Madball - "Empire"

01. Invigorate
02. Danger Zone
03. Timeless
04. All Or Nothing
05. Glory Years
06. Empire
07. Shatterproof (feat. Roger Miret)
08. The End
09. Con Fuerza
10. R.A.H.C.
11. Hurt You
12. “Tough Guy”
13. Dark Horse
14. Spider’s Web
15. Delete
16. Rebel4life18

Motherfuckin' Madball. I mean, I will start by saying that if you consider yourself a hardcore kid, and you don't like Madball, you pretty much don't like hardcore. Well this is the follow up to 2007's "Inflitrate The System." And I know that about 90% of people thought that that record was sort of a letdown. I thought so, I mean, after seeing them play this year's Black And Blue Bowl, and they played some of the songs live, I thought about giving that record a new try, and well, I have to admit as much as I love Madball with all my heart, the only good songs were the ones they played live. Back to this new record, there's been a lot of buzz. New drummer (in the recording, because we all know how that ended), done with the guy that did Cannibal Corpse stuff, and pretty much since Terror's "Keepers Of The Faith", there are actually high expectations on this particular release.

Well, the first song Invigorate, is actually a pretty legit good track. Way better than any song on the last record, and I really like the words, kind of dissing mainstream music, something which I am all about. The second song is called Danger Zone, not bad, not outstanding, but Big L had a song called Danger Zone so I give them that. A lot of the songs in this record are in my humble opinion good hardcore songs. The lyrics are pretty good, but there's something about it, it doesn't fill me as much as some of the older records (apart from Inflitrate).

There is this song called Shatterproof which features Roger Miret, and man, that song would have been so much better without him, that would have been the track of the record if it wasn't for that.

One thing I really like about this record tho, is that they made two songs in Spanish. And I like this trend they have been doing a Spanish song in every record. I have this conspiracy theory that they want to do a Latin American tour to only play the Spanish songs. I actually think that those two tracks are actually the best ones in the record, regardless of the language, it just happens to be that those are my favorite tracks. (Con Fuerza, Spider's Web). Then there is this song "Tough Guy" which is actually pretty awesome, will say my third favorite. The last song of the record is a really personal song for them, as it is dedicated to Hoya's wife, that passed away. Which is very sad, and my condolences. Sometimes those songs are too personal, and I kind of feel awkward listening to them, but like hardcore is supposed to be, a way to let out the pain.

The lyric writing in this record is really well done by Freddy. It's a very mature record. And it's a very positive album, and the message is always there as usual. I may not put it at the top of their releases, but it is definitely a couple notches above Infiltrate The System, and I would dare to say at-par with Legacy. Only thing that really do not like about the album is the art. And even thought it doesn't (in my opinion) top Keeper's Of The Faith in awesomeness, I will still put this record as top 5 favorite releases this year.

A Great Day For Music

Today was one of those days, that I just woke up and I had like a feeling I wanted to listen to music, whatever type of music. I just want to discover new stuff, learn some history about it, and also come up with musical ideas, since i am a musician.

I went to my lastfm account, and one of those things I love to do is to just go to a certain artist I like, and just play it's "radio station" to see what comes up. I remember some months back, maybe it even was last year, I came across Leadbelly. Like this type of really early Blues artist, and his biography said the dude spent most of his life in and out of jail. In my opinion, that's pretty fucking hardcore. Straight up hardass, and being a black dude, in the early 1900s wasn't an easy task, so this dude was legit hard. Anyway, I listened to his music again, and got stoked up again on that genre, the old folk, country, blues type deal, which is actually one of my favorite music genres.

Then the relationship of the black people from south, to a lot of these artists, made me decide to check one of the stations of one of the latino's greatest Tito Puente's station. If you are into music, of any kind, and you don't know who Tito Puente is, you pretty much can call it quits. Anyway, I rediscovered a lot of artists I knew about, and even found about some I didn't know, and some I only heard of. And as much as I like old country blues folk, or whatever you wanna call it, Salsa, and latin jazz are just better (at least in my opinion).

This lead me to check out some of the stuff that some of my teachers in school (college) always told me to check. Well, i started with the obvious, John Coltrane. So that led me to re-encounter the name of Miles Davis, one of the most influential jazz music composers-slash-performers. Finally got a chance to listen clearly (not a bad college-ensemble-performance ) of music by Duke Ellington, and got introduced to Thelonius Monk. And that part of the day ruled.

It was already afternoon, and I needed some food, so I went out to eat. After, I met up with couple of my friends, and I wanted to get the new Madball record that came out Tuesday, so we went to the record store. I got the Madball record... looked around, and decided I wanted to get records for a lot of the artists I was listening to earlier, and even trying to find some cheap stuff, just to expand my music library.

These are the things I ended up with:
Madball - "Empire" (will be reviewing it soon)
Miles Davis - "Kind Of Blue"
Sade - "Promise"
Oasis - "Be Here Now"
Leadbelly - "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"
Belle And Sebastian - "Write About Love"

All I have to say is that I am really happy about what I got. It feels like going to History class, but for music.

I love music, that's all I can say.

The Black Pacific - S/T

01) The System
02) When It's Over
03) Living With Ghosts
04) Time Is Not The Reason
05) Almost Rising
06) Kill Your Idols
07) Defamer
08) Ruinator
09) Put Down Your Weapons
10) No Purpose

For starters, I have to kind of introduce this band to most people. This is the band that Jim Lindberg (original singer for Pennywise) did after he left the band. The other thing about this record, is that Pennywise did stay really active after the departure of Jim, but, for some reason, Jim managed to write a record, and release it before PW did any new stuff. Well, they did announce that they are going to release a new album in 2011 (and I am really intrigued about how that record is going to be like). Anyway, this record came out a few weeks ago, but i was too busy listening to the new Terror that came out the same day, to write a review of this (and give it a good listen).

I actually came across this record by chance. I didn't really know about this band until about like 3 months ago, when I came across an interview in the internerds with Jim, and he talked about the band, and only mentioned the record coming out, not when. Then some weeks later talking to a friend of mine, I mentioned the band to him, and it happened the record was coming out like that very next week, or like even less than a week, so I went and picked it up, as soon as I could. And what I also wanted to see were Jim's guitar skills, since he's usually being just a vocalist for the last 25 years, and have never heard him play guitar, until now.

The record starts with the song The System, which is actually reminiscing of later Pennywise stuff, but rather slower, and a more rock feel, than a hardcore punk one. Melodies are really good throughout the whole record, but once he starts singing, you can see a whole different tone in his voice compared to the last PW records. He sounds like actually pumped to be doing this, rather than just doing it because he has to.

It's full of "whoa parts", and I know some people don't really like these, in the amount, of this record, but I love them, and I think they compliment the music a lot in this specific record.

There are a lot of similarities in the songwriting to what he used to do in PW, but soundwise, it's a lot darker. For example in songs like Almost Rising, you can tell. Sort of heavier, still really melodic, but like said, heavier. Makes me reminisce of 90s grunge bands, or even some of those post hardcore bands like Quicksand (not entirely, but some of the riffs). The songs that you can totally see this mostly for are Kill Your Idols, No Purpose. And I say this in the good way. Because to be honest, when I first heard it, I was kind of dissapointed in this record. It's not one of those records that I liked right away. But the more I listen to it, the more I start to like it. It's kind of addicting, and also makes you want to kind of start a band with that sound, anyway, I have always wanted to start a band like that.

So I have to say give it a listen, and I don't think you'll be dissapointed. One thing I for sure hope is that they tour. I sure wanna see this band live.

Word For Word, Wolf Whistle, Alert, Mongoloids, xRhinocerosx @ The Chop Shop, Framingham, MA

This is one of those shows, that I just happened to get to, like I would say in Spanish "de chamba". I wanted to go this show, but since a lot of people know me, I don't drive a car. My friend Casper (KDC) now played bass for xRhinocerosx, and I wanted to go to the show, mostly to hang out with him, and to see Word For Word, that I haven't seen live in ages. And good karma was good enough to let me attend this show, which ended being awesome.

I got there just as xRhinocerosx was about to go on. I had heard this band before, on the myspaces, and I always thought they were good, but never really paid much attention to it. That's pretty much it. Anyway, I support my friends and I stayed inside to see them (also cause I like to check out bands live). And I was not disappointed. I was actually pumped, this band's recording doesn't make justice to hows they sound live. A good mix of NYHC-type hardcore (well they're a new york band), but also thrashy, and metally. Which in my opinion is always a good thing. Super tight band, and really bummed I didn't have money to get anything to for a shirt or something. People need to check this band out.

After they played, The Mongoloids took the stage. Honestly I think this band is not that good. They were tight and all that, but I just can't get into this band that much. I like the real Fury Of Five though! I don't take away that they play tight and a lot of kids are into them, but I am not going to say I like a band when I really did not.

Alert was up. I really have been looking forward to see this band for a long time. I was also pumped to know they were playing this, because I had completely forgotten that they were playing this. I keep hearing good stuff about them. Well, honestly, they weren't really tight. But they were good, I think a couple more practices and it would have been awesome. They did cover Fed Up by Judge. But I mean, now that I think about it, it was pretty punk rock of them not practicing. They really did sound as advertised, raw youth crew styled hardcore influenced by the first wave of straight edge bands.

Wolf whistle was the next band on the bill, and I don't have a review for them. Because I didn't catch their set. I was listening to the new KDC EP. Which is fucking awesome, and Casper sounds like the dude from Rise Against (when that dude screams). More news about this record coming up soon.

When I was done listening to the new amazing EP that's going to take the hardcore world by storm, Word For Word was about to go on. Their set is always fun, even when it's not the tightest. They always put on an awesome show. They did cover In Control for me (thank you johnnie, i'll cover 5 yr. plan whenever you ask!) and kids went bezerk as usual.

Other things I liked about this show were the venue, and that I got a copy of a printed Fanzine from the Word For Word merch table. I got so siked that kids are doing fanzines. I got home around midnight, and before I came down to write this, I read half of the zine. I left the other part for tomorrow, when I have to wait at the train station for hours before my train.

And for those deniers and shit talkers inside the scene. Hardcore lives in 2010.

TERROR - "Keepers Of The Faith"

01. Your Enemies Are Mine
02. Stick Tight
03. Return To Strength
04. The Struggle
05. Shattered
06. You're Caught
07. Dead Wrong
08. Keepers of the Faith
09. Stay Free
10. Hell And Back
11. Only Death
12. The New Blood
13. Defiant

I have to start this way. You ever been in wait for something for so long, and then the moment arrives, and you really don't know what to do? It gives you chills, just to think that the day is here? Well, that's how i felt for pretty much most of 2010 before this record arrived. There is something about the album name that is mystic.

In the last couple years, almost three years, there have been really few records that I have or had been so pumped for. The last Hammer Bros record (Sleep Forever on Arrest Records), the H2O "Something To Prove", and actually Have Heart's "Songs to Scream At the Sun". But from all of these records, there is some aura surrounding this specific release.

Terror has made a couple changes in their lineup since their last record, recruiting Dave (singer for DTN) and a new guitar player Jordan something his last name is (i belive, and was told he was in No Warning, someone correct me if I'm wrong). But the one fact is that Terror has always been a superband. But for some reason, every change this band makes is for the better. And I will say, even though I love the fact that anyone can play hardcore, there is something always about bands that are actually talented in their instruments. So let me first start saying that this record's musicianship is outstanding.

There are few hardcore records that keep you on hook from the first track until the last one. This one is definitely one of those. I was talking to one of my older friends from work, like this 46 year old dude that I got into hardcore, but loves 80s thrash, and he was telling me "the vocals are real hardcore, but the music is metal as fuck". I cannot agree more with him. It's crazy, cause most of the riffs sound like all the 80s thrash bands I like. I could see Anthrax, Sepultura, Metallica, Suicidal, you mention it. I can even close my eyes and picture just a bunch of dudes with long hair headbanging. But even though this is metal as fuck, it's probably the best hardcore record that has come out in the last 6 years or 5 years, or whenever Suicide File's last 7" came out. (Notice I didn't mention H2O's last record, simply because they released albums in the 90s, TSF, and Terror did not).

Lyric wise it's very typical Terror. But at the same time while a lot of times you get tired of the brotherhood/betrayal thing going on, in this record it makes perfect sense. For fucks sake. IT'S NAMED AFTER FUCKING WARZONE AND RAYBEEZ. Stick Tight, one of the heaviest songs in the record is just great. The title track Keepers Of the Faith, one of the best hardcore songs of the decade already, and doubt it will be topped. The riff sounds like Def Leppard if you think about it. My favorite track of the album is New Blood. Pretty much like the text i recieved from my song defines the reason I am into hardcore and love this as much as I do, and why I am the way I am.

Legitimately this record has restored my faith and my convictions. That's all I can really say. Simply outstanding, and I take off my hat to the guys in the band.

I found these on youtbe. remember the copyrights are from century media records and terror

THE NEW BLOOD

So I am going on tour again.

And I will be posting about the adventures.

Se nos fue uno de los mejores

Chepi Kabezudo. Que En Paz Descanses.

Gran influencia musical y amigo. Una perdida para el punk de verdad.

Kabezudos por siempre.

Mundo Enfermo

El mundo esta enfermo y debemos hacer algo por el. Debemos unirnos y curar todo lo malo.

The world is suffering and we have to do something about it. We have to unite, and take care of it.

No Reason Why

I look at my self
The person in the mirror is asking me...
Asking me why I lie to myself,
What's the meaning of this charade,
Or the reason why.
'Cause no one knows me quite better than I know myself,
But that doesn't stop me from asking myself
The reason why. No reason why
We lie to ourselves or anyone else.
I look inside my life,
'Cause I can see the things that no one else can see
About the real me.
'Cause it's only the outside
You really see. So don't ask me why I keep inside
The things that I choose to hide.
Still it doesn't stop me from asking myself.
It gets me farther behind,
Cheaters never prosper
I've heard that line.
But it keeps me set in my ways
Look me up after you've found out.

This song written my Pennywise. I one of my favorite songs ever. The words are really intense. And I have to say I relate to them.

HC Bowl weekend recap

Well, for me the weekend started the Wednesday, when I met up with my man W-lo C. in the train on my way back from work. We get to my house it's already late, but we have good talks. I got some records, and I gave him the Downpresser crewneck. We watched 1/2 of American Ninja 5 when we fell asleep. We had a long day the day after.

We went to see downtown Lowell, and RRR Records where he found a Sade record, and I found Pennywise's "Word from the Wise/Wildcard" on tape and Ratos de Porao "Brasil" also on tape. We went to Boston and Cambridge after that, saw some shops, and talked sneakers and hardcore. Later that night it was Los Bungalitos practice, and then we went to bed cause the next day we headed to NYC.

So yea, we head to NYC train and bus ride mix, it was long due to an unexpected traffic jam in between Hartford and New Haven. We still made it to NYC. There we go to Rony's house where we meet with Juanky YWS (now living in Buffalo), and waited for Apolo and Franco to get from the Airport. After everyone met, we hung out, almost got lost in a bad Brooklyn neighborhood, but made it safe. Later we met with Rafa. Him and I were staying at the Bronx. We get so lost cause of the trains being all screwed up due to weekend schedules and we make it to our destinations past 4am. Next day being the HC Bowl.

The hardcore bowl was awesome. Inciendary was the first band and tore the place down, then h8 inc, great set, but not a lot of kids moved. sand from japan i think was the 3rd, and they were amazing. same with cruel hand. I was waiting all day for h2o and maball and cro-mags, so i was impatient. actually i wanted to see supertouch big time. all of them were amazing, madball being the best set i have ever seen them play. cro-mags were way tighter than last time i saw them too. but objectively (even though they are my favorite band) the best band of the night was h2o.

So sunday came, I went with the kids to do the sneaker hunt, found a couple pairs of Air Force 180s i really wanted, but none my size, and 2 colorways i dont have yet. I was pissed. I didnt find anything sunday, although I had checked the shop near y aunt's and they had a pair of structure 91s i fell in love with. So I came back to the bronx, this time I didnt have no troubles, got there before my aunt, set the alarm off, got scared, took a nap, then woke up when they got there, and my aunt made the best blueberry/strawberry juice i have ever had. We slept.

Monday my last day of the trip. I wanted to go to the Supreme store, cause sunday we went and it was already closed. So I got there, I need to meet up with W-lo before he leaves, so i can give him the money for the ticket of the show. I couldnt meet up, cause he left early, so I told him I was gonna get him JJ Cro mag's book, cause he wanted it, and it was also the same price of the ticket. So I did that (after I got the structure 90s before mentioned). Then went tu supreme, got the hat. Went to brooklyn to give the book to Franco, cause he was still in NYC, to go back to manhattan so i could catch the 1pm bus to boston. Which I made on time. Got a nice asian chicken bbq sandwich that didnt taste like chicken bbq, but it was good. Got back to my house, and slept, and that's the end of my awesome weekend. Cant wait for next year.

Weekend fun

(different colorway, but the only pic i could find, thnx w-lo c.)


(on vinyl. <3)






(this is the only picture i saw myself in, not my credit, give credit to dan from future breed)

Hammer Bros - "Sleep Forever" EP

Hammer FUCKING Bros. Pretty much my favorite MVHC band ever, and pretty much the best MVHC band. They just had a release show for their last EP they are ever putting out called "Sleep Forever". I say last, because they are breaking up later this year, but they wanted to have a last record.

The whole premise of this record was "we're not trying to do a record thinking of certain bands, or influences or anything, let's just play whatever comes to us". And let me tell you this is pretty much the best six songs the Bros have ever done. It is just six songs like I already said, but it's epic, not in length but in sound content.

The songs are a little bit more personal start to finish, instead of more like all around the spectre lyrics. But still the best track is "Sleep Forever". Simply the hardest song. Although in the first track "All I Have Is Lowell" presents Josh Hynes and Josh Long (guitar player and drummer, respectively) on vocals. And let me tell you, they are good singers. They should sing in a band.

Just order this from Arrest Records.

http://www.myspace.com/hammerbros

xxx

Kick Ass

So I went to see the first movie in opening night that I have seen in forever. I thought the last one I saw like that was Transformers, but I think it was actually Independence Day. That says how much I go to the movies. Or at least care about going to the movie theater.

I really wanted to see this flick, cause I am all about comic books. Funny thing I never read Kick Ass. I just always saw it there like that comic book I'll read later. The movie came out before I read the comic book, so whatever, It's easier to watch it than to read it.

The movie is fucking hilarious. Is that type of movie that's supposed to be funny, yet it has those awkward serious parts where you don't know what to do. Those parts are the ones where the people in the theater get all quiet and awkward, and i laugh at that always.

The plot is a lil' bit different from what I thought it was going to be, but believe me not disappointing. Action parts were amazing, and I liked that it was a 2-hour movie.

I am not going to give spoilers or anything, but if you're into comic books, and one shots, this is gonna be a good movie to watch.

Ryan Lambert says it was better than the comic book. And if that dude says so, I believe him.

It's that time of the year again.

Well, it's springtime. The trees up here in the northeast are starting to bloom again with life. The temperatures rising little by little. People actually enjoy being outside. And it's past March, that means Baseball season is here.

I mean, to me it never ends, because when the Major Leagues stop playing, the Winter Leagues are already under way, or about to start.

So, let's put it straight, the steroid-era of baseball is gone. The game is going through a renaissance, literally, a lot of great young players are coming up. But sadly the number of boricuas in the league is less every year, 21 this year, and we're the 3rd country with more Major Leaguers, when we used to be #1 or #2. It's OK, I think after this year, that's gonna change again.

One of the things I am super stoked on, is that dude Jason Heyward from the Braves. I haven't seen him play a whole game, but I saw that dude take 2 at bats on Opening Day, and it was simply insane. You wouldn't even know that dude was a rookie, the way the pitchers, and everyone looked at him. I mean the mo'fucka hit a Home Run in his first MLB at bat, and kid is only 20 years old. In the last at bat in that game he hit a line drive back at the pitcher and I am pretty sure that ball's seams were ripped after that hit.


This kid is going to be INSANE.

Anyway, Red Sox won the opener against the Bronx Bombers, great game, and then the Yanks beat them twice. Lackey actually looked good. I still don't care about him, and I really don't care about the Red Sox that much. If there are some teams I want to follow this season, they are going to be obviously Oakland, cause they are my boys. The Mets, cause they are my team in the NL. Pittsburgh, cause I always have some respect to that team, and I always root for an underdog. Tampa Bay, simply because they are good. And the Braves, even though I hate them, but Heyward, and my eternal favorite Chipper Jones.

I love baseball. Talk to me about it.

The Best Time Ever

As usual, I always say I'm gonna keep up with this blog, and I do the total opposite. I have been saying I am gonna make this post every single day now for over a month and a half. I guess it's time for me to just do it.

As most of you know, like about a month and a half ago I went on an adventure. And little I knew it was gonna literally gonna have the impact it did. I went to Philadelphia and NYC for the H2O 15th Anniversary shows. I mean, they are pretty much my favorite band, and are the only one band of my Holy Trinity (H2O, Lifetime, Pennywise) that I have a tattoo of.

I mean, just to get there it was a whole new thing for me. I had to go to Philadelphia, a city I had always wanted to visit, relatively near to where I live, and I never had gone before. I left super early, just cause I know I had to take a Bus from NYC to Philly, and I had to find it. I called my friend Rachel, who was letting me crash at her place for a couple days (I headed down the day before the show, because wanted to try Geno's and Pat's steaks). Thank you so much for that, I really appreciate it. Well back to the story. I had never taken a Bus from NYC to Philly, or any place that wasn't Boston, so I had to find this. I found how to get there, and at the same time I unlocked so many parts of NYC I had never seen.

Well. I get to Philly at night, and I hung out with Rae for a bit, cause she had to go to bed, because she worked in the morning. I met with Galdo2Face and Nelson Perro, 2 of my buddies from the PRHC days. They were also coming for the show, but only the Philly one. So we hung out, ate more cheesesteaks, and saw the city, which was actually way smaller than I thought, at least the Central City area. The show time came, and I can already feel the adrenaline starting to pump through my veins.

We get there, and we're so stoked to see one of our favorite bands, like I said my favorite band, and we want to get to meet them, after all it's all hardcore, and it's all a community, and I don't doubt we're not to. So we're in. We saw the bassist for the band, and we ask him if we can go meet the band, because we came from Puerto Rico, cause it'll mean the world, so he says yea, but after the show. I mean, I reside now in Lowell, but I don't consider myself "from here". I am from the Island no matter when and where. Although, I also travel to the Island often enough to say I am 1/2, and 1/2, maybe not in the past year because of money issues, but you know what I mean. And after the mission I took from Lowell to Philly, it was more difficult than pretty much anyone in attendance. straight up.

So yea, they show starts, as usual, I go bezerker. I only go all out for like 5 bands. They are, Down To Nothing, Madball, Hammer Bros, Forfeit, and obviously H2O. So yea. I was the happiest dude. (Sorry, Efren, I didn't call you cause I was too busy stagediving.) Well, they played Sacred Heart, which that song is one of my favorite jams, and I went up front, and Toby grabbed my hat and wore it, I have to admit, at first, I thought I had lost it. But I looked up and it was on Toby's head, haha. Funny shit.

After the show, we're waiting for the bassist to get us to meet the band. It takes a while, and we're losing hope, but then he came, and they let us in. I finally got to meet pretty much a guy whose lyrics and music shaped my life, and I was super stoked. First thing I did was to show my FTTW tattoo, and then introduced myself. I don't think I'll ever forget that moment. Then we took a picture with the band and Galdo and Nelson. Then went home, haha. I had to rest for the trip the next day.

I woke up, hung out with Rae, then I had to go to NYC again. Got to the venue right on time. Saw Owen, my main man, and partner in crime, who I hadn't seen in like a year! We have done crazy stuff to see H2O in the past, and remember going to NYC once on a Chinatown bus singin the whole FTTW out loud the whole ride (in order of trackisting). Show was awesome, slightly different setlist from the night before. End of show, went to BK to Rony Noid's place. I also did a testimonial for www.onelifeonechance.com with my pretty awful accent and all.

I literally got the last ticket for the small show in BK, right at the door. Best time ever. The thing I will never forget is the handshake I got right when the band came on stage! I stagedove maybe an amount of 70 times. hahaha. I got hurt, and I don't care. One of my co-workers thinks I am old to be doing that, and as much as I like the dude (he's a good dude legit), he can fuck the fuck off. This is the life I chose, just like the song says, so dont pass judgment on me. True.

Anyway, that weekend was literally the best of my life. It's not everyday you get to see your favorite band ever, let alone see them 3 days in a row, plus get to meet them. And sort of start a friendship.

Anyway, Since I started playing music, it's been my goal to leave an impact in someone's life, wether it's writing a musical riff, a drumfill, or words that will inspire someone to do exactly what I did that weekend. I really don't know what I would be doing if it wasn't for hardcore music, and honestly if I never found about H2O. I would probably be a "normal" person, and it is not bad. But definitely not what I want. I am different, and I know it. I don't have to be just like everyone else, but I can still make an impact, or change the world, whether if it's with a song, or with what I do everyday, or with a talk with one of my friends.

This verse pretty much sums it all up:

"Again and again through time I see - day by day
I'm going through changes to find what's best for me - day by day
I know where I am and I know where I'm from
So I got to face the future and take it as it comes"

Haha, song name it's also the name of my main man Ema's band. Day By Day, which by the way are an amazing band. :)

P.S. thank W-lo for finally pushing me out of hiatus on this blog. And check his blog, which is really interesting here.

Hammer Bros, Swamp Thing, Backtrack, Downpresser, etc. @ Anchor's Up!

I feel like I am back in action. I have been to 2 shows in less than a month, and I don't happen to play these shows. I am siked. haha... Anyway same as the last show @ Anchor's Up, I really wanted to come to this show, and for the first time in a long ass time I didn't have to request a day off to go to a show that I wasn't playing which ruled. Saw kids from the valley back from tour which is awesome, and a lot more people than I thought for a wednesday night show on a schoolnight. A lot of young kids, and kids that are legit into the core which to me is awesome. Keeping it alive in 2010.

DEAD END PATH: I have to say, I did not make the show on time. I did get to see like two or three songs by this band. Which is good. I mean this band is that type of band that I would like to see live, but I wouldn't really listen to their record at home. One thing I have to say is that they listen to Madball and Bulldoze. Which isn't a bad thing.

THE NASTY: New Hampshire kids, feat Tim. Great dude, great band. It's fast as fuck, and they have a good drummer for the type of hardcore they play. It's weird cause I have a friend that called me during the show and I told him about this band and the way to describe it is like they play an american styled Tropiezo hardcore. They have those breakdowns that make me think of Boston area bands with that weird half step down on the bass part of the breakdown. They got a good response, and they have a record out on Arrest Records. Pick it up.

DOWNPRESSER: If I said I really needed to see this show, it was because of this band. They had an amazing set. It was pretty much what I was expecting. And a thing that surprised me even more was that a lot of kids were singing along. Which is awesome, the valley kids always representin' haha. They are like a mix of Machine Head in the Burn Your Eyes era with awesome hardcore. Hard as fuck. They pretty much stole the show in my opinion.

(*Insert me rocking out hard to Merauder on the house PA system*)

BACKTRACK: The last time I saw this band was last year at the NYC Hardcore Bowl (I can't say super before bowl, cause of legality problems, haha). Anyway they were awesome at that show. I was really pumped to see them tonight, another of the reasons I wanted to make the show. Totally tight. It pretty much reminded me of every awesome NYHC band. Like my friend Mike told me after their set. "The only problem with Backtrack is that they're not actually Madball". Agreed, Mike.

SWAMP THING: Never really paid attention to this band. They were like that "extra" band on the bill for me. And they totally took the idea I had for my band to open with Among The Living by Anthrax. Although they only played the intro. I want to play the whole song. They were actually better than I thought.

HAMMER BROS: They never disappoint and always deliver. Amazing set, and it was their first show since they went to Cali to tour with Downpresser. They played My Playground, from the demo days. Kids went insane, but it was mostly the "older" kids destroying the place up. They're recording their last EP next week. And it bums me out. They're pretty much the Valley's band. God, I love them.

New Year show @ Anchor's Up

I know it's like almost a week late, but I have to do this. I ate the shit, and forgot to do a review for this show. The whole premise of this show was that I had to go, no matter what. I managed to get there, in a snowstorm, right from work. I love hardcore, haha.

Naysayer. They opened the show. Awesome seeing this band every time, they get better and better. They are like a type of what i'd call a NYHC styled band with some weird but awesome vocals. I may be totally wrong, but the vocals always make me think of Obituary. Not because he sounds like the dude from Obituary but for some weird reason I think of Obituary in the "World Demise" era. I was hoping them to cover Madball, which they didn't but they still played an awesome set. And very humble kids.

Forfeit. One of the reasons I really wanted to go to this show big time. I love Forfeit. They played a set that was a lot of the newer stuff which I am not familiar due to me only having the first 7". I wanted to buy the new stuff, but I don't have a record player, and they didn't have it on CD. Only thing, Ben has to keep timing a lil' better. The Merauder-esque song they played...FUCKING AWESOME.

Cruel Hand. Like three weeks ago, my band played a show with Cruel Hand. I remember seeing them all the time before the "Prying Hands" came out, even before the first full length. It was awesome. Since then they have become more metal, but in an awesome way. They had an amazing set at that show we played, but it wasn't really a hardcore show. I knew this band had gotten big. I didn't know they were this big. Still, I think they deserve the hype. The only thing I didn't like about their set was that the vocals were too loud, and the music rather quiet for even the venue it was.

Down To Nothing. I mean. I had been waiting to see them for like 2 years now. Last time they came around was in the Earth Crisis tour, and I didn't go to that one. The first MA show DTN played and I didn't go. Their set was amazing, super psyched to be there all the kids were going bezerk including myself that came out of mosh retirement only for the night. They played a lot of the songs I was expecting them too. They even played one out of the 50 Lions split. So it was a very solid set. Almost a week later, still happy.

Trapped Under Ice. I keep hearing about this band. I remember my old roomate Tyler being in love with this band and playing them out of his record player non-stop. I don't remember much of the sound. Reminded me of like another band like Guns Up! but better. I liked Guns Up! so I liked this better. That being said, me and my former roomate don't like together anymore so I don't listen to this band anymore, the fact is that I don't remember how they were like, apart from what I remember saying about them. So I was ready to give them another listen. I mean, they were good, but I got bored in their set. Maybe is because I was too happy to just have seen DTN, one of my favorite bands, and then seeing a band that I really don't know after them. I am just going to give them more tries, because W-lo told me they were good, and I usually agree with him when it comes to music. For now, I'll give them a C.

The Beginning Of A New Decade...

So the 00's are done...

Here come the 10's... how do we call them? "The Teens?"... I don't know, to me it's just a weird way to call a decade. "The Tens" sounds better, it's still weird...

Well, anyway, another day, another week, another month, another year, another decade... think about it. It's something pretty intense when you actually give a thought to it.

So far, in the third day of this new decade, everything seems pretty good. I mean, it's snowed every single day of this decade over here, haha. Anyway, I am doing quite well. A sore throat from singin' along to songs at hardcore shows, that now that i calculate, i have been going to these activities for more than a decade. In 1997 was my first show, I know it was that year, because it was the year my sister graduated high school.

That makes it around 13 years, that's quite more for what people spend in hardcore, a lot thought it was just a phase, i was gonna get tired of it, and go be just another anybody. I am not just your average person. I am different, I am not like the rest. I may be pretty similar to all those I spend a lot of time with, but I don't feel I am "normal". Do I care? Actually, I couldn't give 2 fucks. I am actually proud of it. All the things I've come to know, who I am now, all the places I've been. It's all been a gift from being different and people that relate. That's what hardcore is about. Still alive and thriving, 30 years after it's "official" conception. I look back and 1990 is 20 years ago. I still remember writing dates in my notebook that said 1990. It was 1st grade. I've grown quite a while since then.

The 90's took my friend Julio way before his time. The 00's took my dog, the best friend I ever had, and my grandfather. I miss all three, still to this day, although I actually feel bad for saying this, but I miss my dog more than I miss my friend Julio. I mean, I was in 4th grade, I spent not as much time with him as I did with my puppy, or my gramps. I still don't like to show my feelings at all. I still keep a lot to myself, even when my friends tell me a lot. I guess I have to be strong for everyone. I can't show no weakness, or sadness. I leave it all in song, and blood, and ink on my skin. Be it happiness or sadness. Be it the way I choose to live my life. Be it what I want people to see me like.

Still, I have to say. I am happy. All I have, is all I need. Could I have more? Yes, there's always that which I have on my right wrist that I need. Afraid of it, maybe. Maybe it's not my time. Maybe I don't care. Make your own judgment about it. Am I hurt from leaving all my pain, sorrow, happiness, sadness, stress on the dance floor. This is the only thing I know. And if the night of January 2nd of the year 2010 is a sign of what it's coming. I am more than happy.

I may love you. I may hate you. But remember this is who I am, and this is the only thing i know...