Flatspot HHV Records 27 Items

New York hardcore’s Backtrack debut EP is back in stock thanks to Flatspot Records. This EP put the band on the map as the new generations torchbearers of NYHC. They have toured far and wide with their ferocious live performances winning over fans from Long Island to Beijing.

Known for their blend of hardcore and powerviolence, Zulu is pushing the boundaries of those sounds into new territory on their forthcoming album, A New Tomorrow. Formed as a solo project by vocalist Anaiah Lei in 2018 and then joined by guitarist Braxton Marcellous, the Los Angeles based band has since been rounded out by guitarist Dez Yusuf, bassist Satchel Brown and drummer Christine Cadette. A New Tomorrow (Flatspot Records) serves as the band’s first full-length, following EPs Our Day Will Come (2019) and My People... Hold On (2020). Taking on the task of self-producing the record, the band immersed themselves in collaborator Zach Tuch’s (dare, Trash Talk) studio in the valley. After spending months toying with different instrumentation and samples, and pulling influences ranging from reggae to death metal, the result is an eclectic 15 tracks.

Since first forming in 2016, London, England’s High VIS has steadily polished

their palette of progressive hardcore with shades of post-punk, Brit pop, neo- psychedelia, and even Madchester groove, mapping a middle ground between

hooks and fury, melodies and mosh pits. From its opening seconds of a cab door slamming, a car revving away, and a baggy rhythm swinging to life, Guided Tour sounds like a band reaching for new heights, bristling with energy. The album’s 11 songs span the spectrum of contemporary guitar music, sharpened by experience, camaraderie, and societal frustrations.

This compilation was started to provide a snapshot of the current state of hardcore. Every song is exclusive to the series, and we love to see bands take pride in giving us some of their best songs for this compilation. Looking back, The Extermination Compilation has released exclusive tracks from Power Trip, Angel Du$t, Turnstile, Terror, King Nine, Backtrack, Soul Search, Piece BY Piece, Take Offense, and the list goes on. With volume four, we present the next wave of hardcore from our perspective. For this volume, every single band gave 110% of raw power and pure energy. This is a true representation of hardcore in its purest form.

Breaking onto the hardcore scene in 2013, New York’s Regulate has shown a resilient and earnest approach in everything they do. This rings true on the band’s upcoming, self-titled LP that will drop September 30th on their new label home, Flatspot Records. The ten tracks on the album developed organically throughout the brunt of the pandemic, inspiring vocalist Sebastian Paba’s most personal lyrics to date. Regulate has always been an outlet for vulnerability.

Kill Your Idols formed in 1995 by vocalist Andy West and guitarist Gary Bennett, listening to hardcore and dreaming of recording a 7” and opening for their favorite bands like 7 Seconds and Sick OF IT ALL. That dream became reality faster than they could have ever imagined as they ended up doing all that, and then some, spending 1997 through 2006 touring the United States, Europe, and even Asia at a Black Flag pace, as well as releasing scores of full-length albums and EPs, including splits with Fisticuffs, Full Speed Ahead, THE Nerve Agents, Voorhees, Good Riddance, Crime IN Stereo, Modern Life IS WAR, Poison Idea, and yes, 7 Seconds. Then, in 2007 the band called it quits with members moving on to other projects, but not before playing several legendary final shows. In 2013, the band rose from the dead, performing a now famous “welcome back Kyi” set at Black N’ Blue Bowl, at a sold out Webster Hall in NYC. Ever since, the band knew they belonged on the stage, and have continued to play shows to their loyal fans as well as reaching a new, younger audience. Hardcore as ever, the band plans on writing, recording, and performing whenever possible. Never say die. Rule Them ALL was created with one goal in mind: deliver gimmick-free hardcore that speaks truth to power. The band was formed in 2017 by Richie Armour and Jon Gusman, who have since completed the lineup with members of diverse experience that spans a wide range of musical disciplines. Their carefully constructed and deliberately paced songs call to mind both the emotional intelligence of classic D.C. hardcore and the raw aggression of the Long Island scene they call home. The result is a confrontational blend of vintage and modern styles that force the listener to reckon with their own notions of what it means to be independent in today’s fractured society. Sonically, Rule Them ALL expertly synchronize hard-hitting drums with harmonic riffs to form an unshakeable foundation over which the message in the vocals can be easily heard and understood crystal clear. This shines on their latest EP, Dreams About... and upcoming split with fellow Long Island punk act Kill Your Idols (both released by Flatspot Records). The band’s potent blend of hardcore has lead way to an ever-growing fanbase and sharing the stage with acts like Terror, Turnstile, Gorilla Biscuits, and more.

Formed in 2018, in Los Angeles, California, Section H8 creates gritty and callously honest hardcore punk. Now Section H8 comes with their most definitive statement yet in the form of their debut fulllength, Welcome To The Nightmare. Welcome To The Nightmare is pure hardcore punk at it’s finest, with fast as hell instrumentals that quickly become formidable and pummeling on the turn of a dime. Section H8 have mastered their blend of blistering punk mixed with heavy grooves as found on album opener “Nightmare” or “Mist-Head.” Lyrically, the ten tracks each tell their own story, ranging from personal experiences living in Los Angeles, crime, and death, to the current political divide in America, the legal system and the corruption within it. On Welcome To The Nightmare, Section H8 give an honest and unfiltered look at life through their own eyes, or as vocalist Mexi says, “The goal isn’t to change the world, but to give you a glimpse into our world.” Recorded and mixed by Taylor Young at The Pit Studios in Southern California and mastered by Nick Townsend, Section H8’s debut comes with plenty of surprises among the ten pummeling tracks, such as a standout feature from Tim Armstrong of Rancid on “Street Sweeper” which calls to mind the fast aggression of Rancid (2000). Another curveball found on the full-length is the following track, “Behind The 8 Ball,” which acts as a thank-you list from the band over a grooving riff and gang vocals. Made up of Aldo (guitar), Chris (drums), Dan (bass, vocals), Mexi (vocals), and Ryan (guitar, vocals), Section H8’s members aren’t new to this world by any means—playing in acts such as Product OF Waste, Downpresser, Minus, Human Garbage, and Nomads to name a few—but their

Purple Vinyl Edition.
Cover with a beginning seam split at the upper edge.
Includes original insert.

Rising out of Baltimore’s groundbreaking hardcore scene in 2021, JIVEBOMB’s ruthless blend of hardcore punk and intense live show quickly made them a band to watch. Dropping a demo that year, the band grabbed the attention of Flatspot Records and released their first proper EP, Primitive Desires, in 2022. The EP received praise from Stereogum, The Fader, and BrooklynVegan, and the band went on a whirlwind of touring alongside acts including Angel Du$t, Soul GLO, Fleshwater, SPY, and Candy. JIVEBOMB’s brazen and gut-wrenching style continues to grow, and takes on a more extreme form on the band’s upcoming debut album, Ethereal. Ethereal is defined as “extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.” A pure contradiction to JIVEBOMB’s sound, yet a perfect match to the band’s lyrics that drive from a dissociative dreamlike state.

Scowl is a band that sounds exactly like their name implies. Venomous, fierce, antagonistic. A sneer not to be crossed. Over the last five years, the Santa Cruz, California, band has firmly planted their flag in the hardcore scene with their vicious sound and ripping live show, sharing stages around the world with Circle Jerks, Touché Amoré, and Limp Bizkit, and filling slots at prominent festivals like Coachella, Sick New World, and Reading and Leeds. But with their new album, Are We All Angels (Dead Oceans), Scowl is aiming to funnel all that aggression through a more expansive version of themselves. Scowl formed in 2019 after vocalist Kat Moss, a Bay Area scene regular with no prior musical experience, connected with guitarist Malachi Greene and drummer Cole Gilbert at the legendary Berkeley venue 924 Gilman the previous year. They soon recruited bassist Bailey Lupo, and later completed their lineup with the addition of guitarist Michael

Bifolco in 2022. After self-releasing a pair of hard- hitting demos and playing local shows, Scowl

became deeply immersed in the scene, coming up with a rising group of bands like Drain, Sunami, and Gulch.

Are We All Angels is the highly anticipated follow- up to Scowl’s debut, 2021’s How Flowers Grow,

a 16-minute primal scream over punishing riffs. But amidst the pounding chaos, it was the record’s sonic outlier, a cleaner interlude called “Seeds to Sow,” that, true to its name, planted the seed for what was to come for the band. “It kind of laid out this destiny for us, and I feel like now we’re fulfilling that,” says Gilbert. The band continued to expand their sound on 2023’s widely acclaimed Psychic Dance Routine EP, incorporating more pop hooks and favoring gentler singing over heavy screaming, paving the way for what would come next. At every turn on Are We All Angels, the band explores ambitious new directions and bends genre norms. Moss makes the most immediately noticeable evolution, dropping some of the gnarling bite of the band’s previous work in favor of a more textured and sometimes delicate approach. She flexes harmonies and melodic sensibilities that might surprise even the most dedicated Scowl fans. Moss cites a wide array of influences outside the realm of hard rock—everything from Billie Eilish to Radiohead, CAR Seat Headrest to Julien Baker. “The majority of us were really not proficient musicians when this band started,” she admits. “It was very GERMS-esque in that way, like baby’s first hardcore band, which is awesome. But now, we still might not know what we’re doing, but we have a better idea of what we want to do.” Scowl’s growth got a huge boost from producer Will Yip (turnstile, Title Fight, Code Orange,

Balance AND Composure), who broadened the band’s scope. “Will would say, ‘Everything you have here is correct, but it’s in the wrong place,’” says Gilbert. Moss adds: “Will really helped restructure a lot of the material. Some songs he tore apart to make more space for the really good hooks and choruses.” But even through this more eclectic approach, Scowl loses none of their edge, and still manages to convey the anger and frustration that lies underneath. They are deeply committed to carrying the ethos of punk and its sense of community. “Hardcore and punk have sculpted how we operate, what we want to do as a band, and how we participate,” says Greene. “At our core, we are a punk and a hardcore band, regardless of how the song shifts and changes.”

Scowl is a band that sounds exactly like their name implies. Venomous, fierce, antagonistic. A sneer not to be crossed. Over the last five years, the Santa Cruz, California, band has firmly planted their flag in the hardcore scene with their vicious sound and ripping live show, sharing stages around the world with Circle Jerks, Touché Amoré, and Limp Bizkit, and filling slots at prominent festivals like Coachella, Sick New World, and Reading and Leeds. But with their new album, Are We All Angels (Dead Oceans), Scowl is aiming to funnel all that aggression through a more expansive version of themselves. Scowl formed in 2019 after vocalist Kat Moss, a Bay Area scene regular with no prior musical experience, connected with guitarist Malachi Greene and drummer Cole Gilbert at the legendary Berkeley venue 924 Gilman the previous year. They soon recruited bassist Bailey Lupo, and later completed their lineup with the addition of guitarist Michael

Bifolco in 2022. After self-releasing a pair of hard- hitting demos and playing local shows, Scowl

became deeply immersed in the scene, coming up with a rising group of bands like Drain, Sunami, and Gulch.

Are We All Angels is the highly anticipated follow- up to Scowl’s debut, 2021’s How Flowers Grow,

a 16-minute primal scream over punishing riffs. But amidst the pounding chaos, it was the record’s sonic outlier, a cleaner interlude called “Seeds to Sow,” that, true to its name, planted the seed for what was to come for the band. “It kind of laid out this destiny for us, and I feel like now we’re fulfilling that,” says Gilbert. The band continued to expand their sound on 2023’s widely acclaimed Psychic Dance Routine EP, incorporating more pop hooks and favoring gentler singing over heavy screaming, paving the way for what would come next. At every turn on Are We All Angels, the band explores ambitious new directions and bends genre norms. Moss makes the most immediately noticeable evolution, dropping some of the gnarling bite of the band’s previous work in favor of a more textured and sometimes delicate approach. She flexes harmonies and melodic sensibilities that might surprise even the most dedicated Scowl fans. Moss cites a wide array of influences outside the realm of hard rock—everything from Billie Eilish to Radiohead, CAR Seat Headrest to Julien Baker. “The majority of us were really not proficient musicians when this band started,” she admits. “It was very GERMS-esque in that way, like baby’s first hardcore band, which is awesome. But now, we still might not know what we’re doing, but we have a better idea of what we want to do.” Scowl’s growth got a huge boost from producer Will Yip (turnstile, Title Fight, Code Orange,

Balance AND Composure), who broadened the band’s scope. “Will would say, ‘Everything you have here is correct, but it’s in the wrong place,’” says Gilbert. Moss adds: “Will really helped restructure a lot of the material. Some songs he tore apart to make more space for the really good hooks and choruses.” But even through this more eclectic approach, Scowl loses none of their edge, and still manages to convey the anger and frustration that lies underneath. They are deeply committed to carrying the ethos of punk and its sense of community. “Hardcore and punk have sculpted how we operate, what we want to do as a band, and how we participate,” says Greene. “At our core, we are a punk and a hardcore band, regardless of how the song shifts and changes.”

First established in 2014, DAY BY DAY prides itself on being a no-frills, do-it-yourself hardcore band. They made a name for themselves self-releasing the Never Ending Lies EP (2015), From Now On EP (2017), and Nowhere To Run (2018), which led to touring throughout America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Now the South Florida-based band joins independent-hardcore label Flatspot Records for the release of Dust And Ashes out this fall. The six song EP was recorded with Andy Nelson at Bricktop Studios in Chicago, IL, and then mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. DAY BY DAY wanted to avoid a modern and polished sound, and instead recorded live in the studio in order to capture the raw and heartfelt sound on the EP. The tracks are massive, concise, and hard-hitting, centered around the uncertainties in life and friendships. Opener “Respect 101” sets things up with a dark and devastating tone that blazes right into “Until Then...It’s War.” DAY BY DAY’s

triple vocal attack is a highlight on the song and across the record, lending a rigid, in-your- face hardcore sound while showing you a scowling, deeper style. The EP is also packed

with unique tempo changes and groove-driven guitars, as exemplified on “Still Bleeds” and closer “Fakes And Liars II.” The latter track finds the band coming full circle as a follow-up to “Fakes And Liars” off their first EP, addressing bands that are disingenuous. With the release of Dust And Ashes, DAY BY DAY has touring on the horizon including a UK run on the Flatspot world tour alongside labelmates Speed, END IT, and more. Whether on record or in a live setting, DAY BY DAY is here to fuel the need to mosh while providing a sense of catharsis from the outside world.

Self-designated as “Bangkok Evilcore,” WHISPERS, based out of Thailand, are bringing an immense sound to modern metallic hardcore. Originally formed in 2014, the band picked up steam in 2021 with the release of their Narok Bon Din EP grabbing international attention. Now WHISPERS join the growing roster of pivotal heavy-music label Flatspot Records for the release of Yom Ma-Lok!Hitting the studio in spring 2024, WHISPERS set out to make a heavy, intense record that connects on an emotional level. The band worked with Suchai at Sixthirty Recording Studio in Bangkok to hone in on their sound, before sending the EP to Andy Nelson at BrickTop Recording for mixing and Brad Boatright at Audiosiege for mastering. Influence from bands like ALL OUT WAR and MEARAUDER comes through across the seven songs, giving a tough-as-nails delivery packed with menacing riffs. Thematically, Yom-Ma-Lok addresses realism and human nature through a global perspective. With the release of Yom-Ma-Lok, WHISPERS are setting out to spread the message and sound of Asian hardcore far and wide. 1. Bangkok Evilcore2. A Choice To Survive3. Retribution4. Close Your Eyes5. This Is Not The End6. Weisenheimer (You Were Never One Of Us)7. Yom-Ma-Lok

Charlie Manning is Chubby AND THE Gang. The 30-something-year-old born-and-bred Londoner kicked off the project in 2019 with the intention of blending hardcore punk with the most infectious elements of ’70s rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop. Charlie brought in a “gang” of rotating instrumentalists performing on the albums Speed Kills (2020) and The Mutt’s Nuts (2021), both released through Partisan Records. Fast forward to now, and for the release of the upcoming album And Then There Was..., Chubby AND THE Gang joins long-running hardcore label Flatspot Records. The album is 16 songs written and performed by Charlie, produced by Jonah Falco, and recorded and mixed by James Atckinson. It’s a mix of control and chaos, love and loneliness, rage and vulnerability. The songs scream to be heard in a live setting, but feel just as at home playing over the speakers of a dimly lit local pub. “There’s A Devil In The Jukebox” is a roaring punk track. “The Bonnie Banks” storytelling nature leads to repetitive refrain that is begging to be shouted along with. There’s the raucous and simply put “Anticop.” An expansive, drawn-out moment of facing mortality on “To Fade Away.” And the record ends with an emotive piano ballad in “Cocaine Sunday.” Throughout And Then There Was..., Charlie exposes his prowess for melody and exposition of true self.

Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. 2024 release. To catch everyone up: Australian hardcore band Speed is putting their foot down on the world. For hardcore kids from Sydney, which is where Speed's from and what they represent, this is a first. Everyone in the band has been going to shows for years-"real moshers," always up front, dancing. During a lull period in their home scene-"there were no new bands going on"-the guys stepped up and tapped in. Speed decided to start out hard and traditional-a high-level aesthetic decision that, every five years, an all-time hardcore band does. A reset. For their first year, the group referred to itself on flyers and in interviews, as two words-Speed HARDCORE-to make things extra simple. This is what they're about: Hardcore, played hard, played fast, "for us, by us"-explicit, immediate, definitive-hinting at all the crucial bands that have come before them. Their debut full length, ONLY ONE MODE, exemplifies their growth and distillation. It's a concept album in one sense: a manual that explains, directly, Speed's beliefs, the five guys' personalities, what they bring to the table, what's special about their scene.

With a mission in mind, Speed is setting out to put Australian hardcore on the map. Formed in 2019, the Sydney-based band has a no-holds-barred approach and enticing sound that makes them standouts in the genre. Composed of vocalist Jem, bassist Aaron Siow, guitarists Josh Clayton and Dennis Vichidvongsa, and drummer Kane Vardon, Speed showcases a tough exterior, but amplifies their sense of identity, and community in everything they do. Following the release of their demo in 2019, the band teamed up with U.S. label Flatspot Records for a two-song EP in 2020 and they joined forces again for Gang Called Speed. Recorded with Elliott Gallart at Chameleon Studios, the six songs on the EP are centered around recognizing who you are in this world, taking ownership of that identity and not letting anyone tell you otherwise. Drawing influence from old-school acts like Biohazard and Merauder just as much as bands like Trapped Under ICE, the band is putting forth pit-ready music.

“No nonsense hardcore with a punch and a pulse.” That’s how Scott Vogel (terror, Buried Alive) introduces BAD Blood, the newest project featuring the esteemed vocalist. The band formed in Buffalo, NY, after tossing around the idea of playing music together with guitarists Eric Ellman (they Live, Violent Way) and Mason Hutchins (Violent Way), bassist Greg Vinal (exhibition), and drummer Nick Terlecky (Violent Way). The result is the five brutal tracks that make up The Bad Kind Decides EP, set for release on Flatspot Records. The songs were laid down live with producer Jay Zubricky at GCR Studios and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios. Taking influence from ’80s hardcore bands like Warzone and Brotherhood, BAD Blood has created a fast, in your face sound with lyrics that deal with the negativities of reality. With the release of The Bad Kind Decides, BAD Blood is packing honesty in aggression that’s set to connect from your headphones to the pit.