The Hell – s/t 12” (Not For The Weak Records)
“This one goes out to the bad boys” is inscribed at the bottom of the insert for the Hell’s debut. It’s the only information aside from the lyrics on the record’s layout, but it says what you need to know about this group from Cleveland, Ohio (the bad boy’s natural habitat). While the Hell plays at hardcore tempos, they are more of a nasty, Dead Boys-inspired punk band, with snot-crusted vocals and riffs that strut like a dirtbag gakked to the gills. A stark contrast to the militaristic and ritualistic intensity of hardcore descended from the Minor Threat branch of the family tree, it’s like New Jersey’s the Worst, Boston’s Vile, the Dwarves circa Blood, Guts & Pussy… bands that sounded like hardcore because it annoyed the norms, but if too many hardcore kids liked them, they’d find a way to alienate that audience too.
The Hell showcases 10 searing tracks of classic 80’s inspired Midwest hardcore punk at its best. Each track is spewing with catchy and driving guitar riffs that takes influence more from the punk world, while the drums keep things hardcore and pummeling. Clever tempo changes keeps things interesting, leaving you constantly on your tiptoes. The catchiest element of the mix is the vocals, which have a unique phrasing style that gives a cool push-pull feeling, adding a lot to the overall intensity of each track.
“This one goes out to the bad boys” is inscribed at the bottom of the insert for the Hell’s debut. It’s the only information aside from the lyrics on the record’s layout, but it says what you need to know about this group from Cleveland, Ohio (the bad boy’s natural habitat). While the Hell plays at hardcore tempos, they are more of a nasty, Dead Boys-inspired punk band, with snot-crusted vocals and riffs that strut like a dirtbag gakked to the gills. A stark contrast to the militaristic and ritualistic intensity of hardcore descended from the Minor Threat branch of the family tree, it’s like New Jersey’s the Worst, Boston’s Vile, the Dwarves circa Blood, Guts & Pussy… bands that sounded like hardcore because it annoyed the norms, but if too many hardcore kids liked them, they’d find a way to alienate that audience too.
The Hell showcases 10 searing tracks of classic 80’s inspired Midwest hardcore punk at its best. Each track is spewing with catchy and driving guitar riffs that takes influence more from the punk world, while the drums keep things hardcore and pummeling. Clever tempo changes keeps things interesting, leaving you constantly on your tiptoes. The catchiest element of the mix is the vocals, which have a unique phrasing style that gives a cool push-pull feeling, adding a lot to the overall intensity of each track.
“This one goes out to the bad boys” is inscribed at the bottom of the insert for the Hell’s debut. It’s the only information aside from the lyrics on the record’s layout, but it says what you need to know about this group from Cleveland, Ohio (the bad boy’s natural habitat). While the Hell plays at hardcore tempos, they are more of a nasty, Dead Boys-inspired punk band, with snot-crusted vocals and riffs that strut like a dirtbag gakked to the gills. A stark contrast to the militaristic and ritualistic intensity of hardcore descended from the Minor Threat branch of the family tree, it’s like New Jersey’s the Worst, Boston’s Vile, the Dwarves circa Blood, Guts & Pussy… bands that sounded like hardcore because it annoyed the norms, but if too many hardcore kids liked them, they’d find a way to alienate that audience too.
The Hell showcases 10 searing tracks of classic 80’s inspired Midwest hardcore punk at its best. Each track is spewing with catchy and driving guitar riffs that takes influence more from the punk world, while the drums keep things hardcore and pummeling. Clever tempo changes keeps things interesting, leaving you constantly on your tiptoes. The catchiest element of the mix is the vocals, which have a unique phrasing style that gives a cool push-pull feeling, adding a lot to the overall intensity of each track.