Fairly standard politically-minded straightedge hardcore from Serbia’s PERIPETIJA. Everything here is done well enough, and there’s a clear penchant for Boston HC in particular, as evidenced by the NO TOLERANCE cover. From what I understand, this is four tracks from a demo, six new ones, and that cover. Not bad, but not particularly life-changing.
Labor politics, gang chants, and breakdown-free hardcore punk—if any of these pique your interest, Dead to Me gets the job done. Seattle’s PICKET LINE delivers blue-collar hardcore fueled by class resentment, betrayal, and a conviction that the people at the top deserve every ounce of contempt headed their way. They carry the same working-class anger that powered much of the late ’00s hardcore scene (think AGNOSTIC FRONT, DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR, or even ROTTING OUT). The album feels less interested in personal grievances and more connected to collective struggle. Class-conscious hardcore that hits like a steel-toed boot.
SMRT RAZUMA (“death of sanity”) brings the “new age of darkness,” or so the title of this Croatian band’s debut claims. They play heavy crossover with a well-mixed balance between the thrashing riffs and a hardcore bounce of the toughest order. After two demos, this debut solidifies their thirst for chaos. If you miss POWERTRIP or want an alternative to ENFORCED, you should look here!
