Hardcore
Top 7 Straight Edge Records of 2021
End of the year lists are awesome because they allow you to reflect upon what you really enjoyed throughout the year and what actually made an impact on you. Lately, good and dedicated straight edge bands are not exactly scarce, but oftentimes they just get lost in the constant vortex of new hardcore releases. Not […]
The post Top 7 Straight Edge Records of 2021 first appeared on DIY Conspiracy – International Zine in the Spirit of DIY Hardcore Punk!
Two things I admire in a band is when someone other than the guitar player or singer writes the music and when you can see that band’s songwriting progress and grow. Both seem to be a challenge, particularly in hardcore. Headcount’s primary songwriter is their drummer, Matt, who is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, responsible for many excellent bands from the area. Since their inception in 2019, the band have released a demo, a promo, and have appeared on a few comps. In 2021, they released Imprint, a six-song 12” EP on Safe Inside Records.
What I liked about this release right away, is that it felt different than anything they’ve released before. On their demo, they upheld the youth crew sound that I normally gravitate towards, but not hearing that right away on this record challenged me as a listener and made me respect the successful attempt they made to build on top of that and to move into a different space. While still paying homage to traditional hardcore bands of the early-mid ’00s like The First Step and Keep It Clear, as they have in their previous music, I heard some more modern elements of bands like DARE with the groove-heavy first track, “Stolen Time”. In addition to this was the incorporation of more complex rhythmic accents between the drums and strings. This can be heard throughout the release, but particularly stands out on the third track, “New Paths”, which is very drum-led. This band has already hit the road to support this release, having traveled up and down California, and my hope is that they will reach other regions in the future!
—Thomas Vanderpol
Source: diyconspiracy.net
