Black Army Jacket
Encyclopedia
Black Army Jacket was an American grindcore
/ power violence band. They released one full length album and many 7" EPs, splits and compilation appearances. Their ex-members can now be found in bands like Hope Collapse, Municipal Waste
, Matt Pond PA
, Burnt By The Sun
and Birds of Prey.
, Assück
and Napalm Death
and wanted to create a band in those styles. Halfman drummer Dan Crowell and Those of Us bassist Chris Russo were quickly recruited. They were both in high school at the time. The band rehearsed original material for a few weeks until scene veteran Rob Lawi joined in on lead vocals. BAJ entered NYC's LoHo Studios a few months later and recorded what would become their 1996 demo. The tape caused a small buzz in the hardcore and metal zine world and made many tape trader lists.
Queens, NY-based Chainsaw Safety Records would go on to release the band's The Path of Two Swords As One 7" and the band started to tour regionally shortly after. During the sessions for the aforementioned release, they recorded several more songs for future releases at NJ's Sweetwood Sound with current Dalek member Alap Momin behind the boards. Around this time both Crowell and Russo left the band and continued to play in Prom
King with Mike Delorenzo of C.R. and Serpico, Brian Meehan of Milhouse and Loyal to None, and Ben Knight. Not long after they quit, Dave Witte joined the band on drums. Now a four piece, they toured with California's Benumb and Noothgrush. This period proved to be fruitful for the group with many releases hitting stores and awareness growing.
In 1998, BAJ was invited to play the annual Milwaukee Metalfest along with bands including Destruction
, Mercyful Fate
, Death and Brutal Truth
. They also went on to perform at that year's Fiesta Grande festival at Berkley, CA's Gilman St. club, organized by Spazz bassist/vocalist and Slap A Ham Records founder, Chris Dodge. The band wrote throughout the year and entered the studio with Dean Rispler (Killing Time, 25 Ta Life
) in the producer chair. The resulting album, 222, saw the musicians incorporating hints of death
and black metal
along with some more traditional elements of hardcore
to their sound. They toured extensively to support their debut.
Relapse Records
approached the band with an offer to release an EP of new material. They recorded a batch of new songs but Rob Lawi and the band parted ways shortly afterwards. Bassist Carlos Ramirez then became their vocalist and New Jersey native Tom Hayden joined in to fill the bass slot. Another native Jersey musician, John Adubato, was also asked to join to make Black Army Jacket a two guitar unit. Orlando and Ramirez were both huge fans of John's previous band, Times Up. Witte happened to be friends with the guitarist and he quickly jumped in just in time for some touring with the new line up.
They came home from tour in mid 1999 and began to write newer, more technical material. They even talked about changing their name to get a fresh start. However, after a tough show in Worcester, MA the band decided to break up. Adubato and Witte then formed Burnt by the Sun
, whilst Ramirez started melodic rockers Lakota
a few years later. Andrew Orlando went on to join Anodyne and then Disnihil in the early 2000s. Witte, Orlando and Ramirez are currently in Hope Collapse.
In 2006, Black Box Recordings released a Black Army Jacket semi-discography entitled Closed Casket. It featured their 1996 demo, assorted splits 7"s with Spazz
, Corrupted
, Noothgrush and Agathocles
, and their unreleased Relapse Records EP.
Black Army Jacket will be reuniting for 2010's Best Friends Day festival in Richmond, VA. The band's first set in over 12 years will be on August 19, on the first day of the festival. They will also be playing a NYC show on August 4 at The Cake Shop. The line up will be Lawi, Orlando, Ramirez and Witte.
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
/ power violence band. They released one full length album and many 7" EPs, splits and compilation appearances. Their ex-members can now be found in bands like Hope Collapse, Municipal Waste
Municipal Waste (band)
Municipal Waste is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from Richmond, Virginia.They performed at the UK's Download Festival on June 15, 2008, on the tuborg stage....
, Matt Pond PA
Matt Pond PA
Matt Pond PA is a New York based band formed in Philadelphia by singer-songwriter Matt Pond. They have released eight LPs and eight EPs since 1998....
, Burnt By The Sun
Burnt by the Sun (band)
Burnt by the Sun was a band from New Jersey, USA. Formed in November 1999 by ex-Human Remains drummer Dave Witte and guitarist John Adubato. ex-For the Love of... Vocalist Mike Olender and bassist Ted Patterson joined soon after. A split EP with The Luddite Clone on Ferret Records brought them to...
and Birds of Prey.
Biography
The band was started by Andrew Orlando (ex-guitarist of Milhouse and owner of Reservoir Records) and Carlos Ramirez after they met at a Fugazi show on Long Island, NY. They were both fans of bands like TerrorizerTerrorizer
Terrorizer is an American grindcore and death metal band formed in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. After disbanding, its members gained recognition by playing in influential extreme metal bands, such as Morbid Angel , Napalm Death and Nausea...
, Assück
Assück
Assück was an anti-capitalist and anarchist grindcore and deathgrind band from Saint Petersburg Florida, active from 1987 to 1998. The band proved influential, with their album Anticapital voted number 4 in the Terrorizer list of their top 20 US grindcore albums, who described it as a "low-calibre...
and Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
and wanted to create a band in those styles. Halfman drummer Dan Crowell and Those of Us bassist Chris Russo were quickly recruited. They were both in high school at the time. The band rehearsed original material for a few weeks until scene veteran Rob Lawi joined in on lead vocals. BAJ entered NYC's LoHo Studios a few months later and recorded what would become their 1996 demo. The tape caused a small buzz in the hardcore and metal zine world and made many tape trader lists.
Queens, NY-based Chainsaw Safety Records would go on to release the band's The Path of Two Swords As One 7" and the band started to tour regionally shortly after. During the sessions for the aforementioned release, they recorded several more songs for future releases at NJ's Sweetwood Sound with current Dalek member Alap Momin behind the boards. Around this time both Crowell and Russo left the band and continued to play in Prom
Prom
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
King with Mike Delorenzo of C.R. and Serpico, Brian Meehan of Milhouse and Loyal to None, and Ben Knight. Not long after they quit, Dave Witte joined the band on drums. Now a four piece, they toured with California's Benumb and Noothgrush. This period proved to be fruitful for the group with many releases hitting stores and awareness growing.
In 1998, BAJ was invited to play the annual Milwaukee Metalfest along with bands including Destruction
Destruction (band)
Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...
, Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen. Initially active from 1981 to 1985, they reunited in 1992. The band went on hiatus again in 2000, when frontman King Diamond decided to continue his solo career...
, Death and Brutal Truth
Brutal Truth
Brutal Truth is an American grindcore band from New York City, formed by ex-Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, and Stormtroopers Of Death bass guitarist Dan Lilker in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continue to release new music.-History:...
. They also went on to perform at that year's Fiesta Grande festival at Berkley, CA's Gilman St. club, organized by Spazz bassist/vocalist and Slap A Ham Records founder, Chris Dodge. The band wrote throughout the year and entered the studio with Dean Rispler (Killing Time, 25 Ta Life
25 ta Life
25 ta Life is an American band from New York City, originally formed in Queens, N.Y. in mid-1991.- History :The band was started by Frank Smarra and Harry Minas in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., they were soon joined by Fred Mesk and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early...
) in the producer chair. The resulting album, 222, saw the musicians incorporating hints of death
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
along with some more traditional elements of hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
to their sound. They toured extensively to support their debut.
Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
approached the band with an offer to release an EP of new material. They recorded a batch of new songs but Rob Lawi and the band parted ways shortly afterwards. Bassist Carlos Ramirez then became their vocalist and New Jersey native Tom Hayden joined in to fill the bass slot. Another native Jersey musician, John Adubato, was also asked to join to make Black Army Jacket a two guitar unit. Orlando and Ramirez were both huge fans of John's previous band, Times Up. Witte happened to be friends with the guitarist and he quickly jumped in just in time for some touring with the new line up.
They came home from tour in mid 1999 and began to write newer, more technical material. They even talked about changing their name to get a fresh start. However, after a tough show in Worcester, MA the band decided to break up. Adubato and Witte then formed Burnt by the Sun
Burnt by the Sun (band)
Burnt by the Sun was a band from New Jersey, USA. Formed in November 1999 by ex-Human Remains drummer Dave Witte and guitarist John Adubato. ex-For the Love of... Vocalist Mike Olender and bassist Ted Patterson joined soon after. A split EP with The Luddite Clone on Ferret Records brought them to...
, whilst Ramirez started melodic rockers Lakota
Lakota (band)
Lakota was an American melodic rock band that existed from 2002 until 2006.-History:The group was formed in Queens, New York in 2002 by former Black Army Jacket bassist, Carlos Ramirez, when he met singer/guitarist Kayne Konecny after he auditioned for another band he was playing in. The two...
a few years later. Andrew Orlando went on to join Anodyne and then Disnihil in the early 2000s. Witte, Orlando and Ramirez are currently in Hope Collapse.
In 2006, Black Box Recordings released a Black Army Jacket semi-discography entitled Closed Casket. It featured their 1996 demo, assorted splits 7"s with Spazz
Spazz (band)
Spazz was an influential American powerviolence band active between 1992 and 2000. The trio released numerous records within this time, many of which are now highly collectible due to their relative rarity...
, Corrupted
Corrupted (band)
Corrupted are a Japanese doom/sludge metal band. They are known for their antipathy towards mainstream acceptance, even in their subgenre, which naturally tends towards obscurity. This is reflected not only in their dark and oppressive musical style but their reclusive nature, avoiding interviews...
, Noothgrush and Agathocles
Agathocles (band)
Agathocles is a Belgian political grindcore band that began in 1985. They are mainly known for producing a large quantity of split seven-inch EPs...
, and their unreleased Relapse Records EP.
Black Army Jacket will be reuniting for 2010's Best Friends Day festival in Richmond, VA. The band's first set in over 12 years will be on August 19, on the first day of the festival. They will also be playing a NYC show on August 4 at The Cake Shop. The line up will be Lawi, Orlando, Ramirez and Witte.
Band members
- Andrew Orlando (guitars)
- Carlos Ramirez (bass, vocals)
- Rob Lawi (vocals)
- Dave Witte (drums)
Other Members
- Dan Crowell (drums)
- Chris Russo (bass)
- John Adubato (guitars)
- Tom Hayden (bass)