Record Review: Harbinger - Slumgullion

South Florida Hardcore is alive and well. After living in Tallahassee for 3 years, I lost touch with what was happening in Miami with the exception what I picked up through the message boards. After moving back a year ago, I reacquainted myself with the scene I grew up with and still love. I had spoken to drummer Darien on several occasions and on many of these, he told me about his band Harbinger. I saw them play once as a four piece and I thought they definitely had potential but just weren't quite there yet. Fast forward about 6 months, a second guitar player was added and the band started to gel. Darien slipped me a copy of their record and I have to say I was pretty impressed. The band play a good mixture of Merauder influenced hardcore with a touch of that NYHC feel....its tough but not tough if that makes any sense, more on the metal tip than hard. I even felt a little Anthrax influence at times. The record has 8 songs and speeds by quickly without much time for lag. The mix is clean and the levels are all about even without anything overpowering. The band released the album themselves and is going about it the right way: booking their own tours, playing shows regularly and coming out and supporting their scene. I'm expecting big things from them after seeing them this past week.
You can order their album "Slumgullion" by clicking here: Harbinger Big Cartel

Morning Again - Martyr T-shirt

Today, Im looking back at "Martyr" design that Goodlife did for the band. Simple and to the point on the front with a nice silver ink laid over the white but a nice live photo on the back. The photo was used in the insert for the record and features a few South Florida regulars at the time including Jordan Pundik (New Found Glory), Jordan Leitner, Peter Bartsocas (Bird of Ill Omen) and Stephanie Jones (local photographer). Not quite sure who took the photo but Im assuming it was Lori Austin, another local photographer, as she and Stephanie were both credited with the photos in the insert (and the fact that Stephanie is in the photo). This design was also used as a hoodie as well the tshirt. Not quite sure how many colors this was printed on but I have it in this blue as well as hunter green and heather gray.
I spoke to John and he told me that there are about 50 presale tickets left so if you want to get into the show an hour before everyone else instead of hanging out outside in the beautiful area known as Little Haiti, get them soon. Tickets will be sold at the door but you'll still have to wait outside until 8. The first band starts at 8:30 (my friends Harbinger are opening and they're killer, so get there early to see them). Click here to order your presale tickets.