Just to keep you updated, Soulcraft ‘zine and Countdown Records have joined forces into Power-Load webstore… this solution is just temporary for as soon as I’ll be back from the H2O + Strength Approach Euro tour we’ll start working on a brand new store, fully redesigned and featuring an amazing catalogue… be sure to keep your eyes opened for this, as you’ll find a lot of interesting stuff in the webstore! In the meantime, check the available stuff @ www.power-load.com
Work on Issue #1 is going really good, tons of reviews ready, tons of great pictures will be featured, interviews with Cold World and Internal Affairs, a Chung King special article too with people such as Tim McMahon and his majesty the record collector Sebastiaan D’Hertoge… it’s going to be great!
In other news, a couple of days ago I was in Florence for the Lion of Judah / Trapped Under Ice / Dirty Money show, which turned out to be pretty cool, these bands really shred on stage. All of the guys in the bands are great people, it was a great night and had the chance to meet tons of friends… unfortunately bad luck stroke on the Trapped Under Ice and Lion of Judah guys as, the day after the show, their van was broken into and tons of stuff were stolen, including money and passports. You know you have to support these guys, 100% genuine hardcore dudes: the tour will keep going so go out to all of their shows and help them out, buy merch and records. If you want, you can also make a donation through PayPal (check the picture below)… just do it!
These are the remaining shows of the tour:
29/06 - Hengelo @ Innocent (NL)
30/06 - Ibbenburen @ Scheune Cafe (Ger)
01/07 - Paris @ Le Klub (FRA)
02/07 - Newport @ Le Pub (UK)
03/07 - Hull @ Ringside (UK)
04/07 - Liverpool @ Korova (UK)
05/07 - Birmingham @ The Ben Johnson (UK)
06/07 - Colchester @ Cambridge Arms
Now playing:
- City And Colour - Bring Me Your Love
- Iron Boots - Easy Green
- Megadeth - Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?
That’s it, it’s finally going to hit the streets! Deathwish Inc. has finally announced the release date for the new Cold World record, entitled “Dedicated To Babies Who Came Feet First”. From the 22nd of July (pre-orders will be made available before this date) we’ll be able to mosh to 15 new songs written by this Wilkes-Barre, PA hardcore machine. This new record has been produced by Mr. Billy Graziadei (Biohazard’s guitarist)… can you imagine how hard this is going to be? Three songs have been made available and can be found on the Deathwish Inc. 
Rumors of the Mouthpiece discography have been running the streets for the last 4 years, and I think almost every hardcore kid is waiting to have this in their hands. Now, after the initial project to release it on Livewire Records, it seems like this is finally going to hit the stores, and the label taking care of this is the legendary Revelation Records. I don’t know about you, but I seriously consider Mouthpiece as one of the best bands from the 90’s. Come on, I really can’t imagine there’s somebody on earth who doesn’t get shivers down his spine listening to “Cinder”. This picture on Mouthpiece’s MySpace page, plus the cool story posted on Tim McMahon’s blog 
After the release of their Demo in late 2006, countless shows and tours around Europe and a split CD with their Italian fellows Values Intact (RIP) on Hurry Up! Records, here’s one of the greatest bands from this country coming out with their first 7″ ever. These guys did one hell of a job for this release, but this was obviously no surprise considering the hard work they’ve done since day one. Musically they can be considered as the perfect mix between In My Eyes, Turning Point and Dag Nasty, still keeping their horizons broad and drawing influences that range from The Get Up Kids and Sunny Day Real Estate’s melodies to Unbroken’s breakdowns. The mix of this sound with the desperate still hopeful passion that you can hear from the voice screaming their lyrics is simply outstanding. Opened with “Viva Love”, a 1 minute anthem to hope and living your dream (fully backed!) to later get into longer and more structured songs such as “The Fear of Time Pt.1/Pt.2″ dealing with changes that life brings with time, changes that can’t be stopped. Great lyrics, wise and filled with hope… “The future is still scaring me, but I’ll take control of this, one day I’ll learn to live my life. One day I’ll learn. Yes.”
Just like they did with “Escapades”, for this new record Justice managed to bring their sound to the next level. And just like it happened with “Escapades”, it took me some time to get into this record. Released on the 8th of March, which also marked their last show ever, this new effort is probably the best way to end this 5 years adventure during which they brought Belgian hardcore back on the map by touring the world and releasing good records. Justice was undoubtly one of the most loved and hated bands for the whole time they were around, but they never slowed down and, most importantly, they always did everything by themselves, from releasing records to booking world tours. “Live And Learn” is a record that perfectly shows their growth through the last years, and how things actualy change with time. Musically speaking, these guys increased the rockish feeling featured on their previous record, especially on song structures, but they still manage to keep things pretty hard and release some good mosh parts. The title track is the perfect exemple of this evolution, while songs such as the faster “A Quiet Pain” or the fast and paced “What Have We Become” give more importance to rock influences. It may be hard in the beginning, but once you get into this record and its mindset, you’ll understand what’s up with this last Justice incarnation and you’ll love it.
After the amazing “Focus On The Light” LP released last year on Powered Records (which has been recently made available in the US by Six Feet Under Records), this European hardcore powerhouse is back with a new 7″ which is perfect from start to end. From the great idea of the Bruce Springsteen Nebraska’s ripoff artwork going through every single song, riff and shout, this is pure hardcore perfection. Unless you’ve been living in a cave during the last 3 or more years, at the point they’ve reached, True Colors needs no introduction. Featuring ex-members of Building and Justice, this band has been touring non-stop and released good music since day one, and this record is no exception. The 5 songs featured on this EP will provide you with 10 minutes of aggressive and passionate youth crew hardcore with no frills, keeping the standard high for what bands such as Youth of Today or Floorpunch did in the past, only adding a bit more catchiness to their sound. From the catchy opening “Don’t You Get It” to the groovier parts of “Without Faith”, these guys never even think about slowing down. But believe me, what you get on this vinyl is nothing compared to their live shows, featuring one of the most energetic frontman ever seen on a stage, so just pick this record, learn the words and start moshing to one of the best European bands from the last years. Stomp!
[Deathwish Inc. - 2008] This new chapter in Blacklisted’s story was undoubtly one of the most awaited releases this year, and I’m pretty sure everyone’s expectations were fullfilled. Although I always liked this band, since the moment they were about to break up I started seeing them in a different way. Be it that George’s lyrics give you chills down your spine, be it that they musically improved a lot, Blacklisted is now the kind of band that today’s hardcore needs and personally the only band that helps me understand and rise from the way I feel in these last months of my life in which “all I know is the downside”. Musically, the band picked up from where they left with “Peace On Earth, War On Stage”, a melange of groovy and urgent tempos, an amazing guitar work and harsh vocals that sound better than ever, the usual brought to the highest level. Anyway, what really makes this record a true masterpiece is the way the violence of their music merges perfectly with the dark emotional level brought by their deep and introspective lyrics, in which you may or may not find a source of relief to everyday’s pain. I did. The way they’re able to switch from aggressive and ferocious parts to slower and groovier ones is simply outstanding and will make you shiver. It’s hard to get deeper into this record by words, the only way to experience its power and emotional depth at its best is to lay in your room and listening to it with lyrics in your hands. Done this, go out and check Blacklisted on tour as they’re probably one of the best live bands around, “it’s a mosh to survive”.
