Die Young TX interview for No Illusions 2016

Die Young TX 

Interview with Daniel Albaugh

by hutch - 10/2016, via email

Thanks to Curran Reynolds for the hook up @thechainworld @CurranReynolds

*** I was a big fan of these dudes immediately. In 2007 they dropped their impressive debut full length, Graven Images. It had been a long time since I had heard anything so fast, so heavy, and so urgent. With the energy and spirit of the Cro-Mags, Die Young TX creams for pushing rebellion against injustices. These dire warnings are screamed over a blend of hardcore sounding like the music of Integrity, Mushmouth/Out to Win, and Slayer. They are not just heavy, bust fast as Hell, too. I was driving home tonight playing these dues with their bomb-ass return with No Illusions. I realized this interview was so long, it never found a home. It felt shitty to chop it up since vocalist, Daniel Albaugh, is so articulate and intelligent. Die Young TX tells of specific issues in their lyrics, but their lay outs also have paragraphs. They have a sense of the 90s hardcore bands with social messages, that would give a reading list and reasons for the youth to rage in unison. So hear it is. Buy a hard copy of this record:

GOOD FIGHT MUSIC 

2016. Why was this time right for the return?

After the Chosen Path 7" in 2014, we never went on a hiatus or anything. We played shows steadily through 2014 and 2015, though not as often as before the 2009 breakup. It's just that we're still a relatively obscure band. So even our own fans from ten years ago are just now waking up to the fact that we've been back at it for a while.

Short of that 7” a few years ago; what have the members been doing during the hiatus?

The only time we were officially on hiatus or broken up was from 2009-2013. Since reuniting in late 2013 and putting out Chosen Path in 2014, we've been doing what we can to play as much as we can. but it is so much more difficult to do than when we were younger and the band was the moving center of our lives. Now, though, most of us are in our thirties and have to prioritize jobs or relationships over this band that makes us no money. Even through the hiatus years, Eric, Mike, and I stayed active with Will To Live. On occasion we did some Band of Mercy records or shows too. Those are our main side projects. Band of Mercy just put out a new record, Veganocracy, earlier this year as well. That's me on vocals and guitar, Eric on bass, and Tommy from Axis on drums. At any rate, despite being busy with other projects, Die Young has still stayed semi-busy in the last couple years. We did two short runs with Catharsis last year, an Eastern US tour with Madball earlier this year, and all kinds of other regional weekends here or there in between. 

How do you feel this album is different in sound? Or is it? *essentially it isn’t, but I hear some nuances.

I like to think of No Illusions not being different so much as it is the next step in the evolution of Die Young. All the distinguishable elements that Die Young was founded on are still present in our sound and attitude, but we got more eclectic with the range of influences we brought to this record. We have never once tried to emulate something we've done before. I am always interested in making our new best record ever. If that wasn't our goal, I don't know what the point of making a new record would be. There is definitely more metal and death metal influence on this album. Bands like Crowbar, Behemoth, Carcass, Paradise Lost, or even At the Gates had huge influence on the kinds of melodies we incorporated, and even the kinds of drum lines Mike played. I am of the opinion that, musically speaking, hardcore punk can often be a stagnant genre. Musically and conceptually, metal is the forum of broader creativity. So, that really informed out songwriting approach to this record. Overall, I'd say the result is our most dynamic and interesting record by far, but by and large it is still a hardcore record.

The recording has a thicker fuller sound. Tell me about recording this – producer? Duration? Location? Approach?The biggest difference in the recording process was the budget which allowed us more time to get things right. Good Fight Music helped us with that. We were never able to spend as much time getting things right on any record before. Every other recording session we ever did for any album was rushed due to having limited funds and therefore limited time. Granted, we did have limited funds here, too, but Origin Sound is on the outskirts of our hometown. We spent a lot of half-days out there after work. When we needed to go back out to fix something, Craig was flexible and it was no big deal. We have done two previous Die Young EPs with Craig Douglas at Origin Sound, as well as the three Band of Mercy EPs, and even one full length for Will To Live. So, it is safe to say Craig is our friend. We very much understand what to expect from him, and likewise him from us. In the end, we spent three and a half weeks tracking, two and a half days of which were for drums, more than a week of half days for guitars, a few days for bass, and we spliced in vocals wherever we could so that I wouldn't have to do too many songs at one time. It probably took a couple weeks for Craig to complete the mix how we wanted it, as he had a lot of other projects and a flood disaster going on at the time. 

How is the response to No Illusions?

Hard to say. I always full expect everyone to ignore everything we do, which usually happens. Some people have told me they love it though, so that's cool, but I can't take internet compliments all too seriously. People can talk big about loving something or supporting their friends. But, in the end, if people aren't buying the album one way or another; I don't think they really connect with it much. It's hard these days to get people to give a shit about anything or connect with music that makes demands of them. What I mean by that is that when people listen to Die Young or see Die Young at a show, I really want to engage them with the emotions and perspectives that inspired me to write the lyrics I wrote. I don't mean that in convert-everyone-to-my-view kind of way, but more so an attempt-to-engage-everyone kind of way that is cathartic and thought provoking on some level. And I've got no illusions (LOL) about the fact that most people really hate that. They don't want to be bothered to think. They want to mosh and hit people and buy t-shirts that match their sneakers. It is what it is, and I am sure Die Young will be eternally relegated to the dustbin of consumer waste because of it. 

What are plans for shows?We'll continue to do what we can when we can. We have a west coast tour with Wake of Humanity in October. An appearance at Sound on Sound Fest near Austin, TX in November, then Fallcore fest in Houston in December. Who knows after that. We're always open to what comes our way. "If the deal is right then respect is where it should be"...ya know?

So… there has been much unrest and disturbance in the US and globally; many atrocities. What are some subjects of this record?

I've come to be of the opinion that all the unrest and violence we're witnessing is nothing new, and even that the degree of these atrocities was arguably worse in the past than it is now--which some will argue is proof that we're evolving as a species for the better. Maybe so, but I do think it is very possible we are living in The Last Good Age, where life is good enough for many of us, but consequently a living hell for even more of us. I am personally skeptical about our ability as a species, collectively, to transcend all this suffering we're in. People may acknowledge their suffering, and sometimes the suffering of others, quite often, but rarely will they take it upon themselves to make a step towards changing anything. In a world with an exploding human population, I don't see any economic system or system of government as being capable of being able to fully mitigate the sheer force of numbers we're going to be dealing with in the next fifty years. That's a big umbrella of conversation to open up, as it deals with an innumerable amount of smaller topics that in and of themselves often feel hopeless. I mean we could easily spend all day talking about race and class disparity and the way it relates to police brutality and government corruption, or we could spend two days talking about the sheer volume of resources wasted on raising livestock to feed people and all the environmental consequences of doing so, and in the end I have no doubts we'd all feel hopeless, as I most often do, yet most people would literally blink, shrug their shoulders, and not consider doing anything different in their daily lives. There's a viral article going around about how Earth just passed the carbon tipping point. It's funny, for lack of a better word, to see meat eaters I know blaming humanity for contributing to the planet's slow suffocation. LOL, right? In some ways all the change that needs to happen to save our species in the next 100 years revolves around entire cultures embracing scientific data in an objective way, and then rationally implementing wide scale behavior change. I don't know about you, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'll do my best to strive for change, and I am hoping for the best, but I am totally prepared for the worst. That's pretty much what this new record is: an exercise in disillusionment, knowing to expect the worst from human creation. Every song is some variation of that concept. 

Has anything changed in your opinions or perspective since Graven Images? (I see a song title “I Repent”)

I'm really glad you mentioned "I Repent", as I think it is one of the funniest Die Young songs I have ever written, yet no one has even brought it up to me. (back to what I said about the futility of engaging people). It is told from the perspective of the Old Testament God--the one of Abraham or Moses that the world's major monotheistic religions are based on--looking down on his creation, human beings specifically, and all the mess we've made--and it makes God say "Whoops." He repents for being so lonely and humanly fallible for feeling the need to create us, and at last he wishes he'd never done it. 

As for my views changing, I would say yes, they have, but perhaps not in the way I think you are suggesting. In 2007, I was naive enough to have big expectations for the release of the Graven Images record. I spent two years leading up to that album traveling with Die Young, reading, conversing, and learning about the world and different cultures, and struggles around the world every step of the way. It was my intention then to put out music that was tied to information that may help generate the kinds of conversations in our community that could inspire more of us to become activists in some way or another--to collectively work for big changes in the world. To make a long story short, that naive dream of mine was obviously crushed. The 2008 EP, Loss, was a major reflection of that. Very few people cared about Graven Images despite it being held up as a solid record by a few people. Of course, for those who do care about it and who have connected with us because of it, I am very grateful, but in the big picture, no one cares about anything other than their own instinctual drive to survive--by whatever means, and most people can't be bothered to talk about personal responsibility and behavior change. For me, the situation is so hopeless because I can't even engage my peers about vital topics effectively. In fairness, maybe that is my own personal shortcoming--being an intolerable, idealistic asshole. I don't know. At any rate, everyone just wants you to give the player a pass while we all hate the game instead. Because of things like this, I've developed the view that life, for the most part, and human consciousness particularly, is a mistake--that we as people are mistakes, and that suffering is the crux of our problem which we have no realistic coping mechanism for. Religions fail in this regard and often lead us into more violence. Governments can't regulate or enforce the kinds of policies that will alleviate our suffering. There is no adequate infrastructure anywhere, except for a few remote places of unusually low population density, that can provide the education or cultural insulation necessary for most people to adequately cope with the ubiquitous problems posed by the human condition.  I don't kill myself because, truly, my own life could be a LOT worse, and I do have things I want to live for, endeavors that I am lucky enough to pursue, but in some attempt to consider the suffering of other people I got a vasectomy 3 and a half years ago. At the very least, I am not going to subject anyone else who isn't already here to this mess we're in. 

It's funny, we were filming the last scenes of our upcoming music video for the song "God's Promises" in the Texas hill country last weekend, and the five year old actor, Caulder, who played Isaac was sitting on some rocks with the rest of us in between filming some scenes and he started joking about how all the rocks in the state park we were in are made of dinosaur poop, that people are also made of dinosaur poop, and he started laughing hysterically as a five year old does when talking about poop. Then he went one further, saying that we, people, eat dinosaur poop because everything in the world is made of dinosaur poop, and I couldn't hold back my laughter anymore--such astute philosophically pessimistic observations from a five year old. See, it is even obvious to him, a five year old, that we're all the complicated evolved remnants of dinosaur poop. Prophetic and profound, young man. Your elders spend their entire adult lives trying to deny these basic grim realities which you so eloquently illustrated. I'm personally glad he was born so we could share that endearing and humorous moment together, but the thing with kids is that they grow up, and then the curse of consciousness either pains them til death, or they suppress it and add to the problems at hand, as most people do.

More than anything, the way my views have changed in the last nine years since Graven Images, is that I've just lost a lot more faith in humanity at large. I didn't really think that was possible, but wow, apparently it was. 

One thing I loved about your EPs and Graven Images, is the lyrics sheet and especially the narrative paragraphs explaining the songs. I like how you also approach specific subjects and not just “the world sucks”. What does it mean to you to have this platform (hardcore) to vent your ideas?

As much as I sound like a whiny pessimist in this interview so far, and often in other interviews too, I can't deny that I still want to work with those around me towards some kind of positive change. It's not enough to simply say that things suck in some capacity or another. I mean, duh. Nearly everyone feels that way. Life is hard, especially conscious life, and like I said, suffering is the crux of our problem, so I generally feel that if we can prevent some suffering in the world, then we are making the world and life better. If we can prevent women in our communities from being raped, coerced, or manipulated by predator guys, then that is a good thing worth working toward, even if we can't prevent it every time. If we can educate other people to know that eating meat is not necessary for human health, that most often not eating meat will benefit human health and simultaneously help us conserve environmental resources, then that is a great thing we should do, even if hordes of contrarians never listen to our message. These are just a couple examples of why talking about issues can be important in the music scene--doing so always creates the potential to make things better for someone, somewhere. To have this platform to speak about these kinds of things is one sliver hope that I do hold dearly, because it does mean that the potential to transcend ideas into action is always there. That is something I directly learned from the hardcore scene in the 90s and I will always be thankful for that. 

I love the cover image – I always like working with mold or rust – natural decay. Can you tell me how it relates to the record?

Thanks for the compliment and thanks for asking. There are concepts behind it that I figure most people won't care about, or even spend two seconds contemplating, so at the very least I wanted to capture a feeling that represents the feelings of the record well. In some ways, I think the cover looks like irritated skin peeling to reveal bloody tissue. I wanted it to feel unsettling and bloody to look at. In real life it is an image of peeling paint on a wall transposed over a a piece of wood, with the image of a statue of Abraham about to cut his son Isaac's throat with a knife. The image of that is not quite clear on the cover, but when people get the record and open the packaging up they see that the picture on the inside of the insert is the clear image of Abraham ready to cut Isaac's throat. It is a play on the ideas of the layered illusions that make up conscious human reality. In a direct way, people pay observance to a sadistic story like the one of Abraham being willing to kill his own son because God asked him to because it gives them a sense of purpose and duty in their lives, and so it is widely perceived to to a noble story of dedication to a higher power, of trust in God. It's an issue of authority and how we submit to it, really. Of course, in the Old Testament, Koran, and Torah, Isaac is spared by the voice of God at the last possible second, and he and his father sacrificially slaughter a lamb instead. On a wider scale, this story is one of many of the myths that our species clings to to try to fabricate some kind of meaning in our lives, because ultimately what we're all scared of at the end of the day is that we're going to die, and we know it. It pains us to think think we're on this rock spiraling tens of thousands of miles per hour through a universe that is too vast for us to truly understand, and ultimately this whole human drama is a pitiful cosmic charade signifying nothing--that maybe all our virtues of patriotism and piety and family and self-hood are fabrications that amount to nothing all the same, and there is no redemption for our suffering at the end of this life. And then, when we've seen through it all to that point of dreadful clairvoyance, what do we make of it, and how do we proceed in a constructive and ethical way? Ultimately, that's what I aimed to explore with No Illusions.  

Duffy’s Cut Killers on the Dance Floor review

Duffy’s Cut

Killers on the Dance Floor

Oi! The Boat

Philly’s mighty mod warriors are back! Duffy’s Cut swept the punk world with their debut; a fiery, hip-shaking rock and roll 12”. Then, they brutally teased us with only one track last year on a split with Idle Gossip. Well, the wait is over. The Hammond is warm, dancing shoes are laced tightly. The whiskey has been poured. Killers on the Dance Floor challenges all you stuff armed tough guys to submit to your roots and get sweaty!

Killers is harder, heavy and charged, and catchy as ever. The opener, “Feeling Alright”, is a boiler. It builds and explodes in frantic energy. As the organ simmers, we move to the title track, a demonic scorcher. This is a powerful rocker, with spots for each instrument to stand out as the tease before the breakdown (that bass!) and then a forceful sprint to the end. “She Don’t Dance” is centered around a killer bass line. This is downbeat fury! This track embraces a dirty tone that pushes. “The Long Con” steps back on tempo, a catchy, punchy track which seduces the listener. Nice to hear the organ get so much room to play here. “Strawberry Mansion Nights” builds sweetly. The foreboding pounding backbeat mesmerizes as the guitars and organ build anticipation. Fiery vocals come in and stir a sweltering fever. The lyrics are challenging, dark.

First two tracks of B side are less jam based or indulgent, getting down to business. “Fade to Olive Drab” kicks. This with the aptly titled, “Keep It Moving”, have strong bass lines. The both push, fast and engrossing. The social lyrics of “Fade to Olive Drab” make a working man think. “The Judge” has us return to a mid-tempo head bobber. This is infectious rider, bopping along with a low down sound. “99” has a more flamboyant beat, a slow plod that bounces. It’s a re-interpretation of the Wilson Pickett/Eddie Floyd classic, maybe. The sound is different. The tempo is down, and really only the one lyric line is the same. Mavis Staples, CCR, Don Preston, Detroit Cobras, and more have all covered this classic. This is more of a sparked tangent than a cover. It’s fun. Duffy’s close side B with bluesy ode to the working man again. It’s a sharp upbeat charmer. The guitar lead is fun, as they often refrain.

The mix sits the guitar dangling over solid rhythms and the ever-looming organ. Dropping the needle on this LP transmits you directly into a claustrophobic rehearsal space. You can feel the bodies gyrating around you, the beer spilling, the feedback ringing. I have seen this band three times, and always in a packed bar venue. Killers on the Dance Floor’s recording champions the band’s live sound. Duffy’s Cut knows when to use gang vocals and get their audience primed for sing alongs. The speakers ooze sweat and energy. Duffy’s frenetic pride of reviving the mod and British Invasion, without the delicate tendencies, focuses on pushing the RnB factor. This 2017 interpretation is welcome and invigorating.

RIYL: 45 Adapters, Suede Razors, The Who, Young Rascals, Yardbirds, Them, Small Faces, Standells, Adjusters, Gas Huffer, Supersuckers, The Bomboras, Boss Martians

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Oxleys Midnight Runners The Battle Vol I Review

Oxley’s Midnight Runners

The Battle, Vol I

Oi! The Boat / Randale

Review by hutch

Oxley’s Midnight Runners are an Oi! Band that have been rocking hard punk jams for a few years now. They have dropped four 7”s; We are Legion, Invasion, Combat, Conquest. All release have been splits from Oi! The Boat and Randale Records. Their sound is tough and thick guitars with a punky bounce. The Battle collects OMR’s 4 EPs into one spot. So, if you only like getting up for beer and are too comfy to lug out OMR’s four 7”s to dictate a night of flipping vinyl every 1-2 songs, this collection is for you. The members are comprised of Jesus Rodriguez from Warlords, drums on half the songs, Dave/Jeff of 90 Proof (I loved that band!), Mike Fatskin from, well, the Fatskins and Lars (of Rancid, OLF).

Oxley’s Midnight Runners’ sound is stark, a dark tension is salient through this album. The lyrics approach subjects of surveillance, war, faith, government or the fake sketch fuckers in “Combat”. These are days of violence and war. While threads of rock and roll permeate the foundation, this is crunchy guitars playing heavier riffs. A dark overtone is fluid through the tracks. “Combat” has a cool guitar ‘solo’, feeling like Blitz ‘80s sound. “Don’t Give Up the Fight” embellishes with a cool slide guitar at the end. “War Cries” and “Spear of Destiny” relish rocking solos with a bluesy feel.

But this is all icing, showing that there is strong musicianship here. The attraction is the beefy sound delivering hard Oi!. Mike’s voice is always commanding, serious as a heart attack. His unique pitch is undeniable. He grabs attention. There is lots of opportunities for an audience to sing along with catchy choruses and gang vocals. The simple but direct graphic design continues via the handsome Wynn Pettit (DDC, Fatskins)

If for some reason you have not checked out Oxley’s Midnight Runners, here is your ultimate choice. Luckily the album is named, “Volume I”, whetting our ears for more to come. Remember this is true music of the streets. This is not fun punk. This is angry movement music for angry people to vent to. I didn’t say ignorant, I say  indignant. Check “Land of Gold” as they vilify politicians and news anchors for wrongs such as Fukishima and Monsanto.

“They're the Enemy to everyone to you and me! Lies! Lies! Lies!”

“Nation of Hate”, “We Are Legion”, “Vengeance”, “Combat” stand out but each track is killer. Everyone is comprised of grit and punch. In this resurgence of Oi! And punk, Oxley’s Midnight Runners stand out. Tough, brash, and catchy.

RIYL: FatSkins, APA, Brick Assassin, DDC, Concrete Elite, Lions Law, NOi!SE

BUY

Public Trust The Leper EP Review

Public Trust

The Leper

Boston Strangler Records

by hutch 

Public Trust, as I’m told, is three members of Boston Strangler. The record site confirms BAN is the same vocalist. Excuse me, “The infamous and notorious BAN”. Which, upon listening to first pugnacious syllables spewed, is rather easy to discern. Which, means killer, angry vocals. Also, as I had heard a few people note, this is similar to BS but stripped down, more vile, more raw, more Neanderthal version of BS. This is meant as a selling point, like if ignorant could be used as a compliment. However you label it, it’s a ripper. Public Trust stay in their 80’s Boston HC worship mixed with dirty punk of the same era. The band gives us four tracks. The sound varies somewhat between them but all are deliver with resentment and fury. This was released late December 2016; but I just have to help spread the word. I picked it up late February 2017 and am writing about it now. It’s a damn fine record.

The first track boasts a great title and perfects Boston hardcore punk. “Everyone Smokes in East Boston” is an instant classic.  The riff is outstanding. The song contains venom. Hell of a way to open an EP. As much I tout that I will never play my How We Rock twelve inch, I love the slower rock swing of “The Leper”. I would equate it to an Easy Action, Stooges type feel. The recording of lo-fi and loose lends itself to the ugly words and the jam-feel of the song. This is live at practice; in a Black Flag, unhinged and sweaty repulsion manner.

“Trip to Germany” and “She’s A Psycho” cover the B Side. These joints thrash and move fast. Similar sounding, mid-tempo to fast hardcore. “Trip to Germany” rips hard employing fuzzed out guitars. The energy is boot stomping rage. The genius of the production – and the players – is that through the chaotic, distorted cloud of noise, you can pick out the bass line. It is glorious. Confrontational and obnoxious, this track is catchy and repulsive. “She’s A Psycho” is a charger of rudimentary punk and beautiful for it. It punches quickly and often as it drives a fast tempo forward with rigid drums.

FROM THE BAND:

FFO: scummy New England punk shit like The Freeze, Jabbers-era GG Allin, Unnatural Axe, FU's, early Out Cold, and only the finer moments in KBD/BLOODSTAINS history.

one-time pressing of 500... buy or cry.

listen
buy

M Dot Ego and the Enemy review

M-Dot

The Ego and the Enemy

Own Lane Music; EMS Productions

featuring: 7L; B.A.M; Camp Lo; DJ JS-1; Djaz; Dominique Larue; Jaysaun; Krumb Snatcha; LP2; Marley Marl; Method Man; Tribeca

producers: Buckwild; Es-K; Hi Tek; Jon Glass; KAN; Khrysis; LP2; LX Beats; Large Professor; Marco Polo; Marley Marl; Snowgoons; Soulplusmind; Whatson

The man got a joint produced by Marley Marl. That could be the review. That should speak to M-Dot’s style and skill and street cred enough to make you know to buy this album. But there is so much more to The Ego and The Enemy, drenched in skilled multi syllabic bars and storytelling lyrics and boom bap beats all through the record.

There a few issues or distractions one can list with this album, if any. M-Dot spews lyrical dexterity and skill relentlessly throughput this album. The Ego and the Enemy is long at 17 tracks averaging 4 minutes each. But nothing drags here, each track bangs. M-Dot utilizes this extensive outlet to touch on many aspects of life; channeling his anger and frustration and appreciation. He explores many facets of life. He tells sad tales of people’s self-destruction on a few tracks. He highlights the love of his daughter. M-Dot also reminds you of his skills and lyricism and tenacity repeatedly. He is frank and personal like Brother Ali or Slaine or Esoteric, exhibiting traits that portray flaws and vulnerability as well as skill and mastery of this rap game. With the Boston accent and delivery, it’s hard to not think of Slaine. But M-Dot shines on his own that the thought is fleeting.

The beats are amazing, cultivating dope beats from all areas of hip hop. There is soul, reggae, jazz, blues all accented by dope scratches and hooks. The first track (after the intro) is “Dreamscape”, Marco Polo’s beat is so dark! A slow, doomy guitar line; something you would hear from La Coka Nostra or DJ Muggs. It swirls and looms as a jangly piano line jingles in the back to contrast. Another guitar line of a squealing solo is layered over it too, so bad ass. “Foreign” is a popping beat, by Jon Glass, with elements of pitched vocals, dreamy strings, and sloppy drums. Its hypnotic and and pounding, the accordion chop is dope and adds that unique flavor. “Days Are All the Same” carries a theme repeated often in my world of punk rock. The anti-cubical, anti-corporate, anti-9 to 5 and materialism and consumerism is a refreshing spark in hip hop. Second verse attacks the world which females can get trapped in when they subscribe to vanity and selfish technology. Hi-Tek’s dense beat is killer. The choral voices and the scratches over atmospheric waves and organ loops provide a stellar foundation to approach these subjects.

Marley Marl’s “Gleamin’”, featuring B.A.M., is a jazzy gem boasting a crunchy trumpet. “Give It to Me” is a banger, the dusty beat with super scratches and samples provide a ample boom bap for M-Dot to proclaim why he ain’t leaving the game anytime soon. Fellow Boston ripper, Jaysaun, joins M-Dot on a Jamaican inspired thumper. The main hook is heavy while the verse is a small sparse pluck; both angles deliver on that bumping track must. M-Dot’s lyrics flow and slip through a plethora of multis. Jaysaun spits short but potent. His razor tongue is rarely paralleled. I wish he would drop a proper studio album. Meth comes in and ignites the swing of “Shine”. Tical still got it and he brings his signature charisma and wordplay to the track. It’s an uplifting track with Dominique Larue spitting ferocious on the second verse. The sung chorus is a positive vibe, which usually turns me off, but it’s cool here.

M-Dot, on “No Excuses”, says “You either want it or you don’t”. That sums up his drive and fortitude as he writes. You can hear his hunger in his bars throughout the entirety of Ego and the Enemy. There is no doubt that talent is innate, but work is earned and proven by labor. M-Dot has created another level for himself on this superb album. M-Dot touches on fun subjects and dark ones. Divorce, strained relationships, raising children, travel, rap as a business, drugs, drinking guns, society. Every beat is a landscape of potent emotions to hit visceral paralleling his words. While the digital release came out on January 27^th, the hard copies come out on March 17th. Celebrate St Patty’s Day with this Boston MC tearing up wax.

BUY IT

Twitter: +M-Dot Boston  

Xibalba Diablo Con Amor Adios Review

Xibalba
Diablo Con Amor Adios
Closed Casket Activities
Review by Hutch

Three songs fill up quick EP from the boys who devastated eardums and venue floors with Tierra Y Libertad in 2015. This EP dropped a month ago, so i am a touch late, but hey, it's killer. Xibalba played their tenth anniversary show on 2.26.17 and have no plans of slowing down. These SoCal titans match beatdown hardcore with death metal mastery perfectly. The slow churn of the riffs are amazing as they contort and twist the definition of a breakdown.

In one aspect, a review is a little silly, because these dudes have not changed their sound, per se. But they are taking that sound to the next level on Tierra Y Libertad and now, Diablo Con Amor Adios. Each release steps up their song writing since their multi-released debut. This EP, on Closed Casket, is available on a cool orange splatter vinyl 7" and other variations. The band knows precisely how to execute the hard ass sound they cherish.

The title comes from the culmination of the three song titles, "Diablo", "Con Amor", and "Adios". "Con Amor" blazes forward, fast hardcore or death metal, whatever you dub it, it slays. Gang vocals ensure maximum crowd participation. The chunky breakdown in the middle is barbaric. Thus track is 3 minutes; "Adios" is 5:23 and "Diablo" is shorter at 2:22. In this 11 minutes Xibalba fuck with time changes and delivery. There is enough variety to keep all parties interested. "Adios" has a cool swing in the mid-swing riff that adds soe flavor before it jumps into a gallop tempo. Never concerned with too much with tech (hence they hardcore feel over some DM band wanted to be worshiped for solos). Xibalba is all about heart, sweat, blood and spirit. This music is savage and should be bridging fans of all genres. Grimy and raw, evil and tough - this is a great release.

Buy Vinyl

Deathwish Interview with Biddy

Deathwish

Unleash Hell

Beer City

Interview with bassist/vocalist, Biddy

Biddy, bass/vox; Guinea Pig Champion, guitar/vox; Jimmy Claypool, lead guitar;  S.W. Macleod, drums

Blasting out of Wisconsin and Minneapolis, Deathwish release their second LP, Unleash Hell, on Beer City early 2017. Their thrashy brand of the Motorcharge style has been honed here to a vicious surge. Biddy, bassist and vocalist, spoke with me after getting home from work. His frank admission to the allure of dark and rebellious music has become a life defining mission.

Biddy begins with his excitement for Unleash Hell. “This has better production, better written songs. The artwork is completely different but phenomenal. Our guitar player, Rob (aka Guinea Pig Champion) writes 90% of our music. Our first record took all the time in the world. So, now the pressure was on. Can we write a better record? I hope so…” jests Biddy. Biddy also plays in Wartorn and grabbed a new lead guitarist, Jimmy Claypool, who is from In Defence. That pedigree would ensure a better record.

“This is more aggressive. It rages more while being a little progressive, a little more precise.” Biddy’s lyrics demand the feral snarl of these heavy riffs. While he may not be writing the majority of the music, Biddy appears to be the director of the band; subject matter, musical direction, and tour planning all is his responsibility with this monster that is Deathwish.

Unleash Hell was recorded by Adam Tucker at Signature Sound Minneapolis. Tucker has been recording since the ‘90s. Biddy holds only admiration for Tucker. “He is the best I have worked with. Adam throws in ideas and they accentuate what we were doing, not pushing the song somewhere foreign. The process is smooth as glass.”

Deathwish had an April 2016 tour with MDC, their second tour with OG punks. First was Chicago, then looping through NY, PA, VA, GA, LA to eventually Fort Collins, CO. 34 shows in 35 days. “When I woke up the next day, I had to be at my mom’s for dinner. I didn’t know what state I was in. When MDC tours, it is the pedal to the floor. They give 110% and we are right there with them.” Biddy adds, “This past year, we played 100 shows with tours, that’s not including weekend gigs.” Deathwish will embrace the road to spread the gospel of Unleash Hell. They have upcoming tours in Europe eastern plus two fests. The band is also doing another future tour with MDC and DOA, plus a DRI tour coming. DRI took them out before and Spike (Cassidy) wants them to come out with DRI again.

The intent and motivation remains the same, to play demonic rock and roll and leave venues in their wake. Armed with new material that engages and punishes, Deathwish forged Unleash Hell with an even darker commitment. “This record was inspired by things I grew up on. That song (Rolling Stones’) ‘Sympathy for the Devil’, all the stuff that alluded to Satan; Sabbath, Maiden. I was into it even as a small kid. There is something about it which is very powerful. As a child I believed in that, because I grew up catholic. And they scared the hell out of you with fire and brimstone. But, as a small child, I was like, bring on the fire and brimstone!” Biddy was drawn to the dark elements of this oppressive religion not for shock value, but as a side effect of his defiant search for truth.

Biddy’s push toward the forbidden came from a rather natural reaction to how the world treated him. “I have a mental illness, Tourette’s. I have a mild case, dealt with it my whole life. I don’t experience happiness, just depression and mania. As a child, I had paranoia.” He quickly connects his disability to seeking out alternative answers. “The devil made sense when I was kid. The church tells you about a great God, giving people gifts. Here I am, suffering. Why? Does god hate me? What about children with cancer? What about wars? Where is God then?”

Biddy continues with the honesty of a kid, an aspect that has left a permanent impression. “Even as a believer, I was angry. How do you rationalize that? The Church’s explanations were never making sense. They never added up, just devoid of logic.” He continues to explore the contradictory stories in the Bible that most doubters question. “God says ‘Thou shall not kill’ but he floods the planet? Which is because he’s angry at people… that he created.” His skepticism is palpable. But having heard this example countless times, this isn’t the impactful moment. The following reveal is Biddy’s true stake in the fight. “At same time, I am highly emotional. My mental illness makes me more emotional or depressed.”

Defiance is a genetic propulsion for Biddy. He immediately offers the heroic stances of his ancestors. “The rebel was engrained in me. I am a German Jew and Ukranian. We didn’t do so well in WWII. My great grandfather was thrown between two train tracks because he told the Brown shirts to go fuck themselves. The other side of my family were Ukranian farmers who said ‘fuck Stalin, because he’s starving us’. And even others were rounded up into camps as Gypsys. My family is made up of rebels. We did not listen to the status quo. If something doesn’t make sense, its bullshit. And we are going to call out the bullshit.”

“In the garden, Satan told them they were naked. Satan told them the truth. As an agnostic, I know Satan is probability not real. But, if he was real, God made him that way only to have a scapegoat to blame. That’s where I identify, because I was born with mental illness, someone society can blame. In private school, I had learning disabilities. But I didn’t have learning disabilities according to them. I had the devil in me. So, they were going to beat the devil out of me. I got the shit beat out of me all the time.”

Biddy reports his parents, “being totally cool”, out of those environments. The understanding parent was often missing from the equation in the ‘80s. Parents were still very much part of the system, never siding with a pugnacious child. But still the trauma of abuse of these institutions had impressed their brand into Biddy. He reflects on their distorted logic. “Oh you can’t spell? You have a disorder? We’ll put you in a harder class. All the solutions were backwards back then.”

“Kids say oh things are out of control these days,” Biddy expands. “No. Things were way more dangerous when I was kid.” We quickly reminisce about how exactly close minded the general public was in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. But instead of dismissing this new generation, as a child of rejection, Biddy takes an empathetic approach. “I am going to defend the millennials. The joke is (about millennials) that ‘oh they are so easily offended’. But, I couldn’t have blue hair back in 1985 without being called homophobic slurs and being beat up. I can’t tell how many times I got hospitalized because I was a skateboarder. People couldn’t handle me eating in a restaurant in the mid 80s because I had a blue Mohawk and two pierced ears.” Biddy then recounts a few specific attacks. Luckily he was armed with an alliance with his parents. But when his father called authority in one of these incidents (which equates to attempted murder upon Biddy’s 16 year old self by an adult), “the cops said, ‘yeah but isn’t your son a skateboarder?’”

Biddy had always had music as an outlet and weapon of retaliation. This album is a sharper sword that Out For Blood. Unleash Hell is reflective of that sentiment’s cinematic origin, gladiators with nothing to lose attacking the system’s corrupt leaders. The fury in Deathwish’s music attacks with speed and precision and killer riffs. The term Motorcharge (combining the sounds of Motorhead and Discharge) is often used, but Deathwish pushes even those limits. “I think we are different. We have a more metal influence like Disfear, Toxic Holocaust, and Midnight.” Not that Biddy denies pure adoration for Motorhead. “I had been seeing Motorhead since I was a kid. But then when I saw Inepsy, I thought ‘this sounds like Motorhead, but they’re killing it’.”

Biddy doesn’t want to fit into a genre slot. He wanted to join a band but d-beat or Motorcharge or crust usually come with fettered characteristics. He knew the style which he wanted, especially after playing in a slower, doom/stoner band. Biddy wanted an electric rush; grit and rage to be the driving force. “But, I couldn’t because they made up 800 rules of how it had to be. When I play in bands, I ask bandmates ‘what do you want do to do?’” He takes their response and pushes, “Let’s do that, plus three more things.” Biddy continues, “You can see the excitement on their face to start to begin with what their passionate is. I’m trying to play with the most passionate people I can find.”

“I’m addicted to rock and roll. That is my drug. It is what I will do until the day I die. You can’t OD on it. Well, we’ll find out.” Playing guitars since he was 15, Biddy has always used music as a release. But 30 years later, it’s more of a lifestyle than ever. He still works, as a barber. I comment on the recent resurgence of barber shops with the cool kids. “That’s just more competition. I have been doing this for 25 years.”

Despite his dedication to his art of haircutting, his music will always be his primary focus. “I’m playing more than I have ever done. And have got to tour with my favorite bands; Municipal Waste, Oi Polloi, DOA, MDC, DRI, Hellshock. How the fuck did I get this lucky? If I end up in a stroke tomorrow, it would balance out.”

Beer City Band Page

Buy the Record (red vinyl)

Cheers to Biddy and New Noise Mags and Earsplit PR