By Laura Glick
Bursting from the confines of Buffalo, New York, Snapcase pummells listeners with their left hooks of aggressive hardcore and rock.
Chanting anthems for a new breed of posi-core fans, the quintet continuously barrages listeners with non-preachy lyrics, tight dischord-laden guitars and gruff vocals.
"Snapcase is the kind of band that has a lot of other stuff going on besides the band," says vocalist Daryl Taberski of the two and a half year hiatus between albums.
Whether it’s school, jobs, or both, the members are learning to juggle the hectic schedule and appease fans by touring.
"We don’t want to lose everything when Snapcase is over," explains Taberski of the decision to keep outside priorities firm.
The extended breaks also allow meticulous work and attention to be paid to songwriting and the final product.
Their new CD, Designs for Automotion, will be released Jan. 25 on Victory Records.
"We like to take our time writing albums, we don’t like to worry about what the right amount of time to write a record is," he says matter-of-factly. "It comes out when it comes out."
The glimpses of Designs indicate a continued evolution and growth in their overall sound, with distortion, gritty vocals bordering on spoken word, and more driving rhythms laying the foundation.
"We try not worry about categorizing," says Taberski of the labels placed on them. "We owe a lot to the hardcore scene. It’s a really good scene to start out in.
"At the same time, there comes a point where you don’t want to limit your audience. We don’t want exclusive clubs [where you go] to see our shows. We want to open up and welcome a lot of different people."
In general it is the adolescent crowds which respond the best to aggressive, upfront style of Snapcase. Like many hardcore bands, they strive to play only all-ages shows so no audience members are excluded.
The new year in particular will bring a chance for hungry fans to feast on Snapcase’s newest morsels. Touring will kick in to high gear immediately before and after Design’s release.
"Right now our focus is the us and Canada," says Taberski.
Although the most enthusiastic response to hardcore and grindcore appears to happen in Europe, there is a burgeoning supply of fans in North America who are supporting the music.
The simple fact that aggresion laces the Snapcase sound accounts for some of its growing acceptance. As commercial music turns the spotlight on angry and frustrated artists and their musical outlashes, old school and new school hardcore are gaining interest.
Along with hefty delivery, Snapcase deliver personal insights open to interpretation.