Agnostic Frontis an American hardcore punk band from New York City.[3] Founded in 1980, the band is considered an important influence on the New York hardcore scene, as well as a pioneer of the crossover thrash genre.[3]
Formed in 1980 with Vincent "Vinnie Stigma" Capuccio (formerly of the Eliminators) on lead guitar,[4] with Diego on bass, Rob Krekus (aka Robby Crypt Crash)[5] on drums and John Watson on vocals. Despite being billed at their first concert as the Zoo Crew, Stigma introduced them as Agnostic Front, saying that the poster had been made prior to deciding on the name.[6] They soon added Ray Barbieri, aka Raybeez, on drums and Adam Mucci on bass.[7] After Watson was arrested, the band hired James Kontra as their vocalist, who eventually quit before a performance at Great Gildersleeves after a disagreement with Capuccio about how to hand out stickers.[8] Although never having spoken to him before, Stigma told some of his friends to ask Roger Miret (former bass player of the Psychos) if he wanted to be the vocalist of Agnostic Front, because he liked his style of slam dancing.[4][6] In 1983, this lineup recorded their debut EP United Blood. The EP was officially released later that year, however by that point Mucci had departed from the band, and been replaced by Todd Youth.[9]
During its initial phase, the band consisted entirely of skinheads. Although this would change over time, Agnostic Front would continue to feature skinheads as part of their lineup. This led to a belief among some that the band espoused ultra-nationalist or fascist politics, an assertion denied by vocalist Roger Miret in a 1985 Flipside interview:
"...We're skinheads. And the skinheads in England have a very bad name like with the fascists and stuff like that. But this is America not England. Just because the skinheads are fascists over there doesn't mean we got to grow our hair out if we don't feel like it.... We love our country—but not necessarily how our government works."[10]
They were later accused of racism in the song "Public Assistance" by Phil Donahue in a 1986 show on New York hardcore punk.[11]
Their debut album, Victim in Pain (1984), is regarded as a seminal New York hardcore release. Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic dubbed it "the ultimate document of the New York hardcore scene."[12] Dave Jones replaced Raybeez on drums after a mutual agreement among the band members that Raybeez "needed time" to address a developing drug problem.[13] Dave Jones was "a kid from New Jersey" who had previously played with the band Mental Abuse.[14][a] Rob Kabula took over on bass. In 1984, Jimmy "The Kid" Colletti from Justified Violence joined on drums when the band went to tour with the Exploited later that year. The album pushed the band to the forefront of New York's fledgling hardcore scene, which was centered around CBGB, where they played with bands like the Cro-Mags and Murphy's Law.
Prior to recording their next album Miret left AF for a few months at the beginning of 1986, during which time Carl "The Mosher" Demola stepped in.[15] 1986's Cause for Alarm was a difficult album to record, due to constant lineup changes and personnel problems.[16] Released on Combat Records, it added thrash metal influences. With other bands such as Suicidal Tendencies and Stormtroopers of Death, this album would mark Agnostic Front's foray into the world of crossover thrash. It also featured some lyrics written by Peter Steele and drumming by Louie Beato (both of Carnivore). Miret left the band for four months between the recording and release of Cause for Alarm, and was replaced by Carl Demola.[17] The band then embarked on a tour in support of the album and took part in the Eliminator tour.[18]
Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma formed a new incarnation of AF over the summer of 1987, enlisting lead guitarist Steve Martin, bassist Alan Peters and drummer Will Shepler.[15] With this new lineup, the band soon released Liberty and Justice For... in 1987.[16] The album featured stripped down punk with a lack of thrash influences, yet it contained many metal-style guitar solos. It did not sell nearly as well as previous releases. The band then went on a North American tour which spanned into 1988.[19] The band's first live album Live at CBGB, was also released that year with was recorded on tour the previous summer.[20] In January 1989, Miret was sentenced to four years in prison for drug trafficking a couple of years earlier.[21] While in prison, Miret began writing new songs while Stigma and the band toured Europe for the first time. Miret was released early in September 1990 after the charges were overturned.[15] At the beginning of a European tour in October 1990, Miret was refused entry to Belgium as he didn't have a valid visa; the band continued the tour, with roadie Mike Shost stepping in as temporary vocalist.[15] The lyrics, written by Miret while incarcerated, formed most of 1992's One Voice,[16] which featured members of Madball and Sick of It All. Miret later stated in a 2011 interview "Those songs told the story of my life. That was pretty damn cool for that reason."[22] During the subsequent touring cycle, Miret was temporarily replaced by his younger brother (and Madball bandmate) Freddy Cricien for a string of shows in July, while he underwent surgery to treat an inguinal hernia.[15]
The band's last show was at CBGB on December 20, 1992. The show was recorded for the live album Last Warning which was released by Roadrunner Records in 1993.[16]
Merit claimed the band never officially broke up stating:
We never really broke up. We just took a break. I'm a father and I felt like I needed to spend more time with my daughter. During that time, I became better at what I do. I became a better technician. When I knew it was time, I got together with [guitarist] Vinnie [Stigma] and it sounded right.[22]
Start of the second era (1996–2006)
Stigma and Miret reformed Agnostic Front in May 1996 and did a few reunion shows in December 1996, signing to Epitaph Records and recruiting Jimmy Colletti on drums and Rob Kabula on bass,[16] who was playing with Against the Grain at the time. Their latest venture was titled Something's Gotta Give.[16] In 1999, they followed up with Riot, Riot, Upstart.[16] Their comeback albums have sold well and been mostly acclaimed by music critics[who?] for their pure hardcore punk sound. That same year they also released a split with Dropkick Murphys EP titled Unity.[24] In 1999 the group played a few shows at that years Warped tour.[25]
After touring until the summer of 2000, AF briefly took a break to start writing material for a new album.[26] Then In 2001, they released the album Dead Yuppies.[16] Songs from this album were rarely played live, as the band considered it more a product of Loved and Hated, Jimmy Colletti's side-project band. The track "Love to be Hated" appears on a volume of Epitaph Records' Punk-O-Rama compilation series, but the band left the label shortly after release and recorded a split live album with Discipline, Working Class Heroes, in 2003,[27] before signing to Nuclear Blast Records in 2004.
In 2002, Miret worked on a side-project band, Roger Miret and the Disasters, looking for a sound akin to old-school punk and Oi!. Also that year, the band appeared in Matthew Barney's film Cremaster 3 along with Murphy's Law. The band continued touring and in late 2003 they joined Unseen and Hatebreed on US tour.[28]
In 2004, Agnostic Front released their fourth studio album Another Voice. The album was regarded mainly as a follow-up to One Voice. The album, however, did receive some criticism from fans and the press for apparently changing their music to fit the current wave of 'tough guy' bands. Musically, the album bears resemblance to bands that were heavily influenced by Agnostic Front, such as Hatebreed. Miret's vocals on the album particularly seemed to turn off many less hardcore punk-oriented fans. Later, the track "Peace" was contributed to the mash-up album Threat: Music That Inspired the Movie, where it was remixed by Schizoid and renamed "World at War".
In 2005, Agnostic Front took part in the Unity tour alongside bands such as Terror and Diecast.[29] In 2006 they released a live album titled Live at CBGB – 25 Years of Blood, Honor and Truth, which was limited to 500 copies.[30]
Warriors and My Way My Life (2007–2011)
The band performing in Rome in 2007
On March 7, 2006, Agnostic Front released the DVD Live at CBGB. This follows the efforts of many bands that tried to save CBGB from shutting down. Miret claims that "We played more shows at CBGB than any band ever, and we played more benefit shows for CBGB than any band ever" when the club did close, most nostalgia focused on 1970s punk bands.
On November 6, 2007, Agnostic Front released the album Warriors with the hit "For My Family" which was largely a continuation of the band's crossover thrash sound.[31]
The band performed on the Persistence Tour in Europe in the winter of 2009. In March 2009, Steve Gallo was replaced by former Leeway drummer Jimmy "Pokey" Mo.[32] For the 25th anniversary of their debut LP Victim in Pain, Bridge Nine Records released remastered versions of said album along with their first EP, United Blood, on November 17, 2009. On February 26, 2010, Agnostic Front reunited their original lineup consisting of Roger Miret, Vinny Stigma, Rob Kabula, and Dave Jones who had not performed together since 1984. For a special show at the Bell House in Brooklyn, New York, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Victim in Pain.[33]
In 2011, Agnostic Front released their ninth studio album, My Life My Way.[34] Metalunderground dubbed the album "one of the bands' best releases to date." Adding My Life My Way "is by far Agnostic Front's greatest achievement. Everything from the catchy riffs, infectious vocals, guitar solos, and gang chants work perfectly in unison and create an incredible New York Hardcore record. Its official, hardcore is back."[35]
The American Dream Died and Get Loud (2012–2020)
Agnostic Front performing at the SO36 in 2012
In 2012, the group played at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England, they played the festival again in 2014 and 2016. In 2012, the band held three commemorative 30th anniversary shows where they performed the 1989 live recording Live at CBGB in its entirety to paying homage to the New York hardcore subculture.[36] In 2013, they once again took part in the Persistence tour alongside co headlining alongside Hatebreed.[37] In May 2014, Joseph James was replaced by Craig Silverman.[38]
In 2015, the band released the album The American Dream Died via Nuclear Blast Records which consisted mostly of the bands older style of music with a modern touch. Blabbermouth.net scored the album 8.5 out of 10, stating, "Miret and company have engineered another blistering, attention-seizing album with nearly as much venom as Black Flag's 'My War.'"[39] The band continued to tour extensively in Europe as well as the U.S. in support of the record.
In 2017, Stigma and Miret appeared in a documentary about Agnostic Front, The Godfathers of Hardcore, directed by Ian McFarland.[40] That same year the group also toured extensively in celebration of the group's 35th anniversary.[41] In early 2018 Agnostic Front teamed up with Dropkick Murphys for a North America co headling tour.[42]
In 2019, Agnostic Front released their tenth studio album, Get Loud.[43]Blabbermouth.net gave the record a 8/10, stating "Get Loud! is as potent and memorable an example of the genre as you will ever hear. As they approach their 40th birthday, AGNOSTIC FRONT are still very much not to be fucked with."[44] That same year, they also announced a massive North American tour in celebration of the 35th anniversary of their debut LP Victim in Pain with support came from fellow NYC band Prong.[45] The group also took part in a co-headlining tour with Sick of It All.[46] In 2020, they took part in the Final Persistence Tour alongside Gorilla Biscuits and others.
Echoes in Eternity (2021–present)
In September 2021, Miret revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer earlier that year. However, after a lengthy hospital stay and surgery, the cancer is now in remission. A GoFundMe page was launched to help Miret pay for his medical bills, after a successful operation the cancer was completely removed.[47]
After a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Miret's cancer diagnosis, AF returned to touring in May 2022 with new drummer Danny Lamagna, who had taken over from Mo following his departure in 2020.[48] That same year, the band once again toured with Sick of It All in the New York United Tour.[49] The band continued extensive touring and In December 2024, they announced the New York Blood 2025 Tour alongside the bands Murphy's Law and Violent Way.
In January 2025, the band announced The Last Warning Tour with Bad Religion, with shows planned in Europe, the UK, Spain and Portugal beginning in May 2025. In April 2025, it was announced that the band would be playing at Riot Fest in Chicago in September 2025.
In September 2025, the band announced their new album Echoes in Eternity. The album was released on November 7, 2025.[50]Echoes in Eternity has received many positive reviews since its release. Don Lawson of Blabbermouth.net gave the album a 8/10 stating "Echoes in Eternity is as definitive a hardcore experience as anyone is likely to get in 2025. Sometimes, it takes the masters to raise the alarm, and here it is, ringing with deafening assurance."[51]
Musical style
Agnostic Front at Reload Festival 2016
Agnostic Front is a hardcore band. Lead singer Roger Miret has claimed the band has always stayed true to its hardcore roots: "All those bands that everybody raves about—they gave up on you. They quit; they grew up out of [hardcore]. We never gave up on nobody."[52] In a 2015 interview, Miret commented on the band's style and recording process, stating, "The music comes first… and then I come in and see what the music is telling me."[53] As for the evolution of their sound, he added, "It evolves organically, there's never a conscious thing, like 'we're gonna write this type of a song now.' … We just write songs... We revisit older sounds as part of what keeps it still clearly an Agnostic Front record."[53]
Legacy
Agnostic Front are viewed as founding members of the New York hardcore scene, and are considered to be "the godfathers of hardcore" and one of the bands that created the New York scene. They, alongside Sick of It All, Cro-Mags, Madball and Warzone, have been credited as pioneers.[54] They set the tone for aggressive, working-class urban punk with attitude, introducing crossover thrash elements.[55][56]
They are commonly referred to as New York's first homegrown hardcore band. Their first album Victim in Pain was named in 2021 by Revolver magazine as one of ten essential New York hardcore albums.[57] Their second album Cause For Alarm was inducted into the Decibel magazine Hall of Fame in 2014.[58]
↑ In 2013–2014, there was a crowd-funding effort to raise funds for medical treatment for Dave Jones, who "[had] been battling challenging medical issues".
1 2 Steven Blush (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. p.215. ISBN978-0-922915-71-2. The band AF started in early 1982 as The Zoo Crew at Apartment X, Crazy Emily's Eldridge Street storefront squat. ... they tried with James Kontra and Keith Burkhardt, before teaming with Roger Miret (ex-The Psychos/Distorted Youth), ... When people thought of New York, they automatically thought of Agnostic Front.
↑ Byte, Bob (1984). "Agnostic Front". Big City Fanzine (7) – via Internet Archive. He wasn't thrown out and he didn't quit. It was just a mutual agreement. He was missing and the band had shows to do and he needed time. Ray doesn't drum but he is still part of Agnostic Front.
1 2 3 4 5 Roger, Miret (2017). Wiederhorn, Jon (2017), My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts & Glory, New York City, New York: Lesser Gods. Lesser Gods. ISBN978-1-944713-10-2.
↑ Miret, Roger (September 14, 2017). My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts & Glory. Lesser Gods. pp.143–144. ISBN978-1-944713-10-2. I left Agnostic Front for about four months. Vinnie was cool with whatever I wanted to do. I was a big mess, and he supported me during my existential crisis. It wasn't just the music that was weighing heavily on my mind... During the time I was out of Agnostic Front they had a temporary singer named Carl "The Mosher" Demola, who had been in the Psychos and The Icemen. Carl was a good friend and was infamous for going crazy at shows. When he went into the pit, he had his own style and everyone gave him his space when he danced. He never played a show with Agnostic Front. He rehearsed with them a bunch, but right after my dog bit me, Vinnie stopped by the Pit Farm before a CBGB show that Agnostic Front were booked to play. "We've got a show coming up at CBGB. Can you play it? We really miss you." "What about Carl?" I asked. "He's cool, but it's not the same without you up there." Vinnie was really persuasive. He could talk bears out of the caves they were hibernating in. I did the CBGB gig with my arm in a sling (because of the dog bite) and a bandage over the third degree burn on my neck (where the tattoo was removed).
↑ Wiederhorn, Jon; Turman, Katherine (June 5, 2014). Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal. It Books. pp. 236–237. When I was seventeen, I roadied for Carnivore, which was probably the single biggest influence on Biohazard because Carnivore played thrash metal, but they were somehow fused with the hardcore scene because they had the best skank parts, slow parts, and dance parts. One day I went down with Carnivore to the rehearsal studio to see Agnostic Front. They all had shaved heads, tattoos, and were more punk than Carnivore, but they were starting to play a metal style. I was totally sucked in. I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to have all of these styles in one band... I was a street kid from Brooklyn, but I got what Biohazard wanted to do because after I went away to college to SUNY Oneonta, my friend Ian gave me the Cro-Mags demo and it totally made sense. That, and Agnostic Front's [1984 album] Victim of Pain blew me away. I knew I wanted to do something that had that vibe, but mixed with Carnivore and early Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden.
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