Johan Wieth (Iceage)

Iceage are a threatening band. They're threatening because of their chaotic, metallic, shambling mass of sound. They're threatening because their latest album, You're Nothing is thirty minutes of ice cold cathartic destruction. They're threatening because they seem to have appeared out of the ether. They're threatening because people can't quite wrap their heads around them.

In some ways, this threat has caused the band to be thrust in the spotlight. Just why are these 21 year old Danes making such a berserk racket? How could dudes so young have the ability to write from such a detached distance? But in other ways, the threat has caused Iceage strife. Allegations of the most vile sort has been launched in the band's direction.

To see why the band is so threatening to some people and to get behind some of their imagery that is so powerful yet so mysterious, Punknews features editor John Gentile recently phoned up Iceage guitarist Johan Wieth, where they talked about You're Nothing, emotions themselves and whether or not they are part of a secret fascist cult.

Henry Rollins

You could say that Henry Rollins is constantly on the move, but you'd be wrong. To be 'on the move' suggests that the subject has the ability or inclination to stop at some point. By contrast, Rollins seems to be in a state of constant motion, by turns visiting the four corners of the globe, writing a new book, or talking about important stuff on stage in the Nation's capital. So really, Rollins isn't so much in a state of constant progression as he is an infinity symbol divided by zero… or something like that.

Just recently Rollins wrapped up his tour of all 50 capital cities, ending the tour in washington DC on election night. He's also re-releasing the ripping End of Silence demos on vinyl, spinning the wildest and weirdest cuts on KCRW every week, as well as narrating a documentary about graffiti, go go music, and a hip cat named Cool "Disco" Dan. In order to see what Rollins thinks of some of his projects, Punknews Features Editor John Gentile fired up his Delorean to 1.21 gigawatts, and met Rollins in his own rapid timestream, where they had a brief chat.

Jim Lindberg (Pennywise)

The three years leading up to Pennywise's 25th anniversary have been turbulent to say the least. Lead singer Jim Lindberg left the band unamicably and started another band, while the remnants of Pennywise found a replacement in Zoli Téglás from Ignite. In spite of having a respectable replacement, having someone other than Lindberg singing such personal, almost autobiographical songs like "Bro Hymn" was a bit awkward.

And when all hope was lost for a reunion to ever happen, Lindberg returned to the band for its silver anniversary - but not without any resentment for the past few years. Sounding upbeat and excited about being back, Lindberg also sounded a bit dubious - almost like a buddy who's working things out with his girlfriend after she cheated on him during a drunk night out.

Lindberg recently sat down with Punknews staff interviewer Gen Handley to talk about his thoughts on the Lindberg-less, Pennywise album, why he decided to come back and what the band is doing to move forward.

After the Fall

After three long years Albany, New York's After The Fall's new record is just around the bend. Having drawn influences from the sound of Propagandhi to Descendents, their new album Unkind is a medley of the same After The Fall sound with more depth and an aggressive edge. Unkind is set to come out March 19, 2013 on Paper and Plastick and will be followed by a tour. Punknews staff interviewers Christopher and Samantha Barrett sat with the whole band to discuss goals and plans for the new album.

The Story of the Crassical Collection

Crass didn't define punk as much as show punk had no set definition. Through a string of six albums and many, many singles, the band used boot boy rocking, expressionist soundscapes, and straight up screaming to not only express a point, but to engage in direct action.

Now, twenty-six years later, Crass have finished re-releasing their six studio LPs, entitled The Crassical Collection. The reissues did not come easy. Just as founding member Penny Rimbaud was planning to improve the sound of the original releases and update the art of the albums, a few members of Crass became strongly opposed to Rimbaud's plan.

Punknews features editor John Gentile recently spoke to founding members Steve Ignorant and Rimbaud about what Crass was, what Crass is, and what the reissues mean.

Rachel Taft (Feed the Scene)

Feed the Scene is the original "Band & Breakfast" started by Charm City resident Rachel Taft. Taft is the founder and essentially the one-woman show behind the organization that feeds and houses bands touring through Baltimore, all completely free of charge. Her house features a hostel-like bunk bedroom and depending on the night, you can find her serving up everything from bacon wrapped scallops to herb roasted frenched racks of lamb (recipe below!) to vegan friendly spicy citrus asparagus. Punknews contributing editor Kira Wisniewski spoke to Rachel about her organization, what she does and how she's doing her part as the "Jewish mother of punk rock."

Mark Rose (Ex-Spitalfield)

As a veteran of the pop/rock scene of the early 2000s, ex-Spitalfield frontman Mark Rose has quite a few years of touring experience under his belt. Apparently though, he doesn't need a break. Rose has been on the road extensively since before his solo LP debut, 2011's Wonderful Trouble, and recently finished performing 33 shows in 26 days alongside longtime friend JT Woodruff of Hawthorne Heights in support of his latest EP, The Sound of a Turnaround.

These days, Rose has gone a more singer-songwriter route compared to his Spitalfield tenure. With that being said, he's an advocate for creating new outlets for struggling musicians. Enter Downwrite.com, where you can request a custom song from Rose and Bob Nanna (of Braid and Hey Mercedes fame) for the time being, but with more musicians and plans on the horizon. Punknews staff writer Laila Hanson had the chance to sit down and discuss his recent ventures.

Tony Foresta (Iron Reagan / Municipal Waste)

Having grown tired of partying, getting wasted and generally having a good time,Municipal Waste's Tony Foresta has thrown aside the keg, smashed the bong, flushed drugs, and formed Iron Reagan his hardest, fastest, and darkest band yet. Foresta rose to metal prominence with crossover revivalists Municipal Waste, a band that celebrate self destruction, set it to ripping riffs and encourage in-concert boogie boarding.

Now joined with fellow Waster Phil Hall plus Paul Burnette and Ryan Parrish, both formerly of Darkest Hour, Foresta is set to release Iron Reagan's nineteen song debut Worse than Dead, a record that espouses a bleaker and more vicious worldview than we've seen from him before. In order to see why Foresta has gone from being a party-maniac to just the regular kind of maniac, Punknews features editor John Gentile slipped a taser in his back pocket and met up with the vocalist where they talked about his new band, the concept of violence in harder music, and getting killed by GWAR.

Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife / I Am the Avalanche)

After the better part of two decades in the punk scene and a resume that includes fronting not one but two seminal melodic hardcore acts in The Movielife and I Am The Avalanche, you wouldn't blame Vinnie Caruana for resting on his laurels. But on his debut solo EP, City By the Sea , the punk lifer exudes a determination and vitality that is a promising harbinger of his career's next act. Caruana dropped science on Punknews staff interviewer G'Ra Asim about hanging out on central Illinois farms, his heavy new side project and why it still remains go time almost fifteen years since his debut with the Movielife. You can catch Vinnie solo all this month on the Acoustic Basement tour.

Matt Caughthran (The Bronx)

Whether it's gritty, smoldering LA punk or it's horn-driven Mexican folk, The Bronx create music on a set of terms completely apart from anyone or anything else. After releasing two albums as their charro-suited alter ego, Mariachi El Bronx, the band are back with their fourth eponymous album, the Bronx IV, and have returned with an energized, more confident attitude, ready to face the daunting music industry--as always--by a rulebook that they wrote.

From his home in Huntington Beach, lead singer Matt Caughthran spoke to Punknews interviewer Gen Handley about returning to the Bronx after four years in Mexico, interrogation techniques at Knott's Berry Farm and why the band seemed a bit doomed from the beginning.

Daniel Nash (Departures)

Departures have proven over the past few years that Scotland can produce a great screamo band in much the same way North American can. Having signed to No Sleep Records last October, they've begun to translate their grit onto the American landscape and Punknews staff interviewer Renaldo Matadeen caught up with guitarist Daniel Nash for a bit. With November's Teenage Haze receiving rave reviews, Nash was kind enough to shed some light on the band's transition to the US circuit.