Hussie
Skunk
So what we have here is basically, new old school hardcore music for
the masses. But it's one helluva punch in the gut, so the disc shouldn't
be taken lightly. The whole album is pretty much a scream fest. Nothing
bad there, cause the blistered vocals only amplifies the already extreme
energy from the blazing musical accompaniment. "Bitten"
is the band's debut album on Basement Records, and I find it hard
to believe that they haven't released anything prior to this, cause
someone had to know these guys are the real deal and should have had
their music distributed the world over. Good for Basement for locating
a band capable of maintaining and carrying on the good name that is
hardcore. Each and every track just sizzles with importance and relevance,
or so the band would like you to think with their searing passion
for each track. The disc is only twenty minutes long, and there are
only eleven tracks featured on the album, so maybe now you have an
idea of the scorching energy and power. With a tremendous amount of
ease of execution, the four-piece from California will become the
new ambassadors for neu-hardcore punk rock. Mostly metal licks, with
hardcore lyrics, beats and attitude, Grave For Fireflies will kick
your scrawny ass up and down the street, just cause it feels good
on their feet. For fans of old school hardcore, and I mean old...I'm
thinking the high points of the eighties... Don't miss out on "Bitten",
a captivating eruption of classic hardcore made for the masses. -MG
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ATS Belgium Punk Zine
Aggressive, aggressive.what more can I say? This record is so fucking
aggressive. Combine the old AFI, the energy of the Nerve Agents and
the intensity of Black Flag and youll have Grave for the Fireflies.
Fast furious hard drums, a solid bass, spastic guitars and one of
the best dont give a fuck vocal approaches. If you are into American
politics, emo-stuff, eyelinerThen these lyrics are about you. They
tell the truth hard, in a spit in your face kind of way. Grave for
the Fireflies in one for the underdog. Theyve only been together for
2 years and already made an amazing record. This is the futurebuy
this, in 20 years youll have a classic record.
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The Music Corner
"Harkening back to the days of bands like Black Flag and Circle
Jerks, but with crisp, modern day production, Southern California's
Grave For The Fireflies rip through eleven cuts of furious hardcore
in just over nineteen minutes on their debut CD Bitten. Everything
here from the tight musicianship and intensity of the songs to the
dark lyrics are top-notch. Bitten is the perfect reminder of what
SoCal hardcore is all about." (www.basementrecords.net)
- Geoff Melton
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ROCK MIDGETS.COM
Hailing from the (apparently) musically failing region of Southern
California, the new and extremely powerfully angry Grave for the Fireflies
aim to inject their homeland with some hardcore passion. They seem
to be putting in a fine effort. Bitten, their first full-length release,
is obsessed with all the bad things in life-crime, the American regime,
death, zombies, lots and lots of death-and gets across the message
of anger (as well as mocking that very same message) well enough to
impress even the most passionate of pessimist. Well, I'm impressed
anyway... They have all the makings of a fine punk/hardcore band,
with short snappy songs, heavy guitars, poundingly fast drums and
a vocalist who doesn't mind screwing up his instrument for the art.
An album full of half-heard lyrics, half sentences and insistent croaking
wouldn't normally tickle my kinda pickle, but the self-mocking irony
and genuine message of awareness keeps me interested. Taking time
to read the lyrics pays off (because you haven't a hope in hell of
hearing them), with songs like 'Eyeliner' hitting the emo scene right
where it hurts-in the haircut and underwear-and 'Dia De Los Muertos'
ripping the p**s out of the passionate plea by singing about zombie
girlfriends; "So I go, to her house, and she's a f**king zombie.
If you were at my house, you'd still be alive". This band pull
no punches with where they stand politically either, with a song about
JFK and the death of the country since his assassination, and a direct
address to a 'Mr Scarecrow' who seems to be some kind of band stalker.
Although at first I would have been put off by the sheer anger and
hatred of everything and anything that this band put across, a closer
look at the music, the lyrics and the feel of it all together reveals
a much more mature look at the scene than you'd think, offering a
great way in to the hardcore side of punk without having to fold all
your hair over your face or wear 'girl boxers' hanging out of your
trousers. This I like.
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PUNKNEWS.ORG
Grave for the Fireflies is a band that should serve as a harsh wakeup
call to a lot of people. Straight hardcore punk out of a Southern
California scene diluted with black hair dye and faux metal, they're
bringing eleven tracks full of raging jams that will put holes in
your speakers. Eleven tracks in less than twenty minutes, you're damn
right these guys mean business, and they'll let you know straight
from the outset. Vocalist and bass guitarist Deadend Jordan sounds
eerily similar to Travis Reilly in his Scraps and Heart Attacks days,
only shouting over the vicious buzzsaw attack reminiscent of the Nerve
Agents. That potent mixture does nothing but impress throughout the
course of the entire album, as the band displays ferocity and a solid
level of songwriting skill just the same. The delivery is crisp, effective,
and in your face the entire time. "Mr. Scarecrow's Heart Is Not
Broken..." could have easily been a Black Flag track, with the
intense drumming and even more intense shouted vocals, all over a
real rock'n'roll feeling rhythm that packs a serious bite of its own.
The good news -- it only gets better from there. Each track makes
you want to pump your fist and start a circle pit even more than the
last, as the songs seem to take on an angrier, darker tone as the
album progresses. And for this style of music, that couldn't be a
better piece of commentary. The dirty, ripping guitars and gang vocals
of "Eyeliner" make way for the take-no-prisoners and make-no-friends
lyrical approach;
"Girl pants on your body,fast hair cuts,fast hair cuts /
Mascara on your eyes, your old tattoos are all covered up / Shame
on you, this new hardcore scene / Boys kiss the boys to impress the
girls, put some guy pants on / Cut your fucking hair, no identities
/ Fuck your fashion scene, girl pants on your body."
Their blunt approach also tackles such topics as the JFK assassination,
war, and suicide, all taken on from different standpoints than you
would usually find, and the fresh spin only fuels their unrelenting
attack. These guys are even more loud and in your face on the last
track than the first, drums firing like machine guns, guitars blazing,
thick bass present through it all; this is a well orchestrated attack.
This is music meant to be listened to at maximum volume, music to
make you think about what's going on inside your punk and hardcore
scenes, music to make you break shit and question authority, just
how it should be.
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JR
(a reviewer who works for MAXIMUM
ROCK N ROLL, AMP MAGAZINE & LOUD! FAST! RULES)
Basement records comes through again! G.F.T.F.F puts out 11 songs
of dark hardcore punk in just under 20 minutes. This is no tuneless
thrash though, this stuff packs a punch. Think Keith Morris era Black
Flag mixed with some Misfits & a touch of "Hell Comes To
Your House". Best song title: "You In A Body Bag Would Teach
Me How To Smile".
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CITIZINE
If anyone in the world is pissed, it is singer Deadend Jordan. From
the moment he loogies in your face, you know you're in for some harsh
criticism, Deadend Jordan-style. Although he's often joined by the
sympatheric chorus of the Death Kids, Deadend Jordan's voice is pretty
overpowering at all times.
At one point in history, it was very popular to have have one-word
titles but this band throws that coolness convention out the window,
with several 10+ word song titles. I would not compare this record
to Basement Records' other big band Bullet Treatment. The production
on Bullet Treatment's records sounds much more primal with hardcore
fuzz, while GRAVE FOR THE FIREFLIES' production is top-quality and
modern. The sound is heavy, the songs are short bursts of anger, some
high speed, others more "post-hardcore".
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PUNK & OI IN THE UK
A steam rolling aural assault of raw precision hits you squarely between
the eyes and beckons in the evocatively titled "Mr. Scarecrows
Heart Is Broken Because Mr. Scarecrow Has No Heart", the opening
gambit on the debut album from Grave For The Fireflies. An intriguing
occasionally occult fixated four piece from southern California. Trading
in the kind of manic riffing and larynx straining vocal attack that
made the reputation of Rudimentary Peni, they also exhibit a grounding
in timeless hardcore. The speed and sheer intensity of delivery is
at times bewildering as salvo after salvo of their precise yet gutsy
hardcore explodes into the listeners consciousness. Contagious and
devilishly successful. 5 out of 5.
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So yeah, in the AMP Magazine issue with Silverstein on the cover (#37
West Coast Edition for October 2005), Dead Hearts gets their EP "No
Love, No Hope" reviewed and Matt, the best dude on the East Coast
ever, mentions us! STOKED:
Check it out:
DEAD HEARTS "No Love, No Hope" EP
First off, this is probably the slickest packaging I've seen so far
this year. Amazing paper, amazing printing, awesome logo - it's just
all around a rad layout. Now, for the music - I'm psyched. I'm psyched
the kids are bringing back hardcore. They're bringing it back from
the fashion bullshit scene that it's become and bringing it back like
it was 5 years ago. These guys remind me of a band that I just recently
got to hear and am completely enamored with in GRAVE FOR THE FIREFLIES,
along with some HOPE CONSIPRACY thrown in there. Fast aggressive songs
with some serious balls behind them. Wow, this shit is great, kids.
Go get it!!! (MWB)
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Killer Dienamite Zine
Pure punk- aggressive, heavy, raw & oh-so-true. This is awesome,
and is what punk is supposed to sound like. No whiny vocals, no big
choruses and no songs about breaking up with your girlfriend. Thank
God for Grave for the Fireflies! Track 3 is a protest against the
new 'emo' scene...so all you emo kids, beware! GFTFF don't fucking
like you! There's loads more clever, amusing and extremely well written
& played songs on this album that you really need to hear. The
only thing to do would be to go & get it. Like, now.
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Kink Records
The music of Grave for the Fireflies comes from Southern California,
I unfortunately had no notion of liking the music from there for a
long time. They've released music so far as a demo and a single. With
"requests" it acts for the first full length music cd. In
music they're a successful old School hard core thunderstorm. As from
the 80's, a mixture from Circle Jerks, Black flag and Misfits sounds.
But overall the whole reminds me also of the ingenious Highscore (naturally
without real at Highscoren). The cd wins however in any case for the
longest Song titles; -) Altogether it's a successful hard core plate,
which could inspire me from the first Song. But how I am to understand
the text of the Song "Eyeliner"?? Also opening that CD succeeded.
In the Booklet one finds all the complete Song text and besides that
a photo and to each Song a suitable picture.
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FISHCOM COLLECTIVE
Referencing modern flavors but keeping a firm grip on old school hardcore
music ethics, Grave for the Fireflies unleashes on "Bitten",
the type of CD that energizes a mosh pit and the minds of thoughtful
hardcore kids. The instrumentals reference a bit of metal but by no
means approach metalcore. The riffage conjures jagged punk melodies
and mosh rhythms while the percussion takes off full tilt. The vocals
are duly strident and lyrically aggressive. Grave for the Fireflies
is a fine example of classic hardcore, a genre that's anything but
dead. - (KU)
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PUNK ROCK PARENTS MAGAZINE
I don't know if I can say enough about Grave for the Fireflies. This
Basement Records release should serve as a real wakeup call for those
of us who consider ourselves part of the punk genre, whether you are
a listener or musician. I think perhaps many of us may have been misled
into what modern punk is. All I can say is that even if you don't
like this disc, it should most certainly serve as some sort of benchmark
in the same way as say Black Flag, Bad Brains, and/or Dag Nasty with
Sean Brown or Dave Smalley was. Right off the bat, the first track,
"Mr. Scarecrow's Heart Is Not Broken Because Mr. Scarecrow Has
No Heart", immediately reminds me of pre-Rollins Black Flag.
Each song brings such a clear and crisp in your face delivery. There
is more emotion and urgency in the vocals then any band I can think
of in recent memory. This true urgency and power is something that
we don't see or hear very often any more. Track 5, "God, I'm
Ashamed To Be American Today", echoes the Descendents Suburban
Home. I'm also reminded of many older DC punk bands on "Dia De
Los Muerlos", "Comforts For Sailors", and "You
In A Body Bag Would Teach Me How To Smile". There are so many
other influences that I hear, but just can't put my finger on them
at the moment. If I can think of them, then maybe I'll update this
later. I don't necessarily want to drop the word "hardcore"
to describe Grave for the Fireflies, because I think today's definition
of hardcore is not necessarily what I grew up with as hardcore. This
album brings back visions of myself as a nerdy kid standing in the
crowd at the Anthrax club watching the latest hardcore flavor of the
month, or whoever was in town at that moment. This is the real thing
boys and girls. I hope that this band serves as an eye opener to everyone.
- PUNK ROCK PARENTS (Lee)
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AK INK MAGAZINE
A dark look into the lives of the goth punk corner kids better known
as the Death Kids. Orange County's answer to the pop punk jock rock
that pollutes its airway! We would like to thank Basement Records
who were kind enough to send in this interesting new band. On this
11 song effort the lyrical content move from anger threats on freinds
to ghosts and vampires hence the title Bitten. Very forceful vocals
lay more alive then dead on top of minimalist guitar framework which
complements the music. Picture old AFI but with a little D.R.I. style
vocal you know not so much screaming more of a gut goth punk."
- AK INK Magazine (Myk)
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AMP Magazine - November 2005 Issue
GRAVES FOR FIREFLIES
"Bitten" CD
Holy shit. That's the only thing I could think when I put this CD
in. Holy shit, this is so good. Holy shit, I'm fucking stoked about
this band. Holy shit, why did it take so long for someone to put out
a CD like this? I'm declaring now that this will be one of the top-5
CDs of 2005, without a doubt. Straightforward hardcore punk rock,
taking cues from the likes of BLACK FLAG and THE NERVE AGENTS, which
is pretty good company to be in, if you ask me. Fast, furious, pounding
drums, intensely solid bass, and spastic guitars set the stage for
one of the best spit-in-your-face-don't-give-a-fuck vocal approaches
I've heard in years. Lyrics that deal with politics, zombies, vampires,
and best of all "the stupid haircuts and makeup that fills the
scene today." And I quote "boys kiss the boys to impress
the girls. Put some guy pants on. Cut your fucking hair. Fuck your
fashion scene." GENIUS! There's not one thing about this CD that
doesn't impress me. DEATH KIDS UNITE! (MWB)
(www.basementrecords.net)
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No Front Teeth Magazine
GRAVE FOR THE FIREFLIES- 'BITTEN' CD
"Wow, this is weird because from the band name and the style
of the album cover I was really expecting this to be one of those
dark and tortured Emo-type bands that are so damn popular but then
I flipped the CD over and the photo of the band just didn't fit that
style at all...so, bewildered I stuck the CD in and it shot me half
way across the fucking room...this is sick!!!! Straight away I heard
pre-Rollins BLACK FLAG: disjointed, rasping and seriously attacking
and almost like a stripped-down MISFITS or AFI with a lot of musical
similarity to the CRIMINALS - those fantastic repeated jabs. All of
this mixed with an early hardcore sound. This is not tortured at all,
this outright rocks!!! Fuck me! The more I listen the more I hear
elements of all kinds of bands but this is so unique in both style
and delivery...I hear facets of the UNSEEN and the VIRUS with a vocal-delivery
style of JOHN RANSOM where the lyrics almost don't fit the music sometimes-
I love that! It's unpredictable and uncomfortable and keeps you jittery.
The kids will lap this up...I don't know if these guys are playing
the Warped Tour but they should! They will steal the whole fucking
festival! This is real energy, always keeping the pace up and keeping
things very impulsive." (Basement Records)
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EctoMag.com
"Some where between Goth and Punk Rock is Grave for the Fireflies,
their debut disc Bitten is an awesome blend of Goth darkness and Punk
energy. Tracks like Bite Marks and Stories of my Stay at Arkham Asylum
bring to mind nightmare images of vampires and psycho killers with
creepy lyrics and raw aggression. (They also get huge thumbs up for
the Batman reference!) While all of the tracks on Bitten are worthy
of your ear one that stands out the most is Eyeliner. This track rips
open and spits on the androgynous power punk pop scene that some bands
flock to just for a little air play. If Bitten is any indication of
what Grave for the Fireflies is capable of look forward to some more
killer shit form this band."
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PunkGlobe.com Review
"Not to be confused with the Movie "Grave Of The Fireflies."
Grave For The Fireflies hail from Fountain Valley, CA and "Bitten"
is their debut CD featuring 11 cuts that will have craving one more.
Staying true to their inspiration's Black Flag, Circle Jerks and The
Misfit they deliver solid hardcore punk. Check them out..........."
by Ginger Coyote
(http://www.punkglobe.com/graveforthefireflies.html)
