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| Photos by Chad Stroup |
Ochre was a hardcore/powerviolence band from Goleta, California. The band featured members of Embassy, Strictly Ballroom, Jeffery And The .6 System and Incurable Complaint. In their active period, sometime between 1994 and 1996; Ochre released one 7", a split with Canadian legends Left For Dead (both on the legendary Phyte Records label) and a demo tape. Ochre was a welcome addition to the influential Goleta hardcore scene; one that was filled to the prim with excellent, hard hitting and extremely political bands like Downcast, Jara, Manumission, Ex-Ignota and Torches To Rome.
With satirical songs like Crisis (Earth), Ochre's lyrics and packaging bravely spat in the face of the straight-edge tough guy scene and (like Ottawa) showed that the "emo" kids could do their sound just as well. Judging by their charged and mocking lyrics it seems like the band was created as an anti-thesis to the violent and hypocritical major label hardcore bands that where dominating at the time. Ochre created some incredibly blistering, heavy and energetic songs that fit right in with the likes of split mates Left For Dead, I would even go as far as to call them the Goleta counterpart of LFD.
Unfortunately even with the bands impressive line-up and associations, it seems like Ochre has been nearly forgotten in the scope of 90s D.I.Y. hardcore. If you are a fan of heavy, political hardcore and powerviolence; I would definitely recommend checking out Ochre.
Divedowndeepnine 7" 1995 (Phyte)
Left For Dead Split 1997 (Phyte)
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