An integral part of numerous inspiring moments with Biohazard and Powerflo, Billy Graziadei continues to be one of punk’s driving forces as he uncages his debut solo album under the moniker Billybio. Feed The Fire is a powder keg of hardcore dexterity and discontent, fire and brimstone punk rock as contagious as it is a snarling intolerant of the ills coursing through the world. Bred from a rich fusion of flavours the album is a fury of anthemic rock ‘n’ roll with a roar which makes you want to take part whilst paying keen attention.
As Graziadei declares, Feed The Fire is “100% me. No influence from anyone else. This is who I am and what I’ve become. I’m a product of everyone I’ve met, talked with, shared my stories with…and a bit of their stories as well.” It growls and bites as it inflames and badgers thought and spirit whilst unleashing some essential slices of punk rock.
With friends such as guitarist Dan Palmer (Death by Stereo/Zebrahead), bassist Ra Diaz (Suicidal Tendencies), and drummer Simo Perini alongside Graziadei, the Tue Madsen produced release instantly got under the skin with opener Freedom’s Never Free. Marching into view, the track explodes on the senses, raw grooves and Graziadei’s vocal grievance fuelling the attack. It is an ear grabbing invitation which simply hits another level as the track twists into one virulent chant of defiance, an inescapable trespass to which submission and involvement is instant.
Latest single and the album’s title track follows, unleashing its own contagion from its first breath. With teeth bared through its first riff and vocal uproar, Feed The Fire quickly launches itself with creative tenacity; guitar and rhythms as explosive as the vocal incitement which again fuels insatiable catchiness.
No Apologies, No Regrets rises up with a more deliberately predacious intent, slowly rising to its full height before hurling its goodness and dissonance at ears while in turn Generation Z uncages infectious multi-flavoured rock ‘n’ roll with zeal. The first is a web of temptation and altercation, as inventive as it is furious with its outstanding successor a contagion of hard and punk rock which needed mere seconds to have body and vocal chords adding their mutual zealous discord.
Through the likes of Sick And Tired, an infectious dispute and enterprise bred persuasion, and the feuding Sodality which erupts from the dark smoulder of the momentary breath that is Remedy, the album only tightened its grip on ears and appetite pushing its claws deeper into the passions with the musically and emotionally acrimonious Rise And Slay, the track a delicious predatory harassment of metal, punk, and ravenous rock ‘n’ roll.
Offering up thirteen slabs of confrontation, there is truly no weakness or less than irresistible moment within Feed The Fire as emphasised in turn by the bracing punk call of STFU, the haunting and intimidating melodic siren that is Trepidation, and Untruth with its virulent resentment and imagination; all dramatic treats easily devoured.
The album is concluded by firstly the bruising anthemic blaze that is Enemy, another moment which has heart and vocal chords rigorously on board and lastly Disaffected World. The final track is arguably the most manipulative incitement of them all especially through the vocal and seriously tempting sonic tocsin which interrupts the song’s primal uproar.
Punk rock in its many forms has had a prize year in releases across 2018 with possibly, most likely, its finest moment now provided late by Billybio; an uprising sure to be the inspiration it deserves to be.
Feed The Fire is out now via AFM Records across most stores.
https://billybio.com/ https://www.facebook.com/BillyBIOHAZARD/ https://twitter.com/billybiohazard
Pete RingMaster 18/12/2018
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?
It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods? Are there still the opportunities to make a mark if the drive is there for bands?
The epic Thuribles Veil Part 1 is next, ten minutes of carnivorous riffs and grooves courted by just as predacious rhythms as throat raw vocals merge with harmonic beauty and melodic suggestiveness. The track is a cauldron of perpetual intensity, mercurial aggression, and compelling imagination, a playground for ears and thoughts even without the direction of lyric and voice. To be honest, that pretty much sums up the whole of Pallid Reflection and though familiar elements still emerge it would be fair to say they are treated with an invention and flair which defuses familiarity.
Since the early days, how would you say the band’s sound has evolved?
Bullet With Your Name steps up next bullying ears with vocals and ravenous sounds though yet again there is an infectious spine and adventure to the track which has you welcoming its vicious assault. As in its predecessor and songs to come, there is as much a punk/hardcore richness to the tempest as a thrash/metal breeding, though it is the latter spawning another magnetic persuasion of emerging imaginative twists and endeavour. The individual skills and resourcefulness of the band is also in open evidence as well as an eagerness to push ideas and textures with elements of discord and unpredictability.
Mader. With Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour, Soulfly) providing the drums for the recording, the album is a fitting tribute to the memory of Baheux and a new chapter in the sound and future of the band. From the opening Dark Passenger, band and release ignite ears and imagination, with feet and neck muscles in close order. Guitars rustle up a sonic mist and a portentous atmosphere before erupting in tandem with crisp punchy beats and jagged riffs, into a transfixing heavy stride. Bass and guitars carve out a magnetic lure, the first especially gripping with its throaty predation, whilst the rhythms swing with sinewed urgency as the excellent voice and delivery of Van Damme roars with an appealing growl and melodic enticement. There is nothing dramatically new about the song in respect to its seeding genre but still makes a compelling and anthemic introduction to light ears and emotions easily.
energetically, and it is a mere breath in before riffs and drums proceed to rampage mercilessly upon the senses. The vocals of Hideyuki Okahara come with a raw Hetfield like grazing to add further immediate entrapment for the passions and through it is relatively brief attack, with ease the rhythmic might of drummer Hiroshi Yoshioka and the bass lures of Yusuke Adachi stand out alongside the vocals, all seizing moments to cage and provoke beyond the basic fury of the song.
