MEAN SEASON
In 1992 Mean Season stirred up a lot of noise with their debut 7inch “Bleed to Me” released on New Age Records. The release, backed up by their high octane and relentless live shows helped breathe new life into the Southern California hardcore scene which was in desperate need of something this dangerous. The success of “Bleed to Me” put the band on the road and they brought their new style across the United States with a winter ‘92 headlining tour.
In 1993 Mean Season set out with brother New Age band, Unbroken for six weeks on a co-head lining U.S. tour. This legendary tour not only sparked a brotherhood between the two brightest shining bands California had to offer, but also left a trail of sweat and blood on the U.S. asphalt that can still be seen by touring bands today. After they had conquered the U.S. the band set it’s sites on Europe, and in early 1994 Europe came looking for them. Seven weeks with O.C. hardcore pioneers No For An Answer was just what they needed to introduce their style to Europe’s thriving hardcore scene. The 7inch helped set the new standard for hardcore music and quickly became New Age’s best selling release, and the buzz was only beginning…
Hot off their first European tour, Mean Season rolled right into the studio to record their full length LP “Grace”. It had been two and a half years since the band recorded “Bleed to Me” and the boys were more than ready to lay down their new brand of dark emotional aggression. They set out to create a sound for the album that would not only compare to the 7inch but also set Mean Season apart from the imitators and the followers. Songs like “Suffer” & “Abattoir (Feast Upon)” started falling into place and building a darker more personal vibe than any of the songs they had written before. Vocalist /Screamer Aaron Kelly had a vision for the vocal style of the album to be more mysterious and haunting as opposed to up front and one dimensional. Laying out most of the vocal tracks in a dim lit room to match the heavy somber feel guitarists Brian Manry, Travis Guichard and bassist Colin Buis had put down before him. Everybody involved knew the new tunes had a power and heart that far surpassed the their debut EP, but was everyone else ready for the new approach Mean Season had taken in their song writing? The band did not have to wait until the album was released to find out the answer to that question. Three months before the New Age Records release date for "Grace" a copy of the finished LP was leaked out and spread throughout the States like wildfire. Before the band knew it the kids were singing perfectly along with the new unreleased songs, though the band was flattered by the response New Age was understandably not pleased.
"Grace" came out in late 1994 and put Mean Season right back on the road with another seven weeks in Europe. Co-head lining with New York hardcore legends Leeway, the band seemed to be unstoppable.
The end of 1995 brought many changes for the band. With 2 new songs recorded (1 for the Indecision Records Compilation “Guilty by Association”) ‘95 also brought the birth of Aaron’s first child Julian. Mean Season had been planning another U.S. tour hooking up with Earth Crisis and one of their all time favorite bands, Integrity but with Aaron’s growing family responsibilities they found it harder and harder to make a tour schedule work and the flame in the band went out.
Mean Season’s last show was a sold out standing room only night at the Showcase theatre in Corona, California. Unbroken went on right before them making the night as perfect as it could be…Unbroken played their last show 2 nights later.
In 1996 Mean Season made three special appearances and proved that the the legacy was still living on. And now in 2005, with a flame that has been rekindled, you never really know what may happen.
“The Memory and I Still Suffer in Love” will feature a remixed & mastered “Bleed to Me” 7inch, the “It’s For Life” Comp song “Stationary” and two unreleased songs all from the 1992 Bleed to Me sessions. The CD will also have a re-mastered version of the “Grace” LP and the last two songs they ever recorded. An enhanced CD feature will include classic live footage and a student video for the song “Lesser Man”. To promote the release, Mean Season will soon be taking the stage again and maybe a few lives along with them.
