Fist impressions of things I missed in 2023

Checking blind spots on hype releases

My favourite thing to do as a music listener is keep up with new stuff. I don’t really have old favourites I constantly come back to. Most of my heavy listening rotation consists of either music that just dropped or old stuff I’m hearing for the first time via podcasts, reviews, friend recommendations, and social media. Even though I’m constantly searching for new music, I always finish the year having missed a few things.

Then comes the inevitable cram session in December and early January where I try to catch up on all the records reviewers and friends are fawning over, or I go back to the releases I just gave a cursory glance that people are saying need my full attention.

Let’s face it — no one can hear everything. The sheer volume of cool music dropping these days makes it impossible. Below are some hyped records I didn’t get to this year, along with a cursory analysis. I usually listen to a new release at least four times before reviewing it, but amidst the holiday chaos, I’m just gonna work off first impressions. Obviously, this list is not exhaustive. Here goes:

New World Man - The Beast is Back (Streets of Hate)

I have friends who go absolutely batshit for these east coast titans and their over-the-top brand of crossover. I guess this is what I was looking for in my No Echo review of Mindforce’s New Lords, considering New World Man prominently features Mindforce guitarist Mike Shaw taking his chops in a thrashier direction. I started out disliking this. The first song is hampered by a genuinely bad transition. The vocals also put me off initially, though I warmed up to them a few tracks in. The production didn’t hit either. It felt like there were too many tones in the mix. This is quite technically impressive and features a lot of interesting ideas — from weird proggy parts to blatant classic rock worship. Some of the riffs on here are hard as nails, too. I’m gonna have to spend more time with NWM, but this EP didn’t immediately knock my socks off.

Stigmatism - Ignorance in Power (Static Shock)

This New York City band taps into the early roots of their local scene, namely Victim in Pain era Agnostic Front. The similarities are sometimes a bit blatant. I think Stigmatism structure three of their tracks to be more or less exactly the same as the song “Victim in Pain”. The vocalist’s Roger Miret impression — which many try but few do justice — is spot on. There are also some eerily similar-sounding riffs, and a handful of transitions tickle the nostalgia synapses pretty hard. But hey, if you’re gonna do an excellent job of ripping off a record, you might as well pick one of the greats. Ignorance in Power is like the New York version of Restraining Order’s first album, in that it’s going for something super specific, but with 40 years of hindsight to add a little garnish. This take on classic hardcore should be agreeable for anyone who’s into the sound. I’ll need a few more listens to decide how it stacks up, but I’m interested.

Stingray - Fortress Britain (La Vida Es Un Mus)

I hadn’t even heard of this until two weeks ago and then suddenly it was all over the podcast circuit. Japanese hardcore is a big blind spot for me, and apparently that’s what Fortress Britain pulls heavily from. I wish I could tell you what Death Side record this sounds like. Oh well. It’s grimy, d-beat informed hardcore with a mean streak in the form of some ass-whooping 80’s NYHC style breakdowns. It doesn’t exactly sound like Age of Quarrel, but it tickles that itch better than anything else from 2023. I’m surprised this didn’t come out on Quality Control, given that label’s recent output and the English connection. Fortress Britain fits well into the broader landscape of UK hardcore, but the Japanese influence — especially on the vocals — makes it relatively novel. Most bands in this scene go straight d-beat (like Rat Cage) or lean hard into the New York vibe (like the QC stuff). This walks a fine and compelling line.

Outta Pocket - Waste of a Man (Streets of Hate)

I’d heard some hype around this band but had no idea they’d dropped an LP. I’m not sure if eight songs in 13 minutes constitutes a “full-length”, but it’s the perfect runtime for what it is. This is Bay Area hardcore post-Sunami. It sounds like 25 ta Life playing slam metal. If you’re a youngster budgeting retail paycheques to buy LDB tickets, Outta Pocket is probably one of your favourite current bands. I’m happy to let the kids have their fun. I also appreciate the death metal influence and the effort to fit those elements into a groovy hardcore package. The songs don’t thrill me, though. Nothing about a chromatic slam breakdown is blowing my mind in 2023, and that’s basically Outta Pocket’s whole schtick. The band’s not bad. I would definitely show up early to watch them live. I’ll probably revisit Waste of a Man in five years when it’s cited as a groundbreaking, influential moment in modern hardcore. Right now, though, I don’t give a fuck. The album art also blows.

Spirit Possession — Of the Sign… (Profound Lore)

This record was getting some attention on Twitter when it dropped in March, but i deleted that platform, then forgot to circle back. I think my interest was initially piqued when this was described as black metal with a sizeable punk influence. I can see that angle, but I ultimately think it traces back to the morass of extreme music bubbling in the mid 80’s, when metal was borrowing heavily (and perhaps unintentionally) from punk. I love that era, and the parts on Of the Sign… which draw from it excite me. There’s much more going on here, though. This blasts and grinds with the best of them, incorporating elements of death metal and harsh noise. The vocals are mixed in a wretched way that’s sure to put off anyone looking for an easy listen. Still, this rises above the obnoxious atonal thrashing of bands I only enjoy in theory, like Concrete Winds. The musicianship is excellent, and there’s a real attempt to be tuneful. I like this a lot.