Metalcore up-and-comers Knock em Dead want to invite fans into the world they know.
Growing up in Miami-Dade County, Fla., considered one of the roughest sections of the country, was a less than ideal upbringing for brothers Hamlet and Vlad Garcia.
But they took those lessons off the street, combined with their core family values, and put it to music.
“We grew up hard but none of my lyrics are tough-guy lyrics,” said Hamlet Garcia, vocalist for the sextet, who will perform in McAllen on Wednesday. “I grew up different and it made me who I am. If we hadn’t grown up the way we did we wouldn’t be the same way.”
Situations like having your entire family come to the United States from Nicaragua to escape the country’s civil unrest or watching your siblings go through difficult times or as a kid waiting up for your mom to get home from work gave Garcia unfeigned material to work with.
“My parents are the hardest working parents who would work three jobs to get us what we needed,” said the 22-year-old. “They passed on that work ethic. I may not be book smart but I am street smart.”
Knock em Dead won’t give you sugar-coated lyrics.
They won’t apologize for tackling topics considered taboo.
Consider them hardcore by nature if you want, they just don’t see it that way musically.
To be more specific, the band delivers more of a metalcore sound which they pepper with a vintage Sepultura and 100 Demons. Songs are heavy, vocals are brutal and mayhem on stage is customary.
“I don’t think we’re as hardcore as people think we are,” said Garcia, whose writing formula includes listening to the Beatles, John Lennon and Tupac. “I love hardcore and listen to hardcore but I’m looking for a heavier sound. But music is music and as long as bands support each other that’s what it’s all about.”
When the Garcia brothers started Knock em Dead they wanted to prove to themselves their hard work wouldn’t go in vain. They understood they weren’t coming from a privileged background and had to work extra hard to be able to buy equipment, a touring van and be able to scour parts of the east coast on a dime.
So far they’ve done well, Garcia laughs.
“We’re unknown but the music speaks for itself,” he says. “Bands work harder than a lot of people think. A lot of people see the end result on stage but don’t see the hard work behind it all.”
Throughout their two and a half years together they have built solid relationships with about a dozen well-known bands in the hardcore scene. Garcia insists he can’t go without mentioning his hardcore brothers: Thick as Blood, Line of Scrimmage, Fatality, Flawless Victory, Hard Luck, Tough Break, Maldito, Hoods and King Conquer.
“We spent two weeks with Mike Hood (of Hoods) in California when our van broke down,” he said. “We were just kids trying to get stuff done and he helped us out. He didn’t have to but he did. In the hardcore community members unite and a lot of time stick our neck out for each other.”
Once things really take off they intend on returning the favor to whoever may need it in the near future.
“We’ve had some bad luck,” Garcia said. “Every time we go to a show something always goes wrong. But the difference is we fight for it instead of giving up and we work with our potential.”
Fans can check out the band in a live DVD for sale at Hot Topic in collaboration with Secrecy Clothing and Born to Hate video magazine.
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Knock em Dead
with Line of Scrimmage, Set Trip, Chop Block, DTD, Fallen Empire, First Born from the Dead, Dreadscape, Hellstown Rebels, The Requested and Trust In Blood
WHEN: Jan 9, 6 p.m.
WHERE: James “Nikki” Rowe VFW, 183 W. Bus. 83, McAllen
COST: $5
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Miriam Ramirez covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4468.
