SLAYER : WORLD PAINTED BLOOD

Slayer
by Jason Walsh

It has been nearly thirty years since four young guys crossed paths in the Huntington Beach region of California, playing Iron Maiden and Judas Priest covers in small venues to unsuspecting patrons who had no idea that the musicians before them would go on to create the most brutal and aggressive music of all time. Never as well would have any of the members of the band expected that this chance meeting would lead them to forming one of the most influential metal bands in the annals of music history. After a chance meeting with Brian Slagel, who was just starting up his independent label, Metal Blade Records, the band would drop their first published track, “Aggressor Perfector,” on the first “Metal Massacre” compilation. This would later lead to the label putting out their first full-length album, “Show No Mercy.” Upon its release, the metal community would never be the same again.

Slayer is just the standard in fast, relentless, and unyielding metal. Period. Thousands and thousands of bands who have followed in their wake have emulated their sound, style, and technique, but at the end of the day, they still reign supreme as the undisputed lords of sonic destruction. Their controversial lyrics and sinister composition has always put them on the “hitlist” with the conservative brigades since the band’s inception, but their legions of loyal fans have continued to keep them the most sought out metal act ever. Albums like “Reign in Blood” and “South of Heaven” remain at the top of the list as inspiration for the thrash metal, black metal, and new metal bands that have come and gone over the years, but when the dust has settled, Slayer continues to rule the wastelands as the signature soundtrack of Hell.




Drummer Dave Lombardo left the band in 1992, which for many, seemed to be the beginning of the end. Slayer continued on with drummer Paul Bostaph, and Jon Dette for a short stint, through the remainder of the nineties, but many fans felt the band was not the same anymore and lacked the initial spark that had hooked so many over the years. During this period, “Divine Intervention,” “Undisputed Attitude,” and “Diabolus in Musica” were released with the new lineup and were not received well by critics and fans alike. On September 11, 2001, Slayer released the follow-up album, “God Hates Us All,” which was overshadowed by the tragic events of that fateful day. With touring problems arising due to national security issues and flight restrictions, the band struggled getting to the stages to play for the fans. Prior to the end of the U.S. tour, Bostaph left the band again and the fates aligned, bringing Lombardo back into the fold. Ever since, the band has remained in its original, “classic” lineup and in 2006, “Christ Illusion” was released, which became one of the band’s highest charting records ever, debuting at #5 on Billboard’s 200 Albums Chart.

Now almost three decades into their journey, they have released ten studio albums, a number of EPs and live records, done countless world tours, been awarded two Grammys, and are currently finishing up on their eleventh studio offering. This summer sees them hitting some festival dates in Canada with Megadeth on the “Canadian Carnage Tour” before starting the “Mayhem Festival Tour” with Marilyn Manson, and the new record’s release looms somewhere over the horizon. A promotional release of “Psychopathy Red” flew off the shelves, leaving the salivating Slayer masses anxiously awaiting the new album‘s debut.

I had a chance to talk with Slayer bassist and frontman Tom Araya about the new record and upcoming tours, as well as the loyalty of the band’s supporters, and yes, even the National Day of Slayer.



JW: So, how are things going for you today?

TOM ARAYA: They’re going good. They’re going good. Actually, I’m in the studio talking to Greg (Fidelman -producer) right now.

JW: Tell me what you got going on this year. You guys got a busy summer ahead of you.

TOM ARAYA: We’ve got a busy summer coming up. We’re going to be doing six shows actually, five Canadian shows, starting June 21. Then we do the Mayhem Festival Tour with Manson and that’s going to go from July through August. Hopefully, we’ll have a record somewhere coming out around that time.

JW: Tell me a little bit about this Canadian Carnage Tour you’re doing with MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, and SUICIDE SILENCE. It’s just a couple shows before you start the Mayhem Festival.

TOM ARAYA: It’s five shows. Five festival shows we’re doing with them. I’m assuming there’s something else in the works that’s like a precursor to something that will happen a little later.

JW: So there’s something else in between the two?

TOM ARAYA: Yeah, something’s going on…(laughs). You know, people aren’t just nice to be nice. There’s a reason why people are nice.

JW: Ok…so talk to me about the new record you guys are working on. I heard a couple tracks off of it and a lot olf the fans got to hear “Psychopathy Red.” Tell me about the new record. How are you feeling about it?

TOM ARAYA: Awesome. I got nine songs that are mixed and sound amazing. It’s going to be awesome. It’s really, really good. Really, really good. It’s Slayer. It’s everything you want to hear Slayer do.

JW: The thing I got from listening to them, a lot of it reminds me of the older sound and a lot of the heavier, more aggressive stuff from the older days. It just takes me back.

TOM ARAYA: Yes, I have to agree with you. Wait ‘til you hear the rest of it (laughs). Seriously, it sounds really, really good. Real, real good. Amazing. Won’t toot my own horn…hahaha.

JW: Has it been fun being back in the studio recording again?

TOM ARAYA: No, it’s never fun being in the studio (laughs) but the end result is always, you know, that’s the winner. When you hear the final mixes of stuff, it makes it come together and you’re like, “WOW!!!” But yes, studio time is not the best time.

JW: But it is the means to the end.

TOM ARAYA: Oh yeah. Like I said, in the end what you hear is like, you know, put a lot of work into this. Sounds really, really great. Sounds really good. Greg is doing a really good job.

JW: Tell me about the Mayhem Tour you’re doing this summer. You excited about hitting the road to go do that?

TOM ARAYA: Yeah, actually that’s going to be good. You know, it’s going to be a fun summer tour. I’m going to have my family out with me so it’s going to be fun. You know, we play an hour, which really doesn’t allow for too much, you know what I mean, so we have to seriously decide what songs to play. I t doesn’t give you a lot to do as far as stage time. But you know, summer run, it’s going to be a fun festival. The bands that are playing are really good bands. It’s a good show and I think people are going to get their money’s worth.

JW: And the lineup is great.

TOM ARAYA: Yeah. The bands are really good. The bands on this bill are really good. It’ll be exciting.

JW: So with the record, do you guys have a title for that yet?

TOM ARAYA: No we don’t. Actually, there’s still a few songs that don’t have titles yet (laughs). But, we plan to get them soon.

JW: So, where do you guys go from here. You’re doing these tours over the summer and you’re going to do this record and put it out some time this summer. Is this something you guys are going to keep doing?

TOM ARAYA: This album, once it comes out, we’re probably going to do some fall stuff and then we’ll probably do a U.S. tour starting in January and into the summer. We’ll probably do festivals in the summer over in Europe. But you know, we got a tour for this album cycle that usually lasts about a year-and-a-half to two years. So we’ll be touring. We’ll be touring and playing. And the after that, while we’re touring and playing, we’ll figure out what to do afterwards. Right now, we’re focusing on making sure we do these shows (laughs).

JW: Are you going to take a hiatus from recording and mixing down the record or are you trying to finish up before you start hitting the road.

TOM ARAYA: No, no. We’re still trying to finish up some stuff, recording-wise. From here, we’re rehearsing for the shows that we’re going to in Canada and the Mayhem tour. So, we’re rehearsing right now so there’s no hiatus going on. We’re rehearsing and as soon as we’re done rehearsing here, we’re going to go and start the tour. Then we break for about a week and we start the Mayhem tour. After that, like I said, I’m sure we’ll do some other dates. Probably Japan, Australia, and South America. We’ll be busy for the next year and half or so (laughs).

JW: Now did you think when you started this up almost thirty years ago that you would still be doing this now and on the level that you’re doing it now?

TOM ARAYA: No, I never would have thought that. Ten albums, eleven albums later down the road, you know what I mean? Countless tours. No, I never would have thought it. I was just happy that we were on “Metal Massacre.” (laughs) You know what I mean. When we had one single on that album, that was fine with me. I was happy.

JW: What was that like when you were young, you guys were out playing shows and doing cover songs and all of a sudden you had that song “Aggressor Perfector” on a compilation. What was that feeling like, being a young guy and going “oh my god, we’re on this record?”

TOM ARAYA: It was awesome, dude. That’s what you want. You know what I mean? You want to get a song on a record. That’s what I wanted, you know what I mean? And then (Brian) Slagel (Metal Blade Records) says, “why don’t we do an album?” Like what?!? “Give me an album and I’ll put it out.” That song, when we wrote that song, we went back and rewrote a lot of music and came up with a lot of material for “Show No Mercy.” So that was a very inspiring song and we just took it from there, you know what I mean?

JW: And like I said, thirty years later, is this still fun for you? Do you still dig doing this?

TOM ARAYA: Oh, yeah. Yeah, the stage time is the best time. And the fact that people want to come and listen to your music which is a phenomenon in itself (laughs). You know what I mean? That people actually want to come and listen to music that you created and play it. It’s amazing sometimes.

JW: That’s got to be a really amazing feeling. And literally, Slayer has a legion of hardcore, loyal fans. There is a buzz in the air when Slayer comes to town. There’s a feeling and people know when you’re coming. It’s got to be a great feeling to hit that stage and just see all those people out there and know they are totally digging what you guys are doing.

TOM ARAYA: And it is. It’s a very good feeling. Very good feeling, man. Very good feeling. I can’t really describe it. But it is. It’s a good one (laughs).

JW: So, I have to ask you about something. Someone passed this one along to me and told me to ask you about the “National Day of Slayer.” Tell me about that?

TOM ARAYA: That was something that was done by some kids, I can’t recall from where, and they started doing it one year and they’ve been doing it for the past four years now. I’m not sure. On June 6, they wanted to do a “National Day of Slayer,” which is my birthday. They’ve been doing it and this year our publicist thought it would be cool, since they’ve been doing this for three or four years now, that it would be kind of neat to put a little plug together. It’s really cool and kind of neat that they are continuing the Slayer legacy (laughs).

JW: And that’s got to be a good feeling.

TOM ARAYA: It is. It’s great. It’s cool. They’ve been doing this for four years now and I guess they have a nationwide gathering, you know what I mean? People write in and type in what they did that day and what they plan to do that day. Listen to Slayer all day or do something they consider would be a Slayer type of mentality.

JW: That’s awesome.

TOM ARAYA: It’s kind of neat. You know what I mean? It’s kind of cool and that it was celebrated in country of Chile, where I’m from, so the whole country celebrates my birthday. I think it’s a trip.

JW: That’s pretty awesome. And that’s the thing, with your fans you are getting into several generations of fans. You have the fans that are the young kids or the older guys that saw you back in the day and now some of those people are grandparents now.

TOM ARAYA: Yeah. Yeah (laughs).

JW: And now their kids and grandkids are coming out to see Slayer. I mean, that’s got to be crazy.

TOM ARAYA: Yeah, it is crazy. It is crazy. We’d done in-stores and stuff and a few were where you get a proud father with a baby and then the next time you see him, the baby’s grown, with their own baby, like you said. Yeah, it is crazy and pretty neat to see. And you can see it out in the audience too. Faces. And then the fans are so loyal that whenever you play any certain cities you recognize faces. You know you’ve been seeing the same faces for the past twenty-five years, so it’s kind of neat when you’re like looking at the audience and you’re like, “Dude! I recognize you!” and they know you recognize them. It’s kind of cool (laughs).

JW: That’s awesome. So my last question for you, what you say to people that might read this about checking out the new record and why they should hit the show when Slayer comes to town?

TOM ARAYA: They should check out the new album because it’s fucking awesome. That’s why.

JW: Fair enough.

TOM ARAYA: That’s why they should check out the new album, because it’s fucking awesome. Seriously. It is amazing. And then they should come see us because we’re Slayer (laughs). That’s about it.

10 for $10 Tour

10 for $10 Tour
by Jason Walsh

The change in season sees the end of the school year and folks deciding on their vacation destinations and fun-filled activities before the arrival of Labor Day. Summer has traditionally been the time for thrill and adventure and one of the mainstays of this time of year has been live music, namely the colossal festival tours that seem to relentlessly invade cities across the nation. And as the cavalry of merchandise stands, overpriced food and beverage slingers, and self-absorbed rockstars prepare to invade communities in every major market, the question most American music fans start asking themselves is “which show can I afford?” Ticket prices and their attached service charges have gone through the roof and during the summer inflate even more, coupled with insane parking fees and the little bit of scratch needed to get you a $8 hot dog, $10 drink, and the $25 t-shirt that says you were there. In the greater scheme of things, choices have to be made on what big-time festival to hit and how much of a loan will be needed to get through it.

And though the media says times are getting better, the country is still in a recession and in the last year more than a half million Americans were laid off. Times are bad and for many, there isn’t extra money for entertainment when you can’t pay the bills. However, some forward-thinking members within the hardcore community have banded together to stack a tour that’s not only affordable, but enjoyable. The 10 for $10 Tour will feature ten quality bands, from old school staples to the new school upstarts, that will be hitting 32 cities between July and August for a mere ten bucks. It will be a long, hard-hitting day of hardcore in which fans won’t have to break the bank.

“The 10 for $10 Tour came about as an idea from our friend Tim (Borror),” said Poison the Well guitarist Ryan Primack. “He had an idea of a really cool summer tour with some cool bands. It was an idea of a cheap show to sort of address the current ‘everyone is broke’ situation. There are only a couple of summer tours and they are all really big festivals, so to speak. So, he asked if us and a couple other bands might want to do something different. It was the idea of a really great club show.”

The metalcore South Florida unit Poison the Well has been together since 1997 and latest record, “The Tropic Rot,” hits shelves this summer. The band is one of the headliners on the road that will be playing every venue along the way and Primack believes that a tour of this caliber is great for all the bands involved as far as getting their music out there to the people.

“It’s gotta be cool,” he said. “We’re a band a little over a decade old. In hardcore years that makes us a brontosaurus. I think for us the exposure is even cool. I don’t know how it’s good for the hardcore scene. I think for me, I focus on a different picture. It’s good for music. Sometimes people try to separate the two so that it’s one scene and another scene and whatnot. For me, I’ve always just focused on music. I like personally like music that isn’t worried about any scene. My favorite hardcore band is Bad Brains. How much of a simply defined hardcore band is that. They played dub songs. I think it’s good for a scene of people that want to hear music that comes from the most important place and that’s from the heart and mind. It comes from those places without consideration for the wallet.”

New York hardcore mainstays Madball will also be co-headlining the tour, bringing their blend of breakdown five-borough mayhem. Frontman Freddy Cricien was on board when the idea was in its early stages.

“The tour concept was thought up by my friends Tim Borror (Agency group) and Paul Conroy (Channel Zero Entertainment). They’ve been long time supporters of the hardcore scene. I became involved pretty early on. I think they had Madball in mind from the beginning.

Cricien believes this event will have a positive impact in rejuvenating the underground movement which sees its fair share of peaks and valleys.

“The hardcore scene is a funny thing,” Cricien said. “It’s amazing yet fickle. I’m being brutally honest here because I’ve been part of this scene on many levels for a very long time. So, I’m obviously passionate about it among other things. For me, it’s a scene that people look to for inspiration. It’s unique, rebellious, street credible, diverse, et cetera. Still, it’s somewhat under appreciated. Mainly, right here at home in the U.S., the birthplace of the genre. Don’t ask me why but it’s volatile in that way. On the worldwide scale, I believe it’s more respected. Here, everyone knows about it, wants to be affiliated with it in some way, but the support is not always there. I think this tour may spark a new and well deserved interest and appreciation for this scene.”

Terror from Los Angeles were also one of the first acts in consideration for the roster. Frontman Scott Vogel said the bands involvement came easily because he knew the key organizers setting it up were doing it for all the right reasons.

“The people putting the tour together are a huge part of the Terror team,” Vogel said. “Tim books us and Paul helps manage us. I know when they put the tour concept together they had Terror in mind on all angles. Since I’m kind of crazy and can’t sleep at night, those two have gotten lots of emails with questions and ideas of mine for the tour. For better or worse, but at least this kept me on the ‘up and up’ as the tour came together.”

Vogel agreed with Cricien that the 10 for $10 Tour is a way to help bring back the original spirit that hardcore is all about in a time when the community could use some rebuilding.

“A tour like this actually shows that the scene is worth something. Mostly all you hear about is fights and violence, bands that left the scene for bigger and better things, bands that sold out or ate their words. You know, all the bullshit. This is positive stuff. Real shit. Fighting back against the system. Things that drew me to hardcore many years ago and never let go of me.”

One of the biggest advantages of the event is that many of the lesser known bands along for the ride will get in front of some new faces for the first time. This is an opportunity to bring their aural assaults to fresh ears and hopefully gain some fans along the way.

“I’m super excited Trapped Under Ice got put on this bill,” Vogel said. “They are one of the youngest bands on the fest but also one of the best. Their new record comes out during the tour. It’s perfectly timed for them. But on the other hand, for a band like Terror, we do some ‘out-of-the-box’ type tours like Chimaira or Emmure, which is always fun and we always love playing to people who have never heard of us. But, it will be great for us to play with bands that influence and inspire us everyday.”

Baltimore’s Trapped Under Ice will be releasing that new record, “Secrets of the World” in August on Reaper Records. Vocalist Justin Tripp said the band was excited when their participation in the “10 for $10” came to be.

“Initially, we heard from Scott of Terror,” Tripp said. “We got more details of the tour when Tim Borror hit us up to play. Obviously, we jumped at the chance. It’s definitely true that this tour is a good opportunity to open the eyes of new people to the hardcore scene and to a lot of the smaller bands that people might not necessarily have heard of.”

The 10 for $10 Tour kicks off at the Trocadero in Philadelphia on July 9, winding through the nation to nearly three dozen destinations before the final show at Xtreme Wheels Skatepark in Buffalo. Through the course of the run, some bands will drop off and jump on, and fans should check their local venue to see what lineup they can expect in their respective cities. All said, the roster of performers involved is pretty impressive: POISON THE WELL, MADBALL, TERROR, DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR, BANE, VISION OF DISORDER, TRAPPED UNDER ICE, VISION, THE MONGOLOIDS, THE GHOST INSIDE, CRIME IN STEREO, VISION, WAR OF AGES, THIS IS HELL. Vocalist Leroy Hamp from War of Ages is a believer.

“Amazing,” Hamp said. “Sharing the stage with great national acts like Poison the Well, Madball, Bane, Terror, Death Before Dishonor, Vision, VOD, and more for ten bucks. A lot of these bands I grew up listening to and now playing alongside them on a tour that’s geared around the fans. If this doesn’t capture the true meaning of hardcore, I don’t know what would. Since War of Ages started touring five years ago, we’ve been touring with hardcore bands. Though we lean toward the metal side musically, we’ve always respected the hardcore scene. Hardcore bands were the only bands that would give us the time of day in the beginning of War of Ages. We’re doing this tour and encouraging our entire fan base to come out as a big thank you to every hardcore band or kid.”

Bryan Harris of Death Before Dishonor from Boston has always been a strong advocate for the hardcore community. According to him, the truth in the music is what has always set it apart.

“I think one of the things that never changes, especially with the bands that stick with it and have been with it forever is that hardcore is a real music,” Harris said. “The kids are real, the lyrics are real, and it should always be alive. I think that is always something that will stand the test of time.”

The boys from Boston have just released their latest offering, “Better Ways to Die,” on Bridge 9 Records, and having just returned from Europe, were excited to jump at the chance to join the 10 for $10 Tour.

“When I first heard about it, I know it was in the talks for a while and I kind of heard through the grapevine that this was going to happen, and once it became official and we landed it, we were pretty psyched,” Harris said. “Every summer there’s big tours and small tours and you know, you never get to see a ticket price for ten dollars, especially with ten bands ranging from bands like Poison the Well and Madball. You know, the way the economy is going and everything like that, I mean it’s a great way to expose bands from all genres of hardcore for ten bucks.”

Los Angeles based The Ghost Inside also have a new CD out, “Fury and the Fallen Ones,“ and have packed up their gear to take the countryside with their hardcore brethren. Vocalist Jonathan Vigil from echoed this sentiment that the upcoming summer’s campaign is just what is needed for the scene.

“This is exactly the kind of tour hardcore needs right now,” Vigil said. “Lots of diversity, lots of really, really amazing bands both well renowned and up-and-coming, all for a price that most everybody can afford. I really honestly can’t think of any other tour we’d want to be a part of right now.”

New Jersey’s Vision will be hitting some select dates through the course of the summer. Guitarist Pete Tabbot also agrees it is a much needed infusion to stimulate the hardcore family across the country in a time when good times are not abundant.

“Hopefully this tour will be a great kick in the pants for the scene in various cities across the country,” Tabbot said. “Whether people come out for a headliner like Poison the Well or VOD, shows like this can only fortify local scenes, bringing lots of kids together and hopefully inspiring more DIY shows and low-cost opportunities.”

Long Island’s Crime in Stereo has seen the affects that the economic downfall has had not only on music lovers but touring acts as well. Guitarist Gary Cioni agreed that though this is a great opportunity for bands to get their music out to the masses, the fans are really the ones who benefit the most.

“Well, it’s no secret that everyone is cutting back on spending lately,” Cioni said. “Many people may choose not to attend a show they might have gone to int the past because they would rather keep whatever money the show might have cost them, between tickets, gas, transport, whatever. I think that anyone would agree that with the 10 for $10 Tour, what you get for only ten dollars is more than a good deal. So many people will hopefully choose to come leave the house when they may have otherwise stayed home.”

www.myspace.com/10for10tour

10 for $10 Tour - AMP Magazine

10 for $10 Tour
by Jason Walsh

Summer brings the biggest tours of the year: tons of festivals, monstrous lineups, masses of people on pilgrimages for good music. Along with this however are exorbitant ticket prices coupled with outrageous service charges, unreasonable parking fees, refreshments that are priced ten times normal rates, and the almighty t-shirt souvenir from said events that are marked up to such an insane level that makes the mall “punk” store cost seem reasonable. And let’s face it folks, we’re in a recession and a lot of people lost jobs this year, took pay cuts, or are barely scraping by to survive. However, there is an alternative this summer that some of the fine folks in the hardcore community have gotten together to help alleviate financial distress in a time when recreational spending is becoming nonexistent. The 10 for $10 Tour will feature ten quality hardcore bands for ten bucks at 32 venues across the United States between July and August, so all you hard-working folks out there can get a chance to relieve your troubles and woes without breaking the bank.

“With the state of everything right now, we don’t just need a ‘financial break,’ we also need a genuine release and outlet,” said Freddy Cricien of Madball. “An escape from all the bullshit. Music in general has always provided that for people, through good and bad times. Our music in particular, I think, truly captures the frustration and emotions out there. It always has.”

Through the course of the tour, some bands will jump on and jump off, but every show will feature 10 bands for the mere ten dollar admission. On the list for this tour: MADBALL, POISON THE WELL, TERROR, BANE, DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR, VISION OF DISORDER, THIS IS HELL, TRAPPED UNDER ICE, THE GHOST INSIDE, VISION, THE MONGOLOIDS, CRIME IN STEREO, WAR OF AGES.

“The 10 for $10 Tour came about because of a few key industry people taking notice of the failing economy,” said vocalist Leroy Hamp of War of Ages. “One of the industry’s most well known booking agents, Tim Borror, noticed the economy woes and felt it would be a great opportunity for music to yet again aid in comfort during troubling times. All Tim needed to do next was ask and we were more than happy to be a part of it, putting the focus back on the fans and not in our pockets.”

Boston’s Death Before Dishonor had heard about the tour in its development stage. Frontman Bryan Harris has been a voice to the working class since the band’s beginnings and was “psyched” when they landed a spot.

“It’s the coolest thing I ever heard,” Harris said. “I’m sure every band is taking a little bit of a cut as far as pay-wise, but I mean in the greater scheme of things, I think it’s great. Everybody’s struggling, between bands, hard-working people, kids, you know, kids that want to go see a show. I think it’s a great way to just expose what’s going on.”

South Florida’s Poison the Well will be one of the headliners along the way and will be playing every show on the tour. Their involvement was cemented when Borror proposed the idea about an affordable event that was for the fans. Guitarist Ryan Primack stated they were down from the beginning.

“It’s rad,” Primack said. “It’s what I love about music in general. It’s quite obvious that none of the bands on this tour have ever cared about getting famous or being followed on TWITTER. We all just like playing music and we just like playing it for people. So as you might go to the Warped Tour or whatever summer fest tour you may go to, there is another summer tour. It’s cheap and it’s inside, so it’s even hotter than the outside summer fest tours, so our tour will help you lose those unwanted water retention pounds more than any other tour. That’s why this tour kicks ass, as well as it being rad bands.”

The idea was dubbed “bringing back the Sunday matinee,” a nod to the 80s New York Hardcore shows at CBGB’s, where you would have a packed lineup for little cost. Those days have sadly disappeared over time. Scott Vogel from Terror grew up listening to those New York bands on the West Coast and though he is in one of the top hardcore bands today with a strong following, he is still one of the scene’s biggest fans.

“If I was not on this tour and could see Madball, Bane, Trapped Under Ice, and This is Hell for ten bucks and also a bunch of other bands with different styles but still in the true hardcore realm, I’d be super excited,” Vogel said. “Fests can be a headache, but I know this one is going to be done right. Hardcore needs new ideas and people actually using their head for a cause. That’s what this shit is all about.”

The heavy-hitting Trapped Under Ice from Baltimore are also onboard for the entire duration of the tour. Frontman Justice Tripp believes to miss this show would be a shame.

“I have a lot of cheap friends who always ask to be guest listed or suck in to shows,” Tripp said. “Everyone has been guilty of that, but with this particular tour there is no excuse. What you have is ten awesome bands every night for the price you would normally pay to see three or four. You’re getting way more than your money’s worth. You’d be crazy or hate hardcore and punk rock music to stay at home instead of coming out.”

Bane were just returning from Europe when they got the call about the tour. The guys from Massachusetts were one of the last bands to confirm, which according to drummer Bob Mahoney, made their involvement easy.

“Every one of the bands that are involved are involved for the same reason,” Mahoney said. “This is a great way to get the music out and get some new fresh eyes and ears to see some of the bands they might not have ever seen before. I feel with bringing this unity vibe out, it reminds me of why I am still involved with this. This is my community. From my days in early high school to now, when shit sucked, I had a hardcore show to go to. Now, I get the best of both.”

Vision of Disorder from Long Island echoed the sentiment about their involvement as a positive direction for the scene. Vocalist Tim Williams grew up in the New York Hardcore community and has seen how the corporate intervention has tainted the industry.

“Music has become such a business now,” Williams said. “It’s almost depressing. I’m glad we can get involved with a bill that’s for the underground. It’s a rare thing these days and how cool is it for some of the hardcore bands as far as exposure. It’s always good to see something like this. I think it’s just a fun thing that was put together by some old schoolers that may miss shows like this.”

Fellow Long Island natives Crime in Stereo reflect the more progressive punk side of the roster. This factor, according to guitarist Gary Cioni, was a strong reason for their participation in the 10 for $10 Tour.

“What’s cool about this is that every band will have the opportunity every night to play to a lot of people who may be hearing them for the first time,” Cioni said. “A tour like this helps us out in ways that I would imagine helps out any of the bands on the tour. Each band has fans who will come out and end up seeing a few bands they did not previously listen to, so the opportunity for new fans is great for us, as well as anyone else playing.”

The Long Island contingent on the tour continues with This Is Hell, who have been together for five years now. Vocalist Travis Reilly agreed with the concept of bands being exposed to different fans that they would normally not see at a smaller show.

“Some of the bands on the bill are hardcore staples and have been playing for ten years,” Reilly said. “Some thirty-something-year olds might come to the show just to see Madball, but he’ll catch Trapped Under Ice and it’ll get him stoked on some current bands, and the same goes in reverse. Some younger kid might come stoked to see Trapped Under Ice and hasn’t heard Madball and he’ll see them and it’ll click where Trapped Under Ice is getting some influence from and he’ll check out Madball and find out about some of the older hardcore bands. I think all bands and the kids involved will benefit from this tour.”

Also attached to the bill is The Ghost Inside from Los Angeles. Jonathan Vigil, the band’s resident lyric growler, said this tour took him back to the old days when he was a kid.

“When I was growing up, I would go to shows every weekend,” Vigil said. “I would do chores throughout the week and get $25 from my Dad come Friday. I would take that money and spend $10 or less to get into the show, $10 for a shirt, $4 for a 7-inch record and $1 for a water or maybe a burrito after the show. Then because of rising gas prices, inflation, the economy and whatnot, the prices of shows rose drastically over the years. So to be in a band now and to be playing a tour that’s only $10 to get in and made affordable for kids to come out and have fun, feels amazing. Very nostalgic.”

The Christian metal core outfit War of Ages out of Erie, Pennsylvania agreed that the unity aspect of the tour is what drew them. Though they tend to lie more on the metal spectrum musically, Vocalist Leroy Hamp said that bringing together so many like minded bands under one roof is great for the fans.

“As everyone knows, not every band on this tour is a hardcore band, but that’s not the point,” Hamp said. “This tour is making a larger statement on what hardcore is really about. Think about it, 10 bands for $10, none of us getting paid very much for this, but that doesn’t matter. We’re showing that the hardcore scene is an army that won’t be silenced. Period.”

New Jersey’s Vision will be playing a few dates throughout the summer run. Guitarist Peter Tabbot said the guys from the Garden State were “thrilled” for the opportunity to participate in such a positive event.

“It’s a win-win-win for both the bands involved and the kids who come out to the shows,” Tabbot said. “Kids may come for one of the headliners and hopefully be surprised by some of the opening bands and maybe their curiosity will be piqued enough to go pick up an album. Since some of the venues are rather large, it’s a fantastic chance for unparalleled exposure.”

Greg Falchetto from the Mongoloids, another of the Jersey crew coming to select venues is among the majority involved that are completely excited with what the tour represents for the hardcore community. This was their way of giving back to the kids who come to the shows night after night.

“This is really the best tour we could have hoped for,” Falchetto said. “How often to you get to hang out and tour with your friends? We’re really happy to have a chance to meet new people and it’s great that bands that have been around for a long time will make sacrifices so bands like us can be seen by more people because without bands like Poison the Well willing to make sacrifices, we wouldn’t have this chance. But that’s what hardcore is all about. It’s always been about helping people and taking care of one another. Our hopes would be that the price will help people come out to this show and we would be able to do this as a yearly event.”



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