STAGNANT YOUTH - DEMO 2013

TEXAS ON TOP! This band is phenomenal in every sense of the phrase. Stagnant Youth is a new-er band out of Houston, Texas featuring three of the dudes from Back to Back. They played their first show at the Taqueria in Denton, Texas and absolutely killed it. This band blends a style of hardcore in the vein of Hoax and Gag and throws one of the most monstrous vocalists over the mix (dude sounds quite a bit like Martin van Duren of Pestilence in his prime, imo). There are so many cool parts strewn through this tape such as the mosh parts in "Deviant" and "Shameful" to the dark, fuzzed out solo, if you would call it one, in the middle of "Invasion / Reign". 

This band is still quite active and I would recommend seeing them live. I managed to catch their set at Chaos with S.H.I.T. and they just tore it up. If you see them, buy a shirt, buy a tape, and mosh your fucking brains out. But until then, prepare yourself.

OUGH.

BACK TO BACK - FLESH & BONE

Whoa man, if you are into this new wave of hardcore that's been in swing for this last year or two and you haven't heard about Back to Back yet, you are fucking up. No joke. I remember seeing them live at Taqueria El Picante last spring being blown away (as well as the group's other band Stagnant Youth, but we will save the fan-girling of that tape for another post). The first riff on this little EP makes me just want to smash things when I hear it. Furious riffage and a good well rounded mix behind it tally up quick and give it an edge over most of the current contemporary hardcore. 

In all honesty I cannot say enough good things about this tape (I have both the tape version as well as the new Lockin' Out 7", Tour 2012 version.) And once more if you have yet to have listened to this do youself a favor and download it now!