XweaponX x World of Pleasure – Weapon of Pleasure EP

Artist: XweaponX / World of Pleasure

Title: Weapon of Pleasure

Release: Tape / CD / Digital

Year: 2023

Label: DAZE

I wasn’t planning on writing about new records today, but two of my favorite straight edge bands of late caught me off guard with their tough-as-nails split that came out yesterday on Connecticut’s DAZE label.

Last year, XweaponX brought their heavyweight hardcore to the house, bringing the hardest, most ignorant straight edge mosh around. Their demo consisted of five tracks all revolving around the theme of straight edge, and as simple and generic as that may sound, it was one of those hardcore records that stuck in my head for a really long time. Formed around Knocked Loose members Isaac Hale and Bryan Garris, they have been joined by members of bands such as Two Witnesses and Harm’s Way to create this new straight edge force that is as hard, uncompromising and unapologetic as it gets.

XweaponX kick off their side of the split with another heavy-hitter called “Paid in Blood”. The floor-stomping mosh parts and the ultra-militant, pissed-off vocals and lyrics of singer Dave Baugher will get you pumped and ready for battle. The second track, “Domination III”, is XweaponX’s tribute to World of Pleasure, drawing its metallic riffs and inspiration from “Domination” I and II, which appeared on World of Pleasure’s self-titled debut in 2020 and the World of Pleasure & Friends EP in 2022, respectively. As you might have guessed, XweaponX are joined by World of Pleasure’s vocalist Jess Nyx, who now screams “Straight Edge domination” instead of “Vegan domination” as in the first two parts.

Calgary, Canada’s World of Pleasure began as a two-piece project between Jess and Colter of Mortality Rate, but has since grown into a full-fledged band. On this release, the two are joined by current members of Serration, Punitive Damage, and Juice. Their intense hardcore assault begins with the ferocious straight edge song “World War X”, which brings more of the same hallmark metallic riffs, aggressive vocals, and skull-crushing breakdowns we’ve come to expect from them. This World of Pleasure song also features the familiar lines “people like you remind me why straight edge ‘till I fucking die” from XweaponX’s track “People Like You”. 

The second World of Pleasure track, “Uzis Akimbo”, takes its name from the Uzi submachine guns from first-person shooter video games, which can also be seen on some of the band’s merch designs. The song is inspired by the last XweaponX track on their 2022 demo, “In Spite Of”, but here Jess changed the lyrics from “A world that you fell victim to, I am straight edge in spite of you” to “I’ll never see your point of view, I am vegan in spite of you”. Songs like this always give me chills and I already know this split is gonna be one of my favorite straight edge releases of the year. It’s fucking brutal, aggressive as fuck and makes me pumped repping the vegan straight edge now and forever.

My hate for you is not a secret
You made a vow and didn’t fucking keep it
I’ll never see your point of view
I am vegan in spite of you

On the heels of this fucking brutal split release, both bands will be playing the LDB Fest this weekend in XweaponX’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The festival will be headlined by Isaac and Bryan’s more famous band Knocked Loose, who will be celebrating their 10th anniversary. It’s going to be a sick line-up for sure, but you know, if you’re looking for the sickest and most uncompromising straight edge mosh record of 2023, you’ll have to look no further than this weapon of pleasure!

Source: diyconspiracy.net