Magma

 

Magma was a crossover thrash/ heavy NYHC influenced style Hardcore band from Orlando FL. Pulling heavy influence from the roots of Hardcore from bands such as Iron Cross, Agnostic Front, Madball, Cro-Mags, and Leeway, as well as modern adaptation with slight accents from Pantera.

"The band was formed by friends that attended shows in the Orlando area. It all came together when Al Upshaw just left a side project band he started sometime in late 2008 after doing things on his Small DIY record/promoting label he started called "Reversal Records" helping promote bands and also booking shows in the Central Florida area. Mark reached out to Al who was very eager to make things happen from a band standpoint, at this time another friend "Slim Jim" Tim Johnson joined the band to play drums. Al had a friend who was younger at the time who could play very well technical guitar and was interested in playing live shows which is where Michael "Feeley" ended up coming into play and joining the band. Lastly a close friend of Al's at the time Steven Johnson aka Fatboimagik was our roadie and a strong supporter of us as friends and thus Magma came together. We released a 3 song demo in 2009 called "Born in Hell" which was a DIY production with very very low quality which was done with a simple recording program and half of it was produced in a bathroom. Later down the road we reached out to a friend Ghetto Josh of "Ghetto Josh Records" who pointed us in the direction of recording with someone he was friends with. Our 5 song EP called "Let it Melt" which was produced by Bob Presson out of Jacksonville FL who plays in the band "Kids Like Us" and has had other side projects. While being active we put out 100 demo tapes on Reversal Records for fun for a TX based Hardcore band called "Hardside". Magma played a lot of local shows in the Orlando and Tampa area over the few short years the band was active we had the privilege of sharing the stage with Hardcore bands such as Foundation, Backtrack, Steel Nation, Naysayer, Donnybrook, Lionheart, our forever friends "Losing Vision" out of Tampa and other great FLHC bands such as Meantime, Dropout, Call to Preserve, Harbinger, Strengthen what Remains, With Increase and the still ever so active Axis as well as many others. The band ended abruptly in 2011 and never had a Final Show. The band was asked and rumored to play the "Florida Rules Fest 2015" to possibly be the Final Show/Reunion but due to conflict of interest within the band it was unable to happen. Magma had high energy and talked about how this is mainly the Wrong World we don't want to live in. Magma never had a lineup change or replaced any members." - mark

After being disbanded for close to almost 6 years Magma assembled one last time for the Final Show being put on by "Significant Records" aka Tom who put on his final two hardcore shows for the Tampa area which he helped put together and was apart of for close to 30 years in the area. His final two shows were set for 9/9/16 and 9/10/16. Magma played a final set on the final day 9/10/16 and was able to share the stage with the South Florida up and comers Madtown, Losing Vision of Tampa who also played a final show alongside of us, Three Knee Deep the "Tampa Bay Area Fight Kings", the Riff Lords in Rhythm Of Fear from Jacksonville, and to headline the "New York Hardcore Legends" Underdog who closed out the show. Thanks to anyone who ever came out to one of our shows or anyone who cared about this band supported us in anyway or helped booked us on a show. We may play another reunion one day... but until that day comes..

Magma 2008-2011
Al Upshaw - Vocals
Mark Joseph - Bass
Feeley - Guitar
Tim J - Drums
Steven aka Fatboimagik - Roadie

Magma 2016
Al Upshaw - Vocals
Mark Joseph - Bass
Feeley - Lead Guitar
Cody - Rhythm guitar
Ashton - Drums

discography
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