When you say European hardcore itβs impossible not to mention CORNERED. Grinding the asphalt since 2008 theyβve done countless weekenders all over Europe, done more than 10 full European tours and a full USA tour. Besides being known for their notorious and infamous live shows, the band already has a solid discography. Several full length albums, EPβs and split 7βs have been released in the past ten years and Blindsided Records are proud to put out their 10th release called Failure!
Cornered have recorded 4 tracks for this EP, all in the aggressive NYHC style we know and love them for but somehow still surprisingly fresh and relevant. Recorded during the lockdown with their longtime producer JB van der Wal, the EP is their finest effort yet and a culmination of months of isolation and creative frenzy.
“Realm Of Misery” is the first single taken off CORNERED’s upcoming EP Failure, out January 29th through Blindsided Records.
Comments the band: “We wrote four new songs that are mainly self-reflective but also reflect on things going on in the world today. Breaking down each and every track, Realm of Misery is about how many things seem to end on a negative note for me. Burn is about the consequences of not speaking out your thoughts eventually leading to total demise. Jungle Law is about the world quickly turning into a lawless and loveless place run by power-hungry narcists. Self–Destruct is the fourth song and itβs about heartbreak leading to self-destructive behavior.”
Cornered started late 2008 when a couple of other bands decided to call it quits. The first demo was released on 7β in 2009 and was received well enough to book a European tour around it. The following years were spent touring in support of their first full length and FUCK OFF e.p. Over the last ten years, Cornered released 10 records in different formats and did at least 10 tours in both Europe and America. Failure is their 10th record which will be released early 2021.
“A new record is being written at the moment as we do not intend to call it quits.” – says the band.
Looking back at 2020, CORNERED admit that this year has been treating them pretty bad. “We had a couple of shows lined up but only played one I think.” – they say. “It was a cool show in Eastern Germany but due to social distancing everyone was forced to sit on a picknick table. Luckily our friends in Risk It showed up and sang along and hung around. We realized thatβs what itβs all about. So that must have been the highlight of 2020. We recorded our FAILURE EP in May and it will be out in a month or so. We also parted ways with our drummer Daan but got a familiar face to play drums back, welcome Ferdinand aka HIV. He has been on most Cornered tours since we started so we figured he would be the best one to step up. We hope to be able to play shows again next year and we are working on new material for a follow up to FAILURE.”
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Asked about their local hardcore community, CORNERED gives us a quick look into their scene: “On a smaller scale we try to do a show every month or two with a collective called Uit je Plaat Productions. We try to book local bands but also bands from across the country to play a small bar called Mukkes. We try to keep costs low and this usually draws around 80 people or more so that is awesome.
Then thereβs Hardcore Vrijday (Hardcore Friday) who have been doing a show every three months over the last nine years or so. These shows are always attended pretty good (+-100 kids) and also offers a platform for local and non-local bands. At the moment there havenβt been any shows obviously.
Thereβs a couple of sick bands from Leeuwarden; thereβs Bad Attitude, Hard Shoulder, OiFight8, BOOS, Squanchers, Scuffle and probably a whole lot of bands I forgot to mention, sorry dudes.
If youβre a touring band please get in touch with Uit je Plaat fest and we can see how we can help you out.”
Apart from their local scene, CORNERED enjoyed some more new music this year. “Hawser have had a sick new record out but unfortunately for them the COVID-19 pandemic broke out just when they had a bunch of shows planned to promote the record.”
“I really like the Chubby & the Gang record and the Janitors β Backstreet Ditties album. Check those out if you are into punk rock.”
“Apart from the bands I mentioned I am in a couple of other bands myself that Iβd like to mention here. If you are into skinhead rock & roll check out my new band Diamond Dogs, we have an EP out on Rebellion Records which you might enjoy. I also play guitar in Bloodsucker, we just recorded a new EP a month ago that you will enjoy if you like crossover. The band was formerly known as Vexaction but some weak metalband that has been around for 40 years but never released anything worth mentioning claimed the copyrights last year and started stalking us about using the bandname. Poor fuckers. Anyway check that EP out too when itβs out. I donβt keep up with a lot of other new hardcore bands that come out, mainly because I am not into over the top heavy bands that came out over the last couple of years.”
Lastly, we asked the band’s vocalist Niels Amperse for a tongue-in-cheek end of the year list and here’s what we got :)
“I go to the cinema every week to watch something new that came out, so…
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1. We summon the darkness β A lame ass movie that is a mix between Clueless and Scream. Johnny Knoxvilleβs appearance canβt save this shitty flick, nor the lame Metallica reference and the band at the metalshow mimicking Mercyful Fate.
2. Horizon Line β We were expecting to get some kind of Cast Away but instead we got a chickflick about a small plane crashing down. FFO hysterical women.
3. Freaky β Started out pretty good but turned out into Vince Vaughn being stuck in a girlβs body and vice versa. No Rob Schneider or Adam Sandler though. Weak.
4. Rogue β Hot chick fights badly done CGI tigers. Sounds badass but was truly depressing.
5. Antebellum β Pretty wild story about modern day slavery. Not a very good movie.
6. New Mutants β Bad X-Men ripoff. Pretty thin storyline.
7. Tenet β Well-promoted movie about time travel. Youβre better off watching Back to the Future.
8. The War with Grandpa. β Robert DeNiro should have quit acting a long time ago. FFO Home Alone.
9. Primal β Nicholags Cage fighting a badly done CGI white panther and Cyrus the Virus on a boat. Famke Jansen on too much botox.
10. 1917 β Forest Gump shot in one take. A dude walking all the time. LOTR-style. Wack.”
