Tag Archives: Hardcore

State Of The Art: HORSEWHIP [EP Stream]

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state. This month’s state is Florida.*

St Petersburg, Florida’s grinding hardcore/screamo outfit Horsewhip, founded by musicians with connections to Combatwoundedveteran, Reversal Of Man, Early Grace, Order Of Importance, Sutek Conspiracy, and more. Horsewhip includes vocalist Mike Grantham, guitaris Shaun Drees, Jeff Howe on bass and drummer Alex Bonds. Having played heavily throughout Florida over the past year including shows with Portrayal Of Guilt earlier this year, Horsewhip is booking gigs and hopefully will break outside the confines of Florida and bring their grinding hardcore sounds to surrounding states. Horsewhip just released their self-titled debut EP a few days ago on September 14th. It was released via Financial Ruin w/ exclusive distribution through Dead Tank Records. It was recorded by Dan Byers at Rock Garden Recording and was mixed by Jeremy SH Griffith at Printups Studios. The EP contains 7 blistering tracks that is sure to help the band gain stampedes of new fans.

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GIDEON, POLARIS & More Bring Hardcore To Nashville! [Review & Photo Gallery]

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Polaris

Ah, Music City. Where else can you gather with all the single ladies and run this town with Beyoncé and Jay-Z on a Thursday, shake it off with Taylor Swift on a Saturday, and then beat the hell out of your closest hardcore friends somewhere in between on a Friday? Well, if you happened to be in Nashville, TN between August 23rd and August 25th you could have done all of those things, but if you were at the Gideon, Polaris, Varials, Chamber, Nothing Left and 30 Nights of Violence show at The End on Friday night, I doubt those other shows were high on your itinerary. Continue reading →

GLASSJAW At O2 Academy Brixton [Review & Photo Gallery]

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Glassjaw

Back in the 2000’s Glassjaw were one of my favourite go-to bands, but for different reasons like tour cancellations and personal reasons, I never made it to a gig.  So when I had the opportunity to get access to an iconic venue with this iconic band I could not miss it. Continue reading →

WILDHEART’s Brand New Single, “Grief” Is Chuggy AF!

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Brisbane Melodic Hardcore legends WILDHEART are dropping their latest and most searing cut from their brand new EP, ‘We Are‘. The five-track release is out on Friday August 31 2018 and in a twist of fate and perfect timing, the band have been added to the BIGSOUND lineup in Brisbane – Australia’s largest music conference and showcasing opportunity – alongside other heavy music crews BAD JUJU, GRAVEMIND, BARE BONES, THE BEAUTIFUL MONUMENT, BETTER HALF, ARTERIES, WINDWAKER and more!

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Review: CITY OF INDUSTRY – ‘American Habits Are Hard To Break’ [Album Stream]

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City Of Industry is a hardcore punk band that was formed in 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The band is a three piece comprised of Jack Thompson on bass, Mauro Contreras on drums and rounding out the band John Suede on guitar and vocals. Though City Of Industry was just formed last year they have wasted no time getting material out to fans. In December of last year they released their debut EP and the band has now released their follow up titled ‘American Habits Are Hard To Break’ on July 27, 2018. ‘American Habits Are Hard To Break’ was recorded and mixed by Jon Lervold at Big Name Studios and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. The band notes Coke Bust, Converge, Ceremony, Iron Lung, and Despise You as some of their biggest influences.  Though you can easily hear the bands hardcore and punk styles meld together within their music you can also hear touches of the crust punk genre throughout their songs as well.

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Rock Allegiance 2018 Spotlight: KNOCKED LOOSE

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Have you ever just been standing there, minding your own when someone jump kicks your teeth into your skull? That’s exactly what Knocked Loose sounds like. These riffs are so grimy and down tuned so low that the neck of the guitar might as well snap due to lack of tension. They make you want to take a bite out of the sidewalk.

Perhaps the heaviest thing that Kentucky has every produced, Knocked Loose has been cranking out filth since around 2012 with their current lineup. Lead by vocalist, Bryan Garris, Cole Crutchfield and Isaac Hale on guitars, Kevin Otten on bass and on drums, Kevin Kaine. Their metalcore/hardcore revival outfit is currently signed with Pure Noise Records, with one full length, “Laugh Tracks” that was released in the fall of 2016. It was masterfully produced by Will Putney of Fit For An Autopsy whose done work with Body Count, Every Time I Die, Thy Art is Murder, etc.

Knocked Loose is currently making their rounds on a select few dates of the last inception of Warped Tour. Their very first US headlining run was earlier this Spring, alongside Terror and Jesus Piece. This band has been turning heads in the scene ever since their LP dropped. These breakdowns are so heavy the floor nearly caves in. Vocalist Garris prefaces the “Counting Worms” breakdown by barking. This might be the best way to announce a breakdown since 2004 when Unearth called “BREAKDOWN” before it came down in “This Lying World.”

They are definitely one of the hardest bands on the 2018 lineup of Rock Allegiance and arguably one of the most important bands to check out at said festival. Do not leave your vans and dad hats at home.

Knocked Loose will be playing alongside Avenged Sevenfold, Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach on October 6th, in Camden, NJ.

Tickets for Rock Allegiance are on sale right here and VIP packages are still available.

KNOCKED LOOSE Invades Cardiff, United Kingdom [Photo Gallery]

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Knocked Loose

Lets start this by saying today the UK had a heatwave which started on route to Cardiff. My car’s temp gauge was saying it was 35 degrees c outside, but thanks to air conditioning I was comfy. I arrived and parked at the venue Clwb Ifor Bach located in the city center. I was there early and so were the fans. There was a sea of fans all enjoying cold beers in the local surrounding bars on this hot night. I went straight into the club and set my gear up in the green room, where members of all the bands were chilling. Upstairs to the venue was a lot cooler to start with, but then the fans came swarming in to witness the first band on the bill Guilt Trip. Continue reading →

Watch AWAKE THE DREAMER’s Groovy New Video, “Believe”

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Well this is a first for me. I mean I knew the Swedes have an incredible death metal scene out there, so amazing that they have carved their own genre, Swedish death metal. But today, I am not bringing to you something we know and hear very often from the Scandinavian nation. It did surprise me when I found out about this band called AWAKE THE DREAMER from Sweden, maybe cause I am not a big metalcore fan? But well, yes, the Swedes do have some really good diversity. From the buzzsaw death metal trademark sound to the modern day djent and metalcore, Sweden does house some incredible bands. And today, I bring to thee metalcore/post hardcore quintet from Stockholm, AWAKE THE DREAMER and their all new crushing single, “Believe“. Pictured in a vintage like video, the band can be seen dishing out their blend of progressive and melodic metalcore, which absolutely is crushing!

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State Of The Art: Alabama’s HEEL TURN [EP Stream]

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Heel Turn

*This is a part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state.*

This month’s state is Alabama!

 

Formed in Huntsville, Alabama this 4 man band pays tribute to the hey day of wrestling. Heel Turn is a 80’s and 90’s wrestling themed dark hardcore band. You heard that right. The glory years of wresting are rejoiced and moshed to in their breakdowns. The band also keeps their face concealed wearing wrestling masks as well, which you can also purchase yourself one from the band at their merch table when you see them live. The band formed sometime last year and it was around October when they played their first couple live shows. The band of course asked their fans what they wanted to see in regards to their performance and there were some comments made about possibly doing a Frog Splash (Eddie Guerrero’s signature move) onto the drum kit, and the people’s elbow (The Rock’s signature move). The band only drew the line in regards to the people’s elbow drop being a little too modern for them as they are much more old school and instead offered some more old school moves. The band certainly knows their stuff when it comes to old school wrestling and even welcomes fans to come drink beer and talk to them about wrestling after the show. Metal has seen various themed bands, like pirates, clowns, executioners, aliens, dinosaurs but I believe Heel Turn is the most concise wrestling themed band I have encountered.  Continue reading →

TRIVIUM & 68′ Display Flawless Performances In Lexington, KY [Review & Photo Gallery]

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Trivium

In Early May I got to catch my very first Trivium Concert at Manchester Music Hall in Lexington KY. If you aren’t familiar with Manchester Music Hall, first let me say that its one of, if not the best small concert venues in Central, Kentucky. Prior to this concert, I did a little research on the band. I had heard of the band over the years and had checked out the radio-friendly cuts but I had never really dug into any of the album tracks. One thing I love about listening to tracks off a bands albums 24 hrs before going to see the band really makes me appreciate the hard work, blood sweat, and tears musicians put into making an album. Most bands track songs just for studio cuts while others track just how they would be on stage as if they were performing the songs live. Being a musician myself I can certainly say that in my many years of stage experience less means more. The more backing tracks and other electronic gear you bring to a live show other than whats necessary raises the chances for more shit to go wrong. Continue reading →