Knocking The World Down To Size – Violent By Design
Written by Art Fredette on September 27, 2019
what had just happened. Street people, punks and whatever other unacceptable forms of life flooded the dance floor and looked to the normal eye, a riot incited by music. This moment marked a historic date in television and for what the future would hold for current music. Shortly after New York Hard Core was in its birthing stage. The same was happening on the west coast ,cities in between ,and eventually world wide! These days it’s accepted (sort of) and Over the past 30 or more years a million bands have come and go, but the hardcore scene rejuvenates itself every year and new bands are born. Heavier guitar riffs and breakdowns and even more brutal in their vocal attack, all the while still trying to carry on the tradition of our founding fathers of this genre.RRX: Tell us about the beginning of Violent By Design, when you all got together and started making noise?
CHRIS: We have all been going to shows in this area since we were young bucks. In 2016 a mutual friend of all of ours, Shaun Badger, who was drumming for War Time manner at the time got us together to start jamming. We all clicked immediately and we started writing songs and forming what we are today.
RRX: I know personally you had to go to Japan to save your dogs life, tell us about that I think it needs to be shared. Your trip connected you with the Japanese hardcore scene ,let’s talk about that?
CHRIS: In the beginning of 2018 my wife and I found out our dog was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Disease and had 12-18 months to live. There was only one Doctor in the world with a greater than 90% success rate on that specific surgery and he’s in Japan. So we flew out there, the doctor successfully performed the surgery, and our pup is alive and well to this day. Before leaving for Japan I reached out to a couple friends that knew some of the guys in the HC scene over there. Buddy Armstrong of Stigmata/Unbeaten Records and Mario Cangemi of Upstate Records both suggested I go and visit Hiroyuki Kohama at a record store in Shibuya Tokyo. Hiro owns NERDS records, a label called Retribution 178 and plays guitar in an international HC band called Loyal To the Grave. I was told he was a fan of our local music scene, especially Troy Core! As soon as I walked into his store he immediately recognized my War Time Manner shirt and he said “War Time Manner from Troy, NY?” needless to say we hit it off immediately. We chatted hardcore and cultures for a couple hours, traded some CDs and merch. He told me when VBD finished the full length he would like to distribute it along with some merch in his store which he did end up doing. He then he brought me to a local artists store called Greed Tokyo to meet his friend Manabu Enda aka Endflyer. End showed me his portfolio which was full of amazing flyer art he did for legendary hardcore bands like Gorilla Biscuits, Agnostic Front, Murphy’s Law etc. We talked about him creating a design for VBD and he was exited to do it. We had his design printed on T-shirt’s that we have available for sale now. Hiro, End and i continue to keep in contact, We are honored to have these guys as friends and hopefully VBD can get over there and play someday.
RRX:The band has seem to been moving quickly and the momentum building .Do you see yourself going on the road US TOUR? or possibly making it to Europe or Japan?
CHRIS: Its been surreal to see the support and reactions that have been building up the way it has in our local scene. We’d love to head out and play anywhere we can and hopefully we’ll play across the pond soon.
RRX: What does 2020 have in store for Violent by design?
CHRIS: We’re currently writing new music and we’ll be releasing our second album in 2020. As for the end of 2019, we’re happy to give Radio Radio X the exclusive that we are adding Joe Bockis jr to our lineup as second guitar. Joe is a great addition to VBD as he brings many years of experience playing in bands such as Cutthroat/DeadEffect/Built For Battle etc. We’re very happy to have him on board.
RRX: Are there any bands you want to give recognition to locally? nationally?mark help spread the word to the Hardcore community?
CHRIS: Locally there is alot of great music, if you haven’t already, make sure to check out our friends in Balor, Remains Of Rage, Concrete, From Within, Tyranize, Incontinence, Buried and all the 518 bands that have been playing past and present.
Nationally, go get the new Death Before Dishonor record called Unfinished Business then check out Buried Dreams, Laid 2 Rest, Burden and if you want to check out a variety of hardcore and metal from around the world, go grab all three volumes of the Upstate Records compilations. See Violent By Design live with Merauder, Leeway, Concrete, Close to Nothing, Hate the Adversary at Fuze Box, Albany October 20.
@Violentbydesign518ny on Instagram
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