YOUTUBE - A HARDCORE MUSIC BLOCKBUSTER

Only this one isn't on the verge of bankruptcy.

Lots of old show videos and news clips about Salt Lake Hardcore have been surfacing on YouTube lately and we're pretty stoked on that.

If you've got old videos and few hours to kill, sign up for a YouTube account and throw them up there. We'd all love to see them and I'm sure a lot of other people would, too. So get after it and drop us a line letting us know where we can find them.

Meanwhile here's an Aftermath of a Trainwreck video from 2004.

REVIVER RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO

STREAM REVIVER'S NEW EP RIGHT HERE ON GCA... NOW!

Reviver is releasing their new EP Potential Wasteland this week through State of Mind Recordings. You'll be able to pick it up Friday at their Kilby Court release show, but we'll be streaming the record all week long here at GCA.

Listen above and enjoy some color commentary on each track from Reviver frontman Matt Mascarenas below. Hit play and read on:

IX

One of the many members that used to be in our band called this the ‘Marilyn Manson riff.’ Now every time we play it, the music video for “The Dope Show” where Marilyn Manson is wearing the boob suit pops in my head. Great.

LEGACY

This is actually the third song we ever wrote. Like many of the other songs on ‘Versificator,’ the guitar riffs in Legacy were meant for a slow, down-tempo side project, Fortunes. We sped it up, but we were never happy with it. When we were deciding which songs to put on ‘Versificator,’ we had to choose between Legacy and Anthem; Anthem won. We ended up rewriting Legacy and now we’re happy with it.

NEW LOWS

This was the last song to be written for this record. We were home for a couple weeks in February of 2009 and Jeff and I were unemployed and Brian didn’t work until 10:00 am, so the three of us would go jam from 8-9:30am. The early morning jams didn’t last long, but we were able to knock out the basic outline for this song. I had a hard time finalizing lyrics that I was happy with. I already knew what I was going to write about, but I just couldn’t get it out. After months of getting nowhere with it, I decided to open my notebook and write whatever came to mind and just go with it. “I give up. I’ve been trying for several months now to get it all into words.” Looking back on it now, I probably over thought it, but I’m happy with the way it turned out.

Get the scoop on the rest of the tracks after the jump... 

Read more.

POLAR BEAR CLUB RELEASE MUSIC VIDEO

Polar Bear Club'll be jamming at Kilby Court on June 21st. Fans of Hot Water Music and the minions they've influenced should take note. Check out their new video for the track "Living Saints" below.

MORNING AFTER: THE SEPARATION/LOCKSTEP

Granted, it's a few days late, but better late than never (plus, it took a few days for me to get the videos up).

xDelegatex opened the night and lived up to all the hype they've built for themselves over the past month. Joe came out ready to put on a show and even though they were the first band, they got the crowd moving and warmed up. As these young guys get a few more shows under their belt, they'll be one of the best new things to come out of Salt Lake in a while.

The Current was next and since 75% of the band played in the late, great xReflectx everyone was pumped before they even took the stage. Mike Turley seems to have grown as a vocalist in his downtime and the rest of the band seems to have found a nice, early groove for writing songs. It's not exactly the same as xReflectx, but they share similar influences, and The Current sounds like a slightly more mature version. The future is bright for this band. Oh, and they covered an Inside Out song. Good way to earn points early on.

To A Close has been around for a while but never get the recognition they deserve. Their songwriting skills and musicianship are better than a lot of veteran bands for being relatively young. They bring a lot of energy and professionalism to their set and are keeping the Salt Lake style of hardcore alive and well.

Lockstep (made up of former Gather drummer and bassist) had a rough week before the show. After spending two days in an Oklahoma City jail for shooting off fireworks (yes, the police in Oklahoma City arrested everyone in the band) they got out just in time to make it to the show. Unfortunately, they were one guitarist short but it mattered little. Lockstep's dark, fast Integrity-style music had everyone moving. If their lead guitarist had been there to add solos to the mix, the Basement might not have survived past the night.

The Separation, one of California's best bands closed out the night. Their dark, aggressive 90s-influenced hardcore was the perfect end to the night. Their epic songs and crushing style left everyone waiting with baited breath for their next run through town.

More videos from all the bands can be found in the Video Archive.

SHADOWS FALL - BARK AT THE MOON

Shadows Fall released a video for their cover of the Ozzy Osbourne song "Bark At The Moon."


Bark At The Moon

Shadows Fall | MySpace Music Videos

H2O CELEBRATES 15 YEARS IN THE GAME AT NYC'S GRAMERCY THEATRE - 02-20-10

Tonight I ordered a slice of pizza from my favorite pie spot in the East Village. I had every intention of chowing down and catching the L Train back to Brooklyn for a good night's rest after a long work week. I looked at my iPhone to check the time: 8:30 p.m. The calendar icon displayed a big black 20. "Hmm," I thought to myself, "I swear I had something planned for the 20th."

"Vegan Picante!" shouted the friendly pizza guy. I grabbed my slice, thanked the man and walked over to Viva Herbal's humble fixins station. "The 20th," I thought again, "what was I gonna do on the 20th?" As I poured dried peppers over my slice, I realized that I'd need some water and then it hit me: H20! Tonight was H2O's 15th-anniversary show -- one of my favorite bands! I looked up the venue, Gramercy Theatre, and headed north on 3rd Avenue at a rapid pace -- well as rapid as I could muster with a slice of hot pizza in my hand.

I turned left on 23rd street and was greeted by a giant marquee reading: H20's 15th Anniversary... SOLD OUT. No sooner could the despair set in then I bumped -- literally -- into a scalper. "You need a ticket?" 

"Yes."

When I entered the Gramercy -- fingers crossed that I'd bought a legit ticket -- Maximum Penalty was halfway through their set. (I kept an eye on the scalper until the door guy scanned my ticket and let me in.) With 23 years of New York Hardcore beneath their belts, Max Pen has it dialed. I admit I don't know the band's entire catalog, but I've always appreciated their mix of stompy Big Apple riffs with the sporadic Dr. Know-ish wails. When they wrapped up, I grabbed a spot in the movie-theater seating that lines the back of the Gramercy. 

The lights dimmed. "We're Trapped Under Ice." I've heard Trapped Under Ice, but I haven't had a chance to see them live.  I liked their music alright. I'm pleased to say that TUI is one of those bands whose sound really makes sense when you experience it live -- so much energy from these five Baltimore-ites. 

The only way I can think to describe TUI's sound is by asking you to imagine your favorite New York Hardcore song. Got it? Now fast forward to the part where the breakdown's about to begin, you know, the part that makes you say, "OH SHIT!" Now take that section and loop it in your head for 30 minutes, over and over. That's something like a TUI set. Pure "OH SHIT" recklessness. Will be seeing this band again.

In New York City, it's hard to go a day without hearing Jay Z's "Empire State of Mind." It's that song with the Alicia Keys R&B hooks that wails, "New York,...concrete jungle where dreams are made of..." Radio stations practically play the thing on repeat. High School girls blast it through iPhone speakers on the subway. For some odd reason, cabbies love the track. You can't get the damn thing out of your head because you can't physically get ten feet away from it. 

 

Anyway, after about 30 minutes of NYHC on the P.A., "Empire State of Mind" came on, and it came on loud. The lights dimmed. At the end of the hook, Frank Sinatra's voice crooned in, "It's up to you, New York." The opening octaves of H2O's "1995" rang out... 

I could try to explain how epic H20's set was, but I wouldn't do it justice. Plus, poorly-recorded iPhone video footage is way more legit:  

 

SLHC MUSIC ARCHIVE: THE LAZARUS PROJECT - THERE IS NO CURE

(*We missed the SLHC Archive post again yesterday. Sorry*)

Just about the time that Clear and Triphammer were ending their runs at the top of the Salt Lake Hardcore scene and before bands like 78 Days After Death or Compilate began turning heads, The Lazarus Project sat alone as the best-known band in Salt Lake.

Made up of prior members of both Climb and the aforementioned Triphammer, their shows were the stuff that late-90s hardcore shows were known for—chaos, excitement and a whole lot of fun (the most memorable was probably at the American Fork VFW with Clear and Undying, which if anyone has video of that, we'd love to see).

They were poised to be the next big thing out of Salt Lake when the All Shall Be Infected demo started making the rounds. They played a number of west coast shows and eventually released an 8-song EP for Breakout Records called There Is No Cure. It was a well received batch of songs that were the epitome of the bruising sound Salt Lake had become known for throughout the 90s.

The band broke up shortly after its release and never quite lived up to the promise they showed—which is, sadly, the case for most bands from this city.

The Lazarus Project - There Is No Cure

THIS IS HELL POST VIDEO DIARY

While recording their new album, This Is Hell have been posting video teasers/diaries of the process. You can view them all here. Sadly, none of them really give any insight as to what the new record is going to sound like.


This Is Hell Recording: Day Four & Five

THIS IS HELL | MySpace Music Videos

YOUTH BRIGADE ON FUEL TV

Fuel TV airs a show called The Daily Habit every weekday, and Trash Talk was the musical guest yesterday. While searching for video of that performance, I came across the shows archive and it's actually full of really cool musical guests.

I'm not sure how long ago this aired, but here's video of Youth Brigade playing "Let Them Know" and "Sink with California." And as soon as they put the Trash Talk videos up, I'll post them as well.

Meanwhile, check out The Daily Habit archives for more great videos like Bouncing Souls, Cold War Kids and Municipal Waste.

TONIGHT IN SLC: 01/13/2010

Orgasm: The Strange Science of Female Pleasure @ Gore Auditorium (Westminster College)

In the shocking and hilarious documentary ORGASM INC., filmmaker Liz Canner takes a job editing erotic videos for a drug trial for a pharmaceutical company. Her employer is developing what they hope will be the first Viagra drug for women that wins FDA approval to treat a new disease: Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD).

Liz gains permission to film the company for her own documentary. Initially, she plans to create a movie about science and pleasure but she soon begins to suspect that her employer, along with a cadre of other medical companies, might be trying to take advantage of women (and potentially endanger their health) in pursuit of billion dollar profits. ORGASM INC. is a powerful look inside the medical industry and the marketing campaigns that are literally and figuratively reshaping our everyday lives around health, illness, desire — and that ultimate moment: orgasm. Director Liz Canner will be on hand after the film for questions. More Info.

Ladyfingers @ Kilby Court
LADYFINGERS is the alter ego of eccentric New Jersey-born artist, Adam Weiner. His music is a spastic brew of lo-fi rock, rockabilly, punk, and cabaret stylings. More Info.

PELICAN RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO FOR "FINAL BREATH"

ONE VOICE: MATT MASCARENAS

I remember seeing Matt slinging a video camera at some of the first hardcore shows I went to. I remember thinking, "I wonder if that little, little kid's parents know where he's at at such an ungodly hour." Something like a decade later, Matt's still breaking curfew. He started playing music with Grace from Gallows/The Masses. Moved onto a guitar spot in Aftermath of a Trainwreck. Guest spotted on a Cherem tour. Then formed Cool Your Jets and Murdock/Challenger. And today he fronts Reviver -- one of the most hardworking bands to ever come out of Salt Lake. Thanks Matt's parents.

How were you introduced to Salt Lake Hardcore?

I was introduced to Vision Of Disorder's self-titled record and was really into it. I started looking for new music that was comparable and somehow came across the Burn the Rat website. A few friends and I decided to go check out a show and kept going after that.

Memorable SLHC shows?

Shows at Albee Square in general. The one that sticks out the most was when Stretch Arm Strong played there. There weren't many people there but it was a great time nonetheless. Another show that comes to mind was when Unearth played at Uprok, well, the coffee shop that was next to Uprok.

Who are your favorite SLHC bands?

My favorite bands to come out this state are Form of Rocket, Parallax, and Pushing Up Daisies. Form of Rocket is a given. Parallax were amazing musicians. They also had a great message and opened me up to a lot of new social topics/problems. I saw Pushing up Daisies at the first show I went to and was really into it. I didn't get to see them again for a good three years or so.

How has the hardcore scene impacted your life?

The hardcore scene was inspiring in a sense that the kids were responsible for everything. It was a underground community/network for kids that saw the many problems going on that and wanted to change things for the better, such as A New Dawn Breaking. ANDB introduced me to veganism.

What are your thoughts on the state of hardcore and its future?

The potential is there, just as it always has been, its just a matter of kids taking advantage of it. That aspect of it has been proven to be unpredictable. Its always up and down. Either way, I have high hopes for the future.

SUNDAY MATINEE: SNAPCASE MUSIC VIDEOS

Great band. Surprising amount of "music videos." Enjoy.

MAXIMUM PENALTY RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO

Very, very NYHC.

STRONGARM - "TRIALS" MUSIC VIDEO

Thanks xStuck in the Pastx:

"Strongarm is the one Christian hardcore band that, if you ask anyone who digs 90s hardcore, they seem to like regardless of lyrical content or beliefs."  [True for me at least.]

UNHOLY RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO

Check out the Al Columbia-directed music video for "These Wounds Will Never Heal" over at AlColumbia.com. The tune comes from the band's new album, New Life Behind Closed Eyes, which was released on Prosthetic Records. Unholy features ex-members of Another Victim.

NEW MUSIC: CITY TO CITY

City to City has posted a re-recorded version of the song "Disgraces" over on their MySpace page. The band is currently compiling material for a complete discography, titled   Vision, which will feature its two demos, live videos, and in-studio footage. It will be released free-for-download sometime before the band's upcoming show:

NOFX RELEASE MUSIC VIDEO

"Cokie the Clown" from the Cokie the Clown EP on Fat Wreck Chords: "5 songs that were recorded during Coaster but didn’t make the record cuz they were too good!"

TONIGHT IN SLC: 11/17/09

Wolfmother @ The Depot
You may only know them from the one song on Guitar Hero II, but they're playing tonight at The Depot. Opening acts include The Heartless Bastards and Thenewno2—which is fronted by former Beatle George Harrison's son Dhani. More Info.

Donner-Galbraith Scholarship Benefit @ UVU
Organized by UVU English Professor Stephen Fullmer (who teaches a class examining the language and culture of heavy metal music) for former student (and Parallax frontman) Blake Donner and Jennifer Galbraith. Broke City and Adjacent to Nothing will perform, as will Mark Slaughter (of the band Slaughter). Oscar winning screenwriter Barry Morrow and wheelchair bodybuilder Nick Scott will also make appearances. And rumor has it that Parallax will be playing a few songs, too. More Info.

Play! A Video Game Symphony @ Abravanel Hall
Video game music returns to Abravanel Hall for one night only as guest conductor Arnie Roth leads the Utah Symphony in an evening featuring music from Blockbuster games such as Super Mario Bros., Halo, World of Warcraft, Sonic the Hedgehog and much more. Graphics above the orchestra accompany the scores, highlighting memorable moments from video games old and new. More Info.

Puscifer @ Captiol Theatre
Tool has been blowing minds all summer at festivals like All Points West and Lollapalooza, but there's little rest in store for front man Maynard James Keenan: He'll be taking his Tool side project Puscifer out on the road starting this October. The tour will be Keenan's first with Puscifer, after debuting a stage version of the band this past February in Las Vegas. 'We are compelled beyond all reason to bring the noise and share our special sauce,' Keenan posted in an announcement on the group's website. 'Although authorities suggest you be prepared for any and all possibilities, we simply suggest you arrive happy and hungry.' More Info.