So it seems like Chicago is a hot bed for hardcore right now. There are truly some great bands coming out of Chi-town, Psyche, Flatfoot 56, Sexually Frustrated, Man Made Hell, Beggars, and a band that in my opinion is another one to keep an eye on. Break The Curse. These dudes are putting out some fun “Chicago-Style Hardcore” and are solid Christian dudes with a great sound and a great message in their songs. If you are looking for a band that puts Christ first and pumps out some good hardcore, then this is your band. So read on and learn about our friends in Break The Curse, AND, at the bottom, there is a link to download their album for FREE for all the HXCChristian.com readers 
Band: Break The Curse
Music Style: Hardcore
Home Town: Chicago
Facebook Bandcamp Stereokiller
Interview by John Jackson
Q: So, tell me the history of Break the Curse? I’ve learned from Alex that you met in Rockford of all places and now are in the Bolingbrook area. Ironically, both are close to my heart as I grew up in Rockford and lived near Bolingbrook for about 10 years. Were any of you in other bands? Any side projects currently?
A: A long, long time ago, in the Gold Coast Blended island of Bolingbrook (IL) sat four men doin an interview. Jah boi’z don’t play.
Jacob - History is HIS story on Break the Curse. (as Jacob puts some jams on)
Alex – SO Break The Curse all started with myself, Jacob, and our friend Matt Russell. Matt was our bass player and is one of our great friends. He recently had to step down to focus more on medical school. (he’s the man!) Back in school we all wanted to jam together. Matt coined the name Break The Curse, and the whole heart behind it was playing music and seeing spiritual curses and/or strongholds being broken off of people believer or nonbeliever. So after we all left school in Rockford (Commissioner’s School of Bible Mastery) myself, Jacob, & Mark did an internship with a pastor in Poplar Grove, IL and we got together in the our pastor’s basement and wrote the first song, Breakin Knees & Takin Names! Shortly after this we all moved to Bolingbrook and then Keith finished school in Rockford and moved here and then the band was complete and we continued writing. That’s all she wrote in the history of Break The Curse. BOOM!
As I type…here’s what’s happening in the background of my foreground.
(Jacob) -(he showed me his new knife)
(Mark) -(drinking coffee)
(Keith) -(looking over my shoulder while I type)
Back in high school Mark played in the following bands: Improvcore band called Panther Punch. A psuedo-Zao-esque-band-core called Agony In This Fire. An Alternative Rock Outfit called Endless Never. A freshman year phenom-core band called The After Party.
Concerning Keith, his bands include: a double kickin,guitar growlin metal band called Killing The Archetype. a TBS-esque band called The Aaron House. And then a deeply philosophical project called Lifelike Theory.
Alex played sports. HA!
Jacob- A good ole band called Sarrows End. And evolving project called Thicker Than Blood which was eventually called xBy His Stripesx. And then a solo project called xContenderx.
Side projects currently?? YES! Midcoast Boyz. A hip-hop project which bedazzles its competition! literally. Bedazzling every living thing alive. It includes myself (Alex) & Keith
And then a powerhouse fitness-core project including all of us called Pure Sweat. Sweat the Hate! Scorch the fat!
Also a tentatively unnamed band that’s thrashy and spazzy!
Also then a lil band called Hostile Holy Ghost thats just FAST!!
 Q: What bands do you think have had the biggest influence on your sound? I see “Chicago-style hardcore” used to describe your sound, so for those not privileged enough to live there, could you describe what that means?
A: First I’ll explain the Chicago-style hardcore thing. HAHA! Part of who we are is where we are from. So Chicago-style hardcore isn’t so much a sound, but its more like a description of places we like to eat. Like you could say Sleeping Giant is more of a West Coast, Redlands, So-Cal style hardcore (no disrespect, we love them! like a lot) where as Break the Curse is more like taking a bite of chili cheese dog w/ extra onions from Portillo’s and then slammin a cake shake-core.
So bands that influence our sound would be Have Heart, xLooking Forwardx, Take it Back, Cheep Trix (check spelling, Cheap Trick?), Lust Control, and of course 100%, rebel born, pure, genuine, ‘Merican Rock’n'Roll, Foo Fighters.
Q: The Chicago burbs are monstrously huge, so is there one scene there and in the city or a bunch of smaller ones? Is there good unity or is there some of the “our scene/bands are better than yours”?
A: In Chicago there a bunch of scenes! A lot of metal. It’s pretty diverse, we’ve played with folk bands, punk, metal, spazzy instrumental, and in the city you got a lotta jazz! So there’s a lot of music goin on out here. Thank you historical route 66, for providing us so many musical kicks.
And honestly there’s not much unity. There’s a lot of young minded bands who feel like they need to sound better than everyone else. Unfortunately, most people that come to shows don’t watch all the bands and just wanna pay money and then hang outside. It stinks. We hope one day unity will return and dominate the scene in our area!! Bam!
Q: Tell me about the recording process for “World’s Greatest Dad” (where, when, how long did it take)? Has it really been around since 2009?
A: Ahhhh, 2009 is actually the year we started and wrote our first song. So “World’s Greatest Dad” was started in March and we recorded the whole thing in a week during Jacob’s spring break. We made a makeshift studio in a small room, maybe 15×20 foot room. We set up and tore down mics(3 57′s, a beta, and a shure kick mic) amps, & drums for each song. We soundproofed the room using Styrofoam, old couch cushions, and stacks of chairs. And we used a soundboard that begged us not to use it because of how old it was, it has senioritis. But we put it in its place…on a table…next to Marks computer. Then we (Keith) mixed the songs thru headphones and borrowed speakers. Our recording software was garageband. Keith did such a good job mixing!! This all goes to show that it’s possible that with time and patience you can have a solid recording and make maximum use of what you have making yourself true DIY men.
Q: What are the band’s favorite songs on “World’s Greatest Dad?” What makes these stand out? Which are the favorite ones to play live?
A: Simplest, easiest, and truest answer…all of them. Bar none. Straight up. No exceptions. Let’s go I’m hungry. Donezo. We pour our whole hearts into every song so its easy for us to love them all.
Q: How/why did you decide to freely give away the full-length? A lot of newer bands have a couple songs for free download, but usually not a full-length. How has this been received? Have you heard any reviews on “World’s Greatest Dad?”
A: We want to give it away for free because its not a business…its a ministry for us. It’s a gift to anyone and everyone in need of hope. We want to give the music away because we believe in the message that it carries, which is one of hope and freedom found in Jesus Christ. It seems like people are really diggin it! which is really cool. we’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people saying they like the jams. And we haven’t heard any formal reviews or anything like that on WGD, you can do one! haha
Q: How does the songwriting process work in Break the Curse, anyone take the lead? Music first, lyrics first? Who comes up with the song titles? You have to expect this question when you have “Psalm dunk the funk” (ha).
A: The songwriting process has been done a few different ways. There have been times we started with lyrics, at times it’s been music, we’ve jammed and then wrote, & our newest one starts off with a spoken word. We’ve written songs a few different ways, but in all things our songwriting process is very collaborative. We all have input. it’s very much a group effort.
Q: What do you see as the mission of Break the Curse? In the endless debate, would you side with the statement “Break the Curse is a Christian band” or “Break the Curse are Christians in a band”? or is this even relevant and worthy of discussion?
A: The mission of BTC is to spread the amazing news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our lyrics are filed with truth, and the message is given in fierce love. It’s our passion and our life. We also long to see curses broken over people whether it be thru listening to the CD or coming out to a show (when we have one, ha), because our music is intercession. We also have a blast! It’s a heartbeat we follow, not a dreadful chore. Also with hardcore there’s a lot of hate in the scene, but we bring the love of God, a lot of good ole times, and SO much laughing! HA! LIFE. We have a friggin amazing time!
Break The Curse is a Christian band. All we do is for the Lord and our music is no exception. It’s an absolutely undebatable question among each of us.
Q: What are the plans for the future? Any touring/shows coming up? Going to any festivals?
A: Our plans for the future are in a way on hold as of right now, because Mark is going to moving to Minnesota for a few months with his wife. After those few moths when Mark gets back we will be right back to getting together and jammin! No doubt. And if a touring opportunity or festival opportunity came up and worked out for everyone we would all be down! We are down for whatever the Lord has in store for BTC, we simply long to honor & obey Him in all things.
Q: If you could pull together some bands for a tour, who would you pick?
A: Bands for a tour…Debtor, Desiring Dead Flesh, Carrying The Fire, & Psyche. Psyche is a local band from our area and they are really cool dudes that love the Lord and play some gnarly hardcore.
Q: What is the most embarrassing music people would find on your Mp3/iPod or in your music collection? Or what bands do you like but try to hide from others?
A: HA! We all love so many different kinds of music. We aren’t ashamed by any of them bands or singers, but I’m sure people might laugh at us! hahaha
Jacob- Barry Manilow
Mark- Justin Bieber
Keith- Heat Wave, Celia Cruz (salsa music)
Alex- Something Corporate, The Wedding Singer Soundtrack
 Q: List your all-time favorite show that you’ve been to and briefly why.
A: Favorite Shows…
Jacob- xLooking Forwardx- because they are super energetic, passionate, and their lyrics are super positive and uplifting.
Mark- It would be Underoath. It was back in 2000 and Dallas was there singer and they were black metal, and they also played with beloved. The band ate at my friends house so I got to hangout with them. They were super personable and made me feel like I was one of them which is something I look for in band.
Alex- For me it’d be Take It Back. Almost all of their songs are so close to my heart so every time I see them live it’s such a blast being in the pit and going crazy and snaggin the mic because they are all songs that mean so much to me.
Keith- Definitely the Foo Fighters, back in 2003. It was my favorite band at the time, and still is among the favorites to this day! It was during the Summerfest in Wisconsin, so that whole day was filled with musical delight! But Dave Grohl has always been an inspiration to me!
Q: Please share with everyone what parts of the bible motivate you as a band.
A: Our biggest inspiration is drawn from the life of Jesus Christ. All He did & said inspires who we are and what we are about.
Jacob- I’m just trying to understand the Father’s heart whenever I read. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me understand what His Word means, and what its intended purpose is for in my life, and in His kingdom’s purpose while He has me here on earth.
Mark- Do not fret. It is wickedness because it is a result of me trying to have my own way. Don’t fret because of outward things…rest in Him.
Alex- Psalm 91. I’ve been realizing that there is fear in my life as a result of not trusting in the Father. Fear is an emotional response to a lack of trust.
Sometimes I fear that I won’t and am not living in my true identity that is found in the Lord because it gets attacked a lot. So through being with the Lord and going deep into the Word I find there is safety for my soul and safety for who I am, because who I am is in all that He is. The Lord has been speaking truth over my identity, and now I want to speak peace and healing over you who are dealing with an identity crisis. Of not knowing who you are. TAKE HEART! Who you are is found in Him. There is wholeness and healing found in Jesus Christ. He is your immovable refuge and strength!
Keith- Romans 8 and 1 John 4. Those two passages have been the antidote to my shortcomings and have laid out much of my identity in Christ Jesus. They have been a counter-attack to apathy as well. I find more and more that my soul longs more than anything for love/intimacy, a destiny/purpose, and meaning/truth.. which I believe is the case for many. It’s what really brings us alive. Everybody longs to belong. Sometimes it’s why people wear what they wear or do what they do. Christ is the only one who can fill those soul longings, completely and un-artificially! These 2 passages bring to me meaning, belonging, a filled soul. read em for yo’self! They will show you who you really are in Christ.
Here is a current list of the some of the bands/music the guys in BTC are listening to…
Keith- Betrayed, Internal Affairs, Marvin Sapp, Twin Shadow, & Stevie Wonder
Alex- Take it back, Have Heart, Fleetwood Mac, & Foo Fighters (soon it’ll be the new Debtor and the new Hands AH!)
Mark- Thrice, Hands, & various indie/folk artists
Jacob- Foo Fighters, False Idol, & Duke Ellington
As promised, you can download the album “World’s Greatest Dad” for FREE HERE and HERE. Pass the word along, friend these guys on Facebook and tell all your homies about them, ya dig?
 Seems like Cornerstone 2011 was quick this year. HXCChristian.com had a tent this year located next to the Legacy Stage. Micah who runs the Legacy Stage reached out to us and asked if we could team up. Of course we said yes. So we were right in the middle of all the action. This year we had our great DIY Gatorade, gave our free stickers, and other freebies. We also did our annual spaghetti dinner on Thursday night. We cooked 36 pounds of spaghetti and made 7 gallons of sauce for our event. Every year, we are happy to serve hungry mouths at Cornerstone. We do what we do because 1. The Lord tells us to serve our fellow Christians, and 2. We love the Christian hardcore scene, its people, and the bands. What a better way to express our thanks and support than by feeding as many folks as we can. And a special thanks to everyone who felt moved to give a donation, no matter how small or large, this helps keep us going, so thank you!
There were so many great bands playing this year, in particular, Blood & Ink records did a B&I family and friends day at the Solace Stage (which spanned two different days). What was cool about this show is that it included such great B&I bands as Venia, Jawbone, Friends, Dependency, Thin Ice, Ironwill, Thirtyseven, Divide The Sea, and Debtor, but also bands including Cool Cough (side project of the guys from Call To Preserve), Strengthen What Remains, Beggars, Call to Preserve, Messengers, Dynasty, and Gideon (whom are not on the B&I label). What makes the fact that this was going on extra cool is the fact that our tent was wedged in between Solace Stage and Legacy Stage where all of these great shows were taking place.
Some of the highlights of the week were the following:
1. Meeting so many of you that visit our site and post on the forum, and finally meeting many of the bands we interview in person and getting to know everyone better.
2. Catching a few Dynasty sets. I (Josh) really like this band and I think they are solid, their testimony is also very moving. I think I almost broke my hand and wrist when I was dancing and clobbered some poor kid right over the head. Turns out my hand is OK, if the kid I hit is reading this, sorry, hope you are OK!
3. Getting Officer Negative to play the Legacy Stage on Thursday may have been a highlight of the week as well. I knew of the band, but have never really listened to many of their songs. Hanging with Chad (the singer) and Justin, Casey, and Rick (who was filling in on drums) was great, awesome bunch of guys, strong in the Lord. It was awesome to watch everyone getting into their set, singing along, and dancing like a bunch of maniacs. Plus, I am sporting my new Officer Negative shirt today!
Officer Negative – “JCHC” on Legacy Stage
4. Final Call To Preserve sets at Cornerstone, while everyone is bummed that these guys are breaking up, it was cool to catch their last shows at Cornerstone. I picked up their 7″ “Validation” as well, which I highly recommend everyone go and pick up. These guys have grown musically over the years. It was also fun to see Cool Cough, their side band with Harbor singing, and John playing guitar. Good stuff.
5. Debtor’s new material is awesome, nuff said. The guys in the band are super cool, easy to talk with, and they blew up every set with their new songs. Go and buy their new album Bloodseeds and Blood & Ink Records.
6. Catching a full Graverobber set. If you have not seen these guys live, then you are missing out. They are like the Misfits of the Christian punk world, their music is tight, and their stage show is extremely entertaining. Just a word of advice, if they are singing any song that includes the word “blood” in the title, run for cover. Catch their midnight shows, way more fun then their daytime shows.
7. True Liberty and FBS – again, both of these bands just keep getting better, and they are both tons of fun to hang with. Make sure to catch them live if they happen to be coming through your town.
8. Branching out – I checked out A Hill To Die Upon, I am not normally a metal fan, but these guys are actually really really decent, and when I listen to their stuff, there is a heavy undertone of hardcore in it. Go and check them out.
9. Strengthen What Remains and Clear Convictions – their split set was probably one of the most fun sets at Cornerstone. Strengthen What Remains is out of Florida and the guys in the band are among some of the coolest you will meet. Their music just keeps getting better and better. Clear Convictions came all the way from Puerto Rico to play Cornerstone. I was pissed that so many people slept on the this band during their set on Texas Stage, but I was glad that I was able to tape the set (check out video page). Both of these bands are signed to On The Attack Records run by our friend Sammy. Love you guys! Make sure that you pick up both of their albums from On The Attack, worth every penny, and how often do you see the record label owner in the pit??? Now that is support for your bands!
Clear Convictions Set from Texas Stage
10. Discovering new bands that everyone needs to check out. Beggars, With Increase, Blackhole.
And number 11. The super secret show at the barn. WOW, Debtor and Beggars both played a set, and then there were three cover sets including songs by Minor Threat, Advent, Seventh Star, and Shockwave. This was by far THE best show, held in the storage shed by the skate park. There where probably two hundred people that showed up and only enough room for 50 in the venue. I was lucky enough to get up in the storage rafters to tape some of the show. It was insane. And as one of the guys from Debtor told me, “I just had a huge smile on face the whole time cause it was so awesome.” I agree that it was awesome and I think there should be more intimate shows at Cornerstone like this. Check the video page for coverage of the event. Sorry you missed it!
Over all, the event was great, seemed fewer people were there this year, actually seemed kind of empty this year. Rumors are floating around that they may not have Cornerstone next year because they did not sell enough tickets this year. I say, don’t listen to rumors and sit tight, they may change the look and feel of Cornerstone next year, but I find it hard to believe they will altogether cancel the event, it touches so many people’s lives.
Thanks for all your support and for everyone that stopped in to say hello, your kind words and blessing edify what we do and why we do it. Until next year, God bless and be safe!
Check out our video page for more videos, you can find our youtube channel here, and make sure to “like” us on Facebook!
Josh and the HXCChristian.com crew (John, RJ, Katie, Seann, Doug and special helpers like Mike!)
And one more fun video of the “best of” Cornerstone!
 This is our shirt design this year. Pretty cool huh? Hey folks, the staff of HXCChristian.com will be descending on Cornerstone 2011. We really look forward to fellowship with all our friends, new friends, and folks that we have not met yet. This year we will be right next to our friends that run The Legacy Stage. For those of you don’t know, Legacy Stage is THE stage if you want to catch all the hardcore and punk bands at Cornerstone. HXCChristian.com will have our own tent this year and we will be having fun in the mornings. We will have meet and greets during the week with various bands including Officer Negative, Strengthen What Remains, Clear Convictions, and several other bands. We will be providing coffee for the meet and greets and probably some sort of breakfast, so be sure to stop in and check the schedule. We will also have some freebies, so stop in and grab some DIY Gatorade and some HXCChristian.com stickers.
On Thursday evening we will have our annual “Christian Hardcore Spaghetti Dinner.” This is where the staff of HXCChristian.com serves you, the fans of the site and anyone else in appreciation for supporting our efforts. After all, we are here to support the bands, labels, and fans and help spread the gospel. The dinner is free, but if you feel inclined, make a small donation and we can continue to feed as many hungry mouths as possible.
We will also have a special guest this year at Cornerstone. This man has been around for a looong time. You may know him from your neighborhood you grew up in, or perhaps your church. “Grumpy Old Man” will be joining the staff of HXCChristian.com and will be making guest appearances. You may even see him harassing some of the bands or in the mosh pit. Just beware, he is a extremely grumpy and always irritable. (see video below)
We hope to see everyone at Cornerstone 2011, if you are there, please stop by our tent and introduce yourself to Doug, RJ, John, or Josh. We would love to meet you!
God Bless and safe travels to the everyone heading to Cornerstone!
 I had to post this. Watch it and share with others you may know that have become complacent in Christ and the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed with anguish before he went to the cross, we need also pray like this. We need a REAL revival!
Pastor David Wilkerson was quite a man. He was an incredible pastor with fantastic messages. He worked with gang member in New York in the 70′s and founded “World Challenge” an organization whose sole purpose is to spread the gospel of Christ. I think the most interesting thing was a vision that David had in 1973 (from Wikipedia) “Wilkerson claimed to have received a vision in 1973 regarding the future of the United States, subsequently published in a book called The Vision. Some of the subject areas of this reputed prophecy were: “Worldwide recession caused by economic confusion”; “Nature having labor pains”; “A flood of filth and a baptism of dirt in America”; “Rebellion in the home”; and “A persecution madness against truly Spirit filled Christians who love Jesus Christ”.” I think we are pretty close to having all these prophesies come true, all but the last…..
Here I am Lord……
Every now and again there are still punk bands that are worth their salt, pushing the boundaries of punk music and making it their own. I have heard a lot of so called punk bands in my time, most are rip-offs of other bands or sing about the same boring old social fare that has been sung about so many times before. The Hoax is one of these bands that we should all be checking out, getting their music and going to shows to see them play. I received their first album and was impressed they did a Minor Threat cover, their newest album however “Stumbling Through” is a punk masterpiece. These guys are really branching out and even incorporating ska and rock-a-billy into their new tunes. Their music is sure to keep you interested and engaged. Anyway, read on about these guys, based on some shows they just played, I have a feeling they are turning some heads of some well know Christian punk and hardcore bands.
BAND: The Hoax
MUSIC STYLE: PUNK
LOCATION: Anaheim, CA
FACEBOOK MYSPACE
Q: The Hoax has been together for a while now, how and when did the band get it’s start?
A: We got together in early 2005, I don’t remember exactly when I think it was spring time. We were just a couple of bored kids who had just got instruments, except for Daniel he’d been playing drums for a while. and were inspired by Officer Negative and Headnoise. The hoax was originally a three piece, we added David in January this year.
 Q: What is the significance of the name “The Hoax?”
A: We chose “The Hoax” originally just cause it sounded cool. When we started we planned on calling ourselves “50 Caliber” but after talking to friends and other people in bands we decided it didn’t sound like the name for a punk band. After we switched names we kept getting asked what does your name mean and at first we didn’t have an answer. But Daniel wrote Fake Reality, which was originally titled The Hoax Song and it basically says this world is a hoax, don’t trust in things of the world, put your trust in God.
Q: Who all is in the band and what does everyone do when they are not playing?
A: Tyler is our singer and he used to play bass also. He works at Ralph’s grocery store in the seafood department and is going to Cypress college. I am Johnny Hoax I play guitar and do some vocals. I work at Reliable Sheet Metal Works, I’m a fabricator. I’m also studying at Cal Poly Pomona. David Robledo is our new member, he plays bass for us. He used to be in an awesome ska band, Skamikaze! but they are on a break for a while so we stole him. Daniel aka Danimal plays drums. And he is finishing up an Accounting degree at Cal State Fullerton.
Q: Do any of the members in the band have side projects? What bands have members been involved with in the past?
A: David was in Skamikaze! That’s the most notable by far. Daniel and I had a grindcore side project with a friend of ours, Matt Dreer, but he moved back to Maryland so that died. Tyler was in a band called The Clerks, everyone in the band worked at grocery stores at the time but they never played any shows. Right now I am working on two side projects, one is a pop punk band and the other is a hardcore band.
Q: Saw that you guys recently had an 11th hour signing with our pals over at Thumper Punk Records. Can you tell us about the album you just released entitled “Stumbling Through?”
A: Oh the story behind this album, where to start. This album definitely tested us quite a bit. We’ve had this album ready for a while, we finished recording in August. We recorded at Live Wire Studio with Jason and Josiah from Spades and Blades/ The Havoc. The Hoax had originally signed to another label, but due to circumstances with their personnel we weren’t able to release with them. I had been talking with David from Thumper Punk and he offered to pick us up and release the album and we were stoked. We love Thumper Punk Records! TPR is an amazing label.
Q: I took a listen to the “Stumbling Through” and love the album, I really like how you guys are diversifying your sound, there is a little ska, rock-a-billy, and whole lot of punk, where do you guys draw your influences from?
A: We draw from everything we listen to. We like a lot of different music, obviously punk but we also are into hardcore, grind, thrash, ska. The bands we draw from most are probably The Crucified, Oi Polloi, Minor Threat, Toxic Narcotic, and The Deal. There are a lot of others but I would say musically these are the most influential.
Q: The Hoax played a pretty neat show recently including reunions of Officer Negative, The Deal, and also Headnoise, how did you guys manage to get on the bill and how was the show?
A: That show was amazing, we had so much fun being a part of it. We were able to get on the bill through Breakthru Entertainment, we’ve known them for quite a while. That show was unreal, I never thought I’d see the day Officer Negative got back together, let alone be able to play with them. Headnoise, The Deal, and The Havoc we’re awesome too. Headnoise is back! I’m really excited about that, when I heard about the shows I thought they were just doing a couple reunion shows but Robert announced at Chain that they were back for good.
Q: You guys planning to tour the US at all (or do a mini-tour?)
A: We are planning to do a small tour this summer, probably just a West Coast thing but in the future we really want to be able to do a full tour and make it out to play Cornerstone.
Q: What is the main purpose of The Hoax?
A: The main purpose of The Hoax is to be a light to the punk scene, we want to go play shows and be examples that you can be punk and Christian at the same time and that you don’t have to be drunk to have fun at a show.
Q: The Hoax is a Christian band, where do you guys draw your biggest inspiration from in the bible? What messages from the bible would you like to share with folks reading this interview?
A: Acts 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We know everyone is sinner, we want to show other punks that you don’t have to stay in that sin. We aren’t the band that will stand up on stage and point people out and say change your ways, we just want to show people God’s love and tell them that Jesus loves them, not criticize them because they know what they are doing is wrong. If their hearts aren’t ready, I feel our criticism will just push them away. I prefer to lead by example and just show them love.
Q: Now for some fun stuff, give us a funny story about the band, some great story about a show etc.
A: The Officer Negative show. I ran up onstage and sang part of JCHC then did a stage dive, it was my first stage dive ever and it was pretty sweet that it was during JCHC.
 Q: What music are you guys currently listening to? Who should we check out?
A: Everyone is listening to a lot of different stuff lately. Tyler is into a lot of grindcore and thrash. Daniel pretty much sticks to straight up punk. David is our ska guy. I’ve been listening to a lot of pop punk lately and I’ve been getting teased quite a bit for it but I’ve also been listening to a lot of ska, hardcore and metal too. I’ve really gotten into Big D & the Kids Table, they are a ska band they aren’t Christian but they are very good ska. Also Maylene and The Sons of Disaster, I really like their sound, it’s different from a lot of what is out right now. One band I was really looking forward to hearing their new album was Earth From Above but I think they have called it quits which is a bummer cause they were really good. I’m excited to hear False Idle’s new album, I can’t wait for that! I’ll only recommend one pop punk band, the guys will probably kill me for it anyway but check out Such Gold, they aren’t Christian but if you’re a fan of good pop punk you need to check them out.
Q: If you guys could be characters in any movie which movie would it be and which characters would you play?
A: Well I can’t speak for the other guys but I would choose pretty much any zombie movie, I am a huge fan of zombies. If I was in one I would definitely be the guy who doesn’t die. I’m prepared for the zombie apocalypse!
Q: What should we expect from the band in the future? More albums planned we hope?
A: I really would like to do a split album with another Christian punk band, that has been an interest of mine for quite a while. But we are going to continue writing music for as long as we can.
Q: Feel free to give shout-outs, share links, etc. Thanks for the interview and thanks for contributing to the HXCChristian.com compilation album!
A: I’d like to shout out to the local bands we are friends with Professor Panyck’s Schizophrenic Circus, Spades and Blades, Heart Like War, Higher Learning. And some not so local bands, The Way, The Kings Kids, and False Idle! Also check out Caustic Fallout Radio and all the other TPR bands. Keep the circle pit alive!
Every couple of years a band bursts onto the scene that has the momentum of a snowball rolling down a hill. Dynasty is a band like that. These dudes have been playing for a number of years but were recently signed to StrikeFirst Records propelling them into a whole new arena. So these guys are putting some solid NYC hardcore style music out with a slight twist of hip hop. Funny thing is these guys are from LA! So read the great interview below that John did with the guys from Dynasty and make sure to check them out on their upcoming tour with Call To Preserve and Dead Icons and at Cornerstone Festival this year (hint – they will be the hardcore band doing covers of Beastie Boys songs).
BAND: Dynasty
MUSIC STYLE: Straight Up Hardcore
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles
FACEBOOK MYSPACE TWITTER
Q: So can you tell me a little about the history of Dynasty? I see from press materials that you’ve been together for 6 years. How did you all come together? Were any of you in other bands? Are any of you in other bands at the moment? I’m guessing here but it looks like there may be some brothers/relatives in the band?
A: Well we started practicing and writing in 2004 but actually started gigging in 2005. My brother Marcel (guitar) was in the band in the early years but was actually the one who quit the band because of the drugs and alcohol issues going down in the band. He actually said “I won’t play until everyone gets saved.” (Haha). At the time I was super pissed off that he would say that and we had no relationship at all for awhile. God straight up restored that bond between us. Years later, down the line when I actually decided to follow Jesus, it made sense to me.
Ivan & Mike are new to band. We’ve had dudes play for us from Like It or Not (Lion) and Jerez which was an awesome local band. Ivan (guitarist) was in a band called Take Vengeance which he sang for. His vocals are all over the record! Marcel also sings for another band Loud N Rowdy, which is my favorite band as of now. They’ll be playing our record release shows.
Q: The first thing that stood out to me was that musically, Dynasty sounds a lot like you should be from  NYC or at least the East Coast , which to me is very cool thing as I grew up listening to a lot of those bands. So how do 5 guys from LA end up in a hardcore band sounding like you could be from NYC? How is the scene in LA and how have they responded? Not to be stereotypical, but is there some expectation that you’ll sound like downset or Suicidal (Tendencies)? I mention Suicidal as I see some similarities in some merch designs.
A: Well we pretty much were influenced by NY and NY style bands such as Madball, Leeway, & No Warning. It seemed like Cro-Mags, Outburst etc. were our favorite bands and we wanted to sound exactly like them. (Haha) The LA scene is rad but we’ve been under the radar for a while. Little by little as the record drops we’ll be active a lot more. We love Suicidal! And their merch designs are too dope. We’re ’80s kids and we love all the style that came from that time. I’ve always wanted to do a remake of the Suicidal music video “Possessed to Skate” but with a Dynasty twist to it.
Q: How did you end up on Strike First? And how do you see your fit with the rest of their band roster?
A: Well I really prayed about it and I sent a package to 1 label and sent an email to Strike First. I prayed for the will of God and here we are now. Too rad! I definitely think we stick out from the roster. Both Messengers and us are the only ones actually doing hardcore. I love how we’re set apart. I love how we can be on a label that has bands like A Plea for Purging, For Today and bands like us. It shows the diversity of the label.
Q: What do you see as the mission of Dynasty? In the endless debate, would you side with the statement of “Dynasty is a Christian band” or with “Dynasty is Christians in a band” or do you feel it’s even relevant?
A: I feel like it’s relevant but you’ll know us by our fruits. We really just want to proclaim salvation, righteousness & love!
 Q: Tell me about the new CD (coming out May 24th, Truer Living with a Youthful Vengeance). Is there a lyrical theme? What are the thoughts behind the title? Was there anything special about the recording? Any special guests? How does this release compare to your older material that I’ve only seen cryptic messages about? From what I read, there was some older stuff posted, but no longer?
A: Truer Living with a Youthful Vengeance stems from the hip hop side of us. I could say it’s influenced by Gangstarr and the Wu! I wish we could’ve gotten some guest vocals on the album but we had a short time to complete it all. The next album is definitely something that everyone should look forward too. (Word is Born) Our old songs have disappeared; I wish I can get them back. Those songs are real funny.
Q: How does the songwriting process work in Dynasty? Lyrics first, music first? Anyone take the lead in the process?
A: We practice only once a week and within a few weeks before the studio I’ll write the lyrics. Some call it lazy but I work a little better under pressure. (Haha) Usually everyone gets a say in what they want in a song. And sometime that takes a while. (Haha)
Q: So, looking at the pre-order, some lucky winner will be getting some sweet – looking Nikes. How did that all come about?
A: A few of us in the band are sneaker heads. We custom made them thinking what would we wear. Hopefully some people dig em.
Q: I see mention of a tour with Call to Preserve, so how are those plans shaping up? Any dates yet or parts of the country you’ll be hitting?  Will you be hitting any festivals other than Cornerstone this summer? Have any members been to Cornerstone before? Has Dynasty done any touring before?
A: Yeah Boy! The final Call To Preserve tour is gonna be ILL!! We’re pumped about it. And we do have all the tour dates up now. I wish we could get on a few more festivals but at this point everything is booked up. Maybe next year we could get on more. So all you promoters out there, holla at your boys! Oh man, not one member of this band has been to Cornerstone yet (haha). Dynasty did a mini tour a few years back with HOODS.
Q: There seem to be a lot of guest appearances lately on albums. If you could pick a band to either do a guest appearance on a cd or have someone be a guest on your cd, who would it be? Who would be your ultimate band to tour with? Would others in the band think the same way?
A: It would be a blessing to have Scot Vogel, Martin from Terror/Lion. Jasta, Jon Joseph (Cro Mags), Joey C (Righteous Jams), DFJ (Mental, Mind Eraser), Justice (Tui), Morgado (The Wrongside) Thom Green, Freddy Cricien and plenty more. I’d love to go back in the ’70s and tour with Electric Light Orchestra. I’d cry. Currently I would love to tour with Trapped Under Ice, Messengers, Loud ‘n’ Rowdy, For Today, Terror, Converge, Sleeping Giant, Madball, Obituary, Bitter End, there are too many to list LOL
Q: What is the most embarrassing music people would find on your iPod/MP3 player or in your music collection? Anyone else in the band you’d like to call out for their weird music?
A: Haha, great question! I listen to a lot of stuff like Doris Day, Connie Francis & Nancy Sinatra. Maybe most embarrassing might be Ace of Base. Haha Ruben our bassist is a freak with his music.
You can support Dynasty on their upcoming tour with Call To Preserve (which happens to be their final tour) and Dead Icons. Tour dates below. Also, Dynasty is having a CD release part at The Stronghold in Chino, CA on May 21st for $5. Support your local hardcore bands (or else).
 6/15 Fayetteville GA @ 11th Hour Venue ** NO DEAD ICONS
6/16 Columbia SC @ Unit One Art Space
6/17 Whitesburg KY @ Letcher County Tourism
6/18 Cookeville TN @ Westside Station
…6/19 Southhaven MS @ Cafe 549
6/20 Little Rock AR @ Downtown Music Hall
6/21 Tyler TX @ The Attic
6/22 Houston TX @ Cain’s Ashes
6/23 McAllen TX @ VFW Hall
6/24 San Antonio TX @ The White Rabbit
6/25 Fort Worth TX @ TBA
6/26 Tulsa OK @ The Reverb w/ Onward To Olympus
6/27 Springfield MO @ Salad Days w/ Onward To Olympus
6/28 Springfield IL @ Black Sheep Cafe
(Break in here for Cornerstone Festival – Bushnell IL)
7/05 Evansville IN @ The Rev ** NO DEAD ICONS
7/06 Chattanooga @ The Warehouse ** NO DEAD ICONS
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Q: What bands do you think have had the biggest influence on your sound? I see “Chicago-style hardcore” used to describe your sound, so for those not privileged enough to live there, could you describe what that means?
Q: List your all-time favorite show that you’ve been to and briefly why.
