Soul Power - The Low End Fury EP

Soul Power - The Low End Fury EP 
React! & Undertone Records 2018

The Low End Fury just dropped in March this year and let me tell you if you have not listened to it you should! I hadn't listened to SP earlier releases (mainly thanks to the over saturation of bands- too much internet, too little time).  So when I listened to the album, I was blown away with what my ears were hearing. 
It was the sound we have heard more and more in recent years, with the resurgence of late 80s NYHC hardcore influenced hardcore. Freedom(US), Shrapnel (UK), Broken (AUS), Backtrack (US), Red Death (US), Firewalker (US), Trapped Under Ice (US), Life Debt (AUS) and most of the Triple B catalouge. The EP has a lot more groove than some, lending more to a classic Outburst sound (plenty of chances to two step with style). I also hear elements of Floorpunch, earlier Bitter End, No Apologies (for the Aussies) to name a few. If you dont hear it that's cool, music's subjective.

What struck me the most when I was listening  was what I was hearing lyrically. So much reference to black, POC culture and the current racial climate in America. The name of the EP is a great and clever nod to an imporant record in hip hop, A Tribe Called Quest's legendary The Low End Theory. I have jammed this record about 20+ times already and really wish something like this had come out when I was younger to help combat the isolation of someone of colour can feel in the punk scene.

Steppin Out
The first track drops in with a hard riff like im listening to Twin Killing and then straight into the groove. The lyrics in Stepping Out, seem to be discussing people's refusal to see how holding on to outdated values and refusing to change results in becoming alligned with racist and conservative thinking. "You're walking the line with those you fucking hate!" Something we have seen with a lot of reunion bands getting heat (some of it a little over reaching) such as Chokehold and Gorilla Biscuits. I love both those bands dont get me wrong! BUT if your gonna play to a different generation, you gotta remember that culture changes and what you did 20 years ago doesn't necessarily hold up now.

Uncommon 

This is a classic fast song that i can't make out any lyrics hahha (you know the fucking deal!)

Chain Drop
Mannnnnn Chain Drop, this song has mean sounding riffs that get me so pumped. Then to back it up, the lyrics start and immediately begin emphasising the frustration with the political landscape "it's become apparent that they've already won. These lyrics of frustration are all that i have left" and "no peace, just us". With a rise in far right poltical parties, nationalist and domestic terrorists in western countries. The whole concept about chains dropping and shackles hitting the floor is so fucking mad! This highlights the insight of the plight of black people dealing with their history of suffering through slavery. It also highlights the mental slavery of a person of colour living within a white world and being freed from the shackles that comes with this reality. So let them drop! Also the whole "you can swat a bee but you can't stop the swarm" reminds me of Wu Tang haha but that's probably just me.  This song also deals with the importance of being allies in the face of racism and facist politics with lyrics like "one for all and all for one, if we can't stand together, they've already one". So we should all support the antifa even if we get classified supporting "domestic terrorism" cause you know white nationalists arnt a threat to no one at all...

Don't Lose Your Head
Don't lost your head is a classic straight edge song about dealing with the frustration of a friend succumbing to serious addiction. What i like about its angle is that despite the feelings of frustration there is a theme of empathy and trying to understand an addicts rationale behind sacrificing their well-being for another hit. It's nice to see that more straight edge bands are taking this approach rather than the old "kill all junkies" mantra. Empathy is always important especially in an ethic like Straight Edge.

Think Tank
This is a blast from start to finish with a consistent break beat. Dont worry there is plenty of time to stomp in the middle once the drummer  yells " 1,2,3,4!" The song talks about perception and consumption of media influencing someones reality. It goes on to duscuss the mainstream media only servicing the white majority in power. And as weve seen time and time again shows just how racist the institution is. The song also deals with the sacred gospel of conservities, facists and neo nazi called freedom of speech. "Freedom of speech is freedom to abuse" is such a sick line used to discuss the idea of hate speech and discrimination. Something that people of colour go through regularly. Like advocating ethic cleansing and segregation is not JUST an opinion man....  "just think for yourself man".

White Noise
If this isn't an anthem for the disenfranchised black and youth of colour then In My Eyes is not a straight edge anthem. The song kicks in with "move on over or we'll move on over you" which is a direct slogan taken from the Black Panther Party.  The song blasts along at a blistering pace while keeping their groove stylin'. The song mentions colour blindness in "you say your colourblind so is your point of view" which is something i have identified as a huge blindspot within punk and hardcore. That old slogans such as "were all the same and we all bleed red", like i get the sentiment and im all about unity. but that attitude completly undermines the struggling facing mang people of lesser privilege than the white male punk on stage. Just cause we had the Bad Brains doesnt mean that diversity is lacking, thats tokenism your thinking of. Lyrics like "brothers sisters dying but you offer no help" somes up to the rational to why the Black Lives Matter movement started in response to racial targeting by police. A movement started after black communities being fed up if not being heard. The repeated lines of the chorus "left us no choice, but we have a voice"  follows on with the whole BLM vibe. Its also so catchy, i had it in my head for days after the first listen. I kept seeing the 1968 Olympics, iconic political image of the brothers holding their black gloved fists in the air haha The sick lines keep coming with the likes of  "take your stand against your fellow man, can't see what's fair while you have the upper hand", another nod to privileged bias. Then the best line yet, "our skin is black and tanned, your only mad cause we're fucking up your plan" and a big fuck you to people who want to uphold the system that allows the privilege of race and the final verse " We don't want to hear it all that white noise" sums up my feelings when a white brother starts going on about reverse racism... eyeroll.

The Ballard (or the Bullet) 
The title is a direct reference to a speech of the same name, brother Malcolm X gave in 1964. This speech empahsised the importance of political and econmic growth for black people in America. The song actually has samples of the speech at the start and ending of the song. The lyrics "I'm swinging while I'm singing" is a reference to Malcolm X criticising Black and minority complacency and lack of direct affirmative action against oppression, which is heard clearly in the end of the song in the sample. When the line dropped " to stand  and fight for what I know is right" i had an overwhelming urge to leap outta my chair and start protesting for more equality (and equity) in the streets. 
Other cool things that i noticed were" let my rage melt this mental cage i must escape" looks at the mental slavery of being indocrinated into a system not built for you e.g. institutionalised racism and using your anger as a weapon. If that aint punk, i dont know what is anymore. Maybe i need to get a sex pistols credit card or something i dunno. 

This album is an antidote to the white banality of hardcore. "with low end fury you better recognize!" 
The point of this review is to say that this EP is the freshest and culturally relevant thing to come out in ages. Its tough, its cool, its groovy as fuck and lyrically inspiring. What more could you ask from a hardcore record!?

You can pick it up through:
React! Records through their Deathwish store:
https://deathwishinc.com/collections/react
Undertone Records: https://undertonerecords.bigcartel.com/products

Tyronne Gietzmann - XTGRX 

Tyronne is an Australian vegan straight edger who is a youth worker by day and art/illustrator by night. He has huge soft spot for old school hardcore and crucial jams. Tyronne played in the straight edge band Rebirth.

Inclination

OK, let's kick it off with the mandatory question, who are you and what do you do in Inclination?

My name is Tyler Short and I do vocals in Inclination

How did you get into hardcore and what were your gateway bands?

I got into hardcore through skateboarding. The first skate video I ever bought had a Bad Religion song in it and there was a Minor Threat song in the first skate video I was ever so I exposed to those bands that way along with Embrace, Sex Pistols, Stiff Little Fingers, Black Flag and Motorhead. I was definitely more into punk but my friend started dragging  me to shows before we'd go skating and I had no idea that kinda music was being played in my town by kids my age. I can remember the 4 CD's that were in constant rotation in his car that Summer I got into hardcore. They were Bane : The Note, Mental : Get An Oxygen Tank, Misfits : Collection, Cold World : Ice Grillz. I was very into Hip Hop through skating too so I latched onto Cold World pretty hard at that age.

Inclination are from Louisville, yeah? What was it like growing up in the Mid West and how is the hardcore scene?

I came of age in Louisville while bands like Black Cross, Coliseum and Breather Resist were still very noteworthy and our hardcore scene lived sorta in that shadow. I remember some shows being well attended like Municipal Waste and Modern Life Is War always had a good reaction but a lot of hardcore shows weren't that way. I saw ceremony in 06 with like 20 people and Lion of Judah the next year with just about the same crowd.

We had a house for awhile that started during a pretty prosperous period anyway and having that diy venue really provided a place for hardcore to flourish but it died again as it always does. We are currently thriving thanks to knocked loose and the generation they smuggled over to hardcore.

Being from Louisville, how important is having a band like Knocked Loose from your area? and have you seen an increase in attendance locally over the last couple years?

Knocked loose really revived Louisville at a time when multiple generations were dropping out. Really saved us from going into another hardcore recession haha

How did the formation of Inclination come about and when was your first show?

Me and Caleb have been trying to do a band forever and once my old band Another Mistake broke up, i kinda had more of a drive to see that realized. Once Expire was ending he had sorta that same feeling and we’d talked about doing a Straight Edge band with Isaac and a few other kids from around the area. After a lot of lineup changes and uncertainty Isaac got sick of waiting and wrote the EP alone. He sent it to us, I wrote lyrics and by the time it was out the only thing we were missing was a drummer and we lucked out and figured that piece out shortly before our first show at the LDB Fest pre show.

Inclination seem to be one of only a few current bands still pushing the Straight Edge. What does straight edge mean to you and have you had any backlash for your aggressively straight edge lyrics?

 I have had some backlash over people misunderstanding a line out of context but honestly “an x of my own” is pro-sellout i think if you are straight edge for any reason other than the fact that you want to be then you shouldn’t be. Straight edge means a lot to me that’s all I’m saying. 

Nothing in my lyrics is militant. It’s sincere. The first verse in our first song has a line against militancy. I don’t think anyone understands that line “the most extreme are the first to make their escape” that’s me saying the loudest are the first to go.

Straight edge is just something I was before I knew what it was. I just never felt like I needed drugs or alcohol and the only times I tried it was purely to fit in in high school. Trying to fit in isn’t something I really wanted to do and straight edge was something I automatically fit in with without any effort

What bands have influenced the Inclination sound?

Now Isaac and Peter would be best to answer that question as I’m actually an idiot but me a simple no talent moron likens Inclination to Strife and One King Down but i am very aware of the Harvest breakdown in Culture of Corruption.

What bands influenced you personally when writing lyrics for Inclination?

Judge, Strife, One King Down and I stole some lyrics from Dillinger Four and Marvin Gaye

The 'Midwest Straight Edge' record was one of my favourite releases from last year. Any plans for a new record?

We just recorded demos for a new 7” we’ll be recording this fall and news for that will trickle out as it develops I’m sure.

You were recently announced as part of the FYA line up. Have you got any other shows in the pipeline?

We are playing edge day in Richmond with some of the best current straight edge bands going right now and we may play some shows down to FYA. We are also playing LDB Fest in our hometown in early February 

Anything else you want to add / bands to check out

I love Inclination, doing this band with the people involved makes me feel super lucky. I feel super lucky to have everything I do and I owe it to hardcore. I really care about straight edge and I try to represent it in a honest way. As far as bands to check out I’ll keep my suggestions XXX so War By Other Means, Magnitude, Year of the Knife, Vatican, That new True Love record rocks also definitely worth checking out

Tyler Short

XXX

Protester

Yo, how did Protester start and when was your first live show?

Protester started in my bedroom at my parents' house in early 2013. I wrote all the songs, recorded the demo with my friend Jeff, then moved up to DC and got a band together. We played our first show in August 2013. 

You recorded instruments yourself for all recordings, yes? Is that going to be the case for the LP?

Yeah I recorded all the instruments on the demo and both 7"s. The LP is going to be full band which I'm really excited about. It'll be nice to have everybody's unique individual flavor on the recording, ya know? 

I quite often see Protester referred to as "hate filled straight edge hardcore". How would you describe your sound to somebody who is yet to hear your band?

I would describe it as clumsily written Xclaim worship with some Clevo spice played by morons.

Who are the other members in Protester and what other bands do they play in?

We got Robin on the drums. He plays in a million bands, including but not limited to Pure Disgust, Hard Stripes, Red Death, Stand Off, Civic Duty, and a bunch more. Dan plays bass in Barge, Line Of Sight, and True Head in addition to Protester. Brendan plays guitar and he's in a million bands too. Pure Disgust, Kombat, Stuck Pigs... I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch. Last but not least we got the loon balloon himself aka Ian on guitar. You can also catch him playing guitar and shaking his stuff in Give.

You're also in Red Death (as well as a bunch of other bands), how do you go playing 2 sets in one night? As I see both bands are going to Europe in May/June

That's going to be pretty rough, not going to lie to you haha. Playing two sets is generally pretty easy, but drumming for Red Death can be pretty exhausting sometimes and singing for Protester always knocks me the fuck out. We'll see how it goes!

DC is popping off at the moment, with so many great bands like Give, Pure Disgust, Stand Off & Zoom. Whats DC's secret?

I don't really think there is a secret other than us having way too much time on ours hands haha. People here are very dedicated to playing music and pushing themselves which I think plays a big part in a lot of those bands' success. 

On the most recent recording (paincave sessions) you covered NY Wolfpack, why did you choose to cover them?

I fuckin' love NY Wolfpack! Recording that cover was actually my little tribute to the late, great SOCIALCIDE from Virginia. They were a sick Straight Edge band that broke up in 2009 or something. On their 2nd 7" they covered "Suicide" and that's how I found out about NY Wolfpack. That LP is so fucking cool. The art is sick, the vocals are wild, and the riffs are top notch. I like it so much I own two copies! Haha.  

Who did the artwork for the No Identity 7"? Its very mad and very reminiscent of classic 80s Sean Taggart and even early Spolier.

Dylan Chadwick from NYC did the art! You might know him as the guy who does the Drug Dogs  zine. I really liked some stuff that he did for Give and Lockin' Out so I hit him up and asked him to draw something like the Cause For Alarm art with a twist. The first 7" had a pretty minimal feel aesthetically so I wanted the art for No Identity to contrast that. I'm really stoked on how it turned out. Thanks Dylan!

Are you playing Damaged City this year? Seems to consistently have one of the best line ups of all the US fests

Yeah we're playing. I'm psyched to mosh for Depths Of Reality.