Writing: Dr. Slobodan Kotlayic
Photos by: Philip Whitehouse, Janky Smooth, Official
We received the latest information from the organisators MM Concerts and Serbian Hellbangers that beacause of the logistics reasons, the concert of Madball + their special guests (Only The Hard Eastern Tour) on date October 8th, 2024. will move to Zappa Baza club in Belgrade. Everything else remains the same, as all tickets purchased earlier are also valid for the new location. Anyone who wants to return tickets can do so at the places where they bought them. Tickets are currently sold at a price of 3,500 din, on the day of the concert they will cost 4,000 din, (if will be available) and Belgrade is the only destination in the former Yu on this European tour.
New York legends named Madball will play in Serbia again after a long period, they are one of those bands that played the most in our country, when we talks about New York hardcore sound (just like the bands Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, Pro-pain) and they really are always welcome in our country because everyone knows their energetic and aggressive style, which combines the best elements of hardcore and metal with roots in punk rock.
Freddy Cricien (Roger Miret’s half-brother), is the legendary singer of this band who “dragged” into NYHC from an early age due to the great influence of his half-brother. Legend said that the band was actually formed in the late 1980s as a side project of Agnostic Front, because actually the band was formed after Agnostic Front vocalist Roger Miret let a young Fredy Cricien take the microphone and sing during Agnostic Front’s performances.
Not too much days later, a very interesting first line-up of the new band called Madball seen, including Roger Miret on bass, Vinnie Stigma on guitar, Wil Shepler on drums, and then 12-year-old vocalist Freddy Cricien. That line-up of the band recorded their debut EP “Balls Of Destruction” in 1989, and after years of playing regional shows around the New York area, another guitarist, Matt Henderson, joined the band. They released the EP “Droppin’ Many Suckers” with him. A year later, Miret left the band and was replaced on bass by Jorge “Hoya Roc” Guerra — who was looking for a new band as his band, D-mize, disbanded. The band experienced a new reincarnation by signing to Roadrunner Records, in 1994, for which they released 2 LP albums: Set It Off in 1994 and Demonstrating My Style in 1996. On tours, the band built a huge fan base outside of their hometown. In 1995, also the band participated at N.Y.H.C. documentary film. Extensive interviews were conducted with the young frontman Freddy Cricien, as well as a performance on July 29, 1995 at the now don’t existed school “Cony Island High”.
Line-up: Cricien, Henderson, Hoya and new drummer John Lafata (former Neglect drummer) records the LP “Look My Way” which was released in early 1998. Two years later “Hold It Down” followed. The band announced their disbandment in 2001, but decided to reform in late 2002 with a new line-up featuring Brian “Mitts” Daniels and Rigg Ross. They started touring and recording in late 2002. Since then, Madball has released: the compilation “Best of Madball” in 2003, “N.Y.H.C.” (EP) in 2004, “Legacy” in 2005, and “Infiltrate The System” in 2007. Along with bands such as Agnostic Front, Vietnom, Bulldoze, Resistance, H2O, and Boston/New York hip-hop group Special Teamz, Madball is part of the New York DMS team. Singer Freddy Cricien and bassist Hoya were also in the band Hazen Street, along with members of H2O and Cro-Mags.
Madball signed with Nuclear Blast for the European release of their studio album “Empire”, which was produced by Eric Rutan.
In 2014, the band began recording their eighth studio album “Hardcore Lives”, which was released in June of that year. In October 2017, Brian “Mits” Daniels left Madball. Madball released their ninth studio album, “For the Cause”, in 2018. In January 2019, Madball announced that their touring guitarist, Mike Gurnari, will become an official member. In August 2023, one of the trademarks of the band, Jorge “Hoya Roc” Guerra announced his departure. He was replaced by Brendan Porey, and in the current line-up there are also Mike Gurnari on guitar and Mike Justin on drums, and now it will be a special interest to see and hear how a completely new band sounds today, which has not been seen in that line-up in Serbia, and therefore and to all fans who come on 08.10.2024. in club Zappa Baza will be extremely interesting to see and hear live what Madball sounds and looks like live today.
Special guests at the concert at the Zappa Baza club in Belgrade on October 8. will be Dutch band Born From Pain, known for their aggressive sound and intense live performances. Their key releases include albums like “Reclaiming the Crown” and “The New Future”, which were extremely well received for their brutal honesty and musical maturity, despite being a 2002 debut album and a 2012 album, and the fact that in between these 2 albums were 5 more editions.
Nasty is a Belgian-German hardcore punk group known for their energetic performances, who quickly gained a following in the hardcore scene due to their aggressive sound and outspoken lyrics, creating a raw and powerful musical experience.
Macedonians have always had interesting metal bands in the past, and Primitive Dread is certainly one of them. Although the youngest of them all, they have already become known for their aggressive style and dark, brutal music with their own unique influences, creating a sound that is both powerful and recognizable.
All that and much more awaits you as part of the Only The Hard – Eastern tour, at the Zappa Baza club, in Belgrade, on October 8, 2024. Madball again in Belgrade!
