red death

Entry Level: Red Death's Chad Troncale On The Cro-Mags

Entry Level is a new series where musicians re-examine the records that piqued their interests in heavy and loud music as children and young adults.

There are quite a few records I could have picked, but I have to give it to The Cro-Mags. I was never into metal as a kid. I loved The Beatles for years, then I heard NWA and started diving into rap. At around that time I got into punk rock such as The Clash, Germs, Johnny Thunders, G.B.H. etc. Then, like, 5 years later when I turned 16, I got into hardcore like the Bad Brains, SSD, Government Issue etc. Right away that lead me to The Cro-Mags, and that opened up the heavy metal door in my life that had been shut for years and years. So I owe everything I do and more to a little ol’ record called The Age Of Quarrel.

Once Mackie hits the sticks in “We Gotta Know” you know right away that it’s GO time. 15 flawless songs and until the very last second the sense of urgency stands strong and inspirational. The music is like a perfect blend of Motörhead meets Bad Brains meets Black Sabbath meets Discharge. It’s absolutely mind blowing and the lyrics are extremely relevant and truthful. A look through the lens of the real world as told by a couple of hardcore metal punk truth seekers who were fighting to live every day in the streets. This is some biblical stuff here! I’m not from the streets but almost every time I look at them, I see EVERYTHING that is said across this record. I feel like no matter what’s playing in my headphones Harley’s bass playing comes to mind every single time. He has that Geezer Butler meets Daryl Jennifer vibe locked the fuck down and it’s absolutely incredible. Life changing!!!

This record stands the test of time — I predict it always will. It’s a perfect blend of the most anti-oppressor sounds: Metal and hardcore punk. Take a song like “World Peace,” for example: the music is extremely Iron Fist meets ROIR tape, but unique in its own right. Its lyrics are as urgent and relevant as ever. The governments still don’t care, diseases have yet to be totally exterminated, and the arms race hasn’t seemed to let up in the slightest. The kids need music like this to thrive and survive. The youth needs The Age Of Quarrel.

Upcoming Shows
Jan 4th – Washington, DC – Songbyrd
Jan 6th – Pittsburgh, PA – Rock Room
Jan 7th – Cleveland, OH – Symposium
Jan 8th – Cincinnati, OH – Northside Yacht Club
Jan 9th – Nashville, TN – Drkmttr
Jan 10th – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone
Jan 11th – Dallas, TX – The Evil Beat
Jan 13th – Santa Fe, NM – The Cave
Jan 14th – Phoenix, AZ – Yucca Tap Room
Jan 15th – San Diego, CA – Che Cafe
Jan 16th – Los Angeles, CA – Hi-Hat
Jan 17th – Oakland, CA – Elbo Room Jack London
Jan 18th – Portland, OR – Highwater Mark
Jan 19th – Seattle, WA – Highline
Jan 21st – Boise, ID – TBA
Jan 22nd – Salt Lake City, UT – Gold Blood Collective
Jan 23rd – Denver, CO – Mutiny Info Cafe
Jan 24th – Kansas City, MO – 7th Heaven
Jan 25th – St. Louis, MO – The Sinkhole
Jan 26th – Chicago, IL – Cobra Lounge
Jan 27th – Detroit, MI – The Sanctuary
Jan 28th – Toronto, ON – Seescape
Jan 29th – Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
Jan 30th – Worcester, MA – Ralph’s Rock Diner
Jan 31st – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
Feb 1st – Philadelphia, PA – TBA

Chad “DHD” Troncale fronts crossover/thrash metal band Red Death. Ther new album Sickness Divine is available now on Century Media Records.

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