"Nothing will break the spirit, we've got to pass it on/No matter what we face we'll keep this alive/For the kids."—"For the Kids," Trial

Trial are hands down one of the most influential hardcore bands to come from the Northwest. The fiery political outfit formed in 1995 and released a handful of EPs and 7-inches, along with a full-length, Are These Our Lives?, before disbanding in February 2000 (playing their last show in Munich, Germany, of all places). Their passionate lyrics brought social and straight-edge issues to the forefront of people's minds, and strengthened Seattle's hardcore community while paving the way for many of today's bands. It was their live show, though, that whipped their fanatical fan base into a frenzy and secured the legendary status they hold today.

In the grand finale for what seems to be the season of hardcore reunions (the formerly defunct Lifetime, Gorilla Biscuits, and Stay Gold all played shows this summer), Trial have reunited (as the Are These Our Lives? lineup) and will play a sold-out show at Neumo's on Sunday, October 9. I recently caught up with singer Greg Bennick to find out what it all means.

Why did Trial break up?

Being in a band and on tour is like dating four other guys at once. It is a disaster waiting to happen in every moment and with every decision made. We just reached a point where tensions were high and past the breaking point. Nothing too tremendous actually, and all that is in the past now. We are really happy to be playing again.

Why then, years later, have you decided to reform?

We love Seattle's hardcore scene and we always felt that we wanted to play one more show for the hardcore kids and others who supported us over the years. For a band that started playing basements in Seattle to have our last show have been in Germany seemed unsettling. No offense intended to any Germans, but we wanted to play here one last time. We like Germans. They drive too fast, but other than that, they are okay.

Things have changed so much over the years with hardcore, straight edge, and politics. What have been some of the biggest/most notable changes you've witnessed?

The two biggest changes I have seen in the last few years are [bands using] less challenging lyrics and more eyeliner. Powerful lyrics are on their way back, as more and more hardcore bands work to write words that challenge the world, their listeners, and themselves.

After a few years off, how does it feel to be playing Trial songs again? And on top of that, to have kids fly in from other states to see the reunion?

It feels incredible to be playing the songs again. We've never stopped listening to the songs, believing in what they were about, or wanting to communicate the ideas, so to have this chance again is just tremendous. The support we've received from local people and from people flying in from all over the world is simply the greatest honor. It goes beyond words to describe how it feels. MEGAN SELING