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

Click here to view the embedded video.

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

Click here to view the embedded video.

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.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Doug (one of the contributors at HXCChristian.com) did a pre-show in Campbellsville, KY the Sunday before Cornerstone.  I drove 9 hours to get to Campbellsville, it was an easy trip.  The show was awesome.  Doug is working with the University to put on show for all the kids and peeps in the area.  Apparently, like most small towns, there isn’t a whole lot to do there, so putting on shows is a great way to blow off steam and stay out of trouble.  The lineup was Restore the Roar (Doug’s band), Debtor (Philly hardcore), Worker (Tennessee hardcore), Dead Icons (Lexington hardcore), and The Showdown (Metal).  I was really impressed with Debtor and Worker (Debtor is a Christian band, Worker is not although their message is positive, and the dudes in the band are really cool).  It was a fun show, and I was glad that HXCChristian.com could be part of it.  After the show, RJ (HXCChristian.com contributor) thought it would best to drive straight through the night to Cornerstone.  I think Doug and I could have strangled RJ when we got to Cornerstone at 6:30 AM and the gates weren’t open, but we forgive RJ (just kidding RJ).  When we got in, we immediately found our tent and started to setup.  We made homemade Gatorade (DIY hardcore style baby) and were a place to just come and hang.  We later became known as the place that made good food and usually had leftovers.

General Mayhem and Trouble from the HXCChristian.com at Cornerstone 2010

Click here to view the embedded video.

The first couple of days were a blur, meeting people and going to shows, sleep deprivation.  In the first couple of days, I saw Debtor, Call To Preserve, Send out the Scuds, True Liberty, The Meek Estate, and probably one of my favorite shows The Great Commission (where I decided to throw my old butt off the stage).  My man Micah at The Legacy Stage really put on a lot of the best shows, he kept the stage limited to traditional hardcore for the most part.  Good job Micah!  Look for good stuff from this stage next year.  Thin Ice and Dependency (new to Blood & Ink records) both played multiple shows and were fantastic.  I highly recommend picking up their albums from Blood & Ink, well worth it.  I was fortunate to catch the Grave Robber show at midnight at the Sanctuary stage which was right next to us.  It was hard to miss it actually, quite and interesting band, if you like The Misfits and other type horror punk, then these guys will make you happy, plus their stage act is really unique.

Check out the Cornerstone 2010 Video Page

The second half the week I started to get used to the confusion and get my wits about me.  I was tired from getting into the pit, and I proved to myself that a 35 year old dude can still throw down in the pit and handle himself.  I think I even out danced some of the younger kids!  The Sleeping Giant show was awesome, I had a run in with the Holy Spirit, I am sure people thought I was crazy, but I was moved, and God touched me.  Their set was great as usual, and they played a new song, and honestly, I was not that crazy about it.  However, sometimes playing new material live is tough because you cannot get a feel for what a clean recording of it sounds like. Look for new stuff from Thom Green and the gang soon.   Also, the Great Commission rocked another show on the Undergound Stage, it was awesome, they also played a new song, it was decent.  I think there is some big stuff coming down the pike from these guys, I think they have been working on new material.  The last day was the craziest, I went from show to show to show.  Mason Summers (my punk friends), to Thin Ice, to Sovereign Strength, to All Or Nothing (what up Laz?), to Call To Preserve, back to back to back.  Then, it seemed as soon as we got there, we were gone.  Doug and I traveled together from Kentucky.  Doug is a cool dude, and we laughed the whole way home and told stories about shows and the people we met.

I think that the best stuff of the week was some of the punk bands, True Liberty, Desiring Dead Flesh, The Meek Estate, The Last Hope, Flatfoot 56, Mason Summers.  The only ska band there, Send Out The Scuds (I love these guys, and girl!)  had to get my skanking in, and I miss good ska! In the hardcore world, I don’t think I saw one bad band.  Thin Ice, Dependency, The Great Commission, Call To Preserve, Wild at Heart, Strengthen What Remains, Strength Within, Sovereign Strength, Debtor, Venia, All Or Nothing, Take It Back.  All bands that you need to check out.  One band in particular from Pittsburg, Those Who Fear.  I was happy to hear a band that is still playing old style beatdown hardcore.  These guys are awesome, and the dudes in the band are cool guys, so check them out.  Plus they had a turtle named XSteveX.  They kept me entertained.

We were lucky to have meet and greets with some of the bands, Andy from A Plea For Purging came by in the morning to discuss the band and life in general, it was cool.  Leroy the singer from War Of Ages also came out and did a meet and greet, great guy with a great story.  On Wednesday night we decided to do a spaghetti dinner, I think we cooked 30 pounds of spaghetti and made about 10 gallons of sauce.  I think everyone enjoyed the meal and fellowship.  I think we fed about 200 people.  On Thursday morning we did a meet and greet with Harbor from Call to Preserve and a pancake breakfast. Again, we had a huge turnout, more people that pancakes, but again, it was a huge success.  I am glad that we could be a blessing to the people and bands.  That was our mission, and I am glad that we accomplished it.

We had to leave a day early.  My family was sick at home.  Funny how Satan can attacks your weak spots when you are closest to God, he was attacking my family, coward.  The ride home was long, but gave me a lot of time to decompress and think about the experience.  I realized that Cornerstone is not really about the music, but about the people.  The people are what makes it worthwhile.  I met a lot of great people and even talked to people who were not Christians about Christ.  On the long trip back after I dropped off Doug in Kentucky,  I cried, half tears of happiness that I would be seeing my wife and two beautiful sons, the other half for the all the new friends that I would not see perhaps until next year.

Take a Look at the HXCChristian.com Cornerstone 2010 Photos

Takeaways – Lots of cool people, finding out that different genres of people still have the same core beliefs, that Christ is King.  Great shows, I can still throwdown in the pit.  People love free food, especially Eastern style BBQ (NC BBQ).  The bands are really cool and fun to hang out with, if there is a band coming to your area, go hang with them.  They usually hang in the parking lot behind the venue, go introduce yourself.  Bring them some goodies, food, baby wipes, stuff they might need, let them crash at your place, have a shower, do laundry, etc. help them load and unload their gear.  Metalcore and screamo still suck.  Ska needs to make a comeback.  Punk is alive and well.  Don’t use megaphones at Cornerstone or security will come and cart you away (see below). Have fun and fellowship with you future neighbors in heaven, after all, we will all be together in heaven forever!

God bless and thanks for everyone who came out and visited us.  See you next year.  Join the forum.

Josh

In other news East Coast Christian hardcore band TEN33 unofficially officially announced (to me at least) that they are doing a reunion show in the near future.  If you know anything about these guys, then you know that they put on a great live show.  I caught up with Stephen who sings for the band and asked him about the upcoming reunion.  He didn’t have many details (he is currently working on setting up dates).  He said that they are working on some shows for a weekend in the fall.  It sounds like they may have a couple of shows.  Interestingly enough, they are not going to be playing their hometown of Richmond, Virginia.  They are trying to pick somewhere neutral to play because there is another well known band that is also reuniting to play some shows with them.  Stephen would not reveal the details of who that other band is, but I have my guess (although he would not confirm it).  I guess we will have to wait and see.   So check back with Ten33 on the their Facebook page, that seems to be the best place to catch up with them and to find out more about the reunion show.  I also asked him if they might be laying donw some new tracks “We may release a song, we may not. depending on recording studio time,” according to Stephen.

New Call To Preserve album is dropping on June 8th on Facedown Records.  The name of the album is Life In Defiance.  I was lucky to get an advance copy of the album the other day and have been listening to it non stop.  There are so many great songs on this album and it is sure to please Call To Preserve fans and hardcore fans in general.  Again, the band fuses together many styles of hardcore music and even slows things down a bit for one of their songs (still hardcore, just a bit more dark).  The lyrics are spot on.  The album was recorded at Warrior Sound here in North Carolina (the folks that did the last Advent album) and the production quality is fantastic.  I won’t give away to much about it, but I can tell you that you will not be disappointed.  If you want to hear a few of their songs, check out their myspace page.

Overcome is back together and has new material.  According to the Facedown Records website, this was the first band that signed with Facedown.  They disbanded a while back, but wanted to put out new material.  They are also playing Cornerstone Festival this year.  I am looking forward to catching the band live.   If you want to check out their new stuff, go visit their myspace page.

Blood & Ink Records released two albums the week of April 24th.  Two great hardcore bands have albums that are a must have.  The first is Thin Ice, we did an interview with them you can check out HERE.  Thin Ice’s new album is called “Revelation Through Tribulation.”  I really like these guys, they are a young band and I think that this is great starting point for them.  The album is traditional style hardcore, they compare their sound to bands like Figure Four and Advent.  The other band that put out their album was Dependency, the name of the album is “Convicted.”  I confess that I don’t know a lot about these guys, however, their album is really growing on me.  I don’t really know how to categorize these guys musically, but their base sound is definitely hardcore influenced, the vocals are pretty solid too.  I highly recommend going to the B&I website and downloading both albums (they are both available for digital download, and for only $5.99 each, it is a steal).

Ever wonder what happened to the dudes in xLooking Forwardx?  Well, look no further.  Justin is leading up the band Carrying the Fire out of Maryland.  Matt from the band posted on the forum about the band.  Justin delivers his vocals in classic xLooking Forwardx fashion and the band is fantastic.  I have listened to their free demo (which you can download from their myspace page) over and over.  While the band doesn’t really claim to be “Christian” it is hard for Justin’s belief in God to know boil over into the bands songs.   Matt also informed me that the band is looking to do shows out of state in the next couple of months, probably East Coast shows since most of the dudes in the band have families and kids.  Go and get their demo, you will love it, plus it is free!  Can’t beat that!

Band Name: The Great Commission
Music Style: Hardcore
Location: Inland Empire, CA
Myspace: http://www.Myspace.com/TheGreatCommission

Q: When did the The Great Commission form as a band?  No doubt the name came from Jesus’ command for the the disciples to go out and preach the word of Christ, why did you guys choose The Great Commission as the bands name?

A: The Great Commission played our first show in April of 2008. We really wanted God to have complete control of the new project that we were starting so before picking up any instruments we prayed into what God wanted to do with it and what he wanted to call it. After the name came to us in prayer, we continued to dwell on it in more prayer and we came to realize what direction God wanted us to move in with this band and how he wanted us to emphasize specifically in ministry. So the name couldn’t have been any more perfect with all that it means and we believe it came directly from God.

Q: What bands have influenced the sounds of The Great Commission?  How do you describe the sound of the band?

A: We are influenced from everything from Contemporary Christian Music like Hillsong United and Phil Wickham, to heavier Hardcore and Metal like The Acacia Strain, No Innocent Victim and Point of Recognition. We just wrote music that we would want to worship/mosh to in Heaven. We would describe the sound of our band as HEAVY WORSHIP…no more no less.

Q: I know that Justin was in xDeathstarx, what other bands have members of The Great Commission been involved with, anyone in any side projects currently?

A: I (Angela) was also in xDeathstarx at the time Justin was singing for the band and I played bass. Our drummer Rodney who is on the first album used to play for Impending Doom. Nelson, one of our old guitarists is playing in Sovereign Strength. Other than that, all of current members are not in any other side projects.

Q: The Great Commission just finished up The Abominable Snow Tour with War of Ages and Living Sacrifice (and a few other bands), how was the tour?

A: The tour was great. We really enjoyed this particular tour for several reasons. First off it was an honor to share the stage with Living Sacrifice, we have been listening to them for years and they actually played a lot of the first hardcore shows that we had been to. Also, it was really awesome touring with War of Ages. Those guys are really good friends of ours so the tour only brought us closer. But this tour was especially a blessing for us because we had an opportunity to hit the road with 2 secular bands. Normally Christian bands just tour with Christian bands and Secular bands just tour with Secular bands…so we took full advantage of the opportunity that God set before us. We ended up getting to know both Shai Hulud and Lionheart and definitely made some lifelong friends. Not only did we have a blast with them but we were able to show them who the real Jesus was. Aside from the bands, we definitely went through a colder winter then we are used to but it was worth it for all the spiritual fruit that we were blessed with.

Q: When The Great Commission plays shows, people approach you about Christ, in Raleigh, I watched members of the band praying over people (which was awesome), can you share some stories about people that approached you on the tour, how you prayed for them, how God maybe changed them while you prayed with them?

A: When we played a venue in Baltimore, MD there was a kid that was drunk and snuck a bottle of Jagermeister into the show. After we played he came up and asked us for prayer. He said that he was personally convicted by God, and that he didn’t want to drink anymore and most importantly he wanted freedom from his Alcoholism. So we were able to pray for him and  personally hooked him up with a church there in Baltimore to help keep him to stay encouraged and on the right path. And there were many more testimonies just like that one but with other issues like Depression, Suicide, Lust, and re dedications.

Q: What are the plans for the band now that you are done with The Abominable Snow Tour?  I know Justin mentioned that you guys are playing a bunch of fests (Cornerstone being one), can you tell us where we can catch up with the band next?

A: We have a HUGE summer tour announcement coming soon that we cant give details on but we can say that we will be playing such fests as Cornerstone Festival, Sonshine Fest and there are definitely few more.

Q: The Great Commission has one album “Every Knee Shall Bow” on Facedown Records, Justin mentioned that the band is working on a new album, can you give us an idea of what the new album is going to sound like?  Can we expect the sound to be similar to “Every Knee Shall Bow?”

A: It is definitely going to be Heavy Worship. The only difference is that we are going to be incorporating singing chorus’ into some of the songs. You can definitely expect it to me more bold.

Q: No doubt The Great Commission is a Christian hardcore band, what verses or books in the bible have influenced the band the most?

A: To be honest, all of them. And especially the words that Jesus said.

Q: During your set in Raleigh on the Abominable Snow Tour, Justin mentioned to get involved in a church or group, Justin and Angela, I believe that you lead a youth group, if I recall, someone else in the band is a pastor (I think), can you share what everyone in the band does outside of playing shows?

A: Both Justin and I are youth leaders at our local church, Solomon and Robby are both on the Worship Band at the church and Corey is an Associate Youth Pastor. All of us are really involved with our Churches and the Youth Groups in those Churches. When we are not on the road or playing shows, that is where our focus is and we approach that with the same ministry aspect as we do the band. “Equipping and Edifying the Saints”

Q: This question is for Angela, what is it like being a woman in a scene that seems to be largely mad up of men?  I heard someone at the show in Raleigh say “hey a chick.” Then you did a sound check and let a vocal from the album fly and the guys were really impressed.

A: You are right, the Heavier music scene is 99.9% made up of men. The Hardcore/Heavy Metal scene is a harsh scene. And for the few women that actually do sincerely love heavy music, they unfortunately get put into 2 categories by the men. Either they are looked at as groupies, or if they are in bands they are just gimmick…or even worse they are discredited all together just because they are women. This is really frustrating and makes what I do a lot harder. But that is unfortunately the way it is. I take what I do very seriously, mainly now because this is what God has called me to do…but even before I was saved I took the bands I was in very seriously because music in general is that important to me and has been such a big part of my life. So I just stay focused on that and the joy I get from playing, and also any example that I may be setting for all the other women out there. If I can do it, you can do it too! As far as my vocal checks go, I always crack up when I hear people say that. I think its funny!

Q: If you could give a message to the hardcore scene what would it be?

A: Definitely don’t get caught up in the politics of it all. We can’t tell you how to live your life but we can speak from personal experiences by telling you that nothing in this world will fulfill you. No status or power will give you what your heart needs. In the Bible, Jesus says that the greatest in the world will be the least of his kingdom and the least of this world will be the greatest in his kingdom. If you enjoy the music then there is nothing wrong with that, but it would be best to just leave it as that.

Q: Please feel free to add anything else, shout-outs, bands we need to check out, etc.  Thanks so much for the interview, the HXC Christian crew looks forward to seeing you at Cornerstone!

A: Definitely check out the new Wrench In The Works, they just came out with a new album and they are our friends on Facedown Records. Other than that we are going to be very busy this year! So please keep in touch with us on Myspace and Facebook! Also you can see what were up to on a daily basis by following Justin on our twitter. Thank you so much for all the support and we are looking forward to seeing everyone on the road again in a few months! God Bless!

http://www.Myspace.com/TheGreatCommission

http://www.Facebook.com/pages/The-Great-Commission/247542150728
http://www.Twitter.com/TheGreatCommish

Here is how the contest works.  You need to go to the HXC Christian website and register HERE or you can go to the forum and register.  Folks that are already registered are eligible and don’t need to do anything.  If you register on this site, you will occasionally receive emails about new interviews (we will not spam you!)  The winner will be randomly chosen at the conclusion of the contest.  The contest runs from now until Friday, December 19th.  This way we can get you your FREE COPY of “Lost Art Of Heaping Coal” to you before Christmas.  The CD will be sent via US Postal Service to the winner. Be sure to use a valid email address so we can contact you if you win.  Please only register once (we can tell if you register more than once).  If you have questions please email Josh at josh@ hxcchristian .com

Band Name: Wrench In The Works (WITW)
Music Style: Hardcore
Location (Home Base):

Q: When did Wrench In The Works form as a band? Where did the name come from?

A: Technically WITW started in 1997 as more of an experimental side band where we were not too concerned with the actual music.  In fact we really had no idea how to even tune our instruments it was more about making noise and going crazy.  Sets would often end with broken instruments, someone throwing them self into the drums, kicking each other off of 10 foot high stages, some what similar to a band like The Chariot does now but we were younger and a little stupider.  At the same time we were pursuing a secular band called Groundzero (which turned into emmanuel.7 after 9/11/01) and WITW sort of got lost in the dust of Groundzero.  In 2003 after many tours, records and spending a few years in music school, God shined light and called us back to our original calling which was Wrench In The Works. WITW from the start was a Christian band and to an extent we lost sight of what was important. Playing music is a gift and should be done to the glory of God and the coolest part is we can even use our music to minister to kids.  So for the past 5 or so years we have been only focusing on WITW and God has given us more blessings then we can even count.  The phrase Wrench In The Works is a metaphor, if you were to throw a wrench into the gears of a machine that machine would stop.  So our feelings is when Jesus came to this earth and died on the cross for our sins he threw a wrench in the works into this world.

Q: What does everyone in the band do when they are not playing?

A: Being home for only a few weeks at a time can make each break a little different.  Sometimes we only have a little over a week before we go back out, so there will be tons of band choirs to take care of, plus you wanna see your friends/family and get a lot of nice nights in your own bed.  But on a break like we have now which is about a month long, it changes things up.  It’s hard to keep a job although some of us are blessed to have work to go back home to, so we spend a lot of time practicing, working on our relationships with God, working on the band, reading, and trying to stay warm in CT.  Although it can be easy to get cabin fever especially at this time, everything is cold.

Q: Wrench In The Works is out of Connecticut, how is the hardcore scene there?

A: CTHC has always gone in waves and i am sure a lot of scenes do this.  We have been active members in CT for the past 15 years and like clockwork it will have a few good years with a good, consistent venue, lots of kids coming out, great bands and good times, then something happens, be it club shuts down, or something like that and the scene will sort of die down and shows get weak.  Ct does consistently produce great bands, right now a few to name are Crown of Kings, Living Hell, Hostage Calm, Signs of Hope, All Ships At Sea, The Risk Taken, and Unforgiven.  Plus the classics Hatebreed, Life In Your Way, 100 Demons, With Honor, Death Threat and tons others to name, so yeah we have a lot of CTHC pride!

Q: If you had to describe the sound of the band, how would you describe it?

A: Sort of like the sound of a demolition ball destroying a building.  Lately a lot of people have been comparing us to Converge and Zao, we don’t quite see the Converge comparison although we do feel that’s a compliment. I hear more of a Deadguy, Cave In, Botch influence.

Q: What bands or styles of music have influenced the band?

A: Our influences range from everything from Jazz and Country to bands such as Neurosis, His Hero Is Gone, Coalesce, Strongarm and Integrity.  We try to let the diversity of our influences take us in different directions of sound to create interesting and yet still brutal music.

Q: What bands have Wrench In The Works played with?

A: We have had the opportunity to tour with such bands as Life In Your Way, Once Nothing, Our Last Night, For Today, Means, Don The Reader and Saving Grace.  As far as bands we have played with we have had the pleasure to play with Hatebreed, The Chariot, P.O.D., Converge, Maylene and Sons of Disaster, The Acacia Strain, Darkest Hour, God Forbid, War of Ages and Sleeping Giant just to name a few.

Q: How has the band grown since signing with Facedown Records?

A: Signing with Facedown has given us the opportunity to tour more which has made us tighter as a live band.  We have also grown in the sense that we are adding another member, our friend Derek will be taking over bass duties and Darrell will become our full time front man which will definitely bring the intensity of our live set up quite a bit.  It’s also nice to have our music be readily available to kids who see us live, where before we were signed to Facedown when we would play shows if kids didn’t get the record it was a lot harder then going into to your local hot topic or FYE and picking it up.

Q: Tell us about your album “Lost Art Of Heaping Coals.” What tracks is the band most proud of? What were some of the challenges you faced while recording?

A: I would say we are proud of all the tracks on the recording, our friend Greg Thomas(Silver Bullet Studios, Shai Hulud, Kingdom of Sorrow, Ambitions) did a really good job of bringing together the intensity of the songs.  But i would say some stand outs on the record would be Dust Over Time Test, Faith As A Virus(which features Todd Mackey of with Honor), Death Letter and Lost Art of Heaping Coal(which features Josh Kellam of Life In Your Way).  The most challenging part was when we did a week of pre-production with Mike Schleibaum of Darkest Hour.  Anytime you have a fresh pair of eyes come in and look at something you’ve been working on things can become challenging but by the end of the week after some fussing, fighting  and everything else that comes with the creative process we came out with some really good jams.

Q: How does being a Christian influence the band and your songs?

A: Having a relationship with God through Christ Jesus is going to have an affect on everything in your life.  As far as it affecting the band it gives us a common bond, where as our focus is on glorifying God instead of ourselves when were on stage or hanging out with kids.  As for affecting the songs although our songs may be about several different themes the one thread that i think runs in all of them is the redemption found in Christ.

Q: I have found in interviewing a bunch of bands that Christian hardcore/punk/metal bands are pretty well accepted in the scene. Most bands have never been even come across other bands bad-mouthing them or anyone at shows singling them out for being Christian, has Wrench In The Works had similar experiences in the scene?

A: In our home state we’ve all been in the hardcore scene for some time now so i believe we have earned the respect of our peers where they wouldn’t bad mouth us at least not to our face.  As far as out on the road the response we get from most people seems to be that they respect the fact that we stand up for what we believe in, whether or not they agree with what we have to say.  There have been a few times were people make remarks but your gonna get people making remarks about your band no matter your signing about or saying on stage, it doesn’t bother us either way.

Q: Where in the bible does the band draw most of its influence?

A: The majority of our influence comes from the Psalms and the writings of St Paul.  None of us are huge Old Testament scholars which is something that  we have been trying to work on, but I would say we are definitely big fans of Paul and obviously the Gospels!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: Do you consider the band a ministry?

A: The band is a ministry in the sense of whatever you do in your life you are suppose to do to the glory of God and at this moment it’s one of things we are trying to do towards that.

Q: Have you ever had kids/people come up to you after a show to talk about Jesus?

A: YEAH! Plenty of times, in fact that’s the type of thing that really gets us stoked, playing shows and rocking out are always awesome parts of being in a band.  But when we get to share what Jesus has done for us with people after our set or even better yet when people get to share with us  how the Lord is working in there life that’s really where the blessings of being in this band come into play.

Q: What shows do you have coming up? With whom are you playing? What bands have been the most fun to play with?

A: We only have 2 shows this month, one we are headlining in MD, our good friend Scott from Kobra Klutch productions is putting it on and he always does awesome shows.  The second show is in CT with Life In Your Way, With Honor, The Risk Taken and Our Final Say and that’s going to rule.  We are also leaving for a 6 week tour this January with Take it Back and The Great Commission which we are stoked for.  We generally have fun with all the bands we play with!

Q: What are the future plans for the band? Does anyone in the band have any side projects?

A: We are going to be touring pretty full time for the next year or so and eventually hitting the studio to record our next full length.  Nothing is set in stone right yet, we are just trying to let God have his hand and will in the direction of this band.

Q: If you can pass along a message to the scene, what would that be?

A: First off that God loves each and everyone of them.  And that each and every person should be about being them selves and standing for something.  What that something is were not a liberty to say for each person but finding out what that something is, is part of living your life.  Don’t settle for mediocrity.

Q: Feel free to give some shout outs, or pass along anything that you want to tell you fans, etc……

A: Wanna give a shout out to all the bands on Strikefirst and Facedown Records, we find inspiration in how on fire for God a lot of you guys are. Also a big shout to Facedown for being such amazing label and living people. We definitely want to say that everyone should go out a buy our record, we put a lot of heart and brutality into it and we want you guys to hear it.  Thanks to you for the interview, it’s much appreciated.

You can check out the band on their myspace page and listen to a few of their songs. You can purchase their album from Facedown Records.

Wrench In The Works is currently on tour with Take It Back and The Great Commission.  They also have one show coming up with Life In Your Way.  If they are swinging through your area, then by all means, go to the show.  These guys are great and awesome live.  Here are their upcoming tour dates:

Some news going on out there.  Looks like The Great Commission, a hardcore outfit out of Redlands/Grand Terrace, California has signed with Strike First Records (yes, you read right, Strike First), which in itself if news too.  The Great Commission had a self released demo they put out that was really good, a bit raw, but hey, it’s hardcore, isn’t that what it is all about?  DIY!  The band is heading into to the studio according to their myspace page, and plans to release a full length album in early 2009.  We wish the band the best and hope that God continues to bless them.

Strike First Records is relaunching as a subsidiary of Facedown Records and has three bands signed to the label, Through Solace, The Great Commission, and Hope for the Dying.  We wish the label the best and have lots of suggestions if they want to hook up with great Christian hardcore bands to sign.

A few releases:

Call to Preserve’s second album has been released on Facedown Records.  The title of the album is “From Isolation.”  We are big fans of Call to Preserve here at HXC Christian, and you can read a full interview with the band that was done a few months ago here .  We have not had the opportunity to pick up the album yet, so I cannot personally tell you that it is awesome, but I have heard people say that Call to Preserve has outdone themselves and the album is their best work yet.  You can purchase the album on the Facedown website. The band has also posted tour dates on their website, so if they are coming your way, go and support them.  Tell them you read about them here!

All In’s latest album “Team USA” was released on Blood & Ink Records as well, from what I have heard on their myspace page, the album is great, so you can go and pick it up from the Blook & Ink website.  They also posted a new song called “Micheal Jordan,” that they posted on their myspace page that you can go and take a listen to.  Again, a great bunch of Christian guys that are true patriots. You can read the interview they did for us here.  We wish them the best.

That’s all for now, have someone that is going to be working with me to do some interviews and posts, so look for some good upcoming stuff!

NEWS:

Arizona based Christian hardcore band Braveheart has a 4 song split CD out with Sovereign Strength from California. I am a huge fan of Braveheart. The production value on their material on the split CD is phenomenal. I highly suggest getting in touch with the band through their myspace page and paying them $5 (post paid) for a copy of the CD. Even though it is only 4 songs it is well worth it. Brandon from the band tells me that they are working on getting a full length CD out, no release date as of yet, but when they do, you can be sure I will let everyone know.

Christian hardcore act All In from Alabama is releasing their second full length album on Blood & Ink Records The album is due out September 23rd. The name of the album is “Team USA.” They have one of the new songs “Charles Barkley” up on their myspace page that you can go and check out. You will want to pick up their new album when it drops. I hope they they tour after they release “Team USA.”

Call to Preserve art work has been leaked on the internet (along with track listings) See below. Don’t forget you can listen to two new songs on their myspace page They also have an awesome blog (For All Who Seek the Truth The XCTPX Blog) for the band where you can watch their three video blogs they made while recording the new album “From Isolation.”

From Isolation Track Listings:
1. Sinking Sun
2. So Low
3. Vices
4. Dear Galatia
5. From Isolation
6. Hindsight
7. Shameless
8. Lincoln Street
9. Waiting for Dawn
10. First Light
11. Hope for the Fallen
12. Open Your Eyes

The album cover is by Dave Quiggle who was one of members of No Innocent Victim, and is currently in the band Jesus Wept. He also works for Facedown Records and does tattoo work on the side (Dave is a busy dude!)

Here are some mini-views with some bands that you have got to check out. Befriend them on myspace and top friend them!

Band: Mankind
Music Style: Hardcore
Location: Nashville, TN

Someone posted about Mankind on the www.HXCChristian.com Forums. We had a debate as to whether these guys were a Christian hardcore band or not. Their lyrics are definitely Christian. I decided to email the band to find out first hand if they are a Christian hardcore band. Greg from the bands sent me this response:

” Thanks for the kind words! I am speaking on the behalf of myself to say that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It has never been easy and I’ve gone through a lot of changes, but my faith has always remained. Jesse and I started this band with the intention of experiencing new places and sharing our lives and perspectives with the world; well, that’s where my optimism kicks in. At the center of my life is my faith. My strongest desire has been the undying search for the truth. We, Mankind, are not necessarily about labeling, seeing as how it tends to put ideas into a box, or oversimplifies something as complex as one’s faith. However, we are all believers in Christ, and we all crave to understand him more. We just have different ways of getting there.

With my heart on my sleeve,
-Greg”

You have got to go and check these guys out on Myspace, here is a link to their Myspace page You can listen to a bunch of their songs and you can download their EP for $5. If these guys come to your town, check them out!

Band Name: Debtor
Music Style: Hardcore
Location: North Wales, PA (outside Philly whoohoo!)

Alan who sings for Debtor also posts on the HXCChristian.com forum and keeps us up to date on the band and what they are up to. Having grown up in the hardcore scene in the Philly area, I know how hostile the scene can be towards Christian bands, but I think Debtor does an awesome job with their music and message. Alan posted the other day that Debtor posted a couple of new songs on their myspace page. Alan informs us that Debtor is working on a new full-length album that is due to be released very soon. The name of the album will be “Deliverance.” If you are looking for a great Christian hardcore band, these guys are it, their influences include Strongarm and Verse.

SUPPORT YOUR UNDERGROUND CHRISTIAN HARDCORE BANDS!!!

As Always, go to the HXC Christian forum and post away. We are growing and more and more people are finding us. Take care and may the God of Israel bless you!