If you're a regular reader of No Echo, you should already be familiar with Spaced. If they're new to you, the band hails from Buffalo, a city in Western New York with a rich hardcore history, but more on that below.
Tomorrow (March 22nd), Spaced will be releasing their debut album, This Is All We Ever Get, through Revelation Records, which is a pretty killer cosign if there ever was one in our music community. Recorded with Jay Zubricky (Mindforce, Terror) at GCR Audio in Buffalo, the album is packed to the rafters with bouncy rhythms, irresistible melodies, and plenty of parts to mosh to.
With their hometown's legacy looming so large, I asked Spaced guitarist Donny Arthur (who also plays in the excellent Final Declaration) for a list of 5 Buffalo hardcore bands that inspired him to do what he does.
Pretty solid list, if I might say so myself.
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Rhinoceros
The year is 2007, mesh shorts and hard moshing only permitted. Seeing Rhinoceros for the first time at a VFW forever changed my outlook of what moshing and hardcore could be all about. The friendships I forged driving to see them anywhere within a few hours of Buffalo created memories I’ll never forget.
They just announced they’re playing their first gig in several years with It Dies Today and I couldn’t be more stoked to see them.
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Buried Alive
Buried Alive’s initial reign was before my time but the mark they’ve made on Buffalo and hardcore in general is impossible to ignore. They’ve been gigging again in the last few years and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them and it’s been insane every time.
Let’s be real, no matter the band, Scott Vogel is one of the best to ever do it and if he’s on the mic I’m jumping off the stage.
WATCH: No Echo Presents: Terror Singer Scott Vogel on Hardcore + His Misunderstood Personality
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Malfunction
Those who know about the lore around the funeral home know about one of the most magical times in Buffalo hardcore history. An illegal underground DIY venue housed gigs for Every Time I Die, Terror, Weekend Nachos, etc. The band that represented me and my peers during this time period was Malfunction.
Malfunction's initial demo, Locals Only, showed the pride we had for our hometown scene and their record, Finding My Peace, encompassed everything I love about hardcore.
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Snapcase
Snapcase just hits different. The chaos of the riffage, Daryl’s vocal delivery. They stand out when you look at the history of Buffalo hardcore bands. Never afraid to take risks sonically but always unquestionably hardcore.
The Snapcase crew has given Spaced the honor of rocking together a few times and we are forever grateful of them looking out and supporting the next gen of Buffalo hardcore.
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Zero Tolerance
This is the reunion I’m really waiting for. It’s been rumored many times recently but hasn’t come to fruition. It’s hard to make a list of Buffalo hardcore anthems and not include include “A Minute to Pray” encompasses the vibe of that time period but the mosh is timeless.
Moshing to and listening to these bands instilled the hardcore ethos in me that laid the foundation for when we formed Spaced. Spaced isn’t the toughest or most serious band thematically but what we are serious about is that we love hardcore music and we love Buffalo.
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Spaced's debut album, This Is All We Ever Get, is out tomorrow (March 22nd) via Revelation Records (pre-order options).
Upcoming tour dates with Going Off, Shooting Daggers*, Uncertainty^
3/28: Newcastle, UK @ The Lubber Fiend
3/29: Manchester, UK @ Manchester Punk Fest 2024*
3/30: Bristol, UK @ The Exchange*^
3/31: Southampton, UK @ The Hobbit*
4/1: Brighton @ The Hope And Ruin*
4/2: London, UK @ New Cross Inn*
4/3: Birmingham, UK @ Dead Wax^
4/4: Glasgow, Scotland @ The Hug And Pint^
4/5 Nottingham, UK @ Billy Bootleggers^
4/6: Huddersfield, UK @ Parish^
Tagged: spaced
