The story of FirstLine started in 2022 when drummer David “Rat” Mendez wanted to start a band that could somehow unify not only the spirit of hardcore but also the concept of migration, diaspora, and the fears and frustration he was living through in the political turmoil of Colombia.
"I decided to invite two of my best friends: Andrés “Maizo” Barbosa (vocals) and Gustavo “Gus” Orozco (guitar), with whom I had shared this vision through different experiences over the years, to make it a reality and create what we would soon name Firstline, in honor of all those who, during uprisings across the continent, are always the first to stand on the front lines to resist," the drummer tells No Echo.
Based in Madrid, and comprised of Colombian and Venezuelan immigrants, FirstLine made their recording debut via the "Preso" single in 2023, followed by an EP called Legalized later that same year. With the addition of guitarist Carlos Gutierrez and bassist Gaspar Acero solidifing their lineup, the group then welcomed Adriana "Kiwi" Carneiro into the fold. "She not only joined to support the band musically, manage tour dates, and design amazing merch, but also to help solidify the newly founded Firstline's own DIY hardcore label, Asilo Records.
FirstLine's touring activities found them hitting several cities in Spain, London, and Oslo througout 2024, proudly and loudly carrying the flag and message of the Latino and immigrant experience to a continent that, in the band's opinion, "had such a reduced space for it but at the same time, urgently needed it." That culminated with the release of the band's debut album, No Place Like Home, which dropped in December:
David broke down his band's stylistic point of view as follows: "FirstLine is a band with the mission of showing, through the magic of Caribbean sounds and the strength of the Andes mountains, what it means to be born on the other side of the world. We feel like we can see ourselves in all kinds of Latino music, which is why we believe hardcore is more like the tool we use to connect, but our origins are the essence we aim to really communicate.
"So, while we’re inspired and love your usual hardcore classics, Youth Crew, NYHC, we’re also heavily inspired by latino hip-hop, salsa, merengue, and cumbia. Or other adjacent genres like pop-punk, metalcore or '90s emo. FirstLine is a mix of everything we love, and I think you can definitely pick that up while listening to our latest album."
The drummer also shared some insight on the hardcore scene in Madrid. "As we mentioned a couple of questions ago, alongside FirstLine, we decided to start our own record label and booking agency called Asilo Records. The idea came after we organized a hardcore benefit show for Christmas 2023 to collect toys for immigrant kids in shelters. The show was so much fun and went so well that we thought… hey, why don’t we make this an actual thing? FirstLine aside, what if we make a label to keep using hardcore as a tool for positive change?
"So, 2024 was filled with shows like that. And people showed up every single time and had a blast. But apart from great shows, this year Madrid’s scene collected through hardcore: food for food banks, toys for kids, food for animal shelters and raised money for an immigrantt LGBTQI+ NGO. We think that’s what hardcore is really about!
"We also feel like hardcore in Madrid had been kind of stuck in a rut for a while, but this year, for some reason, there’s been a lot of energy and fresh air. New bands, new fests, new faces. A lot of younger people are starting to come to shows for the first time and discovering hardcore too, which is rad.
There are a lot of cool bands to check out in Spain right now: Verdugo, Glitter, Not Your Business, Worth It, Vibora, Eje, Volga, LUCY, Baloncesto, Aggressive & Voiceless… the list goes on. And since, for us, 'local' actually means Latino América, shout out to bands like Truth Be Told, Omega, Grito, Tomar Control, Nada a Cambio, Violencia, Shotgun, Distante, xRitualx, Mariscal X… ¡puro hardcore latino, papá!"
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FirstLine on social media: Instagram
Asilo Records on social media: Instagram
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