Night Birds, one my favorite bands, have announced some east coast shows with Western Addiction in July. Night B
Birds have been quiet recently since Mutiny at Muscle Beach in 2015 via Fat Wreck Chords. Hopefully this will trigger new music. Their fiery blend of dark tones, horror surf, and classic chaotic hardcore mesmerize. They are joined by Western Addiciton. Their 2005 LP, Cognicide, was a sleeper. However their new LP, Tremulous shows growth and sustained fury.
Luckily, I have been listening to the Metal Blade Records promo fro the new Bloodclot album, Up in Arms. First, you may ask: that John Joseph project? with Biohazard, Spudmonsters, and Pro-Pain dudes? again? Unfortunately, many people disparage that self-released 2008 record, Burn Babylon Burn! I, on the other hand, love that record and blast it loudly as I scream along to revolutionary tirades with heavy crunching breakdowns.
But erase that image. Despite being named the same, minus an exclamation point, Bloodclot is based on vicious, speedy, old-school NYHC riffs from Todd Youth. Youth, of course played in Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law, and Warzone. He then went off to D-Generation and then, Danzig. But back to NYHC sounds, Youth brought veteran rockers, Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, QOTSA, Vista Chino - love that record!- BL'AST! and Dwarves) and Joey Castillo (LA's Wasted Youth, QOTSA and Danzig/Son of Sam with Todd Youth). I will admit as a non-QOTSA fan, I was nervous when i saw this line-up. But that is my small mind being stubborn. This album is a triumph.
Since 2008, I have lamented, as much as I rampage to Cro-Mags' current vibrant energetic live line-up when they play, John Joseph's reluctance to create new music and simply thrive on Cro-Mags' legacy. Bloodclot! was brilliant. Certainly, he could have some magic left. He sure as fuck does. On Metal Blade will afford them opportunities.
The April release date has been delayed until July 17th, 2017. And Metal Blade does not want the music played or really even discussed. All I will say is that it moves like fire.
Here are dates announced today for a tour with the mighty champs of cynicism and raging old school hardcore (which these days sound like grind), speaking of killing it in the 2000's live, and needing new material, ha ha ha.... Negative Approach! Can you imagine that show?!? Going to be severe.
But if you missed the title track being released, it is on: NOISEY
Bloodclot tour dates
w/ Negative Approach
July 14 - Amityville, NY - Revolution Bar and Music Hall
July 15 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
July 16 - Washington DC - DC9
July 18 - Virginia Beach, VA - Shaka's
July 19 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
July 20 - Belmar, NJ - Paul's Tavern
July 21 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
July 23 - Buffalo, NY - Studio at the Waiting Room
July 25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Cattivo
July 26 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class
July 27 - Cincinnati, OH - Northside Yacht Club
July 28 - Detroit, MI - The Magic Stick
July 29 - Chicago, IL - Cobra Lounge
July 30 - St. Louis, MO - Blueberry Hill
Aug. 1 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
Aug. 3 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
Aug. 4 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echoplex w/ Nails, Final Conflict
Aug. 5 - Santa Ana, CA - The Constellation Room w/ Nails, Final Conflict
Aug. 6 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick w/ Nails, Final Conflict
Metal Blade released this John Joseph quote:
"In this band, we're doing what each of us have always done: give it our all," John Joseph states plainly. "We work hard, and we have a lot to say. Look around the planet - people are fed up with the corrupt ruling class. They destroy the planet and kill millions for profit, and the formula for our response is simple: Anger + applied knowledge = results. Don't just bitch. Change it."
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
9th, 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.
Night Birds, one my favorite bands, have announced some east coast shows with Western Addiction in July. Night B
