Standing Strong EP & Stockholm Hardcore

Frontlash is an oldschool styled hardcoreband from Stockholm, Sweden. They have now been around for a couple of years but is rarely heard about in the scene. However i took some time (a long time ago) and after a long time i got the answers from Matte, Vocalist in the band and after a equal long time i got myself time to release the interview. Sadly however no pics of the band is included, enjoy and remember to buy their EP if you have a chance of getting at them. Homepage down for the moment.

Alright guys, could you give a brief history lesson of Frontlash and why´d you form?

I met Erik the guitarist in '94 and we started to play covers of Terrorizer, Sheer terror, Agnostic Front and Bathory.
At that time it was only Erik on guitar and I playing the drums.

In 95/96 two more members arrived Marcus on bass and Pauli on vocals and we were a full band.
We played everything from NYHC too grind core. In '96 we took the name Frontlash.
Later the same year the singer, Pauli, left the band, so I decided to take over the vocals.
Early 1997 I called my old friend Totte from the death metal band A Mind Confused and asked him if he wanted to be our drummer and he joined us . Now the band started too sound like how I wanted it to sound, hardcore.

In late 1997 Marcus left the band to become a photographer. Early 1998 the line up was only I ,Erik and Totte.
Frontlash's real story starts in the summer of 1998, when Fille joined us to play the bass. We kept the name FRONTLASH, but it was kind of a new band, with a new sound.

I formed the band because I like hardcore music and sadly it was the vegan/straight edge movement that ruled the scene in Sweden at that time. I wanted a band that was clearly separated from that movement and more like back in the time when trash metal & hardcore was parts of the same scene. I wanted a hardcore band that played in the spirit of Agnostic front, Cro-Mags, Sheer Terror, Warzone and Negative Approach.


What´s the current lineup, any changes during the years?

T he present line up is:
Matte - vocals
Totte - drums
Fille - bass
Erik - guitar


Is any of the current members playing in other bands?

Erik plays guitars in an Oi band called Contemptuous (http://www.contemptuous.tk)
Totte play drums in Twopointeight (http://www.twopointeight.nu) And Fille plays records as a DJ. And for myself ,I play drums and sing in a black metal band called Aifur, check out our homepage at http://hem.passagen.se/amind666/aifur.

We have a demo MCDr out now. Aifur has also recorded 4 new songs in February 2004 for our new upcoming demo CDr Part II is coming soon. I also have a band project called Blod Örn together with Carl from Templars. Blod Örn plays black Viking rock.


Any of the members who have a dark history in other bands?

In the first years of the 90's Totte and I were in a death metal band called A mind confused.


You are obviously influenced by old time hardcore as AF, Slapshot, Iron Cross etc. But what news bands today are you listening to and brings you influences?

I don’t listen mush too new hardcore, nobody in the band does. The only band I know that we all like is SOIA .
The newer bands I like a lot are Sworn Enemy´s. Their new CD is a killer and I also like the Hoods, their two CD´s are brilliant.

But our influences are many: death metal, metal, HC and Oi! Some of the bands I like is Satyricon, Mayhem, Dark throne, Revenge, Testament, Templars, 1349, Hoods, Skrewdriver, Johnny Cash, Mike ness, FEAR, Stars and Stripes, Fist of steel, Judas Priest , Youth Defence League , the Skulls.


I know you have some ep´s out and now you have made an split with Porrada (Bras.) could you give a discography and comments to your releases so far?

OK here is the discography of Frontlash:
"STHLM HC" EP - Our debut and maybe the crowd's favourite songs are on it, I like this EP a lot. Released in 1999.

"S/T" EP - Split with Angry Youth - Not the best side of Frontlash but the second song "Our fight" is cool. Released in 2000.

"A tribute to WARZONE" EP - We cover the old Warzone classic "Judgement day". Released in 2001.

"Standing strong" EP - Our first release on DIM Records. 4 songs recorded at the same time as the STHLM HC EP was recorded, but not released until 2001.

Split CD/LP with Porrada released on DIM records in 2003.
A cool friendship realise between SWEDEN/BRAZIL. Porrada have 11 great songs including a cover of Anti cimex and Varukers. This split CD have all Frontlash EP´s including and a bonus song in Swedish ("En döende värld"). The cover art on this split CD was painted by Midgard the singer from one of Brazils coolest death metal acts called Attomica (they are far away better than Sepultura ever was)


This new record "Patriotic Passion", how come you made it with Porrada? And why the name?

I have great contact with Wilson who plays guitar in Porrada. He is also the leader of the two Oi bands The Skulls and Fist of steel. We have talked for a long time about releasing a split, and Porrada hade a reunion in the studio and recorded 11 songs. Some of the songs was covers but with Portuguese lyrics/vocals. Porrada is a old Grindcore band that existed in the first years in the 90's and then broke up. Their old releases sounds like early Napalm death, Benediction and Carcass but on our split they have changed their style to Hardcore

We thought it was a good idea too release all Frontlash' vinyl EP´s on a CD because many people do not have a vinyl recorder. The name of this split i got from a Samhain CD "Unholy passion" and I thought that "Patriotic passion" was cool. Many people didn't think so, but who cares. To love your country is not a crime.


How come there is so fuckin hard getting your stuff here in sweden?

I don’t know, but our first release is long time out of print and the DIM releases are always hard too find in Sweden.
You can buy our split CD with Porrada from Amanda Records, 120 KR include P&P, or 12 US dollars, or 12 Euro also include P&P worldwide

Order the CD´s from our upcoming homepage of Frontlash (www.frontlash.tk) there you will find the address too send cash too. Soon we also have a website for Amanda Records (www.amandacd.tk)


Any new records coming up?

We have recorded 6 new songs in December 2002/January 2003 and those songs we hope too get release soon.
If there any labels interested out there please let us know. We going too be on Brewed in Sweden #3 with a new song called "terrorist Hunter". We are also going to be on a international HC comp CD with bands like Iron Cross, Harley´s War, Blood for Blood and more..


Any gigs or tours? It seems you play live very rare, how come?

No gigs or tour right now. We don’t rehearsal or play live often.


Any favourite/worst story to tell?

NO


Are you sigend to any label yet, or do you prefer to make it on your own?

No we are not signed to any label but DIM Records is always interested too put out material with us. But it should be great if we were signed to a bigger label like Victory Records or something like that.


So in general, what do you think of the swedish hardcore and Oi scene?

I don’t listen to any of the Swedish HC bands. The greatest Swedish Oi band is Unit lost and Dim´s Rebellion.


Do you see any, real, differences between the Oi!/Punk camp and the HC/Punk camp in the scene today?

Not today.


If someone came up and simply asked, what is Frontlash, what would you answer?

I don't really think anyone would ever ask anything like that, so we don't have an answer...


Besides the band, what are you guys up to?

For myself I live a great life with my girlfriend Sofia and our dog. I work as a constructor and building control units and cables for wood machines and army trucks.

Erik work as a teacher for ghetto kids which never will live to see their 20th birthday... Totte work as a slaughter at Söderhallen. Fille work as a chef at different restaurants


Any of you who are involved in other scene related projects? (Zines, Photo, Web, Distro etc?)

Me and Erik just starting up a distro called Amanda Records and we will sell CD´s of Templars, Bonecrusher, Aifur, Frontlash ,Boot Party, the skulls and more.


Do you read zines, if so, what is your favourite?

I don? t read many zines but sometimes Close-Up Magazine.


Any last comments to the readers out there?

Thanks for the interview Stellan. To those who like Frontlash's music: thanks for your support. More music is on the way. We also start our new website for Frontlash soon on www.frontlash.tk I also send a kisses too my lovely girl Sofia.

And greetings too Carl and Wilson