I didn't know it at the time, but Struggle Within had already broken up when I discovered their work through the legendary East Coast Assault II compilation around 1997/1998. Hyping them as appropriate for fans of later Bold and later Turning Point was the only loose reference point I could ever throw out regarding their inventive take on melodic/metallic hardcore with a progressive edge, but that doesn't entirely do them justice. Fantastic songwriting, incredible musicianship, relatably introspective lyrics... the band was an immediate standout that had me totally losing my mind, and alongside Train of Thought they became an enduring obsession of mine. The only reason I haven't shouted about 'em more often over the years is because there was so little information out there.
I didn't hear the first Struggle Within demo until about seven years ago, and tracks like "Release" and "My Way" should certainly not be ignored, but their contributions to the East Coast Assault II compilation (which were also the first three songs from the Pretzel Logic demo) have been etched into my brain for decades—all three perfect 10s as far as I'm concerned. The high-energy "Doldrums" quickly demonstrates the quartet's unique fusion of melody and groove. The guitar parts are intricate and performed with an aesthetic that's somehow relaxed and precise at the same time; while there's the slightest emo-ishness to the vocals (fitting given the subject matter), but they've also got a gritty sense of anger. The rhythm section is astounding, too. The percussive flare is absolutely on fire during "Larger Than Life," and sleek bass work's on display right off the bat in "Leave it Behind." How any fan of this genre could listen to these three songs and remain unimpressed is inconceivable to me.
Following breadcrumbs since the late-'90s got me in touch with a couple of former members about a decade ago and I tried to interview 'em, but it fell apart. I was probably too much of a gushing fanboy. After almost 30 years, I finally "completed" my Struggle Within collection last week with a (coverless) physical copy of the Pretzel Logic demo, only to discover hours after excitedly digitizing the lone track I'd never heard before that all of the group's recordings are now on Bandcamp and YouTube!? Therefore, said gushing will recommence, 'cause people need to hear this shit. What follows is a combination of what the band has now provided online and research that I had done prior.
Struggle Within formed in 1993 (their address in East Coast Assault II was in the Woodhaven section of Queens), at which time the nucleus was guitarist Steve Martinez and vocalist George LeRoy. Mike Munoz (bass) and Paul Wohlmaker (drums) came out of another area five-piece called Fear of Life, whose style was a bit heavier and more typical of the metallic NYHC of the era. [Apparently Fear of Life did have one demo. If you have a copy you'd sell, hit me up! There's a Crucial Chaos live set and a Bond Street Café show on YouTube.] They played at various clubs around NYC (often the Bond Street Café) with bands like Emanon and Standoff (later Stillsuit)—plus Shift, Die 116, or other obscure greats like The Human Offense—though flyers are extremely scarce online.
The first four-song demo was recorded in two days in early-1994 with Eddie Sperry (R.I.P.) at Eddie's House studio. Sometime in 1995, two songs from that demo ended up on the Starving Artists compilation, alongside their friends in Emanon as well as bands like One 4 One, Setback, No Redeeming Social Value, Goatamentise, etc. Then in late-1995, it was back to Eddie's House for the Pretzel Logic sessions. Pete Ross from Emanon joined on second guitar after that final demo was recorded. [Emanon's demo used to be on YouTube, but I can't find it now—again, hit me up if you have one you'd sell! They also had a song on a three-way split 7"; and there's a Bond Street set on YouTube for them, too.]
Apparently Struggle Within had been working on new material that was leaning in a more aggressive direction, with plans to record six new songs at the mighty Trax East (some of this material is said to have been performed live on Crucial Chaos, so if anyone has that set, for the love of all that is holy, let me know), but George left before the end of 1996 and a breakup ensued. Paul wound up in an early lineup of Sworn Enemy, while some other ex-members (Pete and I think Steve) formed The Pullman Standard with Julian Vasquez from Stillsuit on vocals and Jaime Lathrop from Dismay on bass, but only played one or two shows. Steve, Pete, and Paul (with Jaime still on bass) then continued as an emo-ish four-piece called Five Cent Hero. Steve later had another project called The Metropolitan Goodkill, but I don't know much about that, unfortunately. Mike was such a monster bassist that it'd be a travesty if he didn't move on to anything else, but I've got zero details...
It's very much "on-brand" for me to be raving about a band that only recorded eight songs/30 minutes of material, but I very legitimately believe these compositions to be some of the absolute finest the genre has ever offered. Every single track's a keeper, and the three from East Coast Assault II remain next-level phenomenal and still kill me to this day. I'd argue that Struggle Within just might be the single most underrated NYHC band of all time. I've had some heated discussions about this in the past, as some people just don't seem to "get it," which makes my blood boil. Fucking outstanding band. I can only hope that their material being officially online now will gradually reveal this fact to a slightly larger number of listeners...
