Attack In Black enjoys diverse fan base
By Cristina Naccarato
Lance Writer
October 31, 2007
 It’s not too often that you hear of a band that can successfully combine an aggressive all-ages punk sound with “grown-up” rock, but for up and coming Canadian band, Attack In Black, no one else can pull it off like they can.
Reigning from Welland, Ontario, the band recently received ample amounts of exposure from their latest release, Marriage, from Dine Alone Records. Attack In Black made the switch to Dine Alone in the spring of 2006 from the independent label Skate Ahead Records. Their first self-titled release has a completely different sound compared to their latest, but according to Ian Kehoe, bassist of Attack In Black, the change has definitely been positive.“I think a very small portion of our fan base reacted poorly to the way the record sounds. Most people, including ourselves, see it as a natural progression from what we were doing before. It was something we just did without really thinking about.”
Attack In Black recently finished producing their first music video for their new single, “Young Leaves.” The title itself was taken from a random line in a book of Japanese Poetry and doesn’t have any actual significance.
When asked what influences them the most while writing their lyrics, Kehoe responded, that “there isn’t one thing that influences us the most, I would say that it depends on where we are and who we’re with. We influence each other, at least everyone in the band influences me more than bands that I listen to, or things that I read.”
Musically, the band is influenced by many genres of music, from Bob Dylan, Refused, and The Beatles. Attack In Black are also big fans of the infamous punk band, Black Flag. They’ve recorded a cover of Depression, and they definitely prefer Black Flag during the era prior to Henry Rollins, which usually isn’t the case with most fans.
Constantly on the road, packing and unpacking, Attack In Black can hardly get a break from touring. They recently toured Europe, playing rowdy shows in Dublin, Ireland, and visiting scenic towns such as Rimini, Italy. Overall it was an amazing experience and exposed them to a more diverse fan base. They’re also used to switching back and forth between all-ages shows to bar shows, however they enjoy playing to both crowds equally.
“I always love playing all ages shows, but you know if you play too many in a row you kind of miss playing to an older crowd who generally, I don’t want to say that they have better taste in music, but they understand what we’re doing more than a younger crowd does,” states Kehoe, who also seems to find 19 and over shows to be slightly rowdier than in an all ages surrounding.
Currently, Attack In Black is touring with Ladyhawk. According to Kehoe, “They are the best band, probably in the world.” Attack In Black and Ladyhawk will be playing at Phog Lounge on November 14 with special guests Orphan Choir and Casey Baker and the Buffalo Sinners. For more information about Attack In Black, check them out at attackinblack.com. For more shows at Phog, visit thephogblog.blogspot.com.
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