Ballast is comprised of 5 individuals, 2 female and 3 male, from various places around north america: british colombia, québec, ontario, and mississippi.

We have been doing this band since the beginning of 2001, with a couple of line-up changes along the way. We are, as a band and as people, anti-racist, queer-friendly, and anti-sexist. In our lyrics, we try to address issues that affect both us specifically and humanity in general, ranging from topics more overtly political (north american native struggles, resistance to bush's "war on terror" abroad and the state repression that has come along with it here in north america, the beauty industry and its destructive affect on the lives on women) to the more personal (frustration with having to live under the shadow of exploitative capitalism and dealing with bosses and landlords, sadness from living in a world consumed with apathy, ignorance, oppression and a seemingly endless series of imperialist wars, hope that someday we will, in some way, contribute to the better world that is coming).

Musically, our influences are pretty different from person to person but we generally have been compared to bands like post regiment, lost world, day by day or burning kitchen, except that at times we're a little "heavier" than any of these bands, whatever any of that means.

While we do not consider playing loud music to be all that is necessary to make change, we are trying to inspire ourselves and others, make our contribution to this ever-growing global Punk (Crust) community and history, and hopefully be a part of offering an alternative of political consciousness and self empowerment to the next generation of punks, since we were lucky enough to have that alternative when we were younger.

Source : http://www.trujacafala.com/koncerty/ballast/ballast_tour.htm