Midnight Souls: 'Always our own worst critics'

A lot of bands out there could do with more exposure. Midnight Souls sure is one of them. Especially if like me you can't get enough of bands who kind of play the same style as Modern Life Is War and American Nightmare, and are good in what they do. Enter Midnight Souls frontman Donny.

The 'Colder' 7" is out for a couple of weeks. Are you satisfied with the endresult? Are there already things you wanted to have done differently?

We are very happy with the way things worked out. We achieved everything we wanted for our follow up to the demo. We tried to make a heavier, darker, more intense record that reflected our live performance and I think we succeeded in doing so.

We got the chance to work with the best in the business on almost every level. The mastering was done by Alan Douches, who has worked on so many records, the cover art by Linas Garsys looks amazing and when Europe’s biggest record label agrees to put out your record, it just can’t get any better.

We are always our own worst critics and in hindsight there will always be things we could have done better, but right now we are all very proud of our release. It captured us at our best in that moment in time.

In 'Black Lung Disease' you paint the picture of the town were you live. Has music been your getaway from those surroundings? How did you get in touch with hc and punk? How do you see your life evolve and how much of that has been because of the music you listen to?

Music has always been important to me. Even at a very young age I was really interested in different genres, the artists themselves and what they were about.

I’ve always been a big Guns n’ Roses fan and at the age of 12 I started getting into heavier music, bands like Metallica, Pantera, . Then one day, I think I was 13 at the time, a friend handed me this copied tape to check out. It was a bootleg recording of a Sick Of It All show. It sounded awful, noisy and I didn’t like it. But somehow I gave it another chance and the second time around I understood what was going on. I felt the energy that oozed from the speakers, the intensity of the vocals and guitars combined with the pace of the drums. I was hooked. I started checking out other bands and got more involved in the entire culture. Back then it meant ordering stuff from The Lost & Found catalogue, based on single line descriptions, reading thanks lists for other bands to check out…you know them good old days.

I’m turning 29 this year I’ve seen many things come and go. The music changes, the people change but in the end everything remains the same.

It has always been the backbeat to my life. How much influence did music have? I don’t know. To quote Rob Gordon in High Fidelity “Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?” It made me feel less alone at times and helped me through some difficult moments.

There are moments when I’m a bit burned out on the HC genre when nothing interesting comes my way, but it’s always a part of who I am. These days I explore other genres more cause I still like to be surprised by music and that’s something’s that doesn’t happen that often anymore after 16 years of Punkrock.

You're from Belgium. Can you tell me why for a pretty small European country, you guys always have been playing a main role in the international hardcore scene. Starting with Nations On Fire, then the whole h8000 scene of Congress, Liar etc, GoodLife Recordings, Dead Stop, Rise and Fall, Justice and True Colors.

It’s hard to explain why. Maybe it’s something in our water, I don’t know... I think we’ve always had a quite active scene. We support our locals as well as the many touring bands that have played Belgium. Maybe it’s our central location in Europe that works to our benefit, who will tell? I don’t think anyone can provide a truthful answer to this question. Some things just are the way they are. Water is wet, the sun is hot and Belgium has produced quite a few amazing bands


There seems to be a struggle going on in your country where the northern dutch speaking part wants to separate from the french speaking part. Do you notice anything about that in daily life and what is your opinion on the crisis in Belgium?

To be honest, I think it’s just a political problem experienced in parliament and on the news. Nobody notices it in their daily lives. I remember a few months ago people were outraged by the prices of diesel and it was all over the news. Eventually the prices were lowered and the problem went away. Nowadays the diesel prices are skyrocketing again and no one seems to care, cause our focus is somewhere else. So I think sooner or later politicians and the media will find a new shocking tale to tell and this too will go away for some time

Speaking of which how come all the bands I mentioned above are Flemish and I personally can't recall any Wallonian bands.

Daggers is a Wallonian band and they are amazing. You also have Do Or Die I think…
I don’t know why there aren’t many bands from the Southern part of our country. Maybe the scene isn’t as active as it is in Flanders.

The 'Colder' 7"is out what's up next for Midnight Souls? Are you already working on songs for a full length?

At the moment we are focusing on our release show this Friday. Other than that we’re trying to play as many shows as we can to promote our record. In the first year we hit the stage, we focused on Belgium and now we’d like to get out more and play in different countries. We’re working on a tour and some weekenders.

Musically we’re taking the first steps in writing new music for a next release, trying out new things so that we don’t end up repeating ourselves.

Which Belgium bands should we all check out?

Accept The Change, Fundamental, Hessian, Worms Feed, Daggers and so many more…

Spirit 84: Beyond the call of old age

Tomorrow night Fryslan hardcore band Spirit 84 will do a one time reunion show. Reunion shows in hardcore nowadays it seems are more common than new bands playing shows, so what is all the fuss about?

After getting into foreign bands like Shelter and Strife, I was a thrill for me to discover and be a part of the Dutch youth crew scene in '97-'00. Practically every weekend we would travel the country or go to Belgium to see bands like Mainstrike, Reaching Forward, Guiding Line, Eyeball, Degradation and Spirit 84.

The guys from Spirit 84 at the time were the odd ones in the mix. Not the whole band was straight edge and they had these really funny Fryslan accents. They were also way more openminded than a lot of the Dutch youth crew kids, my friends, were. Something I (we) didn't quite get back then, but I do now.

For example when releasing a record they choose for GoodLife Recordings. At the time one of the bigger hardcore labels in Europe but essentialy known for Belgian hardcore bands like Congress and Liar. Not really a label for a youth crew band, yet Spirit 84 did it.

Where most bands were all about singing about changing the world, we all went on wearing Nike's. As did Spirit 84 yet they donated a portion of their 'Beyond the call of friendship' to welfare organisation War Child. Something most Dutch bands at the time didn't do as I recall.

Another nice but not well known fact about Spirit 84 is that the main picture of the 'Beyond The Call Of Friendship' 7" is made by me. Not that I really got the credits for it since the liner notes say 'Speak Our Minds dude'. But that was the fanzine I was doing at the time with Rob who later did Abusive Action.

Spirit 84 reunion tomorrow and I think I'll be going for old times sake.

You try to break the spirit. But we never knew why.

Said And Done - Weight Of The World - 7"

Dutch hardcore heavyweights Said and Done are back with another 7". This time not on Shield Recordings but on Carry The Weight records. Basically that's the big difference between this new record and 'Endless Roads'. 

Said and Done are still the band to love if you're into groovy midtempo oldstyled New York Hardcore (think Cro-Mags, Underdog, Leeway).

On Endless Roads vocalist Pim's voice sometimes reminded me of Lemmy Motorhead. This time I hear some Dave Mustaine/Megadeth/ Symphony of Destruction - era things. But maybe that is just me.

Said and Done basically continue where they stopped on Endless Roads. The songwriting is just a notch better and the melodies have a bit more hooks. 

There's just one thing I hope the band will do on a next record and that is coming up with one short, pissed off track. I like the groove and the heavy melodies and I think Said and Done together with No Turning Back and This Routine Is Hell are the finest hardcore bands in The Netherlands but give me one trashy song guys!!!

Myspace: Said and Done

Teenage Lust - There Is A Light That Does Go Out

Belgian band Teenage Lust announced that they're on an indefinite hiatus as for now. In normal words: they're breaking up.
Though this news will not hit as hard as that of another Belgian band breaking up I'm still sad to see Teenage Lust go.

I wasn't around during the first youth crew wave or the rise of communist European hardcore. Though I witnessed the rise and fall of the second (or third) wave of youth crew with bands like Mainstrike, Atari, Floorpunch and Reaching Forward to me the most interesting moment in hardcore happened right after that. Bands like American Nightmare, Panic and Count Me Out were a great inspiration to me. And Teenage Lust was one of the few existing bands able to pull of that same style without going for the more slower Unbroken-esque attitude.

Besides being a good band, the guys in Teenage Lust were so nice to let State Of Affairs play at their recordrelease show. At the time of the show they didn't have the 7" out yet, but that never killed the fun I had that night. In return I asked them to play in Tilburg with The Effort, something they put off nicely.

Teenage Lust is no more. The last time I saw them live was opening up for The Hope Conspiracy in Antwerp. A great show yet I rather had seen them one last time in some small Belgian youth centre.

Teenage Lust 2007-2010

One last thing: if guitarplayer Flip Lust wants to do a hardcoreband combining sxe pride with morrissey-esque lyrics and Carry On riffs, he should get in contact with me.

This Routine Is Hell

They're Dutch, they're the kind of band most moshers will think way too fast and politcal. They should be the band everyone talks about on the Bridge 9 board. Their record is everything you look for in a hardcorerecord. They're This Routine Is Hell. After delevering one of the best records of the year and being featured in the NY Times, I thought it was time to send singer Noam some questions.

There’s a Paint It Black vibe all around the new record. Is that band a big influence on you?

Ever since the first demo people have compared us with Paint It Black. Musically and lyricswise Paint It Black has been an influence. Yet while writing the record we tried to get a sound of our own, in which I think we succeeded.
Paint It Black is an influence because their music is progressive but stays within the borders of hardcorepunk. They have the right attitude which combines aggression with intellect. This shows in the way the band goes about and is something we try to do as well.

Where does the name This Routine Is Hell come from?

It’s about the majority of people who live their lives without passion, always taking the easiest way. Never thinking about the consequences or the possibilities of their lives. It also represents the danger of how easy it is to live such a life.
We play in this band because we want to do something that goes beyond established paths. Creativity and constructivism to fill the routine’s void. Yet one can wonder if the current hardcorepunk scene with it’s myspace, facebook isn’t part of that establishment.

Even before your recordrelease show you offered it online as a free download.

During our talks with Shield Recordings, who released the vinyl, we told them we wanted to put the record online. We have always been a ‘try-before-you-buy’ band. And it is fair since we all have a lot of records on our iPods as well.
A lot of records are available online anyway. Doing it ourselves enables us to be sure that the quality is allright. This way we also were able to enclose the lyrics.
I don’t think it will reduce the sale of ‘The Velvet Crusade’ in the end.


What is the story behind the song ‘Tied Down’?

How easy and the amount of joy with which people choose to spend their days before the television, accept a life full of work and the total depression and passive society we’re all a part of.
Mass culture, mass production and mass entertainment make it possible to live a ‘great’ life without ever having to really try and make something special of it.
For me it was an important decision when I realized that I don’t want to become a part of it. I want to inspire myself and others to be special.


You just got back from Africa. What have you done there?

For two months I have worked in a remote area of Rwanda, trying to get local highschools connected to the internet. One of the goals of the project is to bridge the big communication gap between the big city and the rural areas. To school the youth and make them less depended on the agrarian culture.
It gave me a good view on their lives and made me think about the positive and the negative sides of development aid.
The song ‘Crooks & Robbers’ is about the IMF and the Worldbank passing out the wrong loans which don’t fit in the economical structure of third world countries. As a whole the western economical policy destroys more than it builds.

Myspace: This Routine Is Hell

Devotion - Bastard Son Of Affluence Blues -cd/lp

Devotion is the new project of Go It Alone vocalist Mark Palm. With the help of Get The Most and ON drummer Aaron O'Neil Palm recorded 10 songs which are released on vinyl by Rivalry.

Recordopeners 'My Desert' and 'Iron Fist' don't stray too far away from the Go It Alone sound and could easily have been on the bands' last album 'Histories'.

But Palm did Devotion solo for a reason, it's his outlet and without bandmates he didn't have to compromise. The song 'Bastard Son Of Affluence Blues' is the first showing of that vision beginning with a hardrock orientated intro before evolving in a hardcore song.

Throughout the record there are hints here and there of different styles being incorporated in Palms' trademark sound of slow melodic hardcore.

It's on the B-side of the record that Palm tends to stretch this even further. 'Needle Full Of Liquid Pain' and 'Out Of Body' being songs that remind of 'Dirt'-era Alice In Chains with some early Soundgarden references.

'Stained Glass Bottle', the last track, brings it all together and sounds like a very natural combination of hardcore, grunge and even southern rock.

Go It Alone already showed Palms' gift for writing lyrics and with Devotion he stepped up to the plate. The main themes of the record are Catholicism, isolation, apathy and addiction all served on a very cynical and realistic plate. Palm himself summarizes it best with the lines 'The cross and the bottle offer no escape for me. Left to wonder: will I ever find peace? I haven't found it yet.'

Devotion isn't the only band nowadays with roots in hardcore incorporating grunge (Blacklisted anyone?). Yet on 'Bastard Son Of Affluence Blues' it is done in a very natural way which makes this one of the most progressive records staying within hardcore bounderies and one of the best records to come out this year.

Bane - Dublin, 11:58 PM - 7"

Almost five years after the release of The Note Bane finally comes with some new material. Three new songs of which two are titled after soapoperas (but that can also be a complete coincidence). However Dublin, 11:58 PM, which is also released under the name Boston 6:58PM is good, very good.

Let me first admit that I think The Note is the best Bane full length released up until now. I never was into the chaotic and way too technical stuff on Give Blood and though It All Comes Down To This has some great songs, it also has some very weak moments.

Another confession: my third year old son loves it when I play Swan Song in the car. He always asks me if I can turn up the volume when that song is playing.

But enough of that. Dublin, 11:58 PM:
7" opener The Bold And The Beautiful has been on the Bane Myspace for a while and easily follows in the footsteps of The Note with its fast oldschool sound backed up by massive gangvocals. In a way it also reminds me of the first Comeback Kid record. If the band is ever planning on being the new Ten Yard Fight only with lyrics around Basketball, this sure could be their first anthemic song.

One Life To Life is another fast song, about finding faith in something other than God, or as Aaron Bedard sings I didn't find God and he didn't come looking for me but someone showed me Minor Threat

To me the reason to get this 7" is on side BThe Young And Restlessis bound to be another highlight of any Bane live show. It's gripping, and anthemic. You just want to scream along with Bedard and be that kid that over romanticizes everything. I will believe in dragons for as long as I run with dragons that sounds like some fairy tale lyrics, but the band manages to make it ring as true as ever.

Dublin, 11:58 PM is just another reminder of how much the hardcore scene needs a band like Bane. A band that has maintaned its strong ethic of superb songrwiting and great shows.
Let's hope the announced follow up Rome 12:58am 7" on Hurry Up! Records also to be known as the Los Angeles 3:58pm 7" on 6131 Records or the Perth 7:58am CD/EP on Resist Records will be such as good.

On a sidenote: I have the limited European tour edition on green vinyl. 480 copies of these were pressed.

Jasons Mazolla's top 5

Lists, it seems hardcorekids in particular thrive on lists. What is the best Madball release? What are the top 7" released by Revelation etc.
Jason Mazolla of Cloak/Dagger and Count Me Out fame recently gave his list of top 5 hardcore records including an explanation why he choose these records. An interesting read so check it out here.

Book on European Straight Edge -Update

"THE PAST THE PRESENT 1982-2007: A HISTORY OF 25 YEARS OF EUROPEAN STRAIGHT EDGE" BOOK (Marc Hanou, Jean- Paul Frijns)

"The Past The Present" vinyl also including the book "The Past The Present – a history of European Straight Edge 1982-2007". 108 pages, and over 250 photos documenting the straight edge scene in Europe.

Straight Edge is a powerful subculture of a subculture. Punkrockers that don’t smoke, don’t drink and don’t do drugs are the outcasts of the outcasts. By following a timeline from 1982 to 2007 the straight edge authors tell the narrative of the European straight edge with the oral history from those who were there and from those that are still there, the people that made and still make it happen. The particular development of the European straight edge is described by five Dutch bands, each representing a different era. Starting with Lärm’s Do It Yourself punk ethics the straight edge scene in Europe has developed itself towards political activism of all sorts with a strong emphasis on vegetarianism and veganism as Eye of Judgement shows. Capturing the immense energy of a vibrant and vivid scene, The Past The Present contains stories from entire Europe, from Sweden to Spain and from Portugal to Poland.

A document for anyone interested in hardcore or straight edge.

authors:

Marc Hanou (1967) discovered punk in 1981 at age 13 and saw Lärm play at age 14. He became straight edge in 1985 and vegetarian in 1986. He played in BTD, Betray, Dance Cleopatra, Longshot, Blackheads and in Twin Cities outfit In Defence. Currently he plays bass in Nixnieuwz and guitar in Birds Of A Feather. He had a straight edge radio show between 1988 and 1994 on radio Patapoe, Amsterdam, did Revelation Records Europe from 1990 to 1994, booked dozens of shows at the Dirk and the Maloe Melo, both in Amsterdam, and booked shows in Europe for dozens of bands as well, from Green Day to Born Against.

Jean-Paul Frijns (1973) heard punk for the first time on a new-wave compilation tape that someone made for him during the end of the 80’s. Skateboarding and magazines like Thrasher and Maximum Rock ‘n Roll got him more involved in punk and hardcore. It introduced him to straight edge and inspired him to start his own zine Value Of Strength, that is still around today. He organized the ‘Geleen Festival’ during the 90’s and booked shows in the southern part of the Netherlands. He interned as a graphic designer for Victory records and lived in Chicago where he picked up the bass guitar. Currently he plays bass for Birds Of A Feather and books the occasional show at the Maloe Melo.


also involved:

Andreas Gruter, Germany ("Vengeance" zine, worked for Crucial Response Records)
Atanasoski Vasko, Macedonia (F.P.O.)
Bart Griffioen, Holland (PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER, DEADSTOOLPIGEON
Bruno Miguel Piairo Lopes Teixeira, Portugal (NEW WINDS, THESE HANDS ARE FISTS)
Bruno Pires, Portugal (NEW WINDS)
David Leon, Spain (AFTERLIFE, THE DEFENSE)
Fausto, Spain ("AHC" zine)
Hans Verbeke, Belgium (RISE ABOVE, BLINDFOLD, SHORTSIGHT, SPIRIT OF YOUTH, NATIONS ON FIRE, LIAR)
Inti Carboni, Italy (show promoter)
Jasper, Holland (A STEP APART, EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Jennifer Ramme, Poland (Emancypunx Records)
Jeroen Vrijhoef, Holland (MAINSTRIKE, Coalition Records)
Jimmy Jensen, Denmark (STRUGGLE AGAINST)

Johan Prenger, Holland (Reflections Records)
Johnny van de Koolwijk, Holland (MAINSTRIKE, REACHING FORWARD, DOWNSLIDE)
Jos Houtveen, Holland (LARM, SEEIN' RED, STAATHAAT)
Jose Saxlund, Sweden (ABHINANDA, Desperate Fight Records)
Lord Bigma, Holland (MANLIFTINGBANNER, MAINSTRIKE, NO DENIAL, STRIKE FIRST, BIRDS OF A FEATHER)
Lucas van Heerikhuizen, Holland (EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Mario Tucman, Croatia (VASELINE CHILDREN)

Marcus Erricson, Sweden (EYES SHUT, LAST HOPE, DAMAGE CONTROL, ANOTHER YEAR, ANCHOR, "Soulcity" zine)
Mark Schenk, Holland (EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Michiel Bakker, Holland (PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER)
Olav van de Berg, Holland (LARM, SEEIN' RED, PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER)
Patryk Bugajski, Poland (SUNRISE, DAYMARES)
Paul van de Berg (LARM, SEEIN' RED, PROFOUND, COLT TURKEY, MANLIFTINGBANNER)
Ram, Denmark (artist)
Rat, UK (STATEMENT, UNBORN)
Ricardo Dias, Portugal (TIME X, DAY OF THE DEAD)
Rob Beekmans, Holland (ABUSIVE ACTION)
Robert Matusiak, Poland (Refuse Records)
Robert Voogt, Holland (Commitment Records)
Roel, Holland (EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Willem Jan Kneepkens, Holland (INSULT, EYE OF JUDGEMENT)
Yann Boisleve, France ("International Straight-Edge Bulletin")

The book comes together with the vinyl version of Birds X Of A Feather, the Past the Present:

LP version of "The Past The Present" coming out in a gatefold w/ the book in a few pressing versions - check below for details. Pre-order version is hand numbered and available on brown vinyl and limited to 100 copies:

Birds Of A Feather LP first pressing info:

Test pressing: 25 copies, exclusive cover with different artwork, black vinyl, the book signed by the authors

Pre-Order version: 100 copies, brown vinyl, white labels stamped and numbered

Limited color version: 122 copies, orange vinyl

Regular 1st press version: 278 copies, brown vinyl

contact, ordering: refuserecords@​gmail.​com

Cracks In The Wall -s/t- ep

Do you remember hardcore?
Do you remember shitty basements and worn out squats?
Do you remember being harassed by the police and chased by jocks?
Do you remember bands who got up on stage and played like they were chased by the devil?
Do you remember songs that were anti-establishment and had more to do with hate than love?
Do you remember putting real money in an envelope?
Do you remember waiting months for a package of new records to be delivered at your door?
Do you remember looking over the artwork and learning each song by heart?

Well to be honest parts of it I don't remember either. Yet Cracks In The Wall reminds me of those days. Days we mostly know about through 'American Hardcore' the book and movie.

The Netherlands have a great tradition of fast and angry hardcore. BGK, Larm, Seein Red, Citizens Patrol and now Cracks In The Wall.

Ofcourse there's always room for growth. This is their first ep. Next time I would like more of those Black Flag guitarparts and maybe a bit more backingvocals. Now I do have the feeling especially vocalwise the record just goes on like a bulldozer on speed. Yet I think the same thing about Negative Approach.

If you like your hardcore fast, no frills, no gimmicks and 80's style I suggest you pay attention to Cracks In The Wall.

(If you think I'm biased because my best friend plays in the band, you might be right. Just go and check for yourself.)

Oh I've got a testpress that was only sold at the releaseshow number 35 of 40 for those who care.

Cracks In The Wall -s/t- ep back
Originally uploaded by xroldx

Myspace: Cracks In The Wall

State of Affairs update: Seize the moment

Hi all. Rumors are true, we're still alive and rehearsing ;-)

So far we have finished 8 songs for an upcoming ep. We will be demoing them soon, to send out to labels that might be interested in releasing our stuff.

Getting shows isn't the most easy thing at the moment. The kind of hardcore we play seems pretty dead in The Netherlands with only Birds X Of A Feather still keeping the flame burning.

So if you like youth crew inspired hardcore please drop us a line, we love to play your show.

Bye for now.

Take care, Live aware

xRoldx

Ritual - Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone

Honestly up to now I haven't paid that much attention to Ritual from Germany. Somewhere in my mind I had the idea the band was a would be Modern Life Is War.

But man was I wrong. Well at least where it concerns their new full length Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone. The record starts off with an instrumental track that could be written by Modern Life Is War had they actually managed to write a song with this much atmosphere.

Then all registers are open and the band crushes all current releases with their dark, emotive and original tunes. This is better than Blacklisted and up there with Modern Life Is Wars' Witness. Only Ritual isn't about the working class American but about the lost generation of Europeans which somehow makes a difference. They also have a bit of an Unbroken thing going on, without sounding like an Unbroken rehash.

I even dare to say Ritual is a bit more sophisticated than the aforementioned bands. Yet they don't come across as a band of know it all nerds.

Where lots of bands and records sound the same. This is definately a record for my yearlist and one of those few and far between releases that make hardcore interesting.

Ritual Beneath Aging Flesh and Bone on splatter
Originally uploaded by xroldx

I managed to pick up one of the limited to 250 copies on blue/splatter vinyl.

Myspace: Ritual

Favourite Carry On records (according to Twitter)

Once again I used Twitter to come up with some sort of list of favourite Carry On records. Now this question was kind of hard on some people as not everyone seems to know exactly what Carry On has released.

1. A Life Less Plagued (2001, Bridge 9 Records) The most favourite record for a majority of people on Twitter. Also the record that put the band on the worldwide hardcore map. Though I love most of the songs on this one and admire the transition that Carry On made in their song and lyricwriting it's not my favourite record. I miss the positivism and youth crew sound of their earlier records.

2. Roll With The Punches (2000, Teamwork Records) Teamwork was known for putting out classics like Floorpunch and Atari. This Carry On record was another 'hit'. It's aggresive and straight edge. And easily one of the best 7" to come out after the youth crew revival. Cause the thing with Carry On is, they just missed that boat. Another thing about this record is the 'Fuck Your Politics' song and the flyer that came with it. At the time the hardcore scene was way more pc than now and Carry On made the daring stance to say they we're there for the fun, not for the debates. They were a bunch of guys who like hardcore, nothing more.

3. The Line Is Drawn (1999, Youngblood Records) My personal favourite. When I first heard it, I was blown away. To me Carry On were the new Insted. The same positive, Californian vibe. The artwork is awesome with all the live pics. I still regret selling the shirt that I ordered with the record.



A lot of people mentioned It's All Our Blood (2001) which is a collection of the Roll With The Punches and The Line Is Drawn 7" so I left those unaccounted for.

Not surprisingly no one mentioned the first Carry On record: Stabbed In The Face (1998) which is a very bad record from a band still finding it's sound.

Tomorrow: Promises Kept

Lyrics | Champion lyrics - Promises Kept lyrics

Top 3 Shelter records according to twitter

Like many others I spend a lot of time on twitter (twitter.com/xroldx) and together with my 'followers' I came up with this top 3 of Shelter records.

1. Mantra (1995, Roadrunner Records) This was the record that got me into Shelter. Actually Shelter was the first non European hardcore band that I've seen in a small club instead of a festival. The impression that show left on me, changed me for good I guess. I was already into punk, hardcore and straight edge but after that show it became a huge part of my life.

2. Attaining The Supreme (1993, Equal Vision Records) The Shelter record I play most often, songs like 'Consumer' and ' In Praise of Others' are so good.

3. When 20 Summers Pass (Victory Records) Surprisingly a lot of people on Twitter said this is their favourite Shelter record. I admit it was a good comeback after that awful Beyond Planet Earth thing, but it's not up there with Mantra. To me this will always be the Shelter record 'with that guy from Saves The Day singing'

Another record that quite a few people named (so it should be on spot 4) is Eternal (2006, Good Life Recordings). To me it's a Ray Cappo solo record. I miss a genuine band on that one and ofcourse Porcell's work.

Here you can check a complete discography of Shelter and other Ray Cappo bands. Doing so I 'discovered' that I have never heard any song from The Purpose, The Passion is that one worth checking out?

Lyric of the week: Trial - This Is Not A Trend

Staying with the lyrics about straight edge theme, Here is one by Trial. Since I discovered Wait In Vain I also went back to listen to my Trial records. Damn that band was good and had something to say. They plan on doing shows again this year and I hope to catch them live if only to singalong to this song.

Its so much more than just a slogan or a mark drawn on my hand
Not a market to be exploited or a fashion statement
Represented by a brand
It's a feeling and it can't be sold
And I'm bound by my word
To stay true to what I know to be real
Because no one else can tell me what it means to be Straight Edge
So don't ever try to purchase me or downplay what I feel
Because this commitment is not a passing phase
It's for myself that I've made this choice
It's for life that I embrace the edge
It comes from deep in my heart
I live to oppose their intoxication
My source of inspiration is threatened now by a false embrace
To be diluted and absorbed without a second chance
But standing defiant I won't let it end
So don't ever try to purchase me or downplay what I feel
Because this commitment is not a passing phase
Don't plan for me to sell out or expect to pull me down
These days will turn to years as you wait for us to fall
Because we will rise!
This is not a trend
Times will change but my spirit remains
Times will change but my feelings won't fade
Times will change but the spirit remains
Times will change but the truth is the same
This is not a trend.

Common Cause - The Power Change

I know this record is out for a while. Still I wasn't able to get it until I was at the TeenagexLust release show last weekend. Damn did I miss out on something. 'The Power To Change' is right up there with the releases of The First Step and True Colors.
Just awesome, inspiring, generic youth crew to singalong with and do some dancing on. Don't expect posthardcore influences, hatebreed mosh or gaslight anthem rock. Just classic '88 style hardcore. Something that isn't played too often anymore nowadays. Fans of the genre pick this up cause WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE!

Oh did I say the band features exmembers of Eyeball, Damage Control, Sportswear and Onward?

Myspace: Common Cause

Earth Crisis

I had the chance to interview Karl Buechner, singer of Earth Crisis, a couple of weeks ago when he was on tour with his other band. Though I was never the biggest fan of Earth Crisis I always appreciated their message and I must say the new record 'To The Death' is on high rotation at the moment.




So why did you decide to write a new record after doing some comeback shows?
We had an awesome response on our reunion shows. It felt so natural doing the band again and a new album seemed like a logical next step.

During the time Earth Crisis concluded we had Path Of Restistance to carry the straight edge vegan torch. With our other bands, Ragmen and Freya, we have been able to do and accomplish things Earth Crisis never did. Make videos, play other countries.

Now it seems to be a good point in time to use the technology and knowledge available to start Earth Crisis back up.


It also seemed like there weren't any other bands carrying the vegan message while Earth Crisis was away. Was that one of the reasons to start again?

I don't know if there weren't any vegan bands around. I do know that we're still all about the vegan straight edge and will always be about that.

There's a sample on the new record that states that drugdealers kill more people in the states everyday then Al Qaeda so far. Do you think the US government should spend more money on the war against drugs instead of the war against terror?

I think we need a people's uprising against the narcoterrorists. It happened in Columbia where a group of citizens called Los Pepes revolved against druglords and it worked there. The whole world needs to revolt against drugs.

I live in a quite liberal country. Do you think the Dutch system of legalization of soft-drugs is better than the system in the US?

It would be a good idea if drugs were legalized in one state of the US. Like in Nevada prostitution is legal. That way all the people who would like to indulge themselves in a lifestyle of drugs could go there. The government would be far better able to control things if it happened in one state and they would get rid of the illegal aspect.



The band recorded the new record themselves and had Tue Madsen do the mastering. Why?

We've always intended to do Earth Crisis again. So now the time came but we all live in different parts of the States. Fortunately some members have their own recording facilities so we send music back and forth till the record was done. Than the whole thing went to Tue because we thought he was the best man available to put a modern touch on our sound.

All of the bandmembers got older and some have children. Are they raised vegan as well?

All our children are vegan. But we never push them. The vegan diet is very healthy and we're straight forward with our kids. They are far more sensitive to the cruelty against animals so they choose themselves. It's never been a problem.

Are you proud of the legacy of Earth Crisis so far? Without a doubt your band is responsible for the fact that lots of hardcorekids went vegan.

I've seen a lot of changes over the years. For example vegan people from the hardcore scene make up the bulk of who runs Peta2. There are vegan bakeries and restaurants all over the US. People who became vegan through Earth Crisis started these businesses. Some of these people came up to me and actually told me so.

So yeah it's amazing to see how inspiring we were. I hope to be as much of an inspiration to a new generation of people.


Most bands with a straight edge message usually tune down their words or have members selling out. How come this never really happened with Earth Crisis?

I think in all the years we worked with Earth Crisis and Path Of Resistance it's a way of life for us. Straight edge and veganism never was an experiment it was a commitment from the start. It's in our blood.

Lyric of the week: Mouthpiece - Left Of You

Many straight edge bands write songs about people changing, and them staying the same. Most come out pretty generic. Somehow Mouthpiece's Left Of You does work, no matter how many times you hear it. Great song, great lyrics.

What it means, and what it meant, nothing's changed in me.
I look around, the faces change, few remain,
I guess to some it's nothing more than a song,
But not to me, so I move on.
I keep it all in my head, I take what's left,
Never forget, I never break.
There's so much more than you'll ever know.
This means more to me than you'll ever see,
Can't take it away, can't kill what's inside of me.
I'll take this with me till there's nothing left of me.
You can't turn this around, you can't keep me down,
And when you're gone, I'll move on, I will continue.
I am what's left of you

Lyric of the week: Earth Crisis

After interviewing Karl Buechner last sunday about the new Earth Crisis record entitled 'To The Death' which will be out in april, I dug back in the archives and started listening to the early ExC stuff up until 'Gomorrah Season Ends'. I must admit the band had some great lyrics on straight edge in the past. And they have again on the new record. More on that later. Now here's my lyric of this week.

From the core of my being comes this promise to myself
that I won't break my honor before all.
A one-way mission through life, I won't change my course.
There's far too much to experience and accomplish to waste a precious
second drunk or hazed. An effective revolutionairy through
the clarity of mind that I've attained. I see it all for what it
is as Gommorah's Season Ends in the grave.
So many have become demoralized that now a change must be forced or all will
perish in the lunacy once it befalls.
Parasites gnaw at the basis, their vulgar ways bring pointless ends.
Perpetuating the degeneration.
In this self is all I need with this oath that keeps me free.
To this I am forever true. I am straight edge.
I am straight edge. I am straight edge. I am straight edge