Palermo Hardcore Part 2

Palermo Hardcore The Golden Age (2005-2008)

Punk 77, punk hc, rock’n’roll, here are the Brain Kills, authors of the demo “Giovani e deviati” (Young and deviant) in 2005 and the full length “Non c’è niente” (There is nothing) released two years later. Paul Villino on vocals, Los Angelos on guitar, Salvo on bass and Giorgio on drums (Gi-kill then founded several bands including Rats Riot, M.N.S. and more recently The Raglia). The sound of the band is aggressive, direct and without frills, the lyrics are nihilist, provocative, a mix between the early punk and the first bands of the old school Italian hardcore punk of the eighties. “Giovani e deviati”, “Palermo maledetta” (Cursed Palermo), a song that has to be mentioned in this context, “Depravation” are the sound manifestos of the band.

The Popsters (Stefan-eno – guitar and vocals, Ecumenicos – guitar and backing vocals, Ciaccio – bass and backing vocals, Ezio – drums) were born in ’99 from members of the historical Semprefreski, true and proper legends of punk rock not only from Palermo, but also from Italy. The band has a vast discography that continues until the late 2000s, including the full length “All of you” in 2005. They proposed a sound between punk rock and pop punk, sung in English. Guitars fit together perfectly, melodies are well-structured, the voice is clear and incisive.

Another band of those years are Alibi, (Ronald on vocals, Giovanni on guitar, Carlo on bass and Marcore on drums), they played an old school hardcore punk sung in Italian, influenced by bands like Crash box and Bloody riot. The band was born in 2004 and broke up in 2008, in this time they made a demo called “Spara” and then a full length, “How can I still trust you?”, released on CD.

The sound of Alibi is immediate, direct, they have well-calibrated guitar riffs, screamed voice and excellent rhythm sections. The lyrics address various issues, from the most existentialism to the criticism of society and the state, from antimilitarism to against drugs songs. Among the best tracks we can find surely “Disarma”, “War destroys you” and “Pink Nightmare”. In 2015 the band is back with some live and a new lineup with Carlo on vocals and Guglielmo on bass. Two years later Alibi released an EP, titled “Total Control”.

Sonny Corleone are the standard bearers of crust. They were born in 2002 and they are characterized by a six member lineup: Valeria and Ciccio on vocals, Gaspare and Fabietto playing guitars, Alberto (Learn’s voice) playing bass and Pallino (drummer of Semprefreski and other bands) playing drums. Sonny Corleone play a crust that is rough, characterized by the perfect alternation between the two voices. Formed in 2003 they made a single studio work, but really remarkable, an EP with the name Sonny Corleone, composed of seven tracks and released in vinyl 7″ in 2006. “La terra dei diamanti” (Diamonds’ land), “Il senso di un’azione” (The meaning of an action) and above all “Difensori dell’odio” (Hate defenders) are authentic crust pearls, these are among their most successful tracks.

If we bring hardcore and thrash metal together, the band that I miss most of all from those years comes out. Shock Troopers with their assault thrashcore were among the most representative bands of the Palermo scene and not only. The band, composed by Vincenzo on vocals (later replaced by Morgan), Fabrizio and Mario (replaced by Ubaldo) on guitars, Andrea on bass and the usual Piparino on drums, was born in 2001 and over the years they made two studio works: the first album (self titled) in 2007 and the second “Blades and rods” in 2010.

The band merges thrash metal with hardcore, with the groove of bands such as D.R.I, Nuclear assault, Municipal waste and Gama bomb. Their sound is made of aggressive voice, devastating riffs, crazy and fast sections, mosh interludes, lightning solos and devastating drum patterns. Two engaging records from the first to the last track, the headbanding is assured and it results impossible not to jump headlong into the pit during their live performances. Some memorable tracks are “Goodbye liver”, “O.P.A.”. (Obsolutely proud attack)”, “Brainsucker”, “Competition”.

We are talking about metal so it seems a must to mention also a band that has not an hardcore punk sound, but certainly it is hc in the attitude. Haemophagus, death metal band led by Giorgio Trombino (guitar and vocals), with Davide (drums), first Sirio, Gas (bass) and Gioele (guitar). The band was born in 2004 and has a long history that brings them until today. In these years a cd-r was released in 2005, entitled “Into the mortuary”. They released several splits, including one with Agathocles, and their first full length was released in 2008: the remarkable “Slaves to necromancer”. That of Haemopaghus is a furious death metal, violent, which also has rougher parts, more exquisitely grind.

Talking about grindcore we have to mention Balatonizer: Mario on vocals, Rodan on bass, the already mentioned Marco on guitar and a wonderful drum machine. Balatonizer are certainly one of the most particular and authentically absurd bands in Palermo. Raw grindcore, sketchy, taking images from cult movies that were shot in the city like “Mery per sempre” and “Ragazzi fuori”. The first record was released before 2000, while “Occlused in Ottusity” was released in 2004.

We should also mention a hip hop band (which had its peak in the work of the duo Stokka & Madbuddy) such as Gentestranaposse who have played several times in various concerts with different punk hc bands. The musical collective was formed in 2004, Picciotto was present, now he’s a soloist. The group has always been present in the music scene of the city and they were very politically active, as the lyrics show. In 2006 the first album entitled “La storia si ripete” was released, with the emblematic “Sugnu palermitano” inside.

Labels and distros

We talked about many, many groups, but what were the realities that produced all the records that were released in those years? Well there were certainly many, and that was definitely a time when there was a real network of labels and distros. There was Palermo Hardcore, a label and website created by Alberto, Ivan and Salvo around 2004 and active for several years, which co-produced almost all the records mentioned and also albums of other Italian bands.

Another reality, still active today, Joel’s Porcodi[str]ocane with punk4free co-productions inside.

Then there was the Alliance Records that produced the 7″ of No Way Out and then some records from 2008 onwards.

Another label/distro was the Gi-kill Autoproduzione by Giorgio, born in 2005 and still in activity. Gi-kill is also a fanzine made by Giorgio in 2007, and several concert posters were made by him as well as by Bebedor, drummer of The Brutalities (together with Fabrizio Bebedor there were Livido on vocals, Manlio on guitar and Becks on bass), punk hc band that released the 7″ “Police brutality” in 2003.

Finally, in both punk hc and metal there was the Ignorant Worm, created by David, drummer of Haemophagus, label and distro born in 2006 and that made about twenty co-productions. The recordings were mostly made at the Circle of power studios of Claudio Diprima (drummer of the power metal band Thy Majestie), while some (the number would increase in the following years) from Spadino to Tone Deaf studios.

Live

Let’s close this in-depth look at the golden age of Palermo hardcore with the live dimension. What were the places where you could play in those years? Well certainly, unlike today, there were several squats also active from the point of view of concerts: the ExKarcere, the Zeta Laboratory and the Ask 191. The ExKarcere (in via mongitore, now in via san basilio) and the Laboratorio Zeta (in via Arrigo Boioto) were born practically at the same time, in March 2001, while the Ask 191 (in viale Strasburgo) a few years later. Today of these places remains only the first, while the Anomaly squat was occupied later.

In addition to the squats there were some venues scattered in various parts of the city, not only in the center. From the really small ones like the Litania to the much larger ones like the Bier Garten, passing through I Calendai and a historical place like the “Zsa Zsa mon amour” that closed just a few years ago. There were also some real punk rock pubs such as the Rocket Bar, which opened in 2005 and unfortunately closed last year.

In those years there were many bands playing in the city, both Italian and international bands, even big names in punk and metal. In November 2005 the Palermo Hardcore Fest was organized at Laboratorio Zeta, while the equivalent in the studio is the compilation “I dont’ wanna hear it” with sixteen bands from Palermo, released in digital format (downloadable on punk4free.org, on the cover a very young Totò Thrasher) in 2007.

Over the years many bands played in Palermo like Tear me down at ExKarcere in 2005, Impact at Laboratorio Zeta in 2008, Milizia HC in 2006 at Litania, Contrasto and Letormenta in 2006 at Laboratorio Zeta, Mastic and Face your enemy in 2008 always at Zetalab, many times Raw Power both before and in the following years. There were also some big international names: GBH in 2005 at Zsa Zsa, White Flag at ExKarcere in 2006. Between 2006 and 2007 at Bier Garten played Napalm Death, Agnostic Front, Uk Subs and Brutal Truth.

On the other hand, there were many bands from Palermo that crossed regional and even national borders. In 2004 Values Intact toured around Europe, in 2008 Elopram after a few dates in the north of Italy reached Switzerland. In April 2007 xLxExAxRxNx toured long around Italy, as well as Burst Up, Shock Troopers and many other bands.

So many bands, some are still missing (bands that lasted a few years and often without studio works that you can find for example in the compilation mentioned above) to this already extensive list; many boys and girls, protagonists of a story, a reality without competition and divisions, but united by passion, the desire to have fun, to express their feelings, their ideas.

Here ends this tribute to one of the highest moments of the Palermo hardcore scene. These are pages in which the protagonists of those years can review and rethink those moments, pages that can form a sort of guide for those who want to listen and recover bands back in time. A dive into the past, in the hardcore sea of Palermo with a look to the horizon, to the present and to the future, with the awareness that in every musical reality there will always be ups and downs, but surely the spirit and the passion will never die.

You can find Part 1 here.