Rival Schools are back with brand new album

Post-hardcore band Rival Schools, consisting of NYHC veterans Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Youth Of Today, Gorilla Biscuits), Ian Love, Cache Tolman and Sam Siegler (Youth Of Today, CIV, Judge) are back with a brand new album titled "Pedals" a decade after they've released their critically acclaimed debut album "United By Fate". The singles "Shot By Shot" and "Wring It Out" off that album are already available for purchase. Album available from Photo Finish/Atlantic in stores near you.

Rival Schools myspace

SICK OF IT ALL w/ Deafness By Noise and Delate

07.04.11 SICK OF IT ALL(Us) w/ Deafness By Noise(Cr) and Delate(Bg)@4km Party Centre

Here we go. One of the biggest hardcore concerts of the year in Bulgaria. Definitely one of the most anticipated. And how could not be so when you got one of the best known NYHC bands coming to Sofia as part of their European tour. It's not the first time for them to come here and hopefully won't be the last as they make hell of a show each time, one that people talk about months after it happened. I'm sure that they'll talk about this show for a long, long time. And how could be otherwise since it was one of the best shows I've seen recently along with Death Before Dishonor and H2O.

A few words about the evening in question. The concert was scheduled for 20:00 and I got there about 30mins earlier only to find probably about a couple of dozen people. More and more came by the minute. I've waited for a while and decided to go in about 10mins after the first band started. Once in I noticed that very few people were present in time for the first band which in this case was one of my favorite bulgarian hardcore bands Delate, from Plovdiv. As usual the rest of the people obviously stayed outside to drink and chat, typical scene during most of the concerts in Sofia. This only shows how much "respect" most people got for our hardcore scene, if they got respect at all. It made me wonder. Is it better to stay outside and drink until you got hammered while one of the best hardcore bands we got plays. What's the point of that? To enter completely hammered only to make fool of yourself as one guy who's present almost on every hardcore concerts does. If you ask me I'd say it's stupid and such individuals got no place in our scene alas they're present. I guess the passion Toby Morse sang about once is just a word for most of the kids attending these concert, just something to sing about without clear comprehension of it's actual meaning. But then again what I'm expecting from kids, who's only concern when going to concerts is to get drunk and their looks. And they call themselves part of this so-called scene. What a joke. Sad but true. Still there's exceptions, thanks the Almighty for that. Otherwise it all be a farce. Well anyways, enough of my rant. Good thing that not all of them are like that. Obviously some cared for the opening band and got in time to watch them as I did myself. Delate didn't disappoint. They played in front of a few dozen people like there were hundreds. No surprises there except for a few new songs they've played for the first time. Apart from that they played all of their most popular songs. Good thing was that at some point the then idle crowd decided to move a little bit which led to timid tries for a mosh. Well it was far from it but nevertheless it was better than just standing there. Add to that some sing-a-longs and you got some pretty decent first opening act. As the opener Delate showed why the Plovdiv hardcore scene is one of the most active and vibrant, responsible for not one or two classy hardcore acts. Their fast and gritty style of hardcore left no doubt about what they're capable of. Definitely a band to see and still one of my favs. Respect!
The second act for that evening was the croatian band Deafness By Noise, hardcore veterans with twenty years of experience. By the time they started playing more people got in. The venue which held the event was still not full but it wasn't empty either. Gotta admit that I saw Deafness By Noise for the first time. And it was a nice surprise. That was some fast hardcore right there. No doubt they were chosen as the opener for SOIA's European tour. These guys are good. And that sounds like an understatement. DBN proves one again that from the ex-Jugo republics can only come good things.
By the time DBN finished their act the place was full with people waiting for Sick Of It All to come on stage. And they did with a bang. One of the best hardcore bands the city of New York has to offer climbed on stage like they were just a regular band and not a legendary one. Their old-school flavored hardcore energized the crowd even more which led to some really brutal moshpit. At first the crowd was kinda shy to form a circlepit which led to Lou Koller gently inviting then to do so. From that point on it was all moshpit, constant sing-a-longs and countless stagedivings. SOIA performed much off their last album "Based On A True Story" as well as the good old classics such as "Step Down" and many more. Definitely a night to remember. Fortunately for us SOIA did perform several other songs on bis. Well much can be written about SOIA and whatever I say about this concert will be weak so to speak. Currently one of the best american hardcore bands did probably the best concert of the year. A truly memorable evening for me. I had a great time. One can only hope to see them again.
P.S.: I don't know who the chick that hangs-out with the band is but I'm officially in love with her. HAHAHA

Sick Of It All myspace
Deafness By Noise myspace
Delate myspace

Judge - NYHC

Judge, legendary hardcore band from New York City formed in 1987, known for it's passionate & yet aggressive music and for it's firm stance on straightedge. Although I'm not a huge hardcore fan I admit that Judge are one of the few hc bands that I like and listen to. Not that I'm a sXe or vegan, on the contrary as I find the whole sXe and vegan thing one big nonsense. Although I admit that in the beginning the sXe was a good idea, what has become now is no less than a trend for the youngsters to follow. Same goes for the vegan 'though it's even bigger bullshit. Why? Because it limits one's perception of the world, it limits his/her choices and somehow it makes one live by certain limits and that's something that doesn't fit well within my own believes. Toby Morse once said "PASSION BEFORE FASHION" but few had listened. Alas these days the hc scene in my country is more about fashion than passion.

Anyway why I'm writing this? Well because Judge are sXe. In fact they're the only sXe hc band I listen to. For me they're the best band ever. For me they're like the one of the few bands that really captures the true essence of the hardcore spirit. Besides that old-school sound was always more appealing to me than this new stuff the kids are listening to. It's a matter of taste I guess.

Judge - New York Crew (1988)

Judge - Demos & Live (1988-1990)