Hailing from Prison City: We are the Brigade

Prison City Brigade, a post-hardcore band from Joliet, IL, is hot on the local punk music scene and their reach is constantly growing. The band formed in early 2013, and after more than a few false starts, released their first EP “The Corner of Debauchery and Nowhere” in 2015. Following the success of their EP, Prison City Brigade released their first full album “War on Boredom” on streaming sites such as ITunes, Spotify, and BandCamp in March of 2017.

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

While in the past Prison City Brigade has focused mainly on, as vocalist Eddie Cavanaugh puts it, “crude humor and jokes that may offend…”, their sound has grown and changed exponentially in the year since the release of “War on Boredom”, and their second album, “Trials of Survival” which is set to release August 24th, 2018, shows just that.

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

“Trials of Survival” is an album created with the intention of telling a story. Conceptually based off of the inner turmoil and personal struggles that many face on a day to day basis, the album was designed to tie together and flow better than “War on Boredom”, with each track on the “Trials of Survival” album tying in to the one that came before it as well as the one that follows, it all works together to tell a complex and pressing story about, well, the trials of survival and the inner battle between good and evil.

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

I was able to hang out with the boys of Prison City Brigade as they previewed the full “Trials of Survival” album for the first time at the Prison House, and while there were constant shenanigans going on between the five of them throughout the time I was there, you could see the pride they share in this album and in their growth as a band over the past few years. As a whole, the members of Prison City Brigade share a rare ability to vibe together as a band and it reflects incredibly in their music.

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

While Prison City Brigade has always existed with the intention of providing music that anyone can enjoy, no matter their preferred music spectrum, their newest album, “Trials of Survival” offers a look into the growth of Prison City Brigade as a band behind the scenes, giving them even more substance as a band. But don’t worry too much, they haven’t forgotten where they came from; this album also offers a nod to what they grew from with a revamped, almost unrecognizable version of “We Are the Brigade” from their first album, “War on Boredom”.

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

You can catch Prison City Brigade’s album release show Friday, August 24th at Bada Brew in Crest Hill, IL (21 and over), and follow the link below to their official Facebook page for more information about upcoming shows and events, such as The Revival Party, and you can stream their album “War on Boredom” now on Spotify and ITunes, and their second album “Trials of Survival” will be available to stream Friday, August 24th!

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

Prison City Brigade:
Eddie “Zero” Cavanaugh — vocals
Brandon “Lamp the Vampire” Rivette — guitar
Andrew “Capt. Banana” Molloy — drums
Zach “The Dread Pirate” Roberts — lead guitar
Boe “McNasty” Jangles — bass/backing vox

For additional information and to check out their sonic explorations, please visit:

facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PrisonCityBrigade/

Itunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/prison-city-brigade/1210977972

Prison City Brigade, Joliet, Illinois, 2018

Photography and writing by Rachel Rivette