204. No Time to Waste

Do you know what I mean? I haven't had a time, I don't have any time to just really reflect on it all. Because it was just like bam, bam, bam, bam, bam every day. And we didn't have a bad show. Do you know what I mean? Every single show was just fucking mad.

So you kind of like, you, you saw, I don't know, you know, you, it's a bit closer to home and you sort of like, you, you know, that it might've reached there or whatever, but to come all the way over here and like, you know, it, it, People have got, you know what I mean? Like the tape, people got good taste and like, I'm always skeptical. I was like, well, the fuck, like, will he like it? Whatever. But, but people were so on it.

It's been, I'm like having some of the maddest conversations with people about like, about their relationships to songs that are like really, you know, really personal to me or whatever. And it's kind of like translating into other people's experiences. It's been, yeah, it's been sick.

And then like, a follow-up reach out like two months later, like I don't listen to anything else right now. So it's, it's really like, I don't know. It's amazing to see for, from, from our vantage point. The only thing that we're pissed off about is that there's no West coast yet. There's no West coast

Now I can sort of, after getting this tour out of the way, I'm like, I can, I've got, I'm just excited. You know what I mean? For like, for the West Coast dates, when we, when we put them out there. when it gets all gets fucking sorted. Cause I mean, people are sticking out on us to get them done. And obviously the fucking one who.

And it's like almost like the palate cleanser that you keep going back to, you know, you like listen to new stuff, listen to new stuff. It's like, I gotta go back to that.

And then, then like, Obviously through like changes in our own lives or whatever, we just did what we were feeling and going through for blending. I know it sounds kind of corny or whatever. I'm not really one to talk about our stuff or whatever with importance because it's just the thing that you do, you know? And it's not really our nature, I think. But like, yeah, it feels nice because it was like an honest thing, you know what I mean?

And like kind of being vulnerable about stuff and doing something a bit different was... I don't know if it feels good. It feels like a, it feels like a process for us all, you know?

And you, you try to make sense of stuff or deal with it or, you know, just do something with however you feel. And then people are coming to us and talking about them and talking about their relationships and stuff. And especially, you know, really fucking horrible, traumatic, difficult things in their life that they're like, Oh, that song. Like I really, I have people saying, Oh fucking, I broke down in, in a rare supermarket over.

And I'm like, wait, I, there's like, I felt like a lot of weight from that, but I guess you just, you know, when you do a thing and put out to the world, you've got to kind of let go of it. And then, people can interpret it or take on what they want from it.

And I think that's part of the reason why this is so universally loved. Dan, you feel the same way?

So of course, everyone wants to share that because you've come across so vulnerable. So it allows people to tap in and want to share their stories of pain and how you've helped them through because the song is actually showing them the way that you're approachable like that.

And I just have, I just stuck in my own head again. And it's like fucking difficult,

Yeah. Like talk about a band that could do fly outs for the rest of like their, their band tenure. And like, they didn't do that. They went out and did the hard way. That's so ill. And like you guys too, it's like, you're doing this first, like fly out. It's like, you could play it pretty safe, play the big, uh, Northeast cities, but you go down and you, you kind of go down far into the South. Like you do Tennessee, you do Georgia, you do North Carolina, uh, Yeah. What was that like?

And what was, what was like the thought process behind that? I think we just like,

And, but like, you know, some of the drives from, crippling but you need to you need to do this stuff don't you like this if you know it feels honest and I'm not like I'm saying that you should suffer or something but it's you know I think it's important to just go to everywhere really and try and like not not be like okay I'm only playing New York playing three shows in like New York or Philly or Boston or whatever I want to like I do want to properly tour I just want to do I need to do it in

small bursts I can't tour for longer than two weeks I don't think

The record release show is this past Friday, April 21st, New Jersey. Before we get into the record, how was the show, and how was it all received?

You know, we played last year, June 11th was the original reunion show, and that was over the top but uh this one was definitely different the vibe uh for the simple fact that we played four new songs the first time in like over 20 something years uh it was received very well all the bands were amazing killed it absolutely built perfectly uh it was just just incredible night incredible night young kids you know i'm talking five eight ten years old on the stage going bananas it just uh you know

we're we're just doing our thing man you know we just a real band we're for the people the fans you know so we just keep it very very tight knit and it was awesome very awesome

Me, vocally, it's the happiest I've ever been. I think I recorded these songs with no flaws. I listened to it outside myself as if I was a fan. Just amazing. Jay and I were talking yesterday. It's going to be a slow burn. We've been out of the loop for a minute. I've been relevant. I've done musical stuff since we stopped. People are just now starting to realize that This is for real. Like, Fury of Five is back. And we're coming, you know? You know, we raised the bar in New Jersey.

We're trying to rebuild the scene a little bit or repair it. I'm not going to say there's no scene, but, like, make it, try to make it feel like it used to. And, you know, I'm, you know, featuring with new, up-and-coming artists in New Jersey and pushing new bands in New Jersey. So, you know, we're just doing what we've always done. And it just feels good to be back, and the new songs are just going to get better. This was just a reintroduction from This Time Is Personal to now.

So we tried to touch ground on the essence of Fury of Fire from the very beginning up until This Time Is Personal and kind of filter that lingo and style through all the new songs. And now we're about to... elevate and raise the bar again, because that's what we do. We're totally invested into what we're doing and the craft of how we bring it. It's just going to get better from this point. That's just what we do. We're very happy with the new songs. To me, they're just amazing.

And then there was no, no qualms about mixed emotions about anything, you know, like I'm very, I'm very, um, strong in my convictions. When I write something, I know exactly how I want to represent it, you know? So like, so we're all like very gifted in that sense. And, and, and, and so in tune with our craft that, um, The confidence is always there. So when it came to these new songs, we just knew what it was going to be. And the first new song that we did write was War.

And it just escalated and grew from there. And then we were just talking about how we came up with Revenge. It was just on a spur-of-the-moment type vibe.

We wanted to... never wrote a like legit like type of beat down song and we wanted to do that and we just looked at the drummer and say how would you want to start a beat down song you know and then he came up with this beat i said listen i'll start the song and then you just follow that vibe and that's how the song came and you know so we just as a as a collective group, we're, we just gel, you know, Mikey, Mikey Mayhem, he fits that seat well, you know, so like, I'm telling you, when we record

this next song, we're going to, it's going to be mind-blowing to

We just like to be with the fans and grow that way. Organically, you know, and the Internet is definitely helping, you know, because there's so many ways that you can promote yourself. And I'm the I do most of that social media stuff because I've been doing it for a minute. So like, you know, with the reels and, you know, you your song now is that you can attach your song to a reel and it goes everywhere. You know what I mean? And anybody can click on it or view it or whatever.

And it's getting seen everywhere. And that's why I do a lot of reels now because the reels get around, you know, I could post a, uh, a picture advertisement, let's say, and that'll get 300, 400 likes. I do a reels. I'm getting 2000 views. That's a big difference, you know? So an internet is definitely a good thing, but then, you know, you fall into certain algorithms and you might not be seen. So like, it's hard to like, play that aspect of it well.

I'm still learning and growing with all that, but it's cool. It helps way better than back in the day when you had to go out to shows and have flyers and hope that the Aquarian or the East Coast Rocker, the newspapers here at the time, would advertise your band if you weren't playing for a bigger club. So everything was DIY and all that, or DIY, whatever, you know, so, but it's definitely, definitely beneficial in the 2023, you know?

And I've been into hardcore and metal since since the 80s you know what I mean so I've heard it all every riff everything's regurgitated the scene is very saturated so the way I approach things if the band shows that kind of love to me and necessarily even if I don't even like the band per se musically but if they're those guys and they show the right love and respect I embrace that and I will help out anybody that's authentic in that aspect.

We went out to California for the first time and Desmadre, these guys were in the pit singing the songs and they're a dope-ass band. Bayway is the same way. I went to a show, local show, on my own with a couple of my friends. My friend Chris Russo from the band Threat to Society who played our... original reunion show it last year He was promoting the show. I went out to support and they was the first band on the bill and I never heard these guys and You know, I pay attention.

I'm not like no rock star. I don't act like that. You know, I'm a humble dude down to earth I'm just like I just sing in a band. That's how I feel and I check them out. I was like, oh I these guys got something here. I was feeling the vibe. They got that rap metal, heavy beat down, you know, the genre of New Jersey, really, you know. And I was like, this is pretty sick. And then I was outside and the singer saw me, Joey, and he came up to me. He was, dude, big fan. Love you guys.

You guys are such a big influence on us and the way you rep Jersey. We love you guys. And we just had that connection. And then, uh, He asked me to feature, and I said, absolutely. And the song's amazing. It's called God Forgive Me, and I actually named the song. And we had a lyrical concept that was similar, and the song just vibes. So it's great. I always try to look out for New Jersey bands. I had my friend Pat Beam from Tear Gas come out and do Revenge, Doesn't Sleep.

the acapella part of it in the beginning and then he did it in the second half of the song and you know I think it's very important that old heads show some love to these new bands because the new generations are touching people that might not necessarily listen to Furious 5 or you know a Madball or you know bands that are not as in the higher tier like I Hate Breed or, you know, bands on a different level.

So I would suggest all bands embrace, like I did with Reaching Out, you know, which most of those kids in the band are my friends' kids. And, you know, I did a feature with them as well. And I pretty much produced it lyrically and the title of the song. And I will always show love. to New Jersey bands that show love to me, you know, or Furify, not to me necessarily, but it's a respect thing, you know.

But a lot of the, you know, a lot of older bands just think they're owed respect and don't need to show that, and it's definitely wrong, in my opinion, you know.

So we went on tour. And when we came back, there was a lot of clubs that we had played. We left messages and contacted us and saying, hey, listen, your booking agent is undermining you guys and telling clubs not to work with you guys. You're unprofessional. You guys are violent. You're this and that. And it wasn't the case.

And him not knowing that we already had you know, relationship with a lot of these promoters in other states and clubs, you know, because we were very professional on that end. Our antics were outside of that. But when it came to professionalism, you know, club and playing shows, we were always business-like. And when we found that out, Earth Crisis was playing the Stone Pony. And we just happened to go there because that's our stopping grounds.

And, you know, we were friends with Carl and the guys. And I was actually talking to Carl at the time when I saw John Finberg in the club. I didn't even think he would have the balls to even come to Asbury Park. You know, we run that, you know. And I was like, oh, shit, that motherfucker. I said, John Finberg, you're in my house? And that was it. We, at first we were just talking to him and provoking him and just kind of like Jay, Jay spitting space.

You know, we, we, we didn't want to harm him because he was our booking agent at the moment. So like, you know, that could be very crucial to our career, you know,

He goes, and? He's talking shit about your band? Your other clubs? I said, yeah. And the next thing I know, he legit blasted him. And he knocked him out of his shoes, slid him like 10 feet on the floor, out cold. And I was like, oh my god. Did this happen?

motherfucker just knock out our fucking agent and listen it was a shot heard around the world and so many bands called us and were so happy that that happened because nobody liked the dude but he ran shit you know and he just ran across the wrong dudes you know that just didn't really give a fuck because we we never fit in the mold you know even now as a band, I could feel like we're getting shunned in certain aspects of this.

And like Jay and I were talking, it's going to be a slow burn to get back, but we can do it because the way we do it and it's a different time because of the internet and we all have money. And if you have money, you can't stop anything to be honest with you. So, but you know, he got knocked out and that's what it was. He tells a different story.

I mean, he was on Doc Doc's podcast from God Forbid and told a different story and then I got mad and I hit up Doc and I said yo you can't let him tell that story without us telling our story because that's not even correct and then Doc had me on his podcast and then I told the real story that is the real story the John Finberg story is wrong you can put me and John Finberg in a room right now and I bet you his story will start ending up like my story because his story is totally fabricated You

know,

These dudes out of Oxnard have been heavy hitters for the last couple years, but now they finally have a recording to match what they've been live. They went to Taylor Young. They cut the songs down a bit. They really edited their stuff down, and this is great. It's modern mosh music, but it's got enough bounce and Roots Hardcore in it that I absolutely just love it. Yeah, it's moshy. It's bouncy. The riffs are great. They always kind of just come with the big major chords.

They're never hitting the panic chords or the minor chord or any of the wannabe spooky shit that I hate. This just sounds great. And it's just a handful of songs. It bangs right through. And I've been listening to all this music for the last few weeks on repeat, a lot of it. And a lot of the times I'll listen to things on shuffle initially, you know, I'll put a bunch of albums into a playlist and hit it on shuffle to kind of, uh, acquaint myself with new music.

And anytime this comes on, I get stoked. Like it's one that like, I like coming back to, it's like right in my lane. Um, so good. And I think one of the best things about it is like, this is a four piece band. Everyone plays instruments. So there's no singer on a mic. One of the guitarists sings, um, And I think that you can tell by listening to this and the way you can tell is that like these dudes do such a good job of letting the songs breathe. Right.

Because like the singer is a part of playing the music. So like he's styling during the song. Right. He's not like a singer who's an egomaniac that needs to get his like shit on every part of every song, you know, like, and I think like that's sick because, like he's able to hang back, let these songs breathe. And like the songs are just sick. It's like in the room, you know, they got to make sick ass songs and then they decide, should we have vocals there or not? You know, I don't know.

I just think it works really well. And I can tell it's that way. They just sound like a band that jams and jams and jams and get super tight. I saw him in Nard a few weeks ago, uh, at that violation reunion with drain dead heat and all that. They absolutely slayed. And, uh, Yeah, they're coming to the East Coast soon, so check them out. That's what's up. Dan, what did you think about this?

Is that a, is that an homage to a famous Oxnard band that came before? I do not know. It's really good. And the guitar tones are really crispy and beefy. Like, um, Everything sounds, and like you said, the recording is fantastic. The vocals are exactly what you would want in the mix. They are perfectly buried with the music, but still standing a little bit on top, if that makes any sense. Really fantastic.

I dig this a lot, and I love that it's five songs, so it's just that amount that I want from my short attention span. I think it's fantastic.

Focus some of that anger outward at the oppression that's out there in the world.

Taylor did an awesome job on this, as he always does. And this recording totally does them justice. They're a band that I've seen maybe five or so times, and I've only seen them in in Oxnard, I think. So, you know, I don't know what the experience is outside of the 805, but like, I don't know.

One of my favorite things about hardcore is seeing a, a scene react to like the hometown heroes, you know, and, and see a band get a specific or like a particular kind of just insane response from in their home. And there's something so cool about that.

And I got to say like Terena, like maybe is one of my favorite, like hometown bands to watch that I've ever seen, you know, like, you know, I think of all the, the great bands that I've seen in their towns and, and Terena certainly is, has that regional specialness and it's so sick. And I think, you know, Zach touched on that, they're super hardworking band. That's totally true. They play around a lot. They're currently on tour.

Um, they've got a bunch of stuff like lined up that's been announced and some that hasn't, I think, but, um, I, I just feel like, I don't know. They're, they're just firing on all cylinders right now. I'm really psyched to see kind of like that, um, that in, you know, like that, that cult of Terena spread behind, you know, beyond the 805 band.

And it's like, it's so sick that Nard has another band that's breaking out. I absolutely love it. It's what I love to see more than anything in the world. And yeah, I want this band to win. And I love this record. It makes me so stoked. On to some of our other friends. Congratulations, Andy Diehard. Years and years in hardcore, his first full-length LP.

Um, he did full lengths before that were like CD only releases, but, uh, and he has done a 12 inch before, but I think that was two EPs on a 12 inch. But, uh, here is the first full length that comes out on vinyl. The band is ill communication. The album is doomsday brigade. The vinyl came out on safe inside records. Shout out Bert and the tape and the CDs came out on heroes and martyrs. Shout out to Steve martyr. Chris lead us off.

They really stepped it up, took all the stuff in the formula from the last record and added some new things. Sequencing on this is fantastic. Every song kind of flows into the next so well. There's a ton of guest spots, and I want to touch on that for a second, because typically, when you have that many guest vocalists on a record, for some reason, it turns me off a little bit. There's something about it that I don't like. But for some reason, I feel like it works so well on this record.

It's almost like a celebration of friendship and these connecting scenes from Tehachapi to Oxnard. Orange County, all the way down to San Diego. Like it's this, this vibe of like friendship and, and, um, these scenes coming together and these bands and these friends coming together as a whole, that makes it even more than the sum of the band themselves. And I think that's super cool. Um, it's a lot of great singalongs.

Um, there's plenty of clever wordplay, which, um, I think people that know Andy and like his history will not be surprised by that. Um, but there's also some super, super catchy vocal hooks, um, particularly on some of the choruses and the breakdowns. There's some really cool, uh, melodies. Um, and then just like I said this already, but you know, I want to double down. Like there's so many super catchy, like dog pile sing along parts.

Um, There's some parts that really kind of give me like a Wake the Dead era Comeback Kid vibe at times. And then Neanderthal Nation, you know, the always appropriate anti-racism song. And it's a cool reference to Neanderthal Convention in a song that has the Southpaw Instagrammer himself on guest vocals. So, yeah, I really like this. Nice work, Andy and team.

Living in the streaming era, in the digital era, If you start a record and you listen to it the whole way through without being like, dude, I have to skip this shit. You know what I mean? Not skipping anything the first time you listen through it. Sick, dude. That's one of the biggest wins you can have in hardcore in 2023, in my opinion. And shout out Ill Communication, dude. World War III, you wrote a snap case ass riff that I actually like. So that's sick. The song Well Represented.

I love for many reasons, but I think that's a great song and a great ode to Tachipi. And then also always nice to see Dan coming in and getting some shine. But I think that Eva stole it like the best guest spot. Her part is super sick and came off great. Dan, what's your take on this record?

So very occasionally, like it might, might step over the line slightly into like, you know, you're smiling instead of like singing along, you know, like with a, I don't know. I don't know what I'm trying to say. I'm just saying occasionally it might've got, you know, just a little too much in that, like the time to get ill part.

which I can imagine live is going to be so spectacular, but like recording wise, I was like, that, that stood out to me in, in the not good way, but everything else stands out to me in the most fantastic way. Um, some of the songs that, uh, especially the one with, um, is that Vinnie from the movie life on it? Yeah. How tuneful and sing along and layered is that song? It's like, built in a lab to just stick in your head forever. Um, the well-represented song is incredible.

Um, I, I, I love every song on here. It's just the, um, pinnacle of seeing like, you know, we've heard bands from Andy for 20 plus years now, right. In and out over time. And, um, God, he is so good now. So good at framing vocal cadences and clever lyrics and fun. And as Chris says, just incredible hooks that get under you. You just instantly are singing along by the time the chorus rolls around again or you just want to go back to that track to dive back into that.

very catchy part and it's just it's just so awesome to hear his voice be stronger than ever but his skill set being to the moon on this like it it is so well done and so well executed and um roger's shredding the band sounds amazing like they really all hit it out the park but i think as as Um, Andy being like the, the driving force of the, of the, um, lyrical content and the experience of this, it, it, um, is just an, uh, an amazing job.

And also I went up, uh, I went to one of the record release shows at program, uh, in Fullerton, uh, couple Sundays ago. And, uh, Dude, it was great. And also, I want to say one other thing. I met a kid named Tony. Shout out, Tony, at that show. And he said he learned about this band. And when this album came on a streaming, he's like, fuck, dude, I love this thing. And he drove from LA to Tehachapi to see their record release show because he wanted to see them in their hometown.

And then I saw him the next night also at program. And it's sick. This record's hitting. I've got a lot of feedback in my... emails and DMS of people liking this. So that's sick. And there's not a lot of bands playing like melodic hardcore right now. So I think like this lane is here. If you love like hardcore with like lots of octaves and little melodic dollops in there, like here it is. So check it out. It is on the playlist, 185 miles south.com.

Click that playlist link at the top of the page. And there's a playlist for every episode. You can check out the songs that we're talking about. Make it nice and easy for you. Also, for the people that listen to the podcast on Spotify, they now let us put podcast episodes into playlists, which is pretty nice. When you go on Spotify and you check the playlist for this episode, I'm going to have the podcast at the top there.

If you listen that way, it's kind of cool because you can listen to the podcast and you can be like, oh, this song, and then just click it underneath to see what we're talking about. A little more interactive if that's where you listen. Um, not that I'm sending you one way or the other. I don't care how you listen to the podcast. I just appreciate your support, but, uh, that is an option for you. Okay. Uh, Chris, this one came across your radar. First mentality. 81 is the generation sacrifice.

Demo 2023 came out extinction burst offside. What is this all about?

And it's early 80s, hardcore, fast, pissed off. If you've listened to Send Normal 81 or the Prisoner of Time side project, You may be expecting some moody melodies, but there's none of that to be found in this. It's just scorching hardcore. The guitar tones are very minor threat. The guitars, more than anything, really remind me of minor threat. There's also a touch of UK 82 in this. And then I hear some Toronto... aughts in it. Like, like bands like violent minds or career suicide.

Um, so if you took, you know, minor threat, those kinds of bands in some UK 82 and threw it in a blender, you might have something along those lines. This is, um, this is one of my favorite demos of the year so far. Uh, they do this, uh, we've talked about this in the group chat, but they do that like on every song, all three songs, they do this ride symbol thing. Um, that I haven't really heard many other bands do before. And it stood out to me, and Zach mentioned it too.

And I'm like, OK, I'm not crazy for thinking that's a little bit different, right? But it's really cool. And I was actually talking to the guy from Extinction Burst, and he said that's a Swedish thing. So yeah, interesting. Yeah, Offsite Records in Europe did the first demo tape and then extinction burst, uh, also did it in the U S and, uh, extinction burst was responsible for getting it up on Spotify.

So big shout out to extinction burst for getting it up on the streaming, make it a little bit easier for people, uh, without tape decks. Um, but yeah, this is excellent, fast, pissed off early eighties style, hardcore of the brute of the boot variety. No dangly earrings, just, just boots and, and, uh, chains around your waist kind of thing.

Like it's just, What? I don't know what I'm listening to. It's ill. I love it. I've loved it from the first listen. And I talked to you guys on the group chat. I was like, dude, what the fuck is up with that ride beat on this song? And Chris was like, dude, I think they do that in every song. And I was like, what? And I went and listened. It's like they do. It's like their thing. It's so sick.

I also just want to say there is this slight, slight, slight tunefulness that the singer hits on the choruses. Like it is so buried in there, but it exists. So like if you have that savage ass ear, you can pick up on it. So a shout out to all those fools out there. Dan, what's your take on this?

And the bands that go fast, when they hit the slow down parts or the, you know, the breaks, that's when you can tell just the, the genius of, of bands like this, when they transition to those parts so well, and this band does it perfectly, like to where you're just like, ah, I'm going to listen to that song again, like over and over again. Like. J'adore mentality. Mood

This band for one of your best tracks of, I believe, 2021 on the year end. How does this measure up to that? I think it was all the way back to

Like she's in every nook and cranny singing, you know, and it just comes across so good and her screams with that primitive style drum beat going it's it gets you like immediately and this is just brutal music that still has an element of you know you've got to find those tiny little bits of melody that are just hiding there but they're few and fleeting because it is so brutal and primitive and it has that that beat that we loved, you know, when Gulch would go full Neanderthal on certain parts,

it has that beat considerably going through the whole EP. And I love it. It's just like UK82 bootstomp with such a, I mean, you might even say like the lighter side of Gehenna is slightly there as well. I don't know. I love this band. It, I would love to know what they're singing about a little bit more. So, you know, this one hasn't arrived. I ordered it from La Vida SM Muse, but it's not here yet. So I can't wait to break out the lyric sheet and do it that way.

If you come with it and you have heavy distortion on your vocals or something, I'm just like, I don't got time for it, dude. I don't like it. But this, they just turn it up to 11 and it's like a... I don't know. It's like an echo effect, like a reverb effect. And like, it's like they cranked the knob the whole way that it is so interesting that the vocals almost turn into another instrument. It's like the fact that it's like reverby and she's so rapid fire on the singing.

Dan did a good job of explaining like, yeah, the way that it like kind of seeps into every nook and cranny. It's kind of like a guitar, right? Like in the way that like, In a song, unless you're choking your guitar, your guitar is making noise, right? But the way you strum it is how you're attacking it. But even if you're just ringing out the chord, the guitar is still making noise. And that's kind of like this. Her voice is kind of like a guitar in the way. And it's strumming when it is.

And sometimes it's ringing out, and that's what that effect is doing. It's cool. Now... The guitar tone on this record is god-awful, in my opinion. And when I was listening to it in my truck and then on my computer, I was like, wow, this is horrible. Just to my ear that wants semi-clean stuff, it's really an ugly guitar tone. So some people are going to love it. Because there was once a band, I'm sure that people know them, they were called Bone Owl. Like the, it was AWL was the band.

And I listened to that once and I was like, what the fuck is this dude? And this is like, as someone that is an aficionado of hardcore music, you know, I was just like, this is so unpleasant to my ear. Like either I'm a poser or everyone that likes this is a fucking psychopath and they should be on a watch list. You know what I mean? And yeah, this guitar tone is wild. Although when I listened to this on my headphones, it actually sounded pretty good. So that's wild.

And I am, sympathetic to things sounding good in the studio and then sounding like wonky elsewhere. So I don't know. And I do love when they incorporate the tambourine and that's another thing, Dan, you talking like a gel companion piece. Like I love when they hit the tambourine too, but we'll get into it. Chris, what is your take on this?

Maybe it's the mastering or maybe it's just the style of music translates better when... there's not like highways, you know, highway noise, uh, adding to it because, I mean, it's pretty pummeling. Like there's, there's, you know, with the, the vocals being shredded and, um, you know, the echo effect on them, there's like a lot like coming at you. So I guess that would make sense that if there was like highway noise bleeding into, then it wouldn't be as good, good of experience.

But, um, but yeah, I, I really liked this, uh, Like I said, the headphones experience, I really liked a lot more than driving around in my car. But yeah, this rips just like the last stuff they did. The vocals in this are really kind of what makes it for me. The vocals, they're so shredded. They cut all the way through. A lot of times when my main criticism with distortion on vocals is it makes them kind of bleed.

into the recording a little bit and, and they're not as cutting, but the singer of this band's vocals are so cutting that they still cut through. And I think that's pretty sick. Um, and then after, after I listened to this, um, on my headphones, I went down like a rabbit hole of watching as many live videos of, as like of them as I could. And they're super, super intense live. So I hope I get to see him someday, but yeah, cool band, cool record.

I don't know if they're going to fuck with this because it's a little dirtier, but dude, it is so good. It just straight up sounds like Youth of Today, Can't Close My Eyes era, although the drumming's better. That breaks my heart saying that because you all know that we love Darren Pesci or Darren Pesci, the Pesci Pescato, but This thing rips. It's 11 songs in 12 minutes. It sounds just like youth of the day.

Um, the writeup says that it sounds like the repos and I listened to the repos cause I never heard of that before. Uh, cause I'm a poser and it does sound similar to the repos, which I believe is a band for maybe like 10 ish years ago. Like the singing is similar. It's like the, you know, the Ray Capo or the antidote or the redemption 87 voice. Um, but the repos were a little bit dirtier than this.

And their song structure was like a little more abrupt, like almost like they didn't sound power violencey, but the song structure was in that way that it would go like part, part over, you know, like it would end like really abruptly. Like it was just like a, a power violence song. So this is just, you know, today can't close my eyes with like kind of, Kind of ignorant tongue-in-cheek lyrics, I think. I haven't read the lyric sheet, but you can pick up on some of it. It's called No Experts.

A couple of apes banging a rock on a missile. Pretty igno. We talk a lot about caveman shit. I guess this is the other side of caveman shit. I sent a DM to Adam once today to get Jordan Cooper's response on this record. Yeah. We'll see if he gets back. I also hit up the where it went dudes to, uh, to see if Ray Capo could listen to it and give me his thoughts. But they said Ray Capo is definitely too busy, but maybe Porcel will. And also we reached out to Tim McMahon to get his take.

So maybe we'll have that for next episode. Uh, what's some true youth crew lovers thought of the illiterate selfie, but, uh, this thing rips dude. If you like that music, you're going to love this. Um, Dan, what's your take?

This was such a... pleasant surprise because when i saw this was like we were we were putting together what we were going to talk about on this pod um putting together what we're going to review and i saw something by a band called the illiterates i thought it was going to sound like either like the vindictives or something like poppy punk like that because of the name or it was going to be like absolutely like unbelievably igno And it is just served up in a way that it's right for me.

I love this style, and I really like this record. And man, what is going on over in Pittsburgh? There's so good stuff coming out of Pittsburgh.

But like the band name kind of blows and the cover art is like weird, you know, as a guy like stabbing himself in the eye with a pencil, you know, it's like, and that's when I originally like, you know, it was like, fuck, I'm kind of disappointed in myself because I wish these dudes were wearing fucking, you know, camo cut off shorts and a fucking, you know, an old school shirt and some new balance shoes and looked all clean cut and shit. You know what I'm saying? Doing a Chris Williams jump.

That's right. I mean, I wish Chris Williams was playing guitar on this band, you know, like he might straighten them out, you know, but yeah, I don't know. It's like I had weird feelings about that first one, right? Just because like I was disappointed in myself for like not being able to just appreciate the music for what it was. And I feel like on this LP, they like leaned into like the Igno so much, like they turned it up enough that like they won me over, you know? So I don't know.

I just, I dig this. I think it's a great LP. Chris, what's your take on this? I love the art. The art is great. It matches the record. This is like, it has a shot for art of the year for sure. Chris, what's your take?

Like, It's way rarer than Break Down the Walls or We're Not On This Alone. And it doesn't... Can't Close My Eyes is a lot cleaner than this even, but the rawness on that record, I think it's comparable to this. I hear a little bit of West Coast influence in here too. Like, There's some kind of jangly guitar stuff going on that is a little bit like Black Flag vibes, maybe like Damaged Era. So I don't know.

What I kind of think about when I listen to this is maybe if Youth of Today grew up listening to Black Flag instead of SSD and Chromags, this is what Youth of Today might sound like. I don't know. It's sick, though.

But this one, instead of the name of the song of The Turd, he yells, duty fucking calls. Oh my God. But, uh, so yeah, it's, it's, it's dumb. It's brilliantly dumb. I mean, it's kind of like, it's like Beavis and Butthead, right? It's, it's stupid, but like when you listen to it, I think it's actually kind of brilliantly stupid. Um, so, you know, props for them nailing the shtick. I just, um, I don't know.

My personal preference for hardcore is like, you know, the vocalist doesn't need to be Greg Graffin or anything, but like, you know, like no reply said, I want your guts. Like that's, that's the stuff that makes the best hardcore. Yep. So, you know, one slight preferential knit to pick, but I mean, despite it, this is great. Hardcore done really well. And it's just, it's savage.

Like, you know, we talk a lot about how, what a lot of the 97 and on youth crew era guys, bands missed was like the savagery of youth today and the ferocity and this has that so

Okay, that's pretty clever, dude. But yeah, if these were good, I don't know. Yeah, I want your guts, dude. That's what's missing here. We're all kind of pussyfooting around it because this thing rips so hard and people are going to brush it off because the people that should like it are going to brush it off for this reason even more. You know what I mean? But yeah, it's, what's missing.

Like if they lay it out their heart and soul over music like this, it would be like one of my favorite records, maybe ever, you know what I mean? Like they just killed this so hard musically. And I can't believe they did it. Cause they did it on the last record. And it's like, how do you have this many more good ideas? Like this guy, you know, should get some sort of grant where he's a fucking millionaire for doing it twice. You know, it's just, you know, Get a singer that gives us his guts.

Want to know what you believe in, you know? What's up? Okay, let's go on to, again, that Mentality 81 is a contender for Demo of the Year. And this one is too. Talking about the Scarab demo. I don't know if I'm pronouncing that right or wrong. But yeah, this thing is savage. It's like they mashed up like a handful of the best bands from 2002 and put it through a modern lens. Like it, it just sounds like sworn enemy mashed up with terror and then mashed up with like a little bit of a N right.

Cause on the first song, there's that, I think there's a line that says like the shortest days of the longest nights. That's like full and vibe. So imagine a sworn enemy terror and a N we're in a bar fight. That's what this sounds like. Um, They mix in some studio tricks that I like. It's not even a trick. It's an effect that's kind of ridiculous. But that vocal effect that they hit going into the breakdown on Last Day, that is so YOLO and so awesome. It's just like, fuck it, dude.

You want to do this? Hell yeah, I want to do that. It's going to be sick. And it was. You know what I mean? Also, that riff on the song Scarab is so good. It is a classic riff. That comes off as a classic intro. If I was going to be Critical Chris or Dissecting Dan, I would say that song should have gone first. In fact, that riff is so good, I think they should put it the first track on all their records. This Thing to Smash is four songs, seven minutes, probably demo of the year.

It's fucking great. Band to watch. I did see a little bit of schism on hardcore Twitter. some kids were like a little butthurt that they were on. This is hardcore already. And that's interesting. I don't know who's in this band. Do you do Chris? It's like dudes from the scene though. I think

Like, I don't know if you understand that piece of it. Right. Like that kind of came off as some Dan, who are the critics on the Muppets? Statler and Waldorf. Dude, I knew you would know. That's one of those things I love about you. I knew you would know. Yeah. That like came off as one more time, Dan. Statler and Waldorf. Some of that Statford and Waldorf ass shit. You know what I mean? Like some, that's what it was like, wait a minute. Why do these guys get to be on this? You know what I mean?

Like, well, anyone that's like ever been in rooms at hardcore shows knows, you know what I mean? What's up? But yeah, this thing rips. Chris, what's your take?

I think it's mostly the way the drums are so present on this. They're super loud. Not too loud, but they're up front. And the pacing and the tempo, it's blistering fast, but it's hard. Sounds like he's smacking the crap out of the snare. Zach, you stole a little bit of my thunder because I was going to say, for last day... Is it last day or last days? Anyways, going into the breakdown at 1.18, there's a studio effect that... Both sounds awesome

But if someone wants, this is hardcore to open strong, open with that riff, the whole set, the whole fest will go off following that because that the way that riff comes in and then he goes scrub and it just hits even harder. It, it, I would be standing against the walls, I'll tell you that, because it's going to go fucking mental.

How do you describe this metal-influenced hardcore? There's no getting around it. It's a lot of integrity in this, right? It's like a modern integrity through a Swedish metal lens. There's some Mindforce-esque guitar noodling. There was a Swedish death metal band called Entrails. I think they're old school, but I really like their 2015 album Obliteration. It gives me some of that vibe in here.

But really, if you're an Integrity fan, and there are a lot of diehard Integrity fans, but I know some of you are a little turned off because Dewey these days is giving off way too many Guy Fieri vibes. You might want to jump into this. It's younger kids playing this type of music. And it's wild because they're from Sweden. I think they might be from Gothenburg. Staffan, don't kill me if they're not. And when you're from Sweden, though, and you want to play metal, you got to bring it.

Or you're going to be sitting around one day sipping on mead and some long hair is going to come and And check you, dude. And deny your entry to Valhalla. But these guys bring it hard. And it's sick. The album starts with synth and right into a ripper. The song Frozen Spirit. And great opening track. The riffage on it is excellent. My favorite track on the record is probably the song Hell is Empty. And that is on the strength of those little guitar hooks that are in there. So good.

That song will be on the playlist. I love this singer's voice. He sounds a lot like the dude from obituary. You know, it's really unintelligible in some parts. And when it's more unintelligible is when I like it the most. And I also love when his voice is like juxtaposed against like, okay, so like, I think it really shines on that song. Let me see here. I wrote down the song. Caught in the Deep End.

There's that clean channel guitar part and this dude's singing over it and it just sounds savage because that juxtaposition of the clean channel guitar and him just being like all obituary style is fucking ill. I love this thing. I think it's great and I think everyone should check it out if you're in that lane of wanting metal-influenced hardcore that is not all based around the mosh. It's based around good songwriting. This is right there.

If I was going to be critical of this, I would say for my ear, which is that hardcore ear that just wants to listen to Speed Plans all day now, it's a long record. But I do think that it's only long to the hardcore ear and this record does not let up at all by any means, because I think that like the final sequence of that go to heaven, like interlude into materialized fear might be the strongest point on the album. So it's like, it starts strong. My favorite song is kind of in the middle.

Um, that song hell is empty. And then I think that like those that last, like the interlude into the final song is like some of the strongest stuff. So I don't know. I think this thing is sick. Um, But yeah, Dan, what do you think?

You almost half expect him to whisper a little bit as well. But yeah, it's really good. This is a really good record. And for fans that liked late 90s, early 2000s Metallic Hardcore too, because... there was some, some of this sound was very prevalent around that time, but this production is so good where everything is so audible. The guitar tones are so complimentary. Like you said, like they're in Sweden. So, you know, this is the world of, you know, at the gates, et cetera.

So the recording has to live up to some kind of standard, but it's fantastic. And yeah, the main thing, The main two bands, I would say, are a guidepost to maybe excite the listeners listening to jump into this. But equal measures, well, not equal measures, but a little bit of Slayer and a lot of Integrity. But they're definitely their own sound at the same time. Really great. I really dug it. The very first time I listened to it, I didn't think... I was going to like it that much.

And then second and third, it just kept growing on me. So that's another good thing about it. If it doesn't grab you on your very first listen, give it another whirl because it may just click in on that second listen.

And I do think that like this band and Torino would be a sick tour, you know, a world tour, little Europe, little us, like these bands would compliment each other really nicely. Cause they're like, you can tell like both these bands are a bunch of dudes that like take their craft really seriously and, probably practice a lot, not only like his bedroom, like jammers, but like they're playing a lot in a room together. Like that really comes through with both these bands.

And yeah, I think they're doing really interesting takes on, on metal influence, hardcore. Chris, what's your take on this?

Any band that I can think of that references Slayer, I think this band maybe does it better than any that I've ever heard. So yeah, it's just really well done. The guitars, the leads, and I guess the melodies, the way they play off of each other are so sick. And it's just, I don't know. It's really cool.

The mastering is a bit dull sounding for my personal... absolute favorite preference, but I think part of that's probably genre matching to make it sound a little bit more like a thrash metal record. Um, but it's, it doesn't sound bad. I think it still sounds awesome. Um, it just, my only complaint is it sounded a tiny bit like, I don't know, a lot of, uh, low end. Um, But yeah, this rips. And I do want to call... I don't know if you guys caught this.

It wasn't as obvious as the turkey that snuck into the Scarab song. But on the song Caught in the Deep End at 2.25, there's a buildup there. And over the buildup, you can hear the sound of a sword being drawn. Yeah. What? How did I miss that? That's my favorite song on the record. It's so cool. It's like a shink. It's like a sword coming out of a scabbard or something. It's subtle, but it's pretty cool.

It came out on Convolse Records recently. Dan, what is your take on this LP and did it live up to the hype?

And then it just starts bouncing. Like the song bounces. And I was just like, Oh my God, I'm 30 seconds in I'm sold. And then every song just from there just starts ramping up a bit more and a bit more. And then you, you get in different places. You're getting different vibes and lots of creativity. The guitar playing and the two guitars playing off each other throughout this just is amazing. And the lyrical output is really good because it's very personal, yet striving for more.

Kind of something you were maybe asking for earlier. And I feel... I feel like I need even more time to really wax poetic about how great this is, but I really loved it. The song Dicey, just, I just listened to that one over and over again. And just when you think like, you know, you're really settling into it, it's over. So then you start it all over again.

The amount of bounce with slight amounts of, of crust, but tons of inch the way that, and they don't sound anything like this per se, but the way that tragedy is in a genre of that, you know, pretty brutal music, but the guitars are taking you to a different place. That's what gel is doing. They're playing very primitive crust and bounce hardcore, like combined, like those two things are really married, like a very crusty approach. Also a very light YOLO bounce approach. The way that those.

uh, is taking it, but the guitars are doing so much creative things in each song that even only lasts like a minute, 10, 50 seconds here and there. But every time the guitars are playing off each other, they're just really elevating this songwriting and the vocals are incredible. Um, there's the same thing with the seal that we talked about earlier.

There is, um, a pronounced effect, um, but there's something about the tonality of, of the vocals of seal and this, that they cut through at the perfect thing. So they're not just buried in the music. They are seeping all over it and drawing you in. And one more thing that we can say about the singer is that they are singing over the parts and letting the songs breathe, just like we talked about on all the good songs, um, that's happening here. I mean, this is, this is a damn near a masterpiece.

You know, I really love it and I can't wait to spend more time with it.

So like, there's that, it's like the runner up for song, but, uh, yeah, this thing is really like, uh, a blueprint of modern hardcore, like in the non hardcore or excuse me, in the non metal hardcore lane. Um, they hit like basically every beat possible here. Um, it's pretty sick. Like, They do a lot of that speedwalking caveman beat. They do a lot of a three-quarter speed D beat. They do a normal D beat. They sprinkle a little fast stuff. They got a mid-tempo or a two-step beat.

There's plenty of bounce. This thing just really moves seamlessly through all these different tempos. It's like they're throwing everything at you. They're never resting on their laurels. Like how Dan is... saying they're adding in all these little guitar things. This is a well-planned out album all the way through. The sequencing is great. The guitarists aren't getting lazy. They're tucking stuff in, making it creative. And I think this is just an epic win.

It's a very easy record to get through. It sounds bright and good. It's over before you know it. Although it does let you know that it's getting over like the way it fades into like that static brilliant way to end the record. And I also think that like it, it leaves some room for getting even wilder the next time out, right? Like they're sprinkling some stuff in here and I want them to like lean into it even more like that end part on a, let me see.

Yeah. That end part, like that gets kind of like atmospheric and, on the end of attainable. That's probably my favorite part of the record. Um, and I would like to see some more of that sprinkled in personally. I think it would like cut up the record a little more. And, uh, that part is just so sick, you know,

This was much anticipated, and I think it delivers. So that's sick. Congratulations, everyone. Chris, what's your take on this?

And certainly this is a band that's winning right now and, and love to see it. Saw them at just another gig up in Tacoma a few months back and they crushed it live. And, uh, yeah, I think they, they stay on the road a lot. They work hard and, uh, Um, you know, I just love to see those hardworking bands win as well too. So, um, seem like nice kids too. So seem like a all around good package. I dig it. Awesome.

After the Mindforce thing that got hit with that label of gatekeeping and everyone was very sensitive about it, I've just been thinking as I've been listening to all this hardcore recently, dude, the people that were offended by that speech, that's going to suck when they hear a Vogel lyric. You know what I mean? They ain't ready for it. You know what I mean? Because there's so much of you're this, you're that, which I personally love. This is like a band right in my lane.

Roots Hardcore meets The Hard Style. Yeah, dude. I think everything from Bad Blood through Apology Denied just rages. If I was nitpicking, I think that the intro is only okay. Um, but it sets up how gnarly bad blood like comes in. Cause it just comes in super aggro and fast. So I get that the intro is like kind of a setup track, but I think that they could have come a little harder with it. If I was being really critical, it's fine. But like, Oh, the bad blood is, is wild.

And, uh, apology tonight is, is so good. Um, also the last song, the bad kind, um, is a little melodic and like kind of hits me off guard. It, it pulls me out of, of this. When we were talking about like that demand, uh, record, the demo from last year, it was kind of like that. Like the last song on it went in like a melodic direction. It was like, Ooh, what's going on here? You know?

Um, yeah, I kind of just really liked the savagery of, of this, like in, in the bad blood song through the apology tonight song, like that chunk of it is so savage and so good. And, uh, the bad kind, like, I guess if I was gonna talk about it, not in the context of this EP, like it might actually be the best song. Um, I just don't know if it fits. And so it kind of pulls me out of, of the EP. Maybe they should sell it to world be free, you know, have Jordan Cooper cut them that check.

Um, cause this might be one of the best world be free songs. So, cause that opening riff is so good. Um, but yeah, that's my take. It's like another fucking Vogel victory, you know, like that SOS EP that came out a handful of years ago, him and Matt Henderson. That thing was great. This is great. You know, bringing back, uh, buried alive. It's like fucking Vogel can't miss dude. So ill. And, the terror LP last year being one of the best records of the year. So, uh, this is sick.

Another feather in his hat. And I think it's ill. You know, he moved back to Buffalo, uh, hooked up with local hardcore dudes and is doing a band there because Terror is on four corners of the country. It's sick to be able to have a band that he can play with when he's at home in Buffalo. I don't know. I love everything about it. Chris, what's your take on this?

It doesn't sound like terror, but it has... kind of a similar formula of like fast pummeling and then hard breakdowns. Um, so I don't know. It's weird. Cause it, like I said, it doesn't sound like terror, but like, if you like Terry, you're probably going to like this too. Um, another thing I was thinking about too, is like, you guys have both sang in bands that have done multiple LPs.

Um, So, I mean, you think about the lyrics to songs you guys have written, I mean, has got to be pushing like, you know, 30 to 70 between the two of you. But like, that doesn't even like scratch the surface of like the number of songs that like Scott has written lyrics for, you know?

And like... keeps like going back to the well and and bringing these masterpieces of rage and uh inspiration and i don't know it's it's sick because i i mean i've i've sang in bands before i've probably written lyrics for like i don't know eight songs total and i i felt like at that point i was kind of running out of things to say uh so yeah respect

He's not, mailing anything or phoning anything in or even mailing it um he's coming hard every time the music to this is fantastic i love like that you know he's doing this with old friends from back or actually friends from back home i don't know if they're old like i think they're younger than him so um but they're they must know, okay, we're doing a band with Vogel. We've got to raise our game. These songs have to be epic, and they definitely ticked all the boxes on that.

This is a really great EP. I need to order this ASAP.

But this thing absolutely rips. Then when you flip to the cut-down side, it's not exactly the same musically, but it's very similar. They're very complementary, these two bands, to each other. But the cut-down vocals are more shredded, whereas the Never Again vocals are a lot more gruff and, like I say... a little bit breakdown ish, um, that outcast, uh, by cut down, like his vocals are a bit more screamy and shredded. And, um, I don't know. It's, it's really tough to pick between the two.

I, I'm, I'm really excited to hear more music from both, but I think just the way the never again cut, comes in on that operation clean sweep with like straight out the gate, like into the Toms and just, it's just, yeah, I think that's side a never again is, is taking it for me.

That first Never Again track, though, Operation Clean Sweep, that is straight up pretty much a perfect hardcore song. If you love Roots hardcore, good God, try improving that song. You know what I mean? Like those verses, like the drumming and like basing the verse around like the drums, you know, with the starts and stops and the drum fills. So good.

You know, and then that give the fuck out going into the breakdown and then extending the breakdown another time by hitting like the little harmonics. It's so nice. That song is so good. Second song, level of uncertainty. They just hit you. You know, we talked about it with gel. This is like, a different sounding band, but it's a song that's just hitting you with like a plethora of tempos, you know? So like here they are, they're laying down two songs on a record. Both of them are different.

Both of them are sick. You know, it's just like the ultimate demo, you know, bands, they put out a demo. And then a lot of times, like, you know, back in the day, put out a split seven inch and that's like your, your elevated demo. You know what I mean? Cause it's like an even shorter version, but it might be like the first time people ever heard you.

You pick up a split 7-inch at the record store, and you're checking two bands out for the first time, and it's a really small amount of music for them. So you've got to bring the heat on your side. You know what I'm saying? And these two Never Again songs, they really lay out their band, what they can do. And I dig both songs, especially that first one. And yeah, I can't wait to hear more out of this band. This is a good recording for a split 7-inch.

It's just if they... up it and go to like a full EP or like an LP, get that big, good recording. Because like this song operations, clean sweep is like so good with like a recording that matches a song. Like we're talking like straight up. So my favorite shit in hardcore. Um, yeah. And again, I just want to touch on the drumming. It is so good. Like, uh, I want to shout out that band planet on a chain, that first single on, uh, on Rev before the LP came out.

The drumming on that, I listened to that song fucking five times in a row because the drumming was so good. This reminded me of that. I was like, good God, man. The drumming kind of makes this. It's a big piece of it. On to side two, or on to side B, the cut down. What I think is cool about this band is everything is just a tick faster than you think it should be. So that first song, Outkast, they start with the Youth Crew Toms, and it's just a tad bit faster. Instead of... It's going...

So sick. And then same with when it goes to the fast part. Instead of... It's going... I can't even do it as fast. You know what I mean? They're just bringing it. Yeah. And they end on that speedwalking caveman beat, you know, like that is like coming out of COVID. They, everyone felt like locked in a cave and like all these bands come out and they're like, we're going to do this fucking, we're going to like push this beat to the forefront, you know? And it's that speedwalking caveman beat.

It's not all the way fast. It's faster than mid tempo, slower than a fast beat. And it's just kick snare, kick snare, kick snare, kick snare, do that, do that, do that, do that, do that, do that. Shit is sick. Every band do it because it rules.

But that first Never Again track is too good. I'm going side A, Never Again. Chris, what's your take?

And I believe that's their Instagram handle that they share too. But yeah, Yeah, I mean, I like what you guys said about this. It's two bands that do good roots hardcore, but they do it a little bit differently. Both, I believe, from the Jersey Shore area. And both sides of this are awesome. Quick story about Never Again specifically.

So when Change went out and did an East Coast tour with Birth Old City, Um, we were jamming with a fill in bass player, like, and so we, you know, we needed to practice before we play shows. We hadn't, our, our fill in bass players from, uh, Winnipeg. So like we hadn't actually practiced with them. So we had to get some, some jam time. And, uh, I hit up like the promoter of the show and I hit up, I just randomly hit up. Never again. I'd never met any of the dudes in this band.

Um, just hit up their Instagram and are like, Hey, you know, psych to play with you guys. The demo is sick. Um, curious if you know of a practice, like a, you know, an hourly practice spot that we could just go pay to jam for a couple of hours. And he's like, dude, just use our spot. And I'm like, are you sure? Like, I mean, we don't have any instruments. So like we would have to, I mean, we basically had two guitars and like, that's it basically.

I think, I don't think Jeff had any drum stuff except for maybe cymbals and our bass player didn't have a bass. He was going to borrow Edo's. So like, not only were we using like their cabs, like we were basically using everything. And, and he's like, no, just use our, you know, you could, you could borrow our base, use anything you want. Like never met these dudes before. And I don't know. I just want to share that story because like, that's so sick. Like these, these guys are the real deal.

And just really appreciate Avery and crew for, you know, for the hospitality they showed as well as, you know, taking us out to eat and having a good time. So yeah, let's get in the music. I love this as well. Um, I think let's start with never again. Um, operation clean sweep opens up with like a two-step teaser for like two, two bars. And then it's like, nah, just kidding. We're going to go fast here. And then, um, at 30 seconds is a, is a super cool kind of swinging two-step.

And I'm not sure if you'd call this a chorus because the vocals on it are really sparse. Like it gives this cool beat a lot, a lot of room to, to breathe. And it's, I don't know. And then it comes back into it again, but doing it more of like a breakdown style at the end. Yeah. That song rips levels of uncertainty and, Both of these Never Again songs, the vocals have so much attitude. A lot of swagger and levels of uncertainty, especially. It's really swaggery.

Lots more stompy mosh parts between the fast. The vocal phrasing over the fast part kind of gave me a little bit of Sheer Terror vibes a little. There's a long build into the mosh part that's really cool.

And then... know hard breakdown and then halfway through goes into double time which is a good two-step part uh this band stylistically reminds me a lot of plead the fifth from sacramento and and the singer kind of has a similar like build and haircut and vibe to gudo so um maybe that's kind of what gave me those vibes but i also um I listened to them back to back and they're pretty similar, at least stylistically. So if you like Plead the Fifth, definitely check this out.

The cut down side, I pulled a lot of the things that Zach did out of this. There's some interesting stuff that they do with tempos. There's this two-step Youth Crew Tom part that's played so fast that you may not even be able to two-step to it, but it sounds hard. And then, you know, it's like a super, there's a lot of like caveman tempos on this. I think this is the one that Zach was saying has the, the speed walking caveman part at the end, which is a hilarious way to describe it, but it fits.

And then, you know, before that the blazing blazing fast lonely world blazer out of the gates keeps blazing adds a rip in the solo while it's blazing and then just when you think the song is gonna be all all go and no slow they bust into a breakdown that's kind of like a two-step that's almost too slow to two-step it's almost like a stomp mosh part but it's a little bit too upbeat to stomp mosh.

So they do a lot of interesting stuff with the tempos that make this kind of unpredictable and kind of keep you on your toes. And then as Zach said, or I guess what you guys both said, the vocals on this are a little bit more strained. So depending on style, if you like more swagger in your vocals, Never Again may be stylistically more in your lane. If you like more pissed off kind of banshee screaming, then Cut Down may be your jam.

Um, and then if you want a little bit more like predictability and in the breakdowns and like, okay, this part's, this part's happening. I know what I should do here. Um, never again is probably a little bit more for you, but if you like to be thrown off a little bit by some of the unconventional tempos and, and just want to like spaz out and lose your shit to pissed off music, then cut down maybe, uh, the recipe for that. Uh, I don't know. I love both of these. I'm going to go with cut down.

It's really kind of a flip a coin situation. These are both super sick. I'm going to go cut down on this one just because I'm feeling a real spazzy, frantic, on my toes kind of vibe right now. Respect.

And, you know, and as the genre developed, that happens, I would say these lyrics are, uh, or what would be like the equivalent of like early hip hop for early punk. Um, but they're, they're still very catchy and very great. Uh, the song, um, God, I'm sorry. I've just dropped my notes. But the title track has the bookends of the way the guitar is, like at the beginning and the build into the song. And then the guitar that plays over and does somewhat of an octave-y part on the way out.

It's so good. It's what feeds my soul, that kind of sound of... uk punk from this era is perfect the vocalist uh is great like his voice is awesome it's so this generation like you can just sing along you can imagine like them playing some room with like just people just stomping around in boots and leather jackets like crazy um the song hell is uh, an ACAB anthem. It's, uh, all about the boys in blue making your life hell. Um, and it's so catchy and sing along.

And then, um, the, the final song is not as good as the other two, but it, it's still, it's still fucking absolutely immense.

This is a really great, uh, one of the more hidden, um, seven inches on the label, I would say compared to a lot of the other output of this fucking God tier level, uh, record label, this, um, some of the attack songs have shown up on all your comps in the past too, that you may be familiar with, but this is just a, an amazing early punk, brilliant, uh, record as far as I'm concerned.

And no escape is kind of their never surrender. You know what I mean? But you know what? I want another time bomb. I want another youth. I want another never surrender. And this is 41 years ago. So bands, write some shit that sounds like this, please. I love it. It's like, I just love the old sound of punk and hardcore so much. And we've talked it to death on the pod. Like when... these recordings are like the fifth member in the band.

You know, I just love the sound and it's like, it cannot be replicated. So like this is like straight up a finite resource, you know, shit is never going to sound like this again. So like when you can find these bands, it's sick. And really like anything that's like pre 84, I'm like interested in. I think I was talking to you about that yesterday down on the phone.

Like, you know, when people recommend me stuff, it's like, dude, check this band out from, you know, 2005, you know, it's like, nah, you know, I got so much shit I got to listen to, you know what I mean? Like from modern stuff. And then it's like, I have so much stuff that I like of music that I've acquired and listened to over the years.

Um, you know, if something's not new, I'm generally not going to take the wreck unless like, you know, you name check some of my favorite bands of all time or, um, If it's pre-1984, I generally will check a song or two, just because when you find these gems, it's so worth it. This is great, Dan. This is everything I want in this segment. My favorite probably being that exploited 7-inch, because I've only listened to the exploited LPs, and I enjoy them.

But you choosing a single of that band that I hadn't heard before... was so good. And like this, I felt like I listened to all the no future stuff, but like this didn't ring a bell and it was such a nice surprise. So shout out to Dan Sant, best dressed band on the pod for choosing a sick EP. Um, this is great. This is everything I want in this segment. And, uh, totally dug this. Chris, what's your take?

Um, but going back and listening to this is, you know, as the, its own entity and listen to these three songs. I really dug it. Um, particularly today's generation, like, um, you know, the familiarity of it was, was cool to hear, but also just like how raw it is. Um, and then I liked the other tracks a lot too.

Um, So yeah, I don't have too much to add to this, but like Zach said, I, I appreciate this exercise and, and, you know, putting a spotlight and give me an opportunity and a reason to, to go revisit it and, and really listen to it. Cause dope.

Like seeing it on paper and being like, wow, that's a lot of stuff to cover. Like, and then digging into it and being like, no, this is all like superb. So hell yeah. Hardcore rules in 2023. Is that what year we're in? That's

I've just had it all like on shuffle, like anytime I've kind of listened to music and, you know, out on a bike ride or something. And dude, it's been like pretty much no skippers. Like this is a good batch of records and, uh, pretty stoked. Although God damn, the list is long. When I like sat down and do my notes, I was like, the fuck did I get myself into? But, uh, like Chris said, hardcore rules. And I just, I love this shit. So everyone check it out. Dan, where can people find you