Metal Anarchy

Time for the next edition of Metal Anarchy’s “new music showcase,” the feature where I introduce you to artists that readers of this site may find interesting. This time I have a Q&A with Take It Or Leave It.

METAL ANARCHY: Tell me a little about your band:

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: We’re Take It Or Leave It, a punk band based in Rockland County, New York, with roots that also stretch into the North Jersey scene. We started playing together in 2021 and clicked pretty quickly once the right lineup came together. Mario handles guitar and most of the behind-the-scenes work, Craig holds it down on bass and vocals, and Devon brings the thunder on drums. We all sing, we all write, and we all try to bring something unique to the table.

The name Take It Or Leave It came from how indecisive we were about band names at first. Every time someone suggested one, someone else would say, “Eh, I could take it or leave it.” Eventually we realized that was the name. It felt honest. We’re not trying to be anything we’re not. We put it all out there, and if you’re into it, great. If not, that’s fine too. But we’re still showing up, still writing, still playing our hearts out.

METAL ANARCHY: Who are your main influences?

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: We pull from a lot of places. The backbone is definitely pop punk and punk rock, think Green Day, The Offspring, Blink-182, Rancid, Alkaline Trio, and The Bouncing Souls. But each of us brings in different flavors towards what makes our sound original. When you start looking outside of these major influences, we also pull from Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, The Wonder Years and NOFX to name a bunch more bands and solo pop artists making their way into our influence as well.

We also feed off nostalgia, not just musically, but culturally. That’s why we cover songs from every decade in our sets, from the ’50s through the 2000s. It’s part of what makes us unique. We can go from a punk breakdown into a cover of I’ve Just Seen A Face or Harvey Danger and make it feel natural. We call our sound Pasta Rock because TIOLI (Take It Or Leave It) sounds like “ravioli.” And just like a good plate of gabagool, we’re loud, a little messy, and best shared with friends.

METAL ANARCHY: What is your latest release and why should readers of this site check it out?

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: Our debut EP “Tunnel Vision” came out in November 2024. It’s five originals and one cover, and it’s the purest reflection of what this band is about. Every song started as a live piece, meaning we wrote and tested them over time across a bunch of shows and only brought them into the studio once they felt fully formed. We tracked it all ourselves in Craig’s basement using Mario’s gear, then had it mixed and mastered by Anthony Bilancia at Small Room Studio.

“Run” is our punchy opener, “Some Things Never Change” is us yelling into the void about the current state of the world, and we close it out with a punked up version of Gin Blossoms’ “Hey Jealousy” which always gets the crowd moving. It’s DIY to the core, self-produced, self-released, and built from the ground up. If you like punk rock with intention, give it a listen.

METAL ANARCHY: What can people expect when they go to your live shows?

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: Controlled chaos. We’re a tight band, but we’re also unpredictable in the best way. Every show is different because every crowd is different. Some nights the pit opens up and never closes, other nights we’re shouting into megaphones and crowd-sourcing vocals from the front row. Either way, the energy is always high, and the focus is always on making it a shared experience.
We want everyone in the room to feel like part of the show. That’s why we bring props, throw in nostalgic covers, and sometimes even pull people on stage. If you’re not into punk rock, that’s okay, we’ll get you tapping your feet and singing along anyway. Trust us. Our livestreams have helped with that too, especially for fans who aren’t local. But nothing beats the real thing. When the lights go out and the first notes hit, it’s go time.

METAL ANARCHY: Where do you see your band heading in 5 years?

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: Still pushing. Still creating. Still showing up. In five years, we hope to have a few more releases out, a second EP is already in the early stages, and we’d love to do a proper national tour. The taste of traveling for shows has only made us hungrier for more. We’re also looking to expand our reach with more content: live recordings, acoustic sessions, music videos, all of it.

But beyond that, we just want to keep building something real. More fans, more connections, more reasons to keep going. We know nothing happens overnight, so we’re in it for the long haul. The grind doesn’t scare us, it motivates us. So whether it’s clubs, fests, livestreams, or parking lot punk shows, we’ll be there. Pasta Rock forever.