New Noise Magazine Issue #44

FEBRUARY 1ST FEATURING “THE RECKONING W/JACOBY SHADDIX” WWW.RESIST-TEMPTATION.COM

THE GOAT

JANUARY 25TH FACEBOOK.COM/PUPPYVYBES/

spinefarmrecords.com

ISSUE 44

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FEAR OF A QUEER PLANET SCENE NOT HEARD BOOK NOOK: CHRIS STEIN FILM SPOTLIGHT:“BOMB CITY” THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN INDIE PORCUPINE THE LEMONHEADS THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN GARAGE SURFBORT THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN PUNK

24 26 32 40

AMERICAN STEEL ‘CHOKED UP TOUR DIARY’’ SICK OF IT ALL UNEARTH

30 38 47 50 54 57 58 60 62 65 66 70 72

UNDER THE RADAR - HARDCORE THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN METAL ALL HAIL THE YETI MEMPHIS MAY FIRE THE YEAR IN NOISE STREET SECTS THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN 2019 TAKING BACK SUNDAY FIDLAR SWERVEDRIVER WITHIN TEMPTATION THE SHORTLIST ANALOG CAVE

“TAKES MORE THAN SUNSHINE TO MAKE EVERYTHING FINE AND I FEEL LIKE I'M CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TIME AND THIS CONSTANT FEELING OF NOSTALGIA FOR AN AGE YET TO COME” –BUZZCOCKS

PETE SHELLEY OF BUZZCOCKS

STEVE SOTO OF ADOLESCENTS

JONNY P. JEWELS RALPH SANTOLLA, FORMERLY OF P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S.,FORMERLY OF SODA POP KIDS OF ICED EARTH, OBITUARY, DEICIDE, AND MILLENNIUM EDDIE CLARKE, CALEB SCOFIELD FORMERLY OF MOTORHEAD AND FASTWAY OF CAVE IN AND OLD MAN GLOOM CHARLIE QUINTANA, TODD YOUTH OF FIREBURN, FORMERLY FORMERLY OF SOCIAL DISTORTION AND THE PLUGZ OF MURPHY'S LAW, SON OF SAM, AND MORE FRANK KILLJOY PUCCI

OF NECROPHAGIA

VINNIE PAUL OF PANTERA UREARTH COVER PHOTO BY ROAM RAGE PHOTOGRAPHY UNEARTH COVER ART BY BARBARA GEORGES TABLE OF CONTENTS PHOTO BY ALAN SNODGRASS PICTURED - PETE SHELLEY OF BUZZCOCKS

JILL JANUS

OLI HERBERT OF ALL THAT REMAINS TOM DIAZ, FORMERLY OF THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND I AM NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE

ERIK LINDMARK OF DEEDS OF OF HUNTRESS THE FLESH AND UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS

SHINING A LIGHT ON THE JOYS AND HEARTACHES THAT LIE AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD OF ALTERNATIVE MUSIC‌ hether they blame climate change, secularism, or literal vampire potbelly goblins hobblin’ around comin’ after us, everyone seems to agree that the end is nigh. Berlin-based artiste Joey Hansom is no exception, but while others feverishly pack their bug-out bags, don ominous sandwich-boards, prepare for their exodus to Mars, or froth and quiver over shirtless photos of Vladimir Putin, the songwriter better known as Godmother only grows more impatient for extinction.

W

Godmother’s self-titled debut LP— released via New Pangea on Sept.

21—offers nine odes to joyful resignation, from the melting electronic syncopation of album opener “Death Drive� to the creeping jazzy staccato of closer “Another Armageddon.�

After the decimation of humanity, the record will exist as a relic of singular temporal specificity, like an impeccable accounting of the Weimar Republic’s sex clubs communicated only through emojis, tongue-pops, and half-remembered excerpts from Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus.�

WHO’S AFRAID OF A QUEER PLANET?

I’m not so sure anybody is—at least not anymore. Sure, queers are feared variously around the world, and as we know from the word “homophobia�—and from Yoda—fear leads to hate. This often takes the form of physical and legislative violence, overwhelmingly committed by cis men, and disproportionately affecting POC, the gender-nonconforming, and the poor. What response do we have, especially as queer musicians? From my limited, white, Western perspective, I don’t think our international solidarity movement has properly instilled fear in the oppressor. Straights are increasingly less worried that queers will con-

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vert their children; instead, queers are converting to normativity as they join the marriage-industrial complex and spawn children of their own. The prevailing dominant system is absorbing any threat posed by queerness.

To what extent are we queer-identifying artists complacent or even complicit with capitalism? Are we steering toward social liberation or toward individualistic commodification? It reminds me of some old punk sticker I saw once: “Are you using your band to sell the revolution, or are you using the revolution to sell your band?� Over the course of the ’90s, the radical potential of Riot Grrrl somehow got stifled into harmless Girl PowerTM. Queer is trending, and within a couple of years, we’ll “Well, if I wanted, I could enable ads on have some similarly manufactured my YouTube videos, but I don’t out of pop group, like the Spice Queers, or aesthetic principles. They’re annoying.� the Backstreet Non-Binaries. “I’m talking about New Noise,� he’d say.

There used to be a measurable pe- “Do you get a share of the revenue from riod of time before an independent the ads they run next to your words? musician would “sell outâ€? or before If you’re going to sell out, you’re supan underground movement would be posed to get paid!â€? subsumed by the mainstream. Nowadays, thanks to the internet, a DIY act “I get the exposure. It was my choice can be embedded in the corporate whether to accept the offer. Would you world from the get-go by providing please leave this column? I don’t think New free content and traffic to platforms Noise is interested in our conversation.â€? such as YouTube and Facebook. Heck, while I appreciate New Noise inviting “You can’t eat exposure. Bite the hand me to write about whatever I want, that starves you!â€? however I want, for this column, I can’t help but wonder what Karl Marx—who Whatever—you can’t eat money, either. turned 200 this year!—would say‌ Marx is a total bro. He just doesn’t get it. When I don’t receive a wage for my “Dude! Why are you performing un- labor, it makes me feel femme, which paid labor?â€? is validating for my gender identity.

I’m joining a centuries-old tradition “Look, when you say ‘dude’ like that, of not getting compensated for my I realize it might just be a generic work. I can also cook and clean, and exclamation, but it comes across as although I’m never going to have biomisgendering me,� I’d politely ex- logical children of my own, I can take plain. “I’m actually non-binary.� care of the li’l ones who already exist.

That’s why they call me “Godmother.� “Quit derailing. You know that those sites get a load of money from adver- I do kind of want to get pregnant, tisements. Do you get a cut?� though, just so I can exercise my right to

PHOTO BY SVEN GUTJAHR

have an abortion. Whatever the case, I’m proud to be childless. I love that classic anti-gay argument: “If everyone were gay, we’d stop procreating and die off as a species.� Exactly! It’s the perfect solution to global crises and conflicts— just stop reproducing. I promise: the rest of the planet won’t miss us one bit. And if that’s what a queer world would look like, I’m sure straights would fear us after all.

I know, I’m a negative person. Negativity is built into my identity: non-binary, gender-nonconforming, and so on. It gets exhausting! With all the polarized hatred on this planet, it seems that escalation is the only response. It’s time for a double-negative. The only thing we have to queer is “queerâ€? itself. đ&#x;’Ł

NOT

D R A E H

BY SEAN GONZALEZ THE FOCUS FROM THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CREATE THE BEST ALBUMS TO TAKE AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE JOBS THAT KEEP THE INDUSTRY RUNNING. GO BEYOND THE MUSIC AND MEET THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP YOUR FAVORITE BANDS IN THE PUBLIC EYE...

FEATURING

AMPLIFY

fter years of working in the music industry, I realized I had never met people who work in radio. Not just in college, but professional day-to-day radio people who use it as a tool to bring bands’ careers to life.

A

That changed last summer when I was invited to a music conference known as The Gathering. All of a sudden, I was thrown into Louisville, Kentucky, and surrounded by a large crowd of radio promoters, executives, and record label A&R reps. Not only was it an introduction to a part of the scene I had personally never been involved in, it was an amazing conference.

While there, I met Tracy Brown, president of AMPLIFY Entertainment Group. The main focus of the business is radio promotion, but they also build virtual labels. Brown isn’t a one-job person; she makes

sure The Gathering continues to happen each summer and runs an artist management company that represents artists including Boy Epic, formerly on Hollywood Records; Savage After Midnight on RED Music; and the unsigned acts HUNGER and Ray Little.

I asked Brown to be in Scene Not Heard because hers is a totally different path from what I was used to—and definitely one that intrigues me to this day.

What was the path to get into her position?

experience has any meaning on my rÊsumÊ at this point in time. That being said, I learned a lot about the industry in those jobs that still serves me today. Marketing, positioning, and promotion are still important, and while there may not be a cash register to position a table card next to or a Top 20 sales wall to update weekly, many of the same concepts have evolved to fit the current digital reality that music business now functions in.�

“I love music and the people who create and deliver it. What’s more fun than a great show? Music inspires everyone. Songs build up over your lifetime and become the soundtrack of your life. I wish more communities supported their local artists, but there are many places throughout the country that do. I love going to Los Angeles and seeing Ray Little play a sold-out show on a Tuesday night in one of the biggest music markets in the country. It’s a great feelWhat has been her favorite ing to know that these peoproject to work on? ple’s support is real, organic, and driven by their own “One?! That’s an impossible desire to discover new and question! It’s been my plea- compelling artists.â€? sure and honor to work to break the careers of AWOL- Brown is an experienced NATION, K.Flay, Metric, and and recognized individuThe Unlikely Candidates at al in the radio promotion radio. I loved every one of market and an incredible these bands within 30 sec- ally to some of my favoronds of my first listen to ite songs over the years. In their first song. The same fact, I probably have her to goes for all of the artists blame for getting my youngwho I manage; each of these er self into Metric way back artists has inspired me, and when Fantasies dropped in that’s why I work with them. 2009. Actually, I have Tracy There’s nothing like hear- Brown to thank for my first ing a song on the radio that time seeing Metric play live, you busted your ass to get both on “The Late Late Show played. And even years lat- with Craig Fergusonâ€? and in er, I’ll still blast ‘Sail’ when person. Thanks! đ&#x;’Ł it gets played.â€?

“Believe it or not, I started at music retail and transitioned into Field Marketing and Artist Development at EMI when all of the distribution companies had branches in 10 markets across the country. The industry has radical- What keeps her inspired in ly evolved since then, and this ever-changing world I don’t think that my retail and scene?

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BOOK NOOK

“POINT OF VIEW: ME, NEW YORK CITY,

AND THE PUNK SCENE�

BY CHRIS STEIN

INTERVIEW WITH BLONDIE COFOUNDER/GUITARIST CHRIS STEIN BY GREG PRATO t seems like interest in vintage photographs of New York City from the ’70s may be at an all-time high, thanks to Facebook and Instagram, documentaries, and books—including Blondie cofounder, guitarist, and photographer Chris Stein’s latest hardcover collection of images, “Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene,� released on Oct. 28 via Rizzoli.

I

other and stuff like that—people For those interested in the history who probably knew each other, of NYC, Stein also recommends a not so much outsiders.�

Facebook group of similar photographs called Manhattan BeWhat about the subways? “I was fore 1990. “Those guys are great,� on the subways frequently,� he he says. “They have, like, 200,000 says. “There was just a lot more people on that, and they put up a graffiti. I don’t know if it’s any bet- lot of personal shots and stuff they ter or worse now. The subways still found online. If you’re nostalgic for suck here anyway. Jesus, it’s really Manhattan, I spend a lot of time bad—they’re all falling apart, and looking at pictures on that. And that they don’t get serviced enough.� group is where I’ve put a picture up, and people will come back and Gangs? “Not so much on the Low- identify exactly where it is, because er East Side. There were gangs there is a real ‘detective thing’ going uptown more, and in the Bronx on there with the pictures.� and Harlem,� Stein remembers. “There was the Black Spades and gangs like that, that was kind of like ‘The Warriors’—that was based on real things.�

Stein came up with idea to create the book now based on two factors. “I got my Instagram thing going—that’s my favorite social media thing,� he begins, “then also, generally, I see so much interest in the period. I wanted to see if I could give a little atmosphere of what the streets were like and what it was like in the city at that time, back then.� “Point of View� also includes quite a few great shots of Blondie vocalist So, was NYC as dangerous then Debbie Harry from that era. When as some people make it out to did Stein realize she was so photobe? “No, not terribly,� Stein shares. genic? “Right away when I saw her,� “You’d just have to watch your back he states. “I was just really taken with a little more. I got held up a cou- her—and still am amazed. Someple of times, but I wasn’t injured. times, I’ll see some old picture of her Getting mugged was part of the that I’ve never seen before, and I’m thing, but all the injuries came surprised and reminded of what from people fighting with each she looks like.�

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Ultimately, does Stein prefer the NYC of today or the ’70s? “I’m not really out in New York City as much now,� he admits. “It’s nice— my kids go to school on the subway, and we don’t really have to worry about them as much as I probably would have back then.

There is a lot gained, but there is a lot missing. There’s a tradeoff.

Y’know, I like falling-apart, decrepit stuff. I like Times Square with junkies and hookers better than Elmo and Spiderman.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

FILM

SPOTLIGHT

INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR/COWRITER JAMESON BROOKS AND ACTOR/PRODUCER MAJOR DODGE

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

O

pening statements don’t get any more powerful than “Bomb City.�

The self-financed, grassroots, DIY success story is a dramatic retelling of the 1997 murder of Amarillo, Texas, high school student and local punk rock legend Brian Deneke. The horrific tale deepened the rift between the “White Hatter� jocks and the local punks, and the aftereffects lingered when the kid who ran Deneke over with his car basically ran free after his infamous trial. “Bomb City� is, pardon the pun, an explosive film, full of visually sumptuous imagery, carefully placed nuance, and wonderful acting from the independent cast. Credit goes to first-time director, co-screenwriter, and Amarillo-born-and-bred Jameson “Jamie�

Brooks, as well as actor and producer Major Dodge. But why choose a renowned atrocity for a first film? Well, sometimes a childhood story never loses its impact. “I was 12 years old, growing up in Amarillo, Texas, and [cowriter] Sheldon Chick was 15 when it happened, so he was a lot closer to the actual circle of people [involved],� Brooks says. “This happened in 1997, so as time went by, it resonated with us all along. We finally realized, what better way to show our support for something that affected

us growing up in Amarillo? So, we dug “It was the whole reason I got into the away by how helpful they were and in and looked at it and read the court film,� he continues, “because I wanted how willing they were to make a diftranscripts, realizing, ‘Oh my god, this to tell a story that mattered and would ference and be a part of something. It is so fucked up.’ It’s still so relevant affect people and cause them to look goes beyond film, beyond music, and it today. We hashed out the script and at things differently. I think that’s what becomes just a movement.� met with some people, including Major, we were able to accomplish with this who took it over himself and made the film. Every time I went out to pitch “I’m not going to sit here and act like I film happen.� someone the story, I pictured looking grew up a punk rocker,� Dodge adds, at Mike and telling him, ‘We’re gonna “but having made this film, I fell in love “One of the things,� he adds, “that was make the movie.’ A lot of people had with punk rock. It was my first real most important and inspiring for us blown a lot of smoke up their asses hardcore mosh experience, and it was was meeting with the Deneke family, about doing a movie about Brian, fucking awesome! I wish I had done this Brian’s parents and his brother, asking but nobody ever got it off the ground. growing up. The thing about the punk their permission to tell his story. From I think he thought we were going to community, in general, is that they’re then on, it became more than a show; fail too.� so welcoming. Making this movie, the this was their lives.� thing we wanted to get through to “Bomb City� is that rare film that, once everybody was that you can’t judge a “They are the nicest people in the world,� it’s finished, leaves the viewer a bit book by its cover, but that’s so fucking Brooks beams. “They will do anything awestruck and uncertain of what, true. I didn’t grow up submerged in for you. They are just all open arms. I exactly, to feel. “It was weird, because the culture, but now, I feel like there’s feel like they adopted us during this I’ve attended a lot of festivals, but I’ve a part of me that’s punk rock just bewhole thing.� never sat in a theater before where no cause I fell in love with it.� one wanted to get out of their chair,�

Part of the passion Dodge felt for Dodge recalls. “It’s like people needed “Bomb Cityâ€? is a stunningly gorgeous, the project was related to this deep time to process it.â€? emotionally wrecking drama, but its connection, and it fueled his drive to ability to dig into the viewer’s cranium bring “Bomb Cityâ€? to fruition. “When I While none of the punk songs featured and linger with questions of identity, met Mike and Betty [Deneke], being a in “Bomb Cityâ€? were written for the empathy, and equality elevate the dad and sitting across from another film, they were very carefully selected moving film to a level of greatness its dad and knowing what it’s like to love with the help of Deneke’s friend Chris creators never would have imagined your son—he talks about it like it just Oles. They are the songs Deneke loved. possible. This is a stunning first impreshappened yesterday,â€? Dodge says. “We had Major and Sheldon reach out sion, one that highlights the transfor“That immediately resonated with me. to all these bands: Subhumans, Filth, mative power of music to bring people That was what solidified it for me. It was Blatz, Total Chaos,â€? Brooks shares. “I together and honors the memory of no longer about punk rockers in steer think their eagerness to donate their a true punk son, taken too soon but pastures; it was about a family losing music so willingly made me such a big never forgotten. đ&#x;’Ł their son.â€? fan of the punk culture. I was blown

NEW NOISE

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PURENOISE.NET

AVAILABLE NOW ON FAT!

in stores and online at fatwreck.com

THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN INDIE

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

PHOTO BY OSSIAN DANIELSSON OBERG

HEY, CHELS San Diego

STATUES UmeĂĽ, Sweden

Hey, Chels | Sept. 21 | La Escalera Records RIYL: The perils of modern life. Good friends. Whiskey.

Adult Lobotomy | Nov. 23 | Crazysane Records RIYL: Paranoia. Childhood passions. A severed head as sedative.

The best ideas form when friends gather with shared goals and a social lubricant—say, a bottle of whiskey. That’s pretty much what sparked the creation of Hey, Chels, featuring members of Western Settings, New Way On, and Squarecrow. While the lyrics of what is now “I Know You Are but What Am I?â€? were eventually improved with sober eyes, the sheer exuberance of the melody can be attributed to two friends—vocalist Jacque Mendez and bassist Ricky Schmidt—writing, drinking, and seeing what might happen. Hey, Chels don’t particularly resemble any of the member’s other acts, brimming with the intensity of grungy punk but imbued with a dream pop feel. This divergent sound works wonders with Mendez’ affecting lyrics, touching on school shootings, the plight of the working class, Henry David Thoreau, and existential and physical frustrations. “We live in an interesting time,â€? she states, “where there’s a whole lot going on around us. A lot of it is disappointing and somewhat frightening.â€? Her words are grounded by a personal touch that elevates them beyond political rants and makes the listener truly care. Hey, Chels aren’t here to save the world, but their powerful, punchy tunes might just offer up a salve for the chaos around us. đ&#x;’Ł

There’s freedom in embracing imperfection. One can still strive for excellence—as Statues do on their recently released Adult Lobotomy—but going all-in on whatever may happen is liberating. These seasoned musicians formed after their previous acts fell apart, and they wanted to play like they were falling in love with music all over again: loud, fast, and off the cuff. The group’s paranoid, punchy post-punk is delightfully polished in its alleged inadequacy. Statues reveled in embracing their first takes, and that live atmosphere results in a record imbued with a reigned-in reckless abandon. This approach (im)perfectly suits the album’s themes: using a lobotomy as a metaphor for a—good and necessary—societal reboot. “I think we found a nerve in [our first takes],â€? drummer Magnus Ă–berg says. “I can definitely hear us struggle in some parts, and I really like that feeling. We’re not pros. It’s like when we started playing music at a young age.â€? That carefree attitude translates to a wonderfully passionate and headstrong musical statement. đ&#x;’Ł

BY JOHN B. MOORE Rainer Maria officially became the first active band on Polyvinyl’s roster with the 1997 release of their debut full-length, Past Worn Searching. So, it seems rather fitting that the label would be the one to rerelease the bulk of the now-Brooklyn-based group’s catalog on vinyl. Along with that debut, 1999’s Look Now Look Again, 2001’s A Better Version of Me., and 2003’s Long Knives Drawn are all getting the rerelease treatment, while 2006’s Catastrophe Keeps Us Together is showing up on vinyl for the first time. “It’s amazing to have all of these albums on vinyl again!� guitarist Kaia Fischer says. “Polyvinyl really went all the way on the reissues, from Bob Weston cutting the vinyl to Matt Owens remastering the artwork.� The five albums were released on Nov. 16.

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WELL WISHER Asbury Park, New Jersey

This Is Fine | Sept. 28 | 6131 Records RIYL: Accidental wisdom. Actualization. Greeting cards.

Well Wisher aren’t the first act to combine brash power pop with gritty grunge riffs, but they might be the best at wielding deadly hooks like a set of freshly-sharpened kitchen knives. Vocalist and guitarist Natalie Newbold’s voice has an earnest streak, which drives home that there’s a wonderful depth to this debut batch of bangers, something significant behind the sheen and fuzz. Each song carries at least two handfuls of well-crafted guitar licks and hummable melodies, and Newbold’s lyrics come from the realization that, as she puts it, “sometimes you have to make really hard decisions to lead a more fulfilled and happier life.â€? To further belabor the point that there’s wisdom at the bottom of this well, the band’s name comes from a sad but endearing story from Newbold’s childhood. “My dad and I unfortunately don’t have a great relationship, and on my birthday card the year my parents got divorced, he had written, ‘Wish things were different. –Dad,’â€? she recalls. “That always stuck with me. Just the idea that you can wish things were different all you want, but how you command and conduct your life is all that matters.â€? If This Is Fine is any indication, Well Wisher are absolutely leading their best lives.đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY CH RIS GOYETT E

INTERVIEW WITH BASSIST GREG NORTON BY BEN SAILER

•

the HĂźsker DĂź and Sugar guitarist prepares to release his latest album, Sunshine Rock, through Merge Records on Feb. 8. Based on the title track and follow-up single, “What Do You Want Me To Do,â€? Mould sounds as energized and essential as ever. –Nicholas Senior

2

Take a listen to the album, and it’s There is one respectful nod to easy to hear why he’s excited. It’s Norton’s formative years includa driving rock record that sees ed, though: a cover of HĂźsker Dß’s the power trio progressing their “Standing by the Sea,â€? a classic off-kilter sound, seamlessly pick- track from the seminal 1984 douing up where they left off on their ble-album, Zen Arcade.

VIEW • 2019 PR PR E EV IEW

Now, one might think any lineup would fall all over themselves to add a member from one of the most influential rock bands in history. However, when bass player Davey Reinders amicably parted ways with Porcupine, it took a tip from a coworker of Virock’s at Dave’s Guitar Shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to consider calling Norton about taking over his lowend duties. Norton had been a fan

2015 EP, Carrier Wave. The band’s “It really does have an impact on bio places them somewhere be- people, particularly when we play tween Queens Of The Stone Age it live,â€? Norton says. “For people and Swervedriver, two seemingly who haven’t seen Porcupine withdisparate reference points that in the last year, they probably ha“[He asked], ‘Do you still play your make a surprising amount of ven’t heard that song performed bass?’ and I’m like, ‘Yes, I do, but sense. The big melodies, delay live since HĂźsker DĂź broke up.â€?

I’d really like to be playing it a lot pedals, and thundering rhythm more,’� Norton says. “So, he’s like, section those comparisons evoke Porcupine show no signs of slowing ‘Oh, well, would you want to play are certainly present. down in 2019. With a new record to with us?’ and I was like, ‘Absolutely. promote and a revitalized energy, I thought you’d never ask.’�

However, What You’ve Heard Isn’t the band are looking forward to Real isn’t a retread of well-cov- getting on the road and back into If it sounds like Norton is pro- ered territory. While the band’s the studio in the new year. When it jecting false modesty here, that members have collectively been comes to their work ethic, Norton assuredly isn’t the case. When in the game for decades at this again sums it up with a typical Midtelling the story of how he joined point, the energy and vibrancy western spirit.

Porcupine, he sounds genuinely that marked their previous work amped to be playing and writing are as present now as ever—this “It isn’t work if you enjoy what you’re new material with Virock and isn’t punk rock retiree music by doing,â€? he says. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł 2019 PREV drummer Ian Prince. He’s quicker any means. Instead, it still feels as EW • IE EVI to praise his bandmates’ work on though the band are reaching for R P Any year with 19 What You’ve Heard Isn’t Real than something new, continuing to refine 20 new music from the legto hype himself up, and it’s clear a proven formula that stands out a endary New York punk lifer he’s a logical fit for their brand of bit more than their own understatBOB MOULD is a great year, hook-filled noise. ed promotional materials let on. and 2019 brings tidings of joy as since seeing Porcupine open for Meat Puppets in 2009, so it was a no-brainer when Virock called a week later.

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orcupine’s Bandcamp bio reads, “There are approximately seven million indie bands operating on planet Earth as of yesterday‌ we are one of them.â€? It’s a self-deprecating statement reflective of the Minneapolis-based power trio’s humble Midwestern roots, even if it doesn’t do justice to their pedigree: former Space Bike vocalist and guitarist Casey Virock and a catalog spanning multiple albums and EPs. Their latest full-length, What You’ve Heard Isn’t Real—released on Nov. 9 via DC-Jam Records and Dead Broke Rekerds—is also their first to feature none other than former HĂźsker DĂź bassist Greg Norton.

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DOE PAORO

PHOTO BY RINNY RIOT

INTERVIEW WITH SONIA KREITZER BY SEAN GONZALEZ

here are political aspects of being a woman that make self-acceptance difficult, and we are in an exciting time where a lot of that is being challenged. This record is part of that dialogue,� Sonia Kreitzer, the mastermind behind Doe Paoro, comments about her latest album, Soft Power, released Oct. 19 via ANTI- Records. Grounded in finding a voice and commanding ownership of one’s place in the world, Doe Paoro goes beyond making a statement— she enhances the narrative.

T

“

Soft Power took three years to complete, and Kreitzer teamed up with producer Jimmy Hogarth—who has worked with powerhouses like Amy Winehouse and Sia—and a talented team of musicians. To create the initial soundscapes, the team worked on capturing the musicians’ intuition and first instincts, building a record that channels constant creativity. “I wanted to reproduce something live, because that is very much where my heart is in music,�

Kreitzer reflects, “the spontaneous moments that arise when people are vibing to a feeling and have space to imagine.�

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The album opens with the dancing beat of “Over,� and there’s an immediacy to Kreitzer’s vocal presence. “There’s this acceptance of the voice, that this is my voice and this is what it is,� Kreitzer states. “I am not going to hide it. I am going to put this out there.� In comparison to her previous release, 2015’s After, which featured amorphous vocals dipped in reverb or combing through synths, Soft Power’s focal point is this raw, dazzling consequence of voice. Even while wandering with the masterful instrumentals, Kreitzer is that shining conscience on the stage, wrapping emotions into each delivery with steps of grace, as displayed beautifully on “Loose Plans.�

This radical and powerful delivery creates a dominating, seductive weave to the rhythmic trances and melodies running through the 12 songs. “Cage of Habits� takes this vocal prowess to new heights, calling on the swing and R&B of previous generations with a delicate emotional clash of human idiosyncrasies. “This is something I have struggled with over the years and is

a recurring theme in my music,� the songwriter explains, “this desire to escape your own loop and to really embrace these deeper patterns.

You can no longer externalize them and blame somebody else. There is a seduction to it, a desire to give yourself to that pattern, and the frustration is the desire to break that pattern, to do the thing you don’t usually do.�

This awareness lends the record a challenging discourse against the backdrop of the world’s landscape, riding the harness of “Guilty� with immense freedom. “Soft Power is more of an acceptance. It is overcoming the need to be perfect or all of the mistakes I had been dwelling on on the past record,� Kreitzer says, expressing a humble agency. “This is more of an ownership of them instead of a regretfulness, even an ownership of where we are politically.�

This sense of intervention has a hint of anger as well, evidenced on “Roman.� Kreitzer recalls the anger being represented in the song, admitting, “I have anger for

different things. It has been super healthy to be in touch with that and have it as a point of catharsis.� The organ crawls in the background of the instrumentals, full of revenge and gripping decadent harmonies, twisting behind Kreitzer’s explosive range.

Soft Power is a steadfast and immaculate record decorated with an earthbound tone. It’s a reconciliation that tangibly bounces to the penultimate track, “Walk Through the Fire,â€? and dives into an intimate sway on closer “The Vine.â€? These two tunes stand proud in their own unique ways, showcasing the splendor of Kreitzer’s sometimes otherworldly imagery. “I don’t feel I wrote [‘The Vine’]; I feel like I channeled something,â€? she says. “For me, this is a song that is more about us all, as a planet, and where we are and speaking to that collective consciousness. It’s going beyond my personal experience and a wish for where we should all grow together. The Soft Power is us letting go of our ideas and hearing and embracing one another and giving it up to the great mystery of life.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

THE NEW NOISE FLEXI

SERIES PRESENTS

“TAKE IT EASSUYI�CIDE MIX n Feb. 8, legendary Boston “We just always sort of keep bumpalt-rock band The Lemon- ing into each other every few years, heads will release Varshons y’know,� he says of Dando. “He II via Fire Records. was gonna do this record, and he decided that I was the person to do Varshons II is the band’s first LP in it, so we, uh, did it.�

10 years and the follow-up to their critically-acclaimed 2009 cover After recording The Lemonheads’ album, Varshons. cover of the classic “Take It Easy,�

Cullen explains, “I’m like, ‘I hate this The record was produced by Mat- song. Can I just destroy it, please?’ thew Cullen and features 13 brand And [Dando is] like, ‘Yeah, do whatnew covers, including frontman ever you want.’ So, this was sort of Evan Dando’s take on “Take It Easy� my trying to make it into some kind by the Eagles. of weird German industrial track.�

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Cullen’s grinding electronic remix “I mean, I don’t hate the song, but it’s of the track is presented here, the Eagles, so I was like, ‘We should available exclusively through our just, y’know—can I just destroy it?’�

New Noise Flexi Series. he laughs. “I wanted to make it as claustrophobic and horrible and “I first met Evan in 1996 in sort of Berlin-basement as I could, London, and our paths much the antithesis to the sort of crossed a few times over the sunny, California, really slick, really years,â€? Cullen recalls. “[The pro-sounding Eagles. The version Band’s] Garth Hudson on the record goes there a little bit, played a little bit, I think [but] it was probably the most reit was on a Lemonheads fined song on the record; there’s a record in the mid 2000s, ton of vocals and all this other stuff. and I recorded a bunch So, we’ve already done a kind of of that.â€? frilly, homage-y cover of it, and of all the songs that we had, that was the one that I really just wanted to rip to pieces.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

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15

ARCTIC FLOWERS INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST STAN WRIGHT

BY JANELLE JONES

ortland, Oregon-based In the end, Wright notes, “I like all four-piece Arctic Flow- music, and maybe that’s just me.� ers are back with the He laughs, “You could just call us a follow-up to 2014’s Weaver, the rock band.� intriguing, captivating, not-easily-classifiable album Straight to the “When we’re writing, each song has Hunter, self-released on Nov. 30. a totally different feel,� the guitarist Featuring songs that are a mixture elaborates. “If a person just heard one of styles and tones—from dark and song from us, they wouldn’t know what moody to fast and hard—it’s quite a we sound like.� Personally, he says, “I don’t think we see ourselves as one powerful and impressive LP. thing,� and that has been a positive This assessment seems to fit with gui- feature of Arctic Flowers since their tarist Stan Wright’s view of the band. inception some nine years ago.

Often described, perhaps rightfully so, as post-punk, he’d rather they not “We all come from punk backgrounds, be labeled at all. “We seem to cross- and this is what sound comes out,� over into different sounds,� he says, Wright shares. He mentions they “post-punk, kinda goth stuff, and then have all been influenced by ’80s more straightforward [punk].� Peo- sounds and that “there’s a common ple have even deemed some of their thread of bands we like.� Still, each material metal. “I don’t see any met- band member has their own distinct al in it but maybe because of some of influence and sound they bring to the writing process. the dark sounds,� he concedes.

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MACSEAL

PHOTO BY JAMES REXROAD

About the new album, Wright says they worked on it for quite a while. “We didn’t want to write the same record again, and we were just experimenting,� he explains. Some songs were written rather quickly, while others took a little more time.

Of the intriguing album title, Wright says it was hard to settle on. Derived from a lyric from the song “Glass on Ice,� Straight to the Hunter came about

through “tossing around a bunch of ideas. That lyric just stuck out to us,� he concludes. “We really like that name.�

Arctic Flowers are still ironing out plans to tour in support of the record. In the past, they’ve played most of the U.S., including the East and West Coasts, Texas, and the Midwest, but they have still yet to conquer the South and Southwest. Maybe that will change this time around.đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

INTERVIEW BY CALEB R NEWTON

ew York’s Macseal sound like the friendly neighborhood emo band we all need in our lives sometimes. They’ve worked diligently on their sound over the course of what’s now three EPs in four years.

Their third, Map It Out, was released on Nov. 9 via 6131 Records, the home of artists like Julien Baker and Culture Abuse—which the band say they’re “really excited about.�

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Through their perhaps somewhat familiar but considerate and open-ended sound, Macseal maintain a tight dedication to their craft, aiming to get their songs just right. “We actually had most of the latest song ideas for a while before recording, so they were kind of marinating in the demo stage for longer than usual,� they explain. “This let us zoom in on the minutia and exhaust a bunch of ideas for parts.

We definitely focused on the songs progressing instrumentally and dynamically in a more thought-out way than before. It’s also the first set of songs our drummer Francesca [Impastato] has been involved in completely from start to finish! She

16 NEW NOISE

brought a bunch of cool ideas to the table, both from behind the kit and from a production standpoint.�

Macseal reiterate that no one was boxed out of the song development process—it wasn’t just Impastato who got her voice heard—leading to the creation of songs that are much more dynamically meaningful. Map It Out reflects both the artistic and the emotional drives of those involved, including vocalists and guitarists Ryan Bartlett, Cole Szilagyi, and Greg Feltman and bassist Justin Canavaciol. Drawing from their own unique parts of a somewhat shared reservoir of human emotion, they crafted an inviting work.

While recording with J. Robbins at The Magpie Cage Recording Studio in Baltimore, “everyone had their turn in the producer’s chair,� the band explain. “Parts like the intro [and] outro of ‘Sure Thing, Shelly’ and the intro of ‘Sleeping In’ turned out better than we’d imagined because of the environment and us remaining outspoken. We’re really proud of the end result.�

PHOTO BY DANA LOVASZ

Although the band remain closely feature of their music that deserves dialed into the technical side of reiterating. their work, they’re having a great time too, and Map It Out sounds “Honestly, we just hope people enjoy like they’d be happy to have their it and feel safe at our shows!â€? Maclisteners join them. seal say of their newest offering. “We write music that we’d want to “As cheesy as it may sound, our hear and would never settle on friendship is at the core of our pre- songs that don’t make us proud. So, sentation as a band,â€? they say. “We if people relate to the lyrics, a spegenuinely love playing with each cific bassline or riff inspired them other, and we think that’s reflected to pick up their instrument that day, in our playing and presence.â€? or they just like listening to us on the train or something, those are all This friendliness extends to the really rewarding feelings.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł fans, marking a distinguishing

AVAILABLE 2/15

MILLENCOLIN.COM NEW NOISE 17

THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR PHOTO BY JAMIE WDZIEKONSKI

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS Melbourne, Australia

“Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled)� b/w “Cup of Destiny� | Sept. 21 | ATO Records RIYL: Party drugs. Party music. Party people.

THE AR-KAICS Richmond, Virginia In This Time | Oct. 26 | Wick Records RIYL: Laughing. Crying. Ruffled collars.

Named after amyl nitrate—better known as the party drug “poppersâ€?—as well as the “We have come to terms with being, when all is said and done, here for everyone’s amuseshorthand for vocalist Amy L. Taylor, Amyl And The Sniffers offer up a new 7â€? that’s the ment,â€? vocalist and guitarist Johnny Ward laughs. “Foolery is welcome in our camp, but musical equivalent of a house party. Of course, given the band’s sonic penchant, this party it doesn’t mean we don’t try.â€? Retro-styled band The Ar-Kaics revel in that sort of winking would need to happen in the garage, with plenty of red Solo cups of destiny and mutts entertainment. The group’s sophomore LP is an unabashed homage to ’60s punk with sans muzzles. Amyl And The Sniffers’ garage punk is raucous, rabid, and quite rebellious; significant psychedelic trips along the way, putting The Ar-Kaics are at the top of the latest equal parts retro punk and classic rock, it’s loud but never obnoxious. As a prelude to their garage punk trend with their meaningfully miserable melodies. That gets to the heart and upcoming 2019 full-length debut, this 7â€? is as boisterous as the ’70s but as slyly sophisticated head of why In This Time isn’t as old-fashioned as you’d think—though the delightfully Reand socially aware as any underground punk single. “‘Some Mutts,’â€? Taylor notes, “is about naissance Fair-esque cover art is downright hilarious. The Ar-Kaics formula homes in on a couple of things, but mainly I am talking about when someone tells [you] how you should making memorable music that moves you, from knees to neurons: the lyrics acknowledge and shouldn’t be, especially people who place expectations on females to be quiet, coy, life’s shared miseries while pushing for greater meaning, and the power-pop hooks bring and weak and are outraged when they’re not. I love wild people.â€? 2019 will be a big year for an unexpected cheeriness to the whole charade. As Ward notes, “If the toes ain’t tapping, Amyl And The Sniffers—I can smell it. đ&#x;’Ł then we all may as well be napping.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY JESSICA GUREWITZ

GNARCISSISTS New York City

TV PARTY Ventura, California

Embracing all the chaos and energy that comes with a significant home renovation, NYC’s Gnarcissists are here to break down every load-bearing and non-load-bearing wall in sight and sing the praises of demolition. Yet, a total reinvention of the garage rock wheel would mean losing the gritty soul of the style, so Gnarcissists call out all the bullshit in the world backed by buzzsaw guitar riffs and riotously-shouted refrains, seemingly without taking themselves too seriously. Vocalist Matti Orr sums up this startling dichotomy succinctly, noting, “Sure, [the EP] is fun to play, but we still return to our house and question what we can afford to eat for dinner or how the fuck we can survive in a city that eats its young.â€? That cynicism works even better at the band’s boisterous live shows, where they further amplify the sonic and societal destruction on the record. Gnarcissists aren’t here to politely redo their kitchen; they want to tear it all down and start anew.đ&#x;’Ł

Small-screen celebrators TV Party take a lovely left-of-center view of garage punk. Their particular sonic station comes in stunningly clear, with loads of ’70s and ’80s punk, power pop, and new wave influences that create something equal parts soaring and haunting—imagine The Strokes playing Buzzcocks covers, and you’re halfway there. TV Party’s self-titled debut LP will be released through Burger Records as three separate EPs, and one listen to lead track “Angryâ€? will have you shouting out, “Don’t touch that dial!â€? Its post-punk attitude is binge-worthy, and vocalist Jesse Brinkenhoff’s stream-of-consciousness lyrics are unrelenting in their honesty and charm. The most unexpected anecdote is how the band bonded and unwound while writing these tunes. “When we were writing the record, [guitarist] Jesse Jenny and I got real into ‘The Bachelor,’â€? bassist Matt Kash laughs. “There is something special about sitting around with your pals and watching people try to find true love.â€? Don’t let the frustration and punk edge fool you: TV Party are romantics at heart.đ&#x;’Ł

Gnarcissists | Oct. 8 | BLISS NYC RIYL: Urban grime. Harsh realities. Social renovation.

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EP #1 | Oct. 21 | Burger Records RIYL: Tubes. Antennae. Getting up to change the channel.

PHOTO BY CAM EVANS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST DANI MILLER BY THOMAS PIZZOLA t’s been a pretty good year for New York City’s trash-punk demolition squad, Surfbort.

The band released their debut album, Friendship Music, on Oct. 26 via Julian Casablancas’ Cult Records and played some killer shows with killer bands, including a tour with Black Lips and Iceage. In addition, frontperson Dani Miller walked the runway at New York Fashion Week, and several members of the band were featured in a movie with Riz Ahmed.

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But first and foremost, Surfbort are a band—comprised of Miller, guitarists David R. Head Jr. and Alex Kilgore, and drummer Sean Powell—and a great band at that. They play trashy, high-impact punk rock that doesn’t skimp on the humor or social commentary. It’s quite exhilarating and not what one would expect from a Brooklyn band these days. That’s what makes them so great.

They originally formed on a lark, but now, “it has really transitioned into something more,� Miller says. “If you realize that the shows and your performance exist to create a safe space for people to be themselves, connect with each other, and let their emotions and frustrations out, yell, scream, dance to the music, be in-

spired—the list goes on, but my main goal is to continue making people feel less alone and making space for people to heal and enjoy themselves.�

Friendship Music finds the band stepping up their game and stepping up to a bigger label. “[I’m] not so surprised but rather excited that Julian and Nasa [Hadizadeh] at Cult Records understood the fucked-up reject trash romance that Surfbort consists of and believed in us and making a brilliant record to share with the world,� Miller says.

The new record officially marks the arrival of a major new talent, one that might make you believe in punk again.

Miller had a simple and righteous agenda when it came time to write the album. “The world is really fucked up, but you aren’t alone,� she says. “Freak recognize freak, so let’s all dance and scream at the moon together and have fun. Be inspired, create your own fun world of art and love.�

Surfbort rip it up onstage—and sometimes off of it, on top of tables and in the crowd. Miller is a live-wire performer who gives her all, propelled by the sweet noise laid down by Head, Kilgore, and Powell. “I am fairly shy and nervous before going onstage,� she

says, “but when I realize it’s not really about me, I hit the stage, and I take all of that fucked-up nervous energy and all the energy of daily and worldly frustrations, as well as love, and bring it with me and let it explode onstage.�

Miller is also known for her unique fashion sense and love of recycled clothing. “I think it really boils down to feeling good and being yourself,� she says. “I’m half man, half woman; half alien, half pony. I’m aiming to feel good! You?�

This unique perspective has garnered Miller attention from the world of high fashion, and this year, she walked the runway at Fashion Week in New York. Pretty good for a singer in a punk band from Brooklyn. “Discount Universe reached out to me, and shortly after, so did LRS,� Miller says. “My friend Kelsey Rubenstein—who paints and recycles clothes under the name Whatevernbd—had told me for months to check out Discount Universe, because they shared a similar idea of being yourself and letting freaks be freaks. So, when they reached out to me, I was really excited about walking this season.

The clothes are inclusive to everyone, and they make you shine and feel fully yourself—which is so rare.�

Fashion is not the only extracurricular activity Surfbort are involved in. Miller, Powell, and Kilgore all have roles in the upcoming film “Sound of Metal,� which features actor and recent GQ cover star Riz Ahmed as a heavy metal drummer dealing with hearing loss. “The director, Darius [Marder], became great friends with Sean and even came to Surfbort shows, and he asked Sean to be a part of the film, because the character is very similar to Sean: a sober drummer navigating the crazy touring musician lifestyle,�

Miller says. “They then invited us to be extras in the film, but when we got there, Darius just started filming while we were all naturally talking to Riz and Olivia [Cooke] by the ‘merch table.’ It was so wild; halfway through, I realized there was a boom mic above me and that the camera was recording. A pretty exciting start to being in a film, rogue style.�

From releasing a killer album in Friendship Music to going on awesome tours to storming the gates of high fashion to getting speaking roles in a movie, it’s been quite a year for Surfbort, and Miller is loving every minute of it. “Life is exciting right now, and we can’t wait to spread the love and grow the Surfbort freak family,â€? she concludes. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 19

THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

CEDAR PARK San Francisco

THE COCKY BITCHES Austin, Texas

Cedar Park—the new musical amusement park, allegedly unrelated to roller coaster capital of the world, Cedar Point—specialize in excellently designed, fantastically executed audio thrill rides. Fake Matter is a ride in all senses of the word, full of stylistic shifts and changes in mood and perspective, with an impressively consistent quality throughout. Cedar Park’s aggressive and expressive sound runs the gamut, from emotional post-hardcore to grungy pop punk. The theme park architects—uh, the band actively embrace the idea that one’s sound should evolve over time, which plays into their hindsight-focused lyrics. “A lot of this album is about letting go and taking another look at a situation, realizing how you felt then can be so different than now and how starkly different those two things can be,â€? drummer Josh Aaron notes. The title plays into that theme, digging into the struggle of figuring out what really matters. It’s all about learning how to relax and enjoy the ride, and this particular journey is a magnificent time.đ&#x;’Ł

Insidiously intoxicating, the debut full-length from Paul Leary’s new psychedelic blues act, The Cocky Bitches, is many things—most of which can be inferred from Mercy’s visually, uh, sumptuous album art, featuring two heads, two wings, two legs, and six breasts. Musically and thematically, their style is alluring, arresting, erotic, and constantly engaging. The album’s deliberate, almost plodding approach completely immerses the listener in something defiantly other, something you won’t hear about in church. It’s impossible to feel sober while taking in the full breadth of Mercy, and it will leave you feeling markedly different by the end. One gets the sense that their own subjective trip is part of the music itself, and that’s exactly the case. “When we get together, something new and strange is created,â€? vocalist Baroness notes. “Rather than explain songs, I prefer it when the voyeur brings their own interpretation and life experiences. It brings everything to another level, like a story filtered through many humans and their shared experiences. It becomes bigger, becomes myth, and that’s where the art lies.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

TIGHTWIRE Minneapolis

TOMMY AND THE COMMIES Sudbury, Ontario

The most impactful Thanksgiving of Tightwire vocalist and guitarist Paul Kettler’s life started with him ditching his family gathering to attend a secret punk show. Jetty Boys were playing in a packed room of 20 or so near where Kettler attended college. He recalls that the show featured the guitarist grabbing a beer during a solo and continuing to play flawlessly, so it wasn’t all that different from a family Thanksgiving. “It was organized chaos. It ruled,�

Kettler states. That frank description is also apt for the kind of manic, melodic madness Tightwire specialize in. Like the best high-wire performers, this Minnesotan group abide by two rules: make it fun and get it over with quickly. The songs on their debut LP, Six Feet Deep, require zero attention span, yet they very quickly lodge themselves into your cranium. It’s love at first note for this fast-rising melodic punk juggernaut. Don’t be a turkey! Tightwire are the—cranberry—sauce, boss.đ&#x;’Ł

There’s something in the maple syrup in Ontario that keeps it pumping out fantastic punk bands, and Tommy And The Commies are no exception. Their retro punk power pop is as jubilant as it is seriously good. There’s a fine line between emulating the past and embracing the feel of what made the greats so exceptional, and Here Come‌ does the latter. The record brims with all the angst, energy, and frustration ’70s U.K. mod-punks like Buzzcocks, The Jam, and The Exploding Hearts were known for, but there’s something else, something deeper, that elevates The Commies beyond a simple throwback act. Frontman Tommy Commy—who laughs and notes that the band’s name literally came about because “commieâ€? rhymes with his name—is matter of fact about the album’s themes. “Writing about what you know is key, and in [this] case, that’s the self-destructive nature and hopeless romanticism I am negatively defined by but, alternatively, embrace,â€? he says. It’s that winking paradox that makes the band’s occasionally silly, often abrasive lyrics land so well. Tommy and his batch of Commies are in it for the long haul with their seriously fantastic power punk..đ&#x;’Ł

Fake Matter | Sept. 18 | Self-released RIYL: Emotional roller coasters. 20/20 hindsight. Personal growth.

Six Feet Deep | Oct. 19 | Red Scare Industries RIYL: Skipping family functions. The holidays. ADHD.

20 NEW NOISE

Mercy | Nov. 23 | Slope Records RIYL: Confident female dogs. Occult vibes. Getting tipsy.

Here Come‌ | Sept. 28 | Slovenly Recordings RIYL: Rhyming. Oxymorons. Not being a moron.

INTERVIEW WITH DRUMMER ANDY STRACHAN BY JOHN B. MOORE ustralian punk trio The Living End have never really been ones to shy away from politics.

bum, released via Rise Records great people. It’s going through on Sept. 28—is one of their most some tough times, but it’ll find its political to date. The effect of U.S. feet again. We hope!� President Trump is so devastating that even a band from Australia While The Living End have So, given that we’re collec- can’t help but write about him. grown musically and lyrically tively living in one of the most since forming in the mid 1990s, politically-charged global “He’s certainly made an impact,� don’t expect the group to have environments in recent mem- Strachan says. “If you listen to abandoned the punk rock core ory, it’s kind of expected that the track ‘Death of the Ameri- that has always been a basis right-wing zealots would make can Dream’ on the album, it has for their sound. an appearance or two on the two parts: the first is a balls-out band’s latest effort. cartoonish look at the demise “I think the way we look at new of what was a great country songs has changed a bit,� Stra“Yeah, I think it’s inevitable, re- where anything was possible chan says. “We understand the ally� drummer Andy Strachan and people of any kind could importance of simplicity more says. “You can’t really avoid it, make their dreams come true; now. Instead of throwing every and it’s pretty hard to ignore, the second part is more a love single idea we have into each so why not write about it?!� letter to America, an offering song, we are more focused on of support in a way. It’s still a serving the song and keeping As a result, Wunderbar—The great place with lots of really things simple.�

Living End’s eighth studio alWunderbar was recorded in Berlin, a first for the band. The city has served as a muse for everyone from David Bowie to U2. “It’s a really creative place to be

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for sure, but it was more about getting away from our normality and out of our comfort zone,�

Strachan explains. “We went from Australian summer to Berlin in the middle of winter! We worked with a producer we’d never met before and played mostly on borrowed gear. It could have been a disaster, but it was anything but. We loved every minute of it, and I think you can hear it on the record.â€? As soon as the album came out, The Living End started a run of theater dates around Australia, followed by a bunch of festival dates. Early 2019 will find the band in Europe and, likely, Japan and the States. “This record feels great to play, so we are all super keen to get out and play it live!â€? Strachan says. đ&#x;’Ł

2019 PREV EW • EVI R P A truly, uh, 19 20 special announcement:

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PHOTO BY CYBELE MALINOWSKI

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EW • 2019 P REVI REV IEW

•

Seminal U.K. 2-tone ska collective THE SPECIALS have announced their comeback, Encore—due out Feb. 1 via UMC— along with a 40th anniversary tour.

Based on the lead single, “Vote For Me,� these Brits haven’t lost a bit of the edge and funk that made—and continue to make—them so important for ska fans. –Nicholas Senior

NEW NOISE 21

CAN'T SWIM

PHOTO BY ANA MASSARD

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST CHRIS LOPORTO

BY TOM CRANDLE n Nov. 16, New Jersey quartet Can’t Swim issued This Too Won’t Pass through Pure Noise Records. It is their second full-length and third overall release in a mere three years.

Most modern bands would consider that a blistering pace, but not Can’t Swim.

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Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Chris LoPorto explains, “Honestly, I feel as if we are taking our time. I am constantly writing, and for these last two LPs, we have had so many demos that it was hard to narrow them down. I enjoy making music, so it never really feels like work. I think it’s very important to always have it flowing.�

LoPorto actually started his musical career as a punk drummer. He spent 15 years behind the kit, and that clearly had an influence on his songwriting. “So many of the ideas that spark a song come from the drums,� he says.

Can’t Swim songs have an undeniable lyrical heaviness combined with musical catchiness. They’re a hard-to-define combination of pop punk and post-hard-

CRIM INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST/BACKING VOCALIST QUIM

BY TOM CRANDLE

RIM are a melodic punk quartet from Tarragona, in the autonomous Catalonia region of northern Spain. The area is known for its political independence and the use of the Catalan language.

On Nov. 9, the band released their third full-length, Pare Nostre Que Esteu a l’Infern—which translates to Our Father Who Is in Hell—through Pirates Press Records.

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According to CRIM’s singularly-named guitarist and backing vocalist, Quim, the scene in Catalonia is thriving. “In the last six to seven years, the scene has started growing again, since a few of us decided to start different projects in our everyday language,� he reports.

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VIEW • 20 9 PRE 19 PR EV Cosigned by Anti-Flag I

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W and their label, A-F Records, Seattle’s DEAD BARS will revive your faith in garagey, dirty punk with a brand-new album in 2019.

They are a band who should blow up. Onto another explosive band who need no introduction, Wyoming’s most notorious punks TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET are readying their own 2019 collection of melodic aggression for Fat Wreck Chords, which would be as volatile and fun as everything they’ve done before. –Nicholas Senior

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22 NEW NOISE

core. They can be bleak, emotional, and raw, but they are undeniably compelling.

LoPorto may be the band’s mastermind, but he values the other members’ contributions. “We armchair quarterback all the instruments. Everyone puts their two cents in on all the parts, and we even switch up who performs those parts on the records,� he reveals. “Most of the rhythms I come up with in the demo state, but cracking down and figuring out what exactly the part is going to be is totally a group effort.�

Most Can’t Swim songs are dark and don’t shy away from addressing painful personal issues. While facing down his demons has a certain amount of “Over the last three years, though, I have therapeutic value for LoPorto, emo- found comfort in telling my stories with tionally, it’s more of a mixed bag. people and showing them they aren’t “Writing something, making a negative alone in this misery. It makes this band into a positive, is definitely a way to feel even that much more worthwhile,� he cope with a situation,� he acknowledg- adds. “Seeing people connect with it is rees, “[but] having to relive and retell ally amazing and absolutely unexpected.� these stories night after night can get quite tiring. It’s hard to forget events Can’t Swim continue the tradition of when you have to sing about them all wonderful bands coming from New the time.�

Jersey. LoPorto has a simple explana-

tion for this phenomenon. “Stuck between New York City and Philly, growing up, there were just so many shows to go to, so many bands, so many kids learning to play—New Jersey is oversaturated with music,â€? he says. “[It] keeps you hungry and keeps you motivated to get better when everyone around you is doing it and giving it their all. I think that environment is an obvious way to get some great music.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

Worldwide, about nine million people speak Catalan. While that’s a whole lot of folks, it’s only a small sliver of the globe. Quim says that the band never considered writing songs in English or Spanish. “No, not with CRIM,� he confirms. “We never decided to write songs in Catalan for any particular reason either, other than to make it easier for ourselves to write lyrics.�

Despite the language barrier, Quim can still sense a connection with the band’s audiences. “We can feel it more and more every chance we get to play in other countries,� he says. “Of course, it’s not the same as when we play here in our small country, but we are twice as grateful every time we meet people out there who come to our shows in Europe and the States with CRIM t-shirts or telling us how much they enjoy our music, even when they can’t learn the words.�

It may seem counterintuitive, but the language barrier might inadvertently lead to a greater understanding of the lyrics. An English translation is included in the American version of Pare Nostre Que Esteu a l’Infern. Those who take the time read and soak in the words are likely to gain a good grasp on what CRIM are saying—more than they would if they were able to sing along mindlessly.

In many ways, those lyrics will feel familiar. “You’ll find some of those universal subjects—as it’s a punk rock record—such as politics, police brutality, religion, tour life, etc.� Quim explains, “but we are quite open-minded about talking about our daily problems

or personal feelings too, beyond the classic clichÊs.�

Ultimately, the music is truly the universal language. The intense vocals and

melodies, crashing guitars, and pounding drums say so much. CRIM’s songs are so infectious that you won’t be able to resist singing along, even if you have no idea what you’re singing about. đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY SCOTT MURRY

INTERVIEW WITH BRENDAN KELLY BY SCOTT MURRY hen speaking with Brendan Kelly of Brendan Kelly And The Wandering Birds, he is quick to downplay any laurels of success. “You mentioned bands putting out [some] amazing thing and then coasting on it for 30 years,� he begins. “I was fortunate enough to not do anything that was that good, so hey! I’m still learning and evolving this whole thing.�

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Kelly is a modest man with creative juices constantly flowing through his bones. On the heels of a retrospective release and vast tour with another of his many bands, The Lawrence Arms, his second full-length with The Wandering Birds, Keep Walkin’ Pal, hit the streets on Oct. 26 via Red Scare Industries. Taking a left turn out of the punk rock parking lot, the sound of Keep Walkin’ Pal is exhibit A of a writer undeterred by preconceptions. “It’s all the path of maturity, for lack of a better term, that I’m on,� he explains. “I absolutely take the lessons I learn from a Lawrence Arms record [and] apply it to a [The] Falcon record or Wandering Birds record. The Wandering Birds is always a learning process.�

When spinning the new tracks—on wrote all the words right there in the of candy,� Kelly says. “In a weird way, it which Kelly worked closely with life- shotgun seat, before we even got our was a lot like being Ariana Grande or long friend Nick Martin—the listener shitty margaritas. So, it was born out some shit, where I would write the song, is slapped, charmed, and soothed of a moment.� The track introduces and then, I wait around, and it would by the odd collection of lyrics and keyboards, shredding tambourines, come back ready to sing.� instrumentation. Referring to their and sunny backup vocals to the second single, when Martin asked classically wry Kelly lyrics. It’s a fun, Before they hit the studio, Kelly’s writing process resembled an artist Kelly what he was thinking for the odd ditty. with a sketchbook. “For this record, I vibe of the song, he replied, “Whatever you’re thinking I’m thinking, do the Kelly attributes some of the album’s filled an entire moleskin, both sides, exact opposite.� According to Kelly, wildest musical turns to Martin. in tiny handwriting in order to get he “was really trying to [get] experi- “He’s like one of these virtuosos who 24 minutes,� he says. “I’d write all mental with the notion of cramming plays everything,� he says. “He was these things, and if they didn’t come a bunch of disparate shit into a bag.� always this wacky genius. He had this together right away, I’d be like, ‘Fuck FourTrack when we were 11 years this, I’m done. I’ll write something Kelly’s signature gravelly voice old. We’d go over to his house, he’d else.’ I try not to overthink it too much. opens Keep Walkin’ Pal alongside play the bass and guitar, I would That shit is so complex in its simplicity.� the slowly-strummed acoustic riffs sing, and he’s always had this knack of the title track, a confessional song for music and melody. Chris [Mc- The musical concepts uniquely blend that blooms into Americana-themed Caughan] from the The Lawrence ’90s hip hop and small yipping dog tones with shakers, slow bass, and Arms, he, Nick, and I played music loops, then interject deep booms anthemic drum beats. It’s vaguely all through middle school and high of club bass. “The point of view is similar to the band’s first release, school—just, like, never for anybody, hedonistic, nihilistic, and that sort of 2012’s I’d Rather Die Than Live Forever, just ourselves.� informed the sound,� Kelly says. until hitting the second track, “Shitty Margarita,� a song conceived while While recording with Martin wasn’t Keep Walkin’ Pal creates a celebratory road-tripping to Michigan with entirely new territory, the duo took a kind of debauchery—but that does not Martin. “‘I can’t wait to get out of new approach compared to Kelly’s mean you should offer Kelly margarithese woods and into a small town previous projects. “I would lay my tas at every show or come adorned in where I can get a shitty Margarita,’� vocals down and do guitars, then Jimmy Buffet-esque Parrothead gear.

Kelly recalls saying, followed by the he would come back with this track Just let the man have his funny song epiphany, “‘Holy shit! That’s a song!’ I [where he] just kept adding these pops and leave the margs at the bar. đ&#x;’Ł

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23

GRASS PHOTO BY ALAN SNOD

Built to last

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALISTS/GUITARISTS RORY HENDERSON AND RYAN MASSEY BY KAYLA GREET t’s been over four years since the world last heard from American Steel, who played their last show at the Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco. “[Bassist] Johnny [Peck] moved to Berlin just days later, so we knew we were unlikely to be playing together anytime soon, although I’m not sure we all guessed how many years would pass by,” guitarist and vocalist Ryan Massey reflects. He adds that besides their bassist jumping ship on the U.S., the rest of the band’s members were on different paths and were slowing down anyway.

I

But before they ring in 2019, fans will have another chance to see these Oakland punk legends. On Dec. 13, they’ll close out night two of The Larry Arms’ Fourth Annual War On Xmas in Chicago, and just before that, they’ll honor this here magazine by headlining two New Noise Night events at the Ivy Room in Albany, California, on Dec. 7 and 8.

Throughout their years on hiatus, American Steel have received a litany of requests to play a reunion show.

They left behind a hoard of loyal fans, who vocalist and guitarist Rory

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Henderson says send them plentiful drunken requests online. People have been clamoring for more American Steel shows since the last note rang out in S.F. “When serious proposals have come in from promoters, we have to let them know off the bat that the chances of something working are slim, because the logistics are both challenging and expensive,” Henderson says. Flying Peck in from Germany is a big enough cost on its own.

However, Massey shares that when those more legitimate offers come through, they at least discuss logistics and see if they can work some magic.

“In talking to each other, it became clear that the four of us were willing to play if the right thing came along,” he says.

Initially, the timing for the New Noise Night shows wasn’t the best, but soon after, Brendan Kelly reached out about the Chicago show and it all fell into place. “Right now, Rory, [drummer] Scott [Healy], and I are working our way through the material sans bass,” Massey explains. “I think it will feel more real once Johnny comes home and we go into high gear for the shows.”

PHOTO BY ALAN SNODGRASS

What’s more, the band are currently working on new material. Since American Steel embarked on their hiatus, the only new band to spring up in their wake were The Sunset Shipwrecks, who Massey and Healy are still involved with. However, “Rory never stops writing,� Massey states. “I’ve been writing a lot recently and have started dipping my toe into a recording project,� Henderson adds. “I have no idea where it will go but have been enjoying writing again and stoked on the freedom to be creative and do weird shit without anyone really even knowing what I’m doing, nor any expectations about results.�

Aside from that, Massey says that over the last few years, there’s been “nothing terribly exciting in some ways—just getting through life as well as we can.� Both he and Henderson run their own businesses, and Massey does electrical work. “Scott has two daughters who he takes care of full-time, and John has been in Berlin starting a new life as an expat,� he continues. “All fairly normal adult-grind kinda stuff.�

shit I neglected, being a degenerate musician for so many years.� He enrolled in school again and was about to apply for a PhD program when his career pivoted again and he became a small-business owner. “There wasn’t much time or mental energy for music,� he admits. “That’s why it feels so nice to be inspired to write these days.�

That’s right, the band are working on new material. They’re not revealing any other details at this time, but something is in the works, and it’s not another synth-based departure like the band undertook in 2002 under the name CommuniquÊ—though that would be cool too. Henderson reflects on American Steel’s time exploring new sounds by saying, “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a repeatable sound or style, but I was too stupid or pigheaded to realize that it would also be a great idea if you wanted to build a fanbase and maybe make a living.â€? American Steel’s sound first started to shift on their 2001 album, Jagged Thoughts, which Henderson says “is well-liked now, but at the time, the response was tepid at best, and we would actually sometimes get booed playing those songs live.â€?

Henderson goes a little deeper, saying, “For me, the last five or so “I was always writing the next batch years have been about fixing all the of songs while we were supporting a

release,â€? he goes on, “so the reac- new AmSteel songs until recently. I tion to Jagged Thoughts, and know- sort of stewed on the concept for a ing that the songs I was writing at bit, and the music came to me. In my the time were even further afield— opinion, some of our best and most some of which are on [Communi- dynamic songs were done this way.â€? quÊ’s 2003] Crescent Honeymoon EP—I just didn’t see why we wouldn’t As far as what to expect from the silo things. I still don’t know if that upcoming live shows, Massey says, was the right choice, but I am just “There is a fine line between boring as proud of the CommuniquĂŠ stuff, people by playing what they want to and from my perspective, it isn’t hear and pissing people off by not siloed at all. It’s all just our songs.â€? playing enough of what they want to hear. The setlists are still very fluid!â€?

So far, the band have recorded two new tracks, and, as Massey Henderson echoes that his “philosexplains, “the process is certainly ophy with setlists is to please people unlike anything we have attempted as much as possible. For me, it’s before, with John being many time a gesture of gratitude for being zones away. Rory, Scott, and I have onboard with the music in the first been sketching out new material at place. I just want to give people a the rehearsal room, making rough fun time for a few hours, without demos and sending it to John for pretense. I’m in it for kicks, so I feedback.� The band are fortunate assume others are too. That’s why to have access to Massey’s own we will just play songs people shout Sharkbite Studios, as well as the out at the end of the set, for as long technology to weave in Peck’s bass as we can muster. We call it a ‘nonparts, which he records remotely. “I core’ instead of an encore.� can’t speak for Rory, but for me, all the songs that come out of me are When asked for some parting words, tinged by the darkness we are living in,� Massey says, “I figure it has been Massey adds. “But there are no specif- 22 years since our first release, our ic topics that were targeted. Songs just band is old enough to hit the bars!� kind of pour out when they feel like it.�

Henderson concludes, “Be excelHenderson exclaims in similar tones lent to each other.â€? đ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Ł that he “hadn’t considered writing

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NEW NOISE 27

28 NEW NOISE

UNDER THE RADAR: HARDCORE WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL D. THORN

In 2018, punk rock is a funny thing—like, what does it even mean anymore? At this point, it feels like it’s been divided and subdivided into a gajillion different micro-genres, and while it feels like there used to be big records that everyone loved and tons of other records that a lot of

Candy | Good To Feel Triple B Records Triple B—is there a more consistent and varied hardcore record label going these days? For me, the crown jewel of their relentless output is Richmond, Virginia’s Candy. From the skull-crushing, high-speed velocity of Good To Feel’s title track to the acidic melancholy of “Distorted Dreams,�

Candy manage to create a distortion-soaked soundscape that marries a disparate range of influences—think Unbroken, Integrity, Crossed Out, and some My Bloody Valentine shoved in a blender set to “annihilate.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

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people would have at least a passing familiarity with, these days, a lot of really great records go under the radar of all but the most obsessive nerds. With that, here are 10 records from 2018 that fans might have missed but would be doing themselves a favor to check out.

False Figure | False Figure Near Dark Records Negativ | Projections Mirthless Laughter Records Projections from Norway’s Negativ is probably one of the creepiest, darkest, and most hopeless-feeling records I’ve heard since the first time I encountered Rudimentary Peni. It’s a desperate-sounding record that reflects a worldview in which things just seem to teeter on the edge of collapse, with staccato, angular, rapid-fire music backing up a tense vocal attack that just feels perfect. In conversations, I’ve compared this as much to the stop-andstart tension of Die Kreuzen as I have to the dark atmosphere present in the writing of Poe or Lovecraft. Just brilliant. đ&#x;’Ł

Oakland, California, has a long tradition of bands who combine the gothic drive of Joy Division with a more straightforward hardcore fury—bands like Dead And Gone, early Neurosis, Christ On Parade, and now, the likes of False Figure. Released on the Oakland darkwave label Near Dark, False Figure produce six tracks of sweeping, apprehensive, and quite spooky punk rock—think Weathered Statues or even “Darker My Loveâ€?-era T.S.O.L. mixed with that hammer-down approach of later Econochrist. đ&#x;’Ł

Sial | Binasa EP La Vida Es Un Mus Hailing from the so-called “utopian police stateâ€? of Singapore, Sial rip through six stomping, rhythmic, distorted tracks of fierce hardcore. Shrill guitars and thunderous drums make a perfect backdrop for vocalist Siti’s wail, screaming in Malay against the racism and classism the indigenous population faces as the result of nearly 150 years of British control. Sial are an absolutely vicious live band, as those in the Eastern half of the United States and Canada can attest. đ&#x;’Ł

Khiis | Saboor EP Distort Reality

Tozcos | SueĂąos Deceptivos Verdugo Discos

Oakland, California’s Khiis just destroy everything in their path on their debut EP. Taking their inspirational cues from a myriad of sources, they play raw, aggressive hardcore that incorporates enough hooks and melody to make the songs burrow themselves into your brain. With lyrics partially sung in Farsi, they present a twist on the standard mold of American hardcore and, perhaps, present more of a challenge to the dominant culture than just another song about unity or veganism. I’m wary to make declarative statements about this record or that being the best one of the year, but for me, Saboor certainly comes close. đ&#x;’Ł

Forward | Another Dimension EP Break The Records Japan’s Forward are legendary. Made up of pillars of ’80s Japanese hardcore—Death Side, Systematic Death, Gudon, etc.—they play a strutting yet snarling take on hardcore.

They’re quick-paced to be sure but with enough melody and songwriting chops that they create a unique, instantly recognizable kind of punk. From vocalist Ishiya’s trademark snarl to guitarist Souichi’s melodious leads, Forward have been creating powerful music for over 20 years, and Another Dimension continues that tradition. đ&#x;’Ł

Tragedy | Fury 12�

Tragedy Records When Portland, Oregon’s Tragedy dropped Fury seemingly out of nowhere, it rippled through the underground like an atomic bomb. It’s hard to believe that they’ve been a band for nearly 20 years and are still capable of producing high-caliber skull-crushing yet sweepingly melodic music. From the moody and theatrical intro that sets off this record to the explosion of power that is the first track, “Leviathan,â€? Tragedy never relent—just pure, ripping, full-throttle, go-for-the-jugular hardcore that never dips into being metal while remaining as heavy and devastating as an enormous door slamming in the depths of Hell. đ&#x;’Ł

While Latinos have long made up the backbone of Los Angeles’ punk scene, it feels like, over the last few years, there has been an explosion of bands singing blistering punk rock in Spanish and/or indigenous languages.

Bands like Futura, Destruye Y Huye, and Ausencia all had powerful releases this year, but the cream of the crop for me has to be Santa Ana’s Tozcos. Playing tense, frantic, driving hardcore with a smattering of melody, they stand in contrast with the legion of bands who rely on metallic crunch or overt displays of masturbatory fret gymnastics to get the point across. It’s passionate punk rock that brings to mind the swagger of early X and the driving early O.C. hardcore of D.I. or Adolescents. đ&#x;’Ł

Primer Regimen | Ultimo Testamento | Byllepest Distro At times, its almost impossible for me to convey how good Colombia’s Primer Regimen are. From their album’s ominous bass intro, which explodes into the first track, “Terroristas,â€? to the searing high-energy assault of “Ultimo Testamento,â€? they unleash cut after cut of pounding, relentless hardcore that echoes the studsspikes-and-acne-soaked-leather approach of GBH as well as paying homage to the more melodic sound that was the bread and butter of Spain in the ’80s: Eskorbuto, R.I.P., Subterranean Kids, etc. But don’t think of them as reenactor-core—while Primer Regimen certain borrow from the classic forms of the past, they morph it into something all their own. A classic LP for sure! đ&#x;’Ł

S.H.I.T. | What Do You Stand For? IRON LUNG Records Nearly 40 years ago, The Damned released their high praise of the simple joys of “Noise Noise Noise,â€? and in 2018, Toronto’s S.H.I.T. perfected it. Primitive and distortion-heavy, What Do You Stand For? blazes through 20 minutes of battering-ram, pummeling hardcore that only slows down for the closing comparative-dirge of “Losing in the 21st Century.â€? A relentless blast from the word go that grabs you by the throat and never lets go—a must-have record. đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 31

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST LOU KOLLER BY HUTCH

ith a litany of classic albums, each one nuanced and varied, Sick Of It All are titans of New York hardcore. The band’s live set has continually earned reverence from global audiences who have witnessed their unmatched tenacity and energy and passion. Sweat and dedication have forged the four Queens natives into a relentless machine for over 30 years.

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Full-length number 12 dropped as Fat Wreck Chords and Century Media joined forces on Nov. 2.

Wake the Sleeping Dragon! is refined hardcore, bleeding with rage and grit, and one of the band’s most vigorous and savage releases.

REPRESENTS THAT FIRE ONLY QUESTION WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT IT.” 32 NEW NOISE

Sick Of It All’s sincerity and enjoyment in creating new music is palpable. Vocalist Lou Koller does not let the grumpy old dudes nostalgically pining for only old material at shows anchor his elation when spreading new hardcore fury.

“Every time you make a new album, you get excited and want to play as many as you can!” he exclaims.

“Sometimes it works; there were a couple of times where we would play five or six new songs from a new album on a tour.”

Sick Of It All are integrating these brutal new songs, which embrace early ’80s U.K. and U.S. hardcore, on their tour supporting Wake the Sleeping Dragon! “I think we are

PHOTO BY JOSHUA MARANHAS

going to put three or four new ones an original way how deeply embedin for the first runs off this album,� ded racism is in our society.�

Koller continues, “and maybe, for the summer festivals, try to do five While other tracks address the old or six, because there are two big heads standing clear of the pit in a singalong songs on it that I would “Hardcore Horseshoe� or the passlove to play live, as well as the ones ing of friends or mass ignorance, we’ve picked out so far. But that’s again, Sick Of It All’s goal is to fuel hoping people love the new stuff as revolt with their incendiary tracks.

Koller illuminates the notion of the much as we do.� “sleeping dragon,� expounding, “The Sick Of It All have toured constantly sleeping dragon represents that throughout the years. That defines fire in all of us to not only question the music they write: short, vivid, what’s going on but to do something angry punk channeling U.K. crusty about it. People will accept things, rebellion that will incite crowds. even if they know it’s not right, as Koller and company also consider long as they are still comfortable. the whole record, though, and Even if it’s against what they believe how it plays in fans’ private set- in, they find some way to justify it so tings. “When we write, it’s always they can not have to think about it from the point of how the song and stay in their comfy life they’ve would go over live: whether it’s built. There are things going on gonna get the crowd moving or morally [and] ethically in our govsinging or, hopefully, both,� Koller ernment—for decades now but, explains. “When we start to do track more blatantly, with this administralisting, putting the songs in order tion—that need to change, but the for the album, we try to make it use of fear and the division of the flow and have moments of calm— people keeps us complacent, keeps well, maybe not ‘calm’ in our case. us from acting out and saying, ‘That Maybe let a little off the gas, so that ain’t right!’ So, the idea is that it’s time to wake the fighting spirit and there’s movement.� take a stand.�

The targets of Sick Of It All’s frustration and enmity remain the For Sick Of It All, 2019 will, of course, core of their motivation: politicians, bring more touring, with the band corporations, government, media, hitting Europe in January and and, mostly, people’s apathy at doing a six-day run through Spain the atrocities unfurling around the and Portugal in April. The European globe. A specific target on Wake the dates will also feature Municipal Sleeping Dragon! is New York public Waste and Walls Of Jericho, but official Robert Moses. Elaborating what up-and-coming bands are on on the significance of Moses’ leg- Koller’s radar? “Candy from Richacy in our current culture, Koller mond, Virginia; my friend turned says, “[He] was a City Planner and me on to them,â€? he begins. “I like developer for New York and a few The Last Stand [from Brooklyn]; other states. He did a lot of amazing they are really coming into their things in his time, but since his pass- own, song-wise, and live, they are ing in 1981, it’s come out that he killing it. I really liked the G.L.O.S.S. was extremely racist and had little album, [2016’s Trans Day of Revenge], or no regard for minorities. In fact, but they broke up! A few names I he built things to hamper minorities remember liking when I heard and and to keep them away from certain or saw them: Illusion, Krimewatch, areas. [Drummer] Armand [Majidi] Point Blank, Mindforce, Slashers, wrote this song, [‘Robert Moses Was Game, [and] so, so many I can’t a Racist’], and he wanted to show in think of right now!â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

Struck Nerve | Struck Nerve | WAR Records By Hutch Representing Philly straight edge, Struck Nerve burst a blazing new EP on Dec. 7, available on limited wax presented in captivating colors by WAR Records. Four tracks land at about two minutes a piece—plus an intro— with divebombs and heavy riffs. Struck Nerve intentionally call back to late ’80s hardcore with fast tempos and mosh-inducing chugs. Their sound is tight and clean but still chunky and rough.

Members of Jesus Piece, Agitator, Uzi Kids, and Pain Strikes form this five-piece, birthed in early 2018. They quickly dropped a digital demo in July, and now, those songs—recorded by Wyatt Oberholzer, who has worked with Year Of The Knife, Fixation, and more—are on vinyl. “Me and [guitarist] Marty [Williams] really wanted to do something different than all the heavy shit we constantly see coming out of Philly,â€? vocalist Anthony Marinaro says. And done. Give us more. đ&#x;’Ł

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33

BY BEN SAILER

HARDCORE FOR A HARD YEAR

8 CRUCIAL RECORDS, 365 DAYS OF SHIT WITH RIGHT-WING AUTHORITARIANISM ON THE RISE, UNCHECKED CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENING TO SWALLOW HUMANITY WHOLE, THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF RAMPANT GENDER INEQUALITY, AND ECONOMIC TURMOIL UPENDING ALL HOPE FOR A COMFORTABLE FUTURE, 2018 WAS A GARBAGE YEAR FOR THE PLANET. NOT COINCIDENTALLY, IT WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR HARDCORE.

FUELED BY EQUAL AMOUNTS OF URGENCY AND OUTRAGE, DIVERSE ACTS ACROSS THE SCENE’S MULTITUDE OF SUBGENRES PRODUCED A BUMPER CROP OF CRUCIAL RELEASES, PROVIDING THE PERFECT SONIC BACKDROP FOR A WORLD RIDING A PRECARIOUSLY FINE LINE BETWEEN A BETTER TOMORROW AND CERTAIN DOOM. WHEREVER THOSE CHIPS MAY FALL, THIS LIST OF EIGHT ESSENTIAL HARDCORE RECORDS FOR 2018 IS HERE TO PROVIDE THE SOUNDTRACK.

American Nightmare | American Nightmare Rise Records

Harm’s Way | Posthuman Metal Blade Records

Jesus Piece | Only Self Southern Lord Recordings

Did anyone expect we’d get a new American Nightmare record in 2018? If you answer that question with anything other than “no,â€? you’re a goddamned liar. Regardless of your personal commitment to honesty, the influential Boston band’s self-titled return sees the fourpiece sounding sharper than ever. Frontman Wes Eisold may be older and wiser now than when he penned the lyrics to modern classics like “AM/PM,â€? but he’s no less pissed off. This is an efficient 20 minutes of breathless nihilism juxtaposed against tight blasts of youthcrew-inspired riffage, which is exactly what longtime fans would want and expect. đ&#x;’Ł

Heavy hardcore doesn’t have to trade brains for brawn. That’s something the Chicago-based Harm’s Way have been proving since 2006, and never has that statement been more true than on their latest release, Posthuman. It’s a pummeling meditation on finding meaning in the world without believing in an afterlife, searching for ways to make your limited time on this orbiting mass of dirt and rock count before gravity and time conspire to turn you into space dust.

It’s both bleak and empowering, packed with crushing grooves and enough motivational energy to make you feel like you could bench press your neighbor’s family sedan. đ&#x;’Ł

The spirit of ’90s metalcore is alive and well on Jesus Piece’s Only Self. This Philly band have mastered the art of locking into a metallic mid-tempo groove and riding it for all its worth, exorcising anger and anxiety with the overwhelming power of the riff. By the time opening track “Lucidâ€? launches into its closing breakdown, it becomes clear this record isn’t going to stop steamrolling your entire existence until your ears have been ground down into a fine paste. When one record packs this much impossible heaviness into one package, some permanent hearing loss is a fair trade. đ&#x;’Ł

When a record is coproduced by TouchĂŠ AmorÊ’s Jeremy Bolm and punk producer du jour Jack Shirley for Deathwish Inc., you can safely assume it’s going to be good. Give Gouge Away’s Burnt Sugar a spin, and those assumptions are immediately proven accurate. It isn’t necessarily a hardcore record in the purest sense, though it’s clear that’s where the Florida band’s roots lie. Beneath the album’s layers of panic-stricken ambiance and vocalist Christina Michelle’s cathartic exhortations beats the heart of a band pushing beyond strict genre confines, taking a post-everything approach to ’90s noise rock and modern hardcore punk that just works. đ&#x;’Ł

Turnstile | Time & Space | Roadrunner Records

Single Mothers | Through a Wall Dine Alone Records

Primal Rite | Dirge of Escapism Revelation Records

Birds In Row | We Already Lost the World Deathwish Inc.

London, Ontario’s Single Mothers are capable of writing catchier hooks than most hardcore bands would ever dare allow themselves. For evidence, check out the choruses on bangers like “Leash� and “Bolt Cutters� off their 2017 full-length, Our Pleasure.

However, they’re equally skilled at crafting searing hardcore that effortlessly transitions between anxious urgency and rock ’n’ roll swagger. It’s those more aggressive tendencies that come through the most on Through a Wall, which rips through 14 tracks of fast-paced guitars and pummeling percussion that undergird vocalist Drew Thomson’s incomparable acerbic wit. It’s the perfect response to a year marked by awfulness and absurdity. đ&#x;’Ł

Primal Rite’s Dirge of Escapism is a near-perfect blend of hardcore and thrash that’s potent enough to kill your front lawn on contact. Take one look at the record’sgrimcoverartfeaturinganapparentlyskinless figure bathing before a waterfall adorned with the faces of ghoulish apparitions, and one would be forgiven for thinking the San Francisco band are going to serve up some straightforward fantasy-driven death metal. Instead, Dirge of Escapism is a reality-based crossover record that confronts a sociopolitical climate that often feels more frightening than fiction. This is exactly the kind of honest, no-holds-barred record that this thoroughly bleak era demands. đ&#x;’Ł

The small city of Laval, France, isn’t known as a hotbed for aggressive music. However, its one notable contribution to the artform happens to be Birds In Row, one of the most dynamic and compelling acts to emerge from the noisier end of the genre’s spectrum in the past decade. Their latest record, We Already Lost the World, bears a title that sounds grimly prophetic while accurately reflecting the fractured nihilistic rage contained within its nine tracks. Similar to labelmates and Bay Area staples Loma Prieta, this is tough-asnails screamo-adjacent punk that will lay your heart and eardrums to waste. đ&#x;’Ł

Turnstile’s 2016 debut full-length, Nonstop Feeling, felt like a breath of fresh air from young kids putting their own spin on time-tested hardcore formulas, transcending genre boundaries in the process. As critically acclaimed as that record was inside hardcore circles and beyond, in retrospect, it feels like it was just a hint of what the Baltimore band would later achieve on Time & Space. While its individual elements—pit-worthy breakdowns, ripping guitar solos, and singalong choruses—feel familiar, the way they’re combined sounds like exactly no one else in the genre today. If this is the future of hardcore, then the scene is in good hands. đ&#x;’Ł

34 NEW NOISE

Gouge Away | Burnt Sugar | Deathwish Inc.

Porcupine - What You’ve Heard Isn’t Real

out Nov 9

featuring Greg Norton of Hüsker Dü on bass CD from DC-Jam Records DCJAMRecords.com LP from Dead broke rekerds deadbrokerecords.com

NEW NOISE 35

CRIPPLE BASTARDS INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST GIULIO THE BASTARD BY MARIKA ZORZI egendary Italian grindcore band Cripple Bastards— who celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2018—released their seventh full-length album, La Fine Cresce da Dentro, or The End Is Growing From Within, via Relapse Records on Nov. 9.

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This new record delivers 18 tracks of inconceivable speed and brutality even surpassing Cripple Bastards’ intense prior releases. “La Fine Cresce da Dentro is faster than the previous two albums, and it was conceived to sound as close as possible to how we are when we play live,� vocalist Giulio The Bastard explains. “It’s definitely more aggres-

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leaves you wanting more—as it should—some of grind’s biggest bands will gleefully pummel your ears in 2019.

The East Coast’s refined noisemongers, FULL OF HELL, are set to release their first record for Relapse Records, while Britain’s best grind export, NAPALM DEATH, are readying their 16th—!!!—album, due out via Century Media. If you prefer to season your grind with copious amounts of death metal flavoring—vegan option available— Baltimore’s MISERY INDEX will be happy to oblige in March via Season Of Mist, and San Diegan shredders CATTLE DECAPITATION will do the same via Metal Blade in the fall. –Nicholas Senior

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36 NEW NOISE

sive, without too much reworking in the studio.�

had to cope with was simply the fact of being Italian. Our country, with its fucked-up system, is hands down the worst background one can find for keeping a grindcore band active and strong over three decades.�

The biggest challenge the band faced while recording this new record was creating something new. “We didn’t want it to sound as a follow-up to what was done with Living in Italy during the ’80s and the previous album,â€? Giulio clarifies. ’90s was not easy at all, and that “Lyrics-wise, I wanted to open a new is why the band took inspiration chapter in the way that I write lyrics. from the Italian hardcore and punk The previous, [2014’s] Nero in Metas- bands who screamed this discomfort tasi, had that hopeless mood with before them. “The Italian hardcore frequent references to stages of sound, especially the bands from the illness; this one is more focused on 1981 to 1988 era, was one of the most a spirit of redemption and non-resigna- furious and powerful around,â€? Giulio tion, a constant ‘never give up’ in a world says. “Cripple Bastards was born on of apathy and emotional blackout.â€? the ashes of that scene, so we always wanted to keep that anger and vio“I started Cripple Bastards at the lence alive through our music. The age of 14, 30 years ago,â€? he adds. kind of intensity and live approach “The initial input was to fight back that we chose for recording this apathy and boredom in the city new album, the mood coming from where we grew up and our love for records like Negazione’s Lo Spirito playing ultrafast, [to] be the most ex- Continua‌ and Raw Power’s Screams treme, anti-musical, and disturbing From the Gutter was definitely a good band in the Italian scene of that time.â€? reference point, as well as much other great stuff of that time.â€? “Besides the kind of difficulties and obstacles that are natural in 30 Speaking of sound, La Fine Cresce years of keeping a band together,â€? da Dentro was recorded in Italy at the vocalist continues, “I think that SPVN Studio and Toxic Basement the biggest barrier that we always Studio. The album was mixed at the

legendary Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden, with producer Fredrik NordstrĂśm, who has worked with At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity, and many others. “We started working with Fredrik in 2006 for our first EP on Relapse Records, and, together, we developed a sound that combines our hardcore-based aggressivity with his Swedish-imprinted wall of sound,â€? Giulio explains. “We wanted to keep the adrenaline feeling of when we perform live, so we worked a lot on the drumming intensity and on the idea of never letting the pace [slow] down. It had to be fast, nervous, and impactful.â€?  This musical approach has always been what keeps the band strong. “Playing extreme music held us together through the years to vent outrage and negativity, express our creativity and energy in the most uncompromised way without settling to a standard,â€? Giulio continues. “La Fine Cresce da Dentro is all the features developed in 30 years of Cripple Bastards put together with heart and very hard training by the most well-working lineup we have ever had.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

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NEW NOISE

37

THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN METAL

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

PHOTO BY JAMES REXROAD

BURNING WITCHES Brugg, Switzerland

HOLY GROVE Portland, Oregon

Hexenhammer | Nov. 9 | Nuclear Blast Records RIYL: Salem Saberhagen. Metaphors. Spellbinding covers.

II | Nov. 9 | Ripple Music RIYL: Showing your work on tests. Plotting destruction. LOUD NOISES!

Of all their alleged abilities, it’s a witch’s power to influence one’s thoughts and actions that makes them especially haunting. Of course, sometimes this power of suggestion leads to delicious ends, and such is the mesmerizing command of Burning Witches’ Hexenhammer.

The latest from the Swiss act relies on the influence of the old gods, but instead of Satan or Deadites, these witches call on the power of heavy metal titans: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Dio. A truly menacing and enchanting twin-guitar attack looms large over Hexenhammer’s runtime, and Seraina Telli’s soaring vocals conjure some tasty auditory treats. It’s a massive credit to the band that their excellent cover of Dio’s classic “Holy Diverâ€? isn’t even in the top half of this wonderful collection—which, wisely, does not focus on the plight of witches. As drummer Lala Frischknecht states, “The Middle Ages are one of the saddest eras in our history, and it is worth it to remind people of what happened in the past.â€? While much of this record’s allure springs from the greatness and atrocity of history, Hexenhammer cements Burning Witches as a monstrous force in the future of heavy metal.đ&#x;’Ł

Part of the allure of metal is its raw, unfiltered sound—riffs and rhythms that are more like primal instincts that evolved over time than something analyzed or intentional. However, even the most beastly riff-barons need to show their work and check it again, as they never know when Professors Osbourne or Hetfield are going to grade musical papers. Holy Grove’s succinctly-named sophomore release, II, certainly does not sound like a work of carefully-plotted psychedelic doom, but bassist Gregg Emley acknowledges that this was intentional. “First and foremost, we want the songs to be all killer, no filler,â€? he says. “We get pretty analytical when putting the songs together and go over the parts in detail to make sure everything works well together and that we are serving the vibe of the song.â€? Vibe really is the critical word here, as the dexterous and slithering riffs and basslines work wonders with Andrea Vidal’s elastic, enigmatic vocals. These songs are a fucking blast, because the band were able to focus, amplify what made their debut work, and give everything the critical stink eye. The results—and the guaranteed headbanging and hip-shaking—speak for themselves. đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY ALOYSIUS V. CUMMINGS

SKULL PIT Tokyo & New York City Skull Pit | Nov. 16 | Metal Blade Records RIYL: Pen pals. Vinyl collectors. Auditory caffeine.

ULTHAR Oakland, California

Cosmovore | Nov. 9 | 20 Buck Spin RIYL: Sonic horror. Frightening art. A pleasant menace.

Skull Pit formed thanks to arguably the most metal pen pal pairing of all time. Exumer “As a band, I think we enjoy doing the ‘wrong’ thing,â€? Ulthar co-vocalist and guitarist Shelby vocalist and bassist Mem V. Stein’s extensive vinyl collection led him to post a copy of a Lermo states, “whether it’s structurally, timing-wise, tempo, composition, etc. We specifirecord by Japanese doom behemoths Church Of Misery for sale online. That band’s bassist, cally set out to do things that are off-kilter, nonsensical, or just plain weird but still heavy Tatsu Mikami, wound up on the site and reached out to Stein. Bonding over a shared love of and menacing.â€? Lermo’s explanation captures why the band’s debut effort, Cosmovore, is proto-metal—think MotĂśrhead, Tank, and classic NWOBHM—the two realized their musi- such an apt initial statement for the latest extreme metal supergroup—featuring members cal careers each had a sizable void the other could fill. Despite being known for thrash and of Vastum, Extremity, and Mutilation Rites—to come out of Oakland. What makes Ulthar’s doom, respectively, Stein and Mikami began sending each other the music they fell in love dripping, Dali-esque clock tick is the unholy marriage of everything, pushed to its furthest with as kids, discovering a pit of epic proportions. “The love for this music is what made this reaches. The mix of black, death, and sludge metal on Cosmovore—which denotes a literal record possible,â€? Stein beams. Of all the great things about Skull Pit—the energy, fantastic hunger for the entire universe—is far from uncompromising. Instead, by trying to valiantly musicianship, and surprisingly bountiful hooks—what really stands out is the band’s appre- to do the “wrongâ€? thing, Ulthar manage to do the exact right thing, creating total sonic ciation of those who have gone before them. Skull Pit are all about showing love to metal chaos that is maddeningly addictive..đ&#x;’Ł elders, as metal elders, and that experience shines through on their debut.đ&#x;’Ł

38 NEW NOISE

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40 NEW NOISE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN SNODGRASS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST TREVOR PHIPPS BY GREG PRATO

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sing. My tip is to aim the air and the sound at your ‘mask,’ which is from the tip of your front top teeth to the top of your forehead. This will keep you away from vibrating and hurting your throat too much and allow for a better sound and wider range.

Another key is to make sure you’re expanding your lungs outward and not upward. This will strengthen your diaphragm and allow you to control your breathing and airflow throughout your performance.�

here is a tidal wave of great new heavy music out there, and anyone who says it’s a bad time for metal just isn’t paying attention,� Unearth screamer and growler Trevor Phipps says. “This moment in heavy music feels a lot like the 2002 to 2006 wave that had metal crushing both in the clubs and on the charts.�

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“

On Unearth’s seventh studio effort overall, Extinction(s), released Nov. 23 via Century Media, the Boston group—which also includes guitarists Buz McGrath and Ken Susi, bassist Chris O’Toole, and drummer Nick Pierce—sound as ferocious as ever, still specializing in a style that is 100 percent hard-hitting hardcore metal but, according to Phipps, with a slightly different twist. “There was a conscious effort on Extinction(s) to mix our original sound and energy with where we’ve come as players and songwriters, as well as try a few new things,� he says. “The final product sounds different than anything we’ve ever done, but on most songs, you can still hear that it is Unearth.�

42 NEW NOISE

The quintet has also picked one heck of a heavy track to lead off the album, “Incinerate,� which, as it turns out, contains a politically-charged “I’ve found that breathing properly or message. improperly can be a major factor in “‘Incinerate’ is meant to be a song my health and abilities,� he adds. “I of unity in today’s polarized world,� once had to call my vocal coach, MePhipps explains. “With all the ugliness lissa Cross, from Europe in the middle and propaganda being thrown our of a 20-day string of shows, because I way, I want people to come together picked up some bad habits and lost my and push back against the anti-dem- voice. She coached me on the phone ocratic rhetoric that is being force- through a series of breathing exercises, and my voice was solid that night and fed to us daily around the world.� for the remainder of the tour.�

Admittedly, without Phipps explaining what the song’s lyrics are about, most “As for hydration and taking care of listeners would be left scratching your body, your vocal cords won’t vitheir heads about just what the heck brate to their full ability if they are dry, he is saying, as he often utilizes a so keep those fuckers wet, especially hollered vocal style—which leads on tour,� Phipps advises. “Drench to an obvious question: Has he ever them with water, green tea with honey, and whatever electrolyte bevexperienced vocal trouble? erage of your choice. Also, overall “Every singer experiences some well-being of the mind and body will setbacks from time to time,� Phipps allow you to put forth as much energy admits. “I’ve battled hoarseness, lack as possible, which generally leads to of power, limited range, etc. on tours a better-sounding voice.� when I’m not fully healthy or just in the middle of a bunch of shows in a If all goes according to plan, fans row. I have a solid regimen that I’ve all over the world can expect Phipps developed over the years for warm- and his bandmates in Unearth to up, cool-down, and maintenance rock a nearby concert stage soon. that has been keeping my voice as “We will be supporting this record with healthy as ever of late.� touring in as many places as will have For up-and-coming singers who also us,� he says. “There are tours in the push their vocal cords to the max, works for Canada, Europe, Mexico, Phipps is kind enough to offer some Japan, and Australia right now, and tips on how to develop and maintain we are going to build on that for now.

There will, of course, be another U.S. one’s chops. tour in 2019 to add to that list, as well “Hydration, taking care of your body as plans to go back to Asia, South and mind, and the knowledge of Africa, and South America. We’ll what you’re doing,â€? he cites. “Take choose our tours more wisely and vocal lessons with an instructor—or won’t be out 10 months out of the find lessons on YouTube—on project- year, but we’ll be out there grinding ing your voice properly, so you’re not it out, playing songs from Extinction(s) tearing your voice up every time you and likely every other record.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

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GREENLEAF GRE E N L E A F

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST ARVID HĂ„LLAGĂ…RD

BY CALEB R NEWTON reenleaf craft dramatically dynamic, heavy rock ’n’ roll.

Their newest record, Hear the Rivers—released Nov. 9 via Napalm Records—feels almost liberating, letting the listener experience the band’s unique and adventurously emotional take on the world. Hard rock music with an extra kick does not only come from the U.S.—Greenleaf are from Borlänge, Sweden, and have been honing their craft for around two decades.

lyricist Arvid HällagĂĽrd says. “It would be cool if some kid somewhere felt the same listening to us. I also think it’s really important to capture a mood in the music and amplify it. If you succeeded in doing that, you probably made a really great song.â€?

Through the wild ride of their now seven albums, Greenleaf have stayed afloat via a consistent return to their personable core. In other words, they’re having fun with their work, not simply creating a product.

“I think I find the new record dynamically satisfying in the genre of heavy rock,�

HällagĂĽrd shares. “It is kind of pushing all the buttons I would like it to. You’ve got the stuff you almost want to dance to, the stuff you want to ride in your car to, and even stuff for the occasional fistfight.â€?

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“I remember that when I listened to heavy music as a kid and teenager, I always felt sort of invincible,� vocalist and

With Hear the Rivers, Greenleaf have definitely zeroed in on what’s practically necessary for capturing a mood and sharing what Hällagürd calls a great song.

“In one way, I think I wanted to make a record that kind of sounded like an old

barn door—you know, those old creaking sounds and squeaks—but that’s not really how the album turned out in the end,� he adds. “You can almost never control it, really. It’s just suddenly done, and you get to decide if you like or not. We played a big amount of shows in the recent couple of years too, and I think that always has an impact on the album.�

Hällagürd, guitarist Tommi Holappa, bassist Hans FrÜhlich, and drummer Sebastian Olsson cultivated an organic sound via this process. The vocalist shares that, in similar fashion to their shows, some personal developments may have influenced their sensibilities too—almost all of the members have kids now, he shares.

Through the wild ride life has taken

Greenleaf on, they’ve cultivated a natural approach to songwriting that lets them continue creating. Hear the Rivers sounds like a testament to the flowing progression they’ve tapped into as a band, which HällagĂĽrd confirms. “We mostly just make the songs, and they sound the way they do,â€? he quips. đ&#x;’Ł

RAUHNACHT R A U H N A CH T

INTERVIEW WITH STEFAN TRAUNMĂœLLER

BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

lack metal is often a solitary enterprise. In fact, the one-person black metal band is almost as common as the three-piece grindcore band or the death metal band with two guitarists.

But in an era in which anyone can make “bedroom black metal,â€? as Stefan TraunmĂźller puts it, the man behind Austria’s RauhnĂĽcht wants everyone to know that there is a careful precision behind what he does.

Debemur Morti Productions on Dec. 7. “The songs have a good flow, although their length is still varied and they are atmospheric. The first album, [2010’s Vorweltschweigen], and also [2014 collaboration with Sturmpercht], Zur Ew’gen Ruh, definitely sounded less polished and more primeval. I think I will go back to this direction with future releases, but this time, I wanted really full arrangements with a lot of details and a transparent production.�

“I think that the combination of elements and the arrangements lift the album to a new level compared to its predecessors,� he says of Unterm Gipfelthron, his third LP, released via

Like many black metal lyricists, TraunmĂźller draws inspiration from lush European nature and the world around him. However, he mentions on his Facebook page that while his music can be described as “Alpine black metal,â€? he doesn’t necessarily mesh with the lyrical concepts some black metal bands espouse.

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of Greenleaf is their extremely tight, fun riffs.

In 2019, some of the best in the business in that category—Portland, Oregon’s RED FANG—will team up with Relapse Records to release the follow-up to 2016’s Only Ghosts, one of the best stoner metal records of the past few years. –Nicholas Senior

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“Of course there are some individual bands with character out there,� he says, “but I have to admit that I feel very little connection to black metal anymore, apart from the music that I make, which is still influenced by the black metal vibe of the ’90s.�

Rather than rely on the typical older tropes, TraunmĂźller takes that classic influence and mixes it in with his own unique, positive approach to music-making. “Usually, I fully arrange and record the songs

as instrumentals, and then, I listen to them “I have a good knowledge of all instruments and my own recording studio, which is both forth and back in my mind while walking in a curse and blessing, because, usually, the mountains,â€? he explains. “There, my deep nobody asks me to change something but, connection to nature makes the right words and vocal lines pop up. The lyrics reflect na- at the same time, nobody pushes me to carry on or guides me back when I get lost ture in all its beauty and also as a symbol for somewhere during songwriting,â€? he says. “I rise and fall. I also wrote about the influence finished everything myself and then took a of our ancestors in a philosophical way. The step back and let the drums be replaced. music follows a river from the source in the Also, I invited a few singers for the choirs mountains to the big stream in the valley.â€? and Vittorio [‘Eurynomos’ Sabelli] and Hyvermor for wind instruments. That gave In order to convey the solitary themes on the album the necessary vitalness, and I Unterm Gipfelthron and to explore the way think the result sounds like a real band and the music and the lyrics interact, TraunmĂźller prefers to work on RauhnĂĽcht’s music solo. not like a solo project.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł However, he sometimes draws in other musicians to round out his sound.

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DIRGE

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST STÉPHANE L. BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

D I RGE very record is a moment in time, a suspended look at how the artists were feeling. For Parisian band Dirge, who have been making music since 1994, those moments are always dark and beautiful—but a little different each time they create them.

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“The very nature of lyrics and themes is an integral part of Dirge’s identity,â€? guitarist StĂŠphane L. says. “This means that the same subjects, the same feelings, dwell in the very heart of our music but [are] approached, album after album, from themselves part of a particular scene, they apour album And Shall the Sky Descend that we did flect back on all the sounds and experiences different angles. Because of age and preciate all of the diverse music that is present so, and I must say, I was a bit worried about it.â€? of Dirge and look forward. experience, perspectives and feelings in France and the international bands they never stop moving, which allows me not have connected with over the years.

Despite his misgivings, Dirge sent the finished to repeat myself while writing lyrics. Thus, “The recording process has been the same as recording to Swiss producer RaphaĂŤl Bovey, isolation, abandonment, resignation, for the two previous records, [2011’s Elysian “In France, there are bands like MONOLITHE whom the band knew from previous tours.

Magnetic Fields and 2014’s Hyperion],â€? the fears, as well as the inexorability of the or Monarch playing various forms of doomy guitarist explains. “Everything has been passage of time, the endless quest for the music really worthy of interest for people loving Absolute—all these recurring themes in- recorded our own way, in our own studio, “His work on mixing and mastering gave our that kind of monolithic form of art,â€? StĂŠphane L. which allows us to keep this autonomy of ac- music and sound another really interesting fuse the new album, but with another kind explains, “but we never considered ourselves dimension that differentiates Last Empyrean of up-to-date reflection and pondering. tion, [which is] so important to us. The major from Hyperion or Elysian Magnetic Fields,â€? as part of any doom or sludge scene. The local To go further, I would say that Lost Em- difference is about the mix. [Vocalist and StĂŠphane L. says. “That was the original goal, French scene is much more a sort of nebulous guitarist] Marc [T.], who made the entire mix pyrean’s themes could be summed up in body where you’ll find post-metal, noise, and we are more than happy with the result.â€? and mastering for the previous records, has these three phrases: what has been, what hardcore, black metal, avant-garde, abstract, could have been, and what will never be.â€? decided on this one to give the keys to anothDirge have reached new levels of experimen- psych, kraut, stoner, sludge, [and] doom bands. er sound engineer so as to have a fresh point tation and self-expression with Last Empyrean, It is a rich and interesting space of creation but Lost Empyrean, released Dec. 14 on Debe- of view and a different way to produce our difficult to consider as a ‘scene.’â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł and while they don’t necessarily consider mur Morti Productions, seems to both re- sound. This was the first time since 2004 and

EVOKEN E V OK E N

INTERVIEW WITH DRUMMER VINCE VERKAY BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER PHOTO BY JENNY PANIC

here was a time when funeral doom was obscure in America. The genre had a much stronger foothold in Europe, while U.S. fans fed on death metal, thrash, and stoner doom. The modern age is a very different beast, with globalization and the internet bringing all types of doom to all corners of the world. Evoken, a New Jersey quintet who have been making funeral doom since 1992, are no longer an anomaly.

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“Years ago, it was absurd to expect any form of extreme doom [to be] invited to play larger venues or involved with substantial touring,� drummer and lyricist Vince Verkay “The songs are the drive behind the inspira- says. “We’re constantly experimenting with various amps in order to sonically improve. tion to use World War I,� Verkay says of the explains. “I cannot speak for all bands in the Yet, the most important change comes from new, war-themed record. “I’m quite fond genre, but we’re no longer being asked why the lineup. Everyone brings their own influof human history during times of peril. It’s we are playing so slow. I’m excited about ences into the writing. Everyone in Evoken where the scene is headed next. Of course, fascinating to read how people coped and survived some of the most tragic events. is open-minded. I believe that’s the most whenever something begins to find a wider audience, there comes a spike in new bands. Again, the songs were the main inspiration. important element in the band.�

I’ve never approached the other guys in the It begins to suffer from being oversaturated band with any concept or atmosphere ideas “I think this album is more complex and mewith bands sounding identical, which means lodic than previous albums,� he continues. prior to the writing process. After reading you have to weed through hundreds of so many firsthand accounts describing the “The production stands out as well. It allows bands before finding anything special.� the listener to hear all the various layers mental state of those on the front, everything without running into the problem of being just meshed.�

Evoken are certainly something special. Not too separated.â€? only does their music have staying power, In addition to taking on bigger lyrical conthey seem to uncover something new about Evoken plan to tour the U.S. and Europe in cepts, the band have furthered their sound their sound on every release. Their most support of Hypnagogia and rerelease some with each recording. recent album, Hypnagogia, released Nov. 9 of their old material during the coming on Profound Lore Records, is no exception. months. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł In true Evoken form, they have broken new “We’ve learned so much over the years ground by doing their very first concept album. and adopted [it] into our writing,â€? Verkay

46 NEW NOISE

2018’s BEST DOOM

BY MARIKA ZORZI

CHRCH

Light Will Consume Us All Neurot Recordings

Messa

Feast for Water Aural Music

Abstracter

Cinereous Incarnate Sentient Ruin Laboratories

Ilsa

Corpse Fortress Relapse Records

Thou

Magus Sacred Bones Records

Evoken

Hypnagogia Profound Lore Records

Yob

Our Raw Heart Relapse Records

Windhand

Eternal Return Relapse Records

Mizmor

This Unabating Wakefulness Gilead Media

TOP HONORS GO TO...

Sleep The Sciences Southern Lord Recordings

ALL HAIL THE YETI INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST CONNOR GARRITTY BY CALEB R NEWTON he world can be a very dark place, but Los Angeles’ All Hail The Yeti bring a torch via their newest offering, Highway Crosses, out Nov. 16 through Minus Head Records. The unique metal record sounds like a guiding light illuminating the walls of a mysterious corridor the listener has found themself in, with a unifying sense of unease permeating the work thanks to the question of what happens next.

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from other bands, and I think that’s a really important thing.�

That distinction hinges on Garritty’s commitment to storytelling. Through the harsh instrumentation All Hail The Yeti present—and through the harsh metaphorical and literal noise coloring our lives, for that matter— Garritty maintains an allegiance to exploration. He and his bandmates, bassist and vocalist Nicholas Diltz and drummer Ryan “Junior� Kittlitz, aren’t just aiming to be loud.

That question has proven relevant as the band have progressed through what’s now three full-length records, “For me, I just want to tell stories and let people escape from reality and each of which gets a little brighter in not have to worry so much about, terms of showing just what’s coming. ‘Oh, what’s going on in his life that he “Musically, I think it’s turned into some- wrote that?’� Garritty explains. “That’s thing on its own rather than something always been kind of what we did: that that was influenced by something else,� campfire-ghost-story, try-to-scarevocalist Connor Garritty says of his you kind of a thing.� work. “On this record especially, we kind of came into our own and figured Examples include the Highway Crosses out that we have our own style and song “Seymour Avenue,� which walks have been doing something different the listener through the terror of those

victimized by Ariel Castro, a Cleveland man who kidnapped three women and held them hostage for around a decade. Garrity was struck by the gravity of the story when thinking about the people he cares for in his own life, and he stepped out on a limb with the idea via a song.

Not all of the songs represent real-life incidents, and they don’t all pack doom and gloom either, although the vocalist does note, “I think that our music has always been kind of dark. It’s always had that swampy, slow, groovy feel to it that we started it with. I’ve always been attracted to the darker side of life, like horror movies and ghost stories and haunted things and the occult and stuff like that.�

Garritty doesn’t sound like he holds himself back, drawing lyrical—and personal—inspiration from anywhere and everywhere, including his own imagination.

“You only have this one moment on this planet as this human and this person that you are,� Garritty explains of the Highway Crosses song “Live Everyday,� “so why not do everything you can to enjoy every last second of it and not worry about the shit that’s gone on in the past and just focus on the future and today?�

All Hail The Yeti aim to march right on into that future, keeping their personality intact. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

ARTILLERY AR T I L L E R Y

days than in the past 20 years. There are more bands now, perhaps.�

2018’s BEST THRASH

On The Face of Fear, Artillery look forward while also acknowledging the past. Some of the songs can be traced back to the 1980s, and even the title seems to reference their 1985 debut LP, Fear of Tomorrow. The record has both a respect for history and a modern sense of urgency. “Artillery anno 2018! It is fresh and new,�

Dahl says. “We try out new ground but reach back to the beginning as well. Diverse, oldschool, thrashing, and hopefully entrancing too.�

Destractive

The Face of Fear has everything that fans of thrash have come to love. It’s packed with plenty of staccato guitar riffs, pummeling drums, ripping guitar leads, and soaring but raspy vocals. It picks up where 2016’s Penalty By Perception left off but pushes the envelope even further. “It grooves a little more, perhaps. There are some thrash ’n’ roll elements on the new album,� Dahl describes.

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST MICHAEL BASTHOLM DAHL AND GUITARIST MICHAEL STĂœTZER

BY TOM CRANDLE rtillery are the founding fathers of Danish thrash, with their origins reaching all the way back to 1982.

Their influence on the genre, especially in Europe, should not be underestimated. The quintet released The Face of Fear through Metal Blade Records on Nov. 16. It’s their ninth studio album overall, their fifth since reforming in 2007, and their third with their current lineup.

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Vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl is the relative newcomer to Artillery, having joined in 2013.

He’s optimistic about the state of Danish thrash, and metal in general. “I think it is on the rise at the moment. The scene is quite diverse, and we got numerous festivals and promoters working for the spreading of metal in Denmark, so it’s rather good these years!� he enthuses. “It has had its ups and downs as anywhere else, but I think the scene has solidified itself more these

Artillery have been playing steadily for the last 11 years. It’s their longest continuous run as a band. Founding guitarist Michael StĂźtzer has some insight about why things are different this time around. “The internet has made things easier, and we have a great relationship in the band,â€? he explains. “That means we can tour and record new albums more often these days.â€?

In the “Big Fourâ€? of Danish thrash, Artillery are unquestionably the most prominent members—according to Dahl, the other three bands are Invocator, Furious Trauma, and Impalers—and after more than 35 years, it appears that Artillery are finally getting their due. Dahl proclaims, “I think we get plenty of respect! But if you think about it in monetary means, I suppose a bit more respect would be nice!â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

“I can say this is the first Sigh album that intentionally took in Japanese elements musically,�

Kawashima says. “The previous albums may sound Japanese [and] Asian to the Western ears, but they all were spontaneous. This time, we had the strong intention to make it sound Japanese. We used some Japanese traditional instruments such as the shamisen, shakuhachi, and taishĹ?goto. I myself sang with Japanese traditional techniques, and most of the lyrics are in Japanese, which I am sure makes the album sound different from our previous works.â€?

On Nov. 16, they returned with a brand-new album, Heir to Despair—released via Spinefarm and Candlelight Records—which pushes their musical and lyrical concepts further still, focusing on madness and horror.

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Tantara

Sum of Forces Indie Recordings

Vitamin X

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EW is offering up a diverse slate of thrash heavyweights to please every taste. Frosty Florida icons ICED EARTH have new material coming via Century Media; New Jersey heavy-hitters OVERKILL will continue their late-career hot streak with The Wings of War on Feb. 22 via Nuclear Blast; and Ice T’s BODY COUNT are readying a new record, Carnivore, also for Century Media. Finally, Joel Grind’s Portland, Oregon-based blackened thrash warriors TOXIC HOLOCAUST will unleash a new batch of evil party tunes via Relapse Records.

–Nicholas Senior

Pripjat

Chain Reaction NoiseArt Records

Age of Paranoia Southern Lord Recordings

ailing from the world of early black metal—but not at all beholden to it—Sigh are unique and a force to be reckoned with. Although they are one of the first bands to be called black metal, they come from Tokyo, not Norway, and they’ve never tried to emulate their Norwegian counterparts. In fact, they eventually pushed their sound even further, delving more into noise and avant-garde than traditional black metal.

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Propaganda Self-released

INTERVIEW WITH MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST MIRAI KAWASHIMA BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

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“The cover artwork says it all,� explains Mirai Kawashima, who handles lead vocals, keyboard, samples, programming, vocoder, woodwinds, bass, percussion, and orchestral arrangements for Sigh. “The woman ostensibly looks happy, but everything else is wrong. The flowers are dead. The room is a mess. This is what true insanity is about. This is what true horror is about. Insanity or horror isn’t often very obvious. When a murder happens, you often

hear people say, ‘I never thought he’d do such a thing. He was very polite and kind.’ Now, look at social media: people are trying to show how happy they are, but are these people happy for real? Everybody has their darkness in them. There is no line between sanity and insanity, as Michel Foucault said. It’s all arbitrary. This is what this album is about.�

In addition to tackling such broad and deep lyrical themes, the band are exploring new musical tropes. While their records are always artfully crafted and feature a lot of experimentation, they are now utilizing more typical Japanese elements within the music.

However, for the recording process, Sigh followed their tried-and-true method for Heir to Despair. “It was the same as usual,� Kawashima explains. “First, I made demo with MIDI and give it to other members so that they learn the songs. Then, we go into the studio to rehearse the songs together, and once everything is finalized, we get into the recording process. The recording is a process of replacing those MIDI-programmed tracks with the real instruments.�

Look for Heir to Despair, out now, and a book on metal lyrics written by Kawashima in Japanese, out soon. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 49

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST MATTY MULLINS BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER he internet is a fickle place.

A few seconds of searching can turn up just about every opinion under the sun, from eloquent reviews singing a band’s praises to forums full of trash-talk. If the band in question are an established group attempting to make a comeback and do something different, the views will be even more polarizing.

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Luckily, this is something Memphis May Fire already know well.

When the Nashville, Tennessee, band set out to write their new record, Broken—released Nov. 16 on Rise Records—they knew the album would be different, bereft of the breakdowns, chugging riffs, and other tropes they are known for. “It’s been really weird. The internet exploded with hatred, which was to be expected. Whenever you do something different, you have to expect some backlash,� vocalist Matty Mullins explains. “People who listen to the music because there are breakdowns and heavy screaming parts were disappointed, and some people chose to react really negatively, but there was a

divide between those people and a big group of other people who were excited to hear something big and fresh from us.�

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANA MASSARD

Despite being a classic metalcore act with an avid following who crave the nostalgia of breakdowns and other genre staples, Memphis May Fire knew it was time to take things in a new direction and a take new approach to their music. “It was important to do something different, something that would grab the attention of people who have never heard the band before,�

Mullins adds. “We didn’t know what it would be like to play the song lives, but we are on tour with Atreyu and Ice Nine Kills. The one new song we are playing is ‘The Old Me,’ and the reaction has been crazy. We are excited; a lot of people are excited. Some people are upset it’s not heavy, but we are figuring it out one step at a time.�

Part of this new approach stems from the fact that for the first time in the band’s history, Memphis May Fire didn’t write the album all by themselves— they collaborated with a producer.

“This is the first time that we’ve ever written and recorded a record at the same time,� Mullins confirms. “We went down to Vegas and worked with producer Kane Churko and crafted the songs in the studio. This was also the first time [guitarist] Kellen [McGregor] and I have ever written with anyone outside the two of us, which is something Churko requires. It can be nerve-racking to allow someone in your creative space, but it was a good experience, and I think we are going to cowrite more in the future.�

life is imperfect, and we all are beautiful in some way. Our other records were very hope-focused. I felt like I was doing it to service our fans, but before we started writing this record, I realized when I was at my worst with anxiety and depression, the only time I felt peace was when someone knew what it felt like, could understand what I was going through and connect. So, I wanted to write songs for people going through dark seasons to remind them they are not alone; someone else understands.�

In addition to writing and recording Despite their desire to reach out to the album in a new way and taking fans, Memphis May Fire realize this the music in a more rock ’n’ roll record won’t be for everyone. direction, Memphis May Fire also explore a different lyrical theme on “It’s a very different style of record.

Broken. However, it’s one that still We definitely made a conscious effits in very well with the canon of fort to create a rock record,â€? Mullins says. “It’s something we wanted to metalcore. do for a long time, and it was a new “The album is called Broken,â€? Mullins process. We are excited to see what begins. “The theme is that there is doors open.â€? đ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Ł beauty in the brokenness, because

50 NEW NOISE

NEW NOISE

51

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST SAM CARTER BY NICHOLAS SENIOR rchitects’ eighth record, Holy Hell, released Nov. 9 via Epitaph Records, is one of the greatest musical statements of the past few years. It shines a light on the darkness of grief and some of life’s biggest questions. Most would crumble under the weight of losing their chief songwriter, friend, and twin, as they could have after the tragic passing of guitarist Tom Searle in 2016, yet with such a powerful musical expression, fans should be talking about the British band’s future as much as, if not more, than their past.

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Indeed, the last few years have led Architects to become a massive band who can fill stadiums, but all that is quite bittersweet, vocalist Sam Carter notes. “It’s amazing to be where we are,� he says. “It really is incredible, but it kind of is—no, it really is bittersweet, because I wish Tom were here to essentially see what all his hard work has created. We’ve always been living the dream, very fortunate to be in a real touring band. To now be on the level that we are, we’re essentially living the dream that Tom has created, this bonfire that’s been going for, like, 10 years.�

He pauses, “It’s almost like the last thing Tom did was throw this massive match on the fire that was [2016’s] All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us and the whole story. We’re very happy with where we are and loving every day. Things are great within the camp.

We’ve been through some really traumatic shit, and to come out of the other side and be where we’re at now, we feel grateful.�

Another amazing win for Architects is that they found one of Searle’s best friends to carry on his legacy, Sylosis’ Josh Middleton. “He’s really kept the spirit of Tom alive in such a cool way,�

Carter says. “One thing that I really hope is that his effort doesn’t go under the radar, how hard he worked with this crazy story of us carrying on.

We wouldn’t have been able to do it without him.� In many ways Middleton was the band’s lifeboat: while everyone focused on the shipwrecked people brought to shore, he deserves credit for helping them get there.

Despite tackling harrowing and emotional subject matter, Architects’ lyrics have always strived to find solutions rather than complain about the

problem. Holy Hell isn’t about atoning brother and our best friend.â€? or beating yourself up for the past but improving for the future. “In regard “I didn’t take that into account,â€? he to the record, [drummer and Tom elaborates. “When it all stopped and Searle’s twin] Dan [Searle] wanted to there wasn’t that focus and it was time make this piece on the stages of grief, to actually sit, it was like, ‘Holy shit! I going through the worst of it to having need help.’ [‌] I think it’s important come through it on the other side,â€? for people to know that just because Carter expounds. “When we got down you’re in a band doesn’t mean you’re to writing it, we realized that’s not how exempt from feeling these emotions. grief works—that’s not how life works. Everyone goes through this stuff and It has its ups and downs.â€? has these problems. I don’t want it to sound like a sob story, but it was about “We weren’t really told how to deal realizing I need to go get help.â€? with grief or what comes with it,â€? he adds. “It was us just trying to figure out So, where will he go from here? “‘Oh, what to do. The light in it is just being I’m an adult now.’ That’s what I felt like grateful and keeping our friend alive when I hit 30 recently,â€? Carter chuckthrough music and through parts he’d les. “One thing I always think about on written. We felt like we had this duty to birthdays in general is the thing Tom do that for him. The album is essen- spoke about on his last birthday: ‘Why tially us learning, and it’s important to do people moan about being older, discuss it and to have it out there for about birthdays? Why aren’t people people who are going through a simi- celebrating another year of being lar thing. [‌] When the album actually alive?’ That stuck with me so much. I finished, and I actually had time to sit think most people, when they hit their with the record and everything we’ve 30th birthday, are like, ‘Fuck, I’m old. been through, it was heartbreaking. I’m done.’ I’m like, ‘Let’s fucking go!’ All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us was You move the mark and realize you’ll me singing Tom’s lyrics about his jour- figure things out as you go.â€? ney with cancer, and [Holy Hell] is me singing Dan’s lyrics about losing his “Maybe by 40, I’ll know,â€? he laughs. đ&#x;’Ł

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W Architects for stunning melodies and neck-snapping riffs, prepare your head and neck for 2019! Expect a new album from Erie, P.A.’s WAR OF AGES via Facedown Records, as well as new records from longstanding Massachusetts metalcore icons KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and Knoxville deathcore killers WHITECHAPEL—whose The Valley is due out March 29—both via Metal Blade Records. –Nicholas Senior

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THE YEAR IN NOISE �

INTERVIEW WITH THE FLENSER OWNER JONATHAN TUITE BY CALEB R NEWTON

n 2018, the force of community continued to hold the experimental and noise music scenes together. That says a lot too, because there has been a ton to focus on, with an absolute cascade of new trailblazing releases.

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Out Recordings. Their year’s work extended beyond conventional boundaries too, including the acoustic Inconsolable EP from Community Records.

“So much really good music has come out this year, it’s impossible to keep up with,� Jonathan Tuite, owner of experimental San Francisco label The Flenser, exclaims. “No one I know can keep up, and it’s kind of this conversation that everybody I know is having. There are too many good things coming out. There are worlds for people to discover in music that’s coming out.�

The Flenser—which has operated for the better part of a decade—contributed to the conversation via a group of ambitious 2018 releases, including The Kicking Mule from Austin, Texas, industrial punks Street Sects; Further Still from the ambitious San Francisco metallers in Bosse-de-Nage; and Out of Time from the oneof-a-kind Mamaleek, also from S.F. Each of these records— and the others the label has released—holds a personal significance for Tuite, who has used his connections to forge a unique label. “I’ve kind of crafted a certain aesthetic,� he explains of his work. “In its own way, it’s sort of self-perpetuating. I like to continue working with the bands that I’ve been working with. Usually, when I take on new artists, it’s not just because I like the music; it’s also because there’s some sort of either aesthetic connection or personal connection to other people I work with.�

Elsewhere, the Pacific Northwest’s SUMAC—featuring prominent musicians Aaron Turner, formerly of the post-metal band Isis; Baptists drummer Nick Yacyshyn; and Russian Circles bassist Brian Cook—released the monumental Love in Shadow via Thrill Jockey, the opening track of which stretches over 20 minutes.

The list extends on and on. In this community, lines blur between projects and genres, with the world feeding back into itself as time goes by.

Tuite also cites a record from 2017 as one of the favorites he held onto as 2018 drew to a close: Denver one-woman-band Midwife’s expansive and ambitious Like Author, Like Daughter, released via Whited Sepulchre. “I think that’s a really interesting, forward-thinking record,� he says. “It’s made by one woman, [Madeline Johnston]. It feels very much like something like Have A Nice Life, where it’s a project that’s very self-contained. It is not getting a lot of outside help, but it is also heavily influenced by the DIY world, but with really good songwriting.

That’s the kind of thing that is really exciting to me—a band like that.�

Just pressing play on Like Author, Like Daughter lets the listener in on the uncharted sonic world that lies beyond. Those involved in musical alchemy will no doubt never reach the end—that’s just not the way it works.

“With all this stuff, I try to take things that are a little bit outside of genre and not the right-up-the-middle heavy metal release or industrial record,� he continues. “It’s been a goal of mine to really put new music out there.�

Tuite’s craft exemplifies the explosive, twisting direction that the experimental and noise communities continue to go in. Those involved feel as though they’re standing right on the edge of human existence, pushing until they can’t push anymore. More than any particular end goal, that effort itself proves exhilarating—and takes on a life of its own.

Just in 2018, many other prominent noise and experimental artists released blockbuster work as well. Louisiana sludge metal band Thou put out a total of five—yes, five—releases, from a new fulllength for Sacred Bones Records, Magus, to a long-in-development split LP with Oakland’s Ragana, Let Our Names Be Forgotten, via An

54 NEW NOISE

There remains a ton of effort to exert, however. Tuite cites a new project from Tim Macuga of the aforementioned Have A Nice Life— who are playing 2019’s Roadburn Festival—as an example. Called CONSUMER, the Boston band’s demo, In Computers, was released Oct. 4, and Tuite feels it’s important. “I think I trust the audience a little bit more than I used to,� he explains. “I put out a Mastery record, [VALIS, in 2015]—it’s this experimental black metal band, and it feels like listening to free jazz but by a black metal band.

It’s really out there. I only made a few hundred copies, because I was like, ‘This is awesome, but no one’s gonna be that interested,’ but it did really well. I had to repress it, and people keep coming back to me, telling me how much they’ve liked that record. I don’t worry about pleasing the audience like I used to, because generally, when I take risks, people tend to come along.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

fter spending more than 20 years of his life devoted to lending his arrangement ideas to artists like Sunn O))) on their 2009 record, Monoliths and Dimensions, and Earth on 2008’s The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull, musician and producer Randall Dunn took a moment away from helping others realize their vision and channeled his energies into his first solo effort, Beloved, released via figureight records on Nov. 9.

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“When I work with someone, I push them and I’m there to encourage them, and sometimes, I’m a therapist even,� Dunn says, “but with myself, I definitely wanted to make a record that was very emotional to me in where it was coming from. It was a bit lonely sometimes, in the sense that I couldn’t turn to my left and always have someone there to say, like, ‘No, no, it’s good. Keep going.’ I serve that role so many times for people, so for me, it was a challenge. I felt a bit isolated sometimes and even occasionally brought some of my friends in to work on it, which kind of helped with that space. I played an early draft of it to Eyvind Kang, who is one of my

mentors; he was really supportive, and that meant a lot to me.�

The creation process of Beloved took Dunn a long time. “It started about four years ago, and it’s been slow.

I’ve been working on music for 20 years, but this is the first stuff that I’ve thought, ‘This is something pure that I’ve made for myself,’� he explains. “I felt really connected to it and to the people who were involved. I felt like they were in similar spaces and could really understand the music and lyrics and vocals that I wanted to do.� “Shahzad Ismaily, one of my favorite bass players of all time, encouraged me to do it,� Dunn continues. “He started this label, [figureight], to make people do solo records who aren’t normally doing them. I was fortunate enough that he still liked it at the end of it. So, it’s been a long process, but in the last two years, it really jelled together— once I moved to New York.�

The gentle encouragement from Ismaily and the affirming creative contributions of past collaborators like Kang, Timm Mason, Frank Fisher of Algiers, and Zola Jesus were all crucial to the birth of the album.

Beloved talks about breakups, loss, relocating from Seattle to New York City, and leaving a comfort zone that included 20 years’ worth of artistic colleagues, collaborators, and coconspirators. “The whole record is related to a feeling of disassociation,� Dunn admits, “[like] when you move to a new place and you’re walking around and you don’t know anyone, or you’ve lost a love in your life or you’ve lost multiple people who have passed away and who you collaborated with. It sort of echoes reveries about moments with these people, or moments that you thought would be in the future but aren’t going to be in the future. The title is very specific. It can be pronounced beloved or beloved, which is how it was intended—Beloved. It’s just really about allowing yourself to be loved and allowing yourself to love.�

Dunn’s strength with Beloved has been in emphasizing the human component in music. “I really wanted to express how I feel about getting older, going through a lot of different changes. I’m a huge fan of poetry and so, for me, it was like trying to sort of rectify the poet in me with synthesizers, using sound in a

way that I felt was poetic, and trying to mostly develop a language that’s a starting point for doing more music that I feel like I’ve been working on for 20 years,� Dunn reveals. “I wanted to get much more personal and much more poetic with the sounds. So, there’s a lot of freedom in that, and there’s a lot of pressure in that too.�

Across seven tracks, Dunn explores the various textures and compositional possibilities offered by an array of early digital and analog synthesizers, developed “over 15 years of wanting to create more music the way that synthesizers were originally intended, which is kind of in addition to or in replacement of an orchestra,â€? he clarifies. “I wanted to combine sort of something organic and inorganic at the same time to create a world that seems like neither, and I think that’s something that I’m always trying to mess around with: that whole ‘What’s real?’ [and] ‘What’s not real?’ thing. There’s a very large influence of Philip K. Dick, the science-fiction author, in how I think about music.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

RANDALL DUNN INTERVIEW BY MARIKA ZORZI

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LA DISPUTE, which is why their upcoming March 22 release of Panorama, through their new home label of Epitaph Records, is so eagerly anticipated. Their marriage of gut-wrenching storytelling and emotional experimental hardcore is so endearing. Similarly-minded, though much different in execution, Jacob Bannon’s Converge side project WEAR YOUR WOUNDS will release their latest batch of haunting experimental rock via Deathwish Inc. in early or mid 2019. For an easier-to-digest but no less adventurous avenue, Sacramento’s heady post-hardcore heroes DEFTONES are preparing to release another blast of skyward heaviness via Reprise Records. –Nicholas Senior

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INTERVIEW WITH JUSTIN PEARSON AND LUKE HENSHAW BY THOMAS PIZZOLA ustin Pearson of The Locust, Retox, Dead Cross, and founder of Three One G Records started his new project Planet B in 2014. Formed with hip hop producer Luke Henshaw—known for his work with Sonido De La Frontera and First Power Crew—and often featuring Pearson’s longtime collaborator, drummer Gabe Serbian, the San Diego band had an interesting gestation period. “The band got started in conjunction with Luke, myself, and Gabe Serbian all working on the soundtrack and score to the Asia Argento film ‘Incompresa,’� Pearson says. “So, Planet B ended up being birthed in a pretty organic manner. Nothing was planned out, and there wasn’t really a grand idea of what we were going to be doing.�

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Planet B’s music is Pearson and Henshaw’s take on the alt hip hop of bands like Death Grips and Ipecac Recordings labelmates Dälek. “I’m constantly learning and trying to grow with what I can contribute to any sort of collaboration,â€? Pearson says. “Since Luke’s roots seem to be in the realm of hip

hop, there is a pretty standard 16-bar verse and finding some sort of pre-chorus and chorus part, but the more interesting thing for me was delivery, punctuation, and adapting to the beats that Luke created.�

The group started slowly at first, releasing the Wrong Utopia 7� in 2015 and a split 7� with Invisibl Skratch Piklz and a collaboration with Adam Gnade entitled Life Is the Meatgrinder That Sucks In All Things in 2017. Eventually, these small tastes turned into a bigger meal, and Planet B have now released their debut self-titled LP through Ipecac on Nov. 23. “I was secretly hoping we were going to do a full-length from the beginning,� Henshaw says. “Then, some songs went here, and some went there, and I started scratching my head—but I get it now and am glad it turned out how it did. It gave us a chance to weed out the weak and build a stronger chemistry and friendship between us.�

him with a varied sonic attack that draws on hip hop, industrial, horror soundtracks, and whatever else he felt like throwing in the mix. “For the most part, everything began with the [Akai] MPC,� Henshaw says. “I would put together some drums and a heavy drone sound or bass, then play ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ with records and other stuff I have access to—a kazoo, a five-dollar swap-meet accordion, my old electronic blackjack game, etc.—to build the sounds.�

Planet BÂ is an exciting dose of musical alchemy. Pearson rallies against the current state of the world, while Henshaw provides

Nothing was off limits sonically. “I even went on new digs to discover new shit for each song—if you listen closely, you can hear

espite being on a tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of the formation of Bauhaus with the band’s original bassist David J in tow, Peter Murphy is still living in the moment.

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“We played in this wonderful big beautiful church with great architecture inside,� he says about the previous evening at Christuskirche in Bochum, Germany. “Not a gothic church, but it was a very modernistic, Calvinistic type of design. I decided that I’d go into [the Dead Can Dance cover] ‘Severance,’ which was rather hymn-like and respectful to the sacrosanct grounds that we were on. Then, I just got the immediate idea

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to do ‘Ziggy [Stardust]’ but by performing it as a sermon, spoken words. At the end, David went to hang his bass guitar off the crucifix.�

The Godfather of Goth is gregarious and mischievous. His British accent and impish charm are reminiscent of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor Who. He can simultaneously display self-confidence by bragging, “I inspired Bowie,� yet be self-effacing when humbly conceding, “The audience are part of my art; you’re part of the music.�

The 40 Years Of Bauhaus Ruby Celebration tour kicked off in New Zealand in mid-October, with an American leg through the

Conversely, Pearson’s lyrics take dead aim at societal woes. “I think the lyrical content is stuff that should be said or things that need to be addressed,â€? Pearson says. “Hopefully the way we deliver it isn’t a deterrent. I know plenty of people get pretty turned off by politics in music at times. But then again, I couldn’t give a shit what people think when they get upset about the types of stuff I say with my lyrics.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

PETER MURPHY end of February. It culminates in a long residency in San Francisco that was originally booked in 2017; its cancellation was the genesis for the current tour. “I wanted to bring David into it, because barring the other girls coming in, it’s my solo event anyway,� Murphy laughs. “It’s nothing to do with Bauhaus, but this would be a Bauhaus night.

Unfortunately, my visa to work in America was taking unusually long to come through.

That happened, and somebody said, ‘Hey, do you know this is a 40th ruby anniversary?’ I thought since David was onboard, we’re doing the Ruby tour.�

INTERVIEW BY BRIAN O’NEILL

sounds of submarines I sampled from old VHS tapes—but as far as sounds being off limits, hell no!� Henshaw exclaims. “Musically, it was about taking familiar sounds and manipulating them.�

Murphy claims that he never attempted to reform the entire band as he did twice before, most recently to record 2008’s Go Away White. “It wasn’t an idea,� he says. “There was no notion that I would get Bauhaus together.

I had proposed a Bauhaus reunion for one particular event some months earlier; [drummer] Kevin [Haskins] and [guitarist] Daniel [Ash] were totally not in and refused.

That was fine. It was only the fact that I invited David. He’s my brother, [and] we’re getting old now; we might pop our clocks any minute!�

On Jan. 26, 1979, Bauhaus went into Wellingborough, Northamptonshire’s Beck Studios as a promising young troupe who merged the brooding despair of Sabbath with the bristling energy of glam and, like Joy Division, a plodding protest of the unfulfilled

promise of punk. After recording the iconic “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,� they left having invented gothic rock.

The vocalist claims to have a photographic memory, which comes in handy when looking back at events four-decadesold. “We were geniuses,� Murphy recalls matter-of-factly. “It just came out of us as a collective. There were four individuals contributing to the whole. Very rich soil, understanding where we were in the English context, and we were like nobody else.�

By the end of 1980, the band released several singles and In the Flat Field. They would release three more albums before breaking up in 1983, then Murphy would go on to solo success while the other three members had a nice run as Love And Rockets. Even with those accomplishments, the debut album and preceding single stand out as one of those before-and-after moments that changed everything. “We’re playing, specifically, In the Flat Field in its entirety and order,� Murphy explains. “Even Bauhaus hadn’t played half of it live ever.�

The Ruby Celebration tour commemorates music recorded almost four decades ago, but Murphy says to write it off as nostalgia at your own peril. “Really, the point is there is no ‘was’; it just ‘is,’ and they’ll always want ‘is.’ It’s not a retrospective actually, because it can’t be. I’ll kick it into now if it kills me.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

THE DARK SIDE OF THE STREET PHOTO BY MIKE MANEWITZ

INTERVIEW WITH LEO ASHLINE AND SHAUN RINGSMUTH BY J. POET treet Sects make viscer- experiences in recovery after al music that you feel as years of substance abuse. much as hear. “I had a hard time keeping a On their second album, The job after I got sober,� he says.

Kicking Mule—released on Oct. “I was used to being drunk or 26 via The Flenser—keyboard high every day of my life and player Shaun Ringsmuth pro- knew I had to address those duces layers of soul-rattling feelings in the music. When industrial clamor, with an you’re using, there’s a thrill enticing edge that alternately you get, being out there on thrills and terrifies the senses. the edge, knowing you could It’s an irresistible pulse full be shot or go to jail at any of dark sunshine and somber time. It becomes its own kind psychedelia, perfectly suited of addiction. There’s a sick to Leo Ashline’s vocals. Ashline part of you that enjoys that delivers the lyrics in a primal dance and rationalizes the cry that’s equal parts grief self-abuse. You’re trapped and jubilation. The sounds of in the physical addiction, but streetcars, police sirens, and some part of you enjoys it. I Ringsmuth’s imaginative sonic missed those intense feelings textures weave through the mu- the first year I was sober, so I sic, helping create a portrait of wanted to capture them and desolate cityscapes filled with explain them to other people.� people desperately rushing toward the next high or the Ashline and Ringsmuth met in ultimate salvation at the end of Fort Myers, Florida. “Music was the road. everything to us,� Ashline says. “After being in several bands, The band’s worldview was collaborating and touring, we shaped by the uncertain times got tired of people dropping we live in, as well as Ashline’s out. Since we were serious about

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it, we decided to try things as a and record. “We don’t write duo. That’s when we started ex- together,â€? Ringsmuth continperimenting with electronics.â€? ues. “I create a sketch, maybe a minute or two—sometimes Ringsmuth started piano almost a whole song, dependlessons at 8 and switched to ing on how intense the music guitar at 11, hoping to become is. Leo listens to it [while] a metal guitarist. “I wanted driving around in his car and my teachers to help me play sings a vocal part, then we Metallica songs, but they kept work together on a bridge, pulling out the Berklee College verse, and chorus.â€? songbook. I always liked experimental music, so I quit and “Once we get a full set of started exploring ways to get demoes, we tweak ’em out interesting sounds and tones from there,â€? Ashline says. out of the guitar. That led me “We work on music almost evto keyboards, with their ability ery day, between time on our to move sounds and rhythms day jobs and whatever life around in the mix.â€? is throwing at us, but we’re getting older—I’m in my late The duo moved to Austin and 30s—so we’re careful about began putting together the what we put out. We want to songs that appeared on a write songs that matter so series of singles, EPs, and their we can look back later in life first album, 2016’s End Position. and say we did the best we “After touring with our first could expressing what we felt album, we wanted to bring in about our lives and our art. more sounds and colors to the We want to make the most music,â€? Ringsmuth says. honest documentation of our lives possible.â€? đ&#x;’Ł The songs on The Kicking Mule took about a year to shape

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THE NEW WHAT NEXT IN

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

PUPPY London

The Goat | Jan. 25 | Spinefarm Records RIYL: Good boys. Bad omens. The color purple—no, pink.

It goes against sound reason and upstanding moral character, but sometimes, it’s fine to judge a Puppy by their cover. The musical alchemists’ debut, The Goat, is a masterclass is stark juxtaposition: foreboding occult imagery beautifully contrasts a neon pink background. But just how menacing can a band named after a widdle doggie really be? It turns out, Puppy can have their treats and eat them too, as The Goat is absolutely everything its

RADAR STATE Kansas City & Lawrence, Kansas

Strays | Jan. 11 | Wiretap Records RIYL: Rescuing stray animals. Jukeboxes. Living up to your idols.

Whether it’s a new-school dive bar jukebox or a curated streaming playlist, there’s something beautiful about gathering together some of your favorite bands and appreciating what links them—often, their ability to speak to you without you even realizing it. In the pursuit of making a perfect real-life playlist, one needs to have incredible ingredients, which

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mesmerizing cover hints at. It’s like Fountains Of Wayne or peak-era Weezer—is this the Pink Album?!—made a thrash-inflected doom record. Vocalist and guitarist Jock Norton’s indie-styled tenor serves up haunting melodies aplenty, but his riffs are the real G.O.A.T. that make the record truly sing. Given that two-thirds of the trio came from the alternative scene, while the other member specializes in stoner and doom metal—two styles with stricter rules than a Midwest suburban mom—the musical deviation makes complete sense. “To a degree,â€? Norton says, “this album is both a collective celebration and rejection of the musical scenes we were involved with before.â€? Fire up the fuchsia and coral candles: The Goat is one hell of a musical brew.đ&#x;’Ł

the newly-formed Radar State—featuring members of The Get Up Kids, The Anniversary, and The Gadjits—do in spades. The band also utilize an interesting wrinkle to their advantage; as co-vocalist and guitarist Josh Berwanger notes, “Having three lead singers gives the band and album a playlist-type feel, which I think works out really great.â€? What makes Strays truly—sorry—sing is the group’s ability to distill everything that made their past works so endearing into something completely distinct. Radar State’s rootsy indie punk is fast and loud, but they have quite a bit to say, and the resulting album highlights the power of old friends creating something new and exciting. đ&#x;’Ł

BOX-SET / CD / 2LP / DIGITAL OUT JANUARY 18, 2019!

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PHOTO BY NATALIE ESCOBEDO

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INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST ADAM LAZZARA AND GUITARIST JOHN NOLAN BY DEREK NIELSEN here’s no shortage of nostalgia acts going around these days, and let’s face it: Taking Back Sunday have a back catalog that, at this point, should be labeled weapons-grade nostalgia. For so many sutured young hearts, catharsis was copying and pasting the lyrics of “You’re So Last Summer� into their AOL Instant Messenger away message. Empowerment was learning how to embed “A Decade Under the Influence� into their Myspace so that whoever clicked on their page would just get it, you know?—and discover in a moment of panic that their speakers were turned up all the way.

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With 2019 marking their 20th anniversary, the Long Island, New York, band are looking back on how far they and their fans have come with the release of their career retrospective, Twenty. Dropping Jan. 11 on Craft Recordings, the double-LP is a collection of singles and favorites from their seven full-length albums, as well as a couple of new songs. In celebration of this landmark, the band are embarking on a year-long worldwide tour during which they will play their 2002 debut, Tell All Your Friends, in its entirety each night.

However, Taking Back Sunday have never viewed themselves as a nostalgia act and have fought tirelessly against being pigeonholed as such. “When we were first kicking around the idea of putting out Twenty and playing older records front-to-back, I was the first one who didn’t want to do it,� vocalist Adam Lazzara explains. “We have so much left to do, and I don’t want to ride this nostalgia wave.� “It was our manager, Jillian [Newman], who said, ‘I don’t look at it like a nostalgia thing; I look at it more like a celebration. Look what you guys accomplished!’� Lazzara continues. “Right when she said that, something clicked in my head. I had just turned 18 when I moved to New York to join the band. It changed my life. [Without it], I have no idea what I would be doing right now.�

In preparation for the tour, the band had to blow the dust off some songs they haven’t touched in years. “Even though it’s been so long, those songs come back very quickly,� guitarist John Nolan says. “They’re almost second nature, because in the early days, those were the only songs we had, so we pretty much had already played that record every night on tour for years.� “It’s funny, I have a really hard time listening to my voice, especially the earlier stuff. Like, oh my god, I was such a kid,� Lazzara shares. “But it’s interesting revisiting that stuff, because they’re different snapshots of the person I was and of the band—like going through an old yearbook. Sure, I’m still the same person and the same guy who sang on Tell All Your Friends, but I’m very, very different from that guy. I’d like to sit down and have a conversation with him and just say, ‘Listen, buddy, I’m gonna blow your mind right now, so you just need to take it easy.’�

In addition to Tell All Your Friends, Taking Back Sunday will flip a coin each night and, based on the outcome, perform either 2004’s Where You Want To Be or 2006’s Louder Now in their respective entireties. Revisiting this material was trickier for Nolan, as he and bassist Shaun Cooper had parted ways with the band prior to its release. “Learning the songs I didn’t play on was much more challenging,� he says. “It’s not the same as having the experience of playing the songs regularly. I think it’s going to take a few shows to make those songs my own, but it forces me to think outside of my comfort zone as a guitarist.�

“IT’S INTERESTING REVISITING THAT STUFF, BECAUSE THEY’RE DIFFERENT SNAPSHOTS OF THE PERSON I WAS AND OF THE BAND—LIKE GOING THROUGH AN OLD YEARBOOK. SURE, I’M STILL THE SAME PERSON AND THE SAME GUY WHO SANG ON TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS, BUT I’M VERY, VERY DIFFERENT FROM THAT GUY.� way, but now that I’m back with everybody—I don’t know, it would have been cool to have gone through that experience together.�

Within this time, the band experienced several lineup changes. Nolan’s replacement, Fred Mascherino, left in 2007, followed by guitarist Matthew Fazzi and bassist Matt Rubano in 2010. With Nolan and Cooper rejoining the band that same year, the members who had released Tell All Your Friends had officially reunited, picking up where they left off. That core lineup has remained the same since then, despite the departure of original guitarist Eddie Reyes in April.

When asked if he would do anything differently in those years, for Nolan, the answer is simple. “No. Absolutely not,� he says, “and I don’t even really regret not being there during that time. It’s just, looking at it now, it would have been nice to experience those things, but it would mean that things were completely different on all levels with myself, the band, and everything that was happening at the time. It was just not possible; there was no way that could have been.

This is the only way that the band is still able to make music with the members who were there originally. There had to be that separate path for six years for us to come back together the right way.�

As for the future of Taking Back Sunday, the plan is simple: keep writing, keep touring, and keep playing for as long as possible. “We still feel like [we did when] we were kids,� Nolan says. “We’re still looking around at each other being like, ‘I can’t believe this is still working.’ This thing could end at any minute; people could lose interest in us, and then, you gotta figure out what to do with your life.�

When Nolan left the band in 2003, in his mind, he was done. “I never thought I would rejoin the band,â€? he admits, “and right up until I did six years later, it was “That’s another thing about Twenty—I don’t want people to get the impression not something I ever thought was possible.â€? that we’re slowing down,â€? Lazzara says. While on their year-long tour in 2019, Immediately after Nolan and Cooper’s departure, the band released Where the band will begin writing a new record as they set their sights on a new You Want To Be, the album that launched Taking Back Sunday out of the un- decade. derground and into the public spotlight. “That was a crazy time,â€? Lazzara remembers. “We recorded that record ourselves and just handed it to the label. “The goal was simple in the beginning: get signed, get a record in stores, and We did everything ourselves. At the time, they were pretty mad; I think they just hope we can stay on tour,â€? Nolan says, “but we accomplished all that fairly wanted to be more involved, but we were like, ‘Here it is!’â€? The album would quickly. So now, our goal is, with every album we make, we want to make the go on to chart at number three on Billboard’s Top 200. In 2005, it was certified best album Taking Back Sunday ever has, and that is what keeps us motivated. gold—having sold 500,000 copies—and became Victory Records’ highest-sell- We still have to prove what we’re doing now is better than what we’ve done.â€? ing record. “We don’t feel that it’s, in any way, time to sit back and relax and sit on our “Some of the most successful eras of the band happened in the years after I reputation,â€? he concludes. “Every album we put out, there was a sense that we left,â€? Nolan reflects. “The band got to play some huge tours and venues and have to put everything we have into this, because this might the last chance we got to do all the late-night shows. That’s definitely something I missed and kind have to make a record that people will care about or listen to. We don’t take of wish I could have experienced with everybody. At the time, I didn’t feel that anything for granted in that sense.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

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PHOTO BY ZOE DILLMAN

MUSIC WITHOUT LIMITS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALISTS/GUITARISTS ZAC CARPER AND ELVIS KUEHN BY J. POET he songs on Almost Free—FIDLAR’s third album, out Jan. 25 via Mom + Pop Music— bristle with the uncontained energy that marks the Los Angeles band’s live shows. The music was put together over a two-and-ahalf-year period, and the arrangements have a timeless feel, encompassing the entire history of rock ’n’ roll. The surf punk sound that originally inspired them is still at the band’s core, but pop, hip hop, blues, Latin, reggae, Spaghetti-Western twang, and even a hint of funk crop up as the album unfolds.

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“We take what inspires us and translate it to our style,� lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Zac

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W fix—an itch few other bands can scratch—be on the lookout for the upcoming NO WIN record, set for release via Dangerbird Records in 2019. No Win is the solo project of former FIDLAR drummer and Los Angeles native Danny Nogueiras, and while his music is more power pop than garage punk, he’s here to win your heart with his bubbly tunes. –Nicholas Senior

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Carper says. “I don’t believe in playing and Carper’s approach to Almost Free was put together limiting yourself to one style. You his vocals, which often have a rap with the help of pop and hip hop producer Ricky Reed, who has get bored! Picking up a new weird or spoken word feel. worked with huge artists such as synth can be so inspiring that you’ll create a whole song out of “All of us were in hip hop projects Kesha and Lizzo. Reed helped it. We’re all about trying new shit before FIDLAR,� Carper explains. the band hone the demos they’d out: new styles, new instruments, “Growing up in the generation we made in their home studios into and new genres. People try to pi- grew up in, it was impossible to not the expansive, innovative music geonhole us, and that just makes be inspired by hip hop. Nowadays, that makes this album a caus want to try different things.� with technology and the internet, reer-defining moment. some of the most inspiring DIY artLead guitarist and vocalist Elvis ists are rappers. I think that’s pretty “Working with Ricky was a totally new experience for me,� Kuehn Kuehn agrees. “I want to make fuckin’ amazing.� says. “He really cares about our music that I would want to listen to,� he says. “For this album, I wanted While the music is bright and up- music and spent a lot of time with to try writing songs without fear of beat, the lyrics on Almost Free often us. He helped us make the best judgment and without limitations explore the darker side of growing album we could make, which is on what we could do and what we up in an era of diminished expec- not an experience I’ve had with could try.� tations. Just before starting FIDLAR, a producer before. Writing horn Carper experienced a period of parts and having them played Three of the musicians in FIDLAR homelessness. He’s also struggled by outside musicians was a new grew up in L.A. and have surfing with a propensity for self-destruc- experience and recording at the and punk rock in their blood. The tive behavior. Those experiences find legendary Sunset Sound studio band’s name is an acronym for their way into the scathing honesty of was incredible.� the surfing term “Fuck It Dog, Life’s the band’s material.

Carper chimes in, “It was amazing a Riskâ€?; Carper is the son of surfboard designer John “JCâ€? Carper; “I’ve been dealing with this stuff all to see him work. Having that outand Kuehn and his brother, drum- my life,â€? Carper says. “It’s a con- side ear is really important. Somemer Max Kuehn, are the sons of stant struggle of balance. I think times we get wrapped up in our Greg Kuehn, keyboard player for the older I get, the less I lean on heads over the smallest details. He the legendary T.S.O.L. The band’s certain vices to fix the problem. kept bringing it back to reality, so bassist, Brandon Schwartzel, also I’m learning how to deal with my we laughed more than we stressed works as a DJ. That may explain issues. One way I do that is to write out. That’s a fuckin’ first.â€? đ&#x;’Ł the band’s predilection for the songs—and therapy. A whole fuckhip hop rhythms that mark their ton of therapy.â€?

MARK DEUTROM INTERVIEW BY JOHN SILVA ark Deutrom has spent plenty of time in bands. Most notably, he was the bass player for grunge rock legends the Melvins throughout the ’90s. In addition to his work with other groups, he has ventured out into the world of solo music, which grants him more creative freedom, albeit at the cost of easy access to outside perspectives.Â

In addition to blending genres, Deutrom keeps things interesting on The Blue Bird with a mix of instrumentals and tracks with vocals. In contrast to most albums, which are either purely instrumental or only songs with lyrics, The Blue Bird dares to integrate both. Deutrom says that he loves vocal-based songs—especially pop songs from the ’60s—but instrumental music holds a special “I can do exactly what I want, and place in his heart. sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t,â€? Deutrom says. “But I mean, “I’ve always thought that a good whoever I’m doing the stuff with in instrumental tune can hold its own the studio—’cause I definitely like col- with a good vocal line within a song,â€? laborating with people—I’ll always Deutrom says. “I mean, obviously, be asking for opinions and trying to you don’t have the illumination of gauge where things are going. It’s lyrical content or anything like that, difficult to stand outside yourself but there’s been a lot of cool instrusometimes.â€? mental songs every once in a while that have snuck up into the charts. I The Blue Bird—the next solo album just like writing instrumental music.â€? in Deutrom’s ever-growing catalog—comes out Jan. 4 on Season The mix of different sounds and Of Mist. different kinds of music makes The Blue Bird a unique listening experiIt is an interesting release for a re- ence. For a music industry veteran cord label known mostly for metal like Mark Deutrom, creating this acts like Cannibal Corpse. While sonic experience was a matter of there is a dark, sludgy element to Deu- following the emotional journey trom’s music, “psychedelicâ€? or even of writing whatever felt true, while “bluesâ€? might be a better description also retaining a willingness to make of his sound. Ultimately, his music is changes based on feedback from difficult to label, as it unintentionally other people. transcends genre altogether. “Sometimes you have to do what’s “I’m not really very calculating about correct for the song and what is trying to attune myself to any partic- not necessarily correct for yourself,â€? ular genres,â€? Deutrom says. “It’s more Deutrom explains. “It’s an interestjust a growth thing—emotionally, psy- ing process.â€? đ&#x;’Ł chically—and those songs more just came out of the way that I feel now.â€?

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INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST BJÖRN STRID BY TOM CRANDLE n Jan. 11, Swedish metal stalwarts Soilwork will unleash their new full-length, Verkligheten, through Nuclear Blast Records. The band are known for working fast, but this time around, Soilwork took a different approach. The four-year gap between this and their last album, 2015’s The Ride Majestic, is by far the longest of the band’s career.

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Vocalist BjĂśrn Strid has a simple explanation for the change of pace. “I think the main reason was that we toured so much for The Ride Majestic,â€? he recalls. “We did three tours in North America, two in Europe, South America, Australia, and Japan, plus festivals. It honestly left us pretty drained in the end. We needed some time to approach the songwriting for a new album.â€?

In typical Soilwork fashion, Verkligheten is all about its contrast. The extreme heaviness meets the extremely melodic and somehow becomes something cohesive. There are elements of classic metal, but this is also some of the band’s heaviest material to date. “It’s a freight train of melancholic brutality with lots of melodies and unexpected elements,� Strid describes. “We used to be pretty much a verse-bridge-chorus-based band, but nowadays, there’s more attention to detail and balance. It’s very important to us. Balance has always been a key word for us, and we always seem to find it.�

There is also balance between the lyrics written by Strid and those written by lead guitarist David Andersson. “Our personal journeys are very much

WORK WORK WORK running through this album,� Strid explains. “I tend to write socially realistic lyrics, whereas David’s lyrics have a lot of escapism running through them. That makes for a good contrast, and ‘verkligheten’ becomes the mutual keyword.�

VIEW • 20 19 9 PR E PR Verkligheten is the first Soilwork album with a EV If you dig Soilwork’s title in the band’s native tongue. “The title IE soaring melodeath, keep W Verkligheten came up a few years ago, but

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an ear—or two—open for a new release from everyone’s favorite Viking overlords, AMON AMARTH, via Metal Blade Records in early 2019. The Finnish thrashy melodeath masters in CHILDREN OF BODOM have teased a gorgeous purple cover for their new record, Hexed, due out March 8 via Nuclear Blast. And for those craving the crunchiest of riffs with just a touch of doom majesty and hardcore fury, kings of the Arizona underground GATECREEPER will release a new album in the new year via Relapse Records.

–Nicholas Senior

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at the time, it just seemed a bit weird.

As the new album is jam-packed with Scandinavian melancholic melodies, it suddenly seemed like the perfect title,� Strid says. “Verkligheten means reality in Swedish, and I think with age, reality slaps you in the face whether you want it to or not.�

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Soilwork have had a ton of members over the years. Most recently, drummer Dirk Verbeuren left to fill the same job for Megadeth. Strid is the sole remaining founding member, but rather than view these upheavals as a detriment, he sees them as a key to the band’s survival. “As weird as it may sound,â€? he expounds, “we’ve been lucky enough to have a few lineup changes where new members have come in and brought something new and exciting to the table.â€? “I’ve honestly been in a situation more than once where I wanted to call it quits, but then people joined the fold, and I managed to pick up the motivation again and found a new stream of inspiration and a new expression musically,â€? he concludes. “It has obviously taken a lot of dedication through the years, and sometimes it’s extremely hard. Somehow, we always come out on the other side. Verkligheten really shows our strength as a band.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY STEVE GULLICK

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST ADAM FRANKLIN

BY BEN SAILER hroughout the 1990s, Swervedriver were one of the most prolific yet underrated shoegaze outfits of the decade— even though that’s a genre tag they never would have used to describe themselves back then.

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Across four critically-acclaimed full-length albums, seven EPs, and a smattering of singles, the Oxford-based band cemented their legacy around spacey vocal stylings that invoked the escapism of science fiction blended with thick walls of sound. Stylistically situated somewhere between dreary countrymen like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive and their heavier American compatriots Hum, Swervedriver’s influence can be heard all over modern shoegaze, post-rock, and emo scenes today.

Though the music world wasn’t completely prepared for them the first time around, by the time the band returned with I Wasn’t Born To Lose You in 2015, they were welcomed with open arms by longtime fans and newer audiences alike. That’s a credit both to the staying power of their early catalog and to the power of algorithmic platforms like Pandora and YouTube surfacing those classic records for kids who might not even know how much

Swervedriver inspired some of their favorite bands.

across tracks like lead single “Mary Winter� and “Drone Lover.� Future Ruins was written and recorded following a period of heavy touring, and Grammy-winning producer TJ Doherty—an old friend the band first met when they played shows in New Jersey back in the ’90s—has lent a level of polish to the record that gives its expansive guitars and thundering rhythm section newfound clarity without losing the spirit of the band.

Now, with the release of Future Ruins on Jan. 25 via Dangerbird Records, things are a little bit different for the spaced-out alt-rock pioneers.

The core lineup has been pared down to vocalist and guitarist Adam Franklin and guitarist Jimmy Hartridge, now both a bit older and perhaps a bit wiser. Many of the folks they came up with in their early days—label staff, crew members, “We just watched as he took off writers, and the like—have grown and worked with all these acts,â€? so successful, they can no longer Franklin says, recalling Doherty’s afford their services. growth from fan to producer, “and all these years later, he’d still Back in the day, some might have come to see us play.â€? called that “selling out,â€? but now, there’s perhaps better recognition Looking forward to 2019, that those working in the industry Swervedriver are showing no have to survive on fewer revenue signs of slowing down. So, don’t streams than before. expect another long-term lapse in the band’s activity; rather than “I think the fans had kind of caught returning for a cynical cash-grab, onto that at some point,â€? Franklin they’re back and putting in the says. “I think there was a point when work for the long haul. Given the people would use the words, as you currently-fraught state of global say, ‘sell out,’ but now, I think people affairs, they might be more needed are more aware.â€? now than ever too—a sentiment that may best be expressed by the final However, some things have stayed lyrics of Future Ruins’ closing track, the same. Their unyielding desire “Radio-Silent.â€? to explore the furthest reaches of what can be achieved through “We’re all so alone / And we all have the use of fuzz and delay pedals to live as one / And we all must exist as remains intact, as evidenced one / And we all must resist as one.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 65

WITHIN TEMTPATION WITHIN TEMTPATION INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST SHARON DEN ADEL BY CALEB R NEWTON

he Netherlands’ Within Temptation sound ready to confront the monster of modernity via their new full-length, Resist, out Feb. 1 via Spinefarm Records. Their earnest sound, propelled by a cinematic hugeness, culminated from years of personal development—as well as some changes we’ve all been party to.

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Vocalist Sharon Den Adel explains that her personal paradigms rocked under the weight of her father’s recent passing. She’s remained part of Within Temptation for over 20 years, which represents the bulk of her adult life, but that achievement didn’t come without a cost. Just because the band have continued through seven studio albums and gained millions of fans the world over doesn’t mean they’re not human too.

Den Adel’s solo project grew from that tension during the time between Within Temptation albums. “It was a very necessary step, actually,� she explains of her work as My Indigo. “When I came back from the Hydra tour [in 2014], I didn’t know which direction we wanted to go with the band—also whether we wanted to even continue the band. That’s just because of the fact that my whole adult life, I’ve been in Within Temp-

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tation, and it’s been a great ride, but on the other hand, at the same time, I missed out on a lot of beautiful things and also on important things for my friends and family: birthdays, weddings, funerals. On the other hand, I have a beautiful career with Within Temptation; I wouldn’t go back and change it if I had a chance, but I still have the option to do different things in life and maybe do it in different ways than in the past.�

That drive to change led Den Adel in a new direction musically. She describes My Indigo as much more singer-songwriter oriented, and while Resist maintains the massive sound Within Temptation often present, that new approach helped shape the album. “We had to look at music in a different way again, because it was kind of alien to us,� she explains of her work with longtime Within Temptation producer Daniel Gibson during the My Indigo process. “It was the music that came out of me, so we were like, ‘OK, we have to do this.’� “We took a lot of things that we learned from that period into the new record with Within Temptation,� she continues. “I think that pushed a huge change on the new album, because it has these urban influences also, and

it has a certain kind of grooviness in songs, which we never had.�

Within Temptation are no strangers to experimentation itself. On their 2014 release, Hydra, they featured rapper Xzibit, among others, which sparked conversations among listeners. “A lot of people came back with their first reaction, like, ‘Oh, the combination is possible,’� Den Adel quips, laughing.

They’ve run on that boundary expansion for a long time, she feels, noting the audible developments between even their first two albums, 1997’s Enter and 2000’s Mother Earth.

It’s been two decades since the release of those albums, however, and the times—and the band members themselves—have changed. Thematically, Resist reflects these shifts. “It’s about the digital age that we grew up in—at least me and the guys in the band—coming from the Commodore when I was 10 years old,� Den Adel explains. “It was a time when we never knew that social media would come next after the internet. We like every development, because it’s so enriching for our lives, of course, on one side, but on the other side, it has a less beautiful side, in that we never know who’s on the other end of the computer and how much informa-

tion we actually give to companies and our governments when you’re on the internet.�

In democracies, she notes, a free flow of information can be beneficial, but in all but perhaps the most ideal circumstances, the information exchanged can also pose a set of risks.

These dangers don’t only include physical ones, Den Adel feels, but also encapsulate threats to our collective mental sanctity. “If you read certain news feeds on certain sites, and then you open up your telephone again after a while and see certain news feeds coming in, it’s all a follow-up story, but it’s all already based on things you’ve already seen,� she notes. “It’s good in a way, but maybe it’s also good to see a different, bigger picture of the world, a different kind of news feed. It’s just a pity, in a way, that algorithms try to pin you down as a certain person. It narrows down our freedom so that you don’t always see what the real world is.�

This cascade of developments has pushed Within Temptation to leave it all on the table, one might say—Den Adel notes that she’s even become lyrically more direct and blunt on Resist. The album feels perfectly suited to appear right now. đ&#x;’Ł

The Heretics

Merch available at Season-of-Mist.com

Heavy metal thunder so epic that it could have been forged by the gods themselves.

'The Heretics' proves ROTTING CHRIST to be among the genre's all-time elite.

Coming Feb. 15 on Ltd CD Box, Ltd. gatefold LP, jewel case CD, digitally & more.

mark deutrom

"...Deutrom continues to craft his own epic narratives."

Merch available at Season-of-Mist.com

‘The Blue Bird’ sees intrepid rock trailblazer MARK DEUTROM (ex-MELVINS) moving from strength to strength.

This is heavy rock grandeur oozing poise and purpose.

Coming Jan. 4 on Digisleeve CD, Ltd. gatefold LP, & digitally.

The Approaching Roar Their most violent and abrasive display of pitch-black death yet. It gives no quarter, and cements ALTARAGE as one of the genre's most extreme and unforgiving entities.

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Coming Jan. 25 on CD, Ltd. LP, & digitally.

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“RIGHT FROM THE OPENER TO THE LAST SONG, EVERY SONG BRINGS THE SWEET SPOT BETWEEN PUNK AND PURE THRASH..."

'666-PACK' IS A RIPPING AND RELENTLESS CROSSOVER THRASH ATTACK THAT BRINGS THE CLASSIC SPIRIT OF SPEED METAL'S SALAD DAYS BACK WITH SAVAGE PRECISION. COMING JAN. 25 ON CD, LTD. LP, & DIGITALLY. g comin Jan. 4

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REVENGE

Deceiver.Diseased.Miasmic

Decibel’s 2019 album of the The classic debut! This belongs Ferocious, unforgiving, and year! Finnish OSDM forged in any true heavy metal fan’s uncompromising extremity at the furnace of early and an ominous portent collection and insists to be CARCASS. of doom. played loud!

SARAH LONGFIELD Disparity

ESBEN AND THE WITCH Nowhere

"[One of ] the World's Greatest Seven- and Eight-String Guitarists"

“This is a band that deserves greater recognition...you’d be remiss to pass this up.”

SYLVAINE

Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone

“layered and languid and luscious to the ear…epic beauty and ferocious power.”

NEW NOISE 67

MOZES AND THE FIRSTBORN

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST MELLE DIELESEN BY CAMERON CARR

ozes And The Firstborn are aware “I think it helps emphasize the seriousness that rock music doesn’t com- of some songs,� Dielesen says of the playful mand younger generations like it interludes and dadcore jokes. “If you listen did in its heyday. It’s a fact they’re all right to an album that’s only dark, deep, meanwith, and one that became a central refer- ingful songs, then it’s very hard to hold on to ence point on their third and newest album, that feeling, especially for a listener.� out Jan. 25 via Burger Records.

That two-sided dynamic plays clearly on “The title of the album is Dadcore,� front- Dadcore, as the jokey title track fits alongside lyrically dense pieces like grungy sinman Melle Dielesen says. “That’s kind of a gle “If I� and the closing ballad, “Fly Out II.� tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that rock is pretty much a dad genre nowadays.� “On the one hand, we’re very serious about PHOTO BY NICK HELDERMAN what we’re making while, at the same time, Dadcore, as a title at least, initially came playing shows and knowing that we’re not from a friend’s description of their own within rock music,� Dielesen explains. making a lot of money,� Dielesen says. “On backward-looking clothing style but soon the other hand, fuck it; we’re having a really “Then we got the idea for the mixtape kind came to represent a look toward the of as a reminder, ‘Hey, this is why we’re good time, and let’s all have some fun.�

Dutch quartet’s initial inspirations and doing it. We love this music.’� love for rock music.

On Dadcore, Mozes And The Firstborn Dielesen remembers purchasing a fourtreat their usual breed of garage rock Fundamental to that, Mozes And The track cassette recorder around the start to adventures in distortion-heavy ’90s Firstborn approached the album as of the band and using it for much of the rock on “If I,� rollicking country western on a mixtape. Dadcore attempts to piece together a range of influences and re- “Baldy,� and pensive indie rock on “Sad Su- early recording for the group, but Mozes And The Firstborn have come a long permarket Song,� with a heavier role given cordings from various locations. The most way since then. Initially inspired by acts obvious mark of mixtape culture, however, to retro rock ’n’ roll influences throughout. like together PANGEA and Burger Records is the use of brief, noisy interludes that rereleases, the group had an early encouncall the tape hiss and warped audio of a “We love rock music, and I think that this ter with Burger founder Lee Rickard at a album was a good opportunity for us to bygone era—those tracks each fall under showcase festival in The Netherlands and, explore the different genres that we like a one-letter title spelling out “dadcore.�

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accomplishing what once seemed like a distant dream, have worked with the label ever since.

It’s been one of many international accomplishments for the group as they’ve risen to tour the States a handful of times— including dates with together PANGEA, who Dielesen says feel like “a big brother bandâ€? now. Coinciding with the release of the album, Dielesen is undergoing his own move to Los Angeles while the rest of the band remain abroad. For now, though, the focus is on the group’s first headlining tour and presenting Dadcore to the world. đ&#x;’Ł

TĂ˜RSĂ–

INTERVIEW WITH JASMINE WATSON, KEITH BARTOLOMEI, AND GIACOMO ZATTI BY BEN SAILER

hen you read the words “veg- members of PUNCH, HOLY, Ritual Control, an straightedge hardcore,â€? NEO CONS, and Everybody Row. you might think “heavy metallic chugâ€? or “breakdowns and recycled “We thought it would be interesting to do something that’s a little bit unconventionSlayer riffs.â€? Or you might envision the al,â€? guitarist Keith “KtrĂźâ€? Bartolomei says. straight-ahead attack of late-’80s youth crew bands. Some things you probably Indeed, TĂ˜RSĂ– have been defying expecwouldn’t imagine include Scandinavian d-beat and powerviolence with sub- tations ever since they made their debut alongside Paint It Black and Loma Prieta tle touches of Iron Maiden’s signature at 924 Gilman in late 2013. Whether that horse-galloping rhythm section. means blending subgenres in ways few That’s unless you’re talking about TĂ˜RSĂ–, bands would dare attempt or putting messages of radical social change front the forwardthinking Bay Area four-piece and center, their approach has remained cribbing from Disfear and Youth Of Today both inclusive and confrontational. In in equal measure and featuring former an era where punk’s public persona has arguably grown apolitical, even in VIEW • 20 the face of massive global turmoil, this 9 PRE 19 1 0 PR 2 Pure Noise feels like a refreshing change of pace, EV Records has heard subverting expectations without comproIE noise—sorry!—that 2018 W mise—even when going against the grain was a relatively quiet year for feels out of step. hardcore, so their release schedule

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IEW • 2019 PR

for 2019 has some heavy-hitters and fresh blood on tap. Kings of Kentucky KNOCKED LOOSE are ready to ascend to the mosh throne; Boston easycore maniacs FOUR YEAR STRONG will finally break their silence; and Orange County firebrands STICK TO YOUR GUNS will continue their upward trajectory. Elsewhere, Cleveland’s legendary metallic hardcore maestros RINGWORM will have a new batch of auditory violence out via Relapse Records. –Nicholas Senior

“I said, ‘Happy Edge Day,’ only to realize I was the only straight edge person there,� bassist Jasmine Watson says, recalling an experience from a recent show.

So, when talking to the band—who are rounded out by vocalist Ethan and drummer Giacomo Zatti—it’s apparent they’re

PHOTO BY DAN RAWE

aware that vegan SXE HXC isn’t exactly in vogue. However, smashing stereotypes has been the band’s modus operandi from the beginning, starting with the release of their 2014 EPs, 3 Pezzi and Community Psychosis, through to their 2015 debut full-length, Sono Pronta a Morire.

Now, they’re preparing to spread their message of social change further on their new EP, Build and Break, due out Jan. 11 via Revelation Records. It promises to be another blast of righteous social outrage

that recognizes that the political is often personal. This is reflected in the EP’s title, which alludes to the feeling of building toward something only to watch things fall apart. Ultimately, the spirit here is less about proselytizing and more about empowering positive social change while recognizing we live in a world where that isn’t always easy. Heading into 2019, this sounds like a timely message. “We’ll be looking to play more shows,�

Zatti says. đ&#x;’Ł

DON'T SLEEP ON THESE SPLITS, EPS, & REISSUES

AFI: THE MARKED MAN : EX NOCTEM NACIMUR

There’s no love quite like winter, especially when winter brings new music from AFI. On Dec. 7, the California dark punk mainstays offered their fans an unexpected holiday gift in the form of a fivesong EP entitled The Marked Man. Released via their own imprint, Ex Noctem Nacimur, and produced and mixed by guitarist Jade Puget, this is the band’s first EP in 16 years. It may be short, but it contains multitudes. Featuring the glittery banger “Trash Bat,” darkwave-y ode “Break Angels,” riffy slow-burn “Back Into the Sun,” dynamic rock anthem “Get Dark,” and moody, experimental closer “A Missing Man,” The Marked Man is the perfect complement to the cold, dark months ahead. –Kelley O’Death

SWINGIN’ UTTERS / NOTHINGTON: BIRD PARTY: RED SCARE INDUSTRIES

In spring, San Francisco punks Nothington sadly made the announcement that they are calling it a day. But here’s the tiniest hint of a silver lining: they’ve released one final song. On Nov. 9, Nothington and fellow Bay legends Swingin’ Utters released the split 7” Bird Party.

“Don’t be bummed that this is our last song, because, hey, we get to do a split with Swingin’ Utters,” vocalist and guitarist Chris Matulich says.

Swingin’ Utters guitarist and vocalist Darius Koski adds, “We’re stoked to be on this release with Nothington, because we’re friends with both the band and the label and, especially, as it’s the last we’re gonna hear from Nothington. Not that we actually believe that,” he laughs. Could it be…? –John B. Moore

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BAYONET: TOTAL MASSACRE : INDECISION RECORDS

Bayonet are San Diego hardcore in the vein of Boston Strangler or Violent Reaction: dark, short, and fast. Released digitally in spring of 2018, Total Massacre finally gets a vinyl release on Dec. 7. The record exemplifies metallic mosh—tough as heck and infectious—across 10 tracks, most clocking in at under a minute. Indecision Records has been bringing classics since 1992 and will remain engaged with stellar releases like this. –Hutch

THE ODD NUMBERS: ABOUT TIME: BEER CITY RECORDS

Originally, San Jose, California-born band The Odd Numbers’ debut, About Time, was only available on cassette. A CD release followed in 2001. On Nov. 9, Beer City rectified this sonic injustice. For skaters and punks, 1990 came with this refreshing mod rocker, produced by Ray Stevens of Los Olvidados and The Faction. The Odd Numbers would go on to record a handful of albums, but About Time’s vibrancy and vitality rushed in on a Vespa and rang with mod charm and attitude. –Hutch

MORNING AGAIN: SURVIVAL INSTINCT : REVELATION RECORDS

Although it’s been two decades since Florida’s Morning Again released a proper studio album, the band haven’t exactly been MIA. Survival Instinct—a four-song 7” and a return to Revelation Records—was released on Nov. 9, and a tour of the U.S., Europe, and Japan is set to follow. With Kevin Byers handling vocals and core members, guitarist John Wylie and bassist Gerardo Villarroel, and latter-day guitarist Stephen Looker and drummer Josh Williams rounding out the quintet, Morning Again spew the same antagonistic vitriol they’ve long been known for. “There have been a few unsettling things we’ve observed over the years, and [it became apparent it was time] to write about them,” Byers shares. –Tim Anderl

SPARKMAKER: PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES: INDECISION RECORDS

1994 was a classic year for metallic hardcore, and one of the CDs submitted into that canon of abrasive music was Sparkmaker’s Products and Accessories. The Vancouver band originally saw their album issued on Canada’s Final Notice Records. Abrasive riffs collide with screams against ills of the sociopolitical realm and personal issues. The sonic tapestry and approach both challenge paradigms, influenced by bands like Fugazi, Quicksand, and Helmet but at home with the post-hardcore of Revelation and metalcore like Milhouse, Turmoil, 108, and Snapcase. Noise, passion, and atmosphere blend with crunching riffs and grumbly bass—captured by Don Fury, no less. –Hutch

LEFTÖVER CRACK: LEFTÖVER LEFTÖVER CRACK: THE E-SIDES AND F-SIDES | FAT WRECK CHORDS

THE MARKED MEN: ON THE OTHER SIDE: DIRTNAP RECORDS

THE RATCHETS: ESSENTIALS: PIRATES PRESS RECORDS

SUEDEHEAD: CONSTANT FRANTIC MOTION: PIRATES PRESS RECORDS

TOUCHÉ AMORÉ | 10 YEARS / 1000 SHOWS: LIVE AT THE REGENT THEATER: EPITAPH RECORDS

WAR ON WOMEN: LIVE FROM MAGPIE CAGE (ACOUSTIC): BRIDGE NINE RECORDS

Over 20-plus years, Leftöver Crack have been churning out some of the most ferocious and ferociously powerful punk rock to come out of the East Coast. So, it’s not surprising that a few gems may have been left off their LPs over the years.

The band rectified that on Nov. 30 with the help of Fat Wreck Chords when they released Leftöver Leftöver Crack: The E-Sides and F-Sides. The album, out on CD, vinyl, and digital formats, includes 30—30!—songs from long-out-of-print 7”s and hidden recordings. Shortly after the release, the band plan to hit the road, touring across the U.S. –John B. Moore

Davey Warsop—formerly of Beat Union, currently of Sharp/ Shock—was inspired and ignited by Mike Ness, who requested Warsop tour with Social Distortion. He gathered a superb cast of musicians to form Suedehead and emulate the U.K. mod scene for the kids to enjoy. Greg Kuehn of T.S.O.L., Korey Kingston of The Aggrolites and Hepcat, Nic Rodriguez of Fallborn, and Chris Bradley of The Distraction gathered in their home of Orange County, California, to craft some Hammond-drenched pub-stompers. Obvious nods like Elvis Costello and The Jam mix with Joe Jackson and Motown to make these soulful, smooth jams simmer. Pirates Press delivered the long-awaited LP version of Suedehead’s collected 7”s, plus three new burning tracks, on Nov. 23. –Hutch

It’s been close to a decade since the Denton, Texas-based punk band The Marked Men last put out a release, so any sign of new music is a massive relief for fans. On Nov. 23, Dirtnap Records released On the Other Side, an album’s worth of non-LP tracks recorded by the band between 2003 and 2010, coming from a slew of different indie rock labels. The album also includes two never-before-heard tracks. “All of the songs were released previously on 7”s except for the last two, ‘Go Cry’ and ‘Disappear,’” vocalist and guitarist Mark Ryan says.

Unfortunately, this is it, as the song vault is completely empty after this release. “We still play shows now and then. We really enjoy doing it, but we do not intend to do anything else,” Ryan states. –John B. Moore

In early 2018, Touché Amoré performed their 1,000th show at The Regent Theater in the band’s hometown of Los Angeles.

The sold-out Feb. 16 performance—which corresponded with the band’s 10-year anniversary—was captured for posterity, then mixed by Kurt Ballou at his GodCity Studio and released

by Epitaph Records on Nov. 2 as a deluxe double-LP. While they’ve always been a dice-roll or two higher in the skillsets of honesty, artistry, and ambition, this live album demonstrates that the hot blood running the Touché Amoré machine is a breathtaking combination of radicalized empathy; keen, pop-savvy melodicism; and raw-power rhythm and dynamics. Vivre longtemps, Touché Amoré! –Tim Anderl

Rock-’n’-roll-infused raucous punk purveyors The Ratchets have released a definitive collection of their work in the form of four LPs packaged in one stylish box set. This exclusive collection—released by the band’s longtime label, Pirates Press, on Nov. 9—includes a treasure trove of the New Jersey fourpiece’s prolific work. Starting with the band’s initial EP, 2005’s Heart of Town, it continues through the years with 2006 powerhouse Glory Bound and features their sociopolitically relevant new album, First Light. If that weren’t enough, they’ve also included a must-have for any fan, old or new: a rarities disc called Odds & Ends, which features an impressive collection of early demos and B-sides. –Janelle Jones

Stripping down to the essence and the message, War On Women released a limited-edition live 7” on Nov. 9. The Baltimore punks go acoustic, distilling their emotional works into an intimate atmosphere at Magpie Cage, the studio of alt legend J. Robbins. War On Women rework five of their tracks to fit this unique environment and experience, playing two songs from each of their LPs—2015’s self-titled album and 2018’s Capture the Flag—plus an exclusive opener, “Predator In Chief”—a haunting and galvanizing declaration for these stark times.

Vinyl is available with 100 on clear and 400 on white. –Hutch

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ANALOG BECAUSE CASSETTES RULE HARD AND NEVER REALLY AGE, T HE ANALOG CAVE IS HERE TO BRING YOU SOME OF THE BEST IN UNDERGROUND TAPES A ND COLLECTED VISION. A CASSETTE IS LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND, YOUR MOST TRUSTED TRAVEL PARTNER, AND A SPECIMEN OF IMAGINATIVE FANTASY AND OTHERWORLDLY DIMENSION. POP ONE IN AND TRANSFORM. RIDE THE HIGHWAY ETERNAL.

ULLNEVANO X ILLIEN ROSEWELL CONFIDENCE IS EVERYTHING 3 ALREADY DEAD TAPES Growing up in the sticks of Vermont, the outdoor basketball court at the local school was pretty much my home away from home. The perfect blacktop, it served as the epicenter of all my dreams. I’d grab my boombox, hip hop tapes, and ball, lace up my Reebok Pumps and head out into the future. Confidence Is Everything, the new collaboration between Baltimore rapper UllNevaNo and Virginia producer illien Rosewell, cook up those memories in me once again. Eight tracks dedicated to basketball heroes like M.J. and Olajuwon, social media paradoxes, and illuminating beats. I listen, drift, and take the walk from my house down to the court—boombox raging The Chronic, dreams of living in cities, playing basketball, a life far, far away. Now, I live in that city, play on those courts, and could never, in a million years, capture those old feelings. This tape can get me close, though. Old-school and perfect, 21 minutes of living the dream— err, old dream.

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COLLIN MCKELVEY THE GOLDEN ASS NO RENT RECORDS CRYING SKIES YOU CAN’T BE WRONG DETRITI RECORDS Detriti Records is a label out of Berlin dedicated to the underground. Translucent art and experimental vision are commonplace, and Crying Skies’ newest release, You Can’t Be Wrong, keeps it rolling.

Techno and industrial get a makeover in six tracks—the duality of acid house and postpunk wrangle together like dark flowers in an ocean of rain. The music is physically oriented, with “Body” as the centerpiece; avant-garde and hard, it’s like a block in the heart of a labyrinth, with each end section growing slowly inward, a chain, a circle forming. Crying Skies are a nice peek into the Berlin underground, their music arty and still very much club-oriented, having the usage factor of both party and chill-out, able to discern the difference between overload and over-taste. Don’t be surprised if this tape becomes your go-to this winter and spring. It’s really good.

Collin McKelvey, a Los Angeles-based multimedia artist, takes aim toward the infinite with The Golden Ass, an ambient demonstration proving that found-sound can conjure the realms of the picturesque and philosophical. The artist utilizes a swath of techniques to take field recordings to their appropriate distance. The four tracks are reminiscent of Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports with their ability to stretch the mind vis-à-vis detachment and abstraction. “The Knave” is particularly introspective, gliding and aligning its sparse rhythms with a constant that hooks around your mind like a meditation—you fall in line, become drugged and calm, only to be drawn toward a great death laugh, and a joke, but not completely a joke, a final thought of sorts. The music is dream-centered and aquatic, with spatial consideration and layers built oh-so-carefully atop one another. A great tape to help you consider the apocalypse that is coming for all of us—and to remember what existence was like.

FORGET THE TIMES WINTER HAVEN \\NULL|ZØNE// Sean Hartman and Josh Miller’s free jazz, heavy psych workout, Forget The Times, have employed many players over the years. On Winter Haven, they’re a quartet, testing the limits of free improvisation and awesomeness. Two tracks embody the celestial journey from the desert to the forest to the highlands to the moon. Sounds can be sharp one minute and utterly lush the next, diving headfirst into dimensions of freeform and wild abandon. I had a major hankering for some Bitches Brew this weekend; I was thinking about how much the record inspired me so many years ago—I think I’m having a mid-life crisis.

Well, I’ve found a suitable replacement for 2019. Though completely different in its assault and splinter-like assessment of chords and structures, Winter Haven is like Bitches Brew in that it explores the pattern of individuality as it pertains to the whole community, when everyone can lose sense of everything and still know exactly where they are.