It seems the good old days of bands making home videos are over. I remember when Pantera released 3 Watch it Go. I couldn't get enough of their hilarious antics while on the road. I've just seen another band's DVD, and unlike the usual live DVD, Throwdown's new home video Together, Forever, United is a compilation of footage the band has put together after years. This DVD features all the ex-members of Throwdown, yet another thing you don't see in today's home video. This is the best DVD I have seen any band do since Pantera did 3 Watch it Go. I'll quote the singer from Throwdown concerning this matter: "I figure, if you want to see a band live...go buy a ticket and watch em! If you want to listen to them on CD then do that. But if you want to watch 'em light their roadies' eyebrows on fire or pour ketchup on each other, then buy a DVD". Well said! I couldn't believe how much this DVD reminded me of an old Pantera home video. There's about ten minutes of live footage scattered throughout the DVD. The DVD contains footage from Throwdown's conception to footage from the band touring in Europe. This DVD is split into many parts, each one giving the viewer another piece of info from the band. For instance there is one scene where they see a camel on the side of the road and stops on the highway to go play with the camel. Dave, the singer of Throwdown climbs the fence and starts dancing around in the camel cage. This DVD also shows you how down to earth and humorous the band is. The footage was compiled by Dom, Throwdown's bassist and put together on a friend's computer. This DVD was never intended to be more than a home video for the band, and its closest friends. Trustkill decided to make it much more than that. Overall this has to be the best home video in years. I hope it will make more bands realize having a live DVD is boring. It makes the DVD so much more worth viewing twenty times. If you miss bands baring all, and showing you life on tour with them, pick this DVD up, it is available now through Trustkill records.

This band always scared me, but after seeing this DVD and their behind-the-scene hi-jinx, my opinion on the dudes in Throwdown has totally changed. A sense of humor is hard to translate onto CDs full of tough guy hardcore, but here we see them goofing around, acting like clowns, and generally having a good time at shows and on the road. The music still does absolutely nothing for me (too tough sounding, too by-the-numbers), but this was a very entertaining, documentary-style DVD that should work for fans of the band, but also for those interested in the tougher hardcore scene in general.

If you've been keeping up with the glimpses into my life I offer in the 'Zine And Not Heard column, you'll know that I just recently cottoned onto DVD technology. In my short time as a member of the 21st Century, I've come to notice that most DVDs bands issue are pretty crappy, especially the ones that basically consist of a couple cameras filming a show with an "extras section" that's nothing more than a bunch of sleepy-eyed drunks rambling on about themselves. Really, it's not like I'd drive 10 minutes to see most of these bands play in town, why would I sit in my house watching them? Together. Forever. United. is a completely different beast in that it traces the development of this Orange County hardcore band from their genesis as a joke band rehearsing in the kitchen of a hardcore flophouse to an international, non-stop touring machine. What you soon realize as you witness the pictorial, video and narrative history of Throwdown unfold before your eyes and ears is that despite their toughguy sound, these guys are little more than a bunch of shit disturbing, wise-ass jokers who totally belie any preconception their music may generate about them as people and musicians. Yes, they play mosh-core, heavy on the breakdowns and low on originality, but they're also the kind of guys who'll make roadside stops to feed camels Kleenex, chase emus around an emu farm, play shows dressed like sumo wrestlers and chase pigeons around Europe just for the hell of it. As mentioned, this DVD traces the full history of the band, including video footage of their very first show and first tour, commentary from ex-members, documentation of all phases of touring they've done (from D.I.Y. van tours to Europe, Australia and the Warped Tour) and sections about straight edge, their roadie and tour manager. Basically, aside from the stuff about friendship and straight edge, Throwdown's philosophy seems to be "anything for a laugh" and it's this doctrine that has not only survived the band's transition, but makes this entire DVD awesome to watch. Nothing or no one is free from ridicule or being goofed on: fellow band mates, roadies, Europeans, animals, fans, non-fans, James Hart of Eighteen Visions etc. Witness them convince a quartet of small town folk in a Burger King that they are Slipknot without masks (and sign autographs). Watch as they convince their roadie that a rundown building in Italy is Stonehenge. It goes on and on. Extras include the "Forever" video, a huge historical photo gallery and a full hometown show. When it all comes down to it, this is the sort of thing that bands should be doing with DVD releases. Further proof of just how good Together. Forever. United. is: I'm not at all a Throwdown fan and I love this fucking thing.

Until Atreyu popped up on the radar in 2002 and became the 21st century metal-core darlings of Orange County, Throwdown (along with co-conspirators Eighteen Visions) were the hometown favorites building up street cred since the late '90s. With their first official DVD release, Throwdown delivers 120-plus minutes covering the annals and life-on-the-road trials of this tight-knit band and their extended family of roadies, former members, other bands, and uber-loyal fans. The contents are pretty inclusive, spanning Throwdown's first show in 1997 to the entire set of a spring 2004 show at Corona's Showcase Theatre. Plus, there's plenty of footage from various national, European and Vans Warped tours. But the emphasis (and, arguably, the best selling point) of his release is the in-depth band member interviews that touch on an entire galaxy of topics: the group's none-too-serious beginnings, their short-lived official dance team and the Orange County apartment that became a 24-hour ground zero for all things Throwdown. Eventually, when this band starts hosting MTV2 hardcore segments, Together. Forever. United. will stand as a sublime document of one of hardcore's humblest and hardest-working heroes.

Over the past seven plus years Trustkill Records recording artist Throwdown has suffered a good handful of bad luck and when I say that I mean the band nearly broke up or probably would have if they weren't so dedicated and didn't stand united as friends. In 2004 the bad luck started to run dry, the band hooked up with Ozzfest 2005 and released a DVD documentary of the band Throwdown's life. The DVD is called Together.Forever.United, ironic huh? The DVD features an entire set shot in the spring of 2004 in their hometown of Orange County, CA as well as interviews with each member of the band and over 250 photos from all of the groups tours. Overall its a cool DVD and if your a Throwdown fan you should definitely pick this video up.

This 120 plus minute feature captures Throwdown's entire history, starting from their very first show in orange county in 1997, to an entire live set filmed in 2004. With plenty of behind the scenes footage, in-depth interviews with band members and live footage, Together. Forever. United. is a revealing and personal look into one of today's most vital and potent hardcore bands.

Throwdown have been making waves for a few years now (although longer than I had thought) and in the past year have taken mainstream music by storm. The band appeared on the second stage at Ozzfest 2004 all summer long and has sold over 35,000 copies of their Trustkill debut. Not bad for a true hardcore band. As I found out on this DVD, more true hardcore than I gave them credit for. What you get on "Together Forever United" is an intimate look inside this band from their very early days when Throwdown was more just a goof off band to the almost modern day where Throwdown is a solid living. This DVD really is superb in that respect. Instead of a live show being the main feature here, the main feature is a documentary on the band with some cool live footage interspersed. I like this approach a lot better than many of the DVD's I have seen. There is some live material on the DVD but getting to know the band is the focus. There's a lot to like about these guys and their roadies and it's easy to see why they have garnered such a following so quickly. My favorite thing about this CD is the friendships. It's rare that you see bands that are literally best friends, especially after years of touring. These guys are though and it kinda gives us jaded "insiders" a lot of hope. I really appreciated being able to see them interact with their friends (including Bleeding Through, Eighteen Visions, and others) and see footage of their Orange County hardcore scene. Hardcore has changed a lot over the last decade and while I don't like a lot of what I see, Throwdown is a breath of fresh air. They may not be pushing any envelopes musically but they are great at what they do and they sure look like they are having a good time doing it.

I never know what to expect from music-related DVD's, and I'm only a moderate Throwdown fan, but I have to admit that as far as this kind of stuff goes, this DVD is a bit better than average, if for no other reason than the majority of the disc does not revolve around live footage, which always tends to bore me. A pretty comprehensive collection, things kick off with some footage of the band's first show, and there are lots of quick live segments and random tour shots throughout, interspersed with tons of interview footage with current and former band members, roadies, friends, etc. Most of the footage is in color, with a scarce few shots in black and white, and the bulk of the content is interview footage and random humorous behind the scenes antics from tours over the years. It's definitely a little insular at times, but generally it's entertaining due to the focus on interviews rather than rehashed live performances. It's also cool that there's no bullshit hype or anything. For example, while one might expect a band of this style to include lots of violent dancing or footage of fights at shows, there's really none of that at all. Most of the behind the scenes stuff is amusing, and there's some cool footage from European tours, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Among the bonus features are the video for "Forever", which is totally professional looking and has a mix of performance footage in a warehouse spliced with some "Fight Club" type stuff; a 26-minute professionally shot live set from Orange County (with muddy sound but a great picture with multiple camera angles); and around 20 minutes of random extras, including a hilarious scene at a fast food joint where Throwdown pretends to be Slipknot without the masks on and fools some unsuspecting Slipknot fans into believing every bit of it. Classic. All in all it's a solid sitting. There's about 80 minutes of core content with enough bonus features to throw the total running time just over two hours, which isn't too shabby and goes by fairly quickly. There's not that much to talk about since most of the DVD is interview footage and sort of traces the band from start to present, and I definitely think it could've been a little more detailed or humorous at times (a lot of the humor and some of the content really leans towards their own particular niche of the scene in Orange County), but if I spent $10 or so on this thing I'd enjoy it. This is certainly one of the better music DVD's I've watched in the last year.

For anyone unfamiliar with bro-core bruisers Throwdown, this "rockumentary" format is an excellent introduction, with members spilling the beans on band life rather than a bombardment of boring live footage, which has become the norm for DVD releases. Filmed over a number of years, 'Together. Forever. United.' shows Throwdown's progression from their first show (back when they appeared onstage in boxing regalia, featuring 'Heavy K'- better known as Eighteen Visions' Keith Barney on vocals) to the present (with former guitarist Dave Peters handling vocals), plus all the fights, frolics and ferocious pits in between. There's an introduction to the yellow-shirted Throwdown dance team, their "hang-out house" where rehearsals turned into gigs, Jackass-style tomofoolery, and the low-down on their roadies. Tonnes of behind the scenes filming, plus bonus live footage and the 'Forever' promo. Exactly what it says on the tin!

Now this is a proper making of a DVD. Done before the band hits it really big. I mean seriously, who is Throwdown? Unless you followed warped tour 2003 you would not know. However, this band has a righteous and novel idea. Let's make a DVD that actually contains not just concert footage, but an actual concert. Whoa now, hold the phones I think we have a new and innovative concept in music, it's called MUSIC! and this DVD has it. Amazing! It has music and more. More is good, as long as we get the music. What is more? more is... an actualvideo from the bands last album. More... is a 200 plus photo gallery. More is... thank you throwdown for MUSIC and more. A++

Sounds like a hardcore CD huh? Well, you're close. It's actually the new documentary about hardcore band Throwdown. (and with their balls out, straight-served, blistering hardcore sound, they deserve that motherfucking name, I can tell you bro!) What marks this as a good film is the fact that I, who was not familiar with this band until my encounter with the movie, still found myself interested by what was going on the screen. This movie certainly touches on all the bases you would expect to be covered for a rockumentary (sorry I could not resist). For one thing, the movie does not limit itself to just yakking with the current band members. Quite early in the proceedings the movie lets you know its scope is all encompassing and just in this way. It also uses a variety of sources for presenting its information. Of course there are interview sequences. Naturally there are yummy concert clips. And there are even some great behind the scenes mucking about (some of which are quite hilarious). "Together. Forever. United" takes a look at the bands entire career approaching from different directions, all to give the viewr a complete view. One leaves feeling like this was more than just thrown together crap you just stick on a bonus DVD with a new CD release. Adding to this Beaucoup of features on this docuDVD: footage from various tours, "forever" video, photos out the ass (over 250!) and a COMPLETE LIVE SET SHOT IN THROWDOWNS HOMETOWN. Go check it out. You know you want to.

Though it's questionable whether or not a band that's been together just five years needs to release a video documenting its history, this DVD is pretty damn hilarious. That's due mostly to the strength of the personalities involved - love or hate Throw down's metal influenced, straight edge hardcore, you'll laugh like hell at some of the shit these knuckleheads do. And they can't even blame any of their irresponsibility on drugs or alcohol. The nearly 90 minute documentary mixes pro shot interviews with band members and more amateur homemade video done by the band n tour to illustrate how a bunch of goofball kids from SoCal turned into a serious band that has toured the world. Bonus features included a short set recorded in their hometown last spring, as well as a video for "forever". There's also a photo gallery.

Man, this release took some balls. On paper, a two hour documentary on a hardcore band seems like it wouldn't be too interesting. But somehow Throwdown pulls it off and this documentary was awesome. I watched it from start to finish and was interested the whole way through. Like any good documentary, Together, Forever, United showcases how funny this band is. If there is humor it makes the whole DVD flow, and the editing was fantastic. For such heavy brutal music- Throwdown sure know how to have fun all the time. The documentary covers the bands start (from the first show at Koos Café) to now. In-between covering many tours, favorite things about tour, people who influenced them along the way, and talking about Straight Edge in a very non threatening way. This band sure won me over, I can't put my finger on it any other then to say- they have fun and they love what they do. That appeals to the average folk of the world, including myself. A few of my favorite parts are when they explain how Europeans dance (opposed to how kids in the US dance) and of course the little homage to Dave Mandel of Indecision Records. Although I had never seen footage of Europeans hardcore dancing (which in a way is realllly funny) I know first hand how great and funny Dave Mandel is- this DVD showcases that. Dave was credited for putting the band where they are- and just by the footage alone you sense he is a funny guy. I also found it refreshing when singer Dave Peters tells you that the next Throwdown record will have the expected Straight Edge song, and it will most likely sound the same because "that's just what we do." Refreshingly honest- good to see even if it rarely happens, let alone on camera. Aside from the documentary this DVD features a live show from the bands hometown, their video for "Forever," and a big photo gallery. I loved this documentary- it's one to check out that's for sure.

I used to think Throwdown were a joke, a cliched straight-edge jockcore band that bounced around singing vaguely-homoerotic fist-in-the-air dirges about loyalty and friendship. If there's one thing I've learnt from 'Together, Forever, United' it's that even Throwdown themselves thought they were a joke, a cliched straight-edge jockcore band but the friendship and loyalty was straight from their collective hearts. From their first half-assed show in boxing gloves as a comedy side project to their first tour alongside the fledgling 18 Visions, the blistering sun of the Warped Tour and their first trip to Australia the gravity of who they are and what they're doing never seemed to hit them - the Throwdown experience is never a tour-bus full of rock-stars engaged in a journey that would take them to stages thousands and thousands of miles from their own California but a group of best friends stuffed in the back of a broken-down van on a road-trip together. It takes a hand-held camcorder to capture that in the way that only a committed team of experienced documentary film-makers could ever begin to duplicate - sincerity. Deep retrospectives from former members, current members and roadies alike recall the bands history with a kind of a wry nostalgia - a disbelief that a novelty-band built upon Hatebreed worship could ever clamber to the heights that they have. Just when you're thinking 'how much fun can a band who doesn't drink be?' you spend over an hour giggling as 18 Visions' preening vocalist James Hart falls off the stage and the band rise as one to convince a family in Burger King that they are in fact nose-wanking nu-metal meat-heads Slipknot sans masks. Revolver called them 'the future of metal' and never before has the future looked so familiar; gone are the inapproachable big-haired egomaniacal metal-gods and instead are a bunch of kids in jeans and band t-shirts. If hardcore helped break down the seemingly impenetrable wall between musician and fan then Throwdown are grinding the remaining blocks into a very fine dust.

There are many things I'm going to say about this DVD, but first and foremost I want to say that this was so fucking cool and inspirational to see. What Throwdown has given us is basically a video diary of their rise from Orange County, California in 1997 to playing this year's Ozzfest. The quote from Motley Crue that starts this DVD in motion "When we started this band all we needed was a laugh; years gone by I'd say we kicked some ass", couldn't be more true and to the point. This is a band that admittedly never thought they would be doing the things they are doing today and have nothing but love and appreciation for the blessing they have been given. There is so much in this video that there is just no way I'm going to be able to cover all of it so I'm just gonna "throwdown" some of the highlights. It starts out with interviews with band members both past and present and believe me these guys have seen more than a few come and go in their time. Maybe my favorite bit on the whole DVD is the footage of Throwdown's first show ever in some poor bastard's house. The sound is raw with lots of fuck ups and do-overs but man, that is where it all starts. It's those times that made them what they are now. From there it dives into a deep and detailed history of the band with more live clips from over the years with extensive interviews and comments from the group. Did you know that Throwdown had their own dance team made up of their friends that followed them in the early days? They even had their own shirts printed up. Talk about support! Did you know that vocalist Dave Peters was originally the guitarist and switched positions with current guitarist/then vocalist Keith Barney after Barney had some serious throat problems? It's all right here my friends. Then it's onto coverage from the first tours in 1999 and 2000 with their bros in Eighteen Visions and their 2001 tour with Martyr AD that shows the struggle of trying to be seen and heard in the U.S., which also includes footage from Hellfest for the latter two years. The tour remembrances about Europe and Australia are also worthy of mention. Included as well are interviews with the road crews from these tours who are still with them to this day. Then we have lots of comical moments of the band clowning around with each other, animals (you have got to see this), and other bands. Warped tour coverage, the importance of friendships, an entire live set shot in their hometown, the video for the song "Forever" from the Haymaker album, plenty of behind the scenes antics, and photo gallery make this my favorite DVD release this year. Plus there is so much more clocking in at over two hours of hardcore mayhem making this thing one hell of an addition to your video catalog. I don't know what the price tag will be on this, but whatever it is, it's going to be worth it so go get it byatch. Anybody in a struggling band looking for the road to success has got to watch this and for those hardcore kids who love this band like me it will leave you with an even deeper appreciation of Throwdown. Indeed Together, Forever, United!

I approached this one with more than a little apprehension. Judging by their sound, I always assumed Throwdown were a group of tough-guy hardcore thugs that would kill you on sight if they ever�caught you walking down the wrong alley. After watching this 120-plus minute DVD documentary on the band, turns out these crunch-core dudes are nothing but a bunch of big teddy bears. Well, not quite, but this behind-the-scenes film about Throwdown's career (to date) helps bring some human elements to a tougher-than-nails sound that, thankfully, takes a backseat to the tale of a band who quickly saw their legacy balloon in front of their eyes. Started as a joke hardcore band in Orange County, Throwdown quickly became one of the most notorious bands around, eschewing all aspects of melody and going directly for the jugular with cuss-filled beatdowns and crushing breakdowns. And, yes, there's a live set featuring that very heaviness on the extra features section of this DVD, alongside song videos and other extra footage. But the bulk of this disc is used for the band documentary, splicing together interviews, live footage, and the band's surprisingly humorous tour antics into a genuinely entertaining film about hardcore. Sure, it's the kind of hardcore where everyone in the pit does that crazy kickboxing/windmill shit, and where dudes from horrid bands like 18 Visions and Bleeding Through pop in and out of the story, but it's still a curious look at life on the road in the hardcore scene. If this had been just a Throwdown live DVD, I would have bailed pretty fast (their sound still does nothing for me), but thanks to someone in the band always having a video camera handy, we get a very cool documentary DVD instead.

This is the first DVD review I have ever done, and it was probably easier to do than an album review. I guess the eyes can describe more than the ears. I never expected to review a DVD, but the nice folks at Trustkill were kind enough to send me the new Throwdown "Together, Forever, United". When I popped this into my player, I was not expecting the next couple of hours of entertainment that was to follow. I will come out and say it right now: most music related DVDs suck. There is however a few that doesn't and the Throwdown disc is one of them. The DVD features over two hours of Throwdown entire history starting way back in 1997. Other features are an entire live set from Orange County and footage from the bands European, Australian and multiple summer tours. There is a slew of other content encompasses on the disc, way too much to list. I guess the thing I like the most about this DVD is that is has more one on one band interaction and not the normal nothing but live footage like most discs. This disc has more of Throwdown hanging out and goofing off than it does actually playing music. The "Roadies" segment was great and I particularly liked Johnson. The funniest shit on the DVD is definitely the band messing around with the animals. Funniest thing I have ever seen on music related DVD! Even if you are not a fan of Throwdown you should still watch this DVD, it will have you rolling. I saw Throwdown this past summer with Hatebreed and their on stage presence is so professional. You could never have guessed that these guys had probably been feeding a camel a napkin or shoving a stick up an ostrich's ass earlier that day. This is one of the most complete, well organized, and entertaining DVDs to come out in a long time. Features upon features that will have you thinking you know the band personally. I cannot say enough good things about "Together, Forever, United", but I can suggest that you pick up a copy.