Malfunction have been announced as direct support for Merauder's forthcoming U.S. tour, which Merauder is billing as their final one and a 20th anniversary for their beloved Master Killer album. Mizery will appear on all dates as well. Support on various legs also include Left Behind, Rhythm of Fear, Purgatory, Sentenced to Burn (f.k.a. Drown), and Detriment.
This will follow Malfunction's U.S. headliner with Lost Souls, which kicks off in 10 days. Scope those dates below as well, with more show confirmations coming:
MALFUNCTION upcoming tour dates:
5-20 Welland, ON @ The Wrong Place w/ Sabotage, Trail of Lies, Windoc, Cold Feet
5-21 Toronto, ON @ The Rockpile w/ Merauder, Sworn Enemy, more
5-22 Montreal, QC @ The Katacombes (Pouzza Hardcore Brunch) w/ Merauder, Stigmata, more
w/ Lost Souls:
5-23 Worcester, MA @ The Enclave 2 w/ Prison Hit, Shallow Sea, Void of Heaven
5-24 Wilkes-Barre, PA
5-25 Montclair, NJ @ The Meatlocker w/ Timebomb, 96, Threat 2 Society
5-26 Oakdale, NY @ Shaker's Pub w/ High Card, Warehouse, Limit
5-27 Baltimore, MD
5-28 Richmond, VA @ Canal Club (downstairs) w/ Bracewar, Wild Side, Ringer
5-29 Fayetteville, NC @ Drunk Horse Pub w/ Detriment, Vatican, Heavens Die, Fractured, Ill Effect
5-30 TBA
5-31 Jacksonville, FL @ Burro Bar w/ Detriment, Vatican, Heavens Die
6-1 Miami, FL
6-3 Tampa, FL @ Transitions Art Gallery w/ Blistered, Bind, Madtown
6-4 Pensacola, FL
6-5 Birmingham, AL
6-6 Atlanta, GA @ Purgatory at The Masquerade w/ Conduit, One Force
6-7 Springfield, MO
6-8 St. Louis, MO @ Foam w/ Out of Time, Old State, Caught Dead
6-9 Colorado Springs, CO
6-10 Salt Lake City, UT
6-11 Caldwell, ID @ Android House
6-12 Tacoma, WA @ Real Art w/ Payback
6-14 Portland, OR
6-15 Reno, NV
6-16 Sacramento, CA @ The Colony w/ Plead the Fifth, Earth Down
6-17 Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman St. w/ Bad Times Crew, Spinebreaker
6-18 Los Angeles, CA
6-19 Pomona, CA
6-20 San Diego, CA
6-21 Tempe, AZ @ 51 West Venue w/ Sex Prisoner, Reasons, Easy Money
6-22 El Paso, TX
6-23 San Antonio, TX @ Korova w/ Shadow of Doubt, New Methods, Empires
6-24 Houston, TX
6-25 Denton, TX
6-26 Little Rock, AR
6-27 Nashville, TN @ The End w/ Mental Collapse, On Point, Great Minds
6-28 Pittsburgh, PA
supporting Merauder w/ Mizery:
8/20 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Left Behind, Purgatory
8/21 Fayetteville, NC @ Drunk Horse Pub w/ Left Behind, Purgatory
8/22 Myrtle Beach, SC @ Rockin' Hard Saloon w/ Left Behind, Purgatory
8/23 St. Petersburg, FL @ The Local 662 w/ Left Behind, Purgatory, Rhythm of Fear
8/24 Ringgold, GA @ Cloud Springs Deli w/ Left Behind, Purgatory, Rhythm of Fear
8/25 Birmingham, AL @ The High Note w/ Rhythm of Fear, Sentenced to Burn
8/26 Houston, TX @ Walter's w/ Rhythm of Fear, Sentenced to Burn
8/27 Dallas, TX @ TBA w/ Rhythm of Fear, Sentenced to Burn
8/28 Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall w/ Rhythm of Fear
8/30 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen w/ Rhythm of Fear, Detriment
8/31 Detroit, MI @ The Sanctuary w/ Rhythm of Fear, Detriment
9/1 Mansfield, OH @ 4th Street bar w/ Rhythm of Fear, Detriment
9/2 Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo w/ Rhythm of Fear, Detriment
Expire, BoySetsFire, Malfunction appearing on final Bane tour
Bane have announced their "final final final and last" tour, which kicks off in March and spans the continental U.S. Bridge Nine acts are well-represented among the support, with Expire, BoySetsFire, and Malfunction all slated to appear on various dates. The lineup stays stacked with Burn, Twitching Tongues, Death by Stereo, Give, Axis and others. Check out the full tour dates below for who's playing where.
BANE final tour dates:
Thu-Mar-24 Warren, NJ Warren Legion w/ GIVE, TBA
Fri-Mar-25 Montreal, QC Foufounes Electriques w/ GET THE SHOT, AXIS
Sat-Mar-26 Toronto, ON Hard Luck w/ GET THE SHOT, AXIS
Mon-Mar-28 Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews w/ AXIS
Tue-Mar-29 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club w/ AXIS
Wed-Mar-30 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck w/ AXIS
Fri-Apr-01 Denver, CO Marquis Theatre w/ TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Sat-Apr-02 Salt Lake City, UT Loading Dock w/ TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Mon-Apr-04 Seattle, WA El Corazon w/ TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Tue-Apr-05 Vancouver, BC Cobalt w/ TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Wed-Apr-06 Portland, OR Analog Theater w/ TWITCHING TONGUES
Thu-Apr-07 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst w/ BURN, TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Fri-Apr-08 Berkeley, CA 924 Gilman, w/ BURN, TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS, EX-YOUTH
Sat-Apr-09 Los Angeles, CA Union w/ BURN, TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Sun-Apr-10 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory w/ BURN, DEATH BY STEREO, TWITCHING TONGUES, AXIS
Wed-Apr-13 Phoenix, AZ The Nile w/ BURN, DEATH BY STEREO, AXIS *Free Show*
Fri-Apr-15 Dallas, TX Club Dada w/ BURN, AXIS
Sat-Apr-16 Austin, TX Sidewinder w/ BURN, AXIS
Sun-Apr-17 San Antonio, TX Paper Tiger w/ BURN, AXIS
Mon-Apr-18 Houston, TX Walter's w/ BURN, AXIS
Wed-Apr-20 Tampa, FL Local 662 w/ BURN, DOWN TO NOTHING, EXPIRE, AXIS,
Thu-Apr-21 Savannah, GA Dollhouse w/ DOWN TO NOTHING, EXPIRE
Fri-Apr-22 Atlanta, GA Masquerade w/ DOWN TO NOTHING, EXPIRE
Sat-Apr-23 Birmingham, AL High Note Lounge w/ DOWN TO NOTHING, EXPIRE
Sun-Apr-24 Nashville, TN The End w/ DOWN TO NOTHING, EXPIRE
Tue-Apr-26 Detroit, MI Populux w/ GRADE, EXPIRE, MALFUNCTION
Wed-Apr-27 Buffalo, NY Waiting Room w/ GRADE, EXPIRE, MALFUNCTION
Thu-Apr-28 Cleveland, OH Now That's Class w/ GRADE, EXPIRE, MALFUNCTION
Fri-Apr-29 Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen w/ GRADE, EXPIRE, MALFUNCTION
Sat - Apr-30 Chicago, IL TBA
Sun-May-01 Louisville, KY The New Vintage w/ EXPIRE, MALFUNCTION
Mon-May-02 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups w/ EXPIRE, MALFUNCTION
Tue-May-03 Pittsburgh, PA Cattivo w/ EXPIRE
Wed-May-04 Washington, DC DC9 w/ BOY SETS FIRE, EXPIRE, GIVE
Thu-May-05 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar w/ BOY SETS FIRE, EXPIRE, GIVE
Fri-May-06 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church w/ BOY SETS FIRE, EXPIRE, GIVE
Sun-May-08 New York City, NY Webster Hall (Marlin Room) w/ EXPIRE and friends
Sat-Jun-18 Boston, MA *To Be Announced*
Floorpunch, Foundation, Burn, Malfunction playing United Blood Fest
United Blood have announced the lineup for their two-day 2016 installment taking place in March. Floorpunch, Foundation, Burn, Right Brigade, and Twitching Tongues will headline. B9ers Malfunction make an appearance in the lineup as well. Check out the full list announced below.
The fest takes place March 25 and 26 at The Canal Club in Richmond, VA. Two-day passes are on sale now here.
UNITED BLOOD FEST 2016 - March 25-26, 2016
Floorpunch
Foundation
Burn
Right Brigade
Twitching Tongues
Incendiary
King Nine
Give
Naysayer
Maximum Penalty
God's Hate
Forced Order
Blind Justice
Build & Destroy
Red Death
MALFUNCTION
Lost Souls
Fury
Barge
Hard Stripes
ICE
Protester
Iron Edge
Society Abuse
Regulate
Higher Power
Free
The Wilding Incident
Bridge Nine 2015: A Year in Review
Bridge Nine's 20th anniversary came this year, but aside from some retrospective goodies for long-time followers of the label, we stayed busy putting out fresh releases (with a few reissues sprinkled in). Here's a look at our slate of releases from B9's platinum year in chronological order along with some personal thoughts.
At the bottom, check out a free sampler via Bandcamp and Spotify with tracks from all our artists with 2015 releases.
BRIDGE NINE 2015: A YEAR IN REVEW BY BRIAN SHULTZ
January
13th: BoySetsFire - The Misery Index: Notes from the Plague Years [vinyl reissue]
BoySetsFire's bold and ambitious fourth album is one of my favorites of theirs, with anthems like "Requiem" and the bravely horn-addled yet intense "So Long and Thanks for the Crutches", so it was cool to have a hand in its release history with this new reissue. I remember seeing them live for the first time touring on it almost a decade ago and despite the small crowd at the time, they played their hearts out. This unintentionally almost-10th anniversary reissue is basically mandatory for fans--it looks good on complementary teal and white variants and includes a big poster insert.
27th: Caravels / Octaves - Split EP
This split EP is a rare co-release from B9, as we teamed up with Topshelf Records and their band Caravels to release new material from them and our own Octaves. Neither band had come out with new stuff since 2013, so it was nice to have two acts that play unique strains of modern post-hardcore in harmonious ways deliver fresh songs.
February
10th: War On Women - War On Women
Our first proper full-length release of the year was a total powderkeg: a fierce and volatile album that garnered quite the reaction--some ignorant Facebook users, sure, but mostly spiritual liberation as summed up by this one fan's feedback: "HELL FUCKING YEAH! EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH HARDCORE MUSIC!". The co-ed Baltimore punk quintet made their first huge musical statement, releasing a record that, per their name, tackled a wide array of contemporary feminist issues in both confrontational and humorous ways without skimping on Propagandhi-style aggression or riffs. There's an occasional theater to this record that revives Dead Kennedys' necessarily over-the-top social critique, too, while also melding punk, metal, and hardcore influences in newfangled ways.
24th: Alcoa - Parlour Tricks
Alcoa's sophomore full-length is actually a strong contender for my personal favorite album we released this year, so it's natural to say it deserves more recognition. Derek from Defeater has been quietly progressing this project since its genesis in the mid-2000s or so, and it's really seemed to peak on his fleshed-out full-length releases, a consistently enjoyable blend of alt-country and more generally alternative pop-rock leanings. His second album here tones down the bright recording of 2013's Bone & Marrow a bit, but the songs are somehow more powerful in subtler ways. I love the earnest, sadder stuff on here, like the stripped-down, darker "always chasing me" and the chamber feel of "come & go". Then there's my favorite track, "for holden", with the best chorus Gin Blossoms forgot to write during their heyday.
March
24th: Agnostic Front - Police Violence EP
Our relationship with Agnostic Front has yielded a prolific amount of cool stuff, including reissues of their classic foundational releases, the United Blood EP and Victim in Pain LP, as well as their seminal Live at CBGB album. This teaser EP we did for their new album, just as we did for their last one in 2011, steals some of the more old-school-leaning, thrashy material from their 11th (!) full-length, The American Dream Died, and includes an anthemic, burly B-side, "Same Old Story", exclusive to the release. The colors are sick, honestly, complementing the EP title and theme in a pretty brutal way (black and blue, pool of blood, and blood spatter).
April
14th: Gallows - Desolation Sounds
We had to sit on this album for a while before finally letting this side of the world hear it, as we helped Gallows get their new record out to U.S. fans for the second time in a row. This is another neat chapter in their evolution, bringing in more of the occult feel they've developed in this stage of the career with an accessibility that make certain moments sound like radio rock from an alternative universe. It's still dark and has plenty of punk bite, though: standout "Leather Crown" is a Fucked Up-style ripper, and the heavy, brooding "Chains" pounds the pavement hard.
May
12th: After the Fall - Dedication
After the Fall are actually old friends of mine--namely singer/guitarist Mike, whose band I've been following and watching play live since at least 2004, before we met. A genuine guy that just values friendship, loves punk and the power manifested in a short, well-written and aggressive but melodic song, it shows in spades on their fifth and newest album, Dedication. The whole thing is a heartfelt memorial to one of their original members, Brian J. Peters, who lost his battle with cancer in 2013. Every song tackles a different angle of Peters' personality or untimely passing, and it all ties together to paint a portrait of a seemingly great guy who touched everyone around him in profound ways, and it does so with a bright, melodic and catchy veneer the band have developed impressively over their decade-plus tenure.
19th: Modern Pain - "Peace Delusions" b/w "Kill Yr. Idols" single
This early version of "Peace Delusions" was the first sneak peak we got from Modern Pain's forthcoming full-length, which was initially self-titled before the band decided to go with the first single's name anyway. There's a slightly different aural aesthetic to this earlier version of the track, giving the short two-track single its own vibe--the exclusive B-side, a cover of Sonic Youth's "Kill Yr. Idols" offers insight into the band's unique approach to hardcore (more on this later), and is pretty spot-on as well.
June
H2O - Four Song 1995 Demo [reissue]
Before we started rolling out promo for H2O's new album, we did this fun little thing that looked back at their very beginnings. This was a reissue for the fans that weren't around the first time in 1995 for the release of their original demo tape, putting all four songs from the Don Fury demo session (recorded just after Christmas 1994) on a yellow tape limited to 200 and hand-numbered by Toby Morse himself.
August
14th: Crown of Thornz - Nothing But Tragedy EP
Holy Christ did this 7" take forever to press. I guess if you were waiting for new Crown of Thornz material, a few more months was nothing at that rate--the NYHC act hadn't delivered new music since 1998. It was very cool to work with a classic and forward-thinking act of the mid-1990s NYHC scene, but it was cooler to have them come back and not just rehash what they were originally doing or pander to fans. These are two longer and still aggressive songs that really are in their own category of hardcore.
September
4th: Modern Pain - Peace Delusions
Modern Pain are another band that have certainly fashioned their own category of hardcore, and it's quite a good one--noisy, fuzzy and blown out, sounding like a lost relic of the '80s underground. This album is sick from start to finish, maintaining a blistering intensity through all its noisy divergences. It's unpredictable and rather hostile, leaving the listener with a weird, unsettling feeling by its end--in a good way. though. At this moment in hardcore, there's no other band out there quite like them.
11th: H2O - Skate! single
This was another teaser single we did, featuring two tracks from H2O's then-forthcoming and looong-awaited album, Use Your Voice, so we could finally get some new H2O out there sooner rather than later. There was a "Skate!" music video that came out around the same time as well, which the band roped in friend and pro skateboarder Steve Caballero for (he plays guitar on the track too!) and which features some pretty interesting footage of a teenage Toby Morse. These are definitely two of the faster songs from the record, making for a quick appetizer, and the limited-to-1000 7" seems to be a pretty sought-after item now.
25th: BoySetsFire - BoySetsFire
BoySetsFire proved their reunion album wasn't a fluke with this new self-titled effort, which also probably came out of nowhere for fans as it was announced just a month-and-a-half in advance. It's packed to the gills with sterling examples of their signature sound, running the gamut from huge anthems ("Savage Blood") and desperate-sounding numbers ("Cutting Room Floor") to upbeat, Rise Against-style cuts ("Heaven Knows") and juddering, Snapcase-esque hardcore ("Coward"), all with their incensed, politicized rage retained.
October
9th: H2O - Use Your Voice
H2O hadn't released a studio album of new material since 2008, so Use Your Voice was a long time coming--luckily it was worth the wait. The band came back hard with this jubilant and honest album that touches upon every enjoyable stripe of the melodic hardcore and punk spectrum while elaborating on all sorts of topics clearly important to frontman Toby Morse's heart. He expounds on the pure joy of skating as a young misfit, his love of pop music, social unrest, and even an ode to his wife (which mixes things up a bit, offering a different chorus tone from the band than we normally hear). They definitely cut 11 tracks any fan of H2O should love without pandering or phoning it in.
November
20th: Malfunction - Fear of Failure
The phrase "demo submission" has become sort of a misnomer, as most bands who get in touch with the label about working with us tend to offer fully-formed, finished releases without a home (and they're often terrible, or make no sense for us to release). Malfunction was the rare case of a demo submission being an actual demo submission, from a band that had been on our radar for some time, and also, actually good. They gave us three pre-production demos that showcased an exciting new chapter in their musical evolution, and the resulting album, Fear of Failure, fully delivered. Their first full-length is harsh, heavy and uncompromising, a fantastic entry of '90s metallic hardcore revival that pulls a little bit from an often overlooked scene.
BRIDGE NINE 2015: A YEAR IN REVEW BY BRIAN SHULTZ
January
13th: BoySetsFire - The Misery Index: Notes from the Plague Years [vinyl reissue]
BoySetsFire's bold and ambitious fourth album is one of my favorites of theirs, with anthems like "Requiem" and the bravely horn-addled yet intense "So Long and Thanks for the Crutches", so it was cool to have a hand in its release history with this new reissue. I remember seeing them live for the first time touring on it almost a decade ago and despite the small crowd at the time, they played their hearts out. This unintentionally almost-10th anniversary reissue is basically mandatory for fans--it looks good on complementary teal and white variants and includes a big poster insert.
27th: Caravels / Octaves - Split EP
This split EP is a rare co-release from B9, as we teamed up with Topshelf Records and their band Caravels to release new material from them and our own Octaves. Neither band had come out with new stuff since 2013, so it was nice to have two acts that play unique strains of modern post-hardcore in harmonious ways deliver fresh songs.
February
10th: War On Women - War On Women
Our first proper full-length release of the year was a total powderkeg: a fierce and volatile album that garnered quite the reaction--some ignorant Facebook users, sure, but mostly spiritual liberation as summed up by this one fan's feedback: "HELL FUCKING YEAH! EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH HARDCORE MUSIC!". The co-ed Baltimore punk quintet made their first huge musical statement, releasing a record that, per their name, tackled a wide array of contemporary feminist issues in both confrontational and humorous ways without skimping on Propagandhi-style aggression or riffs. There's an occasional theater to this record that revives Dead Kennedys' necessarily over-the-top social critique, too, while also melding punk, metal, and hardcore influences in newfangled ways.
24th: Alcoa - Parlour Tricks
Alcoa's sophomore full-length is actually a strong contender for my personal favorite album we released this year, so it's natural to say it deserves more recognition. Derek from Defeater has been quietly progressing this project since its genesis in the mid-2000s or so, and it's really seemed to peak on his fleshed-out full-length releases, a consistently enjoyable blend of alt-country and more generally alternative pop-rock leanings. His second album here tones down the bright recording of 2013's Bone & Marrow a bit, but the songs are somehow more powerful in subtler ways. I love the earnest, sadder stuff on here, like the stripped-down, darker "always chasing me" and the chamber feel of "come & go". Then there's my favorite track, "for holden", with the best chorus Gin Blossoms forgot to write during their heyday.
March
24th: Agnostic Front - Police Violence EP
Our relationship with Agnostic Front has yielded a prolific amount of cool stuff, including reissues of their classic foundational releases, the United Blood EP and Victim in Pain LP, as well as their seminal Live at CBGB album. This teaser EP we did for their new album, just as we did for their last one in 2011, steals some of the more old-school-leaning, thrashy material from their 11th (!) full-length, The American Dream Died, and includes an anthemic, burly B-side, "Same Old Story", exclusive to the release. The colors are sick, honestly, complementing the EP title and theme in a pretty brutal way (black and blue, pool of blood, and blood spatter).
April
14th: Gallows - Desolation Sounds
We had to sit on this album for a while before finally letting this side of the world hear it, as we helped Gallows get their new record out to U.S. fans for the second time in a row. This is another neat chapter in their evolution, bringing in more of the occult feel they've developed in this stage of the career with an accessibility that make certain moments sound like radio rock from an alternative universe. It's still dark and has plenty of punk bite, though: standout "Leather Crown" is a Fucked Up-style ripper, and the heavy, brooding "Chains" pounds the pavement hard.
May
12th: After the Fall - Dedication
After the Fall are actually old friends of mine--namely singer/guitarist Mike, whose band I've been following and watching play live since at least 2004, before we met. A genuine guy that just values friendship, loves punk and the power manifested in a short, well-written and aggressive but melodic song, it shows in spades on their fifth and newest album, Dedication. The whole thing is a heartfelt memorial to one of their original members, Brian J. Peters, who lost his battle with cancer in 2013. Every song tackles a different angle of Peters' personality or untimely passing, and it all ties together to paint a portrait of a seemingly great guy who touched everyone around him in profound ways, and it does so with a bright, melodic and catchy veneer the band have developed impressively over their decade-plus tenure.
19th: Modern Pain - "Peace Delusions" b/w "Kill Yr. Idols" single
This early version of "Peace Delusions" was the first sneak peak we got from Modern Pain's forthcoming full-length, which was initially self-titled before the band decided to go with the first single's name anyway. There's a slightly different aural aesthetic to this earlier version of the track, giving the short two-track single its own vibe--the exclusive B-side, a cover of Sonic Youth's "Kill Yr. Idols" offers insight into the band's unique approach to hardcore (more on this later), and is pretty spot-on as well.
June
H2O - Four Song 1995 Demo [reissue]
Before we started rolling out promo for H2O's new album, we did this fun little thing that looked back at their very beginnings. This was a reissue for the fans that weren't around the first time in 1995 for the release of their original demo tape, putting all four songs from the Don Fury demo session (recorded just after Christmas 1994) on a yellow tape limited to 200 and hand-numbered by Toby Morse himself.
August
14th: Crown of Thornz - Nothing But Tragedy EP
Holy Christ did this 7" take forever to press. I guess if you were waiting for new Crown of Thornz material, a few more months was nothing at that rate--the NYHC act hadn't delivered new music since 1998. It was very cool to work with a classic and forward-thinking act of the mid-1990s NYHC scene, but it was cooler to have them come back and not just rehash what they were originally doing or pander to fans. These are two longer and still aggressive songs that really are in their own category of hardcore.
September
4th: Modern Pain - Peace Delusions
Modern Pain are another band that have certainly fashioned their own category of hardcore, and it's quite a good one--noisy, fuzzy and blown out, sounding like a lost relic of the '80s underground. This album is sick from start to finish, maintaining a blistering intensity through all its noisy divergences. It's unpredictable and rather hostile, leaving the listener with a weird, unsettling feeling by its end--in a good way. though. At this moment in hardcore, there's no other band out there quite like them.
11th: H2O - Skate! single
This was another teaser single we did, featuring two tracks from H2O's then-forthcoming and looong-awaited album, Use Your Voice, so we could finally get some new H2O out there sooner rather than later. There was a "Skate!" music video that came out around the same time as well, which the band roped in friend and pro skateboarder Steve Caballero for (he plays guitar on the track too!) and which features some pretty interesting footage of a teenage Toby Morse. These are definitely two of the faster songs from the record, making for a quick appetizer, and the limited-to-1000 7" seems to be a pretty sought-after item now.
25th: BoySetsFire - BoySetsFire
BoySetsFire proved their reunion album wasn't a fluke with this new self-titled effort, which also probably came out of nowhere for fans as it was announced just a month-and-a-half in advance. It's packed to the gills with sterling examples of their signature sound, running the gamut from huge anthems ("Savage Blood") and desperate-sounding numbers ("Cutting Room Floor") to upbeat, Rise Against-style cuts ("Heaven Knows") and juddering, Snapcase-esque hardcore ("Coward"), all with their incensed, politicized rage retained.
October
9th: H2O - Use Your Voice
H2O hadn't released a studio album of new material since 2008, so Use Your Voice was a long time coming--luckily it was worth the wait. The band came back hard with this jubilant and honest album that touches upon every enjoyable stripe of the melodic hardcore and punk spectrum while elaborating on all sorts of topics clearly important to frontman Toby Morse's heart. He expounds on the pure joy of skating as a young misfit, his love of pop music, social unrest, and even an ode to his wife (which mixes things up a bit, offering a different chorus tone from the band than we normally hear). They definitely cut 11 tracks any fan of H2O should love without pandering or phoning it in.
November
20th: Malfunction - Fear of Failure
The phrase "demo submission" has become sort of a misnomer, as most bands who get in touch with the label about working with us tend to offer fully-formed, finished releases without a home (and they're often terrible, or make no sense for us to release). Malfunction was the rare case of a demo submission being an actual demo submission, from a band that had been on our radar for some time, and also, actually good. They gave us three pre-production demos that showcased an exciting new chapter in their musical evolution, and the resulting album, Fear of Failure, fully delivered. Their first full-length is harsh, heavy and uncompromising, a fantastic entry of '90s metallic hardcore revival that pulls a little bit from an often overlooked scene.
Malfunction's Fear of Failure out now
Malfunction's first full-length Fear of Failure is out today! Purchase and/or stream it at the following places:
-B9Store.com
-Bandcamp
-iTunes
-Amazon CD
-Amazon MP3
-Google Play
-Spotify
Recorded at GCR Recording Studios with Jay Zubricky, mixed by Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues), and mastered by Paul Leavitt (Turnstile, Darkest Hour), Fear of Failure is a harsh and uncompromising bout of metallic hardcore. The band's first proper release in three years after touring extensively with the likes of Bane, Turnstile, Backtrack, and Harm's Way shows them progressing considerably, adopting a loose and raw yet thoroughly heavy strain aggressively exorcising the demons of personal anxieties and volatile relationships.
Check Malfunction out on Terror's The 25th Hour Tour kicking off next week with Code Orange and Take Offense:
MALFUNCTION tour dates w/ Terror / Code Orange / Take Offense
28-Nov - Chicago, IL - The Abbey
29-Nov - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall - The Shelter
30-Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
1-Dec - Buffalo, NY - Studio at Waiting Room
2-Dec - Etobicoke, ONT - The Rockpile - West
3-Dec - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB
4-Dec - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
5-Dec - Howell, NJ - GameChanger World
6-Dec - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
7-Dec - Raleigh, NC - Kings
8-Dec - Orlando, FL - BackBooth
9-Dec - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell
10-Dec - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
11-Dec - Austin, TX - The Sidewinder
12-Dec - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats
13-Dec - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
14-Dec - Denver, CA - Marquis Theater
15-Dec - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
16-Dec - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
17-Dec - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
18-Dec - Los Angeles, CA - Los Globos
19-Dec - La Jolla, CA - Che Cafe Collective
Malfunction's 'Fear of Failure' streaming in full; album out this Friday
We've partnered with BrooklynVegan to premiere a stream of Malfunction's forthcoming debut album,Fear in Failure, in full. Check out what they had to say:
"...it pulls from the kind of hardcore/metalcore their hometown area of upstate NY has been churning out for the past two decades. It's something you could picture coming out on Victory before that label went totally mall-core (they've got the chug of Earth Crisis' "Firestorm" on track one, "Drained"). Malfunction change it up too, like when they go borderline post-rock on "Sonic." It's a good record."
Fear of Failure is out this Friday, November 20. Pre-order a copy at B9Store.com and check out the band on tour with Terror and Code Orange starting at the end of this month.
MALFUNCTION tour dates w/ Terror / Code Orange / Take Offense
28-Nov - Chicago, IL - The Abbey
29-Nov - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall - The Shelter
30-Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
1-Dec - Buffalo, NY - Studio at Waiting Room
2-Dec - Etobicoke, ONT - The Rockpile - West
3-Dec - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB
4-Dec - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
5-Dec - Howell, NJ - GameChanger World
6-Dec - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
7-Dec - Raleigh, NC - Kings
8-Dec - Orlando, FL - BackBooth
9-Dec - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell
10-Dec - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
11-Dec - Austin, TX - The Sidewinder
12-Dec - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats
13-Dec - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
14-Dec - Denver, CA - Marquis Theater
15-Dec - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
16-Dec - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
17-Dec - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
18-Dec - Los Angeles, CA - Los Globos
19-Dec - La Jolla, CA - Che Cafe Collective
Malfunction stream "Final Thoughts" via Substream Magazine
Image courtesy of Malfunction
Malfunction have unveiled another track from their forthcoming full-length, Fear of Failure. Check out "Final Thoughts" at Substream Magazine. Fear of Failure is still up for pre-order at B9Store.com and will be out on November 20.
The band will be supporting the record on Terror's The 25th Hour tour kicking off at the end of the month with Code Orange, Take Offense, and some great regional support acts. Check those dates out below.
MALFUNCTION upcoming tour dates:
w/Terror, Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine
28-Nov - Chicago, IL - The Abbey
29-Nov - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall - The Shelter
30-Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
1-Dec - Buffalo, NY - Studio at Waiting Room
w/Terror, Code Orange, Take Offense, Blind Justice
2-Dec - Etobicoke, ONT - The Rockpile - West
3-Dec - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB
4-Dec - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
w/Terror, Code Orange, Take Offense, Incendiary
5-Dec - Howell, NJ - GameChanger World (w/Blind Justice)
6-Dec - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
7-Dec - Raleigh, NC - Kings
8-Dec - Orlando, FL - BackBooth
9-Dec - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell
w/Terror, Code Orange, Take Offense, Blistered
10-Dec - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
11-Dec - Austin, TX - The Sidewinder
12-Dec - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats
13-Dec - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
14-Dec - Denver, CA - Marquis Theater
15-Dec - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
w/Terror, Code Orange, Take Offense, Bitter End
16-Dec - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
17-Dec - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
18-Dec - Los Angeles, CA - Los Globos
19-Dec - La Jolla, CA - Che Cafe Collective
Malfunction premiere "Drift"; 'Fear of Failure' pre-orders launched
Malfunction have premiered "Drift" over at RevolverMag.com. It's the first track to be revealed from their forthcoming full-length debut, Fear of Failure, which is now available for pre-order atB9Store.com. Digital pre-orders with an IG of "Drift" are also available from iTunes and Bandcamp.
Fear of Failure is out November 20. Be sure to catch the band on Terror's The 25th Hour Tour shortly thereafter with Code Orange, Take Offense, and others (dates below).
Terror's The 25th Hour Tour dates
28-Nov - Chicago, IL - The Abbey w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
29-Nov - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall - The Shelter w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
30-Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
1-Dec - Buffalo, NY - Studio at Waiting Room w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
2-Dec - Etobicoke, ONT - The Rockpile - West w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
3-Dec - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
4-Dec - Worcester, MA - The Palladium w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
5-Dec - Howell, NJ - GameChanger World w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
6-Dec - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
7-Dec - Raleigh, NC - Kings w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
8-Dec - Orlando, FL - BackBooth w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
9-Dec - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
10-Dec - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
11-Dec - Austin, TX - The Sidewinder w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
12-Dec - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
13-Dec - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
14-Dec - Denver, CA - Marquis Theater w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
15-Dec - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
16-Dec - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
17-Dec - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
18-Dec - Los Angeles, CA - Los Globos w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
19-Dec - La Jolla, CA - Che Cafe Collective w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
Malfunction announce new album, 'Fear of Failure'
As one of Bridge Nine's most recent roster additions, Buffalo, NY's Malfunction are elated to announce the release of their new full-length album Fear of Failure on November 20th. Sign up for pre-order notifications at B9Store.com.
Recorded at GCR Recording Studios with Jay Zubricky, mixed by Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues), and mastered by Paul Leavitt (Turnstile, Darkest Hour), Fear of Failure is a harsh and uncompromising bout of metallic hardcore. The band's first proper release in three years after touring extensively with the likes of Bane, Turnstile, Backtrack, and Harm's Way shows them progressing considerably, adopting a loose and raw yet thoroughly heavy strain aggressively exorcising the demons of personal anxieties and volatile relationships.
The quintet formed in 2011 and wasted little time getting music out to the world with their Locals Onlydemo, followed by an appearance on the Bad Meets Evil compilation. This soon led to them getting picked up by upstate hardcore standby Reaper Records, who released their Finding My Peace EP in 2012, with the band issuing a cassingle in the summer of 2013 (all the while touring the country to get deserved widespread attention). Fear of Failure will thus mark their first batch of new material in over two years.
Following the release of Fear of Failure, Malfunction will embark on a North American tour with Terror, Code Orange and others. Check out the tour dates below along with Fear of Failure track listing and stay tuned for song premieres and more info coming soon.
Fear of Failure track listing:
1. Drained
2. Fear of Failure
3. Cut Off
4. WIndow of Illusion
5. Final Thoughts
6. Drift
7. Guilt
8. Sonic
9. Release
10. Discontent
The 25th Hour Tour dates
28-Nov - Chicago, IL - The Abbey
29-Nov - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall - The Shelter
30-Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
1-Dec - Buffalo, NY - Studio at Waiting Room
2-Dec - Etobicoke, ONT - The Rockpile - West
3-Dec - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB
4-Dec - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
5-Dec - Howell, NJ - GameChanger World
6-Dec - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
7-Dec - Raleigh, NC - Kings
8-Dec - Orlando, FL - BackBooth
9-Dec - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell
10-Dec - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
11-Dec - Austin, TX - The Sidewinder
12-Dec - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats
13-Dec - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
14-Dec - Denver, CA - Marquis Theater
15-Dec - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
16-Dec - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
17-Dec - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
18-Dec - Los Angeles, CA - Los Globos
19-Dec - La Jolla, CA - Che Cafe Collective
Malfunction announced for Terror's The 25th Hour Tour with Code Orange, Take Offense, more
Malfunction have been announced as a support act for Terror's forthcoming The 25th Hour Tour in the U.S. (plus two shows in Canada), which takes place this fall and also features openers Code Orange and Take Offense on all dates. In addition, the tour will have regional support on respective blocks from the likes of Incendiary, Bitter End, King Nine, Blistered, and Blind Justice. Check out the entire itinerary above and below.
Also stay tuned for more information coming soon on Malfunction's Fear of Failure full-length debut.
Terror's The 25th Hour Tour dates
28-Nov - Chicago, IL - The Abbey w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
29-Nov - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall - The Shelter w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
30-Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
1-Dec - Buffalo, NY - Studio at Waiting Room w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, King Nine, Malfunction
2-Dec - Etobicoke, ONT - The Rockpile - West w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
3-Dec - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
4-Dec - Worcester, MA - The Palladium w/ Code Orange, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
5-Dec - Howell, NJ - GameChanger World w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction, Blind Justice
6-Dec - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
7-Dec - Raleigh, NC - Kings w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
8-Dec - Orlando, FL - BackBooth w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
9-Dec - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell w/ Code Orange, Incendiary, Take Offense, Malfunction
10-Dec - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
11-Dec - Austin, TX - The Sidewinder w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
12-Dec - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
13-Dec - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
14-Dec - Denver, CA - Marquis Theater w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
15-Dec - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court w/ Code Orange, Take Offense , Malfunction, Blistered
16-Dec - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
17-Dec - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
18-Dec - Los Angeles, CA - Los Globos w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
19-Dec - La Jolla, CA - Che Cafe Collective w/ Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense , Malfunction
No Warning, Expire, Malfunction, Cross Me playing Heart Fest 9
Heart Fest 9, the annual all-ages non-profit hardcore fest taking place in Gatineau, Quebec, have unveiled their day-to-day lineups, and included are plenty past and present B9 acts. No Warning will play their first show in Canada in over a decade, with Expire, Cruel Hand, Malfunction, and Cross Me making appearances as well. The fest takes places from September 4th through the 6th and also features All Out War, Donnybrook, Stigmata, and Harm's Way among others. Get more info at onFacebook.
HEART FEST 9
Friday, September 4th - Centre Portuguais Les Amis Unis - Gatineau, QC:
Donnybrook
Harm's Way
Cruel Hand
Swamps
Nuke
Badlands
Exalt
CIAC
Lifespent
Six of Swords
Saturday, September 5th - Centre Portuguais Les Amis Unis - Gatineau, QC:
No Warning
EXPIRE
Stigmata
Give
Shai Hulud
Iron Golem
Clear
Wild Side
The Banner
Brick by Brick
Stone
Lions Lions
Sunday, September 6th - Legion Royale Canadienne - Gatineau, QC:
All Out War
Enforcers
MALFUNCTION
Homewrecker
Discourse
Get the Shot
CROSS ME
Eternal Sleep
Detain
Ransom
Sharp
Humanities
Malfunction added to The Life & Death Tour
Malfunction have replaced Heavy Chains on The Life & Death Tour, which kicks off in two days. The full stacked lineup now includes Bane, Turnstile, Backtrack, Forced Order, Mizery, and on all dates between August 9 and 28 except Chicago, Malfunction. Select regional openers include Power Trip, Death Threat, Bitter End, and Crown of Thornz. Check out details below.
More info on Malfunction's upcoming full-length debut, Fear of Failure, coming soon as well.
THE LIFE & DEATH TOUR 2015 f/ Bane, Turnstile, BACKTRACK, Forced Order, Mizery, MALFUNCTION [8/9-8/25, 8/27-8/28]:
8/6 Rochester, NY @ The Harmony House
8/7 Holyoke, MA @ The Waterfront Tavern**
8/8 Howell, NJ @ Gamechanger World
8/9 Richmond, Va @ Canal Club
8/10 Greensboro, NC @ Greene St
8/11 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
8/12 Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly
8/13 Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
8/14 Houston, TX @ Walter's****
8/15 Dallas, TX @ Sons of Herman Hall****
8/16 San Antonio, TX @ The Korova****
8/17 Phoenix, AZ @ Club Red
8/18 San Diego, CA @ Soma
8/19 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
8/20 Los Angeles, CA @ Los Globos
8/21 Oakland, CA @ The New Parish
8/22 Reno, NV @ PB&J's
8/23 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Music Garage
8/24 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater*
8/25 Merriam, KS @ Aftershock Bar and Gril*
8/26 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge*/***
8/27 Cincinnati, OH @ Legends*/***
8/28 Detroit, MI @ Magestic Cafe*/***
8/29 Toronto, ON @ The Rockpile*/***
8/30 Montreal, QC @ Les Foufounes Electriques
8/31 Amityville, NY @ Revolution
Also playing:
* - Power Trip
** - Death Threat
*** - Bitter End
**** - CROWN OF THORNZ