Warzone (band)

{{Short description|American hardcore punk band}}

{{About|the band|other uses|Warzone (disambiguation)}}

{{More citations needed|date=October 2018}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Warzone

| image =

| caption =

| alias = Rat Poison

| origin = Manhattan, New York, U.S.

| genre = Hardcore punk

| years_active = 1983–1997

| label = Victory, Revelation, Caroline, Fist

| spinoffs =

| website =

| current_members =

| past_members = Raymond "Raybeez" Barbieri
Tommy "Rat" DeRossa
Sebastián "Tito" Pérez
Adam Moochie
Roger Miret
Stevie Love
Brad "Batmite" Davis
Charlie Scalfani
Todd Youth
Luke Abbey
Walter "Righteous" Schreifels
Paul Canade
Jason "Crazy Jay Skin" Vento
John "Omen" Ullman
Erik "E.K" Komst
Bob Mario Cuomo
Jason "J-sin" Lehrhoff
Todd "The Kid" Hamilton
Dray "Bent" Lockdown
Johnn "Depression" Lynch
Vincent "Vinnie Value" Verga
Arthur Smilios
Kent Miller

}}

Warzone (formerly known as Rat Poison){{cite web |last1=Rettman |first1=Tony |title=Racist Skins Weren't Welcome in Warzone's LES War Zone |url=https://clrvynt.com/racist-skins-werent-welcome-in-warzones-les-war-zone/ |access-date=July 12, 2020}} was an American hardcore punk band formed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1983. The band helped develop the New York hardcore sound, the hardcore skinhead style and the youth crew subgenre. During the band's 14 years and many line-up changes, their primarily hardcore sound was flavored by influences ranging from Oi! (they toured several times with The Business and played a cover of their song "The Real Enemy") to traditional punk rock to heavy metal (on their self-titled LP). Their fan base was diverse, with their concerts usually attended by skinheads, straight edge teens, metalheads, and punks of all ages. Vice has written that "one could argue that [Warzone] spearheaded the second and larger wave of hardcore bands that erupted in the NY scene in 1986–1987".{{cite web|url=http://noisey.vice.com/blog/warzone-women|title=Brotherhood and Sisterhood: Looking Back with New York Hardcore's Warzone Women|date=June 10, 2015|website=Noisey.vice.com|access-date=October 27, 2018}}

Frontman Raymond "Raybeez" Barbieri was the band's only consistent member through the vast majority of its years. He joined the band as the drummer in 1983 (the same year he played drums on the debut Agnostic Front 7-inch EP United Blood), later taking over vocal duties{{Cite web |url=http://www.unityhxc.com/hardcore/raybeez.htm |title=UNITYHXC.COM | Raybeez |access-date=2014-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031063404/http://www.unityhxc.com/hardcore/raybeez.htm |archive-date=2014-10-31 |url-status=dead }} after Warzone had already been in existence for two years (noting later, "in a band that [had] been running for so long, there has to be something there").{{cite web|url=http://www.revelationrecords.com/band/179|title=Revelation Records : Warzone|website=Revelationrecords.com|access-date=27 October 2018|archive-date=September 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911220212/http://www.revelationrecords.com/band/179|url-status=dead}} Raybeez remained the singer of Warzone until his death on September 11, 1997, due to pneumonia.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1435183/warzones-raybeez-dies-of-pneumonia/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329080524/http://www.mtv.com/news/1435183/warzones-raybeez-dies-of-pneumonia/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2016|title=Warzone's Raybeez Dies Of Pneumonia|website=Mtv.com|access-date=27 October 2018}} A U.S. Navy veteran,{{cite web|url=http://www.deadpunkstars.com/browse/203/raybeez.html|title=Raybeez|date=September 11, 1997|first=Andy|last=Ramone|website=Dead Punk Stars|access-date=27 October 2018|archive-date=December 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220130602/http://www.deadpunkstars.com/browse/203/raybeez.html|url-status=dead}} he was receiving treatment in a VHA facility when the illness damaged his liver and took his life at the age of 35.{{cite web |url=http://www.ineffecthardcore.com/features/warzone-remembering-raybeez/ |title=InEffectHardcore.com - Warzone Remembering Raybeez |access-date=2014-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712184159/http://www.ineffecthardcore.com/features/warzone-remembering-raybeez/ |archive-date=2015-07-12 }} A tribute sign reading "R.I.P Ray" hung outside CBGB for some time following his death, and for more than a year afterward, every release on Victory Records was dedicated to his memory, as were two independent compilations. These albums, as well as benefit concerts, raised funds for several non-profit groups Ray had worked for which helped at-risk youth.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/bands/warzone|title=Warzone|website=Punknews.org|access-date=October 27, 2018}}