Interview

Agnostic Front Bassist Discusses New Album

Where would metal be without hardcore? Some of you may not want to admit it, but hardcore punk changed the face of metal, influencing thrash on both sides of America and even today one can still hear its presence in modern metal music. There's no question that hardcore as we know it was nurtured and evolved in New York, where a legendary hardcore scene led to thousands of imitators, a documentary film and of course, its own heroes and legends. Of these, one band will always be top of the pile when it comes to both quality and influence; Agnostic Front.

Agnostic Front has been going for nearly forty years as of January 2020 and has always flown their flag for their music and their home city, becoming not just icons, but ambassadors for both. Recently, the band completed a European trek as part of the Persistence tour, performing with such other heavy hitters as Gorilla Biscuits, Wisdom In Chains and Billy Bio. At the final stop in London, I caught up with long time bass player Mike Gallo to discuss the tour, the band's new album "Get Loud!," artwork and why Agnostic Front defies political categorisation. You can watch the interview in full at the bottom of the page, or read the transcript below.

Diamond Oz: It's very nice to speak with you, seeing as I believe it's your twentieth year with the band.

Mike Gallo: Next year. I joined in 2001. My first album was "Dead Yuppies."

Oz: Well one thing I know for a fact is that you have a new album out now, "Get Loud!"

Mike: Yeah it's been really cool. From the writing process to the artwork to the videos and to a great response for the record. People really seem to be digging this record.

Oz: It's classic Agnostic Front so what's not to like?

Mike: Yeah, that's what everybody says. We play as many songs as we can but it's tough because we only have a forty minute set, so there's only so much we can squeeze in but we're playing a couple of songs. When we come back in the Summer time, we'll give everybody more of the new stuff but for this tour we're doing the classics. But it's been awesome, we had Sean Haggart doing the artwork for us again and I've always admired and loved his art so it kind of ties it altogether which is a cool thing and it'll keep us on the road for another four or five years! Right now we're working hard on this record and trying to do as much as we can.

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Interview

Agnostic Front Singer Discusses New Album

For Agnostic Front singer Roger Miret “The American Dream Died” is the result of built up frustration of seeing greed and corruption go by unchecked. The album, Agnostic Front’s 11th full-length, serves as a vehicle for Miret to voice his opinion on current events like “Police Violence,” which the group compiled videos of police horrifically beating citizens. Other things that upset him include the housing crisis, war profiteering and corporations leaving America for a cheaper labor force. There is just so much anger building inside of this man that he got mad as hell and wouldn’t take it anymore. “The American Dream Died” is his outlet. It’s an outlet not only for his self, it's also gives a voice to the oppressed.

I called Roger at his home in Arizona to discuss these topics he feels so strongly about. We also talked about the legendary NYC hardcore band’s making of the album—the production and recording. Read further on to learn more about “The American Dream Died” available April 7 through Nuclear Blast Records. More...

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