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Here at Rebel Time Records it’s no secret that we’re all big fans of Hold A Grudge. Straight out of Montreal, Quebec, they are a perfect blend / perfect storm of punk, hardcore and oi.
Mat, Jee-P, Scott and Dan … Hold A Grudge
As their bio says: “Hold A Grudge is a perfect mix of the anger of hardcore, street-punk’s spirit of revolt and the uncompromising attitude of Oi.”
The most recent line-up of Hold A Grudge is/was: Dan 86 on Guitar, Jee-P doing up Vocals, Mat Oi on Bass and Scott on Drums. Let it be noted that these guys have played in/do play in such bands as Jeunesse Apatride, Subsistance, Shotcallers, Bastard 86, King Cans and Dynamite Express…
The band got together in 2004 and broke up about 10 years later. The good news is that Hold A Grudge is getting together for one last show on October 1st, 2016 in Montreal.
The show is a benefit for the Montreal SPCA.
The band says: “a lot of bullshit is being spread all around Montreal about pitbulls, with a breed-specific legislation (an outright ban…) creeping right around the corner. As pitbull 
lovers, animal lovers, or just general decent human beings, we wanted to do our part to help stop the city from passing this law and help our little furry friends. THIS IS A BENEFIT SHOW FOR THE MONTREAL SPCA. They have proven to be the best allies in this debate so far and therefore we trust them completely to do the best they can with the money we will raise with this show.”
More good news! Before they broke up, the band recorded about 15 new songs. Two labels – Dure Realitie and Rebel Time Records – have joined forces to release some of these songs on cassette. The cassette will be available for sale at the October 1, 2016 show. We’ll also have some available in the Rebel Time Records distro!
… and … here it is … 11 top tracks of punk/hardcore/oi … !
Back in 2010, Hold A Grudge released a full-length called “Doing Time” on Insurgence Records … you can stream it right the heck here courtesy of Dying Scene … that should hold you until the “No Compromise” cassette come out!
Here’s a few reviews of “Doing Time” that give you a good feel for what the band is all about…
“Goes to show you can’t always judge an album by it sleeve. Hold A Grudge, I was convinced were going to be tough-guy metallic Hardcore, but truth be told their style is 
substantially more fitting with the Insurgence roster than their image might suggest. There’s a well-built crossover at play here that incorporates Oi! and Street Punk fundamentals, excellently balancing the Gorilla Biscuit-styled Hardcore that represents the flipside to Hold A Grudge. Bands like Agnostic Front, Murphy’s Law and Youth Brigade were master craftsmen of this technique and it’s a fusion I’m more than partial to. Being based as they are out of Montreal, Canada (and considering the label it’s being issued on) there’s a characteristic left-leaning social stance to Hold A Grudge, which is a welcome departure from some of the current generation of Hardcore bands. A promising contribution.” (Riot 77)
“Hold A Grudge are classic mid-paced hardcore, the good old solid kind that’ll get you through a bad day with enough left over for a pleasant supper. While at first it may seem like there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about the sound, listen a bit more closely 
and you’ll find there’s plenty of originality on show, more than enough to make it enjoyable to the ears rather than just a task they have to endure. Beyond the initial intensity we’ve come to love from the style, there’s a strong street edge that’s well-executed and is a respectful nod to their oldschool punk and Oi! forbears. And the smooth tightness that you’d expect from bandmates who’ve done hard time together is all present and correct.
Lyrics adopt a posi attitude with a sussed social conscience, but don’t forget that everyday life can be tough at times. HAG know that survival doesn’t always come easy and occasionally carries a heavy price, but never forget that the good times always outweigh the bad. It’s clear that the need for unity underpins much of their thinking, and who can argue with that?
Altogether, this album is far more a pleasure than a chore and is a cut above much of what passes for hardcore these days.” (Old Punks Never Die)
“Hardcore punks Hold A Grudge know how to make a riff stick: by nail-gunning it to your noodle. The beauty of knowing what you’re doing reveals itself in the command of the tools of your trade, and the Montreal five-piece show themselves to be master craftsmen on this sophomore release, graduates of the old school of punk and hardcore where power 
and precision drove your points home. Hold A Grudge reference much in the way of both East and West Coast hardcore of yore, as well as British punk and Oi! of yesteryear, but veteran sensibilities keep the gang vocals, rolling drum thunder and flying up-front guitars both fat and fresh, and fans of the form will be hard-pressed to find any doing it better.” (Hour Community)
