Broken Locker Rises ‘Up from the Ashes’ with Positivity & Purpose on New Album

Buffalo hardcore-punk band Broken Locker will be dropping its first full-length album tomorrow (May 2), a scorching 10-track work titled 'Up from the Ashes' that fuses musical ferocity with socially conscious subject matter.

“Because we don’t play poppy riffs it may sound like an angry record but it’s a record with a positive message of overcoming struggle, liberation and feeling good about who you are,” said the band’s guitarist Mike Clifford. “There’s more to this record than loud, fast riffs and breakdowns. I’m very proud of the substance and messaging.”

Recorded over two days —in October and April — the band worked once again with noted engineer Doug White at Watchmen Studios, building off its 2024 debut EP ‘One Time Before I Die.’

“Every time we get into the studio,” bassist Chris Gibbo said, “I feel like we learn so much about our process of writing and playing together.”

“It’s very focused,” drummer Jeff Szatkowski added, referring to the band’s approach. “We have accuracy more than musical precision. We tend to hone-in, and then lock-in, on each other. This synergy gives us our sound. And, as always, we try to match the fast-paced energy of our art during live performances.”

“I think one of the biggest things we’ve learned is to just do things how we want to do them and not do things conventionally or how other bands may do things,” said Clifford. “It’s feels liberating to think out-of-the-box and blaze our own path. I have two bandmates who are very open to new ideas while I used to be more set in my ways. But I’ve learned from Chris and Jeff that change is good; a song isn’t set in stone. It’s an awesome feeling to be open to new ideas and change.”

Yet, as Broken Locker continues to evolve, the band on its new record continues as well

to further cement traits for which it’s becoming known, both sonically and lyrically: Gibbo’s Dee Dee Ramone/‘Warthog’-esque vocal delivery, Clifford’s distinct searing guitar sound and Szatkowski’s expressive drumming.

“I tend to play the feeling of the individual song,” he said. “If it’s an intense subject matter, the drums try to match the song’s feeling. Other times, it’s important to lock in on the groove.”

Especially present on ‘Up from the Ashes’ is the band’s omnipresent concern for issues such as social justice, poverty, personal growth and marginalized communities.

“This record is a collection of songs focusing on personal awareness, personal struggle, judging people, and overcoming hardship,” said Clifford. “We tackle the segregation of Buffalo with ‘Falls on Deaf Ears.’ ‘The Voice, The Hope’ tells us to speak up for all sentient beings who are too afraid to speak for themselves or those who can’t, especially animals in slaughterhouses and labs. ‘Victory’ Is a celebration of personal triumph over inner demons. ‘DOA’ is a song about love, dedication, and partnership and overcoming adversity.”

“I think that it’s very important to produce art that rings with positive energy behind it,” added Gibbo. “I feel that these songs are like little Post-it notes that I can leave around my house, so that if I saw any of them it would put me in a better state mentally. Especially right now. Shit, we all need a little bit more positivity in our lives.”

(Photo by Katelyn Rinaldi)

The record, said Clifford, wasn’t intended as a cohesive work initially.

“But over time, it came together to form a complete record, not just a collection of songs, which is more how our EP is,” he said. “This record wasn’t planned to have a theme, but it didn’t matter what we planned; the theme evolved on its own. That’s so freaking cool. We would like to thank Doug White, too, for really understanding our music and vibe.”

‘Up from the Ashes’ drops at midnight and will be available on all streaming platforms. Broken Locker will then be following up the album’s release with a May 8 show at Milkie’s on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo with Bite Mark, War Bond, and Brain Dread.

“I'm so excited for this album but I am also very excited because we have already started working on new material,” said Gibbo. “I feel like we have learned so much from this album. I'm super excited to see what the follow-up to ‘Up from the Ashes’ will be like.”

“We are growing as musicians,” said Clifford, “and our new material reflects that.”

(Check out Broken Locker at:  Bandcamp, Spotify, AppleMusic, YouTube, Reverbnation and Soundcloud.

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