Hardcore Erie

By Jenna Croyle

Ever since Metal music first hit the scene, Erie has had a hardcore following for the genre with a plethora of bands bringing the noise, along with a countless number of fans filling the venues and fueling the flames that have ignited Erie’s Metal mania.

For nearly a decade now, this week’s featured band, xRepresentx has been pumping out intensely passionate and straight forward, straight edge hardcore music that has taken the band on a slow burn rampage through not only Erie, but Europe as well.

Founded in 2003, xRepresentx is a Hardcore, Straight Edge Metal band made up of Shawn Bedow on Drums, Jason Howell and Kyle Bull on Guitar, Greg Waldron on Bass Guitar and Derek Ski on Vocals.

The term “Straight Edge” was coined by the 1980s hardcore punk band Minor Threat in their song “Straight Edge”. Since that time, a wide variety of beliefs and ideas have been incorporated into the movement, including vegetarianism, and animal rights.

Generally, “Straight Edge” bands refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. In a study done in 2006, it was suggested that the vast majority of people who identify as “Straight Edge” are nonviolent.

Over the years xRepresentx has released several original CDs that carries on the hardcore tradition proudly, recording old-fashioned hardcore style songs like Sad State of Affairs, Relentless, End Of An Error, Swift Justice, By My Own Means, Written in Blood, Dead City, T.P.S.H. and Kill the Lights to name only a few.

Do not let the “Straight Edge” moniker that xRepresentx has taken on fool you, this band delivers that familiar feel of classic Hardcore Metal with every song, moshing and all.

xRepresentx’s straight forward and in your face, just Metal approach to Hardcore is a refreshing change from other similar bands just banging out the music simply to play the song that so many bands today have the habit of doing.

The Guitar licks of Jason Howell and Kyle Bull have a tone, and sound that is talent packed and blares off the stage with a thick and gritty feel always in perfect harmony, blasting out the rhythm and riffs like an EMP bomb.

From doubling complex riffs and licks to keeping perfect rhythm and time, Howell and Bull show the rest how it should be done.

As a triple threat of speed, power, and precision the xRepresentx Drummer Shawn Bedow offers up a ton of talent throughout each show flawlessly playing the rapid-fire patterns that the band’s music demands.

The band’s Bassist Greg Waldron hits hard right out of the gate, beat after beat Waldron’s licks are strong and relentless keeping the tone and booming the Bass like a true pro that he clearly is.

The classic Metal shrieking vocals of Derek Ski are not only powerful and energy driven but offered up with a truly gruff and growling style similar to that of Karl Buechner of the legendary Metal band Earth Crisis.

When it comes to extreme, Heavy Hardcore Metal, xRepresentx embodies the best the Erie scene has to offer. Through the blending of superstar talent and old school Metal values, xRepresentx creates an experience of sight and sound that captures your attention, fries your face and scrambles your senses.

xRepresentx is not only an Erie Metal madness legend, but also an intense leader of today’s Hardcore scene, reigning as its kings.

For more information and their show dates, please visit xRepresentx’s Facebook Page.