Music Video Premier: THE LAST STAND ‘Opportunities Lost and Found’

 

By A. Starr | Smutlife

Last year we came across a track on StereoKiller.com that The Last Stand (ex-Inhuman & ex-Shutdown) had just posted for their soon-to-be released (at the time) EP, ‘Opportunities Lost and Found.’  The self-titled track caught our attention and almost instantly had us throwing a line to Mike Scondotto about shooting a music video for them.  Soon after, Mike and the guys graciously granted us the opportunity to put something together.

After our initial performance shoot which took place at the Lucky 13 Saloon in Brooklyn, along with some follow up live performance coverage shot across the tri-state area, we were finally able to splice something together for the guys and help spread the word.

Even though The Last Stand is still a relatively new band that has been grinding away doing plenty of shows in the area, they’ve already played with the likes of Trapped Under Ice, Wisdom In Chains, Maximum Penalty, Youth of Today and Agnostic Front.  They are currently working on a full-length release that should be out this summer on American Enemy Records.  We wouldn’t waste our time and energy on an outfit that isn’t deserving of it.  The Last Stand is comprised of veteran NYHC heads that still do what they do outta pure passion and love for the scene.  Support these guys and their music… Shit is real!!!

Check out their latest interview over at In-Effect:  HERE

THE LAST STAND official band site:  HERE

The Last Stand

Review by Nick Shore | Smutlife

More New York bands you say? Well, Brooklyn’s The Last Stand have officially arrived on the scene, playing a refreshingly traditional, no-frills brand of straight up hardcore. Comprised of members from Shutdown and Inhuman, the four piece have assembled themselves into a brand new unit, utilizing influences and experience from their prior projects to ink a handful of tracks laced with intoxicating aggressiveness. With over a decade long track record in the scene, The Last Stand are making waves with the release of their crushing self titled EP. Read more

Exclusive RED EYED DEVIL “Corrupt Her” video

SMUTLIFE and ANGRY WHITE BOY teamed up back in March to put together a promo piece with one of NYHC’s newest outfits, RED EYED DEVIL.  To many, the band might be unknown as a unit but it’s counterparts are hardly new to the hardcore scene.  Formerly EGH (Everybody Gets Hurt), R.E.D. consists of no other than Tom Murphy (drums), Gregg Heyward (guitar), Frank Sexton (bass) and Rob Cullen who belts out the lyrical mayhem on the mic. Read more

Sick Of It All ‘Step Down’

Words by A. Starr | Smutlife

Today’s Throwback jammy comes via one of the greatest New York hardcore outfits to ever bring the rawest, most relentless, most potent form of musical mayhem to your listening ears.  Sick Of It All has remained in the cut of the underground hardcore scene for 25yrs and they continue to get better and better each waking day. As the rest of the world continues to spiral out of control S.O.I.A. trudges on through the mine-fields of misery and carnage that plagues our society all the while offering an outlet for youthful rage to a loyal fan base of epic proportions.  The fuel that has feed the fire for all these years undoubtedly stems from the ongoing social, racial and economic issues that  hang over our society along with the surmounting political inadequacies of a failing governments infrastructure. They have been able to reach the masses around the world by strictly staying true to their roots, speaking the truth and earning respect through integrity and the unwillingness to conform to useless influences and the bullshit that’s force feed to us on the daily.

Coming out the gutteresque chamber of CBGB’s (via Queens, NY) of the late 80′s to annihilating festivals around the globe to this very day, Sick Of It All brings nothing less then the honest truth. This Saturday night, March 26th, Sick Of It All will be playing Webster Hall in their hometown of NYC along with Snapcase, Merauder and Razorblade Handgrenade (Brick City Hardcore.)

Rock Bottom: Your Demise | REVIEW

Review by Nick Shore | Smutlife

Yes, the Doylestown, PA metallic hardcore champs are back again, dropping their crushing follow up effort to Born II Hate on Harvcore Records, featuring four more tracks of pleasantly vicious hardcore. Due out on April 30, Your Demise finds the band continuing their brutal sound, while mixing in more of their metallic influences from legendary acts such as Entombed or Ringworm. However, with newcomer Matt Karll taking over Rock Bottom’s vocal duties, there’s a few tweaks and adjustments since their first EP was released last June.

As the band pushes the plunger down on the opening explosion, the title track erupts from the speakers as if it was unleashed straight from hell, laden with fast paced, crunching riffs. “Fade Out” continues the assault, cruising along at a pumping pace before grinding to a near halt during the final moments of yet another thunderous breakdown. Musically, the album appears to contain the same head banging, ear splitting, and fist swinging potential, although it almost felt like Your Demise might have peaked during the first track. Read more

Troublesome “Lose Control”

Review by Nick Shore | Smutlife

Yet another group has been added to the burgeoning Harvcore Records roster, as Pennsylvania’s Troublesome join the already thunderous line up. Their second record, Lose Control pushes the band’s heavy limits even further, while tightening up their sound and continuing the cinder block hurling madness for another five tracks.

Comprised of current and ex members of bands such as CDC, Daylight and Horrorshow, Troublesome’s hardcore sensibilities shine through crystal clear, although I wouldn’t expect much influence from the associated acts outside of CDC. Mixing some classic NYHC riffage with more contemporary chugging breakdowns and mid tempo beats; Lost Control comfortably fits in with other Harvcore bands such as Rock Bottom, Lifeless, and Doubledealer. Read more

SHEER TERROR – Webster’s Hall, NYC 11/28/2010

The Rival Mob’s latest – ‘Hardcore for Hardcore’ EP

Review by Nick Shore | Smutlife

There’s a reasonable chance you might be more familiar with this band for their wildly popular T-shirts which fetch around three to nine times their original price on eBay than their albums. Despite how awesome their merch may or may not be, Six Feet Under Records ensured their place in contemporary hardcore with the Hardcore for Hardcore EP. A six track call to arms loaded with snotty vocals, thumping breaks, and racing percussion, this is the next record to file under “mandatory listening.”

After the successful release of their Raw Life LP on Lockin Out Records, Boston’s The Rival Mob exploded into a new stratosphere of popularity. A pre-release cassette tape containing the title track and some extra goodies was sold on tour a while back, which further increased the swirling hype around their latest EP. Continuing from where the last gasp of Raw Life left everyone, Hardcore for Hardcore pounds 12 minutes of relentless, no frills hardcore right through your heart in delightful fashion. Read more

Chosen Ones

Review by Nick Shore | Smutlife

When someone says “Reaper Records,” what initially pops into your mind? Most likely, it’s heavy, mosh-oriented hardcore in the vein of Terror, Trapped Under Ice, Maximum Penalty, Naysayer, or other associated acts. You can almost hear the earth shaking breakdowns and ferocious calls for more stage dives, as the 300 pound tattooed bald guy next to you tries to take someone’s head off during “Spit My Rage.” Well, forget about all that, as Reaper’s latest up and comer, Buffalo’s Chosen Ones is a wildly refreshing breath of air for fans of multiple aggressive genres.

Clearly influenced by the punk rock elders, especially the late 70s and early 80s UK bands which dominated the scene for years, Chosen Ones debut EP combines a slick mix of old and new. This isn’t some obnoxious, mohawk-clad, street punk rehash, but a pleasant blend of pure punk rock which hangs around the Cock Sparrer and Stiff Little Fingers end of the spectrum, rather than The Exploited or The Partisans. Pour on a thick layer of cues from older Social Distortion, and you should be getting the picture. Read more

Skam Dust: Corona Warrior

Words & Interview by Steve DiLodovico | Smutlife

Skam Dust. You know that kid; the one that runs with them legendary DMS All-Stars. He’s part of a cast of grimy MCs and Hardcore royalty like the Shotblockers, Madball, Danny Diablo AKA Lord Ezec. Skam Dust rose from the womb of Skarhead with a background forged in the hardest NYHC and a throat full of shrapnel. Skam only recognizes real: you can hear it in his verses and you can feel it in his voice. He is New York to the core: Corona, Queens: Spaghetti Park to be exact. It’s the kind of stomping ground that breeds Legends. Read more

Exclusive with Mike of ‘Inhuman’: Talkin’ bout music and the NEW project

Words & Interview by Steve DiLodovico | Smutlife

Mike Scondotto is the roaring throat of Brooklyn’s Inhuman, a powerful outfit that combines the best of Old School NYHC with elements of Punk and Metal to achieve a brutal throwback sound. Scondotto is a student of the genres and what began as a simple interview about his own band quickly progressed into a detailed discussion about all things Hardcore and beyond. Mike, having been born and raised in BK, was right in the middle of the late-80’s NYHC explosion and witnessed some legendary bands at the height of their prime. But, first and foremost; he’s a fan. He’s an unapologetic Metalhead and a connoisseur of collectibles and getting into a music conversation with Mike can end up lasting for hours. That is, if you can hold your own…

For those that don’t know, give us a little history on Inhuman.

MS: Basically the band started in 1995, in the summer. Before that I was a bass player in a band called Confusion. I always wanted to have my own band and to sing. I wanted to do something more along the lines of traditional New York Hardcore. Confusion was more of a Death Metal band. My original scene was New York Hardcore; I started going to Hardcore shows when I was 14. I think secretly I wanted to be a singer, so I started writing a lot and actually wrote a lot of the songs that became our first demo and 15 years later I’m still doing it. Read more

KILLING TIME “Cheap Thrills” Record Release – BK

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