Strength Within

ORIGINS: Penrith, NSW

GENRE: Hardcore

YEARS ACTIVE: 2002-2004

 

MEMBERS:

• Andrew Elphick (Vocals)
• Matt Sourdin (Guitar)
  
• Josh Matheson (Vocals) [2002-2003]
  
• Adam Kenny (Guitar) [2002-2003]
• Tristan Alliston (Drums) [2002-2003]
• Adrian French (Bass) [2002-2002]
  
• Paul Cullens (Bass) [2003-2004]
• Ben Brady (Drums) [2003-2004]
• Zephyr Pavey (Guitar) [2004]
  
• Jake Johnston (Guitar) [2004]
  

RELEASES: 

• Let the Onslaught Begin... (2002) Demo - Download Here.
  
• 1. Strength Within
• 2. Ruling Class Masochism
• 3. Taking for Granted
• 4. Wither Away
• 5. As History Repeats

•  True Till Death - Compilation (2003)
• Figure It Out

• Demo (2003) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Figure It Out
• 2. Licking at the Wounds
• 3. These Walls Won't Break
   

•  We Deliver (2003) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Strength Within
• 2. Trivial Pursuit
• 3. Licking at the Wounds
• 4. Dead End Perceptions
• 5. Yours Sincerely
• 6. These Walls Won't Break
  

SUMMARY: Strength Within formed as a six-piece hardcore band with dual vocals before moving towards a more standard one-vocalist set-up. They were an energetic staple of Western Sydney hardcore shows before finding spots on bills with international bands and touring interstate. In 2003 the band signed with Common Bond Records. The band finished up at the end of 2004 with some members going on to form another Penrith-based hardcore band, Bad Blood.

SHOWS: 

• Vic on the Park, Marrickville - 17th April, 2004
  
• Against / Mindsnare National Tour - time and date unknown, 2004
• Annandale Hotel, Annandale - 18th November, 2004 
• Arncliffe Hotel, Arncliffe - 26th November, 2004
  

ORAL HISTORY:

ANDREW: There was essentially a merger of strung-together Penrith fellas who wanted to do a hardcore band... We'd all become regulars going to see hardcore bands at the Iron Duke and Green Square and we were keen to get some Penrith representation on the stage.

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

ADAM: We started 2001, after I finished with Little More Than You. I left the band to go to Ireland in 2003 but they kept going for a bit. Bad Blood then kinda formed from Strength Within.

Adam Kenny (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

JOSH: I came into the band as an experimental idea of having two singers. I later left the band in late 2003 to concentrate on work as a chef and also the guys wanted to concentrate on having one singer. Andrew was the man, had an awesome, crazy in-your-face voice!

Josh Matheson (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

ANDREW: There were definitely big metal influences in the beginning, we had two singers, a lot of conflicting ideas. By the time we got past our demo there were a few lineup changes... Far out Ben Brady was a wicked drummer, he just elevated our sound, brought us to a more punk orientated timing, made us sound a lot tighter. By the end we were a pretty stock-standard hardcore punk band I think.

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

ANDREW: Brisbane was an experience I'll never ever forget. I joked with Sourdin about how I'd probably get the flu a couple months beforehand and lo and behold, Johnny and I got it and it spread to everyone else, so it required extra effort to sing the three shows. The first night we played was a total nightmare, nothing went right for us. It was our new drummer's first show and we hadn't rehearsed for two weeks because he was in NZ and the flu really took hold of us, we were all real bummed out after that show. So the next night we were all mega nervous, we expected another disaster and we had to play after a phenomenal performance by a black metal band called Sakkuth. We got up and soon as the first note played, we clicked and played our hearts out and it turned into one of our favourite performances to date and there were kids who knew our words somehow and sang along. That made us feel all jelly-like haha. Then Sourdin got real sick after the show... he was in a terrible condition, but we were in serious laughter and were out celebrating how cool things had turned out.  

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Straight Up Issue 1, 2003

Advertisement from Pee Zine Issue 29 (2004)

ANDREW: Touring with Mindsnare and Against was a very awesome experience, despite all of us getting influenza, bronchitis, and various other deadly strains of cold and flu (again). It didn't really have any impact on the fun we had or how we performed so it was good. It was the first time we'd been to Melbourne and Adelaide and the response was ten times better than what we expected. I think the Melbourne all ages show as one of the best shows we've played and attended in a long time... everyone that attended wasn't afraid to mosh and dance and there was even a conga line; a really good atmosphere.

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Highly Flammable Issue 1, 2004

ANDREW: I'd love to get to work on a full length, but I guess that all depends on if we get a rock-steady line up. Personally I've always wanted to concentrate on developing some awareness of hardcore in Penrith, I think hardcore has massive potential out here, the kids are sick to death of ska and Limp Bizkit clones and we usually get a rad response when we play local shows. The western breeds are pissed, we're the true dregs of Sydney after all, what don't we have to be pissed about?

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Straight Up Issue 1, 2003

PAUL: My best memories being in Strength Within are playing shows and jammin' with my mates and representing Western Sydney in the HC scene. Being on the Mindsnare/Against tour had to be up there too. That was fun times. The band was just fun times the whole time. I feel we had our own sound in the Sydney HC Scene. A good mix of HC/punk/metal. It was a diverse sound. I liked that.

    Paul Cullens (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

ANDREW: Anyone can pick a fake and we can pick out the kids who are all heart and knowing those kids gives hardcore that special feeling that makes us crave the next show to get to just as heroin addicts crave the needle. But if you see new kids at shows then you should make them feel welcome, throw them mix tapes, let 'em know when the next show is. I hate it when some people are like, 'Oh, I've never seen that person at shows, fuck him/her'. It's that self-righteous bullshit attitude that deters them from coming back.

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Straight Up Issue 1, 2003

ANDREW: I miss hanging with the band the most. Practice was just a barrel of laughs, very good dudes.

Andrew Elphick (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

RELATED BANDS: Boneless, The Rumjacks, Little More Than You, Moneypenny, Bad Blood, Unpaid Debt, Fatboy, Offset, Badanga, Carnage Flail, Columbia's Pain, Struck 70, Easy Company, The Hassle Brigade, Spasm, Huntsman

Original cover for first release of We Deliver