Records With History And Future

District 9 was a band from the Bronx, a suburb of New York, that played heavy Hardcore with Beat Down parts combined with rhythm. They had lyrics that make you think about life, society and more. Here follows a review of their 7 inch called “Schoolahardknox” released by Striving For Togetherness Records in 1995.

The first song called ‘Payback’ is a display of the feelings that are felt when someone stabs you in the back or betrays you. Is starts of with the initial aggression that finds a way in verbal and physical violence. And the ultimate deed of murder. All very factually told. But then the song takes a musical turn and also a turn in the storyline. The lyric writer finds solace in faith and finds another way to carry on after the act of violence and being charged guilty for it.

‘Think About It’ is about a suicide. The lyrics tell the factual story line of a 17 year old man who stand on a ledge, has tears in his eyes, takes a deep breath and then… jumps. Also the feelings of the persons mother and the back ground of why he did the deed of suicide. All is hard reality with no frills. It makes a man think about life.

‘Live Life’ is musically a varied song, it’s start of fast paced and then increasingly slower Beat Down parts come crushing in. The song is about the feeling of having no future but still finding the strength and will to live life.

Finally the song ‘Behind Red Tape’, a song about the frequent shootings in the Bronx and the deaths that are caused by it. The red tape is the tape the police hangs to protect the crime scene investigation. Even when it’s your brother that is shot in the streets, you can only stand behind that red tape and be left questioning why… Also the family that begs the shot person to stay awake, in disbelief. The images of that scene carved in your head, to be never forgotten.

In 2007 Dignified Bastard Media released this ep on CD together with tracks from the 1991 demo, a compilation track, a live show on WNYU played in 1995 and As One (a Warzone cover song) live at CBGB played in 2006 on their reunion.