Circle Storm - Character Assassin

While not a new release by any means. Character Assassin, Circle Storms 1996 EP is available again, this time on clear vinyl, for what seems like a limited time. I first heard of  Circle Storm when California's Chain of Strength flew into La Guardia Airport, dropping their bags in the Queens, NY living room of what was known as "The SXE House." At the time,
the bands Revelation Records EP was already gaining "Classic" status with it's straightedge anthem True Till Death.

As I got to know the Chain crew personally. I struck up a conversation with Ryan Hoffman where I can swear he talked up the idea of the band Circle Storm and how the name was taken from the D.Y.S. song of the same name.

While the dates between that encounter and the actual formation of the band don't exactly crunch. My memories of the record and the short lived band are strong.
Character Assassin, originally released by Ambassador Records, a label I seem to remember as a flagship label of Revelation Records. (I could be wrong.) Members of Circle Storm featured former and future members of bands such as Justice League, Chain of Strength and Collision.
In that respect, the overall sound reflects that of it's members work both prior and post Circle Storm.

In listening to these seven tracks for the first time in decades. I gained a sense of appreciation for this oft overlooked release.
One that matched the excitement I had when first hearing the name in that long forgotten exchange with Ryan. Good material that was worth revisiting.  James Damion

RevHQ  Order it Here

There Will Be Quiet - The Story of Judge (Part 3)

Here's Part 3 of Noisey's documentary "The Story of Judge". This moving chapter brings up closer to the bands fateful, yet unexpected reunion at Hardcore's Black N' Blue in 2012.  

I recall many of the rumors about Mike in the early 90's, but some of the one's hear are like that of the Vikings. I highly recommend keeping up with this series. One can only hope there's a new record in the future with a lot less outside bullshit to ruin one of, if not the best bands to ever come out of New York. Keep hope alive. James Damion

Have Heart - What Counts

Boston's Have Heart were part of a Hardcore revival which brought back a style that was an inspiration for me and many others from the start.

With a sound comparable to  Massachusetts favorites Bane and In Your Eyes. The band carved out a nice niche for themselves playing heartfelt, uplifting Hardcore that left a positive foot print on the genre.

The one sided 12' version of  "What Counts", features each of the songs from their 2004 debut.  The record features an  impressive gatefold cover, comes on three colors, orange being my choice, and features a download card for all the MP3 nerds out there. Lovingly remastered at New Alliance in Cambridge MA. All together this is a nice package worth having in your record collection. I highly recommend it. James Damion

Triple B Records  Get it Here

NYHC Legends Judge Announce First Ever European Shows

After a historic reunion performance at this years Black N' Blue Bowl. NYHC legends Judge have scheduled their first ever European shows. No further plans have been announced as of yet. Stay tuned.

Strife - Witness a Rebirth

Hardcore torch bearers Strife return to the fold with "Witness A Rebirth" the bands first studio material in more than ten years.
Back in the 90's when California straightedge band Strife first appeared on the Hardcore radar. They filled the void left by bands such as Judge,
Chain of Strength and
Youth of Today and may have even tightened the screws a bit. While 1994's "One Truth" refueled us. 1997's "In this Defiance" inspired us.

When first hearing about the reunion and the making of the record I tossed it into the figurative abyss of reunited bands looking to relive old glories on the dance floor. However, unlike many of the unmentioned newly reunited and reinvented bands. Strife held a special place in my later Hardcore history. At a time when it seemed like I was holding on to a genre that had been littered with bands playing metal riffs and representing their gangsta' hood. Strife, along with a handful of bands gave me inspiration and made me feel that.... all hope was not lost.
So I proceeded with caution and an open mind.

On "Witness A Rebirth" the band fires on all cylinders at a breakneck pace. All the elements that made Strife stand out two decades ago coming rushing back as the band return to their relentless beast of a sound. Passionate vocals that renew old battle cries coupled with a relentless guitar assault and enough mosh parts to turn any square footage into a war zone. The album features it's fare  share of who's who from a list of bands I never really cared much for myself. Terror's Scott Vogel, Chino Moreno of the Deftones, Dino Cazeres of Fear Factory and Igor Cavalera of Sepultura add to the mix. Making one wonder if anyone from the actual band even showed up for the recording. Regardless of whether or not those players made any major differences in the records sound. It works!!!

Though the record doesn't really break any new ground. It doesn't do anything to erode the foundation and reputation the band worked so hard to create. It might just win over a new legion of fans. As far as reunions go, this is about as good as it's gonna get. James Damion

Minority Unit - C.M.F. EP

Minority Unit take a step forward on their first release since their demo 7 inch. On these six songs they play a good mix of Punk and Hardcore that fast and furious with it's share of breaks and mosh parts. Although the band is straight edge their lyrics tend to have a more ominous and dark feel to them. Not as flat out dark as bands like Negative Approach but certainly no way near as positive as most bands of the genre. With lyrics like,   "I was pushed aside and left to die" you know you're not listening to the headliner of this years Posi-Fest. The vibe on this release is much like that of their demo, which is real and honest.             

I really love it when a band destroys any preconceived notions I may have had coming in. Minority Unit has done that to me and just may have opened my eyes up to what current Hardcore music has to offer. 

The record comes in four colors. Be sure to add each of them to your rainbow of vinyl goodness. James Damion

Buy it Here

Stick Together - Surviving the Times

This 7 inch came to me along with a dozen or so items from Grave Mistake Records/Mailorder the other day. I was loading up on records from the labels amazing distro when I decided came across Stick Together's 'Surviving the Times'. Though I had no prior knowledge to the band I decided to add it to my cart for good measure. Many is the time I've picked up a record because of it's interesting cover art or photo. What grabbed me on this particular day was the guitarists Chain of Strength shirt. Not only did that band release one of the seminal records of my youth, they just happened to camp out on my living room floor during their first East Coast visit.

Upon purchasing this i knew full well what I was most likely getting. Most likely a bunch of kids rehashing the past and wearing their devoted hearts on their sleeves. Idealistic and thoroughly unaware of what debauchery becoming an adult might bring to their dedication.

One 'Surviving the Times' Wilkes Barre's Stick Together return with six songs of excellent Hardcore that plays homage to late 80's straightedge hardcore while sounding original.
The EP offers a lot of highlights and leaves a lasting impression. The record opens with 'View of One' which carries somewhat of a Youth of Today 'Break Down the Walls' vibe.
The B side blasts off with the records title 'Surviving the Times', which has a a sludgy feel that most likely turns any pit into a chaotic free for all. Each of the six songs left a lasting impression on this listener. Though Stick Together may not be the most original band out there, they are by no means to be considered generic. James Damion


Buy it Here

Olde Ghost's Derrick Hachey

Derrick Hachey and I have shared an online friendship since the days when My Space was a relevant internet presence. Over the years we've stayed connected through both mutual friends and a love for Hardcore Music.  So when he contacted me and asked if I could give his band "Olde Ghost's" upcoming EP a listen and possible review I was more than happy to oblige. After giving "If We Ever Get Out of This Alive" a fair share of listens I was rather impressed. So with about a month left before the records release I decided to hold off on the review and send over some questions about the band, the record and the state that seems to have cornered the market on rain. Washington's Olde Ghost are set to release their debut EP  04/14/12 via 1,000 Knives/ Hardcore Maniacs. Be sure to get yourself a copy.
James Damion

Olde Ghost is:
Sara Russert- Vocals
Chris LaPointe - Vocals
Kirby Charles Johnson - Guitar
Derrick Hachey - Bass
Ego - Drums

James: The bands been together for a good two years now. Why did it take this long to release an EP?

Derrick: The truth of it is that we are all pretty busy… Sara teaches vegan cooking classes and caters; Chris has a demanding job with Earthcorps; Kirby is a fulltime student and also runs a company with his partner, Anika; Ego is a tattooer and artist; and I have a consulting company. So while we love making Olde Ghost music, it seems to take us longer than most bands to do so.

James: How are you planning to support the release? Will you be touring or just playing locally?

Derrick: Mostly we’ll be playing around locally and regionally in the Pacific Northwest. If there is an opportunity to go out and play some shows with friends beyond that, we would consider it if it fit into our schedules. As a band, we aren’t under too much pressure to ‘move units’ or whatever, which gives us the freedom to kind of do what we want. Mostly we just want to play fun shows with our friends.

James: Tell me about the title. "If We Ever Get Out of this Alive…". It's pretty dark to say the least.

Derrick: It’s a line from a song on the record called ‘For’, which primarily talks about animal liberation activists faced with the loss of personal freedom and imprisonment. The second part of that line, which makes it perhaps a little less dark is “I’d do it all again”, but for the sake of a title for the record we left it off, leaving the interpretation up to the individual in a ‘what If I got a second chance’ sort of way.

James: I just recently became a vegetarian. I'm curious about your status as a vegan. How long have you been vegan and was there an evolution of sorts from  meat eater to vegetarian to vegan?
My reasons for become a vegetarian came from more of a health standpoint. What were yours?

Derrick: I've been vegan for about five years or so, and was vegetarian for about twenty years before that. I'm sort of the newby in the band in that regard, the rest of the band has all been vegan for fifteen years or more. For me, basically, I made the transition from vegetarianism to veganism because I just felt I could do more to alleviate the suffering of living beings. I don't want to contribute to that suffering, and really didn't want to literally injest suffering and more. The transition was pretty easy, and Seattle is a pretty easy city to be vegan in, there are a lot of vegans here, and finding food in restaurants and grocery stores is pretty easy.

James: Over the years I've known a lot of people who were met with a lot of anger, aggression and prejudice over there chioce. More so than any choice over drugs and alcohol regardless pro or con. What was your experience like?

Derrick: I have witnessed and experienced the hostility from non-vegans towards vegans, however. I'm not sure what it stems from...why would anyone care if I, or anyone, don't eat animal products? Does it go against what most people were brought up to believe, in terms of what animal's perpose is? I guess. Most people are taught that cows, pigs, chicken and fish are for eating, dogs and cats are for pets, and so on. When that is challenged, I guess people become uncomfortable and lash out. Maybe it's born of guilt in their own dietary choices. I really don't know, but i do know that there is nothing anybody can do or say to get me to eat or use animal products.

James: When you decided to form the band what were you looking to accomplish? Was there a particular message or mission statement you wanted to put out there?

Derrick: Honestly, we weren’t (aren’t) trying to accomplish anything. The reason we started the band was because we are all friends, and wanted to make music that we love with none of the pretense that normally goes along with being in a band, like we all did in high school. No drama, no trying to ‘make it’.
As far as a message is concerned, we believe in total liberation for all sentient beings. No humyn or non-humyn animal should be oppressed or forced to live in servitude to anything or anybody. Racism, sexism, speciesism, homophobia…they are antiquated concepts that have no place in any society.

James: I really like the vibe of the male/female vocals. They definitely compliment each other. What went into the decision to go with two singers?

Derrick: Chris and Sara have sung together in previous bands, but not in a co-frontperson sort of way. We thought the dynamic and duality of it really added to our songs, and would allow us to have this whole different layer we wouldn’t have otherwise.

James: Was the male/female decision a conscious one or did it just happen naturally?

Derrick: It was really just a natural thing. We had a song early on that we thought would be better if Sara sung some back-ups on, which she did. It sounded great, so it just sort of happened…she was our friend, and feels the same way about political issues as we do. Plus, she has an amazing voice.

James: Listening to the EP I got an immediate 90's vibe. i can't quite put my finger on it but it brought me back to a time when there was a lot more going on than just a band writing Hardcore breakdowns. I felt a certain urgency about it. What are some of the influences musically and personally?

Derrick: That’s great to hear! You know, we’re all a little older, and came up in a time when it seemed hardcore was more than hitting the pit, so that type of influence can be heard through most of our songs. Bands like Swiz, Verbal Assault, Soulside, Embrace and Black Flag are a huge influence on us, along with revolution summer era DC bands, and newer bands like All Teeth, A Better Hope Foundation, and Run With the Hunted.

James: You always hear about how depressing and shitty the weather is in Washington. Yet, anyone I've known that has lived or travelled there loved it and considered it a very special time in their lives. What's your take on that? I heard it rains twelve hours a day. The other twelve are devoted to fog.

Derrick: Haha! We just tell people that so they won’t move here. Seriously, I moved here from the East coast about 15 years ago, and instantly fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is such a special place…so clean and beautiful. All the rain just makes the sunny days that much better.  That said, as I type this it is pouring out…I’m ready for some Spring.

James: Olde Ghost does a lot of work in its community. What are some of the project and causes you're involved with?

Derrick: There’s a few things we do, either through playing benefit shows or volunteering time. We’ve helped out organizations like Precious Life Animal Sanctuary, which was founded in September 1999 by Ralph & Caryl Turner, who have been actively involved in local, state and national animal protection issues their entire adult lives. We’ve also helped out The CAIR (Community Abortion Information & Resource) Project, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit social service organization dedicated to removing barriers to abortion access, and many others. We also play benefit shows to support Pasado’s Safe Have, One Hundred For Haiti, as well as the work our friends our doing at the DIY music space Black Lodge here in Seattle.

James: What's the Washington music scene like?

Derrick: Well, without sounding too much like a history lesson, The Pacific Northwest has always enjoyed an extremely vibrant underground music scene. Going back to bands like Brotherhood, Christ on a Crutch, and The Accused, through bands like Undertow, Champion and Trial, up to the present with bands like Cowardice, Erode, Cynarae, Outlook, Dead Weight, and so many others. We’re really fortunate that so many people make the choice to play music and support bands and venues. Because of all that, so many national bands find it worthwhile to make the trek up here to play. Even if they didn’t, it really wouldn’t matter…we can make our own fun.

James: I always talk about leaving things better than you found them. Leave a positive footprint on the places you've walked. Something that seems to be a constant uphill battle where I'm from. Do you think bands/musicians have a responsibility to their community? I mean, "Your just a fucking band.".

Derrick: Bands have no responsibility to anyone or to do anything. They are free to do whatever they choose. Whether it’s to write songs with pit calls and breakdowns or songs about animal liberation, or if they want to wear bear suits, or whatever…their choices and responsibilities are only to themselves , because yeah…it’s just a fucking band.

James: What are you looking to accomplish with Olde Ghost?

Derrick: Really, I just want to have fun and make music I love with my friends…play some shows, and maybe get people to think about how they treat other people and animals, and the planet we all inhabit.

Reverb Nation Page

Olde Ghost on Facebook

Sectarian Violence - S/T 7 inch

The band Sectarian Violence serve as a sort of United Nations of Hardcore boasting members from Sweden, The UK and Washington DC. On this self titled 7 inch the band plays some of the best straight up Hardcore i've heard in quite a while. For someone like me who's become somewhat bored with Hardcore lately, this has been a total refresher course on a genre that once moved me.

Sectarian Violence play lightning fast Hardcore with breaks that will have you forming a pit no matter where you are. There were distinct moments when I felt as if I was at a Breakdown show at CBGB's in the late 80's. With each of the six songs being delivered in well under two minutes one might wonder how they could possibly make a lasting impression but I can assure they left one on this listener. Fans of fast, loud and relentless Hardcore bands like Life's Blood and Breakdown will love this record. Fans of Sectarian Violence will be thoroughly rewarded.

The band is just weeks away from embarking on a European Tour. I really look forward to hearing about it while hearing more music from these guys. The record is available Grave Mistake records with a limited pressing of 1,000 copies. James Damion

Grave Mistake

Sectarian Violence - S/T & inch

Sectarian Violence Blog