"When Greg first hit me up to do the band, his pitch was 'Rest In Pieces meets Discharge," says singer Colin Tappe, referring to his band mate in Rod of Correction. guitarist Greg Cerwonka. In addition to Colin and Greg, Rod of Correction features Sam Stothers (drums), Ricky Garcia (ryhthm guitar), and Jared Cluff (bass). Collectively, they've also played in such bands as Narrows, Cold Stare, Take Offense, and Crime Desire. I've been listening to the quintet's Lies EP a ton since it was released earlier this year and it scratches both my metal and hardcore itch in one thunderous swoop.
I've referred to the material on Rod of Correction's EP as "crossover thrash," but Colin feels a bit differently. "I think 'crossover' is a bit of a misnomer, in general. For me, the intersection point between hardcore and metal encompasses everything from Merauder to Amebix. So when people say '80s crossover, I feel like they're talking about maybe 20 records out of literally hundreds that could fall under that umbrella. I could argue the first Sick of It All album is a 'crossover' album, but it's also one of the most iconic hardcore LPs of all time. Broken Bones first album is a 'crossover' record, but you could just as easily get away with calling it 'UK82,' or even 'street punk,' or whatever.
"So in that sense, when you're talking 'crossover,' you're really just talking about hardcore. And everyone in the band has played in a bunch of hardcore bands over the years. On my end, I'd say this feels like playing in a really good hardcore band, rather than some kind of genre exercise, like, worrying about if any part is 'thrash' enough. I don't think I'm speaking out of turn when I say that everyone is playing what comes natural to them."
Lies was recently issued by Indecision Records, a label that has been around since the early '90s and has also released music by bands like Throwdown, Strife, and Unbroken, to name a few. I ask Colin how he and his ROC cohorts hooked up with Dave Mandel, the owner of Indecision Records. "Sam hooked up the Mandell connect. A few of us have known him for awhile, and he liked the songs he heard while we were recording, so it was smooth sailing from there. Big ups to Dave for all the help, thanks brother!"
Since the guys are busy with other bands and their respective work schedules, I wonder if Rod of Correction will be able to tour at all. "Touring is a strong likelihood! Like you said, given our schedules, you're not likely to see us doing nine month sojourns any time soon, but we're definitely trying to make time to do some weeks on the road. If anyone has any out of town shows they'd like us to play, hit us up!"
Even though he wasn't too hot on the term, as we part ways, I ask Colin a very important question: what is his pick for all-time greatest crossover album? I like his answer: "Join the Army is the first record that came to mind. I'm not saying that's the right answer, but it's certainly not the wrong one."
Rod of Correction's Lies EP is available now via Indecision Records (vinyl) and Bandcamp.
Tagged: narrows, rod of correction, take offense
