HARD RESISTANCE interview for non frensh readers

HP:CAN YOU INTRODUCE HARD RESISTANCE IN 2012 ? WHO ARE YOU ? ARE YOU THE SAME ?

JOEL : HARD RESISTANCE started in 2008 with reunion shows in the original line up . We had a lot of requests and in 2008 it was the time to work this out . We played around 15 shows in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany . In august 2011 we talked about our future as a band . It was time to make a decision; stop and call it quits, or continue with new songs and recorded a new CD . So in september/ october we started slowly with the writing process . Meanwhile, our bassist player Pascal, has left the band due to problems with his bands . At this time we work with a stand-in until we have a good replacement .

HP:WHAT HAVE YOU DONE SINCE THE BREAK OF THE BAND IN 2000 ?

JOEL : The band split up in 2002. Ron continued with his vocal duties in UNLEASH THE FURY (still active), Kris played in COOPERATE as a bassist, and I played bass guitar in UNLEASH THE FURY and IN-QUEST.

HP:SPEAKING OF THE NEW ALBUM, IT IS TIGHT AND BRUTAL AS NEVER, WHERE HAVE YOU FIND ALL THE ENERGY TO DO THIS ?

RON : Thank you very much and I take that as a compliment ! When we finished writing the first new song we all felt like angry young kids again. It was more than a decade ago since we wrote the last songs together so I guess that's what gave us the energy to make the album as it is now . The whole process went super smooth .

HP:YOU SEEM TO TACKLE SERIOUS SUBJECTS LIKE POLITICS, SOCIAL ISSUES, RELIGION, YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE THROGH MUSIC ?

RON : Maybe it is important since the media like T.V. most of the time they don't show the people the real face of the world. Way too much things hare beeing held from us just to keep us all calm and quiet. Watch the daily news, it's not normal what happens, and it's worlwide. Maybe the lyrics on this album can be an eye opener for some.

HP:YOU'RE THE FIRST SIGNATUREOF THE NEW STRENGTH LABEL. WHY YOU ? HOW DOES IT HAPPENED ?

JOEL : Well, we all know Onno Cro-Mag for almost 20 years. We got in touch with each other when we just started with writing new songs. The whole plan came together as Onno told that he was busy with setting up a new record label together with his old time friend Roger Miret (AGNOSTIC FRONT). So all went pretty fast from that point, we booked a weekend at the Red Left Hand studio in january and that was it. We tracked all songs and "Lawless and disorder" is a fact ! the album was released May 19th.

HP:THE FACT THAT THE LABEL IS BOTH BASED IN AMERICA AND EUROPE BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU ? LIKE TOURING THE STATES ?

JOEL : It's good to work with them. It opens a few extra doors. It's not easy these days to run a record company, especialy in underground music. Everybody has the possibility to download free music, you can find everything on the internet. I don't know if we will ever tour the States. We have to build up our name, in Europe too, but definitly in the States. It would be cool though and if we would have the opportunity we would love to do that...

HP:BACK TO BELGIUM, YOUR COUNTRY IS MORE KNOWN FOR HIS METAL EDGE MOVEMENT (H8000, ...) HAVE YOU GOT THE SAME AUDIENCE AT SHOWS, DOES IT EXIST UNITY BETWEEN DIFFERENTS SCENES ?

RON : We see all kind of different people at our shows; hardcore, thrashers, punks, skins, metal heads and so on ... they all get along real fine I think, so no problem here !

HP:LOOSE :YOUR TOP 5 ALBUM OF ALL TIME

RON : ROSE TATOO - Rose tatoo

MOTORHEAD - everything !

SLAPSHOT - 16 valve of hate

MADBALL - Set it off

ELVIS - everything !

YOUR BEST SHOW ?

RON : Probably a lot of "best shows" for me, don't remember though... blame it on the beer - haha !! Must say, BIOHAZARD live in the early nineties kicked major ass bro !!!

YOUR TOP 5 NEW BELGIAN BANDS ?

RON : OVERLORD, BLIKSEM, MILLIONS OF THEM, STEELHOUSE ROCKETS

HP:IF YOU HAVE TO DEFINE HARDCORE MOVEMENT, WHAT WILL YOU SAY ?

RON : To me it's not more of a movement than any other alternative movement, punk, Oi!, metal, crust; But what I can say is that for me, and I think I can say this for all of us in the band, that's hardcore is a passion and not a fashion !!!

HP:WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS AND THE FINAL WORDS ?

JOEL : Try to play as much as possible ! We wanna bring our music to the new and old generation. We gonna record a few new songs pretty soon, so stay tuned for more news . If you are a booker or agent and wanna book us, don't hesitate to contact us - we will rock your party !! Check our site at www.hardresistance.be and/ or follow us at www.facebook.com/hardresistancenshc Thank you for this interview WiLL , and we'll see you all soon at one of the shows !

Cheers !