Permanent — Demo

Permanent were a brilliant band based out of Richmond for a few years in the middle of the last decade. This was their demo from shortly after they formed in 2004, a couple songs of which they carried on to the Sleeping EP. These tunes are all powerful, well-constructed melodic hardcore in the vein of, well, themselves. No one else sounds quite like Permanent ever did. They even have an instrumental closing track, something that can either round out or break a record. Also on this album is an attempt at For All Time's "300 Miles," one of the greatest songs ever to come out of Charlottesville, which unfortunately isn't done justice here. Permanent was never meant to be a metalcore band, I guess. But when they're playing their own style, it's perfect. Nothing else is like this.

Permanent  — Demo (2004)

Track Listing:

1. Square One
2. Devils And Bad Luck
3. 300 Miles (For All Time)
4. Waiting For Rain
5. Days Late
6. Untitled

Permanent originally formed in Richmond with a combination of members of Charlottesville's For All Time and Blacksburg's Hold Me Back. They put out a demo, this EP, a split with Resonance, and Sink|Swim, a masterpiece of melodic hardcore. I can't stress enough the depth of this band. They broke up a few years back, and I'm still bummed I only ever saw them a few times. Still hoping for a reunion.

www.myspace.com/permanent

Alone In A Crowd — Self Titled Reissue

Alone In A Crowd was a short-lived band from the late-80s NYHC scene, with members of Side By Side, Judge, Raw Deal, Breakdown, and Uppercut. You can read the full bio below, but long story short they were really only around long enough to record an EP and play one show. This is pure spontaneity: four songs and a cover (how many bands do I know that have done that? How many bands have I been in?); that kind of impermanent catharsis that hardcore is better than any other genre at producing, and it really comes out in their sound. This reissue of their 7" includes the live recordings from their single show (the conversation between songs is some of the best I've ever heard), so basically it's the same thing twice. But that's good, because it's two different versions of "When Tigers Fight," the hardest song ever written. Also "Teenager In A Box," a cover from Government Issue, an under-appreciated early DCHC band. This is what hardcore should be. Enjoy.

Alone In A Crowd — Self Titled Reissue (1989)

Track Listing:

1. Is Anybody There?
2. Commitment
3. Who You Know
4. When Tigers Fight
5. Teenager In A Box (Government Issue)
6. Is Anybody There? (Live)
7. Commitment (Live)
8. Who You Know (Live)
9. When Tigers Fight (Live)
10. Teenager In A Box (Live)

Reissue Bio: "Although 1988 was just the beginning of Punk Rock & Hardcore for many, for Alone In A Crowd it was their last chance to say what they wanted to, a farewell to a scene they held in such high regard. New York Citys Side By Side had just broken up, it was early 1988 and Jules Massey (vocalist) wanted to form another band. Lars Weiss, who played bass in Side By Side and Uppercut, was the first to be asked, he was to play guitar. Howie, an old friend of Jules, came in to play second guitar. He was later in an early incarnation of Moondog (which later evolved into Quicksand). Lars recruited ex-Breakdown guitarist Carl Porcaro to play bass, who was then playing in Raw Deal (later known as Killing Time). Weiss also brought in Rob Sefcik, who was drumming along side Lars in Uppercut. Songs were written. Soon after the band recorded their debut release at the legendary Don Furys studio. With vocals that were reminiscent of those on the Antidote EP, the same bottom heaviness of The Abused and Negative Approach, and that Don Fury drum sound, this record was a classic from the start. A 7 ep was released on Rhode Islands Flux Records in 1989. Two pressings sold out very quickly and it was never re-issued. Finally, 15 years later, it has been re-issued for the first time on cd with additional studio and live recordings and a video of their only show."

http://www.myspace.com/aloneinacrowdnyhc

The Haverchucks — The Haverchucks 7"

The Haverchucks' new-ish self-titled EP. It's more hard-driving pop-punk, sort of akin to the Ramones if they were more into occasional solo riffs and not dressing like a cartoon. This EP is definitely harder than the demo, faster paced and a little more irate. I'm not into it quite as much (it's not really as groundbreaking and fresh-sounding), but it's still pretty solid, taking a little more influence from some 90s bands. "Work's For Suckers" is an anthemic account of, well, not working a shitty job (the anthropologist within me wants to write about Resistance Communities and Urban Maronage, but I'm holding back). Between these dudes and Hold Tight! I'd say RVA is in a pretty good spot for the future of pop-punk.

The Haverchucks — The Haverchucks 7" (2011)

Track Listing:

1. Ugly
2. Not Impressed
3. I Won't Try
4. Work's For Suckers
5. You Suck

The Haverchucks are a pop-punk band from Richmond, Virginia. They have out a demo and this EP.
http://thehaverchucks.limitedpressing.com/products/10312

http://www.facebook.com/thehaverchucks

Chronic Sick — Cutest Band In Hardcore E.P.

Chronic Sick might well have been the first American punk band to go the direction of full-on irony. I think they were really trying to out-punk the punks. See, they caught a lot of flak in their day for dressing like fuckups (punk), flirting with with swastikas and other ignant symbology (really punk), and writing lyrics that pissed of the burgeoning hardcore scene across the land (PUNX). Mostly it was the first tune off this LP that caused the real controversy, "There Goes the Neighborhood," about some new folks moving to town — "oh my god they're black!" But here's the thing, rather than being an actual racist anthem, these dudes were pointing out the ignorance embodied by bigotry. And in that light — impersonating people you disagree with to point out their flaws (think Colbert) — they're actually a brilliant band (The Landlords had a similar song about rape — in the liner notes they annotated it with "some people actually think like this!"). The rest of the tunes follow similar lines; rather than saying precisely what they mean (a la early Minor Threat, say) you might have to flex your head a bit to get what's going on.

Not only that, but they play some mean riffs. Today, this might be considered pop-punk, or at least going that direction. At the time they were probably just more influenced by 70's punk more than Black Flag, so it comes out really melodic and approachable — ironic, considering the title this EP claims for them. Anyway, sound quality's pretty good considering its age, and the content is just as applicable today. This is a real gem of a record.

Chronic Sick — Cutest Band in Hardcore E.P. (1982)

Track Listing:

1. There Goes The Neighborhood
2. Dress Code
3. Public Suicide
4. Man-Rape Blues
5. Mucho Macho
6. Pain For Profit

From Last.fm: "Chronic Sick were Bobby The “K” (music, lyrics, lead guitar, backing vocals), Greg Gory (Vocals), Arnie Barrs (bass, backing vocals) and Joe Albano (drums). Formed in 1981 in New Jersey, this hardcore punk band had two releases on Mutha Records : “Cutest Band In Hardcore” 12” (Mutha 002), and a self-titled 7” EP (Mutha 008) between 1982 - 83’."