No Way Out — Sic Semper Tyrannis EP

Streetpunk Uploads Part 4

For those who aren't in the know, Sic Semper Tyrannis is the motto of the Commonwealth. It's about murdering people who try to tell you what to do, Brutus style. Our seal is also the only one in the states that displays nipple. I'd like to see someone try and prove another state is harder than us. Do it pussay, you won't.

Anyway, No Way Out played a pretty big part in my punk experience, and in the Richmond scene in general, along with the Social Dropouts. I can remember a couple of occasions when Matt, the singer, threw up while playing live. Punx. This EP is generally well recorded, and showcases the energy and urgency of the band. While I do have an argument against Matt's statement that "hardcore isn't punk rock," the lyrics are generally pretty good, in a negative-youth, very-angry-at-life kind of way. There's also a sweet 70s punk cover.

No Way Out — Sic Semper Tyrannis EP

Track Listing:

1. Sic Semper Tyrannis/Hardcore Isn't Punk Rock
2. Nothing Lasts Forever
3. Through The Cracks
4. Boots And Beer
5. No Security (Chaos UK)
6. You Ain't Seen Shit
7. Anarcho-Indoctrination
8. No Way Out
9. Go Away

No Way Out was a pretty big punx band from Richmond for a good three years. They've gone on tour with Insurgency, put out a demo and this EP, and recorded a few tracks for an unreleased 7", some of which are available on their myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/nowayoutrva

How many Charlottesville faces do you count in this picture?

Lucky So Far — All Bets Off

Streetpunk Uploads Part 3

This might be a little embarrassing, but the first punk show I ever went to was these guys, the Staboners, and the Pietasters at Starr Hill way back in like 2005. I had hair down past my shoulders and a face full of acne, and absolutely no clue what I was doing there. It was, obviously, life changing.

Anyway, LSF is from north/central VA, and even though what they play doesn't exactly up the punx, it's definitely more punk than most of what is on here. The songs are pretty long, for a punk record, and pretty varied too, throwing in some ska riffs and trumpets, and sometimes being surprisingly epic and taking it slow — but not as an intro part or breakdown. Woah. Also, they stole the original bassist from the Social Dropouts, Matt Klima, who has a pretty unique style. Yeah.

Lucky So Far — All Bets Off

Track Listing:

1. Society
2. Revolution
3. Doctor
4. Riot
5. Tolbert Experiment
6. Lucky Man
7. Cop Song
8. Makes No Sense
9. Suicide In His Eyes
10. Last Word
11. Dragons
12. Jack And Jill
13. Bailey
14. Thanks

Lucky So Far are a punk band from Warrenton, Virginia. They've been around almost a decade, and look to still be going strong.

www.myspace.com/luckysofar

The Social Dropouts — Danger EP

Streetpunk Uploads Part 2

The Social Dropouts pulled an Avail early on, moving from Northern Virginia to Richmond. Also early on though, they recorded this EP, a very respectable piece of streetpunk. This was when they had their first singer, Kate, who moved to California (I think) shortly after this. Sound quality is pretty good, and the pretty standard punx music and lyrics are done really well. See what you think.

Social Dropouts — Danger EP

Track Listing:

1. Protect And Serve
2. Do Or Die
3. How Does It Feel?
4. Driving Me Insane
5. Society
6. Danger
7. Never Surrender
8. Country's Run With
9. I Won't Die With A Knife In My Back

The Social Dropouts have been the biggest punk band in Richmond for years. They've played innumerable shows, released a couple EPs, gone on tour, and generally rocked out really hard. Apparently they're breaking up soon, which I'm pretty bummed about.

http://www.myspace.com/thesocialdropouts

Troops Of Tomorrow — Demo

Streetpunk Uploads Part 1

Troops Of Tomorrow are something of a concept band, trying to play the kind of simple streetpunk or UK82 hardcore of, well, the Exploited, or Blitz. What's interesting is that they aren't necessarily into it full time; they cover D.Y.S. and play modern hardcore shows. Sound quality is okay, and the tunes are pretty interesting, if a little simplistic. Check it out.

Troops Of Tomorrow — Demo 2009

Track Listing:

1. The Boot Boys Are Back
2. Borrowed Time
3. Falling Bombs
4. Frankenstein's Monster
5. No Delusions
6. Open Up (D.Y.S.)

Troops of Tomorrow are an oldschool streetpunk band from Washington, DC. You can take a look at their TWWL Single here. Check them out, they're just getting started.

http://www.myspace.com/troopsoftomorrowdc

Step Above — Demo

I only saw these dudes once, at CFO Pavilion in Richmond with Have Heart and Sinking Ships. That show was fun, even though the mic didn't really work. They had a girl guitarist, and the singer stagedove literally half a dozen times every single song, which is pretty intense when most of them are under a minute. Lots of fun. Anyway, I picked up this demo about the same time as those of Swamp Thing and Clocked Out, and spun it pretty often. It was recorded by Mike Reaves, and sounds sweet.

Step Above — Demo 2007

Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. Open Your Eyes
3. Looking Ahead
4. Dollar To Gain
5. Another Way
6. Take It Away

Step Above were a hardcore band from Richmond in 2007-2008. Lots of fun edge jams.

http://www.myspace.com/stepxabove

Vomit Up Blood — RobotxAttack ExPx

Note the gratuitous use of X's. Hardcore for the... people who are willing to have fun? Every song on here is a lesson in satire, both musically and lyrically. Like, contrary to popular belief, xFallxDownxStairsx is not about friends breaking edge, it's about people falling down stairs. Perfect.

This was Vomit Up Blood's final release, and sound quality is pretty high. It has a couple of repeats from previous releases, but everything sounds a bit more practiced and perfected. Plus there are a few new songs, like Immortal, that are actually definitive of the band and their sound, like For All Time but in some ways more adventurous. Seriously, get into this.

Vomit Up Blood — RobotxAttack ExPx

Track Listing:

1. Intro/Soundtrack For Violence
2. xFallxDownxStairsx
3. Godzilla
4. B-Style
5. Injustice: The Taco Bell Song
6. Robot Attack
7. Mouthwash
8. Duke's Mayonnaise Tastes Better
9. Immortal

A deadly serious band of Hulkomania enthusiasts. Hardcore played by punks has never been so real. Songs about Godzilla, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, falling down stairs, and immortal squatters, with a small bit of For All Time influence and a lot of torn shirts. The various final and reunion shows were a highlight of my show-going experience.

www.myspace.com/vomitupblood2k6

Saturday Night Live — Dave Grohl HC Band Reunion

Total roflbrothel


Features Dave Grohl, former drummer from the DC hardcore band Scream, and later Nirvana and Foo Fighters.

Positive State — Label Me EP

I'm really conflicted on this record. The good part is that when these dudes get down to play some hardcore, it's really really awesome. I almost thought "Fresh Start" was an unreleased Angry Samoans  track, except for the Gorilla Biscuits EP-style breakdown. The downside is that they don't always play hardcore. Actually, sometimes they play weird white-boy ska, like a poorly-executed Op Ivy or something. Ew. Anyway, I found this in the used section at Vinyl Conflict in RVA, and Brandon just looked at it and gave it to me for free. Maybe he was right about it, maybe not.

Positive State — Label Me EP

Track Listing:

1. No Faces
2. Fresh Start
3. My Song
4. In My Face
5. Unsheltered
6. Generation X

Positive State were from NoVa or DC in the 1990s, and recorded this 7", The Bullshit Initiative LP, and a posthumous split with The Twenty-Two's. Word.

Pistol Bitch — Pistol Bitch Demo '09

This is a definite improvement over the older demo these dudes put out. If that's all you have, you need to upgrade. Both in terms of recording quality and musicianship, this demo is great, probably one of the best of 2009. I'm a little bit reminded of Clocked Out, or even some Mongoloids-style guitar riffs. It's pretty solid. Looks like they're getting out and touring a little bit too. Maybe these dudes are gonna be the next Swamp Thing. Huh.

Pistol Bitch — Pistol Bitch Demo '09

Track Listing:

1. Big Picture
2. Target Control
3. Worn Down
4. Going Nowhere Fast

Pistol Bitch is a relatively new hardcore band from Richmond, with members of Swamp Thing and Army of Fun. As was related to me, the story behind the name Pistol Bitch was that one of the band members' dads one day inexplicably said, "Pistol Bitch! That would be a good name for a punk rock band!" and as the band was just getting started, they went with it. Anyway, it's good shit, get into it.

www.myspace.com/pistolbitchrva

Riot Act — Live For Today, Fight For Tomorrow

This is one of the most interesting things to come out of Charlottesville since the Landlords. On the surface it's straightforward punk rock, but as you get more into it it becomes harder and harder to pigeonhole. It's mostly hard and fast, and has a habit of being really anthemic. It's pretty simple songwriting, but more in terms of exercising restraint than just not being very good — because they are very, very good. Tony, the guitarist and main vocalist, is also in the 40 Boys, but is probably best known for his work in industrial strength Goth band Bella Morte.

Riot Act — Live For Today, Fight For Tomorrow

Track Listing

1. Intro/As One
2. X
3. Burn
4. What I Believe
5. All The Kids
6. What's Left
7. Way Of Life
8. Keep Us Strong
9. You'll Get Yours
10. Last One Standing
11. Start A War
12. Dead To Me

A high-power punk rock band, Riot Act tore up conventional genre boundaries and made a music all their own. Sometimes catchy, sometimes thrashy, sometimes rocking, and occasionally jammy. They put out one very solid LP. There were a couple other punk bands in the early 2000s, but Riot Act were the biggest, and in my opinion one of the best. Honestly, you'll be listening to this for months.