First Blood is lead by former Terror bassist Carl Schwartz, who moved from behind the four string to take the vocal duties of the new band. The group got it’s debut spot at the kill-or-be-killed environment of the hardcore fest HellFest in 2003. The band has picked up the touring in 2006, when Killafornia was released.

Schwartz’s take no prisoners style of vocals rips the listener to verbal shreds on tracks like “Victim” and “Conflict.” Schwartz’s vocals deal a lot with current political and social issues, much in the vein of many hardcore bands. Guitarist Kyle Dixon brings pounding riffs to songs like “Conspiracy” and “Tides,” and are custom made for the circle pits.

During their show at the Magic Stick, First Blood were the band to get the crowd going, with circle pits and hardcore moving galore. After fan indifference for two opening bands, the crowd woke up as First Blood crushed the crowd during their 30-minute set. With the opener “Next Time I See You, You’re Dead” and the band namesake track, the band watched as the pits got brutal and fists (more than a few) were flying. The set was a quintessential hardcore set and seemed to take some of the fan thunder away from the headliner, the Warriors.

Be sure to check out their demolishing version of Sick of It All’s “Just Look Around” on that band’s recently released tribute album. But if you want to see the Magic Stick go off, see First Blood. There wont be any cheesy “Rambo” comparisons, but fierce hardcore to go around for everyone.

First Blood is now currently touring with The Warriors and Too Pure to Die with multiple dates in California and on the East coast.