We caught up Hot Water Music bassist Jason Black for an exclusive interview on the eve of the release of the band’s 8th studio album Exister, which hit streets Tuesday via Rise Records and marks the band’s first new album in 8 years. Jason was kind enough to go in-depth for Blow The Scene readers around the world, discussing the creative and recording processes behind Exister, Hot Water Music‘s signing to Rise Records, tour plans, current influences, and much more. We were also on hand last night in Philadelphia, as Hot Water Music kicked off a series of record release dates at the legendary First Unitarian Church basement, so be sure to check back in the coming days for an extensive photo gallery.

Without further do, let’s hear from Jason Black in this Hot Water Music full feature interview.

Joshua BTS: Thanks for taking a few minutes with Blow The Scene readers from around the world. Let’s kick off by having you introduce yourself and declare your weapon of choice with punk rock juggernaut Hot Water Music.

My name is Jason Black and I play bass in Hot Water Music.

Joshua BTS: Your first full-length record in 8 years, Exister, is getting ready to drop on Rise Records tomorrow. Are you guys doing anything special for the release as a band?

Jason Black: No, we’re flying to Philly tomorrow or driving to Philly, whatever [laughs]. Getting to Philadelphia tomorrow is pretty much the plan. We tried to work out a couple things here and there, everyone has got pretty tight schedules and we all live all over the place. So it’s not the easiest thing in the world to get.. I shouldn’t say get everyone together, but it’s not like we can go ‘Oh, hey let’s play a show in Gainesville tomorrow’ and everyone is already there.

Joshua BTS: Sure.

Jason Black: It takes a few days for everyone to get to the same place almost. Definitely one full day. We have showtime on Wednesday, so I am stoked, should be fun.

Joshua BTS: Awesome. We’re based out of Philly, so we’ll definitely be there covering the show, should be rad. This is going to kick off a small series of tour dates for you guys right?

Jason Black: Ya, we’re doing Philly on Wednesday and we head up to Montreal on Friday, Bamboozle, couple New York shows, couple shows in California the next weekend. Just kind of as much of a record release thing as we could get together. We have a lot of in studio kind of promotional, press, radio things going on in and throughout all of that stuff. That’s why the shows were focused in the New York and LA areas because that’s where all that stuff is.

Joshua BTS: Right on. So to dive into this new record a little bit- Can you give us the skinny on this record? When did the actual writing process start for Exister?

Jason Black: It officially started last August when we were in Europe. We had decided ‘Ok we’re going to make a record, so let’s start writing for it.’ It just trickled down until around November when picked date to go record and settled on the Blasting Room and settled on Rise [Records] and got everything in line to go the path that we’ve gone. Then it really kind of kicked into high gear at that point, well..High gear as far as we go [laughs]. Trying to make a record in two months, we had a lot of material between everyone, we had more than enough. And luckily it all came together really well and pretty easily without too many hitches in the songwriting. We really weren’t sure how it was going to go but ended up going great, so we’re really happy and probably lucky [laughs] on a lot of levels too.

Joshua BTS: Were there any elements of the actual writing process that saw you guys step out of your comfort zone? Like any new voices added into the writing process? Or has it always been a collective thing?

Jason Black: Ya, it’s still a super collective situation but with Chris and Chuck kind of running their own bands for the last few years they definitely had a more informed voice or a more complete vision for some of the songs. So, as opposed to just being like, ‘I’ve got this kind of verse idea- What do we do?’ I mean there was still plenty of that, but there was a lot of, ‘Here, I wrote a song. Do we like it?’ and ‘Do we want to mess with it?’ kind of thing. That was probably the biggest difference of something that never really happened before. It has always been super, super writing by committee. Also because these dudes weren’t doing their own projects, so they never really had to finish anything by themselves. You know? So I think with that being part of the vocabulary now, I would say that might have lent itself to some of the conciseness of some of the material.

Joshua BTS: That’s interesting too that you say with all the experience, with all of the other projects and bands, tours and stuff that the other members have going on, as being a positive. I know a lot bands when they have members spread out doing different projects you often hear it makes it a lot more difficult to get a recording together. It’s cool to hear that you guys were actually able to take that experience and use it and create something new out of it.

Jason Black: I would say musically it is definitely a positive. Logistically it’s kind of a negative [laughs]. But as far as the creative process goes, I think it’s better if everyone keeps playing with other people. It’s kind of the only way you learn being a musician. Getting time to do the band is a whole other story [laughs].

Joshua BTS: Who did you guys decide to do the recording with? And did you already have in mind what studio and engineers you were going to work with before you started the recording process?

Jason Black: Not really. We had kind of a short list and kicked around a couple of different people. We talked about our friend Brian McTernan who did the last three records with. But when the Blasting Room and Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore got brought up, we were all kind of like ‘Duh!’ For some reason we had never thought of that. When that got put on the table we were all like ‘Yes! Let’s make this happen.’ They were into it and had time and we again luckily squeezed in there and made it work. It wasn’t a long decision process once they came up and were available. That became ‘Let’s figure out how this is going to happen and how we can do it.’

Joshua BTS: Awesome. While the album sounds polished and pure, with everything sounding huge, it also retains a lot of those live elements. I’ve seen Hot Water Music probably half a dozen times and you can still feel that live energy on the record. Do you guys employ any recording techniques or any pieces of equipment that you feel are pivotal for capturing the sound that is Hot Water Music? I feel like while you dabble in some new territory on this record, it still definitely has that Hot Water Music feel to it.

Jason Black: I would say by not using any particular equipment or anything, it was really a stripped down process of really just trying to record us as a band. Something we’ve always-I don’t want to say we were never able to do in the past..It’s always been something that we wanted to do and it never really happened for any number of reasons. This time, I think there wasn’t a whole lot of studio magic or anything. It was a pretty straightforward process and I think that lent to capturing what we were hoping to do and what you noticed on the record. We were really just hoping to, ‘Let’s just record us playing the songs.’

Joshua BTS: Awesome. So how did you guys originally come to link up with Rise Records? Was it something where they approached you? Or just an obvious fit? How did that come into being?

Jason Black: They approached us last year when had made the executive decision to go ahead and push forward and make a record. We started talking about who we were going to do it with obviously and went through the list of usual suspects. They just kind of popped up and were like, ‘Hey! We really want to do it!’ I don’t want to say they were the most excited.. but they were the most excited [laughs]. That’s kind of been the way we like to operate- Whoever wants it the most is probably the best person to work with. That was kind of the short and long of it. It really was they kind of put their hat in the ring and out-shined everyone else as far as interest and excitability and everything. Very happy with our decision for sure.

Joshua BTS: Right on. Have you guys talked about- and I know it’s still very new with the new release coming out tomorrow- But are you guys looking to work with them for future releases?

Jason Black: Yes. Contractually we have one more record with them. Unless they decide to hate us between now and then, that will be what happens [laughs].

Joshua BTS: So it’s safe to say fans can expect a record sometime in the next few years?

Jason Black: Oh ya, absolutely. You never know what happens but that seems to be the general plan.

Joshua BTS: Very cool. With the obvious 8 year lapse between records- Did you weigh in any outside expectations for the band? Obviously you have amassed a very strong following of fans around the world throughout your career. Was that something that you took into consideration- That you still have a lot of long time fans that are very familiar with your catalog and were really waiting for new material? Was that something that you took into account when you were constructing these songs? Did you try and approach it with more of clean slate and just let it happen?

Jason Black: We really went into it with a clean slate. As much as we could sit here and say we didn’t think about all those things you just mentioned, it is the natural thing to do. But we’ve always really, really tried to not let that weigh on any of our writing or anything weigh on any of those factors. There’s a ton of people that are like, ‘Oh they were way better before they signed to Epitaph,’ which is so stupid [laughs]. They had absolutely nothing to do with the records we made on the label. You know? There has never been anyone who has said, ‘You have to do X or Y or B,’ it’s always been our decision musically 110% all the way across the board. You could definitely go through the band and find people that like different records and different sets of songs better throughout the course of the band for sure. I think if we ever made a record like that it would be really apparent really quickly to everyone that we made a (pardon my language) a bullshit record. [laughs]

Joshua BTS: How did you guys land on the cover art of Exister? Did you guys approach an artist about doing the cover art? Is this something you guys had already planned out as you were going into the recording process?

Jason Black: No, actually. We tried to use the artist we used for most of band’s career, our friend Scott Sinclair. He was legitimately too busy with real life. We ended up using our friend Richard Minino, who’s been doing t-shirt designs for us lately and we’re really happy with the outcome. It was kind of like, ‘Hey dude! What do you have?’ He turned it in and we were stoked, so again, lucky to have talented friends.

Joshua BTS: Awesome. So when you are not busy working with the band- What does your daily life look like?

Jason Black: Getting ready to work with the band usually [laughs]. We have so much stuff coming up there has been a ton of prep work. Waiting for the record to come out and we just got back from a few shows in Europe about two weeks ago and we’re headed back over there next month for a couple of weeks and we’ll be going back out in the fall. It’s getting everything in order and getting everything up and running again having taken a break. The machine gets a little rusty as far as the day-to-day operations go.

Joshua BTS: Right on. So do you do music full-time?

Jason Black: Ya, ya, we all do it full time.

Joshua BTS: Are there any other current projects that you are working on right now?

Jason Black: I personally also play in this band called Senses Fail from Jersey and we’re probably recording again in October. So everyone has a couple projects that they bounce back and forth between as much as possible.

Joshua BTS: When you are pulling inspiration for you bass licks- Are there any other bassists right now that are doing anything that really excites you? Or any other bands that you look to that are really exciting you as you were writing this record?

Jason Black: As far as playing goes, it’s pretty much been the same dudes for a long time. Mike Watt, Karl Alvarez, like everyone who has played with Descendents, Tony Lombardo, most of the stuff I grew up on. I listen to a lot of jazz, as far as, when I’m not on tour listening to the bands we’re on tour with. I think that figures into it a lot more for me. No disrespect to any of my peers or anything, there aren’t a ton of super exciting bass players in the punk rock scene [laughs].

Joshua BTS: I hear you [laughs]

Jason Black: You know- It’s fine, it’s everybody’s prerogative. I have to go outside for inspiration for the most part.

Joshua BTS: I know that you mentioned that you guys have a few tours lined up. Do you have anything else slated as we head into 2013? Any places that you are really looking forward to hitting up?

Jason Black: We’re happy to be able to do what will hopefully amount to a full US tour this fall. We’re still missing a couple places on it but you can’t get everywhere all at once. Then for next year we are starting to pencil in the dates and get figured out what we have time to do and when we can do it. For us, a lot of it depends on everyone’s schedules and sort of depends on the fate of the record and how it all ends up going. That will determine a lot, one way or the other, for sure.

Joshua BTS: That pretty much wraps up what I had planned for this round on interview questions. Any final thoughts as we close out?

Jason Black: Thanks for taking the time to do the interview, appreciate it very much.

Joshua BTS: Absolutely. We’re really looking forward to seeing you guys on Wednesday in Philly. That should be a kick ass gig.

Jason Black: Ya I’m excited. I think its going to be a lot of fun.

Joshua BTS: Thanks again for the interview and we really look forward to keeping up with your future endeavors.

Interview by Joshua T. Cohen

Photos by Joshua T. Cohen and Dante Torrieri from Riot Fest East 2011.

Hot Water Music – “Exister” on Exister LP out May 15

More info:

Official Hot Water Music Website
Rise Records

Don’t forget to check back in coming days for new gallery of Hot Water Music‘s May 16 Philadelphia performance!

Cold World are known for fusing pummeling riffs and meaty hardcore with elements of hip-hop without being a cheesy rap-core hybrid. This is very fine line to walk. While the band’s early releases received overwhelmingly positive reviews, the Cold World‘s 2008 full-length on Deathwish Inc, Dedicated To The Babies Who Came Feet First, reached new heights of popularity but also alienated some longtime fans. With a lot of tempo changes and transitions, this latter release saw the band test new waters. No matter your taste in hardcore, or whether or not you enjoy some hip-hop influences fused with brutal riffs, Cold World is a group of musicians that aim only to please themselves. The band tackles subjects based on real life experiences that are delivered in unapologetic fashion. This is one element of the band that resonates with scores of hardcore fans today. This devastating formula has inspired some insanely raucous crowd reactions over the years. Despite their recent lack of shows and buzz, Cold World has once again been building momentum fresh off of a European tour run in April with Sunday’s Barbary showcase being the third night of month long trek across the US. As expected, the crowd went nuts with heavy mosh, stage dives, pile-ons, with an energy we’ve come to expect from Philly’s hardcore scene.

Hardcore heavyweights Dead End Path, Suburban Scum, Expire and newcomers Cross Check rounded out this frenzied hardcore showcase by Joe Hardcore and his Philly Hardcore Shows booking group.

Without further ado..

All pictures by Anne Spina of Anne Spina Photography
Words by Joshua T. Cohen

Cross Check

Expire

Suburban Scum

Dead End Path

Cold World

Legendary doom metal forefathers Saint Vitus are streaming their upcoming album Lillie: F-65 in its entirety on NPR.

The band will play festivals this spring and summer in the US and Europe.

The tour dates are as follows:

Saint Vitus Summer Tour 2012

25 May 12 Dallas, TX (US) Trees
27 May 12 Baltimore, MD (US) Maryland Death Fest
30 May 12 New Orleans, LA (US) One Eyed Jacks
31 May 12 Houston, TX (US) Fitzgerald’s
01 Jun 12 Austin, TX (US) Chaos in Tejas Fest
07 Jun 12 Sölvesborg (SE) Sweden Rock Festival
11 Jun 12 London (UK) Underworld
12 Jun 12 Manchester (UK) Academy 3
13 Jun 12 Bristol (UK) Fleece
16 Jun 12 Clisson (FR) Hellfest
29 Jun 12 Helsinki (FI) Tuska Open Air
01 Jul 12 Lärz (DE) Fusion Festival
02 Jul 12 Berlin (DE) Kreuzberg Festival
03 Jul 12 Wien (AT) Viper Room
04 Jul 12 Budapest (HU) A38
06 Jul 12 Ebensee (AT) Kino Ebensee
07 Jul 12 Athens (GR) An Club
09 Jul 12 Bern (CH) Dachstock
10 Jul 12 Ludwigsburg (DE) Rockfabrik
13 Jul 12 Erfurt (DE) Stoned from the Underground Festival
14 Jul 12 Rostock (DE) Mau Club
17 Jul 12 Oslo (NO) Rockefeller
19 Jul 12 Tilburg (NL) O13
21 Jul 12 Oberhausen (DE) Devil Side Festival

Saint Vitus are a highly influential American doom metal band from Los Angeles. They have been regarded as one of the first bands of the genre, starting out as early as the late 1970s, along with Pentagram and Trouble. For most of their career, the band comprised vocalist Scott Weinrich, bassist Mark Adams, guitarist Dave Chandler and drummer Armando Acosta. After breaking up in 1996, Saint Vitus briefly reunited for a tour in 2003, and are back together again as of 2008.

Current lineup:

Wino Weinrich – vocals
Dave Chandler – guitar
Mark Adams – bass
Henry Vasquez – drums

Lillie: F-65 is available on Season of Mist’s e-shop

Renowned American post-hardcore band, Planes Mistaken For Stars, have announced a string of reunion tour dates to begin on August 4 in Chicago and a reissue of the band’s 2006 album Mercy on No Idea Records to coincide. Having disbanded in 2007, the band amassed a strong following of fans with eclectic tour runs supporting The Ataris, Cursive, Against Me!, Dillinger Escape Plan, Hot Water Music and High on Fire, as well as a series of headlining US and European runs.

Planes Mistaken For Stars Summer Reunion Tour:

Aug. 4th. Chicago @ The Ultra Lounge w/ Worn in Red, Angry Gods
Aug. 5th. Lansing, MI @ Macs Bar w/ Worn in Red, FenceMen
Aug. 7th.Boston, MA @ Great Scott
Aug.8th. Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus w/ The Sun, The Moon, The Stars and Model Home
Aug.9th. Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwells w/ The Sun, The Moon, The Stars
Aug.10th. Blacksburg, VA @ We Got Brains! Fest w/ Regents
Aug. 11th. Washington, D.C. @ Red Room w/ Regents
Aug. 12th. Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Regents
Aug.14th. Cincinnati, OH @ TBA
Aug. 15th. Peoria, IL @ Brass Rail w/ The Forecast, Lark’s Tounge, Angry Gods

One Win Choice was recently featured in Episode 2 of a video series from D.I. Wireless Podcast titled “Fest or Bust Tour,” which chronicles a road trip to last year’s 10th anniversary of FEST in Gainesville, FL, as well as all the bands and people that make the event so unique. For more info on D.I. Wireless with interviews and live footage of One Win Choice – as well as Restorations, The Great Explainer and The Bouncing Souls check out D.I. Wireless’s Facebook. Episode 1 can be viewed here.

On a related note, One Win Choice has been confirmed for FEST 11.

Channeling the ethos and intensity of bands such as Strike Anywhere and Refused, and and combining melodic elements not unlike Rise Against or A Wilhelm Scream, Philly’s One Win Choice is a bastion of everything hardcore punk should strive to be. Conveyor burns with an underlying fire and passion, and the term “sonic annihilation” comes to mind more than once during the album’s 33 minute run time. Still, this explosive full-length also frames a group of individuals who have grown immensely as songwriters; these 13 tracks are meticulously crafted, underscored by thought-provoking lyrics and a palpable sincerity.

We caught up with One Win Choice for an exclusive interview just as the band was preparing to release Conveyor in 2011.

Listen to “Frame Your Favorite Pictures” (free mp3).
One Win Choice – Frame Your Favorite Pictures

EURO TOUR 2012 w/ Astpai

MAY 19 – Leipzig, Germany @ Atari Rosa w/ Braindead
MAY 20 – Berlin, Germany @ Subversiv w/ Braindead
MAY 22 – Munster, Germany @ Baracke (Astpai only!)
MAY 23 – Eindhoven, Netherlands @ Kafee Aloys
MAY 24 – Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Ondebroek w/ Bridge and Tunnel
MAY 25 – Sint-Niklaaas, Belgium @ OJC Kompas
MAY 26 – Norwich, England @ Olive’s Cafe
MAY 27 – London, England @ The Black Heart
MAY 28 – Bristol, England @ The Croft
MAY 29 – TBA
MAY 30 – Manchester, England @ Kraak Gallery
MAY 31 – Newcastle, England @ TBA
JUN 01 – Glasgow, Scotland @ The Bay
JUN 02 – Edinburgh, Scotland @ Banshee’s Labyrinth
JUN 03 – Lincoln, England @ Crash Doubt Fest
JUN 04 – Leeds, England @ TBA
JUN 05 – Bridgend, Wales @ Hobo’s
JUN 06 – Portsmouth, England @ TBA
JUN 07 – Lille, France @ La Chimere
JUN 09 – Nantes, France @ La Scene Michelet w/ Nine Eleven
JUN 10 – La Rochelle, France @ Le Barbarella
JUN 12 – San Sebastian, Spain @ Mogambo Aretoa
JUN 13 – Toulouse, France @ La Dynamo
JUN 14 – Marseille, France @ O’Bundies
JUN 15 – Bern, Switzerland @ Dead End
JUN 16 – Bludenz, Austria @ Villa K
JUN 17 – Sanguinetto, Italy @ Mamma Mia
JUN 18 – Lugo, Italy @ Lughe
JUN 19 – Italy @ TBA
JUN 20 – Jlubljana, Slovenia @ Gromka
JUN 21 – Graz, Austria @ Sub
JUN 22 – Rotenturm, Austria @ GH Farkas
JUN 23 – Wiener Neustadt, Austria @ Triebwerk

Behemoth have been decimating stages around the world since their inception in 1991 and have a slew of renowned releases that span some of the most influential metal labels in the world, including MetalBlade, Nuclear Blast, and Century Media, to name just a few. The band was dealt a major setback in 2010 when singer/guitarist Adam “Nergal” Darski was diagnosed with advanced leukemia and the band was forced to cancel tours in support of their 2009 LP, Evangelion. By January of 2011, Nergal had undergone a bone marrow transplant and spent the early part of 2011 recovering from the illness and surgery. Nergal was able to pull through with a full recovery, as fans and friends were more than happy to receive word the band began writing towards a new album slated for a 2013 release and once again began touring.

Many, including members of the band, consider The Decibel Magazine Tour 2012 to be Behomoth‘s victorious return as front-runners in the metal world and this Trocadero performance only solidified this notion. Behemoth hit the stage larger than life in their ghoulish war paint and proceeded to rip through a set that spanned their 20-year career. You could feel the excitement and energy pouring from the band with a elevated sense of determination and clarity. Even following four great performances by the opening acts, Behemoth drew new life from the audience and propelled the evening towards an incredible zenith of emotion with a powerful delivery of technical death metal that was executed flawlessly. There is no question; Behemoth is a band that is here to stay and will continue to push the boundaries of extreme music. We will certainly be keeping a close eye on the band as they prepare material for a 2013 release.

This inaugural Decibel Magazine Tour was rounded out by Swedish black metal provocateurs Watain, Dutch prog mystics The Devil’s Blood, Swedish old-school occultists In Solitude, and New Jersey funeral doom metal band Evoken.

Our incredibly talented Senior Staff Photographer Dante Torrieri was on hand to deliver another amazing set of photos for your viewing pleasure.

Without further ado..

All photos by Dante Torrieri of Useless Rebel Imaging.
Words by Joshua T. Cohen

Evoken

In Solitude

The Devil’s Blood

Watain

Behemoth

Baroness are giving fans an early listen to music from the eagerly anticipated new album, Yellow & Green (July 17, Relapse Records) with new song, “Take My Bones Away,” posted today on the band’s website.

“Take My Bones Away” will be available via iTunes on May 15. Pre-orders for Yellow & Green are currently available.

Baroness, who are currently on a North American tour with Meshuggah, have also announced their first round of European tour dates in support of Yellow & Green which includes stops at the Roskilde and Oya Festivals.

Baroness tour dates:

w/Meshuggah through May 23
May 15 Chicago, IL House of Blues
May 16 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall
May 17 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
May 18 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
May 19 Worcester, MA Palladium
May 20 Montreal, QC Olympia de Montreal
May 22 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore
May 23 New York, NY Terminal 5

July 1 Helsinki, Finland Tuska Open Air
July 3 Gothenburg, Sweden Sticky Fingers *
July 4 Stockholm, Sweden Debasser Slussen *
July 6 Roskilde, Denmark Roskilde Festival
July 15 Dour, Belgium Dour Festival
July 25 Wiesbaden, Germany Raucherkammer *
July 28 Florence, Italy Viper Theatre *
July 30 Milan, Italy Civic Arena
August 1 Vienna, Austria Chelsea
August 4 Katowice, Poland Off Festival
August 5 Berlin, Germany Magnet *
August 6 Hamburg, Germany Logo *
August 9 Oslo, Norway Oya Festival
August 17 – 19 Luedinghausen, Germany Area4
August 18 Leipzig, Germany Highfield Festival

September 6 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

* indicates headlining show. More dates to come.

The fest, now entering it’s seventh annual installment has quickly become a staple of the East Coast hardcore experience. With literal hundreds of now legendary performances, TIH fest continually showcases some of the most sought-after hardcore bands from around the world mixed with some budding talent for 4 days of intense music and mosh.

We caught up with Joe Hardcore for a series of interviews over the past several months so be sure to scope those. Joe and his team recently completed a successful Kickstart campaign and have organized a photo-book edition documenting the first 6 years of the This Is Hardcore Fest.

Tickets for This Is Hardcore Fest 2012 go on sale May 17, so be sure to set your alarms, because this fest sells out at lighting speed every year.

We were on hand last year for all 4 days of the fest and plan on heading back this August for another go!

The opening night, Thursday August 9th, will be hosted by Philly’s newest premiere venue, Union Transfer. The following three days of This Is Hardcore Fest shows happening at The Electric Factory.

This Is Hardcore Fest – Day 1 – Thursday August 9 – Union Transfer

Terror
Earth Crisis
Ringworm
Maximum Penalty
Mindset
Naysayer
Lifeless
Build & Destroy
The Storm

This Is Hardcore Fest 2012 – Day 2 – Friday August 10 – Electric Factory

Headliner TBA
Cro-Mags
Cold World
100 Demons
Deaththreat
Harm’s Way
Power Trip
Praise
Wrong Answer
Beware

This Is Hardcore Fest 2012 Day 3 – Saturday August 11 – Electric Factory

Gorilla Biscuits
Lifetime
H20
Title Fight
Bane
Grey Area
Vision
Horror Show
Rival Mob
Rotting Out
Skin Like Iron
Stick Together
No Tolerance
Twitching Tongues
Code Orange Kids
Oblivion
Empire of Rats

This Is Hardcore Fest 2012 Day 4 – Sunday August 12 – Electric Factory

Blacklisted
Breakdown
In My Eyes
Floorpunch
Crown of Thorns
Negative Approach
Killing Time
Wisdom in Chains
Nails
Hard Skin
Gehenna
Soul Search
Will to Live
Agitator
Rude Awakening
Born Annoying

Old Man Gloom has seen a number of interesting artist collaborations throughout their history of releases that remained fairly prolific during the early 2000s. NO marks the band’s first studio work since 2004′s Christmas LP, although the prolonged absence was hardly felt at this packed show. Old Man Gloom put in a powerhouse performance that was preceded by a massive thunderstorm that set the perfect mood for their lumbering set. The years of combined musical experience between these musicians shows as they are able to dictate an engaging array of moods and movements with a set that never relinquishes a sense of impending doom.

Renowned bassist, guitarist, and sound arranger, James Plotkin (Old, Lotus Eaters) was joined by Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom) and Tim Wyskida (ex Khanate) for an improvised set that included eerie dissonant movements of electronics and guitar-induced distortions that broke up the metal-induced flavors of the evening. Rosetta are no strangers to Philly or Blow The Scene and commanded the audience with an intense live show that incorporates elements of metal and space rock. Fans of Russian Circles that also enjoy some vocal intensity added to the mix will find a lot to love here. The band does a great job of building tensions with vast musical progressions that are complimented by singer Mike Armine’s impassioned vocal presence.

Argonauts is another band that is no stranger to Blow The Scene. Featuring members of Municipal Waste, Postman Syndrome, and Burnt by the Sun, this band has been picking up steam with a series of East Coast tours as they continue to prepare material for their first studio release. We are very excited to see what this group of renowned musicians churns out as they continue to hone a complex metal sound that is just ripe to explode on the scene.

All photos by our Senior Staff Photographer Dante Torrieri of Useless Rebel Imaging

Argonauts

James Plotkin

Rosetta

Old Man Gloom

Band: Hot Water Music
Album: Exister
Record Label: Rise Records
Release Date: May 15, 2012

One Path Review is a special column feature by Thomas Schlatter (Black Kites, Less Life, Capacities) of One Path For Me Blog. Thomas will be breaking off a review or two per month, exclusively for Blow The Scene. We launch his column today with a review of Hot Water Music‘s forthcoming LP, Exister.

It’s been a very long time since that night back in 1996 when I experienced Hot Water Music for the first time in a cramped New Brunswick basement. Their gruff exterior and gritty take on melodic post hardcore was unlike any other that a band had done before. They seem to tackle their melodies with passion and ease, backed by some tastefully busy drumming and bass lines that took their notes for a walk. I recall everyone being awe inspired by the vocal solo in “Eating The Filler”, as two voices clashed and came into sync. Those were the days. We all knew this band was something special, but I never really considered that 16 years later I would see them reaching the capacity they’ve come to.

So here we are at the present. Hot Water Music has released their second album in a decade, Exister. The production here is on point, making it easy for the listener to get wrapped up into the mix. It has a great life to it that brings the excitement of the music out to you. With the advent of the “Dad Rock” explosion of sub par top 40 bands like Nickleback; it’s a fine line that this gruff voiced rock style has to walk to not fall into such a genre. The tough line that Hot Water Music has to tread here is something interesting that comes to mind while listening to it. I think Hot Water Music can use this to their advantage in creating a more universal appeal, while still communicating something more genuine and honest.

This is a more upbeat Hot Water Music in my opinion and perhaps even leans a bit more on the “happier” elements in their delivery at times (just listen to the bounciness of “State of Grace”). The first 4 songs come out of the gate with some upbeat charm and catchy melodies. They take things down a notch with “Drag My Body” which shows the band being able to do a mid tempo rock song without falling into the aforementioned “Dad Rock” trap.

The title track, “Exister”, reminds me of the more classic sound of the band’s past. With its opening finger-picked bass line and melodic, textured guitars, they take me back to the mid 90′s on this one. “Take No Prisoners” exhibits a gruff verse that also reminds me why I liked this band in the first place. The passion and desperation peaks out in these moments and I think this where the band’s strength has always been. Though, I must admit my confusion when “Pledge Worn Thin” began playing. The ska-like guitars and vocal delivery of the verse, coupled with a chorus that falls a bit too far into mainstream territory sounded out of place among this collection of songs. They go further with the experimentation with “No End In Sight”, which conjures the soundtrack from an old Western movie. It’s an interesting turn but I would probably file it as one of the weaker tracks on the record.

The band brings us back for a strong finish though, as “The Traps” and “Paid In Full” both belt out that upbeat desperation that this band delivers quite well. Hot Water Music are back, that’s for sure and I can’t help but give them credit for having worked out a great balance of refining their sound while still maintaining what made them great all those years ago.

Review by Thomas Schlatter of One Path For Me blog.

Track list:

1. Mainline
2. Boy, You’re Gonna Hurt Someone
3. State of Grace
4. Drown In It
5. Drag My Body
6. Safety
7. Exister
8. Wrong Way
9. Take No Prisoners
10. Pledge Wore Thin
11. No End Left In Sight
12. The Traps
13. Paid In Full

You can hardly describe Ramming Speed as a “supporting act,” as this group of thrashy, punk-induced, speed-metal titans break off an aggressive barrage of riffs to the delight of their rapid fan base. With multiple releases on the mighty Tankcrimes label and scores of renowned indie labels, Ramming Speed are at the forefront of the US’s resurgence of speedy thrash. With a solid mix of d-beats, blasts, and metal, Ramming Speed are never a disappointment live with last week’s showcase being no exception.

Richmond’s favorite weed-laden riff monsters Cannabis Corpse are still supporting their latest offering, Beneath Grow Lights Thou Shalt Rise, which hit streets last year via Tankcrimes Records. Featuring members of Municipal Waste and Battlemaster, Cannabis Corpse have proven they offer much more than just Cannibal Corpse worship riffs and have delivered some killer death metal tunes over the past several years. We caught up with Cannabis Corpse bassist Landphil (Municipal Waste) for an interview shortly after the new LP hit streets, so be sure to scope that if you missed it the first time around.

Revocation continue to support the 2011 release of their third studio full-length Chaos in Forms which hit streets via Relapse Records last August. Featuring the guitar work of founding member David Davidson who honed his poly-rhythmic guitar attack at the Berkley School of Music, the band fuses elements of technical death metal and thrash for a tasty offerings of speedy and catchy riffs across the board.

Once again, our ever-talented Senior Staff Photographer, Dante Torrieri of Useless Rebel Imaging was on hand to capture the show in photos for your viewing pleasure.

Without further ado..

All Pictures by Dante Torrieri.

Ramming Speed

Cannabis Corpse

Revocation

I’ve always preferred music reviews by musicians, as opposed to someone writing from the “outside.” A mastery of one’s art always makes for a more informative review and Tom’s musical ability and innovation is one our all-time favorites in the hardcore/punk spectrum.

We’d like to introduce the One Path Review column with an interview of our new featured columnist Thomas Schlatter. If you missed our prior interviews with Tom’s bands Black Kites and Less Life, be sure to scope those as well!

Tomorrow we’ll have Tom’s first review and official kick-off of One Path Review, so be sure to stop back and check it out!

Without further ado, lets hear from Tom!

Joshua BTS: So Thom- We’d like to get some background history on you before we kickoff your Blow The Scene review column. We know you have played in renowned bands such as Black Kites, Thursday, and Less Life- When did you make the transition into reviewing music?

Thomas Schlatter: I started playing in hardcore bands when I was 15. I’m 33 now. Since then I’ve always been in a band in one form or another. (Just to be clear, I was never in Thursday, I just did guest vocals for them on an album and did some live appearances). The move to write about music started as a New Year’s resolution on the first week of 2012. Hardcore was drying out around New Jersey and I was not feeling too optimistic about a lot of the new “hype” bands I was hearing about. Starting the blog (One Path For Me) was a way to challenge myself to find some new music that would get me excited about hardcore again. The transition to writing was more of a vehicle to make me sought out some new tunes.

Joshua BTS: Any particular style of music you enjoy covering? Anything you won’t review?

Thomas Schlatter: I mostly stay in the punk, hardcore and indie neighborhood since that’s what I’m most familiar with. There are no boundaries really, but that’s the stuff that really speaks to me the most. When I started reviewing I asked that bands provide their lyrics and artwork so I could use that to paint a complete picture. There are two instances where I won’t review something. My first disqualifier is if the band has imagery or lyrics that portray racism, violence against women, homophobia, etc. Sure, people can cry “censorship”, but the way I see it is One Path For Me is my blog, so I can set the standards. If people don’t like it they can start their own blog. That’s the great thing about these smaller internet blogs. Anyone can make them. They take no start-up costs or overheard; they just take a little commitment. My second disqualifier is if I listen to the band and just can’t find anything good to say about the music. Of course, with reviewing for Blow The Scene I’ll be happy to review and totally rip apart anything I don’t like (haha).

Joshua BTS: Have you received any formal writing training?

Thomas Schlatter: Since as far back as I can remember I’ve had a speech impediment. There is no cure or treatment for me, other than to stay very relaxed and keep my blood pressure down. I have a stutter that can go anywhere from very mild to totally hindering. Writing became a much easier way to communicate very early on. For the same reason, I really latched on to playing music.

Joshua BTS: What instruments do you play and what bands are you still currently active in?

Thomas Schlatter: I’m currently playing bass and doing some vocals in a band called Capacities. I do my best on drums in Less Life. I also have a project where I’m playing guitar with some members of other bands who live across the country. That’s sort of a studio project, but may end up playing some shows here and there.

Joshua BTS: Do you write commissioned reviews for work or solely as a leisure activity?

Thomas Schlatter: This is solely a leisure activity.

Joshua BTS: Any other musician/writers or just plain writers that you look up to? Perhaps some that helped you develop your own writing style?

Thomas Schlatter: Fictional writers like Kurt Vonnegut and Pete Hamill are very interesting to me because they write fiction in a very “matter of fact” way. My writing is probably similar in that style, however, I could never come up with the intricate plots and character development that those writers thrive at in their fiction writing. Non-fiction is where I’ll stay, just writing about observations I have. That’s all music reviews are really; observations.

Joshua BTS: Any online magazines or print magazines that you feel are doing a bang-up job right now? Besides us of course. Just Kidding! [laughing]

Thomas Schlatter: Melodic Bears, I Cuddle Tomorrow, and The Elementary Revolt are three blogs I tend to follow on a regular basis. They have good content and bands that I tend to be interested in learning about.

Joshua BTS: Do you feel your musical experience and performing with bands that collectively share a similar struggle gives you an oversight that other writers may be missing out on? Does your musical experience make it more difficult to discuss the negative aspects of a given work? Let’s face it- Artists are sensitive about their work no matter how delusional he or she may be about the quality.

Thomas Schlatter: As a musician, there is definitely that “third eye” you get that gives a very different perspective on listening to music. If anything, it makes me comfortable discussing the downsides of a band’s composition because I feel I have a bit more ground to stand on when describing why it doesn’t work for me. With no musical knowledge I would just be saying “it doesn’t sound good”. But, as you said, I’ve faced the same struggles of trying to execute song dynamics with some success and some failure. So, yes, there is definitely an advantage to being a musician in this regard.

Joshua BTS: I know you approach your music projects with a ton of creativity and passion- Do you hold the bands you review to this level of musicianship?

Thomas Schlatter: With hardcore, punk and indie it’s typically a case where bands have to be doing this because they really want to. That’s what I love about it. Even “larger” bands aren’t really getting paid in the way most people think. No one is paying for their new Porsche or buying a mansion with the profits from a hardcore record. So that passion has to be there if you’re going to invest your time into being in a band.

Joshua BTS: Do you only review EPs and albums? Or will we be seeing live, book, art, or even movie reviews coming from your corner?

Thomas Schlatter: I’m going to stick with music. It’s what I know. I couldn’t possibly even begin to touch the technical, inner workings of anything else as well as I’ve been able to with music.

Joshua BTS: Without giving away too much- What do you have coming down the pipeline that you will be sharing with BTS readers?

Thomas Schlatter: The future is a blank slate.

Joshua BTS: Any final thoughts as we look forward to your forthcoming column series for Blow The Scene.

Thomas Schlatter: Let’s get it on.

Interview by Joshua T. Cohen
top photo by Dante Torrieri
middle photo by James Seibert

Weedeater performances never lack in the support department, with last week’s showcase being no exception. Relapse Records recording artists, Cough, kicked off the evening with their epic-styled sludge with long-droning movements that are uncompromisingly slow and brutal. The band continues to support their latest Relapse release, Ritual Abuse, with various tours throughout the US and abroad.

Fellow Wilmington rockers, ASG also brought their blend of heavy rock, incorporating everything from southern metal to punk. The band quickly raised the temperature on the floor with a thick set that spanned the band’s discography. ASG recently signed with Relapse Records and will be recording a new album with Matt Hyde in the near future.

Our ever-talented Senior Staff Photographer, Dante Torrieri of Useless Rebel Imaging was on hand to deliver the show in photos for your viewing pleasure.

All photos by Dante Torrieri.

Cough

ASG

ASG – “Not My Kind” – feat on Low Country split with Black Tusk

Weedeater

Weedeater – “Jason… The Dragon” – feat on Jason… The Dragon

Baroness, currently on tour previewing material from their forthcoming album Yellow & Green (July 17, Relapse Records), have posted a trailer for the upcoming release, giving listener’s their first hint of music from the eagerly anticipated album.

Pre-orders for Yellow & Green are available now with the release available in multiple formats: 2CD, Deluxe 2CD, 2xLP and Deluxe 2xLP. The deluxe versions are limited edition, one time pressings of 2CD and 2LP sets with expanded artwork. The deluxe 2CD and 2LP sets will each be housed in a heavy duty 28+ page perfect-bound hard covered book set featuring the art of front man John Baizley.

“Take My Bones Away,” the first single from Yellow & Green, will premiere online on May 14 via Baroness‘s YouTube page and the band’s website. The single will be available via iTunes on May 15.

Baroness tour dates are (all dates with Meshuggah):

May 3 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
May 4 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
May 5 West Hollywood, CA House of Blues
May 6 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
May 8 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
May 9 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market
May 11 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
May 13 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
May 15 Chicago, IL House of Blues
May 16 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall
May 17 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
May 18 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
May 19 Worcester, MA The Palladium
May 20 Montreal, QC Olympia de Montreal
May 22 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore Silver Spring
May 23 New York, NY Terminal 5

We are excited to offer Blow The Scene readers around the world an interview with DNF guitarist Chad Kawashima, as his powerviolence practitioning band of speed fiends continue to celebrate their first vinyl release, Hurt, which hit streets in March via High Anxiety and No Idea Records. With the first distant rumblings of the band coming in 2006, they would soon find their schedules allowed limited time and began a perpetual cycle of hiatuses with DNF members touring regularly with their other bands Touche Amore and Trash Talk. The band recently found time to complete a blistering new release, Hurt, which we reviewed last month as the band continues to create a buzz amongst powerviolence enthusiasts across the board. Chris was kind enough to go in depth with Blow The Scene, as he discusses DNF‘s origins and brings us all the way up to speed on the writing and recording processes behind the new EP before touching on the band’s plans for 2012.

Without further ado, let’s hear from Chris..

Joshua BTS: Greetings! Thank you for taking time to answer a few questions for Blow The Scene readers around the World! Let’s begin by having you introduce yourself and declare your onstage weapon of choice with CA’s rising sons of powerviolence, DNF.

My name is Chad and I play guitar.

Joshua BTS: DNF features members of prominent bands Trash Talk and Touche Amore. How did you come to find one-another to form this current project? I understand you’ve been writing music together since 2007? Was DNF in the works prior to your engagement with the aforementioned bands?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: We started the band in late 2006 as 4 best friends with a desire to play fast music. We all grew up together and hung out every day so the band was just a natural extension of that. In summer of 2008 we all ended up moving away from Los Angeles and DNF went on hiatus while we all pursued other projects. Then in December of 2010, Sam, Elliot and I all found ourselves back in LA and started working on new material. The record materialized after many scattered practice sessions, centered around everyone’s busy schedules.

Joshua BTS: What does DNF stand for?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: Originally we were called Duke Nukem Forever, after the video game that was never supposed to come out. 11 years in development and nothing to show for it seemed to mirror the progress our band, in which everything came together at a very slow pace. Now the game is out, our record is also out, and we’ve decided to simply go by DNF. It’s one thing to be 19 years old and want to write songs about video games or inside jokes you have with your friends. It’s a whole different thing to be 25 and spend your day doing a whole bunch of things you don’t want to do, and then write songs about that.

Joshua BTS: We recently reviewed your first EP, Hurt, and we were quite impressed. I especially like that your blend of powerviolence incorporates sludge and slower hardcore with the traditional speed riffin’, but does not dwell in the slower parts for too long. Is the writing process a collective effort and vision or is there a member or two that steers the ship?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: The writing process is definitely collective. One of us will come up with a riff or two, and we’ll work off of that, adding parts, speeding up and slowing down when it seems appropriate. It’s a pretty fluid way of churning out songs, and we all write very easily together. We try to keep the general theme of “fast and slow” but branch out and make it interesting. Kyle puts lyrics over everything once the song skeleton is done, and that’s pretty much how we’ve written every song to date.

Joshua BTS: Give us the skinny on the record. Where, when, and whom did you record these tracks with?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: We recorded it in 2 days during April 2011 with Alex Estrada at the Earth Capital Studios in Los Angeles. Alex is a great friend of ours and came highly recommended by many bands in our area. The recording process was very laid back and we are really happy with the results.

Joshua BTS: How did you come to link up with No Idea and High Anxiety Records?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: We were hooked up with High Anxiety/ No Idea through Chris Colohan. Touche Amore ended up playing a few shows with Burning Love and Elliot sent Chris the tracks for Hurt right after we’d finished recording them. We had been deciding whether to self release the 7″ or look around for a label, and High Anxiety seemed like the perfect fit for us.

Joshua BTS: What are some of the lyrical motifs listeners will find throughout Hurt? It would appear that while the lyrics are not overtly political like contemporaries such as Dropdead, the themes are still serious and introspective on a personal level. Is this a fair assessment?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: The lyrical themes are dark, to say the least. Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, etc. That assessment is definitely fair, we don’t see ourselves as a political band. I think all of us our passionate about issues, but we try to keep it out of our lyrics. One thing we have figured out over the course of being in this band is that life doesn’t get any easier as you get older. Our lyrics and songwriting have evolved to reflect that over the years.

Joshua BTS: With members in other active bands- Do you foresee DNF taking up a significant amount of time? Or do you view the band as more of a side project?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: I hate viewing DNF as a “side project” because we have been playing together for so long, and because we are all very passionate and committed to it. However, all of us have other things going on, and DNF will probably never be a band that pays the bills. In the future we’d all love to do a few DNF tours and spend more time putting out records, but for now, we all have rent to pay, so we’ll stick to playing whenever we find a free moment to do so.

Joshua BTS: I think many people who hear that DNF features members of Touche Amore and Trash Talk will be somewhat surprised by your sonic attack. Was it your intention to keep your sonic approach to DNF far away from your other projects’ sound?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: It was not our intention originally, we just wanted to play as fast as possible. As time went on, fast parts got faster and slow parts got slower. Everything got louder, noisier, and a little more raw. I could never see myself playing in a band that was every considered “accessible”. I love extreme music ,and DNF will continue to play that, regardless of how our other projects sound.

Joshua BTS: Who crafted the cover art for Hurt? And what, if any, significance does it have with the lyrical motifs listeners will find on the record?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: The album cover was actually a painting done by Sam’s dad, Jack Bosson. He painted it in the late 70′s and we had always seen it around Sam’s house. When it came time to figure out art for the record, we realized that the painting would look really great as a 7″. There isn’t really any significance in conjunction with the lyrics, but the cover does look dark and chaotic and makes it stand out from other 7″s out there.

Joshua BTS: What bands or artists are exciting you these days?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: Oh man this is tough. I think this is an awesome time for new music and there are a lot of exciting bands. Young And In The Way, Nomad, Loma Prieta, Mauser, Scapegoat, Perdition, Hoax and Anhedonist have been dominating my turntable lately, as far as US bands go. There are so many amazing bands out right now, I could easily make this question span the length of the entire interview, but I’ll leave it at this.

Joshua BTS: When you are not busy writing and performing with DNF and the numerous other projects you are involved with- What do the daily lives of the DNF crew look like?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: Elliot and Sam are on tour or in the studio for many months out of the year. So those guys can usually be found hanging out at home and decompressing during a rare week or two when they’re not on the road. I work full time cooking at a busy vegan restaurant, and Kyle works full time at a Whole Foods Market in San Francisco. Our daily lives are pretty tame, just getting by and keeping the bills paid.

Joshua BTS: What is in store for DNF as we head into 2012? Any new material or tour plans in the works?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: We are going to attempt to make it into the studio sometime this summer, as long as everyone’s schedule permits. A west coast tour is also tentatively in the works, but we have no clue when everyone’s time off tour/work will line up correctly. When it’s time for it to happen, you’ll hear about it.

Joshua BTS: Thank you kindly for taking a few moments with Blow The Scene readers from around the world, as we look forward to keeping up with your future endeavors. Any final thoughts?

Chad Kawashima – DNF: Thanks so much for your interest, we appreciate it. Stay punk!

Interview by Joshua T. Cohen

Order Hurt at No Idea Records

More information on DNF

DNF Official Blogspot

DNF live in 2011

Protest the Hero are currently supporting their third studio album, Scurrilous, which hit streets in March of 2011 on Vagrant Records in the US and Underground Operations in Canada. Despite the meaning behind the album’s title, which is defined as “vulgar verbal abuse; foul-mouthed; coarse, vulgar, abusive, or slanderous,” the album is extremely palatable. Even with the varying layers of complex guitar and drum structures, the vocals are very melodic, giving nod to 80s heavy-metal, and remains high-end and hook-laden throughout. Protest the Hero ran through a diverse offering of songs that spanned their almost 15-year career to delight of their Philly fan-base who braved some nasty downpours to make the show.

The bill was rounded out by a solid group of supporting acts lead by Sumerian Records recording artists, Periphery, who are also supporting a 2011 release of their first EP, entitled, Icarus EP, as the band reportedly continues to develop a double-LP. Periphery combine elements of Meshuggah-esque riffage with programming, and even melodic rock, for a sound that often escapes a concise description. The band has continued to sharpen their live approach having toured the world over with the likes of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Animals As Leaders, and Between The Buried and Me, to name just a few. The vocals run an equally wide gambit of approaches that include heavy-but-clean low-end yelling and intertwine that approach with a lot of rich melodic themes that are also hook-laden and infectious amongst supporters. Periphery had no trouble invigorating the large amount of fans that swarmed to the front of the Trocadero Theatre as the band began.

The Jeff Loomis Band, which is the solo project of former Nevermore guitarist, Jeff Loomis, hit the stage with an aura of intensity one would expect from such a highly regarded musician. He wasted no time evaporating the rain off of the audience playing a plethora of material from his latest LP Plains of Oblivion, which just hit streets in early April via Century Media Records. It only takes mere matter of seconds to become mesmerized by one of metal’s most engaging guitarists. Not surprising he was landing auditions and played a handful of shows with Megadeth arouns 1987 at the ripe old age of 16. Dave Mustaine predicted then that Loomis would become a great guitarist. This may be the only statement I’ve ever agreed with Mustaine on. Loomis’s technical ability is nothing short of awe-inspiring, whether you’re a fan of the style or not.

The bill was rounded out by British progressive metallers The Safety Fire and Canadian prog monsters Today I Caught The Plague.

Our Senior Staff Photographer Mr. Dante Torrieri (Useless Rebel Imaging) has broken off another solid 100+ photo gallery for your viewing pleasure.

The Safety Fire

Jeff Lommis Band

Periphery

Protest The Hero

Sound & Fury Festival announces additions to their 7th and biggest year yet, taking place at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, CA from July 20th through 22nd and is once again presented by No Sleep Records.

Recently confirmed bands include Earth Crisis, Harms Way, Ivy League, Sabertooth Zombie, Seahaven, Xibalba, and others.

Lineup Announced Thus Far:
Alpha & Omega
Bane
Basement
Bent Life
Black Breath
Blacklisted
Born Low
Comeback Kid
Creatures
Dead End Path
Donnybrook
Downpresser
Earth Crisis
Everything Went Black
Fire & Ice
Focused Minds
Friend or Foe
H20
Hardside
Harms Way
Harness
Holy Fever
Hour of the Wolf
Ill Intent
Ivy League
New Brigade
Night Birds
No Tolerance
Nomads
Piece By Piece
Retaliate
Rival Mob
Rotting Out
Sabertooth Zombie
Seahaven
Single Mothers
Souvenirs
Suburban Scum
Terror
The Mongoloids
Touche Amore
Tough Luck
The Wrongside
Xerxes
Xibalba

Legendary bands Converge and Napalm Death have come together for a split release, bridging the worlds of personal and politically driven extreme music.

Recorded as part of their new album sessions, Converge offer up the blazing new song “No Light Escapes”. Already a staple of their live set, this whirlwind of an emotional charged song is a soon to be a discordant hardcore/metal anthem for the band. Also on the release, Converge offer a “We Are The World” styled rendition of the influential Entombed classic “Wolverine Blues”. Joining them in tribute is a number of friends including Tomas Lindberg (Disfear, At The Gates, Lock Up), Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom, Split Cranium), Kevin Baker (APMD, The Hope Conspiracy), Brian Izzi (Trap Them), and more. A new Converge album will surface later in 2012 on Epitaph/Deathwish.

On the flip side, metal pioneers Napalm Death offer up two new aural monsters. First, “Will By Mouth” erupts in classic grind fashion. A buzz of brutal guitars and a crushing blast beat lay a foundation for Barney Greenway‘s vicious vocal attack. All of it uniquely bleeding together to paint a vivid picture of social unrest. Also on the release, Napalm Death offer the slower and textural new song “No Impediment To Triumph (Bhopal)”. A deeply resonant number that lyrically sheds light on the horrific Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. Without question, “No Impediment…” is truly powerful and poignant moment for this legendary band.