The group’s debut EP, Drunk Hymns is essentially what it says right on the tin. Musically inspired by those indie-rock, post-punk and alternative hip-hop acts that soundtrack those lost and blurred nights where we as a collective society desperately search for catharsis at the bottom of a glass, the smattering of tracks that bind this EP are the sound of those small town night outs that characterise the UK’s drinking culture. However, this isn’t an EP that celebrates such a culture – nor is it one that condones it. Instead, it’s an honest, raw and tongue-in-cheek snapshot of the younger generation’s experience with the world renowned drinking culture that the UK has become known for.
‘Anaconda Frank’, the first of the four tracks on this EP, immediately establishes the rowdy nature of Drunk Hymns. Opening the record not unlike how a gaggle of students already loaded from pre-drinks would barrel into a quiet pub on a Thursday evening, the overdriven riffs and the breathless vocals of Joe Richardson propel the track forward with a sense of energy and reckless abandon that can only come after two or three pints of snakebite. It’s rowdy, boisterous, masculine – and with it’s sense of overconfidence – harkens thoughts of Jamie T loaded on Dragoon Soop having a drunken brawl with Snayx and Kid Kapichi.
Straight from the Rockies of Colorado, Denver’s own Lucked Out have seemingly come out of nowhere with the release of their newest EP, The ’23 Demo. Raw, Gritty, and just plain ignorant; Lucked Out are set on being Colorado’s next biggest thing in hardcore following this release and the subsequent shows following. With four huge tracks mixed by @likemindedcompany while mastering got finished up over at @bricktoprecording, the effort put into this release is apparent. Also with amazing artwork to pair done by the talented perpetuity_designs, who you can find over at Instagram, this record proves to be what hardcore is made of in 2023 both audibly and visually.
Starting out this epic beatdown record is opening track titled respectively ‘Intro’. Coming in at just over one minute long, it displays everything that is great about the band and shows exactly what Lucked Out are all about within this first minute. With streaming services in abundance in 2023, listeners could pick literally anything to listen to. So why pick this exactly? Opening an EP in a minute is something many hardcore and beatdown bands do but it’s proven to get listeners straight to the point in this age of technology and quick scrolling. It gives listeners the perfect example as to why they shouldn’t hit skip when it comes on and Lucked Out executed this perfectly. Feedback rings through as our main riff welcomes listeners with an equally groovy and slamming nature, similar to Detroits D-Bloc. Nothing overtly new yet it still feels fresh enough to intrigue listeners to hang around for the rest of this great release
Militarie Gun are a difficult band to label. Their hardcore roots are worn on their sleeve, with frontman Ian Shelton’s shouted vocals dominating their sound backed by dual guitarists Nick Cogan and William Acuña’s hard-hitting riffs. Despite this, there’s a tenderness to the band’s sound, with a number of the tracks on their debut album slowing down the pace with a melancholic, melodic feel. Militarie Gun fluidly and effortlessly shapeshift between different genres throughout Life Under The Gun while keeping their hardcore ethos intact.
Launching right into their debut on the track ‘Do It Faster’, Militarie Gun show off their songwriting chops with a masterclass in catchy, cathartic hardcore. Shelton’s combative, spitting vocals shine on this track, pushed into the foreground by Vince Nguyen‘s equally aggressive drumming, with lyrics that eloquently capture Shelton’s experience with ADHD and paint a picture of his past dreaming of the life he now lives. The angular guitars and punchy rhythm section on Do It Faster are far more reminiscent of classic hardcore punk bands like Descendents or Black Flag than modern acts who take the genre to extreme lengths, Militarie Gun aren’t reinventing the wheel here, instead taking hardcore back to its personal, emotionally charged roots.
With a pair of EPs behind them, Toodles & The Hectic Pity, or simply Toodles to their fans, have built a local cult following with their specific style of cosy, poetic folk-punk. Combining high-energy, acoustic guitar led passion inspired by bands like Against Me! and AJJ with vulnerable, intimate lyrics and vocals that fly between a mellow whisper and unhinged shouts from frontman Callum McAllister, the Bristol based three piece shine on their much anticipated debut album.
Opening track ‘Wake Up Cold’ sets the scene for the album with a steady building portrait of a shared house after the collapse of a relationship. McAllister’s descriptions of items around the now lonely house are vivid, with phrases like “every book you’ll ever read has got your eyeballs printed on the pages” immersing the listener in the space. The slow-burn instrumentals build from soft ambience and an acoustic guitar to all out, grandiose indie rock providing a fantastically appropriate introduction to the rest of the album.
With a steady hi-hat beat the intro track flows straight into album highlight ‘Solitary Or So It Seems’, an upbeat yet haunting showcase of Toodles’ folk-punk songwriting ability in a varied and creative track. The production on ‘Solitary Or So It Seems’ has to be praised, remaining clear through all the chaos and ever-changing dynamics, managing to keep McAlister’s voice central to the mix despite the huge sounding, distorted acoustic guitar. Drummer Dom Mosely also deserves recognition on this track, effortlessly keeping up with the changes in tone, from gently keeping time behind singer-songwriter style folk to frantic punk energy without missing a beat.
If you thought Culling Culture was their introduction, then Negative Energy is their blueprint to domination. Twisting genres to create the masterpiece that’s being presented and still sounding fresh in the scene. When the opening of ‘PTS’D opens like Pandora’s box, you’re greeted with the crunchy guitar tone and signature drums of Jay Bacon and Willem Mason-Geraghty respectively. And as soon as ‘Anti-Fetish’ hits, you know what you’re in for. The barrage of twisting guitar riffs and pitch harmonics squeal around Megan Targett’s vicious vocals. Her screams and growls resonating through the entire album backed by Bacon and Mason-Geraghty amplifies the album beyond expectations.
Not only does the band form a cohesive output, but all band members shine through of their own accord. Targett’s performance on ‘Extremist’ & ‘Trauma Euphoria’ show her venomous growls to her soaring high clean vocals as she mixes between both ranges. ‘Lay Down Your Flowers’ shows Jay Bacon’s impressive guitar work reach a new level as he creates riffs after riff upon accompanying guitar squeals heading into djent territory at some points. Mason’s drum work is highlighted on ‘Anti-Fetish’. Simple yet beautifully jarring with his double kicks and fills hitting a breaking point midway through the song.
It is safe to say that neither Boris nor Uniform have shied away from collaborative projects in the past. The former frequently teaming up with atonal industrial/noise artist Merzbow and their legendary collaboration with Sunn O))): Alter; as well as the latter regularly crossing paths with Rhode Island experimental metal project The Body for joint singles and albums. After sharing stages together across the US in 2019, Boris and Uniform saw a spark and decided to pursue their onstage chemistry, taking the form of Bright New Disease. Written and recorded in the depths of the pandemic, this project blends the best of both worlds as well as exploring some more uncharted territory for both bands.
The album explodes from the word go, with the unexpected thrash tinged opener ‘You are the Beginning’ kicking things off from a ferocious starting point. It sets the tone well, to expect the unexpected, with claustrophobic riffing and oppressive soundscapes for the thirty-two minute run time, with very few moments to breathe. Immediately following is ‘Weaponized Grief’, a sub two-minute ode to Japanese hardcore, chaotic and frenetic performances ensue. The track flies by in a blur of unbridled fury before careening into the strangely anthemic energy of ‘No’, a deliberate reference to the hardcore influenced energy of the Boris album of the same name.
