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

TERROR "The New Blood" Video (Guest Vox by Toby Morse)

Terror is a band that needs no introduction in hardcore circles or fanzines like this. They are arguably the most popular hardcore band of recent times, and one of the very few bands that keep hardcore simple and represent its core (sic) values. In fact, this is exactly what the new song "The New Blood" talks about: hardcore in its purest form and the solid, life-saving impact it can have on one's life. The song is a mid-tempo schorcher which includes guest vocals by none other than H2O's Toby Morse. Enjoy the video, and visit Reaper Records for more info on Terror and many other back to basics hardcore acts!

Coming to think of it (and after watching "The New Blood" several times), it seems like this video is a good educational clip for people who want to know more about hardcore music and its roots. If you don't know the bands featured throughout this video, it's a good place to start doing some homework. If you do, well... feel proud and play those classics fucking loud!

The Switchblade Saints - "State of War" video

The Switchblade Saints is a German rapsy-voiced Street/Core combo who sings about topics that focus on war and the apocalypse. This has to sound good, right? Of course it does. OK, well this band takes a while to get used to cause they play a pretty basic form of that street rock n roll formula, but after a couple of repeated listens the cathciness and infectiousness of their sound starts to grow on you. Playing this on top volume takes your mind to some forgotten dive at the ugly side of the town, where you can just smell the beer-soaked wood and the blood from the fight that just broke out.

Let's face it: Isn't that what we are looking for when we're after some good rock n roll? The attittude, the dirty buzzsaw guitars, the desperate singing. The feeling like it's your last night on earth. Luckily, the Switchblade Saints have all of that. Street-flavored HC etc is not something I play every day at home, but this is a band that I can surely dig. I don't care if they are shooting for wider recognition or whatever; I enjoy the sound and this band brings to mind the much loved Street Rock that Burning Heart, I Scream, People Like You etc released in the late 90s, so yeah -- I dig!

http://www.facebook.com/TheSwitchbladeSaints

Mental Waste - "Meltdown" (self-released)

Genre: Raw hardcore/Fastcore

Country: Salinas, USA

Band website: bandcamp

Label: -

Mental Waste is the type of band that brings a wonderful combination of the extreme and the catchy; and I don't only mean that as far as the music goes, but also in relation to the artwork and the overall feel they give off as a band. Even though they play some pretty mean fastcore with grindcore passages, they manage to come off as listenable, straightforward and rather punky overall.

Usually when we use the terms grind and/or fastcore in this zine we are talking of crusty bands who usually flirt - even a little - with metal. This is not the case with Mental Waste, who deliver their short hardcore blasts without even giving a nod to the metal format. What we have here are simple but effective riffs backed by machine gun drumming and an pissed of vocalist. All of the 10 songs in this recording (except the last number) are below the one-minute mark, but they are so potent and so much stuff happens, that you think they have lasted for more.

As I mentioned above, the vocals sound pretty fucking angry but while the vocalist screams and shouts, he doesn't exactly growl. This is another fact about Mental Waste being closer to punky thrash and of course another clue as to whether this is your type of stuff. Fans of he Maximum RNR-school, who call fasctore "thrash" will definitely dig this record and will play it loud on their mp3s, while biking down the road going to the DIY show. But rest assured, there are many interesting ideas, especially in those slow, mini mosh parts which last only for a few seconds before the insanity starts again!

Essentially, this is pissed off hardcore for pissed of HC kids who have escaped the chugga-chugga (which I love, personally) sound and are looking for something rawer and unprocessed. The good thing about Mental Waste is that they don't copy any of the famous bands of the genre, but actually do their own thing while paying respect to the roots (Heresy, Siege, Ripcord, Dropdead etc), and of course with a newer, fatter sound! Eat this up, vegan thraskids with bikes!

- Fotis.TYS

Dead Swans: “Anxiety and Everything Else” (Bridge9 Records)

Genre: Modern Hardcore

Country: Britain, UK

Band Website: FB

Label: Bridge 9 Records

Dead Swans are a British hardcore band that has made quite an impact to the scene the last years. One full length, couple of EPs and a nomination at Kerrang awards as the Best British Newcomer are what they have to show up to date. But of course the reason why we are writing about their new release is not because of the quantity of their releases nor about their nominations, wins or losses at several awards. What we care about here is good music and since these guys continue to do that we are gonna bother ourselves talking about them. So, Dead Swans new release, second in a raw for Bridge9 records, is a 7 track EP called Anxiety and Everything Else that lasts approximately 15 minutes and it has definitely met our expectations.

At this new EP, Dead Swans actually continue from where they have stopped at their previous album. Include some extra speed and some killer break-downs and you get what you were looking for. Dead Swans feed us with aggressive hardcore till we bleed. And we like that! Their music has nothing to do with complexity, innovation, or commercialism. Here, it’s all about enthusiasm, energy, aggression and great ideas that step on known patterns. The opening “I‘ve been trying to leave” will convince you with its -straight to the face- attitude that will force you to enter the pit and will make your heart beat faster. The story goes on like that during the rest of the EP. Melodic parts appear at regular intervals in order to calm you down, let you breathe and…here we go again. Their sound and musical style will bring to your mind bands like Have Heart, Down to Nothing, Champion, Terror or even Snapcase.

Many times while hearing the EP I‘ve noticed that some parts reminded me of something but no matter how much I tried I ended up with the same conclusion: “It sounds like Dead Swans”. And probably that is what makes them a band worth talking about. Thumbs up for vocalist Nick who, I believe brings the band and the album to an upper level with his aggressive, passionate and diverse vocals. I guess that this release is a warm up for their new, full-length album to come. Our expectations have risen but something tells me that we can expect something even better from them in the future.

Note: “Anxiety and Everything Else” is highly recommended to fans of both the old school and the new era of hardcore.

Nikos Tolis

nikostolis@gmail.com