Cipher.

LONGTIME FANS OF HARDCORE have no doubt noticed a troubling shift over the past few years within the genre--namely, a tendency toward the removal of substance within the turbulent strain of chaos-inducing riffs and earth-shattering rhythms. Traditionally, hardcore has been about "making a change," but with the influx of MTV exposure and endorsement deals the mainstream has come a-calling, leaving socially conscious content by the wayside.

Despite the aforementioned trend, however, fans of thought-provoking hardcore still have at least one outspoken band to admire. Cipher--a New York-based, ultra-political hardcore outfit--combines the intellectual and emotional tenor of The Dead Kennedys and Public Enemy with the thunderous, metal-based musical assault of The Dillinger Escape Plan to create quite the monolithic force to be reckoned with. But one should not let comparisons to other artists influence his or her opinion, as Cipher's powerful artistic concoction is its own unique kind of explosive powder keg. Children of God's Fire--Cipher's debut Uprising Records release--is an absolutely stunning blend of diverse musicianship and spirit-filled lyrics that coalesce to form one of the most expressive and cohesive musical journeys of the past year.

Recently, Cipher's frontman Moe Mitchell, a grassroots political organizer by trade, sat down to talk with Thrasher about the evolution of his band and the scene's reaction to its challenging message. Mitchell's engaging, amiable spirit seems to be more dedicated than ever, which helps make his band a perfect antidote to the glossy, corporate-minded "hardcore" that has taken over record store shelves nationwide.

What is the biggest obstacle Cipher has had to overcome?

One huge obstacle is the apolitical posture that the scene has taken. It's shocking for some hardcore kids to hear a band discuss politics in a real way, which is very twisted considering the roots of the hardcore scene. It's also ironic that in a scene where people write songs about rape and murder, the scariest thing you can do is write a song about the war on terror. It's a double-edged sword, however, because we're coming from such a different perspective that a lot of people are getting turned on to our music. Another obstacle worth mentioning is racism. Things would not be the same if Cipher didn't have people of color as band members. People would be surprised by the racism we encounter to this day.

What are some of the goals Cipher has in terms of spreading awareness?

We're not trying to indoctrinate our listeners, but we do want to inspire and spark thought and dialogue around the issues we bring up. We want to wake people up to the idea that there's this new international movement. We want people, in their own ways, to recognize that they can challenge oppression, in whatever form it takes in their lives. They don't need to remain silent. In fact, their silence will be our collective demise.

Have you found people receptive to your point of view?

It's been a breath of fresh air for people who feel alienated from hardcore because they can't connect with the fashion; they are not a machismo tough guy, and they aren't into Swedish Metal. We're doing something apart from all that and we do it with a sensibility and energy that reminds them why they got into hardcore in the first place. Of course, I'm sure there's a whole camp of people who probably hate us for bringing up race and gender or for being critical of US foreign policy during the "War on Terror" or for challenging nationalism at a time when flag waving fascists have taken over the center of debate. And that's cool too, because hardcore is not a popularity contest. We are here to exchange ideas, not to make some new friends. I think that's lost on a lot of bands today.

Why do you think this apolitical trend has occurred in the scene?

We live in a capitalist country, and hardcore and heavy music is more marketable than ever. Corporations like Viacom have billions of dollars in assets, and search the underground for the next big thing. They create oxymoronic expressions like "pop-punk." We don't do that. The kids that put shows on in dirty squats and VFW halls, they don't do that. So, what we're seeing with hardcore becoming an identifiable set of products you can buy is the natural course of the commodification of culture. We can defend against it, but it's not easy and it's a fight that is not without compromises. But back to the defense of our culture; hardcore kids need to take a lot more responsibility for preserving the integrity of their culture. To us, hardcore is not chugs and screaming, it's the DIY ethic; it's a rebellious and independent attitude. You can take that to your job, to your art, to anything. Somebody interviewed Ian MacKaye and he said something like, "What we did was hardcore; kids that play music that sound like us are not necessarily hardcore." They played something new, unpopular, untested, flee, and rebellious. They weren't playing some style of music already laid out "by-the-dots" for them. Eighty-percent of what passes as hardcore is not being played with the same sense of urgency they had when the scene was created. We need to get back to that urgency and independence or there will be no scene worth preserving.