Sunday, June 28, 2015

All Out War "Dying Gods" Review


ALL OUT WAR
"Dying Gods"
Organized Crime Records
Released: June 23, 2015

With the exception of a little break in the action, New York's All Out War has been inspiring crossover metal/hardcore mosh pits since 1991.

On "Dying Gods" they reunite a lineup from 1998 that released the album "For Those Who Were Crucified". 


"Dying Gods" includes All Out War covering Amebix "Arise" and Carnivore's "God Is Dead". Just knowing to cover those two songs scores a ridiculous amount of points in my book. Doing a fantastic job at it, scores even more. Amebix and Carnivore were so far ahead of their time. Their power and creativity is an important link to today's music evolution. Thank you to All Out War for paying tribute to these giants.

Brittany (guitarist from The Straphangers) expertly contributes vocals to a few of the songs on "Dying Gods". What she adds is perfect. She is definitely not one of these guys pictured below.




ALL OUT WAR:
Mike Score - vocals
Erik Carrillo - bass
Taras Apuzzo - guitar
Andy Pietroloungo - guitar
Jesse Sutherland - drums


All Out War has all the check points for a classic in my mind. The punishing riffs, insane vocals, brutal breakdowns, expertly crafted actual songs, inspirational grooves and a great recording provide for a wickedly cathartic release. If Ringworm and Kreator jammed, it might sound like All Out War.

Check out "Nothing Left To Bleed" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBEkxAx1zVQ.



All Out War is playing the craziest day of the upcoming This Is Hardcore fest in Philly PA. Exploited, Negative Approach, Slapshot, Wisdom in Chains and All Out War... 


Cheers,
Frank FOE

Friday, June 12, 2015

PRIMITIVE MAN "Home is Where the Hatred Is"

PRIMITIVE MAN
"Home Is Where The Hatred Is"
Relapse
Released: February 17, 2015


Brutally demented, Primitive Man's four song, 30+ minute LP "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" is a mood altering trip in a very negative way. I'm not kidding. 



You could be out skipping through a meadow of flowers with the love of your life, with butterflies surrounding you and the sun shining and then if this record came on the scene would change drastically. "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" would conjure up armed assassins from their hiding spots in the grass, bombs would go off, fire everywhere, bloody body parts would rain down from the sky... hell, Satan himself might even show up to direct the scene. 

This music will make you see horrific visions no matter how good things might be going for you. Your brain chemistry will change when you listen to Primitive Man. 



Desperate. Doom. Unhappy. Bleak. Powerful. Evil. Amazing.




Primitive Man is playing Allentown PA on June 23, 2015. Facebook gig info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/888449681219053/ One of the most anticipated gigs of the year for me. I can't wait to see how these songs translate live, especially in a place like Good Weekend.


Check out the video for Primitive Man's - Bag Man (Director's Cut, NSFW)here: https://youtu.be/6M2rJkvDSAw

Check out the video for "Loathe" here: https://youtu.be/uDRlZZRCwC0




Download their single for "Futility" here: http://primitivemandoom.bandcamp.com/album/futility-single



Primitive Man on Facebook

"Loathe"
some things you take to the grave
like a hatred transcending
no f*&^ing pleasure
all pain
with only myself to blame
I am not right
not free
darkness
swallows me
loathe
torn
f*#(ked up
forever out of control
loathe
in hell

"Downfall"
every pig hung in the streets
f*#%ing paradise
with their bellies slit
with enough guts to hang their leaders with
the struggle is all I have
master vs. slave
ride for revenge
I ride for revenge
look at what they’ve f#%@ing done to us
greetings from the f*&#ing slums
I ride for revenge
a black mask
and a dead f*#@king pig
I ride for revenge
pigs dead pigs
cowards
my own f*#%ing no knock
driving over steel gates
kicking over ivory doors
drag them out by their hair
beat them in the streets
rape the house without windows on its bars
covered in pig blood and gasoline
screaming into dead eyes
finally prove your worth
like all those before
rising out of ruin
struggle on
in a world burning to hell
this suffering is for you
your world is burning
no knock

"Bag Man"
it is all I have
a life wasting away
I’m covered with sores
a symptom of my loss
a chain over the neck
of the f#$*ing bagman
I’ll just smoke to dust
to dust
a toast to my alcoholism
a smoke to my struggle
bag man
witness
no one around me to relate
to this
the sting of all wounds
stain my world black
my only companion
in this f&$#ing nightmare
is the darkness I conceal
the sting of all wounds
stains me with blood 
in over my head
in this life as trash
trash
raped
discarded
filled with
the stone that is my heart
submerged
chained
to a life
of nothingness
my hate is real
my hate is 

Umm, Cheers?
Frank FOE

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Violent Reaction



Violent Reaction

"Marching On"
Revelation
Released: March 31, 2015



First thing, before I even listened to this, I'm like, nice tribute to an old No Future 7" record cover. I always liked that style with the name of the band at the top and the name of the record on the bottom, interrupting the square framing the cover. So, many points awarded for that, whether the tribute was intentional or not. 



Secondly, Violent Reaction is a straight edge band from Leeds, England that has found their way on to the legendary US label Revelation Records.




"Marching On" will undoubtedly be one of my favorites for 2015. I've listened to the 14 songs (clocking in around 19 minutes) dozens of times already. An amazing blend of old school Boston hardcore meets old school oi. Think Blitz meets Slapshot or Gang Green (Boston Not LA era). 




Refreshing. Violent Reaction's "Marching On" should appeal to both hardcore kids and punks whether they are in their teens or 40s (50s?). Energetic, musical, aggressive, hardcore and the entire UK 82 influence is like the dash of spice that makes the recipe perfect. 





Cheers,
Frank FOE



http://www.facebook.com/pages/Violent-Reaction/177017079042937
http://www.violentreaction.bandcamp.com
http://www.revelationrecords.com
http://www.revhq.com
http://www.facebook.com/revelationrecords
http://www.youtube.com/user/REVELATIONRECORDS

Monday, June 1, 2015

The Fest 14 WESTON is PLAYING!!!


Lehigh Valley legends
WESTON 
is playing THE FEST 14.


Follow this link to see the entire FEST band lineup: http://thefestfl.com/bands/




Go read an interview I did with Weston a long time ago: http://www.foe.firstpress.net/weston412.pdf

Go read this even older interview I did with Weston:

Oh yeah and here is an older article I did: 

And here is a tour diary that was in FOE:

And then here is an interview from 1992, wait, 1992?:

And then you can go here and listen to the Weston songs (and all the other music) ever released on FOE records:

And then book your trip to Gainesville Florida for the end of October through the beginning of November.



ABOUT THE FEST

THE FEST is an independent multiple-day, multiple-venue underground music festival held annually in Gainesville, FL, with support from the fine folks at No Idea Records. In 2013, THE FEST celebrated 12 years and expanded to four days, as well as adding two days for the first annual BIG PRE-FEST IN LITTLE YBOR in the historic Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa, FL. FEST 12 hosted 400 bands in four days while BIG PRE-FEST gave 100 of those bands and close to 1,000 attendees another two days to enjoy the party in a new city.

2015 brings FEST to our 14th year and we expect our attendance to grow even more. Over 10,000 music lovers will converge on Florida to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and some of the best underground punk, hardcore, indie, and alt-country bands from all over the world. FEST will once again expand into Ybor City for BIG PRE-FEST IN LITTLE YBOR 3 (Oct 28 + 29) and return to the standard three days in Gainesville for FEST 14 (Oct 30, 31, Nov 1). 2015 will also find FEST working even closer with the city of Gainesville to add into their roster of venues, including LOT 10 located in the heart of downtown. This additional venue will allow more attendees to enjoy the headliners and give FEST organizers an opportunity to utilize a larger space to grow the festival.

Last year, THE FEST 13 hosted 373 musical acts over three days at 20 venues in the heart of Gainesville - home of University of Florida, including THE FEST taking over downtown Gainesville's Bo Diddley Plaza, THE FEST's first open air main stage. The total four day impact on Gainesville was 21,888 FEST wristband holders. 20% of the attendees were non-US residents, a five percent increase from the previous year. 69% of attendees were not from Florida, once again proving that THE FEST brings some great tourism to the state.

Established in 2002 with only 60 bands, four stages, and two days, THE FEST has experienced a massive growth rate, now finding the festival outgrowing the amazing city it was birthed in. The past five FESTs have sold out prior to the actual event! THE FEST also finds attendees and bands traveling to Florida from all over the world.


Cheers,
Frank FOE