Freddy Alva

Lists

Freddy Alva’s Top 12 of the Year

By Freddy Alva | 12.22.2017

The Urban Styles, and longtime No Echo contributor, shares his year-end musical picks.

Features

Urban Styles Mixtape: Soundtrack to the Graffiti In NYHC Book

By Freddy Alva | 10.30.2017

Featuring a spoken word intro by Chaka Malik from Burn.

Reviews

Matinee: All Ages on the Bowery, by Drew Carolan

By Freddy Alva | 9.25.2017

A book that captures the punks, skinheads, and assorted misfits at the dawn of the CBGB's hardcore scene.

Reviews

Scene Crime, 2017 Demo (Self-Released, 2017)

By Freddy Alva | 7.14.2017

Members of Life's Blood, NY Wolfpack, and The Disenchanted bust it out Albany Style in 2017.

Features

Life’s Blood: Born Out of Chaos, Doomed to Failure

By Freddy Alva | 5.18.2017

Jason O'Toole, Adam Nathanson, Neil Burke, and Sean Murphy died for your sins in 1988 AD Hardcore.

Features

Vitriolic War Prayers: Born Against Flyer Art

By Freddy Alva | 3.29.2017

Founding guitarist Adam Nathanson on some of the stories behind the imagery he created for the band.

Reviews

The History of Nemesis Records, by Patrick Kitzel (Reaper Records, 2017)

By Freddy Alva | 2.10.2017

A deep dive into the label (and man) behind records by Insted, Brujeria, Uniform Choice, and much more.

Features

A Death in Queens

By Freddy Alva | 1.26.2017

On what would have been his 49th birthday, an old friend pays tribute to a NYC original.

Lists

Top 12 of 2016, by Freddy Alva

By Freddy Alva | 12.13.2016

These records, books, movies, and live shows made my year.

Reviews

45 Adapters, They Call it Justice (Contra Records/Longshot Music, 2016)

By Freddy Alva | 11.18.2016

NYC's premier maximum R&B/Oi! outfit drops some new vinyl with purpose.

Reviews

Blood Eagle, Demo '16 (Self-Released, 2016)

By Freddy Alva | 10.10.2016

New Wave of British Hardcore gone metal?!

Reviews

Crown Court, Capital Offence (Katorga Works, 2016)

By Freddy Alva | 8.26.2016

The young British Oi! outfit keeps the classic bootboy tradition alive.

Interviews

Javier Villegas (Born Against, Cattle Press, Iabhorher, Our Gang)

By Freddy Alva | 8.1.2016

"The first albums I ever owned on vinyl were Love Gun and Alive!, by KISS."

Features

Catastrophic Visions: Industrial Noise in 1990s Peru

By Freddy Alva | 6.13.2016

Digging deep into some of South America's harshest sounds.

Interviews

Chris Fist (The Wilding Incident, Clenched Fist, Breakdown, Mental Abuse, Life’s Blood)

By Freddy Alva | 5.19.2016

A diehard on the halcyon days of NYHC.

Features

New Breed Documentary 1989 Theme: Exclusive Premiere

By Freddy Alva | 3.25.2016

The most gritty hardcore from New York City.

Features

On Suffering Remembered: Rorschach’s Needlepack 25th Anniversary

By Freddy Alva | 2.25.2016

The story behind the influential record, as told by its members and close associates.

Features

21-Guitar Salute: André Schlesinger from The Press

By Freddy Alva | 2.17.2016

A tribute to an American Oi! pioneer.

Freddy Alva’s Top 12 of the Year

Urban Styles Mixtape: Soundtrack to the Graffiti In NYHC Book

Matinee: All Ages on the Bowery, by Drew Carolan

Scene Crime, 2017 Demo (Self-Released, 2017)

Life’s Blood: Born Out of Chaos, Doomed to Failure

Vitriolic War Prayers: Born Against Flyer Art

The History of Nemesis Records, by Patrick Kitzel (Reaper Records, 2017)

A Death in Queens

Top 12 of 2016, by Freddy Alva

45 Adapters, They Call it Justice (Contra Records/Longshot Music, 2016)

Blood Eagle, Demo '16 (Self-Released, 2016)

Crown Court, Capital Offence (Katorga Works, 2016)

Javier Villegas (Born Against, Cattle Press, Iabhorher, Our Gang)

Catastrophic Visions: Industrial Noise in 1990s Peru

Chris Fist (The Wilding Incident, Clenched Fist, Breakdown, Mental Abuse, Life’s Blood)

New Breed Documentary 1989 Theme: Exclusive Premiere

On Suffering Remembered: Rorschach’s Needlepack 25th Anniversary

21-Guitar Salute: André Schlesinger from The Press

In Case You Missed It

The Pop-Punk and Hardcore Connection

Druse: NY Band Delivers Atmospheric Post-Hardcore on “Annalisa” (PREMIERE)

Schedule 1: Bishops Green, Systematik Members Deliver Big Hooks on “Show Your Children” (PREMIERE)

Folly and Right Turn Eddie Members Cover NJ Punks Mohawk Barbie for New Project (PREMIERE)

Cycotic Youth: OG ‘80s Dogtown Band Returns With “Cycofied” (PREMIERE)

5 Books That Inspired the New Seizures Album, by Guitarist Albert Navarro

Omen: Oklahoma City Group Rides Hard for Their Local Hardcore Scene

Scott Roberts (The Take, Biohazard, The Spudmonsters)

Shawn Connell (Pillsbury Hardcore, P/H\C, End to End, Process, Charred Remains)

pg.99, Horsewhip, Truth Cult + BustDown @ Metro Gallery, Baltimore (PHOTOS)

5 Albums That Influenced Rise and Fall, by Vocalist Bjorn Dossche

Strangelight (Kowloon Walled City, Transistor Transistor) Tease Debut LP w/ New Track

Maya: San Jose Metallic Hardcore Unit Returns with “Sangrando” (PREMIERE)

Record Collector: Bobby Grinewich, aka bobbyheadwrek

Red Fang, Monolord + Dead Now @ Rock and Roll Hotel, DC (PHOTOS)

ZEX: Canadian Punks Channel the Spirit of ‘80s Goth on “Steel Gates” (VIDEO PREMIERE)

Pavlos Ioanidis (Wreck-Age Records)

Krakatoa: An Oral History of the Unsung ‘90s Hardcore Band

Leeway Sign New Label Deal, Announce First Release

Point of Contact: Tampa SXE Hardcore Unit Deliver the Goods on Commitment (LP PREMIERE)

Amenra, De Doorn (Relapse Records, 2021)

Queens, New York: A Look at NYHC Ground Zero

Twin Pigs: Swedish Punk Outfit Is “Dead Sick of America” on New Track (PREMIERE)

Penitentiary, Recidivist (Upstate Records, 2018)

Hatebreed 25th Anniversary Tour @ The Fillmore Silver Spring (REVIEW)

S.H.I.T., What Do You Stand For? (Iron Lung/La Vida Es Un Mus, 2018)

Record Collector: Brandon O’Drobinak, aka scourge_of_vinyl

Spiral Heads (MGMT, American Nightmare + Doomriders Members) Debut New Band w/ "Baby's Got Bangs" (PREMIERE)

Chris Daly (Ressurection, 108, Texas Is the Reason, Jets to Brazil, High Disciple)