I was recently emailed about a thrash metal band out of Monmouth Junction, NJ called Condition Critical, and at first, I was a little skeptical about giving them a listen because a lot of times when a band tells me that they’re a thrash band, they usually turn out being just another metal band. Not too many bands get the whole thrash metal thing the way I remember thrash metal growing up, but somehow Condition Critical got it! These guys are heavy, hard, and fast! I listened to their songs “Time Wave Zero,” “S.M.R. (Self-Mutilation Ritual),” and “Bred To Kill,” and I think my nose is still bleeding from banging my head so fast! These songs screamed with amazing guitar riffs, bass tones that were right up my alley, and drums that were thunderous. They were the perfect ingredients of old school thrash metal!
According to their ReverbNation page, the band formed in late 2010 and after a few lineup adjustments, the quartet known as Condition Critical was pumped to life. After spending a year in the basement writing and honing in on their skill, the boys of Condition Critical burst onto the Northern and Southern Jersey metal scene in early 2011, and they haven’t stopped yet. Consisting of singer/guitarist Alonso Maguino, guitarist Sam Agnew, bassist Mike Dreher, and drummer Ryan Donato, have created a whirlwind of chaos and flowing brutality’ that we haven’t heard in quite some time. This was just filth at its finest! Condition Critical has put a plethora of shows under their belt giving them the chance to perfect their stage presence, which is an important aspect of this whole music business that most bands don’t even bother with. Well, because of their focus on their stage presence, Condition Critical has earned quite a large and loyal following in a short time leaving fans wanting to see more of them.
Last September, Condition Critical released their debut self-titled four-song EP and received nothing but positive feedback from it all over the internet. It’s only a matter of time that you’ll be hearing them on WSOU’s “Street Patrol” if they’re not on there already! If you love old school thrash, you’ll love Condition Critical! Listen to them now at reverbnation.com/conditioncriticalnj.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My old buddy and former Slushpuppy singer, Dawn Botti, and her new band, New Day Dawn, headed down to Austin, TX, last week for the very popular South By Southwest Festival to perform four showcases in three days. That is awesome! Dawn’s been pretty busy lately too. She’s also currently working with producer and 3 Doors Down guitarist, Chris Henderson, on her new CD, which is slated to be released later this year. Making guest appearances on her upcoming CD are .38 Special keyboardist Bobby Capps and 3 Doors Down drummer, Greg Upchurch. Check out New Day Dawn now on reverbnation.com/newdaydawn.
My boys from NYC’s The Dirty Pearls are putting the finishing touches on their first full-length CD, Whether You Like It Or Not. The CD is set to be released sometime in June with a full-length tour to follow. For more info on The Dirty Pearls, go to thedirtypearls.com.
And finally, I recently hung out with Scarlet Carson singer Santino Noir and Life Without Warning singer David Marin at a recent Chevelle show in Atlantic City, and Santino was telling me that he’s been working on a solo project outside of Scarlet Carson. I had to check it out because he told me it was nothing like Scarlet Carson. In fact, he said that it was more hip-hop than rock, and he wasn’t kidding! His songs “Carry On The Flame” and “Hypnotized” are far cries from his Scarlet Carson stuff. In fact, I had no idea that Santino had it in him to throw down like that. Who knew? Check out Santino’s solo project at facebook.com/officialsantinonoir.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
3/14—Steve Brown and Dennis Zimmer—Orange Lantern, Paramus, NJ
3/15—Slaine/JaySaun/Pryme Prolifik/Shrine Bloodjinn/Rick Whispers—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/15—Steve Brown—Thatcher McGees, Pompton Lakes, NJ
3/16—Panzie*/Dizzy Reed—Ollie’s Point, Amityville, NY
3/16—Robbin’ Pain—Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
3/17—Steve Brown and the Fallout—Elm Street Grill, Oakland, NJ
3/17—Mother—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
3/17—Borgo Pass—Juggs N Strokers, Merrick, NY
3/17—ZO2—Arena Sports Lounge, Elmhurst, NY
3/18—Gotham Rocks Presents: Exist Trace—Hiro Ballroom, NYC
3/21—Steve Brown—Willie McBrides, Branchburgh, NJ
3/22—Scarlet Carson/Just A Memory—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
3/22—Steve Brown—Pellegrino’s, North Haledon, NJ
3/23—Dispute to Flames/Empire Fallen/Hollywood Kills/One Brick Down —Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/23—Richie Scarlet/Filter Effect/Kore Rozzik/Bluesfield Drive/Famous Monsters/Demon Boy/Gas NYC—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
3/23—Lieder—Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
3/23—Endall/Rock Rebel Rising/The Amatory Murder/Black Summer/Super Gravity/Twenty30/Last Stand for Lucy/The Mighty Pragmatics—The Delancey, NYC
3/23—Steve Brown and Dennis Zimmer—Sand Bar, Brielle, NJ
3/24—BlackOcean/MeatPlow—The Bridgewater Pub, Bridgeton, NJ
3/24—Steve Brown and the Fallout—Grasshopper on the Green, Morristown, NJ
3/24—Sic Flux/Jaded Past—Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
3/24—Sleepy Hollow/Explorer/Scars of Envy/Voodoo Terror Tribe/Power Trip—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
3/24—Mother/Ghosts of Eden—The Gramercy Theater, NYC
3/29—Scarlet Carson/Burn Halo—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
3/30—BlackOcean/Hammer Fight—The Lucky Seven, Keyport, NJ
3/31—Going Dark—Paramount Theater, Asbury Park, NJ
3/31—Steve Brown and the Fallout—Blackthorn, Parsippany, NJ
