Unaltered Perspective #5
New music from Corrective Measure, Chopping Block, Colossal Man, Street Power, Sweat, Echo Chamber, Identity Shock, and Street Hassle. Scene report from Peoria Illinois local hardcore show.
New Releases
Corrective Measure - Not For You, Not For Anyone(Cass)
Holy Shit. This fucking rules. If you like hardcore you should like this. It is straight forward fast music with all the anger needed. They have some great lyrics and attitude in all the songs lyrically. “I’ll just be myself. Wont wear the weight of nobody else” from N.F.Y.N.F.A. and “I hope you know I used to believe that anyone can feel how we feel but that was a lie the truth is the hatred in this world runs deeper than out love runs wide but that doesn’t mean we have to lose it’s time for us to choose a path forward what is right when their hatred threatens what we love where would we draw the line” from Everyone Knows are good examples of this. I know the lyrics are basic and straight forward but they are heartfelt and you can hear the sincerity. I love this positivity and anti-conforming attitude that I get throughout this EP. You can get this tape on Designated Mosher Unit. It surprises me how long this band has been inactive (8 Years) and they come back with an EP that rips this hard. It is very impressive. I think you can like this EP if you like any type of hardcore but I think a good comparison would possibly be Count Me Out. They have something about them that reminds me of the 110 LP. I think it might be the way the songs are structured as far as where the vocals go over top of the song and how they are delivered. The vocalist of Count Me Out does not sound like this singer though. Either way I think this is one of the best EP’s so far this year. Great hardcore music and I hope this band has more releases that don’t take 8 years. But if they are this good I suppose I can wait.
Street Power - Promo 2024(Digital)
Street Power just got signed to Triple B Records. Because of that they have put out a new Promo and Announced they will have a second LP out later this year on Triple B. I love their first LP Threads of Hate so I hope the new one will be just as good. If these 2 songs on this Promo are any indication I think it will be some good old mosh centered hardstyle hardcore. The lyrics of these songs are very angry. Then accompanied by heavy riffs to mosh to. This band I am sure makes for violent shows(in the best way possible). These songs have lots of bounce and 2 step parts which is sort of par for the course when it comes to Street Power and I am here for it. Can’t wait for this LP.
Chopping Block - 67 B/W Never Understand(Digital)
This is my first exposure to Chopping Block from Seattle and I am loving every second of it. These 2 songs are raging hardcore. I would say it seems like some early 2000’s hardcore style. Particularly the fast and angry stuff that followed the youth crew revival. Best comparison that is coming to me is something like Carry On or similar bands. The song “Never Understand” is a ripper and has a part where it slows down the guitar a little bit and it does this sort of bridge part and during that part it has this little lead over this fast beat with only the one guitar going. The absence of the guitar in that section into the addition of that lead is so sick. I love that structure it sounds unique and thought out. Even if it isn’t who cares it rips. These songs do not appear to be a on a physical but hopefully we will see more of the band soon. In the meantime I can go back and check out the older releases from this sick as fuck band.
Colossal Man - Promo ‘24
I heard the Colossal Man Demo last year and I enjoyed it. This promo however I don’t just enjoy. I love this thing. The song “Violent Reprisal” is a perfect hardcore song. They do a chorus and it rocks. The man yell’s “Start Smearin’” when the song goes into the breakdown? What the fuck. It is just sick as fuck. This is just straight forward hardcore. It is fairly mid tempo for my usual taste but this promo is the shit and totally transcends that. Plus I do like some mid tempo stuff it just has to be really good and this is in that camp. If you like hardcore songs about hardcore this will scratch that itch. Take note of “Hardcore for Hardcore. What the fuck else?”
Street Hassle - Winter 2024 Promo(Cass)
New promo from this Syracuse New York band. If you like the Fury album Paramount then you will like this. I feel like the band so closely resembles that to me it could be the same band with a different singer. Either way I like this Promo a lot. I cant wait for the record that these songs will be on down the road and hope to see more from this band. In the meantime go pick the tape up at Designated Moshers Unit.
Echo Chamber - Echo Chamber(7 inch)
Echo Chamber from Germany has their new 6 song EP out on Scheme Records. This is that late 80’s NYHC inspired hardcore. They bring like a Breakdown sound but then mix it with a few modern hardcore sensability’s. My one gripe with this EP to get out of the way to start is they have a few samples on some tracks and I wish it was not there it feels like it cuts up the record in a way that it was not meant to. However the EP itself rules. The highlight tracks for me are still “Contact” and “Life Disintigreated” that had come out on a Promo last year. These 2 songs are perfect hardcore songs and are some of my top songs of last year. If I were to call out a new favorite that I had not heard previously it would probably be “Locked In.” They speed of the verses is great and the ending breakdown brings it all together to make it feel very much like an Echo Chamber song. If you like Killing Time or even a more modern band like Combust you should defiantly get into this EP you will love it.
Sweat - Love Child(LP)
This band is sick as fuck. I first found them from the super 7 list that 185 miles south podcast did on 2022 this episode featured the song “Bone to Pick” which got me hooked instantly. That record Gotta Give It Up that came out in 2022 was great and I listened to it all the time. Then the band put out some split tracks last year that I was stoked on. I think those 2 split songs might be their best songs so I will link that split here because you should defiantly check that as well. But the band just keeps being very proficient and not dropping the ball. Each year another release to the catalog and each year another banger. This year they just dropped their sophomore LP entitle Love Child. This LP leans more rock than their previous material but they have always had that sort of sound. They are just a straight up driving punk band that kicks ass. I love how full of energy every record feels like they have a full take of gas and couple redbulls and are flying down the highway in a tour van blasting this shit at max volume. Sweat has this really anthemic feel to some of their chorus parts of certain songs as well as having the switch back to the verses be so seamless and crushing. The verses having a more blasting thrashy vibe that will have you head banging. This record is available at Vitrol Records so go pick one up and start circle pitting.
Identity Shock - Demo(Cass)
So I went to start adding links for these record labels on the post and I came across this beast on Designated Moshers Unit store. What the fuck is hardcore trying to bankrupt me for. Luckily they have a deal where you can get 3 of these tapes in 1. I thought to myself I will just see how this is real quick because both Street Hassle and Corrective Measure had tapes for sale there. I am blown away. This is so fast and brutal. This Atlanta straight edge band kills the sound they are going for which I would describe as Youth of Today mixed with the more negative angry straight edge of the early 2000s. The fast beat on this demo is insane I can not even understand what is going on here but it is fast and I love it. The singer has a naturally aggressive voice and I really can not wait to dive into this more.
News
Statement of Pride a Straight Edge Hardcore band out of Pensacola Florida. Have a LP called Rebirth out later this spring.
Iron Lung Records has 2 full length records announced for March 29th as the release date. The first of these is Reek Minds from Portland with their LP “Malignant Existence.” The other one is Paprika from New Orleans with their LP “Let’s Kill Punk.” Both bands have new singles up on streaming services now promoting the records. Both tracks are great hardcore that rips so be sure to check those out and I will more than likely talk more on these two when the records come out.
Seeyouspacecowboy… from San Diego has a new single out that is promoting the new LP coming out this April entitled Coup De Grace. This will be out on Pure Noise Records April 19th.
Denial of Life from Tacoma, Washington has a new song out called “Spitting Venom.” The band was also recently signed by New Damage Records so maybe we will see some more new music coming soon from them because this song rips.
Surfer James a powerviolence band from Detroit Michigan has a new EP up on streaming services but it is old material from 2022 splits so I did not include it in the new releases. You should go check it out though it is only a digital release but very good. I had heard most of these songs before this but it flows well hearing them back to back.
Stand Still from Long Island New York just came out with a new Promo for an upcoming debut LP on Daze. I love this band and every song they have ever done and these are no different but I am going to save my review for when the album as a whole comes out. Either way go check this out and Pre Order the record if you like what you hear.
From Within Records has some new stuff coming up with a new 12 inch out soon by Dimension Six and a new 7 inch soon by Lead Sprit. I bought both of these bands demo’s and so you know I am stoked to hear these new releases by both bands.
Sidestep from Gothenburg has a new promo out. If you like bounce you will find it here but don’t worry there are also fast parts and gang vocals. I cant wait for the release that this is promoting.
Simulakra has a new EP out on Daze Records. I have not had enough time to sit with this but this band has not put out a bad song so I expect it to continue to pummel my ear drums with heaviness. Go check it and tell me what you think.
Local Shows
I went to this show since my last post and I had a great time. The Peoria scene is so much better now than I have ever experienced there is all types of people just wanting to hang out and watch bands play. The bands are also in all different styles so it brings a variety of people. But everyone seems to be down for anything which is great. If you have someone who came to watch the first band Adieux who plays a heavier mosh style hardcore. That person will stay to watch Blind Equation a 3 piece cyber grind act with no guitar or bass(unless you count a keytar). I really enjoyed all the bands performances. I liked Adieux the best. They covered T.U.I. and the singer was wearing a Suburban Scum Shirt. They kind of seemed like a cross between the 2 sonically on their original songs. At the moment the band only has 2 songs up on streaming. This is a very new band from Kankakee Illinois but I talked to some members at the show and they told me they have a full EP coming out soon. Blind Equation played second regardless of what they flyer below says. They probably had the most people moving. It is a genuinely fun experience if you aren’t a complete herb. Heavenly Blue is a new Scremo band that played next. They have a 12 inch out soon that was for sale at the show. So it must be set to release very soon so look out for that. I couldn’t get the lyrics live because the vocals were a little low. But they seemed like they had a lot to say and very interesting musically. Frail Body played next and they also do a kind of scremo sound but a little slower at times since I don’t like when bands go slower I had trouble connecting as much as the other bands. Subversion played last. They are a heavy hardcore band from Springfield Illinois. They have a very violent style and the room was chaos during their set. With only 4 songs to their name it was very short but very violent. The guys running the pizza place the show was at seemed to be loving getting to watch crowdkilling take place. The whole crowd seemed to be really into this band and I think it was a good choice to have them play last. Over all the show was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to got to more.
Heavenly Blue at Slice Hub: Photo from @chucklizzie on instagram
Blind Equation at Slice Hub: Photo from @chucklizzie on instagram
Frail Body at Slice Hub: Photo from @tonytruty on instagram
Frail Body at Slice Hub: Photo from @tonytruty on instagram
Flyers for more upcoming shows in Central Illinois.
Underground Music is the greatest thing ever.
Listen to Foundation.
Like I said in my conclusion last week there is a lot of great music coming out and not enough time to digest all of it and formulate thoughts on what I have heard. I have decided to start posting these substacks a little less frequently. I have had a lot going on in my personal life. I need to focus more on me and the people close to me in my life and because of this I will have to post less often. I will still work on zine ideas and maybe try to narrow down the things I talk about a little more so I am not doing as many new releases each post. I think the next post will come out toward the begining of May which will give me more time to work on it and myself/my family and friends. This will also probably be a monthly recap of what happened in April.
In the meantime since I wont be posting as many updates you should go subscribe the 185 miles south substack and listen to the 185 miles south podcast. They are the best podcast and substack going so handle business and subscribe to their content. I also am trying to get some interviews to work out and I keep getting bad luck with those so one day I will get this thing going a little better than it has been. Those of you who enjoy what I have to say and like this style of music I will make an effort to make each one better than the last and if you have feedback of any kind or any suggestions of any kind you can always send me an email. The address is in the about tab on my substack page. Keep it real and I will catch you in the next edition.