Life’s Blood

Life’s Blood was an American hardcore punk band formed by four first-year college students in New York City in 1987. The lineup featured Adam Nathanson on guitars, Neil Burke on bass, John Kriksciun on drums, and Combined Effort all ages shows promoter and fanzine editor Jason O’Toole on vocals.

Where they came up

Life’s Blood were part of the scene associated with CBGB’s Sunday matinees and Some Records. They built a loyal following with an aggressive sound that blended East Coast hardcore-punk with melodic Oi!, paired with lyrics that people took seriously instead of treating as background noise.

They played live on WNYU and WFMU, and logged 26 shows across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Ohio. Busy schedule, short runway.

Shows and breakup

Before ending in 1989, Life’s Blood performed alongside bands including Sheer Terror, Beyond, Judge, Project X, and Soulside. After the breakup, members stayed active in other projects.

What the members did next

Adam Nathanson later formed Born Against with Sam McPheeters on vocals. John Kriksciun went on to play drums for Collapse and Burn, among other acts. Neil Burke, an artist working in visual and audio mediums, played in Born Against, Sinking Body, and Men’s Recovery Project.

In 1992, Jason O’Toole performed and recorded with Factory in a lineup that included past and future members of Intent, Hail Mary, Brown Cuts Neighbors, and Limp Wrist. In 2011, O’Toole sang for My Rifle on a self-titled EP backed by former members of Our Gang, Hell No, and Absolution, released on Wardance Records. That release drew attention for receiving a glowing Maximumrocknroll review despite O’Toole’s 20 years in law enforcement.

Covers and reach

Life’s Blood songs have been covered live and on recordings by bands from Sweden and Japan, along with American hardcore acts. MK-ULTRA’s cover of “It’s Not in Your Heart” appeared on the Teen Angst compilation. Finland’s Down My Throat covered “Youth Enrage” on their album Real Heroes Die.

Recordings and releases

Among their recordings are Defiance (originally on Combined Effort), the Vermiform Records compilation EP Murders Among Us, and the New York Hardcore compilation Where the Wild Things Are on Blackout Records. Their catalog also includes the New Breed compilation, a split 7-inch with Sticks And Stones, and multiple bootlegs. Vermiform later released a CD that paired the original Defiance EP with additional material.

Prank Records planned to release the complete Life’s Blood discography in early 2016.

Members

• Jason O’Toole
• Adam Nathanson
• Neil Burke
• John Kriksciun