ACxDC
Antichrist Demoncore. ACxDC. Were one of the craziest power violence bands of all time. Few missed shows bug me as much as missing their final show at Union in 2017. I felt terrible for this, like I had betrayed everything I ever stood for. Then when ACxDC announced they were playing a show at The Resident presented by Church of the 8th Day, not only was I ready to go but I was ready to party, buy merch, drink beer, and get hurt.
The lineup was stacked from top to bottom. Two beer bands, a reunion, and a straight edge hardcore band all the way from Amsterdam all brought together on a Monday. Work the next morning didn’t stop the die hards though. They were ready to get their excuse not to come in the next day get planted right across their faces.
Skullcrack cracked open this can of whoop ass of a night with no remorse and a thirst for blood. One of the heaviest, most brutal, and rhythmic crossover bands I have ever seen. Their singer’s voice rips and their guitarist is a goddamn hardcore-thrash titan in the making, playing with Fireburn when he’s not with these three young lads. All praise to beer and violence, Skullcrack were so good, the night hit the ground running and never slowed down from that point forward.
The second beer band on the lineup, Trappist, was a trio featuring Power Violence legend. Chris Dodge of Infest on bass and vocals, Phil Vera of Despise You on guitar and vocals, and Ryan Harkins of Grill ‘Em All burgers on drums. Chris Dodge has the dirtiest bass tone I’ve ever heard. It’s an ingredient that inspired every Power Violence band after him. Trappist achieves the purpose of power violence… which is having fun. Having fun by structuring songs to your heart’s desire, incorporating everything from grindcore to 80’s butt rock. As another beer band, Trappist engaged in hilarious stage banter with a gag for every missed note.
ACxDC were next and with only twenty minutes to play this reunion, they pulled out all the stops, not pausing for a moment. Play crusty, brutal, violent banger after banger without any care for who got destroyed in the flurry, I was blown away by the intensity of all the players and the crowd. It was the kind of hardcore that simultaneously makes you indifferent to the harm your body goes through but also empowers your body to be somehow impenetrable to any harm.
Last on the bill was Amsterdam’s Vitamin X with a rare Los Angeles appearance. These riveting Dutch hardcore kids capped the night off with a bang, playing songs in English and Spanish that stomped mudholes in our chests. Their guitarist played with an especially charged style of thrash and their singer had skinhead style intensity and straight style endurance. Vitamin X felt like Europe’s Minor Threat, only coming decades later to invade the States and the present.
Words by: Rob Shepyer
Photos by: Albert Licano
