It would be stupid of me to start this interview any other way than testifying that the men in the band Brick By Brick were the number one reason the City of Albany, New York felt safe for me as a 23 year old girl traveling far from the only chaos I knew back in Reno, Nevada.
It’s important to understand that good communities have people in them like Mike, Ray, Andy, and Jeff. These are men who will help your son understand the old school traditions of acting like a man. Men play violently but with a loving standard in New York. They hold the torch for each other while they dance like raging lunatics, beating the spirits like the opening fight scene in Gangs of New York.
The Hardcore venues in Albany, especially the ones that are no longer there, will always be my most precious memories of becoming a grown ass woman. I’ve seen these men set standards high for the conduct in their local community. I saw it with my eyes. They are the type of men you can trust to protect when others just won’t.
I recently spoke them about the strength they put into their new album, Collapse, which was released on the 25th of April.
Thank you guys for taking the time to talk with me about your new album. You have so much going on. What’s the story behind your desire to cover Rob Zombies, Thunder Kiss 65?
Well, plain & simple…..it’s a fun song. It’s a song that has lasted many years and ages well. It has a hardcore “bounce” to it but is pure metal. We decided to tailor it into our own style and revamped certain parts. We wanted to remove a lot of the “noise” from it and get it down to the bare essentials.
How did this new album, that you’ve titled Collapse, come to fruition? Who made the first phone call? What were the initial riffs?
BxB doesn’t rehearse all that much. Members are scattered and when we have a lull between shows, ideas pop up. They get transcribed as a phone recording first, then we go from there. Mike usually will just jam out a riff and Jeff will hook up to it. Jeff & Mike will build a framework then Andy comes in and adds his ideas. Sometimes the songs change and start morphing into something. Ray usually will keep his ideas to himself until the studio. Ray will work with Mike and get a good rhythm and flow going and then we start working with a producer to get an outside opinion. We are always thinking of new stuff.
How did you develop the sound on this album? Was there anything new you tried with gear and/or influence?
We decided to contact Joey Z of Life Of Agony. He was tapped as producer. He mentioned how he would love to work with Brick By Brick and we did our research into his past productions. We gave him total freedom to control the songs. You have to be open minded when writing. Not everything that you do is a homerun. He listened and gave his 2 cents. We ended up re-writing a couple of songs, re-arranging a couple of songs and one song we disagreed with his vision and kept it. He added a lot of little “nuances” that we would have never imagined. We just listened to him. Never complaining, never arguing, never bitching. In turn, I think this is our BEST production to date. The sound is very thrash, metal, with a hardcore influence.
What is the concept of this album? What are you hoping people take from it?
All of our albums seem to “predict” or represent current world affairs without being political. We do NOT get into all the political bullshit. Fact is: the government (no matter what side) hates us. It’s all selfishness. So our first Album with Ray was called “This World, My Enemy” (geared toward corporate America draining the blue class), next is “Thin The Herd” (based on revolt), then “Hive Mentality” (realizing that certain people are sheep, and conform to certain ideologies), then “Dismal Existence” (the future is bleak, because of the mess that confirmation has brought) and finally “COLLAPSE” (tearing everything down to rebuild)……hopefully the next album will have a positive spin…..which I doubt.
When it comes to representing New York musically, what are the consistencies and what are the things that have changed over time?
We are a metal band with a hardcore attitude. So, we are working class guys that love music and that attitude will always be consistent. It’s angry and volatile. We make no excuses. As far as change goes- we are older and wiser. We have experience from making personal mistakes and correcting them. We know the value of life and live for the moment.
How have you found the strength to produce an album with all the chaos of the world right now?
Our world is a small bubble. If you break that bubble, then you will suffer. We do not get involved with all the bullshit going around. We stay to ourselves. If everyone did that, then the world wouldn’t be where it is. We write based on what others do and our experiences about our interactions directly. So there’s truth to all of our songs, but they are cryptically written. If you fuck with us and our family, then prepare for a violent outcome. The songs basically give you a blueprint of results…
In your opinion what sets New York apart from the rest of the world? What do you think is different about New York culture no matter how many new people come in and out?
NY has a hard exterior, but a welcoming interior. You need to get through that wall before being accepted. There’s no bullshit (at least with a TRUE New Yorker). New York is known for being tough. Sinatra said it best- “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere”. New York is all about “tough love”, but once you figure things out, you are part of a family, a brotherhood, and there is some level of confidence that comes with that. Our music all has a common denominator. And there is a certain nod to a stranger that is wearing an Agnostic Front shirt in public.
What are you looking forward to the most with the drop of this album? Are you guys plotting a tour?
That is what we are looking forward to…..touring. We have about 30-40 dates planned for this summer already. Also, the level of excitement for people to hear how we have evolved. Our music is forever changing.
Thank you guys again so much for the interview. I hope this year is amazing and successful for you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to think of us! Much love and respect!!
