POWER, WISDOM, NOBILITY, SEXUALITY.

"It's a cold world out there. Sometimes I feel I'm getting a little frosty myself."

I was recently shredding a gig in the white power capital of the U.S. (Allentown, PA) and my good friend Alex Russin of Cold World knew it would be in his best interest to attend the event. We drank lots of beers, moshed the world and I decided I wanted to interview him because he's such a noble man. Here's the results:

Q: Let's start by getting the basic 411 from the current Cold World
front. New record / label, give us the quick details you think the
streets wanna know:

A: Record is called DEDICATED TO BABIES WHO CAME FEET FIRST. I’m stoked on it. It's better than the old stuff. More samples, more singing, more solos, more mosh parts. Kids will love it, kids will hate it. That’s all you can really ask for. It’s a hardcore record and anyone who says different can go fuck themselves. It's coming out on Deathwish and they’ve been sweethearts to us. Great label, great staff. Any label that can deal with Cold World should get 5 gold stars.

Q: Cold World x Biohazard mash up, that must have been a dream come true. What was it like working with an "old school" legend like Billy on your record? Was he at all in touch with the current state of hardcore or was it like stepping into a time warp?

A: He was pretty out of touch, he didn’t know all that much. But he had a lot of good stories from a long time ago. A few of the stories ended with “we left him for dead on the side of the road..” He has a weird connection with music, but it’s a cool one. He had some great ideas, and some awful ideas. I hope we only used the good ones. Shit got weird towards the end of recording, but its all sorted out now so there’s no need to talk about it publicly… but you know what it is.

Q: Give me the low down on your last name "Russin":

A: My dad’s side of the family is 100% Russian. My Dad’s generation was the first to be born in America. It was our last name before we came to America though, so its not like one of those at ellis island they give you a last name sort of thing. I never got the full background on our last name, but whenever people hear they sarcastically say “Oh are you Russian? Huh huh huh” and I say “yeah. Dickhead.”

Q: How do you feel about drinking until you black out?

A: It seems to happen when I’m with you a lot. Its awesome when it happens, but the next day when people are saying things like “do you remember throwing up in a glass and throwing it off a wall?” or when your mom tells you that you poured a drink into her purse because she cut you off… that’s when I start to regret it.

Q: What's your booze of choice?

A: BLACK TOOTH GRIN has been my jam for a while. Crown on ice w/ a splash of coke. But lately I’ve been embracing my Russian roots and enjoying vodka tonics. Oh and of course beer. Yuengling Lager, Black & Tans, Lionshead.

Q: Not being a Straight Edge Warrior, do you feel it's ok to mosh the world during a blistering Earth Crisis gig all while you've been praying to the flase idols of inebriation?

A: Yes. Yes it is. Especially if you can pit Pauly Edge into oblivion during Unseen Holocaust. Or doin some experimental mosh moves w/ CHEDGE

Q: What current "hardcore" band gets the most iPod plays / CD spins in the life of Alex Russin?

A: Trash Talk "Plagues" when I wanna get hyped up real fast, Blacklisted "Heavier Than Heaven..." for when I feel emotionally distraught, new band from CT Unforgiven. Just got their disc at United Blood...so good, they have a lot of potential. Title Fight "Kingston" 7” gets a spin at least once a week.

Q: Last but definitely not least, I've been hearing some rumors floating around about some things but instead of making assumptions I'll just ask this question: What are your thoughts on the band Soul Control? And please give an elaborate answer:

A: No Love whatsoever. Guitar player was in a band that toured with a band I was in when I was younger, CW played w /them over the summer and the dude snubbed me super hard. Fuck that attitude bullshit. Did the same cocky shit to some other people I know. They ripped off the War Hungry 7” on a t-shirt, like we are friends with them, but we aren’t. The singer gets super sketchy w/ every single girl ever, no matter if they have a boyfriend. Disrespected a friend of mine pretty hard in that matter. They preach about being respectful to people but when called out on being a scumbag to girls the singer says “THOSE ARE JUST LYRICS”. what the fuck? Nah, that shits not cool, these aren’t just lyrics. I’m pretty sure there is a band out there that refers to them as being a disrespect to jah.. I forget what band that is...can you enlighten me?

"You think it's cool but you're just a disgrace to Jah. Mo'a anbessa ze'imnegede yihuda..." --LION CREW