Keeping it real
Los Angeles’ Terror is one of the hardest-working bands that has more than earned its place and keep at the top of the hardcore mountain. Certainly, they’re a tall order alongside legendary contemporaries like Hatebreed, Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, Cro-Mags, Madball and H20. Together since 2002, one of the most dedicated and respected, known internationally for the intensely powerful and energetic live shows. The last 11 years has seen this band tour the world, back and forth, relentlessly, and still constantly destroying stages and representing real hardcore to the kids.
Catching up with vocalist Scott Vogel, as he explains the band’s fifth and most recent album, Live By The Code. Terror have already achieved and accomplished pretty much anything and everything a hardcore band can possibly do, so what is it that keeps him and the band pushing on? “Man, I am still having fun and feel we are still doing it for the right reasons. [We] still love playing and travelling and seeing new bands and playing basements and huge fests and getting demos and the whole shit. I have a lot of respect for the other guys in Terror and feel blessed to get all the love and support we do,” he says.
This is a band with a very personal and strong message. Terror’s recent release Live By The Code includes what is essentially a fanzine in the layout, conveying the band’s ideals and opinions on hardcore and the scene.
“We expressed ourselves,” says Vogel. “We said what we truly feel and believe.” This is something that is sadly missing from a lot of bands today, both lyrically and in their music and releases and Terror hits the nail on the head with a great album layout. “I love how it came out and thought it was the perfect next chapter for us,” he says, adding, “Fuck releases with no lyrics or art or heart. This is more than music.” Terror is not a band just preaching to the choir. They have toured with others with which they have absolutely nothing in common, playing to audiences with little or no knowledge of who or what the band is about. There are pros and cons.
“I love playing for another band’s crowd. Put new kids in front of me and I'll hit them with a dose of reality. We don't need a look; we have raw energy that grabs a lot of kids off guard,” says the outspoken frontman and adds, “the cons are, we hear and see a lot of bad bands living fantasies, but that keeps us in check. It’s fun to watch bands who collapse before their eyes when their cordless mike cuts out or the show isn't sold out.”
Although the band’s sound and songwriting has matured over the years with a tasteful addition of new influences and ideas, Terror has stayed true to its sound and roots. “We have a cool balance. We listen to new hardcore and old classics. We all listen to hip hop and metal and classic rock. We want to make great songs but don't need to show off our amazing skills or whatever bands these days do. We want songs that are in your face and memorable, those have a heart and pulse and always a message,” explains Vogel. He sees no end in sight! “We want to grow and expand, but it will always be Terror. Always hardcore!
Terror plays the Rickshaw Theatre October 11th, with Fucked Up, Powertrip and Code Orange Kids.
- Jason Kolins
