BLOODCLOT: Knotfest Premieres “War Castles” From Band Led By Former Cro-Mags Vocalist With Current/Ex Members Of Sick Of It All, Madball, Quicksand; Souls LP Nears Release Via Upstate Records

photo by Steven J. Messina

BLOODCLOT, the New York hardcore/metal outfit led by iconic vocalist, author, and triathlete, John “Bloodclot” Joseph (formerly of Cro-Mags), will release its third LP, Souls, through Upstate Records in December. Today, Knotfest is currently hosting the worldwide exclusive premiere of the record’s second single, “War Castles.”

The convergence of long-running NYHC icons culminating on Souls shows BLOODCLOT delivering its heaviest and most detrimental record yet. The recording lineup sees John Joseph here joined by guitarist Tom Capone (ex-Quicksand, Beyond, Bold), bassist Craig Setari (Sick Of It All, ex-Youth Of Today, Agnostic Front), and drummer Darren Morgenthaler (Maximum Penalty, ex-Madball).

Souls is dedicated to longtime friend and bandmate, Todd Youth. The album was produced by Laz Pina of Ill Niño, recorded by Johnny “Pyro” Lafuentes, except for the cover of Bad Brains’ “How Low Can A Punk Get?” which was recorded at Found Soundation NYC, mixed by Kyle McAulay, the bass for the song tracked by Manuel Carrero. The record was mixed and mastered by Chriss Collier (Korn, Prong, Whitesnake) and its layout/design handled by Kim Cangemi and Darren Morgenthaler.

With the new Souls single “War Castles, John Joseph writes, “The song is a metaphor. There have been countless wars for profit over the decades – all carefully orchestrated and planned by the ‘so-called’ elite. The men with crooked minds who hide behind the curtain. The media are their knights in shining armor doing their dirty work. And we are treated as serfs. It’s also about the other war going on. Their war for the minds of the masses, for total control, in particular, of the youth. Poisoning them with so much garbage – and the indoctrination begins early on. As the lyrics state, ‘Mainstream manipulation slaughters the youth, twisting reality away from the truth. Rolling over souls just for their goals, maniacs man the technology controls.’ They control the machines. They control the narratives. They do not care who is affected, injured or killed, because they don’t value human life. Now we see global tensions rising. There is even talk of nuclear weapons being used. NYC is running tv spots on how to survive a nuclear event. You don’t survive; you fucking die.”

“…Souls proudly asserts the collective’s NYHC pedigree, combined with the tenacity of early thrash,” Knotfest writes with the song’s premiere, writing of the song itself, “Previewing the pummel packaged on Souls, ‘War Castles’ showcases the band at their most hostile. Rife with scathing social commentary, the relentless pace of the track sees BLOODCLOT double down on the intensity that has made them such an enduring outfit.”

Stream BLOODCLOT’s savage “War Castles” first right now through Knotfest’s premiere RIGHT HERE.

Upstate Records will release Souls LP on December 16th, on limited edition Black And White Splatter 12” vinyl, CD, and digtially. Digital preorders are live at Bandcamp HERE and digital presaves HERE. Physical/merch preorders will be posted on November 4th. Also watch the video for the title track HERE.

Watch for additional audio previews of the album and more over the weeks ahead.

Additionally, BLOODCLOT confirms that Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory) has joined the lineup for the band’s next album, which will be recorded shortly and released in 2023.

Northern New York-based metallic hardcore label Upstate Records teams up with Pitchfork Hardwear to proudly welcome BLOODCLOT (a.k.a. BLOODCLOT!), an American hardcore/punk/crossover band based out of New York City, led by John Joseph. The band’s origin dates to the early 1980s when its lineup doubled as roadies and provided opening support for the legendary Bad Brains.

In 2008, BLOODCLOT transformed from an intermittent live act, manifesting itself as a full-force studio entity, and independently released their Burn Babylon Burn! debut. Nearly a decade later, John Joseph recruited a lineup of scene veterans including Joey Castillo (formerly of Queens Of The Stone Age, Danzig, and more), Nick Oliveri (formerly of Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age, and others), and the late Todd Youth (Danzig, Warzone, Murphy’s Law) to record the band’s second LP, Up In Arms, which saw the band sign to Metal Blade Records for its release.

2022 sees the release of the band’s third album, Souls, which sees BLOODCLOT not only delivering the expected classic NYHC sound its members have all been elemental in helping create over the past three decades or more, but notes of Slayer, Venom, Dark Angel, Kreator, and the early days of thrash/crossover push their way to the forefront of several tracks, while others infuse more modern metal elements, punk, and more.

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The post BLOODCLOT: Knotfest Premieres “War Castles” From Band Led By Former Cro-Mags Vocalist With Current/Ex Members Of Sick Of It All, Madball, Quicksand; Souls LP Nears Release Via Upstate Records first appeared on Earsplit Compound.