Part tres of the now vintage As Artifacts CD release show filmed circa February 2011. So get down with the get down and bust some moves…And discover the *gasp* super powers that the band has! And if you want to catch up, watch the first part here and the second part here. Oh baby!
In Better/Worse, the San Bernardino rock band Spirit Fangs sinks their teeth into what may be the much-needed alteration they’ve unconsciously been looking for. With a helping hand from Silver Snakes‘ lead vocalist Alex Estrada, who produced the album, they steer away from their prior, more “upbeat,” records Read My Palm, Revenant and their self-titled EP Spirit Fangs as they rely on heavy vocals, strong guitar chords, and ear-molesting drum lines.
The sound is somewhat original and even refreshing–though I swear lead vocalist Diego Napole borrowed Mewithoutyou front man Aaron Weiss’ delivery in the latter half of “Lazy Lovers.” And, in a little over 20 minutes, the group manages to effortlessly produce a fresher approach, yet maintain hints of the sound their fans are accustomed to.
Rhythmic claps, chants, tambourines, and strong drums open Better/Worse with “The Last One’s Left.” The band dresses your bucky naked imagination with animal cloth and fittingly garnishes you with tribal face paint as you are transported to an out-of-this-worldy place. Caution! You may feel the need to wildly perform a rain dance around a campfire during the opening build up. On second thought, maybe that’s just me. And Napole’s crafty transitions from coarse vocals, singing, and then to screaming appropriately set high standards for what’s to follow.
The band immediately strips you of your native dress in exchange for denim jeans, a t-shirt, and a tattered pair of sneakers in “.22.” I am reminded of Bleeding Kansas with a touch of Bane as the track takes you on an adrenaline-infused ride lead by ferocious wails and an equally harsh combination of drums and guitars.
Better/Worse continues on an aggressive path of destruction until it reaches “Lazy Lovers,” a song that allows you to gasp for air—even if only for a moment. Though the track is enjoyable–after several listens at least–it may lose you midway as it painfully guides you through an overdone “Oh” chant followed by a forced and painful-to-hear vocal solo.
Spirit Fangs wraps up the record on a solemn note with “Always/Never,” a well-produced, yet out-of-place song. Something felt odd about wanting to two-step throughout the majority of the album only to feel melancholy as the seconds ticked away on the final piece. Do not, however, feel deterred from this track. The lyrics are strong, the delivery is effortless, and the transitions are seamless.
Better/Worse pries your ear holes wide open and fills them with an unfiltered angst that Spirit Fangs lacked before. The album is good, but not great for it feels like it is missing a piece or two from a puzzle that is nearly complete. In the end, the album is an enjoyable listen and just may be what Spirit Fangs needs to break them away from rock mediocrity. So don’t be a cheap Charlie! Their CD is only five bucks and it’s worth the listen. Get it here.
From left to right: Justin Coates, Mike Trujillo, Alex Estrada, Daniel Pouliot
Welp. This video is pretty self-explanatory. We ask questions; they answer. We film; they put the smack down on stage. Blah, blah, blah. Just watch the damn video…Please?
Oh yeah, and support Silver Snakes. They’re awesome!
Original article published: December 21, 2009. Xpress Magazine. San Francisco State University.
Note: When I originally wrote this article back in 2009, I’ve always wanted to package the article along with the video piece I worked on for another class.It may be nearly two years after this article was published for me to come to the decision to finally do it, but f*** it.
Matt Loudon finds his peace in brutal movements. As scream-filled rock music blares inside Concord’s Club Pacifica, he moves freely among the standing crowd like a madman overdosed on crazy pills. He hops up and down, punching fists in the air, ignoring the occasional awkward glances and giggles from adjacent viewers. He continues to rock out, sporadically screaming along with the band, playing the air guitar on the open dance floor just before the music reaches a slow-tempo breakdown. When the music transitions, he, along with other dancers, gets into an insane, yet organized groove. They take turns watching each other kick the shit out of the air in brief spurts of adrenaline. Their arms flail violently with intense spin kicks like ninjas cracked out on speed. Other times a handful of dancers, sometimes moving in unison, aggressively showcase karate-like maneuvers that will make Jackie Chan crap his pants. No one is safe. Bystanders keep their distance, occasionally holding fists straight out, protecting themselves from the vicious dance attacks. But they are not surprised by the out-of-the-ordinary moves; this is hardcore dancing.
“Some people are cautious of who’s around them; others are just aggressive and want to hit people intentionally,” says seventeen-year-old Loudon, nonchalantly. “That’s their prerogative. It’s a hardcore show.”
Hardcore (HXC) dancing should not be confused with “moshing,” where concertgoers bounce off each other aimlessly, or “circle pits,” where people form a circle while others run along the inside in clockwise or counter clockwise motions. Born out of the mid-nineties scene in the East Coast, particularly in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, HXC dancing originated as a derivative from moshing and skanking. It has grown to become a way of expression for young individuals to let off steam and form bonds while listening to devilish wails and face-melting guitar riffs. Though HXC dancing is banned from some music venues because of its violent nature and faces opposition from metalheads, stemming from their conflicting use of the dance floor, it stands as a vital piece in the HXC scene.
Loudon first saw HXC dancing after his cousin introduced him to a Trustkill Records video that showed HXC dancers. The video was something he had never seen before. “It wasn’t like a push pit where everyone was bumping into each other randomly,” he says. “It was coordinated and synchronized.” After his first taste of HXC dancing at The Warped Tour in 2005, he found his thrill in dancing amongst an “ocean of fists.”
But it is not always the excitement that gains the attention of first-timers. Some dancers throw down to stay away from the temptations of everyday life. “[Hardcore dancing] is a great way for me to get my aggression out without using [illegal] substances,” says Dominic Marquez, who has been straight edge for six years after discovering HXC dancing’s therapeutic-like release. The twenty-one-year-old says HXC dancing is a good way to get things “off his chest.”
The violent dance not only serves as a way for individuals to feel good about themselves, but it is a way to connect with live performers. It is typical to see crowd “pile-ons” and “sing-alongs” towards the front of the stage, while dancers bust their moves in the center of the dance floor. “When they throw down, they’re obviously enjoying the music,” expresses He Said, She Dead frontman Travis Bartosek, who enjoys HXC dancing because of the “adrenaline rush.”
Not surprisingly, the euphoric feeling of belligerently kicking the air’s ass also creates a pact mentality, sometimes resulting in “crews.” Some crews are peaceful; others are more violent, sometimes getting into brawls with outsiders. But every time some form of violence occurs, it does not mean a crew had been involved. From time to time, a little bloodshed occurs as result of kids having a good ol’ time.
“After the song ‘Car Bomb’ hit, people walked out with bloody noses,” explains Bartosek as he describes a Despized Icon show in San Jose. “You were not safe anywhere.” Jacob Haines, lead performer of the band Hammerfist, says HXC music embodies violence, fury, frustration, and rage. The performers are pissed off about society, work, and their relationships–all of which lead to violent action like HXC dancing. “The music is fast and aggressive,” he says, “so we have fast, aggressive dancing on the dance floor.”
The ferocity embodied in HXC dancing has resulted in a number of injuries. Regulars report having seen broken jaws, knocked out teeth, black eyes, concussions, and broken noses due to HXC dancing. This trend caught the attention of several venues throughout California, forcing some to ban HXC dancing, including the Red House in Walnut Creek.
HXC dancing is by far not the safest form of dancing and some people have noticed, including Charmaine Querol, a former HXC dancer. “I’d rather skank and mosh than do some choreographed moves that came out of people’s asses,” jokes twenty-two-year-old Querol, who started HXC dancing four years ago and quit several months later because she grew out of expressing her “teen angst” through violent actions, and because she was concerned with her safety. She also noticed that some HXC dancers—in an attempt to be “tough guys”– would intentionally start fights or hit bystanders without apology. “There are people that want to enjoy the music without getting hurt,” she says empathetically.
Unfortunately, some show-goers have to deal directly with the danger HXC dancing produces. Several hundred individuals from around the country have created The Coalition Against Hardcore Dancing (CAHD), which is an online community of individuals who share horror stories from mixed genre shows. “I understand mosh-pits aren’t the safest place to be, but every pit I have ever been in, when you fall or get hurt, people will stop and help you to make sure you are safe,” says metalhead Brian Zable, 18, whose friend nearly broke his nose moshing in a pit with HXC dancers.
In Haines’s opinion, some people do not take the scene seriously, but they take the dancing seriously. He agrees that people who attend shows for the music should be left alone and they should be able to attend concerts without the fear of getting their nose broken. He notices that metal bands have began using the “break down,” which is a slow-tempo transition that triggers the punching and kicking actions of HXC dancers. “If they want to reduce the violence, they should not mix the genres of music,” he says.
Though HXC dancing can be a bit violent, it still remains an integral piece that holds a chunk of the scene together. Like Loudon says, it would be pointless to go to any type of show without any enthusiasm. “If you dance for a band it shows that you are so invigorated by their music that you’re showing appreciation by dancing. It shows that it empowers you and gives you some sort of fuel for you to dance it all out. The only way I’d stop dancing is through separation of music, which isn’t any time soon,” he says. “[HXC dancing] keeps me engaged in the show and it gives me a reason to go.”
It has been nearly a year since Cheap Sushi began documenting not-so-commercial artists in-and-out of the Bay Area, and, until now, I can finally say that I’ve had the privilege to film and interview a few folks from bands that I’ve followed for over five years.
On our latest Sushi-esq outing, my brother and I had the opportunity to check out the Socal Rock band Silver Snakes, (each were members of former bands I followed including Horse the Band, Cathedrals, and Bleeding Kansas, to name a few) as they melted faces inside one of the Bay Area’s most oddly interesting DIY music spaces, The Burnt Ramen.
Before I dive into the music, I’m sure you’re wondering what made this venue “oddly interesting.” Well, let me show you something (said in Fire Marshall Bill’s tone)…err..Through my words at least. Graffiti, and, literally, a plethora of miscellaneous items blanketed the walls inside the venue–stickers, graffiti, tags, a volleyball, doll heads, and, yes, even a couch–were only a few things that made the inside of The Burnt Ramen stick out like Jay Leno’s chin.
The vibe of this venue reminded me of John Benson’s bus. Sure you probably wouldn’t want to take your fambam to either place, but The Burnt Ramen managed to create a comfortable energy unlike any other music venue I’ve been to.
“Donations” were collected in-between sets. Five bucks. Eh. I would’ve given more if I didn’t spend the rest of my cash on a 32 oz. of PBR. Hipster much? Oh, and might I add that outside drinks were allowed. Freak yes!
The opening band, Ten Thousand Leagues, performed on the floor under a single red light (which happened to go out from time to time), and created an intimate vibe by urging the audience to form a close-knit circle around them as they played. Awesome? Yes indeed.
The Silver Snakes certainly fed off the at-ease energy at The Burnt Ramen when they hit the stage. Though the band was not like the other bands that night, the crowd respectfully gave them full attention as they seamlessly transitioned through several of their songs off their newly released album “Pictures of a Floating World.”
Wait. Why am I still writing? Just check out the video and see the band for yourself. Also, be sure to check out a few additional questions I had with the lead vocalist, Alex Estrada, which did not quite make the video interview.
What got you interested in making music? And what bands were you a part of?
Alex: I’m in the seventh generation of musicians on my father’s side; I was definitely born into it. Music is something I’ve done since I was able to walk. I started my first band while in the 7th grade. We just hung out and attempted to cover all of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins’ songs (Cathedrals often did the same thing). In the last few years, I have played in Cathedrals, Deadhead, Burn your Life Down, Tiefighter, Children of God, and a few more. Right now, I’m just focused on Silver Snakes. I also play drums in Deadhead still, but those dudes are always on tour (Most of the band plays in Touche Amore). Daniel has played with Bleeding Kansas, End of End, Horse the Band, Tobias, and many more. Mike has played with Dear Life and Justin with Death Art.
Tell me a little bit about your former band Cathedrals and why you chose to make the transition to Silver Snakes.
Alex: My buddy Eddie started Cathedrals in 2005 after his band (the CafFiends) disbanded. We went through several line-up changes, but I ended up singing for the last three or four years of the band while Daniel played bass. Silver Snakes was also started in 2005; it was mainly a solo project and remained that way until 2010 when Cathedrals decided to call it quits. I wanted to make this band my main focus. I also wanted to have a speaking voice in my older years.
You said that Silver Snakes initially was a solo project. Who established Silver Snakes?
Alex: I started Silver Snakes in 2005 after my old hardcore band broke up. I wanted to do more of a rock band, and I had no intentions of singing. We kept most of the lineup from my previous band and started trying out singers. I was writing all of the music and wasn’t really happy about not having full control, so I decided to sort of shelve the project and record some of the songs acoustically on my own. I sang on two of them and posted them on Myspace (RIP). I wanted Daniel to be the drummer for this band since the beginning, but I always figured it was a long shot. He’s been my favorite drummer since I was 16 years old. I still cant believe I get to stand in front of him and get punished by his bass drum at all of our shows.
What influenced your transition from screaming lyrics to singing them?
Alex: It just happened naturally. I might do another heavy project in the future, but I really wanted to add another layer of melody with this band. This is the first band I’ve ever had to sing for; I’m still really getting used to it. I still get pretty self-conscious about my singing voice. I never faced the crowd when I sang for Cathedrals!
You guys have a newly released CD “Pictures of a Floating World.” Tell me what inspired the title and the CD as a whole?
Alex: I worked at an art museum several years ago, and one exhibit that always stood out to me was “Ukiyo-e,” which, when translated, is roughly “pictures of the floating world.” The idea of taking a snap shot of a place or situation as a means to express an idea or movement is vaguely what I attached to that translation. I wouldn’t say it’s a concept album, but the song and art do interact with each other. Each song is a story based on my insights, whether they be sarcastic, disappointed, angry etc. A common theme throughout the lyrics is to think for yourself. Everything is so watered down these days. No one questions routine, what they are brought up to believe by their parents, or the mass media. Each song is represented by something similar to a Loteria or Tarot card. People go to a card reader to have someone give them detailed scenarios and readings from a simple sequence of images; we sort of went with that same idea. The images are simple, but there are very detailed stories behind each one.
What can your fans expect from this album?
Alex: I would like to think of this record as a first impression; it’s our first formal release. I think it would be safe to say that it is a very dynamic and honest rock record.
Why would you say that your upcoming album is an honest rock record?
Alex: The music is so straightforward. We made sure that this was a very raw record that really represents us. Lyrically, it’s the most honest batch of songs I’ve ever written. They are all thoughts that I have kept to myself for years. We don’t have filters when we think to ourselves, but we often do when we speak to people or give our opinions. I decided to ditch all of that and just write exactly how I felt about 10 specific situations.
In a time when local musicians get lost in the shuffle of other up-and-comers, Sergio Garcia found a way to give bands the recognition they deserved and music-seekers what they wanted without bombarding them. The result: “Who has music for us.” In a matter of a few months, the 24-year-old Southern California native managed to create a virtually unknown Facebook page into a music hub that is continuing to grow in popularity. We were fortunate to get the opportunity to share a few words with the sole-force behind “Who has music for us” and discuss what got him into promoting local music, what is most rewarding about his hobby, and what he foresees in the future of “Who has music for us.”
So tell Cheap Sushi readers a little about yourself.
I live in the surrounding LA area, and I have been going to all kinds of shows since I was 13. I’m open-minded when it comes to music, and I like all genres from classic rock to underground rap. I’ve been in bands myself so I know first hand the struggles of getting your name out there and having people give your music a chance.
You’ve been in bands? What bands have you been in? When?
I was in Sincerely Gunther, which was a five-piece Punk band formed in 2000. We never made it very far, but we had a great time doing it. We lasted for about a year and called it quits. I was also in Bid-fare Well, which was a five-piece Rock band formed in 2002. We sounded like Taking Back Sunday, mixed with Thursday; that band lasted for two years. We played a lot of shows, got 2nd in battle of the bands for our high school, and recorded a five song EP. But, like most bands, we called it a day and stopped. But man we had some good times playing. I very much miss those days.
So you’ve been attending shows since you were 13? How was your first show experience?
My First show was a backyard Punk show. It was such a great experience, and man did I get hooked. I went to a show almost every weekend after that, but a lot of shows turned into people getting drunk and fighting. So it quickly stopped being about the music.
What got you interested in promoting local music?
It all started with my brothers band Seditionist. I worked hard to promote their music on other promotion pages until I realized that most promotion pages overwhelm their followers with more bands then they could handle in one day. It then gave me the idea to start my own promotion page and finally give bands the chance they deserve to be heard by not posting so many bands at one time.
How did you get the ball rolling with “Who has music for us?” Were there any setbacks when you first started?
I quickly promoted my page on other promotion pages and on the pages of local bands in my area first. The biggest set back was getting people to like the page due to the fact that there wear a lot of promotion pages out there. I think people quickly noticed the difference between my page and others.
In your opinion, what else sets apart “Who has music for us” from other band promotion pages?
A lot of Facebook pages post and tag five bands in a single post; every band gets their own post on my page. Also, other promotion pages post a band’s link, requiring fans to navigate to the band’s page to check them out. I provide the music on my page. With one click you’re listening to the band, and, if you like them, you can click their link, and go on their Facebook page. And if you don’t like the band all you have to do is scroll down and listen to the next band. A lot of people are what I would say lazy. We all want it now and we don’t want to have to work to hear a band. This gives our followers an easy way to check out bands. This also helps bands get heard much easier.
How else does “Who has music for us” plan to promote local music?
“Who has music for us” is working on getting shows together. I plan on talking to venues and arranging dates to set these shows up. Once I get the conformation of these dates, I will contact certain bands to play.
So you plan on putting shows together? What bands do you have in mind to put on your first possible show? Why those bands?
Yes I am. I want to do a lot of shows. I’m really looking for one venue to have shows, but if I can’t find one, I plan to rent out a warehouse. I have no specific bands I want to work with as of now, but I will most likely chose local bands from the LA area first. I’ll eventually book bands from out of state to come down here and play.
Besides posting band’s music and setting up shows, what else do you plan on doing to better get bands recognition?
I’m in the process of getting something set up for reviews and interviews with bands. I’m also going to try and get a stand at the next Warped Tour and any other festival I come across. I also plan on making a few compilation CD’s, which will feature a variety of bands, and passing them out at shows. I may also get a street team going as well.
When you’re not busting your ass and promoting for local musicians, what are you more likely doing during your spare time?
I work, play soccer, go to shows, exercise, hang out with my girlfriend, friends and family.
What is most rewarding about running “Who has music for us?”
The most rewarding thing about running “Who has music for us” is the fact that I can make bands move forward in a way that my bands in the past could never imagine. It feels great helping others, and the respect I receive from a lot of these bands makes me want to work even harder.
Where do you ultimately want to take “Who has music for us?”
I hope to turn this into a career. “Who has music for us” is just the beginning of many more things to come. I hope that when the word PROMOTION comes to mind, the name “Who has music for us” will be their first and only choice.
Any last words?
I have one Last Question: “Who has music for us?”
Haha! Nice! Thank you so much for your time Sergio!
Rapper Big Pooh blessed the stage at Oakland’s New Parish several weeks ago. And, yes, he literally blessed the stage. If you’re not going to watch the whole show, check out our favorite fan of Big Pooh at 7:42 of the show. I think she may have found Jesus…or Jesus (Hey-Zeus). Whichever one you prefer .
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