Ex Parents

Reviews

Ex Parents Failure EP

Rooted in ’90s basement shits, with a modern ferocity that will straighten you up in mere seconds. Check “Reaper” and hear past decades meeting modern one-two-one-two stomps, and then there are the guitar melodies just kinda floating over the whole thing…repeat listens reveal additional layers. On the one hand, EX PARENTS are no frills, no bullshit, and the listener seems welcome to leave it there should they choose to do so. There’s a lot more though, and deep listening is recommended. This four-song EP sounds absolutely fukkn timeless to these ancient ears, and Council Records continues to be a standard bearer in modern DIY hardcore with foundation in the…well, in the foundation of US DIY hardcore.

Ex Parents Ex Parents LP

Out of Roanoke, Virginia, EX PARENTS are a hardcore band with a diverse sound that draws from a range of influences. This album starts off with the D-beating of “Mania,” whose lyrics are a direct DISCHARGE homage, and after that it expands into a bunch of other directions, all accompanied by vein-popping screamed vocals. Out of the ten tracks here, I dig the classical-sounding chord progression and surprisingly bright finish of “Void” and the unexpected post-punk vibe of the closing “Perpetual Bliss” the best. Simultaneously fibrous and beefy, if this music was a literal dinner, it would be pot roast, which can be pretty tasty when prepared well.

Ex Parents Ex Parents demo cassette

Originally released in February of 2020 and limited then to a mere ten copies, EX PARENTS decided to utilize the downtime that was about to be thrust upon us all to send their demo out to be remixed/mastered and have artwork done by Keith Caves, who is undeniably one of the best in the biz! So here we have the newly remixed/remastered/reissued/hand-numbered (out of 50 copies) EX PARENTS four-song demo tape of pop-infused hardcore punk. I can say with utmost certainty after playing with them in their hometown of Roanoke, VA last month that the tape doesn’t hit as hard as the band does live. That doesn’t at all mean that it’s not a solid demo, merely that the band’s live sound couldn’t quite be captured. As someone who is a bit of a completist when it comes to music, I can’t help but wonder how that originally mixed batch-of-ten tape sounds. Are we getting the DIY version of “the great rock’n’roll swindle” here? Can’t wait to hear the record that is allegedly in the works.