Few labels captured the rise of late '90s and early 2000s metallic hardcore quite like Life Sentence Records. Founded by Dan Gump, the label released records by bands such as As Hope Dies, Grimlock, Torn Apart, and Focal Point while also serving as the home of Gump's own straight edge bands, Excessive Force and Decontaminate. After both the bands and the label quietly came to an end, it seemed those chapters had closed for good.
That changed this year. Excessive Force returned for a surprise reunion at FYA Fest, while Life Sentence Records is once again releasing new music and reissues from bands old and new. I caught up with Gump to discuss reviving both projects, the current metallic hardcore resurgence, remaining straight edge into his mid-50s, and what's ahead for both the label and Excessive Force.
When Excessive Force broke up, and you closed up Life Sentence Records, did you genuinely believe those chapters were over, or was there always a part of you that thought you'd come back when the time felt right?
I was kind of done with it all, to be honest with you. I would get messages from the original bass player, Richie, every few years saying he wanted to do something, but I was pretty skeptical that he was still straight edge, and that was a deal-breaker for the band for me. The rest of the original members were 100% unwilling to be part of anything. They definitely weren't edge, and my militancy from back in the day was a big turn-off for them.
There was another guy, Blake, from Salt Lake City who would hit me up every few years too, but it was almost like a running joke where every 2-3 years he would talk to me about it, and then there were crickets again. The FYA show just sorta fell into my lap. Apparently Lumpy from Daze was talking to the guy who put on FYA, and Lumpy was also in close communication with Blake. It was a great opportunity to do something, hoping kids would be into it. Lumpy assured me that they would, so we started practicing.
The decision to do the label again just sort of happened. I had to register as a business to sell Excessive Force merch through Shopify, and when I was out in SLC practicing for Excessive Force, I saw xForever Warx and thought they would be a great band to jump-start the label with. Life Sentence Records has always had a strong connection to Salt Lake City, so it made sense to kick things off again with a band from there.
Life Sentence Records helped document an important era of metalcore and hardcore in the '90s and early '00s. Looking back now, are there any releases from that catalog that you feel never received the recognition they deserved? Maybe they were ahead of their time?
This is one of those questions that I dread in interviews. I did a bunch of releases and I think most of them stand the test of time pretty well. If I look at the list, I would say that all of them did pretty well and about as good as I thought that they would.
The Grimlock 'Crusher' CD was going to be my ticket to the big time but they ended up breaking up before the release ever came out. It was the release that I put the most money into and I remember that it came out around the time file sharing was pretty rampant and that CD just sat. I ended up throwing thousands of those CDs away when I moved.
I look at the Spearing Jocasta CD that I did. Way different than the other stuff I was doing at the time but if that band was around now, they would be huge. That CD wasn't a fast seller but it was something that I really liked. I'd love to do a discography for them.
The Aftershock CD that I put out did well but if it would have come out a few years later, it would have been huge. It's timing, right? As a label, I put out things that I like and I hope that other people like it as much as I do.
The last few years have seen "angel statue metalcore" and harder XVX-minded bands get popular, at least in an underground sense. What's your take on this? How closely had you been following the hardcore scene in the years since you stopped running the label?
I was pretty far out of the scene. I would go to shows occasionally and I still listened to my hardcore staples but that "angel statue metalcore" was around in 2005 and it's back around again. I think it's great that things are so cyclical.
The label's original roster covered a wide spectrum of heavy music. As you start signing bands again, is there a specific sound you're looking for, or are you more interested in attitude, work ethic, and authenticity than genre boundaries?
I'm looking for the same thing that most labels are looking for: great bands with members that are easy to work with. It's more true today than ever that there isn't a huge financial gain to running a label. I'm sure there are a few indie label owners out there that are making a living running a label but, honestly I hope to break even by the end of the year, so dealing with bands that are difficult to work with isn't something that I'm interested in doing.
I can tell you that I like a much wider variety of music now than I did back in 2005 and I'm willing to be a bit more experimental with what I'm going to be doing so it might not all be heavy. Honestly, I'm looking for music that I connect with on an emotional level. Something that moves me. It doesn't have to be heavy but I need it to be authentic. That is what drew me to hardcore in the first place.
The first return Excessive Force show must have been a bit surreal for you. What moments stand out to you about that FYA day? I'm also curious about your thoughts on the fest itself, and the kids there.
It was just amazing to talk to people before and after the show. There were people that were really into the experience and to me, that is all I can ask for. It was a big financial expense for me to do the show. Multiple trips out to Salt Lake City for band practice and then traveling to the show. There were a few mess-ups on a couple of the songs but overall, I think we did a good job.
The fest itself was great. Very well organized and put together. I can only hope that if we do more shows that they are as good as that one was. It's a high bar for me.
What does straight edge mean to you today as someone in my age range (I'm 51)? Has your perspective on any related matters changed in the past couple of decades?
I can tell you that I respect the Headfirst lyrics to the song "Self Edge" more now than ever before.
I'm straight edge for myself and there was never a doubt in my mind that I would be straight edge forever. I'll be 55 this year. I don't have much militancy left in me, but that hasn't dulled my edge at all.
Let's talk about the label today. What are some of the recent releases and what do you have on deck for the rest of the year?
Probably out by the time this interview lands is the As Hope Dies and Decontaminate releases. Both of those are vinyl and CD with the AHD also being on cassette. I've had a great time so far doing it again and I think all the releases so far are great. xForever Warx, Contact, xfortunex, XDestroy BabylonX, the Wings of Scarlet reissue. I've got my hands full with upcoming releases.
In August, I'm doing a limited release of the Zashed Hue and Cry CD and then right after that in September, I have CDs by Tolls and CASTXDOWN coming out. The Excessive Force In Your Blood will be out in September on CD and 12" and then some other stuff that I'm going to give you a scoop on.
I've got the Torn Apart Nothing is Permanent coming out hopefully this year on vinyl and I've also got the Automata, Ookla the Mok, a new release from xfortunex hopefully in November, a vinyl reissue of the Triphammer CD that I did and hopefully something from A Kiss Before Dying.
Not all of these are going to end up being 2026 releases because many of them are waiting on materials from bands. There are a few other things that I need to keep close to the chest for now, but as you can tell, I've got a full plate.
Do you have set partnerships in the rest of the world, or is it a case-by-case basis based on the band's location? I know the hardcore/metalcore scene throughout Southeast Asia loves the lane the label is in.
I get more demos from bands from Asia than anywhere else but I'm concerned about how they would do in the US. I have virtually zero non-US distribution except from my pal Hiro in Japan so if I did a band from a non-Japan Asian country, I just don't know how it would do. There are so many great bands but first of all, shipping CDs to those bands would be expensive and secondly are there enough people in the US that would buy it to make it worth it to put it out.
It sucks to speak in such absolutes but if I can't move CDs then eventually I go broke. I have thought about doing some non-US releases in cardboard sleeves or digipacks. Those are fairly economical but you tell me, are kids into those? If you could get one of those for something like $6, would you pick it up? Recent bands from Asia that I've been contacted by are xDefiancex and Snapped. Both great bands!
How about Excessive Force? What's the plan for the band in terms of releasing new music and playing more shows? Do you have a set lineup yet?
We've got the same lineup from FYA. We don't have anything set in stone for additional shows because everyone else in the band is in at least one other band so it's hard to coordinate.
I'd love to get out and do a few more shows though. At least one California show and a Salt Lake City show would be great. There are no plans to record new music with Excessive Force although I have considered starting another band.
If someone getting into the music asked you about metallic straight edge hardcore, what would be the record you point them towards to? In other words, what is the perfect gateway into that world?
Right now, I'm thinking Bloodlust Revenge from One King Down would be a great option. Everything about that album is so awesome.
Thanks for chatting again with me, Dan. Is there anything else we should cover today?
I really appreciate you taking the time in putting such thoughtful questions together. I can tell how much effort that you put into No Echo and I'm really honored to be interviewed (twice now) for the site. It's such a cultural touch-stone for the hardcore scene and I wish you continued success with it.
***
Check out the Life Sentence Records website and Instagram to stay updated with the label's releases and pre-orders.
Tagged: excessive force, record label profile
