REACT! Records: A New Generation Takes Over

React! Records must be one of the top hardcore labels out there. And that's not just because they put out awesome music; it's also a label that has supported hardcore as a positive way of life, bringing good music and strong values to hardcore kids worldwide through its releases.

Each band on React!'s roster displays its own unique style, which is more than we could ask for in today's hardcore scene. The straight edge factor has always been part of React!, but in a positive and all-inclusive way, which is awesome. When it comes down to it, React! has just been putting out records that aim to bring positive change, which is essentially what makes hardcore great in the first place.

I was kind of surprised to learn that React! main man Aram Arslanian (Champion, the First Step, Betrayed) is passing the label over to new people. Even though the label will continue in the hands of new people who live and breathe hardcore, it's still something I would not expect. I guess that all good things make their full circle and then it's time to move on. Read below to find out Aram's farewell on the React! website...

Hardcore Personalities: Dave Haze (That's What's Up)

Dave Haze: "I don't care if it offends"

Dave Haze is the singer and most recognizable figure behind the infamous Detroit straight edge hardcore band, xTyrantx. This 7th Dagger recording outfit has raised more than a few eyebrows due to some militant edge viewpoints, as well as its violent sound and admittedly extreme looks. 

Let's face it: xTyrantx is not here for the happy PMA kids. However, Haze and xTyrantx help in representing hardcore as the most extreme and dangerous music subculture in the world!

Aside from xTyrantx, Haze also tattoos at Eternal Tattoos and is apparently a big fan of outlaw country.

Respect to the people who are still keeping hardcore extreme!

http://www.facebook.com/xTyrantxFTW

http://www.facebook.com/SEVENTHDAGGER

News: Youth of Today free show in NYC!

2011 seems to be the most energetic year for Youth of Today since their reunion in 2008, but their latest show was a special event! They recently headlined the free re-release event/festival for the book ‘Making a Scene: New York Hardcore 1985-1988’ book, which originally came out  back in 1989. The book is now revamped with more than double photographic material, new commentaries etc. You can check it out through the following links:

http://www.makingascenebook.com/

Making a Scene Facebook Page

The festival was entitled True Til Def and was held at Santos Party House in the context of the annual CMJ music marathon, hosted by Andrew W.K. (musician/speaker/owner of the venue). Other bands that played the True Til Def festival were youth crew holdovers Mouthpiece, notorious punks Trash Talk as well as heavies Kylesa and The Fucking Wrath (some indie rock and hip hop artists also appeared). The festival was free, with placed reservations.

Hit this link to see YoT rampage the stage:

Check out  some photos from True Til Def here.

further links:

http://www.last.fm/music/Youth+of+Today

http://www.truetilldef.com/

http://www.cmj.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_W.K.

Rigas

Things that happen at Youth of Today shows

TRIAL - ANCHOR - RUN WITH THE HUNTED etc Show Review (26.09.11)

OK, so this blog has been kind of quiet during this week, but at least there's been a good reason for it. That reason is that I traveled with the band I play guitar for (My Turn) for a one of a kind show with TRIAL and ANCHOR in Sofia, Bulgaria on the 26th of September. In the following article I will write a few things about out roadtrip and especially about the awesome show we witnessed.

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I will begin by saying that we left for Sofia on Sunday morning and we had just played a show the previous night (on the 24th).  So I guess that we all were a little worn out even before starting  the roadtrip. But everyone who's dedicated to the music he/she loves knows that the fatigue is definitely nothing compared to the experiences gained through this lifestyle. Anyways... so we started traveling north for about 5 hours and stopped at Thessaloniki, the second biggest Greek city which is situated not more than 3-4 hours away from Sofia (our destination). We met with our friend Nick from ETERNAL HATED, and we went out for food and chilled with some friends at a square somewhere in town. We then crashed at his house after chilling and talking. I slept on a bed with two of my bandmates that night. Classy, huh?

The next day we got up, washed etc and we went to get some food supplies for the remaining roadtrip. Being a vegan, it is not always easy for me to be on the road, so usually I have to plan beforehand. Off to the super market, then. We got on the road and after a couple of hours we crossed the Bulgarian border. I was already pretty psyched about seeing TRIAL that night. I was listening to their whole discography on my MP3 player in the car and was continuously getting more and more wired, while the eastern European landscape pictures constantly changed outside the car window.

After a few hours we we arrived at Sofia and found our way to The Box, the club the show was at. We were the first band to arrive, so we just unpacked and went to eat lunch and get some guitar strings etc. When we came back to the club all the bands were in the venue, setting up the merch so we got to work and did the same. It was 5 bands playing that night, so the dudes from the bands alone were kind of enough to create a pretty lively atmosphere. Soon enough, the show was ready to start and TAKING HOLD, the only Bulgarian band playing that night took the stage. These guys play tight heavy/melodic old school hardcore with nice melodies and super groovy beatdowns. They had a lot of friends with them who knew all the lyrics (they were singing in Bulgarian) and they put on a short but definitely awesome set.

Taking Hold

We (MY TURN) got on stage straight away TH's show and had about 20 minutes to play as much as we could from our set, so we obviously had to axe some songs. It was the second time we've played in Sofia, and we kind of already had some friends and some people who knew us, so the show went down pretty well. We also had a crew of Greek hardcore kids who traveled for this particular show, and it was awesome to have them represent Greek HC, and see them in such a different and unknown context.

My Turn

The reality of the matter is that I felt kind of relieved when we finished playing our show, cause then I could enjoy the rest of the bands without worrying about our shit. RUN WITH THE HUNTED took the stage and played their Deathwish-influenced, discordant hardcore. They honestly seemed like great dudes, even though their style of hardcore is definitely not my personal favorite style. Nevertheless, they were pretty tight and quite possibly the most extreme (musically) band of the night!

Run With The Hunted

As the night progressed, it was time for the bigger bands to take the stage. ANCHOR is one of the most well-known European hardcore bands these days, and I just couldn't wait to see what they had to offer. Moreover, being vegan straight edge myself, I was really proud to finally see a band which openly represents the values I believe in and that have shaped my life in such an important way. ANCHOR played a nice enough set, but I don't think it had the urgency and intensity that I expected from them. Maybe they were kind of tired or something... They had the awesome guitar work and the nice hardcore anthems that are worshipped on their albums, but in my opinion they needed something more.

Anchor

We had reached the end of the show and it was time for TRIAL, the 90s hardcore legends. We had waited for a long time and the night was about to end, but with a blast. They typically started of with the symphonic intro to the song "Reflections", and then - like it usually happens at TRIAL shows - the whole place erupted. Greg Bennick must be one of the best frontmen that I have ever seen, with such passion and intensity and integrity. The things he says to the crowd in between songs are just pure gold, things that help you with your own life and that you can carry with you forever. So TRIAL delivered all their 90s classics which are as relevant today as they were back then. I honestly lost my mind and moshed my ass off during their show. I've been thinking that I'm a little too old to mosh sometimes, but I don't think I had another choice during that particular show!

Trial

And just like that, it was all over. In typical hardcore tradition, we hung out outside the club for a while  after the show and we went to EAT like crazy. We were all kinda tired but we couldn't actually feel it from the excitement of the show. We went and sat down and everyone looked happy and full of the energy that only a hardcore show can give you. We devoured tons of food and Coke and it was time to call it a night and go to the places we were going to sleep. I slept at Niki's, the dude who put on the show and runs UGLY & PROUD Records. In his bedroom he showed me a drawer with lots of hardcore fanzines and I spent quite a few hours reading them, until I was utterly exhausted and had to just pass out. The next day we had a whole day of traveling in order to get our asses back to Athens. It is hard but I knew that an exhausting week full of work was waiting for me back home.

Special thanks to Natalia for the pix... check out her blog at: http://zombey.tumblr.com/

RIVALS! - Make Your Own Path

Rivals! is a modern youth crew hardcore band from Athens, Greece, and possibly one of the best HC bands to come out of this country. These dudes have a strong Champion / Have Heart influence, bouncing back and forth between melodic youth crew and harder straight edge hardcore. They also manage to add some new school elements (some intelligent mosh parts etc), but without sounding lame or emo.

Members of Rivals! were in a more forward straight edge band named xFor No Reasonx, and after their demise in 2008, Rivals! was created with the same ideals more or less: to play honest, driving hardcore with a strong sXe feel. They have an awesome recording that will be released soon after a lot of anticipation, as I really feel the world needs to hear this. Their ep entitled Make Your Own Path contains a bunch of hard-hitting hardcore songs with layers of melody, aggression, melancholy, and great vocals and guitar work.

The thing I like about Rivals! is that they are doing it old school: they are a bunch of kids who are friends and they love hardcore. You'll spot these dudes in hardcore shows in Athens and elsewhere keeping it clean and buying merch with a smile on their faces. I am glad to call these guys friends and I think the time has come for the world to get to know more about this band!

Rivals! Facebook Page

COMMON CAUSE - S / T EP (React! Records)

What we have here is a straight edge hardcore record that makes me wanna wear some athletic gear and go straight for a run, lift something heavy or just room-mosh with this music on full volume!

I know that React! Records puts out some of the best stuff in positive / oldschool hardcore, and I definitely wasn't disappointed with Common Cause's new ep. I first heard this band on the Chain of Strength tribute ep (an awesome comp by the way) with their cover of "Those Days", also included on this ep.

These guys continue the tradition of the few remaining purely old school straight edge bands out there. The sound, the ethics and even the aesthetics all belong in the  old school SXE tradition, and this is something I couldn't be more happy about. No matter how much hardcore music progresses, it is important to save and persevere the sound of crucial hardcore bands like the aforementioned Chain of Strength, Insted, Youth of Today, etc. Being a new band, Common Cause have obviously updated their sound with a good production and a heavier edge to their sound, but the outcome remains totally old school.

The lyrics are about values and ethics like understanding and compassion. This may sound weird to some hardcore kids but believe it or not, hardcore also has its compassionate, thought provoking side. I wish there were more hardcore bands singing about this stuff nowadays, with no hard attitudes, violent and self-destructive messages etc. Hardcore stands outside from metal and punk not so much because of the sound, but because of the message of unity and integrity.

UPs: Good production, awesome self-righteous hardcore message, an evident straight edge identity, fast paces & speedy guitars, Chain of Strength cover. 

DOWNs: Could do with more songs (a full album), and would like a bit of a wider vocal range.

THE LOWDOWN: 6 songs of old school straight edge hardcore with a newer edge, filled with positive hardcore messages.

STEP X ASIDE - Awesome Old School sXe HC!

I guess that when it comes to personal favorites, for me nothing can beat a new dose of furious straight edge hardcore! STEP ASIDE from Tucson, AZ deliver some seriously energetic & upbeat hardcore that you should check right now! They have a harder edge to their sound which could be compared to old school stuff like BROTHERHOOD and JUDGE, and of course YOT. Their music hits hard but they still have that positive approach in their lyrics. A band I didn't know until today but I will def be playing on top volume from now on!

Totally old school,totally straight edge, totally awesome!

Check STEP ASIDE and their crucial songs on FB: STEPXASIDE

xAFBx Reunion!

xAFBx aka Armed for Battle has been one of the most crucial straight edge bands of the previous decade. During times that the only straight edge music around was fast hardcore and neo-youthcrew, xAFBx held the flag for no shit, metallic hardcore that totally kept in touch with the movement's essential characteristics. As far as I know,  xAFBx is also one of the most popular bands for all the die hard, militant, hardline etc straight edge kids worldwide. Dudes got some pretty legendary status. Now they're back, and I can't wait to see what the remaining straight edge members (Tony Battle and co) will give the world through their upcoming release on 7th Dagger!

With The Light Of Truth: A Book on Straight Edge Tattoos (Coming September 2011)

Hasn't hardcore always been connected with tattoos (for whatever reason)? Haven't straight edge tattoos become a huge part of the worldwide hardcore culture as we know it? Well, finally, here is a book that will document all of it! A project put together by Dan Smith, for whom you can read a TYS article here.

XIt Never HappenedX - "This Is My FXXcking Answer" EP Review (2011)

Another outcome of China becoming a leading force in the political and economic world today is the constant export of new hardcore bands who play music with all the enthusiasm and power that European and US bands sometimes lack. It's obvious if you think about it: for Chinese people hardcore is something  relatively new and fresh and there hasn't been enough time for it to become weak and jaded.

An example of the above is XIt Never HappenedX (better known as XINHX), a band that plays brutal straight edge moshcore with full-on power and intensity. Their style is pretty straightforward and simple, like early Hatebreed or to narrow it down to staight edge bands and be more specific, bands like Throwdown, Barcadia and the 7th Dagger stuff. Even if this is eseentially negative music, it is so pwerful that it becomes positive!

Although XINHX play straight on mosh/2-step which as form is overplayed nowadays, they manage to do it well and pack their sound with tons of energy and anger, let alone huge breaks and  punishing, all around kickass drumming. They are pretty oldschool for this style too, if you think that most moshy bands nowadays add noise, melodic, Swedish metal etc etc elements. No! Here all you get is groovy  brutal hardcore with some oldschool NYHC elements. The last song also includes some rapping in Chinese and it's a must-hear, baby!

The production is huge, their edge is fresh, the outcome is you wanting to put your cap backwards and headbutt somebody, so you know it's all good! Chinese straight edge all the way from Beijing!

Check:

http://xinhx.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-my-fxxcking-answe

http://www.myspace.cn/itneverhappenedbeijing 

7th Dagger Interview from Straight Edge Lifestyle

One thing I have always liked is people who dare to voice their opinions and tell it like it is without fear of criticism! One of those people is Danny, owner of straight edge record label Seventh Dagger. Dude has managed to turn a small time clothing company into a fully fledged record label, not to mention he still totally upholds the same X values and outspoken tactics. 7th Dagger has played an important part in maintaing straight edge and pushing heavy hardcore to new levels and we owe it a lot for that (as well as for many awesome releases).

I recently read an awesome, in-depth 7th Dagger interview on this awesome British edge website, where Danny speaks on all matters hardcore, straight edge and business/label-wise. Somehow I was pleasantly surprised to see that he doesn't play the old 'respect the legends' cliche. He says some not so positive things about all those bands who are considered untouched and up there. It makes us think twice if we should indeed keep replaying those same old motives. Read on:

"I was 15 when I first found out about straightedge.  I was a total metal kid and I loved hip hop of the time and my friend who was a skinhead played Minor Threat for me.  I thought to myself  "jesus that sounds awful" haha  and I still feel that way to this day.  I hated all of those early straightedge bands musically (and now I dislike most of them for making a mockery of straightedge by betraying it) but I can credit those bands with making me aware of a movement and a name for what I already believed wholeheartedly."

"On the subject of those old bands, fuck them.  When these old bands full of sellout members reform to make a quick buck playing songs they don't believe in any more we shouldn't be supporting them.  Even if you truly love Youth of Today, Project X or Bold's music we should not be supporting these guys. I have heard a ton of times that Seventh Dagger is just trying to make money off of straightedge, well there is the real people trying to make money off of straightedge. They don't believe a word they are singing and we are lining up to pay them for betraying what we hold so dear."  

OK so if you want to read the rest of this very interesting interview you should check it out here. And remember kids, it takes guts to criticize that which everyone else sucks up to just to be cool and fit in.

Check:

http://www.facebook.com/SEVENTHDAGGER

http://seventhdagger.blogspot.com/

http://WWW.SEVENTHDAGGER.COM

http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SEVENTHDAGGER

And of course

http://www.straightedgelifestyle.moonfruit.com/#

One X Choice "Forever War" Video (w/ Karl from Earth Crisis)

We never hid that we are big fans of all things youth crew, positive and anything Karl Buechner of Earth Crisis is involved in. Therefore, today we have posted a video that includes all of the aforementioned things!

Once X Choice is a hard hitting, Southern Californian straight edge band which carries the - almost forgotten - tradition of rad Californian heavy straight edge hardcore. That means that they might look like sun-tanned, chill out bros, but they are heavy on the thinking side and very serious about the edge! Various members of the band have been active in hardcore and skateboarding for years, so you can tell they are no rookies who discovered hardcore as the flavor of the month. Check out the following video featuring Karl from Earth Crisis, mosh around to it, get psyched, make yourself a vegan smoothie!

The band has a CD out called Forever War and it's just heavy youth crew meets mosh that you will definitely like if you're a straight edge kid or even just a hardcore music fan! It's also filled with guest appearances by Earth Crisis, H20 and Outspoken. Dig it!

Check out:
http://www.myspace.com/onexchoice
http://onechoice.bigcartel.com/

Clothes & Hardcore: 1981 Straight Edge Clothing

As you have probably noticed, the latest trend in hardcore is to start your own clothing company. Many people including famous hardcore musicians, are dwelling in new territory by launching clothing lines that represent the famous hardcore aesthetic (whatever that may be). Perhaps it's the next step to take; during the 90s and 00s, people started their own record labels, but now that buying CDs is dying and everyone is downloading, creating a clothing company seems like a better choice to make if you want to stay invloved in hardcore in some way other than music. Today, we'll take a look at 1981 Straight Edge Clothing.

Let's not lie to ourselves: the 'dress' part has always played an important role in hardcore - it's just something we can't deny and partly are to blame for (we, as fans). Bands and people have always used aesthetics as a way to set themselves apart from the rest of society - and even other music subcultures like metal or punk. Is it a crime to define yourself through style and outside appearance? I don't know. Nevertheless, even if you're the anti-consumerist hardcore type, isn't it better to buy from a relatively small hardcore clothing company than from the big conglomerates that are always the most common choice?

In any case, a pretty straight way to define oneself is to go and  buy a t-shirt or hoodie with a big 'DRUG FREE' logo on it. What better way to stand out than choose a strong philosophy with an anti social message such as not drinking and rep it through your everyday clothing? Such clothes you can find on the 1981 Straight Edge Clothing store. These guys got everything from t-shirts to hoodies to all kinds of sXe accessories like hats, gloves and headbands. They've made a nice business that looks better than most of the stuff at your local mall.

Hardcore clothing lines: Friends or foes?

I know that a lot of people -and especially some dedicated straight edge fellas I know- would see this as a cheap move to cash in on hardcore, straight edge and its values. But then again, most of these people have spent so much money on hardcore that they can't really speak about consumerism (sometimes I think I am one of them). I guess it's a "hate the game, not the player" type scenario.

And remember: we don't necessarily support it here at TYS, we just show what's up.

Old School Classics: Judge - Bringin' It Down (1989)

The story of Judge - a history of intesity, violence and regrets?

Throughout the years, Judge has gone down as one of the most intense, militant and of course influential straight edge hardcore bands of all time. For many, they are considered the most essential sXe band of the 80s, and of course, Bringin It Down is their highest point. It's right there, in 89, when the youth crew scene was starting to die down (with Ray Cappo -its emblem- turning all the kids into Krishna consciousness), and these guys were seeing it all slip through their hands. The scene they had given everything into was just turning into something else, filled with violence and tough guy attitudes, pushing fans and active participants away. Bringin It Down is a mix of all the above: provocative straight edge militance, but also an expression of sadness and regret.

Now Judge was active from '87, having released the New York Crew 7". Originally a side project of John Porcell (guitarist, Youth Of Today) and Mike 'Judge' Ferraro (one of the most imposing frontmen in HC to this very day), Judge was the heavier, more outspoken alternative to YOT. Judge went right against the positive straight edge proselytizing that went on up until then, and used a definitely more provocative stance. It's interesting because this stance is exactly what drew the hordes of kids to this hardcore phenomenon of a band called Judge, as well as their new, 'in your face' hardcore style.

Mike Judge: an intense HC personality

Musically, Bringin' It Down is also a turning of backs to the previous straight edge sound, which was all about speed and energy. Far removed from the previous bands Judge members played in (the aforementioned YOT, Side By Side, Project X, Gorilla Biscuits, Death Before Dishonor), this was one of the first metal-influenced records in straight edge. Bringin It Down is a totally solid record, with super-crunching riffs by Porcell and a solid strong rhythm section to back him up. All in all, it is a very strong mix because the metal/thrash riffs are exchanged with crazy hardcore bursts and Mike's heavy sounding (but not metal) growls, creating a unique mix.

Old school flyer from back in the day

We could say that everything with Judge was deliberate. The provocative lyrics? For sure. The metal in their sound? Absolutely. The band actually wanted to sound more like Cro-Mags and Leeway by recording in the same studio as them. Nothing was left to chance in a band like Judge. I think that they are actually responsible for the creation of the tough-guy image in hardcore as we know it (their version is much closer to tough-guys in hardcore today, in contrast to to Agnostic Front's and Cro-Mags' skinhead tough-guy images). For me, they are also responsible for the newer, 90s straight edge (and not only edge) hardcore sound which dominated the scene, all the way from Earth Crisis to Fury of V.

Always wreckin' the pit

So how does Bringin It Down go down today? It's hard to say because I've personally owned the record for more than 10 years. But when I got this record at 19 or whatever, it sounded like nothing I expected; too much metal for sure, and in a sense too familiar with the metal/hc I grew up with in the 90s. Nowadays, I can surely recognize the impact Judge had on modern hardcore. Definitely a band to look into and study if you're into hardcore and its history. Below you can also watch the Revelation Records' Judge documentary (which never officially came out); it is 17 minutes of nothing but interesting hardcore stories about a band with a great impact. Get to know the story behind Judge, why all the violence around them, the militant attitudes, and about intriguing 80s HC personalities like Jimmy Yu, their early kung-fu buddhist bassist!

'One Life One Chance': The SXE OG Strikes Back

Toby Morse, singer of legendary NYHC band H2O and all-around positive hardcore persona, is reaching new hights with his new public speech project entitled One Life One Chace. Within this project, Toby visits schools and talks to kids on living a drug-free life. Honestly, I can't think of a better person to do this as Toby has the charisma, the energy, the coolness and all those little characteristics that make for a good speaker (which is also why he's been such a influential & inspiring frontman).

 

Toby Morse: More than a hardcore frontman

We at TYS totally appreciate a positive move like that, cause it directly benefits the kids. It's important to have alternative voices (hardcore voices) speaking for what is right. I wish when I was in school I had someone like Toby to tell me that drugs suck! It's also nice to see hardcore people evolving and taking it one step up. If hardcore is a way of life/thinking, we should be able to express our minds beyond the relatively narrow boundaries of the 'scene'. Now... how do you see yourself at 40? All respect to Toby & H2O!

 

Xs abound with a PMA hat on! 

http://www.onelifeonechance.com

http://www.onelifeonechance.com

http://www.onelifeonechance.com

http://www.onelifeonechance.com 

Spirit Remains - Old School Brazilian Straight Edge

Our biggest love is and always has been plain, old school hardcore! It's been here for us and we will be here for it: clear cut hardcore filled with intensity and a good message. Spirit Remains is one of those bands that remind me where it's at. Their place of origin is Santa Catarina, Brazil, however if I didn't know that, I'd swear they come from a suburb of California and that they were a late 80s straight edge/youth crew band! And that's because their sound is really stuck on that 89 shit! 

Yes! These guys got it all down. The old school production, the desperate vocals (a la Chain of Strength), the thundering drum rolls, the YOT breaks, the gang vocals in the background. All that in combination with some strong riffs and a high-energy delivery, make out for this great demo called We Demand Powerless. I'm not even sure whether the band's still active (the demo's from 2008 and I don't see much action these days), but at least they've left this little gem behind them, a testimony of good old hardcore the way it should be and a paying of respect to the favorite bands of old. This is 'positive peer pressure'.

Happy lads: where are they now?

In any case, search this awesome band out if you wanna get into some cold Cokes, Youth of Today shirts, hoodies, Xed up fists and the party just won't stop! Thumbz up!

It's Still OK Not To Drink - Issue #1

The shit is getting rad! It's Still OK Not to Drink zine comes all the way from Australia ("Clayton Straight Edge"!) and it is one of the best first issues I've had the pleasure of reading during the 7 years I've been researching and reading DIY hardcore zines. There is a thing with new zines, when you can sense the enthusiasm, the effort put in by the maker, and all the freshness about it all!

So this straight edge zine from Melbourne contains interviews with the following bands: Foundation, The Effort, Purification (the re-united Italian vegan sXe legends), Persist, Warbrain, and Flawless Victory (a truly exceptional band, Russian straight edge, unfortunately just broke up). All of the interviews are interesting, and that's mainly because of the questions, which are very well-put and make for good and lengthy answers. The people in the bands seem to be really cool people, in a way the interviewer manages to bring out their character and that's really something if you ask me.

The format is A4, and the zine is done in a typical cut and paste style, which for me is perfect as I also do Take Your Shot cut and paste. There is room for improvement on the layout, but it's still fun and very old-school, and after all it's the first issue as we said. You can find these Australian Straight Edge kids and order this awesome zine here. You won't regret it!

Shere Khan - Straight Up sXe from Boston!!!

Type: Band

Style: Obnoxious sXe hardcore from 2008

Label: Rock Vegas

Why: Just because

To find hardcore that blows me away 100% is not that easy, but stumbling upon Shere Khan's shit from 2008 did this exaclty! They have the fucking realness factor going on, so much that you just can't resist to if you like heavy music at all. It overflows with sheer energy and it's so in your face that it gets almost scary. That is exaclty the thing hardcore is missing today, the sense that it is dangerous, like the feeling you get around some people in real life, how you get the sense of uncomfort being next to them? Well I get this sense when I listen to Shere Khan on top volume right here at home! 

Don't get me wrong, these guys are not like a totally negative band, but they're aint  happycore either. I guess we could say that they deliver a straightforward message and attitide through an extremely intense medium. Yep--this is old school hardcore with a hateful but at least honest message: Get Fucked (the title of their EP!). 

As for the music, this is not just another 'by the numbers' old school copycat. It's perfectly crafted with a classic sXe sound that borrows some youth crew characteristics (on the vox and the few, well placed guitar leads) but  is also not 100% metal-free either. All in all, a good combination of all the meterial that makes hardcore just so great when it is well played. 

I can't believe I was anaware of this band for so long... From what I see they've been inactive since 2008 and their members are doing other things in some pretty well known bands. Oh shit! Get sucka free!

http://www.myspace.com/xsherekhanx

FOREVER YOUNG "The Guarantee" CD Review

So it's summer and everyone is relaxing, but not us! We got a heap of albums, demos, DVDs etc that need to be reviewed, so now seems to be a good time to do so (what with the lack of shows, not many news etc-at least here in Athens Greece). And not to forget our new issue is almost ready to hit the streets. But we'll let you know on that...
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Here we got Forever Young, a superb Swedish sXe band,  and you know what's up with Swedish mucisians, right? They tend to have some sort of Midas touch. We could say that when it comes to music, everything they touch turns to gold. And this is the case with xFYx. They've made a fast and energetic hardcore album, a straight up mosher, which draws influences from both older youth crew as well as moshy hardcore with some newer influences. These guys don't play metal, but they do use a lot of beat-downs and double bass drumming all the way through this 13-minute album (that's right--10 songs in 13 min!). Top that with youthful angry vocals, gang shout-alongs and positive vegan straight edge lyrics and you get the picture about Forever Young. 

I love this shit; these guys open the album proclaiming 'a new generation of in your face positive  aggression hardcore' and this is exactly what they do. They got a youthful angry feel, but they are positive and I for one totally dig this approach of theirs. What could be better than delivering a positive message in an intense way? These guys sing about straight edge and they sing about veganism. I think it's totally rad to have huge breakdowns with shouted parts that say "go vegan, or go home"... In my book, this is called grooving for a good cause, even though some people take lyrics like these too seriously.

This CD (which I think has been released sometime in '09) also has a very neat packaging. It is kinda simple, but also really cool. It is a digipack case with the lyrics printed on it on very new school minimalist colors ( black, purple and green). The disc itself has a picture of a hand being tattooed with an X. Fuck! Get this, or go for the 7" version, or even check them on the notorious International Youth Crew Hardcore Compilation. And have fun!

www.myspace.com/foreveryounghc

www.monumenthq.com

www.myspace.com/selfxtrue

www.myspace.com/xthreatx

Half The Battle - "What We Have" CD Review

Half The Battle come all the way from the Philippines and the shit they play is... life-inspiring.

This youth crew band is comprised of 3 Philippine guys and (I think) 1 American dude who lives there, and from what I see and hear has made a hell of a lot to help create and maintain an awesome, vibrant hardcore scene. This full-length record, What We Have, is really changing my hardcore summer 2010!

First thing you should know about these guys is that they are positive straight edge all the way. They play an awesome mix of modern youth crew with a pretty heavy sound and very, very good lyrics. The overall approach is relatively simple and easy to go down for the average hardcore fan. However, if you pay closer attention to the sound you'll realize that the music is not actually simple at all, as it is full of changes in rhythm, starts/stops and complex mini-mosh parts, let alone the hundreds of intricate gang backing vocals structures. This stuff is totally out of the box!!! This is great shit!!!

I am so blown away by this band. This is type of band that really inspires you to get back on the right track and leave all the fucking debauchery aside. The music is so energetic and the lyrics are so positive that they have all the reasons to convince kids to live a good, honest, sober life. This is the hardcore the world needs: it makes you feel good instead of filling you with hatred about everything around you. I insist that the lyrics (which come with short explanations for each song) are so good that will have you reading them off the lyric sheet and get you thinking about stuff. The hooks will stick in your head for days on end and you will end up pointing fingers at the sky and jumping around!

If you want to get this, I suggest you get in touch with Apostolis from WAK Records, cause maybe he has a few copies left in his distro. What We Have is a CD that will stick in your stereo and will definitely  be kept in a visible place of your record collection for the rest of your hardcore days (may they be many!). Half The Battle keeps putting out quality shit on a variety of record labels around the world (7"s, Compilations etc). In other they're doing their thing right now, so right now is the time to check 'em out and feel the magic for yourself.

I'm out!

http://www.myspace.com/xhalfthebattlex