Violent Reaction Interview for Marching On

Violent Reaction Interview

With Tom Pimlott (vocals)

Marching On

Revelation Records.

By hutch

LINE UP:  Razor, guitars; Charlie, Guitars; Nick, Drums; Colin, Bass; Tom, Vocals

When Tom Pimlott lists his current line-up for Violent Reaction, he appends their resumes as they all have been in “a million bands”. He quietly states that he also drums for The Flex (an amazing band) and all these members additionally rotate to form Arms Race. Those are only the current bands. As I talk to Pimlott in the New York hotel, the band sits behind him for help and jest. The jets on the plane that transported them from the UK to the US are still cooling as Violent Reaction crash our shores. They have a show each day on this tour, where they will double bill with Arms Race as well. Eleven days is the time in which Violent Reaction is given to decimate stages. They also added DC’s Damaged City Fest last minute, because, well, idle hands, I guess. Straight Edge protagonists, their work ethic flies a banner for the movement.

Pimlott lists the cities of the tour, like an ad hoc grocery list. “DC, RVA, Philly, Boston. That’s two shows; a day show at The Elks with No Tolerance and Chain Rank, the night show is at the Boiler Room with Stand Off and Leather Daddy. That’s gonna be sick.” I remind him of Pittsburgh on the 9^th, as he tries to order his brain. “Yep. NYC tonight. Then Damaged City tomorrow. We have played the last two years. They’re our friends. Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and…”. “Rochester,” someone offers from the background.

Short, fast, loud, and angry are adjectives to describe the furious hardcore Violent Reaction play. Influences like Negative Reaction, Minor Threat, SSD, Agnostic Front tied in with 4 Skins and Blitz are obvious and appreciated.  Recent bands like Set to Explode, 86 Mentality, Wasted Time, Sectarian Violence can be counted as peers.  Marching on is the most focused Violent Reaction has been since it began as Pimlott’s one man project. The 2012 seven inch was Pimlott only. But by, 2013, for their impressive City Streets full length, he had a full band. Marching On marks a time with everyone writing music and contributing. “It came together faster, painless. And it still sounds like us.”

After two releases on Boston indie label, Painkiller, Revelation releasing this new album has to be a major step. Pimlott, however, reacts casually when I ask about a rigorous process. “They just asked us. We were just minding our business. We weren’t shopping around,” Tom states plainly. However, that tepid response in no way diminishes his pride. “We have all listened to this label since we first got into hardcore.” Tom also notes, “we are the first non-American band to be on Revelation.”

James Atkinson, of UK hardcore icons, Voorhees, produced the album. Atkinson knows how to get that dirty, yet crisp, hardcore fidelity as buzzsaw guitars parallel roiling drums. “It was relaxed.” Pimlott elaborates, “(Atkinson) was cracking jokes. He is our usual guy. He did our last album.” Like the songs they write, the process of recording was short and fast. “We did most of it in one day. He just presses record. Other producers, they stick their nose in. He knows what he is doing. He lets us do our thing.”

The album expresses that urgency. It sounds as if it was recorded live. The functionality of a band that plays so vigorously together, in multiple bands, comes across with a distinguished ferocity. Pimlott concurs, “We like the way we sound live. So we did it live.” The background corrects slightly again. “Oh right, we did one guitar track and the bass and drums live. Then we added leads and then vocals.” Despite the concrete line-up now, Violent Reaction lost their bassist right before recording. “Charlie was a champ. He did the bass and the leads. It was a busy day,” Pimlott laughs as he describes what will be a classic hardcore album decades from now being completed in a day and a half.

The venomous, disdainful lyrics espousing rebellion are of the “usual punk rock lyrics,” Pimlott dismisses. He states in their live sets that they do Boston and UK and DC hardcore band covers; as I had noted their style is akin. “DC is our second home. So is Boston. We have just as many friends in those cities. Actually, Philly is like that for us too. Los Angeles has many friends for us. Oh, and all of Texas.” These additions of secondary and tertiary homes relay that Violent Reaction are playing true hardcore with sincerity and humility. The honest and vicious execution of punk rock cultivates their friendships, fans and any scene they play.