Review Fix Exclusive: The Attack’s Charlie Bender Talks ‘On Condition’

Review Fix chats with The Attack’s Charlie Bender, who discusses the band’s origin, goals and creative process behind their new album, “On Condition.”

Review Fix: How did the band get together?

Charlie Bender: The Attack was originally formed as a fun musical outlet after our band Spitvalves called it quits.  Mikey, Tito and myself were all in Spitvalves.  Brad managed the band.  It all just made sense.  We were finished with the Spitvalves chapter of our career but still wanted to make music.

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Bender: There isn’t a strategic process that we use.  Whoever has the next idea, we check it out and possibly turn it into an Attack song.  Some of us write at home, sometimes full songs, sometimes just a melody or riff.  We work together to create songs that we are all proud of.

Review Fix: What’s your standout song on the new album? How was it written?

Bender: For me, it would have to be “These Nights.” I wrote this one a while ago.  I kept going back to it, adding more, taking away parts.  It just wasn’t finished.  We tweaked it all the way till tracking with different back up vocals, lyrics, and yes the B3 organ.  I love the B3 on this track.  We ended up with a great song with a great message.

Review Fix: What are your goals for 2017?

Bender: International touring.

Review Fix: What makes “On Condition ” a special album?

Bender: I feel it’s a mature outlook on some of the same teenage angst we use to have.  It’s tough yet melodic.  Direct and inviting, and always fun.

Review Fix: How do you want your music to affect people?

Bender: I’d like to be apart of our fans life’s playlist. Whether to help our fans escape reality or be the soundtrack that follows them.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Bender: To yet again, answer a question I ask myself often…“…coffee or cocktail???”

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Bender: Let’s go play some shows.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14230 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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