Hardcore
MANKIND? – Discography
There are many arguments regarding the timeline of punk rock, its influence and its future, but for most of us that have stayed the course, the 1990s were a special time for punk. Not only for the music, but very much for the message as that is what truly makes punk, punk. To be fully […]
The post MANKIND? – Discography first appeared on DIY Conspiracy – International Zine in the Spirit of DIY Hardcore Punk!
Artist: MANKIND?
Title: Discography
Release: LP / Digital
Year: 2022
Label: Ryvvolte Records, Fight For Your Mind
There are many arguments regarding the timeline of punk rock, its influence and its future, but for most of us that have stayed the course, the 1990s were a special time for punk. Not only for the music, but very much for the message as that is what truly makes punk, punk. To be fully transparent here, I am close with some of the members, but that doesn’t change the brilliant legacy this band will carry on as many can agree they were vital to the scene.
MANKIND? were an anarcho-punk ensemble out of New Haven, Connecticut that were around from 1993–1995, and although short lived, they made a massive impact on the global punk community. This latest discography stopped me in my tracks and they deserve every bit of recognition, their music highlights the power of punk rock and why it exists.
Growing up, Crass and all the bands involved during that time had a deep influence on me and made me realize how vital music can be to a world based on material, war and anti-intellectualism. As the ‘90s rolled around, it was apparent how deep the message was becoming in the DIY underground. The music was strong, the community was strong and MANKIND? came bursting into the scene which brought a sense of camaraderie that was ferocious. So when I discovered MANKIND? and their split with the legendary Crass label band DIRT, I lost my mind!
The collaboration between Ryvvolte Records and Fight For Your Mind Records brought us this magnificent release by getting all the material together and releasing it in a beautifully packaged album. This release tells the story of an amazing era during the band’s existence which includes a booklet filled with lyrics, flyers, and a huge poster. The album includes material from their seven-inch Won’t You Join the Army Now So You Can Fight…And You Can Die!, along the split EP with DIRT and Final Warning, compilation tracks and two unreleased bonus tracks.
As I mentioned earlier on influence, you can get a hint of the style of music MANKIND? goes for. A layered approach that’s based on the fundamentals of peace punk with the aggression of straight forward hardcore punk. Members of MANKIND? were also involved with Aus-Rotten, Calloused, React, and more. One thing to take note of, the first pressing is sold out (not surprising!), however there is a second pressing in the works and if you haven’t received a copy, I highly recommend jumping on this right away.
Every era of punk has its history and a personal story to tell, what MANKIND? did for us in the ‘90s set a foundation for what will become the future.
Source: diyconspiracy.net
