DAMAGE II - Broken Bloodlines

Artwork: Linas Garsys

Location: Philadelphia, US

Release: Dead By 23 Records, 2003 (out of print)

Robby Redcheeks band. He used to run Dead By 23 records, famous for making dozens of variations of each record he put out! In this interview he explains (among other things) how important the artwork was for the label, another remarkable aspect of DB23.
Bass player Dave Sausage also started his own label few years later, SIX FEET UNDER RECORDS.

DAMAGE began in 2000, a philly sxe raw and to-the-point hardcore group. They released an EP through Deathwish Inc. in 2001 that became very sought afer for awhile, then they got back in 2003 as DAMAGE II for a final 4 song EP entitled "Broken Bloodlines", 5 minutes length no frills that will leave your head bangin' like a bobble head toy.

These are long out of print but its not hard to stumble upon some copies on ebay, discogs, etc.. feel it:

DOWNLOAD Final CD [2001] + Broken Bloodlines EP [2003]
(NEW LINK!!!)

------------UPDATE------------

ONE DESIGN WAS REPRINTED BY SIX FEET UNDER, ORDER A T-SHIRT OR A HOODIE HERE.

CLEAN BREAK - Demo 2013

Location: Faro, Portugal

Release: Straight & Alert / Salad Days, 2013

I guess I will never grow tired of youth crew. Hardcore for some is a 2-years-phase in a kids life, for me it became part of who I am and so is for the dudes in CLEAN BREAK, straight edge veterans reponsible for other projects such as Critical Point and Pressure.

Their demo originally released in August (tape format), got good responses all around and sold out quickly. Shortly after they were asked to be part of the international hardcore comp. YOUTH CREW 2014!

Now Alexis Straight & Alert join forces with David Salad Days to release the demo in 7" format and is about to hit the streets pretty soon, dont sleep (again)!

DOWNLOAD
password: S&A04CLEANBREAK

AGENT ATTITUDE - Repulsive Action

Location: Uppsala, Sverige

Release: Monument / Flophouse, 2013

Last 2013 post.

2 records in one year, Agent Attitude took Regulations place for that retro-skate-rock sound. I had the pleasure to watch their gig in Prague this year and it was a blast! Nice dudes.

Tape in US by Flophouse and 7" in Europe by Monument and Adult Crash.

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Interview w/ Diego Garcia (DEDICATION)

This is not over yet folks, I have some good plans for this blog in 2014, still got plenty of stuff to upload.

2013 was a bless for brazilian hardcore, a needed new wave of bands rose and gave our scene a fresh breeze showing that a good and fun gig can be done with local bands only. And one of the highlights, at least for me, is DEDICATION, a new project done by the Garcia brothers (X-Punch, Final Round, Sentenced). Around August of this very same year they put their demo online and got people's attention around the globe.

I sent some questions to Diego Garcia (vocals) and translated here (in portuguese right after):

HOW THIS PROJECT STARTED (INCLUDING RECORDING PROCESS)?
Diego: back in the middle of this year I was missing a band that played 80’s youth crew here in São Paulo, so I talked with Daniel that I was going to write songs in that vein and immediatly he said “if you do, count me in”. In the next day I wrote 3 songs (Motivation, My Choice e I Say No).

With those 3 songs the plan was to record a demo, something simple without any expectation. Initially me and Daniel were going to record everything, I was going to sing and play the drums and him bass and guitar. But Im a horrible drummer, so I asked Rafael Kabelo that played with me in X-PUNCH to record this demo, with an idea in mind “its a summer project, we are going to record a demo and we are done”, following this terms he agreed, then I asked Fabio Binha that play with Kabelo in POSITIVE YOUTH to handle the bass duties, also with the same idea of “summer project”.

In the meantime Daniel did the melodies for Break the Chain and I Still Believe. Before our very first meeting as a band I did the 2 remaining lyrics and scheduled our first rehearsal. After two rehearsals we set a date for the recording session. We had less than a month to go back to college. We did a simple 2 hours semi-live recording process and the demo came out. 

IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF BANDS PLAYING OLD SCHOOL HARDCORE AND ITS VARIATIONS IN BRAZIL. HOW DO YOU SEE ALL THIS REVIVAL?

Diego: Im glad with all thats happening, its good to see people producing more each time and with a higher standard from the beginning. I attribute the fact that people are playing more old school because they’re getting to know it more.

Here in São Paulo, until recently the boom was all about bands influenced by modern Madball (infiltrate the system) or metalcore, this I believe, was due because those genres are more approachable. Today people started to look back to bands who started it all.

FIRST RECORD OUT “BREAK THE CHAINS” AND SEVERAL LABELS GOT INTERESTED, SOMETHING UNSUAL TO SEE HAPPENING HERE RIGHT FROM THE START, ALSO THE INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMP. YOUTH CREW 2014!
HOW IT ALL HAPPENED? TO ME, IT SEEMED SO FAST!
Diego: It took me by surprise, the acceptance was beyond my expectations and happened all too fast like you said. I think this boom is due also to the power that internet exerts in communication nowadays. We showed it to some friends, they showed to others until it reached Toni (Positive & Focused). He liked our band and invited us to be part of YC’14. 

Right after Hector (SP Discos) released the demo in cassette and got together with Toni and Entes Anomicos to release the vinyl version of it. Also there will be a version of our demo in cassette pressed by Gold Rain Recs and another one in CD by Heartworks, both from Argentina.

AS YOU SAID BEFORE, DEDICATION WAS GOING TO BE A SHORT-TERM PROJECT, BUT AFTER ALL THE ACCEPTANCE AND UPROAR (LOL), WHAT ARE THE PLANS NOW?
Diego: I end up falling in love by the band, not so much by its repercussion but for the sensation to play those songs, for the experience of the first show and to be next of friends I care the most, I believe now I wont let go of this project easily.
For 2014 we have 2 gigs scheduled in Argentina and a few here in São Paulo, and I already have some songs ready for a next EP or split, who knows...

WHICH BANDS IN ACTIVITY ARE BURSTING OFF?
Diego: The list is huge, lol. Mindset, Enough, No Tolerance, Praise, Beware, Clear, Appraise, Justify, Raw Justice, Ancient Heads are bands that needs no presentation, but Im appreciating a lot the evolution of newer bands such as Time and Distance from here, São Paulo. Im looking closely their work and know that they will surprise many people one day.

Im very fond of Clean Break from Portugal, their demo is astonishing and I have high expectation on their yet to come new material. Other bands in the same position are Safe and Sound from US and the japanese at Stand United.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR MTB? WHEN WE ARE GOING TO PEDAL AGAIN?
Diego: After the marriage I end up slacking in my running training as of biking, today I think I wouldn’t bare the ride we did once (São Paulo -> Santos) lol. But im getting back to running and maybe in mid 2014 we can take off on an adventure like that, good enough?

AND THE SHOUT OUT GOES TO?
Diego: I suck at these things, but im going to send a shout to my buddies in the band (Dan, Binha and Kbl) for sharing this stuff with me, to Biel (Final Round) for always being there helping us out, to Toni (P&F), Hector (SP Discos), Carlos (Entes Anomicos) for releasing our 7”, to Mario Flores (Gold Rain Records) for putting out our demo cassette in Argentina and for booking our show there, to Rodo (Heartwork) for making the demo in CD, to you Cesar, also to Rafa (Pointing Finger) for all the support and to everyone who came to us and talked about, thank you. Because of your motivation we decided to keep it up!



-----------------------------PORTUGUÊS---------------------------

COMO COMEÇOU ESSE PROJETO (INCLUINDO GRAVAÇÕES)?
Buneco: No meio desse ano de 2013 eu estava sentindo falta de uma banda mais na linha youth crew 80’ aqui em são paulo, então falei com o Daniel que iria fazer umas musicas nessa linha e imediatamente ele me falou algo do tipo “se fizer, me chama para tocar”. 

Então, no dia seguinte, fiz 3 musicas (Motivation, My Choice e I Say No).
Com essas três musicas a ideia agora era gravar uma demo, algo bem simples sem nenhum compromisso. Inicialmente eu e o Daniel planejamos gravar tudo, eu iria gravar vocal e bateria, ele iria gravar baixo e guitarra. Mas sou péssimo baterista, então chamei o Rafael Kabelo que tocou comigo no X-Punch para gravar essa demo, com a ideia de “vai ser um projeto de verão, iremos gravar essa demo e já podemos acabar a banda”, nessas condições ele gostou da ideia, então chamei o Fabio Binha que toca com o Kabelo no Positive Youth para segurar o baixo, também com essa mesma proposta de “projeto de verão”. Nesse meio tempo o Daniel fez a melodia das musicas Break the Chains e I Still Believe.

Antes mesmo do nosso primeiro contato como banda eu fiz as duas letras que faltavam e marcamos o primeiro ensaio. Então foram dois ensaios e já marcamos a gravação. Tinhamos menos de uma mês até as aulas da faculdade voltar. Fizemos uma gravação simples de 2 horas no esquema semi ao vivo e com isso saiu a demo.

NOS ÚLTIMOS MESES HOUVE UM INCREMENTO SUBSTANCIAL DE QUANTIDADE E QUALIDADE DE BANDAS NOVAS TOCANDO HARDCORE OLD SCHOOL E SUAS VARIANTES NO BRASIL. COMO VC ENXERGA ESSE REVIVAL TODO?
Buneco: Eu fico muito feliz com tudo isso, é muito bom ver que as pessoas estão produzindo cada vez mais e com uma qualidade alta logo de começo. Eu meio que atribuo o fato das pessoas estarem tocando mais old school por estarem conhecendo mais.
Aqui em são paulo até pouco tempo atrás o boom ou era bandas no estilo madball moderno (infiltrate the system) ou bandas meio metalizadas, isso acredito eu, por serem estilos que chegavam fácil para qualquer um. Hoje as pessoas voltaram a correr atrás das bandas que começaram com isso tudo.

PRIMEIRO DISCO GRAVADO “BREAK THE CHAINS” E VÁRIOS SELOS INTERESSADOS (EM K7 PELA SP DISCOS E VINIL PELA POSITIVE & FOCUSED) AMBOS SITUADOS NA EUROPA, ALGO INCOMUM DE SE VER POR AQUI LOGO NUMA ESTREIA, ALÉM DO CONVITE PARA PARTICIPAR DA COLETÂNEA YOUTH CREW 2014! COMO TUDO ISSO ACONTECEU? A MEU VER, FOI TUDO MUITO RÁPIDO!
Diego: Estou completamente surpreso até agora, a aceitação foi muito acima das minhas expectativas e tudo muito rápido como você falou. Acredito que esse boom se deve também ao poder que a internet exerce na comunicação hoje em dia. Mostramos para alguns amigos, esses por sua vez mostraram para outros, até que caiu no ouvido do Toni (P&F). Ele gostou da banda e nos convidou para a YC’14. Pouco depois o Hector (SP Discos) lançou a fita k7 e se juntou com o Toni e a Entes Anomicos para lançar a nossa demo em vinil.
Além desses lançamentos, ainda vai sair uma versão da nossa demo em k7 pela Gold Rain Recs e outra em cd pela Heartworks, ambas na argentina.

COMO JÁ HAVIA ME DITO, DEDICATION ERA PRA SER UM PROJETO DE CURTA DURAÇÃO, MAS DEPOIS DE TAMANHA ACEITAÇÃO E CLAMOR (RISOS) QUAIS OS PLANOS AGORA?
Buneco: Eu acabei me apaixonando pela banda, nem tanto pela repercussão, mas pela sensação de tocar aquelas musicas, pela experiência do primeiro show e por estar ao lado de amigos que tanto gosto, acredito que agora dificilmente irei desistir dessa banda rs. Agora para 2014 temos dois shows marcados na argentina alguns marcados aqui em são paulo mesmo e já estou com algumas musicas prontas para um próximo lançamento, talvez outro 7” ou um split, sei la..

QUAIS BANDAS EM ATIVIDADE ESTÃO COM A CORDA TODA?
Buneco: A lista é enorme, rs. Mindset, Enough, No Tolerance, Praise, Beware, Clear, Appraise, Justify, Raw Justice, Ancient Heads, são bandas que dispensam comentários, mas estou gostando bastante de ver a evolução de bandas mais novas como é o caso do Time and Distance aqui de são paulo, estou acompanhando de perto o trabalho deles e sei que eles vão surpreender muita gente ainda.
Gosto bastante do Clean Break de portugal, a demo deles é surpreendente e tenho grande expectativa nos próximos materiais deles, outras bandas nessas mesmas condições é o Safe And Sound dos estados unidos e o Stand United do japão.

E A BIKE? QUANDO VAMOS PEDALAR DENOVO?
Buneco: Depois do casamento acabei relaxando nos treinos tanto de corrida como na bike, hoje acho que não aguentaria um role igual aquele que fizemos (são paulo -> santos) rs. Mas estou voltando a correr, acredito que no meio de 2014 a gente consegue fazer outra aventura como essa, o que você acha ?

O SALVE VAI PRA QUEM?
Buneco: Sou péssimo para essas coisas, mas vou deixar um salve pros caras da banda (Dan, Binha e Kbl) por compartilharem essas paradas comigo, para o Biel (Final Round) por sempre estar nos ajudando, para o Toni (P&F), Hector (SP Discos), Carlos (Entes Anomicos) por lançarem nosso 7”, para o Mario Flores (Gold Rain Records) por lançar nossa demo em k7 na argentina e organizar nosso show por la, ao Rodo (Heartwork) por lançar nossa demo em cd na argentina, pra você Cesinha, para o Rafa (Pointing Finger) por todo apoio e a todos que nos procuraram e trocaram ideia com nós, muito obrigado, graças a motivação de vocês, nós decidimos continuar!

ANCIENT HEADS - For My Brothers

Location: Toronto

Release: Ground Floor Records, 2013

Ancient Heads is here to stay! A new 3 song EP is up and another one is scheduled for 2014 by none other than REACT! Records.

If you act quick you can still grab a copy of this "cassingle" at their online store (comes with moshers's delight zine!).

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Climbin' Aboard Records

Canadian label running for about 3 years now with quite a few records under their belt, 18 to be more precise!! All 100% great white north bands.

Everybody likes free downloads, so don't be shy and scavenge around Climb's file directory (uploaded by themselves of course) and check their full catalogue, including some extra goodies in the "tape rips" folder!

www.climbinaboard.com

climbinaboard.bandcamp.com

A WEEKEND IN DETROIT

Artwork: Burlisaurus

Location: Detroit, US

Release: A Bird Sanctuary Production, 2012

Last week posted some stuff on facebook about the GHOUL GANG Collective, which got some notoriety after their Christmas Tape.

In 2012 they shot a short film about their scene entitled A WEEK IN DETROIT displaying city's lifestyle and music! Fun times and heavy tunes ahead:

To make things more interesting, here's some members of this fine collective that may have passed under your radar:

DETROIT BIRDS - Endangered Species 

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DETROIT DIAMONDS - Demo

                                          DOWNLOAD 

                               

JAILBREAK (Pre-Razzle Dazzle)

DOWNLOAD S/T 7"

INVADER - Raw Dog

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HAWK I - Demo

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..and of course the GHOUL GANG (split tape w/ Heat Lightning)

DOWNLOAD

this has been another ghoul gang presentation...

SUPPORT UNDERGROUND CULTURE #3

Records purchased during Clearview Euro Tour '13, wish I had bought more :/

My aim was to purchase records from local bands or labels!! Some of these made the trip with us all the way, up and down! Such a heavy load to bring them in hand, but was worth it right?

I am writing a report of the TOUR, just waiting some pictures to be developed!!

A BRIDGE TO MANY	Weights (Eternalis)
AGENT ATTITUDE	Affliction Days (Monument / Adult Crash)
APPRAISE	They Live We Sleep (Tea Brigade)
ATARI	Ten Years Strong (Prügelprinz / Drastic Actions)
ATTITUDE	We All Go Down Together (Get Outta Town / 1917)
BACKTRACK	Deal With The Devil + Demo (The Limit)
BAD BRAINS	Into The Future (Megaforce)
BANG BROS	Group Therapy (I Drink Milk)
BOUNCING SOULS	Comet (Chunksaah)
COKE BUST	Confined (Refuse)
CORNERED	Fuck Off (The Limit)
CRUMBSUCKERS	Life Of Dreams (Back To Black)
DEAD REPRISE	Dystopia (Monument / Demons Run Amok)
DIG	Socially Disabled (Street Survival)
DIG	Notorious Demo (Street Survival)
DOREN SHAFFER	Groovin' With The Moon Invaders (Grover)
FASTBREAK	Fast Cars, Fast Women (Big Wheel Recreation)
FASTBREAK	Whenever You're Ready (Revelation)
FRESH TRASH	La Jungla (Sell Our Souls)
KEEP RISING	S/T (Black Star Foundation)
HARDSIDE	2009-2011 (Demons Run Amok)
MENTAL OMEGAS	Planet Mental (Lockin' Out) Blasts Of Lunacy (Hardware)
POWER TRIP	S/T (Lockin' Out)
POWER TRIP	Manifest Decimation (Southern Lord)
SLAYER	Undisputed Attitude  *Japanese Reissue*
STAY HUNGRY	S/T (Refuse)
STOP AT NOTHING	Legends Never Die (Positive and Focused)
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES	How Will I Laugh Tomorrow? (Back To Black)
THUG LIFE	Jungle Law (Refuse)
TOXIC SHOCK	Daily Demons (Reflections)
UNION TOWN	S/T (Powered)
WARHOUND	Colder Than Ever (Beatdown Hardwear)

Plus: ONE WILL DO Zine (Barcelona), Powertrip Records Ecobag (great gift, very handy!), HARDCORE HELP Merch and a few other t-shirts (including a gift from Trapped Inside)!

DOWN AND OUTS - Forgotten Streets

Location: Liverpool, UK

Release: Boss Tuneage / All In Vinyl, 2012

Never posted something THIS melodic before, but I am addicted to DOWN AND OUTS latest record. They play genuine street punk, between Bouncing Souls and The Clash!

Was first introduced to them by deceased Dead & Gone Records in mid 00's, used to buy everything they put out.

Forgotten Streets (3rd full-length) goes a step further into production and music writting, top notch stuff here lads. In their bandcamp you can check/download all their discography for free! Also a new split 7" is on the works, possibly to be released this year.

PURCHASE

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BLIND JUSTICE - Mischief

Location: New Jersey

Release: Back To Back Records, 2013

Mischief EP is a total blast from start to finish! 6 songs with a Minority Unit feel featuring vocal guests by D.Wood (Down To Nothing) and Ace (Break Away), becoming one of my 2013's top 5 so far!

I must say I was a little skeptic to hear their new material since I got a wrong impression when there were 2 bands named after BLIND JUSTICE, which already pointed out here before, one of them came out as Social Damage.

Back To Back Records is on a striking series of great releases with no signs of stopping, impressive!



SUPPORT

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