Interview: Xtinguish The Code
The inspiration behind The Conflict is inspired by the ongoing struggle that many working class people face daily.
Xtinguish The Code are a beatdown hardcore band from The Bronx and their latest album, the brilliantly intense The Conflict deals with the horrors of a person’s transformation from an ordinary resident to a radicalised citizen. Gavin Brown caught up with Xtinguish The Code vocalist BJ Allen to talk about The Conflict as well as discussing the brutality of warfare, New York hardcore and hip hop, and how the band are providing a soundtrack to the chaos that engulfs the world constantly today.
E&D: Your new album The Conflict has just come out. What has the reaction to it been like so far?
BJ: So far it’s been very well received. We’ve gotten a lot of private messages complementing us on the new record.
E&D: The Conflict is an apt title for the album. Can you tell us about what inspired the lyrics to the songs on the album and the theme of working class solidarity that runs through the songs?
BJ: The inspiration behind The Conflict is inspired by the ongoing struggle that many working class people face daily. Whether it be the fabricated culture war or the orchestrated financial war forced on us all. We wanted to portray a story of a citizen who is becoming increasingly radicalized by their pressing circumstance.
E&D: What inspired the songs on the record?
BJ: We were inspired by all of the fucked up shit happening in the world and we wanted to create a sound that reflected the chaos.
E&D: With wars raging on across the world, are these songs even more relevant in 2026?
BJ: Short answer is yes. It’s actually kind of funny while we were finishing this recorded. A lot of the topics that we were examining kept popping up in the news. We all felt like the record couldn’t come out fast enough.
E&D: Your use of samples from various conflicts is very impressive, can you tell us how you located them?
BJ: A lot of these samples were collected over the past year and I used them as inspiration for the songs. I discovered a good portion of them from various prodemocracy news sources and some of them were from things I have always wanted to bring to light.
E&D: What have been the biggest musical inspirations for The Conflict and for Xtingiush The Code as a band?
BJ: We wanted to keep the brutality so we took inspiration from a lot of NYHC’s legendary history while trying to put our own spin on the sound.
E&D: The bands original vocalist Kevin Lugo features on the new album, how was it having him feature on it?
BJ: That was a cool experience, sort of a pass the torch kinda vibe throughout that whole session. I had the basic story and cadence. He came in wrote his part based on the theme and crushed it.
E&D: Who would you love to do a feature on an Xtinguish The Code track on the future?
BJ: Martin from Brass Knuckle Brigade was supposed to collab on The Conflict but unfortunately the scheduling didn’t work out so hopefully we can get him on the next one.
E&D: As The Bronx is the birthplace of hip hop, is it a big influence on the bands?
BJ: Hip hop has had a huge influence on my vocal style. I generally take a more “MC” approach as far as my delivery when I’m writing songs.
E&D: Who are your favourite hip hop artists?
BJ: KRS-1, Chuck D, Mobb Deep, MF Doom all of Wu Tang. The list is kinda endless!
E&D: How did you get into hardcore and NYHC in the first place?
BJ: My older brothers where into metal and that was cool and all but we had a neighbour who came back from college one year with a mohawk who turned me on too all of the stuff he was into The first time I saw the Bad Brains I was hooked.
E&D: What are the essential NYHC records for you ?
BJ: Sick Of It All – Blood, Sweat and No Tears, Beyond – No Longer At Ease, Burn – Shall Be Judged, Leeway – Born To Expire/Desperate Measures, Killing Time – Brightside, Gorilla Biscuits – Start Today, Crown Of Thornz – Train Yard Blues. The list goes on and on.
E&D: What current NYHC bands are killing it for you the moment?
BJ: I’m really digging Incendiary, Pain Of Truth, Brass knuckle Brigade too many to name.
E&D: What song that you play live so the crowd go the craziest for?
BJ: So far people are really liking ‘Despair’. A lot of people go off to that one.
E&D: Xtinguish The Code have played shows with D.R.I., Sworn Enemy, Downset, Madball, Life Of Agony and Sick Of It All. Who have you loved playing with the most and who would you love to play with?
BJ: We would love to play with almost anyone but it would be nice to play with Hold My Own, End It, Incendiary, Pain Of Truth, Hatebreed, Mindforce, Age of Apocalypse just to name a few.
E&D: What other shows have you got coming up that you can tell us about?
BJ: June 19th with Skarhead at Bridge & Tunnel Brewey, June 20th with All Out War at Locals bar, NJ. July 23 – 26 tour with Lake Liner. Aug 7/8 Upstage Fest Clearfeild, PA, Aug 15 tribute to Kevin Scondotto Lucky 13 BK,NY.
Photo by Jospeh Maran
