DOWNLOAD: Ahimsa - The End of a Lifetime of Fear

Around 1998, I was contacted by a Wheeling band that was interested in playing shows in the Clarksburg area. I received a pair of tapes and some info on Ahimsa, and was surprised to find out that there was a straight edge and vegan-conscious hardcore band from West Virginia that I didn't already know. Not long after I got the tapes, I met Josh Mason. Josh as visiting a friend in my hometown Bridgeport who had just moved there from New Martinsville, where Josh lived. Being straight-edge and into hardcore and emo alike, Josh and I quickly became friends. The gap between the north central West Virginia and the northern panhandle was soon bridged.

I was introduced to the likes of Killed at Camp, Mikey Iafrate and Once Again. I headed north many times to see Ahimsa, who also became friends of mine. It was exciting to discover a new scene in my own state, so I began booking shows with both bands from my area and the panhandle. It has a merger that has never turned back, and I'm proud to still consider many of those guys from the north my friends.

That said, The End of a Lifetime of Fear was Ahimsa's first CD and its last release before the band broke up. With influences from youth crew (Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits), knrishna-core (Shelter) and mid-90s straight edge (Earth Crisis, Culture), Ahimsa played a style of hardcore that was confrontational and angst-ridden but lively and at times melodic with passionate, culturally-conscious lyrical content dealing with issues such as rape, violence and veganism. After the band's break-up, guitarist Wes Ebling went on to form Klopeks Furnace, which was one of my favorite West Virginia hardcore bands.

Artist: Ahimsa
Album: The End of a Lifetime of Fear
Year: 1999
For fans of: Youth of Today, Shelter, Earth Crisis

DOWNLOAD: Ahimsa - The End of a Lifetime of Fear