Letting go has always been a skill we learn as humans to move forward in life, whether it’s a loss, a change, or something else. But what if it’s a band we really dug playing in?
The guys from Wise Up* weren’t quite done with a past project some of the members played in. For those not in the know, a few years back there was a Youth Crew band in Costa Rica called xMala Actitudx (xBad Attitudex in English), which channeled that ’90s/2000s fast, heavy, straight edge lyrics. If you’re unfamiliar, do yourself a favor and check them out on Bandcamp.
“Something I’d always yearned to have was an ‘old school’ hardcore band,” vocalist Eddy Gamboa explains. “I’d previously played in a Youth Crew band called Evidencia a long time ago, but I’d always had that itch to play that style of hardcore. Afterward, we formed xMala Actitudx. We put out an EP, played a few shows, etc. A lot of people in Costa Rica dug it. What I wanted to do was start a band that actually had a bad attitude.”
Wise Up* emerged from xMala Actitudx, and while recording their 2026 LP, Diente x Diente, they decided to pay tribute in the best way possible: bring new life to “Cero Tolerancia,” one of xMala Actitudx’s standout tracks. They re-recorded the song and made it the album’s second single, complete with a new music video.
“It’s really crazy since lately this is the song that everyone sings along to when we’re playing,” Eddy says. “People feel a kinship to this project, as they can relate to it. Having re-recorded this song is like a tribute to xMala Actitudx. We like the OG version better, but we know things that are repeated are never as good as the original. But again, we think we were able to capture the song’s energy in the music video.”
Directed by Armando Escobar and Wise Up*’s own Eddy Gamboa, with camera assistance from Fabian Cerdas, who was previously profiled by No Echo, the video was recorded in classic hardcore fashion: at a live show. And what better place to do so than their favorite venue?
“There’s a live recording we did as xMala Actitudx in the same place, El Sótano, where the video was recorded. It’s the only full set that was recorded for xMAx,” Eddy says. “It’s an emblematic place, maybe one of the best venues—our Chain Reaction or CBGB’s, if you will. Super tight spot. It’s a basement, something not common in Costa Rica.
“There’s a lot of energy in this place. Every Thursday there’s live jazz, which again is the street’s music. We thought it was funny how no one had recorded anything there, so we decided to go for it. It’s a 70-cap room, but it makes you feel as if there are 250 people there. The place is a time bomb. We’re grateful we could go through with this since it’s so important to us.”
If you dig what the Ticos are doing, keep your eyes peeled—they’re gearing up to record a video for their third single this coming weekend in CDMX, where they’re playing the Mexican edition of For the Children 2026.
If you’re near CDMX this weekend: learn the lyrics. Stagedive, sing along. Bring a toy. Have some tacos de suadero con Boing de guayaba after the gig. Come out and have fun.
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Wise Up* on social media: Instagram
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