Do it yourself hardcore is alive and well out on Long Island these days with a recent all ages show at the Massapequa VFW being the latest example of the good things that can get done when people get motivated by the music they love. As RULE THEM ALL plugged in and started getting loose we got a little snippet of "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden before they kicked into their first song. The nearly 40 year old song was a cool little "tell" as to what kind of music could be influencing this local upstart band who caught many people's attention with their 5 song "Dreams About..." EP which came out on Flatspot almost 2 years ago. Like the majority of the bands on this night RTA played a short 15 minute set. With equipment being shared amongst all the bands this show moved along at a very fast pace ending just short of the 4 hour mark... something pretty remarkable for a gig with 7 total bands. "Uneasy Faith" was a new track RTA played on this night that will be on an upcoming 4 song split 7" with Kill Your Idols. Check out their “Dreams About…” EP by clicking HERE. 

STIGMATISM who were on next played these insanely short songs that seemed like 60 second bursts of speed with some big 'ol mosh placed smack dab in the middle of most of their songs. At the beginning of their set their singer asked everyone to move up a few steps and pretty much the whole place did. Usually these types of requests make people just fold their arms even harder. Stigmatism could have quite possibly played 15 songs in their 15 minute slot which seemed like a perfect amount of time to get acquainted with what they are about while keeping the line moving. In another pre-set “tell” Stigmatism members could be heard jamming a little “Enforcer” by Leeway. Check out their 2018 9 song “EP” by clicking HERE. 

BE ALL END ALL up from Florida went on third less than an hour after Rule Them All played their first song. The crowd thinned out a little bit but went absolutely ape shit for their power violence style of mayhem. The PA throughout the night was horrible making it almost impossible to hear any vocals and Be All End All was one of the bands that probably suffered from it the most as their set at times sounded like a wall of noise to me. Check out their “Pact Music” release from late last year for a MUCH better representation of what this quality band can do. Check it out HERE. 

The lineup of bands that played this night came from at least 7 different states with Richmond, VA’s NOSEBLEED also adding to the pot musically with a sound that would play well with fans of bands like Sheer Terror and Kill Your Idols. Their singer Valentina Lopez was fucking intense singing right into people’s faces and in some cases giving them a decent shove to let them know they were at a Nosebleed show. The rest of the band showed a ton of energy as well which was probably the reason the crowd moved up close and ate up what this band spit out for their 15 minutes in the spotlight. Nosebleed’s pre-set “tell” was a few seconds of the Suicidal Tendencies classic “Subliminal”. One of the first things I did when I got home was look up their recorded material which led me to their “Outside Looking In” EP that came out a few years back. Find that release HERE. 

TOP LEFT: NOSEBLEED, TOP RIGHT: BE ALL END ALL, BOTTOM LEFT: STIGMATISM

BOTTOM RIGHT: RULE THEM ALL.  ALL PHOTOS BY: MATT VIEL

Good things have been happening right underneath the LIRR train station in Valley Stream, NY as free hardcore punk shows appear to be making a resurgence at a location that has been around for decades. Just last month I caught one of Long Island’s best exports in Two Man Advantage along with Two Many Voices and Action Park and less than 30 days later this lineup popped up sort of last minute with not a lot of promotion but like September’s show there was a solid turnout.

Up first on this night was GOING POSTAL who were starting to get into a groove before pandemic shutdowns crippled live music so it is weird to say that this was only their 6th show despite being in existence for two years now. They have a 5 song EP that came out in August on Dutch label WTF Records which I really liked but what impressed me here was their ability to take those recorded songs and really dial up the intensity level on them as everything just “banged” harder in the live setting. I was also impressed by the fact that they had a slew of newer songs that hit just as hard or harder than their already released material. Going Postal leaves for a 4 day long weekender that will see them play shows in South Carolina, Florida and Georgia starting this Thursday the 21st. Click HERE for their music.

BASTARD CLAN are a 5 piece out of NYC who are all well versed in this hardcore punk thing as all of their members have been around the block and back with their previous efforts. Their sound is so damn hard to pin down with a classic metal type of vibe smoothly laid over their base punk rock style. Lead guitarist Carlos drops in some nice leads while Johnny Kray utilizes a delivery style that has this unique smoothness about it. A band that I really look forward to seeing live. Click HERE for their music. 

BORDERLINE MAINSTREAM are a self-described punk rock power trio from the neighborhood that I knew nothing about before arriving at this show. The music and ideas for this band date back a few years with the late/great Vinnie “Value” Verga (Warzone, No Redeeming Social Value & more) having been a driving force behind this band and having recorded the drum parts before his passing in January of 2020. Borderline Mainstream play straight forward and fun punk rock that leans towards being enjoyed more in a live setting with singer/guitarist Mike using a sort of speak/sing style at times while delivering some fun song topics. Click HERE for their music. 

OCTOBER 15TH AT THE RAILROAD INN. TOP LEFT: BORDERLINE MAINSTREAM, BOTTOM LEFT: GOING POSTAL, TOP RIGHT: URBAN WASTE, RIGHT MIDDLE: HOT BLOOD, BOTTOM RIGHT: BASTARD CLAN

IGNITE "ANTI-COMPLICITY ANTHEM" EP

(Released September, 2021)

The first new Ignite music since 2016 comes with some anticipation (and maybe even anxiety for some) with singer Zoli Teglas stepping aside leaving the door open for new frontman Eli Santana. Teglas is known for having one of the best voices in hardcore punk and fit Ignite's style like a glove while Santana's resume includes being the guitarist for So-Cal metal band Holy Grail. So how does this all play out? The cat got let out of the bag on September 17th with the digital release of "Anti-Complicity Anthem"; a two song teaser to a still in the works new full length. The title track jumps the listener with one of those soulful and upbeat type of Ignite tracks that they have seemed to perfect over their last two albums. The "anthem" part of this songs title is very fitting as it is just that. Eli Santana crushes the vocals here displaying a professional (and melodic) style that is very similar to his predecessor leading one to believe that Ignite's future live sets will be in safe hands with Mr. Santana delivering those high notes. Second track "Turn XXl" delivers great promise going forward as the chemistry between Santana and his new bandmates is undoubtedly there for a song that could easily be slid onto their "A War Against You" album without many noticing. What's equally impressive is how Ignite can time and time again churn out these big sounding punk tracks filled with groove and undoubted passion without falling into the trappings of being redundant. This band has been around for almost 30 years having a few different versions of themselves along the way. "Anti-Complicity Anthem" is the latest step that shows a hungry group with a lot left in the tank. Available digitally now with 7" vinyl versions in the works through Revelation Records. Find this now on a variety of streaming platforms HERE as well as a music video for the title track HERE.

-CW

ONE STEP CLOSER “THIS PLACE YOU KNOW” (Run For Cover Records, Released September, 2021)

The COVID-19 realities of the last year and a half plus have had a profound impact on the hardcore world. Some bands that were just starting to pop off have tragically lost momentum and/or broken up in the 18 or so months of isolation. Others almost seemed to use the solitude and the grim circumstances to channel even more focus into their craft. One Step Closer is a shining example of the latter. It seems like an eternity since the Wilkes-Barre, PA straight edge band dropped their “Promo 2020” with “Lead To Grey” and a cover of Turning Point’s “Broken”. It has been a while compounded by the fact that time seemed to move like molasses in many ways during doldrums of the pandemic. But that promo served its purpose; it gave you a taste of what this band was capable of and made this one of my most anticipated hardcore releases in recent memory. “Lead To Grey” pushed the formula of Turning Point influence through a post-Bane/Have Heart/Title Fight lens and added elements of actual singing parts that didn’t move it away from hardcore, but gave it enough of its own personality and flare to make it unique and powerful. The song is an absolute masterpiece.

Once the LP was recorded and we got through the requisite wait for pressing plants to get things in motion, Run For Cover Records dropped three more OSC singles for “Pringle Street”, “Chrysanthemum”, and “Autumn”… each with accompanying videos. These songs ripped and brought different elements that made them each special. But like a movie trailer that doesn’t spoil all the best parts of a movie, this entire record is fantastic. There’s absolutely no fall-off from the singles. Fans of OSC’s 2019 debut EP “From Me To You” will absolutely love this. The experimentation and inspiration from other genres (such as 90’s emo) are tasteful and done in a way that doesn’t depart from the EP’s recipe… it just adds to the soup and makes it spicier. You’ll still find that familiar wipe-out beat tom drum patterns combined with the hauntingly dark vibes and frustrated lyrics; a combo that Turning Point patented and perfected. There’s also some strong mid 00’s melodic hardcore influence that fans of Rivalry Records will adore. But they bring in some other influences that make this LP really hum.

I definitely hear some Sunny Day Real Estate vibes in here, but probably not in the way you’re thinking; it’s not in the strategically placed clean backup vocals. There are some riffs on this that are definitely hardcore… but done with chord progressions and drumming style that reminds me of SDRE (see 0:32 of “Chrysanthemum” or 0:30 of “Leave Me Behind”). The record has a really dynamic mix of hard and soft; fast and slower; loud and quiet that keeps it interesting. At times—with the guitar melodies and the intensity at which vocalist Ryan Savitski belts out the vocals—this record borders on early Shai Halud territory. The emotion just drips off every syllable and every guitar chord.

The opening track “I Feel So” comes scorching out of the gates with blazing tempo into an epic build that explodes into a pretty mean 2-step breakdown that eventually develops into more of an epic melodic mid-tempo groove with harmonics and big sing-a-long-able lyrics in a Bane-esque style. The use of harmonics on this record is so tasteful. They’re blended neatly into the background and rather than smacking you over the head with them, it gives more of an atmospheric vibe. Adding to the atmospheric vibe, “Time Spent, Too Long” may actually have a violin? It’s just low enough in the mix to make me question if it’s in there, but it sounds killer. I’ve realized with previous releases that OSC songs tend to grow on me over time. I do like them at first impression, but it takes a number of listens to really appreciate how fantastic each new song is. This record is banging at first drop and with that realization that these songs are going to continue to grow and grow on me even more.. I can’t wait to get in a few dozen more listens to start to fully comprehend how truly incredible it is. Stand out tracks? How about the whole freaking thing? Start to finish. “Lead To Grey” is probably still my favorite song… for now, until the others have more time to climb up to that level. But “Pringle Street” is another one that hits pretty hard, as someone who grew up stuck in a soulless dead-end suburb. “I Feel So” gives me chills every time Ryan belts out “As this earth spins, so does the clock that takes us away!” “As the City Sleeps” is an opus, and features guest vocals from Russell from Magnitude. There’s also one straight up 90s-style emo song “Hereafter.” It’s short enough and evolves into a sort of piano interlude that breaks up the raging hardcore, and it doesn’t feel out of place with the more subtle references of this stuff throughout the entire LP. It kinda ties the whole record together actually, and the track is really good. It should be no surprise that a band featuring members of Anxious should knock this type of thing out of the park. It’s important to add; this is a record that is worth sitting down with the lyric sheet (at least once) as you listen. The lyrics really add another element of depth that works so well with the dark and moody vibe of the music. They’re distressed and introspective and drenched in emotion, while also vague enough that any listener can take them and apply them to their own struggles with isolation and longing and depression and mortality—particularly in our current COVID realities. 

Honestly, I’ve hyped this release up in my mind so big for so many months that I was half expecting it to be a bit of a letdown. NOT the case. Go ahead and reserve a “This Place You Know” sized spot in whatever is the hardcore equivalent of Canton (home of NFL’s Hall of Fame) because this is a straightup classic. I can’t wait to see the ripples this record has on this scene and all the new blood they bring in over the next however many years. Listen on Bandcamp or Spotify, or purchase on digital, CD, or “galaxy orange” second-press of the vinyl from Run For Cover. You can also still find some first-press colors scattered across distributors such as Rev, Deathwish, or Evil Greed in Europe.

-Chris Williams 

THE ICE COLD KILLERS "STORIES FROM THE GRAVE" (Released August, 2021)

The Ice Cold Killers come to us from Long Island, NY having put out a demo in 2015, a full length in 2018 and now the brand new "Stories From The Grave" full length. Rooted in hardcore, punk and Oi stylings this 4 piece also have a strong rock 'n roll vibe to them which at times can make me think of Social Distortion. Their 2015 demo and 2018 "Laughin With Sinners, Crying With Saints" were both solid releases that I thoroughly enjoyed but with this new effort The Ice Cold ones really step up their game with an album that has banger after banger showcasing well written and creatively written songs that you won't get tired of anytime soon. The title track opens things up with a gritty street punk type of vibe as singer/bassist Joe Rubino tells a story of his hometown of Shirley, NY. "I'll Only Dance With Death" follows with a slight rockabilly type of feel and is the first example on this offering of how this band diversifies their sound while keeping everything sounding cohesive. “You’re Dead To Me” is up third and delivers more of that tatted up, slicked back hair style of punk rock and comes to us with a really cool music video that mixes in Ice Cold Killer live footage along with them cruising around a cemetery in a 1949 Pontiac Silver Streak. This isn’t necessarily your dad’s punk rock music… but this could quite possibly be your granddaddies punk rock and although in some ways this is punk geared towards older souls it also sounds fresh out of the oven and very “2021” and modern. With 10 songs in tow and running around 30 minutes in run time this is the punk music equivalent of digging into a good book. Although kicked off by three of this album’s strongest tracks and not much of any drop off throughout there are some tracks further along the line that may go overlooked on first listens but like that good book they make you want to revisit. “Warhorse” at track 8 with its Motorhead type of feel and closer “Killer On The Loose” that displays this sort of “hard” type of melody are great examples. “The Legend of Tumblin’ Downz” at track 5 has this Western “gunfight down at the saloon” type of vibe and “We’re The Enemy” brings more of a straight up hardcore appeal with a political non-partisan “both sides suck” message. “Stories From The Grave” is so damn well written, performed and laid out for the listener that you get the feeling that every bit of this album’s existence was toiled over and analyzed to death by a group of musicians trying to put out their absolute best… and it shows. Simply an amazing album by a band that can be plugged into many different types of bills that hopefully will get them noticed beyond the streets of Nassau and Suffolk County, NY. Check this out on Bandcamp or Spotify. 

-CW 

STAND STILL "A PRACTICE IN PATIENCE" EP

(New Morality Zine, Daze-Style, Released June, 2021)

Stand Still are a new quarantine born band out of Long Island, NY who play catchy, melodic hardcore punk with the emphasis on the word melodic. Although the current day hardcore scene on Long Island is flush with 90's influenced heavier hardcore bands there are enough newer LI bands with melodic influences to take note. Names like Somerset Thrower, Koyo, Action Park, Rule Then All, Victory Garden, and Stand Still are just a few of these newer bands who have planted their flag in the sand and have made their presence known.

"A Practice In Patience" is Stand Still's debut with both Daze and New Morality Zine jumping in on this fresh new band to deliver a joint 12" vinyl release. Opening track "The Cave" grabbed me right away with a super clean and refreshing sound that runs throughout this 5 song/15 minute ride. Although rooted in hardcore "A Practice In Patience" definitely pushes boundaries making Stand Still the type of band that you can plug in almost anywhere (my wife who doesn't like hardcore one bit has become a fan calling this "punk" mostly because she can "make out what they're singing").

Influence wise I get the feeling that the members of Stand Still have a pretty extensive collection of 1990's and 2000's era hardcore in their collections as their sound has various feels from different areas of the genre with Silent Majority/Capital probably being the main culprit here while fans of bands like The Get Up Kids, Stillsuit and to a degree Quicksand would approve with what Stand Still is churning out on this debut. Showing a bit more of a rock influence is the second track "Id" that I swear has some Foo Fighter vibes as well. Check out the "You are evil" chorus around the minute mark on this track and you just might agree. "There’s No Autumn Here" has this super relaxed feel to it while closing track "Lockbox" starts off on a more mellow vibe before delivering some grit around the minute mark. Switching mid-song from mellow to more harder tones seems to be one of this EP's strong points as Stand Still turns in a performance that you wouldn't normally expect from a band that has only been together for just over a year. Track 4... "Satellites" is the last song we have not mentioned yet and is probably the "hit" out of these 5 tracks with the band putting out a music video for this track that sees a Stand Still demo tape making its way around some Long Island areas before ultimately getting tossed in a trash can. "A Practice In Patience" is great windows down on a nice sunny day type of music that did a late summer takeover of my music listening and I am not mad about that fact one bit. With a debut this strong I can't help but think what could lie ahead for Stand Still. In the meantime check this out digitally on Bandcamp and Spotify with 12" vinyl versions available through both New Morality Zine and Daze. Every link you need to find out more about Stand Still can be found HERE. Coming to In Effect in the next couple of weeks will be an interview with Stand Still as well.Stay tuned! 

-CW

OLD NORTH END “AS O.N.E.” EP (Released September, 2021)

From Burlington, VT comes Old North End or O.N.E., a hardcore band that merge hardcore, punk and metal to infuse their message of positivity through their music and lyrics. The band credits the likes of Madball, Suicidal Tendencies, Blood For Blood and the Cro-Mags as influences for their music. O.N.E. formed in 2011 and by 2017, settled on the current line-up which comprises of members from such bands as Blinded By Rage, Shovel Head, 12 Times Over and Slightly Used, to name a few. The band released their first full length in March of 2018 titled “The Truth, The Struggle” and an EP in 2019.

Old North End turns in six substantial tracks of raw hardcore on “As O.N.E.” The band inflicts a grinding, sludgy sound that incorporates punk, hardcore and metal all into one that grows on you. The thing which stood out for me with this band is the vocalist. He has a unique voice and doesn’t sound like the majority of generic hardcore singers. Lyrically, the band writes compelling songs that one can easily relate to. Tracks such as “I Can’t Breathe” and “Green Eyes”, showcase the strength in their lyrics. “Dance With The Devil” is the standout track for me. It’s an angry and pissed off, well-written song that makes you identify with the band. The verse, “You ever have one of those days where you just can’t take anymore and you just want to walk up to the first person you see and start a fist fight” is a good example of the band’s down to earth writing style. Old North End may not be a household name but these guys are definite contenders to watch for. The band gives a refreshing spin on hardcore music and is backed by some great song writing. Although not your typical, fast hardcore band, Old North End will grow on you and become a band you turn to when you need a dose of real hardcore. Check this out on Bandcamp.

-Dave Cafferty 

NO CALL NO SHOW “PUNK AF” EP (Released September, 2021)

In the working world, if you have ever been a manager or even just an employee waiting for your shift relief to come, the words "no call no show" are ones you hate to hear because it usually means you're stuck working but in the hardcore/punk rock world the term No Call No Show refers to a new kick ass band from Brooklyn, NY who have just released their debut EP titled “Punk AF”. For clarification purposes to the older folks reading this not hip to the lingo… "AF" stands for “As Fuck” and not Agnostic Front! This trio made up of Mikie Nice- vocals and guitars, Mark Thorn- bass and Josh Salant- drums and production, are a newer band who have a grass roots sound obviously inspired by some of the forefathers like Black Flag, Minor Threat and Product Of Waste (RIP T). However the sound you will hear on “Punk AF” is not a rip off or a copy of the mentioned bands but definitely blends their influential sounds with NCNS' own originality making it truly "Punk AF". Composed of 4 tracks: “How Dare You”, “Computer Hands”, “Just Wanna Feel”, and “Home”, the EP has a play time of almost 7 minutes but within this time, the fast, energetic, short songs that are traditional in hardcore/punk style  are all captured making this release one that I found very enjoyable and I highly recommend. I don't have a favorite track since all of them are equally well composed and true to the genre they represent. Notable mention to Steven Huie of Fly Rite Tattoo for providing this EP's cool artwork. Stream this on various streaming services via this NCNS tree link.

-Chris Beman 

SILENCE EQUALS DEATH “I’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE” (Upstate Records, Released September, 2021)

Back in November of 2020 I got to review Silence Equals Death’s “Revolution Rising” EP and became an instant fan. I ended up listening to their earlier releases and could hear how the band grew and became the force they are today. “I’ll See You on the Other Side” is their latest full length and contains six new songs and the six songs from that “Revolution Rising” EP, remixed and/or remastered. The new songs build on to the band’s original sound, giving them a harder and more intense sound than they already had. They also explore new territory in tracks such as “Sometimes Dead Is Better”, a dark, gloomier and heavy sounding song and “Ghost”, with its anthem sounding chorus and great breakdowns. “Our Place In Time” is another example of the band’s hard-hitting intensity and fronted by the ferocious and powerful voice of Scott Earth. “Signals” keeps the momentum going in hardcore fashion with fuming lyrics and uncompromising and mosh induced playing. “Killing Floor” is a standout song with its hard hitting lyrics, pissed off attitude and aggressive playing, taking a stand on the music industry. These three songs alone let you know this band is serious about the message and music they’re putting out. The album comes to an end with “Keep Trying”, a straight forward, in your face hardcore song that will have you running around in your room in a frenzy. The six songs off of “Revolution Rising” have been re-mixed/remastered and I definitely could hear the difference in quality. The songs sounded crisper and in some cases I’m sure they sounded a bit faster than the originals. “Switch” and “Plague” sound harder and heavier this time around. The production on this is top notch and I only hope it gets released on vinyl. I’m going to say it. Silence Equals Death is going to blow up big with this release and will keep the hardcore message and music alive and strong. Support these guys. Buy the CD and go see them live when they come to your town. You’ll thank me later. Find this on Bandcamp or Spotify with Upstate Records handling physical copies and merch. 

-Dave Cafferty 

BECOME ONE “SUBSIDENCE” (Released August, 2021)

It is one thing to play hard music… it’s another to wield it like sharp weaponry - which is how Become One deal out four monstrous songs on their 2021 EP “Subsidence”. The metal-core outfit from Long Island pick up the broken glass from classic noise mongering/thrash metal-core pioneers Rorschach and the splintering descendants from their dissolution, namely: Die116, DeadGuy and Kiss It Goodbye. Though latter 90’s metal-core may be their source of thrash sonic chaos, Become One add something new to the meat blender… a song-writing style that is atypical and antagonistic.

The group blast schizophrenic song structures that have sections living on the tick of a time bomb, before assaulting you with another, adding a break or riff that scarfs down the previous musical part. Lead off track “Arrow (Through the Eyes of God)” is a perfect example of that attitude - a four and a half minute exploration into hardcore and metal that plays out like five separate songs fighting for supremacy in the arena that is the listeners skull… with third track “Tribulations” following suit in approach. Yet, Become One have more in their formula than just angry and angrier… “Fabricator” is driven by a metal angst guitar riff that sets the tone for the song all the way to its destructive end. Once the vocals kick in it rides shotgun to a guitar lead, together creating a mood that is catchy as the song still retains its intense aggression while showing real musical depth.

For the band's first release with New Morality Zine they give a crushing performance with tracks that are immediate in laying everything to waste with vitriolic words spewing over buzz saw metal riffs and twisted bass and drum grooves played with deadly precision. Wild time signatures are key to their style and on “False Operative” it’s violently executed. Whether backing up fragments of killer doom metal rock riff-age or hammering a break part throwing the pit in a goon mood, the drums hold it down technically but not at the sacrifice of groove. The group as a whole throughout keep track after track in a perpetual shit-storm of sheer mayhem you’d be hard press to recover from quickly. Find this on Bandcamp or Spotify with CD versions available through New Morality Zine. 

-David Arce 

TIME AND PRESSURE “HALFWAY DOWN”

(Safe Inside Records, Released July, 2021)  
 

When I see that a hardcore band that I just found out about has over 4,000 followers across their social media platforms I automatically become intrigued. Time and Pressure are the band I'm referring to and St. Louis, Missouri is where they call home. Members: Drew Maxey- vocals, Travis Scheaffer- drums, Blake Fowler- bass, James Carroll and David Shanle- guitars may be only 3 years into the life of this band but these guys have experience from their former bands and they sure deliver. Time And Pressure seem to have a bunch of releases already out there and their latest is titled “Halfway Down” which consists of 10 tracks with a generous play time of a little over 17 minutes. Not only do things go hard right out of the gate while keeping the integrity of the represented genre, but they also do not hesitate to showcase their talent by slowing down the pace with a perfect example being the intro to “On The Waterfront”. One thing that remains unwavering throughout this release is Maxey's vocal style. I feel like he is right in my face, screaming his point of view, not stopping even to breathe. It's actually a little intimidating which I feel is exactly the point. I highly advise that the listener relive the "old school" tradition of engulfing yourself in a hardcore album by reading this album's lyrics while listening to the songs to maximize the listening experience. The song writing here is both sophisticated and masterful; while the content speaks on the writer's personal experiences. My favorite tracks off the album are “On The Waterfront” and “Psalm 38:9” but honestly there isn't one I dislike. “Halfway Down” is an intense listen by a band that demands attention, which by the number of social media followers they have makes me feel like I'm the one late to the party but as the saying goes: “better late than never”. And I'm glad that I've finally arrived. Check this out on Bandcamp or Spotify with 12” vinyl versions on the way through Safe Inside Records.

-Chris Beman 

VIOLENT SPIRIT “FIRE” EP (Released February, 2021)

From the land of the Vikings and Ice Giants, Moomins and the Kantele, Salmiakki and Fazer Sweets, hockey stars and total kick ass metal, comes Violent Spirit, a bad ass hardcore outfit who specifically hail from Kouvola, Finland proper. I've mentioned my love for the metal scene in Finland but from the pioneers Terveet Kädet to the more modern Mora. I also have a thing for Finnish hardcore. To label Violent Spirit as simply a hardcore band might be a bit misleading because these jamokes cram a lot of style as well as styles into their tunes. If you like piano interlude nods to Poison Idea as well as their acoustic guitar counterparts a la Metallica, mixed with soaring NWOBHM dueling guitar leads, theatrical vocal stylings and crazy good melodic punk rock and roll, then you may have the violent spirit within you. This gem grabbed me from the giddy up and is the type of music that demands your attention. So on to the tunes…

Violent Spirit lay four tracks on this, their second EP. The aforementioned sweet piano interlude leading into a metalocalypse/Wyld Stallyn like guitar lick kicks off "Extinction" running 3:15. That's a bit beefy on the run time for the core but you will get absolutely no complaints here nor will you complain when you are air guitaring along with this jam immediately. Fucking hell fellas, this shit rips. Yes, I'm breaking kayfabe and talking directly to you Violent Spirit. Core Junkie likey. Next up is "Nightmare" clocking in at 2:28. The acoustic interlude on this one cracks open a machine gun paced burner. Gruff echoing, amid haunted vocals run alongside masterful guitar work and a great game of "keep-up" by the rhythm section. Now I'm hooked. The third and quickest track at 2:22 is the titular track "Fire". This one opens with Maiden worthy guitar work and contains awesome vocals invoking the likes of Danzig and Ian Astbury. The NWOBHM guitar plays throughout and makes this my favorite track on the EP. Awesome sauce. The final song is "Thoughts And Prayers" at 2:49. A nice fuzzy bass intro and dueling slick leads round off quite a surprising and enjoyable record. "Don't want your… don't need your… thoughts and prayers", amen gentlemen, well said. For reals yo, these guys are fucking creative and are definitely thinking outside of the box. This is one hell of an EP. I've been rocking it since it was delivered to my suite in In Effect tower. If you like your core with a lot of rock, think Norman Bates and the Showerheads mixed with Motorhead like power and Burning Spirit inspired ingenuity, then by all means acquire this release, pour yourself a snifter of Sima, gobble a few Karelian Pastries, and rock the fuck out with it. If you are one of those douchebag purists who can't mix their core and metal or their rock and core or if you cringe at a piano interlude or wince at an acoustic guitar bit, then take your snobby head out of your ass, clean the human filth out of your ears and most of all, get the fuck off my motherfucking lawn. Check this out on Bandcamp or Spotify. 

-Core Junkie

KIRKBY KISS “LISTEN CLOSELY” (Released July, 2021)

If a band is named after a term "to give someone a headbutt" one might assume they play some type of heavy music. And that assumption would be correct because that is exactly what NJ punk/hardcore band Kirkby Kiss deliver. The band members: Natale Amaro- vocals, Mike Ramirez- guitar, Rose Ann Murray- bass, Michael Shepard- guitar and Frank Burdynski- drums formed last year in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and they are on a tear this year, releasing two EP’s and playing shows throughout NJ, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Their newest EP is titled “Listen Closely” and that is exactly what you should do and not only because it is very good musically but because it speaks about issues of importance. Composed of 4 songs: “Shepwrecked”, “Human Resources”, “Body Right” and “You're So Not Welcome”, the lyrics address many of the emotions that we share as humans such as pain and anger but the message goes more deeper speaking specifically to the lack of compassion towards human rights, personal choices, oppression and sexism. Musically the EP showcases the rawness and aggression of hardcore/punk, with mixes of ska (intro to “Body Right”) and Slayer-esque riffs (“You're So Not Welcome”). Despite these noted references, the band has a very original sound which is hard to come across in these genres of heavy music. When I first heard “Listen Closely” I was attracted to the band's sound but once I read the lyrics I went back and listened to the songs while I read along and it amplified my enjoyment of this release. My favorite track on the EP is “Body Right” but each one stands out in their own way. I love seeing band's like Kirkby Kiss taking a stand and putting it all on the line to state their views that challenge closed minded people. I look forward to seeing what more they have in store for the rest of 2021 and beyond. Check this out on Bandcamp or Spotify.

-Chris Beman 

HARD FEELINGS “FIGHT TO SURVIVE” (Released July, 2021)

Connecticut based Hard Feelings are a new band who released their raw but hard hitting demo in May of last year, and now follow it up with their debut EP “Fight To Survive”. The band feature members of past and present CT hardcore bands MASE, Aftermath and Steel Grave in vocalist Zack McCormack, guitarist Jamie Malok, bassist Matt Murphy and drummer Alex Malok and they come together to unleash their own NYHC inspired hardcore on the world. “Fight To Survive” opens with the track “Fight Back” and after a choice sample from the movie “Tombstone”, a flash of feedback quickly segues into a startling riff and as the groove kicks into play, the energy levels explode as the vocals of Zach McCormack take firm charge of the proceedings. This impressive opening track makes way for the fiery “Breaking Point”, a track that features guest vocals from Noah Lemere from Wreckage and the dual vocals between him and McCormack work well on this short but sweet hardcore stomp. The frenetic “Self Doubt” follows and sees the band let their rage flow out before the explosive “Fool” rounds things off nicely and signals the end of the EP. Even though it is concise in terms of length, there is more than enough going on in the songs to satisfy any hardcore head. The EP’s title and the title of the opening track have a definite Discharge attitude and vibe and there is a similarity in terms of their straight to the point and take no prisoners sound but mixed in with some classic NYHC grooves for sure. Hard Feelings have taken big steps with their music and after repeated listens to “Fight To Survive”, there hopefully will be more hardcore goodness forthcoming.Find this on Bandcamp or Spotify. 

-Gavin Brown 

GRAND COLLAPSE “EMPTY PLINTHS”

(Epidemic Records, Released August, 2021)  

Exploding with rage from the West of Britain comes the four-piece Grand Collapse with their latest in an 11 track album titled “Empty Plinths” which is a refreshing blend of hardcore fueled music coupled with politically and socially charged lyrics. Grand Collapse doesn't mess around, heading in furiously with the opening song "Waves", a colossal opener… full riffs with the vocalist venting at full volume, giving the listener an instant live appeal feeling. This album comes with interesting twists which keep the listener engaged, it is not a monochromatic blur but instead, we have a band that clearly knows what they want and deliver it with emotional intelligence. "Pouring Scorn" is for those who just want to rage in the pit, a short sharp blast of no-nonsense anger, whilst songs like "Amygdala" are mid-paced, have elements of a crossover style with a very modern feel… and I believe that there is something here for everyone. "National Detective Program" instantly grabs you and I am certain that this will be on the band's set list for a long time to come as it's fast, aggressive, and to the point, whilst the closing song of this incredible album… "Empty Plinths" the longest song clocking in at 4 minutes 40 seconds, starts slow and builds with a moody feel before the band launch into a tirade of anger, as this song captures the essence of a great band and a great album. The U.K. is blessed to have a real gem here and I certainly look forward to hearing a lot more from these guys. Check 'em out on Bandcamp or Spotify with 12" vinyl versions available through Epidemic Records.  

-Rob King 

SECTION H8 "WELCOME TO THE NIGHTMARE"

(Flatspot Records, Released August, 2021)

If you are paying close attention to the current day hardcore landscape it's clear that Southern California is on a tear right now with bands like Dare, Deviated State, Dead Heat and Countime all putting out brand new chunks of real deal heavy music that started in early June. Stepping up to the plate next from the city of Los Angeles is the formidable Section H8 with their debut full length titled "Welcome To The Nightmare". The term formidable can go beyond their hard as nails style of hardcore with the fact that there are Section H8 baseball bats for sale that say "Welcome To The Mother F*ckin' Nightmare" to coincide with this album’s release. With Baltimore's End It recently producing "Medieval Knives" with their logo on it and now Section H8 with baseball bats it makes for fun debate as to what could lie ahead with future hardcore band merch.

But let us forget merch for a moment and get to why we are here and that's to dig in a little on this 10 song, 24 minute gem of a hardcore album that should get Section H8's name on the tongues of hardcore fans across the globe. This album starts off with a powerhouse of a track in "Nightmare" that comes with an accompanying wild music video. Sonically there is a lot to digest here if this is your first run in with Section H8. First off, frontman Mike “Mexi” Torres’ unique raspy vocal style is one of the first things you will notice. Mexi’s God given ability makes him distinguishable in a Roger Miret of Agnostic Front or Paul Bearer of Sheer Terror type of way where when you hear him… you automatically know what band it is. This initial tidal surge comes at us blisteringly fast with doses of tight guitar work and the catchy “who the fuck do you think you are” chorus all leading you to clench those fists as the song ransacks your senses. The breakdown around the 1:30 mark is the icing on the cake here on track 1 as it is pretty damn hard not to imagine absolute pit bedlam from the Trench Rat types of Los Angeles to the Rat Bones types in the Big Apple when this song gets played live. With an absolute scorcher of an opener we are led to “100 Seconds” which flips the switch a little by starting off with an extended intro highlighted by more catchy guitar work laid down over a heavy groove. More of a mid-paced track here versus the opener as Section H8 show that they can make you nod your head in an almost hip-hop type of way without you even knowing you are. Moving down the line the next earworm track would be “Roaches” which starts off with a more blatant hip-hop meets hardcore type of feel for the first half of this two minute track. Chris (drums) and Dan (bass) lay down the beat as the guitars play a big support role in setting everything up as they just sort of levitate around creating a great backing vibe. The second half of this track goes full on Metallica-ballad mode to ultimately produce a cringe free hardcore/hip-hop mashup that at times reminds me of Cypress Hill's "Rock Superstar" hit that came out back in 2000. Moving down the line we got “Streetsweeper” which has a guest vocal spot from Tim Armstrong of Rancid. This is one of the more thrashier tracks on this album that also features a pretty long breakdown midway through that reminds me of “Cause For Alarm” era Agnostic Front. Hearing Armstrong sing on a more raw hardcore type of track than we are used to is refreshing as well. “Behind The 8 Ball’ is a two minute roll call track that also serves as an audial thank you list that you often see printed on an albums lyric sheet. A really good groove is laid down as the names of other bands and friends are spoken over it for the duration of this track which is one of a few that just stand out and make you take notice. Closing track “Hate” ends at the 2:50 mark but the song is listed at 5:49 so you know you have to stick around in to see if there could be a hidden track… and in this case we get the hardest cover of Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” you will ever come across to close things out. Comprised of scene veterans from various bands Section H8 have only been around since 2018 but those past experiences are probably a big reason why they sound like a band that has been around much longer than they actually have. Previous to this release they released two short EP's and had a lot of buzz based off their live performances including a show underneath a Los Angeles Freeway that made national headlines back in May. "Welcome To The Nightmare" is as authentic, street and hard as you are going to find in 2021 featuring songs that you should still give a shit about 5 months, years or longer down the line as overall this is a quality product worthy of the attention it is receiving. Find this on Bandcamp and Spotify with Flatspot Records there for your merch needs that include those previously mentioned baseball bats, 12’s and CD’s.

-CW

DARE “AGAINST ALL ODDS”

(Revelation Records, Released August, 2021)

The first thing you need to know about Dare is that these OC kids live, breathe and bleed hardcore. I don’t actually know any of them personally, but it’s evident if you watch any live vids of shows in Southern California; you’ll see various members of the band pitting, singing along or stage diving. And if you live anywhere on the West Coast, you’ve probably seen them randomly show up in your city to stage dive, pit and sing-a-long.

These kids walk the walk and this is a band I’d be hyped to support even if I didn’t like their music. The good news is that this LP is really freaking good! If you’re already a fan of this band you’re going to absolutely LOVE it. If you’ve checked out previous efforts and weren’t really feeling it… give this one a try because they definitely stepped up their game and production level from previous efforts. This record sounds great and the songs are bangin’.  Musically and vibe-wise, the comparison I’d make is to Revelation Records label-mates Down To Nothing. They have a similar approach where the music is very mosh-heavy, but not overly metallic or down-tuned and there’s a light-hearted bounce that makes it so much fun, with sing-a-long-able lyrics that are in your face with a spirit of we’re doing things our way and we don’t care what you think!

There are also some riffs on this LP that remind me slightly of Turnstile, but done with their own flavor that still keeps things”Dare”. The vocals sound incredible. Angel sounds PISSED and his voice has a feel of Vitalo on the last Backtrack LP mashed with Bo from Snake Eyes/Donnybrook. The stand-out track is the first single, “Different Method.” Even if I wasn’t “proud to be straightedge” this is probably still thee track. This is a 1:42 straight edge anthem that has so many great hooks that as you listen you keep changing your mind on what your favorite part of the song is, culminating in an epic final 20 seconds where the vocal cadence over the palm-muted outro is guaranteed to make this a big time dog-piler. But this record is loaded front-to-back with killer tracks. Everything Dare’s put out has been better than the previous and “Against All Odds” certainly continues that trend. I’m really excited to see this band get back on the road on this release because they’re going to blow the roof off of some venues. Get yourself better acquainted by checking out the music video for “Different Method” or stream this in its entirety through Bandcamp or Spotify. Out now on cassette with 12” vinyl versions due out later in the year… check in with Revelation Records for more info.

-Chris Williams 

THE LAST STAND/ONE CHOICE “FROM THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST COAST” split 12”

(Irish Voodoo Records, Released July, 2021)

This split is a collaboration between the East Coast’s The Last Stand and the West Coast’s One Choice on Irish Voodoo Records. It was recorded in December of 2019 and was supposed to be released in the summer of 2020. However, Covid threw a monkey wrench into the plans and they decided to release it now. Both bands are good friends and have wanted to do a release together for some time.

The Last Stand formed in 2010 out of the ashes of the NYHC band Shutdown. Mark Scondotto (Shutdown frontman) moved to Florida and The Last Stand was formed with the Shutdown members joining forces with Mark’s brother Mike Scondotto… who was already well known in the NYHC scene for being the frontman for Inhuman. The band released an EP in 2011, a full length record entitled “The Time Is Now” in 2014 and another EP in 2017 called “This Is Real”. On “From The East Coast To The West Coast” the band delivers three new tracks and a Minor Threat cover. Right from the opening riffs of “It’s Up To Us” you can hear and feel the New York hardcore vibe instantly. The music is tight and heavy and sung with conviction. “Slipped Through My Hands” is a quick blast of straight forward, no nonsense hardcore. It’s played fast and angry with a hint of early sounding Agnostic Front. “I Can’t Look Back” follows up with a solid take on always moving forward in life and not living in the past. This song has anthem written all over it and is the standout track on this outing. The band finishes up with a solid cover of Minor Threat’s, “I Don’t Wanna Hear It” and put a NYHC spin on it.

One Choice is a serious straight edge band from Southern California who have released two full lengths, an EP, a split 7” and did a cover for a Chain Of Strength covers record. The band collaborated with Toby from H2O, Karl and Scott from Earth Crisis, Andrew from Strife as well as a couple of other heavyweight straight edge icons on their debut album entitled “Forever War” (2009). One Choice offers three tracks on this split, starting off with “Clarity” which can be best described as fast and punchy. “Wasting Away” is a blast of intense guitar playing and sung with rage, giving the listener a taste of what this band is all about. One Choice ends the EP off on a high note with the track “12.29.19”. With ruthless guitar playing, great breakdowns and seething vocals, the band makes their impact on this outing.

I enjoyed this split as it gives the listener a chance to sample two styles of hardcore music from different ends of the country. The Last Stand represents NYHC well and One Choice show us straight edge music is still alive and well on the West Coast. This split is worth adding to your collection. Stream it on Bandcamp and Spotify and find limited edition 12” vinyl versions through the Irish Voodoo Records webstore.

-Dave Cafferty 

KOYO “DRIVES OUT EAST” 7”

(Triple B Records, Released July, 2021)

Koyo are a new band from Stony Brook, New York, a North Shore town on Long Island known for its prestigious college, massive rolling hills covered in trees and houses and beautiful beaches on 45 degree angles with islands and sandbars you could swim to or even walk to if you wanted. I covered their debut EP, “Painting Words Into Lines” last year and found it to be a masterful take on melodic hardcore and old school emo-core sounds. I saw the band’s first show in Ronkonkama shortly before the pandemic and was thoroughly impressed with their live energy, which shouldn’t be a surprise as it draws members from bands such as Typecaste, Hangman, See You Space Cowboy and Rain Of Salvation among others, all of whom are well versed in the art of tearing up the stage! Koyo has one stated ethos: to throwback to the more melodic sounds of Long Island hardcore in the 90’s and 2000’s. They rep their hometown of Stony Brook and the Long Island music scene with unfettered passion and love which distinguishes itself from the usual punk rock line of “I hate my hometown” you can find in everything from the pop punk of Blink-182 to the dangerous street hardcore of Cold As Life. All of these things lead us to date with their latest EP “Drives Out East.”

The record comes out swinging with the opener “Moriches,” which for those not from the Island, is a town far out East into Suffolk County, NY on the South Shore. The guitars and vocals hit with a specific intensity that you can only feel from great melodic hardcore bands like Bane or Modern Life Is War. It’s combination of groovy 90’s NYHC style drum patterns with vocalist Joey Chiaramonte’s desperate wales and the dissonant yet still bright guitar chords reminding me of an old Movielife song. I was also caught off guard with how thick the bass is in the mix, it really adds punch and bite to this track and makes it hit really hard! Koyo always shows themselves to be more than just a local emo band, unafraid to show their hardcore roots as well as their emo influences while also bringing some emotionally honest lyricism far above what most bands at their level are doing. The lyrics perfectly capture the feeling of an aimless drive out East into Suffolk County that me and many of my friends took on lonely nights during lockdown last year. Comparing the open skies to those of Oklahoma and Wyoming and contrasting the beautiful scenery of open road and clear night skies to the feelings of anxiety we all experienced with lyrics about how “My heart’s been craving disruptive changes” and having “fear on my breath/heart beating out my chest.” The line that hit the hardest for me was “But it’s December and I still can’t find my peace/short lived reunions are the relief that I seek,” as it reminded me of the turmoil and uncertainty of the past year and how much joy I got from being able to see my friends again, even if just briefly.

Koyo continues their powerful momentum on the next track, “Since You Asked.” It starts off with jangly guitars and mournful vocals that make you believe you’re about to listen to a Jimmy Eat World song, only to be punched in the face with fast hardcore drumming. Many Long Island bands cite Silent Majority as a major influence, but nobody channels it like Koyo does on this track. They add in a brief but ferocious breakdown in the middle of the track featuring heavy guitar chugs and screamed backing vocals that’s built up to by a thunderous drum fill. It reminds me of something that would land on a Senses Fail track (another band I’ve been listening to regularly in quarantine). The lyrics over this part are particularly bleak. “One great step in a world that only wants to watch you fall apart/You watch it all fade away/Silence is gold, do exactly what they say.”  But the lyrics that really hit me were from the first verse (“You watch the seconds fornicate/ripping into moments we’d do anything to hold/Now watch them disappear in a blink”) and the last verse (“In the wait, with all the time to think/of farewells and final words/dropping boxes in the dirt/As I stare/At all the time I never had”). These comments on mortality and grief really struck me personally as I had to bury my grandma last year, who I was rather close with. This song captured the weight I felt on my shoulders the week she left us. I have a lot of respect for these guys that they’re willing to tackle subjects this dark instead of the standard teen angst about breakups and unrequited love that most people expect from this sound. And I think that realness and rawness is something that sets Long Island apart from other suburban punk, hardcore and emo scenes.

The next track, “Diamond One” was the lead single from this EP, done as a collaboration with up and coming Chicago hardcore band Life’s Question. Initially I saw this as an odd choice, but considering Koyo is mostly active in the hardcore scene and Life’s Question’s willingness to deviate from their usual heavy hardcore sound and experiment with more melodic ideas, it does make more sense. This is another song that comes out all guns blazing with guitars and drums speeding with the intensity of an express train from Jamaica to Babylon. Hardcore kids would have a blast two stepping to this track and emo kids could use the song’s message of encouragement. “Diamond One” features a more uplifting tone telling you not to “let this world kick you around” and to not slave away for “another man’s clout!” “My mid-twenties planting fear and doubt/If we take it in stride we can figure it out/And commit to every hope you could possibly conceive…” is probably my favorite line on the EP because it really speaks to everything I’m going through and striving for right now. The desire to overcome the struggles of young adult life and the fight to achieve happiness and purpose. The additional vocals from Abby Rhine of Life’s Question actually add a lot of character to the song and they echo with the hopeful and positive attitude of the lyrics.

The final track on the record is “The World We Claim,” whose title is also referenced in the opener, “Moriches” (“And the world we claim/wants to watch you walk away”), which is a nice way to bring this EP full circle! The quiet acoustic verses, tender strings and massive distorted guitar driven choruses really bring to mind the chart topping emo ballads of 2000’s giants like Taking Back Sunday and Fall Out Boy, and this song could run with the best of them! And the final line of the song and closing thought of the EP, “Your records spin but do you ever really listen in?” is the perfect kind of lyric to end your record on, the kind that makes you think about everything you just heard and what it all means.

There’s a lot of people who read In Effect that are likely to pass over this one. So much of hardcore is populated with tough guys and street goons who look down on bands like this from places like this. I don’t think their feelings are entirely baseless, as my origins as a second generation kid from an immigrant family in Queens put me at odds with many privileged suburban kids on Long Island who I felt were too whiney and didn’t know how lucky they were; but at the same time, it feels too easy to listen to the same things over and over again and reject something outside our comfort zones. With their second release in 2021, Koyo has put out one of my favorite EPs of the year! There were lots of really cool records this year, but this one was among the most emotionally stirring and it shows a level of songwriting skill that most bands don’t reach in only their first year and a half of existence and it has punchy, hard-hitting production from Chris Rini and Jesse Cannon. I see greatness in Koyo’s future and I already can’t wait to see what they do next! Stream this through Bandcamp or Spotify.

-Riley Hogan 

GOING POSTAL s/t CD & 7" EP

(WTF Records, Released August, 2021)

Going Postal are a new name in the NYHC scene having gotten started in 2019 and then getting cock blocked by the Covid for most of 2020. With some local shows lined up and a long weekender down to South Carolina, Florida and Georgia in October it’s good to see this band get to bring their music out of the laboratory and show the kids what they've been whipping up. Short and sweet here on this debut with a total of 5 songs in about 11 minutes. Highlights being "Daily Grind", "FTW", and "Drowning In It" which all happen to be their speedier tracks. Opening track "Going Postal" has a timely message taking aim at "garbage talking heads" and their noise pollution which is going to make frontman Ted York and his bandmates "Go Postal". Religion? Politics? "Two sides of the same coin... control the masses, dominate their minds". "The Barker" is track four and once again they go after politics... "You think you have choice but that's part of their trick" before declaring they have no respect for these "political clowns". Going Postal bring things to us straight up and raw with a style that lies somewhere in between street punk and more traditional NYHC from the latter part of the 80's. With a good recording and nice jewel case style packaging it was a good mail day when this CD showed up. WTF Records from The Netherlands has a tendency to grab up these newer and under the radar types of bands and this is their latest with more NYHC bands dropping new music on their label in the coming months. Click HERE for various streaming options with CD and 7” copies available HERE through WTF Records.

-CW

“ONE SCENE UNITY COMPILATION VOL: 2”

(From Within Records, Released July, 2021)

“One Scene Unity” is the second compilation in the series featuring 18 bands and put out by From Within Records. The first compilation was released in August of 2020 and featured 15 bands. Whenever I get to review a compilation album, I feel a mix of excitement and dread. With most compilations, you get a few promising standout bands, some okay sounding bands and then you have the ones that are either terrible or seem out of place on the record. This compilation was a bit of a refreshing change.

Out of the 18 bands, there was only one band I didn’t care for. I found it surprising how many really good bands were on this compilation. First off is Year Of The Knife with “Dead At 29”. I found them to be similar in style and sound to Integrity, a favorite band of mine and standout among the others. “War Misery” from Raw Brigade, a straight edge band from Bogota, Colombia opens with an ominous bass riff and guitar feedback before kicking it into high gear for the next minute and twenty seconds and playing fierce and energetic hardcore. Struck Nerve’s “Last One Standing” is a throwback to the hardcore sounds of the 90’s. It opens with a longer instrumental before the band blasts full speed ahead with furious playing and vicious vocals that will have you breaking stuff. Dead Heat is another band that stood out on this compilation with their track entitled, “Light Me Up”. It starts out slow with a classic metal riff and when you hear that growl from the singer, it’s only a matter of time before they blow up and unleash their metalcore fury on the listener. I have no doubt they’d be intense to see live. Payback’s “The One Scene Pt. II”, One On One’s “Hands Or The Gun” and Pain Of Truth’s “Snake In Disguise” are blasts of old school hardcore and worthy of checking out. A few bands such as Mindforce, Burning Strong and Final Right sound similar to some of the established and known hardcore bands but still sound good and fit well on here. There are a few promising bands such as Stryker, Almighty Watching, Outnumbered and Point Of Contact that have the potential to do well in the scene. The one thing I found out of place on here were the metal bands. Bands like Invoke, Kruelty, Moment of Truth and Skourge are solid bands but are too metal sounding for this hardcore compilation. Overall, I was impressed with this compilation. Unlike the majority of compilations out there, this one focused on showcasing great bands instead of giving us a lot of filler bands to fill up the record. I for one plan to order this when they release it on vinyl and look forward to more solid bands released on From Within Records. Find this now on Bandcamp and Spotify with 12” vinyl versions on the way this December… click HERE to find out how to pre-order.

-Dave Cafferty 

GORDITA BEACH s/t EP (Released August, 2021)

“Inherent Vice” is one of Thomas Pynchon's more straightforward books and inspired the 2014 movie by the same title. Compared to Pynchon's trademark confounding works, it's an accessible and enjoyable read. While Gordita Beach (the band) hails from New York, not L.A., their new seven song EP is equally minimalist and easy to appreciate.

The songs are leanly constructed like an efficient cat or center fielder, as each track is just over one minute long. Urgent and succinct lyrics address police murders of BIPOC and trans people, systemic racism, and overall oppression. One-word titles like "Crush,” "Choke" and "Burn" complement the pared-down style. Vocalist Derrick Karg-Zamudio does not consider it a concept album since the lyrics describe recent events rather than a fictional arc, but the overlapping subjects add up to a cohesively thematic debut. Initially composed as an outlet during the pandemic, Derrick’s fully realized tracks caught the attention of the rest of the lineup, which includes three members of Killing Time. If you are expecting a plethora of mosh parts, "Drown" stops on the precipice of what I was hoping would be one, but there are enough other great moments to make up for the dearth of mosh.

Just as the band Starve is one of the highlights on the New Found Hope Comp 3, "Starve" is one of the standout tracks here. It's a perfect last song in the same way that "Break The Rules & Change 'Em" is the perfect last song on the Rejuvenate s/t. I prefer the tracks that have the gang vocals on the chorus rather than on the verse, and also dig the less frenetic pacing of this final tune. Either way there’s something for everyone in this short and sweet debut from Gordita Beach, available on Bandcamp or Spotify. 7” vinyl copies of this release are in the works as well… contact the band through their Instagram (click on their album cover above) to find out how to reserve yourself a copy.

-Becky McAuley

SLOPE “STREET HEAT”

(BDHW Records, Released March, 2021)

Hailing from Germany, these guys are serving up some interesting tuneage that blends a little from every genre that will challenge the listener. Are they hardcore? Metal? Rap metal? Alt-metal-funk? Hell I don’t know! What I DO know is that this record grew on me and it was refreshing to get something to review that wasn’t yet another copy of a copy of some hardcore or metal band that came out 20 years ago. What I like about this record is how they can slide from genre to genre without feeling forced. There's bits… small ones mind you, that remind me of what NY’s Ludichrist (later Scatterbrain) were doing with the metal/hardcore/jazz/pop mix. These guys can jam and are definitely doing something off the beaten track, which in my opinion makes them winners already. Find this on Bandcamp, Spotify, or the BDHW You Tube page which also features multiple music videos from Slope. Vinyl copies are available through BDHW Records.

-Rod Orchard

SHIP OF FOOLS “STATUS QUO”

(Hell For Breakfast Records, Released April, 2021)

Seems like the Ontario/Canadian punk/hardcore scene is starting to build a nice solid base of great up and coming bands. You’ve got Dragged In, The Slime and now Ship of Fools, who deliver in their own words “Gruff, melodic, beer-soaked punk rock”. “Status Quo” is a 4 song 7” of fast paced melodic punk that is based on left leaning political views without being on the extreme side. The most political they get is on “Open for Business” which takes shots at Ontario Premier Ford and his policies, which is great but perhaps a non-factor for those outside of the province. At times I’d really like to hear a bit more anger and conviction in the vocals to put this over the top. I can see this band probably brings the songs to new levels live. I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of melodic punk at the best of times, but I think these guys are on the right path and will definitely please those fans of the genre. “Cut Your Teeth” is the standout on this 7”.Stream this on Bandcamp or Spotify. 

-Rod Orchard 

PAIN OF TRUTH/ AGE OF APOCOLYPSE  split EP (Daze/Streets Of Hate, Released March, 2021)

Splits are a timeless tradition in the hardcore scene! Two of your favorite bands collaborate on a record in hopes that they can get their fan bases to cross over. Today’s review may seem a little belated to some, but personally I see it as a gift, because it gives me the opportunity to talk about a split record that may seem innocuous to some, but that I have a lot to say about. That split of course is the new split from Pain Of Truth and Age Of Apocalypse and it’s a split that I think is the culmination of some very cool things happening in the New York hardcore scene.

Pain Of Truth is from Long Island, featuring members of Hangman, Life’s Question, Forced Out, Jab, Rain Of Salvation, Buried Dreams, Wreath Of Tongues, Out For Justice and dozens of other projects. I’ll end it there so this review doesn’t turn into an All Music page. The point is that these guys know how to lay down a great hardcore record because they’ve done it many times before! And that they did with their debut “No Blame… Just Facts!”… a record that provided some hard hitting hardcore tracks and an avalanche of explosive vocal features from an impressive list of East Coast hardcore stalwarts. They continue that energy on their side of this split. Vocalist Mike Smith had previously played guitar and bass in various Long Island bands, most notably Hangman and Victory Garden, but I’ve never heard him do lead vocals on a project like this prior to Pain Of Truth and despite that he sounds like a pro on the mic! His delivery and his lyrics channel a level of anger and frustration that I think we all felt over the past few years. I remember seeing Hangman playing at my first hardcore show with Agnostic Front when I was about 16 or 17 and it’s crazy to see how much he’s grown as a musician in the years since. In particular, I like the lyrics on “Blood On Your Hands” which is a screed against people who feel the need to get involved in other people’s business, the song’s sentiment is something that I’ve felt deeply lately. It launches this record right out of the gate with a riff that makes me want to grab my mesh shorts and a Bury Your Dead hoodie and start throwing spin kicks! It ends in a throat shredding guest spot from Dan Longo of Connecticut controversy machine Laid 2 Rest that takes us to a pit destroying breakdown. The next track, “Scarred,” comes out swinging with an onslaught of drums and guitars reminiscent of the old school styles of hardcore before switching up to slower, sludgier and more moshable riffs. We get some tough guy ad-libs from Matt Karll of Gridiron (who put out one of my favorite EP’s of the year so far) and some low register growls from Lumpy of Sanction, Out For Justice and numerous other bands that are oozing with attitude. One thing I notice, and maybe it’s unintentional and just a natural product of this style of hardcore, is that Pain Of Truth tends to get features from vocalists who sing in a lower register and that tends to play nicely with Smith’s much higher pitched yelled vocals by providing a nice contrast. I also commend the drumming on this track in particular as the drums really drive the intensity of this song with the beat changes and creative fills that elevate the adrenaline pumping fury of this song. I’ve known for quite a while that Chris Rini is a fantastic drummer from other projects like Jab and Wreath Of Tongues and once again he outdoes himself. He also did most of the recording and production for Pain Of Truth’s half of the record and I admire his work as a producer greatly. So many Long Island hardcore bands that play dive bars have demos that sound like fully professional EP’s from working with Rini at Shellshock Audio and I think that’s awesome.

The second half of this EP is handled by Age Of Apocalypse, a band hailing from New York’s Hudson Valley. When they first appeared on the scene, I must admit that I didn’t take to them immediately and I thought they sounded like a Life Of Agony clone. But whereas Life Of Agony went for a more traditional rock sound on later records, I think AOA has set themselves apart from their influences by doubling down on the metal and hardcore elements of their sound instead and that definitely rings true for their contributions to this EP. I think the songs they put out on this split are the two best songs they’ve ever put out. Their first track “Grief” spends the first minute in a revolving door of heavy music, starting out with a hard hitting melodic intro that’s very reminiscent of old school metal bands like Maiden and Priest before moving into a sludgy chugging mosh riff that wouldn’t be out of place on a Bulldoze song until it gets interrupted by a blitz of fast drums and tremolo picking that should encourage all 80’s crossover thrash fans to get a circle pit going before returning to another heavy chugging riff that makes me want to open up the pit every time I hear it! The song ends with a heavy plodding riff and vocals that reminds me of a Dio-era Black Sabbath tune! Maybe it’s just because of Mindforce’s “Excalibur” and that new Sentinel record, but hearing a hardcore band playing with old school metal style riffs is exactly what I need to hear right now! I think I want to learn this song on guitar so I can dissect the riffs more because they got pretty creative with the guitar work. “Grief” transitions seamlessly and without missing a beat into the closing track “Greed,” whose lyrics are one of the most on point takedowns of capitalism, corporate mass marketing and consumerist culture that I’ve heard in a minute. This track sounds like a fusion between the aforementioned Mindforce record and “Bark At The Moon” by Ozzy Osburne with its frantic dissonant chords and its face melting riffs. But AOA adds their own personal touch with sludgier guitar tones, groovier drums and vocals that sound like a happy middle ground between 90’s belowers like Mina Caputo and Peter Steele and the old school greats like Ozzy, Dio and Halford! I kind of hope that the vibe that bands like AOA, Mindforce, Sentinel and Prime are setting becomes a sort of regional sound that Hudson Valley hardcore kids can attach themselves to like more urban hardcore scenes tend to have. I feel like the age of the internet has been eroding away at that idea and I think in a way, we lose some of the themes and ideas that make that a given area’s hardcore scene unique and special. But maybe that’s just me speaking as a young guy who likes to hear different perspectives. “Greed” ends with an acoustic guitar coda that gives us a moment to breathe and decompress after 4 tracks of skull crushing heavy hardcore. Many older metal bands like Metallica or Megadeth often opened their songs and albums with a classical guitar intro, so at risk of overanalyzing, I thought it was a nice touch to end the record with an acoustic passage instead of opening it with one.

For most of hardcore history, New York City has been at the top of the food chain with our state’s hardcore. Various areas of Upstate got a moment in the limelight back in the 90’s and 2000’s with bands like Earth Crisis, One King Down, Buried Alive, Brutal Truth, Snapcase, Every Time I Die and other bands of the like. But historically it’s mostly been about NYC. And it’s not necessarily unjustified given the decades of legendary bands coming from the city that defined damn near every generation of hardcore punk. Long Island has had its moments too, with bands like Neglect, Vision Of Disorder, Glassjaw, and The Movielife earning respect from the broader hardcore scene and even other subcultures like metalheads and emo kids. But over the past 10-15 years, Long Island’s scene has gradually been taking over the conversation with bands like Incendiary, Backtrack and Sanction. Pain Of Truth seems to be the latest addition to that conversation as they already have tons of shows lined up both at home and out of state, some of which are selling out despite the band not having played live yet due to quarantine. Hype is through the roof and it’s not undeserved. The Hudson Valley has had a hardcore scene for a long time, but aside from All Out War, it felt like no one really talked about it. When I saw Recycled Earth at the same Agnostic Front show I first saw Hangman at, and I learned they were from Nyack, I had no idea the Hudson Valley even had a hardcore scene. But that seemed to change when Mindforce blew up a few years later and now AOA is continuing to keep that scene on the map along with their peers like Prime and Soul Blind. These two bands coming together on a great split is one thing, but I think this split represents a peak in relevance for New York hardcore from outside the city limits not seen since the 90’s. I think that it’s a sample of the creative explosion of hardcore from the current generation of disaffected youths in Madball hoodies, and of course, I think it’s 4 of the best tracks I’ve heard this year from two new, young bands keeping the flame burning! Stream this on Bandcamp and Spotify or visit Daze for a CD copy.

-Riley Hogan 

FORGIVE/FORGET "LEAVE WITH WHAT YOU CAME FOR" 7" (GGT Records, Released July,  2021)

Recorded back in 1998, released digitally last year, and now making its debut on 7" wax is Forgive Forget's "Leave With What You Came For". The participants on this three song/ten minute EP are a big part of the draw here with current Be Well frontman Brian McTernan (played guitar on this effort), NYHC drummer extraordinaire Sammy Siegler (Youth Of Today, Judge, CIV), and Josh English (Six Going On Seven) being the trio behind Forgive/Forget. "Sound Economics", "Half Bad" and "Good With Words" are the titles to the three songs with "Sound Economics" being my favorite and hardest of the three melodic hardcore tunes served up with the key word here being melodic. "Half Bad" has a college radio/pop rock type of feel with a touch of grit mixed in at times and "Good With Words" stylistically lies somewhere in between tracks one and two. Josh English's voice sounds amazing and the solid production makes you not even realize this recording is 23 years old. I have been really hooked on the heavier sounds of new releases by Dead Head, Ekulu and Section H8 lately and popping something like he this on is a nice change of pace in an almost "hardcore easy listening" type of way. Hardcore punk comes in many styles and flavors and this is definitely on the lighter side of the spectrum with catchy hooks and grooves all over this thing. The backstory here is the three musicians got together in 1998 to record this as their demo and after doing so sort of got pulled in different directions in each of their lives before this ever came out. 2021 sees this release officially paroled from its musical prison with also a hint that these musicians could once again join forces to pick up where they left off. A nice change of pace type of record for open minded ears.Stream this on Bandcamp or Spotify. 7" vinyl copies can be found through the GGT Records webstore. 

-CW

The clothing line Tiny World and Los Angeles band Dead City put together an outdoor hardcore show at the end of May in L.A. featuring Section H8 and Dead City and it ended up all over social media and the local L.A. news. It looked like it was part of a post-apocalyptic setting, complete with fires, explosions, fireworks, colored smoke, and cops breaking it up by shooting non-lethal rounds into the crowd. As I understood things from afar, it was the pinnacle of a series of outdoor shows that hit a zenith, being so close to the loosening of Covid-19 restrictions. So, I was excited but a little skeptical to see how this would go over in NYC. Could they pull such a large crowd? Would it be that crazy? And surely with NYC’s dense population I was thinking that the cops would shut it down a lot quicker.

Well fuck was I was wrong! L.A. brought a crazy energy, and it seemed NYC was more than up to match it. Going into the show, I love Hangman and Regulate and was excited to get to see the West Coast-based Section H8 and Alpha & Omega but wasn’t all that familiar with the other West Coast-based N8NoFace, Barrage and Dead City. When Tiny World and Dead City dropped the revised flyer the day of the event saying that the show would be at the East River Amphitheater on the Lower East Side, Section H8 and Alpha & Omega weren’t listed, and Controlled Substance, Axolotl and Baseck… all bands I was unfamiliar with, were added. If you saw pictures from the L.A. shows you could kind of guess that a lot of the bands were on the more punk end of things, but I wasn’t exactly prepared for the one-man attack of BASECK, which was a more dancey and bass-heavy Ministry with fewer vocals. Or N8NOFACE, who was a little more rap-based and backed with a bouncier version of stripped-down hardcore, as played by a computer. The crowd was into both with a kid in a Floorpunch shirt even stage diving during Baseck and by the end of N8NoFace the show was filling up and people were starting to shoot off fireworks.

AXOLOTL PHOTO BY: CARL GUNHOUSE

"A7-BACK TO THE NYHC ROOTS NEW YORK HARDCORE COMPILATION" (Pitchfork Music, Released June 2021)

If you are looking for a crash course in the current day NYHC scene look no further than the new "Back To The NYHC Roots" compilation put out by Pitchfork who many may already know from their underground music inspired clothing line as well as limited edition split 7's that have featured brand names from around the hardcore scene. New York Hardcore music is known around the world with bands like Madball, Cro-Mags, Sheer Terror and Sick Of It All being some of its heaviest hitters but with this compilation we are given an in depth look at a varied grouping of bands that may not be household names (yet) but undoubtedly deserve some of the spotlight as well. By today's standards "Back To The NYHC Roots" is a unique release with 17 NY/NJ (and one from nearby NEPA) area bands serving up 17 brand new studio recorded tracks. Amongst these 17 bands/songs you will find a great mix of styles with bands that will make traditional NYHC fans salivate (Crazy Eddie, Dead Blow Hammer, Antidote NYHC, The Last Stand and Silence Equals Death to name a few), more punk rock stylings (The Ice Cold Killers, The Krays, Diamond Dogz) and some hybrids of the two with Enziguri and The Car Bomb Parade showing elements of both while being a little hard to slap a label on and categorize. This comp has the new school represented nicely as well with No Compromise and Reaching Out delivering quality tracks while bands with music scene veterans like Serial Poets and End Of Hope offering up more hard rock ‘n roll vibes while still making you nod 'yer head along to the rhythm.

Along with the 35 plus minutes of new music comes a pretty cool backstory as all the bands on this compilation have played shows at NYC's Niagra club as part of the "Back To The NYHC Roots" music series. Niagra (known as A7 in the early 1980's) is often described as the birthplace of NYHC and in April of 2019 a revival of that storied club began with this compilation being a direct decedent of those very shows. The amazing cover artwork by NY tattoo artist Steve Huie is hard not to stare at and ties in the old with the new. Quality oozes out of the packaging with a 24 page glossy booklet that has photos, logos, and lyrics to all the bands, as well as additional flyers and crowd photos taken at the "Back To The NYHC Roots" shows. Every inch of the inside packaging literally pops with the inner sleeve having liner notes, and the stickers on this 12's center labels having additional artwork taken from the covers theme with the red splatter vinyl being the icing on the cake. The only way to hear this album though is to actually buy the vinyl version which comes with a digital download card. Although some of the bands on this compilation have put their own songs online to stream there is no one central location like a Bandcamp or Spotify to stream or download this in full. You gotta buy the vinyl! Early sales saw the bigger indie spots like Coretex in Berlin and RevHQ in the USA sell out but copies are still available through All In Merch. Below is the back cover of the album which shows a complete listing of the bands and song titles.  -CW

EXAMINE “BLESSED” EP

(Dead City Records, Released July, 2021)

You all know the type of song that pops up on a comp or mix and brings an instant smile of recognition? While "Blessed,” the new 8 song effort from Examine, is neither a comp nor on your Spotify or Itunes playlists yet, it has the advantage of featuring an existing crowd pleaser due to the early release of their video for "Nothing's Gonna Stop the Plan". The video was shot on a very cold night in early 2021, and ever since its release, I have been pulling it up on YouTube repeatedly. Apparently I'm not alone, as it has 1500 views since February. Well, YouTube it no more, unless you are coming specifically for the visual component, as "Nothing's Gonna Stop the Plan" is track 2 on Examine's latest release from Dead City Records. The album starts with a strong one-two punch, opening with "Co-Sign That" and then the aforementioned "Nothing's Gonna Stop the Plan." I get almost a Blood for Blood vibe from the opener, but track 2 sounds like Cold World in the best way possible. While no other song eclipses the excellence of this one, there are standout riffs present throughout the album, like at the end of "Buckshot" and throughout "Mass Grave." Tempos range from a deliberate, trudging pace to more mid-tempo sections, complemented by succinct and honest lyrics and easily decipherable vocals.

Examine is one of those bands that I always say I need to see live more frequently – and we all now have a chance to do that, as their name has popped up on several flyers as shows have started to return. Pick up this new one to get ready for the live experience or to get these tracks into your playlist vehicle of choice. Come for "Nothing's Gonna Stop the Plan" and stay for the rest of this crushing effort from Examine. Available on Spotify or on CD from Dead City Records. You can also check out the video for the title track by clicking HERE.

-Becky McAuley

TURNSTILE "TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION"

(Released June, 2021)

Surprise! On June 27th, Turnstile dropped this brand new four song EP without any hype, buildup or previous announcement of future announcements... it just "came out" and serves as the first all new material by this innovative hardcore band since their 2018 full length "Time & Space". Along with this eight minute EP comes an 11 and a half minute music video/movie which was directed by lead singer Brendan Yates. The accompanying video has all four songs represented in full and then some with "Holiday" starting things off with the band giving a live performance in an abandoned outdoor sports arena. The dilapidated bleachers, weeds and crabgrass serve as a great visual backdrop as the Turnstile crew crank out one of those bouncy and fresh Turnstile-esque type tracks that is as refreshing as some ice cold lemonade on a hot summer day. After the song ends the video shows a few seconds of the band walking around on the stadium's field for a few moments which then leads into the 45 second track "No Surprise" which is sung by bassist Franz Lyons. On the video side of things this track is interesting as I couldn't help but think where the storyline was going while initially watching it. This track is all Franz singing over synthesizers and couldn't be any further from traditional hardcore punk but it just fits so damn well in the context of the video while serving as a great transition into the third track "Mystery".

"Mystery" comes at us with a mid-paced bounce and just has this uplifting and positive feel about it; something this band has proven to excel at. The video portion drives home a spirit of youth 2021 vibe and is done up quite well as I could see established music video directors saying Yates knocked this one out of the park. The title track finishes things up with an all-out speed attack and a great sing-a-long type chorus. The video portion sports a retro look as the band bangs out this sub-two minute track with authority before Yates leaves the studio area, jumps on the back of a motorcycle and rides off into the night as synthesizer beats that aren't on the official release lead us into an eventual fade to close things out. With this release Turnstile continues to lead and not follow in the realm of hardcore punk with a freshness to their tunes, making their own short movie and a feeling that whatever they do next will have a different twist than the previous effort. Whatever they do next comes on August 27th as Turnstile is set to release the 15 track "Glow On” which will contain these tracks and 11 new ones (including “Alien Love Call” which is already making the rounds) that I'm confident will add to an already growing pile of Turnstile tracks that I already mess with. Watch the video for “Turnstile Love Connection” HERE or head on over to Spotify to stream the EP in its entirety. 

-CW

AYANYSS s/t (Released July, 2021)

Out of a shroud of mystery comes one of the best and most intriguing releases of 2021. Why did the songs temporarily disappear from Bandcamp? How do you pronounce Ayanyss? I hope to be able to answer all of that soon, but in the meantime, let me tell you about the Ayanyss 8 song self-titled EP. Every time a new super-group comprised of hardcore all-stars is announced, I am cautiously excited- but with the caveat that what if these luminaries captured something earlier in their collective histories, but are unable to replicate it in the modern era? You certainly don't have to worry about that with Ayanyss: like the best bands that come out of other classic bands, this new project is a step beyond their members' prior material, and they've amalgamated a variety of styles into a fresh and riveting debut.

The initial lineup that recorded these tracks featured Chiqui from Dmize on vox, Nick B from Cold Front and Fit of Anger on guitar, and Frank and Harry from 25 ta Life holding down the rhythm section. Rob Rosario has since replaced Nick on guitar, strengthening the Dmize component, with drummer John McClellan rounding out the new group. This doesn't really sound like Dmize, though Chiqui's classic vocal patterns are still on display. And yet Ayanyss has undersold themselves in their bio, which notes a "heavy groove and vintage metal influence." This is definitely a hardcore album, ranging from mid-paced jams like "Decay" and "Hell To Pay" to the absolute ripper that is "The Forbidden," with a whole bunch of interesting riffs in between.

If you only have time to check out a few tracks, any of the above are recommended, along with the deliberate moshy intro to "Images" which suggests the Rag Men - "Possession" intro. But Ayanyss has really saved the best for last with the walloping closer that is "The Forbidden," which sounds like Sai Nam covering the Icemen with Maximum Penalty and a whole lot of other shit mixed in. It is overall one of the wildest tracks I have heard from a new band in a bit, and made me wonder when these guys are going to play live (update - they're playing on Sept 12!) Now available for your repeat listening pleasure on Bandcamp and Spotify.

-Becky McAuley

OI 2 THE WORLD VOLUME 3; FEMALE PUNK, OI and SKA COMPILATION (Released July, 2021)

This review is a dedication to those who may still erroneously believe in 2021 that women can't rock out. Your education will come from 17 songs which make up the newest release in the “Oi 2 The World” series titled: “Oi 2 The World Volume 3 - Female Punk, Oi and Ska”. This compilation, as the title states showcases as well as promotes women from around the world and their bands within the three listed genres and regardless if you are more of a fan of one than the other I still believe you will enjoy most if not all of the bands included. The songs show a fierceness, soulfulness and passion that doesn’t just tear down the wall of inequality but blows the damn thing up. I love that this compilation has a one band/one song approach giving the audience not only "more bang for the buck" but more importantly gives a variety of artists/bands to check out. Being a fan of punk, Oi and ska and liking what I heard from all the bands on this album, created a difficult task of pinning down a few stand out songs. However I did come up with four that really grabbed my attention and this list is certainly not disrespecting all the other great artists on this release. My favorites (in no particular order): Rebels Rule, “Not Looking For Love”, Dakka Skanks, “Sir Action”; La Madre, “A Punto De Estallar”; and Tankshot, “Cold Little Heart”. When I received the email asking if I was interested in reviewing this release I was very excited since I don't know too many bands in these genres with female members so anytime I come across them I check them out. So this release was right up my alley and it did not disappoint. I would go as far as saying this might be one of my favorite compilations of all time. It also re-enforces what most of us already knew that women can hang on stage, on the dance floor and anywhere else their male counterparts can. Girl Power In Effect! Click HERE to check it out.

-Chris Beman

DEVIATED STATE s/t (Released June, 2021)

First of all, Deviated State are one of those stellar bands you happen onto by luck, word of mouth, at a show or in my case, sent their new self-titled EP to review. The band hails from Los Angeles’s Harbor Area and formed in 2009. The band went through a number of line-up changes and managed to release three EP’s and a full length record before releasing June 2021’s self-titled EP.

This EP eases us in with the menacing bass intro to "Run It Back" and slowly builds up before launching their aggression on the listener. With great breakdowns, furious playing and an enraged singer, this is a great track to open with. "Estamos Listos" follows up with a blistering speed induced minute and fifteen song sung in the key of Dee Dee Ramone and will have you running around your place like a deranged person. "No Sleep" keeps the momentum going with a straight up hardcore anthem in the style of Terror. "Day By Day" is an energetic song played with passion and intensity. It’s a song I would play to start my day off on a positive note. "War Games" is an old school sounding track reminiscent of early Madball. It has all the ingredients of what a hardcore song is all about. Listening to it made me think how insane the pit would be when they play this one live. Going out on a high note is the last song "Justica". This one ended the EP in style, giving the listener a taste of early D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies with their own spin on things, all rolled into one. Played fast, hard and enraged, Deviated State is what real hardcore is all about. 

Deviated State keep hardcore real on this EP with their no nonsense approach to playing and fronted by a savage vocalist. The band deliver seven tracks of vicious hardcore punk, showing us the scene is alive and well in L.A. These guys have earned the right to be a serious contender in the scene and I have no doubts they will reach the level of success they deserve. If I were asked for a list of bands today that passed for being a genuine hardcore punk band, these guys would be in my top ten. Don’t sleep on this one. Add it to your collection now! Find this on You Tube and Spotify.  Editors note: The songs we received were in a different order than the official release. 

-Dave Cafferty

PLACEHOLDER “NOBODY ASKED FOR THIS”

(Crew Cuts, Released June, 2021)

Always looking for an excuse to check out new bands and music, I have discovered quite a few undiscovered “gems”. One of these I consider to be Placeholder from St. Louis, Missouri. Formed in 2018, they put out their second EP in early June after working on material during COVID lockdown entitled “Nobody Asked For This”. A few notes into the first song and I knew this was going to be a good one. The first track called “Mire And Loam” is a great album opener. They reminded me of Comeback Kid and felt a tinge of Gorilla Biscuits in there as well with their fast verses and gang vocal choruses. Even a slow breakdown in the middle with melodic female singing blended exceptionally well at the end. The next track, “Ninth Of May”, did not disappoint as well. This song perfectly displays singer Nate’s impressive vocal abilities. His style is screamy but has a good low end and is very audible. This song also has a great build-up part as well that leads you back to that main riff again… perfectly!

The next track, “Selfless Spirit”, is another great hardcore song. This “circle pit extravaganza” starts with some great melodic guitar work and a very sick bass line from Aaron that keeps the song thumping along. The dynamics of this band continue to amaze at this point. “Virtue Signal The End”, the next song on this five song EP is a very fast, old school thrash song featuring some vicious guitar work from both JB and Darrell.

Closing the EP, “Sickness/Health” is, for sure, a “save the best for last” situation. This song has a poppy, melodic element that blends well with the hardcore drumming from Travis and is reminiscent of Texas is The Reason. Yes, they pulled this one off. Throwing in an element of pop-punk/emo in there while remaining heavy. I hope to hear more from this band in the future and I urge you to check out this EP as well. Listen online at Bandcamp and Spotify and check in with the UK’s Crew Cuts if you are looking for a 7” vinyl copy.

-Brian Espitia 

RACIAL PROFILE “2021 DEMO”

LA’s Racial Profile are a new band who feature members of LA OG’s Countime and continue that lineage of hard hitting and brutal hardcore. This 2021 demo is the band’s first release and hopefully, we will hear more of them in the not too distant future as they have teamed up with Upstate Records with an eye on a full length album to follow up this fine debut.

A frenetic and threatening intro puts you in doubt to what Racial Profile are all about as they shout out their Los Angeles hometown and as they storm into “Amendment”, it is clear that the bands Agnostic Front/Madball style of hardcore is as fearsome as it gets. The grooving heaviness of  “Speak The Truth” follows and features some more great dual vocals that maximize the bands heaviness and as the demo finishes with the anthemic “Over The Line”, it is clear the band have already developed a winning formula with their sound and whole vibe. 

Even though this demo is only five minutes long, there is enough here to tell that the hard hitting music of Racial Profile will only grow into a bigger and better beast. Their sound hits hard, and this, coupled with the fact that it has a rawness to it, makes Racial Profile’s music sound so full of confidence and energy that it doesn’t make it sound like a demo at all. Check this out on Bandcamp.

-Gavin Brown

THE DEADLINE “DEMO 2021” (Released May, 2021)

Hell yes… New York City, this is the shit I am talking about. Hardcore punk rock and roll done up the right way by our friends The Deadline. Served up on a cassette tape and limited to 100 copies. This is their demo and it's a pretty solid four song debut. This stuff is nice and crunchy with interesting vocals and the requisite NYHC breakdown smattered about. The first song is "Who Failed Who?" running 1:19. A feedback laced intro leads into a galloping hardcore tune that will have you ripping it up in no time and at about the :33 second mark you are ready to seriously bust shit up. Quality tunage here. The second track is "Far From Right" clocking in at a brisk 1:10. They pack in all the hardcore treats we love here, fast bits, breakdowns, yes indeed. The third track and my personal favorite will have you skanking it up in no time. "Blue Angel" running 1:48 boasts an excellent groove which culminates in music that will cause pit mayhem for sure yo. I really dig the echoey gang vocals style on display here. Finally, the ultimate song on offer from The Deadline is their epic long cut, "An Understanding" which runs a robust 2:25 compared to the others. This one has something for everyone as it starts fast and goes out banging. The Deadline doesn't break any crazy new ground here, but this isn't what you would usually think of when you see or hear NYHC. I cut my teeth on NYHC and while this has many of the trappings it is also fresh enough to keep you excited. However, if you can't keep excited for 6 minutes either get Viagra or Adderall you pudgy pathetic punk pukes. So please go check out The Deadline. Good evening, go fuck yourself and get the fuck off my lawn. Link tree your way around The Deadline pages and happenings by clicking HERE.

-Core Junkie

SAND AND SALT “EMBRACE LIFE” EP (Released January, 2021)

Coming from Tarifa in Southern Spain, and repping that classic straight edge/youth crew vibe with a European flavor are Sand And Salt and with their latest EP “Embrace Life”, they capture that vibe very well. The band has had a prolific recorded output over the past year or so with the release of two EP’s in “Thrive” and “All The Good Things” both released in 2020. Now Sand And Salt return with another straight to the point collection of energy laden hardcore with just the right amount of melodic flavors .

“Embrace Life” is a very apt title for this release as the band exude positivity from the moment the title track of the EP kicks things off and doesn’t fade until the last notes of closing track “My Own Thoughts” ring out. That opening salvo is a breakneck slice of hardcore complete with some killer riffs throughout and as it segues into the thought provoking “Responsibility”, it is clear that the band continue to soar and build on what they brought to the fore with last year’s releases. The seething and sarcastic “You Are The Cop” is a sub-minute long burst of anger which is the most caustic sounding song on the EP. This is followed by the mid-paced intro of “Speak Your Mind”, a track that suddenly explodes into a manic Gorilla Biscuits style blast. “Embrace Life” concludes with the berserk “My Own Thoughts” which is a great way to end things on a high with the energy levels ringing off the scale. With “Embrace Life” Sand And Salt are doing exactly that and this is a great example of the band doing their own take on a classic sound and giving it their own energetic twist on proceedings. Find this on Bandcamp and Spotify.

-Gavin Brown

2 MINUTE MINOR “A GOON’S BEST FRIEND TILL THE VERY END” (Released June, 2021)

2 Minute Minor from Chicago, IL have dropped a new 8 track album called "A Goon's Best Friend Till The Very End" and my first impression here is that this is fantastic. The band is rooted in an old school American style of hardcore punk with the added spirit of working-class Oi! Things kick off with "My Side Of The Story" which is mid-paced and moody coupled with a great production that is crystal clear and we already are off to a flying start, making the listener keen to explore more with this band. 2 Minute Minor promote positivity within their lyrics and while listening to this release they do remind me of many great hardcore bands past and present. Tracks like "Disconnect" and "Bleed the Same" are instant juggernaut killers, chuck in intelligent lyrics with a hefty dose of hardcore attitude and this really adds up to a first-class act. And for the old school amongst us, tracks "The Devil Made Me Do It" and "Misconduct" are short, sharp, to the point, no messing around blasts of great music… both songs clocking in at under 40 seconds. The album ends with the finale "Cancel Culture", a catchy well-rounded number with a fantastic infectious beat. There are other releases featured on 2MM’s Bandcamp page which I can highly recommend to check out as well. Find this on Bandcamp and Spotify and for tons ‘o merch options including 7” and CD versions of this fine release click HERE.

-Rob King

DEAD HEAT “WORLD AT WAR”

(Triple B Records, Released June, 2021)

Back-to-back Nardcore reviews for me (previous was Retaliate) and both are glowing reviews. I promise I’m not just trying to make friends before I move to Central Coast, CA this winter; they are both that good.

To start off; Dead Heat’s “Certain Death” LP was one of my favorites of 2019. The riffs on that were so raging so I had my doubts about whether they could step it up for this one. They delivered and then some. It’s still the familiar Ventura-county thrash inspired formula Dead Heat fans love, but they step up the riffs to the next level and the vocal phrasing is really up-leveled too. There are some catchy vocal hooks that should make for good sing-a-longs in the coming post-COVID era.

If you’re not familiar with Dead Heat, it’s somewhere between crossover and just straight-up thrash metal. But they also explored some new territory on this record with some more 70’s and 80’s rock influences and I‘m here for it! While the majority of this is in the late 80’s/early 90’s Suicidal Tendencies/DRI lane with touches of Leeway, there are riffs AND singing on this that have David Lee Roth era Van Halen written all over it. And it feels additive to the Dead Heat formula; firmly rooted in hardcore and thrash, rather than them trying to branch off into more lucrative sounds.

Stand out tracks; there are tons, and they change with every listen. Sometimes I need to hear “Last Call”, other times I need to hear “Pay The Toll” or “Sick Society”. But I keep coming back to the “Age Of DH”. This is the song that is gonna GO OFF when they start playing shows this summer. This record straight up rips. And the cover art is perfect. If you look at the cover of this record and think Dead Heat might be for you, I guarantee you will not be disappointed when you drop the needle on the vinyl or smash that play button on Bandcamp or Spotify. CD and 12” vinyl versions are still available from Triple B, head HERE to find out how to get one before they are sold out.

-Chris Wiliams 

EKULU “UNSCREW MY HEAD”

(Cash Only Records, Released June, 2021)

The other day I was going through some old badly taken Instagram photos of shows I’ve been to and it made me wonder what happened to some of the bands in those pictures that I hadn’t heard anything from in a while. One of those bands was Ekulu. I remember that there was a bit of a hype train for them when they debuted. All my friends were stoked on their self-titled demo, seeing their live show in Brooklyn was really fun, and then I feel like I hadn’t heard anything from them since they dropped the 2-song “Half Alive” EP in 2019. Sure they had that live album of them playing in London in 2020, but the show that was recorded at was from 2019. I was wondering where they went and what they were up to, if there was new music on the way, maybe a show announcement for the Fall? Then I got an email that answered most of my questions (their first announced shows are for Boston, Philly and Brooklyn in September). There’s a new album from Ekulu called “Unscrew My Head” (on Cash Only Records which is a new label run by members of Illusion and Ekulu), and I was being asked to review it. I accepted this request with genuine intrigue as to what the band had been up to during quarantine, and I was interested to find out!

The opening track of this record is called “Becoming/New Life Jam.” It’s this very bass driven groove with reverb soaked guitar leads. And it’s the most standout track on the album because it sounds so different from the rest of the album. I had to Google “Becoming” and “New Life” half a dozen times to make sure that this wasn’t a Tool cover, because it sounds like the intro to a song from “Ænima”. The bass and guitar playing on this track are definitely really good and I could see this being a perfect intro to a live set. And few hardcore bands are ballsy enough to take on instrumentals longer than a minute let alone improvisations or jams. But the title is confusing to me. I’m not sure what it’s referencing. Certainly not Pantera, Nine Inch Nails or Depeche Mode. Is it a segment of an unreleased song? Is it a cover? I’m not sure. I appreciate that they didn’t wanna just title this “Intro” but at the same time, my brain is easily distracted by attempting to figure out what the title means. Most people probably won’t be concerned about that so I’ll just move on.

The intro track goes right into the next track ”Proven Wrong.” In fact, the first four songs fade into each other flawlessly, as if to create a multi-phased prog epic, but with Leeway riffs instead of Keith Emerson's organ playing. If the opening jam builds up tension, “Proven Wrong'' lets it out and explodes into an onslaught of fiery two step riffs and shrieking guitar leads. It goes right into the song “Half Alive.” Normally I’d question why a band would choose to include a song that’s over 2 years old on their new record, but it is one of their best songs and they manage to work it in while sustaining the album’s momentum. It is one of their best songs too so perhaps this track’s inclusion may excite fans. Certainly its cries asking “Where’s the inspiration?” and “What gets you up in the morning?” seem to take on new meaning after a year in lockdown, many faced with either isolation in their homes or the prospect of risking your life for a dead end minimum wage job to try and afford rent. It’s hard to stay inspired or to keep getting up in the morning when you feel like there’s nothing more for you that day. It gives you the feeling of being half alive so to speak. The final track on what seems to be the A-side is “Pick Your Fight,” which brings some serious 90’s NYHC vibes, starting off with the speed and ferocity of an old school hardcore track before breaking into a bouncy groove riff that brings to mind classic hardcore records like “Set It Off” or “Born To Land Hard” and eventually slowing down to a breakdown/mosh riff section. It’s strange that a metal influenced hardcore record in 2021 took so long to arrive at one of these. Some might view this as a welcome breath of fresh air, some might think this makes the record boring, I think the album might benefit from one or two more of these, as my one gripe so far is that most of the songs sound a little “samey”. There’s a lot of thrashy two steps and a lot of bouncy hip hop inspired sections. I feel like some more variety is needed here.

The song “Who’s In Control?” doesn’t really bring variety on that front as the palm muted guitar riff sounds like a sped up version of “Seekers Of The Truth” by Cro-Mags or a cut from “Countdown To Extinction” by Megadeth. But it does bring a sense of urgency with its ascending minor chord progression and it brings one of the strongest sing-a-longs on the album with its title dropping group vocal shouted chorus. A massive guitar solo solidifies the Megadeth comparison as the impressive chromatic shredding brings to mind the technical prowess of Marty Friedmen. We continue into the record’s second half with the title track “Unscrew My Head” which begins with a booming drum intro before the bass and guitars rush in. This song features the vocalist screaming over the guitar solo and a rare example of a drum solo actually appearing in the studio version of a song, so there’s lots of unorthodox songwriting ideas going on in this song and it’s all the better for it. However this would have to be my least favorite track if only because it doesn’t quite pop like some of the heavier cuts on the record. The next track “Crossed” is the most traditional hardcore punk song on the album. It starts with this intro where the band rocks on a rather unusual groove that’s difficult to describe, before launching into the circle pit fuel we’ve come to expect from a crossover record. The song closes out with one of the best two step breakdowns of 2021 thus far, and I can’t imagine a world where this part doesn’t immediately activate the pit! The next track, “Wake Up” doubles down on the floor-punching as it switches between several drum patterns and guitar riffs that would generally encourage this type of moshing. It vaguely reminds me of something you’d hear on a Backtrack record. I also thought putting a guitar solo after the first verse and chorus was an interesting choice. In general, I notice the abundance of guitar solos on this album, and technically proficient ones too. It’s not something you often encounter in a genre like hardcore which often eschews technical ability and professional musicianship in favor of a down to earth image. Most guitar solos in 80’s hardcore were basically just making noise that conveys this sense of emotional outrage and turmoil without care for technical ability (see Greg Ginn) and in the 90’s, the rise of grunge, industrial, and other alternative rock and metal movements preferred punk’s simplicity and often eschewed guitar solos due to their association with hair metal and neoclassical metal and other over the top metal genres in the mainstream that were more concerned about showing off technical musicianship than relating to the audience. Even with the rise of more technical metalcore and technical death metal, they still weren’t exactly interested in guitar masterbation. Ekulu seems to be finding a way to achieve both and expose this duality as a false dichotomy. That you can showcase some impressive finger work while still writing lyrics and crafting an image that’s relatable to the audience. Certainly the lyrics of “Wake Up” speak to a more relatable struggle of being manipulated by the powers that be. “Are you listening?/Are you witnessing?/What they’re soliciting?/They don’t care for me, they don’t care for you!” is the refrain of this song, and it’s a very catchy refrain. I appreciate that Ekulu cares to write actual structured songs rather than just showcasing their obvious technical talent. “Wake Up” fades into the grand finale of this album: “World of Uncertainty”. I noticed that the tracks hadn’t faded into each other since the first 4 tracks, and while most may not care, I do feel it impedes the momentum of this album a little bit to have four hard cuts between songs in a row. They might have benefitted from having the producer fade out one or two tracks. Returning to “World Of Uncertainty,” it opens with a long, heavy intro that is sure to inspire haymakers and spin kicks in the pit, before launching into a more familiar two step pattern with lyrics about the chaotic anxiety of life. It launches into probably the best guitar solo I’ve heard in 2021, a big, long one that takes me back to being a kid listening to “Rust In Peace” for the first time! The song closes out the album with another mosh riff sandwiched between thundering toms. This song definitely provides a satisfying close to the album and I think people who miss Power Trip will be very happy listening to this song. Although I wouldn’t be unhappy to hear just one more song, even if just a short one. Maybe a cover or something? That’s just a personal thing for me however, I think most people are gonna be fine with this as an ending point.

Overall, Ekulu came through with another solid NYHC/crossover thrash release. I think fans of old school thrash metal, classic New York hardcore, crossover thrash like Leeway, Carnivore, late 80’s Agonstic Front, 80’s Bad Brains, Cro-Mags, etc. will be very excited to hear this record. I feel like this album would be a good one to get some jaded oldheads stoked on some new blood or to get some battle jacket wearing, beer drinking metalheads into the modern hardcore scene. Ekulu showcases some great musicianship, solid songwriting, impressive technical ability, and some unique ideas that make them more than just another retro-crossover throwback on “Unscrew My Head”. At 29 minutes, it’s an average length for a hardcore or punk rock record and short for a metal record. If I could level one criticism at this album, it would be that it could use a little bit more variety. The abundance of groove parts and two step riffs makes tracks like “Crossed” and “Becoming/New Life Jam” stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe having an interlude or another instrumental halfway through the album or sticking a cover in there somewhere could’ve broken things up a little bit. But for a debut full length, this is a strong effort that showcases lots of potential. I’d keep my eyes on Ekulu because I think that this record is very good and that their next record will be even better! And with this album dropping at the tail end of the Covid19 lockdown in the United States, it seems like a well-timed release that gives the band a big opportunity for growth! Listen to this now on Bandcamp & Spotify. The 1000 vinyl copies are due to ship in July but are already sold out. Keep an eye on Cash Only Records for possible updates. 

-Riley Hogan

ETERNAL STRUGGLE “YEAR OF THE GUN”

(Upstate Records, Demons Run Amok, Released June, 2021)

Tel Aviv crossover band Eternal Struggle are known for raising funds for various charities/causes and walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Their members, like all Israeli youths were forced to serve in the military which no doubt gave them the life experience to sing about violence, war, politics, and do it with conviction. Brian “Mitts” Daniels (ex-Madball) flew out to Tel Aviv to record this record which was later mastered in Denmark by the renouned Tue Madsen. Eternal Struggle lay down 14 tracks that bring the intensity and benefit from not being too long or becoming boring. Vocalist Ori Frank is a hybrid of hardcore vocalists Jamie Hatebreed, Jorge from Merauder and a bit of Freddy Madball. Music wise, the guitar tones are great and the grooves and breakdowns work very well. “Year Of The Gun” isn’t bringing you anything you might have never heard before but they do it very well. They have some Nu-metal elements slipped in there that may or may not turn a hardcore purest off a tad as well. This band has set themselves to become something quite big as they lean more towards the metal side of things and can easily move into a Machine Head style of band that will appeal to the loyal metal scene. Check out the videos for "Indoctrination" and "Manifesto/Point One" with full album streams available on Bandcamp and Spotify. 

-Rod Orchard 

DEAD CITY "FUCK THE OPPS" (Released April, 2021)

Los Angeles' Dead City are a raw/gritty/grimey punk unit that serves up the soundtrack to fucking shit up on their latest; "Fuck The Opps" which is the follow up to last October's "Trap Tapes Vol 1". While listening to this seven song/10 minute EP I decided to check in with their Instagram account since I knew jack shit about their band and I gotta say something about them, right? What a wild ride that turned out to be! Without a doubt Dead City are one of those bands that you have to experience up close and personal as they have tons of live footage and photos of wild looking live sets from various outdoor "ask a punk" type spots that are often littered with garbage, graffiti, fires and fist fights. For those clamoring for the edgy days of old when going to a hardcore punk show was a dangerous proposition here is the band you were waiting for. With all that said if the music behind everything here wasn't any good none of this would even matter but the songs on "Fuck The Opps" most definitely deliver with an American street punk style on display, played loose and with 100% conviction. The production they got here is perfect for the music coming out of the Dead City amps as it goes heavy on those bass grooves while also capturing the vocals in a way that makes everything sound like it was recorded in an abandoned warehouse with extension cords plugged into the nearest street lamp. At ten minutes in run time this is the perfect length to pop on, let off some pent up frustrations and then carry on with whatever your day has left in store for you. Stream this on Bandcamp & Spotify. Click the EP's cover (above) to check out their Instagram.

-CW 

PRIMAL AGE “MASKED ENEMY”

(WTF Records, Released June 2021)

From across the Atlantic comes France’s Primal Age with their venomous new full length entitled, “Masked Enemy”. This is their fifth release and they only get better on this outing. Starting out in 1993, Primal Age have toured relentlessly and have opened for the likes of Napalm Death, Hatebreed, Madball and Agnostic Front to name a few. The production value is outstanding and the end result is nothing short of brilliant. WTF Records has yet again unleashed another great example of what real hardcore music is all about.

We open up with “Wise Man”, an overview of what this band stands for and is all about. The intro sums up their beliefs; whether it be vegetarianism, animal rights, over consumption, right down to the sad state of our society today. These themes can be heard throughout the well-written lyrics, accompanied by the brutal metal and hardcore backdrop of these talented musicians. The music is played with a determined seriousness, getting their views heard through critical tracks such as “Adolescent Humanity”, “Blinded By Cruelty” and the title track, “Masked Enemy”.  From the opening song to the end of the album, you are taken through examples of how our society has declined and what we need to do to make things better for future generations. The band has strong views with regards to their beliefs and they get their message across with raging, pissed off vocals, supported by musicians who are passionate and well-schooled. In the end Primal Age serve up eleven blistering tracks of music with meaning.

What you have here is a band with purpose. They aren’t here to get their fifteen minutes of fame. Primal Age have been in the trenches for close to twenty years and with each new release they get tighter, harder and play with an intensity that shows their commitment to the scene. This is one of the best releases of the year so far by a band who are only going to get better and you should definitely order this one for your collection.Find this on Spotify or head on over to the WTF Records site for a vinyl or CD copy. 

-Dave Cafferty 

"A TRIBUTE TO THE NIHILISTICS" COMPILATION

(JIB Machine/D.S.I. Records, Released June, 2021)

"A Tribute To The Nihilistics" is a new (as well as not fully available) covers compilation featuring 12 bands from around the world doing covers of old Nihilistics tunes. The Nihilistics' 7" EP dates back to 19friggin82 and you can still catch them live in the NY area from time to time with a recent Tompkins Square Park show on May 22nd canceled and rescheduled for August being their latest "sighting" (sorta). The Nihilistics' self-titled 20 song full length from 1983 is probably the best way to get acquainted with this band who are a throwback to the sticks and stones days of hardcore punk when show flyers were still chiseled into actual slabs of stone. Jib Machine out of Cleveland and D.S.I. from DC are teaming up on this release which for right now are these five songs that are currently available digitally with plans for D.S.I. to release these, as well as seven more songs from seven other bands on 12" vinyl (release date not set but listed as "later this year").

First up to the plate we got W70 from New Jersey with the track "After Death/Damnation Alley" which are two shorter Nihilistics tracks that are tied together to make a nice two minute offering. These renditions were good enough to warrant a check in with their "Ignorant Time" EP from last year. PA's Wrath Of Typhon then deliver a noisy and hard to listen to version of "Nothing Remains" while Cleveland's Gwazi rip into their version of "Black Sheep". Darkening Skies come to us from Northern Virginia and they cover "No Friends" with that awesome bass break early on. Darkening Skies' material from their other releases is more in the metal realm and is kind of hard to label. This is the most interesting track of the five here as it carries the spirit of the original version while also giving it an updated modern twist. Finishing things off is Gobbage... a band I could not find any other info on but with just a 34 second appearance covering "Badge Of Shame" were not going to lose much sleep over it. A nice job though on this track.

"A Tribute To The Nihilistics" (so far) is a cool comp on a few levels with amazing artwork, some lesser known bands doing justice to the originals as well as a bit of mystery as to who the remaining seven bands (and songs) will be. Can't wait to hear the rest! For now though you can stream this on Bandcamp & Spotify.

-CW

HUMAN ANIMAL “FALSE REALITIES”

(Surprise Attack Records, Released, 2020)

Go out and get the latest Human Animal release!! Okay well for those that are still reading this review and haven't taken my advice let me continue on why I'm so high on this band and their latest release titled “False Realities”. Forming in 2011 from Erie Pennsylvania, members and scene veterans Eric Michael Schauffle aka EMS-vocals; Adam Salaga-guitar; Ryan "Baby Boi" Zimmerman-bass and  Bobby Williams-drums continue to assault the hardcore/crossover scene with their blend of "Lake Effect Hardcore". “False Realities” contains 10 tracks combining ripping guitar licks, thunderous bass lines and assaultive drumming all coming together with EMS' always strong vocal performance. As I've often mentioned before, I still love to take the time to read the lyrics and was very happy to see that they were included both on the CD and their Bandcamp page. Understanding the emotions that went into these songs helped me to further my connection with this release even more than I had already from just the music. I also enjoyed the added bonus of linear notes from EMS explaining each song biographically. The whole album is gold but I pinned down four tracks that stood out just a little bit more to me than the others and these are: “Hellfire”, “Outlier Pt. 2” (co-written by ex-guitarist Nate Black), “Bastards Of The North” and “F.E.A.R.”. Due to “False Realities” being released in April 2020, I can't obviously include it in my top picks for this year but it’s definitely on the list as one of the more enjoyable albums I've heard over the last few years. Although released last year this album was a semi-casualty of closed distros and record stores and is getting sort of a ‘reboot” here in 2021. Human Animal have proven to me with this new album that they are full of the same blood that flows through the veins of their elder statesmen from such bands as Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All and Ringworm. And unlike lake effect snow which eventually melts, lake effect hardcore isn't going anywhere. Now go and get “False Realities” like I originally stated and strap yourself in for one hell of a ride. Find this on Bandcamp & Spotify with physical copies also available HERE. 

-Chris Beman 

CUTDOWN "DEMO 2021" (Released May, 2021)

Brand spanking new and fresh out of the box is Central Jersey's Cutdown with their debut "2021 Demo" which coincidentally was released in the year 2021. Members of Cutdown have been around in other NJ bands we've been high on in the past... (Fence Cutter... RIP) and Brute (still active with new music in the works) so this was a nice find considering this just sort of popped up out of nowhere. Cutdown bring aspects of both of the previously mentioned bands in that they lean heavily on old-school style hardcore that goes heavy on the mosh. Frontman Avery Field does a nice job on his vocal debut here with his raspy vocal approach giving Cutdown a rough and rugged edge as well. Prior to this release Avery had always played guitar in the bands he was in and he transitions over well on this first crack on the mic. Musically Cutdown are not taking hardcore as we know it into new realms of the universe while relying on most of the things many of us already know and love about classic NYHC. However, what may be lacking in the ingenuity department they sure as hell make up for in delivery as there is just something about these five tracks that just needs a rubber stamp that says “authentic” stamped right across the front of this. After maybe three or four listens tracks like "Cut Down" and "Where Do You Go  At Night" started to get caught in my ear while I thought to myself "damn, these songs are going to crush when played live". That first live shot for Cutdown will happen on July 10th in Highland Park, NJ when they open for Raw Brigade visiting from Bogota, Colombia. Check this out on Bandcamp and Spotify.

-CW

SELF INFLICT “DEMO”

(Not For The Weak Records, Released May, 2021)

Self-Inflict is a punk band from the fine Virginian cities of Richmond, Norfolk and Virginia Beach and this is their first release on Not For The Weak Records. This four song demo, released on cassette as well as a download, has already sold well and there’s good reason for it. The band states that they are not trying to reinvent the wheel but instead, they prefer to keep the wheel turning.

The demo opens with “Bent Knees”…  a solid start to this outing. From the opening bass riff, you are blasted with a dose of old school punk, reminiscent of the early British scene. The music is played with fury and fronted by vocals that mean business. “Your Choice” keeps things moving forward with a short, explosive dose of speed punk along the lines of early Agnostic Front and is my favorite track of the bunch. “Charades” is another British sounding punk song played with speed and intensity and vocals that are too fast to sing along to. This track will have you throwing elbows and kicks in the pit for sure. The band finishes off with the longest track of the four, “Where Does It End”. Starting with a likeable guitar intro, the song suggests this may be their one catchy, sing-a-long track but thirty seconds in and you know that’s not the case. It’s all business as they steamroll through with searing determination only to slow down the tempo near the end of the song… an interesting and suitable finish to this demo.

Listening to this demo took me back to the days when I discovered a bunch of great British bands from my youth. If I didn’t know they were American, I’d swear they came from England. Musically, they play at jackhammer speed with a sense of purpose. The singer is the perfect fit with his straight ahead, no nonsense punk attitude and lyrics. Overall, Self-Inflict back up what they say when they state they prefer to keep the wheel turning. They do just that on this great first demo. Find this on Bandcamp or for a cassette version (now on its third run) hit up Not For The Weak.

-Dave Cafferty 

COUNTIME "NO APOLOGIES NO REGRETS"

(Demons Run Amok Records, Released May 2021)

Countime are veterans of the Los Angeles hardcore scene having formed in 2003. "No Apologies, No Regrets" is only their second full length album with their discography also including four EP's and numerous compilation tracks. Although they are a name I have heard over the years I didn't get formally introduced to them until their "The Pandemic EP" came out in February. Apparently after recording "No Apologies, No Regrets" Countime had a lot more gas in the tank and the frustration and boredom of not playing shows compelled them to self-release that EP even with this 17 song, 33 minute banger sitting in the chamber ready to wreck shit. The beneficiaries of all of this hard work is existing and soon to be Countime fans as in the course of about three months the band has dropped approximately 45 minutes worth of new material while also producing their finest work to date.

Countime's style is rough, rugged and raw big boy hardcore that smacks you square in the head before looking you in the eye and saying "what's up?" I hear a lot of East Coast influences here with Madball and Sworn Enemy coming to mind as a baseline but there is also a lot in the way of melody while also keeping things on the hard side of the fence. Songs like "No Time", "Switched Up" and "No Turning Back" show that more raw and straight up style of hardcore while "L.E.V.A.", (Leaving Everyone Vanishing Act), "Keep It Moving", "Bye Gones", and "Juzgarme" (sung in Español) show Countime bringing some excellent melodies into the fold while maintaining their hard edge. The 1:16 instrumental "Reincarnation" and the finale "Requiem" with its repeated chorus of "You can't deny when death has arrived, live to survive fight till you die" shows an even deeper dive with the latter almost being able to be categorized as a ballad further solidifying that "No Apologies, No Regrets" is a diverse album with a bunch of different feels. From near perfectly placed movie samples from "The Warriors" and "Menace ll Society" to hip-hop samples dropped into strategic spots throughout Countime undoubtedly want you to know that for better or worse that they are a product of their environment.

With a probable post pandemic wave of new hardcore releases on the horizon from all corners of the world Countime jump in early with a hard hitting chunk of hardcore that should appeal to various heavy music taste buds. The excellent production work here courtesy of Billy Graziadei from Biohazard is something that needs to be applauded and guest vocals on “L.E.V.A.” by Sheer Terror’s Paul Bearer, Cris Powerhouse, Jacob from Ruckus as well as ex-wrestler Vampiro also add to this album’s cache’. Find this online at Bandcamp & Spotify.

-CW 

BULLET TREATMENT/HOT BLOOD split 7”

(Basement Records, Released January, 2021)

Bullet Treatment come to us from California and are not your typical punk band. BT consists of Chuck Dietrich, who runs Basement Records and some of his friends. The unique thing about this band is they use a different singer on each release. They have released numerous full lengths, singles and EP’s, each with a new vocalist. The band assaults you with five new songs of no bullshit punk rock, as they like to call it. Hot Blood hail from New Jersey and are no strangers to the scene. This will be their sixth release since 2014. The band plays fast and insane punk rock and the cool thing about this split is their singer does double duty, singing for his band and doing the guest vocals for Bullet Treatment.

What we have with Bullet Treatment  is four minutes and twenty six seconds of speed induced, punk pandemonium. Bullet Treatment waste no time getting in your face, grabbing you by the throat and slamming you into a wall with the opening track, “Faith On A Billboard”.  Before you can even catch your breath, the band tightens their grip on your throat and begins tossing you around the room when they assault you with “You’re Lame”, another pit slamming, mayhem inducing punk track. As you try to recover from your injuries, “Drunk With A Ghost”  tightens its grip and continues to ravage you with fast-breaking musicianship and frantic vocals. “Pardon Our Patrons” gives you time to suck in air as it is the longest track and dare I say slowest of the five songs? What I mean is the pace is a touch slower than the others but not by much. The band kicks your ass one last time with the perfect send-off track, “Replace You”. It’s that one standard song you find on most great records that leaves a lasting impression on the listener and wanting more.

Hot Blood’s contribution to this split is a three song assault of epic punk proportions. From the opening track, “Head Full Of Steam”, these guys establish immediately that this is no light weight punk band you are listening to. The band rips through the song with its vicious vocals, accompanied by lightning speed playing with the occasional slow breakdown only to kick it back into overdrive, never giving you a chance to catch your breath. Without any warning, “Agonizing Dark” follows up with a fifty six second blast of infuriated rage, played with intensity worthy of inciting a riot at any show they played at. I found myself hitting the repeat button over and over for this track. “1117” finishes off  Hot Blood’s contribution to this split and ends on a high note. Starting with a cool garage rock, infused guitar riff, the band once again erupts into full blown chaos, worthy of inciting an insane mosh pit. The song has a slower breakdown later into the track before finishing up with another frantic surge of raging vocals and musicianship, making the band a heavyweight contender in the scene today.  

This is a worthy example of what real punk music is about. It’s got it all; angst, speed, intensity and originality. It’s not often you come across something that takes you back to the reason you got into this kind of music. The split 7” will for sure stir up those good feelings and renew your faith in genuine punk rock once again. I would love to see both bands release a full-length record. Buy this if you love punk that matters. Click HERE to check out the Bullet Treatment side and HERE for the Hot Blood side. Info on how to buy 7” vinyl versions are within each band’s link.     

-Dave Cafferty 

PERFECT WORLD “WAR CULTURE”

(LDB Records, Released May, 2021)

Brooklyn, NY’s Perfect World have a penchant for punchy and powerful hardcore and their debut album “War Culture” is thirteen tracks packed full of anthemic vibes with a gritty edge. Combine those traits with sturdy hardcore grooves that swarms with energy from beginning to end and you have “War Culture” which came out digitally late last year but now makes its 12” vinyl debut via Life & Death Brigade out of Louisville, KY.

The menacing intro for the timely named “Quarantine” displays an eerie tone as “War Culture” kicks off but its soon blown away as the following track “Lariat” makes its strength felt with a bulldozing groove and from then on, in it’s a nonstop blur of vibrant hardcore that never lets its energy levels dip below a fevered and fearsome level. Tracks like the pummeling “King Of The Night”, the chugging groove of “Breaking News” and the straight to the point brutality of the album’s title track are all excellent examples of how Perfect World use their music to uplift without losing any of their intensity, and it is an intensity that is never anything less than all encompassing. The intense levels that Perfect World bring to the fore are relentless and the riffs, grooves, breakdowns and chant along choruses all unite to create a very enjoyable album, especially on songs like the call to arms “Mission” and the discordant/triumphant mix of hardcore of “Exchange”. “War Culture” commences with the berserk “Become What You Hate”, in which the band raise the energy levels up even higher, leaving you wondering just what has hit you and as soon as those final notes ring out, you will want to start the album all over again and experience the intensity of Perfect World once again. The world is far from perfect, especially with all that is going on globally at the moment, but with an album like “War Culture”, it does make it a little bit more bearable. An impressive follow up to their 2018 demo, can’t wait to hear what is next! Find this on Bandcamp and Spotify or visit the LDB website to pick up a 12” vinyl copy.

-Gavin Brown 

FIRE IS MURDER "DEMO" (Released May, 2021)

NY's Fire Is Murder is the latest pandemic born band to come our way with this, their 4 song debut demo recently arriving in our mailbox on cassette with an accompanying download card. Founders Chris Nolen and Steve Gallo wrote, performed and recorded the majority of this effort with Gallo being a familiar name in the NYHC scene most notably from his time drumming in Agnostic Front. Since this recording they have recruited a bassist and drummer with Steve now becoming the full time guitarist. "Headspace In Time" is up first and is a 2 minute instrumental that starts off as a mid-paced head nodder of a jam before things really kick into gear over the final 30 seconds as the pace builds and builds making for a nice first impression.

"Daisy Chain" comes is at 1:34 and introduces us to Mr. Nolen's crystal clear vocal approach laid over a track that sounds like it could have been shot out of a 80's thrash metal time machine with things slowing down around the minute mark for a good old fashioned hardcore stomp. Early on its easy to see (or rather hear) that Fire Is Murder is not going to make things predictable as they have a sound and style that dips into various flavors of the heavy music spectrum. It is also interesting to hear Fire Is Murder dive headfirst into the thrashier side of things considering both of their members are entrenched in the NYHC scene, so raise a glass to open minded song writing!

"Reclaimed" continues the crossover/thrash theme while sprinkling enough hardcore stylings into the mix to keep you on your toes with MOD/SOD coming to mind on this track in particular. Closing track "Left To Be Found" is the longest track at 3:13 and probably the most experimental. After the thrashy start the middle of this track has an almost 90's post hardcore type of feel laid over a mid-paced choppy drum beat. So there you have it, the debut from Fire Is Murder. An interesting and diverse release to say the least… I like the groundwork they have laid here although the delivery and production could have been a tad more tight but that’s what demos are basically for. It will be interesting to see how the two new members gel with the guys on this recording and how much it will affect their future direction and overall sound. Check out “Reclaim” HERE. DM the band (click on their logo upper left) to buy a cassette which comes with download card.

-CW

WHY WE LIVE “WITHIN REACH” (Released April, 2021)

I don't know if anyone uses the word "stoked" anymore or if I'm just showing my age but it's the first word that came to mind about how excited I am about telling everyone about this band called Why We Live. Coming out of the Los Angeles scene roughly around 2016, the band consisting of Sirino Patino - vocals, Memo Vllasenor - guitars, Will Gill - bass and Gabriel Aguilar - drums have recently put out their second release titled “Within Reach” and there is just something about this album that has me entranced and I can't stop listening to it. The LA Hoodcore flavor (think of bands like Countime); the incredible energy; the prominence of each instrument  standing out but yet still working together in unity; all create a sound that is a must have release for fans of not just hardcore but of the heavy music genre. There are the heavy breakdowns, melodic breakdowns and everything in between.

Patino's aggressive vocals complete the package and even the two songs that I don't understand the lyrics because I didn't pay attention in Spanish class are amazing. “Within Reach” contains 9 tracks in all with a generous playtime of around 25 minutes and as mentioned earlier I haven't stopped listening to this album. It was extremely hard  to pinpoint a favorite track but I finally settled with the opening track “I Remain”, simply because it sets the tone perfectly for the rest of what the listener is about to take in. I love doing reviews especially when it's a release like this that honestly surprised the hell out of me and made me an instant fan. Forgive my ignorance since unfortunately I'm not up on many LA bands as I should be but if Why We Live aren't a household name within the scene yet I'm thinking they will be soon enough. Check it out on Bandcamp.

-Chris Beman 

WITNESS MARKER s/t (Division Street Sounds/Not Like You Records, Released April, 2021)

Before every band was filed into some sub-genre a band like Lancaster, PA’s Witness Marker would have simply been a punk/hardcore band. Well written (and played) songs that remind me of melodic punk bands like 7 Seconds, Verbal Assault, Quicksand and those great 80’s Dischord bands. There’s nothing not to like about this release. Great production where the guitar, bass and drums each get their share of the spotlight is something that hit home right away… and well balanced songs, that while being melodic, still have some nice punch to them and some great hooks without becoming too poppy. I can see these songs coming off great live and this band really taking off with this great effort. A must for those who enjoy the Fugazi/Dischord sound.Pick this up through Division Street Sounds or Not Like You Records, or head on over to Bandcamp to stream. 

-Rod Orchard 

WRONG WAR “FIXED AGAINST FOREVER” (Atomic Action Records/Council Records, Released 2020)

Oh man does Chicago’s Wrong War bring back great 80’s hardcore intensity! On the 9 song “Fixed Against Forever” album I am reminded of bands like Born Against and Batallion Of Saints with such a great primal, no holds barred attack that made hardcore so amazing without having to resort to double bass kicks and twin guitar attacks. The main difference between those old bands I referred to and Wrong War is that these guys benefit from some great production value, a thing that wasn’t so easy to come by back in the sticks and stones days of hardcore punk. Loving everything about this release! Originally released digitally back in November, this is now available on 12” vinyl through Rhode Island’s Atomic Action and Chicago’s Council Records. Give it a listen now on Bandcamp or Spotify.

-Rod Orchard

ARKANGEL- 4 CD BUNDLE (GSR Music, Released April, 2021)

Formed in 1997 in Belgium, Arkangel released an amazing EP “Prayers Upon Deaf Ears” which was a full on metallic vegan sXe killer that would make Earth Crisis proud (and perhaps a little scared). Shortly after this record came out I went to Japan for the first time and could only bring a limited amount of CD’s with me for the trip (no digital files back then kids!) and this record was one of my favorites. Metal riffage, angry vocals with your typical sXe/vegan topics. These guys were/are part of the H8000 movement of the 90’s Belgian hardcore scene and members have been in some other noteworthy bands such as Wise Up, Deviate, Out For Blood, Length Of Time, and Enthroned. As the band became more popular and older they eventually dropped the sXe and vegan themed song messages and moved towards a more metal based sound.  Despite what hardcore kids might think, “breaking edge” is of little concern for me when it comes to hardcore music. Arkangel continued to release some great metalcore on the records “Is Your Enemy”, “Hope You Die By Overdose” and “Dead Man Walking” that for whatever reason never really seemed to catch the ears of  the North American hardcore/metal audiences. GSR has reworked all of the Arkangel releases which means now you have a chance to get your hands on some premium vintage metalcore. You won’t be disappointed! Fans of All Out War, Earth Crisis and the like take notice and check these releases out. Word is the band is working on new material, not entirely sure though… but check out GSR Records pages for any updates.Click HERE for ordering info. 

-Rod Orchard