Still fresh off their recent new record premiere via React! Records, Refuse Records, and Life.Liar.Regret Records, Seattle based straight edge vegan punks CHANGE are teaming up with us to give you som more details behind the amazing, energy filled, multi-style banger “Closer Still“, share their list of noteworthy hardcore bands from the Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and Boise area, a follow-up round with more bands worth a check, special Spotify playlist of their influences, and something extra for all of you vegan foodie loves down there at the very bottom of this feature.
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Itβs time to grow towards the sun again. Itβs time for Change. Closer Still is the debut LP from Change, the Pacific Northwest Straight Edge band made up of Aram Arslanian, Chris Williams, Jeff Caffey, Mike Jurek and Matt Bertell.
The record is 13 songs of urgent hardcore influenced by Youth of Today, Uniform Choice, INSTED, Sportswear, Turning Point and Embrace. However, the song writing pulls inspiration from across genres keeping the record from painting itself in a corner musically.
Lyrically, Closer Still was written over a year and at its core is about coping with loss, anxiety and depression and trying to make the changes needed to find a better path. The songs focus on growth, both personal and social, and encourage embracing who we are while also working on becoming the best version of ourselves.
Written and recorded by Aram Arslanian, Dave Mitchell, Carl McBeath and Alex Schollen, the LP was tracked and mixed by Jesse Gander at Rain City Records, with lead vocals recorded Avrinder Dhillon at Ziyen Studios and mastering by Alan Douches at West West Side Music. The record features art by Eric Himle and the packaging was designed by Evan Wivell with help from Jon A Gaasland.
Closer Still is released on LP through REACT! Records in North America and by Refuse Records in Europe, and on cassette by Life.Liar.Regret Records in Australia.
Asked about their plans for 2021, the band commented: “Weβll (hopefully) be back on tour in 2021 in Europe.”
With tongue in cheek, they add: “Robert from Refuse once tried to keep us from food in Berlin because heβs mean.”
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Punitive Damage
Odd Man Out
Gag
With x War
Dying For It
End of Dayz
Lower Species
By All Means
Juice
Rejection Pact
Specters
Tilted
Applewhite
Wirehead
Chain Whip
Ingrown
Other bands and artists worth a check:
Be Well
Retaliate
Berthold City
Sunstroke
Inclination
Praise
Line of Sight
Scowl
Drain
The Fog
Eat My Fear
Dregs
Waste
Appraise
Weight
Spirit Crusher
“Under Your Influence” Spotify Playlist:
“This is a sampling of some of the musicians both past and present that have had a profound influence on our band.” – offers the band. “Some have individuals we know intimately and care for like family, while others weβve literally only heard and fell in love with their songs.
The unifying factor is the words, music, visuals, actions and more from these bands inspire how we approach song writing, but more importantly; how we think about relationships, how we think about accountability in this scene, how we think about impact in this world, how we think about compassion and how we think about life.
We dedicate this playlist in gratitude to all these bands and the countless others who we werenβt able to include because 32 songs is already probably too many.”
EXTRA: Top 10 vegan foods I wish I was eating right now:
by Aram Arslanian
1) The one-euro hotdogs at Polish gas stations
2) Doe Donuts in Portland
3) Screamers pizza in NYC
4) Dim sum from Sun Bo Kong in Vancouver
5) Pumpkin pie from Choices in Vancouver
6) Satay noodles from Do Chay in Vancouver
7) Carrot cake at Planet Veg in Boston
8) Biscuits Maximus at the Wayward in Seattle
9) Rubin sandwich at the Chicago Diner
10) Dinner with all my friends from everywhere
