Ill Blood

In 2001 Bridge 9 re-released Toronto's No Warning's self-titled 7'', and it was my introduction to the band. I remember going to many Worcester shows, seeing B9's small (at the time) discography on sale, and after awhile I broke and bought it. That record, with "A Day In The Life" and "Too Much To Bare" hooked me and I probably listened to it everyday that year.

Then one year later they put it to a full-length and released "Ill Blood", a record that not only introduced hundreds of younger hardcore kids to the Cro-Mags and Judge, but was absolutely the best NYHC record of my generation...and they're from Toronto! The energy, the hooks, the riffs, the lyrics, the heavy drums and that nuts live show.

In those couple of years I saw No Warning three times in New England, but the best was at the Back To School Jam in Framingham, MA. The line-up was out of control: Some Kind Of Hate, Impact, Fit For Abuse, Count Me Out, Panic, No Warning, Reach The Sky, Converge (canceled because Kurt broke his hand, Hatebreed showed up and played a set of covers), Stars & Stripes, Slapshot and Blood For Blood. Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Anyways, I remember that "Ill Blood" has just come out, kids were flying everywhere and the singer kept instigating the cops who were doing security.

"Ill Blood" was one of the greatest hardcore records to come out of my generation of hardcore bands and they inspired legions of bands to copy the sound that they copied and perfected themselves. Everyone needs this record. Even if they made some, ahem, bad decisions further down the line, it's heavy, pissed and focused.

Bjorn from Rise & Fall has a two-part interview with the guitar player at his blog: http://www.mindovermatter07.blogspot.com/