Music
Press
"Following a self-released demo and a full-length, these Montreal skinheads are really coming into their own with this release. A veritable mix of hardcore (in both that AGNOSTIC FRONT and 7 SECONDS style), some metallic STRUNG OUT guitaring, and the mandatory Oi chants. While the singing is a little flat at times, the melody, spirit and focused aggressive assault really carry this. Some excellent lead guitar along with suitably left wing lyrics make this a total winner every time." (RK) - Maximum Rock'n'Roll
"This is the band’s second full length. It has a New York hardcore sound to it not unlike SICK OF IT ALL, but they also have more of a new school flavour. They remind me a little bit like label mates DEATH IN CUSTODY. They also have all the gang choruses that CLASS ASSASSINS have. They remind me of FATE 2 HATE, but with more of an oi influence. It is particularly felt on their version of “Drunken Sailor”. You should note Chaney from INEPSY does some guest vocals on “Time’s Up”." - Equilizing X Distort
"Okay, time for the hardcore checklist. Tough-sounding three word name? Check. Said name in athletic block letters on the front of the disc? Check. Strange cover art depicting a guy with half his face ripped off and busting through a cobweb-covered iron fence? Check. With that out of the way, let’s check the music. Yep, it’s hardcore with all the breakdowns and singalongs. The music is really good and kept me interested throughout. My problem lies with the vocals. First of all, they’re way up front in the mix, such so, that the singer almost becomes cartoon-like. Then the lyrics themselves are pretty typical fare. The “scene,” the “old days,” etc. I hope these guys really don’t hold a grudge. C’mon, you woulda made the joke too! Did I mention the music is really good? –Ty Stranglehold" - Razorcake
"HOLD A GRUDGE - Doing Time: Hold A Grudge are a new band to me but this twelve track album has left me wanting to hear more. If you're into early American HC like I am then you'll be in for a bit of treat. These guys are influenced by the likes of Agnotic Front, 7 Seconds, Warzone and Youth Brigade so just from that you know this is gonna rock! There's some spot on musicianship and wicked vocal delivery that leaves you wondering why this band aren't bigger than they are. It's great to see a HC band that hasn't take it to the extreme. Tracks to check out include 'Those Days', 'Doing Time', 'The Kids' and 'Trust To Last' which once heard you'll sure want to hear them again! Comes with a decent production and decent packaging." - Street Voice
"Goes to show you can't always judge an album by it sleeve. Hold A Grudge, I was convinced were going to be tough-guy metallic Hardcore, but truth be told their style is substantially more fitting with the Insurgence roster than their image might suggest. There's a well-built crossover at play here that incorporates Oi! and Street Punk fundamentals, excellently balancing the Gorilla Biscuit-styled Hardcore that represents the flipside to Hold A Grudge. Bands like Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law and Youth Brigade were master craftsmen of this technique and it's a fusion I'm more than partial to. Being based as they are out of Montreal, Canada (and considering the label it's being issued on) there's a characteristic left-leaning social stance to Hold A Grudge, which is a welcome departure frmo some of the current generation of Hardcore bands. A promising contribution." - Riot 77
"[H.A.G.] are classic mid-paced hardcore, the good old solid kind that'll get you through a bad day with enough left over for a pleasant supper. While at first it may seem like there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about the sound, listen a bit more closely and you'll find there's plenty of originality on show, more than enough to make it enjoyable to the ears rather than just a task they have to endure. Beyond the initial intensity we've come to love from the style, there's a strong street edge that's well-executed and is a respectful nod to their oldschool punk and Oi! forbears. [...] Lyrics adopt a posi attitude with a sussed social conscience, but don't forget that everyday life can be tough at times. HAG know that survival doesn't always come easy and occasionally carries a heavy price, but never forget that the good times always outweigh the bad. [...] Altogether, this album is far more a pleasure than a chore and is a cut above much of what passes for hardcore these days." - Old Punks Never Die
"Hold a Grudge Doing Time HOLD A GRUDGE are a hardcore Oi! band from Canada, the difference between them and stuff I've heard from this mixture is that these guys are really good. Really tight songs, that are of a medium pace - say late 80's h/c mixed with chanty sing-a-longs. Breakdowns coupled with tight melodic tuneful riffage. Think of VISION, 7 SECONDS, YOUTH BRIGADE, AGNOSTIC FRONT and WARZONE. Good lyrics to boot, concentrating on instilling self belief in what you strive for - really excellent. The artwork is done by Chaney of INEPSY, who also does guest vocals on their song "Time's Up." Plus a rousing cover of "Drunken Sailor" (in this case it's "Drunken Skinhead")." - Profane Existence
"Hardcore punks Hold A Grudge know how to make a riff stick: by nail-gunning it to your noodle. The beauty of knowing what you’re doing reveals itself in the command of the tools of your trade, and the Montreal five-piece show themselves to be master craftsmen on this sophomore release, graduates of the old school of punk and hardcore where power and precision drove your points home. Hold A Grudge reference much in the way of both East and West Coast hardcore of yore, as well as British punk and Oi! of yesteryear, but veteran sensibilities keep the gang vocals, rolling drum thunder and flying up-front guitars both fat and fresh, and fans of the form will be hard-pressed to find any doing it better." - The Hour
"J'ai découvert ce groupe lors de leur concert à Montréal pour la sortie de cet album. Sur scène, et de surcroît à domicile pour une soirée événementielle, ce fut un bon show. Ce "Doing time" est leur second opus après leur premier album éponyme sorti en 2006. Leur son mêle efficacement influences hardcore et oi!. La voix est claire, les coeurs puissants. Je retiens en particulier le morceaux "Those days" et la version dynamisée de "Drunken Skinhead" à l'origine jouée par Gassenhauer qui représentent bien les influences NYHC et street punk américain du groupe. Une bonne écoute." - Skizophrenic
Discography
Demo 2005 - D.I.Y. - 2005
Self-Titled - Troika Records - 2006
Time's Up - Insurgence Records - 2010
Upcoming 15-songs album - 2013
Photos
Bio
"Friendship and music mean everything." Words to live by from Hold A Grudge, a hardcore-punk band from Montreal, Quebec.
Formed in 2004 by Dan 86 (guitar), Mat (guitar), JEEE-P (vocals) and Pierre-Luc (vocals), the group originally got together as an excuse to drink and party. But following a self-released demo (2005) and a self-titled full length (2006 on Troika Records), it soon became evident that this union was particularly apt at creating solid punk rock. Many shows followed, both in and out of town, and Hold A Grudge garnered a strong fan base.
After going through countless lineup changes, notably with Pierre-Luc leaving the group in 2008, the band finally settled as a 4-piece with Scott (of Subsistance) on drums and Mat switching to bass. Now the strongest recording to date, “Doing Time” was released on Insurgence Records in March.2010.
The band is currently recording a new 15-songs album to be released soon.
What sets Hold A Grudge apart from the rest of the pack is the unique way they blend all subgenres of punk rock in one cohesive, energetic entity.
Their love and respect for punk, oi! and hardcore bands of yesteryear is evident and contagious, yet they manage to build something new and refreshing.
Hold a Grudge est un croisement parfait entre la colère du hardcore, l'esprit de révolte du street punk et l'attitude sans complaisance de la oi. Vous obtenez ce savant mélange explosif et énergique lorsque vous réunissez des individus provenant de scènes punks différentes, mais ayant en commun le désir de brasser la cage avec une musique lourde et entraînante, l'espoir de faire bouger les choses avec des paroles honnêtes et positives tout en étant aussi approprié et percutant qu'un cocktail molotov.
Over the years we played with
Jeunesse Apatride, La Gachette, Good Riddance, Sainte Catherines, The Prowlers, Union Made, Adicts, Conflict, Subhumans (UK), The Unseen, Death Threat, Death In Custody, Self Control, D.O.A., S.N.F.U., Ripcordz, Alien's Cab, Buddha Bulldozer, Oi Polloi, Preying Hands, Criminal Damage, Born Dead Icons, Agent Orange, Tragedy, Sick Of It All, Wisdom In Chains, Have Heart, Casualties, The Class Assassins, Channel 3, After The Fall ... and many many more!
Hold A Grudge is, in 2013:
- Jeee-p / Vocal
- Dan / Guitar + Back
- Mat / Bass + Back
- Scott / Drums
For fans of:
- Warzone, SNFU, Business, Sham 69, Adolescents, Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, Vision, Wisdom In Chains, H20, Conflict...
Links