It's June and we at Scene Point Blank are happy to share a new featured stream of the month.
This time around, we're sharing B-Sides, a 12-track collection of rarities from noise-rock band Grizzlor, released on May 1 via Hermit Cave Records. The album collects unreleased material from the early days of the New Haven, CT band who pile angular riffs and punishing drums over a hardcore foundation. The songs here show their growth, from 2013-2015, giving listener's a new perspective on their current sound. It is available on CD and digital formats.
We caught up with Victor Dowgiallo to get a deeper look the collection and how it fits into the band's overall catalog.
Scene Point Blank: What was your approach to this record: wider availability of deep cuts, archives, or something else?
Dowgiallo: Our approach with this release was just to release some material that was thrown out that we thought Grizzlor fans might appreciate instead of it just going to waste.
Scene Point Blank: How many of these songs are hitting your live sets?
Dowgiallo: So far we haven't considered playing any of these live yet.
Scene Point Blank: What were some of the biggest surprises in revisiting these songs?
Downgiallo: The thing I get from revisiting these songs is a feeling of nostalgia. From the beginning stages of the band when it was new and you didn't know that it was all a bunch of bullshit yet.
Scene Point Blank: Draw us a line from this collection to your last record. If somebody is first hearing Grizzlor now, with B-Sides, what "carryover" should they expect in your more official releases or live set?
Dowgiallo: I think our last released record, Hammer of Life, is way more refined and shows the progression of the band over the years. B-Sides is just a mix of the old and the new stuff. So hopefully they get that listening to the B-sides record and [it] makes them want to listen to the whole discography from the beginning.
Scene Point Blank: Can you sum of your discography for the new listeners?
Downgiallo: We also released We're All Just Aliens, 5 Wasted Years, and Comped Into Obscurity. We also did a joint release with Learning Curve Records on Coolness Factor 6, and Hex Records on Hammer of Life.
Learn more about Grizzlor via their website and bandcamp pages.
