Everything started in March -93 in Luleå, the second city of the northcore explosion. When a young (16-18 years of age) Alexander (vocals), Peter (drums), Josse (bass), Tommy (guitar) and Petri (guitar) quit their old punkband and decided to start playing oldschool hardcore. They got an idea for the name from a Rage Against The Machine song called "Know your enemy" where the lyrics goes like: "Born with an insight and a raised fist..." And that was the beginning for Raised Fist. And that was the best name they could come up with that had a rebellic touch suitable enough for the young guys back then, atleast acording to old drummer Pete, who came up with the idea.
They started to play for some time, mostly for fun, and the type of music they played back then was oldschool to the bone. Their influences are definitly the aggresive and energetic old school New York hardcore sound with some inspiration from bands like Strife, CIV, Gorilla Biscuits and Youth Of Today, but have develope their own "Raised Fist" style with political angry lyrics, mad (yet melodic) vocals and catchy aggresive songs from the mix of those bands. The record company Crucial Response called "Alle" on the phone and told him that they wanted to sign Raised Fist. But the guys thought that a swedish company would be a better choice, and they took contact with Burning Heart who instantly fell in love with their carismatic oldschool sound.
Suddenly they sat there contracted with what would become one of the biggest hardcore (alternative) labels in the world. The result of that is more known as the maxi CD "You're Not Like Me" (BHR 017) which sold pretty well even at the very beginning. Things started to move forward real good for Raised Fist and they began to play all over Sweden. People started to notice the band. Peson the guy who took over the guitar from Tommy left the band. even Pecka RF's first gibson punisher quit the band for different reasons.
They participated on some compilations until their second maxi CD was realesed, called "Stronger Than Ever" (BHR 052) this time with the new guitarist Marco (Mac) . After their second CD they played the hell out of the swedish clubs and themselves, and that resulted in a long break for the band. Even their beloved oldschool trummer Pete left the band to make a world tour by him self (just travelling though).
Suddenly Josse, Mac and Alle stood there alone with their band and refused to split it up. They started rehearsing with alle behind the drums and Josse on guitar, and they wrote the first tunes of what would become their debut album "Fuel" (BHR081). But first they had to dig up a new drummer and a good guitarist. But they decided to stick with one guitarist. They asked their friend Oskar who played the drums in various metal bands if he could help them finish the record which was ment to be their last. He was positiv to the idea, and suddenly they we're back on track once again. After Oskar had played the first gig with Raised Fist he decided to stay with the band for good. That was a very uplifting thing for the rest of the guys. So many things has happened to the band and slowed them down. But nowdays Raised Fist is more complete than ever. They rehearse three days a week, and they try to get their asses out on tour. But they are all studying right now, and they try to focus on that. Alle also run his own record company called Stronghold Records. The year 2000 will be promising for the band as they'll finish school and concentrate on more touring. Meanwhile you have to be sure of seeing them live at the few gigs they'll make around the world this year. Their second album "Ignoring the guidlines" (BHR114) is now finished and the guys will do some touring in the summer of 2000.


The current line up is:
Alexander (Alle) on vocals
Andreas (Josse) on bass
Oskar (no nick) on drums
Marco (Mac) on Guitar


To contact Raised Fist write to:
Blackmail Productions / Stronghold Records
Box 140
S-971 04 Luleå
Sweden
Or send an email to [email protected]


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