Durango doesn’t live on bluegrass alone. Sometimes, you need a little power and amplification and genres like grindcore and powerviolence. Disclaimer: That latter term is a term only, it’s not a genre that promotes violence. It’s a description of the actual sound of the music, subgenres of metal and punk with all the speed of thrash-metal and 1980s hardcore. It’s lo-fi, aggressive and void of slick production. Its lyrics address and protest political greed and corrupt governments, along with standing up for human or animal rights. It’s activist music. Part of the indie-music canon, it flourishes as a micro-genre, present enough that it’s birthed and grown active scenes loaded with bands and fans in cities nationwide.
Grindcore and powerviolence band S---stormtrooper, along with Decapitation of a New Day from Dulce, New Mexico, and Paranormal Slaughter from Albuquerque, will perform tonight (April 29) at The Hive in downtown Durango.
Formed in 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, they started as a band that wanted to make heavy sounds. And they also wanted to play fast, going for triple-digit beats per minute. Grindcore gave them the heavy, powerviolence gave them the speed. When drummer Aldo Guerrero was digging into both styles, he figured he could combine them.
“When I first heard this music, I was like, ‘wow, what kind of punk is this? This is something I’ve never heard,” he said. “It’s so fast, so aggressive, so short. I was blown away by it.”
Looking to expand their fanbase and get involved in a bigger scene, S---stormtrooper, who in addition to Guerrero are Jen Amidon on vocals and Keegan Daleo on guitar, moved to Houston. It’s a city that’s bigger than the entire state of Delaware, and one loaded with bands of all genres, including aggressive bands like S---stormtrooper, fronted by a woman.
“I think it is rarer, but in the last few years there’s a lot of female-fronted bands coming out of the woodwork,” Amidon said. “There’s some really good ones here in Houston as well. There’s a lot of women for me to look up to.”
If you go
WHAT: S---stormtrooper, Decapitation of a New Day and Paranormal Slaughter.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday (April 29).
WHERE: The Hive, 1150 Main Ave., Suite A.
TICKETS: $5 suggested donation.
MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.thehivedgo.org.
They’re also a band that fits the mission of The Hive – it’s a nontraditional venue that bucks some of the conventions you’d find at a standard bar or club.
“These shows are all ages, all inclusive, drug and alcohol free. This gives younger generations a place where they can be exposed to alternative music stylings,” said Alex Vick, creative director at The Hive. “We believe that all music and art forms should be attainable. We create this by only charging a suggested $5 for show entry. So, despite age or monetary wealth, anyone can attend. In my musical upbringing, I faced a lot of adversity when trying to book or play shows because I’ve always played in punk, hardcore or metal bands. I have too many stories of being stifled in my pursuit of musical passion because the music I play has been coined as ‘too aggressive.’ Because of this musical trauma, it is my personal mission to open The Hive’s doors to any genre and skill level. I believe if an act feels they are ready to share their work with the public, it’s my job to provide the stage on which they can share.”
The “stage” at The Hive is actually part of its indoor skatepark. It’s a barrier-less venue, where fan is front and center with performer. All-ages, nontraditional venues have always been a mainstay within indie-music scenes, and something members of S---stormtrooper are stoked on.
“A lot of bands that we look up to have played shows like that, and honestly, it’s been a wish of mine to eventually do that,” Guerrero said. “I’m really happy that we are playing a skatepark.”
Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. Reach him at liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.
