Chokehold
Chokehold are a Canadian vegan straight edge hardcore punk band from Hamilton, Ontario, active from 1990 to 1996 with later reunions and a 2019 album release.
History
Chokehold was formed in 1990 in Hamilton. Their first release, More Than Ever, came out in 1991, followed by a split EP with Crisis of Faith and the Life Goes On EP in 1992. Their rise paralleled that of other vegan straight edge acts like Earth Crisis and hardline bands such as Vegan Reich and Raid.
In 1993, they released the LP Prison of Hope through American label Conquer the World Records, and also launched their own label, Structure Records, to release music by Florida band Bloodlet. In 1994, the politically charged EP Instilled arrived on Philadelphia’s Bloodlink Records, featuring tracks like “Anchor,” “Mindset,” and “Burning Bridges,” a manifesto on Human/Earth/Animal Liberation.
The band followed up in 1995 with their second LP, Content With Dying, which included the pro-choice anthem “Not a Solution.” In 1996, after recording four new songs intended for a split CD with Feeding the Fire, they broke up following a European tour, playing their final show at the New Bedford Festival in Massachusetts. These four songs were later released as a self-titled EP on Jawk Records. Post-breakup, members joined bands such as Brutal Knights and Left for Dead.
In 2015, remixed versions of Prison of Hope and Content With Dying were re-released, prompting a reunion tour, despite allegations of racism and transphobia at a Toronto performance; which were denied by the band and label. In 2019, they released their third album, With This Thread I Hold On, via Good Fight Records.
Members
Current Members
- Chris Logan – vocals
- Josh Fletcher – guitar (later), bass
- Matt Beckman – drums
Former Members
- Jeff Beckman – guitar
- Jon Sharron – bass
- Sandy Robertson – guitar, bass
Discography
Studio Albums
- Prison of Hope (1993, Conquer the World)
- Content with Dying (1995, Bloodlink/The Great American Steak Religion)
- With This Thread I Hold On (2019, Good Fight)
EPs, Singles, and Demos
- The Whole World Is an Addiction (1991, self-released)
- Life Goes On (1992, Arm’s Reach)
- More Than Ever (1991, self-released)
- Instilled (1994, Bloodlink)
- Tooth and Nail (1997, Jawk)
- We’re Not Gonna Take It (2015, A389)
Compilation Albums
- Prison Of Hope (1994, Conquer The World)
- Chokehold (2015, A389)
- Sell It For What It’s Worth Box Set (2016, A389)
- Discography (2016, Cosmic Note)
Splits
- Chokehold / Crisis of Faith (1992, Grinding Edge)
- Chokehold / Left for Dead (1996, Rhythm of Sickness)
