From Exclaim Magazine:

Various Northern Aggression — Project Boneyard Volume 2 By Brad Schmale This release is a compilation distributed with the intent of cracking down on fascist propaganda and White Pride organizations, using music as a message of unification and urgency. Comprised of punk, hardcore and hip-hop acts, and featuring 16 tracks of vigilant activism, this collection brings lesser-known artists out of the dark and onto the battlefield. Baltimore, MD outfit Fighting Chance set the scene with “Somethin’s Gotta be Done,” a call to arms that’s delivered in the true oi spirit. Toronto, ON street punks the Class Assassins and their outcast anthem, “Outside Looking In,” are a fitting contribution, as is hardcore faction Death in Custody’s abrasive and spastic “Car Bomb.” Remarkably, America’s premier working-class punks the Press also lend their assistance to the disc with “Just another Warning,” which has just as much relevance today as it did 20 years ago. Northern Aggression ― Project Boneyard Volume 2 is a propitious comp that successfully manages to connect different artists and genres together with the soul purpose of the masses following suit despite race, creed or gender. Amen. (Insurgence)

From the folks at TURN IT DOWN! A CAMPAIGN AGAINST WHITE POWER MUSIC

 Throughout our ten-plus years of tracking and fighting hate across music subcultures, the Turn It Down Campaign has also made it our business to recognize and support bands and labels who take strong stands against bigotry.  As necessary as it is to track those who would hijack our scenes to promote hate, it is equally crucial to work with antiracist efforts.  We have published extensive resources, assembled rosters of bands and other elements of the music industry who support our efforts, and worked closely with touring bands to share information and ideas.

Now we’ve taken it a step further. 

Earlier this year, word trickled out that Tightrope Records – headed up by Bryant Cecchini, formerly of Resistance and Panzerfaust Records – planned a follow-up to the 2004 Project Schoolyard compilation.  While we’re happy to report that this sad sequel attempt to recruit youth to the white power movement has made barely a ripple, its release started a conversation between Turn It Down and Insurgence Records.

Insurgence has long been known as one of the most vital voices in the antiracist scene.  The Toronto-based label has produced such overtly anti-fascist bands as The Oppressed, Klasse Kriminale, The Press and The Prowlers.  Insurgence was just as irate as we were to learn that the racist fringe would once again target our youth with a collection of (truly awful) music.  So we decided to do something.

And now, a few months after that conversation began, we’re proud to announce the release of Northern Aggression: Project Boneyard Volume II – a compilation of hardcore, punk and more that Insurgence asserts is “without question, the best collection we’ve ever compiled.”  Turn It Down and Insurgence have pooled our efforts and resources to categorically answer the efforts of those who think music fans and youth can be so easily won over by lousy music and idiotic ideology.

This comp is stellar.  For starters, it has made us love hardcore again has renewed our faith in smart street punk.  We’ve found a bunch of incredible bands we didn’t know, and we’ve rediscovered a few we hadn’t heard in a while.  More than anything, though, Northern Aggression has proven that plenty of people will readily take a stand against hate in our music scenes.

This is where you come in.

While we’re thrilled and proud that so many great bands have stepped up, we need music fans to join the fight.  We want to get this comp out there in as many hands as possible, and we need your help to do that.  We’ve worked out a number of ways for you to get copies of Northern Aggression.  If you’re looking for a copy for yourself, go to www.insurgence.net, where you can get a copy free with any order, or on its own for a mere $3. 

But we’ve also set our sights bigger.  We want to hear from bands, venues, fans and others who can help us get the word and the music out there.  Below you’ll find information on how to get bulk copies of the comp for as little as 50¢ each.  Send us your order, and we’ll send your discs right out, along with some Turn It Down buttons.  You can pass them out to friends, or if you’re a band, you can give them away or sell them for up to $3 at your merch table.  It’s up to you.  But for all of you who’ve been asking how you can help, this is a huge opportunity to do so.  Let’s show the bigots that they can’t have our scenes.

Throughout our ten-plus years of tracking and fighting hate across music subcultures, the Turn It Down Campaign has also made it our business to recognize and support bands and labels who take strong stands against bigotry.  As necessary as it is to track those who would hijack our scenes to promote hate, it is equally crucial to work with antiracist efforts.  We have published extensive resources, assembled rosters of bands and other elements of the music industry who support our efforts, and worked closely with touring bands to share information and ideas.

Now we’ve taken it a step further. 

Earlier this year, word trickled out that Tightrope Records – headed up by Bryant Cecchini, formerly of Resistance and Panzerfaust Records – planned a follow-up to the 2004 Project Schoolyard compilation.  While we’re happy to report that this sad sequel attempt to recruit youth to the white power movement has made barely a ripple, its release started a conversation between Turn It Down and Insurgence Records.

Insurgence has long been known as one of the most vital voices in the antiracist scene.  The Toronto-based label has produced such overtly anti-fascist bands as The Oppressed, Klasse Kriminale, The Press and The Prowlers.  Insurgence was just as irate as we were to learn that the racist fringe would once again target our youth with a collection of (truly awful) music.  So we decided to do something.

And now, a few months after that conversation began, we’re proud to announce the release of Northern Aggression: Project Boneyard Volume II – a compilation of hardcore, punk and more that Insurgence asserts is “without question, the best collection we’ve ever compiled.”  Turn It Down and Insurgence have pooled our efforts and resources to categorically answer the efforts of those who think music fans and youth can be so easily won over by lousy music and idiotic ideology.

This comp is stellar.  For starters, it has made us love hardcore again has renewed our faith in smart street punk.  We’ve found a bunch of incredible bands we didn’t know, and we’ve rediscovered a few we hadn’t heard in a while.  More than anything, though, Northern Aggression has proven that plenty of people will readily take a stand against hate in our music scenes.

This is where you come in.

While we’re thrilled and proud that so many great bands have stepped up, we need music fans to join the fight.  We want to get this comp out there in as many hands as possible, and we need your help to do that.  We’ve worked out a number of ways for you to get copies of Northern Aggression.  If you’re looking for a copy for yourself, go to www.insurgence.net, where you can get a copy free with any order, or on its own for a mere $3. 

But we’ve also set our sights bigger.  We want to hear from bands, venues, fans and others who can help us get the word and the music out there.  Below you’ll find information on how to get bulk copies of the comp for as little as 50¢ each.  Send us your order, and we’ll send your discs right out, along with some Turn It Down buttons.  You can pass them out to friends, or if you’re a band, you can give them away or sell them for up to $3 at your merch table.  It’s up to you.  But for all of you who’ve been asking how you can help, this is a huge opportunity to do so.  Let’s show the bigots that they can’t have our scenes.

Review of THE CLASS WAR KIDS from EXCLAIM…

Class War Kids
Reflection! Rage! Rebellion!
By Brad Schmale

The Class War Kids go straight for the throat with their sophomore release, as each abrasive song rips into the next. Taking notes from Rancid, A Global Threat and Moral Crux, these Newfoundlanders play an energetic and conscious brand of street punk that drips as much passion and anger as defiance. The group prove their relevance by blasting out protest anthems like “The Vegan Avenger Ascends into Legend,” “Policeman” and the fist raising “Disinformation Age,” all of which are prime examples of the group’s politically motivated lyrics and infectiously gritty songwriting. The Class War Kids aren’t shy to point their finger, whichever one it may be, in the direction of greed, injustice and misogyny, revealing that the true problems in our system are often caused by those that run it. Reflection! Rage! Rebellion! is 14 tracks of devoted insubordination that carries its heart on one sleeve and conceals a Molotov cocktail in the other. (Rebel Time)

From the Project Boneyard Myspace (The Class War Kids are on this. Available from Rebel Time Records for just $3.00)…

Insurgence Records has teamed up with the Turn It Down Campaign and a host of bands, show promoters, crews, and individuals to bring you: Northern Aggression – Project Boneyard Volume II. The scene is stepping up again to challenge the spread of fascist propaganda (and bad music) like Project Schoolyard, a lacklustre sampler CD crapped out by a US-based bonehead label in an attempt to recruit youth to the white power movement.

Our subculture has always played to the tune of ‘having a laugh and having a say’. Our message to the fascists: Get out of what was never yours to begin with. The kids on the street won’t be fooled, and we will never abandon turf to self-serving freeloaders like you and the muck you spread.

Fans of real street music: Enjoy the music and smash fascism wherever it rears its ugly head!

See the Project Boneyard Myspace for more info about the sampler and the campaign:

Project Boneyard Myspace 

or go to Insurgence Records at:

Insurgence Records

Cheers!

From the crucil Equalizing X Distort radio show/zine/blog…both albums available from Rebel Time Records, Interpunk, CD Baby, Itunes, etc…

THE ROTTEN
ENEMY OF THE STATE

THE ROTTEN have been slugging it out for ten years now and this is their second CD. This is the follow up to “Circus of the Demented” that came out in 2003. The band is self-described as a ’77 style punk band, but it is ’77 style in that BLANKS ’77 way. It is a fusion of punk and hardcore. And with the vocalists gruff sounding vocals they totally remind me of DOA. It is a mid-paced type of hardcore. And the title of this release even seems like a combination of DOA songs “The Enemy” and “Smash the State”. The band has some drinking and fighting songs like “K.W.D.P.”, but they also have songs about unhealthy partying like “No Good at All”. They make good arguments for atheism with songs like “God’s Helping”. And then they express their appreciation for greaser culture with “50’s ….Pontiac….”. It’s all kids counter culture so chalk it up to kindred spirits I suppose. Songs like “Oh’ Dell” and “Human Disaster” are totally pointed commentaries which I love to see. And songs like “Scenewrecker” and “Punk Love” are totally scene specific, which I also like to see because you should write about what you know and if you are immersed in the punk scene you know about shit going down. What I am trying to say is these cats are well rounded and genuine as far as punk bands go. A healthy dose of serious and fun. This will be a long time listening release.

THE CLASS WAR KIDS
REFLECTION! RAGE! REBELLION!

THE CLASS WAR KIDS play a pop punk charged by hardcore not unlike WEDNESDAY NIGHT HEROES or KNUCKLEHEAD or PROPAGHANDHI or the FALLOUT or HOSTAGE LIFE. The examples in ….Canada…. are boundless. And as you listen to “Reflection! Rage! Rebellion!” the songs bleed one into the next which is an old RAMONES trick. Like a military drill sergeant the momentum runs from the politics of food to security culture to economic cheerleading. And it’s all set to sing-a-long choruses which makes for a soundtrack for your social conscience. Bands like this give me hope. Hope for the scene and hope for a chance at a tomorrow. Keep on keeping on.

Check out an almost 2-hour interview with THE CLASS WAR KIDS…they were interviewed last week on AWOL RADIO (“Political outrage, ecology, anarchism and resistance are common themes on the show”) out of Kitchener-Waterloo…

Head to the AWOL RADIO webpage to download the show.

It’s the show labelled: “August 20 Dan and Alex host the Class War Kids for the whole two hours where we talk punk rawk, politics, robocop and more.”

Right click and “Save Target As”…

From the Broadcast Zero Myspace Blog…

The Ontario Crossroads

So we’ve got like seven shows coming up to close out this month. After sweating to death for the past few days I am reminded why we typically do not play shows in August…we don’t fancy dying on stage Judge Dread style or any style for that matter. But there is a good reason for these shows…

It appears that all of our favourite bands felt the urge to converge on Ontario at the exact same fucking time. So what did we do, well not much. Hmmm..that story sucks.

No, we actually made sure as hell that we’d be playing a number of shows with our favourite people form East to West.

Obviously THE rebel spell is Canada’s finest punk rock band from Vancouver….and they’re good kissers, especially that Todd fellow. They’re playing like 15 shows in Ontario so make sur eyou check them out regardless of whether or not we’re playing.

Class War Kids….whatever….only one of the best pure political punk bands I know of. Some of you may wonder what I mean by pure…well, read their lyrics sheet….these guys are chalked full of message and no fluff: specific and to the point, a sign that they know what they’re talking about. Not like those cheezy quasi-politpunks that sing about stuff like “Someone start a revolution, we’ve got four but we need more” kind of non-specific slogan chanting like you find in some bands. If you didn’t catch them the first time through Ontario, catch them on their way back to Newfoundland.

Jesse Lebourdais from the band Cambridge (Vancouver) is touring his solo acoustic act which is some real wicked shit. He’s a super talented guy who is frightened of me when I’m drunk and bowling but he put together an excellent solo project and you shoudl all check it out….immediately.

Noelle from Chaos, Disorder and Panic is a longtime show promoter out in Chilliwack, BC and she’s put on countless shows for countless bands and does it because she loves exactly what we love: building and supporting a scene that stretches across the entire country. She’s been an important contributor to that development and she’s making her first trip across Canada with her friends in GSTS marketing her specific brand of spoken-word experimental message-filled songs.

Also bands that aren’t touring but are playing shows during this time period include good friends and also people committed to building a scene are End Program from Toronto who are affiliated with the collective High Art for the Low Down who also put on countless shows in whatever venues they can find to support touring and local acts.

Subsistence from Montreal will also be heading down here for a show. There was no better moment that watching Phil from Subsistence get dragged out of one of our many local pubs screaming, “I don’t speak English!! They don’t understand!!” He was absolutely bombed but I think he was getting dragged out bombed or sober so at least he was the funner of the two. Those guys are wicked though so check them out.

And of course Final Four are playing the Hamilton show and they’ve always been one of my favourite bands except I don’t actually know them beyond the brief time we spent at the last Hamilton show we played together but they’re awesome so check them out.

The who point of the story is that four years ago none of these bands knew each other and now we get the opportunity to set up shows and play shows across the entire country and it just goes to show that a scene for this kind of punk rock exists across the country and its held together by touring bands and promoters who love the music.

nick

From the latest issue of Absolute Underground…

THE CLASS WAR KIDS
Reflection! Rage! Rebellion! – Rebel Time Records

An apt title for this album from these Newfoundland punks. Poignant and personal songs set to the tone of straight-forward, no frills punk rock. Sounds from the streets that make you want to get up and throw a Molotov Cocktail at City Hall while waving a Pride flag and putting a brick thought the nearest Starbucks. Chock full of sing-a-long chorus’ and catchy riffs, it is sure to please anyone who digs bands like The Rebel Spell, Broadcast Zero and the plethora of other bands appealing to those with kindred spirits and full of angst. (Pauly Hardcore)

SOUND POLLUTION, a very cool E-Zine out of Toronto covering independant, underground, and diy Canadian hip hop and punk rock, has posted an audio interview with Todd (from The Rebel Spell) and L.I.R.I.X (a North Toronto-based hip hop artist)

As Sound Pollution says: “they proved that complete strangers can find that common point. The two have never met in person, but discovered that they’re up against the same barriers, and have had similar experiences, in today’s industry. At opposite ends of the country, L.I.R.I.X and The Rebel Spell shared their ideas about gangsterisms, the media, police brutality, and big record labels in hip hop and punk for our first Sound Pollution Roundtable”

An interesting interview, well worth listening too…you’ll find it at the link above…the interview is dated June 24th, 2009.

One Last Struggle” from the forthcoming album “Reflection! Rage! Rebellion!” out on Rebel Time Records in July…

“