Tragedy (USA)
There are so many ways to kill the joy and poop the party in punk, but only one sure strategy to see that everything is done just like you want it: do it all yourself, anything from writing your own songs to releasing your own albums. It's my way or highway also for Tragedy from Oregon, crusting you with style ever since the beginning of the millennium.
Tragedy's faces are familiar also from a number of other crust and hardcore orientated bands. Three fourths of the crew used to be in Deathreat, and, by the same token, three Tragedists also manned another Tennessee-based hardcore band called His Hero is Gone. Hard work both in studio and at the stage is cool even in punk circles when you know what you are toiling for.
Raging thunder of riffs, guitar sounds that can best be described as crusty, and hasty tempo has always been characteristic to Tragedy, as are these features to the entire genre of crust punk. But this quartet also knows its melodies and does not shy away from downright awe-inspiring song structures. All this served with a good show, and voilà. Even if the apocalyptic themes of the songs may not exactly bring a smile to your face, the sheer credibility and uncompromising posture of the band certainly will.
Tragedy has always refrained from empty banter in the papers or even in the inner sleeves of their albums, and as they have opted out even from having a website, one has to suspect that they might just maybe be making music for some other reason than fame. The best way to find out what Tragedy is all about is to get your ass to the pit and get a generous helping of good old trashing. Away with picnic hampers on the festival grass, here comes Tragedy and sets your blankets on fire!
