Hailing from Syracuse, New York, Earth Crisis emerged in the early ’90s as one of the most militant and musically uncompromising voices in the hardcore scene. While many bands of the time flirted with politically charged content, Earth Crisis embodied a total war ethos: vegan straight edge ideology weaponized through crushing breakdowns and metal-inspired riffs.
Their sonic and philosophical evolution from the raw intensity of their 1992 All Out War EP to the punishing and refined Firestorm EP two years later, it marked a watershed moment in hardcore history. Despite mixed reactions at the time, Firestorm had undeniable impact, and its title track remains one of hardcore’s most iconic anthems.
I sat down with guitarist Scott Crouse to talk about the making of this now legendary record. Much thanks to Scott Forgerelli and Adam Tanner for hooking us up with their photos for this story…