Dec 24, 2005

TERRORZONE "self realization: a true lesson in hardcore"



In 1994 when I first heard NYHC band Bulldoze I seriously thought it was some of the heaviest shit out there. I don't know if they are the originators of beatdown hardcore or not, but when I think back they pop into my mind first. I remember going to NJ shows back then and it seemed like half of the crowd would have Bulldoze shirts on sporting "nothing but a beatdown" across the back. Needless to say I was intrigued. I picked up their first 7" and fell in love (which i still own, and no it's not for sale!).

I didn't get to see them live back at this time because I moved out of central PA to North Western PA (Erie) and that area at the time was pretty much out of the loop of the whole NYC/NJ/Eastern PA hardcore scene. Rumors flew about the demise of Bulldoze and the incarceration of lead singer Kev-one. I'm not really sure where Terrorzone fit into the picture amidst all of this. I had heard it featured Kev-one on vocals and was dying to hear it. It wasn't until many years later that I was finally able to find a used copy with a damaged insert and tray but I bought it anyway. I was fucking stoked.

Terrorzone featured Kev-one on vocals who was well known for Bulldoze, as well as Jerry who was from a PAHC band called SWAT. Rumor has it that Jerry dicked over Kev-one while he was in jail but I won't speculate on that because I don't really know anything about the situation. Another name that I recognize is Phat Pat on guitar who later went on to be in Nothing Left To Mourn who are a really good NJ band. I'm not sure how active they are because I haven't heard much over the past year. Terrorzone had a 7" which was released on Eyeball Records (oddly enough, label went in a very different direction later on) and the CDep featured here on European label Gain Ground.

Terrorzone were also one of those NY bands that were insanely brutal but still had a lot of references to Krishna Consciousness in their artwork etc... I'm not really sure how far the connection goes but it's there. I tried to track down a few of the guys from the band and fire off some questions but I have yet to hear back from anyone. Maybe if anyone else has more info on the life of this band that would be awesome if you could share it.

I had the privilege of seeing Bulldoze last year at the Super Bowl of Hardcore in NY. That dude (Kev-one) just wants total carnage when they play. The dance floor was some of the most insane chaos I've seen for a bit. It was wild man. And the whole time he's just calling everyone "pussies" and that he wants it crazier. Member's of the Hell's Angels motorcycle club were on stage and in the pit alongside DMS members, straight edge kids, and anyone else who had the balls to step out. I was feeling it man. And if you like Bulldoze you'll definitely appreciated the 5 tracks featured here. I think the intro has about 25 different beatdown parts and it all flows really nice. I like the simplicity in this CD but the songs are still all memorable and unique. Enjoy your Christmas present from good ol' EMS.


1. Dead Calm (intro)
2. In Mind
3. Self Realization
4. Killing Need
5. Lord of Wrath

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank you sir. i was looking for that mp3s. the weird thing is that i just can't picture TERRORZONE as a KC band on any level...
anyway, good record.

Anonymous said...

sick as fuck band. much better than bulldoze as far as im concerned but thats another story.

Anonymous said...

ohh yeah eric i have an inteview with kev one about his KC its done by a euro so its kinda jumbled and doesnt make that much sense but it still gets the point across.

Anonymous said...

Another nice one that I had been looking to hear for quite sometime. I like Bulldoze better, but this is worth picking up for sure.

Anonymous said...

Like it better than Bulldoze, probably just because of the intro alone.

Anonymous said...

Bulldoze and Terrozone are prob neck and neck as far as some of the hardest bands to come out of NY/NJ. I'm pretty sure Fat Pat was in Shattered realm for awhile too... if you are looking to contact him this is his myspace http://www.myspace.com/fatpatnj

xbenx said...

Hell fuckin yes!!! I love Bulldoze and I love Terrorzone!! I'm glad the spirit of these bands lives on through the world :)

Anonymous said...

this band as well as bulldoze both kick ass, great stuff

Anonymous said...

lcd hardcore. you're listening to the end of the scene right here, folks... enjoy it. beat down hardcore? how f'n enlightened.

not a dig @ you eric. just have always thought of these bands as like a joke.

EMS / COREGASM said...

no biggie anon, to each his own. keep checking back for updates but there's probably going to be a good bit of heavy hardcore featured in here along with other subgenres, so dont be too surprised when some of it is along these lines.

xbenx said...

Does anyone know anything about the band Drowning Room?? Were they a new york band and if so what style did they play and most importantly, were they good??? Any help would be great people :) THanxxx

EMS - keep this shit coming, I can't get enough of it ;) Plus, have you heard Excessive Force???

xbenx said...

Bladrock, thanks for the info, what was the name of their full length?? Was it good??

Thanks again!!

Anonymous said...

Great stuff.
Thanks. Are these 5 tracks the full album?

EMS / COREGASM said...

yeah it was a cdep.

Anonymous said...

Hey this is Jon, bassist for terrorzone. Glad to see people still remember us. I wish it could've lasted but it was kinda doomed from the start i suppose. Got to play some sick shows with many great bands, some of which i grew up listening to which was a real honor. Anyway thanks for the kind words and bringin back memories. Peace

Anonymous said...

what's up, im glad to see people are still keeping the old school hardcore memory alive. i played drums for TERRORZONE and also played drums for "Bulldoze" from 1998 to 2003 (when Chris wasnt playing for Bulldoze), when we made the Terrorzone cd it was because there was a change in plans for Kev-one and what he wanted to do with the music and the record deal he was offered (i won't get into the details) but we had a short period of time to make the cd and to tour behind it,i have to say, we had a blast, i knew Kev-one from the scene and he asked me to play drums for him after hearing all the demo's from the bands i had been in before Terrorzone. i was just amazed at the fact that we got to tour with some of the greatest bands in HARDCORE and i will never forget it. we had many great shows and many sick times together, im also glad to see that "bhakta Jon", the bass player for Terrorzone left a comment on this page, i asked him into the band and he was only 16 at the time, amazing. anyway, props to those who still remember, if anyone is interested about the crazy days of "Terrorzone", e mail me at paul766@msn.com (there is much to tell) HARDCORE LIVES!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

turns out that some Terrorzone songs have been put in a film called "Curse Of Pirate Death" produced and distro'd by Braindamage films. also i will be releasing a full length, raw footage, live dvd of the short lived tour we did back in the day, shows from the legendary "Wetlands" R.I.P. as well as another legendary club "Coney Island High" in the village in N.Y.C. also R.I.P. along with other various places all over the East coast, so for any "Terrorzone" fans that would like to see these dvd's, contact paul766@msn.com original drummer for the band.

Anonymous said...

paul, drummer from Terrorzone......so, some songs from the Terrorzone cd have been put in a film produced and distro'd by "Braindamage" films, called "Curse Of Pirate Death". also, i am releasing a raw, live dvd of footage from our short lived tour in "95", shows filmed at the legendary clubs "Coney Island High, and "Wetlands" in N.Y.C., both R.I.P. among other places across the East Coast. if you wish to see these films, please e mail me at paul766@msn.com HARDCORE LIVES!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

hells yea! bulldoze fuckin dominated. terror zone fuckin dominated, i used to work with the dude above me and he got me into this shit when i was like 13 hahahaha! still, 10 years later, i love this music. i saw bulldoze at olives in like 2001 and at the knitting factory around the same time and it was fuckin chaos like none other!

"yea mother fuckers! mooove it!!!!"

Vincent said...

oh man... this rules. i was dyin to listen to this at work and here are the mp3s! hardest band.

for all those who disbelieve, it's PAYBACK TIME!

Anonymous said...

This is Paul from Terrorzone checkin back with ya, so it seems there is an imposter band out there now calling themselves Terrorzone, i just want it to be well fucking known that "WE" are the originals! i went to their stupid little site and left some choice comments on how fucked up it is that they took our name, i let them know WE came out in 95 so what's their story, i also let them know that i would do everything in my power to let everyone know via e mail and otherwise that they are the fake T.Z. yeah, o.k. they have a cd out but i hope it fails and they fall by the wayside, fast! anyone who reads this, please e mail these fake fuckers and tell them their payback time is near, and if they ever show up in your home town to play, throw something at them. also, 2 Terrorzone songs made it into yet another "Braindamage" films release called "Blood Stained Bride" that film and the other one i mentioned "Curse Of Pirate Death" are available through Best Buy, Amazon.com, FYE, Suncoast Video, Tower Records and more. alright, take it ease...........Harcore Still Lives!!!!!!

Paul zlotucha said...

This is paul, the original drummer for terrorzone and also played with bulldoze, it's been some years and hard times, and I'm sure I'm not the only one but everything is back as it should be, I haven't hit this page in a very long time, but I want those of you out there that are terrorzone and bulldoze fans that I will be releasing footage of terrorzone that we took while on a short tour before the band took a very extended hiatus. It's footage of a show in Baltimore, 2 separate Coney Island shows in n.yc. And most of the wetlands show. The footage is very raw, so don't expect a production, I mean this footage was shot by these 2 guys I knew at the time who said they started a film production company (yeah right), so they followed us around and filmed a bunch of shows, mostly in the winter of 95, all audible enough to get the picture. Look for it on youtube soon...............it's called " rare & raw dogs, live. Take it ease, paul. From terrorzone. Hardcore still lives. Live footage running time, appox. 1 and a half hours.

Anonymous said...

Hey this is Eddie LaBar from STBG tell Jerry to get in touch 570-688-6731!!!! Love Yas!!!