Melodic hardcore band I Refuse have seen a lot of action over this past summer. The band enjoyed a North American tour, which included dates in Canada and the United States. In addition, they recorded and released their newest EP, Speaks Fork-Tongued, a recording replete with as many political overtones as chugging guitars. Self-proclaimed "foodie" and guitar player for I Refuse, Dominic Maggiolo, gives us some insight behind the band's moral underpinnings and ruminates over what it means to be a modern-day punk rocker in this candid discussion with Brandon Campbell.

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Jeff Rosenstock and his computer started Bomb the Music Industry! after his previous outfit, the Arrogant Sons of Bitches, called it quits. Since then, BTMI has become a nationally renounced touring act, Jeff has founded the first donation-based record label in Quote Unquote Records, and the focus of that first BTMI song has retired from the White House. Gene Axton recently talked to the BTMI frontman about The Fest 8, managing a record label, and more.

Editors note: This interview was conducted well before the Fest, but fell back in the queue. You can click Read More for the interview.

Kingston, PA’s Title Fight has been rapidly gaining popularity among a variety of punk fans over the last six years. Their brand of pop-punk earns them spots on line-ups across the board – from Trapped Under Ice to Tigers Jaw. Their latest EP, The Last Thing You Forget, was released in June on Run for Cover Records, and their first full-length is finally in the works after a handful of seven inches. After just wrapping up a full U.S. tour, they’re already back on the road with New Found Glory for a few East Coast and Midwest gigs. Stephanie Thornton talked with this up-and-coming band about the latest EP and future material, influences, and the effect this band has on its underage members.

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Although many know this band by their tricky Guitar Hero entries, DragonForce fans have propelled their latest album Ultra Beatdown toward both a Grammy and Top 20 charts around the world. Punknews interviewer Jason Epstein sat down with DragonForce bassist Frédéric Leclercq before their show in Poughkeepsie, NY on October 10th to talk about the band’s past, present and future.

Undoubtedly the most popular hardcore band based Korea, The Geeks should be one of the first coming to mind when you think of Asian hardcore. Among the “K-Pop” permeating the entire country – Rain, Big Bang, Wondergirls– the substantial hardcore scene causes a great sigh of relief. Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, The Geeks sit tight on both Korea’s Townhall Records and Florida-based Think Fast! Records. Their brand of positive melodic hardcore does well in both hemispheres. While they rarely get a chance to visit the West, their LP Every Time We Fall is available for your listening pleasure on their Punknews profile page, and they are currently working on a new EP. Recent Korea resident Stephanie Thornton talked with lead singer Ki Seok So about The Geeks’ reputation, the hardcore scene in Korea, and cultural differences playing into the same international scene.

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Newcomer’s Junior Battles will be stirring up quite the ruckus over the next few months with appearances up and down the east coast, making stops along the way at Suedefest II and The Fest 8. With the well received debut of Hotel Bibles and a full-length album planned for 2010 you will be hard pressed not succumbing to the buzz this four piece has trailing them. Punknews’ Bill Leary caught up with vocalist Sam Sutherland before the band loaded into their van for their current string of shows.

You can click Read More for the interview, and check out their MySpace to hear two new songs.

The Menzingers may be young, but they’ve definitely started to turn some heads. Coming out of what seemed like nowhere, they’ve managed to somehow master the art of the slow build-up and the gigantic, singalong chorus. Taylor Cocke sat down with Greg Barnett to talk about where they come from, the new record, and of course, the Fest.

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Detroit, Michigan has endured a tumultuous year thus far. The city’s calling card automotive industry has been suffering a downright crisis and is still attempting to bounce back to some sense of normalcy. Compound that with the Red Wings losing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Tigers not making the playoffs, and things have been looking pretty grim. However, a glimmer of hope does shine from the Motor City this year, with Fenton based pop-punk act The Swellers releasing their new full length album, Ups and Downsizing. Punknews contributor Matt Pagirsky recently had an e-mail exchange with brothers Jonathan and Nick Diener about the new album, their recent signing to Fueled by Ramen, as well as their upcoming appearance at the Fest 8, and their national run with Paramore.

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New Jersey’s The Measure [SA] have cranked out 14 releases of insanely catchy punk rock since 2005, most recently appearing on a four way split 7" with Dead Mechanical, Pretty Boy Thorson, and Basement Black on Traffic Stop Records called How To Thrash a Million. They head out October 21st with the Gaslight Anthem, Murder By Death, and the Loved Ones for a short tour on their way down to this year’s Fest in Gainesville, Florida.

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For 20 years Simi Valley’s Strung Out have been creating their unique brand of fast, technical, and rebellious punk rock. Their most recent release, Agents of the Underground, which came out September 29th on Fat Wreck Chords, serves as a testament to Strung Out’s staying power. Sean Jain sat down with singer Jason Cruz after their show in Dallas, Texas to talk about their new album, their relationship with Fat Wreck Chords, one country they’d love to play most, and the meaning behind the title, Agents of the Underground.

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After signing with Canadian independent label Underground Operations, with whom she released a successful self-titled EP, received over 15,000,000 plays on MySpace, won a Juno award and took part in several huge tours (including the entirety of the 2009 Vans Warped Tour), Lights recently released her American major label debut titled The Listening on October 6th. Prior to heading out on an American fall tour, Lights sat down with Mark Millard to speak about her childhood, the Warped Tour and her debut full length album.

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For over a decade, Mike Kinsella has been ailing hearts and bruised souls with his lush melodies and songs about, to put it simply, failed social interactions. Well, he’s put that all behind him now. Publishing under the name Owen, Mike has reached the end of the proverbial tunnel and successfully came out on the other side (read: there still is hope for you after all). On his latest release, New Leaves, Mike explores the beauties and trivial realities of commitment and moving on. We figure it was worthwhile to call him up. Matthew Bentel spoke with Mike to find out the origins of his transformation, the convenience of recording at home, and if he’ll ever play “Never Meant” again.

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When a relatively unknown Orange County band released its debut album, Identity Crisis, almost 10 years ago, there were definite glimmers of hope in their pounding pop-rock sound, but nothing that would hint at the brilliance of what was to come. With every memorable album and every live show that would leave you buzzing for days after, Thrice has continued to be the epitome of how artists should evolve – by doing everything on their own terms and by not scrambling to please the online masses of demanding, nostalgia junkies. Whether it was screamed or whispered, each one of Thrice’s albums was an honest expression of who the band was at that time. Their new album, Beggars, is no exception. This amazing groove-infused record is a true display of what these four guys are capable of. While their past CDs may have been expressions of the band during a different time, Beggars is an unapologetic declaration of who Thrice is now.

Lead singer and scholar Dustin Kensrue took some time out of a hectic schedule to talk to Gen Handley from Punknews about what his reaction was to Beggars being leaked three months early, where the best place to eat in Orange County is, and why all the world is mad.

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Punknews' Darren McLeod caught up with Dave Hause of the Loved Ones before the Vancouver stop of their tour with Murder By Death, Frank Turner, and The Gaslight Anthem. They chatted about Dave's upcoming solo album, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the new Pearl Jam album and the difference between Dave Hause and Dave House. Darren also tried to talk about hockey, but that failed miserably.

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In their seventh-year running, Ghent, Belgium’s Rise and Fall have garnered a reputation as one of hardcore’s most brutal bands. After releasing 2005’s Into Oblivion on Deathwish Inc., and countless tours, the band hunkered down in various locales around Belgium to write their forthcoming LP, Our Circle Is Vicious. Produced by Converge’s Kurt Ballou, the LP, out October 27th on Deathwish, Inc., delivers a punishing dose of truth as only Rise And Fall can tell it. Sean Jain spoke with singer, Bjorn Dossche to get the lowdown on the new record as well as Rise And Fall’s upcoming U.S. tour.

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