A Riot Of My Own

Bane - Dublin, 11:58 PM

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Almost five years after the release of The Note Bane finally comes with some new material. Three new songs of which two are titled after soapoperas (but that can also be a complete coincidence). However Dublin, 11:58 PM, which is also released under the name Boston 6:58PM is good, very good.

Let me first admit that I think The Note is the best Bane full length released up until now. I never was into the chaotic and way too technical stuff on Give Blood and though It All Comes Down To This has some great songs, it also has some very weak moments.

Another confession: my third year old son loves it when I play Swan Song in the car. He always asks me if I can turn up the volume when that song is playing.

But enough of that. Dublin, 11:58 PM:
7" opener The Bold And The Beautiful has been on the Bane Myspace for a while and easily follows in the footsteps of The Note with its fast oldschool sound backed up by massive gangvocals. In a way it also reminds me of the first Comeback Kid record. If the band is ever planning on being the new Ten Yard Fight only with lyrics around Basketball, this sure could be their first anthemic song.

One Life To Life is another fast song, about finding faith in something other than God, or as Aaron Bedard sings I didn't find God and he didn't come looking for me but someone showed me Minor Threat

To me the reason to get this 7" is on side BThe Young And Restlessis bound to be another highlight of any Bane live show. It's gripping, and anthemic. You just want to scream along with Bedard and be that kid that over romanticizes everything. I will believe in dragons for as long as I run with dragons that sounds like some fairy tale lyrics, but the band manages to make it ring as true as ever.

Dublin, 11:58 PM is just another reminder of how much the hardcore scene needs a band like Bane. A band that has maintaned its strong ethic of superb songrwiting and great shows.
Let's hope the announced follow up Rome 12:58am 7" on Hurry Up! Records also to be known as the Los Angeles 3:58pm 7" on 6131 Records or the Perth 7:58am CD/EP on Resist Records will be such as good.

On a sidenote: I have the limited European tour edition on green vinyl. 480 copies of these were pressed.

Jasons Mazolla's top 5

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:22:00 +0000

Lists, it seems hardcorekids in particular thrive on lists. What is the best Madball release? What are the top 7" released by Revelation etc.
Jason Mazolla of Cloak/Dagger and Count Me Out fame recently gave his list of top 5 hardcore records including an explanation why he choose these records. An interesting read so check it out here.

Me, You... Youth Crew 2009

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Show of the year? Who knows. It's nice to play with some of the best youth crew bands around though.

Paint It Black 2009 Interview

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:41:00 +0000

I think aside from Anti-Flag Paint It Black is the band I have interviewed the most. Being really into their 'Amnesia' ep, I thought the time was right to speak to the band once again. So here it goes:

Releasing a 7” was new for this band. ‘Amnesia’ is out for a while do you see differences between the release of that one and previous full lengths. Or is releasing a 7”the same as releasing a full length.
Releasing a 7” was something different for us. We had been focusing on albums for so long we forgot what it was like to be able to write a song and have it recorded and released in a matter of months. So, the main differences are the rate at which we can release music, and the pacing of the records themselves.

Albums usually have a lot emotional nuance, they wax and wane in intensity and tone, but with 7” EP’s we have a choice of being relentless or being more subtle. I feel like “Amnesia,” the first 7” has lot of variation between pure hostility and melody, and builds up to a real emotional peak, but the “Surrender,” EP just pounds relentlessly from beginning to end.

Up until now Dan Yemin has mostly worked with Jade Tree records. So is releasing a 7”through Bridge Nine and Fat a whole new experience for you? Why didn’t you decide to release two 7” on Jade Tree instead. And why did you chose for Bridge 9 and Fat Wreck in particular?
We just focusing on 7” gave us an opportunity to see what it was like to work with other friends in the punk and hardcore community. Dan’s been putting records out with Jade Tree for 14 years, with our decision to express ourselves through a different format (the 7” EP), trying different working relationships also made sense. It’s been really interesting and a lot of fun working with Bridge Nine and Fat Wreck.

All the songs of the 7”we’re recorded at the same time, is their more material of the same session waiting to be released? Do you have new releases scheduled and if so will that be another 7”. In fact will Paint It Black ever do a full length again?
There’s no more material from this recording session, but we do plan on putting out more 7-inches in the future. I can’t reveal when or with who at this point. I would be happy to never release a full-length again, but I can’t predict what will happen in the future.

Is Paint It Black going to do a split-record in the future and if so which band would you all like to be on the other side.
I would love to do a split EP with Ceremony, but I think that they have a rule about not doing splits, so I can’t really say. I would do a split with Career Suicide if they were willing...

I have the feeling that the songs on ‘Surrender’ are your most experimental and hard ones yet. Do you see the band evolve more into that direction?
Paint It Black has always been a band that’s evolving in many directions at once. “Surrender” gets into some of the most furious music we’ve ever made. But remember, on the “Amnesia” EP the song that closed the record explores melodic territory that we’ve never explored before.

You went on tour in The Uk for a couple of weeks, why did you decide not to cross the sea and do a couple of shows in Europe as well? Do you have any idea when the band will be back on European soil.
We’re headed to the UK to play 12 shows. We’ve always wanted to do that, and we’ve been talking with Ceremony about it for months. Trying to get around Europe in the short periods of time that we’re available to tour can be really stressful, and we just wanted to focus on having fun with our friends and not dealing with crazy overnight drives. We’re grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to tour Europe, and for the hospitality we’ve received, but this time we’re just keeping it simple.

You guys did a tour with Propagandhi and are now going to do a tour with legends Naked Raygun is touring with such different bands a way for you guys to keep doing shows interesting and also your way to expose Paint It Black ‘fans’ to other bands that you think people should know about.
I know that punks aren’t supposed to have heroes, but I need to say it: both Naked Raygun and Propagandhi are heroes of ours and huge influences for us. Naked Raygun has always inluenced our music, and Propagandhi our politics.

We like to play with a wide variety of bands, instead of only playing with angry hardcore bands all the time. Paint It Black is an unusual band in that we never really fit in anywhere in any simple way, because we play hardcore punk that is both very belligerent and very melodic.

We can tour with Leatherface and Dead to Me one week, Ceremony and Sabretooth Zombie the next, but it all makes sense to us. I’m afraid it confuses people a lot of the time, but its the only way we’re comfortable being a band.

To answer the last part of your question: Naked Raygun is coming to our part of the country for the first time in 20 years! If we can expose people to this band that have never heard them before, that would be a privilege.

How hard is it to maintain both the band and keep your career/work going at the same time. And has there never been a time that you wanted to make Paint It Black a full time band. Or is doing the band the way you are doing it now one of the things that keeps you motivated and interested in doing the band.
Sometimes its really hard to balance the band with work, but the hardest thing to balance is band and family. It definitely takes a toll emotionally and physically. There are times when its really frustrating not to be able to spend more of the year touring, especially when we watch our friends doing it, but several of us have lived the constant touring life too when we were younger, and we’ve seen how much that changes your experience of making music, not always in a positive way. At this point, we’re grateful not to have to rely on our band to pay our rent.

Being around in the nineties, how do you look upon the whole revival of nineties hardcore, what was so good about those days that we seem to have lost right now. Or are things always better looking back and will one day someone also write about the heyday of hardcore 2009?
We’re not really interested in nostalgia. I’m not sure exactly what type of 90’s hardcore is being revived, but I’m afraid that it wouldn’t have anything to do with what we’re interested in.
If by “90’s hardcore” you mean Born Against, Rorschach, Heroin, Assfactor 4, Torches To Rome, or Deadguy than that might be really exciting. If by “90’s hardcore” you mean Outspoken and Chorus of Disapproval, than not so much. I would say that things are pretty good right now from a musical standpoint. The thing I miss the most about the 90’s is that people seemed to have more of a political sensibility.

Commitment Crew - What Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:58:00 +0000

I guess I don't have to tell you the swedish hc/punk scene is rocking with bands like Anchor, Stay Hungry as well as Masshysteri to name but a few. Commitment Crew is from the Goteborg scene and another prime example of good Swedish hardcore.

The band is an odd one on the Crucial Response roster which is mainly known for it's youth crew orientated bands. Like Insurance Risk Commitment Crew also take their influences from an earlier era in hardcore or should I say Oi!?
Because Commitment Crew sounds more like early Oi! influenced Agnostic Front with a burly singer whose voice at times reminds me of the guy from Brotherhood and on other songs of No For An Answer- era Dan O' Mahony.

With twelve solid songs on stupid television shows, having no goals and feeling alienated 'What Are You?' goes over fast, but the songs are divers enough to want to put the needle on the record once again. Especially since some songs are so damn catchy you automatically raise you fist and want to circle pit.

Another reason to get this record is the artwork by Henrik Skog, it really makes the record unique and reminds me of the classic early Underdog-s/t record. Instead this time it isn't a crowd of people around the corner but a bunch of moshing and diving creatures from hell.

Commitment Crew - What Are You just might be the surprise record of the year.

Commitment Crew

Insurance Risk - Violence In Our Minds

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:49:00 +0000

I remember there used to be some controversy arround this Norewegian band. When they were scheduled to play in Tilburg some people were talking about a boycot, this was during the end of the nineties when the scene was still way more politcally correct than it seems to be nowadays.
The problem was Insurance Risk had a song called ' We don't care' with these lyrics:
'You take it up the butt
Suck it like candy
Think you're a man
You're a fucking sissu

Do we offend- we don't care

Friday night is here
You wanna get fucked
But you don't want no pussy
You wanna butt-fuck

Do we offend - we don't care!'

Here was this band in the middle of the youth crew revival playing tight as shit early Boston hardcore and with lyrics like this. Some people didn't understand how Crucial Response, the label that released ManLiftingBanner could also release Insurance Risk.

However the show went on without incidents and Insurance Risk turned out to be decent fellows. Fast forward three years and another Insurance Risk is released by at the time legendary MY WAR records, again full on Boston hc with simple lyrics that could have been on any early SSD or Project X record. Both 7" sold out pretty fast and were never repressed.

Fast forward to 2009. Crucial Response had all the songs remastered and releases both 7" on one lp. With a suitable layout and an explanation by drummer Ollie Anderson on the origins of Insurance Risk and why they wrote the controversial song. Looking back I'm amazed how good these songs actually sound. At the time I paid more attention to the controversy around the band than to the music itself. So it's great that Crucial Response made these songs available once again.

The Hope Conspiracy - True Nihilist

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:08:00 +0000

The Hope Conspiracy are they still around? In mainland Europe people seem to believe The Hope Conspiracy broke up a long while ago. Not that strange taken into consideration that the band didn't do many shows between 2004 and 2009 and 2006' Death Knows Your Name didn't get the attention previous Hope Con records got.
When the band announced several European shows early 2010 I immediately started playing 'Death Knows Your Name' again and it struck me that I actually like that record better than, by now considered a classic, Endnote.
When visiting the Reflections household today I picked up the latest Hope Con release and after playing it several times I'm looking even more forward to the live shows.
True Nihilist is heavy, dirty and 100 procent hardcore. It's what Black Flag would have sounded like if they came from Boston and were a band right now. Well maybe that's not totally true but I hope I get my idea across. This is threatening, agressive music with intelligent lyrics and without becoming metal or whatever.
A real plus is the artwork that consists of a mindblowing giant poster with great japanes style artwork of a skeletonbird carrying the earth.
Yes The Hope Conspiracy are still around and yes they still kick ass more then most new bands do.

Stay Hungry - No Beginning, No End

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:18:00 +0000

When is the last time you heard a pissed off straight edge band that didn't play metal? Fortunately Sweden's Stay Hungry recently released a killer 9 songs lp on Reflections Records. It's fast, it's hard and it's great.
You can definately hear some of the Swedish sound known from bands like Outlast, Final Exit and even DS-13. Yet Stay Hungry is less trashy as aforementioned bands and stick more to the hardcore groundrules of fast, short songs with some breakdowns and singalongs.
Songs like Bottoms Up For The Weak and Loud And Clear are brutal displays of great hardcoresongs. Record closer Bloodsucker is just brilliant in it's own mind and the I can't wait to start hammering people sticks in your head for a long time.
Stay Hungry is a great addition to the Swedish and European straight edge scene. Get this record and play it loud (and clear).

Stay Hungry

Hangin in the air

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Yesterdays's show with Black Friday 29 and Betrayed was awesome. More on the show later. For now I'll share this picture with you. I always wanted to have my own the standard youth crew vocalist in air picture and here it is:

More pics of the show can be found here: Moshzone

Two new songs up!

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:04:00 +0000

As promised two new songs by State Of Affairs are up on our myspace: . We recorded everthing ourselves in our practiceroom so don't expect a fancy production. (Also bear in mind I did the vocals for 9 songs within two hours. Most of them in one take)
Please let me know if you're into our newer stuff.

I'll be Damned

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:31:00 +0000

So The Damned and The Clash are my favourite early British punk bands. And now the Damned is playing a small venue this september during the Incubate festival (previously ZXZW). You bet I'll be there! Also playing are On and Common Cause. Awesome.

The Effort finally in the Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:22:00 +0000

In case you're wondering why I'm so slow on updates here are a couple of reasons:
First of all besides writing for Upmagazine I nowadays also write for Asice.net that combined with my regular work, a reading addiction (just check my Bookshelf) and Twitter doesn't leave a lot of room for regular posts.

We're also pretty busy with State Of Affairs, last week we've recorded 9 new songs for a promo. I will lay down the vocals next week and then we'll post some of the new stuff on our myspace.

Besides all that I though it really sucked that a band like The Effort wouldn't be playing a show in The Netherlands on their upcoming tour. So I decided to organize my own show for the first time in my life. If you have the chance, please come down and support. If things work out, I'll be able to do more shows in the future.

Annihilation Time in Tilburg!

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:04:00 +0000

Book on European Straight Edge -Update

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:01:00 +0000

"THE PAST THE PRESENT 1982-2007: A HISTORY OF 25 YEARS OF EUROPEAN STRAIGHT EDGE" BOOK (Marc Hanou, Jean- Paul Frijns)

"The Past The Present" vinyl also including the book "The Past The Present – a history of European Straight Edge 1982-2007". 108 pages, and over 250 photos documenting the straight edge scene in Europe.

Straight Edge is a powerful subculture of a subculture. Punkrockers that don’t smoke, don’t drink and don’t do drugs are the outcasts of the outcasts. By following a timeline from 1982 to 2007 the straight edge authors tell the narrative of the European straight edge with the oral history from those who were there and from those that are still there, the people that made and still make it happen. The particular development of the European straight edge is described by five Dutch bands, each representing a different era. Starting with Lärm’s Do It Yourself punk ethics the straight edge scene in Europe has developed itself towards political activism of all sorts with a strong emphasis on vegetarianism and veganism as Eye of Judgement shows. Capturing the immense energy of a vibrant and vivid scene, The Past The Present contains stories from entire Europe, from Sweden to Spain and from Portugal to Poland.

A document for anyone interested in hardcore or straight edge.

authors:

Marc Hanou (1967) discovered punk in 1981 at age 13 and saw Lärm play at age 14. He became straight edge in 1985 and vegetarian in 1986. He played in BTD, Betray, Dance Cleopatra, Longshot, Blackheads and in Twin Cities outfit In Defence. Currently he plays bass in Nixnieuwz and guitar in Birds Of A Feather. He had a straight edge radio show between 1988 and 1994 on radio Patapoe, Amsterdam, did Revelation Records Europe from 1990 to 1994, booked dozens of shows at the Dirk and the Maloe Melo, both in Amsterdam, and booked shows in Europe for dozens of bands as well, from Green Day to Born Against.

Jean-Paul Frijns (1973) heard punk for the first time on a new-wave compilation tape that someone made for him during the end of the 80’s. Skateboarding and magazines like Thrasher and Maximum Rock ‘n Roll got him more involved in punk and hardcore. It introduced him to straight edge and inspired him to start his own zine Value Of Strength, that is still around today. He organized the ‘Geleen Festival’ during the 90’s and booked shows in the southern part of the Netherlands. He interned as a graphic designer for Victory records and lived in Chicago where he picked up the bass guitar. Currently he plays bass for Birds Of A Feather and books the occasional show at the Maloe Melo.

also involved:

Andreas Gruter, Germany ("Vengeance" zine, worked for Crucial Response Records)
Atanasoski Vasko, Macedonia (F.P.O.)
Bart Griffioen, Holland (PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER, DEADSTOOLPIGEON
Bruno Miguel Piairo Lopes Teixeira, Portugal (NEW WINDS, THESE HANDS ARE FISTS)
Bruno Pires, Portugal (NEW WINDS)
David Leon, Spain (AFTERLIFE, THE DEFENSE)
Fausto, Spain ("AHC" zine)
Hans Verbeke, Belgium (RISE ABOVE, BLINDFOLD, SHORTSIGHT, SPIRIT OF YOUTH, NATIONS ON FIRE, LIAR)
Inti Carboni, Italy (show promoter)
Jasper, Holland (A STEP APART, EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Jennifer Ramme, Poland (Emancypunx Records)
Jeroen Vrijhoef, Holland (MAINSTRIKE, Coalition Records)
Jimmy Jensen, Denmark (STRUGGLE AGAINST)

Johan Prenger, Holland (Reflections Records)
Johnny van de Koolwijk, Holland (MAINSTRIKE, REACHING FORWARD, DOWNSLIDE)
Jos Houtveen, Holland (LARM, SEEIN' RED, STAATHAAT)
Jose Saxlund, Sweden (ABHINANDA, Desperate Fight Records)
Lord Bigma, Holland (MANLIFTINGBANNER, MAINSTRIKE, NO DENIAL, STRIKE FIRST, BIRDS OF A FEATHER)
Lucas van Heerikhuizen, Holland (EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Mario Tucman, Croatia (VASELINE CHILDREN)

Marcus Erricson, Sweden (EYES SHUT, LAST HOPE, DAMAGE CONTROL, ANOTHER YEAR, ANCHOR, "Soulcity" zine)
Mark Schenk, Holland (EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Michiel Bakker, Holland (PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER)
Olav van de Berg, Holland (LARM, SEEIN' RED, PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER)
Patryk Bugajski, Poland (SUNRISE, DAYMARES)
Paul van de Berg (LARM, SEEIN' RED, PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER)
Ram, Denmark (artist)
Rat, UK (STATEMENT, UNBORN)
Ricardo Dias, Portugal (TIME X, DAY OF THE DEAD)
Rob Beekmans, Holland (ABUSIVE ACTION)
Robert Matusiak, Poland (Refuse Records)
Robert Voogt, Holland (Commitment Records)
Roel, Holland (EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Willem Jan Kneepkens, Holland (INSULT, EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Yann Boisleve, France ("International Straight-Edge Bulletin")

The book comes together with the vinyl version of Birds X Of A Feather, the Past the Present:

LP version of "The Past The Present" coming out in a gatefold w/ the book in a few pressing versions - check below for details. Pre-order version is hand numbered and available on brown vinyl and limited to 100 copies:

Birds Of A Feather LP first pressing info:

Test pressing: 25 copies, exclusive cover with different artwork, black vinyl, the book signed by the authors

Pre-Order version: 100 copies, brown vinyl, white labels stamped and numbered

Limited color version: 122 copies, orange vinyl

Regular 1st press version: 278 copies, brown vinyl

contact, ordering: refuserecords@gmail.com

Book on European Straight Edge

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:59:00 +0000

While a large part of the worldwide hardcore scene is still stoked about the Burning Fight book and shows another promising book seems to slip off the radar. The book on European Straight Edge written by BirdsXOf A Feather members Jean-Paul Frijns and Marc Hanou should come soon. I'm eager to read it (as well as the Burning Fight book).

Cracks In The Wall -s/t- ep

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Do you remember hardcore?
Do you remember shitty basements and worn out squats?
Do you remember being harassed by the police and chased by jocks?
Do you remember bands who got up on stage and played like they were chased by the devil?
Do you remember songs that were anti-establishment and had more to do with hate than love?
Do you remember putting real money in an envelope?
Do you remember waiting months for a package of new records to be delivered at your door?
Do you remember looking over the artwork and learning each song by heart?

Well to be honest parts of it I don't remember either. Yet Cracks In The Wall reminds me of those days. Days we mostly know about through 'American Hardcore' the book and movie.

The Netherlands have a great tradition of fast and angry hardcore. BGK, Larm, Seein Red, Citizens Patrol and now Cracks In The Wall.

Ofcourse there's always room for growth. This is their first ep. Next time I would like more of those Black Flag guitarparts and maybe a bit more backingvocals. Now I do have the feeling especially vocalwise the record just goes on like a bulldozer on speed. Yet I think the same thing about Negative Approach.

If you like your hardcore fast, no frills, no gimmicks and 80's style I suggest you pay attention to Cracks In The Wall.

(If you think I'm biased because my best friend plays in the band, you might be right. Just go and check for yourself.)

Oh I've got a testpress that was only sold at the releaseshow number 35 of 40 for those who care.

Cracks In The Wall -s/t- ep back
Originally uploaded by xroldx

Myspace: Cracks In The Wall

State of Affairs update: Seize the moment

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:03:00 +0000

Hi all. Rumors are true, we're still alive and rehearsing ;-)

So far we have finished 8 songs for an upcoming ep. We will be demoing them soon, to send out to labels that might be interested in releasing our stuff.

Getting shows isn't the most easy thing at the moment. The kind of hardcore we play seems pretty dead in The Netherlands with only Birds X Of A Feather still keeping the flame burning.

So if you like youth crew inspired hardcore please drop us a line, we love to play your show.

Bye for now.

Take care, Live aware

xRoldx

Static Radio NJ - An Evening Of Bad Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:27:00 +0000

There were three bands I really looked forward to seeing on this years Groezrock festival. H20, because they are always a great band to see live, unfortunately they cancelled. True Colors, I was curious how they would hold up on a very large festival stage. (Which they managed impressively. It was like seeing Youth Of Today. Tons of singalongs, moshing and stagedives). And last but not least Static Radio NJ.

I already heard good things about that band and the tracks on their myspace were awesome. So I was bummed when they also had to cancel their tour. Little did I know that at Groezrock I would meet Phil who runs the Black Numbers, the label Static Radio NJ is on. (And also the label who put out the Purpose discography but more on that in a later blogpost).

Phil also had a couple of Static Radio NJ - An Evening Of Bad Decisions with him. So I didn't hesitate and picked one up. If I can't see the band I damn well will listen to their songs at home.

Good decision making there.

Sorry early Saves The Day, Shook Ones, Set Your Goals and tons of other bands. You might have been compared to Lifetime once, but that was just other bogus because of a lack of a really worthy band to fill in that void.

People we now have that band. Static Radio NJ combines later day 'Jersey's Best Dancers' melody with the earlier Lifetime stuff and sounds more like Lifetime than the band itself on their self titled reunion record.

Sure there are now songs about dancing with flowers in an SSD shirt. But Static Radio NJ brings the same kind of emotions and heartfelt songs without coming off as another emopop band.

I sure hope the band will make it over to Europe soon, for real.

Myspace: Static Radio NJ

Ritual - Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Honestly up to now I haven't paid that much attention to Ritual from Germany. Somewhere in my mind I had the idea the band was a would be Modern Life Is War.

But man was I wrong. Well at least where it concerns their new full length Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone. The record starts off with an instrumental track that could be written by Modern Life Is War had they actually managed to write a song with this much atmosphere.

Then all registers are open and the band crushes all current releases with their dark, emotive and original tunes. This is better than Blacklisted and up there with Modern Life Is Wars' Witness. Only Ritual isn't about the working class American but about the lost generation of Europeans which somehow makes a difference. They also have a bit of an Unbroken thing going on, without sounding like an Unbroken rehash.

I even dare to say Ritual is a bit more sophisticated than the aforementioned bands. Yet they don't come across as a band of know it all nerds.

Where lots of bands and records sound the same. This is definately a record for my yearlist and one of those few and far between releases that make hardcore interesting.

Ritual Beneath Aging Flesh and Bone on splatter
Originally uploaded by xroldx

I managed to pick up one of the limited to 250 copies on blue/splatter vinyl.

Myspace: Ritual

Arms Aloft - Comfort At Any Cost 7"

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:49:00 +0000

I confess. Besides youth crew hardcore I'm a dead sucker for up tempo poppunk with gruffy vocals. Hot Water Music, Dillinger 4, Kid Dynamite you know the deal. Lately The Loved Ones have been rocking my world as well as Dutchband Tenement Kids.

All these bands are widely known to a large part of the punk and hardcore scene. A band that deserves to be in the same spotlight is Wisconsins' Arms Aloft. Since the debut of The Loved Ones I haven't been as excited by a band in this genre.

Arms Aloft has it all a: great singer, good tunes, sincere lyrics and the right amount of catchyness. Hell they're so good I'm surprised Side One Dummy or Fat Wreck hasn't picked up this band yet. Someone is sleeping!!!

Go and get this record from Deadformat. You won't be dissapointed!

Myspace: Arms Aloft

Reflections Records

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:20:00 +0000

The fact that (what I think) one of the best hardcore labels has moved to my hometown Tilburg from Arnhem is awesome. (Though my wallet might think otherwise) So why did Reflections Records moved to Tilburg and what can we expect from the label in the near future? Time for labelboss Johan to fill me in. Now I know Johan for quite a long time. I remember Reflections Magazine being one of the first zines I read, and a major inspiration for me to start a zine myself. Which eventually led to a career in journalism. So let's have a word with the man in charge:

You've participated in some big hardcore festivals in Arnhem. Most Reflections band also played a show there? Can I expect the same thing happening in Tilburg?
That's something we will start working on in the future. Tilburg simply has a better climate for loud music and more opportunities than in Arnhem. The coming months we will try and participate with others to get more promotion for hardcore and punk in Tilburg and have more bands play here.

Besides the label you also have an online shop. Do you think you will become a competitor for recordshops in Tilburg?
The online shop is as important as the label. Still I don't think and don't hope we will be a competitor for recordshops. So far too many recordshops had to stop. As a musicfan and self-employed person I think it's a shame. Besides we are very underground and mostly sell vinyl.
The other side is that lots of recordshop owners complain about mailorders and say that internet has taken away their business. Personally I think that has more to do with illegal downloading.

Is doing a recordlabel still relevant these days?
I think it is and I hope it is. I know there are people who say you don't need recordlabels anymore. But a lot of people forget recordlabels have the network, ways of distribution and promotion to push a band to the next level and get more people into them. Labels can help bands get on tour and in touch with promoters. If a band joins a label like ours they immediately get more attention because we are kind of well known in the hardcorepunk scene.

How do you still manage to sell enough records despite all the illegal downloads?
The only thing you can do is release good records that look good as well. We sell enough records to keep our head above water and make the profit we need to release another record. Fact is that where three, four years ago we were able to sell twothousand cd's from one band, nowadays we often sell less than a thousand. Vinyl sales has increased the past few years and that makes up for a large part. But illegal downloads affects us as a label. That is certain.

Why did you move the label from Arnhem to Tilburg?
For a long time we wanted to get out of Arnhem. With the birth of our son Jules it would be more practical to have the label and mailorder in house once again. Tilburg was a logical choice as Suzanne (Johan's wife) got a new job here.

What can we expect from Reflections in the near future?
Though it is not made official yet we're going to release a record by a new US band called Worship. As well as a 12-inch by Stay Hungry from Sweden, they're over thirty and still all about straight edge. We're working on some new things with our sidelabel Monumentum and of course No Turning Back is still playing all over the world and will release some new stuff this year. We will continue for more years. Especially now with a new office in a new town I'm all inspired to do new things.

Best European straight edge band

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:51:00 +0000

I have this poll running on Twitter but thought it would be nice of other people could speak their mind as well:

Favourite Carry On records (according to Twitter)

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Once again I used Twitter to come up with some sort of list of favourite Carry On records. Now this question was kind of hard on some people as not everyone seems to know exactly what Carry On has released.

1. A Life Less Plagued (2001, Bridge 9 Records) The most favourite record for a majority of people on Twitter. Also the record that put the band on the worldwide hardcore map. Though I love most of the songs on this one and admire the transition that Carry On made in their song and lyricwriting it's not my favourite record. I miss the positivism and youth crew sound of their earlier records.

2. Roll With The Punches (2000, Teamwork Records) Teamwork was known for putting out classics like Floorpunch and Atari. This Carry On record was another 'hit'. It's aggresive and straight edge. And easily one of the best 7" to come out after the youth crew revival. Cause the thing with Carry On is, they just missed that boat. Another thing about this record is the 'Fuck Your Politics' song and the flyer that came with it. At the time the hardcore scene was way more pc than now and Carry On made the daring stance to say they we're there for the fun, not for the debates. They were a bunch of guys who like hardcore, nothing more.

3. The Line Is Drawn (1999, Youngblood Records) My personal favourite. When I first heard it, I was blown away. To me Carry On were the new Insted. The same positive, Californian vibe. The artwork is awesome with all the live pics. I still regret selling the shirt that I ordered with the record.

A lot of people mentioned It's All Our Blood (2001) which is a collection of the Roll With The Punches and The Line Is Drawn 7" so I left those unaccounted for.

Not surprisingly no one mentioned the first Carry On record: Stabbed In The Face (1998) which is a very bad record from a band still finding it's sound.

My hearts is true to

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Tomorrow: Promises Kept

noreply@blogger.com (xroldx) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Lyrics | Champion lyrics - Promises Kept lyrics