Local hardcore band Oversight has released a new demo as a name-your-price download on Bandcamp, giving fans of 80s-tinged hardcore the perfect cathartic listen to end their work week.
But who is Oversight?
“Oversight came together from all of us just hanging out a lot and jamming in other bands actually,” explains Oversight guitarist John Vanacore. “Back in February my other hardcore band, Up Above, started becoming a thing and we needed someone to play drums and bass and both Ian [Caramanzana] and Fidel [Romero] were there right away to help us out. From there we had a lot of talk of starting another band that was more influenced by late 80s New York straight forward hardcore bands such as Altercation and Outburst. We got our friend Anthony to sing for us because he’s especially into that style of hardcore and he did a killer job singing in Fidel and Ian’s old band Value near the end of their presence. Our bassist Johnny [Esquivel] is such a sweetheart and we just couldn’t do the band without him so we asked him to get in on it too. I came up with the name from looking for cool sounding words on a Thesaurus website and pitched it to everyone and they were into it.”
Vanacore recorded the demo himself, expanding his limited recording experience during the process.
“I have very entry level experience and knowledge with recording and I was able to use that to record the demo myself in my upstairs loft,” says Vanacore. “I borrowed a rapper friend of mine’s condenser mic to do the drums, and used a mic of mine to record the guitars, bass, and vocals. We wanted to throw gang vocals into parts throughout the demo but it was difficult doing it at someone’s apartment or house with other people also being there when we were available, so I suggested that we do it at a park in someone’s car late at night. We showed up to this park by my house at around roughly 9:30 pm, and the park was swarmed with close to like 30 teenagers just partying, fighting, and lighting off leftover Fourth of July fireworks. We decided to say screw it and still record it in front of all the kids, but either they didn’t notice, or I just didn’t notice them notice, so it worked out with no awkward baggage.”
The result of the recording is this demo, which is sure to quickly win over fans of the classic east coast hardcore bands of the 80s, both in sonic fury and in its political lyrics.
“Our biggest influences for this demo musically were specifically late 80s NYHC bands such as Altercation, Warzone, Outburst, Youth of Today, Breakdown, Krakdown, and many more,” Vanacore explains. “Lyrically a lot of influences were drawn from just whack people, every day innocent people are fatally lost at the hands of cruel police officers, and our failing justice system barely does anything about it. On top of that there’s the worry of some bigoted greedy idiot attempting to become president. We express our disagreeing with these things in our songs.”
If you’re looking to watch the band live you won’t have to wait long, as their live debut is coming up later this month with hardcore band Free At Last.
“Our first show will be Monday July 18 at the Warehouse in Henderson with Free At Last from Springfield, MO on Triple B Records, as well as locals Iron Palm, Up Above, and No Relief, we’ll have tapes of our demo available to get here,” Vanacore says. “Thursday September 8 we’re playing with The Real Cost from Austin, TX on Mosher’s Delight Records, and Thursday September 15 we’re playing with Lowest Priority from Seattle, WA, these two shows are still in the process of getting put together but when they’re ready you can find flyers and more details for them on our Twitter @OversightLV. While you’re at it also follow the most diverse and greatest Las Vegas based music site of all time Punks in Vegas at @PunksInVegas.”
Aw, thanks, John!
More info about the band can be found in the very informational flyer below – and don’t miss their debut, July 18 at The Warehouse!
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