Interview with Death Before Dishonor (US)

When saying 'Death Before Dishonor' you immediately breathe out the words 'Boston scene' at the same time. Vocalist Bryan tells us about the last Europe tour with the band and takes you back to his hometown and memories of his first hardcore show. Not convinced yet? Bryan also tells us about the new album coming up soon and it's going to be rad... RAD... RAD, I TELL YOU! Enjoy reading.


Bryan, how was the last EU tour?
Just great. We played some festivals an some small shows. All in all it was good because sometimes it is difficult since there are so many bands over here. But it has been awesome.

You like coming to Europe? 
I love it. I feel that European bands are a lot more loyal. Sounds kind of like an assthing to say, but there is a difference between touring through the States and touring through Europe. It seems like people here appreciate it more. We try to come twice and sometimes thrice a year, but it is not always easy.

Boston is your hometown. Was it important for you to have that background to be where you are today? 
If it wasn't for the Boston scene I wouldn't be here. Boston is a great city with a great scene and I don't disrespect it. The thing is I have been a part of the scene for so long and you see so many people come and go. which is obviously the same in any kind of scene, not just with hardcore people.
Actually Boston has a nice scene; I've been going to shows there since 1994 so I have seen so many angles of it. The worst thing about the it is that Boston is a big hardcore city, but there are not a lot of venues to do shows. That means a lot of shows are happening outside of the city and that affects the Boston scene a lot in a bad way just because of the lack of proper venues. It's easier to put money into a disco venue than into a hardcore venue.

You were saying your first hardcore show was in 1994. Which band did you see?
I went to see Biohazard. At that time I had some metal records and next to that I also had some Agnostic Front, Madball and Biohazard records. So I went to the Biohazard show and the fact that the band was hanging out with the crowd amazed me, it was more intimate and people were going crazy. It was so different from a real metal show.




You are taking care of Death Before Dishonor’s vocals. What was it that made the microphone get your attention?
Honestly... I couldn't play an instrument (laughing). I tried to play drums once... It took me a while to work on it all and to figure out how to sing. I just wanted to be part of a hardcore band, whatever it was. For me it was something I thought was cool. Before Death Before Dishonor I have been in other bands doing vocals and after that I quit singing for years.
To me, at the very beginning it wasn't about spreading a particular message, it was about being involved and being inspired by everyday life to help people take things a bit more easy. I would have done anything for being in a band (smiling).
Originally, if I could have played an instrument I would have played an instrument.


The last full album was released four years ago already. Any plans for a new album soon?
Yes! We have a bunch of stuff written that will finally be recorded in November. It will be out in probably like... February or March and will be out on Bridge Nine Records. We have been touring and had some line-up changes. Our original guitar player doesn't tour so much because he is married to Candace from Walls Of Jericho and they have a kid, then touring becomes hard. When you tour time flies by and before you know it has been four years since you brought out a new record.

What can we expect from the new album? 
It will be in the same line as before, it is not going to be a lot different. Of course we grow a bit, because we are in a band for so long. The record will have hardcore in it, a little bit of metal and a little bit of punk. Some songs will sound like the old Death  Before Dishonor, others will sound more new. Expect a bit of everything on the new album, that is something I like. We are thinking about maybe naming it Always On The Outside or On The Outside, but that isn't sure yet. We are still kicking around a bit.


Tell us about the scene and its changes.
The internet did it all. I can’t say if the internet is a positive or a negative thing for the scene. It simply is what it is and you shouldn't forget that every good thing brings also bad things with it.
On the one hand, it's a good impact: it is great because more people can get access to all music and bands that are around, but it has also negative side effects. Nowadays anyone can start a band.
Back in the days it was much harder to start a band and spread your music. You had to bring out demos and send them to venues or record shops. Then the venues would put you on the Monday night show for example. If you played the show well, you could do a better show on a Wednesday for example with maybe a bigger band. We started touring when the internet already popped up, so for us it wasn't that hard. But for the bands back in the days it was different. Just imagine touring without internet of cell phones.

Any last words?
Thanks for checking us out, our record will be out early 2014, put that in your agendas!

We will Bryan, we will.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deathbeforedishonorhc

EP review: Collapse Of Mind - Breaker, Burner, Killer

Meet Collapse Of Mind. They describe themselves as “Belgian modern melodic hardcore” and are ready to blow your mind at one of their shows. Just one year after Collapse Of Mind was founded, they proudly presented their debut EP Burner, Breaker, Killer. The release-shows are on, so we suggest you first fill your car with people and petrol and then move your asses to one of their shows.

Opener Lies To Impress starts off with a calm intro and soft sweeping vocals. The drums join in and tension is being built up until it gets to the point where you realize that Collapse Of Mind’s sound could easily remind you of band such as August Burns Red or A Day To Remember. Think of dramatic lyrical sceneries and hopes based on rhythms which are united in this EP.

Breaker, Burner, Killer consists of six songs. One of those is actually an acoustic version - which happens to be my favourite - of Breaker, the second song. Harmonicas assisting the guitar show that the band is not only breaking skulls with the harshness of their songs, but also has some hidden talents to reveal to fans and haters.

For a first EP the sound is very refined and sophisticated. Everything is perfectly measured and it is clear that a lot of effort has been put into this. The story of Collapse Of Mind has just started and we are curious how this will develop in the future.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/collapseofmind/
Bandcamp: http://collapseofmind.bandcamp.com/ 

Interview with Code Orange Kids (US)

Mind your ears, because Code Orange Kids brings you real hardcorepunk leaving their mark on it. Those young American kids from Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) tour all over Europe and the States, leaving the crowd with open mouth after their strong, heavy and short sets have ended.  In this one and only interview they gave during their latest Europe tour, Code Orange Kids reveals their secrets about hair (yes, hair), tells some stuff about the new album coming up and in the end there is a hate ritual which you all could learn something from. Enjoy!

You are still pretty young. How does it feel to share the stage with all those old people?

Jami: We are now 19 and 20 and I must say we are pretty used to it. I don't think about it that much. We have also been touring with Full House and they are kind of close to our age. Actually I think it's an advantage to be so young, we have more energy.




Reba: Sometimes you point it out, but most of the times it doesn't really matter. We have more time to get better and to grow into stuff. It's a very good thing that we are young.


This is your second euro tour. You notice a difference between the first and second euro tour?

Jami: Last time we just tried to play for people who hadn't seen us before. This time there are a lot more people buying shirts and showing up at the shows because they are familiar with our music.
I think bands who tour are more popular. It really matters here in Europe. More than in the States.


Last year you were not so lucky when a lot of gear got stolen during a show. How did you manage to  move on with the band after this?

Jami: We posted online what happened and suddenly we sold lots of our merch because people wanted to support us. Everybody helped us out and that was fanatastic. We didn't really ask for help or support but people just did that spontaneously. We recovered almost everything that we have lost and that is really awesome. The fact that everthing got stolen does not stop us from doing the band. I'm not going to feel bad for us for what happened. Shit happens you know.

Reba: No band started off with a lot of money. Its stupid that it happened, but at least we recovered what we lost.


When first hearing your music I didn't think you guys would still be so young. 

Jami: We started the band when I was fourteen or fifteen years old and we were playing punkrock at that time. It was a natural process since we grew into this genre together.

Reba: We were good friends hanging out all the time playing punk. It clicked very well and we discovered new music together. Here we are today.


What is the first thing you will do when you get home? Imagine yourself smashing that frontdoor open. What will you do after that?
Reba: I'm just going to relax, hang out at home and work. We have been touring pretty much like non-stop, so it will be cool to have some time at home.

Jami: I will eat stuff and spend time with the dog. We won't be home for long, because soon we have a tour with Power Trip, Fucked Up and Terror? We will be on tour until January.


Is there any new album coming up?
Reba: We are still writing on it actually. And we have some demo stuff that we will record in January...?  (Looks at Jami with questioning eyes).

Jami: We'll see. Honestly, I don't want to tell too much about the new album. I rather keep it a secret (laughs).  One thing is certain: it will be released next year.


Where did the new inspiration come from?

Jami: There's definitely a lot of new influences that inspired us. A lot of things will change. Music will be different, lyrics will be different. I think it will be cool. We will have a lot more of influences from early 2000 and 90's hardcorepunk in our new record.  That is something we like a lot and I also think not so many bands are doing this kind of stuff.


Something we noticed during your performance is that you don't communicate with the crowd

Jami: That is because there is nothing to say. I'm not going to beg people to like us or buy our merch. I will thank people at the end for watching, because I truly mean that and it means a lot to me. There are bands that talk a lot and some people are very good at talking. I even like that. But I don't want to talk, there is nothing to say for me. At the beginning I introduce the band, say where we are from and at the end we thank the crowd. People here in Europe seem to be offended by that.

Reba: We don't want to force anything. It's not that we are on stage to talk, we are there to play music.


Why are the sets so short when you play live shows?
Jami: People always ask! It's as if everybody wants long sets, but I hate that. It's not that we are a fucking metal band or something. I don't think most people want to see us play for longer than 20 minutes. When people really know songs, then we play longer. I rather leave people wanting for more, than having them thinking 'that was good, but got bored at the end'. That is something that happened a lot to me when watching bands, even with bands that did a really good job. Also, I get tired as fuck after those 20 minutes.


You never think 'we need a singer'?
Jami: No, I write the lyrics, so I don't like it to pass that to someone new. I like to share it around with everbody, but that is the big part of COK to me. If we would have a singer, we would be just like every other band. And we don't want to be like any other band, otherwise there is no point for us to exist in 2013.
There have been 30 years of hardcore, then it's hard to become an outstanding band. I think it's more creative to have several people doing the vocals.


Anything else you want to be revealed? Come on, tell us some secrets.

Jami: Our bassplayer Joe used to have blue hair, he looked like a fucking idiot. Eric used to have yellow hair with pink in the middle, as if he was a watermelon. Reba has always been ginger and I have always had brown hair.

Reba: That is a secret.


Ginger is the most beautiful haircolour in my opinion. No joke.

Reba: Thanks

Jami: I don't agree.

Reba: Well, at least I don't have disgusting facial hair.

Jami: That was our hatred ritual.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codeorangekids

Show review 10/10/'13: Stubborn, Shell Beach & The Southern Oracle @ Panique D'o, Mechelen

Alien lights are ruling the cold terrace in front of Panique D'o that is filled with no people. At all. The venue was divided in a rather strange way for setting up a show and the self-destructive microphones spontaneously fell apart several times during the night. However, the lights were awesome and the bands gave this poor evening their best shot. What else do you need? Maybe a crowd. And some Belgian beers.

When Stubborn starts playing their show, the frontman takes an effort to drag people into the back of the venue,  with as result that most (read: all) of them keep on wasting their lives on playing biljart with their fellow students. Sigh, where the fuck were all of you hardcore kids? Back to the show. The Brutality crew were the only two Belgian people to attend the most part of the performance, next to the 17 counting Hungarian tourcrew. We were thanked and blessed by the Stubborn guys. Around the end of their set, suddenly an unexpected change in line-up took place. The vocalist dropped the microphone and the guitarplayer took it over, while the singer now was creating sounds with the strings he was given.

Stubborn: https://www.facebook.com/stubbornbandhu

Shellbeach brought some faceslap screamo influences and a variety of clean vocals. The guys' singalongs were assisted by the crew only. Bandmembers walk to the pooltable until the cables are pulling them backwards in another attempt to seduce students to come to the back of the venue. The evening looked more like a big hungarian jamsession, but that made it however more cosy.

Shell Beach: https://www.facebook.com/shellbeachband

The Southern Oracle played an enormously energetic show. For every move the guitarist, bassplayer or drummer did not make, the vocalist made five moves. Some parts of the show reminded us even of the excentric Belgian band Amen Ra. Rugbygame situations were happening as the vocalist rolled over the floor while singing and all of a sudden six, maybe seven other fellow Hungarians decide to crush their singing friend. Aaaaand at this point the record got broken, because we counted 6 Belgians attending the show.

The Southern Oracle:  https://www.facebook.com/thesouthernoraclehu

All of you who didn't show up at this event: you will rot away in hell. No mercy for missing those awesome bands. Still, you should check them out. Maybe there are some spare seats upstairs.

Lights off. Goodnight.