Biography
Drawing inspiration from the likes of Black Flag, Dead Boys, and Bad Brains alongside Thrasher magazine, pizza, and beer, five Brooklyn skaters formed Cerebral Ballzy out of a shared longing for the raw energy of early-’80s speed metal and hardcore punk. Mel, Honor, Mason, Jason, and Abe began convening in 2010 to push their playing speeds to the absolute limit, generating tracks such as "Underage Drink Forever," "Puke Song," and "Skate All Day" during rehearsals. Their first 7", You’re Idle, appeared on Article Records encased in a sandpapery jacket—modeled after The Return of the Durutti Column and fashioned from hand-stenciled skateboard grip-tape. Within six months of forming, the group secured a contract with Vice Records, which issued their self-titled debut LP in 2011. Critics responded favorably to the band’s irreverent spin on vintage ’80s hardcore, prompting extensive road work that included a nationwide U.S. trek plus appearances at major European festivals including Pukklepop, Roskilde, Reading, and Leeds. In 2013 the musicians returned to the studio alongside TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek to track their follow-up, Jaded & Faded. The effort was previewed by the 2013 singles "Another Day" and "City's Girl" before surfacing in June 2014.
Albums
