unashamed of their sonic diversity. “Things Are Different Now” veers into nihilistic noise rock terrain well trod by Today Is The Day or Unsane, while the hulking post-metal of “Faith / Fate” bulldozes the record to a triumphant close.

Click to read more…

Layne Staley only recorded six studio albums in five years — and yet his inimitable voice influenced an entire generation of singers. To commemorate his death ten years ago, members of the MetalSucks staff will be discussing their favorite Staley performances throughout the day.

I’m part of that last gasping generation that considered what was on the radio a fundamental part of the music-listening experience. Following the activities of our favorite artists required obsessively poring over magazines for clues and logging considerable time with the dial of a home or car stereo, enduring commercial after repetitive commercial for a chance to hear something new between breaks. So in January of 1995, when Pearl Jam “took over” several alt rock stations, it was a bit of an event. I sat in my bedroom like any cluelessly angst-ridden teen, attentively listening to (and tape-recording) the four-hour long combination of live performance, goofing off, and disc-jockeying that comprised this so-called Self-Pollution Radio.

Amidst the barely-controlled chaos and Frogs worship, a momentous mini-set unfolded from the veritable supergroup Mad Season, which consisted of Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), John Baker Saunders (The Walkabouts), and frontman Layne Staley. Decidedly more bluesy and in harmony with Americana than the manic metallic desperation of Alice In Chains, the two tracks unveiled on the program, “Lifeless Dead” and “I Don’t Know Anything,” would later appear on their sole LP, entitled Above. Yet the real gem of this lost classic came in the form of “River Of Deceit,” a unique spiritual ballad that fulfilled a promise hinted at on the exquisite acoustic Jar Of Flies EP.

Click to read more…

I’ve been on a vegetarian kick for the past few weeks, eschewing cheeseburgers in favor of greens and healthier proteins. I don’t know whether or not I’m more irritable as a result, but I can relate more to vegan straight-edge act Noose. Following on last year’s demo, The War Of All Against All (React!) drops dogma like a cluster bomb. The lyrics to cuts like “Lex Talionis” depict a misanthropic worldview in which veganism is the only solution. I miss cheeseburgers.

People I trust tell me I’m supposed to give a shit about Dallas’ Power Trip. After checking out this self-titled 7″ (Lockin’ Out), I’m starting to catch on. Unafraid to hitch their wagon to the outdated crossover label, the band bring some wicked thrash back to the core. Far from the didactic leanings of purist re-thrashers, “Divine Apprehension” and the taut “Suffer No Fool” feel vital and liberated. The addition of “Brainwaves,” a Prong cover, reveals a crucial influence without strictly mimicking it.

“I’m having fingernails for breakfast.” With that, German unintentional comedy troupe Bitterness Exhumed stumble hard and hilariously out the gate on their eponymous debut (Wooaaargh). Sure, it’s easy to poke fun at lyrics not written in one’s native tongue, but the thesaurus-dependent word jumble of “Thoughts Of Denial” is as egregious as it is hackneyed. Musically, the quintet fare slightly better, with serviceable deathcore for those few who haven’t moved on yet.

-GS

It doesn’t matter if you discovered Unsane from an old video of skateboarding calamities or though the wondrous world of noise rock’s 90s heyday. You’re here now and that’s what matters. Unlike contemporaries Helmet who saw greater commercial success before splintering, Unsane maintained an eerie level of unwaveringly grim consistency, never softening or toning down their bombed-out and battered blues. This is why I’m so pleased to present an exclusive album stream of their new record Wreck.

But first, a thought: I’m downright baffled at the attention that’s been paid to the band in the lead-up to the release of their seventh full-length. 2007′s vitriolic Visqueen, one of my favorite albums, appeared on Mike Patton’s Ipecac imprint and landed with a thud. Not that I think Unsane desires the approval of others, but the general disinterest and tepid critical response stood in direct opposition to the coming noise rock revival of which we are still in the gorgeous, hedonistic throes. I suppose if they had dropped out like The Jesus Lizard did and returned when the money got right I’d understand why people seem to be falling over themselves to praise Wreck. Some of us weird jerkoffs know Unsane never left.

So without further ado, check out the stream for Wreck, which releases tomorrow (March 20th) on Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label in CD, vinyl and download formats:

Click to read more…

European bands mimicking NYHC have become so predictable and commonplace that it’s little wonder so few of these groups manage to make much of a dent stateside. Harsh words perhaps, but surely hardcore can do without another formulaic Madball rip-off like Guilty, whose self-titled 7″ (Six Feet Under) is an instantly forgotten foot-shuffle of rote mechanics. Metallic flourishes like the squealing solo on “At The Bottom” do little but drag things out needlessly. For fans of: cliché.

Click to read more…

I had to ask about the van. How could I not? The infamous eBay listing cropped up the very same day as my scheduled interview with Dale Crover. After quickly pointing out that the band “got rid of that thing a long time ago” and were in no way involved in this auction, the longtime Melvins drummer indicated that there was more to the ol’ Melvan than Kurt Cobain’s Kiss doodles.

[On] one of our first tours, we were in Florida at this laundromat, and there’s this lady in there with curlers in her hair. She saw us come in, saw the van and said, “Y’all are Kiss?” We said, “YEAH”, she said, “Well I was wondering what y’all looked like with out your makeup on. My little kids are scared of you because you have makeup on, but it’s great you guys are here.” Yeah, Kiss is there doing their laundry. But she believed it.

Throughout the band’s history, their humor and influence have only grown, inadvertently becoming living legends in the hard rock world. Yet talking to Crover, it’s clear the Melvins still see themselves as a working band, never content to rest on their laurels or get too comfortable. The unprompted string of exclusive reveals below regarding the band’s upcoming recording projects–which include new work with Jello Biafra, Scott Kelly, The Cows’ Kevin Rutmanis, and, oh, Dinosaur FUCKING Jr.–shows that, after decades of rocking the fuck out, these guys intend to keep on keepin’ on. In time for this week’s release of a free downloadable EP called The Bulls & The Bees, I got Crover to talk about that, the upcoming Melvins Lite album Freak Puke, side-projects like Shrinebuilder, and his thoughts on… Paul McCartney? Check it out.

Click to read more…

In 2009, Gallows were darlings of the rock glossies. The subsequent departure of their spunky ginger frontman, however, seems to have sapped much of their punk mojo. Many other bands would have gracefully called it quits rather than release Death Is Birth (6131), the latest from the newly Canadian-infused lineup. The polished single “Mondo Chaos” aspires to anthemic quality, but its puerile chorus bears more semblance to Marilyn Manson than any hardcore band ever should. “True Colours” saves some face, but not enough.

Click to read more…

2011 was an anomalous year for the ever-productive Melvins, one in which no new music (save for a cover of Ram Jam’s “Black Betty”) was commercially released. Of course, the band wasn’t resting on their laurels, playing several “Don’t Look Back”-style shows and documenting several live performances on CD. But when the euphoric haze of witnessing records like Bullhead live in concert dissipated, those of us who have long-appreciated the group’s astonishing, quirky, and generally impressive output were at a loss.

Apparently, the guys anticipated our needs, and are delivering two brand new releases over the next few months, the first of which is a downloadable freebie called The Bulls And The Bees. Presented by the folks at Scion (who brought us one of the greatest Frisky Dingo episodes ever), it features the four-piece lineup that continues to blow audiences away with dueling drummers. “Friends Before Larry” is the third track on this one, and we’ve hustled up this exclusive premiere for your listening pleasure. Check it out now in advance of the March 13 release.

Click to read more…

Sure, Dave Mustaine may have given–and then tentatively rescinded–his endorsement to Rick Santorum, but there’s no reason why we can’t get our Pit Romney on. Here’s the latest and greatest in hardcore festival news…

The Black N Blue Bowl proved once again why it is the year’s most anticipated one-day hardcore event, revealing most of its lineup sans one “very special headliner TBA.” So how did New York’s BNB Productions top last year’s Gorilla Biscuits reunion? Sheer Terror, Youth Of Today, Outburst, DYS, Hazen Street, and a reunited The Mob all made the bill, as did “A Tribute To Raybeez” which features members of that fallen hardcore figure’s former band Warzone. This is as close as we’ll ever get to a Warzone show at this point. If that weren’t enough Born From Pain, First Blood, King Nine, Minus 1 (members of Merauder), Rotting Out, and Suburban Scum. Buy your tickets now, or bleh yourself to sleep when it’s sold out.

Click to read more…

Having lived and loved in Boston several years ago, I have a certain affinity to that great American city and its frequently overlooked musical heritage. While cities like Los Angeles and New York get much of the credit for early essential contributions to hardcore, DYS represented New England proudly, alongside other fine seminal groups from the region like SSD and Gang Green. With only two full-length releases to their name–1983′s Brotherhood and the metallic 1984 self-titled follow-up–the band did what many of its peers and followers did: got in and got out. Of course, its members didn’t completely abandon the scene: Dave Smalley went on to front All, Dag Nasty, and Down By Law, while bassist Jonathan Anastas co-founded the legendary Slapshot.

Yet in the 21st century, with so many hardcore groups reuniting, it was only a matter of time before the group got back together. In a recent interview, the band–which now includes Anastas and Smalley along with new recruits like Franz Stahl of Scream–insisted to me that getting back together after more than two decades was an “organic” decision. As Anastas explains:

“We were approached by people who we’ve known for a really long time, including Drew Stone, the singer of Antidote. They were putting together a Boston hardcore documentary and they realized that there was so little video footage of bands back in the day. They didn’t just want to make a movie of talking heads, grown-up talking about ‘back in the day’ with still photos. So they came up with this idea of putting this reunion show together if for no other reason than to provide live footage shot in current HD fashion. For us, it was the idea of supporting them and that DYS had never been filmed properly to participate in that.”

Click to read more…

Musically, the tire treads on the straight-edge-youth-crew mobile are admittedly a bit thin these days. Worse still, dogmatic self-seriousness casts an ever-conservative pallor over even the good stuff. So the cheery cartoon art adorning Truth Inside‘s Best Times (Bottled Up Records) ran counter to my expectations. The content is overwhelmingly positive, with good vibes, PMA, and pep talks all over “Best Times” and “Perspective.” Skaters: stick around for the bonus cut.

Click to read more…

We didn’t have a Pit Romney column up last week, a critical error since HOLY CRAPS SO MUCH HAPPENED! So without further ado, here’s your latest round-up of the goings on in the wonderful world of hardcore festivals!

The bilingual bunch behind Quebec’s sixth Heart Fest recently revealed the full lineup for this three-day event, conveniently sorted by date and set order. How efficient! Two venues in Gatineau, Qc will accommodate the festivities: The Odysée (Friday May 4th – Saturday May 5th) and A.R.G. (Sunday May 6th). The headliners include Defeater, Reign Supreme, Stray From The Path, and 100 Demons, backed by a stupefying list of support acts, including Daylight, Daytrader, Wrong Answer, Soul Control, Expire, Warhound, Perfo, Born Low, Agitator, The Beautiful Ones, Revenge, Enforcers, Your Demise, and Obey The Brave. After you catch your breath, check out the full details here.

Click to read more…