While Bed of Razors officially formed in 2019, the roots of the Central Massachusetts crossover outfit stretch back much further. The band's members are veterans of the region's hardcore scene, having spent years playing together in projects like Gator King and xForgiveness Denied before eventually channeling those experiences into something new.
For vocalist Steve Zingone, Bed of Razors was born from unfinished business. After Gator King called it quits in 2018 following years of touring and multiple releases, Zingone wasn't ready to move on from the ideas that had been brewing in his head. Rather than trying to force them into an existing framework, he started fresh.
"BoR, in a sense, is my version of where I wanted Gator King to go," he tells No Echo. "More raw, vicious, primal, and more able to lean into influences that couldn't have shown as much with the previous project."
The initial lineup came together quickly. Zingone had already played alongside nearly everyone involved, and after discussing new songs during a weekend of shows in Texas with xForgiveness Denied, plans for Bed of Razors accelerated rapidly. Within a month, the band had rehearsed, recorded its first demo, and started booking shows.
Like countless bands, however, Bed of Razors found its momentum interrupted by the pandemic. The group's self-titled record was completed in March 2020 but sat unreleased until live music returned. Despite the setbacks and a revolving cast of bass players—something the band jokingly compares to Spinal Tap—the core lineup remained intact. The addition of bassist Crash in 2024 provided another boost heading into the band's latest chapter.
"Our sound is somewhere in the blurry gray area between hardcore, thrash metal, and crossover," says Zingone. "We're either a very tight hardcore band that can shred or a sloppy thrash band."
Released last month, In the Search for Wisdom finds the Massachusetts band showing love for a certain Venice, California, musical institution. "We gave nods to the self-titled album and How Will I Laugh Tomorrow on our album cover," Zingone tells No Echo. "And the bass and lead guitar line in 'South of Haifa' came from playing part of 'Pledge Your Allegiance' incorrectly and deciding it was catchy enough to build an entire song around."
Other bands that inspired Bed of Razors include Cleveland hardcore staples like Integrity, Ringworm, and In Cold Blood alongside Excel and No Mercy, two other influential acts from the Venice scene. Classic thrash also looms large, with Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, Testament, Megadeth, and Vio-Lence all leaving their mark on the band's songwriting.
"We purposely wanted a balance between '80s/'90s rawness and modern clarity," Zingone explains. "Will crushed that for us." The vocalist explains that Bed of Razors accomplish all of this without getting their guitar and bass strings all loose and shit. "We wanted to prove how hard and heavy you can still be without tuning down from E standard."
Lyrically, In the Search for Wisdom alternates between deeply personal reflection and broader social commentary. The title track examines the challenge of balancing adult responsibilities—marriage, careers, children—with the desire to continue growing as both a musician and a person.
Elsewhere, "Cross Street" deals with the death of a close friend, confronting grief, regret, and accountability head-on. "It's ugly but a look in the mirror about helping those you care about when they need it most," Zingone says.
Other songs tackle subjects including the pandemic, endless global conflicts, misinformation, political manipulation, and society's declining ability to critically evaluate information. "I take a lot of care with lyrics to make sure they communicate what I want to get across, but also allow the listener to make their own interpretation."
As Bed of Razors continue moving forward, they do so from within a Massachusetts hardcore scene that many consider the strongest it's been in years. Bassist Crash points to bands like Final Gasp, C4, Burning Lord, High Command, Fuming Mouth, and Haywire as current standouts, while also encouraging listeners to keep an eye on Death Strider, Knelt, and Search Warrant.
For now, the band's focus is on supporting In the Search for Wisdom with regional shows throughout New England, along with limited cassette and vinyl releases. Beyond that, the members already have new material taking shape.
"We have many more song ideas," says Zingone. "Hopefully we can put together another album in less time than it took to make this one."
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