The New LP from B.F. Raid Delivers A Ton of Heavy, Thrashing Genres
A brand-new LP release from B.F. Raid just recently dropped, and this album gives you a sound that walks the line between thrash metal, classic hard rock, driving alternative, and punk.
There are songs on this record that showcase how the band is able to definitely branch out and bring in each member's influence so that you have songs that range across all these heavy-handed genres, but the album itself is very confluent.
There is an amazing consistency between the songs, and a lot of the time, you still get this intense kind of energy that beckons live performances because you can hear that fluctuation of synergy between the players and the band.
This is kind of one of their staple sounds, just giving you this raw energy that becomes super infectious, super quickly.
The new record is called Combat Zone, and it kicks things off with a track called "The Greatest Show in Town," which, right off the bat, gives you some fierce guitar tone that makes you think of '90s underground grunge bands.
Now, when I talk about raw energy, this is exactly what I mean. This track gives you this sort of massive sonic drive, some of which comes from the fact that it feels like the guitar tunings are in drop B or drop C or something like that. It definitely gives you a brutally heavy soundscape.
The song charges, and those guitars hit with a closed-fisted aggression, but the whole thing still has a catchiness to it. The rhythm is addictive, the approach is fun, and the whole song has a strange bounce to it.
The riffs change up and become sort of darker with more of a metal feel, but I still love that blend between the gritty, grungy sound that beckons certain elements of nu-metal, along with the other styles.
You also have this great sort of Slayer-style guitar solo in there with wails and bends that really hit perfectly.
So, right with this first track alone, you have sort of a big sound that doesn't hold a lot back and blends different elements of heaviness together seamlessly.
"Divebar Allstars" has a particular way of delivering more of that '90s alternative rock sound with vocals that have some great bends and addictive melodies and hooks, along with some grittier tonality and addictive riffs, but again, this is catchy too.
This is a band that's really excellent at bringing that almost aggressive metal and heavy rock feel, but still not letting go of the fact that they can write songs that stick with you and are memorable. They write songs that have catchy rhythms and loads of hooks that you may not expect at first.
Still, they hold on to that heavier side of things throughout the whole record.
The guitar work across the entire thing shreds when it wants to and thrashes when it wants to.
It's songs like "Pillow Princess" that have a way of delivering more of that punk soundscape. Faster paces, harder tones, and a bit more rambunctiousness.
Don't get me wrong, songs like this are still super tight as a band. The performances are through the roof, and you can tell everything was well thought out in terms of the arrangement and how they were going to perform it.
But it's songs like this one that are more influenced by the punk genre. The wildness is there. The energy and fierceness and their approach stand taller, and you can sort of feel that with tracks like this one.
Of course, other tracks like "Down But Not Out" also deliver loads of that punk influence.
So, there are certain tracks throughout this record that are more straight punk rock than anything else, while others are thrashier metal, melodic metal, classic hard rock mixed with alternative drive, grunge. Again, this record just covers so much.
"What You Crave" has to be one of my favorite tracks on the record simply because this one manages to pull elements of doom rock and metal into the mix with some classic doom-style riffs, but the vocals also give you that robust set of vocal harmonies that are just super, and the track just gets massively intense at times.
This is one of those albums you need to listen to all the way through, in one shot, so that you can really soak in everything that it's worth.
You don't really want to skip songs or miss anything because it's going to give you certain surprises. It's an album that keeps you on your toes, and if you love having music of almost any kind, then pretty much all of these songs are for you.
Also, this is pretty obvious, but I'm going to say it anyway: be sure and listen to this record at a good volume level. It's meant to be heard loud. These are songs that you can put your fists in the air and sing along with, head-bang to, or even mosh around your living room.
It packs a lot.
After digging into this huge release, I wanted to talk with the guys to find out more about where it came from, how it was produced, where they recorded it, if they're doing shows right now, and plenty more.
So, play this record nice and loud, and check out our new interview with B.F. Raid below.
Do not forget where you heard this first.
Where did this record come from, and what is it about?
Combat Zone grew out of our lives in Malden, Massachusetts, a couple of subway stops from downtown Boston. We think of it as an audio documentary about the people, places, and experiences that shaped us. The title comes from Boston’s old adult entertainment district, the Combat Zone, but the stories reach into our hometown, neighborhood bars, friendships, and relationships. With the exception of “Bullets From The Board,” every song has autobiographical roots.
“Divebar Allstars” started with memories of the bar across the street from where I grew up. As kids, we saw the same regulars, gamblers, and barflies there year after year. Eventually, we found ourselves sitting beside them. “Punchdrunk” reflects another part of growing up in Malden: learning to stand your ground in a tough, blue-collar city, where getting tested was part of everyday life.
“On Causeway” is more personal in a different way. Bill wrote it for his wife, Joanna, whom he met on Causeway Street in 1982. Together, the songs capture different parts of the world we knew. Some of those places are gone, but the memories and relationships remain. The stories belong to us, but you don’t have to be from Boston to understand love, friendship, excess, loss, or trying to get through another difficult day.
Did you self-produce the release, or did you bring in an outside producer?
It was a DIY project, working with engineer Jamie Rowe. We brought the songs and the creative direction, and Jamie helped us capture what we were trying to accomplish. Having someone who understands the band makes a difference, especially with material that moves between different moods and arrangements.
We wanted a heavy, clear recording that still sounded like four individual musicians. Bill’s delivery, Moose’s bass playing, Jamie Forbes’ drumming, and my guitar parts each have their own character. Those contributions need room to be heard.
A recording can lose something if you keep refining it without listening to what made the performance work in the first place. We wanted to preserve the feeling of musicians responding to one another. The finished record needed to have power, but also personality.
How did this all start for you as a band?
I started B.F. Raid in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1981 with Len Ponn on bass and Barry Silverman on drums. Bill Kotowski joined about a year later, although Bill and I have known each other since we were toddlers. There’s a lot of shared history behind this band.
Boston’s Final Raid is the name people know today. The original expansion was “Bloody F-ing Raid.” We were teenagers naming a loud band, and the more presentable version came later.
We came up through the Boston clubs, learning by getting into rooms and playing our own music. In the beginning, our ambition included being as loud as possible. The city’s mix of musical scenes also encouraged us to develop our own identity.
Today, the lineup is Bill on vocals, Matt “Moose” Howard on bass, Jamie Forbes on drums, and me on guitar, keyboards, and mandolin. The history gives us a foundation, while the current lineup gives us the chemistry to keep building.
Did you record this at a bigger studio, or a home DAW setup?
We recorded Combat Zone at The Record Co. in Boston with engineer Jamie Rowe. That’s where we could bring the arrangements together and concentrate on the performances.
There’s a difference between developing an idea and hearing how it works as a finished recording. Once you can listen closely, you discover where a part needs space, where something is too busy, or where a small change makes the whole section stronger.
For me, the important thing is how everything works together. A guitar sound might be impressive on its own and then overwhelm the bass or vocals. The same applies to the arrangement. Everybody needs room, and sometimes leaving something out gives the song more impact.
Being able to step back and listen together helps us make those decisions. We wanted listeners to hear the details while still feeling the force of the band.
I am hearing several approaches here! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
My guitar influences include Eddie Van Halen, Frank Zappa, Randy Rhoads, Glenn Tipton, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, and Jimmy Page. Beyond guitar, Brian Eno has been a lasting influence, and Olivier Messiaen became particularly important to my thinking while writing Combat Zone.
I listen across metal, hard rock, jazz, blues, progressive music, and psychedelic music. My studies at Berklee College of Music are part of that background too. Over time, everything you absorb becomes part of how you hear and write.
For this record, Messiaen’s approach helped me explore dissonance and unfamiliar harmonic movement with more purpose. I’m interested in tension, but I still want a part to belong in the song.
The other guys bring their own instincts, which is why the finished music goes beyond whatever I start with. I’ve always said, “I write for me. I create music I want to hear myself.” That gives me the freedom to follow an idea because it interests me.
Are you guys performing live right now?
We’re currently focused on being a studio band. Writing, arranging, and recording gives us a lot of satisfaction, and we enjoy developing ideas into records people can spend time with.
That approach gives us room to explore the details of a song. An instrumental part or a change in atmosphere might reveal itself after several listens, and we like having those layers in the music.
However, we know fans want to see us live, and we appreciate that. If the right opportunity arises, we’re very open to playing live. Sharing these songs with an audience in person would be exciting. Recording is our focus at the moment, but we’re certainly open to that conversation.
How would you say this album differs from previous releases?
Raided Again established the chemistry of the current lineup. Combat Zone builds on that, with more confidence in the arrangements and a stronger sense of what we can bring out of one another.
The storytelling is more personal and connected to the places that shaped us. Across ten songs and roughly 52 minutes, there’s room for different moods, from immediate aggression to passages that take more time to develop.
Most of the music was written specifically for Combat Zone, although a couple of songs go back decades. Bringing those older songs into the sessions meant approaching them with more life experience and the perspective of the current lineup. They carry their original history while fitting into the record we wanted to make today.
We also gave ourselves more freedom musically. The record has heavy riffs, but we wanted the dynamics and atmosphere to carry their share of the story. I hear it as a progression from Raided Again, with the band becoming more comfortable following its ideas.
This was quite a record! Is there any advice you’d have for up-and-coming bands out there trying to get heard?
Make music you believe in. You’re going to devote a lot of time to it, and you need that connection when progress is slow. Being proud of the work gives you a reason to keep putting it in front of people.
Then make it easy to hear and understand what you’re doing. Have good recordings, clear band information, usable artwork, and working links. Read submission instructions. If someone asks for streaming links, sending a large attachment creates an unnecessary obstacle.
Learn something about the people you contact. Independent radio hosts, reviewers, and interviewers put substantial time into discovering music. A relevant message and a little patience show that you respect their work.
When someone supports you, thank them and share what they do. Those relationships deserve attention beyond the week you’re promoting a release. Consistency matters, both in making music and in how you treat people.
Before we go, is there anything you want to say or express to listeners or fans?
Thank you for spending time with our music. Whether you’ve followed B.F. Raid for years or this interview is your introduction, we appreciate the opportunity to be heard.
Every album purchase, shared song, radio request, and recommendation helps. We’re also grateful to the radio hosts, publications, reviewers, and interviewers who have helped Combat Zone reach new listeners. There are people working hard on behalf of independent music, and their support means a great deal to us.
We also have Within The Wine coming out December 1, 2026, on vinyl, CD, and streaming platforms. It brings together four songs from Raided Again and Combat Zone as a continuous story about time, excess, lost opportunities, and the difference between getting older and growing up.
You can find our music and band news at www.bfraid.com. Give Combat Zone a listen and let us know what stays with you. Thank you for giving us the chance to talk about it.
Comments