Cleveland's Cheap Tragedies have signed with Mad at the World Records, which will release their full-length debut. The New York City indie label's roster includes throwback hardcore bands like Urban Waste and Battletorn. The company previously released the self-titled CD/DVD package by 9 Shocks Terror, one of Tragedies frontman Tony Erba's many groups (including the defunct Amps II Eleven, Scene readers' favorite rock band of 2005).

"It'll be a killer record," says label head Dan Skirba, a New York-New Jersey zine publisher and promoter who's worked with the band. "Erba's usually got his finger on the pulse of something interesting and doesn't rehash his old ideas with his current bands. They can pull off sounding aggro without sacrificing some killer hooks in the process."

Bassist Max Monter also plays in Jacknife Powerbombs and 7 Seconds tribute band 7 More Seconds. Other members have played in Damn Near Killed Him, Committed, Good Clean Fun, and Mi Octopi.

The album is in progress and due late this summer. On an earlier demo and EP, the Cheap Tragedies sound like an electrified industrial spring wound so tight, it's about to snap. Revealing a mature perspective rare in hardcore punk, the band plays songs like the anti-religion screed "(My Boss Ain't No) Jewish Carpenter" and the heartfelt ode to Cleveland "Going Going Gone (Vanishing Americana)." Erba says the new album won't sound like anything heard in the mainstream scene.

Says the singer, "Lyrically, I discuss topics such as cryptozoology, dead professional wrestlers, my unfortunate inability to commit suicide, the death of Cleveland, the state of the blue-collar worker in America, and my usual laments about women who can't fathom my awesomeness."

For the one-disc deal, Mad at the World plans to initially release the record on 12-inch vinyl worldwide, via indie distributors such as Revolver, Ebullition, and Stickfigure. A CD will follow. Digital versions will be available via iTunes and Amazon.

Cheap Tragedies play Lakewood's Mahall's Twenty Lanes (13200 Madison Avenue) on Friday, April 18, and open for Boulder on Saturday, April 19, at Now That's Class (11213 Detroit Avenue). - D.X. Ferris

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 I just found this post in a MySpace forum about our St. Patrick's Day gig, from sarah evil jinx 333!

Mar 18, 2008 2:51 PM
well DAMNHELL DRINKIN DAY was a riot
lets see....
cheap tragedies rocked....
erba shoved his face in my tits...
tried to take my wig, i jumped onstage and gave it to him...
he tried to pull a wrestling move, but thank god i didnt fall.

Mar 21, 2008 2:14 PM
ok...i woke up yesterday with not one but TWO bigg ass bruises on my right tit