Known for being one of the most incendiary and influential bands in hardcore and modern metal history, apocalyptic heavy music icons INTEGRITY formed in 1988 primarily as an outlet for the philosophical and spiritual musings of vocalist Dwid Hellion. With an intense sound that melds together high-velocity hardcore punk, heavy metal, thrash and angular, noisy guitar riffs with lyrical themes that include religion, the supernatural, mental illness, individualism, the occult, and Holy Terrorism, INTEGRITY are unquestionably one of the pioneering forces that forged the worlds of hardcore and metal together. Their influence on hundreds, if not thousands of bands can still be heard to this day. More than 30 years of creating dark and terrifying anthems under their belt, INTEGRITY have honored their past musical legacy while fearlessly moving forward into unchartered territory on what is undoubtedly their most elaborate and ambitious effort to date, Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume, was released on July 2017 via Relapse Records. The vicious legacy of Holy Terror lives on!
Judge
Judge was formed in 1987 by Mike Ferraro and John Porcell, both were in Youth of Today and after the summer of 87’ Break Down the Walls tour, Mike decided to split and record the NY Crew EP, he wanted to take the straight edge message of no smoking, no drugs and no alcohol even further. Turns out Mike had a ferocious voice, and with the in your face, no regrets messaging of songs like “Fed Up” and “In My Way” the music became heavier, taking hardcore in a new direction for that time.
The band had some momentum, Mike’s friend Jimmy Yu, a Buddhist Monk with a Black Belt joined on bass, soon after Sammy Siegler (Side by Side, Youth of Today), joined on drums. With many weekend road trips around the Northeast, they eventually got the songs together to record their debut album for Revelation Records at Chung King Studios in NYC. Chung King was known for albums by Slayer and Beastie Boys and was a little out of the bands budget, they could only afford a rotating cast of interns. They scrapped the recording, which was completed and, on its way, to be pressed, released 100 of them on white vinyl as “Chung King Can Suck It”, and re-recorded the album with Matt Pincus on bass at Normandy Sound in Warren Rhode Island. That album entitled Bringin’ It Down was released in 1989. The Chung King album became one of the rarest and most expensive albums to date.
Judge hit the road, making it out to the West Coast twice. The sound got heavier with the addition of a second guitarist, Lars Weiss. They went back in the studio and recorded an EP entitled The Storm which was released in 1990. Shortly after the band broke up, and while most of the members went on to pursue other bands, Ferraro disappeared.
In 2013 Judge reformed to play Black N’ Blue Fest in NYC. The music and the bond amongst the band members has powered Judge to consistently perform around the world since then, taking them all over South America, South East Asia, Europe and elsewhere.
