Crown of Thornz were an NYHC mainstay during the mid-1990s alongside acts like Madball, H2O, and Vision of Disorder. Street-wise and charismatic graffiti artist Lord Ezec spearheaded the band in 1994 with high school friend (and future Shelter member) Franklin Rhi, recruiting future Breakdown member Mike Dijan. They would quickly become a live favorite on the scene with energetic and tight performances that ignited crowds with their musically and emotionally heavy style that drew inspiration from Cro-Mags and crossover-era Agnostic Front while ruminating about love and hate dichotomies, senseless violence, and contemplative introspection. Their recorded output was limited: There was only 1995's Train Yard Blues EP on then-hardcore pillar Equal Vision Records, and 1996's Mentally Vexedfull-length on local cornerstone Another Planet. But both releases found attention worldwide, and the band would tour all over on them until their demise in 1998.
Ezec would remain busy in the intervening years with various hardcore and hip-hop projects, but revived Crown of Thornz for 2009's Black N Blue Bowl and have been occasionally playing out live since.
Now, Bridge Nine is excited to present Crown of Thornz's first recorded output since a 1998 split single with Aggressive Dogs. Nothing But Tragedy features two new tracks: "The Kiss of Death", a somewhat more straightforward representation of the CoT sound that nonetheless moves their thudding, mid-tempo hardcore style forward. The B-side is "No Reason Why" (not to be confused with the Gorilla Biscuits classic), an epic, darkly affecting rock song, the likes of which CoT have never quite approached, with a booming, heady chorus to boot.
More info coming soon. Keep up with Crown of Thornz on Facebook.
Cross Me join the fold
Cross Me have joined the B9 roster. "With signing to Bridge Nine, we see the opportunity to push ourselves harder on every level," the band said about the partnership, "musically and with touring. And we couldn't be more excited for it."
Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Cross Me formed in early 2013, bonding over a mutual love of classic and modern NYHC (The Icemen, Madball, Backtrack). They placed a thrashy, dynamic emphasis on the style with memorable riffs and fills and have developed it across several releases since, including their 2014 EP, Paid in Full and, more recently, the Mind Prison / Content flexi 7", both released on Flatspot Records.
The Midwest Blood standouts are currently writing a new EP and will head back into Howl Street Recordings with Shane Hochstetler (Expire, Enabler), who's recorded the band's past work, later this year to track it. Artwork will be handled by illustrator/designer Jesse Schaller (Suburban Scum, Discourse).
The band just made an appearance at this past weekend's Rain Fest and will be doing shows in the Midwest on the way home (dates below). They've previously been seen on the road with bands like Take Offense, Bent Life, and Homewrecker, and at fests like Heart Fest and Southeast Beast. Pick upMind Prison / Content if you haven't already at B9Store.com. Keep up with the band on Facebook andTwitter.
CROSS ME tour dates:
May 26 Cheyenne, WY @ The Old Comm. House w/ Stoic, Violent Testimony
May 27 Kansas City, MO @ The Sandbox w/ Megawave, Worthless, Noisehead
May 28 Des Moines, IA @ Underground Rock Shop w/ Worthless, Submerged, Pipe Bomb, Cut the Tongue
http://www.facebook.com/CrossMeHC
http://www.twitter.com/crossmehc
http://www.instagram.com/crossmehc
http://crossme.bandcamp.com