Alliance (Apache) (Apache Core) with Kristy Martinez

“It doesn't matter where you're from, like you can still be a part of our quote-unquote alliance, you know?”

Closing Punkast's guest-hosted series celebrating Indigenous creativity and Native American Heritage Month, Kristy Martinez, UCLA PhD candidate, musician, and archivist, reunites with Scottie Noline and Isaiah Patterson of Alliance, the Apache metal band from San Carlos, Arizona, also known as Apaches in a Band.

Scottie and Isaiah trace Alliance's beginnings on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and the musical influences behind their distinctive Apache Core sound, blending metalcore, post-hardcore, punk, emo, and death metal. Kristy revisits her earlier research with the band as they discuss songwriting, pandemic-era recording, and the experiences behind songs including “Misery” and “The Sharp Side of Romance.”

Moving through memorable performances, touring, radio, and the evolution of San Carlos's punk and metal scenes, they share stories of friendship, humor, and persistence. They also reflect on grief, mental health, addiction, and the ways music connects people across different experiences. From skate-park shows and backyard venues to larger stages, Alliance considers what it means to welcome different musical backgrounds, support younger artists, and keep creating on their own terms.

About the guest

Alliance is a four-piece Apache metal band from San Carlos, Arizona. From harmonizing screams to soaring guitar riffs, the band combines metalcore, post-hardcore, punk, emo, and melodic hardcore into a sound they call Apache Core. Alliance has appeared on SiriusXM's Liquid Metal, won Playdio's Battle of the Bands, and performed with Testament, Escape the Fate, A Skylit Drive, The Anchor, and others. Their music explores emotion, community, and resilience.

Guest host and producer

Kristy Martinez is a UCLA PhD candidate in Musicology, vocalist, and archivist researching punk, emo, and Southern California subcultures through music, ephemera, placemaking, and visual culture. Raised in the San Gabriel Valley, with family roots in Sonora, Mexico, she founded the DIY Indigenous Punx Archive, documenting Indigenous punk through flyers, photographs, videos, and band histories. The archive has been featured at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas and the Denver Art Museum.

Recorded October 2026.

Content note: This episode includes discussions of grief, addiction, and mental health.

Community support and mutual aid

Kristy shares resources for communities affected by flooding across the Southwest. Please verify current needs and that donations reach tribal families directly.

Navajo & Hopi COVID-19 Relief / Yee Ha'ólníi Doo

Warm Elders

K'é Infoshop — community updates and mutual aid (Instagram)

Links + References

Alliance — Instagram (@apachesinaband)

Band Linktree

Credits

Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.

Guest hosting, production, and audio editing: Kristy Martinez.

Episode photograph: @kozhuh_pro (Instagram).

Transcript:

Audio-synced transcript

Theme Music:

Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.

Related:

Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast.

About Punkast:

Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.

Connect with Punkast:

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Instagram: punkastucla

Email: punkastucla@gmail.com

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