New Album Combines Textures from Metal Bands of the Past With a Modern Twist
VCS (AKA Violates Community Standards) releases “This Is The Line”, a punk-metal fusion album that combines textures from influences such as Bad Religion Pennywise, DI, Metallica, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden with a modern twist. Known for bringing a potent blend of old-school hardcore punk, skatepunk, and crossover thrash, VCS demonstrates a unique edge and ability to combine elements from punk and metal genres, with their own distinct sound and message.
With twelve standout tracks in the album, producer Dan Banura and VCS create a whole new soundscape of fast, aggressive riffing, dynamic song structures, and catchy vocal melodies that audiences know them for, into a style that feels brand new yet still familiar. Standout tracks such as “Without Masters”, “Internal Sovereignty”, and “The Real Plague” discuss the nature of modern society and the enslavement people face by institutions, often without knowing it. With booming vocals from Bryan Hoxsey, and heavy-hitting guitar from Josh Torres, the group gives audiences a mind-bending journey through metal and punk that provides unique insight into the human experience.
What the industry is saying:
“VCS Violates Community Standards, Finally, a band who doesn’t approach punk rock from a corporate perspective. VCS reminds us of the roots of punk rock, anti-establishment with a passion for thought with a good tone. Punk Rock was designed to be fast loud with a message, VCS Fits the bill. As a programmer of rock radio we wish more bands were like VCS.” - Chuck Ide Operations Manager Big49 Radio Los Angeles
“If you like Wide Open, Full Throttle Fast, the band for you is VCS!” - Seth Enslow
“VCS Rocks every time we play a show together, you gotta check them out!! They are a great addition to our punk rock family and they’re bringing the next generation of fun. It’s always a good time. Make sure you get your hands on the new record. It won’t disappoint.” - Casey Royer, DI
“VCS is for real! Intense live shows with an old school yet technical vibe. If you like an intense live show then you will fucking love this record. You will not be disappointed.” - Jason “Jay P Sin” Womack-Lead guitar Narcoleptic Youth
“I love how clear the drums are, and how they cut through, without one damn plug-in added. Rad.” - Adam Gomez Drummer for the Dickies, DI and the Adolescence
“Great to see VCS out there making the scene quit being pussies.” - Ryan Amerikan Made
“VIOLATES COMMUNITY STANDARDS is kickass and are keeping the punk scene out here on fire! Bringing the heat and putting together rad shows with other all time punk bands! Crazy world we live in! Got to have knarly good music to keep us pumped up!” - Shaun Ross Pro Skater
"Always enjoy playing with VCS, they're 100% every time. If their new release is anything like their last gig, do yourself a favor and get it!" - John O’Donovan-Original guitarist in Adolescents and current guitarist in rAdolescents
“Strong SoCal Hardcore that doesn’t disappoint!!! This is the train that MDC has been riding and I recommend VCS to everybody!!!” - Dave Dictor-singer of MDC
“Violates Community Standards and I filmed a music video for their upcoming album a couple of months ago. I had a fantastic time working with my friend Josh Torres as well as Rick, Bryan, and Chris. I am super excited to see the music video come together, until next time - Robert Mukes from House of 1000 Corpses
Lyrics like “We band together, fervent minds that are awake, lighting the way, the task we’re meant to undertake. Our understanding forms a sacred bond we cannot break, holding our ground because we know what is at stake. Within the darkness be the light, a guiding shine, unflinching we step up to fight, this is the line,” audiences are given a chance to peer into the group’s mindset on the state of modern society, and what is to come for the future.
VCS has been compared to 88 Fingers Louie, No Use For A Name, early Anthrax, Armored Saint, and even Bad Religion meets Metallica. Though they tend to categorize themselves as a punk-rock band, their audience definitely picks up on their metal influences such as Misfits, Lagwagon, Megadeth, Agent Orange, Slayer, DRI, Suicidal Tendencies, Adolescents, Sepultura, Black Sabbath, Pantera, DI, Iron Maiden, Minor Threat, and many more.
“The most important thing about this band is that our message is just as important to us as our music. Our goal is to wake up as many people as we can to the fact that this world, this system, is not what it seems. It is an artificial construct designed to keep us covertly enslaved. We want to make people understand that the concept of authority itself is morally illegitimate, that we can govern our own affairs, and that we don’t need “masters” or leaders in order to peacefully coexist on this planet. The way to do this is to make people aware of how the global systems of power operate, how reality itself works, and how our inner selves work. We all need to do the internal work of healing ourselves and informing ourselves, and we hope to help people do this.” -Bryan Hoxsey, lead vocalist for VCS
Recent shows for the group included Rok House in Upland, CA alongside The Dickies, No Consent, and Since We Were Kids on June 1st. VCS is taking the rest of June off from playing live to start writing their next album and create more content, but will continue playing more live shows in July including at Solaris Brewing in Murrieta, CA w/ Guttermouth & Venomous Pinks on July 11th.
Stay tuned to hear what comes next!
About VCS
VCS plays a potent blend of old-school hardcore punk, skatepunk & crossover thrash. The band fuses all the elements they love from both punk and metal – fast, aggressive riffing; dynamic song structures; catchy vocal melodies – into a fresh yet familiar style.
Consisting of guitarist Josh Torres, drummer Chris Steik, bassist Rick Pinto and vocalist Bryan Hoxsey, VCS collectively has decades of experience playing in Southern California punk, metal and rock bands. Comparable to 88 Fingers Louie, No Use For A Name, early Anthrax, Armored Saint, and even Bad Religion meets Metallica, VCS uses the knowledge gained through the school of hard knocks to craft some of the best songs they’ve ever written.
Although VCS is an acronym for Violates Community Standards, the name shouldn’t be misconstrued as an attack on all communities. The community standards that VCS opposes are the standards set by a psychopathic establishment that clearly doesn’t have the best interests of the people at heart. Those of the hypnotized masses who still get their “news” from the corporate media, the misguided mob that cheers when dissenting voices are crushed, the fools who believe that the government can and should make all decisions for the people because the people can’t govern themselves. The standards set by that community should be violated, because they are counter to everything that freedom-loving people cherish.
VCS actually seeks to form its own community, a community for the awakened, the outcasts and rebels, those who reject authoritarianism and embrace human freedom, the small but ever-growing minority with a strong moral compass and a clear set of principles that are never to be compromised.
For more information on VCS, please visit
VCS Link
For all media inquiries, please contact
Raquel Figlo, Public Relations
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