The energy of the old school hardcore met the power and brutality of the newer era in the band known to be "The Franchise of NJ Hardcore". NJBL was by far the most versatile band to ever grace a stage and leave the dance floor a bloody mess with either and both it's killer weight and explosive presence, or and also lead singer known as Wreak Havoc's theatrical and often times comedic antics. The group saw many changes over its nine year run, and touched on every influence that inspired them musically and personally as well. These changes in psyche and sound attracted a wide variety of fans; the NJBL crowd would include punks, skinheads, thrashers, homies, (ok I'll admit it-) emo kids, skaters, and (get this) folks that were turned onto heavy music period by this band alone. What else could be expected from a band whose first show was at Studio-One in Brick City (Newark, NJ) on Friday (Nov.) the 13th, 1992?
The deadly precise yet always smiling unit's first lineup met jamming covers in a basement on the North end of Elizabeth, NJ in December of 1991. After a couple of formal band practices the name "Bloodline" was extracted from the title of a set of scrapped lyrics. Original guitarist and co-founding member Mario Simoes, began a campaign or dropping the name everywhere and every which way he could fit it, and Mario filled the live performance with just as much energy and personality (not to mention WEED SMOKE). After two shows and acknowledging five or six other bands owning the same name, it became NJ Bloodline. The name stuck out like a sore thumb, just like the members, and just like the music they created.
The band saw a break between 1995 and 1996 due to issues regarding certain members of the original lineup having to clean up. Wreak, along with Mario and his brother Tony (drums) were basically left crippled at the moment without Jim Marella and J-Crime to share the workload considering all three were also in school and working full time. This eventually led to Tony's decision to pursue a career in the fashion industry working for Ralph Lauren (wow!), even after the addition of Wreak's oldest friend, Joe Priolo, who literally took over the bass duties -SELF TAUGHT, and believe it or not raised the live performance energy level to a new extreme yet once more.
NJBL then reformed in '96 with those missing pieces replaced for the better this time by Frank Gallo on lead guitar and Ray (Chin-Chin) Chojnowski R.I.P, fa'basht) then eventually Ian'McGein'Cosgrove on the drums, and came out swinging with the infamous red demo tape (major label release quality, for only $3 -top that one, FUCKO), "be afraid...". This attack was a complete flip as opposed to their 1993 demo. It held the same widely varied and groovy style(s), but was now delivered with a thousand-fold the power of before and a much more jaded Wreak reclaiming the iron mic.
In 2001 NJBL released "Faceless", their first and only full length release. Once again loaded with a slew of eclectic material and raw power. Later that year the group lost a key musician and alot of momentum, then after a taxing hunt to replace him, along with a most discriminant set of requirements for that replacement, it unfortunately became clear the band would end then and members went their seperate ways.
A couple folks who haven't read the bio or who perhaps have misread the bio have written me since this page has been up, inquiring if NJBL would like to play a show, when we would be playing, or when the reunion is, etc...
None of that will be happening unfortunately.
be afraid- BE VERY AFRAID!!!