Ink & Dagger

This is the highly anticipated, self titled, third and final full length release piece of work, from Philadelphia’s night stalkers, Ink & Dagger. Over the course of some 3 years, Ink & Dagger made a name for themselves as one of the most progressive, controversial, and sensory provoking bands around. Throughout their existence, the group successfully explored their punk and hardcore roots, while simultaneously developing their own brand of sonically powerful rock. From the very beginning the almighty Ink & Dagger have chosen to create their own environment rather than play by the stale and comfortable rules set up by everyone else, even if it meant making a few enemies along the way. They began their dark and essential journey with the now infamous, highly collectable, tomb stone shaped, hand numbered in blood, and highly sought after “Love is Dead� e.p. on Philadelphia’s now defunct Happy Days Records. From there the bloodthirsty night stalkers called for a change in the conventional state of punk with the release of the 7� and CD titled “Drive this 7� Wooden Stake Through My Philadelphia Heart� on Initial Records. Giving words new meaning as they created the new vampires, craving not blood but energy (and of course always creating their fair share of mischief along the way). Multiple trips across the states and a European stint with Sweden’s premier “New Noise� outfit Refused, brought their explosive stage show complete with bright flashing lights, malevolent red floods, white painted faces, the occasional red food coloring blood baths and waves of thunderous music to the eager hearts and minds of rebellious youths everywhere. With their first appropriate full length album, accurately titled “The Fine Art Of Original Sin�, Ink & Dagger, as energetic and scowlingly angry as ever, challenged everything anyone had ever thought about them. “The band you love to hate� used the opportunity to modernize and expand on everything they had done before, removing the face paint and inserting electronic wisdom. Collaborating with Philly’s remixer/junglists jsmooth and JG of GFS Productions on the closing track, only further cross the established guidelines and smash even more genres. This new offering of intelligence and madness is even more of a divergence from their past and no doubt their most definitive and true piece of work. Ink & Dagger have yet again asked to be redefined. The sweet taste of revenge has now finally been had. The scores have been settled and the naysayers have been silenced. This is defiantly not the Ink & Dagger you have heard before. Yet one thing has remained the same, the group’s dark imagery and precarious bite, as well as their bravery to not play by the rules and do whatever the fuck they please. A comparison to My Bloody Valentine now doesn’t seem to far off the mark, as did that to Swiz as few years back. Vocal duties on “Ink & Dagger� were occasionally shared with bassist Joshua Brown as well as random female vocals adding to the breadth of the recording. The deadly scope of sound only extended their explosive energy and reaches from spacey lull instrumentals and delicate rhythms, to fierce and sharp explosions and energy you’ve come to know as Ink & Dagger. You’re so dangerous. Whether this band, sexed your girlfriend, stole shit from your house, inspired you, or pissed on everything dear to you, the name Ink & Dagger alone will continue to provoke some sort of reaction for years to come. “Ink & Dagger� is undoubtedly destined to be a classic and stand the test of time. In the end, the bullshit will wither away and the music will endure as the only thing that really matters. Perhaps the only thing you hate more than Ink & Dagger is Buddyhead, so how appropriate is it that both camps are teaming up for this release?