FOR DRUMMER Nathan Jones, Boar Hunter is more than a name. It's a way of life. He uses a rifle, and goes hunting with a guide in Panoche Hills in Hollister. "You can use a bow and arrow, but I haven't tried it," Jones says. When he wasn't keeping the pig population down, he played in Hollister's own Uzi Suicide and was a backup drummer for the Flames before being asked to join the band. Boar Hunter is made up four musicians who have been playing in the South Bay for at least 20 years; it's a local supergroup, if you will. Guitarist Rob Fraser and bassist Branch Benson, who trade off vocal duties, have known one another since the early '90s, playing together in Apeface, which has now mutated into Beerijuana."I wanted to bring back what Apeface was all about; a hardcore crusty band, because there are none in San Jose. That was my original idea. Branch was on board, but we needed another guitar player, because we were a little thin." Fraser says. He contacted guitarist Ben Aguilar, who has played in metal outfit Saros. Aguilar and Fraser have known one another for about 10 years.

"When we started off, Rob had a couple melodic poppy songs," Aguilar says.

Fraser has also played in Krupted Peasant Farmerz. After that band broke up in the late '90s, he continued with Angry For Life, which also broke up within a few years. Boar Hunter would be slightly different and a little harder, according to Benson."We wanted to have a band that was not necessarily hard edge metal; just a good, heavy punk band, without being crossover," Benson says. Jones agrees. The members are from different backgrounds, yet come together to create something they all like.

"With this band, we let things naturally fall into place without trying to go in one particular direction. All of our different styles ended up mashing together," Jones says.Boar Hunter plans on putting an album out by the end of year, which will be strictly on vinyl.

"Personally, I like vinyl, but that's also what's selling now," Fraser says. "CDs aren't really selling; people just want to download shit."

They'll be heading to House of Faith to record with Bart Thurber, mainly because he still uses an analog tape recorder, rather than digital. It works best for Fraser because analog transfers better to vinyl.

Boar Hunter's members look at their band as more of a brotherhood, and with maturity comes a different outlook.

"It means more to us now than saying, 'Let's do an album and tour,'" Aguilar says.

"It's more laid back and everything in this band has gelled."

Branch chuckles, "Basically, we do it because we're too dumb to quit."