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

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

NEW RELEASES AND UPCOMING RELEASES

The Red Baron – A 5 piece hardcore band out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida has announced that they are now taking preorders for their upcoming EP called “My First Love.” From what we know here at HXCChristian.com, this is the bands first full length album. The album is being released on Blood & Ink Records. The official release date is April 7th. Here is what the band says about the album “We’re really excited about this album. A lot went to each song, spiritually speaking. We’re really proud of how honest and real this album is.” You can go reserve your copy here. They have a pretty cool package deal (which seems to be the new thing) where you can get a Tshirt or tank top as part of your order. If you want to learn more about the band, we did an interview with Phil and Chase, you can read it here. You can go to The Red Baron’s myspace page and listen to one of their new tracks called “Grace is for Falling.” I am sure that we will see these guys on tour soon, they have some dates up in the Southeast on the their myspace page, go and check them out if they are coming to your town.

Josh from XLooking ForwardX posted a bulletin on myspace a while back saying that he wanted to put together a new project. It sounds like the project is starting to get some legs. Safe to say that a lot of people are really excited to see what Josh puts together. The name of the band is “Back to the Garden.” Here is the blog post from the XLooking ForwardX page from Josh:

“My new project is officially named Back To The Garden. All of us in this new band felt it was appropriate, since this band reflects a bit of a spiritual regrouping for those involved. We want to focus on a message of love and grace, and at the same time, create something that we really enjoy.

Kevin and I are just starting the lyrics, but we have the music for four songs laid out. It’s coming together quickly, but we’re not trying to rush anything. Everyone is still getting used to each other yet, but the confidence is clearly building with each practice.

The vocals are the next big project. I know that it’s really going to shape the way the band is perceived, but I want to try to stick to the script of no screaming. We have toyed with the idea of some Orange 9mm or Downset-style vocal delivery in parts, but we’ll likely stop short of anything beyond that level of aggression in the vocals.

The level of aggression in the music is another story. The music is super heavy, but has some subtle melodic elements. There are definitely some breakdowns in there, and I’m real happy with how we were able to work them into the plan. As to whether it will be something hardcore kids can get into, well, I can’t say for sure, but I can say that there will be no shortage of dance opportunities.

I’ll probably set up a myspace for the band soon. It will still be a while yet before we post any material up, though. As I’ve said before, I want to make the first impression count.

I’ll keep posting updates every now and then. Thanks for reading! Take care.”

Josh

Venia – A 5 piece hardcore band from Minnesota says that it has completed recording of its new album to be relased at a future date on Blood & Ink Records. We are bigs fans of Venia here and really like their music, plus, ask anyone in the hardcore scene that knows the band and they will tell you that they are the hardest working band out there. They are ALWAYS on tour, I call it “eternal tour.” They have a clip of one of their new songs within the “Sideburns Tim” update (whom is missing his sideburns oddly enough). It sounds phenominal.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Great Commission – A 6 piece hardcore band out of Redlands/Grand Terrace, California, released their first full length on Strike First Records. The name of the album is “And Every Knee Shall Bow.” If you picked up their demo they had for sale, then you are in for a real treat. I personally thought the demo was really rough, but still a great set of songs. From what I understand, it was recorded in a church santuary with all members playing at the same time. Well, the new album with it is production value is incredible. You can go and check out some of their new tracks on their myspace page the name of the tracks are “Let Your Kingdom Come,” (featuring JR from Sleeping Giant) and “I Dub City” (featuring Eric from XDeathStarX). Both great tracks. You can go and purchase their album on the Strike First website.

Irish styled punk/Oi! band Flatfoot 56 is working on putting out another album. I have heard through sources that they are playing some of their new songs at their shows. I hear that their new material is awesome. No word on when their new album will be out, but I am sure I will post something on it when it drops. You care read about the upcoming album here.

I am sure there is a lot more that I have missed, if so, please email me info at Josh @ HXCChristian. com and I can post it in the next batch of news.

ON TOUR

Strongarm – Classic Christian hardcore band from Florida is not really on tour, but I thought this was news worthy.  Jason Berggren (former lead singer of Strongarm) will be playing a Strongarm tribute show at the Cornerstone Festival this year in Illinois.  The band Life In Your Way will be performing back up as the band.  Jason and Life In Your Way will be performing songs off of both Strongarm albums.  Jason also recently published a book called “10 Things I Hate About Christianity; Walking Through the Frustrations of Faith.”  To learn more about Jason’s new book, he setup a blog called http://www.10thingsihate.com/.  I look forward to reading the book and posting a review.

Call to Preserve is playing with Reign Supreme & Madball. I got to hang with the guys in Call To Preserve all afternoon and treated them to dinner at the BBQ Lodge here in Raleigh. Great guys with great stories and a lot of fun to hang out with. I think the most fun was hanging in the parking lot with Call To Preserve, the guys from Reign Supreme, and watching Freddy Madball play soccer with all the guys. Never thought I would go to a hardcore show and see Freddy Madball playing soccer. The show was great, but the crowd was small, which doesn’t surprise me because the hardcore scene in general here in North Carolina is slowly growing. You can check out Call To Preserve’s myspace page for tour dates, and let they guys crash at your house if you can, they would love it! See the pics below.

Venia is STILL on tour (do these guys ever quit?). These guys are machines. They are doing another tour that will cover most of North America again. I asked them if they ever stop touring, their answer….”nope we never stop touring. We hate being home.” (they were kidding of course). To check and see if Venia is coming to a town near you, go to the Venia myspace page.

All Or Nothing – A hardcore band out of Hollister, California is gearing up for a nationwide tour starting in the next couple of days. They have a pretty beefy schedule. They also just released their new album available on Ethos Records. Go and check them out if you like your hardcore mixed with a little metal. These guys are brutal, but love Jesus. If you want to give them a try, visit the All Or Nothing myspace page.

The Red Baron has dates posted outside of Florida. Looks like mainly the Southeast at this point, but we would bet they probably tour with the release of the new album. You can check their tour dates on their myspace page.

Christian punk band Fight Before Surrender is headed to Europe (well the UK at least), so if you are in the UK, then go and support these guys. Their tour starts April 1st and wraps up on April 9th (at least that is what is on their myspace page). They are also recording a new album as well, no word on it yet though. Go to FBS’ myspace page to check dates.

CALLING IT QUITS

XSolidarityX from Sacramento is calling it quits – great guys, great music, they will be missed. Go and check out their myspace page and pick up their full length it is worth it. Here is the link to the XSolidarityX myspace page.

Take care and God bless – Keep it HARDCORE!