In the ten years since guitarist/vocalist Joe McMahon and guitarist Jeremy Cochran sowed the seeds that would grow into Smoke or Fire with their first band Jericho, their vision has been equally shaped by member changes, their experiences on the road and the evolution of the punk scene in general. On the third Smoke or Fire full-length, the foursome emerges from yet another lineup change with a compelling and galvanizing sound that touches on nearly every subgenre in contemporary punk rock without sounding dated or generic.
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2010.